this crazy world

isn't life interesting right now? i have so many thoughts running through my mind on so many different topics...president-elect obama, the wonderful history being made, the state of marriage, the financial crisis, the upcoming holidays, and how all of these affect my family.

first of all, i have to share a very sweet exchange i witnessed last week. i was helping out in afton's classroom (halloween party) and we had a bag of ghost marshmallows with a big rubber spider tied around the top. the kids had to guess how many marshmallows were inside. the answer was 70. the kids wrote down their guesses and we started out by asking who guessed more than 100. there were a few. then how many guessed in the 90s. then the 80s. finally we got down to the 50s. one little girl had guessed 50. no one else was closer, so we determined she was the winner. we gave her the bag of marshmallows, clapped and cheered and began to prepare for another game. all of a sudden, a different girl yelled out that she had guessed 52! suddenly, we were in slow motion or a stopping of time or something like in the movies. no one said anything. i think we (the adults) were trying to figure out the best way to deal with this. then, sweet little jessica (the original winner) looked at me, put a brave smile on, got out of her chair and walked the bag of marshmallows over to the other little girl. we all just watched her do this really good thing. then, the other little sweet girl took the bag, paused, and then asked jessica if she would like to share the prize.
i was just (sadly) amazed at the kindness of these girls. they were not mad, didn't throw a tantrum, nothing. they have both obviously been taught to do the right. i was almost in tears as i watched this take place. i felt such happiness at the realization that there is still a lot of good in this world. no matter what crazy maniacs are plotting horrible things, it's important to remember that there is still good stuff going on.

i believe it's important to AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE (Mister In-Between)
(Johnny Mercer / Harold Arlen)
You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene
(To illustrate his last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they do
Just when everything looked so dark)
Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No, do not mess with Mister In-Between
Do you hear me, hmm?
(Oh, listen to me children and-a you will hear
About the elininatin' of the negative
And the accent on the positive)
And gather 'round me children if you're willin'
And sit tight while I start reviewin'
The attitude of doin' right
(You've gotta accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between)
You've got to spread joy (up to the maximum)
Bring gloom (down) down to the minimum
Otherwise (otherwise) pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene
To illustrate (well illustrate)
my last remark (you got the floor)
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they say (what did they say)
Say when everything looked so dark
Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No! Don't mess with Mister In-Between