I have a new favorite

Ok, I am pretty tech-savvy, but I am embarrassed to say that I may not know how to do what I want to do. And of course, Larry isn't around for me to ask him. I have a new favorite blog. One of larry's best friends just shared his blog with us. It is a collection of stories he remembers from growing up in Barnwell. I love reading it because it gives me a little more detailed glimpse into the wonderful place Larry grew up (and crazy too, if some of the stories are to be believed!). While I was on his blog, I clicked the link to one of his favorite blogs titled, "A Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind." Well, as you can imagine, I laughed out loud at that title and started reading. What a treasure! So, now you know. My new favorite blog is http://awaistisaterriblething.blogspot.com/

Okay, now the tech thing I don't know how to do is make all those yucky colons and backslashes go away and just leave the blog title. Many (and probably all) of you reading this blog are saying "Duh, everyone knows how to retitle a link" (is that what you call it? Now I am really showing my tech-illiteracy). Well, I don't. And I am not ashamed to say it. This is very much my modus operandi (M.O.). I don't care how it gets done (in other words, it doesn't have to be pretty), I just want it to work. Perfection, in most areas, is not my cup of tea. My baby quilts have lumps and the squares don't always line up, my pictures are "mostly" level on the walls, my lawn-cutting is "pretty okay", my running is "not-too-slow", and my meals are mostly edible (none of my family are starving :). So you see, I don't have patience for perfection in most of the things I do. However, I am pretty adamant that things "work" the way they are supposed to. For example: a lumpy baby quilt still keeps a little one warm and protected, the semi-level pictures hung on my walls still bring a smile to my face when I look at them, the cut lawn keeps most of the neighbors appeased, I can keep running for a specified amount of time, and, as I said, no one is starving in my family. Now, if I could only apply this non-perfectionism to how I view myself, I'd be one step ahead of the game. I give myself a very hard time for not being a perfect mom, wife, and size 6. I torture myself for not being as creative as so-and-so, as patient as you-know-who, as beautiful as what'shername, etc., etc. But I mostly believe that I have worth. I can kick-butt on the piano (but why do I need to kick anyone's butt? it isn't a competition!), and I know I can sing. Why do I have to compete? How insane is it to suggest that by comparing myself to others and coming out the "winner" will make me feel good about myself? The trick is to rejoice in others' blessings and talents. I am still learning how to do that. Hopefully in truly loving and treasuring others, I can truly love and treasure myself. Now, don't go thinking that I am depressed or anything, I am just trying to be honest about where I am now so that I can figure out how to get to where I want to be. That place is where I know that I am a wonderful wife, mother, friend, and daughter of God. Where I know I am beautiful on the inside and out. Where I have developed the talents of faith, hope, and charity and they are blessing my family and myself. I know where I want to be, and with the Lord's help I will get there.

That brings me to my new favorite blog (see the non-streamlined link above :). "A waist is a terrible thing to mind" is one woman's journey of faith to lose weight. You may be saying, "Oh, not another weight-loss story." Well it is. And I like to read the success stories in the hope that someday it may be me to write that story. However, even if you don't like reading stuff like that, I hope you'll at least take a look. This woman is writing (very openly and honestly) about how she lost 70 pounds. Now that is significant, but the most amazing thing is how she did it. Prayer. That is the key. How she relied on that, you'll have to read for yourself. It has really inspired me to "trust in the Lord" even in this seemingly insignificant area of life. The bottom line is that if it is important to me, it is important to Him because He loves me. How wonderful is that?!

Anyway, that is enough philosophizing for me today because I hear the pattering (more like cupboard-slamming, package-rustling) of little feet in the kitchen. Better go batten down the hatches!