On A Defense of Resolutions and Goals…

I am rather surprised by all I’ve heard and read this season slamming New Year’s Goals and Resolutions. I understand these are some rather bleak times for our nation’s economy, therefore, many people are having very difficult times, both personally and professionally. But I would like to say a few things in defense of goals. 

Several years ago Bruce and I started the practice together of writing our goals each year.  This has been an amazing exercise for two reasons. One, we are reminded that we are in this thing called life together, so why not make it better. Secondly, it helps us encourage each other in the areas that we desire to see personal growth and change.  Do we hit all our goals? No!  Do we get closer to where we want to be because we write out our goals? Every Year!!

Some years we have done better than others.  Some years we have written more aggressive goals than others, but here is the thing: we always write out our goals.

In a sermon we recently heard, Vernon Rainwater talked about the idea of “becoming”. That is really why we write our goals.  We want to “become” better people. One way to do that is to quantify our steps, and work towards the place we want to be.

This morning as I was out running, I had several thoughts.  One, I really didn’t want to be running.  I have a head cold, a headache, and it’s freezing cold outside today. BUT, since I have the goal of running 600 miles this year, and I have to be at work early in the morning for the next few days, I HAD to go running…just to keep up with my goals. Had I not had a goal, I KNOW I would have stayed home!

Many people avoid writing goals because of the fear factor. They are afraid of how they will feel if they fail to meet their goals.  Well, I do sometimes feel a bit disappointed when I don’t meet my goals, but I DO know this, I am a LOT closer to meeting them for having written them down and tried.

The saying “Aim at nothing and you’ll hit it every time” is what I think of when I read these anti-goal/resolution articles.  I care too much about personal growth and “becoming” to take that HUGE risk…bring on the goals any day!!!!

Here’s to a wildly successful 2012!

On What doesn’t Kill you will Change you…

This morning at the gym, I was working through a series of weight machines.  I’ve started noticing that certain machines I really like, and others, I kind of walk around, hem and haw, and then, after I work up the courage, I get on and work the weights.

 Today, I realized that the machines I like the least, are the ones that are best for me.  They work muscles in my body that are the weakest, and need the most strength training. Now, lest you think I’m a wimp, I’m really not.  But since I run regularly, and am on my feet all day at work, I really have a strong lower body.  And even though I can lift more than most the gals half my age at work, I really find that the upper body machines are the ones I don’t like!

This got me to thinking about life’s challenges.  18 years ago, I sat in my living room sobbing my heart out to God, surrounded by 10 friends who gathered on a very short notice to come pray with me. My heart was broken, my life was flipped upside down, and it really was the worst day of my life up to that point!  Whew! It was just downright hard stuff!

But not too long after that, I started looking at that day as a fresh start.  Yep, it was a super low one, but God used it for “strength training” my heart and soul.  I can see how so many times, when I thought the “weight machines from God” were just too hard, or not worth the effort, He really used to build character, teach me lessons I could learn no other way, and then give me the wisdom to share those experiences to help and encourage others.

Even though I’m not some sick type of person who says “bring on the challenges, Lord”, I will look at them differently, and “consider it joy when trials come” as the Bible says in James 1:2. I will think of it as a spiritual workout, and be thankful…and I’m pretty sure it won’t kill me, but will CHANGE me!!

 

On Building Memories that Last…

It is amazing the power of memories in my life. We spent last week at Cannon Beach, OR with our grown children, their spouses, and our family friends’ of 20 years (along with their two teenagers).  What an amazing and delightful time! 

As I walked through the village, I had a barrage of wonderful memories, dating to the time I was about 8 years old. That was the first time I can recall my parents taking us to the beach to stay in a little cottage near Tolavana State Park. Then over the years, they rented larger beach houses, sometimes with as many as 4 other families! 

My One True Love and I began making our own memories there, shortly after we were married.  We’ve gone with friends and then when we all had children, we brought them, too. One time, about 12 years ago, I went alone with our daughter.  Six years ago, we rented a room with our kids as adults.  Four years ago, we spent a week with these same friends we just went with, only this time, our family is larger!!

It was delightful having our in-law children with us there this time, our first vacation together! Watching them love the place we have so many delightful family memories, and enjoying our friends was wonderful!  We were discussing with our friends having this type of vacation again in about 4-5 years.  It will be amazing the changes in their family with a 16 and 14 year old that will happen before we meet up with this group again, let alone the changes in our own family during that time!!

I’m so thankful that my folks brought me to Cannon Beach many times through the years, and that the tradition continues!!! One of my all-time favorite quotes goes like this: You never really leave a place you love. A part of you stays behind, and part of it you carry in your heart!   That quote most often comes to mind when I think of Cannon Beach!

 

I am so thankful for the wonderful new memories we have made this last week….so many more fun memories to carry in my heart!

On a Serendipitous kind of day…

Today when I was on my way to work, I had the thought that I would like to have a serendipitous kind of day.  (This was a very quick thought, since only have a five minute commute!) For me, this meant I was going to keep my eyes and ears open for something unexpected and surprising.

A nice gentleman came in and purchased a gift card. He said that he liked sending gift cards, since his family lived a LONG ways from here. Since I was curious, I asked him just where is a long ways from here.  He said, “Portland, OR!”  We went on to have a wonderful chat about the Portland metro area.  Wow, that was fun! Chatted about what brought us 3,000 miles from the NW. Yep, this was my serendipitous moment for the day!  Glad I was watching and listening!

On a Different Look at Life…

A few days ago, My One True Love and I went to Sun City Center to meet with his Mom and eight marvelous professionals to access his Dad’s declining health.  At the end of the meeting, it was decided by the family to move Ted to a Hospice Home, where they can keep him comfortable through these last few weeks of life.

When we entered the Hospice Home for the first time, I had a lot of great impressions.  It was lovely!!  So tranquil, quiet and extremely well kept.  We walked through the carpeted corridors to the back, where they were getting Dad settled into a wonderful room.

Along the way, we took a wrong turn, and ended up on a ward with several patients, some who appeared younger than us!  At first, this really bothered me.  I kept thinking about those peers, in a home, just waiting to die.  After mulling this over for a few days, I have started thinking of it a lot differently.

First, those people in the Hospice Home have some sort of health issue that has “tipped them off” to the fact that their time on earth is nearly done.  They actually have time to get “their house in order”, both spiritually and emotionally.  They can come to peace with making the move from earth to whichever afterlife they chose.  They have time to be certain that their relationships are in order, and relive great memories with family and friends as they say their good byes.

Secondly, I started realizing that the whole of this life is like a hospice home!  We are all really just preparing for the next life. We should be building a great friendship with God. We should live each day like it is our last, and strive to live as Romans 12:18 “at peace with all men”.  We should be making great memories with those we love, for the purpose of building strong relationships and encouraging others to become better people.

Now I realize that walking through the hospice home really was a blessing.  I want to be a great wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend.  I want to really make a difference in the lives of people I touch EVERY day!  I really am just getting ready for the next life, day by day!!  My song for today will the the hymn, “Make me a blessing to someone today”!

 

On Being a “Color Commentator”…

Yesterday while my One True Love and I were out on a morning run, I noticed a beautiful row of red hibiscus trees.  They were incredible.  That vibrant red against the green leaves was really breathtakingly gorgeous!   I mentioned them to Bruce, and said, “Aren’t those flowers amazing?”  Here is what I forgot!  He is color-blind.  To him, those flowers were kind of a dark brownish red, that blended in with the green leaves.  He couldn’t see the beauty the same way I did. This got me to thinking about how amazing it will be for him when someday in heaven, he won’t be dependent on my raving of the colors, but for the first time will get to see them for himself. But for this, we will have to wait for heaven. This type of “color commentating was fun…and easy!

 Yesterday at work, I had two very interesting conversations. First off, the 8 females I work with are young enough to be my offspring.  It didn’t take very many days of working with them for them to realize that I was “older and wiser”.  So several of them, and a few customers too, have come to me with some personal challenges…mostly relating to the opposite sex.  They are blown away by the love and friendship I share with my One True Love.  They all desire that same kind of relationship.  I am pointing out the reason for our strong love is not built on the things the world espouses in a relationship like looks, sex and money…but rather commitment and honor and respect.  I’m teaching them that having sex with some random person is a LOT different than being honored and esteemed by a life-long companion! And how living a life-style of having sex for the sake of sex will only lead to losing their self-respect! (Let alone ever trying to gain respect from a mate!) I’m finding being this type of “color commentating” is both challenging and rewarding!! And I’m praying it will pay of in eternal rewards for these sweet young gals!

On Loving what you do…

Last week, my One True Love and I went to a Flea Market just north of Orlando.  Whew! That was certainly another side of life!  They sold everything there from live animals to junk that didn’t sell at the Goodwill, and every thing in between.  AND there are all types of people that frequent such a place…YIKES!

 However, one vendor especially stood out to us…the Pickle Salesman! This fellow told us that his family had been making pickles for his entire life!  He was well past 70 years old!  He said his folks  broke all the child labor laws on him and his siblings, making them take part in the pickle making from a very young age! 

Well, something went very right there, because now this gentleman makes delicious pickles, and is PASSIONATE about it!! He had quite a line at his booth most of the time.  In fact, the first time we went by, we watched him for a few minutes, but decided against the line.  When we later decided to go back, we were the only customers, but a long line developed behind us.  He wanted us to try a sample from all 5  barrels he had there. Wow, talk about an enthusiastic salesman.  He was so excited over his pickles! We ended up buying a quart of delicious Kosher Crunchy Dill Pickles.

Part of what made the experience so fun was the passion and excitement of this guy!  It was absolutely contagious!  It made me think of a song we used to sing “If the Lord make you a Plumber, be a Plumber for the Lord.”!  I hope that people that come in contact with me in every area of my life leave as inspired as I was by the Pickle Salesman!