Being flexible hasn’t always been one of my strengths. In all honesty, I can be rather rigid at times. I’m not referring to physical ability; it has more to do with my mindset. Once I get an idea or a plan in my mind, I stick to it and don’t like the ‘apple cart’ being upset which lends to being a control freak (as some people call it) or stubborn (a nicer term?) However one defines this particular personality trait is a choice of his or her own. I think stubborn sounds nicer than control freak. Even nicer though, is being called flexible so that’s an attribute I’m striving for as I mature with grace and wisdom as my teachers.

Tuesday is my appointed day of the week to write and I can see already that I have not guarded my intentions with fully loaded determination. Yesterday was Tuesday, today is Wednesday and here I am writing my weekly blog, yet when I look back on yesterday the activities that wove their way into my day were not time robbing nor mundane. I had an appointment with my eye physician because he is being thorough in the care of my vision. I spent a couple of hours serving as a volunteer in my church office followed by an appointment with my chiropractor who is giving me great relief with two discs in my spine that aren’t behaving as they should. But, my nicest and most delightful interruption to my Tuesday schedule was receiving a call from my son asking if I’d like to go with him to his sister’s place of employment (AT&T Wireless) to replace his broken phone. Those kind of questions from a child are music to this momma’s ears. Would I? Would I? You bet I would and I did. I even drove in order to save him gas and in turn put fuel in mine for a scheduled trip of our own this week….wow…there’s that frugal thing again….creeping right into my rearranged day.

So, my Tuesday was rearranged. My blog did not get written but the part of my heart that hides treasures created from things my kids do or say, received a deposit–a deposit that filled my memories tank. There were significant things my son said during our several hours together that made me laugh, smile inside with great pride and hope, and gave me a glimpse into his world of maturing and making decisions and furthermore demonstrate the values and integrity of the man he is becoming. I got to witness (again) how he interacts with people with great confidence and ease and use his own unique expression of gratitude towards his sister by declaring “you’re a great human being”…..

Yes, I’m learning to be more flexible because I am learning the value behind receiving unexpected deposits into my tank of memories. That ‘tank’ is what motivates me and keeps me emotionally charged. It’s from that ‘place’ that I draw from to exhibit hope and peace on days that seem chaotic and spinning out of control. It’s also a spiritual tool for me to have but a brief glimpse into the heart of Mary where the Word tells me (us) that she carried numerous treasures in her heart regarding her Son…too many to record for us to read. Could it be they were meant just for her as a mom? I like to think so. I can relate because some of yesterday with Dan is only for me and my heart.

Flexibility = 1, Control = 0. I win.

It has been just over a month since I left my last job of 10 years and while it was labeled a “retirement” I’m not convinced in my own mind that’s the box I would check on a form asking my employment status. Because I’m not officially what we refer to as “retirement age” it’s the best term to describe me when talking to others about what “I do”. So, exactly, “what do I do”?

Right now what I do is see what each day holds for me and borrowing from a very close friend of mine I have adopted forming my daily agenda on the concept “of being in charge of my own choices”. To make the decision process more complete, I have added in taking into consideration the weather for the day and what tasks might need to be accomplished in order to keep my household running smoothly i.e. is a good day to hang laundry on the line so that we have clean clothes for the week or are the weather conditions speaking to me to enjoy a walk or bike ride on the “off” days when I’m not reporting to my personal trainer.  I like to read and have found that I can enjoy a good book whether it’s on the deck in the sun or curled  up on the love seat while a good rain gives everything outside a good drink from nature’s pitcher.

Today has already proven to be a mixture of enjoyable activities for me and is the kind of day that gives me great satisfaction. I found myself rising earlier than usual (thank you to the crows in our yard), poured a cup of freshly brewed coffee, got my iPad and settled onto the couch to browse my various apps, eventually open the Bible application and feed from my daily devotional. Getting energized physically, spiritually and emotionally are off to a good start and by 8 am  I am out the door for a 37 minute walk (according to my IPhone app) and marvel at the beauty of a June morning that is adorned with the lush green of lawns, the splashes of color from our neighbors’ flower beds, and the cool breeze floating on the air as I make my way along the roadside back home to get cleaned up to join the “outside world”…that is…being around people.

On this particular morning I had the privilege of working in our church’s office as a volunteer for several hours, a new role that I have enjoyed since leaving my job. I’m enjoying learning new program applications that the church uses to track, publish, and serve the needs of our families and community. It’s a warm feeling to be part of a “team” again, a small group of individuals with a greater purpose in mind compared to  that of a secular employment position.

When finished at the church I kept an appointment with my chiropractor and upon being done there made my way to Wal Mart to fill a need to buy “just a few more flowers” for the front yard (thanks to a friend who posted photos on her Facebook wall and got me inspired—again!). Got those in pots and hanging from their poles and it was back outside on the deck for a half hour of sunshine and reading my current book. Yet, calling my name during the approach to mid time afternoon was the commitment to “blog” (so here I am) followed by some much needed bookkeeping which will soon lead into preparation for supper which, this week, are all quick and small, because this Vacation Bible School  at our church and both of us are volunteers.

One of my favorite Biblical concepts comes from Proverbs 16:9: “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. ” (NASB) I believe this verse. I believe that a day  begun and established by the Lord is a day full of experiences, activities, and opportunities not only for my enjoyment and satisfaction, but for His purpose and accomplishments  that further make any and all given days productive.

So, while I “think” that I am in “charge of my own choices” I have to chuckle because deep down I realize that the “things” I choose to do come from necessity, a servant’s heart, or an obedient spirit. In reality all are good. All are beneficial. All contribute to an “end-of-the-day” ability to lay my head on my pillow and anticipate being re-energized in order to greet a brand new day and say with hopeful anticipation “good morning Lord! Where are we going today?”…grab a cup of coffee, snatch up my iPad and reading glasses…and check the calendar, and kind of “do it all over again”…..whatever “It” happens to be for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday…..you get the picture!

Ah…the benefits of having an open window or two is the ability to hear all the various sounds from the neighborhood. We live on a paved road that is the route for big and small trucks, vehicles of all makes and sizes, farm tractors, as well as motorcyclists. With each new day comes the roar and hum of those various engines as people begin a new day of work or other activities. Unknown to the passers by, each sound I hear brings an attached memory with it.

Right now, although there is a lot of noise coming through my open windows, one in particular is missing. I cannot hear any children playing outside. While I admit that our current neighbors don’t consist of many small children it’s still strange not to hear the laughter and arguments that make up child’s play. Are they inside playing instead? Are they on overnight trips? Whatever the reason I miss the noise that kids make.  My own two children are now young adults, each living in their respective residences and have taken their childhood memories with them. Their childhood friends are now grown as well; many have moved far away and have young families of their own now. As I drift back to those summers when all the kids were small I remember the long, warm week that I suffered through having the mumps. All I could do for the majority of each day was stand at the kitchen window and watch as my friends were outside playing. I remember begging my mother numerous times ‘why can’t I go outside too?” Seeing all the fun made it hard to endure the loneliness and healing time required for mumps to pass.

Also missing from the budding days of summer is the hum of the school bus engine as it makes it turn down our side road to pickup the kids. I always knew the approximate time of morning it was if I lingered under the covers–either 7 or 8 am–depending on the arrival of the bus for each route. The busses are parked for the summer, hopefully replaced with wheels on bikes and trikes for the kids to ride.

Above I can hear a piloted small plane doing maneuvers in the beautiful blue sky complete with small puffy white clouds. As I ponder the pilot’s flight plan I am able to recall with great fondness the number of times that an airplane carried me to a distant place to visit family and friends, or to discover the beauties of our world. We live near two small airports so the enjoyment of seeing small planes in route on their flight plans has become very common.

Down the road someone is mowing their lawn. The buzz of the lawnmower tells me it’s a fairly good size yard–they’ve been at work for awhile now. My dad didn’t own a power mower for a long time. He had a push mower, the kind that the blades rotated and cut the blades of grass. He was the ‘power’ and as years called for, my two older brothers assumed the ‘power’. We lived on a corner city lot so our yard was a bit larger than the average lawn in our block. Dad is gone now. That old push mower of dad’s is now home with me and rests in the backyard flower bed, free of its duties and purpose.

True to their nature the birds are in constant song and communication. I find it amazing that I can hear their distinct voices above the drone of the cars passing by the house…and the person still mowing! As I hung laundry on the line to dry, I was privy to hear a couple of crows raise their voices at ‘something’ that disturbed them and I thought to myself….I wonder if my raised voice towards my children years ago wafted through the air to the ears of neighbors….

Next door the neighbor’s dog does a good job of announcing that ‘someone’ or ‘something’ has wandered into his territory. Most of the time he enjoys his large fenced yard but doesn’t hesitate with warning barks when he deems appropriate. His nature to do so causes me to miss our own dog Russ who lived to be 14 years old, had his own fenced yard to run,  play and protect until age called him to be laid to rest. I miss his ‘barks’ when someone pulled into our driveway. Now I have to relay on sight and the sound of tires on gravel to know that someone has arrived to our home.

Yes, my open window offers many advantages to a cool summer morning, afternoon, and evening. As the sun rises to usher in a brand, new day my open window is the entrance to a cacophony of noises that come either in solo or chorus style, all that serve to create a continued atmosphere of joy and contentment, or allow me to travel back to a treasured place in time where I can camp out for but a brief moment and relish the memory. When the sun sets and nightfall overshadows the sun’s previous light, my window will allow me to hear the various bugs and insects that fill the air, fly and bump into the screens or glass. I will await the chorus of the frogs to begin and serenade me to sleep, all in the comfort of a gentle breeze and occasional passing of an early morning commuter on the breaking of a new day.

Encouragement = The expression of approval and support

When I take inventory of my talents I like to believe that I am a natural encourager. Part of my overall personality is being a positive person. I much prefer to look for the bright side in most circumstances and remind myself that troubled situations will not take up permanent residency on the timeline of life. Quite the opposite, the sooner I  recognize that most unfortunate happenings in a day, a week, a month, or even a year, will pass with each turn of the calendar page  or the ticking away of the minutes by our beautiful clock that hangs on a living room wall.

Now, I’m not saying that I don’t find myself getting ‘stuck’ sporting a bad attitude or entertaining depressed thoughts on occasion. I’d be a liar if I personified that to you. What I have discovered is when I take full ‘ownership’ of how I’m feeling or thinking and deal with those emotions properly, what follows is a release of the ‘bad’ promptly replaced by the ‘good’. How do I accomplish this? How can you be more successful with your emotions too? Be an encourager, to yourself and to someone else in your circle of influence.

My ‘go-to’ source for all knowledge and counsel is the Holy Bible. In 1 Thessalonians 4:18 it says “Therefore comfort one another with these words”. This chapter speaks about the second coming of Christ and gives a description of that triumphant day which is a day full of  great anticipation and hope for all Christian believers. So it is fitting that verse 18 sums up that short portion of scripture reminding us to find comfort and to offer the same to others.

With a grateful heart I can look back and recall with joy the number of times that someone took the time and energy to encourage me. Among those hidden treasures was a phone call that came at the exact moment of need…..a letter…..a stack of cards when my parents died, mom in 1999 and dad in 2012….flowers from my husband for no reason other than to express his love and commitment to me…..cards from my kids on Mother’s Day…..a text message from one of the kids saying “hi Mom, I love you”…..my treasure chest for gifts of encouragement from others is quite full.

When I need a little pick-me-up I like to go for a walk or run, enjoy a cup of hot tea, curl up with a good book, or soak in a hot bath. Doing one of these (and there are other things as well) most always changes my outlook on the moment or the day. I also like to send a short letter on pretty stationery to someone in my circle of friends. I have a wonderful friend who is the master at this particular practice. She has nicknamed her passion as “mailbox sunshine” and most often a card from her always arrives on a day that requires a bit of much needed approval and support.

For my friends and family who are going through a struggle my main objective in helping is always to pray. I  also love to send handwritten notes. And, because we live in a techo-savvy culture, on occasion I will send a short text message expressing my love, my concern, and my support for someone I love very deeply. I even have the advantage of including cute little clip art in my text messages that help define my sentences. Who can resist a goofy smiley face, a string of hearts, or musical notes?

I remember hearing many years ago the saying that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. While I don’t have the science to back this statement, I’d like to believe that it’s true. By no means am I a perfect person, but I much prefer to live a daily life of exerting a positive attitude versus dwelling and living in negativity. Being optimistic far outweighs the agony associated with accepting defeat in the smallest or largest of life’s challenges.

One of my life verses comes from 1 Corinthians 15. Verse 57 states: “But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. These are powerful words to  teach and remind me (us) that no matter what we are facing, the victory…the end result of a particular setback…is a ‘done deal’. God has it. He accomplished winning my (yours) battles through His Son Jesus Christ. If Christ could endure the cross, and He most certainly did, I continue to encourage myself that I can navigate through a difficult moment or day and along the way stop to be a source of hope, approval and support to someone standing on the sidelines of life. And, do it all  with a ‘smile’.