Some times in life, you have to fall off the grid and that is exactly what I am doing. Every year, I try to do something for me and that is taking time off. Taking time off to evaluate where I am today, where I want to go tomorrow.
One of my closest friends is a psychologist and he has always said, you have to take care of yourself first and foremost, because if you do not, no one else will.
Now that the first round of Christmas has come and gone (my parents are divorced, so we get 3 Christmas’s), we have already put the new toys out for the boys and have started taking some of the ones that they do not play with anymore and gotten ready for Goodwill. Yes, it is a good tax write off, but it is more importantly, a chance to help a child that might be a little less fortunate to get some good toys at a reasonable price.
I really want to raise the boys that as they get new toys, that they will take their old toys and give them to someone else. I want them to start at an early age to be humble. To understand how fortunate they are and how not all kids are that fortunate.
So, as we prepare for Rounds 2 and 3 of Christmas this week, there will be a lot of little boys and girls in our area that will be able to benefit from my kids toys. And as the boys grow up, they will go with me as we take the toys to Goodwill, so that they can get an idea of what giving back is really all about.
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas.
Today, children from all over the world have been waiting for all year. It is Christmas Eve and in a few short hours, Santa will arrive and bring presents to all the good little boys and girls and bring smiles to the faces of children. Today and into tonight, as you spend time with your family and friends, take a moment to reflect on all that you have been blessed with. I know that for me personally, this is the first Christmas that I’ve really looked forward to in years and even though my kids will not understand the meaning behind Christmas, I for one will be enjoying every minute of it.
We will go to church together. We will enjoy a nice meal and put the kids down and wait. Wait until Santa arrives with presents and for the boys to wake up to enjoy playing with toys.
Enjoy today. Enjoy the moment. And enjoy your time together. Enjoy this Christmas Eve.
The great thing about having kids, is seeing Christmas through their eyes. And I have always been a big kid, but now I get to take it to an entirely new level. For the last few years, usually during church (Lord, please forgive me), I would email Norad to find out where Santa was and when he would be stopping by my house. And no, I never disclosed the fact that I was an adult emailing NORAD for myself. NORAD does a great job with this and does an outstanding service of providing information to little kids or in my case, an adult. And yes, I did download the NORAD Santa Tracker for my iPhone so that I could keep constant watch about Santa’s whereabouts.
If you have never taken the time to read the story about NORAD Santa Tracker, please take a few minutes to do so, by clicking here.
And please visit their site here and download their apps if you have a smart phone. I know, that I’ll be emailing them to get an update Monday night to find out where Santa is and when he will be stopping in my area.
Every now and then, you just need a day off. A day off from life. A day off from work. A day off to recharge. Or for me, a day off to play with the boys.
As we get closer to Christmas, and still thinking back to last weeks events in Connecticut, I just needed a day off. Yes, I had a few errands to run, a few Christmas presents left to buy. But, I really just wanted to stay at home for the day and hang out with the boys. Because the thing that I am realizing, is that even though I get to teach and show them new things everyday, they are doing the same to for me too.
They are showing me what unconditional love really is all about. They are showing me that, yes, they are depending on me to feed them and change them, but that I am depending on them too. I love spending time with those two little guys. Playing with their toys, throwing them up in the air, wrestling on the floor. I love watching their expressions when they figure something out for the first time.
Some times in life, we just need a day off. A day off to play with the kids. Show them that they are important. Take them to a game. Watch a movie. Play. I think that yesterday taught me a lot. I think that it showed me that in this crazy thing we call life, we have to slow down and enjoy our time together.
And sometimes, that means, taking a day off.
Today as I read the news about the Connecticut school shooting, I am incredibly sadden and hurt for all of those involved. The students and faculty that were innocently murdered by a someone. As a parent, I am terrified that one day, I will be sending my children to school and that this could happen where they attend. So, as I read the news, a few thoughts came to mind:
To the parents of the school kids, there are no words. There is no comfort that can be given. There is no way to change today. I only hope and pray that in time, the pain will subside a little. No parent ever thinks that they are sending their children to school to enter harms way. School should be a safe harbor, a place to learn and grow and be a kid.
And to the parents of the shooter, they will forever live with this pain and sorrow, knowing that their son did this. A pain that no parent should ever burden.
Today, we as a country mourn the Connecticut school shooting and we pray that together a community, that you will overcome this tragedy. I leave you with these verses that maybe, at some point, that some sense can be made out of this senseless and selfish act.
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’
I know that the boys are still way too young to have the first clue about Christmas, but for the first time in years, I’m really looking forward to it.
I don’t know who will be the bigger kid, me or them on Christmas morning?
Post Election Depression, it is a serious condition and I think that I am suffering from it. At first, I thought that it was just a funk. Then, I realized, that maybe it was more. And after a few Google searches (see results here), it appears that I am not alone.
Is it serious? No. Just more frustration than anything else. But I have realized a few things, 1) our country is changing and 2) I don’t know if the changes are for the good?
The generation that fought in WWII is often and should be referred to as the greatest generation to ever live. Where they? Sure. They were raised during the Great Depression and fought for our freedoms. They worked hard and made little money in return. But what they earned, they were proud of. What they had, they were grateful for. Today, the generations that are growing up expecting something to be given to them. They want the government to help them. My grandparents didn’t sit at home waiting for the government to help them? No, they worked hard for what they had.
I have been really struggling with the results of the elections and especially with the fiscal cliffs that have been looming and I have often wonder, if my grandfather were the President, what would he or someone from his generation do? I came across this article today and it only further my thinking:
A Detroit city council member is asking President Obama to bail out the financially troubled city in return for residents’ overwhelmingly supporting his successful re-election bid.
“There ought to be a quid pro quo,” said Councilwoman JoAnn Watson, according to My Fox Detroit.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/05/detroit-councilwoman-to-obama-voted-for-now-bail-us-out/?test=latestnews#ixzz2EDMhyK4B
So, when does this mentality end? Where does our country go? So am I really suffering from Post Election Depression? Maybe? But maybe it is more because I see that the direction of this country, is going in way that makes me sad. A direction that I hope that I can teach my boys is wrong and instill in them a hard work ethic and that they should not be dependent on the government. Because in life, there are always teaching lessons, and this might be a hard one that our country has to endure.