I saw the promo for this show several weeks ago and decided that I would check it out, despite my serious lack of patience with the subject matter.
For some strange reason, I have zero tolerance for the subject of polygamy. I'm not sure if it's my anger issues with men, or the fact that I feel this type of poly amorous relationship promotes gluttony, but the idea of women subjecting themselves to this type of relationship for the sake of pleasing "Heavenly Father", or "teaching themselves a life lesson" feels wrong, for lack of a better word.
This show, in all its 30 minute glory, paints a direct picture of what happens when your husband beds several women, and has them live with you. There's jealousy, anger, resentment, and uneven numbers. Sure there's love, and love for each mother's children, but why wouldn't there be at some point? The niceties and surface behavior don't create substantial proof that what's going on under your roof is of the lord.
Watching this show has been the equivalent of watching five adults swallow five bottle of ipecac syrup and complain that they have profuse vomiting, but then simultaneously claim to love what the vomiting does for their close and personal relationships with God.
My point is, it's all self inflicted pain. Whatever their struggles are, they're not to be consoled, or raised up in some way that congratulates or en-champions what they do, THEY CHOSE THEIR CHAOS. They are directly creating their own drama, and in turn, their own loss of financial stability, loss of credibility, and lack of a true moral compass.
DVR it if you must, watch it if you will, but I can no longer watch Sister Wives. The show disgusts me, the adaptation of my church's principles in their false and doctored religion offends me, and their need to make money off their lifestyle is to me, the most vile of all.
10.20.2010
8.03.2010
Intolerance:
Today I decided to check my email, and discovered a few viral emails sent to me.
They're compiled like any set of lame office emails, full of pictures of kittens wearing leather jackets, babies being posed to aid in their future humiliation, and anti-democrat sentiment, which I must say, is getting to be my least favorite of the recurring themes.
I get that I live in the most rouge of "red" states, and I respect that political out-numbering, but the fact of the matter is, those who send anti-illegal immigrant cartoons to propel a growing distaste are no better than those which they argue with.
The borders need to be controlled, absolutely, but where are the Canadians in these cartoons, or the British? If we're going to call for a protection of borders, we need to talk about it from ALL sides. I was pretty offended today when every cartoon featured a dark skinned Mexican man with a serapi, pulling a donkey. Or, a family with dirty clothes, and a new baby clinging to the body of the mother, who's pregnant with the next child. It makes me wonder if any of the people who get in to these types of emails have any personal knowledge of the Hispanic culture.
Bottom line, be upset at the lack of attention from our government on this issue, but don't take your frustrations out on a group of people who are just desperate to find a better way. I've been to Mexico from the northern most border to the southern most, and I can honestly say I do not blame a singe man, woman, or child for taking advantage of what we have to offer here. Don't waste your precious money on oil pastels and paper to draw somewhat racist comics, take that time to write your government and ask them to use our taxpayer money to properly secure our borders.
For all of us who claim to be part of God's true church, and claim to be doing God's work on earth, we're not living it and we're not showing it when we pass along these hurtful "jokes". We can't send our missionaries off to these countries and build temples in these lands if, on the side, we're sending each other these types emails. What does that say about our character? Do as I say, not as I do?
I am proud to be a 3rd generation American with a strong knowledge of my cultural make-up. I am 1/2 Polish and 1/2 Spaniard, with family who resides in Mexico (Monterrey, MX to be exact). I believe in the fairness of my country, and know that in time, we will find a way to process ALL people who come to our country with the utmost respect and dignity. And, those who are committing a crime on our land, that crime being illegal residence, shall be subject to the punishment which fits the crime, deportation. This does not entail public defamation.
As a side note, "joking" about the customs and cultural differences of a country can be hurtful. Those who live in a cultural bubble have no real idea just how racist they may come across. Don't make the mistake of thinking your personal humor in such matters is found funny by others. I can personally say I do not find it endearing or welcomed.
They're compiled like any set of lame office emails, full of pictures of kittens wearing leather jackets, babies being posed to aid in their future humiliation, and anti-democrat sentiment, which I must say, is getting to be my least favorite of the recurring themes.
I get that I live in the most rouge of "red" states, and I respect that political out-numbering, but the fact of the matter is, those who send anti-illegal immigrant cartoons to propel a growing distaste are no better than those which they argue with.
The borders need to be controlled, absolutely, but where are the Canadians in these cartoons, or the British? If we're going to call for a protection of borders, we need to talk about it from ALL sides. I was pretty offended today when every cartoon featured a dark skinned Mexican man with a serapi, pulling a donkey. Or, a family with dirty clothes, and a new baby clinging to the body of the mother, who's pregnant with the next child. It makes me wonder if any of the people who get in to these types of emails have any personal knowledge of the Hispanic culture.
Bottom line, be upset at the lack of attention from our government on this issue, but don't take your frustrations out on a group of people who are just desperate to find a better way. I've been to Mexico from the northern most border to the southern most, and I can honestly say I do not blame a singe man, woman, or child for taking advantage of what we have to offer here. Don't waste your precious money on oil pastels and paper to draw somewhat racist comics, take that time to write your government and ask them to use our taxpayer money to properly secure our borders.
For all of us who claim to be part of God's true church, and claim to be doing God's work on earth, we're not living it and we're not showing it when we pass along these hurtful "jokes". We can't send our missionaries off to these countries and build temples in these lands if, on the side, we're sending each other these types emails. What does that say about our character? Do as I say, not as I do?
I am proud to be a 3rd generation American with a strong knowledge of my cultural make-up. I am 1/2 Polish and 1/2 Spaniard, with family who resides in Mexico (Monterrey, MX to be exact). I believe in the fairness of my country, and know that in time, we will find a way to process ALL people who come to our country with the utmost respect and dignity. And, those who are committing a crime on our land, that crime being illegal residence, shall be subject to the punishment which fits the crime, deportation. This does not entail public defamation.
As a side note, "joking" about the customs and cultural differences of a country can be hurtful. Those who live in a cultural bubble have no real idea just how racist they may come across. Don't make the mistake of thinking your personal humor in such matters is found funny by others. I can personally say I do not find it endearing or welcomed.
5.22.2010
2.23.2010
Natalee Holloway:
So, today, Joran Van der Sloot has once again tied himself to the disappearence of Natalee, and this time, has admitted just how he disposed of the body. To say that this infuriates me is moot. The police department in Aruba has been useless from the beginning. From the early 1950's, the American justice system has had to learn the hard way that a criminal doesn't always wear all black, hang out in ally ways, or act suspicious. Sometimes, the killer is living next door, paying his taxes; sometimes the killer is as close as the pillow next to yours. So when authorities in Aruba discounted Joran Van der Sloot's obvious guilt on account of his prominent last name, I was concerned about the validity of the investigation. Now, four years later, Natalee is still missing, Joran is still free, and both sets of parents are forever changed.
Having my own child now, I can image to some extent how Beth Twitty, Natalee's mother, must feel. To get a call in the middle of the night that the baby you carried for nine months, gave birth to, and fought so hard to protect is missing, has to be the absolute worst and most helpless feeling. And now, as if this over privledged ass of a young man parading around freely and shopping his knowledge of Natalee's last moments around to any well-paying tabloid isn't enough salt in the wounds, he's now admitted to disposing of the body, which he won't be prosecuted for. Why? Because Aruban authorities believe he's "making it all up" and that these supposed confessions are "lies and fantasy". At this point, the best Ms. Twitty can do is have faith that Joran will get his punishment in the end.
Now, I'm not saying that Natalee's own actions didn't get her into some sort of trouble. Barely legal teens allowed to party over seas, and especially on an island that promotes free sex and early-age binge drinking, can spell disaster on any level, but disaster aside, it should never spell homicide. The problem with losing self control in a foreign environment is not unlike the problem of losing it at home: men are lurking at every corner looking for the girl who's easiest to take. Back before I converted to the church, I was one for cocktails at nice clubs and restaurants with my good friends. The danger isn't always in the alcohol, but in the company you keep. One night, my friend and I dressed up and went for margaritas at Chili's, just the two of us. She and I were young, and for that reason alone, a bit careless. After just a drink or two, I noticed a man staring at us from the bar. He was much older, and staring with an intensity that made me nervous. A few hours passed, and I suddenly noticed that almost everyone in the bar area had left with the exception of us and him. I was ready to leave, and had been for a while, but my friend (insistent on taking her drinking to the next level) wanted to stay, the worst part being that she was my ride. The more she drank, the more this man became interested in our table, so much so that he bought us each a drink. This was the point in the evening where I had finally hit my limit. I grabbed her arm and told her it was time to go, but not before I spoke with the host working the door. I ended up offering him five dollars to walk my friend and I to her car, and explained to him what was going on. He didn't take the money, but he did walk us to her car, and before we got in, shared a piece of advice, "Being a girl is dangerous enough, " he said, "don't make it harder by being out late, out numbered, and on alcohol." I took his advice and got my friend safely home to my parent's house, glad that someone was willing to help in some way. I felt like an idiot for being in that situation in the first place, and that was difficult enough, but I felt even worse that I had to employ someone else's help for my mistake.
Seems like I've digressed a bit? Not in the slightest, I promise I have a point to all of this. My point is to reach out more. Find some way to help these young girls feel content with being their age and nothing more. The adult lifestyle can be quite enticing to a young woman who's used to hearing the word "no", or feeling like she's still an awkward 8th grader in braces. I say it's enticing because these young girls don't know the truth about life, or the danger that loose behaviors will bring. If we make an effort to educate our girls, maybe these recent cases of girls out late at night going missing, or girls murdered by overly possesive boyfriends could begin to go down as myth instead of the headline of a CNN report.
Altogether, I wish the best for Ms. Twitty and Mr. Holloway. Life has delt them a cruel hand and they are missing a daughter and all of the wonderful things she could have delivered. I hope that in time, we will get to the bottom of this case and Natalee's parents will have the peace of mind the deserve.
1.15.2010
11.23.2009
House for Sale, House for Rent
So last week, Ross and I went to look at homes in the Prov/Orem area. I found this one on a listing and just had a great feeling about it. It's not very large, but has great features and is brand new on the inside, including new appliances, and sits on a large piece of property. I think I'm in love all over again, only this house doesn't snore, or eat its weight in Hellman's mayonaise. The point is, I really like this place, and I'm excited to see what the future holds.
11.05.2009
Jack-a-potamus:
So on Tuesday, I got a call from Rachel, letting me know she had just received her epidural and Jack was on his way.
This was such a big moment for me because this was the first Chamberlain baby I had spent the most "unborn" time around. Aside from that, it was big because Rach and I were experiencing all of this for the first time.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love having sister-in-laws all around me who have been through every phase of child rearing, literally, but there's something special about talking to a woman who's just given birth an hour or two before you showed up, and for the first time. It sounds strange, but I needed to see Rach so soon after to better imagine myself there in less than three months. What I was not prepared for was the flood of emotions I would have.
As soon as Ross and I walked in, we saw Ned sitting in the post-partum room with Jack. I felt like I was walking in on a very private moment, but I couldn't look away. Suddenly, I began to understand what people mean when they say that having a baby changes your whole life. In that moment, I realized how much this little person was going to need his daddy the rest of his life. I was about to get over to Rach when out of the corner of my eye, I saw what still makes me tear up even now. Ned was talking with the head nurse, and Jack, who was looking at Ned, stretched his little arm and reached for Ned's finger. As his tiny little fingers wrapped around Ned's one large finger, Ned looked down and just smiled. It's one of the sweetest moments I will ever experience, and I'm so glad I was there to see it.
Altogether, Jack is a total toe-head, has the sweetest little face, and is officially a Chamberlain. It's pointless to say I love him, but I honestly do.
This was such a big moment for me because this was the first Chamberlain baby I had spent the most "unborn" time around. Aside from that, it was big because Rach and I were experiencing all of this for the first time.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love having sister-in-laws all around me who have been through every phase of child rearing, literally, but there's something special about talking to a woman who's just given birth an hour or two before you showed up, and for the first time. It sounds strange, but I needed to see Rach so soon after to better imagine myself there in less than three months. What I was not prepared for was the flood of emotions I would have.
As soon as Ross and I walked in, we saw Ned sitting in the post-partum room with Jack. I felt like I was walking in on a very private moment, but I couldn't look away. Suddenly, I began to understand what people mean when they say that having a baby changes your whole life. In that moment, I realized how much this little person was going to need his daddy the rest of his life. I was about to get over to Rach when out of the corner of my eye, I saw what still makes me tear up even now. Ned was talking with the head nurse, and Jack, who was looking at Ned, stretched his little arm and reached for Ned's finger. As his tiny little fingers wrapped around Ned's one large finger, Ned looked down and just smiled. It's one of the sweetest moments I will ever experience, and I'm so glad I was there to see it.
Altogether, Jack is a total toe-head, has the sweetest little face, and is officially a Chamberlain. It's pointless to say I love him, but I honestly do.
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