It can NOT be November 7th fast enough to suit my needs.

Politics. Politics. Politics.  UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! 

Ok, look I do believe that people should be informed, involved and VOTE in this country.

What I am tired of is a media that is biased and promoting their own agenda.  I am tired of the mudslinging...and it is just getting worse! 

Please.  PLEASE just tell me what you are going to do and then if you get elected TRY and show us you are trying to do just that. 

“Any government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have,” said President Gerald Ford.

And honestly, I think we are just getting too big.  We are looking to our government to provide for us, when that's not who should be doing it.  We should look to God, to ourselves, and to our neighbors.  It kills me that people don't want help from their neighbors, but are willing to take help from the government.  And don't get me wrong- there is nothing wrong with help from anyone, but the problem is people are starting to look to the government and it's assistance as an ENTITLEMENT.  Oh no.  Not good.  Not good at all. 

I was reading online about Christians and voting, I came across this article and if you have time, you should read it.  http://www.perrynoble.com/2006/08/29/jesus-the-bible-and-politics/

Of course for me, as a bible believing Christian (who messes up in multiple ways EVERY day) I looked for some biblical guidance.  I used the Message translation as I feel it is the most easily understood in particular to our society and government.  The two I found are below:

^1-3Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you're irresponsible to the state, then you're irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you're trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.  Romans 13: 1

Hmmmm.  Authorities are only a threat if you are trying to get by with something....ponder it people.

1 Peter 2:13-15

The Message (MSG)

^13-17Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.

I think it is important here to remember that even though we may think "How could God allow this to happen?  This person to be elected? etc It is part of God's plan.  And we need to be on our knees praying.  Asking God to show us who he wants us to vote for...Because the reality is, we are a nation that is allowing God to be edged out and then we cry outrage at the state of our country.  Ask God, he's got all the facts!!

And please, please, please VOTE on November 6th!!!

Oh Facebook! You shouldn't have...no, really!

I love Facebook.  Love it.  Even with some of the drama that comes along with it.  For me, as a military spouse, it's a fantastic way to stay in touch with friends and family we leave all around the world.  But even if I weren't military, it's pretty awesome for keeping in touch with all the people of my youth. 

So let me list a few of the things I love about Facebook:
1) Helps me keep my sanity some days
2) I love all the pictures I get to see of my friends and family
3) I actually like knowing what my friends and family are thinking randomly on a daily basis.
4) Getting to share news quickly
5) All the funny ecards etc


Here is what I don't love about Facebook...and it actually has nothing to do with Facebook the corporation. 

Facebook is the Passive Aggressive person's best friend.  Does it make it ok to say something like "nobody cares" etc if you put a smiley face behind it?  Ok, in some cases that person saying it IS someones best friend or sister or IS joking.  But too many people are just rude, mean, facetious etc because they  hide behind their computer. 

Why am I blogging this?  Well.  Dear friends, I recently had an issue.  When people do this on my page, I generally ignore it, delete the comment or private message the person if it offended me, hurt my feelings or I deem it otherwise inappropriate.  Grown up of me, huh?  I can be mature...sometimes. 

Having said that, a person I am not even sure why I was friends with them in the first place...another blog for another time: Facebook Friending- Ettiquette?  Anywhooooo, I digress.  Said person made multiple snarky comments to a mutual friend and then would whine on her statuses (rudely and pointedly) to make said person and others feel guilty/shamed etc.  Those of you who REALLY know me....Yes, I did finally say something.  I said that I had some advice that she could take or leave, but that if she really needed help, maybe she should watch the tone she takes on FB.  And then I actually addressed her problem and gave her some resources. 

Fast forward 20 minutes and her status pops up in my newsfeed about how people should take their negative and mean comments elsewhere as people don't know the backstory of a post etc. and she had deleted her previous rude status. To her new status I replied "I assume you are talking about me and that's ok.  However, I did not say anything negative or mean, but seeing has how this IS FB, this post could have NOTHING to do with me at all." Which she promptly deleted. 

It actually really irritated me.  So much so that I went back and forth on messaging her and fully unloading.  But I did not.  I simply unfriended her.    Why does this bug me so badly?  The fact that she anonymously said untrue things about me or the fact that she feels she can be blatantly mean, hateful and rude on FB?  Probably a little of both.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that I do know her backstory and she is simply trolling for people to give to her no questions asked.  Is she in need?  Yes.  She is, but I know why people aren't helping her.  That attitude.  AGH!  I am trying not to get snotty or rude, but man it has been hard.  And if I am being honest with myself and by virtue then with you...a light bulb just went on in my head and I think I know what the root of the issue is...

The person of which I speak is pregnant and she is having a hard time.  She was put on bed rest and generally ignores it when it suits her, whines about the lack of help when it doesn't.  I offered her my advice on many occasions before this, as I DO have some experience in this arena.  And therein lies the deepest issue for me, I suppose.  I have lost a baby, and spent 12 weeks on bed rest with Tessa and Elijah...I can't imagine doing anything that would jeopardize my unborn baby or their safety.  I know some people may think I am being harsh and maybe she just doesn't have anyone to help her and that's ok.  My life experience is different and I tend to have very strong, very rapid, very intense emotions on this. 

So thanks, blog friends for letting me write through why this, in particular, really bugged me.

Just do me a favor, eh?  If I somehow offend you, hurt your feelings or otherwise upset you on Facebook, message me.  Chances are I am CLUELESS that what I said came off wrong.  Oh, also, live by my motto:

"Never say something behind someones back that you won't say to their face."

And in this case, I will alter it "Never say something on Facebook that you wouldn't say to their face in real life."

Post away friends, post on!

Entitlement! It's like an evil disease!

Entitlement: noun : belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges.

If you sign a contract stating that company X will pay you $5,000 for your services (typing data to serving food, to being the boss of everyone) then YES, you do deserve your money.  You work for it, you earn it. 

I have just been overwhelmed lately by the crazy sense of entitlement I see everywhere.  And believe me when I say, I have NOT been immune to this disease.  I definitely went through a phase where even though I KNEW I didn't deserve to get something for nothing, I wanted it to work that way...

And if we're all honest, we've all been there, done that at least for a short moment in time.  I've worked since I turned 16.  Started Domino's pizza the day after my 16th birthday.  I paid for my gas, my car insurance, eating out etc.  I'm not saying my mom or Grandparents never slipped  me some cash to help me out, what I am saying is that I mainly worked for my "stuff."

I got to do some really cool stuff when I was younger and a lot of that was courtesy of family members who were willing to let me have opportunities they didn't.  Mainly travel, in high school.  Major blessings.  So this is in no way a rant about how I was never "given" anything cause that just would NOT be true.  Having said that....

People.  Work is not always fun.  Even if you LOVE your work, there will be bad days, days you don't want to get out of bed, days you just want to go out and have fun.  I get that.  But what do you think pays for that fun?  Or that bed you want to lounge in?  Am I saying that taking a mental health day now and again is a bad thing?  Absolutely not.  What I am saying is: Stop whining and start doing! 

Fun after working hard to earn is that much better!  And sometimes fun is a long way off and it seems like hard work is all it will ever be....there is end at the light of the tunnel.  As Dori would say "just keep swimming!" 

I've recently said to a few different people: "Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to "bad" people."  As a Christian, I know that I have definitely NOT gotten what I "deserve" which without the blood and Grace of Jesus would be eternal damnation.  If that's too much for you (and I know for some of my non believing friends-that's pretty deep and serious stuff) I just think that people don't get what they deserve in general, even by our cultural sliding scale of what we deem good vs bad. 

In our culture, I would be deemed a good person.  Well, my firstborn daughter died.  Did I deserve that?  No.  This is why I say to people, life isn't about deserving.  It's about serving.  Serving our God, serving our families, our employers, our neighbors, and, yes, even those we don't like.   It's not easy, and it's not always fun or comfortable.  But it's right.  The more we serve others, the more we see serving in our own lives.  What we put out into the lives of others we get back in spades.  Jesus tells us it is so in Luke 6: 38:

"³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Sometimes I love using the message translation.  Today is one of those times:

^37-38"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."

Seriously, how true and awesome is that? 

I believe we need to start being more aware of those around us and less focused in on our own needs and wants.  This is not saying that you shouldn't care for yourself, because you do need to take care of yourself.  It's as important as caring for your  world. 

I'm not really sure where I wanted to go with this when I started...I just needed to vent.  Life isn't about what you can get, it's about what you can give.  I don't have much in material ways, but I have hands and feet that work, a heart that feels...And I have love and happiness to share with my world. 

Save your drama for your mama!!

Drama,  Drama, Drama!!

I don't care for the made up type.  I have enough genuine trauma and drama in my life.  Real stuff.  Important stuff.  Life changing stuff. 

I just don't want to be involved in all the silly stuff that people get hung up on.  Although, I admit I DO let that stuff get to me sometime.

The one thing I can say with a certainty is that I will not gossip about someone behind their back.  If I have an issue, I will take care of it myself, face to face and hopefully in a kind manner.  My motto is "never say something behind someones back that you won't say to their face."  And I live by that. 

Let's just say, today I was burned by someone and it's been YEARS since that happened.  I felt like I was 15 again, huddled in a bathroom stall, listening to whom I thought was a friend bad mouth me.  I'd never wish that on anyone. 

I was lucky and there was someone there today to defend me, but it still sucks. 

I thought women grew out of their "mean girl" phase.  I'm just sad today. 

Oh Olympics

These Olympics are killing my sleep schedule.  Killers, I say.  And I KNOW I will be up late tonight cause it's the women's All around in gymnastics.

Speaking of gymnastics, Ava has been begging for gymnastic lessons.  It's time.  The cost is a bit high, but I have to let her try.  My bigger fear is that she'll be realllllllllllly good at it and want to go the distance, which is fine, we'll find the money.  What I can't handle is all the injuries and abuse her little body would undergo.  It's tough being a mommy sometimes.  Why can't I just put my babies is a plastic bubble and call it a day?

Elijah starts soccer in August and Tessa will be signing up for dance again.  Oh, my wee little babes.  Our idyllic summer relaxation is coming to an end. 

I already know I'm gonna miss my babies. 

Levi is gonna hate all that attention!  HA!

Ok, off to watch more Olympics!! I can always try and power nap right?