Live a Meaningful Life

Why do we live the way we live?  Why are people so busy, busy trying to make money to buy things, pay bills, and store for the future--so they can buy things, pay bils, and then, um...die!  Don't get me wrong--I am not advocating free, unrestrained living and/or spending.  We live on a budget and have no desire to have debt.  If we can't pay cash, we can't afford it!  But as I wake up in the mornings, get dressed, go to my job, work all day, come home, keep up the house, spend some time with the kids, on rare occassions-rest, it all seems so futile.  An honest confession--I really get sick of it.  I really think I would like to live in rural poverty.  I see my family of 4 living in a small dwelling--sticks/mud sound great.  We have a wash tub outside that serves as the bath--it has a cool banana leaf surround.  We get up, start the fire to bake some bread for the morning and sit around and tell stories with the neighbors as we kneed the ...

Oh me...I need to do so many things.  The problem  I don't want to.  I don't want to clean out the cabinets, wash the windows, scrub the tub, put up all the toys AGAIN, sweep/mop the floor, exercise, clean out the fridge, wipe down the cabinets, write a book, go buy some long sleeve shirts, drink more water...need I continue.  As I have sat here typing, my model husband has folded the baskets of laundry we had sitting in the bedroom without whining, dropping any attacking remarks, or even asking me to help.  This is after he cooked supper and made me a plate to carry for lunch!  My goodness I have a good husband.  Not only is he savy around the house, he is quite the eye candy--as a lady at work pointed out today!  And on top of all that, those muscles!!  But even more impressive than all of that--his incredible love and pursuit of Christ. Johnny doesn't seek to shade who he is.  He is confident enough to share his ow...

1.  If you use a buggy at a store and take it into the parking lot--PUT IT UP!  Lazy, lazy people! 2.  People are just people--we are all similar in many aspects--so why get so uptight when having to speak in front of others and do something in front of a crowd?  Worst case scenerio-you do something stupid--guess what? Everyone appreciates a good laugh. 3.  If you have a pattern of drama in your life...NEWSFLASH--it is not every one else's fault! 4.  Dragons--creatures & people who blow smoke out of their mouths.  If you smoke please realize it stinks really bad, your clothes and everything you touch smell like it and all the nonsmokers around you at the park, in parking lots, etc. hate to beathe it in!  Keep your smoke to yourself--in your vehicle and on your property, I already have a bum lung! 5.  Stop acting like your business and to do list is so important.  Stop to play with your children or grandchildren uninterrupted...

Some time ago I read a research article that sought to compare the expressed happiness of people living in other countires to that of people living in the US.  Not suprising to me, the authors found that overall, when compared to other nations, people in the US report themselves as being the most unhappy.  Who would think that people who have food to eat, clean/running water to drink (or at least water that is perceived to be clean--I read an article last year that our water now has traces of lots of meds b/c of the mass use of daily meds and of course for those of you who listen to me rant--there is no possible way that the pipes that bring water into our house can be clean--have you ever looked at that clear piping that runs to water dispensers, ice makers, etc...they turn brown after a while.  If you don't believe me, come to Saltillo Elementary and I will show you one!), anyway, back to my thought--we have houses/places to live, cars to drive, opportunities to ma...

What a week--the older Jackson gets, the more the days seem to be a whirlwind.  With each day he becomes more and more mobile and John Gannon is always ready to begin an adventure. Both go to bed late and rise early--afraid they are going to miss out on something fun.  By the end of the week--Johnny and I are exhausted, the house is a wreck--clothes have piled waiting to be folded/hung, toys are in every room and under all of the furniture, and the "needs to be done list" just gets longer.  But who cares--we only have a few more years we get to do this (playing with our boys)--at some point over the years I am sure we will be replaced by other friends and eventually girls...oh, me!!  And that list, well, I guess we can get started on it then! Jackson has been to the dr this week--diagnosed with a viral infec with croup and an ear infection.  John Gannon threw up last night on the way home from the park and has complained today that his throat hu...

Johnny and I have the perfect scenerio all planned out.  You know how most people dream of retiring and traveling around in the rv--well, we think it makes more sense to do it now--with our boys.  Wouldn't it be great to teach them about rock formations while taking a hike in the rockies or after reading a silly story about alligators going for a swamp tour in the bayou...man the possibilities.  Stay a month here, a month there--meeting people from all walks of life, sharing Christ and being a part of God's work in different geographical locations--man, it would be great!!  For those of you who are more literal and need a better rationale than just the day dreaming type thing, educational theory has proven we are more apt to learn from what we experience--so when we limit ourselves to daily routine--same job, same grocery store, same scenery, same friends, same church... aren't we in a sense limiting ourselves intellectally? We all know those people "who haven...

Sitting at the kitchen table as wind comes through both screen doors and blows my hair everywhere Watching John Gannon as he brings two warm chocolate chips cookies to share Listening to Jackson squeal as he quickly darts across the living room floor in pursuit of something Watching Johnny get the backpack ready to take the boys on an afternoon hike across the adventurous terrain of Jugfork Seeing two Sams's sized diaper boxes, tied together with ribbon laying on my couch (a complete robot costume of course--outfitted with eyes, mouth, and leg holes) Taking a quick glance under the love seat and seeing a small pink elephant and a potato--Jackson's newest toy... Listening to John Gannon tell his daddy about his new painting, "I made that for my moma." Laughing out loud as I sit here and remember yesterday at the aquarium in Chatanooga when Johnny all most destroyed the backdrop where they were making family pictures...dang, they should have a sign warning people...