My life would be like one of those funny drama's that make you cry like Forrest Gump. I remember seeing that movie the first time and crying from the moment that the first snotty kid said, "Ya can't sit heeere!" till the end...
That's what my life is like; it is full of tragic, funny, unexpected moments shared with the same few people that cycle through my life over and over again. I guess it's like that for all of us.
Two nights ago we went to see the midnight showing of Transformers, my daughter brought along a new boy she has been hanging out with; which was crazy on her part since she had about 13 embarrassing relatives along... including me. I was sitting at the table putting my credit card away when I turned to boy and said, "Do you wanna see a picture of Celia when she was a braceface?" He replied yes with a smile, a shiny braceface smile:) I just laughed and said, "Oh, I didn't notice you had braces." :)
Did I recover? You tell me:)
This is such a weighty question I almost didn't want to answer it. It is the kind of question that will never have a complete answer... but here is a start... at least for where I am today.
Respect Yourself
I have only one child. A beautiful teenage girl, and I can't think of a lesson that I try to teach her more than this one. I look at all the young girls around me, her friends, her cousins, and I see this one lesson violated repeatedly, without any real sense of the damage they do to themselves. I later see these same girls devasted by how they have been treated and used.
The truth is people will treat you exactly as you expect to be treated. So when you treat yourself like a cheap toy, the world will embrace that message and use you like one. I could go on and on on this subject but I won't. I just wanted to say one more time that if we expect to be treated with respect, and treat ourselves with respect, the world will as well. The other side of this lesson of course is that a person that respects themselves also treats others with respect. So it's a 2 for 1:)
Never compromise your core self
It is important for all us to know what is most important to us. We all have that one thing that defines who we want to be, and who we don't want to be. Never compromise that one thing. Life is full of compromises; some small, and some large. But that one thing, whatever it is for you. Never compromise that. Because you will give up, you will lose the battle and you will lose yourself. This is kind of an extention of lesson one.
God's plan for you, is better than any plan you could have made for yourself.
This is the biggest, most important lesson I wish that I could pass on to my daughter. It is also the hardest, and the one that I know to be right... but I can't seem to surrender to it.
We all have our struggles and surrendering my will to God, and embracing his plan for me is the hardest. It is something I struggle with everyday, and I have no doubt that my daughter will struggle with it too. I wish I could show her by example what a life surrendered to God looks like, but I am still wrestling with that, I hope that one day I get there, and I hope she does too. There is a verse I love that says..."I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for Peace and not distaster plans to give you a future filled with hope. Jer 29:11"
A time capsule should contain some information on the larger world ... so I would try to include some information that effected the whole world as well as some that represents my views specifically...
Ipod with a Plugin Charger
First, I would record a voice file that explained each item in the time capsule. Then I would load it up with video and audio files that reflect on state of the world today. They would include opposing viewpoints on major issues. Video footage of the events that were signifgant to this generation like September 11th and Barak O'bama becoming president (in my opinion not a good thing) I would show them the peoples response to these events incase history records it wrong, or with only one viewpoint. I would load this up with all the music that is currently poplular in almost every genre. I would include audio versions of all the books that are on the New York Times Best Sellers list; so that they could see what we were entertained by. I would include some sermons on End Times Prophecy and some commentarys on how they might look when they come to pass...
Thomas Nelson Study Bible with Bible on CD
Just in case the bible has become outlawed by the time this time capsule is opened. I would include a study bible so that they can examine the Word of God.
Map of the World Today & an example of the currency for each Country
This would be to show exactly what countries existed and what their borders were. To show the diversity of cultures and peoples as they are now. I would include an example of the currency for each country as well as a report on current exchange rates. It would show also how much has changed in the world politically in the last 40 years.
Copy of the Endangered Speicies List
So that they can determine if all of those animals are still here in 40 years.
Scientific Journals for the lastest discoveries
This is to show how far Science has advanced in the last 40 years as well as possible show the result of people trying to play God. By then we are likely to know some of the consequences of genetic engineering.
Picture of me and my family, and some magazines
Just so they could associate this information with real people and see what we all looked like. I would include the magazines to give them a view on what we thought was beautiful and stylish... so they can laugh at us;)
I have an aunt that calls me Morning Glory. The story behind this name is that when I was a little girl I once told her I wanted my name to be Bonnie Flower. Now you might be imagining that I was a delicate cute little girl with ribbons in my hair, wearing frilly dresses, with lace ankle socks. You would be wrong.
I was a little girl with a perpetually runny nose, and scabs on my hands, knees, and any other visible surface. I was loud and I snorted when I laughed. (Lovely I know) My hair was a mess and probably sticking to my face, and I knew how to fight. I spent most of my childhood at my "mean nana" Esther's house where my playments were my older uncles. This mean I got personal fitness training, and fighting lessons. They never played Barbies with me.
I'm guessing I wanted to be named Bonnie Flower because some part of me just wanted to be a pretty little girl. I knew girls were supposed to be made of sugar and spice and everything nice, and to be cute and sweet and shy. Basically everything I wasn't. I was made of mostly dirt, blood and stubborness. You had to be to survive that house. The only thing I was every shy about was showing my tears. Weakness was just unacceptable.
So in a perfect world I would be named Bonnie Flower, or even Morning Glory. But I never did become sugar and spice and everything nice. I am still made of mostly of dirt, blood, and stubborness.
Response to ... What Words do you Love!
Sadly, when I first read this question the only words that immediately sprang to mind were different kinds of foods. I do love to eat:) So I had to dig deep to also find a non food related word for you.
I do have to start with sushi though, because it was my first thought:) but it is not my favorite!
Sushi
This is the only word that when it's uttered in my family sparks an immediate and very enthusiastic response. That response is usually people checking for the credit cards and searching for their keys.
I was the first sushi addict in my family, and like all addicts I spread my disease. I began taking family members one by one and introducing them to sushi. I started them young, my daughter because an addict when she was just six years old, my brothers at the ages of 11 and 15. My master plan was to create sushi monsters while they were still young so that they could keep me in sushi eating bliss in my old age. So far it hasn't worked out but I still have hope for the future. I do get free sushi on my birthday so there are encouraging signs. We all love sushi so much that we only eat sushi at all you can eat Sushi restaurants; there is no other way we could support our habit. If the sushi is planned in advance we all fast all day, once we arrive we drink only water so as not to get full on beverages, and then we order. Typically this means 2 to 3 large boats depending on how many of us there are, and that is just the first round. Now I know some of you are thinking, "Ewwww! that's raw fish!," that was my first reaction too. But I will tell you what I tell all my friends, you have to try sushi twice... you will love it the second time, I promise. Let's start a chant...Sushi! Sushi! Sushi!
Grace
Grace: the undeserved favor of God. What a beautiful word! The concept of Grace was difficult for me to grasp at first; I didn't have a frame of reference for it. I have never given anyone any kind of undeserved favor. Then I became a mom and I understood... the closest comparison I can give for it is the unconditional love you have for your children the minute they are born, they have done nothing to deserve your love and care but you give it freely anyway, it just pours out of you. That is how God loves us, plus a billion times more. The love we have for our children is special and beautiful but it can not bring salvation; but God's Grace, when accepted, brings salvation... Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me...
This past weekend I went with my cousins to see my uncle play at the casino. We were a relativly small group but we make a lot of noise. The fun part of course is singing along if you know the words, and making up your own if you don't. If you have never seen a bunch of drunken mexicans singing you are missing out. For those of you that have been sadly deprived of this very special experience you can check it out on youtube... here's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC7KWtuXO-s
Yeah that's me Woooooing at the end;) we call that a Grieto;)
No wedding is complete without a drunken chorus to end the night... well at least not in my family...
Volver Volver by Vicente Fernandez
This song... is usually one of the last songs of the night, often the last. It is required because all the drunk people want to cry. I mean weddings are very emotional events, and we Mexicans, we are emotional people. We all have the common bond if having our hearts broken and wanting to return to someone's arms! Plus if all the men leave crying, there won't be any fights;)
Electric Slide by Various Artists
Even though this song is overdone, it still gets everybody out on the floor. It's a good song when the dance floor is getting empty, if you follow it with a couple of good songs people will keep dancing. Come on now, you all know you run out there when this song starts;)
This song is all about that innocent love that doesn't know any better. So it fits:) Haha, I just like this song, and I hear it at most weddings.
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