"Name them one by one. Count your blessings see what God has done." It's that time of year again, though I must say that this is a good exercise to do every day, especially when you are feeling troubled or unhappy. So I am going to start a list. Feel free to jump in and add your thoughts.
I haven't written much lately simply because I haven't had the time. The positive side of that situation is the reason: I have a part time job that keeps me at an office two days a week, with other work done from home. Between my job, my family, and my church work, I have little time to write. BUT I have a job that I really enjoy that brings a little extra income into the household budget. AND I have a wonderful mother who takes care of my children on the days that I work at the office. AND my boss is very kind about making sure I don't overdo and neglect family. All of these are amazing blessings for which I am extremely grateful.
My children and husband are healthy and happy (well, discounting when my husband's football team loses). Our daughter, having protested and complained vigorously about having to go to a physical school after being homeschooled, is eager to go each day and has made new friends. Our son loves his preschool and even gets upset when I, and not his grandmother, picks him up. My husband, who doesn't always like what he does for a living, does like his company, the short commute, and the hours that allow him to be home with us more of each day.
We have a great church where we can serve, are fed spiritually, and have made some new friends. I just found out recently that these new friends (they are new members to our church) actually live near us, have a daughter our daughter's age, and their youngest daughter goes to the same preschool our son does. I got goosebumps when I heard that. God is absolutely amazing.
The kids and I were recently in a car accident (no one hurt), and we were concerned that my car would be totaled, which would mean we would get very little from the insurance company (the car is old with many miles on it) and would have to buy another one. But God was good and led us to a repair shop that kept costs low so that the car would not be totaled.
We still have our Tiki Bar Friday nights. I know this may sound like an unimportant thing, but with small kids, finding time to spend together as a couple can be hard. We both look forward to these times at the end of the week. I would tell anyone who has a crazy busy life that it is well worth it to carve out this time with your spouse. Make it a standing date each week, if possible.
We are housed (it may not look like Better Homes & Gardens, but it's comfortable, sound, and home), fed (simple, wholesome meals and more snacks than my waistline needs), clothed (even if we don't have the latest $500 boots, which I wouldn't buy even if I had the money), and much, much more (may I suggest cell phones, cable TV, more than one car, extras so that we have to declutter more often to keep the basement from overflowing). We can go to church in comfort without worrying about being troubled by government (so far). We have medicines when we need them.
Most importantly, we have a God who cares for us so much that He took the punishment for our sins. We deserve absolutely nothing from Him, and He gives us so much.
Of what do we have to complain?
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Monday, September 29, 2014
Encouragement
Have you ever thought to yourself, "I wish someone would just show up at my door or call or send me an email that would make me feel less stressed and tired today?" If you have, you are not alone. I have felt that many times. But then I began to think to myself, "When was the last time you encouraged someone who needed it? When was the last time you did something to uplift the heart of another?"
My American Heritage Dictionary defines "encourage" as "to inspire with courage or confidence; to help bring about, foster." Dictionary.com adds "to stimulate by approval, assistance, etc." and "to promote, advance, or foster." Sharon W. Betters in her book Treasures of Encouragement, says it this way: "God's compassion streaming through us and into others is His 'divine solution' to problems of discouragement, grief, and sorrow. God holds members of His body responsible for making sure that other members experience His love." (Treasures of Encouragement, Copyright 1996 by Sharon W. Betters, R&R Publishing Company, p. 20) In Anne of Green Gables, Marilla wonders how Anne could possibly understand God's love since she had never had it shown to her through human love. I began to realize that in my own discouraging times, I could help others and both show the love of God to them and encourage myself in the process.
So I began to use the ideas in Mrs. Betters' book to encourage others. I don't do it perfectly. It takes time and energy, of which I have little, but I have found that when I do, my own need to be encouraged is sated for a while. Some ways I have found to encourage others are very simple. Some take little time, just a bit of effort. I call someone who has been on my mind or send them an email or card. I don't have to take a lot of time in conversation, but a simple voicemail often can uplift someone. For example, over the last few weeks my friend Shannon has come to my mind frequently. I have found myself praying for her and thinking of her quite often. So I sent an email and then I called and left her a voicemail. When we finally were able to talk for a bit, I was amazed to discover that she had been thinking of me and had actually had a dream about me and some others from our Bible Study. I don't go crazy over "miraculous" events, but I don't discount the possibility either. I believe God was using each of us to help the other and that He was responsible for our continued thoughts and prayers for the other. Occasionally, I send flowers for no reason to a friend, and they often come at a moment when they are needed. Or I make a meal for someone who is stressed and overwhelmed or who is simply laid up and could use a hand.
Please don't think I am making myself out to be someone great. I still do far less than I ought to, simply out of sheer laziness sometimes. But I want to encourage, inspire, and stimulate those of you who do feel the need of help from time to time to take the time to do something encouraging for someone else. You might be surprised how much it uplifts you in the process. You will also be the "medium of human love" through which God translates His love to someone else.
So I began to use the ideas in Mrs. Betters' book to encourage others. I don't do it perfectly. It takes time and energy, of which I have little, but I have found that when I do, my own need to be encouraged is sated for a while. Some ways I have found to encourage others are very simple. Some take little time, just a bit of effort. I call someone who has been on my mind or send them an email or card. I don't have to take a lot of time in conversation, but a simple voicemail often can uplift someone. For example, over the last few weeks my friend Shannon has come to my mind frequently. I have found myself praying for her and thinking of her quite often. So I sent an email and then I called and left her a voicemail. When we finally were able to talk for a bit, I was amazed to discover that she had been thinking of me and had actually had a dream about me and some others from our Bible Study. I don't go crazy over "miraculous" events, but I don't discount the possibility either. I believe God was using each of us to help the other and that He was responsible for our continued thoughts and prayers for the other. Occasionally, I send flowers for no reason to a friend, and they often come at a moment when they are needed. Or I make a meal for someone who is stressed and overwhelmed or who is simply laid up and could use a hand.
Please don't think I am making myself out to be someone great. I still do far less than I ought to, simply out of sheer laziness sometimes. But I want to encourage, inspire, and stimulate those of you who do feel the need of help from time to time to take the time to do something encouraging for someone else. You might be surprised how much it uplifts you in the process. You will also be the "medium of human love" through which God translates His love to someone else.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Pray for the Broken Souls
I have struggling lately with anger and frustration over current events in the news. It's a bad habit of mine, keeping up with current events, because it simply raises my blood pressure over things which I can do nothing to stop. I often want God to take His Elect home to be with Him and then overturn the earth and its evil inhabitants in permanent fashion. But I have to stop and take myself in hand and remember that "but for the Grace of God, there stand I." Only God's restraining hand holds back the evil deeds of human beings. Note that I do not say Evil is a blind force. It is not. Human hearts without God are "desperately evil" (Job) and inclined to do even worse than what we see right now.
So what should be my response, the response of the Church Universal to the evil and violence of our day? First: To pray for the broken souls. One of my favorite books has a character who is dying from a rare form of leukemia. He says that he cannot go to where he is needed so his task in his last days is to pray for the broken souls. To pray for souls so broken they can loot and destroy in "protest" over something and the public and media who simply will not look at the facts with a reasonable mind but must go on emotion. To pray for souls so broken that they fire weapons from among children in order to make their enemy look bad if they respond. To pray for souls so fearful in their brokenness that they fear people whose view of the law is "the only good cop is a dead cop" (which in passing is no less heinous than "the only good Indian is a dead Indian," a view voiced by some of the pioneers over a hundred years ago). To pray for souls so broken that they cannot see even the moral law of God to be something of value that protects them from themselves. To pray for souls so broken they can kill unborn, defenseless children. To pray for souls so broken they value their jobs in ruling more than they value being upright and honest. To pray for souls so broken they can leave wife or husband and children to try to find a shadow and a vapor life. To pray for souls so broken they protest Vacation Bible Schools that tell children that all are sinners and in need of Grace.
Second: to work for the spread of the Gospel, for only the work of God in lives through the Gospel will check the violence and destruction. Laws, though they can diminish some wicked deeds by threat of consequences, cannot change hearts, and changed hearts are the only way to justice and righteousness.
God has called us to these tasks. Are we loving the "widows and orphans" or are we consumed with our own little world? Don Francisco put it this way: "I don't care how many buses you own or the size of your sanctuary. . . I don't care if your pastor's super-powered and your program's always new. What you need is love and truth. . . Do you love your wife? For her and for your children are you laying down your life? What about the others? Are you living as a servant to your sisters and your brothers? Do you make the poor man beg you for a bone? Do the widow and the orphan cry alone?"
The Church Universal is made up of all Redeemed Sinners, those bought with the precious blood of Christ. This means you and me, individuals, the ones no one notices, not just the leaders. We can't save the world, but we can work for God's glory in our small corner of it, whether it's cleaning toilets or directing the church Christmas Play or being an elected leader. We can pray for our broken world. We can love broken sinners with the love of Jesus who never denied sin but charged the sinners to "go and sin no more." We can grieve for broken humanity and pray and work for the spread of the Gospel into dark lives. Even if we are physically limited to beds with terminal diseases, we can still pray. Prayer is a vital weapon. Let's use it.
So what should be my response, the response of the Church Universal to the evil and violence of our day? First: To pray for the broken souls. One of my favorite books has a character who is dying from a rare form of leukemia. He says that he cannot go to where he is needed so his task in his last days is to pray for the broken souls. To pray for souls so broken they can loot and destroy in "protest" over something and the public and media who simply will not look at the facts with a reasonable mind but must go on emotion. To pray for souls so broken that they fire weapons from among children in order to make their enemy look bad if they respond. To pray for souls so fearful in their brokenness that they fear people whose view of the law is "the only good cop is a dead cop" (which in passing is no less heinous than "the only good Indian is a dead Indian," a view voiced by some of the pioneers over a hundred years ago). To pray for souls so broken that they cannot see even the moral law of God to be something of value that protects them from themselves. To pray for souls so broken they can kill unborn, defenseless children. To pray for souls so broken they value their jobs in ruling more than they value being upright and honest. To pray for souls so broken they can leave wife or husband and children to try to find a shadow and a vapor life. To pray for souls so broken they protest Vacation Bible Schools that tell children that all are sinners and in need of Grace.
Second: to work for the spread of the Gospel, for only the work of God in lives through the Gospel will check the violence and destruction. Laws, though they can diminish some wicked deeds by threat of consequences, cannot change hearts, and changed hearts are the only way to justice and righteousness.
God has called us to these tasks. Are we loving the "widows and orphans" or are we consumed with our own little world? Don Francisco put it this way: "I don't care how many buses you own or the size of your sanctuary. . . I don't care if your pastor's super-powered and your program's always new. What you need is love and truth. . . Do you love your wife? For her and for your children are you laying down your life? What about the others? Are you living as a servant to your sisters and your brothers? Do you make the poor man beg you for a bone? Do the widow and the orphan cry alone?"
The Church Universal is made up of all Redeemed Sinners, those bought with the precious blood of Christ. This means you and me, individuals, the ones no one notices, not just the leaders. We can't save the world, but we can work for God's glory in our small corner of it, whether it's cleaning toilets or directing the church Christmas Play or being an elected leader. We can pray for our broken world. We can love broken sinners with the love of Jesus who never denied sin but charged the sinners to "go and sin no more." We can grieve for broken humanity and pray and work for the spread of the Gospel into dark lives. Even if we are physically limited to beds with terminal diseases, we can still pray. Prayer is a vital weapon. Let's use it.
Friday, August 8, 2014
A New Chapter
I know it has been a while since I last wrote (not that it's a big deal), but I beg my few readers to be patient with me. Our life has changed somewhat. We decided to put our daughter into school. This opens a whole new realm of schedules, homework, and issues with which we must deal. We are also putting our son into a two-half-day preschool. I have begun a new job as Administrative Assistant at Strickland Security Solutions. It's part-time and mostly from home, but it requires time I couldn't give if I were homeschooling.
Yes, I am saying it now: I CAN'T DO IT ALL. As women (yes, I will generalize, knowing we aren't all alike), we are programmed, influenced, pushed, cajoled, shamed, and bullied into thinking we have to do everything. And maybe some can manage homeschooling and businesses (a writer whose books I have enjoyed writes, speaks, and homeschools her children), but I think that is a rarity. Daycares have sprouted on every corner in order to facilitate this "doing it all" mindset. Don't get me wrong, I am not judging anyone who uses them. I have myself in the past. That's not my point.
My point is simply this: if you ever wonder if you alone can't manage jobs, kids, husband, homeschooling, church, room-parenting, and more, or if you ever wonder if you are remiss in your duty as a parent by not putting your kids in every activity you can fit into your calendar, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Recently I was at choir practice at church, and I had to ask for help with some of the music. Someone mentioned that I was probably the only one with courage to say I needed help when we all needed help. I don't see it as courage. I see it as simply being who I am, an imperfect human being who doesn't do everything right. It doesn't take courage to say "I'm sorry; I did wrong." It takes knowing and not being ashamed of your weaknesses and wanting to do better. I haven't gotten there yet, but I'm working on it.
One more point and I'll stop lecturing. For those of you who are believers in Christ, He loves you even when you do wrong. My best friend recently sent me an article by author and professor, Steve Brown. I hope he won't mind if I quote him. "[I]t has, in fact, become a kind of reminder to never back off, to never compromise the gospel, and to never rob people of the good news that religion can take away. You're forgiven. God will never say that he's had it with you. You are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and when Christ died and said it was finished, it was finished." You can't make Him love you less or more by what you do or don't do. So if you can't do it all, do not stress over it. The only one who can truly do everything is God.
So my kids will be in school, I will work part-time, the kids won't be every extra activity out there, and we will keep our family as together and happy as we can. Now, I'm going to enjoy my Friday night Tiki Bar, and if you take my advice, you will enjoy yours, too.
Yes, I am saying it now: I CAN'T DO IT ALL. As women (yes, I will generalize, knowing we aren't all alike), we are programmed, influenced, pushed, cajoled, shamed, and bullied into thinking we have to do everything. And maybe some can manage homeschooling and businesses (a writer whose books I have enjoyed writes, speaks, and homeschools her children), but I think that is a rarity. Daycares have sprouted on every corner in order to facilitate this "doing it all" mindset. Don't get me wrong, I am not judging anyone who uses them. I have myself in the past. That's not my point.
My point is simply this: if you ever wonder if you alone can't manage jobs, kids, husband, homeschooling, church, room-parenting, and more, or if you ever wonder if you are remiss in your duty as a parent by not putting your kids in every activity you can fit into your calendar, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Recently I was at choir practice at church, and I had to ask for help with some of the music. Someone mentioned that I was probably the only one with courage to say I needed help when we all needed help. I don't see it as courage. I see it as simply being who I am, an imperfect human being who doesn't do everything right. It doesn't take courage to say "I'm sorry; I did wrong." It takes knowing and not being ashamed of your weaknesses and wanting to do better. I haven't gotten there yet, but I'm working on it.
One more point and I'll stop lecturing. For those of you who are believers in Christ, He loves you even when you do wrong. My best friend recently sent me an article by author and professor, Steve Brown. I hope he won't mind if I quote him. "[I]t has, in fact, become a kind of reminder to never back off, to never compromise the gospel, and to never rob people of the good news that religion can take away. You're forgiven. God will never say that he's had it with you. You are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and when Christ died and said it was finished, it was finished." You can't make Him love you less or more by what you do or don't do. So if you can't do it all, do not stress over it. The only one who can truly do everything is God.
So my kids will be in school, I will work part-time, the kids won't be every extra activity out there, and we will keep our family as together and happy as we can. Now, I'm going to enjoy my Friday night Tiki Bar, and if you take my advice, you will enjoy yours, too.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
The Old Gray Matter, She Ain't What She Used to Be
As I get older, I start to wonder if my mind isn't aging at an even faster rate than my body. Of course, it could simply be having two young children and a husband in my care. I simply don't see how people with lots of kids manage. And far be it from me to judge anyone, but more than one wife or husband?
The past week and half have been crazy. We have wrapped up Vacation Bible School with our final program. I have had responsibility (started out as a helper, but any of you who are in churches know how THAT goes) for the skits, though thankfully, not the music also for the program. That would indeed be overwhelming. I have had practice (I was involved in drama in high school, college, and even before because my mother always managed the children's programs at our church when I was growing up), but I had forgotten the details that are necessary when doing even the smallest of theater productions. The lists of props, making sure everyone has the right thing at the right time, blocking scenes where one of your main characters is a total clutz and you don't want anyone to get hurt. It's been crazy but extraordinarily fun. I've also forgotten how to memorize. For some strange reason, the very easy lines the Host has (which part I have been playing), I can't seem to memorize. I don't understand it. But I suppose if I could understand it, I would be able to learn the lines better.
I have also been attending a practicum for the homeschooling curriculum we use (three days, 9-4 each day). It's a wonderful, enjoyable, but intense curriculum. These practicums are very helpful and encouraging. They are also very challenging, especially to those of us who have been out of college for a good while. I have been stimulated and challenged by these seminars, but I have also been mentally exhausted. I take lots of notes because I know I won't remember all of it later. Of course, doing something different from the normal routine means that the normal work will have to be squeezed into a much shorter time frame.
But back to my title. My "gray matter" doesn't appear to want to cooperate these days. If I don't write something down, I forget. My grocery list is a perfect example. I rarely make it through a trip to the grocery store that I don't come home and say, "Oh, rats! I forgot something!" If I don't do something immediately when I am thinking about it, I will forget. This morning, I remembered I had to get something to make a campfire for our final program (no, not a real campfire for you fire fighters out there--I have a tea-light candle holder that looks like stacked wood). I went straight away to get it and put it in the trunk of my car. If I don't do that, it won't make it to the church with me. I keep finances by putting in bills ahead of time in my register (I use a budgeting and reconciliation program), so that I won't forget to pay them when the time comes. I have a list of things I check before leaving the house: Stove off? (I have forgotten pots with food cooking on the stove before. Burnt beans anyone?) Check. Back door locked? (Do NOT want to forget that one.) Check. Wallet? (Really do need the drivers license.) Check. Keys? (Okay, so I can't start the car without them, but I like to be careful.) Check? KIDS????? This is the big one. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom, I don't go anywhere without my kids, unless it's a weekend or something and my husband stays with them. I don't ever want to accidentally leave them.
So if your gray matter isn't what it used to be, take heart. You aren't alone. And for those of you whose gray matter is better than it ever was or was always just what it should be, please be forbearing with those of us who aren't quite up to your level. Help us by sending us calendar reminders, texts, or whatever is needed. Don't get impatient with us. We are doing our best and really do wish to have our gray matter be what she used to be.
The past week and half have been crazy. We have wrapped up Vacation Bible School with our final program. I have had responsibility (started out as a helper, but any of you who are in churches know how THAT goes) for the skits, though thankfully, not the music also for the program. That would indeed be overwhelming. I have had practice (I was involved in drama in high school, college, and even before because my mother always managed the children's programs at our church when I was growing up), but I had forgotten the details that are necessary when doing even the smallest of theater productions. The lists of props, making sure everyone has the right thing at the right time, blocking scenes where one of your main characters is a total clutz and you don't want anyone to get hurt. It's been crazy but extraordinarily fun. I've also forgotten how to memorize. For some strange reason, the very easy lines the Host has (which part I have been playing), I can't seem to memorize. I don't understand it. But I suppose if I could understand it, I would be able to learn the lines better.
I have also been attending a practicum for the homeschooling curriculum we use (three days, 9-4 each day). It's a wonderful, enjoyable, but intense curriculum. These practicums are very helpful and encouraging. They are also very challenging, especially to those of us who have been out of college for a good while. I have been stimulated and challenged by these seminars, but I have also been mentally exhausted. I take lots of notes because I know I won't remember all of it later. Of course, doing something different from the normal routine means that the normal work will have to be squeezed into a much shorter time frame.
But back to my title. My "gray matter" doesn't appear to want to cooperate these days. If I don't write something down, I forget. My grocery list is a perfect example. I rarely make it through a trip to the grocery store that I don't come home and say, "Oh, rats! I forgot something!" If I don't do something immediately when I am thinking about it, I will forget. This morning, I remembered I had to get something to make a campfire for our final program (no, not a real campfire for you fire fighters out there--I have a tea-light candle holder that looks like stacked wood). I went straight away to get it and put it in the trunk of my car. If I don't do that, it won't make it to the church with me. I keep finances by putting in bills ahead of time in my register (I use a budgeting and reconciliation program), so that I won't forget to pay them when the time comes. I have a list of things I check before leaving the house: Stove off? (I have forgotten pots with food cooking on the stove before. Burnt beans anyone?) Check. Back door locked? (Do NOT want to forget that one.) Check. Wallet? (Really do need the drivers license.) Check. Keys? (Okay, so I can't start the car without them, but I like to be careful.) Check? KIDS????? This is the big one. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom, I don't go anywhere without my kids, unless it's a weekend or something and my husband stays with them. I don't ever want to accidentally leave them.
So if your gray matter isn't what it used to be, take heart. You aren't alone. And for those of you whose gray matter is better than it ever was or was always just what it should be, please be forbearing with those of us who aren't quite up to your level. Help us by sending us calendar reminders, texts, or whatever is needed. Don't get impatient with us. We are doing our best and really do wish to have our gray matter be what she used to be.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Book Report Day
I think I'll start a new category: "Book Report Day." I put no actual day of the week because there's no guarantee I will be able to stick to a day, and it will quickly become "Book Report Some Other Day When I Get to It." But I'll start with it now since the Muse is not completely lazy at the moment.
Each week we go to the library for story time for my son and for checking out new books for the three out of four people in our household who are voracious readers. We check out children's picture books for all of us to read and chapter books (which usually means American Girl books) for my daughter to read. We also check out books for me to read. Yes, I do take time to read. I would be lost without it. And I don't know if I could actually go to sleep properly if I didn't have reading time before bed.
I've been reading The Martha Years and The Charlotte Years by Melissa Wiley (though I haven't been able to read the last of The Charlotte Years because the library doesn't have it and I can't find it for less than about $30-used-on Amazon). Not only are the books enjoyable to read, Ms. Wiley seems to be an amazing woman. She writes children's books, blogs, has a recommended book list, does appearances, and homeschools her six children. Ah, well. We can't all, and some of us don't, as Eeyore said. Anyway, the books, which are about Laura Ingalls Wilder's grandmother and great-grandmother, are excellent.
Two children's books stand out recently. What to Do if an Elephant Steps on Your Foot by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. This is a concise and humorous instructional book on what to do and what not to do if, indeed, and elephant steps on your foot. The Narrator, possessed of much patience and compassion, helps you learn these lessons. The second book is Thomas's Snowsuit by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko. So as not to have to include a spoiler alert, I will say simply this: Thomas does not want to put on his snowsuit, as his mother, his teacher, and the principal all learn to their exhaustion and the reduction of their sanity reserves. Both of these have become favorites of ours because of the vast amounts of humor in both very short books; the humor includes the illustrations, without which the books aren't quite as funny, although nearly so.
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Each week we go to the library for story time for my son and for checking out new books for the three out of four people in our household who are voracious readers. We check out children's picture books for all of us to read and chapter books (which usually means American Girl books) for my daughter to read. We also check out books for me to read. Yes, I do take time to read. I would be lost without it. And I don't know if I could actually go to sleep properly if I didn't have reading time before bed.
I've been reading The Martha Years and The Charlotte Years by Melissa Wiley (though I haven't been able to read the last of The Charlotte Years because the library doesn't have it and I can't find it for less than about $30-used-on Amazon). Not only are the books enjoyable to read, Ms. Wiley seems to be an amazing woman. She writes children's books, blogs, has a recommended book list, does appearances, and homeschools her six children. Ah, well. We can't all, and some of us don't, as Eeyore said. Anyway, the books, which are about Laura Ingalls Wilder's grandmother and great-grandmother, are excellent.
Two children's books stand out recently. What to Do if an Elephant Steps on Your Foot by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. This is a concise and humorous instructional book on what to do and what not to do if, indeed, and elephant steps on your foot. The Narrator, possessed of much patience and compassion, helps you learn these lessons. The second book is Thomas's Snowsuit by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko. So as not to have to include a spoiler alert, I will say simply this: Thomas does not want to put on his snowsuit, as his mother, his teacher, and the principal all learn to their exhaustion and the reduction of their sanity reserves. Both of these have become favorites of ours because of the vast amounts of humor in both very short books; the humor includes the illustrations, without which the books aren't quite as funny, although nearly so.
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Friday, May 9, 2014
The Tiki Bar Is Open
My husband found this sign at Garden Ridge a long time ago. He hung it out on the back porch, never moving it even for inclement weather, and our daughter found it exciting to move the little flip sign (shaped like a bare foot) from "Closed" to "Open." Since it was never taken inside, it became faded and a bit mildewed. So I sanded it down and repainted it with bright colors. Now it hangs in our sunroom and has become somewhat of a symbol for the relaxation of the weekend.
Friday nights the kids are forced to eat a dinner of pizza or macaroni and cheese and to eat it watching a movie. Surprisingly, this is an event for them; possibly because they rarely get to watch much TV. My husband and I hang out either on the deck or in the sunroom, depending on the weather, and have a drink (in between refereeing movie night). It's a nice, relaxing start to the weekend.
So why should anyone care what we do on a Friday night? You don't have to, and I don't expect you to do so. But since I like to give ideas to overworked, stressed, and tired women, I wanted to give some ideas for bringing peace to nutsy lives.
First: Tradition! Tradition! TRADITION! (Close your eyes and picture "Fiddler on the Roof.") My husband and I like to have traditions that make our home a place where our kids want to be, not just where they have to be, seeing as they are too young to be anywhere else for the most part. So we have our Friday nights to relax. We rarely plan to go anywhere, unless on a vacation or the occasional date night (in which case, the kids go to the grandparents, and my husband and I stay home and relax). Besides, where we live, traffic is horrendous on Friday nights. Saturday nights we grill hamburgers and make fries and baked beans. This has become such a normal part of our lives that our daughter tends to freak a bit when it doesn't happen. Not that things don't change from time to time, but we like to have traditions to provide a peace and stability to our lives.
Second: We don't like to overcrowd our lives. I can hear some of you saying, "But your kids are still young; there's not so much to do." Yes and no. 'Yes' because we know that as they get older, they will have more schoolwork and other extracurricular activities. And, 'No,' because we don't intend to have them in every activity known to man. When I was young, my parents allowed us one out-of-school activity (I took clarinet lessons) and limited the school activities (we weren't staying after school every day of the year or going to games or competitions on a regular basis). We did not do any activities that interfered with church on Sunday and Wednesday nights. I enjoy swimming and took lessons when I was young, but since the meets were Sunday mornings, I did not continue. Do I miss it? Not at all. Our priorities were church, family, and academics. I understand that many colleges today want tons of extracurricular activities, but I believe that God will place my children where they are supposed to be and no college can keep them out if He wants them in there. Meanwhile, I believe my husband and I are to make our priorities God-fearing ones where family and church come first.
I don't presume to tell anyone what to do; no one's life is the same as mine. As Frodo said in The Lord of the Rings, "Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both 'yes' and 'no'." And in reply, Gildor says that advice is a dangerous gift even from the wise to the wise. I simply want to encourage you to take time to relax, to be with family, to enjoy your years here on earth and the years God has given you with little lives to add spice and joy. I want to encourage you with the thought that you don't have to rush it away convinced that you have to do this and that to keep up with others or some social standard. Let the tiki bar (or coffee house or game night or whatever flies your starship) be open once in a while and enjoy it.
Friday nights the kids are forced to eat a dinner of pizza or macaroni and cheese and to eat it watching a movie. Surprisingly, this is an event for them; possibly because they rarely get to watch much TV. My husband and I hang out either on the deck or in the sunroom, depending on the weather, and have a drink (in between refereeing movie night). It's a nice, relaxing start to the weekend.
So why should anyone care what we do on a Friday night? You don't have to, and I don't expect you to do so. But since I like to give ideas to overworked, stressed, and tired women, I wanted to give some ideas for bringing peace to nutsy lives.
First: Tradition! Tradition! TRADITION! (Close your eyes and picture "Fiddler on the Roof.") My husband and I like to have traditions that make our home a place where our kids want to be, not just where they have to be, seeing as they are too young to be anywhere else for the most part. So we have our Friday nights to relax. We rarely plan to go anywhere, unless on a vacation or the occasional date night (in which case, the kids go to the grandparents, and my husband and I stay home and relax). Besides, where we live, traffic is horrendous on Friday nights. Saturday nights we grill hamburgers and make fries and baked beans. This has become such a normal part of our lives that our daughter tends to freak a bit when it doesn't happen. Not that things don't change from time to time, but we like to have traditions to provide a peace and stability to our lives.
Second: We don't like to overcrowd our lives. I can hear some of you saying, "But your kids are still young; there's not so much to do." Yes and no. 'Yes' because we know that as they get older, they will have more schoolwork and other extracurricular activities. And, 'No,' because we don't intend to have them in every activity known to man. When I was young, my parents allowed us one out-of-school activity (I took clarinet lessons) and limited the school activities (we weren't staying after school every day of the year or going to games or competitions on a regular basis). We did not do any activities that interfered with church on Sunday and Wednesday nights. I enjoy swimming and took lessons when I was young, but since the meets were Sunday mornings, I did not continue. Do I miss it? Not at all. Our priorities were church, family, and academics. I understand that many colleges today want tons of extracurricular activities, but I believe that God will place my children where they are supposed to be and no college can keep them out if He wants them in there. Meanwhile, I believe my husband and I are to make our priorities God-fearing ones where family and church come first.
I don't presume to tell anyone what to do; no one's life is the same as mine. As Frodo said in The Lord of the Rings, "Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both 'yes' and 'no'." And in reply, Gildor says that advice is a dangerous gift even from the wise to the wise. I simply want to encourage you to take time to relax, to be with family, to enjoy your years here on earth and the years God has given you with little lives to add spice and joy. I want to encourage you with the thought that you don't have to rush it away convinced that you have to do this and that to keep up with others or some social standard. Let the tiki bar (or coffee house or game night or whatever flies your starship) be open once in a while and enjoy it.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Strawberry Picking
Now that spring is here (and, unfortunately, too warm weather, though I shouldn't complain because we've had unusually cool weather as well), I like to get the kids out in the fresh air. So today we went strawberry picking. The "strawbits," as my son calls them, were in fine form today. Berries abounded, and flowers promised more. Thankfully, what did not abound were the bugs. For some reason, we were avoided, and I am profoundly grateful. We got out before lunch so the sun wouldn't be too strong. My daughter really did enjoy it, and partly, I think, because it takes less time to fill a gallon bucket with strawberries than blueberries (last time we did that, she and her friend got bored in about 10 minutes). My son tried to carry the bucket, but he doesn't balance well. This was especially evident when he wobbled and sat down on some of the strawberries. He also picked up flags that others had put at the point they stopped picking, per the farm instructions. I had to figure out where they went, but there were so many berries, and more on the way, that it wasn't a big deal. My daughter insisted on carrying a bucket, too, though on the way out she unintentionally did a "Hansel and Gretel" with the strawberries. I played the part of the birds who picked up the "bread crumbs." My son also kept trying to eat the strawberries right out of the bucket. He adores "strawbits." I think we'll make a slushy strawberry lemonade this afternoon. Just right for a warm day.
When we were done, we had lunch at a cute little pizza place in an old town area (as is usual in old town areas, we had to go round and round actually to get to it, what with all the one-way streets whose names are different on the signs than they are on Google maps). Next door was a delightful little bakery called "Special Kneads and Treats," which we found out when we went in is a non-profit bakery that employs special needs people and ministers to the community. And the icing on the cake (pun intended) is that the cupcakes we ate (not to mention the chocolate popcorn) were fabulous. The frosting wasn't the kind that tastes like sweetened shortening but the light and fluffy kind. My son made short work of his cupcake and left a huge mess on the floor. My daughter, who is the only person I know - including myself - who could manage the "Intuitive Diet," ate only a small portion of hers. The rest was saved for later. She may be deficient in delayed gratification of some things, but food is not in that category.
All in all, it was a fun and rewarding day. We got to spend time together with my sister, patronized two local businesses and one local farm, and enjoyed the out-of-doors.
(one of the gallons picked)
When we were done, we had lunch at a cute little pizza place in an old town area (as is usual in old town areas, we had to go round and round actually to get to it, what with all the one-way streets whose names are different on the signs than they are on Google maps). Next door was a delightful little bakery called "Special Kneads and Treats," which we found out when we went in is a non-profit bakery that employs special needs people and ministers to the community. And the icing on the cake (pun intended) is that the cupcakes we ate (not to mention the chocolate popcorn) were fabulous. The frosting wasn't the kind that tastes like sweetened shortening but the light and fluffy kind. My son made short work of his cupcake and left a huge mess on the floor. My daughter, who is the only person I know - including myself - who could manage the "Intuitive Diet," ate only a small portion of hers. The rest was saved for later. She may be deficient in delayed gratification of some things, but food is not in that category.
All in all, it was a fun and rewarding day. We got to spend time together with my sister, patronized two local businesses and one local farm, and enjoyed the out-of-doors.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Easter Project
My daughter and I decided to do an Easter project today. We poked holes in the tops and bottoms of four eggs (you have to do it very, very carefully with a very sharp, small nail or something like that because if you poke too hard, the egg will crack) and blew out the yolk and white (this is actually the hardest part because it takes a lot of pressure to get the insides out). The eggs were rinsed and dried and then painted with acrylic craft paint. My daughter really had fun with this. And the plus is that since they were not boiled or raw, these will last a good while without going bad.
Here are our eggs. (The unique drying stands were the result of my not thinking far enough ahead to realize we needed something for the eggs to dry on since they couldn't be laid flat.)
Here are our eggs. (The unique drying stands were the result of my not thinking far enough ahead to realize we needed something for the eggs to dry on since they couldn't be laid flat.)
Thursday, April 17, 2014
How NOT to Try to Get Your Kid to Eat
My son and I have been in a good, old-fashioned stand-off regarding his eating. Day before yesterday, I made bar-b-que beef (a home-made sauce, not at all spicy), corn on the cob, and salad for dinner. His salad consists of cucumbers, which he calls "cumbies" and actually does like to eat-under normal circumstances. He refused to eat anything but a couple of bites of cumbies. So, as is our custom, he got his dinner for breakfast the next day. He refused to eat it then. Therefore, it became his lunch. Did he eat it for lunch? You guessed it: would not even touch it. He drank his milk, though. (At each meal, I give him a serving of milk, but I don't let him drink all he wants because he will fill up on it. He gets water after his serving of milk if he doesn't eat his meal.)
Our dinner we had at my mother's house. She had fried chicken (the amazingly good Publix fried chicken), with which we had potatoes with butter and salt and salad. Normal food, nothing fancy, nothing weird, or even very healthy (except the salad) for that matter. Needless to say, my son rejected that simple dinner as well. I should note that he had not had any snacks or anything else since dinner nearly 24 hours ago.
Before I continue the story, let me give you a little background. My family, on my parents' side, is Scottish. Before that, we were Norse, and not just Norse, but Norse Vikings of the line of one in particular who was known for his ferocity. So much so that when he landed on mainland Europe, the people were so scared that they gave him an entire section of the country in the hope that he wouldn't attack them. For a wonder, he appears to have settled there, for one of his descendants was William the Conqueror. So what I call "Norse tenacity" runs strong in our family. My son comes by it honestly. My side of the family is chock full of "firmness of character," as I read once in a book. Another word is stubbornness.
So the stand-off continued. I brought home the food my son had not eaten last night for dinner. I thought I'd be sneaky this morning. You see, I make smoothies for breakfast for myself. Not sugary ones but healthy ones. I put banana (usually frozen), frozen raspberries or blueberries, oatmeal, a little dark chocolate, milk, and either plain Greek yogurt or protein powder. I have discovered that my son likes these, so I decided to add his leftover food to a smoothie for him.
My plan backfired. It was nasty. Completely nasty. I gave my son a bite, which he turned away after tasting. I then tasted it and promptly threw it out, apologizing to him all the while. Thus the stand-off ended with my making a regular smoothie for the both of us, which he ate without complaining. I learned a lesson today. "Firmness of character" has its downside, and sneakiness its own reward. Did my son or I win the stand-off? Who knows? But there is no doubt it'll probably happen again. Our family tenacity can't be overcome in a day.
Our dinner we had at my mother's house. She had fried chicken (the amazingly good Publix fried chicken), with which we had potatoes with butter and salt and salad. Normal food, nothing fancy, nothing weird, or even very healthy (except the salad) for that matter. Needless to say, my son rejected that simple dinner as well. I should note that he had not had any snacks or anything else since dinner nearly 24 hours ago.
Before I continue the story, let me give you a little background. My family, on my parents' side, is Scottish. Before that, we were Norse, and not just Norse, but Norse Vikings of the line of one in particular who was known for his ferocity. So much so that when he landed on mainland Europe, the people were so scared that they gave him an entire section of the country in the hope that he wouldn't attack them. For a wonder, he appears to have settled there, for one of his descendants was William the Conqueror. So what I call "Norse tenacity" runs strong in our family. My son comes by it honestly. My side of the family is chock full of "firmness of character," as I read once in a book. Another word is stubbornness.
So the stand-off continued. I brought home the food my son had not eaten last night for dinner. I thought I'd be sneaky this morning. You see, I make smoothies for breakfast for myself. Not sugary ones but healthy ones. I put banana (usually frozen), frozen raspberries or blueberries, oatmeal, a little dark chocolate, milk, and either plain Greek yogurt or protein powder. I have discovered that my son likes these, so I decided to add his leftover food to a smoothie for him.
My plan backfired. It was nasty. Completely nasty. I gave my son a bite, which he turned away after tasting. I then tasted it and promptly threw it out, apologizing to him all the while. Thus the stand-off ended with my making a regular smoothie for the both of us, which he ate without complaining. I learned a lesson today. "Firmness of character" has its downside, and sneakiness its own reward. Did my son or I win the stand-off? Who knows? But there is no doubt it'll probably happen again. Our family tenacity can't be overcome in a day.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Unsung Mothers of the Old Testament--Introduction
In my journey Along That Path, I want to learn as much as possible, and I consider any day I don't learn something new to be a day wasted. And if you know my family, you know we don't like to waste anything.
Part of that learning is learning more about being a mother, a mother like my mother was to me, a great mother, a mother my kids can look back on and say, "she wasn't perfect, but she loved us and we had a wonderful life." So whenever I can learn from another mother, I don't hesitate. I don't have all the answers, and neither does anyone else. But we can learn from each other and help each other.
Some time ago, I was reading in Kings and Chronicles in the Old Testament. Normally, I just gloss over the different kings unless there was something special about them. For example, Josiah, who brought about badly needed reforms, or Hezekiah who also was a reformer. On the wicked side was the infamous "Jeroboam son of Nebat" to whom other wicked kings are compared. Unless something popped out as interesting, I just skimmed. However, one day the line "his mother was [insert name]" impressed itself on me. Why were these women noted when so many were not? Is there a pattern? What can I learn from these women, good or bad? We don't know much about them, but there are some things I believe Scripture teaches us through these women and what can be inferred about their lives. I say inferred because not much is known about the women themselves. But little gems can be picked out here and there, and those little gems are important. I hope you enjoy your journey through the pages of history, through the lives of women of whom few have made note.
Unsung Mothers of the Old Testament is a chronicle of learning with a spice of humor for any mother, grandmother, potential mother, spiritual mother, or any woman who wants to learn from some of the most influential and most overlooked mothers in Scripture.
Part of that learning is learning more about being a mother, a mother like my mother was to me, a great mother, a mother my kids can look back on and say, "she wasn't perfect, but she loved us and we had a wonderful life." So whenever I can learn from another mother, I don't hesitate. I don't have all the answers, and neither does anyone else. But we can learn from each other and help each other.
Some time ago, I was reading in Kings and Chronicles in the Old Testament. Normally, I just gloss over the different kings unless there was something special about them. For example, Josiah, who brought about badly needed reforms, or Hezekiah who also was a reformer. On the wicked side was the infamous "Jeroboam son of Nebat" to whom other wicked kings are compared. Unless something popped out as interesting, I just skimmed. However, one day the line "his mother was [insert name]" impressed itself on me. Why were these women noted when so many were not? Is there a pattern? What can I learn from these women, good or bad? We don't know much about them, but there are some things I believe Scripture teaches us through these women and what can be inferred about their lives. I say inferred because not much is known about the women themselves. But little gems can be picked out here and there, and those little gems are important. I hope you enjoy your journey through the pages of history, through the lives of women of whom few have made note.
Unsung Mothers of the Old Testament is a chronicle of learning with a spice of humor for any mother, grandmother, potential mother, spiritual mother, or any woman who wants to learn from some of the most influential and most overlooked mothers in Scripture.
Monday, March 31, 2014
New Year's Tips and Encouragement: Part Fourth
"What we need on this subject is a good outbreak of belly laughter." Thus said C.S. Lewis in The Four Loves (which I highly recommend). (Writer's note: this quote is taken from a recording of C.S. Lewis of this book; the actual printed book does not contain this quote.) Though he had a specific subject in mind, I would hazard that we could put nearly any subject in this context and be better off. Charles Swindoll in his book Laugh Again says that Ogden Nash averred that if the German people had had a sense of humor, Hitler would never have taken control because at the first sight of the goose-stepping and arms raised to "heil" Hitler, "they'd have keeled over in sidesplitting laughter."
So my first encouragement is for you to laugh more. I don't mean go watch a silly sitcom (though there are some that have me laughing until I'm crying); I mean just laugh. If your toddler spills his milk, don't cry over it, laugh over it (to yourself--HE doesn't need to think it's funny or he'll do it again) as just part of the many crazy things that happen in a day to keep life from being boring. If the humidity has your hair poofing out, laugh and remember that beauty fades and that no humidity can quench a joyful and loving spirit. If you burn the toast, scrape the burnt parts off and laugh to think that now you have an excuse to slather it with jelly to conceal the charcoal. If you accidentally set off the house alarm because you can't see the keypad without your reading glasses, laugh and be thankful that you have given the police who show up a good story to take back to the station. Almost every day-to-day situation can have an element of fun and laughter.
My second encouragement is to remember that joy comes from above. If you are centered in Christ, joy can replace anxiety, sadness, fear, and discontent. Madeleine L'Engle once said in one of her fiction books (A Ring of Endless Light) that true laughter is a sign of joy and "joy is an infallible sign of the presence of God." Staying in the presence of God will keep the things that steal our joy out of our lives: fear (Isaiah 41:10), worry (Matthew 6:25-34), concern about what others think of us or what we think of ourselves (John 17-Jesus' Prayer before His crucifixion), discontent with what we have and who we are (Philippians 4:10-14).
If any of the joy-stealers fit you, you aren't alone. I struggle with these as well. My imagination is both a blessing and a bane to me. It can be wonderful, but when I start to imagine all the horrible things that could happen to me and my family, I get overwhelmed. Here are a few things I do to help the situation. First, I pray. I know that seems rather trite, but God gives strength to endure and connection to Him through prayer is of primary importance. Second, I read and/or remember Scripture stories of those whose lives have served the Lord and the struggles they endured. For example, Noah, who had to endure wickedness and probably taunts of those around him when he began to build the ark, and then he had to watch as everything he knew was destroyed. Abraham, who left a nice, comfortable life (he was quite wealthy) for deserts, wandering, no permanent home, a wife quarreling with the maid with whom he had a son, battling with and for Lot, and ultimately, not ever having an earthly home in the land God had promised. Esther, who was taken to a heathen king's palace to be his one-night stand, unless she pleased him. Daniel, who was taken to a foreign country and, even with his position of power, was punished for worshiping the true God. Paul, who endured more than most humans will ever endure but who did it with joy and praise (read the book of Philippians). The ultimate example is Jesus Christ, who gave up power and glory and the joyousness of heaven to die a painful, agonizing death and a literal hell when God turned His back to take the punishment for our sins.
I want to point out two particular things to help encourage you to seek joy. First, these examples are all men and women who had a greater perspective on life; life was not just this life for them but a looking ahead to the true Country, the real Country, the one that makes this earth look like a dimly lit, grubby oil painting compared to the Reality. For those of you who are in Christ, this world is just temporary; don't forget that. Our real home is with Him in heaven. Second, unselfishness is one of the primary keys. Forget about what is "mine" and concentrate on God first and then on others. If you think I'm nuts, read the book of Philippians. One of the problems in our world that we all struggle with is being discontent and upset when things don't go our way. We want what's we see to be ours, and we want it NOW! The demon Screwtape in C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" tells Wormwood to encourage the idea that any human can say "mine" about anything, especially his or her Time, when the concept of any person truly owning anything is laughable. There is nothing we have that hasn't been given to us by the Lord and that for HIS purposes, not ours. Remember that He knows better than we what we need for the long term as well as the short term.
As I mentioned, I struggle with this, too. So if you think you are alone, take comfort. You aren't. And the Lord is with you, despite how you feel. If you feel the need of human encouragement, send me a comment, and I will respond if I can and will certainly pray for you. Finally, laugh. Laugh for the joy of a sunrise. Laugh for the joy of another day you are upright. Laugh because God is joy.
I want to point out two particular things to help encourage you to seek joy. First, these examples are all men and women who had a greater perspective on life; life was not just this life for them but a looking ahead to the true Country, the real Country, the one that makes this earth look like a dimly lit, grubby oil painting compared to the Reality. For those of you who are in Christ, this world is just temporary; don't forget that. Our real home is with Him in heaven. Second, unselfishness is one of the primary keys. Forget about what is "mine" and concentrate on God first and then on others. If you think I'm nuts, read the book of Philippians. One of the problems in our world that we all struggle with is being discontent and upset when things don't go our way. We want what's we see to be ours, and we want it NOW! The demon Screwtape in C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" tells Wormwood to encourage the idea that any human can say "mine" about anything, especially his or her Time, when the concept of any person truly owning anything is laughable. There is nothing we have that hasn't been given to us by the Lord and that for HIS purposes, not ours. Remember that He knows better than we what we need for the long term as well as the short term.
As I mentioned, I struggle with this, too. So if you think you are alone, take comfort. You aren't. And the Lord is with you, despite how you feel. If you feel the need of human encouragement, send me a comment, and I will respond if I can and will certainly pray for you. Finally, laugh. Laugh for the joy of a sunrise. Laugh for the joy of another day you are upright. Laugh because God is joy.
Monday, February 24, 2014
New Year's Tips and Encouragement: Part Third
Part Third is about EXERCISE. First, I will put in a disclaimer. I am not a doctor, nurse, nutritionist, therapist, personal trainer, professional athlete, or anything of the like; therefore, nothing I say is intended to substitute for the professional advice of any of the above. I am simply going to encourage you with what I have found works for me.
I am not an athlete. My high school basketball and softball coach could tell you that, even if it has been *ahem* I-won't-say-how-many years. Even when I was much younger--right out of college--it took me nearly a year of running every weekday morning to work up to running a mile without stopping and without nearly collapsing for want of air. I wasn't overweight, either. I have just never been very good at physical exercise. In fact, for a long time, I didn't do much at all. However, in the past few years, I have come to discover how much I need exercise for my health, and not just for trying to stay slim, either, though that is also something for which I strive.
In Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Marmee tells Meg that "want of exercise robs them [women] of cheerfulness." I have found that when I exercise, I am more cheerful and feel better physically and mentally. The context of the above quote is that Meg has been in the nursery with her twins and not doing anything else, thinking that this was her duty. She is tired, cranky, and upset, and her relationship with her husband is strained. Those of us with children understand that. We want to be there for our children, to take care of them, spend time with them, train them. Sometimes we forget our responsibility to our husbands and ourselves. This is not to say that we should be selfish, putting ourselves above our family, but to say that there is a time and place for everything and all focus on the children to the exclusion of all else will rob us of energy and a rich relationship with our husbands (and teach our children that they are the center of the universe, a very unhealthy attitude).
So here are some suggestions. I am a morning person, as my non-morning person friends and family will tell you, so I get up before the family is up to exercise. I don't do a lot, but I do enough to make me awake and alert. I sometimes walk around my neighborhood. I sometimes use an exercise video. Choose one to your taste. I like Billy Blanks Tae Bo; it works cardio and muscles with punches, kicks, squats, lunges, and the like, depending on the version you use. I also do a little yoga for stretching and strength. I am not a yoga expert by any means. I use one that was introduced to me by a family member: Baron Baptiste Core Power; not too difficult and lots of good stretching.
If you can't do that, work exercise into your day. When you take your kids to the park, don't sit on a bench; play with them, swing them, climb with them. Park far out from the grocery store so you have to walk a ways to get into it. Let the kids play outside while you rake leaves (in the autumn, of course) or shovel snow (in the winter, of course, if you live in a colder climate or even this year in the Southeast). If you have stairs, walk up and down them frequently during the day. The strangest thing I've ever done was to do squats every time my daughter spelled a word correctly. When I worked in an office, I would go to the bottom level of our building and walk around the elevator banks for half an hour at lunch time. I sat at a desk most of the day, so the walking felt good. If you are like me and your muscles get tight, stretch while you are standing at a counter or reading something. Do some jumping jacks or sit-ups while watching TV (although I contend if you have time to watch TV, you have time to exercise); if you have it, walk on a treadmill or some other machine while you watch TV.
Even if you don't necessarily need to lose weight (I will never advocate for looking like a stick figure), exercise is necessary for a healthy body. I believe you will feel much better physically and mentally if you do. Healthy bodies, healthy minds, healthy spirits.
I am not an athlete. My high school basketball and softball coach could tell you that, even if it has been *ahem* I-won't-say-how-many years. Even when I was much younger--right out of college--it took me nearly a year of running every weekday morning to work up to running a mile without stopping and without nearly collapsing for want of air. I wasn't overweight, either. I have just never been very good at physical exercise. In fact, for a long time, I didn't do much at all. However, in the past few years, I have come to discover how much I need exercise for my health, and not just for trying to stay slim, either, though that is also something for which I strive.
In Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Marmee tells Meg that "want of exercise robs them [women] of cheerfulness." I have found that when I exercise, I am more cheerful and feel better physically and mentally. The context of the above quote is that Meg has been in the nursery with her twins and not doing anything else, thinking that this was her duty. She is tired, cranky, and upset, and her relationship with her husband is strained. Those of us with children understand that. We want to be there for our children, to take care of them, spend time with them, train them. Sometimes we forget our responsibility to our husbands and ourselves. This is not to say that we should be selfish, putting ourselves above our family, but to say that there is a time and place for everything and all focus on the children to the exclusion of all else will rob us of energy and a rich relationship with our husbands (and teach our children that they are the center of the universe, a very unhealthy attitude).
So here are some suggestions. I am a morning person, as my non-morning person friends and family will tell you, so I get up before the family is up to exercise. I don't do a lot, but I do enough to make me awake and alert. I sometimes walk around my neighborhood. I sometimes use an exercise video. Choose one to your taste. I like Billy Blanks Tae Bo; it works cardio and muscles with punches, kicks, squats, lunges, and the like, depending on the version you use. I also do a little yoga for stretching and strength. I am not a yoga expert by any means. I use one that was introduced to me by a family member: Baron Baptiste Core Power; not too difficult and lots of good stretching.
If you can't do that, work exercise into your day. When you take your kids to the park, don't sit on a bench; play with them, swing them, climb with them. Park far out from the grocery store so you have to walk a ways to get into it. Let the kids play outside while you rake leaves (in the autumn, of course) or shovel snow (in the winter, of course, if you live in a colder climate or even this year in the Southeast). If you have stairs, walk up and down them frequently during the day. The strangest thing I've ever done was to do squats every time my daughter spelled a word correctly. When I worked in an office, I would go to the bottom level of our building and walk around the elevator banks for half an hour at lunch time. I sat at a desk most of the day, so the walking felt good. If you are like me and your muscles get tight, stretch while you are standing at a counter or reading something. Do some jumping jacks or sit-ups while watching TV (although I contend if you have time to watch TV, you have time to exercise); if you have it, walk on a treadmill or some other machine while you watch TV.
Even if you don't necessarily need to lose weight (I will never advocate for looking like a stick figure), exercise is necessary for a healthy body. I believe you will feel much better physically and mentally if you do. Healthy bodies, healthy minds, healthy spirits.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Valentine's Day Projects
My daughter enjoys making things. And by that I mean she just makes things out of her head, ready to re-invent the wheel and not bother with how anyone else has done it. Generally, that's a good thing. So here are some Valentine's Day cards and other projects. Now, let me say at once that I know quite well these are not worthy of a DIY blog, but they are fun and might give inspiration to mothers and daughters (or fathers or sons if they are of the creative bent) who want to spend time together.
This is a Valentine's Day Medal. To find out how it's actually supposed to be done, go to Handmade Charlotte for the instructions. However, I can't sew (other than the occasional button or mending) to save my life. My best friend, who is an amazing artist, can testify to this, as I helped her sew some buttons for a project once. The buttons stayed on, but thank goodness they didn't show. Therefore, we used glitter glue to frame the circle instead of sewing. My daughter also insisted that we put words on the medal, instead of on a card to which we would attach the medal. It's hard to write on felt, so we used glitter glue again (she loves glitter glue). One word of warning: it takes a lot of time to dry, especially if it is thick.
My daughter also wanted to make cards for family. This one is for her aunt. We used a blank card and glued felt on the top. Then my daughter decorated it as she saw fit.
This one is for her best friend. The hearts are stickers, and for some reason, she prefers to use wrapping ribbon, as opposed to cloth ribbon, for her bows.
My daughter has also been "decorating" the house with heart stickers, bows on the banister, a string of rainbow hearts hung across a doorway, and other creative, handmade decorations. It's encouraging to me to see her creativity and enthusiasm. (When I was her age, I was not so much interested in this world as in my own other worlds.) And we just enjoy doing crafts and projects together.
This is a Valentine's Day Medal. To find out how it's actually supposed to be done, go to Handmade Charlotte for the instructions. However, I can't sew (other than the occasional button or mending) to save my life. My best friend, who is an amazing artist, can testify to this, as I helped her sew some buttons for a project once. The buttons stayed on, but thank goodness they didn't show. Therefore, we used glitter glue to frame the circle instead of sewing. My daughter also insisted that we put words on the medal, instead of on a card to which we would attach the medal. It's hard to write on felt, so we used glitter glue again (she loves glitter glue). One word of warning: it takes a lot of time to dry, especially if it is thick.
This one is for her best friend. The hearts are stickers, and for some reason, she prefers to use wrapping ribbon, as opposed to cloth ribbon, for her bows.
My daughter has also been "decorating" the house with heart stickers, bows on the banister, a string of rainbow hearts hung across a doorway, and other creative, handmade decorations. It's encouraging to me to see her creativity and enthusiasm. (When I was her age, I was not so much interested in this world as in my own other worlds.) And we just enjoy doing crafts and projects together.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Of Music and Melodrama
My family is a musical family. If we were Austrian, we could add "Von" before our last name and be famous. But we're Scottish, which is another story in itself. Mom has been playing piano since time began, and music is her gift. Musicals on cassette tape like "Kids' Praise," "Antshillvania," "Nathaniel the Grublet," "The Music Machine," and "Sir Oliver's Song" were a major part of our lives. If anyone who reads this can remember those, here's virtual high five.
Mom played the piano, and Daddy played the guitar. Great singers such as Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Ann Murray, and Neil Diamond could not have rivaled the music that rang in our home. Four-part harmonies led the religious charge, hymns being the weapon of choice. "Grandma's Feather Bed" by John Denver was one of our favorites, though it was years before I understood what "took a whole bolt of cloth for to tick" meant. And we were all in choirs and/or bands or orchestras, whether it was at church or at school.
We did not have a television until I was nearly ten, so we had to create our own entertainment (and I don't think we are any the worse for it; in fact, I think the lack of imagination and creativity these days is a sad loss to society). Mom and Dad read aloud to us quite frequently. The Chronicles of Narnia, the Little House series, Character Sketches, Uncle Remus stories (Disney version), and various Golden Books and Fairy Tales were the stuff of which daydreams were made and imaginations were strengthened. Worlds were created, peopled, destroyed, and remembered. By me, of course, since my sister claims she was just dragged along in my wake as I conquered Worlds beyond the realm of visibility, never forgetting that the unseen things are eternal.
Which necessarily brings us to the melodrama. Our whole family is wont to be dramatic. My sister may not have much of an imagination, but she's got the drama down pat. And not just in real life. From primary school on, plays were the thing. To my knowledge, we didn't catch any consciences, but we entertained with "Kids' Praise" plays, Singing Christmas Trees, scenes from "White Christmas," and we cannot forget the family affair which was my final project in college: South Pacific. I can say with reasonable certainty that without the participation of the whole family, South Pacific would have sunk. My sister played Nellie and did a magnificent job. My brother helped with the set construction, along with Daddy's mechanical expertise, and also stood in for an actor who had a death in the family. Mom played the piano, which we had to rent, South Pacific not being considered High Art enough for the Music Department at my college, though it is a classic, having been around long enough for Daddy to have had a role in it when he was in high school. So one might say South Pacific is a family tradition. We don't drink, smoke, or live out songs we wrote (the only one of us who writes original songs is my brother; he writes Gregorian Chants, and I don't know if they qualify as songs), but drama is a tradition. My brother kept up the tradition with a role in West Side Story when he was in college.
Now my children are keeping up the music and the melodrama traditions. Living in our house is like living in an opera. If my daughter isn't singing songs (the few lines she knows if she doesn't know the whole song), she's singing her daily activities. If she's not doing that, she's talking to the friends that people her world. My son sings when he's contented. They both love the drama, though my daughter has chosen real life as her stage, not an actual stage. The world absolutely comes to an end when anything goes wrong for her or her little brother does something to annoy her. The wails, the crying, the running to her room and slamming the door are all acting techniques in her repertoire. And woe betide you if you correct her! For then follow the wails of "I just can't do it!" My son has the woebegone, pathetic looks down pat; he even outdoes our Chihuahuas, who have until now been the experts. He'll even try to manufacture tears when he wants his way or wants sympathy. When my daughter is excited, she can't sit still and declares that she has butterflies in her stomach.
My world is far from boring, and I wouldn't have it any other way. And if your life is anything like this, especially if you have kids, know that you are understood.
Mom played the piano, and Daddy played the guitar. Great singers such as Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Ann Murray, and Neil Diamond could not have rivaled the music that rang in our home. Four-part harmonies led the religious charge, hymns being the weapon of choice. "Grandma's Feather Bed" by John Denver was one of our favorites, though it was years before I understood what "took a whole bolt of cloth for to tick" meant. And we were all in choirs and/or bands or orchestras, whether it was at church or at school.
We did not have a television until I was nearly ten, so we had to create our own entertainment (and I don't think we are any the worse for it; in fact, I think the lack of imagination and creativity these days is a sad loss to society). Mom and Dad read aloud to us quite frequently. The Chronicles of Narnia, the Little House series, Character Sketches, Uncle Remus stories (Disney version), and various Golden Books and Fairy Tales were the stuff of which daydreams were made and imaginations were strengthened. Worlds were created, peopled, destroyed, and remembered. By me, of course, since my sister claims she was just dragged along in my wake as I conquered Worlds beyond the realm of visibility, never forgetting that the unseen things are eternal.
Which necessarily brings us to the melodrama. Our whole family is wont to be dramatic. My sister may not have much of an imagination, but she's got the drama down pat. And not just in real life. From primary school on, plays were the thing. To my knowledge, we didn't catch any consciences, but we entertained with "Kids' Praise" plays, Singing Christmas Trees, scenes from "White Christmas," and we cannot forget the family affair which was my final project in college: South Pacific. I can say with reasonable certainty that without the participation of the whole family, South Pacific would have sunk. My sister played Nellie and did a magnificent job. My brother helped with the set construction, along with Daddy's mechanical expertise, and also stood in for an actor who had a death in the family. Mom played the piano, which we had to rent, South Pacific not being considered High Art enough for the Music Department at my college, though it is a classic, having been around long enough for Daddy to have had a role in it when he was in high school. So one might say South Pacific is a family tradition. We don't drink, smoke, or live out songs we wrote (the only one of us who writes original songs is my brother; he writes Gregorian Chants, and I don't know if they qualify as songs), but drama is a tradition. My brother kept up the tradition with a role in West Side Story when he was in college.
Now my children are keeping up the music and the melodrama traditions. Living in our house is like living in an opera. If my daughter isn't singing songs (the few lines she knows if she doesn't know the whole song), she's singing her daily activities. If she's not doing that, she's talking to the friends that people her world. My son sings when he's contented. They both love the drama, though my daughter has chosen real life as her stage, not an actual stage. The world absolutely comes to an end when anything goes wrong for her or her little brother does something to annoy her. The wails, the crying, the running to her room and slamming the door are all acting techniques in her repertoire. And woe betide you if you correct her! For then follow the wails of "I just can't do it!" My son has the woebegone, pathetic looks down pat; he even outdoes our Chihuahuas, who have until now been the experts. He'll even try to manufacture tears when he wants his way or wants sympathy. When my daughter is excited, she can't sit still and declares that she has butterflies in her stomach.
My world is far from boring, and I wouldn't have it any other way. And if your life is anything like this, especially if you have kids, know that you are understood.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
New Year's Tips and Encouragement: Part Second
Part Second is about REST. This past Sunday, my pastor started a series entitled "The Year of the Sheep Shepherd." Something that struck me (because it is something I have trouble with) were his words on the Value of Rest. I am not good with resting and relaxing. I am wont to say that mothers don't truly get vacation because they still have to do their jobs even when the family is on vacation. I also struggle because I come from a family of hard workers, and I never want anyone to say I am lazy. So I am apt to be on the drive from early in the morning until after the kids go to bed; some of the only times I sit are for my devotions in the morning and perhaps at meals. Taking more time to rest is a struggle because I feel as if I'm not useful if I'm not going full tilt all day long.
However, God gave us the Sabbath day and promised a Sabbath rest for a reason. Humans can't keep up a ninety-to-nothing pace without damage to our bodies and souls. God rested on the seventh day to give us an example, seeing as I doubt He actually gets tired like we do. More importantly, He rested BEFORE mankind fell into sin. So rest is not something needed because of sin in the world.
Americans are chronically busy and chronically sleep-deprived. Why? I can think of some reasons without doing any studies. We want more and more. We want more things, so we work earlier and later. We want our kids to be more involved, so we sign them up for every sport and club imaginable (here we should probably start looking at why we do this--for us or for them?). We don't want to say "no" to anyone, so we take on more than we can handle. We feel guilty if we don't answer work emails twenty-four hours a day, so we keep our phones on non-stop. (In passing, when I hear phones go off in church, I wonder why it is that we can't keep the wretched things off for two hours each week.) We despise quiet because then we might just have to listen to ourselves in the stillness or even worse, listen for the voice of God.
So be encouraged. If you aren't resting, you aren't alone. But we all need it, so here are some things that have been useful to me.
First, I've had to tell myself that is alright if I am not a busy bee for every moment of the day. I've read Scripture passages like Genesis 2 when God rested, Leviticus 25 where God commands that the land itself be allowed to rest for a year, Psalm 23, where God provides us rest, or Hebrews 3 and 4 where God speaks of the Sabbath rest He will provide His people. I still have to read them over and over and remember that the God who established resting periods will not shoot lightning at me because I took some time to relax my body and mind.
Second, I try to shut off the phone and the TV an hour or so before I want to go to sleep. (NOTE: this does not mean shut it off at 11:00 p.m. when you need to be up at 6:00 a.m. Humans need about seven to eight hours of sleep to be functional, so studies say, but, paraphrasing Brian Williams of NBC, if you don't like that study, just wait; another you like better will come. So if you need to be up at 6:00 a.m., turn off everything electronic around 9:00 p.m. Will you miss your TV shows? Probably so, but you can either record them, or better yet, you will realize how little you actually need the society of bachelors, bachelorettes, survivors, crime scene investigators, lawyers, various so-called comics, and pretty much any "reality" show stars.) I have little I like to watch anymore, and the world hasn't come to an end. I shut off my computer around dinner time. Those of you who have jobs where the boss wants you on call all the time have a harder decision, and you are the one to make that decision. Do you want to be on call? Do you need to be on call or has the boss just come to expect it? You have to take into account various factors, including your health, your family, and how kind your boss is in deciding how to handle this.
Third, I try to have somewhat of a schedule for when I do things. Ma Ingalls from the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder used to say that every day had its proper work. So I try to spread out my work onto different days. I clean certain parts of the house different days; I do laundry of sheets and towels one day; I do clothing laundry on another day; I bake on another day. Each day has its own regular work, too, like schoolwork with my daughter, cooking, and washing dishes, but spreading out the other chores gives regularity and helps me not crowd everything on one day. This also helps me not to over-schedule each day. That way I can handle any "rabbit trails" that occur.
Fourth, I try to carve out about 10-20 minutes in the mid to late afternoon where I sit down, have a cup of tea, read a book or a magazine, or just sit. That doesn't always happen, but when I do, I am less cranky and in a better mood by the time my husband comes home from work and I'm energized for the evening work ahead. You might have to convince your children that you need this time, but it won't hurt them to amuse themselves for once.
So, relax, have a cup of tea, smell the roses, enjoy the life God has given you.
However, God gave us the Sabbath day and promised a Sabbath rest for a reason. Humans can't keep up a ninety-to-nothing pace without damage to our bodies and souls. God rested on the seventh day to give us an example, seeing as I doubt He actually gets tired like we do. More importantly, He rested BEFORE mankind fell into sin. So rest is not something needed because of sin in the world.
Americans are chronically busy and chronically sleep-deprived. Why? I can think of some reasons without doing any studies. We want more and more. We want more things, so we work earlier and later. We want our kids to be more involved, so we sign them up for every sport and club imaginable (here we should probably start looking at why we do this--for us or for them?). We don't want to say "no" to anyone, so we take on more than we can handle. We feel guilty if we don't answer work emails twenty-four hours a day, so we keep our phones on non-stop. (In passing, when I hear phones go off in church, I wonder why it is that we can't keep the wretched things off for two hours each week.) We despise quiet because then we might just have to listen to ourselves in the stillness or even worse, listen for the voice of God.
So be encouraged. If you aren't resting, you aren't alone. But we all need it, so here are some things that have been useful to me.
First, I've had to tell myself that is alright if I am not a busy bee for every moment of the day. I've read Scripture passages like Genesis 2 when God rested, Leviticus 25 where God commands that the land itself be allowed to rest for a year, Psalm 23, where God provides us rest, or Hebrews 3 and 4 where God speaks of the Sabbath rest He will provide His people. I still have to read them over and over and remember that the God who established resting periods will not shoot lightning at me because I took some time to relax my body and mind.
Second, I try to shut off the phone and the TV an hour or so before I want to go to sleep. (NOTE: this does not mean shut it off at 11:00 p.m. when you need to be up at 6:00 a.m. Humans need about seven to eight hours of sleep to be functional, so studies say, but, paraphrasing Brian Williams of NBC, if you don't like that study, just wait; another you like better will come. So if you need to be up at 6:00 a.m., turn off everything electronic around 9:00 p.m. Will you miss your TV shows? Probably so, but you can either record them, or better yet, you will realize how little you actually need the society of bachelors, bachelorettes, survivors, crime scene investigators, lawyers, various so-called comics, and pretty much any "reality" show stars.) I have little I like to watch anymore, and the world hasn't come to an end. I shut off my computer around dinner time. Those of you who have jobs where the boss wants you on call all the time have a harder decision, and you are the one to make that decision. Do you want to be on call? Do you need to be on call or has the boss just come to expect it? You have to take into account various factors, including your health, your family, and how kind your boss is in deciding how to handle this.
Third, I try to have somewhat of a schedule for when I do things. Ma Ingalls from the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder used to say that every day had its proper work. So I try to spread out my work onto different days. I clean certain parts of the house different days; I do laundry of sheets and towels one day; I do clothing laundry on another day; I bake on another day. Each day has its own regular work, too, like schoolwork with my daughter, cooking, and washing dishes, but spreading out the other chores gives regularity and helps me not crowd everything on one day. This also helps me not to over-schedule each day. That way I can handle any "rabbit trails" that occur.
Fourth, I try to carve out about 10-20 minutes in the mid to late afternoon where I sit down, have a cup of tea, read a book or a magazine, or just sit. That doesn't always happen, but when I do, I am less cranky and in a better mood by the time my husband comes home from work and I'm energized for the evening work ahead. You might have to convince your children that you need this time, but it won't hurt them to amuse themselves for once.
So, relax, have a cup of tea, smell the roses, enjoy the life God has given you.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
New Year's Tips and Encouragement: Part First
This New Year, I will be writing a series of encouragement and tips for women and/or Christian women and/or wives and/or mothers and/or homeschooling mothers and/or working mothers and/or grandmothers and/or any other women with any vocation.
For those of you who aren't Christians (which I will define as believers in the One Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven and the only means of forgiveness of sin and the only means of right standing before God), I encourage you to think about this. The new year is a good time for looking over your life and asking questions. Find a church and talk to someone there with whom you can discuss this. Here is a link to the Presbyterian Church in America church directory search as a start in finding a church.
For those of you who are Christians, I encourage you, if you don't already, to carve out time to be with the Lord in the Word and prayer. Many of you are mothers; some of you stay at home with your children; some of you homeschool; some of you work. I know the difficulties of finding time for this, but I have found in my own life that this is vital. Several years ago, the church I was attending started a ladies' morning Bible Study. Since I was working part-time then, I could attend. Those years changed so much in my life. I began to see how much I'd been missing. Sure, I read my Bible each night before bed, but this study time, this time with other women, some older than me who were Spiritual Mothers to me, gave me a hunger to know God better. The more study I did, the more I wanted to do. I missed the times when we did not meet. Now I live far away from that church, so I cannot attend the Bible study. But the legacy they left was a hunger for God and His Word, a new understanding of being God's true woman and a desire to be so, (as well as many good friends.)
I have never been into devotional-type books, but having been introduced to some at Bible study, here are a few I have read and like. Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver; Treasures of Encouragement by Sharon W. Betters; Whiter than Snow, Paul David Tripp; Prayers of the Bible by Susan Hunt; Women of Courage by Debra Evans; Daring to Draw Near by John White; The True Vine by Andrew Murray. These are not substitutes for reading the Word of God, but they can be very helpful in keeping one's day and life sane and spiritually productive.
I can hear some of you saying, "Where do I find the time? I am married with small children, too much work, and too much filling my life." I will say as Mr. Scott said in Star Trek: Generations, "If something's important to you, you make the time." I will also note the words of an old song called "The Wedding Banquet" by Sister Miriam Therese, Medical Mission Sisters. "I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now. I have married a wife. I have bought me a cow. I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum. Pray hold me excused, I cannot come." Most of us don't have fields and cows, but we could sing the song like this: "I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now. I have emails to answer and a meeting in an hour. I have a Smartphone and tablet and clients to be won. Pray hold me excused I cannot come." OR "I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now. I have ESPN, CSI, and Jack Bauer. I have American Idol and Survivor just for fun. Pray hold me excused I cannot come."
We have lots of time in our 24-hour day; we just have to determine what the priorities are. I'm no expert at prioritizing, but I have come to understand that if I don't take time for God, my life just doesn't work right. Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World has many and much better ideas than I have, so pick up a copy of that and read it. I will tell you what has worked for me. First, I do try to get up and use what time I can before I get the kids up. I pray while walking or doing some other form of exercise. Second, I don't have a lot of TV shows that I watch. I have a routine for my evenings (my friend E will laugh because she knows it's true and teases me) that winds me down to be ready to sleep, and this includes Bible reading while I stretch the muscles that have tightened up after a long day of running after kids, cooking, cleaning, writing, and many other tasks. I write in a journal little prayers or thoughts to God based on the day's Bible reading or something that happened during the day. This may not work for you, but I stress that finding something that works is the most important thing you can do. An in-law once asked me my thoughts for dealing with family problems. I am not a therapist. My main advice was work on your relationship with God. All else will fall into place.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Kids' Rules for Making Cookies
Baking, decorating, and, of course, eating cookies is amazingly fun and extremely tasty. However, to make your cookie experience the best it can be, several rules should be followed.
Rule Number One: Ask Mom at any time other than a convenient time. Inconvenience is the spice that makes cookie making and eating most delicious. When she's doing chores is an excellent time to ask, but the most superior time to ask is near the end of a very busy day when she has sat down to take a few precious moments of rest and relaxation (if she's turned on a television show or is reading a book or a magazine makes it a diamond-studded time). If she says no, or even worse, that we'll do it later, the next step is vital. Make her feel like not to do so would ruin your life forever. Moms mostly feel guilt for two reasons: 1) they aren't spending good amounts of quality time with their kids, and 2) they have probably done something that hours of expensive therapy won't fix. Play it up well. Tell her you love spending time with her. Tell her that you can learn from her. Tell her that it's better than television. Tell her anything that will guilt her into making the cookies right now. If she wavers and doesn't say yes or no, discourse to her more reasons why you should. For example, remind her of how long it's been since you've made cookies, even if you just made them a day or two ago. Don't forget Manners! Manners are absolutely vital. Saying "please," "if you don't mind," or "may we" go a long way toward getting a "yes" out of Mom.
Rule Number Two: If you can at all swing it, ask to have a friend join you. Two kids are harder for a mother to handle, and thus the fun is increased in magnitude. Your chosen friend should have less experience at baking than you do. You can say you want your friend to have the same experience you have and that you can help them learn. Of course, you teach them your way and these rules. If Mom doesn't agree, save it for another time. Don't sweat it and don't give her a hard time; she might deny you the entire privilege.
Rule Number Three: Do as little of the actual baking as possible. Everyone knows that food always tastes better when someone else cooks it. Stand very near on a stool and look as interested as possible. With any luck, you'll simply get a lesson without actually doing anything. If you can't get out of helping, make sure to make as big a mess as possible. A few suggestions: Hold the measuring spoons and cups sideways. Mom will have to straighten them and will probably have a few choice words for you, but it might just get you out of having to do the work. Stir as fast as possible; cookies contain flour, which is very soft and light and will puff out in a cloud or spill out onto the counter very easily. Ask to crack open the eggs. This can be done over the counter or the floor but never over the bowl. When the batter is made, make sure to get the spoon to lick. This move is for two reasons: 1) raw cookie dough is very toothsome, and 2) you have the advantage of telling Mom that you helped her by cleaning the spoon. She'll still have to wash it, but you at least will have helped her by getting the dough off it before washing.
Rule Number Four: When the dough is ready to be rolled and cut into shapes, insist on rolling it out. Rolling cookie dough is not easy, and Mom will probably want to help you. Eventually, she'll get so frustrated with your ineptness that she'll do it herself. The same with cutting. Do it slowly and use the space you have to cut as inefficiently as possible. The more times the dough has to be rolled, the greater the chances Mom will do it for you. But be careful. You don't want to overdo this. Too much frustration on Mom's part might land you in the no-cookies-again zone. You don't want that. So you might have to make some effort to roll and cut correctly and efficiently. It's not so much fun, but you increase your chances at future fun by making a little effort at this time.
Rule Number Five: Use as much frosting and as many sprinkles as is humanly possible when it comes time to decorate the cookies. Mom may insist on frosting the cookies herself. Try to get her to let you (after all, you can sneak a few mouthfuls of frosting while you are creating your works of art), but don't put too much effort into it. Sprinkles are even more fun and less work. DO NOT under any circumstances actually sprinkle the sprinkles. Don't let the name deceive you; sprinkles are for DUMPING or POURING, not delicately sprinkling. You should have a waterfall, not a mister. If Mom is smart, she'll make you use a tray with sides to decorate your cookies. If you like to eat sprinkles in large quantities without the cookie, this is a blessing. The tray hold the sprinkles in one place when you dump them. After the decorating is done, you can then get a spoon and eat up the sprinkles. Mom wouldn't want you to waste them, of course, because waste is sinful. If you like to make a mess, the tray is your nemesis. Therefore, you must put the cookies as near to the edge as possible in order to dump sprinkles both on the cookies and the floor or table. You must use some slight of hand here; you don't want Mom to catch you dumping sprinkles on the floor.
Last but not least, Rule Number Six: Make sure you get to eat at least one during or as soon as you've finished decorating. Why go through all that work and not get instant gratification?
There. Now you have the rules for making cookies. Best of luck to you, and remember, practice makes perfect. Cookies never go out of style and are always good for filling an empty belly, so you can never have too many.
Rule Number One: Ask Mom at any time other than a convenient time. Inconvenience is the spice that makes cookie making and eating most delicious. When she's doing chores is an excellent time to ask, but the most superior time to ask is near the end of a very busy day when she has sat down to take a few precious moments of rest and relaxation (if she's turned on a television show or is reading a book or a magazine makes it a diamond-studded time). If she says no, or even worse, that we'll do it later, the next step is vital. Make her feel like not to do so would ruin your life forever. Moms mostly feel guilt for two reasons: 1) they aren't spending good amounts of quality time with their kids, and 2) they have probably done something that hours of expensive therapy won't fix. Play it up well. Tell her you love spending time with her. Tell her that you can learn from her. Tell her that it's better than television. Tell her anything that will guilt her into making the cookies right now. If she wavers and doesn't say yes or no, discourse to her more reasons why you should. For example, remind her of how long it's been since you've made cookies, even if you just made them a day or two ago. Don't forget Manners! Manners are absolutely vital. Saying "please," "if you don't mind," or "may we" go a long way toward getting a "yes" out of Mom.
Rule Number Two: If you can at all swing it, ask to have a friend join you. Two kids are harder for a mother to handle, and thus the fun is increased in magnitude. Your chosen friend should have less experience at baking than you do. You can say you want your friend to have the same experience you have and that you can help them learn. Of course, you teach them your way and these rules. If Mom doesn't agree, save it for another time. Don't sweat it and don't give her a hard time; she might deny you the entire privilege.
Rule Number Three: Do as little of the actual baking as possible. Everyone knows that food always tastes better when someone else cooks it. Stand very near on a stool and look as interested as possible. With any luck, you'll simply get a lesson without actually doing anything. If you can't get out of helping, make sure to make as big a mess as possible. A few suggestions: Hold the measuring spoons and cups sideways. Mom will have to straighten them and will probably have a few choice words for you, but it might just get you out of having to do the work. Stir as fast as possible; cookies contain flour, which is very soft and light and will puff out in a cloud or spill out onto the counter very easily. Ask to crack open the eggs. This can be done over the counter or the floor but never over the bowl. When the batter is made, make sure to get the spoon to lick. This move is for two reasons: 1) raw cookie dough is very toothsome, and 2) you have the advantage of telling Mom that you helped her by cleaning the spoon. She'll still have to wash it, but you at least will have helped her by getting the dough off it before washing.
Rule Number Four: When the dough is ready to be rolled and cut into shapes, insist on rolling it out. Rolling cookie dough is not easy, and Mom will probably want to help you. Eventually, she'll get so frustrated with your ineptness that she'll do it herself. The same with cutting. Do it slowly and use the space you have to cut as inefficiently as possible. The more times the dough has to be rolled, the greater the chances Mom will do it for you. But be careful. You don't want to overdo this. Too much frustration on Mom's part might land you in the no-cookies-again zone. You don't want that. So you might have to make some effort to roll and cut correctly and efficiently. It's not so much fun, but you increase your chances at future fun by making a little effort at this time.
Rule Number Five: Use as much frosting and as many sprinkles as is humanly possible when it comes time to decorate the cookies. Mom may insist on frosting the cookies herself. Try to get her to let you (after all, you can sneak a few mouthfuls of frosting while you are creating your works of art), but don't put too much effort into it. Sprinkles are even more fun and less work. DO NOT under any circumstances actually sprinkle the sprinkles. Don't let the name deceive you; sprinkles are for DUMPING or POURING, not delicately sprinkling. You should have a waterfall, not a mister. If Mom is smart, she'll make you use a tray with sides to decorate your cookies. If you like to eat sprinkles in large quantities without the cookie, this is a blessing. The tray hold the sprinkles in one place when you dump them. After the decorating is done, you can then get a spoon and eat up the sprinkles. Mom wouldn't want you to waste them, of course, because waste is sinful. If you like to make a mess, the tray is your nemesis. Therefore, you must put the cookies as near to the edge as possible in order to dump sprinkles both on the cookies and the floor or table. You must use some slight of hand here; you don't want Mom to catch you dumping sprinkles on the floor.
Last but not least, Rule Number Six: Make sure you get to eat at least one during or as soon as you've finished decorating. Why go through all that work and not get instant gratification?
There. Now you have the rules for making cookies. Best of luck to you, and remember, practice makes perfect. Cookies never go out of style and are always good for filling an empty belly, so you can never have too many.
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