Thank goodness we're on the same network

My sister and I have recently started talking to each other a lot more than we used to. Thank goodness we're both on Cingular plans--we can talk to each other for "free." It's so nice to just call her up to chit-chat for a few minutes. We laugh and laugh.

My sister and I haven't always been close. She's always been the daughter that catered to our parent's standards. I was always the questioner of thier boundaries and authority. I didn't mind asking questions rather than simply believing my parents knew best. Yes, I was the "problem child." But, you know, the thing is I wasn't a "problem"... I would simply want to know why...why I couldn't watch a movie above a "G" rating, why I couldn't wear my hair down, why music other than hymn couldn't be joyful, why I wasn't allowed to call boys on the phone, why I couldn't watch TV. I was more well-mannered than most kids, but my parents felt that I should just accept everything they said. In the eyes of the rest of the world, I was probably a saint. I will say that I pushed the boundaries by letting my hair down once I got to school, and I would "sneak" and listen to "bad" music when I was at my friend's house. For the most part though, I was scared of being caught, and I wouldn't do much "behind their backs." My sister did way worse things than I ever did. She would put up on front to our parents, gain their trust, and then go out and party it up. At least I was staightforward in my questioning, but I still accepted most of their boundaries.

My parents would always quote Ephesians 6:1-3 to me: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother--which is the first commandment with a promise--that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." They would scare me into thinking I wasn't long for this earth because they felt I didn't honor them. God would take me away so I wouldn't be able to sow seeds of rebellion. (I wasn't rebellious...just wanted to know why.) But, either way, I would quote the next verse right back to them (gotta love what you learn in Bible Drillers--a group that required one to commit scriptures to memory and know exactly where to find them in the Bible), Ephesians 6: 4: "Fathers, do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

I'm learning now that God is full of love and grace...he's not out to get us. I'm really enjoying going to church, but I'm still trying to make sense of God. I'm finding that I need to re-learn who God is. And, before anyone thinks otherwise, I love my parents very much!

Now that my sister is growing up, it's easier to talk to her. She's not as closed-minded, even though she sill misrepresents herself a bit to our parents. I've had to learn not to be judgemental of her. She copes with our parents in her own way. She is old enough to make her own decisions and accept her own consequences. We're real friends now and it's nice.

Just so everyone is clear: my birthday is in ONE week ... that's SEVEN days. Are you prepared? I don't expect presents, but I do expect celebration. And by celebration I mean that you should remember me on that day and give thanks to God for letting such a great person as myself be born. I guess that means it's really a day for you to give glory to God for all my wonderfulness!!! LOL!! :O)

I have a paper due tomorrow in Persuasive Writing. I'm about done with it, but I need to polish it up. It needs to gleam. I would love to get on my bike this afternoon...I think my feet are healed enough. It's looking like rain though. So, I'll cuddle up on the couch and drink hot chocolate! Yeay!