Non-Conforming

Here are pictures from the past two dress-up days at Eli and Brynne's school for Red Ribbon Week.

PJ Day ~ "Follow your dreams .. don't do drugs!"

Brynne's YMCA soccer jersey (dear God, look how dirty her shoes are .. they will be cleaned before she leaves for school!)

Eli says, "Go Pokes!!"

Team Jersey Day ~ "Team up against drugs"

The older kids actually have dress up days at their schools, too, but neither one of them wanted to participate. Kyndal hasn't even mentioned dress up days. And Dawson said only the "popular" kids are dressing up at his school because "they want attention." He is a non-conformist .. just like his mama. I am starting to see a personality trait of mine coming out in him!

Basically, if other people are doing it, there's no way in the world I am going to do it. It doesn't matter if it's a good thing or bad thing. I'm just not doing it. No Harry Potter or Twilight for this family. No Oprah for this woman. No Jon and Kate Plus 8 nonsense. No "popular" Bible studies for me. No fad diets or exercise routines are a part of my day. No cliques or organized small groups for Rick and I. If it becomes popular, I run as far away from it as I can. Any psychologists out there who want to tell me what that means?

I like to think that I just live by Romans 12:2 ~ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. I really do typically believe that if everybody's doing it, that I should strongly consider taking the road less taken.

But, I have a feeling it's something more.

Dawson appears angry at the people and things that jump on the bandwagon of something. I can relate to that, because it's exactly how I feel (and have always felt, even since I was his age). I think it really has to do with being frustrated with people not being their genuine selves. They are putting on costumes to conform with what they think others want them to be. There just aren't enough people in this world who are confident enough in looking deep within to find their true selves, who they are in God, and just being that person! They are always trying to be someone else, and it's irritating. It's hard to love people for who they are when they are never being who they are.

(In fact, just this morning I deactivated my Facebook account again .. this time for good. It feels like everybody uses their status updates these days as a way to make themselves look better than anyone else. There are very few people on there who I feel are genuine in what they say. I found myself starting to do the same thing. It was time to sign out.)

Perhaps some of these things have something to do with my trust issues.

So, we stand alone on many things. And I just don't believe that's all bad.

Until Eli and Brynne can form their own opinions about how they feel about conforming to the "norm", I'll still encourage them to participate. Because, they are having fun! But, if they ever decide it's not for them, then we'll just stop doing it. I want each member of my family to know who they are, to be confident in it, and to live it, even if it means losing "friends" in the process.

I feel like I've lost friends in mine.

(As a side note, before you think, "Well, you devote a blog post every week to how great one of your kids is and how your husband rocks! Aren't you doing the same thing?" I want you to understand the intention behind that. I doubt anybody who reads my blog feels like I sugar-coat my life to be something wonderful and amazing. I have good days, and just as many bad days. My husband hacks me off and my kids disappoint me. I don't disparage them, if possible, out of respect for their privacy. But I do discuss issues openly on a regular basis. My weekly posts about them are for me just as much as for them. It forces me to always be looking for the good in them, even in the midst of the bad.)