walmart and other atrocities....

eeks, I don't like Wallyworld. They must be doing something right, because the same workers have been there, in the one I go to, for years and years and years. Perhaps there is just no where else to go. At any rate, it's not the employees, it's the store. I don't like it. I went there anyway today, to buy a gift for Emily's birthday. Don't worry, Emily, I got you something nice.

And, I meandered into the garden department, where all the after-holiday merchandise is dragged for clearance. The Christmas stuff was 90% off. That's a bargain, if you need Christmas stuff. I didn't, but I browsed anyway. I let the girls get some nail polish sets, and I decided on some packages of bowls and cups. The cheap-y ones, 4-packs wrapped in plastic. They usually sell for like a dollar. Well. These rang up 98 cents. Seriously? They originally sold for $9.79? On what planet? I didn't buy them.

Anyway. The cold weather deterred me from going to a different store for the groceries I wanted, so I bought my milk and eggs and bananas there. And batteries. Jonathan the Battery Boy needed 9-volt and D batteries for Christmas toys. I don't like buying meat from Walmart, and their produce is usually second rate. What good is it if it's cheap if it's rotten?

There is a point to this post. I was driving along, on the way to the small city, with two little girls and Suzanne, as Jonathan had gone to the library with Margaret. I told Suzanne that in real life, at least in MY life, only like 10% of the time is it really exciting and special and fun. Sometimes more, sometimes less. The rest of the time, I am doing things like driving to Walmart. With lots of kids to take places and do things for, you could safely say that most of the time, I am not doing what I would really like to be doing, as is the case with most people who grow up and have jobs. Even if they like their jobs, they still have to be in boring meetings, or have long commutes, perhaps.

Here's the thing: are we only happy that 10% of the time then? And the rest of the time, live in a mindset that ranges from tolerating the situations to being not exactly mad but not jumping up and down? Oh what a waste! I choose to be happy. It is a fight sometimes, to be sure, to be happy. But honestly, to do anything else is a waste of time. I am not talking about chasing a feeling of bubbliness...I mean more to learn to fight against grumpiness and be content. If I have to drive someone somewhere and I don't want to, I don't have to be surly and miserable. I can use that time to talk to whoever I am driving, unless, ha, it happens to be a miserable teenager who doesn't want to talk to her mama right now. That happened to me a few weeks ago. This girl was in a mood, and I knew my very existence was bothering her, so I had to just be quiet for a while. That was interesting.

Anyway. There is a time and a season for everything, and obviously it's not appropriate to be jumping up and down with glee when someone dies or something. But to learn contentment is a gift. God has given us life! And none of us owns tomorrow.

My kids got out and about for a bit today, but they are still crazy!!! Cabin fever, they are silly and loud and bouncing off the walls.....