What to give, what to give? It's the same question every year at this time. What do you give to those people closest to you? Does your family really need one more gizmo, gadget, bangle, bauble or bead? I doubt it. I know that no one in my family really needs any more stuff. So what do you give? What can you give that they will actually enjoy and benefit from?
I have an answer, but if you know me you guessed that already. Seriously, there is something that you can give and it will actually cost you very little and will be as unique as you are. What is it? Simple. Give them . . . you.
Uh, okay. How?
Simple. Make the choice to invest yourself in your friends and family. For the next year, purposefully make time to spend time with those people who mean the most to you. And I don't mean simply send more text messages or watch more TV together. Turn off all the outside distractions. Turn off the TV. Turn off the phone. Turn off the computer. Sit together in the same room and have a real conversation with them.
Do you really know your spouse's secret dream or ambition? What about your children? Do you know what they are really interested in? What about your parents? What was it like when they were children? Are your parents WWII generation? Korea? Vietnam? The first Gulf War? Disco? Have they fulfilled the dreams they had when they were your age?
Most importantly, talk about eternal matters. Where are you in your relationship with Christ? Do you even have one? Do your family memebers? Do you even know?
Read the Bible together. Talk about it. If you disagree on something with each other talk about it and find out why. Is it a serious disagreement? Can it affect your personal eternity?
Some of these are pretty deep questions. But they will lead to deeper understanding and better communication with each other.
Give the perfect gift to your family. It costs almost nothing; maybe some time. It won't wear out; it won't go out of style; it won't break or become obsolete. It doesn't need batteries or an instruction manual. Give them you.
Christmas: accomplished.
Merry Christmas to you all.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
WARNING: Shameless Self Promotion Following
Thanksgiving is over and now most people really start thinking about what to buy other people for Christmas. Well, I have an idea. Yeah, you can probably see it coming, but I'm going to say it anyway.
BUY BOOKS.
Not just any books, of course, but my books. I only have two, so that won't stretch your budget too much.
For those on your list who like fiction; a little mystery, a little suspense, a little romance, check out my novel "Hidden Lives". You can get it quite easily online at Barnes & Noble. You can visit my web site and read the first chapter, too.
For those who like non-fiction and like to contribute to a good cause; my book "Caste Aside: Hope for Orphans from the Heart of India". Also available at Barnes and Noble. The contributing part; all royalties go to the orphanage in India this book is written about.
So, those of you with friends who can read, I know you have them, stuff their stocking with these two little gems and make Christmas merrier for all of us.
Another place to find great books, that I didn't write, go to and check out the bookstore. This is great new Christian speculative fiction by some great authors and a new wonderful indie press.
Oh, what do I want for Christmas? My list still to come . . .
BUY BOOKS.
Not just any books, of course, but my books. I only have two, so that won't stretch your budget too much.
For those on your list who like fiction; a little mystery, a little suspense, a little romance, check out my novel "Hidden Lives". You can get it quite easily online at Barnes & Noble. You can visit my web site and read the first chapter, too.
For those who like non-fiction and like to contribute to a good cause; my book "Caste Aside: Hope for Orphans from the Heart of India". Also available at Barnes and Noble. The contributing part; all royalties go to the orphanage in India this book is written about.
So, those of you with friends who can read, I know you have them, stuff their stocking with these two little gems and make Christmas merrier for all of us.
Another place to find great books, that I didn't write, go to and check out the bookstore. This is great new Christian speculative fiction by some great authors and a new wonderful indie press.
Oh, what do I want for Christmas? My list still to come . . .
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Thanksgiving
It's November and the election is over. For that I am thankful, even though my choice did not win. So in the spirit of thanks, here are a list of things that I am extremely thankful for.
1. God's grace
2. That I have a voice in elections
3. Godly parents
4. Godly husband
5. Good kids who grew up to be good adults
6. Church family, several of them
7. Cooler weather
8. Answered prayer
9. Unanswered prayer
10. Football
11. Hamburgers
12. Pets
13. A good job
14. A vehicle that runs well
15. A roof over my head
16. Writer friends who are as crazy as I am
17. Imagination
18. An "off" button on the TV
19. Books
20. God's grace
You'll notice that #1 and #20 are the same. Without that, everything else is pointless.
Count your blessings. You have many. The more time you spend counting your blessings, the less time you have to gripe about the unimportant stuff.
Happy Thanksgiving and hug your family tight; even the ones you may not particularly get along with.
1. God's grace
2. That I have a voice in elections
3. Godly parents
4. Godly husband
5. Good kids who grew up to be good adults
6. Church family, several of them
7. Cooler weather
8. Answered prayer
9. Unanswered prayer
10. Football
11. Hamburgers
12. Pets
13. A good job
14. A vehicle that runs well
15. A roof over my head
16. Writer friends who are as crazy as I am
17. Imagination
18. An "off" button on the TV
19. Books
20. God's grace
You'll notice that #1 and #20 are the same. Without that, everything else is pointless.
Count your blessings. You have many. The more time you spend counting your blessings, the less time you have to gripe about the unimportant stuff.
Happy Thanksgiving and hug your family tight; even the ones you may not particularly get along with.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Whose Fault is it Really?
Disclaimer: I am not an economist; I am not a banker; I am not a politician; I am not a financial expert. The following is strictly opinion based on observation.
Our economy is in meltdown. We all know that. We listen to the news and hear all the bad news. But, the bailout will save us all. The news people say so. The politicians say so. And none of them would lie to us, so it must be true.
Okay, now back to reality. The Democrats blame the Republicans and the Republicans blame the Democrats. I blame all of them. I blame us, too. Each and everyone of us who has ever maxed out a credit card, or two or three; who has robbed Peter to pay Paul; who bought more house than we needed or could afford; who had to have every single new electronic gadget on the market no matter what it cost.
We are all basically to blame for this mess. Why? One word: greed. The American consumer is greedy. And selfish. And "right"eous. Okay, what does that mean? Ever since the sixties, and yes, I'm old enough to remember most of the sixties, people have been shouting and arguing about "rights". I have the right to have a job. It doesn't matter if I'm really qualified, it just matters that I am _______. Fill in the blank. Because I am _________ I have the right to any job I want. I have the right to any house I want. I have the right to any car I want. I have the right to have the biggest and best on the block. Just because I am _________________. See, it doesn't matter how you fill in that blank, it's still wrong. No one has a right to those things. You have the right to earn those things. You have the right to have the opportunity to gain those things, but you don't have the right to have them handed to you because you think you're something special. And you are leaving out an even more important word: responsibility.
What, never heard of it? Look it up. Then look up accountability. They work together. If you want your "rights", then you better take some responsibility.
It works like this. You make a certain amount of money every month at your job. You work for it. Uncle Sam takes some of it before you see it, but that's his job. He has to make money so he can run the country. So, the government gets a share of your paycheck and you get what's left. With that you have to pay the rent or the mortgage, pay the utility bills, make the car payment, put gas in your car, buy groceries, pay the baby sitter, pay for the cable so you can have 450 channels you don't watch, pay for the internet so you can surf the web and read blogs like this one, pay for that overpriced designer coffee that gets you going in the morning, pay the minimum on those five credit cards you have but will never pay off because you're paying 25% interest and the minimums barely cover that, pay to have your nails done every other week, your hair done every six weeks, that new pair of boots because the fashion magazines say you'll never attract the love of your life if you don't, okay, you see where I'm going with this?
GREED. SELF. ME. ME. ME.
This has been going on for decades. Banks were convinced to give home loans to people who really could not afford them. Credit cards were given out like candy at Halloween. We, the American consumers, have overdosed on credit and now it's time to deal with the hangover. And we're looking for someone else to blame.
How do we get out of this mess? STOP SPENDING MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE! That goes for the goverment as well. Whoever you choose to vote for in November, at any level of government, city right up to federal, tell them one thing loud and clear. DO NOT propose ANY new programs for ANYTHING. The government can't afford it. This country is broke. We run our government on borrowed money. Taxes can't cover the interest much less the principle. We don't need new programs. We don't need new "boots", we need to simply live within our means and deal with what we have. And if you make more than X dollars, don't let the government tell you that you have to take some of that and give it to those who make less than X dollars. If you're successful, congratulations. You've done something right. Don't let the government punish you for it. If you're not so successful, if you don't make the dollars in that higher bracker, don't expect to be carried. And if you're in the "system", get out of it. Okay, the job market's tight, we all know that. But there are jobs out there. No, they don't all pay great. A lot of them pay minimum and not much more. Are you too proud to take it? I've worked for minimum wage. I was overqualified for the job, but I did it and did it well. I did not go on welfare. I did not go on foodstamps. And I raised a family. Boys. They eat a lot. They never starved. Not even close. Yes, for a short time I did have the state medical benefit for my children. And yes, I used it for their physicals and shots and when they got sick. That's what it's there for. We had no access to other insurance. But I did not take advantage of the system. And I got off it as soon as I could.
I do not have a college degree. I have a decent job. I have a house that I'm probably about to lose because I can't make the mortgage payments. That's my fault. I bought more house than I could reasonably afford on what I was bringing home and now I am in trouble. I could blame the mortgage company and say they should not have approved the loan, but why should I? They were doing what the government told them it was okay to do. Sure, approve that subprime loan. Then sell it to someone else so you don't have to worry about losing the money. Don't worry whether that person can still make their payments in year or two, you'll have your money. It's not your problem. That's what they did by the way. The servicer that now holds my mortgage is the third in the less than three years. The other two, have their money. They haven't lost a dime. They don't care.
So you see, it's not all the government's fault. Sure, they need to shoulder a good portion of the blame, but there's enough for Democrats and Republicans alike. And it doesn't go back just the past 8 years. It goes back to the sixties. Forty something years. We've had both parties in the White House in that time and a majority of both parties in control of Congress in that time. BOTH parties are to blame. And neither one will fix the problem if they continue to propose spending bills they can't afford. They need to STOP spending. Just like we do. Stop living on credit. Don't move to a bigger house this year. Don't buy a new car just because the one you have now is all of two years old. Drive it till it quits. Drive it till you've actually gotten your money's worth out of it, if that's even possible. Wear last year's boots; they're probably still in pretty good shape. The fashion world won't die if you don't have a brand new wardrobe. I haven't had one in years. Don't care. I like my jeans. I like last year's boots.
So, whose fault is it really? All of us. We all did this to ourselves.
Our economy is in meltdown. We all know that. We listen to the news and hear all the bad news. But, the bailout will save us all. The news people say so. The politicians say so. And none of them would lie to us, so it must be true.
Okay, now back to reality. The Democrats blame the Republicans and the Republicans blame the Democrats. I blame all of them. I blame us, too. Each and everyone of us who has ever maxed out a credit card, or two or three; who has robbed Peter to pay Paul; who bought more house than we needed or could afford; who had to have every single new electronic gadget on the market no matter what it cost.
We are all basically to blame for this mess. Why? One word: greed. The American consumer is greedy. And selfish. And "right"eous. Okay, what does that mean? Ever since the sixties, and yes, I'm old enough to remember most of the sixties, people have been shouting and arguing about "rights". I have the right to have a job. It doesn't matter if I'm really qualified, it just matters that I am _______. Fill in the blank. Because I am _________ I have the right to any job I want. I have the right to any house I want. I have the right to any car I want. I have the right to have the biggest and best on the block. Just because I am _________________. See, it doesn't matter how you fill in that blank, it's still wrong. No one has a right to those things. You have the right to earn those things. You have the right to have the opportunity to gain those things, but you don't have the right to have them handed to you because you think you're something special. And you are leaving out an even more important word: responsibility.
What, never heard of it? Look it up. Then look up accountability. They work together. If you want your "rights", then you better take some responsibility.
It works like this. You make a certain amount of money every month at your job. You work for it. Uncle Sam takes some of it before you see it, but that's his job. He has to make money so he can run the country. So, the government gets a share of your paycheck and you get what's left. With that you have to pay the rent or the mortgage, pay the utility bills, make the car payment, put gas in your car, buy groceries, pay the baby sitter, pay for the cable so you can have 450 channels you don't watch, pay for the internet so you can surf the web and read blogs like this one, pay for that overpriced designer coffee that gets you going in the morning, pay the minimum on those five credit cards you have but will never pay off because you're paying 25% interest and the minimums barely cover that, pay to have your nails done every other week, your hair done every six weeks, that new pair of boots because the fashion magazines say you'll never attract the love of your life if you don't, okay, you see where I'm going with this?
GREED. SELF. ME. ME. ME.
This has been going on for decades. Banks were convinced to give home loans to people who really could not afford them. Credit cards were given out like candy at Halloween. We, the American consumers, have overdosed on credit and now it's time to deal with the hangover. And we're looking for someone else to blame.
How do we get out of this mess? STOP SPENDING MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE! That goes for the goverment as well. Whoever you choose to vote for in November, at any level of government, city right up to federal, tell them one thing loud and clear. DO NOT propose ANY new programs for ANYTHING. The government can't afford it. This country is broke. We run our government on borrowed money. Taxes can't cover the interest much less the principle. We don't need new programs. We don't need new "boots", we need to simply live within our means and deal with what we have. And if you make more than X dollars, don't let the government tell you that you have to take some of that and give it to those who make less than X dollars. If you're successful, congratulations. You've done something right. Don't let the government punish you for it. If you're not so successful, if you don't make the dollars in that higher bracker, don't expect to be carried. And if you're in the "system", get out of it. Okay, the job market's tight, we all know that. But there are jobs out there. No, they don't all pay great. A lot of them pay minimum and not much more. Are you too proud to take it? I've worked for minimum wage. I was overqualified for the job, but I did it and did it well. I did not go on welfare. I did not go on foodstamps. And I raised a family. Boys. They eat a lot. They never starved. Not even close. Yes, for a short time I did have the state medical benefit for my children. And yes, I used it for their physicals and shots and when they got sick. That's what it's there for. We had no access to other insurance. But I did not take advantage of the system. And I got off it as soon as I could.
I do not have a college degree. I have a decent job. I have a house that I'm probably about to lose because I can't make the mortgage payments. That's my fault. I bought more house than I could reasonably afford on what I was bringing home and now I am in trouble. I could blame the mortgage company and say they should not have approved the loan, but why should I? They were doing what the government told them it was okay to do. Sure, approve that subprime loan. Then sell it to someone else so you don't have to worry about losing the money. Don't worry whether that person can still make their payments in year or two, you'll have your money. It's not your problem. That's what they did by the way. The servicer that now holds my mortgage is the third in the less than three years. The other two, have their money. They haven't lost a dime. They don't care.
So you see, it's not all the government's fault. Sure, they need to shoulder a good portion of the blame, but there's enough for Democrats and Republicans alike. And it doesn't go back just the past 8 years. It goes back to the sixties. Forty something years. We've had both parties in the White House in that time and a majority of both parties in control of Congress in that time. BOTH parties are to blame. And neither one will fix the problem if they continue to propose spending bills they can't afford. They need to STOP spending. Just like we do. Stop living on credit. Don't move to a bigger house this year. Don't buy a new car just because the one you have now is all of two years old. Drive it till it quits. Drive it till you've actually gotten your money's worth out of it, if that's even possible. Wear last year's boots; they're probably still in pretty good shape. The fashion world won't die if you don't have a brand new wardrobe. I haven't had one in years. Don't care. I like my jeans. I like last year's boots.
So, whose fault is it really? All of us. We all did this to ourselves.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Book Review
I just finished John Ringo's The Last Centurion. What a ride! If you've ever wanted to take potshots at the media, or the politicians, or anything that just completely got your goat, you will love this book. His character tells his story in blog form and everything, and every one, is fair game. He points out the foibles and fables that run wild and cause all sorts of other problems. Domino effect; in spades. Without going into a lot of details that would simply spoil it for you, this is the perfect book for those who think "scientific polls" are bogus, bureaucracy often causes more problems than it fixes, "governmental experts" rarely are, and the media would not know the truth if it bit them in the nether regions. This book is pure fun. Read it. I will issue a warning for the more sensitive types out there. The language is just about as crass as it gets. Get over it. It works for the character. I don't use foul language. I don't write it in my books. That's me. I've heard it all. This character would not be believable without it. It's just him. But, I've warned you, so don't blame me if you blush. Read it anyway. I haven't had this much fun reading a book in a very long. Thank you John Ringo.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Tag is Running Amok
So I got tagged. Thank you Frank Creed for the tag. Now it's my turn to share the fun. I'm IT!!!
Okay, these are the rules;
1. Link to the person who tagged you (I did that)
2. Post the rules on your blog (I'm doing that now)
3. Write six random thoughts about yourself (see below)
4. Tag six or so people at the end of your post (see below)
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged (I will do that)
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted (I'll do that, too.)
Random Thoughts About Me:
1. I love the Dallas Cowboys to the chagrin of my Steeler loving husband. I'm mad at them right now because they played simply awful on Sunday and lost to the Redskins. Bad Cowboys!
2. I'm addicted to reading. I have been know to read six or seven books in one week. My library card is now paper thin!
3. I have two boys, both grown, both also writers.
4. I have two books published. Check them out on my web site; you can link to it above.
5. My husband and I are going to India next year to teach in a small Bible college for a year.
6. I hate shoes. I prefer plain ole bare feet or socks at the most. Shoes are EVIL. Toes rule!
Now, for those I'm tagging; be careful out there because YOU'RE IT!!
Lisa Lyons, author
Glyn Shull, author, soldier, American hero
J. C. Lamont, author
Sean Rackley, the Myrthman himself
Pixy, a wonderful artist. Be prepared to be blown away.
Jen, for the gardner in all of us, even those of us with black thumbs!
Enjoy the tag game and let's share the fun!
Okay, these are the rules;
1. Link to the person who tagged you (I did that)
2. Post the rules on your blog (I'm doing that now)
3. Write six random thoughts about yourself (see below)
4. Tag six or so people at the end of your post (see below)
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged (I will do that)
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted (I'll do that, too.)
Random Thoughts About Me:
1. I love the Dallas Cowboys to the chagrin of my Steeler loving husband. I'm mad at them right now because they played simply awful on Sunday and lost to the Redskins. Bad Cowboys!
2. I'm addicted to reading. I have been know to read six or seven books in one week. My library card is now paper thin!
3. I have two boys, both grown, both also writers.
4. I have two books published. Check them out on my web site; you can link to it above.
5. My husband and I are going to India next year to teach in a small Bible college for a year.
6. I hate shoes. I prefer plain ole bare feet or socks at the most. Shoes are EVIL. Toes rule!
Now, for those I'm tagging; be careful out there because YOU'RE IT!!
Lisa Lyons, author
Glyn Shull, author, soldier, American hero
J. C. Lamont, author
Sean Rackley, the Myrthman himself
Pixy, a wonderful artist. Be prepared to be blown away.
Jen, for the gardner in all of us, even those of us with black thumbs!
Enjoy the tag game and let's share the fun!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Fall
Fall is here. The air is just a touch cooler, this is Texas after all, so there's not a lot of change yet. The colors of fall however are in evidence everywhere. Blue and silver; green and white; purple and white; black and gold; red and orange. What, you don't recognize most of those as fall colors? Don't watch much football do you?
Yes, football is here. Pro, college, I love 'em both. It's the end of the second week of the pro season and my favorite team, the Cowboys, is 2-0. They beat their conference rivals, the hated Eagles, last night in a smash mouth, rough and tumble of a game that had Texas Stadium rocking. The final was 41-37 and there was a little bit of everything; quarterback sacks, fumble recoveries, interceptions, bonehead plays by both teams, great runbacks, missed tackles. Hey, this game had it all. It's one of those that never slows down and the fans in the stands never sit down. I was at home and was worn out by the time game was over.
I really do like football and this season promises to be a good one. Two weeks ago many were picking the Patriots to go all the way again, but now without star Tom Brady, they're asking questions; can Matt Cassell do the job? So far so good; the Pats are 2-0 without Brady. Can Brett lead the Jets to the playoffs? Will the Giants repeat? Will Peyton face his little brother in the Super Bowl? What's going on with Vince Young? What's happening down in Miami?
All good questions that will be answered one week at a time. That is after all, why they play the games. If all the answers were easy at the beginning of the season, there'd be no reason for the season! And then where would we be?
As for college, well I'll just stick around and see if USC is going to remain the power house they've been so far while secretly hoping they don't. I really like the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and they're off to a good start this season at 2-0. They face Michigan State this weekend and they have to face off against that oh so powerful USC team in November. Could be interesting.
So as leaves change colors and fall, as temperatures slowly drop and the world creeps toward winter, I'll enjoy my fall color pallette and spend my weekend afternoons cheering on my favorites. I hope you do the same and that your team wins. Except when they play mine. Go football!
Yes, football is here. Pro, college, I love 'em both. It's the end of the second week of the pro season and my favorite team, the Cowboys, is 2-0. They beat their conference rivals, the hated Eagles, last night in a smash mouth, rough and tumble of a game that had Texas Stadium rocking. The final was 41-37 and there was a little bit of everything; quarterback sacks, fumble recoveries, interceptions, bonehead plays by both teams, great runbacks, missed tackles. Hey, this game had it all. It's one of those that never slows down and the fans in the stands never sit down. I was at home and was worn out by the time game was over.
I really do like football and this season promises to be a good one. Two weeks ago many were picking the Patriots to go all the way again, but now without star Tom Brady, they're asking questions; can Matt Cassell do the job? So far so good; the Pats are 2-0 without Brady. Can Brett lead the Jets to the playoffs? Will the Giants repeat? Will Peyton face his little brother in the Super Bowl? What's going on with Vince Young? What's happening down in Miami?
All good questions that will be answered one week at a time. That is after all, why they play the games. If all the answers were easy at the beginning of the season, there'd be no reason for the season! And then where would we be?
As for college, well I'll just stick around and see if USC is going to remain the power house they've been so far while secretly hoping they don't. I really like the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and they're off to a good start this season at 2-0. They face Michigan State this weekend and they have to face off against that oh so powerful USC team in November. Could be interesting.
So as leaves change colors and fall, as temperatures slowly drop and the world creeps toward winter, I'll enjoy my fall color pallette and spend my weekend afternoons cheering on my favorites. I hope you do the same and that your team wins. Except when they play mine. Go football!
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