Angels Among Us

angel:  [eyn-juhl]  a person having qualities generally attributed to an angel;

a messenger, especially of God;

a conventional representation of such a being, in human form

I've been seeing angels left and right,

both in person and in the media.

I don't know about you,

but I had gotten so tired of the bad news 

that I pretty much stopped watching much news at all.

I seldom click on the news links posted on FB

but I'm really glad I checked out this one.

This story is packed FULL of good news

and a handful of angels, too.

CLICK HERE to see what I mean. :)

This one hits a bit closer to home. ;)

CLICK HERE

Makes a mama proud.  :)  

Drew loves being a firefighter

 and even though I worry every time

 I know he's out on a call, 

I love that he is passionate about helping others.

Then there is this guy:

 

One can be labeled an angel for many reasons.

Sometimes it's because of the example they set. 

This is my Tucker Man.  He's 10 years old.

Yesterday his class went to visit a local nursing home.  

Those who are band members 

put on a little concert for the residents, 

then they all sat and talked, 

giving each of them some one-on-one attention.

Tucker came home just bubbling over 

with stories about this little excursion 

and ended it by saying

 "I really enjoyed going there.  

It was fun to talk to them." 

He told me of the conversations 

he had with a couple of the elderly residents

and he spoke with so much 

enthusiasm and joy.

My heart was so full it nearly burst. 

He is such a loving, giving, sensitive young man.

And that makes him an angel in my eyes.

When the news of the day is getting you down

with stories of political unrest,

rising food and gas prices,

and crime after crime...

LOOK AROUND YOU.

I feel certain you can spy an angel or two. 

Move past the depressing headlines

and allow them to lift your spirits

 and, more importantly,

 restore your confidence in mankind.

The wings of angels are often found on the backs of the least likely people.  ~Eric Honeycutt

Everyone entrusted with a mission is an angel.  ~Moses Maimonides

Anyone can be an angel.  ~Author Unknown

Clean Slates and Patient Hearts

This was posted by a FB friend this morning 

and it really struck a chord. 
It also made me think of another line 

I'd like to add to it:

and the confidence to form our own opinions.

These lessons have been so terribly lost in today's society.  

People can be incredibly judgmental, 

basing their opinions on what others say 

rather than figuring things out for themselves. 

How often do you approach someone,

already armed with opinions and expectations 

that you've created based upon 

gossip and hearsay?
Or perhaps even impressions they've given you

based only on their outward appearance?

And let's be honest.

There have been times when

you've even created a monster in your mind

only to meet the person and think

"Wow. You know, she's actually very nice."

I confess.

Guilty as charged.

I'm not proud of it.

It's just a fact.

 But I am changing all that.

It's part of a big ol' remodeling I've been undergoing

the last couple of years.

I'm making changes to the only thing in this world

over which I have any real control:
MYSELF.

Important changes are usually the toughest to make.

Being less judgmental is important.

Being kind is important.

Having an open and patient heart is important.

I will create a blank slate for each person I meet.

 I will allow them to write on it 

the story they want me to read.

I will let them be the person they choose to be

rather than forcing them into some mold I've

already chosen for them.

I'll allow them to set the tone of our relationship.

I will follow my own instincts.

And...

I will hope and pray that from this day forward,

others will give me

that same opportunity.

Because,

you know,

people will become what you expect of them.

 It's human nature to respond in kind

to the way others behave toward you.

And more than that...

given good reason to do so,

PEOPLE CHANGE.

Be what you'd like to see in others.

Simple.

Roundabout Blessings

It's one of those mornings.

No, not a BAD morning.

Just one of those mornings.

The Hubster and the kids seemed to be

 in  good moods

and I got everyone off to work and school

with no hitches.

The temp is very mild for a February morning

and it's supposed to go into the 50s this afternoon.

Earlier I watched a thick layer of dark clouds 

being blown across the sky,

the wind taking them elsewhere,

so that we might enjoy a brief blast 

of springlike weather.

Now there is sunshine streaming through my window,

highlighting a layer of dust that needs

to be removed from practically every surface.

  I have stacks of laundry sorted,

ready to be thrown into the washing machine

and then the dryer

(which I don't mind all that much)

folded/put on hangers

(which I also don't mind)
and then put away

(which I mind very much, for whatever silly reason.)

Over the weekend we stopped at Sam's and 

picked up some beef and some chicken.

They need to be worked up, divided into smaller portions

and put in the freezer.

Not my favorite job, but it's nice to have it on hand

and not have to worry about running to the store

so often to replenish.

Not my freezer...borrowed pic from a search engine

because mine needs some organizing.  ;)

We have a busy evening ahead,

filled with a piano lesson

and then a quick dinner before we go

to a basketball game at the high school,

where Perri will be cheering.

That will put us home in time to start

getting ready for bed so that we can

get up tomorrow and start all over again.

It might sound monotonous to some,

but I'm counting my blessings!

My roundabout blessings,

meaning they may not look like blessings

at first glance, but dig a little deeper.

You'll see what I mean.

 

That layer of dust I see means that I have 

a roof over my head 

and furniture to fill it. 

All those stacks of laundry mean that 

we have plenty of clothes to wear to keep us warm.

 The music lesson and the ballgame

that leave our schedule feeling somewhat rushed

mean that my kids are healthy 

and spending time on things they enjoy.

That hour or so I don't relish spending in the kitchen

packaging up things for the freezer

means we are blessed with enough food

to nourish and sustain us.

But now it's time to get busy.

I'll turn on some music,

definitely sing along and

probably even dance a little ;) ,

while I tackle the tasks at hand.

It's not a perfect morning

by most folks' standards.

But it sure feels perfect for me.

 

5QF

It's been a long time since I've done a 5QF

and I think I'm due.  ;)
Let's get it goin'!

Join in at My Little Life!

1. What is your favorite book to read with your kids?

I really have to choose just one?  Seriously?

 

Not gonna happen.

 

There are DOZENS!

 

Let's break it down like this:

My favorite CLASSIC to read with them is 

Where the Red Fern Grows.

And yes, I cry 

Every. Single. Time.

 
My favorite SERIES to read with them is

Junie B. Jones.

I'll be honest.  I despised those

books when they first came out.

The grammar was 

atrocious

and I kept thinking how

Perri was just learning to read 

and write and what a mess

this was going to make of it!

 

But they made me giggle.

Really.

I could just imagine Junie's 

thought process taking place

in my own kids' minds

and I knew we had to read them.

So we turned them into lessons, too!

As I read them aloud,

Perri would correct Junie's grammar.

And no, I can't take credit for the idea.

She just sort of started doing it on her own.

 

We've also read TONS of other great books

but I'll save that post for another day. ;)

 

2. After having kids, what body part has changed the most?

 

Okay, really now.

Do we want to go there?

I didn't think so.

 

A few stretch marks after the first one,

a few more and some sagging after the second...

you get my point.

 

There is no fun to be had in discussing that!

 

3. Would you ever go back to college? What would you study?

 

I would.

That is, if my circumstances were 

very different,

I would.

Perri will start college 

(full time...she is already earning credits in high school)

in 2015, and then Tucker in 2020.

I really don't think now is the time

for me to even think about it for myself. 

 

If I were to go, I would want to study journalism. :)

 

4. How do you close a phone call? Bye, bye bye or other?

 

I'm thinking...

 

Funny how we really don't pay attention

to that sort of thing, isn't it?

 

But I'm pretty sure that if it's my

hubby or my kids on the other end

of the line,

I end with 'Love you'

and if it's anyone else,

it's usually 

'Later' or 'Talk to ya later!'

 

I'm not a 'goodbye' kind of girl.

 

5. What is the one food that will always be your "cheat food" on a diet?

 

Since a picture is worth a thousand words:

 CHOCOLATE!!!

Especially dark.

Mmmmmmmmmmm...