Monthly Archives: July 2010

Take your pick

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I recently told Drew “People are my books.” I think a better way to say it would’ve been “blogs are my books” – I used to be great at keeping up with other blogs, then I got all busy with moving and life and moving. Now things are settling down & I’m returning to some blog reading – namely during the weekend. And only some. BUT, maybe there’s time and room for a few more. So, I thought it’d be fun to share our favorite blogs here. And check ‘em out this weekend.

So here’s the way this’ll go down:

1) the name of the blog, with link.

2) why you like reading it

3) why you think Mandy will like reading it

And we’ll go from there. Mkay?

My life is different… even in some good ways.

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Someone very influential in my life recently asked me how my life has been impacted by our infertility struggles. Here are just a few of the things I told her:

  • Our marriage is stronger – because we clung to each other.
  • I realized that, in some ways, I’m stronger than I thought.
  • Definitely realized my faith is weaker than I thought.
  • I know that there are no guarantees in life.
  • I can help others who are dealing with similar struggles.
  • I’ve discovered who I am as a person, outside of what I contribute to society.
  • I’m a more devoted songwriter.
  • [dare I say it] I have more time to do whatever the heck I want.

That last one sent waves of guilt and perceived selfishness through my conscience. I even said out loud that I shouldn’t really say that, because it’s wrong to say some things are better because of this. And how can I say I’m sad that we don’t have kids, and yet say that I’m glad about certain things because we don’t have kids? It was crazy-making.

But she said that’s normal. It’s normal to simultaneously feel sad and glad about something. Granted, I’m nowhere near being more glad than sad, but I’m starting to see how life would be different. I acknowledge that.

So here I sit. Examining the path that I’ve found myself catapulted onto because of our infertility, and maybe one day – maybe one day soon – my eyes will be opened to Divine benefits of life’s circumstances. I’m ready to find out why in the world this was allowed to happen. God is not a God of death, but of life… I’ll never forget the night I heard Beth Moore say that. & I’m starting to expect redemption to come sweeping in like a tsunami… I’m beginning to believe that one day I will be able to say that what was meant for evil in my life, God turned into good.

I can’t wait for the day.

Mandy Mentions: Google is God

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Seriously.

I know that seems tongue-in-cheek and amazingly heretical, but we can pretty much find the answer to any question if we ask The Omniscient Google.

(Well, barring a few existential inquiries – but God isn’t really answering those questions for me lately, either. So what’s the difference?)

(Man. I’m gonna get in some heavenly trouble for writing this.)

But, seriously (again)… Google could potentially be the most helpful invention of my generation. If man has thought it, then Google can find it. (Thought is the past-tense of think, right?) If there’s anything you need for your computer – like some kind of software or add-on or something – you can type in what you’re looking for and I’m pretty sure Google find it. And if  you find it but you don’t know how to use it, I’m equally sure that you can type out “how to use ‘this thing I just found but don’t know how to use’” and you can find that out too. Probably on a youtube video. Or, if you prefer written instructions, they’ll be sitting in some online manual or forum somewhere.

Or if you don’t know how to make a certain pie. (ie: humble pie. haha. Sorry, it’s early in my type-up-this-post world.)

Or if you, like me, are wondering how divers can actually physically breathe oxygen-enriched liquid, so they can dive well-below what is remotely considered the safe zone of pressurization for the human body.

Speaking of, excuse me while I go do some research.

I need a chorus…

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I don’t often really actually “like” the songs that I write. I just write them, and I say “it’s ok I guess” or “that one really released something in my heart” or “wow those words are awful.” Not with this one. I’m so excited about this song that I hesitate to even preview the lyrics on here. But, well, sometimes the best stuff comes from us hashing it out on this tiny blog, so here it is – chorusless:

If love were an ocean, a deep blue see
and high on a cliff stood you with me
why wait for cupid to give us a shove
when baby we could jump into love

set sail for the sunset – forever westbound
let’s get lost at sea and never be found
if wave after wave is what we’re in search of
baby we could jump into love

If we stare at the stars to give us a sign
we’d never find love, we’d run outta time
why wait for the stars to start falling above
when baby we could jump into love

the clouds roll in and rain out the night
the stars going gray – can’t put up a fight
why wait to be swept off our feet by a flood
when baby we could just jump into love

Kill two to save six, or do nothing and six die.

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It’s the age-old philosophy question. The blurry gray morality. Life or death. Guilt or innocence. Decide or not. This question comes in many forms, but here’s a scenario for you:

You’re driving a bus and the brakes are non-responsive. The bus is moving too quickly – heading straight for a group of six people on the side of the road. You know you can yank the steering wheel and redirect the bus, but the bus will hit two people on the other side of the road.

You have two options (and only two options, so don’t try to come up with a third option in the comments. It’s hypothetical, people.):

A) Do nothing – let the bus careen ahead along its current path – killing the group of six.

B) Take action – choose to stop the bus from killing six people by steering it into two.

What would you choose?