Hanging of the Green - The Sequel

As you can see, Shaggy the Cat is still guarding the tree, and the wreath is on my door. Today I officially started Christmas shopping, which means gift cards in our family. I guess the Christmas season is now in full swing!

Lessons Learned

The past two posts have been about doing what you need to do despite the imagined toil and effort it might take. Today was one of those days that God demonstrates why these lessons are so important.

I hadn't walked since Monday, so I knew I needed to get out today. I wasn't exactly thrilled, because I was a little tired and achy. But I have a marathon to tackle, so there was no legitimate reason not to get out.

I had great plans of walking 12 or maybe even 15 miles, but after two miles, I was already altering my plans. I just didn't feel "into" it. I planned to turn around at mile 3 and head back, but as I approached mile 3, I felt the impetus to keep going to mile 4. Why? I believe it was God saying, "Keep going - today is an 8-mile day. Not 10, or 12, or 15. Just 8." So I kept going and got my 8 in.

The remarkable thing about this story is not that I got another 8 in, or that I did what I needed to do in order to finish my next marathon. The remarkable things are the gifts that I received in addition to my main objective for this one walk. I believe God gave these gifts to me to demonstrate the joys I can receive when I do what I need to do.

The best gift was realization that I wasn't even thinking about the the next mile. Usually I am just hanging on until the next mile is complete so I can dread completing the next mile. But today, I would look up and be totally surprised at where I was, which was always further down the road than I realized. It was a confirmation that God was with me as my wogging partner today.

Another gift was seeing the Cool People Care car. I had heard about it, but seeing it pass me on the road was really neat.

I found a nickel - usually I just find pennies. It just sort of signalled a good day.

My neighbor who lives behind me stopped to see if I needed a ride. It was a lesson on "what goes around comes around," since a few weeks ago I got in my car to look for my side neighbor who was strolling her baby in a sudden rain. It reaffirmed my faith that there are good people out there.

So what does all this mean? For me, it just confirms the assurance that unexpected remarkable things can happen when you're busy doing what you need to do. Maybe that assurance will spur me on the next time I get sluggish, or create a excited anticipation about what God has in store next for me, or encourage me to focus on the little things that are remarkable, whether it is a nickle or a sticker-coated car.

The world is full of good things - we just have to notice them.

Hanging of The Green at Crestridge

The Christmas tree is up, and as you can see, Shaggy the Cat is guarding it carefully. Or he is making a point that there are no presents for him under the tree.

Since we are not going to be here for Christmas this year, I debated whether to even put up a tree. Sam and Lynnette will be in Texas, and the rest of us will be .... well, let's just say my Christmas dinner will have a Mickey bar in it! Before everyone leaves town this year, we will have our family Christmas party. But I wondered if dragging the tree out with the boxes of ornaments was worth the trouble.

Sometimes I don't want to do things because I think it will take too much time or effort. I perform my own cost/benefit analysis, and decide that a particular task just isn't worth doing. I think I miss some unexpected surprises when I decide things this way. Thankfully, I decided the tree was worth it. As I hung each ornament, I remembered some of the family history that went with it.

Last night, when I lit the lights for the first time, I felt happy and content. There's just something about seeing your tree that just makes you feel a little more festive, even if there's Shaggy Scrooge underneath!

Do What You Need To Do

Yesterday I watched Oprah because Denzel Washington was her guest. He was there to promote The Great Debaters, his new movie coming out Christmas Day. After seeing Denzel, the cast, and clips from the movie, I know where I'll be on December 25.

During the show, Denzel talked about things he brought to the movie, not only as an actor, but as the director. He inserted a quote in the movie that his mother used on him, and he uses on his children. The quote is, "We do what we have to do so we can do what we want to do."

I am using that quote today because I have a lot of things to do around my house. I don't want to do any of them. I would rather do many other things. But I am going to do what I need to do because it will make me feel better about my house and about the things I want to do.

It's a great philosophy that I hope to use often. I have to lose weight so I can enjoy an occasional Mickey Bar. I have to balance my checkbook so I can get those things I desire. I have to clean and organize my house so I can enjoy living in it. I have to put up my Christmas tree so I can enjoy the decorations.

At my age, I would like to think I've developed a fairly sturdy work ethic. But maybe in those times when I am flagging, remembering this phrase will jump-start my efforts.

Denzel's a keeper. Wonder if he knows Caroline Kennedy?

Random Finds Along The Path

During my wog today, I found a spoon left beside a mailbox. I left it, although I pondered why it was there. Was someone out for a walk, and the spoon got too heavy? Did someone get it in the mail, and was so disgusted with it that they immediately threw it down? Was the mailman eating his lunch, and it just fell out of his truck?

A few miles later, I found a box of sidewalk chalk beside a bus stop at Lipscomb University. Again, I wondered why it was there. Was it not allowed on the bus? Was it waiting for a school bus? Were these the tools of preschool graffiti artists?

Since I had no real answers, I decided to make up my own. First, the spoon's story:

Pamela wondered if this would be the day. She was eating her cereal that morning, when she heard the mail truck stop. Pamela peered out the window and watched as Postman Pete placed the mail in the box. Slowly, Pamela opened the door and walked outside, taking her cereal bowl and spoon with her. She tried to look casual as she gingerly walked to the mailbox. Would it be there? Was this the day? Pamela slowly opened the door and peered inside. She pulled out the envelope that bore her name, and took out the folded paper. She read those fateful words, "You have been accepted..." She was in! Now her life could begin. She ran back to the house, dropping her spoon in the process. She didn't even notice the missing spoon until days later, when she collected the mail again. She started to pick it up, but stopped, because she knew that every time she saw that spoon, she would remember that wonderful day her life started anew.

Now the chalk's story:

It all started as a sociology experiment. Jon and Hank placed the chalk at the bus stop, and sat a few yards away, to record any responses. After an hour, all their notes reflected was the number of people who walked past without even a glance. They decided to leave to get a snack, believing that there would be no responses in the rain that had developed. When they returned, the chalk was gone. They looked around, but saw no one carrying a box of chalk. What they had missed was the woman who had just gotten off work. She was waiting for the bus when she saw the chalk. Looking around, she didn't see anyone, so she picked up the chalk and took it home with her. That evening, she took her young daughter outside, and they spent an hour under the streetlight drawing pictures and laughing.

Just two little made-up stories about random items. But it was fun to imagine happy endings.