Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Valuable Life Lesson #2

MB is gaining all sorts of wisdom this summer. Never squirt orange spray directly up your anus is an important one. So is not standing directly over the squirting water fountains when you are a boy.

As usual, crying and hysterics ensued this evening. And a rash-like spot was discovered on his boy bits. Bathtime and gentle anti-bacterial washing (just in case) brought more tears. We then talked about how, when playing in the fountains, we shouldn't let the water shoot directly into the delicate areas.

Stay tuned for more of life's most important lessons brought to you by a ever-wiser five-year-old.

Friday, June 19, 2009

My Answer

I thought that I would go on a little rant today. I’ve thought about why I believe that my God is the one true God. This is a somewhat disjointed answer, and could be easily disputed by “religious experts”, but this is what I have concluded. (And, like a good Christian, I’ve thrown in some scripture!!)

First, I want to say that, like most people that truly follow Christ, I do not believe in “religion”. I believe that it is the way you live your life, the relationship you have with Him and with those around you that defines a Christian. I do hesitate to even use that word since it has such a troubled connotation to it. I do not believe in denominational rules and regulations. Unless God’s word says it, don’t tell me what I can and can’t do. He demands our love, not perfection, and rules show neither. (Pharisees and Sadducees anyone?)

So, I look no further than the worlds reaction to confirm my belief in the one true God. Tell me what other “religion” is so frowned upon and persecuted as Christianity? What other belief system is so untolerated in such a “tolerant” world? The world instinctively rejects the truth. A world ruled by flesh is going to turn its back on the thought that the things of the flesh aren’t always right.

Those in Muslim countries are forced to practice Islam. Many regimes will kill those who do not want to bow down to Allah. They may be given a chance to "repent", but Christianity is automatic death. No second chances. A religion started by a delusion most likely caused by a mental illness? Sign me up.

Jeremiah 23:16 - This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.

Jeremiah 50:36 - A sword against her false prophets! They will become fools. A sword against her warriors! They will be filled with terror.

Hinduism worships pretty much anything that moves. Cows are big, and trees, rivers, probably cats. I’m not sure what can be gained by spreading yourself so thin. Spend too much time trying to please the wind and the sun could get mad. It sounds complicated.

Matthew 7:15 - Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Mark 13:21-23a - At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. So be on your guard…

Buddhists spend more time and food for their offerings to one of many bald statues, while in many cases their families do not have enough to eat.

2 Peter 2:1 - But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

1 John 4:1 - Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

China is an atheist country. But, only the Christians are harassed and arrested and jailed. How often have you heard of a Muslim being jailed in China?

Deuteronomy 12:31 - You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

Which brings me back to America. For such a “tolerant” nation, we are very intolerant of all things Christian. Let’s dive right to the extreme. 9/11. Muslim extremists. The media was very careful to make sure that we know that it was extremists and that it did not reflect on the entire Islam religion. Thousands of people lost their lives. Terrorism in its worst form. A horrible tragedy all in the name of Allah. One so-called Christian kills an abortionist, and the entire Christian community is painted as fanatics. I realize that there is more than one of these sad crimes, but they are individuals acting alone. Not terrorism, just stupidity and false beliefs.

I have rarely, if ever, heard of any other belief system being so rejected. If all gods are the same god, including the Christian God, why are they not treated equally? Why is the God of the Bible the one that is branded as the wrong one (Micah 6:8)? Why aren’t the gods that seem cause the most turmoil (hello, Middle East and India) the ones that are questioned (Isaiah 57:21)? Why the God of peace (Psalm 85:8; Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 14:33), the God that sacrificed so much for us (Hebrews 10:10; the whole Jesus dying on the cross thing), the God that loves us unconditionally (Deuteronomy 7:9; Nehemiah 1:5; Psalm 66:20; John 3:16)?

I am not an expert. My ramblings can be argued with, probably pretty convincingly. I only know what I believe. That’s just one more wonderful thing about God – the right to choose (Joshua 24:15). I know the world will never honor the choice of God as my Lord, but He will.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Oranges Are NOT Always Good

MB learned a valuable lesson today.

I heard crying in the bathroom and thought nothing of it. Someone is always whining and crying about something. A few seconds later it turned into real crying and MG decided to announce that MB was crying. (Never one to state the obvious.) I went in there and MB, by this time, was screaming and crying and in absolute hysterics.

He was clutching his butt, carrying on. I thought maybe he needed to go but it hurt, and he told me (in so many words and cries) that he had already gone. So then I thought maybe it was a big one and hurt, or maybe hemorrhoids (which are always pleasant). So we got the Tucks out and he was still spazzing.

This goes on for at least 20 minutes, then Bapa suggested we put him in a warm bath. I filled the tub just enough, and he soaked in it for a while and slowly started feeling better.
Oh, the end of the story is so much better.

A little while later, Bapa came out of the TV room laughing. Through Dominic’s random chattering, a confession of sorts slowly emerged. Then the Invisible Man (his words, no joke) decided the natural orange room spray (I emphasize natural and chemical-free) needed to be sprayed at the source of the smell.

That’s right. He had air-freshened his butt-crack. Life Lesson Learned.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

More Hair

The hair saga continues. If you recall, my children’s hair is a source of great confuzzlement to me. What is also a great confuzzlement to me is MB’s reaction to haircuts.

Honestly, you would think that we were murdering him in the most horrific way humanly possible. So, when it is haircut time, we must all brace ourselves and hope that the neighbors do NOT call the police for child torturing.


Of course, I can’t exactly blame him when Bapa does this to him:












He made much less of a commotion when Uncle How fixed it:










HMMMM....

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Big Boy Room!

My dad is ridiculously handy. If MB learns even half of what he knows, he'll be pretty handy.
My kids have been sharing a room for the past several years, and my parents decided it was time they have their own. Since we only have three rooms upstairs - and four people - that posed a problem. But only momentary. Let's put MB in the attic!!
This is the attic:


Good place for a four-year-old, don't you think? No? That's ok, because this is what it really looks like after just a few short weeks...

Friday, May 8, 2009

New Guy

Here’s a bit of news. Remember NTF2 (HERE if you don’t)? Well, oddly (because, you know, it was Mexico and they’re usually just stories to tell) he is now what I will simply call DBF. You know, Dr. Boyfriend. (He wanted Dr. somewhere in his name, so there it is. I’m great, I know.)

I’ll wait for the shock to wear off.



Ok, better? Strange, but true. Mexico hilarity turns into something pretty awesome. And the fact that he has met my crazy family and LIKED them and stuck around? Might be a keeper.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Miss Muffett

So, I was driving down the road the other day, talking on the phone, multi-tasking. You know, what you should be doing while driving a stick-shift.

As I hung up the phone, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I thought it was a fly or something - they seem to like my car. I turned my head to try and find the flying object and there was a spider hanging two inches from my face.

NOT cool!

I did yell, I admit it. (It was rather unexpected, you know.) I hit it, and it disappeared. So now there is a spider in my car and I don't know where it went. I actually pulled the car over, opened the door and got half-out, frantically looking for it. Couldn't find it, of course, and so I felt that horrid bug-crawling-on-you feeling that you get when you around ants or something.

I STILL don't know where it is.