Marfus Binyar/translated as Marthas Vineyard

Okay you know how last year we went to Williamsburg VA for summer vacation? this years summer vacation is way more extreme. we are going from our house to Washington DC and from there to an island off the coast of Massachusetts called Martha's vineyard Liza calls it (Marfus Binyar) and we are staying there for 2 weeks. on our way home we are going to Pelham NY and Hershey's Pennsylvania, and Radford Virginia. all in the car and with Alexa. AWESOME!!

The man with many names...

Some people naturally attract nicknames. Maybe because their given name is either difficult to say or has the wrong 'air' about it. Or said person embedded the memories of others with some fun-filled experience and 'earned' it. And then, some people are just fun to name.

One might say that Garrett has his share of nicknames: Garrito, G-Man, Guido to name a few.

Sometimes he likes the names, sometimes not, depending on his mood and whether he thinks you are sincere.

Occasionally, a name might escape our parental lips that oughtn't, as in a exclamation recently overheard:

"Mommy!!! Daddy gave me a new name: DORKUS!!!"

How exactly do you undo the damage?

The special status of 'paper'

In the parental struggle that is keeping some semblance of a clean house, the ultimate obstacle is paper. Emily has a abundance of paper. I believe there are special categories for people who love paper as she does.

In particular, she likes small pieces of paper. To detail more fully, she likes to create small pieces of paper. And the thing about paper is that you never know when you are going to need it. So you don't want to waste it.

We have fought this battle for the 7 years since she first picked up a pair of safety scissors.

"Emily, clean your room."

At which point Emily stays quiet for 10-12 seconds before saying: "Its finished".

"NO Emily, I want you to put your stuff away."

At which point, Emily realizes that her parent was talking to her, and she takes 3-4 items nearest to her and stacks in a corner somewhere (anywhere, really).

"NO Emily, I want you to put all of your stuff away, and put the trash strung throughout in the trashcan."

At which point, Emily realizes that someone is actually going to review her progress before some significant event is to occur (dinner, for example). She is motivated finally to do her collective best.

A short while later, said parent ventures in to find things reasonable, excepting the life-force of Emily's creative existence: paper.

She doesn't pick it up.

It isn't 'toys', so she doesn't have to put away.

It isn't 'trash', so she doesn't have to throw away.

It is time to define a third category. I'm happy to accept suggestions.

The truth is unveiled

While the Misses and I were out for the night and Louise was in the parental safety of Ms. J, a long believed but never proven tenet was whispered:

"Ms. J, sometimes I squinch my eyes real tight to make the tears come out so people will have sympathy for me."

She didn't realize that Ms. J is a narc.

Walk Small

I continuously attempt to clean myself up to be able to stand before God.
We always have intentions to stand forthright before fellow man. To look another in their eyes, to protect you name in your community, to be able to walk tall not due of pride but because of integrity. And then I turn away from man and towards Jesus... and I cower. I do not measure up. I cannot stand before Him.
And my response is to turn away and push to improve myself so that I may return to stand tall before the King. Yet as I am refined (of both my discipline and the Holy Spirit's efforts) and return before the throne, deeper issues appear before me. I am once again exposed for who I am.
If I was to accept that I cannot rightly stand before Jesus, that I must bathe in His grace, what would life then look like?