Be Positive

Imagine Compassion

2011-08-28T10:08:00.005-04:00

Audrey Hepburn on "Beauty Tips"

2011-03-27T19:43:00.004-04:00

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others."

Affirmation

2011-02-07T22:39:00.003-05:00

af-fir-ma-tion - "the assertion that something exists or is true". We often think of this as standing in front of the mirror every morning and repeating some innane statement of self worth or importance, that sounds about as sincere as a used car salesman. Sadly this has given the very valuable and important practice of surrounding ourselves with positive messages that reinforce and strengthen our resolve to be our best selves, a really bad rep. I am all about meaningful affirmation. I am not all about some artificial mantra such as, "I am awesome. I love me. I am the best me you'll ever see. I am smart. I have a heart. Loving all God's creatures is my special art." Perhaps someone would find that effective at creating a positive and confident perspective. It would not inspire me.

I want to be reminded of my commonality with others. I want to be reminded of my gifts and blessings. I want to be reminded that I am in control of my thoughts and actions. I want to hear adjectives that make we want to be the person that would be described like that.

Generous

Gracious

Considerate

Open

Respectful

Thoughtful

Peace-filled

Warm hearted

Grateful

I want words that remind me of what I already know:

"I choose to see the light in others and remember that we are all the same. My light is a gift that I can freely give."

"I can decide to let go or hold on. In letting go I am free to reach out to God."

"My path can never take a wrong turn. Each step brings me to the place I can learn the most from; where I am."

Favorite Affirmation: "You yourself, as much as anyone in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection" ~ Buddha

I want to teach others to create affirmations that support, encourage, inspire and sustain them along the journey to true self-love. I intend to become an affirmation coach, create affirmation products and host affirmation celebrations.

Top 10 Things I Love About Summer

2010-07-23T09:53:00.008-04:00

1. Going to the Beach - any chair on sand at the edge of water will do, but I'm particularly fond of a folding bag chair with a footrest. Around here, we are most likely to go to Lake Clear Beach. If you haven't been there, it's a public beach with no life guard, so you can bring your dog, your floating devices and your cooler... Go to Lake Clear, take rt. 30 as if you are heading to Malone, pass the former Lake Clear School on your left and the "dump" on your right and then watch for an opening in the trees on your left and there is a large parking lot and short trail to the beach.

I love a day at the beach with a good book, a beer and my honey. Nothin' like it.

2. Going Camping - Summer isn't summer without going camping. I guess part of the appeal is that I have a nostalgia from my own childhood of camping with my family. My dad was a busy man, and often working, but the one time we knew we'd get to spend time with him was when we went camping. It is by far the scene of almost every favorite childhood memory I have. As an adult I guess part of what I love about camping is the simplicity, the lack of distractions and the family together time as well. While we play our fair share of games at home, it's a guarantee that while camping there will be lots of games at the picnic table, under the lantern glow. Quiddler is an old favorite, but last year our fav camping companions, Scott and Karen, introduced us to Farkle, a great dice game, and that might be our new favorite.

I think camping is a state of mind. This year the weather was cold and often rainy, but we still loved that we were camping. As my brother Scott says, "a bad day camping is still better than a good day doing anything else." Amen!

3. Eating outside - Weather permitting, I love to eat dinner outdoors. I'm not sure why, but I think it's more leisurely and more relaxing.

4. Having a fire - One of the best purchases we ever made was this backyard fire pit from Dick's. While fire is a given while camping, and I can happily stare for hours into the mesmerizing flames, having a fire pit makes hanging out around the fire an option at home that we do love.

5. Kayaking - We just bought our kayaks at the end of the summer last year, but I have loved every minute we've spent in them. Last week we went on Lower Saranac and paddled around and went for a swim and just spent the morning ON THE WATER. I love the kayaks for a couple reasons, it's exercise I actually don't mind doing and it gets us on the water, and I love being on the water. I think if I could live anywhere it would be on a house boat. Kind of a cross between my two favorite places to be on the water and camping.

6. Morning coffee in the sun - On days when the sun is shining when I get up the first thought I have is, "I want to go sit in the sun and drink my coffee". I do think there's a bit of a sun worshiper in me, that loves to sit in the sun any time really. But there's something about that quiet early morning sun soaking up that I really crave.

7. Going for a walk with my honey - While Carol is great about getting up to go for a walk to exercise, I am not a morning person and don't rise easily. But every time I do, I'm so glad I did. When we are walking, chances are we are talking and there's no laundry or TV or telephones ringing or cats meowing or kids wanting or computers or ipods or distractions of the many sorts that we usually face. Granted, we could walk in the winter, and occasionally do, but nothing beats a stroll when the weather is warm and the breeze is blowin' in the summertime.

8. Cape Cod - We've kind of established a tradition, that in addition to summer = camping, summer also = a trip to the Cape. For the last several years, we've stayed in the same place in North Truro, Horizons Beach Resort, and while it may sound fancy, it's not. But it does have a beach on the ocean (across the road from where we stay) and a pool and it's a 5 min. drive into P-town. This is just a must. We've found a wonderful fresh water pond that we've kayaked on in Wellfleet and a tall ship that we've sailed on in P-town, and wandering the shops along Commercial St. never gets old. But more than anything, it's just nice to be "on the cape". It's a casual, vintage state of mind. If you've been there you'll know just what I mean, and if you haven't - go, it's summer and the Cape is the best place to be.

9. Time off - Now I love my job and I do still work in the summer, but only part-time. I usually arrange my schedule so that I work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - with lots of 4 day weekends. Carol has the same schedule so we get extra "chill time" in the summer that is just simply the best!!

10. Tie between ice cream and margaritas - when the weather gets warm I want to cool off with a refreshing frozen margarita or frozen soft ice cream. I am not a Donnelly's fan - although most people think it's the best ice cream around, I think it's too creamy bordering on slimy. I do like Mountain Mist, especially when they have a fun flavor like coffee.

Same Kind of Different as Me

2010-07-05T17:38:00.009-04:00

I just finished reading a book that I know has affected me like nothing I've ever read before. "same kind of different As Me" is told from the perspective of two men who have had vastly different life experiences. As the subtitle of the book describes one is a "modern day slave" and the other an "antiques art dealer". This true story is told in each man's voice, alternating by chapter.

I want everyone I know to read this book, in part because it's a touching story of unconditional love, which we all need to be reminded is not only possible, but necessary. I also want everyone I know to read this book because I want to talk about the impact it had on me and has on them. I want to have a deep and profound conversation with any and everyone about this book. It moved me, I know it will move you too and I want to talk about it!

People who know me well, know I don't cry. For a whole lot of complex reasons, I keep my emotions pretty well in check, and while I may operate from a compassionate, feeling place, I don't wear my heart on my sleeve - at all. I don't cry at movies that make other people cry, or Hallmark commercials, or weddings or funerals. Yes, I'm capable of crying, but very little gets to that place that would make me cry.

I cried while reading nearly every page of this book! I cried because the story was about a miracle that happened because of kindness and love - these two men; who by the world's standards, one of whom had everything while the other had nothing; forged a friendship that goes beyond any superficial concept of loyalty that we have come to accept as friendship.

In this book I saw Jesus over and over and over. This is a story of love pure and simple. The kind of love that we are called to in the Great Commandment, to love our neighbor as our self. And while many of us might like to think we are being Christlike when we perform some act of charity, this book transformed my idea about giving to the needy. This story challenged me to consider whether my "charity" is truly about helping someone else, or making me feel better about having so much, when I know others have so little.

Denver Moore speaks many words of wisdom in this book. One of the simplest and yet most profound was his explanation of the title. He realized that his fear that he was too different from Ron and Debbie Hall for them to ever have a meaningful relationship, was unfounded because "they was the same kind of different as me". He explained that as this earth is not the true "home" for anyone, as our true home is with God - that all of us are presently "homeless" until we reach our final rest in our Father's House.

Click here to watch a video clip about the story

David's New Vision's Graduation

2010-06-12T20:41:00.007-04:00

David had an excellent speaker at his New Vision's Graduation, who spoke about listening to your inner voice, and advised the students to "do what you are doing" and be present and live in the moment. He ended his address by reading the Desiderata. As I listened I thought it would be a great addition to the blog.

The Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially, do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

Wisdom of the Dalai Lama

2010-06-03T10:06:00.002-04:00

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.

I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.

If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.

It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them.

It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.

Sleep is the best meditation.

Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis.

There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.

Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.

Thinking about Schools...

2010-05-26T18:50:00.007-04:00

I've been thinking about work a lot lately. In large part, it's been on my mind because of budget and staff cuts and all the changes that are coming with that. I think another reason it's been on my mind is becuase I've been a mentor for the last several months to someone seeking administrative certification and it's made me more self-reflective as I think about what it means to be an administrator and what I would want to ensure a new administrator knows and can do.

What do I believe about education? I believe that teachers do change lives. I believe that for some kids, just being in school is a big accomplishment and should be celebrated. I believe that while there are lots of teachers working very hard every day, we have not figured out how to really make the best use of time in school, and we need to rethink this current model. I believe that school needs to be a community, and should look and feel more like an extended family. I believe that we need to be organized in nuclear units of members who are together long enough to form bonds of trust, honesty and expectations. I believe that kids know who is interested in them and who isn't, and kids (and teachers) will always oppose authority coming from someone who hasn't taken the time to know, value and appreciate them.

I believe that we need to work hard at listening to each other. We have to find ways around and under and over the inconvenience of making schools better. School improvement will only happen when we stop pretending it's not broken. I believe high school is a battleground and most adults are oblivious to it. I believe that we are all fallible, and we get farther by admitting our weaknesses and mistakes, than pretending we don't have any. I believe that the most important quality for an administrator is to be ethical and to do the right thing even when no one is looking. I think that's a good rule for everyone.

I believe we have a choice every day to make someone else's life easier or harder. I know that I take the greatest joy when I hear about someone just being kind because they could. I wish we could focus more on the accomplishments of character, than the achievement of grades. I believe that we come up with better solutions as a group than any of us would on our own. I believe that none of us want to be excluded or left out. We all want to sit at the grown-ups table. I believe that separating students with disabilities from their non-disabled peers may be easy for adults, but it's HARD on kids.

I believe that each of us that is in a school everyday can make a difference in some one's life. Pay attention, say Hello, offer to help, enjoy being there, like what you do and who you are doing it with, be excited about learning something new, be enthusiastic about the countless opportunities to explore, the adventures not yet taken - be real! Be who you are, encourage others to do the same! Celebrate diversity and differences and risk-takers and boundary pushers and free thinkers. SHOW UP! LISTEN UP! GROW UP! OPEN UP!

The Four Agreements

2010-03-29T09:25:00.003-04:00

The Four Agreements are based on ancient Toltec wisdom as shared by Don Miguel Ruiz. As I have become aware of and tried to begin to embrace these agreements, I have discovered their potent, life changing power. I've outlined the basic concepts from his writing on the Four Agreements. This is a short book, and while it can be a quick read, it is not necessarily an easy one if you really think about the personal application as you are reading. I have now read the book and listened to the book and know that I have only begun to scratch the surface of the truth and wisdom contained in this idea.

The idea, simply put, is that we have agreed to many false, destructive beliefs about ourselves and others that rob us of the joy we were meant to experience. For example, we may believe that when someone pulls out in front of us and we have to slam on our brakes to avoid a collision, that that person did that to us, and we get angry and we swear or honk or let negative energy and emotion fill us. In the Four Agreement's Ruiz tells us over and over that nothing anyone else does is because of you, so don't take it personally. Imagine how differently that driver pulling out in front of you would feel if you truly didn't take anything about it personally or make any assumptions about their motives. If you felt anything at all, it would be gratitude that you avoided the collision. No negative, no poison.

Emotional poison is what damages us and keeps us from being fully alive. The Four Agreements teaches us that if we can transform our thinking by following the agreements we can eliminate the emotional poison from our lives. This is a challenge, as we have spent our whole life conditioned to do the opposite of most of this kind of thinking. However, each interaction is an opportunity to practice making new agreements, and each time you break free from old negative thought patterns and practice, practice, practice the four agreements, you will get stronger and it will become easier. The only way to improve is practice. And while I'm not sure practice makes perfect (because perfect is unrealistic as a healthy goal), I do believe that we are meant to be joyfully alive, and the four agreements gives us the direction we need to live a new life.

Everything we do is based on agreements we have made. In these agreements we tell ourselves:
who we are
what everyone else is
how to act
what is possible
what is impossible
What we have agreed to believe creates what we experience.

Be Impeccable with Your Word
Speak with integrity.
Say only what you mean.
Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others.
Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Don’t Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you.
What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream.
When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

Don’t Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want.
Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama.
With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick.
Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

Thanks Giving

2010-01-16T09:34:00.004-05:00

The following is the Thanksgiving homily given by the Rev. Ann Gaillard, St. Luke's the Beloved Physician Episcopal Church, Saranac Lake, NY. I asked Mother Ann if she would share this sermon with me to post because I felt it was such a powerful, positive message reminding us to seek the possibilities of gratitude.

"There was once a preacher who was known for his uplifting prayers. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so cold, dark and gloomy that one the members of the congregation thought to himself, "I'll bet the preacher won't be able to think of anything to thank God for today." But to his surprise the preacher began by praying, "Gracious God, we thank You, that the weather's not always like this."

This kind of glass-is-half-full attitude toward giving thanks was shared by the pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving. Remember, those folks had had an exceedingly difficult time.
For starters, they had begun their journey full of hope for a new life of religious freedom in a warm and welcoming land - Virginia. Instead they landed at Plymouth Rock on December 21, 1620, not the best time of year in Massachusetts. Until such time as they could build houses and establish themselves on the land, they made their home on board their ship the Mayflower. The men went ashore every morning to work, returning to the little ship at night. They built a "common house" to which the sick and dying were transferred, placed their four little cannon in a fort, which they built on a hill close by, built two rows of houses with a wide street between and finally landed their stores and provisions. Then the whole company came ashore toward the last of March, and in April the Mayflower sailed away.

That winter before the Mayflower left was hard and bitter. At one time all but six or seven of the Pilgrims were sick. Eighteen women denied themselves food so that their children could eat. Thirteen of those mothers died. Half of the 102 Pilgrims died of malnourishment, disease, and exposure. Only about 30 of those who survived were over the age of 16. Those who died were buried in unmarked graves because the pilgrims did not want the natives to know how small their numbers had become.

In the spring they planted three crops: English Peas, Barley, and Indian Corn. The peas were planted too late - though they came up beautifully, the hot sun parched the blossoms and the plants died. Apparently the barley did not do well and was not worth harvesting either. Only the corn survived. Of course, not the corn we are used to with big, plump yellow kernels; this was "Indian Corn" with ears only two to three inches long and kernels of different colors. The Pilgrims harvested only twenty acres. And to top it all off, a second shipload of thirty-five settlers arrived without any provisions because they expected to live off the crops the first settlers had raised. By the end of their second winter in Plymouth, food had to be rationed again: five kernels of corn for each person per day.

A hard life. In fact, some proposed a Day of Mourning to honor all those who had perished. But the others said no, a Day of Thanksgiving would be more appropriate. After all, even though half had died, half had NOT. Reason enough to give thanks. Again, the glass is half full.

But is that really why people give thanks during hard times, simply to be grateful that things aren’t worse than they already are?

Try saying that to a mother who is facing an empty chair at the Thanksgiving table because her soldier son or daughter has just been killed in the war in Afghanistan.

Try saying that to a father who has just lost his job and is wondering how he’s going to pay the mortgage and feed his family.

Try saying that to a retiree who can’t afford his blood pressure medication because his pension has shrunk so badly during the recession.

Try saying that to a woman whose insurance company refuses to pay for her ovarian cancer treatments.

There are times when life’s pain and troubles are so enormous that they overwhelm our blessings and make it nearly impossible to feel gratitude or give thanks. When that happens, Jesus’ words about not worrying about our lives can seem irrelevant, even off-putting.

Yet he hits us hard over the head with his message in the gospel passage we just heard. Do not worry, do not worry, do not worry, over and over again. In fact, the word worry appears four (six) times in the passage. And why should we not worry? Because God is present and active in our lives. Because God loves us like a parent and knows what we need. Because God can be trusted not to abandon us.

Jesus’ words echo those of the prophet Joel. “Do not fear, O soil,” Joel says. “Do not fear, you animals.” Why not? Because God has done great things. Because God is in the midst of us.

For people of faith, the whole point of giving thanks is to remind us of the past, that God has done great things for us. It is about the present, that God is still very much alive and active, that God is at the center of all that we are. And it is about the future.

As people of faith, when we give thanks we are not denying that the world can be really awful sometimes. Rather we are giving thanks that we know in our heart of hearts that awfulness is not the end of the story. Presbyterian theologian Al Winn noted that at the heart of biblical faith we do not find air-tight arguments sealed with a "therefore"—we do not say all is right with the world, therefore, let us have faith; therefore, let us praise God; therefore, let us give thanks. On the contrary, at the heart of biblical faith we find things that do not logically follow at all, sealed with a "nevertheless." Much is wrong with the world, the mystery of evil is great, terrible accidents happen, NEVERTHELESS let us have faith, NEVERTHELESS let us praise God, NEVERTHELESS, let us give thanks. Perhaps we can better deal with the miseries of life if we remember that word, NEVERTHELESS.

Thanksgiving is about the future because we know that God has done great things and will do so again. It is about the future because he is present with us now, loving us now, and will continue to do so.

In one of his sermons, preacher J. Wallace Hamilton wrote that not only do we overestimate the length of our lives when we act as if we'll live forever. We also underestimate their length. He points out that people are wrong who say, "A hundred years from now, what's the difference? We'll all be dead." Actually, a hundred years from now we will all be alive, somehow, somewhere, with God in Christ. And what we have been and done will make a difference.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let us see life in three tenses of past, present, and future:
God has loved us and gave us his Son.  Christ walks with us today.  Christ awaits us in all our tomorrows.  Thanks be to God!"

Diagnosis - Benign

2009-07-27T21:46:00.013-04:00

This entry was written on July 27, 2009 but not posted at the time. I'm sharing it now because the message is still relevant.

Almost 3 weeks ago, I had a breast biopsy. I've had lots of cysts for years, and lots of repeat mammograms and ultrasounds and on two previous occasions I've had breast biopsies. The results of those previous biopsies were negative. So one might think that I'd look at this as a case of "ssdd" (same stick; different day). However, this time, I had more of a nagging feeling that perhaps my luck was running out, and this was going to be the biopsy to come back with a diagnosis - cancer.

I didn't tell anyone, other than my partner who went with me for the test, about this. I wasn't trying to hide anything, but I made a decision that I didn't want to give energy to the worry. I knew that people would naturally be concerned and caring and compassionate and "worry" that I might get bad news. I was concerned that their worry might rub off on me, and make it harder for me to remain optimistic and confident that no matter what the test result, I would be ok. I know that I don't want cancer, but I also know that if I get it (or have it), I will get through it.

Perhaps that sounds conflicted, and perhaps in a way I was. On one hand, I had my own "what if this time I don't get such good news" thoughts in my head, but most of the time I was able to respond, "if I do, I do and we will deal with it." I believe that God would be with me and that He'd provide loving care and comfort through the hands of my medical providers, friends and family and that healing takes many, many forms. By making the decision not to say anything until I knew the results, I didn't admit to anyone that I was battling the fear of the unknown. I didn't ask for prayers.

But I also didn't dwell on it. I was able to move on. No one brought it up because no one knew they should. This freed me to "put it away". There wasn't anything I was going to change by thinking, wondering, imagining, "what-if"ing and none of those would bring me any peace or joy.

So, I consciously decided not to decide I might be getting bad news. It's the opposite of what we seem conditioned to do; to imagine the worst, so we can be prepared for the worst. Where did we get that notion? Why wouldn't we be preparing for the best? Why spend 3 weeks stressing for nothing? What does it gain?

I don't want to imply that I didn't have moments of weakness and worry; I'm not a machine. I'm human, and it's natural to want to survive. However, when fear tried to creep in, I countered with faith, I reminded myself to be positive and believe that no matter what the outcome of the test, I am sure of the outcome that matters - I am in God's hands and He will be by my side ALWAYS!

I got my results today - and again, the cyst was benign. Needless to say, I'm relieved. I'm very happy with the news and very happy to be able to share that I understand the "temptation" to worry, but urge you to resist and rely on faith, have hope and be patient. Prepare for the best! It will make you feel better, I promise!

Great Reuse Idea

2009-07-18T14:33:00.011-04:00

Today at the Farmers Market, folks from the Adirondack Green Circle were giving away free grocery tote bags made from old t-shirts. This is a genius and simple idea that anyone with a sewing machine could make. I found great directions with step-by-step photos on instructables.com. Check it out and make your reusable grocery tote; make a few extra and give them away.

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"

2009-06-17T20:42:00.005-04:00

My mother used to say that, along with many other motherly pearls of wisdom. I have been thinking about how much value there is in finding something nice to say. It can be easy at times and harder at others, and some people do challenge you to stretch your imagination. But, I think it's worth the effort. Imagine what life would be like if people could count on hearing positive, affirming messages. Think about how at Christmas we say, we wish life was like this all year long. What we are really saying is, we wish people were thoughtful, tolerant, generous, forgiving, gentle, kind, happy, light-hearted more often.

What is it that prevents us from being more Christmas like more often? Well there's the distractions of everyday life - bills, dishes, laundry, meetings, deadlines, generally too much to do in one day, no matter what that list includes. Can we be pleasant and upbeat amidst the frenzy? Sure, but it takes effort. That's why Christmas helps, it focuses our effort. It reminds us to make the effort. We could be more cheery, supportive, helpful and sparkly more often if we stopped and thought about it, decided to do it and just did it.

So much about positive thinking and behaving is driven by a level of consciousness and intention. If we are conscious of our mental attitude and focus, we can ensure that our attention is headed in a positive direction. It's when we let ourselves get weighed down by the details, that we can forget the purpose. If you want a cheery greeting in the morning, be a cheerful greeter in the morning, I promise you'll reap what you sow. If you want to get feedback on a job you worked hard on, give feedback on other's hard work.

If you see someone making an effort, even if they haven't gotten where they (or you) think they need to be, praise the effort, don't remind them that they haven't arrived. Appreciate people. Acknowledge those who help you, even if it's their job. Don't take for granted that people know how you feel, tell them. We could all use a little life applause. Give Love, however you can. Say something nice. Just do it!

I'm okay with the gray...

2009-06-07T17:40:00.004-04:00

The following is an excerpt from a well forwarded email from my "administrative assistant", Hildred. I related to it, as I'm sure the many people forwarding it along through cyber space did.

"I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant."

One of the gifts that comes with age is the perspective to see what really matters. We learn that our appearance; good or bad, doesn't bring happiness or sadness, it's our response to our appearance that creates the joy or the pain. No matter what the circumstance, it's our response to the circumstance that drives our feelings about it. The secret many of us take a life time discovering, is that we wholly control our response, so therefore we wholly control our feelings.

That's not to say we should just tell ourselves, it's ok to be overweight, it's ok to keep being self-indulgent in some manner that's not healthy. But rather, focus on that we can choose to do something for our own good, that we have control when we choose to exercise it.

Half-full

2009-05-17T15:14:00.008-04:00

The age old question is the glass half-full or half-empty is the essential positive thinking primer. It is a perfect example of how two completely equal and opposite truths can co-exist. How you perceive the glass does not change the contents of the glass, but it changes how you feel about the contents of the glass. If you perceive the glass as stages of emptiness, you focus on loss, disappointment, past potential diminished. You feel a negative response; you see what's not there vs. what is.

However, if you see perceive rather the stages of fullness, you focus on possibility, opportunity and have hope. Hope feels good, hope is comforting, hope is positive. The ingeniousness of this dichotomy is that both are equally "true" perspectives. There is evidence and argument to support both positions. One is not more valid than the other, but one is certainly more desirable than the other, in terms of the impact it has on how we feel.

If we want to feel better, we have to perceive better. Positive thinking people don't think positively because they only have positive experiences, but they choose to find the half-full perspective when perceiving those experiences. Positive thinking is important because it shapes our feelings. As with the glass, there is always another way to describe the same state.

The glass isn't either half-full or half-empty, it's both. As both co-exist, but we have to choose one, why not choose half-full? Why not choose that which will be affirming and encouraging? As our thinking changes, our behavior will follow. The more able we become to recognize our option of viewing a situation through a positive lens, the more able we are to recognize there are other versions of the truth that might feel better to believe, the more empowered we become to Be Positive.

Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes

2009-04-11T15:05:00.010-04:00

I went looking for the exact wording of this quote, I knew was by Eleanor Roosevelt.

• No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

I was surprised to find so many other fitting quotes, so I decided to post them here also.

I was looking for this quote because I was reflecting on language we commonly use, such as "You made me feel bad", "You make me feel like I'm not good enough". We ascribe that responsibility to someone else, when really, it's us that is making ourselves feel badly or not good enough. We have a choice, we often fail to take, which is to tell ourselves that the opinion of the other is incorrect, not important, inaccurate, faulty, insignificant, or whatever will allow us to retain a positive sense of self. We are responsible for creating our own personal security, which includes protecting ourself from the negative messages of others. Just because someone speaks or behaves negatively towards us, doesn't mean we need to accept that. The deflection of that negative message or action will allow us to stay strong, able, positive, and free to make choices that support our joy.

It surprises me how easily we give away our joy. I don't think we do it consciously, but we do it often. We get distracted by emotion, activity, distress, other people's wishes, time, money, YOU NAME IT! Joy is a choice. Joy is made. Joy can be found. Joy is ours to claim. Joy is meant to be shared. Our journey is not about making others happy (or unhappy), but about sharing the joy we have with others along the way. It's a small difference, but an enourmous one all the same. We make/find/choose our own joy, and when we choose to share it, we help others find their joy as well. We can't make them happy, but they will be more able to choose joy also when they share our joy.

So, what's your joy? What brings you peace? What causes you to want to celebrate life? Embrace it! Exclaim it! Bring it on!

• You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

• People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.

• A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.

• Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.

• I think that somehow, we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.

• It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself.

• Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both.

• Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.

• Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.

• Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.

• The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

I've decided I really like how this woman thinks (or I guess I should say, thought), so I'm going to find her autobiography and biography and learn more about her. I'll let you know what I discover.

Alana Marie Bosford 3/24/09

2009-03-29T11:50:00.004-04:00

Proud parents Maria and Dean.

Alana in Cema's arms.

Mema and the "beba".

The most amazing first day baby smile ever!

Book Review: The Shack

2009-03-07T10:15:00.002-05:00

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

Perhaps by now you have already heard of or read The Shack. If not, I strongly recommend this book to everyone! It is an extraordinarily well developed novel featuring God as three characters; a black woman who loves to cook named Papa, a Middle Eastern man who builds fine furniture named Jesus and an Asian woman gardener named Sarayu, upon whose shimmering and flowing appearance one can’t directly look.

The other primary character is Mack, who is experiencing The Great Sadness following the kidnap and murder of his young daughter. God invites Mack to spend the weekend with “Him” at the shack where Mack’s daughter was murdered. Reluctant to believe God sent the invitation, or will be present at the shack when he arrives, Mack goes “just in case”.

The story explores the expression of Mack’s anger towards God and the response of God the Father/Mother, Son and Spirit. The writer has provided beautiful human language to capture the unfathomable depth of God’s love, grace, mercy and desire for our fullness through reconciliation.

The story explores the difficult question of how a loving and all powerful God “allows” bad things to happen. We begin to see how our Independence separates us from God. This is a book you could reread and reread. While told as a very accessible story, it is actually a complex theological narrative filled with insight into the relationship between the Human and the Divine.

I struggle to find words adequate to express the wisdom and beauty I found in the book. The concept of the Trinity as three unique entities, in perfect harmony with each other seeking us/ me to join their union, was very appealing. I envision a triangle, where Father/Mother, Son and Spirit are each a side of the triangle, inviting us/ me to live inside the triangle, wholly surrounded by their strength, love and peace.

I hope that you decide to read this book. I am very anxious to hear how you are affected by the story and how it transforms your understanding of God.

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive

2009-02-22T08:16:00.003-05:00

This came as an email where I was supposed to pick 12 women who have touched my life, and who I think that if this group of women were ever to be in a room together, there is nothing that would be impossible. I loved the message and decided that rather than forward it to 12 women I'd post it here. (I actually think that if you put any 12 women in a room that nothing would be impossible!)

"May today there be peace within.

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

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith inyourself and others.

May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love thathas been given to you.

May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul thefreedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us."

We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. ~Japanese Proverb =

Tie Dye Flower Child Hippie Dippie Baby Shower

2009-02-16T13:37:00.003-05:00

Maria asked that the theme for her shower be tie dye/flower child. As you can probably imagine, there are no commercial baby shower party supplies in a hippie theme. (Perhaps an untapped market...) I was able to find some basic tie dye paper products, but we really developed the tie dye theme, by tie dying onesies at the party.

I didn't get photographs of all of the specifics, so I'll describe the party to the best of my ability. There was a clothes line with some white onesies hanging on it, as part of the decorations for the party. There were other onesies soaking in the soda ash solution. Guests picked a wet onesie out of the sink, wrung out the water, and set to creating their design with rubber bands and adding dye from bottles. We then bagged each shirt to let the dye set for a half hour. While those shirts were getting done, we took the other shirts off the line to soak in the soda ash solution.

We took the shirts into the bathroom and hung them on a clothes line in the shower to dry and catch the drips... The final product can be seen at the end of the slideshow. As you can see Maria now has 15 one-of-a-kind, made with love by family and friends - onesies for Alana.

Next, we played a couple of games - Baby Scattergories and Baby Express Yourself. Everyone was a good sport and had fun despite being squished into the living room. Maria was very anxious to start opening the enormous pile of presents.

You will notice the gorgeous assortment of tie dye gifts Maria is opening in the slide show. These are all from my Niece-in-Law, Tara Stonier. Tara tie dyed fabric to make the quilt and diaper bag, and dyed clothes and burp clothes as well. We all think Tara needs to go into business making tie dyed diaper bags. It is such a work of art!

There were other hand made treasures - a sweater and blanket, hand knit by Dean's Grandmother, Suzanne. A blanket crocheted by Mima (aka me). A frame decoupaged by Dean's mom, Wendy. Alana has the most wonderful new wardrobe, with a large selection of items in the chocolate and pink color scheme. She got more beautiful clothes than I can begin to describe.

Some of her other gifts included a baby monitor, a front/back baby carrier, a Boppy seat, port-a-crib, a crib/youthbed, butterfly bedding, and so much more. We ended with the Tie Dye/Flower Child/Hippie Dippie cake, compliments of Bernie Ratelle. Bernie's is Maria's dad's secretary and long time friend. She really pulled the theme together nicely.

We had a wonderful time. It was a great opportunity to meet Dean's family. His mother and grandmother, step-mother and step-sister were all able to attend. Maria was truly surrounded by lots of friends and family who literally "showered" her with an abundance of beautiful gifts. It was a day to remember as we get closer to Alana's arrival (around March 26th) and the real fun begins!

Maria's Shower

2009-02-16T12:05:00.001-05:00

Laughter is the best medicine

2009-01-30T16:39:00.002-05:00

The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back. When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater. She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.' 'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.' She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.) 'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!) 'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe. They started counting, but never even got past ten.

Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.' Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat. I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.

Hope is in the Air!

2009-01-20T19:13:00.002-05:00

What a Joyous Day! How lucky we are to live in this time, and to have the opportunity to witness this, the greatest legacy of our time! Let us all resolve to be better human beings and come together and show the strength and power of people united in mutual respect for the good of all.

(And, damn, doesn't she look good! What a Woman!)

Angels Everywhere

2009-01-17T08:17:00.006-05:00

Angels take many forms. Last night, they took the shape of 4 village employees who came to our house at 7:00 at night because we had no water. Now, while that wouldn't be too surprising, since it was -27 (27 degrees below zero!) that morning, but our basement is 60 degrees, so it never occured to us our pipes could freeze. Apparently pipes can freeze coming into the house not just in the house. These 4 angels worked for almost 2 hours until we finally had water again. I really have no idea how they did it, they brought some machine that flushed water somewhere or something. But they fixed it, and I'm so grateful!

I was reminded of Hebrews 13:2 - Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. I wanted to offer to make them coffee until I remembered I had no water. God takes care of us is so many different ways. He places people in our path to help us, we just often never stop to see His hand in it. The other thought I had was how thankful I am that we are all given different gifts. I love the gifts God has given me, but being able to even figure out where the water comes into the house isn't one of them. I value those who have the gift of making my water run, because if you've been without water, you quickly realize how LIFE truly does depend on it.

What other angels has God sent to take care of me? or to take care of you? What opportunities to be thankful for the solution to the problem, rather than focus on the problem itself have we missed? It's so easy to get stuck being upset and distressed that the problem (frozen pipes, no water, 7:00 at night on a long weekend...) exists, and lose sight of God's promises to never leave us, to hear our prayers and to strengthen us with the Holy Spirit. Not only am I thankful for the village workers who labored on my behalf, but also that God helped me stay positive and trust that He was going to take of it, take care of me. The more we trust and turn situations over to God's Mighty Power, the greater our confidence that He truly is going to be our savior in all things becomes.

Stress Free Christmas

2008-12-31T14:56:00.008-05:00

We made a commitment, a conscious decision this year that we were going to have a stress free Christmas. If it wasn't fun we weren't going to do it. We were going to focus on family, fun and festivity. If we started to fret about the "perfect" present or getting everything done, we'd just remind ourselves that this was going to be a stress free Christmas, and we were able to let go and enjoy the moment(s). What is even more wonderful - it worked! We had the best Christmas ever, not just in our opinion, but the kids felt the same way too. One of my favorite things at Christmas is the lights on the tree. I love to turn out the lights in the house leaving only the tree lights on, Christmas music playing and a glass of wine with my honey - my idea of cozy. This year we gave ourselves an early Christmas present, Melissa Etheridge's "A New Thought for Christmas". Her "O Night Devine" is a guitar solo interpretation of "O Holy Night" that is completely reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner". Check it out on Amazon or iTunes to hear the clip, I promise you will love it! A friend also gave Carol a mix of Ella Fitzgerald Christmas tunes. Add Charlie Brown's Christmas Soundtrack and that is a perfect mix of music to set the perfect holiday tone.

We didn't put up every decoration we own. It saved some time and was in keeping with our stress free theme. However, we all have one favorite decoration that we always put up and that is "Lynn's ornaments". For years my sister hand painted each family member a one of a kind ornament. On this picture you can see a star and a stocking that are from her, with a close up of the star. These are truly precious treasures and each year as we unwrap the tissue we 'oh' and 'ah' over them all over again. Everyone of Lynn's ornaments will always make it on the tree.

We haven't done Christmas cards yet. We are thinking about starting a new tradition and doing New Year's cards. They were the biggest casualty of our stress free Christmas, but since we haven't decided to "never" do them, we aren't feeling too guilty about it. One other little thing we gave up was putting ribbons and bows on the packages. A couple might have snuck in here or there, but for the most part we wrapped and tagged and called it "DONE".

As a family present we got Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit for the Wii. (We got one of the very scarce Wii last year for Christmas, thanks to my cousin Paula who braved bad roads to get to Best Buy early one Sunday morning, and then rode the ferry from VT to meet me to exchange the goods. Thanks Cuz!) We rocked out!! As you can see we are almost world tour ready! Truly a fun for the whole family game.

More than anything we found that our stress free Christmas was a state of mind. A decision to be joyful, grateful and to not give into the chaos and frenetic pace that can be Christmas, made all the difference. I'm hoping we can use the same plan to create a stress free New Year - No stress in '09! Cheers!

Remembering Charles "Charlie" Wight: December 10, 1915 - November 17, 2008

2008-11-23T16:02:00.007-05:00

My grandfather passed away last week and his funeral was Friday. As hard as it was to know that he is gone, it was a wonderful opportunity to hear from many people who loved him, what a special man he was. Each of his sons spoke at his funeral about his example, his work ethic, his generosity, his faith and his dedication to family.

In this picture my grandfather is surrounded by my Uncle Glen, my Dad (Ed), Uncle Paul and Uncle Bruce. I can't think of anyone better suited to raise 4 sons. My grandfather was a gentle man, a true gentleman. When my Uncle Glen spoke of getting ready to leave home and go out on his own, he told of how my grandfather sat him down and told him that when you work, you give your work everything you've got, always more than 100%. When you leave work, you leave work, and give your family the same.

As I listened I realized that my grandfather truly is the foundation of who I am. While I have always given my father credit for my work ethic (aka workaholism), my peaceful nature, my faith, my consideration for the feelings of others, my desire to be helpful and make a difference in the world; I recognized that my father inherited these qualities from his father, and I from him.

My grandfather was in touch with his emotions. I can remember many occasions when saying grace before dinner that my grandfather would begin to cry; so overcome with gratitude for his family and his many blessings. I can also remember that it was the rare occasion that my grandfather didn't fall asleep at the table after dinner; so overcome with fatigue from always giving of himself.

I know my grandfather has gone to a better place, and is overjoyed at being reunited with my grandmother. Two more loving human beings, I could never imagine. I was so truly fortunate to experience their kindness and generosity, their support and encouragement, their passion for sharing the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Tribute to my Dad on the 25th Anniversary of his Ordination as a Deacon

2008-11-23T15:58:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows my dad, and especially anyone who’s been to his house, knows that my dad is a packrat. He can’t throw anything out. He’s brings to life the expression, “one mans trash is another mans treasure”. That’s because he sees the potential in everything. Where others see broken and worthless, my dad sees possibility. He can envision that an object might be worth more than meets the eye.

He sees people in just the same way. He believes in the inherent value of each person. He has an exceptional capacity to do what we are all called to do; see Christ in others. My dad has the gift of creativity. Many of you know that he uses that gift to make things with his hands. Creativity requires the vision to see not what something is, but what it can become. This applies to how he views others – not as they are, but as they can be. I believe his creativity is one of the greatest expressions of his faith.

If I had to think of one description of my dad it would be hard working. He worked many jobs to support our family. But more importantly, he worked hard to share God’s love and bring more people to the full understanding of the Kingdom. My dad never sought glory for himself, but always sought to glorify God. He became a deacon out of his desire to share the joy he found in the Lord and out of his deep commitment to help others experience what he has found in the power of love and the grace of redemption.

Growing up with my dad was a gift that I will never stop being grateful for. My father expresses his belief in us through unconditional love. He is able to be Christ like in his acceptance, his patience, his perseverance, his generosity, his service, his humility and his example. I have always seen my dad as a servant; one who could put aside himself and focus on the needs of others.

I consider my father to be the greatest role model any child could have. He taught us that you never give up, you treat people the way you want to be treated, you give thanks for what you have and don’t complain about what you don’t have, you pray when you are in need and you love your neighbor as yourself.

One of the things that made my father so successful in his ministry over the years is his humanness. He never came off as a pious, holier than thou religious figure. He is an everyman, no better than anyone else and he’ll be the first to admit it. People respond to that and can relate to him. He puts a real face on Christ.

I’ll bet you didn’t know my father had a “girlfriend” ministry. When he took communion to shut-ins, many of the people he visited were women. He would always say, “I’m going to see my girlfriend”. He brought not only communion but a good natured playfulness and joy to these women. He’d walk in and say, “How’s my best girl today?” and they would glow and grin from ear to ear. I wonder if he could even count all the girlfriends he’s had over the years.

I often run into people who knew my dad as a teacher, or a deacon, or a hospice volunteer. Our name is unique enough that I’m often asked, are you related to Ed Wight? When I say, “Yeah he’s my dad”. I always get the response. “Oh I love your father. He’s such a nice man.” To which I always respond, “Yeah, I love him too, he’s one of my favorite human beings on the planet. “

~So Much to Celebrate!~

2008-11-16T17:14:00.006-05:00

If you have visited this blog in the last couple of months, you know there has been absolutely no activity. That is not to say that there hasn't been anything going on in my life. Quite the contrary. So many wonderful things to catch up on!

I am going to be a grandmother. I haven't figured out what title I will have Maria's daughter Alana Marie call me, perhaps Oma, perhaps MiMa, something that doesn't quite sound as traditional as gramma... Maria's due date is March 29th. Here is a great sonogram picture from her last appointment on October 29th.

Pretty cool huh? I could show other picture, but you can't really tell what you are looking at like you can in this one. We are planning a February baby shower, with a Flower Power tie dye theme. (My little hippie...)

My dad celebrated his 25th Anniversary of his Ordination as a Roman Catholic Deacon on Oct. 3rd. His current parish St. Mary's in Bath, NY had a wonderful recognition dinner for him on Nov. 7th that our whole immediate family was able to be present for. Many people who couldn't come sent letters that Lynn and I read as a testiment to the profound impact my dad has had on their life and how his ministry has touched them in so many ways, both great and small.

I too celebrated a religious milestone of my own. I was received into the Episcopal Church at St. Luke's the Beloved Physican by Bishop Love on Nov. 9th. My reception took place while the Bishop was at St. Luke's to confirm our high school students. I had the privelage of helping prepare the students for confirmation. I have been so blessed since I joined St. Luke's and have found a beautiful community to share my love of Christ and passion to share the Gospel with young people.

And if all of this wasn't enough to top off our joy, David's team has made it into the State Semi-Finals for Class C Football. They play in Kingston at Deitz Stadium Nov. 22nd. If they win they advance to the State Championship Game in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This is so exciting and David has had a phenomenol season. This is an excerpt from the Press Republican coverage:

"But Red Storm Head Coach Mark Farmer saw an even more significant play earlier in the game from his defensive unit. With the Cannoneers already up by a touchdown, quarterback Chris Hughes led Tom Ebenhoch with a perfect toss over his shoulder, and Ebenhoch raced toward paydirt without breaking stride.However, David Snyder made a game-saving tackle after catching Ebenhoch on the Red Storm five-yard line. 'David made the best play of the game, knocking him out at the five,' Farmer said. 'That turned the tide for us.' The Saranac Lake defense, electrified by the game-saving play, stiffened and prevented the Cannoneers from scoring, capped by a Snyder interception on a fourth-down play."

Paul and Tara's Wedding

2008-09-17T22:26:00.001-04:00

Change is inevitable

2008-09-07T15:10:00.004-04:00

Well, you can see from the pictures, fall is on its way. While many of the trees haven't turned yet, the color is starting to show and in no time it will have arrived in all its glory. I personally love fall; the crisp air, warm sun, changing colors. The changing seasons are one of the many wonderful things about living here in the mountains.

Like the seasons, life is full of changes, many of which we have no control over. Rather than wish that we could control the change in our life, why don't we accept that change as inevitable like the changing seasons? I think in part we try to avoid change because it makes us approach the boundries of what is comfortable, familiar and let's face it, safe.

I myself, and many people I've known, have struggled with changing jobs when we admittedly were unhappy in the job we were in. And yet, embracing something new can be so much harder than living with something known, even when we know it not be to good. Positive thinking challenges us to believe that something new, can in fact be better. We need to remind ourselves that we are strong enough to face the unknown, and that God wants good things for us and will be right there with us, weathering the change.

Is there a change you are fearing? Are you staying safe, but missing the joy of the new and unexperienced? Let go. Move on. Try it. I bet you'll find, you like it!

Labor Day Toast to Summer

2008-09-01T21:32:00.007-04:00

Today marks the end of summer. It was a glorious summer day today and one that reminded me of everything I love about summer. We started our day lazy and slept in. (I had a crazy nail polish accident that involved dropping a basket of nail polish in the bathroom, two of which broke, splattering electric pink and red nail polish all over the tile floor. That slowed our morning down considerably.) After lunch we headed to Lake Clear Beach. Locals know this is the place to go to spend the day at the lake. As you can see the beach is long and the lake is gorgeous. The water is everything you'd expect from a refreshing Adirondack swim.

We napped in the sun. (And yes there was snoring...) When we were nice and toasty like a well roasted marshmellow, we headed back into town, but not before stopping at Donnelly's for ice cream. If you don't know, Donnelly's is a local landmark of sorts. Since forever, they have sold only one option a day of soft serve ice cream. Most days it is chocolate and vanilla twist. There are a few fruit days where the flavor would be raspberry and vanilla twist or some similar fruit flavor, or the favorite in our house; nut day. This could be pistachio and vanilla or maple walnut and vanilla or even coffee and vanilla. The flavor of the day is always twisted with vanilla. This ice cream has the highest fat content on the planet and is truly the creamiest ice cream you will ever eat. For me, that is actually not a desirable quality, but since today's flavor was pistachio, I was happy to indulge in a "two tone cone" to celebrate the end of summer.

If you are wondering why I am holding a green shirt out the window, that was a little fun I was having drying Carol's shirt that got wet at the beach. We came home and had a wonderful dinner of pork tenderloin and potatoes cooked on the grill with corn on the cob. We ate outside and enjoyed the perfect summer night. Summer hasn't been full of perfect days like this one. It was a delicious treat to have one last day to enjoy all those things that make summer so sweet.

In the Moment

2008-08-31T12:51:00.004-04:00

Have you ever noticed how hard it can be to be "in the moment"? Do you realize that while you are in the midst of one experience, you are already mentally preparing for the next? Do you find yourself not really listening to the person speaking to you because you are somewhere else "in your head" rather than present, attentive, engaged "in the moment"?

I think we all fall victim to this, perhaps some more than others or perhaps under some circumstances more than others. It's particularly easy to not want to be in the moment, during unpleasant moments. My focus is, rather on those everyday moments to which we could be more connected. For me, talking on the phone is a huge "not in the moment" time. I allow myself to do things while I'm on the phone, I'd never do if I was talking to you in person; check my email, read the paper, do chores, watch TV. By doing those other things, I'm dividing my attention and really likely to miss some of what you are saying, or giving minimal responses to what you are saying or even worse leaving you feeling like I wasn't really listening or giving you my attention. Because I know how big a pitfall this is for me, I'm trying to be conscious about not engaging in other things when I'm on the phone. I'm trying to bring my subconscious distraction to a more conscious level and not adding to it by doing things that I know take my attention in different directions.

Another reason I think we end up not in the moment is anxiety. We worry. We stress. We distress. We fret. We obsess. We dwell. These aren't positive, life and faith affirming behaviors and they never make things better. No situation ever improved because we worried about it. Action changes things, worry does not. We too often miss the good around us, because we are focused on the fear within us. Fear robs us of joy. Just like I have to make a conscious effort and decision not to check my email while I'm on the phone to be able to be truly present, we must also make a conscious effort and decision to stop our mind from wandering down the path of fear which leads to anxiety/worry/stress...

If something is weighing on your mind, rather than letting yourself get stuck in the vortex of distress, ask yourself, "What am I going to do about it?" Look for action you can take. Can you learn more about something (where you're traveling for the first time, a medical condition someone has been diagnosed with, etc.)? Can you speak to someone who has had a similar experience (join a support group for parents of children who have a similar need as your child, call a friend who has also tried to quit smoking, etc)? When you can come up with no action you could take, prayer is always an option. When you are thinking, "There's nothing I can do..." that should be a prompt to you to think, "I can pray about this, I can pray for them, I can trust God and turn my worries over to Him."

There is so much enjoyment, pleasure, peace, fulfillment, to be gained by really experiencing the world and people around us. We must challenge ourselves to recognize when our mind and body are in different places, and exercise the mental control to get back to the moment. When we are absorbing the good around us, we will then be so much more able to turn around and give it away. We can't do for others when we are worn out or worn down by worry.

Matthew 6:25-34 Do Not Be Anxious
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Ah, Camping...

2008-08-24T17:00:00.001-04:00

2008-08-24T14:05:00.005-04:00

One of the reasons it's been so long since I posted, is that we've been camping at Fish Creek for a week. I have to say, camping is simply one of my favorite things to do. There is nothing that soothes my soul quite like camping. This slide show does a nice job of highlighting some of the best things about camping.

Waking up to the sun spilling across the water is a magical sight. I've searched and searched for an adequate word to describe the sparkling fireworks of diamonds that dance on the water when the light hits the moving water. It is just the most mesmerizing vision, especially for someone who likes "shiny" things. I'm a huge fan of having my coffee sitting at the edge of the water, absorbing the early sun and basking in the morning quiet. It doesn't get any better than this. If the day ended right here, I'd be totally satisfied. But it doesn't.

Another favorite part of camping is living at the water; having your outdoor kitchen in full view of the lake, swimming, kayaking, lazing, playing in the sand. Perhaps I'm more of a sun worshipper than God intended, but I just love soaking up the sun, jumping in the water to cool off, laying back down in the sun and repeating often. (And if a cold beer snuck up on me, I wouldn't send it back where it came from.)

In the absence of TV and computers, there is plenty of time to devour a good book or two. We always bring games to play especially in the evening. Usually games that use cards because they are small and easy to pack. In addition to games played with a deck of cards like hearts and rummy, we played Quiddler, Flinch and the "Bean Game" (Bohnanza). This is a clever and strategic game that is different than anything I've ever played, and I've played a lot of games. If you like games, check it out. The expansion pack of High Bohn is great fun and once you've mastered the original bean game Bohnanza, well worth trying too.

And of course last, but certainly not least is the campfire. Camping life revolves around acquiring wood for the fire, (scouring the woods for downed wood, scavenging empty sites for wood left behind, and waiting for the wood truck to come when you are desperate enough to buy wood) starting the fire, (everyone wants to build the fire, because there is the hope that this time will be the time that I can build the perfect fire and it will take off quickly and easily and everyone will be impressed with my fire building prowess, but in reality, some fires just don't want to light and no matter how much newspaper or kindling you try to add, you end up feeling dejected that the fire held out on you) and keeping the fire stoked and burning until that late night time when you decide to just watch the embers glow and not add any more wood because you have to go to bed soon.

I've loved camping almost as long as I can remember. Our family vacations as kids always involved camping. I had no idea at that age that it was the only vacation we could afford, it was a tradition and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. When you ask my brother or sister or me what our favorite childhood memory(s) is/are we all will say "camping". Camping was a time we could count on all being together. My Dad in particular went camping with us, while the rest of the time he was usually busy working at least two jobs. Playing games was always part of the camping fun as kids too. My siblings and I have all remained family game players with our families and I know that goes back to playing games camping as kids.

The unspoken attraction of camping is that it strips away so many of life's distractions, places us back in the natural world and reminds us of how wonderful it is to live simply. We spent time talking about camping as a retirement lifestyle. We discussed whether we'd ever give up our tent for a camper. We talk about downsizing to one vehicle and a motorcycle and traveling from campground to campground. While retirement seems a long time off, the next camping trip isn't. We remind ourselves of the importance of living in the moment, and not putting off till tomorrow what will bring us joy today, for tomorrow may never come.

What pleasures are you saving for tomorrow that you could be enjoying today? Live everyday like it's a gift and be thankful for what you have right now. And Go Camping! You'll be glad you did.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

2008-08-13T17:56:00.004-04:00

I got this story in an email from my friend Greg. I thought it fit so well with the theme of Be Positive that it was worth sharing. You may have read it before, but that's ok. It's a good reminder about perspective.

"John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!' He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?' He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.'

'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested. 'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life.'

I reflected on what he said. Soon thereafter, I left the tower industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw him about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?' I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place. 'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,' he replied. 'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.' 'Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?' I asked.

He continued, '..the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.' 'What did you do?' I asked. 'Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity'. Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'

He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

'Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:34."

After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

The Search for Happiness

2008-08-13T17:12:00.002-04:00

I'm borrowing this entry from a daily devotional called "Hugs: Daily Inspirations for Women" published by Howard Books. This entry appears for August 9th.

"Happiness depends less on our circumstances than on our thoughts. When we turn our thoughts to things positive - when we thank God for His gifts and revel in His glorious creation, those positive thoughts bring a reward. But when we focus on the negative aspects of life, we invite needless suffering into our own lives and the lives of our loved ones.

The Roman poet Horace noted, 'You traverse the world in search of happiness, which is within reach of every person - a contended mind confers it all.' Happiness is, to a surprising extent, a creation of our own making.

Here are two facts worth considering: first, happiness is a choice; second, no one can choose your happiness but yourself. Happiness is in your own hands - take it!"

I Believe...

2008-08-02T15:32:00.013-04:00

It's all in what you tell yourself.
You can change how you experience your life by changing what you believe is going to happen. When you expect the worst, it's what you'll find. When you expect goodness, it's so much easier to recognize. You can find good or bad depending on what you go looking for. Why would you want to find anything other than good?

Everything happens for a reason.
Sometimes the reason is hard to see, and may take a long time to be understood. But believing that I'll eventually recognize the purpose, makes moving forward much easier.

Praying for your "enemies" makes them your "allies".
When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts about someone else, ask God to bless them. I've used this countless times when I am having a problem with someone. If I catch myself grumbling in my head or even out loud, I'll try to stop myself and just simply say, "God Bless ___ (name of person)." I repeat it as often as I catch myself being angry, frustrated, annoyed or whatever. So many times something has changed in those relationships and I no longer think and feel the same way about those people. Other times I've developed deep and meaningful relationships with someone who used to "bug me".

Treat people the way you want to be treated.
I don't think this needs any explanation.

Noone else can make you happy or unhappy.
Happiness comes from a satisfaction with yourself. It can be shared with someone who you enjoy. But if you base your own happiness on what someone else does or doesn't do you are bound to be unhappy. The only person you can control is yourself and therefore your true happiness depends on you. It depends on the choices you make. It depends on the messages you tell yourself when someone else behaves in a different way than you wish they would. You can be happy with someone, in fact I think that is what most of us are looking for. But you are not happy because you are with them. If that were the case then you couldn't be happy without them. The quest isn't someone who will take responsibility for your happiness, the quest is someone who has their own happiness to share with yours.

Laughter is the best medicine.
'nuf said.

You can't look at a sunflower and not be uplifted.
Thank you to all of you who grow sunflowers for the rest of us to enjoy.

You can do something every day to make a positive impact on another human being and on the planet.
Smile, let someone go ahead of you in line, make eye contact, walk, bike, carpool, reduce, reuse, recycle, consume less, donate blood, walk a dog at the animal shelter, call a friend, have tea with an old friend (or an old lady :). In fact comment with your suggestions and I will add a list of free ways to make the world a better place.

Become the Change You Wish to See

2008-07-28T17:42:00.005-04:00

On July 2nd we had the awesome good fortune to see Melissa Etheridge perform at the Cape Cod Melody Tent. This is the most amazing venue. The stage is a circle in the center of the tent (think circus tent) and there are 20 rows of seats. Every seat in the house is a GREAT seat because the stage very slowly revolves so that the performer is facing everyone at various points in the show.

Prior to the show I had been "stressed". I was giving my work worries too much power over everything in my life. I was going to the doctor for chest pain that turned out to be an ulcer. I was becoming conscious of being miserable and not liking the person I was with others. I spent the beginning of the vacation daydreaming and focusing on how I could change jobs, have a job that was like being on vacation, not working so hard; essentially how could I get away from what was weighing me down.

Melissa's concert was titled The Revival Tour 2008 because she was wanting to share "The Awakening" she experienced during her chemo and beyond. She had an opportunity to re-examine her life as she faced losing it, and discovered new realities and priorities, including a new spirituality.

There are so many words, phrases, ideas that spoke to me from this concert (that are on The Awakening album); "God is in the people"; "If not now, when? If not today, then what happens tomorrow?"; "Truth is of the people, By the people, For the people". With so many positive, life affirming messages, I found myself realizing that I didn't need to change what was outside me (my job) but what was inside me (my attitude). This spoke so powerfully to me; "If you become the change you wish to see, you change". (from "What happens tomorrow")

I have a choice how I respond to every situation, whether I see it as a problem or an opportunity, whether I focus on my distress or focus on my blessings, whether when asked "how are you?" I take the time to think of something uplifting to say, for myself and the person who asked, or just go with my standard, "busy". I realized that by changing the message I am sending myself (and everyone around me) I could change what I was experiencing. One of the reasons I started this blog was to help keep my focus positive. I've purposely selected music for the playlist that reinforces positive thinking.

It WORKS! Since making the commitment to Be Positive, I have seen my stress go down and my joy go up. No more ulcer meds, no more coming home grumpy bear, no more feeling dissatisfied with my job, no more not liking the person I was becoming. I now have room in my head and my heart to think more about sharing this joy with others and spreading the Good News. God is Good All the Time! God Loves Us, is Always with Us. And we meet him every moment of every day in the people we encounter. How Cool is that?! Every moment is a gift. We say Thank You for that gift by making our lives a celebration of all the grace and blessings we've received.

The Truth

2008-07-23T16:29:00.005-04:00

Click on the picture to the right to view a procative narration of The Truth. Before you go to this link to view this clip, I need to offer the disclaimer that it may sound contrary to the philosophy and beliefs of this blog; watch it through to the end. And remember, things are not always what they appear.

No Complaining

2008-07-21T10:48:00.005-04:00

I found this article on the Guideposts website and thought it fit perfectly with Be Positive, so I've copied it to share. For more Positive Thinking inspiration, check on the Guideposts link on my Worth Checking Out list.

Six ways to build a more positive workplace.
By Jon Gordon Jacksonville, Florida

"Everyone complains from time to time. But mindless, chronic complaining is toxic in the workplace. It's linked to increased stress, reduced productivity, even client loss and lower profits. Why not institute the no complaining rule, like my friend Dwight Cooper did at his nurse staffing company PPR? Morale and client satisfaction went up, and PPR made Inc. magazine's list of fastest growing companies. By eliminating mindless complaints, real and justified complaints can be transformed into solutions. After all, every complaint represents an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive.

Some tips:
1. Hold a complaining fast.
Monitor your words and thoughts for a day. You'll be shocked at how many negative thoughts pop into your mind and out your mouth.

2. Add a positive.
Tack a 'but' onto a complaint, and make it a positive statement. For example, 'I don't like long meetings, but I do like bouncing ideas around with my coworkers.' Use complaints to identify likes as well as dislikes.

3. Turn complaints into solutions.
Brainstorm several solutions for every problem you point out, and bring your complaint (and ideas) to someone who is in a position to address it. Don't bother venting to those who can't help fix the problem; it only creates a negative atmosphere.

4. Focus on 'get to' instead of 'have to.'
Think, 'I get to work while so many are unemployed,' rather than harping on 'having to' go to work. Express gratitude instead of resentment, and share that gratitude with others.

5. Create a positive environment.
Communicate with coworkers, bosses and subordinates clearly. Gaps in communication cause the fear and helplessness that's behind most complaints. Put the no complaining rule into practice and create a system through which justified complaints are identified and tackled.

6. Celebrate success.
Each night before bed, write down one great thing about your day in a success journal. At work, highlight people who turned complaints into innovative solutions."

Listen

2008-07-18T20:59:00.005-04:00

Have you ever noticed how we seem to have a hard time with quiet? We have music or the radio on in the car, we have our cell phones and our mp3 players, we have TV's in every room in the house. When there is a pause in conversation we are racking our brains trying to figure out what to say to fill the silence. Are we afraid to listen to ourselves think? I think we need more practice doing just that; listening to ourselves think. I think we need to pay attention to thoughts that are running through our mind. Not the endless list of "to do's", but the self talk, the messages we are telling our selves about what's happening to us or not, our reactions to others, our fears and stresses. Too often we accept as fact, that which is not.

Example, the price of gas is crazy high. I have fretted and worried about the financial strain of driving to work everyday. It adds stress to the rest of the challenges that come with going to work. I have complained and spent plenty of negative energy because of the increasing cost of filling the car with gas. I know I'm not alone. Then one day I paid attention to what I was thinking and realized, I had choices. I could carpool. While it seemed inconvenient and could pose some lack of independence issues, I decided it was worth trying. What I was seeing as a problem, I reframed to see as an opportunity. And I'm glad I did. Now my half hour drive to work goes by so quickly. Not only am I saving money on gas, contributing fewer carbon emissions to the planet, but I'm listening and sharing and relating to another human being in a way we don't often make time to do. I feel great when I get to work and get home. Carpooling has literally lightened my load. While it may seem simplistic, it's an example of listening to my self and recognizing the need to make a change.

Take time to listen to yourself think. If you hear negative, defeatist, frustrated, anxious and fearful thoughts, question what other choices you have. Is this problem an opportunity waiting to be discovered? Does a fear present an opportunity to exercise faith? Can you choose another perspective that will bring you more peace, more joy? Do you recognize that your perception may not be the only possible reality?

Not Alone

2008-07-15T16:23:00.002-04:00

"We don't have it all together, but together we have it all." Good friends gave us a sign that hangs in our house with this message. Sometimes we forget how much lighter the load when shared. That goes for offering to help as well as accepting support. (At this very moment, I have to say how time spent in the company of someone who values you, with no words, no actions, just presence can be an amazing balm to the soul.)

I have to thank my dear friend Greg (of Midnight Garden fame) for his help and encouragement to get this blog up and running. His blog was such an inspiration that I wanted to give it a try. My BE POSITIVE reminders are more for me than anything or anyone. As I come here every day to check the blog, listen to the playlist, and compose something, my mind focuses on what's good, what brings joy, how to share that peace. I go to a better place in my mind, heart and soul and it stays with me long after I log off.

Can you do something to bring some light, joy, tenderness to another person? If you are down, pick somebody else up. You'll be amazed.

Ruby Slippers

2008-07-15T16:08:00.006-04:00

Are they the most amazing shoes you've ever seen? Haven't you ALWAYS wanted a pair? Didn't you love the image of the Wicked Witch's feet sticking out from under Dorothy's house with the magical ruby slippers showing?

At the end of the Wizard of Oz, The Good Witch tells Dorothy that all she has to do is click her heels three times to go home. Glinda tells Dorothy she had what she needed all along. I love that message - You have what you need, you just need to use it. We all have so much power to make our lives what we want them to be. Dorothy dreamed of going back over the rainbow; home. And while she wandered all over Oz, trying to figure out how to get there, she carried the ability to go the whole time.

We look in so many places before we look inside. So often, the answer is within. What have you been looking for?

Here Kitty, Kitty

2008-07-14T09:07:00.011-04:00

We do love our Kitties. First, let me introduce the newest addition to the family, Delilah. She's just a little over a year old. We got her as a 6 week old kitten and she has been our delight every moment since. She fetches her little fur mousies, which I will try to capture on video and post another time. We have nicknamed her Dilly Girl. We've had enough bad experiences with cats when they are out of doors, that we've decided to keep Dilly an indoor cat. Most of the time she doesn't know the difference, but there are moments when the other cats go out that you know she's wondering what she's missing.

Skitty is actually our oldest cat, and in a way the reason we got Delilah. 2 years ago we moved into this house. When we did, Skitty kept running away and going back to our old house. We fetched her and brought her home many times. Once the cold weather came, she stopped running away. However, the following year, she took off Memorial Day weekend. Our old neighbors never called to say she was back in the old neighborhood, so we assumed the worst. Eventually we decided we needed to fill our kitty void with a kitten, and got Delilah. Then the first snowfall came, and home came Skitty.

BJ (Black Jack) is our high adventure kitty. He stops by to eat, sleep and off he goes. He got hit by a car once, and a passerby had the good sense to bring him to the Humane Society where we had adopted him, and they had microchipped him. It meant they could get ahold of us in time for us to take him to the Animal Hospital so he could be in Kitty Intensive Care for a week, getting his jaw wired back together. Other than a very crooked smile, he's as good as new. And it hasn't deterred his adventuring one bit.

And then there's Isaac. I will say he's our laziest cat. But in his defense, he wasn't always that way. Some years ago, Isaac was gone on a kitty day out, but never came home. We went looking for him and finally found him 11 days later up a tree, way up! We had to get a tree service guy to come and climb the tree with gear and harnesses and everything to get up to rescue Isaac. Isaac has never gone anywhere since. He's played it safe and barely moved inside the house as well.

Letting Go

2008-07-13T19:00:00.007-04:00

I can be a control freak. I have a "healthy" sense of my own ability to do everything. But then reality creeps in and I find myself in situations that I can't control, fix or handle. These are necessary reminders that I am mortal, and that I do in fact depend entirely on God. The funny thing is that when I remember that, I actually feel so much better. The mere act of remembering God travels on our journey and shares all our burdens, is enough to lighten the load. But more than just realizing I'm not alone, I need to make a conscious decision to turn to God and surrender. I saw a sun catcher once that was imprinted, "Let Go and Let God". I still see that green glass sparkling in the sun as I am recognizing a worry or stress as an opportunity to "let it go" and turn it over to God, knowing that only He can truly control, fix or handle anything.

Getting Started

2008-07-06T16:32:00.004-04:00

I'm very fond of saying, "It's all in what you tell yourself". It means that what we think can change how we experience reality. If we expect the best, it's much easier to see good things. If we tell ourselves, we are going to be stressed, it's hard to feel calm.