Toxic community.
After writing my outline for this article, I happened to turn on Hamilton’s “You’ll Be Back” (performed by King George III) sitting in the car line so I could surprise my first grader with her favorite song from the musical. While sillily singing along, it hit me, this song has all the elements of a toxic community that I had just outlined: gaslighting, misuse of power, and possessiveness.
What if? If not now, when? If only….
For a little two-letter word, “if” packs a big punch! Here’s another if phrase: If Table groups.
The first time I heard about IF Table groups was two years ago when our Women’s Ministry offered the opportunity to sign-up for one. It sounded interesting, was a short time commitment, and involved food and conversation around a table with a girl group. What’s not to like about that? So, I signed up, agreeing to co-host. Turns out, if I had not, I would have missed a great time of fellowship with a multi-generational, small group of women. Some of these women I knew and some I didn’t, but all were all focused on growing closer to God and in their faith.
I really enjoy learning. Don’t you? God has given us these minds that can take in so much information. The problem is we forget it REALLY fast. I think back to some of the subjects in school that I was pretty darn good at: Geometry, English, Physics. Just kidding, I wasn’t great at physics. Maybe you were though! And while I took tests and initially remembered information regarding The Count of Monte Cristo, if you asked me today what were its main themes, I'd have nothing for you.
School’s out for summer! Which means we *should* be getting a little bit of a break along with the school kids. Welcome longer daylight hours and cookouts, swimming and road trips, watermelon and snow cones, movie nights and fireworks - oh, how we missed you. Of course, as a mom, there’s still work to be done... but I do like to ”summer hard”.
My family is a mine of anecdotal wisdom and quippy responses. I have many favorite sayings from them over the years. There’s Grandma’s “Poop or get off the pot,” Grandpa’s “Crack your own whip,” and of course Nana’s “Emotions make a great caboose, but a terrible engine” line. There’s my dad’s “You’re grounded for life” bit and “Anyone want pie?” (a running tension breaking joke in our hard-headed Hanzel conversations).
