I didn't do it, I'm not guilty, I'm not taking the blame!

I knew a person that said "I didn't do it, I'm not guilty, I'm not taking the blame." almost every day when (s)he walked through the door at work. It wasn't a matter of something having happened, it was just their standard statement. Unfortunately, it seems to be the theme these days. No one wants to accept responsibility for their choices. Get to work late and the boss fusses at you?? The boss must be picking on you. Screw up and someone calls in a complaint about you? The boss must be picking on you. Need to get off early and the boss will let anyone else, but not you?? Surely it couldn't have anything to do with the list of 'issues' you've had at work over the course of the week! The boss must be picking on you.

We aren't doing our children any favors when we smooth the way for them. When we insist that ALL of the children must be winners or someones feelings will be hurt, what lesson are we teaching? When we play sports 'for fun' with no winners or losers, what lesson do they learn? Could it be that if they excel, it doesn't matter because kids that barely participated receive the same recognition, meaning that striving to do your best doesn't matter? Showing up is good enough? Sure, showing up is important, but isn't it about what you do while you are there?

What on earth are we thinking? If we are all treated the same, what incentive is there to do a good job? If we don't hurt a little when we fall down, do we learn to be careful so we don't fall? If we don't have to answer for our actions we don't learn personal responsibility and that's something that is rampant these days. It's sad.

Small Rehoming Fee Applies

I've been browsing Craigslist looking for a true Calico kitten. The longer I look, the more disgusted I get. Why are there so many listing for young cats or dogs being rehomed? I can't begin to count the times I've seen adds for these babies who are being SOLD for a "Small Rehoming Fee" because the owners are moving or allergic or the animal doesn't get along with another. Why aren't people thinking about these things BEFORE they get a pet? Of course your landlord isn't going to allow you to keep a zoo on his property!! If you aren't in a stable home environment, you have no business getting a pet in the first place!! If there is any possibility you're going to be moving, you have no business getting a kitten or puppy.

Then there is the 'small rehoming fee'. If you get a pet, have it in your home and then decide to dump it, whatever makes a person think that someone else will willingly reimburse you for any costs from the last year?? And why should anyone pay $50 for a kitten that you have because you were too inconsiderate to get your house cat fixed? Should you get $300 or more for a litter of kittens because you weren't responsible to begin with?

Finally, there is the issue of people finding free pets on these listings and then having the insane idea that it is acceptable for them to turn around and list them for a small rehoming fee. Not to mention that there are those picking up pets off the street and out of yards and listing them on Craigslist for a fee!!

The more I know people, the more I love animals.

It's surprisingly difficult to know what to post on a blog. I'm thinking about the commercial in which a high school girl posts a photo of herself on a traditional bulletin board. She changes her mind and rips it down, it reappears. She takes it down again and it pops back up, symbolizing what happens when we post electronically. Anyone can see anything we've ever posted for how long? Forever?

As a Christian I would like to be able to say that I am able to control my tongue. After all, this is a matter of much discussion in the Bible. Just one example is found in James 3: 9-10 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

How many other references about controlling our tongue are there in the Bible? How does this apply to today's technology? Do we both bless and curse on Face Book, Twitter, in blogs? Does our email bless? We can no more take back the things that we post on line than the words that pour out of our mouth. Control of the tongue is something that I'm still working on and probably always will.

As I began thinking about a relevant post for my first blog God reminded me that A Yooper in Paradise should always be a blessing and bring glory to God. After all, it is He who has allowed this Yooper to live in this place that He created.

I pray that God help me to control my words of every form and to filter the words that I hear. What is your prayer for the day?