This is my Life

I know it's been a long time since I've posted, and I'm not really posting here, just giving you Todd Wilson's latest post from his web site, familymanweb.com

I have so much to catch you all up on, dear readers. It's been so hectic around here since the holidays. hubby's been layed off, I'm going back to school.

*sigh*

There just isn't enough time in the day to chronicle everything right now, so it will have to wait.

In the meantime, enjoy Todd's latest post. It's very near and dear to my heart.

Ann Landers Meets Her Match
March 21, 2009

Trying to bring order and harmony to the Wilson home, I decided it was time to consult Ann Landers about the problem. Here is her answer:

If you open it, close it.
If you turn it on, turn it off.
If you unlock it, lock it up.
If you break it, admit it.
If you can’t fix it, call someone who can.
If you borrow it, return it.
If you value it, take care of it.
If you make a mess, clean it up.
If you move it, put it back.
If it belongs to someone else, get permission to use it.
If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.

NOT Bad…but not want I wanted, so I decided to write my own. So here is the Familyman List designed to bring order to your home:

If it looks like you could break it, cut it, or rip it, don’t TRY to break it, cut it, or rip it.

If it’s shiny, don’t touch it.

If it’s growing in the yard, don’t cut it down.

If the family room floor is cover in toys, don’t bring out more.

Throwing a wrapper on the floor is not the same as throwing it in the trash.

If you’ve eaten the last waffle, Pop-tart, or slice of bread don’t put the box or wrapper back in the pantry…don’t leave it on the counter…don’t drop it in the floor…go crazy, and throw it away!!!!

If it needs a key to start it, open it, or use it, back away from it slowly.

If the game has more than two pieces, don’t play with it.

Just because MY computer has a keyboard doesn’t mean you should touch it.

When in doubt…go to your room.

An Old Draft I Thought Worth Rehashing

I may have won the battle, but I think I'm losing the war.

Remember my first post? I thought I was being a sensitive mother who decided to love my kid rather than the "thing" (her wall). She had drawn all over it, and being the sensitive mother that I was, I didn't chastise her for her "creativity". Instead I chose to overlook an offense, and talk to her about it later.

Well, I did that and felt very good at the time. Unfortunately, I don't think I made that much of an impression on her.

Since then she has drawn on her dresser, her sister's bed and the back of her door. So I take away all forms of writing implements and I think I've won.

Not in the least! The next time I caught her in her closet with a jar full of honey. The day after, it was a bottle of baby powder (I didn't even know we had baby powder).

I have tried every approach I can think of to get her to stop being destructive. I have tried loving, chastising, lecturing, hugging, even a techniques I have heard called "tomato staking" (long story).

Nothing!

She seems bent on living "wild and free" as it were. Then when I finally think I got through to her, littlest one started. We are still in the midst of trying to reign in all the artistic creativity in this house...

The End of a Nation

I know it's been a while, but I wanted to give everybody a chance to enter in my book giveaway.

I will also say that I never intended this blog to be political and, therefore, I will try to keep my political commentary short here. Here is a wonderful quote that a friend of mine posted on his Facebook page. It bears thinking about.

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.

"You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

~~~ The late Dr. Adrian Rogers , 1931 to 2005 ~~~

If "con" is the opposite of "pro", then is congress the opposite of progress?

I say this because I have been watching CNN on occasion (I was forced), and saw how hypocritical many members of congress are being. For instance:

I watched as a female congress woman (don't know who) called the executives on Wall Street "Idiots" (those were her exact words) that couldn't handle money and didn't have any character with the funds that were given to them.

This is the same congress that voted themselves raises this year, despite the massive economic slow down.

I also watched a bit of the congressional hearing where a question was posed to the bank execs, asking them which companies owned or leased private planes. All hands went up except for one.

Let it be known by all that Nancy Pelosi has her own private jet.

Hypocrisy is acting in a manner contradictory to one's professed beliefs and feelings, or conversely, expressing false beliefs and opinions in order to conceal one's real feelings or motives.

And by the way, does it not bother anyone that the President's appointees all evade their taxes?

Am I alone in being concerned about this?

One last thought. Here is an excellent and timely article written in a biography about Davey Crockett when he served in congress. A very good read.

Mid-Winter Blues and Book Giveaway Reminder

Just a reminder that if you want to receive a free copy of my new book, you have one week left to enter the drawing. If you refer someone to the site and they tell me you referred them, you'll be entered twice!

Now, who out there is having the mid-year winter blues? I'm not talking about the emotional condition that is commonly associated with the season we are in. I am talking about the "it's too cold to send the kids outside to play and they're jumping off the walls" kind of attitude.

Now, I live in Georgia. Many of the wonderful nature readers and storybooks we read to the kids refer to my state as the "Sunny Southland".

Yes, it was sunny this morning.

19 degrees.

A few flakes of snow.

My apologies to all you Yankees, I know it's a bit frigid up there. But it's not supposed to be here!!

It's supposed to be cold, but glory be! People from up North move down here to get away from the cold! Not drive into it!!

...Sigh...

The real reason I'm tired of the cold is I want to send the children outside. But as we wimpy homeschoolers down South have no parkas, they cannot go outside. I have no desire to see my children turn blue from the cold. Strange, I know.

Two more months. I can do this!

In the meantime, make sure you get signed up for the giveaway!

God Bless,
Brandie

OK. Time for a giveaway! Blogging is all about readership, and I want to increase mine, as well as get the word out about my new historical fiction novella, "The Time Has Come." You want to know more? Setting? Plot? Aha! Read on...

I have posted the first chapter in my other blog, where I am holding the giveaway. I want to hear what you think about it. If you post a comment on the other blog, you will be automatically entered into a drawing to receive a PDF copy of the whole book.

Increase your chances of winning by referring someone! (Reader must also post a comment and site your name to be eligible).

The deadline to enter will be February 13th at midnight. The winner will be chosen at random by monkey ninjas and announced on February 23rd.

Here's the link. Thanks!

Yes, Jesus Loves Me...

This has been a hard weekend.

Hubby got laid off on Friday, and though I know in my head everything will be alright, it's been easy to be a bit nervous.

But as I was in church today, I was reminded a passage from one of one of my favorite books, "The Basket of Flowers."

"But God, who chastens even is best-loved children, will not suffer them to become too deeply attached to the things of earth. Afflictions (troubles) are sent to remind them that this world is not their rest-to wean their affections from earth, and fix them securely above."

In other words, God in His mercy allows to be taken away from us things that may distract us from depending on Him.

Things like a job.

Then at dinner, I was tidying and watching Lady bug, who is almost two, play after getting down from the table. She started singing:

"Yes, Jesus loves me. The bible tells me so."

Yes, Lord, I hear You. These words from my toddler hit home and I remember that You are in control.

Hubby's work is not my anchor or my security.

You are.

Thank you.

Good Things Come in Small Packages

Superhero is an enigma.

On one hand, he is a super-kinetic ball of energy that tends to use the walls in the house to change his trajectory, rather than slowing down.

The other day I was trimming his nails, and he wouldn't quit moving. I cautioned him several times to hold still or he was going to get hurt, but he just couldn't do it. Finally I raised my voice so he knew I was very serious, and he managed to keep his body still.

However, all his energy went out his mouth. He babbled almost incomprehensibly the entire time he was still. As soon as I gave him the OK to move, his mouth closed and the never-ending movement started again.

But that's not what I came here to tell you.

On the other hand, there is another side to him that frankly freaks me out a bit. I've been told it's a boy thing, and I hope so.

Superhero is completely obsessed with all things villain. The only acceptable hero for him at the moment is the dark knight, and he doesn't even know what that is!! He's never seen the movie, heck I've never seen the movie, but it's dark and therefore somehow cool!!!

But that's not what I came here to tell you either.

On the other hand (yes, that's 3 hands), Superhero is the most generous, sweet and thoughtful person you could ever meet.

Tonight we were in the car and Princess asked what "shiny" meant. So we talked about the different things that were shiny, like metal, glass, gold, silver, the moon, sun, God, and then Superhero said, "Ponygirl's eyes are shiny. They light up when she smiles."

Well, that made more than Ponygirls's night. I was so touched, I just had to soak in the moment. It's so easy to get overwhelmed in day-to-day details of raising children that it's nice to experience a true heart exposure.

In reality, even though Superhero is rough, gruff and sometimes spiteful, he treasures his sisters. All of them. When he wants someone to play with, the first one he seeks out is Princess. He can be so gentle with Ladybug, and he dotes over her. He gets the "protection of sisters" thing with her.

And he adores his older sister. Truly.

One of my favorite songs has a chorus that says:
"I will look at You (God) and say it's gonna be worth it, it's gonna be worth it all."


It's worth it. It really is.