Sunday meeting Rueben

Sunday

     One of our friends joined us in going to church and she loved it. She wants to go again next week. After church I sat in a leader meeting for a class and met a young man named Rueben. Rueben is a newer member of the church. He has a 16 year old daughter that will graduate this year.
    In polite conversation I asked him did she have her driver's license and he said, she's done the class but she isn't excited to be on the road with other crazy drivers. He was very cool about it and has chose to allow her to be comfortable and supported in making her own decision rather than letting the dictates of time or the pressure of someone else living through her vicariously. How mature for a young man in his 30's who had a daughter by the time he was her age. And a proud papa he was too.

   

Gingery Lentil Soup

     Gingerly Lentil Soup

2 teaspoons olive oil
3 medium carrots
1 medium onion
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 pepper
2 (14 oz cans) less-sodium chicken broth, plus enough water to equal 4 cups
1 cup brown lentils
1 can diced tomatoes

Heat oil in a large saucepan add carrot, onion cover cook 3 min. Stir in ginger, garlic, salt and pepper 1min.
Stir in diuluted broth and lentils; bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, cover 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender. Stir in tomatoes: cover and simmer 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Synergy

     We know a man who trains and supports police chiefs, he has found that the new recruits are soft and unable to handle the pressures of the crime, attitudes and chaos of the inner city. His wife and I spoke on this subject often as we mother our boys tenderly and our spouses carry much bigger sticks when it came to working with the boys. No doubt, in the beauty of God's design for children to have both a mother and a father by God's grace, our boys will grow to be strong and courageous, yet kind and understanding. 

     If such a large percentage of crime in the inner city is black on black crime, would it be best to have black officers and black jurors who preside over the cities? Of course not everyone in the inner city is black so there would be folks of other races who also need to be represented in the city.  

     Our government needs to hear ideas as to how to reintegrate folks after release from the penitentary (programs like pitbulls and parolees)?  It occurs to me that when I hear that some folks who enter the system say things like this is the first hot meal I've had or it's the first time we've had electricity. Or the story last year, about a man who had never had a pair of socks in his life before an officer purchased him a pair during the winter.  That there is a serious disparity between wealthy and poor America. The introduction of more and more technology only widens the gap. Are we getting computers into the classrooms of the inner city schools with the same passion we are into the smaller villages? And if not what good is no child left behind? There are children left behind because they lack access. Shoot some of them lack doors on the bathroom stalls in the bathrooms. Tell me, if a child has to use the restroom and has to have an adult follow them into a restroom without doors on the stalls. Is that child comfortable and ready to learn?  No, that child's dignity is infringed upon. Every child should be able to use a public bathroom with a door. If the school cannot afford a door for a restroom stall, how will they afford to keep the children up to speed through technology? The desks, and books at the school I am writing about were similar to what I had 25+ years earlier as a child myself. Where our wealthier schools are purchasing Houghton Mufflin and Scholastic books with regularity, this school was using Dick and Jane books-with noone who looked like any of the children in the class I was in for the day.

     There are some excellent schools out their in the black community that encourage excellence. Some are private schools. Can we create more opportunity and access of this type throughout the nation? 

     Another oddity and less than wise use of government spending, recently there was a study done on gas (flatulence) why anyone wanted to study this or how they did it is halarious to think about. But seriously, how important was this  study and what did it lead to in our learning. Wouldn't money for studies like this be better spent on assisting some of the schools that are in need of opportunity. 

     The drop out rate is very large in the inner city-what if opportunities were made available to work after the age of 16. Maybe the student isn't motivated to rise to college attendance, but these same students could be motivated to put in what it took to achieve one of the other options available to them. Could we revitalize a farming industry,community gardens, mechanic industry, arts, private shops, training in computer repair, apprenticeships, parenting classes etc. Because just maybe the best thing, the successful thing someone can do is be a good parent to their children.  And outside the city in the country many folks might also appreciate this freedom in the form living off the land like they do on Alaska the last Frontier. I remember multiple times a year while I was being raised living in a rural area, that the hunters took off school during hunting to fill their freezers for the winter, and farmers took off to harvest/etc during certain seasons.  

      A couple years ago, there was a program on tv where white folks traded places with black folks for a week or so. Some folks ideas were transformed through the experience, others ideas were not. How often or have our billionaires dressed down and walked through town and experienced what those who live there experience. I'd like to see Donald Trump leave his bank roll and home and go dressed down into the city, compete for a job and while there come up with some brillant ideas that would help America's inner city population. That would make some great reality tv but only after he began coming up with ideas on how to lift those who are lower. 

Rory's birthday 2015

It is that time of year again. Rory's birthday so we made cream cheese filled cupcakes which he loves.

Make a chocolate cake of your favorite (fresh or box-up to you)

Blend:
Take one bar of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1egg

Fill muffin cups 1/3 full of cake , 1/3 full of cream cheese, 1/3 full of cake
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
Enjoy!
**If you use a box cake mix avoid ones with pudding.

We are also having tacos, which everyone enjoys.
The princess was jumping rope today and tripped. She twisted and impacted her knee on the gym floor. She has an injured MCL. She was highly disappointed she won't be able to finish the basketball season. But, on the bright side she's decided she will cheer for her team. I am so glad she was able to find the cup is half full even in this situation. Her leg is taped up and she has crutches. We have to ice it up to 5 times a day and ibuprophen for times when the pain is intense.

Bugs, Bugs go away

        Bugs, Bugs get rid of the bugs. 
        Bugs in here, bugs in there. 
        Bugs, bugs everywhere.
        Smash 'em, dash 'em
         trash or thrash those thugs.
         Just get 'em outta our home.

         Bugs to the flowers, bugs to the gardens
          bugs to the fields and the flowers
          Bugs under ground for the winter
          Food for the birds, food for the vole, 
          food for the fish, the frog, the turtle and other reptile 
          genus. 
          
           Entertainment in the spring as the electric fly swatter
           or zapper awaits your buggy ways-or perhaps you prefer a winsheild on a car,        motorcycle, train or truck- a semi is nice. I've eaten a few of you inadvertantly in my day as I raced down a hill on my bike trying to get away. A fire in the fire pit and 
           smoke in the air help keep you at bay and don't fret that you belong there.    
           For all God's creatures have a place in the choir and some sing lo and some sing higher 
            some sing out loud on the telephone wire, some just clap their hands or paws or                                      
             anything they got now.
                                                     BE HAVE MEDIA
The last line is borrowed from a song-called all God's creatures.
        

Lines I love

                                               Lines I love  
 "If I have seen further than others it is because I was standing on the shoulders of the giants before me." To which I say Amen and Praise the Lord.

 "What if I told you coming unglued isn't all bad?"

"She was a seriously and permanently disturbed woman"-more on that later

A loved poem by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams 
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams go
Life is a barren field
Covered with snow   "To which I respond spring will come again."

"Do you believe in faries? Don't let tink die. Say that you believe! If you believe, clap your hands!"

Do we have enough food and clothing? Then, let us be content.....
Choose to pursue God's way, flee from sinful things and it will leave a void...that is when we pursue the new life that God gives us.

Thoughts swimming through my mind this day, just had to put them down. 



                             

                             Basketball party

          In an effort to support the coach of the Blazers basketball team, we offered to host a end of the season party to celebrate the team coming together and working as a team when facing giants. Really, it was amazing to sit on the sideline and watch 2nd and 3rd graders be refined as silver while playing a game of basketball. I was so proud of each child on the team for giving their personal best in the final game.
     Why is it that 2nd isn't valued as highly as it ought to be? We have become a society set on competition rather than being the best we can whether we come in 2nd or 13th or whatever. Isn't character more important than being first? Well, that is what this party was about trying to have kids see the value of being refined as silver because one day they will be in first place. The problem with first place is that the wolves want to take you down when you get there and you have to be prepared to know you will never make everyone happy so you have to have the wisdom to balance making yourself happy while at the same time serving others. Because that is why we are here- to serve others and glorify the Lord in the process.
     The evening came to a culmination with one parent and child lingering,  we were happy for the fellowship. That is until I was a dope. The great thing is I believe I have the best kids in the world, understanding that their mom has never parented before them and that being part of an adoptive family differs from all the families who are formed via biology only.
      So, we are having a conversation and the little boy, let's call him X. X seems suprised that my daughter is adopted, despite the fact I am pasty white and my children are boldly black. There was an assumption that possibly my children were mine from a previous relationship. I love when folks are so open minded. The conversation was going along swimmingly with the usual, well why couldn't her birth parents raise her? My daughter stepped up to bat on that one. This is her story, we've gone over it again and again. She only has to share if she wants to. And she likes to share unlike her brother who will walk away from the curiosity of even his closest friends.
     X considers my daughter's response and looks at me and says, "Well, why didn't they think of that before they had a baby?"  As my brain is processing this question as quickly as possible, so I don't look stupid out of my mouth comes....because of sin. (It is carnal desires that cause folks to participate in activities that result in embreyos that continue to develop until gestation is complete. And wala, my beautiful children came into the world and I met them at the hospital. )
     X asks, "Are you catholic?"
     My daughter says, "No she is a lady pastor." as she comes up and puts a defending arm around me. (I am only a believer of the Lord Jesus who isn't afraid to talk spiritual stuff, no pastor title to my credentials)
I didn't want to explain carnal desires to an 8 year old. I also didn't go into the conversation about King David possibly being a result of carnal desires and that was why he was out in the field tending sheep rather than seeing the prophet. Or the countless other times God used various prodigy who were the result of carnal desires-Bathsheba's and David's son to accomplish his purposes. And I completely failed to say that which is most important-Because I wouldn't have my fabulous daughter or son!
Folks-we can argue til we are blue in the face the issue whether my children were predestined to be with me or if it was by chance or if the ugly lie that so many try to strap us with that we are somehow wonderful because we are parenting "them" Lord help the blind is all I can say. I used to want to punch you if you are in that category but I am aware that I have a blindside too and I believe it was evident as I tried to answer questions at a basketball party.
      I was playing in the yard with my son the other day and I had this sense that I have always known him, that he was set aside to be my son. Really folks, our finite minds may not be able to comprehend everyone's mistakes and successes and keep it all together, but isn't it absolutely amazing that we serve a God who can and does. HE knew since before the creation of the world-you and me and my children and yours. He knew how he'd bring our families together. In 5th grade HE revealed Mickhala to me. In 5th grade, HE revealed I'd live, in Ohio, despite my best arguments to say I'd never live there. Oh, now how glad I am that I went.
      I learned a few things or was simply reminded about:
1. My children love me despite my ineptness and support me til I get it.
2.  A person's past does not determine his/her future.
3.  A person's family biological, foster or adoptive does not determine the choices of the child. We all have an opportunity to impact but we cannot take credit for those choices whether good or bad.
4. Our minds are so finite, it's okay, enjoy the journey anyway!
5. I have an amazing family.