Random Thoughts

Walls: to tear or not to tear?

| Mommakisses

I have tried to not go here… I have tried to keep my piece about all that this man is doing… but I can’t any more. See there is a time when, as a Christian, I have to say that’s not right. Well, Barack Obama is NOT right.

Today in Berlin, Germany, he tried to be like Ronald Reagan… walls need to come down, he says. There is a lot of things he has said or done I have an issue with… this is the biggest for me:

The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down. (This is from this site, I think it’s his campaign site, http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/pattysc/gGxydF)

This can’t be glossed over. Jesus says He is the way… that means the ONLY way, and that creates a wall between the Christian and the Muslim and Jews. Jesus put a wall there to say this narrow road is the one to walk. I have a problem with someone saying they are a Christian, and yet they are willing to blur this line. Or tear down the wall, if that’s how they see it.

I am not going to stop anyone from believing what they want. But I will try to tell you the truth in Jesus’ words. I will tell you all He has done for me. If you listen, great, if not… that’s between you and God.

This is America, you can say and do as you like… and so can I.

Family Pix

| Mommakisses

My grandpa will be 90 next month. Wow… I can’t begin to think about all he has seen and lived through. To celebrate, my cousin and aunt are putting together a bunch of photos from his lifetime. Which means I am going through mine… I thought you might enjoy a couple.

Dad’s need to be fun… T does this well… here he is messing with J:

Little S, the boys were thrilled to have a little sister… even at 20 months and two weeks shy of 5, my boys were very protective!

K is great-grandchild number 24! (Number 23 was born 2 hours before she was!)

It’s good to look back at a blessed life. I am so thankful for all I have been graced with. Truly, it is beyond words. I don’t know what being 90 will be like, but I am grateful for a Grandpa who does!

TV kills and Tivo rocks

| Mommakisses

OK, so I admit I am trying to loose those “few extra baby pounds” … still… eight years after my first baby. I have noticed something since we got our lovely Tivo… besides the fact that it is the best way to watch and keep up with any show you might be watching…

I have noticed I watch a lot less commercials. I have noticed I get very irritated when my kids watch commercials. I have noticed I eat a lot less when I don’t watch commercials. When I don’t see all the crap junk they are pushing, I don’t want to eat everything in the house.

And, somehow, I find I am watching less TV… I think it’s because I watch the shows I WANT to watch, and I don’t get pulled into the next 5 shows they are airing. What a concept… maybe I should try turning it off 😉

Legacy… something

| Mommakisses

Legacy is a word that gets tossed about too much these days. People are concerned with what kind of legacy they will leave behind when they stop whatever they are doing… I am of the thought, if you pay attention to what you ARE doing, your legacy will speak for itself.

I thought I would see what the dictionary says an actual legacy is… and here’s what it said… “Legacy, n. something.” Uh… right… I think I knew that. No, I am not kidding… something is all it says. This is a Webster’s Dictionary published in 1980… Dictionary.com says this: anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor.

I know where I want my legacy to speak loudest… they are resting in the bedrooms right now. I want my legacy to be J, G, S and K to love and worship the Lord my God as their own. I want them to work to make this world a better place, to do good to/for their fellow man. I want them to seek God’s will, purpose and destiny in their lives.

The only way that will happen is for me to do my best as their mom. If I worry about my legacy… then I am not doing the job set in front of me… sort of like the guy who put together the dictionary that doesn’t really define a legacy.

Carabiners and Grown-Up Girlfriends

| Mommakisses

I am reading this great book called Grown-Up Girlfriends by Erin Smalley and Carrie Oliver. Basically it is about finding and keeping real friends in the real world. Why, you might ask… because I have seen this from both sides… both the having and the not having. I have seen what great friends can be for one another, and I have seen how destructive bad friendships can be.

One of the things they talk about is how “women crave relationships innately and are driven to be in relationships” — good or bad — and how during stressful times women tend to congregate together. Like God, we desire to be in relationships, and like Moses, sometimes we need someone to hold our arms up.

I have been in those times… and had those there to help me. I have watched others go through such times with very few around them, and it cripples them. Isolation is not a good thing.

I am blessed with friends who have stuck by me for 18-20 years now, others who I have known a short time, but feel like I’ve known forever. They have walked some dark paths with me. They have laughed, cried, prayed for and with me. They have helped me grow up. I would not be who I am with out them. Any of them.

I talked to some of my friends about their role in my life and how it is something like a carabiner. The carabiner’s significance is its use to fasten the climber’s line to their belayer, or anchor person, on the ground. When the climber loses footing, the belayer steadies them while they regain their hold on the mountain. My friends have held me to the Rock while I fought off insecurity, fear, frustration and anger. They provided assistance, encouragement, sound judgment, prayer and “held the ropes” for me.

If you find yourself isolated, with very little human contact (and I don’t mean through your computer… that’s NOT human contact) pick up this book, find out what you are missing, and find some real friends. They are out there… and they are looking for what you bring to the table!

And to my friends (CA, KC, JG, CH, RH, JR, GR, JS, LT, MV, KW and I am sure there are others I am not thinking of right now, but will come to me soon, so consider yourself here) there are not enough words to truly say thank you for playing the role of a carabiner in my life!

Wall E thoughts

| Mommakisses

I have to admit I went into this movie expecting another hysterical environmental scar tactic. What I did not expect was a love story… the sheer joy of holding a hand, the spark of that first kiss… OK, it’s two robots, but there was serious character development here!

I also didn’t expect the we-are-headed-into-fat-lazy-people (not sure headed is the right term) aspect of the movie. I know what you are thinking… “What??? There’s a moral in this story???” This is a Disney movie, people! That used to be the norm with them.

If you are looking for a sweet movie with some good points to talk to your kids about… this is a movie worth seeing.

Old dog learns new tricks

| Mommakisses

My DH never fails to impress me. See, not only is T a car guy, he’s also a gamer. Video games, computer games, I don’t think he’s meet one he didn’t like… well, maybe one 😉

He has, over the last four or five years, started thinking about all the time he has put into games. Sort of a what-if-I-had-done-something-else-with-my-time- where-would-I-be-now kinda thinking… Now he’s watching those two sweet boys start that path of I-want-to-play-games-right-now, and he’s seeing a different road, one much less traveled these days. One where balance is learned at an early age. One where God given talents are honed rather than left idle. One where a father says do what I didn’t know I could do. And he’s guiding them down that road.

He’s even seen the need to spend one on one time with each child over the weekends (ok, maybe K is too young, but the other three). He seems to be less overwhelmed by it, and more determined to do it.

Forget the village idiots, it takes a FATHER to raise a child.

The greatest things ever

| Mommakisses

For those of you with little ones, let me tell you of some of the best things I have found for them:

1) Bumbo Chair… from the time a little one can hold their own head up, the can sit in this chair. This is very helpful… it gives you a place to put them when they are tired of the swing, not strong enough for the exersaucer and don’t like the bouncers. K can actually sit and watch her siblings, which she loves! She can sit to eat or just play with the tray attachment.

2) Happy Heinie… a home made diaper rash cream mixed with equal parts Desitin, Lotrimin and Neosporin (I use the + Pain relief) with a splash of Maalox (just enough to make it creamy and not stiff). I have dealt with some very rough diaper area issues, and this mixture is the best at helping heal the area.

3) If you are dealing with a colicky baby, Gripe Water works wonder. Here in Nashville I have found it at Wild Oats and the Super Target. (Cheaper at Target!)

4) Thumb… a solution to paint on thumbs or fingers to help kids stop sucking them. I’ve had all four of mine suck their thumbs, and this is the fastest way to help them stop.

That’s what comes to mind right now. Hope it helps!

Funny Ball

| Mommakisses

I am… or was before four kids, an athlete… I don’t play enough of anything to be called such anymore. I would be a lot closer to a weekend warrior than an true athlete… though getting back into shape is one of my goals for 2008… anyway, bunny trail aside, I can appreciate a good game… football, soccer, tennis, racquetball… I enjoy competition.

I’ve played soccer since I was in the 3rd grade. I’ve watched my brother play, some boyfriends, my DH, and my boys play. I can honestly say I’ve never seen the game played this way. I’ve seen guys get competitive over cars… never seen ’em work it out this way. I don’t know what to call this… bumper cars on steroids? Soccer with protection? Maybe just funny ball?

For some reason, clicking on the video is saying it’s no longer avaliable… not true… so if it’s not working for you either… try using this url: