shaved eyebrows and dishwasher regurgitations

The other day I was contemplating the fact that when some things happen, we just simply don't know why.

We can ask

We can surmise

We can reason

We can try to explain

We can scratch our heads


But there are a few things in this scientific life, that cannot be explained away... 

Do ya'll remember Dave?  He is the autistic guy I hang out with daily.  (You can read about Dave in more depth in my post from last year "autism, titanic and upsidown world"- Jan 13, 2012) 


There are many things about  Dave, that cannot be explained.  And he can't explain them to me, since he is not very verbal, and has a hard time expressing himself.  About 2 times a year, Dave randomly shaves off his eyebrows. 

What in the ever loving cat hair? 

 His parents and I have tried to explain it: 

maybe they are itchy?  

maybe he is trying to look like one of his favorite villains in a movie? 

maybe he saw someone on the street like that? 

We just don't know. 


Likewise, about 2 times a year, my dishwasher has to throw up all over my floor.  



She just feels like it.

Each time my husband pulls her out and looks at her mechanics, finds nothing wrong, and pushes her back in. She works fine for 6 months, then pukes soapy water again.  

She doesn't even explain herself.



You know the guys on The Big Bang Theory?


They are forever explaining many scientific things that happen in our world. (they just can't seem to have any lasting relationships but that's a blog for another day)  I would like to see these fellas explain away the eyebrows and dishwasher stuff in my life:)

 I have come to the conclusion that I will NOT try to explain away these two fascinating phenomena.  

They just ARE

And that's OK

I take them as a gift from God, something we humans can't dissect, divide, or conquer.

What has God put in your life, good or bad that you just can't explain away? 

 That you just accept, with (some would say) blind faith?

Something that you have decided NOT to strive against, but  take at face value.

Maybe even a little sumthin your Jesus is teaching you, through it

 about YOU,  and how you are living THIS LIFE   He has given you.

Think about it the next time somebody you know shaves his or her eyebrows, or your dishwasher overflows.  

or anything else that gets you to say "what in the cathair?"

STOP

LOOK

LISTEN

ACCEPT

What He is showing you.  

You just might learn something.

About eyebrows

or dishwashers

or better yet: YOURSELF


"Look at the Nations and watch- and be utterly amazed.  For I am going to do something in YOUR days, that you would not believe , even if you were told."   Habakkuk 1:5



 

Harlem WHAT IN THE CAT HAIR Shake?

The Harlem Shake?

What in the Cat Hair?

When Evan told me Friday evening on skype that he had just gotten finished meeting with about 1000 other students in the middle of the campus at App State to do a 15 second dance i DID say "What in the Cathair, son?"


WHY?  

What are the meanings?  

How can we explain it?

Let's wring our hands excessively and examine this phenomena deeply......



I consider myself at least minimally aware of pop culture and what is going on, but this befuddled me, to say the least. So doing a little research....I think I figured it out.  

It is silly

just for fun,

no reasons

and anyone can do it.  


THAT  is the kind of stuff I LOVE:)  


Here is what Wikipedia had to say about it, dated a few days ago:

"The videos last 30-something seconds and feature an excerpt from the song "Harlem Shake" by electronic musician Baauer. Usually, a video begins with one person (often helmeted or masked) dancing to the song alone for 15 seconds, surrounded by other people not paying attention or unaware of the dancing individual. When the bass drops, the video switches to the entire crowd doing a crazy convulsive dance for the next 15 seconds... Also, in the second half of the video, people often wear  crazy outfits or costumes while wielding strange props."


OK sounds good to me, why not?



Go on to u-tube and you will find about 4000 different 

renditions of it....many claiming to be the first, Feb 

something of this year.


Here is the one my son was in just to give you a peek of

what all the college campuses, sports teams, office groups, 

and high schools are doing... just for fun.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK12pcRCu


The Washington Post, NY Times, and other fabulous publications are trying to figure it out... 

why is this so popular? What does it mean?  How will it affect the future of mankind??  What will be the significance in the annuls of history?  

They give lots of in-depth reasons:)

For me...  

I like it.  

It's fun.

That's it. 

What in the cathair is the meaning behind "the wave" at sports events?? 

Sometimes, on a dreary Monday morning, we all need a little fun, for absolutely NO good reason.

AND

I can't wait to see the first missionary Harlem Shake....

I think God will smile at that...He might even laugh out loud:)

Lastly, Our family has a great reason to do a Sieges rendition of the Harlem Shake.  We were blessed 3 weeks ago with a fabulous new life.  

Emelia Margaret Born Jan 27 in Waco, TX

Harlem Shake?

Let me at it!

PANTS ON FIRE!

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
Your Nose is longer than a telephone wire...

Yup, I did say that to my brothers and sisters when I was  kid..I said it alot.  But last week in sports news, I could have gone horse chanting that to some Pinocchio look a-likes:) A couple of little fellas had their rear-ends lit up pretty darn good:)  read on... 

I am not sure I can say WHAT IN THE CAT HAIR?  enough times in today's blog.

Lance Armstrong and Mante Teo have been media un-darlings lately because of their propensity for falsehoods....

Admittedly, while the famous cyclist Armstrong has been lying like a dog for years and has left hurricane-like debris in his wake, Teo's story seems to be more one where he used embellishment and got himself in too deep. My father in law would have said "roll up your pant legs, its gettin DEEP in here"...

 Both Liars 

Both stacked them up taller than the Tower of Babel

Both backstroking like they are in the Olympics 

If you don't know the full extent of both stories, just open up any Yahoo or ESPN  Sports pages on the internet and you will be shaking your head in incredulous wonder....

You can't make this stuff up...or can you?

For us what in the cat hair folks, 

a chance to reiterate what we tell our kids from toddlerhood on....

DON'T LIE

TOP TEN REASONS TO AVOID FALSEHOODS LIKE BIBLICAL PLAGUES:

1.If you tell one lie, you will probably have to tell 100 more to support your stupidity. (I refer to our two sports stars)

2.You WILL  be caught in your lie, maybe not today but someday, you'll pay the piper.  (again, my two fellas Armstrong and Teo)

3.If you always tell the truth, you won't have to remember what you said.  Mark Twain told us this years ago, and it is great advice as we get older and can't remember anything anyhow:)

4.Don't embellish or exaggerate your life- you are fascinating enough without the lies- at least to somebody....

5.If you do find yourself caught in a falsehood, make it right as soon as possible, for your own integrity, and for the people you harmed in your lie.

6.Yes cheating on your taxes and speeding are forms of lying....still better off not to do it.  I can attest to that with the $230 I left at the Union county traffic court a few months ago:(

7.
"A good lie will have traveled half way around the world while the truth is putting on her boots."
(again, my friend Mark Twain) If you think you need to lie not to hurt someone's feelings, DON'T SAY ANYTHING, don't open your mouth and prove your ignorance, better to stay silent and keep them guessing. (that guy Twain was pretty smart... and told the truth...alot)

8.Scripture tells us the truth will set us free.  (Jn 8:32)  

That is the truth, not a lie.

9.Sometimes I wonder about my Jesus and what He thinks of all the cheating and lying going on in the world today.

 I believe His grief is great.


10.
EVERYONE CHEATS ....

EVERYONE LIES.....

Well... if YOU always tell the truth...  that is at least one person.

It's a Start.

tweens, teens and tronics

Electronics, that is:)  Ohhhhh Yaaaaaaa!  Got your attention now, right?

Two disclaimers before I begin this "What in the Cathair"

a.YOU, the parent bought and own the computer, cell phone, smartphone, tablet, ipad, blah blah.  You have the absolute RIGHT to do all of the below. (even if they bought it with babysitting $ you still are in charge, not them:)

b.If you think what i have to say is old fashioned or outdated, I have one word for you:  

THANKS.

Here We Go:

Top 10 Do's and Don'ts 

About Teens, Tweens, and Electronics:

1.Parents need ALL Password of every device that their kid uses, AND  all devices need to be checked OFTEN.  Teenage boys need their dads to be their Covenant eyes mentor 

http://www.covenanteyes.com/?promocode=BattlePlan

this needs to start at 13 or 14 or whenever they get electronics.

2.NO, minor children DO NOT NEED PRIVACY in this area of their lives. YOU are responsible for their internet use.

3.Kids need to know that you can obtain all transcripts of every text message they send, and they need to know you WILL  do it.

4.They are not allowed facebook unless you are their facebook friend.  

Period. 

Anyone posting something inappropriate on their page is instantly de-friended.  
(* I covenanted with my son that through high school i would check his facebook daily but not write on his page.  I never had any trouble with him, but he did need to de-friend a few people.)

5.Twitter is for adults.  Teens can get in WAY to much trouble with impulsively posting STUPID stuff.  (so can adults for that matter- ie sports stars- i rest my case) 

NO TWITTER- 
Facebook is bad enough:)

6.Give me one really good reason WHY  teens need smart phones? 
 NO 
they don't!  (my kid in college does not have one, we can't afford it, and he is doing fine with his regular cell)

7.  Yes they think they are way smarter than you and can outsmart you and get around your rules.  Get Smarter about electronics.  They are NOT Mark Zuckerburg, and they're not  as smart as they think they are.

8.If your kids argue with you about any of these points- I refer you back to point A above:) ..And #2 for that matter.

9.Do tweens really need a cell phone????? Probably NOT.  If they have one- you confiscate it by 9pm and give it back to them in the morning.

10.Most of the above points are for your children's safety.

OK moms out there- you may not agree with what I have said, and that's ok.  But don't come crying to me if your child is stalked on the internet by a predator, or if they get in BIG  trouble with their mouth(fingers) on fb or twitter or instagram for that matter.

Finally, pray daily about what God would have you do in this area.  Decide before they turn 10 or 11.  

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT

Preggos: Listen Up!

*note:  my next few "What in the Cathair" entries will be "top ten", or "ten things about...." something.... hope you enjoy!

Ok so you are pregnant- Praise the Lord and good for you! Here are 12 things (sorry I have 12 on this one:)  to remember for the next 9 months:)


1.God has just performed a miracle inside your body.  Don't ever take it lightly.

2.Yes you are expecting, but you are not as fragile as you think.  Continue to work, or take care of your other kids, or whatever you do normally. (unless you have been put on bed rest and that is a whole other horse of a different color) You might bend but you won't break.

3.Miscarriages happen.  If that happens to you, grieve well, do something significant to remember that baby, that you will someday see in Heaven.  Then move on.

4.Morning sickness?  (or afternoon or evening)  Yup.   It will pass.  And the end product is worth it.  Oh yaaaa.

5.Anything you gain (like pounds) except for about 20 of them have to come off in the end.  Don't eat your pantry and then start on the shelves:)

6.If you are confined to bed rest, ask God daily what he is teaching YOU.  I was on bed rest with 2 of mine- He taught me lessons DAILY... whoops I mean hourly:)

7.Your doctor knows more than the internet.   Period.

8.But your mom knows more than both:)

9. Have sex with your husband alot.  Nuf Said.

10.Yes, it's painful to birth a baby.  Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.  The end product far outweighs that little bit of pain.

11.Don't be so darn crabby... suck it up, you are WOMAN!

12.When you birth your baby, she/he is fearfully and wonderfully made by your God.  Whether disabled or "normal" by the world's standard, (whatever in the cat hair "normal" is). ...      Love that baby with your whole heart, and until your dying day.

Psalm 139:14