Flimsy Arms

This is NOT my arm

A couple of years ago I did a couple of mud runs. Actually, it was more of a mud walk for me. I'm not much of a runner, but I finished both races (I may have come in last, but I finished). I will admit though that I skipped over the obstacles that required any upper body strength except for one. One challenge was to swim in a muddy pond (in 48 degree cloudy weather) and hoist yourself up onto a platform before taking another plunge. Somehow I managed to hoist myself up but it wasn't due to my arm strength. Frigid water can be quite the motivator even to someone with flimsy arms. I remember one obstacle where you had to pull yourself up a rope. Me and my flimsy arms didn't even feel terrible about walking right around that challenge. Anyway, I thought you would like to know that my arms are getting less flimsy. I've been working on them and I'm proud to say that I can pull my socks up without breaking so much as a sweat. I won't be winning any arm wrestling championships with my less flimsy arms, but if I do another mud run I might actually be able think about pulling myself up a rope. I might not get farther than thinking about it, but progress is progress when your talking about flimsy arms.... So yay me!! And that dear friends is about the most exciting news I've had in a long time. 

Found in Him

It stands as one of the handful of moments I will never forget. I remember exactly what I was doing (and even wearing) when I learned that Elvis had died, President Reagan was shot, and when the Challeger exploded for all the world to see.  I had walked my wee one to school releasing his hand as he crossed the street away from my protective arms. When I got back to the house I flipped on the news while I fixed breakfast. Those first images of the plane hitting the first tower were unimaginable. As the day unfolded, it was clear life in America had taken a sudden change and things would never be the same. Those few days and weeks after 9/11, America did something that was amazing..... We came together as a United force to help, to pray.... To heal. In the midst of pure evil, we put aside our religious differences, our political beliefs, and the endless bickering over race, and united as one country, under God. We proudly flew our flags, held hands, and believed in the power of prayer and unity.... How quickly we forget.  Under the current administration, tensions among Americans have escalated beyond reason. It shouldn't take a national disaster to break down the walls that divide us and drive us to our knees in prayer. Pray for those who lost loved ones on that dreadful day. Pray for those who survived but have memories seared into their mind. Pray for our leaders, or rather pray for us to find leaders who understand that we are a great nation founded under God and the answers we seek can only be found in him.

A Voice From the Other Side

I stood in what looked to be a white kitchen apartment. The door which led to the outer hallway was directly to my left. Someone from the other side began to push the door open while I was attempting to push it closed.... That's when I heard.... "Jaaa-ckie"  My eyes popped open like I had been hit by a bolt of lightening. I knew that voice... I could even tell you what kind of mood she was in by the tone of the voice... It was my Mom. She has been gone for 19 months and this is the first dream I've had of her.... The first time I've heard her voice since before she died.  I reached for my phone to check the time.... It was 4:30 am.  There would be no going back to sleep for me. I got up and went to the gym, still a little rattled. Her voice was so clear, her tone so familiar. The push and pull with the door was very indicative of our relationship. The symbolism wasn't lost to me. I've often wondered if she knew that I did my best to take care of her. I've wanted to tell her that if I had known sooner how sick she was, I would have opened the door...  Well, sooner. Her illness came on so quickly and her mind deteriorated  so fast.... I just didn't know.  When she became unable to speak, I would look into her eyes, searching for some kind of recognition that she knew I was being the daughter she hoped I would be...... I couldn't find the woman I knew there... The eyes I looked into were weak, broken ,and frail.... My Mom was none of those things. But the voice.... The voice on the other side of the door..... It was strong and sweet. She didn't say anything else, but the tone of her voice said all I needed to hear.

Not "As Seen on TV"

I was visiting my daughter the other day when she whipped out a mop and bucket to give the floor a quick mop. I paid no attention and kept up the conversation with my son until I heard a whipping spinning sound. I looked up to see that her mop bucket had a spinning contraption that wrung out the dirty water for you. It was the coolest thing ever. My husband said my eyes turned to saucers and that my son and him locked eyes with the joint understanding that I would be hunting one of those contraptions down in the very near future. The next day at work I shared the news of this new fangled contraption with my co-worker's. "You have to watch this video Ivey, it makes mopping look like fun." By the end of the day we had located a store in town that sold them.... My glowing advertisement sold a total of 3, leaving me to believe I should get some type of commission. The next day I snapped that thing together... Well, actually my husband snapped it together and then refused to let me use it first. I "let him win" that battle because I knew it would probably be the last time he had any desire to mop. It really is pretty cool.... I mean as cool as a mop can be. I set about mopping the house, marveling at the way it really does spin and swivel. Halfway through the first floor, I was wiping sweat from my eyes. How on earth did that infomercial girl make it look so effortless? Probably with creative editing, already clean floors and a talented make-up artist. Sadly I had none of those things. In my personal opinion, infomercials should be required to show the blood, sweat and tears that go on behind the part you don't see on the "As Seen on TV" ads.

Hard Escape

The saying "That which does not kill you will make you stronger." Isn't necessarily true. The Hot Fudge /Carmel Sundays I love so much haven't killed me, but they certainly haven't made me stronger. I try not to think about them, but the yummy taste keeps sneaking back to my mind. I need to stand strong so I'm not defeated by the yummy Gremlins. It's funny how instantly after that last delicious bite, I'm filled with self loathing and regret which lasts as long as my hunger stays at bay. As soon as my tummy starts to rumble..... A Hot Fudge/Carmel Sunday starts looking better and better. Ahh, the taste is bittersweet and

hard to escape. If only the sweetness was good for me and supposed to be on my diet plan. In a perfect world whip cream, hot fudge, and carmel would be considered health food. Having all of it I wanted would be the cherry on top of the perfect world.

"Things Need to Change"

Life is a constant motion of change. You can love it or hate it, embrace it or run from it, but you cannot escape life changes. You may wake up one morning to find the sun shines a little less bright, the clouds hang seem a bit lower, and the breeze has a tad of a chill in it. Life is changing. When you don't feel the courage to change with it, just put one foot in front of the other. Soon you will find yourself walking from the past into the changing future. When you get there, don't get comfortable because like it or not, things will soon change.....  "Things need to change." And life goes on. Even when it seems like you can't possibly make the change, you'll go with it. Change isn't the end, it's the beginning of something new.

No Big Surprise

I'm generally a positive person. I'm not an optimistic person, but neither am I a pessimist. I would say I fall squarely in the realm of being a realist (insert deep sigh here). I intentionally try to stay grounded in a realistic frame of mind, because there is nothing I detest more than being disappointed (that statement should be in all caps, but I hate to be rude and scream on my blog) Disappointment is extremely hard for me to take which isn't a good thing; life if full of disappointment. This morning I was scolding myself over a situation that I was thoroughly disappointed about. I was talking to myself (I'm very entertaining) and I said...... "Why in the world are you disappointed???  (I think I called myself a Moron) This is exactly the outcome you expected.... Why the surprise and disappointment?" That's when I realized that although the outcome was what I expected and planned for..... Deep down, in the secret places of my heart, buried so deep that I didn't know it was there, was the slightest glimmer of hope that things would turn out differently and I would be pleasantly surprised.... Amazed even. They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If that is true, I should make reservations for a nice white padded room.