Character Counts ~ BAD Character just hurts yourself!!

Ok, I am dealing with so many emotions on why someone would ever want to actually purposely hurt me. Hurt others without caring... hurt without any kind of fairness.

To use someone's trust and just twist it and turn it by having no respect for someone else. The responsibilities of self-control, the "being a good friend and neighbor" all just being put out of the picture. I have been dealing with this in such a major way and it just KNOCKED me down when I remembered why it hurts so much.

Because I'm not like that.

I realized while trying to KNOCK some of the good Character back into my daughter that I am a good person. I remembered back when I homeschooled about a curriculum that talked about how character counts. I remember hearing about the 6 pillars of Character.

I remembered how I hoped and prayed that I was the kind of person that followed these pillars and tried to be the best I could be.


So.... I am sharing them. I am going to read them daily. I am going to instill them into my kids and try to be the best I can be.
Most of all... I'm not going to let someone who doesn't live by these Pillars make MY Pillars fall!!

I am strong.

I can face anything!!

So.... go ahead and try to knock me down... I know who I am. I am strong. I'm not budging. And kids.... Mom is counting on you to stand strong and be a pillar, not someone who tries to knock someone else's pillar down.


Proverbs 22:1 Choose a good reputation over great riches, for being held in high esteem is better than having silver or gold.



The 6 Pillars of Character
http://www.charactercounts.org/defsix.htm

Trustworthiness
Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends and country
Respect
Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements
Responsibility
Do what you are supposed to do • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your choices
Fairness
Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly
Caring
Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need
Citizenship
Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment

She's only 13 and she is so darn smart...

Ok- She's only 13... She's only 13... She's only 13....
Now why is she so darn smart. Yesterday I realized that I was her age in school on April 18 that I lost a friend to a drunk driver. It was like a rush of memories. The pain, the confusion. I remember watching the TV and the news was running a little teaser about someone who had been run over by a truck down town. I remember thinking.... wow that camera man focused on that shoe... it looks a lot like our cheerleading shoes we wore... Hmmmm. It was like I knew - instinct or something like that. I remember the phone call. I remember the tears. I remember the sadness.
So... why is my 13 year old so smart? I told her about this. I told her about losing a friend. The kicker is, we were mean to this friend right before she died. I told my daughter about this. I told her that every moment while you are a teen you have to be so cautious as to what you say and do. I told her that for over 25 years I still have guilt over what I said to my friend several days before she died. You know the old, your not my friend anymore stuff. My daughter, since she being 13 is going through this very thing right now. Your not my friend, you hurt my feelings etc... I tried to explain to her that every moment that you say something bad about a friend you never know how it can affect the rest of your life. As beaten down as she can get from friends at school she still has a forgiving heart. She already understands. As much as words can hurt she knows that it is just a temporary thing. She told me she just can't HATE. WOW - I wish I was there.... I'm working on my own hate issues. The pain of the words and the being beaten down. The unforgiving hurt and the pain from being used and abused is just to fresh. Maybe it should be my 13 year old who should tell me about life and how it all works... So how did she get so darn smart.... maybe she does have a bit of her Mom in her after all.

Finding my voice

You have reached my blog - don't know what I'm doing yet - just working on finding my voice!

I think I was eight years old when this picture was taken. That was 30 years ago. I used to hate this picture. My freckles, my buck teeth, my red hair. I look at it now and all I see are my two children in this picture. My son with the same eyes and the same hair. My daughter with the same nose and same chin. I see a mix of everything that I have become and have been in this one picture. The sweater, I'm sure, was made by someone special. the smile is genuine. The silent laugh behind the eyes says I know something you don't know. The innocence of being eight. I started journaling when I was eight. I remember getting my first diary and just writing away all my troubles and cares... This will be my voice.... to get back to the basics of who I am and what I am about. Finding my inside voice.... through 30 years of life.