Don't judge a book by its cover.
I have to admit that I often judge people right away based on how they look. I'm totally willing to change that opinion once I get to know someone, but often people's personalities are just like how they dress, how much make-up they wear or how they do their hair.
This might not be a positive example, but when we were in Colorado this weekend I saw a couple of girls ahead of us in line for the O.A.R. concert we went to. Compared to a different group of girls who were next to us in the parking lot - with short shorts and crop tops - I thought the girls in front of us looked kind of nerdy.
Based on the one of the girls' lack of make-up, her high-necked T-shirt and her denim bermuda shorts, I would have expected her to be quiet and demure.
Then I overheard this girl's friend saying that the girl had admitted during a job interview to doing shrooms and acid. That surprised me, because I wouldn't have pegged her as someone who would have done drugs.
I really should stop judging people based on how they look. I don't want people to judge me, so I shouldn't judge others either.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Go with the flow
Nate and I went out of town this weekend, and we had some big plans.
However, all didn't go as planned.
For my whole life, I have been a planner. And I don't usually handle it well when things don't go exactly the way that I have planned then. Nate has challenged me during our years of dating to deal with everyday situations with grace and ease instead of anxiety. He is pretty calm, so I have tried to be as well.
When faced with a moment this weekend, I knew that I could dwell on the situation and get upset or I could say that this is what happened and go with the flow.
I went with the flow, and I know that I was much happier than I would have been had I responded in a different way.
Life isn't perfect but it can be pretty close if you just take it one day at a time.
However, all didn't go as planned.
For my whole life, I have been a planner. And I don't usually handle it well when things don't go exactly the way that I have planned then. Nate has challenged me during our years of dating to deal with everyday situations with grace and ease instead of anxiety. He is pretty calm, so I have tried to be as well.
When faced with a moment this weekend, I knew that I could dwell on the situation and get upset or I could say that this is what happened and go with the flow.
I went with the flow, and I know that I was much happier than I would have been had I responded in a different way.
Life isn't perfect but it can be pretty close if you just take it one day at a time.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Signs from God
I didn't take this photo, but I wish I would have.
I love seeing hints of God in everyday life, like this cross in the sunshine behind the flag.
On Sunday, when we were boating I looked up at the sky and a shooting star went right across my field of vision. It completely perked up my night as God sent just a little reminder to me of his beauty and glory.
Sunshine, lightning, shooting stars, rainbows, a smile - God makes himself known in many, many small ways each day.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Small actions
Sometimes living in a small town is kind of nice.
I was impacted at the grocery store tonight. I ran in just to get some brat buns for the meatball sandwiches I wanted to make for dinner. Walking by the check-out line, a man with a full cart motioned for another person with a less full cart to go in front of him.
Then when I went outside to get back in my car, buns in hand, another man got out of his vehicle, grabbed a group of three carts stranded in the parking lot and pushed them to the store.
I was listening to the radio the other day and the speaker said that he heard a man say that Christians, wherever they are, should leave the place better. I don't know if the men at the grocery store were Christians, but I love that they were leaving their world a little better.
I was impacted at the grocery store tonight. I ran in just to get some brat buns for the meatball sandwiches I wanted to make for dinner. Walking by the check-out line, a man with a full cart motioned for another person with a less full cart to go in front of him.
Then when I went outside to get back in my car, buns in hand, another man got out of his vehicle, grabbed a group of three carts stranded in the parking lot and pushed them to the store.
I was listening to the radio the other day and the speaker said that he heard a man say that Christians, wherever they are, should leave the place better. I don't know if the men at the grocery store were Christians, but I love that they were leaving their world a little better.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Shed a little
You can tell exactly where Novie has been lately.
With the horrible heat, her hair has been falling out like it's its job. I can hardly wear dark colors anymore unless I stay far away from her or bring a lint brush with me wherever I go.
I have resigned myself to the fact that I will not be without dog hair on me for the summers for at least the next 10 years! It's OK, because I love my dog.
As easy as it is to tell where Novie has been, it can be good or bad when people can tell where we've been.
Although we don't leave hair behind as markers, well unless you're a girl with long hair - then you're bound to, we definitely leave behind signs of where we've been.
When we leave someone's presence, they often will talk about what they have just experienced. They can say, "That Kiley sure is a sweet person. I wish I was more like her." They could also say, "I've heard Kiley talk about being a Christian. What's the point though? She's not any different than me!" Or they could just not say a word about me, because I made no impact at all.
God has given us lives to use for him. We should be leaving behind his fingerprints, his "hairs" wherever we go.
With the horrible heat, her hair has been falling out like it's its job. I can hardly wear dark colors anymore unless I stay far away from her or bring a lint brush with me wherever I go.
I have resigned myself to the fact that I will not be without dog hair on me for the summers for at least the next 10 years! It's OK, because I love my dog.
As easy as it is to tell where Novie has been, it can be good or bad when people can tell where we've been.
Although we don't leave hair behind as markers, well unless you're a girl with long hair - then you're bound to, we definitely leave behind signs of where we've been.
When we leave someone's presence, they often will talk about what they have just experienced. They can say, "That Kiley sure is a sweet person. I wish I was more like her." They could also say, "I've heard Kiley talk about being a Christian. What's the point though? She's not any different than me!" Or they could just not say a word about me, because I made no impact at all.
God has given us lives to use for him. We should be leaving behind his fingerprints, his "hairs" wherever we go.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Small town stories
For work, we're doing a section in our newspaper about growing up in this area. It's actually nice this year that I know a few people to turn to when looking for ideas. I think I'm actually becoming part of the community!
When I interviewed one of my subjects earlier this week, she said, "I've had a wonderful life here, but I don't really know if I have stories people will want to read about."
She has some wonderful stories though. I told her that I believe everyone has a story to tell. Even if the story is just about the simplicity of life. Here's a little sample (with the name and place changed for privacy):
"Letterton offers the perfect small town life.
And it’s a life that Janice Lepp never wanted to move away from.
The week of the Fourth of July, Janice sat in the Acorn Ridge trailer she and her husband, Kent, use as a vacation home and remembered the wonderful life she has had in the area.
She was born at the nearby Tinsdale hospital, in a building on Ash Street that now houses apartments. However, she spent her childhood living in Letterton.
From age 2-8, Janice lived on Main Street in Letterton and spent her time playing with her brother, Nick, who was 11 months younger than her. They even dressed the same, in clothes that their mom made for them.
'We thought we were twins, because we were dressed alike,' Janice said. 'We thought that’s all it took.'
The downstairs of their apartment building was a restaurant, and the kids played in the garage where the empty pop bottles were stored. They even took some and sold them at the local drugstore so they could buy candy.
Nick and Janice also loved to play hide and seek. One day they were playing, and Janice couldn’t find her brother. She remembers leaving him and going to find a snack instead.
'He had hidden in a refrigerator,” Janice said, and it was one that locked from the outside. “Luckily a maintenance man heard him hollering and pounding.'"
When I interviewed one of my subjects earlier this week, she said, "I've had a wonderful life here, but I don't really know if I have stories people will want to read about."
She has some wonderful stories though. I told her that I believe everyone has a story to tell. Even if the story is just about the simplicity of life. Here's a little sample (with the name and place changed for privacy):
"Letterton offers the perfect small town life.
And it’s a life that Janice Lepp never wanted to move away from.
The week of the Fourth of July, Janice sat in the Acorn Ridge trailer she and her husband, Kent, use as a vacation home and remembered the wonderful life she has had in the area.
She was born at the nearby Tinsdale hospital, in a building on Ash Street that now houses apartments. However, she spent her childhood living in Letterton.
From age 2-8, Janice lived on Main Street in Letterton and spent her time playing with her brother, Nick, who was 11 months younger than her. They even dressed the same, in clothes that their mom made for them.
'We thought we were twins, because we were dressed alike,' Janice said. 'We thought that’s all it took.'
The downstairs of their apartment building was a restaurant, and the kids played in the garage where the empty pop bottles were stored. They even took some and sold them at the local drugstore so they could buy candy.
Nick and Janice also loved to play hide and seek. One day they were playing, and Janice couldn’t find her brother. She remembers leaving him and going to find a snack instead.
'He had hidden in a refrigerator,” Janice said, and it was one that locked from the outside. “Luckily a maintenance man heard him hollering and pounding.'"
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Spoiled dog
Seriously, I think it's a really good thing that Nate and I got a dog before we had children.
Our dog is already spoiled beyond belief, and she's not even a year old.
She sleeps with me all night, and she hogs the bed too. She likes to be as close to me as possible, so by morning I end up sleeping on the edge and she is in the middle, on my pillow usually too.
When I am working, she tends to whine or jump up on me so that she can have some attention. If I sit down on the couch with the computer, she will lay down on my lap or step on the computer so that she can be close to me.
If I look at the computer and don't touch her, she just makes noise until I start paying attention to her.
I think it's good we didn't start off by spoiling our children so much!
I know her actions are all out of love, but sometimes we tell her "Don't love us so much!"
Our dog is already spoiled beyond belief, and she's not even a year old.
She sleeps with me all night, and she hogs the bed too. She likes to be as close to me as possible, so by morning I end up sleeping on the edge and she is in the middle, on my pillow usually too.
When I am working, she tends to whine or jump up on me so that she can have some attention. If I sit down on the couch with the computer, she will lay down on my lap or step on the computer so that she can be close to me.
If I look at the computer and don't touch her, she just makes noise until I start paying attention to her.
I think it's good we didn't start off by spoiling our children so much!
I know her actions are all out of love, but sometimes we tell her "Don't love us so much!"
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