Crafty Craft a Lot

My Bloglines shows how my tastes in blogs have changed over the past year.  I have them broken down by category.  ”My Girls” are blogs by females I like to read.  I feel like they’re my friends.  There is Marseeah and Lindsey, Mary, Kelly and many others.  Through them, I’ve learned about buying homes, nerve blocks, and insomnia.  I do life with them through their blogs. 

I also have “Earning Crowns” (spiritual) and ”Make Me More Interesting” (local news, photography, political opinion, etc.).  “Make Me Smarter” is now defunct, as I felt guilty for not reading the blogs.  Ever.  I would have 400 entries and then just click on them to make the guilt go away.  I just deleted the category.  I would rather not have a guilt complex over what I’m not reading.  There are no celebrity or fitness blogs.  I recently broke that addiction.  I can’t tell you how hard that is.  Seriously, comparable to quitting smoking.  And now when I do find something on CNN.com or MSNBC, I am shocked by how immature and irrelevant they are.  Seriously, dancers with goggles on?  Creating your own clothing line?  Drinking when you have a known addiction?  The word that comes to mind is dumbass (no, that was never dictionary.com’s word of the day). 

 But, the category that gets the most action is “Craft Craft a Lot.”  I track numerous blogs who are mostly devoted to crafting.  Stationary, design, sewing, knitting, quilting, painting, drawing, illustration, cooking, farming, renovations.  The list goes on and on.  I’m a crafting fiend right now.  I can’t get enough of it.  It’s mostly Kelli’s fault.  She inspired me to try anything.  Tuesday night?  I covered Fuze bottle lids with scrap emerald green silk.  We use the bottles to store shells and other knick knacks.  I mounted and prepared paper artwork for hanging.  I then started on the tags for the tag swap I signend up for.  Last night?  I made a journal for inspirational thoughts (If you want one, email me, I’ll make you one perfectmoderation at gmail dot com).  I also created cards for the invitations I’m hoping to start creating (Again, email if you want a test batch).  And then, as if that weren’t enough, I designed more on the tags for the tag swap. 

 Seriously.  I’m a maniac.  I can’t get enough of it.  Thankfully, the Husband understands the compulsion to create.  There is only encouragement. 

 So what are you creating?  If you would like to keep up with my projects, I have a page on my personal website.  Email me and I’ll send you the link. 

bless His holy name

“I will bless His name forever.”  Psalm 103

I’m not sure why I’m in this place right now.  I’m not sure why I struggle with those around me.  I’m not sure where to go, or what to do.  I’m not sure how to help. 

I am sure that God is holy and everything that is good.  He is just and he loves me.  If I hold on to that, everything else will be taken care of.

Bombs over Baghdad

The news of the bombings in Iraq were scary.  My brother is in the 2nd Brigade, the 3rd Brigade was attacked.  9 casualties, 20 injured. 

I will both lie down and sleep in peace.  For You alone, Lord, make me live in safety.  Psalm 4:8

Bang Bang

Evil is as evil does, and laws disarming guaranteed victims make evil people very, very happy. Shame on us. – Ted Nugent [Source] 

I understand his point.  I am very fearful by nature.  The Husband laughs at my imaginings; kidnappings, murder, home invasion, etc.  I grew up in the suburbs and have limited personal experience with crime.  The fear is completely unfounded. 

The news this week makes me think: why not carry a gun?  Why not have it at that one moment that saves your life? Even though I am statistically unlikely to experience something like Virginia Tech, wouldn’t that one moment be worth a lifetime of preparation?  What IF one of those teachers or children had a gun?  Would it have changed the outcome?

Gun control appears only to work if guns are not accessible to anyone.  What does work?  European countries are not good comparisons because they have a historically low gun crime rate prior to any gun control laws.  America is completely unique in it’s history and future.  The answer is obviously not what we have now.  We fail people every day with our lax laws and jaded view on the sanctity of life.

With all that said, I will continue to voluntarily lay down my right to bear arms.  I have no other choice.  I would rather die, than be responsible for taking another life.  All human life is sacred.  All human life is worth saving.

Blessings

I don’t think life could be more beautiful at this moment.  What I’ve been given, what I give.  As The Husband says, “My head is going to explode.”

We focused our wedding ceremony on the love Christ has for His bride, the Church.  I wanted those who do not have faith to realize that having a good marriage is completely dependent on your love for Christ.  Not your love for each other.  That will fail.  I will disappoint The Husband many times in our marriage.  He will disappoint me.  But God will never disappoint or fail us.  If we focus on Him, the love He has for us will flow down and shine from us.  Shine into each other, and shine into the people God has blessed us with. 

Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:
      ”Be good to me! Answer me!”
   When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”
      my whole being replied,
   ”I’m seeking him!”
      Don’t hide from me now!

[Source]

In this moment, I am overwhelmed by God’s goodness and mercy.  By His unfailing love.  By His compassion.  He is all that is good, in a world that is horribly broken without Him. 

Married Life

I have to tell you, being married is pretty cool.  That’s an understatement.  We’re the extremely obnoxious happy newlyweds right now.  We smile a lot, making googly eyes and holding hands.  I’m living with my best friend.  We’re at peace with each other, seeking God, and loving life.  Just thought you should know…..

If you would like to see pictures of my brother, you can find them here.

Enough

I don’t write about this.  At least, not very often.  But I’m frustrated, and I need to get this out.

My brother is in Iraq.  Again.  If you stay caught up on the news, which I do, you’ve probably read articles on Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ decision to extend the tours of duty for Army personnel to 15 months.  My brother has been in Iraq, excluding a three weak “leave,” since last July.  That ”leave” was supposed to be for several months.  Because of that three week period, the Army may consider his tour of duty to have started in January, blatantly ignoring not only the 4 months he was in Afghanistan, but also ignoring the 6 months he was in Iraq last year.  Before this decision, he had been told to expect to be home by early July. 

 He was the only member of our family not at my wedding.  We had planned for him to be there.   He managed to call at the very beginning of the reception.  I was able to hear him say “Congratulations” and “I love you.”  I can’t even focus on what he is doing or where he is right now because I can’t comprehend the thought of him being hurt.  My heart hurts to see his wife upset.  I know he signed up for this.  I know he volunteered.  But there is a limit to what can be asked of him, and those who serve with them.  This is not a result of lack of funding.  We can’t afford this war!  We’ve spent enough for victory already.  Money is not an issue.  Idiotic and incomplete preparation is the cause. 

There is a limit to how many people you can kill, even for a cause you believe in.  There is a limit to what politicians, who have never been to war, can order based on a strategy developed far far away from reality.  There is a limit to what a people can take when they are being occupied by another nation.  There is a limit to what I can take because I am so opposed to everything this war stands for.  There is a limit. 

 When will we reach our limit collectively?  When will we stand up and say ENOUGH?  When will we raise our voices to stop this?  When will this stop?  One voice will not change.  But I cannot let my voice stay silent in this. 

 I argue with myself as I type this.  I don’t know the whole story and all the politics and strategy that goes with war.  I know that it is impossible to correctly judge an outcome when you are in the middle of the solution.  It’s all theory at this point.  Theoretically, Bush’s head might NOT be up his ass at this point and he MIGHT be creating a team that can “win” this battle and this war. 

 However, right now.  I’m tired.  I’m tired of worrying about my brother.  I’m tired of trying to comprehend the thought of him being hurt or worse for  a worthless cause.  I’m tired of the lies and deception of our government.  I’m tired. 

 So, let the letter writing commence:

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

comments@whitehouse.gov

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

vice_president@whitehouse.gov

The Nitty Gritty

Let’s talk about sex.

Don’t worry, dear husband of mine, no specific details will be given.

First, waiting to have sex with my husband was worth every moment of frustration.  I highly recommend it.  Second, I learned that women are even more shallow than men when it comes to abstaining.  To the point of almost disgusting me.  I cannot believe that a female would actually say, “What if he’s bad in bed?” or “What if his penis is too small?”  As if that would be a reason for me not to love him.  Love is not that shallow.  And personally, I would be heartbroken to be judged in that way.  Third,  for the first time in my life I have a fantastic sex life.  Before The Husband, I did not think that was possible.  I cannot explain how much I love exploring sex and my sexuality in a safe, loving, welcoming environment.