A Good Cure for a Bad Day

Today was one of those "3 steps forward, 2 steps back" kind of days.

I did everything the same, for the most part, but the day was frustrating. And it's far from being over.

As I was driving BACK to the place I had just left because I realized I had left my cell phone there, I drove by a Baskin Robbins. I don't know if Baskin Robbins is nationwide so let me explain...

Ice Cream. Very good Ice Cream.

I never, well, very rarely, go into a Baskin Robbins. Usually, it's to get an Ice Cream Cake. But, I believe this was the first time I had gone into one all by myself with no other reason but to ease my pain of a day.

O.K. Dr Phil, go ahead and analyze me. Yes, I use food to soothe myself. So shoot me.

"Yes, can I have a large mint chip milkshake, please." (and "fast" was what I wanted to tag on the end of my request!)

The girl looked at me and said, "a large?"

"Yes...please" (I can't not say please...[sorry Wendy])

"O.K." she said in a tone that meant I didn't know what I was talking about.

Her back was to me for a few minutes and then she produced the most beautiful, largest bunch of mint chip in a glass I'd ever seen. I heard angels sing. LOUD! AND ON PITCH!!

I'm back at work. I've re-binded 20 books of music that had been bound wrong, retrieved my cell phone, and have sipped lovingly at my beautiful milkshake.

Things are looking up!

How to Help

Have you ever griped and griped about something, particularly to a family member, and been discouraged and obsessively focused on an issue that really isn't something you can change, no matter how much you nag about it?

And then, as if some big light came shooting out of the sky and slapped you upside the head you realize you are part of the problem?

I'm grateful for big lights slapping me upside the head...and I'm taking a new approach to all things frustrating. Encourage instead of Criticize. Be Thankful instead of Complain. Support instead of Tear Down.

I'll let you know how it works. My guess is, I'll be happier, and so will the people who come in contact with me.

Ephesians 3:16-19
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Blessings!

The "80's"

My sweet girl and her precious roommate are both in a club that had an "80's Rush" this weekend...

This summer, while home, my girl solicited the talents of her Grandma to make her a special outfit that would have been worn in the 80's. We actually found a pattern that had been used to make me a "concert outfit" about that time...so, Grandma and Ashley headed to the fabric store, purchased the material, and after many "fittings", produced this amazing 80's replica.

I believe there's a picture of me from the 80's that is a striking resemblance to this picture of my daughter...the only difference is I was embracing the times and she's making fun of the times! OUCH!!

Good Job, Grandma. And, Ashley, you're beautiful even in poor fashion choices with big shoulder pads...(and so is that lovely roommate of yours!)

Blessings

The Hitch

Saturday afternoon, my son was in the driveway/garage working on the trailer hitch on his truck. Something wasn't the way he wanted it to be. It was crooked, or something...so, he crawled under that truck and worked for a few hours on the problem. I checked on him a couple of times as I was doing laundry. (My machines are in the garage.) There seemed to be a bit of frustration because I guess it was not only the hitch that was crooked, but the frame of the truck, or something like that. I felt poorly that I couldn't fix it for him...whatever it was that was broken.

I listened to him talk about the situation, not understanding much of what he said, but wished desperately that I could figure out an answer for him that would allow him to come in from the hot cement and relax for a bit. It's tough, as our kids get older we are not able to "fix" things for them like when they were little...

After many hot hours of working, pounding, straining, long minutes of just laying there and looking, he came in to me and said with grease covering his smiling face and arms, "Wanna come see?"

I followed him out to the garage as he said to his Dad, "Hand me that white towel." I had some old towels that were no longer good for indoor use, so I washed them and gave them to him for rags. He spread out that white towel on the ground under the back of the truck and patted the ground/towel saying, "Here, Mom, get down here."

Those of you who know me...can you see me on the hot cement under a truck? I didn't think so.

But, do you think there was anywhere I'd rather be at that moment? Absolutely not. My son wanted to show me his work. He was proud of his accomplishment and wanted me to see it and explain it to me in detail.

So, my favorite part of my weekend was kneeling on a white towel with my son, looking up under the bed of his truck listening to things I don't understand.

Hope your weekend was good...
Blessings.

Precious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR4PQ30VkBk



Enjoy this...really, take a minute, actually, I think it's about 1 1/2 minutes. It's precious...



Blessings!

Finding Your Own Path

It's a bit overdue, but this is the First Day of School picture for my sweet son.

I'm so proud of him. It's difficult to figure out exactly what you want and how you want to get it when you're 19.(Oh, let's not kid each other...sometimes at 40 something I'm not positive I know what I'm doing!)

You don't always know what it is you are looking for, but you sure know when you're in a situation that rubs against your personal grain.

He went against the tide, left ACU, came home, thought, prayed, figured some things out, and a few weeks ago started back taking classes relevant to his life. He's doing beautifully. Learning a lot. Working a lot. And finding his own path.

He's a wonderful young man and I'm very proud of him.

Blessings.

Shake Things Up!

Last night, rather late, son and I were watching some silly mindless t.v. while I was actually trying to go to sleep. He has a wonderful tradition/habit of waiting until I'm almost out and then jumping on the bed to chat.

Those of you who have children know, particularly when they get to the teenage years, it doesn't matter what time it is. If they are ready to talk, even if it's casual and mindless...you listen.

So, he has learned to talk to me while my eyes are closed. I'm not asleep. I'm just very close.

We made a deal, with my eyes closed, that he will accompany me to something I have to do Saturday morning, if I will accompany him to something he is doing later in the day. We talked about school, work, his sister, all with my eyes closed.

Then he said, "I think we need to shake things up around here!"

O.K. My eyes are now open. "What do you mean? What, exactly, do we need to shake up?"

He proceeded to tell me about all the things that he thinks we should do to get our house, our yard, our schedules, our dog, even our bodies in better shape! The list was endless...my mind was spinning. I just wanted to go to sleep, but this young person was challenging me to better things. How dare he?!

I have said this numerous times, but my children make me a better me. They have been such a tremendous blessing in my life and I can't imagine who I would have been without them.

So, in our home, we are going to "Shake Things Up" a little bit. I don't know exactly what that means, but I'm looking forward to it!

I just hope one of those new "shake-ups" means I can get to sleep a little earlier at night!

Blessings.