Monthly Archives: September 2012

An Ode to Lulu

14 Friday Sep 2012

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I was out with friends the other day. The best friends I could ever ask for 🙂

And, we started talking about stuff. You know stuff, the stuff we want, the stuff we like, and the stuff we need. I have never been a brand name kind of girl and I rudely exclaimed “I detest brand names!” My mouth is often bigger then my mind…

Anywho I got to thinking later why I said this and why brand names bother me so much. I think I finally figured it out. It is the elitist attitude people have when they are sporting these brands. Not everyone. And certainly not my girlfriends, I know they like certain brands simply for the product, not the brand. But, I find that people can be a little snarky when sporting a certain brand. Like they are better because your shoes are from walmart and theirs are choo choos! Who cares?

I am not a brand fan in general. But I do understand that lots of big brands can use their brand power to do awesome things in the world. So to make amends I thought I could highlight a few awesome things that some of these companies do for others. These were not necessarily the brands that came up just ones I thought had done pretty neat things with their brand power.

Tim Hortons – Not only good coffee but has “The Tim Hortons Children Foundation” which sends a whole bunch of kids to camp each year! Thats pretty awesome 🙂

Lululemon – While there are not a lot of world achievements that I could find on this uber popular company. The individual stores are very instrumental in their communities. They also have an excellent conscientious attitude about their manufacturing and where their materials come from. A popular brand that cares about the community and the earth is pretty neato.

And in my search to find other big brands that help others I found this about MasterCard. MasterCard has developed a platform for online retailers that offers consumers the chance to donate to the World Food Programme (WFP) directly at check-out as part of a wide-ranging partnership with the anti-hunger charity.

If you have not checked out the World Food Program (WFP) you should. They are incredible and you can give just a little bit each month. It the worlds largest humanitarian agency fighting hungry. It is very cool. Check them out!

So this, I suppose is just a little rant of mine to explain my thoughts and an opportunity to tell my two girls how much I love them!

Mama Monday: You are Dearly Loved

10 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in Mama Monday

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I love english. It was the subject I strived in and I love words, definitions, verbs, all of it. I also enjoy yahoo. So I typed Dearly Loved into the search to see what would come up. First, a definition of dear. a. loved and cherished.

And after that, a song.

 

I think often about what important things I want Gray to learn, to know, to absorb. I have a long list, I think some come from things I wish I did better, skills I know that Hubs is good at, and attitudes that I believe in. You know it is probably the usual, we learn things from our parents then we take things away that we want to do or not do with our kids. It is just a process of growing up, learning and then being out in this big world all on your own.

I have been in the company of some wonderful people this week. With people come struggles and hard times. It caused me to start thinking all over again about what I really want Gray to know and learn from us. Not only us, but about God and the role of encouragement that I hope he has in Grays life. Something my parents made sure I knew and know my whole life.

You are Dearly Loved.

I know pretty simple. But think about your worst day. Then think about what made you feel a tiny bit better before you put your head on your pillow. Was it someones warm hug or kind words? Was it simply knowing that someone who loves you told you it was going to be ok on the other side of an important phone call? Or maybe you fell to your knees, gave it all away and asked the Lord for his voice. God uses people. That hug is His love, those words His encouragement.

So I suppose there are two goals at play. Not only to make sure that we are in tune with God’s plan and purpose so we can carry out and show Gray that he is dearly loved. But also in my everyday, I want to be a better Mom, to put down the phone and focus on my tiny man. Hug him, kiss him and always let him know how loved he is.

I hope he will grow into an encouraging adult. Someone who can help others with a kind word or a helping hand. Sure the other things are important, we all need to know how to read, write and count. I know he will get there too. But to me, fundamentals are what build a person. Knowing you are Dearly Loved gives you confidence to forge ahead, to ask for help and to put others before yourself. If I can help Gray to see and do all of this, I will have done my job.

Hope you all have a blessed week. Take time to tell someone in your life that they are Dearly Loved. We all need to be reminded from time to time.