I am so ready for some more deep posts here. Not that I don’t want to hold contests and promote books, and fun stuff like that. I’m just craving some good discussion. Instead I find myself updating you once again on my busy, boring life. OK, maybe not so boring, but very busy.
We spent a week in Oklahoma at Zenith, which I’m not going to blog too much about since it would read a lot like my posts about it the past two years. I love the camp. I love seeing my Y.M. friends. It was spiritually uplifting. I missed Adam and Doug being there this year. 😦 I came home physically exhausted and emotionally filled up. There you go. That was camp. We’ve been home almost a week and I’ve spent very little time online. I spent 3 days just recuperating and spending time with my family.
Yesterday was Benny’s birthday and it was kind of a crappy day – the poor guy. We took the kids to see Kung Fu Panda and in the middle of the movie, the film shut off and the emergency lights and siren came on with a voice over the intercom telling us to exit the theater. It was a false alarm and we did get five free movie passes out of the deal. We got to finish watching the movie though we missed a small part while we were re-entering the theater. Taking Petey to the movies stinks. Period. Even for a movie as kid-focused as Kung Fu Panda, he was ready to go home by the time we had the mini fire drill. Ugh. Then we stopped home to get Benny’s car and found our air conditioner had frozen up. Double Ugh. It’s hot here. My apologies to all of you who live in humid climates. Better you than me, the whiny weather baby. 🙂
Today was…strange. I took the kids swimming and met two very sad 12 year old girls who shared their life stories with me after 5 minutes of conversation. I got to hear how their moms put them on birth control, and what they want to name all the babies they’re going to have – but not until their at least 17 or their moms will disown them. One of them told me about a boy who is a senior and wants to have 4 babies with her. Did I mention she’s 12??? One of them wants a tattoo and her tongue pierced before she goes back to school in the Fall. Why? Because she gets made fun of and she’s hoping it will help her fit in and be less of a target. This poor girl weighs in the 200 pound range and has enough facial hair, she could shave. She talks ghetto, and can’t wait to be a mommy…and plans to be at 17. I’m thinking that a tattoo and a piercing aren’t going to be enough to make her less of a target at her middle school. And it breaks my heart. These same two girls who can’t wait to be moms were afraid to go in the deep end of the pool, and when I taught them how to tread water, both told me what a genius I am and that I should be a biology teacher. What??? ~sigh~ I’ll be blogging more about the sex part of the conversation on the SLAM blog over the weekend.
My day is ending well. I just spent the last 6 hours with two of my Captivating friends. Wendy and I went to see Kristi in the play “Wit”. She was the star of the show. Theater is in her blood and wow is she gifted! She was incredibly amazing! I had never heard of this play before Kristi told us about it. It was the Pulitzer Prize winner in 1999. It’s about a Professor of Literature who is going through aggressive chemotherapy for Ovarian cancer. Sounds charming huh? Trust me, it was soooo good. We went out for awhile after the play to enjoy each others company. It’s amazing what closes by 10 p.m. even in a city the size of Denver.
And speaking of cancer…today was my friend Shay’s 1 year anniversary of being in remission! YEAH! We are going to a party in her honor tomorrow night. I’m so glad to see her doing well.
Consider yourself updated. 🙂 I leave you with a question…
Have you read The Shack? And if so, what did you think of it?
Sounds like you had a busy two weeks! Petey will grow out of that and want to watch movies, I’m sure. He needs something to keep his little hands busy.
Sorry to hear about your AC. didn’t you just have that fixed?
Man, those girls are young to be talking that way. I am sad that those girls can’t talk to their parents and be reasoned with. Man, and I thought 17 was too young.
Praise God for Shay’s 1 year of remission.
I havent read the Shack, but it is on my to read list.
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1. Glad you got home OK, and that things are normal (crazy, but that is normal, right?).
2. Happy Birthday to Benny! I had no idea. I have to make notes on this…
3. WOW, a 12 yr old who wants so much to be a mom in a mere five years. She has no idea what life is about yet.
4. Air conditioning can be fixed. I am a heat weanie, and I live in OK, where humid and hot are all too common. It was working too hard to keep you comfy.
5. I am almost done with The Shack. It is a LOT to take in all at once. I am conflicted. I want to ponder each chapter, and I want to rush through and finish now. We will definitely talk later about it.
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Yay, you’re back! There was sackcloth and ashes involved while you were gone! We missed you horribly! Don’t ever do that again!
=) LOL Welcome back, Niki. Glad camp was so good for you.
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Hey girl, so good to see you at Zenith! It’s taken me a few days to recoup too. Wow it just takes everything out of you, and yet like you said we leave full. Funny how that works. I just e-mailed you my testimony and also made several posts today on my blog. I’m gonna try to visit you here more often, so I can keep up with ya! Hugz!
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Ah, you’re back. I’ve been wondering where you were. 🙂
Those pour 12 year old baby girls. I’m so glad God put you in their lives that day….I’m sure you helped them with more than just treading water.
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I think The Shack is a must-read for anyone who ministers to those in grieving mode. I read it with my pencil in hand and can’t wait to go back through it. A friend of mine who lost her husband a year ago said, “After reading that book, I finally feel like I have joy in my heart again.”
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Welcome back! As far as Benny’s Birthday day is concerned, I’d say, “Not to worry.” It’s always a good day when you get to spend quality time with your family.
Also, I’ve read “The Shack.” I give it mixed reviews.
— Quality of writing: 3.75 out of 5.
— Imaginative approach to a difficult topic: 4.75 out of 5.
— Theology: some days, 2 out of 5; other days, 4 out of 5. I’m not indecisiv, am I?
-bill
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Ok, so if you’re supposed to be a biology teacher because you can tread water (and wouldn’t that be more appropriate as a marine biologist- nevermind the hugely glam profession of synchronized swimming)…….anyhoo….
I shudder to think what those girls would think should more of the DOE’s have been there with our varied skills, talents (Michelle and her voice, Tawnya and her brains/wit, etc) I’m sure they would have thought they’d taken a wrong turn and ended up in MENSA- the water show.
THIS type of thing is testament to why some people should NOT reproduce. I think getting the girls on birth control at 12 was a bit late given their mind-set. ACK!
Oh, and welcome home ya big baby. 🙂
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Oh, Niki, your blog touched my heart. Those girls were me at that age, except for the tattoo, I don’t like needles. What blessed me was that you were there for them. When I was that young, I always took note of someone paying attention to me. Your presence meant more than you know. There are so many young girls in that situation. Longing just love someone, feeling so rejected and abandoned. Sigh…
I am glad you had a wonderful time at camp.
I loved the Shack, I need to blog about it. Hopefully next week, my review will be up.
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Yes, Niki, you have a gift with hurting teens and God is using you in a mighty way. When I was a preteen, someone spoke a single blessing over me that carried me through my high school years.
Like apples of Gold is a word fitly spoken. You spoke life into those girls and the child in me is in tears because of the blessings you are, and have poured out. They may never have the words, so on their behalf, thank you for caring, for speaking life into their darkness and for being Jesus to them.
I see a long row of golden apples for all the blessings you left along your journey. May God bless you beyond what you can ever imagine for blessing these teens beyond what they ever expected.
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I was navigating online for thoughts on a new article to write upon and saw your site. Although I may agree with your ideas a little bit, I think I will write something that is somewhat at the underside of your article. I like your ideas though and will write something that is very close to it .
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