Recognition

Have you ever just wanted to go through life without anyone recognizing you?

There have been many times I have, but I'm done with that now. No one ever recognizes me anymore, so I'm getting used to it, but I'm also hoping it will be less and less of an issue.

I just put my photo on the profile. I don't have too many pictures of myself, but my sweet husband did get a couple pics before my hair fell out during my chemotherapy this past fall. It came out by the handfuls, but I had A LOT of hair, so it took a while for it to be noticeable. When there were too many large bare spots, I bought a wig and scarves, and I had my hairdresser shave it all off for me. That was the beginning. Very few people recognized me with the new do (the wig), and even fewer with the scarves. When they began to recognize me wearing scarves more of the time, it actually became time for me to go without because my hair had begun to fill in once the chemo was completed. It's been two months now that I have ditched the scarves and the wig, but I can still walk by friends and acquaintances without them even knowing it was me who said "hi" to them.

I am EXTREMELY thankful for those friends who call me by name to show me that they know who I am. There are many of you out there, and I want you to know that you are very much appreciated, but I'd like to encourage you to remember to say the person's name as you talk with them...giving them the recognition and honor to show you care. They may not have the same issues I'm writing of here, but just as you are impressed with someone you hardly know remembering your name, they will be just as delighted to know that you cared enough to remember their name and say it aloud.

Right to choose...

I'm not generally one to enter political conversations if I can get away with it, but I've been thinking on this for a while now.

I have heard from many sources in our "circle of influence"--many of whom are Bible-believing Christians like myself--that they have already decided to vote for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton or have spouted the idea that we (the collective church body in the US) should vote for the "best man" for the job rather than our "favorite theologian." Makes sense if you just look at it as a "J.O.B."

However, one of the lasting legacies a president of the United States has is the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court. And many of the decisions made by the Supreme Court have a lasting effect on this country, our rights and freedoms, that if left in the hands of a select group of adults who promote the killing of little babies in the womb for convenience of the mother and abhor the idea of capital punishment of serial killers, our political leaders then are presented with a steep, uphill battle to correct those decisions.

Also, these democratic "best men" hold fast to the idea that the government owes the people a hand-out in a vast array of areas of life that make the people of this country angry when they don't receive these various benefits. These "best men" make the citizens believe they must look to the government to solve their problems than to depend on our most generous God or even to work hard to earn food to put on their tables.

I just can't in good conscience vote for a candidate that holds fast to any of these ideas--even if my only other choice is "my favorite theologian."

Thoughts on children....

This morning I had planned to meet up with a friend to talk about how my husband and I have raised our children. She loves the fact that our youngest two were so well behaved for her that she, I suppose, thinks we've figured out the secret to raising wonderful kids. LOL! (Little does she know!) :)

Anyway, here's where some of the application comes in, our youngest has not been feeling extremely well as of late (tummy trouble). So, in watching him this morning as I was getting the children ready for mother's day out, I decided I would take him with me instead and then bring him home afterward. However, this morning was also "Muffins With Mom" day at MDO, and my 5-year old daughter was going to attend MDO, so I thought, "okay, bananas only for Nate, and he should be okay if we only go for a little while." Well, we got through breakfast and I left with Nate to go to Starbucks to meet up with my friend--with a mini-stop at the grocery store for the BRAT foods he needed to keep his little tummy nourished, but calm.

The grocery store trip went well, but we walk into Starbucks and almost immediately, Nate shows obvious signs of losing his bananas (if you know what I mean), so we take off even though my friend had not arrived yet. And wouldn't you know it, we (my husband and I) don't carry cell phones so I went straight home to call her and let her know we'd have to reschedule. On the way back, I was listening a radio broadcast where the speaker was talking about how children are God's gift to us as parents. Just a wonderful reminder when our plans get changed because of one of these little "gifts."

Nathaniel (his name means gift from God, BTW) is fine. I think he really appreciates that he is home today without all the movin' and groovin'.

One of the things you learn as a parent is to take the signs and adjust your schedule, your priorities, and/or sometimes your attitude. Sometimes we're called to adjust THEIR attitude instead! But, we're always to remember that they are indeed God's GIFT to us and not a burden. Just as my dh is blogging on marriage and how tough it can be, raising children is no "walk in the park." No, you don't get days off (except on rare occasions), and you have to be on your toes to be ready to adjust to schedules, illnesses, attitudes, and responsibilities without placing blame or stressing out--it just comes with the territory!