Sunday, March 21, 2010

Ch. 5, Life on Planet Mom

This Chapter was called Globa-Mama, and focused on our community, both online and in real life. So much of my life is spent online, it really got me thinking as I answered these questions.

1. Do you currently have "authentic community"? Why or why not? They describe our community as not just family, but like Family: Our extended family, friends, church and or school groups, neighborhood or online community as well as the nation and world. As for being Authentic, am I loved, accepted, supported, yet lovingly challenged? Yes, in all of the above. During the trials of my life so far, I have slowly learned just how Valuable support outside one's own nuclear family really is. And as I learned, I strive to be that for others.

2. Do you take part in online communities--blogs, forums, chat rooms? Wha good things do you gain from them? Um. Yes. Notsomuch the chatroom thing, but Facebook and Blogging here are my therapy. It's therapeutic for me to vent, like a Diary I don't have lying around the house, but also in a place where I get feedback too. I greatly appreciate support and humor provided by the comments of friends and family through being online. It also makes the world seem smaller, my friends and family far away don't seem so far away when I can read or see pictures of sweet baby dimples just like mine or broken arms...and send a little email Hug their way. I feel more included in the daily life of those far away by being connected online. It's also a heck of a lot easier to write and read at my leisure than try to keep up a long phone conversation and get caught up or schedule Quality Time with all the interruptions around here. ;)

3. How much does your immediate or extended family support you? Do you enjoy spending time with them? If you weren't related, would you still do so? Honestly, some of my family is not Supportive. I can count on one hand the number of times my mother has seen my younger son or changed any diapers. And yes, there are some folks that I would Never surround myself with if we weren't related. It saddens me to confess that, because it's a very unCHRISTlike attitude, look at all the folks he surrounded himself with, they weren't the ones he had a lot in common with. So I try. But some, though we were brought together by blood or marriage, we just "Get" eachother and I just Love, and can't imagine my life without. I'm pretty Blessed that the number of fabulous family members far outweighs the negatives.

4. How have you reached out to others in your neighborhood or meeting place (school, church, playgroup, or other) to bond in a vulnerable, real way? Can you see other ways to do so? Sure, I gab with people wherever I find them. If I connect with someone, I'll ask them out on a playdate or do lunch, sometimes even the occasional Mom's Night Out. I've even been known to invite strangers in the store to my MOPS group, or to our church. Rarely have they responded. I wish I was more comfortable "Testifying" about my Faith, so I could invite more folks to church or to know Jesus. I'm just beginning to get comfortable enough to offer to pray for someone, or even to just STOP, and PRAY with them right there. The few times I've done it, well, it's been cool...definitely God's working on me, and them.

5. Would you describe yourself as fearful, bury-my-head, or crusader Mom, or none of the above? Why or why not? Oh yeah, I bury my head in the sand. Rather than watch the horrible things on the news, I just don't watch. I don't want to even hear about the horrible things still going in Haiti, Chile, New Orleans. I'll just take my child to Chick Fil-A. And instead of dealing with the family members that hurt me, I isolate myself...I guess I'm just finding a nice sand bar to hang out in.

6. Share 3 things you love about this period of time for our nation and our world and the opportunities for you and your family therein. OK. 1. I love seeing my boys enjoy Spring, that we can go outside and play, and be Free, to go to church wherever we want and that we aren't hungry or homeless. 2. I love that I can see what's up with my friends' in other countries in Real Time, online, and not have to wait weeks or months for a letter. And how quick people leap in to help when there is a tragedy. 3. I love seeing prejudice decrease over time, that my boys won't have to ever know a time when it was impossible for an African American man to be President, won't know separate restrooms or water fountains, or have relatives that say hateful things about others over the dinner table. That's Ancient History to them. It just reinforces that Everything is Possible.

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