One Part Inspiration...

I was watching a program the other day in which a "life coach" was being interviewed. She said a couple of things which have been going over and over in my head. One was an example of working with a company on "conflict resolution". She told the employees to assume that everyone in the work place cared as much about their work as everyone else. This would help to ease the "why do they do it that way? " thoughts that inevitably occur when there are different personalities involved on a team. I thought of my own work places and how many different types of people who are my colleagues. There are many types of personalities and it is easy to assume that the other person is deliberately sabotaging the work place. But if you 'turn the dial the other way' you assume the best - and I wonder if you might see the best of people as well. You must be the change you want to see in the world. (Ghandi) The other was the example of the CEO who was having t...

Living on the farm has its advantages. There's lots of room. There's scenery. And there's animals. A dog, chickens, cats, rabbits and COWS. This morning the cows were bawling. It is often that way on the one morning that you can sleep in a bit. They begin bawling and wake you up. Such was the case this morning. I was muttering away to myself in my half sleep about the fact that I wished they'd be quiet. I half-heartedly looked for the extra pillow to put over my head to cut out the noise. The thing that really bothered me was that they sounded like they were right underneath our window. Unfortunately, there's no mute button for cows. Once they start, they just keep singing. Finally, my husband got up to look out the window to see what was going on. There was a reason why they sounded like they were underneath the window. They were. And probably had been for a while because there were cows a plenty in every corner of the yard where they shouldn't be. ...

Sad to say, the season for garage saling is almost over. It's too bad really. My #1 son has guitar lessons early Saturday morning which is a great excuse to bomb all over town and catch a few sales. But, good news, spring is on its way and the season will begin again. As I look back over this garage sale year, I can think of a few great deals I got - and that always makes a girl feel good. I like to use the term that it makes me feel "Proverbial 31ish". This is a reference to the gal in Proverbs 31 who puts us all to shame with her "select(ing) wool and flax and work(ing) with eager hands" and her "gett[ing] up while it is still dark; and provid[ing] food for her family and portions for her servant girls.", not to mention the "considering a field and buy[ing] it." Well I can't say that I have enough coins to rub together to consider a field, let alone buying it, but take me to a garage sale baby, and the "Proverbial 31" comes ro...

I love Maxine. You know the one I am talking about? Yep, this one. To me, she's like the "Dr. Phil" of cartoons. She says it like it is and if you don't like it, she could care less. A little while ago, I sent a card to a friend who was having a hard day. On the front of the card, Maxine is going to share a diet tip that has never failed. On the inside it says "Buy bigger pants". I love that. Part of me would like to be like her. Never mind towing the party line. Say exactly what you think and don't worry about what other people think of you. I think I tend to be like this most with my kids. And they have become a little Maxine-like themselves at times. For instance, when they were very small, we went for a family drive and decided to drop into Mickey "D's for a treat. We told them they had a choice - drink or an ice cream. Son #1 chose a drink. Then as we drove away, he realized that the ice cream looked so much better and he wanted the...

I am on a plane. Window seat. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. I feel anxious. Nothing really to pin my feelings on except for a vague sense that I will soon be in a zone where I will have no control. The plane is not moving. Yet. Preparations are in full gear. Luggage being loaded on the plane. Engine checks. Cross Checks. Overhead compartments double checked. First the safety demonstration, which I am sure I will never remember if I ever need it. Then the pilot comes on the overhead and announces that we are just waiting for final clearance before this bird can fly. Somehow, I don't feel any better. I wish for a moment, that the final clearance would never come, and we could all just get off the plane, and not have to go on this trip. After several minutes, the plane jerks a little, and then begins to pull out. The runway is long and it takes us a long time to taxi out to where we will be taking off. I feel all the bumps on the runway. I wonder if it might be possib...

Storms By Margie DeMerell There will be storms, child There will be storms And with each tempest You will seem to stand alone Against cruel winds But with time, the rage and fury Shall subside And when the sky clears You will find yourself Clinging to someone You would have never known But for storms.

The Football Player was picked up from his practice this afternoon. All seemed well with him at first, until he mentioned in a small voice that some people on the team weren't too happy that he was going to be given some time as a QB in tomorrow's game. Following the standard speech about proving them all wrong from his dad, [which I suppose was to be a "Go-Get-'EM" talk, but to my motherly ears sounded a little like a chat from the Drill Sergeant, ( ARe you Prepared TO be THE BEst YOu CAN be SOn??? Well, ARE YA? )] they headed outside to work on the skills he needs - tossing the football around and creating some scrimmage scenarios so he could be more prepared for his debut. I thought it best to keep my opinions to myself about whether or not the Football Player felt propped up by the speech. I stayed behind to work on dinner. Every once in a while I peeked out the window to see how the skill set was coming along. Before I knew it, the rest of the family was o...

Although I love him dearly, my father-in-law is a scary man. I don't mean scary in a "hide-behind-this -wall-and-jump-out-at-you-when- you- come- around-the-corner" type of scary. No, it is more that he likes to keep us all in suspense about whether or not he will make it out of the scrapes he find himself in. One of his famous sayings is to repeat "WHOA" five times. It sounds something like this : " WHhoa,wHOa,whOA,wHoA,WhOa ". This usually comes out of his mouth about the time he looks to see what disaster he's just escaped. I am composing a book in my mind about it. One day I may publish the stories of how many times we've thought he was a goner. Or that he should have been a goner based on what he did. The other night was one of those. To protect the innocent, I won't go into much detail. But I will say this: What he did gave me a quotable quote. " You can't drive forwards when you are looking backwards " . Had ...

The other day we were talking with some friends about the various types of motorcycles that are on the road now. There's the regular motor cycles, and then there are the type that are three-wheeled. There's also a three-wheeled motor cycle that has two wheels at the front and one at the back. I was trying to picture how you would ride a bike like that. Would you have to sit on it backwards? Then the conversation turned to things you see on the freeway like crazy signs. I remembered that when I was in New Zealand, we passed a road sign that said "Salvation Road; No Exit". I always wished I'd taken a picture to prove it. There are other things which make you look twice and smile all day. Or raise your eyebrows at how crazy it is. I have seen people reading books as they drive. I've seen people talking on their cell phones and using both hands to gesture instead of using them to control the wheel. But I have to say that the most odd thing I've ever see...

I am inclined to (as my brother would say) be an optomistic pessimist. I admire those who can see things in a positive way even when it seems like the world is falling apart around them. I myself struggle to do the same. So, over the summer, I did some reading on positive thinking and living. The books and articles said some of the same things. Here are two of the main ideas: To create better thought patterns , think positively. (DUH!) If you are an over-thinker ( name ten women or men who are not and I'll mail you a cheque for the difference ) make a plan - and then do something about it - however small. This is supposed to help you move through negative thinking because you are not allowing your mind to go over details that you cannot control. I have my own theory of how to get through the tough spots of life. I call it the R/R technique. This is allowing yourself to create a mix of ranting (about the negative- such as the way people just pull into the driveway at school without ...

Well, I ran across this, and it struck me funny so I am sharing it with you cyber readers. A young man - we'll call him Paul - gets frustrated with the level of gossip and criticism at his school. Instead of complaining about it, he decides to be proactive. He creates a group on Facebook to counteract all the negative energy that he perceives to be happening in his grad class. On the Facebook group, there has to be a description posted so that people will know what parameters it has. He writes a whole paragraph about his disappointment with the general interactions of the class. He writes about how people can start a discussion on the site about things that are bugging them and others will be able to respond. The most important thing he feels is that everyone should have the right to anonymity. He feels making anonymous comments will be helpful because the teenagers might want to address an issue but not get bugged about it in the halls. So he says that even he will remain anonymou...

I am in a quandary . It is 5:00 p.m. and because I am the mom, it's really my job to make supper. Here's the problem. I would much rather not. How about that? Anyone mind? No one answers. Of course, I haven't asked out loud, but still.... If I asked myself, I would certainly give me permission to forgo making supper. But amongst the other members of the house, there's been a few comments flying around about the shall-we-say 'intermittent' style of meals this summer. I don't know if they say it to make me feel guilty or if it's just a simple observation. If I get defensive about it, then it makes me look guilty and then, like a revolving door, we just go round and round. O.k. So, let me take the situation in hand. It's now 5:05 p.m. I wonder what I could whip up in say, twenty minutes. Let me wander out to the big freezer and see if inspiration is stored there. ..... Nope. But I did find a Popsicle , so I eat it. Wander back into the kitchen. Look a...