Friday, November 25, 2011

...across the room to wrap up an amazing day....


Some days are just so amazing in every way. Yesterday I thought to myself I really needed to be more scheduled in order to get things done around here. It didn't happen. I find it difficult to schedule a hopelessly spontaneous soul (that would be me!). It is possible for a short time and then suddenly I feel like I'm suffocating and the schedule gets tossed out the window. Thankfully I forgot to get out my dusty schedule thingy yesterday making this day totally spontaneous!

I felt my energy the minute I woke up and knew immediately this day would be extraordinary. Starting the day off with two slices of yummy toast topped with some good cheese and a delicious strong cup of coffee got me started on the right foot. An encouraging inspirational reading about gratitude and a thankful heart in every situation prepared me further for my day. It was easy to thank God for a friend to walk with in the morning all the way to a downtown coffee shop where we shared a fresh cinnamon bun, YES, WITH butter, and freshly brewed cups of coffee. On our way downtown we walked past a neighbours house and noticed the front door was open and that one of their two dogs was outside, following us until we persuaded him to go back home. We were surprised to see nothing had changed when we walked past the house again an hour later. It disturbed me enough to call my next door neighbour to come with me to investigate further. We rang the door bell, called loudly to see if anyone was inside while the dog inside the house barked furiously and the other dog jumped on us barking and growling all the while. Finally I decided to call the police. While we waited for them to arrive we had to keep chasing the more adventurous of the two dogs back into the house! The police investigated the home and found no one there. It would seem the door was not properly latched allowing our gale force winds today to blow it open. Apparently it was their second call of the day where this had happened.

Had I made up a schedule yesterday it would have most likely had me out and about picking up a new tube of toothpaste so I wouldn't have to keep using my husband's toothpaste; a trip to the post office; doing some church duties I need to get done before the end of the month; catching up with some reading I need to get done for next week; and the list goes on! Instead I started cleaning my bathroom, decided to do a really thorough job this time including washing walls, bathing the tree that's been collecting dust in one corner, cleaning light fixtures, dusting shelves and putting up my nice red towels I use only during the Christmas season. Since I had my ladder out anyway I decided to move into our bedroom to dust everything I can't reach any other way; bathed the plant on top of my armoire since I was up there dusting anyway; vacuumed the baseboards, floors and anything else that was attached to something and unable to get sucked into a vacuum hose. Then I opened my closet doors and began purging, continuing in the armoire. Two full large garbage bags later it still looked like very little had been removed from my closet. My armoire now looks orderly enough not to be embarrassed should I need to open it with someone looking over my shoulder! My closets are another story.

By this time I was shakey and somewhat dizzy (after all, when is the last time I've been up and down a ladder 37 times or hanging upside down to get every speck of dust visible to the naked eye!) I grabbed a quick sandwich and finished the last of the coffee I made this morning. Of course it was cold. And VERY ......... not good! But it was wet and didn't steal precious minutes needed to continue whatever I decided I would like to do next. What I decided to do next was vacuum the rest of the baseboards in the house, the brick on the fireplace, venetians, and again, anything permanently attached that couldn't get sucked up by a vacuum. I continued my obsessiveness throughout the TV room, kitchen and eating area ending up in the laundry room. My obsessive compulsive kick got me sticking the hose between the washer and the wall and that is when I heard that sound that nobody wants to hear where the end of the hose suddenly goes deafeningly quiet and the pitch from the unit in the furnace room suddenly sounds like a screaming cat in heat. When my husband came home I met him at the door with "how do you know whether something is stuck in the hose or in the pipes of the vacuum system?" (well that was after he told me how nice I looked in the bright teal blue top I was wearing :)

There is not one article of clothing in the laundry baskets (although there are probably 13 shirts waiting to be ironed!); I had a home made pizza in the freezer for our movie night at home so neither of us had to go pick one up somewhere across the city; and I just simply feel like WONDER WOMAN with a permanent smile on her face today! All because I just followed my instincts and for a change did what I just simply felt like doing!

Some days are just simply more amazing than others!



Sunday, October 16, 2011

...across the room to share another favourite....

OK I really think this would have to be one of Gloria Gaither's most fabulous songs ever written. I heard it sung today and just had to share it with you.

I Then Shall Live Lyrics
Words by Gloria Gaither
Music by Jean Sibelius
FINLANDIA

I then shall live as one who’s been forgiven;
I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father;
I am His child, and I am not afraid.
So greatly pardoned, I’ll forgive my brother,
The law of love I gladly will obey.

I then shall live as one who’s learned compassion;
I’ve been so loved that I’ll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I’ll dare to see another’s point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment,
Then I’ll be there to care and follow through.

Your kingdom come around and through and in me;
Your power and glory, let them shine through me;
Your Hallowed name, O may I bear with honor,
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

...across the room to share a Thanksgiving song....

Happy Thanksgiving.....

Just sharing an old hymn; one of my favourites for many years...and one that my Mom and I used to sing together in our living room accompanied by either Mom at the piano or accordian or me on the accordian.

Thanks to God

Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and dreary fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heavenly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

...across the room, out of the mouths of babes.....

Some time ago when I was visiting at my daughter's home I asked my granddaughter to write and perform a song about prayer for me. To sweeten the request I told her I would pay to attend her 'concert' :)
The smile on her face stretched ear to ear, eyes wide with the wonder of her good fortune! She shot across the kitchen in record time, down the stairs and into the solace of her room. This Nana had almost forgotten the need to slot a very special concert into her afternoon when this spunky six year old bounded up the stairs and into the kitchen. She headed straight for my purse, found my wallet and brought it to me! After all, there was a price to be paid for this great pleasure! Downstairs she found the perfect stage, a large cedar chest, and front row seats for her Nana. Much fidgeting ensued when it dawned on her that my eyes would be on her alone with no distractions and that she was the star of the show with no help from anyone. When I finally convinced her that I would love her song simply because she, MY granddaughter wrote it she began to sing in a very soft, hesitant, very girly voice as I followed the words on the sheet she wrote on:
In mi bed
I pra to God
I tel him a bot mi dey
When I m don
He ses to me
I have lovd
you forevr!

or in my spelling:
In my bed
I pray to God
I tell him about my day
When I am done
He says to me
I have loved
you forever!

Out of the mouths of babes, hey? I may have to keep that piece of paper forEVR!! :)

Thursday, June 2, 2011

...across the room to share my poem...

Ode To Menopause


It seems absurd

the things I do

mistakes I make

to name a few

I laugh and blame

it on my “roots”

when shoes don’t match

or was it my boots?

The thing is this

it’s not that bad

until the FLUSH

turns my body red

and makes me feel

like hitting and biting

kicking and screaming

yelling and fighting

the stresses of life

are deadly for me

soaked to the bone

even behind my knees

take a few pills

is the advice I get

how would they know

I’ld be filled with regret

zombie filled days

don’t turn my crank

I’ll deal with the sweat

to be quite frank

just hand me a kleenex

no, make that a towel

when you see the beads

running down to my jowls

soaking my clothes

from the sweat of my brow

I’m having a moment

don’t touch me, NOT NOW!




















Sunday, May 8, 2011

...across the room to admit my condition....

The evening was so beautiful my husband and I decided to go for a nice long walk following an early dinner and movie tonight.
I thought it was warm enough to wear my fancy red STRETCH WALKER sandals I bought last year that I never had a chance to wear in. Every time I wore these sandals last summer the strap would rub on my ankle bone, or the bottom of my fibula malleolus, the lateral bone of my ankle! Don't ask!
Remembering the aggravation this footwear caused me all summer and wanting desperately to be able to wear them this year since I paid an arm and a leg for them I came up with what I thought was a great solution to my problem. I decided I could insert an insole into each sandal that would lift my foot enough to give the ankle bone a little extra height and give me a chance to wear them in!
We headed out for our walk downtown enjoying the fresh air, scenery, and the people along the way. Conversation on our walks varies a lot and today we seemed to cover many topics. For some time now I've been trying to come up with an interesting personal licence plate for my Harley. We discussed whether I wanted the plate to describe me or just simply say something unique, funny or interesting. I said if I were to choose a plate that would describe me it would have to say something about my "blonde roots". As a brunette I just simply have entirely too many "blonde moments"! That's when it happened! AGAIN!
We were on our way back home when I told my husband I had a pebble in my shoe that I needed to get out. He looked down at my feet and said "Well, that's not all that's coming out of your shoes!" I looked down only to find what you are seeing on this picture! My insoles were working their way out of my shoes and were flopping behind me with each step I took! A teenage girl with a big smile on her face had just passed us on her bicycle. I remember thinking she must be enjoying this beautiful evening just as much as we were! We had a good laugh as I instinctively yanked the insoles from my sandals! As we continued our walk I told my husband I had been thinking people were smiling at me because they were admiring my pretty Harley T-Shirt :)
Since today is Mother's Day I thought I needed to post this little story in honor of my mother who would have such a great laugh at my blonde moment. She would relate because she had them as well. The good thing was that she shared these moments with me so we could enjoy a good laugh together. I guess I inherited my condition from her. Happy Mother's Day in heaven Mom. Have a laugh on me today!!

Monday, April 18, 2011

...across the room to share a song....

A friend forwarded this song to me today and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'ld share it with you!



On My Father's Side

Written by The Village Singers



Just a young boy in the temple one day

Shared with the Doctors, they were so amazed!

Never had they seen one so young speak so swift;

They asked Him many questions, the conversation went like this:


What's your name son?


On my mother's side my name is Jesus

but on my Father's side they call me Emmanuel.


How old are you?


On my mother's side I'm twelve years

but on my Father's side I've just always been.


Where you from?


On my mother's side I'm from Bethlehem

but on my Father's side it's New Jerusalem.


What's your plan?


On my mother's side I'll be crucified

but on my Father's side in three days I'll arise

and I'll sit by my Father's side.


He was the Son of God yet the son of man

And I can't help but wonder how Joseph must have felt

Through an open door that day he heard his son reply

you see I'm the King of Kings that's on my Father's side.