It Made My Skin Crawl
Last night I did something I’ve never done before… watched part of the democratic national convention. I watched Hillary Clinton speak.
I have to hand it to her… she is a good speaker. And a lot of what she said I didn’t have an issue with. And to go from a state of public humiliation in the nineties to running for president, well, that’s impressive.
However, bad-mouthing President Bush and his administration isn’t going to win any points from me. I know the democrats feel they need to get themselves “hyped up” for the election, but “no way, no how, no McCain”? Really?
And when they showed past President Clinton mouthing “I love you” to Hillary, well, it made me throw up in my mouth a little.
Let’s talk about traditional marriage and the sanctity of life, people! Biblical values – that’s what matters to me and that’s the basis on which I make my voting decisions.
The next few months will be interesting to say the least. I know the republican party isn’t above the mudslinging as well. And I’m sure to see more that makes my skin crawl…
TTAH Tuesday – Coffee Break
ESCAPE.
That is a word that I’ve been thinking all summer. Well, maybe I haven’t been thinking about the word, exactly, but at least the idea. I’ve often been thinking about how I can get away. For instance…
The kids are fighting. Again. *ESCAPE*
I just washed the window on the screen door yesterday and now it’s got sunscreen handprints on it. *ESCAPE*
Another dirty diaper. *ESCAPE*
Another load of laundry. *ESCAPE*
Serving a nice, healthy dinner amidst complaints. *ESCAPE*
In fact, I feel a little bit guilty about the way I’ve been feeling. I have been blessed, so why do I feel like I need to get away sometimes? My answer is that I can only take so much of the demands of little people and life. I need a little break every once in a while. I need to feel as if I’m not someone’s maid, teacher, chef, etc., if only for a few minutes. I need some quiet.
So I’ve started to have a “coffee break”. A friend of mine calls it “happy hour”. Whatever you call it, I suggest you do it. Get a snack or drink for yourself. Get your kids situated with something to keep them busy for 15 minutes. Instruct them that they need to… ok, I’ll be blunt about it… leave you alone for a little while. No asking for anything, no arguing, no interrupting mom. For 15 minutes. Go sit somewhere quiet. Lock yourself in, if need be.
Depending on your kids, this may or may not be difficult for them. At first it was for mine, but after a few times they got the idea.
It’s my escape. It allows me to experience some quiet. I can use the time as I choose – to read something, or just to sit and think. Believe me, it’s time well-spent. When I don’t do it, I find myself “escaping” in negative ways – becoming overwhelmed, frustrated, and sometimes even emotionally detaching from my kids. So I figure, a break is good for me AND for them.
So give yourself a coffee break. You need it, mom.
School is starting soon…
Good morning, friends!!
A blogging “friend” of mine just wrote a fabulous post about preparing yourself and your child to be out on their own, whether it be kindergarten or college.
If you’re sending a child to school soon, be sure to read her post here. Sandra is a MOPS mentor and has some fabulous insights on this subject. Enjoy!
TTAH Tuesday – A Running Gift List
I have trouble remembering things these days. Or maybe I just have trouble listening. Whatever.
Inevitably, the kids would tell me they want something at the store, and with 6 months to go until Christmas or birthday, I would forget it. So I started keeping a running gift list.
Everyone knows about the list and where it is kept. Even my husband – at least he did, but I may have to remind him. But the idea is that I won’t forget some of the things the kids (or Dave) want when their birthdays or Christmas rolls around. When grandparents ask what the kids want, I’m already prepared. And when we’re at the store and I get the “mom, I want _____”, I just tell them… I’ll put it on your list.
Now this is the best part. I also have a list for me. This is perfect for my husband (and me) because he doesn’t have to guess what I want, and I get something I want or need. This may sound unromantic to those of you who want your husband to pick something out for you himself. But I’ll take practical over romantic any day of the week.
So try this at your house and let me know if it works!
I’m in The Game
That was “The Game”, not “The Games”, in case you misunderstood.
You know The Game, don’t you?
The one where you try to use up all the zucchini you have, preferably finding as many varied recipes as possible so that your family doesn’t have to eat plain old boiled zucchini every single night.
And you don’t have to waste any precious zucchini.
Prior to this year, I was really just a spectator in this game. I’d laugh politely when the topic rolled around to this, pretending I knew what I was talking about. But now that we have joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm, we have an abundance of vegetables. Including zucchini.
So in the interest of helping out my fellow players, here is one of my favorite zucchini recipes:
Zucchini Casserole
4-5 cups zucchini, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp. salt
dash pepper
2 T butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup crushed ritz crackers
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Parboil squash for about 5 minutes (you can also use yellow squash instead of or in addition to the zucchini). Place into a buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add onion. Sprinkle the crushed crackers over the top, and then sprinkle the cheese. Dot with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
So yummy. Enjoy!
TTAH Tuesday – Start Saving For College!
My husband and I are both savers. He would probably say I spend more than he does, and he’s probably right. But since I am The Grocery Shopper of the family, it makes sense.
Anyways, my tip for today is to start saving for your kids’ college education. Nevermind that they haven’t graduated from Learning To Walk School. The sooner the better.
One of our favorite ways to save is to save while we’re buying stuff we need. Enter Upromise. This is something anyone can do – sign up with Upromise for free and get money back for college savings with your purchases.
Check out the website at www.upromise.com
Try it – I think you’ll be happy 18 years from now (or sooner), when the cost of a college education is like 3 trillion dollars – not counting room and board, of course.
I’m dreaming of a…
Vacation in Breckenridge, Colorado!
A certain, shall we say, best friend of mine is on a vacation business trip here. He actually thought I’d feel sorry for him. Instead I’m envisioning the day when his boss says, “hey, I’m sending you to one of the most beautiful places on earth, and why don’t you take your wife, too!”
Only in my dreams, people, only in my dreams.
Have a look and don’t spend too much time daydreaming yourself!
TTAH Tuesday – Go Camping
Hi there! Sorry about my missing last Tuesday… we were camping.
Which leads me to my Try-This-At-Home tip for today. Go camping.
We try to go every summer. Before kids, we camped in a tent. After kids, we rent a cabin. However you can manage it, you and your family should do it. Here are some benefits to camping (definitely not all-inclusive):
- memories. some of my favorite memories from childhood are camping / traveling memories and they are meaningful and wonderful. even things that don’t go right end up being things you’ll laugh about later.
- no phone, no TV, no computer, etc. it’s a great break from the technology that can end up running our lives at home.
- fun. laughter. play. the joy of shared experiences as a family. and not having to worry about the ever-present to-do list related to the house.
- dirt. every kid needs to get dirty – and I mean really dirty – once in a while.
- seeing strangers’ kids misbehave. it brings a certain perspective to your life.
- at the very least, it’ll give you some fun pictures to scrapbook!
And I’ll give you my three best camping tips to get you started:
- make a list of all the things you’ll need. then file it away and use it next year. this is most helpful if when you get home you add to it all the things you forgot.
- if you’re new to camping and you have small children, check out a Jellystone campground near you.
- remember that camping IS relaxing, but not the same kind of relaxing that you experienced on your honeymoon to Cancun. there’s some work involved. but the kids will love it and you might even be able to tackle that book you’ve been wanting to read while they’re having fun making mud pies.
So go ahead and camp. You’ll never forget it.
All wrapped up…
Something just hit me yesterday and I wanted to share it with you. Let me know what you think.
I don’t think God’s all that thrilled with my efforts to be perfect. Sure, we are commanded in the Bible to “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” But I think He is more concerned with how close I am to Him and how well I’m following Him as opposed to how high I’m getting on the perfection scale.
Lately I’ve been having a lot of emotional ups and downs. This is SO not me. I’ve always been a pretty even-keeled person emotionally. But not lately – I feel like I’m on a roller coaster. One thing that’s been getting me down is the feeling that I can’t overcome a few things I’ve been struggling with. One is speaking out in frustration and anger to my kids. Another is self-control in the area of eating. There are more, and worse things. And the feeling of continually sinning in these areas and being weighed down by it is frustrating. I want to be perfect. And the more I want to be and try to be, the more obvious it is that I am not. And it seems like a downward spiral.
Now there’s nothing wrong with acknowledging your sin, asking for forgiveness, and repenting. That’s what God wants us to do. But what about when your focus on that perfection makes you depressed? And you focus on it so much that it consumes your thoughts? Do you think it’s possible that this can pull you away from God instead of toward Him?
I do. And I think that’s what’s been going on with me. I have been so focused on trying to be perfect that it’s drawing me away from Him. I have been avoiding prayer to a certain extent because I feel like such a failure. And worst of all, I’ve been so focused on me, I’ve forgotten about any work God might have for me in enlarging His kingdom.
So I’m all wrapped up in myself. It’s probably exactly where satan would like me to be.
But what good is being “perfect” if it means I’ve stopped listening and obeying God?
So today, I got up early to talk to God – to really talk to Him. To repent of my efforts to be perfect. To give myself over again to Him. I think it starts there.
Have you ever been here? Do you have any words of wisdom to share?
