You Must, Have to, are Obligated to Watch This!

Please take 20 minutes to watch "The Story of Stuff." This is an eye opening and educational piece about the line of production, consumption, and disposal of STUFF. You will be very interested to learn some stats about how much of the world's resources we use and how that affects other countries. You will learn how we got to this consumer based economy (WW2) issue. Just watch it! I'm serious.
www.storyofstuff.com

What am I doing?

I have to say I get some relief when I see a parent who looks a little frazzled, who looks like they have run out of ideas, who looks a little clueless. Maybe that is because I must look that way to people often (especially lately). I find myself hauling Spencer, kicking and screaming, out of the YMCA, church, or grocery store. I just try really hard to look unbothered and even manage to smile at the people passing by. My smile is supposed to silently communicate, "ah, kids, they keep ya hopping ;)" Inside I'm thinking, "I want to beat you, you are making my life very difficult right now." The problem is I actually said that out loud coming out of the YMCA yesterday.
Today, our church got to witness Maegan's protest about going into Sunday School class. She wasn't having it, for some unknown reason. Doug wanted to spank her into compliance. I, condescendingly, told him that wasn't the right method. I decided to sit in the hallway with her, thinking she'd get bored and go in. Well, she was yelling too loud and it was disturbing the worshippers in the basement. Doug hauled her into Arch's office. People were trying to help give ideas, or just give a smile of compassion. I just kept announcing to everyone..."I don't know what I'm doing." I didn't know if my method was right, but I was trying what I could.
My friend, Katie, once said, "When preparing for motherhood I knew I would be physically tired, have to clean up a lot of messes, and that our schedules would change dramatically. However, I wasn't prepared for the 1000 different decisions I would have to make each day." Can I get an amen!

Don't Just Remember

Today we celebrate the life and words of Martin Luther King Jr. He became a martyr for living and speaking the truth. Truth gets in the way of evil, ruins it's plans, and illuminates a better way. Every day we must fight thoughts of defeat. When we see evil triumph, we start to think we might as well just do the best we can with our mere existence.
Don't just remember that God is all powerful and that He is completely good. Live like it. Completely lean onto the truth that God loves you and He is always faithful.

The day before Mr. King was assassinated he said this:
"And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man."

EOVB

This is the diagnosis Doug gave me the day before we left Florida. End of Vacation Blues! Yes, I was grumpy and the diagnosis fit. On vacation I was still cleaning, doing laundry, chasing kids, and cooking meals. However....it was delightful doing it in a beautiful place and doing it alongside my helpmate:) We really enjoyed our family time, beach play, Margaritas, evening walks, and dips in the hot tub. We also read some good books. Doug read "A Billion Bootstraps" which is about ending poverty through micro-business loans. I read "The Seige of Mecca" which is about the 1979 seige of the Grand Mosque in Mecca. This historical account was very eye opening about Islam in the Middle East and how this event was kept rather hush hush.
I would say it's good to be home, but I'm not feeling it yet.

Something for 2008

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again...who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." Teddy Roosevelt
Looking back on 2007, it's good to honor those who have performed well, and even those who performed...if not so well. No, I'm not launching into works based salvation. I'm launching into the salvation that comes from knowing God and finding motivation in Christ, in us, the hope of glory. It is often fear that keeps us from getting in the arena, and living life in uncomfortable closeness to others. Giving our time, emotions, money to others might leave us marred, tired, or more full of love than when we started.
We get to start another year and I think it's going to be an exciting one!