blog neglect

An unintended side-effect of blog neglect is a long-standing technology issue. In all the years of blogger use, this was my first issue. For faithful readers, I have discovered (and fixed) the reason for the gray box and missing side-bar. Welcome back to a fully functional blog!

Now, I bet you are thinking...when is she going to post frequently again? That is yet to be determined.

What is a homemaker?

What do you think of when you hear the word "homemaker?" If you are anything like me, perhaps you have an image like this.

Well, if you know anything about me either in real life or from reading this blog then you would know I don't fit that stereotype very well. Until we lived overseas I didn't cook at all. I have no children. My grandma tried to teach me to sew once - we spent years afterward laughing about the experience and my lack of patience for the process. Instead, I thrive in the wilderness. I love travel. I could live as a nomad the rest of my life and care little about even having a place to call home. My comfort level is somewhat unconventional.

If God were to ask me to go to the ends of the earth. I'd say, "how soon can I leave?"

If God were to say leave it all behind. I'd say, "thank you for freeing me (again) of these shackles."

Why? Because I am comfortable on the adventure, living life on the edge with little to hold me down.

Ironically, God is asking me to be a homemaker. Frankly, I am not even sure what that means and the thought of it scares me a little bit. I have been asking people I trust - what makes a home? I honestly don't know.

I assume it begins with having a stable place to call "home." Then filling it with things that make it feel like a "home." But, I am sure it is more than that. This is where I am stuck. What makes a home?

Can you help?

just Sheri, totally out of my comfort zone

Easter memories...

To celebrate Easter this year, I didn't fill hundreds of eggs with candy or prizes and hide them around my yard. Though, I have done that in the past.

I didn't have the privilege of spending time with family, because I still live too far away.

Image: by rduris via openclipart

Instead of these traditional holiday events, I opted for a variation on the theme. I was part of a group of individuals who put together baskets for the people who are hidden in plain sight because they live in the woods. We went to an area I frequent often because it is next to my favorite grocery. None of us had been past the paved road and in to the trees.

Behind branches and leaves is what could best be described as a neighborhood.  Folks were doing yard work, or sitting in Adirondack chairs in the sun. Some had dogs as pets. Some are known for their practical inventions. Others described their prior evening sharing tea with a friend in front of the television. All would be labeled homeless because they live in tents in the woods on "borrowed" land.

Our baskets consisted of goodies like candy, homemade cookies, Wal-mart gift cards, warm socks and bug repellent.

There is a moment I will never forget. A moment I stole a glance at that was likely not meant for public consumption. One of the couples thanked us for our holiday gift. As we were on our way out, he opened his zip-lock bag of cookies and took a bite, then broke off a piece and fed it to her. It was a tender moment. This couple may have been discarded by a "civilized society," but for that moment I witnessed caring and sharing. It is the gift that I took with me when we walked back out to the hustle and bustle of the city.

just Sheri, touched by the tender side of humanity

un-equal opportunity

I've spent a lot of time over the years thinking about the fact that where one is born can dictate so much of their future. Had I been a female born in many other parts of the world my opportunities in education, travel, mobility (such as driving or even leaving the family home), a career, and so much more, would have been severely limited...if not completely unavailable. I didn't choose where I was born, but that simple fact made all the difference.

Here's the thing...American's find that easy to swallow when the problem is "over there." Not on our soil. Not in this county. No. We are the land of opportunity. If you happened to be born in to poverty, in America you don't have to stay there - unless you are too lazy to work your way to a better circumstance.

Since returning to the USA, I have been asking myself - is that realistic? I am not sure it is.

Does America offer expanded opportunity? Certainly. Can one work from poverty to wealth in one generation? Rarely, but it does happen. Given the reality of some people's lives, I don't believe it is a realistic general expectation.

I volunteer teaching writing to young women who want to go to college. They pursued the community college route within 1-5 years of graduation from high school. They cannot put together a basic sentence and paragraph to make up a cohesive essay. They were born and raised in this country and attended US public education institutions growing-up. They graduated with a diploma from such institutions. Are they prepared to be successful in their career and academic ambitions? Not even close. Why? Because their families didn't have the money to move to a better neighborhood, or send them to private school, or stop working and educate them at home. No, their life circumstances didn't afford them these opportunities...and unfortunately it limits future opportunities as well.

Yes, even in "the land of opportunity" the place you are born can dictate so much about your future...not just in education, but travel (due to limited funds and a lack of role models), mobility (due to unsafe neighborhoods), career, and so much more.

just Sheri, disappointed in the state of our education system

Things that make me go "hmmm"...

I have a confession to make. Sometimes I feel like the woman that time forgot. Perhaps it is just a sign of aging, but there are things in this life that cause me to shake my head in wonderment.

I don't have television, so my exposure to commercials is limited. The times when I see commercials, I often shake my head in wonderment.

I don't have children, so there are times when I am with my friends' kids (mostly teenagers) and am amazed at all they are exposed to at such young ages. Kids loose innocence so much younger these days and it causes me to shake my head in wonderment.

I admit, there is a craze that has been around for years, but I have missed out on it since I spent much of recent years overseas. What is that craze? Cupcakes. I liken cupcakes to a treat brought to school on birthdays. It is special and tasty. What I don't understand is all of the shops dedicated to cupcakes. Then I am completely lost when I look at the price tag. Why is such a simple thing so expensive? I don't get it. I simply don't get it. What am I missing? Please tell me.

just Sheri, totally out of sync with pop culture