Sunday's

What's goin on in Life ...

• Yesterday we were cleaning freaks. I got our spare room all cleaned out and now we have room for guests! YAY!
• Wrapped presents while "The Santa Claus
  
• Went looking for floor tiles for our kitchen remodel - looking forward to actually getting a new floor. Maybe when we've got the kitchen gutted and ripped out with nothing there, I'll take pictures and post them.
• Went to Sierra Gold for lunch with Mark and played some pool. Got my @$$ handed to me in an embarrassing way. My left thumb is taped from jamming it two weeks ago and I just didn't hold the cue right. At least I didn't bounce any balls off the table ...
• Alison is making some awesome smelling soup that she'd better share...
• Lyssa is working on a paper for school...
• Mark is on the phone with first his brother, then his Grandmother, and now with Talya...
  
• May go out and buy the floor tile now that we know how many we need ...
  
• I need half and half for my coffee!

That's all the random stuff I think anyone is interested in. :-) Have a great week!

Friday's Favorite

WOW, holy cow. This is my favorite thing that happened today... I watched this video by these MercyMe :

Truly the best part of the day!!

Positive Post Tuesday

I'm gonna cheat today and post a favorite Haiku that Mark wrote me.
It's been over 7 years since he wrote this. I wish I'd dated them when he sent them.

Sanskrit Proverb

This has been posted all over the internet, and I always look it up for reference. The first four lines are my reality. And then it goes into the part about yesterdays, and tomorrows and TODAY well lived. I love this piece

Sanskrit Proverb
Look to this day
For it is life
The very life of life.
In its brief course lie all
The realities and verities of existence,
The bliss of growth,
The splendor of action,
The glory of power --

For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today, well-lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.

Read that again. Let it sink in. Really settle in. What strikes true and real to you?

... today, well-lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.

Friday's Favorite

The day has gotten away from me and I almost forgot to post! This quote is one that I just read in my daily email of inspirational quotes, so I can't claim it as an old favorite. But it is a NEW favorite!

To hold, you must first open your hand. Let go.
-Tao Te Ching

Let Go. Let God.

life

This is life, isn't it?

Other people's lives crashing down on yours. And they don't even notice.

Positive Post Tuesday

What's the best gift you've ever received? My mom gave me the gift of knowing my Dad loves me. My parents divorced when I was five, my older sister Dawn was seven. In the years that followed, we saw our dad every couple of years. Just recently I was telling a friend that if I put my mind too it, I could probably count, on two hands, how many times I saw my dad before I turned 18.

When they divorced, Mom moved us back to Wyoming, across the country from Dad, who stayed in Maryland (I think?). We didn't see dad but for every couple of years because he remarried, and lived abroad. I really mean abroad because that's where Thailand and Italy (and Iran, and Pakistan, and the Philippines, and China) are. The other side of the world. Dad would come back to the States for business and we'd go spend a week with him, wherever his business was.

But every Christmas, every birthday, we had gifts from Dad. Dad called us. Dad wrote us letters and told us he loved us. I don't remember ever doubting that Dad loved us. Our mom never spoke poorly of him, never bad mouthed him. She worked a full time job and one, two, sometimes three part time jobs to pay the bills. But she never complained that Dad didn't send enough child support, or that he was late.

As adults we learned that Mom called Dad the week before our birthdays to remind him to call us on the actual day. Love him to pieces, but he doesn't remember dates. The year I turned 19, when Mom hadn't called to remind him, he forgot my birthday. I got a card from him exactly one month late. He thinks I was born in May. ... but all that's okay because I know he loves me. It doesn't matter that he doesn't remember the date I was born. He loves me.

So, my Positive Post is about my Mom. Because she was the catalyst that always told me my Dad loved me. And he does. Forty Four years running, I've never had any doubt.

Thanks Mom!

Life Is What Happens

A friend of mine is going through a rough time (actually, a couple of friends are). I was texting with one of them when they said something about life not turning out like they'd expected. To which I sent this quote. I was surprised that my paraphrasing it was so close:

"Life is what happens when we're making other plans"

I wasn't sure where the quote had come from, or who said it, but that's typical of me. I tend to see the Forest before the trees (John Lennon said it, but I swear it was lyrics in a song and can't remember/find the song). [edit: I found it ... Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you,
While your busy making other plans,]

So, my friend, where you aren't the one I was texting with, yet you know who you are, this is for you.

Life is what happens when you're making other plans. Therefore, live for THIS DAY. Pastor Pete used this in his Five at Fifty five series ... RIGHT NOW is what you've got. Live for it, live IN it, and enjoy everything about it RIGHT NOW. LIFE is an incredible amazing gift, and it is GOOD.

Interesting ... I just had a small epiphany ... (small is good, big ones would probably cause my brain to explode) LIFE is the forest ... the days are the trees. If you focus on the details (trees), you miss the beauty of the life (the forest).

Then to further confuse myself: If the days are the trees, don't let the details of the day get in the way of enjoying it's beauty - enjoy the beauty of the tree

Tomorrow may never come. I learned that when Chuck died. Don't let the difficulties of what's going on in your life distract you from the JOY. And when you realize that I understood this before I understood God, it says a heck of a lot about this reality.

Live it.

Life Journey

I have decided to start a new book, one shared with me a year ago. A year ago I wasn't ready to start this journey but I am now. A Purpose Driven Life is a 40 day journey of discovering what God has in store for me. I saw the book at Borders on Friday, and I thought it was time to pick it up again.

Last year I got through the first few chapters, and didn't follow it as suggested in the introduction. But as I said, I wasn't ready for it yet. Then this morning, after church, I felt I should get going. So I picked it up to begin at the beginning, rather than pick up where I'd left off.

I got as far as the introduction when it was explaining the layout and format of the book, and how at the end of each chapter there are points to ponder, questions to consider, and discussion topics. (or something like that, I'm writing this from recall, without the book in front of me). In this intro, it suggested reading the book and working through it with a partner. I called my sister, Dawn, and asked her if she'd go through it with me, which meant she'd have to find the Borders and buy a copy for herself.

If I start today, 40 days from now is December 25. I thought of Sarah and Kelley too, if they'd want to join me, but I chickened out on asking them. (so if you (they) read this and want to join, let me know, cause now you know I chickened out in asking.)

Dawn bought a copy and we're going to start reading today, and have discussion on the weekends. :-) I am excited about this new journey. So here's to the journey (should find/create an image), maybe I'll post little snippets and ah ha's ... or maybe I'll keep it between God, Dawn and myself. We shall see....

Friday's Favorites: Quotes

Continuing my new Friday Theme ... Four of my favorite quotes. I find these ones very helpful reminders when I'm stressing out over stuff over which I have no control.

Everything works out in the end.
If it hasn't worked out, it's not the end. ~ Unknown

Life is not the way it's supposed to be.
It's the way it is. The way you cope with it
is what makes the difference. ~ Virginia Satir

It's nice to be important,
but it's more important to be nice. ~ Unknown

Your future depends on many things,
but mostly on you. ~ Frank Tyger

Do you have a favorite quote?

Positive Post Tuesday

I am not singling out any one friend in particular on this post, but rather I am recognizing every single one of my friends in one fell swoop.

My friends are the most important people in my life. This week (ok, I am singling out a couple of them) Kelley, who is a former coworker, and Rachel, who is a current colleague, are standing out. But those words "former coworker" and "colleague" are impersonal and not very friendly.

I had coffee with Kelley on Sunday, and what had been planned as a quick catch up hour coffee, quickly disappeared into two and a half hours ... Loved catching up with her.

Rachel is at PubCon with us this week, and is my BUNKY .. yay I have a room mate!! I glove this girl, she's so authentic and REAL and easy to talk too.

I'm blessed to have these people in my life. And this is for them:

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I love that my friends have trusted me with their friendship, and I love that they believe in me.

My Weekend

My weekends end up being kind of three day affairs because I typically come home from the office on Friday afternoon, so it ends up feeling like three days. It's funny Friday when I go to bed I keep thinking the next day is Sunday, but it's not.

Friday night Mark and I went to Smith's and bought some movies. We wanted to get "The Bucket List" but we didn't find it. So we ended up buying four other movies just cause they were there and I wanted to buy SOMETHING.

• Two Week Notice - I picked this chick flick cause that's what I was in the mood for. The Bucket List isn't so much a chick flick, but certainly a tear jerker. I have a lot to say about this movie, I quite enjoyed it.
  
• Star Trek Nemesis - Mark picked this one cause it was the last Star Trek movie
  
• Walk the Line - Have heard so much about it that but have never seen it. Alyssa and Gary watched it last night
  
• The Princess Bride - Mark has seen this and says I should
  

Then on Saturday, Alison and I had a girls day. We ate Zagol Ehiopian (mmmmmm good stuff!!!!) and went on a mission to find "The Bucket List." We found it at Tar-ghetto but I'd seen it $5.00 cheaper through Amazon, so I saved that cash and put it toward another four movies (Three of them were $5 each):

• Girl Interrupted - Alison had seen this and highly recommended it. We rounded out our girl day watching it together - powerful, deep, insightful... I recommend it
  
• The Terminal - This is one that I've thought sounded good but have never seen (like tens of hundreds others)
  
• There Will Be Blood - Alison recommended this one and I thought Mark would like it
  
• Must love Dogs - Sheila has recommended this one to me a couple of different times, and for five bucks, why not??

While watching the movie this afternoon I cracked open the handy dandy laptop and placed my order for "The Bucket List" which should arrive in time for next weekend. With our new library, and borrowed films from friends like Stoney and Joseph, just maybe Mark and I will catch up with movies??

And then there is Sunday ... and since it is Saturday night still, I can't tell what's going to happen except that at 10:00 I am meeting up with an old friend Kelley @ the starbucks (intentionally not capitalized thankyouverymuch) to catch up.

I'm anticipating watching movies in the afternoon. We have a lunch date, Alyssa is going to join us, and maybe Alison too. My heart is set on Bangkok Cuisine ... mmmm Pad Thai .. or or even better maybe, STEAK salad ...

Monday will be a short work day, show up at 8:30 to let Sarah in and give her the key. Pick up my boarding pass and then maybe lunch at India Kabob before my flight to Vegas. Jeeze, this entire post is about food.

Friday's Favorite

I had an epiphany today ... Every Friday I'm going to post one of my favorite quotes, poems or something that is a favorite something of mine.

I'm starting off with one of my favorite life philosophies:

Sanskrit Proverb
Look to this day;
For it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course lies all
The realities and verities of existence,
The bliss of growth,
The splendor of action,
The glory of power -
For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision.
But today, well lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.

That's how I want to live my life, so that
every yesterday is a dream of happiness
and every tomorrow is a vision of HOPE.

Haiku 1

This is one of my very favorite that Mark wrote:

small flower bright
high meadow, beauty all round
brings me thoughts of you

I love you too Mark.

Quotes For Today

I got some really awesome quotes in my email today:

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment." -- Henry David Thoreau

"Your profession is not what brings home your paycheck. Your profession is what you were put on earth to do with such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling." -- Vincent Van Gogh

"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life."
-- Federico Fellini

"Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe." -- Winston Churchill

I think I'm going to start posting my favorite quotes that I've collected over the years. And some haiku that Mark wrote for me many years ago.

These ones are great though, don't you agree?

Good Advice

Pete Wilson:

Today is a new day. It’s a new era. Regardless of who you voted for or why, it’s time to switch gears. It’s time to pray for Obama as he transitions to become the President of the United States.

And furthermore, you need to know this is not a surprise to God. Before the billions of dollars were spent on this campaign, God already knew the outcome. He wasn’t sitting around the television last night ringing his hands like you were.

He doesn’t need a Republican or a Democrat, an electoral vote, or a state. He’s not red or blue. He’s God.

He’s God and I’m not. You’re Not. Obama is not. McCain is not.

So if your candidate lost. I’m sorry. If you’re worried your issues aren’t going to be being addressed. I’m sorry. But God is still God and He’s still sitting on His throne.

Let’s move on.

Let's move on.
Wow. So true in so many ways.
Last night was a rough night, and I'm not talking about electoral results.
It was rough. I didn't cry. But I feel empty.

Might cry now though

Blah Blah Blah Win Lose Or Draw

Today is indeed a historical day. Win or lose, it's a win for someone because as Brody Harper said in his "Positive Post Tuesday," we were gonna have the first Black president, or the first woman Vice Pres.

Congratulations America.

Positive Post Tuesday

My Positive Post is going up a bit late (probably after midnight Eastern Time) but I want to put it up all the same. Sarah is my co-worker at Pole Position Marketing . She's been with the company for nearly two years now. She's worked her tail off, working not only for Pole Position, but for up to 5 different part time positions that I'm aware of. And she goes to school at UNR. Full time. She deserves great respect for her efforts, and she's got it from me.

We've got a ton of changes ahead of us in the next few months, and I'm trusting that with Sarah and I sticking together, we're gonna be just fine. This Thursday we're planning on working 'remotely' from a coffee shop or the bookstore, or maybe the University or Community College ... as long as they give us wifi, we're gold!

Beer Bread

Last year when we went to Laramie I came home with a case of Bitch Creek Beer (from the Grand Teton Brewing Company) and I shared several bottles with my friends. I thought the name was funny. The beer itself was quite unpleasant to my palate. bleck.

This year, I bought a variety of beer from Snake River Brewing Co. and was much more satisfied. My favorite was the OB-1 (site is in FLASH so I can't link you to the details) and the most retched of this lot was the "Zonker Stout."

My mom gave me a bottle of "Bitch Creek Beer Bread" over a year ago. I decided to make it today. I didn't have the specific beer called for so I used the nasty Zonkers.

And the bread came out pretty tasty. Far tastier than the nasty beer. But it still leaves a strange feeling on the back of the roof of my mouth. At least it doesn't foam in my mouth, like the beer did. Uck.

Sunday Sunday

Just typing that title had an old song go through my head:

Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be
Oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee
That Monday evening you would still be here with me.

Monday Monday, can't trust that day,
Monday Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be
Oh Monday Monday, how could you leave and not take me.

Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin' all of the time

Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be
Oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee
That Monday evening you would still be here with me.

Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin' all of the time

Monday Monday, ...

If that's not random enough for a Sunday:

• Josh came over and made us Eggs Benedict for breakfast. At 1pm. Ok, so it was lunch, but it was breakfast cause I hadn't eaten yet.
• We looked through photos of his dad's youth. Alison and I had looked yesterday
• Alison is making tamale's ... Vegan tamales. She didn't believe the recipe that said "This is an all day project ..." and it truly is. She's wrapped more than a dozen and hasn't even made a dent in either the filling or the masa.
• I need a nap.

The end.

My Saturday ... and random thoughts

This morning I was talking with Joseph about the difference in today, as compared to last Saturday. Today is overcast, very gray and gloomy looking. Last Saturday was clear blue skies with warm temperatures. And yet I'm grateful for this day.

I just listened to a sermon given by one of my favorite bloggers, Pete Wilson, Pastor at Cross Point Church about the emotional baggage we all carry with us. I am looking forward to continuing the series. If you've been following my journey, you're in tune with my searching for a Christian community.

I've been attending Crosswinds church here locally, and listening to Pastor Pete (different Pastor Pete than from Cross Point) for a couple of months. I've enjoyed his sermons because they are very 'real' and he is very real and personable.

Now I've listened to the "other" Pastor Pete and I really enjoyed his sermon as well. Very different than Reno's Pastor Pete but the message is still very relevant.

Now I'm contemplating trying a different local church, to see how I like that one. When I was in Ohio in September I visited a church there, and can't say I cared a great deal for the sermon. Personal preference I suppose ... I can't get enough of either Pastor Pete - I can always continue to listen to the Cross Point Pastor Pete online.

But I need real people, in real flesh to worship with. Monday there is a "Women of Excellence" group that I'd like to meet with, and they're out here in my neighborhood.

I need people. Friends. There's something in the baggage I carry that makes it very important for me to have people. Because friendships are so important to me, I have a hard time letting them go. It's rough when I recognize that they aren't what I thought they were, or can't be what they once were. I've had one like that recently, and am struggling with it. So this series, by Pastor Pete of Cross Point, will be good for me.