Ludicrous Lies...

Okay, I've been MIA again. It's been far too long since I've written my blog but, I DO have a few very important and life altering excuses.  Yes siree I do!

First of all, I've been absolutely and completely caught up (honestly I don't know how anyone couldn't be) in Trump's campaign trail.  This has consumed much of my free time trying to figure out how this fool ever became so successful!  I decided it isn't because he's so brilliant but, that he made a pact with the devil like Faust did so, he could be incredibly prosperous.  Also, part of the deal included being eternally damned to that bad hair!  How else could this sorry excuse for a human being be so favoured?

Aside from the Trump distraction I've been catching up on Netflix series such American Horror Story and Bates Motel.  These may seem poor excuses for not writing but, my mind was filled with questions like; how could Norma not realize what a wack-a-doodle her son Norman really is or I never realized that Jessica Lange is such a versatile and talented actress.  This sort of queries tend to keep me up at night.  Honestly!

Then there's the deep depression I underwent after "Hot in Cleveland " was cancelled and Doctor McDreamy died on "Grey's Anatomy".  This took time, as I'm sure you can understand, to process.  I'm over the shock now, thank you, but these things take much out of a person!

Most recently the failure of the Calgary Flames to do well has been a trial.  This too has cost me valuable writing time and much anguish.

There are other urgent and tragic happenings in my life similar to these but, I shan't go on and on any longer about my other First World problems; what restaurant to choose, if I should ask for a 5% raise,
should I trade in my 3 year old car, bottled water versus tap, etc., etc.  Honestly, who could possibly
find time to write a blog??

But, I'll try to rise above and do better.  I hope you all understand my problems, I know I certainly don't!

Until next time...toodle loo!

For you, Colleen..

The Garage Sale...

I haven’t written for my blog for a very long while; a year to be precise.  Yikes!  I really didn’t think it had been that long.  Talk about being M.I.A.  But I have returned and hopefully back with some regularity. 

A lot has happened during the past year which should be a helpful source of blog posts.  One of these was a job I tackled for the first time in my 59 years; organizing a garage sale.  Yes indeedy, I and my family (much to their alarm) took on this overwhelming task.  There are several things I learned though this experience but, before I tell you about them; I shall digress and tell you how it all came into existence.

Early 2015 I became consumed with an overwhelming desire to purge my entire house.  At first I felt it was just the crying need to divest myself of 28 years of accumulation and clutter but, as I tackled this task I actually, learned plenty about me.  Not the least was I just may have all the earmarks of a potential hoarder! 

I started in the basement (it isn’t finished) which had become a great, grey dumping ground and catch-all throughout the years for anything and everything that couldn’t  seem to find a home elsewhere.  Now let me be clear about what I mean...  There were belongings of my mother’s, who passed away in 2002.  Stuff of both my daughters who have left home over 15 years ago and have long ago married, had kids and created their own piles of “stuff”!  There were things I’d forgotten I had or hadn’t used in 20 years.  I t was frightening!  In fact, I didn’t even know where to start and gained a whole new empathy for those folks who hoard much worse than I.

Nevertheless, I set about tackling this job and was absolutely ruthless.  By that I mean if I hadn’t used it within the past 2 years, out it went.  It was a big job.  There was a lot of stuff.  It took me all winter but, finally I was ready for the Garage Sale!

These are the lessons I learned through my Garage Sale experience:

·        It covered 2 weekends, eating up my time and the time of my family’s.

·        It was a lot of work hauling things in and out on to the driveway each day.

·        It didn’t earn nearly enough considering the time and work invested.

·        The wise thing to do would have been to donate it all in the first place.

I realize there are folks who feel garage sales are profitable and well worth it.  I am NOT one of them.  Never again will I attempt such a folly or get my family mixed up in the same.  However, God bless them for rallying round me and my asinine idea. 

I did, however learn (as I mentioned earlier) some very insightful things about myself through this whole experience.

·        The clutter around me that was driving me loony was really guiding me to examine the mess of internal clutter I’d allowed to build up in my spirit.  More about this is another blog.

·        Despite my disability and the pain I was able to tackle this difficult task little by little if I accepted that it couldn’t be accomplished overnight and it was entirely okay if it took several months.

·        It isn’t the timeline that counts; it’s the finished outcome that matters.

·        What an AWESOME, WONDERFUL, EMPOWERING and HUMBLING feeling accomplishing this job gave me!

·        I now feel ready to tackle the rest of my home and while I clear away the years of physical clutter surrounding me, I can also, clear away any spiritual or emotional clutter within. 

So, my advice is don’t let your clutter overwhelm or own you.  Pick a spot, a room, a drawer, or whatever and get started uncluttering.   Give yourself permission to take your time but, be consistent.  Little by little, bit by bit you will see the end.  Be ruthless and don’t add anymore stuff to the pile.  Ask yourself before filing anything into a cupboard, the basement or the garage; “Do I really want or need this?  Will I use it in the next year or two?”  Be honest and you’ll be surprised what you’re willing to let go of and give away. 

Last but, not least I DO NOT recommend doing a garage sale.  It is lots of work, doesn’t earn that much profit and often involves others.  Throw out what is garbage and give the rest away.  Unless you enjoy such things or do it as a job, I believe the garage sale is a colossal waste of time.  And time is something we never can accumulate! 

Until next time...tootle-loo!

A Thorn in my Flesh...

There are days when I hurt so badly that I just want to curl up, forget my responsibilities, neglect  my duties, ignore family and friends, shut down my life and just give up.  There have been several times during the past five years when I have felt utterly defeated and forsaken.  Then...

I think about those who suffer more.  Those coping with the reality of a terminal illness as well has their long suffering caregivers, those who deal with pain without medical intervention, those who are hungry and homeless, those who are beaten daily or abused in a fashion I can't even imagine.  I think of these people whom most I do not know and never will then...

I feel ashamed.

I hang my head and repent of my selfishness.  Sure, I hurt.  Sure, it's getting worse. Sure, it isn't curable, but I am loved, supported and I have help.  Help from the medical community, beloved friends and family.  Mostly, I have faith. Faith that has been born out of a less than perfect life, but oh, such a blessed one!

Blessed in countless ways since the day I was born.  Blessings that have been undeserved, unearned and are unfinished.  God has rewarded my faith during times of trial over and over and over again.  He has shown his faithfulness and love and yet, I still forget.  But, he does not!

This "thorn in my flesh" is being used for his glory.  His power shows up through my weakness and his grace is sufficient for me.  So, even during the really bad days when I am tempted to give up, I instead, surrender (yet again) to God's wisdom and I am humbled.

I have learned by grace not to simply pray for my own relief, but for all those who suffer as much or far greater than I do.  I pray for the healing of  broken hearts, damaged pasts, unrelenting misfortunes or anguish I can't even imagine.  I pray for their miracles.  It feels right and good.  God is already using my
pain for his glory by chastening my self-absorption.  How much more before he is finished?

I may never see the end of this pain.  There may never be a healing miracle of my physical body, but this "thorn of the flesh" is itself, a miracle.  I feel mor empathy, more gratitude and more real joy than any other time in my 58 years on this earth.

I once would never have envisioned, but I have learned that this scripture is so very true,  "But he (God) said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 9-10

Amen!

Five minutes more...

We live full life's.  We seem busier now than ever in history although, I have my doubts about this being true.  Regardless, life is busy...for most of us.

Much has been written and discussed about how today's society is too preoccupied and disconnected. How we fool ourselves into believing Facebook, Twitter, or other social media fill in the gaps we lose in our busyness.  Or how suicides, depression and mental illness are on the rise, starting in younger and younger people.  There are websites, books and seminars dedicated to solving this growing plague of unhappiness and disconnection among us.

I suppose there are no easy answers and I certainly won't pretend to speak as an expert, but what if we  started with just taking five minutes every day to really connect with someone.  We all have five minutes to spare...yes, you do!

Preferably, this five minute connection would be in person, but even if you use it to send off a personal email, post or text to one of your many, many "friends" online, it'll be authentic.  And I don't mean just using some generic greeting!  NO!  Take five minutes to add a personal note or make a real commitment to get together (not someday, sometime) and genuinely mean it!

You are not so busy or so important that you can't give someone five minutes of sincere interest even if it's the clerk you see every day at Starbucks, where you order your daily coffee.  Don't be afraid that those five minutes might extend into 10 or 15 minutes.  If it does, oh well...nothing bad will happen. No one will likely notice that you're MIA for 15 minutes out of 24 hours!  Except...that "somebody" you chose to connect with and perhaps, lifted up for the rest of the day.

Just think about it.  It's only five minutes.  You have the time.  You use this much time everyday  with your snooze alarm.


And if you're still doubtful, just think of someone, anyone whom you loved and lost.  What would you give...what would you set aside...if you could have five minutes more?