Life....

In some of my research and just some of my time on Google I have found some amazing quotes.  I  just thought I would share.

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.” 
― Mother Teresa





“Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.” 

“The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.”


― Maya Angelou




"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." 
-Abraham Lincoln

I will end with Slick's favorite:

FINALS AND PAPERS

I am on a blogging break while I am writing:

- a paper on:   What is “charity,” according to Thomas Aquinas?
- a paper on: The role of women in the United Methodist Church and how to incorporate educational curriculum that has the same theological beliefs of the UMC.
- a paper on:  Why did God become a human being, according to the Christian tradition?  

and studying for 2 final exams.

See you in December.  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

This to shall pass

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook.  TGIF!

Life is better with Coffee

So, coffee.....it is now a part of my DNA.   I wake up and straight to the coffee pot.  You know what makes coffee even better?   Fun coffee mugs.

So, yesterday at Perkins I got one of my favorites......

I use this Oct.-Nov.

December....I have tons!

Spring!

I did not photograph all my mugs, that would just be weird.....:-)

So, my perspective today is I am so very happy that I have coffee (and yummy creamer).

P.S.- Tomorrow is Friday.....today is my last T/Th class.....and then one class, 2 papers, and 2 test and I am DONE for this semester!

Laugh Lines

So, I remember in High School I was in theater.  I really was never the star, but I had a great time.  I remember a play where my character was an older woman.  We spent lots of time with the stage makeup to transform my 16 year old face into one with wrinkles.   I remember the laugh lines being hard to create.

Then it happened.....I was putting makeup on this morning.   And there they were.....staring back at me.....laugh lines....real ones.......

I really am not to crazy about turning older....I am closer to 40 than 30 and that is weird to me, but mainly because I don't feel much different then in my 20s.  (Well, that kinda is a lie, especially when I run!)

But, anyway.....So, guess what I am getting lines.....I am not going to say they are marks of a great life, etc....I am just going to stare back at them.....and laugh!

Perspective:  Whatever if I spend tons of time worrying about wrinkles, I probably will get more wrinkles.  Oh, I will have a pretty good life is that is all I have to worry about!

A picture speaks 1,000 words.....so I will let these speak for themselves!

How do we show our children perspective?

Smile of pure joy on a birthday!

So we all know that children are very self-centered they have a view of life in a beautiful and pure way, but mainly their way.

I feel that my children are blessed beyond any stretch of the word.  They have a safe home, a safe school, they have loving family, wonderful friends.  They have stuff….lots of stuff. 

Last week we had to run some errands.  My youngest began to wine about having to go to Kroger to get milk….really?!?! 

These are the moments where I want to drop my kids in another place so that they can see life from another perspective.  I mean you can only tell them how blessed they are so many times, and then next you will find you self saying, "There are starving children in Africa." Yes, there are but guess what...there are starving children in Texas also.

I am searching for ways to give my children true and meaningful perspective.  How can they know how bless and wonderful their life is if that is all they see?

My goal:  by this summer I am going to find several family missions that my kids can attend with me to serve and learn from others.

America and Politics

Don't worry I am not going to tell you that I am super excited that our President received 4 more years in office, I am also not going to tell you that I am moving to Canada.

What I will do is tell you that all of the political jargon melts away when you attend an elementary school Veterans Day assembly.

The kids singing
the past, current and future veterans surrounding our kids

I was holding back the ugly cry.

This was an awesome way to start Monday.

Mr. D and Slick with Pa and Pops. 

You see when you think of the service that the men and women give us all it is worth more than a holiday.   This could only be thanked with a choir of children singing thanks, and letting the kids show off their Mom, Dad, grandfather, etc.  

I also love the respect that my kids school showed all the veterans today.  There was not talk about respect, it was shown, it was given.   That my friends is how you teach respect!

So, today I have the perspective that my children do not really understand what freedom is.  Freedom is all that they know.   Thank you Veterans!!! 

Worlds colliding….

So, I have many little worlds in my life.

I have my family and my home.

I have several different circles of friends.

I have my different church worlds.

I have my Perkins world.

What I have noticed that each world can perceive me in a different light.  I wonder am I different in each facet of my life?  I would hope that I am the same person to each place that makes my life complete.   But, I just don’t know.

It does make me wonder if one day all of my worlds collided and I had a house full of every person that is a part of me, would they all get along???   How would I act?  Would I be the same person?

I like to believe that I am strong in whom I am, that I am true to myself.  I believe that most days I am.   Just thinking here, this is not a blog with answers only questions. J

So, who are you?  What would others say about you?

What is your passion?

What is your pet peeve?

Who do you strive to be each day?

Perspective:  Today: be strong and powerful to you, and this will transcend to the others around you.  

Weight.....update

Well....I can not post before and after pictures just yet.  In fact it would be before and before.

I have started attending the gym more than once a month.  (It is now about 2 times a week).  and Slick has talked me into training for a 10K (it has been changed to a 5K....10 K will come)....so he is keeping me running on the days I don't go to the gym.

So, I am still 15-20 pounds over weight.   I am still complaining about it, but now I am doing a little more to counter act the glass of wine, or Halloween candy.  :-)

So, I just though you all deserved an update.  I don't have a magic pill because there is not a magic pill.

I need to eat better and exercise more.  Simply put.

This was the first day of training....a 9 year old is hard to keep up with!!!

Perspective:  When you blog about exercise weight people ask you if you have gone to the gym.  You have to say no (but it does motivate you to go more than once a month)......next time I will blog about writing papers or reading Treatise on the Virtures....I have been doing that. :-)

Wise Words

Forgiveness

Forgiveness:

So, forgiveness is the new sermon series at church.  This video was used this week….

What struck me was that forgiveness is not so much for that person that you are forgiving….it is for your own freedom.

I also began think about how forgiving yourself is a key part to forgiveness.  I don’t know about you but I am my own worst critic (enemy, advisory, nemesis, etc.).  I can make a mistake and have others in my life forgive me but I am still worried about what I did, why I did it, and how it affects others. 

So, today I choose to breathe the breath of freedom and forgiveness.

I choose to remember the past, but focus on the future. 

Perspective:  Forgiveness is not easy (forgiveness to others or to yourself).  But, living with the anger and the fear that comes with unforgiveness is a poison to your soul, give yourself the freedom that comes with letting go, it does not change what has happened, but it changes how you view life each day:  with the taste of bitter poison (unforgiveness) or a breath of fresh air (forgiveness).    

A Day in the Life..Schedules

We all know a moment when I am able to put something into an excel spreadsheet or my Google calendar it makes me happy.

My color coded calendar of joy.

But, scheduling a family can be a nightmare when you have more than one activity going on.

This year Slick is in baseball and scouts.  Mr. D is also in baseball and scouts.

Now, I did not even mention: PTA, play dates, night meeting at work, make up games, batting practice, study groups, Mr. is stuck in traffic, one kid is sick, one parent is sick, the fact they they both really want to do TaKwonDo, etc. :-)

Practices, Scout Meetings, and games rule our lives.  Oh, wait don't forget that I am in grad school and the Mr. commutes to Irving everyday.  I will say that sharing a Google calendar with Mr. on our phones, sure does help with the who goes where when thing!

I am lucky enough to have a work schedule that means I am home when my kids get out of school.   We do snack/and just chill for a bit when they get home and then homework, and any chores.  It is hard sometimes to keep school and homework 1st.  But, I have to remind myself (and my boys) that school is their job now.  It should always come first.  That does mean that it always does, but it is our goal.
I do have clipboards so if we are at a practice the other kiddo can work on homework.  It is not ideal, but it get's it done. :-)

So, This is how it goes:

Monday....we don't have a practice or a anything.  (breath)
Tuesday....Mr. D baseball and Sick Scouts
Wednesday....Mr. D scouts (and several games this night)
Thursday.....Slick baseball

Saturday....games/scout activities/church outreach events

So, I am in class on Wednesday so between Mr., my parents and my dear friends people get where they need to go.

We get a rhythm going and I go here and Mr. goes there.  It is fine.  It works.

This is our last weekend of baseball.  This gives me joy! I love watching my boys play, but I will also love not having practices and games for a while. :-)

I tried to talk both of my boys out of scouts this year.  But, they love it (it is not that I don't---I was just trying to have a slower routine/pace to the week)

My scouts...

So, this I how I deal when it gets to be to much, to fast, to late....We just don't go.  Simply we stay home, and it is ok.  The games go on with out us, the meetings go on with out us.  Now, I don't do this to often, we did make a commitment and it is important to live up to it.   But, it is also important to slow down sometimes.  To just sit and be.

When....if...later...

*A Day in the Life will continue tomorrow.....just felt like writing this today!***

So, this week I have found myself saying I can't wait until this.
It will get better after that.
If only this would happen, then that would be better.

Why do we do that so much?

Let me give you an example,  "Oh, next week will be so much better my New Testament paper will be completed and my teaching project will be turned in and presented.  I can't wait until next week."   Then I get to next week and say....

"Oh, this is a crazy week at work, several events to prepare for, and new bible study to write, oh, and I have a paper due on Friday.  I can't wait until next week."   Then it is next week and I say.....

Ok, you get the point.   I have found my self doing this way to much.  I wrote about focus a few weeks ago.   And I feel that I have been much better about focusing on the situation I am in.  For example, I turn off my phone when doing school work.  I stay off FB when in class (well most the time), I don't always answer an email/text the moment I get it.  I give my kids attention when they get home.  But, I am still not living life fully in the moment.  I am thinking that the moment will get better when.......

I am starting to wonder if you ever fully live into any moment?  Do you?  Can it happen? I have been reading several articles on the subject.  Here is one that I found very helpful!!


by Jay Dixit, the full article can be found here, "The Art of Now: Six Steps to Living into the Moment"

Here are the 6 steps:

1: To improve your performance, stop thinking about it (unselfconsciousness).

I've never felt comfortable on a dance floor. My movements feel awkward. I feel like people are judging me. I never know what to do with my arms. I want to let go, but I can't, because I know I look ridiculous.

"Loosen up, no one's watching you," people always say. "Everyone's too busy worrying about themselves." So how come they always make fun of my dancing the next day?

2: To avoid worrying about the future, focus on the present (savoring).

Why does living in the moment make people happier—not just at the moment they're tasting molten chocolate pooling on their tongue, but lastingly? Because most negative thoughts concern the past or the future. As Mark Twain said, "I have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." The hallmark of depression and anxiety is catastrophizing—worrying about something that hasn't happened yet and might not happen at all. Worry, by its very nature, means thinking about the future—and if you hoist yourself into awareness of the present moment, worrying melts away.

3: If you want a future with your significant other, inhabit the present (breathe).

There's no better way to bring yourself into the present moment than to focus on your breathing. Because you're placing your awareness on what's happening right now, you propel yourself powerfully into the present moment. For many, focusing on the breath is the preferred method of orienting themselves to the now—not because the breath has some magical property, but because it's always there with you.

4: To make the most of time, lose track of it (flow).

Perhaps the most complete way of living in the moment is the state of total absorption psychologists call flow. Flow occurs when you're so engrossed in a task that you lose track of everything else around you. Flow embodies an apparent paradox: How can you be living in the moment if you're not even aware of the moment? The depth of engagement absorbs you powerfully, keeping attention so focused that distractions cannot penetrate. You focus so intensely on what you're doing that you're unaware of the passage of time. Hours can pass without you noticing.

Flow is an elusive state. As with romance or sleep, you can't just will yourself into it—all you can do is set the stage, creating the optimal conditions for it to occur.

5: If something is bothering you, move toward it rather than away from it (acceptance).

cceptance of an unpleasant state doesn't mean you don't have goals for the future. It just means you accept that certain things are beyond your control. The sadness, stress, pain, or anger is there whether you like it or not. Better to embrace the feeling as it is.

6: Know that you don't know (engagement).

We become mindless, Langer explains, because once we think we know something, we stop paying attention to it. We go about our morning commute in a haze because we've trod the same route a hundred times before. But if we see the world with fresh eyes, we realize almost everything is different each time—the pattern of light on the buildings, the faces of the people, even the sensations and feelings we experience along the way. Noticing imbues each moment with a new, fresh quality. Some people have termed this "beginner's mind."