My friend Abi sent me a link to Dooce’s page where she contributes to a momversation about vaccines.  It opened the door to a quandary I’ve felt for some time.  I’d like to share it with you all.

I feel a lot like people learn certain things about me and mentally put me into a group of other people “like me.”  I get a designation, or a label and if I stray from it then they feel messed with.  Lately I’ve felt the strain of making sure I keep my labels organized and separate.  But I’m an organic organism constantly growing and changing… how on earth am I supposed to know how to keep things organized.  Or why on earth should I?

- I’m a political conservative who did not vote for Barack Obama.  I believe there are a growing number of people who believe as I do that our country is headed toward socialism in a big way.  I think it’s terrible and I feel powerless to stop it.  That said I also believe that we have a responsibility to care for our poor and provide a quality education for our children.  I think that many democrat or liberal friends of mine have fantastic ideas as to how we can achieve better results in the areas of education and care for our fellow citizens experiencing hard times.

- I’m a born again believer in Jesus Christ.  That said I am heartbroken when fellow believers state that my homosexual friends are on a fast train to hell.  The sin of a homosexual relationship is the same in my mind as my “fellow” believer’s sin of judgment.  Are they both on a fast train to hell?  I hope not, I’ll let God decide that one.  In the meantime I plan on advising them both about how much God desires a fuller richer life for them beyond the things they want for themselves

- I am an animal rights advocate.  I’m also a human rights advocate.  I will save every stray I run across and I seriously would consider beatings or imprisonment for people convicted of animal abuse.  I think they are the animals.  I have 2 dogs and a cat who I love whole heartily and I never see their care as a burden, rather as a small payment for the blessing they are to me.  That said I am disgusted that the care of animals is given more attention in this country than the care for the unborn.  Unborn babies are discarded without a thought in thousands of clinics across our nation while a litter of kittens will receive thousands upon thousands of dollars when they are presented on the news in distress.  People will spend their money and their time and will exhaust themselves with effort to save an animal but see an unborn child as a test subject for research without a second thought.

- I recycle, I’m careful with my resources.  I care about seeing that the planet I pass on to my son is in better shape than the one given to me.  Scott and I use renewable resources as often as we can.  That said I am also an advocate of drilling in ANWAR and anywhere else we can find oil in our country.  I think that we stand a better chance of making the transition to renewable energy if we don’t cut off the only resource that makes this country run.

- Scott and I eat as much organic food as we are able.   We were hoping this year to begin growing much of our own food.  We strive to live a healthy life with as little artificial additions as possible.  That said.  I’m a fast food junkie.  I love me some Wendy’s and (shhh Taco Bell).  Scott loves fried food and chocolate and we have been known to allow Connor to on occasion to eat bad food.

- Connor, our son is not vaccinated.  This is the subject on Dooce that got this all started.  The decision to not vaccinate our child was very difficult for us.  We are not saying never to vaccines, we just are saying no to right now.  I didnt consider that our decision could put other children at risk.  I disagree that it might, but thats so much more than I’m going to write about tonight.  At the same time I depend a lot on Western Medicine,  and natural remedies.  We dont fall back on one or the other we use them both.

- We are gun owners.  But over the last year or so I’ve been learning a lot about pacifism and I am seeing it a new light as an effective and essential aspect of how we deal with violence in this country.  I’m beginning to see Jesus through the lens of pacifism and it’s altering the way I look at things.

I could go on ( and perhaps I should) but all of that is just to say that there is no one way of looking at things.  I get so tired of being placed in a category, of being labeled.  I love listening to Rush Limbaugh and Rob Bell (often on the same day).  Does that make me a right wing fascist or a weak minded liberal?  I’m not sure.  So please please please as you look at me dont see a single position I take and judge me as a whole by it.  And dont allow our society with it’s quick judgements and permanent ink labels put you into a category you’re uncomfortable with.  Boundaries my friend are meant to be messed with.   Finding my own way has in many ways helped me appreciate how valuable it is to know yourself and know what you believe in and why.  Maybe people who have drawn such harsh lines should examine what they’ve cut off from their understanding in the process.

I made dinner tonight.  “Last minute lasagna” – which unlike Martha can actually be found on Real Simple’s website.  I highly reccomend the recipe, you can find it HERE.  Scott devoured 2 full plates of the stuff.  I was smart to make double the recipe and freeze the extra for meals later per Abi’s suggestion (thanks Abi!).  And if you’re interested Abi has a great blog which you can find HERE (I’m getting a little out of control with the links… sorry… back to the post).

As much as I enjoyed dinner I didnt eat much of it.  I’ve been that way the last couple weeks.  Not eating much dinner and not sleeping much.  It’s very sad.  But AGAIN!!!  back to dinner!  We ate at around 6 and by 9 I was ready for something else in my belly.  As some of you know when it comes to food I take things very seriously.  I’m not one of these people that waste precious stomach space on icky food (see: beets).  The OSU/Texas game is on tonight so it was especially important that I make a smart food choice.  You dont eat celery (Abi again!) while you’re watching football.  But despite all my searching no suitable “football food” could be found.  No potato skins, no chips, no dip even of any kind, just worthless health food.  So I was faced with a choice.  Do I dress myself in all my winter wonder and drive to the corner store?  Brave the cold?  Or do I just sit hungry and bemoan my loss for the rest of the game.  neither of these work for me.  Enter comfort food.

When it comes to comfort food it’s a short and very sentimental list.

1. Mom’s fried chicken

1. Egg sandwiches

1. Cheerios

Each of these items has a story of some kind.  Each story involves my parents (they were the first to teach me that food makes you feel better… such an important lesson).

Amidst my fruitless search for junk food I ran across a box of Cheerios in my cabinet.  I immediatly knew.  Cabinet, bowl, spoon, pour, fridge, milk, mix it up and… sigh… joy.  I can still remember standing over the stove in the kitchen with my dad on more nights than I can count eating cheerios with the stove burners on to warm our freezing hands.  Cheerios with Dad at the kitchen table by candlelight.  If I couldnt sleep a bowl of Cheerios with Dad would fix it.  To this day I can’t eat a bowl of Cheerios without that happy feeling.  So… thanks Dad.

Greetings you that read my blog daily – I know you’re out there. I’m sitting here in my favorite spot on the couch and unwinding after a visit from my friend Christina. Connor has been a nightmare the last couple days. We leave for Birmingham on Sunday to see my sister and I’m just PRAYING that he is good for the trip. The rest of this week I’m going to just concentrate on finding my digital camera that’s lost, and giving my son an opportunity to level out his schedule again. I’m feeling very blah tonight. I need to accomplish something worthwhile I think. I’m hoping to make my first etsy sale soon so that will cheer me up considerably.