The End of the World?

If you haven’t already heard, the world may come to an end this coming weekend. If it does, I guess this may be my last post.

I’m not one to buy into prophesies and panics. I mean, remember the scare of New Year’s Eve 1999? Yeah, well, we all saw how that turned out. No computers crashed, or nuclear sites went rogue. We just partied like it was 1999, thanks to Prince.

Now there are plenty of religious teachers proclaiming this to be “the End,” and who am I to contradict them? I am not a Bible scholar by any means. I just finished reading a very well thought out argument for the planets aligning, and the world ending by a well-read Bible teacher. And it was convincing. But I do know that these teachers are “men” and not God, and only God knows the time and place.

But here’s my main point: I wouldn’t blame Him one bit if He did decide that this weekend is going to be the time and place.

I mean, look at what we’ve done to His plan.

From the beginning, we’ve done nothing but deny Him over and over. He’s got to be getting awfully tired of it.

And I’ve never been witness to so much hate within the human race in all my 48 years on this earth. It’s downright embarrassing what we’ve become. Brother against brother, sister against sister, parent against child.

We’ve made ourselves judge and jury, usually over things we know nothing about. The loudest voices are the ones that get heard the most, whether they are speaking Truth or not.

If the trumpets don’t blare, and the sun doesn’t turn dark this weekend, then maybe we should look at it as a second, third, fourth, or billionth, chance to start over, and thank God for this life that we have.

Maybe we should take this weekend to be introspective. And for those who are believers, then it’s time to look Up. Find out what God wants us to be doing with this life.

Spread some love where there is hate. Share some mercy where there is judgement. Speak the Truth where there are lies. Show some kindness when it isn’t deserved.

God bless, and best wishes. That’s just my two cents.

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I Don’t Feed My Kids…according to my Mom

Mothers and daughters disagree…A LOT.

And it doesn’t stop when we/they get older.

My mother thinks I don’t feed my kids enough, and she’s mentioned it numerous times. When I mention what we’re having for dinner in casual conversation, there’s usually a pause. I know she thinks I’m “not feeding her grandchildren.”

Okay. My kids are 11 and 15. They eat when they’re hungry, and they don’t spend the day snacking because they’re at school. I also make they’re lunches, so I know what they’re eating (unless they are throwing everything away).

Now, I’m not one of those mothers that send my kids to school with a Bento box, no offense to the “Bento Box Mom,” I just don’t have those skills or that kind of motivation. We’re a sandwich, chips or crackers, fruit, and juice or water sort of family. It works for us. They’ve never asked for more, but they are certainly welcome to it if they want it.

I assume that if they were starving, they would ask for more food, or help themselves. I mean, as I said, they’re 11 and 15, they are perfectly capable of figuring out if they want more food.

We eat dinner together as a family most every night. They eat the same portions as my husband and I do, albeit the 11-year-old still takes a little encouragement to finish the parmesan chicken that he hates. (Who doesn’t like parmesan chicken…it’s basically a giant chicken nugget!)

Now in her defense, my mom lives with someone who requires meat and bread with every meal…I mean EVERY meal. He will go to the store before a meal specifically to get bread if he’s out. And he has to have meat…no pasta, no quinoa, no vegetarian, only meat. So, I can see where she might be a little “judgy” about what we eat.

Over the years, in an attempt to save money and stretch the budget, we don’t always have meat at every meal. But that’s perfectly healthy. I know lots of families, like us, who have “Meatless Tuesday” or “Vegetarian Wednesday” or “Spaghetti Friday” to save money as well as simplify their lives.

She’s also from an older generation where food equaled love. How much you fed your family was equivalent to your love for your family. And though that’s still true in some cultures, it’s gotten to be sort of old-fashioned.

So, I think my mom and I will have to just agree to disagree when it comes to food.

What about you? I can’t be the only one who disagrees with their mom.

“Returning the Favor” by Mike Rowe…Have you seen it?

If you haven’t seen Mike Rowe’s “Returning the Favor”  on Facebook yet, you need to check it out! It’s one of the few, if not only, inspiring things you will find on Facebook these days.

You might remember Mike Rowe from a show called “Dirty Jobs” that aired on Discovery Channel a few years ago (2005-2012). I’ve always thought that Mike was an upstanding guy, though I’ve never met him, and this show only does more to improve my impression of him.

“Returning the Favor” airs on Facebook, and seems to come out about one episode per week. The show features stories from around the country of average people doing extraordinary things for others. Get your hanky ready, because the show will tug at your heartstrings, in a good way.

There have been four episodes so far, and I’ve watched every one.

If there’s one thing this world needs, it’s to see fellow human beings helping one another because it’s the passion of their heart. Finally, something to make you feel good about the world.

Every episode, they surprise the designated “Do-Gooder” by giving something back to them. Thus, the name of the show, “Returning the Favor.”

The first episode, “Operation Combat Bikesaver,” profiles a former army engineer who runs a therapeutic bike building program for veterans. His name is Jason, and he gives his talents, and his time to inspire other vets, some of whom are suffering from PTSD, to be part of something bigger. You’ll have to watch it to see how they return the favor.

In Episode 2, “Donovan Discovers,” they profile a young boy, Donovan, who was at one time homeless, but now makes soap to donate to shelters. Its heartwarming to see a young kid use what he’s been through to reach others. No one told him to do it, he just does. Again, I’m not going to give away the ending.

Episode 3 is called “Girls Build.” It’s about a woman named Katie who runs a trade skills camp for girls. Katie is a carpenter, and saw the discrepancy in the carpentry workforce and how it was missing women. She inspires the girls to believe that they can build anything and gets them excited about creating things. They return the favor to her by…well, you’ll just have to watch it.

I just finished watching Episode 4, “Raising the Roughriders.” It’s about Brian, a retired Lieutenant in the police department and Vietnam Vet, who coaches a sled hockey team for intellectually and physically disabled athletes. The best part of his story is that his athletes never have to pay for a thing. He fundraises to get everything they need. Again, watch it to see how they return the favor.

I’m so glad to finally see something positive on social media for a change. Keep it up, Mike Rowe!

QUICK UPDATE: THE EPISODES AIR ON TUESDAYS.

 

Reading the Classics

This post is sparked by something I recently posted on Facebook.

My daughter, who is a sophomore in high school, has been reading the classics and various assigned reading material. Last year it was “Romeo and Juliet,” “Of Mice and Men,” and “The Outsiders” (not sure I’d call that one a classic) among others. As this year starts, she’s reading “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding.

It made me think back to high school (I had to think really hard) to some of the books we were assigned to read. I still keep in touch with some of my high school friends (we just had our 30^th reunion – not sure how that happened), so I asked them what they remember reading. It’s been one of the best responses I’ve ever had to anything I’ve posted before, so, just for fun, I thought I’d bring it to my blogging community.

The list is varied, considering some were in honors classes (now called Advanced Placement), but my classmates clearly have a much better memory than I do. I don’t remember reading half of these!

I thought it would be interesting to see what some of my followers from around the country (and world) remember reading in high school (as assigned reading).

Here’s the list my classmates came up with so far. Please feel free to comment which were your favorites and add to the list in the comments below. I think it would be really interesting to compile an International List (unless there’s one already) and I’ll share it with my high school classmates, who are now scattered all over the world.

1984                                                                                             Animal Farm

Grapes of Wrath                                                                       Moby Dick

Don Quixote                                                                              Handmaid’s Tale

Of Mice and Men                                                                     A Tale of Two Cities

The Great Gatsby                                                                     Les Miserables

The Scarlet Letter                                                                    Catch 22

Hamlet                                                                                       Julius Caesar

Death of a Salesmen                                                               Cather in the Rye

Wuthering Heights                                                                  Sound and the Fury

Huckleberry Finn                                                                    Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

Canterbury Tales                                                                     Brave New World

Secret Life of Walter Mitty                                                   Black Like Me

Cannery Row                                                                           Siddhartha

 

Also, are there any that you loved and you could read over and over. My favorite was probably “Cannery Row.”

This is just for fun. Hope this brings back some fond memories. By the way, I have to admit that Cliff Notes were my friend during the Shakespeare unit! LOL

What I Think of Twitter

I’m late to the “Twitter Party,” “TwitterSphere” Twitter Craze…oh, whatever you call it, I’m late to it. And I have to say that I joined only as part of my “Platform” and because, if you want to be a published author, it’s what you’re supposed to do as part of “reaching your audience.”

So far, with the exception of a few entertaining people that I follow, including the Property Brothers who never have a bad thing to say about anyone, Twitter is awfully snarky.

I’ve been struggling with humanity lately, and feeling a bit like I want to bury my head in the sand. I won’t, because that isn’t a way to reach out to people. But I’m finding that Twitter isn’t a way to reach people either, at least not the way that I want to reach them.

Twitter is not a conversation and Facebook is not a conversation. A conversation is a meeting between two people to exchange ideas. It isn’t well-placed snipes and targeted jabs, which is a lot of what Twitter seems to be, in my experience.

I don’t follow politically affiliated Twitter posts, but somehow, while perusing through Twitter, I suddenly know that this celebrity hates this political party, or that personality would like to see such and such destroyed.

Twitter is riddled with poor taste and insults, and the fact that you can just keep sharing them over and over is really getting annoying.

The only positive thing I can say, however, is that I’ve never been part of a social platform where people “follow” you just for the sake of “following.” You don’t even have to Tweet and people just show up, not that they are necessarily potential readers or anything, but I guess they’re following, and there’s something to be said for that.

So, what has been your experience? Am I expecting too much?

In my opinion, blogging is so much kinder and gentler. And if I’m going to spend time on the computer, I really don’t want to come away feeling worse about the world. If I want that, I can just watch the news.

Think I’ll go hang out on Pinterest for a while. I don’t need to know your political opinion, to know how to make chocolate dipped wafer cookies.

Feeling Crafty

Hello my “Crafty Friends!”

I have spent so much time writing recently, that I haven’t “made” anything in a really long time…too long. And I’m feeling restless.

I used to make stuffed animals (teddy bears and monsters), aprons, Christmas wreaths, Christmas ornaments, etc.

I usually sew or make fabric crafts. Occasionally, I’d knit a beanie or a scarf, but knitting is not my favorite, and I’m still too new to crochet to release the end product into the world.

I know there are several craft fairs coming up in the Fall and (gulp) near the holidays (can you believe we’re only a few months away?!). So, I could start making some things and potentially make some “mad money.”

But does anyone BUY hand-crafted things anymore? Does anyone even WANT hand-crafted things anymore?

I’d love some opinions on the subject.

And if nothing sells, where can I donate things?

‘Cause I gotta get my craft on! #feelingcrafty

Too Much Reality

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Phil 4:8 NLT

Whether you consider yourself a Christian or not, it’s good advice.

There is so much in this world to get caught up in. So many opinions, so many distractions, so many criticisms, so much bad news bombards us daily. And so much of it is not the Truth.

So much of it is distorted, and skewed, and I swear it’s just to get us all riled up. Then we lash out at one another, and accomplish nothing.

It’s enough to make the happiest of people depressed. And it was happening to me.

It’s hard to keep a balance. How do you stay informed and yet not be inundated with a barrage of waste washing into your brain, covering over all the joy?

Since I work from home, and don’t drive, I have a hard time not getting caught in the vacuum.

But this last weekend, I made an effort to turn off the TV, and not read the Facebook “Trending” feed (I HATE that thing). I hung out with family friends, and went to church, and got OUT of the house. And by Monday, I felt so much better about life.

I’ve been skipping past blogs that only stir up frustration and anger. And I don’t read hateful comments anymore…people can be so mean to each other. You aren’t going to change someone’s opinion by making a contrary comment.

If you want a real feel-good story, just see how people are helping one another in Texas right now. It’s inspiring seeing them come together.

And another thing I ran across is a new Facebook Series by Mike Rowe called “Returning the Favor.” It’s a breath of inspiring air that we could all use about now. You should check it out.

Here’s to reaching for happier days, and good conversation with friends.

How do you balance staying informed and not getting sucked into the vortex?