My first for today is the first anniversary of my mother’s death. I’m really not sure how I was supposed to spend this day. I’m sure that sitting around mourning would not be productive or what my mom would have wanted. So I spent the day going thru life. Nothing was really different. I was a little rawer than normal. But that’s to be expected.
I felt like one of those games you find at a carnival. The game where you need to aim a water gun into a little whole and it makes the clown balloon fly up to the top. The whole point is to get to the top before every else does. And then you win a toy that was made in China by underpaid children who wouldn’t play with the toy even if they could afford it. And then you do it all over again. Same results the next time you play. But you learn a little more each time you play. Of course it’s rigged so you’ll never really win but you start to get more confidence in your ability to win if you just had enough opportunities to try.
One experience that happened today at work was a family coming in to the store trying to buy items for the memorial service they are having tomorrow. They were actually carrying around the ashes of their deceased family member. Carrying them around in a little plastic black box. I have the same black box at my house. We were able to bond thru death. They were very upbeat about the whole thing. They are planning on celebrating the life that she lived. Not the death that took her away. I will pray for them tomorrow. And I know that they will get thru it just like me.
I think that today was a great beginning of many years of Anniversary and I look forward to the ones that don’t involve so many tears.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
When God Speaks
God spoke to me today. That in its self is not new. But the manner in which he chose to speak was.
As most of you know I have been church hopping for 2 years now. Some have felt good. Some have felt bad. But none of them home. I found one recently that I thought could do as home but after looking into really getting involved I realized that it was not the place God had in mind for me.
So, yesterday I watched the twins play their last soccer game of the season. The first one of the season that I actually made it to. The twins were great. They ran their cute little tushies off while having amazing fun. While I was there I ran into an old friend. An old ministry friend. And she invited me to her family’s church. Which leads me to today. I have found my home church. From the moment I walked in the door I heard Jesus welcome me home. I sat and soaked it all in. I sang, I laughed, I cried and most importantly I prayed. A good solid prayer of longevity with other women of God. It was everything my soul needed. And then one of those God moments happened. The prayer counselor I was praying with says God told her to ask me to help with their VBS. For those of you that don’t know VBS stands for Vacation Bible School and when God knit my skin together I think he sewed in some extra VBS juice. Because I love VBS. It’s the happiest time of the year for me. Winning children to Christ in a fun and creative life altering matter is who I am, and what VBS is.
So now I am headed to a VBS volunteer meeting. Yeah! Of course I have already been told that the church is also looking for someone to help out with the children’s drama program. Could the day be any more focused on a plan for me life? I think not. But just to make sure I pray. I pray while driving home. I’m having a conversation with God that goes something like:
“Hi God! Thanks for a great day. Thanks for the wonderful people that you put in my life today. Thanks for the opportunities you are giving me. Now, let’s talk. I know that I spontaneously jump into things and even though these 2 opportunities seem like a perfect fit for me. Could you give me a sign that says I should get this involved?”
A giant lightening bolt comes out of the sky and crashes down on the hill in front of me! I burst out laughing. Only God would speak through nature. It was beautiful and yet powerful. Isn’t that the best way to describe God-Beautiful Power!
I pray that all of you are getting to have great God moments in your life.
Love to all-
As most of you know I have been church hopping for 2 years now. Some have felt good. Some have felt bad. But none of them home. I found one recently that I thought could do as home but after looking into really getting involved I realized that it was not the place God had in mind for me.
So, yesterday I watched the twins play their last soccer game of the season. The first one of the season that I actually made it to. The twins were great. They ran their cute little tushies off while having amazing fun. While I was there I ran into an old friend. An old ministry friend. And she invited me to her family’s church. Which leads me to today. I have found my home church. From the moment I walked in the door I heard Jesus welcome me home. I sat and soaked it all in. I sang, I laughed, I cried and most importantly I prayed. A good solid prayer of longevity with other women of God. It was everything my soul needed. And then one of those God moments happened. The prayer counselor I was praying with says God told her to ask me to help with their VBS. For those of you that don’t know VBS stands for Vacation Bible School and when God knit my skin together I think he sewed in some extra VBS juice. Because I love VBS. It’s the happiest time of the year for me. Winning children to Christ in a fun and creative life altering matter is who I am, and what VBS is.
So now I am headed to a VBS volunteer meeting. Yeah! Of course I have already been told that the church is also looking for someone to help out with the children’s drama program. Could the day be any more focused on a plan for me life? I think not. But just to make sure I pray. I pray while driving home. I’m having a conversation with God that goes something like:
“Hi God! Thanks for a great day. Thanks for the wonderful people that you put in my life today. Thanks for the opportunities you are giving me. Now, let’s talk. I know that I spontaneously jump into things and even though these 2 opportunities seem like a perfect fit for me. Could you give me a sign that says I should get this involved?”
A giant lightening bolt comes out of the sky and crashes down on the hill in front of me! I burst out laughing. Only God would speak through nature. It was beautiful and yet powerful. Isn’t that the best way to describe God-Beautiful Power!
I pray that all of you are getting to have great God moments in your life.
Love to all-
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
3:54
It’s 3:54am and I am awake. Sadly that is nothing new for me. But using my time productively is. I’ve applied for 3 jobs and I’ve e-mailed old and new friends, and I have made a plan to try another new adventure.
Let me address my first new adventure…this Blog. Although I have not been writing about my daily adventure I have still been living it. I have gone to different states, met new people and tried all different types of food. I can now cook at least one dish from 9 different countries! Pretty cool, if you ask me. I am still tentative about making a Key lime non-dairy Cheesecake. But give my time I will make it before I turn 40.
So, let me cover some of the high lights ya’ll have missed. I was a dad at a Daddy-Daughter dance. It was actually fun, and some of the dad’s even checked me out! I have now met my nephew’s fiancé, he’s 6 and she’s 9. But you can tell its love for her, or at least desire. He has a DS game and she gets to use it. The relationship is a match made in heaven. I’ve been in the hospital, more to come on that later. The trip deserves its own blog! I’ve painted an art piece that actually looks hang-able. I submitted my children’s curriculum to a publisher. I’m in the middle of building a new fence and every day there is something new to learn or do. I got a new car. I’ve decorated the new car. I have crawled under my house looking for critters-No, I did not eat said critter. I have a new dog. Her name is Mookie and again, more will come of her in later posts. I had a friend sell her first book. Yeah Elissa! I had my computer stolen. I redid my resume. And I took time to put me and my health first. That is probably the best First I could have ever tried.
So now onto the new adventure…I will be submitting 10 greeting cards for consideration by the end of this week. I’ve finally come to the conclusion that a rejection is better than not trying. And the worst thing that could happen is I wasted 96 hours doing a creative project that brought me joy. The best-They like them! I send at least 2 cards a month, and I buy at least 5 cards a month, so I should at least be able to come up with one card that other people want to buy! I have already come up with 4 pages of one liners. Narrowing them down to 10 workable ideas should be no problem! Right!!!! But I’m gonna try and that is all that matters.
Well, gonna go try to get a few hours of sleep-
I love you all-
Let me address my first new adventure…this Blog. Although I have not been writing about my daily adventure I have still been living it. I have gone to different states, met new people and tried all different types of food. I can now cook at least one dish from 9 different countries! Pretty cool, if you ask me. I am still tentative about making a Key lime non-dairy Cheesecake. But give my time I will make it before I turn 40.
So, let me cover some of the high lights ya’ll have missed. I was a dad at a Daddy-Daughter dance. It was actually fun, and some of the dad’s even checked me out! I have now met my nephew’s fiancé, he’s 6 and she’s 9. But you can tell its love for her, or at least desire. He has a DS game and she gets to use it. The relationship is a match made in heaven. I’ve been in the hospital, more to come on that later. The trip deserves its own blog! I’ve painted an art piece that actually looks hang-able. I submitted my children’s curriculum to a publisher. I’m in the middle of building a new fence and every day there is something new to learn or do. I got a new car. I’ve decorated the new car. I have crawled under my house looking for critters-No, I did not eat said critter. I have a new dog. Her name is Mookie and again, more will come of her in later posts. I had a friend sell her first book. Yeah Elissa! I had my computer stolen. I redid my resume. And I took time to put me and my health first. That is probably the best First I could have ever tried.
So now onto the new adventure…I will be submitting 10 greeting cards for consideration by the end of this week. I’ve finally come to the conclusion that a rejection is better than not trying. And the worst thing that could happen is I wasted 96 hours doing a creative project that brought me joy. The best-They like them! I send at least 2 cards a month, and I buy at least 5 cards a month, so I should at least be able to come up with one card that other people want to buy! I have already come up with 4 pages of one liners. Narrowing them down to 10 workable ideas should be no problem! Right!!!! But I’m gonna try and that is all that matters.
Well, gonna go try to get a few hours of sleep-
I love you all-
Monday, March 29, 2010
5 year old addict
So, this does not really fall under a new for the day. But it is cute and it is a new experience none the less.
I was at my friends house and I was watching these two five year old girls and a three year old getting drinks for themselves. They all went to the fridge. They all had the same options. They all chose for themselves. The three year old picked a juice box. The first five year old chose a juice box but then noticed the other 5 year old has a can of Ginger ale. So she put her juice box back and got another can of Ginger ale out of the fridge.
As the three year old drank and the five year olds filled their cups instead of drinking out of the can, they discussed if the three year old was allowed to have Ginger ale. The two five year olds where very concerned to make sure that they did not do anything that the three year old's mother would disapprove of. Very conscious of them I must add.
So this debate of can she or can't she continues between the five year olds. The three year old is extremely happy with her juice box and is drinking away while they discuss her all around her.
The first five year old has decided that the three year old is too young. We were much older when we could drink Ginger ale.
The second five year old pipes up with, "I was five when I started ginger ale." She is so the addict in the making! Of course I wanted to point out to her that she is still five. But because her birthday is in 3 and a half months she is more 6 than she is 5 in her mind!
I just loved how she thinks. You have to be old enough to experience things. You have to watch out for those around you so that they do not experience things to soon. You have to inspire the desire to want to have things in their proper time. And you have to learn the patience to stick it out until the time comes.
So, I can say that my new for the day is learning from a 5 year old. (of course that happens all the time for me with the circle of friends I hang out with!) But it was a new lesson and that is all that matters.
I was at my friends house and I was watching these two five year old girls and a three year old getting drinks for themselves. They all went to the fridge. They all had the same options. They all chose for themselves. The three year old picked a juice box. The first five year old chose a juice box but then noticed the other 5 year old has a can of Ginger ale. So she put her juice box back and got another can of Ginger ale out of the fridge.
As the three year old drank and the five year olds filled their cups instead of drinking out of the can, they discussed if the three year old was allowed to have Ginger ale. The two five year olds where very concerned to make sure that they did not do anything that the three year old's mother would disapprove of. Very conscious of them I must add.
So this debate of can she or can't she continues between the five year olds. The three year old is extremely happy with her juice box and is drinking away while they discuss her all around her.
The first five year old has decided that the three year old is too young. We were much older when we could drink Ginger ale.
The second five year old pipes up with, "I was five when I started ginger ale." She is so the addict in the making! Of course I wanted to point out to her that she is still five. But because her birthday is in 3 and a half months she is more 6 than she is 5 in her mind!
I just loved how she thinks. You have to be old enough to experience things. You have to watch out for those around you so that they do not experience things to soon. You have to inspire the desire to want to have things in their proper time. And you have to learn the patience to stick it out until the time comes.
So, I can say that my new for the day is learning from a 5 year old. (of course that happens all the time for me with the circle of friends I hang out with!) But it was a new lesson and that is all that matters.
Fried Green Tomatoes and other passing ideas!
I had so many first’s today that I will have to put up multiple posts.
My first one happened in Wally World. I don’t know if it’s because I am about to turn 40. Or if I am really desperate. Or if I have just given up all reason and have decided to go with all of my natural impulses. That last thought is a little scary-even for me!
Well, today at Wally World I spotted a very nice looking creature. I have run into them all around town and we’ve even joked about stocking each other. But, shy as I am…I have done nothing. So as we both finish our shopping, and they go one way and I go another I am saddened by my lack of courage to step out of my comfort zone and ask them out.
So, as I get into my car, and pause to let a car go by me…It’s them. In the car in front of me. It’s fate. I must do something. Ask them out. Ask them if their married. Just do something. Of course this is all running thru my mind as we are driving down the busiest street we have in town. I am watching every move they make inside the car. And yet, I’m not sure that they have even seen me. We stop at a light. Do I get out and ask to go get coffee? No, I sit still. We come to another light. I could just say something nice about the car! But I say nothing.
And then it hits me, “Fried Green Tomatoes.” I have awesome insurance. I can run into them and get a date or at least a longer conversation then just Hi and Bye, preferably both. I am actually considering it. There is something drastically wrong with my brain. As I finish my debate in my head I notice the car in front of me has their blinker on. This is not the way I need to turn. This is not the way to coffee. This is not the way into my future. I could hit them. Just a little nudge. Just a small tap. The light is going change.
I do nothing. But, at the last minute, I noticed that they looked up into their rearview mirror. It’s now or never. My hands come of my wheel. My brain stops controlling my actions. So, I have my windows down and my hands up and I am shouting Good Bye at the top of my lungs.
Nothing! I think I might have gotten a small wave and a nod. But I will never know, because the next time we pass each other, my head will be down and I will play dumb and pretend to not see them.
I do have to say it was fun dreaming for just a moment. Who knows, they could have been the one. Or they could have been the one that would have totally destroyed my life. Either way the moment has passed and life continues. I will have more opportunities for firsts tomorrow!
My first one happened in Wally World. I don’t know if it’s because I am about to turn 40. Or if I am really desperate. Or if I have just given up all reason and have decided to go with all of my natural impulses. That last thought is a little scary-even for me!
Well, today at Wally World I spotted a very nice looking creature. I have run into them all around town and we’ve even joked about stocking each other. But, shy as I am…I have done nothing. So as we both finish our shopping, and they go one way and I go another I am saddened by my lack of courage to step out of my comfort zone and ask them out.
So, as I get into my car, and pause to let a car go by me…It’s them. In the car in front of me. It’s fate. I must do something. Ask them out. Ask them if their married. Just do something. Of course this is all running thru my mind as we are driving down the busiest street we have in town. I am watching every move they make inside the car. And yet, I’m not sure that they have even seen me. We stop at a light. Do I get out and ask to go get coffee? No, I sit still. We come to another light. I could just say something nice about the car! But I say nothing.
And then it hits me, “Fried Green Tomatoes.” I have awesome insurance. I can run into them and get a date or at least a longer conversation then just Hi and Bye, preferably both. I am actually considering it. There is something drastically wrong with my brain. As I finish my debate in my head I notice the car in front of me has their blinker on. This is not the way I need to turn. This is not the way to coffee. This is not the way into my future. I could hit them. Just a little nudge. Just a small tap. The light is going change.
I do nothing. But, at the last minute, I noticed that they looked up into their rearview mirror. It’s now or never. My hands come of my wheel. My brain stops controlling my actions. So, I have my windows down and my hands up and I am shouting Good Bye at the top of my lungs.
Nothing! I think I might have gotten a small wave and a nod. But I will never know, because the next time we pass each other, my head will be down and I will play dumb and pretend to not see them.
I do have to say it was fun dreaming for just a moment. Who knows, they could have been the one. Or they could have been the one that would have totally destroyed my life. Either way the moment has passed and life continues. I will have more opportunities for firsts tomorrow!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Head Butting
OK,I did not do this, but I witnessed it. And since I am pretty sure that no one else has ever witnessed this I am going to count it as my new experience.
I watched a 63 year old woman Head Butt a twenty something woman.
I was in my water aerobics class on Friday and we started out just like any other Friday. All the lovely old Bettys and me. We are just getting started when in comes this woman in her twenties. She is dressed in an Olympic type swimsuit, with goggles, fins, hair cap and her own splash board. She is a professional. She is here to work out.
I should mention that up until this moment the lovely ladies around me have been yakking and having fun and not really 'working out.' Don't get me wrong, they are here to exercise, just sometimes it is a tie between their mouths and legs on which one got the harder workout! And they know it!
But all mouths stopped as this woman entered the pool. She did not enter into the "Lap" lane. She did not enter into the area that was intended for serious swimmers. She jumped right in to "Their" territory and started her laps. Full force, perfect form and much attitude was performed by this woman.
One stroke, two strokes, three strokes. All hell broke out!
"Do you see her?"
"Who does she think she is?"
"What right does she have?"
"She is in our Territory!"
"This is our space, does she not see that we are exercising here?"
"She has to go!"
I watch as these beautiful, peaceful sages start to ignite. War is brewing and if I was the twenty something woman I would be scared.
This woman just keeps swimming. The sages have hollered at her. The sages have yelled at the 19 year old life guard to do something. The sages have started to swarm.
One particular sages, who happens to be 63, and has figured out that you don't get anything in life by staying safe, decides to take things in her own hands.
First she tries talking to the woman loudly. The woman keeps swimming. Then the sage taps her on the shoulder as she swims by. The woman pauses, says "I was told I can swim here." And continues to keep swimming.
Now you must realizes that there are about 20 silver haired beauties circling, one instructor, one lifeguard, one trainer, one trainee, a father and daughter team, and me in the pool also. We are all watching this twenty year old blow this sage off.
The next thing I know, the sage has stepped forcefully in front of the swimmer, planted her feet securely, and sticks out her belly! The timing was flawless. The twenty something swimmer swam directly into the belly of this woman head first. Direct impact!
The swimmer paused. The swimmer looked around. The swimmer shook it off. The swimmer kept swimming!
Awe...pure Awe. That is all I can say. I am in awe that someone could be that disrespectful to another person. I am also totally in awe that this 63 year old sage is not totally damaged.
The 19 year old finally decides that he should step in and has to tap the swimmer twice before he can get her to stop, but he finally gets her to go to the "lap" lane.
The whole rest of the class is spent talking about the gull of the swimmer and the endurance of our sages. They inform me that this happens all the time and "they" just have to set them straight!
All I have to say is that I am glad that I am in the class and not against it!
I watched a 63 year old woman Head Butt a twenty something woman.
I was in my water aerobics class on Friday and we started out just like any other Friday. All the lovely old Bettys and me. We are just getting started when in comes this woman in her twenties. She is dressed in an Olympic type swimsuit, with goggles, fins, hair cap and her own splash board. She is a professional. She is here to work out.
I should mention that up until this moment the lovely ladies around me have been yakking and having fun and not really 'working out.' Don't get me wrong, they are here to exercise, just sometimes it is a tie between their mouths and legs on which one got the harder workout! And they know it!
But all mouths stopped as this woman entered the pool. She did not enter into the "Lap" lane. She did not enter into the area that was intended for serious swimmers. She jumped right in to "Their" territory and started her laps. Full force, perfect form and much attitude was performed by this woman.
One stroke, two strokes, three strokes. All hell broke out!
"Do you see her?"
"Who does she think she is?"
"What right does she have?"
"She is in our Territory!"
"This is our space, does she not see that we are exercising here?"
"She has to go!"
I watch as these beautiful, peaceful sages start to ignite. War is brewing and if I was the twenty something woman I would be scared.
This woman just keeps swimming. The sages have hollered at her. The sages have yelled at the 19 year old life guard to do something. The sages have started to swarm.
One particular sages, who happens to be 63, and has figured out that you don't get anything in life by staying safe, decides to take things in her own hands.
First she tries talking to the woman loudly. The woman keeps swimming. Then the sage taps her on the shoulder as she swims by. The woman pauses, says "I was told I can swim here." And continues to keep swimming.
Now you must realizes that there are about 20 silver haired beauties circling, one instructor, one lifeguard, one trainer, one trainee, a father and daughter team, and me in the pool also. We are all watching this twenty year old blow this sage off.
The next thing I know, the sage has stepped forcefully in front of the swimmer, planted her feet securely, and sticks out her belly! The timing was flawless. The twenty something swimmer swam directly into the belly of this woman head first. Direct impact!
The swimmer paused. The swimmer looked around. The swimmer shook it off. The swimmer kept swimming!
Awe...pure Awe. That is all I can say. I am in awe that someone could be that disrespectful to another person. I am also totally in awe that this 63 year old sage is not totally damaged.
The 19 year old finally decides that he should step in and has to tap the swimmer twice before he can get her to stop, but he finally gets her to go to the "lap" lane.
The whole rest of the class is spent talking about the gull of the swimmer and the endurance of our sages. They inform me that this happens all the time and "they" just have to set them straight!
All I have to say is that I am glad that I am in the class and not against it!
Grandma's house
Over the River and Thru the Woods to Grandmother's House We Go!
This is my new event. I have never taken children to Grandma's House. But today I did! Today I actually drove thru the woods, and over the river, although I found out later that I was not suppose to go over the river, to Grandmother's house.
We left early in the morning, drove all day, and arrived to the friendliest greeting I've had in along time. Grandma was waiting for us on the porch. I could almost smell the chocolate chip cookies from the road!
Of course, Grandma was waiting on the porch because I let 5 year olds tell me which way to turn to get to Grandma's house and we had already called to say we were lost. This was not a wise idea, and after the dogs from a wrong turn tried to attack the car, the small children also thought it was not wise to let them navigate. But alas, one last wrong turn and we pull over to find out where we were and this man in a white truck passes us and asks if we are OK. I let him know I am just looking to find where I am going. He waves and drives off. The small children, who have steered me wrong multiple times this trip, start yelling, "Uncle Pete! Uncle Pete!" Of course the man has already driven away so I can not ask him if he is Uncle Pete. But the twins are certain that this man, in this white truck, is Uncle Pete.
"Follow him! He'll lead us to Grandma's house!" I point out to them that there are 792 million white trucks in Texas. But they don't care. This is Uncle Pete's Truck. This is Uncle Pete!
What the heck-We can't get any more lost than we already are, so I follow this strange truck with this strange Uncle Pete in it! And you know what...It was Uncle Pete! As we turned the last corner and I now recognized Uncle Pete's House and Uncle Pete's Wife I was very happy to have listened to the 5 year olds!
Needless to say, Uncle Pete gave us clear directions and we made it to Grandma's house and all is well.
We are having fun and we are getting spoiled and we are eating way to many good things that Grandma made just for us!
So I guess that it is good to go to Grandma's house even if a 5 year old is giving directions!
This is my new event. I have never taken children to Grandma's House. But today I did! Today I actually drove thru the woods, and over the river, although I found out later that I was not suppose to go over the river, to Grandmother's house.
We left early in the morning, drove all day, and arrived to the friendliest greeting I've had in along time. Grandma was waiting for us on the porch. I could almost smell the chocolate chip cookies from the road!
Of course, Grandma was waiting on the porch because I let 5 year olds tell me which way to turn to get to Grandma's house and we had already called to say we were lost. This was not a wise idea, and after the dogs from a wrong turn tried to attack the car, the small children also thought it was not wise to let them navigate. But alas, one last wrong turn and we pull over to find out where we were and this man in a white truck passes us and asks if we are OK. I let him know I am just looking to find where I am going. He waves and drives off. The small children, who have steered me wrong multiple times this trip, start yelling, "Uncle Pete! Uncle Pete!" Of course the man has already driven away so I can not ask him if he is Uncle Pete. But the twins are certain that this man, in this white truck, is Uncle Pete.
"Follow him! He'll lead us to Grandma's house!" I point out to them that there are 792 million white trucks in Texas. But they don't care. This is Uncle Pete's Truck. This is Uncle Pete!
What the heck-We can't get any more lost than we already are, so I follow this strange truck with this strange Uncle Pete in it! And you know what...It was Uncle Pete! As we turned the last corner and I now recognized Uncle Pete's House and Uncle Pete's Wife I was very happy to have listened to the 5 year olds!
Needless to say, Uncle Pete gave us clear directions and we made it to Grandma's house and all is well.
We are having fun and we are getting spoiled and we are eating way to many good things that Grandma made just for us!
So I guess that it is good to go to Grandma's house even if a 5 year old is giving directions!
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