- Jul 16, 2011
- 289
- 30
- 118
I want to win the lottery so that I can do something really useful. I want to teach salmon to swim up th Arkansas river to where I live!!! I lived in Seattle for 5 years and what I miss most is the salmon. Oh well.
When we were raising our kids, I always felt guilty. I had been disabled when they were small and Lydia had to take on the role of 'breadwinner'. We moved to a small town where her parents lived so that they could help, and because the cost of living was less. We started the 'farm life' that I loved. Even though I couldn't work at a regular job, I could raise animals, grow veg, and take care of the kids.
When they were small, things were a little easier. There were a few times like when my daughter wanted to get together with a friend from preschool whos mother found out who we were and didn't want her to associate with 'our kind'. (In later years Lydia had her in mandatory counciling, who knew!) I couldn't buy the kids fancy toys or new clothes, they often were from Goodwill. I would find them playing in the dirt with sticks and rocks having the time of their lives! Their friends would come over and the first thing they would ask was "Do you have Nintendo?" The kids would then take them on a journey of climbing trees, waving sticks, throwing rocks in the water, feeding chickens,etc. When they were in high school there was more peer pressure on clothes, but they found their ways around it. Neither one got into very much trouble growing up, I'm glad to say. They stayed kind, loving, respectful and helpful to this day.
Now that they are grown, do they regret the poverty? Not at all! My daughter works with the school system evaluating preschool kids. She says that there is nothing like "giving a kid some rocks and sticks and letting them play in the dirt to jump-start their creativity!" They tell their friends that when they were little, their Da (me) taught them to experience nature with ALL their senses, and that they should get their kids away from the computer games once in awhile and take them out into the wild and put on their "sharp eyes and sharp ears" to see what they can find! I don't feel like I did so bad now.
Lydia has a friend that still lives in Denver. She lives the super hectic high stress life. She calls Lydia to talk for hours and comes to visit occasionally. She always says the same thing, "This is the only time I can feel calm!" Her health is a wreck, so what is she doing that to herself for? What does a person gain if they acquire the whole world, but loses their soul...?
Every evening I go into the paddock and it down with my sheep. They crowd around me, some wanting serious petting, some wanting to nibble my hat or sniff my ears, everyone gets some time. Yes I also get 'llama kisses'. I ponder how I have 2 wonderful adult kids with good lives, a cool grandson, a dear wife that I love like crazy and loves me back! I feel at one with creation, and my Creator. I'm very happy with this.
Simple is good.
Right now I wish ther was a 'smiley' that's just wiping a tear from his eye!
~S
When we were raising our kids, I always felt guilty. I had been disabled when they were small and Lydia had to take on the role of 'breadwinner'. We moved to a small town where her parents lived so that they could help, and because the cost of living was less. We started the 'farm life' that I loved. Even though I couldn't work at a regular job, I could raise animals, grow veg, and take care of the kids.
When they were small, things were a little easier. There were a few times like when my daughter wanted to get together with a friend from preschool whos mother found out who we were and didn't want her to associate with 'our kind'. (In later years Lydia had her in mandatory counciling, who knew!) I couldn't buy the kids fancy toys or new clothes, they often were from Goodwill. I would find them playing in the dirt with sticks and rocks having the time of their lives! Their friends would come over and the first thing they would ask was "Do you have Nintendo?" The kids would then take them on a journey of climbing trees, waving sticks, throwing rocks in the water, feeding chickens,etc. When they were in high school there was more peer pressure on clothes, but they found their ways around it. Neither one got into very much trouble growing up, I'm glad to say. They stayed kind, loving, respectful and helpful to this day.
Now that they are grown, do they regret the poverty? Not at all! My daughter works with the school system evaluating preschool kids. She says that there is nothing like "giving a kid some rocks and sticks and letting them play in the dirt to jump-start their creativity!" They tell their friends that when they were little, their Da (me) taught them to experience nature with ALL their senses, and that they should get their kids away from the computer games once in awhile and take them out into the wild and put on their "sharp eyes and sharp ears" to see what they can find! I don't feel like I did so bad now.
Lydia has a friend that still lives in Denver. She lives the super hectic high stress life. She calls Lydia to talk for hours and comes to visit occasionally. She always says the same thing, "This is the only time I can feel calm!" Her health is a wreck, so what is she doing that to herself for? What does a person gain if they acquire the whole world, but loses their soul...?
Every evening I go into the paddock and it down with my sheep. They crowd around me, some wanting serious petting, some wanting to nibble my hat or sniff my ears, everyone gets some time. Yes I also get 'llama kisses'. I ponder how I have 2 wonderful adult kids with good lives, a cool grandson, a dear wife that I love like crazy and loves me back! I feel at one with creation, and my Creator. I'm very happy with this.
Simple is good.
Right now I wish ther was a 'smiley' that's just wiping a tear from his eye!
~S
