My How We Have Forgotten

“ Can it be it was all so simple then…”?

That was the first line of the hit Barbara Streisand or Gladys Knight song, “Memories (The Way We Were). Think back to being a kid, especially in the summertime. It was a time of playing kickball in the streets, running hide and go seek, listening for the Ice-Cream man, and enjoying all of those goodies that mom, and Grandma would make for us. We loved those days, and sometimes we long for those days as adults. Life was drama free, and exciting. We could not imagine being older adults and having children of our own.
Now we have become adults and with all that is going on the world, we have forgotten some of what it was like to be a child. We have gotten so sensitive as a nation that we have begun to make life much more harder then it needs to be. What memories are we depriving our children of now? For the most part, I have kept silent on the matter because I have no children of my own and felt my input on this subject was somewhat skewed but last week when I found out that certain cities are trying to ban the ice-cream man because it was too loud and causing too much of a disturbance. That is when I had enough. It is bad enough that we have gotten rid of children being allowed to bring in homemade snacks for holidays parties in grade school, it is crazy that we no longer make our children go outside and play, but banning the ice cream truck man? Come on! This is where we should draw the line.
Now I am a full total advocate of healthy eating and I believe that a lot of health issues are formed in our childhoods, but we want to also deprive our children of the snacks we used to eat as children. No longer can a kid have a lollipop, eat a Popsicle, and eat a potato chip without it being made a federal case. I think we have really forgotten what it was like as children. Think back to that simple time. What would our lives have been without a Bomb Pop, Eskimo Pie, or Jell-O Pudding Pop (speaking of which bring those back too)? We have gotten too uptight as adults in some cases. Who would have ever thought that as kids? As I was writing this article I thought of what Adam Sandler’s character in Mr. Deeds said, “You know, if your nine-year olds saw you guys the way you are, you'd get your butts kicked right now! I mean, look what's happened to us!”

We need to grip and not be so uptight about everything. With all that is going on in the world, our children of today need the children of yesterday to really teach them what it is like to be a child before the children of tomorrow have nothing to look forward to.

Marinate on that…
CG2

I'm Already Doing That!

I’m Already Doing That!


Imagine this scenario. You are going through the eye of the storm. You are frustrated, your car broke down, your girlfriend left you, and your family is causing all types of upheaval. You go to your friend or family member for some much-needed advice and you are expecting some life epiphany from them, and you get those three dreaded words, “Hang In There!” Seriously?? That is what I get? Hang in there? That is so profound. Thank you for that because of that my life seems so much better….
Why do I seem so angry about those three little words? Because that is not really offering anything concrete or sustainable that actually just seems really passive and not a real offer of any advice. Now I am not exempt from using these words, there are times when I have been guilty of using or offering up that advice. A friend or loved one sends me a text or post something on social media and I respond back with “Hang in there!” Then I go, “Really Chris? Did you just offer up that lame advice?” My second point is that when someone tells me to “Hang in there.” I want to tell them, “I’m already doing that!” First of all, I am “hanging in there” when I get out of bed each morning and put one foot in front of the other to face the challenges of another day. I am already “hanging in there” when I put my clothes on and go out into that cold, cold world prayed up and ready for whatever challenges face me and I know that there are some. I am “hanging in there” by not totally withdrawing from the world and becoming a hermit. I am “hanging in there” by not going off on someone who went off on me. I am already doing that. What else do you got?
I am not angry, most people’s hearts are in the right place when they offer up that advice but more is needed most of the time when someone is coming to you with a problem. And sometimes, "Hang in there." is all we know how to say because we just do not know what to say. Sometimes, saying "I am clueless as to how to help you, let me just pray for you." Or, "Let me pray for you or get someone that knows about this.." That would be better. I am always inspired by someone who has went through a similar situation and they actually explain how they “hung in there” they do not just say the words. Of course it is no problem to share your advice, share your testimony, then say “Hang in there.” Of course the phrase then has more meat to it.
So the next time somebody comes to you with some advice and they pour their hearts out to you, at least pray for them, mentor them, give them some good advice, but the last thing you want to say is just “Hang in there…” they deserve more than that. Remember your challenges and situations, hang in there is the least we can do especially if we are Children of God. It is how we hang in there that counts.

Just my five cents…