Life Swap

Okay, I have a confession to make. I really like to watch ABC's reality show Wife Swap.

At times the show borders on Jerry Springer type of conflicts, but overall it is a good show. For those of you not familiar with the show, it takes two families and swaps wives for two weeks. They find the most extreme opposites to switch. The first week the wives have to do whatever the family/mom normally does. So she lives in the other's shoes for a week. Then she gets to change the rules and for one week the family goes by the new mom's rules.

Because they choose extremes, there is a lot of tears and conflict, but usually by the end of the show everyone has learned a little balance. It is such a unique glimpse into the choices of people. I am amazed at how some people live.

I think what it teaches most; however, is the need for balance or margin in our lives. Because these people are extreme one way or the other, they miss out on a lot of life. They stereotype themselves out of experiences.

For example one punk rock family get the mom of a baseball obsessed family. The baseball mom makes the little boy play a game of baseball, in which he hits a home run. Not only did he like it, he was able to make friends with the very kids he hated most. Likewise, the punk rock mom made the baseball loving boy take electric guitar lessons, and he really liked it as well.

The parents grow as well. Most come to some compromise of change. No-disciple parents start taking some steps to order and discipline. Over-structured parents give some freedom and loosen up. It's a great show at exposing human nature and stereotyping.

I think we ALL could use some balance in our lives. We all need to see life from another's perspective and find out what makes sense to them. When we do that, we tend to appreciate what we have more and gain priceless experiences at the same time.

Okay, I am off my soapbox. All you naysayers can mock me now.

I'm feeling Mischievous today....

I thought this was funny, yet sadly not too crazy of an idea considering the internet is now the newest source of temptation.

This weekend I went to Broken Arrow with my mom to see my brother and his family. My nephews are almost as tall as I am now. I got to watch them play flag football, eat my brothers smoked ribs, and watch OU win in double overtime. Church on Sunday was good too, and then I came home.

I'm going to try to get a scan of a school assignment my youngest nephew, Jon, did at school and post it. It was sooo funny. Jon's teacher loves him because he is so creative. He walks to the beat of his own drum that is for sure. My sister-in-law told us about a story Jon's teacher told her. One day as they were doing work, Jon begins to do sport commentary on the kid across from him.

(Picture him holding his pencil to his mouth like a microphone and whispering like a golf commentator.) "We’re here today to see if Kyle will indeed do his work. He looks as if he's going to write something......oh, no! He just marked on his paper by accident. Oh, the teacher is approaching will this make a difference... (Teacher talks to Kyle). Wow, that was a close one ladies and gentlemen....yet Kyle still refuses to do any work."

Well, this went on for a while. The teacher just cracks up at him and says she should pay them for the endless entertainment he provides her. He's turns 8 this week.

Well, I am off to do some work!

Sticks and stones

was just thinking about all the people who love to tease/scare/annoy/pester me mercilessly each day. I am told that it is a form a flattery, flirting, or a way to show love. Hmm, the jury is still out on that one.

I have always been one people like to tease. I think it is because of my reactions, which I have tried to modify to no avail. People also like to see me mess up--say something wrong, pronounce a word incorrectly, spelling errors, etc. But unlike most people who occasionally do those things and people laugh and forget about it, when I do it, it lives on FOR-EV-ER.

My dear friends, Dana, Natalie and Tami are probably better at this than anyone. For example, ONE TIME during college I ordered a "Chicker Finger" Basket. Yes, I said chicker instead of chicken. Ha, ha, ha...SOOOO funny. Well, this past weekend it was brought up again as we ate at KFC. It's been over 6 years!

These types of things, though, are what made friends, friends. Shared memories--knowing someone so well and loving them anyway. Dana, Natalie and Tami are the ones who know me better than anyone else in the world. Although there are othersclose to me, these three girls know me in a different way--just as Holly--a peer, a friend.

It's hard to pinpoint. I don't think I am a different person when they are around, but there are aspects of me that they see through different lenses. When they see me, they don't define me by a title (like discipler, BSU secretary, etc.). When they see me, they see ME, not just a sliver of me. I don't have to be guarded or watch what I say. I know I am accepted 100% as me--quirks and all. There is freedom in our friendship.

However, I already see this post coming back to haunt me. Next time "someone" lies across my desk with their head right by the phone, or makes gross noises with their arms on my desk, or crawls into the room to scare me, or makes fun of something I said incorrectly, I will be reminded of this post.

I will say this. It is okay to keep teasing me as long as it is not the only interaction we have. The reason Dana, Nat, and Tami can do it is because our friendship is build on MORE than that. I know that they do love me and value me as a person. It's not all about making me the subject of their jokes. Otherwise, jokes can turn into hurt feelings. So if you tease me, and I get hurt, most likely I don't know where I stand with you.

This is somewhat random, I know, but that is what came out today!

Little Green Go Cart

Most of you know about my whole car accident/trama. Well, I wanted to update you on it. On Thursday I got my car back! I paid $250 to them and got a "brand new" car in return. They did a great job--it looks new. Several people thought it was new. I am so thankful that I was able to get it fixed.

Here is the area that was hit but is now all fixed!


Here is the whole side of the car that was fixed--including a dent that had been there for years. One Christmas I hit a parked car that was parked next to my driveway. It didn't do anything to their car, but dented mine. Now that is gone too!!!

Some other nice features of the accident included two new tires and three new hubcaps (I hit a few curbs in my day and they were bent). I'm very thankful for all of this!!

Du Du Dudu....Du Du Dudu.....

I'm back from a long weekend. Friday at 7:30 am Dana and Natalie and their husbands (Mike and Justin) and I all piled into a car and drove 8 hours to Memphis for my other best friend, Tami's, wedding.

It was a fun trip there and good time with Natalie and Dana. As we pulled into Memphis, Justin turns around and tells us that he was surprised we'd actually done it--talked for 8 hours straight. (We were not surprised!) The trip back was just about as bad. We were a little more tired so a little less talking happened but a little more complaining!

The wedding was beautiful but weird at the same time. It was hard letting go of my friend to someone I'd just met. I have no doubt they are perfect for one another, it is just hard to not know him better. The HUGE part of her life is separate. I hope in the year to come to get to know him better. As they drove away I had to remind myself that I had not lost her forever!

Just as I had one wedding behind me, I find out my wonderful roomie, Brittany, got engaged! I knew it would happen, but was surprised at the timing. At least she was not expecting it! :) The ring is beautiful!

Well, I better go. I have a lot of work to do!

In an effort to praise Him

I love fall.

Something about the colors of the leaves on the trees strikes a nerve in my heart. I am overwhelmed with the beauty of the colors. Wow.

I was looking at some amazing photographs of fall leaves today, and I was struck at how loved I am by God.

God choose to make things beautiful. He created them for ME to enjoy. To show me how much He loves me. And even as I am overwhelmed at the beauty of His created things, I am gently reminded how much more beautiful I am to Him. It fills the heart to be so loved. It's overwhelming.

These pictures remind me of one of my most favorite songs, "Gloria" by Watermark. If you have never heard it, download it from ITunes. Here are the words....my prayer today:

I wish I could crash like the waves
Or turn like the autumn leaves
In effort to praise You

I wish I could smell like the forest
The fragrance lifting a mighty chorus
In effort to praise You
In effort to praise You

Chorus:
But I’m such a limited creature
And my word can only paint so many pictures
But somewhere I think I read that I am

Treasured over all creation
So I know that I must try

I wish I could roll like the thunder
To leave the earth below in wonder
In effort to praise You

I wish I could fall like the summer rain
And every drop would sing Your name
In effort to praise You
In effort to praise You

Repeat chorus

Gloria, glory in the highest
Forever I will hide myself in Thee (2x)

Every breath that I breathe
Every moment in my history

Is an effort to praise You
An effort to praise You

Glory in the highest
Forever I will hide myself in Thee

Oh, Gloria
Glory in excelsis deo

Gloria, gloria, gloria
Gloria, gloria, gloria