The Purrr-fect Life

Mason Canyon has a new cat tree. This is not a tree that grows cats, but a toy for her cats to climb on to have some feline fun.

It looks like fun.

For a moment or twenty (and because I think way too much) when I read her post, I wanted to be a cat and play on that tree. I even thought about what I might do with a tree like that. Then, being fed up with my thoughts running rampant, I asked my wondering mind, “Why…why would you like to play on that cat tree?” This is what I told me.

1. I’m jealous of cats that lay in high places--sunning.

2. I would like to bring out my claws occasionally and sprint up a cat tree.

3. I would like to be at the top and look down on the silly people and give a cat smirk.

4. I would like to go in the dark places and hide when life get’s stressful…you know when dogs try to rule.

5. I would like to see how long I could hang by my claws if I went over the edge.

6. I would take all my toys to the top of the cat tree away from the humans who want to steal them, just to put them back in the toy basket again.

7. And while I'm at the top, I would see if I could jump and hit the ceiling or—or aim for the ceiling fan.

8. I would like to jump down on a human head and innocently say, “Me-ouch, did I do that?”

9. Finally, I would sit on the highest shelf of the cat tree basking in the knowledge that humans only exist to serve the cat kingdom. 

I thought some more on having a cat's life: playing, sleeping for hours, having someone provide my every meal, and oozing indifference to humans. What a life!

Then, I decided I didn’t want to be a cat after all, I couldn’t handle the fur licking.

Love is...

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

 
JW thinks: Love should be the fuel that influences our actions.  

Kindness

As you may or may not know, Wednesdays I reserve for personal reflection. Sometimes it’s about my undying (or undyed) love for White Shirts, 21 things I learned in 21 days or what I learned when I broke my glasses. 

What's been on my mind lately? Kindness.

It was a little block of wood that read Kindness Begins At Home.  I found it at a store where I was shopping and I intended to buy it, but I forgot to pick it up on my way out. I thought about that phrase all day long.

I've always believed in being kind even when others--aren't kind to me. My parents are the kindest people I've ever known.  If you knew them, I promise you would agree. They have been a good example of kindness.

And, I believe that kindness begins at home just like the plaque said. Home should be a shelter where kindness is plentiful, where we never hear adverse criticism, experience someone’s anger, or feel threatened. Home should be peaceful not a combat zone that we fear and dread. And children should always feel like home is where they find love and acceptance.

Have you ever noticed how sometimes we speak kinder to coworkers, friends or even strangers than we do to our own family members. I’ve done it, but it's not right. Letting our hair down at home doesn't mean we have to be rude to the people we are committed too.

Kindness has an impact on the living, where one good gesture tends to spawn another. It's can be contagious.

So that's it...what I've been reflecting on this week: I think Kindness Begins at Home and then it should be allowed to run amok in the world. 
 
 
 
Kindness image source: Google images
Lovely doll source: Dollhouse

Another Monday

When you’re finished here, head over to Alex Cavanaugh’s music blogfest. Last I looked; he had over a hundred people sign up.

I didn’t sign up because it was too difficult deciding on ten. Instead, I will tell you what song was not my favorite and why. When my son was around three years old, Rod Stewart had a new song out. I like listening to Rod sing, but one day my little son came boogying in the room and started singing “If You Think I sexy and you like my body, come on baby….” It took me a while to get that song out of his new song lineup.

But it was funny. Later. After I untaught him the song.

Technology Training

Remember last Wednesday’s post of feeling little again in my new field? I was scheduled to train our staff on technology that day and it was probably my best presentation…EVER. I.T. meant more than information technology, it mean Information TERESA. Information poured out of me like a tears from a jilted lover. It was G.R.E.A.T.

There was more, but I’ll stop bragging.

Two things I learned from writing this weekend

Aye. I wanted to use the word aye like “Aye, come on in.” I Googled it to see if I had the spelling right and if I should use it and got this.


Heading for near extinction in 1980s on Madagascar because of forest reduction and the superstitious beliefs of the some natives, the Aye-aye is on the endangered species list. It’s a lemur that bores for bugs in trees—well kind of. You can read more about it here.

What can I say, JW loves ugly animals.

The other thing I learned is that I cannot write about bugs in the morning. You may or may not remember that if I see a dead bug in the floor before I have my coffee or eat I am literally sick all day—queasy. True story.

Apparently, it’s no different if I’m writing about bugs. If I write in detail about bugs, I have the “flu” the rest of the day. 

What would you do without my random wordage? Live a better life?

Indeed.

The Fullness of God

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)



JW thinks: It is impossible to be anywhere that God is not. He is here. He is there. We may choose to turn away, but that doesn't take him away. I am amazed when I think how Holy God is and how he continues to pursue his love--you and I.

Where we are rooted, is where we will grow. Be filled with your measure of God's fullness and grasp how awesome his love is.

This is a video I saw last Sunday in church. If you have time watch it, It's cool.



Sources: YouTube: I am Second, BibleGateway.com

Little is Good

Monday I was asked three technology questions in the middle of my quest to pursue a totally different career where I have no answers…nothing coherent that is. I was thrilled and I fixed the problems in lickety-split time.

I felt big again—not little and insignificant like the other days.



When I called my granddaughter “little one”. She said, "I’m not little, I’m bigger now."

But, I’ve been thinking; little can be good, too. Really.

I have a little brother, but he’s way taller than I am.

Little houses are the best homes, I think.

Most little dogs believe they are mighty.

A little debt is better than big.

Taking little steps to accomplish something important to you is a good idea.

When you are little you aren’t expected to know all the answers.  That's good.

Little isn’t all bad when it means you continue to grow.

Baby steps or giant leaps. Which way do you like it when starting something new?

Monday Rambling

I wanted to show you all the new color of my main bath. I painted it before Christmas and put up the little shelf. The color may look blue, but it's gray. I love it! 

And the white against it...ahh!



I'm at a loss on what to talk about lately on the blog. So, I thought I would tell  bore you about with one dark and stormy night.... Ok, it wasn't stormy, and it was nearly morning, and as you will read it wasn't really even dark.

You Never Know

One early Saturday morning, I awoke at 3:15. Saturdays should be for sleeping, not waking early. I was aggravated and decided to lay there hoping I would go back to sleep. Finally, around 4am I turned on the TV and watched the last 30 minutes of a movie, The Day after Tomorrow. Maybe it was the mood of the movie and the desperation, but it did not lull me back to sleep. Instead, I became very jumpy and tense from the big ole wolves who were trying to kill the survivors.

Then I heard a noise.

I muted the TV, but heard nothing. I figured I was “hearing” things. You know my imagination. The next time I heard the noise it sounded like it was just outside my bedroom window. At first it was a coo, kinda sorta sounded like a Mourning Dove, but I’ve never heard their call at night. I’m not saying they don’t call at night.

Then I heard it again.

At some point, my thought went to the possibility of the “call” being an owl. Although I am an expert on PBS, I’m not so much on the calls of owls. And it didn’t sound like any owl I had ever heard.

Then I thought about a coyote. We have coyotes.

Being the scaredy cat that I am I became a frozen lump of human in my bed. The vocalization escalated to a high pitch AND then in the distance…was answered.

Whatever was outside my window was screaming like a monkey or a hyena, but nothing like I had ever heard in MO. Perhaps something had escaped, something from another land. I promise…it sounded like monkeys or… hyenas or monkey hyenas. OR werewolves.

If you were here I would imitate the sounds and totally embarrass myself, but at least you would know. They were screams I tell you.

I needed to see what was going on outside the window and quickly defrosted my frozen body to have a look. I was hoping it wasn’t werewolves. I DON’T think they are cute at all and would never want one as a pet.

I tried to peek around the side of the shade. I couldn’t see out, so I went to a bedroom next to mine. There was a full moon. No one had warned me of this. I could see everything in detail and I was certainly hoping I didn’t…see everything…in detail. And there it was beneath my spare bedroom window-- a slobbering hairy mass of fur that jumped straight off the ground and hit my window. It WAS a werewolf. Wait… it wasn’t a werewolf. I just wanted to see if you were still with me.

I didn’t see anything, but I think it was an owl. I went online to enature.com to see if I could find a Missouri owl that sounded like what I had heard. I don’t recommend doing this when at four in the morning. The owl screeches brought me right out of my chair.

It might have been a spotted owl or an Eastern Screech owl.

I heard it again a couple of weeks after that. I told this story to my son on Christmas day. He said he thought it was an owl and told of his encounter of an owl flying over the cab of his truck and in front of him on the road. He lives near me.

My daughter stayed here over the weekend. She heard it too and was creeped out. I was creeped out again myself. I told her not to worry, it wasn’t monkeys, hyenas or werewolves--only an owl. I think.

Have a great day!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)




JW thought: This is true worship--to follow our heavenly father in wisdom and love, to be transformed through His holiness.

Scripture Source: Bible Gateway

Creative Writing?

As a youth, my first memorable writing creation was a Thanksgiving poem. I was in second grade and our homework assignment was to write a poem over the weekend. I don't remember if the teacher told us how to write a poem, but I do remember the burden I felt knowing I would need to write a poem by the next Monday.

I tried and tried to come up with a poem but couldn't think of words that rhymed. My dad came to the rescue. He had written all kinds of stories and poems in his life (and still does). I remember, he told me about rhyming words.

It seemed like magic. And Monday morning, I had a poem to take back to school.

Sometimes, parents come in handy. (Thanks, Dad.) Sure it was probably more dad than daughter which  happens (in my experience as a parent) with 95% of homework projects, but it was a great poem.

I wish I had a copy of it.

The second thing I wrote was a play...actually several plays later in grade school. My classmates performed some of them as skits for the entire school.  That was fun.

That year, I wrote a three-act play about teenage love. (Thanks, Mom for keeping it for me--I think.) Never mind, that I hadn't experienced true love. Love to me at that age meant making sure I had a boyfriend, bossing him, and making sure he bought me things. (Don't be judging that tiny girl!) Never mind, that I wasn't a teenager. Never mind that the characters just happened to have the same names as my friends and myself.

Play title: Teen-agers of To-day

Act I Getting ready for the Ball
Act II Going to the Ball
Act III Going home from the Ball

First line: Ding Ding (phone ringing), second line: Hello. Last line:  Kenny says, Well let's get married.

Oh, and I might have been the star of that play or someone with the same name. It's a possibility.

I knew all the way in second grade that I loved writing. When did you fall in love with your creative side? What was the first thing you wrote, painted, crocheted, knitted or (fill in the blank).

Today

I couldn't post until now. Blogger wasn't being my friend last night or early this morn.

It snowed here last night. This morning it snowed heavier. Guess what? School was dismissed early. You know what that means? Yes, I came home early. It's still snowing, so I'm not sure about tomorrow.

Photo: I like my granddaughter's dollhouse doll because her hair reminds me of... my wild and crazy hair.  Just last night it looked like that when I talked to long to my daughter and instead of drying it to smooth it. The window of opportunity was lost.

At my new school there may be a not no secret-secret organization of snow dancers. Not slow dancers-snow dancers. If they are tired and need a day off (and it has to be winter), it is rumored there is a dance. I did ask to see it, but the person just grinned. If you've ever worked at a school in a region where inclement weather can mean a day off, then, you know what I mean. We will stand on one foot and hop to town--whatever it takes to get out early. However, I didn't know about the snow dance.

Oh and the kids were so happy and wired.

New Job

The new job is tough and I want to do a good job and I'm not.  That's all.

How's my writing going?

I've just about finished a story for kids--for a contest. It will go in the mail this week. And I started a fun story about a peculiar Romeo and Juliet theme. Ok it's bizarre, but it's a blast to write.

I have a weird imagination.

How is your imagination? On a weirdness scale of 1-5, five being over the top, how weird is your imagination?

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121 NIV



JW thoughts:

A little hello....

It's me. I want to thank everyone for their well wishes and confidence in me on starting the new job. I appreciate you very much.

It's been a tough week. It's difficult to start a job in the middle of a school year and deal with a back log of issues, plus new every day issues, plus I'm still working with my replacement, plus I don't necessarily know what I'm doing. (Whew, I think that covers it.)

I haven't completed one thing in four days. I've started many.

And, the school world waits for no one. Trust me.

First day, I couldn't find my Kleenexes (meaning tissues) and nearly had a meltdown. They were right in front of me.

I know I'm feeling wrung out when I either read or listen to my Little House books and/or Monk episodes. They are my manky, my pacifier, and escape.

I'm wrung out, but...

I have a great office.

Sometimes you have to suffer until you...don't. (Why am I so brilliant with words? Ok don't answer that.)



Photo source: Journaling Woman

Ode to the White Shirt

Long sleeves, short sleeves, sleeveless,

Tailored, loose, in between,

You are knit, 100% cotton, silk,

Different shades, different shapes,

Buttoned, slipover, complicated, easy,

You are crisp or sometimes soft,

Delicate and yet sturdy,

I go to my closet to reach for something else to wear,

You fall into my hand,

Luring me—you devil you,

I’ve let you be the selfish child—

Where the world revolves around you,

You are the star of my closet,

Your brilliance captures me,

White Shirt, you have taken over my closet,

You show my spills, and,

My delicates if I’m not wiser,

Last count, ten white shirts maybe twelve,

You are out of control,

I think...some of you...must go.

Randomly Speak I

I watch too much PBS, just so you are not surprised when I share with you the following random thoughts:

#1 Horses

Wild horses have a complicated and yet endearing life. I was quite impressed with their family connections--apparent love for each other and loyalty. Watching a wild horse's life from birth is both fascinating and nerve racking, and oh so PBS interesting.

#2 Wolverines

Have you ever asked yourself, why are wolverines so distant and grumpy? They seem to have an easy life where nothing good is expected of them. They eat, sleep, go where they want, hide out, bite, and growl. What is there not to like about a life like that? And, why does their lifestyle appeal to me? Don't answer that question.

I suspect wolverines are related to werewolves, but I have no proof. It's a feeling. A PBS feeling.

And is there something wrong with me thinking that wolverines are darn cute or that I understand their grumpiness?

I want one for a pet. Like the wayward man, I think I could change the wolverine's temperament. It's a thought.


#3 White Shirts- Not PBS related unless I do a documentary.

I have a little  problem. My problem is called crisp white shirts (or blouses--call them what you want). When I shop, I'm drawn to the white shirts first. In a sea of color, I pull the lonely white shirt to my face for the love of it.  It’s like they are the steel and I am the magnet. It’s like they are the birdseed and I am the bird. It’s like they are the rotting meat and I’m the buzzard. Get it?

I am drawn to white shirts. I’m pretty sure my daughter thinks I have too many. I’m pretty sure I do...have too many.

I think it was last year (2010) my mother offered one to me--one that she had purchased but didn't wear. She doesn’t know I have this weakness, this problem. So when she asked me if I wanted a white blouse that she had purchased but didn’t want, I took a calm deep breath to appear like I was pondering the thought and then quickly said, “Sure, I could use a white shirt.”

My daughter gave me for Christmas a lovely Brooks Brothers blue striped shirt. One of the stripes is white. HA! I don't think she noticed--the white stripe.

I admit it, I have a white shirt problem. I'm even writing a poem about my white shirts. Stay tuned for that one.

#4 First Day

Did you know that today is the first day of the rest of my life? That's what I've heard.  On this first day back to work, I begin a new journey, in a new world--a new job.  I want to enjoy it.  I want to be good at it. Just like you (unless you're dead inside or self-centered), I want to make a positive difference in the life of someone else.  (Funny... our message at worship service yesterday was about that...making a difference. I wrote "First Day" Saturday. Hmm.)

That's been a lifetime goal of mine to make someone's day better every day, if I have the opportunity. Big ways. Small ways. It doesn't matter to me the WAY size. Friend. Co-workers. Family. Strangers. It doesn't matter who. It only matters that I do.

 Pray for me! Have a Happy Monday!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV)



JW thinks: God has always had a plan for his people. We are the ones that mess it up. Although, he never promised a life without struggle, he is in control.

The future is before you, a fresh start and a new beginning. Leave the past where it is. Pulling the past along with you is a heavy burden and will slow you down often keeping you captive. I think of holding onto the past in this way: It’s difficult to walk forward and look back at the same time. Inevitably, you will crash into something or trip and fall.

Learn from the past, but look forward. Focus on the future. It's there for you to use.

 
Source of scripture: Bible Gateway