What can I give?

My mom used to deliver meals on wheels to an assisted living type facility. She would take me along with her sometimes and I have very good memories of doing that with her to this day. My mom would also sometimes make an extra plate of food at Thanksgiving for people who might need a good meal or might be alone on that day. I went once with my dad to deliver it. You remember these things and how good it made you feel. Two years ago at Christmas, our family delivered Christmas meals to 2 different families through volunteering that was set up by a local church. I loved being able to expose the boys to the spirit of helping people. You never know when you might be the one who needs help someday! We also participate in Operation Christmas Child which delivers shoeboxes of toys to underprivileged kids in other countries and of course giving our things we don't need anymore to Goodwill. However, sometimes we or you might not have the extra money to spend on charity stuff but would like to participate somehow. You can always give your time. Sometimes that is the only way we can help other people but I wish someday for enough "extra" to really make a difference in a few lives. At least I would like to think that is what I would do with enough "extra"...  ;)

Be all you can be

Today I am thinking about all the things I want to teach my kids while they are still listening! :) I made a list some time ago of the things that I wanted to make sure and teach my children one day. Then, I asked them what things did they want mom or dad to teach them? The abundance of answers I got was amazing! One said he wanted to know how to turn a cartwheel really good...the other said he needs to know how to cook like a chef. Both wanted to learn about growing things in a garden and both had interests in learning everything they could about animals such as dogs and snakes. I also heard from one that he wants to know about China and what it is like there and how to speak a little Chinese. My point is I could not believe what happened when I just asked them! They would list a thing or two and I would say..is that all..anything else? Then the list would continue and continue...I worked on their lists for a little while but have neglected them lately. I am determined to get back to teaching them the things that they are hoping to learn from me plus a few more that I want them to know. Here are some of the topics we are covering: China, anatomy of a human, dog breeds, snakes, cooking..including reading a recipe, become familiar with different types of music, car parts/mechanics, tool identification and use, healthy living..including different exercise they can practice, Bible stories, etc. We haven't gotten to all the topics yet but we are working our way through them. I want them to be the best they can be but I am careful to not push too hard or expect too much.....afterall I do realize we are dealing with a 5 year old and an 8 year old here :) Keeping it age appropriate is the key to success here! I want to mention that they're not going to excel in every area or love every topic. However, it does help to identify their natural interests and strengths.

Being Content

Okay folks, this is an area where I really struggle I am sorry to admit. I am one of those "dreamers" who is constantly looking toward the future  for the next best thing. It is not easy to admit this but it is true. I sometimes rob myself of today's joy by focusing on tomorrow's possibilities. Example: There was a time when we lived in an apartment just starting out but we didn't live there long because I wanted less neighbors and more space. So we moved into a duplex that was in a great location because from the front porch I got a view every morning of a beautiful lake. It was also very roomy and by most peoples standards a nice place to live...but we didn't stay there long because I wanted even more privacy and an even bigger space and my own house. We moved about a year later into our first home in a different city than we were in before. It was a brand new home that was all brick with lots of nice builder details like a whirlpool tub and his and hers walk-in closets with 4 bedrooms and 2 baths and by most peoples standards not a starter home at all! But in my mind that is exactly what it was. A place to start not to stay and so when about 3 years later we got transfered to a new city I was not wanting to move but loving the possibililty of an even bigger and better place than before. You see what is happening here? Instead of being content in each phase of my life, I tend to rush each phase to get to the next one...the finish line. But you know what? No matter how nice my house or life is there will always be someone out there who has a bigger or newer or nicer place than me. It's that way for everyone pretty much. We can't all be the top dog of the world. We have to learn to be content where we are because otherwise we will live our whole lives and miss all the small joys while we were waiting on happiness. In the Bible, Paul states that he has ....learned to be content in whatever circumstances he is in (paraphrase) from Phillipians. This is something that I am still striving for. I am not saying that you shouldn't dream or set goals for yourself...I think there is a difference when it becomes such a longing that you are no longer content with your life and are left feeling unhappy. As for me, I have that bigger house...the biggest we've lived in yet...it just happens to be 30 years older than the last one we lived in and without those bells and whistles ;)....you see what I mean!? There I go again.

Thankful for...

In no particular order and by all means only a partial list :)
God, electricity, family, friends, home, clean water, air conditioners and heaters, ovens, toilets, cars, pets, laptops, internet, facebook, books, overhead lighting, holidays, happy days, church, Jesus, hometown, ink pens, Bible, Sharpie markers, blankets, pillows, good food, pictures, digital cameras, cell phones, comfortable shoes, snow days, sunny days, rainy days, windy days, jobs, sunsets, good music...the list goes on