If you had asked me to describe my mother in physical terms when I was young, the first thing I probably would have mentioned was her brilliant blue eyes. The second thing would be how tall she was. She was actually taller than my dad by an inch or two.
She often wore a sky blue bellbottom pantsuit with huge white flowers all over it. (It was the 60's!) I remember standing by her side and looking up, up, up, and seeing those beautiful eyes and that amazing smile that is instantly recognizable to everyone that knew her.. I would raise up onto my tiptoes, and raise my hands high in the air to reach her shoulders. She would bend down and give me one of those kind of hugs that only a mom can give.
One of my goals in life was to grow as tall as she was so that I could reach the top cabinets without help and look at the tops of people's heads. I didn't quite make it. I am only 5'4".
She was a whopping 5'5".
It's all about perspective. :)
L
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
the A to Z challenge- already?
Oh dear, people are thinking about the A to Z challenge already? Isn't that in April?
There are some people who amaze me with how organized they are with writing. Well, let's be honest, there are some people that amaze me with how organized they are in life! Okay, being excruciatingly honest- Organized people just amaze me in general.
How is it that you never lose your keys? Or your phone? or your shoe? Or your mind?
I have lost all of these.... today. Not for long, mind you, but they were definitely missing.
Never mind. Back to the A to Z challenge... What will i write? Last year, I wrote about a Bible character each day. I really enjoyed doing that. This year the possibilities are endless.
I could try to find a color that starts with each letter of the alphabet: amber, blue, chartruse, dark blue, effervescent blue, fawn, grey, honey, indigo, uhoh stuck on J.
I could write about emotions and attitudes: anger, boredom, cockiness, deference, stuck on E.
I could write about what the shape of each letter reminded me of: A is like an A frame house, B is ... nope I don't think so...
It's a good thing I have until April to figure this out. It looks like I'm going to need some time! :)
L
There are some people who amaze me with how organized they are with writing. Well, let's be honest, there are some people that amaze me with how organized they are in life! Okay, being excruciatingly honest- Organized people just amaze me in general.
How is it that you never lose your keys? Or your phone? or your shoe? Or your mind?
I have lost all of these.... today. Not for long, mind you, but they were definitely missing.
Never mind. Back to the A to Z challenge... What will i write? Last year, I wrote about a Bible character each day. I really enjoyed doing that. This year the possibilities are endless.
I could try to find a color that starts with each letter of the alphabet: amber, blue, chartruse, dark blue, effervescent blue, fawn, grey, honey, indigo, uhoh stuck on J.
I could write about emotions and attitudes: anger, boredom, cockiness, deference, stuck on E.
I could write about what the shape of each letter reminded me of: A is like an A frame house, B is ... nope I don't think so...
It's a good thing I have until April to figure this out. It looks like I'm going to need some time! :)
L
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
ummm How many is that again?
For those of you that are just tuning in... I was getting ever so close to my "100 blogs" moment (and have been for months) that I was going to write a blog an hour until I hit the 100 mark.
so I wrote and wrote and wrote- not hourly, but at least there were words on a page and I was doing something! And I was actually getting kind of excited about getting closer and closer to my goal. 93...94...95...96...97
Until.....
I realized that I had a bunch of drafts that I had been counting as having posted already! So I got rid of my drafts and realized that I am all the way back at 89. Well, actually, this post will make it 90.
Soooo....
here I go again.
In my "quest to 100", I am also recognizing that quality is probably better than quantity, so this time, I'm not promising to write every hour on the hour... But I will write consistently, and maybe, just maybe by this time next week, I will have succeeded in this silly desire of mine.
What will happen when I hit my 100? I am imagining that confetti will spray out of my computer screen and sirens will blare. My husband will take me out for a fabulously expensive dinner and my kids will called me blessed....
Okay, maybe not.
I will, as my Dad always used to tell me, get the satisfaction of a job well done.
If that was good enough for him, it's good enough for me. :)
L
so I wrote and wrote and wrote- not hourly, but at least there were words on a page and I was doing something! And I was actually getting kind of excited about getting closer and closer to my goal. 93...94...95...96...97
Until.....
I realized that I had a bunch of drafts that I had been counting as having posted already! So I got rid of my drafts and realized that I am all the way back at 89. Well, actually, this post will make it 90.
Soooo....
here I go again.
In my "quest to 100", I am also recognizing that quality is probably better than quantity, so this time, I'm not promising to write every hour on the hour... But I will write consistently, and maybe, just maybe by this time next week, I will have succeeded in this silly desire of mine.
What will happen when I hit my 100? I am imagining that confetti will spray out of my computer screen and sirens will blare. My husband will take me out for a fabulously expensive dinner and my kids will called me blessed....
Okay, maybe not.
I will, as my Dad always used to tell me, get the satisfaction of a job well done.
If that was good enough for him, it's good enough for me. :)
L
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
How than shall we live?
Lots of people say they would be willing to die for Jesus. I've read lots of stories about people sacrificing their lives in the mission field or being martyred for their beliefs. I often wonder how I would do in those circumstances. but even more important, than dying for Him, I want to live, really live, for Jesus.
Here's my list.
How I want to live:
1. As if I really believe that death is merely the door to heaven... eternal joy, peace, and love is just on the other side. (I do believe this, I just sometimes forget.) This sounds like such a cliche' but once you really understand this, the sting of death really is just about gone.
2. Honestly. I have noticed lately that it's the little things that are sometimes the hardest things to be honest about.
3. With passion. Life isn't worth living if I don't live with passion.
4. With compassion.
What about you?
L
Here's my list.
How I want to live:
1. As if I really believe that death is merely the door to heaven... eternal joy, peace, and love is just on the other side. (I do believe this, I just sometimes forget.) This sounds like such a cliche' but once you really understand this, the sting of death really is just about gone.
2. Honestly. I have noticed lately that it's the little things that are sometimes the hardest things to be honest about.
3. With passion. Life isn't worth living if I don't live with passion.
4. With compassion.
What about you?
L
Just a quick question...
Humility: the condition of being humble
Humble: marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.
Humiliation: state of digrace or loss of self-respect
synonyms: disgrace, shame, dishonor, degradation
antonyms: dignity, pride
Greek from "Humus" meaning earth
My only question: Can you get humiliated if you are truly humble?
I'm not sure. What think you?
L
I'm not sure. What think you?
L
Why Samson?
All right. I have a confession to make. (I may have made it before, I can't really remember). I have never really liked the story of Samson. He was a judge with a problem. He was arrogant, angry, and antagonistic. (Oh yeah, three "A"s!) I have never understood why we tell this story to children!
BUT, I was reading his story last night and I decided to read the study notes at the bottom of the page... It appears that every other time (during the time of the judges) the people would be disobedient and God would allow an enemy to conquer them for awhile. The people would realize their sin, repent and call out to God. He would then send a judge who would help them to get out from the enemy's grasp.
Well, this time around, the Israelites had gotten so used to living under the Philistines rule, they didn't even bother to call out to God... They had become so used to the oppression, they just lived with it.
Then in comes Samson. Samson's job it seems, was to enrage the Philistines so that they would come down heavier on the Israelites, so that they would be come uncomfortable and call out to God for help.
And I have to say is, if that was his job, he was good at it. He killed 30 of them just because of a riddle, he killed a whole bunch of them with a fresh donkey jawbone. (And just as an aside, a "Fresh" donkey jawbone? Does that mean what I think it means? Did this jawbone have flesh hanging off of it? Did it stink? bugs crawling along the gum line? yuck! Again, Why do we teach this to our children?)
Anyway, Samson did (I suppose) ultimately redeem himself at the end of his life, although not enough to put him on my top 10 list of favorite biblical people, that's for sure.
L
BUT, I was reading his story last night and I decided to read the study notes at the bottom of the page... It appears that every other time (during the time of the judges) the people would be disobedient and God would allow an enemy to conquer them for awhile. The people would realize their sin, repent and call out to God. He would then send a judge who would help them to get out from the enemy's grasp.
Well, this time around, the Israelites had gotten so used to living under the Philistines rule, they didn't even bother to call out to God... They had become so used to the oppression, they just lived with it.
Then in comes Samson. Samson's job it seems, was to enrage the Philistines so that they would come down heavier on the Israelites, so that they would be come uncomfortable and call out to God for help.
And I have to say is, if that was his job, he was good at it. He killed 30 of them just because of a riddle, he killed a whole bunch of them with a fresh donkey jawbone. (And just as an aside, a "Fresh" donkey jawbone? Does that mean what I think it means? Did this jawbone have flesh hanging off of it? Did it stink? bugs crawling along the gum line? yuck! Again, Why do we teach this to our children?)
Anyway, Samson did (I suppose) ultimately redeem himself at the end of his life, although not enough to put him on my top 10 list of favorite biblical people, that's for sure.
L
The Oddities of Me
Weird things about me:
1. I am allergic to bagged lettuce. (when I explain this to people verbally, they think I am saying "bad lettuce". I'm sure they are thinking "Isn't everybody?"
2. I am allergic to aspirin. The right side of my upper lip swells up. That's all. Just the right side of my lip. So the question is... If I think I'm having a heart attack and someone hands me an aspirin, do I take it?
3. I am allergic to the chlorine in our pool. If I go underwater, even for a second, when I come up out of the water, my throat hurts enough to make me cry.
4. Enough with the allergies. my toes (except for my big toe) don't actually move separately. I thought this was normal until I watched my children spread out their toes wide enough so they could put a toothbrush between them. (Not that they did that. That would be gross.) That may have been just a little bit too much information.
5. I wear socks to bed every night. (and that has nothing to do with the movement or lack thereof of my toes.)
6. I alphabetize my spices... I know the 50 states alphabetically, and my dvds are all in alphabetical order. Now this may not seem too strange to some people, but considering that I am one of the world's most disorganized people, its really is a bit of a shocker. My kids think it's weird.
7. 27 is my favorite number. When my son asked me why that number, I said the obvious answer: " because 3 times 9 equals that."
8. I've been working out since January 1st and have gained three pounds... I stopped drinking Pepsi two weeks ago and haven't lost a pound. Don't know if that's weird for the rest of the world, but it is for me.
9. All of my animals are black and white except one chicken which is reddish brown.
10. I once bought two parakeets for church. My plan was to videotape them to make it look like they were telling the Bible stories... I still think it was a great idea... I was just a lousy editor.
Okay, so that's it. I'd love to hear about an odd thing or two that you do... Please tell me I'm not the only weirdo out there!
L
1. I am allergic to bagged lettuce. (when I explain this to people verbally, they think I am saying "bad lettuce". I'm sure they are thinking "Isn't everybody?"
2. I am allergic to aspirin. The right side of my upper lip swells up. That's all. Just the right side of my lip. So the question is... If I think I'm having a heart attack and someone hands me an aspirin, do I take it?
3. I am allergic to the chlorine in our pool. If I go underwater, even for a second, when I come up out of the water, my throat hurts enough to make me cry.
4. Enough with the allergies. my toes (except for my big toe) don't actually move separately. I thought this was normal until I watched my children spread out their toes wide enough so they could put a toothbrush between them. (Not that they did that. That would be gross.) That may have been just a little bit too much information.
5. I wear socks to bed every night. (and that has nothing to do with the movement or lack thereof of my toes.)
6. I alphabetize my spices... I know the 50 states alphabetically, and my dvds are all in alphabetical order. Now this may not seem too strange to some people, but considering that I am one of the world's most disorganized people, its really is a bit of a shocker. My kids think it's weird.
7. 27 is my favorite number. When my son asked me why that number, I said the obvious answer: " because 3 times 9 equals that."
8. I've been working out since January 1st and have gained three pounds... I stopped drinking Pepsi two weeks ago and haven't lost a pound. Don't know if that's weird for the rest of the world, but it is for me.
9. All of my animals are black and white except one chicken which is reddish brown.
10. I once bought two parakeets for church. My plan was to videotape them to make it look like they were telling the Bible stories... I still think it was a great idea... I was just a lousy editor.
Okay, so that's it. I'd love to hear about an odd thing or two that you do... Please tell me I'm not the only weirdo out there!
L
Monday, January 23, 2012
I just got done watching the movie Robinson Crusoe.... I thought for sure that his beloved would be married when he finally got back to civilization. That's how those stories usually go isn't it? I mean, that's what happened in Castaway, right?
I love movies with great friendships. Crusoe and Friday, Thelma and Louise, (Actually I never saw that movie, but I loved the previews!) Fried Green Tomatoes, Tom Hanks (sorry- (don't remember his character's name) and Wilson.
It puts me in mind of some of my friendship adventures:
My friend Angie- We've known each other for 48 years...When we were really young we would hang upside down on the swingset singing camp songs... later we'd climb a tree down by the creek singing "Billy don't be a hero". The only time I was ever in a fight was in the sixth grade defending her from a class bully. (And all I really did was pushed that bully down. However, this incident alone has made my children tease ME about being a bully!)
My friend, Sam. We met in the fourth grade. He was cute and had horses. We had so many adventures together. Farm shows, horse shows, trail rides, Jr. high school dances. He gave me a hamster and kept it at his house. (We weren't allowed to have any animals that lived in a cage at our house. The poor hamster later drowned somehow in his basement....) He went away to private school our sophomore year and things were never quite the same.
My friend, Joy. Every card game I ever knew came from the hours that i spent with her family. We swam together, played Barbies until long after many of our friends had stopped... her family was the greatest.
Eileen and Dee and me. We were a threesome all the way through Junior High School. Friends through thick and thin....wearing makeup, sharing secret crushes, then high school started. I got a boyfriend, and our friendship started to fade away. (Entirely my fault.)
High School: Mark, Raff, andme. Another threesome. Laughter galore. theatre... the musical Oklahoma, a surry ride on a March afternoon, Three Mile Island, adventure, young love...
Kevin, Stephen, and me... best college friends.... and another threesome. (Is there a pattern here? )So many adventures! clowning, more theater, fishing, ice skating, late night walks,... oh yeah, and of course all those many classes that my parents paid for.
And then there are my college girl friends.... but hey, if I talk about everyone in this blog, what will be left to talk about in the other 7 blogs I have to write? :)
L
I love movies with great friendships. Crusoe and Friday, Thelma and Louise, (Actually I never saw that movie, but I loved the previews!) Fried Green Tomatoes, Tom Hanks (sorry- (don't remember his character's name) and Wilson.
It puts me in mind of some of my friendship adventures:
My friend Angie- We've known each other for 48 years...When we were really young we would hang upside down on the swingset singing camp songs... later we'd climb a tree down by the creek singing "Billy don't be a hero". The only time I was ever in a fight was in the sixth grade defending her from a class bully. (And all I really did was pushed that bully down. However, this incident alone has made my children tease ME about being a bully!)
My friend, Sam. We met in the fourth grade. He was cute and had horses. We had so many adventures together. Farm shows, horse shows, trail rides, Jr. high school dances. He gave me a hamster and kept it at his house. (We weren't allowed to have any animals that lived in a cage at our house. The poor hamster later drowned somehow in his basement....) He went away to private school our sophomore year and things were never quite the same.
My friend, Joy. Every card game I ever knew came from the hours that i spent with her family. We swam together, played Barbies until long after many of our friends had stopped... her family was the greatest.
Eileen and Dee and me. We were a threesome all the way through Junior High School. Friends through thick and thin....wearing makeup, sharing secret crushes, then high school started. I got a boyfriend, and our friendship started to fade away. (Entirely my fault.)
High School: Mark, Raff, andme. Another threesome. Laughter galore. theatre... the musical Oklahoma, a surry ride on a March afternoon, Three Mile Island, adventure, young love...
Kevin, Stephen, and me... best college friends.... and another threesome. (Is there a pattern here? )So many adventures! clowning, more theater, fishing, ice skating, late night walks,... oh yeah, and of course all those many classes that my parents paid for.
And then there are my college girl friends.... but hey, if I talk about everyone in this blog, what will be left to talk about in the other 7 blogs I have to write? :)
L
Hey! Don't stress!
What I wish I could teach my daughter.
1. How to not stress unless something is very very important.
2. That ten years from now, you will laugh about what is stressing you out today.
3. The healthiest exercise you can do sometimes is to shrug your shoulders.
4. relax, breather, laugh. You may not live longer, but you'll live happier.
I love you girl.
Mom
1. How to not stress unless something is very very important.
2. That ten years from now, you will laugh about what is stressing you out today.
3. The healthiest exercise you can do sometimes is to shrug your shoulders.
4. relax, breather, laugh. You may not live longer, but you'll live happier.
I love you girl.
Mom
Hotwings and a Movie
I'm already off of my hourly schedule of posting, but I have a very good reason. At 5:30 I was eating some absolutely scrumptious hotwings that my seventeen year old son had made. My hands were way too sticky to use the keyboard at that precise moment.... But here I am now ready to wow you with my next creative idea.
ummm
While we were eating our yummy wings, we were watching Robinson Crusoe, starring Pierce Brosnan, whom I have loved since watching him years ago as Remington Steele.
We were watching the scene where Crusoe goes back on the ship (after it is wrecked) and hears a whimpering sound. He breaks through a door and finds a cute Corgi dog. I thought it was very sweet that at least this poor man would have a companion on this lonely island.
My son watching the same sweet scene that I was watching, commented. "At least it's better than a volleyball".
I had to laugh out loud.
L
ummm
While we were eating our yummy wings, we were watching Robinson Crusoe, starring Pierce Brosnan, whom I have loved since watching him years ago as Remington Steele.
We were watching the scene where Crusoe goes back on the ship (after it is wrecked) and hears a whimpering sound. He breaks through a door and finds a cute Corgi dog. I thought it was very sweet that at least this poor man would have a companion on this lonely island.
My son watching the same sweet scene that I was watching, commented. "At least it's better than a volleyball".
I had to laugh out loud.
L
Almost There! (My trek to 100 posts)
Alright, here's the deal: I have been gone for quite a while. My creativity has ebbed. Now, don't get me wrong, I've had some great ideas, but they keep happening in inconvenient places like when I am driving my car or in the shower, and both places are rather problematic places to take notes.
I've really got to get back on track. Months ago, I was all excited because I was getting close to the "hundred Posts" mark. I think it was way back in June. I thought I would write a post every day and have that significant number under my belt by my one year blogging anniversary....
It is January and I am on post number ninety.
So this is what I've decided to do: I am going to post something every hour that I am awake (and not in staff meetings), until I hit my hundred goal. Whatever semi creative idea that is in my head for that hour will be on this blog for posterity. (Oh dear!) It may get a bit crazy over the next few days. Wish me luck!
I'm not sure if many people even check this site anymore due to my recent inactivity, but if you happen to peek in on me over the next few days, let me know which ones you like!
have a great day!
L
I've really got to get back on track. Months ago, I was all excited because I was getting close to the "hundred Posts" mark. I think it was way back in June. I thought I would write a post every day and have that significant number under my belt by my one year blogging anniversary....
It is January and I am on post number ninety.
So this is what I've decided to do: I am going to post something every hour that I am awake (and not in staff meetings), until I hit my hundred goal. Whatever semi creative idea that is in my head for that hour will be on this blog for posterity. (Oh dear!) It may get a bit crazy over the next few days. Wish me luck!
I'm not sure if many people even check this site anymore due to my recent inactivity, but if you happen to peek in on me over the next few days, let me know which ones you like!
have a great day!
L
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)