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My husband has those things at work every July. He sits down with his boss in his boss’ office and they talk about how successful he’s been at meeting objectives and doing whatever they decided was important the last year. Then, they rate his work, he gets ‘put in’ for bonuses and voila… another year, another review.
I don’t have performance reviews on my job and I must say, I’m glad. There are days I’d get GOOD ones and even more that I wouldn’t. I’ve blogged before about what would happen if I was under scruitiny similarly to an employee. It was eye opening. I wondered today what would happen if I knew our income depended upon my review just as Kevin’s income is dependent upon his review. (He doesn’t get raises anymore but he does get bonuses).
Today, I don’t think I could say I would get a “meets expectations”. I might get a satisfactory. Maybe. I need a “definitely”. So I thought about the changes I’d need to make in order to improve my performance and get a better review, and you know what surprised me? The answer wasn’t the quantity of work or the quality of the work done that needed improvement.
Attitude. The moment I thought about this, I realized that ATTITUDE is at the heart of my weak performance. When my heart is in it and I am eager to serve my husband and family as unto the Lord… amazingly the quality of my work goes up. Even when I don’t feel good and don’t have the strength to do my best, it’s still a better quality. However, when I’m seeing my job as interfering with my “life” suddenly my “chores” are given little more than a lick and a promise.
Isn’t it amazing how it always comes back to the heart? Whether dealing with a child’s misbehavior or bad attitude, cleaning up after a sick husband (which I physically cannot do but almost wish I could!), raking the front yard, or calling to get something around the house repaired, it always boils back to the same thing. “As she thinks in her heart, is who she really is (loosely paraphrased).
There is nothing (ok, so there is probably something but it feels, at this particular moment as though there is nothing) more insulting than to hear, “It must be nice to have easy kids.”
Let me give you a news flash. I’ve never seen an “easy” kid. Even those who don’t challenge you directly, have their own quirks and problems that result in much work on the part of parents. Just take note, right now, there are no “easy kids”. There might be kids who pull wool over their parents’ eyes, kids who are hard for a time and then easy, kids who are easy for a time and then hard, but every person at some point in their life, must confront their own sinfulness and conquer it and it’s the job of parents to do their part.
But back to insults. There is nothing more frustrating to a parent who has put hundreds or thousands of hours investing in their child, working through character flaws, training in obedience and godliness, only to have that effort tossed in the garbage with a thoughtless, “it must be nice to have easy kids.”
I’ve heard it, and I have friends who have heard it and I guarantee, we all have shortened tongues from where we’ve bitten the ends off trying not to make snarky retorts to the inaccurate and annoying comments of people who have no clue what we go through to “produce” those “easy kids.”
- I’ve put a child’s entire birthday cake/meal back on the shelves and left the store with nothing for a bad attitude.
- A friend has crawled in between bouts of vomiting to deal with a child who refused to obey before crawling back to that toilet.
- Everyone of my babies (except the eldest obviously) has been put down mid-feeding while I dealt with an errant child who thought they could get away with murder while mom was latched to the infant.
- I’ve held fake conversations on the phone, for hours, in order to train my children that it doesn’t matter WHAT I am doing, I will stop any conversation and deal with misbehavior.
- I’ve dragged sobbing children back to stores and made them return stolen items, pay for said items, and leave without said items.
- I’ve spent four hours, at a friend’s house, working with a stubborn toddler, until she obeyed. During pregnancy, while contracting, and wanting nothing but a long nap… for all of us!
- I have a friend who has spent twice that time doing the same thing with her “easy kid”.
I could go on for hours, but the fact is, I don’t have to prove to anyone that my kid is just as sinful as the next. That really isn’t even my point. My point is that when I say, “My kid wouldn’t ever try that in my home,” it isn’t because he wouldn’t have at one point. It is because I worked hard, every day of their lives, from the day they were born until they leaned that mom and dad’s word was like the law of the Medes and the Persians. It will not waver. Yes I failed. Often. I will tell you, however, that I succeeded often enough to make a lasting impression.
Why do people recognize all the work that goes into an exquisite painting, a masterfully played sonata, or a hand stitched quilt but if a child is well behaved, it must be because he’s “easy”. Why do people think that “good kids” just “happen” to run in families? Wouldn’t it make more sense that they’d be sprinkled a bit more evenly through the population?
Do hard working moms everywhere a favor. Next time you see a well behaved child, make a positive comment about the child or their behavior. Please don’t tell the mom how nice it must be to have an “easy child”. It would truly be kinder if you slapped her in the face.
Parental love is sacrificing comfort to conceive, carry, and bear a child. It is night feedings, and endless dirty diapers. It is helping through illness, and through wellness and all of the ‘nesses’ in between.
Parental love is encouraging a child to do right and preventing him from being allowed to do wrong. It is a hug in the morning, a swat after rebellion, and a kiss before bedtime.
This special love is reading a book, and teaching a child to read the book, and then insisting that the child read a book. It is prayers, tears, laughter and heartache.
It is love that says, “I’ll forgive anything, and forbid almost as much.”
Love inspires, trains, encourages, refrains, and equips. Then parental love sends the grown child on his way. It stands back in the shadows and waits. It is ready to help, but unwilling to control in the same way. Where once love was responsible for all, now love is a counselor and an observer. Parental love waits and hopes patiently until it sees that it has borne the most beautiful fruit that Parental Love can bear… more love. Nothing is more beautiful than when love has sprouted anew, in a new home, with a new family, and with new people.
I have a heart for parents. I have a zeal for parenting. Anyone who knows me at all knows that I value the investment that parents must make if they dare to rear a child.
And anyone who knows me knows I’ve failed. Repeatedly. I am like the new toddler. I fall down, I get up, I fall down, I get up. Over. and Over. And OVER. But it’s my passion. It’s my focus as an adult.
When I was newly married, I did a little Bible Study on Homemaking. It was a tiny little booklet, but it asked me to choose two things to major in as a homemaker. I chose child rearing and sewing. I find that fascinating considering those are two of my three biggest passions. I would possibly have put writing over one of those at that time but it didn’t seem to fit in the homemaking theme so I didn’t even consider it.
I am a fairly strict mother. I don’t put up with nonsense. My kids are so funny. Any slight bickering by one or two and I hear from another, “Mom, why are they FIGHTING!” My poor kids are so deprived. They have no idea of what the average Joe means by fighting. I’ll keep it that way and keep squashing the bickering in the process. I don’t allow bickering. I told you I was mean.
When children are under five, they’re fairly simple creatures, aren’t they? If you’re consistent from day one, the job is reasonably simple. Keep eyes and ears on them, nip problems before they become full blown plants, and invest in them. Infuse them with the Word. Show them Jesus. Be consistent. Did I say be consistent? Well, if I didn’t, do it. Be consistent.
But, then they grow up. They mature. Each moment of every day brings them closer to that point where they stand alone before the Lord for their actions. As parents, we have to decide. Are we going to hold their hands indefinitely or will the day come when we start letting them fly on their own. Sure, we want to keep them around the nest… they’re family! We don’t want to see our families fractured all over the globe but neither do we want to see them handicapped. A bird who never flies is vulnerable. They need that ability. Children (as they reach adulthood) are the same. That day comes when we should be working ourselves out of a job. Not that our role as advisor or counselor ever ends- I don’t believe it does unless we disqualify ourselves, but the day of directing their footsteps (or wing stretches) does end. At some point, we have to see if they can not only survive, but grow and flourish without our constant supervision.
We don’t rear children. We rear adults. Too often, children are left to their own devices too young. At eight and nine they’re deciding if so and so is a good boyfriend or if this R rated movie is acceptable. They choose their diet and their wardrobe and if they want to go somewhere, they inform, they wouldn’t dream of asking for permission! This is alarming and I agree that it isn’t appropriate. But the answer isn’t the opposite extreme. At fifteen, seventeen, nineteen… we should hope our children are ready to make those decisions. My Morgann, nineteen and in college, shouldn’t have to ask permission to leave the house! She’s an adult. Courtesy demands she inform- I do the same when I leave, but she shouldn’t have to ask. Braelyn doesn’t have to ask anymore. I expect to know where and if she says somewhere that is in my opinion, inappropriate, I do reserve the right to veto but seriously, it hasn’t happened yet.
I’ve been accused of “lowering my standards” with my older children. Because my younger daughters are not allowed to wear pants as a general rule, people have raised eyebrows that my older girls have moved into jeans. Horrors! All along, I’ve said that I don’t believe wearing pants are a sin. My girls know that. If I had believed that, I wouldn’t have given my blessing for pants to be worn in my home. Period. However, once they’re making most of the decisions for their lives, if they choose clothing that I don’t care for but aren’t indecent, I have no room to object. I expect that my children will make decisions that are vastly different than me… I don’t expect them to violate Biblical principles… that’s something entirely different. However, if they choose a method I personally don’t like, well, tuff luck to me. I’m not going to dictate their life indefinitely! I don’t want that job!
My girls have made decisions I don’t care for. I’m not going into them because the decisions aren’t SINS. Sin is the only area I’ll make a stand on. If I see them making a poor choice, well yes, I’ll counsel them but I ‘m not going to jump in and interfere. At some point, they have to fly and if their course takes them the long way there, or through a windy tunnel, well, they should have listened to the advice of their elders but seriously, if it isn’t a safety or sin issue, I really don’t want to overrule that much of their lives.
As the ultimate Parent, God trains us. He rears us slowly and patiently but He also lets us fall on our face as we’re learning to toddle around before He gently picks us up and helps us on our way again. Sometimes, we head in unsafe directions that are too dangerous and He blocks the way. As we get older and more mature, He sometimes steps aside and lets His love and teaching do the blocking. Occasionally we ignore Him and pay the price. The price is deep. “Whom the Lord loves, He chastens” and scourges… Did you see the word scourge? He doesnt’ let us get away with our folly but He does let us blow it eventually.
Do I throw my kids out to the wolves the day they turn eighteen? Of course not. Do I expect them to make wise decisions? Yes. I am confident that most of the decisions my children will make will be reasonably intelligent and wise. Do I think that they’ll make stupid mistakes? Definitely. Will I regret not keeping them under my overbearing authority indefinitely? Never.
When is the last time you heard someone say, “We lingered…” It’s almost a forgotten word; have you noticed? I hear it in a song, read it in a poem, but rarely do I hear it spoken. And worse, I rarely see it happen in my life or in anyone else’s.
Linger. I’m going to define it and see how close I am to the dictionary. Linger: to pause deliberately; to drag out a moment to its fullest. Dictionary.com says…
- to remain or stay in a place longer than is usual or expected as with reluctance to leave.
- to dwell in contemplation, thought, or enjoyment.
Their definitions are much more eloquent and closer to what I was trying to convey. Linger. Even the sound of the word makes your tongue pause. It’s a beautiful word with an incredible meaning. People ‘linger’ over coffee. They sit with hands wrapped around steaming cups and share a little more of themselves before they tear themselves away and go back to the ‘real world’ of busyness and business.
You can buy that picture here (I was too lazy to find one of mine)
I think it’s time we put a little linger into our lives. Ideas for future lingering?
- Your child: gaze into their eyes and smile. Don’t hurry away to finish this job or that. Linger until you have to tear yourself away. Let them see your reluctance to leave their presence.
- Your spouse: it’s been a long day. All you want to do is sit down and put your feet up. You need to relax before the tug of stress tears you in pieces but there is your spouse. There’s a hug coming. Don’t just squeeze and release- linger. Take those extra seconds… minutes… linger. I guarantee the day will come when one of you remembers that hug and wishes they could have just one more.
- Your friend: take a moment out of your day and stop by. Go to the door, knock, smile, and say, “I thought of you and decided to stop by for a minute. Do you have time?” Then linger. Stay longer than just a minute but not forever… don’t be the one who won’t withdraw her foot from her neighbor’s house… but linger. Let them see that you don’t want to leave. Let hem see that you don’t want to rush off again now that the perfunctory visit is over. Linger. Friends are precious gifts. Treasure them. Linger.
- Your parents: whether far away or next door, they won’t always be with you. Linger now while you can. They need to see, hear, and know that you value them. The days fly by… linger.
- Nature: A rose in bloom, a finch in a nest, the squirrel in he backyard tree, a puppy, the mountains, the ocean. Linger. Take that extra moment and truly immerse yourself in where you are. Enjoy the sights, sounds, scents, and textures around you. Don’t rush through this world on a constant quest to do more, be more. Once in a while, linger.
- Pleasures: a cup of coffee, a favorite dessert, a book, a movie, a hobby… Linger. Your life zips past you so quickly. Don’t finish life’s race never having taken the time to enjoy it. Linger.
As for me, I plan to add a little lingering to my life. I want a lifetime of beauty to reflect on in my rocking chair years. I don’t want to struggle to remember the lingering moments that are like icing on the cake of life. I plan to linger.
Good morning! Time to enjoy the rest of my magazine right? Of course right!
As I sit here drinking my Slim-Fast (it’s a way to ensure I get SOME calories before noon. I lose weight the more I eat. Weird huh), I open the magazine and guess what is next? Life: Nutrition. SNORT. This is another Q&A section and it continues the previous theme of “sleep”. It’s all about what foods aid and hinder restful sleep and how to choose foods for your particular needs. Basic information but I’m getting the idea that this magazine isn’t intended for people who read as much as I do so perhaps it isn’t as ‘basic’ as it seems to me. I’d give it a three though.
Onto projects! YEE HAW! I love projects They have very very overly simplistic instructions for taking old kitchen hutches and giving the a fresh coat of paint. At first, I thought there was more instructions in the back, but not really. It is very simplistic but then again, the project isn’t that difficult. You clean and sand the old, paint, and voila. Done. Next? I loved what they did with the pieces. Usually, I cringe at painting over wood but frankly, two of the three original cupboards, I wouldn’t have liked at all and I did like the end result so win-win for me! The projects they did ended up looking something like this…
Four pages of beautiful pictures and only half a page of text starts off an article about a picnic at “bluebell hill”. It is truly my favorite article so far. I love how the practical is woven in with the whimsical. I enjoy the encouragement to get out and enjoy nature without the pressure that so many articles give. Have you ever noticed that. An article on simplicity and freedom from the stress of this world often offers its own pressure and stress. How ridiculous! However, this one was a beautiful blend of everything that makes you want to sit up, open the windows, and check the fridge to see what you could use to create a picnic of your own. The article isn’t just about a picnic. It is also about one woman’s legacy, a way to beautify your own area of living, and encouragement to make a small difference in the world and lives around you. Bravo! Five stars squared.
The next article is about a singer, Mandisa. I’ve never heard of her that I can think of but it’s a lovely name. At first my mind was pronouncing it “Man-diss-uh” but looking at it, it might be Mandy and Lisa… I’m not sure but hey. The article tells about her time on American Idol, her struggle with her weight, and her debut album. It was interesting, informative etc, but I’m not a follower of celebrity culture as a general rule so I could take it or leave it. I’ll give it a two and a half or three.
Eight pages of cupcake pictures with tiny descriptions came next. I’m hungry. I think it’s time to make cupcakes. hee hee. I thought the one with the sugared viola on it was gorgeous. I also LOVED the wedding mini cakes with almond butter cream frosting. The liners were delightful! Want to see them? Buy the magazine! Oh, and still no advertisements. This is the kind of thing I’m talking about…
Now a section on Italy and Italian art. Again, gorgeous full color spreads of Tuscany, Vernazza, and the library ceiling of Siena are truly breathtaking. According to this article, this area gets two hour lunch breaks. Sign me up! Actually, I think I’ll declare my house little Italy and give myself two hour lunch breaks and voila. No moving and I still get the benefits. I’ll confess, the introduction to the article flops over the line between prose and poetry. It’s very well written, it’s truly lovely actually, but it is definitely a little … much. It reminds me of the kinds of things that I wrote in high school. Think Anne Shirley and alabaster brows and you’ll have it just about right. However, it flows naturally into a very interesting article about renassiance art in Italy and about certain artists. I was captivated by the article. Perhaps someone with more artistic or renaissance knowledge would find it basic or repetitive but I loved it. Definitely four stars. Maybe five.
In a tribute to mothers for Mother’s Day, they have a series of mothers and their words of wisdom for other mothers. From difficult circumstances, to a life that never knew what it was like to be without Jesus’ influence, to one written by a father about his daughter who left behind her husband and children after losing a battle with cancer, each story was encouraging and touching (Although I seriously disagree with one of the women in her thoughts on God, obedience, and parenting!). I loved the article and rate it a four (and the several full page pictures with testimonies was lovely as well).
An incredibly beautiful article on “blooming branches” (mostly in the way of pictures) reminds us that we can enjoy more than cut flowers blooming in our homes. They suggest what trees/shrubs have branches that you can cut and enjoy in vases inside and even when and how to cut them. I am inspired. I am going to grow lilacs again. I love them, I want them, I’m going to have them. Period. I give this one a four just because it inspired me to act!
We’re back to “regular features” now. Life: lessons. The article is by Allan Edeker and is on True Security. This was the longest article in the magazine by far. It is definitely the deepest. While again, there is nothing ‘new’ under the sun of his writing (oh come on, it’s slightly amusing), he did write it in a fresh way and in terms that are “relevant” (I hate that word) to today. He uses the current economy, our tendency toward feeling secure when we think we’re in control, and the truth that only in Jesus are we ever secure to turn our minds back to simple truth. Jesus is our security. He ends with ten simple reminders for keeping our mind focused on truth. I’ll give it a three and a half to four.
The next article is another regular feature and is on “thoughts”. I was intrigued that there is a regular feature on this subject so I was eager to read. To discover the article was about fashion and traveled into the Smithsonian exhibit of the First Ladies of the US, surprised me. I mean, what does that have to do with thoughts? Then I realized that thoughts is kind of like a secondary editorial by whomever writes the article. I get it now. I liked the article. It was interesting, informative, and had a couple of quotes to inspire. I’ll quote the one by Martha Washington as just a tiny little glimpse. “I am fond only of what comes from the heart.” Excellent isn’t it?
Works comes next. One page devoted to three columns about ways to make a difference in the world. Whether providing educational aid to Africa, homes to orphans, or how to start an urban garden, the message is clear. Everyone can do something to make a difference to someone else.
A travel guide to Washington D. C. shares information about landmarks, dining, and planning resources for your trip to our nation’s capital. There are websites to help you make the best choices for your time in the city but don’t forget, Spring is cherry blossom time… Can you tell I wasn’t enthused about the article? Even the picture was a bit um… er… blah. I’ll give it a one.
Next is a two page spread on six books and what they’re about. One of the pages is a ovely picture of a woman reading. It would have been more believable if the book had a title and the pages weren’t obviously blank but hey, it’s pretty. The books were all ones I’d never heard of so I thought that was good. Out of the six, one of the books interested me but not enough to purchase it. Sorry. I give the article a one too. It seems like the magazine is heading down hill fast. But turn the page and there are fiction books and music featured! Six more books and six CDs waiting to tempt me. I’m reading. One of the fiction books sparks an interest. The God Cookie by Geoffrey Wood. I’ll be buying it. The music, however, isn’t um… my style. I’ve heard of two of the people, and neither are what I enjoy so that’s not their fault. I didn’t expect to recognize any of them and I certainly didn’t expect to be interested. I just raised the whole thing to a three. All in all, it would probably interest most people. It was eclectic enough to find one thing that caught my eye and I’m pretty much an odd ball so that’s amazing to me!
Finally in the media section, an article on Kirk Cameron. Is it terrible that I consider this very predictable? For a quarterly magazine, surely they should have realized that Cameron was um… redundant. He’s been “done” by everyone. I wish they’d have chosen anyone else from that movie as something unique. Fireproof, the Love Dare, and all of its ilk is just too much these days. It’s time to move onto something else. Reading it as someone who had never heard of the movie or seen it, didn’t know anything about the book… it was still a blah article- a two at best.
Oh! Recipes! The recipes for cheese souffle, fruit and green salad with honey dijon (yes it still sounds as revolting), and lovely cupcakes have recipes now! It wasn’t clear from the articles that these were in the back of the magazine but then I was reading it very late at night and as their sleep article warns, that is bad for the mental and physical health. I’ll blame me for that. Step-by-step instructions for the crafts are here and again, they’re really not necessary but they’re nice. Also, there is an entire page devoted to source so you can find all the things they used in the magazine. Too bad they didn’t find a coupon code for 75% off those bowls… 
Finally, there is a preview of the summer issue. A smiling woman in a vintage-looking apron is holding a tray of empty canning jars. I can’t wait. Seriously. I’m going to enjoy it. I would never want this magazine to arrive every month. It’s too um… ‘empty’ for every month. However, since it’s a quarterly magazine, it’s worth five dollars every three months. (18.00 per year). All in all, I’m glad I subscribed. It’ll be a nice break. Next time it comes, I think I’ll grab it, saunter over to Nicoletti’s, order me a nice roast beef sandwich and Italian Soda (it’ll be summer after all), and enjoy it slowly. Then, maybe I’ll leave it there for the next person.
Meanwhile, I’m willing to send this magazine to someone. Just comment and say you want it and I’ll randomly draw someone and mail it. Cause I wanna spread the beauty!
One quiet house, a cool glass of water, a bag of “red hots” (the right kind… Brach’s Cinnamon Imperials), a warm cozy blanket, and a magazine. it’s a recipe for relaxation.
About four months ago, I heard about a new magazine, life: beautiful, and decided to subscribe. I don’t subscribe to any other magazines but since it was a Christian oriented magazine, I thought it might be nice to see what the hubub was all about and since living in the desert means that our news stands are limited to BH&G and People, I decided to treat myself to a year. If I didn’t like it, I didn’t have to renew my subscription.
So, sipping on my water with a red hot tucked in my cheek very much like a squirrel and her acorns, I opened the Spring, 2009 issue of life: beautiful.
Pretty isn’t it? Ok, so you can read the cover topics yourself. I opened it and immediately there is a two page spread of a barn with two adorable little lambs. It announces “Spring” and a tribute to the beauty of God’s gift of nature in spring is written as a prayer and followed by the text from Genesis 1:1. Two small paragraphs on two full pages. Refreshing… as long as other pages have a little more to them.
Next we have the letter (which in my late night exhaustion I just spelled “ledder”. Oh yes, I kin spelt that werd). The topic? The beauty of God’s hand in everything- even adversity. I was encouraged by it. I got a glimpse of what is coming in the magazine and the table of contents on the next pages gave me a more detailed idea of how I will be spending the next hour!
This magazine has a particular emphasis on beauty. I like that aspect. I know many magazines are about “beauty” but this is the first one that I personally have seen that seems to truly capture that. The photography is stunning and the constant use of it is exciting. I am rapidly becoming a fan, just for the pictures. This could be a negative thing. After thirty some odd years of being captivated by words, I am now reverting back to ‘looking at the pictures’.
The first article is by the editor. 10 Secrets to Happiness. I love number one but um… is it evil that I am thoroughly annoyed at a sentence that is ambiguous at best? Seriously, if she is trying to tell me that her mother-in-law’s last name is Marie but she goes by it as a first name and she’s known that woman for thirty years, then say so. If that’s not what she’s trying to tell me, well, that’s what I finally deduced from the awkward sentence. It was frustrating. Minor, I grant you. On the other hand, I think I would love to meet this woman she’s talking about… the one I’m calling Marie even if it isn’t her name.
Numbers two, three, and four are predictable. They’re good reminders and I’m not suggesting that they shouldn’t be in there. I just wonder if perhaps a new spin on them could take something we’ve all heard repeatedly, and make it come alive for us in ways it never has yet. I loved number five. It too is a little predictable but unlike the others, she added enough of a personal anectdote and instead of hearing the same-old, same-old… we got something fresh and interesting. Three cheers for number five. Six fits with the others though. Good reminder but not so good presentation. Seven, is new. It’s not something I’ve heard people say when talking about happiness so I was excited about that. I think her conclusion was presumptive at best and more likely, weak. However, the originality of the idea carries it anyway in my opinion. Eight is a good reminder, given in an encouragng way, and without the weaknesses of some of the other points. While it lacked the punch of number five, I immediately thought of ways to apply it so I’m giving it a double thumbs up too.
On the next page are numbers nine and ten. I must confess, the beautiful picture on the page did capture my interest before following the article did, but I don’t see that it’s such a terrible thing. I did finally continue the article and I loved number nine. It wasn’t original like five or the consistent reminder of eight. Rather, it was a glimpse into who an inwardly happy person becomes and how much that blesses others. I’m not sure that was the author’s point- I think she suggested praying for a happy heart, but my reaction was more of a , this is the result of infusing the other suggestions into your life. I never do follow directions very well.
It is very “Spiritually Incorrect” to be annoyed at any admonition to “get in the Word first thing every morning” so I’ll just have to be spiritually incorrect. I was irritated. It wasn’t that we all know to do this. We do, but it never hurts to be reminded. It was just so utterly predictable. I could have told you before I started the article that it would be one of the suggestions and if I was my grandfather the compulsive gambler, I would have put good money on it being the last suggestion. I think I’d have only had a hint of mild irritation if the emphasis hadn’t been on “first thing”. I get so tired of the presumption that if you don’t start your day in the Word, you aren’t giving God your best. Everytime I’ve tried to do this, I’ve grown very stagnant in my relationship with the Lord. I am just not alert enough in the morning to answer a semi-intelligent question from Lorna much less read God’s inspired Word with any kind of clarity. So, while I don’t argue that it is a good suggestion, it was cliche and it was very frustrating to see the eternal ‘first thing’ emphasis. Again.
So, the first article, while not life changing by a long shot, was a gentle nudge to remind us all that happiness is a condition of the heart that springs from correct thinking and a focus on the true Source of happiness. All in all, if I had to rate the article with one to five star, I’d give it a two and a half or three.
Next, there is a lovely calendar for March, April, and May. These have four scripture suggestions for reading every day. I assume this takes you through the Bible in a year or something. I love the calendar and if I used one of those homemaking notebook things, I’d tear them out, hole punch them, and stick them in the binder. Why not have pretty pages!
Next is the “Family” section. This is a question and answer session with James Dobson. I assume it’s their version of “Dear Abby” but with parenting as an emphasis. While I didn’t agree with him on everything he said (and let’s face it, I don’t agree with everything anyone says), aside from the comment than an undeveloped 13 year old needs a bra to ‘compete’ with her peers, most of it was sound. (Yes, I agreed with him that th 13 year old undeveloped girl needed a bra. If everyone at school is wearing them, kids are cruel and it’s not going to hurt the girl to wear it if she wants to. Thank the Lord for homeschooling so this isn’t something I have to consider.)
Next, is the marriage section with Gary Smalley. Ok, I confess, I was already feeling a bit unimpressed from the last section so I expected to disappointed. While the parenting questions I’d give a two at best, the article Forgiving a Difficult Spouse rates a four. It didn’t blame you for your spouse’s failures but neither did it give you room to seethe. The point, obviously, is how to forgive- how to ‘be the better person’ as my dad always said. He didn’t mean of course, that you are superior to another when you ‘are the better person’; he just meant that someone has to do the right thing so why be that person? It was definitely an article I’d recommend to someone encountering anything from a normal bump in the road of matrimony to a completely washed out section of highway. It was clear, scriptural, and encouraging while gently wielding a very much needed 2×4 to the cranial region.
Oh the next page was delightful! It’s the section “Finds”. Here, they show us the cool beans things that might just make our wallets cringe but definitely would make some of us grin! For instance, check out this gorgeous bowl set from White Forest Pottery.
Think Kevin would mind if I spent $300 on a gorgeous set of nesting bowls? Yeah. Me too. I think I’ll have to try them with paper mache or something. Not as functional but just as lovely. This little bowl makes me smile and the price is definitely more ‘doable’.
Another suggetion were these gourmet candies. They’re “Honey Caramel Bees“ from John and Kira’s.
Can someone explain to me why I am revolted at the idea of eating cute little bee candies but their ’boutique ladybug’ counterparts don’t seem to faze me? Anyway, these too are out of my price range but they’re adorable anyway. As always, the pictutres that they have of these and several other items, are exquisite, large enough to see true detail, and make you want to drool. Just a bit. Where did I put that napkin?
Oh boy. The next is an article by Joyce Meyer. I’m not exactly a fan but I’m going to try to go into it with an open mind and see what happens. The title: The Problem with Change. Ok, it was good. I liked the article. Only one statement jumped out at me as “erroneous”. You can’t make a blanket statement that good intentions only drive you deeper into a rut. That is just too broad to be supportable. On the other hand, she said one thing that I found brilliant. Simple… nothing we don’t know, but worded in a fresh way that jumped out and smiled at me. She said, “You don’t have to be a superhero. Give yourself permission to be who you are- an imperfect human being who needs help!” Hallelujah. The end of the article states that this article is based somehow on Ms. Meyer’s book, 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life and can be purchased here. This one definitely gets a 4 star rating. Oh and the section was Life: Teaching. Thought you oughtta know.
Oh goodie. The next section is crafts! Yeeeee haw! I love crafts. Off to read. (psst. The pictures are already amazingly gorgeous!) How interesting. Three craft ideas on a two page spread with one of those pages being a single gorgeous picture. The other page is half instructions and half pictures. The instructions are VERY clear, the ideas are VERY simple, but they’re fun! They’re definitely economical and the results shouldn’t be difficult to achieve. All in all, while one is absurdly simple and not anything we haven’t seen a dozen times, it does fit nicely with the other two so it makes sense that they included it. I’m seriously tempted to weave me a message board… it looks cool! Too bad I don’t use them. Does anyone need a new message board at their house?
So far, by the way, the only advertisements have been for the magazine itself. I’m on page 22 and still no sign of them.
Life: Dinnertime. Oh the table is gorgeous. Those square plates I drooled over at White Forest Pottery are waiting for the meal to come! Vases from the same website are there and I would almost bet that those bowls are there too. The next two pages have a theme of “marigold yellow” from a design hint to the suggestion of using a bit of honey in your salad dressing. (It looks divine btw.) I did a double take at ‘naval oranges’. Do they have marine ones too? They suggest that you scoop a bit of store bought sorbet onto a cookie sheet before dinner and stick in the freezer. Then you go take them out, put them in footed glasses, add a sprig of mint, and serve. Now tell me, why the freezer bit? Seems like now you have another pan to wash. The cheese souffle sounds heavenly but there is no recipe so I’m not sure if havartia and blue cheese souffles are any good and if they are, I don’t know where to find a recipe for them. I’m not interested in their salad. Greens, fruit, and nuts topped with honey dijon mustard dressing sounds repulsive to me. Ugh.
Oh! Next is money or as they call it, life: finances with Ellie Kay. Never heard of her but that’s not to say she doesn’t have sound advice. Off to see! Ok, the article is in Q&A format but it took two very closely related questions and made them into a solid encouraging article for how to work together to spend and save wisely. Nothing earth shattering in the suggestions… but her personal story of what she did and how she did it when she tried to get out of severe personal debt was inspiring. I plan to share it with a friend who is almost at the point to get to do her own debt busting! I’ll give the article a 3 for helpfulness but a five for encouragement. It’s always nice to hear someone’s success story.
On to order! The order of the day? Gardening! A generic article encouraging you to get out there and do a little tilling and sowing! While not earth-shattering, I do confess, by the time I was done reading, I wanted to look at seed catalogs and I’d built a few raised beds in my mind. Oh, and I LOVE the idea of planting lettuce in pots along the north side of the girl’s room I am definitely going to consider that.
Ahh… sleep. The next section is on sleep and since I’m writing this at 1:29 in the morning, the irony is giving me the giggles. This is the “body” section. Let’s see what they have to say. I’m guessing a few reminders of how beneficial good sleep is, how God designed us to need it, and how most of us don’t get enough sleep. Am I right? Ok, I was right but I have to confess, the health information offered was different than I’ve ever read. In fact, it was such a compelling article, that I’m going to save the rest of this magazine for tomorrow. I’ll give this one a five star rating for taking a common subject and making me interested enough in it to follow its suggestions immediately.
Buenas noches mi amigas.
Have you noticed that I’m a bit um… er… well… obsessed with cleaning right now? All of my posts either directly or indirectly are influenced by my current dirt and clutter eradication frenzy. I am truly amazed at how much work I have actually been able to accomplish… until I remember that what I’ve spent almost two weeks doing, I once could have done in a day- if I took a lot of breaks that day. That gets a little discouraging but hey. It’s life, isn’t it?
Now I know that in the northern climes, the calendar may say ‘first day of Spring, March 20, 2009′ but your thermometer didn’t get that memo. Here, we’re in our extremes. We get almost to the 70’s during the days but end up in the thirties and forties at night. So, spring is here. Pretty soon the gorgeous desert wildflowers will dot the landscape, the creosote will burst into bloom, and those with allergies will be miserable while I’ll be in heaven. That’s almost cruel, isn’t it?
Oh well, back to the cleaning. I remember reading a book by Don Aslett. In it, he stated that we shouldn’t need to do spring and fall housecleaning these days. Our homes don’t get covered with soot all winter and then need a thorough once over again before closing it up for the winter again like it used to be. I agree. Seriously, we shouldn’t need it. I know my mom never did “spring” or “fall” house cleaning. She just kept a clean and clutter free house. Period. Of course, she had one child and a husband who were gone all day.
For me, it comes natural. I don’t even think about it. Last night, my Kaylene talked to me while I worked on another bookshelf in my room, and then an hour or so later, caught me scrubbing at the stove top. She gave me a funny look and said, “No offense mom, but what’s with all the cleaning?” I hadn’t really thought of it until then but she does have a point. If I was pregnant, Kevin would be filling up the tank, sending kids to the store for food, and asking if my bag was packed. If I was staying home, he’d be asking me who is coming to help. That might be because with the last baby, I kind of forgot to line up help. Oops. Praise the Lord for good friends and neighbors who are good friends and who can still look me in the eye after being exposed to my nether regions and guttural screams. But, that’s for another day.
Spring and fall house cleaning are instinctive to me. Without fail, I automatically find myself doing them at just about those times of the year. I pull things off shelves, dust, put half back, get rid of half of what is left, and put the other half where it should have been in the first place. I replace worn out things, repair broken things, and find something to make each room feel fresh and homey. I like homey. It’s me. Thought you oughtta know.
Spring Fever has hit… And my house and life are are better for it.
I’ve been working on my room. I’m a bit obsessed with it actually. And today… I took a picture to prove it.
See. Proof is in the pudding. And as you can see, the other shelves are NOT done. N. O. T. But, one is done. One. The other shelf will happen tomorrow.
Meanwhile I’m exhausted, exhausted, and I’m really really tired. Oh, and the lungs. They hate this. Thought you oughtta know.
I met her in the sixth grade. I don’t know how long it took us to become the crazy duo but we did. Then, on her birthday, she invited me and another friend to her house for her birthday. Her mother made tacos.
Tacos. Let’s just say you’ve never had tacos that tasted quite like this or quite so good. They were delicious. No, that’s an insulting understatement. They were the most incredibly marvelous things I’d ever eaten and my mom is an amazing cook… takes a lot to get me to even hint that anyone can beat mom at anything. These tacos did it. I craved those tacos. I dream of those tacos. There is nothing on this earth that is even remotely as impressive as those tacos.
I spent a lot of time there… and we ate tacos. The church had a dinner… and we had tacos. I went to her wedding… and we had tacos. She had a birthday party for her eldest child… and we had tacos. Oh those yummy tacos.
Then she started making them for a private school. I convinced her to come to a craft fair we have here every year. She came. She served frijoles, arroz, and yep… tacos. (Ok, she also sold nachos, apples with caramel over them, churros, and fruit smoothies.) The town went wild. She was the hit of Ridgecrest.
She moved. I haven’t had her tacos in ages. And then… she decided to share them with the world. So, without further ado, I give you the best tacos on the planet that you can now make in your own home (it’ll be an awfully close second to the original!!!)
