It's Organic...

Working as a checker at a grocery store is fascinating.

The sheer number of personalities I interact with each day is staggering. Most are fairly predictable, but a few stand out. People's shopping habits are just as varied.

This island, which is a ferry ride north of Seattle, is a mecca for Liberals. They come in to my store with their cloth shopping bags so as not to contribute any more waste to the "already strained" environment.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The average Islander drives either a Prius or an ancient Subaru, has no fewer than three anti-Bush bumper stickers, and brings their dog with them everywhere. The dogs wear bandanas or hats. Their poop is scooped up into bio-degradable baggies. These folks fill their shopping carts with all-organic produce, canned goods, dairy, and bulk foods. But then they toss in Oreos and Lay's chips... and beer. Lots of beer. Micro brews.

The women don't wear makeup; they smell of Patchouli oil and they wear microfleece and wool in layers over long yoga outfits or prairie dresses. Their hand-knit socks peek out from their Birkenstock sandals, and their children are large-eyed and pale, like Precious Moments characters.

They buy organic dog food for crying out loud. Dogs lick their own butts... do we have to worry about what they eat?!

But it makes for interesting work, and challenging conversation in the two to four minutes they are within my 'sphere of reality'. I have nothing in common with their belief-systems, yet I am required (by the store and by my upbringing) to be "Nice". As I said, it's challenging at times.

I like it. I don't understand them, but I guess they have their charms.

The God Search

I've recently been on a reading binge. As this is a luxury I've not enjoyed in quite some time, I've chosen my materials carefully. As I've been in a spiritual funk for several years now, I've chosen to branch out and taste bits and pieces of others' experiences.

The first title that caught my eye was Fleeing Fundamentalism: A Minister's Wife Examines Faith by Carlene Cross. The first part of the book excellently portrayed being a part of the evangelical movement in the late 70's and early 80's. Her life very nearly mirrors my own during that time as she immersed herself in fundamental Christianity, living with the fear and awe that we were in the End Times. I found her honesty and humor to be engaging. I felt a camaraderie in the fact that after doing everything "right" she also lost her Perfect Christian Husband to debauchery and sin. It's not a book I'd recommend, it delved into some pretty sad stuff and she ended up leaving her faith completely in the end, but it was a refresher course for me on the foundations of my faith and how the early evangelical movement shaped and formed my thinking at such an impressionable time.

In Confessions of an Amateur Believer by Patty Kirk I found a refreshingly edgy memoir about Christian living. We're all amateurs at faith, and while I wasn't looking for justification for my struggles, it was comforting to read such an honest portrayal of someone elses'. I would heartily recommend this book. Each short chapter winsomely presents the author's crisis of faith in some area of real life. It doesn't preach, it simply gives some much needed insight into God's patience with us as his children.

Finally, Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesian by Elizabeth Gilbert is the book I'm devouring at the moment. Go to the link, she's more than I can find words for. She's given me more to think about in the first 58 pages than any other book on faith. Her soul searching is in every way what I want my own to be...

Which is really what it comes down to: permission for my soul to search. There is so much from my early years in fundamentalism that tells me I have no right to search. That I must, instead, just believe without question. It's spiritual baggage, actually. You know how as adults we come to crisis points in our lives and look back and realize that we've been dragging stuff around that we never asked to have strapped to us? Well, in a sense that's where I am spiritually. I'm examining what I believe and why I believe it and is it authentic or is it something that was foisted upon me in the early years of faith and somehow it has blinded me to who God truly is?

I will keep you updated on the journey. I realize in my anger and frustration with Everything I Knew To Be True, I tossed God out with the bathwater. He's not One who likes to be tossed, but he's been patiently waiting for me to hand Him a towel and get back to the business of faith. I will see how that goes.

All that's New in Jersey

Cape May is filled with Victorian homes boasting porches with rockers... we don't know whose porch this is, but we took a break from walking to 'sit a spell'.











This is one of about 50 shots taken while trying to get a good 'family photo'. Neither of the boys is very enthused. Mom looks great!
















And here's the Bean. We're enjoying West Cape May's Lima Bean Festival... seriously.

It's been a great vacation!

Told you so.

Look, Dianna. BIG FONT.

From the Jersey Shore

So I'm here in New Jersey with the new little guy and his proud parents! It's what Grandmom's do in our family-- they come under the guise of Big Helper, but are secretly here to soak up some Grandbaby time.

Everyone's doing well. Jordan and Dianna have that dazed New Parent look about them, but are the best parents EVER. Micaiah is a content little guy who eats voraciously and then burps loudly in appreciation. He's so alert and so strong already! He impressed his pediatrician yesterday, wieghing in at 11 pounds! Not bad for 24 days. He's not a chubby baby though; he's the image of his daddy. A real Wee Bean!

New Jersey is lovely, although I wasn't prepared for the heat and humidity! I'm really enjoying my time here. Dianna lets me wait on her and the baby, which makes me so happy! And it's been a long time since I've been able to cook, bake, and knit my days away-- not to mention holding my special little one! It's a joy all around.

Jordan & Dianna share today as their birthday... Twenty three years ago today I was bringing my little guy into the world! As they say, time flies!

More photos to come!