Truth

This year I have been praying diligently for truth--the plain and simple truth. It is quite amazing that we really can get what we ask for, and I have been astounded at the significant nuggets of truth that I have received. It is kind of scary asking for and getting the truth, especially about myself. Sometimes it comes brutally. Sometimes it is in conflict with what I want to believe or want to accept. But ultimately it can set me free as I face the truth, accept it, repent if necessary, and seek a new course that will align with truth. I am realigning my life because of the truth that I have discovered about myself and already I feel free. I know that life is full of new possibilities as I embrace and have faith in living the truth.

Planting Flowers

Can I openly admit that there have been some weeds in my life that have made it hard. But late last night instead of focusing on the weeds, I planted flowers. Oh how good that felt to add beauty instead of focusing on and fighting what is ugly. Doing something that was physical and in nature was very healing at a really difficult time of worry. Often times there is ugliness that I can't do anything about and letting go and having faith to focus on beauty instead is a great lesson in life. I want to continue planting flowers not only in my yard but in my life. The more flowers I plant, the less room for weeds, and the more beautiful my life becomes.

Home Cooked Meals

Being an empty nester is a sort of challenge. With just two of us, it is tempting to just eat out most of the time; but then I realize that something is really missing when I don't prepare a good meal and enjoy it at home. This last week, we have had our daughter and her boys come to stay and so I stocked the fridge and starting cooking again. The stove seemed surprised as I stirred it from a deep sleep.

It certainly helped that there is a new Harmon's grocery store in Farmington that I visited for the first time and immediately had a renewed desire to cook again. Can you say, FABULOUS? Who would have thought a grocery store could offer a shopping high. I wandered around the store in awe and they finally said, "Lady, are you alright?"

Now we will just see how long this love affair with the grocery store lasts along with a renewed commitment to cook. Even though I have had the opportunity to eat in some fabulous restaurants, I have to say that there is just the greatest satisfaction in being able to cook and eat at home. Being a homemaker is really one of the greatest blessings. There is no place like home.

Facebook Friends

My last post was actually written and saved months ago, but my college friend Lisa's comment compelled me to further address the capturing the moment theme.

You see, we had another college roommate that just sent me a friend request three weeks ago. I immediately accepted the request and thought I should send her a reply reminiscing about the good times we had together and what a joy she was in my life during those college years and how good it was to connect with her again. Well, I didn't think I had time since I was going out of town a couple of times on different sides of the state, and so I procrastinated. The morning after returning home the second time, I got on facebook and thought I would finally send her a message. Well, I discovered that she had died just days before and her funeral was actually just two days prior to my intention to send her a message.

Moral of the story--Seize the moment. You never know how long that moment will last. I sent the message to her daughter instead and trust that Dawn will also still get it, but it would have been sweet to have a two-way conversation with her instead.

Enjoy Every Moment

I was just putting on hand lotion, and because it is something I do so routinely, I am unusually not mindful of it and just rub it into my hands quickly. But just this moment because of my awareness commitment, I was completely tuned into that simple little process and was more fully present in the experience. It was kind of like my life movie film suddenly went into slow motion and I enjoyed the creaminess of the lotion, the smell, and how loving and nurturing it felt to my hands. I know, I know, you are sitting there saying, "She's cracked and finally gone over the edge. I knew it would happen soon." But this little experience taught me something profoundly important. In a life where bigger is better and we want more and more (at least I do), it is nice to have the reminder and assurance that it can be the simple things that can create joy and satisfaction if we let them.

My New Theme

It seems like when the season start to change I get the bug to once again clean out and dejunk, and I get braver with each new episode. My new theme is Less is More and so I am going through pictures and partially finished scrapbooks (Okay, I confess they are just pictures stuffed in sleeves in a notebook). As I am scanning them for the final attempt to actually do my scrapbooks now digitally (don't hold your breath because I am queen of good intentions), I am realizing that I just need to save the really good looking pictures. That means some of my children won't be represented in the scrapbooks, darn it. Too bad they weren't better looking kids. KIDDING!! I am, however, serious about this Less is More pursuit. Maybe less sarcasm is more also----Nah!

Comparisons

There something about swimming and just being in water in general that really gets me thinking. Maybe it's because I can't hear anything or even talk for that matter, and for me that's as rare as Haley's comet flying by.

Anyway, I am swimming along and a new female swimmer joins my lane and is swimming much faster than I am. I get a little competitive and start swimming faster to keep up. After a lot of effort and many laps later, I see that she is swimming with some sort of hand paddles; and I realize I am trying to compete with someone with an unfair advantage. (That is when I start to pull her hair and call her a cheat!)

Isn't it that way in life. Sometimes we compare ourselves and thus compete with someone who has an inborn advantage. That is why comparing and certainly competing to find value is so destructive because none of us are on a level playing field with someone else. Although I was grateful that this swimmer's speed inspired me to try and swim faster, I should be content with the fact that I am doing my best and not feel like I have to be faster or even as fast as someone else. Or at the very least, not feel like I have to hurt her to feel better about my weak performance compared to hers.:-)