Midnight Thoughts on Amy, the New Baby, Tupperware, Shaming, and Grandpa

I had fun reading all the comments on the post about what sort of carryon I should buy.  Thanks for all the input, experiences, and even links to cool bags.

My favorite comment came from Amy, who, shall we say, knows my propensities all too well.  She emailed me:

If I can weigh in on the carry-on question: I would say if you're taking a laptop, your only good option is something with wheels, because even a good backpack gets heavy fast with that much weight in it. I'd say you should look for a good-quality rolling backpack--don't pull my old Mudd one out of the attic or pick up some ancient thing at a garage sale--that's small enough to fit under the seat in front of you.

Just went snooping on Amazon and found THIS: looks perfect to me! A bit pricey, but hey, an accomplished author needs to travel in style. :) http://www.amazon.com/Travelon-Inch-Wheeled-Underseat-Size/dp/B008I0DJ6G/ref=sr_1_22?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1421224700&sr=1-22&keywords=rolling+backpack

Oh, little Amy, you are so funny.

My niece Annette and her husband Jay are the proud parents of a baby girl named Liberty Jubilee, the first Yoder great-granddaughter.

Liberty has an older brother, Justice, who was adopted over two years ago.

Annette and Jay know the pain of infertility and both children are miracles.  I am one excited auntie...and I get to see them before long, after Paul and I go to Virginia for the BMA Ministers' Enrichment Weekend.

And yes, there are lots of you that I'm looking forward to seeing at MEW, but my sister lives a mile up the road, so I might find it necessary to visit with her a few hours longer rather than listening to "Biblical Preaching: Examining, Explaining, Expounding the Word of God."

I am wondering about Tupperware as a plot point in a novel.  So when you wear the traditional white net head covering, it dents and squishes easily.  Also, you can tell a lot by what size someone wears.  And when you travel, you take your best one along so you're not napping in it in the van and rendering it all dented out of shape.

So, the covering needs to travel in a proper container.  We used to use ice cream buckets in our Beachy-Amish days, but Tupperware has so much more panache than a Land o Lakes bucket.  And there's such a variety of sizes and such clever names.

"Mom, no.  Please," begged Sadie.  "Not the ReMarkABowl! How embarrassing!"  She set her battered suitcase down with a thud and watched painfully as her mother, Esther, nested all her daughters' church coverings inside her own and then stashed them inside the the large bowl normally used for potato salad on summer evenings.  Placidly humming, Esther tucked all the strings safely inside and firmly pushed the lid on top.

"Take this out to the van," she instructed, "and tell Dad to put it on top of the suitcases and not underneath.  Connie should be here soon."

"Oh Mom, couldn't you fit them into the biggest Wonderlier at least?"

"Whatever for? Ach, get this stuff out there.  And turn off the lights upstairs too."

Sadie sighed and did as her mother asked.  Just as she buckled her little brother into his carseat, her cousin Connie came speeding into the driveway and skidded her little Honda to a stop.  She hopped out, looking trim and fashionable in a denim skirt and Aero sweatshirt, her hair in a messy bun with a bandana scarf.  Then she reached in the back seat of her car for an athletic-looking bag and --was that a little yellow Seal-n-Serve?-yes it was. Unreal. Connie unzipped her bag and tossed it casually inside.

Esther had shooed the last of the children out the door and come down the walk just as this scene unfolded, so she saw everything.  She hoisted her large frame into the front seat and turned to Sadie.  "Cheer up," she chuckled.  "At least I didn't take the Fix-n-Mix!"

On a more serious note, I am wondering: have you ever been pulled aside and told that you ought to rectify a certain behavior because people are talking?

It happened to me once or twice, in my single days, when I still absorbed shame like Bounty soaks up spilled coffee.

It didn't occur to me to say that if we have to change our ways because people are talking about us, then things are twisted about 15 ways away from righteousness.

I heard the phrase again recently regarding someone else.  "Do you know what's going on with 'Julius?'" someone asked me. "I'm hearing things about him, and I'm worried.  And people at Shedd Mennonite are talking."

It brought back that deep shame of being the talked about, and once again my mouth froze in place when it should have said, "And why in the world is this any business of yours or mine or theirs?"

I wonder if this tactic is unique to traditional cultures like us Anabaptists.  I suppose it happens in the royal family as well.  And in big extended families in Yemen where you have to keep the family honor.

All I know is that it makes me boil up inside like my stomach is full of baking soda and I just drank a bottle of vinegar.

It's wrong, people.
If someone has a problem, go talk to them.
In a nice way.  You know, like Jesus.  "Hey Zacchaeus, good to see you.  I'd like to honor you and be your friend."
If "people" are "talking" to you, tell them you don't want to hear it.
And don't use that vague phrase and all its ungodly implications as a threat.
And if you're one of those people, then stop talking.
And repent, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

And on a happier note, if you're on Facebook, you might recall the picture I posted last summer when my dad discovered Calvin and Hobbes.

When Matt was home, I found out that he had posted the picture on Reddit, a whole other universe on the web where people post things and discuss them to great lengths.  And instead of facebook's "likes", you can up-vote or down-vote an entry.

So Matt posted his grandpa's picture in a Calvin & Hobbes board, and also on a Awwww board.

Each one got over 2000 upvotes.

Grandpa has no clue of this, and never will, but it made me happy.