Abolitionists and Hell

This past week has been very interesting in our home.  For my non-facebook readers, my husband appeared on the Bill O'Reilly show on Monday and debated the existence of Hell with Bill himself.  The aftermath of that show has brought interesting moments of sadness, anger, joy and surprise.  Almost immediately after the show aired, Jack's email began to fill with notes of outrage, urges to become saved, warnings of "heretical behavior", accusations of being  "the face of evil", and  my favorite - revelations of "I can tell you are a gay man looking for a loophole".  Uh-oh, that was news to  me!  

I am currently reading Jane Smiley's The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton.  Lidie has moved to the west with other settlers to develop Kansas territory.  She and her husband are arguing about how to conduct themselves and whether they should acknowledge that they are abolitionists or just try to "get along with everyone else".  Lidie is scared that she and her husband will be killed and is urging him to just get along.  This is part of her speech,

"Husband, you are in the West now, not in Boston.  Don't you realize the westerners hate abolitionists? Abolitionists are people who...who...who keep turning over rocks and making everyone else look at what's under there or, worse, smell it and touch it.  Abolitionists won't let anyone alone.  Westerners hate that."

This is what my husband does, he keeps turning over rocks and urging us to look under them, touch it, smell it, so that then, we may not turn a blind eye.  He will not let society alone.  He will continue turning over rocks and championing those whose voices aren't heard until all rocks have been overturned.  He is my hero.  Thank you Jack, for continuing to turn over rocks with me and teaching me as we go.

Love Thursday, revived

I came to blogging because of my knitting.  I used to read 20 different blogs everyday on knitting.  Now I really just read 3.  One of those is Shiree's "She Knits Shizknits".  I find her funny and I love hearing about the antics of her 2 beautiful boys.  It has been interesting following her, because her interests in knitting began to dwindle about the time mine did.  Not that we don't both still knit...well, I guess she does...but our blogs took a different turn.  She went off into Yoga...ahem...not me!!!  And now she is into DIY.  As you all know, I love this topic!!  So it has been fun to follow her.

She inspired me at the beginning to start my own "Love Thursdays".  I really enjoyed doing that.  It helped me to stop and smell the roses if you will.  I became more observant in my week.  So, she recently reinstated "Love Thursday" and I am going to follow her lead!

This week I am loving:

1.  My boy coming home for Easter!  His hugs are the best.  His carefree spirit is so inspiring.  His bravery is admirable.

2.  Friends who are there for me when I just need some company.

3.  Finding new authors and new books although this is not the way I wish to do it.

4.  Discovering the gift of a friend...her first novel...then her bringing me a stack of books and not one have I read before.

5.  Having my writing rekindled by this friend's story.

6.  My husband.  He is there when I need to whine.  He is there when I need a hug.  He is there to talk seriously about topics when I am bored out of my mind from laying around.  He is there with his quick wit to make me laugh when all I can do is cry.  I just adore him.

7.  Watching my daughter's free laughter and seeing her laugh at herself with her friends.  Her smile could light up a city!

8.  I know this is a bit odd.  But I am loving my doctors and nurses this week.  I am blessed to have 2 doctors who really care and show true concern about me and my health.  I wish it wasn't like this, but since it is, I am so thankful to have found Dr. Carlson and Dr. Barish!

This is what I am loving this week, how about you?