other people's words...
beyond me...
work in progress...
mother of all yard sales...
12 hours and a $1000 dollars later, the yard sale is over. Those 12 hours don't include sorting and pricing but not a bad 2 day haul. This was a 7 person yard sale and there was definitely something for everyone. At the end of the second day - after our very successful Anything You Can Get In A Bag For A $1 sale, there were 3 bags and a few boxes that had to be taken away.
It truly was a beautiful sight to behold. Perfectly folded clothes all sorted by size and brillantly displayed ( see Little Girl, I do appreciate your fine work!) to fABulous signage. There is nothing worse than chasing a sign to a non-existant yard sale - not on our watch. Someone even commented on our great signage. Ah, what a compliment.
At the end of the day, you walk thru the house and realize that you don't even miss what was sold. The house doesn't look empty and you went thru the having everything you needed. For me, it is not so much about the money but I try to enjoy the people I will meet during the sale. Sometimes they don't make it very easy but I keep trying...
I always make it a point to ask them how they are. Not a welcomer but nature - it is a great opportunity to trade some time with others on the Path. ..
a 45 year old woman who refuses to use paper napkins, only cloth. She also shuns paper plates and cups. She bought a bunch of unfinished checkered napkins.
the man who seemed to just have been released from prison who knew nothing about Rescue Heros for his 5 year old son, He bought a bunch and came back later in the day in a suit on a motorcycle to buy more.
a young woman with a Down's Syndrome cute as a bug little girl who was so thankful for the $1 sale. I helped her pack all her finds in her car and I noticed in the back seat next to her daughter's car seat - a hanging IV bag with milk or a white substance. She couldn't stop saying thank you - for the goodies and the help.
There were also a few of the less of the best. After haggling with one woman, I doubled the price of the item. she thought I was kidding. Her grown children made the comment that she had finally met Someone who wouldn't put up with her crap...
All in all, it was another great Lesson in His children. Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in His Sight. Jesus loves all His children in the world and I am so trying...
touch...
Week three of my online class brought the theme of touch. I don't think I understood how important touch was until a few years ago. When my FIL first entered the nursing home, I noticed how much the older people would reach out for my attention. I am not one that is comfortable with stranger touching. Even at church, there are those people who are natural huggers but don't always take into consideration, their audience.
I could hug my own family forever and do, There have been times I have hugged people I have just met - it came natural and I felt it was the thing to do but it is a different world. There are still people that want to touch a pregnant women's belly -these days being pregnant can be a dangerous thing. You might be safer to just let everyone think you have added more than a few pounds and have lost your ability to push yourself away from the table.
Going back to the nursing home, maybe because the VA is 99% men - the few times I have been grabbed have freaked me out. I am sure they meant no harm and just wanted a little human contact but I was the wrong person for that job. I pray for the staff - what a job they have.
My layout for my class had to be about Morgan and Mommy's hair. This weekend at the yard sale with so much coming and going - she had a hold of her mommy's hair alot. Funny what comforts us. Sometimes all we need is a little touch...
Ode to summer2007...
Yesterday was the first day of summer. The longest day of the year. We got to see/feel the sun for the greatest amount of hours in one day for the whole year. This is the top of the mountain. Everyday from now on, will get progressively shorter. We won't notice it for most of the summer. It was almost 10PM last night before it was dark. That and it was 96 degrees. We are trying to set up out little pool but have not had much success. For the next two days, we are having the mother of all Yard Sales. The temperature is suppose to hold - that pool would sure feel good. By the time we get it going - it will probably be dark by 930.
The splash of water will remind us of Summer for all of our days. I imagine when I am 70, the sound and feel of water on my skin on a hot day will still bring back memories of summers gone by.
As for summer 2007, I plan to enjoy it throughly, everyday and since we are burning daylight now - time to get a move on. Happy Summer to you all!
God and flash...
My husband always says that God doesn't do flash. He isn't about the glitter and glam, or fireworks or even the beautiful people. We judge quickly and harshly those things we seem out of place. The plain and mundane don't get our full attention. We forget that He works in His own mysterious ways.
We spend a lot of time trying to figure Him out. We should spend less time encouraging each other to pursue the whys of Him and more time enjoying those wonderful, mysterious and surprising ways.
All talent comes from God regardless of the beliefs of the talented one. Don't waste time on trying to make sense of it - just enjoy...
fluid...
I was helping Brando today get ready for the Mother of all Yard Sales this weekend. The garage is already full and there is more stuff coming. Our task today was to finish going through boxes of her stuff and getting a tag on everything.
We were doing stuffed animals and she ask me to put all the stuffed animals that were in the red box in the green tote... And I did just that. Next to the red box were a few stray animals but I didn't pick them up because they weren't in the red box. This is the anal side of me that I am not in love with.
I want to be more fluid. Like the picture of the water splashing against the rocks - no two drops the same and a random stream of mist that seems to have its own natural rhythm. There is nothing anal about being fluid. Fluid has ying and yang, back and forth and a recklessness that borders on being a little out of control.
Can you learn to be more fluid? Like learning a new craft - can you practice your way to include more ying and yang in your life? I hope so. Unlike learning to play a musical instrument where talent can make the difference between music that sounds like it came straight down from heaven or a well-played piece, with no depth or emotion.
The very nature of being fluid is emotion. That is what the anal side is missing out on. The job gets done in a very satisfactory manner but has tunnel vision. So much of what Jesus taught was fluid and so many of us are anal, it is almost like re-learning what we thought we already knew. More and more, I come to believe that being with Jesus is a little reckless and borders on being a little out of control.
Just like taking everything out of the red box and putting it in the green tote, I need to look around. What am I missing? What is right in front of my face that if I miss - I will be sorry? For me, it has to be a daily reminder. Other things come more easily. For those things that don't, I just need to let the water splash on my face and refresh me. Ah...that feels better.
trouble...
So I placed an ad for my antique kitchen cabinet on a local on line classified board. When I got home Friday night, I had this email waiting for me.
Hello... am intrested in buying this item for a client and am payming you the money order.. so if this is okay by you get back to me with your full name,address and phone number for the payment. about the shipping am going to handle it ,so get back to me now My Name is: mark
Ok, it looks odd to me but being Miss theglassishalfempty, I wanted to give my fellow man a chance. Still, I wrote back,
Mark, are you wanting to buy the cabinet without seeing it? Can you explain about the shipping - are you going to pick it up from my house? Trying to see this from both sides and certainly want your client to be happy with their purchase...
Didn’t hear anything until Sunday afternoon and then this email came,
HELLO ,
THE CASHIER CHECK THAT WILL BE SENT TO U WILL CONSIST UR ITEM MONEY ,THE SHIPPING FEES AND MY OWN COMMISSION AS THE AGENT,SO MY CLIENT PROMISED TO ISSUE OUT A payment TO U WHICH WILL BE ENOUGH TO HANDLE ALL THE TRANSACTIONS.MY CLIENT SEEMS TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN PURCHASING UR ITEM AND HE DOESNT WANT ANY OTHER PERSON TO BUY IT. HOPE ALL IS WELL AND UNDERSTOOD?
The only question i will like to ask u is;
1. can we trust u with the money?
2. will u be able to wire transfer the excess the same day u receive the PAYMENT ?
3. is the item is brand new?
4. can we take u for ur words?
with ur reply to this questions,it will give me the power to authorise my client to issue out the check for u as soon as possible.
and again which name is to be written on the payment that will be sent,is it going to be on the address u gave me or what?
get back to me ASAP to futher show ur interest in selling the item for my client.
Regards
My last and final email went like this,
Sorry, item no longer for sale...
Sometimes trouble isn’t as easy to spot. Sometimes it is and we go ahead anyway knowing that it is too good to be true. I will hold on to my cabinet for a bit longer, me thinks. This kind of trouble, I don’t need…
PS. I was at the bank today and the teller asks for my debit card. Long Story, but when I told her about the cabinet – she was very interested. I have sent her pictures and waiting to see what she thinks. Would be a hoot if she bought it. Funny how things happen…
99 balloons...
This is a Story about Eliot
and his most fabulous parents.
It is also a Story about
being grateful for every Moment.
But most of all,
it is a Story about seeing
the Big Picture.
Its about going with God's Flow,
no matter how it manifestes itself.
The weekend brought a lot of reflection time for me
The constant is always Jesus, no matter what the circumstances
and if I live it, I can celebrate my life everyday, no matter what.
Jesus continues to find new ways to steal my heart...
99 balloons brought it all together...
You can check out more of Eliot's Story at http://www.ninetynineballoons.com/...
paths...
a wonderful life...
you just never know...
a whole new world...
It is nice to have some stability in the world around us. Thirty four years ago today, I had a busy morning. I started having labor pains about 1030PM the night before and by 1230AM, I was on my way to the hospital. By 250AM, my little princess made her way into the world. There were no grams back then and the doctor swore it was a boy throughout the whole pregnancy. When I got to the hospital the day before ( my water broke and then sent me home until labor pains began), there was an issue abut how many babies I might be having. The nurse with much experience swore we were having triplets -she heard three distinct heartbeats and the doctor didn't want any surprises in the delivery room. For a good hour, most of us involved were in tears. It would have been the first set of triplets every born in that hospital. They finally ruled out triplets so we were good to go.
It was a whole new world being a mommy and now some 30 ish years later, a whole new world has taken on a different meaning. The internet, terrorism and catching predators is our world now. She has grown up and is a mommy herself now but she will always be my little one. Happy Birthday Little Girl - I LOVE YA! Some things you can always count on, like a mommy's love and our little zoo.
the beginning of summer...
Last week brought the end of school and the weekend brought a awesome water fight. It is a custom of the Wet and Wild parade to provide watertainment after the traditional floats, horses and dancing girls. You know what is coming - the warning comes before the water. We are not talking damp but all out WET. Those who choose not participate need to find shelter and take cover.
This boy couldn't wait for this part of the parade to begin. Armed with only a tiny squirt gun, he took on the flow with all his might. He looked forward to the one on one water combat action and loved every minute of it. During the calmer times, he would look back at me - I was behind him, trying to take pictures while ducking behind a pickup and I would give him the thumbs up sign. It was a great day. We headed home, happy with our day.
Sunday Mother Nature decided on a water game of her own. We woke up to grey skies and pouring rain. Not exactly how we pictured the second half of our weekend but that is how summer is. You can mostly count on fun, sunny days but you just never know. Summer is not much different that Real Life. There are places where you can choose to participate or not - and some places where you have no choice. As Keaton says, Get what you get and don't know a fit. Good advice- sounds like something I could incorporate into my week, think I will give it a try...
sting...
I needed to touch base with the social worker at the VA where my FIL resides. He has been forgetting more and more - basic things like where his room is and on what florro. At our last care meeting, they indicated that he had become less cooperative and even mean. As the social worker and I exchanged notes, it was clear there was more serious problems going on. Lets say he has become inappropriate toward women and the the standard order is two nurses have to be with him at any given time. So many issues here but suffice it to say, I have visited him for the last time. When I explained what was going on to my DH, he immediately said, You're done - no more. He will do all the visiting from now on - I will continue to go to the care meetings with the staff but my visits with L are over - the next time I see him will be at the funeral home.
There is a strange feeling attached to all this. Certainly one of relief, again, many issues that have brought us here but he is the last of our combined parents. I realized this afternoon you can never completely be free of guilt. My goal has always been to wipe guilt off my slate but today I think guilt is something we have to live with. Whether real or imagined, good or bad - guilt is part of our human emotions and learning to live with it may be a healthy thing. I truly believe this is best of all of us - I feel bad for my husband. How difficult a thing it can be when it is your own parent. Whatever the rest of L's days look like, for his sake, I hope they are few. For my sake, they are already done...
pushing beyond...
the Time of my life...
I am 55 years and 192 days old. I don't know why I had to do the math today but I did. There are things that have not happened to me in all those days and now, many of them are not possible ever again in this life. As a friend was having surgery today, I realized I would never have a diagnosis of breast cancer as a young woman. Funny how praying for someone else can bring up issues in one's own life.
I have gone through this list before. Many times - Fears that dogged me as a young woman...
I will never be a young widow.
I have danced at my daughter's wedding.
I have lived to be older than my mother.
When you put it all together, I have had the Time of my Life. If it ends tomorrow, I feel like I am rich beyond measure. That is how I truly feel - I am so grateful for every day from now on.
On the off chance that I live pass tomorrow, there are so many things to look forward to. Saturday morning before I went to the funeral, I found this video on You Tube. Thanks James and Julie for sharing your Dance with us. Not only is one of my favorite songs and I realize why- it is my Love Song to Jesus. BTW, I identify with the dancing babe in the blue skirt, she ROCKS. To the Powers that be - feel free to play this at my funeral. The bad and the good, all of it. I wouldn't change a minute of it. Not one minute...
I searched through every open door
until I found, the Truth
and I owe it all to You...