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When I Grow Up…
When I grow up, I want a paint for my walls that holds up to swinging tails and shoe scuffs that happen when the dog is being chased around the room, barking incessantly, running into me, knocking me down, stepping on my toe, and trying to hide under the bathroom sink. I want paint that really endures – and in a color that I never get tired of.
When I grow up, I want a real dishwasher. I want one that doesn’t leave water spots and permanent stains on the brand new silverware I treated myself to not too long ago, but only after 30 years with the first set. No one can say I have no loyalties!
When I grow up, I want to be able to eat anything I want anytime. If I want three chocolate cookies for lunch (while I stare at the pantry trying to decide what I really want) and chocolate cake as an afternoon snack, along with my crackers and Swiss cheese before dinner, so what of it?
When I grow up, I want a car that doesn’t need gas with an air conditioner that never runs hot. Oh, and it needs to be able to be relied on to take me everywhere I want to go without anyone getting in my way – ever!
When I grow up, I want everyone to be nice to each other and look for ways to get along. I don’t want to deal with other people’s envy or anger or insecurities. That drives me crazy! Especially when they hold that mirror up to me.
When I grow up, I want to be able to travel at any time. I’d love to see Japan and Spain and Greece. I’d love to go back to Israel and stay longer. I’ve always wanted to fly around the world on an open-ended ticket. Run to the airport when the mood hits me. No one, and I mean no one, “runs” at the airport any more – not without large men with guns running behind them.
When I grow up, I’d like it to be a giant slumber party all the time. I want to have my friends over, play games, stay up late and watch silly movies, sing made-up songs on my guitar, tell stories that make everyone laugh until they cry, and never have to go to bed. I was tempted to try that recently, but no one thought I had enough coffee.
In the meantime, though, I’m grateful for the fact that I have a husband who entertains me, and pets for him to be a little boy with, hands to wash my dishes, and children to get them dirty again, food in my pantry, refrigerator, and the deep freeze outside, a way to get around and people to go see, places that inspire me, and laughter to fill my memories even if they hit me at silly times when no one else understands why I’m smirking…
“I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” Philippians 4:11-13 (The Message)
Too Much Coffee?
Upon reflection, perhaps the third cup of coffee this evening was a bad idea. But it was cold in the restaurant, and at the time it seemed like a good idea…kind of like the perms I used to get in the 1980′s, or the really, really short haircut I sported in the 1990′s. Of course, the difference is that in the ’80′s and ’90′s, everyone else had similar hair styles and tonight, I’m the only one of the group staring at the ceiling well past time to go to sleep.
The big question for me when this kind of thing happens, is do I want to amuse myself with television or wait for the inevitable talking that comes from my husband’s dreams. He hasn’t always talked in his sleep, but in the last few years, he’s been known to utter some pretty hysterical non-sensical phrases. Tonight, I’ve opted to do both, plus blog. You’re impressed, right?
I used to be quite the night owl, anyway. Back in college, I didn’t even think about trying to go to sleep much before 1 a.m., but when I got married, my husband was a 9 p.m.’er, so I had to compromise a bit. We meet in the middle–unless I’ve had too much coffee…
That makes me wonder what else we’ve compromised on, and based on the fact that there aren’t any interesting sounds coming from my husband right now, and my tv show is running a commercial, I’ve decided it’d be fun to make a list, so here goes:
~Chips – I don’t care much about them most of the time, but to keep peace in the marriage, our house is always stocked with chips, because as I was told shortly after our vows were spoken, no sandwich is complete without chips on the side.
~Toilet seats – These always get left in the down position. I think that might have been included in the Bible if it had been written in modern times.
~Toilet paper – Fortunately, this one didn’t require compromise since we both agreed, but I include it because it’s connected to the last one. Preferably, the paper should come over the top, not from the bottom, and both of us have been known to fix a roll done incorrectly, usually me.
~Movies – I’m still working on this one, really I am, but the goal is to make the following compromise…Movies about the underdog sports team can actually be enjoyable. (Read: Camille will pretend to watch the movie while also checking emails or Facebook on her phone, but she’ll smile at all the good parts for effect.)
~Car trips – New beverages and those pink peanut patties must be purchased at every fill-up, which should, of course, be done no later than at half a tank. Trust me on those peanut things. I wasn’t sure at first either, but they grow on you.
~Yard work – Yard work and outdoor projects should always be accompanied by something smoking on the grill, because that gives you something to look forward to after your muscles are sore and you can barely lift the fork. Through the blisters and muscle fatigue, a good piece of brisket, etc. will make it all feel better.
~Coffee – Yes. Obviously. And, my husband would want me to add that this has been more of a challenge for him than sports movies for me, but he’d be wrong.
I’m sure there are other compromises. We have been married for 25 years after all, but since this is turning into binge-blogging, and I’ve been so “quiet” lately, I don’t want to overwhelm you. Besides, I think there’s a new episode of Criminal Minds coming on.
A Toast for the New Year Morning
I have a coffee mug collection, much to the dismay of my family. An entire shelf in the kitchen cabinets is devoted to my mugs. You might have figured that if you have read my previous post, ‘Coffee to Go.’ We have to carefully empty the dishwasher so that my mugs are put away correctly and with care or the other glasses and cups won’t fit in the cabinet. My family loves me for this.
Each mug is special to me though, and only the special mugs make the cut for my shelf. There is a story behind each one, and in that way they are to me like other collections that people have – baseball cards, matchbooks, hats, shoes…Mine is coffee mugs. I choose my mug carefully each day. Sometimes, as mentioned before, it is a factor of the coffee I plan to drink, but most of the time it is a philosophical statement. For instance, when I choose my Michael Buble mug, it’s going to be a mellow morning; I’ll be feeling a little swing in my step. I may even break into song and spin you around the kitchen, so watch out. But if I choose my Polka Dotted mug, I am feeling a little feisty, peppy, and looking for some fun. Then there’s my National Homeschool Academy mug. It’s good for days when I need to be very focused or when I have a full business day. Or, there is the the Women of Passionate Purpose International mug. It means I am connected to a group of beautiful women who may not be in my immediate line of sight each day, but are every bit “near me” and we are bonded together for the cause of Christian ministry.
But today, the first day of 2010, I chose my mug carefully. It’s a brown mug, a bit narrower and taller than most, and it has a scripture quote on it. It was given to me by a dear friend for my birthday along with 100 1-Dollar bills, each with a Post-It note listing an adjective or phrase describing my character. This was a gift I will never forget, and not because of the money that came with it, but because of the time that was invested in thinking about who I am and what is important to me. This mug says to me that nothing is going to be too difficult in the day to come, and nothing that I do is without purpose. It reminds me of the joys of faithfulness through the scripture listed on it. It reminds me of the places that I’ve been and the ways in which God has brought me through some difficult and unusual experiences, and always, but always, for the better!
So lift your coffee mugs high with me, toast to the new year ahead, and remember, as my mug says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:10-13)
Coffee To Go
This is going to sound odd, but my favorite gift this Christmas is my new coffee mug. You would have to see it to understand why, but my mug is about the size of a half-gallon of milk! It measures about seven inches tall, and is about five inches in diameter, and it would hold a bunch of coffee – I mean, a bunch! There is also a caption on it. It reads, “Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee.”
Amen!
For me, though, my coffee doesn’t always have to be caffeinated. It can be Decaf. I like that too, and frankly, I can’t really tell the difference. It has more to do with emotion for me. Coffee is emotional. Now, if you are my husband, or not a coffee-lover, then my last statement may make you click to the next webpage. That’s okay. I’ll wait for those of you who want to keep reading…
Recently I got a Tassimo automatic coffee brewer. I’m sure there is a more technical name, but that’s what it does. Each day, I can select one of any number of really cute coffee pods for my morning java, and I get to choose from a variety of flavors – Starbucks, Gevalia, Seattle’s Best, French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Morning Roast (large cup-my favorite!), and that’s just a few of the coffees. There is another full set of Tea selections. I love this machine! Each morning, I get to decide my mood, my tastes, my flavor, and complement my mood with a corresponding cup of coffee. Today was the Large Cup, Morning Roast, full caffeine. Tomorrow might be Starbucks. Tonight might be Decaf, or not…
But back to the mug. This mug represents a couple of things for me. First, it’s true. I love my coffee and I drink a lot of it. That is one by-product of working out of my home like I do. It’s always ready to go and waiting for my pod selection. But more importantly, this mug represents abundance. There is no way I could actually fill this mug with real coffee and drink it. The coffee would get cold long before I could drink it all. That is what “success” requires, as this mug implies – an abundance – an abundance of effort, of love, of perseverance, of joy, of faith…I can never have enough of those qualities.
The other thing that this mug implies to me is humor. I have to approach life with humor. It makes the effort worth it. Humor makes the love return to me more gracefully. It makes the love easier to share. Humor makes perseverance softer. It makes the joy more real. Humor makes faith more fun, and don’t fool yourself, God has a great sense of humor! So, I love my mug, and the symbol that it is to me of living life with abundance and humor. I love the happy feeling that I get when I smell coffee brewing, and I love that there are so many flavors out there, so many choices to make, so many tastes to enjoy…
Come to think of it, I’m feeling a little Signature Blend right now…
