A MOMENT IN TIME

Everything is a moment in time, then it is gone.  And whether good or bad, the moment is logged away as a memory to be pulled out, talked about, to laugh or cry over, then stored away again.

A friend gave this sweater to me, new with tags, and trying it on, I looked in the mirror, and was taken back to a time years ago, something that made me laugh all over again.

During our first years, my husband, James, found himself looking for work, going to interviews, and learning about himself and others along the way.

One day, he was called for an interview, something very exciting because this was the 80's, a time of recession and job-scarcity.  So we decided he needed a new suit for this special occasion, and off he went to the local Sears store, where he found just the right one, brought it home, and hung it up.

Finally, it was interview day!  On went the new, gray suit and shined up shoes, and out the door to be on time and ready to impress...

After about two hours, James returned, ready to tell me about the interview so I sat down opposite him while he, standing, began telling his story in the usual way, moving around and raising his arms as he talked.  I watched while listening when suddenly I noticed something hanging from the armpit of his suit jacket, much like in the above picture.  Staring, an image came into my mind of him being interviewed, tag waving about as he answered questions, perhaps the interviewer trying not to notice, and I began to laugh, showing him the tag we forgot to snip away from the suit, price still clearly showing, and he started laughing as well.  It was a great and memorable moment in time, one we still laugh about today.

CHANGE. WHAT'S YOURS LIKE?

  December 31st of 2019, and time to make up some resolutions....or not.  I find the word "resolution" itself more than intimidating, and even a bit scary so I want to get something straight here:  to resolve does not mean to change,  and change is the outcome of a resolve.  Resolve is intention, change is to act upon resolve.  

Assuming it is, what makes change so difficult?  Including myself, I notice in people the same patterns year after year, even and especially when they want to change something.  Change is personal; therefore, it is hard to do.

Some changes are obvious, like the picture above.  I have changed over the last few years (lines on face, etc.), and Angus used to be a baby!  Those are naturally occurring changes, visible from the outside; so what about on the inside?  There is plainly no easy way to change, and I think most people want a simple, quick, and done deal, like in maybe a week or two.  Hasn't worked for me yet!

Scientifically speaking, it is a fact that the more you do something, whether positive or negative, the more you will continue to do it because a pattern of thinking develops, and the channels in the brain deepen as the years go by.  (That's the scary part!)  No, don't stop reading!

Of course, there is more than one type of change, brought on by life events such as a sudden disaster or a spiritual force, both of which will cause one to become more motivated during the process of change.  For example, my husband had a spiritual awakening around the age of 27, and he immediately quit using tobacco, a habit of 15 years!  However, the desire to smoke took longer to overcome but the resolve won out.

I have no handy hints or suggestions here.  I have lived long enough to notice that people tend to resolve but fall short of change.  Not to sound negative, but has anyone ever wanted you to change something about yourself or in someone else but they don't seem too interested in what they need to change?  It is simply easier to spot the shortcomings of others but not the ones in ourselves.  

What I do believe in is progress, and progress is a process which is never instant or painless.  It also requires careful planning.  My husband stopped smoking, and avoided even touching tobacco products and used the word "no."  He had a plan.

Ok, a little humor please!  For years, I have tried to be a morning person like some of my friends...you know, cheerful and chatty in the a.m. and sound asleep by 10 p.m.?  I admire them!  But every time I worked on this, it was a fail, at least to a degree.  I did manage to force myself to at least not act as grumpy as I felt, and this was progress.  I  have now decided that I am ok not being 'Miss Happy' in the morning but I also will make you coffee cheerfully.  I plainly don't 'turn on' until after the noon hour!

The point here is to know yourself, to think through what to keep and what to give away (out with the old, in with the new!), and work towards a goal, however slow or frustrating it may be, so that you have accomplished something, whether it is  learning a new skill, stopping a habit, or working on a character trait.  And like you've been hearing for years now, you can do it!

A MOMENT IN A DAY

Now that November is here, and the holidays are upon us, a story came to me to share with you.  After reading this, I hope you will be inspired to share one of your stories with me and others.

It was a few short years ago during the busyness of December.  I was working at Macy's for the exciting and sometimes stressful holiday season, and after hours of sales, returns, complaints, and some good laughs, I was ready to go home.

Since my car was parked behind the JC Penney store, I headed in that direction, tired, hungry, and happy; happy because it was Christmas.  Carols rang throughout the mall, giant ornaments of rainbow colors met my eyes, and scores of people bustling with their last minute gift buying.

Reaching into my pocket, I remembered the ten dollar JC Penney gift card I wanted to use and with just half an hour to closing, I figured it could be put to good use somehow, so strolling into the store, I pulled a bit of energy out and walked toward the holiday decorations thinking I would buy a new ornament for our tree.

We all have special personal gifts, and one of mine is a visual gift; I notice everything that appears out of place, and as I scanned the ornamented trees, a small red gift bag came into my view, and it was out of place.  I scooped it up, and being the curious person that I am, I peeked inside to find a beautiful silver gift box tied up with a golden ribbon, and inside the tiny box was an exquisite jeweled necklace.  Amazing!  I looked around but there was no one in sight. But I knew what to do.

JC Penney was clearly written on the tiny box so I figured there was someone wondering where they had dropped it.  I imagined it was a man who had spent a great deal of time choosing just the perfect necklace for his wife or girlfriend, and I thought how disappointed he would be when he noticed the loss.  I  imagined how he had saved a long time for this perfect gift for some special occasion.  But why did I think it was a man?  Because of the way it was wrapped, and the delicate beauty of the jewels.  A man would purchase this for that 'special someone.'  So off to the jewelry department I went, hoping to solve this mystery.

Of course, all of  the sales personnel were busy helping customers so I waited.  And as I waited, I observed mixed expressions upon the faces of the many waiting shoppers, some anxious, others cheery. Suddenly from a distance a man came striding towards the department, looking frantic and upset, carrying bags, sporting a tan trench coat, wire rimmed glasses, and wearing i.d. tags around his neck which clattered noisily as he rushed to the counter. He was perspiring as he approached, and in that moment I knew I had found the man.  I just knew.

Interrupting the sales staff, the man burst out that he had "lost the jewelry he had just purchased, and had it been turned in?"  There were a few seconds of confusion on the sales associates face until  I stepped up, handed the missing red bag to the girl, and said, "Here it is. I found it in the holiday ornament area."  I thought the man was going to have an attack right there.  His eyes became wide with astonishment that the gift had been found, and that anyone would even return what was lost. He came over to me, thanking me over and over again, then reached in his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and offered me a reward for what I had done.  Smiling, I simply said, "No, thank you.  I am just happy you have it back."  And that was it.

Afterwards, I felt sincerely happy.  The incident could have had a very different ending and I was glad to have participated in the man's joyful moment.  There is a verse in the Bible, John 2:24,25 where Jesus says that ..."He did not put his trust in people,"... and again in Philippians 3:3 where Paul states ..."We put no confidence in human effort"...  These verses show us how human nature gets in the way of goodness and joy.  I could have kept the necklace; indeed, it would have been so easy.  But I chose a different route, one with lasting value, and not because my human nature is more finely tuned.  It isn't.  It was up to me to do the right thing at the very moment when I had a choice, just as it is up to you when you when you are faced with one as well.  

LISTEN, OVERLOOK, VALUE, ENCOURAGE. (LOVE)

Have you ever attempted to speak into the life of someone, only to get a rejection?  Your intentions were well meaning and right, or so you thought, until you were told to "butt out" in one way or another.  But think of it this way:  how well do you take regulating or monitoring from someone else, especially when it feels like criticism or judgement?  

:Sometimes our 'words of wisdom' are rejected, we feel rejected.

Sometimes others just are not ready to receive what we have for them.

Today you can be challenged to be agreeable, not finding fault in others, to not criticize one bit, to not act like your feelings are hurt, and improve and regulate your life only.  That's a big order, yes, and it can be done.  Encourage one another as you want to be encouraged.  It is up to you today.

A FAITH ISSUE

Didn't sleep much this week but I don't mind.  Much.  One thing I've noticed is what goes on in the night that isn't happening in the day.  It is very quiet so I can think and listen.  Sometimes a lone bird calls out, a car engine starts up, or a dog barks  That's about it, except for what's in my mind.

During a particularly rough week, I awoke to a voice, not audible, but a voice all the same.  I knew it was God and He knew I had been overthinking.  Again.  And He told me that everyone in my life was in a personal process of  their own, and that I had to be ok with whatever that is.  "Give them to Me," he said. 

It was a faith issue God was zeroing in on, and He was right.  I had to let go to Him what I  could not  control, to rest in the assurance of God's ability to make all things right when I surrender to His will.  And that has been part of my personal process in restoring some happiness to my life.                                                                                                 

Gift of Deer

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