"Pass it forward."

Here is an uplifting story I would like to share... When I worked at the Austin American Statesman in the nineties, I worked with a lady in her thirties, who everyone really liked. When I met her, I asked how long she had been at the paper. She answered, 'which time?' She went on to say she had marital problems earlier, and relayed this story. She said she LOVED her job, and LOVED Austin, and all of her family and friends are in Austin. So when her husband came home and said, 'We're moving,' she was completely upset. Upset that he had looked for a job without telling her. Upset that he accepted a job in Amarillo without telling her. Upset that he had rented a house sight unseen. Also upset because they had two young children, making the move even more difficult. She was furious. She actually had decided that she would not go because of all of this but did not tell her husband. Out of curiosity, she did go up to Amarillo with him just to look at the town to see where HE would be moving. She had been reading a book about angels, but her husband had not seen it.
When they got to the rent house with the realtor, she said it had been empty and no one had been inside for awhile. And it was locked. When they got to the master bedroom, the floor was covered with white feathers. The realtor looked so embarressed and said she could not imagine how they got there. No one had even had the key. But my friend knew how. It was the exact scenario she had recently read in her book. AND she had asked God for a sign about it all. Long story short, she moved up there with him and the kids, they were there a year, and moved back to Austin, and she got her job back.
After I heard the story, I asked God if He would send me feathers too. And He does. Every so often I will find a feather in the most odd place, and then I know that God is telling me He's with me. If I save them in my pocket or purse, they disappear. It's the strangest thing.

So, I'm passing it forward...

"Nice guys finish FIRST..."

If the Saint's Super Bowl win doesn't restore your faith, you need a heart check! It's like I felt when Sully landed the plane in the Hudson, America needed that miracle last year, like New Orleans needed the win this year. 

Saint's quarterback, Drew Brees is refreshingly humble. You can see it in his eyes, as the eyes are the window to the soul. Here's a guy who truly deserved this win, as did his entire team. Who doesn't just melt when you see Drew with his darling son after the huge win? A few years ago, Drew's shoulder was 'shredded' and he was told the chances of ever playing football again were very slim. After his rehab, only two teams invited him - Miami and New Orleans. He chose New Orleans to help build the team and to rebuild the city after Hurricane Katrina. Such wonderful stories with this Super Bowl. The American Dream is all over it. I sensed from the get-go that this Super Bowl was a 'God thing,' from the Tim Tebow ad to the quarterbacks involved. This Super Bowl had a charisma, and people are still talking about it. Here were two quarterbacks that are super givers to their communities. And the Mannings are a well known family from New Orleans, so either way the city was going to be a winner. 

It seems clear to me that God is rebuilding New Orleans in His way, in His timing. It's not natural, it's Super-natural. Against the odds. The Colts were supposed to win and win big. They had been to the Super Bowl recently and had the experience to go all the way again. But sheer will is the factor in sports that makes outcomes different and makes games exciting. 

I knew the Saints were going to win before the game started. I just felt it in my bones. So did a lot of others. Not only was it the most watched Super Bowl ever, but also the most watched television show ever, beating out the Mash finale.
What a feel-good game. At a time when America needs to feel good....

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one." -- Dr. Suess

I love Dr. Suess. Somehow he reminds me of my dad, yet sillier, like me. Sam I am. Green Eggs & Ham. Thing 1 & Thing 2. Although I never met him, I know Dr. Suess is a kindred spirit just by his books and quotes. Why be so serious all the time? Life is more fun when you're silly. We need to laugh, and I do mean NEED. The Bible says, "Laughter is the best medicine." Recently I read of a lady with stage 4 cancer that rented funny movies and laughed for four days straight. When they rechecked it, it was gone. I think we should all rent funny movies and take a break from all the world's sadness and sorrow and just laugh. They say if you laugh, your body produces endomorphins, and makes you feel better, and actually makes you better. They say if you're depressed, make yourself smile and laugh and your perception becomes your reality. You fake your body out.
I know it's Monday, but personally I've got to turn off all of the bad news out there because too much can be toxic. We need to be around positive people. We need to look at the glass half full. And we need to laugh and laugh.
Well, I'm going to go eat dinner now........ green eggs and ham!

"The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved."

It's a couple's world... It hits me the hardest on Super Bowl Sunday. All the parties... but the single person is rarely invited.

I've been single for a very long time. And as an adult, everything is based on couples. No one knows what to do with the (not young) single mom. I have one friend who started inviting me to her and her husband's parties after I told her how lonely I am. But it still feels weird driving up to their house and walk in alone. I'm a confident person, but it still takes a lot of guts. Even once I am there, it's hard to break in couples to couples conversations. And I am sensitive to the fact that some women feel like you're trying to steal their husbands if you talk to them.

My point is, if you're married, don't forget to invite your single friends to your parties. It's a fact that single people have shorter lives than married ones. We don't get as many hugs, and the stress of being single wears us down.

So, be thankful if you're in a relationship. Nothing is harder than at a restaurant when you have to say, "Table for one?"

"80% of life is showing up..." -- Woody Allen

And the rest is finding a parking place! Just a quick entry today about this quote. It sounds simple, and IT IS. You need to show up. When I was in college, if I just showed up for class, I could pass. (And of course, the harder I studied, the better grade. Amazing.)

And here's how you get involved. You SIGN UP and SHOW UP. Find what your passions are: golf, art, church, tennis - sign up and they will give you meeting times. It's that simple.

When my kids have started the school year, I just set up all the activities and then it's automatic pilot. You show up. I call it 'getting in our groove.'

So, no more floundering. As Nike says, 'Just do it."

"You are what you eat..."

Uh-oh..... I guess that means I'm full of chocolate and fritoes and carbs... cut me open, and I'm sure there's chocolate in my veins. Actually, this is supposed to be true. Dr. Fuhrman (a famous doctor on the East Coast) says you really can cut into belly fat, and tell what someone's diet is... ugh. I just don't like to cook. I did in high school. I used to look through cook books, and occasionally make things. And when I was married, I would cook for my husband. But somewhere in there I figured out that it's a lot of work to buy it, make it, and clean it. I don't care about food THAT much. I'm not a foodie. I guess I'm the opposite. I don't live to eat, I eat to live. And not very well. I've really got to do better than I'm doing. I'm just so tired after a long day of work and commute... My daughter says I make the same things. True. And I know it's better for us to eat organic, but it's so expensive. But I've got to try. I've got to change my DNA from a hershey kiss to a sweet carrot.
Bon Appetit!

“All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten.”

I'm so glad I'm not in junior high anymore.... aren't we all? My last child is in 7th grade, and the drama is non-stop. Yesterday a boy in her class called her a 'D' bag in front of the other boys in her class, and she was so humiliated. She's a pretty sunshiny kid and actually has pretty thick skin. She's been in the same school since pre-school and knows everyone well. But this boy is fairly new and they are like oil and water. She still came home very upset, saying he was bullying her all week. As the parent, I would LOVE to say something to him, or his parents but I know I can't. She's got to start learning how to deal with it.
I've tried to explain that it really doesn't change much from here on out. Every workplace I've been at had the same kind of drama as in junior high. I realize I've worked mostly at large Metro newspapers, where you have lots of employees in many different areas, and there are always, shall we say, 'interactions' between the sexes. Many bosses are the bullies or there is a 'teacher's pet' that tattles on everyone. There are the mean ones, and the sweet ones, the ones that deserve praise, and ones that cheat. Every job I've started at, I've looked for the obvious ones that fill these parts. And then there's the gossiping... (sigh) There are clicks, just like in junior high. There are the 'popular' ones and the 'nerds.' And lunch is still really important.

It's pretty sad that we don't change much after the age of 12, but that's just how it is....