Camouflaged Agenda

As always, a little disclaimer to begin. I personally don't care if you or your family choose to hunt.  I don't understand calling it a sport.... Unless it's hunting where you are tracking and stalking.  But, I am well aware that people do it. The article referenced below states, rather sarcastically, that hunting makes a person better.  The full article can be read here...

http://jdheinerblog.com/2015/03/19/10-reasons-kids-should-not-hunt/

I would like to show that there are other ways to instill the same values just as effectively.

The author writes the following:

"Admittedly, I asked myself “why?” After much thought, I have come up with exactly 10 reasons why kids should NOT ever hunt in all its forms.

Hunting teaches kids how to provide. Really? What kid needs to learn how to provide? We are no longer cavemen or pioneers. Our kids are entitled not only to basic needs but to added comforts.

Hunting teaches kids how to be uncomfortable. What kid needs to learn the value of cold hands and blistered feet? Kids should never be expected to sleep on the ground. As an advanced society we are certainly above this. All the comforts of the world should be ours. Our time is best suited teaching our kids actual lessons of value like how to get something for nothing.

Hunting teaches kids how to stay fit. Good health is overrated.

Hunting teaches kids how to respect God’s creations. Who’s that guy anyway? Isn’t America’s prosperity the result of our own great minds? Aren’t those awe-inspiring hills and all that is in them a result of some big bang?

Hunting teaches kids how to prepare. Prepare for what?

Hunting teaches kids how to work. We live in a day and age where every one of our kids are entitled to a job despite their work ethic, reliability, prior training or education. To really spend the time teaching a kid to work would have been valuable maybe 52 1/2 years ago.

Hunting teaches kids how to survive. Survive what?

Hunting teaches kids how to conserve resources. Resources are plentiful. Do you really think they are going to run out? If the goal is to conserve, wouldn’t killing do just the opposite? Maybe PETA is on to something. Clearly hunting and conservation do not go hand in hand.

Hunting teaches kids how to solve problems. Problem solving is for the birds. The risk of encountering too many problems while hunting is real. Clearly my own attempt was chuck full of unnecessary problems. I should have known better than to leave my recliner and remote.

Hunting teaches kids how to have fun. To be honest the high-pitched shriek of kids laughing can be annoying. It is certainly counter intuitive to hunting. Perched behind the glow of their iPad in the darkest corner of the house their laughter and tears are only a distant squeal."

So my response?  The does not need to be the assumption that the ones of us who don't hunt have no bearings on how to instill values... We do...

Instilling a solid work ethic and moral compass in your child by investing time daily showing them what it takes to support your family will help them learn what providing for a family actually means.

Taking your child to serve in the mission field, feed the hungry, be the hands and feet of Jesus/Mohammed/Buddah/just an overall good person will show them that life is not always comfortable and that we should all strive to ease the suffering of others.

While we should never shame our children's bodies, having meaningful conversations about being healthy in our activities and eating is important. Model healthy choices in your own life and show your children how to stay fit on a daily basis.

Take your children to the state and national parks. Let them be immersed in the miracle of this world with every breath that they take. Teach them that this is our only home for the foreseeable future. Respect the world we have for what it has given.

Teach your child time management skills by setting a task to be completed before something else can be done. Teach them to prepare their tasks so that they are more efficient with time. Help them to understand that if you are going to ride our bike, there are steps we take to prepare for that.

Instill a work ethic in your child. It builds character. Make a chore chart. Pay the kid for a job well done. Teach your child that you get nothing for nothing and only something for, well, something. Work is part of life, teach them that by showing them that... Like daily.

So many people in our world would not survive without the creature comforts that we have. But many would. Plant a garden with your child. Show them how to harvest seeds. Show them how trapping works, fishing, and for all purposes yes, even how to properly fire a weapon if needed. Teach them how to scavenge, dress a wound, obtain clean water, start a fire.  Teach them how to follow the stars and the path of the sun. Teach them to LOVE... Otherwise why would they survive...

Our world is not endless.  Show them those without.  Show them that the lakes are low, show them where the forests once were. Plant a tree and have them watch how long it takes to grow and then how much it takes to make something. Show them that sometimes when things are gone... They are gone.  "Yes, Jane, you can have milk but that's all there is until Friday. Your choice. Would you like to save some for tomorrow?"

Parents are often those that rush to save their children.  Let them fall. Let them mess up. Ask, "what are you going to do to fix that?" Allow your children to solve some of their own problems. Be a resource not the repairman.

Make memories.  Ones that make you smile and ones that make them smile.  Some of my favorite memories of my childhood are from building things with my great aunt or working with granny in the garden. Have fun, get dirty, make a mess, clean it up.

All in all, I don't care if people want to hunt, but when it is written in a way that speaks down to another person, the points get lost amongst the irritation and snide remarks. 

Thanks for the blog material though.

Peace.

Peace

Something that we all enjoy but don't always have. At times we often feel that we may never have it. Due to one thing or another, it's always just being our reach.

Peace.

How do we get there? I will say that for us, it's been discovered in the most elusive place ever. I'm not one to get excited about diet fads or get rich quick scams. However, we did enroll in Dave Ramsey's class when our church offered it. And I will say that it is amazing. I didn't realize I was so stressed about our finances. But now that we are working together it's just amazing.

So step outside your box, look in interesting places, find your peace.

Unless someone like you...

Cares a whole awful lot....

Dr. Seuss was pretty amazing.  He doesn't say unless someone like you persecutes, withholds food, promotes inequality, allows injustice, denies healthcare, or permits children to be homeless.

.... It's not going to get better, it's not.

Sometimes I need a reminder that my voice, though not always appreciated, is necessary. Because there is an undeniable need for change.

Open letter to adult bullies...

Good afternoon,

I understand that you are insecure in some way or another. I understand that some of you do not even know that you are a bully. I understand that some of you were the victim at some point. I understand that some of you think this is the stupidest thing you have ever read. I also understand that the people I wish would read this... won't.

All that being said, I wish you would stop. I wish you could understand the damage you do. I wish that you were able to see that, even though you don't physically hurt someone, the scars remain. I wish that you would think before you speak. I wish that you would care about others to the point that being kind is your first priority. I wish you could see the pain you inflict on family members. I wish you could feel the spirits you crush. I wish you were never taught how to belittle others, because you were subjected to it yourself.  I wish you knew how to elevate others. I wish you knew how to celebrate differences.

I wish you would read this...

No more goody bags...

So my daughter, the fabulous L, will be resigning from the crazy birthday party club.  I don't want to do them anymore. And I am going to take a stab in the dark here and say neither does anyone else with children. I can hear you now, but I love to craft, bake, and spend money. Yeah, I do too. But I don't like to craft Disney stuff, and yeah I love cake… I make some amazing cupcakes… but I hate chocolate cake, oh yeah and that money, well our family is trying to get outta debt so filling goody bags with crap that will a) make your child's teeth rot or b) get lost in the floor of your car on the ride home which will end up resulting in a tearful tantrum because it was "the best" whatever it was, just isn't going to happen anymore. So now is your time to say thank you… So what is L possibly going to do since her horrible mom isn't putting on a show this year? Because, I can be honest and say I used to. We have had the following so far… 1: Zoo 2: Yo Gabba Gabba 3: Tinkerbelle 4: Rapunzel 5: Hawaiian and Pool Party (yeah folks we had 2) 6: Hawaiian Falls…

Enough… enough goodie bags, overspending, cakes that cost way too much and mommy downing almost an inappropriate amount of wine to stay sane.

So this year… my L will have a party, with friends, at the house. There will be a cake… from a box.  There will be fun… they will go outside…

And there will be an appropriate amount of wine. 

 

Spiritual Pep-Rally

Sunday rolls around and it's off we go.  Set up, practice, service, tear down, leave. There are classes, but none that really make me want to go. I used to lead one, but the topics weren't interesting.

I leave feeling connected to God. But I feel that way daily anyway.

I leave feeling glad to see people. But I feel that way daily anyway.

I leave knowing God loves me. But I feel that way daily anyway.

I also leave feeling unfulfilled and like I attended and hour of a pep rally. For a game that already happened and we won.  

I don't know if I'm the only who feels like that. Like church has become less about teaching and more about making people feel great. Which, let's be fair,  is all great, unless it's not.

I find that I feel more fulfilled in my spiritual conversations with others, than I do from attending service.

I find that I feel more connected to God feeding the hungry, than sitting through a sermon.

I find I am missing something.

I don't think my church is bad, oh I don't agree with everything. In fact, many times I very greatly disagree...

I do wonder if I am looking for something that the church can provide at this time, or if I need to look elsewhere for the teachings of equality and love.

I do wonder if I am out of line expecting that I hear about Ferguson, The Re-Frocking of a Pastor, or the church views on homosexuality. And then, if I am indeed out of line...

Do I want to be in line at all.

Peace in Pieces

I recently had a question asked to me in regards to why feeling inadequate at church is so painful? It struck me as a really powerful thought.

I found my answer to be something to this nature... We are taught that church is the place where are short comings don't matter. And they don't... until they do.

I had to think on it. I've struggled in church a few times. I've been through all the emotions from anger to despair.  I've felt invisible among a sea of faces that were supposed to be my spiritual family.  I've felt like I was in some way betraying my faith due to the anger I felt.  I've hit my knees hard to try to discern where I was messing up. I learned. I railed. I cried. I grew.

Where I am now is a place that was forged through thoughtful consideration and prayer. I don't always agree with direction my church takes, but I'm okay with not agreeing. I'm okay with questioning and I'm fully aware that the body of a church is made up of people who are not perfect. They make mistakes just like me and, yes... you guessed it...

I'm okay with that.