Friday, September 18, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
If you can't say Amen, you'd better say...
The title of this post is my favorite Voddie Baucham saying.
The past several weeks have been a struggle for various reasons I won't go into on a blog post. This week, I've ranged from perfectly fine to slightly annoyed to frustrated and back again.
Today I was going through the McD's drive-thru. I'd already given my money, but couldn't move forward yet. The lady that swiped my credit card was humming, occasionally the words would come out. She was bouncing a little too. She wasn't paying any attention to me...just kind of in her own world waiting for her next customer. It was the kind of situation that makes me smile. I said, "You must be having a great day!" with a smile. You know...the kind of banter you can have with a complete stranger. She smiled/grimaced and said, "It's been terrible." I actually thought she was kidding. She continued, "We're out of so many things. I'm getting cussed out for things I didn't even do." She's still gotta a little smile on her face though. We talked a little more about when she would get off work and how's she singing to get through the day.
All of this conversation was very brief. The car in front of me eased forward, so I said goodbye and moved on, but it has stuck with me.
She's had a bad day today...but she's singing a peppy song that puts a smile on another person's face.
Have I been acting that way lately?
If you can't say, "Amen," you'd better say, "Ouch!"
The past several weeks have been a struggle for various reasons I won't go into on a blog post. This week, I've ranged from perfectly fine to slightly annoyed to frustrated and back again.
Today I was going through the McD's drive-thru. I'd already given my money, but couldn't move forward yet. The lady that swiped my credit card was humming, occasionally the words would come out. She was bouncing a little too. She wasn't paying any attention to me...just kind of in her own world waiting for her next customer. It was the kind of situation that makes me smile. I said, "You must be having a great day!" with a smile. You know...the kind of banter you can have with a complete stranger. She smiled/grimaced and said, "It's been terrible." I actually thought she was kidding. She continued, "We're out of so many things. I'm getting cussed out for things I didn't even do." She's still gotta a little smile on her face though. We talked a little more about when she would get off work and how's she singing to get through the day.
All of this conversation was very brief. The car in front of me eased forward, so I said goodbye and moved on, but it has stuck with me.
She's had a bad day today...but she's singing a peppy song that puts a smile on another person's face.
Have I been acting that way lately?
If you can't say, "Amen," you'd better say, "Ouch!"
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Finished!...enough
I have finally finished decorating my new place! :) Mom and Aunt Barbara came down a month ago and I meant to post pictures then. Kindall, Jalen and friends helped with the final touches last night. I love it!
Without Further Ado...
Living Room/Dining Room Before:
Still some unpacked boxes... that I began to use as shelving! :)
Living Room/Dining Room After:
Those boxes are gone, I moved the "TV stand" (made out of two plant stands and a thick piece of glass) to the dining room to separate the two rooms more distinctly. Instead, I moved the cedar chest into the living room from the bedroom. It cleared up some space in the bedroom, too! The baker's rack was my Grandma's. Mom and Aunt Barbara brought a lot of decorator goodies with them!
Built in Cabinet Before:
The red is beautiful, but just doesn't work with my eggplant furniture.
Built in Cabinet After:
After many different trips to Home Depot and 2/3 of the wall being painted Cornhusk green, I ended up with Wintergreen. The cornhusk was too yellow-y. This has more blue tones and pulls out the green in the sofa. I like it!
I don't really have a good before shot of the long living room wall, but here's the after!
In past apartments, I had decorated throughout with quite a few floral pictures. I was tired of that look. I wanted something different. Something fun! We found clocks! And bicycles!
And a bicycle clock! I love them! The pendulum clock was a fun surprise when we got home!
Bedroom Before:
The window was an issue in decorating this room. Really in just putting furniture in places!
Bedroom After:
I lost count of how many times I've moved bedroom furniture around. Even before the movers left, I had them change the big pieces more than once! When Angela came to visit, we tried again...several times. Mom, Aunt Barbara and I finally found this one. 10th arrangement? 11th? I don't know, but I think it looks welcoming and homey.
Ok, there's the tour of my new home! I haven't done a lot to the kitchen, so I didn't include pics here. I still need an item or two for the counter. Right now, it's kind of bare. We'll see what I find! :) I also have a patio! I think it will be lovely to sit outside once the weather cools. I'm not a green thumb, but I'll do the best I can with all the greenery!
So, more pics...um, later...not going to promise soon on this project!
Without Further Ado...
Living Room/Dining Room Before:
Still some unpacked boxes... that I began to use as shelving! :)
Living Room/Dining Room After:
Those boxes are gone, I moved the "TV stand" (made out of two plant stands and a thick piece of glass) to the dining room to separate the two rooms more distinctly. Instead, I moved the cedar chest into the living room from the bedroom. It cleared up some space in the bedroom, too! The baker's rack was my Grandma's. Mom and Aunt Barbara brought a lot of decorator goodies with them!
Built in Cabinet Before:
The red is beautiful, but just doesn't work with my eggplant furniture.
Built in Cabinet After:
After many different trips to Home Depot and 2/3 of the wall being painted Cornhusk green, I ended up with Wintergreen. The cornhusk was too yellow-y. This has more blue tones and pulls out the green in the sofa. I like it!
I don't really have a good before shot of the long living room wall, but here's the after!
In past apartments, I had decorated throughout with quite a few floral pictures. I was tired of that look. I wanted something different. Something fun! We found clocks! And bicycles!
And a bicycle clock! I love them! The pendulum clock was a fun surprise when we got home!
Bedroom Before:
The window was an issue in decorating this room. Really in just putting furniture in places!
Bedroom After:
I lost count of how many times I've moved bedroom furniture around. Even before the movers left, I had them change the big pieces more than once! When Angela came to visit, we tried again...several times. Mom, Aunt Barbara and I finally found this one. 10th arrangement? 11th? I don't know, but I think it looks welcoming and homey.
Ok, there's the tour of my new home! I haven't done a lot to the kitchen, so I didn't include pics here. I still need an item or two for the counter. Right now, it's kind of bare. We'll see what I find! :) I also have a patio! I think it will be lovely to sit outside once the weather cools. I'm not a green thumb, but I'll do the best I can with all the greenery!
So, more pics...um, later...not going to promise soon on this project!
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Differences in Ways of Doing Things
I was just putting clean sheets on my bed (yay for clean sheet night!) and a memory came back to me.
I was just out of college, doing a lengthy roadtrip and staying over night at a college friend's house. We were pretty good friends, and I'd been at her parents' home several times. She and I were helping her grandmother put sheets on her bed and I asked, "Do you miter your sheets?" assuming every grandmotherly person did and wanting to make sure to do it her way. My friend gave a questioning and confused look. Her grandmother answered my verbal question and her non-verbal question. "No, we don't have to miter them. That's what they do in hospitals." I admit, my first thought was "It's what any good home does." (Yes, I struggled with judging quite a bit in my younger days. Don't judge me! *wink*) It was also the first I'd heard of it being a 'hospital-thing' as mitering sheets was a MUST at my household growing up.
I still miter my sheets...always. I do not iron my sheets. I know some people that do....I will never be one of them. I'm not judging them though. Promise!
This was definitely not the first time I realized all families were different. College is a good way to wake up from thinking everyone is like you. But it's one I remember!
What about you? Do you have a particular story for when you realized 'one of these things is not like the other?'
I was just out of college, doing a lengthy roadtrip and staying over night at a college friend's house. We were pretty good friends, and I'd been at her parents' home several times. She and I were helping her grandmother put sheets on her bed and I asked, "Do you miter your sheets?" assuming every grandmotherly person did and wanting to make sure to do it her way. My friend gave a questioning and confused look. Her grandmother answered my verbal question and her non-verbal question. "No, we don't have to miter them. That's what they do in hospitals." I admit, my first thought was "It's what any good home does." (Yes, I struggled with judging quite a bit in my younger days. Don't judge me! *wink*) It was also the first I'd heard of it being a 'hospital-thing' as mitering sheets was a MUST at my household growing up.
I still miter my sheets...always. I do not iron my sheets. I know some people that do....I will never be one of them. I'm not judging them though. Promise!
This was definitely not the first time I realized all families were different. College is a good way to wake up from thinking everyone is like you. But it's one I remember!
What about you? Do you have a particular story for when you realized 'one of these things is not like the other?'
Friday, September 04, 2009
Fun teacher stories
These both happened today! :)
A kindergarten teacher told her class they needed to go to track time, since it seemed all the little Ks had ants in their pants. A few minutes after they returned from the stretch break, a little girl said, "I think I still have an ant in my pant because I can't seem to sit down."
A 5th grader told the music teacher, "I really want to play the BIG drum." The music teacher replied, "Well, we'll have to see. It takes energy and someone with a lot of hair on their chest." The boy replied, "I have three!"
A kindergarten teacher told her class they needed to go to track time, since it seemed all the little Ks had ants in their pants. A few minutes after they returned from the stretch break, a little girl said, "I think I still have an ant in my pant because I can't seem to sit down."
A 5th grader told the music teacher, "I really want to play the BIG drum." The music teacher replied, "Well, we'll have to see. It takes energy and someone with a lot of hair on their chest." The boy replied, "I have three!"
Thursday, September 03, 2009
RSVPs
Every time I initiate a group gathering whether it is an around-town activity or a group in my home, I am reminded of the importance of RSVPs.
Why is letting a host or hostess know your plans so hard?
Why is it 'ok' (and I use that term very loosely, because in all reality it's not acceptable at all) to never reply?
Why is it 'ok' (see above definition) to not RSVP and then show up anyway?
Why is it 'ok' to respond yes and then change that to no the day of or maybe a day before with the reason being a better offer!?
Why is it okay in our minds to treat our friends disrespectfully in this manner?
At first I thought maybe it was just the people that don't host events very often, therefore do not know the importance of knowing numbers. But that's not it either, even hosts fail to RSVP correctly.
I don't know the answer, but it's frustrating.
Why is letting a host or hostess know your plans so hard?
Why is it 'ok' (and I use that term very loosely, because in all reality it's not acceptable at all) to never reply?
Why is it 'ok' (see above definition) to not RSVP and then show up anyway?
Why is it 'ok' to respond yes and then change that to no the day of or maybe a day before with the reason being a better offer!?
Why is it okay in our minds to treat our friends disrespectfully in this manner?
At first I thought maybe it was just the people that don't host events very often, therefore do not know the importance of knowing numbers. But that's not it either, even hosts fail to RSVP correctly.
I don't know the answer, but it's frustrating.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Mean Girl Syndrome
Mean Girl Syndrome is what teachers refer to when a consistently sweet little girl makes a catty comment or shows her claws in some way. It's not referring to a child who is always mean, just the ones that oh, so occasionally show that side of them that is usually repressed.
I'm going to step out on a limb and say I'm not usually mean. But occasionally, I revert back to a 9 year old little girl and very much want to make a catty comment.
When that happens, this is the conversation I have with myself:
Mean Girl: "Ooo, I have something good to say to put her in her place!"
Adult me: "No, mean girl! We've learned to be kind. You don't get a say! Shhhhhh!"
I'm going to step out on a limb and say I'm not usually mean. But occasionally, I revert back to a 9 year old little girl and very much want to make a catty comment.
When that happens, this is the conversation I have with myself:
Mean Girl: "Ooo, I have something good to say to put her in her place!"
Adult me: "No, mean girl! We've learned to be kind. You don't get a say! Shhhhhh!"
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