Random Acts of "Kindness"

Archive for September, 2014

STARTING AGAIN

Okay, I give up! I have no choice. I have to get rid of some of the extra weight I’m carrying around. Sitting on the curb at the Blues Fest, I couldn’t get up. I finally made it — but it wasn’t pretty. Thankfully no one made a video of it.

My granddaughter, mate, and child just returned to Florida. While they were here, I didn’t worry about my food choices, but now I have no excuse to put a food plan on hold. Our life will always be busy. There will never be the perfect time to start. Our youngest daughter just asked us to come down and help her in a couple of weeks. So, I’m trying something NEW AGAIN. I was impressed by Dr. Steven Masley’s talk on our public television station. I procrastinated a bit but I went on line and ordered one of his books –TEN YEARS YOUNGER. His premise is that if you follow his plan for ten weeks, your body will be younger. I would like my circulation to improve, I would like to weigh less. I won’t cry if my body is younger. I would like to be able to move more easily.

I haven’t read the whole book yet but I’m starting a new food plan anyway. I dislike cooking two different meals daily so I will have to try to come up with my own plan that takes into account my family’s individual tastes. Dr. Masley has many of the same ideas as Dr. Ornish except it includes chicken and fish. He also emphasizes exercise and relaxation. I liked The Fast Metabolism plan except for some of the food restrictions. Hopefully whatever I come up with will accomplish my objectives. I have nothing to lose except some weight.

I was so pleased when I lost the weight last year. Looking back, I realized that stress and depression are two of the things that did me in. Our winter that lasted forever didn’t help either. Stress is a part of life — sadly exercising doesn’t help me to work the stress off. I have tried to meditate — so far I have not been successful but I’m not giving up.

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SERVICE

Yesterday was a lovely, sunny day — a transitional day, before the rain and the falling temperatures. After all it is Fall. This morning, as promised the rain has arrived. Robin jumped onto our bed at 6 AM. She has been sleeping all by herself in the back bedroom. I thought she really had to go out and walked downstairs, opened the door to the rain. She didn’t even stick her nose out. I started the morning coffee and returned upstairs to get dressed.

Once I had a raincoat on, we went for a walk. Luckily the rain was light. I saw a few of my neighbors and got some early morning exercise. And I thought of our service dog. She likes to go for walks, meet other dogs — play, chase squirrels and bark to get them to come down and play. The squirrels don’t accept her invitation. She loves to run — run depending on who is walking her. SHE DOES NOT LIKE to do her business in the back yard — to boring — no one to play with. She will do her business in the middle of the night if she has to go. The daily walks give us exercise, we see our neighbors and of course, meet many dogs.

Yesterday I heard a new noise outside. So did Robin. It sounded like someone had a new instrument and was learn to play — a tuba. Robin DID NOT LIKE IT! She is not normally a barker, she doesn’t use her voice regularly unless she wants something — a squirrel to come down and play or announce the arrival of someone on our porch. SHE USED HER VOICE — many different ranges of her voice. I don’t think she was trying to sing — maybe the sound hurt her ears and she wanted them to stop. They didn’t — neither did she. Whether or not she was inside the house, outside the house — it didn’t matter.

Yesterday, when my husband called the garage to schedule an oil change, he was asked to come in tomorrow — they were very busy. Yesterday was sunny, a beautiful day. Today is RAINY — thankfully not the heavy rains of the last two storms. A lighter rain, but it still tied up the traffic. Normally the drive to the garage from our house takes five minutes or less. I didn’t count today. I turned on the radio and listened to the end of an up beat South American song. Followed by Noah arguing with God about the animals on the Ark. Two male Rhino, “Lord change them! A pregnant elephant, without delivery instructions.” More interesting discussion — then the thunder. I knew who won and I didn’t mind the longer drive. To finish my morning serenade the verse of a song ” You belong to me, I belong to you” Enough said! THANK YOU!

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TRUST

TRUST

I’m banging my head against the walls again! No energy, too much weight, etc, etc. And the word that pops up is TRUST! Trust that you are where you are supposed to be — and I do. I have learned that I’m almost always at the right place, at the right time — to either help someone or be helped myself. Let me say that most of the time my being at the right place IS NOT because I PLANNED it.

This morning I took Robin for her morning walk. She chased squirrels, as much as I would let her. We met two dogs that were walking with their person — One dog wanted to play but I won’t let Robin play when there are two dogs with one person EXCEPT for a man back from Texas who walks a three legged dog and a smaller one. The three leg dog likes to play, the smaller one doesn’t. I’ve learned that playing with this twosome is safe. I can’t let Robin off the leash, if she ran I couldn’t catch her. We met a dog whose person doesn’t allow her dog to meet when it is on leash? How strange! We met a dog who only has vision in one eye, who DOES NOT LIKE ROBIN. Robin laid down, refused to move until they were nose to nose and TODAY Emmett played with her. Today, Robin was safe. I wanted to speak to his owner, he would be able to confirm my suspicion that the priest’s dimension had gotten worse. Sadly I was correct. He was forgetting part of the Mass.

Just a short walk — right place, right time.

Deepak Chopra’s meditation this morning contained the statement: “It will surprise you when you see how wise you are.” It has to do with inner wisdom, not life experiences. And sadly, even though I’m pestered to meditate I got nowhere. I’m stubborn, I’ll keep trying. I’m reading Sherri Shepherd’s PLAN D. She talks to God and she HEARS His reply. I talk to God but His reply does not come in the spoken word. Sometimes it is the call of a crow. Sometimes it is a person I meet on the street. Sometimes it is something I hear on the radio or TV, or read in a book. Sometimes the answer is delayed. Every person is unique and the way we receive our answers is also tailored to us. TRUST — keep trying.

I have to laugh. After I wrote this ramble, after breakfast, my husband shared a happening with me. Friday night, in his office, he had a conversation with God. My husband DID NOT hear God’s voice. My husband asked God if He was alive. He said he believed in Him but did not receive any feedback. On Saturday morning, after breakfast, I bought the movie GOD’S NOT DEAD. I did not know of my husband’s conversation the night before. My husband believes he received his answer, so do I.

For many years now I have been learning, step by step, experience by experience — I forget how special my interactions are. I love to hear that others have received answers or help. I especially love it when they are members of my own family. Our son told me that I have a team of “helpers” who vie to help me everyday. I’m sure he is right.

I’m often reminded of Abraham in the bible. It took many years before God’s promises to him became a reality. I don’t know the length of my own life — and truth be told — I really don’t want to know. People who are successful, vibrant, healthy, enjoying life in their eighties, nineties and hundreds are in my vision often. Is that a message to me? I don’t want to speculate on that. But I do know that I want to have the best quality of life that I can have. Therefore — TRUST — KEEP TRYING. My mantra for today.

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GUIDED

It is always interesting when I look back at some of the events in my life. At the moment, they do not seem important. It is only when a few hours, days, or weeks have passed that I see the connection. I don’t know when the title of the movie GOD’S NOT DEAD first appeared in my life. It was a few weeks ago — on TV, with just a brief description of the plot. I didn’t pay too much attention but the title stuck in my mind.

Recently I learned I could rent it, but I don’t like to order movies via the TV. Yesterday the movie was in my face, at Target, then in my hand, at the cash register and out the door. And on our TV in the afternoon. I thought the movie was well done. I could relate to many of the scenes — their car wouldn’t start. I don’t have that particular problem but many times what I plan to do is not what God wants me to do and even though I’m a slow learner, I do get the message eventually.

It is the Fall season of the year — a time when I tend to get depressed. I don’t know if this year the feeling is worse — but I’m heavier and can’t seem to get with the program. Soon I will be older. That is not making me happy or unhappy but my weight and lack of energy is a growing problem. I’m on FACEBOOK but I don’t spend much time on the computer. Yesterday I responded to a message and found a few things that either gave me a smile or made me laugh. My great granddaughter, although far away, is a delight thanks to her mother’s sharing.

Today, I was trying to meditate — BUT — my computer WOULD NOT LET ME! I accessed FACEBOOK instead. A friend has been challenged to find something that makes her happy for 100 days and post it. I know I won’t take the time to post something on line every day but jotting down something in a notebook every day might be worthwhile.

I saw a video — mother duck at the top of a set of stairs — 12 ducklings on the steps below. Ducklings trying and TRYING to get up the stairs with their mother. THEY DID NOT GIVE UP. Both mother and brood paced back and forth. When the last ducking reached the top of the stairs — mother took off with her ducklings following behind her.

Today I was able to go to Mass at our church. I learned that a friend had passed on Wednesday, we should be in town for his memorial service. I learned that one of our priests was moving to a residential facility. I had noticed that he had dementia, I guess it is getting worse.

I just met a woman whose 96 year old mother lives with her. The mother still has her mind but is losing her sight.

I’M NOT GIVING UP — I’LL KEEP LOOKING FOR MY HAPPY — and I’ll try again to get my weight down and find my energy. Just like the ducklings, I’ll keep trying!

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