OBIC

I've always really really wanted an older brother. Or close-in-age brother. Or closer-in-age brother. I have two wonderful brothers, but they are 12 and 17 years younger than me.

I want a brother mostly for selfish reasons. I know the relationship between brother and sister is much different than sister and sister, and I'm curious about how different. I want a brother to do the hard chores around here. Like mowing the lawn, taking out the trash, and cleaning the garage- guy stuff. (although, being the oldest and since my sisters are just as capable, I get out of these jobs now) I want a brother who will load and unload heavy things for me. Who will drive me around. Take me maple sugaring. Let me watch him blow things up.

Yesterday I needed to go mow someone else's yard. In order to do that, I had to put the lawn mower in the bed of the truck, which was filled with dirt. So, I got the mower working then picked it up and put it in the truck. It was awkward to do (my arms are just a leetle too short) and kinda heavy. I'm also too short to easily lift things into the truck bed. Dusting dirt off my skirt, I remembered the hatch was off... and across the yard. So, I clumsily carried it (also bulky and heavy) down to the truck and clunked it into place. Now, it may just be me, but I'm pretty sure its not designed for a single person to do. Took a couple repositionings, but I got it reattached without much injury finally. This whole time I was thinking how much easier this would have been for a guy to do. And how I could really use a brother right now. They seem kind of useful, ya know?

So, since I don't and never will have a real close in age brother until one of my sisters marries, I've thought the next best thing would be some really great brothers-in-Christ. You know, friendly fellows one could hang out with and be encouraged by. And maybe even blow stuff up with.

Only problem with brothers-in-Christ is that you have to know some guys. And until 2 years ago, I didn't really know any guys remotely near my age. The one I did know I was pals with, but that was online mostly.

Another problem with knowing guys remotely near your age (although for me those who are strictly older) is that, in getting to know them, you usually develop a crush and they are no longer a brother-in-Christ but a man-on-your-mind. And that just defeats the whole purpose of the brother/sister relationship- that of encouraging one another towards God. My friends and I would remind ourselves when we started getting to know a guy (usually very remotely and in a stalking type manner), that we need to treat him and think of him as a brother-in-Christ. This became a slang word, however, for a guy we had an interest in. We'd call him "Our Brother-In-Christ" or, simply, OBIC.

It was rather detrimental to our thinking and put a bad spin on the meaning of "brother-in-Christ".

When we came to visit Centerville in July of 2009, I told (although I don't remember this and was informed just recently I said this...) a young lady in church that I found older guys (like her brother and his friends) to be intimidating. And, I guess I did. But, can you blame me? I probably had not talked to more than 10 guys over 18 in my entire life. Reason # 249 I wanted a brother- so I would know how to talk to a guy about something besides the weather.

Living in a community for 16 months now that, between the ages of 15 and 22, there are exactly the same number of guys and girls, I've hopefully learned how to talk to a guy. :) I've learned that guys are not aliens, that they are just as flawed and fickle as girls, that they are rather hilarious, and that it is possible to talk to them without knowing truck language.

Out here, hard-working males are a commodity. Farming is kind of difficult without them. Since moving here, I feel terribly inadequate to do the guy chores.  And I wish I had a brother so he could offer to help others. I do what I can, but, I really can't do everything as much as I want to be able to.

I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, so, (...) thankful for the brothers-in-Christ I have now, if I can call them that. Not OBICs, but true young men who treat me as much like a sister as possible. I love listening to truck conversations and finding out what is important to them. I love sticking my tongue out at them. I love the comradary. It totally made my day this week when one of the young men said, "You're one of the family now".  The Body of Christ is a glorious thing.

Yes, I've wished I had a brother. I know it would be really nice. But, you know, I've had so many opportunities that I wouldn't have had if I had a brother. If I had one, he'd probably be Daddy's right hand man instead of me. He would have been the one to know every tool in the toolbox by age 3. He would have been the one to earn $5 a week mowing grass (whoop whoop, I know). He'd be the one out with Daddy "midnight farming". Sure, I'd help, but I wouldn't be second in command. He'd be the computer-man of the house. He'd be the one to jump-start the tractor or tamp cedar posts in the ground with Daniel.

I'm a girl and I love it. I don't have a brother, and I'm okay with it. I have to do what a brother would do, and I love it. I'm so thankful for my sisters who also do guy's stuff. Sure I may never get to hop in the truck to check sap buckets, but I get to use the table saw. 

 There's so much more I could say, but I need to stop here for now. Yikes, two posts in a row about siblings I don't have. :P Next post will be about things I do have, hopefully. ;)