Jerry & Sarah.com

We’ve been at the Adopting for Life conference yesterday and today. In coming days, I’m looking forward to synthesizing some posts on all God is working in my heart and mind, but for now, here’s one take away. We thought we’d just adopt a bus full. They even put our name on the side.

Just kidding.
Kuddos to Jay K. for the photo.

As a wintry mix falls outside, my husband and I sit on opposite couches doing something we often do on Sunday morning: read. I’m reading Adopted for Life, which I borrowed from a friend last night. Jerry is neck-deep in Grudem’s Systematic Theology amidst a few other titles.

Jerry is always generous in showing his affection toward me (he made me breakfast this morning…isn’t he sweet?), but as I caught him looking longingly my way a few minutes ago, I knew it had more to do with the book in my hands than with me. We both enjoy reading, but Jerry far outpaces me in this aspect. At any given time, he has 20 books sitting on the end table, and a smattering of other selections scattered throughout the house. Yet somehow, his appetite for books is never satisfied.

Jerry: What’s your ERT?
Me: My what?
Jerry: Your Estimated Reading Time. I want to read that book when you are done.
Me: You got three new books last night. I got one. Stay away from my book.
Jerry: Okay. But, can you hurry?

It’s maddeningly endearing to me.

This winter has brought many firsts for me, like the first time to shovel a walk or first time to spin out of control while driving in the snow. And while, that is all well and good, this Florida girl still appreciates the sun. I also appreciate that God made seasons and that when I’m weary of the downsides of the current situation, we have hope that change will soon come.

After sitting at my desk for several hours one day last week, I looked down to discover that I was wearing brown fleece-lined mocs with my black dress pants. Oops. While I would like to justifiably blame my mismatched shoes on the malady most people term “pregnancy brain,” the truth is that I probably am no more forgetful or clumsy than I was several months ago.

In the first trimester, I really was sick all the time, and I still find it hard to believe that grilled chicken and vegetable soup could elicit such a violent response from my body. I grew acclimated to eating whatever didn’t make me sick (there weren’t many things on the list). However, even after starting to feel better again, I have no qualms with eating large amounts of french fries and cinnamon rolls. The truth is that I always love to eat french fries and cinnamon rolls, but now I have an excuse that many consider justifiable.

I’m great at justifying things I want to do, and not just in pregnancy. Justification as I like to use it, however, is frequently just a fancy way of shifting blame for my poor choices to something seemingly out of my control. Unfortunately most of my blame-shifting has much uglier manifestations than an affinity for unhealthy food. God has made me much more aware of my own ability to just take responsibility for things I do. Even if the environmental factors are out of my control (a person’s words or attitudes to me, for example), my response is entirely mine.

So, I’m doing my best to avoid blame shifting the ugly words and attitudes that pop out so often, and I probably should make an effort to eat a little better too. That isn’t to say that I am giving up french fries, but more often than not, I should probably attribute my food choices to personal preference instead of inescapable biological realities.

Hmmmm, I wonder if I should brave the snow to make happy hour at Sonic. I’m craving I sure do love Diet Vanilla Coke…