Being a mom is very frustrating at times.

Take today, for example.  (Please!)

My elder son, Cyclone, has been given the assignment for his Honors Biology class to put together a speech about why the class should elect the Nucleus as President.  (As opposed to other organelles in the average DNA-enabled cell.)

This means that the teacher is wanting the kids to approach the classic Report on Cell Structure with some creativity.  Some fun. And some public speaking entertainment.  This is great.

Now, Cyclone is fortunate. He has a former champion public speaker in the house.  One who can help him get all the salient points required into his presentation AND do it in such a manner as to amuse and entertain his classmates and teacher.  This is a biggie, in something like this. Means the difference, sometimes, between and A and a B.

I presented Cyclone with some good ideas.  We found some necessary visual aids. I offered him tips on how to deliver his presentation with notes and how that could be made to look totally in theme with the Presidential Campaign Stump Speech.

He laughed, too.

But at the end of all of the discussion, he looked to me and said, “Mom, will you forgive me if I don’t take any of your advice?”

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I was struck, here, by how we might act in our relationship with God.

God knows we have jobs to do.  Some of them are written out very clearly, some not so clear.  He has given us assistance in the forms of Scripture and friends and experiences that we can draw upon to complete our tasks.

He wants us to be successful.  Just as I want my son to be successful.

Yet how often do we look up at the Lord God and say to him, as my son said to me, “Will you forgive me, Father, if I don’t take any of your advice?”

And our Father says to us, “I love you and I want you to be successful.  I won’t do this for you, but I will show you how to do it successfully, bringing out the best parts of yourself so that others can see you as I see you.”  But he will allow us to do the task (or even ignore it!) our own way.  He’s given us the freedom to be less than he would wish for us.

I know that I have disappointed my Lord on many many occasions.  I have asked for forgiveness countless times, as I err.  Still he is gracious to forgive me each time.

As I will, of course, forgive my son if he does indeed choose to ignore all the resources of time and talent that I could share with him and just do this presentation without my input.

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So yes, Cyclone. I’ll forgive you.  I love you.

Tags: family, God, Life, resources

So this is a new site, for me.  A new online abode.  I have put up several pages in my effort to “move” here, and thought I might take a moment and introduce myself to any new sets of eyes.

Sure, you can read the “About Me” page if you’re so inclined. It’s a bit of who I am, but let me expand a bit, eh. Here’s a Day in the Life as it looks from over my cup of coffee:

I woke up today shortly before three in the morning.  I don’t know why. Sleeping has never been something I was “good” at, and I started having insomniac bouts when I was eight years old.  After several minutes, I rolled out of bed and came to the computer, because there’s been an online concern gnawing at my head for a while and I wanted to see how it was progressing.  Then, I went to my online Weyr (which only appeals to big Anne McCaffrey fans, but I have long been an inhabitant of the planet Pern, so…) to see if anyone had been writing whilst I slept.  I began a new post and ran into one of my dear friends, also a Weyr inhabitant and we IM’d for a while, discussing Weyr business and so forth.

I also thanked her for giving me her address, so I could send her a copy of the book for which she did the cover art. :)  She’s wonderful!

After that visit, I rose from the computer – it was after four in the morning by this time and, yes, this new keyboard is wonderfully quiet! – and went to tidy up the kitchen.  Did dishes and made the Spousal Unit’s lunch. Also got his uniform ready for the day. Doing all of this, I was talking very quietly to myself. I am often talking quietly to myself when no one is about to watch.

Shortly after five, I returned to bed, very tired (for I am battling a heavy cold…sigh) and fell asleep again.

My guys start getting up at six in the morning.  Spousal Unit and Cyclone, my high schooler, both rise and ready themselves for their days of work and school.  Normally, I make sure to give them both a kiss as they leave the house, but today, I waved them off and just blew kisses from across the living room. I do not want to share this cold.

On a normal day, I would have, after Cyclone left, about half an hour before I would wake up my younger son, Builder.  The time would be spent writing, tinkering, or watching the news with a cup of coffee in my hand.  Today, though…sigh…I just rolled over and went back to sleep for half an hour.

Builder is now awake. I have given him his breakfast and laid his school clothes out for him.  His bus will be here about 8:35 to take him to school.

After he leaves, I have work to do. I am finishing typing my manuscript into my new iPages application, I have to open up a house my mother-in-law, The Dynamo, purchased down the street and make sure the power and water are on. Additionally, a quick marketing trip is necessary because we need more picante sauce for tacos! (Gotta have it!)

Since I am a stay-at-home-mom, there are also all the domestic duties that occupy my day.  Wednesday is generally Builder’s Laundry Day.  And today will also be Clean the Dining Room day.  I like to have “days” for things. Keeps me focused.

While all of the above is happening, I’ll be blogging, answering e-mail, making phone calls, and preparing some books for shipment.  :)  Some people have been kind enough to wish to have autographed copies of Captive Irish Moon and I try to oblige!

My older son is out of school at the early hour of 1:45 (they start at a quarter past seven…can you imagine honors algebra at that time?).  He walks home and is here by 2:00. My younger son’s bus arrives somewhere between 3:30 and 3:45.  I usually set up a lawn chair and read while I wait.

Between this time and the time Spousal Unit returns home from his day, I visit with the kids, help with homework, continue my life as a responsive blogger and Weyrwoman, work on my manuscript (if my sons don’t require the computer), and finish anything I didn’t get done but should have during the day.  Then it’s time to prepare dinner (tacos tonight, remember) before checking on everyone’s readiness for tomorrow.  I enjoy spending time with Spousal Unit at the end of the day, too.  Watching a movie (The Hulk, last night), talking about our days, talking about the kids, or reading books.  Sometimes, even television.

My day ends when Builder goes to bed at about 10:00.  Whew!

So that is my day, for anyone who happens by. <grin>

Right now, I’m typing this while urging Builder to finish brushing his teeth and get his shoes on before I will brush his hair.  Today, I will remember to put my house key around my wrist so I don’t lock myself out of the house as I did yesterday.  And today, I will also remember to have a good breakfast.

I hope you do, too! Happy Wednesday!

Tags: family, Life, stay at home mom