"The only tolerable state is having just written." Happy 1st Blogiversary!

“It's hell writing and it's hell not writing. 

The only tolerable state is having just written.”

-Robert Hass

Today marks the first "blogiversary" of Proverbs 2 Pursuit :: Wisdom.  As I look back on the last year and some of the posts I have made, I realize that I have grown in ways I did not expect.  Initially, the goal of this blog was to focus on my breakdown and learning about education, specifically as it relates to SC, and to chronicle our baby steps into homeschooling.  However, though we have done some of this, it has also been a place to talk about struggles with SC, to share the blessings God has bestowed upon our family, and a place to hash out what being a parent to SC really should look like, considering the uniqueness God created within her.  

I love what the blog has become, and while when I first started I was consumed with posting regularly in blog hops and getting my voice out there, I am much less stressed if I miss an "appointment," because I just don't have anything of quality to contribute that day.  I am okay if I don't post for a week because we were busy, or on vacation, or if my post is mostly pictures, or a brief bit of thankfulness.  I think over the past year, the blog has become less about "having a blog" and more a representation of me and our life, which is exactly what I want it to be.

So, in looking back today (which is Top Ten Tuesday), I wanted to highlight ten of my most-read/commented-upon posts, and I hope you enjoy them.

1. "Most people would walk along a path beside the river."

2. Thankful Thursday: 

"How Not to Have to [Wash] the Dishes"

3. Top Ten Tuesday:
PBS Kids Shows

4. Top Ten Tuesday:
"Home is home, though it be never so homely."

5. Top Ten Tuesday:
"Books and movies are like apples and oranges."

6. 2013-2014: K5/1st Curriculum:
"Look what a lot of things there are to learn..."

7. What 2 Read Wednesday:
"She was expecting something empowering."
Book Review: What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank
stories by Nathan Englander

8. What 2 Read Wednesday:
"is the fleeting jolt of meaning that art gives us valuable?"
Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

9. "...come to this hallowed place/ Where my friends' portraits hang and look thereon..."

10. "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."

Which of these posts was your favorite to read, or is it one that I have not listed?  Leave a comment below, then check out some other Top Ten Tuesday posts here:

Thankful Thursday: "...as you did it to one of the least of these..."

"And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, 

as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’" 

-Matthew 25:40

This week for Thankful Thursday, I am thankful that our sponsor information packet arrived from Compassion International.  AC and I have actually been talking about sponsoring a child for a while, because though we both have a heart for adoption, it just isn't in the cards for us at this moment.  Sponsoring a child was the next logical step, but neither of us actually went out and signed up.  

In the last few weeks, we have been dealing with SC being a product of the technology generation and have really taken a hard look at what we have compared to what so much of the world has, and how we can express to SC that she is so blessed.  We do not want to raise an entitled child, who demands to be entertained during dinner, in the car or when she is "bored" at home.  In fact, we thought we would never be those parents who hand over a phone or other device at a restaurant or have movies playing in the car.  Things have changed quite a bit in the past four and a half years since she was born.  

So, when I signed up to sponsor a child, I wanted to choose a girl who is the same age as SC, because I think as SC grows, it will be easier for her to compare her life with that of a child her own age.  I was really excited that one of the first girls I was shown was born only two days after SC.  I immediately selected her, and tried to wait patiently for the packet to arrive.

Our little girl's name is Oneydi, and lives in El Salvador.  SC cannot wait until we get back from our next tag-along trip with AC to start making her cards (stamped with both girls' names) and send her some small gifts, like stickers.  We have also already been able to talk about how her life might be different from SC's, as well as what things might be the same (they both care for animals as a chore, though I imagine Oneydi's animals are much larger).

Now, we are not doing this so we can say "there are starving children in third-world countries, so you have to eat your dinner" or in any way threaten her to feel guilty about what she does have.  We want her to see how blessed she is, and to raise up a child who loves to give to those who need in the same way that we have been given to cover our needs.  We want to educate her that not everyone lives the way we do, but show her that God's love extends to the deepest, darkest reaches of the Earth, and that He can use us to spread His love.  We want her to feel that giving is so much better than receiving.  We want SC to, hopefully, be able to develop a friendship with Oneydi rather than simply think of her as someone "less than" us who needs our help - to really know that we are all equal in the eyes of God/love.

Do you sponsor any children through Compassion or another organization?  What type of gifts have you found to be the best/most liked/easiest to send?  Leave a comment, then check out what some others are thankful for at:

Thankful Thursday: "A happy family is ..."

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven."

-Sir John Bowring

When AC and I met, I knew he was the one when I realized I could be even my silliest with him (I am usually a pretty serious person) because he did not feel it detracted from who I am most of the time, but rather added to my multifaceted personality.  On the flip side, AC also has various aspects of his personality that range from silly to serious, and blended together, we fit.  It is obvious that God created each for the other, and that our marriage was His plan all along.  Similarly, and this is something we tell SC all the time, she specifically was created by God to be our child specifically.  Even though I know this, it still is such a relief to me that SC is a little bit of each of us, plus quite a bit of her own, and like a puzzle, it works really well for us.

This afternoon, as I was preparing to blow my straw paper toward the back of the car at SC, I was struck by a wave of gladness that we are the type of family who blows straw paper at each other.  We are the type of family that makes funny faces at each other, and plays in the rain, and digs in the dirt, and spends endless time tickling.  We are the type of family that dyes our hair semi-permanent pink or purple "just to see how it looks."  To me, that means we stick together, no matter what (we blow straw paper at nice restaurants, too), and can take a break from the stress of life to just enjoy life with each other.  I am thankful that I have been blessed with a family with a great collective sense of humor, and that we have such a good time just being together.  I am thankful that God knows just what I need in my life, from the goofy-and-smart husband who indulges my football whims, right down to the beautiful little girl He has blessed us with.


What are you thankful for today?  Leave a comment, then check out what some other people are thankful for at:

Top Ten Tuesday: "Blessed is the influence ..."

"Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another." - George Eliot

As we go about our lives, both in everyday activities and within our homeschooling adventures, there are things that I think it is very important for SC to see me doing.  Not everything that SC needs to be taught can be simply told to her or taught in a way that fits neatly under any of the educational styles, but rather she needs to have these things demonstrated and modeled for her.  



This week my top ten will focus on ten things I want to model to SC, and hopefully model well.

1. Love:  This is the most important thing I think SC needs to see me doing - loving both her and AC, as well as demonstrating love for family, friends and others in our community. My goal is to love in the way Jesus loved us, selflessly and without expectation of these feelings being returned, and in a way that emulates 1 Corinthians 13.

2. Faith:  This is the second most important thing for SC to see me doing, and I do not mean for her to simply observe an outward faith, one that I speak of on occasion when it is time for church.  I want her to really understand that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).  For me, faith comes from the heart, and it is the heart knowing a truth that the mind cannot comprehend.  I want her to see that I have this faith, and specifically faith in God and His promises; faith that Jesus died for her.  I want her to find this faith for herself and be confident in it.

3. Wisdom:  In our American culture it has become very popular to act unintelligent, to appear unlearned, and to make foolish choices in an attempt to create humor.  I do not think this has created a better civilization for us to live, but has created a culture of selfish, hateful citizens.  James 3:16-17 says "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy."  I want SC to see me using the intellect God gave me, making wise choices, and foremost, asking God for guidance so that I am sure my choices are wise.

4. Literacy:  Along with the growing popularity of foolishness and appearing unlearned is the declining popularity of reading.  This has been helped by the drastic development in technology, which has been portrayed by many as more fun and less work than reading books.   I think in order to combat this ideology, SC must see me choosing to use my free time reading, and expressing that reading is a pleasure.  Honestly, I love to read, so this in and of itself will not be difficult, but I know that when I read to her (and, eventually, when I ask her to read on her own) I need to make sure it is never forced or portrayed as a chore but as a way to enjoyably spend time.

5. Tolerance:  I think most Christians get a negative reputation for being intolerant, but I also think that is due to a societal change in the definition of the word "tolerance."  Mirriam-Webster defines tolerance as "sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own," but our society has manipulated the word to mean not just accepting the existence of beliefs other than one's own, but that in order to be tolerant, one must accept those beliefs as, if not truth, then plausible.  This is not true tolerance, and for a Christian to accept other religions' beliefs as truth is counter-Biblical.  In John 14:6, Jesus tells the disciples “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."  That does not allow for much room for other religions' ideas to even be considered as plausible.  However, I do believe that Christians should be tolerant, as long as being tolerant means only accepting the existence of other beliefs while holding true to God's word.  This also means that Christians should lovingly follow the great commission, but that is another blog post.  All in all, I hope that I am able to demonstrate to SC true tolerance, but in conjunction with being tolerant, I need to make sure I am demonstrating love to those who need it and providing SC with Biblical truth.

6. Loyalty:  This is another characteristic that has become antiquated in our current American society.  Again, our society has become self-serving, promoting "winning" and financial gains over honesty and integrity.  I hope SC learns from me what it means to be loyal, just as God is loyal to us.  In Deuteronomy 31:8, Moses assures Joshua "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."  I want to emulate God in this, and I want SC to learn to be loyal rather than focusing on her own selfish desires.

7. Compassion / Charity:  I lumped these together because I think it is hard to have one without the other.  Being compassionate should beget charity out of love, and the act of providing charity should have compassion as its motive.  I hope SC sees me give with a loving heart, desiring nothing in return.

8. Patience:  If there is one item on this list that I have to pray daily about, this is it.  I am naturally very impatient, especially with people, and SC tries what little patience I have.  That being said, I think it is very important that SC sees me being patient, both with her, as well as at other times when the desire to be impatient creeps up.  I think patience begets peace in that it allows time for understanding and, ultimately, wisdom to make Godly choices.

9. Diligence:  This is another unpopular characteristic in society - to be seen as having a passion for something, working hard toward a goal and achieving it.  It is much more popular to take the path or least resistance and accept what comes along.  Proverbs 18:9 says "He also who is slack in his work/ Is brother to him who destroys." I want SC seeing me work hard toward a goal, and sticking with something, even if it is difficult.  I want her to value quality results over quick results, and to learn the satisfaction and rewards of being diligent.

1o. Forgiveness:  Though this is last on the list, it is by no means last in importance.  It is commanded in the Bible that in order to receive God's forgiveness, we must first forgive others (Matt. 6:14-15).  However, I believe that this command is evidence that forgiveness is cyclical.  We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:7-21), and in His loving, he sent Jesus Christ, God incarnate, perfect and blameless, to receive the punishment we deserve in our stead.  This outpouring of love exemplifies his forgiveness of us, and if we are to truly receive this forgiveness, we must come to love others in the way that God loves, offering forgiveness.  I want SC to see me genuinely love by forgiving others (including her), and to learn that nothing that occurs to her is unforgivable.


Any comments, advice or opinions are welcomed.  Don't forget to check out other "Top Ten Tuesday" posts here.