I try not to be a pack rat. Jay would probably disagree with that statement, but I really try to keep only things that really mean something and not every single thing that means anything...if that makes sense.
When my Grandpa K died, I wanted one thing of his to keep: I wanted his whistle. I think it was in 1970 that my grandpa had his first cancer. I say first cancer because he had cancer a few more times after that, which is scary because you would think that once you beat it, you've had enough and shouldn't have to go through it again...Apparently, that's not how it works.
So the first cancer my grandpa had was cancer of the larynx, or voice box, and he had half of his voice box removed as part of his treatment. That was nearly 42 years ago, a lot has happened in the medical science field since then, and I'm not sure what they would do now. But as a result of the removal, from that day forward his voice was a whisper. I never, ever heard my grandpa's voice in full volume. Not a super big deal, but kinda strange when I think about it now nonetheless.
I should also add that my grandpa was a smoker/chewer or something. I don't know what his habits were way back, but I vividly recall the spittoons around the house...and boy, they were fascinating to a young child :) He may have smoked in his younger years and he may have even smoked up and to the day he had his voice box removed, I have never asked.
Since my grandpa's voice wasn't loud, he carried around a whistle sometimes. That way when he was out farming or messing with fence or over at the barn, and got in a pickle he could whistle (oh that rhymes:). Back at that time, cellular phones were unheard of and the country folk relied on the good 'ole CB as a means of communication. If in distress, grandpa could blow the whistle into his CB and grandma would know he was needing her.
I don't really remember hearing him use the whistle. I talked to him countless times on the CB and the phone, I never had a problem hearing him. He came through pretty well on the CB despite the scratchiness. And you know, a man can even "yell" at his grandchildren and get mad at those around him without "raising his voice." You could tell by the tone of his whisper when he was not pleased with a situation.
I recall some family gathering at my parents house many, many years ago and my little cousin from my mom's side was there. I would guess he was around three or four years old. My grandpa leaned down and asked him a question, and my little cousin whispered the answer right back at him. It was so cute. He thought my grandpa was whispering to him on purpose.
Funny thing is growing up, I really never gave it much thought at all about my grandpa's voice. Everyone around me knew why he was like that and no one ever talked about it. It was just the way it was, you know. Of course, I wish my kids would've had the opportunity to meet him, but he passed away on July 13, 1996 before our kids were born. I do bring him up every now and then, referring to him as Grandpa Great (to make the connection to Grandma Great) and have made a point when the subject comes up on smoking to tell my kiddos that Grandpa Great had half of a voice box thanks to cancer. I'm not sure they really "get it" but it sounds good.
The other night I was in the basement surveying the damage three little boys had caused at Lane's sleepover and I saw a whistle on the floor..."Aaahh," I said, "You cannot play with THAT whistle, that was my grandpa's whistle." And I ran upstairs to hang it on my shelf. That whistle sure doesn't look like anything special, but it is to me.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Happy birthday, D!
If you're reading this on February 8, 2012, give a shout out to my cousin/friend "Danielle" for her 37th birthday. Oh man, I can't believe we are turning 37 this year. Can you, D?!
She is an undocumented follower, she doesn't comment on here, but sends me texts so I know that she will be reading this at one time or another. :)
Times flies when you're having fun. And where does the time go? Seems like only yesterday we were cruising around in the Festiva...Remember the Ford Festiva? D's family had one, bright red, and they had it FOREVER. I'm even guessing it's still around somewhere in their family today. Am I right? It always cracked me up because D was from a family of seven and her parents were so tall, her brothers were so tall, she was tall, her sister was tall. And to see any one of them bend down and cram into that Festiva was hilarious. I have a very vivid picture in my head of seeing her dad zip around in that thing.
I used to spend so much time with D because they lived just down the road from us in this beautiful log cabin that her maternal grandmother had built. D and I were the same age, as was another friend I'll call "Brandi". We had some great times together...and can still carry on when we have the opportunity.
D is the type of person that no matter what the situation, it is ALL good. She can click the worst picture on this planet and tell you how fabulous it is...and even though you know she's lying through her teeth. I swear if she were lying in a hospital bed in the worst pain ever and you asked her how she was doing, she would force a big smile and say "Great. How are you doing?" (Am I right?!)
D's dad and my dad are first cousins. If you get those two in a room together reminiscing (and if D's uncle were still alive) there isn't a dry eye in the house. Those two can tell stories like no other. D and I have talked about how we should get them together to tell stories and that I should bring my steno machine and record their conversation so that we can have them in writing. Even the two fellas end up with tears streaming down their faces.
As times passes, families spread out and people pass on, our families see less and less of each other, but we have had some very good times. I'd say it's about time we round everyone up and get together, D, don't ya think? Maybe I'll bring along my machine and we'll let the good times roll!
Happy birthday to one of my favorite cousins/friend! (I put your card in the mail today, but I'm not sure if you'll get it in time!)
She is an undocumented follower, she doesn't comment on here, but sends me texts so I know that she will be reading this at one time or another. :)
Times flies when you're having fun. And where does the time go? Seems like only yesterday we were cruising around in the Festiva...Remember the Ford Festiva? D's family had one, bright red, and they had it FOREVER. I'm even guessing it's still around somewhere in their family today. Am I right? It always cracked me up because D was from a family of seven and her parents were so tall, her brothers were so tall, she was tall, her sister was tall. And to see any one of them bend down and cram into that Festiva was hilarious. I have a very vivid picture in my head of seeing her dad zip around in that thing.
I used to spend so much time with D because they lived just down the road from us in this beautiful log cabin that her maternal grandmother had built. D and I were the same age, as was another friend I'll call "Brandi". We had some great times together...and can still carry on when we have the opportunity.
D is the type of person that no matter what the situation, it is ALL good. She can click the worst picture on this planet and tell you how fabulous it is...and even though you know she's lying through her teeth. I swear if she were lying in a hospital bed in the worst pain ever and you asked her how she was doing, she would force a big smile and say "Great. How are you doing?" (Am I right?!)
D's dad and my dad are first cousins. If you get those two in a room together reminiscing (and if D's uncle were still alive) there isn't a dry eye in the house. Those two can tell stories like no other. D and I have talked about how we should get them together to tell stories and that I should bring my steno machine and record their conversation so that we can have them in writing. Even the two fellas end up with tears streaming down their faces.
As times passes, families spread out and people pass on, our families see less and less of each other, but we have had some very good times. I'd say it's about time we round everyone up and get together, D, don't ya think? Maybe I'll bring along my machine and we'll let the good times roll!
Happy birthday to one of my favorite cousins/friend! (I put your card in the mail today, but I'm not sure if you'll get it in time!)
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Play the game
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NLT)
Last week one of our youth kids came up to me at my daughter's volleyball game and asked me if I had heard that he was ineligible for basketball this week. I said no and asked him what was going on. He then told me that he was flunking Math because he didn't do his homework, but they had taken some aptitude test (or whatever they're called) and he had the highest scores. He was giggly about it and thought it was funny...you know, I'm so smart, the homework is stupid and I don't have to do it.
My reply to this young boy was something along the lines of, it doesn't matter how smart you are, you have to do your homework and "you have to play the game." And I went on to explain to him that even though he may understand all there is to know about mathematics (which I highly doubt) and he may have gotten the highest test score and the homework may be stupid or boring or too simple...you have to do it. You have to play the game and the name of this game is high school.
I think he was listening to me. I gave him my advice in the best I'm-not-your-parent-way that I could. He is not dumb and he knows what he needs to do. He is one of those kids that I just love...and sometimes I just want to strangle. He is the type of kid that could soooo easily turn south and head down the wrong path, but I pray that he doesn't. He has a very likable personality and is jovial most of the time. We even persuaded him to pray the other night at youth and he rattled one out that was pretty good. I don't remember him having prayed out loud for us before. Awesome.
How often do we hear that the kids think this or that is stupid, why do I have to take this class or follow this stupid rule? (And I'm sure I've said a few of those things a time or two myself.) But I'm realizing that there are just some things you have to do in life, and one of them is to graduate from high school. It is an absolute must. I don't believe everyone has to go to a four-year college or get some fancy degree; there are many opportunities out there with vocational/trade schools, business colleges and union jobs. But you really need to get your high school diploma or GED to move on to the next game.
Graduating from high school is not only about getting the right grades, it shows that you are willing to do what needs to be done to accomplish something. It proves that you can follow directions and obey rules. It is an indication to a future employer that you are willing to commit to something. And as some will say, "It ain't worth doing, if it ain't worth doing right." So you might as well try to do your very best while you're at it, right?
Even as adults it doesn't get a whole lot easier with the games that are played. Sometimes we get jerked around at our jobs, maybe we're not treated fairly, etc., but in the end, if we need a job to support ourselves and our family, we end up staying in the game or changing to another one. It can make for some very frustrating and difficult times and can often become a bit ridiculous.
But, ahhh, there is hope. The scripture above is one of my most favorite in the bible. I'm not so good at being disciplined (I know you're picking up on that), but I try. While we're down here on this temporary earth playing this game called Life, we, as Christians, better play it the best that we can because in the end, we are going to receive the greatest prize of all, one that isn't temporary...Eternal Life. And I say we run to win!
Last week one of our youth kids came up to me at my daughter's volleyball game and asked me if I had heard that he was ineligible for basketball this week. I said no and asked him what was going on. He then told me that he was flunking Math because he didn't do his homework, but they had taken some aptitude test (or whatever they're called) and he had the highest scores. He was giggly about it and thought it was funny...you know, I'm so smart, the homework is stupid and I don't have to do it.
My reply to this young boy was something along the lines of, it doesn't matter how smart you are, you have to do your homework and "you have to play the game." And I went on to explain to him that even though he may understand all there is to know about mathematics (which I highly doubt) and he may have gotten the highest test score and the homework may be stupid or boring or too simple...you have to do it. You have to play the game and the name of this game is high school.
I think he was listening to me. I gave him my advice in the best I'm-not-your-parent-way that I could. He is not dumb and he knows what he needs to do. He is one of those kids that I just love...and sometimes I just want to strangle. He is the type of kid that could soooo easily turn south and head down the wrong path, but I pray that he doesn't. He has a very likable personality and is jovial most of the time. We even persuaded him to pray the other night at youth and he rattled one out that was pretty good. I don't remember him having prayed out loud for us before. Awesome.
How often do we hear that the kids think this or that is stupid, why do I have to take this class or follow this stupid rule? (And I'm sure I've said a few of those things a time or two myself.) But I'm realizing that there are just some things you have to do in life, and one of them is to graduate from high school. It is an absolute must. I don't believe everyone has to go to a four-year college or get some fancy degree; there are many opportunities out there with vocational/trade schools, business colleges and union jobs. But you really need to get your high school diploma or GED to move on to the next game.
Graduating from high school is not only about getting the right grades, it shows that you are willing to do what needs to be done to accomplish something. It proves that you can follow directions and obey rules. It is an indication to a future employer that you are willing to commit to something. And as some will say, "It ain't worth doing, if it ain't worth doing right." So you might as well try to do your very best while you're at it, right?
Even as adults it doesn't get a whole lot easier with the games that are played. Sometimes we get jerked around at our jobs, maybe we're not treated fairly, etc., but in the end, if we need a job to support ourselves and our family, we end up staying in the game or changing to another one. It can make for some very frustrating and difficult times and can often become a bit ridiculous.
But, ahhh, there is hope. The scripture above is one of my most favorite in the bible. I'm not so good at being disciplined (I know you're picking up on that), but I try. While we're down here on this temporary earth playing this game called Life, we, as Christians, better play it the best that we can because in the end, we are going to receive the greatest prize of all, one that isn't temporary...Eternal Life. And I say we run to win!
Monday, February 6, 2012
That's my boy...
Every year at the beginning of the new school year, our school system, like most others, has an open house for the parents and grandparents to come meet the teachers, see the classroom and look around. One particular open house comes to my mind today for some strange reason.
I believe it was Madolyn's first grade year, 2006/2007. Lane was a little over two years old. He loved three things unconditionally: his bunk (he still sleeps with it), his boots (any kind) and hats (of all shapes and sizes). This warm day in August was no different than any other for us, except that we were going in for Madolyn's open house at school and it was time to get ready to go.
Lane decided he needed at least two of his three favorite things, boots and a hat, for this outing...and I can remember what he was wearing, denim shorts and a navy blue polo-type shirt, his boots and a bicycle helmet. Yep, a blue bicycle helmet with bees on it. He had fallen in love with the bicycle helmet and wore it constantly. I had learned (even back then) that you have to chose your battles so I let it go. Surely, I thought, he'll take the stupid helmet off before we go in the school.
And as is often the case, I was wrong. He insisted that he keep the helmet on. So we went...and I had two people ask me if Lane was suffering from sort of head injury. Nope, I smiled and said, he is juststubborn perfect.
I believe it was Madolyn's first grade year, 2006/2007. Lane was a little over two years old. He loved three things unconditionally: his bunk (he still sleeps with it), his boots (any kind) and hats (of all shapes and sizes). This warm day in August was no different than any other for us, except that we were going in for Madolyn's open house at school and it was time to get ready to go.
Lane decided he needed at least two of his three favorite things, boots and a hat, for this outing...and I can remember what he was wearing, denim shorts and a navy blue polo-type shirt, his boots and a bicycle helmet. Yep, a blue bicycle helmet with bees on it. He had fallen in love with the bicycle helmet and wore it constantly. I had learned (even back then) that you have to chose your battles so I let it go. Surely, I thought, he'll take the stupid helmet off before we go in the school.
And as is often the case, I was wrong. He insisted that he keep the helmet on. So we went...and I had two people ask me if Lane was suffering from sort of head injury. Nope, I smiled and said, he is just
Friday, February 3, 2012
The Shopping Cart Corral
And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Titus 2:7 (NLT)
I believe that's what they call them anyway...When I'm looking for a place to park at Wal-Mart, my goal is to park somewhere near the vicinity of a shopping cart corral so that I don't have to walk a mile back to the entrance of the store or in search of another corral. Last night, we were at a different Wal-Mart and I was, of course, in a hurry so I didn't think about it.
As I was loading the car with my groceries, my little man hollers, "Hey, mom, the shopping cart thingy is way over there." I see where he is pointing, Ugh. Then he says, "Or you could just leave it right here where this other cart is." And I saw where someone had left a car in between cars instead of putting it where it belongs.
The dilemma. I'm in a hurry. But it's not raining or freezing out. There is already a cart there so someone is going to have to grab it anyway. But that's not where the carts are supposed to be left. I'm sure no one will think twice about me stashing my cart close by. But my son is watching.
This is one of those parenting moments where I find myself having that little tug-o-war in my mind. I finally decide that although I need to hurry, another 30 seconds isn't going to make one shred of difference. (Shush it, Jay, I know you are laughing at that one.) So I start towards the corral Lane had pointed out and realize that just three spaces down there was one in our own parking aisle. So I made a u-turn and headed over to leave my cart.
You know it would have been so much easier to just leave the cart right there with the other one and it would've saved me 30 seconds, but my little man was watching. In my mind, I knew that I had to make the effort, take the extra time to put that cart where it belonged. Because how could I, in the future, have this same discussion with my kiddos, telling them to put things where they belong and not just where it is convenient to put them, knowing they've seen me doing the convenient thing?
I know it probably sounds trivial, but it is the little things like that that are important when teaching our mini me's, don't you think? I read in a de-cluttering guide that we have to learn to put things where they go and not just put them down. I have this struggle at my house, and honestly, it is probably because I like to take the easy road. I shove the stack of papers to the side of my counter so I can clean it off, and they stay there for two weeks. I leave the laundry, clean and folded, in the basket but decide I don't want to put it away right then. So what does the rest of the family do? Yep, my house is usually cluttered.
Our kids are always watching us. They are always listening to us (I know, I know, we feel like they never listen to us). They see those little things. They hear those not-so-nice comments we make about someone or something when we get frustrated. They see us cheat and cut corners wherever we can. It never ceases to amaze me the stuff they bring up days later, things I didn't even realized they noticed.
When I start to get mad and frustrated with my kids because of the way they're behaving or their actions, I must first look at the example I am giving them. When Madolyn says something sassy, I hear myself saying the same thing. When Lane says he doesn't want to put away his clean clothes, he'll just leave them on his dresser where he can get to them quickly, I realize he's probably seen that in my bedroom with my clothes.
I'm on a mission to be a better example in my words and deeds. We'll see how it goes. And next time I'm out shopping, I just need to park closer to that shopping cart corral.
I believe that's what they call them anyway...When I'm looking for a place to park at Wal-Mart, my goal is to park somewhere near the vicinity of a shopping cart corral so that I don't have to walk a mile back to the entrance of the store or in search of another corral. Last night, we were at a different Wal-Mart and I was, of course, in a hurry so I didn't think about it.
As I was loading the car with my groceries, my little man hollers, "Hey, mom, the shopping cart thingy is way over there." I see where he is pointing, Ugh. Then he says, "Or you could just leave it right here where this other cart is." And I saw where someone had left a car in between cars instead of putting it where it belongs.
The dilemma. I'm in a hurry. But it's not raining or freezing out. There is already a cart there so someone is going to have to grab it anyway. But that's not where the carts are supposed to be left. I'm sure no one will think twice about me stashing my cart close by. But my son is watching.
This is one of those parenting moments where I find myself having that little tug-o-war in my mind. I finally decide that although I need to hurry, another 30 seconds isn't going to make one shred of difference. (Shush it, Jay, I know you are laughing at that one.) So I start towards the corral Lane had pointed out and realize that just three spaces down there was one in our own parking aisle. So I made a u-turn and headed over to leave my cart.
You know it would have been so much easier to just leave the cart right there with the other one and it would've saved me 30 seconds, but my little man was watching. In my mind, I knew that I had to make the effort, take the extra time to put that cart where it belonged. Because how could I, in the future, have this same discussion with my kiddos, telling them to put things where they belong and not just where it is convenient to put them, knowing they've seen me doing the convenient thing?
I know it probably sounds trivial, but it is the little things like that that are important when teaching our mini me's, don't you think? I read in a de-cluttering guide that we have to learn to put things where they go and not just put them down. I have this struggle at my house, and honestly, it is probably because I like to take the easy road. I shove the stack of papers to the side of my counter so I can clean it off, and they stay there for two weeks. I leave the laundry, clean and folded, in the basket but decide I don't want to put it away right then. So what does the rest of the family do? Yep, my house is usually cluttered.
Our kids are always watching us. They are always listening to us (I know, I know, we feel like they never listen to us). They see those little things. They hear those not-so-nice comments we make about someone or something when we get frustrated. They see us cheat and cut corners wherever we can. It never ceases to amaze me the stuff they bring up days later, things I didn't even realized they noticed.
When I start to get mad and frustrated with my kids because of the way they're behaving or their actions, I must first look at the example I am giving them. When Madolyn says something sassy, I hear myself saying the same thing. When Lane says he doesn't want to put away his clean clothes, he'll just leave them on his dresser where he can get to them quickly, I realize he's probably seen that in my bedroom with my clothes.
I'm on a mission to be a better example in my words and deeds. We'll see how it goes. And next time I'm out shopping, I just need to park closer to that shopping cart corral.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Temptation
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
I'm sure you've heard it said before, "God won't give you more than you can handle," and I used to believe that...and I've said that to others in rough patches too. You know how it is, you're trying to reassure someone and you offer them that piece of advice. After all, that is in the Bible, or is it?
The words used in the above verse relate to temptations. He doesn't say that you won't be given adversity and difficult situations. He tells us that we won't be tempted beyond what we can bear. But my favorite part of this verse is the second part of that verse where He tells us that He will provide us a way out so we can endure it.
We have sort of used this as the theme or motto for our high school/college age youth group. What teenager isn't faced with temptation of one sort or another on a daily basis? (The same could be said about adults too!) It is important to let our children (and others) know that there will continue to be temptations and struggles regardless of whether Christ is in our hearts. Those things don't just up and disappear at a certain age. It doesn't matter if we're 15, 30 or 60, we all struggle with temptations.
Our hope lies in the second part of this verse, "He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." We must call out to God for help with the temptation and he will equip us with what we need to get through it. Does that mean that that fresh, warm, gooey pan of chocolate brownies will suddenly disappear from the counter so that I don't eat the whole pan? Hmm, well, maybe not exactly like that (although if a certain precious 80-lb beast of a puppy jumped up there and ate it...oh, wait, chocolate is deadly to dogs...scratch that.)
Seriously though, it is amazing that sometimes you can look back on a situation in which you were tempted with something, trying to figure out what to do and how suddenly a Plan B appeared...that was God. It could be as simple as a telephone call distracting you (me) from that pan of brownies, or a friend texting at the right moment to give you a better (safer) option for a Saturday night.
I find myself whispering to myself "Devil, get outta here!" every now and then when I feel temptation creeping up on me. Sometimes, I even know the temptation is coming and I choose to ignore doing what is right because I want what I shouldn't have. As a simple example, for instance, the car I am riding in is stopping at DQ and how do I get out of this without having a hot fudge sundae? I know that I shouldn't, I know that I should just get a diet Pepsi or a simple child-size cone, but instead I order the hot fudge sundae and feel guilty. That is a situation where I could have easily asked God for a little help with overcoming that temptation, to provide a way out, i.e. the Diet Pepsi, but instead chose to fulfill my own desires.
I just got back from a quick visit with Grandma Great who is in the nursing home. She has been worried for weeks about February 1, because that meant another weigh-in. I suppose I can relate to that (only it's every Tuesday!) She had gained a few pounds on her January weigh-in and was super concerned about tacking on more weight...why? Because she has finally gotten into size 14 pants and doesn't want to have to go back to buying 16's or 18's. I have to laugh because the woman is 93, almost 94 years old and she is still worrying about her pant size. Heaven help us, will we never stop!?
Today she shoved a ziplock bag of chips, cheese and crackers and two sugar cookies (Bingo prizes) into my hands and told me to take them home, she had gained another 7 pounds and she was done with the sweets. Just like that. Bravo to her for being so strong. A 7-pound weight gain tends to make me feel depressed, and I would probably be more inclined to eat some cake or cookies...or a hot fudge sundae to make myself feel better. Now, thanks to Grandma Great, I have a bag of goodies in my car that I'm gonna have to toss out the window or something.
Sometimes all we have to do is remove the temptation, and sometimes all we need to do is call up the name of the Lord to help us get past it. Temptation will never go away, even at 93 years of age. Memorize this verse, friends, it is a good one!
Correction: Grandma told me last night that she had gained 1 pound since her January weigh-in and 7 pounds since she entered the nursing home last March...I keep reminding her that when she entered the nursing home, she had been on a feeding tube! Anyway, I wanted to correct her weight gain...she may get mad at me :)
I'm sure you've heard it said before, "God won't give you more than you can handle," and I used to believe that...and I've said that to others in rough patches too. You know how it is, you're trying to reassure someone and you offer them that piece of advice. After all, that is in the Bible, or is it?
The words used in the above verse relate to temptations. He doesn't say that you won't be given adversity and difficult situations. He tells us that we won't be tempted beyond what we can bear. But my favorite part of this verse is the second part of that verse where He tells us that He will provide us a way out so we can endure it.
We have sort of used this as the theme or motto for our high school/college age youth group. What teenager isn't faced with temptation of one sort or another on a daily basis? (The same could be said about adults too!) It is important to let our children (and others) know that there will continue to be temptations and struggles regardless of whether Christ is in our hearts. Those things don't just up and disappear at a certain age. It doesn't matter if we're 15, 30 or 60, we all struggle with temptations.
Our hope lies in the second part of this verse, "He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." We must call out to God for help with the temptation and he will equip us with what we need to get through it. Does that mean that that fresh, warm, gooey pan of chocolate brownies will suddenly disappear from the counter so that I don't eat the whole pan? Hmm, well, maybe not exactly like that (although if a certain precious 80-lb beast of a puppy jumped up there and ate it...oh, wait, chocolate is deadly to dogs...scratch that.)
Seriously though, it is amazing that sometimes you can look back on a situation in which you were tempted with something, trying to figure out what to do and how suddenly a Plan B appeared...that was God. It could be as simple as a telephone call distracting you (me) from that pan of brownies, or a friend texting at the right moment to give you a better (safer) option for a Saturday night.
I find myself whispering to myself "Devil, get outta here!" every now and then when I feel temptation creeping up on me. Sometimes, I even know the temptation is coming and I choose to ignore doing what is right because I want what I shouldn't have. As a simple example, for instance, the car I am riding in is stopping at DQ and how do I get out of this without having a hot fudge sundae? I know that I shouldn't, I know that I should just get a diet Pepsi or a simple child-size cone, but instead I order the hot fudge sundae and feel guilty. That is a situation where I could have easily asked God for a little help with overcoming that temptation, to provide a way out, i.e. the Diet Pepsi, but instead chose to fulfill my own desires.
I just got back from a quick visit with Grandma Great who is in the nursing home. She has been worried for weeks about February 1, because that meant another weigh-in. I suppose I can relate to that (only it's every Tuesday!) She had gained a few pounds on her January weigh-in and was super concerned about tacking on more weight...why? Because she has finally gotten into size 14 pants and doesn't want to have to go back to buying 16's or 18's. I have to laugh because the woman is 93, almost 94 years old and she is still worrying about her pant size. Heaven help us, will we never stop!?
Today she shoved a ziplock bag of chips, cheese and crackers and two sugar cookies (Bingo prizes) into my hands and told me to take them home, she had gained another 7 pounds and she was done with the sweets. Just like that. Bravo to her for being so strong. A 7-pound weight gain tends to make me feel depressed, and I would probably be more inclined to eat some cake or cookies...or a hot fudge sundae to make myself feel better. Now, thanks to Grandma Great, I have a bag of goodies in my car that I'm gonna have to toss out the window or something.
Sometimes all we have to do is remove the temptation, and sometimes all we need to do is call up the name of the Lord to help us get past it. Temptation will never go away, even at 93 years of age. Memorize this verse, friends, it is a good one!
Correction: Grandma told me last night that she had gained 1 pound since her January weigh-in and 7 pounds since she entered the nursing home last March...I keep reminding her that when she entered the nursing home, she had been on a feeding tube! Anyway, I wanted to correct her weight gain...she may get mad at me :)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Itchy-itchy-eeeew
I have no idea if that is how you spell itchy-itchy-eeeew, but you'll get it soon enough. There are a few creatures on earth that I cannot seem to find a true purpose for...today I will speak on the louse or lice. I know that now your head is just starting to itch...
I was fortunate enough growing up to not experience the horror (to put it nicely) of head lice. (My mother owes me for that too.) I have been unfortunate enough as a parent with a daughter who has long, thick hair to experience it twice. It is terrible.
The first time she was in first grade and I had absolutely no clue what to do. I got the call while at work (50 miles away) and was horrified and a swarm of nerves all the way home...after picking up a lice kit at the CVS...which was the most embarrassing thing ever...at least almost. I did what the instructions said, although I was a little freaked out by all the warnings on the shampoo, so I was careful not to overdo it and hurt her little scalp. Then I sat her down and picked through her hair. Pretty good, I thought. Sent her back to school the next day. (I know that you are itchin' all over now, aren't ya?)
And was called again that I had not gotten rid of the nits or eggs. Okay, here we go again. I was frantic and bewildered because I felt like I had done a fairly good job. So I sought advice from my friend "Beth" who was a grade school teacher. She said she would come over and we could look through her hair together. Cool. Apparently, I had no idea what I was doing the day before when I spent two hours picking through my daughter's hair...because the things "Beth" was showing me (stupid nits), I had paid no attention to...oops.
We even took her up to the school and used a big lamp with a magnifying glass on it and checked through her hair. I was not sending her back to school again without that head being spotless. The nits are clear or translucent and tiny, easily overlooked. We got it under control and that was that.
Until last year...and yes, I thought that because my daughter was older that we were past this. Nope. Lice has no age requirement. Eeeew. This time I was completely ignorant and kept buying dandruff shampoos because I thought she had a dry scalp. It was wintertime and she always battles dandruff and an itchy scalp. (I know what you're doing right now, scratch-scratch.) I even asked a hairdresser for an opinion on shampoo, I never once thought that, duh, it could be those awful little pests. But it was.
And of course, this conclusion was reached about 8:00 p.m. on a winter school night with the closest Walmart 20 miles away. Jay was working. I made a dash to the local Walmart, the best I could with snow on the roads and came back to begin the treacherous task of shampooing and pick, pick, picking. Nitpicking. It was, again, just terrible. Not even my worst enemy deserves head lice. Yuck. And I have told one of my friends with three daughters who have long hair that if they ever have the pleasure of this experience, she must call me and I will come help her. I cannot imagine dealing with more than one head of hair. Thankfully, none of the rest of us ever got it.
I also learned that unless you spend countless hours, and yes, I mean hours of nit-picking, you won't get the problem under control. My daughter thought she knew who always had it in their class back in first grade and she would sometimes make mean comments about her. I told her that it wasn't her fault, it was more her mother's and her mother had her hands full with multiple children. I cannot even imagine that battle. I felt sorry for the whole family.
The other part of that battle is that it is costly. I think the kit with the shampoo and comb and maybe some special gel or whatever is maybe $12-$14 approximately. Now multiply that by four or five or six...and you're not going to have food, toilet paper or gas money for two weeks. It is sad. And so the cycle continues.
These good-for-nothing pests like clean hair. The cleaner the better. Tip: load the hair up with mousse or hair gel and hair spray. I would also blow dry Mad's hair instead of letting it air dry because they don't like heat either. We even smothered her hair in real mayonnaise each time because someone told us it helps to smother them out (they can hold their breath for a little while).
I put this useful information and skill to use last summer at a camp. Wow, what an experience. I checked probably 50 heads of hair in the blazing hot summer June sun for lice. It was quite a day. I wanted to just take a bath in bleach or maybe a whole bottle of that magic shampoo. It was awful and something I do not plan to repeat. I suppose I can say that God started preparing me for that task five years ago, huh? Ha.
I'm sorry that I've given you the squirmies and that you're scratching your hair like crazy. If you ever have a problem with lice and need some help or a tip, give me a shout. Unfortunately, I feel like an expert on the subject. Eeeew.
I was fortunate enough growing up to not experience the horror (to put it nicely) of head lice. (My mother owes me for that too.) I have been unfortunate enough as a parent with a daughter who has long, thick hair to experience it twice. It is terrible.
The first time she was in first grade and I had absolutely no clue what to do. I got the call while at work (50 miles away) and was horrified and a swarm of nerves all the way home...after picking up a lice kit at the CVS...which was the most embarrassing thing ever...at least almost. I did what the instructions said, although I was a little freaked out by all the warnings on the shampoo, so I was careful not to overdo it and hurt her little scalp. Then I sat her down and picked through her hair. Pretty good, I thought. Sent her back to school the next day. (I know that you are itchin' all over now, aren't ya?)
And was called again that I had not gotten rid of the nits or eggs. Okay, here we go again. I was frantic and bewildered because I felt like I had done a fairly good job. So I sought advice from my friend "Beth" who was a grade school teacher. She said she would come over and we could look through her hair together. Cool. Apparently, I had no idea what I was doing the day before when I spent two hours picking through my daughter's hair...because the things "Beth" was showing me (stupid nits), I had paid no attention to...oops.
We even took her up to the school and used a big lamp with a magnifying glass on it and checked through her hair. I was not sending her back to school again without that head being spotless. The nits are clear or translucent and tiny, easily overlooked. We got it under control and that was that.
Until last year...and yes, I thought that because my daughter was older that we were past this. Nope. Lice has no age requirement. Eeeew. This time I was completely ignorant and kept buying dandruff shampoos because I thought she had a dry scalp. It was wintertime and she always battles dandruff and an itchy scalp. (I know what you're doing right now, scratch-scratch.) I even asked a hairdresser for an opinion on shampoo, I never once thought that, duh, it could be those awful little pests. But it was.
And of course, this conclusion was reached about 8:00 p.m. on a winter school night with the closest Walmart 20 miles away. Jay was working. I made a dash to the local Walmart, the best I could with snow on the roads and came back to begin the treacherous task of shampooing and pick, pick, picking. Nitpicking. It was, again, just terrible. Not even my worst enemy deserves head lice. Yuck. And I have told one of my friends with three daughters who have long hair that if they ever have the pleasure of this experience, she must call me and I will come help her. I cannot imagine dealing with more than one head of hair. Thankfully, none of the rest of us ever got it.
I also learned that unless you spend countless hours, and yes, I mean hours of nit-picking, you won't get the problem under control. My daughter thought she knew who always had it in their class back in first grade and she would sometimes make mean comments about her. I told her that it wasn't her fault, it was more her mother's and her mother had her hands full with multiple children. I cannot even imagine that battle. I felt sorry for the whole family.
The other part of that battle is that it is costly. I think the kit with the shampoo and comb and maybe some special gel or whatever is maybe $12-$14 approximately. Now multiply that by four or five or six...and you're not going to have food, toilet paper or gas money for two weeks. It is sad. And so the cycle continues.
These good-for-nothing pests like clean hair. The cleaner the better. Tip: load the hair up with mousse or hair gel and hair spray. I would also blow dry Mad's hair instead of letting it air dry because they don't like heat either. We even smothered her hair in real mayonnaise each time because someone told us it helps to smother them out (they can hold their breath for a little while).
I put this useful information and skill to use last summer at a camp. Wow, what an experience. I checked probably 50 heads of hair in the blazing hot summer June sun for lice. It was quite a day. I wanted to just take a bath in bleach or maybe a whole bottle of that magic shampoo. It was awful and something I do not plan to repeat. I suppose I can say that God started preparing me for that task five years ago, huh? Ha.
I'm sorry that I've given you the squirmies and that you're scratching your hair like crazy. If you ever have a problem with lice and need some help or a tip, give me a shout. Unfortunately, I feel like an expert on the subject. Eeeew.
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