Coincidences - or God?

I didn't feel like going to the Housewarming Party last night.
Oh don't get me wrong. I love Michelle and her family. I had a house guest for 3 days and he had just driven into the sunset and I just might need some alone time.
But that restlessness was churning inside of me.
"But it is a 30-minute drive. I don't feel like driving to the party."
"I could ask someone to go with me, but what if I don't want to stay long?"

The restlessness continued. To put the feelings to rest I baked a batch of my well-known chocolate chip cookies, bought a small housewarming gift and crawled into the car.

From the minute I walked into the house I knew I was right where I was supposed to be last night.
The food, the laughter, the love, the stories, the connection.
Everyone met everyone else, no one was isolated.

As I was leaving reluctantly, I met one last person.
Coincidence?
I have been actively looking for a webmaster who is well-versed in subscription or membership websites. It has been a frustrating quest. Until last night.
"Hello, my name is John. I am an artist and photographer."
As I said my final good-night, or so I thought, I asked John if he knew of anyone who knew anything about membership websites.
"That's what I do."

Coincidence? Or God?
Thank you God for your faithfulness.
I didn't feel like going to the Housewarming Party last night. Thank God I did!

It's Time to Dance Today!

Sunday morning. 4:00 a.m. Wide awake.
I sat up in my bed and read, and watched Tv and prayed.
My mind started to wander. I was tired but couldn't sleep.
A couple of hours later my tired mind was telling me that my day was going to be ruined because of lack of sleep.
Then I took control of my thoughts, rested my tired brain, closed my eyes and settled into a slumber.
My day is going to be just what it is supposed to be. Only with a nap.

The Joy of Serving

Every day seems to pass by so quickly. I remember walking into school the first day of kindergarten. I was so frightened of those big third graders walking down the halls. Then I was getting my 8th grade diploma and wondering how those high school kids would perceive me. I felt to young and they were so old!
Students in college! Well, they were so grown up - would I ever be that old?!!
And today...my own daughters are past college age and I look back and I marvel at the speed of life.
The years flew by, but where did the days go? Did I waste them in busy-ness or did I relish each moment? Did I take the time to honor everyone I met, or did I bulldoze over them in my attempt to get ahead?
The past: over.
The future? Take the time to look around and savor every look, every touch, every laugh, every breath.
That is more than enough...that is real and it is yours. Right now.

And the rain continues

I woke up this morning to the familiar sound of rain slapping against the sides and roof of the house. I did not have any pressing appointments early so I could lay under the covers and reflected on either the unceasing amount of water deluging our days, or focus on the wonderful gift of green and nutrition to our earth. I preferred the second (though there are times I choose to sit and wallow in my pity, feeling sorry for us all that have not seen the sunshine in forever!)
After I was lulled into a melancholy state I walked to the window in the Bonus Room and gazed as the healthy, happy flowers raising their arms up to receive all that Mother Nature was offering them. They were so content, so happy just being who they were created to be, accepting the food from their source.
I couldn't help but wonder how many people are feeling the rain in their lives, daily? Do they see the benefits of all of that nutrition, all of that learning? Are they realizing that they are being fed so when the rain finally stops and the sun comes out they will be more colorful and stand proud and strong?
Five straight days of gray skies and continuous rain. Five nonstop days of being fed. Grow flowers grow! Grow YOU grow!

The Simple Things

I woke up this morning to the smell of rain, crickets singing to me outside of my window and a cool breeze sneaking in through the open window. And a peace in my heart.
As I lay in my bed, thankful for all that God has given me, I became aware of the face that store bought items do not give peace, only a high price tag and temporary satisfaction. But the beauty that God has given us, everything that He has entrusted us with to take care of...now that makes a heart sing.
The media creates a need that it not natural - you have to have mouthwash so you don't have halitosis, deodorant so you don't sweat, perfume to cover your natural body odors, conditioner in your hair because shampoo is just not enough, lotion for age spots and stretch marks that are trophies of life, and the list goes on. And we are never satisfied, never good enough.
But we wake up to the beauty of just 'being', just for being born a child of God and there are reminders all around of His love for us: He paints us a beautiful masterpiece in the sky as the pinks streak across the sky, He provides a symphony all day long with the birds and the insects, not to forget the 200 shades of green and the colors of flowers that can't be duplicated that He painted for us to enjoy.
Just for a moment slow down and just take in the picture that was painted for us to walk through. Then take a moment to thank the artist.

Nashville on a Saturday Night with Family!

My sister, Mary Jo, and her husband, Dan, drove to Nashville and arrived here yesterday. I was so excited for them to get here that I prowled around my house like a cat looking for a non-existent mouse.
It has been a long time since I have seen any of my brothers and sisters. Ten of my siblings live in Minnesota and one sister in Milwaukee.
This past year, with the struggling economy, has put all of the speakers - me included, having to redefine what they do. We have had to re-purpose and work twice as hard. I am not afraid of hard work, but now that I am slowing down and enjoying life a bit more, I am missing home.
I went to the Land of 10,000 lakes a year ago August for a wedding, and that is the last I have seen family.
So, now Mary Jo and Dan were on their way.
The minute they drove up I ran out to their car, hugged them and did not want to let them go. If there was some was we could have morphed into one person; well, I would have been okay with that.
After we enjoyed a meal on the deck, caught up on a few of the latest things in life, we headed toward downtown Nashville to honky tonk. We parked and walked a couple of blocks to the lights of NashVegas.
Nothing big happened. We listened to music in the bars. We laughed, listened to the street musicians, watched in the windows of a tattoo parlor as brave souls dressed parts of their bodies with art. We loved, we enjoyed each other, we loved life.
Nothing big happened? Love happened. And THAT is big!

We're Too Busy!

Everyone I meet these days seems to have the same reply for "How are you?" The stock answer of "Fine" does not even apply any more.
Ask people how they are and count how many say, "Busy".
Busy seems to define our importance. Many times we even expand on 'busy' and tell all about our busyness. We can't keep in contact with other human beings because we are 'busy'.
Take the word 'busy' out of your vocabulary and dig deep in the recesses of your soul and ask yourself, "How am I REALLY?"
When you meet people and are ready to spout out the words, "How are you?", rephrase your question this way:
"BESIDES busy...how are you?"

I tried this when I saw a familiar face in Panera Bread a couple of days ago. The girl I asked this question got a perplexed look on her face and replied, "Busier".

Are you too busy to know how you are? Are you losing yourself in the 'busyness' of life? Are you too busy to be you? Take some of the busyness out of life, and put more of the 'life' back in life!

Facebook Once Removed

I have heard the expression about relatives 'once removed'. I have never quite understood that. When people mention that I politely nod my head as if I understand how that person fits down the line.
This past weekend I found out what it means to have Facebook 'once removed'. A person with a malicious and greedy heart hacked into my Facebook account and tried to get unsuspecting and trusting people to give them money - supposedly to help me get back from London where I was mugged and left without my wallet, credit cards and phone. A cyber criminal after me while I grieve.
So Facebook shut me down.
I was in Chicago to memorialize a wonderful man who died to avoid hitting an out-of-control driver who ended up on his side of the road. The last thing in the world that I could worry about was my account on the computer.
Oh don't get me wrong. I am in contact with many people on Facebook and have come to rely on it to retrieve messages. I would have probably even argued that I don't waste time on it. Until it was gone and I had extra time to do other things.
I didn't go on it for pleasure - often - but now that I don't have it back up yet I have more time for other things.
Last night I was wide awake at 3:00 a.m. Not unusual.
I worked at the computer for awhile and realized that I would have been chatting with someone if my account was open. I was so productive at that hour and crawled back into bed at 5:30, realizing that many times I had allowed Facebook to eat up many of my middle-of-the-night hours without accomplising much, anything.
So sad that Facebook is closed; looking forward to getting it back, thankful that I got this lesson and that I will give that social networking tool only the time that it deserves and get the sleep that I crave. A lesson that is very inconvenient (which ones aren't?) but well learned!
Facebook 'once removed', lessons once learned!

The Joy of Neighbors

I returned to Nashville from Chicago last night. It had been such a draining trip - seeing old friends who have become family by choice, burying a dear friend, facing my own mortality.
I sunk in the seat on the airplane as it taxied on the runway. Oh, but every bone in my body pounded, and every vein in my heart ached.
As soon as the big bird in the sky went up it felt as though it was descending to my destination. It was good to be back home, but so much had transpired in this one emotional weekend.
Oh God! Please take away this hurt and replace it with love.
My friend, Lesa, picked me up from the airport. With her keen counseling background Lesa listened, gave me love, and then prodded me to move through each part of grief, without getting stuck.
When we drove into my driveway, even in the dark, I could see my flowers smiling at me. Oh, I have such a happy yard and it was there to embrace me. God's gifts...
Then I noticed that my lawn was freshly mowed as I heard the neighbor's front door squeak open. Pat walked out and gently sent out a 'Welcone Home'. I thanked him as tears welled up in my eyes, and then I thanked him for mowing my lawn. He said that Bridget, his perky 13-year-old daughter watered my flowers every night and he mowed the lawn. He told me that he buried a friend at one time and he knows the pain.
Lesa reiterated her thank you's for mowing the lawn and taking care of my happy yard.
"That's what neighbors are for. That's what neighbors do", Pat said, as though it was an unspoken pact when you lived next door to someone that you just helped them out when they were in need.
Lesa, neighbors, flowers...God was busy replacing the hurt with love. I just have to open my eyes and see...