Female Soldiers in the "War on Women"

This should gain me a lot of followers. [sarcastic snort!]

I have come to the opinion that the largest enemy in this so-called war on women is other women. We have created a War on Women within ourselves. Think about it. We have 2-3 generations of young women who somehow believe that being an airhead makes them more attractive. They have been taught that a low cut blouse and a cute little confused laugh will open doors. At the same time, we have determined that any woman who is not brilliant in her field is bringing us down. A woman who is"just" a secretary, or "just" a stay-at-home mom is somehow less than a woman who has taken on "the man". We have placed such unreasonable expectations on ourselves.  We want brilliant children, a successful career, perfectly clean and decorated homes, to be president of every volunteer organization and to run a marathon every year. Even men are shaking their heads in disbelief.

Because we believe that we are equal to men we have forgotten how to be ladies. We allow filth and garbage into our minds and spew it out as if it were not the least bit detrimental. We have allowed immodest clothing to become the status quo. Then we seem surprised that men leer or when we aren't taken seriously. We look the other way when too much skin is shown and not because of embarrassment, but because of political correctness. On one hand we have embraced a culture that says, "don't judge. Let me do my own thing. Let me express myself." While at the exact same time we can be absolutely cruel with our back-stabbing criticism of any woman who  dares not to conform to the currently accepted fashion uniform. We tear each other down like vultures. This tearing down damages a woman's confidence and sense of self-worth which perpetuates the acceptance of abuse or unfairness.

We have emasculated men using every means possible: television, commercials, litigation, playing relationship games, etc. Now we wonder where all the "real" men have gone. We have assumed roles in marriage that we were never designed to hold. Then we are angry when men don't do their part. We accept the commonality of cohabitation instead of demanding that men respect us enough to make a  covenant before God or at the very least a legal commitment.

We encouraged women to fight for the right to selfishly end a healthy pregnancy and have given little regard to the physical, mental, or emotional damage such an act can cause.  We believe that no one should tell us what to do, but we don't think for ourselves or stay informed of current issues. We end up following the herd like sheep and then when we arrive at the edge of the cliff we look for someone else to blame.

I didn't really think it was true, but there is a raging war on women.  Unfortunately, the charge is being led by women.

My Granny

My Granny has a servant’s heart

It’s the legacy she’ll leave

Many stars adorn her crown

On that you can believe.

 

Her life of serving started,

When she was still quiet young

Her mom was sick and in the bed

Leaving chores and little ones.

 

So my Granny had to grow up fast

Be strong and take the lead

Of ironing, washing, cooking

For the family she must feed

 

Then there came September

Of Nineteen Forty-One

When she said “I do”, she knew

Exactly what she’d done.

 

JW joined the Army

As the men did in that day

When he left to serve they knew

A child was on the way.

 

Next they moved to Dallas

To partake of city life

President of P.T.A.

Good mother, loving wife.

 

Life was kind of hectic

She was almost forty-one

And that is when she found out

God’s blessings were not done.

 

I guess things are different now

From how they were back then

But if family needed help,

Sometimes they just moved in.

And if they couldn’t come to her

Then she would go and stay,

Take care of them ‘til they were strong

And then be on her way.

After sixty years of marriage

Bad health put him to bed

My Granny held on dearly

To the vows she once had said.

 

So when he needed constant care

My Granny went along

The thought of living someplace else

To her, it just seemed wrong.

 

I know it seems that work, work, work

Was all she had to do,

But my Granny knew a secret

That I will share with you.

 

It’s really very simple,

You don’t have to be too smart

The secret to a happy life

Is to be a child at heart

 

So she’d play with you for hours

Cross-legged on the floor

Pretty dolls and plastic men

Great fun you can be sure

 

That’s why the kids a walking

In the from-school-to-home parade

Would often stop and have a snack

Or glass of lemonade

 

I know I won’t inherit

Fancy cars or diamond rings

But I have come to see

The best things in life aren’t things

 

Of all the gifts she gave to us

The best we could receive

Is a servant’s heart like Granny’s

That’s the legacy she’ll leave.

 

 

Carrie Oehler

2006

Organized vs. Chaos

This morning I wanted (wanted is not really the right word...) to look at the options for health insurance, since our sweet little policy did not survive the Affordable (HA!) Care Act. For the last year, we have been able to keep our old policy (at an increased rate, of course!!), but will soon have to switch over to an approved plan.

{FLASHBACK: “If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change for you under this plan is the amount of money you will spend on premiums. That will be less.” ~ Pres. Obama} Lying, unpatriotic, immoral, self-centered jack-...but I digress.

Back to the point of this post, which is my organized chaos life, I get to the insurance website and they force me to log in. I try every combination of member ID and password I can imagine. Nope. Not. Try Again. DANG! I hate to click "forgot password". They always ask a bunch of questions I have even less of a chance of remembering than the actual password. Ugh! I finally give in. Click and wince.  I am stumped on the very first question: Member number. Now I have to go find my card, which requires digging in my purse to find my wallet, then sorting through a jillion member cards, discount offers, expired coupons, and receipts. I found it! And there, written ever so neatly on a sticky note on the back of the card, is my user name and password.

Ya know? That was a pretty good idea. Apparently, I have been down this seek and find road before. I tried to plan for the next time and be organized, but in the chaos I had forgotten. I have read books, joined on-line groups, and observed organized friends. I grasp the concept of planning and organization. I struggle with the implementation. Most of the time I don’t care (which could be part of the problem) I just accept the chaos and move on to the next fire that will need stomping. Then there are times it really makes me crazy. Those are the scary times. The times when closets get cleaned out. The times when I dig out the old label maker. The times when stores like the Container Store, Walmart, & Office Max get a little richer.

I'm not there yet, but I feel it coming. I guess I need to remember: