Archive for the ‘My thoughts’ Category

01
Mar

God is good, all the time

I am so blessed and so thankful for my family.  At the end of September, just days before our 15th anniversary, we found out we were expecting our 8th child.  Many months before we had picked a name for a boy, if God was going to bless us with one.  That name means God is my strength.

 We waited about 4 days to tell the other children because with the last few we have come up with a special way to tell them.  Once we played charades and I acted out that I was pregnant.  Another time we made donuts in the shape of their first initial, with an extra one for the baby.  The donuts tasted pretty good, but professional donut-maker, I am not.

Well this time we decided that since the children have called themselves Alphabet Soup and like super heroes, I would draw little sketches of the Alphabet Soup-er Heroes. All the Heroes are things that make great soups.
So we have Arracacha.
And beefy Beef. 
Carrot.
Daikon radish, purple of course.
Then Eggplant.
And Fennel.

14
May

Happy Mother’s Day

To all the moms out there…

  • To the ones in the midst of spills and messes.  Who might be feeling the pressure to “have it all together”, but  may be just wondering how they are going to make it till bedtime.
  • To the ones past the messes. Who’s little ones have all grown and no longer “need” mom.
  • To the ones who long for the messes.  Who’s little one is no longer there to hug and hold, maybe never gotten to hold.  Who lost their little one long before they were ready to let go.
  • To the ones who wish they had the messes, but never did.  So they mothered those who are not their own, they love on and instruct those who never really belong to them, but they treat them like they do.

 

Motherhood takes on many forms.  Sometimes it is easy to spot, like the nine month pregnant woman or when a mom has toddlers in tow.  Other times its hard to see, like the widow giving advice to the young bride after the couples first fight or the older lady sharing a desired recipe.

At each stage motherhood is a self sacrificing moment for mom.  A time for mom to put her own needs, wants and desires aside and focus on someone else who needs her more.

It is a choice.

All it truly takes to be a mom is to be a woman with a willing heart.

So to each of the mothers in every stage of life,

THANK YOU!

26
May

What Memorial Day means to me

Memorial Day is more than just a excuse to have a cook out.

We thank our cashiers at the grocery store and all they did was ring up our purchases.

We thank our waitresses, even leave them a monetary tip, and all they did was bring us our food.

Yet, how often do we thank the men and women who work to protect our families.  I get it.  Some people disagree with the government and see the military personnel as an extension.  Or maybe you are like me and just don’t always recognize a serviceman out of uniform.  Or maybe you fall under some other category. I am not here to put us all in a box.  The point is, serving our country is a thankless job.

I grew up a military brat.  I can recall countless times when my dad would shrug off praise or thanks, saying it was just his job.  It was just his job to save men’s lives.  It was just his job to fight on behalf of others.  It was just his job to protect complete strangers.

Well, as I stand in this day and age, I see so many men who are unwilling to stand up for those weaker than themselves.  I see so many people living for what pleases them, what they want.  I look at the world we live in and see a dangerous scary place.  I read countless news stories of people being attacked and witnesses NOT stepping up to help.

My dad would never not step up.  He has stepped up, in the profession he chose and outside of it.  And he didn’t like people making a fuss about what he did.  He hated ceremonies celebrating his work.

Thankfully my dad never paid the ultimate sacrifice.  But many did.

Memorial Day is a day to remember those who kissed their families goodbye, like my daddy did.

Memorial Day is a day to remember those who fought for an idea, to protect, or freedom, like my daddy did.

Memorial Day is a day to remember those who didn’t come home, unlike my daddy, but like those he fought along side of.

These men and women deserve to be remembered.  Their families, friends and comrades deserve to be thanked.

THAT is what Memorial Day is.  So this Memorial Day thank someone who has or does serve in our military.