November 2, 2008 7:52 PM
My life - ready for normal
The past four months have been so breathtakingly full:
The Move
Jonny's operation
Seeing Sophia off to college
Jonny's infection/hospitalization
Kids starting school
Tripp's knee replacement surgery
Tripp's infection/multiple hospitalizations
Matt coming home
Plus the normal everyday "routine" of raising five kids temporarily single-handedly. Not to mention the Ongoing Crisis known as Campaign 2008.
So, yes, the election has been all-consuming the past few weeks. Because our country has a news vacuum since NBCABCCBSMSNBC would rather investigate a plumber's child support records than interview William Ayers, during the past few weeks, MommyLife readers have become like reporters/investigators sending news items my way. What I've done is to try to synthesize it, throwing in my perspective as someone who spent 25 years as a radical leftist and was devoted to everything people like William Ayers and Barak Obama stand for. Heck, I even had my own copy of Prairie Fire - wish I still had it, but thanks to Little Green Footballs, you can now download your own personal copy to find out why it IS such a big deal that Barak Obama seems to have no mainstream friends.
So you probably noticed a shift in tone last night. That was because - as I mentioned - I decided to tackle my overstuffed Inbox (296 emails that each required some action) by starting with the oldest - dating back to early July - before our move and everything else that happened to remind me that my life is not my own.
It was really cool - and I see God's nudge in that. It feels like ages since I dealt with a question like what kind of dinnerware works best for families with young kids (Seems Corelle wins hands-down). And as I answered emails and posted some Closer-to-Home material, I began to feel the election angst lift.
This is how I see it. When we have a challenge to meet or a battle to fight, it's important to give it 100%. But it's also important to leave the results in God's hands:
Work as if everything depends on you. Pray as if everything depends on God.
So that's how I feel - like I did my best help my readers make an informed choice when they vote on Tuesday (or before). And that part of my job is coming to an end. Though I may run more election news, it's time to switch gears and get back to my usual mix:
Montessori megamom serves up smorgasbord of parenting, cultural, political, and spiritual wisdom. Because she can.
Moments like this make me especially grateful for being a mother, because living with children is so inspiring. No matter what happens on earth, our boss is in Heaven and our job remains the same. I truly believe that we can overcome the negative conditioning of our culture - where the pro-abortion emphasis on the inconvenience and imperfection of children has spilled over to color everyday attitudes, as in "Wow. You have 12 kids? My two are enough to drive me crazy."
On the contrary, I feel like children are our greatest resource and potentially our greatest source of joy. My goal is unburden, equip and empower moms to release their children's learning potential and thereby to find more joy in being moms.
While I do feel that it's important for moms to get the bigger picture - to understand the larger political and cultural forces which can impact the family, most of the time the things on the front burner for us are those questions about what kind of pencil to buy a preschooler and how to choose the best movies and how to keep our families healthy.
So a few weeks ago, I said upfront that we needed to drop everything and pay attention to the issues surrounding the election. Now I just want to encourage you to keep a positive attitude no matter what happens. You all know that I think Obama is a dangerous political figure. I am very concerned about what will happen if he wins the election and the Democrats get a filibuster-proof grip on Congress. The appointment of liberal judges to the Supreme Court - and Obama's clearly-stated position that he condones/expects legislation from the judiciary means we will see sweeping changes in our country that spell the beginning of what may become a totalitarian state. This is serious business, folks.
And yet, if he wins - and if that is what my fellow Americans have chosen - then I have no choice but to accept that future gracefully.
Think of it like any competition or any race. On Election Day, there are many lessons for our children to learn. We need to be careful to model only the most noble character for them. We want them to understand the importance of Election Day, but we want to pass on the tradition of dignity.
I just wanted to share these thoughts because I felt a real peace flood my heart. That doesn't mean that any of the issues I've discussed are less intense. Just a recognition that there is only so much each of us can do. And I wouldn't want to be so overwhelmed with disappointment that I might forget what is really important. As Goethe said:
Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of those which matter least.
This, by the way, is one of the great difficulties in the ongoing conservative/liberal debate - because that position is characteristic of conservatives, whereas liberals subscribe to the philosophy that the end justifies the means. That means that for liberals, the facts, rules, and truth are all negotiable - winning is all that matters.
As to what is going on in my life:
The kids have off school Monday and Tuesday. Maddy is auditioning for Governor's School for vocal performance - that's a program where she would go off to Christopher Newport University next summer for four weeks for intense study.
Tripp is getting around pretty well. He even went into work briefly on Friday and plans to go tomorrow for a few hours. He made dinner tonight :)
It's been wonderful having Matt home. After being away for five years, he has been a wonderful addition. The timing was so perfect as his need for a place to stay while he regrouped coincided with our needing another adult/driver/big brother. Matt is a really wonderful person to be around, polite, cheerful, helpful and the kind of guy who loves to play/wrestle/pretend with little brothers. And I don't know what I would have done without him to stack 2 cords of firewood which arrived just in time for last week's cold snap.
Oh, and did I say I LOVE our house - and being a rental will never take away from that - especially when there are three fireplaces!
Anyway, Matt has decided that five years of doing dinner theater and waiting tables is enough and that he wants to make some progress with his acting career. He has set a goal for himself to be on Broadway before he is 30. So his first priority is to save money. He is now in training for a waiter's job at a very upscale restaurant. I had no idea that being a waiter could be so demanding, or that it could pay so well. Next step is to find a roommate situation since the restaurant is an hour from us.
Funny thing: facing this new situation as parents, we were a little concerned that Matt might lack get-up-and-go. But this is happening all too fast - soon he will have got-up-and-went!
Then who knows what surprises will come our way?
So it's November now. So first we'll do the Momma Votes! Photo Spread on Tuesday. Then lots of ideas, projects, and traditions to enrich your family's understanding and experience of Thanksgiving.
Then on to Christmas. I plan to make recommendations for classic toys - ones worth investing in. In the meantime, try to avoid impulse spending. Or check out the ones under Barbara's Picks - which has been temporarily moved to the bottom of the left sidebar but will return to its usual place later this week. . . . .
When we all start getting back to normal.
And btw, have you noticed how much my gray is growing out?
I'm pretty excited to see how it's going to look. And very pleased with all the money I'm saving :)
Posted in Campaign 2008, Family, My life | Permalink
Comments
Much needed words for me, Barbara. Thank you!
Posted by: Kari | November 2, 2008 8:29 PM
"I truly believe that we can overcome the negative conditioning of our culture... I feel like children are our greatest resource and potentially our greatest source of joy."
Honestly Barbara, I really do love you for this. This attitude ( that children are a gift rather than a burden) is actually very catching. It resonates with us because deep down, we know it to be true. A life lived for self is a poor life.We are tired of the bleak hopelessness of the anti-life culture.
That is why I love to read here.
Posted by: Clare | November 2, 2008 9:01 PM
Barbara, THANK YOU!
It's hard for me to fully express in a few quick minutes how much I appreciate all of the time and effort you have put into keeping us all informed.
You truly understand that busy mothers can't spend countless hours looking all over the web for the lastest (sometimes ridiculous) news about current events.
And, with all that has been going on in your own life (don't we mothers always have something--or two--or three--or....), I truly appreciate the sacrifice.
Every vote is important, every vote counts. We have yet to see and fully understand the importance of all the little things we do that futher God's will, His Kingdom, His purpose and plans.
Thank you for the reminder to accept whatever happens on Tuesday, with graciouness. Not only do our children need to see us model Godly behavior, we need to mean it. It's wonderful that we can encourage each other to do the right thing.
I am reminded......when George W. Bush first became our president, I was so proud to have him as my president. When the children and I would pray together, I would pray for him often. After a little while, God reminded me that I had not once prayed for our previous president, of who I was very ashamed. Well, shame on me.
Regardless of Tuesday's outcome, I will pray for our next president.
Again, thank you(!) and I'm glad to read the family update. So many good things happening in your life---Hooray!
Posted by: von | November 2, 2008 9:38 PM
Barbara, I have been reading your blog for almost a month now, I'm totally hooked and I thank you for all the great info you have shared regarding the election. I have given your blog site to many family and friends. I look forward to learning more from you. Thank you~
Posted by: Monica | November 2, 2008 10:36 PM
p.s. Barbara, two more thoughts:
On letting your gray grow out and being "all natural" with your hair.....maintaining the roots/color will also be one less thing to do. I've never colored up my gray; I knew it would irritate me too much when life got too busy to camp out in the bathroom every so often to do my roots.
And, when you make classic toys recommendations for Christmas, will you give thought to and make recommendations of "classic" items for older children. Mine are 14, 12, & 9 yr. old. We like to spend less at Christmas than b'day, but as they get older, it has become more challenging.
Looking forward to hearing more "mommy" stuff after the storm (election) subsides.
Posted by: von | November 2, 2008 11:26 PM
I may be on foreign shores but I also appreciate all that you've been writing here, Barbara. I visit every few days. And even if the politics there is hard for me to understand, I am praying that God's will be done as regards who come out the victors in Tuesday's election in your country! It will affect other nations as well, we know that.
By the way, congratulations on going natural (the hair)!
Posted by: Sunnyday | November 3, 2008 8:06 AM
barbara, thank you for the last post. I love posts like this that sum it all up. Also, your hair will look great when it it all grey! I always think grey hair looks very polished.
Posted by: Imajackson | November 3, 2008 9:22 AM
Barbara,
Thank you for all of your hard work that you've done these past months (or is it year) with this campaign. You have done everything you can possibly do to inform us all. I am so excited to load up the kids and walk over to vote. I will be sending you a picture.
I am just finishing up reading my LWV paper for this area.....gotta be informed!
Love,
Shannon in Austin
Posted by: Shannon Best | November 3, 2008 12:34 PM
I loved this post, Barbara.....I admit, I have not followed the election very closely for several weeks. It got to be too much....Instead, I have been praying for the people of the United States to seek truth, even those who are not looking for the truth........
I love your pro-family stance, and your belief that children are a gift. I have been feeling a little sad lately that there are not more Christians praying about what size their family should be....Whether or not they should add more through adoption, or biologically. It seems as though our youth and our fertility are a gift from God. This season that we have for raising children, no matter what way we got 'em seems to be both a gift and a stewardship from God. Imagine the impact the Christian community could have on the world if we were just willing to pray and ask God how many children he would like us to raise. The number would be different for everyone, but I suspect the numbers would be higher than most of us would guess! The muslims are quickly outnumbering us......Maybe it's time we saw children for what the bible says they are: a gift.
Anyhoo- I am really looking forward to the toy reccomendations....I get so tired of things that break, you know? Can't wait to see your list!
Thanks for your reminder that God is still on the throne, and our children are still here for us to raise and influence for God's glory, regardless of who is occupying the white house!
Posted by: Lisa | November 3, 2008 3:43 PM
