Christmas Craziness

As I was entering my local shopping establishment on the day before Christmas I was immediately subjected to an argument.  I could hear one woman apologizing and the other one doubting the sincerity of the apology.  At which point the doubter woman railed into a barrage of profanities.  I looked around for the offender glad that my small children were not with me and found her, only I was sure my eyes were deceiving me.  This beautiful woman in about her 80's, perfectly coiffed with a beautifully cheery Christmas outfit and for all other purposes Gorgeous individual had a look of death on her face and was hell bent on seeking revenge from this other shopper who was completely disinterested in "returning fire", you know cause it's Christmas.  

What is wrong with people?  My observance of this little scuttle then ruined my entire shopping experience because I couldn't stop thinking about it.  All I could think of was the stress of Christmas.  You do realize that isn't what it is all about right?  It isn't about the perfect gift or the perfectly decorated house.  It isn't about the fudge that has been recreated every year for 50 years and if you don't do it you will be breaking a tradition of your ancestors and they will surely shun you.  It isn't about getting every possible Hallmark Christmas tradition in or you aren't "festive".  

Christmas is only about one thing.  Do you know what it is?  While all the other things that you experience at Christmas are good too the most important thing is Christ's birth, and through which those that accept this perfect gift are saved.  

Now, you can say that getting together as a family to make sweet treats, or doing charitable good works around town, or even exchanging presents with loved ones is what Christmas is all about but you would be wrong and if the crazy shopping woman is any indication of what all of the Christmas craziness does to your sanity.  Stick with the plain and simple.  God loved you enough to send his only son as the most perfect Christmas present to you.  

God loves you, no matter what you have done up until now he loves you where you are.  He brings no prejudgement only forgiveness and love when you finally accept his gift, the most perfect gift of Christmas.  

Merry Christmas everyone!

No, Can't say as I have.

Can someone please explain to me why it is that some people are under the impression that the way they do things is the only way that it is to be done or has ever been done in the history of the world.  I was speaking to someone that I don't know that well and they said to me..."It's kind of like when people try to tell you they don't pee in the shower, but we all know everyone does it."  Um....No!  But then at that point what do you say?  I don't!  If you say that you know that all this person is going to be thinking is that you are a big fat liar.

I remember in college there was this girl that had like 15 bras.  They were all those Victoria's secret types with the padding that all look like they come with their own breasts.  She would wash them all at the same time I'm pretty sure it was because she would hand wash them and then she would put them out on a drying rack in the hall.  Now.  If you put 15 large bras in a college dorm hallway without supervision frivolity will ensue.  I'm not saying their is photographic evidence but if the size DD fits....  Man I bet she hated us.  She had just hand washed 15 bras and we turned around and soiled them.  I now feel extremely bad about this.

It's funny how your opinion of things changes the more life experience you have.  Like for instance once you have had to hand wash anything you know how annoying it is to do and you wouldn't want to make that much work for anyone, or you no longer want to roll someone's yard with toilet paper once you have to buy your own because A. that stuff is expensive and B. I barely have time to pee let alone clean up a yard full of toilet paper and no I am not going to make time for it by combining my pee time and shower time.  Just not gonna do it.

I'm going to go a little deeper on this one.  You know the saying "walk a mile in someone's shoes"?  It is currently my belief that unless you have experienced life as that person you are no longer entitled to an opinion on the way they are living their life.  Sure we all have opinions, we are human, but don't be so quick to express your own opinions as law for all those around you.  Keep in mind that all things are not quite as black and white as they might seem.  Get out there, experience life, have your perspective changed a bit it is fabulous!

Just when they needed you most.

Why is it that when our loved ones are in need of us the most that is when we avoid them like the plague?  Not the stuff that is on your teeth when you haven't brushed, the stuff that was in England and is the source of my aversion to cobblestone streets for some unknown reason.  I guess either way it would work cause no one likes sweater teeth.

Let's say there is a death in a loved ones life.  Everyone is loving and supportive at first they come to the receiving of friends they even bring a casserole but a few weeks into it the person is expected to be back to normal and over the loss of their loved one.  I mean enough is enough right?  You were only married to them for 46 years get off the sad train and come back to happyland!  (Please translate this as dripping with sarcasm!)

Maybe it's not a death, maybe it's some other life changing experience that has rocked your friend's world and you are tired of it being the only thing the friend ever talks about.  Or maybe they aren't even talking about it you just feel awkward when you are around them because you don't know what to say and maybe you will offend them or say something wrong and no one would want that!

Guess what?  SUCK IT UP!  In order to have a friend you have to be a friend and sometimes friends are higher maintenance than they typically are.  There are going to be times when your friends just need you to listen or send them a card or take a task off their hands that frees them up a little.  It is what friends do!

Just put yourself in the person's position and think to yourself if this were me what would I want?  You might not even say anything at all but during this dark time in your friend's life when they need you most why on earth would you desert them?

Before you get your bloomers in a twist.

So, I wanted to come clean on something.  I've been writing this little train of thought blog for more than a year.  I haven't been consistent but I have put over 150 of these bad boys out there.  Some of which really crack me up.  So when I would visit other blogs and see that they had tons of followers and a ton of comments on each entry I was really having my ego trampled into the dirt.

I have 11 followers.  I know all of them.  I love all of them.  I feel like I need to take them to lunch.  This too made me question my ability to "blog".  Why only 11?  Why no comments?  I would go through periods of self loathing and anger over this...not really but it is way more dramatic.

Guess what?!  It helps to switch the security setting to on in order to allow people to comment.  It's a whole new world!  I asked a few friends to take a look at my blog tonight and see if they could comment after I turned it to "on" and low and behold they could!

So all these months of feeling like I was just writing in a diary and no one gave a flying flip were all in vain!  I probably have it switched to only allow 11 followers too!  Comment away people it will feel way more like a conversation and less like I'm talking to myself!  Not that talking to myself is a bad thing.

The "in" crowd.

You know what I realized?  There really is no such thing as the "in" crowd.  I mean, yes, there are people who are considered more popular than others but I bet if you asked them they wouldn't think they had any friends at all.  

Now, granted you are going to have some cocky people out there that perceive themselves way higher on the food chain than they ought but give them a few years of people figuring them out and they are going to drop like a rock.  

I personally have never been in the "in" crowd.  I'm way too quirky, but I betcha there are some people who perceive me to be as such.  Mainly because I could talk to a tree.  I get it from my daddy.  I love people.  Ok.  Maybe not all people, but I do enjoy a challenge.  Grumpy old man that looks like he has gas and I can make him laugh?  Score!  Pissed off lady and I get a "you so crazy"?  Awesome!  

However, when it comes to having lots of friends I really don't feel like I do.  I'm pretty much a homebody.  My husband is my best friend and I enjoy hanging out at home with him and our kids.  It's crazy I know!  

Do I sometimes long for the Hallmark channel group of best friend ladies that all get along and read from a script of pre-approved topics that are not going to upset me and we all agree on the food and entertainment of every time we get together?  Sure.  Does that actually exist?  Nope.  Not in my world. If you have it hold on to it because God has given you a blessing!

I'm really more of a one on one type girl.  I don't really like big groups, and shocking as it may seem I don't always like to be funny.  The way I can tell if someone is going to be a true friend is if I put down the happy mask and either get quiet or serious.  If the person asks me what's wrong they are going to be off the crazy train pretty quick, if we just continue on like all is well....Golden!  

I will say that it does bother me though when I find out that a group of people that I know all of them get together and I wasn't asked to join in on the frivolity.  I'm not saying I would have gone it just would be nice to know I was nominated.  You know?  

These are the days when my middle school days of insecurity raise their ugly heads and I feel bad about myself.  I hate days like that.  If you have days like this too just remember there are billions of people that live on this earth.  The group of people that made you feel bad are a mere smoosh in the tapestry.  Why not go out and find someone new or even old that you would enjoy chatting with?  Why not make your own "in" crowd?  I hear it's all the rage.  

There's more than one way to skin a squirrel.

You know what I just realized?  I bet when people google skin a squirrel this will come up.  I just want to say this has absolutely nothing to do with skinning a squirrel so if you are looking for ways to do that you can stop reading now.

A friend planted a "big blue chair" seed in my brain this morning right in the middle of exercise class.  Do you realize just how much Zumba can make a seed grow?  I've never gotten so upset and in need of a computer in my life.  The following albeit rambling is the child of that seed....

When you decide that you need to buy groceries for your household, how do you choose which is best?  You probably have 14 different grocery stores in a 10 mile radius so how do you pick one?  Do you grow all of your own food and have no need for grocery stores?  Do you only buy groceries from co-ops for one reason or another?  Does your choice make you a better person than someone else?  How do you get to said grocery retailer?  A car?  A bike?  Did you walk?  Did this choice make you a better person?  What about coupons?  or cash vs. credit?  paper vs. plastic?  Do you realize how many different ways there are to accomplish the exact same task and one is not necessarily more right than another one.  You heard me....YOUR WAY IS NOT THE ONLY WAY.

This fact goes into other aspects of our lives.  Let's take the last presidential election.  Were you disappointed at the result?  Do you think the wrong man got in?  Guess what?  YOU'RE WRONG!  God put the man in that needed to be in.  I'm not saying that I believe in his policies I'm saying that God is way bigger than I am and he can see the complete picture and he has more than enough power to put the man in office that needed to be in there.

Listen, the result was pretty much 50/50 maybe that result alone will help the president to understand that he needs to work on his policies.  Maybe this country needs to have some financial problems in order to control their horrible desires for MORE MORE MORE!!!  I don't know, but if you are calling people that you know voted differently from you to condemn the way that they voted and they prayerfully and intelligently selected their candidate then I'm sorry but I think you are wrong.

If you are going through life on some pedestal assuming that you are so much better than others, and that the way you do things is the only way and you are leaving in your wake a group of people that feel horrible about themselves or people who dislike you because you are so one minded, well honey get down off that pedestal and remember one thing.  You are called to love others.  All others.  Not just the ones that believe the way you do.

Jesus is the only perfect man, and God is powerful enough to control the balance of power.  You just concentrate on making sure God's love is shining through you and you'll be fine.  This week why don't you try doing something just a smidge different.  Gain perspective.  Step outside of your comfort zone and talk to someone who thinks differently than you without trying to correct them.  You just might  realize that there is more than one way to skin a squirrel.