No regrets? Really?

"I'd do it again." That's the headline of the article in the People magazine that I was flipping through this morning. The article was about Abby Sunderland, who attempted to be the youngest gal to sail solo around the world. She got into some trouble and had to be rescued. In spite of that and the perilous situation she found herself in, she said she would do it all again.

Last night, I was reading through some of the Q&As on the American Idol website where the contestants answer questions about their lives, hopes and dreams. Again, I saw this theme of having "no regrets" as an indication of a life lived well. Really?

Thinking back, I am struck by how many times "having no regrets" is offered up as a mark of a successful life. Why? We all make mistakes. But the thought of some of them being for naught or being unredeemed deeply disturbs us. Sadly, the reality is that sometimes the things we do harm others. Or harms ourselves. We just want to be able to know though, that no matter what we did, right or wrong, it all worked together for good. Somehow. But this isn't the case.

However, all things do work together for good....for those who believe in Christ Jesus. This promise in Romans 8:28 is one of the many ways God distinguishes between those who follow Him and those who reject Him. Because when we let Him into our broken lives, He is the One who is able and willing to redeem our mistakes.

I have deep regrets. My sin has hurt many, including myself. A life well lived to me is one that invites God into the very center of it. My hope is in Christ, My Redeemer.

iLove my iPhone

We just got iPhones last month now that they are available on Verizon. I spend a significant time waiting around these days, usually for the kids to do whatever activities they are doing.

"i" am loving mine! Even more remarkable is that my self-declared luddite husband is loving his too. I love being able to be connected to everything at all times. Just yesterday I was stuck at the car dealership getting some service done and it took longer than expected. But I was able to make it a great 2 hours because I had my iPhone. With a phone, internet, Words With Friends, and Bejeweled Blitz, there will be nary a dull moment again! As long as the 3G network is working, of course.

The biggest downside to the iPhone is that it is addicting. So much so that I'm not getting to bed early enough....because I'm playing with my phone at the end of the day. Just one last check....one last turn...can't put it down.....

And because it does everything so easily, efficiently and quickly, its actually making me noticeably more impatient. I've found that the only way to become a more patient person is actually to wait. A lot. So, by not having to wait for things, like my Google calendar and email, to come up on our laptop (which seems to hang if you just look at it wrong), I'm actuallly becoming less patient. That isn't a good thing.

It isn't good because the reality is that we have to wait for things. That isn't going to change.
I'm actually waiting right now. The new sofa, chair and ottoman I ordered from Macy's 8 weeks ago is due to arrive in less than an hour. When I ordered it, the sales guy told me that the vendor says it will take 6 weeks, but in his experience it usually only takes 4. So, my expectations were set for 4 weeks -- 6 weeks at the outside.

Well, 6 weeks came and went. I called Macy's and got a different sales guy. He told me that he actually always lies to the customer and gives them a date 2 weeks further out than the arrival date listed in the computer. So, he told me if I didn't get any response by 8 weeks, to call back again. Just before the 8 week deadline, they emailed me to let me know my furniture was ready for delivery! That was last Wednesday. Great! I thought, because we were hosting a shindig for my dad's 80th birthday at our house on that Saturday. But no, the earliest delivery date would be the following Tuesday. Which is today.

Waiting. But at least I can play with my iPhone while I wait.

New Blog

I decided to start a new blog! Partly because I can't seem to access the old one and I got impatient. I wanted to give it a new name anyway.

Why Just Jane? Two reasons. The first is because these are my random thoughts which don't always resemble anyone else's thoughts. Sometimes I see things through a strange perspective, but that's just how I see them.

The second reason is that whenever I take those Meyers-Briggs tests, the results may shift around a bit, but I'm always strongly "J". For "judging". I am strongly judgmental, obsessed with the issue of justice, or injustice, generally as it pertains to me.

So, I'm Just Jane (just me being me) or Just Jane (a person focused on justice), depending on how you look at it.