The Curse of the Profit Women

Isn’t it ironic that certain traits woven through your double helix tend to be the ones that you pray you’d never inherit via your DNA? For me, this unfortunate luck of genetic code is what I like to call, “The Curse of the Profit Women.”  You see, I grew up in a family endowed with very boisterous, loud, strong willed, outgoing women and tried my best to be everything their not.  When you grow up in a family like this you know what it’s like to be embarrassed when confrontations occur; especially when the situation really doesn’t call for it.  You know exactly what it means to speak your mind without the skip of a beat.   I can recall several circumstances when I wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole at the mere sight of my mother or grandmothers’ mouth opening; with the “look” in their eye and the snap of their neck it was a sure sign that a storm was brewing and all in their path was inevitably going to experience the true denotation of a disaster zone.

Now that I’m older I’ve learn to embrace this “curse” and believe it to be one of my best qualities.  Those traits that the “Profit Women” held I had once prayed daily that they would never rub off on me, however, today I’m more than proud that they did.  If I could take just one thing from my childhood to keep with me for the rest of my life it would most definitely be the “curse,” for I’ve learned that it is not so much of a curse as it is a blessing in disguise. From a long line of Profit women I’ve inherited a strong, sometimes abrasive, personality—something I’m not ashamed of owning.   

I never back down from someone who is attempting to compromise my values and I never let anyone tell me what or how I should think.  I speak my mind daily and am not embarrassed when occasionally I speak before I think. (I guess it’s a good thing that 99% of the time I’m always right!)  I don’t back down from confrontation, rather I look it in the face, standing tall and proud.  I know the difference between being obnoxiously arrogant and that of not being afraid to speak out when you know for sure you’re not wrong.  I’m not afraid to ask questions when I don’t know the answer and I’m not afraid to admit that I don’t know everything.   I’m not afraid to intervene when someone is being mistreated. I am kind but not a “pushover.”

I know that I’m not always going to like everyone and I won’t pretend that I do. I do my best to avoid small talk with people whom I have nothing to say.  I stick to my word and never compromise my beliefs.  I know what I want and strive daily to obtain my goals and aspirations.  I never surround myself with people who try to change me or who give me ultimatums.  I believe that marriage a bond between two people who should still be able to hold onto their own identity. I vow to never lose my individuality.  I’ve learned that being honest and upfront isn’t always easy but its right.  I do all I can to stay positive and optimistic and surround myself with people who are the same.   I live to keep a smile on my face.

I realize that my personality isn’t the type for all to befriend and I’m ok with that.  I’m no longer embarrassed of my DNA structure; I’m actually quite humbled by it.  I’ve learned the importance of being you and not compromising that for anyone.  “The Curse of the Profit Women” is something I no longer fight as it is essentially embedded in my genetic make-up.  I will strive to change the “curse” to “courage” as I walk with my head high and continue to make my mark on the world.  

:o) Brit

Loving My Religion!

Have you ever been around a non “church-going” friend and mentioned you can’t do something on a Sunday morning because you’d be at church?  Ever notice the reaction on their face?  It’s like you’ve just told them that you believe there is life on Mars or that you’ve just witnessed aliens forming crop circles in a nearby field.  My point is that people often think that you’re from another planet because you are faithful to your religion—this is where I get beyond annoyed!

For me, my religion is what I “believe” in and my worship is what is best for me.  I’d never try to push it onto anyone else and I’d never judge someone when they believe something different than me.  Just because I practice a religion doesn’t mean that I’m not fun or can’t be the life of the party or furthermore am a “freak.”  I truly hate all of these preconceived notions that people who claim to be “religious” are hypocrites or “holier than thou”—this isn’t always the case.  

Yes, I consider myself to be a Christian.  Yes, I do things (not intentionally) that I know God isn’t always proud of me for and yes, I know (again, not intentionally) that I sin daily.  However, I know that God knows I’m not perfect, nor ever will be and even with this knowledge he still loves me unconditionally and helps me strive to be a better person.  I don’t believe that God loves me less because I enjoy a bottle of wine after work some evenings or have a few margaritas with the girls on the weekend.  I don’t feel that God loves me less because I saw a rated “R” movie last weekend at the cinema.  I don’t think that God loves me less because my views on abortion and homosexuality aren’t exactly what the Bible condones. I don’t think God loves me less because I sometimes don’t get to my daily devotions or haven’t memorized a new Bible verse.  I don’t think God loves me less because I like to go out every now and then and have a good time drinking and dancing with my friends.  I don’t think God loves me less because my husband and I lived “in sin” before we were married.  I don’t think God loves me less because I have non-Christian friends.   I don’t think that God loves me less because I sometimes am just too tied to get out of bed and therefore miss church.  I don’t think God loves me less because I have some hate in my heart (although, I really try not to). I don’t think God loves me less because some people I have yet to forgive.  I do, however, KNOW that God loves me in spite of all of my imperfections and this makes me want to be more God like. 

I believe that my love for God has made me the person I am today.  My smile, my funny jokes, my entertaining personality, my smile, my kind heart (towards most), my work ethics, my family values, my life goals, my never ending pursuit for success, my brilliant thoughts, my crazy laugh, my everything is all because of my love for God.  All of my perfections and imperfections are because of my constant never-ending love for Jesus and my many conversations with him daily are all in hope that he continues to make me a person he and everyone else loves to be around—imperfections and all.  

So, do me a favor; next time you are around a friend that mentions something about religion, please don’t let the “are you kidding me” look be an image that comes across your face.  They know that their religion isn’t for everyone and they aren’t trying to prove anything to you.  They know they aren’t perfect, and never claim to be.  However, they do know they are striving to be the best they can be and their religious views and beliefs help them to do that.  Please, just accept them for all the qualities you love about them and know that their thoughts, views and opinions on the subject matter is what makes them who they are.  Just as you have many different facets in your life that make you who you are, this is what makes them apart of who they are.

:o) Brit

The Blog That Started It All

Blogging.  It seems the entire planet has been blogging for years now and I’ve yet to catch up.  Many tell me that to blog is to admit your true emotions out loud (or in type); something that supposedly is quite liberating.  My response:  So why not just make an appointment with a shrink?   

My take on this whole phenomenon is that blogging is equivalent to adolescent diary writing which is equivalent to a grown up girls nights that start with a bottle of wine, or four, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s  and ends with man bashing. This, in return, is equivalent to venting to a complete stranger who now holds a piece of paper that he or she paid entirely too much for at a University which inevitably was the best four year party of their life. You are now being charged entirely too much to have someone “listen” and whom does a mediocre job at pretending to care just so you continue coming back and pay an endless amount of money to help them pay off their gigantic loan for the four year kegger.    On that note, here’s to blogging!

So how exactly do you start off your blog?  Do you go with the old, yet comforting, “Dear Diary” or would the politically correct term be “Dear Blog?”  And is this something that should be done daily in which I spew all of my deepest darkest secrets to the cyber world in hopes that someone can shed some light on my “earth shattering” dilemmas?  Or, rather, should it be something “meaningful” or “insightful” as to my views and opinions on worldly issues?  Are there rules to “blogging?” What about blogging etiquette?   Maybe, rather than starting a blog, I should start a book or website on how to blog or do they offer classes for this!?  (Is everyone’s first time blogging this overwhelming or is it just me?)

Well, here goes nothing-I’ve officially entered the world of blogging and already it’s proving to be quite the adventure.  I guess my promise to the cyber world is that I will do my best not to let my views and/or opinions get to deep or boring and I will do all I can to keep my “man bashing” to a minimum!  Let the blogging begin!

:o) Brit