Big Girls

I am of the firm belief that all females needs a Big Girl in their life.  In our previous church my children were almost magical; the children that came from nowhere.  They were loved from the very first with a fast and deep affection by young and old alike.  The older girls took to them and for the 5 years after adoption we were at that church they played with them, allowed them to be honorary members of their clubs, shared sweets with them, trusted them with their mobile phones to take pictures after the service etc etc.  These girls were from the age of 9-15:  my daughters loved them.  They still have the collage of photos on their wall which was presented when we left.  My eldest daughter still misses her favourite Big Girl and we have been here for 2 years.

We arrived at our present church and adopted children are 2 a penny here.  They were no longer the special children who just arrived but part of the general crowd.  It was hard for their mummy.

They play wonderfully with the children at church and a girl slightly older than them is part of that mix but she is so close to their age she doesn't really qualify for the Big Girl Status.  (I think they must be a good few years older than my daughters).

A few weeks ago a family joined.  They had a daughter and a son.  My girls were drawn to this Big Girl like Bees to a Honeypot.  She was bubbly, warm and friendly with them.  The other night we were having a girly time and somehow, we got talking about this subject.  I asked the girls 'Who is your Big Girl here?'  Without missing a beat my youngest daughter gave the name of this girl.  I hope this family stays.

They asked me 'Who is your Big Girl mummy' and I was glad to be able to name a wonderful lady in our church.  She is great, and good fun to be with. 

In my humble opinion every girl needs a Big Girl.  And I would like to be so bold as to suggest that the Bible agrees with me.  Read Titus 2.  So today I would say, find your Big Girl and be one to someone else.

I dunno.

I like this song.  I ask a lot of questions and I could have written this song. 

Hard-nosed Cynicism or the gift of Discernment?

As I get older I find the 'Grumpy Old-Women' on TV increasingly funny.  I couldn't tell you why really.  Maybe, it is the manic way some of them talk, or the droll view they have about life.  Whatever, it is great.  I quiet enjoy a dose of their cynicism once in a while. 

I think that I am turning into one - a Grumpy Old Woman I mean.  I have a hard-heart. Every now and again an inspirational email finds its way into my inbox.  I am sure I am supposed to be uplifted by them and take the message with me during the day.  (If they have a Bible verse on them I will take that and ponder on it during my day.)  I have to admit that some of the most heart-wrenching stories make me laugh.  You know the ones that are send around purporting to be a true story about some heroic man, woman, child or even animal.  Often my first response is to go to Snopes to check the veracity of the yard that is being spun story being told.  I don't really mind receiving these emails because they cheer my day but not, alas I am afraid, in the way they are supposed to.

I am female - I should feel my eyes filling up whilst reading this stuff but I don't.  I am a Cynic or in Christian cycles I could say that I have the gift of Discernment.  The latter sounds so much better but then I am not sure if there is much difference between the two really; just that the gift of Cynicism doesn't have quite the same ring.