What goes around…

So here's a story:

In 1986, Mikele Mebembe was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University.

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Mikele approached it very carefully.

He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Mikele worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Mikele stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.. Mikele never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Mikele was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Mikele and his son Tapu were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Mikele, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mikele couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Mikele summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Mikele's legs.....and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly. Probably wasn't the same elephant.

42

Today is my parents’ 42nd anniversary.  I sent them both a text this morning saying, “Happy Anniversary!!  42 years is a loooooong time.”  My mom wrote me back and said, “Not for us.”  Not gonna lie, I started to tear up.  Then my dad responded by texting both of us with a message meant for my mother, “42 years is a long time to love somebody.  But you made it easy.”  I believe a tear actually escaped to make its way down my face.

Most of the people I have continual contact with do not have the kind of parents that are still so in love with each other.  Every time at this time of year I find myself dwelling on how grateful I am for the parents I have.  When I was in kindergarten, I met Victoria.  I had asked her to spend the night one weekend and she said that she couldn't because she had to go to her dad’s.  I was so confused.  Victoria was the first person I had heard about with parents that were divorced.  I went home and asked my mother what divorce meant.  My mom explained it to me as only she could.  My mom was awesome about being truthful and accurate in her descriptions without overwhelming my young mold-able mind. (the way she taught me about what sex was is another brilliant example.  But that’s a blog for another day)  Now that I knew what divorce was, I got a little nervous.  I asked her this, “Will you and daddy get divorced?”  How awesome is it that my mother was so confident in her God-centered relationship with my father to answer this way: “No, Denise, I can promise you that we will never get divorced.”  My parents never made promises that they weren't sure they could keep.  Wow.

My parents never fought in front of my brother and me until we were old enough to not get scared by it.  I knew they disagreed about things but they always had their “discussions” not in front of us.  This presented a united front.  We knew they disagreed but we always knew that they were together.  Always.

Last week in my dad’s sermon he used the example of their relationship to make a point.  He was talking about how Christian’s can often mistreat each other, therefore mistreating the bride of Christ.  He said, “If you want to make me mad, all you have to do is mistreat my wife.”  He has used that example multiple times.  Each time, my mom gets a little smile on her face.  It’s the sweetest thing.

I could go on and on but I gotta save some for the 43rd anniversary.

This could explain a lot

I’ve decided to resurrect an old idea for a blog.  It’s the 25 Random Things blog.  I liked doing it and maybe, just maybe, you’ll like reading it.  So here it is!!!  25 Random Things about Denise!

1. In high school my “In 20 years” said that in 20 years I would be the CEO of Dr Pepper.

2. I have really, really short toes.  I think they are adorable but my brother makes fun of them, loudly so that others find them humorous too.

3. I don’t like beaches. Well, really, I don’t like wet sand on me. Dry sand is ok.

4. I don’t like being dirty, which would explain why I don’t like beaches.

5. I want to be able to draw and sometimes I think I can.  Then I actually try and that idea is shot down.

6. I want to be a professional singer.

7. I wish I had put more effort into school.  High school, College and Grad School.  I feel like I’ve missed out on a lot of knowledge because I just wanted to breeze by.

8. I have a personal rule of not shaking hands with anyone wearing a rubber glove.

9. I have an unhealthy crush on Sean Connery.

10. I want to go skydiving.

11. I love cheese and gravy.  I believe that every food dish, no matter how bad, can be improved with cheese or gravy.  If there was a cheesy gravy, we could rule the world.

12. Believe it or not, I am a good cook.  I even won a Chili Cook-Off.

13. I like to blog.  I haven’t done so in quite some time because I like to think about it for a while.  I actually have one ruminating.  Actually, now that I think more about it, I have about three rumbling around.

14. I collect Cabbage Patch Kids. Haven’t gotten one in a while though.

15. I had lice, like, 7 times when I was in the fifth grade.  My best friend Sheena had it and kept giving it to me.  You see, when her mom would wash her hair with the special shampoo, she wouldn’t wash her sheets and pillowcases so she never really got rid of it.  My mother, however, went through my long, thick, curly hair with that stupid tiny comb and washed everything in the house that my head may have touched.  After a while she got kinda sick of it and said that I couldn’t be friends with Sheena until her mom got rid of her lice for real.

16. I didn’t think Madagascar was a good enough movie to warrant a sequel much less a third AND a Christmas special.

17. I hate to admit it but I kinda like Labyrinth.

18. I want to be a writer.

19. I wonder where the heck did Planter’s Cheez Balls go.  I know that there are other kinds out there but Planter’s had the best.

20. I used to throw up a lot as a kid.  It was because of my migraines.  I actually wanted to throw up because afterwards I felt better and the headache went away long enough for me to fall asleep.  Because of that I became very aware of the stages of throwing up.  Now, when I throw up little blood capillaries burst all over my face, including on my eyelids.  It’s very strange looking.

21. Daisies are my favorite flower.  I believe some of that to be attributed to the part in You’ve Got Mail when Tom Hanks brings Meg Ryan flowers when she’s sick.

22. I have the best sister-in-law ever.  You may think that your sister-in-law is the best, but mine really is.  I don’t care what you say.

23. I wish I lived on a cruise ship.  Not as an employee.

24. I am willing to go anywhere and do anything as long as I know that God wants me there. How will I know if I should go somewhere, if my husband wants to go there too.

25. I’m amazed by foreigners who are able to do a completely flawless American accent, like Hugh Laurie and the two lead characters on Fringe.

What is my density, I mean destiny?

Written on 3/31/2012 whilst at a women’s conference in Plano, TX

All these speakers kept talking about a calling and who feels stuck.  They are talking about me.  I have a calling but I’m stuck.  I see people all around me fulfilling their destiny but I don’t know what mine is.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t too excited about this weekend.  You know, another women’s conference where I’ve heard it all before.  However, from the first speaker, my heart became soft.  She said, “There might be a dream that you have to go back to.”  I’ve had so many dreams throughout my life but only one of them has been fulfilled: a husband who loves Jesus more than he loves me.  So what other dream am I supposed to return to?  A teacher? A singer? An actress? A missionary? A speaker?  I know the ballerina ship sailed when my love affair with Little Debbie Snacks started.

I’m in a bit of turmoil.  One thing I know is that I need to go back to the place where I was certain God was working.  I don’t know how God is going to get me where He wants me but I’m becoming willing to do and go whatever and wherever He wants me to.

However, I must steal a sentiment from my brother:  God, whatever You want me to do, please, please tell my husband.

Jesus is better.

Friday Five

I don't mean to only post on Fridays but it somehow happens.  I want to write about my brother and sister-in-law but that will have to wait until I'm by myself or when I don't have to immediately come in contact with people.  So here we go, another Friday five:

1. If you were free to just hop in the car and drive, where would you go? Or, if you could hop a plane and go anywhere, where?

Ireland (Scotland) or Israel.  Since my ethnic heritage is centered around Scot-Irishness, I'd love to see those beautiful countries.  Plus, I'm not built for hot weather and most of the pictures that I see of people in Ireland or Scotland are people in sweaters.  Perfect!!!

2. What's your most recently read favorite book?

Oh, this is hard because I actually read multiple books at the same time.  Currently, I'm reading A Clash of Kings and A Light Unto My Path from the Refiner's Fire series.  I love the Refiner's Fire series so it could be that.  Wait!!!  I recently reread one of my favorite books from when I was in junior high, The Last Silk Dress by Ann Rinaldi.

3. What's your favorite Spring Break memory?

When in college, every spring break the Concert Choir would go on tour.  I have a lot of fun memories from those escapades.  However, probably my favorite spring break memory is from my senior year in high school when the choir went to Disney World.  Good times.  Good times.

4. What do you put in your child's Easter basket? Or, for those w/o kids, what was put in your childhood basket?

I am in the w/o kids category so when I was a kid my mom would put jelly beans, hard-boiled eggs, usually some chocolate candy like some peanut butter eggs, and there was always a big chocolate something.  I loved that big chocolate something.

5. Do you get a summer haircut?

No, I do not.

Friday Five!!!

Haven't posted in a while so I figured I need to give the masses something.  So here's this week's Friday Five!!!!

How many schools (up until college) have you attended, in all?

Let's see: Grant Elementary in Lakewood, OH (1); Aledo Elementary (2); Aledo Intermediate (3) Aledo Junior High (4); and Wamogo High School (5)

How many states have you lived in before the age of 18? How many countries?

One country: America!  3 states: Ohio, Texas, and Connecticut

Have you ever seen the hospital where you were born -- where is it/what's it's name?

Yes, I have.  It was a Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Cleveland, OH (not county) that is no longer there.

Do you plan to live in the same state in which you were born, or somewhere else?

Well, seeing as I currently do not live in the state in which I was born, it does not look good for living in Ohio.  Especially since my husband has never lived more than an hour from his Kaufman, even to go to college.  I'm always open to whatever including Ohio or any other state or country. 

Do you still talk to people from elementary school, middle-school or high school?

I do still talk to people from high school.  Sarah, Mark, and Liz especially.  I read a lot of posts by a lot of people from high school.  I take an extra effort to check Stephanie's to see how she's doing.  I do also talk to some people that I knew while I was in high school but that I didn't go to high school with.  My church was (and is) a huge part of my social life and I'm still in touch with quite a few of those individuals.  No one from the elementary school in Ohio and the people in the Texas elementary school are the same from the Texas middle school.  The only one of those individuals that I still talk to is Stacia and that's because she found me on Facebook.  Oh wait!!!  Not true, I also am in touch with Mary Katherine from middle school as she is also on Facebook.  I also worked with on a daily basis for 2.5 years with the little sister of one of the boys I went to middle school with.

Friday Five…on Wednesday

I meant to do a Friday Five* on Friday, but I forgot.  So today, I'm doing last week's Friday Five and I'll try to do this week's actually on Friday.  So, for your reading enjoyment, here is my Friday Five!!!

What event in the world has most shaped your worldview?

I know it seems cliche to say 9/11 but that was my generation's JFK.  What impacted me most about 9/11 was Flight 93 that went down in Shanksville, PA.  I've written a blog about this in the past, like way back.  I remember reading about the passengers on that flight and how willing they were to risk their lives to take the terrorists down.  I wondered, "Would I be one of the ones going down that aisle or sitting in my seat watching and praying?"  When I expressed this question to my mom she said that she had no doubt that I would be going down that aisle.  I, however, wasn't so sure.  Since then I've tried to live my life to become the kind of person that would wield a knife against a terrorist in a plane.

What personal event in your life is the most noteworthy to you?

I have many to choose from: my grandfather's death, my first mission trip (with the vampires), graduation from seminary.  However, I'm going to choose getting kicked out of my church.  That incident shaped me.  I saw how deceived people can be and how our decisions have an effect on others.  It would have been really easy for me to turn my back on church completely but instead I became more acutely aware of how my actions could be twisted and inappropriately perceived.  I became really sensitive to appearance which I believe has served me well in ministry.

What is something you hope to see in the future?

I hope to see me healthy enough to have children.  I saw an episode of a show called, "Obese and Pregnant."  I don't want that.  I want to be healthy so my kids can be healthy.

What song reminds you of the happiest day of your life?

It is really hard for me to pick the happiest day of my life because I've had so many.  I know, I need to cut it out, Polly Sunshine.  Without a doubt, one of the happiest days of my life was when I got married.  My dearest friends and family were there and it was just a blast.  It was beautiful, had good food, and I looked FANTASTIC, if I do say so myself.  The song that Curtis and I danced to was entitled, "The Nearness of You" by Norah Jones.  Every time I hear that song I think of dancing with my new husband and the beautiful day.

What song reminds you of the saddest day of your life? 

I've had a couple of sad days.  Probably one of the saddest was the day my grandfather died.  I won't get into the details of the day but I will tell you that my Dad-o was an incredible man and I haven't seen that many people at a funeral who wasn't a celebrity.  I sang a song at his funeral mostly because of the chorus.  I was requested to sing Amazing Grace, the Chris Tomlin version.  The chorus says, "My chains are gone, I've been set free."  Dad-o had so many physical ailments he was truly in chains in his own body.  Not anymore. 

So I guess my saddest day also speaks of happiness because the celebration of his life was incredible.  This Friday Five is a bit more serious than some I've seen, but that's ok, I dig it.

*If you do not know what a Friday Five is and still haven't picked it up from the rest of the post, allow me to explain.  A Friday Five is a series of five questions that are asked every Friday for bloggers to answer.  The questions are different each week and are different from source to source.