embracing the men in your life. (BethP)

(These are from a couple years ago.)

Oh the men in my life! They ARE men.  Yet so young at heart! All three of them! In case I disappointed you with the tease about what it is like to be married to Daniel in another post, I thought I would share more about life with Daniel and my boys in this post.
I am not sure which desire is greater in men, the desire to win, the desire to compete, or the desire to experience and experiment!
You might live at the Paulsen house if you have:
1. bitten into raw ginger just to see what it is like.... fyi.... it is SPICY HOT!
2. found fully intact crawdads in the clothes dryer and assumed they were living when they started off in the pocket of someone's cargo pants in the washer.
3. ever asked if you could put a piece of pizza - among other things- in the Ninja blender.... just because.
4. done the cinnamon challenge MORE that once.
5. eaten raw jicama, and now desire to try raw rutabagas.
6. held your tongue in front of the air conditioning vent in the vehicle all the way home from Chapalla's Mexican Restaurant.
7. tried drinking carbonate milk.
8. you have mastered the art of camo painting trucks and trailers.
9. you get so dirty you have to nearly strip naked before entering the house.  (Yes, that is why all summer there are wet, muddy, sandy socks all over our front steps.)
10. found containers of live worms and grubs in the fridge next to things people EAT!
11. found containers of dead worms and grubs in the fridge next to things people EAT!
12. coined terms such as second breakfast, and second supper.
13. run through three feet of snow in only a pair of shorts.
14. come up with 100 reasons it is your brother's fault.
15. eat the insides of a snake cooked over a small fire in the bayou of Arkansas.
16. broken your nose more times than you can count.
17. have a ping pong table in your bedroom.
18. had massive marshmallow fights with up to 30 people in the house.
19. mooned University Avenue from high up in a cherry picker while working on parking lot lights.
20. slid off the barn into what you thought would be a very deep but soft pile of snow.

Those are just 20 glimpses into life at my house. I don't think it is asking too much for each of them to ALWAYS, ALWAYS kiss me goodnight.  IS IT?

(Again these are from a couple years ago, but they might be my favorites.)

Finding Your Haiti (Beth B)

Beth's most recent blog post inspired me. I have been fortunate enough to be able to travel to Haiti many times. I don't say this to bring me any glory, because, honestly, I go to feed my own soul. When I travel to Haiti I see sights that burn into my memory. Visions of living conditions and suffering that no human being should ever have to endure. This alone reminds me to be forever grateful for all the luxuries I have in my own life. It also helps to rid me of petty jealousies over the things that my neighbors own.
Although these are true blessings, it isn't the most important thing that I receive from Haiti. What I get from my visits is a clear and resounding message that God is still and always has been in control. I watch Haitians worshiping God with wild abandonment despite their surroundings. I am assured of  the hope of the future when I see the bright smiles of the children. I hear and witness miraculous stories. I am welcomed unconditionally by the locals. All of this, to me, is a foretaste of heaven and it is in a place most would consider hell on earth! But isn't that the way God has always worked!
Traveling to Haiti won't have the same effect on everyone. That isn't the intent of this post. I want to encourage you to find your own Haiti. Where is the place that reminds you of God's presence and love for His children? Run to it as often as you can. Fill your soul and remind your heart of your first love. If you haven't found  that spot yet, stop and ask God to be able to see. You will be surprised how many "Haitis" there are!
I have linked a video that does an excellent job in explaining why I go to Haiti. I hope you enjoy. The picture on this page is our dear Mackenson today!
Mackenson's Story