Being thankful for what you have vs. what you don’t… July 28, 2008

The Moore family hit a bit of snag this past Friday. It involved being fired from a job, and then being in a car accident on the way home from said-job. Double-whammie! Definitely not fun or encouraging in the slightest when you get a one-two knock-out punch in the space of one hour.

But it’s at times like that when you can really and truly be thankful for what you DO have, or what DIDN’T go wrong. There were no injuries in the car wreck. We’re insured. The cop was extraordinarily pleasant and only issued us a one-point ticket for under $100. And the person who got fired has been wanting to explore other career options for over 2 years now, so basically there’s an impetus to get the ball rolling in that direction.

In addition to all of these things, we have God – whose love, as we were so aptly reminded in a sermon this morning, can never ever be separated from us by anything as menial as a car accident or loss of employment. We have loving family all around us in the immediate area who has unconditionally offered support to us. We have each other as a family unit and everyone is healthy and there for one another.

While the events of Friday could definitely give one cause for angst and depression, I am more of the mind that it could lead to new avenues we dream not of. I almost started crying last night when, while watching an old favorite “The Sound of Music,” the character of Maria thoughtfully expressed that “when the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.”

Time to let in some light and air and get that window sill up.

When a man loves a woman… July 17, 2008

…you’ve got something extremely special.

I am a complex individual and with my pregnancy hormones going bezerk lately, sometimes being around me is not the most fun way to spend one’s time. Last night was a prime example. I got discouraged from one thing, and then a few other tiny things happened, and before I knew it I was feeling like an inadequate provider, an irresponsible spouse, and to top it all off my short hair made me feel totally stupid and unattractive. Thus I spent the better part of the evening crying my eyes out and unable to put forth any legitimate contribution into our family time.

In spite of this, my husband Miah never got frustrated with me. Not once. He showed concern for my state of mind, stayed by my side during some body-wracking sobs, and managed to care for our son with ease and light-heartedness while taking care of his wife who seemed to be falling to pieces. Talk about being a rock for me; he was freakin’ Gibraltar! And of course, as he said repeatedly, everything really is going to be alright. It may not be the easiest of things to get through, but it can be accomplished, especially if we do it together.

I only hope I can show him the same devotion, patience, and sensitivity when he may go through a similar phase anytime in our future. He really did set the standard last night for a loving and devoted spouse. I am a very, very lucky woman.

Technology is no excuse for laziness. July 4, 2008

Look, I get that we’re in a new generation of communicating via technology. Texting is a norm for me throughout each day, as well as posting on message boards and/or blogs. And I completely get if people are in a hurry sometimes, particularly with texting.

However, let me say this: you do NOT need to ignore basic rules of grammar, punctuation, and spelling when you are writing out your thoughts for others to read. Again, if you’re texting a quick message to someone, I’ll give that a pass since you usually have a limited amount of room to enter your communication. But if you’re taking the time to write on a blog or message board, please use the high school diploma you hopefully earned and express your thoughts cogently. If you don’t feel you can, might I suggest that you start doing a bit more reading of books that are Harry-Potter-level or higher and a bit less time on the internet. You’re not just expressing your thoughts – you’re also expressing your intelligence level. And every time I see someone who is too lazy to use their brain it makes me more fearful of someday seeing our society go back to cave drawings and using grunts instead of words.

Thank you. And it’s “he doesn’t” instead of “he don’t.”

The strength of one’s patriotism. July 2, 2008

The following is inspired by an occurrence yesterday here in Denver that apparently has the entire city in an uproar.  You can read about it by following this link:  http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=94919&catid=339

In a nutshell, a vocalist who was contracted by the city staff to sing the National Anthem at the mayor’s state of the city annual address took it upon herself to sing a different song known as the black national anthem.  If you read the story I linked above, it contains the lyrics and apparently is a song meant to signify the struggles and patriotism of black Americans only, as opposed to all Americans in general.  I have never heard it before, didn’t know of its existence (although I’m not surprised that one exists), and wouldn’t know it if I heard it sung in my presence.

I have been rather surprised at the media and local firestorm this event has created.  Since it happened yesterday, it has been the hot (and I mean red dwarf hot) topic of discussion on every local media outlet.  People have inundated radio stations, news stations, and various blogs with comments about how rabidly irate they are, how offended they feel, and how racist the vocalist’s choice was.  Everyone’s patriotism was affronted, the mayor should apologize and even resign, and the singer should be ostracized for her choice.

Call me crazy, but I am not one of these outraged citizens.  Now, hold on, and read my take on it before you start calling me anti-American or a lackadaisacal patriot.

Yes, I am a white American.  Yes, I LOVE and believe in my country.  I have family that has served in the military to promote and protect the ideals and premise of our country’s foundational beliefs and freedoms.  I have wept tears of sentiment when I’ve heard or sung along with patriotic-themed songs or when I have been reminded of the sacrifices required to maintain our freedoms for our society.  And even though I experience disappointment in my country’s policies or leaders from time to time, I maintain a sense of optimism for our foundational beliefs to carry us through and forward in spite of any adversity or challenges that may arise.

Therefore, I do NOT feel threatened whatsoever by this woman and her choice to sing something in lieu of the National Anthem by Francis Scott Key.  While I disagree with her choice because it was inappropriate, my ire is not raised because of it.  While I can now draw some definitive conclusions about her own views of patriotism and nationalism, I do not feel affronted in my own sense of patriotism.  In short, this woman and her vocal performance is not enough to compromise or threaten my own dedication and loyalty and pride for my nation.

I believe the United States is greater then one person’s expression.  I believe it is larger then the lyrics to a custom-made anthem.  I believe its ideals surpass and survive any attack, affront, or intended jab at its foundations or outcomes.  I believe that the blood sacrificed on both our soil and the soil of other countries speaks volumes louder then the voice of one individual who is trying to make a statement at a local event.  All of this doesn’t negate the wrongness of the woman’s choices, but it does emphasize the fact that her words can’t effectually harm the solid rock upon which our nation and her believers stand.

Get angry if you want, Denver.  Feel outraged.  Keep talking on and on and on about this woman’s song, thereby giving her exactly what she wanted in the first place – fame and repute.  But remember that you’re merely serving to prolong your own agony rather then resting easy in the knowledge of your own pride and patriotism and the security you find therein.