Too young

Sometimes we get wrapped up in our own lives and our own issues that we don't even realize that there are people, real people that we see day in and day out with real problems. Really big problems. I was watching this thing on TV this afternoon and it was about a minister who goes around the country and works with youth. His message is harsh - especially to teenagers who are hearing it. He says "Everything you care about is backwards. The way you are thinking is not the way God wants you to think. The way you see the world is not the way it is. " He yells, jumps up and down, throws things, cries, anything he has to to get their attention. He really calls them, and us all, out. When talking about how his choice of methods that he can't love Christ half way. He can't see how if any of us really thought about Christ did for us, and what our actions or lack of actions did in return to Christ, how we could think about anything else in the world. He said "Christ DIED for me, I'm just doing what I can to make Him cool to these kids".
One thing about these kids really stuck out to me though. At one of his retreats, he said he does this at all of his retreats, he asked all of the kids who had ever thought about ending their life to come to the front. One by one by one by one by one kids, teenagers, walk up. I was sitting on the couch just crying. What could be happening to these kids that they feel worthless. worthless. I thought that he, Jason, was going to go hug them or tell them that he had help for them but he didn't. He turned around to all of the kids who had never felt this way and said "What are you going to do about this?". There were tons of kids standing in the front of the room. Everyone knows who these kids are - the overweight ones, the ones with bad teeth or bad hair, the ones who look too pretty, too used, we all know these kids. RIght about then, tears all down my face, Parker woke up and I went down and picked him up and told him how proud I was of him and how perfect he is and how he is the best thing I have ever done with my life and how I am complete because of him. Everyone deserves to hear that. I realize now how unbelievably, undeservingly blessed I am that I have been surrounded by that message since I was born by my parents and now every day by my husband.
I think its a need. Like food and water. We need a connection - a sincere connection. I think that's why young people are so desperate to look the right way, wear the ring clothes, be around the right people. To do whatever it takes to hear someone - anyone say "you make my life great". Love and acceptance are not just nice commodities. People have literally died trying to find it.
I don't think I have a point in this post. I guess I was just thinking that we should all drowned each other in love and appreciation. How can we love Christ and not?

Two posts in one day?!?!

Jamie Spears (the 16 year old sister of Britney Spears on her recent pregnancy:

"It was a shock for both of us, so unexpected," she said. "I was in complete and total shock and so was he."

Poor thing - I guess no one ever told her where babies come from. All I have to say is this to the young girls - IF YOU PLAY WITH FIRE, DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU GET PREGNANT!!!!!! (I mean burned...)

Date Night

Last Saturday night was "date night" at the Hebda house. Parker was asleep and wine had been poured. We decided not to spend our date night glued to the TV but instead to play a game of Yatzee. This is one of two games that I can beat Jon at (the other is Scrabble). We opened the game and pulled out the box that you are supposed to role the dice into. We were puzzled because inside that box was a baby blue burp rag. But why? We looked at each other and in an instant we both knew - we had played this game before at night - the burp rag was to muffle the sounds of the dice hitting the box so as not to wake up Parker! After all, nothing can ruin a date night like a 10 month old. Oh how our lives have changed. Evidence is everywhere.

I am pretty sure Parker rules our house.

on matters of discipline

Since last week when Parker started this new "independance phase", Jon and I have been having a difference of opinion about how to discipline him. Jon is ready to ground him and I am ready to have a family conference to discuss his inconsiderate behavior. Ok, so that is extreme on both sides. But tonight as we were watching Home Improvement, (there was a time when we had a life) a conversation unfolded that accurately depicted our views on disciplining a child. Home Improvement was about Randy and Brad trying to raise money for a Children's Hospital and they decided to steal some of it to buy toys and Christmas presents. Here is our comentary:

Me: "Oh if Parker pulled something like that I'd be so mad!"
Jon: "What would you do?"
Me: "I went make him serve dinner at a homeless shelter on Christmas Eve. What would you do?"
Jon: (seriously) "I would make him go to a homeless shelter...to live"


I can't work with this!

Want to help?

I am a member of a small group called Mended Little Hearts. We meet once a month on Wednesday night and we are all families with heart babies. We have nine and ten year olds who have been through multiple surgeries already and then we have pregnant moms just beginning down this road. My reason for this is post is this, we are having a party! February is National Congenital Heart Defect Awareness month and we are celebrating by doing something big to get the word out about these amazing kids. We want to give the kids who have been through way too much a really fun night out and we also want to draw attention to ourselves and let people in the community see that there is a problem, but there is also something to be done.

Jon came home from school last night and was telling me about a video he had to watch in his low vision class that was supposed to teach them as future doctors how to be sensitive to families who have blind, or otherwise "imperfect" children. He was absolutely disgusted and said it did not even begin to capture what it is like to hear your child is sick. He is even writing a letter!! My point is this, I can not tell you enough how alone you feel when you find out your child has an illness that you did not see coming.

Mended Little Hearts, and these women in my group in particular, want to help new families who are just finding out. They want to help researchers have the funds to begin to do studies that could improve mortatlity rates that are still too high. They want to support older kids who have been living in bodies that just are not working - that keep them from playing football at recess, or running with their friends. This party is to get as many families in one room as possible so that we can all hear how we can help right now.

When you are in a situation that takes away all of your control, finding out that you can do SOMETHING, like arranging decorations for this party,is amazing. FINALLY, something to do. Some way to help!

Soooo, I am in charge of decorations for this party. A good friend of mine, Sheaghlah is helping me and together we are calling around, writing letters and asking for donations of things like, paper, flowers, poster board, markers, scissors, balloons, letters, stencils, tissue paper, anything we can use to create a heart themed party for 150!

Why do you care? You may be asking. Well, if you are wanting to help these families out, here is a great chance! We are going to write a letter and if you want to take it to your local florist, party city, or grocery store, that would be awesome! If they give you something, send it to me! I'll pay the shipping! If you want to donate money (because aside from decorations, we are having food, a dj, a clown, a magician, raffle prizes, putting together care packages for families in the hospital now, and goodie bags for the kids) let me know! I can tell you how to get it to the group! We are hoping to get everything done for the party through donations, but extra money will help us be able to do some great things if we are offered discounts!

Please email me or call me or respond here if you are interested!
Emily_Hebda@yahoo.com

Here is the website for the national Mended Little Heart organization:

mendedlittlehearts.org

The grass is always greener

You know that saying the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence? Or you always want what you can't have and then when you have it, you don't want it anymore? Ok, I have a feeling the saying is more eloquent than that, but some people say something like that. Here is the thing. I came home tonight and told Jon that it was his turn to put Parker to bed. 50/50 that's what I say. So, here I am soaking up my free time while Jon puts him to bed...and all I can think about is going in and reading Goodnight Moon. The truth is, there is nothing else more important in the world than being in the room with that boy right now.

In a great green room there was a telephone
and a red balloon and a picture
of a cow jumping over the moon
and there were three little bears sitting on chairs...

see ya!

oh ps - the picture? a moose, trying to get grass...on the other side of the fence? get it? hahahaha (i'm proud of that one)

Elf Yourself!

I couldn't help myself....

copy and past the link:

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1141665354