Yo, tell me I'm bad....

So, I have been teaching a novel with one of my classes.  There was a part of the dialog where one boy was talking to another.  "Am I bad?  Tell me I'm bad....."  This caused quite a discussion to break out with my students.  Why does the boy feel the need to "be bad"?  Most importantly, why does he feel the need to have someone else tell him he is "bad"?  Finally, is what's "bad" to him the same as "bad" to me?  (I love my students!  They can really have some great discussions!)

So, why do some people feel the need to project them selves as "bad"?  Why is it so important for others to see them as "bad"?  Self esteem problems?  Control issues?  Lack of conscious? Many reasons can be the source. 

There are many definitions of "bad".  Most of us think of it as a attitude issue.  Then there is just the not following the rules "bad", like when you were a small child.  Then there is the passive aggressive "bad".  These are the people who smile at you as they silently but surely show how bad they are. These are the worst!

What do we do?  Do we show them how bad we are back?  Nah....not worth the effort.  Just let them keep on being "bad" until their behaviors catch up with them!  and if you feel the need to feel "bad", look in the mirror and tell yourself , "Yo, I'm bad..."

How is your Family Tree growing?

I love gardening and keeping plants, trees, and flowers growing an blooming!  As I was watering some of our plants and trees, I began thinking about parts of a message I heard at church a few Sundays ago.  Our  1st area of reflecting God is with our family.  So  as I was watering I began to think about family trees. 

We can all draw out our Family Tree.  The biological Family Tree.  I sat and thought about my life and decided that a Family Tree is so much more than the biological branches.  I have seen many branches of family trees wither and die.  It could be because other branches cut them off from the source of nutrition, the other branches become so controlling that they selfishly cause the branch to be cut of from the rest of the tree.  Or the branch could die because it is diseased.  But the sad thing is, rather than reach out to save the branch, it is allowed to die.  So very sad when either of these scenario's happen.

We also have our secondary branches.  These are the family members that are perhaps not part of our main branch, such as cousins.  I am lucky to have come from a family (Mothers) that is full of these branches.  Many of my cousins feel more like brothers and sister than cousins!  I am the youngest of my immediate family so had many older cousins to raise me! 

On the other hand, there is also graphing. Many branches in my "Family Tree" are graphs!  Today we had three teenagers from our community walk in and ask "Mom, I'm hungry!  You have anything to eat?"  Of course we did and welcomed them to eat.  This is not an unusual occurrence in our home.  People of a great variety are welcomed as part of our "tree".  I also know who I can call and vent to, cry to and with, and just relax with.  I have many "branches" that will be there in a split second if I need! 

Occasionally, a branch must be pruned off of a diseased tree and replanted to grow a stronger and thriving tree.  I do this with my Plumeria trees.  Prune a branch off and watch a new, stronger tree grow! This is something that you may have to decide.  Stay and wither with the diseased tree or plant yourself in fertile soil to grow and bloom!

So, how is your tree growing?  It is our responsibility to keep our tree strong.  First, we must live God like within our families.  We need to nurture all of our branches, even the diseased ones.  They may do their best to damage the tree but hopefully, by showing them God's love, they will become a strong part of the tree again.  But, they may die anyway or we may need to remove ourselves from their disease. Either way, we must follow God's message and will.  God's love will endure forever...


  "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
 1 Chronicles 16:34

Well, opening weekend of college football is in the books and the SEC is crazy as usual! Two big surprises...Ole Miss won and Georgia lost....hummm.

 

LSU played like LSU has played for the last several season......heart attack football! If they get that defense cooking, should be a good year! Speaking of defense, Between getting Johnny Money's antics and the defense working, Coach Sumlin has job ahead of him this week. If all calm down, they could take it all. However, if things don't settle down, they could shoot themselves in the foot. 

 

Gators sure did look good with Brown stepping up. They have a few things to correct but should be able to do that.

 

As for Alabama, well let's just say that I will be a Ohio State fan for now! Here is to a great year! ‪#‎LOVE‬Collegefootball!