A Few Questions of Image.

I received this email from my mother this morning. It reads:

"I don't know if it occurred to you or not when you invited all of your supporters past and current to go to your blog....but...you use some bad language on that site. Sometime you ought to read it again, picturing yourself to be grandma Hobby, or the Garners. I wonder what impression they have of Sandi the missionary now? Hmmm. And before you think that you are just modern and we are just old fashioned.....how would you like your students to imitate you? Think their parents would be pleased? And what about the Lord? Do you think he approves of that? How can a well/fountain produce both good water and bad?And before you get upset with me, consider this. Yes, we all have bad sides and bad days, but we need to work toward perfection, toward being like Jesus as much as we can."

To those of you who have read this site and been offended by the language, please know that I sincerely apologize. I would like everyone who reads this blog (tho' few yee may be) to know that I am a follower of Christ, and that I would do my best to lead a sacrificial life for him. But I do believe that my mother raises a question, not so much about sin, but about image. Everytime I sit down to write in this blog, I think, how shall I portray myself? And the answer is always, "Well, as honestly as possible." Everyone sins. I know we all know that, but do we really realize it? I mean, do you REALLY expect me to be perfect? I'm so sorry, but I do not wish to be on that pedastool. Think of me as human. If I give you a realistic idea of how I really am, then perhaps you'll pray for me more effectively. Perhaps, you in turn will be more realistic or honest about your life, and will grow closer to your brothers in Christ. I do not wish to offend anyone, but I refuse to write fluffy newsletters about all my imaginary ministries I have, or conjure up devotionals from my life. Please don't expect me to be perfect. That's what Jesus is for. That's what Grace is for.

My 8th Great Grandfather

This is a letter from my mother to me. My mother LOVES geneology, which CAN be quite boring, but not on this occasion.


You guys know how I plug on in spare minutes looking up leads on one ancestor or another. Well I was digging on the Mitchell side of Daddy's family and decided to see if therewere any Mitchell names that popped up in Germany. I find this guy who is an ambassadorfrom Scotland in Germany. In the article it throws around names like the Keiths and theEarl of Mar, and the Dunbars etc. which are names from MAMAs side of the family tree. SoI run across an article about James Francis Edward Keith l696 - l758, and start scanningdown through it. Find out that he never married, but had a mistress named Eva Mertens. I thought. That sure sounds like a pair in my tree. So I go looking through the 50 someodd pages of charts and BA BAM there they were!!! So I looked up more articles online onthe pair. This is the abbreviated version:

James was the second son of the Earl Marischal Keith. His older brother, George, and hehad to flee Scotland when the "Pretender" lost the battles with England. This James wasnamed after the Pretender whose full name was James Francis Edward Stuart. Their motherLady Mary Dunbar sent them whatever money she could to help them in France and Spain. Lands and titles were removed by the regent in England because they took the wrong side. The queen of Spain was the mother of the Pretender and she sponsored James for a coupleof years in military school in France. Then he goes to Russia and becomes quiteimportant in the court of Peter the Great. For a short time he was GOVERNOR OF UKRAINE.(Isn't that ironic Sandi?) When Peter dies, Elizabeth, a daughter, takes over. She wasquite the bawdy flirt and had lots of lovers. Its not clear if they were ever actuallylovers, but she sure wanted him and wrote him letters. She wanted him to father herchildren and raise them up to fulfill Peter's dreams. About that time war breaks outwith Sweden and he is sent off to win battles. A young orphan girl about l5,l6 years oldis in the camp (according to one story) and he falls in love with her and takes her hometo be his mistress. In another story he "captures" her during the war. At any rate hecan't marry someone below his estate...but he has children by her. Puts her up on theproperty that Elizabeth had given him in Lithuania. After the war was over, Elizabethstill pressures him to marry, and he kindly writes back that it would not be good for herpolitically and he takes Eva (the girl) and the black valet, and goes to Prussia where hewas welcomed by King Frederick. The king makes him a field marshal. Things go well inPrussia for some time. Eva is quite the striking girl and attracts men. This is aheadache, but James is badly in love. She liked to party and one night she went toofar....either said the wrong thing or did something very inappropriate...and Frederickexpells her from Prussia. She goes back to her hometown of Riga, Sweden. They said shehad striking eyes and a stately figure. Whatever that means. So she lived in exile andJames fought more battles. He never married. She never married until after his death. He died in battle, and was buried with honors in Berlin. There is a painting of him inone of the articles. Wearing the white wig. Doesn't look like anyone I know! :) Afterhis death, Eva and his brother George get into it over James' will. They both burnletters that they were afraid the other would use against them. When it was all said anddone...he had a grand total of 25 pounds!!! Not much for the family to live off of!Perhaps that is why their son, our ancestor, Alexander Keith,came to the colonies inl745.He needed a fresh start in a land of promise.

Love, Georgia/Mom

SPAM-BAM-THANK YOU MA'AM

Post answer in a comment (fill out whatever you want to):
1. Name: Sandi Rose Beth Pennington

2. Birthday: July 2, 1981

3. Where you live: Dhaka, Bangladesh

4. What makes you happy: productivity, Jesus, indulgance, friends, baths, Bangla food, kissing, Rock-N-Roll, people who can't sing and try anyway, Conan O'Brien, plucking my leg hairs, flying fish, brocoli, memories of Marti when she was a little girl, when my momma says she loves me, travelling to places that most people can't pronounce and ticking them off my map, a healthy bit of competition, getting emails, seeing my tatoo in the mirror, braiding my hair, and farting accidentally in front of people, when my dad says "beer" and burps at the same time, Irish accents, flossing my teeth, The Song of Hiawatha, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, beer, the sound of a cello.

5. Currently listening/the last thing you listened to: Miss Annabel Short teaching violin lessons...

6. Do you read my blog regularlyl? This came from Tabitha's blog, and yes, baby, i can't get enough!

7. If yes, what makes it especially good or bad?: All the pictures are great. Kick ass tatoo, by the way!

8. An interesting fact about you: I have nine lives. I know how to knit.

9. Are you in love/do you have a crush at the moment?: yes

10. Favourite place to spend time: with my bible study group at the moment, or at the Jennings' house.

11. Favourite lyric: "If I had known then, what i know now" Red Mosquito by Pearl Jam

12. The best time of the year: Fall

RECOMMEND
1. A film: Amores Perros
2. A book: The Kite Runner
3. A band, a song, or album: Pearl Jam all the way
PLUS1. One thing you like about me: I like Tabitha's paintings
2. Two things you like about yourself: i like my sense of humour and my life experiences
3. Look at my friends-list and tell what you like about one of our mutual friends: Andrea is the coolest and i will weep on the day that we meet again.

4. Put this in your blog if you want to . . . i know it's like an email forward so you don't have to, but if you want, it could be fun . . .