Timeshares

Yesterday Jordyn and I went to a timeshare presentation for the Hilton Grand MarBrisa in Carlsbad - our penance for the $100 gift card we got at LegoLand. It was long and a bit boring, but the whole process was kind of interesting - they have it down to a science. I love how they tell you upfront they aren't going to twist your arm and then they bring in a series of "closers" (there to do something with you other than close you of course) after you've already said no 3 times. When we left, Jordyn and I were talking about the sales guy who was with us most of the time - he was a nice enough guy but Jordyn remarked (and I immediately concurred) that, "he was joky without being funny" - not a good combo. I think Emery felt the same way. During the critical time of our guy's presentation the child care called and asked us to come get Emery b/c she was crying. The sales guy said to just bring her up with us, which we did. The entire time she was with us she kept saying to the guy, "Bye bye."

Much in Little

It's amazing how many things in life I've had backwards - things that I thought were important aren't, things that seemed trivial are monumental, people who seemed insignificant are heavy hitters in ways not fully realized or understood at first (and vice versa). Again and again we are confronted with the paradoxes of life (God seems to like those). What I am coming to appreciate in this life and in people is that the proof is truly in the pudding. You can't manufacture wisdom, patience, love, gentleness, selflessness, character, endurance, and kindness. These things are built through time, dedication, hard work, trials, challenges, victories, defeats, and mostly through becoming more and more a "bottom shelf" person whose intimacy with Christ has allowed God to show through and in some weird way we become more ourselves by becoming less. I'm glad that God desires mercy over holiness, love over works, and realness over polish. I often revert to old habits, priorities, and ways of thinking - but I am learning to see that there is much in little (a la Walden).