Today was Becca's first day of school without Mom. I don't count yesterday, I was there, as were all of the other parents for an orientation type thing. The focus was mostly on the parents, so that's why I say it doesn't count. She still managed to make her mark, even if it wasn't really school.
We had gone on Tuesday to the school to find out who her teacher is and what room she will be in, because they had it posted then so that people can avoid the crowds the first day. It was an interesting trip with all 4 of my kids, but it was probably better than having to push through the crowds to see the lists posted the first day. We actually had the opportunity to meet her teachers (there are two of the sharing the contract because one is going to be on maternity leave) on Tuesday, which gave Becca an advantage the next day (not really something that was necessary, though).
Wednesday, I had a hard night the night before, with Ali and Zoe not sleeping well. Tony and I managed to get the kids out the door in sort of a reasonable amount of time, and I got the twins and Micah to a friend's house where they would stay while Becca and I went to her school.
We arrived, went to the class, and found her seat. Becca immediately went around trying to make friends in the middle of the chaotic entrance of people. I think she scared some of the kids with her forwardness. My daughter is not at all shy. There were kids who were fine with coming, there were those who were glued to their parents, but no one as outgoing as Becca. While the teachers were talking to the parents, they had the kids look at books, and when things started to get messy, she went to the kids who were not following the rules and told them to put the books away properly. She might have been offensive, except she was helping them and asked them to help her in such a nice way. I was impressed. She usually just yells at people to do what she wants. My little born leader usually manages to get her help to revolt.
After the books, we took a tour of the school, and found where she would go the following morning, and the teachers showed us the daily routine. Becca tried to stay at the front and did the brown-noser thing. It seemed like she was determined for everyone to like her. That could worry me, but Becca is so opinionated that I don't know how long the people-pleaser thing will last.
This morning I took her to school and had her eat breakfast there so I could help her adjust for a little while before leaving her there. She did everything that she was told, but having to do the breakfast line by herself would have been difficult. She was quick to ask for help when she didn't know something (and she usually didn't ask me), so I know that she will be fine tomorrow when I just drop her off and go. She didn't want me to go until her teacher came to get the class from the cafeteria (this is the routine for the first trimester) until one of the girls that she had met yesterday was crying and didn't know what to do. Becca, being the little mommy that she is, went up to that little girl and told the adults trying to help her that they were in the same class, and that everything would be fine because she would take care of the girl. She turned to the girl, asked her to play at their table with her, and the girls sat down and played. I told Becca that I was going to go, and she didn't care. The teacher was walking in then anyway, but Becca hadn't noticed yet. We did our listen and obey talk that we usually do before dance class, and I was off.
I picked her up and she talked nonstop (even though Micah was having a rough time in the car) for quite a while. She loved it, I hope that lasts many years.
So, do I have pictures? Nope! I will have to get some later and pretend that they are from her first day of school. It's cheating, I know, but I have a scrapbook to do!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Good Parents
How would one define a "good parent"? I have met so many of them, and yet there are very few characteristics that they all share. I suppose one would have to define parent in order to figure out what would make a good one.
This definition comes from the online dictionary that I often use.
parent
So if the definition of parent is all about biology, then anyone who has taken part in the conception of a child is considered a parent. If that is the case, then there are quite a few people out there who would be considered to be "good" at that. However, there are many people who would argue that just because your body has been used to create and/or support life, doesn't make you a good parent.
If parent is defined as a protector or guardian, then I suppose that would exclude anyone who has not taken parenting past conception. Of course, there are those who are considered to be parents as guardians or protectors without having anything to do with conception.
So, what is a parent? How does one become a good one?
I ask these questions because I received a comment yesterday that I am a good parent. What does that mean? I can accept the fact that I am good at conceiving children (obvious), I'm even good at giving birth. I feed and clothe and protect my children, but does that make me a good parent? What about those in the world who feed or clothe or protect their children because of reasons beyond their control? Does that make them bad parents?
I pondered this for a while, and I still can't think of a good definition of a good parent. I came up with several definitions until I found a case of a good parent that didn't fit that definition. I figured that it depended on how you define parent, but with so many definitions, a good parent can mean many things.
Case #1
I know a woman who "accidentally" got pregnant (ok, she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, and the "accident" comment comes directly from her. I don't actually believe in accidental conception...sex leads to pregnancy, sometimes even if contraception is used). She does not believe in abortion, but she still didn't want the baby. She doesn't like kids. Yep,I totally mean that in the present tense. She really doesn't like kids, even after having one. She tried her hardest to like this baby, but no matter what she did, she just couldn't bond. She just didn't like the child. She started looking at her options. She went to the baby's father and told him about the baby, and that she was going to give the child up. The father took one look at the child and bonded, and he ended up with full custody, and the "mother" doesn't visit.
I don't know if you see it or not, but I think that this woman is, in her own way, a good parent. She doesn't like the kid, never really wanted the child, but still did so much for the little life that she didn't want. Now, I know that the child may never see the biological mother as a "good parent," but when you really look at her, you can see it.
Case #2
A mother of 5 spends 12-15 hours a day working ouside of the home, and during that time, her kids are all in daycare. Her preschoolers are not always bathed, but they are happy and obedient. Their mother is by herself now that her latest boyfriend moved out, and that is why she has to work such long hours. She would like to spend more time with her kids, but working all the time makes her tired. She lost her job that payed better because she ran out of sick leave last time her kids had the flu, and when she got the bug, she just couldn't get out of bed to get to work. The manager told her not to come back. Now she has two not so good jobs, pays the bills, but when her kids want to play, she is just too exhausted. Still, she makes sure her kids have their homework done, and faithfully reads to them every night. She wants to do so much more, but just can't find the energy.
Can you find the good parent in that picture? Yep, she made some poor choices. Yep, I think that there are areas where improvement can be made, but I can still see the good parent.
Case #3
This woman has 2 children. One boy, one girl. They are in the smart kids classes. They are both great at their respective sports that they are faithful to. Their mother is a SAHM, and cares for her exceptionally tidy home. She plays with her kids when she has time, and does what she can if they need help.
Yet another good parent. One might consider that to be obvious compared to the others, though. It does something to the definition, though.
Case #4
This mom and dad both work full time jobs outside of the home. They love their kids, but neither of them want to stay at home with them. Their kids kinda struggle in school, but their parents got them into tutoring.
I know, I didn't really describe much here, but I don't know a whole lot more than that. I still consider them good parents.
Case #5
Me. Well, you can read my description of myself in my bio.
I'm sure you get my point. There is something wrong with everyone on the list. Some seem like there is much more wrong with them than others. Some are good parents on the outside...some will never hear anyone complimenting them on their parenting. I still think that they are all good parents. There never has been a perfect parent, with the exception of God the Father. Still, something horrible happened to His Child when He was watching, and He allowed it to happen.
I guess that I should probably just take the supposed compliment as intended, but I think too much. I can't think of a good verse right now that will sum this up. If you can think of some good scripture, please post it for me. I know that there are many instructions for parents in the Bible, and many for children, but that isn't really the same. Hmm...I'm going to ponder this more...maybe I'll search a little more and then edit.
This definition comes from the online dictionary that I often use.
parent
–noun
–adjective
–verb (used with object)
| 1. | a father or a mother. |
| 2. | an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor. |
| 3. | a source, origin, or cause. |
| 4. | a protector or guardian. |
| 5. | Biology. any organism that produces or generates another. |
| 6. | Physics. the first nuclide in a radioactive series. |
| 7. | being the original source: a parent organization. |
| 8. | Biology. pertaining to an organism, cell, or complex molecular structure that generates or produces another: parent cell; parent DNA. |
| 9. | to be or act as parent of: to parent children with both love and discipline. |
[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME (<>parent- (s. of paréns), n. use of prp. of parere to bring forth, breed
]
] So if the definition of parent is all about biology, then anyone who has taken part in the conception of a child is considered a parent. If that is the case, then there are quite a few people out there who would be considered to be "good" at that. However, there are many people who would argue that just because your body has been used to create and/or support life, doesn't make you a good parent.
If parent is defined as a protector or guardian, then I suppose that would exclude anyone who has not taken parenting past conception. Of course, there are those who are considered to be parents as guardians or protectors without having anything to do with conception.
So, what is a parent? How does one become a good one?
I ask these questions because I received a comment yesterday that I am a good parent. What does that mean? I can accept the fact that I am good at conceiving children (obvious), I'm even good at giving birth. I feed and clothe and protect my children, but does that make me a good parent? What about those in the world who feed or clothe or protect their children because of reasons beyond their control? Does that make them bad parents?
I pondered this for a while, and I still can't think of a good definition of a good parent. I came up with several definitions until I found a case of a good parent that didn't fit that definition. I figured that it depended on how you define parent, but with so many definitions, a good parent can mean many things.
Case #1
I know a woman who "accidentally" got pregnant (ok, she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, and the "accident" comment comes directly from her. I don't actually believe in accidental conception...sex leads to pregnancy, sometimes even if contraception is used). She does not believe in abortion, but she still didn't want the baby. She doesn't like kids. Yep,I totally mean that in the present tense. She really doesn't like kids, even after having one. She tried her hardest to like this baby, but no matter what she did, she just couldn't bond. She just didn't like the child. She started looking at her options. She went to the baby's father and told him about the baby, and that she was going to give the child up. The father took one look at the child and bonded, and he ended up with full custody, and the "mother" doesn't visit.
I don't know if you see it or not, but I think that this woman is, in her own way, a good parent. She doesn't like the kid, never really wanted the child, but still did so much for the little life that she didn't want. Now, I know that the child may never see the biological mother as a "good parent," but when you really look at her, you can see it.
Case #2
A mother of 5 spends 12-15 hours a day working ouside of the home, and during that time, her kids are all in daycare. Her preschoolers are not always bathed, but they are happy and obedient. Their mother is by herself now that her latest boyfriend moved out, and that is why she has to work such long hours. She would like to spend more time with her kids, but working all the time makes her tired. She lost her job that payed better because she ran out of sick leave last time her kids had the flu, and when she got the bug, she just couldn't get out of bed to get to work. The manager told her not to come back. Now she has two not so good jobs, pays the bills, but when her kids want to play, she is just too exhausted. Still, she makes sure her kids have their homework done, and faithfully reads to them every night. She wants to do so much more, but just can't find the energy.
Can you find the good parent in that picture? Yep, she made some poor choices. Yep, I think that there are areas where improvement can be made, but I can still see the good parent.
Case #3
This woman has 2 children. One boy, one girl. They are in the smart kids classes. They are both great at their respective sports that they are faithful to. Their mother is a SAHM, and cares for her exceptionally tidy home. She plays with her kids when she has time, and does what she can if they need help.
Yet another good parent. One might consider that to be obvious compared to the others, though. It does something to the definition, though.
Case #4
This mom and dad both work full time jobs outside of the home. They love their kids, but neither of them want to stay at home with them. Their kids kinda struggle in school, but their parents got them into tutoring.
I know, I didn't really describe much here, but I don't know a whole lot more than that. I still consider them good parents.
Case #5
Me. Well, you can read my description of myself in my bio.
I'm sure you get my point. There is something wrong with everyone on the list. Some seem like there is much more wrong with them than others. Some are good parents on the outside...some will never hear anyone complimenting them on their parenting. I still think that they are all good parents. There never has been a perfect parent, with the exception of God the Father. Still, something horrible happened to His Child when He was watching, and He allowed it to happen.
I guess that I should probably just take the supposed compliment as intended, but I think too much. I can't think of a good verse right now that will sum this up. If you can think of some good scripture, please post it for me. I know that there are many instructions for parents in the Bible, and many for children, but that isn't really the same. Hmm...I'm going to ponder this more...maybe I'll search a little more and then edit.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
My Adorable Children
Anyone else hate that commercial about Universal Studios with the Simpsons? You know the one, "Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? NoAre we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? No." You get the point. My son has taken to asking that question for hours on end. I can't at the moment think of anything more annoying. What is really special, and I'm sure some of you will think totally cute, is that Ali and Zoe answer him over and over. So basically, the sound track to my life at the moment goes something like this:
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
This goes on until I finally go crazy enough to send all of them to their rooms. Of course, yesterday they figured out that they could hear each other from their rooms and proceeded to continue their game. Not funny.
Anyway. For those of you who know, I had been without a vehicle that will hold all of my children this week. Yep, I went insane. Well, I was already there. I just went further into insanity. This was worst on Thursday. It got so bad that I called Tony at work just to have a short adult conversation. He hurried home, cashing in some of his comp time because he was worried I was going to go psycho on my kids. I believe his words were that he was worried that I was going to go Texas lady on my kids. Don't worry everyone, I won't ever be slaughtering my children. The worst I will do is put them all in their rooms and go to the phone and find someone to come over.
Why was Thursday bad? Well, it started with a sibling moment. Ali apparently did something to offend Micah, and he decided to kick her. I immediately took him to his room and made him stay there and went back to check on Ali. When he goes that nuts, I have to get him out of the way, or he will start to attack everyone. Ali was fine, so I put her and Zoe up to the table with breakfast and went to get Micah. My beautiful son decided that since I told him not to leave his room, he would use a corner of his room as a toilet. I go for the cleaning supplies, and hand them to him to have him clean it up. This is nothing completely new, but it hasn't happened for a while. He knows what to do, anyway. I do have to help, but he does do most of it. I went back to the twins to see them covered in the milk from their cereal bowls dumped on their heads. Bath one.
I come out to the livingroom with the freshly bathed toddlers to see that Becca's hands were covered in icing. She had taken all the icing off of the leftover cake, and was eating that while watching tv. Why didn't she ask for cake? She told me that she was going to, but I looked busy.
Lunch time rolls around, Micah doesn't want to eat. Okay, I really don't care. He will eat in his own time. He decided that no one should eat. He gets angry again. I get hit this time. Back to his room.
Naptime for the girls. Ali and Zoe go to their room, but they aren't sleeping. Becca knows by this time that I am irritated, and she went down for her nap without any trouble. I attempt at this time to do a little cleaning. Kinda trying to relax an d calm myself. Thirty minutes later, the twins are still awake. I open the door to their room and find that Zoe has a pretty good pitching arm. Unfortunately, she was acting like a monkey at the time, if you know what I mean. Ali apparently had used her diaper, and they were both brown from head to toe, and were now flinging their extras. I changed my shirt and put the girls in the bathtub for the second time.
I obviously had to immediately do laundry. I took the clothes and the bedding out to my washer, and Micah wanted to help. Well, I figured he isn't squeamish around poo, so why not? Kids are obviously washable. I hear a blood curdling scream from inside the house (my washer and dryer are outside), and I leave Micah helping to go find the source. Apparently, one of the twins offended the other in some way, and there were bite marks. I set them both on different couches with Elmo on tv, then turn to go outside again. I hear a strange noise coming from the dryer. In the process of helping me, Micah accidently spilled laundry soap into the lint trap of my dryer. I had no idea if the thing was going to work at all. I am imagining at that moment attempting to find time to hang out laundry, and how I was going to keep my puppy away from it. Not to mention my toddlers...or anyone else for that matter. This is where I am in tears. I had been stuck at my house for far too long with no way to run away. I lack sanity when that happens. I am looking at my dryer knowing that I ran out of diapers, and I was pretty broke, and I was planning on potty training the twins soon. Not gonna happen without loads of laundry. Mom had already told me that she needed laundry done for the next day for work. I had a lot to do. My kids were already going crazy all day.
I went back inside, and Micah begins asking for strawberries. I don't have any strawberries. Micah then demands that we go to the store and get some. I can't do that. He kicks me. I have another bruise. I'm done. I called Tony.
By the way, my husband fixed the dryer. I shall live to fight another day. I have my car back. it has a shiny new bumper, and all is well. Micah is still getting more violent, but at this point, I think he is more bored than anything else. I will be calling his doctor again on Monday. I hadn't blogged about this until today because I really wanted to think about something positive for a while.
Here is my positive note for the moment:
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. " Romans 8:18
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Ali: No.
Micah: Are we there yet?
Zoe: No.
This goes on until I finally go crazy enough to send all of them to their rooms. Of course, yesterday they figured out that they could hear each other from their rooms and proceeded to continue their game. Not funny.
Anyway. For those of you who know, I had been without a vehicle that will hold all of my children this week. Yep, I went insane. Well, I was already there. I just went further into insanity. This was worst on Thursday. It got so bad that I called Tony at work just to have a short adult conversation. He hurried home, cashing in some of his comp time because he was worried I was going to go psycho on my kids. I believe his words were that he was worried that I was going to go Texas lady on my kids. Don't worry everyone, I won't ever be slaughtering my children. The worst I will do is put them all in their rooms and go to the phone and find someone to come over.
Why was Thursday bad? Well, it started with a sibling moment. Ali apparently did something to offend Micah, and he decided to kick her. I immediately took him to his room and made him stay there and went back to check on Ali. When he goes that nuts, I have to get him out of the way, or he will start to attack everyone. Ali was fine, so I put her and Zoe up to the table with breakfast and went to get Micah. My beautiful son decided that since I told him not to leave his room, he would use a corner of his room as a toilet. I go for the cleaning supplies, and hand them to him to have him clean it up. This is nothing completely new, but it hasn't happened for a while. He knows what to do, anyway. I do have to help, but he does do most of it. I went back to the twins to see them covered in the milk from their cereal bowls dumped on their heads. Bath one.
I come out to the livingroom with the freshly bathed toddlers to see that Becca's hands were covered in icing. She had taken all the icing off of the leftover cake, and was eating that while watching tv. Why didn't she ask for cake? She told me that she was going to, but I looked busy.
Lunch time rolls around, Micah doesn't want to eat. Okay, I really don't care. He will eat in his own time. He decided that no one should eat. He gets angry again. I get hit this time. Back to his room.
Naptime for the girls. Ali and Zoe go to their room, but they aren't sleeping. Becca knows by this time that I am irritated, and she went down for her nap without any trouble. I attempt at this time to do a little cleaning. Kinda trying to relax an d calm myself. Thirty minutes later, the twins are still awake. I open the door to their room and find that Zoe has a pretty good pitching arm. Unfortunately, she was acting like a monkey at the time, if you know what I mean. Ali apparently had used her diaper, and they were both brown from head to toe, and were now flinging their extras. I changed my shirt and put the girls in the bathtub for the second time.
I obviously had to immediately do laundry. I took the clothes and the bedding out to my washer, and Micah wanted to help. Well, I figured he isn't squeamish around poo, so why not? Kids are obviously washable. I hear a blood curdling scream from inside the house (my washer and dryer are outside), and I leave Micah helping to go find the source. Apparently, one of the twins offended the other in some way, and there were bite marks. I set them both on different couches with Elmo on tv, then turn to go outside again. I hear a strange noise coming from the dryer. In the process of helping me, Micah accidently spilled laundry soap into the lint trap of my dryer. I had no idea if the thing was going to work at all. I am imagining at that moment attempting to find time to hang out laundry, and how I was going to keep my puppy away from it. Not to mention my toddlers...or anyone else for that matter. This is where I am in tears. I had been stuck at my house for far too long with no way to run away. I lack sanity when that happens. I am looking at my dryer knowing that I ran out of diapers, and I was pretty broke, and I was planning on potty training the twins soon. Not gonna happen without loads of laundry. Mom had already told me that she needed laundry done for the next day for work. I had a lot to do. My kids were already going crazy all day.
I went back inside, and Micah begins asking for strawberries. I don't have any strawberries. Micah then demands that we go to the store and get some. I can't do that. He kicks me. I have another bruise. I'm done. I called Tony.
By the way, my husband fixed the dryer. I shall live to fight another day. I have my car back. it has a shiny new bumper, and all is well. Micah is still getting more violent, but at this point, I think he is more bored than anything else. I will be calling his doctor again on Monday. I hadn't blogged about this until today because I really wanted to think about something positive for a while.
Here is my positive note for the moment:
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. " Romans 8:18
Monday, July 21, 2008
Honesty
I was recently told that I am honest to a fault. Hmm...I have a hard time with that one. I have been trying to keep my mouth shut more often with this person, mostly because when I am asked my opinion about something, my opinion isn't really what they want to hear. When asked a question, I feel that I have to answer it honestly. I have taken to asking, "do you really want me to answer that?" I don't want to seem insensitive, but if they don't want my opinion, they shouldn't ask. I attempt to answer many questions with this person using scripture, and I have been told that they just want my opinion, not God's. This seems strange since this person claims to be a Christian. As a follower of Christ, if my opinion is contrary to scripture, then I am wrong. My opinion on things that are addressed specifically in scripture is that the Bible is right.
I guess I just don't know how to deal with this person, and I have attempted many times to avoid contact, but that doesn't work. I know my communication skills are lacking, and many times I am misunderstood. I still don't know when honesty can be a fault when I am being asked a question. I get it that if I am not asked, opening my mouth in honesty is sometimes inappropriate, but that really isn't the case here. So, I am searching for answers. So far in my search, I found:
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
2The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,
But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
3The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
4A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
5A fool rejects his father's discipline,
But he who regards reproof is sensible.
6Great wealth is in the house of the righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.
7The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.
8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
9The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But He loves one who pursues righteousness.
10Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;
He who hates reproof will die.
11Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD,
How much more the hearts of men!
12A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise.
13A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,
But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.
14The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
15All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
17Better is a dish of vegetables where love is
Than a fattened ox served with hatred.
18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.
19The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
20A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.
21Folly is joy to him who lacks sense,
But a man of understanding walks straight.
22Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they succeed.
23A man has joy in an apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word!
24The path of life leads upward for the wise
That he may keep away from Sheol below.
25The LORD will tear down the house of the proud,
But He will establish the boundary of the widow.
26Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD,
But pleasant words are pure.
27He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.
28The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29The LORD is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
30Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news puts fat on the bones.
31He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof
Will dwell among the wise.
32He who neglects discipline despises himself,
But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.
33The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.
So maybe I am just not sharing wisely. I think that this person wants the truth, that is why they keep coming back, but I need to give this person more loving in how I present that truth.
So, any input? I know I have been vague, and that makes it difficult to help me out, but I don't want to embarrass anyone if someone reads this who knows anything about this person. so if you can think of anything that might help my vague situation, help me out.
I guess I just don't know how to deal with this person, and I have attempted many times to avoid contact, but that doesn't work. I know my communication skills are lacking, and many times I am misunderstood. I still don't know when honesty can be a fault when I am being asked a question. I get it that if I am not asked, opening my mouth in honesty is sometimes inappropriate, but that really isn't the case here. So, I am searching for answers. So far in my search, I found:
Proverbs 15
1A gentle answer turns away wrath,But a harsh word stirs up anger.
2The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,
But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
3The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
4A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
5A fool rejects his father's discipline,
But he who regards reproof is sensible.
6Great wealth is in the house of the righteous,
But trouble is in the income of the wicked.
7The lips of the wise spread knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.
8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.
9The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But He loves one who pursues righteousness.
10Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way;
He who hates reproof will die.
11Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD,
How much more the hearts of men!
12A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise.
13A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,
But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.
14The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
15All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
17Better is a dish of vegetables where love is
Than a fattened ox served with hatred.
18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.
19The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
20A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.
21Folly is joy to him who lacks sense,
But a man of understanding walks straight.
22Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they succeed.
23A man has joy in an apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word!
24The path of life leads upward for the wise
That he may keep away from Sheol below.
25The LORD will tear down the house of the proud,
But He will establish the boundary of the widow.
26Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD,
But pleasant words are pure.
27He who profits illicitly troubles his own house,
But he who hates bribes will live.
28The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29The LORD is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
30Bright eyes gladden the heart;
Good news puts fat on the bones.
31He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof
Will dwell among the wise.
32He who neglects discipline despises himself,
But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.
33The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.
So maybe I am just not sharing wisely. I think that this person wants the truth, that is why they keep coming back, but I need to give this person more loving in how I present that truth.
So, any input? I know I have been vague, and that makes it difficult to help me out, but I don't want to embarrass anyone if someone reads this who knows anything about this person. so if you can think of anything that might help my vague situation, help me out.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
An Argument
Today I stepped on some one's toes and made them mad. It was online, and that irritated me because I don't really know this person. Anyway. It made more than one person mad at me, and I'll probably get kicked off this message board.
I'll kinda explain the argument (which I left because people were just cussing me out-on a supposedly christian message board):
This person brought up a situation where someone was asked to leave a restaurant when their child, who was autistic, was screaming and disturbed people. The way that she was asked to leave was rude, however, that really wasn't what the argument was about. The people on this thread were upset that people were not more understanding because the child was autistic. My argument was that just because the child has autism, doesn't mean they have more rights than others. The situation should have been calmly handled instead of what did happen, which was the police chief in the small town happened to be at the restaurant, and he yelled at the lady to get her kid out of there from across the room. However, a child who is continuously screaming isn't OK in a public place. Not to mention that the child is obviously uncomfortable with something and should have his/her needs dealt with.
Now, I have been in this kind of situation before at church (well, sort of. No one actually asked me to leave, but remarks were made). There are many times when I have ignored them, knowing that Micah will calm down, and they would get over it. There are also times when I knew that Micah would not calm down, and I had to remove him from the situation. I don't want to disrupt worship, so I have to leave. Do I get up at every little outburst and take him out as I would with the neurotypical child? No. If I did that, he would probably never calm down in church and be able to sit through a sermon (properly equipped with enough crayons and paper) as he can most of the time now. I have found the place in the church where he is the most comfortable and least disturbed. Notice I didn't say least disturbing...we sit near the front most of the time because the back row is usually the noisiest, but we sit in front of the seniors, who happen to be the people who are most focused and able to ignore him for the most part. We have tried sitting in other places, but I have found that everywhere else he is distracted, talks more, and is not capable of calming down if something sets him off. It is annoying to walk out when necessary and see all the people who he has disturbed, but those occasions are less frequent if we sit there.
Anyway, I think that the best thing for everyone involved in these situations is for the parents to train the child how to be calm in a quiet environment. Avoid the quiet restaurants until the child can handle them. Honestly, at this point in our experience, my twins are more disturbing than my son, and that is just an age thing. They are learning what to do in a restaurant by going to these places. Not the places where they could not handle, and usually during the less busy hours if they can handle waiting to eat, but at places with a family atmosphere, where they can learn how to behave without anyone making rude remarks because of their mistakes. There will always be obnoxious people out there, and sometimes making other uncomfortable is not avoidable, but setting your kid up for failure isn't the way to go.
By the way, I took my son out before he was able to really handle it, too. I was choosy about where we went, but I did leave the house. He learned how to deal with places like Wal-Mart, the grocery store, and restaraunts by going there.
So, should this kid be allowed to scream in public? Yes, within reason. Now, there are quite a few unknowns about this situation. First of all, the type of restaurant was undefined, if it was a family restaurant, well, the guy should have taken that into account when he came to the place if he didn't want to be disturbed. Secondly, how long the child was screaming was not defined. If the kid was going on and on for a while, the mom should know when it is time to give up. This isn't a question of everyone else in the room's comfort level, that is really about the kid. It isn't about violating rights, it's about the child's comfort level. Not that everyone else should not be considered, but in my experience (which is limited), if the child is comfortable, they are less disturbing to those around them.
Personally, I am more disturbed by the chief's response to the situation than the parent's, though. Yelling at someone across the room is probably the least effective way of communicating something, and probably the most obnoxious. Apparently he knew prior to the incident that the child had autism, and it seems to me like he was just adding to the tension of the parent. Why not get up and walk over to the parent and ask them to leave? Why not ask if there is anything that he can do to help? Not that I would accept his help unless absolutely necessary as a parent, but still, that would make the point to the parent that he is disturbed without the totally rude way that he handled it.
So, that's just my humble opinion. That's all it is: an opinion. I am not an expert, I just have a limited amount of experience, and I don't know everything. It isn't non-negotiable, either. If you can give me a good reason why I should change my mind, then I just might do that. Name calling and use of profanity does not add to an argument, it proves a lack of intelligence.
I'll kinda explain the argument (which I left because people were just cussing me out-on a supposedly christian message board):
This person brought up a situation where someone was asked to leave a restaurant when their child, who was autistic, was screaming and disturbed people. The way that she was asked to leave was rude, however, that really wasn't what the argument was about. The people on this thread were upset that people were not more understanding because the child was autistic. My argument was that just because the child has autism, doesn't mean they have more rights than others. The situation should have been calmly handled instead of what did happen, which was the police chief in the small town happened to be at the restaurant, and he yelled at the lady to get her kid out of there from across the room. However, a child who is continuously screaming isn't OK in a public place. Not to mention that the child is obviously uncomfortable with something and should have his/her needs dealt with.
Now, I have been in this kind of situation before at church (well, sort of. No one actually asked me to leave, but remarks were made). There are many times when I have ignored them, knowing that Micah will calm down, and they would get over it. There are also times when I knew that Micah would not calm down, and I had to remove him from the situation. I don't want to disrupt worship, so I have to leave. Do I get up at every little outburst and take him out as I would with the neurotypical child? No. If I did that, he would probably never calm down in church and be able to sit through a sermon (properly equipped with enough crayons and paper) as he can most of the time now. I have found the place in the church where he is the most comfortable and least disturbed. Notice I didn't say least disturbing...we sit near the front most of the time because the back row is usually the noisiest, but we sit in front of the seniors, who happen to be the people who are most focused and able to ignore him for the most part. We have tried sitting in other places, but I have found that everywhere else he is distracted, talks more, and is not capable of calming down if something sets him off. It is annoying to walk out when necessary and see all the people who he has disturbed, but those occasions are less frequent if we sit there.
Anyway, I think that the best thing for everyone involved in these situations is for the parents to train the child how to be calm in a quiet environment. Avoid the quiet restaurants until the child can handle them. Honestly, at this point in our experience, my twins are more disturbing than my son, and that is just an age thing. They are learning what to do in a restaurant by going to these places. Not the places where they could not handle, and usually during the less busy hours if they can handle waiting to eat, but at places with a family atmosphere, where they can learn how to behave without anyone making rude remarks because of their mistakes. There will always be obnoxious people out there, and sometimes making other uncomfortable is not avoidable, but setting your kid up for failure isn't the way to go.
By the way, I took my son out before he was able to really handle it, too. I was choosy about where we went, but I did leave the house. He learned how to deal with places like Wal-Mart, the grocery store, and restaraunts by going there.
So, should this kid be allowed to scream in public? Yes, within reason. Now, there are quite a few unknowns about this situation. First of all, the type of restaurant was undefined, if it was a family restaurant, well, the guy should have taken that into account when he came to the place if he didn't want to be disturbed. Secondly, how long the child was screaming was not defined. If the kid was going on and on for a while, the mom should know when it is time to give up. This isn't a question of everyone else in the room's comfort level, that is really about the kid. It isn't about violating rights, it's about the child's comfort level. Not that everyone else should not be considered, but in my experience (which is limited), if the child is comfortable, they are less disturbing to those around them.
Personally, I am more disturbed by the chief's response to the situation than the parent's, though. Yelling at someone across the room is probably the least effective way of communicating something, and probably the most obnoxious. Apparently he knew prior to the incident that the child had autism, and it seems to me like he was just adding to the tension of the parent. Why not get up and walk over to the parent and ask them to leave? Why not ask if there is anything that he can do to help? Not that I would accept his help unless absolutely necessary as a parent, but still, that would make the point to the parent that he is disturbed without the totally rude way that he handled it.
So, that's just my humble opinion. That's all it is: an opinion. I am not an expert, I just have a limited amount of experience, and I don't know everything. It isn't non-negotiable, either. If you can give me a good reason why I should change my mind, then I just might do that. Name calling and use of profanity does not add to an argument, it proves a lack of intelligence.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
A Rude Awakening
I am so tired of chasing my dumb dog.
This morning, while Becca was letting our dog out to the backyard, Micah decided that it would be funny to open the front door and let her out. Now, I am barely out of bed. I don't have my contacts in, and I can't find my glasses. I can't see anything without them. I went to my car and got my sunglasses so that I could actually see the dog running down the street. She ran and ran, and again, I had no shoes on. I'm really not awake enough to think of things like that. My biggest problem with catching her was that I had to stop and clean up her messes along the way (remember, she was just being let out for the morning, and so she really had to go. I wasn't fast enough to catch her while she was going, and so I stopped a few times to pick up her mess. Becca was having trouble getting the girls back inside the house (they were not dressed yet, either), so I had to stop and get my girls inside. Micah is sitting in the yard laughing his head off. I went back out after my girls were (I thought) occupied with tv and a cup of milk. I see the dog, she sees me, and takes off running. I almost get her quite a few times, but then she ran off to the main street, and I just wasn't going to chase her in traffic. I went back to check on the kids, and I found them all outside again and Becca was hysterical. I called Tony to let him know what was going on and to see if he had any ideas. He got Becca on the phone and calmed her down. I get back the phone and I hear the kids start screaming that the dog was back. She came inside, and I put her in her kennel. I didn't get the thing closed (I know, I was slow. I really thought she had come back for good), and she started running around the house. I tried to calm everyone down so that the dog would calm down, but then Micah opens the front door, laughing and says "out!" The girls all went crazy. The dog went up the street again, and this time, before I went out the door, I slipped on some shoes.
Of course, this dog now has it in her head that if she goes out into traffic, I will stop chasing her. She immediatly ran for the main street. I stopped well before she got there just to keep her from going that far. Our neighbors down the street laugh as Becca once again starts screaming and crying for her dog. I go back to my house and tell Becca that if the dog came back once, she'll come back again (I hoped). The neighbor next door was the one that finally caught her. He got a rope and used it like a leash and I got the dog back in the house. I put her in her kennel and went to calm everyone down.
What makes me the most irritated was that this was a big joke created by my son. He's bored. School needs to start before he comes up with anything worse to entertain himself.
This morning, while Becca was letting our dog out to the backyard, Micah decided that it would be funny to open the front door and let her out. Now, I am barely out of bed. I don't have my contacts in, and I can't find my glasses. I can't see anything without them. I went to my car and got my sunglasses so that I could actually see the dog running down the street. She ran and ran, and again, I had no shoes on. I'm really not awake enough to think of things like that. My biggest problem with catching her was that I had to stop and clean up her messes along the way (remember, she was just being let out for the morning, and so she really had to go. I wasn't fast enough to catch her while she was going, and so I stopped a few times to pick up her mess. Becca was having trouble getting the girls back inside the house (they were not dressed yet, either), so I had to stop and get my girls inside. Micah is sitting in the yard laughing his head off. I went back out after my girls were (I thought) occupied with tv and a cup of milk. I see the dog, she sees me, and takes off running. I almost get her quite a few times, but then she ran off to the main street, and I just wasn't going to chase her in traffic. I went back to check on the kids, and I found them all outside again and Becca was hysterical. I called Tony to let him know what was going on and to see if he had any ideas. He got Becca on the phone and calmed her down. I get back the phone and I hear the kids start screaming that the dog was back. She came inside, and I put her in her kennel. I didn't get the thing closed (I know, I was slow. I really thought she had come back for good), and she started running around the house. I tried to calm everyone down so that the dog would calm down, but then Micah opens the front door, laughing and says "out!" The girls all went crazy. The dog went up the street again, and this time, before I went out the door, I slipped on some shoes.
Of course, this dog now has it in her head that if she goes out into traffic, I will stop chasing her. She immediatly ran for the main street. I stopped well before she got there just to keep her from going that far. Our neighbors down the street laugh as Becca once again starts screaming and crying for her dog. I go back to my house and tell Becca that if the dog came back once, she'll come back again (I hoped). The neighbor next door was the one that finally caught her. He got a rope and used it like a leash and I got the dog back in the house. I put her in her kennel and went to calm everyone down.
What makes me the most irritated was that this was a big joke created by my son. He's bored. School needs to start before he comes up with anything worse to entertain himself.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Broke...
Today I am sadly paying bills and realizing that when I am done grocery shopping, putting gas in my car, and paying bills, there is no more money. Payday is supposed to be fun, but at the moment, I can't think of anything more depressing. Life is not supposed to be this way. What is even more depressing is that I am probably not going to be able to go to school this semester as planned for lack of funds. I really don't want another student loan hanging over us (I have enough of that with Tony's).
Being broke is nothing new for us. It's generally where I have been all of my life, so I know how to deal with it. Still, I was hoping to crawl out of this hole by finishing school, and then getting a real job that will actually be able to pay all of the bills.
How did I get in this really broke state again after almost climbing out? I made a mistake. It really isn't that difficult. One little mistake in our budget, and all is lost for a few months. It's horrible. It really is all my fault, too. It wasn't that we went overboard on spending, it was that my timing was off for one of the paychecks, a payment was made, the money wasn't there yet, and that started a chain reaction that lasted for too long because I was in San Diego and away from my computer.
Usually I spend a long time working on our budget each month, working with the money numbers and a calendar and working it all out. Last month, I worked the numbers and thought I had the calendar in my head all worked out. That was my mistake.
So, here we go again. I am probably going to save up to go back to school in January. Hopefully I will be able to get the cash by then. Fortunately, I am only going to a junior college, and I am not really having to save that much. I'm looking for more corners to cut. I don't know what else I can do without.
Anyone have any tips? I don't have expenses like cable that are luxuries, I'm already cutting down our cell phone plan to only the necessities (we're under a contract, so I can't just drop that). No one is going out to eat anymore for a long while. What else is there. We only run the air when the kids are down for a nap or if it gets really hot in the evenings, so that expense is not too high. The only other thing that I can think of is to not drive anywhere, but how do I attach 4 kids to my bike? Becca will be going to school soon, and while it isn't that far to walk her there, getting everyone up and ready in time to walk would be difficult. I would get a whole lot of exercise that way, though.
Here's some words from Christ:
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?
Being broke is nothing new for us. It's generally where I have been all of my life, so I know how to deal with it. Still, I was hoping to crawl out of this hole by finishing school, and then getting a real job that will actually be able to pay all of the bills.
How did I get in this really broke state again after almost climbing out? I made a mistake. It really isn't that difficult. One little mistake in our budget, and all is lost for a few months. It's horrible. It really is all my fault, too. It wasn't that we went overboard on spending, it was that my timing was off for one of the paychecks, a payment was made, the money wasn't there yet, and that started a chain reaction that lasted for too long because I was in San Diego and away from my computer.
Usually I spend a long time working on our budget each month, working with the money numbers and a calendar and working it all out. Last month, I worked the numbers and thought I had the calendar in my head all worked out. That was my mistake.
So, here we go again. I am probably going to save up to go back to school in January. Hopefully I will be able to get the cash by then. Fortunately, I am only going to a junior college, and I am not really having to save that much. I'm looking for more corners to cut. I don't know what else I can do without.
Anyone have any tips? I don't have expenses like cable that are luxuries, I'm already cutting down our cell phone plan to only the necessities (we're under a contract, so I can't just drop that). No one is going out to eat anymore for a long while. What else is there. We only run the air when the kids are down for a nap or if it gets really hot in the evenings, so that expense is not too high. The only other thing that I can think of is to not drive anywhere, but how do I attach 4 kids to my bike? Becca will be going to school soon, and while it isn't that far to walk her there, getting everyone up and ready in time to walk would be difficult. I would get a whole lot of exercise that way, though.
Here's some words from Christ:
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?
"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Luke 16:10-13
Sunday, July 6, 2008
More Vacation Stuff (updated)
These are my girls after our first day of vacation. We made them a little bed on the floor since the beds were so high off the ground. They slept just fine on the floor. I thought this was cute, so I figured I'd share.
We stayed at my mom's timeshare place, and it was a two bedroom. Her timeshare thing is kinda cool, and the room was actually free for her since she had to go to a seminar thing the day that we went to Sea World. The place is like an apartment, with a stove and refrigerator and stuff so it was a pretty cheap vacation over all. We went grocery shopping for the meals, with the exception of one at Sea World.
The kid's favorite show was not Shamu, but I must admit, we did go to the late one, so they were pretty tired. The one they really liked was the one with dogs and cats and other pets. That was the first one we went to, though, so that might have had a part in it. We also sat in front for the pets one in a pretty good seat (even if we did get a little wet), so I think that helped their attention span as well. It was good that they liked it because I was by myself with the 4 kids. My mom was there for the other shows that we went to.An interesting verse I ran into:
"A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 2:24-26
Update: I wanted to include this video before, but I couldn't figure out how to save it on my computer so that I could upload it until now. Ali is really entertaining to watch. Check it out!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Bright Red
Today I am suffering from the worst sunburn I have had since I was a teenager.
Yesterday I was in worse pain, but I still had to function then...I guess I have to function right now, too, but at least I can do it at home.
Wednesday my mom, the kids, and I went down to San Diego and stayed at her timeshare there until we drove home yesterday on the 4th. While we were there we went to Sea World. I decided that since I would be in the sun all day long, I would wear sunscreen. Seems like a good idea, right? Well, in the past, every time I have worn sunscreen, I have gotten a worse sunburn. Of course, that was when I was a teenager. My skin should have changed by then, right? Beyond that, the formula for sunscreens are different, right? I should have known better when I put it on and started itching.
Yesterday, my mom and I drove home with some tired kids, and both of us were sunburned. My burn is worse than my mother's, though. She didn't wear sunscreen.
Anyway, on to a more pleasant thought.
Sea World was fun. I had never been there before. We went to several shows, the kids played around in the Sesame Street Bay of Play. They all love Sesame Street, so that was pretty convenient. My mom was busy with some business during the first half of the day, so the kids and I were on our own. The park wasn't crowded that morning, though, so we just played around on our own. The kids and I went to a show, when it started to warm up and people started to crowd in. My mom showed up and we had lunch, then took in some more shows, rode the few rides, and basically just played until dinner time. We went back to our room and had dinner there, and then we went back for the night shows. We were all totally exhausted by the time we were done, so we all slept rather well. I woke up still drained, and though I knew I was sunburned, I didn't realize how bad until I really looked in the mirror. I realized then why I was drained and still in pain.
I have soaked my skin in lotion (aloe only makes me feel sticky and gross, and never really works). I have drank more water this morning than I have in a while. I'm trying to stay hydrated and keep myself from hurting so much. My kids keep looking at me strange, and this morning, Micah came up to me and poked me saying, "Mommy red." That was just beautiful. I love being poked in the morning.
By the way, my kids are fine. Yeah, they got a little sun, but nothing like Mommy. Sunscreen works on them. That and they have enough of their father in them to tan nicely.
I'll probably post some pictures later, but for now, I'm beat.
Just because:
"I will praise you, O LORD.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
and you have comforted me.
Yesterday I was in worse pain, but I still had to function then...I guess I have to function right now, too, but at least I can do it at home.
Wednesday my mom, the kids, and I went down to San Diego and stayed at her timeshare there until we drove home yesterday on the 4th. While we were there we went to Sea World. I decided that since I would be in the sun all day long, I would wear sunscreen. Seems like a good idea, right? Well, in the past, every time I have worn sunscreen, I have gotten a worse sunburn. Of course, that was when I was a teenager. My skin should have changed by then, right? Beyond that, the formula for sunscreens are different, right? I should have known better when I put it on and started itching.
Yesterday, my mom and I drove home with some tired kids, and both of us were sunburned. My burn is worse than my mother's, though. She didn't wear sunscreen.
Anyway, on to a more pleasant thought.
Sea World was fun. I had never been there before. We went to several shows, the kids played around in the Sesame Street Bay of Play. They all love Sesame Street, so that was pretty convenient. My mom was busy with some business during the first half of the day, so the kids and I were on our own. The park wasn't crowded that morning, though, so we just played around on our own. The kids and I went to a show, when it started to warm up and people started to crowd in. My mom showed up and we had lunch, then took in some more shows, rode the few rides, and basically just played until dinner time. We went back to our room and had dinner there, and then we went back for the night shows. We were all totally exhausted by the time we were done, so we all slept rather well. I woke up still drained, and though I knew I was sunburned, I didn't realize how bad until I really looked in the mirror. I realized then why I was drained and still in pain.
I have soaked my skin in lotion (aloe only makes me feel sticky and gross, and never really works). I have drank more water this morning than I have in a while. I'm trying to stay hydrated and keep myself from hurting so much. My kids keep looking at me strange, and this morning, Micah came up to me and poked me saying, "Mommy red." That was just beautiful. I love being poked in the morning.
By the way, my kids are fine. Yeah, they got a little sun, but nothing like Mommy. Sunscreen works on them. That and they have enough of their father in them to tan nicely.
I'll probably post some pictures later, but for now, I'm beat.
Just because:
Isaiah 12
Songs of Praise
1 In that day you will say:"I will praise you, O LORD.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
and you have comforted me.
2 Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation."
3 With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.
4 In that day you will say:
"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."
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