It seems that everyone has a "Top 10 List for 2012". Since I prefer to not follow the crowd, this post will not contain any lists (unless midway through I change my mind, which I do reserve the right to do) about this past year or the one we are about to enter. Rather, I'd like to take a moment to just remember a few of the more poignant moments from my own life and/or the events that changed our world.
Politically, 2012 was a huge disappointment. It is amazing to me that we have all the information we do about President Obama and his plan for the USA, be in an on-going economic downturn, constant war and STILL have people so brainwashed and full of entitlement that he would be re-elected. Part of the problem was the fear of the GOP to really tell the people the truth about what this country needs in order to avoid the massive problems that are coming as well as avoiding telling the truth about who Obama really is - out of fear of being labeled "racist" or whatever. When Romney picked Ryan as his running-mate, I was overjoyed and filled with hope that finally the GOP would get the truth about Conservatism out to the people, but as the campaign went on, once again I was disappointed by the lack of chutzpah the party with which I most associate demonstrated. Until we elect leaders who have true backbones and who are willing to cut spending and limit entitlements (quit handing out taxpayer money like candy to corporations and lazy people), we will never see our country return to the path of prosperity and greatness that it once was on.
Along with politics goes the two failed proposed Amendments to the Minnesota Constitution - Voter ID and the Marriage Between One Man and One Woman. The first I fully supported and am still somewhat shocked that it didn't pass as it seems to me to be common sense. The second one, I was on the fence. Unfortunately, the way our system works forced me to have to choose since leaving the little circle empty equated a "no" vote (I think that one should have the option to not vote; how hard is it to make three tallies - "Yes", "No", "Chose not to Vote"?). I personally lean Libertarian in my views and believe that the government needs to just stay the heck out of everyone's personal life - the smaller the government the better. I also think that if someone wants to make a contract with another person (which really is what a "Marriage License" does) and form a "civil union" that it shouldn't matter what sex they are. Then, if they want to "marry", let the free market decide: if a church believes that same-sex marriage is within their tenants, then they can perform the ceremony. If not, the couple can go to a church that will perform the ceremony. There ya go. Done. Enough with the fighting over this issue. Make all people have civil unions and be done with it. (Seriously, with the economic problems the USA is facing, does any of this REALLY matter? If America goes down the toilet, who really is going to care who is shacking up with whom?) As a person who has gone through a divorce, I think that if same-sex couples want all the "rights" heterosexual couples "enjoy" (yeah, especially the marriage penalty on taxes), then by all means, let them also enjoy the flip-side and find out how much fun it is to have to employ lawyers when they realize that "love of their life" really isn't "the one." (I had a fun Twitter debate one time with some gay activists who insisted that they wanted "the Right to Marry" so they could call their "partner" their "husband." To which I replied "Who's stopping you from calling him whatever you want?" Freedom of Speech is still our First Amendment, I believe.)
The day prior to the election, I decided to forgo any last ditch effort to get out the vote - honestly, if people have not figured out by the day before the election their choice in candidates, I don't want them voting. (Sometimes I think it would be smart if we could have each person take a "current events" quiz prior to voting just to make sure they actually know for whom they are voting and for which issues that person stands. There could be some pop culture questions tossed in to make it easier for those who pay little attention to politics, too, and to make it harder for those of us who really could care less about which celebrity got fat or pregnant or divorced or is back in rehab.) I'm not advocating returning to poll taxes or anything like that, but requiring the electorate to at least be a little informed might help change things for the better. However, considering that my great state (cough cough) can't even pass an amendment asking that each voter have a valid ID to vote (seriously, Minnesota? How is it disenfranchising to require someone to show ID at the polls when you can't even buy beer or cash a check or get on a plane or get into an Obama rally without valid ID?), I'm pretty sure that my Poll Current Events Quiz Amendment wouldn't pass either.
Personally, during 2012 I think I gained and lost and re-gained the same 20 pounds about three times; experienced having all four children in school all day for the first time in September; spent half the year as a 90% single-parent since Hubs worked out of town 5-6 days a week; fought with SwimGirl enough to age about 15 years; watched I don't know how many hockey games and swim meets; sat for hours waiting for kids to get out of the locker room after practices, meets and games; went through the college-selection process with SwimGirl (yay me, I get to do that three more times! ugh.); watched SwimGirl attend Prom; watched Tbone finally skate for his High School team; watched Sparkles sing a solo in public ("The Star Spangled Banner" at a JV hockey team - she rocked it); put my baby Buttercup on the bus for her first day of First grade and watched as SwimGirl drove off on her first day of her last year of High School; and many, many other events that are two numerous to count.
I realized that I want to work and earn money, but that an office job is probably out of the question because I'm not sure I could play the office political game (and therefore, not be quickly fired). I also discovered that one needs to make sure that one does all the research possible and gather all the pertinent information regarding an issue when one embarks on organizing a fundraising project/event for that issue/person or else be forced to back out when all the information becomes known, and when one is honest about the "whys" of the resigning from said project/event, that sending an email isn't the way to go (and sometimes, being "too honest" may also not be smart, either) even when one works hard to phrase the "whys" in such a way as to not hurt or offend anyone, the written word can always be misconstrued by the other party. (Who then may or may not distribute above-mentioned email to all his/her associates while accusing one of malicious intent causing great distress all around.) I also realized that my writing talents are put to better use attempting to entertain anyone willing to read my blog.
Looking forward to 2013, I am resigned to the fact that Minnesota has a Democrat-controlled government and the US still has Obama, Reid, Pelosi and Boehner still in office. I am not happy with the status quo, but I am at a loss as to how to change it. So, I've decided to go with brilliant advice given by the phenomenal Christine Caine: "Stop trying to change someone else's mind & work on your own. It's not what someone else thinks about you that limits you it is what you think!" I've spent much of 2012 desperately trying to change other people's minds/beliefs about various issues with little to no effect, leaving me feeling like I'm banging my head against a brick wall (which, really? If I want to experience that feeling, all I have to do is start up on pretty much any topic with SwimGirl and let the headache begin). So, for 2013, I am going to work on becoming a better parent, a better friend and a kinder, gentler, classier person who understands how to make people feel comfortable and happy and in so doing, makes others want to spend time with me. (How's that for platitudes?)
Happy New Year!
MNHOCKEYMAMA You've entered our world now; unless otherwise noted, all posts are my thoughts/opinions/musings; callin' it like I see it.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
It's the End of the World As We Know It...Or Not?
According to the Mayans, our world is supposed to end on 12/21/12. Many "experts" have debunked this theory in many different ways. My personal favorite "expert debunking" is the one that points out that the Mayans didn't take into account Leap Years. It makes sense to me that their calendar would be off from our's since we use the Leap Year system and they, having not had access to the Roman (that's the one we use, right? Suddenly, I'm not sure...) calendar as we have, did not. I am bummed that I missed out on the levitating that we are (were?) supposed to do on 12/21/12 - if it already happened, I must have slept right through it and that is just plain sad because I really would like to know what it feels like to float freely above my bed.
My other favorite theory about the Mayans is my own (who would have guessed, right?): I think that what really happened is the guy who was banging away on those stone tablets either just got sick of it and decided to be done or he keeled over and died where he was and no one else wanted the job. Combined with the idea that the Mayans couldn't conceive of the world lasting longer than 2012 and no one else wanting the job, they just decided to make it end on 12/21/12. To me this is the most plausible (if unresearched) explanation of the Mayan calendar ending on Friday.
If one looks at the Biblical prophecies regarding the End of Times and then looks at the world's current events, it is hard to argue that we may not be going into the time of the Apocalypse - the wars, the famines, the unrest in the Middle East, the hurricanes, almost daily earthquakes, Barack Obama in the White House, etc. (maybe some of you don't believe he's the anti-Christ, but the jury is still out on that with some) - all seem to fall in line with the Biblical Prophecies regarding the end times. While I believe completely in the Bible, my inner voice always seems to repeat "No one but God knows the time of the end" whenever I hear a lot of people (or even just one or two who manage to get press by "predicting" the end) start making a lot of noise about it being the END TIMES. Not saying that one shouldn't always be viligant in keeping an eye on world events and one's heart close to God, but it has always struck me as a little ridiculous to worry about the (dah dah dah!) END OF TIMES. Here's why: It could be my last day on earth TODAY. I could be making a batch of "crack corn" (Old Dutch Puff Corn covered in a cup of melted REAL butter mixed with brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses - my own addition along with cinnamon and ground cloves - and baked; absolutely addictive and yummy) and drinking my favorite Dunkin' Donuts coffee and my heart, upon realizing that I am going to being ingesting many cups of butter between now and the end of year, could just give out, making today my very own apocalypse.
My point here isn't to be heretical or blasphemous, but rather to say this: No matter what the Mayans say or any of the others attempting to predict the exact time of the world's end, we all need to live every day like it could be our last day. And, for those of us who are Christians, in living every day like it is our last, it is very important to make sure that we are also keeping our faith in God and staying close to him. Because even if those who study the Apocalyptic Prophecies are correct and we actually are going into the Time of Trouble before the End, what do we really have to fear? If God is with us, what do we have to fear? That doesn't mean that nothing bad will ever happen to us and we'll be living in some sort of bubble of protection that keeps us from all pain and sadness as long as we're "good enough." Because if that were the case, none of us could ever be "good enough." There is evil and sickness of the mind afflicting our world, and because there is evil, bad things will happen. But we cannot allow those events and actions of others, no matter how bad they may be, affect our faith in God. We cannot understand the whole picture because we cannot see the whole picture as he can, nor can we understand the whys of most events. But we can allow events like what happened last week at Sandy Hook elementary remind us that our own time spent with our own kids is short and precious and no matter how much our hearts are breaking, our God's heart is breaking for his children, too.
If somehow the Mayans figured out God's time and Friday is the end of the world as we know it, I really hope that I don't sleep through the levitating in my bed part. That just sounds like fun.
My other favorite theory about the Mayans is my own (who would have guessed, right?): I think that what really happened is the guy who was banging away on those stone tablets either just got sick of it and decided to be done or he keeled over and died where he was and no one else wanted the job. Combined with the idea that the Mayans couldn't conceive of the world lasting longer than 2012 and no one else wanting the job, they just decided to make it end on 12/21/12. To me this is the most plausible (if unresearched) explanation of the Mayan calendar ending on Friday.
If one looks at the Biblical prophecies regarding the End of Times and then looks at the world's current events, it is hard to argue that we may not be going into the time of the Apocalypse - the wars, the famines, the unrest in the Middle East, the hurricanes, almost daily earthquakes, Barack Obama in the White House, etc. (maybe some of you don't believe he's the anti-Christ, but the jury is still out on that with some) - all seem to fall in line with the Biblical Prophecies regarding the end times. While I believe completely in the Bible, my inner voice always seems to repeat "No one but God knows the time of the end" whenever I hear a lot of people (or even just one or two who manage to get press by "predicting" the end) start making a lot of noise about it being the END TIMES. Not saying that one shouldn't always be viligant in keeping an eye on world events and one's heart close to God, but it has always struck me as a little ridiculous to worry about the (dah dah dah!) END OF TIMES. Here's why: It could be my last day on earth TODAY. I could be making a batch of "crack corn" (Old Dutch Puff Corn covered in a cup of melted REAL butter mixed with brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses - my own addition along with cinnamon and ground cloves - and baked; absolutely addictive and yummy) and drinking my favorite Dunkin' Donuts coffee and my heart, upon realizing that I am going to being ingesting many cups of butter between now and the end of year, could just give out, making today my very own apocalypse.
My point here isn't to be heretical or blasphemous, but rather to say this: No matter what the Mayans say or any of the others attempting to predict the exact time of the world's end, we all need to live every day like it could be our last day. And, for those of us who are Christians, in living every day like it is our last, it is very important to make sure that we are also keeping our faith in God and staying close to him. Because even if those who study the Apocalyptic Prophecies are correct and we actually are going into the Time of Trouble before the End, what do we really have to fear? If God is with us, what do we have to fear? That doesn't mean that nothing bad will ever happen to us and we'll be living in some sort of bubble of protection that keeps us from all pain and sadness as long as we're "good enough." Because if that were the case, none of us could ever be "good enough." There is evil and sickness of the mind afflicting our world, and because there is evil, bad things will happen. But we cannot allow those events and actions of others, no matter how bad they may be, affect our faith in God. We cannot understand the whole picture because we cannot see the whole picture as he can, nor can we understand the whys of most events. But we can allow events like what happened last week at Sandy Hook elementary remind us that our own time spent with our own kids is short and precious and no matter how much our hearts are breaking, our God's heart is breaking for his children, too.
If somehow the Mayans figured out God's time and Friday is the end of the world as we know it, I really hope that I don't sleep through the levitating in my bed part. That just sounds like fun.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Sandy Hook Tragedy
I almost had a panic attack this morning. It isn't that unusual, truthfully, since we're almost always running late and getting the four kids out the door can be crazy, especially combined with a dose of talk radio - all those factors can make me feel the need to curl up and rock myself like the little monkeys on the videos shown in Psychology 101. Today's feeling was different. Today I found myself hugging my kids closer and for longer and giving them more kisses and telling them "I love you," as I sent them out the door. Especially Buttercup. Buttercup is 6 years old. Buttercup is the same age and in the same grade of the little ones killed on Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary.
I spent Friday morning at my daughters' elementary school. A group of parents had volunteered to prep mountains of fleece for the four third grade classes to make into blankets for some homeless shelters in St. Paul. What I had expected to take about an hour ended up taking three as we evened out edges and cut the "ties" into yards and yards of fleece. Conversations between strangers, brought together by our kids, ranged from the silly to the deep - like conversations often do when a large group of women are tossed in together on a project. It was a lighthearted morning with lots of laughter ending with the fleece ready for the little third graders' fingers today. My knees are still sore from kneeling on the floor to trim the edges of numerous would-be blankets. I chatted with the office admin for a bit after we were finished. She's been part of our elementary school as long as I can remember - SwimGirl started there in 2nd grade and is graduating this year, so we've had at least one child at the school for ten years now - and is probably one of the best elementary school admins I've ever known. The school principal was also in and out - popping into our conference-room-turned-workroom to check in and chatting with parents as they moved through the office. The school is warm, inviting and staffed by absolutely wonderful teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators; we've loved our years at "our school."
When I got home, I received a text message from SwimGirl telling me about the shooting at Sandy Hook. Instead of turning on FoxNews, I went to my laptop and checked the news online. My heart hurt and tears filled my eyes as I read the news. The question going through my head continually was "Why? How could anyone kill little babies like this?" which I know was the question being asked by us all. Then the news broke about the ages of the children and I realized that they were Buttercup's age, causing the tears to flow again. I looked at our Christmas tree and thought about how there were children who wouldn't be opening their gifts, so lovingly wrapped and placed under the tree by their parents, on Christmas morning. My heart broke for the parents and siblings of the lost children. Then I started thinking about the terror of the surviving children - how will they ever go back to school without fear? Will they ever face a night where there are no nightmares to invade their slumber? Will they forever be looking at people, wondering if that person or that person or the one standing over there is actually someone bad who wants to kill them? How will they heal?
So, as I was sending my little girls to the bus, I caught myself clinging to them more tightly and having trouble letting them go. I found myself almost not sending them to school today. I know the school staff have regular emergency drills (I've participated in them as a volunteer) and procedures in place in the case of something horrible happening. Logically, I know these things. But my heart is another story. My heart tells me "This is a place where my kids should be safe. But they're not safe. Those parents thought their kids were safe at school and look what happened." So I clung to my kids a little more than usual this morning, regretting the days when I couldn't wait to see them all out the door and the house to be quiet for a few hours again. I can't imagine the heavy quiet at the homes of the victims of Friday's tragedy. I can't imagine a home where the anticipation of chaos isn't always hanging in the air until the chaos of my four wonderful kids invades my house.
My heart hurts for the parents and families of those poor children and the adults who died trying to protecting them. My prayers are with them.
I spent Friday morning at my daughters' elementary school. A group of parents had volunteered to prep mountains of fleece for the four third grade classes to make into blankets for some homeless shelters in St. Paul. What I had expected to take about an hour ended up taking three as we evened out edges and cut the "ties" into yards and yards of fleece. Conversations between strangers, brought together by our kids, ranged from the silly to the deep - like conversations often do when a large group of women are tossed in together on a project. It was a lighthearted morning with lots of laughter ending with the fleece ready for the little third graders' fingers today. My knees are still sore from kneeling on the floor to trim the edges of numerous would-be blankets. I chatted with the office admin for a bit after we were finished. She's been part of our elementary school as long as I can remember - SwimGirl started there in 2nd grade and is graduating this year, so we've had at least one child at the school for ten years now - and is probably one of the best elementary school admins I've ever known. The school principal was also in and out - popping into our conference-room-turned-workroom to check in and chatting with parents as they moved through the office. The school is warm, inviting and staffed by absolutely wonderful teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators; we've loved our years at "our school."
When I got home, I received a text message from SwimGirl telling me about the shooting at Sandy Hook. Instead of turning on FoxNews, I went to my laptop and checked the news online. My heart hurt and tears filled my eyes as I read the news. The question going through my head continually was "Why? How could anyone kill little babies like this?" which I know was the question being asked by us all. Then the news broke about the ages of the children and I realized that they were Buttercup's age, causing the tears to flow again. I looked at our Christmas tree and thought about how there were children who wouldn't be opening their gifts, so lovingly wrapped and placed under the tree by their parents, on Christmas morning. My heart broke for the parents and siblings of the lost children. Then I started thinking about the terror of the surviving children - how will they ever go back to school without fear? Will they ever face a night where there are no nightmares to invade their slumber? Will they forever be looking at people, wondering if that person or that person or the one standing over there is actually someone bad who wants to kill them? How will they heal?
So, as I was sending my little girls to the bus, I caught myself clinging to them more tightly and having trouble letting them go. I found myself almost not sending them to school today. I know the school staff have regular emergency drills (I've participated in them as a volunteer) and procedures in place in the case of something horrible happening. Logically, I know these things. But my heart is another story. My heart tells me "This is a place where my kids should be safe. But they're not safe. Those parents thought their kids were safe at school and look what happened." So I clung to my kids a little more than usual this morning, regretting the days when I couldn't wait to see them all out the door and the house to be quiet for a few hours again. I can't imagine the heavy quiet at the homes of the victims of Friday's tragedy. I can't imagine a home where the anticipation of chaos isn't always hanging in the air until the chaos of my four wonderful kids invades my house.
My heart hurts for the parents and families of those poor children and the adults who died trying to protecting them. My prayers are with them.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Introduction
Since I'm driving my FaceBook friends crazy with my continual postings of world/US events, and my comments, so to alleviate the angst that is being felt by those friends (along with being unfriended and/or blocked by people I really don't want to unfriend or block me), I've decided to start this blog.
A little about me: I am a conservative libertarian. I believe in small government and fiscal sanity. I am a Home Executive, which means I stay at home and run the house in which my husband and four children and I reside. I am very opinionated and have a hard time stepping back from a debate, be it political or whatever. You can follow me on twitter - MNHockeymama is my tag.
Along with political and current events, I plan to also possibly post just some daily musings from life as I see it, as well as a short-story now and then or a story written in serial form.
I hope you enjoy following my blog.
A little about me: I am a conservative libertarian. I believe in small government and fiscal sanity. I am a Home Executive, which means I stay at home and run the house in which my husband and four children and I reside. I am very opinionated and have a hard time stepping back from a debate, be it political or whatever. You can follow me on twitter - MNHockeymama is my tag.
Along with political and current events, I plan to also possibly post just some daily musings from life as I see it, as well as a short-story now and then or a story written in serial form.
I hope you enjoy following my blog.
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