Father's Day

As we near Father’s Day, I find myself reminiscing about the men who helped me to become who I am.

My entire life, I’ve been surrounded by strong men. My dad’s father had two sons, fought in a war, and had an unquenchable interest in anything relating to up-and-coming technology or advances. My mom’s father had four daughters, was a mechanic and woodworker, and taught each of his daughters to shoot a gun as well as any professional. My great-uncle who had two daughters, was a money-savvy barber and forever active, and cared more deeply for those around him than anyone I’ve ever met. My mom’s step-father was a war-veteran trucker with a weakness for dogs—especially tiny ones—and was a tough-as-nails giant who adored all of his grandchildren.

Then there is my dad. He had three children, works in the computer industry, has a major love and respect for nature, and was probably one of the best examples of what a dad should be, to his children as we were growing up. He always made time for us before and after work, and the weekends were special days that he’d set aside to spend exclusively with his family. These were the days that he’d make dinner, take us to the beach, play with us for hours on end, and make sure that we knew we were his first priority.

I consider myself lucky to have been surrounded by these men growing up, even if I can see now that they weren’t as perfect and infallible as I believed them to be as a child. They all made mistakes, and they all have had vices that they struggled with, but I never once doubted that they loved me and would have stepped in if I ever needed them to.

That said, I’ve also been lucky enough to have the extreme opposite examples of manhood around me, as well. You might find it strange that I use the word “lucky”, but hear me out. I consider myself lucky to have bad examples of men around me, because it gave me a very clear picture of what I did and didn’t want around me in my adult life. Having negative examples, mixed with the great examples, gave me a solid foundation once I grew up and started befriending men and women alike. It gave me insights into the types of people I wanted to be around and wanted influencing me.

Nearing this Father’s Day, I look back on all of those examples of fathers that I’ve seen in all of my years. Some were true dads: men that gave everything to prove to their children that they were the priority and they were loved. Others were fathers: they provided everything for their children, but the emotional bond just wasn’t there. And still others weren’t present at all—and really don’t deserve the title “father” at all. Sometimes I wonder what makes the difference between a man who decides to step up and be a positive factor in his child’s life, and a man who cares more about himself than the life he helped to create. 

Then I realize—does it really matter what causes the divide? There are “real” dads all over the place, if you care to look. There are men, like my step-grandfather, who step in when they don’t have to and become a positive male figure in impressionable lives, making a world of difference. There are grandfathers who step into the role of father whenever they see a need. There are men who gladly adopt children who otherwise wouldn’t have parents, simply because they have all that extra love to give. Then there are the men who are amazing examples of fatherhood to their own children’s friends. There are many other wonderful representations of “fatherhood” in this world, if you only care to look.

I think that too often, we (children) are all too happy to look for only the negative examples of the male gender, and forget that there are so many positive ones (and vice-versa when it comes to women on Mother’s Day).

So this Father’s Day, remember the positive examples of fatherhood—whether they are your own or someone else’s. Thank them for being such positive influences in your life or the lives around them. Acknowledge what they’ve done, and show them how much you care in return.

Because you never know how long you’ll have with them, even if their influence lasts for the rest of your life.

Dad, thank you for being my dad, loving us kids before anything else, and instilling in me a wonder of nature and a respect for the things around me. Grandpa K, thank you for sharing your knowledge, always making me laugh, and showing me that girls can be tough too—even when wearing skirts. Grandpa S, thank you for loving me enough to record/buy every movie that I said I liked, letting me run my fingers through your hair as we chatted, and sharing your love of technology and the South Pole exploration with me. Uncle Wally, thank you for always believing the best of me, giving me squeezes whenever I needed them, and spending one-on-one time with me so I knew I was valued. Grandpa B, thank you for being my granddad and loving me, even when you didn’t have to. I will never forget your bear-hugs! 

And to every other man in my life (my brother, uncles, cousins, friends, etc.) thank you for being there! I will never forget you!

~*~Rebekah~*~

 

Summer Goal

I recently made a goal to myself to do something that I had not planned on doing, every day for the summer (June through August). I am only one and a half weeks in, but so far, it’s been an adventure that I didn’t expect. A lot of people have asked me why I made this goal for myself, and I have to be completely honest: I am a naturally lazy person. Given the opportunity, I will veg-out during any free time that I have, and the time will slip by without me having done anything. I’ve discovered that by maintaining my goal, not only to I experience some pretty unforgettable things, but I also keep myself busy and engaged. I feel like I have accomplished something worthwhile and that keeps the negative thoughts, such as being lazy and stagnant, at bay.

Here are some things that I have done, and insights that I’ve gained by doing them.

1.        Made a cold pasta salad from scratch: I’ve never really done this before and it was a bit intimidating. But the outcome was delicious and I gained a lot of confidence in my “if it sounds good, throw it in” method of cooking.

2.        Acted as an extra in a movie: one of my high-school friends works on production, and put a call-out on Facebook. Now, to understand this one, I developed stage-fright in high school and the very act of being in a large crowd stresses me out. Still, I decided to bite the bullet and go. To my surprise, I had a blast, and would happily do it again if given the opportunity.

3.        Decided to indulge in a little retail therapy: I don’t usually shop for myself unless I really need something, so this was a little out of the box for me. But I ended up with some pretty additions to my wardrobe and a few trinkets that I had wanted for a while.

4.        Made the acquaintance of no less than three of my neighbors: again, I am not the bravest person when it comes to socializing, so this was an accomplishment.

5.        Wrote a blog post about something that angered me: I am usually someone who privately rants about things, but I am very careful about what I post on the internet. However, the tragedy in Orlando, and some peoples’ responses to it, infuriated me enough to post a blog entry (of course, it was under another blog, but it sure helped me get rid of those negative feelings). 

6.        Tried a new restaurant: I went with my co-workers and have decided that it is somewhere I need to go again. It was not a place that I would normally visit, so I am glad that they convinced me to go!

7.       Spent the day running around in heels: To clarify, I’ve done this before, and learned my lesson. So why do it again? Well, that’s where the un-planned part of my goal came in. I had planned on being able to sit for most of the day (I was in a career class). Unfortunately, the people in charge of the class failed to inform us that a majority of the day would be spent running between different rooms or on our feet while doing work. Surprisingly enough, my feet didn’t feel bad the next day…maybe I’m getting used to it?

There were other things, of course, but these are the most notable. Sometimes it will be as small as cooking dinner or completing a household chore when I didn’t plan on it. Other times, it might be even bigger than being an extra in a movie. Who knows? But one thing that I can say is that I feel a lot more satisfied and fulfilled when the day ends, than I would if I had done nothing at all.

And that is what matters!

~*~Rebekah~*~

Rush of Life



Wow. It’s been a long time since I last updated this, so let me give a quick overview on what’s been going on in the last year or so.



After the wonderful trip to Washington, my life got busy. In the fall, I went back to school and aced all of my Fall courses (I even got on the Dean’s list!). The courses for this Spring, however, were much more difficult and demanding; but I managed to get five A’s and one A-, so I think I’m doing pretty well for myself.


However, things were not all sunshine and roses. Since last September or so, I’ve been getting every illness that I come into contact with. It all finally came to a head this year when I came down with the Flu in late-March, then got Strep a week later. It was the first time I had gone to the doctor since I was around 15 or 16, and I was so sick my mom had to make the appointment for me because I had no voice to do it with. A month later, I was visiting the doctor again, this time for an infection that I developed after having a stomach-bug. I’m still catching things left and right; but now I have a whole summer-break to recover my health.


Or at least, that’s the plan. Work has been one of the probable causes for my bad health—the Deli I worked in became a political war-zone late last year, and the stress levels have been high ever since. It got to a point where I felt physically ill every time I had to go into work, and I knew I couldn’t continue that way. So when I got an offer to move permanently up front as a Courtesy Clerk, I jumped at the chance. The stress-levels are low, there, and it is a lot of fun to interact with the customers on a whole different level than I did in the deli—no tall counter creating a barrier between us!


On a whole different note, I have been thinking more and more about where I feel God wants me to take my education. This up-coming school year will mark the last two terms I spend in school for my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. There is a possibility that I might be able to teach overseas, and I have been looking into two different schools. One is in Taiwan and my Pastor’s wife has connections there; the other is in West Africa (and I have yet to mention to my family that I have been looking into it…).


Another thing I have been thinking about (and mind you, it’s just in the researching stage), is adoption. I have always felt passionately about adoption, and feel like it is something God has allowed me to be open to. Seeing as I will (God willing) have a secure teaching job come mid-next year, I have started researching adoption and the ins-and-outs of it. I’m a little hesitant, seeing as I am single and have no plans to be in a relationship in the foreseeable future (although who knows what God has in His plans), but I feel that being knowledgeable on the subject and open to the possibility of falling in love with a child (if I ever do fulfill my goal of working with orphans) can’t hurt anything.


And there is a late-night, rushed run-though of how my life is going right now, the important things I’m thinking about, and the things I think might be possible in the future. Hopefully I will be able to post a more in-depth update on what’s going on, when I have more certainty myself! But for now…


Goodnight!

Quick Note

So I find out that I can link different blogs up under my original one! Go figure...
Anyway, so there will soon be another blog connected with this one. That one will be entirely for school, and you don't have to read it if you don't want to.

Also, there will be no picture this week because I am typing this at school.

Just thought I should let you know! Hopefully, there will be something more interesting later!

Life (as it is)

Wow. Three months have gone by, and another semester of classes (granted, they were highly condensed Summer classes, but they still count!). It’s strange how much can happen within three months, and even stranger how those experiences follow us for the rest of our lives (at least I think they will….).
Here is what has been happening.


I took two intense Summer courses, to get myself ready for my first semester in the Teaching program; Math and Children’s Literature. Math was a killer, as it has never been one of my strong points. Children’s Lit. was eye-opening, and probably one of my favorite classes since I began University. I didn’t think I would like it—I got my Associate’s in English and thought I knew everything there was to know about good literature; turns out, I didn’t know a thing. I had a blast learning, though, and came out with a broader idea of the books I’d like to put in my own classroom.


After finishing the classes (and passing both), I was burnt out and ready to relax. Unfortunately, Summer-time is when my job (I work at a Deli) becomes the most hectic. People are always coming in for meats, cheeses, fried foods, or ice-cream; and working the night shift, my co-workers and I are expected to clean everything and get it ready for the next morning…all within the shift allotted to us (the company I work for has issues with overtime). This means I only get two days out of the week to myself, and those days are filled with doing chores, running errands, and other things that I can’t get done the days I work. So my relaxation and free time is limited to Sundays…maybe…if I don’t have anything left over to do…


As you can tell, my first steps out into the “Independent-Adult-World” have been rather assiduous. True, I still live at home; but due to some recent events and also due to my age, I’ve had to become pretty self-sufficient. For someone with my personality, I think it’s better to be thrown into the deep end of the pool so I’m forced to learn how to swim, as opposed to being slowly dragged from the shallow end. I’ll be the first one to admit that sometimes it’s tougher (emotionally) to learn this way, but I don’t think I’d accomplish as much as I do if I was mollycoddled like that.


There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though!


Earlier this month we learned that my Grandfather’s house sold unexpectedly (they hadn’t had many people looking at it and thought it would take quite a bit longer). My cousin (bless her heart) came up with the brilliant idea to go up there and help them pack for their move; as we have both been hoping to go on a trip this summer, she asked me to go with her. So tomorrow I will be taking another step out into “Adult World”; I will be driving approx. 327 miles (526 Km) by myself, with only two planned rest-stops. I’ll be staying overnight at my cousin’s house, then we will be driving out together from there (another 442 mile/712 Km trip) to my Grandfather’s home.


To say I am excited about having a real break from my life, would be an understatement. Granted, I’ll be working most—if not all—of my vacation (not counting the parts I’m wasting in a car), but it’s still a vacation!......................................


Right?............


Anyone?...................


Okay, so maybe my traversal into the so-called “Adult World” has been rather uninteresting in comparison to some…either that or my hectic life is far more realistic than most would like to admit. But it’s life, and it’s mine, so I guess I’m not one to judge.


So there you go. The very short and slightly prejudiced version of how my life is going now. I hope everyone cheers as much as I did about my “vacation” (and I also hope that they keep their fingers crossed that my cousin and I get some sight-seeing in *hint-hint!*). And I hope that more that one can relate to the overwhelming rush it is to completely enter the amazing-confusing-horrifyingly-terrifying world of the Adult.


And if they do—even if they don’t—am I forgiven for waiting three months to post an update?!


~*~Rebekah~*~