Wonderingwoman

"If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself, take up his cross every day, and follow me." ~ Luke 9:23 The title of this blog and the entry are from a book I recently finished called Gathering the Fragments: A Gospel Mosaic  by Rev. Edward Farrell. The book is good but this particular chapter was, in my opinion, worth sharing. Here goes and thanks to Rev. Farrell for a chapter that was so important to me. Hope any readers of this blog find it insightful, also. Here goes: The heart of Christianity is a cross, the sign of a love unto death, and beyond into resurrection. I am beginning to understand that there is no way of following Jesus except by undergoing what he underwent. Unless I die, I can never bear fruit. No one in this world can escape suffering, but not all suffering is the cross. Suffering cannot be avoided, but one can escape the cross. The cross must be a choice, a free decision, or it is not the sign of Jesus' love. The cross is a...

It's been a long time since I've blogged but something has happened in my life recently that I wanted to share. A year or so ago, I read the book, " The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, " by Marie Kondo. I had to admit that the book made an impact on me and I put several of the ideas she suggests into practice. I haven't done everything (I couldn't bear to get rid of a book I haven't read regardless of how long it has been on my shelves) but there are several that I really like such as bare kitchen counters. I used to be someone who had crocks that held utensils and other cutesy things. I thought it looked homey but, in reality, made it very hard to easily clean because everything had to be moved back and forth while wiping off the counters. I like this one so much that if I find anything on my counters now it is irritating to me. I like the sparse, "naked" look. It makes preparation of meals super easy. I don't have to clear a space just t...

I haven't posted about the mysteries of the Rosary for quite awhile but one has been buzzing around in my brain for awhile. Here goes: Most people have heard the gospel story of the Wedding at Cana. It is often referred to as Christ's first miracle. The family hosting the wedding has run out of wine. Mary, Jesus' mother, tells Jesus that the family about the situation. Jesus responds to his mother that His time has not yet come. Mary goes to the family servants telling them to, "Do whatever He tells you to do." Jesus tells the servants to fill some jars with water and when the water is poured for a drink, it has become the best wine to be served. Much has been made of the idea that Jesus, even though He is the Son of God, does what his mother asked him to do. Jesus' miracle of turning water into wine is a miracle and ripe with symbolism. My focus is on the phrase, "Do whatever He tells you to do." It's easy for the reader or listener to men...

Came across some lovely stories in old paperwork. They are too good not to share. Here goes: BE A QUEEN Oprah Winfrey said the following in a commencement address to the graduates of all-female Spelman College in 1993: Be a queen. Dare to be different. Be a pioneer. Be a leader. Be the kind of woman who in the face of adversity will continue to embrace life and walk fearlessly toward the challenge. Take it on! Be a truth seeker and rule your domain, whatever it is--your home, your office, your family--with a loving heart. Be a queen. Be tender. Continue to give birth to new ideas and rejoice in your womanhood. My prayer is that we will stop wasting time being mundane and mediocre. We are daughters of God--here to teach the world how to love. It doesn't matter what you've been through, where you come from, who your parents are--nor your social or economic status. None of that matters. What matters is how you choose to love, how you choose to express that love through y...

How many times have we said those words or similar ones to someone who is hurting or in some sort of crisis? How many times have we heard those words? When someone is hurting, they don't need to hear platitudes such as above. They want to know you understand their pain. Deep down we all know that eventually, "It will be alright!" But, in the midst of pain, sorrow, and/or suffering those words sound hollow and meaningless. I don't want to be told that, "it will be okay." I want someone to reflect back to me that they understand I'm hurting and that it's no fun. Imagine this conversation: You: I just found out my best friend has cancer. Your friend: That's awful! But it's going to be okay. Everything always works out. Compare that with this: You: I just found out my best friend has cancer. Your friend: Oh, that's awful. You must feel so much sorrow and helplessness right now. You probably feel pretty scared, too. Which reson...

The bandage was wound around the wound. The farm was used to produce produce. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. We must polish the Polish furniture. He could lead if he would get the lead out. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was to present the present. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. I did not object to the object. The insurance was invalid for the invalid. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row. They were too close to the door to close it. The buck does funny things when the does are present. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow. The wind was too strong to wind the sail. After a number of injections my jaw got number. Upon seeing the tear in the painting, I shed a tear. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests....

I found these in some old paperwork and thought I would post them for others to use. Here goes: Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips. Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake bater onto the hot griddle--perfect shaped pancakes every time. To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes. To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling. Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan--the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers. To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing. To easily remove burnt-on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove-top--skillet will be much easier to clean. Spray your tupperware with nonstick coo...

I posted a blog awhile back on decision-making and I came across another article about the topic and thought I would post the thoughts since they, like the previous post, are very good. This summary appeared in the May, 2011, edition of O Magazine written by Catherine Price. Here goes: Identify your goal.  As David Welch, Ph.D., professor of political science at the University of Waterloo in Ontario and author of Decisions, Decisions: The Art of Effective Decision Making,  explains, "People who aren't self-reflective are going to end up making bad decisions because they don't really know what they want in the first place." Before you switch jobs, ask yourself: Do I really want a different career? or do I just want a different boss? Don't make a decision based on the wrong problem. Eliminate choices by setting standards.  If you're trying to buy a digital camera, list the features you'll actually use. Any camera that has them is therefore good enough f...

Every so often I go on binges and I'm not referring to a diet binge. My binges center more on projects. My latest binge has been to clear stuff out that I've been carting around forever and finish them. In the last month I've completed 4 large jigsaw puzzles, finished an afghan, started another, emptied crates of yarn to sort them out, and finished a counted cross-stitch piece. All this on top of working, resuming playing the bass and taking lessons as well as playing in community orchestra and being gone over Labor Day. I listen to audio-books while I'm doing projects so I feel like I'm getting two things done at the same time. It feels really good to get stuff done and out when I've finished. I still have a lot of projects to finish up but it definitely feels good to get stuff done and out of the way. What causes these binges to perk up in me? I've always been occupied with projects and stuff, but why does a "binge" start? I never know how lo...

I've been to several workshops on Stress Management over the years and I'm not alone in attendance. They are always one of the most popular sessions around. The topic is appropriate for almost everyone and it also gives conference attendees a chance to focus on something besides the career topic (in my case education). It truly is a break which is always like a sigh of relief. Besides that, most of the people who attend these sessions are looking to have some fun at a workshop and there's usually lots of laughter and good-natured discussion. One session I was at several years ago brought up the topic of comfort food for stress relief. I had never consciously thought about comfort food being a stress reliever but since that session I've thought about it quite a bit and realized how true it is. The workshop stated that the top 4 comfort foods were chicken soup, mashed potatoes, grilled cheese sandwiches and mac & cheese. I don't know where the session presenters...

A few post's ago I entered something I read from the book God's Abundance. Here's another one that is too good not to share by Carl Westling. Decisions can be complicated enough, even when a crisis is not at hand. Regardless of the pressures, it helps us to think like a chess player. This is another brick in the foundation of our abundant life. Tournament class chess players pride themselves on their ability to think five, six, seven or more moves in advance. This preplanning allows them to avoid potential pitfalls that would not show up in just a few moves. The winner of a tournament is generally the one whose moves are planned farther ahead than their opponent. This same logic can be used in daily activities that involve making multiple decisions. One simple way of doing this is by building a decision tree. You may choose to experiment with this concept before applying it to real life. Here is how it works: Let's assume you have been offered a job in another ...

I think all of us, at one time or another, forget that it's the little things that are often the most fun and memorable. For instance, my parents, hubby and kids LOVE our tradition with Christmas stockings. It's something that makes our holidays. It's a little thing but we all have fun, lots of laughs and look forward to it each year. Well, I recently came across a little thing that was lots of fun. I picked up a book several months ago titled The Pulpwood Queen's Tiara-Wearing, Book Sharing Guide to Life. The book was written by a fellow Kansan, Kathy Patrick, and describes her life but uses books she has read as a springboard for various topics in her book. It's fun and enlightening to review her list of favorite books at the end of each chapter. She writes in a conversational manner and I felt like she was talking to me in a one-to-one conversation as I read the book. The cover alone draws your attention with a group of women laughing, wearing tiaras and dress...

I've been reading a daily devotional entitled God's Abundance--365 Days to a More Meaningful Life edited by Kathy Collard Miller.The reading for April 2 was so good that I wanted to pass it on. This particular day was submitted by Kitty Bucholtz and titled "Lenten Sacrifice." I know that we are way past Lent and the entire Easter season but this article is just too good, in my opinion, not to pass on. I've been thinking about it since I read it and thought you might enjoy it, too. Here goes: During the Ash Wednesday message last year, the priest challenged each of us to give up praying for ourselves for the entire Lenten season. We were to pray only for others, or in Thanksgiving. At first, I resisted the idea. My husband and I were having some severe financial hardships and had just begun new jobs. It was flu season. I could not imagine giving up praying for myself. As a child I memorized the Bible verse about praying without ceasing, and over the years it ha...

I'm convinced more and more that a lot of people should be living in pig pens and not let loose in the world. This becomes more and more apparent to me at restaurants and theaters. After a movie (and my hubby and I go to LOTS of movies), the theater is littered with cups that often spill, popcorn, candy wrappers and other disgusting detritus. It's disgusting. I've seen beautiful new theaters reduced to looking like garbage dumps. Why don't people pick up their trash and take it out of the theater. At the door of every theater we've been to there are large trash cans crying out to be filled. Why don't people use them? To me, it's no different than littering on the streets/roads/highways. That is now against the law? People have to dump their trash at the next gas station or rest stop. Why is theater behavior so different? Now, I can imagine what you're thinking...the theater hires workers to clean up. That's true, but isn't there some level of...

There's a well-known scripture with words summarizing that there is a time for everything. It is also a well-known song from years past. I think most of us would agree that it's true. My focus today is how it also applies to books which may not seem that important but I think it is. A few years ago Elizabeth Gilbert's book, Eat, Pray, Love was on bestseller lists and it was so well liked that it was made into a movie starring Julia Roberts. I read a synopsis of the book and the reviews. It sounded interesting, so I bought it and started reading it. Arrgh! I read the first few pages and was disappointed. I forced myself to keep going and gave up. I couldn't seem to get through a single page without forcing myself and couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Nevertheless, I left my bookmark in place and set the book aside. I'll try again later. Later came several months after the first attempt and the "Eat" part of the book was so appealing that I ...

Over a month ago my oldest daughter posted on her blog about her grandfather's (my father) death. She talked about other deaths in her life and it got me to thinking (or perhaps I should say wondering). I went to my first funeral when I was 4 or 5 with my Nanna. It wasn't anyone I knew but a friend of hers. Since then I've attended many numerous family funerals (father, grandmothers, great-aunts, uncles), close  friends, and, unfortunately the funeral of children. Once I was the soloist at the funeral of an infant. I can still remember the pall bearer (there was only one) carrying in a coffin about the size of a shoebox since the infant was premature. I was asked to to sing "Jesus Loves the Little Children," and it was the most difficult song to get through because everyone in the congregation was crying and I was, too. Every adult there could only be thinking, "That could be my child," and the horrible sense of loss that would have followed. But I d...

I finished book 2 of the Hunger Games trilogy on my way to work this morning (I wasn't driving). The two books I've read so far are compelling reads and I will start the last one tonight (I can't wait!). This trilogy is the Harry Potter series of young people today which has me puzzled and maybe a little concerned. The Harry Potter world was magical and finding children and adults interested in it wasn't a big surprise; the world of fantasy has always intrigued humans. I'd love to have a flying broom like the students had at Hogwarts. Talk about a "green" solution to getting around--no gas to buy and/or exhaust to mess up the air. I suppose if everyone had brooms, there might be broom traffic jams. LOL However, the world in Hunger Games isn't magical; it could be very real even though it's set in the future. Why are young people so fascinated with this series? Is it just the writing or is there something more? In the books, the people in the 12...

Yesterday my hubby and I celebrated our tenth anniversary. Hubby did all the planning and we had a lovely day together; we toured the Crystal Bridges museum in northwest Arkansas which was the most beautiful art museum I've ever seen. We plan on going again next month when a new exhibit arrives. Then we ate supper at Ruth Criss' steak house. We ate filet and lobster Rockefeller. They were both sublime. The day was leisurely and beautiful. What a memorable day! It got me to thinking of other anniversaries in our lives and how an ordinary day can become significant to us even if it's not significant to anyone else. For instance, I remember the days I graduated from high school and college, May 28 and May 13 respectively. Our birthdays are anniversaries of our birth. These are fairly major milestones. But I also remember the day my oldest daughter took her first step, the day I fell and broke my ankle, the day I had lasik surgery on my eyes. What's interesting about th...

I've been going through all my keepsakes and trying to finish up projects. As I look at stuff, I think how each little thing/object has some meaning to me and is a part of my life and I began to think about what a life really is. I think we often state Tom Cruise is an actor, Meryl Streep is an actress, Mozart was a composer, Jonas Salk invented the polio vaccine and so on. However, I'm sure there lives are much more than that. Most of us can identify ourselves by our careers. For instance, I would say I'm an educational administrator since I've done that for 22 years of my career after college graduation. But in saying that, I'm barely scratching the surface of my life. As I look through the stuff I've collected over the years, I can recall event after event, activity after activity and person after person who have all been part and parcel of my life. The little notes, cards, tickets, brochures that I plan for scrapbooks, the photos of families and the vari...

From the time I was in first or second grade I have had a textile art activity in my hand of some sort. Whether it was sewing something on the sewing machine, crocheting, knitting, crewel, needlepoint, counted or stamped x-stitch, quilting, my hands have rarely been idle at home. I often ask myself why it is so important to me and I'm not sure I know all the answer(s). I think it is mostly centered in leaving something behind--a kind of legacy long after I'm gone. When I go to needlework shows, there are usually displays of antique needlework pieces. I find myself wondering about the life of the person who made it; were they happy? Does the choice of design tell anything about them? Why did she (I can use the choice of "she" without bias because it was so rare to have needlework done by a man in years past) make this particular piece? Were they hoping someone would keep their piece and cherish it long after they were gone? Who knows? As I look at the pieces I have m...