in 8th grade home-ec we had these lovely things called "grateful books". our teacher would hand them out at the beginning of class, and we had to write five things for which we were grateful on that particular day. I don't remember what all I put in there, but I remember really racking my brain to come up with my quota on some days.
there are many reasons I think home-ec should be offered in college rather than 8th grade. if I remember correctly, I could make a mean omelet at age 12, but that skill has since faded with a negative correlation to its usefulness. did I need to make an omelet for myself in 8th grade? no. college? well, it couldn't have hurt.
along with cooking and the ability to sew a stuffed squirrel (yes, I chose to make a squirrel and moose as my stuffed animal creations in 8th grade...rocky and bullwinkle, anyone? no wonder I wasn't ever cool in jr. high), the ability to be grateful seems to have slipped through the cracks of my memory, too. what if I took the time to look for the things I take for granted every day? what if I thanked God for getting me to work every morning instead of grumbling over long traffic lights? what if I was looking for little, joyous moments instead of skimming over them because I'm so focused on the negative? I'm going to try this. maybe it could radically change my attitude, alter my state of mind. even if it doesn't, though, I'm going to be grateful.
here are some thank you notes for the last day or so...
1 - dear lab partners, thank you for being brave, awesome morticians who are not afraid to handle a cow heart. and thank you for not getting grumpy with me when I wasn't as enthusiastic. and thank you for not getting cow blood on me.
2 - dear police officer, thank you for not pulling me over when I whizzed by you going...well...over the speed limit. speeding always seems like a good idea until I see a cop and am reminded that a ticket will not only cause a delay, but deplete my bank account as well. so once again, thank YOU.
3 - dear evening runs, thank you for being therapeutic. thank you for allowing me to clear my head and find joy in the little things, like saying hi to little old ladies having conversations in the middle of the sidewalk or watching a family play softball in their yard.
3.5 - dear beautiful weather, thank you just for being and for making number 3 possible.
4 - dear community nutrition professor, thank you for making class fun and reminding me of why I want to be a dietitian. thank you for letting us pretend counsel you and for not being an easy client. I like a challenge. and I also secretly like it when you tell us you don't want to make any lifestyle changes, that you're just "big boned-ed" and that your "baby daddy" is lucky cause he isn't. one day I hope I can counsel a real patient like this and talk her into drinking only one "big gulp" a day.
5 - dear mom, thank you for letting me talk your ear off about everything I've done the past two weeks. sometimes a girl just needs to chat with her momma. thanks for telling me about yourself at my age, too. I love hearing your insights and remembering that you were once in your 20s, going to school, stressed out, and trying to get by - just like me. also, thank you for answering the phone at 10 pm your time when I forget about the time change.
6 - dear co-worker, thank you for seeing potential in me. thank you for encouraging me to do more with my life than I sometimes think I can, and thank you for challenging me to not just stay content with where I am. thank you for letting me know that you think I can do more.
well, ok, so that was kind of seven, but who's to say there needs to be a limit on what you're grateful for? I'm grateful that I have so much to be grateful for. cheesey? maybe. true? you bet your bottom dollar.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
north and south
I'm starting my third (THIRD?!) year here in what one of my friends calls "the dirty south". it also was recently my half birthday, so in honor of these momentous occassions (har har), here is a list of 24.5 new, southern-specific experiences/lessons learned since moving below the mason-dixon line...
I have...
1. discovered what a Zaxby's is...(and no, it is NOT a fancy sit-down restaurant, which can be confusing...)
2. eaten at, and fallen in love with, Zaxby's, their seasoned fries, and their delicious Zax sauce
3. pushed a "buggy" around the grocery store
4. learned about Milo's sweet tea and its deliciousness
5. learned that drinking your calories might not be the best idea in the land of everything fried, so swore off Milo's sweet tea (along with McAllister's sweet tea...I'd rather eat my calories in the form of their gigantic spuds)
6. been called a "yankee" on more than one occasion
7. been laughed at for calling beverages of the caffeinated genre "pop", and have since slipped up and said "coke"
8. learned that "boil" and "bowl" can sound an awful lot alike
9. tried, and was not impressed with, fried green tomatoes
10. have successfully avoided grits
11. added to my dress collection, as southern women wear dresses EVERYWHERE. up north, I wore dresses to weddings and on an occasional sunday if I had the ambition to shave. here, dresses are worn february - november for (but not limited to) the following occasions: church, work, trips to the grocery store, baseball games, football games, dinner (whether it's one's own kitchen, mcdonalds or connor's steakhouse), camping, going to the movies, and any other event that causes a lady to leave her house during these summer months (dresses can be worn december & january, but typically are accompanied by leggings). there is no such thing as being overdressed.
12. said "y'all" and made it a staple of my vocabulary
13. learned how to spell "y'all" (not to be confused with "yawl" or "ya'll")
14. learned how to correctly use the phrase "bless his/her heart"
15. seen schools close at the prediction of "up to an inch" of snow
16. seen groceries stores completely sell out of bread and milk due to "impending snow storms"
17. been let off work early due to tornado warnings and snow predictions
18. learned the tornado sirens go off at least three times a week in April
19. killed bugs the size of my face
20. had a black widow hang out in my apt. (it has since been killed, or I would not be hanging out in my apt.)
21. witnessed a large snake crossing my hiking path (and heard the expletives of a young man who did NOT see the large snake crossing his hiking path)
22. made poppyseed chicken a staple of my diet
23. tried banana pudding and wished it was a staple of my diet
24. worn a tank top and shorts outside in October
24.5 introduced my hair to humidityand gotten used to it
I have...
1. discovered what a Zaxby's is...(and no, it is NOT a fancy sit-down restaurant, which can be confusing...)
2. eaten at, and fallen in love with, Zaxby's, their seasoned fries, and their delicious Zax sauce
3. pushed a "buggy" around the grocery store
4. learned about Milo's sweet tea and its deliciousness
5. learned that drinking your calories might not be the best idea in the land of everything fried, so swore off Milo's sweet tea (along with McAllister's sweet tea...I'd rather eat my calories in the form of their gigantic spuds)
6. been called a "yankee" on more than one occasion
7. been laughed at for calling beverages of the caffeinated genre "pop", and have since slipped up and said "coke"
8. learned that "boil" and "bowl" can sound an awful lot alike
9. tried, and was not impressed with, fried green tomatoes
10. have successfully avoided grits
11. added to my dress collection, as southern women wear dresses EVERYWHERE. up north, I wore dresses to weddings and on an occasional sunday if I had the ambition to shave. here, dresses are worn february - november for (but not limited to) the following occasions: church, work, trips to the grocery store, baseball games, football games, dinner (whether it's one's own kitchen, mcdonalds or connor's steakhouse), camping, going to the movies, and any other event that causes a lady to leave her house during these summer months (dresses can be worn december & january, but typically are accompanied by leggings). there is no such thing as being overdressed.
12. said "y'all" and made it a staple of my vocabulary
13. learned how to spell "y'all" (not to be confused with "yawl" or "ya'll")
14. learned how to correctly use the phrase "bless his/her heart"
15. seen schools close at the prediction of "up to an inch" of snow
16. seen groceries stores completely sell out of bread and milk due to "impending snow storms"
17. been let off work early due to tornado warnings and snow predictions
18. learned the tornado sirens go off at least three times a week in April
19. killed bugs the size of my face
20. had a black widow hang out in my apt. (it has since been killed, or I would not be hanging out in my apt.)
21. witnessed a large snake crossing my hiking path (and heard the expletives of a young man who did NOT see the large snake crossing his hiking path)
22. made poppyseed chicken a staple of my diet
23. tried banana pudding and wished it was a staple of my diet
24. worn a tank top and shorts outside in October
24.5 introduced my hair to humidity
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
disappointment
I've been thinking a lot about disappointment. I'm disappointed - hurt, confused, frustrated and...well...disappointed! but this isn't the first time. and it won't be the last.
as humans, without even meaning to, we place expectations on things - situations, experiences, jobs, relationships. I play out the way I want things to go ahead of time, so why am I so surprised when I'm disappointed? this is life, after all, and Lord knows that the way I plan things out in life have never gone according to plan a. or plan b, c, or k.
and we are people. people who have human flaws and are not perfect. I mess up on a daily basis and often, even without knowing it, disappoint people, too.
we live in a broken world. a world where Satan is prince. how can there not be heartbreak, disappointment and pain?
if you are in any relationship that you have invested time, energy and your heart in, you will be disappointed at some point. nothing in this life is guaranteed. but that doesn't mean that we stop loving or investing ourselves in others. it just means that this isn't our real home.
the Son of God was disappointed by others. I'm sure when one of his followers turned Him in to be tortured and killed, it hurt. I'm sure that when He was crying out to His father in the garden of gethsemane and His closest friends kept falling asleep when they were supposed to be keeping watch, He was disappointed. disappointment doesn't discriminate. not in this world.
this isn't me having a debbie downer moment, this is simply a truth. the good news is that while there is pain, there is compassion. while there is hate, there is love. while we make mistakes, there is grace and forgiveness. and the best news is that it doesn't end here.
the lyrics of Laura Story's song, Blessings, say it beautifully:
"What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy?"
So I'm disappointed, but that disappointment won't last through eternity. thank God.
as humans, without even meaning to, we place expectations on things - situations, experiences, jobs, relationships. I play out the way I want things to go ahead of time, so why am I so surprised when I'm disappointed? this is life, after all, and Lord knows that the way I plan things out in life have never gone according to plan a. or plan b, c, or k.
and we are people. people who have human flaws and are not perfect. I mess up on a daily basis and often, even without knowing it, disappoint people, too.
we live in a broken world. a world where Satan is prince. how can there not be heartbreak, disappointment and pain?
if you are in any relationship that you have invested time, energy and your heart in, you will be disappointed at some point. nothing in this life is guaranteed. but that doesn't mean that we stop loving or investing ourselves in others. it just means that this isn't our real home.
the Son of God was disappointed by others. I'm sure when one of his followers turned Him in to be tortured and killed, it hurt. I'm sure that when He was crying out to His father in the garden of gethsemane and His closest friends kept falling asleep when they were supposed to be keeping watch, He was disappointed. disappointment doesn't discriminate. not in this world.
this isn't me having a debbie downer moment, this is simply a truth. the good news is that while there is pain, there is compassion. while there is hate, there is love. while we make mistakes, there is grace and forgiveness. and the best news is that it doesn't end here.
the lyrics of Laura Story's song, Blessings, say it beautifully:
"What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy?"
So I'm disappointed, but that disappointment won't last through eternity. thank God.
Friday, August 26, 2011
words of wisdom
"people are always saying that change is a good thing. But all they're really saying is that something you didn't want to happen at all...has happened."
10 points if you can name that movie.
I don't really necessarily believe this quote (per post a few days back about change being necessary), but I was thinking about all the things we say to people to comfort them when they're going through a rough time. you know those times where you get news that is less than wonderful and suddenly, everything gets a little blurry? your heart is racing or has stopped, you're not sure which, and you feel like you're falling. you're falling and you can't feel your legs and for a moment, nothing else matters. it's just you and that news. at which point, if I am comforting someone else, I don't what to say. this is typically when I just hug. just hug and hand tissues. because really, if it's me, nothing sounds good in this moment.
I know that there is a reason for everything we go through. I really do believe that God has a big plan and if I didn't get what I wanted, it was for the best. I believe that, but it still stings. it still hurts to know what you thought was best, was not best. especially when you can't see the "best" that is coming. and sometimes, I don't want to hear all that "there's a silver lining to this" crud. sure, there is a time to speak truth, but there is also a time where I would just like someone to say "wow...that really sucks right now. I believe it will get better, and that God has better plans, but there's no denying that you're going to have some pain to deal with. I'm sorry...I know that it just...sucks..." and then an offering to get ice cream or go on a walk or see a funny movie would suffice. or a giant hug (I like hugs) and allowing me to cry all over you would also be grand.
I'm going to try to remember this for other people....maybe they want the wise words, and sometimes I do, but sometimes I just want a friend who will hug me. and tell me it's ok that I'm snotting everywhere.
10 points if you can name that movie.
I don't really necessarily believe this quote (per post a few days back about change being necessary), but I was thinking about all the things we say to people to comfort them when they're going through a rough time. you know those times where you get news that is less than wonderful and suddenly, everything gets a little blurry? your heart is racing or has stopped, you're not sure which, and you feel like you're falling. you're falling and you can't feel your legs and for a moment, nothing else matters. it's just you and that news. at which point, if I am comforting someone else, I don't what to say. this is typically when I just hug. just hug and hand tissues. because really, if it's me, nothing sounds good in this moment.
I know that there is a reason for everything we go through. I really do believe that God has a big plan and if I didn't get what I wanted, it was for the best. I believe that, but it still stings. it still hurts to know what you thought was best, was not best. especially when you can't see the "best" that is coming. and sometimes, I don't want to hear all that "there's a silver lining to this" crud. sure, there is a time to speak truth, but there is also a time where I would just like someone to say "wow...that really sucks right now. I believe it will get better, and that God has better plans, but there's no denying that you're going to have some pain to deal with. I'm sorry...I know that it just...sucks..." and then an offering to get ice cream or go on a walk or see a funny movie would suffice. or a giant hug (I like hugs) and allowing me to cry all over you would also be grand.
I'm going to try to remember this for other people....maybe they want the wise words, and sometimes I do, but sometimes I just want a friend who will hug me. and tell me it's ok that I'm snotting everywhere.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
englaaash
even though I sometimes wish I was at my apt. relaxing, I really do love doing things and being around people that are not in my normal routine. more will probably come on that later, as I've thought a lot about that this week (first week of new classes for fall semester-woohoo!). however, I just felt the need to document this short blurp in my day.
while standing in line to buy A&P II notebook:
kid in front of me: "I'm taking math this semester. Ain't gone be hard, though. Math ain't done never been hard for me."
my horrible, judgmental mind (silently, of course): "english...however..."
but before I could fully form this thought -
kid in front of me: "english is rough, though. I'm no good at that."
there we have it. it was all I could do not to giggle out loud in the bookstore. I hope this does not make me a horrible person. in fact, this gentleman and I shared a common thought at the same moment! and I give him kudos for knowing his strong points and weak areas. seriously. that is a real man.
while standing in line to buy A&P II notebook:
kid in front of me: "I'm taking math this semester. Ain't gone be hard, though. Math ain't done never been hard for me."
my horrible, judgmental mind (silently, of course): "english...however..."
but before I could fully form this thought -
kid in front of me: "english is rough, though. I'm no good at that."
there we have it. it was all I could do not to giggle out loud in the bookstore. I hope this does not make me a horrible person. in fact, this gentleman and I shared a common thought at the same moment! and I give him kudos for knowing his strong points and weak areas. seriously. that is a real man.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
irony?
a few thoughts on one incident from this evening...
earlier today at work, my super-safety-conscience company thought it would be a good idea for me to wear gloves while using a paper-cutter. it was a little counter-productive when it came to straightening the paper, etc., but I found it rather humorous. wouldn't want the safety police to be caught in a "safety flash" (all lingo from our very-safe company).
flash forward a few hours to me going on a lovely run outside in the beautiful weather. little did I know those gloves would've come in mega-handy for this excursion. that's right, this girl somehow managed to trip, fly through the air, somersault on the sidewalk, and land on her bum hugging her knees (mind you, I started out diving at the pavement). a scraped knee, shoulder (SHOULDER??! really? how did I manage that??), two bloody palms and three bloody knuckles later a car that saw this display of grace stopped to see if I was OK. all I could do was nod my head in shame and walk away. the rest of the way home, though, I couldn't stop laughing at myself. oh how I wish I could've seen me.
on this walk home, though, I was thinking about how quickly my train of thought changed in that situation. I was in a peaceful state, pondering life and my friend's upcoming wedding, and then the next thing I know I'm thinking "please don't break anything..." and "ouch". I was trying to remember exactly what I was thinking when I tripped, and then it came to me. I was making a list in my head (I do this often...think in lists) and this particular list was "I believe...." insert item/idea here. I will probably document this at a later date (i.e. I believe Jason's Deli's cookies have crack in them, etc.), but the thought I had just been thinking was "I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God and died for my sins" ...although I don't think that entire thought got completed, as somewhere around "son" I was flying through the air.
as christians, we say things a lot like "this is a stumbling block for me..." or "that sin is a stumbling block in my faith" yada yada. I couldn't help but think of the irony in that maybe this time, an actual stumbling block was a stumbling block to my having some good spiritual thoughts.
a little ironic, no?
earlier today at work, my super-safety-conscience company thought it would be a good idea for me to wear gloves while using a paper-cutter. it was a little counter-productive when it came to straightening the paper, etc., but I found it rather humorous. wouldn't want the safety police to be caught in a "safety flash" (all lingo from our very-safe company).
flash forward a few hours to me going on a lovely run outside in the beautiful weather. little did I know those gloves would've come in mega-handy for this excursion. that's right, this girl somehow managed to trip, fly through the air, somersault on the sidewalk, and land on her bum hugging her knees (mind you, I started out diving at the pavement). a scraped knee, shoulder (SHOULDER??! really? how did I manage that??), two bloody palms and three bloody knuckles later a car that saw this display of grace stopped to see if I was OK. all I could do was nod my head in shame and walk away. the rest of the way home, though, I couldn't stop laughing at myself. oh how I wish I could've seen me.
on this walk home, though, I was thinking about how quickly my train of thought changed in that situation. I was in a peaceful state, pondering life and my friend's upcoming wedding, and then the next thing I know I'm thinking "please don't break anything..." and "ouch". I was trying to remember exactly what I was thinking when I tripped, and then it came to me. I was making a list in my head (I do this often...think in lists) and this particular list was "I believe...." insert item/idea here. I will probably document this at a later date (i.e. I believe Jason's Deli's cookies have crack in them, etc.), but the thought I had just been thinking was "I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God and died for my sins" ...although I don't think that entire thought got completed, as somewhere around "son" I was flying through the air.
as christians, we say things a lot like "this is a stumbling block for me..." or "that sin is a stumbling block in my faith" yada yada. I couldn't help but think of the irony in that maybe this time, an actual stumbling block was a stumbling block to my having some good spiritual thoughts.
a little ironic, no?
Thursday, August 4, 2011
change
the more I grow up, the more I learn about myself. this probably seems like a very obvious statement, but it delights me. I like realizing things about me...it makes me more comfortable in my own skin.
I used to think I hated change. just talk of graduations, moving, last days at work, etc. could bring me to tears. I even get a little emotional when semesters change, a friend's pet dies or I have to change apartments in the same town. I mean, I've been known to cry when saying goodbye to old cars. but really...I think change and I have a love-hate relationship. change is hard. I mean the big kind this time - not the "getting a new car" kind. it can be gut-wrenching and painful and can tear us out of our comfort zones. it can be terrifying. it might mean we no longer have someone (or many someones) we love in our lives on a daily basis - whether they have passed away or are many miles away. but change can also mean growth. it can mean new relationships and experiences. it can mean the start of a new adventure. when I think of changes that were really hard to adjust to, I look at my life prior to that change and wonder what life would be like if I were still in that place. change is necessary - can the transition to college life be difficult? yes, but we can't stay in high school forever. was moving states away from home scary and lonely? yes, but I can see the figurative, not just literal, miles that were traveled from that change and I wouldn't choose to go back. indeed, change causes growth.
change may make me shake in my boots, cry every day for months, induce a miniature panic-attack or all of the above. however, the alternative is NOT changing. remaining stagnant. and while change is scary, not changing and not growing is even scarier.
hmm...who knew? maybe change and I can get along.
this doesn't mean we're BFFs, though. don't go getting all drastic.
I used to think I hated change. just talk of graduations, moving, last days at work, etc. could bring me to tears. I even get a little emotional when semesters change, a friend's pet dies or I have to change apartments in the same town. I mean, I've been known to cry when saying goodbye to old cars. but really...I think change and I have a love-hate relationship. change is hard. I mean the big kind this time - not the "getting a new car" kind. it can be gut-wrenching and painful and can tear us out of our comfort zones. it can be terrifying. it might mean we no longer have someone (or many someones) we love in our lives on a daily basis - whether they have passed away or are many miles away. but change can also mean growth. it can mean new relationships and experiences. it can mean the start of a new adventure. when I think of changes that were really hard to adjust to, I look at my life prior to that change and wonder what life would be like if I were still in that place. change is necessary - can the transition to college life be difficult? yes, but we can't stay in high school forever. was moving states away from home scary and lonely? yes, but I can see the figurative, not just literal, miles that were traveled from that change and I wouldn't choose to go back. indeed, change causes growth.
change may make me shake in my boots, cry every day for months, induce a miniature panic-attack or all of the above. however, the alternative is NOT changing. remaining stagnant. and while change is scary, not changing and not growing is even scarier.
hmm...who knew? maybe change and I can get along.
this doesn't mean we're BFFs, though. don't go getting all drastic.
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