Well, That Was Fun

Wednesday was a kind of scary day 'round these parts.

There were at least 8 tornadoes that touched down around our area, although none got really close to our town.

Nathaniel was just finishing up not napping when the sirens went off. We only have a crawl space, so I texted our next door neighbor to see if they were home. Before she could respond, another friend sent a text that she was at her sister in law's in town and I could come over. They had been doing some Vacation Bible School prep and were camping out across the street from the church. Convenient storm hideout!

So we joined them. It had rained and hailed (pea and marble sized) but there had been a lull. As we were heading out, it started raining again. Fortunately, it wasn't like the tornado (that was on the ground AND heading in our direction) was knocking on the door, so I was able to grab a few things.

I brought Joe's O's for Nathaniel. I don't usually let him grab his own because he takes a HUGE fistful and shovels them all in his mouth. Also, it makes a mess. But, hey. It's a special event. Hanging in a basement during a storm.

This is what happens when he gets to choose his own cereal. Please notice the hair. This is what happens when his wet hair is tousled.

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured in our area and there was minimal damage. We got nearly 3 inches of rain. After our drought from last summer, it's a good thing.

I'm just worried about my tomatoes. They're being a bit of divas, but they've also been pretty wet for awhile so they don't want to grow very well. I'm hoping we get some nice sunny days so that they can dry out and grow.

Anyway, Wednesday was a stark contrast for my Tuesday, when I actually managed to accomplish a lot. We ended the storm day with a pizza from the grocery store pizza counter.

At least we ate healthy! 

With all this crazy weather, I hope everyone stays safe. Here's hoping that soon all the tornado intercept vehicles have to be parked somewhere because there aren't any severe storms to chase!

-Lisa

A Random List...about Me!

Once upon a time on Facebook, there was a thing going around where you say 25 things about yourself. Or something like that. I thought I might as well do that here too.

So, without further ado, 25 random things about me!

I know you're breathless with anticipation.

1) I like lists. Actually, I like crossing things off lists. So I make a list of stuff I need to do. Often, if I do something extra, I will write it on the list so that I can cross it off. I make lists before every trip I go on so I know I won't forget something.

2) I am a night owl. I stay up late, though not as late as I used to. It's my productive time. The problem now is that some little person doesn't get that mommy wants to sleep in. Alas.

3) When my living space has order to it, I am happier and get more done. For reference, I've hardly gotten anything done lately. Infer away about my living space.

4) It would be my dream to make everything from scratch and have most of my food be either things I make or things I've grown and put up (ie canned, frozen). Bread, meals, snack foods....I think that would be awesome.

5) #4 ain't never gonna happen unless we strike it rich and I don't have to work any more and can also hire a nanny/child wrangler. And probably a maid.

6) I get satisfaction from completing tasks. Looking over a mowed yard, clean house, weeded garden, completed book, etc, brings joy to my heart.

7) Whenever possible, I try to spoil the endings of books, movies, TV shows, etc for myself. I have strong empathy with whatever people are going through, so if I know how it ends, I can enjoy the ride more. Otherwise I get very stressed out about the whole situation. Season ending cliffhangers are complete and total torture.

8) I love British TV shows and movies. And books too. I love seeing a British actor from one show in another and be able to recognize him/her. Their humor (humour, really) is right up my alley. If you want to experience great British TV, check out Doctor Who, The Vicar of Dibley, Keeping Up Appearances, As Time Goes By, Sherlock, or Merlin. Some have made their way on to American TV as well.

9) People who come late to the bandwagon and are then all on board, acting like they started it all, annoy me. It's nice that you think Downton Abbey is awesome and are all about it. But you didn't put in the time with all the other British shows first. North & South, multiple versions of Jane Austen stories. You don't really know...don't act like you're all about the British shows, you poser! (Just kidding. Kind of.)

10) *ahem* I get a little over-excited about small stuff. I do, in fact, sweat it.

11) I really hate going to the doctor. They can do great things and have helped many people, but I don't like paying my co-pay just to have them say "it's probably this so here are some drugs." I'd rather spend time and money looking into any reasonable natural remedy I can. (Note: this applies for things like ear aches, coughs, colds, etc. Not major diseases. I'm not going to try a chamomile compress for cancer or something.)

12) I really dislike talking on the phone. If I can email or text someone and get a reasonable response, I'll do that instead. This was the case even before I became a credit card collector. *shudder*

13) Meteorologists crack me up during severe weather. Snowstorms, thunderstorms, tornadoes.  I think it's the time they get to use all their fancy prediction/radar tools and they get all excited about it. I'm glad they are there to warn us...but sometimes I think they could take it down a notch. My personal favorite was the guy going on about their sever weather "polygons". They could be very specific about the areas under advisory...much more so than a lowly warning box could indicate. *smile and nod*

14) I love that Nathaniel is a snuggler. Except when he's laying in bed next to me and he keeps trying to move closer, so I move over. He's one. He's a fraction of my size. How is he pushing me out of bed?!

15) I like tea. Hot tea. (Or, to put it more Picard-ly "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.")

16)  I sometimes forget how much I like certain foods until I have something with them. Then I remember...and then usually forget again.

Examples include lemon flavored things (had a sample at Trader Joe's with shortbread topped with lemon curd and blueberries. Heaven!) and grape juice at communion time (we're Mennonites...we only drink alcohol in private. A joke: What happens when you take 1 Mennonite with you fishing? He/she drinks all your beer. What happens when you take 2 Mennonites with you fishing? They don't drink any of your beer!).

17) I carry a water bottle with me basically everywhere I go. Not a plastic one; a reusable one. I have since my Tabor College days as a newby music major and it's a habit that has stayed with me. I rarely  realize that isn't something everyone does.

18) I still haven't lost all my baby weight. It sucks. It makes me disappointed in myself but I just comfort myself with some ice cream and it passes.

19) I have, in recent years, become increasingly aware of the sexualization of women in media. I mean, I KNEW it was there, but the subtleties have shocked me. How the woman stands, the tightness/shortness/revealing nature of clothes, the use of her to depict sex to sell. It makes me so angry. Shows with beach scenes will ALWAYS, ALWAYS show close ups of women in bikinis. How will we as women be valued for ourselves if we are forever portrayed as sexual beings only?

20) I don't like scary movies. I venture away from scary TV shows too.

21) I get a bit obsessed with things. When I play a game on the computer or my phone, I have a hard time stopping playing. "Just one more level" or "One more life." Five times later....whoops! I'm working on it.

22) I would never, ever, in the history of the world home school my kid(s). This isn't an indictment on homeschoolers- I think it's a fine idea but I would be horrible at it and my kid(s) would never learn anything. The only exception would be if I were rich and our "homeschooling" was more like "home tutoring" that involved travel to places. So, let's learn about ancient Greece by going to Greece (and probably the history of democracy, etc). And I would have to hire someone to do some of the research and all of the teaching too.

23) The only time I've been in the hospital (for myself) was when I was born and when Nathaniel was born. I have never broken a bone. (knock on wood)

24) I love to read. As a kid, this gave me an expansive vocabulary. When I moved to a new place and school, I got made fun of for my big words so I consciously chose smaller words to try to fit in better. (On an slightly related note, I am a pretty good speller when I can visualize the word, but I have trouble with words that include a lot of c's and s's. Like consciously.)

25) I love being a mom everyday. However, some days the love is shown in cuddles, playtime, giggles, and sometimes it's shown by us both being alive at the end of the day. But this face....this face always gets me! Even when he's being a butt.

(Disregard my hair. This applies.)

A Little List of Nothingness...

1) So, I looked at the challenge for the final week and none of those topics really floated my boat. So I won't be doing them, unless I change my mind. I'm spontaneous like that. Or maybe just indecisive.

2) The only reason I can even write this post right now is that my son is rearranging the DVDs to his specifications. Which really means on the floor in a jumbled pile. Usually he is trying to open or close my laptop, which makes it surprisingly difficult to type!

3) This weekend has been rather low key. I finally got some plants planted around the front of the house. It's been a big spread of bare dirt for a month. We just need to get some soybean mulch to cover the rest of the area and it will be done! I love the feeling of accomplishment.

4) I like to write things in list forms when I don't have one specific topic. It saves me the trouble of coming up with transition sentences.

5) It seems that tis the season for thunderstorms. Apparently the weather has finally decided on a season and that it is storm season. We haven't had much here beyond thunder, lightning, and rain. I'm thankful for that.

6) I wish tomorrow (Memorial Day) was a holiday for me. Beyond a grill-out at the in-laws for lunch, it might as well be a normal day. Work at church in the morning, type some reports in the afternoon for my mother-in-law. Joy, joy, joy.

7) Even though he digs my dirt out of the potted plants...love this kid!

8) He likes to rearrange things. Like the DVDs. Apparently the floor in a heap is better than on the shelves.

9) I wonder if people in real life run away from the cops as much as they do on TV. You can always see it in their eyes the moment the "good guys" call out their identification  (police! NCIS! Federal Agents!).

10) It's probably not a good thing if my blog post is this boring so early on. Sorry about that.

Have a great Memorial Day!
-Lisa

Getting an Education

Today on the challenge: Things you've learned that school won't teach you.

Let me count the ways!

I have learned a bunch in my many years of school, most of it not in the classroom. Sorry teachers! I still love (most of) you! Some of these lessons may have happened within the walls of a school building, but I was not taught by a teacher in a formal setting.

1) There is a hierarchy of people. Cool, not cool, geek, nerd, etc. Screw trying to be cool and be yourself. Don't waste your time on reforming yourself to be accepted. It will just make you unhappy.

2) Figure out who you are and stay true to that person. That person may also change. That's ok too.

3) Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them. A friend will not say "never" 'cause the welcome will not end.

4) Unfortunately, you have to learn to cover your butt when you work in the world. Save emails or papers that prove you asked permission to do something or were told that this was the way it should be done.

5) Your boss/supervisor is very likely not smarter than you and hasn't not thought through the potential flaws in that plan. 

6) "Should" is a guilt word. There are times you really should do something and the guilt for not doing it is probably. Know when those times are and when to let go of the "shoulds".

7) Before saying something on the interwebs, think if you would REALLY say that if the person was standing in front of you. If you wouldn't, don't say it.

8) Sometimes you are wrong. Admit it. Don't make excuses.

9) It doesn't matter how much you love your kid: poop is gross and sometimes you will not be a nice parent. Try your best and then move on.

10) Never stop learning. You are never too old to learn something new or try something different. I'm a 31 year old Mennonite who has never had formal dance training and doesn't like talking in front of people and I choreographed 30+ high schoolers in a Jewish wedding scene. And it was fun.

There are more lessons I've learned, but 10 is such a nice number. :)

-Lisa

In Which I Rant on Music...

Today's challenge is to rant about something. Which is fortunate because I was going to write this rant anyway and now I have a good excuse!

Sunday I was driving home from my cousin's graduation in Kansas. I was listening to the radio and singing along when I realized that this singer took a break about every 5 words. At least once in the middle of the word. (HUGE no-no. The only time interrupting a word is ok, is when it is legen-wait for it-dary.)

I love music. Love it. It is the way I best express myself, come out of my shell, worship God. And, even though I *am* classically trained, classical music is not the only kind I listen to. Opera, jazz, blues, pop, rock, whatever. I struggle with country, but that's my own issue.

I know that not everyone will sing with perfect technique or use really intricate chord progressions. I'm not asking them to. Rock would sound funny if opera technique were used. Pop probably doesn't need many modal songs.

So, please don't think I'm trying to pass judgment on all music that isn't classical or I'm trying to make all music of the same genre or difficulty. Totally not trying to do that.

But here is my question: when did it become ok for music to be mediocre and still celebrated?

When I realized that this professional singer was taking a breath every few words, it kind of shocked me. I sing this song. I'm sorely out of shape, vocally (well, physically too), but I make it through 2-3x's as much of the song than he does on one breath. When did it get so bad?

I have to say, I'm most disappointed in Christian music. And probably pop, but I don't listen a ton of that. But Christians: we're supposed to be honoring God with our gifts. So why do that half-way? Why write songs with the MOST predictable chord progressions? Why sing like your only experience is high school choir?

(Christian music isn't the only example of the sad state of music. Grammar is atrocious [ie. Ke$ha's "and yes of course we does" from "We R Who We R" comes to mind--also, shoot me with that title]. Some performers are that: performers. They aren't musicians. They can put on a show and there is some music going on around them.)

Music seems to have become just about self expression. It doesn't require training. It doesn't even require a lot of talent. If you are extroverted, can put on a good show, have a few things to say that you've set to a tune, and (let's face it) good-looking, you can be a Christian artist! Woo-hoo!

Music school? For chumps! Voice lessons? Wasted money. Theory and music history? Whaaaa....??

Don't get me wrong: I think there are a lot of talented musicians out there. They have the base talent but, in today's culture, have no motivation to push forward to develop their talents. Talents need to be honed, developed, nurtured.

This only will hurt the church and Christian music as time goes on. Look through recent Christian praise songs that have made their way into the church. How many do you think will last? How many will stand the test of time like "Great is Thy Faithfulness"? How many will become classics performed for ages to come like Handel's "Messiah" or a Bach Cantata? We use them for a time and then toss them aside when something better comes along.

(To be clear, there ARE some songs I think will last and some songs that have so much thought in the lyrics and beauty in the melody. But these seems to be the exception, not the rule.)

We can do better. As church musicians, we SHOULD do better! These are not just songs to get us an emotional high for a season. These are praises to the everlasting King of kings.

The point of my rant is this: music, when at it's best, should be diverse and should push boundaries of what was previously accepted. BUT. There should be integrity to it. To push the boundaries of what has been, you have to know what was there.You have to know where you've come from to make it to where you're trying to go. Most singers today have NO IDEA. Ignorance is not bliss.

I think the most perfect example of how we have elevated mediocre music and musicians to celebrity/celebrated status is in this article.  It tells of how Harry Connick, Jr, railed on the singers he was coaching on the American Idol when they were singing from the Great American Songbook because they had absolutely no idea about the lyrics they were singing or what the original tune was. They were using the music to show off their vocal prowess or to see how many extra notes they could add.

There are singers in all genres today that are trying to push music forward and develop it. But as long as society deems that power, pizazz or strong emotional content, and a good show are all that is needed for a successful career, those voices will be drowned out and we, the public, will be the losers as a result.

-Lisa

Journey to the Center of the Blogosphere

Ok, so not really the center of the blogosphere, but one of the last episodes of Doctor Who was entitled "Journey to the Center of the Tardis" and I like to try to incorporate DW into life when I can.

Anywho. Today is all about blogs. Specifically, five favorite blogs. (Challenge day 19)

Some of the first blogs I started reading regularly are still some of my favorites. Others have ebbed. For a long time I felt like I had to keep reading certain blogs, even when they no longer had the same pull for me they once did. Then I realized that I didn't know them and they probably wouldn't be offended that I didn't read it anymore and that most people don't start blogs to have thousands (plus) of readers anyway. I don't have to read it out of guilt. I still sometimes go back to ones I have read before to "catch up."

But here are 5 of my favs, in no particular order!

1) Big Mama
Big Mama (Melanie Shankle) was one of my first. I love how she takes the every day and makes it interesting. She has a great sense of humor and a way to turn stories about the mundane (grocery shopping, soccer games, etc). I'm in the midst of reading her first book, Sparkly Green Earrings. She tells both hilarious stories (her daughter is a hoot!) and thoughtful reflections about life and motherhood.

2) The Pioneer Woman
Oh, Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond). A former city girl turned rancher's wife. I'm pretty sure I gain weight just by reading her recipes! Hello, butter! She has fun quizzes in her "Home school"  and "Entertainment" sections, great giveaways/prizes, fun recipes, and good stories. Sometimes her husband also writes posts about ranching and why they do things they do there. Mostly her "Confessions" section has stories about her life and the making of her shows on the Food Network. She cracks me up!

3) Stuff Christians Like
Satire! SCL has it in spades. The site takes things quite peculiar to Christian culture and makes fun of them. He does it from a place of love, though, to note how silly some of our "traditions" are. There is also a very active commenting community who often say things about as funny as the posts!
Some of my favorite posts over the years:
Getting font-tastic with faith
4 ways to Febreze "Blessed Be Your Name"
Vuvuzelas in Church
The Jesus Juke

4) The American Jesus
This blog has been a place where some of the silliness inherent in the direct association of Christianity/Jesus with American patriotism is portrayed. Zack Hunt, the author, also poses thoughtful questions and concerns about some of the direction the church is going in America. Each year in March, the blog hosts "American Jesus Madness," where popular people, objects, etc from the previous year's Christian news, are pitted against each other and voted on to find the champion. Examples of "contestants" this past year include Rob Bell's mission glasses, Tim Tebow, and History Channel's "The Bible."

5) Jen Hatmaker's Blog
OK. So, she doesn't blog on a very regular basis. What with writing books and having 5 kids and a church plant and all. And I may have mentioned her a time or several on here already. But her writing style and personality is so real. She lays it all out there with truth, humor, sarcasm, and a passion that runs deep. Also, totally chatted with her Friday night before our retreat. (Point of honesty...actually writing this on Friday night so I really JUST saw her again and we talked about how much of a genius my baby is..but we haven't had our women's event yet. SO looking forward to it, too!)

Pictures

I'm skipping today's challenge because, well, I don't really have many pictures I like about myself. And most pictures I have are not of me because I'm behind the camera. Or they are weird looking selfies.

I will post this picture of our family at Nathaniel's birthday party the other week.

A few other truths:
1) I will be SO glad when planting is done. While Jeff doesn't farm, he helps a farmer when he's not teaching. He has been gone from 7:15am-10pm all week. This means I'm alone with Nathaniel all day and all evening. And some days have gone...hmm...let's be nice and say "poorly."

2) This has also been a very stressful week of TV season finales. I'm looking at you NCIS and NCIS:LA.

3) Semi-related to note #2: My cousin and I saw LL Cool J in the Detroit airport when we were flying to China.

I watched an episode of NCIS:LA on the plane ride in honor of this moment. We also thought maybe he'd be flying to Shanghai with us and we would sit next to him and could strike up conversation. Because he would, obviously, ride in coach for a 15 hour flight.





4) He actually stressed me out at first because I thought the Starbucks line had suddenly grown very long and was afraid I'd have to wait awhile to get a drink. Fortunately, it cleared out when he left. I know you are all very relieved.

5) This is going to be a crazy weekend! Jen Hatmaker is coming to town tomorrow and then I'm going to a cousin's graduation. I wonder when I get to sleep again. Maybe in a few years. I'll try to pencil that in.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
-Lisa

Alack, Alas!

"Misfortunes, we are told, are sent to test our fortitude and often reveal themselves as blessings in disguise." - Mary Bennett, Pride and Prejudice

Today's challenge is something difficult about our "lot in life" and how we are trying to overcome it. 

I should start by acknowledging my lot in life is not bad at all. I really can't complain too much. But if I did have to pick a difficulty, it would be to remain a person, my own entity, after I became a mom. For a lot of months I was only "mom." I could barely function enough to do my job and care for my son, husband, and house. Forget trying to do something I actually enjoyed! As time has gone on, I have tried to find more ways of doing things I actually enjoy. I've always loved music, but it has fallen by the wayside. This spring, I decided to volunteer to help with the high school's production of "The Fiddler on the Roof." I figured I would help with some of the songs or run parts. I ended up choreographing three scenes, including the wedding scene. Not exactly what I had in mind, but I had a blast doing it and really enjoyed the students. I am also trying to get back into music. Singing myself, possibly teaching some voice students if I can find some.

I finally decided to make use of my technology and the precious little time I have to myself (often revolving around the bathroom. Late at night. When everyone else is asleep.) to read more. Books for fun, not just about parenting. I try to take my lunch time and sometimes afternoon hours to watch a tv show or movie I enjoy. Not just one the hubby and I can tolerate together. I participated in a women's Bible study.

These are only small things, but they have started to restore the part of me I had lost for many months: myself!

I think life is a bit like juggling. Tossing a bunch of balls in the air and trying to keep them all going at the same time with some look of ease. Motherhood is just adding another ball...but it's adding a bowling ball to a bunch of ping pong balls! It can take the focus off just about everything else. I know that being a good mom is the biggest, most important, most challenging thing I will ever do, but I believe there should also be life going on outside of it.

As far as difficult lots in life go, this probably isn't the most weighty, trying one there is. People have lost loved spouses, parents, children. I suppose most of life is like juggling; just the size, weight, and challenge of what is being juggled changes for each person. Maybe some balls will get dropped. I'm just going to try to keep the most important ones in the air and maybe I can add in easier ones to make it a little more fun.

-Lisa

Happiness Abounds

Today's challenge is to write 10 things that make me really happy.

1. This guy with this face.

2. Jeff. When these two see each other when Jeff gets home from work, they smile a whole lot. Love it!

3. Food. I could make a list all of its own with the individual foods that make me happy. Chocolate, good coffee, good wine, Chipotle, tacos, pizza, pastas, fruits, veggies, the list could go on.

4. Singing/Music. Love it. Lights up my life. Makes me dance. Betters my mood.

5. Satire/Sarcasm. TV shows like "The Daily Show", "The Colbert Report", "MASH" make my heart happy. Truth spoken with humor and the over the top examples.

6. When the Church actually acts like Jesus. Knowing there are people out there like Jen Hatmaker (who I'm totally stoked to see in just a few days in our very own small town) and Shane Claiborne gives me hope that the Church will not fade away because it has to stick with what it's always done.

7. Family. My family, Jeff's family, our extended family. I adore my cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. I have the best time with family!

8. Friends. I have been fortunate to have many good friends in my life. Some I see a lot. Some I see hardly at all. The best friends are the ones you can pick up with, no matter how long it's been since you've been together.

9. Royal Family Kids' Camp. This camp is for abused and neglected children and I've been privileged to be a part of it for the past 8 years (although last year I couldn't actually attend since Nathaniel was only 6 weeks old). The pure joy of loving kids who have felt so little love in their life, seeing them open up and enjoy being a kid. It is like nothing else. I cannot wait to bring Nathaniel into that this year! Just a month away!

10. The outdoors. The beauty of nature astounds me. I love it all. The sunshine, clouds, rain, thunderstorms, snow (in its season....not so much in April & May), mountains, plains, ocean. I love being out in it, enjoying God's creation!

Colorado 2010

Great Wall of China 2010

South Dakota farm 2013

With My Apologies...

Story of My Life issued a challenge to "Blog every day in May".
Obviously, having just started my blog...today! I haven't blogged every day, but I thought it would be a good way to kick off my blog life.

An Apology
Dear Son,
Although I try to be a good mom, I fail more often than I even want to admit. Sometimes I let you just play on the floor while I play a game on my phone. Sometimes I let you eat toilet paper or tissues. Sometimes I get mad at you and talk in a voice very far from pleasant.

I just want to say: "I'm sorry."

I'm sorry that I threaten to sell you to gypsies. Even if there were gypsies in Nebraska, I would never sell you to them.

I'm sorry that I get mad when you don't sleep like I think you should or when you smile when you should be napping. 

I'm not the mother I want to be or thought I would be. Some days it feels like I fail more often than I succeed. You are such a sweet, joyful, stubborn little boy and I adore you. I am sorry I am not always the mother you deserve. I am not perfect; for that I am sorry. (I know perfection is not possible, especially in motherhood! It is just what Nathaniel deserves, as the wonderful little person he is!)

For all the times in the past I have failed you, I am sorry.

For all the times in the future I will fail you, I am sorry.

Just keep smiling...keep shining...knowing you can always count on me for sure.

And when I fail, know that I am sorry and I love you!

-Mommy

A New Venture!

Hello blog world!
After some persuasion from friends, I finally decided to write a blog. Because who doesn't want to read about someone living in small-town Nebraska?! Fortunately, my interests are fairly diverse (as opposed to what surrounds this town....corn). Things I am interested in and passionate for include:
God
My Family & Friends
Social Justice
Music
Gardening
Cooking
Sarcasm
TV & Movies

So, buckle up and enjoy the ride!

-Lisa