GANEIDA'S KNOT.

Go mbeannai Dia duit.

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Quaker by conviction, mother by default, Celticst through love, Christ follower because I once was lost but now am found...

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Two impossible things I don't believe.

" Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast..."
Lewis Carrol.

I subscribe to Hamlet's philosophy ~ More things in heaven & earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy ~ so I was always the nerd, the geek, with just enough sporting prowess & social nuance to save me from complete social ostracism throughout school but the fact remains, I'm a geek. I forget to feed people; learning to cook early was a survival strategy in this house. I cook with a book to hand & I can assure you it's not the cookbook! I burn food because I forget I'm supposed to be cooking it, not incinerating it. I cook amongst tubes of oil paints, turps & thinners. I fail to see dust bunnies [who on earth looks under furniture unless they've dropped the spare change?]. I develop neurosis about quite ordinary things like driving into Brisbane but I can give you a point by point critique of poems you've never heard of, books you've never read, obscure artists & dead civilisations. I've been known to submerge so far into my writing my sons have dismantled the house about me without me noticing.

I am aware this makes me something of an oddity in any sort of social setting. Who on earth wants to discuss the price of cabbages & how many ways you can cook beans when someone has just postulated a brand new theory on what the Romans were doing in Britain in 2ndBC? And why on earth would you interrupt such a fascinating diversion to eat?! I know this is not considered good social etiquette even in secular circles. Amongst Christians, especially Christians of the Titus2 ilk, it practically puts me beyond the pale. [BTW, do you want to know the origin of the saying, beyond the pale, because I can tell you?]

Just so you know, I am aware of my failings in the area of practical living. It's true I spend far too much time in my head chasing dead red herrings. I have a head full of information that contributes nothing tangible to any one's existence & give very little consideration to how best to manage my home because on the whole the house manages very well without me, being a house & an inanimate object & all. I do not consider myself any one's role model. In fact, the mere thought horrifies me.

That being said, Dearest cheerfully passes his thorny theological questions over to me & I spend many happy hours researching, comparing, analysing because, let's face it, it's what I do best. In amongst all the other clutter in my head I have neat files on theology, scripture, Jewish culture, Roman idiosyncrasies & allied matters. I have been referred to on occasion as *the walking encyclopedia* ~ not a term applicable in the areas of math or science but I'm good for archaeological cross~referencing, obscure scriptural quotes & the sort of background trivia that would serve me well on a trivia challenge show. Got a question? I'm your gal ~ & if I don't know I know how to find out!

There is nothing in the least special about what I do. If you can read & think you can cross reference; you can research; you can draw conclusions from the evidence. Dearest relies on me to tidy his ideas into some sort of order. If I find out anything interesting I enjoy sharing. I enjoy sharing the insights God gives me with our little home group too. Yep. I'm still the one most likely: to know the physical specifics of crucifixion [trust me; you don't want to know]: which ethnic group the Galatians were affiliated with: where to find the meaning of that root Hebrew word. It's not that I have the time so much as that's the way my mind works. I am easily diverted from cleaning the loo by such things. I will happily rabbit on forever given the least encouragement. Ask my kids ~ who don't encourage me! For me it's just the gift the Holy Spirit gave me & where I operate most comfortably. The people I really admire are those with the gift of helps; those down~to~earth practical types who can see a need & meet it with practical applications. I just stand in awe & gape. [Isn't gape a lovely word?!]

Today's meeting, wherein I read a half dozen scriptures on the Holy Spirit, made a couple of comments & then opened it up for discussion was rather dominated by the more self~confident & opinionated members & with 5 of us busily bandying ideas about it was far too easy for our 2 quieter members to sink into obscurity. I am very sensitive to this realising it can be very hard for less secure people to make themselves heard [as I learnt in Uni] so I double~checked they were fine before we rounded things up.

Dearest & I are in agreeance that we need to try & keep everyone on the same page, so to speak. I was shocked to be told that our Sundays are giving everyone much to think about during the week & that they are once again excited about the scriptures & eagerly delving into God's word for themselves. I was shocked to find that I amaze anyone, let alone anyone in our little home group who are all amazing people themselves. I am also humbled, extraordinarily so, that anything God has used me for has actually mattered. Don't ask me why, but I always think my contributions are far to small to be of any consequence to anyone!

Cheerfully catching up with my beloved Indian friend over lunch & chatting homeschool because this year she will have 3 to teach, she reminded me that I had assured her that if I could homeschool anyone could do it. I'm pretty sure I told her more than once. She eventually took the plunge & found that yes, she too can homeschool successfully! Apparently I am her inspiration. It is a sobering thought. I never aimed on being any one's inspiration in anything. It seems I am entering the *older women* category who are to refrain from much wine & teach the younger women how to love their husbands & children. Now there's a scary thought!

12 comments:

Sandra said...

You amaze me! I'm that practical person who will get you out of a bad spot when you need it. I'm the person you can count on. So I guess I really enjoy the fact you can spend so much time living inside your head. : )

Siano said...

_dead_ red herrings, yet! I love it. Only you could embellish and make a saying even better. (Okay; that's hyperbole, but you get the general drift, I'm sure...)

The HoJo's said...

so long as they can already cook I find your penultimate sentence rather reassuring :o)

xc

Jeanne said...

One day you and I are going to meet in person. I for one can't wait! What topic should we begin with, do you reckon? Shall I bring the food?

Ganeida said...

Sandra: I know who to call when I am in need! ☺

Siano: my love. I know you *get* my rather odd & wacky sense of humour! It's not my cat eating carpets though. [I can't get over that.]

Hojos: Do you feel quite well? lol Ok, I'm not addicted to much wine but I'm not sure I've much to offer on the other count either...definitely need to be able to already cook. ☺

Jeanne: Should I come down with Liddy next month? lol I'm afraid you'd find me a terrible disappointment. I'm actually quite shyish but then I already know you, don't I? Sort of. I'm good to go on almost any topic with a little incentive. Chocolate's always good. ☺ And if you want edible food you'd best supply it. I just can't be counted on in that department.

Siano said...

Don't suppose you want said cat, do you? The carpet eating I can handle; it's when she sits by the bed and shrieks at me in the middle of the night that I have a problem with. Surely Issi needs a friend for when you're away LOL

Jan Lyn said...

Ah, the makings of a great homeschool mom. You will never be bored, Ganeida. I fell out laughing at your ending and I totally think cooking is so over rated. :)

Ganeida said...

Siano, Siano, Siano. Are you trying to get us divorced? lol Dearest has enough issues with the one we own jumping on him in the middle of the night & sitting on his head! A mewling animal at 2 am would not survive the encounter! I think she is safer with you.

Jan Lyn: you are a lady after my own heart. Cooking is sooo over~rated! And I am very rarely bored. lol. Nice to see you gadding the blogs again. ☺

Diane Shiffer said...

You wrote: "There is nothing in the least special about what I do."
Oh my dear, I beg to differ. I do indeed☺

"I was shocked to be told that our Sundays are giving everyone much to think about during the week & that they are once again excited about the scriptures & eagerly delving into God's word for themselves."
I am not shocked in the slightest. In fact most Sunday mornings find me wishing the commute to Australia was short enough for me to join your little congregation.

"I was shocked to find that I amaze anyone"
But my dear, you amaze me. Daily.. well almost daily;)

"Apparently I am her inspiration."
And you are an inspiration to me as well♥


And I am reminded yet again, that I have a package sitting here in my house that simply must be mailed out to you! Sigh... sometimes I think I have fluff for brains. However, I don't think anyone who's ever met you would ever doubt that your pretty little head contained anything but the brainiest of brains;)

Ganeida said...

Oh Diane. We should get on so well in real life. Mutual adoration has much to recommend it! ☺ Growing up & not being/math science it was my brothers [who were] who were considered the clever ones. Older, & occassionaly wiser, I understand I just got a completely different set of gifts & not to grumble because I never did want to be just like everybody else! And I am not worried about that package. Just knowing it's safely tucked away in a corner of your house for ME does wonders for me on a bad day.

Britwife said...

I am a nerd, next to your geek.
The only difference between us is that I can cook. :)

Linda said...

Very interesting post.

I was interested in the less secure people sentence. I know it is not in my interests to label myself as less secure, and I have started to think about it, but it is possibly there is such a thing as naturally shy?