Watching Movies Together

Watching movies with my daughter is definitely an experience! It's amazing how she learns what to laugh at, where to laugh and simply how to enjoy a movie. She really follows what we do: she laughs when we laugh and even sometimes comment on what she heard or saw.

One of her favorite movies (and mine as well) is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The new one with Johnny Depp. I really LOVE Depp's portrayal of Willy Wonka. There are so many messages too for both children and parents. Initially, I thought the singing would've irritated me BUT some of the songs are quite catchy. They are funny and again, there are messages within them. She particularly likes the songs where the kid changes into a blueberry and when another kid attempted to grab a squirrel. She claims they are groovy. For the record, I didn't teach her that, she came up with it on her own.

So I encourage parents to enjoy these moments, watching movies with their young. There's so much one can learn from them and their reactions to what they see or understand.

Kids CAN be taught to eat their veggies!

Today, Sunday 13th December,2009, I marvel at how my daughter is growing up. She was quite excited today to find out I was putting carrots & potatoes in today's meal. LOL!! I'm so happy she enjoys carrots, because they are indeed healthy :)

And she was just boasting yesterday that she eats red beans now. LOL!! She says she's getting a big girl now & she's got to eat her food to be healthy, strong & have energy. So proud of her :)

Recently, I also convinced her to eat peas, not the ones from the tin but the fresh peas that's in season now in our country. We spoke about it & I suggested she taste a couple & if she likes it, she can have more. She LOVED it!! Yay me!! I was really glad that we spoke & we came up with a plan together & it sure did work.

My only prayer now is that she continues eating all her veggies as she continues to grow older & interact with others who may not be so keen on them.

True Friends

What is friendship? Hmmmm.... Sometimes I feel like I need to re-define it time & again!

I thought friendship is where 2 or more persons get along despite each individual's strengths & weaknesses, good & bad points. A friend is there to pick one up when one is down, or simply just to listen. A friend offers a shoulder to cry on & is there despite the mistakes, missteps & wrong decisions. Friends don't get on your case but gently guides you back to where it's good for you. Friends are there when the winds rage around you. They don't choose the opportunity to attack you as well. In fact, a true friend will not attack!

As I re-define who gets to be part of my life, these thoughts come to the surface. I can't help but be disappointed when I look at those who I thought were my friends or that I naively thought we'd be friends for life. However, it hasn't been the case :(. In fact, I find myself simply cutting others off that are quite harmful or who take my kindnesses for granted or rather abuse me for it. I WILL NOT allow that anymore!

I know there's a lot to be said on this topic. I just wanted to get some of my thoughts out there. I guess it really boils down to who is worthy to be called my friend. I want people I can trust surround me & who will not take advantage of my kindness. I am genuine when I help others BUT when they turn around & backstab, I know that's not someone I want around me or my family.

So I'm doing some letting go...cleaning up my life...I know true friends will understand.

Mommy Therapy

Mommy therapy?? What IS that? Well, I have my own definition of it. It's all about making the most of your time with your loved ones and enjoying it :)

I look at it as me relishing the times I get to spend time with my daughter, when it's just us. Most times I really do enjoy it. It's like everything else takes a backseat except for us together.

Being a mom is challenging in soooooooooo many ways but if one doesn't live in the moment, a lot of great moments are lost. When I spend time with my daughter I look at her and am amazed by her growth, physical and otherwise, her personality, her quick-thinking, her creativity and her sense of humour. She's really a joy to be around. Don't get me wrong, she has her moments BUT overall, I think she's growing up quite well.

As a mom, I love being able to take care of my family. I really enjoy those moments where I can provide a home-cooked meal and do some cleaning. Even though I may not enjoy those things all the time, I really appreciate the end results.

Every mom needs these times. More importantly, every mom needs to treasure those bonding times spent with her children. I think all housework need not be done in one day. The day should be sectioned out that some housework gets done and more importantly, time with one's children, just doing stuff that they may want you to do with them.

Of course, I only have one child and therefore it may be easier for me to get it done, but who's to say it cannot be done in larger families where there's 2 or more kids. It just means the planning needs to be worked out better ;). Hey, I'm no 'perfect, organized to a tee' mom but my point is if one understands the importance of such times, it can and will be done. As the saying goes, "where there's a will, there's a way". Some may just have to look harder to find the way.

Bottomline: I love these times at home with my daughter. It's really a great opportunity for us to bond :D

Loving butterflies ;)

Well, by now you should realise that I LOVE butterflies!! Hmmm....I can't remember when my fascination started but all I know is that I love what it is and what it represents.

First of all, a butterfly's lifespan is rather short, ranging from a few months to a year or two, depending on the species. I'm fascinated that it starts, in my eyes, as a little bug that transforms into a creature of beauty and majesty. Think about it! It starts off as a caterpillar that eats through all leaves that they can find, gets really fat, goes into a cocoon for hibernation and presto, a beautiful butterfly emerges. And the cycle repeats itself.

During a butterfly's short life what happens? Well, it looks for its mate and in so doing help with the pollination process, that continues the life cycle of plants and flowers. Short, sweet but quite purposeful! And this is what God created it to be :)

So are you going through any trials? Do you think the lessons that you learn from them will make you a better person? Do you see yourself transforming to be a better person? And what about your purpose? What are your gifts? Do you have any influence on anyone? What are these influences? Hmmmm....sounds like some things to ponder.

And who knows, just maybe you are living the life of a butterfy and you just don't know it ;)

By the way, butterflies represent freedom as well ;)

FREEDOM!!

I just had to write about what I studied today!! I mean it was just too funny!! God is funny!! I do so love His sense of humour :)

Well, I am studying another book too at the same time as I'm studying the one mentioned in my previous blog. This one is entitled "And The Angels Were Silent" by Max Lucado. Basically, Max walks with Jesus on his journey to the town where he is arrested and crucified. He shares or rather highlights some of Jesus experiences and interactions along the way. Quite inspirational, I must add :)

I just finished Chapter 9 'Courage To Dream'. It highlights the fact that God wants us to fly, to go for our dreams. And Max mentions an incident where Jesus told a fig tree to shrivel up because it wasn't bearing fruit. And Max emphasizes that Jesus wasn't angry at the tree but that it wasn't fulfilling its purpose, which was to bear fruit. Max also went on to liken this response to how God feels when the church is lukewarm or when the church focuses more on putting on a show and ignores the service. Hmmmm...very interesting,huh? Somestimes we are so wrapped up in our presentation that we don't do what we need to do with the right heart.

Max went on to say, and I quote, "In fact, when Jesus said, "You will be able to say to this mountain, 'Go, fall into the sea,'" he was probably looking up from the Kidron Valley to the Temple Mount-the temple known to many as Mount Zion. If that is the case, you have reason to smile as Jesus tells you what to do with the church that tries to cage your flight, "Tell it to jump into the lake." " , end quote. Do I dare say anymore after such a quote? For sure!!

I believe as a human being I DO have the right to speak out and share my opinions. Whether they are right or wrong, the right is that they CAN be shared. And I think I should be afforded a hearing. Yet, again, I've come out from a situation where this was not really possible: i.e. to air one's opinions. On the surface it seems so but start questioning a position/ a thought or an action and efforts are made to quell you, to quiet you, to shut your mouth. And I say to all who do that : GOD WILL DEAL WITH SUCH PERSONS & ORGANISATIONS!!

NO ONE should curtail my freedom or attempt to 'destroy' my dreams just because it may not go with 'their' plan or vision for my life. I tell you since I've freed myself, I 've felt so much happier and many blessings have come my way and the way of my family. To God I give the glory!! Thanks to Him, my dreams have been revived and opportunities are presenting themselves.

Food For Thought

I have been studying a very interesting book which has given me a lot of 'food for thought'. So I wanted to share some of my revelations, questions and thoughts on something I recently studied.

First of all the name of the book is The Secret Things of God by Dr. Henry Cloud. I'll be discussing some points that was raised from a chapter entitled 'Your thoughts affect the way you feel'.

In his discussion, the author shared about a researcher named Martin Seligman who was actually conducting studies to show that this was true. This researcher was able to identify three characteristically negative ways that some people interpret, or explain, the things that happen in their lives. I will list them out:

(1) Personal explanations: where when something difficult happens, it's because something is 'wrong' with you,

(2) Pervasive explanations: where you take one incident and convince yourself that it's happening throughout your life,

(3)Permanent explanations: where one incident is seen as something permanent in your life & will never change.

To me, these results were very eye-opening because I was able to see where my thoughts were affected by what I had experienced in being mentored. I think all three was used in some form or fashion to convince me of how wrong whatever I had done, made me a 'bad' person. As a result, I've had to do a lot of re-wiring in my mind, to not only change my own thoughts but how I think about others. It's been a difficult process but the positive results are so worth it!

The cool thing about this chapter is that the author then went on to explain how God does not not use explanations like that to judge us but takes one incident at a time, as it is. Truly this is unconditional love!

What if God did treat us like that though? Imagine Jesus speaking to the adulterous woman & when she decides to follow him, says to her, "Well I'm not sure you're suited to be part of my crowd because you seem to have some commitment issues." Or in the parable of the prodigal son, the father tells him when he returns, "I'm not sure you should return because you've spent all your inheritance & it may happen again." It just goes to show that Jesus didn't dwell too much on the past but rather on moving forward.

It's challenging to be like Jesus in that sense! It's so hard because we dwell on our feelings of hurt & betrayal, anger even, especially when we're trying to help others. I think at times we make it personal. But if we truly love others & have a vision for them, I think the decision to love like Jesus would go a long way in helping them.

So think about your thought processes: are they positive or negative? And if negative, what has made them so?

I hope that we will take captive our thoughts & make them obedient to Christ, so that we will be positive about, not only our lives, but those around us.