Day #4: My Political Soapbox

I have remained silent as long as I can. While I am not one to get on a political soapbox often, occasionally I must go on a tangent. Bear with me.

I am so thankful this election is over. I am weary of hearing the rhetoric both the Dems and Reps have spouted off during this election. I am disgusted with the media. I am tired of hearing about Joe the Plumber. Any man or woman considered a common laborer in this country should be highly offended. I am tired of hearing about change because I fear the tonic for change will be worse than the illness itself. While I voted and encouraged everyone I encountered to vote, I was not happy with either choice in candidates. I voted for whom I felt was the lesser of the two evils knowing he would probably not win. I simply could not vote for a candidate who supports all forms of abortion, same sex marriage, and socialism. This is the first time since I was eligible to vote that I did not stay up all night watching the election results. I did not even turn the TV on. I awoke Wednesday morning to the results not the least bit surprised with who won. I have now had time to let this historic election sink into my feeble brain and have come to some conclusions.

Even though I am not an Obama fan, it is now my responsibility to pray for him, his safety, his family, his advisors, and his discernment. This is the right thing to do and honors the Lord. As the Apostle Paul teaches so clearly in I Timothy 2:1, “I urge that entreaties, prayers and petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” I owe Obama that because he will be the leader of our great country soon and because God’s Word tells me to do so. That does not mean I agree with him.

The majority of the people in this nation proved what they value by how they voted and as I already knew, they value their material things over people. They value their new car over the life of a child; they value their beautiful home over the mistreated and tortured in other countries; they value their expensive vacations over the freedom to choose their own doctor and health care provider; they value their technology gadgets over their freedom to educate their children as they please; they value their political beliefs over their faith, they value their sex lives over absolute morals and they put more thought into their cable provider than they put into who will govern this country. I could go on, but I think you get the point. Priorities are so skewed in our nation it makes me want to weep.

Despite all of this, I know God is still in control. Nothing happened on Tuesday that was not allowed by His perfect plan. Moreover, while I can say I do not understand His plan, His plan is the only one I can trust. His Word is Truth. His Son is the Way. Judgment is His. Therefore, Peace is mine. I pray that Peace is yours also.

My hope is built on nothing less,
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Day #3 - WFMW Toys Worth Buying

As my 3rd day in the “30 Days, 30 Posts” of National Blog Posting Month, I am doing double duty and posting my “Works-For-Me-Wednesday Toys Worth Buying Edition" for Rocks In My Dryer also. Yes, it is thoroughly confusing, but fun! Hang with me!

It is that time of year. Christmas shopping time. For those of you who live for this time of year, congratulations “Tis the Season”. For the rest of us, sorry, “Tis the Season”. If you have children, then you know that Christmas shopping involves toy purchases. If you have purchased any toys at all in your lifetime, then you are aware that not all toys are created equal. I have personally wasted a lot of money over the years on toys for my kids. I may as well have been throwing money out the car window while driving down Main Street and screaming, “I am a fool!” If I had the money back that I wasted on toys, I would be an independently wealthy woman. I want back my $5.00 for every Beanie Baby I purchased. That alone would make a house payment. Can I please have my money back on all the toy guns and swords that boys seem to NEED? You know the ones that break within an hour after purchasing them because boys play rough and tend to think that plastic swords and guns can actually puncture the walls and furniture. Also, please give me my money back on all the plastic bath toys I purchased to entertain my children in the bathtub. I question my reasoning over those purchases. Why did I want my children entertained in the bathtub? Then there are the toys I purchased in the name of education for my children. Those pricey talking books and electronic games that guaranteed my child would be reading by the New Year. The ones I guilted myself into buying because the TV commercials promised me they would bring hours of educational fun into my home. Those electronic nuances the kids got bored playing before I could get the Christmas tree down. Oh and let us not forget Tickle Me Elmo. Honestly, I wanted to throw hysterically laughing Elmo out the back door and run over his little red body with a bulldozer about the third day after that purchase. We also had a light sensor Big Bird that would randomly scream “Peak-A-Boo!” when a light switched was turned on. After the whiz was scared out of us no less than a dozen times, the evil Big Bird mysteriously disappeared; I want my money back for him too. I have made a lot of bad toy purchases in my lifetime for my kids and gladly/sadly, toy-purchasing days are dwindling in our home as my guys outgrow the “toy” stage.

Except for one toy. One toy stands out. One toy brings hours of imagination, teamwork, direction following, challenging entertainment in bulk on our family room floor any day of the week. One toy that Oscar, our dog, finds, eats and poops (I am just being honest here). One toy that the vacuum cleaner sweeps away and the one toy that gets sorted into color groups while trying to be organized. In addition, the one good toy that is not made in China by slave laborers and that I can justify purchasing.

THE TOY? LEGO!

While I realize that Lego kits are expensive, their purchase has been worth every penny spent from my thin wallet. I have watched my boys play and work for hours on projects. Big C is very literal and always put his models together by the directions only. “Don’t mess up the model afterwards” is his motto! On the other hand, Big I will create his models by the directions and then modify it by using his imagination. Actually, Big C does not “play” with Legos anymore. No sir! He is eighteen years old and far, far past the Lego stage. He will occasionally have mercy on his little brother who will beg him to help build something and Big C, being the sweet big brother he is, will lock himself along with Big I away and spend the afternoon playing with, oops I mean building a design that demonstrates Quantum Mechanics.

Here are a few other toys that have worked well for my guys and helped keep them occupied on rainy/snowy/hot and tidal wave days. Hope they work for you too.

· Little Green Army Men and Marbles
· GI Joe
· Match Box Cars
· Star Wars and Lord of the Rings Action Figures
· Walter Wick’s “I Spy” Books (one of my personal favs)
· Playing cards or Uno cards
· Board games such as Monopoly, Battleship, Sorry, Castle Risk and Chess
· Basketballs (all 25 that we own) and Footballs (at least 10 of those)
· Air Soft BB/Pellet Guns
· 10” Stainless Steal Throwing Knives (I am totally not kidding here)

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Day 2: The Birthday Boy

We have a birthday boy in our house today! He is 28 years old!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday, Dear OSCAR!

Happy Birthday to you!

Oscar did not like his paper hat!

Plus, he told me to make it clear he was only 4 years old in doggie years!

Thanks for reading, Rosie.

Day 2: Lulu's Back in Town

A long time ago, in a post far, far away, I wrote about my good friend Dar who moved to Oklahoma. While we were on our Great American Road Trip, our family met up with Dar and Kev for breakfast in a small town near Oklahoma City. It was a short, quick visit but it was Dar's birthday and she was homesick. This girl is to be highly admired because she battled and won the breast cancer fight two years ago. I donated my long hair (13") to Locks of Love in her honor. She is one tough cookie and a dear friend. Anyway, things did not work out as planned in Oklahoma job wise and as God could only arrange, their house here had not sold. So I am happy to say, they moved back "home" where they belong. I have never seen two happier people. They are so glad to be back in our small town and we are thrilled to have them back. Welcome Home Dear Friends!

On another note, the four aprons (scroll down the page and you can see them) I sewed for our Annual Lottie Moon Auction, sold with a combined total of $205.00. I was so pleased, and cha-ching, I made a deposit into my heavenly account, where Democrats and Republicans do not corrupt or steal. I do not have to worry about it being FDIC insured and the interest rate is out of this world. So no matter how the vote goes today, I am secure.

Thanks for reading, Rosie!

Day 1: I Am Taking The Challenge

It is National Blog Posting Month. Who knew! Because I just found out today, I am already two days behind. The question is, "Can I do it? 30 posts in 30 days?" I do not know! Therefore, I am taking the challenge to see if I am able to complete this arduous task. Do I have enough junk going on in my life worthy of a daily post? I think so, but I won't know for sure until I begin. Am I crazy? Of course! Why else would I decide at the beginning of the 2008 holiday frenzy to write a post everyday? This could really get messy. Beware. To kick off my being late by two whole days, here are a few pics from Halloween at our house.

First, Indiana Jones showed up. He is so cool!

Then it got dark and the moon rose high in the sky. A light breeze was adrift in the valley and in the distance you could hear the howl of the wolves on Bays Mountain.

To ward off the evil spirits in the air, our jack-o-lantern stayed lit all night.

Strange things happens to 12 year old boys on Halloween night. They hang upside down!

And they grow vampire teeth!

Mercy! What is a Mom to do?

I believe a visit to the orthodontist is in order.

Thanks for reading, Rosie!