It's self-discovery day at the Wise Dogs Blog! That is, for the human behind the blog. I buy ice cream once in a while when the good stuff is on sale. Unlike the days of my deprived childhood, there are lots of great flavors available. My favorites are coffee and anything with caramel. But then the ice cream sits in the freezer until one of the guys eats it. I hardly ever eat ice cream, even if it's a flavor I've chosen. What's up with that? More in a moment.
There are a few television shows I can watch repeatedly, much to my family's dismay. I'm almost over my Red Green fixation, but Deadliest Catch is still going strong. The Learning Channel (great name for a network, eh?) has two series I especially enjoy because of how they reveal routine conflict within a family. Both Jon & Kate Plus Eight and Little People Big World happen to feature families who are Christian, but these parents have issues! Many episodes contain conversations of conflict, or narrated segments where the adults say what they really think about their spouse's traits. I'm fascinated by the vastly dissimilar personalities of these couples, and am always impressed by their acts of affection and devotion to one another. Despite their differences, they love each other. They say things out loud that I would never dream of saying, but the conflicts are rather momentary.
Occasionally, TLC has aired shows about exceptionally large families. They were interesting, but I don't recall seeing any conflict beyond getting the new house built before the clan had to vacate the old one. Important, urgent, but not curiosity-raising.
Here's where the ice cream comes into the picture. I finally realized that I am not interested in eating ice cream all by itself, in a bowl. But give me a sugar cone and I could go for a serving after every meal! It's all about the crunch and the softness -- the conflicting textures. Love isn't about unquestioning agreement, it's about commitment and different-ness. It's nice to see examples of love carried out in ways I can relate to, in situations that might be experienced in my home. Okay, not in my home, but one that I can imagine is a little like mine. Without the girls. Just the boys, ranged in age a bit. And handsome.
That calls for another ice cream cone. Pecan praline, on a sugar cone, because it's got caramel... and nuts. Because real life is crunchy and nutty.
7 comments:
OK Katharine, I can relate to the ice cream story. I like coffee, carmel and ANYTHING with butterscotch - but I rarely eat icecream. Dan will buy it and be frustrated with me when it's left off the list but it really is no biggie to me. HOWEVER, give me a sugar come or waffle cone, then I'll eat rocky road loaded with butterscotch topping!!
As for marriage, as you already know Im learning that if I pray about it and really try to HEAR what God is telling me, it's usually my little quirk that causes the conflict in me and in return I share in large quanities with my husband. If I pray first before I share my conflict or issues, it usually dissapears. Hmmm imagine that!! I wish it wasnt sooo hard to remember... As far as biggest catch, thats a show that I will allow, because I find it fascinating myself. We have a family friend who is a crabber.
Cindy
Cindy, you get the award for relating to every item in this post!
But please remember that well-known country song...
"Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be CRABBERS!"
I love it, Katharine. True love is an ice cream cone!
And you're absolutely right. The "crunch" in my marriage helps me to remember that we're all human. My sweet hubby is no more perfect than I am.
Linda
Now I want ice cream. A Nutty Buddy or something--the whole cone thing got me salivating.
And life truly does go more smoothly when you realize the people you're irritated with are human, just like you. I've recently started saying a quick little prayer when I'm feeling absolutely insane with rage at someone...it works.
Huh... I wasn't thinking specifically of marriage as the source of that "crunch." Sure, the shoe fits, but there are more applications of this analogy.
There are times I'd like to pretend that other people really ARE out to get me... but the voice in my head says that's not quite true.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Good ice cream makes it worth eating!
Proverbs says "Iron sharpens iron as one man sharpens another"
2 things; Iron has to come into contact with iron, and when it does sparks can fly!
To me that says you can't get "sharp" without some sparks.
I have to agree. One of the reasons I like Jon and Kate plus 8 is because they are real. The other huge family never argue. My sil doesn't like J & K + 8 because she thinks that it is horrible the way they treat each other, and prefers the other because that is how a true christian family should be. I saw PPPPPPBBBBBLLLLL to that (that was me sticking my tongue out). Let's be real. All families, christian or not, have conflict.
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