CHOICES --- This or That????

This evening I had a CHOICE---- I could lay with my daughter and cuddle while she fell asleep, rubbing her head or I could let her lay in bed and cry herself to sleep to go downstairs to do the several things that needed to get done (which still need to get done ie dishes, laundry picking up toys, paperwork etc). Well the choice was easy.... I stayed and cuddled - which also made my day.... there she is laying on her back in her bed beside me feet in hands, and singing -- twinkle twinkle, itsy bitsy spider but the one that really cracked me up was her singing Patty Cake and her throwing the cake (her feet up) for mommy, daddy.... she was slapping her feet together and rolling her feet with her hands.... I just wish I could have grabbed the video camera and she would have continued to sing or at least go to sleep after I interrupted..... she finally fell asleep.... it is such a peaceful sight to see your baby resting so quietly.

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It has been an on going thing over the past several months with my little man making CHOICES....some good and some not so good. We have had to give him choices of This or That??? I guess the choices thing starts really early in LIFE!! Some choices he has made have not been a This or That --- just a bad decision to do something, say something or even just Not doing something.... CHOICES!!

As in Deuteronomy 11: 26- "...the blessing if you obey... the curse if you disobey."

The lessons he has had to learn from his 'choices' the consequences have been difficult for me- grading appropriateness for the misbehavior, etc. I am learning, I know that I have many lessons to learn myself..... I have CHOICES as well. I hope that I am making the right choices to raise a wonderful son who appreciates GOD, me, his family, his things, and himself.
CHOICES---

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So over the past several months Tony and I have had to make CHOICES!!! Choices about our future, our finances, choices about our words, choices about work, choices about our family situation, just plain choices. I sometimes wonder are we really making our Choices as GOD would want us to make or are we influenced by the enemy......

Sometimes LIFE has some difficult and painful choices we need to make; having FAITH that GOD is helping guide us throught these tough decisions.

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We as individuals are making choices daily..... don't you ever just want to run away from responsibilities, take a break, veg out, do nothing, avoid the consequences etc. There have been times when I have to realize I cannot make a CHOICE for anyone else-- I can try to influence good behavior, good choices but when it comes right down to it.... the CHOICE is not mine to make it is up to the individual.
Being there for someone who is going thru a "CRISIS" (a tough time) is a CHOICE -- I just need to make sure I am not judging them for their CHOICE -- hopefully they are able to seek forgiveness from their choices.

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I also see that CHOICES are being made at many levels in LIFE!!! Not only personally, not only at work, or on a local level, a state level, but at a National level.... decisions to be made and choices they have to make between THIS or THAT and the consequences for each have to be weighed. Today several people in Pendleton lost their Jobs, with FLEETWOOD closing.... I think about the things that would go thru my mind --- the stress, oh, the stress. How are we as a Nation going to get out of this MESS!!! What are the CHOICES--- are we really going to get out of this recession.

Faith and Trust --- we have to have both..... Making good CHOICES is a not always easy and sometimes when we make the decision to do something, say something etc.... wouldn't it be nice to be able to rationalize or look into the future regarding each option and be able to miss out on the tough consequences --- but then how would we learn!!!!

Lessons in LIFE -- CHOICES we have to make good, bad and indifferent. EMBRACE them all.