Saturday, January 22, 2011

It's a Wonderful Life!

Last night I took the boys to the church for free hot dogs and a viewing of the Veggie Tales movie, It's a Meaningful Life.  SO cute.  Of course, the kids liked the cartoon and the funny parts - boys throwing snowballs, a football player (cucumber) getting tackled - but I really enjoyed the message!  It's amazing how much life can bog you down and the simplest lessons you have learned time and time again just somehow get misplaced in the chaos.  How can I thank God every single morning and every single night for the life He has blessed me with...then turn around and be frustrated during the day that things aren't different?  The human brain is amazing.  Amazingly dumb.  Ha, ha!

So, I've been thinking about my life and my blessings and what sort of plans I had when I was younger.  I never had a "dream" of my life going one way or the other.  I remember telling my mom, "I will never have kids."  (I have four)  I remember thinking I would never get married.  (Going on 6 years now)  I always was a believer and a prayer, but I never thought I would be active within one church. 

I remember when I received the official word that I had failed the eighth grade.  At the time, I was very concerned with being "cool" and uncaring about it, but I couldn't help remember all the kids I had made fun of in elementary and middle school when they failed a grade or were held back.  Unfortunately, I was able to attend summer school and move on to my freshman year without having to ever face the truth.  I say unfortunately because the summer school I went to was considerably easier than the magnet school I had been accepted to and I actually was able to "pass" by grading other students' papers and assisting the teachers.  Let's be honest - at the time, I (and my parents) would NOT have stood for that not being an option, but I can also say that in retrospect I never felt bad about failing that grade. 

A year or two ago, I had a thought of a book I would like to write.  For those who know me, I come up with book ideas on a pretty regular basis.  This one, though, has stuck in my head and I may even get an outline written at some point!  Anyway, the gist is two stories going alongside each other.  Every other chapter being written in one or the other story line.  The story would be my life as it has happened since meeting Shaun (my husband), and the alternate being what would have happened had we not met that night.  I have been told to rent the movie "Sliding Doors".  I have changed my thought of the ending several times.  Not to mention the thoughts of the events in the story that wasn't! 

Watching the movie last night and remembering God has a plan and his plan is better than I could ever dream, has been my happy thought today.  There is snow on the ground and it's freezing outside and we are looking at yet another day cooped up together.  I am sick of watching the same movies, sick of playing with the same toys, sick of all the whining and complaining and fighting.  However, the better way of looking at this would be - the sun is shining on all of the lovely snow outside!  We have tons of toys to play with!  We have a playroom in this new house!  We have plenty of food to snack all day while we watch silly movies!  We will all be together and enjoying each other's company.  Fighting (that isn't truly caused by anger and a desire to hurt) indicates a level of intimacy you can only reach with your family.  Complaining and whining occurs because my kids know I will love them forever no matter what and they can truly voice their feelings without fear of being hurt or punished.  These are all natural, human ways of expressing frustration and sleepiness...I am happy to have normal, human children!

We are going to have a good day. 

Talk soon!

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