Danger Face.

Growing up, I went to a very small, conservative Christian boarding school in rural Iowa. Attending Cono Christian school was instrumental in my upbringing, and both the staff and students that populated Cono shaped my life in lasting ways.

Cono was founded in 1951 by a group of families who believed that true education must be based on scriptural authority, and be in harmony with the teachings of the home and church. One such couple, was Mr. and Mrs. Belz. While Mr. Belz passed away long before I arrived at Cono, I had the absolute privilege of being a student of Mrs. Jean Belz.

Mrs. Belz lived in one of the original homes on the campus, that always smelled of applesauce and a wood burning stove. In addition to living there herself and parenting a small dorm in the upper level of the home, Grandma Belz also housed the school’s suspension room. Being the infinitely naughty 13 year old that I was, I spent most of my 8th grade year in Ms. Jean Belz’s basement. One of my favorite things about her was that no matter what new, awful crime I had committed to land myself in suspension, she never, ever seemed shocked or angry or disappointed with me. She would just sigh and say “You’re better than this. When are you going to cut it out?” It wasn’t until many years laters that I could truly appreciate the infinite hope contained within that sentence. She never wrote me off as a lost cause. No matter how many nights I spent in her basement [43 to be exact, and yes, that’s a school record], she would still say “When are you going to cut it out?” not “If you ever cut this out…” but WHEN.

I was also lucky enough to take Latin from Ms. Belz in 9th and 10th grade. She was an incredible teacher and spent the time to help me learn to conjugate my verbs in all the tenses no matter how long it took. When I’d finally be able to get through reciting them correctly, she would reward me with a new pencil, or a juicy orange.

Mrs. Jean Belz passed away today, and in one way, it’s an incredibly joyous thing to know that she is now in Heaven celebrating her life with our Father… but I can’t help but deeply regret the vast hole her lost presence leaves for us here on earth. Either way, I am so thankful that I had the honor and privilege of getting to spend the time with her that I did, and I am absolutely a better person because of her influence in my life.

You will be missed Mrs. Jean Belz, I’m so glad that you’re finally home.

Today is a VERY special day.

Today, August 4th, 2010 marks my FOUR YEAR anniversary of having won my battle against Trichotillomania. 

I developed TTM when I was 12 years old and obsessively pulled out my hair [ALL OF MY HAIR] for the next 7 years. I don’t know what your thoughts are, but I think that junior high and high school are hard enough years, without adding “being bald” to the list.

On August 4th 2006, my dear friend Sarah and I prayed and laid our hands on my head, begging God to heal me, and He did. I stopped that very day. If I ever needed any proof that we serve and active and compassionate God, that was it. I was at the point where I thought “I’m not going to have hair on my wedding day.”

So now, 4 years later, my hair is down far past my shoulders and I am so, so thankful for every strand of it. Sometimes, when I dream, I still dream that I don’t have hair, and when I wake up, I am so, so thankful that it’s there. I rarely get hair cuts, despite being a cosmetologist, because I don’t want to part with any of it.

So anyway, don’t mind the photo above, I just wanted to show you what my hair looks like, 4 years later.

Thank you Jesus!

My need for this little guy is becoming critical. I shall call him Roman. Please get him for me?