Thoughts on a Friday Morning

January 23, 2015
Friday

It's Friday ... the rain has stopped and I am hoping that it dries off enough so I can spread some mulch around in the front rose bed and trim the hedge. I'm itching to get my hands in that new mulch provided by the big trees that were trimmed. Gardening is a way for me to stay fit and, I must admit, I've done a heck of a lot of sitting this winter. It doesn't take long for my upper arms to start looking like bat wings and to huff and puff when I exert much energy. I got out my exercise tape this morning and walked a couple miles. Surprisingly enough, it didn't make me tired and I actually felt more energetic about my day!

Our next "life or death" project is to secure the fence. We stopped at Lowe's on our way back from the city Wednesday and checked out landscape timbers. They are reasonable and will do the trick. In fact, they won't even be noticeable. Kennedy has avoided the fence like the plague since the accident BUT Tuesday he must gotten his courage back because zip(!) under and out he went. Luckily he didn't run away this time. Being a responsible pawrent means keeping my furry kids "inside" the fence!

I have had such a heavy burden on my heart for my country. Judging from all the comments on Facebook, I am not the only one. I must add, I am not worried because I know that no matter what, God's in control. A burden is different ... it's a feeling of heaviness ~ a sadness ~ a yearning that things were different.  It grieves me that so many folks use character assassination rather than looking at the big picture and make excuses for bad behavior/choices. My parents were staunch Democrats and they were very forthcoming about why they believed as they did. I agreed with them and the Democratic platform for many years.

As I grew older, I began to recognize that the Democratic platform had changed and I gravitated more towards the Republican party. Today, I am an Independent and will NOT vote for anyone who I don't believe will bring our country into a better place. I encourage people to do fact checking but have found that people tend to fact check until they find someone who can agree with their own thinking. Human nature...

 I saw a cartoon the other day of some senators and representatives in NASCAR jackets ~ the caption went something like: At least we know who is buying them. Food for thought! Lobbyists have great power but we don't hear much about "them."

So many speak of America as a Christian nation. I, for one, don't think it is anymore ~ the moral compass has changed dramatically and not for the good. President Barack Obama said on June 28, 2006: "Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation ~ at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers." I believe he spoke truth. We are a melting pot of the good, the bad, and the ugly. In my opinion, we've been too tolerant ignoring the wolves who have infiltrated our government and our country.

I was thinking back to when I was growing up. Not everyone celebrated Christmas but those who wanted to do so could do so openly, joyfully, and anywhere they wanted. Each grade sang songs for the Christmas Party at school ... some were Christian carols, others were like "Jingle Bells." Beautiful music was beautiful music even if you didn't share the particular faith. What was absent were the rap songs with lewd or violent lyrics.

In my childhood days, children weren't thrown out of school and teachers weren't fired for saying, "Bless you," or praying or reading the Bible. One morning a week for a couple hours we had the option of attending a Bible school ~ those that didn't want to go, just didn't. No fuss, no fuming. Teachers hugged children needing hugging and disciplined when warranted. Students and teachers were not allowed to swear, use obscene language, or dress provocatively. Sex education was an hour long class in junior high school. The nurse attended to sick kids and didn't hand out condums or give abortion advice. We didn't have violent video games and, most times, preferred to play outside, read, or create activity. We weren't bored.

In my childhood days, our nation was not saturated with pornography. Turning on the tv meant we wouldn't be subjected to programming that treated promiscuity or sexual dress/undress as normal. Boys were taught to respect women. Faithful marriage was the ideal and the norm. Men worked to support and protect their families and their communities.

In my childhood days, there was crime but drive-by shootings, gang rape, rioting, and looting was virtually unheard of. We safely played outside and walked to school.

Ever think about what it would be like if we were free to have a dissenting opinion without fear of reprisal or being accused of playing the race card? Wouldn't it be great if there would be no victimization industry stirring up animosity over real or imagined wrongs, and demanding reparations or revenge? What if we taught our children, largely by example, to be grateful and generous, rather than self-focused and entitled. Wouldn't it be nice if lying and cheating would not be tolerated? Not in children, adults, and certainly not in politicians, prosecutors, or in sports. What if virtue would be encouraged and rewarded, vice stigmatized, and the definitions not reversed?

As a woman, I am forward thinking, have a sharp business mind, and can do most things a guy can do. I was a single mom for a long while and found that I could multi-task and live on very little sleep. I knew what it was like to give up my own wants so that my children could participate in sports and the activities that they wanted to do. Looking back, I often times wonder how I did all that I did. On the flip side, I am also very feminine, soft, gentle, and very much a romantic soul. I loved every moment of being a wife and stay at home mom when my girls were young. I joined corporate America when my son was small and it was a very painful season for me and for him. Now? Just call me God's lady, traditional, adventurous, family oriented, and fun-loving! I'm in a good place.

My strength (and my character) has come from my faith. I've been called a prude, old-fashioned, too nice, too deep, too predictable, and the list goes on and on. There were times that I wished I could be more ... worldly, but there's always been my core beliefs that have anchored me. I have changed over the years yet my character is the same as it was as a small child. The childhood trauma therapist I saw said, "Truly, God has had a hand on your life." Yes, I think He has.

As I begin my day, I wish you God's richest blessings. I know there are some of you going through some pretty rough times ~ mentally, spiritually, emotionally, financially, physically. No matter what, I pray that you will turn your eyes upward knowing that you matter to the King. Hang in there! It is my prayer that you would remain open-minded and teachable to what He has for you. I will warn you, his ways are not our ways so if you're using your own knowledge, fact check it with the Bible. That can be eye opening ~ it was for me!!

Miss Dottie
PS  "I believe in an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out." ~Arthur Hays Sulzberger

I absolutely love this quote and think that it is so applicable to what is going on in our lives and country right now. To become so rigid that we are not able to truly "see" is a travesty. Miss Dottie's advice? Take the blindfolds off and march to the tune of our Creator, our Redeemer, our Savior, our King!!