Raspberry Iced M

A long time ago, I began writing a list entitled, “Tiny Hills…upon which I’ll Die.” I wasn’t going to publish it on any public platform – especially not this one – because I never want to invite controversy. But in the spirit of full transparency, I offer said list below. Consider me uncomfortable.

1. The American healthcare system is a scam. Insurance companies underpay. Doctors overcharge. There’s a “specialist” for every illness in the country. Society in general is more medicated than it’s ever been, yet sicker than it’s ever been. I’ll even go a step further and say that I firmly believe the cure for cancer exists. But…since said cure isn’t profitable, it is conveniently not available.
2. Android > iPhone. I’ve never had an iPhone. I’ve played with a few. Not a fan. Not as user friendly as Apple says. Easily broken. And no feature as cool as what Samsung offers.
3. Dinosaurs still exist today. A couple of points here. Number one, you’ll never convince me that the t-rex didn’t fly. Those little arms weren’t arms at all – they were bone structures perfectly designed to assist wings meant for soaring through the air. As evidence, I point you to every Biblical reference to dragons. Two, while science today is modern and advanced and sporadically friendly, it is not so modern or advanced or friendly that it has allowed us into the deepest parts of the ocean. And there’s no telling what’s down there.
4. Water tastes better in a Stanley. Unlike the aforementioned points, I offer no evidence to back this up. This is pure opinion. And maybe it’s just because I personally drink more water when my engraved, cobalt companion is within reach, but I firmly believe it.
5. The generally adopted idea that we all say things we don’t mean when we’re angry is categorically inaccurate. I think people say exactly what they mean when they’re angry. I think rage makes people brave. Confident. Gutsy. I pray consistently that the Lord helps me keep my mouth shut, and I am never more proud of the quiet than when I’m mad.
6. The perfect temperature is 68 degrees. At 68 degrees, indoors, you can wear a sweatshirt and cover yourself with a blanket. At 69 degrees and higher, you sweat to death, sweatshirt or not…blanket or not. A cool, calm, and collected 68 degrees…with the ceiling fan on. That is the sweet spot.
7. I don’t buy into the widely accepted concept of forgiveness. Therapists, TikTok, even Christians tell us that we *have to* forgive for our own sake, but we don’t have to let those who betray us close to us again. I don’t understand that. If Jesus did that…if He forgave me but never embraced me…would that be true forgiveness? Forgiveness, by definition, is “to cancel a debt.” The emotional credit score, if you will. I totally see the benefit of keeping a metaphorical armed guard at the gate of your heart. But I can’t say I agree with the rest. Forgiveness, to me, doesn’t exist without second chances. Or third or fourth…forever until the betrayal is set right. To say you forgive someone while simultaneously writing them off – in my opinion – is hyprocritical.
8. As a millennial – Friends was the best t.v. show. NSYNC was the best boy band. Batman is the best superhero, mostly because he’s not a superhero at all – he’s just rich. And Harry Potter is overrated. MySpace was way more fun than Facebook. Chickfila always sounds yummy. Fruitopia was delicious. And Joey should’ve chosen Dawson.
9. Things for which fathers are praised are a mother’s obligation. Example – when my daughter was young, her dad and I enrolled her in dance classes. Our custody schedule rotated week-to-week, such that I took our daughter to her dance classes during my custody, and the next week, her dad took her. One particular week, during my custody, my daughter’s tights suffered a tear caused by her booster seat. And at dance class that evening, another mom made a comment about said tear, perplexed as to why it existed in the first place. I’ll never forget the piercing judgment that accompanied comments about how I shouldn’t have her in dance at all if I couldn’t afford the appropriate attire. The very next week, my daughter’s dad took her to dance in no tights at all, and that very same mother flirtatiously congratulated him for being “such a good dad.” That judgment is universal. Moms handle schedules and appointments and homework and meals and birthday parties and bed times…with little to no room for error. Because it is expected. Dads? If they don’t show up it’s because they’re working to provide for their kids. Or because they weren’t reminded and that’s Mom’s fault. Somehow, some way, all is forgiven. And if they do show up, they are met with sincere compliments and invisible trophies. There are good dads out there – this is true. I have one…well, I have two, actually. But as a general rule, they don’t get lost in the details. They just show up…when they can…and soak in all of the credit. While moms are too harshly criticized for their best efforts.
10. Naps, baths, and snacks solve most problems, at least temporarily. Not because they actually solve problems. But because (A) they distract you; (B) they relax you; and (C) they give you breathing room and time to pray.

I hope you’re finding something good in your day.