Last night, I received a surprise call from a young man who is like family to us; really any friend that a child brings home becomes a part of the family.
This young man is now a senior in college and will be graduating in June. During our conversation I recalled how he initially did not want to go to college and thought it was a waste. He didn't have an alternate plan, he just wasn't going to college. A guidance counselor saw his potential and applied to college for him and lo and behold, he got accepted.
Fast forward four years and he's appreciative of the opportunity he has. He said there's a slim chance he would go to grad school; he wants to travel; he hasn't met the girl of his dreams(yet) and he's being responsible.
This conversation warmed my heart in so many ways and I was quite proud and happy for him.
Encourage a young person today; even though it seems that they're not listening if they know you care, it seeps in.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Random Musings
I love being married - warts and all!
I love my children - warts and all!
Love is an overused word in our culture - but in the case of the above its appropriate.
If someone could cook for me on a regular basis, I'd be as happy as a pig in s@#$!
Parenting is hard and it never ends - you just migrate through different stages.
Anytime I see a woman with bad posture, I want to walk up to her and push her shoulders back.
I like being on a college campus - seeing young people embrace learning.
Dirty mouths should be outlawed.
In this day and age, all schools should have metal detectors. Better to be safe than sorry. (I didn't always feel this way about metal detectors).
Unsolicited advice is not advice.
I can't always deal with people and their weird moods, but since I'm moody myself (or so I've being told) I try to empathize.
Good conversation is really good!
Well that's all for now. Be encouraged; we're all doing life together.
I love my children - warts and all!
Love is an overused word in our culture - but in the case of the above its appropriate.
If someone could cook for me on a regular basis, I'd be as happy as a pig in s@#$!
Parenting is hard and it never ends - you just migrate through different stages.
Anytime I see a woman with bad posture, I want to walk up to her and push her shoulders back.
I like being on a college campus - seeing young people embrace learning.
Dirty mouths should be outlawed.
In this day and age, all schools should have metal detectors. Better to be safe than sorry. (I didn't always feel this way about metal detectors).
Unsolicited advice is not advice.
I can't always deal with people and their weird moods, but since I'm moody myself (or so I've being told) I try to empathize.
Good conversation is really good!
Well that's all for now. Be encouraged; we're all doing life together.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
2010 - Reflections, etc
Its good to reflect if simply to learn from our past experiences. Sometimes we reflect to revel in our past experiences and sometimes we just wish to forget. I guess Dec 31st is a great time to do all of this - though this can be done at any point of the year. There were many milestones this year for me: I finally started working at a job I like - (its not perfect, but its doable); we had a wonderful time at our family reunion in Jamaica (so wonderful, everyone wants to do it again real soon); a third child took a gap year before starting college (totally new and unconventional for us - we were hanging by the seat of our pants; the child really has embraced this experience and seems better for it); three semi-grown children trying to find their way in this world using their faith as their guide post (this is huge!). Of course my brother died this year on my son's 20th birthday, and this has affected each person in ways that I cannot express. For me it was the start of this blog.
I learned the importance of family - my immediate family gives me stability, comfort, and joy when all around it seems that things aren't going right. My extended family reminds me that we shouldn't take each other for granted even if we don't always see eye to eye. We need to allow room for growth and change; and if that doesn't happen - we shouldn't hold it against them.
This year social media exploded - facebook, twitter, jamdom. It seems that these mediums do more harm than good - alienating the ones that are closest to us. We seem to spend more time communicating on these mediums instead of the flesh and blood that's nearby. Are the friends on Facebook really your friends? would you have followers in real life? how can anyone play a game for eight hours? These are all ridiculous actions that have become normal with the increase use of social media.
Friendships are important also - nurture them according to the friend. For some it might be a weekly phone call for others its periodic updates that seem like yesterday when you last spoke. Friendships are like the flowers in a garden - some require lots of water, some need lots of sun and some are hardy and will thrive under the worse conditions. I've appreciated the beauty of friendship this year.
So while we look back, lets not stay there. Lets do like the apostle Paul in Phil 3: 13, 14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
I learned the importance of family - my immediate family gives me stability, comfort, and joy when all around it seems that things aren't going right. My extended family reminds me that we shouldn't take each other for granted even if we don't always see eye to eye. We need to allow room for growth and change; and if that doesn't happen - we shouldn't hold it against them.
This year social media exploded - facebook, twitter, jamdom. It seems that these mediums do more harm than good - alienating the ones that are closest to us. We seem to spend more time communicating on these mediums instead of the flesh and blood that's nearby. Are the friends on Facebook really your friends? would you have followers in real life? how can anyone play a game for eight hours? These are all ridiculous actions that have become normal with the increase use of social media.
Friendships are important also - nurture them according to the friend. For some it might be a weekly phone call for others its periodic updates that seem like yesterday when you last spoke. Friendships are like the flowers in a garden - some require lots of water, some need lots of sun and some are hardy and will thrive under the worse conditions. I've appreciated the beauty of friendship this year.
So while we look back, lets not stay there. Lets do like the apostle Paul in Phil 3: 13, 14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas Miracles
Do you know that Christmas is all about miracles - big and small?
I know we've all heard the Christmas story so many times, that some of us can repeat it verbatim - and that's a beautiful thing!
Just to recap - Jesus was conceived by immaculate conception through Mary who was probably a teenager. Elizabeth,Mary's older cousin, also conceived miraculously with her husband Zechariah. Both were carrying children of promise. John was a fore-bearer of Jesus and the Holy Spirit was on John from conception. (Luke 1: 13-15) John was born six months before Jesus. When Jesus was born, the angels sang, shepherds were afraid and yet they knew something amazing was happening and kings came to worship. Young innocent Mary treasured all these things pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
The thing that has struck me the most this Christmas is one small detail in the Christmas story and it is this: when Mary visited Elizabeth, shortly after being told that she would bring forth the Messiah, the baby that was in Elizabeth's womb leapt with joy!! It is utterly amazing to me that two spirit filled babies were communicating with each other before they could be seen by their parents.
Christmas is a time for miracles; for believing in things that may seem to man implausible - but knowing that with God - ALL things are possible.
May you have a wonderful Christmas -and if this is your first year without a loved one, know that God is there to comfort you. May you be enveloped in his love - the ultimate gift at Christmas.
I know we've all heard the Christmas story so many times, that some of us can repeat it verbatim - and that's a beautiful thing!
Just to recap - Jesus was conceived by immaculate conception through Mary who was probably a teenager. Elizabeth,Mary's older cousin, also conceived miraculously with her husband Zechariah. Both were carrying children of promise. John was a fore-bearer of Jesus and the Holy Spirit was on John from conception. (Luke 1: 13-15) John was born six months before Jesus. When Jesus was born, the angels sang, shepherds were afraid and yet they knew something amazing was happening and kings came to worship. Young innocent Mary treasured all these things pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
The thing that has struck me the most this Christmas is one small detail in the Christmas story and it is this: when Mary visited Elizabeth, shortly after being told that she would bring forth the Messiah, the baby that was in Elizabeth's womb leapt with joy!! It is utterly amazing to me that two spirit filled babies were communicating with each other before they could be seen by their parents.
Christmas is a time for miracles; for believing in things that may seem to man implausible - but knowing that with God - ALL things are possible.
May you have a wonderful Christmas -and if this is your first year without a loved one, know that God is there to comfort you. May you be enveloped in his love - the ultimate gift at Christmas.
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