I'm Tired

I'm tired...no, I'm REALLY tired. Seems like life has been running at a break neck speed for months and months and I can't keep up the pace anymore.

Here's my day today:
Awake at 4:00 (can't sleep)
I'll be at work by 6:00 AM, because I'm putting together the 2nd Christmas Party in a week, and there's lots to do.
I'll put in my 8 hours (alright it will be a 14 Hour day, but who's counting)
Tonight is our First Wednesday service and I'll get home around 8:30PM (excuse me 14 l/2 hours)

Then tomorrow I'll do the same thing, except I'll be home by 6:00 (watch out I might do something crazy like sleep?...if I can)

I know for many my day is no different than yours...locations change, details are different, but we're all moving and doing so many things and just exhausting ourselves.

I think my exhaustion is more mental. After all, we're buying a house,(packing, or at least thinking about that, picking carpet and flooring and second guessing my choices) organizing schedules for our trip to Nashville, (did I mention I'm going to be a grandma? two weeks away from home and job requires taking care of a few details), shopping for Christmas (Yikes...it's coming), working my job (which between October and December just goes crazy with Christmas, budgets, end of year evaluations...)...OK not MORE mental, but the mental part clearly adds to the fatigue.

I'll be fine...in February...I hope.

On a happier note we got to spend time with my nieces this past weekend. Melanie and her husband Brian hung out with us at Disneyland. It was great. Melanie took this picture

She actually photo shopped out the people in the background and many of you will be receiving it as your Christmas card (if I get to those this year).

The morning after Disneyland we went to breakfast with my other niece Shannon and I have great pictures of the girls, but I can't seem to download them to the blog....but I'll continue to work on that.

In the meantime...life will continue to move at the break neck speeds and I must make a conscience choice to make my small part of the world slow down. I will enjoy this holiday season. I will not allow Satan to fill my life with so many "things to do" that I forget to enjoy today.

Today, I am one day closer to being Carter's grandma and whenever I think about that, my heart smiles even if my face sometimes doesn't show it.

Father,
I pray that today I will honor you with my time. That I will not be so busy I forget that I am Your instrument. That You may be placing someone in my path to share Your heart and Your smile, even when I don't think I have it to share. God, help me when the fatigue over takes me and makes me want to be sad and selfish to allow You to work through me. I know I can accomplish that if I allow You to be the Lord of my life. Help me to step back and allow You to take control.

Thank you for today and the promise of an eternity with You. That too, makes my heart smile. I love you Lord. Amen

Friends Like Wine, Age Better With Time

The neighborhood kids and their parents!

Sometimes life can seem unfair. But life is life. There are times when there isn't a logical explanation as to why something happens.

Recently a long time family friend died. Terry Murphy and her "clan" moved two doors down from us in the 1960's. She had 3 boys, Kevin, Bobby, and Eddie. In 1967 (or so) Timmy was born and joined the neighborhood fun. Kevin is my brother Mike's age....Mike is younger than I (I'll leave it at that)so I did more babysitting of the boys than actual playing with them. I remember babysitting the 3 boys on the day Timmy was born. I spent the day, and well into the night with them as we waited for their dad to come home and announce they had another baby brother.

When Terry came home from the hospital, I remember instead of money for my time babysitting, she bought me a beautiful green striped sweater. I don't know why I remember that. Yes I do, you see we didn't get many new clothes when we were younger. My parents couldn't afford many new clothes. I got a lot of hand-me-downs (and they were nice hand-me-downs don't get me wrong)from friends of my parents. I'm not complaining, but I do remember this beautiful green striped sweater.

Terry was born in Scotland and had a very thick Scottish accent. We loved listening to her talk. She had the brightest smile and the warmest heart...and she was strict. If she caught you doing something wrong, she'd tell our parents...and that was never good! She was a no-nonsense lady. She'd tell you the truth about something, whether you liked it or not...and she was funny.

Terry was diagnosed with liver cancer in June...by the middle of November she was gone. Her memorial service was this past Friday.

We drove to Southern California on Friday to attend the memorial service. It has been close to 30 years since I'd seen most of the family. I hardly recognized the "boys". But the minute we all started talking and sharing memories it felt like we were back on Shipman Avenue all over again.

Other neighborhood kids were also there as well. We shared our memories of jumping on our bikes and being gone all day, hide'n seek at night and neighborhood parties. None of us could believe how long it had been since we'd seen each other, or more honestly even thought of each other. But here we were, at the funeral of someone we all loved and admired and who helped shape us, in some way, into the adults we had become today.

Terry's memorial service was exactly what I hope to have one day...a celebration of life! Family and friends all coming together to remenice, reflect, laugh, cry and feel close again to people who at one time were very important in our lives.

Goodbye Mrs. Murphy (said with a scottish brogue) you will be missed.

Father,
Again I give thanks to You for the friends You have brought into my life. People like Terry who I know, you placed in many of our lives, to help make us the people we are today. Father, Terry allowed You to use her as your instrument and I pray God that I too, will be used by You to share Your love. Show me Lord, everyday, how I might impact just one person. To let one person know You and Your love by how I treat them. Lord, I know heaven is a better place today because Terry is now there. I hope that when I finally get to come and spend eternity with You, Terry, along with all my family and friends who have passed on before me, will be waiting there at the Pearly Gates, to welcome me home.

Thank you again God for placing Terry and her "clan" in my life and into the lives of so many others. They have blessed us richly. Amen.