A very dear friend of mine sent this to me this morning.
Read it.
Think about it.
It made sense way back then.
It still makes sense today.
Very wise words to heed during this or any political season
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
---Abraham Lincoln
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Crazy Days
I'm going to try to fill you all in on the comings and goings around here. I only have about 5 min. to do it... so bear with me.
Friday - Lunch with a friend and then both of us went shopping for the food and punch for the Halloween Dance at the middle school.
The Halloween Dance was really fun for the kids. We took pictures of them in their costumes and had them vote on the teachers' pumpkin carving skills. Some of those pumpkins were pretty artistic... Not like I would have made.
After the dance, LLB had a trumpet lesson. I flew over there and dropped her off. Then I flew to the high school to get #1. I met the rest of the family at our favorite burger joint. *That was our first family meal last week.
Saturday - up at 6:30 and off to the high school to meet the band bus. Gone to a competition all day. They got 2nd place! And they increased their score by 10 points from the week before! This is huge. Arrived back at the high school at 2:15am. Arrived home at 3:17am. Was in bed at 3:23am and asleep 30 seconds after that.
Sunday - at church by 10 to rehearse for 11am service. 12:30 youth planning meeting. 5pm brought the neighborhood Halloween party. All afternoon I spent doing laundry. It's all fun and games around here.
Monday - Subbed for band teacher at middle school. His student teacher got hurt over the weekend so it was the Ladybug Show yesterday... and today. Those kids played and played and played. Heck - if they aren't playing they are talking and we can NOT have that! Left there at 2:30 to teach my own handbell class at the private school. Picked up LLB and headed to library and home for a few minutes. Fed the dog and took off for McDo and handbell rehearsal at church - my paying gig. Then LLB did part of the Community Band rehearsal. I had had enough. I pulled her out and we went home...
Tuesday - that would be today. I'm back at the middle school subbing for the band teacher again today. Wish the kids luck.... I've got plans for them! Bwahaha!!! They thought their lips were sore yesterday... they have no idea what I have in store for them today.
So. That's where I've been. I'll catch you all tomorrow, k?
Friday - Lunch with a friend and then both of us went shopping for the food and punch for the Halloween Dance at the middle school.
The Halloween Dance was really fun for the kids. We took pictures of them in their costumes and had them vote on the teachers' pumpkin carving skills. Some of those pumpkins were pretty artistic... Not like I would have made.
After the dance, LLB had a trumpet lesson. I flew over there and dropped her off. Then I flew to the high school to get #1. I met the rest of the family at our favorite burger joint. *That was our first family meal last week.
Saturday - up at 6:30 and off to the high school to meet the band bus. Gone to a competition all day. They got 2nd place! And they increased their score by 10 points from the week before! This is huge. Arrived back at the high school at 2:15am. Arrived home at 3:17am. Was in bed at 3:23am and asleep 30 seconds after that.
Sunday - at church by 10 to rehearse for 11am service. 12:30 youth planning meeting. 5pm brought the neighborhood Halloween party. All afternoon I spent doing laundry. It's all fun and games around here.
Monday - Subbed for band teacher at middle school. His student teacher got hurt over the weekend so it was the Ladybug Show yesterday... and today. Those kids played and played and played. Heck - if they aren't playing they are talking and we can NOT have that! Left there at 2:30 to teach my own handbell class at the private school. Picked up LLB and headed to library and home for a few minutes. Fed the dog and took off for McDo and handbell rehearsal at church - my paying gig. Then LLB did part of the Community Band rehearsal. I had had enough. I pulled her out and we went home...
Tuesday - that would be today. I'm back at the middle school subbing for the band teacher again today. Wish the kids luck.... I've got plans for them! Bwahaha!!! They thought their lips were sore yesterday... they have no idea what I have in store for them today.
So. That's where I've been. I'll catch you all tomorrow, k?
Friday, October 24, 2008
Happy Birthday, #1!
My #1 is 16 years old today.
He is a great kid who deserves nothing but the best.
This morning he opened his card. It was just a card. He told me that he thought a set of car keys would be in the card. He is funny! Trust me... there will be no car keys in birthday cards today. A car was not on the list he gave me. And if there was a car on the list, he'd be getting a matchbox car.
Happy Birthday, my boy!
He is a great kid who deserves nothing but the best.
This morning he opened his card. It was just a card. He told me that he thought a set of car keys would be in the card. He is funny! Trust me... there will be no car keys in birthday cards today. A car was not on the list he gave me. And if there was a car on the list, he'd be getting a matchbox car.
Happy Birthday, my boy!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Stop MRSA Now!
Picture this:
You are in a public rest room. 4 people come out of the stalls. 3 people stop and wash their hands. The 4th person, fixes her hair and walks out the door. Disgusting? You bet! Dangerous? Yes! Extremely Dangerous...
Germs and bacteria are spread by touching something that is contaminated and then touching something else. MRSA - a type of Staph bacteria that is antibiotic resistant - is a particularly nasty bacteria that can be easily spread by touching contaminated items. This can be a door handle, a piece of gym equipment, or even a dirty shopping cart.
We need to Stop MRSA Now.
People can carry MRSA and not have any symptoms. These people can also transmit the bacteria to other people and have no idea that they are doing it. This is why we need to do a few things to protect ourselves from MRSA.
The first and easiest thing to do is WASH YOUR HANDS!
Wash your hands with warm water and SOAP - any kind of soap will do. It doesn't have to be antibacterial soap. Scrub for at lest 15 seconds. (Sing Happy Birthday if you can't count 15 Mississippis.) Oh and running the water and just putting the tips of your fingers under the stream - that doesn't count. You need to scrub.
Use a bleach and water solution to disinfect hard surfaces. Make sure to clean the cleaning cloths you use to avoid spreading MRSA. In other words, wash your cleaning rags.
If you have a cut or a boo-boo, keep it covered. Use a bandage - Scooby Doo (the most popular bandage at The Crossing) or Superman, or even a plain old pink bandage work quite well.
Do not share towels or razors. That's just asking for trouble! Besides, you don't want to wipe your face or your hands after someone else has used the same towel to wipe their hairy butt, do you? That's just gross!
If you go to the gym to use the machines, put a towel down to keep your skin away from the equipment. When you are done using the equipment, use the spray and clean off the machine. It only takes a couple of seconds. You may want to clean the machines before and after you use them. You can't be sure that the last person wiped it down when they were done...
MRSA can be stopped.
It's up to you.
Want more information? Stop MRSA Now.
Thanks to Mom Central for supporting this very important cause.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Food for Thought
There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind.
She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend.
He was always there for her.
She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her.
When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her,'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?'
The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind.
The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her.
She hadn't expected that.
The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.
Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'
This is how the human brain often works when our status changes.
Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.
Life Is a Gift
Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.
Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.
Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet..
And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.
She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend.
He was always there for her.
She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her.
When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her,'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?'
The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind.
The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her.
She hadn't expected that.
The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.
Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'
This is how the human brain often works when our status changes.
Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.
Life Is a Gift
Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.
Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.
Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet..
And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
30 Days to Natural
I try to be "green".
I recycle.
I'd like to do more - as I'm sure all of us would.
Mom Central has teamed up with Clorox and GreenWorks to promote a healthy cleaning lifestyle.
Check out the website!
They have daily tips on how to be a little bit greener. The tips can be delivered directly to your inbox every morning if you choose. Today's tip was about using reusable shopping bags. It was the gentle reminder I needed to put mine in my car - where they should be stored anyway.
There are videos - they are following 3 women for 30 days as they try to green up their homes and their lives. The women are average every day people. The videos are real. I enjoyed watching them and I think you will, too!
I don't like harsh chemicals or the residue that some of them leave behind. The new Greenworks cleaners are terrific. I tried the liquid dish washing soap. It is as good as any of the others I've used, it's natural, it doesn't leave my hands dry, and it smells pretty darned good, too! All of the GreenWorks products were developed using natural biodegradable ingredients that are free from petrochemicals. They were blind tested against the leading conventional cleaners. They clean as well or better - I'm not surprised!
I look forward to trying the other products - especially the glass cleaner.
Maybe I can be greener 30 days from now, too!
I recycle.
I'd like to do more - as I'm sure all of us would.
Mom Central has teamed up with Clorox and GreenWorks to promote a healthy cleaning lifestyle.
Check out the website!
They have daily tips on how to be a little bit greener. The tips can be delivered directly to your inbox every morning if you choose. Today's tip was about using reusable shopping bags. It was the gentle reminder I needed to put mine in my car - where they should be stored anyway.
There are videos - they are following 3 women for 30 days as they try to green up their homes and their lives. The women are average every day people. The videos are real. I enjoyed watching them and I think you will, too!
I don't like harsh chemicals or the residue that some of them leave behind. The new Greenworks cleaners are terrific. I tried the liquid dish washing soap. It is as good as any of the others I've used, it's natural, it doesn't leave my hands dry, and it smells pretty darned good, too! All of the GreenWorks products were developed using natural biodegradable ingredients that are free from petrochemicals. They were blind tested against the leading conventional cleaners. They clean as well or better - I'm not surprised!
I look forward to trying the other products - especially the glass cleaner.
Maybe I can be greener 30 days from now, too!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Retreat News
LLB and I went on her 8th grade retreat over the weekend. We drove up with R and HP.
It was a gorgeous weekend - the leaves are just starting to turn up there and the reds and oranges are simply beautiful.
The kids had a pretty good time. They did a scavenger hunt, sang songs, had a "Dump Dance" where you create your outfit from trash bags and tin foil, had an indoor camp fire, spent time with summer camp friends, and worshiped together.
I went up as a parent as did R. Our churches are tiny. We don't have youth leaders. Please let it be known far and wide that we don't EVER want to be youth leaders. Some of the larger churches have youth leaders who bring the kids up to this retreat. Those youth leaders want to be involved in what the kids are doing and they want to "spiritually fed" while they are there. Parents don't. We want to sit and enjoy the beauty that isn't laundry.
I expected to keep up with LLB - the only attendee from our church. I did not expect to have to spend time in small group discussion with the other adults or have to spend time chaperoning kids I don't know. (It was fine, but it was not what I expected.) I also expected to have my own child in my group during the scavenger hunt. Alas, that is not what happened. Fortunately, I got to see her a few times - I took her picture while she was doing the activities. I also got to hug her tight and tell her that "We follow the rules. I know other kids swapped groups, but you have to stay with your group." You know... this is supposed to be fun...
On Saturday afternoon, R and I did get to do some scrapbooking while the kids were on a hike up the mountain to the cross. We pulled a table out onto the porch of the house where we were staying, and enjoyed the sun, the weather, the leaves, and the time to sit and scrap. That, my friends, was simply wonderful...
The Dump Dance was awesome! They gave the kids 1 large black trash bag and 2 smaller kitchen can bags. The kids had to create an outfit with their trash bags and as much tin foil as they wanted. LLB made a dress out of the black bag and a sash out of the white ones. Tin foil was turned into bracelets. She was very attractive!
Some of the other kids were extremely creative. One girl traded her black bag for some extra white bags - she created a tutu by blowing up the white bags, attaching them to her waist and she completed the look by wrapping her torso in tin foil. The kids stayed in their costumes for the entire dance - they must have been hot because they all drank a ton of water. The music was great! I asked for the play list because it was so good.
All in all, I think LLB had a good time. There were a few things that she would have changed, but that's the way life is. She caught up with some camp friends, she met a couple of new kids, she sang a LOT, and she got to spend time at the place she loves. Who could ask for a better weekend?
It was a gorgeous weekend - the leaves are just starting to turn up there and the reds and oranges are simply beautiful.
The kids had a pretty good time. They did a scavenger hunt, sang songs, had a "Dump Dance" where you create your outfit from trash bags and tin foil, had an indoor camp fire, spent time with summer camp friends, and worshiped together.
I went up as a parent as did R. Our churches are tiny. We don't have youth leaders. Please let it be known far and wide that we don't EVER want to be youth leaders. Some of the larger churches have youth leaders who bring the kids up to this retreat. Those youth leaders want to be involved in what the kids are doing and they want to "spiritually fed" while they are there. Parents don't. We want to sit and enjoy the beauty that isn't laundry.
I expected to keep up with LLB - the only attendee from our church. I did not expect to have to spend time in small group discussion with the other adults or have to spend time chaperoning kids I don't know. (It was fine, but it was not what I expected.) I also expected to have my own child in my group during the scavenger hunt. Alas, that is not what happened. Fortunately, I got to see her a few times - I took her picture while she was doing the activities. I also got to hug her tight and tell her that "We follow the rules. I know other kids swapped groups, but you have to stay with your group." You know... this is supposed to be fun...
On Saturday afternoon, R and I did get to do some scrapbooking while the kids were on a hike up the mountain to the cross. We pulled a table out onto the porch of the house where we were staying, and enjoyed the sun, the weather, the leaves, and the time to sit and scrap. That, my friends, was simply wonderful...
The Dump Dance was awesome! They gave the kids 1 large black trash bag and 2 smaller kitchen can bags. The kids had to create an outfit with their trash bags and as much tin foil as they wanted. LLB made a dress out of the black bag and a sash out of the white ones. Tin foil was turned into bracelets. She was very attractive!
Some of the other kids were extremely creative. One girl traded her black bag for some extra white bags - she created a tutu by blowing up the white bags, attaching them to her waist and she completed the look by wrapping her torso in tin foil. The kids stayed in their costumes for the entire dance - they must have been hot because they all drank a ton of water. The music was great! I asked for the play list because it was so good.
All in all, I think LLB had a good time. There were a few things that she would have changed, but that's the way life is. She caught up with some camp friends, she met a couple of new kids, she sang a LOT, and she got to spend time at the place she loves. Who could ask for a better weekend?
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