Have you ever flown on a rainy day? Did you ever marvel at the fact that once you broke through the clouds that were hanging over your city it was still a beautiful day?!
I hadn't ever really thought about it until today when there was a break in the clouds and I could see both the rain and dreariness and the bright blue sky and sunshine at the same time.
It's true though, those clouds that have formed are temporary, some hang around longer than others but they will eventually dissipate and go away.
The same is true of struggles and depression. The joy of life is still there you just have to get away from the clouds!
What is holding you down today? I want you to know that it is okay to be sad and it is okay to be depressed these are all perfectly normal feelings that we all have. The problem comes when you can't get past the sadness and depression.
I am a Christian and when I am sad I ask God to remove my feelings of loneliness and inadequacy from me.
I pray that you will remember the sunshine is just beyond the clouds and the clouds are temporary. I hope that you will remember that you are special! You are the only you that is on this planet! Today instead of dwelling on what you aren't how about thinking about what you are!? Think about the positive role that you can play in someone else's life. How can you push the clouds away for someone else which will in turn push away your own clouds.
I hope that your clouds dissipate and you can see how very much You are loved!
Monday, May 14, 2012
The lowly deviled egg.
I am a firm believer that in order to adequately appreciate another person's position in a situation one must first walk in their shoes. Therefore if one has not occupied the role that they are complaining about they may not voice their uninformed opinion.
Let me explain. How many times have you gone to a dinner and complained about the food? You didn't like the dessert? The meat was too dry? The beans were cold? Okay, now how many times have you cooked the same sort of meal? Oh, so you say you have cooked the same sort of meal and you are much better at it? Well, good for you, then you should do it more often as this is apparently your calling in life, but more so my point is you should appreciate the struggle and frustration that this person went through in order to prepare a meal for others...correct?
This scenario plays out in all roles, before you complain how the room mother of your children's class is room mothering have you been the room mother? Have you been the room mother for the mother's that she is dealing with? No, you haven't because you didn't have to deal with you and apparently you are part of the problem here! :)
How about a coach? A waiter? A garbage man? Any sort of service industry whatsoever?! Before you are so judgemental about the people that are performing a task for you I want you to think of the lowly deviled egg.
Have you ever had a deviled egg? It is pretty much a staple at all pot luck dinners in the south. Yummy little white and gold blobs of happiness. Have you ever tried to make a deviled egg? Sometimes it is as easy as pie and everything just goes smooth as silk and you are done and have perfect little deviled eggs ready for your guests. Other times you overcook or undercook winding up with either green edged centers or the whites get stuck to the shells and you end up with eggs that look like they have been mauled by rats!
What I am trying to say is that even the simple can be difficult sometimes. Even the most perfect person can have a bad day, and before you start in about how horrible someone is for something they have done I want you to stop yourself and think what if this was me? Would I want to be so harshly judged?
Today I want you to extend grace to those around you. Show them kindness and forgiveness even if they don't deserve it. Kindness is always better in every situation, and if you can't say something nice then stuff your face full of deviled egg and keep your mouth shut!
Let me explain. How many times have you gone to a dinner and complained about the food? You didn't like the dessert? The meat was too dry? The beans were cold? Okay, now how many times have you cooked the same sort of meal? Oh, so you say you have cooked the same sort of meal and you are much better at it? Well, good for you, then you should do it more often as this is apparently your calling in life, but more so my point is you should appreciate the struggle and frustration that this person went through in order to prepare a meal for others...correct?
This scenario plays out in all roles, before you complain how the room mother of your children's class is room mothering have you been the room mother? Have you been the room mother for the mother's that she is dealing with? No, you haven't because you didn't have to deal with you and apparently you are part of the problem here! :)
How about a coach? A waiter? A garbage man? Any sort of service industry whatsoever?! Before you are so judgemental about the people that are performing a task for you I want you to think of the lowly deviled egg.
Have you ever had a deviled egg? It is pretty much a staple at all pot luck dinners in the south. Yummy little white and gold blobs of happiness. Have you ever tried to make a deviled egg? Sometimes it is as easy as pie and everything just goes smooth as silk and you are done and have perfect little deviled eggs ready for your guests. Other times you overcook or undercook winding up with either green edged centers or the whites get stuck to the shells and you end up with eggs that look like they have been mauled by rats!
What I am trying to say is that even the simple can be difficult sometimes. Even the most perfect person can have a bad day, and before you start in about how horrible someone is for something they have done I want you to stop yourself and think what if this was me? Would I want to be so harshly judged?
Today I want you to extend grace to those around you. Show them kindness and forgiveness even if they don't deserve it. Kindness is always better in every situation, and if you can't say something nice then stuff your face full of deviled egg and keep your mouth shut!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Varying kind of friends
You know. I've been thinking lately. Isn't if funny how many different kinds of friends we have? You can lump your acquaintances into the two groups of family and friends easily but there are so many sub categories under each of those headings that friendship can really get quite complicated.
Basic Friend.
Someone who does not repel you instantly.
Good friend.
Someone who you have talked to on more than one occasion and you will not openly hide from if you run into them in your day to day errand running.
Close friend.
Someone that you have shared a meal with, their number is more than likely programed into your phone not because you have needed it for a play date but because you have called them to chat on more than one occasion. This person is given limited information so as to not become to vulnerable.
Tight friend.
Someone that has seen you at all of the different levels of the emotional spectrum and will still answer your calls. This person is trusted with most information, remembers the name of your husband and kids, and is pretty well in the know regarding your family matters. This person is allowed to stay at this status unless they begin to act as if they know you better than you know yourself, and if this is to occur they are immediately bumped down to a cross between a basic and a good friend.
BFF
This person knows you inside and out. You don't get mad when they tell you that you are acting like a jerk. You can look at this person and they will immediately know what you are thinking and you will both laugh hysterically..on the inside. If this person were to call you at 2 in the morning with a need you would not get upset you would fill that need without thinking.
UBER BFF
This person is a combination of all the aforementioned friend types , however, this person has never made you so mad that you didn't want to hang out with them for awhile. This person is incapable of hurting your feelings or making you angry because this person is so much like you they would never do that. If you haven't spoken to this person in 6 days or 6 months there is no difference. You do not assume they are mad at you, you just know that life is busy and they are dealing with the same amount of craziness that you are dealing with and it doesn't mean they don't love you!
All friendships should be cherished. You probably will not have many BFF's or UBER BFF's in your lifetime. These are like winning the lottery and when you find them know that you are very blessed to have them in your life. A friendship is a gift from God that helps make this stay on earth that much more bearable.
I am thankful for my friendships that God has blessed me with. Heaven knows you poor souls have got a hard row to hoe. Thank you for helping me through this crazy life!!
Basic Friend.
Someone who does not repel you instantly.
Good friend.
Someone who you have talked to on more than one occasion and you will not openly hide from if you run into them in your day to day errand running.
Close friend.
Someone that you have shared a meal with, their number is more than likely programed into your phone not because you have needed it for a play date but because you have called them to chat on more than one occasion. This person is given limited information so as to not become to vulnerable.
Tight friend.
Someone that has seen you at all of the different levels of the emotional spectrum and will still answer your calls. This person is trusted with most information, remembers the name of your husband and kids, and is pretty well in the know regarding your family matters. This person is allowed to stay at this status unless they begin to act as if they know you better than you know yourself, and if this is to occur they are immediately bumped down to a cross between a basic and a good friend.
BFF
This person knows you inside and out. You don't get mad when they tell you that you are acting like a jerk. You can look at this person and they will immediately know what you are thinking and you will both laugh hysterically..on the inside. If this person were to call you at 2 in the morning with a need you would not get upset you would fill that need without thinking.
UBER BFF
This person is a combination of all the aforementioned friend types , however, this person has never made you so mad that you didn't want to hang out with them for awhile. This person is incapable of hurting your feelings or making you angry because this person is so much like you they would never do that. If you haven't spoken to this person in 6 days or 6 months there is no difference. You do not assume they are mad at you, you just know that life is busy and they are dealing with the same amount of craziness that you are dealing with and it doesn't mean they don't love you!
All friendships should be cherished. You probably will not have many BFF's or UBER BFF's in your lifetime. These are like winning the lottery and when you find them know that you are very blessed to have them in your life. A friendship is a gift from God that helps make this stay on earth that much more bearable.
I am thankful for my friendships that God has blessed me with. Heaven knows you poor souls have got a hard row to hoe. Thank you for helping me through this crazy life!!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Racism is stupid.
I have been watching a bunch of shows on slavery lately on PBS. It makes me so sad to think of such a horrible event in history. The American Indians having their land stolen from them is another topic I don't like to think about but it happened and as with anything in history if we do not know about it we are destined to repeat it and that is not something I want to do.
It's been going on throughout history you know. Slavery and injustices. It is a fallen horrible world with evil and sin trying to win out. It is better for evil if we are against each other and if we fight one another that plays right into the devils plan.
I want to talk about something though. My small brain can not fathom many things, but one thing that I understand is that we all came from Adam and Eve. 1 couple. I don't know how it all worked. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a Discovery Channel camera crew doing a reality television show back then, but I am a Christian and it is my belief that we all, every last one of us, came from 1 couple.
Now, think about that for a minute. That means that we are all just one big family. If you have darker skin maybe you lived in a climate with a lot of sun and your skin had to adapt darker in order to protect itself. If you have crazy light skin and blonde hair maybe you came from a colder climate where your body didn't need as much natural protection. I don't know how it all happened but I truly believe that it did.
I am not perfect. There are people out there in the world that I don't care for, but my annoyance does not come from the color of ones skin or the shape of your eyes. My dislike comes from hatefulness or an unkind heart.
If you are a kind person that shows love and is kind to others I'm going to like you. If you are able to make me laugh, you are going to have to get a restraining order, because laughter is one my favorite things in the world!!
I want you to go out into the world today and just be nice. If you can't do that stay home cause you aren't doing anybody any favors by being a jerk. Life is hard and we don't need it to get any harder. Go out there and lighten someones load today!!
It's been going on throughout history you know. Slavery and injustices. It is a fallen horrible world with evil and sin trying to win out. It is better for evil if we are against each other and if we fight one another that plays right into the devils plan.
I want to talk about something though. My small brain can not fathom many things, but one thing that I understand is that we all came from Adam and Eve. 1 couple. I don't know how it all worked. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a Discovery Channel camera crew doing a reality television show back then, but I am a Christian and it is my belief that we all, every last one of us, came from 1 couple.
Now, think about that for a minute. That means that we are all just one big family. If you have darker skin maybe you lived in a climate with a lot of sun and your skin had to adapt darker in order to protect itself. If you have crazy light skin and blonde hair maybe you came from a colder climate where your body didn't need as much natural protection. I don't know how it all happened but I truly believe that it did.
I am not perfect. There are people out there in the world that I don't care for, but my annoyance does not come from the color of ones skin or the shape of your eyes. My dislike comes from hatefulness or an unkind heart.
If you are a kind person that shows love and is kind to others I'm going to like you. If you are able to make me laugh, you are going to have to get a restraining order, because laughter is one my favorite things in the world!!
I want you to go out into the world today and just be nice. If you can't do that stay home cause you aren't doing anybody any favors by being a jerk. Life is hard and we don't need it to get any harder. Go out there and lighten someones load today!!
Weird People!!
I'm home alone today with only my thoughts to keep me company. My world has been pretty crazy insane lately and the house looks like a domestic explosion happened. I was thinking about stuff in general and I wanted to tell you what I realized.
Weird people don't think they are weird.
Do you see what I'm saying here? No one thinks of themselves as one of the weird ones. I mean I know I'm quirky and not run of the mill but it is my own opinion that I am not strange as in certifiable.
Take my exercise class for instance. There is a woman in there that it brings me great joy when she gets where I can see her because she is hysterical to watch. She is all over the place with not a stitch of rhythm to her little hairy armpit mismatched clothing wearin' body! She is hysterical! The thing is...she doesn't know it. It's not like she comes in there are realizes that she is putting on a little show for me. She is very serious about her exercising and never cracks a smile. I am quite positive without a doubt that she thinks she looks good working out.
Let's go a little more extreme. To me it is weird to pierce and tattoo and disfigure your body beyond recognition. I'm not talking about the occasional tattoo. I'm talking about the people that put the things in their skull to look like horns and split their tongue to look like a reptile. To me that is bizarre. I can not even imagine doing something like that to myself, but to them it is totally normal. They have friends that look the exact same way and they get together to discuss their piercings and tattoos and infections and blood clots. They know that you look at them like their weird but they don't think they are.
Let's go a little less extreme what about vegetarians? There are meat loving carnivores who become completely offended by people who don't eat meat. What about people who don't cut their hair or won't drive cars? Weird right? No, not to them.
Weirdness is a matter of opinion. Weirdness is just difference, and difference is a good thing. We don't need to all be cookie cutter people, Stepford wives if you will. It is totally okay to be a little different from everyone else. As long as you are being kind to others and understanding that this is a big planet that we all live on and there is room for all of us you will do just fine.
You can find something in common with anyone if you look hard enough. Do you both like to breathe? Start there. It's crazy how fast you can find common ground when you try. Do not distance yourselves from others just because you do not understand them. Knowledge is power and Kindness can change the world.
Go out and talk to a weirdo today....and if someone comes up and talks to you don't be offended, cause its good to be weird!!
Don't go into the pit alone!
We all get depressed. (If you don't stop reading now and go ride that pet unicorn of yours home to rainbow and butterfly land cause this will not help you!)
It is going to happen. Someone is going to hurt your feelings or you aren't going to get enough sunshine. Something is going to happen at work or you are going to be disappointed about something and you are going to go spiraling down into the pit of despair. It's there. You've seen it. You might even be in it right now!
I'm here to tell you that it is way to hard to get out of it on your own. You need to engage the buddy system. Let's start with you that are walking around the outside of the pit. You aren't really sure what you are upset about but you just aren't all there. Maybe you are angry and want to punch something or maybe you are so sad all you can do is cry all the time only you have no clue why!
It's hormones people and it is completely normal. I promise!!! My doctor said that if I would do some sort of exercise 30 min of every day, be it walking or whatever tickles my fancy it would be as if he had put me on a round of anti depressants! I have to tell you it is totally true! I started exercising in the fall and this winter was way better on the depression scale than others in the past.
Okay, you people already down in the pit. Maybe you were tossed in there with a loved ones death or some other catastrophic event. It is totally okay to be sad!!! Change is hard! Death is hard! I want to ask you something though. Is this the way your loved one would want you to be living? Would your loved one want you to be wearing a bathrobe and be going on 2 weeks without a shower? Your loved one is still with you! Their memory will be with you forever and when you see them again one day do you want to tell them about all the wonderful things you did with the rest of your life or do you want to tell them that you just gave up after they were gone because it was just too hard?
In either case, this is where the buddy comes in. A friend can listen to your problems and help you out of the pit that you have dug. A true friend will tell you the truth about what you are depressed about. A pit buddy will let you lower yourself down into these emotions that you are feeling so that you can better understand them and so that you can get past them. You would be surprised what talking about something will do for your situation. Either you will hear how silly you sound, or you will gain perspective as to how to get out.
Now don't get more depressed because you don't have a buddy. You are going to have to get out there if you don't have one. Go to a class. Go to the library. Meet new people! Whatever just get out there and start seeing the good things about this world. You have to come up with your own good things but I will tell you one of mine.
Last week was yet another crazy busy week in the world that is mine. One evening everyone in my family was occupied with something so I grabbed a glass bottle coke and walked out on to our front porch. I sat and watched as the birds played in our front yard, I felt the cool breeze, I smelled the spring flowers blooming, I just sat. It was the most therapeutic thing I've done in awhile.
Life isn't easy. People are going to disappoint you and even make you mad. Don't let negative emotions rule your world. Cling to the pleasantness that is your life. Find a Golden nugget as Leah would say. They are there, they are just harder to find that is why they are so wonderful!
Have a wonderful day my friends!
It is going to happen. Someone is going to hurt your feelings or you aren't going to get enough sunshine. Something is going to happen at work or you are going to be disappointed about something and you are going to go spiraling down into the pit of despair. It's there. You've seen it. You might even be in it right now!
I'm here to tell you that it is way to hard to get out of it on your own. You need to engage the buddy system. Let's start with you that are walking around the outside of the pit. You aren't really sure what you are upset about but you just aren't all there. Maybe you are angry and want to punch something or maybe you are so sad all you can do is cry all the time only you have no clue why!
It's hormones people and it is completely normal. I promise!!! My doctor said that if I would do some sort of exercise 30 min of every day, be it walking or whatever tickles my fancy it would be as if he had put me on a round of anti depressants! I have to tell you it is totally true! I started exercising in the fall and this winter was way better on the depression scale than others in the past.
Okay, you people already down in the pit. Maybe you were tossed in there with a loved ones death or some other catastrophic event. It is totally okay to be sad!!! Change is hard! Death is hard! I want to ask you something though. Is this the way your loved one would want you to be living? Would your loved one want you to be wearing a bathrobe and be going on 2 weeks without a shower? Your loved one is still with you! Their memory will be with you forever and when you see them again one day do you want to tell them about all the wonderful things you did with the rest of your life or do you want to tell them that you just gave up after they were gone because it was just too hard?
In either case, this is where the buddy comes in. A friend can listen to your problems and help you out of the pit that you have dug. A true friend will tell you the truth about what you are depressed about. A pit buddy will let you lower yourself down into these emotions that you are feeling so that you can better understand them and so that you can get past them. You would be surprised what talking about something will do for your situation. Either you will hear how silly you sound, or you will gain perspective as to how to get out.
Now don't get more depressed because you don't have a buddy. You are going to have to get out there if you don't have one. Go to a class. Go to the library. Meet new people! Whatever just get out there and start seeing the good things about this world. You have to come up with your own good things but I will tell you one of mine.
Last week was yet another crazy busy week in the world that is mine. One evening everyone in my family was occupied with something so I grabbed a glass bottle coke and walked out on to our front porch. I sat and watched as the birds played in our front yard, I felt the cool breeze, I smelled the spring flowers blooming, I just sat. It was the most therapeutic thing I've done in awhile.
Life isn't easy. People are going to disappoint you and even make you mad. Don't let negative emotions rule your world. Cling to the pleasantness that is your life. Find a Golden nugget as Leah would say. They are there, they are just harder to find that is why they are so wonderful!
Have a wonderful day my friends!
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