Better Man

Sitting here on this Thursday afternoon, I am compelled to point you toward the blog of my brother, Clif. I first met Clif probably as a freshman in High School and instantly liked him. I thought he was funny, nice, and he could hold his own with my family, which says something. For the first couple of years of our relationship, I did my best to get under his skin. I wanted him to be a part of our family, but I did what I did best and was a little pest. Fortunately, for all of us, he stuck around. And fortunately for all of us as well, I've matured since then. Believe it or not.

Through the years, he has been known to take me to dinner and a movie when my sister is out, call me at work just to let me know how great he thinks I am (while sneakily trying to set me up with an equally great co-worker of his), go out of his way to get me a flower on Valentine's Day, and make great efforts to not only support me in my endeavors, but also support the endeavors of those friends who are closest to me by treking to concerts or events he wouldn't otherwise go to. Just the other day, he listened patiently to me as I cried uncontrollably on the phone because our remaining two horses had just been given away. Talk about going above and beyond the call of duty!

Because of the ways he's reached out to include and love me, I have grown to know Clif on more and more on a friend level rather than a "he's married to my sister" level. I can say that about all of the men who married my sisters. That's why I simply call them brothers, without feeling the need to tag on the "in-law" suffix. They truly are brothers. Each of them has teased me like a brother, not shied away from wrestling with me like a brother, and I'm sure, although it's hard to imagine, has been annoyed with me like a brother. Most importantly, though, each has loved me and protected me like a brother. Being the youngest of four girls, brothers and sisters alike, they have taken the responsibility to protect me and guide me. Each one has heard me cry over broken dreams, broken hearts, and stupid mistakes. Each one has gone out of their way to give me an encouraging note, a phone call, or even flowers in time of need. They love me, they challenge me, they speak truth to me when I'm being foolish. I am so very thankful for my family in ways words can never even begin to express.

The point of this post is not simply to brag about my family, although I truly don't think I could have been more blessed. I simply want to brag on Clif. It is so very amazing and encouraging to see the work the Lord is doing in His heart and his life. The journey he is on, the lessons he is learning, and the heart he has for the Lord is all chronicled on his blog, http://bingoheaddad.blogspot.com/. It blesses me to hear his heart and his story. And nothing beats his profile picture! :)

There you have it. Thanks for letting me brag. Trust me. If you had the family I had, you'd be bragging too.

The Great Adventure

A buddy of mine has done the dream-able and is currently traveling the globe. After years of planning and saving, he quit his job in January and has since been making his way through Central and South America, journeyed to Antarctica, and is currently on his way to South Africa. He is a fantastic writer who is chronicling his journey via the web and often times, I find myself transplanted to various beauties of the world through his gift of words. Suddenly, I am no longer sitting at my desk on the same floor, working for the same company for which he used to work, but I find myself plastered to the side of an airplane in a sudden perpendicular turn in attempts catch a glimpse of the Peruvian lines. Lately, I've even been amazed to come back to reality and not find myself waddling along side the natives of the artic shores. If I cannot live the dream, I will be satisfied living it vicariously through someone who has the means / courage to do so themselves. (And in the mean time, I get to sleep in my own comfy bed, avoiding the sketchy hostels, being mugged, or life-altering sea-sickness.)

If you have the time or desire, I strongly encourage you to give his site a visit. http://www.tallmatt.com/ His tales are entertaining and informative (I am learning a lot!) and his photography skills are displayed throughout, giving me glimpses of the world I will likely never see in person. That's my plug for the day.

I'm proud of you, Matt. Keep writing!