7 Vintage Cuckoo Clock Images!
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Monday, September 5, 2011
Caving under the deadline...
Tonight was the deadline for the next Rocket City Blog Carnival and I caved. This one had a theme requirement which really should have been easy for me. The theme is Huntville favorites. Surely I have some favorites in Huntsville! I really do and I started trying to blog this a week ago. I have saved numerous drafts and never felt like I found my topic. So I had to let this deadline pass me by for this month. I'll be sure to share with you all when the carnival is posted.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Biting my tongue
I find that more and more I am biting my tongue and erasing replies before I send or post them. Usually these things are politcal in nature and I value the friendship or family relationship too much to want to harm it.
I suspect if I did post, in most circumstances, it would not harm the relationship but there is still that chance that it would. So I write my replies and delete or erase them before allowing them to be seen. It leaves me feeling frustrated that I have not spoken my mind but yet insulated from any hard feelings that might occur on either side.
For the record, I am usually very conservative in my views. I will occasionally take a stance that is not but by in large, conservative would be a good word to describe my beliefs. I also note that my conservative friends rarely post things to FB or other social media. However, my liberal friends are quick to post and use inflamatory language to try to engage. That makes me frustrated too. Perhaps that speaks to the very natures of the liberals and conservatives. Why can we not be more respectful of each other?
I know if I were to post something that caused disagreement from a liberal, they would post back in a heartbeat and on the attack. I learned this lesson early on and have not been willing to put my beliefs out there since. I wonder how many other conservatives are the same way? I suspect lots of us! I am not ashamed of my beliefs but I refuse to engage with someone who is going to attack. They never ask "why do you believe that way?" or try to have a civil discussion. They merely seem to attack or so it seems to me.
My beliefs are mine and mine alone. So liberal friends and family, keep posting away. I'll keep taking my blood pressure meds and we'll all get through this.
I suspect if I did post, in most circumstances, it would not harm the relationship but there is still that chance that it would. So I write my replies and delete or erase them before allowing them to be seen. It leaves me feeling frustrated that I have not spoken my mind but yet insulated from any hard feelings that might occur on either side.
For the record, I am usually very conservative in my views. I will occasionally take a stance that is not but by in large, conservative would be a good word to describe my beliefs. I also note that my conservative friends rarely post things to FB or other social media. However, my liberal friends are quick to post and use inflamatory language to try to engage. That makes me frustrated too. Perhaps that speaks to the very natures of the liberals and conservatives. Why can we not be more respectful of each other?
I know if I were to post something that caused disagreement from a liberal, they would post back in a heartbeat and on the attack. I learned this lesson early on and have not been willing to put my beliefs out there since. I wonder how many other conservatives are the same way? I suspect lots of us! I am not ashamed of my beliefs but I refuse to engage with someone who is going to attack. They never ask "why do you believe that way?" or try to have a civil discussion. They merely seem to attack or so it seems to me.
My beliefs are mine and mine alone. So liberal friends and family, keep posting away. I'll keep taking my blood pressure meds and we'll all get through this.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing
Back in May or maybe June, our dishwasher developed a problem. It would continually try to add water. It is as if the inlet valve never closes. After some online research, it seems like a fairly common problem and probably related to our hard water.
Well, rather than bite the bullet on the repair, we employed our summer army (aka the three kiddos) with a rotating dish schedule. It worked relatively well for the summer but now that school has started, the army is busy with schoolwork and extra curricular activities. That means that Mom gets to wash a lot more dishes. But I have discovered that if I draft one of the kids to be my helper, I get quite a lot accomplished. Not only do I have clean and dry dishes, I also have an extended period of time in which to talk with the child. And that is a gift!
Today I worked with my youngest DD. She opened up about things happening at school and asked questions I might not have heard had it not been just me and her.
Well, rather than bite the bullet on the repair, we employed our summer army (aka the three kiddos) with a rotating dish schedule. It worked relatively well for the summer but now that school has started, the army is busy with schoolwork and extra curricular activities. That means that Mom gets to wash a lot more dishes. But I have discovered that if I draft one of the kids to be my helper, I get quite a lot accomplished. Not only do I have clean and dry dishes, I also have an extended period of time in which to talk with the child. And that is a gift!
Today I worked with my youngest DD. She opened up about things happening at school and asked questions I might not have heard had it not been just me and her.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Breath, just breath...
8/19/11
In fact, take some big deep breathes! We are in the midst of teaching the oldest DD to drive. She acquired her permit last week and is taking driver's ed this semester in school. It will only be another 5 weeks or so before the teacher takes them out on the road. We have a lot of work to do!!!
So far she has driven only in the neighborhood. We started last Saturday up in a new development where there were minimal cars. Then we added some time around an empty school building to show her she didn't know as much as she thought she did. Then she got to drive home from that same school building at night with the whole family in the car. It is only a couple of blocks from our home and we made her stop before she got to the driveway.
Later this week, she was allowed to drive from a church in the neighborhood to home. The first time, she was not allowed to park, the second time she was. She did great. You should know that our driveway is a single car width and we have a fire hydrant and a telephone pole to one side of it. Makes it a tough turn from the right but turning from the left as she did the first time is not too hard. Then on the same evening, her father let her drive home from the school and park in the driveway but this was the right hand turn. I was not in the car but I hear it took 3 tries.
8/20/11
So this morning I got up early with DD and hit the streets. We left the house just after 6AM with her driving. First we drove to the church. It was a little scary. We had much discussion about how slow one must drive to make a turn. We missed one intersection because she was going too fast. We made it to the church though with no incidents. After parking there, we discussed our next destination, her school.
So off we went through the heart of downtown. We traveled a smaller road (Holmes Ave.) through town and out to the research park. We did meet some walkers out in the park who thought it would be okay to walk in the left turn lane. Uhmmm.... NO! I'm trying to teach a 15 year old how to drive here! You walking in the middle of the road is not good! She did hit one curb after a turn but that was minor. After reaching the school, I changed places with her and drove back toward home. By this time traffic was beginning to pick up a little . We reached the five points area where traffic let up a bit and I let her drive the rest of the way home. I actually had her turn at A. Jackson Way and go up to I-565. She drove from AJW to Maysville (sequential interchanges) and did an okay job. Traffic was pretty light and the speed limit is reduced currently due to a repaving project. It was her first time to drive more than 40mph.
After driving for 30+ years, it can be hard to remember what it felt like to drive in the beginning. This week has brought back lots of memories!
I'm fairly certain that she will be able to handle 'behind the wheel' when that portion of her class starts. I will be spending a lot of time in prayer!!! We would covet all prayers for both her safety and our sanity!!!
In fact, take some big deep breathes! We are in the midst of teaching the oldest DD to drive. She acquired her permit last week and is taking driver's ed this semester in school. It will only be another 5 weeks or so before the teacher takes them out on the road. We have a lot of work to do!!!
So far she has driven only in the neighborhood. We started last Saturday up in a new development where there were minimal cars. Then we added some time around an empty school building to show her she didn't know as much as she thought she did. Then she got to drive home from that same school building at night with the whole family in the car. It is only a couple of blocks from our home and we made her stop before she got to the driveway.
Later this week, she was allowed to drive from a church in the neighborhood to home. The first time, she was not allowed to park, the second time she was. She did great. You should know that our driveway is a single car width and we have a fire hydrant and a telephone pole to one side of it. Makes it a tough turn from the right but turning from the left as she did the first time is not too hard. Then on the same evening, her father let her drive home from the school and park in the driveway but this was the right hand turn. I was not in the car but I hear it took 3 tries.
8/20/11
So this morning I got up early with DD and hit the streets. We left the house just after 6AM with her driving. First we drove to the church. It was a little scary. We had much discussion about how slow one must drive to make a turn. We missed one intersection because she was going too fast. We made it to the church though with no incidents. After parking there, we discussed our next destination, her school.
So off we went through the heart of downtown. We traveled a smaller road (Holmes Ave.) through town and out to the research park. We did meet some walkers out in the park who thought it would be okay to walk in the left turn lane. Uhmmm.... NO! I'm trying to teach a 15 year old how to drive here! You walking in the middle of the road is not good! She did hit one curb after a turn but that was minor. After reaching the school, I changed places with her and drove back toward home. By this time traffic was beginning to pick up a little . We reached the five points area where traffic let up a bit and I let her drive the rest of the way home. I actually had her turn at A. Jackson Way and go up to I-565. She drove from AJW to Maysville (sequential interchanges) and did an okay job. Traffic was pretty light and the speed limit is reduced currently due to a repaving project. It was her first time to drive more than 40mph.
After driving for 30+ years, it can be hard to remember what it felt like to drive in the beginning. This week has brought back lots of memories!
I'm fairly certain that she will be able to handle 'behind the wheel' when that portion of her class starts. I will be spending a lot of time in prayer!!! We would covet all prayers for both her safety and our sanity!!!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
It's a carnival! A blog carnival!
The Rocket City Bloggers have just posted their second Blog Carnival at The Anvil Tree! There is not a theme other than we all live in the greater Huntsville area. Go check it out and see what the buzz is in Huntsville!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Good Sunday Morning
I enjoyed hearing a great sermon this morning at my church. This one was delivered by a guest (Rob Weingartner) who heads the Presbyterian Outreach Foundation. The sermon, naturally, dealt with mission and the role of the church and each individual. He reminded us that no one else was called to do what we each are called to do. Each of us has a specific gift and talent that we are called to use to further the kingdom of Christ. Now that is a heavy responsibility! If I don't listen to my calling, no one else will fill my shoes in same way I that I will. Now I am left with much to ponder this week concerning mission and calling.
He also brought us good news about the body of Christ and how it is alive and growing in many parts of the world. In Korea, China, Ethipoia and East India (the Meso people) the church is growing in staggering numbers. As PCUSA members, we are so used to hearing about how the mainline church is in decline and our numbers shrink each year (nationally). So how is it that the Presbyterian faith is so strong in other parts of the world? Are we doing something wrong? Are we just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In my opinion, we are hindered by both our self-destructive behavior and our culture in the USA. I am reminded of the rich man who cannot get into heaven without giving away all of his worldly possessions. But that may be a musing for another post.
For now I will leave you with my gratitude for today's sermon and my thankfulness for my family. I am truly blessed!
He also brought us good news about the body of Christ and how it is alive and growing in many parts of the world. In Korea, China, Ethipoia and East India (the Meso people) the church is growing in staggering numbers. As PCUSA members, we are so used to hearing about how the mainline church is in decline and our numbers shrink each year (nationally). So how is it that the Presbyterian faith is so strong in other parts of the world? Are we doing something wrong? Are we just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In my opinion, we are hindered by both our self-destructive behavior and our culture in the USA. I am reminded of the rich man who cannot get into heaven without giving away all of his worldly possessions. But that may be a musing for another post.
For now I will leave you with my gratitude for today's sermon and my thankfulness for my family. I am truly blessed!
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