Families Are About Encouragement

Good Morning, Readers!  I've left the front door open so come on in.  Temperatures are rising and I think we'd be more comfortable inside!  It's been a while since we've gotten together for a chat.  Sometimes the days run into one another once retirement hits.  I think I need to investigate doing some volunteer work and getting on more of a schedule.  It's not my idea of leading a productive life to be sedentary.  Friend, Beverly, is trying to get me involved in Paw Pals (a dog/cat rescue).  I'm afraid I would end up with a house full of needy dogs!  It is expensive to take good care of Toby and Sadie and I feel a big responsibility to do that.  Maybe I will go one time and see if I can handle the pullings on my heart strings to adopt when I see a need.



The 4th of July holiday was wonderful.  We are fortunate to have lovely neighbors who have become good friends.  They have opened their hearts and home to us and we have done the same.  After two wonderful evenings of good conversation and company we attended the fireworks at Lake Whitney.  I laughed at all the pickup trucks motoring towards the marina ... that's Central Texas for you!  Cowboy hats, boots and pickup trucks...  We were going to the neighborhood parade on the 4th but my ankle gave out and we decided to head back to North Texas a little early.

When I was taken by ambulance to the Hill County Regional Hospital the end of May, my ankle was x-rayed and they told me I had a stage 3 sprain but that it wasn't broken.  Welllll....it had just never gotten better so yesterday I went in to see Dr. Crates, my orthopedic foot doctor.  Guess what?  Not only did I break my ankle but also tore ligaments.  He couldn't believe I had been walking around in a pair of flip flops without being in pain.  To make a long story short, I am in a boot ... I am hoping for a quick heal so that I can be off to Minnesota the end of the month.  It's my right ankle so driving is out of the question for awhile.  I may need to have to convince hubby to make the trip with me!

Encouragement!

I've continued my Daily Walk Bible reading as well as doing a Beth Moore personal study on the disciple John.  It's a wonderful way to start my day and gives me encouragement to not only begin my day afresh but also to strive to be more positive and uplifting to others.  Several times I've been convicted of being too "by the book" and "idealistic" so I've had to take those charges to heart and examine my motives.  Ever hear yourself make these or similar statements?  "Is that the best you can do?  I had hoped for more from you..."  "TV dinners ... again?"  "When you cleaned the bathroom, you missed a spot."  I've made all of these statements and more...  All these statements are those of being a discourager.  They are perfect ways to leave a people disheartened,  discouraged, and depressed.  As I have matured in my faith, I have come to realize that it is more important for me to encourage.  Why look at the 10% someone did wrong if 90% was done right.  Our lives are like that too.  Are you holding a grudge against someone who did you wrong once but went our of their way to be an encourager and loving most of the time?  Hmmm...  

Listening to Maddy & Kat is fun!

Most people would consider me a not only a good listener but a great listener.  I have been trained to be a comforter, an encourager ... someone who can offer hope.  When I think about the training I've had, the "want to" was already in my heart and the areas where I had rough edges were merely sanded and refined.  Growing up, I was afraid to fail because my B's needed to be A's ... there was always something wrong with the way I was and how I viewed life.  Rather than trying harder and excelling, I took the easy road, got A's, and did not push the envelope.  I was a good kid ... to fail meant receiving verbal lashings so I made sure I took easy enough classes to excel.  I became afraid to try anything that I just might not be top dog at.  When my own children were born, I decided to accept them as they were encouraging them to be the best "they" could be.  Every time a school counselor told me they weren't capable of college or doing certain things, I kept my mouth shut and never said a word to my children.  What happened?  My daughter, Jane, went on to college earning a pharmacist's degree ... she excels in her work and is a kind, loving parent and wife.  My son, Tommy, chose the route of the party versus learning.  It took him awhile to fail, get up and try again, fail, get up and try again and FINALLY, he is not only on the right track, he is excelling as a husband, father, and employee.  I am so very proud of both of my children.  They rock!!  Through thick and thin, I loved them, thought the best of them and knew they would find their way in this world.  I guess by some standards you could consider me a lazy parent ... I choose to believe that I was an encouraging parent helping them to believe that "they" could be all they wanted to be.  But then ... maybe I went too far in the opposite direction of my own upbringing.  Who really knows ... All I know is that most of us just do the best we can and our motives are to be encouragers!!!

I am a Sagittarian ... a free spirited person who excels in following my dreams.  I hate being closed in or being around negative people (different than people who are going through hard times).  I love to learn and grow and put my arms around those traveling on the road of life.  I get excited about life itself ... I love welcoming new people into my world and find that as they share their lives with me, I can share m.ine with them resulting in us being better people.  My God keeps me on track and I want to be more like Him allowing His light to show through me.  My Christian beliefs keep me grounded and I want to be continually maturing and growing.  I am not afraid to admit my frailities, faults and fumbles because they made me develop into the woman I am today.

I am sure you have heard this saying ... "Change occurs when the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of changing."  It's sad but oh so very true!  On my journey through life, I have found pain, toil, redemption and growth over and over again.  I'd like to say that I learned from my original pain but that did not come until years later.  My refinement has taken a lifetime!

Each time I write a blog, I pray that out there someone will read it and identify with my story.  To those people, I want to say, "Go for it!"  Be everything you were created to be ... we were not called to be victims but overcomers!  Smile and the world smiles with you!  Fly with the eagles instead of groveling with the turkeys!  You can live a life of peace and joy ... yes you can.  I am a perfect example and although there are ups and downs in my life, I can have peace and am enjoying the ride!

I pray that all of you will have a wonderful "TGIFriday!!  As for me, I am doing what I can dragging this heavy boot on my right foot.  I was lopsided and had to put a high heeled shoe on my left foot.  Now ain't that fancy!!