Joining the Occupy Movement

Yes, you read that correctly - we are officially joining the Occupy Movement.  This has been a long time in coming, but we have finally succumbed to the pressure.  We realized that Occupy was exactly what this family needed to do in order to make a difference.  Let me explain....

The other day, Master Hand Grenade had finished his school work.  His chores were done, his bedroom tidied and nothing more pressing than catching up on some lost sleep was on his agenda.  He was kicking around, wandering from here to there, and then it started.  The picking.  Suddenly, Master Hand Grenade became the Miss Serenity police, the Princess Dragon Snack police and the Master Calvin police all wrapped into one.  He took great pleasure in poking his siblings every time they walked by and twitting them just for the fun of it.  His attitude became flippant and arrogant and he was generally unacceptable for human interaction.  Master Hand Grenade needed something to do!

As I was imbuing Master Hand Grenade with the wisdom of the ages (basically, find something to do, or I will find something for you to do!) I realized the striking similarities between my errant son and the state of our nation.  Idleness breeds strife and discontent.  In fact, in 2 Thessalonians 3:11 it says "We hear that some among you are idle.  They are not busy; they are busybodies.  Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Chris to settle down and earn the bread they eat."  And again in 1 Timothy 5:13 "Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house.  And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to."  In other words, idleness causes people to become busybodies, to get into other peoples business.  It causes them to gossip and say things they ought not to say.  People without something to do make it their business to create problems for other people, just as Master Hand Grenade did, when he was without something productive to occupy his time.

The definition in my rather old bible sums up the ills of idleness...
Idleness:  Reluctance to do mental or physical labor; to be unemployed.  Life is a sacred trust that we should use for the accomplishment of ends beneficial to our fellow-creatures.  Idleness shuts the door against all the good things that come of industry, labor and love; it is the inlet of those impure thoughts that often leads to one's undoing, and to injury of society.  To work is a duty, which none should neglect.  What the world was, what it is now, is due to labor.  None deserve any special credit for doing their duty, but they do deserve censure if they neglect it.

And so, our family is the newest convert to the Occupy Movement.  We will endeavor to occupy our time with productivity, ensuring our family's well being and those with whom we interact.  We will learn to love work and despise idleness.  We will choose not to become busybodies and gossips.  We will not be more concerned with policing other peoples lives than we are with being responsible for our own.

We are The Occupy Movement.