What to Do With The Kids

         I think the government should not provide free day care for parents. I think a major issue with families today is that the kids never see their parents. I see many parents that will take any and every chance to pawn their kids off on another person. They should not even have kids if they are not going to be the ones to take care of them. Having children means more than just providing for them financial. It also means being there and supporting them as they grow. Parents could miss milestones in life because they were under the care of another who may not care as if it were their own child. I understand that in many cases this cannot be helped, but leaving kids in the care of another person so often should not be encouraged. If it must be done, another family member would be best. Even better than another family member or a day care is manipulating work schedules so that one parent is always home, if possible. That means one parent could work days, and the other works nights. As I was growing up my mom was always home with me. She quit her job to be home to take care of my brother and I. I believe having parents take care of and raise their children has a major impact on how the child will turn out, their morals and values, and who they are as a person.

A Gift of Immeasurable Value

         It cannot be received without first being given. One must be trusting in order to be trusted themselves. How can someone trust another if it’s not mutual? However, trust is not just handed out, it must be earned. I used to trust just about everybody, until they gave me a reason not to. I still usually give anyone the benefit of the doubt. More recently I have realized that that may not be the best idea. Trusting a person is a huge deal and should be handled as such. Now I am much more cautious about who I talk to, what I tell them, and what they know about me. Trust is rarer, and because of that, it is more special and valuable. The value of a trusted friend is an immeasurable gift and should be held close as a personal treasure.

BOOM!

“This is how stupid people end up on the news, you know that, right?” “Nah... it shouldn’t do anything.” Those were words I soon had to rethink.
A few weeks ago my dad and I were doing a small fireworks display for a group in the back of the campground with us. We set up while the sun was out, so we could go to a party in the evening. Unfortunately, nature decided to let loose and rain all over everything we set out. Most of it was ruined for sure, since the powder inside caked together. We just threw many of them in the fire pit there, but put the “big one” in a plastic bag to take home where we had more space. We were still a bit leery of its report, having never had one before.
This last weekend we started a fire with heat to the point of white flames. Thinking this would be the ideal time to dispose of the firecracker, we threw it in the heart of the flame and placed wood over it. Because we were all about safety, we stood behind our massive wood pile. Five minutes pass and all I get is a huge flash of light. I was disappointed. My dad told me to go to the garage and get some more boxes and he’d get more drinks. Halfway to the front yard, we are startled by a massive explosion and a flash of light that lit up surrounding yards. How that paper and powder lasted ten minutes in that inferno was beyond me. I had to run back there and assess the awesomeness of the event. Into the wood pile, throughout the backyard, and across the crick I found red hot coals. The fire had been blown apart!
From this, we saw firsthand what people that show up on the news do and what they are thinking. Although it was an awesome sight, I don’t think we’ll be doing it again anytime soon.

Michael

The most frequent time I hear my name is when somebody is yelling at me for a poorly thought out or “bad” joke. My “cruel” sense of humor has only a tinge of sarcasm, or so I’m told. I believe that the unremitting sarcasm comes from the background of my name. The biblical meaning of the name Michael is “Who is like God?” which is a rhetorical question itself. Rhetorical questions are a key element of sarcasm. People may see my humor as malicious and uncaring, but if they can see past the asperity, they’ll realize it’s all as good natured as a forest fire.  The name Michael is also at a high level in the biblical hierarchy. Michael was a mighty warrior, protector and promoter of righteousness. I like to think that I stand for the right principles and am capable of being a qualified leader. Being as big as I am, with proper morals, allows me to instigate and pester like a mosquito without the fear of paying dearly for it. SMACK! 


Where I got my name...