Thanksgiving Holidays

It’s so easy for me to loathe Thanksgiving.  First, I’m not crazy about the food.  I know.  It’s weird.  But I got really, really sick as a kid one Thanksgiving and have never felt the same about the food since then.  Keeps the weight down, too.

Now there’s all this travel to visit family and that means hours and hours in traffic.  I drove 65 miles tonight and it took me 2 hours.  I’ve made that trip before in 50 minutes.  I inched along I-35 at 5 miles an hour for 45 minutes.  We made about 3 miles in that time frame.  I could have walked the distance faster than that.

And that was just the first car trip of four that I’ll be making between now and Sunday.  We’ve got family spread out all over the metroplex.

So it’s easy for me to dread Thanksgiving.  But I’m trying to keep the true spirit of the holiday in mind.  I know that most folks think Pilgrims and Indians but it was Abraham Lincoln who initiated the first national day of Thanksgiving during the thick of the Civil War.  Of course, he suggested the day be one of fasting, which makes sense, because he was asking the people to pray for an end to the war and for the safety of the soldiers and the reuniting of a nation torn.

Emma asked me what I was thankful for the other night.  I’d had a crazy, crazy day and was just ready for it to be over.  The question stopped me cold.  What was I thankful for?

1.  Good health.  I’ve had some serious hip problems recently that left me immobile for a couple of days.  Now I’m moving again.  Health is so important.

2.  My family.  God bless their remote souls and their expectations for me to drive to visit them.  But at least they are all here for me to visit.

3.  Purpose.  I feel like I have purpose and meaning in my life.  Something I look forward to doing daily.

4.  Each day.  I found out a person I’d known for several years but hadn’t seen for nearly five died this week suddenly and unexpectedly.  He had a son the same age as mine.  So much he will miss.

So I’m thankful for each day and will try to live in the now, enjoying this moment.

Looking for Inspiration

I’ve lost mine . . . know where it might be?

Brrr, is it winter?

First real day of autumn weather.  I don’t like it.  Bring back the sunshine and heat, please.

I’ve been discontent all day.  Whatever I’ve been doing, I’ve been wishing I was doing something else.  Thing is, I can’t figure out what that something else is.  It’s like my mood and attitude is as windy as the weather.  I’ve worked on the computer and cooked but thought about sunshine and long walks.

And about the book writing I’m not getting done.  Maybe that’s it.  A niggling that there’s work to be done and I need to just plant the butt in the seat and do it.

Resist Conformity, Embrace Individuality

 

Park at Sunset

 

 

I saw this book at the library the other day and picked it up to skim through it.  It’s called RoadTrip Nation, A Guide to Discovering Your Path in Life.  It’s about 4 kids just out of college who didn’t know what they wanted to do but were being pressured into “being” things they KNEW they didn’t want to be (you know:  doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc.)

So they bought an RV that was falling apart and spent three months traveling around interviewing people who were living their passion.  It’s an ok book.  Some of the interviews are interesting, though they didn’t speak to what I need at this moment.

BUT . . . I love this idea that we shouldn’t just do what’s easy–even if it means we upset our family and friends.  We should embrace our individuality and fight for it.

World Kindness Day, Friday, November 13th

I’m not much for these kinds  of made up holidays.  In fact, I normally avoid them like nobody’s business but I’ve been going through some tough times lately that aren’t likely to end anytime soon so I’m in the mood to counteract all that negative energy being thrown at me by throwing out some goodness.

I’m going to honor Friday’s Kindness Day.  Not sure yet exactly how but I feel like since some parts of the world are being unkind to me, that I need to fight back by being kind to others.  Everyone I meet.

So if you have some suggestions as to how I can show kindness to the world on Friday, post ‘em.  I’ll be thinking on this, too.

Letting my Light Shine: A Challenge to You

I’ve been wanting to try yoga for a very long time but just couldn’t figure out when to work it into my schedule.  I stopped trying to figure it out and just did it.  Today.  For the first time.  I went to a “gentle” class and the instructor was a little perplexed as to why I chose the “gentle” class.  I don’t have any physical challenges, am relatively healthy, and am still pretty youngish.  ;-)

But I found the class perfect for me.  I was nervous about going and trying something new but everyone was kind to me and accepted me into their fold.  The instructor started by talking about the full moon and how it appears to shine a light but in fact is only reflecting a light.  She compared this to our own lives where some days we shine brightly while other days it’s a struggle to have any kind of burn going.  On those days, it’s our job to reflect someone else’s’ light.

I have some pretty amazing friends who are doing some amazing things and I want to reflect their light to you today.

One of my friends has an amazingly deep heart.  She recently rescued three cats, one of which was pregnant.  Ends up, one was really sick and has died now.  The pregnant one gave birth to four kittens, one of which died the first week and another has already had to have an eye removed due to an infection.  Despite these tragedies, she’s hung in there, provided these animals with a good home and good medical care, regardless of the financial cost.  What an amazing person to have as a friend.  I know that if things get bad, she’ll be there–for all the people (and critters) in her life.

I have another friend who has started a movement she’s calling “shine.”  You can learn more about it on her blog. Shining is when you do something the best that you can–whatever you’re doing.  And part of this is recognizing those people in our life who really do shine.  She’s started a campaign called the Yellow Envelope Project where you thank people who are shining.

The idea here is to recognize someone each week who is really shining by sending them a card in a yellow envelope.  I think that my friend who is caring for all these unwanted cats and who is absorbing all these medical bills for them is really doing just that–she’s shining.

So I’d like to challenge you to send her a card in a yellow envelope.  And in addition to letting her know how good it is that people like her exist, stick in a dollar or two or five to help her pay the vet bills.  She won’t expect this–she’s not that kind of gal.  But it will make her day and reaffirm to her that even in death and tragedy, goodness wins.

Jennifer P.

3423 Clydesdale Dr

Denton TX 76210

1500 words and kicking it!

I had such a hectic day yesterday (and yes, I got through everything on my to do list but what a way to spend a Sunday).

I finally sat down to write for NANWRIMO about 8 last night, exhausted but determined.  And I managed to churn out 1500 words.  Not too bad.  Not my goal, but close.  I’m reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle right now and it’s due back to the library soon.  I’ve got to finish it (plus it’s hard to put the damned book down).  I didn’t push on through for another 2oo words last night because I wanted some reading time, too.

So how is NANOWRIMO progressing for you?  I’m just getting started tonight–and it’s already 7:15.  Ugh.  Why can’t I fit this into my day? And I’ve been up since 5:30.  You’d think I’d have managed it before now!

Daylight Savings Time

I’ve been messing around in the bathroom for a while this morning, knowing that it was around 7:30 when I climbed out of bed.  What a shock for me then when I sat down here and looked at my computer clock.  7:38.  Hmmm.  Then I remembered–daylight savings time.  I gained an hour today.  Thank the Lord.  While still in bed, I was mentally ticking off a list of things I wanted to get done today:

1.  make a list for groceries for stuff to cook this week

2.  go to grocery store

3.  vacuum carpets

4.  steam clean carpets

5.  mop kitchen and entry

6.  take a walk

7.  drop off books at library

8.  review book notes

9.  write 2,000 words for NANWRIMO

Plus cook 3 meals, spend time with children, kiss husband (who will be engrossed in football and not noticing me), feed animals, check garden, clean out pool filters, etc.

I’m being thankful for the small things today:  like an extra hour, the sun is shining, no one papered our house last night, halloween is over, and the fall holidays are headed our way.

 

new kitten in the house

Nothing makes you feel better than new life.  In this case, it’s a new kitten we’ve adopted.  Kids love it, dogs are indifferent, but the other cat is feeling a little put out.  I’m sure in time, we’ll all figure out how to live together.  In the meantime, Emma is treating it like a new baby.  Meet Nibbles.

 

Emma dressed Nibbles in a hat

Nibbles sleeping in a doll's bed

 

 

Painting as Therapy, part 2

I’ve finished up my art class now and made a second painting.  It’s a whimsical, folk-artsy kind of thing.  Hope you like it!

 

bird after bug

I’ve been under a huge amount of stress this last week and I had to drag myself to art to finish the class and this painting.  But I was so glad that I did.  For an hour, at least, I forgot all my troubles.

I’m scheduled to start a drawing class next Tuesday.  Who knows, I might get good at this one day!