Smile for the Joy of Others

Smile for the Joy of Others

Saturday, July 31, 2010

The Shows of Then

The other day I mentioned on Facebook that "there is just something about having The Andy Griffith Show on TV that makes the world seem right...if only for 30 minutes at a time".

It's the 30 minutes of "all is right" that keeps me watching this show. But it's not just this show that appeals to me for the same reason. It's most of the "retro" shows. Leave it Beaver, I Love Lucy, Little Rascals and so many more. It's these shows that expose the reality of today's culture in that the world is not right.

While the TV shows of then may have been a little over the top with husbands and wives sleeping in separate beds, they did and still do at least entertain with values that I am not afraid of my children watching nor do they make me embarrassed to watch with other adults in the room. I can leave the room with these shows still playing on my TV and not worry about what my children hear or see. Unlike today's shows and even cartoons when I have to cover their eyes and ears and hope their innocence is not ruined by what comes up on the next scene.

And so what if the shows of then depicted husbands and wives sleeping in separate beds even though everyone knew that wasn't reality? I would rather that than what they depict to be actuality these days...same sex genders in the same bed, unwed teenagers and adults in the same bed, married adults in the same bed with someone else's spouse. The shows of then may have depicted a perfection that wasn't always real at least we didn't have to watch the actuality of today's digressing society. A society that glorifies such sinful and hurtful acts as normal and common.

The shows of then depicted men as being honorable and respectful and not some helpless, stupid, raging being with overactive hormones. The women of then were ladies whom acted as such and actually appreciated a man being a gentlemen. Wives of those shows respected and honored their husbands in front of their children and the rest of world. The husbands of that time loved and honored their wives in a way that their wives felt the same and not diminished or dominated.

I know for most of today's younger culture, I am old fashioned along with the shows of then. And I realize that the older I get, more old-fashioned I become...maybe not to the extent of sleeping in separate beds but to the extent of keeping your bedroom activities in the bedroom and not on my TV or movie screen....to the extent of honoring my husband and not putting him down at home nor in public...to the extent of appreciating a gentlemen...to the extent of feeling secure enough in being a wife and woman that I don't feel dominated nor diminished with my husband leading our household.

The shows of then may have depicted what seemed like a perfect world, I know that even then there were culture battles. There has never been a perfect world since Eve ate that stupid apple and there never will be. But if Hollywood would go back to that perfect world we long for in reality....then maybe just maybe we can enjoy that perfect world more than 30 minutes at a time.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

5 Years Ago, Today



Five years ago today, love and chaos entered my world both at the same time, my boys CB and BB. And as they have grown these past 5 years, so has the love and the chaos. But I'll take the chaos that comes with this kind of love.

I've read this so many times and it still touches my heart every time I read it: "The days may be long, but the years are short." Each passing year, this becomes more realistic.

It's true...Time flies when you are having fun! It's been a fun 5 years and look forward to more fun in the years to come.

At 5:

BB: Career choice, policeman. Favorite Color, Blue. Favorite Food, chicken nuggets. Favorite Movie, Balto and Toy Story 2. Enjoys guns, swords and maps. Loves his dog, Stuffins Big Birthday gift from Mamma and Daddy, Bike. Current city, Greenville, MS

CB: Career choice, Baseball player. Favorite Color, Red. Favorite Food, chicken nuggets. Favorite Movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks the Squeakquel. Enjoys baseball, Wii, fishing and any sports related show or activity. Loves his dog, Murphy. Big Birthday gift from Mamma and Daddy, Bike. Current City, Greenville, MS

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Recovery

It's been 2 weeks since my surgery. And I must say it's been a hard 2 weeks. My surgeon was right when he said I would feel like I've been beat with a tire iron. I've only had 2 major surgeries in all my 33 years of life...C-Section and this Cervical Fusion in my neck. If I had to choose between the 2...I'll choose a C-Section.

I was told that I didn't handle the anesthesia very well. I can't attest because I don't remember. I do remember being in pain when I did wake up for a brief moment and quickly finding the Morphine pump and then I remember nothing else.

The following days of recovery have a roller coaster. I one point my head felt like a bowling ball being held up by a wet noodle. And just when I think..ahhh, no more pain, no more stiffness in my neck....I wake up the next day to just the opposite...PAIN and Stiffness! I've been told that is typical of this surgery and it can be this way for about 6 weeks. UGHHH! But the pain free days seem to be more frequent.

I have been so blessed to have family and friends helping during this time. My in-laws were so gracious to keep the boys for 3 nights and my parents allowed the boys and I to take up residence for the week following the surgery. And furthermore, my dad brought the boys and me back to G'ville and stayed 4 more nights. A friend kept the boys which allowed them to play all day with their special bud, SS. My sister came over several days and helped entertain the boys and my sister-in-law took the boys for an afternoon to keep them busy as well. Needless to say, I've been spoiled for the past 2 weeks and I already miss them greatly.

I'm gonna try to slowly start back sewing soon if the pain free days continue to increase. Even though it's part of recovery, I can't stand just laying around the house and doing nothing. But at the same time, I can't over do-it either.

Thank you so much for the prayers, well wishes, and thoughts.