Sunday, November 18, 2012

Petraeus scandal puts four-star general lifestyle under scrutiny from the Washington Post



“There is something about a sense of entitlement and of having great power that skews people’s judgment,” Gates said last week.

“I love the man. I am his biggest supporter. But I strongly disagree,” said retired Gen. Peter Chiarelli, who served as Gates’s senior military assistant. “I find it concerning that he and others are not focusing on the effect on our guys of fighting wars for 11 years. No one was at it longer than Petraeus.”

The above quotes come from an article in the Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/petraeus-scandal-puts-four-star-general-lifestyle-under-scrutiny/2012/11/17/33a14f48-3043-11e2-a30e-5ca76eeec857_story.html

Ok, this is one Army wife's opinion, I am going with Gates on this. Yes, fighting in a long war can have an effect. But don't tell me that Petraeus didn't get home to DC enough to satisfy anything he needed from his wife, Holly. Power is intoxicating. Being 60 and having a 40 year old beauty chasing him was the effect, not the war. Let's lay the blame where it needs to be squarely on the those who stumble.

As Lord Acton said “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupt absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority; still more when you superadd the tendency of the certainty of corruption by authority.”

Thanksgiving week

I am getting very excited. My man, JTB, gets to come  home from Ft. Hood from Thursday to Monday afternoon. He is getting ready to go on a deployment. We are having family pictures done on Friday with a friend of a friend. Well while in Target yesterday, I got me a dress and shoes. Both so out of character for me. Yet, I wanted them and in some sense needed them. We all want to feel and look our best. So even though I know I need to lose more weight etc... I loved this dress since I saw it and I love the shoes, even though I may break something wearing them! LOL

I will be wearing it to church today, so I may post a picture later. LOL I have to keep telling myself, it is okay to look sexy if I am trying to look sexy for my man!! Which in all honesty, I am not just doing it for him. I am doing it for me. And as long as I am okay with it, he is okay with it, and God is okay with it, then I have decided that is all that matters!!
A preview of the shoes!! (Target $29.99)

Friday, November 16, 2012

Things gone by

I am 43, most of Princess Pie's friends mothers are 5-10 years younger than me and still having babies. In fact one of my dearest friends is finding out the sex of their long awaited blessing today.

I truly don't want any more children, I believe the five God has given me is plenty. Yet, I still struggle when holding a baby at dance etc... It isn't so much about wanting another as it is knowing I am 43 and not having any more. It isn't that we can't we have just chosen not to.

Do any of you feel that way?

Below are our blessings!



Thursday, November 15, 2012

Moral failings

We all have them, those little nagging thoughts that what we are doing isn't right. I wonder if  David Petraeus had those little nagging thoughts before he betrayed his wife, Holly. Now I am not saying Holly Petraeus is a saint. She is a military wife who has spent too much time alone and if like me can't get away with going to the bathroom by myself, let alone have time for an affair.

Yet her husband of 38 years has done just that. He hasn't just failed his country, he has betrayed his wife and his children. When there is a moral failing, especially of a sexual nature, it kills the person who is betrayed. Both sexes do it, which does not make it right. Men seem, to especially, not get what it does to the self-esteem of their wives. Mr. Petraeus is not an exceptionally looking man, and Holly is a middle age woman though still pretty, she is not Paula Broadwell. So how does Holly deal with this. I know I would be crushed, the devastation is not something I think I could get over. In this season of their lives, clinging to each other may be the only thing that would get them through it, but how do you do that? How do you rebuild your life with the man you thought you knew. I mean 38 years that is a very long time.

Sometimes you just wonder....

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Abraham, Sarah and Hagar: A lesson not learned

I started reading a year long blended read through the Bible off of You Version. Today's reading is Genesis 16-18. I really want to post my thoughts on Genesis 16. It is the story of Abraham, Sarai and Hagar. As I was reading this, it struck me, verse 2 of chapter 16 says this," Sarai said to Abram, "Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps I can have children by her." And Abram agreed to what Sarai said."


Ok I have to admit, when I see Sarah in Heaven I am going to say to her, "what in the world were you thinking?" Abraham was a man of honor. You don't read of him having a concubine or any other wives. So why would Sarah give another woman to him? He was so in love with her, they had been married a lifetime and yet he (as far as we know) didn't have another lover until Sarah gave him Hagar. 


Hagar was an Egyptian. So one she introduced a foreigner into their bloodline. It isn't like Egypt and Israel are the best of friends. So when Hagar became pregnant, she started treating Sarah with contempt. Sarah gets mad at Abraham and blames him. (yet we all know it is Sarah's fault for suggesting it and Abraham's for going doing it) It is the apple and the garden all over again. No one taking responsibility for their actions.


Hagar runs away and the Angel of the Lord finds her. He asks her what she is doing and she tells him she is running away because of the way Sarah is treating her. The Lord tells her to go back, but what is the kicker of this is what the Lord tells her.



 The Angel of the Lord also said to her, "I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count."
11 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her:

You have conceived and will have a son. 
You will name him Ishmael, 
for the Lord has heard your [cry of] affliction. 
12 This man will be [like] a wild donkey. 
His hand will be against everyone, 
and everyone's hand will be against him; 
he will live at odds with all his brothers. 
The Muslims and the Jews are at odds because one man and one woman could not wait on the timing of God. Yet God loved Abraham and blessed him. Abraham is the father of all. We must not just look at the short term, but when we try to step outside of God's will and timing do we also look at the long term. Of course, not. We are an instant society and want what we want now. Looks like Sarah was the same way. What is disturbing though, is that Abraham heard the promise from the Lord and yet he still did what Sarah asked. So ladies, this is a prime example of how much influence we have over our men. Do you use it wisely or do you want what you want when you want it. 
Just some food for thought on this gorgeous Saturday morning!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

A Down Day

Today has been kind of a down day. The boys are not feeling well. JTB found out an old friend from high school died this morning. Just one of those days where you want to climb under the covers and just go back to sleep. Yet we can't cause life continues on. We thank the Lord that JTB's friend knew the Lord and is safe in His arms today. We thank God that other than an inconvenience the boys cold is just that a cold. We have healthy kids! We are blessed beyond measure! Short, sweet and to the point. Good night.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Another Year....

I am so not a regular blogger. I sometimes feel so overwhelmed with what is going on in my life that I don't know if I have time for this. Here it is another year since I had blogged. Not much has changed in my life. Still doing the same ole same ole. The only thing that has really changed is I started selling Jewels By Park Lane ! So other than that, that is all that is new.

 Princess Pie had her dance recital again last weekend! She did so good and has gotten better as a dancer. (This is her second year)

Little Man loves his sushi and likes to go get some any chance he gets. He got to spend two weeks with his daddy over at Fort Bragg, NC. So he was a happy camper.

Nathaniel  has been busy with Souled Out Youth and South City Theater! So this summer not sure what he will be doing.

We try to keep busy and go visit JTB as often as we can.