Where Can I Relax if not there?

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toilet

I guess I’m asking a time old question from mothers everywhere since the invention of indoor plumbing.  Why does it seem that nobody really needs us until we’re on the toilet?

I home school my children, so I’m with them ALL of the time.  Their lessons keep them busy and I am able most of the time to get housework done without too many interruptions.  (Their curriculum helps them learn to self-teach, so I’m only on hand to clarify.)  Anyway, I can actually go most of the school day without being asked very many school related questions.

Let me just give you today’s example.  They began the school day at 9 am after feeding their animals, beginning their chores, and eating breakfast.  I snuck in some quiet time and paid some bills.  After which I felt the need for a few minutes of “sit down” time.

(Now, I believe that I’m like every other human on the face of the planet who likes to be left alone during this time of deep reflection.  It should be a time of quiet contemplation.  Sometimes it requires deep concentration.  The last thing we need is to have to answer complex questions.  Should I always be so readily accessible?  I tend to think not.)

Now, if the question had something to do with multiplication or synergy or gassification (snicker) my response would have been much different than, “Can this NOT wait until I’m off the toilet???”

Here’s what happened.  I barely sat myself upon the throne before my youngest was at the hallway leading to my bathroom asking a question that I’m embarrassed to say I don’t even remember, because I was so irritated that the questioning had begun so quickly.  I answered it quickly and he left.  A minute or so later, here comes the oldest.

“Mom, what are we doing Saturday?”  It is currently Thursday.  “Why do you need to know?” I asked resignedly while sighing loudly.

“Well, a boy in my Sunday School Class is having his birthday party then and I’m invited.  I’d like to go to town and buy him something.  Can we go now?” he questioned hopefully.

“Well, I’m currently busy doing something else, and the school day isn’t quite over yet, son.” I reminded him, hoping that he would take the subtle hint.  “How old is he anyway?  Do you know what he would like?” Yes, I’m still sitting down.  And, it hits me that I gave him the hint and didn’t even give him time to process and run with it before I began questioning him.  They’re sneaky like that, you know.  Crafty at getting you to ask more questions so that they are no longer the bad guys!

“I dunno.  Maybe you should call his grandmother and ask her what he would like.” he said, like it was no big deal.

With my teeth somewhat clenched and adding as much irony to my voice as I possibly could, I said, ” “I” should call her?”

“Well, I guess I could do that.  Here’s the birthday card mom, would you like to read it?”  as he stretches his arm down the hallway, in an attempt to keep from seeing me on the throne.  The card almost makes it to the corner, so that I would have to give up my position in order to retrieve it.  I stared at it a second wanting to grab it and tear it into little pieces, except I desperately do not want to give up my position at the moment.  Then the little card begins to wave at me. “You gonna look at it, mom?

That is when I said, “Can this NOT wait until I’m off the toilet???  Saturday is two days away!  I think we can talk about his later.”  I know I probably should have led with those words, but I guess I’m thinking that after 14 years they would leave me alone when I’m in there.  I mean, there are twenty-four hours in a day.  I’m on the stinkin’ toilet maybe a total of 10 minutes a day, and they pick those minutes to want to talk!

I guess I should be happy that they are no longer coming in there and wanting to jump up on my lap for a hug. There are no longer chubby little fingers waggling under the door.

No, here’s a picture of the little critter that wants to come in and be petted now.  He’s the one who usually is laying at the corner waiting for me to finish so we can play.   Apparently, there is no place of rest and relaxation for mothers.  I am resigned.

rusty in hall2

Live On Purpose, Lesson 1

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If you’re not living on purpose you’re like a ship without a rudder, or maybe a car without a steering wheel.  Even if you get it running and pointed in the right direction, you still have no idea which way you’re going to end up going.  Being along for such a ride would be scary, wouldn’t it?  With all of the obstacles out there things are not going to go very well.  If you have no clear destination in mind then it doesn’t really matter which way you go, but people who live this way seem to always be surprised by the destination.

I’m reminded of a quote from “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll

Cheshire-Cat-talking-to-Alice“If you don’t know where you are going any road can take you there”

And yet, who really wants to live this way?  Many people do live on a whim and then want to complain to God, “I’m your child.  Why is this happening to me?”  Really.  If you don’t care where you’re going then why be upset when you get there?

There is also scripture which deals with this subject.  (Quite a bit actually, but one in particular comes to mind.)

“Enter ye in at the strait gate:  for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is they way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”  Matthew 7:13-14

The narrow, strait gate leads to life, and few are able to find it.  Why?  Because they are all over the place, like a ship being tossed wherever the wind takes it.

We are only given one life.  When it is over will we be ashamed with how we lived it?  Finding purpose isn’t hard.  Perhaps it’s following through, staying on the strait path, that keeps people from pursuing it.

Hold On To What Belongs To You

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No one can take anything from you unless you give it to them.

Chew on that.

People can make it difficult for you;  the bully on the schoolyard, your boss at work, your friend, your spouse, the list goes on and on.  They can make it seem like you have no choice.  But you always do.  Choose you this day whom you will serve: the bully, the boss, your friend, your spouse, ?, or your God?

He never promised it would be easy.  He just promised that He would never leave us or forsake us.  So, who will we choose?  Those people who will have no trouble with deserting you in a heartbeat, or the God who never will?

This is for someone out there who feels like the world is against them; Who thinks that giving up the things that they love will make someone else happy.  Let me ask you this question.  If you give up, will it make YOU happy?  Or will it just appease someone else for the time being?

A quote that I prize well above others and quote quite often comes from Eleanor Roosevelt:  “Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway.  You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.

I have found this statement to ring true in every aspect of life.  Regardless of the decision that you make, someone will praise you for it and another will tell you how stupid it is.  And vice versa.

Choose to listen to the one who only has your best interest in heart and you can never go wrong.  People have agendas.  I suppose God does too, but His way is always best because He knows what the future can bring.  Also, He said that He would give you the desires of your heart if you would just ask.  He has given you those precious things that you do not want to part with.  Hold on to them, and let the rest be damned.

If I Could Be Twelve Again?

The Daily Post

Where I spent most of my time at age 12.

In a reversal of Big, the Tom Hanks classic from the 80s, your adult self is suddenly locked in the body of a 12-year-old kid. How do you survive your first day back in school?

Wow.  Who hasn’t thought of going back and doing it all over again?  I’ve actually thought about this, a lot, over the years.  It would totally depend upon whether or not I get to go back keeping my current knowledge.

I use to think that if I could go back and do it all over again that I would re-invent myself.  I would no longer be the shy, intimidated, average girl that I was.  I would be outgoing, popular and confident.  I would make better grades. I would go to that dance that I was asked to in Jr. High, but was too nervous to say yes to.

Yes, I’ve thought about this a lot!  And I’ve come to an important conclusion.  If I could go back, I would want to go back without any knowledge of the future.  But, you might say, you would have the same outcome.  You would still be awkward and shy and dateless.  And I would say, yes, you are right.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Who I was is what has created who I am.  If I were able to change anything about the past it would change who I am today, and I like who I am now.  If I were to change just one small thing, it might change how I feel about myself, and that is not a risk I am willing to take.

Anyone else out there feel the same way?

 

 

It’s All About Love. For Real.

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When did my passion for people begin?  I really can’t answer that.  For as far back as I can remember I’ve always cared about others.  I’ve always wanted to do “something” big that would make a difference in the lives of others for the better.  Have I always succeeded?  Probably not.  As much as I want to be a help, I’m human.  I’m sure that in some cases I’ve been more of a hindrance than a help.  That doesn’t keep me from trying.  To be a help that is. 🙂

At the age of 17, my then boyfriend and I, decided after much talk that we should just be friends.  We were just too different, in every imaginable way, to continue being anything more.  That decision was solidified when I overheard his mother chatting with mine.  I didn’t hear everything, just this in passing, “I’m glad they were able to figure it out on their own.  She’s a wonderful girl; they just want totally different things out of life.  He just wants to find a nice girl, settle down and have a family.  She wants to save the world.”

I went off to ponder that for awhile, and I realized that it was partly true.  At the time I didn’t believe that it could happen in one’s lifetime.  And perhaps a part of me still believes that.  If I were Genghis Khan, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, or the like, then making a huge difference wouldn’t seem to far-fetched.  It seems so much easier for people to understand why evil people do the things that they do, than it is to believe that there truly are people out there who do what they do simply out of love.

I’d like to change that.

 

My First Posting

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I am excited to begin my new blog.  I’ve decided that I have much to offer the world and it would be a waste of my time and talent to keep it to myself.

There are many things that I am interested in and I hope to share them all with you here.  Here is my short list:

Books and Reading in General.

Poetry

Our Military

Work

Business

Animals

The Bible

God Himself

Daily News

Architectural Drafting

Home Schooling My Children

Recipes

MineCraft and other awesome apps

Of course I’m not naive enough to believe that everyone will agree with everything I say in my blog, but that’s the point of having a blog, right?  It’s a little bit like having your journal open to the world.  If everyone liked my opinions I might have to re-evaluate myself.  I’ve already ticked off most of the people I know, now I’m off to conquer the world!

Seriously though, I just want to share myself with people, and this seems like the best platform to do that with.  I hope to make many new friends in this endeavor.

So, that’s all for today,  God Bless and See you tomorrow!