Embrace the Suck-Spartan round 2

About a month ago I participated in my second Spartan Sprint.  After my first race in May, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into and I knew I had to be prepared to be pushed mentally and physically but also knew how I'd feel in the days following the race.  (Read that as..."not so good"!) But it was going to be nice to experience the race with a partner.  So Emelyn and I road tripped down to Atlanta to volunteer for the kids race on Saturday and then run the race Sunday.  It was a much cheaper way to race when you volunteer because you get a free race out of the deal.  We decided that since kids were our specialty, why not volunteer for the kids race?! We drove down Friday to Conyers, GA and got up early the next morning to head to what we would later find out to be the site of the 1996 Olympic Equestrian cross country course.  It was chilly...cold for Georgia...and we met up with some outgoing crazy fun folks and waited for the kids to show up.  Our job was very simple.  Move a ribbon from one side to the other depending on if older kids were coming through (1 mile course) or the younger kids (1/2 mile course).  It was fun to watch the kids and encourage them.  It was cold and the kids had to get wet right off the bat so by the time they got to us, they were wet, cold, and many were crying and shivering.  I felt bad for them but I was also pretty pleased to see that no one was giving up.  They may have wanted to and maybe their parents wouldn't have let them if they tried, but they stayed on course.  A big part of the Spartan founder's ideals is how do you deal with obstacles in your life?  Groan, mumble, complain?  Or run at it, conquer it, embrace the opportunity to become stronger?  Spartan races came onto the scene around 5 or so years ago.  He wanted to push people out of their comfort zones and intentionally put obstacles in their way that they would have to work through.  But let's get back to this particular race.  After eating out at Outback steakhouse and getting plenty of protein (and some carbs in those potatoes!), it was an early bedtime for us.  We'd already napped after volunteering (who knew how tiring that would be?!) but it wasn't hard to fall asleep.  We had decided to choose the early race time the next morning due to the incoming rain.  No matter what, it was going to be a chilly 40 degree rainy day, but might as well get there before the course got too torn up.

When we got to the race, no rain...yet.  As we got ourselves ready and stood in the line up corral, still no rain.  Just before our wave started though, it began to really rain.  So we're wet before we start.  Good old Georgia red mud. We get going at a good pace-jumping over walls, crawling under walls, climbing over round bales, running through the woods.  No burpees yet.  About 20 minutes in we hit the monkey bars...these aren't your average playground monkey bars.  Big bars, staggered up and down, and fairly far away from each other.  I didn't get past the first one when I did my first Spartan and I had been using the monkey bars at camp's playground to practice (however they are much smaller in diameter and close together).  My goal was to do better than last time.  And I was able to make it to the 3rd one...but it still meant 30 burpees for not finishing.  Off to the Atlas stone.  Pick up a 40 pound cement ball, walk it to the other side, drop and do 5 burpees, pick the ball back up and return it.  By now it is so wet and sloppy out.  Off to the mud pits to climb in and out of leading right into the barbed wire crawl.  It was actually a tad bit higher than the one in OH and I could crawl a little easier but once it got too low, I rolled.  And that always makes me SO dizzy...and so sick.  Still feeling pretty good. I wasn't soaked to the bone and freezing yet.  My hands were pretty wet and starting to feel cold but that was it. I think that there were a few walls after that point.  I helped Emelyn up and then I got a hand from other folks.  One cool thing about Spartan racers is that they are totally willing to help one another but will let you have the chance to try it yourself first.  I don't remember all the obstacles but I do remember the cargo net in the middle of the run.  We walked up to a straight cliff and I know that I didn't see the net at first and I was like, "Holy &*% ....how the....?" Oh wait, there's a cargo net.  Emelyn and I started up but there was a lady who was really nervous about going up.  Who knows if it was a height issue or feeling unstable on the net but she wasn't having it.  Her friends had gone up first and she was at the bottom.  Emelyn got behind her and I was beside her and we encouraged her up that net.  She was super excited to get to the top.  Somewhere in the next few miles included a bucket brigade, spear throw (30 more burpees!), and more.  When I got to the dunk wall, that water was so so cold.  It was the first time I was going to get my head wet.  As I jumped in and made my way to the wall, I had a hard time gathering myself to go under the wall.  Once I did, it totally took my breath away....actually took my breath away.  But I also had water in my eyes and didn't have anything clean to them off with and walked around blind for a few seconds until I took the inside of my shirt and wiped my face.  Once I opened my eyes, my contacts were actually fogged up!  That's cold man!  As someone else said, "Now this shit is real!"  Soon after the dunk wall was the rope climb (made it higher than last time! I've got to practice this!)....30 more burpees.  I think that the slip wall was next...no issues.  After that we ran back into the woods, away from the mainstand area.  You know you're close to the end but not too close and now it's all down to grit.
What is grit?  According to wikipedia it's, "psychology is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual's passion for a particular long-term goal or end state, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve their respective objective."  This is where I started my mantra of embrace the suck.  This was turning into a mind numbing part of the race.  You know it sucks, it hurts, you're cold and you could moan and complain and focus on what's cold/hurting OR you could completely embrace that, of course, this isn't the most desirable situation but you're going to go into it with the best attitude you can muster and tackle the challenges head on, as best you can, and get through it...and smile through it (try it, it works!)  You're sliding down hills, carrying a 20 pound sand bag through a never ending creek that's full of pot holes, your feet feel like concrete weights that hurt with every step, but the faster you do the obstacles and the faster you run, the quicker you get to the other side...in this case, the finish line.  Sometimes in life we need to embrace the suck.  While we won't know the finish line like you'll know during a race, it still helps to embrace the situation and tackle it head on with the best attitude possible.  

I didn't feel the full effect of the cold until Emelyn and I hit the finish line (we raced across!).  After we crossed and they gave us our medals, shirts, bananas, and fit aid, I started to shake.  I couldn't wait to get warm clothes on.  I tried to rinse off but couldn't and just went in to the tent to change.  I could tell that mild hypothermia was setting in because cognitive function was not so good....Emelyn can attest to that. ;-) haha  After getting dry clothes on (but unfortunately I had brought sandals to wear back to the car....my feet were not in good shape by the time we got back!) we went into the med tent to get blankets and try to warm up some.  After 10 minutes there, we had to walk the MILE back to the car.  My feet were hurting so bad...it was still raining...but finally....we get back to the truck.  First step, warm truck up!  Second step, dry feet and put them into some warm socks.  We waited there for a while to warm up and process everything.  Despite the frigidness of the day though, it was a great race!  I ran it MUCH faster than my first one (1 hr 55 min), I did 1 less set of burpees, and even though I still failed a few obstacles, I got farther on them.  It was after this race that I decided to pursue a trifecta in 2017.  That means that I will attempt to run and complete each of Spartans race distances-sprint (3-5 miles), super (8-10 miles), and beast (12-14 miles). I have committed to the Colorado weekend in May over Mother's Day-a super on Saturday and the sprint on Sunday (I'm going to be in a world of hurt!) and then the beast in Central Florida in December.  Aroo!

Volleyball and Fall

Oh my goodness...the end of October is here and I can't believe it.  Summer camp ended the second week of August and we seamlessly flowed right into volleyball (like the Monday after).  I coached a 7th grade team out of Carroll.  They were pretty fun group of girls.  This was my 3rd year of coaching.  The first year I coached a 6th grade team out of Delphi.  Those girls knew nothing and at least we won a game during our season! ;-) After that season, I got "recruited" by the head coach at Carroll to come coach his 8th grade team that, in his words, would be lucky to win a game.  They weren't the most talented of teams but there wasn't much drama and they had pretty good attitudes.  So between those two teams, we had 5 wins and an unknown number of losses.  I shifted down to 7th grade this season and I had a group of kids who had played some club ball and had talent.  They were also probably some of the squirreliest kids too.  Lots of head shaking, shoulder shrugging, and times I just went, "I don't know" went right along with times of great joy and pride in how they handled tough situations.  7th grade is definitely a hard time in life.  It was definitely one of the hardest years of my life growing up.  Kids are trying to find themselves, handle their peers, handle disappointment and challenges.  I had to bench some players, deal with some poor attitudes, and handle parents who were, well, interesting.  But despite all of that we did well!  We won 2 tournaments and ended up 15-2 on the season.  It was a long season, lasting till the middle of October.  There were games we cruised to victory, ones we eeked out despite playing poorly, and then those 2 pesky games where we were simply outplayed by better, much taller, kids.  And boy was I glad when it was over.

Unfortunately throughout most of this fall I was dealing with being sick for a majority of the time.  Right after labor day up until a week or so ago I was dealing with a persistent cough.  First I started off feeling fine and just had dry coughing fits now and then until a week or two later I was really starting to feel the strain of it.  Being woke up in the middle of the night, coughing so hard my ribs hurt, and just feeling poorly until finally after a month of this I went to urgent care, was diagnosed with tracheobronchitis, and given a host of medicines and an inhaler to deal with the wheezing.  I tried to hide not feeling well from others.  I tried to not complain about it via facebook or anything else.  But due to not feeling or sleeping well, I found myself being, well, quite pissy about anything and everything and wanting everyone to leave me alone, not by telling them but by not being in a good mood.  And I didn't want to fake being in a good mood either.  I was content being in a bad mood because I felt bad.  But the whole point of this is not about what I just said, but that I had the realization midway through this that 1) there are people out there who are feeling much worse and for much longer 2) their illness wasn't guaranteed to go away and 3) their attitude was much better than mine.  Could I have their same attitude in their situation?  I don't know really.  I'm thankful now to feel much better (minus the ribs...no confirmation but I wouldn't be surprised if one had been cracked from the force of the coughing).  I'm thankful to be able to run now after not doing so since early September.  I'm thankful for health and strength.  I hope if the situation were to ever arise, and I surely hope it doesn't, that my attitude would be so much better, so much more positive, and with much less grumpiness.  My situation was no where near what some people go through for months and years.  So lesson learned.  I got it.  Glad it's over.  :-P  Now to enjoy my favorite season of the year!!!

The Empty Finger

Now before I go too far down this road, let it be known that this is not supposed to be taken as complaining or a pity party...just thoughts and feelings....

The empty finger?  Which finger is that?  It's the ring finger that is as bare as the day I was born 36 years ago.  Most of the time I'm content to be single, to be free to take off at any moment, to be there for others when they need it.  Sometimes though, I think it'd be so nice to have someone by my side to enjoy this life with.  To go on a trip and have a companion to enjoy the time with.  That has been on my mind recently.  I had the opportunity to be able to take off for a few days this week but I chose not to.  I had a few places I wanted to go but I didn't want to go solo this time.  I've been on many a trip solo and thoroughly enjoyed myself-Traverse City, Anaheim, and several national parks. As much as I enjoyed those trips, I found myself, from time to time, wanting to turn to the side and say, "Hey, how beautiful is that?" But there was no one there.  Those times were great as they allowed me to reboot and get away and get refreshed.  But this time, I chose to not go anywhere.  To stay home, sleep, and do nothing while here.  That however has been nice in its own right. ;-)

Singleness is both a gift and a burden.  I love being single but there are times, occasionally, that I wish I weren't.  That there was someone to share this crazy ride call life with.  I know that being in a relationship is hard...it's not easy....it requires selflessness, time, work, dedication, and more work. Being single, you don't have to worry about any of that.  I can choose to do something...and I can choose not to...something that's not a guarantee with someone else in the picture. At this point, I don't know if there will ever be someone to share this ride with and the choice to be content is a daily one, although I'm human and it doesn't mean I can have wishes of my own.  As co-workers announce pregnancies and engagements, I honestly find it hard to wish them congratulations because it's a reminder.  It's not that I'm not happy for them, but it's a vivid reminder of what I don't have.  Here's my announcement...nothing's changed.  I'm still single and solo.   Just thought you might want to know.  ;-) For now I guess I'll continue to be a 3rd wheel with my married friends.

Heart Warming Moments...Camp Style

There's been a lot of heart warming moments lately, moments that make me so glad to have the job I have.  It's an extremely tough job that takes its toll physically and emotionally.  I'm both glad and sad when it ends.  The hard daily work lessens a bit but not having the kids around makes you sad at the same time.

Last week there was a camper who was so excited to take Farm Discovery clinic that he brought overalls and mud boots with him.  I mean, how cute is that!!!  It made me so happy that our animals mean so much to others.  By happy, I mean I had legit tears.

This week I have a camper that, for whatever reason, gets along with Clifford in such a way that he is the happiest horse out there.  He's been a little reluctant to move lately and takes much encouragement from us as the instructor.  We walked into the arena yesterday and after little Amelia gets on and walks around a while, we decide to get ready to trot and I get ready to help her along.  Much to my absolute delight, he picks up the trot right away and is licking his lips the entire time, meaning how much he is enjoying his rider.  Little Amelia knows little about horses and I don't know if she totally understood my excitement but I think she understood enough that it was a good thing and it had to give her confidence.  I mean do you see the joy from this child just pouring out of her?!

Last week I had the opportunity to hear about a couple of my counselors who are getting what camp is all about.  They are letting God work in them and through them.  Through the hot, weary, exhausting days they are taking the time to intentionally connect with children.

And lastly I got an email from a parent that summed up in words the feelings I've been having lately.  I've had a lot of horseless horse fanatical kids this summer.  They know very little but their passion is there. I had been wanting to encourage my counselors to keep speaking instruction in love and patience, even though they've been saying the same things for 7 weeks already.  I wanted them to remember what it was like to be a kid and have an obsession with horses but to live in suburbia and have no outlet.  Your excitement and joy is there but the knowledge and ability is not.  Patience is required so you don't squash their enthusiasm but as you instruct, don't forget that in their excitement, they won't remember everything.  This parent wrote in about their horse crazy child who was born to supportive parents with no horse experience whatsoever and they live in suburbia and how they've been combing through the pictures posted on the website every day and how this upcoming week was going to be almost magical for their daughter.  (No pressure!)  She was delighted that we as staff were willing to share our expertise with campers.  Thanks Mom!  That's exactly what I was trying to convey to my staff.  Way to put it into words!  Trust me, we'll do our very best to give her the most memorable experience ever.  We'll do our best to give her a strong foundation of riding and horse experience.  We'll keep her safe as best we can and help her to have loads of fun.  It's the same thing we try to do every week but you can bet I'll be keeping my eye on her this next week!  To have a mom take the time to write in and encourage us....thanks Mom!!  And there you have it....our end of summer heart warming moments.

"Tecumseh"

I just got home from a closing campfire after the 7th long week of summer camp.  It's hard to believe there are only 2 more weeks left until camp transitions to a whole new routine with it's own struggles and challenges.  As I look back at the summer I wonder where it's gone and at the same time, week 2 seems like a lifetime ago.  So much has changed within those weeks.  The counselors have gone from nervous, wide eyed, bewildered folks into confident, wise adults who have done more and seen more

and experienced more in these past 7 weeks then some people will do in a year, or 2 or 3.  They've grown in their faith, their resilience, their ability to manage chaos and 10-200 screaming campers, and in their ability to connect with, empathize with, and love all who stepped through their doors.  Being a camp counselor is one of the hardest things you will ever do in your life. You will be exhausted, worn out physically, mentally, and emotionally, you'll probably be sick/hurt at some point, and you'll have campers who drive you up a wall.  Yet you will love every minute because camp is, well, camp.  Camp is a place you can know what LOVE is, what UNDERSTANDING takes, what SELFLESSNESS means, and where CARING abounds.  Camp has a lot of things-climbing walls, zip lines, blobs, rope swings, horses, slides-but none of those things are what camp is.  Campers will forget about the activities but they won't ever forget that an adult took the time to play a game alongside them, not be judgmental or put them down just because they are a kid, get wacky with them with no concern of what others might think, to know them, to love them even when they were unlovable, and they will leave knowing that someone cares for them.  And through all of that, camp will teach them that there is One who will forever and perfectly love them for all of their lives.  "God is most important to me, others are second only to him, and I am third."

What is camp?  Camp is all the little things that happen between the big things.  Camp is having a little river village boy come up to the staff table during dinner and have the complete attention of all the staff there as he performs a card trick, much to the bewilderment of all (FYI I'm still baffled).  Camp is about almost crying when you get a friendship bracelet.  Camp is about celebrating life and triumphs that come in all shapes and sizes from getting a blue band after a week of lessons to getting your horse to canter. Camp is sitting down next to a camper who's not even in your cabin and make a connection over a game of checkers.  Camp is about pointing out the awesomeness of others instead of putting others down to make you look good.  Camp is high fiving someone just for making it to the barn on time.  Camp is about the older kids cheering on the younger kids as they attempt a cheer leading routine or hip hop dance.  Camp is playing Flamingo hunter and going absolutely crazy because someone was able to make the ducky into the bucket. Camp is singing at the top of your lungs during Song fest even if you can't stay on key because you want the world to know how you feel about God.  Camp is about being speechless when a counselor gets the "it" of camp and can tell it better than you can.  Camp is where you can live each moment of each day to its fullest.

As I listened to Mike, Heidi, and Jordan play "Touch of the Master's Hand" I found myself thinking so much about my year as a counselor.  Those 9 weeks were the best weeks spent of my life.  They changed me, molded me, grew me from the inside out.  I learned what I was capable of, that it was okay to be the me God created me to be, and to love completely and selflessly.    I remember sitting at closing campfire with my girls each week, truly sad to see it come to an end, singing about an old violin, the spark that ignites the flame, or singing about the love we felt at camp.  It's being hot and sweaty at closing campfire but still wrapping your arms around the person next to you and swaying with the music.  It's giving out hugs to people you barely know.  It's taking the chief's creed seriously even as the whole ceremony might be strange to the casual observer.  It's about crying with your torchbearers who you have only known for a week but you know you won't see them again as campers.  Even now, 13 years later, the closing ceremonies bring up memories and emotions of how powerful that first summer is and how important it continues to be now.

I find it SO hard to explain camp to someone who hasn't gone through it.  Words are hard while emotions are plenty, but if there's one thing that's been on my heart this summer it's that this is for the kids.  Sometimes I do question why I do it over and over and over but I definitely live for these 3 months.  These 3 months remind me why I do it.  We have sleepless nights, long hours in the heat, and countless early mornings over and over so we can make sure that every single child, from week 1 to week 9, feel like they had an experience that was made just for them.  It doesn't matter that it was the 100th time we've done an activity, for that one camper it's their first and only opportunity.  We are here for them, to help them have a better tomorrow.  That's why we do what we do and because of that, we are forever changed as well.

Why are you Running? Are you training for something? Nope, just running....

Now that the weather is getting nicer, more people are out and about as I am running.  I usually try to run when I know no one is going to be around.  Running is a very personal thing for me.  I don't do it for anyone but me and it's my time.  I realize that I live alone and that personal time should be easy but it isn't always.  When you're home, you're always feeling like you need to be doing something.  Chores around the house, catching up on bills, cleaning, etc.  But when you run, it's the only thing you need to be doing at that moment and it's nice.  Now people are coming up to me and asking if I'm

training for something.  Not necessarily (that seems confusing to some).  I'm just running....I "like" it.  I may not always look forward to the run, it may hurt while I run, but I have never regretted running.  I've regretted not finding the the time or motivation to run but never got back from a run regretting the time I spent.  And I never come back from a run upset or stressed.  It's an excellent stress reliever.  Bills, relationships, work chores, whatever may be on my mind, I can guarantee I won't come back from the run still stressed.  The problems will still be there but they won't seem as bad for the time afterwards.  Besides running I've also been working on building up my strength in my upper body and core.  Goal: Consecutive pull ups...which are MUCH harder than they were in elementary for the fitness test (maybe because I weigh more?).  I've been doing a Warrior Dash yearly and this year I signed up for a Spartan Race.  I completed a half marathon and want to do more.  I love watching American Ninja Warrior and wish I could do something like that (I lack so much in the upper body strength).  I sometime look back and wonder what would have happened if I had gotten an interest in fitness earlier in life...like in my twenties, when my body recovered faster and I had more energy and my joints didn't hurt after a long day.  I can't regret what I

didn't do at the time.  Then I look back at the 2-3 years where running, even walking, hurt and I was very limited to what I could do.  Once I got healed up and was able to start moving again, I never stopped.  I signed up for a soccer league that next year, did my first Warrior Dash, and got my focus.  Why?  Because I spent those years hurting and thinking I'd never get better, that it would always hurt.  So every day it doesn't hurt is a gift and I'm thankful for every time I run or work out or play a soccer game and I find myself sore....in the good way!

Youth is wasted on the young....I never understood what that meant...until now.  That didn't make sense until I realized what it meant...you don't appreciate what you have until you don't have it anymore.  I'm pushing myself now because I probably didn't push myself then.  Don't let yourself waste anymore time now waiting for your life to begin because it already has!

Just Words on a Screen...so what?

The other day I got some rather nasty messages from an ebay user who claimed I had sent them an empty box and were quite upset and demanding why I had done what I had done.  Wow, dude, slow down.  Way to jump right away to blaming, demanding, and assuming that what had happened was a personal attack on someone I didn't know.  The first question I asked was, "Was the box damaged?" He replied that there was a hole in the box but no way did a book go through there.  I assured him that there was in fact a book in the box when it left my place.  I asked for pictures of the box so I could see the shape it was in and it appeared that at one of the many post offices it went through, the box was damaged and the post office had tried fixing it.  However, somehow, a 5 pound large textbook got left behind and someone, somewhere, has a Physiology textbook they probably don't want.  I explained that I was sorry but that it had, in fact, been taped up well and packaged tight when it went to the post office but that I'd be willing to give a refund because of damage in transit.  This person was not taking it well though because obviously their life had been hugely inconvenienced.  They said that the post office did not receive a box with a book in it (obviously not realizing how many post offices it went through to get to south FL and that any one of them along the way could have made the mistake) and that I sold him an empty box.  I almost had to laugh at that.  I'd been trying to sell off that book since I left college....in 2004....and I didn't want it anymore!  He demanded the refund but due to Comcast (continued) issues, I didn't have any way of getting a refund to him until the next day because I needed a computer, not an app on a phone to get that done.  I asked him to be patient until the next day when I got to work.  He replied, after midnight, "where's my refund?"  He also responded around 8 am, "Where's my refund?"  I wasn't at work yet and I told him I was headed there soon and I'd get it taken care of.  His words?  "Still waiting.  No refund."  Oh....my...goodness....shake....my....head.  I issued a refund...no word of "Thanks" or even, "I got it. Thanks."  And now to the point of this post.

We live behind computer screens nowadays, writing words on a screen without any thought, care, or consideration behind them anymore.  I see it on facebook, comments left on news articles, and just about anything where there is an opinion (even facts) posted, we feel obligated to not only share our views, but to insult and poke fun of the person who posted it (and leave horrible comments against liberals and conservatives alike, even if it's not a political issue).  We don't feel the repercussions of our words....I mean they are just words on a screen going to another screen with words on it.  People get their panties in a bunch, the hairs on their neck raised on high alert, and their blood pressure up anytime something is posted that they don't agree with.  Just because we don't agree on a point has never been a cause for one to get physically worked up over.  You're responding in anger and stewing over a post about a person you haven't met, are likely not to meet.  However are they doing the same?  Are they as worked up as you?  This isn't the same thing but I read once that bitterness is a poison you take that you intended for the other person to take.  This isn't bitterness but I feel like the affect is the same.  I vowed a few years ago that I would abstain from posting political, religious, social posts on facebook.  Why?  Because I had done it before and unintentionally started arguments and I became hesitant to even open FB for fear of what attack may lie once I logged in. It didn't mean I no longer held views and held them strongly...it just meant that FB was not the platform for me to use.  I liked hearing about others lives, sharing my own with people I didn't get the chance to see very often, and "seeing" people I had long lost contact with.  But I wanted it to be free from strife and high blood pressure.  I can say that I no longer hold any hesitation in opening my FB.  I stay away from any arguments and I will make people "acquaintances" if I realize that most of their posts are trying to stir up trouble or are constantly bashing conservatives (I single that out because I see it a lot on my personal FB news feed).  I still have folks who are constantly (it feels) pushing their beliefs on FB and I'd love to respond...however I will do so in person.  Never on the screen.  If you want to know what I believe, ask me.  I won't hold back.  In fact, I'll state what I believe here.  But I won't discuss it.  It's not for an argument or debate.  You want to have a conversation with me...great.  Let's set a date.  But let's always remember one thing...your words that you put on your screen that travel through cyberspace and arrive instantly at another's screen are, in fact, going to another person who has a life, who loves, and who hurts just like you.  Words hurt.  The kids got it wrong.  Sticks and stones will break my bones and words can wound just as much.


Spoiler alert...don't read on if you don't really want to know.




So who am I?  Really shouldn't be of any surprise here.
I'm a conservative republican who believes wholeheartedly in small government and that the government is not here to solve our social issues.  Please let me keep the money I make and stop giving it away to those who refuse to work (some truly need it, not all though!).  My college education was not free and I survived.  I'm pro-life and I believe that someday I'll see all the lives extinguished here on earth in heaven simply because we couldn't be "inconvenienced" with a baby and it was my body so I can do what I want, despite the fact that another life was taken in the process.  I believe in the literal 6 day Creation, no question...and yes, I'm a scientist too and the two can co-exist.  I believe in the Bible.  I believe that some actions (you can probably guess which ones!) that our society is attempting to legalize and condone are, in fact, a sin.  A sin much like others but still wrong.  However I was taught to not be judgmental and that God told us to love the sinner but hate the sin.  I believe that just because we don't agree on a subject, cause, or political party, we can still be friends, we don't have to argue, and I don't have to agree with you to be tolerant of your beliefs you hold.  However I believe we can still be FB friends.  We may not have a ton to talk about in real life but I'm sure we can come up with something.