Sorry, Ronald McDonald, I don’t (any other ‘80 kids think of the commercials when you read that question?).

2.  What is something you wish you were better at?

Stepping up to meet a need when I see it.

3.  Have you ever pulled an all-nighter?

For school, no.  Back in the day, I stayed up all night a couple of times for slumber parties and prom.  Also, for traveling (however you want to count that, when the night is either really short or never comes).

4.  Do you believe in aliens?

This might come as a surprise, but yes, I think aliens might exist.  Perhaps the only life God created is here on this earth, but I can’t help but think that it’s man-centered to think we’re the only ones.  The Bible certainly gives us no hint of aliens…but it doesn’t rule it out, either.  I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it, though.

5. Would you have plastic surgery?

Not unless is was medically necessary/recommended.

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A child ran by.

Nothing unusual in a place that offers numerous services to families.  All children make me smile (except, perhaps, when they’re disobeying me), but I had extra reason to smile when I saw this cute little girl.

Under her blonde pigtails I saw a face touched by Down Syndrome.

I couldn’t tell you how long it’s been since I saw a small child with Down Syndrome.

Perhaps it’s just the children I’ve been around.  I see dozens of children a week between church and work.  But something makes me think that’s not just it.

According to a medical study mentioned in the Washington Post, there should have been a 34% in the number of children born with Down Syndrome from 1989 to 2005.   In actuality, there was a 15% decrease.

While I don’t wish more children to have Down’s Syndrome, I most certainly wish more children with Down Syndrome to have the chance to live.  Actually, I want ALL of them to have a chance to live.  Sadly, 92% of parents who find out they are expecting a child with Down Syndrome kill that child through abortion (according to the same study).

Statistics are just that–numbers.  But each child denied the chance to live (as if life and death should be in our hands) is one less child to bring a smile to our faces, to humble us, to give glory to our Creator.

I don’t necessarily think that pre-screening is a bad idea.  But if we’re going to use that screening to determine which child should live or die, it should be stopped.  What basis do we use to determine if a child should live or die?  Quality of life?  I think having a life is better than not having one.  Potential for early death?  There’s no earlier death than death in the womb.

What a price to pay for the sins of others.

Photo by Charlotte Morrall

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Dear Ronnica 2015,

Let’s not fool anyone…this is a tad bit ridiculous before an audience.  Reminds me of times when I’ve had to practice a speech before an audience of one.  Let’s try to put that silliness aside.

I have no idea what your life is like, Ronnica 2015.  Perhaps your life is closer to my dream future or my practically planned future, but more likely it’s something/somewhere I never thought I’d be.  After all, my 2005 self would have laughed at where I am today (and my 2000 self even more so).

If you are married or have kids, don’t take that for granted.  Remember well how much you longed for those things when you were me.  While I no doubt have no idea the trials that come with life as a wife and mother, I do know that deep inside of me, that’s what I desire.  Just as I work now to be content where God’s placed me, work to be content where God has placed you.

And if you’re still single, I know you’re handling it.  I have so much still to learn about how to honor God in my single life, and how to balance all the many areas I want to grow in.  Hopefully you’re excelling at that better than I am.  I hope that you have many more days that you are content than nights that you are not.

Don’t be afraid to love.  Hey, I could be writing this for my today self.  I know our tendency to be reserved when it comes to friendships.  It’s okay to put yourself out there…even if you get hurt.  Seek to love others (through word AND deed) as you’d want to be loved yourself.

Though no doubt our interests aren’t quite the same, keep learning.  There is so much to know and so much wisdom to be gained.  Learn from those who go before us and seek wisdom at God’s mercy seat.  Even though you’re 5 years further down the road than I, I know you have so much more room to grow.

Truthfully,

Ronnica 2010

Photo by Muffet

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Before (taken down from a ponytail):

and the back:

And after:

And the back:

An improvement, don’t you think?

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1.  Have you ever peed your pants after age 8?

I believe I was 8 the last time.  It was 3rd grade on the bus.  We got evacuated shortly after boarding the bus home at the end of the day because of a tornado warning.  After that passed, we re-loaded the buses.  I was one of the last stops, and couldn’t hold it any longer, peeing my pants while we were just around the corner from my house.

2.  Would you date someone you met online?

Maybe.  But it’d have to be someone that I knew through someone I actually knew.  You follow?

3.  Do you wear deoderant?

Yes. Everyday, in fact.  Sometimes twice a day, if needed.

4.  How do you usually dress?

Work casual.  Though sometimes it’s really casual.  I do love to wear skirts and dresses, but that requires shaving my legs (which isn’t otherwise necessary as a single gal…).

5.  Ocean or pool?

Definitely pool!  Though I will get in the water at the beach, I can’t wait to get home and shower afterwards.

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1.  What’s my brother’s name? Bonus: what’s my sister-in-law’s name?

Riley and Amanda

2.  What state did I grow up in?

Kansas

3.  Where did I go to college?

The University of Oklahoma

4.  What did I major in?

History - I knew this might be a hard one, even though “historian” is in the title of this blog, I rarely talk about it!

5.  What was I scared of as a child? (may be more than one correct answer)

Answers given (and all correct) – People jumping out at me (still am), animals, dogs.  Other possible answers include: people in costumes and our house burning down when I was changing (don’t know if I’ve mentioned that last one on the blog, though)

6.  What’s one experience of Southern culture that left me scratching my head? (again, there’s more than one correct answer)

Correct answers given – half the roads aren’t labeled (though that just may be NC), and the notion that if it thunders in winter it’ll snow in 7 days (it didn’t, BTW).  Other correct answers: boiled peanuts,  Confederate flag license plates being sold by the county, and various Southern phrases

7.  What classic science fiction movie have I used more than once to explain life truths to children?

Star Wars

8.  What’s the working title of my essentially-abandoned novel-in-progress?

Four Friends – I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and have an idea of where I want it to go

9. What country (besides my own) do I love?

Turkey!

10.  If/when I become a full-time teacher, what subject would I teach? (I’ll give a point for either the subject I’m most qualified to teach or the one I’d most want to teach…and 1.5 points for correctly answering both.)

Most qualified to teach math, but would like to teach literature.  Amanda had a better answer though, “You are most qualified to teach math, but that’s simply because your dream teaching job hasn’t been afforded to you just yet; your ideal teaching position is teaching your own children.”  So true…love that my SIL knows my heart!

Amanda got a perfect 11 points, but since she had a majorly unfair advantage (hello, she got a half-point for knowing her own name!), the Paperback Swap book goes to Liz who earned a respectable 9.5 points.

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So, the name of the game is: What do you know about me?  The answers to all the following questions can be found on the blog (and looking for them is NOT cheating).  Simply leave your answers (no matter how wild the guesses) in a comment on this post.  I’ll hold all comments for moderation so you won’t be able to see each other’s answers.

The winner gets any used book of her (or his) choice that I can order off Paperback Swap. Sorry so small, but we’re on a budget here. I’ll accept answers until midnight on the east coast tomorrow (Wednesday). Because of the nature of the prize, the prize winner will have to have a US mailing address (and cannot be related to me), but everyone is welcome to play.

Now that all the fine print is spelled out, let’s get to our quiz, why don’t we?  Each question’s answer is worth one point.

1.  What’s my brother’s name? Bonus: what’s my sister-in-law’s name? (for an extra half a point)

2.  What state did I grow up in?

3.  Where did I go to college?

4.  What did I major in?

5.  What was I scared of as a child? (may be more than one correct answer)

6.  What’s one experience of Southern culture that left me scratching my head? (again, there’s more than one correct answer)

7.  What classic science fiction movie have I used more than once to explain life truths to children?

8.  What’s the working title of my essentially-abandoned novel-in-progress?

9. What country (besides my own) do I love?

10.  If/when I become a full-time teacher, what subject would I teach? (I’ll give a point for either the subject I’m most qualified to teach or the one I’d most want to teach…and 1.5 points for correctly answering both.)

Hope it’s not too hard!

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I’m a woman of control.

Or at least that’s what I want.

My problem (okay, one of them) is that I think I know best.  About everything.  Not only do I think I know what’s best for those around me, I think I know what’s best for me, too.  Always have, just ask my mom.

The thing is, I don’t.  I might be blessed with worldly smarts, but I’m still sorely lacking in true wisdom.  As we’ve been walking through Solomon’s life in my kindergarten Sunday school class, we’ve been talking a lot about wisdom.  I think the best way to learn a concept is to have to try to explain it to a 5-year-old…there are so many concepts I can’t quite get across to them (glory, the Trinity).  If you ask them, I hope they can tell you that we’ve talked about how wisdom is knowing what is right and good.

The older I get (and in theory, the wiser I get), the more I realize that I’m like a 3 on a scale of 100 of possible human wisdom.  At most.

Last week I realized that I’m okay with my singleness as long as I in my earthly “wisdom” can decipher out a way out.  And as far as singleness goes, the way I want out is a man, a plan, and a ring by spring…or at least by next spring.

Hmm, that doesn’t sound like contentment to me.

Just shows me that I still demand control of my own life, my own future.  That I prefer my plans to whatever God has in store for me, as foolish as that is.  I know that God knows what’s best for me (He knows me better than myself!), but somehow I can’t get that to truly stick in my daydreaming head.

It’s times like this that I have to remind myself that I have been fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and that the very hairs on my head are numbered (Matthew 10:30)–gray or not–and that before one day of my life came to pass, God ordained each of them (Psalm 139:16).  How foolish I am to think that I would know more than Him!  How can I know myself better than the one who knit me in my mother’s womb (v. 13)?

Moment by moment, I must make the choice to trust Him in His infinite wisdom.  I give Him the reigns one night, only to rip them back from him minutes, or at most, hours later.  It is only when I trust Him that I can truly find contentment.

God, help me remember that.

Photo by Drunken Monkey

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