The Obituary of Common Sense

March 29, 2012

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend,Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn’t always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense
lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense
lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense
lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense
took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense
finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense
was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I’m A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on.

This came in the form of a email a while ago.  I thought it worth posting.

Nathan’s Farm

March 26, 2012

Kayla is working with Nathan everyday doing one kind of craft or another.  This was a couple day project for the 2 of them.

Photos of Jamie

March 26, 2012

Kayla was practicing with the camera.  Oh course, Jamie loves being her model.

Kitchen Table Runner

March 26, 2012

I finished this a week or so ago.  It was fun to piece together.  I love the fabrics, they go well with my kitchen and dishes.  I hand quilted it in a couple evenings while David was reading to the family.  I have 2 more small round ones, doily size, that still need quilting and finishing.

Kayla’s drawing…

March 26, 2012

Darth Vader not her favorite Star Wars character but she’s doing pretty well with her drawing, none the less.

Quotes from Mothers in History (wink,wink)

March 19, 2012

These came in my email box this morning.  I just had to  chuckle at some of them and thought I’d share with you.

PAUL REVERE’S MOTHER: “I don’t care where you think you have to go, young man. Midnight is past your curfew!”

MONA LISA’S MOTHER: “After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that’s the biggest smile you can give us?”

COLUMBUS’ MOTHER: “I don’t care what you’ve discovered, Christopher. You still could have written!”

BABE RUTH’S MOTHER: “Babe, how many times have I told you-quit playing ball in the house! That’s the third broken window this week!”

MICHELANGELO’S MOTHER: “Mike, can’t you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?”

NAPOLEON’S MOTHER: “All right, Napoleon. If you aren’t hiding your report card inside your jacket, then take your hand out of there and prove it!”

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S MOTHER: “Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can’t you just wear a baseball cap like the other kids?”

ALBERT EINSTEIN’S MOTHER: “But, Albert, it’s your senior picture. Can’t you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something…?”

GEORGE WASHINGTON’S MOTHER: “The next time I catch you throwing money across the Potomac, you can kiss your allowance good-bye!”

JONAH’S MOTHER: “That’s a nice story, but now tell me where you’ve really been for the last three days.”

THOMAS EDISON’S MOTHER: “Of course I’m proud that you invented the electric light bulb, Thomas. Now turn off that light and get to bed!”

Originally from “You Make Me Laugh”.

“Look Mom, No Training Wheels”

March 16, 2012

About 3 nights ago, David had the brilliant idea to take Nathan’s training wheels off his bike.  David aged 5 years in the first hour.  Apparently Nathan in trying to learn to ride and wanting the neighbor to watch landed under one of the parked cars on the street.  He was fine, and I still didn’t know what was happening. <speed on to today>  Day 3 he is zipping around the back yard like a pro and wanting a bigger bike.  Yay! no broken bones or bruises to speak of. PTL!

Baby Quilt Rescued

March 10, 2012

Isn’t this the cutest baby quilt.  I rescued it from our local Savers store where someone donated it.  I paid only $3 for it.  It looks like one of those $50 quilts from Baby’s R Us.  Since there was little  quilting on it I hand quilted around the vehicles and am tucking it away for who knows what.  I love quilts, I just can’t help it.

Kayla’s been busy

March 10, 2012

Here’s Kayla with her green screen in hand and of course her camera and other costume pieces… she’s telling me it is a secret project… hmmm.

Beautiful Flowers

March 10, 2012

My wonderful husband has been spoiling me with flowers.  Aren’t they beautiful?  (Now, he just needs a book of poems to read to me)

Oh So Sweet!

March 7, 2012

I walked out onto the back patio a couple night ago and smelled the most wonderful aroma.  Our orange tree is in blossom and is full of blooms.   The smell is so sweet to my nose, thank you Lord for my senses.

I am so excited to see so many blossoms this year.  Unfortunately we only got about a half dozen oranges last year.  This coming year should be much better, God willing.

8 Week Update

March 7, 2012

Okay, I just finished my 8th week on the Weight Watcher’s program.  I’m still on track and have lost something each week.  I’m down a total of 13 pounds thus far.  I must keep pressing on.  The daily journaling of what I eat is very helpful.  Wow, some days surprise you!

I’m continuing to exercise 5-6 days a week, which I know is helping to shed the pounds.  I really enjoy Theresa Tapp’s dvd exercise workout.  Big thanks to my family for supporting and encouraging me in this.

Silas Marner, the book

February 29, 2012

We’ve just finished reading this book during our family reading time.  It is one of my all time favorite stories so far.  (We have had this story in Focus on the Family audio book for a long time)  I love the true to life characters with all their humanity and sinfulness for us to see and the redemption that God so clearly brings over time to this man who is hardworking,  humble and has his own set of faults.  Kayla asked why I claim this story to be my favorite and perhaps it touches my heart so because relationships are where I struggle most in life too.

Thank you to my hubby who suggested reading it because he knew how much  I enjoy this particular story.  ( hugs&kisses)

Below is Amazon’s short summary of the story:

Silas Marner, which first appeared in 1861, is a tale about life, love, and the need to belong. Accused of a crime he didn’t commit and unjustly forced from his home town, Silas lives a reclusive and godless life, finding love and companionship only in material objects. It will take the theft of his gold and the discovery of an abandoned infant to remind him of the importance of human relationships and faith.

Mary Ann Evans, writing under her pen name of George Eliot, carefully weaves the interaction of plot and character, and, in so doing, depicts Silas Marner’s redemption and rebirth through his love and protection of the orphaned girl and the possibility of losing her. Throughout the book, Eliot also takes the opportunity to voice her feelings about industrialization, religion, and social class distinctions.

 

 

Nathan the Acrobat

February 14, 2012

This seems to have become a favorite playtime activity between David and Nathan.  Of course, I’d would have preferred to cover my eyes as Nathan runs from the bathroom 10 feet away and leaps into David’s arms. But,  I’m happy to report, no injury thus far.

Happy Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2012

In thinking about love, I’ve discovered that what I was taught about romantic love was mostly taught to me by Walt Disney and other movies I watched as a child/ teenager. (These were not good teachers.)  I also remember my parents long embrace after a day away at the office and being reunited in the evening.  Those are pleasant memories.  Unfortunately, not much was spoken in my family as to what love really is.

I’m thankful that God has chosen me as one of His daughters and the instructions he supplies his children.  Although it may be over used it is true none the less, here is sound doctrine as to what love “really” is, and also what it is not.

I Corinthians, Chapter 13
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind;
love does not envy;
love does not parade itself,
is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely,
does not seek its own,
is not provoked,
thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
8 Love never fails.
But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.


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