Seamless Socks and Earthly Vessels

I'm not sure if I have discussed this topic before, but if I have then it is a very important topic that needs a lot of attention; bumpless socks or more specifically, socks with bumps, but whose bumps would be better off missing. My middle son, who is afflicted with a very irritable tempermant, can't seem to handle the whole sock-seam issue. Most mornings the darn bump in his socks throws him into a fit of rage that affects the whole household. Even the babysitter is scared of him. I have tried the so called 'seamless' socks (they still have a seam) and they are no better. It's the same scenario every morning. Middle son puts on his socks, middle son has a meltdown because the "bumps are irritating me!" Six pairs of socks later, the issue has still not resolved itself. Most days we are walking out of the house late due to so many sock changes and he is still barefoot and crying till we are half way to the school.

The goldfish that my mother bought for my children have lost their appeal. Actually this happened about a day and a half after they came into our possession and my daughter realized that goldfish and their bowls emit a very foul odor. By day 2, due to untimely deaths, we had already put a pair of goldfish 'to sea'. The odor was completely offensive and intolerable to my 4 year old daughter and she implored that I rid the house of them. I asked her how she thought I should get rid of the goldfish and her suggestion was to "just flush them". She had no remorse or guilt over the thought of executing helpless goldfish. When I told her we couldn't just kill them (while I wish I could convince myself that it was a moral issue, I've got to be honest and admit it was the $40 investment in goldfish paraphenalia that prevented me from participating in her sinister plan), she said, "Well then, put them outside because they are yucky!" Now they live in my garage and I figure if the Houston heat doesn't kill them (from near boiling water), shear neglect might. Already, we are back at 2 goldfish. I asked Lee if he thought the putrid water might make good fertilizer for the plants and he said yes. I accidently poured the goldfish out when I was pouring out the water. I covered it with some mulch so my kids wouldn't see it, but I'm sure the neighborhood cats have already had their sushi.

Just when I thought I didn't have any body or other issues, someone delves into the psyche of my husband and points out my not so thinly veiled insecurities. It turns out that having breasts that look like Barbie's (sans nipples) might actually be bothersome to me and, on some level, doubt my femininity and attractiveness. Furthermore, I might fear that at any random moment my husband might say, "F_ck this sh_t! This is more than I signed on for! I'm outta here!" "Could he really find someone attractive whose body, naked, looks like a patchwork quilt?" I say to myself. "What about all those women out there who don't have these complications? They might seem like a viable option to him right about now." I don't think I've said anything of these things on a conscious level, but apparently my subconscience must be screaming. And you know what, it all makes sense (the insecurities that is). It might not be rational, but it makes sense. I kind of feel like the real woman part of me is gone forever (and I'm not being melodramatic-you try having your boobs chopped off) and all the outward stuff is a little bit like putting lipstick on a pig. Never in my life have I so consciously paid attention to my outward appearance. Not to be conceited, but I've always taken it for granted that I was pretty. Now I make sure that I am always wearing cute clothes and that I have on an appropriate amount of make-up and I always wear perfume. I still want to be pretty dammit! Even if I don't have all the girl parts, I still want to be a girl. I'm considering liposuction for god's sake! Not only how I look to my husband, but how my kids perceive me is important to me. I want them to be proud of me and even though physical appearances shouldn't matter, I don't want them to have a mom who is Side Show Bob.

I leave you with this. This is what Paul had to say about the capsules we inhabit during our time here on earth. I guess I'm not supposed to put too much stock in this shell, though I fully admit that sometimes it's hard not to.

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.

51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.