We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature--trees, flowers, grass--grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...We need silence to be able to touch souls. --Mother Teresa

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

It's Baaacckkkk!

It's Time to Get Random Again!!




OK, Blogger Buds, The Random is back!
Have fun!!!

1. When was the last time you laughed until you cried?
 Last week.  My girls did it to me.  I can't even tell you what they did but it was funny at the time.  Fairly certain it was something inappropriate.

2. If you found $10 today, what would you do with it?
Eat lunch out.  Fried food solves all.

3. Do you volunteer anywhere?
My house.  

4. What is your favorite summertime veggie or fruit, and how do you eat it?
Watermelon.  A fork and a little salt.

5. Is your social sphere (circle of friends) small, medium or large?
What social sphere?  Isn't that why I blog?  Because I have no social sphere...

6. When was the last time you attended a family or school reunion? How did that go?
Um.  Yeah.  I got nothing here.  We had a family reunion for husbands people some time ago, but I can't really remember anything other than it was HOT.  

7. When you're feeling blue, what is the best way someone can cheer you up?
Warm starch with melted dairy is guaranteed to cheer me up.

8. Have you taken a vacation this summer?
 Yep.  I took a vacation from cooking.  I announced it on a Saturday night--I said, "I have made my last meal for a week.  I am not cooking.  Nothing.  I am on vacation."  And I was. I went a whole week not going to the store or cooking a meal.  

It was a great vacation.  Wish you could have been here.

9. What is the most unnecessary item you carry with you all the time?
Money.  Oh wait.  I don't have any money so it must be unnecessary.

10. What is the best summer flick you have seen so far?
The movie of my life.  

11. Describe a perfect summer day.
Donuts and coffee on the porch with my favorite people, a good book and some lemonade for the afternoon before a nap.  An evening filled with my family and nothing but time.  

12. Please a share a favorite photo from the summer so far!

Monday, August 2, 2010

The Gift of an Ordinary Day

The gift of an ordinary day. 

Ordinary is defined as.....plain or undistinguished.....customary; usual; normal....of no special quality or interest; commonplace; unexceptional.  


I like ordinary.  

I wonder if people who have suffered trauma or tragedy or loss would tell that it was the ordinary moments that were missed the most.  The slamming of the bedroom door.  The smell of stinky feet.  The what's for dinner and where's my bag moments.  The unexpected burps and the tears of disappointment.  Moments that aren't captured on film or in a scrapbook.  Moments that are captured in a mind's memory. 


I believe that ordinary is what we are missing as a society.  The playing outside until dark and then playing some more.  The neighborhood football games in the street.  The bike ramp built by boys who weren't afraid of anything--except moms and maybe, sisters.  The riding bikes to Grandma's just to visit.  The getting to the pool when it opened and leaving just in time to beat Mom home from work.  The bike riding to the library to get a book.   The sitting on the porch eating watermelon and ice cream with friends.  The quiet time while Mom watches her 'story'.  The continuous never ending summer baseball game down at the school yard. 

The things that aren't 'festivals' as I have come to deem them.  We are missing the ordinary, everyday part of life.  We are running as fast as we can to the next 'festival' without enjoying the ordinary moments.  

I hope my kids would say that they can remember ordinary moments.  They play this crazy game we call...remember that one time....and then some crazy tale is told.  I hope that I have enjoyed my children were they were 'at' in life.  I hope that I have remembered not to wish away that time knowing that it's fleeting and it's on to the next part of life.  It's harder than it looks.  Being ordinary.
   
Take some time to enjoy the ordinary.  Be ordinary.  Just sayin'.

Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel. -Proverbs 11: 17