Have you ever been nudged?
I have. Sometimes it's a gentle nudge with someone trying to get my attention. Sometimes it's more persistent, like that of a toddler wanting more, more, more. Today I find myself submitting to the nudge that's been poking me for more than a year. I confided in a friend yesterday how hard it is to admit when you're excited about something where you could fail so publicly. How hard it is to tell people, "Hey, I'm going to do ...," and stare into their stunned face silently judging me. Ridiculing me. Waiting to hear me fail.
"That's not for you to worry about, Stephanie," she said. "It's for you to be obedient to your calling - whether you fail or not." Wow. She's right.
So here I go! Nudged into action. Intentionally moving forward. I'll let you know how it goes!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
I'm Bad at Returning Phone Calls
I really do believe that when someone doesn't return your call, they are not listening to your message and choosing not to pick up the phone. They are not choosing not to call you back - they simply haven't received your message or had sufficient time to return the call. I'm okay with that when it happens to me. I don't mind leaving you a couple messages because I know how bad I am about messages. But I do disappoint others.
Pitfall One: No time to retrieve messages. While I might see the small VM on my phone display, I do not have time to pick up the messages. A few days could pass before I retrieve the messages (if I'm even in town!). Then, I must have time to act on it.
Pitfall Two: I have time to return the call - but it's too late at night or too early in the day. The opposite can occur, too (time without real opportunity): it will be the right time, but my schedule doesn't allow me to be on the phone. Usually this is due to work issues, children's schedules/squabbles, etc. I could call on my cell from the car - but that's not giving the caller the attention deserved (not to mention, unsafe).
And so, the caller waits. Sometimes even calling again (and again - especially if I haven't picked up the messages). While I have told friends and family that I'm really not ignoring them, I'm not sure they believe me. I've said, "if I haven't returned your call, I haven't gotten your message." Funny thing about all this, those that call my cell always get a hold of me - even if I couldn't take the call that moment.
Seems odd? Not really. In a day where I can check email, FaceBook, and text message from my phone - that's the best way to reach me ... and consequently, for me to reach you. I can send or receive a text any time and it's never intrusive. Same with email, FaceBook posts, or FaceBook messages.
There are a few callers I have forwarded from my home to my cell so I don't miss their calls anymore, and listen to their messages (each one more pathetic than the last), when I can finally devote the time to it emptying my phone queue.
You might wonder how I could be so busy as to not pick up messages - well my time is not my own. Shuttling kiddos to and fro, having their friends over, dentist appointments, random ear infections, feeding the masses, doing copious amounts of laundry, keeping a humbly clean home, etc., etc., etc.. It really does all add up, overlap, and make you want to relish the moments at home instead of tackling the "to do's."
I encourage you to give others the benefit of the doubt - extend grace ... you never know when you might need some in return.
Pitfall One: No time to retrieve messages. While I might see the small VM on my phone display, I do not have time to pick up the messages. A few days could pass before I retrieve the messages (if I'm even in town!). Then, I must have time to act on it.
Pitfall Two: I have time to return the call - but it's too late at night or too early in the day. The opposite can occur, too (time without real opportunity): it will be the right time, but my schedule doesn't allow me to be on the phone. Usually this is due to work issues, children's schedules/squabbles, etc. I could call on my cell from the car - but that's not giving the caller the attention deserved (not to mention, unsafe).
And so, the caller waits. Sometimes even calling again (and again - especially if I haven't picked up the messages). While I have told friends and family that I'm really not ignoring them, I'm not sure they believe me. I've said, "if I haven't returned your call, I haven't gotten your message." Funny thing about all this, those that call my cell always get a hold of me - even if I couldn't take the call that moment.
Seems odd? Not really. In a day where I can check email, FaceBook, and text message from my phone - that's the best way to reach me ... and consequently, for me to reach you. I can send or receive a text any time and it's never intrusive. Same with email, FaceBook posts, or FaceBook messages.
There are a few callers I have forwarded from my home to my cell so I don't miss their calls anymore, and listen to their messages (each one more pathetic than the last), when I can finally devote the time to it emptying my phone queue.
You might wonder how I could be so busy as to not pick up messages - well my time is not my own. Shuttling kiddos to and fro, having their friends over, dentist appointments, random ear infections, feeding the masses, doing copious amounts of laundry, keeping a humbly clean home, etc., etc., etc.. It really does all add up, overlap, and make you want to relish the moments at home instead of tackling the "to do's."
I encourage you to give others the benefit of the doubt - extend grace ... you never know when you might need some in return.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
A Man in Uniform
Part One
The Colonel stopped at WalMart for milk on his way home from his night shift. He was in uniform - his fatigues. He does not like to draw attention to himself and usually changes into his uniform once at his duty station. He travels to and from in civilian clothes. However, at 5:30 in the morning after a week of mids, he just wanted to run this quick errand and get home. He stood in front of the bank of refrigerators looking for the 1% milk and felt someone staring at him.
"I just wanted to say thanks," the man at WalMart said.
The Colonel smiled at him, "Thank you."
It was the first thing he told me about that morning before climbing into bed. When you thank a soldier, it does matter. They don't do it for appreciation, but your appreciation speaks to their commitment.
The Colonel stopped at WalMart for milk on his way home from his night shift. He was in uniform - his fatigues. He does not like to draw attention to himself and usually changes into his uniform once at his duty station. He travels to and from in civilian clothes. However, at 5:30 in the morning after a week of mids, he just wanted to run this quick errand and get home. He stood in front of the bank of refrigerators looking for the 1% milk and felt someone staring at him.
"I just wanted to say thanks," the man at WalMart said.
The Colonel smiled at him, "Thank you."
It was the first thing he told me about that morning before climbing into bed. When you thank a soldier, it does matter. They don't do it for appreciation, but your appreciation speaks to their commitment.
Part Two
He arrived home at 6:30 this morning, just in time to grab our middle son and run him out to the swim meet. The Colonel finished his last night shift and was still in his fatigues. He arrived at the pool just in time for warm-ups, intending to drop-off our son, come home to shower/change, and head back out. The moment he stepped onto the pool deck, he could feel the spotlight on him. When I showed up at the meet later on, everyone who'd seen him earlier said, "I saw your man in uniform this morning." I smiled proudly.
He looks so impressive in his uniform. He has presence, authority - commanding respect and attention. One of my friends said, "He looks three times bigger in his uniform - it's the hat, the boots ...." she went on. I nodded. He does. He's amazingly large in stature when he's decked out in his battle dress. I love a man in uniform ... actually, I love my man in uniform :)
I encourage you to thank a soldier this weekend as we celebrate our country!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Extra Fun Was Extraordinary!
I grew up in the Maryland suburbs - just outside DC. Despite what you might now about suburbia, I am, by definition, a city girl. The sturdiest shoes I owned in college were keds. I had visited friends in Washington State near Mt. Hood who wanted to take me hiking. I donned my keds and was promptly pushed aside while my closet was ransacked in search of more appropriate footwear. When none was found, the "tourist" route was implemented.
When I trek more than five miles away from my homebase, I need a GPS and a credit card, which both came in handy when invited for that extra fun I mentioned earlier. Our family joined three other families at Lake Anna in Central Virginia. The setting is idyllic. It's a peaceful gem in our Lover's State. Lake Anna may be a public access lake, but it's definitely a less discovered destination spot. I think what I like most about it, is that we were there in 90 minutes. It wasn't a three or four (plus) hour trip to the beach or the mountains. It was a lovely, scenic drive through the Virginia countryside.
We jumped off the dock into the lake, which I've never done! The water temperature was perfect. There was a floating dock about twelve feet away from the shore the kids would climb onto and make sink. They would pretend they were on the Titanic, "we're going down - save yourselves!!" It was hilarious. I sat in my new favorite beach chair on the dock, enjoying the sun, watching them swim and laugh and dive and push each other in. The kids ranged in aged from four to fourteen - and they played together beautifully. They wanted all the grown ups to get on the floating raft to sink it further, somehow thinking we were bigger and heavier than they were. Hmmmmmm :)
Our friends have a power boat for cruising and tubing and a jet ski. The Colonel and I used to have SeaDoos when we lived in Florida's panhandle, BC (before children). We raced up and down our cove of the lake, spilling children off tubes, jumping waves with the jet ski, giggling the whole time. Our wet hair was blown dry while we raced. We got too much sun on our cheeks and our shoulders. We ate hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch and dinner. We played too hard, rested just enough, and took lots of pictures. The time away was much needed; a rejuvenation for me - a welcome distraction for the kids.
We are eternally grateful for the invitation for some extra fun. This city girl may be swayed to trade in her keds for something more outdoorsy-friendly. Time will tell ... and so will another trip to Lake Anna!
When I trek more than five miles away from my homebase, I need a GPS and a credit card, which both came in handy when invited for that extra fun I mentioned earlier. Our family joined three other families at Lake Anna in Central Virginia. The setting is idyllic. It's a peaceful gem in our Lover's State. Lake Anna may be a public access lake, but it's definitely a less discovered destination spot. I think what I like most about it, is that we were there in 90 minutes. It wasn't a three or four (plus) hour trip to the beach or the mountains. It was a lovely, scenic drive through the Virginia countryside.
We jumped off the dock into the lake, which I've never done! The water temperature was perfect. There was a floating dock about twelve feet away from the shore the kids would climb onto and make sink. They would pretend they were on the Titanic, "we're going down - save yourselves!!" It was hilarious. I sat in my new favorite beach chair on the dock, enjoying the sun, watching them swim and laugh and dive and push each other in. The kids ranged in aged from four to fourteen - and they played together beautifully. They wanted all the grown ups to get on the floating raft to sink it further, somehow thinking we were bigger and heavier than they were. Hmmmmmm :)
Our friends have a power boat for cruising and tubing and a jet ski. The Colonel and I used to have SeaDoos when we lived in Florida's panhandle, BC (before children). We raced up and down our cove of the lake, spilling children off tubes, jumping waves with the jet ski, giggling the whole time. Our wet hair was blown dry while we raced. We got too much sun on our cheeks and our shoulders. We ate hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch and dinner. We played too hard, rested just enough, and took lots of pictures. The time away was much needed; a rejuvenation for me - a welcome distraction for the kids.
We are eternally grateful for the invitation for some extra fun. This city girl may be swayed to trade in her keds for something more outdoorsy-friendly. Time will tell ... and so will another trip to Lake Anna!
Perfect Pool Day
No, ninety days didn't fly by already - I've been out and about enjoying bits of summer with my family this past week, sans laptop. I guess I could blog from my smart phone, but no one really wants to see those typos!!
Today was one of those perfect pool days. Stunning. The breeze was refreshing; not a cloud in the sky; warm, but not too warm; perfect water temperature; and swim team friends just kept arriving at the pool so there were lots of friends to play with.
We began our outing with some extra kids along for the ride, a full cooler and picnic lunch, sprayed down with sunscreen, and pool passes in hand. I swam some laps while the kids played. At break, we all gathered up together to eat. Some friends ordered a pizza; some left to lunch at home and put kiddos down for naps. As soon as the guards blew the whistle, they were back in the water. My kids are old enough, and good enough swimmers, that I am not in the water with them anymore. I found a lounge chair, read a book (which I've not done in eons!), and counted kids after each page.
The whistle blew again for break - out came a $10 bill - and all the kiddos got an ice cream. I swam some more laps and did not indulge. Ten minutes swept by as easily as the day's summer breeze, and the kids were back in the water. "Sharks and Minnows 1-2-3!" And all the kids on the side dive in. Cannonball contests. Mini swim races. Best of all, our pool has a cool, green tube slide open to anyone who can swim to the side after going down.
More friends arrived. More sunscreen was sprayed. More pages were lazily read. More peanut butter crackers were munched. Card games were played in towel forts. It was a perfect pool day. Perfect. Now, where'd I put that bikini body I used to own??
Today was one of those perfect pool days. Stunning. The breeze was refreshing; not a cloud in the sky; warm, but not too warm; perfect water temperature; and swim team friends just kept arriving at the pool so there were lots of friends to play with.
We began our outing with some extra kids along for the ride, a full cooler and picnic lunch, sprayed down with sunscreen, and pool passes in hand. I swam some laps while the kids played. At break, we all gathered up together to eat. Some friends ordered a pizza; some left to lunch at home and put kiddos down for naps. As soon as the guards blew the whistle, they were back in the water. My kids are old enough, and good enough swimmers, that I am not in the water with them anymore. I found a lounge chair, read a book (which I've not done in eons!), and counted kids after each page.
The whistle blew again for break - out came a $10 bill - and all the kiddos got an ice cream. I swam some more laps and did not indulge. Ten minutes swept by as easily as the day's summer breeze, and the kids were back in the water. "Sharks and Minnows 1-2-3!" And all the kids on the side dive in. Cannonball contests. Mini swim races. Best of all, our pool has a cool, green tube slide open to anyone who can swim to the side after going down.
More friends arrived. More sunscreen was sprayed. More pages were lazily read. More peanut butter crackers were munched. Card games were played in towel forts. It was a perfect pool day. Perfect. Now, where'd I put that bikini body I used to own??
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