Then Comes the Morning

It is 5:00 am on a Monday morning and I am fighting the flu. I've had two and a half days of coughing, fever, and aching headache, haven't slept for a couple of days and on top of that another winter storm warning is predicted with blowing snow and blizzard like conditions...still...I am alive and well. I'm beginning to understand that "Momma said there'd be days like this" and this happens to be one of those days. But, I can hold fast to the promise that "this too shall pass." There is a song that reminds us that even though it can get pretty dark and miserable...then comes the morning! Hope is always found in the morning! After every dark time in our lives...the hope is found in the coming light just around the corner. When things are especially gloomy, or you're exhausted, or sick, or in mourning, or whatever curveball life has thrown at you...there is light at the end of the tunnel. All the cliches that have ever been written are true. "It's just around the corner"....our hope may be found in the LIGHT! When our hope begins to fade under the shroud of darkness, and you feel there is no end to your miseries....you'll slowly begin to see that the blackest darkness begins to fade to a dull gray, and the dull gray begins to soften the shadows that were so discouraging before and you begin to see the shapes of the objects that held you captive in your darkness, but in a blink of an eye.....Then comes the morning!

25 Thrilling Things to Do After the Age of 50

1. Learn sign language. (This is usually taught to you by passing motorists as you drive 35 miles an hour on the highway.)
2. Sit in the mall and pick a new spouse for your mate. This also relieves tension by discovering that there are weirder people than you out there.
3. Guess what kind of underwear the people in the mall are wearing. (This sometimes is too easy to do.)
4. Instead of reading the newest novel, read people's tattoos. (You may not want to do this with your grandchildren along, however.)
5. Count the age spots on your hands and arms. (If you reach more than fifty, you win)
6. Eat at Arby's.
7. Watch Dancing With the Stars. (This is the new Lawrence Welk)
8. Try on a bikini thong. If you get it up to your calf, celebrate.
9. Clip your mates toenails. To really have fun, let them clip yours, also.
10. Practice pulling the hairs out of your chin without a mirror.
11. Stay awake past 8:00 pm. Live dangerously!
12. Take your dentures out of your mouth and make them talk to you like a handpuppet. (This is probably not a good idea if you have company or if your are at the dinner table.)
13. Have knitting needle sword fights.
14. Eat black licorice or red velvet cake and check the color of your stool the next morning.
15. Read the obituaries for ideas.
16. Go to Branson.
17. Write all your Christmas cards in September.
18. Make a list of all the doctors, nurses and health care people you know on a first name basis. Write them all Christmas cards in September.
19. Call all your children and grandchildren by a different name. (This really gets them as they think you don't know what you're doing)
20. Copy the obituaries of your old dead friends and make sure all your children receive a copy. (They should remember them and care, right?)
21. Collect real life horror stories to share with everyone at appropriate times, like the time a microphone fell into the baptismal and electricuted everyone. (A good source for these is the national news, Dr. Phil, and Oprah.)
22. Practice singing loudly and often, substituting words and phrases you don't remember.
23. Play bumper cars with the riding shopping carts in Walmart. (Be sure to say excuse me, though)
24. Hide the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle your spouse is putting together so you can put in the last piece!
25. Make a list of 25 thrilling things you can do after the age of 50.

Beware of Beautiful Packages

I had sort of a revelation this week. Actually, it started with a gift I received from my husband on Valentine's Day. Now, my intention is not to hurt my husband's feelings by telling this story, but to share the insight I gained by it.
I am a gift giver. I love to give gifts. I love to plan surprises and try to make ordinary days extraordinary. This is probably an indication of my Love Language. So gifts and presents are something I am very familiar with.
As I approached the breakfast table early Valentine's Day, I was excited to see that my husband had went to some trouble to please me. He had spread a white table cloth on the table, sat red candles in crystal candleholders and sprinkled confetti of hearts and I Love You's all over the table. There by my plate sat two gifts wrapped in beautful wrapping paper with hearts on them. A card was placed next to the bigger package. It didn't really take me long to recognize what that package held. It was shaped like a jug of bubble bath, and I wasn't surprised when I opened it. However, there was a smaller wrapped box sitting in the middle of the table that grabbed my attention and intrigued me. It looked like it would hold something like a bracelet or necklace. My imagination ran wild, thinking of all the wonderful possibilities that the little box might hold. I couldn't contain my excitement and asked could I open that one now. He handed it to me across the table saying, "You probably can guess what this is." I hadn't a clue....but then as it reached my hands it rattled. In fact it rattled a lot. As I opened the package, realization of the noise hit me. I had unwrapped a 99 cent box of "Good and Plenty" candy coated licorice pieces. My heart sank and the disappointment spread to my face before I even had a chance to try to hold it in...and in that same moment I also saw the hurt on my husband's face. He knew immediately that he had unintentionally hurt me and it caused him pain. He saw what I had seen, too...that his gift was a disappointment to me. Immediately, my disappointment turned to anger. I said hurtful things to him. "Just look at this...did you really think this is a gift any wife would want for Valentine's day." I shouted at him. "Is this all 31 years of marriage is worth to you?" I hurt him because he had hurt me. Angry words, silence and pouting, tears, and unforgiveness were in my heart. I went and shut myself into the computer room to be alone. And that is when God began to speak to me. He used my husband's gift to illustrate several lessons to me that I'm hoping will teach you something, also.
You see, I cared more about the gift than the giver....and He reminded me how often that happens to Him. My eyes had been focused on a beautifully wrapped gift and I allowed my hopes and imagination and expectation to convince myself that their was something beautiful in that package. The "idea" of the gift was more important than the actual gift itself. All the good things my husband had done that morning had been forgotten and this ONE thing plagued and overtook my heart. It began to be all about ME.
God also showed me that sometimes, what is beautiful on the outside, is really not that special on the inside. And sometimes, the ugliest wrapped packages can hold the most beautiful and special gifts on the inside. We humans are usually drawn to the beautiful packages...forgetting that true beauty comes from inside. How shallow we are. We jump and cater to the beautiful, sparkly, popular, rich people, and ignore the plain, poor, undesirable, or unpresentable. Our heroes and "idols" (note the word) are celebrities and sports figures...people we don't even really know...and would more often than not discover that their lifestyles are probably not very worthy of our admiration. How often do we miss an opportunity to discover a genuine jewel or gem because it is hidden and seek after the glitz and shine only later to discover that it was a fake, a poor imitation, or downright ugly on the inside?
God had this message for me. He said to quit focusing on the wrappings...even quit focusing on the gifts. Our focus should turn to the Giver.
God's lessons are painful. I had hurt the one I loved...and I needed to ask for his forgiveness. Fortunately, I have an unbelievably forgiving husband. But more importantly we have an even more forgiving God.
People are more important than things! When you find yourself seeking the gifts rather than the giver....STOP! When outward beauty becomes more important than inward beauty....STOP! When your hurt makes you want to hurt those who hurt you...STOP! And listen to the instruction of God.

The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

The dictionary's definition of joy is this: intense gladness, a cause of this.
What produces intense gladness in you? I think the key phrase here is intense. (very strong, concentrated; strained to the utmost, strenuous; marked by much action, strong emotions, etc.)
There are a lot of things in our lives that make us happy. (lucky; possessing or enjoying pleasure or good; pleased) Happiness can be found in the simple things in life. But somehow, happiness seems to be shallow. It has no depth. I can be happy one moment and very sad the next. But the intense gladness I experience in Jesus has substance. It has depth. It doesn't fleetingly go away. It is truely joy! I don't find this in many things. Joy is reserved for the deeper things in life. Happiness is found in tangible things: puppies, a good meal, a nice car, a new toy, but joy is found in the intangible: relationships, experiences, and the spiritual realm.
You can't have sadness and happiness at the same time. They are the opposites. But you can be very sad and experinece joy at the same time. My family and grandchildren bring me joy.
Happiness is fleeting....but joy is eternal.
In this new year...don't strive to be happy. Don't chase after the happiness that can be found for a fleeting moment in the material things. Seek for the eternal substance that is found in JOY. Momentary happiness will lead you down the wrong path. It will rob you of something so much better. It will try to substitute itself for the best. Seek for the real deal. The joy of the Lord is YOUR strength.

Life is Great!

Life is great! I feel wonderful, look great, and am excited for this new year! I sound bi-polar sometimes, don't I? Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still alive and feeling great! Life is beautiful and full of great surprises! This is the year for amazing things to happen. I can't wait!

Feeling Blue

I'm feeling very sad and lonely tonight. It's new year's eve and Gregg and I are alone again. New Year's Eve should be a time of games and fun and celebrating the new year together with loved ones. Funny how your children would rather be almost anywhere other than with their parents. It's definately understandable. How lame is it that you would spend new year's eve with your parents? They are young and free and searching for their own lives. Just like we were thirty years ago when we would rather do anything other than spend time with our parents. It's a sad cycle. You have to come to some form of peace with it, but at 50, you still want to feel young and exciting. We are getting to the age where we have to do all the inviting in order for our children to spend time with us. They very seldom feel inclined to invite you into their world. I'm beginning to understand how my parents felt. Well, guess I'll go read a book or watch a movie with the one person I can't imagine life without. My husband.

Happy New Year!

A new year is fast approaching and we will be entering 2009. I remember thinking how far away the year 2000 was and could hardly imagine that I would be in my 40's when that year finally arrived. Now 9 years have already past since then. I am 50. More than half way through my life. I believe that the new year is a chance to reflect on your past and reconsider which direction your life is headed. Do you like where you are going? Do you need a clean slate? Each new year can be a second chance. A time of renewal...looking forward to whatever the future holds and embracing it. And so, I too, have made a few New Year's resolutions.
I resolve to embrace every moment that God gives me on earth.
I resolve to spend each of those moments wisely and carefully, realizing that they could be my last.
I resolve to spend each of those moments wisely and carefully, realizing that they could be the last for the people I am with.
I will recognize and appreciate the people around me for who they are and where they are at, not for who I want them to be or where I want them to be at.
I will try to be a blessing to others not an annoyance.
I am resolved to rein in my tongue and harness my hurtful words.
When I see a need, I will try to meet it. I will be a builder and supporter of people, especially my husband and my children.
I am resolved to reconnect with my mother and love and appreciate all she does.
I resolve to see the cup as half full and not half empty.
I will laugh every day to add years to my life.
I will cry once in awhile to keep my heart soft and pliable.
I will remember what Jesus has done for me and rejoice and be grateful.
I resolve to allow the spirit man control of my life and to push my physical man back into the deep chambers of my heart until I no longer see him any more.
I know that when I see my spiritual inner self change, everyone else will see the physical part of me change, also.
I resolve to be a greater giver than I already am.
As New Year's eve approaches and we prepare to enter into 2009, take time to reflect on the past to encourage you to embrace the future. Instead of looking at 2009 with fear and trepidation, look on it with hope and excitement.
Happy New Year!