Practicing What I Preach...

I just read my blog about loving the ones that are hard to love.

My dad called my mom  and was going on about his loneliness.  He wants to live with each of his children a month.  YIKES!  My mom said,  "call and ask them."

His reply was, "I thought you could ask."

My mom said no.  (Good for her!)

He was at my brother's  over Christmas almost a month and chose not to call me at all. 

I left that ball in his court.  

How I struggle with this!  He made his bed and sleeping in it is not pleasant.  I feel bad for his loneliness. Yet no matter what, his life is all a creation of his own choices.

Sucks, eh?  

I think of that often, especially being at Sanj's office, I see two kinds of people.  There are the seniors that choose happy and life.  Then there are those that choice to be miserable.  I want so bad to be a happy person... my whole life.  Getting old sucks.  But really, it doesn't have too.  If you choose to live and make each day count... you can find happiness along the way.

Back to my dad... I called Sanj and said that my dad wants to come for a month.

There was silence on the other end.  lol

Have I told you I love this man?

Sanj replied, "maybe a week."  lol

A month would be a long time too... for all of us.
A week would be stressful...

I know my dad wouldn't stay a month anyway.

So... I am pray and about (and pray please God, don't let him call), I have decided that if he calls... I'll extend the invite.

I wonder in this kind of situtation what Jesus would do?

Oye.  I wonder what it would be like to live a boring life?

I guess being kind to the odd, weird and annoying is a category my dad falls into.  Talk about practicing what I preach.

This picture is random.  Jordan had to make a model of ones' ribs.

Obviously I didn't help him... thus the great job!

A Challenge...

Here's the thing... as parents we want the best for our kids.  We want them to be happy,well rounded, and carefree.  We want their childhoods to be simple, safe and special.  We want them to have friends.  We want them to have memories of secrets with their buddies, sleepovers and share great times.

What about the child that does not have this?  I have heard this week alone, of parents that told their child not to be friends with so and so.  Not of any reason then what is made up in their heads.

Josh has already come home saying that this kid doesn't like so and so... and this is from the parents.

In JK they are learning already to be exclusive and intolerant.

What happens to a child that suffers this loneliness all throughout school?  That sucks!

In 8th grade, when they graduate, do you think that they are leaving their childhood behind with warm fuzzy feelings?

It makes me sad.  I wonder how adults can live with that.  It is something that we know is wrong.

I try so hard to teach my children that  when someone is odd, different, hard to understand, many times, it isn't their fault.  We live in an age where there are some many diagnosis', where many can fall under a wide spectrum of various issues.  This is a child that needs to be included... even if it is hard.

Do you really think that someone wants to be different, difficult and friendless?

I hate when parents instruct the child to not play with someone.  I hate when someone puts themselves better than another.

I am really struggling with this.  I struggle with this as an adult.  Just because there are hard people, needy people, that may annoy or suffocate... these are folks that Jesus would love.  These are people that Jesus would choose to hang out with.  To share a cup of tea with someone, to give a half an hour of your time... you'd be amazed how good you feel not to mention what a gift you just gave someone else.

I realize that maybe I am rambling... and I am sorry.  I just have this thought and am not sure how to express it.  I think that if we each just loved those that are hard to love... it may be  surprising what comes out of that.

Here's my challenge.... This week,  include one person, that we may not normally chose to hang out with... spend a half an hour...  and then share that experience... let's see what happens.

Thoughts... don't worry about what to chat about, they usually will talk... just ask a couple of questions...

"How was your weekend?"  or  "How was your day off with the kiddies?"

Are you in?