Month: July 2010 (Page 4 of 5)

… whom you will serve. I find the ironing is delicious that Oswald Chambers offered this verse of meditation on the same day that “the King” announced his decision. Watching the show triggered several thoughts. First, like one commentator mentioned, was that you have to feel bad for Cleveland. I really am. But not just because, as one FB post said, “any hopes of winning a professional sports championship have disappeared” but because LeBron is moving to South Beach.

I heard over and over in his explanation that “I have to do what’s best for me” and “do what makes you happy.” This is the kind of language that causes more heartache in the world than anything. Now, I can get behind his mama when she says that no one else has to live with consequences of the decision like he will – I get that. However, happiness is fleeting. Ask any woman on week 3 of her cycle. Happiness is an emotion, and I think best decisions are not made based on emotion.

I think better decisions are based upon things like hope, loyalty and seeing the larger picture. I think decisions have to include its effects on others. Another FB update I saw: “well, Miami, at least you have D-Wade who won’t quit on  you when it counts” I think it cut to a deeper issue: character. I think it takes a bigger man to stay loyal even when things aren’t perfect: whether it be a team, a marriage, or friendship. And even in a life that’s based off a game (I mean really – it is a game), sacrifice has to be at the top of the list.

LeBron has earned the right to make career decisions that offer the best opportunities like any other working American. I’m not passing judgment on “his business”. But I think some decisions give an insight into character. A wise man once said, where your treasure is, there your heart is also. I’m wondering if some reflection on this sage advice would have yielded a different announcement.

I’ll admit it. I love evaluations. Our mid-year reviews are coming up at work, and though I’m hoping for positive feedback, I’d also be interested in knowing what I can do better. Though you might be fooled by my air of perfection, I’ll let you in on a secret: it’s mostly a facade. But self improvement could be a hobby right along with crotchet and list making in my book. That being said, it’s time to check in on my efforts with The List. 

1. perfect a mac and cheese. Well, I’ve made sizeable efforts, but no cigar. I’ve encountered some serious challenges in replacing my beloved Velveeta with a healthier cheddar. My sister has sent me a recipe that I have yet to try, though the cousins reviewed over Memorial day and gave it thumbs up. My BC friends even pitched in and we had a Mac ‘n Cheese fest so we could all preview. JE won, I do believe, with KLR in a close second in my book.

2. follow through. This one is much more difficult to evaluate (it’s not SAM – specific achievable and measurable, thanks Tentmakers!) and a qualitative analysis would probably have to be done via anonymous survey of my friends and family. Perhaps a local 6th grader is in need of a summer science fair project?

3. reflect daily. I would say I’m not 100% on this, but it’s much better. In truth, much of this comes from the blogging. I think a blog is better in story, so I try to think about the happenings of the day and go from there. Since the arrival of MAM I’ve been much more hit & miss, but I’m hoping to regain some ground here soon.

4. read to henry. I’m doing pretty good here! I’ve specifically found time when feeding MAM. Keeps him entertained and feeling included while I’m tied to the chair.


5. kiss JJ. daily. I’ve failed here from time to time, but don’t you worry your pretty little head – JJ is quick to inform me of my shortcomings and demand what is rightfully his. However, I have found I can avert the berating by taking the time to say a true good bye for the day. It’s a refreshing breath before the blustery beginnings of work or play. As a side note, I do acknowledge how lucky I am to have a hubby that wants to kiss me all the time.

6. connect and contribute to st. paul’s. I’d say we’re doing better here, though this evaluation is taking place through the summer streak of bad attendance (thanks to many lake visits). I did help with the youth some, but the bigger contribution has been trying to get a “young adult” SS class off the ground. We’re definately not soaring, but I haven’t given up yet. I just need to get there to really begin to make strides. 


7. develop 1 spiritual habit. um…. yeah. Nope. Not even close. I haven’t even come up an idea yet. Suggestions, all my spiritually minded friends? What has worked for you?

8. learn to knit. Well, what we have here kids is 2 failures in a row. In all fairness, burying myself under a bundle of yarn really is a fall / winter activity.


9. grow another garden. Sweet success!! We’ve got 10+ ‘mater plants in, 3 peppers, a hot pepper, 2 eggplant, a row of green beans and already harvested garlic and onions. A large thank you to DW, the man who knows everything (and holds me accountable to getting it done) and KLR for actually starting to grow at least 50% of my garden.


10. run. Another success! I’ve run at least once a week since I was about 3 or 4 weeks postpartum. Sometimes I can get up to 3 miles in, sometimes only 2. I pee myself only 30% of the time. I’d call that victory on all fronts.

11. go on 5 dates. all with jj. We’re getting there. We’ve had one – dinner, movie and sitter, all for free! It was wonderful. Perhaps I should schedule another.

12. live joyfully and generously. Again with the lack of measurability. However, I do think I’m better than I was when I originally made the list. We’ll keep working on it.

13. have wine with a friend on a regular basis. This definately picked up after the arrival of MAM by about 100% :). I’ve even taken to actually scheduling this in with a friend – (add that to the win column for #1!).

14. remove from vocabulary: i’m tired (i always am), i don’t have time (i must make time), i don’t have the money (i chose to spend it elsewhere) and “after XXXX i will…” (carpe diem). Yes, yes and yes. Every once in a while I’ll throw in a situational tired, as in “I’m too tired to go to the grocery store” but I’ve cut down on my need to let others know my sleep status. The “after XXXX i will” have slimmed and I’m hoping to reduce to zero once we get JJ a job. Whoops, there we go again…..

15. throw a good party. Complete failure. I screwed it up on JJ’s birthday and graduation, logging “being 9 months pregnant” as my excuse. I still have my birthday in October, perhaps I can make it up then?

I’m glad I took the time to revisit. I had actually forgotten about the joyful and generous living, so now I’ll make a much more concerted effort. I’d like to add to the list “pull my shoulder blades back” as my posture is quite poor and I think I’d feel better about how I look if I were to adjust. I’d also like to try to take H & M to some community things – story time, parks events, play dates. We’ll have to use this as a tool for the ’11 list…

… and a housekeeper to keep the dirty laundry pile from reaching my chin (thus reducing my guilt levels when indulging in below activities):

1. Paint the house. Now most everyone knows that I abhor manual labor, but I do quite enjoy being married and the hubby is a bit uptight about our still-unfinished paint job. We have a second coat on the back and a large portion of the trimwork to go.

2. Create a facebook account for my dad. I really think he’d enjoy the “social networking” life, but he’s a bit technologically challenged to do it (even more so than my mom, who called the other day for a tutorial in “attaching to the emails”). I’ve already been keeping an eye out for profile pics and have created a list of his interests and activities (corn hole, OSU football, vacationing, joining fraternal organizations, eating at Subway, gambling and feeding H blueberries).

3. Read Time or Newsweek magazine. Someone left an issue in the bathroom at the lake and I realized how much I missed it. I’d also like to catch up on Relevant and see if there’s a shred of hipness left in me.

4. Go to story time at the library. No, not by myself, but if I had time to do other things, I could stop trying to get them done with the kids and instead take them to fun things like story time.

5. Bake blueberry muffins.

6. Upload all our checkbook info into Quicken and do a quarterly report. Yes, I’m that person. Do you have ANY idea the happiness this would afford? Add 2 points if we are actually spending less than we’re earning.

7. More bike rides and walks with SC. Those are delightful.

8. Order my bookclub book from the library. I was getting ready to do it the other day when I realized that BC is this week! KLR said it was “interesting” so I’m not in a rush.

9. Make something with cream cheese to take to bookclub on Thursday so they don’t make a secret ballot to kick me out.

10. Blog more. I think I get less interesting with more time away. This has served as a decompression time of sorts and if I don’t do it regularly things get all jumbled up in there. Kind of like a mental constipation. Now there’s a pretty analogy.