A Great Metaphor for Life

   Your life's journey may at times be a solo performance,
 other times you may be accompanied by a partner. What 
matters most is how you choose to travel !

'When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor.

It is to enjoy each step along the way.'

Wayne Dyer

Thought for Today

'A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.'    
                              Dave Barry

I'm Back...

Have you ever wanted to take one of these,

 

to one of these...???

Exactly one week ago my computer decided to do this...

after several days trying to repair it myself I contacted my local cable provider for assistance. A very nice young man

was absolutely no help what so ever and after several hours on the phone with him figured I would have to call in the serious artillary.

Before doing so I decided I would call my very handsome yet very capable son Josh. Now I'm not sure how everyone else deals with calling on their children for help but I resist it at all costs. My son, sweet as he can be, has little patience for my lack of tech skills and cannot understand why my feeble brain can't grasp what seems so obvious to him.

Most of our computer repair conversations go something like this:

(son) what did you do???

(me) nothing

(son) you must have done something!

(me) I swear, one minute it was fine and the next it was frozen

(son) here, you go here, do this, that happens, it's fixed...

(what I hear) blah, blah, blah!

I do try, I just can't wrap my  brain around it and the more impatient he gets with me the more my brain freezes! It finally dawned on me that this was a generational thing. He grew up with computers as part of his everyday life, for me they were an intrusion that I resisted for as long as humanly possible. I finally caved and learned the most rudimentary skills but not near enough to bail myself out of serious trouble. My attempt at getting him to understand my inability to become as tech savvy as he is went something like this:

(son) why can't you remember this, I've shown you before?

(me) I try but it just doesn't seem to stick

(son) well why not?

(me) you grew up with this, it's all common knowledge for you

(son) so you're saying you can't learn?

(me) no, it just takes me longer

(son) I don't get it!

(me) let me explain, while this is something you enjoy, it's just a necessary evil for me...suppose I were to walk you through my gardens and I told you all the common and latin names of my plants and flowers, then I proceded to tell you what conditions they needed for thriving and when their bloom times were etc. If I were to call you back in a month or so and quizzed you do you think you would remember???

(son) not a very good analogy

(me) of course it is, if it's not something you need to know or do everyday it's harder to retain

(son) grumble, humph

Now mind you, the above conversations have been repeated many times in the last five years, nothing changes. Can you understand my reluctance to call on him for help???

My husband finally convinced me to ask for #1 son's help. He was here for two days and many hours before he fixed it...so I ask you how was I supposed to fix it if even my computer smart son had trouble?

While I may resist the technological end of this thing that sits on my desk, I do miss it when it's gone so I am quite happy to be back...now I think I'll just spend the remainder of this rainy day visiting all of you!

YIPPEE !!!

Just wanted to let you know we're going out to the cabin for a long weekend!

It's smack dab in the middle of Pennsylvania, in the middle of Bald Eagle State Forest.

It's so peaceful and beautiful there and I just love it! These photos are taken right in our neck of the woods. It takes us about 4 to 5 hours to get there, depending on the traffic, it is so worth the trip!

Sorry I can't figure out how to enlarge them for you. I'll be back late Monday so I'll be sure to visit you all when I get back!

Love,

Diva

Prayers for Haiti

         I have been praying for the people of Haiti since the news of this horrific disaster hit. It doesn't feel like enough, the relief effort seems to take so long, people are dying and injured, waiting for help that is slow to arrive. As the poorest nation in the western hemisphere it's own infrastructure cannot handle what needs to be done.

                                                
    I have been to Haiti and the poverty and need are so overwhelming that it breaks my heart. My mind now can scarcely wrap itself around the devastation I see on the news, they statred out with so little and now this. I shall continue to pray for there seems little else to do, aside from monetary donations and waiting for help to find it's way through the rubble.

                                              
    I shall look closely at the faces of this tragedy for they are my brothers and sisters, and they are in need of our prayers.

                               

May God send his heavenly Angels to comfort and console His people in Haiti. May He enable His earthly angels to arrive quickly and may He give them the strength, wisdom and compassion to make a difference in the lives of the Haitian people. Through them may they see the face of Jesus.

The Gift of Motherhood

   I can scarcely believe that my I gave birth to my first child 32 years ago today, not sure how that math is working out since I don't feel much older than that myself! In all seriousness though I could never imagine how this journey called life would play out back then, but I can tell you that being a mother has been my greatest gift and I cannot thank God enough for entrusting the care and raising of my sons to me.
  I was fairly certain back then at the ripe old age of 22 that I was prepared and could handle it, after all I watched my Mom make it seem like a walk in the park, right? No one prepares you for the fact that you will love these children more than you ever thought it humanly possible to love anyone. You are not prepared for a love so large that it is like having your 'heart beating outside of your own body'. Your joy, pain, accomplishements, growth, setbacks are so intricately intertwined with theirs that it's impossible to feel the difference between their emotions and yours. When they hurt you hurt, when they rejoice you rejoice.
   Despite the fabrics of your lives being so interwoven they grow up and you must let them. The fabric and seams must start to unravel a bit and you have to let them build their own tapestry. It is not always easy to let the strings unravel and to become part of another. While there are always common threads you must be careful to loosen your grip lest you pull too tightly and risk strangling them.
   So today I celebrate the bright sunshine that is and always has been my firstborn, Joshua.
                         

with his brother Jason (son #2)

  with baby brother Alex     

     Now for all you new Moms out there, remember that it is normal to live through the 'terrible twos', the angst of adolescence, and the trials of young adulthood. You will both survive and you will be blessed as I have been with this wonderful adult who shares this wonderful connection called family. Josh is a wonderful man and I am so very proud of him but rest assured he will always be my baby!

Spiritual Sundays

"I'm going to live so God can use me, anywhere Lord, anytime!"

Thought for Today

A married man should forget his mistakes.

There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!

Thought for Today

Be the Moon

Reflect the SON

Wishcasting Wednesday 2010

   Jamie from http://jamieridlerstudios.ca/ has the most intriguing prompt for this 'Wishcasting Wednesday', 'What dreams to do you wish to explore?' I have one recurring dream that I have always wanted to bring to life and that is to travel to an 'art retreat' where the sole purpose of the trip is to spend time with like minded people, creating, learning new techniques, experimenting with new mediums and just enjoying the creative process. I have always pushed that dream on the back burner because of family obligations, work etc. Well this year I am going to plan that trip!!!

I stumbled across this wonderful site during the holidays and it's all I can think of! At 'Navel Jelly Studios' they have an artist's retreat called 'Art in the Rough', it's only a few days long (certainly doable for my first retreat) and it takes place in the beautiful state of Maine (within driving distance)! I know many will think I'm crazy for wanting to camp instead of doing the whole hotel thing but it just sounds so charming I can't resist. Luxury camping in the beauty of nature, several workshops offered and meeting new people, PRICELESS! ...so where did I put that credit card???

                                                                       
                                                                 

'Be Teachable'

"It is a mistake for anyone to think he has lived too long in his old unsatisfactory ways to make a change. If you switch on a light in a dark room, it makes no difference how long it was dark because the light will still shine. Be teachable, that is the whole secret."
                                              Vernon Howard

A New Year...A New Venture

    Happy New Year everyone! January always finds me trying new ventures and this one shall be no different. I have over the last six months enjoyed reading "the Simple Woman's Daybook' and all the blogs of those who participate so I have decided I will give this a try. If you find this intriguing and perhaps want to sneak a peek at what others are doing this glorious Monday morning stop by and visit at http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/  .

Outside my window...it is cold and windy as it has been for the last few days, brrrr!

I am thinking...that it is peaceful and quiet in my home today, everyone is back to school and work!

I am thankful...for a loving husband and my sons and knowing they will return home this evening filling
                         the house with noise and laughter.

I am wearing...my warm and comfy jammies knowing I don't need to rush out anywhere today.

I am remembering...that I have much to be greatful for.

I am going...to spend the rest of this day organizing and cleaning, I love it when things are tidy!

I am hoping...that I will embrace this new season and all the possibilities that await me.

On my mind...my sister and her cancer treatments, praying that all of these months of chemo and
                       radiation have killed the cancer!

Noticing that...I feel hopeful about 2010.

Pondering these words..." Most people don't recognize opportunity when it comes, because it's
                                           usually dressed in overalls and looks a lot like work."  (Thomas Edison)

From the kitchen...planning on some homemade chicken soup to warm everyone up when they arrive home

Around the house...noticing how bare things are with the Christmas decor packed away but enjoying
                                the uncluttered rooms.

One of my favorite things...having a fire burning when my family walks in the door.

A few plans for the rest of the week...include taking my sister to her treatments, taking her out for
                                                              lunch and then taking down her Christmas tree and packing her
                                                              decor away...hoping that by next year she will be well enough to
                                                              do it for herself.

A picture for thought...

May your week be full of simple joys and pleasures!!!