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Starting over on a Tuesday…

That is so wrong!! Everyone knows all new things start on Mondays. Yet, we bring in 2013 on a Tuesday this year thus causing a conundrum of when to begin new habits, etc, etc, etc….Tuesday or the following Monday? In all reality, it doesn’t really matter, does it? Today is January 1, 2013, like it or not and the day will come and go whether we have “New Year’s Resolutions” or not; so….no time like the present, eh?

Last year, my plan for 2012 was:

Eat healthier/exercise more….pretty much #1 on the list EVERY year and one year I will actually succeed. “You never fail until you stop trying” Albert Einstein And try, try again I will. In reality, I did succeed at this, I’ve made MUCH healthier choices in my diet and have tried many new exercises, just haven’t succeeded in actually losing weight–however, I never said losing weight was my goal. I shall mark this up to a success.
Have more Quiet time. My quiet time has evolved. Hubby and I have been reading the Catechism with Flock Note and discussing it every few weeks. I’ve been to Adoration more frequently and my spiritual reading has picked up with Choosing Joy by Dan Lord and Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Both books are great for one chapter at a time to mull over and ponder. I shall mark this up in the success column as well.
Finances. Clueing in Hubby and getting on the same page. Done. While we haven’t climbed completely out of the hole yet, we’ve stopped (so far…) the continued addition to debt and have begun backing up the train with a good plan to head into 2013. Aaaaaand a 3rd success. Of course, we will continue this journey together and I’m sure Dave Ramsey will be involved at some point (I hear what he’s saying but I just don’t know if I’m ready to jump in just yet), or not, Hubby’s pretty good at $stuff, either way…2012 was a good start, 2013 will be solid…I feel it.

Mentally, I really thought 2012 was a big fat FAIL on the resolutions, however, looking back I see that I actually succeeded in what I set out to do. Sweet.

Heading into 2013 I’ve been mulling over my Goals/Resolutions/Plan for a couple of days and have also come across a few great ideas I may incorporate into reaching my own success in 2013.

Jennifer Fulwiler gives an analytical view of reviewing one’s “areas for improvement” and how to problem solve those areas. I honestly never gave it a thought as to WHY I might not be succeeding in certain areas. Seems so logical, I’m a little embarrassed. Only a little though.

Jon Acuff gives a man’s view (but truly EVERYone can use this method) of breaking the year into smaller bites and attacking each goal one at a time within those small bites. Brilliant and so realistic…I CAN do anything for 52 days.

Ann Voskamp challenges us to look for the Joy in everything and TO WRITE. IT. DOWN. Finding 1000 Joys in 2013. Even a chance to win a camera at the end of the year. More importantly, Ann tells us that in focusing our eyes and heart on Joy we are certain to reap the rewards of:

1. a relative absence of stress and depression. (Woods et al., 2008)

2. progress towards important personal goals (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)

3. higher levels of determination and energy (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)

4. closer relationships and desire to build stronger relationships (Algoe and Haidt, 2009)

5. Increased happiness…. by 25% — (Who wouldn’t want 25% more happiness!) (McCullough et al., 2002)

After all that…what are YOUR resolutions? Or do you just opt out and chalk it up to another day on the calendar?

As for me, my focuses for this year are:

Losing weight. Hubby has agreed to help me and so with his help, our P90X library and various other weights and miscellanea I’m ready. I mean, sheesh, the baby will be 10 this year for crying out loud!!
Spiritually to be more Joy-focused and applying it to how I live my life, my marriage, my parenting and so on.
Learn to use my REAL camera more efficiently and Photoshop Elements…which has been on my computer for 2 years and I still don’t have a CLUE what to do with it. It’s time. I love my iPhone but my real camera rocks.

Blessings and a Happy New Year to you and yours!

Precious life

Hypochondriacs, UNITE!!

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Sometimes it’s a problem working in the medical field. For a lot of reasons. First, let me assure you, I enjoy my job, taking care of patients (I’m a nurturer), hearing their stories and seeing what’s going on inside the body (I like to pretend I’m a doctor and figure out what’s the problem–makes the day more interesting). Buuuuuuuut……sometimes I get a little over it and have to dig DEEP for some compassion, because after the 20th whine story I’d rather get a spinal needle in the eye. Just sayin’….that’s when my friend and I encourage each other with these kind of things:

you are never too old for a “Gold Star”…

The bad thing is that when people get sick at home and I’ve been dealing with sick people all day, sometimes I have to dig even deeper. Pathetic. I know. And this week I’ve had to pull out the big shovel and dig for flippin’ China because we’ve had round 2 of our youngest getting sick AGAIN with a visit to the After hours Ped clinic and diagnosed with a virus lasting 5-7 days. Nausea, fever and all the good stuff that goes with it (if you can read between the lines). After recent strep throat and treatment for that, I was less than amused to deal with a virus. Nor was she. <sigh> Then it gets good….

Hubby becomes violently ill the next night with our daughter’s symptoms. Great. (here comes living out that “in sickness and in health” part…. So after a night of holding our daughter’s hair back a few times and about 3 hours of sleep next to the human furnace, I was thrilled to head to work, leaving our 14-year-old in charge of doling out Tylenol and water. Both of them were basically out of commission the entire day. I came home from work and went to work bleaching both bathrooms, kitchen and doling out more fluids and meds. They were rallying, then….

Dearest daughter complained of peeling feet and achy joints. I made the fatal mistake. yes. I web-surfed her symptoms. I know better. Let me STRONGLY encourage you. DO. NOT. DO. THIS. EVER. SERIOUSLY. Every symptom has a bizarre and rare disease to match on the web (this is why you DON’T surf the web for medical advice, people!). I found a disease for her, too. I did what any mother would do. I made her another doctor appointment. Hubby took her (he is now recovering somewhat). She did not have Kawasaki disease despite the matching symptoms…PHEW!…she DID (they are pretty sure after the swab)…have another round of Strep throat, so it’s another visit to Publix for free antibiotics and hopefully we are all on the upswing…… but…..

There are 4 other people in the house still, so we will see how it goes!

St. Raphael, the Archangel, patron saint of illness and healing, Pray for us!

Life giving friendships

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These girls, ladies, women, amazing friends and sisters in Christ. They’ve been an integral thread in my life for a dozen years. We met during a women’s retreat at our parish and many of our husbands participated in the men’s retreat that took place after ours. Our retreat group was probably twice this size after formation, but this group……THIS group struck a bond. A bond that went beyond formation and providing the next retreat. A bond strengthened over bible studies, rosaries, dinners and desserts. In spite of busy lives and season changes, we’ve managed to stick together, each taking a piece of the other’s heart so that we are all forever sisters regardless of distance and life’s plans for us. These are life giving friends.

This picture captures a rare moment of togetherness recently, and marks the move of one friend and her family to Washington D.C. The fact that we were ALL able to make the dinner (with school over and summer ON, one with laryngitis, one leaving the next day with her husband and 6 kiddos on vacation, myself being 4 hours away, and one with a newborn) was an amazing accomplishment in itself–on a Wednesday night no less! It was a bittersweet dinner (saying goodbye is NEVER easy) however, we were ALL able to take turns “catching up” in a roundtable discussion and enjoy each other’s company, laughing at stories and enjoying super delicious food, too–BONUS!

12 years brings much opportunity for prayer, encouragement, hope, love and comfort. What a blessing in these friendships, an abundant harvest resulting from following the prompting of our Lord to attend a weekend retreat.

These friendships are a tapestry of prayer and God reveals the image one story at a time. Through the years He’s weaved that tapestry through praying for one another and sharing in each other’s lives.

Prayers for struggling marriages and praises for God’s gift of forgiveness, compromise, commitment, and strength in fighting through the challenges and the fruit of healed hearts.

Prayers for babies born and unborn and praises for those who took their sweet, sweet time.

Prayers for being open to life and praises for the many varied gifts of life in this culture of death.

Prayers for children’s health, novenas for treatment and praises in God’s gift of talented physicians, compassionate nurses and a network of prayer warriors storming heaven.

Prayers for children lost in the sea of peer pressure and hurt as they spread their wings and fly solo, praises for God’s path and the gift of healing through angels on earth who allow the Holy Spirit to form their words and gently redirect their path.

Prayers for the unfairness of cancer and all the promises it robs, praises for the power of prayer, God’s will and the promises of His plan far exceeding our own.

Prayers for guidance and advice in the ongoing vocation of motherhood and marriage, and praises for God’s wisdom and love provided through friends as we all weave our families through this obstacle course of life.

Prayers through job loss and financial struggles and praises for jobs found, opportunities presented a faith to step out of comfort zones into Trust.

Prayers throughout a family’s prison ordeal and praises for a family restored.

Prayers for friends who move away and praises for the unexpected gifts received in stepping out in love and hope.

Prayers spoken, fears whispered, tears shed, hope restored, love shared, faith renewed. Prayer warriors and lifetime friends. A bond not weakened by distance. A bond strengthened through prayer, sharing, love and faith.

Thank you, Lord for the gift of friends. I am truly blessed.

Proverbs 11:14

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

For more on friendship Scripture check here…

When you thought no one was watching…

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I sat in my car early that morning, relaxed in the crisp air as the sun made its way into the sky and watched as quiet, sleepy children and coffee toting parents made their way to the football fields that would be our “home” for much of the day. Our own son was warming up with his team and Hubby would be bringing the rest of the troops when the first game started at 9, and so I had a brief period of rare solitude. And then it shattered.

Before I saw you, I heard you

You dropped so many F-bombs in 60-second period I lost count

“you should have been a girl, because you are acting like one”

F’ing Unbelievable

A boy about 9 stands outside the truck, gearing up for a day of football

A child I cannot see receives the venomous diatribe

Coming around the corner of her truck, we lock eyes

I am embarrassed for her, humiliated for her son, I drop my eyes

It doesn’t stop

Clenched jaw, uncensored words

A door slammed

Shut up. I am not even talking to you. Shut the F up.

I am frozen to my seat.

My eyes tear.

Kids push buttons. Parents are stressed. Tempers flare. Who will be the grown up?

I’ve been here. Not the F-bomb. Not stupid. But clenched jaws. Unkind words. Unloving actions.

I’ve been here. I’ve been 9. You are a pig. You are a crybaby. My father walks away.

We can be so awful to each other.

A door opens. A sweaty head, tear-stained, furious boy of 9 stomps to the rear of the truck.

The silent brother hands him his equipment.

The mother continues to berate. They walk away.

I am still frozen. But my heart and my mind are praying.

Soften our hearts, Lord. Help us to heal. Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to see.

I look for them throughout the morning and come up empty.

My mind continues to spin. The devil taunts my cowardice. My heart aches.

Game 1 over, I leave with my daughters while husband and son watch Game 2.

Sitting in the car, I tear out paper from a notebook, I write a letter.

I do not judge. Parenting is hard. I do not know the circumstances.

I do know what is right and what is wrong. I do know what sears the soul.

I encourage forgiveness, healing. I pray. I bless. I leave the letter on the windshield.

I leave the rest to God.

Did I do the right thing? Will it make it worse? Will she apologize? Will he forgive?

I may never know.

God does.

He sees all.

making the trek

Trekking through life: Faith, family, friends and a whole lot of coffee!