Just Relax!

"No thinking about or touching anything school-related until at least after the weekend," says he.

Ha!  My husband knows me well.  He knows I have a hard time relaxing.

Not that I don't ever have lazy, time-wasting moments like everyone else.  If you saw last night's Facebook conversation, you know the mindless things I watch on Netflix Instant Watch when I have opportunity! lol  (If you missed it, think Toddlers & Tiaras.  Also, if you're not too tired, consider joining the occasional late-night random discussion if you see us! lol  The more the merrier! ha ha)

Anyway, Kevin made the above statement last night, on our last day of home school for this school year, as we drove home from my favorite home school store with my purchases for next year.

Yes, next year.  It's only a couple months away, folks!  A girl needs to plan ahead!  Especially when she's starting something totally new next year, but that's another post. :)

Anyway, I was thinking about my problem when it comes to relaxing.  See, I realized that I usually think, "If I finish X, Y, and Z before taking time to relax, then I'll be able to relax better."  That's okay in a way, except that I almost always end up thinking, while I'm doing X, Y, and Z, that . . . well . . . maybe I'll be able to relax better yet if I accomplish A, B, and C first.  And, of course, if A, B, and C should be done, then so should D, E, and F.  Right?  It's endless.  Just endless!

I need to learn that when I have the opportunity to relax, it's a gift from the Lord.  A wonderful gift!  If I've been diligent to keep up with things, it's okay to take a break, to rest my racing mind a bit.  Read a book for fun, more than 2 pages at a time.  Have long, meaningful or just-for-fun conversations.  Take a lengthy, leisurely walk in the woods--not just for exercise, but to take in the beauty and the fresh scents and fascinating sounds.  Slow down physically and mentally.

In quiet moments, I'm free to "hear" from the Lord as He speaks to my spirit.  He doesn't seem to speak to most of us in an audible voice, so we need to be careful to take time to "listen."

Quiet.

Quiet doesn't hurt us!  It's so hard to be quiet.  If I don't have something I'm listening to externally, I've always got my thoughts to cause chaos.  Not that I think we should stop thinking, but to slow down our thoughts, quiet our minds . . . our minds need rest, which brings refreshment to our spirits if we allow it to be so.

So, my goal this summer, besides fulfilling my responsibilities, and taking time to plan for the next school year, is to learn more about the art of relaxing.  Surely it can be done!

Just relax . . .

Toddlers, I'm so sorry about those Tiaras!!

 It's my blog . . . I can go on a controlled tirade once in awhile, I guess. :)

I'm not much of a TV watcher, but having Netflix instant streaming and being sick for several days has given me some time to catch up on what most of the rest of the world probably already knows about, even if it is just the first couple seasons of a show.

Toddlers and Tiaras.  Are they serious?  I mean, apparently they are, but you'll have to excuse this newbie's dropped jaw--I'm still adjusting.

I myself have a confession to make though.  Toddlers & Tiaras has sucked me in.  Normally if I'm disgusted by a show, I just don't watch it anymore.  Why is this one so fascinating?  I'm not sure!  Maybe I'm looking for the clue that will prove TLC is putting us on with this one.

Or maybe I feel sorry for those little girls.  I seriously just want to gather them all up in my arms and say, "I'm so sorry that the people you should be able to trust most are the ones who encourage this frightening behavior in you!  I'm sorry that they display you in front of people who judge you like that.  I'm sorry that you probably think it is indeed you they are judging, rather than just your outer shell, which has little to do with anything."

It deeply saddens me to see the majority of these girls lives being trained on how to look "pretty" (fake), build confidence (brattiness) and move like no self-respecting grown woman should even move (sluttiness at age 4 is not cute. It is repulsive!).

Some moms and judges say things about the girls showing their personalities onstage.  It's not true!  The only personality displayed is the same fake smile and rehearsed moves from all the girls!  Not one girl looks different behind the fake teeth and eyelashes than any other girl.  It's like they go vacant during that time on stage.

The personalities shown off-stage, however, are far from being lovely.  In most cases, that is.  Wow!  Of course, every child acts bratty sometimes, pageant contestant or not, but the parents on that show don't do anything about it!  They have very high standards for their children's outward appearance, but teach them nothing about their behavior, their hearts, nor thinking of others.  But, then, when would they have time to teach the important virtues between rehearsals, dress-fittings, facials, hairstyling, manicures, pedicures, tanning sessions, fake teeth fittings, fake eyelash fittings, etc., etc.? 

The emphasis is all wrong!!

Or, maybe the parents feel deep-seeded guilt for what they are doing to their children, so they feel like they are doing their children a favor by not bothering them with accountability.  Teaching a child matters of the heart takes time and energy.  Perhaps the parents' energy is zapped by the pageants.

I understand that it's a TV show, and "reality" shows can be far from reality.  But could they really have found THAT many examples of people with such twisted virtues if there aren't a lot of them out there?  It's SAD!!!

"I want my daughter to feel like a princess!"  When a girl or woman is called a "princess" by her peers, it is NOT a compliment.  Think about it.  It's one thing to help a girl look at herself in a healthy way, in the way God sees her.  But to make her think she is the center of the universe is dangerous to her now and is not setting her up for successful living later.  And to call her a princess based on how she looks is false and irresponsible.

I'm astounded that so many people think this is okay and just a normal part of life.  I'm certainly not a perfect parent by any means, and am always praying to be wiser in that role.  But it doesn't seem like it takes the brains of a rocket scientist to understand that a little girl parading around in a bathing suit on stage for a score is just weird! Maybe even sick?

I'm so sorry, little girls, that this is what the society you live in, a society of people who *should* know better, has become.

Now . . . I think I'll go watch some Brady Bunch or something.