Shocked and Amazed!

So, as I was cruising Facebook this afternoon, a video a friend of mine posted caught my attention.  The caption simply states, "Everyone saw the biracial Cheerios commercial, but kids saw it differently."  I don't watch very much TV, so I was a little curious what they were even talking about.

Here is the link if you want to watch it to satisfy your own curiosity now:

http://www.dailydot.com/lol/kids-react-cheerios-commercial-race/

The video is almost 9 minutes long, so I understand if you don't want to or have the time to watch it.  I don't remember even seeing this commercial before, so I either haven't seen it, or it was not a big deal to me so it was in one ear and out the other.  It is about Cheerios obviously, and features an adorable little girl who finds out that Cheerios are heart healthy, and proceeds to put them on her sleeping Dad's heart.  Pretty cool I think.  Especially the example of the way kids minds work.  I personally would never have thought to do that.

The problem with this video you might ask?  This commercial features biracial parents.  WHAT!?!  This is a problem?  Do you see the absolutely adorable little girl?  And the completely normal home?  I mean, I know this is a commercial, so it's all set up, but really people?

But they film a bunch of kids watching this commercial and get their reactions to it.  They all think it's pretty cute.  Then they find out that people are actually having horrible responses to it.  All because of two people who just happen to have different colours of skin.  And their responses will put a smile on your face for sure.  One girl is even so passionate about the subject that she is brought to tears. 

I hope that I, as a parent, will never teach my children that something as small as skin colour makes a difference to how I look at a person.  As these children point out, it's a person's character that makes them who they are, not their genetics.

I know this is an unusual post, but it just blew me away that this would be an issue today.  And I am proud of my parents, who raised me to not really even see the skin colour of people, but who they are.  And to love them for that. 

Heavenly Father, I am saddened by all the judgement in the world today.  Please soften the hearts of those people who are missing out on so much because of preconceived notions.  Please help them to see loving examples of those they judge, and let their minds be changed.  And Lord, please help us to raise our children in your example, that we are all the same in your eyes, no matter where we are born, or what colour our skin is.  Let us be shining examples of love and acceptance to all those you place in our paths, because you have put them there for a reason.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Please if you need prayer, leave a comment.  I would love to lift you up to God in love.

Shiny!!!

I don't know how many of you have seen the eCard circulating Facebook, but it's the one where the kids are "cleaning" their rooms.  Except rather than actually getting any cleaning done, they are playing with all of the toys they forgot they had...Yep, if today is any evidence, that is me.

I started out late today.  My husband worked until 3:30 this morning, and I have a hard time sleeping without him, so I overslept a little this morning.  And my kids cooperated!  Thank you Jesus for small blessings.

Then as I was frantically trying to get out the door, my husband phones from work (he was up and out of the house at 7:30, poor, amazingly hardworking hubby!) to ask if our nephew is at our house yet.  Since I had no idea I was expecting him, that was a no.  The other guy who works for us overslept too, and ended up showing up 2 hours late for work. 


My sister in law shared this AMAZING idea on Facebook about cutting pool noodles to fit over the springs for your trampoline.  Genius!!!  So I dropped all of my work for the morning and raced out to get them.  So my nephew went pool noodle shopping with us.  More thank you's for small blessings here.  Have you ever gone shopping for 20 5' long pool noodles with a 3 year old and 19 month old in your cart at WalMart?  It sure is an experience!  An afternoon of cutting pool noodles and I now have what I call my "Mexican" trampoline.  And the kids love it.  Now I just have to hope that the pool noodles hold up well and I don't have to do this again next year.  I really don't want to repeat the experience.  For any of you who are interested, it took 14 pool noodles cut to 8" lengths to cover the springs on our 16' trampoline.  I used the leftovers for our homeschool learning bags and made 3 learning bags.  Not a bad deal.  We got the trampoline for free, it cost $30 for the pool noodles and an afternoon of measuring and cutting.  Well worth it.

But anyone who follows me knows that I have been in way over my head with my homeschooling "project" (hence the pool noodle learning bags).  I found something shiny that looked fun to do, so I scrapped my to-do list, and went to town.  Now, I certainly feel better about making the trampoline safer for my kids, and safety is always a priority, but I wish I was a little better about organizing my time to get more stuff done.  Then maybe I wouldn't scrap the to-do list altogether, maybe just alter it a little.  And I know that I can't be the only one suffering from this condition...

Heavenly Father, I thank you for all you have provided for me and my family.  I thank you for the material possessions that we are fortunate enough to have, but even more, I thank you for all of the amazing people you have put into our lives.  Tonight I lift up all of us who are feeling disorganized and strapped for time.  I ask that we learn to do only that activities that advance us farther towards you, and that we forget about those time wasting activities that so often steal our attention.  Help us to have a better focus on what steps we need to be taking on the path you have us set.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

As always, please, please, please leave any prayer requests in the comments section.  I would love to lift you up to God. 

Epic Fail!

So I am not doing so well on posting every day.  Life just keeps throwing curve balls at me.  Last week I was feeling not so great (super tired ALL THE TIME).  It was taking all my energy just to keep up with my kids and meals and laundry.  Then this week, my hubby is under the weather.  And now my youngest must be teething or something.  Poor boy, his bottom is fire engine red with a rash.  I can't even imagine what that feels like.

Add on to all of this, hubby is about to leave town to work for 3 days, home for 2, then gone for another 3, so lots of stuff to get ready for him to go, on top of regular planning.  And his stress level is through the roof, so additional time spent praying that I can find a way to take some of the weight off of his shoulders. 
What is a girl to do?  Well, pick herself up, put on her big girl panties, and lean on a much higher power to help her and her family through all of this of course!

This is a short post, I know, but my big girl panty collection needs to be put into the dryer,  and the items coming out are begging to be folded and put away.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for today.  I thank you for the continued health of my family (as we are only fighting off yuckiness, we are pretty lucky).  I thank you for your continued provision for my family.  Today I lift up all of those struggling with their work loads.  I ask that they lean on your strength, and that they find the time to have at least a short conversation with you.  I know you are there just waiting for us to lean on you.  And God, please help us to show love to those around us who are so busy, let us find something to take off their hands.  In Jesus's name.  Amen.

Just because this was an uber short post, please do not hesitate to add any prayer requests in the comments section.  I spend a LOT of my day talking to talk and would sincerely love to lift you up in prayer to him.

Pure Awesomeness!!!

Today was a pretty awesome day.  Any of you who have been reading my blog know that a day where I get it all done is pretty much the ultimate in housekeeping happiness for me. 

I started out with a visit with my parents and learned a little bit more about my family history.  It's pretty murky digging for me, so it was nice to get a few hints for where to look. 

Then I went to one of our local thrift stores and found a 4 drawer Ikea cabinet for $6.  SCORE!!!  And then I found a roll top desk organizer for $5.  SCORE!!!  I am planning to homeschool our kids and have been scouring thrift stores, garage sales, and my local Facebook buy and sell group for great finds, and it all seems to be coming together.  It is so nice to feel like I am constantly getting signs that I am on the right path.  And I am never one to pass up a good deal.  I have discovered so many amazing games and teaching tools lately that I am running out of places to put them.  I think I am looking forward to this way more than my kids.

I got the cabinets cleaned up, then cleaned up my area in the kids playroom to put them.  I am leaving them empty for now (which means the suspense just might kill me...lol), so that the kids don't destroy their supplies before we get a chance to begin.   Although I lost a lot of sleep last night trying to figure out how I could start the curriculum without really starting it, just because I want to know how it will work.  Maybe one of these days we will get out one of the games just to try. 

I played with the kids outside while the laundry was finishing, then got dinner ready.  We bathed the kids and I got both lawns mowed before my husband went back to work.  I am exceptionally blessed, having married the hardest working man I know.  He went to work this morning at 7:30, made it home at 5:15.  Then he went back out at 7:30 tonight and will probably work until midnight at least.  This is the hardest time of year for him with so many things that need to be done and many of them things that only he can do. 

I don't tell you all of this because I think you'll agree with me that this was an awesome day.  This may be the opposite of what you consider to be spectacular.  And that's okay.  I tell you my story so that maybe even if my "great day" looks different than yours, you look back at your day and find the greatness in it. 

Heavenly Father, tonight I lift up all of those who are struggling.  Let them lean on your strength.  Let them know that your plan is so great for them, they only have to have faith.  Let them reach out to someone if they need help.  And let those who are asked to help someone have the means to help out.  Let all of those people who are working themselves to the bone have the time to bask in your presence.  Let them feel your unconditional love.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Beginnings

I haven't written on here in what feels like forever.  As I said in my last post, I was doing an online bible study through melissataylor.org.  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring home all of my materials (book and bible included) when I went on vacation.  So that was the end of that bible study.  But, as my husband pointed out, maybe God wanted someone to either be brought back to him, or even introduced to him through the highlighted passages in my bible, or the notes about the book in my journal, or maybe they would read the book (Stressed Less Living by Tracie Miles), and be brought to Him in that way.  So all hope is not lost.  And my next bible study, again through melissataylor.org starts at the end of July.  It really is an amazing group of ladies who lead us, and are so loving and giving.  I feel very blessed to have found their site and encourage others who don't have an easy to get to bible study in their own town to get to, try out theirs.  They are worldwide, with over 12,500 ladies signed up from all corners of the world, there will certainly be someone you can connect with.  And the best part is, you can do it in your jammies, cup of tea at hand, and no one will care! 

I titled this post beginnings because I have spent the last little while looking into homeschooling options for our children.  Our school district is not desirable to us at this point and we feel that our child is best served with personal attention rather than thought of as a number.  I stumbled upon God's Little Explorer's curriculum for only $10, that was based on the stories in the bible in chronological order, with different aspects of learning included.  She goes over the alphabet, shapes, colours and numbers all in a neatly organized package, right down to your day planned out for you.  It comes with all these amazing ideas for learning bags.  And then I was playing online one night looking at other ideas for learning bags and found discovery bottles.  Oh my have I been busy cutting and sorting and washing and experimenting.  And they keep my husband fully entertained.  Lol :)

Now that I feel a little more organized, and the weight of finding learning options for our kids is off my chest, I will be back to writing posts regularly I hope.  If you have any questions, suggestions or comments, let me know.  I would love to hear from you.

Also, if you have any prayers requests, please leave them below.

Heavenly Father, today I lift up all of those who are struggling right now.  Whether they are struggling to organize their days, or to focus their hearts on you, please help them to follow your path and lean on you.  Help us all to be better organized and focus on your goals for us rather than what can so often distract us from you.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.