Sunday Seven 49th Edition

I have seen several YouTube videos (and one from another source) this week that I found either entertaining, amazing, amusing, or simply interesting. I will try to link them here.

1. The Devil's Swimming Pool - atop Victoria Falls. Can you imagine jumping into this pool as the water all around you plunges over the falls into the gorge below?!

2. My brother's squirrel dance - The fun never stops with Terrell! Scroll to the bottom under the still pics.

3. Explanation of the procedure of late-term abortion. A representative from a group called Priests for Life demonstrates the procedure. I don't know how to classify this one - maybe you'd rather not see it.

4. Grammar Rock - I have always enjoyed the Schoolhouse Rock series.

5. Sand Art - Shalom!

6. Then there's always Barbeque Art! Whatever! To each his own, I guess.

7. And for finishers -- here's another amusing squirrel video.

I hope my links work - I have to learn how to imbed a video so one can just click on the screen.

Happy Weekend, Friends!

Sunday Seven - 48th Edition

Seven Blessings, Enjoyments, Privileges, and Treasures I have enjoyed this past week:

1. I used this SS header this week because DH and I spent a great deal of time perusing possible cruises for this late Summer. We pored over the brochures, talked to our travel agent, and had several good possibilities. Today we came to the conclusion that all the possibilities are just out of reach financially right now. Disappointed? You bet! However, we had some enjoyable hours thinking about it, remembering cruises of the past, and anticipating future ventures. We also enjoyed catching up with news of our old hometown as we talked with our travel agent, who still lives there. So, Number 1 on my list this week is a sad face with a twinkle in its eye (or a happy face with a wistful expression in the eyes.)

2. Here is a pic of the itinerary of the cruise we were most interested in. We have never been to Alaska, or even to the west coast at all; so this a a tour we'd love to do.

3. On Monday, I got to spend time with my mother and all six of my siblings as we supported each other in our grief over the death of our cousin, Don Baird. Don was more a brother than a cousin; and I thank God for the blessing of his life. He was a loving relative and a positive contributor to our world. He will be greatly missed. You can read what has been written about Don recently here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here.

4. Last Sunday was the 14th birthday of a very special young man in my life. He had a happy birthday. Here is a pic of him from several years ago - I think it shows his personality as he poses with his sisters. Of course he is no longer that little boy and is, instead, a tough and cool TEENAGER now!

5. My oldest younger brother, Terrell, has posted on his blog recently some absolutely breath-taking photos of the beauty of nature in our little corner of the world. He is a sensitive, nature-appreciating photographer and teacher whose commentary about his pictures lends another dimension to the already impressive photos. While you are there, scroll on down to see many other beautiful pictures in his recent posts.

6. Our daughter (a teacher) and her children were on Spring Break this past week and chose to spend part of the week with us! We had such a good time. The children discovered the joy of climbing trees as they enjoyed the out-of-doors here.

7. I have found time to read blogs and write a little this week.

Sunday Seven - 47th Edition

I'm a Georgia girl - one of those dyed-in-the-wool GRITS (girls raised in the south). I have lived all but 8 years of my life somewhere in Georgia -- but never more than 7 years in one city or town! I was raised as a Methodist PK (preacher's kid) and then, doggone if I didn't go and marry a Methodist preacher, so I have lived my entire life in parsonages all over North Georgia - about 13 of them in all. Anyway, I am glad to be a Georgian; and since the name contains seven letters, this week I will use the letters of GEORGIA to list 7 things I like about my home state and its inhabitants:

G = The geography of the state is varied and magnificent. The Northeast corner holds the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The Southest corner is on the Atlantic coast and features beautiful white-sand beaches. The Northwest has scenery ranging from rolling green hills to spectacular cliffs overlooking deep-cut gorges where rivers have flowed for eons. Central Georgia is heavily developed and populated, providing shopping and entertainment possibilities for all Georgians.

E = The economy of the state is relatively healthy. Our taxes, gas prices, and general living expenses are usually lower than in some more populated and industrialized states.

O = Open spaces. There is still undeveloped land where one can take a country road and drive for miles seeing only pastures, animals, and natural scenery. There are walking trails where one can enjoy the same scenery on foot. I have enjoyed walking the Silver Comet trail many times. It was built following the path of a defunct railroad track.
R = Many of my relatives live somewhere in Georgia. Our current generation of twenty-somethings is getting adventurous (one in California, one in NY, one in Germany, one in DC, one in Kenya, and one in New Hampshire), but their grandmother and their parents live in Georgia, so they still have ties and visit here. Many aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. still live in the Atlanta area. A few live in neighboring states Alabama and Tennessee.

G = Good Manners. Most people in the South are welcoming and polite to strangers. I like the fact that strangers will "throw up a hand" to you as you drive by. I like the fact that those you pass on the street will look you in the eye and say "hi." I enjoy the fact that most people still know how to use "please" and "thank you." I especially love the roadway tradition of moving to the side of the road and stopping as a show of respect when a funeral procession approaches oncoming traffic.

I = The Infrequency of Ice and Snow. Every winter when I rush to and from the car when forced to be outdoors in below freezing temperatures and cower under multiple blankets on the sofa in the evenings, I thank my lucky stars that I live in a state where a heavy coat is needed only a few times a year.

A = Assumption of good intentions. This is not as prevalent as it was in my childhood, but Southerners, generally speaking, don't get "their panties in a wad" too easily. That comes from being brought up to assume that other people are acting with good intentions even if something appears to be insulting or negative in some way. Generally people will at least give someone the opportunity to explain further rather than to just "fly off the handle" immediately upon hearing something with which they disagree.

These good qualities are probably not exclusive to Georgia, but they do exist here.

Sunday Seven - 46th Edition

Today I am listing 7 activities of my grandchildren that I have participated in, observed, enjoyed, or otherwise experienced this week (in a few cases, the activities are upcoming.)

1. Our fifteen-year-old granddaughter spent part of the day with me Wednesday when she had to be out of school with a high fever. She slept most of the time, but I enjoyed having her here. After her doctor said that she did NOT have the flu, she went with me to my daughter's house (2 hours away) to visit overnight Wednesday night. We had a wonderful trip together. My daughter (her aunt), she and I had such fun together in the vehicle -- good talk about values and standards, lots of laughs about the antics of my daughter's students, and great bonding time. She inherited the quick wit of my DH, like her dad and aunt did. She can be an enchanting conversationalist. Then we had a good day together Thursday while everybody else was at school or work. I haven't had that much opportunity to spend time with her in years.

2. Thursday night I had the marvelous privilege to go to PTO with my daughter to see her middle child, my sweet Nat, perform in the school talent show. There were 16 acts that were chosen at audition, and she and her two friends made the cut. They wore Hannah Montana pajamas, carried big fluffy heart pillows and sang a HM song while pretending a sleepover and pillow fight. They choreographed it themselves and did a great job.

3. I got to meet Beautiful Bre's teacher at the talent show. She was extremely complimentary of my granddaughter, which of course endeared her to me. It is such a blessing when children love their teachers and the teachers appreciate the child's uniqueness. We have been blessed with some wonderful teachers for our grandchildren.

4. Today we will attend two ballgames played by 13-year-old Doc's traveling basketball team. I am looking forward to that. He is the ball-handler who brings the ball down the court, and it is fun to watch him dribble behind his back and between his legs, bounce a pass through the competition to a teammate, or make a long 3-pointer when he is open to do so. He is short for a basketball player but incredibly agile and fast (like his dad was.)

5. Today also our sweet currently-sick Rae's high school basketball team plays in the first game of the state tournament. They won the regional competition last week. Rae is the only freshman on the varsity team, so she doesn't play a lot and, of course, will not play today since she is still running a fever. But, as you can imagine, as regional champs, their games inspire a lot of community enthusiasm and are always well-attended, exciting and LOUD.

6. Tonight at 6:00 our son's youngest child, nine-year-old Aggie, will compete in a beauty pageant. I will try to post some pics later this week. I wrote earlier about her trying on her dress for us. Tonight she will have on shoes and her hair will be combed (not to mentioned professionally coiffed!), so she might look a little fancier than she did in our living room barefoot and sporting bedhead!

7. Baby E, no longer a baby but the youngest of our grandchildren, is the most incredibly independent thinker and a math genius. He's in first grade and has his own plans for his extracurricular activites. He stated a couple of years ago that he was going to play soccer first, then basketball, then football. He did the soccer season and the basketball season, but he didn't want to repeat either one until he did the football thing; so he is waiting for football season to roll around again before he gets involved in another sport. He really enjoyed his season of the first two sports and did well at them, but he has his plan and he's stickin' to it! So we're getting a little bit of a spectating break courtesy of his plan!

Update: Here are a couple of pics from the pageant tonight:

Sunday Seven - 45th Edition

In the belief that replaying and focusing on the positive aspects of life leads to a greater sense of gratefulness and a stronger desire to contribute positively to the world, and in the hope that we will gain strength and joy from sharing these with one another, we Sunday Seveners take one blogging opportunity each week to share seven blessings, joys, or tidbits of news from the past week or seven expectations for the coming week. We'd love to have you join us. Here are mine for this week:

1. This past week I had the opportunity to keep my three out-of-town grandchildren a few hours. Their mother, a teacher, had parent conferences and the children had early-release days. So I picked them up at noon each day from school and stayed with them. I arrived at their house Wednesday morning and came home Friday morning. We had a wonderful time.

2. In addition to getting to spend this time with three of my favorite children in the world, I had a wonderful solitary country drive to their town and back home. I took the country route - slow, but scenic and less stressful than the multi-lane interstates around Atlanta. There was little traffic (comparitively speaking), and I just took as much time as I wanted, especially coming home. I stopped and walked around a Walmart, I stopped to pump gas, I sipped on some great Southern iced tea, I stopped and wandered around an interesting antique flea market in Cartersville, and as I drove I listened to an audio CD of a good Iris Johannson mystery, Stalemate.

3. I was away from my house for three days, so I could forget that I still have many boxes that need to be unpacked and "things" that still don't have "places" in this house.

4. I got to feel like I was some help to my precious greatly-overworked and stressed daughter, who is almost ME. We are very close and share numerous interests; we feel each other's pains and stresses and enjoy each other's successes; it was a joy to take a little of her load this week. I got the laundry caught up, kept the dishwasher loaded and unloaded, helped the children with homework and getting valentines ready, and listened to each of the children read each night.

5. I didn't gain weight this week. I also did not lose weight this week. Considering that I did not cook and did not get any planned exercise, I am pleased just not to have gained. I will start back on the losing track this coming week.

6. The weather has been very varied. We have had some much-needed rain; we have had some very warm and comfortable days; we have had some very chilly and invigorating days.

7. Every day this weeks I have: read blogs, written a little, read a little, and thought a little. I have listened and talked to people who are important in my life.

Sunday Seven - 44th Edition

Sunday Seven

Gee - ain't life terrific?! Gee - hey, there's an idea! I'll list seven things that start with G that I am thankful for this week!

1. Grandchildren. There. I'll bet ya didn't see that one comin'!

2. Gladiolas. Actually these are probably my least favorite flower (I dislike the way florists use them to make triangular points in arrangements for church - week after week after week); however they ARE flowers and they DO start with G. So I will use them as the symbol for flowers in general. I do love flowers. Go over to Terrell's blog this AM and see the beautiful early Spring pics he took after school on Friday. All the pictures are not of flowers, but all are of the natural beauty around his school building; and his captions for the pictures are poetry.

3. Glamour. I wish I had taken a picture. Our son's youngest daughter came over last night to show us the glamourous dress they had bought for the pageant she will be in later this month. Oh my! That precious little 9-year-old looked spectacular with her uncombed hair, her bare feet, and that long hot-pink glamour-dress!

4. Games. I enjoy using my mind in leisure moments. I do sudokus; I play spider solitaire and regular solitare. When our grandchildren visit, we often play speed scrabble. They love it; it is fast and fun; it is educational. What more could one ask?!

5. Green. Certain shades and instances of green are among my favorite visual treats. I love the early Spring green of new foliage on trees. I am glad I have green eyes - they are less common than blue or brown. I am glad ONE of our children and ONE of our grandchildren also has green eyes like me and my Mother. I have to confess I also love the blue eyes that all the rest of our children and grandchildren have -- and when I was I child I wished for those beautiful dark brown ones!

6. Grace. This virtue defined as "the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful" seems to have become relatively rare in our society, but what a joy it is when it is unexpectedly encountered in the course of our daily lives!

7. How could I possibly wait until number 7 to mention #1? Of course the ultimate blessing in life is our GOD: the Lover of My Soul, The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Father Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, My Lord.

Sunday Seven - 42nd Edition

It is amazing how much more quickly the weekend comes around now that I am (at least in name) retired! The Friday night ballgames are over, our Saturday travel is planned, and Sunday is just around the corner. So I am going to get my Sunday Seven posted early. There are so many blessings in our lives! The most important ones continue from week to week; but since it would be boring to list the same ones each week; let's just let previous listing do for those and move on to blessings specific to this past week.

1. I only had to cook a couple of meals all week! As the quirky plaque says, "I only have a kitchen because it came with the house."

2. We aren't totally drowning in the dust yet! The house is desperately in need of a good dusting and vacuuming, but I would SO much rather be netsurfing, writing and reading. I'm considering renaming my sudoku books "dusting", so when someone calls and asks what I am doing, I can say, "Oh, just doing a little dusting."

3. In her basketball game tonight, our oldest granddaughter wore one of the protective headbands I ordered on the internet for her . She is 15 years old and has had 3 concussions in the last three years. Basketball is much rougher than it used to be. She really didn't want to wear the headband, but her parents told her she had to wear one. They look just like regular sweatbands, so they are much better than the helmet her daddy thought about ordering. Interestingly, she had to have a note from the doctor to wear a headband of any sort in a game. The rules say that the players have to be dressed exactly alike! The referrees challenged her on it at the Junior Varsity game and again before the Varsity game. It is a good thing her doctor faxed a note stating the medical necessity.

4. We're going to get to see one of Nat's basketball games tomorrow. This is her first year to play, and we have not been to one of her games yet; so I am looking forward to that. We have seen several games of the other three grandchildren who play the sport because they live in the same town as we do.

5. I did get one closet cleaned out and a large bag of clothes removed and taken to the Salvation Army store this week. I have several more closets to go through, but at least I have made a dent in the job.

6. My DH is enjoying his "part-time" job which started this month. He is working pretty much fulltime so far, but much of that time is getting an office set up and getting settled in.

7. According to my opthamologist, I have some of the healthiest eyes FOR MY AGE that he's ever seen and it was a pleasure for him to see them!

Sunday Seven - 41st Edition

There is so much to be thankful for in life. Even when things are not going well; even when there seem to be endless family problems to be concerned about; even when good people you know are enduring hardships they don't deserve; even when some you love most are battling depression, even when it seems that everyone else has "things" you'd like to have -- even then, life is GOOD if we choose to see if from a positive standpoint.

1. Our pastor preached this morning about thinking. He used the apostle Paul's words in Philippians (4:8-9) to encourage us to direct our thinking onto things that are "true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy." Paul said that the "God of Peace" will be with those who do so. I am seeking to more completely control the directions my thoughts take.

2. We have had unseasonably warm weather since Christmas, and some of the spring plants have begun to bud, and the hint of color in the bushes and trees lightens our hearts. Today the temperature is below 20 degrees and the plants may suffer some damage as a result of the "fake Spring" they have been enjoying. However, since Georgia weather follows this pattern many years, maybe our plants have adapted and will still do their thing with the usual beautiful result when Spring actually does arrive.

3. I am thankful that we Americans have the privilege of voting for our leaders. Although I am discouraged at the paucity of desirable candidates for president, we DO have a choice. Relative to that contest, I am also thankful that our TV sets have controls that allow us to turn off the nauseating media coverage of political events.

4. My DH gave me a new Ipod Nano last week. I have spent endless hours sitting here trying to get it set up to hold my digital photos and CD novels so that I can look and listen as I walk for exercise. I have become very frustrated working with it; but I am thankful for an (mostly) adequate mind to learn new information and use technology. I realize too what a blessing it is to have a devoted spouse after 44 years of marriage.

5. We have great, congenial, helpful, and considerate neighbors. Having had very difficult neighbors in the past, I realize what a blessing good neighbors can be. You might remember a few of my posts about CC, whose name I won't post (but the first C in his acronym stands accurately for 'Crazy.')

6. We have taken our albatross house off the market and have renters lined up beginning next month. Perhaps we can rent it for a year or so until the housing market improves and we can sell it without taking such a huge loss. We hope, at least, that the rent will cover many of the expenses and the house will be more attractive as an occupied dwelling.

7. Oh the gift of communication! How great is it that we can share, orally and in writing, our thoughts with others?!

Sunday Seven - 40th Edition

This week I am expressing gratitude acrostic style.
I pause this morning to give thanks for these specific blessings in my life:

S = Siblings and their Spouses, my own Special Spouse.
U = Uninterrupted, Unsupervised time to Understand what I look up on the computer.
N = Nat - Never Nerdy, Naturally Nice, beautiful granddaughter.
D = Daughter-in-law whose birthday is today. Truly a second daughter!
A = Aggie - Aspiring Actress and Agressive Athlete - beautiful granddaughter.
Y = Yearning for more knowledge and more connection with God and his world.
7 = more days of life - an opportunity to live, enjoy, breathe, smell, see, love, contribute!

Sunday Seven - My 34th (I think)

Excuses - they are so convenient and better than a massage at relieving tension.

I will not offer an excuse for my lapse in Sunday Sevening. I am going to simply pick up the thread and continue from here to weave a more consistent pattern. Below are 7 general evaluations of my life in 2007 followed by 7 changes I propose to make for 2008.

1. I had many opportunities to spend time with those I love most. I generally made the most of those opportunities - relaxed and (for the most part) did not let the small problems or inconveniences dim the lights.

2. I missed a few opportunities to have meaningful conversations with the important people in my life. These missed opportunities were mostly because of my energy limitations.

3. I was inconsistent in achieving my long-term wellness goals. I walked only intermittently; I read the Bible only intermittently; I read only 5 or 6 books of lasting value whereas I read well over 100 mystery novels; I made wise food choices slightly more than half of the time.

4. I was generally successful in my attitudinal goals. I found myself able, most of the time, to refocus my attention on important issues when minor ones tried to claim the limelight. I believe I was able to help my grandchildren do the same on several occasions. At least I made them aware of the benefit of doing so.

5. I taught successfully for 12 weeks in 2007. I was unsure whether I had the physical and emotional stamina to complete that commitment, but I was able to help my 86 students get their school year off to a successful start. I also believe that the problem-solving thought-processes I worked on with some students will help them continue to make good choices in their lives.

6. I have identified some areas of my life that need improvement.

7. I have clarified somewhat in my own mind what legacies I want to leave behind in this world when I leave for the next.

As night follows day --- the proposed changes/improvements:

1. I will make time to write at least 5 times a week. The process of writing this blog helps me clarify priorities and goals. I need that for good mental and emotional health.

2. I will find and reactivate my pedometer and will walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Alternately, I will walk around our 1-mile block at least 5 times a week.

3. I will make myself more available as a sounding-board for any family member who needs one. I have a tendency to get terribly impatient with very long phone conversations.

4. I will find opportunities to help each of my grandchildren see that the values portrayed around them are not life-affirming ones for them to adopt. I particularly want them to realize the negative effects of materialism and overconcern about "appearances."

5. I will remind myself each morning that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. The main thing, by the way, is to live my numbered days in such a way (1)that others will be better and happier for my passing their way and (2) I will have fulfilled God's intentions for my life, used my abilities to best advantage, and loved God with my whole heart.

6. I will be more consistent in achieving my wellness goals (see #3 above.)

7. I will be more consistent in achieving my attitudinal goals (see #4 above.)

Sunday Seven is an opportunity to share your praises, your dreams, your accomplishments.Click here for more information.

Sunday Seven - 33rd Edition

What a wonderful week of R&R this has been! Our school system has been on "Fall Break", and I have slept late, read blogs, spent some time with my DH and my Mother, had the opportunity to make 2-hour trip to our daughter's house to see her children play ball and hear them sing in church.

Here are just 7 of the things I am thankful for this first weekend of October.

1. The teacher that I am subbing for will be out only 4 more weeks! Her baby is doing well, she's doing well, and she's due back at work on November 4. I have learned to love these students and have enjoyed teaching them; but I am tired and ready to have some leisure time.

2. I am not famous! (See my last 2 posts -- the one about the couple our lovely MSM likes to call "Brangelina" and the one about my famous names.) Since I am not famous, I can go to Kroger like I just did in my capris, t-shirt, and scruffy running shoes. I can just run the brush through my hair without even looking in the mirror, crank up the truck and head out. Nobody thinks I'm "losing my looks" -- actually nobody even notices whether I have come the store with or without my looks. My looks have been gone so long that the search was called off long ago. I've decided that they must be hanging out with the "real killer" of Nicole and Ron, who can't seem to be found in spite of OJ's constant search. BTW, who is going to take up the burden of that search if OJ ends up in jail for armed robbery? Oops, I wandered off topic there -- I must be losing my mind as well as my looks!

3. It is only 38 more days until our cruise! I am so looking forward to relaxing on the deck of that ship, seeing the beautiful turquoise water of the Caribbean again, and viewing the Pacific Ocean for the first time!

4. I managed to get a little housecleaning done while I was out of school this week. Oh my, did it need it! I also cooked a couple of decent meals. Now I don't feel like quite so much of a failure as a wife.

5. I have the opportunity to do some proofreading for my sister and her husband who are finishing up a great book about Bible Study Fellowship. I am thoroughly enjoying reading their work. It will be an excellent book. If you haven't read anything of theirs before, check out Gregg's newest, Miracle at Tenwik, which just came out last month. Click on the book jacket to find it at Amazon. Mother in the Middle, one of Deborah's best, is now out of print, but you can probably find it at Amazon.com.

6. My mother is back from a 3-day spiritual retreat. I missed knowing that I could run over and see her any time -- although I sometimes go days or weeks without doing so, I always know I can. I did manage to talk to her on the phone once while she was gone.

7. God is good -- all the time!

Sunday Seven 31st Edition

Seven Truths I have Re-learned This Week

I believe that wisdom is a collection of facts and theories learned and stored -- then relearned through experience and applied to the future. Facts learned without the life-experience to understand them become wisdom only when they are experienced, relearned, and applied. Here are some old understandings that are working their way into wisdom in my life.

1. Good = maintaining, promoting, and enhancing life; Evil = destroying, injuring, and limiting life. (paraphrased from Civilization and Ethics, 1949, by Albert Sweitzer) Oh, but how to continue maintaining, promoting and enhancing in the pressure-cooker of minute-to-minute living with a roomful of hormone-driven, me-centered seventh graders???

2. The opposite of love is indifference. The opposite of art is indifference. The opposite of faith is indifference. And the opposite of life is indifference. (paraphrased from Elie Wiesel Oh, but how exhausting it is to continue to care so much!

3. The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt. (quote from Frederick Buechner) My classes have discussed this so-called "butterfly effect" from several different angles for the last few weeks as we have read short stories focusing on the theme "Learning from Experience -- Knowing Who You Are." As a related read, we also discussed Emily Dickinson's encouraging poem "If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking".

4. Norman Vincent Peale said "Live your life and forget your age." During long hours of planning, teaching, relating, and pushing children to be their best, I have felt my age. Good teaching is a job that exhausts those 30 years my junior, but I continue to try to live my life and forget my age.

5. Life is a succession of lessons, which must be lived to be understood. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) This is why my brother, Terrell, of Alone on a Limb, has worked so hard to provide real-life experience for his young fouth-graders! Go over and see the video about a huge project he is chairing to enhance real learning for the children in his school! The upcoming generation MUST understand the importance of living in harmony with our environment!

6. What is most urgent is not always what is most important. I cannot be everything to everybody. I have to remind myself every single day not to allow the urgent to consume my attention. I have to constantly remind myself to focus on what is important. Yes, it is urgent that I have written lesson plans and all materials gathered, but it is important that I be emotionally and mentally present with the students.

7. As the airline flight attendants always remind us, we must first put the airmask on ourselves so that we stay able to attend to those around us. I re-learn regularly that I have to take care of myself if I want to accomplish the worthy and taxing goals I have for my life.

Sunday Seven - 30th Edition

Daily life can be made happier. It is a matter of choice. It is our attitude that makes us feel happy or unhappy. We can choose to keep thinking about the unhappy events, and we can choose to refuse to think about them, and instead, relish the happy moments.You already know these techniques for happiness in daily life - after all, there really is nothing new under the sun; but sometimes it helps to be reminded and to renew our attitudes. So here are 7 tips that I know for finding daily happiness.

1) Change the way you look at things. Expect happiness. Always look at the bright side. The mind may drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. Don't let it. Look at the good and positive side of every situation. Think of solutions, not problems. Watch your thoughts. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things.

2)Listen to relaxing, uplifting music and/or watch funny comedies that make you laugh.

3) Devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article.

4) Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven't. You may have accomplished a lot during the day, and yet you let yourself become frustrated, because of some small things that you did not accomplish.

5) Each day do at least one act to make others happy. This can be a kind word, helping your colleagues, stopping your car at the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The possibilities are infinite. When you make someone happy, you become happy, and then people try to make you happy.

6) Associate with happy people, and try to learn from them to be happy. Remember, happiness is contagious.

7) Smile more often. This is the old'"fake it 'til you make it" syndrome. Or the truism "It is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than it is to think yourself into a new way of acting." Smile even when you don't feel like it.

Sunday Seven 29th Edition

Happy Sunday, Friends!

Since this week has been "a walk in the park", I thought it was appropriate to use the header illustrating said walk. This weekend I offer 7 quotations (ones that are not frequently quoted, I hope) that I find encouraging.

1. Schweitzer, Albert: I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.

2. Irving, Washington: Great minds have purposes, little minds have wishes.

3. Yutang, Lin: "I have done my best." That is about all the philosophy of living one needs.

4. Benjamin Franklin: Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.

5. Juvenal: Luxury is more deadly than any foe.

6. Blaise Pascal: It is not good to be too free. It is not good to have everything one wants.

7. Cherokee Saying: When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced; live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.

Happy upcoming week, Friends!

Sunday Seven 28th Edition

Oh, how blessed I have been!

1. I read in this morning's paper that Rosalyn Carter is celebrating her 80th birthday! Her public comment was that she has had a blessed life! She said that she would like to slow down but that she keeps seeing needs that must be met in society and must respond. She also commented that she loves being involved in life. What a beautiful attitude!

2. For the last two weeks, I have had the opportunity to contribute again to the successful lives of some very wonderful 7th graders. I am enjoying being involved with teaching again. Our classes are filled with students who are finding their way into the adult world. Some are insecure and ill-at-ease socially. Some have too much confidence. Some are working well below their abilities and/or their grade levels. Each individual has his/her individual wishes, desires, hopes and dreams. I hope to make a positive impact on their lives. I have "adopted" three specific students to concentrate on - to attempt helping them turn their lives in a more positive direction than they have chosen so far.

3. I have been given strength beyond my expectations to keeping up a mentally hectic and physically exhausting schedule recently.

4. Our pastor inspired me last week to redefine a mission statement for my life. I passed along some tips to my students to try to help them to clarify their reasons for living and for their school experience.

5. I have a wonderful supportive family.

6. I have loving and giving children and grandchildren.

7. I have children and childre-in-law when are making positive contributions to the next generation and to society in general.

Sunday Seven 27th Edition

This weekend, I have a unique week to review. I started the week retired, busy settling into an old house that is new to us. The busyness of that life was busy in the sense of having a lot to do but not busy in having a limited timeframe to finish the work. Following are 7 events which changed that routine this week.

1....I agreed to substitute teach in a 7th grade English Language Arts class for a teacher who was expecting her second baby. I agreed to this a couple of months ago -- when it was in theory only.

2....As the beginning of the school year approached (teachers went back on July 24; students started on August 1), I didn't know whether I would be called before the students started or not, so I attended some of the pre-planning so I'd be prepared if that turned out to be way the song was played.

3....August 1 arrived; students attended the first day of school; Mrs. C. waddled to school in all her pregnant, bulky beauty and managed to teach for the entire first day. HOWEVER, she called me that night and said that her doctor wanted to induce labor and she would need me to take the class beginning the next day.

4....So Thursday and Friday it was back to the hectic teaching schedule for me. I have three 90-minute ELA blocks of students to teach and of course homeroom, breakfast and lunch duties, and meetings to attend. These past two days have been still just introductory - learning names, establishing procedures, etc.

5....My daily routine will be quite different for the next 6-12 weeks. Mrs. C. had a beautiful, healthy daughter to join her, her husband, and their 5-year-old son. The students in the three classes have been very cooperative and attentive so far, and I expect to have a good, profitable, and enjoyable time with them.

6....The other joy and item of interest in this story is that our son is the AP at the school where I am working, so I get to see him on the morning announcements every day and often throughout the day. Our grandson is in 8th grade in the same school, so I see him go by my room a couple of time a day. Our two granddaughters come to the school from the nearby elementary and high schools to wait for their dad to go home, so I have had help in my classroom after school each day.

7....My husband, man of unparalleled thoughtfulness and
resourcefulness, surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers when I got home from the first day I worked. It is a beautiful arrangement of a dozen red roses along with a number of other white flowers -- all in a pretty clear vase with a red bow in front. Here are a couple of pics of the arrangement.

Sunday Seven - 26th Edition

Happy Sunday, fellow bloggers! This week I am going to list seven influential people in my life. It just so happens that I am one of seven children; so that means that I have six siblings -- all living and compatible, Thank God. And I have one very important and loving parent still here on this Earth. So let me tell you a little about each of these seven important individuals whose lives I am celebrating this week.

1.... Mother - More than anyone else alive, my mother has influenced me to develop the best parts of my character and personality. She has always believed in me, encouraged me to be my best, gently called me to account when I have not given an honest effort, praised me for any and all accomplishments, and seen the goodness of my intentions when the execution of those intentions has been clumsy and/or ineffective. My mother is a constant, consistent Christian who genuinely loves all of God's creation. It is a family joke that she can find something positive to think and say about anybody. My DH says that if anyone were criticizing Satan himself, Mother would say, "Well, he IS persistent!" She authors the blog, Ruthlace.

Now the sibs, starting with the oldest and working down to Baby David.

2....Jan - My only "Big Sis", she was an exemplary big sister as we were growing up. More outgoing than I, she included me in her activities as if I were just another friend, not the pesky little sister. As adults, she married before I did and gladly and generously shared the little tips about homemaking and parenting that she learned before I did. She is a strong, loving Christian and moral compass for me. She has made a life study of what makes strong families and how people can build strong and supportive family relationships. You can read some of her thoughtful and helpful professional writing at Concerned Women for America, where she is a writer and speaker on topics such as human trafficking, sexual mores, parenting, and other topics related to family values.

3....Terrell - He was born after I had been the baby of the family for 5 years! He took my "babyhood" and made me play the role of jealous older sibling. We have a large number of interesting childhood stories based upon his stubborn nature! He was what has become known since then as "a stong-willed child." In adulthood, he is a singer of local acclaim and a frequent performer in community theatre. His gregarious nature and contagious and enthusiastic enjoyment of life is a joy and encouragement to me. He is a talented, much-requested, public school teacher, whose kids always love him. This is natural since he teaches like he lives - with joy and vigor. He whole-heartedly throws himself into the job and guides each child he teaches with a paternal desire for each one to realize his/her potential. He blogs at Alone on a Limb.

4....Carol - Carol is my oldest younger sister! As we were growing up, she and my younger sisters were closer in age to each other and shared bedrooms, friends, and activities. I shared bedrooms, friends and activities more with Jan because of the proximity of our ages. Carol is the sister who is most like me in personality (she and I share a reserved nature with our mother, whereas our other siblings are more inclined to the gregarious nature of our father.) In the last few years, I have come to really admire and respect the strength of character that she has shown when she has dealt with difficult life situations. She is also an outstanding public school teacher who works hard to give her students the best possible chance of success in school. She has written and published numerous magazine and newspaper articles and currently authors the blog The Median Sib.

5....Debi - This sister is probably the most out-going of my sisters. In addition she is the consummate maternal figure. Although she holds a masters degree in Early Childhood Education, she has spent her life so far raising her own five children and nurturing all the children with whom she comes into contact. In our church, children always run to her for hugs and affirmation when they see her; they know she loves them and listens to them. Indeed she talks about these children almost as if they were her own. She greets each child individually as they leave the adult worship service to go to children's church each week. Debi is a published author whose books have dealt mostly with parenting; but she has also co-authored biographies with her author husband. Check out Mother in the Middle for a starting point to research her writing.

6....Beth - Beth is my youngest sister, 12 years younger than I. I remember clearly going into the hospital when she was born and bragging to anybody looking at the babies in the nursery that "that pretty one right there is my baby sister!" As a teenager, Beth did a lot of entertaining as a singer. She had (has?) a beautiful contralto voice. I regret that she didn't keep up that interest and talent. Had American Idol been around then, she would have been a natural for a contestant. She is an adventurous spirit who is a combination of the extremes of our family personality types - gregarious, accomplished, responsible, but somewhat more reserved than some of the others. She has used her degree is social work in several different settings through the years and has been a strong advocate for children whose life circumstances have given them a difficult road to travel. She is currently in transition, waiting for her next great challenge, and devoting a lot of time and energy to her high-rated political and military blog, Blue Star Chronicles , partially in support of her son who is serving in the US Army in Iraq.

7....David - David is the baby in the family. I remember his birth rather vividly too. My mother stayed up almost all night a few days before he was born making me a prom dress! Being a typical highschooler, I was somewhat embarrassed to have a pregnant mother and did not help make the pregnancy easier. As a teenager, he taught himself to play the piano and guitar. As an adult, he learned all about computers on his own and has worked himself into very responsible and rewarding positions based upon his own drive, determination and intelligence. David has been an inspiration to me, as all my siblings have. He is an outstanding father; and he remains a constantly supporting and loving son, calling Mother at least once a week. You can find out something about his work at 3Datum Software .



My life is richer than it could ever have been otherwise because I was blest to be born into the same family as these seven blessings!

Sunday Seven 25th Edition

Sunday Seven

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."

I tried to find the source of this quote, and the best I could come up with is that it is a "Mother Goose Rhyme." One more specific source that said it was from a book by James Halliwell, published in 1844, titled Nursery Rhymes of England. Wherever it came from, the meaning is simply that if wishing could make things happen, then even the most destitute people would have everything they wanted. I have felt a little destitute of late, and some of the horses in this beggar's heavily-stocked wish corral are:

Horse #1, named Risky Business. I have been riding this horse regularly in the wee hours recently. I wish we could sell our cursed house -- at this point I don't even add the caveat of "at a decent price." I just want it sold!

Horse #2, named Caribbean Breezes. I wish I could be sitting again in one of those deck chairs pictured above! (Those are my feet you see in the pic, BTW.) We haven't been on vacation (which has come to mean "cruise" to me) in SO LONG!!! I want to be lounging on the deck of a ship out of cellphone range, away from family responsibilities, away from reminders of that unsold house, and away from lawn-mowing and finding a place for all this "stuff" that we still haven't found a place for in the house. I want to feel that sea breeze in my face. I want to eat food that I haven't had to prepare or even think about ahead of time.

Horse #3, named Declining Vigor. I wish I had the stamina and high energy level that I have enjoyed most of my life. That stamina has decreased dramatically in the last couple of years. It is so aggravating to have the desire and inclination to do things but lack the necessary physical reserves to complete it. Isn't it sad that the wisdom of age and life-experience doesn't reside parallel with the energy of youth!?

Horse #4, named Bigger Concerns. I wish this war in Iraq were over. Most importantly, people are dying daily to accomplish the mission there; but in addition, the conflict about our involvement is becoming more and more oppressing. Opinions are held so strongly, and no one seems to see any validity at all in the view of the opposition. The climate in the nation is tense to the point of rupture.

Horse #5, named Declining Horizons. This horse is a sister to #3 above. I wish I could start a new adulthood with the wisdom and knowledge I have gained through the last 40 years or so firmly tucked into my head and heart but with 40 years ahead to realize dreams. There are many things about the way I've lived my life that would be different the second time around.

Horse #6, named Futility. I wish that a certain person of our acquaintance would find himself irresistably drawn to the idea of beginning a new life in Timbuktu or Tasmania - those are such beautiful (and far away) places. I would volunteer to help him pack.

Horse #7, named Youthful Trust. I wish I could recover the trust in human nature and the goodness of the universe that I held as a basic tenet of my life for years. I miss the sense of security it gave.

Sunday Seveners, I hope I haven't rained on your parade today. I truly didn't mean for this to sound as negative as it came out. We all live with wishes, and these are seven of mine that have given me rides this week. Happy Sunday and upcoming week to each of you!

Sunday Seven 24th Edition

Please scroll down and read my last post about the Seven Deadly Sins as listed by Mahatma Ghandi. This week I am concentrating on being aware of these and eliminating any of them from my life. This is my Sunday Seven for this week. (BTW -- I've never had to worry about the third one! I am just thankful it isn't reversed -- then I'd be in trouble!! LOL)

Sunday Seven 23rd Edition

I am going to be late on my Sunday Seven this week; but I hope to get one posted before the day is over. So come on back later and keep me accountable!

Many hours later:

Some important events from this week:

1. All six of our grandchildren went to church with us today -- and DH was preaching, filling in for our pastor who is on vacation!!

2. Our daughter and her husband were here for part of the weekend with their three children. Our son's children were with us because our son is working on his doctorate and this was one of his class weekends and his wife had to be away all day with her father who is in the hospital.

3. Some of our grandchildren's other granddaddy (our daughter-in-law's father) suffered chest pains while golfing Friday and had to be hospitalized. They still are not sure whether or not he had a heart attack. He will be having a heart catheratization tomorrow. Our beautiful DIL has been running back and forth the two-hour drive to the hospital and their children have been able to spend some time with us. I ask your prayers for our co-grandparent and their entire family.

4. Our house continues empty and on the market and unselling. I would appreciate prayers for wisdom in how to deal with this situation. We have to sell that house at a decent price. I am renewing insurance on it tomorrow - expensive coverage on an unoccupied dwelling, and our contract with the realtor ends in a couple of weeks, too.

5. I have not been following through on my exercise and health goals this week -- I have exercised little if any and have not been eating healthily either. I intend to start again in the morning and work for better self-control.

6. Our daughter and her husband put down "earnest money" on property in our town Friday. If everything goes as planned, they hope to build a house on the property and move here withing the next two years!

7. We have been having daily light rains! This is a real blessing, since we are in a very severe drought here in the SE U.S. There hasn't been much rain, but we have brief, light showers almost every day for the last week or so. We are thankful for it and are still praying for a good long set-in soaking. (We don't want the floods that the mid-west and south-west have been dealing with however!!)