Month: August 2009
Random Tuesday: Because Being Random Deserves It’s Own Day
I quite possibly have the CUTEST nephews in the whole stinkin’ world.
I mean, just look at these precious faces:
Yes. Yes. I know what you’re thinking — YOU think YOU have the best looking nephews in the whole stinkin’ world and I’m sure you think you do (*wink*), but let me raise the stakes one more time.
Not only are my brother’s boys THE cutest thing since suede baby booties, they are THE most polite 5 year old and 2 1/2 year old, EVAR.
Seriously. I can’t even tell you how many “pwease” and “tank yews” I heard from these adorable children the other night. And OMG, they are like a photographer’s dream. All I had to do was point the camera in their directions and they instantly froze in place and went all vogue on me.
And, and THEN! To top it off, my youngest nephew, A., climbed into my lap and graced me with toddler cuddles.
*thunk* My heart dropped to my feet and my (old) girl parts actually twinged for like the first time in YEARS. In fact, it had been so long since I felt that little shiver/ripple that I thought I had gas at first.
Those children are seriously dangerous to my biological clock (which has nearly stopped, by the way. There is no way in Hades I’m EVER having another child).
It was a real treat to see them (and my brother and sis-in-law). They live out of town and had a few vacation days so they paid us a visit. I hadn’t seen little A. in oh gosh, a year? And he’s a walking, talking replica of my brother.
Which doesn’t mean I think my brother is cute (EW!), but holy moly, his kids sure are.
And Angie, if you’re reading this? You’re doing a great job with those boys. They are seriously the most polite little boys I’ve ever had the pleasure to be around. Keep up the good work, sis-in-law.
Day two of band camp is over.
And Jazz is already burned out and frustrated.
First of all, Jazz is not used to all of this exercise. My boy plants his butt in a computer chair and doesn’t move it unless he needs to pee or eat. And he’s done that all summer. So the fact that he’s been busy marching has taken a physical toll on him.
And let’s not forget the mental exhaustion from playing an instrument.
Band camp runs from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. And yes, it IS as grueling as it sounds. The kids are super busy learning their songs (they have to memorize them – sheet music is for wimps!) and learning their marching/formation routines.
He says it’s really hard and he’s frustrated because he hasn’t gotten the hang of it yet.
*blink*
It’s only been two days, kid! Sheesh, cut yourself some slack. But hey, he’s my son, which means he’s a perfectionist, so I know he’ll get it eventually. (He’s too stubborn to give up).
He’s having a bit of a peer pressure problem. One of the kids called him “gangsta” today and it upset him, all because the shorts he was wearing had a strip of white at the hem. WTH? I don’t know, I don’t get it, either.
In addition, I gave him a nice sized cooler with a pop-up spout to drink from to take with him to camp because the band flyer SAID to do this — the kids are out in the sun, marching in 90 degree weather, they get a TAD dehydrated — and apparently, since he didn’t have a water bottle like every other kid, they thought they would point out that he dared to be different and made fun of him.
*sigh* You really can’t win these stupid teenage angst wars so seriously, don’t try.
But, because I’m a good mom and don’t want him to be all self-conscious, we dug out a small, traditional cooler and tomorrow, I will put two bottles of water in it as well as his root beer for his lunch. I’m betting the other kids’ beverages won’t be HALF as cold and DELICIOUS as my son’s so you know? Jump off, yo. *snap* (Yep, I can talk the talk, ya’ll).
There is an ice cream social next Tuesday night for the parents. That’s when we’ll get to see what the kids have been working on. I can’t WAIT.
Of course, there will be videos. Duh.
I wish I felt more comfortable marketing myself. I need to get over that, I suppose. And I am working on it. In fact, I’ve been busy putting some things together in the hopes that I can entice some potential clients my way.
That is probably THE biggest downfall about being self-employed, at least, for me. The whole marketing / promoting myself to people. I just feel so uncomfortable tooting my own horn. I much prefer to simply slink back into the shadows and stay low key …….
Wait a minute. Why does that sound soooo familiar?
Oh yeah, Dude. I’ve complained that he is like that and whoops! That’s exactly how I am.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, apparently.
But seriously. I need to build my client base. I currently have five hooks in the business waters right now and I’m hoping (and praying) that I get a bite, or two, or even three.
I won’t be greedy. 🙂
So, I’ve been busy putting that stuff together. And there is just something about being creative that gets me all worked up. I feel energized and enthusiastic — more so than I have in a long time.
It feels good.
Here are some things I’ve been Twittering about lately:
— Here’s an interesting idea: A Secure Social Networking for Tween Girls. http://bit.ly/V5Fyr But I wonder just how “secure” it truly is?
— Creative Nonfiction is looking for blog submissions. Nominate your own, someone else’s posts: http://bit.ly/15FMkE
— My boys WILL BE the coolest geeks on campus with this: http://bit.ly/5A5py (because yes, if it gets them excited about school, I’ll buy it)
— I sort of dig tormenting (in a good way) my 16-yr old son. It’s just so darn amusing. And I suppose it’s better than popping him in the head.
— Wow. Great post about the power of loving your spouse the correct way and saving your marriage. http://bit.ly/qPmR
— *squee!* I totally want the fail whale pillow. http://bit.ly/OZbbf
— Saw on news that unemployment rate is over 20% for 16 to 20 yr olds – adults are taking these jobs from kids. Not good news for oldest son.
— New food for thought. Will you become a part of healthy debate? http://politicalmommentary.ning.com/
— ‘Mommy bloggers’ are fighting what they fear is a backlash against their profession http://tinyurl.com/lsqx5d
— Wearable Feedbags Lets Americans Eat More, Move Less: http://bit.ly/MM2Vx // ROFL! Only The Onion could get away w/ this.
— It’s All About Me!! – 55 Awesome About Me Pages: http://bit.ly/16ikYx
— Arkansas Mother Sells Naming Rights of Unborn Son on eBay: http://bit.ly/2xvL9 // Oh my.
I mean, come on, if you’re not following me on Twitter, why not?! Look at the cool crap I talk about.
I seriously need to stop waiting until the last minute to update my blog.
I’m so brain dead, I look like this guy.
Hey honey, how’s about a kiss.
Okay, I’m getting delirious now. I must say goodnight to ya’ll.
Goodnight to ya’ll.
Back-to-School: Days Gone By
Back-to-school is upon us. Not US specifically, the boys don’t actually start until August 25th, but tis the season to crack open those books and get back on a semi-normal sleep schedule.
I think I’m dreading the sleep schedule the most, if you want the truth.
For those that don’t know, Dude will be a junior this year and Jazz will be a freshman. I’m really looking forward to having both boys at the same school this year. And I’m REALLY looking forward to following Jazz around this Fall as he plays with the marching band.
I’m also hoping that all of his extra-curricular enthusiasm wears off on Dude and he actually gets involved in something this year.
I’m not holding my breath.
One nice thing about having high schoolers is that you don’t have to shop for back-to-school supplies. As long as the guys have a decent backpack (and that’s decent as in it’s strong enough to endure months of rough treatment and heavy books), a trapper to keep all of their subject folders, paper, pens, calculators, etc. in, then they’re good to go.
And we’re good to go on that stuff.
And since the guys are pretty much done with growth spurts (though Jazz had a pretty big one over the summer and I’m predicting he’s going to really shoot up there this year), the only thing I really needed to buy them were decent jeans and slightly bigger t-shirts.
Again, no biggie. But then again, I have teenage boys. I’m sure the whole wardrobe thing is an entirely different monster with teenage girls. I remember how CRUCIAL it was to have the latest and coolest thing back when I was in high school.
I can honestly say, I’m so thankful I didn’t have girls. (And not just because of the clothes issues, but for so many more reasons, as well. I should write about those reasons sometime).
When your kids reach the high school years, it’s all sort of anti-climatic. I watch young mothers frantically scouring the back-to-school aisles at the stores with envy. I honestly miss the days when the boys were actually looking forward to school. When they actually got excited about fresh pencils, crisp crayons, and funky notebooks.
Now, they could care less. In fact, it’ safe to say that they LOATHE school. Well, Dude loathes it, Jazz merely tolerates it and that’s only because he HAS to go to school in order to play in the band.
It’s a secondary priority.
But it wasn’t always this way. Kevin was going through old videos the other day and ran across this sweet gem. *SIGH* I can’t believe the boys were EVER this small. It seems like they’ve been the age they are now for like … forever.
I get tears in my eyes every time I watch this video. Every. Time. Their sweet little voices just MELT my heart and the innocent way they describe their days is just beyond endearing.
And their personalities are so obvious at this stage. Dude is all quiet and unobtrusive, cautious in his little boy way and Jazz is all in your face and demanding daddy to point the camera at him so he can make his point.
Yep. That’s about right. 😀
After watching this, I feel like some explanations are in order.
I’m not in this video because this was back when I was working nights at Wal-Mart. Because believe you me, if I had KNOWN there were wild squirrels running around the ankles of my shoeless sons I would NOT have allowed them in the same room with them.
This is proof positive how DIFFERENT men are from women when it comes to parenting styles. Gah.
Also, I have no clue HOW those squirrels got into our enclosed back porch. To my knowledge, that is the first and LAST time that ever happened (unless Kevin is not telling me something — honey?) So, the fact that they are in the porch area to begin with is bizarre.
I guess I should be thankful that the screened door was closed, otherwise the squirrel who was trying to get into our house would have gotten in and lord knows what sort of surprise THAT would have been for me when I got home from work that night.
I also don’t understand how allowing a couple of wild squirrels to run around you can be so commonplace. Notice the conversation is not centering around the fact that we have wild squirrels running around but on how the first day of school went. What the heck?! It’s like Kevin, wild squirrels — deal with them FIRST and then ask the boys how their day went. LOL
(Silly man)
Looking back, I wish I had done so many things differently. I really wish I had chilled out on the whole school/homework/sleep issues. I was so uptight and so controlling, I honestly think they hate school today because of me. I was so hard on them.
*sigh*
Take a chill pill, people. Learn from my mistakes.
I Do Not Have a Foul Mouth…
…at least, on this blog. 😉
Around 2.8% of the pages on my website contain cussing. This is 99% LESS than other websites who took this test.
Even though I try and keep the curse words out of my blog, this score still surprised me a bit; I didn’t think it would be high, but I thought it would be higher than 2.8%.
I could really get raunchy on this blog, if I wanted to. There are SO MANY times that I would LIKE to curse simply because I’m feeling passionate or upset about something or it simply gets my point across. But I don’t because I pride myself on my self-control and the fact that just because I WANT to say it, doesn’t mean I SHOULD.
I find this result amusing. Mainly because I’ve been known *cough* to, uh, curse a lot in real life. In fact, there are times I get so carried away even my teenage boys are asking me to bring it down a notch or two … or ten.
What about you — do you curse a lot on your blog? What about in real life?
Teaching: How We Picture The Next Life Affects What We Think About This One
Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.
If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.
Let’s get started:
[This article was taken from the book “The Christian’s Hope: The Anchor of the Soul.”]
A person’s perception of the next life has a significant impact on his or her view of this life. People who believe there is no future life are likely to live in excess in this life, exhibiting attitudes like “get it while you can” or “do unto others before they do unto me.” The Bible points this attitude out in Isaiah.
Isaiah 22:13
But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! “Let us eat and drink,” you say, “for tomorrow we die!”In such people’s minds there is no ultimate punishment for wicked behavior or ultimate reward for good behavior, so this life and what they can get from it is all that matters. Then there are people who do believe there is a next life but view it as completely disconnected from this life because it takes place in some kind of vaporous, cloud-filled, angels-with-wings kind of world. These people tend to discount this world and may even be repelled by it. It is this latter viewpoint that will be the starting point of this chapter because it raises the issue of what “spiritual” is. The importance of having an accurate understanding of what is spiritual cannot be overstated because it dramatically impacts a person’s view of the next life and, in turn, dramatically impacts the person’s view of this life.
Attempting to determine what is “spiritual” has led to much confusion in the religious world. When someone believes something is or is not “spiritual” it has a great impact on his life. It shapes his values, and therefore defines what he feels comfortable doing. Many Christians base their definition of “spiritual” on their concept of heaven. Traditionally, heaven is a place where the souls of the saved reside in sublime bliss, fulfilled just by being in the presence of God. The result of this perception is that many Christians think there is very little about this life that is spiritual.
In an effort to clarify the word “spiritual,” it is important to first dismiss the common misconception that there is a direct conflict between that which is spiritual and that which is physical. Based on this misconception, spiritual is “good” and physical is “bad” and the Christian must choose between them. The Bible, however, indicates that the opposite of “spiritual” is not “physical” but “fleshly” or “worldly.”
God created people with physical bodies. People then decide whether they will focus on that which is spiritual or on that which is fleshly. People can be very spiritual and yet enjoy the physical things in life at the same time. One of the reasons God created the heavens and earth the way He did was for man to enjoy all its physical beauty. He created the sun and moon and hung them in the sky knowing that, besides being functional, they would be enjoyable. He created domestic animals such as dogs and cats knowing that they would be more than just “work animals,” but friends and companions as well (Gen. 1:24 and 25). [1] God created plants that are both “pleasing to the eye and good for food” (Gen. 2:9). He put Adam and Eve in “the Garden of Eden,” which in Hebrew means “the garden of delights” or “the delightful garden.”
There is no question that God intended man to enjoy life in a physical environment. However, because many Christians are taught that this world is physical and therefore “bad” compared to “heaven” which is spiritual and therefore “good,” the real value and enjoyment of the earthly life God has provided is lost. In fact, most Christians assume that when they die, their lives will change drastically and all the things they now know and enjoy will pass away. Such a mindset often dilutes the fulfillment available in many daily activities. After all, what is the real value of something that will pass away into oblivion? But what if the activities of this life will not pass away? What if they continue on into the next life? Would it not be easier to see the value in them, and would it not be easier to relate to the future life?
In orthodox Christian teaching, there is almost no relation between this world and the next. The way some Christians disdain this life and look forward to being in “heaven” almost makes it seem as if God made a gigantic mistake when He created this earth for mankind. A good question to ask is what would have happened had Adam and Eve never sinned? They would have lived on earth forever. Was it God’s will for them to sin? Of course not. The only logical conclusion is God’s will for mankind is to live on the earth forever—not in a corrupted world like this one, but in a perfect world like that which He originally created. If God made Adam and Eve to live on earth forever, it just cannot be true that “the earth is evil but heaven is wonderful.” [For further study read “Gnosticism: Gnostic ideas have had an influence on Christianity.”]
The point is this: just because something is related to earthly life or is “fun” does not mean it is not spiritual or valuable. Are there things about this life that are not spiritual? Certainly, and we are not to be so invested in this life that we forget about the work of the Lord and get lost in earthly pursuits alone. However, there is a great difference between realizing that we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and believing that nothing in this life is of any real value because it will all pass away and thus has no relation to our “real” life in the next world. There is also a great difference between realizing that we must be about the Father’s business and thinking that having fun is somehow innately ungodly or unspiritual. Though we live in physical bodies on a physical earth, there is much about earthly life that is wonderful, godly, and “spiritual.”
The somewhat ironic truth is that because God designed life to be lived by those who believe in Him, Christians should be the ones who most enjoy the things God placed on the earth. It is unfortunate that the misconception of heaven and what is truly spiritual has caused some people to withdraw from many of the activities that God intended for people to enjoy. God knew Adam would have to focus much of his time and energy on keeping the Garden. He also knew that when He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth that they, just like any other couple raising children, would have their hands full. Much of the work of parenting is due to the fact that children require a lot of time and energy, not because of the fallen nature of man. Surely no one believes that had Adam not sinned, all those children would have raised themselves. God planned work for man, including parenting. Not only do these activities not hinder salvation and holiness when they are carried out with dependence upon God and obedience to His Word, but they even contribute to man’s spiritual growth and wholeness.
Don’t Retreat—Relish!
In contrast to having a godly attitude about work and family, the belief that this world is somehow inherently ungodly can cause people to retreat and withdraw from much of life and even their God-given responsibilities. It is often taught that personal holiness is to be obtained by withdrawing from the pleasures of the world. Unfortunately, it is even occasionally taught that it is also necessary to withdraw from the responsibilities of this life. The well-known historian Will Durant writes of early Christians who, to be acceptable in the eyes of God, withdrew from daily life to pursue their individual salvation, perhaps in a monastery, the desert, or elsewhere.
Read the rest of the article here.
If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page, their YouTube Channel, or follow them on Twitter.
You can read more about this subject here:
Free Online Seminar: Death & Resurrection to Life
Thanks for reading.
(Comments have been turned off. The information is here, it’s up to you to accept, or deny, it).
Thank Goodness it’s Saturday
So. I just went and bought donuts for the family. And now that I’ve eaten more than my fair share *ahem* I now must go walk off my gluttony.
Have an excellent day, everyone!
No Problem
I have a problem.
I guess you could call it a pet peeve, really. And from the little research I’ve done on this subject (because yes, I AM that anal), it’s apparently more of a generational “thing” than anything else.
Personally, I think it’s just another attempt to justify the fact that no one bothers, or even gives a rip, about manners anymore.
It’s the whole saying “no problem” instead of the traditional “you’re welcome” thing.
Let me give you a fictional scenario:
Lori walked into the store and headed straight for the toilet paper section. She didn’t really want to just buy toilet paper, but she was in a hurry. Her son was actually IN the bathroom at home, on the toilet, waiting for toilet paper.
This was no time to get all self-conscious. In fact, some would say this was a downright emergency.
She quickly walked to the aisle and scanned the available products. So many to choose from! She lightly tapped her finger against her lips as she searched for her favorite brand.
Success! She found it. Only, it was on the top shelf and there was no way she her 5’2 frame would be tall enough to reach it.
She could buy another brand, but the last time she did that, she had had to endure cranky children and a complaining husband because the only brand that doesn’t scratch her delicate family was the brand now located on the top shelf and out of reach.
She flagged an associate down.
“Excuse me,” she began but abruptly paused as the sales associate stopped what he was doing to heave a heavy, and very put out sigh.
“I was wondering if you could get my favorite brand of toilet paper from the top shelf?” Her mouth curved into what she hoped was a beguiling smile but given her naked face and disheveled attire (she left the house in quite a hurry when she discovered her son had gone number two and there wasn’t a square to spare in the house), she hoped her charming personality would win her the favor.
The boy sucked the blade of his exact-o knife back into the casing and turned to face her. “Which one did you want?”
She blinked at the hostility in his eyes. Normally, his grumpy demeanor would be enough to scare her off her objective but she had a little boy stuck on the pot at home and she went into mom drive. Her lower lip began to quiver at his rudeness though, but she was determined not to leave the store without the brand of toilet paper she needed; he would just have to be irritated with her.
This was an emergency, after all.
The boy mumbled under his breath while he grabbed a nearby step ladder.
(If she had been thinking clearly, she would have simply used the ladder herself and to hell with the boy).
He stepped up onto the ladder and reaching up, he easily extracted the package of toilet paper. He didn’t exactly throw it at her, but it did slip out of his hands and plop rather heavily into her arms.
“Oh, thank you. Thank you very much. I really appreciate your help. Thanks again.”
The boy gave her a bored look and with a simple shrug, muttered, “no problem.”
See?? Rude.
Now granted, this scenario is exaggerated (but only just), and there are a lot of people who SAY “no problem” and don’t mean it in a rude way, but to me, it doesn’t matter how it’s said, or what sort of expression accompanies it — it’s rude.
Whatever happened to “you’re welcome?”
Or, “My Pleasure?”
Or, “You bet!”
Or, “Anytime!”
Or even, “Glad to help!”
Whenever someone responds to a heartfelt “thank you” with a “no problem” I can feel the fine hairs on my upper lip the back of my neck stand on end.
To me, when someone says “no problem,” what they’re really saying is, “hey, I didn’t really have a choice, I HAD to help you. I’m not doing it out of the kindness of my heart but because I value my job and I don’t want to get fired.”
It’s a dismissal. It’s a write-off. It’s just one word shy of “moron.”
“No problem, moron. Now get lost.”
Because that’s what it sounds like to me.
Now, when someone says, “you’re welcome,” to me, this says, “I’m glad to help! It’s been my pleasure to make your life a little easier! I take great pride in helping people in need. I have absolutely no problem in putting my life on hold to help a fellow being out.”
It’s an embrace. A deep-seated sincerity.
IT’S POLITE.
I know. POLITE is a word that is rarely discussed anymore. In fact, I heard a rumor that the Merriam Webster Dictionary folks were thinking about striking the word from the dictionary because no one even knows what it means anymore.
Yes of course I’m making a big deal out of this. And no, of course it doesn’t REALLY bother me that much, but I suppose I’m trying to make a point here — slang or no, I think “no problem” sends the wrong message to our young people. I think we need to consciously make an effort to stay away from these apathetic expressions and concentrate on exercising good old-fashioned manners.
Not only in our language, but in dealing with each other, too.
Write From Karen 