Happy Spring

Today is the first day of spring. I will delay my celebration until May 1, when I shall be celebrating here. Is there a better place to celebrate?

Happy Tomorrow!

According to Holidays on the Net, every day is a day to celebrate. Just to give you the heads-up, here is a list of what you should be celebrating tomorrow:

Thursday, March 20th:

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day

Companies That Care Day

Great American Meatout

Maundy Thursday

Holy Thursday

National Agriculture Day

Ostara (Wiccan)

Purim (begins at sundown - Jewish)

Proposal Day

Spring Begins

Vernal Equinox

Snowman Burning

Ta'Anit Ester (Fast of Esther - Jewish)

Birthday - Fred "Mr." Rodgers (children's host)

Independence Day (Tunisia)

Looks like tomorrow will be very busy, so I guess I'd better hurry and go to bed!

Thank You For Your Opinion - Now Please Shut Up

Yesterday as I was starting to wog on the treadmill at the resort fitness center, the lady next to me started talking. I had already turned on my Ipod, but she started talking to me anyway. We exchanged pleasantries, and she proceeded to tell me in great detail about her recent vacations and about her family.

I happened to mention that Molly's major was political science and that she supports Barack Obama. Apparently that set off some nerve in this woman, because she then proceeded to tell me how I should tell Molly to research Mr. Obama because he is a liar, has been bought, and is being marketed.

She continued to discuss her political views on Mr. Obama even after I said, "Well, that's what's so great about America - we are free to vote for whomever we wish." Finally, during a 15-second quiet spell, I crammed my Ipod earplugs in my ears and she finally took the hint and stopped talking.

I respect this woman's right to her opinion. I respect her right to express her opinion. I respect her right to try to convince others of the correctness of her opinion. But I draw the line at her attempting to berate me because my daughter also has an opinion.

My real regret is that Molly wasn't there to go one-on-one with this woman. That would be one quick debate I would gladly sit through!

Why I Fly on Airplanes

There are many things I could say about flying on an airplane. The most important thing is that I don't like it. I flew for the first time when I was a teenager, and maybe a few more times before I flew eight months pregnant with two preschoolers in tow. After that experience, I didn't fly again for fourteen years.

When we started our family, it was easy not to fly. We certainly didn't have the money for plane tickets, even if we could have mustered up vacation money. The only vacations we took were back home to see family, and with three children, the car was the only way to go. Even after I started working, and we had an extra penny or two, I still drove rather than fly.

Finally, in 2000, flying again was one of my goals for that year. I did get on the plane and fly to Disney World (there was no other place worth flying to). Since then, I have managed to keep flying. Last May, when Maribeth, Molly, and I floated across the Atlantic to Spain (on the Disney Magic, of course), I knew I had two options - stay in Europe for the summer and float back home on the return cruise, or fly home. I flew, helped mightily by an upgrade to "fancy class" by British Airways.

What's the point of this post? The point is why I continue to get on planes. It is not courage on my part. It is not because I like it. It is not because I get places fast, although that is a bonus. I get on planes because I have faith in God that He is with me.

Does He promise me safety? No. Sometimes I even sit in the designated exit rows even though I don't want to help anybody get out. I don't want to look out the window to see if I see flames before I open the door. But I sit there because I know God is sitting beside me.

Does He promise me a smooth flight? No to that one either. I like smooth. Many times I pray that He would smooth a rough patch out. But I know the airways are in His control, and I have to trust Him.

Does He promise that my plane won't crash? No. I am on a man-made machine. I am on this machine with many other humans. There are many life stories and situations on any plane I board. I don't know how my story may interact with theirs. But I know God is with me.

Does he promise anything? Yes, He promises to be with me always, and that is why I can continue to get on airplanes. It's not a test of courage, it's an exercise of faith. Faith in Whom I believe, faith in His promise to always be with me, and faith in His plan for my life.

Exercising faith is hard. It's doing the thing that frightens you and gives you no assurance, but you do anyway because you believe. You look beyond what is in front of you and proceed by what you see ahead.

I still like very little about flying. My favorite part is when the wheels hit the runway and the flight is over. But I fly because it is a way for me to praise God for His eternal love and never-ending promises to me.

A Great Day To Start A Vacation

I love watching the ocean!

The view from our room.

Yes, today was a great day. We woke up way too early for a vacation day, but we were still on Nashville time. We got up and had breakfast at a great local cafe, to be followed by a morning nap. We both actually got in a jog, and then I got some quiet time in the hot tub that's only steps away from our room. The rest of the day we just did a bunch of nothing, finishing the day by eating dinner at a local burger place. It was a great day.

I haven't had a vacation like this in a while. A vacation where there's really no agenda, no miles to wog, no Mouse to see. Just a lot of time for whatever I want to do.

I thank God for this gift. Not only the gift of vacation, but the gift of being able to be still and quiet for a while. The gift of being able to be aware of and be thankful for all I have been given. The gift of being able to be thankful because I have stopped long enough to notice.

Being thankful - what a great way to spend a vacation.