Nap time.

My son went to a seminar this past weekend and shared with me some interesting things. (Of course I have told him these things for a long time but I am "just mom ranting.")  The online media world is taking over. We are not having the personal associations with people that we need. The phone has become our controller over all we do. As he was telling me this I got a text and immediately tuned him out to see if it was some "emergency" I needed to respond to. I though I was usually pretty careful with doing that but this time I wasn't. I was rude and put that little phone over listening to what my son was saying.  I have always felt that my family is way to involved in this media world. I have encourage some of them to follow the rule that my house is a cell phone free area. That games and texts need to wait.  My children are missing many special moments in their lives by reading a text. A smile from a baby. A cheer of joy with a child's job well done. A connection of the ball and bat at a ball game.  A frown of misunderstanding from a comment. The look of frustration when the phone chimes AGAIN.  I am not saying this to scold anyone. I am guilty too. My children already know how I feel about it. I just wonder what kind of message we are giving to these little ones. Will they know how to communicate in person? Will they know the meaning of facial expressions?  Will they know that it is okay to not jump and answer every little sound from a phone? That they can have the choice to answer or not?  It seems to becoming worse all the time. I have been in stores, a paying customer, and had the cashier carry on a conversation while taking my hard earned money.  Or I have to stand and wait for the call to end. Then a brisk "sorry" is suppose to excuse their rudeness.  Please don't misunderstand me. The technology is great. To have  a phone to call for help in an emergency is life saving.  What wonderful things we can do but it also is frustrating and controlling. I don't always carry my phone with me. I feel like my "free" time is my time and that if I get a message or call I can return it when I can.  I guess I am being ornery today.  For me personally I would rather not even have a cell phone. I also get frustrated with the hours that are eaten by E-mails, Face book, and just web browsing. I set a time and allow myself  to do those things but then I get up and leave it for the day. I use to check in the mornings, afternoon, and bedtime.. WHY?  Not many things need my "like" or comment immediately. I can see what has happened the next day. So that being said, I am going to put my blog down for a little nap for a few days or maybe even a couple of weeks. I want you to spend the time you would use reading my blog  to talk to a child,  pick up your phone and CALL a friend, go for a walk, sing a song,  take a nap,  eat a snack,  do something fun that you have not had the time to do...... I will be back.

My Mothers Pearls

My mother's pearls were her boys and girls. No greater treasure had she. Hands worn with care, I can still see her there. Kind and content as can be. When we would say she'd be rich someday. She'd smile at us tenderly. Her boys and her girls were my mother's pearls and no greater treasure had she. This is an old song that my mother loved us to sing. My sisters and brother and I would sing this in church and at reunions. We use to laugh at my mother about that song but now I am a mother I have found this song to be true. Our children are our greatest treasures.  I have 4 beautiful bright pearls. They each have a little different color to them but they all have that same brilliant luster that makes my necklace so precious. They each bring such joy to my life. I have been lucky to be able to add other pearls to my necklace.  My children's spouses and my little grandchildren have made my necklace grow into an incredible string of beauty.  As Mother's day is coming up I have had my mom on my mind a lot. She has been gone for a while and I miss her. Those of you who still have your mom's please take the time to love on them a little and let them know how special they are to you.   I  also had an experience about my mom that has been on my mind for a while. I feel like I need to share it with you to help you understand what a wonderful woman she was. When I was about 11-12 I had a friend that I spent a lot of time with. We would play at her house and all over the neighborhood but she would never come play at my house. I would always ask her why?  She told me one day that her mom would not let her come play at my house because my mother was fat, dirty, and lazy...I was just so shocked....My mother?  In my eyes my mother was beautiful. I did not think she was fat, she was not dirty(she was very strict about personal cleanliness) and lazy? NEVER. My mother got married at 16. Did not graduate high school but she always worked. (She later did get her GED when I graduated high school.) She had to do a lot of hard labor jobs but she did them. She worked in a cannery, a sewing plant, she cleaned houses for other people, weeded the cemetery, she worked in the school lunch program for years.  I do not remember a time when my mother didn't work until she retired. But back to my story.  I looked at my friend and began to bawl and left crying all the way home. When I got there my mom was right on me about what was wrong? Why was I crying?  I of course told my mother the conversation which I am sure broke her heart. She was a very proud woman and always worried about others opinions. I never spoke to that friend again and I now feel bad because she was only passing on what her mother had said. As I look back at this experience I realize that not to long after it my mother and my aunt joined TOPS (take off pound sensibly) They began to walk and would faithfully weigh each week. Oh, they were both so proud of the charms and awards they would get for weight loss. Mom would hang them on the wall and be so proud of them. My mother lost 60 pounds and became healthier. I don't remember how much my aunt lost but it was quite a bit too. Was this something good that came out of a hurtful comment? I want to think so. My mother found a way to take those hurtful words and turn them into something good. I know she must have suffered terribly from the hurt. My mom was able to keep her weight off the rest of her life. She was always very proud of that accomplishment. I was sure proud of her. She was a great example to me in many ways. Love you mom.