Ramblings

Life, family, business


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Christmas is Over

Christmas is finally over.

That sounds so terrible when I read it, but that’s how I’ve gotten to feel over the years.  Run, run, run. Try to buy presents for too many people, spend too much money; and what to get for Grandma who has everything?  And then wrap, pack, haul to the parties, unwrap, pack, haul back to my house. And then I have to put the things away, find homes for new items, and decide what to do with the ones they replaced.  Did I forget anyone?  And then the neighbor shows up with a gift.  Do I have time to grab something from the closet to re-gift?  What about a card?

Luke 2: In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

As Christmas becomes more and more commercialized, we are growing further and further away from the true meaning of Christmas.

What if we removed the gifts sector from Christmas?  Christmas would still happen, it would still be December 25.  The sun would rise with the absence of Santa Claus, and the sun would set, marking another day from the calendar.  But then I would miss it.  I love giving gifts to people I love, but I don’t like the frantic-ness of the holiday season.  Everything builds up for weeks and weeks, and then, its over.  Its over.  Some children receive so many gifts, they are so overwhelmed by all the stuff, and they can’t even play with it all.  I get overwhelmed trying to buy gifts for everyone, and it’s hard because I don’t even know what they all like, or what they already have.

I remember when I was a young girl, my mom read all the stories from the “Little House on the Prairie” series to my sister and me.  Their Christmas was very simple, with handmade gifts and a few pieces of candy.  The gifts they gave and received were very special and from the heart.  They were true gifts, of time and love, and they were appreciated by the receiver I think probably much more than the gifts we give now.

And what if we were able to hush all the running to parties and rehearsals and shopping and concerts.  The world has gotten so much bigger, yet so much smaller.  We have too much to do and not enough time to do it.  And once the children are grown, we have to plan around their schedules too, if we want them to come along.  And what if your family lives an airplane ride away?  There’s all that to contend with as well.  How does anyone pull off the perfect Christmas?

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

I don’t think we can.  I think the only way is to remember the reason for Christmas, remember that manger with the newborn baby.  Imagine the chaos of Mary and Joseph’s first Christmas.  I guess maybe ours isn’t so bad after all.  I hope you had a very Merry Christmas!


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Holiday Stress!!

I want to know why people get so stressed out about Christmas.  Is it:

1. Spending time with family when there’s at least one that you really don’t like?

2. Trying to find the perfect gift?

3. Buying things you can’t afford?

4. Or is it trying to buy the perfect gift you can’t afford for someone you don’t like?

I know that there can be stress and anxiety associated with the holiday season, regardless of your religious affiliation.  Whether it be financial stress, stress about running out of time, or just the stress of having to see all those people, stress is generally not a good feeling.  I personally would love to be able to give each person on my gift list that special something that would wow their socks off.  But I’m a realist, and I know that’s not going to happen.  I don’t have that special intuitiveness that tells me what everyone loves, especially those that I only see once or twice a year.  I just have to settle with a gift that lets them know I was thinking of them.

And for those people you have to put up with at your celebration, just try to give thanks that you don’t have to live with them.  (If you do, you need a lot more help than my blog can offer!)  Try to be amiable, and not get involved with their drama.  If they try to start something, just say, “Excuse me”, and walk away.  It may sound rude, but its much nicer than punching them.

As far as financial stress is concerned, if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.  Sounds simple enough.  It can be hard, but there are so many nice hand-made gifts one can give that cost much less than buying that gift.  Learn how to crochet, make handmade cards, make some cookies and candy, and give those instead. Chances are, your family knows you are struggling and don’t want to add to your burden!  No one wants you to go into debt to buy them a trinket.  Your presence is always more important than the presents.

So try not to let the holidays stress you out.  Grab a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or whatever is your drink of preference, and look through those old photos of Christmas past.  I rarely remember what I got for gifts, but I always treasure the memories of those who are no longer with us.

Merry Christmas!


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The Dangers of Boredom

The snow flakes shimmer under a dull gray sky, twirling and whirling, and flying up in great swirls of wind.  The leafless trees stretch their naked trunks and branches upwards, into the gray, upon gray, upon gray.  The cold winds deter me from doing anything outside.  Even though outside is my favorite place, the unfavorable temperature and bone-chilling winds make it less bearable this time of year.

Here I remain, trapped indoors. The dogs are sleeping, as are the cats.  The husband and son gone for the morning and early afternoon.  What to do.  What to do…

So honestly, I have a ton of hobbies.  I think I’m one of those people who needs to have something to do.  I can sit and read quietly for only so long, and then I need to do SOMETHING.  Cleaning house is rewarding only to a certain extent.  I have to use my brain, my creativity, and my hands.  I love to paint, but my talent only goes so far.  I have a very large collection of houseplants that only need so much nurturing before they become angry in their winter hibernation.  I can only cook so much food for a small number of people.  I can write only so much before people stop reading it.  I used to enjoy sewing quilts for my children when they were young, but how many quilts does a person need?  I crochet to a certain extent, but its a time consuming process that yields yet another blanket, or set of dishcloths, or a scarf to add to my collection.  I make jewelry, and have a fabulous collection, even though I rarely wear jewelry. I have made rugs, sweaters, greeting cards, curtains, clothing, shelves; all sorts of things.  But what next?  What’s the next thing to do?

I think a lot of people struggle with the winter blahs: trapped indoors with no real sense of purpose.  Our great-grandmothers would probably tell us how lucky we are having all the modern appliances that make life so much easier.  I remember as a child, my grandmother had an old ringer washing machine, and doing the week’s laundry took the entire day.  They washed the clothes, ran them through the ringer-press to get the water out, and then hung them on the line to dry. Once dry, all the clothes had to be brought in, folded or ironed, and put away.  It was a great deal of work to keep their clothes clean.  For me to do a load of laundry, I simply put the clothes in, toss in a gel pack of detergent, close the lid and push the button.  Elapsed time: one minute.  Then I transfer the clothes to the dryer, toss in a softener sheet, close the door and press a button. Sure, I do have to fold them and put them away, but that takes a fraction of the time because I do a load every day or two and then fold and put away as I have time.  In fact, my washer is working right now as I sit and type; there’s nothing hands-on about it.

Our lives of chores have gotten easier, and I won’t complain about having a high efficiency washing machine, but now that the kids are older, I don’t have as much to do at home any more.  Its strange how the hurried days of childhood taper off so quickly.  I now have the time to do the things I always wanted to do, but it seems I’ve forgotten what those things are.  Perhaps I’ll learn a new language, or finally learn to play the piano. (I have one in my living room so I might as well!)  I think its important to always keep learning.  It helps occupy your brain, helps you use your creativity, and maybe its even something to do with your hands.  Never give in to boredom, there’s always something new to discover, or something to create.  I do treasure my time alone, since I don’t get a lot of it. But I still need to have something I want to do.  What are things that you do to occupy your time? I’d love to hear about them in the comment section! And thank you for reading!


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Unsolicited Advice and Political Lies

Its one of the most annoying things in the world to me: unsolicited advice.  But its more than that really, its when people try to tell me what I should do.

What I should think.

What I should believe.

Why would anyone think they have a better strategy than me for living my own life?

Why would anyone think that the way I’m living my life could be improved if only I did what they said?

Or thought the way they think?

Or believe what they believe?

I think that each of us has a burning in our heart, put there by God, to do what is right for ourselves.  I think that there is no other person who can possibly know everything in my heart, who can be a better “me” than I am right now.

Don’t get me wrong, I do ask for advice sometimes, and if I ask, then do please try to help me.  But if I don’t ask, then why on earth would someone decide to just interrupt?  Why would someone try to impose their thoughts and beliefs on my purpose?

I think that humans have a huge ego problem, where we think we know better than others.  We think we’re the smart one.  We think we’re the one with the answers.  I feel that way sometimes too.  But unless someone asks for my advice, or opinion, I try to keep it to myself.  I don’t expect someone to give up their religion because I don’t agree with what they believe, but on that same note, don’t think you can change what I believe.

I don’t expect someone to change their opinions or political beliefs because I don’t agree with them, but don’t have your telemarketers call my house five times a day telling me how I should vote.  I have stopped answering my phone when an unrecognized number calls,  do you think they get the hint?

I believe that each of us needs to make up our own mind, and decide what to believe on our own.  I don’t trust any of the commercials on television anymore, especially the political ones. I need to read about the candidates, and the measures, and decide for myself how I will vote.  So stop calling me.  Stop leaving fliers in my door.  Stop trying to manipulate me into siding with you, because more than likely, I’ll do the opposite of what you keep harassing me to do.  I don’t want your politics, I don’t want your religion, and I don’t want your manipulation.  I just want to live my own life, doing what I believe is right, the way I believe it should be done.  I have my own politics, my own religion, and my own mind full of my own opinions and my own beliefs.  If I ever decide to change them, it will be because of my own reasons, and not because some telemarketer with a terrible accent told to me to vote yes or no.  And seriously, how did you get my cell phone number?


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Extrovert vs. Introvert

I am an outgoing person. I can talk to anyone, and I enjoy people.  Most people would probably assume I’m an extrovert.

But I’m not.

I recharge my batteries by being alone.  I like to think about things before I do them.  And I need quietness and peace in my life.

I always thought I was an extrovert until I had a job where I was alone most of the time.  That made me realize that I do enjoy being by myself, and having the time to just think, without any interruptions.  Before that, every job I ever had was basically in customer service, working with the public and dealing with people all day.  My job now is back to the same; people, conversation, and enjoying visiting with my customers, friends, employees, and sometimes even complete strangers.  And I like it. No, I love it.

But I also need time to be alone, to think, to contemplate life and the world and the universe.  I feel complete when I am recharged.  I feel rested.  I feel like there is less chaos and craziness in the world when I can detach from others and look inside myself.  I also feel that I’m a much better person by taking the time to make myself feel this way.  I have more patience, and I have more empathy for others.

I don’t think I’m a true introvert either though.  I like people.  I like talking to people and learning about their lives.  I like hearing their stories, especially older people’s stories of “the good old days”.  I could never be a hermit in a cave, never talking to anyone.  I do need socialization in my life, just not all the time.

I have friends who recharge by being with other people, and they are the true extroverts.  They love social events and parties and being in a crowd.  I like being in my living room, with a good book; the dogs snoring on the couch and a cat curled up on my lap.  I love spending time with my husband, and my children.

Maybe you aren’t sure which group you belong in either.  But you can just be happy being the “you” that you truly are and not worry about all the other fluff that goes with trying to categorize people into one of two groups.  Maybe we’re all a little bit of both; introverts and extroverts.  Please tell me what you think in the comments section!


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Procrastinators and Swear Words

“How many swear words will we have with this project?”, came the question from the garage.

My husband; he’s a do-it-yourself kind of person, a go-getter, a “just do it” guy.  I always admire that about him.  He’s never one to be a procrastinator, he likes to get the work done right away.  In the time it takes me to finish this blog post, he will have replaced the power steering hose on his truck. He also bought the parts he needs to start fixing the wheel bearing, tie rod end, ball joints, and the bushings on the van this weekend. (Its been a hard week for vehicles at our house.)

I wish I had that quality.  I’m more of the “why do it now when I can do it later” kind of person.  Not with everything, mind you, but with things that I don’t want to do.  Or maybe I do want to do them, but I think its going to be a lot of work, or it will take too much time.  Or maybe I’m not sure where to start, so I just don’t.

Do you ever feel this way? 

One thing I have learned in my life, is that things do take time.  I’m not a magician, and I can’t just say “Abracadabra!” and whatever thing I want done, does itself.  (I think that would be great though! My house would always be clean!)

If something is going to take up my time, it needs to be worthy; worthwhile, if you will.  I would much rather read a good book than vacuum, but reading doesn’t make my carpet cleaner.  I’d much rather work in my garden than pretty much anything else, but that’s only a few months out of the year.  Sure, its very worthwhile and provides a lot of food and beauty, but then winter comes, and I can only try to keep my houseplants alive for the cold months until the spring dawns and I can put them outside again.  So in the winter I paint, and write, and do that cleaning and organizing I didn’t do when I was in the garden.

My husband however, he does everything.  I kid you not.  He does everything as soon as he sees it needs to be done. I’m working on it.  I’m getting better at doing the little things that need to be done right away, and not letting my bookwork pile up, or the mending pile get too big.  I have projects at work that I’m getting done, and I’m getting better at prioritizing my projects and doing what needs to be done first, and then worrying about the things that need to be done later.  I tend to do the things I like to do first, but I’ve realized that I can waste a lot of time doing things I like to do, because I know that I have to do the things I don’t like to do, next. 

So now I do the things I don’t like to do first.  Yep, first.  I don’t like to do bookwork, so I do it first thing after the opening chores at the store are finished.  Then I make my list of projects and things I need to do, or people I need to call, or emails I need to return.  If I get all of this out of the way, then I will be able to relax when I’m at home, instead of worrying whether or not I got everything done that needs to be done.  I signed up for automatic bill pay too, and that also helps with making sure the priorities are taken care of. 

What are ways that you have made your life easier?  Are you a procrastinator like me?  Or are you a go-getter like my husband?  I’d love to hear your story. 

The answer, by the way, was not many.  🙂


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International Peace Garden

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Each year, my husband and I try to go somewhere we haven’t been before.  This year I finally got to go see the Peace Garden.  It truly is a very peaceful place, and you can sit and just listen to nature.  We went on a Sunday, and even though there were quite a few people there, it was quiet and peaceful.

I grew up in the Midwest and surprisingly knew very little about the Peace Garden.  On July 14, 1932, 50,000 people came for the dedication of the garden.  It sits on the border of the United States and Canada, half in each country.  You can see where the border is, and of course I have a picture of it.  The Peace Towers are my favorite, one half in the US and the other half in Canada.   There are so many things to see in this place, and the Peace Chapel is a must visit as well.  I included a picture of the quote by Buddha, but there were so many good ones.  I believe I read them all.

The garden was made to swear an oath made by our two countries.  “To God in His Glory, we two nations dedicate this garden and pledge ourselves that as long as men shall live, we will not take up arms against one another.”  If you ever get the chance to go, its a great place to stop and enjoy the beauty.  I took so many pictures of the plants, the huge succulent collection and the cacti collection, along with the regular gardens and the sunken garden.  I’m a plant person though, so I won’t subject you to all those pictures.  The place is amazing!

You don’t need a passport to get back into the US, but you will need at least a drivers license.  We didn’t have any problems going through customs, in fact we got some fishing pointers that helped out for the rest of our stay at Devils Lake. The fishing was great, the weather was beautiful, and it was a short, but much needed vacation.


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Don’t Be Like This Guy!!

ToadI found this little guy sitting by the garage door, waiting for the door to open.  I opened the door a little, as you see in the photo, and he just sat there.  I had to physically push him out the door.

I think sometimes in our lives, we do this too.  We pray and pray for a door to be opened for us.  But then, when a door is opened, we are either too scared to walk through it, or we’re too comfortable in the place we are to actually do it.  Maybe we think, “Wait, I wanted a different door!”, and then we just sit there and wish for a different door.  Sure, this door opens to a gravel parking lot, but just around the corner is a big grassy area with lots of bugs and hiding places, perfect for a toad.  But he couldn’t see that just looking through, he had to actually GO through the door to see everything that is there waiting for him.  Sure the garage has some food, and some hiding places, and he’s safe from predators; but eventually he would die in there with no water, and nowhere to hibernate if he actually made it to winter.

Look at your life.  Have you already gone through a few doors? Are there doors hanging open, just waiting for you?  Are you in the relative safety of the garage?  Don’t be scared of the door.  The door open in your life is an invitation for you to see and explore and learn.  Of course its uncomfortable at first, especially if you don’t like taking chances.  But if you just stay in the garage, you’re going to have a very unfulfilling life and then probably freeze to death in the corner somewhere.

Don’t be afraid of change, don’t be afraid of doing things differently than you’ve ever done before.  Break free from your mold and live your life with new opportunities and new ideas.  They say when one door closes, another door opens.  But maybe that door was open already, and you just needed to be pushed through it.

Jump through that door!!!


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Die Happy

As I was driving today, I saw an expensive car with the license plate “DIE HAPPY”, written in different letters, but I could read it all the same.  As I contemplated that license, I saw a young mother skipping with her daughter on the sidewalk next to me.  They were laughing and smiling, and having so much fun.  They were happy.

Then I thought about life; about happiness and what makes others happy and what makes me happy.  I drive a older mini-van, nothing fancy, and if I’m still driving a mini-van when I die, I’ll still die happy.  I don’t need an expensive car to make me happy.  What would you need to make you happy?

How much “stuff” actually makes us happy?  I read about miserable rich people, and that makes me wonder why are they so miserable.  I know why though, its because no amount of “stuff” can make anyone happy.  It may make you feel happy for a short time, but in reality, no material item can make anyone truly happy.  Happiness comes from within, and there’s no other way to find it, other than from within yourself.

I think about what makes me happy and its not things, its experiences.  My husband and I went on a short get-away last  summer to see the Tall Ships in Duluth, MN, and that truly made me happy.  I didn’t buy much when I was there, but experiencing the event, and spending quality time with my husband made me very happy.  When I spend time with my kids, it makes me happy. (Well, most of the time, but that’s part of being a parent.)   Also, spending time with my mom and my siblings makes me happy.  My job consists of visiting with many people throughout the day when they come as customers to my store, and that makes me happy.  I love visiting with people and listening to them talk about their families and their lives.  I’ve grown to be a good listener over the years, and its fun to connect with people.

If I won a million dollars, I don’t think I would truly be any happier, my life would just be easier not ever having to worry about money.  So in  hindsight, perhaps the license plate should say “DIE EASY” instead, if it were on my luxury car anyway.

So instead of worrying about dying happy, what if we instead had the goal of living happy?  We could skip down the sidewalk with our child or grandchild or friend, and just be happy to be alive, and able to skip!  If we each do something everyday that makes us feel happy, the world would be a much friendlier, happier place.  What makes you happy?  I’d love it if you left me a comment to let me know what things make other people happy.   Just click on the “leave a comment” button under the title of this post and let me know. Thanks!


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Life’s Uncertainty

Chaos.

Crazy.

Fast.

Uncertain.

How would you describe your life?

Some days it feels like I have the “bull by the horns” and other days it feels like the bull got out of the barn long before  I even got out of bed.  Some days feel like nothing can go wrong, and other days feel like one disaster after another.

And the great thing is: THAT’S EVERYONE’S LIFE!

We all have this in our lives, but the thing that really matters is how we deal with it. 

How can you make your life better just by thinking?  Its easy, but yet its hard.  Happiness is not just a feeling, its a way of life.  Its something you choose to be.  If I have a bad day, or a bad week, I can choose to wallow in the depths of my despair, or I can choose to acknowledge it, and then let it go.  I can choose to let it rule my life with fear and anxiety, or I can choose to say, “It is what it is”.  Its really easy, but yet it can be really hard.  It takes practice. 

Sometimes, devastating things happen, and it takes longer to find your way back. And some of us don’t know the way back, and that’s OK.  There’s alot of people available to help, but you have to reach out before they know you need them.

Think about your life, are there ways you can improve it just by thinking better thoughts?  I bet there is.  Life’s an adventure, so don’t sit in the tent all day crying about it. Get out there and live!