Choosing your gifts

At church last Sunday, we were in prayer and when I lifted my head, an older man came to me and said "You're going to have a great week. God is telling me that good things are going to happen." I was gracious but skeptical, of course.

Right away, I start imagining what might happen, MY interpretation of what a good week would look like: I meet "the one," my AdvoCare business starts to soar and money starts rolling in, I get an unexpected windfall that will wipe out all of my debt, I'll get a call from the doctor that yes, that extra 40 pounds I'm carrying IS indeed a benign tumor that can easily be removed with no visible scarring, yada yada yada.

It's amazing how when someone tells us they have a gift for us we right away start trying to predict what that might be. Then when we DO receive it, we're often disappointed because it isn't what we'd hoped for. It's a perfectly good gift; it's just not what WE wanted. Sometimes the gift is even BETTER than we could have imagined but we can't see that through our tears of disappointment.

God's gifts are the same. Our prayers are for one thing and He provides us with something else. Ultimately, His gifts are better because His plan is better. I just need to stop making my list and be happy with His.

Truth is, that is MUCH easier said than done.

She didn't "friend" me?!

I know that most if not all of you are on Facebook. I know because you're on my "Friends" list. In spite of being highly addictive, it's such a great way to stay in touch with everyone. Nobody is going to call me (and 231 of their closest "friends") to tell me what the weather is like, what they had for dinner or when school is canceled. It's a big deal to you in the moment, but not something you're going to tell everyone you know. Unless you're on Facebook. Then you do. Weird, isn't it? Still, I think people stay connected through the "little" news so that it's easier to help work through the "big" news.

Found out today that my mom is on Facebook. Found out because she's on my sister's friend list.

I DID send her a friend request. Now the mouse is in her court!

Family Stump

My mother is not the most tech savvy person on the planet. In fact, she's what you call a techno-peasant. She's not afraid of technology like a techno-phobe. She's just not that familiar with anything that has a faster processor than....oh, I don't know, an armadillo perhaps.

So imagine my surprise to a) receive an e-mail from her that b) had a link to a genealogy website that c) she had entered our family tree into.

Too bad that the one piece of information she managed to enter for ME was someone I shared 9 years and a last name with but who was "pruned" from the tree over 10 years ago.

I get that it's family history, but seriously...do we HAVE to go there?

DIVERSIFY!

I read an article in today's local paper that shocked me. There are 3 major family foundations in Miami that lost LARGE quantities of money by investing with Madoff.

What I find most interesting is that one foundation "had $32.3 million -- virtually its entire securities portfolio -- with Madoff at the end of 2007." Another had "about $4.9 million, all but $361,000 of its stock portfolio, with Madoff as of May 31, 2007."

Both families are from our school community and their family foundations have contributed large amounts to our many campaigns. The last donation that comes to mind is the $1 million for our new media center that bears the family name.

I may only have a fraction of that amount in my portfolio, but even I know that you don't put all your eggs in one basket and then let someone else carry the basket for you.

It'll be interesting to see if the school suffers any damage from "unmet" pledges. We've "raised" almost $20 million for our Capital Building Campaign in the last 5 years. The buildings are built; now let's see if they'll be paid for.

Honor Code or Gifted?

Guava doesn't start school until next Thursday. She is everything that will be covered since she's practicing with Queso. I wonder if I can have my dog tested for Gifted. Or I wonder if it's considered an honor code violation, like knowing what's going to be on the "pop" quiz?

Puppy School and the Four legged foodie

Queso started "Puppy School" last night. Guava starts next week on Thursday. I'll be spending 2 nights a week for the next 8 weeks at Petsmart. We got there a bit early and met some of his classmates. There was an adorable 2 month old beagle who, while standing on his hind legs, came up to Queso's eye level. The beagle (Pasquale) kept chewing on Queso's ear and crawling all over him. He didn't do anything back; he just sat gently while the puppy played. He's only 4 months old himself. Now THAT'S a good dog! I get them comment about The Pastelitos all the time; they are really well-behaved and happy dogs. In public. At home, it's another story. Actually, they ARE good dogs but sometimes I forget they are just babies and I have to keep my eyes on them.

The first class is about how to load the clicker, which is what you use to signal "good job" when the dog does something right. To load it, you have to pair the sound with a treat. To demonstrate, the trainer tried to use the beagle: "When Pasquale takes the treat, I click so he knows to associate the clicker with a treat." When she tried, Pasquale was SO not interested in the treat. She moved on to an overly picky-eater Shitzu; same problem. I raised my hand and said, "Queso will eat it." And so he was the star. My dog is a foodie. How appropriate.

Hang With The Happy To Be Happy

Researchers have discovered happiness is not solely dependent upon oneself, but is partly dependent on who we surround ourselves with. Hanging around with happy people as well as having a larger social connection is associated with being happier. It appears that happiness rubs off on others you're around and the more happy people you're around, the more likely you are to be happy and the happier you are. Researchers even went as far as to quantify happiness. According to their statistics, each happy person you have social contact with increases the odds of being happy by 15 percent. On the other hand, for each unhappy person you have social contact with your odds of being happy are reduced by 6 percent. Since happiness is associated with reduced mortality, reduced pain and improved cardiac function, it seems important to surround yourself with happy people!


Author:ChiroPlanet.com
Source:Reuters: December 5, 2008.
Copyright:ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2009

What was I thinking?

They've chewed on walls, they've severed a lap cord, they've marked up the new furniture, they force me to get up at 5:30 AM, they cost money, they keep me from leaving for the weekend on a whim, they don't listen.....

They are so cute, they are hilarious when they play, they are sweet when they're tired, they kiss my face, they're excited to see me, they make me want to leave work and go straight home every day.

Perhaps if I'd only gotten one. Perhaps if they weren't going to top out at over 60 pounds. EACH.


Not sure I really thought this one through, but in spite of it all, I think I'm happier with them than without them.

One Place

If you haven't discovered One Place, get there now. (It's ok...click the link. I'll wait here until you get back)
........

SEE?! Isn't it cool? Hindleg shared it with me a few years ago. I was looking for a new "Bible in a Year" reading plan so that's where I start my day now. Plus being able to listen to almost any ministry message at the click of a mouse button makes it a fabulous place to get lost for an hour or so.

Try it!

New Year, New Perspective

I was in Tampa for the All-State Music convention this weekend. I was not in the mood to go, nor did I have to as I had no students participating for the first time in about 12 years. (That's another story). It was nice not having to worry about a student/parent there, so I did plan on attending quite a few clinics. I managed to get to about 6, all of which were really outstanding. I'm feeling ready to get back and roll up my sleeves tomorrow.

The best part was the number of people who kept asking me what I was taking/doing to lose weight/tone up/look younger. No less that 10 people made specific comments (rather than the standard "You look great!") about how I was achieving such great results. What an ego boost. Gotta love AdvoCare! (and YES, I told them all EXACTLY what I was doing! Hope they will all try it soon.)

God said "Make Music"

Psalm 98:4-9 - God said "Make Music"

He surely expects beautiful harmonies to come from instrument and voice. Remember His expectations when the piano is out of tune, the drummer can't keep a beat, the conductor is crazy, everyone else is flat, you have the wrong music and your solo just started without you.

Going manic

This was a conversation between a friend and her grandson, who is 7.

Grandson: "I just need to go manic for a minute."
Grandma: "Well, do it outside."

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That made me giggle a lot!

Knuckleheads

I often worry when people go on and on about how much they love their pastor; it sometimes borders on idol worship. It also sets one up for disappointment when the pastors "human-ness" shows through.

That being said - I love the fact that Pastor Robert regularly refers to people as "knuckleheads" in his messages. It just makes me chuckle when he says "knucklehead."

Don't invalidate me

Let me be unhappy, let me FEEL. To do otherwise is to invalidate who I am.

Blood

If blood is thicker than water, how thick is SPIRIT ~ the essence of who you are?

The Bucket List

I have The Bucket List here, ready to watch when I get a chance. I was going to watch it last night, but put in Expelled by mistake. It was way too late and I ended up falling asleep - I'll watch them both later this weekend.

Still - I'm planning on writing my own Bucket List once I'm done with the movie. Have you written yours?

Clean Slate, Clean Plate, Clean Date

The beauty of New Year's Eve is that it feels fresh and new. Everyone walks around thinking "THIS year is going to be different." The funny thing is that most people don't take the steps needed for that difference to actually happen. Change is hard work and all of the wishful thinking in the world isn't going to make a darn bit of difference if you don't put in the effort. It's like Dr. Tim says "It's not what you COULD do or WOULD do that matters, it's what you DO do that counts. You've got to do the DO do."

I hate it when I "should" on myself. Most of the time, I just don't think it through. I end up "shoulding" over something I don't really want in the first place.

My New Years Resolution is to stop "shoulding" and to start "doing the DO do."