The Sad Story of Tailspin

Once upon a time, there was a little boy.  A little boy, who had no one to love him.  His mama and his Papa didn't love him - they didn't even know how to love each other!  As the boy grew older, he got into trouble, lots of trouble.  He did things that not only were against the law, but hurt him a whole lot.  He was stuck in a downward spiral....spinning faster and faster out of control!  We will call him Tailspin.

There once was a little girl.  She lived a very sheltered life.  She was often saddened by what she saw around her, and always wanted to fix it.  Her heart was soft, and often got trampled on.  She cared about people, and hated that there was nothing she could do to stop the hurting.  We will call her Tender-heart.

Once day, Tender-heart met Tailspin.  Her heart ever on her sleeve, she sought to win him over to the God who made him, and loved him oh, so very much.  But Tailspin was angry.  He was mad at this God of Tender-heart's.  How could he love this God, when this God ruined his family, ruined his life - or so he thought.
Tailspin often told Tender-heart that it was okay for her to love this God...but he wasn't ready.  In reality, he wasn't ready to lay down his hate, his hurt.  He had become bitter against this God of Tender-heart's...and it was eating him up.  Tender-heart became brokenhearted at what appeared to everyone she knew, as wasted efforts to show someone the love of her God.  After a couple years, Tender-heart's God took her away from the friendship she had with Tailspin.  Tailspin was no good for her, dragging her down emotionally and mentally...and her God had other growing lessons for His Little Tender-heart.

This sad story, is a true story.  It happened to me during the two years God had me in Carpentry at Penta County Vocation High School.  Tailspin is a real person...and last I knew, he was escalating in his bad choices - he wasn't satisfied with being busted for drugs...he wanted to be busted with drugs, and a weapon.  Tailspin still needs Jesus.  I prayed SO long during those two years that God would save him, and teach him what REAL love is...not the physical lust between boyfriend and girlfriend (which by the way, he and I were never a couple or involved), but the truly unconditional love of God that he LONGED for with all his heart.

So why am I telling this story?  God has the Larsons in a place where many young men at a crossroads, of sorts.  Lots of the guys here remind me of Tailspin...and, just like Tailspin, if I am not careful, my "tender-heart" can take their rejection of God personally.  I get SO wrapped up in...people...that I forget that this is all about God.  Not about me.  Guess I am still learning what John the Baptist meant when he talked about decreasing so that Christ could increase.

By the way, I haven't given up hope that God will reach dear Tailspin.  I have realized what my Mom was always telling me - at least in this case.  Repeat after me, Mom, Allison and Joanna:  "No where on your/my birth certificate does it say Holy Spirit!"

The End (at least of MY part of the Tailspin's story!)

My Thoughts in the Wee Hours of the Day...

It's 1am.  Lots of things rolling thru my mind.

• how very wonderful Evening Primrose Oil is - but that isn't a topic for a blog
• Unity - how it is started, how it works, etc
• Parenting - how I think I am doing, what I wish I was doing, how to fix what I am doing wrong, etc.

There is more...lots more rolling around up there, but these are the top 3.

Unity

One of the ways Webster's defines Unity is:  a condition of harmony;  continuity without deviation or change (as in purpose or action.  

That is a great definition.  It makes my heart smile to see those words, and know somewhere deep inside that this is something that CAN be done.  It MUST be do-able...otherwise Webster's wouldn't have a definition for it, right?   =P

I have been places where unity was strong.  The common thread totally held everyone together.  but what happens when it is that same common thread that SHOULD be holding us together...is the very thing that tears us apart?

I can think of many examples of a common thread...that isn't so very common.  Ready for list #2?

• education - homeschool vs. in-classroom studies
• childrens health
• OUR health - herbs vs. conventional medicine
• birth
• Jesus

Did that last one shock you?  Jesus said that he would divide families.  That sounds like a deviation in actions.  Unfortunately, today, I don't think it is so much following Jesus that separates us, but HOW to follow Him.

So tell me...how does one go about bringing about unity in a place where there is no unity?  Where the common thread keeps everyone apart?

Some Hard Thoughts

I have been called a Pharisee more than a few times in my life.  I know about the planks that I have in my own eyes, and that we aren't all at the same place.  I just can't get over what I am about to say.

Several years ago, I was sitting in my friend Jennifer's cabin on the ship, Spirit.  She and I were watching "You've Got Mail".  Suddenly, out of no where, she gets up and leaves saying something about the movie pulling back scabs she thought had healed.  I was dumbfounded and confused.  I watched the movie, halfheartedly, while trying to match what I knew of Jennifer's life to this silly cute movie!  It got me thinking about the movie itself.  There I was enjoying a movie about a guy and a girl...who both lived with someone they weren't married to, and they ended up in an emotional affair, because they were no longer satisfied with their current partner.  But it's okay, because Tom Hanks' woman was a snob - to the highest degree...and, and...Meg Ryan's boyfriend was a loser in love with typewriters...So it's okay that they ended up together, because they were happier together than with their previous partner...right?

Kind of interesting way of looking at a cute Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks movie...isn't it?

Fast forward to today.  I hear my friends talking about a show called Sister Wives, and how intriguing it is.  I cannot find the words to describe how I feel about this.  I just read Wikipedia's synopsis of the show...I know, Wikipedia isn't necessarily a reputable source...but please hear me out.

Who in their right mind would share their husband with another woman?  Just saying those words makes my blood boil!  I don't see how 'we' can get so bent out of shape about the GLBT arena 'soiling' the true meaning of marriage...and yet find this show intriguing.  It disgusts me.  This Kody Brown guy needs Jesus...as does his wife, and the other three women in his house - along with all their children...so...I am not ranting about the show, nor the people in it.

My frustration is seeing Christians being intrigued by this show and watching it!  Doesn't that boost their ratings?  Wouldn't a boost in ratings mean that people agree with the show?

What happened to separating ourselves from the world?  Yes, be IN the world, but not OF the world...wouldn't that include approving of what God doesn't approve of?

I won't call myself infallible.  I won't say that I wouldn't LOVE to buy a TV and watch all sorts of old movies with my favorite Man with skin on.  Old movies are like old friends to me, and I miss them.  I won't say that owning and watching TV is a bad thing, because, obviously, that is between you and God.  I just don't understand what is so intriguing about watching and approving of a show like that.  If it were me...and Josh came and told me that he was bringing home another woman...he'd be coming home to an empty house, because my kids and I would be gone!

Fling your mud.  Call me a Pharisee, a wet blanket, a goody-two-shoes.  It isn't like I haven't heard it all before.  But please, don't call evil good.

Ezra's Cuteness

SOMEbody was too busy with her girls to watch her son...my first child to get into the Desitin.  I should have listened to myself when I told myself I should put it up!  This picture was taken November 3rd, 2011

Hard to believe Ezra was ever this small.  He was two or three weeks old in this picture.

Anybody want some home-grown ginger?

Ginger root...planted over a year ago.

This is what it looked like before we had to split the root and soil to get the plant out.

See...it grew so big, that the round pot is no longer round...

Josh separating the myriads of little roots.

This is the side we originally planted.

Cool, eh?  Not if you are pregnant like my sister, Joanna!  =P