“World’s Strictest Parents” ~ Really?

Last night I saw the show on MTV “World’s Strictest Parents”. Basically, at the beginning of the show there are two teenagers who are ridiculous with bad behavior. Their parents don’t know how to control them. So they are sent off to spend the week with a family with strict parents.

When they get to the house, really all the parents do is hold high expectations for the kids and they don’t take any of their crap. The parents present house rules to the kids and they stand by them through the show. Two of the families I saw upheld good family values. They were parents that understood their job was not to just be the kids friend, but to guide them.

I thought it was pretty amazing (and sad) that these parents are put into a category that is so extreme, when really they are just fulfilling the duty of a parent. Not only were they strict, but they were loving and still wanted the best for the child.

I don’t really have much to say about it all. I don’t have kids right now and know that it will be very hard to make a choice for my child that makes him/her unhappy for any amount of time. So I won’t judge. But dang.

I also want to encourage strict parents. The world needs strict parents who truly desire the best for their kids.

What about you? Did you have “strict” parents? Did you hate the choices your parents chose for you and now understand them? Tell me about them.

I love my family :)

Tim, me, Diana, Necie, Megan & Josh

This is Tim (my husband), me, Diana (my sister), Necie (my other sister), Megan (Josh’s girlfriend) and Josh (my brother). I love them! We have so much fun together.

I went to visit the family in Nashville this past weekend. Josh works in construction management in Houston, TX building hospitals. Since he was going to be in, and I hardly ever get to see him (or Megan), I thought Tim and I should go see them and the rest of the family. We have so much fun when we are together.

Also, what you don’t see is my mom taking the picture. There is just a load of hilarity in that itself. She goes to aim the camera, and starts admiring the camera…forgetting about taking the picture.

I love my family

Finally!

Guess who is going to pick up her baby girl today? Jamie over at dreaming[BIG]dreams! Praise the Lord

So cute!

This is a forwarded e-mail I got today from my mom. I thought it was really cute and wanted to share. Enjoy!

One day my mother was out, and my dad was in charge of me.

I was maybe 2 1/2 years old. Someone had given me a little ‘tea set’ as a gift, and it was one of my favorite toys.

Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when I brought Daddy a little cup of ‘tea’, which was just water. After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home.

My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was ‘just the cutest thing!’ My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I came down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy; and she watched him drink it up.

Then she said, (as only a mother would know), “‘Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?”

Pioneer Woman, you have it going on…

I just enter to win a Cuisinart Food Processor over at Pioneer Woman Cooks. Seriously, there were over 22,000 entries before me. Who has over 22,000 people visit there blog in one day. Apparently Pioneer Woman.

I miss them like a fat kid misses cake…

I frequently refer to them as “the girls”. The two pictured above are my sisters (for those of you who are new to the blog). Man, I love these two.

I got to go visit the family this week. When I visit, I try to soak up as much time with these two as possible. To put it bluntly, I feel like I am missing out on them growing up. It breaks my heart. And, they are at a stage where they both like me. This has not always been so, and I imagine will not always be. So, for now, I love on, cuddle with, give praise to and listen to these two as much as I can when I am around.

The one on the left hates to talk on the phone, and the one on the right seems to get embarrassed or too excited to be able to talk on the phone. So person-to-person is the way to go.

They are growing up SO fast. Necie, the one on the right, is in high school! She gets her driver’s permit in like 3-months! Holy cow! Okay, okay, I know I am starting to sound like an annoying parent gushing over her babies. Whatever, I love ‘em.

Saturday Mom, the girls and I went shopping at several different stores. Then Tim and I took the girls bowling. It was so much fun. The power went out and we ended up playing games you would play around a camp fire. It was fun just to be with them. And they have a never ending list of things to do when you are bored. It was quite interesting.

Sunday we went to church then came home to have dinner with the whole family. Including Tim (my husband) and Megan (Josh’s girlfriend…Josh is my brother), we had eight people at the table! It was packed, but good times.

We were all coming together to celebrate Megan, Tim and Mom’s birthdays. Megan’s is 10/20, Tim’s 10/28 and Mom’s 11/09. Josh lives in Texas and I live 6 hours away, so we are rarely all together anymore. Next time will be Christmas… I think.

Anyway, that was my weekend.

What about your’s?

They are getting SO close!!

Please be praying for the Ivey’s and the Setliffe’s.

Jamie is in Haiti now with her babies. One of them has received her Visa and the other is waiting to get out of MOI.

The Setliffe’s have just learned some exciting news about their baby girl’s case.

Go over and show both of them some blog love! And PLEASE be praying for them

Confession…

The same trashy me that loved watching Roseanne, also really likes Cougar Town. Anybody with me? Anyone? Don’t judge me.

On a better side of things, I also loved I love Lucy. Probably my favorite T.V. show ever. Here one of my favorite clips.

Catalyst Conference

This past week I had the privilege to attend the Catalyst Leadership Conference in Atlanta. It was amazing. I’ll admit, I was wiped out after just the first day, but it was all incredible. The Lord revealed so many things to me during this conference, things that were not even spoken on. Not even close to being spoken on. HE really is wonderful.

The “things” that were revealed, I am not yet ready to share. They were personal convictions. Things I am going to be hashing out and praying over for possibly years to come. Please pray for me. Pray that I will actually face these issues. Already I have lost the motivation to deal with these issues. I have been hiding from them for years, it is so easy to do now. Please pray for strength. The upcoming times will be difficult for me. Really difficult. I don’t even know which step to take next. I know that I am not really telling you anything, sorry.

Some other great things happened to. probably my favorite was seeing Mac Powell from Third Day sing with the African Children’s Choir. I loved that

Now back to balancing my check book…

my heart is weary…with no reason

Do you ever feel that way? I do pretty often. I was wondering earlier this week if it is because I am really just a miserable person deep down. I hope not. I seem to be a pretty happy person on the outside, but that is not me. Truthfully, if I am not holding back, most of the time I am impatient, annoyed, self-serving and just want to be left alone. Please pray for me that my heart is changed. I DON’T want to stay this way at all. I know I have changed through my life, I have changed a lot. But it is not enough. For the most part I have gone from hiding in being the center of attention from facing my true self to just staying away from a whole lot of deep relationships.  Only the Lord can bring the change that I need. So why am I not holding on for dear life to Him. I am foolish, I know this. But that still does not motivate me.

Tonight I went out with friends to eat. I had so much fun. I am the one who brings the energy to the table. It can be fun for some, and annoying to others. I had a great time. And now I am back in bed for the night feeling a little blue. I hate mood swings. They frequent too much here.

I am kind of just rambling. Just wanted to get this out. I feel a little better now