What is your meter?

So, David and I never argue (ha ha) and if we do it's over serious stuff like world peace and who should run which country.  Thus, a few weeks ago during one of our world altering non-fights -who should pick up the coffee beans- I threw a fit that it should not be me because I was going in the opposite direction by a whole 2 miles!

Perry who was accompanying me said" I really don't like it when you yell at Dad".  Who, me? I never yell! Then he tried to persuade me to pick up the coffee beans anyhow and when I resisted, he volunteers the following: "You know Mama, I have these meters in my head and right now the happiness and divorce meters are running at full speed."  If you were to pick up the coffee, the happiness meter would go up and the divorce meter would go down, so can we do it please?"  Needless to say, we went for coffee beans...

How Do You Party?

When I was a little girl, it wasn’t a party unless my hair was curled (think Shirley Temple but black hair of course!) and my dress was new.  When I was a teenager it wasn’t a party unless the boys were pimple faced, awkward and wouldn’t dare to speak to you, but did ask somebody who asked somebody who you are.  In the college days it wasn’t a party, unless the music was loud (Madonna, Prince, Boy George, yes, I am THAT old!), and one of your friend’s was nursing a broken heart so you could drag her to the dance floor for Whitney Houston’s “I wanna dance with somebody who loves me”…
Last Sunday we hosted my Mom’s 63rd birthday party at lunch time.  We ate for 4 hours straight and just sat around enjoying time with extended family when Perry (9 yrs old) comes up and says “Mom, this is NOT a party!”  I asked him why not?  His response: “At a real party, people have red plastic cups in their hands, sometimes with name tags and they walk around talking to each other.  You guys are just sitting here with empty hands and just hanging out.”  Until then, I seriously thought we were having a party…
So I asked my husband for his definition of a party.  His response: “A cigar and good scotch.” I asked Ava (5 yrs old) of her definition of a party. Her response: “Only girls, butterflies, a pink cake, and a girl story book.”

Family Principles

Can you tell both David and I have been in consulting way to long? It seems as if we are incapable of having a conversation that does not involve principles, goals, mission, target states, roadmaps etc. etc.
During a family dinner, I asked all to come up with some principles that we as a family should live by and the kids wanted to know what that means. We were both tempted to start consulting speak when sanity took over and I said “just some nice rules for you all to remember way after I am dead!”. Ava chimed in: “Parents should never yell at their children”…. Sigh, do we really yell at them that much? Perry pipes in: “Parents should give children all the money they want without chores attached to them.” “Not happening” Mr. Perry. They goofed around for a little while longer covering all the “No farting” “No Pooping” and what not that kids their age bring into every conversation, but I must say, I am so proud of all. Here are the 10 Mentzer Principles all agreed on:
1. Love God
2. Surround yourself with people who love you.
3. Oost West, Thuis Best
4. Be Thankful
5. Have Integrity
6. Work Hard, Play Hard
7. Assemble a Family that includes friends
8. Read
9. Travel
10. Embrace all cultures

Seeking a Connection with your Maker

I am far from religious, but I always have faith, you may hold my Christian schooling responsible for that, but before you judge, the ONLY reason my parents put me in Christian school is because they offered the best academic programs in the country, faith and religion were an afterthought, if that….not to mention that I was raised amidst many other religions.  My maternal grandmother was Muslim and my paternal grandmother Hindu, - both practicing by the way- while my native Indian paternal grandfather has us praying to trees to ensure safe entry into the rainforest.  How I miss the holidays (read: food) associated with all of these religious celebrations.

Today, I make it to church on average once a month and leave it mostly to my husband, who tried to convince me I need to play a larger role in getting the kids to church, but research shows it does not matter what the mother does, the father’s behavior has more impact in religious matters, so off the hook I am.

A few weeks ago we hosted an atheist visitor from China who did not speak ANY English and through a translator requested to accompany us to church.  I found it a rather strange request considering the language barrier, but off to Dulin United Methodist church we went.  Our visitor videotaped the service as well as the physical church decorations, pews and all.  She seemed to take it all in, leaving me quite perplexed as she did not videotape what I would have considered “more important” and personal events to her during her 9 day stay in the US.  It made me ponder why such deep interest from a non-believer? So I discussed it with a friend who told me that for many Chinese people, being in church and attending a service is a very unique experience.  Okay, I understand, but I cannot help but think about the time when my father who never stepped foot in a church was dying and one of his last words were a request for a Catholic burial throwing the entire non-Catholic family in a frenzy.

Thus, I ask, is there something innate in our humanness that make us seek out God or a higher being whether we’re near dead or alive? Your thoughts please?