Popular

I've been a bad, boring blogger. Mostly complaints about busyness have donned the pages of this blog. For that, I apologize. I have become one of those people that I despise-you know the ones that spend 30 minutes telling you all of their goings on and how busy and important they are(using up valuable minutes of your life that you needed because hey, we are all busy!)?!! I don't want to be those people. Even worse are the ones who spend about 6 blog entries on it(me). Get over yourself Janjanmom-we are all busy. Post a real post already.

So for today I want to muse a bit about popularity. I always longed for popularity in school. I was always on the verge, but never really felt like I could achieve it. In my grade school, it meant being a class officer. I did achieve this most years, because I lowered my standards a bit and went for the uncoveted position of treasurer. I also liked money alot. Did I ever touch any money in my numerous years of being treasurer? Never, not one time. Class officer positions really were just a popularity contest. By the time middle school rolled around, I was fast approaching nerd status. I was on the academic team, the math team and also in the gifted and talented program. Had all of those things not been so fun for me, I might have considered upping my "cool" quotient and given them up. However, I was born to be a nerd, so I remained in the "smartie pants" club. By eighth grade, I had added basketball to my "skills" and became somewhat normalized. It was a good year and I had a boyfriend who was also a good friend. Life was good. It was the most popular I would ever be.

The beginning of my high school career was full of decisions. These decisions would effect all four years. I chose two things that allowed me very fun years with lots of good memories-but made me forever "unpopular". The first one was the pursuit of an "honors" diploma(I was kind of popular in my honors classes.), the second was my membership in a wonderful club-the FFA. If I had to go back to high school tomorrow, after crying my eyes out and vowing to never eat again, I would choose them both again. Lack of popularity meant I was never invited to the "good" parties(the ones where people got arrested). It also meant I could be friends with whomever I wanted. Even at the time, just like in middle school, I realized that popularity always comes with a price, usually snubbing "lesser" people and giving up what you like for what is "cool"-I've never been willing to pay it.

As an adult, there are still "popular" people. I just don't have the stamina to do it. I can't keep up. I see friends who are totally involved in one another's lives and while I am jealous-I can't do it. These same people are cool, hip and trendy-homes, clothes, and vehicles. I am not a social butterfly, some of this comes from having an anti-social(not entirely, but somewhat) husband. He really loves his homelife. Once upon a time, this grated on my nerves and I went without him. I dreamed of hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Now, I see the wisdom. I will never be more popular than I am at home. These people love me. (So far, on non-PMS weeks)

Popular or not, God loves me. He will use me and put people in my path no matter where I am or what I am doing. Also, I seem to recall that Jesus valued relationships more than "being popular". So this time of year, while it saddens me a bit that I don't have tons of girlfriends to go shopping with, that we are not on everyone's(anyones?) VIP guest list, that our family probably won't be featured on the cover of the local mag in full Christmas attire, or any of the other things that would make me feel popular, I have my family. My family at home and my church family-the family of God(my church and all others) are all enough. Brothers and sisters across the world that call me family. Nothing ever sets you up for "popularity" more than coming from the right family, and fortunately, this family welcomes anyone and everyone-even an "uncool" sinner like me.