Fantastic Sibling Moments Post#7: Gubby Mocks High-heel Practice

 I don’t wear high-heels very often, and when I do, I try to spend the evening before an event wearing them so that I won’t make a total fool of myself on the morrow. As I was clomping around upstairs in my high(ish)-heels, the following took place:

Gubby (10): You look funny! (Laughing)

Me: It’s not as easy as it looks!

Gubby:  Yes, it is! I could totally do it!

With that, I laughed and took my shoes off, telling him to see for himself. He was grinning and cocky as he put the too-big shoes on his feet, thinking he would make fun of me. He took a few wobbly steps, and then fell down very clumsily on purpose (it was hilarious). Then he said, “Okay, I’ll do it for real now,” and, with an amused but determined look on his face, started walking. After about two and a half steps, he fell on his face in the same fashion as before. He and I were both laughing hysterically, and Gubby now respects my “practicing” in heels the night before. 

I hope you all have a blessed Easter, celebrating the true Reason for the season! He is risen!

Mark 16:16, “And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.”

Isaiah 53:1-7, “Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? ² For He grew up before Him like a tender  shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. ³ He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. ⁴ Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵ But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. ⁶ All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth."

Meet Sven

I have neglected to share with you about Sven, who is a great buddy of mine. Even though he becomes dirty at an alarming rate, he is very dependable, is always there for me, and is long-suffering when he receives gifts from the birds soaring above. Even though I don't know how to change his tires, he's content with the fact that I can check his oil and that I don't drive him too hard.

Sven is my car (if you hadn't gathered that). This week, which happened to be Spring Break, I did many things, one of which included washing Sven. Of course, his face was dirty the very next afternoon, not 24 hours later. 

"We Should Ban Knives, Too"

Oh my goodness...This guy is extreme, even for a gun control advocate (fanatic). Whether or not you are 'pro-gun,' this is amusing. 

I don't have the skills (or time) to embed this video (the YouTube embed link wasn't working), but believe me when I tell you this 5 minute 50 second interview is worth your time.

It does also serve to remind us of the sad state America is in, to have so many of its citizens so entirely blinded... I could go on and on about why I support limited gun control, but I'll just say this: The Second Amendment was written for a reason. 

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

Actually, I decided to add something I wrote last May on a group blog, which was in response to a question one of the members asked regarding background checks and gun legislation...This is a bit old, so here's hoping I had my facts right. :)

As American citizens, we shouldn’t add any new legislation, but rather enforce the 300 some major state and federal laws already in existence. Criminal background checks are nice, so criminals aren’t receiving firearms, but for law abiding citizens to have to register their guns is simply not right. With the way our government is heading, they will likely try to take all of our guns away. Full gun registration is a step in that direction. Knowing who has what will make it easier for the government to take our firearms and disarm us.  It’s clearly an infringement on America’s right to “keep and bear arms.” Our 2^nd Amendment right must not be infringed upon, and full gun registration appears to be one of the steps of an aggressive agenda to disarm America.

Fantastic Sibling Moments Post#6: Mini-man Vs. Microwave

The other day Mini-man (7) was unloading the dishwasher while I was making some tea. I put my cup in the microwave (which is right across from the dishwasher) to heat the water, and Mini-man jumped back, declaring very seriously, “Don’t stand near the microwave while it’s going, or else you’ll get hypothermia.” 

He was referring to the fact that we try not to stand too near the microwave to avoid the radiation, but got his terms a bit confused. 

Or, for those "alternate ending" people out there, our microwave delivers extreme doses of ice and freezing air, so much so that our home becomes a sub-zero arctic ice storm until Superman comes in and vaporizes the microwave with his laser vision.

Of Arachnophobia

As I was scrolling through writing assignments from my writing class last year, I came across a research paper about arachnophobia. I shall spare you the first two points, which consist of definitions, statistics, and facts, and leave you with the third point, which, I hope, will provide some amusement and also enlighten you as to why I despise spiders.

 

…Finally, now that you have been informed as to what arachnophobia is and have been given an idea of how many people have it, be prepared to hear a personal example, confirming that arachnophobia is a very real thing. Personally, I have experienced three reactions when meeting an eight legged horror, each including an accelerated heart rate. Reactions are either frozen fear, the more ninja-like reaction which often includes shrieks of terror and a very prompt exit of the room, or, in the case of bravery or self sacrifice, a speedy execution of the spider. 

First and foremost, allow me to share an instance of my heroic valor. A while back, my sister and I were organizing our room. On the floor lay an innocent looking bag of clothes. In the next second, a hairy, beady-eyed spider leapt out of the bag and started racing about the room. Horrified, yet aware that this evil creature would hide away in a corner and have children, I leapt into action and grabbed the nearest shoe with a shaking hand and brought it down as hard as I could on Sir Creepy. Yes, I felt rather courageous.

As for instances of the first reaction mentioned, which was extreme fear, I particularly remember a day about two years ago. As I was diligently cleaning our downstairs bathroom, shaking out the throw rug, my heart stopped as I spotted a Hobo spider who had managed to camouflage himself into our rug. Leaping onto the toilet, I let out a weak cry for help. No answer. As I was assessing what I had for a means of escape, Hobo’s hairy twin crept out from another corner. Petrified, I jumped onto the bathtub and held the toilet bowl scrubber, shrieking in utter terror. They began to close in. As my terror grew, my legs turned to jelly and my screams turned into hysteric sobs. In between gasps for breath, I could hear my sisters doing the dishes upstairs. Every minute felt like an eternity. Finally, after the longest ten minutes of my life, Mother came home and, strangely, everyone began to notice the hysterical voice emanating up the stairs. As my mother opened the bathroom door with a look of worry on her face, I motioned to Hobo and his brother. Mother managed to kill one of the offenders, but the other got away.  It took two months for me to even step into that bathroom again. Today, I still closely examine the throw rugs and corners upon entry. In addition to that anecdote, there are many other stories I could share, a few of which include spiders in my clothes, under the toilet seat, in my hair, on my ceiling, and sunning themselves on my leg. Arachnophobia is very real.

...With the above stories in mind (which, I might add, are more than slightly embarrassing), I hope you will sympathize with those close to you who may have a phobia of arachnids.

Voice of Democracy Essay: Why I'm Optimistic About Our Nation's Future

Last November, I had the opportunity to compete in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary's audio-essay competition, Voice of Democracy.

Although my essay did not make it past District Level, I had an incredible time writing and presenting it to the local VFW post.

The writing prompt this year was, "Why I'm Optimistic About Our Nation's Future," and the essays could be no less than three minutes and no more than five. I will admit it was a daunting subject, and I spent quite a bit of time formulating my thoughts. I had to dig pretty deep to find where my optimism stood, aside from the fact that God is sovereign over all things and His perfect will always comes about in the end. Finally, though, after months of prewrites, drafts, and rewriting, I submitted my essay (if I had more time before the deadline I probably would have tweaked it a bit more).  Hope you find it informative and encouraging!

                                          Why I’m Optimistic about Our Nation’s Future

             “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of  Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” These great words were not penned by accident; they are one reason our nation stands today.  Although many Americans dread the direction our country is headed, optimism is possible. While our nation is not in a perfect state of affairs, true optimism about our future may be found by reflecting on our heritage, the foundation upon which we are built.                     

            Indeed, optimism is a reasonable response to the fact that our founding fathers wove a pattern of faith, determination, and readiness to sacrifice. Two hundred and twenty-six years ago, 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence.  During its signing, William Ellery, one of the signers, declared, “I was determined to see how they all looked as they signed what might be their death warrants...Undaunted resolution was displayed on every countenance.” (As qtd in Boyer 57) From the time of the colonists to the present, thousands of courageous men and women continue to lay down their lives with this same resolution. Major General Joseph Warren, who chose to fight as a private at the Battle of Bunker Hill, informed his friend Elbridge Gerry on June 17^th 1775, the morning of that fateful day, “It is glorious to lay down one’s life for one’s country” (Boyer 40). This tremendous sacrifice came from true optimism and strong ideals. These men and women were willing to die for the hope affirmed in our Declaration and the honorable ideals penned in our Constitution. Relying on God, they set their eyes on the goal of a free nation, in which all men are created equal. Without hesitation, the same code of conduct lived out by our forefathers must be embraced today in order to revive optimism and overcome current challenges.

            Unfortunately, our country has wandered from some of its founding principles. Our first Amendment states that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” Science teacher, Caroline Crocker was fired because she mentioned the possibility of Intelligent Design, a potentially religious idea (Crocker). In addition, being fired for mentioning the possibility of Intelligent Design is an infringement on our freedom of speech.  Another, more controversial breach of our morals exists in the premature termination of the lives of our unborn. If all men are truly created equal and have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, why aren’t we giving these children a chance?

            Although there are breaches in the foundation our forefathers set, we can see that if we stood firm during the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and even more recently, 9/11,  we can overcome today’s issues as well. Though some who claim to be optimists may believe that everything will turn out fine, no matter what action is taken, true optimism stands firm and diligently fights, regardless of obstacles; it believes that in the end, truth and goodness will prevail.  Many today carry the same resolve as our forefathers. Daily, our brave soldiers put their lives in jeopardy for our freedom. These are not the only heroes of today; think of the politicians, freedom associations, and voting citizens. I am optimistic about our nation’s future because I have seen what has been done in the past, and know, by the grace of God, it can be done again.

            In closing, I am optimistic about our nation’s future not because I see a perfect union, a flawless justice system, or nationwide peace; rather, I observe the wisdom and strength of our Constitution and the power of our Declaration. I remember the determination and sacrifice of our forefathers and realize there are men and women just as patriotic today. I am confident that the freedom we have fought to obtain, we will fight to retain.

Works Cited

Boyer, Marilyn, and Linda Linder. "Massachusetts — Elbridge Gerry." For You They Signed: The Spiritual Heritage of Those Who Shaped Our Nation. Green Forest, AR: Master, 2010. 40. Print.

Boyer, Marilyn, and Linda Linder. "Rhode Island — William Ellery." For You They Signed: The Spiritual Heritage of Those Who Shaped Our Nation. Green Forest, AR: Master, 2010. 57. Print.

Crocker, Caroline I. Free to Think. N.p.: Leafcutter, 2010. Print.

If you made it through the whole thing, I am impressed. If you are merely skipping down to  the end of this post, I have denounced you and shall not reveal to you the location my secret chocolate stash. 

I lied. The truth is, I don't think there is anything on this earth that could make me reveal my stash. Even a kind essay reader.   

Fantastic Sibling Moments Post#5: Proverbs 31 Woman

After reading about the Proverbs 31 Woman yesterday morning, Mom asked Gubby (9) what he noticed about her. 

Gubby: Well, she wears nice clothes and has strong arms. 

Today, we continued our study, and Mozzarella (14) observed that she made belts for the merchants.

Mozzarella: She made belts so their pants wouldn't fall down :snickering:

Me: Well, they actually didn't wear pants...

Sweet Pea (12): Yeah, they wore dresses!

Me: No, they wore tunics

Pollywog (16):  "It's not a dress, it's a tunic!" :Picking up on the movie reference: (Night At The Museum 2)