Inlaws and Outlaws

We just recently had a weekend visit from my inlaws. The live pretty far away, so we only get to see them a few times a year. I have some friends who are happy to see their inlaws even less than that, but I like my inlaws. It is probably part of my stubborness, to be honest. 'Inlaw' is almost a dirty word in our society. Thanks to television we all have preconcieved notions of the dreaded relationship with our spouse's family. I hate preconcieved notions like that, so when I got married I was determined to prove the stereotype wrong, because, dear friends, it takes two to make a relationship. Kindness goes a long way in creating the foundation for a relationship, even though it may take years to build the foundation!

I was reading in the book of Ruth this morning. What an amazing woman Ruth was. Many books and sermons have been written about her and her faithfulness. But what about Naomi? What kind of amazing mother-in-law must she have been to have inspired such devotion in both her daughters-in-law? I truly want to know this, because I have two children and daily I pray for the people they will eventually marry. I pray that they are God fearing and strong of character, and I pray that they will let me love them like I love my own children. Because right there in the Bible it says that when a man and woman marry, two shall become one. Some women think that no one will be good enough for their children to marry. We I say pooh on that! If your child loves someone, then YOU BE the example. Don't expect your child's spouse to understand how your family works, and don't expect your child to explain it. Treat them with the respect you would show a new friend, instead of how you treat your own child (as if they were still 10 years old and in need of a good lecture). Remember- this person will contribute to half the DNA your grandchild will carry, and will contribute much to the type of person your grandchild will become. Don't wait until the last moment to make these decisions. Decide now the kind of inlaw you want to be. It is never too late to start over, and it is never too early to make resolutions. And whenever you feel discouraged, read the book of Ruth and ask yourself if your child's spouse would ever feel that way about you, and if you answer 'no', then ask yourself 'why not?'.

The Tide Turns...And The Eagle Soars

So, it's football season. FINALLY! Here in the South, the anticipation of the next football season begins the day after the National Championship is played (for those who have a stake in it), or at least the day after the last game played. It builds until the air is thick with expectation. Birthday parties and vacations are planned around when Bama will be in town, or where Auburn is traveling away. I think it is so great that you can become instant friends with someone you've never met, just because you have a favorite team in common.

But do you know my favorite team? Not Auburn (I know, shocker!). It isn't even a sports group at all. It is the tall red headed guy and two sweet little miracles that I get to come home to every day. At various times we are all coaches and players ( like when Bill is telling me the correct way to drive a toy train :). I think parents lose something in the relationship with their children when they stop thinking that they have nothing to learn from their kids. The biggest thing kids teach us is how to love. LOVE. HUG. KISS. LAUGH. What is more important in life than knowing how to do these things? A family may have a leader, but a successful family's leader knows when to lead, and when to learn.

I thought when I started my new job that I would be miserable in the fact that I would miss my kids too much. But although I DO miss my kids, the time I have with them is so much sweeter! I guess it's true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I just have to make sure that absence doesn't overshadow the quality time. A time for everything in it's season....I hope your times are as sweet as mine!

Little Tidbits

‎"A true giver is born with their hands open, as well as their heart; and though there may be times when their hands are empty, their heart is always full, and can give things out of that-warm things, kind things, sweet things-help and comfort and laughter-and sometimes , kind laughter is the best help of all." -A Little Princess

What is Addiction?

Hello, my name is Sharon Edmondson, and I am addicted to Facebook. Not every aspect of facebook, but definitely the games. Namely Farmville, Frontierville, and Gardens of Time.

I know what you may be thinking. "Really? That's a little weak when you consider worse problems like alcoholism, drug use, pornography...". Well I'm not so sure. In my humble opinion, the Christian definition of addiction is anything that takes your focus continually away from God. I would like to add that it is anything that takes the focus off anything in your life that should be more important, like your job or your family. And agree with me or not, even your job or family can become an addiction if it comes between you and your relationship with God. So do I have a problem with addiction? GUILTY!

I frequently allow the daily grind to distract me from developing my relationship with our Lord and Creator. I can't even squeeze thirty minutes a day to spare for reflection and devotion? There is something wrong with this picture. Yes, I have small children that seem to consume my every waking moment, but what if I change my perception about what devotion time is? Why couldn't I spend those thirty minutes with my kids, talking and teaching about God, and praying with them? Isn't that what we as parents are charged with when God entrusts them into our care?

As for Facebook, I don't think it is evil. It is inanimate. It has no power that we don't give it, just like money. Used wisely, it is a wonderful way to stay connected and be supportive. I have been blessed many times over by this tool. As for the many hours spent per week on the games, I can do without that for a while until I reset my priorities. Maybe I can even use some of that spare time to clean the house! Then again...

Dog Days

How is it that Summer has arrived so quickly? Really, 100 degrees and it is barely June. I feel like I haven't seen the summer sun in years. Actually, I haven't really enjoyed it since I was expecting Bill five years ago. I have been so terrified of getting the kids out in the heat and UVA/UVB's! Oh to be ignorant of those things like we were as young'uns! I know our generation is finally learning from the mistakes of those past about sun worshipping, and hopefully our children will reap the health benefits, but rolling around on a beach towel burning ourselves to crisps are some of my fondest memories growing up. We LIVED for those dog days of summer where there was nothing we could do but lie around and be lazy, soaking up rays! Maybe my outlook will change once my kids are old enough to swim by themselves with minimal supervision. But until those days come, we will be holed up in our air conditioned house taking siestas and/or hibernating for the ninety days or so that we call the dog days of summer. Why don't ya'll come over and we'll have a carpet picnic. No bugs, I promise!

Time Flies

Wow, have I been a slacker with my blog. Here is the abridged version of my life the past month:

DD stomach virus. Then I get it. Bday & Mom day present= throwing  back out twice. Final exams in which prescription drugs play a hand. Beach trip with Hand, Foot, Mouth. Anniversary spent on the road home. DD gets stomach virus again. Then I get it. Physical Therapy.

Thus ends the 2010-2011 school year. Praying for patience as I wait to hear from Pharmacy school. Praying for patience with my kids as we are all thrown together all summer. Now that DS is out of preschool, he is asking to go every day (this never happened when he COULD have gone!). A friend and I have decided that our kids need go to summer school, so we will be conducting preschool two days a week, and exercising while they are having their playground time. As a matter of fact, exercise and diet are on my Summer Resolution List. Especially with my current back problems. I am really down the the "must do" point. I have found a really great website with a huge database of caloric counts (www.myfitnesspal.com), and am discovering many restaurant chain websites that allow you to customize their menu to get the caloric level you need (panera has a great app!). Who knew?

My other goal is to get my house in order. Flylady.com will be my constant friend. All this in addition to speech therapy for DS, a night class two days a week for me, and PT makes for a busy summer! A deep thought to leave you with...Consider someone you know who "has it all together". Is it because it's in their nature, or is it survival mode because they are naturally as disorganized as us? Hmmmm...

The Drain

Hello All!

I hope your Lenten season is going better than mine (whose bar is depressingly low right now). I have to say I'm disappointed in my steadfastness. I have done pretty well with my no meat lenten fast, but I don't feel that I have accomplished much with it. I'm actually thinking I may extend parts of my lenten sacrifice through the summer. The Great Deceiver has definitely been at work on my person the last few weeks. I am nearing exams, and we've all had bouts of sickness, meaning that I've had to skip class, stay up late (if not all night), and stress about the wacky process of getting into pharmacy school. I always thought I handled stress very well, but throw a couple of kids into the mix and it is a whole new monster!

At times like these, I am fascinated and in awe of single parents. I know I joke about being a preacher's widow, but at least I know that if I need Mike for something, he is usually right down the road. I have the luxury of going places by myself if I need to, and of telling someone else that it's their responsibility to wash the crayon off the wall and change the light bulbs in the nine foot ceiling. And if I whine and complain enough, I can convince my husband to take the kids somewhere for an hour so I can clean without a small person coming directly behind me like a wrecking ball. This also applies to the parents whose spouses work out of town, or for other reasons can't be as available to help at home.

I catch myself complaining all the time about how tired I am, and how the kids are driving me crazy. But four days a week, I spend two hours with a guy who makes me feel so unjustified in those claims. Geoffrey and his wife met and married at a mission in Nigeria, Africa shortly before he came to the states to attend school. How he landed here, I don't know, but I have known him for the last two years and he has greatly blessed my life. His wife is a nurse, and he is an orderly at Cooper Green Hospital in downtown Birmingham (this is commonly known as the indigent hospital). They have two children, who he really only sees on the weekend because he works all night and drives straight to school once he leaves there. He sleeps in his car in between classes. He maybe has an hour or two to go home and change clothes, eat a little something, before he is back at it again. But he insists on taking Saturday for his family and Sunday for the Lord, who he has no reservations about praising in honest joy and sincerity to whoever will listen. We have spent many hours this semester speaking our love of the Lord rather than studying chemistry as we should have been doing, but I can't regret choosing Him over NMR spectra.

I pray for Geoffrey constantly. That he makes it into medical school, that he and his family are blessed by the sacrifices they have to make. That the Lord watches and protects him and his loved ones when they finally move back to their homeland, and that his children don't resent their parents for moving them from 'their' homeland, because they were both born in the U.S. And I pray that God would allow me to feel one tenth of the passion they feel for spreading the Good News of Jesus, no matter what the cost. So every time I feel so drained, like my joy has been leached out of my life, and I start to feel sorry for myself, I will remember Geoffrey, and cry tears of joy, sorrow, worry, and hallelujah over such a beautiful and inspiration man.