Materialist American Christmas

In May 2008 I ranted about this Materialist American Gifting Holiday Obsession, but I seem to follow the same currents of thought, so here we go again! ;)

Since I posted that before Mother's Day 08, I have found that I do have more of a gift giving love language than I had before, or realized before.  I like to give things to others.  Especially if I find the perfect thing for that person!  :)  I like to make someone's day with a card for no reason, or a "I saw this and thought of you."  I also do like to receive things, and had felt on certain occasions a little down when there seemed to be no thought put into me. (which was sad to realize after the rant before!)

I don't think gift giving is wrong, but I do question the motive and the elaborate obsession we seem to have with giving others things at the holidays.  Sure that holiday giving spirit seems sweet, until people are trampled because the door busters on Black Friday sales just opened!  Some spirit! No thanks!

And what of real needs that are not being met?
"I can't afford to take care of my family and an orphan in another country."  Oh, but you *can* afford the Disney Vacation?  The XBox 360?  The latest and greatest I-pad?  So you are ok with this person drinking water from a common, sewage rich, pond where livestock is washed, and cannot afford to do anything about it; while you drink bottled Fugi water and Google the-newest-desire-you-have on your I-pad?
You don't even have to go that far away!  What about the under-dressed, under-fed in our own towns?  Maybe they don't have raw animal filth in their water, but maybe they also don't have a jacket, or shoes that fit?  Maybe they haven't eaten but once this week?

How can I justify spending hundreds of dollars on my already materially spoiled children, while another child dies from lack of basic life needs!?!
If we all just spent less this CHRISTmas on our own decadence, and put the rest of that usual spending toward charity, or toward a family you already know who is struggling... that's the kind of spirit I think would honor God and bless, truly bless, others.

~Exiting Soap Box~ for now ;)

Wherever I go...... there I am

Not exactly profound.

Just a little rant about mirrors.
I've never been overly fond of them; at our last home we only had the small medicine cabinet mirror.
Here however, I can't escape them... in my room anyway.
Both closets have double sliding mirror doors, the chest of drawers has a large mirror on it, the dresser has a small mirror on it, and there's a standing mirror (was my hubby's growing up) up against the wall facing one of the closets. Then there are two more in the master bath.
Just about anywhere in here I see me, sometimes multiples of me! It's really weird to see every move you make. A couple of times I have turned away from one only to be facing another, and with more than one side of me showing at the same time! ugh.

I'm sure I'll get used to it with time.

So there I was in the Congo..................

Ever had someone tell you something almost meaningless in course of a real conversation?

This weekend it so happened that we were moving some more of our nonessentials out to our new home, which happens to belong to my hubby's parents. We were discussing some things about the house we'd need to learn, and they are things specific to the water filtration system and well pump and softener system, etc. I don't mind being taught these things, I've even asked.
Somehow in the middle of all of this, mom says that they have a BIG concern..... since we don't currently have a garbage disposal....
they want to be sure that the girls wont play in the sink and one of them put her hand in while the other turns it on!!! :-O

I was a little shocked.
I gave huby the "handle this!" look and bit my tongue!!!

Did they really think we'd allow our kids (who can't reach the switch anyway) to "play" in the sink, with the garbage disposal?!?
Are we really that ignorant?

Baffled.

just a rant

SO maybe it's the hormones, but I have a short fuse for obnoxious things.

This Avis commercial is buggin!
SO it is a "rent from us and eventually we'll give you a free rental"
and it goes something like this...
A couple driving (In a rented car from Avis no doubt)
And the female (passenger) is trying to guess where they are headed.

This is the part that bugs!
1/2 of the 4 places she lists are inherently girly! "Oh, that Bed and Breakfast?
A Day Spa?" Perhaps he wants to go Skiing or Apple picking, but it seems to me like she wants him to do something she'd like to do...... not necessarily something he'd want to do or they could enjoy together.

So when they get there and they are taking "Lasso lessons" she's obviously ticked.
Well, prissy missy you were fine with him doing things you'd like....right?
I think it epitomizes our selfish society that wants the world to revolve around "me" no matter what that means for "you" and the rest of everyone else.
Roping is fun! I can rope a slow moving fence! teehee! She should suck it up and give it a try and maybe they can discover things that they like together. He's obviosly taken her to "that" Bed and Breakfast, kinda boring for a guy, but it wouldn't be "that" if they hadn't tried it.

Hubby and I like many things together, and many I wouldn't even kow how much I like them if I hadn't tried. In fact, there are times when a friend asks him to go do something and he declines the offer cause he'd rather go do that with me! And I love that!

So I guess moral of the story is:
Pregnant women are touchy!
:P