Sugarhead, The Entertainer

Sugarhead uses half words, which I cannot get my fill of. For instance, she'll say she wants to watch teev, or she wants to go to the lib (long i). That apple didn't fall far from the Let's Talk Ghetto tree.

She also loves long walks on the beach and spends her free time making up words.

My most recent favorite came last night after bath time. Let me illustrate.

"Look, Mama, look! Look at my fingers", she exclaims, spreading her little hands open for investigation. "They're all cruffled."

Cruffled -
to soak, fill, or saturate with water so as to make soggy

synonyms: water logged, prune hands

She doesn't mean to be so entertaining. She just is.

{You can't have her. She's all mine.}

Make a wish

The dandelion radiantly shining in the grass like a spark dropped from the sun.
Henry Ward Beecher

The miracles of nature do not seem miracles
because they are so common.
If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion
would be the most startling event in the world.

The Lord, our God, He is splendiferous!

Famous Last Words

Not much changes around here. Whenever people ask what's been going on, the answer is typically, "nothing new".

With the exception of the occasional illness or broken household item, things are pretty consistent.

This week though, I have something new to tell.

Something I've said for the past 6 years that I would never do.

Never.

It would take a miracle of such proportions that it is inconceivable that it would ever happen.

"Never", I said.

And then God chuckled, and He giggled, and He laughed and laughed and laughed.

Because He always knows something I don't; He knows what's coming, and I don't.

Until I do.

Dude.

This year, for the first time ever, I will be homeschooling.

Yeah, let that soak in.

(Y'all. I swore I never would.)

But the times, they are a-changin'. (Sing it, Bob!)

I do not pretend to know the full-extent of God's reasoning behind all of this, but there are a few things I hope to gain from it.

There is one major thing I want for our family, and that is for us to be close-knit... for our children to be in close relationship with each other, and for them to also feel safe, close and open with us, their parents.

These desires have been in my heart, ever present, since I became The Mama.

This whole thing just makes me laugh a little. It's so typical to have things work out in this fashion -- in a way that I get what I want, but it comes in such a manner I'd never have expected!

(Kinda like in the very difficult, early years of our marriage when we had 2 kids right out of the starting blocks (and I thought our ship would sink)... but God knew exactly what He was doing, because those babies kept us together when other things fought with all their might to pull us apart, and may well have succeeded if not for them... it would've been too easy to walk away. Having them turned out to be very good for us.)

The same is true even now. There are other things fighting against me, all the time pulling at me. Developing the closeness and togetherness I want for our family takes so much effort, and so much death to my flesh.

But I want it.

... and nothing grand just happens.

Love, God

If you want to know how much I love you, count the waves.

Regret

More often than not, the sentiments I hear on regret go something like this:

"I don't regret anything. Everything I've ever done / been through has taught me a great lesson, and therefore, I have no regrets."

By definition, to regret is
1) to feel sorrow or remorse for an act, fault, etc.
2) to think of with a sense of loss.

When I look back over the course of my life, especially where I was about 10 years ago, I have a strong sense of regret. My heart is heavy with a sense of sorrow and remorse, even now. I hurt people. I did awful things that I knew would cause other people serious pain.

How can I now look at my actions and feel thankful for the "lesson" that was in it for me? That, to me, is even worse than the initial offense, which was grievous. How could I elevate some lesson over the pain I caused to someone else's heart. Who can say what difficulty they've had to endure because of my choices? Is any lesson ever worth that?

I should think not. Emphatically, I say no.

If I had it to do all over again, there are things I would do differently, and that, to me, is the essence of regret. I pray for the people that I hurt, so that their hearts can know healing and true peace... that their hearts can be healed from the pain I put there. Truly, I want it to be taken away and that they will know the love of God that is theirs in Christ Jesus.

And just for clarity's sake because I can already sense the direction of your comments, I am not talking about not being able to forgive myself or even making an effort to make restitution. I am satisfied, on both accounts, and yet, regret still remains.

So don't y'all go worrying ya little heads about me. I'm not sitting here in some depressed stupor. I just had a few thoughts on regret. That's all.

And I'm curious to know, what's your view on it?

Do you think this guy was a Boy Scout?

Hurricane season is upon us.
Thankfully, there's been nothing brewing to cause alarm.
However, if something does begin to churn out there, I don't think this guy plans to evacuate.
This, my friends, is preparedness... the likes of which I have never seen.
I like to think I've seen alot, but this.... I stand amazed.

You may recognize these pictures from my photo blog, {Verbs & Nouns}.
This is what (this) one does when (this) one is too lazy to post something else.
Besides, you may not know about my other blog, and I think we can all agree, information like this must be shared.

Let the record show, I'm only being redundant in order to better serve the people.

Lead the way and we'll precede.

I've not forgotten to tell you all about the interview that took place this morning. I am prepared to do just that. Well, semi-prepared, which is why this is going up instead... interview + pictures + links to listen will be up later!

My heart has a deep affection for people who butcher well-known clichés. Well, not so much the people, per se, but for their mangled malapropisms.

Years ago, I had a friend named Jeannie, who was hysterical all the time and I adored her. I wish I still knew her. She was truly one in a million, a diamond in the rust.

Once upon a time, Jeannie was married to a guy by the name of Mouse, who was constantly misquoting things. So much so that she wanted to write a book full of them and call it, Straight From the Mouse's Mouth. She's a genius, you say? I concur.

And now I'd like to share some of my favorite verbal blunders with you (some Mouse's, but mostly not because sadly, I cannot remember them):

• She is a real catch! A diamond in the rust. [rough]
  
• Here Dad, would you like to cut the eucalyptus cord? [umbilical] {This would be one of Mouse's gems - the only one I can recall.}
  
• Oh! It gives me the hydrostatics to such a degree! [hysterics]
• Why, murder's the matter! Slaughter's the matter! Killing's the matter! --but he can tell you the perpendiculars. [particulars]
• He had to use a fire distinguisher. [extinguisher]
• Be sure and put some of those neutrons on my salad. [croutons]
• My new coat has lots of installation. [insulation]
• He's a wolf in cheap clothing. [sheep's]
• We have just ended our physical year. [fiscal]
• What are you incinerating? [insinuating]
  

Have you heard any good ones? Do tell!! And please, use one today while you're out and about. Just for the fun of it!

In Preparation for my INTERVIEW Tomorrow

Excuse me while I have a little F R E A K O U T!

Success in contingent upon...

...your participation.

Without you, there is no game, and that is just sad. We all need word games people. Come on now! Rally your enthusiasm! Don't let the government succeed at dumbing us down!

Go ye into the world (or dictionary)(or thesaurus)(or your preferred search engine) and bring me back some gems!

Come on! It'll be fun!

Go now... go read some books.

I Yam What I Yam

I hereby retract my statement that Sweet Potato ice cream is a comfort food. After 4 bowls in 2 days, I was anything but comfortable.

You know how your Grandma used to warn you about eating sweet potatoes while nursing because it was gonna give that baby the cramps? She wasn't kidding.

I am not saying that I'm writing it off entirely, and will never eat it again. That would be ludicrous. I do not exercise that much control over tasty foods. What I am saying is this:

Don't overdo it folks -- it will make you pay.

May I Have A Word? | Chapter 2

That's what I've decided to call the new word game.

And it's that time again, so serve 'em up!

I will attempt to have these up on Mondays from here on out, which gives me the week to work in the vocabulations. Today is Tuesday, which doesn't matter in the slightest. I'll work in the words anyhow, and next week, I'll set it to post on time.

BIDNESS: Instead of linking by way of naming the person who gave each word,
I will now link your site to the actual word (like I did in the previous post).
Thank you for calling. If you have any questions, please dial information.

THANK YOU for playing...

Now, may I have a word?

Multi-Topical and Disjointed: Welcome to my head. Let me show you around.

Pneumonia: The name of the thing that seized my poor Puddin', and attempted to consume us all this week -- also the reason behind my being, well, behind in the word game, and many, many other things.

Sweet Potatoes: Used to make me hungry for November--now makes me hungry for ice cream: Sweet Potato Pie ice cream... the name of one of many things that brought us comfort this week. Thank GOD for comfort! 'Cause sometimes life is hard, y'all.

In other unrelated news,
I made an interesting discovery during our stint. I am not of the [jentacular] sort, unless, of course, coffee counts as breakfast, and in most states, it does not.

Jentacular -- Of or pertaining to a breakfast taken early in the morning,
or immediately on getting up.

However, if in the hospital, I am otherwise persuaded. See, they serve up blueberry muffins with bacon, and also, ham & cheese omelets with bacon. At home, however, laziness (my very own) serves up coffee alone... and the brewing is completely Stretch's doing. All I do is mix it how I like it. Coffee is my "bre-fryst" (as Sweet Pickle says it--which I think is infinitely better than the original). The moral of the story: If you cook it, I will eat it.

In other, other unrelated and disjointed news,
I recently had the pleasure of sharing a new word with my BFF. I learned that one of her favorite scents, the smell of rain, is called [petrichor]. I really like that word.

Petrichor -- "Smell of rain". Petrichor (from Greek petros, "stone" + ichor)
is the name of the scent of rain on dry earth.

Also, I just found a sneaky little Diet Coke hiding in the back of the fridge. Today will be a good day. Amen.

Oblivious + Idiot = Obliviot

Yesterday I took all three of the kids to Target. (I appreciate your compassion.) Halfway through loading all of our items onto the conveyor belt (which leaves me with half a cart full of other items, in case you're doing the math), a guy with a large suitcase pulls up next in line. He takes his massive luggage and plunks it onto the belt.

Are you kidding? I still have HALF A CART FULL HERE, buddy. Wanna move your luggage?

No, he doesn't. He doesn't even try to keep it from moving forward. I have to unload at mach speed to ensure I have enough space to put my things down. The check-out girl looks at him and then back at me and gives me a look that says, "Is he for real?" And with my eyes, I say, "What is happening here?"

We communicate with our eyes, me and Check-Out Girl. She feels me.

My arms were moving so fast, getting the last of my loot on the belt, that they were a blur to anyone passing by. I was practically The Flash. (Except that for me, the speed was crippling, and when I was done, I was enfeebled.)

As I'm loading my bags into my cart, no lie, the guy plops this gigantic thing onto the tiny table (where you write your checks) and FLIPS IT OPEN! Oh. Yes, he did. And you know what happened? He knocked my groceries onto the floor at this poor girl's feet.

Me and Check-Out Girl? Our eyes are BUGGING OUT! "Can you believe this guy?!"

Not one apology, y'all. Not even a nonchalant, "my bad". NOTHING. Not a sound. Not even a grunt from this apparent caveman who is not accustomed to coming out into society where OTHER PEOPLE LIVE.

Unbelievable.

And every word of it, true.

Fount Drivel. The fount of never-ceasing overflow, apparently.

Oh look! I found another lost and forgotten almost-post. How very fortunate!

What is the weirdest food you've ever eaten? Doesn't that vary according to geographical location? I mean, I eat crawfish which is not weird to me, but I won't touch grasshoppers or sheep gizzard which may be a delicacy in other countries. Weird is relative. However, in my own opinion, I think maybe the strangest thing I've eaten is kangaroo or shark, or snail.

If you were to perform in the circus, what would you do? I'd like to do the thing with the long fabrics, where you're dangling from the ceiling. If I could do that, it would mean that I was strong. And lean.

Not to mention strong.

And lean.

What article of clothing most closely describes your personality? Eaaazzzyyy. My gray sweater coat.

Who was your favorite teacher and why? Ms. Short. Or as we called her, Lt. Short. She was my English teacher, and also my Advanced Comp teacher. I have two favorite things about her. One was that every day she gave us a new Word of the Day. And maaannn, I love me some words.

The other thing was this philosophy: Show, don't tell.

This woman has shaped my life in ways that she could never know. I'd love to know her again. She was brilliant. She grew up in Pennsylvania, came from a military background and was not Catholic like most everybody else in our tiny Catholic school. She was different in every way, and I loved her for it.

Still do.

What makes you feel the most secure? Family togetherness I think.

If you had a CB radio, what would your "handle" be? Didn't even have to think about this one...

Pegacorn.

Actually, you can call me that now if you want.

Even if we're not communicating via CB radio.

Which, I don't know how we could be, seein' as I don't HAVE a CB radio. (And it's not on my wishlist, either.)

I do like that name though. I like it a great deal. I'd like to adopt it as a nick. It would undoubtedly top the list... or at least come in second, just under Jedi.

Other than material things, what do you constantly think about? What to feed my family. Which I'm not entirely sure, but that may qualify as a material thing.

What is one of the strangest southern expressions (or other idiomatic expressions) you have ever heard? My personal favorite by far, is: Well, ain't this a fine howdy doo!


Now it's your turn. Fire away.

Because why do now what you can put off until you completely forget about it?

A long day ago, (as Sugarhead says), Mama Belle passed on this award to me.

{Remember that M.B.? Because I totally forgot until I found this draft.}

10 honest things about me...

1. When I incurred this injury last December, my toes were NOT polished.
I quickly realized, however, due to all the pain (OH GRACIOUS! THE PAIN!) that I would not be able to put that thing in a real shoe and I'd have to wear flip-flops to church, on the day of our Christmas production, in which I had a cameo appearance.

It's just like that old saying goes, "Nothing says Christmas quite like flip-flops and the smell of balsam pine".

Stretch gave the last call, "Y'all ready?" and I was all, "I'll be there in a second..." because I was busy polishing my toes mere minutes before Go Time. I am nothing if not vain.

2. Sometimes I think I'd like to pierce my lip (something dainty on the side) but I don't think it would be well-received, and also, (and more importantly) I am a wuss. And a sissy. Plus it doesn't really match all of my cottage-y décor.

3. People think I can make anything, but that's not true. I made clothespin angels with the kids that totally looked like dragonflies. I made them for the sole purpose of being hung on the wall above our Nativity. Y'all all remember the dragonflies coming to visit the sweet baby Jesus right? Yeah, well, they did. Y'all just weren't there to see it.

4. I love the word stupid. What else would you call this?

5. I do not like being publicly recognized, for anything. It embarrasses me and makes me covet the ability to evaporate (but then secretly still be in the room to hear all the nice things people wanted to say about me... because despite my neurosis, I'm always dying to know what people think of me.)

6. I'm honest, and I'm okay with that... because even if it means you might get mad at me, it still makes for the most authentic relationships.

7. I am guilty of looking more at the darkness than at the stars, despite my massive blog title up yonder.

8. Whenever I take quizzes, I tend to fall smack in the middle. Right or Left-Brained? I use both equally. (Secretly though, I wish to be right-brained). Introvert or Extrovert? 56% Intro, and I'm glad to be more intro than extro. Anyway, that's just a lil' [lagniappe].

Lagniappe -- something thrown in, gratis, for good measure.

[Thanks for that word, Mike. You chose something I actually knew!]

9. I have a general distrust of people who live in trailer parks. Stupid and short-sighted perhaps, but there it is.

And finally, 10. I wrote a book, which will land me some spots on radio talking about my book. The whole thing just makes me freak out a little and reach for my deodorant. See number 5.

I'm Published! Now, go ye and make us rich!

A Review: The Night I Went to a Dance Revue

In today's post you will find these words, proffered for such a time as this
by Rachel and Jackie, whom I adore.
Good words, girls. Who knew they'd fit my week so neatly?

Demarche -- A course of action; a maneuver.

Cancatervate -- To heap into a pile.

Mulligrubs -- Ill temper; colic; grumpiness.

And now, our story.

Approximately one and one half weeks ago, my friend Cassie and I made plans to attend a dance revue together (which I referred to in an email as a dance "review").

I hang my head in shame even now.

The day of the revue (which I will never ever misspell again, ever, in addition to the word "reservoir" which may or may not have stymied my taking STATE in the '89 (or was it '90?) Spelling Bee) arrived yesterday. Plans began to fall through around three o'clock in the p.m. Stretch would have to work late so I needed a new [demarche] for childcare. Yeeha.

After casting my net for a sitter in the form of a text message blast, I came up empty. My friend Angela, who'd come over that morning for a visit/play date, offered to come back and watch the kids for me so that I could keep my date. {She's a diamond in the rust.}

The plan of action: she'd go home, get her kids bathed and fed and come back, while I did the same here.

I began filling the tub to start baths and noticed the water pressure was low. I walked out to take care of other things (which I can't recall now) and when I returned, it was down to just a trickle, so I shut it off and proceeded to [cancatervate] the children into the tub and scrub them down in just a few inches of water.

A bath is a bath.

Having spent the day laying in the sun, my skin was not ready for the public. It was overladen (read: overloaded) with layer upon layer of Banana Boat Dark Tanning Oil. Hate the feeling, love the scent. The point though, was that there was no way I could show up to the revue (not "review" you dork) like that. And I had no running water. It was so uncivilized.

Suddenly, I remembered those three gallons of water that I'd purchased last year for hurricane season, that were still sitting under the carport. There are days when being a pack rat pays off. This, being one of them.

So with a gallon of water, I:

• Brushed my teeth.
• Wet a wash cloth and gave myself a quick, make-shift gypsy bath to knock the stank off, which there was plenty of.
• Wet, washed and rinsed my filthy head - which is extremely difficult to do with a jug of water that you're trying to reserve... because it was my last. (I'd already used up the other two.) Midway through the rinse, I set the jug down on the side of the tub, but instead of setting it down flat, I put in on the towel I had draped over the side, and then in all my klutzy glory, I knocked it over onto the floor, and watched 1/4 of my last gallon of water flood the floor behind my toilet. Wunderbar.
• Enter full-blown mulligrubs, rightly defined as ill-temper, colic and grumpiness. I was heavily afflicted with all three, with the exception of the colic.
  

It's now 5 o'clock, and Angela will be here at 5:30. My kids? Hungry. My hair? In a towel on my head. The house? Utter chaos. Meanwhile, I'm having to make some calls to get help with our water sit-chee-ation. Our neighbor? Offshore. Our other neighbor? Not home from work yet, but his bride say's she'll have him stop by on his way home. "Oh good! Thank you!"

Angela arrives and kids kick energy into maximum for game of indoor hide-n-seek. Super.

Meanwhile, I'm attempting to fix my hair (which I officially suck at) and walk out to answer the phone. Puddin' wanders into the bathroom (of course he does) and wraps his tiny hand around my very hot curling iron. My next move is swift -- to the kitchen to slather his little fingers with butter (because I remember reading somewhere that that takes the sting out of burns, but he's allergic to dairy, so I sure hope he doesn't have some sort of awful reaction to it on his skin).

The next series of events unfolds something like this:

• remember first aid kit in car and rummage until finding burn gel
• neighbor shows up to look at well
  
• feel embarrassed, out of control, and guilty for having to leave this mess with my house full of people that don't live here
• people total upon departure: 11
  
• supposed to meet friends at 6:15
• the next time i look at the time, it's 6:25 and I'm still at home.
• leave home when revue is starting
• Insanity. Insanity. Insanity.

I think I started breathing normally again somewhere around 7:30 or so. After the REVUE, we went for coffee. I had a steamed milk with vanilla. That, and the sweet girl time, was just what the doctor ordered.

A game? Oh I love games! Pick me! Pick me!

This is a very exciting day because I have thought up a fun game for you to play! I'm all about the games. Playing, in all its forms, might just be my spiritual gifting. Maybe I can talk God into adding it to "the list". Doubtful, but we'll see.

Okay, so, here's how she works:
You throw out some vocabulations and in return, I will work them into my posts for the week.
How fun is that?!!
'Cause what would be more fun than playing with words?
Oh, I know!
Nothing! Hahahahaha!

Okay, so I don't really have a fancy name for it or anything like that yet. I do think I should pick a day for word offerings though. I'll come up with that later. Let's just start with today and then I'll just wing it from here.

Just for fun, I'll give you a for instance.

You might recommend a word, like, oh I don't know, agowilt, in which case I would have to grab my dictionary because I haven't the slightest what it means (but I like it anyway because I love obsolete words), and then, later in the week, because I will likely have to strain for a while, you might read a sentence that says:

The thought of using unknown words filled her at once with excitement and agowilt.

agowilt- sudden fear; sickening fear

So, we'll all learn new words in context, and I will satisfy my unswerving appetite for words! The words can be obscure, weird.... whatever. Have fun with it!

Ready set go!

Disclaimer:
Let's keep it clean, alright?
Suggestions that are not clean will be promptly deleted.
Play nice, okay? Okay. :)

It's like they're being raised by wolves.

Sugarhead to her brother: "My oatmeal... you know, that brown one? It tasted good!"

Pause. No response from Sweet Pickle.

"You wanna taste it?", she asks
(touching the corner of her mouth that hasn't yet been cleaned after breakfast).

"Lick it."

How am I ever gonna make these children into something that can be brought out into society?

Originally written 16 Mars 09

{And PS: Yes, I'm back! Hooray!}

No Restraint

Tucking Sugarhead into bed tonight for at least the 3rd time, she says,
(because she always has to say something)
"Mama, know what I want for breakfast tomorrow?"

"I don't want to talk about that right now", I say. "We'll talk about breakfast tomorrow."

"Okay." (short pause) "Toast."

Indefinite Hiatus

I'm taking a break, y'all. There are too many things in my life that need attention. Alot of attention. I am so easily and quickly sucked into this thing. This feels like a replay of the last time I took a break, and it is similar... except this time I won't be back in a week.

It's time I faced the music. I've gotta to be honest with myself and hold myself to a standard that I hold other people to, but have been unwilling to live by myself. I think they have a word for that: hypocrisy.

Continuing to spend as much time sitting at this computer as I have been... I can't justify it anymore. I'm overdoing it, and I need to step completely away for a while. Some people are able to balance this part of their life with everything else, but as for me, I have done very poorly. And I need to rectify that.

I teach my children to do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. I guess I'm back in school, relearning that lesson. Stuff is piling up around here, and I'm not just talking about the dust, dishes and unfolded clothes. My priorities are in the wrong place and it's costing me, big time. Bottom line: My house is not in order.

And I need to see about that.

I think it's important that I remind myself that this blog is not my life. It's just a blog. It's not really what's real.

The irony is that the fear of missing out on something "important" has cost me the most important thing. By putting off facing this issue that has been steadily growing and growing, I have sent the message to people I care about that this is more important to me than they are. And that is just wrong.

I don't know how long I'll be gone, but for now I cannot see an end in sight.

Thank you so much for your understanding, and for really making blogging fun for me... really. I'll miss y'all, but I'll see you when I get back!

*** I am still able to be reached by email. All comments left for me here
are sent directly to my email, so if you need me, I can still be found. ***

Thanks again all of my lovely friends!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And, just in case you came here looking for something to read,
here are a few links to a few of my favorite posts....

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever
I'm Outdone
I have sunk (sank) (sunken) to a new low
100 Things
I'm no flibberty-ibberty-gibbit
She saw me, and then I saw myself

Okay well, in case I don't see you... good morning, good evening and good night!

Running To and Fro & Hither and Yon

Before we get to today's post, I want to say thank you to all of you who commented on the previous one. It did just what I had hoped - raised awareness - and that makes me heap glad!

..............................................................................................................................................................

Okay. So remember the running? It has commenced. And I am loving it. For the first 3/4 mile, at least.

And then I'm more or less hating it. But somehow still loving it.

I hate it. But I love it.

And I also love fragments {and rabbit trails, evidently}.
Always love those, never hate them. Just to clarify.

In other news, my mind has been all a-clatter, trying to inwardly organize things for an upcoming event where I will be selling some of my handmades. I am mass producing for the first time ever and she do not agree with me. I'm more of a create-as-the-muse-strikes kind of girl. This whole produce-produce-produce-must-keep-producing mindset is wearing me down... making me nervous.

Generally speaking, I am not a fan of The Nervous. I find it makes it difficult to do stuff.

And I really need to be doing stuff right about now.

I set a goal though. I will use up all of the materials I have, making as many things as possible with what I have on hand. And I will do it all this week.

I'll post some pictures relatively soon.

{Ya like how I threw in that "relatively"
so as not to actually COMMIT to any set and determined time?
See? That's more my style.
To know me is to love me.
Or to be perpetually frustrated.}

One of the things I'm making {Diaper/Wiper Pouches}, I posted pictures of long ago. I'll be making a slew of those, and also something else I have a hard time labeling. They're hand-stitched, framed quotes and words.

Every time people ask what I'm making I go all dead in the eyes. I don't know what to call them.

"Hand-Stitched, Framed Quotes and Words" is a bit loquacious, don't you think? Not to mention lacklustre. And dumb.

If you name them for me, I will make all your dreams come true.

I might even build you a cake or something.

So that is it lovely people.... that's what I've been up to.
Running on my legs, and running in my brain.

I feel like a hamster. Could someone bring me a salad?

traffic

Imagine for a moment...

A university student is looking forward to her summer job placement she's been promised overseas. She and her friend travel together. They are relieved to be received at the airport by men holding signs, speaking their native tongue. They are informed that plans have changed, and instead of going to Virginia as planned, they will now be heading to Detroit, to work there and to perfect their English skills. Too tired and weary from their long flight to question the change, the girls board a bus to their new destination. When they arrive at the hotel, everything changes.

The door is closed behind them and they are told to sit down. Their passports and papers are confiscated. They are told, "you owe us big money for bringing you here". They are then handed strip clothes and informed that they will be working at a strip club called "Cheetahs" to pay back their debts.

They work 12 hour shifts and are subjected to mental, physical and sexual abuse for one year before they are finally rescued.

Now imagine that's a true story, because it is.

human trafficking:
the recruitment, transportation, harboring
or receipt of people for the purposes of labor and prostitution.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

But this is a people robbed and plundered;
they are all of them snared in holes
and hidden in houses of bondage.
They have become a prey, with no one to deliver them,
a spoil, with no one to say, Restore them!
Isaiah 42:22

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Most of the time I feel ill equipped to do anything about this issue. It is so large, and I have no formal education, you know with degrees and capital letters behind my name which qualify me to do something big... and substantial. When looking at this issue, I quickly become outraged and then frustrated, because I feel powerless to help.

Finally, I've discovered a way to help! And I do mean finally, because I feel like I've wanted to do something for so long now... even more since I first heard the words of Sara Grove's song, When the Saints...

I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down that door

There's a campaign called The A21 Campaign. In their own words, their purpose is abolishing injustice in the 21st century. Particularly in the area of human trafficking. And I think that's pretty awesome.

I cannot think of a more worthy cause.

And y'all, you know what I love... that people are catching the vision - and offering me an outlet to DO something. Tigers Against Trafficking is a group that got started - that caught the vision - and they're hosting a 5K race at the end of this month. Every single dollar they bring in will go The A21 Campaign. Every single dollar. {Follow the link for more information}

But even if you think that's not for you, don't stop reading!

Not everyone can run that race, and not everyone can donate, but everybody can do something. Something that matters. Something substantial. And it's not just for people in this area. If you live on the globe, you can help. For a full list, click here. And to see if there are other ways to get involved in your area, click here.

I want to get my hands dirty in this. I want to have a part in seeing these people delivered and restored!

And now, FINALLY, I can!

We are called, y'all. Called to care. And true compassion demands action. So that's what I'm doing.

And I am fired up!

I may run that whole 3 miles.

King of Glory, have Your glory!

Colorful Insults

"You are lower than a hog's belly."

"You are so low you have to look down to look up."

"You got no more sense than a boiled egg."

"If brains were dynamite, you wouldn't have enough to blow your nose."

"You nasty, yellow-bellied, sneakin', lyin', pestiliferous scorpion!"

"You monstracious, cockeyed, good-for-nothing, snaggletoothed gaub of fat!"

"You egg-suckin', sheep-stealin', toad-eatin', frog-hearted, flop-eared groundhog!"

"You filthy, turtle-backed, snake-headed, bowlegged ton and a half of soap grease!"

...Because calling people names should be fun!