Bed Making 101

Today is June 1, a brand new month.  As I reflect on some thoughts, one jumps right out at me from the following commencement speech for this year to The University of Texas at Austin given by Navy Admiral William H. McRaven. http://youtu.be/pxBQLFLei70  He says about a third of the way into the speech that the first thing he learned in Seal Training was to make his bed first thing each morning. His point being, that as you head out the door each day, you have no idea what kind of difficulties await you. You may have a lousy day, but at the end of that day, you can come back to your bedroom and see a neatly made bed and say at least I accomplished something. My husband has made a similar comment to our daughters and me. Maybe he learned this in his army training days. My husband's point is simply, it's nice to come home to a made bed. I may not make military corners and tucks in my bed making, however I do make my bed each morning. I add two pillows in their frilly shams and a decorative pillow in between those two. My husband doesn't get the point of the extra pillows, which just get tossed off of the bed at the end of the day. I, on the other hand, enjoy this extra step in the process. What is interesting is that I was out of town a few weeks ago and came home to find he had gone the extra step by putting the shammed pillows and pretty pillow neatly in their place. Sweet!
My question to you is, have you made your bed today? If so, enjoy your first accomplishment of the day. If not, go make your bed.

March Winds

As I write this, I just heard from my daughter of the death of an acquaintance of hers. He was a Christian who was only 32 years old, the same age as my daughter. His story is in the Washington Post today and USA Today as he had been a soccer player for DC United. His name is Shawn Kuykendall if you want to read about this young man whose main thing was trusting God every step of the way. What I appreciated most, when reading about his life and his struggle with cancer, was his sense of purpose and his sense of humor. I think when push comes to shove, we all need to have  Christ first and foremost and a sense of humor runs a close second. It's more than a saving knowledge of Christ really, it's a steadfast hope that God has a purpose for each of us. Our part is to go along for the adventure. Sometimes, the adventure is one we would much rather avoid, if it were up to us. Thankfully, God IS and always will be in control.
As the wind is blowing outside today, I think about how God causes things to blow across our paths. Births, deaths and all the stuff in between punctuate our lives.We don't know which way the wind will blow. Sometimes, it blows from one direction, in our favor, only to turn the next minute and blow another way, against us~ forcing us to fight. God is like that. As He says in Isaiah 55:8, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
We can waste time and try to figure out God's plan or we can enjoy the life He gives to us and KNOW He has it all figured out, way before we were even born.
When the wind blows and I am out in it, my hair loses any style it had. When my husband goes out on a windy day, his hair stays put. It's as if the wind isn't strong enough to matter. No matter what I would put on or in my hair, hairspray, styling gel, whatever thickening junk, the wind has a way of doing it's thing. My hair is super fine and that is the way God made it. God made my husband's hair to be super thick and unmovable in essence.
I guess what I am trying to convey is even though we may be fragile or we may be strong, God is at work in us. I may notice the wind more because I see how it blows my hair so easily. There are other times, when yes, we see the wind blowing, but as with my husband's hair, it doesn't seem to affect us.
On this windy March day, I don't know what God has planned, but I do know He will use whatever wind He chooses, a breeze or a gust, to accomplish His will in me. All I need to do is live my life for Him with a smile, a sense of humor and enjoy the adventure. May Shawn Kuykendall's family and friends be comforted in knowing he lived a life pleasing to God and his life continues to show God's purpose.

Grandson

I thought I would take a few minutes to write some thoughts on my grandson. He is one smart and curious fellow. His teacher told his mommy yesterday that he is so smart, she (the teacher) can't teach him anything that he doesn't already know. He is only 2, but because he is potty-trained and is a quick learner, he is in the 3 year old preschool class. Well, the teacher is being kept on her toes with him. He is very focused both visually and auditorily when riding in the car. He listens for train sounds or canspot an airplane through the window. He gets semi-quiet when in his car seat, so his mom and dad know he's either learning by seeing and /or hearing or he's on his way to sleep.
Most nights, right before his bedtime, he calls me to "get on 'puter' ". I say, "Ok, call you back on the computer." I then do just that. I hold up several books for him to choose from, in order to read one to him before saying goodnight. The past few nights, he has wanted the same book, one called My First Medical Bag. Hmm, do we have a future doctor? When his mommy was about his age, she tugged on our doctor's coat to get his attention. She then told him she was going to be a doctor someday.  I have been praying for my bundle of energy grandson to have the fruit of the Spirit~ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23
I am so grateful that God has blessed us with such a strong little guy in body, mind and most importantly spirit. God, please continue to instill Your qualities in his life. May I seek to find new ways to engage him and experience life through his eyes.

2014

Welcome to 2014! We are just into the beginning of a c-c-cold January. Although we have only had a dusting of snow since the New Year began (not like the picture), the temperature has been b-r-r-r-r. Yesterday, every state registered temperatures below freezing! I don't see how that included Hawaii, but who's to question the weatherman, right?  We started off the day at 5 degrees. Schools were closed due to the frigid weather. Even today, schools around here opened 2 hours late to help the kiddos and their teachers ease back into their routine of getting up and out the door. Some people were interviewed on the news last night and were asked to finish this sentence, "It's so cold that...."  One response was, "It's so cold that I can't even finish the sentence."
What does the cold do to us? Well, if we lived in New England or in Alaska, we probably wouldn't even consider this as that bad. I have often said that if I had been a Pilgrim in Massachusetts, I would have been a wimpy Pilgrim and probably wouldn't have survived that first blustery winter. I layered up, gloved my hands and donned a woolen hat yesterday to run errands, yes run is the key word. Our 11 pound miniature daschund bolts back inside after a 10 second bathroom excursion. So, the cold helps us fully appreciate warmth. We have warm water for showers, thermostats that register inside temps. in the 60's and 70's. Last night for dinner, I had a bowl of hot goose soup. I know that sounds silly, "Goose Soup", but that's what my husband made after our Christmas goose dinner. The sun is a welcome friend on these bone chilling days. On these bitter cold nights, looking up into the clear sky and seeing the brightly shining stars and constellations is a little gift of warmth.
So here's to warm thoughts and warmer days in 2014.

35 years ago

On November 24, 1978, I became Mrs. Garland Westmoreland. It was the day after Thanksgiving. He thought it was a great idea to get married the day after Thanksgiving, so that he would never forget our anniversary. What he didn't know, at the tender age of 25, was that Thanksgiving was NOT like The 4th of July, Christmas and New Years' Day. Thanksgiving doesn't fall on the same date each year. So when our very first anniversary rolled around, he nearly missed it because he was waiting until the day after Thanksgiving.
I wanted to get married in the fall of the year. Truth be told, he didn't much care about the wedding, date or any of that. It was a blustery day and perfect. As I think back, it doesn't seem like 35 years have gone by. We have had 2 beautiful daughters, added one terrific son-in-law and have 1 absolutely amazing grandson! We are both enjoying this "fall" season of our marriage. Now, Mr. W. might call it the "winter" season of marriage as his side of the family tends to die off or reach their expiration date, as he says, in their 60's. My side, on the other hand, are still going strong in their 80's and 90's.
To celebrate these 35 years, we will go out to dinner and then see Romeo and Juliet in our Nation's Capital on our actual anniversary. That seems appropriate, huh.
I am so very thankful that God brought this soldier boy into my life. If you ask anyone who knows him, he is one of a kind, but don't have them elaborate. Love you, Garland Deen!!

It's Fall!

Even thought the temperature is in the 80's today, fall has officially begun. In just a few weeks, the trees will become glorious shades of red, orange, purple and yellow. The air WILL get cooler. For now, I am enjoying the transition of warm days and pleasant evenings. It's still great tennis weather or for that matter most any outdoor activity you like. I just returned from a few days with my daughter and family. My grandson loves to be outside. I took him to the playground twice while there. After being on the slides, in the tunnels, on the dirt pile and in general playing, he heard the sound of a train in the distance. He will cup his ear, listen to the sound and say, "Choo-choo wake up!!" Then he runs to a steering wheel on the platform of the equipment and turns the wheel in all seriousness. You see, it is HIS job to manage that unseen train. He can hear it on the tracks, but it isn't visible. Then he will say, "Choo-choo coming through!" When the sound of the choo-choo chugs away, his job is done, that is until the next train is heard. I do have fun playing with this boy. He is alert and so smart. His mommy told me that he made a new friend the other day on the playground. My daughter said it was so fun to watch them play well together and to enjoy each other's company. So like my little grandson and this Nana, get out there and have fun in the fall! Thanks God, for this, my favorite season of all!!

A Busy July

Welcome to August. July was super busy and fun. It started off spending a few days with my daughter, son-in-law and grandson as the wonderful little one turned 2! I made us matching shirts. His said, "I'm 2, Woo-Hoo". Mine said, "I'm 62, Boo-Hoo". We were suppose to all run a 5K for the 4th of July, but 5:45 AM seemed like a terrible time to wake up.
I  traveled quite a bit in July. After the trip to be with the birthday boy, I traveled back to my roots. Almost heaven, West Virginia. I visited my cousin near Charleston. There, she gave me my first ever 4 wheeler ride. We rode over part of their 150 acre fish farm!! Now that's a little taste of West Virginia. Needless to say, I held on tight. The next day, we went to the town where my father was from. My cousin and I were given a tour of the home my dad grew up in. It is now owned by people who knew my dad as well as my grandparents. The gentleman was kind to show us a table in the Sitting Room that my grandfather, whom I never met, made by hand. My grandfather also built the home my father lived in.
My cousin and I went on to The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs and strolled through the shops. We were surprised to see many Boy Scout Troop Leaders staying there. Aren't Boy Scouts suppose to rough it???
Later, that week, we went to Lost Creek , West Virginia to have a family reunion with my mother's side of the family. My mother graduated from Lost Creek High School in 1943. It was wonderful to see my cousins again and meet some new ones too!!
When I returned from WV, my husband and I took some friends who will be moving away soon,  to see obscure monuments in Washington, DC. The Einstein one and the "Full Count" Baseball one are my 2 favorites of the 11 or 12 we saw that day. Then, on Saturday, July 27, my husband and I and 2 other couples took in the Nats-Mets game at Nationals' Stadium. We had super seats!!! To top it off, the Nats won 4-1!! Whoopie!!
This past Monday, I took a trip to Newport, NC to visit my only living uncle and aunt and more cousins:) My Uncle Noah recently had quadruple bypass surgery and is doing very well. They have lived in Newport for 13 years and this was my first trip to see them. About time!
Let's wait and see what August holds. Thank you, God, for safety in my travels and for the memories.