Archive for August, 2007
There is a lot of uproar over the real estate market right now. The lenders are worried because of the rising number of homes going into foreclosure. The borrowers are panicked because the interest rates are creeping up on loans they already can’t really afford. Every one seems to think the government should step in and fix the situation.
What kind of country are we becoming?
In the late 70’s, early 80’s, the interest rates really rose. People found themselves in mortgages with 20% rates (For the record, that’s way higher than what anyone is facing now). I can remember my dad getting up at the crack of dawn to go to the local shop and make donuts. He did what he had to do to get it done.
When my husband and I both found ourselves unemployed, we didn’t call the governor and ask him what he was going to do. My husband started mowing lawns and doing landscaping, and I helped out as much as can be expected with two small children in tow. We did what we had to do to get it done.
There is some room in my heart for compassion. I know that a lot of the people out there are in trouble because the evil lenders got them to borrow more than they can afford (not sure how all those credit cards got in their wallets, but that’s another story). At the same time the lenders are the pitiful bystanders because they were just trying to help people get a leg up. Hey - I got an idea - why don’t the lenders and borrowers get together and work something out.
All hope for this great nation is not lost. In this house, the children already understand the importance of paying for what you want as you go and my oldest son goes so far as to call credit evil. They are learning how to save, to share, to give, and to work hard for the money. I know that we are not the only family who are growing up financial savvy children.
Should the government help out the people who are in over there heads (be it the lenders or the borrowers)? The president says no, and I have to support his decision. It will be interesting to see if that stance holds true for the long haul.
August 13th, 2007
“Where is your father?” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I’m reminded of a commercial where the kids have put the sprinkler in the living room and dad asks “where is your mother?” (For the record, the mom in the commercial is off shopping).
There’s one son in the family room bouncing the baby’s basketball. The oldest son had to get in there and fight with him – it’s a sibling thing (as I’ve tried to convince my husband who is an only child). The baby is in the pantry pulling out everything he can reach. I’m trying to block it all out and focus on what I’m writing – with some success. (Did I mention that my office is in the middle of the kitchen?”
Working at home (especially during those times when Dad is home) can be a test of talent, the ability to ignore the constant howl of “MOMMA,” and the completely trust that my husband will take care of it all (even if he is presently hiding in the bathroom).
It’s not always easy, but there are some guides that help me work.
1. Work with outlines. Don’t think about getting everything down in this first sitting. When things are crazy, then following a 1, 2, 3 format will make it easier for you to force a train of thought.
2. Set some rules for those around you. With so much going on around me, it can be difficult not to get distracted. The rule is that if I’m in the middle of writing, you have to wait until I acknowledge you. Nothing is more annoying than being interrupted during the flow of that perfect sentence, only to not be able to get it back.
3. No matter how many times you ask, or how many ways you may explain it, you are still mom. Everyone WILL expect you to know the answer, the solution, or the location of their missing items. Accept it, expect it, and deal with it.
4. Use the chaos to your benefit. Where do you think I came up with the idea for this particular article?
5. The writing has to be the focus, don’t think about the mess that was just left on the table or the dishes in the sink or the laundry sitting in the dryer. Write when it is time to write. Everything else can wait (and maybe even your husband and kids will do the chores before bed).
6. Make cards (like in soccer) with a red card being an emergency and a yellow card being a pressing need. When someone needs something from you, they can place the card on your desk.
7. Don’t wait until the last minute to do anything that you have known about. It never fails, that is the exact moment a family crisis will occur.
8. Learn to type with one hand. If there is a baby in the house, this is a skill that will come in as handy as any you have ever learned.
9. Work in spurts. Spend fifteen minutes doing some research or writing a paragraph. Spend fifteen minutes with the kids working on a project (like bath time or supper). That way they know that their moment is just around the corner. Set a timer if they need something tangible to focus on.
10. Take advantage of quiet times. If the kids are outside, or over at the grandparent’s house, use that time. It’s nice to spend a little time focused on you, but it won’t get those articles written.
Writing at home (or doing any job at home) takes some patience and adjustment – as much for your family as for yourself. If it doesn’t go smooth to start with, don’t panic. Try different ideas and ask the kids for help. Explaining to the whole family what you need to be able to do and the time that you need to do it will help you all get along a little better.
August 11th, 2007
The bible is not politically correct. It just says what it says and makes no apologies about it. People, on the other hand, have been trying to apologize for the bluntness of scripture since its beginning.
I usually don’t mind the bluntness – especially when it’s not referring to me. This morning it slapped me squarely in the face. The alarm went off, and I rolled over. I figured that since the last three mornings had started around 3 am, I was entitled. Besides, I knew my husband’s alarm would go off at any second. Ten minutes later, the screeching of his alarm woke me.
This time, when I rolled over, a scripture popped into my head. And it echoed there until I got up and got going. My husband did not get this same verse, or else he has the ability to ignore the nagging that I don’t have. Either way, I was up to greet the day all alone.
It dawned on me as the sun was dawning itself, just how rude that particular scripture was. If someone had said something like that to my face, it would have been and insult. But the words make so much sense that it is hard to argue.
When I get up the first time my body wakes, my day is much smoother. If I choose to roll over and go back to sleep, the sleep is never satisfying. Usually it’s filled with strange dreams that are a combination of being half asleep and half awake. Often the dreams involve a piece of whatever I was watching or doing the night before. I end up waking more tired than I was the first time I woke.
Getting right out of the bed has additional benefits. I get quiet time. The morning hours won’t be interrupted by children hanging on my legs, or phone calls, or even noises from outside. All is peaceful.
No wonder the old saying is “the early bird catches the worm.” It’s because there is so little competition to deal with, and there are far fewer distractions. And it sounds so much better than “it’s a lazy man that turns in his bed.”
August 9th, 2007
It’s amazing where we end up getting our inspiration. A sunset can launch a sonnet. The right encounter could start (or make the perfect conclusion) for the next great novel. A child’s next “first” is the perfect jumping off point for a “how to” blog.
My inspiration comes from my new lap top. It’s not that it’s exciting or that it’s anything special really. The inspiration comes because I want to use it. I want to write an article that I can save onto my flash drive and load into my desktop. It would be a great accomplishment (especially since just three hours ago the stupid thing wouldn’t even work).
The thing is that inspiration can come from anywhere. There is no rule, and usually there is no rhyme or reason. You make magic happening by snatching up those moments and getting them on paper. If you have to use the back of a napkin, then do. Just don’t let that next great inspiration slip by without acknowledging it.
As for me, this article will definitely spark another one (probably about how much I HATE vista). That’s often how it works for me. Once I get started, they tend to flow to the point of ridiculous. Maybe now that I have this laptop, I’ll overflow so much that I become rich and famous.
It could happen you know 
.
What is the best way for you to launch your inspiration? If you aren’t sure, then think about those times when you couldn’t seem to stop writing. What set you off? If you haven’t had that happen to you yet, just keep writing and it will.
Here are some great points for getting going:
1. Listen to your favorite music. Get up and move it you want. Make sure that you get lost in the lyrics and the beat.
2. Take a walk. Through the mall or through the park doesn’t matter. Watching people is just as beneficial as getting away from it all. The key is to let your mind wander.
3. Keep a journal. Sometimes the very act of writing anything can start the process of writing something valuable. Think of the journal as the primer for your writing engine.
4. Read a good book. Reading is one of the best things a writer can do.
5. Visit other blogs. Not only will this light the fire of inspiration, but it will also connect you to the blogging community.
Keep trying new things, and keep a list of the ones that work for you. When you get in a bind or when you don’t think you can write, look to your list and your inspiration should follow.
August 8th, 2007
Eat More! That seems to be the motto for every thing and every one in the United States. The buffets encourage you to eat more – they are, after all, “all you can eat” and you must get your money’s worth. The restaurants serve portions big enough for a small family. Even the grocery stores are getting in on the act with “buy one, get one free” specials. It’s no wonder so many people are going to crazy extremes or unique choices to try and win the battle of the bulge.
I want to be healthy again, and I know that eating less is the way to go. But even the size of my dinner plates (which were wedding gifts) is fighting against me in my effort to eat less.
Recently I found a book that is opening my eyes and guiding my path. Kiss Dieting Goodbye by Elliott Young is pulling together the biblical ideal and the health principles into one sound practice.
The best part of it so far has been her tips to help with portion control. I’m trying to put them into practice. Here are some of hers and some of my own.
1. Don’t wait until you are starving to eat. It gives you the sense that you have to make up for lost meals.
2. Measure out your portions. Most human beings only need a food serving that is equal to their flattened fist. That’s not a lot of food, folks.
3. Keep in mind that you can always get more. Here in the United States, there is no lack of food. Don’t feel like you have to “store away” a favorite food because there might never be anymore available to you.
4. Don’t eat from the container. Putting food on a plate or in a bowl will give you an idea of how much you are eating. It will also give you a stopping point.
5. You can only eat just one. Sometimes just the taste is what you crave. You don’t have to eat the whole candy bar or all the M&M’s or the full bag of chips. Satisfy your craving and save the rest for later.
6. Share your meal. Especially when eating out. Most restaurants offer more than enough for two. This will not only help your portion control, but it will help your budget.
7. Can’t split the meal? Then ask for a “To Go” box with the meal. Put half the food away before you even get started.
8. DON’T SKIP MEALS. Keep your energy up and your metabolism running by eating at least three times per day.
9. Avoid the TV. You can’t truly enjoy something that you aren’t focused on. Remember how much better that last meal out tasted? It’s good because you are focused on the experience. Make every meal an experience so that you can savor the food.
10. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. It makes the portions look and feel more filling.
Eating less food doesn’t mean I have to deprive myself, it just means I have to control the portions that I lay out. By doing a little planning, taking a little extra time, and making my meals and experience and not just a necessity, I can make portion control a natural way of life.
August 7th, 2007
There are days that I just can’t seem to get anything done on the computer. Either the kids are in chaos mode, or the house needs attention or an emergency comes up that there is no way I could have planned around.
Keeping consistent content on my blog can be hindered by these days. It can also be hurt by those days when I just don’t feel like writing or don’t have anything to say (although those days are very few ).
I’m learning some quick tricks to help me post an article even when I don’t have time to think about my blog. There’s a challenge at problogger.net that has me thinking about these tricks and tips.
1. Pre-write some posts. I keep several “generic” posts in my database that aren’t time specific. This gives me an emergency back up if I get into a position where I can’t post for a day. It also gives me a place to put all those blogs I write when my muse gets out of control.
2. If you have the capabilities, even pre-post what you have written. Wordpress allows me to change the date or time (or both) of my post. With this feature, I can do a week’s worth of posting at one sitting. It’s a great thing for rainy days or weekends.
3. Rework something you’ve written in the past. If you do ghost writing, or have been writing for very long, you probably have hundreds of articles at your finger tips. Take your long articles and condense them or take your short articles and expand them.
4. Surf the web. Some days, just reading what others have written (and maybe leaving a few comments) can be all that I need to motivate my writing.
5. There is always tomorrow. If you don’t make a post today, it will not be the end of the world. Consistent (quality) posting is the key to consistent traffic, but one day won’t be the demise of all your hard work. Make plans to wake up early and get right on it tomorrow.
Getting into the habit of writing daily (same blog time, same blog place) is the best way to guarantee you have a regular posting schedule. For those days when nothing goes right, try so of these tips to get you through.
August 5th, 2007
Spending time with the family will bring me blessings that I could never imagine. It could be a special moment or comment from one of the children, or a scene that the whole family shares. What ever the blessing, you will miss you if you don’t take the time.
Two weeks ago, I became determined to say no to my children less. Instead of not having the time or being too busy, I wanted to play a game or throw the ball or shoot the hoops. Maybe it wouldn’t be able to happen every day, and maybe not every time they might ask, but I was firm in my decision that the yes’s would far outweigh the no’s.
The older boys and I played three rounds of Clue today while the baby was napping. We also spent some time on the playground after naptime was up. After dinner, I figured it was mommy time. Unfortunately, daddy eats slower than me, so I agreed to take the baby outside for a walk.
We were down by the picnic tables when he started to point and jump up and down. I ducked out of reflex (I have an older brother and growing up when someone would point and scream it meant something is coming at my head). It’s a good thing my reflexes are so good. There was something flying right at me and it would have barreled right into me otherwise.
It was a bird. It almost touched my head before swooping up into the tree next to my oldest son. And it wasn’t just any bird. It was a young, red-tailed hawk.
For the next ten minutes, the whole family watched this young hawk fly from tree to pole and around again. It got so close at times that it was like we could reach out and touch it. It was a delight for young and old alike.
Next time your children want to spend time with you, take the time. Even if nothing out of the ordinary or super amazing does happen, being a family will be a blessing all its own.
This is not an actual picture of our hawk, but it was one I found at another site.
August 3rd, 2007
Food has no more control over my life. It was something I confronted two weeks ago, and I’m holding my ground. It’s not like I’ve given up food. Instead, the power of what to eat and when to eat and how to eat is back in my hands (so to speak).
I’ve even gotten off the scales. When I lost the forty pounds of baby weight after my second son, I got rid of the scales. I trusted my clothes to tell me when I was losing control. Actually, it never dawned on me that I might lose control.
At 36, almost seven years after my second son was born, I found myself pregnant with a third child. (We say “found,” like we tripped over it in the woods. I knew it was POSSIBLE, but after years of hoping to get pregnant I had given up on the idea. SURPRISE!). Have you noticed that maternity clothes give you no indication of just how much weight you are packing on?
After he was born, I bought myself a scale. It calculates body fat percentage and everything – even keeps a record of my weight loss to date. Falling back into the habit of weighing daily was easier than slipping down a muddy slope. Since the scale reads the fractions of the weight, I was able to react to even a tenth of a pound up or down. There were days that I would get on the scale in the morning AND in the evening, just in case.
NO MORE! I’ve quit eating in front of the television (have pretty much quit watching the television except when I’m washing the dishes or cooking). Every afternoon when my energy starts to get low, I take a few minutes to play with the kids – usually outside. It’s had the added benefit of getting them up and moving as well.
I still have the scales, but I haven’t gotten on them this week. If the food doesn’t have control, then there is really no need for the scales. The weight is coming off. The clothes are fitting better.
August 2nd, 2007
My family schedule scheme is working out – for the most part. Sure, there have been those days when some of the to-dos rolled over to the next day. There have even been some to-dos that have been forgotten. Over the last two weeks, we have pretty much stayed on track, and the house has benefited from it.
Monday, the game changed. That was the day that my teacher husband went back to work. I knew that I could handle the house, the kids, the homeschooling, the cooking, the cleaning, and the blogging. The plan had been honed over the summer. The plan took a beating on Monday and Tuesday (which is why there has been such a lack of posts on my part).
What do you do when your best laid plans have gone astray? You improvise.
1. First comes God. I have consistently spent time in prayer and study to prepare me for the day. I don’t even think about anything else until I have this time alone.
2. Family comes first. I love working online and I thrive in my writings, but it can’t come before my family. That is one thing that I truly came to understand this summer. Over these last couple of days, I’ve chosen to stay up a little later, turn off the television a lot more, and get up a little earlier, all so that I can have time to play games with the kids or just hang out and talk.
3. Paid work gets priority. I do several online jobs that actually pay me. As much as I love my blogs and want to see them succeed, I haven’t discovered the magic formula to get them to pay me. Until I do, the paid gigs will have to come first.
4. Tweak until something happens. My schedule wasn’t perfect, even though I thought I had it down this time. Instead of panicking, or throwing the baby out with the bath water, I’m going to take the things that do work and change the things that haven’t worked so well. Eventually, I have to find the answer (There is an answer, right?).
The family is still working as a team and we are getting things done. It’s not perfect, it’s not complete, but it is definitely on the right track.
August 1st, 2007
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