A Word for Wednesday

"What a real woman wants is a real man. What a real man wants is a real woman.

It is masculinity that appeals to a woman. It is femininity that appeals to a man.

The more womanly you are, the more manly your husband will want to be."

~from Let Me Be A Woman by Elisabeth Elliot~

Keep Moving

Our adoption is over. We didn't get a referral. We won't be bringing any children home from Ethiopia. It hasn't gone at all the way we expected it to. And surprisingly, we are full of peace and joy. I went back and forth with myself over whether I wanted to write about this publicly or not, but once again, reading Elisabeth Elliot's writing has helped me sort through a lot of my emotions and thoughts about the end of our adoption. 

You see, we knew from the very beginning that we were stepping into this process on faith. We knew very well that we might make it to the other side with no child to show for it. Or at least we said we knew it. I don't think I ever really believed we wouldn't be parents when everything was said and done. But God knew. 

We've had people ask us why, if we thought this was God's will for us, are we not immediately pursuing adoption from some other avenue or why don't we continue to wait it out. Those are certainly valid questions, and they aren't easy to answer. When I got to pages 30 and 31 of Let Me Be A Woman, I found that Elisabeth Elliot was able to start to verbalize some of the things I've been learning through this long, sometimes hard, journey:

"The truth is that none of us knows the will of God for his life. I say for his life--for the promise is 'as thou goest step by step I will open up the way before thee.' He gives us enough light for today, enough strength for one day at a time, enough manna, our 'daily' bread. And the life of faith is a journey from Point A to Point B, from Point B to Point C, as the people of Israel 'set out and encamped in Oboth. And they set out from Oboth and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness...From there they set out and encamped on the other side of the Arnon...and from there they continued to Beer...and from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, and from Bamoth to the valley lying in the region of Moab.' So far as we know, nothing happened in these places. Oboth, Iyeabarim, Arnon, Beer, Mattanah, Nahaliel, Bamoth mean nothing to us. That immense crowd just kept moving. They traveled and they stopped and they made camp and packed up again and traveled some more and made another camp. They complained. There were so many complaints that even Moses, who was a very meek man, could hardly stand the sight of these whom God had called him to lead. But all the time God was with them, leading them, protecting them, hearing their cries, goading and guiding them, knowing where they were going and what His purposes were for them and He never left them. It is not difficult when you read the whole story of God's deliverance of Israel to see how each separate incident fits into a pattern for good. We have perspective that those miserable wanderers didn't have. But it should help us to trust their God. The stages of their journey, dull and eventless as most of them were, were each a necessary part of the movement toward the fulfillment of the promise...The life of faith is lived one day at a time, and it has to be lived--not always looked forward to as though the 'real' living were around the next corner."

The truth is, I don't know why God had us go through this experience to not end up with a child from Ethiopia. I do know that we trusted Him to do His will in our family as we started the process to adopt. And I do know that we are continuing to trust Him to do His will in our family now that our adoption is over. I'm not sure if that means we will try to adopt again in the future. I'm not sure if that means we will have children biologically. I'm not sure if God will ever give us children. He hasn't promised us that.

What I am sure of is that His plan is perfect, and I have learned in an even deeper, more intimate and personal way that I completely trust Him and agree with whatever His plan is for our family. He has given me peace and joy that I can't explain or even understand myself. 

God is good all the time. All the time, God is good. It's really true. 

To wrap this up, let me conclude with another excerpt from Let Me Be A Woman in which Elisabeth Elliot is talking about something her husband Jim Elliot wrote to her in a letter:

"'Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living,' he wrote to me, and those words have helped me very often since. We accept and thank God for what is given, not allowing the not-given to spoil it."

Oh that I would live with a thankful heart in every circumstance. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Let's Bust a Recap : Let Me Be A Woman

A couple Fridays ago, I mentioned I was reading this book and hoping to get a recap up soon. Well, here it is, though it's coming to you a bit later than I originally intended. Nevermind all that though, let's just get to it.

Elisabeth Elliot wrote Let Me Be A Woman to her daughter Valerie during Valerie's engagement. The book is made up of 49 letters or notes to Valerie and the notes begin with the very creation of woman and then move through the different stages a woman's life may go though such as singleness, marriage, motherhood, and widowhood. And since Elisabeth Elliot herself has lived through all of these stages, she is uniquely qualified to write about them. Mrs. Elliot breaks down what it means to be a woman from a Biblical worldview.

In fact, the first words you come across when you open this book are, "In order to learn what it means to be a woman, we must start with the One who made her."

Now, you can probably imagine how controversial a book like this might be. I mean, when you're saying things like...

"The special gift and ability of each creature defines its special limitations. And as the bird easily comes to terms with the necessity of bearing wings when it finds that it is, in fact, the wings that bear the bird--up, away from the world, into the sky, into freedom--so the woman who accepts the limitations of womanhood finds in those very limitations her gifts, her special calling--wings, in fact, which bear her up into perfect freedom, into the will of God."

or

"Because [submission] is the thing asked of her by her Creator, it is the thing which assures her of fulfillment."

or

"And it is the will of God that woman be subordinate to man in marriage. Marriage is used in the Old Testament to express the relation between God and His covenant people and in the New Testament between Christ and the Church. No effort to keep up with the times, to conform to modern social movements or personality cults authorizes us to invert this order. Tremendous heavenly truths are set forth in a wife's subjection to her husband, and the use of this metaphor in the Bible cannot be accidental." 

...people tend to bristle. We don't like to be reminded of our limitations. We don't like hearing that God asks us to be submissive--subordinate even--in marriage. And we certainly don't want to hear that God created woman for man. Surely we've progressed in our thinking, right? We've come a long way since Elisabeth Elliot wrote this, and we've thrown off the repression and inhibitions we've been burdened with for centuries.

The thing is, Elisabeth Elliot wrote and published this book 40 years ago in 1976 at the height of the strong feminist movement that swept the country during the 70s and 80s. It was just as controversial then as it is now. There is nothing new under the sun. But the fact of the matter is: the Bible is always true. What God has to say about womanhood is always right. He created woman, and He made the rules about what it means to be a woman. Those rules haven't changed, and if you're a Christian with a right view of God, those rules are actually incredibly liberating, stabilizing, and comforting. You can fulfill your feminine role in this world with confidence, self-esteem, and grace. And that's what this book is all about.

"We are not required to somehow 'overcome' our sexuality. We affirm it. We rejoice in it. We seek to be faithful to it as we seek to use it as a gift of God. Unfaithfulness to one's sex is unfaithfulness to everybody, for a woman must be a woman both in her relationship to men and to other women....This faithfulness that I speak of is our answer to the call of God."

"...God has set no traps for us. Quite the contrary. He has summoned us to the only true and full freedom. The woman who defines her liberation as doing what she wants, or not doing what she doesn't want, is, in the first place, evading responsibility. Evasion of responsibility is the mark of immaturity. The Women's Liberation Movement is characterized, it appears, by this very immaturity. While telling themselves that they've come a long way, that they are actually coming of age, they have retreated to a partial humanity, one which refuses to acknowledge the vast significance of the sexual differentiation."

All throughout this book, Mrs. Elliot deals with the themes of self-discipline, accepting limitations, and taking responsibility. Only when we do these things can we experience true freedom and joy. It's the way God made us, and praise Him for it. I truly am thankful for God's design of the sexes, and the more I understand His design, the more joyful I am in my femininity. The war on sexuality that is so rampant in our culture baffles me, and when I look around me, I see a lot of confused, unhappy, bitterly stubborn people who are missing out on the peace and joy God has to offer. It's really heartbreaking.

Obviously, men also have a distinctive Biblical role set forth in Scripture (and it's no easier than a woman's!), but since this book is to women about womanhood, that's what the bulk of it deals with. I really don't understand why women want so badly to assume masculine roles.

"To subject femininity to the criteria of masculinity is as foolish as it would be to judge meat by the standards of potatoes. Meat would fail every test. For women to assume an ersatz masculinity means that they will always lose."

Anyway, brass tacks: I fully agree with everything Elisabeth Elliot says in this book, and I 100% recommend it to any woman in any walk of life. I think it's vital to saturate our minds with truth, even (or maybe especially) when that truth is counter-cultural and goes against everything the world is preaching so loudly at us. Maybe that makes me outdated, old-fashioned, narrow-minded, and repressed, but I don't think so.

"We are called to be women. The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman."

What do you think? Have you read this book? How does the gender war in America make you feel? I know this is a pretty touchy subject, but let's talk about it in the comments. 

Casual Fridays

Well, it's September (what?!) and I'd say it's about time for a proper catch-up and what better way than with a Photo-Prompted Post, amiright? Here's what's been going on lately in no particular order:

First of all, this. This is what I'm dealing with over here. Anytime I'm blogging, reading, cleaning, watching TV, or even going to the bathroom (TMI?) I have these two shadows who apparently think my life should just revolve around them 24/7 and what's the problem with us constantly putting our heads in your lap, Hannah? I love it though. I realize that dogs are not for everyone, but really, why aren't they?! Love my two little buddies and this will not be the only picture of them in today's post. Duh.

Look at Auntie Hannah's big girl doing schoolwork. I can't even believe she's old enough, but this is officially her first year of school, and she is so smart. Every time I see her, she is telling me all the new things she's learned. Pre-K ain't got nothin' on this girl--or her awesome homeschoolin' momma!

And speaking of her momma, we had a big Girls Night Out the other night to celebrate her amazing weight-loss accomplishments. She's working that post-baby body into shape (and looking fabulous, by the way), and what better way to keep that motivation up than to splurge on some cheesecake after going at it hard for 30 days straight. Way to go, Lynds, and just know that I will always be available to blow your healthy eating lifestyle with you when you need to. Because sometimes, you really just need to.

The monsters and I braved Lake Hollingsworth this week. It's the first time we've been back since the Major-Dragging-Me Debacle from the beginning of the summer. I still have a pretty ugly scar from that day, but I'm happy to report that we made it all the way around with no major (get it? Major...) incidents. They're finally done with the construction so we didn't even have to brave any scary orange fencing or anything. And on top of that, the weather was beautiful. I can feel Fall coming.

As you may have noticed, I broke my awesome recap-ing streak this week. I mean, obviously I can't keep that pace up. I'm not trying to read 52 books this year, I'm trying to read 20. So that means we don't get a new recap every single week. But that was a pretty great run (6 weeks in a row!), and it was a little disappointing coming to the end of it. This is the book I'm currently reading, and I'm actually hoping to have a recap up Monday, but no promises. I love Elisabeth Elliot, and this book just makes me love her even more.

I mean, just look at these guys. They're my favorite.

A couple weeks ago, Cody had a work party and we totally went because we're totally grown-ups and grown-ups go to "work functions" with their "colleagues" and what-not. I've noticed around the internet that people are calling this kind of thing "adulting" lately, but I personally have decided that if you're using the word "adulting"--you're doing it wrong. Anyway, the party was super-fun, super-ritzy, and Cody works with some super-cool people. As the trophy wife, it's nice being able to finally put faces with names. (And yes, I did just refer to myself as Cody's trophy wife.)

We had a (kindof) beach day recently, and even though we weren't on the actual beach long enough (it was a crazy day), I loved getting to spend some time with my nieces and sisters. And check out this little blonde beach babe. I love this crazy kid to pieces. We snagged this quick shot together post-beach, pre-lunch. (Yes, we were off the beach before lunch...like I said, crazy day.)

New Rule: when we finish a 1000-pc puzzle, it gets glued and framed immediately. I mentioned in my last puzzle post that when we first tried to put that middle one together, our niece got to it and it had to go back in the box for a while. Well, it happened again. We had some friends over several weeks ago and their little boy got to our State Plates puzzle (which was completed and waiting to be glued) and took it completely apart and put it in the box of the Noah's ark puzzle. Hence, our New Rule. Thankfully, of the three 1000-pc puzzles we've done since we've been married, the State Plates one is the easiest and after a week or two, I got it out, put it back together, and glued that baby pronto. I'm really loving having them actually up on the wall.

My amazing mommy(in-law) started nursing school this week. We are so proud of her. She is one determined, hard-working woman, and I'm so thankful she's my husband's mother. She raised him well, and she still continues to set an excellent example for all of her children and their spouses. We love you, Mommy!

Look at this baby, y'all. Just look at her! I can't even with that smile, and apparently, she started rolling over this week. I'm feeling very conflicted about her hitting these milestones because my reaction waffles between "yay! she's SuperBaby!" and "stop growing up, Auntie Hannah misses you, Japan is too far away!" It's rough. 

This is the piece I've been working on lately, and let me tell you, it's been kicking my butt. It's an arrangement that blends Blessed Assurance with Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. It's beautiful. Not so much when I'm plucking it out, but it's starting to come together. As much as I'd love to be able to sit down at the piano and be able to just flawlessly play anything you set in front of me, I'm not that good. Practice, practice, practice.

Glamor Shot! Isn't he sweet?

The latest with this pup is that he's been chasing his own tail a lot these days. This isn't something that Colonel ever really did much, and I think it's hilarious. He keeps us laughing.

Oh you guys, I am getting fancy with the PhotoGrid app. Cody and I went to our first Orlando City soccer game on Sunday, and it was fantastic. This was one of Cody's birthday presents, and we had so much fun. We're big soccer people to start with, but the OC fans are insane and that just makes it that much better. We got rained on--completely soaked--but WE WON (2-1) and nothing was bringing our spirits down.

I realize that I haven't given you guys a pedicure update lately. (I also realize that you probably don't care that much about my toes.) But rest assured, I've been giving my feet the TLC they deserve and my most recent pedi attempt has been the most successful one in a long time. No smudges!

Are you so done with this post? Have any of you even made it this far? One more photo to wrap it all up:

Have an awesome weekend and fill me in on what's been up in your life lately down in the comments!

Waiting

Waiting.

According to Elisabeth Elliot, "Patient waiting does not come naturally to most of us, but a great deal is said about it in the Bible. It is an important discipline for anyone who wants to learn to trust." And boy, am I learning this the hard way right now.

Cody and I have been waiting 16 months, 3 weeks, and 1 day for a referral. And that's not even including the 8 months of paperwork it took prior to our names being officially registered in Ethiopia. And I guess while I'm at it, I'll mention that there were still 4 months before that of researching agencies and countries, begging God to reveal His will for our family, and numerous phone calls made and pre-applications submitted. So to add it all up, it's been nearly 2 and a half years since we began this process, and today, there is still no end in sight, no light at the end of this very dark tunnel. 

When we started this process, we knew that this waiting, this uncertainty, was a very real possibility, and if you asked us then, we would have said that things could change anytime and we were prepared for that if it happened. We also thought that our wait for a referral would be approximately 3 to 4 months. 

16 months. 3 weeks. 1 day.

I don't know how rusty your math skills may be, but that's more than 4 times as long as we initially thought. I'd be lying if I said that I haven't gotten discouraged, that I've trusted God perfectly through all these months of waiting. 

I've gotten discouraged.

I've had my doubts.

In her book Passion & Purity, Elisabeth Elliot says:

"I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one's thoughts."

And as a result of all this waiting, I can honestly say that I am willing to bear the uncertainties, and I'm learning to carry my unanswered questions to God. Notice I didn't say that I've learned. I'm still learning. It's a day-by-day exercise. This stretching of faith is not exactly comfortable, but I really believe it's worth it. I want to trust, and if the discipline of patient waiting results in a deeper trust in God, so be it.

In reference to her courtship with Jim Elliot, Elisabeth wrote, "Tomorrow was not our business; it was His. Letting it rest with Him was the discipline for the day, and it was enough." She was writing about a day that they were able to spend together, and how in order to enjoy that time, they couldn't be agonizing about the future. They had to trust that it was in God's more than capable hands. During this time of waiting for our children, I have learned to thank God for this special time with Cody. This time that we get to learn more about each other as husband and wife without the responsibilities of keeping other little humans alive. It isn't always easy to be thankful. It is, as Elisabeth says, a daily discipline, but letting it rest with God is far better than worrying about it or falling into despair. That's not helpful to me, or my husband, or my children. 

"It is not that everything that has anything to do with ourselves is in itself wicked and deserving of death. It did not mean that when Jesus said, 'Not my will...' There could not have been even the smallest part of His will that was wicked. It was a choice to lay down everything--the good He had done and the good He might do if He was permitted to live--for the love of God. The same choice is offered to us."

This was encouraging to read. I was reminded that my desire to bring these children home as soon as possible isn't wicked. I'm not wrong to will that God give us a referral soon, that the process would go smoothly and quickly. God wills that we place the orphans into families. That we love one another the way Christ loved us. That we esteem others and their good better than our own. But even though I'm not wrong to want any of that, I'm called to lay aside my own will and prefer God's. If I love God, that's what I'll do. It's not easy. Sometimes I don't understand it. But I want to love God, so that's what I must do.

Reading Passion & Purity was such an encouragement to me in this long wait for our children. It was also a challenge. The final arrow to my heart was from one of Elisabeth's diary entries as she wondered what God's will was for her and Jim:

"Today the thought occurred to me, Suppose He should ask me to wait five years? It stuns me to think of it. Yet--could I imagine that the mercy of God which has stretched to me from everlasting to everlasting could be exhausted in five years?"

Surely Your mercy is enough. Thank You for teaching me to trust You completely, deeply, unconditionally.

Christmas 2013

Let's Bust a Recap : Passion & Purity

Ok, my little blog community, it's time to bust another recap. Hopefully in the months leading up to the conclusion of 2015, I'll be putting these out weekly, because we're already past the halfway mark of the year and I'm not even close to any kind of halfway mark on my book list. I don't necessarily intend to read every single book from my original list, but I at least want to have a decent amount of them (aka: more than half) completed by the end of the year. 

Anyway, without further ado, my recap on Passion & Purity by Elisabeth Elliot. I looked online for an image of the book with the cover that's the same as the one I have, but alas, I couldn't find one. Hence, you get to see this lovely little Photo Booth selfie of me holding one of my most beloved books. 

I first read this book shortly after graduating college in 2008 as it was a gift from a dear classmate of mine. I loved it then, but I have to say, this second read-through was much more poignant for me. 

Elisabeth Elliot wrote Passion & Purity in 1984 in response to numerous letters she received asking questions regarding staying pure outside of marriage, the roles of men and women in romantic relationships, and how to honor God while "falling in love". Within the pages of the book, she recounts her own struggles in all these departments during her 5-year courtship with Jim Elliot. Not only is this book chock-full of Scripture and words from encouraging hymns of the faith, it contains entries from her diaries and letters from Jim as well. Her main focus in the book is living in obedience to God and loving His will for your life above all else. She doesn't shy away from the hard questions or conceal the struggles she herself dealt with, and writes plainly and truthfully about what the will of God is. 

I love it.

This is one of those books that I would highly recommend to anyone. If you are single but want to be married someday, this book is for you. If you are single and don't ever want to be married, this book is for you. If you are married, this book is for you. If you are a romantic, this book is for you. If you are in a season of waiting--for anything--this book is for you. If you are a Christian, this book is most certainly for you. 

I think the reason that this reading of the book was so much more touching to me was the timing. This book was written in 1984, but it could not possibly be more relevant to the current generation. With all the recent changes our country has been undergoing in regards to marriage and morality, this book boldly proclaims the truth of God's word without compromising. God's truth is never out of date, never lacking relevance, never not applicable. No matter what anyone says, God's word is always right, even if it's not popular and even when it means denying self. I think any Christian would benefit and be encouraged by the reading of Passion & Purity, especially now.

The other reason I was so affected by this reading of Passion & Purity is because I am currently in a tough season of waiting as Cody and I seek to adopt. Although Elisabeth Elliot writes about the challenges of waiting for marriage, I found my heart being squeezed with conviction about my attitude and my faith while I wait for God's will concerning bringing children into our family. It was challenging and encouraging and emotional to read this book with our personal situation in mind. Don't be surprised if a post pops up soon quoting Passion & Purity and our struggle with the long wait in this adoption process. 

To sum it up, I would seriously encourage you to grab a copy of Passion & Purity and read it for yourself. There were whole chapters I wanted to copy down and share on the blog, and I told Cody while I was reading it that I just wanted to memorize the whole book. It's really good, and I'm so glad I included it on my book list this year. It couldn't have been a more appropriate thing to read as we face so many drastic changes in this country. 

Have you ever read Passion & Purity or anything else by Elisabeth Elliot? Are you in a tough season of waiting? Do you know where you stand on issues of morality and purity, and are you willing to stand alone if it comes to that?

Hold All My Calls

Sometime during the wee hours this morning, I finished Passion & Purity by Elisabeth Elliot. 

I love her and everything she writes. 

Check back on Thursday for my recap on it.

I'm going back to sleep now.

noisome effluvium

It's time for another vocabulary lesson, faithful readers. In light of her recent passing, I have begun reading Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot. In the very first chapter, I came across this descriptive little sentence describing the room she lived in her senior year of college:

"The closed windows shut out neither the tremendous crash and clatter of early morning collections nor the noisome effluvium of the day's cooking."

Noisome effluvium? Effluvium? I had to consult my trusty dictionary.

effluvium (noun): an unpleasant or harmful odor, secretion, or discharge

I'm not sure what I thought "effluvium" might mean, but I was not expecting that. I decided to look up "noisome" too, for good measure:

noisome (adjective): having an extremely offensive smell; disagreeable; unpleasant; harmful, noxious

I'm not sure what they were cooking at Wheaton College back in the 1940s, but I'm glad I wasn't there to smell it.

Does your cooking produce noisome effluvium? I mean, my kitchen still reeks of last night's tacos (no worries, I'm about to go bust out the febreeze), but I wouldn't exactly call it noisome effluvium...

Casual Fridays

Where do I even begin this week? I skipped Casual Friday last week because I pretty much poured my soul into this post, and now I feel like we have a lot to catch up on. Because, you know, I'm sure you're all dying to know every last little detail about my life. Right? Wait, Lyndsey and Christina are the only two reading this? Why aren't you two doing a better job of promoting my blog already? Kidding. (kindof) Anyway, here goes nothin'. 

First on the agenda: I started a new Bible study last week. Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer. My sister-in-love is leading this study in her home, and I'm already being challenged by it in a big way. This is my second study by Priscilla Shirer. I did Gideon a while back and LOVED it so I was really excited to jump into this one. 

*SAP ALERT* Skip ahead if you're not into it.

Last Thursday (after our new Bible study group met for the first time), I came home to these gorgeous roses. It had just been one of those weeks, ya feel me? And even though my man had just worked his third 12-hour shift in a row, he went out and got me roses. 

I don't know if you've picked up on it yet, but flowers are my love language. What? You didn't know there was a sixth love language that was just FLOWERS? Gary Chapman ain't got nothin' on me. I'll write my own dang book. 

The point of all this? My husband is the best, and he speaks my love language fluently.

I mean really, how pretty are those roses?!

Friday night and Saturday was Living Proof Live in Tampa, finally! I've been looking forward to this all year. Not kidding. And believe me when I say, I was not disappointed. It was a powerful, Spirit-filled weekend of worship and edification, and I was so glad to share it with all these sweethearts:

Our motto for the weekend was "R-E the most beautiful prefix in history." We talked about reverberating, restoring, reframing, replanting, repenting, and remembering. It was awesome. And of course, we Siestas had to meet up for our clandestine photo op with Mama Beth afterwards:

It was a fabulous weekend, and it left me begging for more. I mean, seriously Ms. Beth, don't throw out the idea of a Women's VBS if we can't follow through on that, amiright? Anyway, if you want to watch the beautiful recap they made of the weekend, click here.

Moving on...

I'm well into the Psalms right now, and I think we may have to install a little Psalm of the Week segment here on our Casual Fridays posts. This first one comes out of the 37th Psalm verses 23-26 (NASB):

"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, 

And He delights in his way.

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,

Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.

I have been young and now I am old

Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

Or his descendants begging bread.

All day long he is gracious and lends,

And his descendants are a blessing."

What a beautiful promise: I will not be hurled headlong because the Lord is holding my hand. That's something I can hang on tight to.

Elisabeth Elliot, December 21, 1926 ~ June 15, 2015

In other news, Elisabeth Elliot went home to be with our precious Lord this week. This dear woman has influenced thousands--maybe millions--of people during her life, and I am so thankful for her dedication to God and furthering the truth of His Word. Her books have challenged me and also encouraged me during some dark times. She lived a good long life, and I hope that her words continue to challenge and encourage the generations to come. One quote of hers that I love is this:

"Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering. The love of God is of a different nature altogether. It does not hate tragedy. It never denies reality. It stands in the very teeth of suffering."

Colonel's Corner

This sweet thing went under the knife this week, y'all. There will never be any little Colonels running around because on Monday, June 15, Colonel's manhood was stripped from him. 

Poor guy.

He apparently did really well. When we got there to pick him up, we could hear him before we could see him, and the techs informed us that he was ready to go home 5 minutes after the surgery was complete.

Excuse me?! Why didn't you call me to come get my baby immediately?? (Yes, I'm turning into that girl.)

Anyway, the pain meds do weird things to him, and so far, I haven't observed him being any calmer than he was before, which is supposed to be one of the  benefits of neutering a dog. 

But it hasn't even been a whole week yet, so here's hoping.

Let's close this week out with a little Link Love, shall we?

One of the Biggest Lies the Church Has Taught You : I know, I hate posts with buzz word kinda titles, too. But this one is really good. 

Doghouse Diaries: Self-Diagnoses : Because HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Benny the Bull Kiss Cam : Because pay attention to your woman!

Disney Princess Medley : Because Bonnie Milligan is frickin' hilarious.

Annnnnnd....I think that's it for this week, folks. Do you feel sufficiently caught up on my life?

Oh and P.S. I didn't win the contest if anyone was wondering. I know. Devastating.