Friday, June 28, 2013

Some Fun and Not-So-Fun Stuff

Darn.

I'd planned to make an oh-so-rare trip to our local WalMart tomorrow for mostly garden supplies, but when I heard they'd dropped Paula Deen, I thought, "Oh well. I don't like WalMart anyway (mostly because it's just too  overwhelming for me to shop there), so I'll simply go to Home Depot like I do nearly every weekend."

Grrr. Home Depot is dropping her, too.

And can you believe their nerve? On the very day they banished Paula Deen, this is what appeared on their Facebook page:

Everyone makes mistakes, but we have the tools to make them all better. 
Happy Forgiveness Day!


Oh wow.  A thousand of us (or so) had a heyday with that bit of glaring hypocrisy! We pounced on such an unbelievably foolish move. And if everyone remains true to their word? Lowe's will get hundreds of thousands of extra dollars this weekend.

But I don't have a local Lowe's (she whines), just a sad little garden shop which I visited only once because it felt depressing. And bare. (Insert cricket sound effects here).

Hmm... there's still JoAnn's Fabrics for a few outdoor items (Target dropped Paula, too, so forget them) ... and running around to scattered yard sales ... and actually traveling out of town to assorted garden shops spread far and wide. And of course, making-do and doing without.

But then, standing-up for ones beliefs has always cost something. Always has. Always will. Here on Planet Earth, anyway.


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But here's some good news: We've had not one dead sparrow in the last 9 days. Whew. I'd grown tired of dreaming about opened, bloodied sparrows at night. (Just be glad I spared you the gory details of what was happening when I realized the grackles were killing the sparrows... It's still etched in my head.)


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And something fun... Our local morning news told us that 4 huge female stars are here locally at Niagara Falls while making a movie: Melissa McCarthy, Kathy Bates, Susan Sarandon and Sandra Oh. The movie is called Tammy and the interview with Melissa this morning was delightful (she loved the beauty of the park and even called her parents, asking, "Why haven't we ever been here before?"). 

But alas, the poor ladies are getting majorly rained upon. Yes, it's raining here again. (I'm about ready to place umbrellas over some of my plants.) 

Yet at least I'm grateful we're not experiencing the super-hot temps of the West as some of you are... stay cool out there!

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Had a plumber over here yesterday because our bathtub, for weeks, was draining soooo slowly which was soooo annoying, messy and gross. I didn't even care about the money spent--some things are worth it, and besides, I've learned not to mind sharing money to help support workers' families. 

I believe we reap good things back when we view it as sharing, helping, rather than as a loss of funds.

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"And at that time shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another."   ... Matthew 24:10

Can you say, "Today's World?"


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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry, but I had to laugh at myself cause when you mentioned 'huge' stars I had a different idea what you ment by 'huge'. I hadn't kept up on the latest Paula Dean fallout. I am so glad you all pounced on HomeDepot. I hope the executives saw it. I am so glad everyone else is perfect and just a few people aren't. Do we ever learn?...or try to understand? :( By the way, we Do have Lowes...several. Thanks. I will be keeping an ear out to see if they do anything.
Thanks, for sympathizing, we are Trying to stay cool. :-) Sarah

Yellowhouse Grandma said...

I too am very sorry to see Paula Deen being made such a target of! I don't shop Walmart either and don't have a Home Depot near by. So wont miss not going to either place! I wish someone would stand up for her!

Anonymous said...

Last night [Friday} on Yahoo News I saw an article titled Your Social Media Guide to the Scary World of Paula Deen Defenders. It was written by Alexander Abad-Santos. It were slamming anyone who went on line or Facebook defending her in any way. I also saw a u-tube there to click on where Jimmy Carter was saying she should let things dye down a bit then come back and tell of the social programs etc etc that she has put together herself in her areas that help or are also used by blacks etc. So people can see she has changed. So are they saying she only said the one thing years ago or has a history of being negative? I am confused. Seems once one thing is mentioned about anyone Every possible thing they Ever did is under the microscope. I don't suppose any of us could get away clean if they used a bit enough magnifying glass. This seems to be new way of throwing stones at people. Just a thought.... Sarah

Debra said...

Linda---sounds like we're on the same page. But then, we usually are! :)

Sarah---one thing that bothers me is this horrible double standard. How, if one person does something, it's fine and acceptable, but if someone else does it? It's enough to act like *we* have never sinned so this person should be banned, never forgiven and viewed forever as evil.

It all makes me sick, really, (and I'm not just talking about the Paula Deen thing. It's in other places, too.).

If God treated us all this way? He'd be playing favorites and the rest of us would be doomed. With God, love is the most important thing and anything else is just noise. His love is full of mercy and forgiveness, especially when we're asking for those things as Paula has done.

The disciple, Peter, thought forgiving someone 7 times was quite enough, but Jesus told Him it's more like --'seventy times seven.' And really? We *all* need that kind of mega forgiveness. Not just Paula, but each of us who fall so short of perfection, especially in our words.

We live in such a hate-filled, offended society, but then, the Bible said that in the last days, we would. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the witch hunt concerning Paula (you'd think she murdered someone!)--but still, it does surprise and sicken me and makes me want to just--can I be frank?--turn off this computer and never come back amongst all the flagrant, I-would-never-sin-like-you-do-therefore-I'm-better-than-you pride here online.

Gah. It's so tempting to just hide from it all, but until God tells me to hide like that, I'll stay here. :)

Thanks for commenting, Ladies! Blessings, Debra

Anonymous said...

Well, Paula Deene seems to come from a normal family...these days that can make a person a target. I am with you...don't HAVE to shop where those stores are so quick to be "correct"...makes me wonder what other causes they ARE supporting...had already chucked most of those stores due to what they openly espouse. Things that ought not to be discussed frankly!! At least in polite company some things were not spoken of...but then that was so long ago huh? It does not seem to me that in this day when nothing is private or sacred, that any of the changed in our lifetime has helped society. I am not seeing a nicer, kinder place...not on either coast this year, being we have and are living on both.
Elizabeth in WA state