Rambling Out Loud

            This time of year always gets me a little depressed.  I thought in the past it was because I was alone.  This year, I have a wonderful man and his two daughters to celebrate with (along with the already wonderful family God has blessed me with).  Still, I find myself getting a little sad.  I've come to the conclusion the holiday melancholy is more than just who I'm with.              I can't figure out what it is though.  I do find it sad that we are so commercialized.  I'm sick of retailers corrupting Christmas songs with attempts to lure shoppers to their stores.  I'm completely disgusted with Black Friday, and this year is worse than ever.  They now have stores opening at midnight on Thanksgiving!  People get killed in that rush to find the cheapest toy or laptop.  Is it really that important?  Let's open several hours earlier so the injuries can begin faster!              The holidays also get me thinking a lot about the world.  Everything is ab

Early Friday morning, Nov. 4, I received a call that my daddy had gone to be with Jesus. Obviously, my emotions have been going crazy.  I should have spent more time with him, I wish Alyssa had made those butterscotch cupcakes for him sooner, etc.  I guess no matter when it happened, we will always have those regrets. He called me Thursday night.  We chatted about how busy I've been, etc.  I told him I missed him and that we had to get together soon.  My last words to him were, "I love you."  At least I can feel peace about that. I will never again get to tease him about being old, fight with him about his psycho cat, watch sci-fi movies with him, get annoyed when he gets onto us about texting too much, or discuss traditional vs modern music in church. I will never again get to eat his homemade ice cream, gang up on him with my stepmom, or get a daddy hug. I know he's with Jesus.  I know his legs don't hurt anymore.  I know he's happy and at peace.  I

I know a seventh grade honor student.  She makes good grades, and up to now has never really been in trouble.  She has recently been studying to take her SAT as part of the Duke University Talent Search.  The other day, this child made a stupid mistake. She now has a $400 ticket, 3 days of suspension, a month in an alternative school (where they send the thugs), and she may get kicked out of her magnet program. If I heard that, I'd think, "Wow.  She must have done something awful."  Some of the things that come to mind are cussing out teachers, flipping over desks, drugs in the locker, etc.  Did this child do anything like that?  Nope. She wrote her name on a wall...with a washable marker. What ever happened to "let the punishment fit the crime"?  Yes, there should be a consequence.  Make her wash the wall and put her in detention!  If she makes a habit of it, increase the penalty.  Even real courts take a person's record into account. Apparently p