Queenies Little Kingdom

I’m busy getting ready for a big visit from my in-laws. It’s their first time to our new house in a new town and I want it to be special. That means a lot of “honey do” lists going on and tons of rearranging this & that.

Want to know how to find out if you have too much excess junk?

Invite loved ones to visit. You’ll suddenly see clearly all the ridiculous stuff you’ve been hoarding and want to pitch it all to Goodwill.

The truth is that I’m really excited that they’re coming. The visit is long over-due and all because of them, I’m finally getting the catch-all room cleaned up and organized. It’s been a thorn in my side for the “almost” two years we’ve lived here. Yippee!

So, counting down the days…and checking off the jobs! Yeehaw!

It’s the middle of October and you know what that means….. time to start picking up prezzies for your favorite people.  Christmas is fast approaching and unless you want to be stuck fighting the crowds in December, you better get serious about your gift shopping.   Besides, aren’t the holidays more fun when you’re not racing around looking for the perfect gift? 

I was chatting with a neighbor this week and we ended up on the topic of our kids.  Listening to her took me back to the days when my own kiddos were young and I was fumbling along trying to keep them all alive and awesome.   Because isn’t that what moms should be doing?  Focusing on awesome?

Oh, the truth is…..no.  Awesome is not what’s important. 

I’ve thought about our conversation over the last few days and the important parts of parenting have little to do with raising awesome kids and a lot to do with giving them awesome gifts.  Gifts that keep on giving,  gifts that can’t be bought at any store.  Gifts that every mama should be giving.

DISCIPLINE & HARD WORK

I grew up with chores.  At the time, I was convinced my mom thought I was a teenaged slave.  Looking back, I see how important learning jobs around the house was for my future as a wife and mom.  Kids are not going to die from having house responsibilities.  Matter of fact, housework/yardwork/chores instills a good work ethic and provides kids with skills that are beginning to become extinct in our society.   So, moms….do NOT fall for the hissy fits your sweet darlins throw when given a simple list or task around the house.  Stick to your guns and love your kids through teaching them to work hard.  Note:  This goes for school work, sports and jobs outside of home too.

AFFECTION

Showing your love is just as important as speaking it when it comes to raising children.  Physical touch is a natural human desire.  Every single person needs it.  Not showing love through affection sends a message of rejection or distance.  Each day, hug your kids….look into their eyes, speak lovingly into their hearts.  Give them your sweetest moments and don’t forget to laugh and play.  Parenting can be busy work full of serious moments, remember to have silly time too.

PERMISSION TO FAIL

I didn’t realize just how important letting my kids fall flat was for not only them….but, me.  Failure is a part of life.  No one gets through it without some experience in failing something somewhere.   I placed a great amount of pressure on my kids without realizing the stress it was causing them until they were grown and out of my house.  Holding them to the fire is important but forcing kids to perform out of their capabilities is a lesson in frustration for them and you.  Letting them fail teaches them to try harder next time and it prepares them to work for what they want.  Your loving encouragement is what they really need, not your constant disappointment.

TIME

T I M E spells love in the heart of a kid.  Stop the hustle of life and focus on having fun.  Spending down time together allows for great conversations.   Conversations open up trust.  Trust equips kids with the ability to be honest about real life issues.   Your kid will struggle with big deal problems somewhere along the way and turning to you….will be exactly what they need to do.  Your time invested will be something they remember forever.  Make sure they know how important they are to you by giving them the gift of your time.

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

This might be the greatest gift you give your kids.  God is real and unless you teach them WHO GOD IS they will have a world trying to cram the opposite down their throats.  It’s not enough though to just teach them He is real….they need to know how much He loves them and how much He wants a personal relationship with them.  They are ultimately HIS anyway…we are just borrowing them from God for a while.   We owe Him and them the honor of trusting someone besides our own selves in this fallen world.  God has big plans for them and it’s up to us to teach them that.

Your job as a mom never ends.  Even into adulthood you will find they still need you and these gifts will be a special part of your relationship.   So, during this gift giving time of year….remember what your kids need most has nothing to do with spending money and everything to do with loving them with your whole heart.

It’s only right that I’m happy today, don’t you think? That’s what you do on your birthday. Be happy. Celebrate. Get crazy. Throw caution to the wind and live it up.

I do like to party.

I don’t feel 49 years old. When I climbed into bed last night….I thought about my birthday today and actually wondered if I was really ready to leave 48 behind. No choice. Time to turn the page and move on ahead.

Goodbye Felicia (4 8)!

I have so much still to do with my life. I have a lot to experience and many people to love and inspire. I don’t want to waste the time that I have.

It’s all good, this birthday thing. I’m rather grateful to celebrate another year. What’s a number anyway? Just a number, right? I’m healthy, I’m happy, I’m blessed and I have so much to live for and to thank God for in my life.

Who knew the 40’s would be so good? Even with the body changes, new face lines and the letting go of all the little twerps who call me mom. It’s really all good.

I honestly like where I’m at these days…

Time to turn the page on another year.

Thank you, God. My story continues because of You.

I’ve been missing because I somehow got caught up in all things Africa. Specifically, Beryl Markham’s Africa. It all began when I read a blurb about Paula McClain’s newest book focusing on the British-born Kenyan-raised Aviatrix who lived a crazy life in the bush and grew up to do even more adventurous and romantic accomplishments.

Years ago, I read The Paris Wife and fell in love with Paula McClain’s writing. Her historical fiction voice lures the reader in and that was all it took to hook me.

If you’re not familiar with Beryl Markham and are interested in who she was- I highly recommend her book West With the Night. It is full of wild adventure and excitement. I read it before I stuck my nose in Paula McClain’s Circling the Sun and I’m glad. It was so good I couldn’t put it down.

The movie Out of Africa was written by Karen Blixen whose pen name was Isak Dinesen. She was a Danish noblewoman who fell hard for the dashing big game hunter Denys Finch-Hatton. Karen’s husband was the Baron Bror von Blixen who constantly cheated on her and eventually left her on the coffee farm in Kenya. She made do with a love affair with Denys who was known himself for being a playboy. Beryl Markham was part of that rugged crowd and all of their stories are completely intertwined. In the movie (if you’ve watched), Beryl’s character is known as Felicity. It’s been said that when Karen/Isak wrote the book she didn’t include much about Beryl because of her jealousy of the love affair between her and Denys.

It seems all the ladies loved Denys Finch-Hatton.

All I can say is that the sordid and strange old ways of these different aristocratic people will suck you in and spit you out long after the dinner dishes need washing. I am still stuck in Africa thanks to all of these characters.

Oh well, the reality is that I’m back. But I cannot stop thinking about all the adventure. Oh and Paula’s book? Is everything I’d hoped and more. I hope they make a movie.

Here we are once again……listening to nonsensical garbage from gun hating liberals.

Every single time a whack job (and people who commit horrible acts like yesterday’s campus shooting are whack jobs) goes on a killing rampage, out come the genius gun control cronies. Blah blah blah. …… waaa waaa waaa! Crap!

All of it, crap!

Seriously. Stop it.

How unfortunate that someone in the midst of all the horrible bloodshed going down at yesterday’s attack wasn’t legally packing. It’s heartbreaking that he wasn’t stopped sooner. His intentions were to cause as much death and destruction as he possibly could and it appears he was rather successful.

I get it. Not everyone feels comfortable with guns. To them I say, don’t buy one. But, don’t tread on my right to have them and to use them for my protection.

Gun laws don’t protect legal gun owners. Just like taking cars away from everyone because some people drive drunk doesn’t stop drunk driving crimes. Criminals will always find a way to do their deed.

I’m sickened by the horrid acts committed on the Oregon college campus yesterday. It’s past time for Americans to stand up and fight back. I thank God for the many businesses who openly welcome licensed gun carriers in their business. Our world is quickly going to hell – and it’s important to know there are those who want to take as many along with them as they can.

Exercise your American right and become a trained and legally licensed gun owner. You never know when tragedy will knock on your door or walk into your classroom or drive by your front yard.

Don’t be a victim!

God,
Help us help ourselves.
Amen