Prayer or maybe just showing up?

PRAYER

Feas Forever!
Barbara, Anna, Kim, & Kristie

May today there be peace within you.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of FAITH.

May you use those gifts that you have received,

And pass on the LOVE that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing that you are a CHILD of God.

Let HIS presence settle into your bones, BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT.

And allow your soul the Freedom to sing, dance and to bask in the sun.

It is there for each and every one of you ; )

One of my BFFs from High School sent me this Prayer, in an email in May of 2000. My life was at a crossroads. I was single, finishing up my Master's Degree in Health Information Administration at MUSC and nothing was tying me down, except a silly one year old Golden Retriever pup, named Maggie May. I was trying to figure out which direction I was supposed to go. I was thinking of either heading back to the Tarheel State, maybe towards Research Triangle Park, or whether I would stay in Charleston, the HOLY city, where I felt like my heart had finally come home.

I said this Prayer at least twice a day (excellent timing for teeth brushing!) maybe more, I did alot of BREATHING IN and BREATHING OUT.

My boss apparently got wind that I was thinking of heading North after Graduation, so she made me a job offer, I could not refuse. That sealed it! Charleston became HOME in May of 2000. Life was GOOD!

I did alot of sailing that Summer - I LOVED it - Exhilarating! I bought a "Grown-up" house with a fenced in back yard for my Fuzzy Faced "Child." Soon, I fell in love, got married and we were blessed with an amazing child. We faced some significant losses in our lives. I learned about obedience. Obedience for me is FAITH when you can't see, hear or even feel God's presence in your life. Maybe because of my love for music, I started listening to our local Christian Radio station, HIS Radio 100.5 Even when I didn't feel it, the lyrics spoke to me and were somehow changing me from the inside out. I learned you have to show up, you move forward. I learned what Forgiveness really means and how sometimes you just have to "Do it Anyway."

FORGIVENESS by Mother Teresa

In Her Home for Children, Calcutta, India

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Mother's Day of 2011 was delightful. We were settling into our new home. My nasty Mom-Mobile received a bath with detailing inside and out, as requested. It really is the simple things! ; ) I received a Holy Cow Yoga Gift Certificate and a few other nice surprises. Life was Good!

One week later it felt like everything in my delightful life was now a BIG "?" Humbling. All the things I was so sure about the week before were now different: love, life, family, home, career, honesty, relationships, commitment, faith, future, trust, dreams, goals, etc., EVERYTHING!

So, I pulled this prayer out again today. Or maybe it found me!?!? ; ) It's a good one anytime, but especially uplifting when you feel like you're at a crossroads in life, or when you have more questions than you know how to answer. It's a reminder of our FAITH, even when we don't think we have it ourselves. It's a reminder that it's not about us - it's the JOURNEY, the winding road, even the roller coasters, growing, learning, obstacles we need to overcome, friends along the way, always there exactly when we need them the most, shining OUR Light! We are all gifted, we are all LOVED, we are ALL Children of God and we are ALL connected. You gotta get up, get out - sing & dance (or jump or whine or lean on your friends or LAUGH Out LOUD) and get some Sonshine - it is OUR Birthright! ; )



Photo by Heather Anderson



Mommy & Me - Wining & Whining - Kim, Sara & Karin



Alyssa's BFF, Piper, LEANING - 2008

I also had to include this photo of a 13 year Cicada - even with all the craziness going on in my life, I have been totally captivated by these little creatures this Summer. Maybe it's just because they showed up? Apparently, they burrow deep into the ground and stay there, only surfacing every 13 years. When I heard they would be showing up this Spring. I wanted to find one, so I could take it to my Preschool and show the little children a creature that only surfaces every 13 years. Maybe make a memory? - See a bug they would not see again until they were Teenagers, in High School. Fascinating! This year, I found two - one on my tire in the driveway, trying to camouflage himself about a month ago and one today. I almost stepped on her, when I walked out of the house. She was pretty still, sitting on the sidewalk, and the ants were curious, maybe something was wrong with her? So I jumped at this opportunity to take lots of photos ; ) When I was done, I put her on a leaf and put her up higher on one of our Indian Hawthorn bushes. When I checked on her later today she was not where I put her - hopefully, I will see her again in 13 years. I'm counting on it! ; )

A New Beginning . . .

I've always liked the first of January and felt for many years that a New Year was like getting a clean slate, a time to start over and a chance to do better. This January I felt the same way. What I was not expecting was the Rock-N-Roll, Summer to Remember of 2011. Many people I know are grown ups and I always thought I would eventually be one too, but I did not know that I would have to grow up so quickly, in just three months, after fighting it off for soooooo long, this Summer.

It feels sort of like that life contradiction when you wait to have children until you are "ready" (aka - somewhat responsible, financially stable, healthy, professional jobs, etc.) having children seems to rattle you to the core. If you had taken on children when you were young enough to keep up with them - ha! You probably would have had a lot more fun, more energy and definitely less wrinkles, but maybe not all of the "things" society dictates we should posses. Trade offs - taking the good with the bad. But it's all GOOD, right?!?!? Today, I'm thinking about this one.


Three of the Dwarves: Whiny, Sneaky & Sleepy : )

If you refuse to be a grown up until you are "ready" or perhaps in your 40's, and life brings you some serious U-Turns or curve balls, perhaps growing up is harder because you worked potentially harder and longer to avoid it. I'm a little sad today because I think my refusing to grow up has finally caught up with me - ugh! I'm also amused at how so many of my blog posts have been about Alyssa growing up too fast! : )

I rarely look forward to school starting and I am not changing my mind on this one, at least not today. But I am thankful that it is August 1st and I am thankful that May, June and July of 2011 are over! It's a NEW month, a new page on many calenders at our new home and the only thing I really had to do today was to show a little gratitude.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. It turns problems into gifts, failures into successes, the unexpected into perfect timing and mistakes into important events. It can turn an existence into a real life, and disconnected situations into important and beneficial lessons. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Today, I will shine the transforming light of gratitude on all the circumstances of my life." -Melody Beattie

I struggled with my "Newness" of Life earlier today and I was not sure if I could actually cope with the changes coming my way. But I took a deep breath and I looked around: it was a beautiful day, children at the park were laughing and making me laugh too. A friend called to say "Hi - and I'm here to help." A dragonfly flitted by and the Lantana in our walkway were covered in butterflies. An e-mail from a friend made me smile : )

Today, August 1st, is by no means perfect and I'm not wearing Rosy glasses - the grass needs cutting, I didn't get the Recycles out, I'm tired, there really are bills to pay, I have a headache and it's a lot harder to be an "Adult" than I thought it was going to be. But, I am grateful, especially for so many wonderful people in my life who know just how to lift me up, when I need it the most. Thanks - you know who you are! : )

We must be willing to let go of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. -E.M. Forster  

Why? - I have more t-shirts than I will ever need : )

Why I do the crazy things I do, I will probably NEVER know! But today I'm kinda wanting this FREE t-shirt, even though I know I have more t-shirts than I will EVER need. Maybe it will be added to my t-shirt Quilt, one day. Just speaking a little LOUD these days and trying real hard not to apologize for it. Anyway - CHEERS!

From Thinking Teacher's Newsletter - Teachers First - sharing with all the amazing Teachers/Parents/Adults I know - thanks! : ) Hey, y'all better not get my free t-shirt - jk! : )

"Show the world that you're a Thinking Teacher!"


"In these days of teacher bashing, it is even more important to show the world your pride in the profession. TeachersFirst watches what people say about us on blogs and tweets. Soon, we will be surprising random teachers who spread the word about TeachersFirst with a shirt to tell the world YOU are a Thinking Teacher. If you have a blog or web page, write a post about TeachersFirst. Tweet to tell people what the Thinking Teachers do well. Share TeachersFirst on Facebook. Stay tuned for more details on how you can proudly "wear" your profession for all to see."

Ooops - a Blog without a photo - Lookout! : )

Magic, in a young girl's heart . . . and yes, Laundry

So today was Alyssa's first day of Magic Camp and I think she really liked it. She could not wait to get home and show me the tricks she had learned, she would not stop practicing them, I had to beg her to get ready to go swimming with The Boys. It's good to see her smile and laugh and be pleased with her accomplishments. She's funny, she wants me to try and figure out how the tricks work and I don't want to. I love surprises and still believe in MAGIC and I don't want to know. I love the amazement and mystery, especially when she's the magician. She impressed me with the sophistication of the ones she learned today. She is getting prepared for a Major Performance at the Beach and she knows that Poppy and Uncle Brad will figure them out, if she's not careful. We're working on her costume for a Magic Show on Friday when all the children at the Camp will perform their new tricks for an audience of Moms & Dads - "Ladies and Gentlemen!"

Today I am also, strangely enough, thankful for LAUNDRY - yes, it has finally happened! : ) Today, I am thankful for you, AW, and the many, many discussions we have had about the most mundane, never ending, chore of all chores, LAUNDRY. So, AW, next time I see you, I am gonna hug your neck and thank you for praying for me, because I know (by the fact that I am finally thankful for laundry) that your prayers are working! : ) Thank you friend, we do know about laundry!

So the next time you have to do your laundry, here are few things you can be thankful for. I am thankful that I am doing our laundry inside an air conditioned home. It is currently 94.7 degrees outside, here in the Holy City, with a forecast of highs in the upper 90's. HOT! I am thankful that I can wash our clothes inside my home and I do not have to drive or walk to a creek or laundry mat or a dungeon basement where someone might take my clothes if I do not maintain a constant vigilance over them. At a minimum, they might take them out of the washer and/or dryer and throw them on the dirty floor. It's hard to believe that people in our blessed nation will actually steal half dry underwear! Wow - the things you learn in college! : ) I am thankful doing laundry does not depend on how many quarters I have or whether or not the Change Machine is working. I am thankful that our once abandoned kitty, Hunter, loves to help me do laundry - he is definitely my best laundry assistant, he's the playful, silent type! : ) I am thankful that my child is still small and that folding her clothes tells her that I love her, even though she does not know that yet. She will one day - she told me today, driving home from magic camp, that she wants 4 children, just like Mrs. Susan. But she has it all figured out, she is going to have 2 girls first, that way they will help her raise the 2 boys, she will have next. Alyssa with 4 kids, that will be a sight to behold! : )

And sweet, sweet, Mrs. Susan, I am so thankful for you today. You have been down this long, strange road as well and you truly know how to be so incredibly helpful to me. You call and you come get her. She loves you and all those Boys and we miss you! Especially since we do not see you as often as we did when our back yards connected. Thank you for giving me a few minutes of sanity today, so I could do this Blog and get this out. We will play cards and come to your parties again soon. Some of the best times of our last few years have been at your home. How you do it, I'll never know, but I am so thankful that we are friends : )

I am also thankful that today I have been able to stop and think and feel and breathe. There really is an order and sequence and structure to this universe and when you have, even just a few minutes, and know how to see, it becomes so clear. When no one tells you when to stop, or what to think, or how to feel, or when to breathe. You really can do all these things on your own and not only that, it's better that way : ) Maybe, I have just not been alone enough in the past ten years. What a long, strange trip, this journey has been and continues to be! : )

I also rarely do laundry when I don't think about my brother Brad's dear friend, Nelson. It's hard to think about Nelson without smiling because he is just that funny! He was trying to inspire me about laundry when Brad and I were living on Tradd Street, could that have been 13 years ago? Jeez! He would come over to use our washer & dryer. He would talk about how great it was that the machines did all the work, and you didn't even have to think about it. Just put your dirty clothes in, push a button and out they come - clean! Same for the dryer, clothes in - push button - out - all done! I was perplexed that someone as smart as Nelson could be so enthusiastic about a washer & dryer, a pretty old one at best. 

Sorry - but I have to regress again - Bread & Butter - so, 13 years ago, I guess, Brad is driving like a maniac, as usual, in Downtown Charleston and is about to take out a few Tourists. Nelson exclaims, with one hand on the roof: "Brad, be careful! Don't run over the Tourists! They're our Bread & Butter!" I forgot to mention that Nelson is from Hemmingway, SC - there is just no way to express how poetic it is to hear someone from Hemmingway say: "Bread & Butter!" (Laugh)! I never go Downtown without thinking about our "Bread & Butter" and how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful city. A city people from other places, all over the world, spend their hard-earned money to visit, for such a brief amount of time.

And, I also can not regress about Nelson without stopping to laugh a little about "Cirrhosis of the River" - Brad and Nelson's "boat" - was it a John boat - on a good day? Or a dark night? : ) I will never forget Brad's Rehearsal Dinner in Chapel Hill and Nelson reading his soliloquy to "Ole Cirrhosis." It almost brings tears to my eyes now, the good kind, I promise! We really need to see if we can get a copy of that literary tribute from somewhere. Except, I think it was impromptu on a dinner napkin in about 5 minutes - he is just that smart and funny. I guess you would expect that from a Davidson Valedictorian. Thank you, Nelson, for all the many laughs through the years, your wonderful Hemmingway accent and for your recent help - I hope we see you and your precious family soon! : )

So, thanks, God, for the tons of laundry I am doing today. I am loving it - Ha! It is a glorious distraction and way to stay busy, while You work in my life. Thank You for funny, loving, prayerful, supportive friends and family. I give You the Glory! : )

So, if you are still reading this, sorry-ugh! And if you are still not inspired enough to get up and do some laundry, here's one more - You can be thankful that you are not experiencing things in your life that will lead you to do a SUPER LONG Blog Post on LAUNDRY! : ) Gotta go, I think my clothes are done! : )

The secret to life?

The secret to life? It's the JOURNEY, AND
You gotta enjoy the ride! : )

Saturday was Summer Pedicure day, so nice to be pampered!

I love those little fancy, flower toes : )

Self-portrait - yikes!

Good times, good times! : )

Don't tell God how BIG your problems are. Tell your problems how big GOD is. -Owen Orr

Happy Mother's Day 2011

A collage of some of my favorite Mom moments - Happy Mom's Day to my Mom, all my favorite Moms and to my children, fuzzy ones included! : )

What I Need

One day before Mother's Day and I find myself in need - in need of therapeutic blogging, that is. Wow, we have made quite a few changes in our lives since my last post in February. Our biggest change is a new home, that may eventually hold all of our junk. I think my favorite "housey" thing is washing dishes and being able to see the marsh - some Spanish moss and a little water at high tide. As if this was not beautiful enough, there is an air conditioning vent that blows cold air on my tired toes - Ah, God is so good! It really is the simple things. Did you catch that? Yes, ME washing dishes, can I get a Hallelujah?!?!

So we made it through what will probably be our last Girl Scout Cookie Season, our School's Annual Handprint Art Fiasco, Moving & Grooving way too many possessions from one location to another, Alyssa's First Communion, Serving our Church Nursery during Holy Week and celebrating some of our friends totally changing their lives and taking off in an RV (if you're a dreamer, like I am, you ABSOLUTELY MUST check out their blog - they are my new heroes!). The Moore Family - RVing It.

So we're still here and the journey continues. There are hundreds of photos - somewhere, I'll find them one day. I just needed a moment to stop and think and blog a little. Now I need to get back in the yard - yes, me gardening again, I put in five hours one day this week and have a whopping case of Poison Oak to prove it! I'm content, maybe even a little happy, better watch out - come on Summer, I need ya now! : )