Wednesday, October 22, 2008

I Think; Therefore I Am . . .

Once, Abe was reading my high school journals aloud to the family. It was quite entertaining to everyone except me. After a short while I was sick, sick, sick of hearing about myself. Finally, after hours of hearing some of my inner thoughts, Cali said, "Stop Abe. This is getting scary. No kid should know everything their mom thinks." Abe, however, disagreed and kept reading.

Hmmm. I think Cali had a point. I also think Abe had a point. Catching a glimpse of what your mother thinks has merits, but too much of even a good thing can give you a stomachache. Cali, Abe, Ty and Ande, I hope this meme is just the right amount of thinking out loud and I promise we won't read it next summer.

i am....5’9”

i think....it’s important that people have someone who loves them

i know....more than I did a year ago

i want....for nothing

i have....been greatly blessed in my life

i dislike....elitists

i miss....frequent contact with my nieces and nephews

i fear....not living up to my potential

i feel...concern for our nation

i hear....more poorly than I used to

i smell....like Red Door

i crave....interesting conversation

i cry...when something is important

i usually…procrastinate the ironing

i search...for truth

i wonder....how long halibut can stay in the fridge before it goes bad

i regret....my parents’ decisions

i love....life

i worry....that I don't worry enough

i am not....ever mistaken for an elf

i remember....when Big Hunk’s were 5 cents

i believe....in prophets

i dance....when I have to go to the bathroom

i don't....doubt the divinity of Jesus Christ

i write....memories

i win....no raffles or drawings

i lose....track of time

i wish....tickets to NY weren’t $1036 so we could go to Abe’s last home game and senior recognition night this weekend

i listen...for the birds

i don't understand....the media’s lack of concern of association in this election. Ask any parent who is steering their child through kid-dom and teen-dom and they will tell you it makes a big difference with whom their child associates. Parents know that humans adopt the habits, ideology and language of their friends, teachers and peers. I’ve yet to meet a parent who hasn’t been concerned about who her child’s associates are, because birds of a feather flock together isn’t just about birds. It’s about compatible people searching each other out. I have a variety of friends and I love their diversity and the many interests and ideas that generate from that diversity. But one thing is necessary; we are like-minded in our value cores. Though we have varying opinions about religion, child-rearing, politics, whether or not to frost brownies, the formation of the galaxy and how often to clean a sink (important topics mind you), our core values—the things that distinguish right from wrong—are similar. Association will eventually make that so if it wasn’t originally; it's a law of heaven: Matthew 6:24 (whoa. i feel strongly about what i don't understand, don't i? did i lecture like this when you were home? ;0)

i can usually be found....in bed at 9:30 pm

i am scared...of not being prepared

i need to lose....the chocolate covered cashews in the kitchen

i forget....my train of thought

i am happy....ten times more often than I am sad

13 comments:

hennchix said...

Great post Jane! I love to hear your thinks, and even better to know your values are those that I need and that my kids need, and that you share with them so willingly. Thank you.

Josslin said...

Hey Sister Payne!
I love your blog. It always makes me smile. I hope things are going well for you. HAs single's ward scared you yet? :P

Josslin

Lucy said...

I love your thoughts. They carry a lot of weight with me:)

Kim Sue said...

I feel really anxious just thinking about my child reading aloud my thoughts from high school. Sadly I didn't right down my thought in high school so I won't have to suffer through that! Amen to the "do not understand" rant :o)

Cali said...

Mom,

This was just the right amount. I loved reading it. I loved your "I don't understand" the most. You are so good at putting thought to verse.

Cali

Deidra said...

I love Big Hunks. They remind me of special trips to Farmer's Corner (a country gas station), just me and my dad. Yum.

michelle said...

I love this.

I wish I were 5'9".
I wish I had journals from when my mom was in high school. Or myself, for that matter.
Oh, chocolate covered cashews.... one of my nemeses.

Unknown said...

Jane-This is a great post. I love Big Hunks, but can't remember them being less than 25 cents. I both wish I had kept a journal in high school and grateful that I didn't. Probably the older I get, the more it will lean toward the wishing I would've.

melanie said...

A 5 cent Big Hunk? That would be so dangerous for me, I love those things.

As always, love your posts. Especially what you don't understand. I've never been able to keep track of time either.

Marie said...

So great! Michelle O did one on hers a little while back. I'm going to give it a shot.

I got your card today. That was very sweet of you. And what a fun card! It looks like a design by Jill, am I right?

Amy said...

I would love a peek at your teenage journals. But I would not love my own to be read aloud either. the "I am not ever mistaken for an elf" cracked me up. Maybe because I'm also 5'9" (and a high heeler as well).

Becky said...

It is always a pleasure to learn more about Jane! :)

I still cringe when I read the first couple of journals I ever kept (starting at age 10) and I have a LOT of journals! I have learned and am still learning that fine line between expressing my feelings/showing the whole picture and not saying too much :) I wonder how old I will be before I enjoy my 12-year-old writings...

Loved your list and agree with Matthew 6:24

Lori said...

Your posts make me think, they make me feel good, that give me insight, they make me smile.