The Social Porcupine

The Button Girl: Repentance has decided that she will no button Sober Marsh and have babies for him - no overlord is taking her babies. And so she sentences herself and Sober to life of slavery... and trials she never bargained for. Is it too late for her to remake her rash decisions? Or is she fated to a life of fear? Back at the  writer's conference  I went to (which y'all are probably wishing I'd stop talking about) I received a free copy of a really amazing book, and heard the author speak and give what was probably my favorite lecture at the conference... Putting My Message Into My Stories - Or Is That Preaching??? One thing had been bugging me, how so many Christian authors were saying, "Don't preach. Just tell a story."  So when I saw a session called Weaving in Your Worldview  I knew I had to go. Maybe I'd finally hear something good ;) (I actually heard a  lot of good things) What made it even better... I walked ...

For the last couple years ranchers and other individuals have been fighting the federal government. Sometimes they have appeared quite foolish, even to me and my family and we have been supporting them for a long time. For most of the world, few have been able to understand the Bundys or those that stood with the family against the government. When telling others about what was happening I was often confronted with these statements: "Our government isn't that bad." And you know this because they told you this, right? "They should just submit. Read Romans 13." It's funny how people will preach and twist Romans 13, a small chapter, and forget what the rest of the Bible says about our basic rights and loving one another. "I don't believe what you are saying. If this were really happening we'd hear about it in the news." Since when has the news told us the whole truth? Their big day that decided what would happen was Jan...

After last week's post you would have thought I was the biggest Myers-Briggs fan ever. I'm here to tell you, "That is incorrect." Sometimes I am so frustrated with that stupid thing that I never want to hear about it ever again - like it could get sued or something and I'd be happy.  Well... I don't quite hate it that much... but... First. The thing is so overrated. "I finally know me! And you, too!" I'm sorry to break it... but what's so great about knowing yourself??? Seriously... we aren't called to know ourselves. And if we are being honest... most people into Myers-Briggs aren't in it to get to know another person better. It's just another fandom . Another way we can talk about me and get away with it - and others laugh along!!!! It's a great way to keep loving me and not the other person. By the way, we aren't even called to understand the other person before loving them. Just love . Know what else f...

I don't know if any of you have ever got caught up in the hype of Myers Briggs . It's this personality test with 16 different possible results. Basically it groups everyone into 16 types. MB can be very fun. I was first introduced to MB through my friend Meadow when I worked at Above Rubies . Thursday evenings after I was finished with work I would often go to a young adult Bible study with her. We had quite a drive, and so a lot of time to either have great conversations - or loads of awkward silence. Thankfully we normally had great conversations as we both enjoyed discussing interesting topics. At the time she was completely enthralled with MB, as it was helping her understand her INTJ boyfriend better. I was kinda not too enthused about doing a personality test (I don't like being put in a box) but took the test and tried to make myself well acquainted with the details so we could have our conversations. It was actually pretty neat to hear how MB was helpi...

  Never Know, Noah Noah laughed as he threw a handful of loose dirt at Vern. “Stop that,” Vern said acting like he were annoyed. Noah dropped the remainder of dirt back onto the ground and wiped his dirty hands on his already dirty pants. “Why don't you do what you planned to do and help me haul this ore out?” Noah smiled. It was not often he was able to help Vern in the mines. There was school. And homework. And chores. At least it was a warmer day and there wasn't much wind. But today he was able to help. Not that he enjoyed it. Noah would have much preferred to study. He felt slightly guilty at that thought, thinking how Vern hardly had time for anything but the mines. But then Vern never did want to do much else. Vern worked full time in the mines so Noah would not have to skip school. And for the most part it seemed they were both content with this arrangement. He took a hold of the wheel barrow. “You hear about David's uncles?” Vern stood...

2017 was an interesting year. It started and ended differently than I ever could have imagined. My life experienced things I never saw coming. It was a great year and awful year in so many ways. I will probably always look back on 2017 as a growing year where I was tested over and over, and then again some. I'm still not sure quite all what happened, or even how. Like maybe I'm in a little bit of shock still? I don't know.  As I explained in my post last year  I don't do resolutions.  But my opinions have slightly altered since then. I have been setting a lot of extreme goals for myself these last few months. Some of them were things to help change my focus. Some of them were things I'd always wanted to do and I realized now was the time to start. So, sometimes now I will stop and think, "How do I want to be different by the end of this month?" I'll pick two or three things. And then work on them all month. I've a...