Where I've Been

It seems forever since I've been blogged. Last week, beginning Tuesday, we became a family of four kids. My nephew, Cooper, joined us while my sister and her husband went to Philadelphia for a wedding/much-needed vacation. While he was with us, we still attempted to homeschool, and I also had the bright idea of putting up my Christmas decorations. I'm not sure what I was thinking. But we all had a great time, even if we did crawl to the bed at night.

We have been busy doing some fun things. This year we had the opportunity to participate in Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, an organization run by Franklin Graham. To participate, you fill a shoebox or similar size package with miscellaneous things like school supplies and small toys, and then label the box by sex and age. Bailey and Brad each chose a 5-9 year old, and he took a boy while she took a girl. We had so much fun picking things out and imagining who would open the box. I hope to make this a tradition. Here they are getting ready to drop off the packages.
On Saturday, in addition to decorating for Christmas and getting ready for family to come in, we also decided to squeeze in blowing the yard and disposing of all the leaves. No problem for four industrious kids such as these!
Saturday night, Mimi and Poppa G arrived with Carrie Beth in tow. They all came in for a very special occasion, because Bailey was baptized on Sunday morning. It was a great day!Mimi and Poppa G had to leave Sunday afternoon, but Carrie Beth got to stay with us for the week since we would be heading to Alabama for Thanksgiving and could take her back with us. Monday morning we had a field trip to the Nashville Children's Theater to watch "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Before the show, the kids got to participate in an acting workshop. It was a lot of fun, but they were worn out by the time we got home. This is where Carrie Beth "sculpted" Bailey to look like Charlie the first time he sees the big chocolate room.
This was Bradley's interpretation of the same event. :)

On Tuesday morning, I heard some tinkering on the piano that didn't sound like Bradley's current "Star Wars Theme" or Bailey's "Jolly Old St. Nicholas." I rounded the corner to find our newest maestro. The book being upside-down didn't seem to deter him any.Wednesday afternoon we took the kids out to Opryland Hotel for our yearly pilgrimage. Mom and Dad met us out there. Carrie Beth had never been, so the kids loved showing her their old favorites. The fountains were definitely the highlight of the evening.



So that's what we've been doing. I never thought I'd think three kids was easy, but after a week of four and sometimes five, my own three seem like a piece of cake! My hats off to you, Jane Anne! :)

Bradley told me today that one of his friends told him that Barack Obama wants to kill babies in their mommies' tummies. I am sick to my stomach over this. When did partisanship in this country get so far out of control that our children are being painted a picture of a monster in the White House? This is beyond disturbing to me. This man is going to be the President. What are we teaching our kids? I personally want mine to grow up respecting the office and respecting its inhabitant, no matter which side of the aisle he comes from.

He also picked up somewhere that President-elect Obama plans to change the Constitution. While I don't think he really understands what that means, he's sure it's bad and he's practically obsessing over it. It's been a great opportunity to teach checks and balances in the government, but I'm bothered that he's so disturbed about the man getting ready to take office. I asked in my elections class today how many of them thought it would be fun to be President. Not one of them said they would want the job. That blew my mind. When I was a kid, we all wanted to be President some day. What has happened?

It's time to take a breath and give the guy a chance. Yes, I'm frightened by some of the things that I think he plans to do if he lives up to his campaign promises. And I don't agree with him on abortion. But I hadn't planned on introducing Bradley to that topic this early in his life. I'm shocked and alarmed at how many people seem to have no problem preaching hate to their kids. It doesn't seem that far removed to me from Palestinians teaching their children to despise Jews. To be a Republican is to hate Democrats, and vice versa. This is not healthy for our country, and certainly not for our kids.

Elections have consequences. Our nation has chosen a different direction. It's our duty to pray for the new administration and to do everything we can to mimic the life of Jesus. I don't remember him saying anything other than to honor the government. He was far more concerned with restoring sight to the blind and bringing hope to the poor and oppressed. Remember that pundits on our side were doing everything they could to paint the worst possible picture of Barack Obama in an attempt to win the election. Far from everything said about him is true. Let's wait and see what he actually does before we attempt to stone him.

I may sound like a hypocrite to some of you. Certainly my son has heard more than he should from his outspoken and highly opinionated mom. But the aftermath of this election has caused me to really take pause and consider the reaction of my Christian brothers and sisters. I'm having to backtrack and work especially hard now to teach Bradley that we respect the President simply because he is the man God has put on the job for now. It's an uphill climb.

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall." God help us if we raise a generation of children as partisan or more than the one we have now.

More to come from last weekend at Lake Cumberland, but this one was too good to wait. How old does Bradley look here?!

Let me preface this by saying that I in no way believe that Barack Obama is the anti-Christ, although I know that rumor is out there, just as it was when Bill Clinton was elected. It's a ridiculous notion. But having said that, I can't help but find it a tiny bit ironic that the nation's newly-elected messiah has chosen a second-hand man whose name means "God with us."
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And can we talk about Rahm Emanuel? I had to just shake my head in disbelief this morning as GMA gave a glowing report entitled, "Who is Rahm Emanuel?" If you knew nothing about him, and you believed what you saw, you might come away feeling a happy glow that the President-elect had chosen a grandma-helping, apple pie-eating, ballet-dancing boy scout to shape the nature of his administration. No mention of his steak-knife wielding days in the early Clinton years where he rattled off names of political enemies as he plunged the knife into the table and shouted "Die!" This man makes Howard Dean appear bipartisan.
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As I watched, I just laughed as I remembered those early days in the Clinton-Bush transition period where stories came out about W's staff picks. Remember the stories entitled, "Who is Karl Rove?" If you weren't frightened enough by the picture they painted, the subliminal messages might have done it. I could have sworn if you looked hard enough you could see horns, a tail and a pitchfork superimposed into the image. It's laughable.
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I wonder if the media has any concept of what they've done to themselves. Do they even care that over half of this country believes they are slightly less partisan than al-Jazeera and the other half knows but just doesn't care? They have zero credibility left. If 2000 was the election the Supreme Court hijacked, then the media certainly gets the credit for stealing this one.

To quote a brilliant lyricist, "It's the end of the world as we know it... and I feel fine." I can't explain it, but I have the weirdest sense of peace about this. I was perfectly calm last night and I've been pretty upbeat so far today. My overwhelming emotion today is relief. I am so glad that this is finally over and we can just move forward from here.

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If you didn't stay up to see Obama's acceptance speech, you need to go to You Tube and watch it in it's entirety. There can be no doubt that this man is a gifted speaker and has brought this nation to a place I've never witnessed in my lifetime. Watching last night was truly remarkable. I just sat in disbelief at the images of crowds gathering in Chicago, NYC, Washington DC, Seattle and all over the country as people celebrated Obama's victory with a jubilation usually saved for a winning sports team or, dare I say, a messiah? It was breathtaking and sobering all at once.

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While there were certainly parts of the speech that bothered me and felt foreboding of what is to come, there were moments I appreciated as well. President-elect Obama said, "As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too." The fact is, he will be our President and he deserves the respect that title holds, as well as our prayers. I believe that God has a purpose for His people in this. Let's not miss it.

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I know a lot of people in this country have great fear about an Obama administration. I have to say, the only time I've felt physically ill about the outcome was this morning when they began discussing the potential players in his cabinet and staff. The idea of John Kerry being the next Secretary of State causes bile to rise to the back of my throat even as I type the words. I can't even think about that right now, and I refuse to force myself unless or until it becomes a reality. But it's the arrogant Democrat leadership right now causing me an ulcer, far more so than Obama himself. But perhaps this is what it will take to cause the Republican party to head back to true Conservatism. Clearly, catering to the moderates didn't help John McCain too much. While he headed to the right in an attempt to win the race, a 32% Republican turnout showed that he was unable to erase the memories of a lot of people in the base and they just couldn't get excited, no matter how great his running mate was. I will miss her.

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As for the race issue, that was incredible to watch last night as well. If you can believe what you saw on TV, it seems that the black population of this country, in large part, feels vindicated now that they have a black president. I'm hoping that that will be a good thing for race relations in this country. In my view, the majority of racism over the past few decades has come from the African-American population still feeling like second-class citizens and holding grievances towards white people because of it. It was beautiful to hear a woman express her belief for the first time that her son could be anything he wants to be now, including President. And if this can get Jesse Jackson to chill out even for the short term, perhaps we can count that as a good thing.

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Overall, I know it is a disappointing loss. I know that things in this country are about to change dramatically. But there has been an inevitability about an Obama win that makes me believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has placed him in this position for such a time as this. And He promises to work all things together for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. Even four to eight years of an Obama presidency.

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Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

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It's going to be okay. You are the same person today that you were yesterday, and God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Let's see what He has planned for us.

I'm Ready

Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. (Daniel 2:20-22)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

From Lord, I Want to Know You by Kay Arthur: He gives us a peace that does not alter, regardless of circumstances, because the peace He gives us is ever resident in the One who promised, "'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,' so that we confidently say, 'The LORD is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Therefore, when others about us are fainting for fear, we can "exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)

I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121)

No matter how crazy things get today, tonight and over the days to come, our Rock will not be shaken. He has known who would win this election from before the beginning of time. It is impossible for Him to be taken off guard. Today, join me in praying that His perfect will, will be accomplished. Let's keep our eyes on Him; the anchor will hold.

I caved to the pressure. Kindof anti-climactic, but a lot less wait.

This has been one of those weeks that you were just so thankful came to an end. I'm so grateful that God promises His mercies are new every morning. If they weren't, how could we ever survive?

On Friday, I attended the saddest funeral I have ever been to in my life. One of Jeff's co-workers and friends lost his 17-week pregnant wife on Tuesday. She wasn't sick, but had been complaining of abdominal pain for a few days. What pregnant woman doesn't? But on Tuesday morning, her husband kissed her goodbye and went to work, telling her to keep him posted on how she felt. That was the last time he saw her alive.

A few hours later he got a call from a frantic neighbor saying they were taking her by ambulance to the hospital. She had come to take her to the doctor and found her in a semi-conscious state at the foot of their stairs. On the way to the hospital, she coded. So when her husband met her at the Emergency Room he was confronted with the image of his wife receiving chest compressions.

Jeff went to the hospital to be with his friend. The doctors were able to get her pulse back and she stabilized for a brief time. But they knew she was bleeding internally and had to find out where it was coming from. During surgery they were unable to stop the bleeding and her heart eventually gave out. Jeff watched the life completely drain from his friend's face as the doctors told him they had exhausted all of their efforts but were unable to save her. He saw his entire world fall apart with those brief words.

As the news spread, everyone was just in utter shock. She was 33 years old. They had been married a little over a year and she was not quite halfway into her first pregnancy. Things like this are not supposed to happen. But we live in a world where things are not as they were meant to be.

As I listened to our pastor speak at the funeral, I was comforted by his words. He didn't try to make excuses for God. He knew there was nothing to do with the pain but to embrace it and work through it. But his words have stuck with me this weekend. He said, "The pain is not from having known her and lost her. The pain would have been in never having known her at all." He asked her widowed husband, "Suppose God had come to you last July and told you that you could have her completely to love and enjoy, but it would only be for about 400 days. After that, He was coming back for her. Would you have taken Him up on it? Every time." He asked the same thing of her parents. As they nodded, the tears just flowed.

He said that in times like these you might be tempted to just give up. Life's not fair; what's the point of believing in anything? And he said, "But her very life spoke against that. She believed. She knew that this world was not her home." He said, "How can you know that God kept his promise to her? Because he kept His promise to her while she was on this earth. He promised to so radically change her on the inside that her life on the outside would have an amazing impact on everyone she came in contact with. You knew her better than I did. Tell me; didn't He do just that? If He kept His promise to her while she was here on earth, how much more do you think He'll keep His promise of things to come?"

I've been so moved by that thought over the past few days. I want to be so radically different on the inside that I make an impact on everyone I come in contact with. I want to spread the aroma of Christ wherever I go and have it linger when I'm gone. May it be that way with all of us.

I apologize for my despondent outburst earlier today. I know better than to watch the news first thing in the morning. I allowed myself to get sucked in today, and the result was painfully obvious.

God's word is good. I've been hanging out in it tonight instead of turning on the TV. It's amazing how your spirits will lift when you focus on what's eternal.

My friend Kristen sent this to me today from The Message: Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. God always does what he says and is gracious in everything he does. (Psalm 145:13) This is great stuff.

But I couldn't resist a teasing reply from Ecclesiastes (also from The Message): What's the point of working your fingers to the bone if you hand over what you worked for to someone who never lifted a finger for it? Smoke, that's what it is. A bad business from start to finish. So what do you get from a life of hard labor? Pain and grief from dawn to dusk. Never a decent night's rest. Nothing but smoke. (Ecclesiastes 1:21-23)

I'm just kidding, of course. God truly has been so gracious to me today and reminded me over and over that I'm not to get hung up in the things of this world. Jesus came to announce that He was ushering in the kingdom of God. He came to redeem not just his people, but the entire fallen world. That's my business. I am part of the body of Christ. He's still here, working through his people to restore broken hearts and bring truth to a world deceived.

And I don't believe it's over. If John McCain is supposed to be the next President, then he will be. If he's not, then I believe there's a purpose to that as well. But it's all temporal and part of a much bigger plan. God knows what's going to happen. He's not chewing his fingernails to the nub waiting to see what the next few weeks bring. I just need to remember to hand it over each and every day and let him carry the weight. He promises that his burden is light. Why not make the exchange?

I've tried to be optimistic. I've tried to not worry too much about polls, knowing how easily they can be manipulated. I've tried to trust that Americans will not really want Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to have free and unchecked reign. I've tried to not get depressed over the daily media Obamagasm. I've maintained hope that in the end Americans wouldn't want to concede in Iraq, socialize healthcare and fork over more in taxes (and I'm not talking income and payroll.) I have tried.

But this morning I find all hope in a McCain victory is gone. Colin Powell's endorsement brought with it a scathing disapproval of McCain and all things Republican. He gave moderates who were holding out because of concerns over national security a comfort they might not have otherwise had. I'm not surprised that he would endorse Obama. It's no secret that he parted ways with the Bush administration. I am surprised that he would trust him with the military that he served. I'm starting to wonder if it's me or the rest of the world that's really crazy. Either way, I find the coffin is sealed.

Help me, Lord, to remember where my hope is found. My trust is in the immovable, unshakeable rock. How grateful I am for that.

Bradley has spent the last two days constructing a fort in the creek behind our house. Yesterday McKenzie and Riley Grace helped, and today he put Bailey to work. It's amazing what the kid can accomplish when he wants to!

He built a rock wall for the entranceway. The bridge was already built; he just added the footholds.
A view from behind. (Like the real rock wall they started?)
Today he built this jagged fence out of old boards he found lying around in the creek. I'm so impressed by this. Not sure how many nails were sacrificed in this project, but it's cool just the same.

I know I said I was going to give up obsessing about this election, and I'm sure if I had been fully obedient to that nudging I wouldn't be walking around in such a state of anxiety. I still believe what I wrote a couple of weeks ago, that the outcome may alter many things about my life, but it will not impact the reason I am here. I just need November 4 to get here so I can move on with life.

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There are a few things that I've learned this time around. One, as bad as mainstream media is, I've learned to be skeptical of talk radio as well. That may sound ridiculous to some of you that I would just now be realizing this. But I've always sort of looked at it as a balancing act between what I see on the news and what I hear on Rush. Not that I have blindly believed everything, because there have been many times where I didn't agree with something said. But there have also been many times where I didn't see something for myself and relied on Rush to tell me what happened. After what I've learned this election, that is over for me.

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I'll give you two examples. One is the Vice Presidential debate. As much as I admire Sarah Palin and am 100% confident in her ability to do the job, I didn't feel that she won that debate. I think she did a great job connecting with the general population, but there were several times where I wanted her to do more than tote the campaign line. Maybe she wasn't allowed to, I don't know. But it frustrated me. Joe Biden got away with lie after lie, and he was very convincing as he did so. But listening to Rush and Sean talk about it, you would have thought she knocked it over the state line.

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The second time had to do with the performance of both candidates at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner on Thursday night. If you haven't seen them, here is McCain and here is Obama. I laughed myself silly during McCain's, but Obama was funny too. Joking about not being born in a manger didn't sit as well coming from him as McCain claiming that "Messiah" was above his pay grade, but he had some good lines.

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But had I heard about it from Rush instead of watching it myself, I would have thought that Obama sat there stone-faced throughout McCain's performance with absolutely no sense of humor. That couldn't be further from the truth. He laughed through even the most vicious jabs and had a huge smile on his face every time the camera panned to him. He was very gracious and handled it well. Smooth, the Obama way.

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Maybe I've just learned to trust my own judgement more. I'm not so quick to change my opinion based on what the pundits are telling me I saw. I wonder how many times over the past ten years I have had faulty assumptions because I allowed someone else to shape my impressions of the truth. This doesn't mean I'm giving up listening to Rush. For the most point, I enjoy the show. Contrary to public perception from being taken out of context so often, he is a very funny and intelligent guy. I'm just going to be listening through the same filter that I use for other media from now on.

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The thing that I'm the most upset about in this election is how blindly millions of Americans are marching towards socialism without a second thought. Wikipedia defines socialism the following way: Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods, and the creation of an egalitarian society.

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Modern socialism originated in the late nineteenth-century working class political movement. Karl Marx posited that socialism would be achieved via class struggle and a proletarian revolution which represents the transitional stage between capitalism and communism.

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Socialists mainly share the belief that capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls capital, and creates an unequal society. All socialists advocate the creation of an egalitarian society, in which wealth and power are distributed more evenly, although there is considerable disagreement among socialists over how, and to what extent this could be achieved. Sound familiar?

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It is shocking that so many Americans are voting for a man who believes in the redistribution of wealth. No - not that he believes in it. That's pretty common among Democrats today. What's shocking is that he's not even attempting to hide it very well any more. How many times have he and Biden said they're just trying to make things more fair? The ignorance is overwhelming. Even scarier, these guys were educated in a time where socialism was still taught as the failed system that it is. Public education today doesn't.

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I'm not giving up hope. There are still two weeks left and the polls are tightening. Obama did let the cat out of the bag this week with Joe the Plumber. Hopefully Americans will buck the media and the hype, the eloquence of speech that hides the truth. Hopefully they'll listen to their instincts and fear electing Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men.

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I guess we'll see.

Obama Election Night Party Likely In Grant Park

So Obama is already planning his victory party on the scale of his acceptance night at the DNC? The arrogance of this man is frightening. The fact that CBS is reporting it as a perfectly natural thing for him to do, because of course the election at this point is merely a formality, is infuriating. How I would love to see that party rained out by his shocking defeat. The problem is it would be a perfect environment to create those riots we've been warned about.

Please, Lord, let us get through the next three weeks. This is truly unreal.

Okay, I know we're only halfway through. But I'm wondering who this John McCain is and where he has been. I'm impressed so far. Too bad this will probably be the lowest viewing audience.

I assured the kids there was no way... but that was before I saw the look.

Fall Fest

Oh, yeah, we got goldfish.

You know those times where you feel like God is trying to make a point? When virtually everything you read says the same thing, whether it's the Bible or a book or even the news? He's doing that to me right now. I think it's because I haven't wanted to hear what He's been saying.

I think I've mentioned that my Bible study group is going through a book called, "LORD, I Want to Know You." It's written by Kay Arthur, and it's a study on the names of God. This week we are on Jehovah-rapha, the Lord who heals. Last night I finished a book by Mark Steele called "Flashbang: How I got over myself." This is a must read. It is fall-down-in-the-floor hilarious, but this guy comes back with a knock-out punch at the end of every chapter that reminds you of what we are supposed to be doing in this world, and it's not just sitting back and allowing yourself to be fed. There is a time for that, but that shouldn't be the main goal of a mature believer. We should allow God to feed us, and then take what we've learned to help others grow.

Last week, Monti's story made an impact on me in more ways than one. First, it was an amazing story of how God is completely able to change a life, no matter how far down it's gotten. But on another level, I realized that a huge part of Monti's transformation was the role played by those believers at the Nashville Rescue Mission. These are people living Christ's example by reaching out to the poor and broken down. They are making an impact on this world.

For the past several days, I've been hearing God tell me that I'm too comfortable. It's time for me to start getting messy and allowing others' lives to truly infiltrate mine. It's hard to be really effective from a safe distance. As Kay Arthur put it, "We live in our own world -- undisturbed, uninformed, and untroubled by realities that could demand our concern and attention as God's ambassadors of reconciliation. It is a delight to be an ambassador when you enjoy the notoriety, the privileges, and the niceties of life. But bring on the demands of resolving issues and problems, of confronting the unpleasant and the unjust, and we say, 'You can forget my ambassadorship.'

"We want to be healed ourselves. But we do not want to be involved in others' healing. We don't want our hands soiled. Let us send our money; let us give from afar. Let us hear only enough to motivate us to compassion, not enough to haunt our memories.

"If we are to be God's representatives on earth, manifesting to the world the character of God, if we are to minister rather than be ministered unto, we must search out those who need a physician and become actively involved in healing the wounds of His people."

For most of us, I bet there's not a lot of searching required. We all know people who are struggling, sometimes with more than it seems possible for one person to bear. And we tell them we'll pray for them, and sometimes we even do it. But are we willing to climb into the pit with them and help them out? For far too long, my answer to that has been no.

On Sunday, my small group discussed the overwhelming busyness of life. Is this the way God intended us to live, dropping into bed at the end of the day exhausted from all of life's demands? Of course the answer to that is no. But the cycle seems so hard to break. But God spoke to me this morning that one of the reasons we fill up our days with so much is because it keeps us from having time to really make an investment in someone else's life. Someone who's not related to us. Someone we don't have to look after. If our Enemy can keep us busy enough, then he can make us believe that we're living in a season of life where getting involved with someone else is just not practical. In my life, he's done exactly that.

It's time to change.

I think I'm being told to withdraw from this election. I know most of you were unaware that I was running, but nevertheless, hear me out. This post is something I've been supposed to write since Wednesday, and I've just been putting it off and never finding the time to sit down and blog. But God's not letting me off the hook with this one.

If you've ever wondered how God speaks to his children, I think there are many ways. Sometimes it's through His word. Sometimes it's through the beauty of His creation. Sometimes it's through a powerful sermon. Sometimes it's a still, small voice spoken into the very essence of your soul. For me, this week, it was through three incredibly powerful testimonies.

It began on Tuesday night, when a dear sister in Christ visited my Bible study. I'd asked her to come and share her story with us after we had spent much of a previous week talking about her and wondering what is different about her, why she so beautifully lives out her walk with God with grace and an amazing ability to point everyone around her to him. What she said was so simple that it surprised me. She hears Him leading her to do something and she obeys. That's it. She seeks a life of complete servanthood towards her Adonai. It's an amazing thing to watch because it is so unique. She inspires me tremendously.

On Wednesday night, we had a visit from a guy named Monty who is a couple of years older than me and lives at the Nashville Rescue Mission. He shared with us at choir practice how just a little over a year ago his life was a wreck. He was a homeless addict, wandering from city to city supporting his habit. Because of the ministry of the NRM, he gave his life to Christ and his life has turned around 180 degrees. He said, "How can you not serve a God this good?" He experienced the radical transforming power that is available to each and every one of us, and his mission in life now is to share that message with everyone he encounters. It reminds me so much of the lame man Jesus healed who told everyone what Jesus had done for him. We all have that story. We were all lost; through Jesus we have been found. How can we not serve him with all of our hearts?

Thursday afternoon I had the opportunity to attend a luncheon with a couple that is currently serving as missionaries in India. Hearing them speak of that place that God so opened my heart to just seemed to unzip this place that I had sort of pushed back in the corner over the past several months. Seeing their raw emotion for a people they are still so in love with after several years of serving there made my heart cry out as if I had rediscovered a long lost friend. It also reminded me that there is real kingdom work to be done, and I am called to do that. Whether that is here in my town or halfway around the world, there are people who need Jesus to heal their souls. How will they know unless we tell them?

So what does that have to do with the election? Well, you may have noticed that over the past couple of months I've been slowly getting sucked back into the political abyss. I'm like a recovering addict who thought just one drink wouldn't hurt, and suddenly I'm listening to six-eight hours of talk radio a day and dreaming about polls and debates.

What I heard the Lord speak to me Wednesday night while Monty was sharing his story is that no matter who wins this election next month, my purpose will not be changed. The work that I'm to be about will remain the same. Yes, the world around me may begin to look different, but ultimately that is out of my control. As long as God gives me air to breathe each day, He has a plan for me. Politics offers such a huge distraction from what that really is, and it's time for me to refocus.

If we believe that the whole world is in His hands, and that's not just a simple Sunday school song, then we can trust that He will still be God no matter who is in the White House. The things of this world will pass away, so let's be willing to let go. God is all-sufficient. We don't need Jesus plus lower taxes. We don't have to have Jesus plus anything. All we need is right in front of us. Taste and see that He is good.

I've been watching TV tonight, flipping back and forth between Bill O'Reilly and Dancing with the Stars. I can honestly say that I'm not sure which disturbed me more, hearing that our economy may just be on the brink of the next Great Depression or watching Cloris Leachman do the Paso Doble.

Yikes.

My kids have been thoroughly enjoying the first season of The Cosby Show. I bought the DVDs at Cracker Barrel a few weeks ago, and they've watched every one of them at least three times. It makes me laugh so hard to hear them laughing their heads off at a TV classic.

On the way home from church I had one of those moments where you realize how much change you've seen in your lifetime and that there are things our kids have zero frame of reference for, such as life before the Internet. They were watching an episode where Denise wanted to buy tickets to a rock concert. She tells Theo, "They go on sale tomorrow, but you can get on-line tonight." My eyebrows went up, because that just didn't sound right. As I was trying to do the math in my head for when the Internet became widely available, I heard her clarify the situation that she wanted to sneak out of the house and camp out "on line." I had to just marvel at the memory of camping out for tickets, although in my case the only time I've ever done it was as a college freshman trying to get good tickets to Step Sing. (It's a Samford thing.) But it just struck me how vastly the idea of going "on line" for tickets has changed in a couple of decades.

I don't have much to say about Friday night's debate. I felt like McCain was a clear victor as far as content goes. He obviously knows what he's talking about, and Obama sounds like a poser. However, in the grace and statesmanship category, you have to give it to the Senator from Illinois. I was bothered by the fact that McCain wouldn't look at him, even though I knew he was trying not to lose his temper and I'm grateful that it mostly worked for him. I didn't like that he kept using the words, "I'm afraid he just doesn't understand..." As much as I agree with the sentiment, it just came across to me as an old grandpa talking down to an impudent teenager. I'm afraid the truth behind it probably fell on deaf ears.

Because I don't think anyone was swayed by this debate. I think McCain supporters believed he nailed it, based on the 82% that declared him the winner on Fox News. Every other channel showed Obama to be the winner, although Pat Buchanan did chime in on MSNBC with, "I think the mean guy won." Undecided voters don't concern me too much, because I'm not sure how many truly undecided folks there are out there. If you still don't know at this point, you're either just wanting attention or you don't care. And neither one of those two groups show up in huge numbers on election day.

The debate this week concerns me. I think it will have a much larger than normal viewership based on all the hullabaloo around Sarah Palin. Thankfully for her, the cameras were otherwise occupied this week, because her interview with Katie Couric wasn't pretty. I'm really praying for her this week. I'm afraid that she's been forced into a box that she's not particularly comfortable in. I feel like if she was free to just be herself, she would do fine. The reason people have loved her from the beginning is because she seems so real, so like them. I'm afraid that the more they try to groom her, the more pressure she's going to feel and the more out of her league she's going to seem. But she's going up against Joe Biden, for Pete's sake. It shouldn't be that hard. I'm just really hoping she's not caving under the intense level of scrutiny she's received since throwing her hat in the ring.

37 days and counting...

All right. I've avoided commenting on politics as much as possible, primarily because I know that I'm usually preaching to the choir here. I've made a pretty lousy attempt to keep from getting caught up in the daily drama in hopes of avoiding my usual election year ulcers. But I am so angry at how this whole thing has played out this week that I feel the need to vent.

First of all, no matter how cynical you may be about whether or not McCain's campaign suspension was a political strategy, can we at least agree that he has enough history behind him to make it plausible? Senator McCain is one of the most powerful guys on the Hill. Much of the major legislation coming out of there in recent years has his name right there at top billing. (Granted, I disagree with much of what he has put out there, but you can't deny that he's been successful in getting people on board to solve problems in a way that he deems to be good solutions.)

The man is easily in the top five most influential Republicans in the Senate. It is completely logical that he would have woken up on Wednesday and thought to himself, "What am I doing out here? I should be practicing instead of preaching." After all, his entire campaign mantra is "Country First." I have always been 100% sure that he believes that wholeheartedly. In fact, I fully expected him to come out at some point yesterday or today and say, "I'd rather lose the election than lose the American economy." It would fit him like a glove. I'm still hoping he says something like that tonight.

What is making me CRAZY is how Savior Obama is being glorified as a great multi-tasker because he doesn't feel the need to get involved in the grunt work of hammering out a suitable plan. Paraphrasing him, he very eloquently stated, "If you need me, call me." Why exactly would they need you, Senator? To vote present? Are they going to call on your vast wealth of experience in the Senate pushing things through and solving problems? The very idea is absurd! WHAT HAS HE EVER DONE BUT TALK?!

I'm angry with McCain for letting all of this go unresponded to. I totally get why he is doing it, and I'm actually quite impressed with him for sticking to his guns and working to try and save this mess rather than slap his face all over TV. Doesn't anyone wonder why Obama has so much time on his hands? His entire smug speech about Presidents being able to do more than one thing at a time had me railing. My very intelligent friend Kristen pointed out the other night that this is a time of crisis. We mothers know a thing or two about multi-tasking. We are usually juggling 7 or 8 things at any given moment. But in a time of crisis, such as a child breaking his arm, everything else gets dropped and we tend to the overwhelming problem at hand. This is a brilliant observation, and I think so appropriate to what we've been witnessing.

I am very glad that the debate is on. I was really worried that once Obama said he was going anyway, McCain was going to be in serious trouble if he didn't show. I'm very much looking forward to it, because I believe that McCain has an excellent opportunity to show the country why he must be elected and why we can't allow this empty, but well-groomed suit to take over the wheel. I have little doubt that he would drive us right over the nearest cliff.

Where's my Zantac?

Lipstick

This is what happens when you put your purse and your child in the car, fail to buckle your child in before heading back inside to grab the rest of your things and get distracted by something that causes you to leave the two together for about 30 seconds too long.

If I can paraphrase the great Senator, you can put lipstick on a toddler, but he's still liable to drive you to drink.

Serenity now.

Click here if you want to see the speech Sarah Palin gave at The Villages today. My in-laws were in the second row and had a blast! Jeff's mom got her sun visor autographed by Sarah, Todd, Willow and Piper. They arrived at 9:30 this morning to get in line, and were on their feet all the way up until Sarah spoke at 4:30. I would have so loved to have been there.

My favorite campaign sign so far: Our lipstick beats your dipstick. (Sorry, Paul. ;))

I hope John McCain thanks God every night for helping him choose WISELY!

Day of Rest

A note to parents with toddlers. Before preheating your Easy Bake Oven, be sure and check inside for any plastic plates that may have been inadvertently inserted at a previous time. Otherwise, be prepared to see significant smoke, followed by the malodorous stench of melting pink plastic. As you run outside carrying said oven to keep from setting off the smoke detector, be prepared to calm hysterical daughter and talk her down from expressed desire to murder younger brother in as painful a way as humanly imaginable.

While going through these steps, be sure not to ignore the calls of "Mama" from your gated-in toddler who is supposed to be taking a nap, assuming he is just stalling. Having been just recently potty-trained, it's quite possible that he needs to get to the toilet. Feeling ignored, he may decide to take matters into his own hands, and upon completing the act, might decide to redesign his bedroom glider with equally malodorous brown stripes.

As you climb the stairs to discover why he is calling, the smell may hit you and panic may begin to ensue as you come over the rise to discover this fresh paint job. Wondering who is making that screaming sound, as you release the gate, the toddler may sprint out of the bedroom with a newly acquired ability to leap over Mommy Meltdown and get away as quickly as possible.

On the bright side, you just may discover the $30 extra you spent on Scotchguard for the chair was worth every penny.

It's a good thing our choir sang "When I Don't Know What To Do" this morning. Otherwise, someone may not have survived the afternoon.

No more training wheels for Bailey. We had noticed that she was riding completely unaided by them anyway, so we finally convinced her yesterday to let us take them off. I told her to pretend like they were still there and take off. All she needed was that one burst of confidence and she was riding like a champ.

Bradley is so thrilled to have a riding partner now that he doesn't even mind having his sister tag along. The newness will surely wear off, but for now she's riding every chance she gets.

I think she decided that seven-year-olds don't use training wheels. Count one more milestone marked.

So, apparently Joe Biden made the comment today that Hillary Clinton might have made a better veep choice than him.

Ya think?

I had the chance to spend the day today with my college roomies. We all hooked up in Rome, GA, since it's a fairly central location for us. Jeff and I are staying with our brother and sister-in-law tonight. The kids are so happy to be back with Carrie Beth; they are begging to stay longer. I hate to pull them away so quickly, but I keep trying to convince them that a weekend together is better than nothing at all. So far they don't seem to be buying it.

From left to right in the first picture are Kathryn, Susie, me and Amy. We actually lived together all four years of college, an accomplishment I'm pretty proud of. Susie and I didn't know each other at all before the Lord put us together our freshman year at Samford, and it was a perfect fit. She is wild and crazy and loves Broadway as much as I do. She sings like an angel and is completely unintimidated by what folks might think of her. I love her dearly.

Kathryn married Ray right out of college and moved to England. She lived there for eleven years until moving back Stateside in 2006, where she landed a job doing all of the print advertising for the Biltmore estate in Asheville, NC. I'm so proud of her. This is the first opportunity we've taken to all get together since she's been home. It's been far too long coming.

Amy lives in Rome and has always been a treasure to me. I get to see her more than the other two since we have a reason to come to Rome every now and then, but definitely not as often as I would like. Her little ones are 3 and 5, and as adorable as their momma has always been.

It's hard to believe that between the four of us we have seven sons and two daughters. When we get together, it feels like no time has passed since we were living in Cripple Creek Apartments in Birmingham, AL, and yet the many children tell a different tale. Susie's oldest will be 11 next month, on the downhill slope to adulthood. It's breathtaking.

Moments like these remind me how quickly the time passes. When I realize that Bradley is now closer to his college experience than I am to mine, it is a stark reminder to make the most of each day. Maybe I can apply that to these early days of potty-training and they won't drive me as crazy!

I just had a chance to go back and watch Mike Huckabee's speech from last night. If you didn't get to see it, it is well worth your time. He was on fire. Last night was just spectacular!

My favorite lines:

1) After telling a story about growing up poor, he quipped, "I'm not a Republican because I grew up rich. I'm a Republican because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me." Wow.

2) "I'm so tired of hearing of hearing about [Governor Palin's] lack of experience. I want to tell you folks something. She got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for President of the United States." Yikes.

3) "Most of us can lift our arms high in the air to signify when we want something. He can't even lift his arms to his shoulder, which is a constant reminder that his life is marked not by what he's wanting to receive, but rather by what he has already given." Outstanding.

Sheer eloquent, magnificent brilliance. I am so in love with this woman that I can't stop smiling. She has done more to make this election cycle new and exciting than anyone else could have ever dreamed of doing.

It's just pathetic to watch the pundits and anchors go at it. No matter what they say, it just comes out sounding lame. She is about as close to perfect as a Republican candidate could ever be and I am THRILLED that she is mine!

I had a friend comment a couple of days ago that, "Of course you love her... she's you!" And while I would never have the audacity to put myself up against the many, many achievements of Governor Sarah Palin, I think he hit it on the head. But it's not just me. Sarah Palin is every woman. (Can you hear Whitney singing in the background? :))

The precise reason that people are so fired up over Governor Palin is because she is one of us. She is a mom who entered politics to try and make her kids' education the best it could be. What an amazing story that is. I personally love the fact that she is not a life-long politician. I love that she didn't tell her kindergarten teacher that she was going to be President. I love that she isn't Al Gore, hopelessly wandering in a sea of supposedly warmer-than-what's-natural water because she had no other plans but to be in the White House.

The very idea that Sarah is an underqualified woman who was simply chosen for her gender is just not going to fly. Anyone who saw her last night can not possibly say with a straight face that she doesn't have what it takes to lead this country. She is exactly who we need running this country!! She is intelligence, grace, beauty, confidence, authenticity and bravery. She is unafraid to face challenges, but seems rather to enjoy them. She knows who she is and is secure in that, precisely what one needs to be able to face life in the Beltway without caving to the pressure to be liked by Sally Quinn and the rest of the Washington elite.

I love, love, love her. I loved everything about her speech last night. I love that she can do things no man could ever pull off, like winking at the hockey moms as if she was personal friends with each and every one of them. It looked so natural and so authentic, because it was. I love that she blew a kiss to McCain's fellow former POW. I love that she introduced her family for the beautiful bunch that they are, completely rubbing her love for and pride in them in the face of all the media who have been opining that she can't possibly be a good mother if she spends so much time away from them.

For much of this year I was pretty convinced that we would be saying "President Obama" for the next four years. I no longer see that as inevitable. Watching the Republicans come to life in this convention, I believe we have an excellent chance of taking the White House in 2008. And what I love the most about it is the idea of saying "President Palin" in four more years.

BRING IT!!!

It's getting pretty ugly out there, isn't it?

I'm remembering now why I quit politics for most of this year. I really don't think my blood pressure can take it. Watching the news since Governor Palin was selected has been a true test of my capacity for Christian love.

I'm not going to waste time talking about the unfairness of all these attacks on the governor and her family. Media bias is basically a cliche term these days. It's just a given.

What I think bothers me the most about the treatment of Bristol Palin is the nerve of fear that it touches in me. I think that's why this story is going to backfire on the media and their Party. Could there be a greater example of one's sins catching up with them than this poor teenage girl?

Clearly there was a moment in time where she knew the right thing to do and chose the opposite road. We know that all sin is created equal. There are just some things with greater consequences. But there is not a day that goes by that each and every one of us doesn't choose to do something that we know is wrong. Whether it be yelling at my children, telling a lie, gossiping or entertaining a thought that I should have dismissed, sin is a part of my daily existence.

Just imagine the shame this child has already faced, probably the worst of which came from herself. But she had to confront her parents and her boyfriend's parents and let them know that they had been having sex and that it had gotten the best of them. Apparently it is widely known in her town that she was pregnant, so she has surely been the subject of criticism and at the very least a few stares. Added to that is the burden of knowing that she has put her mother in an awkward position as the governor of the state.

But suddenly, in the course of a few days, her once-believed private sin has become an international news story. Isn't this our biggest fear, that we will one day be exposed for who we think we really are inside? This is one of Satan's biggest and most successful weapons against Christians, to get us to believe that we are what we do. We take on the name of our sin. I am deceit. I am greed. I am lust.

One of the hardest but most important things I learned as an adult was that I'm not who I believe I am. I am who God says I am. I am chosen by Him, loved by Him. My sins have already been paid for and He doesn't see me through the lens of my faults and failures. He sees me through the redemptive blood of His precious Son. There is such great freedom in that, and such great responsibility.

The other thing about this story is the fear it brings out in me as a mother. I've been thinking today how hard it must be for Governor Palin to watch her family dragged through the mud as a result of her decision to accept the nomination. Piled on top of her own self-inflicted guilt is the media saying that she shouldn't have accepted it and that it's basically her fault that her family's name is being shoved into the gutter. How much pain must it cause to watch your child suffer the humiliation of an international scandal and know that it wouldn't have happened if you weren't pursuing something you wanted? It just makes me sick at my stomach for her.

I, for one, am going to be praying for this family. I'm going to be praying that they will have the mental fortitude and family strength to pull together and see this through. Because I can only imagine that it will get worse before it gets better.

Mall Madness

This morning we celebrated Bailey's 7th birthday with a Mall Madness party. Since Bailey's idea to take all of her friends shopping and buy something in every store didn't quite match our party budget, we compromised with a scavenger hunt through the mall.

Just before the carousel and towards the end of our journey, I was approached by Barney Fife and asked if we were doing a scavenger hunt. When I said yes, he informed me that we should cease and desist. Even though 98% of my questions were answered without entering a store, apparently we were still breaking mall rules. Whatever. Fortunately the girls' mood was undampered by the abrupt end to our quest. After all, it was almost time for pizza.

Did you see the adorable cake? Peggy outdid herself again. I love that I can just tell her what we're doing and she works magic each and every time.

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Mall security aside, I think the party was a success. What bunch of six and seven-year-old girls wouldn't want to traipse through the mall on any given Saturday?

Oh, and by the way, ROLL TIDE!! :)

(Alabama 34 - Clemson 10)

Politics and Potty Training

Although I'm afraid this may be as premature as President Bush dressed in flight gear standing on the deck of an Aircraft Carrier, after five days I feel like we are super close to being able to say Mission Accomplished!

We started on Monday, and by yesterday morning I was just about ready to give up. But ever since then we've had no accidents, 2 self-initiated trips to the potty, and a dry nap and nighttime (don't know about nap yet today, but I'm really hopeful!) This is half of what has contributed to my fantastic mood today...
Last diaper on Monday.
First time in training underwear on Monday.
Big Boy Underwear! (Yes, when I gave him the reward of the big boy underwear, he wasn't interested in putting them on his bottom. He's convinced that the head is where you put these things. Hopefully this will resolve itself.)

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The other reason for my jubilant mood is McCain's veep pick. I am STOKED about this woman, Governor Palin. I truly can't think of a better choice for this race (well, maybe Condi, but she was never interested.) I LOVE that there is indeed a woman on the ticket this time around and that she is on my side. At first blush she seems absolutely perfect.

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I've been listening to talk radio all day to see if my reaction was shared by the masses, and I can tell you that the base is absolutely on fire about this choice. For the first time since McCain was chosen, people are actually excited about this race. I know that's true for me. I'm going to start paying attention, but not because I have to like I thought it was going to be. I can't wait to see Governor Palin in action against Senator Biden.

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Their reaction to her today was perfect. Guys, you may want to be careful with the whole "lack of experience" argument. That's going to be a hard sell for "I voted present."

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Now I'm totally looking forward to next week, and maybe even the next few months. I'll echo McCain's own words to Senator Obama... "Senator, job well done!"

Have you seen McCain's ad for Obama's big day? Absolutely brilliant. I must admit, so far I'm pretty impressed with how he's run his campaign.

We'll see how things go after tonight's coronation on Mt. Olympus. Now I understand that the reason they had to change the venue was because Invesco Field is the only place in Denver big enough to hold the great Senator's enormous ego.

Last week at the beach I read "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee. I had never read this before, nor seen the movie, but had a vague idea of what it was about. I figured there was a reason it is one of the most famous novels in American Lit and a Pulitzer Prize winner, and it seemed like a good thing to do. For some reason I had never been assigned this book in school, perhaps because of the "n" word sprinkled throughout.

When I mentioned to a friend that I was going to read it for the first time, she exclaimed, "Oh, you are so lucky!" It seemed like a funny comment at the time, but now I know what she meant.

If you have never read this book, it is so worth your time to do so. The writing is exquisitely elegant, and to be savored like a delicious desert. The story is heart-wrenching and yet there are moments where you will laugh out loud. The spotlight on the racism of the post-Civil War south is brutal, and yet points to the greater evil of ignoring human suffering all around the world, which we still do today.

My three favorite quotes from the book:

When Atticus' son Jem asks through his sobs how the jury could have convicted a man so obviously innocent, he says, "They’ve done it before and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it—it seems that only children weep."

Jem says to Miss Maudie, "I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that's what they seemed like." She answers, "We're the safest folks in the world. We're so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are, we've got men like Atticus to go for us."

A conversation between Dill and Aunt Alexandra:
"I ain't cynical, Miss Alexandra. Tellin' the truth's not cynical, is it?"
"The way you tell it, it is."

I don't know why exactly, but those last two quotes really jumped off the page at me. This was truly a literary experience, much more so than just reading a book. If you haven't had it yet, find the time. It is so worth it.

Fay's Arrival