Boredom

I'm staying home this summer, and I'm compiling a list of all the things I should do. Unlike most people who stay at home during the summer, I have no thoughts about being bored.

I get frustrated with people who say, "I'm going home for the summer and working. I'm going to be sooooo bored." My first thought is that these people don't like to read because if you love books you are rarely bored when you have free time and most readers have imaginations and imaginations assuage boredom. My second thought is that they want to be entertained without any thinking or work on their part. My third thought is that I have little time or sympathy for people who say that.

I'm already composing lists of what I want to read, who I need and want to see and spend time with, things to blog about, movies to see, discussions to have, room projects to complete, general life projects to finish that I've been putting off for two three years because of time, and work on personal goals that need more focused time. I've already started sketching out my summer schedule so I don't waste my time and achieveing those personal goals can be reality.

People who say, "I'm going to be sooooo bored" need entertainment handed to them all the time. Activities all planned out, all their friends always around them, movies right by, malls and shopping centers in close proximity, and amusement and theme parks not far away. To have fun, they must always be going somewhere and doing something extraordinary.

Life is not here to sit around and twiddle our thumbs. We're supposed to be busy doing what God wants us to do. Summer shouldn't be wasted sleeping and being bored because no entertainment is brought right to us. Use your imagination, look at your life, and see what needs to be put in order. Use the time to prepare for your next step in life. Use the time to invest in people. Use the time. Don't waste it being bored.

My summer is going to be filled with work at a grocery store, gardening, weeding, food shopping, cooking, cleaning, reading, Praxis 2, education portfolio, Spanish learning, talking, emailing, blogging, church, and church activities, Bible study, printing pictures, putting said pictures in albums, organizing my storage containers, filling my storage containers, watching movies, putting my books in a database, plus family and friend time, and a road trip to North Carolina. There's no way I can possibly be bored this summer.

When I look at my summer, I see opportunity. When you look at your summer at home, do you see opportunity or boredom?

Tuesday

Wow, I'm horrible at staying accountable to you. I could have blogged yesterday morning, but my brain was not focusing, and then I went straight from 12 PM to 1 AM. Food preparation, interview, dinner, games, bonfire, and Skype filled those thirteen hours.

As I interviewed someone yesterday, she posed the question of picking and choosing only wholesome books which teach good morals and show life as we believe it should be lived to read. I know this idea is common in my circles, but I'm not sure if I agree with it.

My go-against-the-grain side has no desire to conform to all of their standards regarding books. Why must they be so limiting in what you can read? This book shows divorce like a regular happening. This book talks about boy and girl interest. This book has swearing in it. This book shows children who are disrespectful to peers and adults. This book shows sin. We can't read any book where these things happen.

I think what bothers me is they want to stay sheltered. No hint of anything wrong can be around them. They don't want to acknowledge that these thoughts are present, and if you actually worked outside of your circle, you would see these things and here about these things daily.

Another part of me thinks it is important for us to be aware, so when we are faced with the questions which come as we work outside of our circles, we have answers. Books allow you to think through situations and scenarios. Books allow you review people as they work through tough questions. Books teach you to read between the lines. I believe books and then good discussion about them are incredibly valuable.

When I'm faced with situations like I was yesterday, I don't answer them because I know we're going to disagree. I'm learning to respect people even when our views don't line-up. I don't have the right to judge them for their views. I should not be so reactionary when I'm presented with a view I don't agree with. I should take the time to consider it, think through it, and see if it has any validity.

I know I need to make some personal decisions soon about this issue especially as I'm looking at a future of dealing with parents and books, but I've never enjoyed drawing lines or making decisions about areas in the gray.

Accountability

I'm on spring break this week. I have two presentations, one paper, five lesson plans, and two interviews to complete before the week is finished. I must sleep. I have to work. I want to spend time with my family. I need to catch up with some friends. I have countless emails and details to figure out for a program. I want to read and watch movies. I can't forget that I also need to put away my 150 (give or take) books which have been sitting on the floor since September on my new bookshelf which hasn't made it to me room yet after three months of owning it. Plus I want to challenge myself to blog Sunday through Sunday.

Yes, I have lists. Yes, I'm an overachiever. Yes, I plan more than I can accomplish. Regularly.

Happy Spring Break to me.

Family Communication

In some ways, my family is horrible at communicating. The Parents will hear something from an older sibling, and then they (the parents) will forget to tell any of the younger siblings. This happens frequently. We all get together once a year, and besides that we don't see each other that much.

In other ways, my family is great at communicating. The Four email each other regularly. Josh calls everyone regularly. Joanna and Nathan talk consistently. Matt texts Mom. Naomi and Joanna live together. And Dad emails the whole family every Saturday or Sunday. I know that our family is on the unique side by having a dad who sends out weekly emails encouraging his family and updating them on family news.

I hope, as our family continues to settle around the world, we'll continue to stay in touch. I look at my parents and how they have little to no communication with their siblings anymore. I look at my siblings and parents and  deeply desire to continue to have open lines of communication. Wherever I am, wherever my journey of life takes me, I want to continue my communication with my family. The whole crazy bunch of them.