Friday, March 18, 2011

Five Minute Friday: On Waiting


On Waiting

Waiting sucks.  There's not a lot worse. But then again, it all depends on what you're waiting for.  Waiting for a birth, waiting for a dentist appointment that you are dreading, waiting for Gadot.  Most of the time,though, I'm not waiting for anything major like this.  Usually it's waiting for ballet practice to end, waiting for basketball practice and games to be over, waiting to pick up my daughter from preschool.  I used to hate these times of void.  Sitting there with nothing to do and no one to talk to.  Lately, though I still haven't embraced the time, I've found ways to fill it.  I take tasks with me that I can do in the car or in the ballet waiting area (purgatory, as I like to call that awful place). I try to do something to make the time useful with important things I don't have time to do at home, like look at catalogs.  I'm not kidding. I love looking at catalogs, especially when there are things in it I can actually afford.  I do other things, like rewrite my yearly goals or, this week, I plan to stop into the Catholic church next door to ballet to pray my rosary in a peaceful place, maybe write my goals there, too.
It's all in how you look at waiting. No matter what it is your waiting for, fill the time with something productive and it's not a waste.

If you want to let it all hang out, no editing, just writing, click the button above and link up with Lisa-Jo, The Gypsy Mama

(This is my first attempt at Five Minute Friday.  I'm a little nervous!)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Small Successes (Vol 26)

1.  I am kicking some serious butt in getting this house in order.  I got this app for my iphone called Home Routines that is actually helping me get my home clean in tiny increments.  The home is divided into zones, a la Fly Lady, but it is much less stressful than Fly Lady because there aren't as many tasks. It's pretty basic, which is what I need.  This week is Bathrooms. I have 3, so I took 1 day for each bathroom to get the sink, toilet and bath clean, then 1 day to clean all the floors.  So it took me 4 days, but they are cleaner than they've been in months, dare I say, years! I added on master closet to this zone because it's a disaster, so that is tomorrow.  Baby steps.

2.  I've also been getting so much more accomplished in my daily life since I took the 30daypush.com challenge.  It was a pretty simple challenge, but it really has helped me focus on setting my goals and lining my priorities with those goals.  It's been a blessing and I highly recommend it to even the most organized of people.

3.  For Lent I found Catholic Relief Services Operation Rice Bowl at St. Patrick's parish.  For some reason, my parish doesn't participate in this program, so I was very happy to happen upon it at St. Patrick's (Happy St. Patrick's day, by the way).  I was trying to think of a way the kids could participate in this because they don't get an allowance.  I decided to use it to teach the kids about redemptive sacrifice.  For every sacrifice they make, they put one bean in the jar.  Each bean is worth 25 cents. At the end of Lent, we will count the beans and put that much money in the rice bowl.  It's been pretty good because when me they are having difficulty obeying or accepting no for an answer or whatever, I remind them of the hungry children who will be fed because of their sacrifices.  That might sound strange, but really it's helped the kids think outside of themselves.  Kevin and I are also using the jar for our sacrifices.  When you really pay attention to all the little things we do everyday, it's amazing the amount of things we can offer up as prayer for others.

Now head over to Faith and Family Live to share all the small successes of your week!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Small Successes (Vol 25)

1.  My fitness journey continues. Despite my best efforts to hit the snooze, I got up an did my workout.  I did a bazillion bicep curls.

2. This isn't my success, but a success for pro-life. As I sit here writing, I hear on the local Fox News a story of a woman who survived a botched abortion.  They gave the story an enticing introduction, a good 2 minute story and a follow-up in the studio.  Let's all pray that the Heartbeat Bill passes and that those who would seek to murder children in the womb will be converted.

3. Back to me.  ;-)  I've got a pile of things to do with the kids to help Lent be holy and make Easter more meaningful.  I'm very good at making Advent holy and celebrating the entire Christmas season all the way to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, but Lent somehow has not gotten the same attention. Consequently, Easter, the holiest day of the year, has not had the excitement that it should have.  I welcome suggestions that will help me make both Lent and Easter holy.  If you need suggestions, visit Catholic Icing.  Lacy is a crafting genius and I am a crafting idiot.  She has projects on there that even I can do!

4. I just read Danielle Bean's successes and it reminded me that I've been de-cluttering the house. I've got 5 bags of clothes and boxes of toys to donate to the needy people of Laurelville,Ohio.  Thanks for the reminder of my success.

This is off topic, but since I know people will be reading my blog today, I'm putting it in anyway.  Please indulge me for one minute.  One thing that I have decided to do for Lent is make my Lenten sacrifice for the salvation of souls, 2 in particular, who will remain nameless.  I ask for your prayers for these to people as well.  I hope to tell you that the Holy Spirit has been successful in the not to distant future.

Think about your week and share your little triumphs here at Faith and Family Live.  It's an awesome group full of encouraging people!

Thursday, March 03, 2011

Small Successes (Vol 24)

1.  I survived the flu and 102 degree temperature over the weekend.  It was not fun, but I lost 2 pounds from existing on saltines.

2.   Somehow, during my illness, the house did not fall apart completely.  This is my husband's success.  I figure lying on the couch minimized my opportunity for successes this week, so I'll give credit where credit is due.

3.  I'm back to working out in the morning the past couple days.  Problem is I'm exhausted by afternoon and then, inexplicably, can't sleep at night when I go to bed.  My success is I'm somehow managing to function on diminished capacity. 

So, turns out, I am human.  I win some and I lose some.  As long as I win more than I lose, I'm good.
Share your wins at Faith and Family Live.