Usually my entries are more on the "Fluff" side, I think today (and possibly several days following) will be more on the "stuff" side.

I've been thinking (those are words to fear to those of you who know me...).

Why do we do what we do?  It's all fine and dandy to step back and look at the world and laugh at their "trends" and thank God that we are not like them.  But are we?  Are all of our decisions based on real thought and research and prayer?  Or are we just as guilty as jumping on the latest train that goes puffing by?

Some areas of following trends might be: homeschooling, dressing conservatively, eating healthy/following alternative medical treatments, following various "isolationist" tendencies such as homechurching or not going to sunday school or VBS.

But, you say, all of these things are GOOD. Well... yes and no.  is it possible to do a good thing for the wrong reason? I think so.

One thing that springs to mind is breastfeeding my children.  Of course that's good! I believe in it, I do it.  But I find myself wanting to "Fit in" with everyone else to the extent that I get embarassed to say that I supplimented with formula (past babies) or that I've already started some solids (current baby). Why on earth does it matter to anyone else?  My desire to fit in with the "all natural, breastfeeding, earth mother" group absolutely overtook my sense of independence and confidence that I am an able mother and certainly capable of deciding when to feed my baby solid food!

How rediculous.

What else am I doing as part of following the crowd?  I was recently part of a discussion that left me absolutely bewildered and frustrated because I felt that everyone was simply jumping on a bandwagon and had no idea what they were even worked up about.  The startling reality is that I might be doing that too.

I plan to do a lot more thinking and take inventory and see what I come up with. I'm afraid it might not be pretty.