This post is going to be pretty much a random compilation of all the things I've been thinking about and have not posted yet.
I was at the park the other day with Jill; she and I were sitting slightly under one of the jungle gyms. Two other girls came climbing down a pole. They were perhaps five years old. Neither had their shoes on (the playground was the kind with wood chips), and one girl told the other girl to go get their shoes. The second girl scampered off. Then the first girl turned to me and said, "I don't like you. What's your name?" She said this without any animosity; she said it as simply as if she had said, "It sure it hot out today." It rather took me aback. So, I responded, "My name is Mimi, and this is my daughter Jill." She said, "Mimi. Mimi . . . I don't like that name." (Again she had no venom in her voice. She was merely stating a fact of life.) I replied, "Well, that's okay. It's my name, so you don't have to like it." She continued to stare at me, and then she said, "You wear glasses. My grandmother wears glasses. She's in the hospital." I then said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I hope she is doing all right." To this she replied, "Of course she isn't. She's in the hospital." Then the other girl returned, they put on their shoes, and they ran over to the swings.
Wow. I was kind of blown away by that interaction with such a young girl.
Another thought that has been blowing around in my mind: the difference between being used and being needed. They're exactly the same action aren't they? Whether you are being used or being needed, the same action of giving and receiving occurs. The only difference I can determine is the giver's and receiver's attitudes. The attitude is the only difference, and it makes a huge difference. It is so wonderful to be needed and so awful to be used, but the only difference is how I feel about it.
Interesting. (To me, at least.)
You know how there is that "law" of meeting someone who knows someone you know, etc., as long as you talk long enough? Well, thus far (previous to this past week), I had not meet anyone in Cincinnati that has known anyone I knew before Cincinnati, and I have almost been here for a year. (It will be a year on Memorial Day.) However, this week, I met THREE! All at once. I think that's kind of funny. I met a girl on the playground who studied the same subject as my brother-in-law, and he was a TA in a few of her classes. (Amy, her name was Kelly Poulson, I believe.) Then at a church activity on Saturday, a woman that is in my book club leaned over and said, "You're from Muncie, right?" To which I replied, "Yes, I lived there from 1997 to 2004." She responded that her cousin (I think cousin) married a girl from Muncie, and she was going to their reception that evening. (She's related to the man that Kendra Ridge just married.) Then yesterday at church, a friend came over and told me about visiting her daughter (Katie? Katy?) in California. She said Katie had a friend named Rebecca who sings beautifully and who came over and sang for her. My friend was reading Rebecca's blog and saw that a Mimi had commented on it and then discovered that the Mimi was me. Haha. It was my Becca from Brazil! One of my best friends from elementary school. My friend from church thought perhaps we both studied music together at BYU, but no, we went back way longer than that. :)
Then a fourth item that I wanted to mention. I went to a woman's conference on Saturday that was amazing. I was gone from my house from 7:45 until about 2:30. I think that's the longest I've ever been away from Jill. Jeff did an amazing job, and he never even gave her the milk I pumped. So, the end of breastfeeding might be near. I can't really comprehend that. Anyway, the main point of this is that at the conference I attended a class that was marvelous (they were all marvelous); however, this class had an instructor that shared something that answered a question I have kept hidden in my heart for years. Years. It was the most amazing feeling to realize that 1. I must not be alone and other women must have this question/concern as well and 2. God knew that I wanted to know and He inspired the instructor to share that with the class. I started to cry; it was so overwhelming. I haven't felt the Spirit that strongly in a long time, and it was just like a hug from my Heavenly Father. He KNOWS. HE KNOWS. It's wonderful to know that He knows.
And now I really have to go, because Jill woke up before I started writing that last paragraph, and now she's crying!! (I'm a horrible mom.) :)
I was at the park the other day with Jill; she and I were sitting slightly under one of the jungle gyms. Two other girls came climbing down a pole. They were perhaps five years old. Neither had their shoes on (the playground was the kind with wood chips), and one girl told the other girl to go get their shoes. The second girl scampered off. Then the first girl turned to me and said, "I don't like you. What's your name?" She said this without any animosity; she said it as simply as if she had said, "It sure it hot out today." It rather took me aback. So, I responded, "My name is Mimi, and this is my daughter Jill." She said, "Mimi. Mimi . . . I don't like that name." (Again she had no venom in her voice. She was merely stating a fact of life.) I replied, "Well, that's okay. It's my name, so you don't have to like it." She continued to stare at me, and then she said, "You wear glasses. My grandmother wears glasses. She's in the hospital." I then said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I hope she is doing all right." To this she replied, "Of course she isn't. She's in the hospital." Then the other girl returned, they put on their shoes, and they ran over to the swings.
Wow. I was kind of blown away by that interaction with such a young girl.
Another thought that has been blowing around in my mind: the difference between being used and being needed. They're exactly the same action aren't they? Whether you are being used or being needed, the same action of giving and receiving occurs. The only difference I can determine is the giver's and receiver's attitudes. The attitude is the only difference, and it makes a huge difference. It is so wonderful to be needed and so awful to be used, but the only difference is how I feel about it.
Interesting. (To me, at least.)
You know how there is that "law" of meeting someone who knows someone you know, etc., as long as you talk long enough? Well, thus far (previous to this past week), I had not meet anyone in Cincinnati that has known anyone I knew before Cincinnati, and I have almost been here for a year. (It will be a year on Memorial Day.) However, this week, I met THREE! All at once. I think that's kind of funny. I met a girl on the playground who studied the same subject as my brother-in-law, and he was a TA in a few of her classes. (Amy, her name was Kelly Poulson, I believe.) Then at a church activity on Saturday, a woman that is in my book club leaned over and said, "You're from Muncie, right?" To which I replied, "Yes, I lived there from 1997 to 2004." She responded that her cousin (I think cousin) married a girl from Muncie, and she was going to their reception that evening. (She's related to the man that Kendra Ridge just married.) Then yesterday at church, a friend came over and told me about visiting her daughter (Katie? Katy?) in California. She said Katie had a friend named Rebecca who sings beautifully and who came over and sang for her. My friend was reading Rebecca's blog and saw that a Mimi had commented on it and then discovered that the Mimi was me. Haha. It was my Becca from Brazil! One of my best friends from elementary school. My friend from church thought perhaps we both studied music together at BYU, but no, we went back way longer than that. :)
Then a fourth item that I wanted to mention. I went to a woman's conference on Saturday that was amazing. I was gone from my house from 7:45 until about 2:30. I think that's the longest I've ever been away from Jill. Jeff did an amazing job, and he never even gave her the milk I pumped. So, the end of breastfeeding might be near. I can't really comprehend that. Anyway, the main point of this is that at the conference I attended a class that was marvelous (they were all marvelous); however, this class had an instructor that shared something that answered a question I have kept hidden in my heart for years. Years. It was the most amazing feeling to realize that 1. I must not be alone and other women must have this question/concern as well and 2. God knew that I wanted to know and He inspired the instructor to share that with the class. I started to cry; it was so overwhelming. I haven't felt the Spirit that strongly in a long time, and it was just like a hug from my Heavenly Father. He KNOWS. HE KNOWS. It's wonderful to know that He knows.
And now I really have to go, because Jill woke up before I started writing that last paragraph, and now she's crying!! (I'm a horrible mom.) :)
"You need people who are responsible, loyal, and caring, and who are available and interested in what you are going through. Such people are rare, and like all the rest of us, they will have their own downsides. But if you find a friend who earns your trust, hold on forever. Your life will be richer." - Bill O'Reilly
ReplyDeleteHorrible mom? Not!
Mimi, you're a wonderful mom. It's okay (and good) for Jill to cry a little. And I'm so VERY happy that you felt the Spirit so strongly! Our RS lesson yesterday was on prayer, and you're a great example of hanging in there 'til they're answered. You're wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWOWZA! when you write posts like this I never know what to respond to first, but since Hallie has been waiting patiently for me to read this so she can have lunch (read: I am the horrible mom) I am just going to be quick and say
ReplyDeleteYou are still my hero, and that girl in the park was out of her mind not to like you without knowing you.
Ok, Hallie. What do you want for lunch?
lol that is crazy the girl at the park.
ReplyDeleteok so now it is killing me having heard twice about your miraculous answer that you have been waiting for for years.....i don't wanna step over the line and ask... but if you ever feel like sharing- that sounds so incredible to have it answered just like that.
haha. That girl in the park... oh man. I can't believe it. I have no idea how I would have reacted, but I can guarantee you handled it a lot nicer than I would have. And for the record: Mimi is an awesome name, glasses are cool and I like you!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your insight on being used and needed. We are definitely going through that with Zach's company right now and it's just like you said; it's all about attitude! :)
Miss you like always!
I've met some girls at the park just like that. Maybe it was the same girl. . .
ReplyDeleteDon't forget, I met someone you know as well: Jonathan Ridge, though it was only for my week as an EFY counselor, so I don't know him well. . .