Why I Don't Drink - FAQ

I get a lot of questions about why I choose not to drink alcohol, so I thought it was about time I wrote a blog post on the subject.

Contrary to what some might assume, my reasoning behind abstaining has little to do with my Christian faith and much more to do with past experiences.

Before we dive in, I'd like to make things clear from the get-go that my motivation behind writing this post is not to stir up arguments. I'm just sharing my personal convictions, not passing judgment on anyone else's. Those who know me will attest to the fact that I'm a peacemaker to a fault, and definitely not a fan of controversy.

So, let's begin. I thought I'd tackle the subject in the form of questions I've received in everyday conversation:

Karen Gets in Touch with Her Latina Roots

One of the awesome things I've discovered about parenting is that it's socially acceptable to behave like a complete goofball, as long as your undignified behavior is an apparent attempt to keep your child entertained. For example, now that Karen is more alert and holding her head up a bit, we spend lots of time bopping around to my favorite old songs.

Here's a little glimpse of our fun this morning as Karen got her groove on—Latina style:

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"…I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes…" - 2 Samuel 6:21-22 (NIV)

How to Reach the Moon

I'm only seven weeks into this mommy gig, but one duty of parenthood that I'm really enjoying so far is the business of lulling our little girl to sleep. I love to watch her eyelashes flutter as the pacifier drops from her mouth. Before long, her breaths are accompanied by tiny sighs, and I can see her pupils darting around under her eyelids.

It's fascinating to watch her expressions as she dreams. I can't help but wonder what's going on in that newborn subconscious of hers. I also wonder if she'll experience a vivid and memorable dreamworld, as I have through the years.

One of the earliest dreams that I can remember goes all the way back to when I was three-years-old.

Free & Brave

"And that, my dear, is why our country is the land of the free and home of the brave." I concluded Karen's mini-history lesson with these words this morning as I buttoned-up her 4th-of-July-onesie. She displayed her appreciation for my rant on patriotism by sneezing so that milk came out of her nose.

As I dabbed at my sweet little mess with a burp cloth, I began to wonder if the words I'd just shared with her were true. Sure, back in 1776, our forefathers fought against one of the greatest world powers of the day to defend their inalienable rights. But are 21st century Americans as brave as our Revolutionary forerunners? Are we as free as they hoped we'd be?

On Mother's Day

My mom and I at my baby shower. Many of

our guests drove quite a distance to show

their love and shower my baby with gifts. The

least I could do for them was wear a ridiculous

hat made of ribbons and bows (the handiwork

of my friend, Emily). 

I’d like to dedicate this post to my mother, Carol.

Mom, as I look forward to raising my daughter-to-come, I’ve been thinking about all the ways that you provided for me, taught me, and helped me to grow. Little Karen is so blessed to have a grandma as fun and inspiring as you.
This Mother’s Day, I’d like to share a list of things about you that I’ve always admired:

1. Your Faith
I’m thankful that you raised me in Christ’s love. I love the way that you pray, cherish God’s Word, and are always ready to talk about what Christ has done for you.

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“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes …” Romans 1:16 (NIV).

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I'm All Verklempt!

Baby Karen's crib and bedding (from a

family member who was too eager to wait

until the baby shower). The crib mattress

is a generous hand-me-down from our

friends, deAnn, David, & Havah.

Verklempt: (adj) - Overcome with emotion; clenched; also written ferklempt. Etymology: Yiddish. Dictionary.com

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Sometimes English words just won't do. I've resorted to Yiddish to describe how I feel when I think about all the well-wishes and thoughtful gifts from friends and family who are overjoyed to welcome our firstborn into the world.

We haven't even had a baby shower yet, and our nursery is already filling up with necessities and sweet little outfits that were too cute for our friends to pass up. Beyond that, not a day goes by that someone doesn't express their excitement and speak a blessing for our child-to-come.

It's so obvious that our baby is loved before she's even born. Chris and I couldn't be more thankful.

As I gaze into our child's crib in the morning light, I can't help but think about a photo that a friend of ours, Pastor Rob Tucker, took during a mission trip last summer. It captured an adorable Ethiopian child (maybe 4-months-old), looking up from inside a rusted metal bucket.

Songs that Make Me Happy

15 Songs that Make Me Happy Angelina (1945) – Louis Prima Papa Loves Mambo (1954) – Perry Como Paperback Writer (1966) – The Beatles Oh Happy Day (1967) – The Edith Hawkins Singers Our House (1970) – Crosby, Stills & Nash Oye Como Va (1971) – Santana Call Me Al (1986) – Paul Simon 500 Miles (1988) – The Proclaimers Just a Little Talk With Jesus (1996) – Donnie McClurkin Brighter Day (2002) – Kirk Franklin The Best is Yet to Come (2002) – Donald Lawrence Oh Praise Him (2003) – David Crowder Band Pure (2005) – Superchick Happy (2006) Ayiesha Woods Say Hey (2008) – Michael Franti

What does it mean to be in the world but not of it? (See John 17:14-19.) At one time, my go-to response to that question would have been a list of behavioral do’s and don’ts. I’ve revised my thinking since then, thankfully. While Christians are called to live a sanctified life, we can easily fall out of balance when we focus our energies on outward cleanliness and neglect what’s inside (see Matthew 23:25-26). I wish I’d grasped that revelation instead of a pair of scissors a few years ago when I sanctified my music collection. As a shy child who rarely connected with kids my age, my parents played the most influential role in shaping my music preferences. They both enjoyed the chart-toppers they’d grown up with in the 60’s and 70’s. My dad’s tastes were a bit more eclectic, though, in that he also loved classic jazz, 80’s hits, and pretty much anything with a dance beat in a foreign language.