Sometimes I Write

Occasionally I cross the lines between what I post here and what I post on my Sex, Love, and Marriage blog. I understand that I have two very different audiences, but sometimes the message calls for a wider audience, and that is here on My Journey. The following is a reprint from a newsletter my husband Benny receives. He sent it to me and I immediately emailed the author for permission to reprint it here, which he so graciously granted. If you like the article, check out Russell’s website and see what else he has to offer. I appreciate his willingness to step out and speak up. This is a GREAT article! To put a picture in your mind, here’s a picture of MY princess:

Well I know I’m supposed to be writing about Training, Nutrition, recovering Fast from Injury, Attitude and Losing Weight. I know I’m JUST a trainer and not a psychiatrist or psychologist. And I know you don’t tune in here to get answers on how to solve the problems of the world.Well today I must digress. Yesterday the Governor of New York got caught paying for sex in a prostitution ring. He was paying up to $5,000 per session with these girls. The governor is married with 3 daughters.

I’m not moralizing and I know it’s the ‘world’s oldest profession’ and that it’s between 2 consenting adults and it’s his private life. But I woke up this morning not thinking about the governor but about the ‘call girls’, the ‘hookers’, the ‘prostitutes’. And no guys, I wasn’t thinking about what $5,000 would do for me:).

Does anybody care about how these beautiful women got to a point in life where selling their bodies and services was okay? How do incredible little Princesses grow up and then end up in such a degrading ‘occupation’?

Yeah, yeah I know… but Russell don’t you understand that this is a ‘victimless crime’ between 2 consenting adults? Who’s the FOOL asking me THAT question? Victimless?

What about the prostitute? Oh yeah she got PAID to have her heart and soul and self-worth pummeled further into oblivion. But that’s not the John’s fault (or the Governor’s fault in this case), is it? No the Gov didn’t start the process of destroying the Princess but he sure as hell didn’t come to her RESCUE either.

Then there’s the Governor’s wife and 3 teenage daughters. Let’s ask them how victimless this was..

They cheered on Wall Street because a self-righteous, merciless man was being brought down.

I know, I know… I’m just so naive… This is the way the world is- always was, always will be. Not MY world! I grew up with the ‘free love’ of the 60’s and 70’s. It didn’t work because it was really ‘free sex’ AND anyone who knows ANYTHING about history realizes how it destroyed lives. It brought unheard of levels of drug and alcohol abuse. People died- physically, emotionally and spiritually. I went to the funerals.

BUT THE REAL REASON I’M WRITING THIS IS TO SAVE ALL OF THE PRINCESSES IN THE WORLD!!!!!

I need real men to take a stand against anything or anyone who would harm our daughters. Not just your own but every little girl on the planet. And we don’t need to just PROTECT them. We need to let them know who they are. We need to build them up. We need to love on them. We need to give them a reason to dream big dreams.

Someone once told me that Dad needs to be the Man in her daughter’s life until her wedding day.

When the day comes that a little girl stops feeling like a Princess, YOU have to be there to remind her about Cinderella. Help her practice her dancin’. And make sure the Prince IS NOT a creep:)…

As my friend David DeNotaris always says, “Make it a Great Day”…bye4now…

Your friend (iC),
Russell Jones

PS- Please visit us at the http://www.PowerWorkshop.org/ to see what’s new.

Yes, I’m Irish…partly. I’m more Norwegian, but for the sake of this day and this post, just humor me. 😉

This morning I woke up to the parade on T.V. and kicked myself for not remembering today was the day. Back in January before things got depressing and crazy I had looked forward to this day. In true Martha-like fashion, I had a menu planned in my head: Guinness Irish Stew with mashed potatoes, Irish soda bread, and something yummy to drink. I planned a craft/activity/centerpiece that I remembered from elementary school when we grew shamrocks in milk cartons recycled from our snack time. Being the good homeschooler that I am, I caught the 2 for 1 lesson -recycling AND horticulture. My house would smell great when Benny got home, my kids would be proud of what they learned and grew, and we would all sit down to a great Irish meal where we could discuss the significance of the gospel being brought to my ancestor’s homeland.

Here’s what REALLY happened. I rolled out of bed at the crack of 9:30. I stayed up too late last night watching ROSWELL, one of the one-word named shows I like so much. I deserved the T.V. break because I was tired from spending most of the day rearranging rooms so Zoe would have her own room again. But back to today. Seeing the parade inspired me to wear my “Everyone loves an Irish Girl” t-shirt, so I threw it on.  I pulled my crazy, bed head, red hair (say that really fast five times) into a ponytail where it would stay until…well…now, and ate some Fruity Pebbles. The rest of the Nowell clan had eaten 2 hours earlier when they got up. Can I just say I love that my kids can get their own cereal now? 😀 What? Benny was home too. I put a roast in the crock-pot since I had forgotten to buy the ingredients for the Irish Stew. (Forgive me Martha.) We touch up painted Zoe’s room and I cleaned my new office all day. Somewhere in there was lunch, naptime, neighbor kids here to play, supper, and baths. Now it’s 10 p.m. and I’m sipping chai, posting this, and seriously considering watching another few episodes of ROSWELL. God bless our library system. 🙂 Nothing like a dream day, huh?

Tomorrow we’re off to Buena Vista IF Kenosha Pass is open after all the snow that has fallen up there in the past few days. Some Wichita friends are up there skiing and we really want to see them, and the in-laws. I’d also love to surprise Linda. After all the times our trips to B.V. have been canceled due to snow, I didn’t want to get her hopes up so she doesn’t know we’re coming. I’m praying for warm weather. I love Spring.

P.S. Email me if you’re interested in our awesome stew and soda bread recipes. There’s always next year…

Last weekend I attended an amazing conference. I’ve been struggling the past two months and I really needed some things I wasn’t finding very easily. Peace of mind. Spiritual breakthrough. A solid lesson reminding me WHO I AM and WHOSE I AM. I needed to hear that God delights in me. He’s not sitting around talking to Jesus and the Holy Spirit saying, “Well, there she goes again. She’s doubting AGAIN. How many times do I have to prove that I love her? Will she ever just rest in me? When is she going to learn that she doesn’t have to earn my love? That girl is thick-headed.” Nope. Instead he’s up there saying, “See that beautiful girl? She’s ours. She’s rising above even in the storms of life. She’s strong and she’s going to be just fine. I’m going to draw the joy out of her and show her how to shine. She’s my Beloved.” These were some of the words I came home with. Now that’s something to smile about. I’m hoping to share some of the lessons from the weekend in the coming weeks.

I’ve been fighting off sickness since the conference, but I’m going to be resting most of the weekend so I’ll be fine next week. We’re heading to Buena Vista for the first time since last July. We have some friends coming from Wichita and Alabama. It’s going to be a great week. 🙂