I was about ready to bang my head on my desk when I thought that someone I'd added to the family tree might've been the wrong person. Deleting her would've deleted centuries' worth of ancestors. I was not looking forward to rebuilding that line. Thankfully it all worked out and I do have the right person. Whew!
Along with my normal housewifely and motherly duties and putting together the family tree, I've also had my nose stuck in The Hunger Games trilogy. I finished the third book, Mockingjay, a couple days ago. Really great books. I was tempted to start reading them all over again after finishing Mockingjay (which, by the way, my son Sean bought for me because he really wanted me to have the complete trilogy - awww!), but I have a lot of books on my shelves still to be read. I will try to resist reading The Hunger Games again for as long as I can so that I can get other books read.
Sean started reading The Hunger Games a few days ago and really likes it so far. I told him to hurry up and get all three read so that we can talk about them. :-)
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I pretty much only listen to gospel music, but as I've written before, sometimes I'll hear a non-gospel song that I like. I really like this one. Don't know how long it's been out. Maybe it's old. Haha. But it's new to me.
I've been busy with my family tree again. I've been researching more into my mom's mom's dad's side. I was able to go all the way back to the 300s. That's not a typo. I was really surprised.
I think the reason why I've been able to go back so far with that branch of the family (and I'm just guessing) is because there might be better records kept for nobles and other titled people, which many of my ancestors were down through about the 1600s.
I've found military leaders, politicians, kings and queens, and saints, as well as dukes and counts and so on. They include the Dukes of Normandy, Charlemagne, Louis the Pious, Dukes of Brittany, Visigoths, leaders/politicians of the Holy Roman Empire, royalty of England, Ireland, France, Lombardy, Gaul, Bavaria, Austrasia, Alamannia, etc.
Of course, I realize that there are probably millions who can trace their ancestry back to the same people and to others of the same time period who are also important persons of history. But I still think it's pretty cool. :-)
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This song is on my mind tonight:
As I was listening to it a few minutes ago, this part gave me chills on my legs:
Condemnation tries to hold me Like a prisoner in chains And the weight of my burdens Is calling out my name. That's when I lift up my voice to worship You because I know You promised You would wash me. Jesus, wash me white as snow.
Unto Thee, oh Lord, do I lay down my soul. It's only by Your hand That I can be made whole. So Lord, let Your breath revive me again And I'll never be the same. I will never be the same. I will never be the same.
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“The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one.”
"Whatever giant I do not conquer, will eventually conquer me!"
Sean is still running a low fever and will miss another day of school today. He's already missed more school than he should, but I can't send him to school fevered.
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I love the articles over at MarriageMoment.org and have linked to several in the margin of my blog. One of their most recent is called Love Thinks No Evil. Here are a couple excerpts:
"In the immediate sense, the phrase 'love thinks no evil' teaches us that those who possess and characterize true love are not disposed to find evil where no evil seems to be. In other words, those who truly grasp biblical love do not suppose that good, or even neutral, actions have bad motives. They do not reason a negative opinion upon mere appearances or infer impure intent from the actions or words of others.
"This is a critical concept that has practical application to the marriage. One of the worst enemies of strong relationships – and of love itself – is negative perceptions or interpretations. This is an extremely common phenomenon in which spouses identify and interpret their partner’s actions, behavior, conduct, words, motives, intentions, and so forth in a negative way – or at least more negatively than is actually the case. In other words people believe they know the thoughts and emotions behind their mate’s conduct and become convinced that it is negative in nature. They see wrong in their partner even when it is not there. [See related article.]"
"In contrast to scorekeeping, love does not impute evil to the account of those who have committed wrongdoing against it. On the contrary, love fully and freely excuses injury done to it – and remembers it no more. If we truly characterize biblical love, we are never to be resentful or vengeful. We must forgive and refuse to look back. One translation of this verse declares that love 'pays no attention to a suffered wrong'. Yet another says that love 'remembers no evil'. This is a critical notion that all married couples should heed."
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"It takes more faith to endure than it does to escape." -- Warren Wiersbe
"Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity." -- Cicero
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough." -- Melody Beattie
This was a long day for me today (Monday - technically yesterday), on very little sleep. It probably wouldn't have seemed so long if I'd been able to get a nap.
As I wrote in my previous entry, Sean was sick yesterday and had to miss school. Unfortunately he's still sick, running a low fever, and will be missing school again today.
Mom came and got Sean shortly before I got Kelly from school so that she and I could go shoe shopping. With the weather getting warmer (it's supposed to be 80° today and 84° tomorrow), she can't really wear her boots much anymore. They're falling apart anyway. The tennis shoes I got her at the beginning of the school year are too small for her (though I always buy my kids' shoes a little big) and they're not allowed to wear flip flops to school. So it was off to the stores we went.
I thought we'd go to about 2 stores, maybe 3 at the most, and be gone no more than an hour and a half or so. It didn't work out that way at all. Nearly every store we went to they either didn't have her size (she's now in a size 5 girls or 6 womens) or the shoes were more than I wanted to spend or Kelly didn't like them (as was the case with most of the shoes we looked at) or they hurt her feet.
Sometimes she would pick up a pair of flip flops or sandals or somewhat dressy flats and I'd have to remind her that she can't wear those kinds of shoes to school. There were a couple times where I told her I was just going to pick out a pair of shoes and she would wear what I chose. Each time I did that though the store wouldn't have them in her size. :-/
Finally, after four hours(!) of shopping (man, did my feet hurt!), she chose a pair of casual flats from Justice. I would've preferred she got tennis shoes as they would be better for the playground, but by this point I was willing to get her almost anything. Within budget and reason, of course.
When I paid for the shoes I found out that they were on sale for a pretty great price, so Kelly picked out a pair of flip flops(which she also needed for everyday non-school use) as well, which were also on sale.
By the time we got home it was after 7:00 PM and I still had to get supper started. We finally sat down with our food around 8:00 PM and then there was homework to do. Thankfully it was rather easy tonight/last night. A very good thing with this tired brain of mine. I wasn't thinking all that clearly or speaking well either (kept getting my words mixed up), so simple homework was all I could handle.
Kelly's been in bed for a couple hours now and I'll be going to bed myself soon. It's never been so tempting. Dreamland, here I come! May the dreams be good ones.
Sean is sick and will miss school today. Hopefully his sickness will be gone very soon. He's already missed too much school.
Kelly cleaned her room, including vacuuming, without being told. She then dusted the furniture in the living room and tried to straighten up my somewhat messy desk. Wonder what's got into her.
I thought she was sleeping good earlier tonight when I heard her quickly get out of her bed and practically run into the bathroom. She had lost a tooth. Gotta check my wallet and see if I have any money to leave under her pillow.
Every night when Kelly goes to bed, she plays a classical music CD or Irish instrumental CD. The rest of us need a fan to sleep. Kelly likes soothing music.
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I wrote this at Facebook:
"Before you think that you don't need someone in your life, maybe you should stop and think that they might need you in theirs."
Maybe you think they're too different or weird or that you don't have anything in common. Maybe their background isn't the same as yours. Maybe you think they're too rich or too poor or that they're not cool or hip enough or stylish enough. But give them a chance.
God often uses circumstances or people we didn't expect Him to use to bless us or to teach us or to meet a need that we have or to answer a prayer. He could be using this person to do that for you or using you to do these things for them.
How many times have we asked God to use us to be a testimony or blessing for others or to use us for His kingdom? It may be that God wants to meet someone else's need through you or meet your need through them. Don't brush them off. Don't ignore their desire to talk to you on the phone sometime or to go out to lunch or to come by their or your house to spend time together.
I'm not saying you have to hang out with every person who expresses an interest to do so. Just don't immediately decide that you're not going to have anything to do with someone just because they're different or not what you were expecting. Open your heart to God's will, seek His wisdom and you might be pleasantly surprised by what He does, how He does it and who He does it through.
I've been doing a little more research into the family tree this week. Haven't found out much really. The most interesting and surprising thing being that my paternal grandpa's maternal grandpa's mother (did you follow that? lol) was from Germany. I haven't been able to find out her name or her husband's name. He was from Virginia, if I remember correctly.
The fact that an ancestor was from Germany is surprising because when I've asked before about our background no one ever mentioned German or even knew about it themselves. I hope I can find out more about her, but it's not looking good so far.
Oh, and I found out that my paternal grandpa's paternal grandpa Albert fought with the US 3rd Cavalry during the Civil War. (He joined in early 1865 when he was almost 18.) I knew he had fought in the Civil War on the Yankee side, being from and living in Illinois at the time, but I didn't know what regiment or whatever.
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"May God give you...For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer." -- Irish Blessing/Prayer
"You have certain giftings. That's because people need you. There are certain giftings you don't have. That's because you need people."
"Dont ever question your wife's judgment. After all she married you."
Friday, Kelly and I went grocery shopping, as we always do on Fridays, and also went shopping for an Easter dress for Kelly. I didn't want to spend more than $30. We found a pretty white eyelet dress at JC Penney on sale for about $30. (I'll add a picture of the dress at a later time.) I'd like to get her a shrug and shoes in a pretty spring color, preferrably light pink. Aqua would also be pretty, but harder to find.
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I did something Friday night I haven't done in a long time - slept nine hours. You would think I'd feel really rested and energized, but I actually felt tired and wiped out all day. :-/
On the bright side, I had a really great dream Friday night. Well, partly great. The great part: being intimate *ahem* with my husband in the hills of New Zealand. The not so great part: we were outside, so literally on one of the hills of New Zealand.
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It felt great to be in church yesterday. It always does, but yesterday just felt nice in a different way somehow. Almost anticipatory. I don't know why. I hope it means things will be changing for the better soon in my life. I'm really beyond sick of things being the way they are. Unfortunately the changing of it is out of my hands beyond praying about it.
Anyway, we sang one of my favorite songs yesterday. To Worship You I Live. We could've sung it for a longer period of time and I would've been fine with it. I could feel God so strongly and I just wanted to stay in that place. The man at my church, the Spanish minister, who sings the lead does such an awesome job. He's very anointed.
It gets really good around 2:54.
On the subject of favorite songs, here's another:
And this one:
Ignore the guy with the guitar. This was the best YouTube video/audio of the song that I could find. I loooove this song. Parts of it sound like Irish gospel. lol Great lyrics in this song!
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After getting home from church, I made brunch - eggs, bacon, toast, chocolate milk - and we watched our Tarheels get their butts kicked by the dookies in the ACC tournament. *sigh* It's like they weren't even really there. Oh, well.
I then fell asleep on the couch for a couple hours. When I woke up I made supper and watched The Amazing Race.
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If by any chance anyone from Japan is reading this, my heart and prayers are with the Japanese people, as well as the people of Christchurch, NZ.
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"Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death."
"To love someone is not just a strong feeling - it is a decision, a commitment, and a promise."
"Biblical love is not emotions or feelings, but attitudes and actions that seek the best interests of the other person, regardless of how we feel toward him [or her]." -- Jerry Bridges
As you may have guessed, I've been busy with the family tree. Mostly my mom's mom's side of the family. One of my mom's sisters is excited about what I've been discovering and wants to put it in book form for the family. So I haven't been spending much time on other branches of my family.
Researching the family tree can be frustrating at times. We were briefly related to John Alden who came over on the Mayflower. Among his descendents and relatives are Marilyn Monroe, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, Orson Welles and William Cullen Bryant.
My kids and I were excited about this. Until I found out it wasn't true. :-/
The problem? Apparently there were two different men with the same name (the first name being quite unusual) from two different families born around the same time in the same area of North Carolina. I just happened to find the one I'm not related to. As have many others, I learned. All those hours spent working my way back down what I thought were my ancestors. And all those names added to the family tree had to be deleted. *sigh*
So I've taken a few days off from my research, but will continue with it this week.
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This past Saturday were promotions at the dojo where Sean is learning Karate. Sean had an orange stripe added to his belt. They do promotions every 8-12 weeks. He should be getting an orange belt at the next promotions. I can tell Sean is proud of himself and I'm proud of him.
In other Sean news, he's student of the week at his school this week for helping a new student (who is Chinese and speaks little English) and for improving his attendance.
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I had to bring Kelly to the doctor yesterday. She had been complaining of pains in her heart for a couple days. Turns out she has a chest wall inflamation. She has to take ibuprofen for the pain and keep a record of when she gets the pain and how long it lasts. I had the same thing when I was 21. It wasn't anything serious and went away on its own.
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After leaving Karate on Saturday, we went to Olive Garden to celebrate Sean's promotion. While waiting for our food, the kids (including my 11-year-old niece Samantha) were talking about their favorite songs and asked me what my favorite song is. I love so many it was hard to choose, but at the moment it's this one:
I usually only listen to gospel music, but occasionally I'll hear a non-gospel song that I like. Such as this one:
And this one:
Though I don't believe anyone is perfect other than God. But it's a catchy song.
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"The truest characters of ignorance are vanity, and pride and arrogance." -- Samuel Butler
“It is better to lose your pride with someone you love rather than to lose that someone you love with your useless pride.”
“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you're looking down, you can't see something that's above you.” -- C. S. Lewis
“No one ever choked to death swallowing his pride”
“Temper gets you into trouble. Pride keeps you there.”
“Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real” -- Thomas Merton
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” -- Proverbs 11:2
“Pride is pleasure arising from a man's thinking too highly of himself.” -- Baruch Spinoza
“Pride costs more than hunger, thirst and cold.” -- Thomas Jefferson
"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty [arrogant] spirit before a fall." -- Proverbs 16:18
