Snippets

A peek inside my thoughts~

"Concern yourself with mankind" :
I saw this in a magazine.  No one was quoted, it was just in quotation marks so I don't necessarily feel so guilty about using it myself. I have thought about that sentence all week long. I even used it as a FB status update. I actually wish it was a T-Shirt...I'd buy it, in multiple colors. The more I think about it, the more consuming it becomes.

Concern Yourself with Mankind

Its so incredibly basic. It's so simple.

Just Concern yourself.

Read the news, know what's going on around you, figure out ways to help.

Do you take bags of clothes to Goodwill?

There, you just concerned yourself. 

Do you tithe, give to charity, have organizations that are dear to you?

Well, you just concerned yourself.

Do you give that homeless guy on the street a dollar without judging?

There, you just did it.

Do you teach your children how blessed they are to have clothes, food, a bed? Did it again.
It doesn't take much to just concern yourself. 

It seems to me that if we all just concerned ourselves a little more

with mankind, a lot more "stuff" would get done, and perhaps 

more people wouldn't suffer so much.

23 Children Dead in India:

This story just broke my heart. A government meal plan gone awry. The pictures from this tragedy are hard to take in. If you haven't seen this story or viewed any of the photos, I urge you too. It puts things into perspective. I have to say I used this story this week as well when my four year old (yet again) was hemming and hawing at the dinner table. After about the 5th time of hearing, "I don't want this" (this being a particularly scrumptious meal of PB&J, accompanied by fruit and cottage cheese) I finally turned and said:

"You know what Beck, we shouldn't complain about what we get to eat. There's nothing wrong with your food, and did you know that 23 children were poisoned in India by the food that they were eating? It made them really sick, and we're blessed that we don't have to worry about our food."

At which came the reply "What's poison?"

"It keeps bugs off our food but because we live here we don't usually have to worry about getting sick from our food. So we should eat it because there's

lots of kids in lots of places that don't get anything to eat for a long time."

It worked and the PB&J went down with little more to be said about it.
Now I realize some people won't agree with me talking so candidly about that stuff, maybe it's a little much for a 4 year old but I disagree. I want to raise a child that's aware of the fact that we live in a great place, that we have more than we could ever want, that we are beyond lucky to be living in this time. I'm grateful, that beyond normal parent worry, I feel like my kid is going to be OK. I don't have to worry that he's going to ingest insecticide from a government provided lunch and then late that afternoon I'll be burying his tiny little body. The most basic, basic, basic thought is that we are blessed to be living here.

On to less heavy things:

I officially launched Mission Bling this past week. It's a way to raise money to get myself and the hubs back to Africa. Look it up through Facebook, like it, share it. I also got to participate in a "FUNdraiser" for my churches youth group where a portion of the proceeds went towards their mission fund. It was awesome and I'd be willing to do it again! Anyone got a fundraiser going on?? It all goes around~

I forgot my glasses at home yesterday which seriously impeded my ability to work. Number one, I couldn't quite see the computer screen and number two (which is the most important) I felt that my smartness was gone! Now anyone who wears glasses knows what I'm talking about! I feel smarter when I wear them. I feel like people think I'm smarter when I wear them. They've given me a "smartness factor" that I've never had before. So before when my patients looked at me like I didn't know what I was talking about, now that I have glasses, I feel like (well, I know) they respect my opinion more. So for anyone who wants to feel smart, look smart or just gain an edge, I urge you to go to your local Kmart, Walmart etc (gas station?) and get yourself a pair of specs and try out my theory. I'm telling you, it changes something. It's no longer a cause to be called "four eyes".

NEXT~
Poop: My life is consumed with poop right now. Yep. POOP
Hi, my name is Haven, and I have a 4 year old who is not potty trained. I already know what you're thinking. Yes, I've tried that.....and that too, and yes, THAT. I've done everything from yelling (yes, I'm ashamed of that) to bribing, to sweet talking, to promising stuff, to saying I'm going to do things that I don't even know I can make happen.

Me: Beck, if you poop on the potty I'll call the fire department and I'll get you a ride on their big fire truck!
Beck: Really?! On that big one, the red one that we see in the parades?
Me: YES!! I'll get you a ride on that firetruck!
Beck: And I can pull the siren string?
Me: YES!! Maybe they'll let you ring the bell thingy!
(And I mean it folks, I'll lay down in front of that massive firetruck until they have no choice but to let him ride in the front seat if he would just poop on the toilet)

You see, I'm on a timeline. He has to go to preschool. Why? Because he's totally bored where he's at. He needs some learning and I'm not talking about colors and letters. He knows that stuff. And he needs some diversity. And I think that being around kids that poop on the toilet would help. Right??
Now pee.....we're good on that home front.
So pray for me. And for Beck, and for his Dad who refuses to buy anymore diapers:

Jon: Uh Beck, just came back from the store and they told me they're out of diapers!
Beck: They don't have anymore diapers?
Jon: Nope, so you're going to have to just poop on the potty now. OK?
Beck: Ahhh dang it.

That happens on a regular basis.
Pray that my kid poops on the toilet. He's done it a few times and he's so proud of himself when he does. Granted, he has had lots of GI issues and we do see a pediatric GI specialist for ongoing things since he was a preemie but c'mon, I'm ready for the next stage of freedom! UNDERWEAR!!!

Anyway~
Another week, another day,
Lots of love coming your way!
Until next time:
Please try to concern yourself!

Haven