Last night’s headline- Civil War!- in the largest font used on the front page I’ve seen in a long time- larger and more prominent than the F-4 Tornados that brought such horrific damage just north and south of Louisville!  Perhaps it is justified.  The tornado’s brought death, and injuries that will change lives forever.  The damages sustained will take years to deal with and the lay of the land will be forever altered in some places.  The Civil War referred to in this headline is of course the UK/ Uof L game in the final four this weekend.  Only in Louisville can you find professional mature adults holding so tightly to their team’s flag that we have houses divided by a huge ribbon with one side Red and the Other Blue.  This fierce emotional battle of the teams has a hold on this city that trumps even the Derby we are so famous for hosting every spring!  The blues and the reds will dress down to their socks and painting their bodies so there is no doubt where they stand.  We the by standers are totally non-existent- even jeered as sissies with no backbone.  I pray there are no deaths or bodily injuries on or off the court.  However, there will be damages sustained in relationships, bragging rights to bully the losing color, and heckling that will go on without a break until next march comes.

There are many vices we choose in life that bring enjoyment and a sense of purpose and belonging.  For the most part these activities are simple good fun and promote physical, emotional, spiritual wellness.  I’m certain in the sea of red and blue out there are many in that category and therefore misjudged when thrown in the big picture I just painted.  I said I would never use a cell phone, and now am at its 24/7 beck and call.  It has taken years to improve my computer skills which now produce much of my work and creative projects. I have been heckled by my husband about my relationship to my computer trumping my relationship with him to the degree I considered his remarks seriously not wanting to be guilty and have consistently defended and argued my case.

Only a few weeks ago did my husband cross over to “the dark side’ and join face book team.  I set him up as he had many friends in his past wanting to friend me that I didn’t know.  I told him if he wanted to reconnect with them he would have to do it himself.  The night he started I heard him laughing. He began to regularly share information and have many tales to tell.  He still says he won’t touch the game world as I do Scrabble, but none the less he is very happy and I will here him say “I need to log in and catch up!”    A couple nights ago he came to bed very agitated.  “What’s wrong?”  I asked as he continued pounding his pillow and mumbling to himself.  “I tried everything you showed me”, he said,” and there is no way to download the picture of the Louisville Bird on my page!  The game is tomorrow night!!!!”  I couldn’t stop laughing.  I posted it for him the next morning and called to get exactly what he wanted to say.  His gratitude was genuine appreciation and excitement!   Whether from depression or exhilaration it is yet to be seen- but this weekend there will be an exhausted man in my house who religiously wears his uniform and flies his flag by the front porch.  No damages will be sustained at our house as I don’t worship the big brown bouncy ball, nevertheless I pray that it will stay safe and sane in our city in the midst…………

For sixteen years I ran a good size Child Care Center caring for up to 150 kids in the summer months.  One staff meeting I handed all the staff a piece of paper and pencil and then held up a very nice prize to be awarded to the winner.  The assignment?   List all the pet peeves of your director (that would be me).   Though timid at first the group really got into it and several had some pretty long lists.  Tone of voice, clocking in late, sitting on the playground watching kids play, and on and on and on the expected responses were written.  There was only one however that was on everyone’s list- always roll the tape on the back of what you are hanging- tape is never to be seen!

To this day if I am working on something with a former staff member I will hear them instruct children or other helpers to roll the tape to hang it up.  In a world overwhelmed with regulations, mandatory rules and every government agency imaginable visiting to see if the water temperature is right the one thing I got across to ALL the staff was roll the tape!  I wanted us to always look our best and I loved decorating with projects made by children.

Recently my sister told me that since she has moved Louisville where I live she has a completely different view of who I am and the realities of my life.  Basically she said I always look happy, prosperous, completely together and now she knows it is often not true.  I love giving gifts and she has discovered I am a master re-gifter when I want to bless someone.  I will choose to go out for lunch, never pass a sale bin, and help out family and friends whether I have money or not and pay the piper later.  Looking happy all the time gave her the impression there were not problems or sadness in my life when the reality is I have experienced serious ongoing heartbreaking issues that exist today.

Yesterday I added something to my pet peeve list- price tags placed on items that are impossible to get off without leaving a scratch where you rubbed with a nail or took paint off using polish remover to get the glue off!  No matter, they look sweet as the tags were on the back so in the photo above you just see the sweet little chicks- not the scratches and the missing paint on their backsides where the price tags were super-glued on! 

  

I hide the tape or other the flaws, once spoke in front of about fifty women  wearing panty hose completely worn out with a gaping hole taped together with duck tape unseen underneath my lovely outfit- took a picture when they towed my car away and I smile when someone I dearly love is seriously suffering and it is breaking my heart.  Does that make me a fake?  It’s real for me.  Real that joy can break through suffering- fulfillment can break through need and beauty can break through without showing its hidden flaws.  

“God is my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; He alone gives the command and saves me, I dwell within His impenetrable fortress.”  Psalm 71:3 Planet Carol Version 

You are His gift to me to share my wonderful life…

Mom, AJ, Autumn and I shared an outing after school to the park where “the grandmas” watched the grandchildren attempting tennis.  Such a delightful time was enjoyed by all as we cheered on the players inexhaustible efforts.  Unknown to Mom or me during the ride from place to place Autumn was recording her memory of this day together in the drawing pictured above.  I love that grandma (that would be me) is in her sunglasses with her hair flying in the wind!  Big brother’s tongue is hanging out.   The details that come from a child’s imagination are inspiring.  They are aware of so much more than we think and their minds are sponges soaking up everything they see and hear.  Why is it then that as adults instead of soaking it all up more often we seek to tune it all out?  Where does life become serious business instead of the gift that it is? Each year it’s a younger and younger generation that loses the innocence and joy of being the child. The following incomplete list describes people I come in contact with every day.

 

·                           Sweet, happy, friendly, content folks who make you just want to sit on the porch with them and share a homemade cookie watching the cars go by.

·                           Sad, lifeless, and withdrawn people who won’t even look you in the eye.

·                           Bitter, angry people who find something to complain or holler about all day.

·                           Smiling faces of people who love to smell the roses, not order a newspaper and never turn the TV on.

·                           Hurting, desperate, frightened people who live in fear and always in crisis mode.

·                           Truly caring people yet too overwhelmed with their own life troubles to be there for another.

·                           Rebellious independent people who are going to do their own thing without any concern for how it affects others.

·                           Exhausted people so stressed they no longer have the ability to be kind.

·                           Anxious, gossipy, insecure people who just worry and live in expectation of gloom and doom.

·                           Funny carefree people who always make you laugh and forget any trouble in the world.

·                           People who are one of the above one day and another next.

Contemplating this list it is easy for me to choose the asterisks I would want to be used to describe myself.  Perhaps I will concentrate on my granddaughter’s drawing- and imagine myself being exactly what she saw that day all the time………………..

Leap Year has come and gone. Media reports of extreme parties for those with birthdays all over the world gave something positive and interesting to hear!  Personally I think it should be a day off for everyone.  Why can’t we stop the world for one day every four years- after all we are in control of it- or not.  My newest grandson celebrated his first leap year in a way that makes grandma proud- he got on an airplane for the first time- read the safety manual- loved his safety seat and happily posed for all who stopped by!  It’s a sign his life will include leaps of adventure and I believe he will make the most of each one.  There was only one little downside- the plane landed in North Carolina instead of Louisville.  He doesn’t care- he is happy on his adventure, but grandma is having a problem waiting for the flight to arrive at her house in April!

 

Planet Carol gravitates to any celebration.  I love decorating for the season, finding a reason to send a card, and having unique opportunities to make something with the grandkids to share with friends and neighbors.  I will stop whatever I am doing to copy an idea or save a photo to remind me of a project I might do one day! Since my grandson doesn’t know yet what a cool leap year day he’s experienced I am using his first flight to celebrate his adventure with you !  As I have learned to feel real joy for another’s opportunity there has been stronger contentment in my life.  For even if I am not the one doing the thing- celebrating with the one who is plants seeds of hope and possibility for my future.  I have not made it a secret in writing this blog that I am a Christian who loves the Lord.  Having titled myself as such I must say that during my journey there are many times my life has not reflected what I have been so sure of in my heart.  I am still getting to know this Lord of my life and am excited to report that I have found He is far more interested in my enjoying this life than I am. As a parent I am sad when my children are struggling and thrilled when they find their way to contentment- how much more is this true of the Lord I love.  Instead of the job I think He wants me to do today I will seek the reason to celebrate just living………

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

 Psalm 16:11