Bubble gum

It has been over a year since I’ve posted on my blog.  Shamey-shamey.  I know what happens to blogs that don’t have fresh posts – people stop reading them & forget about them.  Well, here is my attempt to resurrect my blog and put my two cents out for all to read.

This past weekend I had the privilege of speaking to the middle & high school students at our church.  I had a great idea of using bubble gum for an illustration. I am a big fan of gum.  As in it’s a bad day in my world if I have run out of gum & don’t have time to run out to buy more. I thought what better way to make a point than with something I love.

So, before the 1st service I stuck a piece of double bubble in my mouth & began chewing, because you have to chew gum for a while before it will make a decent bubble.  By the time I got to my point, I had chewed the gum too long and it was stiff – making a pathetically small bubble.  So, for the 2nd service I thought I would be smart, wait just until I got up to speak to put the gum in my mouth & I would change to Hubba Bubba to make a huge bubble.  I felt like a 10 year old kid with a huge wad of gum in my mouth, trying to speak.  I was spitting everywhere; thankfully no one was sitting close enough to get sprayed.  I was convinced I was going to have slobber run down my face from this gum.

So, there I was spitting & slobbering as I’m trying to speak – wouldn’t my public speaking teacher be so proud.  I was a mess.

What point was I trying to make? Well, I started with the rules of gum with some eager volunteers – don’t mix flavors (giving one of them 2 flavors that don’t go well together), don’t eat something with gum in your mouth (I gave another a piece of gum & a cookie), and you have to chew gum a while before blowing a bubble.  I then gave each of my volunteers a fresh piece of gum & asked them to blow bubbles in the shape of a square or a triangle.  The point was that bubble gum was designed to blow bubbles, nice big round bubble.  Just as gum has its own design, each have a unique plan that God has for our lives.

Note to self: when preparing to speak, be sure to do a trial run of all illustrations & examples before-hand.  Especially if it involves gum.

Here Today…

I have an inherited ability… the ability (or rather incessant desire) to save every letter and card I ever receive.  I know this is inherited, because my mom does the same thing.  Last night, as I was looking through a box of Mom’s old bills, I found a folder with the heading “Ma’s papers”.  Inside I found cards, letters, & newspapers clipping all sent by my grandma to Mom.  Included in this folder was a perfectly typed paper which piqued my interest.  It is an article written by my grandma to the Denver Post about her “final wishes”.  I thought you would enjoy her wit and humor in handling an otherwise touchy subject.

June 21, 1990

By: Marti Fredericks

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow or You Only Live Once – In a While

Dying is serious business – that is, the customary disposal of one’s body is serious business.  Realizing this, I concentrated my thoughts on a more unusual transference of a corpse into the hands of others, where it would serve a useful purpose.

I’m sure my “dead-line” is very much in the future, but before I get the final word from my Sponsor, I would like to have the last word about leaving this “Vale of Cheers.”

I read, in the Denver Post, that there is a great need for cadavers. It was then I decided to give the cadaver business a whirl.  I contacted The Anatomical Board to offer up my body, warts and all.

Included in the requirements are the conditions that you must be over eighteen years of age and of sound mind.  At eighty-one and a half years, I am well over the required age.  The jury and my family are still out concerning the soundness of my mind.  Until proven guilty I will not revoke my decision to try to be helpful to the future of medical technology.

I am delighted to know that at some time down the road – a far piece down the road – someone will be as pleased as I have been to have my body.  It has been a few years since anyone has been interested in my body so it will be nice to know that a group of young medical students will benefit from the study of my parts.

No, I don’t mind knowing I will be probed and pulled apart. Imagine ME (or what’s left of me) giving my anatomy to be studied for new medical breakthroughs or surgical procedures.  It makes me feel good all under.  It’s the only way to go!

My husband, George, passed away at sixty-seven, eighteen years ago, donating his body to research and science.  Prior to making his decision he had wanted to be cremated and have his ashes strewn over Haddonfield, NJ, where he had spent his entire life.

He was rapidy declining as he told me of his choice.  It pained me greatly to even think of his departure but after his debilitating illness of fifteen years, I had developed a stiff upper lip.  As many of us do at a time of gravity, I tried to be witty.  I said, “Absolutely not.  I would dread walking down the street and having an ash blow in my face.  What would I say? ‘Is that you, George?’  No, dear, I renege on the thought of you being cremated.”  We laughed and he said he understood.  He then decided on the alternative of research and science.  The NJ Anatomical Board members were pleased to have his body and wrote me a thank you note for abiding by his wishes.

Since at the time of my demise, I will be classified as a gift to the Colorado Anatomical Board, I want the full treatment of a gift.  I would like someone in attendance to sing, “Tie a yellow ribbon ’round the old body,” and as a proper gift, I would like to be formally wrapped – flesh colored paper will do.

I wondered what would happen to the remains of my remains.  I was excited to learn that they will be placed in a private cemetery maintained by the Board, plus I’ll have a handsomely designed and engraved plaque which will hang in the Memorial Room Science Center.  It will read, “In Gratitude: They became teachers in their way and all have benefited by what they taught.”  Isn’t that splendid!  What else is there to ask for?  Oh, yes, I might even prevail upon my family to have a small brass plate engraved with my name and the year of my birth and the year of my death.  It will be attached to the plaque by a small brass chain.  Isn’t that exciting!  Talk about going out in a blaze of glory!  That’s living!  It’s far superior to being buried in your Cadillac.

Living isn’t always easy, but there’s always the hope of a tomorrow that will be better.  I live in the hope of many tomorrows, but after that the joy of knowing I can be a small part in giving back to the world discoveries for prolonged and better lives for others gives me tremulous excitement.

My thoughts on the disposition of my body is of my own design.  I am truly sorry if I have offended anyone by making light of dying.  I have suffered through many loved ones’ deaths and I know there’s nothing humorous about the separation.  As for myself, I feel it’s just another turn in the maze of life.  I thank my Creator for lending me this body and I am pleased to lend it to someone to prove, beyond any reasonable doubt, that while it is good to live and learn, it is equally good to die knowing others will learn from my conclusive contribution.

Freedom from soy milk

Here is my opening disclaimer: I have nothing against soy milk, the people who grow, make or have anything to do with the production of soy milk or the many families with fridges full of it.  This is rather a celebration of years of praying for my little boy.

We met Dr. B 4 1/2 years ago after Grant had his one (and thankfully only) anaphylactic reaction to milk. I left the office that day with a prescription for an epi-pen and strict orders to avoid every form of dairy.

I began reading everything I could about milk allergies, followed every website that contained up-to-date information about products containing hidden milk, and bought multiple cookbooks with dairy free recipes.  Our fridge became full of soy milk, dairy free margarine, and coconut yogurts. Our pantry was stocked with every dairy free thing I could find.  I learned how to make a chocolate cake that was dairy & egg free, but hardly low fat.  I quickly became an expert in all things dairy free.

Every person who had contact with Grant and would possibly be giving him food was quickly instructed on what he could & couldn’t have, where his epi-pen was found in his backpack, and a briefing on what to do in case he had a reaction.

I have spent these past 4 1/2 years reading every food label and letting Grant know if a particular food was “safe” for him.  And all of that came to an end yesterday.

Yesterday, Grant and I made the trek from our side of town to the other side of town bright & early in the morning (yes, I consider 8 AM bright & early) to visit with Dr. B.  After a grueling 3 hours at the allergist, starting with 1/8 tsp of milk, working his way up to 4 oz, Dr. B confirmed what the blood test showed – Grant’s milk allergy is gone!

I have been asked by people over the years if Grant would ever “outgrow” this allergy.  My answer is that God has healed him!  I know that Grant could have outgrown his milk allergy, but I also know that only God could allow that to happen.  I have prayed over the years for God to take this allergy away & I didn’t care how He did it.  I don’t know the specifics as to how it happened, I just know it did.

Grant has been quite funny these past 2 days… he has a new-found freedom.  Today he got to eat his first cheese pizza with his class for the Kindergarten party.  After the pizza he ate a cookie with m&m’s on it.  I wish you could have seen him explain the cookie to me.  A whole new world of “normalcy” has opened to him.

As we left the doctor yesterday, Grant wanted to call daddy to tell him the news.  He got on the phone and said, “Guess what, Daddy.  My milk allergy is gone.  You prayed for it to be gone and it’s gone.  God healed me.”  Thank you God for answering our prayers.

⁵¹“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”  ⁵²“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.  Mark 10:51-52

rock in my shoe

What a winter!  We’ve had more snow here in Virginia than they have received in years… some people say they’ve not seen this much in 20 years.  There are potholes on 288 that look big enough to swallow those cute Mini Coopers…  Our patio has partially sunk from the ground being so wet.

One very annoying left over from all the winter snows is the gravel. On my morning walks with our dog,  I have discovered how truly annoying all this gravel is.  It is everywhere and goes anywhere it can find an opportunity.  My walks now include a stop, or two, to shake the pebbles out of my shoe.  One day I had a particularly large rock in my shoe that required me removing my shoe to get it out.  I had tried tapping the toe of my shoe to move the rock to one side so that I could keep moving, but it kept working its way back to the center of my foot.  I didn’t want to hassle with taking off my shoe, I just wanted to shuffle the pebble to the side.  I’ve learned that when I bend over to remove my shoe  the dog finds this the perfect opportunity to put her big, wet, slobbery tongue all over my face.

I’ve heard the saying for years to deal with any pebbles, or issues with others, quickly.  I have allowed things to bother me and wait too long to deal with the situation.  I have seen families, friends, go years without talking over something that no one really remembers.  I’ve been guilty of hoping to shuffle a pebble around and not deal with a problem only to make the matter worse.

The big pebble that was stuck in my shoe… I definitely waited too long to get it out.  Long after the rock was gone, I could almost still feel it.  Every step I took was a reminder of that pebble.  It was a great reminder to me that no matter the hassle, the inconvenience of dealing with a pebble – issue – the quicker I deal with it the better the outcome.

pen & paper

Photo by Athena

Do you have things you collect? Something that if your spouse/significant other/parents tried to throw away would turn into a huge battle? I do. And Steve knows better than to do anything with them. Don’t touch, move to somewhere I can’t find them, or even dare to put them in a place where they could potentially be damaged.

No, it’s not my magazine collection. Which I do have an unnatural obsession with magazines and a hard time parting with them. I love the freshness of them: the pictures, articles, and even the ads (I know, it’s a sickness).

My favorite collection is all the letters and cards I have received over the years. If you’ve sent me a birth announcement, Christmas card, birthday card, random note, whatever, there is a strong chance that I still have it. I have shoe boxes full of cards.

I’m not quite sure when this love of cards and letters began, but I have at least 20 years of them. Every once in a while I will go through a box and read all the cards, trying to remember when I received them. This past weekend was one of those times. I was going through a drawer and found a letter I received from my “Non” (mom’s mom). She sent it to me on one of my birthdays. It is a handwritten, three page letter with the traditional birthday wishes and a funny story to add. (One of these days I will post some of Non’s letters. She had a beautiful handwriting that people don’t use anymore and a whit that is hard to match.)

This particular letter is extra-special to me… it is one of the last letters I received from her. The letter is still in the envelope she hand addresses – no return address labels for her. And inside the letter are the crisp bills she sent for my birthday – $34 I think.

It’s not a fancy card. Not written on cute paper. Just three pages, handwritten on classic white stationary, with wishes for a great year and love from my Non. I miss my Non terribly, but I have something I can hold on to that she penned, just for me.

I am a huge fan of electronic media – email, text, Facebook, Twitter, blogs – I’ve got them all. But there is nothing like a handwritten note. I think today I’ll take some time to write a few notes… who knows, maybe it will end up in someone’s shoe box.

Giving Credit Where It’s Due

Photo by Olilly

A big part of my everyday job is to know & understand the copyright laws.  I am usually approached with the conversation starting something like, “I’m not sure if this is legal or not, but…”  Some times the answer is just as simple as an email to the copyright owner and we have the permission needed to use the item in question.  Other times it can be a long process of research, forms, money, and waiting.  It can be a lengthy and expensive process.

Why should we even bother with the copyrights?  Why can’t we just use the item and then ask for forgiveness if we get caught?

Do you remember the days of the group projects in school?  The teacher would put you with a partner and you would all receive the same grade for the project.  Did you ever get stuck with someone who “let” you do the entire project?  Remember the frustration you felt knowing they did nothing to contribute, you did all the work, and your lame-o partner got the same grade as you thanks to your hard work?

The same still stands today, but on a much bigger scale.  People everywhere are spending hours on designs, writings, videos and putting them out over the internet for all to see.  They put their work out there to have their voice heard and work seen by many  Yet there are people everywhere who are taking stuff, putting it on their own sites, claiming it as their own and never giving credit to the creator.  Now, most people who put stuff on the internet aren’t looking to get rich or famous, but do expect the respect of someone who uses their work to give them credit.

I follow a number of blogs that cover a wide range of topics.  Today I was reading the Tip Junkie blog, where she covers a simple way for bloggers to display their desire for how other can use their work.  I recommend reading this particular entry, then stay on her blog and read some of her tips… it’s a great, fun site.

A big part of social media today is to talk about something you read, saw, experienced, heard… just be sure to give credit where it’s due.

Working 9 to 5

I promise not to tell your boss what your answer is.

3 little words

I told you back on New Year’s Eve that I was formulating my 3 word phrase that I would live by for this year.  I learned long ago that making a New Year’s resolution is usually a waste of time for me.  I have made many resolutions over the years that are usually forgotten before January is even over.

Last year I read an article posted by Kem Meyer about 3 words for 2009.  I took the challenge and did fairly well for the entire year keeping them in mind.

This year, I decided that instead of choosing 3 independent words, that I would instead have a 3 words phrase for 2010.  So… drum roll.. my phrase for 2010 is “Stick to it”.  Monumental, I know.  Over the top creative.

Ok, so granted, it’s not the most creative phrase and not really something new, but that phrase embodies a desire I’ve had for a long time.  I am a natural procrastinator.  My childhood friend gave me a sign for one of my birthdays that said “Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow.”  I hung that sign proudly over my bed.  I don’t think the sign gave me that idea, it just helped me realize a tendency I always had.  In college, I would put off the big assignment until a few days before it was due and spend many sleepless nights completing the project.  And inevitably at the start of each semester I would vow to change my ways and spread out the work only to arrive to the end of the semester again with a pile of papers due.

As I get older, it is easier to have ideas of something I want to do, but allow excuses and work and family to squelch those ideas… (I am a 30-something who has plenty of years to do x,y,&z.)  I really want this year to be different.  I want to stick to the plans I make and achieve the goals I have set.

So, as I live by the phrase “Stick to it” here are the things this year that I will accomplish:

• Run – I have started the Couch to 5K and will run the Race for the Cure in May.  I will continue my running schedule and will train for the Suntrust Half Marathon in November (a friend wants me to do a sprint triathalon in October…)
• Eat – I am living by the principles laid out in the Eat Clean Diet (I’ll spend a few other blog posts talking about this fabulous book.)
• Read – I am following the daily Bible reading plan as created by youversion.com on my cell phone.

There, I did it.  I’ve put into writing, for all to see, and have allowed myself to be subject to questions of how I am doing with my plan to “Stick to it.”

So far, so good.

A New Kind of Sandwich

There are many things that happen to “other” people that I didn’t think I would ever be a concern for me.  I have learned over the years to never say “I’ll never” and when I think that something won’t happen to me that I shouldn’t even breathe those thoughts.

The past 4 years have been a new adventure for me, my brother, and my family.  We didn’t expect to be responsible for the care of my mom – at least not for a while.  While I am so thankful that she has made an incredible recovery from her injuries, the reality is that she will never be able to live on her own again.  I found the following video which I wished I had seen long before now.  Many of the tips in there I discovered the hard way.

I’ve never been one to enjoy looking way into the future and trying to predict the unknown – I think I would have built a house with bubble wrap on every surface had I known what was coming.  But this video is a great “think ahead” type tool that is useful for anyone with aging parents.

…just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Photo by Bob.Fornal

GOD FORGAVE ME! I love that.  I don’t have to live in fear of being flicked off the earth by a God who is fed up with me and my actions. He hasn’t kept a list of everything I have done wrong and decided He’s finished with me when I fill up the sheet.  Through Christ’s death on the cross, I can have complete forgiveness. And I do. As a teenager, I heard a message of God’s forgiveness and couldn’t accept it fast enough. I wanted freedom from the guilt I carried.

God has given a huge challenge to us through this verse. There is a lot packed into these 17 words.  Kindness.  Compassion.  Forgiveness.  What a great world we would live in if everyone would practice these three words. Instead of telling others to live these words, I challenge you to live these three principles daily.  Be kind to everyone.  Smile and say a kind word to the cashier. Look for the needs around you. Help that neighbor who has fallen on hard times.  Swallow your pride; offer forgiveness even if you don’t think one deserves it. While we might not change the world, we can change the world of those around us.