Make It Better

 Did I mention I had my nursing degree? I realized last night I have more than enough hours; and you probably do also! Add up the number of hours your husband and/or children have come to you with aches and pains and you nursed them. I’ve been a mother for seventeen years and a wife for nineteen, which gives me a total of thirty six years in adult and child health care. I’ll let you figure out the hours.

Yesterday, I dealt with knees, bones, toenails, and acne. From a pimple on the behind to pimples on the face, and from stomach aches to heartaches, I’m expected to make it better. The confidence my family has in me is amazing; they actually think I know what I’m doing. If they only knew that I completely depend on my own concoctions mixed with the Holy Spirit.

Although I often nurse my own aches and pains, there is a pain I’ve neglected for years - emotional pain. Past hurts and heartaches have kept my mind and heart in bondage until I recently cried out to God to make it better. My ability to hold on to stuff created a hold on me that Miss Flesh was enjoying. That stuff took up mental space and started to grow cob webs, which captured bits and pieces of bitterness and cluttered my mind. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I ran to the throne of mercy like my sons ran to me when they were little with their bruises and scratched up knees.

Women are emotional beings, but we don’t have to carry emotional baggage. God can make it better; I’m a witness. Just as this is a new Monday, God can give us a new emotional start and help us to live in today’s promises and not in the pains of the past. Run to God and cry out to Him. Expect Him to make it better like our family expects us to.

Have a marvelous Monday, nursemaids!

Random Thoughts About Real Housewives

  I've been thinking a lot lately about all the housewife reality shows and what makes them so popular. You don't even have to watch the show completely to get an idea of what it's about. The previews alone reveal the drama-filled content and the publicity the housewives get is amazing.

I conducted my own Google search to see just how many Real Housewives there were and this is what I came up with:

Real Housewives of Atlanta
Real Housewives of New Jersey
Real Housewives of New York
Real Housewives of Orange County
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Real Housewives of Miami
Real Housewives of DC plus more!

I'm not sure if these shows still air or not, but they came up in my search. I could have just typed the city they're from, but typing real housewives helped me to process the fabrication of these REAL housewives.

Soooo, what's the big deal and why are these so-called reality housewives so popular and what's real about them? They certainly don't depict the average housewife and they most definitely don't depict the middle income housewife! Stilettos all day? Really?  Well, maybe it's their reality, but for the housewives I know, they display a reality that doesn't exist in the real world. Hmmm...maybe I should revisit the definition of reality.

 
Are the reality housewives mocking one of the most needed and underrated roles in America or are producers searching for ratings while giving no regard to the position of women who are called to nurture and care for the family entrusted in her care? These are just a few thoughts roaming in my head....

To be continued....

Love My Job!

There is no better feeling than waking up and loving what you do. There's not a better job than that of... 

THE MOTHER!

The REAL housewives

The Real Housewives of reality television vs the REAL housewives of America....

Stay tuned....

In Good Hands

I call Firstborn’s female friend a sweet distraction because that is exactly what she is – she’s as sweet as pie, yet she is definitely a distraction for his sports-filled life and with graduation on the horizon.  We traveled out of town this weekend and she traveled with us; her mother knew she was in good hands. Having two teenagers of the opposite sex in my care was no joke. I watched sweet distraction like a hawk. We even slept in the same room together and I kept waking up to make sure she was in the bed across from me and not tipping out to meet Firstborn. 

Teenagers are very creative, so I had my spy antennas on the entire weekend and was cautious of their every move – more than I am with my own children. I assured sweet distraction’s mother that her daughter was in good hands, and I kept my word. Even while the two were sitting watching television, I kept eyeing them and making sure they didn’t get “too comfortable.” Well, the weekend is over and sweet distraction is back in the care of her mother – safe and sound.   

My weekend reminded me of how God watches over me – even when I sleep. Talk about being in good hands! I’m not talking about Allstate insurance either; I’m talking about an almighty, all-knowing God watching every move I make and ensuring my every step is secure. He goes before me and prepares my path. He even tells me to follow Him to prevent making the wrong moves. He never takes his eyes off of me, He never sleeps, and He definitely doesn’t get tired of watching me as I grew weary of watching the love birds. Today is a new Monday, and although we don’t know what’s ahead of us, we know we’re all in… GOOD HANDS!

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Oh My God!

Firstborn has never been a party-goer, but last night he and a couple of his basketball teammates went to a party thrown by another teammate. Firstborn and I prayed before he was picked up; we didn’t allow him to drive. I also reminded him about his “no” to drugs and alcohol. He left, and I was at peace. I was the designated after-party, pick up parent and was led to leave the house an hour early. I found a great parking spot right on the corner in eye’s view of the building. Not even two minutes later, I heard what I thought to be gunshots and people were running away from the party and in the streets, but shortly they began to return.  Okay, maybe those weren’t real gunshots. I then heard more gunshots – I know what I heard. 

Before I knew it, the entire block was covered with young people running with fear on their faces, cars screeching off, cell phones lighting up, and soon the police showed up with lights flashing. All I could think about was my child and before I knew it, I yelled, “What the f…!” I looked around in disbelief that I was in the middle of gunfire. I sat in my car paralyzed with confusion. Is this really happening? With my heart beating fast, I selfishly prayed that my son and his teammates would find the car in the midst of the confusion and uncontrolled crowd. It seemed like forever, but the three of them were finally walking towards the car – thank you, Jesus! 

When they got in the car, I exhaled with great relief, and got the heck out of the area. It was silent for a few seconds and then we all began to talk. Never in my life have I experienced anything like that. I asked if anyone prayed and one young man said he did. Firstborn said, “All I could say was, oh my God.” Firstborn’s first response was much better than mine! 

Mothers, if you don’t already cover your children in prayer, please start, and more importantly, teach them to cover themselves. We don’t always know where they are or who they are surrounded by, but God’s merciful hands of protection will always surround them – it’s their covering! Last night, Firstborn met the Protector up close and personal; things could have been a lot worse. Life lesson? Pray, mothers…pray.

I Hate to Cook!

 I will be the first to admit - I hate to cook. I don't dislike it, I hate it, but having three men in the house doesn't cut me any slack, so I cook a full meal (by the grace of God) Monday through Thursday and sometimes on Friday. I take weekends off because everyone else in the house is off on weekends. I don't want my family to feel guilty about seeing me in the kitchen while they chill all weekend, so I joined them and gave myself a few days off also. You should try it!


The boys don't have a problem eating sandwiches or leftovers and I don't have a problem watching them eat sandwiches either. Hubby will open and close cabinets thinking I'll eventually come in the kitchen and cook him something, but after he's opened every cabinet in the kitchen with no signs of my face in the place, he amazingly puts together a plate of food!

Well, today is Valentine's Day and I believe I've been bit by the love bug or something because I'M COOKING A SPECIAL MEAL! I can hardly believe it myself and I'm actually excited about it! Cupid must be real because this is not normal for me; I've been shot by the arrow of amour.  What? Oh, you want to know what I'm cooking? Oh, okay. (smile)

 Lemon Sweet Tea

Spinach Salad with raisins and diced apples, drizzled with warm Vinaigrette Dressing

Spicy Ziti Pasta with Turkey Kielbasa Sausage topped with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

Garlic and Cheese Bread Bites

Ice Cream Brownie Sundae with warm strawberry sauce (made from fresh strawberries)

Sounds fancy, doesn't it?  It's really just pasta, garlic bread, and brownies and ice cream for dessert, but I learned from the cooking channel that it's all about the presentation!

I believe my family will be pleased and I pray I recover from this love bug real soon! I'm supposed to be allergic to the kitchen!

Happy Valentine's Day!