Hail to Antibiotics!

I apologize for not posting yesterday, Thursday, May 30^th.  Not only was it my birthday, I spent it coughing up a lung.  I’ve had this chest congestion that much like the Mucinex commercials, has moved in.  Take a look:

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGdVxSxKhRizkAgL9XNyoA?p=mucinex+commercials&fr2=sb-top&fr=yfp-t-900&type_param=

I’ve had those green globs of phlegm partying away causing much havoc on my respiratory system.  I’ve been through a five-day cocktail of antibiotics and steroids which helped while I was ingesting them but as soon as they were gone, the phlegm came back to party with a vengeance.  It was not the birthday party I was planning!  The time had come to evict my renters permanently.  So I am now on round two of antibiotics and feeling better by the minute.  (Kind of like nasty phlegm meets Rid-X!)  Give me another couple of days and I’ll happily be back to my daily routine!   Yay!!! 

Thought for the Day

In the Pursuit of Happiness

Happiness is a choice.  When you get up each morning and happiness is not part of your daily routine, you have to make a mental choice to be happy (or at least fake happy). 

·         If you don’t feel like smiling, smile anyway. 

·         If you feel moody, find something that motivates you.

·          If you’re feeling anti-social, join the crowd. 

I know it’s easier said (or written) than done, but think about how crossing the path of a happy person makes you feel.  Smiles and laughter are contagious.  The happier you are, the happier the people around you are.  It makes for a happier outlook, a happier day, and a happier life. 

You never know who your smile may affect.  By attitude alone, you could change a life today.

God Bless America

Thank you to all our troops who've fought to keep the freedom we have today in tact.  For those who mourn the loss of family and friends, those who have welcomed soldiers home with open arms, and those who continue their military careers:  God Bless You. 

 

This is for you John (my dad) and Mike (my son), both veterans who are here today with their families.  I love you both with all my heart.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q65KZIqay4E

Summer 2013 Has "Unofficially" Begun!

Finally, the holiday weekend is here, the unofficial start to summer.  It’s the beginning of the vacation season for some, not so much for others.  I couldn’t imagine having a three month hiatus from work.  However, I believe that teachers need that break for sanity reasons alone.  I raised two boys which was troubling enough at times, so I truly can’t imagine dealing with a classroom full of boys and girls! 

While this weekend is one that we should take time to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed on, all of whom are dancing on my heart this weekend, it also gives us an extra day off.  In light of this, we get to observe higher gas prices, crowded family fun venues, packed lakes and beaches, and lots of outdoor activities.     

And let’s not forget about the food!  Many family gatherings including picnics and barbeques are happening everywhere this weekend.  There are even some fun movies playing on the big screens this weekend.  We indulged in viewing Fast and Furious 6 yesterday – and it was well worth the money spent.  Of course, you probably need to be a Fast fan to appreciate it.

Whatever your plans, enjoy the weekend; we only get two of these a year.  Relax, laugh, enjoy your friends and families, and of course, think about those loved ones who have gone ahead of us.  Rejoice and celebrate the memory of their lives.  Too soon, we’ll be the ones being remembered.

Blank Canvas

With each novel I write, I start with a blank canvas filling it with words that build colorful images for anyone interested to read.  It’s much like the blank canvas an artist would begin with before adding paint or ink to the board, creating a world all of our own making.

Wouldn’t it be something if we could start with a blank canvas every day?  All of our mistakes, stupidity, selfishness, etc. forgiven, giving us a clean slate.  The good news is that we can; you only need look up.  Pray for forgiveness.  None us of perfect, not even close.  It doesn’t mean that we should give up. 

Each new day we receive is a gift, a chance to begin anew.  We are given a fresh blank canvas.  What will you do with yours today?  My hope is that you fill it with color and share it with those around you – family, friends, and strangers alike.  You are blessed.  God’s love shines upon you.  Pass it on to everyone you come in contact with so that they may bask in the same warmth and glory bestowed upon you. 

Our lives are limited to only so many days, a rationed number of blank canvases.  How many of those are you willing to share with the world?  As for me, I have a lot of work to do. 

The Best Commercials

My favorite commercial series running on television right now are for AT&T4G.  I don’t know who the man that is always surrounded by kids is, but their conversations are so innocently funny that I have to stop what I’m doing to watch the commercials in their entirety.

Ah, to have that young perspective on life once again about general day-to-day happenings.  I can’t begin to imagine as the adult, how much fun these commercials are to film.  I wondered if they tried scripting these commercials or just bringing groups of kids in to simply film them, waiting for scenes to unfold in a comical way. 

After some research, I found that they tried scripting the scenes but only one came out close to something they could use so they do freely film.  Either way, I don’t know how this man keeps a straight face.  I certainly can’t!

I can't say that I have a favorite.  If you need a little chuckle, check out the following link to view the commercials yourself. 

http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=at%26t+commercials+with+kids

If you find a favorite, I’d love to know which one it is!

Fellowship

It’s better to eat Twinkies among friends then broccoli alone. – Pastor Rob Winger

We were not put upon this earth to be alone.  I cannot imagine what life would be without having my loving circle of family and friends.  As hectic as life gets sometimes, they keep me grounded and accountable.  They lift me up when I’m down, make me laugh without effort, and yes, even make me cry sometimes.  In the grand scheme of things, I couldn’t do life without them.

This gets me to thinking about those who aren’t so lucky.  Those who have lost close loved ones, those who have walked away from abusive homes or relationships, and those who are lost and have no one to turn to. 

I grew up in a small town community.  By age nineteen, I moved to the big city.  And in my late forties, found myself drawn back to the small town community.  The big city has many things to offer, the constant city lights that keep the inhabitants moving and grooving.  It also had a rude factor.  I couldn’t drive down the street without someone honking their horn or giving hand signals, or worse, tailgating me to the point I just wanted to slam on my brakes.  People were rude in parking lots and stores, concerts, sporting events, and many other events, large and small.  Broccoli became preferable to Twinkies just to avoid the crowd.

Now that I am in the small town community again, things aren’t perfect.  There is the occasional “honker” but my neighbors are friendly and like to converse (unlike those big city neighbors who barely waved when I passed them on the street or in my driveway).  My church is smaller, the community and staff are much more approachable.  There are a lot of elderly and lower poverty people in this area, but the community steps up to care for one another.  By friends and strangers alike, there is such love, respect and bonding here that I have come to cherish my surroundings.

Yes, it seems there are Twinkies on every corner.  So, if you’re stuck in the land of broccoli, come on over.  I’ll open a box of Twinkies (or Little Debbie’s if Twinkies don’t come back) and we’ll sit out on the patio and laugh and maybe even cry.  Tears shared with loving friends fall much easier than those cried alone. 

Blessings for Oklahoma

Footprints

One night a man had a dream...

He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord, and across they sky flashed scenes from his life.  For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand.

One belonged to him and the other to the Lord.  When the last scene of his life flashed before them, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. 

He noticed that many times during the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints.  He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. 

"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way, but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints.  I don't understand why in times when I needed you most, you should leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering.  When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."


As the tears of a nation are upon you at this time of trial and suffering for those in Oklahoma, I pray for you the peace of God's love as he carries each of you through this devastation. 

Family

This says it all.

Mini Carnivores

We have two Chihuahua pups, one is a miniature weighing 4.5 pounds, and the other is small weighing 6 pounds.  Blu and Biscuit keep our home full of puppy chaos.  They are good pups that love to bark at doorbells (real and television generated), use their sniffers to constantly vacuum the floor, fight and wrestle over their toys like kids normally do, take off with anything that hits the ground such as used dryer sheets, paper towels, or mail,  initiate a defensive bark at anyone who comes to visit (even when they’ve made many previous visits), clean my husband’s chest after every meal (just in case he dropped something), nap on my lap, strut around like they own the house, and share our bed at night.

Needless to say, we love them and couldn’t imagine our lives without them.  We have certainly been tied more to our home with them in our lives.  No more spontaneous trips to the beach or a quick weekend getaway.  We have to plan things out now.  Their crate keeps them safe for short runs of four hours or less.  For longer day trips away from home, they spend time in our master bathroom.  (It is quite big and allows them space to roam around).  The first time we left them there for the day, they did well.  The second time we came home to a bathroom full of shredded toilet paper!  It looked as though it had snowed inside!  All we could do was laugh – and we now remember to remove the temptation.

They love toys.  We have at least a dozen stuffed animals we play fetch with.  Not long ago, the animals began meeting their demise as our mini carnivores began to tear the squeaky bladders out of them.  Every day, one animal would have its white guts spread out across our living room rug.   They have since gone through every toy or animal we have and gutted them.  We don’t have toys anymore, just piles of torn cloth that once formed something cute and cuddly.  We’re not sure what we’ll do when the piles of cloth turn into tiny pieces of unrecognizable fluff and are placed in the trash can.  We refuse to buy any more toys that will end up being massacred by mini serial killers.     

I guess that for cute and cuddly, we’ll have to settle for the two of them just the way they are.  No matter what they destroy, they are perfect love in action.  Those big eyes and happy wagging tails make me laugh and bring me peace.  I only have to gaze at them cuddled together on their blanket to know that I wouldn’t change a thing.  I fell in love with them the moment we met…and they know it too!  I hope that if you have animals in your life, they melt your heart and bring you happiness as well.

Judge Not

I’m sure that most of you have been a lucky recipient of those infamous WalMart e-mails wherein they show pictures of people in various styles of dress (or lack thereof) with written captions beneath that usually give you a good chuckle.  And yes, I do laugh.  Seriously, I’ve seen some interesting characters when visiting the popular chain but none as visually stimulating as those chosen to be part of their annual e-mail blast.

Note:  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I will make sure you get added to my mother’s e-mail list.  She can hit the send button faster than Superman when this annual gem shows up in her inbox!   

In hindsight, I suppose laughter could be considered as judgmental on my part.  The good book tells us over and over that we should be compassionate toward all people.  Some people easily fit that command and others do not.  There are all kinds of things that we judge others for; the above was just a silly opening that brought a visual to my ranting.  It is hard to be a person who consistently gives, constantly loves, is always reliable, and unfailingly dependable.  I don’t know one person who does this one hundred percent of the time.      

·         We are human. 

·         We make mistakes. 

·         All the time.

It’s hard to be compassionate for those who deliberately set out to harm others, for elected officials who vote or do everything but what we elected them for, for upper management locking in golden parachutes while those keeping their companies afloat are relegated to more work and less pay in order for them to achieve their contractual goals.  These points are only a few of the occurrences that make us, as a community of people, judgmental. 

Keep in mind that the world is not fair.  We often overlook our own faults in order to effectively judge others.  It is imperative that we do our best to walk upright and live the most wholesome lives that we can, to be as fair as we possibly can, and love others to the best of our ability.  I will strive every day to be the best person that I can be.  However,  I know that I will be opening the next WalMart e-mail.  I can’t help it.  And I will laugh.  My only hope is that I don’t run into one of the award winners in person.  That will definitely put an end to my WalMart shopping days. 

      ·         Is this judgmental?  Yes. 

·         Am I being honest? Yes. 

·         Am I human?  All the time. 

Aw Shuck, It’s Corn

One thing about living in the south is the ability to shop at our local fresh produce stand several times a week.  They stock all the fresh fruits and vegetables you could want.  We love being able to get items here in Florida that aren’t available until July in the Midwest.  During my latest trip, memories of summers in Kansas came upon me as I put sweet corn on the cob in my basket.

It was late July or early August and I had to be all of ten years old when my folks brought home several dozen ears of corn that they planned to freeze.  There was a neighbor boy my age that had come over to play and my parents put us all to work shucking the corn.  As we sat in a circle of lawn chairs in the back yard with a huge trash bag in the center, we all got busy.  We were each a few ears in when we noticed that Ralph was having difficulty.  He was trying to shuck his ear upside down!  As he had already fallen behind, we immediately set him straight!  There was no slacking allowed in this family!

Freezing corn was something my family did every summer.  Another fond memory of mine was stopping to pick up corn on our way to a Kansas City Royals game one summer Saturday afternoon a few years later.  We lived an hour out of town so after the game, we had a long drive home.  Instead of waiting until Sunday to begin the freezing, we unloaded the car and got to work as soon as we arrived home.  My parents, brother and I were running around the kitchen, shucking, blanching, cooling, cutting (some but not all), stuffing and placing bags in the big deep freezer in the garage.  At five o’clock in the morning, we were gathered around the kitchen table eating buttered corn on the cob with silly smiles and laughter.  Although we were exhausted, it was a great family moment.

I hope that you all have fond memories of precious family moments.  I am blessed as I have many.  I wish you all the fresh, shucked, sweet corn your life can handle.  I’m still filling my freezer. 

The Little Things

On Tuesday’s, my husband and I have what we call our Date Day.  It involves lunch followed by a movie at the mall.  Yesterday while dining on lobster bisque and sharing a plate of popcorn shrimp, the table next to us became occupied by three youngsters, two teachers, and a parent from a local elementary school.  There was animated chatter as they were seated and one of the teachers carried in a large plaque.  We couldn’t help but get caught up in their excitement. 

Because of the proximity of our tables, my husband and I couldn’t help but overhear their conversations, one of which was a teacher trying to control the cost of their meals.  It was obvious to us that they were on a strict budget and were hoping to have enough left over to grab a treat at the Dairy Queen before heading back to their classrooms.  I immediately reached into my wallet and withdrew a twenty dollar bill, handing to my husband.  He nodded his head and smiled as he offered the money to the teacher sitting just to his right, telling her that we would like to cover their Dairy Queen bill. 

The group was stunned to say the least and debated over whether to accept our offering.  After finally doing so, we learned that one of the students had written a speech which he had given at an awards ceremony that morning and had won second place.  The other two students had also won awards.  We congratulated them all on their successes and continued with our lunch. 

The group thanked us again as we were leaving the restaurant.  As we walked away, we wondered if we had planted a seed in those young lives.  We hoped so.  Love in action can move mountains.  If you ever find an opportunity like this available to you, please take it.  Not only will it make you feel good as a person, but you’ll be repaid for the kindness in ways you can’t even imagine.  The little things really can make a big impact.

This is Where I Leave You - A Book Review

My first Jonathan Tropper experience was with his book titled “How to Talk to a Widower.”  It was funny and edgy and I became an instant fan.  His book “This is Where I Leave You” does not disappoint. 
 
This story follows the currently erractic life of Judd Foxman who learns on page one that his father has passed away, leaving behind a dying request for the rest of his family to sit shiva.  It's not a particularly good time in Judd's life for such a request.  Not only is the Foxman family totally dysfunctional, his life specifically moves dysfunction onto a distant planet all its own.  His heart has recently been ripped out of his chest when he discovers that wife is having an affair with his boss.  You would think that hearing the news would be bad enough, but he walks in on a sexual tryst in his own house – in his own bed to be more precise.  After coming home early to surprise Jen on her birthday and carrying a cake, candles already ablaze, with him, he is more than surprised when he opens the bedroom door.  Needless to say, Judd makes certain the cake doesn't go to waste.
 
Being booted from both his home and his job, Judd finds himself living in a dark, dank rented basement of a quiet Chinese couple.  Lying around day after day on a musty daybed feeling sorry for himself has now been cut short.  He not only has to be present to bury his father, but is now forced to join his mother and three siblings to sit shiva for seven days.  His mother, Dr. Hillary Foxman, a shrink who wrote a book twenty-five years ago on childrearing – using him and his siblings’ problems as focus chapters - is still on top of her game.  His seriously overwhelmed and lonely sister Wendy is the oldest and married to Barry, a consultant who spends much more time on his blackberry or the road than with his wife and three children, six-year-old Ryan, three-year-old Cole, and six-month-old Serena.  Following Wendy is his brother Paul who took over the family sporting goods business when his father could no longer handle it.  He is married to Alice, Judd’s high school sweetheart.   Not only is there tension between Paul and Alice as they try to conceive, but there is some heavy baggage that exists between Paul and Judd that has kept them apart for years.  Judd came next and not only is he jobless and homeless; he’s just learned that his soon to be ex-wife is pregnant with the baby they were never allowed to have.  Then comes Phillip, the baby of the family and the Foxman playboy who has never grown up or taken responsibility for his actions. He willingly brings Tracy his fiancé who is his much older, much wiser life coach, to round out the crazy mix.   
 
During the eighty-four consecutive hours the group is stuck under one roof meeting with a community of mourners revolving through the open front door, they confront each other with humor, anxiety, anger, grief, longing, and humanity.  They are not your typical American family, but they are, regardless of what they believe, a family in need of each other.
 
“This is Where I Leave You” is an enjoyable read from the first page to the last.  Pick up a copy today.  

The Padded Kneeler

Those of you who are Catholic are intimately familiar with the padded kneeler.  Growing up, my family attended church every Sunday.  At the time, I struggled to get out of mass what I get out of each service today.  In high school, it was a standing rule that anyone spending the night on Saturday night attended mass with us on Sunday morning.  My friends, most of whom were not Catholic, struggled through the sitting, standing, and kneeling of the mass, complaining it was hard to sleep through.   

Life is like that.  You stand tall when things are going well.  You sit when your sails are losing the wind that keeps you in motion, and when things are truly bad, your knees hit the padded kneeler.   At least I would like to think that life is like that for the majority of us.  I know some are habitual complainers and would rather sleep than engage and for whatever reason exists behind the behavior, I pray for them. 

Faith is a daily part of my life.  Because of faith, I strive to be a better person.  I want to always show tolerance toward people and situations that I don’t understand, to be kind in the face of adversity, and to love everyone in this hurting world around us.  I often fail in achieving these things because I get self-centered and momentarily become blind to the big picture.  I pray my spiritual life continues to grow and develop as walk my earthly walk.  My knees hit the padded kneeler often and I feel blessed, no matter the situation.    

If you are lost or hurting or lonely or sick and feel you’ve lost hope, you only need look up.  (The padded kneeler is an option should you want it.)   May you be blessed with God's unyielding love.        

Kids Say… (Day 6)

What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1.       On the inside, she’s already perfect.  Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

2.      Diet.  You know, her hair.  I’d diet, maybe blue.

 

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

1.       She has this weird thing about keeping my room clean.  I’d get rid of that.

2.      I’d make my mom smarter.  Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.

 

I hope you enjoyed the week of chuckles.  Happy Mother’s Day!         

Kids Say… (Day 5)

What’s the difference between moms and dads?

1.       Moms work at work and work at home, and dads just got to work at work.

2.      Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3.      Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real powers cause that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.

 

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1.       Mothers don’t have spare time.

2.      To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

Kids Say… (Day 4)

Why did your mom marry your dad?

1.       My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world.  And my mom eats a lot.

2.      She got too old to do anything else with him.

3.      My grandma says that mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.

 

Who’s the boss at your house?

1.       Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a goofball.

2.      Mom.  You can tell by the room inspection.  She sees the stuff under the bed.

3.      I guess  mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

Kids Say… (Day 3)

What kind of girl was your mom?

1.       My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.

2.       I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3.       The say she used to be nice.

 

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1.       His last name.

2.      She had to know his background.  Like is he a crook?  Does he get drunk on beer?  Does he make at least $800 a year?  Does he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Kids Say… (Day 2)

What ingredients are mother’s made of?

1.       God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

2.       They had to get their start from men’s bones.  Then they mostly use string.  I think.

 

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mother?

1.       We’re related.

2.      God knew she likes me a lot more than other peoples mom’s like me.

Kids say… (Day 1)

In celebration of upcoming Mother’s Day, each day this week I am going to share some questions and the funny answers that kids gave their about moms and dads.  You might even laugh out loud!

Why did God make mothers?

1.       She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.

2.      Mostly to clean the house.

3.      To help us out of there when we were getting born

How did God make mothers?

1.       He used dirt, just like the rest of us.

2.      Magic plus super powers and a lot of string.

3.      God made my mom just the same like he made me.  He just used bigger parts.

 

I Won't Give Up

I wanted to find a poem to share in celebration of this day, my son and new daughter-in-law's  wedding day.  Though I searched for the perfect words, nothing ran across worked for me.  I asked them to play I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz at the reception because of its haunting melody and powerful message.  It says everything I want to say so I've attached a link.    

I apologize for the commercial beforehand.  Please check it out, it's worth it, I promise.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdN5GyTl8K0&noredirect=1

Happy Wedding Day to you both.  I love you both so very much.

Smile

Smile.  Life is good.  God is abundant.  We are dancing today! 
May you be blessed as well.

Today is the Day

I sat down on my patio this morning while enjoying my breakfast and thought about the relationships in my life.  Beginning with my husband, my parents, my son’s and their families, and my friends, and thought about how I might begin to make these relationships stronger. 

The only way that came to mind was to enrich each of them by giving more of myself.  This is the list that I came up with:

·         Give without keeping score.

·         Give when you don’t appear to be getting anything in return.

·         Give attention.

·         Give compassion.

·         Give the benefit of the doubt.

·         Give of your time.

·         Give of your gifts and talents

·         Give human touch (hugs).

I believe that there is nothing more powerful than love in action.  Love for and through the characters that I create make them powerful on the page.  If you put love in action on a daily basis, think of all the relationships, the very lives of each person, that can be encouraged and changed because you gave something of yourself. 

Can you enrich your relationships by giving a little more, even though you may not feel like it?  Everyone will benefit, including yes, even you. 

Are You Blessed?

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won’t survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of twenty million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can give God’s healing touch.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

If you can read this post, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read anything at all.

You are blessed in so many ways you may never even know.

(Anonymous Author)

I think about the many ways in which I am blessed on a daily basis and am thankful and grateful beyond measure.  How about you, are you blessed?