Finish the course

Some days are harder than others as we all well know.  Today had been one of those that I just seem to count the hours until I can crawl back in bed and pull the covers over my head.  Is 3:30 too soon?  What about 5 or maybe 6? 

This is the time of Empty House Syndrome and I’m feeling the hit very hard.  Friday night was an exercise in NOT consuming everything I could possibly lay hands on or that wasn’t nailed down.  Saturday started off wonderfully.  I met some of my running girlfriends bright and early, had a good run and then retired to a favorite coffee shop with one of my best girls, Cheryl.  We laughed, chatted and I soaked up the fellowship because deep inside I was already lonely.  OK, suck it up!  After leaving the coffee shop I treated myself to something I’ve had my eye on for quite some time.  It was a silly, frivolous purchase but it made me happy.

Today has been a total wash.  I don’t even know what to say here other than from the moment I crawled out of bed it has been a struggle.  I’ve done nothing but spin my wheels.  Why do I allow myself to get in these emotional situations? 

Tomorrow I am meeting with my bestie to get our run on and I am keeping fingers, toes and eyes crossed that a run and chat with her will get me straightened out.  If not, I’m not sure how I am going to make it through the week. 

Say a prayer for me, my friends? 

I do have some good news!  I have mentally and financially committed to running the Country Music Half Marathon in April 2012.  I am excited.  I’ve also decided to repeat the half training program to prepare for this undertaking.  Oh, did I mention I’m committing to running at least 4 half marathons in 2012?  If I can just wade through the abyss that is the last few weeks of 2011 I KNOW it will get better starting with the Resolution 5K run on New Year’s afternoon.  What a fantastic way to start off the New Year.

I’m not sure if I will be posting until after the first of the year.  So, if I don’t let me say:

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  - Jeremiah 29:11

Mad for Music

I love Christmas music.  And when I say “love” I don’t mean I enjoy it mixed in with other music or the occasional Christmas concert.  I mean LOVE with all capital letters.  I love it so much that as soon as I wake up the day after Thanksgiving my music is totally dedicated to Christmas music. I’ll even fess up to sneaking in a little song or two here and there before Thanksgiving.  Shhhh!  Don’t tell.  So color me surprised when I discover a new song.  There are two that are new to me this year and I am thrilled to share them with you.

Let’s start with the silly, fun one.

DOMINICK THE DONKEY

Dominick dates back to 1960 but somehow, someway I have missed this little gem until this year.  Thank you to Sounds of the Season, channel 433 on my local cable, for enlightening my family.  All three of us fell in love with Dominick’s song.  It is silly, fun and catchy.  Also seeing how we have a soft spot for donkeys and mules at our house you can imagine this was an immediate classic.  Don’t forget if you too love donkeys and mules to watch Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey.  Be sure to keep a tissue handy.  OK, back to Dominick!  Perhaps the reason I have never before heard Dominick’s song is because Dominick is an Italian donkey and let’s face facts, there really aren’t a lot of Italians in my neck of the woods. Ha-ha

Here is a video of Dominick the Donkey.

YOU’RE HERE

We have all heard the lovely Christmas Carols about the Baby Jesus and there is even one that is from Joseph’s point of view called Joseph’s Lullaby.  The songs all sing about the Christ Child’s birth and the miraculous events of the time.  This week I heard a song from Mary’s point of view that was so beautiful and profound that I was moved to tears as I drove to work.  The song is You’re Here by Francesca Battistelli.

Here is a sample of the lyrics.

I’m staring into the face of my Savior

King and Creator

You could have left us on our own

But You’re here, You’re here.

Someday I’m going to look back on this

The night that God became my baby boy….

When I was listening to the song on my drive to work I was struck by all the emotions that Mary must have felt especially when I thought back to the first time I held my own children in my arms.  I sometimes get so caught up in the adult life and death of Jesus that I forget He was once a tiny baby. 

I’m not going to say much more about this song.  I want you to listen to it and discover the beauty on your own.

You’re Here

OK, OK…so I can’t leave a blog post about Christmas music without tossing in one of my favorites. After all, I am sure it is impossible to be in a bad humor while listening to Burl Ives sings Holly Jolly Christmas!  And as someone that leaves mistletoe out all year – wishful thinking!!??!!? – I particularly like the bit about the mistletoe. Ha-ha!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.  Matthew 1:21

Loving all year round

‘Tis the season to be shamed, strong armed and guilted into giving, giving and giving some more even when you don’t have it to give in the first place.

TO GIVE

I totally believe in giving.  Giving is part of every day life at our house.  We have a special friend we help support and before we took on the responsibility, we as a family sat down and discussed what we were willing to give up to make it happen.  It is also not uncommon for us to buy someone that is hungry a hot meal or help out someone we know is having a hard go.  It is a family effort and activity.  But we do it quietly and throughout the year not just at Christmas.  We don’t make a production out of it; we give because we want to and because it is an important part of our lives.

I’ve let out a little of our secret to emphasize a point I want to make about something that bothers me about this time of year.  Everyone and every organization appear to be out for your last red cent during the holiday season.  Whether it is the bell ringers, the school groups, church groups, this group or that group, everyone wants and expects more, more and more!  If you don’t give freely they are not above shaming you.

Why is only this time of the year important for giving?  Should we not be giving throughout the year?  I’m sure there are hungry people in July, cold people in need of hats and scarves in February or food banks in need of supplied shelves in August.  Or do we only feel the need to help others at Christmas to ease our consciences because we spent the mortgage payment on the toy little Johnny will toss in the corner of the closet and forget about within two weeks?

I’ve really scaled down Christmas spending this year even more than I did last.  Partly because to be plain I don’t have the extra cash like in years past and we also don’t need a bunch of extra junk cluttering up our house and lives.  The children and I have talked about why we don’t need to go wild at Christmas and the importance of giving throughout the year.  I’m not trying to toot my own horn.  I want them to realize need doesn’t go away just because we put the decorations away. We don’t have all the new toys or fancy stuff but we aren’t currently in need of anything either.

Don’t misunderstand me.  I have bought my children Christmas presents and more than they needed.  But I also like to give throughout the year.  Not just to my little darlings but to my friends, family and where I see need. 

Hello, my name is Ebenezer?

I’ve become a world class champion at saying “no thanks” or “not at this time” to all the open hands.  Perhaps that makes me hard hearted, I don’t know, but sometimes I just can’t give any more.  I also don’t like giving to the faceless.  I’m sure the teachers at my children’s school can’t stand me because the past few years I haven’t gone above and beyond like before and sent bags full of canned foods, scarves, hats and money for each and every “drive” for this or that.  I truly do appreciate the reason they are doing it but I prefer to be a bit more hands on.  

You know by now I like to toss out a challenge or a thought to ponder after I have subjected you to my ramblings so get ready!

If you give, donate or drop money in the kettles during the holiday season I salute you but I also have a request of you.  Take out the cost of a meal (complete with a drink and dessert) and put it in an envelope and tuck it away.  You’ll know when you need to pull it out and spend it on someone that will appreciate your kindness.  Want to know a secret?  The best part is after you give you will receive something money can’t buy.

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’  Matthew 25:40

The Best Medicine

It is said that laughter is the best medicine but I want to add to that statement.

Laughter among friends is the best medicine.

This is the time of year when most of us eat stress, worry and exhaustion like they are those soft, puffy after dinner mints.  I for one know that I tend to make a meal off those little worries and often lose sight of the important things.  The Season, job worries, financial worries, the never ending battle of the bulge, worry about my mother’s upcoming eye surgery, etc. have really caused me to be uptight lately. 

As if I didn’t already have enough on my plate I have also been working on trying to overcome one of my little quirks. I get really worked up when people are in my house.  Yes, even when my mother comes over I get sideways.  I’m always concerned, ridiculously so, that my house isn’t grand enough, clean enough, the furnishings good/chic enough, maybe the people will not like having cats in the house, there might be a smell off whack, the neighborhood isn’t fancy enough, and on and on and on.  A few weeks ago I stepped out of my comfort zone and invited a friend over for coffee.  She was a good test for me because she loves me in spite of myself and helps me see through the fog of self doubt.  The stress before was high but once she got there and we started chatting and laughing I wondered why I was concerned in the first place.  Feeling high on emotion I immediately planned another little get-together only this time with several friends.  Oh no!  Had I jumped straight out of the frying pan into the fire?

Coffee with friends

I invited a few friends over for coffee, snacks and a relaxing morning to escape some of the stress of the Season.  Notice I said stress because after I sent the invitations I started snacking on STRESS like those yummy after dinner mints.  Then I took a minute and thought about why I was stressed.  All of the ladies invited are my FRIENDS.  They love me in spite of myself.  My house may not be the grandest but you know what? It is mine and I like to think I’ve made a good home for me and my munchkins.  My house may not be the cleanest but I work a full time job, have two kids, two cats and a full life.  It isn’t condemnable so it all works.  These are my friends and they will either accept me and my little house or not.  If not, then they really aren’t my friends to begin with, right? 

Me worry?

When my friends began to arrive I realized something very quickly.  Yes, they all glanced around the house but we were all focused on one another, fellowshipping, laughing, consuming our coffee and all the yummy foods.  One sweet friend, T, asked me if I was doing OK because she knows about my freaky nature.  The stress was light and the time together was the absolute best.

We discussed serious topics, laughed at our own silliness, shared secrets and best of all, the ladies that came in not knowing one another left with new friends.  When it was all said and done I was exhausted but feeling better mentally than I have in months.

Laughter among friends is the best medicine!

Thank you to my sweet friends that came and spent their morning with me yesterday.  You can’t imagine how much I appreciate you.  Let’s get together again soon!

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. ~ Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)

LITTLE THINGS

It doesn’t take much to make me happy.  A funny joke, a hug from a friend, watching kittens play, simple stuff.  So today when I stopped to grab myself a cup of coffee after having lunch with a friend I was delighted to discover the coffee shop was offering a buy one get one free deal on the very flavor I had ordered. YIPPEE!

Those of you that know me have probably guessed my flavor of choice.

PEPPERMINT MOCHA!!!!!!!!!!!

While I was waiting on my TWO yummy mochas to be made I saw a sweet friend in the adjoining bookstore.  I offered her my FREE mocha but she had already had her limit.  Frankly, I wasn’t sure there was a limit when it came to coffee…..  After we chatted a bit, my coffees were ready and off I went, double handed out the door.  At first I had planned on consuming both of the mochas myself.  Then I saw a college aged young man in the parking lot walking toward his beater of a car, looking a little downcast.  Hmmmmm……..  I walked over and offered him one of my peppermint mochas.  The look on his face was priceless.  Probably much like the look on my face yesterday when the man in the post office offered to help me find a lost check and deposit slip!  He smiled, said yes and thanked me.  As I hopped in my car and left the parking lot I saw him take a deep sip of the mocha and smile.  It made me happy.

It is the little things! 

Today is also NATIONAL PIE DAY!  I’m not normally a lover of pie but I do love and I mean LOVE my mother’s buttermilk pie.  Since I have offered to put up her Christmas tree and stuff on Saturday she is going to make me a pie.  Yum and double yum!  She’ll serenade me with Christmas music on the piano while I put up her tree and then we’ll narf on buttermilk pie. Heaven! 

Again, it is the little things.

Be happy! 

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38