Carol's Chit Chat

On A Defense of Resolutions and Goals…

2012-01-03T12:39:00.001-05:00

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…

2011-09-29T08:51:00.001-05:00

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…

2011-08-24T13:32:00.001-05:00

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…

2011-07-27T18:48:00.001-05:00

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…

2011-07-14T08:40:00.001-05:00

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”…

2011-05-13T15:14:00.001-05:00

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…

2011-04-04T20:52:00.001-05:00

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!

On Valentines Traditions…

2011-02-14T09:07:00.001-05:00

I love Valentines Day. It just seems like such a happy, cheerful sort of day. I mean, just thinking about the one you love all day? How can that just not make you happy?

My One True Love and I have always celebrated February 8th, since that is the day he proposed to me. This has worked our great through the years, since restaurants aren’t busy at all on that day!!

But, this has brought about some rather interesting Valentines Days. I recall one year, Bruce went out to dinner with a single guy from church, and I had a single gal over to have dinner with my two small children. (I remember this day so well, because I also nearly had a nervous breakdown from the painful way a filling was handled for me at a dental clinic!) Bruce and I had already had our fun celebration a week earlier!For our first Valentines Day after we were parents, we decided we would order a pizza and eat at home, since we hadn’t left our baby yet. This was memorable, in that the pizza box caught on fire in the oven! See?? So many amazing memories, when you just set about making a small celebration!

Tonight, we will go to the gym and give our physical hearts a work-out, then come home and enjoy a quiet evening of dinner (chicken and dumplings) and relaxing.

I hope your Valentines Day celebration is the kind that make you and your Valentine very happy!

On Competing with Yourself…

2011-01-29T08:51:00.001-05:00

For several weeks, I've been pondering a lot of thoughts about competition. Competition among business is a great thing. It makes each business work harder and do a better job to gain more of the market.

However, I have noticed that competition among friends and spouses often destroys relationships. Rather than cheering your spouse on, you think "how can I "up" that one", or how do I measure up against that friend.

I'm all about personal bests, and keeping personal scoreboards. I have a measurement chart I have kept for years. It would be totally pointless for me to publish that, and see how others "measure up". Every person is unique, and built differently. The best thing I can do with that, is use it for me. To see how I am measuring up, year over year. (Yikes!)

My friend and mentor in Real Estate sold five times as many properties as I did last year. I’m thrilled for him!! Do I want to do better than that? Not really! What I want is to sell more properties next year than I sold this year…beat my personal best!! That way I know I’m improving!

The older I get, the more I appreciate success for just that. I’m happy to see my friends meet with success…whether it’s a lovely home, lots of vacations, nice car, successful relationships, whatever! I’m just happy for the success I see around me! Knowing that they are beating their personal bests!!

I have a personal very high standard of how I keep my house. Was it always this way? NO! I tell gals all the time that when my kids were little, I kept my bedroom clean, and then made a path to the front door. That wasn't my season for a perfect house. I had two friends that were 20 years older than I that did keep a perfect house during those years. I admired that, but certainly didn't compete!! I did however, appreciate their examples, because I think of the way they did things all the time now! Do I look down on other's that don't have the same standard as I do? NO! Some of my closest friends and family don't care about cleaning and decorating to the degree I do, but they are tremendous at other skills that they enjoy ever so much more!

I have watched so many relationships be destroyed by competition. I recall one lady saying "If you can't keep up with the Jones', find cheaper Jones'!" Stop and think about what and WHY you are comparing yourself to others. Is it insecurity? Lack of appreciation? It's worth spending a bit of time to figure it out...then get excited about competing with yourself. I am all about goals, and I really want to focus on improvement...and that includes relationships. When I think back on some special friendships that I've lost, I realize that some of those were because the person wanted to compete with me, rather than compete with themselves, as it should have been!

When it comes to running, I only compete with myself. I keep track of the miles I run, and the speed I run, but that is only for tracking my personal improvement. There are WAY faster, and longer distance runners than I will ever hope to be, but as long as I see improvement in and for myself, I’m happy!

Several years ago, a lady walked into my kitchen and said "Good! I'm so glad to see dishes in your sink!" Well, since she was competing with me, and I had no idea, I guess this made her happy. To me? Who cares! I only keep score with myself:)

On My Word for the Year…

2010-12-30T12:17:00.001-05:00

Being a rather goal-oriented person, this is the time of year that I really take a close look at my life, and where I want to be a year from now.

One of the tools that has really helped me with this process has been to focus on a Word for the year. Last year, my Word was Inspire. I really felt the need to spark up my life, both by being inspired, and by inspiring others. I LOVE that word…I really didn’t even want to chose a new Word this year, but in an effort to keep from a rut, I decided I would just add a Word…I don’t really have to “give up” my old Word.

After a lot of quiet reflection (yep, I actually do that on occasion), I decided to chose the word Refresh.

I would like to Refresh my goals, refresh my business, refresh my body, refresh my mind, refresh my relationships, and refresh others.

The following link was very helpful in choosing my word, and if you would like ideas, it may help you as well. http://www.winspiration.co.uk/positive.htm

This year, I am going to work closely with my friend and mentor, Rick, to help me refresh my business through creative marketing.

My One True Love and I just joined a fitness center so that I can refresh my body.

I am setting plans and goals with friends, so that I can maintain great relationships.

I love the scripture in Proverbs 11:25 : A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. This will be my scripture for the year to go along with my new Word!

This year, I’m very excited to hit the “Refresh” Button! I’m really looking forward to 2011!!!

On a message from God, in a Big Red envelope…

2010-12-20T21:48:00.001-05:00

This morning, I was preparing for the day and thinking about the many commitments I have made this week. These song lyrics were flowing through my mind, “ Let us not grow weary in the work of love, send the light, send the light. Let us gather jewels for a grown above, send the light, send the light.”

I headed out on several errands. When I was nearly done, and thinking about how hungry I was, and how much I really wanted a nap, my phone rang. It was a gal that God has placed in my life that has Cerebral Palsy. She is totally helpless, and a caregiver and her sweet mom give most of her care. She attends college remotely. She was stuck on a problem, and needed me to come by and help her. So, even though in my heart, I really wanted to do other things, I told her I would finish up my last errand and be right there. It only took about 20 minutes to tutor her through the lesson she needed, then I headed for home.

When I got here, there was a big red envelope tucked into my planter. I opened it up, and there was a lovely letter from a friend. He thanked us for several things, among which was “making a difference in touching the lives of others”. Wow, that was nice! Also included was a $50 gift card to The Cheesecake Factory!!

My mind raced back to my morning thoughts of “let us not growing weary in the work of love”, and I KNOW that GOD used my friend to bless the end of my day!! Thank-you, Matt, and Thank-you, God!!!

On the Joy of Giving…

2010-12-19T15:55:00.001-05:00

This morning I got to witness something so amazing!! Many of you know that Bruce and I befriended an impoverished couple here in Orlando. They both had a terribly rough upbringing, and virtually no support in their teen and early adulthood years. God placed us in their path to teach them and make a difference for them. It has been an interesting journey, to say the least.

Today, our church gathered many toilet articles and household products to shower them with at Christmas, as well as several gifts for each family member.

One lady at church was making arrangements for the ladies to meet this week, to go help some underprivileged children in our area. One lady, Darlene couldn’t join up for the project, but handed the lady in charge $20 to put for the project. I wish everyone could have witnessed the beaming smile and big squeal, when she handed the money my friend Tenisha, so that she could go buy several items for these children. She was SO thrilled to get to be the GIVER, rather than the receiver!

All this just served to remind me once again of the absolute JOY of giving to others!! Tenisha was beaming all the way home! Now I can’t WAIT for Tuesday, when we complete this project!!

On Giving a little slack…

2010-12-03T22:35:00.001-05:00

Do you ever run into someone who is just a bit rude or short with you? Sometimes it’s clerk in a store, or another person on the road. Recently this happened to me, It really got me to thinking about the challenges that people are facing. Some are facing serious health issues in their family. Others are struggling to provide for their family’s in this treacherous economy. When this friend was a bit “off” with me last week, it really hurt. I kind of gave him some wide berth for a few days, mostly to protect myself.

Today, I had the opportunity to do a couple random acts of kindness for him. He was so gracious and thrilled that I would not only give him a ride to work, but bring him and his wife a cup of coffee on this chilly morning.

They had been struggling under a couple large utility bills, and yesterday they received help for those from a local agency. Today, both he and his wife were so happy and “light”. It made me realize that I need to look deeper when people are rude or short with me, I may have no idea of the pain of the burden they are carrying!

On a Wonderful Holiday Tradition…

2010-11-24T20:44:00.001-05:00

When our children were toddlers, we decided we were going to start specific traditions for our family during the Holiday season that would grow into special family memories. Some of these involved deciding on certain treats and recipes that our kids would look forward to which were mainly for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Interestingly enough, some of these recipes, I’ve heard our kids say this week that they are making for their celebrations. I mean, it’s just not a Rodda Holiday without our yummy cheeseball and fudge!

Today, I’m sharing our delicious Swedish Cinnamon Twists from the Make a Mix Cookbook I’ve been using for 32 years!

Swedish Cinnamon Twists

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1 T. sugar

1/4 C. warm water

1 C. buttermilk

1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 c. butter or marg. melted

2 eggs, beaten

4-5 c. HOT ROLL MIX (below)

Cinnamon Filling (below)

3 T. butter or marg. melted

Orange Glaze Frosting (below)

Hot Roll Mix:

5 C. flour

1/3 c. sugar

1 t. salt

1/4 c. instant nonfat dry milk

Mix thoroughly in a large bowl and set aside

Cinnamon Filling:

1 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 t. cinnamon (I use the kind from Cinnabon)

Mix these in bowl and set aside.

Orange Glaze Frosting:

1/3 c. butter or margarine

2 c. powdered sugar

Juice from an orange

1 T. grated orange peel

Melt butter, stir in sugar, orange juice and peel to desired consistancy.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Set aside. Bring buttermilk to a boil in a small sauce pan; buttermilk should curdle. In a large bowl combine buttermilk, baking soda and 1/2 cup melted butter. Add eggs. When mixture is lukewarm, add dissolved yeast mixture. Gradually stir in 4 -5 cups Hot Roll Mix until the soft dough forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add additional Hot Roll Mix if needed to make a soft, but not too sticky dough. Lightly butter a bowl. Put dough in bowl and turn to butter top. Cover dough with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Generously grease 2 baking sheets. Prepare Cinnamon Filling. Punch down dough. Roll out to a 12”x20” rectangle. Brush dough with 3 Tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle Cinnamon Filling lengthwise over half of the dough to within 1/2 inch of long edge. Fold rectangle in half lengthwise to cover filling. Seal dough edges. With a Pizza cutter, cut dough into 12-18 strips, about 3/4 inches wide. Twist each strip and place strips 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30-40 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake about 9-10 minutes, until golden brown. Butter with a stick of butter. Prepare Orange Glaze. Pour over when ready to serve.

These may seem like a lot of work, but they do get easier with practice…and they are so delicious, you won’t be disappointed!!

On Most News is No News…

2010-11-12T15:12:00.001-05:00

In a recent discussion with my Dad, he mentioned reading that there had been a drop in on-line news readership.

This got me to thinking about my own on-line habits. There was a period of time, when I would come into my office, check my email, read CNN, then move on to other sites.I recall doing a unit of study about the local Newspaper when I was in 7th Grade. The teacher wanted to know what we read in the newspaper each day. I told her I read the Obituaries, Births, Engagements and Weddings. I also read the sports page to see if there were any photos or news about my friends Jim and John Cox who were local track stars. Basically, I wanted to check and see if there was any “news” among people that I knew.

I realized when I signed up for Facebook, my world really changed. Family and friends that I may have heard from once or twice a year were now in communication with me several times a week, if not several times a day in some instances! Plus, I have deepened friendships by getting to know people much better. When I click on Facebook, there I can find all kinds of news that I CARE about, since it pertains to people I know.

There are posts that are WAY funnier than than any comic strips. Like this week, when my friend and business partner Rick made this post: “I live on a conservation area. Deer live in the conservation area. Deer leave a mess in the conservation area. Golden Retrievers like to roll in the mess in the conservations area. Masters have to wash the mess off the dog caused by the deer in the conservastion area. Will be back to Facebook after a shot break.” My comment was this: “Yeah...I would need a shot break if I had to clean that up, too!!!” And so the fun goes on…

So for now, I rarely click on news sites. That news is generally negative and there is not usually anything I can do about it anyway. If it is BIG news, and I can do something to help, I will hear about.

So for now, my biggest news source is Facebook, and I love EVERY reporter in my news feed!!

On You Can’t Rush a Wall…

2010-10-29T18:23:00.001-05:00

When we moved to Orlando in February, we had just come from a professionally decorated condo. I was both excited and a bit intimidated to set this house up by myself. First off, there are 3+ more rooms here to decorate, and we were getting a lot of our furnishings out of storage.

My One True Love and I have lived for the last 22 years in homes where we chose to only have one living area, rather than a formal living room and a family room. Since this house had both, that meant the need for more furnishings, especially wall decor.

There was one wall of the family room that was particularly sparse, but I wasn’t quite sure what to do about that.

But one thing I’ve learned, is that there is no need to hurry. When the right thing comes along, you’ll just know.My daughter had told me about this cute vinyl, so she and her husband got it for my birthday. The wall still needed something…

So my sister Bonnie called and said she had sent a check, and for me to go buy a clock for the wall. THAT was what it needed. Then one more thing:

I had seen a clever idea at a decor shop, where you put a garland or wall pocket on your mirror. So now, after 6 months, that wall is complete. See? You can’t rush a wall!

On a Landmark kind of day…

2010-09-27T09:47:00.001-05:00

Today my first born child turns 30. Today is a mixture of nostalgia, pleasure and pride. All in equal portions. For anyone that has known Bryce, he has been anything but average from his first appearance. Arriving 3 weeks late at 9.6 pounds and 22 1/2 inches…he made his debut into our family with us wondering what just hit! From the moment he was born, and laid on my stomach, and looked directly into my eyes, I knew this little guy had me forever!!

There were so many adjustments to parenting as we “thought” we knew it! Bryce was a night owl from a very early age. We learned to dump the toys in the crib, close the door and go to bed, waking several hours later to turn out the light. When Bryce got older, he LOVED a party…any party…or to create a party!! (Still kind is kind of like that.)

Bryce loved(s) to talk. He entertained us for many hours with all kinds of thoughts, opinions and discussions. He once said he wouldn’t marry a girl unless she was smart enough to have good discussions with him. (He accomplished that! Amy is working on a PHD!)

Bryce has been such an encourager to us. His faith in God, and his understanding through challenging times has been such a blessing for our family. We are proud of his accomplishments in his career, as well as the wonderful support he is to his wife in her studies.

Looking back through the albums, there are just so many fun memories, and every one of our family and friends have their own favorites that they could add to the most entertaining Bryce Andrew Rodda.

Today and always, I am so thankful for that sunny Saturday morning in Yakima, Washington, when Bryce turned our world upside down.

I couldn’t ask for a better Son. I love you, Bryce!!!

On a Pain-filled Silence…

2010-09-26T16:49:00.001-05:00

July 9th, we were heading out of an evening of fun, when a horrid headache hit me! After a short drive, we decided we should just go home, and let me get feeling better. Little did we know that would be the first headache of daily headaches for the next several weeks!

I have learned more about headaches in the last 11 weeks than I ever thought possible. I have been to an emergency clinic, three doctors, two chiropractors and massage therapy. I have used a traction machine and tens unit. I have taken Exedrin, Tylenol, Ibuprophin, aspirin, naproxin, viccidin and muscle relaxers. I have learned about stress headaches, rebound headaches, cluster headaches, migraine headaches…and “nearly banging my head against the wall “headaches!!! (well, I didn’t actually do that, but I FELT like it a few times!!)

During this time, I have slept in 12 different beds, traveled over 14,000 miles, taken a 45 hour Real Estate course online, and spent time with numerous family and friends. God has given me amazing reserve strength to fight pain that I didn’t even know I had.

The headaches are due to several elements. I have changed pillows, bought a new bite guard, and simplified some parts of my life to reduce stress.

This is the longest break I’ve taken from Blogging since I began four years ago! But, I’m back. I have a lot to share, and a lot to learn, and hopefully, the headaches to become fewer and farther between!

On The Art of Thank-you notes…

2010-07-03T20:50:00.002-05:00

One of the earliest lessons I recall learning in life was that of writing thank-you letters. Since both our maternal and paternal grandparents lived many miles away, we would receive those fun boxes of surprises at our birthdays and Christmas. I remember my Mom taking a paper towel and a pencil, and writing out the words that we would tell her, so we could copy them onto our note paper. I’m thinking this must have been a long tradition in her family, since recently I found a copy of a darling little note that she had written her grandma when she was about 5 years old (obviously written by her mother, and signed by her)…nearly 75 years ago! My Mom is and always has been one the most dedicated note writers I have known!

It has carried on to the next generation, as I taught our children the importance of writing thank-you notes. In fact, one of the things that has really endeared our daughter-in-law to me has been her sweet thank-you notes, from the first time she ever met us!! And our son-in-law is also great at writing notes of thanks!

I have recently been mentoring a sweet family we have met here in Orlando. One of the first things I taught Tenisha is the importance of writing Thank-you notes. Several people in my circle of influence have stepped right up and given Tenisha and her family many nice and thoughtful gifts. So I gave her a pack of thank-you cards, and some stamps. Each time someone does a nice thing for her, I give her their address. Last week, she called and asked if I could come by her house for a minute. When I got there, she had baked some banana bread (the first she had ever made), and had make a lovely card for Bruce and I out of scrapbook paper. The words she wrote inside were absolutely precious! My how this sweet gal has grown in the few months we have known her.

Yesterday, Tenisha told me that she had called her hair stylist and asked her to come to her house, and Tenisha gave her some banana bread and a Thank-you note. She said, “Miss Carol, she burst into tears and told me that is the FIRST Thank-you note she has ever received in her life, and she is 41 years old!!” Wow!! That just about make ME cry!!! Tenisha is making a difference for those around her with her “new-found” Thank-you note writing skills.

To whom will YOU write a note today?

On Notable People…

2010-05-13T15:16:00.001-05:00

Yesterday at breakfast, something in the newspaper caught my eye. (Yes, Jim. We are doing our part to help the industry.) The Orlando Sentinel had an ad mentioning a website where you could read the obituaries of Notable Persons of Central Florida.

Somehow, that really started bugging me. Just WHO is “notable”? And what makes one person MORE notable than another? Am I going to be on the “notable people” website when I die?

The last two days, my mind has been constantly thinking of people I know that have died, that lived a VERY notable life, but I’m sure would never have been on the “notable person” page.

How about Hazel Jones. She cared for her daughter, Shirley, who was one of the longest lived persons with cerebral palsy. She went the nursing home several days a week to help in her care, and be a friend to her daughter. I know she did that for over 50 years! Such self-less devotion!!

My mind has raced through name after name of wonderful people I have known, who have had a profound influence on my family and me, but would never have made it on the “notable” persons site.

I had a conversation with a professional that was giving me advice awhile back, and he was trying to discourage a course of action I wanted to take, since it would be “not one dime to the Rodda’s” . He was right, but I could name at least five other people to whom it meant several hundred dollars. I really was uncomfortable with his whole “watch out for number one” attitude!

After thinking it over, I now know what makes a person “notable”. It comes straight from the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:

³⁷Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'^[b] ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Anyone who follows these two commands in their life is truly a “notable” person! And whether or not they actually get listed on a special “site”, the God of the universe will think they are “notable” and I would rather be on HIS list!

On Health and Wellness…

2010-04-27T21:01:00.001-05:00

Saturday, our daughter invited me to attend a Fertility Conference in Tampa. I went to be a support for her. What an amazing day! The caring and compassion of the doctors and other professionals who spoke was nothing short of fantastic! The Reproductive Medicine Group really outdid themselves. Although I went as a side-kick to April, I took away five really great ideas on improving health in general.

1. Diet. Our diets as Americans mainly consist of carbs. It is the most prevalent food available. Grab a cookie, a sandwich, pizza…no matter where you go, there are carbs. It takes thought and planning to really get great protein, fruits and vegetables. So this week, when I bought groceries, I made sure my cart had the least amount of carbs, and the greatest amount of fruits and vegetables.

2. Exercise. The best line I heard all day was this “If you plan to eat today, you need to exercise.” – Dr. Sandy Goodman, MD

3. Be in the moment. Too often, we are either thinking about the past, or worrying about the future, and we rob our selves of truly enjoying the now. Today, when I was working around our house, I really tried to focus my whole mind on what I was doing, and it really does make things so much more enjoyable…even things that aren’t always considered “fun” things to do.

4. Be Still. In our hurry, hurry society of deadlines, cell-phones, internet and many other distractions, it is great for your mental health to just be still. Take 5 minutes and just be. Set everything else aside, and just let your mind and body catch up with each other, and be still. This reminds me of the scripture in Psalms 46:10, Be Still and know that I am God. Allow yourself time for peace, and practicing the presence of God.

5. Take Vitamin D3 in liquid form or sublingually. A mental heath counselor gave this advice. She said that is the first thing she asks her patients to change. We don’t get enough sun, even in Florida! We work inside and wear sunscreen outside, so most people are deficient in this vitamin. It improves overall health, and helps with low moods and depression. Google this, you will be amazed!

There are my five “take-aways” from Saturday. I am rejuvenated to take my over all health very seriously.

On an Amazing new Friendship…

2010-04-12T19:30:00.001-05:00

We are now getting settled into life in Orlando. It takes a bit of time to meet people and build friendships. Bruce and I met a super friendly clerk at Five Guys Hamburgers, named Vashion (va-Shon). One night I left him a note to call us, and the very next day, he did. He said he wanted us to meet his wife and kids. So we set a time to have them to dinner. Last Friday night, I went and picked them up and brought them to our home. What an amazing evening! These kids, first of all were blown away that "white folks" would invite them to dinner. They asked if they could bring their Bibles, so we could read with them. We had a lovely dinner and evening, getting acquainted, and reading the Bible together!! They are so eager for friends and mentors. They come from broken families that don't encourage education or success. Whew!

A couple days later, I got to thinking, that they may be in need of some household goods. So I called and asked what size is their bed. I quickly learned, I should have asked "Do you have a bed?" So I found a bed on Craigslist, and the owner was a wonderful Christian couple thrilled to help us out and deliver the bed for us! I happened to have the extra bedding to go up and help them make it up very lovely. Vashion asked how I made that bed feel like a cloud…I then gave a little lesson on 100% cotton sheets with a high thread count!

A few days later, they asked if we would like to go to an Arts and Food Festival downtown. So Saturday, we spent a big part of the day hanging out with them, being friends and loving them. Sunday, Tenisha called and asked if we could get together this week. So I went and picked her up today, since her husband could be home with their babies. What a great time we had. I was able to ask about her family, and it was just so sad. She has no idea where her dad is, and her mom lives a very destructive lifestyle in another city. She hardly has any relationship with anyone in her family. She said "Miss Carol, you are my only friend!" Wow! That was so humbling! It was wonderful to see her relaxed and enjoying just hanging. While we were visiting and I was fixing her lunch, I noticed she got all choked up, and I went over and gave her a hug. She just sobbed in my arms, and said she really needed me for a mom. I was so overwhelmed!! For 51 years, I have had a Mom that I can call whenever I want, and have a wonderful friendship with! Here is a girl of 26, married with two babies, that has NO ONE! No one to teach her to be a Godly woman, wife or mother. Today, when I was talking to her about training her babies to sleep all night, she said, "No one has ever taught me these things!" Then later, she said, “I just feel like a woman after I have spent time with you!” Bruce and I have prayed for a long time for a couple to mentor and teach, I think that God has definitely answered our prayers in our new friends, and given us a mission field only a few miles away!

On Keeping your Valentine...

2010-02-16T08:07:00.003-05:00

Saturday morning found my One True Love and I at McDonald's for breakfast. We were planning to have scrambled eggs at home, but since the entire kitchen was packed and we couldn't find a spatula, McDonald's won!
While Bruce was getting our food, I couldn't help overhearing a table full of gentleman talking next to us. One guy was talking about his marriage, and here is what he said, "My wife and I don't like any of the same things. She loves cooking and watching the cooking channel. I love sports and watch ESPN. To me, the cooking channel just sounds like a bunch of droning and I hate it...and we all KNOW that ESPN is droning (they all laughed at that)! BUT we really love each other, even if we don't like the same things. I'm hoping I can get her into golf, because I think she would be really great at it."
This conversation made me think of two things. First, FIND things that you and your spouse can enjoy together. I couldn't help hoping that his wife would take up golf with him! Bruce and I love to read, so we enjoy going to bookstores, or a quiet evening at home reading. We also enjoy exploring new areas, and finding interesting things to do, or taking long rides in the car. We enjoy eating out, and finding unusual, off the beaten path type of places. The second thought this conversation brought to mind is that you can still really love your spouse, even if you don't share a lot of interests. Too many times I've heard couples say "We just don't have anything in common any more." Well, judging from the looks of this guy, I would say he's been married in excess of 40 years, and he was still proud to tell his "gang" that he and his wife really loved each other! Obviously, the commitment they made "until death" still mattered to them.
So here's to couples everywhere: Learn to enjoy life together, and stay together!!

On My Word for the year...

2010-01-20T17:58:00.003-05:00

When I was in the process of writing my goals for the year, I came across the idea of choosing a word to represent your year. See more about that here. I have been thinking a lot about this, and the word that kept coming to mind is Inspire. I want to both be Inspired, and Inspire others. So you may see that theme word popping up here over 2010. This last weekend, my friend Jayne visited me from Spokane, and we made journals to write and document things that we wanted to remember that had to do with the words that we each chose for the year.

I have added on the side bar a list of the sites that I frequent for ideas and inspiration. I hope you are as Inspired by them as I am!

On Freezing Weather in Tampa...

2010-01-11T21:00:00.005-05:00

The news has made a big deal of the freezing weather we've been experiencing in Florida. On our way to church early Sunday, we stopped at a nursery to snap a few photos, and then drove past a strawberry field for one more. The way the farmers protect the plants here is to run the sprinklers, then everything freezes. There is one road we generally take, that was blocked by a police car, due to the sprinkler ice build-up on the road. We usually get a few nights of freezing each winter, but this two week stretch has been the longest in over 25 years! That means that rather than a couple days of winter, we've had two weeks...but it is supposed to back up to 70 by the weekend, so don't feel too sorry for us!

On Exercise Required for Good Health...

2010-01-06T20:33:00.004-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about what I want to accomplish this year, and what kind of ways I want to grow as a person. As you know from my previous posts, I take exercise as a very serious part of my life. The positive effect this has had on my life had been amazing. It helps me have a lot of energy, stay healthy, gives me a great prayer time, and helps with my emotional well-being. I would hate to have to lose any one of those benefits. I was scanning through an email ad a few days ago, and this was what I saw: "Slimming Active Wear. No Gym required." How pathetic is THAT! Evidently you can wear clothes that make you look slimmer, and look like you've been to the gym, but you don't have to exercise. At first, it really bugged me. Then I thought, well, how sad for them. They are totally missing out on the huge benefits of exercise. When I look at my list of goals to accomplish in 2010, the physical goal section is the longest. For me it is the one I have most control over, and is most measurable. Therefore, the most specific. Besides, without my health, none of my other goals are achievable.

On Being Set Free..

2009-12-24T09:43:00.002-05:00

Last week I read an amazing news article that I can't get out of my mind! James Bain spent the last 35 years in a prison about 30 minutes away from where we live. He was exonerated last week, after DNA tests proved that he did not murder a certain victim. At the time he was sent to prison he was 19 years old. Do the math! He is now 54!! He has lived the same years of adult life as my One True Love, only his was spent in a prison...for a crime he didn't commit!

The reporters asked him if he was mad about it. He said, "I am not angry. I have God in my head". The article went on to say that his elderly mother was going to sign over her car and house to him.

I couldn't help but think about the fact, that although he was in prison for 35 years, he was free, really free! All because of a loving Father from whom he chose to accept the gift of salvation, peace and forgiveness! So then I couldn't help think of all the people that are deceived into believing they are free, but live in self-imposed prisons. Some prisons are dis-belief in a loving God. Some prisons look like anger. Some prisons look like lack of forgiveness or grudge-holding. Some prisons look like fear.

Maybe this would be a perfect time of year to take a close look and see just what prison you may need to be freed from! I know what mine is, and I'm making a serious effort to be set free this season! May you experience a joyous and FREE Christmas!

On front door entertainment...

2009-12-10T10:53:00.004-05:00

The last two days we spent painting and doing a few small repairs on the house where our daughter and son-in-law are moving. It is a beautiful home, and it was fun to do a "final spiff" on it before the big moving day arrives.
I was painting like a crazy women (using my wonderful power roller) when the doorbell rang. I really didn't want to stop the project, so I called out for my One True Love to answer the door. I figured it was most likely some vendor. Sure enough, this gal started in on her "spiel" just as soon as Bruce said hello. She went non-stop, until she came up for air, and Bruce was able to tell her we didn't need cleaning products, we were only painting.
So I brought this up again last night at dinner, and said how glad I was that I didn't have to get off the ladder to answer the door. I said "Wow, it was almost like she was singing her presentation". Bruce says, "And she was dancing, too!" Okay, NOW I wish I could have seen that! I really doubt I would have kept a straight face, since it made me laugh when he said it!

On what a penny represents...

2009-11-23T19:37:00.002-05:00

Yesterday my One True Love and I were out for our morning exercise. We were running down a road, and I see a penny. I didn't stop and pick it up. My mind started thinking about "lucky pennies", and just how little a penny is worth. I thought, "If that had been a dollar, or a twenty dollar bill, or a few hundreds, I would have stopped right on the spot and picked it up!! That got me to thinking about being thankful. I just "expect" certain blessings, and even take them for granted. I don't get excited about those "little" ones, because I'm waiting and HOPING for the BIG ones!! Then I got convicted!! I told Bruce, wait up...I'm going back to get something! I turned around and walked back to where the penny was, and picked it up!! He was curious by now as to what I went back for. I told him I had to pick up that penny as a reminder to be thankful for the smallest of blessings, not just for the big ones!! I do have certain blessings that I am hoping and PRAYING for, but I never want to be ungrateful for the rich everyday blessings that God pours into my life...His mercies are new every morning!!!

On What is the News?

2009-11-17T21:02:00.002-05:00

When I was in High School, I remember really enjoying picking up the Newspaper off the front porch, bringing it inside, and scanning the news. I didn't really care about current events (I had enough of that in my Contemporary World Problems class!). But I loved to read the local sections, births, deaths, weddings, Military news, scholarships...anything where I might see mention of someone I knew. THAT was news to me!
When we moved to Yakima, and then Spokane, it was the same way...after being in town for a short time, and making friends, I enjoyed checking out the Newspaper to see if anyone I knew was in the news.
This year really brought about a huge "news change" for me! Facebook! Now, when I get up in the morning, I am anxious to check the Live News Feed on Facebook, to see any news from my friends! You see, Facebook has made life a lot simpler for me...I no longer have to search for a name listed...it is right there on the Home Page in front of me!! I LOVE staying in touch with friends! Facebook is now my favorite news source! Do I even check the headline news? Rarely!

On the Refreshment of Home...

2009-10-21T08:28:00.003-05:00

Sundays are quite long for us for a few more weeks. We leave home at 8:15, head the 30 miles in to church, run a couple errands, head to my in-laws (another 25 miles further) share lunch and a visit...and a few repairs...take a rest, then head back to Brandon for grocery shopping, back to church to teach Financial Peace, then 30 miles back home...usually around 9 p.m. We are happy to do this, it is only a season...5 more weeks to be precise.

Last week, we forgot to put our bag of materials to teach Financial Peace in the car when we left for our long day ahead. We realized this when we reached our in-laws for lunch, some 50 miles away! Soooo, we had to cut our visit a bit short, and head back in early to get groceries, and then head back home to get the materials. On the way home, I told my One True Love, that I wasn't totally sad about having to do the extra driving...that I was excited about the fact that we would have about an hour at home, before we had to turn around and drive back in the 30 miles to teach the class.

It was so nice to "crash" on the couch for a nap, and totally unwind in our own home. We both agreed, that it was just so refreshing to come home...even if for a short time.

This really has got me to thinking about our "real" home...heaven. Now, we are running around, taking care of life and business, thinking that when we get back to our own "four walls" we can really let down and relax...think of how about a million times more relaxed and at home we will be when we reach our really, truly, forever home in heaven!! How refreshing that will be!! Makes me rather jealous of those that are already there!

On Insurance Overload...

2009-10-21T08:17:00.002-05:00

So, we all know that the big thing in the news these days is the ever-growing health insurance challenge that is facing our country. At our house, we are big believers in insurance, and are grateful that so far, even without income for several months, we have been able to maintain coverage in all the major areas of our life.
I think everyone will agree, that sometimes, however, we can get a bit carried away with insurance. Last week in our Financial Peace University class, Dave Ramsey poked some fun at one guy that had more insurance on his rototiller than he had on his wife!!! We chuckle...but it does get a bit crazy when we went to Lowe's last weekend to buy a little $30.00 Weber charcoal grill, and the clerk offered us insurance. We asked how much, said, $5.00. We both laughed and said "no thanks"... in this case...I think we'll take on the risk!

On a near Mosh Pit Experience...

2009-10-16T20:30:00.004-05:00

Last Thursday night, my One True Love and I went to the USF-Cincinnati game at the Raymond James Stadium downtown. Due to the VERY long line at the ladies room, I told Bruce I would just meet him up at our seats. I have only been there a couple times, and am not too familiar with the layout of the seating. So when I headed out to find the area, I was quite confused, and thought I may just be on the wrong side of the stadium. At the north end of the stadium is a pirate ship for the Buccaneers games. This creates quite a bottle neck to get people through that end. I got caught in a full-body crowd crush that was amazing...college students totally surrounded me, body to body!! Ewww...and everyone was hot and sweaty!! The crowd was in a total deadlock. Then they started chanting "move it...move it"! And the crowd moved forward as one body!! Someone even said "Hey, this is how people get killed!". I am NOT claustrophobic, but this was one time, I actually could almost feel myself begin to panic!! Of course, when I reached the other side, an employee told me to go back through, I was now on the wrong side! YIKES!! But by then, the crowd had thinned out considerably. While I was in that "crowd crush", I couldn't help but think of all the crazy kids that go to concerts and deliberately go down in to the mosh pit!! That was as close to a mosh pit as I would want to be!! Mosh pits for me? Not now, not EVER!

On Entitlements...

2009-10-07T20:00:00.002-05:00

I don't profess to understand a ton about politics (does anyone, really?), but if there is any one thing that really bugs me, it is entitlements. People believing that they are entitled to something, generally a government handout, due to their special situation.

Since my One True Love and I are very focused on weight loss, I've been thinking a lot about why I eat, and really evaluating my habits. Well, imagine my shock when it occurred to me a few days ago that I actually am hypocritical when it comes to entitlements! I want them as much as the next person...only mine is not in the way of government handouts...mine is food!! Something bad happens...I'm entitled to something to eat! Something good happens...I'm entitled to celebrate with dessert. It's the weekend...I'm entitled to eat something special because I'm relaxing! It's been four hours since my last meal...I'm entitled to eat again...and if I'm not home, I'm entitled to "drive through" for something to eat! Yikes!! I think you get my drift!!

I was sitting with a group of people last week that were facing financial struggles...nearly every person in the group of 15 was overweight! For whatever else they are having to do without, food obviously didn't fall into that category!!! Food is something that most Americans see as an entitlement...who would DARE go hungry or skip a meal!!! I have GOT to get past this food entitlement belief!!

On a Hug from a Song...

2009-09-27T08:39:00.003-05:00

A very long time ago, my One True Love and I decided that the fun, upbeat song, "You're Still the One" is our song. Wherever we are when we hear that song, we smile...at each other...or if alone, to ourselves. It just reminds us of our long-time love and friendship and all the fun that we have being together.
We also have a song like that in our relationship with God. Whenever we hear the song "Oh God, you are my God, and I will ever praise you", we smile. There is a very meaningful line in the chorus that says "step by step You lead me, and I will follow you all of my days". We first heard that song about 16 years ago, during a dark, scary, but faith-building time of our life. We both felt it was like a hug from God, to know that he would take us through each step of our future.
Now, we are ready to launch new careers together, and it is a rather scary step, once again. However, last night, we attended Northland Church in Orlando. Bruce has enjoyed their Internet church many times recently, and wanted to attend in person. At the end of the service they had us all stand and sing..."and step by step you'll lead me, and I will follow you all of my days". Wow! We both turned to each other with a big smile and a few tears of happiness. We know that God as been faithful in the past and He is faithful right now...that song just felt like a hug from God!

On No More than I can handle please...

2009-09-25T15:08:00.002-05:00

A few weeks back, my One True Love and I enrolled in Real Estate school. The first day we were handed a thick book, some 400+ pages long! I recall flipping through the book, and feeling very overwhelmed!! Then I thought "No, I can't look at the whole book, I just need to think about the page I'm on, and I'll learn the rest later." It was a LOT to learn, and thankfully, we learned what we needed, since we passed the state exam!!
Today, I was thinking about that book again, and life. I can see why God doesn't allow us to "flip our book" ahead, or to the end. I believe we would be completely overwhelmed, because God hasn't had the chance yet to teach us each day what we needed to know how to handle that information. When I look at the massive changes in our lives over the last 18 months, I can see why God has only let us see what we need to for today!! I never would have understood why or how we've made it to this place in time otherwise. But looking back, I can see how God orchestrated so many things absolutely perfectly, even down to one night that we just happened to check on Craigslist for rentals and found a wonderful opportunity for us there!! Isn't that just like God?? One of my favorite Psalms is 145:15-16: "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." So I will peacefully wait for God to reveal my future...one day at a time...since that is all I can handle anyway!

On just what is "home"...

2009-09-03T09:42:00.004-05:00

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the word "home". I guess I become a bit introspective whenever we are preparing to move. I remember 6 years ago when we left Spokane. Our daughter was feeling like she would never get to go "home" again, since we were leaving her childhood home. Well, in a sense, she was right...she could never go back to that house. But her first visit to Florida, we were living in a small 2 bedroom apartment. When she walked in and sat on the sofa, she sighed and said "I'm home!" So really, home isn't the shell of the house...and it isn't totally the possessions, but for me, it is a combination of the people you love and the familiarity of the possessions. I have spent most of today packing up our house. It is feeling a lot less like "home" as I pack away all the photos and home decor. Although we had a great time building this house, and really enjoyed making it our own, I am feeling excited to get my things back out of boxes and start feeling "at home" in the next place. I came across a cute little quote from our daughter this week from when she was 4 years old. She was really confused by moving, and she asked us "Will our last name still be Rodda?" Yes, we are still us, and we are still home, because we will be our family and in familiar surroundings, no matter where we live!

On showing our talents...

2009-07-29T15:25:00.003-05:00

I am reading the book, "...And Ladies of the Club" by Helen Hooven Santmyer. I read it the first time well over 20 years ago. It is by far the largest tome I have ever undertaken to read before or since! (1175 pages, super small point type) But is it a delightful book, and one that is packed with early American history and customs. I may be making a few more comments on the book before I get through with it. One thing really hit me a few days ago. A family in the book was having a little gathering of their friends, and for entertainment, they were planning to sing around the piano after dinner. When we were kids growing up, we did that when we had company. It was always fun to sing hymns, and enjoy the fellowship of singing together. This made me think about what could possibly have changed, that people really don't do that any longer. Now, if someone has a piano, and you ask, "Do you play?", they make some excuse about not playing good enough or being too embarrassed. The only thing that I can think of that changed this is TV. That since we are exposed regularly to "professional" musicians, we have somehow decided that they are the only ones that should perform. I recall on many occasions a group of kids at our house, that would gather around the piano, and then take turns playing while the others sang, then sometimes playing dual on the piano...what a great time we had. I came across this marvelous quote recently by Henry Van Dyke, "Use what talents you possess. The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best".

On an Interesting Discovery...

2009-07-22T09:07:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, we set aside the morning to move around some appliances for one of our rentals. This started off with picking up the U-Haul truck, then going to our friend's house to load the stove and refrigerator. I have a bit of tendinitis in my arm, so am not a huge amount of help on the loading, but I helped out where I could...like driving the truck!
At our friend's, her college age son helped My One True Love load up. When we finally (we are now talking noon!) got to the rental, Bruce was mostly able to unload and reload the appliances just fine. However, when we got home with of the refrigerators that we plan to sell, Bruce told me to step aside, he could get it off without my help. Well, next thing we know, that Fridge is zipping off that truck down the driveway and lands flat on it's side! We both stand there wide-eyed...and yes, he did get if off without my help! Fortunately, the dolly cushioned the blow. What the interesting discovery was that when they say "tempered glass" on the shelves inside the fridge...it is just that. Not one shelf (which were just sitting inside unattached) got a crack or break! I am amazed and impressed!!

On a Disturbing Discovery...

2009-07-09T10:09:00.002-05:00

One of the favorite treats I've enjoyed sharing with my One True Love, is the delightful "slab of ice cream" called an Ice Cream Bar at Costco. If you are not familiar with these, they are a big slab of ice cream, dipped in milk chocolate coating, then dipped in chopped almonds! Is your mouth watering?? Recently we shared one of these tasty treats. A few days later, as we were talking it came up that each of us thought the other one got more!! So we decided the best way to solve this was that the next time we went, we would each get our own!! So we did! It was delicious, and we neither were concerned about the other getting our share! However, Bruce was doing some research for a book he is writing, and what did he find, but that the Costco Ice Cream Bars are 850 calories!! Or for Weight Watchers...22 and a half points! OUCH!! We have now decided that we will go back to our childhood way of sharing from now on...one gets to cut, and one gets to choose!! So I'm not sure which was the most disturbing discovery...that the Ice Cream Bars are 850 calories, or that in this area, we just don't play very nice!!

On a Promise I'll never get tired of...

2009-07-07T13:58:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was a bit of a rough morning. This past week marked the end of our relationship with My One True Love's former company. (IE: no more severance pay). So having gone over our finances quite carefully to set up a strategy to hold us for the coming months, it just wasn't generally a happy Monday morning! I did however pray in faith that God would take care of us and provide as He sees our needs.
So we headed out at 7 a.m. for our morning run. The weather was mostly sunny as we left. When we reached the one mile marker, I looked up and saw a half a rainbow. That lifted my heart, a reminder that God is in control. When we were near the end of our loop, it started to rain very gently. I looked up and there was a whole rainbow across the sky. Wow!! It was such a reminder to me that even though I could only see half the rainbow the first time, the WHOLE rainbow was still there!! When the time was perfect, God showed be the entire rainbow! Even though I can only see one side of our situation as we search for the next job, God can look down and see the whole thing, how it will play out, how our faith will grow, and how willing we are to trust HIM to provide! When God put that first rainbow in the sky, that was His promise to never destroy the earth again by flooding...but yesterday, I saw it as a promise that no matter what the months ahead bring, my faith won't be destroyed. I will continue to put my faith in the only One worth hoping for!!

On Being a Life-time Learner...

2009-06-28T13:27:00.002-05:00

Recently I had a conversation with someone whom I was sharing a new idea that I had just learned with. They had a lot of reasons why the idea wasn't all that great. I felt sort of let down and saddened, until I realized that person has not chosen to be a life-time learner. They tend to like things just as they are, with no real change or challenge.
I have always loved to learn new ideas. Did I love school? Somewhat. But what I really love is being grown up and getting to chose what new things I want to learn!! One of the first classes I took as an adult was a Home Organization course that I still partially use today. (No! my house isn't "partially" organized! I just still use part of the ideas!!) Then my One True Love and I went to a 2 week counseling seminar that was very helpful for our years in ministry. When our kids were babies, I took an Image Improvement course that focused on the total woman, from personality to fashion. I spent many years in direct sales, and learned a lot about business and leadership from reading and various speakers. A lot of what I have learned about real estate and investments I have learned from mentors. I ask them lots of questions, and decided a long time ago that the only "stupid" question is the one left unasked!
Recently, Bruce and I decided to take Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey. We have always enjoyed financial matters, and have done a fairly good job with them, however we have been gleaning so much great information, we highly recommend the class. It is entertaining, enlightening, and life-changing!! In fact, when we do future marriage or pre-marriage mentoring, this class will be a must! What a great thing to see couples totally on board together with their money...the number one thing that couples fight over!
Bruce and I are both voracious readers, and we learn so many great concepts and ideas from books. We are always recommending a new one to people we are around...in fact, Bruce has purchased several copies of a book on church leadership recently that he has been handing out. Not all of these books are non-fiction! There are wonderful story-tellers out there that have taught me a lot about relationships, and spiritual concepts that have changed my life!
It is no wonder that when 10 years ago, someone encouraged me to write a personal mission statement that one line reads "I chose to be a life-time learner". May I never forget that is what keeps me interesting and excited about life!

On true sacrifice...

2009-05-27T14:55:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, my One True Love and I drove through the Chickamauga Battlefield in Northwestern Alabama. It was so interesting to see a short video at the Visitors Center, then drive through the large Battlefield Park. Since it was Memorial Day weekend, our thoughts were of course focused on the men and women who have given their lives for our country. Seeing the tiny little cabin at Snodgrass Hill that was used for a "field hospital", made me realize that the soldiers that fought in the civil war did so under the worst possible conditions, often without proper clothing or footwear. No matter ones opinion of the civil war, these were real men with real family's that put everything "on the line" for what they believed in. It was a great reminder of the sacrifice that all servicemen make, and for that I am grateful!

On unlimited grace...

2009-04-14T15:13:00.004-05:00

This morning as I was running, I was thinking about things that make life nice. Of course, my cell phone came to mind. I am really enjoying having unlimited minutes. After 9 years of having to closely track and budget my minutes, it is such a wonderful thing to no longer care, or have to check if I'm staying within my limit. Over the past 9 years, there have been a few times when I had to call and plead for mercy, or a few extra minutes, or "bump up" my plan for a few days at the end of the month. This got me to thinking about God's grace. How wonderful to have confidence and faith in a God, that no matter how much grace I use up in a month, I never have to wonder or worry about "going over" for the month! God's "grace plan" is unlimited! Which is the BEST plan for me!!

On the benefits of being a good customer...

2009-04-03T20:18:00.004-05:00

In the past, I have thought of customer service in terms of what a company does for me, but today I got a different view! How do I treat companies? Recently, I had some challenges with my cell phone, and over the course of the time that I was dealing with the issues, the company pointed out that for $3.00 more per month, I could have unlimited minutes on my phone. I asked why they were offering me that deal. They said, "You have been a valued customer for 9 years, and you always pay your bill on time." Wow! That made my day!!!
Today, I went to our local video store, because for some reason, even though I had returned the video, I was charged $23. on my credit card. I respectfully asked the gal if she could help me figure out what went wrong, since I returned the video in a timely manner. She and another employee looked through the store, but couldn't locate it. She said, "I'm just going to credit it back to your credit card anyway, since I can look and see that you have never had any problem with your account." So I realized that being a good customer sometimes is the best was to get good customer service!! It is a two-way street!

On some you win, some you lose...

2009-03-16T12:13:00.004-05:00

Friday night, my One True Love and I are in a video store, looking for a movie. We were not having success, and both wondered off in different directions, seeing what we could find. I am in the far corner of the store, and I hear a guy that I believe is on a cell phone say, "I'm going to stand back here, because I have something to tell you, and I don't want to scare you!" I think...this is a VERY interesting conversation, so I slowly turn around to see what this person looks like, and he's standing at the end of the row...looking right a me!! Of course, I give a startled little sound...and he says "See? I really didn't want to scare you! But I want to tell you something! " I said "Okay". And he says "I just wanted to tell you that you are a very attractive woman!" I smiled, and said "Well, Thank-you!" And he walked off. I'm feeling pretty good about now...I'd had an unbelievably stressful day, and that was just a nice way to end it!! So, I find my Love, and I tell him, and he smiles, and I try to look around the store to point the guy out, and of course, he is no where to be seen!! (Maybe he was an angel!) Roll the clock ahead 12 hours...
Saturday morning, Bruce and I go and run a 5k run at our church, and leave directly from there to go take care of some business with one of our renters. In the course of the conversation, the gal says "by the way Miss Carol, you are in very good shape...for a woman your age!" Ouch! I get back in the car, and tell Bruce the conversation, and I started laughing! I said "Hey, well, give me a break!! I AM 50 and there's not a lot I can do about that!!"

On Being a little more like the birds...

2009-03-10T19:50:00.005-05:00

This morning was our first run since the time changed on Sunday. Maybe since it was just turning light, I seemed to notice the bird's song much more than usual. I was thinking about how day after day they wake up happy and cheerful sounding, flitting about from tree to phone pole. I spend the majority of my run praying for family and friends. Nearly every day, I become aware of more friends that are dealing with challenges with finances, job loss, marriage issues, and health challenges. I know in most instances, it's difficult to not borrow trouble by worrying about the future. The amazing thing is that I can think of many BIG challenges family and friends have had that I prayed about in the last few years, and I've seen amazing answers to prayer!! Which brings me back to the birds...they are happy, because they are focused on another day of life, not worrying about when they'll drop out of the sky, be sucked into a plane, or eaten by a predator. Today, I was thankful once again for the reminder to be a little more like the birds!

On being a person of your word...

2009-02-27T06:19:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I was visiting on the phone with our daughter, and she was voicing some frustration at several phone calls she'd had early in the week. During three different calls, people promised to email her something, call her back, or accomplish some task, and all three didn't follow through. She said "When I got off the phone with each person, I was so happy that they were going to take care of what they promised, now it is Thursday, no one has done what they said." I could really feel for her. I pointed out that really was very sloppy customer service. That often times, good customer service comes down to just being a person of your word. That made me think that I want to give good "customer service" to each and every person I come in contact with each day. If I say I will do something...get it done! I keep a list each day of things I need to accomplish, and often these are things that I've told my One True Love I will take care of for us. On the rare occasion that I don't follow through, I feel awful! And I find it quite discouraging when one of these items depends of someone else having to do something for me, and they don't follow through. There is an old saying :"If you want something done, ask a busy person." I think that could more accurately be phrased: "If you want something done, ask a person of their word."

On Growing Friendships...

2009-02-25T15:26:00.002-05:00

Several months ago, I came across this most amazing verse in Proverbs 27:9 "Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel." I have pondered this verse for several weeks, thinking about friendships. Why some last for years, and others for a brief season. After I read this verse, so much made sense to me! I have some amazing friendships that have lasted longer than 18 or 30 years, and in a few instances my whole life. These have really had a profound effect on me. These friends, both male and female, have been the types of friends that are growing personally and spiritually. They are constantly learning new things and ideas, that they pass along and share. This is of course a two-way street. When I read a great book, or hear an idea, or maybe just a simple tip, I love to pass that along to my friends, so that they can enjoy the same successful experience that I am. When there has been little or no exchange like this, the friendships are generally short-lived.
We just recently had some long-time friends visit us for a week. We met them when our kids were 8 and 10. They watched us raise our kids, and we are now watching them raise theirs! I was thinking before they arrived, "I wonder how my life will change this week...what kind of ways am I going to be challenged, or how can I challenge them?" Well, I wasn't disappointed. When they left, I felt completely energized and blessed!
Each year I make a trip to the Northwest. We try to arrange it so that my One True Love and I have one week of seeing family and friends together, then I stay on a second week for the purpose of spending time with girlfriends with whom I share a sense of mutual encouragement. Moving as much as we have in 32 years of marriage, as well as having made some wonderful friends through business, I am so blessed to have marvelous friends from whom I receive "earnest counsel" all over the country! I hope everyone feels as blessed as I do by their "earnest counsel" friends!

On a Sweet Ride...

2009-02-23T10:38:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, we purchased a new convertible. This is our third convertible, and we really enjoy taking nice long rides. Saturday, we decided to drive to Lake Okeechobee, and see a part of the state we haven't explored. We each threw an overnight bag in, just in case we decided to stay somewhere along the way.

After we got to Okeechobee, we decided to drive around the lake. At the south end, we came to a little town called Clewiston - the sweetest place in America. This is because they grow sugar cane there, and have a huge sugar cane factory. We ate dinner at the Clewiston Inn, which was VERY southern. Then decided to get a hotel for the night, of which we were able to negotiate a great price. We went and saw Mall Cop at the little local theatre, which only has two screens. We figured there were about 40 people for each of the two showings for their Saturday night crowd.

We got up very early the next morning, and took an hour walk along the nature trail by the lake. We saw lots of birds, fish and an alligator. (We later learned the the alligator most likely saw us too, since it submerged as soon as we started walking towards the water.)

The weather was absolutely perfect. Sunday we had the top down most of the drive. We stopped at a "tourist trap", and bought a box of steaks and fresh squeezed Orange Juice. While we were there, they were unloading two dead alligators off the back of a truck. They were nuisance gators, so they could be killed and processed. (Yes, people do eat gator meat...NOT me!) We saw lots of Confederate flags, which means we are definitely in the back country. We had a great time driving through a dozen little towns, several of which their main population came from Snowbirds. It was a wonderful weekend, enjoying the new car and seeing a side of life we knew little about!

On a God-ordained meeting...

2009-02-04T12:44:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I walked into my dry cleaners to drop off a huge pile of clothes. A lady comes in right behind me and says "I recognized that dress from somewhere, and I realized it was you wearing it on Sunday! I sit two rows behind you in church!" So we got to chatting, and she invited my One True Love and I to join their weekly small group study. It just happens to be at a perfect time for us, and near our home. So we are quite excited. Who would have dreamed that a quick trip to the cleaners would end up lifting my spirits like that, and most likely made us some new friends! Yay, God!

On a "Do-over" kind of day...

2009-02-03T09:10:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was one of those days that would be wonderful to just wipe from the ever shrinking memory bank! I was trying to pull four contracts out of my files, and seemed to be missing one. So, I called the people that could help me, and they were having email challenges. In the meantime, someone was waiting on these contracts. So by the time I get a call from my One True Love that the fax had come through with the contract, I hurried back home to get things in motion again. I walked into my office, and what is laying right there in front of me? The missing contract I had been trying to replace all day! Ugh! It had been here all along!! So, we got things all taken care of. In the meantime, I had to take my neighbor to the doctor in pouring rain. She had a car accident and is in a full neck and back brace and moves VERY slowly. Since Bruce needed the car to work out our paperwork chase, I used her car to drive her to the doctor. After we waited some time at her doctor, they informed her that doctor would not see her because it was due to an accident and they don't bill auto insurance. So, she would need to see a doctor that night at 6:30. I then took her to her restaurant where she paid bills and ordered us carry-out. Then I dropped her home for an hour, and came home to whine...well really to eat and regain some strength, but I did manage to whine a bit, too! When I took her to the doctor at 6:30, we then had nearly 45 minutes of paperwork, and another 40 minute wait on the doctor. By the time I got her home, it was 8:30 p.m., and I was beyond exhausted!
So today, I decided to get a better start...if this is a do-over kind of day. I had my quiet time, which was all centered around Proverbs 3:3-5...Which says "Let love and faithfulness never leave you...then you will win favor and good name in the sight of men and God...Trust in the Lord with all your heart..." So that gave me a huge boost, then I took my morning run, fixed my One True Love a big breakfast, and now I'm ready to go the pharmacy for my neighbor, and take her to the doctor again. Oh, and I'm sure she'll want to stop at her restaurant... hey, has anyone ever seen the movie Ground Hogs Day? No wonder that's my all-time favorite movie...I think I'm living it! Yikes, and it's February 3rd!! Let's hope I get it right today!

On How Prayer Really Does Change Things...

2009-01-25T10:43:00.004-05:00

I just got home from church a few minutes ago. I do believe that it was one of the most moving services I have ever witnessed! Not because of what the Pastor preached...he didn't! But because of how God showed up...HE DID!!

In August, one of our Elders, Fred Stubbs, was in a terrible motorcycle accident. As he came around a curve on a Harley, he lost control of the bike. The oncoming truck saw he was losing control, stopped, and pulled off to the side, but Fred hit him head-on. He was 69 a the time, and there wasn't any bone or body organ that wasn't affected by this accident. They airlifted him to Tampa General, and the doctors gave him a 6% chance to live! Today Fred, 5 months and 1 day after this accident, walked onto the stage with only the help of a cane! Fred, along with his precious, sweet wife gave their testimony of how God, the power of prayer, family and their church circles totally brought them through this tragic time! So many times even the doctors were standing back in amazement as at one point, his pelvis totally went back into place without surgery! They shared story after amazing story of God sending just the right person to pray with them (sometimes in the middle of the night!), or food being brought in that not only ministered to them in the waiting room, but all the others that were in the waiting room as well! Their daughters had maintained a website for daily prayer updates during the whole time. Fred left the hospital for a rehab facility, then went back to the therapy side of Tampa General. He said the first morning there, he woke up feeling like someone was watching him, and there were 5 nurses there around his bed that had come down from the trauma unit to marvel at him! They told him that so many people that worked right there at the hospital were praying for him! That they loved to come down to this part of the hospital, to know that their work had paid off!! That two of them had worked 6 hours beyond their shift that first day(without pay), just to be sure that he was well taken care of!! Fred is a retired Army Colonel, and their were literally people all over the world that that were praying for him during this ordeal!! So today, as the church gave a standing ovation both as Fred and Ilene came on the stage, and as they left, it was such a powerful moment to witness once again the amazing power of prayer!!

On a Moment of Gratitude...

2009-01-16T18:00:00.003-05:00

Last night I was sitting at the airport waiting for my One True Love to return from a week of work in Santo Domingo. I generally go early to pick him up. This gives me time to read, chat on the phone, or my favorite...watch the people! There was a small group gathered just outside the secured area, waiting. They had a banner and several helium balloons that had the colors of the U.S. flag on them. It was obvious, they were waiting to welcome home someone from the military. When the gentleman they were waiting for arrived, they started to cheer, and then applause broke out all over that part of the airport. Wow!! I totally had tears in my eyes and chills on my arms!! It was really a moment of pride and gratitude for those servicemen who have left their families and friends on our behalf! By the way, there was a little girl waiting for him that was about 5 years old. Once she got ahold of her Dad, he had to "wear" her out of the airport! It was a totally precious scene to witness!

On Where you are from or where are you going?...

2009-01-14T19:31:00.003-05:00

Most mornings on our four mile run, we pass an older lady that takes early morning walks. We always say "good morning" as we run past her and give a smile. This morning, it was rather chilly (unless you were running!) and she had on a hoodie that said Packers across the front. It doesn't take much to figure out that she is from Wisconsin. I have found that living in Florida, most people are "from" somewhere else! I thought maybe I should wear a Seahawks hoodie! But I would be WAY too hot! Anyway, that got me to thinking about what is more important...where you are from? Or where you are going! I prefer to think the latter. The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13b-14: "Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." So if I WERE to wear a hoodie, I would prefer it to say Heavenward...since I am convinced it is way more important to focus on where I am going, than where I am from! (ps...I am NOT opposed to hoodies that say where you are from OR your team name...it just gave me food for thought!)

On a new wrinkle...

2009-01-08T14:07:00.002-05:00

When I was in early grade school I came home one day, and told my parents I learned that every time you learn something new, you get a wrinkle on your brain. Then I told them that I realized that right when I was learning that, I was getting a new wrinkle! Well, I'm not sure how scientific all that actually is, but it has "stuck" in our family for many years...and even my One True Love teases me about that when I learn something new. So, having said all that...I got a new wrinkle today!! I was on the Internet watching a video on organizing, and the lady mentioned www.primopdf.com This is a free program to download, that turns web pages into a pdf file for your computer. Then you can save ideas and pages easily into files on your computer. This is really nice to use with receipts and reservations, as well as recipes or other pages that you would like to file for later reference. It really cuts down on printing off pages, then having a "hard copy" to know what to do with! Since I'm on an "organizing quest" this time of year, I was happy to learn about such a great program!

On a lesson in Mercy...

2008-12-30T13:13:00.003-05:00

Last week, as my One True Love and I were leaving early in the morning for a vacation, we decided to stop and get breakfast sandwiches to eat on the way. We went to a McDonald's in a part of town we are not too familiar with. So I had hoped to make a left turn off the highway onto a side road, then turn left back into the parking lot. Well, there were lots of barriers up in the road so no one could turn left into the parking lot. We drove straight a ways, and there were signs that said "No Turn Around", on both sides of the road, at any parking lot or driveways. There was no way to get into that parking lot. So, since it was early in the morning, and no one was around, I decided to just turn around anyway. Well, as I now made my right hand turn into the parking lot, a police got out of his car, and motioned me to pull over! Yikes!! Talk about getting caught "red handed"! I had no excuse, I blatantly broke the law. The officer asked me if I knew what I did. I said yes, but I didn't see any way to get to the parking lot without turning around. He informed me there had been some really bad accidents at that spot, so they don't want anyone turning left or turning around. I would have had to turn left much earlier out on the highway, or instead of turning around where I did, driving a half mile or so to the nearest sub-division and turning around there. He was very polite and kind, and said he was just warning me to not do it again. WHEW! I knew that I totally deserved a ticket for breaking the law, but the officer showed me mercy and let me go without one! That is how it is with God. I totally deserve huge fines (punishment) for the sins I commit every day, but God looks at the list, and says "Nope, I'm going to let grace cover this", and he lets me go free every time! Once again, I'm thankful for my Saviour!

On the Saviour's Birth...

2008-12-25T22:50:00.004-05:00

This last week, I was reflecting on the birth of Jesus. I got to thinking about what it would be like to be a Saviour. Who would take on every sin of every person that ever lived?

Thirty-eight years ago, when I was in the 6Th grade, I had a very unfortunate experience. First of all, I had a first-year teacher in her early 20's, that now looking back I'm sure had some severe PMS issues. On this particular day, we were having a science lesson on the rate change of position. Do I even know what that means now? No! But I will never forget the lesson. The teacher asked three of us in one row to move our desks over to make more room for the experiment. I immediately stood to start moving my desk, but the girl ahead of me, Elizabeth Wilder, turned around towards the teacher and said "NO!" The teacher, thinking it was me that sassed her came and jerked me and gave me a swat with her paddle! I was so shocked and embarrassed. I told her I didn't sass her, that I was moving my desk. When she questioned Elizabeth, she told the teacher she hadn't said anything. So...not only did it look like I sassed, it also looked like I lied. Bummer! I have never forgotten what it felt to this day to bear the punishment for ONE sin of another person. It is not a favorite memory! But then I think of the thousands of MY own sins that Jesus took on as his own, say nothing of every sin ever committed in history, and it makes me want to sing with great praise the last line of the song Silent Night: Christ the Saviour is born! Christ the Saviour is born!

On Paying it forward...

2008-12-18T20:25:00.002-05:00

32 years ago I was a newlywed, working full-time and adjusting to life with my One True Love who was a full-time student, with a part-time job and LOTS of studies! Several times during those first couple of years, my mom would come by my work and ask for my house key. She would then go to our apartment, and clean, bake and do laundry. It was so wonderful to come home after a long day of work to a clean house and fresh baked banana bread sitting on the table!! That is just one good feeling I can bring up in an instant!!

Now that our daughter is married, I am getting the chance to "pay it forward". I have had opportunity one day last week, and one day this week to make the two hour drive to her house for the day and lend a hand. She and her husband are preparing to move in a few weeks, so there is no lack of things an extra set of hands can accomplish while they are working. Yesterday, I even took my sewing machine and remade some darling curtains they purchased for their new place. It was also fun to see my son-in-law (Mr. Handy!) fix a few outlets and make sure things are in tip-top repair before the move. It was such a rewarding day, and I now know that not only was I happy for my Mom's help, she must have felt pretty good, too!

Last night, as I was driving home and reflecting on the day, I recalled that my Granny Reyman was always quite busy helping my mom whenever she came to visit...so now, although I plan to get to spend many more days like that in my lifetime, it will be an extra blessing when I hear that our daughter gets to help her kids someday!!

On Savoring the Unexpected...

2008-12-06T17:38:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday night after church, My One True Love and I decided to walk a few doors down from the church, and visit our neighbor's Thai restaurant. First off, her husband works out of the country, so we never really know when he'll be in town. There he was, waiting for his dinner. So we picked a table, and he came over and joined us, and we had a wonderful visit. It was only interrupted, by yet another unexpected surprise, when our Doctor walked over to the table! Bruce and I both stood up, and he gave us each a hearty hug, and said he couldn't hardly just walk out without coming over to greet us!
Last night, we were at the mall, waiting in line at the ever popular Panda Express. I said to Bruce, is that How Great thou Art being played over the sound system? Now, at church, you expect to hear a great hymn, but at the mall on a bustling Friday night? It just kind of gave me goosebumps!! When we walked out, we realized that someone was playing a flute like instrument with a microphone that was being piped in... but it was still a lovely treat, almost more worshipful than in church, ...and most unexpected!

On the Thrill of Victory...

2008-12-01T14:41:00.003-05:00

Last night, my One True Love and I went to Disney World to watch the Gonzaga Bulldogs play basketball against the Tennesee Volunteers in the Old Spice Classic. Since we're from Spokane, it was fun to go and cheer for the "home" team. It was interesting visiting with those around us, to hear their ties to Spokane as well. Right after we sat down (quite high in the stands, but at midcourt) a young couple came in and sat beside us. The gal and I were visiting about College Basketball, and stood up when the team was announced, along with the rest of the crowd, and cheered. The team then came over for final words from their coach, the game had not yet started. This gal and I still stood, along with the couple ahead of us, and were finishing our conversation, and watching the coach. Then, this old guy behind us says in a NOT nice tone, to sit down, they were there to watch the game! Yikes! We both sat right down, and the gal turned to me and said "Is he serious?" I said yes, but that he definitely brought new meaning to the title "Grumpy Old Men!" Although I was there to cheer on the Zags, I soon realized that victory could be doubly sweet, when I caught onto the fact the the guy behind us was cheering for the Volunteers! (albeit sitting in the wrong section) Of course, the Zags fans were VERY enthusiastic! After awhile, when the Volunteers fell behind (they were only in the lead once, briefly), this guy, his wife and friend all moved up a row and over a few seats. I think they had enough of the enthusiasm from our side! Anyway, the Bulldogs went on to win the game by 11 sweet, sweet points... and moved from 10th to 5th place in the standings. OOOHHHH the THRILL of VICTORY!!!!!

On a lesson in Thankfulness and Faith...

2008-11-28T16:57:00.004-05:00

God has blessed me with wonderful friends. I am so thankful for each of them! I would like to introduce to you my friends, Dr. Bill and Crysti Gray. I have loved and admired them for many years. A little background: Crysti is in her early 40's, and Bill is in his early 60's. They have 5 kids between them, three still at home (ages 14-7). The youngest is their 7 year old son, Ty. Two months ago, Bill had a brain stem stroke. He is one of the most active, healthiest men I have ever known! (Skis all summer on the lake, and all winter on the mountain!) In fact, he about wore Bruce and out on a cruise 6 years ago, we could barely keep up with him!! The following is a letter that I received this week from Crysti. She really has an amazing attitude of Thanksgiving, and I hope you are as blessed by it as I am!

Happy Thanksgiving.....I hope all is well with you. Everyday I think I will have time to send out an update on Bill's progress...then I shut off my computer and go to bed and realize I forgot yet again. First of all, thank you so much for the continued support and prayers. It means so much to us. Bill is on the north side of town at a skilled nursing center where he gets 6 days of physical/occupational therapy and speech therapy as well. He is making progress, although not nearly as fast as we would like!! This has been a huge lesson in patience....I thought I was done with that lesson after having Ty...ha ha! Brain stem strokes take a super long time to heal and pretty much toast the brain in all functioning aspects so rebuilding the "new roads" for communication is going to take awhile. Bill's two major skills right now continue to be 1. left eye open when he's awake and 2. kissing me! He can move everything but slowly. He is getting much stronger and some movements are coming along much better....he is pretty consistent with a thumbs up or thumbs down for yes/no responses....and he is getting his muscle tone back with more and more therapy. He is better at holding up his head....mind you, this is partially due to having the tendons cut in the back of his head when they took out part of his skull for brain swelling after the first couple of days....and he has a big head! The therapists put him in a standing frame 3-4 times a week and do lots of other exercises, as well. It is amazing to watch the progress. The therapists are awesome! Not much noise coming from Bill just yet. He has said a few words but we know the vocal chords are sluggish so we think the problem is getting enough air thru the vocal chords and not so much having a problem forming the words. All in time.... The kids are holding up well...Ty has melted a few times but is getting stronger all the time. It is a lot for his little 7 year old brain to take in but he's getting it. He had his highest grades yet in school....so apparently he's pouring his energy into that! Yahoosie! Connlee is strong and an awesome helper. Mollee is just a little pillar! She takes good care of me....pouring baths and getting me tea. There is no down time but with all the love and support the days are not that hard to get thru....most of the time! And every night I pray for my glass to be 1/2 full when I wake up....God never lets me down. A friend told me that she prays for us every night....she has long before this happened and felt like God let her down if Bill still had a stroke. I know God wouldn't give us more than we can handle....while this was close, I know he kept Bill with us for the sake of the little ones. But I think (and you can disagree, of course) that God gave Bill the stroke because Bill kept saying he needed to slow down, but never did....so God had to help him out....and God had to slow him down for a really long time so Bill would learn this new way of life. And I think God is using Bill as a tool to remind everyone else to take care of themselves because a lot of people felt Bill did a pretty good job of leading a healthy lifestyle with exercise and good eating habits (so didn't help him with that!!!) and if a stroke could happen to him, it could happen to anyone (and strokes aren't picky who they get!!). And people who have been around me since this happened know that Bill took care of all the financial stuff so I've had my hands full making sure all the bills are paid and everything is taken care of....so I think this has helped a lot of other people communicate a whole lot better. And it has certainly made me appreciate Bill all the more. Do I wish it happened.....duh! NO! But, my mom always told me that when bad things happen, God is giving me a lesson so I should always look for the lesson. My faith is stronger now than ever and I was saddened that this dampened someone else's faith a bit. It is going to be okay.....I know it is. So, if you see me happy, it's because I know this story has a happily ever after ending! Besides, when did you ever hear of a GREAT story that didn't have some real drama!! Have a super fantastic Thanksgiving....if you can't find something to be thankful for....call me and I'll help you dig up something! Lots of lovies....Crysti Gray

I would say this friend is going to move SEVERAL mountains, because her faith is MUCH larger than any mustard seed I've seen!

On Shuttle Launches and Bright lights...

2008-11-17T10:55:00.003-05:00

Friday night, my One True Love and I drove the two hours over to Titusville to watch the night launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavor. We watched a daytime launch two years ago, and it was quite impressive...and made us thrilled to be Americans. It was quite patriotic, and happened to be the 4Th of July as well. We then heard that everyone should see a night launch, so since it was at a reasonable hour, we decided to go take it in. We were totally unprepared for just how spectacular an event this is! There happened to be a very bright full moon, which was gorgeous. However, when Endeavor launched, the entire sky lit up like nothing we had ever witnessed! For about a 15 seconds, it was as bright as an early dawn sky!

Bruce commented, that the moon had seemed very bright until we saw the shuttle launch. Then it became an insignificant spot in the sky. The launch was the brightest light we had ever seen, took man thousands of hours and many years to accomplish, and we could view it with our eyes. However, the sun, which God spoke into existence with a word cannot be viewed by the human eye, and the Bible says God face is even brighter than the sun! That is spectacular beyond our imagination!

On Forgiveness...

2008-11-13T20:16:00.003-05:00

Monday morning I was reading my usual online devotional, and there was the sweetest paraphrase of the Lord's prayer I have ever seen. A four year old girl prayed, "Lord, forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who pass trash against us!" Isn't that great? Out of the mouth of babes comes such wisdom! God really had a great idea in that line of the Lord's prayer. In all reality, most of the time when we are holding onto trash against someone, they don't even know it! So the main person, and often the only person that unforgiveness hurts is ourselves. That nasty little seed of bitterness that grows inside us breeds resentment and a knot in the stomach! We serve such a wise God that wants us to forgive the "trash passed" against us! We'll feel so much better, too!

On the REAL person in charge...

2008-11-03T16:05:00.004-05:00

Since I don't claim to know or understand all the dynamics of government, I won't use this blog as a place to discuss politics. However, I read something very comforting in the Bible this morning in Colossians 1:16 "For by him (Christ) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." My God is bigger than any leader or any government! I can have complete faith in Him, that no matter the outcome of tomorrow's election, or any other future elections, HE is in charge! Furthermore, it says in Romans 13:1 "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." So, I will vote, I will have faith, and I will be respectful of ALL governing authorities, because God said so!

On A Life Well Loved...

2008-10-31T11:47:00.002-05:00

Two weeks ago, I flew to the Northwest to attend the funeral of a long-time family friend, Bill Cox. What a joy it was to sit in an auditorium with people from many walks of life who had been deeply touched by this gentleman! Some were family, some were friends, others had been co-workers or had known him through the community where he lived most of his life. Bill was adored by his family and loved God. Hearing the wonderful thoughts shared from his kids got me to thinking...is there any better way to live? He was ready to be done with his earthly body for one that doesn't wear out in heaven. He even told his kids where to meet him there! He really wanted everyone he knew to know and accept God's grace. Bill spent the last three weeks of his life reminiscing and relishing the wonderful times he celebrated here on earth. I can't think of a better way to go, than surrounded by those who love you deeply, whose lives you had opportunity to affect here on earth. Bill's generosity and sense of humor will be remembered for many years to come! His gracious wife invited our family over after the service, and we had the joy of getting a photo of the kids from our family and theirs, who we share so many precious childhood memories with!

On Half a Century and Half a Marathon...

2008-10-14T17:23:00.002-05:00

Recently, well actually a little over a week ago, my One True Love challenged me to run a half marathon (13.1 miles... and DON'T forget the .1!) for my 50Th Birthday! My first thought was "I don't think so!" Then I got to thinking about the possibilities. For me, the training is about 60% physical, and 40% psychological. I knew I had the physical down, no problem, it was the mental I had to really work on. We run in a park with a 7 mile loop and water stations. So if we set a cooler at the starting point with power drinks and bananas, I could probably have enough nutrition to make it the whole way. I remember at marker 1 thinking...12.1 to go! But I have an awesome set of songs I run to each day, so I could really keep pace with my normal? morning runs with my IPOD. The weather was slightly overcast for the first half, so that kept it a bit cooler. (Well, only 80 degrees instead of 90!) I don't recall what the original meaning of a kissing post was, but mine for yesterday was each we saw a new mile post come into view, I wanted to kiss it!! I didn't "feel" 50 before the run, however, I would be quite a liar if I didn't admit to feeling quite a bit MORE than 50 after the run! But after a shower and short rest, I was rejuvenated, so we went to the airport and out to lunch downtown. Last night we went to hear our favorite entertainer, Scott Barry sing and play the piano in Orlando. What an enjoyable way to start the next half century!!

On The Wedding of our Son...

2008-10-05T18:20:00.009-05:00

On September 20, we had the joy of seeing our son joined in marriage to the Love of his life. Amy is an absolute jewel, and we are so thankful that God miraculously brought them to the same concert a year ago, where they met! They had planned to elope the weekend before, then repeat their vows at a reception for family and friends, however they decided to surprise their guests by making that their actual wedding! My One True Love presided over the ceremony and did his usual marvelous job! Indulge me to share a bit of the ceremony:
"Bryce and Amy have changed their minds. Their original plan was to get married last weekend in Victoria, and then repeat their vows today. But, because they love all of you and wanted to share this special moment with you, they postponed their wedding until right now. So this will be a real wedding. Right here, right now!! - If you are ready, let’s go.
Three things –
We are proud you!! I speak for all four of your parents when I say this. We are proud of you. And this pride is not the empty “positive self image” pride, this is a solid pride based on what you have done with your first almost 30 years of your lives. Here are some verses from Proverbs that express how we feel about the two of you.
Intelligent children make their parents proud. - Proverbs 15:20
Dear child, if you become wise, I'll be one happy parent. – Proverbs 23:15
Parents rejoice when their children turn out well. - Proverbs 23:22
We are proud that you found each other.
Amy willingly came for April's wedding, knowing that she would have to spend one evening with just Carol and I. She was happy to do just that, and we were honored by the chance to get to know her better.
Bryce, Amy's folks were so impressed by the respectful way that you treated Amy when you first visited them.
You have been blessed by God.

Find a good spouse, you find a good life— and even more: the favor of God! - Proverbs 18:22
House and land are handed down from parents, but a congenial spouse comes straight from God. – Proverbs 18:14
Your finding each other was either an incredible, unbelievable, against all odds - stroke of good fortune, or it was a gift - straight from God.
Live together boldly – as you honor God.
Seize life! Eat bread with gusto, Drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure! Dress festively every morning. Don't skimp on colors and scarves. Relish life with the spouse you love. Each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is God's gift. . . . Honor and enjoy your Creator while you're still young, God wants to be a part of your new shared life."

It really is such an amazing blessing when you see your child fall in love with someone, knowing that person loves and cares for them even more that you do! We are so thrilled and happy for both of them. It was a lovely wedding and reception, lots of fun visiting, dancing and celebrating!

Last weekend was Bryce's birthday, and is was the first time since he left home that I could really be at peace, knowing that he has an adorable, sweet wife that planned to make his day very special!

On My Debut as a waitress...

2008-09-15T09:12:00.003-05:00

For many years, as I have sat and been waited on in restaurants, I have secretly envied the job as a waitress. I love to serve people, and what a perfect job for that! I love to visit and make small talk (hence Carol's Chit Chat?), and the waitresses get paid for that...usually pretty good tips at my table. So, now I have just revealed one of "my most appalling secrets"! (I stole that line from Little Woman.)

Recently at church, they asked for volunteers to help out at a new homeless kitchen that was opening in a church about a half mile from our house. My One True Love and I signed up to help out. Friday night was our first chance to serve at the I AM HOPE Cafe. When the gal in charge was handing out duties, I jumped at the chance to be a "waitress". To show honor and respect to those less fortunate, the food is served to them like at an actual cafe. The "waitresses" go up to the serving tables and bring back plates of hot food, salad and drinks. Friday night was absolutely a wonderful experience. Everyone was so respectful and kind, and seemed so honored that we would serve them. They are used to soup kitchens, where you go through with a bowl or plate and reach out for a "handout". So this whole setup was to give them the feeling of being served. All the people were so respectful and kind, and it was delightful to visit with them and show them some much-needed kindness. They could have as many servings as they could eat, and that was a fun announcement to make!! When a few asked if they could take some with them, we had to decline, because they had no way to keep the food from spoiling. Instead, several of the volunteers jumped in and made peanut butter sandwiches and wrapped them for the people to take out. At the end, two really sweet black gals asked if I could wrap them some chocolate cake, which I did. Then, when they got ready to leave, they both stood up and gave me a hug and said thank-you for the hot meal and kindness shown to them. Wow! That was one of the most fulfilling dinner hours I've had in a long time! AND I still want to be waitress!!

On things money cannot buy...

2008-09-10T17:42:00.002-05:00

Recently I have done a lot of reflecting on life. Maybe it is that upcoming landmark birthday that has got me a bit more pensive these days. But I have been thinking about money. There is a lot of talk about how much the dollar will or won't buy right now, and how the economy is in such bad shape. There have been times when money was excruciatingly tight for us, and there have been times where we really didn't have to be overly concerned with it. But that has got me to thinking about what money can't buy.
It can't buy a happy marriage. Some of the poorest people have the best marriages, and some of the Hollywood's wealthiest and best looking have given up on ever getting married again. (George Cloony...what a waste!!) We spent numerous weekends in the first few years of our marriage with a couple much older than us that "had it all", but had a horrible marriage!!
Money can't buy health. I know many friends right now that would gladly mortgage all they have for their health or the health of their spouse. But it can't be purchased. (In fact, this post was interrupted by an email from a friend ten years younger than me that the doctor's suspicion has breast cancer!) If you do have good health, it is worth protecting as best you can!
Peace can't be purchased. That is actually a gift from God! By trusting in our Heavenly Father and having faith that is in control of ALL things, from this we can gain true peace. In fact, Bruce and I have had many discussions lately about how worry is a form of control...maybe more on that another time!
This past weekend, my One True Love and I were walking through Best Buy. I'm not always super observant about things, but when we walked into the computer section, I noticed their selling trademark: You, Happier! Hmmm. So they think they are selling happiness? Or at least a little bit of happiness, since they think you would be happier with a new computer, or big TV or some other electronic gadget. Now don't get me wrong...I have several, but they don't really bring me any degree of happiness. I was typing on my computer when I found out about my friend today, but I didn't think "Wow, it will all be okay, I'm sitting at my computer with a new hard drive!" That is ridiculous!! No!! Tears sprang to my eyes, and I started praying to the ONLY one who can heal her!!
Money can't buy salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God". (Ephesians 2:8)
So if you find the news about the dollar a bit discouraging, just remember, some of the BEST things in life are FREE!!!

On Storms and Hurricanes...

2008-09-03T09:30:00.003-05:00

Hurricane season is always an interesting time of year in Florida. While the rest of the country is enjoying relative calm weatherwise, things get a bit wild here. Last week when Faye was passing through, this place became a ghost town. The schools announced closures the day ahead (never mind that in the NW school closures were decided around 5 a.m., and you listened early in the morning to hear the fate of your day), and most businesses base their closures on the schools. I did find it was a great day to go to the post office, bank, and other businesses that don't follow that plan. I think everyone was holed up in their houses. I could even tell a marked difference in the traffic levels during my morning run! Having said all that, my good friend Ron Carlson recently sent me this most amazing map of recent hurricane history. (Double click to enlarge.) It only goes through 2004, but I find it very comforting to see the hurricane history of Tampa. If you want to live in Florida, this place is a pretty good gamble!!

On Snakes and Romance...

2008-08-26T08:47:00.005-05:00

Each week as the weekend draws near, our kids will generally ask us about our plans for the weekend. We tell them what we have planned, and they tell us their plans. It's just a fun way to stay connected, then visit about the activities after the weekend is over. So last Friday when Bryce and April asked me what fun things we had planned, I laughed and said "Well, tonight we have a romantic night of snaking out a kitchen drain at one of our rentals."

So on Friday, I went to the local rental joint and picked up a power snake. Then, when my One True Love finished work, he got on his crummy clothes, loaded up some tools and rags and away we went. The drain was very easy to fix, and we only had to make one quick trip to the local Home Depot for a new P-trap. While Bruce was working on this, I sat at the kitchen table and visited with him and the gal that rents from us. She said "Hey, why don't you come in the living room, it's more comfortable." I told her that I preferred to stay in the kitchen and watch and visit with Bruce. When he got done, we headed out and decided that we weren't very far from one of our favorite restaurants that we rarely frequent. So Bruce went in and cleaned up and changed into the clean clothes we brought along, and we ate a wonderful dinner out on the patio. We both felt so pleased that we (editorial we) were able to get that drain repaired so easily and quickly, and then that we were right near such a wonderful place for dinner. It was great to turn an otherwise unpleasant task into a fun evening, mainly because we did it together!

On Taking a fresh look at the Hungry and Homeless...

2008-08-22T14:11:00.006-05:00

Today I was having lunch and celebrating my dear friend Irene's birthday. We were eating at Panera Bread. We happened to chose a table right near the display stand that holds a tray of cut up samples. From where I was sitting, I had a full view of every one's face that stopped by for a free treat. There was this young kid, I guess no more that 15 or 16, that came through there, just for the free bread samples. He loaded as much into his hand as he could fit, then walked out the opposite door he had come in. After a very short time, he did this again, reversing his route, and I suppose hoping to not be too noticeable. At first it kind of bugged me, because obviously this is not meant to be a free lunch, just something to whet your appetite so you will purchase. When he showed up the third time to pile high his hand with bread, I heard a clerk say, "Hey, you could just buy a loaf." He kind of ignored her, because I'm sure he had no money. I finally spoke up to get his attention, and asked him if he would like a real lunch. That I would love to see him get something good to eat. He got a huge smile and said "Sure!" So we went over to the line together. While we were waiting, he stuck out his hand to shake mine and told me his name is Brendon. I asked him if he knew what he would like, and he said "I don't even know what this place sells!" So I told him sandwiches and soup. After a few moments, he asked "Do they have a turkey sandwich?" Now, I realized not only is this kid hungry, he can't apparently even read the menu!! So I told him about my favorite Turkey sandwich I get there, and he wanted that. So when I got up to the clerk, she remembered my name and said "Well, Carol, it looks like you came back for dessert!" I said, "Well, actually, Brendon here is in need of a sandwich for his lunch". During the wait in line, he told me he lives with three friends, and they only eat mac/cheese, spaghetti, and Ramon noodles, because that is what is the cheapest to eat! Oh my, how my heart went out to this poor little kid!! I recently had read a wonderful novel titled "Brotherhood of Betrayal" in which a very successful minister makes some really poor choices that cost him his family, and eventually his life, even though he is very repentant in the end. When I got through the book, I didn't think "What a jerk!" It made me take a fresh look at the homeless and say what one poor choice did they make, that they are most likely even sorry for, that has cost them everything, and nearly their lives!! So when I met Brendon today, he who was all but yet a babe, I had to ask, what choice did his parents make that has set this kid up to such a hard life! I really think he hangs out at the mall, so I will definitely keep my eyes open for him in the future, and until then, I'll pray that maybe God can use his lunch today to warm his heart and soften his spirit. He did come back by my table and say "Thanks and God Bless" before he left the restaurant with a bag and a big smile!

On Celebrating 32 years of marriage...

2008-08-22T10:12:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday, we celebrated 32 years of marriage. My One True Love has had his eye on a new bedding ensemble for several months, and last week he finally found a spectacular deal on it, and we decided we would buy it for our anniversary. So, we started off the day by making up our bed with all the new bedding. Bruce has decided that before too long, they are going to need to make beds longer to accommodate all the pillows! For dinner, we went to our favorite restaurant at the beach, the Brass Monkey, and had a wonderful time...wind and all! It is so fun to go there, because just like in Cheers, everybody knows our names! It is even more special to go there now, because not only is that where we have taken dozens of friends that have come to visit, we now have the wonderful memory of our daughter's marriage that got started at the same place!!

On Stepping it up...

2008-08-20T15:18:00.005-05:00

Recently when I was running (my One True Love and I are runners), I noticed that the songs on my IPOD were no longer “lining up” with my run. I mean, I used to know exactly at what street corner one song would end and the next would begin. This came in very handy if I was not running my usual loop, because just by the songs I could be fairly accurate about how far I had gone. So in my confusion, I thought maybe I had inadvertently removed a song that maybe played twice, rather than just once. Nope. I added that song in again, and now everything was timing out too long. Then it hit me! Without ever really noticing when, I had slowed down my pace just enough that my songs no longer lined up with the street corners that they used to. Now that I realized this, I have started running faster again, and am hitting those street corner targets. Here is the point: Just because I unknowingly slowed my pace does not mean that I’m no longer a runner…or that I’m no longer a good runner…or that I can’t outrun a WHOLE bunch of people I personally know!! This only meant that I noticed I needed to “step it up” a notch to keep up the pace that used to work really well for me. I can see a LOT of application to this in the rest of my life. I can always "step it up" in my marriage, with my kids, with my relationship with God. I WANT to always strive to be the very best I can in all areas of my life. Will I make it? Not sure. But I do know this much...I am going to be a perpetrator of personal growth and improvement until I have "finished my coarse" here on earth!

On A Media Storm...

2008-08-19T12:38:00.003-05:00

This is a very strange day in Tampa. There was a small chance that Fay could turn into a hurricane and hit Tampa. So the city has virtually shut down. When we went running today at 7 a.m., there was no traffic. I tried to call my doctor for a prescription, and they were closed. The parking lot at the bank was empty, and there was no line at the post office (a rarity!). A few other business that I frequent on a daily basis were both closed as well. What is the weather like? At the moment it is sunny with a light breeze and 85 degrees! Oh, did I mention that yesterday was the first day of school and that the schools are closed today? I find it strange that in Spokane it can snow all day, then at 6 a.m. the next morning you turn on the radio to hear of school closures (not a day ahead!). Here, they decided yesterday afternoon with the storm path clearly going around Tampa to close the schools!! And we wonder why the schools here have so many problems? YIKES!! It is hilarious what the media says after such a poor prediction. Now they have to keep things "hyped up" by talking about how when this happens people become complacent! We didn't have a tropical storm...we had a "media storm".... and today, I think they are all wet!!!

On A Helping Hand for the Lost...

2008-08-11T20:44:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, my One True Love and I were shopping at Costco, our home away from home, when a little boy walked up to Bruce and said, "Can you find my mommy?" I immediately took his hand, and said that I would help him. So I calmly asked him what color his mom had on, what her name is, and where he was when he last saw her. We were walking towards the back of the store, and turned and Bruce was waving us to the front, where a frantic looking family was coming at us. While the Dad was mostly irritated that his son left them, the little boy did seem quite happy to see his parents again. Each time I ran into them after that, they said "Gracias" again. I could totally relate to this lost boy, since I can plainly recall being lost in what seemed like a huge Goodwill store in Portland when I was about 4 years old. The whole rest of my family had gone to the car, but a very nice clerk set me up on the counter and assured me someone would notice and come back for me. Sure enough, my parents came in only a few moments later, although it seemed like hours to a small lost little girl. At any rate, that experience has given me quite a heart for little lost children. Once in Spokane at the fairgrounds, I took a little girl clear to the police tent on the opposite side of the fairgrounds from where she got separated from her parents. She was so scared, but I promised her I wouldn't leave until they came back...and it was just a matter of a very short time until they found her. Last night got me to thinking about how I feel when I have challenges...so thankful that I have a loving heavenly Father who's hand I can take to lead me to a safer place. I hope I never forget to grab that hand and hold on tight, rather than running around scared and frantic when there is never a need to!

On A Perfect Vacation...

2008-08-04T15:01:00.003-05:00

I have finally after a week, recuperated from the jet lag of being on the "left" coast for two and half weeks! What an amazing trip! I had a wonderful time visiting with family and friends for a week (mostly girlfriends the first week), then after Bruce joined me, we spent more time with family and mainly "couple" friends.

I found that spending time with friends who you have history with is just so refreshing. You don't have to give long explanations as to the "whys" of how you are feeling. They get it, since they have watched you for so many years. For my friend Jayne that has 7 kids, I am only one of a few friends who has been around long enough to totally "get" all 7 kids personalities. So when she is explaining various situations, I don't require a long explanation. I've been around their family for 20 years. I get it.

Here is some of the recap of our trip.
I had a wonderful evening with my folks, got up early and went for breakfast with them, and had delightful conversation.

Went and saw my younger sister for a few quick minutes before she left for church, and she told me she was going to be a grandma...she'll make a CUTE one!

Went for breakfast #2 with my childhood friend, Jim Cox. Had a great time catching up and cracking up...like usual! His mother and her husband walked into the restaurant unexpectedly as we were finishing, it was fun to see Joyce, who I always called Mom#2 growing up!

Drove to Spokane and picked up my friend, Jayne and drove up to Sandpoint, Idaho, where we spent the next two nights totally relaxing. Taking walks, eating fun food, reading, and of course, talking and talking!

Spent the next afternoon and evening with my friend, Sandi. We had a LOT of history together, and of course lots to catch up on. We both share a passion for books, so I left her house with a few, plus a list! I got an early morning run in at her place...5 a.m.! That time zone change gets me every time...plus I love the light early morning hours! (Something we don't get this close to the equator).

My early start got me on the road early to Seattle in time to have lunch with our son, Bryce. That was the only "mother/son" time we got, so I cherished it.

Spent the afternoon with my sister, then went and got to meet my new 4 month old great nephew, Garrett Wells. He wowed us with his smiles.

The next day, my sister and I took a friend of some 35+ years that is 77 years young out for the day to pick lavender at a lavender farm on Vashon Island. Bonnie's son-in law's folks have a farm on Vashon, so we were able to "borrow" their lovely garden for a picnic. We laughed and caught up with Gerry for several hours that day. What a delightful lady. I think that will go in my book as one of my favorite days, ever! Plus my sister packs an incredible picnic!! I was even able to rescue a hummingbird from the greenhouse during lunch!

Friday, my One True Love arrived from a business trip in India to join me in the second week of vacation. We were discussing over lunch if we brought warm enough clothes with us, and maybe we should go buy more. The weather right then was about mid 60's and overcast and windy. On our way out of the restaurant, the clerk calls out "have a great afternoon, and enjoy the nice weather while it lasts". We got outside and had a great laugh together, since that "nice weather" seemed so cold to us!

Friday night we enjoyed a delicious dinner at our son's, prepared by our "soon to be" daughter-in-law. She is a very talented cook! Saturday, we took Bryce and Amy to San Juan Island for a Kayaking excursion. We were out for three hours in the kayaks, and none of us got sore from paddling. However, I learned quite a lesson about drinking a 20 oz. Diet Pepsi just before getting in a Kayak...I like to thought I would burst before that dock came into view again!

Sunday we went to church and heard a great sermon on prayer at Mars Hill Church. (Which Bruce and Amy noticed was neither on a hill or on Mars!) Then met up with my sister and brother-in-law for lunch. Bruce and I then headed over Stevens Pass (amazing views) to Leavenworth for the night. On Monday we drove on to Cashmere, WA and toured the Applets and Cottlets factory. Then we met up with our friends Roger and Shirley Chalfant for lunch. We had not seen them for several years, and we visited non-stop for 2 and a half hours! We had met them not too long before April was born. There is just something so precious about people who are willing to keep in touch!

We drove straight on to Spokane, where we met our friends the Rathe's at one of my favorite restaurants on the river downtown. We talked for three hours, then headed to their house. Another friend of mine from St. Louis was visiting her brother who lived only 4 blocks away, so we all walked over and met them. Bruce and I got a great visit with Penny and her husband, while Travis and Leslie got to meet her brother and his wife, who are are their neighbors. What a fun hour we had in their front yard visiting!

The next day we met up with my nephew Tim and his wife Stacy for lunch in Deer Park. They had just moved there four days before for Tim to be a Youth Minister. I then "whisked" my One True Love up to our favorite mountain retreat at Sandpoint, Idaho. We had a wonderful time reading, relaxing and taking walks. (Oh and I drug him out for one painful run! Down hill for two miles, then 2 miles uphill going back!) Two days later we headed over to Travis and Leslie's River Cabin on Priest River for Thursday night. We just get so much inspiration from those friends. They really do challenge us! Travis took us out for yet another painful run up the side of a mountain. Us flatlanders just have a hard time at the higher elevation, let alone the hills! Breakfast on the deck over the river was marvelous! After a precious time of prayer, we headed back towards Portland. On the way, we called Bruce's Uncle Don Thompson and Aunt Patsy, and met them for lunch in Pasco as we passed through. That evening, we had dinner at my sister Joy's with her family and our folks. I had fun teasing with my 10 year old nephew.

Saturday, we connected up with our longest friends, Pat and Marla Riley. Bruce and Pat were friends in high school when they lived in Rockford, Illinois. We went with them, their son and grandson for part of the day, then left them off and went up to Multnomah Falls and Bonneville Dam before having dinner at Tad's in Troutdale overlooking the Sandy River, which served the BEST chicken and dumplings we have EVER had! Once again, when you have history with friends, it is amazing how you pick right up where you left off. We have not had much time with the Riley's in several years, but the discussions and encouragement was truly filled with God's timing. Sunday we went to church with our dear friend Arch Word who led the Youth Group when Bruce and I were dating. We talked to people at church that we had not seen in 30 years. One guy totally recognized Bruce, then politely turned to me to introduce himself. I knew who he was, and I said "Hey, it's me! Carol! Bruce hasn't traded me in yet!!" We all had a good laugh. After church, we went with Arch to visit his wife who is recovering from brain tumor surgery. It was good to see her and now know better how to pray for both of them. Sunday evening we ended back up at Pat and Marla's where we visited as we walked along the Columbia River. Monday morning we turned in our rental car, having driven 2200 miles, and headed back to Tampa.

I've been thinking a lot about friends, and why these type of trips really do refresh me. First off, I really love the change of pace. I set up a schedule, and try to visit with as many people as I feasibly can. Secondly, the chance to gain and share ideas with others is just so refreshing. I recall a favorite quote "You stay the same but for the books you read and the people you meet". I took several books with me to hand out on my trip, and came home with several books friends gave me, as well as quite a list I need to purchase and read! I find the sharing of ideas so inspiring and encouraging. It brings to mind two of my favorite scriptures:

Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 11:25a (NIV)
"...he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

I'm so thankful for this wonderful vacation and the chance I had to be both sharpened and refreshed!

On Two Thousand Times One...

2008-07-07T15:28:00.003-05:00

Many of you know that I am an avid reader. In fact, one friend even suggested that I post a favorite list of books Bruce and I have read. I may do that. However, I came across a quote in a book last week that I don't want anyone to have to wait until they read to page 296 in the book to find. It was from Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon. In it, she quotes Chesterton. 'There are no words to express the abyss between isolation and having one ally. It may be conceded to the mathematician that four is twice two. But two is not twice one; two is two thousand times one.' Isn't that just wonderful?

It make me think of the Scripture in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12a:

9-10 It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough! 11 Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night. 12 By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst.

In the context of the book by Jan Karon, Father Tim was referring to his relationship with his wife. I know that my One True Love and I together make 'not twice one, but two thousand times one!'

On Wedding Bells Keep Ringing...

2008-07-01T18:36:00.004-05:00

Saturday night my One True Love and I received an exciting call from our son. He announced he is getting married to the love of his life on September 13Th. Last fall when he called and told us he was seeing someone we were so thrilled that we invited them to come for a visit in January so we could meet her. Amy has stolen our hearts as well as his!!

Of course, if you follow my blog, our daughter then met and fell in love with the man of her dreams and was married in May. One of the highlights of April's wedding weekend was that we got to spend an evening with just Amy, since Bryce had to go home early. She is truly delightful, and we are so thrilled that come September we will be blessed to have two daughters, as well as two sons!!! Ahh, life is good!!

On Shredding up the bad stuff...

2008-06-17T18:35:00.003-05:00

I have been motivated this week to really dig deeper into some files that I had in my office. I decided it was time to clean them out and shred most of it. These were mainly real estate files, and in some instances the houses were no longer even in our possession. So my One True Love and I discussed what would be most important to save, then I cleaned out the rest and shredded it.
There has been a very interesting side effect of this for me. First off, those of you who know what a "neat nick" I am can only imagine how much this cleaning made me happy. But there was something else. In those files were some really negative energy. I had done at least three really nasty evictions, two of which ended up before a judge. The third I had hired a private investigator to deliver the final judgement, because I wanted it done quickly, and I was actually a bit afraid. I realized that even by opening up the cupboard where I kept them and seeing the names, brought up some feelings that I just didn't like. So today when I shredded, I let it all go, and the freedom was amazing. Sure, I'm certain that from time to time the incidents will pop into my head, but getting rid of the near daily reminder was such a release!!
Some time ago a friend shared with me that she had a very painful and messy divorce and custody battle with her ex-husband. She decided one day, several years later that she wanted those documents out of her house because they just brought up such negative thoughts and feelings. So she had her sister come over and they went through them and cried, prayed and shredded the documents. Even though she felt she should save a couple pertinent ones that would be valuable for her child for family history purposes, all the negative court fighting ones she got rid of, knowing that would not be encouraging or helpful at all for her child to see later on. She said it was such a healing and freeing experience. When she first shared that, I thought..."Well, that's nice." But after today, I can relate, and have a part of my spirit restored to a happier place. (And I have SIX bags of shredded paper to put in the trash!)

On Saying Goodbye to Puffy...

2008-06-13T08:44:00.004-05:00

This week marked the end of an era for our family. April’s cat, Puffy died last weekend of kidney failure (old age). All April wanted for her 13Th Birthday were two kittens. I asked around and found out a friend who lived way out in the country in North Idaho had some kittens to give away. April and I drove out there and she picked out two. Puffy and Patches. She had to box train them and bottle feed them, since they were only about 6 weeks old!! What a great life lesson she learned about the work of babies!!! Patches lasted about three years, before she got sick and had to be put to sleep. However, Puffy, who was always the “top cat” kept going strong. One of our elderly neighbors loved to tell us the story of the day she saw Puffy chasing a vicious neighbor dog down the street, with the dog’s tail between his legs! (I chased that dog with mace once and was scared to death!! Not so, Puffy!!) Puffy really was more like a dog. When customers came to the door and rang the bell, Puffy would race to the door just ahead of me. Then follow us back into my office, hop up on the work table and start begging to be petted. He did this by grabbing at the hand of the customer, until they would stop and pet him. Even the non-cat lovers couldn’t resist!! It was so cute, but sometimes annoying, too!
When April decided she wanted another cat to replace Patches, we got Callie. She was 9 weeks old, and when Puffy came into the kitchen and saw her, every hair on her body went straight out, while Puffy looked on with a “what is YOUR problem” attitude…AND attitude he did have!! I was looking through some photo albums last week, not for photos of Puffy, but for our dear friend Mercedes who just turned 13. I called April and said, “I was writing things about Puffy’s attitude, when he was still a kitten!"
But having said all that, we all loved Puffy dearly, and know that his fun personality will never be replaced, and always missed. He was a wonderful pet for 12 years for April, and with all the moving and life changes she’s faced in the last 6 years, Puffy has been her ONE constant. If I ever wondered if there are pets in heaven, I don’t wonder anymore! I know that Puffy will be waiting at the gates of heaven for each of us to pet him as we arrive!!

On Lessons from a Lost Turtle...

2008-05-23T07:30:00.011-05:00

This morning when I was out for my early morning run, I noticed a turtle ramming up against a very low fence rail that surrounds a lake. The turtle was about the size of a paper plate and about 4 inches high. The fence rail was about 3 inches off the ground. This poor turtle was pushing and pushing, hoping to get past the fence into the lake. It didn't stand a chance of getting to the lake that way, only at that moment there was no one to point out the error of his ways.

That got me to thinking about life. There are areas of my life where I just ram up against a fence, hoping that somehow I'll get through to the lake. I just keep doing the same thing over and over without success. Fortunately, I have a loving Savior that comes to my rescue when I look up and let him gently pick me up and lift me over the obstacles in my life. I've had to do that a lot lately. I needed rescuing and few miracles, because there was NO WAY I was getting past the fence the way that I was doing it myself.

The second lesson was this...who in my life needs me to come alongside them and gently help them past the low fence. I can think of several people that God has put in my path recently that need a gentle "turtle rescue" and I can be Jesus' physical hands to that person. God has been so faithful this week to send me my own personal "turtle rescuers" to help me through some personal challenges.

After figuring out a grand plan during my run as to how I was going to rescue the turtle, I was pleased to see that someone else did the honors before I could get back with the right equipment. But I am thankful for the lessons God taught me today through the Lost Turtle!

On The Perfect Day...

2008-05-15T19:00:00.004-05:00

In January, our daughter met the man of her dreams! I have prayed for this man since April was born, that God would prepare and bring the perfect partner for April when the time was right. What a miraculous thing that God perfectly orchestrated the timing for both of them to meet up at the perfect time in their lives! So many amazing things have happened over the past few months that have done nothing but confirm that God had His hand in this marriage. Saturday was the perfect day. The evening before, we entertained Mark and his parents and sister. What an absolutely delightful family Mark comes from. We loved them right away, and were thrilled that our daughter was joining such a wonderful, sweet family. Early in the morning, my hair stylist arrived to do April's hair, then by shortly after 9 we (Mark and April, My One True Love, and our son and his girlfriend) were then on the way to the beach to meet up with friends and Mark's family for a small, private wedding. The setting was perfect, the schedule was perfect, the weather was perfect, our friends did a perfect job with the photography, Mark's mom did a perfect job on the cake, my sister did a perfect job with the flowers, My One True Love did a perfect job on the ceremony, and the Bride and Groom looked perfect! Such an amazing day. Let me share an excerpt from the ceremony.
I want to give you a couple of words to hold in your heart today. The first is unexpected.
This certainly is unexpected. But that's okay. That's good. Today is May the tenth. 131st day of 2008. Roll back the clock to New Years Day, and none of us expected to be here today, witnessing the joining of your lives. Some people have trouble with that. These people have a picture in their minds of how it is supposed to be. And if you do anything else, there is something wrong. Like there is some sort of rule book they hold in their heads that you have to live up to.
To those people I say, have you ever looked at God.
God is a God of the unexpected.
Unexpected when the youngest, spoiled son of a shepherd, sold by his brother's as a slave, becomes the man who saves Egypt and then his own family.
Unexpected when 400 years later then a distant relative of that man, born as a slave, leads a new nation to freedom.
Unexpected when the youngest son of a shepherd becomes King.
Unexpected when a daughter of a foreigner becomes queen of Persia.
Unexpected that God would live as a carpenter and die to save the world.
So unexpected is good. And April and Mark, those of us standing here today are delighted for your unexpected marriage. We have no doubt it will be a blessing to you and for all of us. Your wedding day may not have been expected, but it is welcomed and celebrated.
The second word is one you probably expect. It is a common word at a marriage ceremony. Love.
Love at its core is so very simple. It is putting the needs of another more important than your own. It is a lifetime of little things, day in and out, choosing to seek the good and happiness of another. Let me give you a couple of examples. We have some love lights in our kitchen. Others call them under cabinet lights, but they are really love lights. Those lights are there because of love. To me, we already had four really good lights in the ceiling. Under the counter lights are unneeded, extra money, and a pain to put in. But we have them because of love. One Saturday night, when I would have rather been in my TV room or the magic green chair or on the lanai or just about anywhere else, I put up the love lights, because the one I love wanted them.
But it works both ways. This week I got some love cookies. I have an amazing wife. She has very few flaws. But one of them is that she could be satisfied with only chocolate chip cookies for the rest of her life. She makes great ones, and they satisfy her. I on the other hand like variety, and I like peanut butter cookies. Warm and with milk! This week she made me what looked like peanut butter cookies, they tasted like peanut butter cookies, but they were really love cookies. Made by someone who loved me more than chocolate chip cookies. And that is saying a lot!
So that is the second word. Love - Spend your whole life together, day in and day out looking for ways to love each other. It may not be love cookies or love lights, it may be being nice to his dog, or petting her cat.
Those of us who have walked the marriage road before you can testify that there is nothing better than loving each other.

After the ceremony, we walked to our favorite restaurant overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and had a delightful luncheon celebrating the marriage of Mark and April. It was The Perfect Day!

On The funny things kids say...

2008-05-02T17:48:00.002-05:00

One of my friends' called recently and asked if she could bring her daughter who is 10 to a bridal shower for April. I assured her that would be fine. When April opened their gift, she complimented the daugher, Karis on the beautiful card. Karis said, " That isn't the one I really wanted, the one I wanted get (at this point she holds up her fingers like she's speaking in quotations) my mom said "It cost too much". We all had quite the laugh over that. Of course, my friend was totally embarrassed, but we assured her that we could relate, it had just been several years since most of us had one of those 10 year old reporters following us around.

At dinner that same day, my sister had relayed the hilarious story of her son always wanting to hear stories about when she was young. Since Ryan is nearly 10, and has just started his fascination with girls, he really wanted to hear about that part of Joy's childhood. He told her "I know there are things you aren't telling me!! I want to hear about the 'luuuv' section!" So all week, Bonnie and I had to tease Joy about the 'luuuv' section of her life.

Yesterday, when I was at my friend's house, again, Karis came in to discuss the wedding. She offered to be a bridesmaid. We told her, no April didn't need a bridesmaid. Then she said "I know, I can be the flower girl, and she won't even have to pay me!" Oh my, Ronette and I about cracked up at that comment!

Last night when I was reading, I saw a wonderful quote "The soul is healed by being with children"-Fyodor Dostoevsky . I wonder if that healing is from laughing at the hilarious things that children so innocently say?

On The Annual Sister's Week...

2008-04-29T20:17:00.003-05:00

Last week is now but a memory and a pile of photos, but I had a wonderful Sisters Week. My One True Love was on business in Santo Domingo while my sisters came to visit. The house became filled with the noise of laughter and visiting. From the minute Bonnie and Joy arrived, we shared in one good laugh after another. We had a marvelous bridal shower for April, and they got to meet yet more of my dear friends I have been blessed with here in Tampa. Then we went to Orlando and saw some fun sites, as well as got to hear my favorite musician and singer perform at the famous Peabody Hotel. Scott Barry did a great job, and we requested many of our favorites...such a fun time, and truly a treat. Joy did a marvelous job of making bridal bouquets and boutonnieres, while Bonnie got to get some much needed rest in the sun on the lanai. We did our share of shopping and eating as well. And we got to enjoy a lovely sunset over the gulf at dinner one evening! Just truly a marvelous time. I am so blessed with such wonderful sisters. It makes me think of one of my favorite sayings "How lucky I feel, and how blessed I have been, they're more than my sister's, they're also my friends!" Thanks again, Sisters for the GREAT time! Can't wait till next year!

On Dessert with an Angel...

2008-04-16T12:37:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, my One True Love and I were having a nice and relaxing dinner on the patio at Outback Steak House. Bruce had just returned that afternoon from a week in Costa Rica, and we were catching up on the happenings of the week, along with looking forward to an early morning flight the next day to Kansas City for a weekend away.

We had just finished our dinner, and a young (maybe 14 years old) black kid comes up to our table. He said he was selling M&M's to help raise money for a Christian based homeless shelter in a poor section of the city. He says to Bruce "You're just like Bill Gates, you could buy my whole box!" What an amazing line! We both started laughing! I said, "You're right, he could buy your whole box!" Then I said to Bruce "You should do that!" Then the kid said that if we would commit to buying $40 worth, he would do a Christian Rap for us, and if we liked that, then we could buy $60 worth! So we made the deal. This darling kid started his rap, and it was precious! We don't even like rap, but this sweet kid sitting at our table singing? this song about fighting off Satan, and getting prepared to go live in heaven was absolutely delightful. Well, this rap lasted a good 3-4 minutes, and by now had the attention of a few other patrons at this restaurant. When he finished, we decided it was definitely worth the $60 for the M&Ms! But more than that, we were totally blessed by this sweet kid out trying to make a difference. We really felt like we had just had dessert with an Angel! AND we had a LOT of M&M's to prove it!

On My Personal Pilot Car...

2008-04-13T14:24:00.001-05:00

Three weeks ago, we helped move our daughter some 200 miles down the road. Last fall when I drove her moving truck the 10 hour drive from Washington D.C., she had a 22 foot truck. That means it had a cab similar to a van. Not too hard to drive. When Bruce and I went to pick up the 26 foot truck, I was a bit shocked to realize I had to climb up into a cab that set me up on the same level with those semi trucker guys!! I considered going back and asking for a shorter truck with a smaller cab, then I thought "Hey, take the challenge!" So I did. Bruce told me he would stay ahead of me, so I could just follow his lead. Well, if you haven't driven on the east coast freeways, you may not understand my fear...but everyone drives about 80 miles an hour and there are so many people it is challenging to get on the freeway with a powerful car, let alone a sluggish big moving truck! I started praying as soon as I picked up the truck that it would be easy to get on the freeway, then 50 miles down the road that I could get across all three lanes of the freeway onto the Florida turnpike. It was amazing to see how God parted the cars for us. But it was so wonderful to have my own personal pilot car helping me down the freeway and turnpike. That really got me to thinking about that wonderful hymn:

Jesus, Savior, pilot me over life's tempestuous sea; unknown waves before me roll, hiding rock and treacherous shoal. Chart and compass come from thee; Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

As a mother stills her child, thou canst hush the ocean wild; boisterous waves obey thy will, when thou sayest to them, "Be still!" Wondrous sovereign of the sea, Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore, and the fearful breakers roar 'twixt me and the peaceful rest, then, while leaning on thy breast, may I hear thee say to me, "Fear not, I will pilot thee."

When I started comparing the experience of following my One True Love in the moving truck, I thought of all the times that I have felt so safe letting Jesus pilot me through life. At times when things were very rough, I could just trust that God would see me safely through. Back to my story...By the time we reached our destination, we didn't have real great directions, so Bruce waved me past him. Well, I took a wrong turn and ended up on a dead end dirt road! It took about 15 minutes for Bruce to then get out of the car, and come and direct me to back into a driveway that was large enough for the truck, and get it positioned right to turn it without taking out mailboxes on both sides of the street!! We then got great directions, and found the point of delivery just fine. There again, I thought of the times that I have "run ahead" of God, and then had to let Him get back into the "pilot" position and see me to safety! I'm so thankful that I have a loving God that can pilot me through this life, until I safely reach my heavenly home! And I hope I don't end up on too many narrow dead end dirt roads of my own foolish chosing!!

On Pushing Pause...

2008-03-30T21:25:00.002-05:00

Last week I was lying on the treatment table at my chiropractor’s office. The assistant had wired me up with electrodes to my shoulder and hip. Then she handed me a switch that I could push to pause the whole treatment if I became distressed. I have never had any problem with the treatment in the past, but for some reason I guess I was feeling a bit invincible when she was setting the current, and I let her set them way too high for me. So after a few moments of electric massage, I realized it was really hurting more than helping…hence, I was quite thankful for the pause button in my hand. It was just too much. This got me to thinking about my life in recent weeks. I have been quite busy and giving out a lot of love and care to those around me. So it just happened that last Wednesday was a very rare day, in that I didn’t have a single thing planned. It was like an oasis of “pause” in my life. What did I do? Well, I almost hate to admit what I did for fun! First, I got up and ran 7 miles! Then I dallied around my house getting ready for the day, I went tanning, and got a pedicure. Then I planned out several meals that I wanted in the freezer. So I ended the day by making lasagna and chicken enchiladas. I went to bed feeling very refreshed and fulfilled. Bruce returned from India on Saturday, and we’ve continued to push “pause” for our vacation. This doesn’t mean we sit and do nothing, we just find ourselves doing things we really love to do, even if it is “work”. So Easter we (Carol) made a huge dinner for Bruce’s folks and our daughter and future son in law. Then Monday we worked on our landscape in the backyard. We (Bruce) took out a dead palm tree, and I threw 20 bags of bark. Wednesday we went to Orlando for a few days. We visited Animal Kingdom, then had a lovely dinner at our favorite restaurant in Celebration, FL. The highlight for me was the pianist at the Celebraton Hotel singing several songs for us, and sharing a dance with my One True Love!! Friday on to Gainesville to move our daughter. By the time we got home late Saturday night, whew, we were both tired, but so thankful for the chance to push the “pause” button and take a change of pace from our routine.

On Palm Sunday...

2008-03-17T18:46:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had the delightful opportunity to attend church with my new friend Tina. Her church was having a Palm Sunday service. The choir sang a special musical. One of the recurring scriptures that was read was Ephesians 4:5 "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." It was so wonderful to sit in this church that was not my church home and be able to worship from the depths of my heart, because we all love and serve the same awesome God!
I would like to share a quote from the pastor. "Service is each doing your small insignificant part; it doesn't have to be splashy or big, each humbly doing your part to help Jesus fulfill his ministry. If Jesus can use a donkey, He can use you!"

On Becoming a Great Aunt...

2008-03-12T21:26:00.004-05:00

There is nothing like the birth of a new baby in the family to make one wax nostalgic. So this week, when my nephew Todd became a father, making me a great aunt, I have relived some wonderful memories. Like the day I found out that I was going to be an Aunt, some 37 years ago. I was so thrilled when Todd was born. I was all of 13 years old, and I think it was some of the most exciting news I had received to that point in my life. I can recall the day so well. Getting to hold him for the first time was such a thrill. Then, he was such a fun little guy, so full of fun and life, and kept our whole family laughing and enjoying his fun antics.

When I was pregnant with our son, I can recall Todd (9 years) and his brother Chad (6 years) wanting to sit beside me in church about a week before Bryce was born. They wanted to feel Bryce kick and move in my womb...what a precious memory that will ever be for me.

Hearing how things are going with his newborn, Garrett Maier Wells, has brought back a flood of memories of what it was like to have newborns in our home. It seems that for a few weeks, the whole world comes to a halt. Nothing is as important as the new precious life that turns your life upside down. So I even though it will be some months before I get my hands on this darling baby, I am loving all the emailed photos and the sweet stories. Congratulations Todd and Katie! Oh, and Nanny!!!

On one Mercy I will be forever thankful for...

2008-03-03T19:59:00.004-05:00

In one of my previous blogs, I mentioned that God gives us fresh mercies each day. Well, today I have received a mercy that I hope I NEVER forget to be thankful for. Last night at 11:30 my phone rang waking me from a sound sleep. I didn't recognize the number, and was surprised to hear our daughter's voice. She said she had rolled her car, and lost her cell phone in the accident. She needed us to come to the scene and pick her up! (Some 20 minutes away.) What we saw when we got there was nothing short of a miracle. Here her car was completely flipped with wheels in the air, and she had crawled out of a broken window! For all that horrific scene, she merely had one tiny paper-like cut on her finger! Talk about a miracle. She had swerved to avoid an animal in the road, and lost control. After a very sleepless night, and spending time in the night comforting one frightened daughter, I knew I didn't care how tired I was today, I had a beautiful mercy to thank God for!! She and her fiance' spent the day tending to all the legal details of the crash, and just now she looked up her case, and the insurance company has "deemed the car a total loss." She said" I guess God just isn't quite ready for me in heaven". I told her I was happy about that, to which she replied to me "You really need to go there first to get it cleaned up!" So now that the stress of the last 24 hours is past, we can have a little laugh to go along with this wonderful Mercy!!

On The Best of times and the Worst of times...

2008-02-28T08:17:00.002-05:00

Let me tell you about my week. Monday, I had to be at the doctor for my yearly exam at 8:00 a.m. I had first seen this doctor in the fall for a consultation, and really loved her. So I was actually looking forward to seeing her on Monday. It was an amazing appointment, I know now that God arranged the timing perfectly. I was her first patient after a weekend spiritual retreat, and the things we shared with each other were God-ordained. She said "Carol, I'm giving you my personal phone number, we have got to be friends outside of this office, there is a spirituality about you I want to be around more, let's spend more time together". Wow! That felt great, and I know Tina and I will be wonderful friends over time.
Then comes Tuesday. I drove across the Bay to go spend the day with a dear friend of mine. I really needed some "girlfriend" time, and we talked non-stop for four hours. We also worked on a few organizing projects for her. I left there feeling so encouraged, and thankful that we are such kindred spirits, and share our love of the Lord together.
Now to Wednesday. Because of my daughter's impending marriage, I wanted to visit with a couple of long-distance girlfriends. One who I have mentored, and one who has mentored me. Both of these gals were so encouraging. We talked about everything from their courtship experience, to their marriages (one for 29 years, the other 16). Both conversations were delightful and upbuilding. During these calls, I was preparing a large dinner for some out of town guests that we were to entertain. (Some family members, and one person we had never met.) When the stranger arrived at 5 p.m., I knew by the time she made it from the front door to the living room that I didn't like her! Now, I really don't make snap judgements on people, and if I do, I generally err on the side of thinking they are great, to be disappointed later. But I was not wrong in this snap judgement. She dominated the entire 2.5 hours (yes I was timing it!!) she was here. She put three of us down over dinner, she knew more, had more, had more experience, was bigger, better, louder...on, and on, and on. Oh, and although she had NO interest in anything domestic, EVERYONE she knows thinks she is an excellent cook! (I heard all that before we got to the table!!) YOW!!! So, by the time she questioned my judgement, put me down as a mother, and generally made me feel like a varisity loser, it was no wonder that I went to bed last night in a major depression, shaken to the core, questioning if I had a "lick of sense", (let alone any God-given wisdom I hope to think I've aquired over the last 50 years) and feeling totally sick to my stomach! When I woke up in the night, I spend some time praying for peace. And this morning, I felt so much better. In fact, I can see how God has used the three previous days to build me up, surround me with love, and even validated my brains in there too! I think I just went through a "pounding from Satan" that God had the foresight to prepare me for! Wow!...This morning, I woke up with a song taken from Ps. 46: 1-2 going through my head : 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. S0 even though I had an amazing start to the week, and last night will go down as one of the worst of my life, I am back on top today, trusting God to bring about amazing things in my life and those close to me!

On Life and Love...

2008-02-20T15:31:00.002-05:00

This past Valentines Day set a new first for us. Both of our adult children have found the love of their life in recent months, well, weeks for one of them. It was a bit of a strange feeling to not be sending them a Valentine or package so that they would have a fun surprise. But knowing that someone cares for each of my kids gave me a great feeling of peace and well being. I have prayed for their future mates since they were born, and I am watching God miraculously bring just the right circumstances into their lives that have put them in the right time and place to meet their special friends. It will be a blessing to watch their relationships grow in the years to come. Ahhh, there is nothing so sweet as being privy to watching new love grow!! I am blessed!

On Finding happiness in the small things...

2008-02-05T04:58:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking lately about what makes a person happy. It really can't be circumstances, because I read all the time about people who are happy when they are in the midst of what most would consider devastating life events, as well as those who seem to "have it all" that are miserable. Maybe happiness is more an attitude. Possibly even a decision. A decision to not let the daily irritations and upsets hold our attitude captive, but to decide to be cheerful and happy, even to virus proprotions!!! Wouldn't that be a great new virus for the CDC to track! Recently while I was running errands and thinking about this, I saw that there was a brand new Starbucks with a drive-thru right on my "beaten path". Now, those of you from the "colder climbs" won't appreciate this, but really, in Florida Starbucks are NOT all that prevelent, and definitely not one with a drive-thru. While I was relishing this bit of good news, I realized that right next door to this Starbucks is a new Panda Express! Bruce and I love the Orange Chicken at Panda Express. The challenge with it is that until this recent discovery, the only place to get it is at the Brandon Town Center food court. That is a very hectic place, as well as the fact that they keep the AC at "Arctic like" settings year around! When I realized how happy these two discoveries made me, I was just chosing to find joy in the little things. When I think back to yesterday, what made me happy was the diet Pepsi I purchased for my two hour road trip to Gainesville, finding a cute blouse while shopping with my daughter, and laughing uncontrollably with her after she shared something with me and I quoted the line from Little Women "the bearing of our souls and telling of our most appalling secrets". Life is just so full of fun moments and discoveries, if we will only chose to enjoy them. This for me is happiness.

On Counter Culture...

2008-01-25T14:10:00.000-05:00

One of my dear friends called recently very excited about a book titled, "Created to be His Help Meet", by Debi Pearl. I went directly to my favorite bookaholic website at http://www.half.com/ and purchased a copy. Wow, talk about radical...but I love it!! One of my favorite verses is Romans 12:1-3 in the Message Bible. One part goes like this "Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God, you'll be changed from the inside out." In just the first chapter of this book, I found such freedom, but it truly is counter to our culture. That my sole purpose is to be a help meet to my husband and to make him look awesome! There is no loss of dignity in subordination when it serves a higher purpose. Jesus was a willing helper to the Father, the Holy Spirit was a helper to Jesus. The helper made the one in Authority look better. No one thinks, oh, the poor helper. They see the shining product of the helper's work, and stand back in awe!! Proverbs says "A virtuous woman is crown to her husband". Husbands receive honor from other men as they admire and praise the wife's help to them. So, I am re-ignited to be an amazing helper to my husband...and you'll probably hear more about this book in the coming weeks!! This book is also available at www.nogreaterjoy.org

On Time Zones...

2008-01-11T08:11:00.001-05:00

Today is a momentous day for me! I finally, after more than four years of being an "East Coaster", made the change on my computer clock. Whenever someone uses my computer they remark about this. I have kept it on the Pacific Time zone all this time, because I have a terrible habit of grabbing up a phone at my desk and not thinking about the time difference. Fortunately, the worst time was when I called my husband at 2 a.m. due to all my confusion, and he was only happy to hear my voice. Isn't that sweet??? Well, I don't think everyone would give me such a kind response. And the hysteria that followed that morning in a hotel room in Sioux City, IA will forever be one of the best laughs of my life!!! (And never forgotton by my sister and nephew that were sharing the room!) I have been the subject of a few jokes for my confusion, but then I can think of several VERY close relatives that have been "time-zoned challenged" as we have learned to call it, while laughing ourselves silly! So I just felt the need to let the world know that as of today, I officially have the right time zone on EVERY clock in my house...and I hope I can handle it!!!

On Looking at the Road Ahead...

2008-01-11T03:00:00.000-05:00

Many times in the mornings when I'm running along the road, I notice that cars coming head on to me don't see me until they have to make a swift swerve to the other lane. They are not looking ahead down the road, but possibly only a few feet ahead of their car. Since I keep a close watch on the traffic, I'm not really in danger, I would run off the road before they got close enough to hit me. But this practice has got me to thinking a lot about goals. That goals are like looking ahead down the road and gently maneuvering your life around challenges that arise. If you don't have goals, you are constantly having to make quick swerves in your life to "fix" the crisis that constantly arise. For instance...if you make a goal to take good care of your body by exercising, eating healthy, taking vitamins and making healthy lifestyle choices, you probably won't be told by your doctor to lose weight for your health. That would be a definite swerve. Another instance, if you have a spending plan and are making good choices with your finances, you most likely will be making gentle maneuvers each month to maintain financial health. You won't have to make a big swerve around bankruptcy or other financial crisis. If you make goals in your relationships, you can evaluate them and gentle correct challenges that arise, rather than not working on relationships until there is a crisis that forces you to swift swerve into a counselor or divorce attorney's office! So I will keep looking down the road ahead, writing and reviewing my goals, and I encourage those around me to do the same...just to avoid the stress of constant swift swerving!

On Entertaining Angels...

2008-01-10T06:07:00.000-05:00

This last weekend, we had a delightful surprise. A second cousin of Bruce's contacted us and said she and her husband were in the area celebrating their first anniversary, and would like to see us. So we met up with them downtown, took them to the beach, then we came back to our house for a visit till midnight. They spent the night, then headed home the next morning. It was absolutely one of the most delightful evenings we've had in a long time. We shared so many ideas and visited about so many interesting things. They really loved being in our home, and we loved sharing it. They made the comment that they wished they would have come at the beginning of their vacation, rather than the end. That was the same comment some other guests made in October, who were sick of the Disney rat race, but loved the evening in our home. So here is an open invitation...we love company, and if you are looking for a nice retreat, please come and use our guest rooms. We are so blessed by visitors, maybe you will be the next "angels unawares" that we entertain!

On Chosing Your Paradise...

2008-01-09T18:25:00.000-05:00

We have just had two weeks of the most beautiful December weather in five years! We ate our Christmas Dinner outside on our lanai. For me, living in Florida is like paradise. I really enjoyed planting lots of new flowers last week, and seeing all the impatiens in full bloom right now. However, as I have been thinking about how much I love it here, I got to thinking about a conversation I had with a gentleman last summer. I was wandering along main street in the quaint little village of Cannon Beach, Oregon. Since I have never met a stranger (only a few friends I don't know yet), I noticed this guy washing the window of a shop. I asked him if he owned it. He smiled proudly and said he was the third generation owner. He went on to tell me how his grandparents started the shop, then his dad ran it, and now he is the owner. I asked him how he liked living there, and he said "Living here is like living in paradise...I LOVE IT!" Well, as anyone who has traveled well knows, there is a HUGE difference between the Oregon Coast and Tampa, Florida! So then I realized that if you really like where you live, that is paradise for you! Paradise isn't really so much a place as a choice!