11/18/2010

I guess it is never too early

I must tell you up front.

Seeing Christmas appear in stores before Halloween, or the end of October really riles me up.  In fact, I choose not to enter a shopping center that has already succumbed to decorating tables, walls, doors, walkways.

However, today an associate sent me a really feel good video set in Macy's in Philadelphia.  Here is the link.
http://www.philly.com/philly/video/106492678.html


Enjoy!

11/14/2010

The Third Letter of the Alphabet

A good friend gave me a gift this weekend.  She probably did not intend on giving me this gift, when we parted last week, but nevertheless, she did.

Sometimes gifts come when least expected.  Not on birthdays, or Christmas, or one of the other myriad of Hallmark holidays.

They come quietly, in the morning, from out of town.

I took a trip back in time this past Saturday, and that was part of the gift.

Leaving Delaware and traveling north, I turned onto Route 452 and continued north for about 10 miles.

I had forgotten how "close" communities and roads could be outside of Delaware.  Delaware County Pennsylvania is so different from northern Delaware, though they share a border.

Here I was traveling past the apartment where I used to live, the church where my daughter was baptized, the first apartment next to the firehouse, past the road to Linville Orchards, up to Granite Run Mall, Weathers Motors, Riddle Hospital, Lima, Aston and Media. 

This past was the early part of my adult life.  When I was first married, going to college, having a child.  The time when my faith was growing, slowly, steadily.

Growing but still not preparing me for everything to come down the road.

That is where the second part of the gift comes in.  I was given the chance to re-learn the alphabet.

A, B,C.

C,C,C,

Three C's.

Cause, Control, Cure.

I did not cause it.

I cannot control it.

And, I cannot cure it.

The gift of my lifetime.

Of all the letters in the alphabet, I have determined that C is my favorite.

It has provided me with a lifeline. 

And, it was the gift that came quietly, and unexpectedly this Saturday.

Thank you my friend.

11/12/2010

Back but here to stay?

The last writing I did was on September 12.

I would like to say that I have been circling the globe without my laptop but that would be untrue.

The truth?   I hate writing.  Actually, I hate my laptop.


It seems that my fingers have a mind of their own on this laptop.  My writing is much better at work.  My fingers like that keyboard.  The workstation is set up for efficiency.

The solution would probably be to purchase another laptop.  One that understands where my fingers want to go.  One that  I might actually like.   Also, possibly a table where I could sit down and type.  However, my finances are not going along with these ideas.

In fact, my Finances and I are not on a first name basis anymore.

My Finances have moved out and established a life of her own and changed her name to Gone.

Finances R Gone would rather spend her time repairing cars, or replacing cell phones, or installing new walls and flooring after plumbing leaks rather than buy me a replacement laptop and workstation.

That said, since Sudan I have learned that life can be a struggle and you must persevere.  One never knows around what corner Hope is waiting for you.  Or, Redemption, or Forgiveness.

Keep on trucking, as we used to say.

I have picked up finishing this on Friday, November 12th.  The keyboard won.

Last night I watched the "new" Karate Kid featuring Jackie Chan and the newest actor from the Smith clan, Jaden. Movie Link This remake was filmed in China, the visuals are phenomenal, and as such gave a new perspective to the original film.   However, it is this from both films that I remember and have taken to heart:

"You have taught me very important lesson, Xiao Dre. Life will knock us down, but we can choose whether or not to stand back up."

So, what I do is to keep standing up, walking along, looking and listening for the changes that will allow me to stand a little taller.