Book Review - Warning: Highly Opinionated

This is my current read. I had it on the shelf  for a while, it just looked like a real drag to read. I was wrong, it is very easy to read and straight to the facts...I said facts, yes, facts. Please, I have no room in my life for theories, give me facts.

One time, on no less than NPR, I heard an article taking a good portion of news time (I said news not facts), in these moments they took time to explain how that there is a possibility of evidence that life forms (molecules etc) may have come to earth from another planet via meteorite. I listened and here I am repeating it, wasting your time too.

My point is, as so well pointed out in the book: history can't get the few facts straight on Kennedy's assassination, what makes anyone think that anyone has it together to repeat and write history and teach it to my children as facts. Just looking up medieval history, I get conflicting information on everything in so much as I'm almost certain that no one knows what they are talking about...when it comes it history.

So let's look at evolution as a scientist. Read this and tell me what you think.

Happy New Year!

A little on the late side, but I still mean it!

So how are the New Years resolutions coming along? Guess what? Mine this year are pretty much as they were last year...are you surprised? I think that this is the most unfunny hilarious truth that I didn't see until I got...older.

 I am still me. 

Somethings just aren't going to change. You know this already?

 But, I love new beginnings - I love Mondays, Januaries, season beginnings, and new notebooks. I don't think that I really want to change some things because I'm pretty comfortable with some of the messes I've made, they are cozy. BUT, the ones I don't want to keep and are very deeply rooted are going to take a whole lot more than writing them down on a list of resolutions!

Quite by accident (or maybe subconsciously, or divinely inspired), well, anyhow, I didn't plan it - but it has been timely:  I came across these two books as freebies for my Kindle. I had fool-around time over the holidays and started reading them. I can hear it now: Bryon will ask in a few weeks, "did you finish them?". I am halfway thru both books, taking one day at a time and completing, faithfully, the tasks.Time will tell!

Complete

Build a New Habit in 28 Days

I was told years ago by a very wise man that life is a series of habits, and in this way, by changing my habits, I could overcome many of the inherited traits that I found undesirable. Some are easier than others, some are deep rooted, but the change has to come from the inside out, these ought to keep me digging deep for at least 14 more days.

What Am I Trying To Prove...

  Last week we really cleaned house. I needed to do a spring cleaning anyhow, but Abigail turned 12 and I needed to feel comfortable with my mess before we had the bonfire. You know, in case someone came inside for a drink or something. Nevermind the fact that 20 + kids were running up, down stairs, in and out of the house! Proven recipe for house trashing.

  Anyhow the whole while I was trying to make myself comfortable with my mess, I was thinking: so what? Am I trying to pretend  that I really keep things together?
  No, otherself insists, you are spring cleaning, it just happens to happen right before a birthday party.     
  You're  a fake, Oneself declared, this will last a few hours and you wont be able to tell a vacuum came within 1 mile. You know you can't keep up this facade! 
  Otherself mumbles, You used to love cleaning house, now look! She keeps scrubbing, maniacally, only looking 2'' ahead, it's her method to keep from getting overwhelmed. Suddenly, after 25 years (of actual caring about clean), she realizes that no one else really cares and this really isn't very fun anymore. She sits up and is decidedly bored with house cleaning. How can I stop? Otherself despairs quietly.  There is no end, and how deep into this mess do I go?
 There is no end, Oneself announced, I will do this until I fall over dead, unless something changes. 

 It must be in the air because I had a message on facebook this morning to join a 

June Daily Challenge. 

Everyday starting June 1st. we will be doing something creative every day, and sharing it. Setting aside the frantic, desperate, fruitless attempts to keeping a house immaculate, delving back into the things that gave us joy before we fell into this bottomless pit.  

 Sewing (mending doesn't count!), baking beautiful things, trying outlandish recipes (that take up more time than you were allotted before). 

Flower gardening (vegetables don't count). Paint that mural on the chicken house. 

How about all those antique chairs in the barn loft that need new seats! Hurray! 

Actually life may become richer, fuller, messier in a beautiful way. Less time spent fooling around doing sudoko puzzles because you can't stand another pile of mismatched socks, let them stay in the basket shoved under the table! Does my neighbor care?

That's ok, if it's pancakes for supper every night. Because what if the next day I'm making my own ravioli with goat cheese in sauce that has simmered 4 hours. Menus flung out the window, chore carts set aside, Lets allow ourselves to be creative and accept things the way they are: messy and full. 

Yes we will still weed the garden, milk the goats, wash the dishes and laundry, and, dear husband, I will still hold the fort down, it just might be a disaster at times, but hey, as long as supper's good and we are all smiling- I know that that's what really makes you glad to be home.

Indian and Non Indian Values

When you read this remember that these are general statements about a large group of people. They will not be true for every one, but they tend to be true in many situations.

Indian

· Emphasis is placed on age

· Excellence is related to a contribution to the group not the personal glory

· Children participate in adult activities

· Family life includes the extended family

· Clock time is whenever people are ready; when everyone arrives

· People express their ideas and feelings through actions

· Present Orientation

· Giving, sharing

· Patience

· Listening Skills

· Religion a way of life

· Modesty

· Work limited to meeting the needs of the family

· Harmony with Nature

 

Non Indian

· Emphasis is place on youth

· Competition and striving to win or to gain status is emphasized

· Adults participate in youth activities

· Family includes the Nuclear family

· Clock time is exactly that; start

      when the clock says it’s time to start.

· People express themselves and attempt to impress others through their speech

· Future Orientation

· Taking, saving

· Aggression

· Verbal Skills

· Religion a segment/pan of life

· Self-attention

· Work is focused on getting ahead or getting rich

· Mastery over Nature

 I tried to have these comparisons set side by side for easier reading, but I am computer challenged in this area and quite simply ran out of time. 

But since I am making thoughtful personal lists in my mind I couldn't help but share this list too. I think what most impacts me about these comparisons isn't whether they are Indian or non Indian, it is the opposite affect that the other has, and how I relate to it.

Observe the emphasis on the youth and the setting aside of old age and wisdom. The over importance of status over integrity. Set the racial aspect aside, because as Americans we share such a wide degree of these characteristics, Indian or not, but see these values as a part of a person and what makes them unique...not superior or inferior. Seeing the opposite of each one value really makes me more aware of how I might be perceived and my attraction to the people around me.

 Take some time to access yourself, your family , and fellow man.

Temperance

   " But we're talking about Holy Spirit temperance. That means how to control your tongue, not be a tattler; how to control your temper, not fly off every time anybody speaks cross to you...Temperance, how to answer in kindness when wrath is spoke to you."- William Marrion Branham

    " Temperance is simply a disposition which binds the passions."- Sir Thomas Aquinas

     "Temperance is moderation in things that are good and total abstinence from things that are foul."-  Frances E. Willard

     "Temperance and labor are the two best physicians of man; labor sharpens the appetite, and temperance prevents from indulging to excess." Jean-Jacques Rousseau

    " Self-disciplined begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do. Simply, self-disciplined enables you to think first and act afterward,"- Napoleon Hill

      "Have you found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for you..."- Proverbs 25:16

     " For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty." - Proverbs 23:21

     " And He said unto them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

        Temperance, it is what has been on my heart of late.

Fathers Day and Husbands

Fathers Day is soon.
Some fathers are here with us and some fathers have gone on.
I loved my father.
My children love their father.
That makes me so happy.
It makes me think how happy I am that their father is also my husband.
Fathers day is a lot about husbands.

 Here are some articles about husbands that I want to share:
Revering Our Husbands    Praying For Our Husbands    The Big Dumb Husband

Chores and Children

   As much as I'd like to be a completely old fashioned mother, I am myself prone to be overcome by the age in live in and am surrounded by. Children aren't expected to help out at home as much. But on the other  hand it comes natural to me to boss my children around, I was raised by one such talented lady. I will admit though, that it is sometimes easier to just do it myself and get it done the way I want it done. I think, because my children are always at home, they are here eating, playing, using the bathroom, etc., that homeschool families' homes must be messier than others. There just isn't any time for me to "just do it myself". That's good, in the long run, another (oh, dear) teaching opportunity presents it's self. The lifestyle we chose for our family: to have all-hands-on-deck, teamwork, everyone to learn to hold up their end of the stick.
   We've been doing a revolving chore list for sometime and it has been going good. I would switch jobs around every now and then just so everyone could have a chance (eager little beavers -Ha!) to learn how to do different tasks. I want my boys to learn how to clean toilets, for goodness sakes, also to learn how often it needs to be done! And it shouldn't be left up to the only girl to take the brunt of 5 brothers. Bryon decided that the two oldest are old enough to do their own laundry. They have been helping out for a while, they do a good job. Besides Abigail has too many clothes, she needs to learn the consequences of changing out-fits more than once a day.

   With summer coming on, changing needs as the family gets bigger, we revised the chore chart again. This time Bryon got involved and it became high tech with coding, and a weekly redraw, but they think its fun. It was a hoot, especially when Nathanial got clean the bathrooms again. The little boys are learning to read and are becoming quite capable little helpers, it makes them feel more important to have a part of the chore list rather than be nagged into helping.   

We have A. jobs and B. jobs. A jobs need to be done every day. B jobs once a week. I came up with as many as everyone would have one to do every day, instead of  doing them all in one day. Then every week the tags get taken down and redrawn and everyone should have a few different things to do, might take the monotony out of it. T. stands for team work, one of the little guys gets picked to help out with the job.

 It probably sounds confusing but it seems to be working well, so if I learn the code too, B9 means that the yard will get picked up this week and that Abigail is doing B5 on Tuesday ( clean the fridge)- it just might help everything not be so overwhelming!

To Me

       It has been one of those weeks. I took time off school so that I could spring clean my house. While I had the urge I thought I'd better give it a try. I had a plan. Room by room attack of the Getrid-ofitall.
     Two days into my week, one and 1/2 rooms done, then Bryon stayed home to work in the office and splat went my motivation. One thing after another always comes up. It has taken a while, 40 years, to figure out that most of the time things just don't go your way. I keep thinking that "tomorrow" it will be different. Maybe if I was skinny, or maybe if all the laundry was done, or maybe if I just have a cup of coffee. So we stamp our feet and scream because nothing is going our way. As a mother I don't outwardly do that ....very often, but I sure act it out in ways like, "I can't get anything done around here because of ..." you name it. I turn everybody into an obstacle. I get tunnel vision for my goals. I get a little lopsided. I loose sight of the big picture.
      That brings me to my faith, that's right, my time is not my own. I'm convinced that it belongs to a bigger picture. In our self-centeredness it is so  easy to get caught up in the moment of  what "I want  right now". Our steps are ordered of the Lord. Who's plan? My plan? Who am I? So how do I fight the interruptions and disturbances? And as I sit here right now someone stares in the window wondering when I'll be done so she can stop watching the baby. That's a whole other topic: priorities. I am convince that we are here to live for others. That is real to me. I admit I don't live it out like I want to, but I do believe it. I live for my husband, I promised to be his help meet, for my children, so they can learn to share their time and energy for others and walk true to their values. I live for my brothers and sisters in the faith, I live for my grandmother, my mother...
      Ok, I'm ready to go put another load of muddy clothes in washing machine- I have one (washing machine)! That's a blessing. And I will be glad for this is the day that the Lord has made. Period.