D ifferent
I ndividuals
V aluing
E ach other
R egardless of
S kin
I ntellect
T alent or
Y ears
As I headed down the steps of the country club pool, I noticed my husband looking pensive. I had a pretty good idea what was bothering him, but it got me to thinking. Thinking for me usually means I start writing in my head. It doesn't always make it to my blog, but sometimes, like now, it does. First of all, anyone who knows me even a little, has probably already realized two interesting, if not amazing, remarks in that first sentence. I don't swim much, let alone in a public place...and I am SO not country club material! I feel a little like Cousin Eddie in the move "Christmas Vacation" in those types of settings. It's not quite that bad, but it's definitely not my style. We were visiting my sister-in-law (Dave's sister), and this was part of our vacation. Dave and his sister are so different that sometimes it's hard to imagine that they came from the same set of parents. They love each other; they even get along well, but they are definitely different. The country club is his sister and her husband's scene, not ours. But if we wanted to go swimming together, this is where we had to be.
Feeling out of place is never fun, and usually it would bother me, at least a little, but this time it didn't bother me at all. I'm not sure why, but I think perhaps it's because we had recently got together with a group of friends for an evening of dinner and conversation -- and what a blessing that night was! Three other couples, most we hadn't seen in almost 20 years (Yikes! How time flies!), but we all love each other and love the Lord. So we are family. Sometimes more than flesh and blood as I was seeing firsthand.
It was the differences at the moment and feeling out of place that was bothering my husband. (I was right.) So I shared some of my thoughts with him, and I hope it helped. I'd like to say I saw his face relax and smile, and the rest of the day went smoothly with lots of fun and laughter, but it didn't quite work that way. I did see his face grow thoughtful, though, as he probably tried to take in what I said. He and his sister are different, for sure. That doesn't mean that one is better than the other. It does mean that, most of the time, we are not going to feel comfortable around their social circles, and vice-versa. And that's okay! At that time, I knew that. I have too many blessings -- way too much good stuff -- in my life to be caught up in the whole keeping up with the neighbors (or in this case, little sisters) thing. I MUST've been okay, 'cuz I squeezed my sausage-like bod into a swim suit to float around a country club pool! God is good.
I ndividuals
V aluing
E ach other
R egardless of
S kin
I ntellect
T alent or
Y ears
As I headed down the steps of the country club pool, I noticed my husband looking pensive. I had a pretty good idea what was bothering him, but it got me to thinking. Thinking for me usually means I start writing in my head. It doesn't always make it to my blog, but sometimes, like now, it does. First of all, anyone who knows me even a little, has probably already realized two interesting, if not amazing, remarks in that first sentence. I don't swim much, let alone in a public place...and I am SO not country club material! I feel a little like Cousin Eddie in the move "Christmas Vacation" in those types of settings. It's not quite that bad, but it's definitely not my style. We were visiting my sister-in-law (Dave's sister), and this was part of our vacation. Dave and his sister are so different that sometimes it's hard to imagine that they came from the same set of parents. They love each other; they even get along well, but they are definitely different. The country club is his sister and her husband's scene, not ours. But if we wanted to go swimming together, this is where we had to be.
Feeling out of place is never fun, and usually it would bother me, at least a little, but this time it didn't bother me at all. I'm not sure why, but I think perhaps it's because we had recently got together with a group of friends for an evening of dinner and conversation -- and what a blessing that night was! Three other couples, most we hadn't seen in almost 20 years (Yikes! How time flies!), but we all love each other and love the Lord. So we are family. Sometimes more than flesh and blood as I was seeing firsthand.
It was the differences at the moment and feeling out of place that was bothering my husband. (I was right.) So I shared some of my thoughts with him, and I hope it helped. I'd like to say I saw his face relax and smile, and the rest of the day went smoothly with lots of fun and laughter, but it didn't quite work that way. I did see his face grow thoughtful, though, as he probably tried to take in what I said. He and his sister are different, for sure. That doesn't mean that one is better than the other. It does mean that, most of the time, we are not going to feel comfortable around their social circles, and vice-versa. And that's okay! At that time, I knew that. I have too many blessings -- way too much good stuff -- in my life to be caught up in the whole keeping up with the neighbors (or in this case, little sisters) thing. I MUST've been okay, 'cuz I squeezed my sausage-like bod into a swim suit to float around a country club pool! God is good.
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