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Prime Big Deals
1 week ago
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Snow
We had a blizzard throughout Saturday and Sunday and then the temperature plummeted to below zero. The snow is back again today and the cold continues....a nice sunny beach sounds good! OR....we can warm up the house by baking! Christmas cookies here I come.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas...
I have been busy decorating for the holidays, this is one of my favorite times of the year to decorate.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Moms
A friend sent this to me and I thought it was beautiful....for all the Moms out there.
Invisible Mother......
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously, not.
No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte . I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Invisible Mother......
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously, not.
No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte . I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Playful Ghosts
My neighbors put up their Halloween decorations over the weekend and they are so cute I had to share.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thankful & Proud
I am not a daily blogger and love to roam the halls of cyberspace reading about others lives and enjoying their willingness to share their lives with the rest of us....and I always think nothing in my life is that interesting really, nor do I have a keen sense of wit and humor to be overly funny as some of these amazing creative people are, however I wanted to share this story about my son Joshua who is 19 and finding his way in young adulthood.
Last night Josh came home after 12 hours of hard work and walked in the door with a bag of Taco Johns. I playfully said "wow you brought me dinner thank you" and he did share his 6 pack and a pound with me! But that isn't the story....he tells me that he took a co-worker to Taco Johns to feed him because when they got back to the shop and everyone else had left it was just the two of them there and the guy starts making himself a sandwich and Josh said what are you doing and the guy tells Josh that the only time he gets to eat is if he eats at work because he is a young man with a girlfriend and two young kids (under age 3) and that he doesn't eat at home because he saves it for his young family. He shares with Josh that they have had their electricity and heat turned off because they can't afford to pay the bills and money is tight for groceries. Josh said "come on" and he took him to Taco Johns and bought him supper. They other young man cried and told Josh how much he appreciated his kindness and would never forget it.
I have thought about this all last night and today and can't tell you how much pride I have in Josh for being so kind and caring about others. I could tell he was deeply touched about this young man's predicament and how sad he felt for them and their struggles. Sometimes you wonder as a mother did I really instill good values and have your kids picked up on the lessons you try to teach in life and I am go grateful to have a son who cares enough about other people to reach out and help. Joshua I am so proud of you and love you to pieces.
Last night Josh came home after 12 hours of hard work and walked in the door with a bag of Taco Johns. I playfully said "wow you brought me dinner thank you" and he did share his 6 pack and a pound with me! But that isn't the story....he tells me that he took a co-worker to Taco Johns to feed him because when they got back to the shop and everyone else had left it was just the two of them there and the guy starts making himself a sandwich and Josh said what are you doing and the guy tells Josh that the only time he gets to eat is if he eats at work because he is a young man with a girlfriend and two young kids (under age 3) and that he doesn't eat at home because he saves it for his young family. He shares with Josh that they have had their electricity and heat turned off because they can't afford to pay the bills and money is tight for groceries. Josh said "come on" and he took him to Taco Johns and bought him supper. They other young man cried and told Josh how much he appreciated his kindness and would never forget it.
I have thought about this all last night and today and can't tell you how much pride I have in Josh for being so kind and caring about others. I could tell he was deeply touched about this young man's predicament and how sad he felt for them and their struggles. Sometimes you wonder as a mother did I really instill good values and have your kids picked up on the lessons you try to teach in life and I am go grateful to have a son who cares enough about other people to reach out and help. Joshua I am so proud of you and love you to pieces.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Fall
Fall is certainly in the air, the days and nights have been very cool. The growing season is winding down and I am starting to think of nights curled up in front of the fire place with a good book.
Marcie
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