Stanky

So what's stinkier than the Saints preseason game last weekend?  (They just didn't want to give away their secrets since they'll be seeing the Texans again in week 3, so I tell myself.)  Or my child's panties this weekend thanks to our potty training reversion? Well, I'll tell you...opinions.  I've come to learn that opinions -mine included- are like booties.  Everybody's got them and they all stink!!

Our culture seems to have a widespread epidemic of opinion entitlement.  Once we form an opinion, not only are you not gonna change our minds since we have closed ourselves off on the matter, but it becomes valued as our own truth if we have a misunderstood view of ourselves and our cognitive limitations. And how can truth remain truth if it changes from person to person?  Said another way, we confuse the definition of truth and opinion.

As defined, truth means: 1. the true or actual state of a matter: 2. conformity with fact or reality; verity
3. a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like 4. the state or character of being true
5. actuality or actual existence.

And opinion:  1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.

I've really had to deal with this lately.  A situation happened of which, due to my relational involvement, has effects on me.  And I don't like the decision a person made.  Not one solitary bit.  In fact, I'm quite disturbed and angry about it.  My feelings are hurt.  In other words, don't cross me in a dark alley, buddy! And believe me, I have my opinions.  Does that mean that I'm right?  In my own eyes, yes.  But in reality??  Do I know EVERY fact from EVERY angle?  Am I perfect in all my decisions?  Am I all knowing?  Since the answer to these questions is no, then maybe my judgments could be a little skewed...flawed...or down right wrong.

And all our judgments can be skewed for several reasons.  First, we don't know, nor could we comprehend, everything.  Second, we don't know all the facts. In our media driven society we are constantly bombarded with information and facts and mixed into the mix is opinion or personal views.  It becomes difficult at times to sort through and process it all. And this inundation of information makes us sometimes feel entitled to know even if it's not our place to.

Third, the Bible says that the heart in it's natural state is wicked.  Since we all have sinned, we have the propensity to sin.  And if any sin is involved, our vision can be clouded. So unless we are totally free from sin, we cannot see Truth in its clear totality.  Yes, we can hold it to the light of God's Word for Him to illuminate the truth, but on our own we can distort it.

So does that mean opinions are bad?  No.  It just means that we need to keep our opinions in perspective.  Yes, they can be based on truth, but they are not truth in and of themselves. And I have to be reminded, that maybe, just maybe, I might be skewed in my thinking.  I'm not perfect so neither can my opinions be.

So do I like the decision this person made?  No.  Do I have my opinions on how I thought the matter should be handled?  Yes.  Would I love to see a different outcome? Yep. Would I just love to give this said person a piece of my mind?  You betcha (though I don't think I'd ever have the nerve, nor is it my place to do so).  But I'm going to hold fast to the fact that just because I may be dogmatic in my belief, I may not be totally right.  It takes humility and self reflection on my part to keep this perspective. And sometimes that can be so hard to do.

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John 14:6
Jesus said, "I am the Way, the TRUTH and the life." 

Proverbs 21:4

Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Luke 6:41
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"

Kendall Conversations vol. 8

Kendall looked at a picture of Gabe and me when I was pregnant and asked where she was.  Gabe explained that she was not in the picture because she was not born yet.  To which she replied, "No, I was at Papa and Gigi's". 

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We listen to her same praise song CD every time we get in the car.  E-VUH-REE time!  And usually she asks for the same song, the "Chloe Song".  Huh?  Let me explain that one. 

This summer during our Thursday play dates, my friend, Danielle, brought a girl, Chloe, who is ten, with her to help watch her busy little boy.  And Chloe had a blast playing with all of us.  Kendall loves Chloe.  She asks where she is every day -still- and wants her to come over and play.  Problem is, I don't know Chloe's parents. 

Anyway, you know the song about Noah?  It starts off, "The Lord told Noah to build him an arky arky... build it out of gopher barky barky".  And each verse goes through the story. The chorus, as Kendall's sings it:

So rise and shine and give God the Chloe Chloe!

(There's just no way to convince an almost three-year-old that they're singing glory, glory!)

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And from the same beloved praise song CD, Kendall sings along as follows:

He placed my feet on a firm DALMATIAN. His banner over me is love!

Again, useless to correct her. Like she would understand what a firm foundation was anyway!

Sew On a Roll Now

I''m lovin' this sewing stuff.  Yes, I've only attempted straight lines so far, but soon I will tackle the world of cute little girl clothes.  Well, as soon as I finish the other 500 things on my to do list.  (Is it sad that I'm looking forward to school again so things can slow down??  Think I missed the joy of a lazy summer this year.)

I made new curtains and a shower curtain for my bathroom last weekend.  I had the house to MYSELF for twenty-four hours and I stayed up most of them sewing away.

Here's the result...

I wanted fabrics to coordinate with my gray stripes that I painted soon after we moved in and removed the dreadful wallpaper.  And I was so excited with what I found.  It's just what I had in mind.

Now, please don't click on the above picture.  It'll just magnify my flaws.  That solid gray material was a monster to keep straight.  Trust me, you get too close and it can be all jacked up in a few spots.  Button holes were another issue.  I had to self teach myself with the manual to figure it out.  They're a little frayed, but you have to get all up on it to notice.  And, really, who's gonna inspect them with a magnifying glass??

I even had enough fabric left over to recover the lamp.  Cha-ching!  That was a free DIY! Or, as we call it in Louisiana, a little lagniappe. (For all my fellow non-Louisianians, that's pronounced LAN-yap.)

So, what's next??  Probably curtains for Kendall's room.  More on those changes later.

Buh-Bye! Aint Gonna Be Missin' Ya!

You ever have those kinds of weeks days when you are just needing something to go your way?  That's how I've felt the last few weeks. 

Well, it went my way yesterday!  Kendall had a follow up appointment with the allergist and he has cleared her of her nasty milk and egg allergy!  Whoop whoop!!

My mama intuition told me that she was over it, so I pushed for them to test her a year earlier than planned.  My precious little angel can now eat cake and cookies and all milk products with no worry.  The only thing she can't have yet is straight eggs.  But since I'm not just on the edge of my seat to feed her a heaping of scrambled egg, who cares!  Next year the doctor will give her the three hour test where they feed her eggs to check for any reaction, and then borrowing there is none, she can eat eggs as she pleases. 

Kendall told me at lunch today as I was sprinkling Parmesan cheese on my noodles that, "Mommy, I can eat that now.  It not make my tummy hurt.  The doctor said I not allergic anymore."  That's right, sweetie!

This welcome news is just in time for a REAL birthday cake at her party this year!  Praise the Lord for answered prayer.