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Short-sighted in the rain
Celebrate the Small Things: That God sees what’s up ahead, even when we can’t. And, that we can rest peacefully in that knowledge! It rains often in Indiana, even if the temperature is 95 degrees, which blows my mind. I grew up in Denver and when it rained, it resulted in cool afternoons or evenings with the humidity dissipating into the atmosphere. Not so in the muggy Midwest. This morning was a downpour, as if someone was refilling a pitcher and dumping it on the roads. It reminded me of a time when I worked for a publishing company, selling advertising space to businesses. My boss and I were making…
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Life’s moving walkways
I recently had my second knee replacement (in December) and I’ve been feeling good about my progress. Over my 20-plus year marketing/sales career, I’ve traveled often. A few weekends ago, my husband Joe, and I, traveled for the first time since my operations. We attended his niece’s wedding in Dallas, so we flew from Indianapolis. We got a good parking spot and entered the terminal. We each had a large suitcase to check, I had a purse and Joe had his mom’s birthday present. We hopped on the moving walkway and stood to one side. My suitcase had the 360-degree wheels so it was in front of me. We hear…
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Kindness Challenge (wk5) and CTST: Grateful for kindness
Celebrating the Small Things: For the first time in 43 years, I can see 20/20 without glasses, contacts or reading glasses. I had cataract and cornea reshaping surgery last week and it’s truly amazing what the doctors can accomplish! During this seven-week Kindness Challenge, I’ve become more aware of the large and small kindnesses in my life. Here are a few that I’m especially grateful for, and none of them require money. 1. Marriage My husband is one of the kindness people I know. He was a struggling college student when I met him, getting his master’s degree in Denver, and yet he always found ways to help people around…
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A to Z Challenge: “P”aths in life
“Life is a journey, not a destination.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I’m feeling sentimental so you get a schmaltzy “P” blog. Emerson’s quote is one of my favorites. I believe this with my whole heart yet it’s so easy for me to forget. There have been a few things in the news that have reminded me of this lately. And, I remember a friend of mine who liked his job but had his retirement day figured out to the exact calendar date. When we’d talk, he’d say to me, “I only have 690 days left until retirement.” I feel that way too, sometimes. I’ve been working since I was 15 years…
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A to Z Challenge: “G”ood, good Father
Continuing a bit with yesterday’s post of “encouragement”, I had to share one of my favorite songs. I can be in the car, streaming WBGL at work or home and this song begins to play at the appropriate time. It warms my heart and soul. Chris Tomlin sings the version that I know but the song has a neat history behind it with its original writers. The song was written by Pat Barrett and Tony Brown. Tony grew up without a dad so the only person he’s ever called father is God. I had a very loving, warm, hard-working father who had an awesome sense of humor. He loved photography…
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A to Z Challenge: “E”ncouragement
We have so many sources of encouragement! It was hard for me to focus on the 300-500 word limit of a blog. I am encouraged by friends and family, God’s Word, prayer and music. Some days it’s how the light filters through thick, green foliage at the park, like God is warming my heart with a big “hello, I’m here!” To keep this post a readable length, I decided to list a few of my favorite Bible verses that consistently lift a drooping spirit. My favorite translation is the New American Standard Bible. Ps. 103:12-13 – “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed…
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A to Z Challenge: “C”oloring books for adults
I first learned about adult coloring books at the gift shop, Linden Leaf Gifts, where I work. I like to doodle but I don’t have any particular artistic talent in painting or drawing. I liked the idea but to be honest, I thought it would be a waste of time. After all, I’d only be doing it for me, not to sell or even benefit anyone else. The reviews I read about them recommended them for relaxation, getting your mind off of worries and people even use them for/during prayer, to help focus your mind. I need something to do in the evenings while my husband, Joe, and I watch…
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A to Z Challenge: “An”-KNEE-versary
April 8 will be one my one-year an-KNEE-versary since I had my right knee replaced. I was 52 which is young, although my doctor said that he is doing replacements for people in their forties. It amazes me how God worked out all the little details and “obstacles” that I put up, in order to not have the operation. The usual hospital stay for a knee replacement is 2-3 days and then the patient goes to rehab for up to four weeks, for physical therapy. My dog doesn’t eat without me (it’s my fault – I feed him with a fork) and I didn’t want to be away from my…
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“O”rigin
My dad, Sterling, and my nephew Matt. A person’s “origin” can mean several things. It can be a place/location where I was born (Denver, Colo.), it can be a culture from where my ancestors originated or it can be my very beginning, which I consider to be in God’s image/likeness. My brother, sister-in-law and I took a trip to Pennsylvania last year, to meet some first cousins that we’d never met before. My dad was from Allentown and we discovered cousins on my dad’s sister’s side of the family. It was so much fun to see the physical similarities and commonalities, even though we’d never met each other before. During…
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“M”other’s Day
I’m four weeks out from having a total knee replacement and I’m grateful for the surgery, albeit still quite sore. I’m 52 years old and this is the first major life event that I’ve had since my mom passed away in 2010. You would think at this age that I would be a seasoned professional at handling life’s twists and turns. I’m a Christian, too, so I have faith in God, and in His strength and comfort. Mom and my nephew, Matt, at a family dinner. For some reason, this surgery was harder on me emotionally than it was probably physically. After all, they give you really good pain meds…
