What Really Matters, According to Me

The test of a relationship and an individual, as well, is what spills out during crisis. I say ‘spills out’ because of an object lesson that comes to mind from years ago. Imagine two dark colored glass jars sitting undisturbed on a table top. Both are filled to equal amounts with an unknown liquid. The constitution of the liquid is indiscernible due to the dark hue of the glass. Only when the table is disturbed and the jars are overturned may one see what spills from the jars. One jar is filled with honey. The other, filled with vinegar. The lesson here is that: only when we are upset, does our true character reveal itself. So it is in any relationship. The quality and depth of the relationship and the true character of those in relation to each other is revealed when the figurative table is upset. Every person is accountable for the direction in which he persuades each relationship in which he is. If one knows his sister is given to a particular weakness, but provokes her to that poin...

OK. Everybody who knows me knows how I feel about them. Right. I mean, if you are a friend of mine, you know I like you and wouldn't ever TRY to hurt your feelings or make you mad at me. Right? OK. Having said that, I just want to talk a little about hitting kids. I have been asked:How can you teach a child to not hit, if you hit him? How can you teach a child to be non violent if you spank? If you're still reading, let me answer: It is essential to never strike a child when you are angry. It is essential to graduate intensity and severity of the spanking experience in correlation with the emotional and intellectual development of the child, in consideration with the personality of the child and the relationship of you, as the disciplinarian, to the child. In more simple terms: there is no cut and dried spanking technique such as you will find for 'time out'. With 'time out', a child is supposed to be placed in 'time out' or in the 'naughty spot'...

Megan is very independent. She logged herself in to her blog (which was actually my blog) and posted her observations on human relations. I found it today and moved it to her blog at meganwindham.blogspot.com, but anyone who read it on my blog can see she has come to understand a little of the notion that 'what goes around comes around.' This is a twist on 'treat others the way you want to be treated.' She has observed that people tend to reciprocate, not all the time, but many times, the treatment they receive. If Megan is nice to her little sister, her little sister is more likely to respond in like manner. If she is rude... you know how that goes. I'm glad she accidentally posted to my blog. If she hadn't, I might not have remembered to check up on her blog from time to time. She hasn't asked lately how to get onto her blog... so I thought she wasn't worried about writing in it, however, in truth, she has been updating it on the sly, without my help. ...

Today I thought of my brother who fought in Desert Storm 1991. He spent more than 20 years in the United States armed forces. He found my wonderful sister in law in Germany while he was stationed there in the 1980's. I thought of him and his sacrifices and those of his family during times when their husband and father was gone from home for months, even nearly a year at a time. How grateful I am to him and those like him who serve this country and stand for those principles upon which it was founded. Tonight, as I sat in my room folding laundry, I was half-heartedly watching the news. There was a story about what is presently happening in California. It seems the California Supreme Court will decide tomorrow whether or not to uphold or overturn Proposition 8 which defines marriage in California to be between one man and one woman. Of course, it is well known that San Francisco, California is the homosexual capitol of the nation, if not the world. I know the word 'gay' is th...

I almost let the day slip away. In twenty minutes, Mother's Day 2009 will be gone... and I almost didn't take the opportunity to reflect on this moment in time. I am sad I didn't get a picture this year. So, I'm posting the picture from Mother's Day 2008... Oh, well. I was reading a pamphlet I received in 1987, not long after I joined the LDS Church. Entitled "To the Mothers in Zion" it contains the words of President Ezra Taft Benson, now deceased, but who was the Prophet at that time. The words of President Benson, in a very large way, molded my life. Looking back at the stage of my life at that time, knowing how the talk affected my heart, and seeing how my life has unfolded now 22 years later... it has been a good experience for me to have re-read the pamphlet. I wonder how many other women I know have read it. I wonder if it spoke to them the same way? Last year, our Bishopric gave all the mothers a booklet entitled "Blessings upon the Hands of W...

This really is just a plea for help. Some of you who read my blog might be able to help my kid... or you may know some strong young guys who might be able to help my kid... Philip is putting his Eagle Project together and has it scheduled for May 16th. He needs people in work clothes with machetes, weed eaters and such to help clean the "Harwood Negro Cemetery" in Harwood, Texas. It'll be from 8 in the morning until noon. Email him at philipwindham_eaglescoutproject@yahoo.com Thanks.

I was in the shower this morning thinking about all the things I need to write to update my blog... about Spring Break and our trip to Corpus Christi while Daniel was working on the house in Ingleside...our visit to the USS Lexington... our trip to the Texas State Aquarium... the fun we had at the beach until Philip got stung by a sting ray... all the stuff I need to mention like Josh turning one and how special it was... And I was thinking about all I needed to get done in the office... you know... just thinking... Like I said, I was in the shower. It was about 6:15 a.m. and I though I could take a nice warm wake-me-up shower and even have time to shave my legs... when I heard Josh cry. My first thought was, "Good grief! Can't I even take a peaceful shower at 6:15 in the morning? Can that kid ever sleep when I want him to? Now, I bet he's going to want in the shower with me, like always..." That's what I thought at first... then a second later I thought, "Wh...