I am a Conundrum

A few things you must know about me as you read this post:

1. I am analytical.

2. I am emotionally sensitive.

3. I am the mother of two absolutely beautiful little girls.

So it is nap time and in my rare few minutes to myself, I am flipping through channels to see if there is anything good on TV. I come to Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin about a man who has a beautiful, brilliant, wonderful and otherwise perfectly pure daughter who has come home to tell them she is in love and is in fact getting married (translated to him as some hoodlum is taking his daughter away to corrupt his precious baby girl).  The scene I catch is his daughter just got a ‘gift’ from her soon-to-be in-laws of a brand new shiny red convertible!  Her father meanwhile just ran upstairs to get his gift for the happy couple.  As he hastens down the stairs with anticipation to show his good gift to his daughter he sees the shiny new car outside as they all jump for joy at the new gift.  He, in his humility, runs to hide the gift as his daughter catches up to him in the kitchen only to ask him about this beautifully wrapped box he is poorly hiding behind as basket of fruit.  He embarrassingly hands the gift over explaining that it isn’t anything as impressive but she said she didn’t have one and he hoped she might like it.  As she opens the wrapping to find a “top of the line” cappuccino machine, she turns and smiles to him and says, “I couldn’t love anything more.” then turns to carry the gift to show what a wonderful gift her Dad had given them as well.  His voice over then adds, “My feelings exactly”. 

Now I start to tear up.  I too couldn’t love anything more.  I think about the day when my beautiful, brilliant, wonderful and otherwise perfect daughters will grow up and start their lives.  When they start discovering things for themselves, when they start their first job, when they meet their first boy, when they first fall in love, when they get married and have their first child and how much I look forward to it and fear it at the same time. 

 

I am a conundrum.  What can I say? 

A Healthier Life (Products we use)

The food we consume, the lotions we apply, our 'health & beauty' products (like deodorant) are all absorbed into our bodies.  Have we ever thought about what is in those products and how they affect us?  Since I have started moving towards a healthier way of living for my family, I now consider these things and wonder "What is in them?"

The other day for lunch, I made a Suddenly Pasta salad kit.  As I am mixing it all together, I begin to wonder, "How fresh are these ingredients?  How are these noodles made?  What all is in this?"  And I don't mean just the ingredients list on the box but the process it goes through. 

When you start to look at how much preservatives go into processed foods, it is no wonder we gain weight and have health problems.  I don't want my kids to have that life!  I want to feed them healthy natural food.  I want them to appreciate good home grown flavor; not synthetic, hydrogenated, hormone-filled foods (YIKES!). 

I watched a documentary and it talked about how Adam was put here to rule over and guard all of creation.  I think that was man's First Purpose.  I want to fulfill that Purpose.  I want to grow trees and gardens.  I want to heal and protect the earth, the forests, the animals, the environment.  And in doing so, hopefully heal mankind.  (Wouldn't that be truly wonderful!)

But first, I must start with me.  I am moving towards getting rid of the pharmaceuticals and preservatives and growing good foods with my family.  I am looking for natural remedies instead of pills. 

It will be a journey, but one worth taking. 

Compost, beautiful compost

My husband loves to garden.  I mean really garden.  He has peas, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, all of it, the works!  I tinker with trees, bushes, roses, ivy, rosemary (the easy or pretty stuff).  But I love to compost.  I compost everything I can: egg shells, coffee grounds, sawdust, sand and the like and I check on it almost everyday.  It gives me such fulfilment to see 'waste' become nutrient rich soil that goes back into the garden to feed our beautiful veggies (and flowers).  Maybe that is another reason we work so well together; the yin and yang, the composter and gardener.

Ode to Coffee

It just got better!  Recently I have been adding a dash of cinnamon to my coffee grounds before I brew it in the morning.  Oh my word!  To borrow a line from the great Robert Frost, "And that has made all the difference."

So I had to re-post my "Ode to Coffee" because I felt it was very fitting.  So without further ado....

It's Coffee! Oh heavenly coffee! My adoration abounds!

The rich aroma, the steam, the gurgling brew
My morning's greeting isn't complete without a cup or two

The taste, the texture, the color, the cream
I snuggle my mug and slowly wake from my dream

A sip or two to savor my precious elixir
I have another for this is sweet nectar

No matter the morning, come rain or come shine
My coffee starts each day just fine


....with a friend at a local cafe or around the world at a small bistro ....at home on the sofa all alone wrapped in a blanket...it comforts the soul, soothes the pallet, and awakens the senses.

Hurray coffee!!!

I'm So Full!

{Please Watch Video First}

 

 

Long before I saw this video, I was already saying it.  But after seeing it, I thought it truly put it all into perspective for what I had already been telling Marlin for years.  I am FULL!

 

God has truly given me a cup that runneth over.  A fountain that overflows daily.  Much like Nicole White, I have my days when I am tired and my patience is worn thin but when I lay down my head at night and pray to my Heavenly Father, my heart has so many things to be thankful for. 

 

I give thanks for my wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally and works so hard to be the provider for his family.  I give thanks for my two spirited and strong-willed daughters that are curious and stubborn and brilliant and precious and ask that God continue to give me wisdom and grace to raise them with biblical teachings and a love in Him.  I give thanks for the church family I have found and the amazing friends I have.  I give thanks for the spiritual family I have and wisdom my Mom and Aunt Trisa share with me as well as my spiritual sisters (Rachel, Misty, Brooke, Donna, Angela Brousard, ).  Just so many reasons to be grateful. 

 

This weekend has been just that, a Blessing!  Marlin's brother, Jon, came over and spent some long overdue time with us.  We were joined by my dear friend Misty.  We laughed and visited and told stories and truly enjoyed the company of each other and I couldn't have hoped for a more wonderful evening than that.  Sunday worship was just as rewarding with a moving service followed by communion.  How fitting that our call to service was Psalm 23: 5-6  "...You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." 

 

I am full.  I am so very truly happily full.  I hope that you can be full too. 

 

 

Rainy Day Blues

I found an old post that I really enjoyed re-reading.  I just wanted to repost it for any of you that have ever had a similar experience. 

What a beautiful sunny day.

The sun is bright, the temperature is right - it is a perfect day....

...and I feel miserable.

A storm is brewing.

It is heavy, dark and ugly. It is looming on the horizon and creeping slowly eclipsing the sun's warmth.

I hate these feelings that engulf me. It's like standing on the shore watching the tsunami build to a great force that will crash on top of you and all you can do is plant your feet deep in the sand and wait for the rushing waters to subside.

I have hope. "This too shall pass" my wise mother always says.

What surprises me is a single thought comes in and I just as quickly try to dismiss it. But somehow the sticky residue clings to my subconscious and stirs emotions and feelings and brews into physical ailments that begin to fester this hideous storm. I become depressed and sad. I feel irritated and tired. I have that rainy day feeling all over me; robbing me of my otherwise sunny day joy.

So what do I need?

A pity party? Perhaps a night of pizza, DVDs, and popcorn...

Or a delightful dinner with a friend and a glass of Moscato...

Alas this too shall pass.

 

In the mean time my road feels long and I am weary from traveling alone. I long for a companion to travel with. To share the beautiful sunsets and the glorious horizons. To lay in the open fields and ponder at the vast sky and make shapes of the clouds. To laugh and share stories during the journey. To lean on during the hard spots or help carry the weight.

To name the furry woodland creatures. To have picnics or make shelter for the night, gathering firewood, or fishing in neighboring streams.

 

{Landslide by Fleetwood Mac just came on the radio - talk about timing

"...I climbed a mountain and I turned around. I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills 'till the landslide brought me down ... Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life?"}

It takes a village...

"It takes a village to raise a child"

That may have been so and it is certainly a great notion. That the wisest of elders, the most experienced hunters, the best of the tribesmen can teach a child.

But sadly, we do not live in that culture any longer. It is more crucial today to be a vigilant and responsible parent than it has ever been in our culture. It is absolutely necessary to teach your children the dangers and even instill fear of the evil that lurks quite literally right outside our doors. With all the social networking sites of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Hi-5, Yearbook and God knows how many countless others; that predators can stake out our children, target them and invade them in their own rooms, right under your our roof. It is terrifying! People, wake up and please love your children enough to teach them.

I remember when I was a young kid watching my siblings home alone and getting a phone call asking if my parents were home. I knew immediately not to say my parents were gone. I remember well that I was taught never to say you were home alone. That was 2o years ago. Now you can't turn on the TV or computer without seeing a headline of a child abduction, murdered or other gruesome unimaginable thing. And yet modern children don't seem to understand the dangers of posting, blogging, or texting their every status or thought.

I am not saying parenting was a breeze before but with the boom of technology, it certainly gives parents more challenges.

I imagine when you live in a small community, everybody knows who everybody is. And just like in the movies, your kid would walk to the bus stop and wave hello to the baker, and greet the market vendor, and tip is cap to the milk man. He would be perfectly respectful to all his elders and polite to his teachers.

And they can still be respectful and polite but that too must be taught. Not by teachers, or the school nurse, or even the principal. Not by the Sunday school teacher or the choir director or even the Pastor. Not by your neighbor or the baby sitter or even the grandparents. No, it must be taught by YOU, the parent. Your are your child's guide to right and wrong, to patience and respect and unconditional love. Tough love at times. But they are worth it and if you do your job right, they will respect you for it. Probably not when they are young or even teenagers, but one day, you will be the topic if their school essay on their hero or maybe just a simple hug that says I love you and you are a good parent.

But please, for the love of God, be there for your kids. Teach them! Love them enough to be the best parent you can be, regardless of whatever upbringing you had, learn from it and take the best and learn from the worst. Learn from the mistakes of others and do the best for your kids.

_______________

Side note: The village quote is said to have come from Africa. This is interesting because many villages are often raided by gorilla warriors, tribes or gangs. So perhaps the saying has more to do with watching out for each other and protecting each other than letting others raise your kids. Either way, you have to be involved otherwise, the dangers that lurk will take them from you, one way or another.