Loving the Sinner…

Ugh, I have not been able to get on to this blog to write. Sometimes life is busy, and there is only so many hours in a day.

Defending Wrong

I always tell JJ to live centered between the hands–you know, “on the one hand…but on the other hand…”

Fencing vs. Swordfighting

Someone shared this on their Facebook page today. Looks like we are right in the middle of the sixteen-year-old “My Mom is so annoying.” I can’t wait to reach 25 years and hear him say, “Mom, you were right.”

Ugh, I so hate when teenagers get “snarky,” which means “critical; cutting; testy.” JJ’s snarkiness has been like Michigan weather. In Michigan, we can go for days and weeks without seeing the sun because the Lakes are cloud-makers and they hold the clouds over our state. We are used to it, although too many sunless days can get very tiresome.

Nearsighted And Farsighted

I’m continuing to ponder the ways that we see others and ourselves. These are all thoughts that I have worked through over the years as I have wrestled with how to see myself and others–especially difficult people.

In the last few days, I have been thinking about being nearsighted and farsighted in how we see others and ourselves.

Acknowledge & Accept

One of my favorite books that we are reading in our homeschool is The Book of Jewish Values – A Day-by-Day Guide to Ethical Living by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. The book has taught us a lot, caused us to pondering many things, and has resulted in some interesting discussions. I HIGHLY recommend this book. Today’s reading went along with what I have been writing lately about repentance and forgiveness, so I’d like to share it:

Measure for Measure

This last week has been busy, and I have been pondering this topic, so I have not written.

In school this year, JJ and I are studying American Government and Biblical laws. The books we are using are Basic American Government, Biblical Case Law, and Tools of Dominion – The Case Laws of Exodus.  I do not like particularly the title of Tools of Dominion, but it is actually a very interesting book that has caused me to ponder things that I’ve never considered before, including matters related to repentance and forgiveness. I’d like to share some of the things the book says.

Sitting in the Rain

I think that if a person has read what I have written for the last month without knowing all the history behind it, they’d think I was an awful person–very unloving, unforgiving, and emotional about my family. But there are years and years of rejection, hurt, frustration, endurance, perseverance, and more behind what you have read in the last few weeks.

Unrepentant Hearts

Yesterday afternoon I made apple pies while EJ watched football on TV. While the pies were baking, I took my dog Danny for  a walk. The day was beautiful and the walk delightful. When I got back, the pies had been taken out of the oven (as I asked EJ to do). I was out of tea and he wanted ice cream to go along with the pie, so I walked to the gas station/store to buy both. The store didn’t have the brand of instant tea that I like (they had Nestea, not Lipton) so I bought me a couple of bottles of Sobe Lifewater instead. It was a good delicious treat.