Monday 6 April 2020

Count the Costs

Maintaining Your Mental Health as a New Mom - Richmond Mom
Going back to school to complete my college degree was always a dream of mine. However, sometimes that dream appeared as a little black cloud hovering over me everywhere I went. That cloud always reminded me that I had failed to complete something I had started so many years ago. To me, completion equals success.

As a Christian, I prayed constantly to the Lord for a way to head back to college and finish that ever elusive degree and be rid of that little black cloud hovering over my head once and for all. I sought completion.

Finally, at age 35 and after so many years of praying, the Lord answered me with a "yes."

In 2002, my husband and I found ourselves up to our necks in debt. So, we decided to sell our house at the beginning of the housing "boom". As a result, we were able to pay off the debt and have some money left for me to head back to college. Unfortunately, it also meant leaving a 1500 sq. foot home and moving into a 900 sq. foot apartment with our 9 year old son.

My husband also went back to school online and I attended ground courses. Because we didn't want to deplete all our savings, I took a job at our church as a janitor and worked as a reading tutor at a local public school.

I often found myself at the college until late at night finally arriving home exhausted only to find a note from my son begging me to wake him so that he could hug me. Month after month of scrubbing toilets and mopping floors, late nights in the computer lab, and dinners out of the vending machine began to take its toll on me and my little family. Our son got into fights at school and his grades suffered. My husband worked full time and was also a full time student. Because I was an art major, our tiny apartment was filled with my art projects and art supplies scattered on the counter top.

One night, as my family slept, I looked around our apartment and thought about what I was doing to them. I was overwhelmed with guilt and exhaustion.

"What am I doing?" I asked the Lord. "Is this even worth it? My son is struggling in school and he misses me. My poor husband is trying to be dad and mom. I have so much homework all the time and I hate being a janitor. Surely, this isn't all there is?"

I sat at our dining table sobbing. You see, when I prayed to God to be able to go back to college, I forgot to do what Jesus advised to do: count the cost.

Luke 14:28: "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?"

I could hear the conversation in my mind:

Me- "Lord, can I return to college?"

God- "Yes, but you will lose your house, move into an apartment, work as a janitor scrubbing toilets, miss your young son, hardly see your husband, have a lot of homework, and be exhausted all the time. Still want to go back to college?"

I decided then and there to quit college, get a full time job so we could afford a house, and give my son some semblance of a normal life. But before I quit, I decided to read an essay that was assigned as homework by my American Literature professor. The essay was "A Struggle for An Education" by Booker T. Washington.

My life would never be the same.

In his eloquent and honest essay, Mr. Washington recounted how he, a former slave, decided to pursue a college education finally afforded to him by the abolishment of slavery. This fascinating essay describes how education was not only a dream for this man, but for all the other former slaves around him. He describes how he worked for a white woman in her house sweeping her floors over and over because she was a perfectionist. I could relate. He then went on to describe his 500 mile journey south to the school on stagecoaches and walking because he ran out of money. He described how he had to sleep on sidewalks rather than in hotels due to the color of his skin. He went on about how he worked small jobs to earn some money to eat until finally reaching the Hampton Institute. He was seventeen years old.

Penniless, he worked as a janitor in the school sweeping the floors to perfection. He took pride in his work and, with tears in his eyes, he watched the students walk to class with books in their hands- free to pursue an education. Mr. Washington went on to graduate from college with honors, teach, write, and then build his own school: Tuskegee University in 1881.

After I read the essay, with tears in my eyes, I wrote an email to my American Literature professor explaining to him that I wanted to quit school and give up and get a full time job so that my family could live like "normal" people and not struggle anymore. And then I read our homework assignment. I went on to explain to my professor how I couldn't quit after reading what Mr. Washington had endured for his education. Now my pursuit of a Bachelor's degree meant more to me. As a Mexican woman, I knew I would be the first in my family to obtain a higher education degree. I knew my late grandparents, who started out as migrant workers and worked in hard labor, would trade places with me in a heartbeat if they could because they knew what a college degree meant. I hadn't truly understood until I read that essay.

Friday 3 April 2020

How To Give Baby Gifts That Create Memories

23 Inexpensive Gifts for Coworkers
Not all baby gifts were created equal. While others stand out from the crowd, some seem to get lost in the memory of recipients. It is not always the price that makes a baby gift highly memorable or less memorable, but the thought that has been put into the gift and the way they are presented. Here is how to give baby gifts that create memories and will be remembered for years to come.

Think of the things that the new parents need or want most right now. The new parents will basically need a lot of things for their upcoming baby and chances are they put those things to their baby registry. So when you looking for baby gifts, check out first whether they have registered the gifts they want and if they did, consider it as your reference in selecting items you want to provide them.

Choose a gift of an appropriate degree. It is expected that Godparents will spend more for baby gifts than the parents' coworkers. You have so many choices to choose from, but of course you should stay within your budget. Whether inexpensive or not, the parents will understand, but gifts should not appear too cheap nor extravagant. Keep this in mind that the degree of a present is not solely determined on its price, but the amount of time you spent in creating it.

Consider a gift of personal service. For example, you may want to commit to baby sit their little one for one or two days while they are on a trip. This idea would really help the new parents, especially when they are planning for a short relaxing getaway after those exhausting days. Other personal services you may think about include shopping grocery for them, washing baby clothes, or cooking for them.

Think of a special gift that will remind the parents of you. If you don't want to stick to the registry, consider the talents you lucky own. For example, if you are can write great songs, why not write one for them? However, don't limit your options to what you are used to do. Think creative and imaginative - you will never know you might discovered a craft that you may want to start after doing it for a baby shower.

Make your present more appealing by attractively packaging it. Even an inexpensive item, if packaged neat and attractive, would definitely look tasteful to the eyes of the parents. Whether you will put it in a nice plain paper bag or put in a box and wrap, you have to put a little creativity to make it look attractive. Don't restrict yourself to pre-made wrapping papers, gift boxes and bags you found at a local store, as you can make them at home.

Create a theme in your baby gifts. Baby showers these days are often planned with a specific, so if the party you will be attending has one, then you may want to consider it and make it reflected on your present. Or, you can think of a specific theme different from the theme of the baby shower. Themed baby gift baskets are often excellent examples to provide theme-based presents. You can think of a theme that focuses on baby bathing, sleeping time, or playtime supplies.