Remembering our Fallen...

Memorial Day is a day of remembering our fallen soldiers and service members from World War I to today's conflicts across the globe.  World War I (WWI) was the "War to end all wars..." and yet here in 2014, we still have war torn cities, countries and families.  Everywhere. 

The good news is that we have brave men and women who serve our country with dignity, pride and honor every day in every branch of the Military:  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and US Coast Guard.  They protect us in ways many of us are not even aware of and cannot fathom how they stay so strong and courageous.  Each week I go to Ft. Riley, KS for various events for my job and as I pass through the gate, a young soldier always says to me as they wave me through:  "Duty First."  Amazing....their first priority is my safety.  What an honor and privilege it is to serve our soldiers and their families at Ft. Riley. 

Last evening, Tim and I attended the Kansas City Union Station's "Celebration at the Station" to honor our military.  The KC Symphony played beautiful music with a performance that lifted our spirits and honored our Military Veterans and current service members.  It was wonderful and touching all at the same time.  Listening to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture  Solennelle, Op. 49 made me remember how important it is to honor and remember our Veterans from wars that happened before I was even born.  Lee Greenwood's song "God Bless the USA" gave me chills once again.  Amazing Grace and Taps gave us a reason to pause and reflect on the cost of freedom - our freedom.

We have had veterans that are our family members - our dads, brothers, uncles, nephews  - in our midst for over 100 years, just in the USA.  The beginning of WWI was in July 1914. Wow....100 years of people giving their lives for us, for me. 

If you or your spouse, or a family member is a veteran, I say thank you!!!  We owe you our lives, our choices, and our freedom. We have an enormous debt to pay you and gratitude swells up from the very core of my being.  I cannot thank you enough for what you have given me, my son and my family.

As I reflect on this Memorial Day, I pause and remember.....and won't forget the price that has been paid for me.

FUN!!!

FUN!  What is that?  Fun is something that provides amusement, enjoyment and/or playfulness.  Or, it can be something whimsical or flamboyant!!!  Fun can also be kidding around with your best pal - calling them goofy names, playing a practical joke on them or laughing at the silliest things together!!!  Whatever it is to you, I hope it is something you want to partake of on a daily basis!!!

When was the last time you had fun?  Laughed?? Played a joke on someone???
If it has been a while since the corners of your mouth turned UP, then you definitely need to put some fun back into your life! 

I was at Worlds of Fun in KC, MO last weekend with a very special person and his three daugthers - we had a blast!!!  We rode one roller coaster after another all the while laughing, screaming, and getting dizzy together!!!  It was so much FUN!!!

Some people like to kid around saying that the best part of their dysfunctional family is putting the FUN back into dysFUNctional!!!  If your family is one of THOSE families (LOL), then make it a place to relax and enjoy each other!!! Put the fun back into life - stop being so serious all the time!!! 

God has given us so many reasons to laugh and giggle together - why not take advantage and SEIZE THE DAY and laugh!!!  That's right - a big, belly laugh all the way down to your toes!!!

FUN - what can you do to bring it into your corner of the world today???

Graduation

Graduation anyone???  My son has arrived at the final destination of one chapter of his life:  High School!  Wow!  The time really did fly past.......18 years and he is off to a new life of his own.  We raise them to have wings, right???  To fly the nest to move forward on their own, but when the day actually comes, how do we really let go???

To graduate means that my son, Matt will receive a diploma for completing his required intervals of reading, writing and arithmetic!  He has the knowledge and skill base to go on to college........unbelievable!!!  His classes and accomplishments in high school have trained him to go out into the world and begin a new a series of classes which will prepare him to step into a full-time career!  He will begin the next phase that will prepare him to obtain and hold a job that will hopefully provide for a family and give him satisfaction in his field.  Wow........that is monumental concept for his mom!!! 

I never realized when I graduated from high school or college what affect/effect it was having on my parents!  I wonder.........what were their thoughts?  Imagination about me and my life to come?  What were their hopes and dreams for me?  It is an amazing thought!

And, now, here I am, reflecting on Matt's life.....what will he become?  What will he do?  Where will he live?  Where will he work?  Where will the Lord lead him in this life???  And, will he listen?  Ahhhh........that is the real issue.  Will he follow the path that he is destined for?  We shall see........we shall see.  And, how exciting is that for a parent to watch the steps, the choices, the decisions of their child?  I must admit it is very, very exciting!!!

You might be asking what is Matt's Passion???  BioTechnology is his passion:  DNA testing, wildlife specimens, long words of science that I have no idea what they mean!!!  But, Matt loves it!  He won a GENIUS Olympiad award recently with Greater KC Science and Engineering Foundation. Several of his classmates did, too!  They are on fire for what they found in their experiments!!!  Matt's BioTechnology teacher is fantastic - she inspires them to grow and learn and test out hypothesises that may change the outcome in our environment and our world - wow!!!  What a fantastic idea to contemplate!!!  This week, his teacher, Miss Bott had a surprise luncheon for the seniors and their parents at Shawnee Mission West!  The parents had an opportunity to view and listen to the student's presentations on what they were trying to accomplish in their class this year.  And, what they DID accomplish is amazing!!!  Our world is going to have the brilliant minds of these students who want to improve our world and the ecosystems that we inhabit - it is truly amazing!!!  Watch out world - here they come!!!!

And, now, commencement!  The final phase of this chapter for Matt!  A final conferring of his high school learning - a receipt of an academic degree at graduation next week!!!  WOW!!!  I cannot wait to see what the next chapter will be for Matt and for me..........

Everlasting Sunshine...

Everlasting Sunshine - have you ever imagined that?  I found a new Suave body wash called Everlasting Sunshine that smells like Passion Flowers and Vanilla - it is heavenly!!!  And, it got me to thinking........hmmm.....What if we had sunshine 365 days a year?  Would we appreciate its beauty?  Would we get tired of seeing the sun, squinting while driving, or feeling the heat of the day constantly?  I believe some of us would get tired of the constant light, heat and/or beauty - while others would bask in it and soak up every ray of sunshine!!!  Which would you choose?

And, ponder this question:  What exactly IS everlasting??  The dictionary definition is lasting forever, immortal, eternal, and/or perpetual.  Ahhh....that makes sense now!  Everlasting Son-shine! What if we let the Son of God shine in our hearts to others everyday?  What if we let love rule in our driving, our homes, our work place, our churches, our families, our children, our sports activities, our relationships?  Yep, every relationship!  (Even our Ex-husbands or wives....LOL) 
Our world would certainly be quite different than what it is right now......

Consider this:  Can you create an everlasting attitude?  You betcha!  It is a perpetual decision! 
Every day, every task, every chore, every way we interact with another human being.
We can choose to offer love, joy, friendship, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, mercy, and grace to others each moment that we are alive - it is a choice!  Did you know these are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?  So yes, absolutely, we can choose everlasting attributes to live by - especially the more we get to know His Son!!!  (Read Galatians 5:22.)

Did you know we can choose to think about what is true, right, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and/or praiseworthy?  Yep!  (Read Philippians 4:8.)  We can choose to focus on these characteristics, too!  And, if we become aware of the incredible consequences, we might just choose differently tomorrow....think about it!

We have an everlasting God who offers us so much beauty, so much grace, so much everlasting sunshine in our hearts as well as the light of His Son's love - how can we choose any differently???

Wow!  This everlasting sunshine concept creates such joyful optimism in my heart....yes, I know I see through Rose-colored glasses sometimes, but just imagine!!!  We have an opportunity to change someone else's outlook on this life!  Offer someone everlasting sunshine the next time you are irritated at the grocery store because they are being too slow or are on their cell phone while checking out!!!  We all have those pet peeves where we get so caught up in our selves that we forget to consider the options of extending grace to another person....consider a new reaction!!!

And, the next time you are choosing some body wash, try the Passion Flowers and Vanilla isle!  It just might perk up your world and give you some unexpected everlasting sunshine!!!

Balance....

Balance....finding equilibrium.....finding a balance between to opposing forces....finding if your check book has equality of totals on the debit and credit side of your account!
Such a definition is great in the pragmatic and practical sense!  And yet, it doesn't come close to what my heart says balance is!  Finding my balance.......hmmm.... how does one do that?

The messiness of life brings about decisions all the day long as to whether you spend your time doing this task or that task - laundry or vacumming?  Gardening or cleaning?  Swinging on the porch swing or spending time creating a menu?  What sorts out the messiness in your life?  What brings you balance?  An equality of work versus play?  Time spent at work or time spent with loved ones?  Time is so precious and yet, we constantly have to balance how we use the time that God has given us.  All of us have the same 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That is 168 hours!  How will you use yours this week?

I must ask the question:  Do you have balance in your life?  Would you say you have equilibrium in the areas you want to have equilibrium?  How do you find balance if you are OUT of balance?  What do you do to bring balance into your corner of the world - or does it matter to you?

I had a wonderful friend once named, Sherry, who seemed to be the most balanced person I knew!  Sherry was a nurse, a counselor, a daughter, a sister, a full-time employee, an inspirational speaker and a dear friend.  She seemed to find time for just the right thing at just the right moment all the time!  She had a sense of what was important to focus on each minute and did not get flustered or "stressed out" by so many of the things that I let myself stew over....why is that?  How can one person know exactly where they want to be and another not have a clue?  I think it all has to do with where your center is....where your focus is....where your priorities are....and years of practice!!! 

As I have contemplated her approach to life over the years and listened to her sage advice, I have found that if I sit down and ask myself - what IS important?  And, if I take the time to really think about what is important that helps me prioritize those important tasks, duties and activities that I am responsible for each day.  Also, knowing how much the people in my life mean to me, I make an intentional effort to spend time with those I love.  I schedule that day for coffee or lunch, I send that note to a friend in another city, I take the time to send a birthday card, email, text or eCard so that they know I am thinking about them!  Or, better yet, I call them and hear their voice which is the icing on the cake!

As I move through the day, at work or while doing something fun, I allow myself the luxury of expressing my gratitude for each person and task in my life.  Yes, even the dishes!  Over the years, my balance has grown more clear and intentional.  I find I do take the time to do what is necessary and I take the time to play!  I find the time to have fun, to enjoy planting those purple pansies of Spring, and to look at the colors of the sunset or the full moon! 

Finally, my faith is what gives me my balance, my center, and my life!  God provides what I need each moment of the day, if only I will listen to His sage advice!!!   Faith can move mountains.....faith can offer you the balance from a world torn with many difficulties, anxieties and urgent requests of our time....faith can give you the luxury of knowing that the Creator of the Universe wants us to find balance, to find time to experience His Peace, to give Him the glory for this gift called life, and to spread His love....can you allow yourself that luxury today???

Be a Sweetheart today....

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

This is the day of LOVE for everyone - a day to celebrate all the glorious ways love is displayed in our lives to and from those we love and to those we don't even know yet.....

Years ago, I had a dear friend once named Herb Owens who used to put this Dear Abby message on my desk every year on Valentine's Day!!!  I hope you read through it and soak in it's message because it is a timeless message that we can all use every day - not just Valentine's Day!!!

"Today is St. Valentine's day, so be a sweetheart and call someone ;you love and say, "I love you." (Make two or three calls!  Who says you can't love more than one person -- in different ways, of course?)

Go through your closets and give all those clothes you've been saving until you lose 10 pounds to your favorite charity.  Call someone who's lonely and say "I'm thinking of you."  Or better yet, say, "I'll come over tomorrow and take you to lunch...or run errands...or give you a ride."

Visit a sick friend.  Say a prayer (or two!)  Donate some blood.  Adopt a pet. Will your eyes, your kidneys and all your usable organs to someone who can use them after you're gone.  Forgive an enemy.  Hug your teenager.  Write a fan letter.  Listen to a bore.  Pay your doctor.  Tell your parents you think they're wonderful.  Spay your dog.  Nueter your cat. Quit smoking.  Drive carefully.  If you're walking, watch where you are going.

And, don't wait until next year to be a sweetheart again.  Love, Abby"
and, Love from Herb.....and Pam  xooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Isn't that wonderful?  Spread the love around!!!  Go and do things today and each day forward to offer love to someone who may never have had a Valentine.....and remember to hug yourself - You are important and loved very much, too!!!

2 Timothy 1:7 says:  "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of love and power and a sound mind."

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Snow angels....

Snow angels and igloos are in the making today...........snow coming down at one inch per hour, blowing winds, cold temperatures and beauty surrounding us as we watch this incredible gift from God!
When was the last time YOU made a snow angel???  Or, have you ever tried making an igloo??? 
No, we don't live in Alaska, nor do we live in one, but they sure are fun to remember!!!

Components of snow angels?  Simple!  Go outside dressed in warm layers of snow gear and lay down in the freshly falling snow.  Then, wave your arms from your sides to the top of your head and your legs from a straight leg position to each side and voila!  A snow angel appears in your yard or the nearest park!  As kids, my two sisters and brother lived in Akron, Ohio and we loved making snow angels in the snow! 

Igloos?  My oldest sister could make the most wonderful igloos, too!  She would pile up the snow to make a mound, then tunnel through the middle and core out the inside of the mound so that we could sit inside!  It was one of the coolest things since sliced bread!  It was an amazing experience as a little sister.........fun, fun, fun!!!

Snow - ahhh - it is so beautiful to watch!!!  Translucent/white ice crystals everywhere!  Take a peek out your window today in Kansas and you will be amazed at how much snow is falling!!!  I am grateful that I work from my home and can sit by my window and look out upon such beauty, such softness, such quietness and feel blessed by our Heavenly Father....I pray that you may be able to safely enjoy this beauty as well today.

Let's contemplate one step further:  Angels.......immortal beings attendant upon God....think about that - how many angels do you think surround us each day?  I wish I knew the answer to that question, but I am certain we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses!  Look up Hebrews 12:1 - there are many jewels there to ponder!

Also, think about this:  some people in our lives represent angels to us........those special human beings who are kind and loving........who show up just at the right moment when your steam runs out or your level of exasperation runs high.  A friend who knows to bring you a cup of hot tea or soup when you are not feeling well, or just comes over to share an hour with you and enjoy each other's company.  Angels really do surround us - both human and divine!  Watch for them.....wait for them......listen for them.......they are near! 

Or, perhaps, you can be an angel for someone else today - where do you see someone in need of tender, loving care???  Wherever that is, I hope you will put on your angel wings and/or snow gear and go outside and have some fun!!!