Author: mommalert

In looking forward and planning for 2019, I have been reading some positive content material.  One of the questions asked what the biggest lessons for 2019 (good and not so good) were.  As always, some things instantly pop into mind, and the “bad” stuff pollutes everything.

I am working hard to let go of things I can’t control (which is pretty much everything except how I respond -choose to respond- to situations).  I want to surrender my worry about how others think about me.  I am working to remind myself that I don’t want or need to be like anyone else.  That was not what God intended when he created me – who am I to assume that I know better?

I realized today that the biggest lesson for me is about giving away my power/happiness/joy.  I did that, I can see that now.  Yep, sure did.  Choosing grace – instead of dwelling on how much ground I’ve lost – I am celebrating the future.  I am less likely to trust my goals to anyone but myself – but I feel like this is a lesson that was good to learn.  My power, happiness, and joy is strictly an inside job.

I am so blessed with my “tribe” – all the energy and support I could ever want – and am delighted to return in full measure.  Look around you – check out your tribe.  Give thanks for them, give thanks to them, and celebrate life with them!

 

So, close the door on 2018 – and fling open the doors and windows on 2019!

 

 

Do you let your physical body define you?

Can you separate your physical body from your spirit? (life force, inner being, whatever you call it?)

Will you choose to let your body define you – or will you define your body?

Are physical imperfections a detriment or road block, or a route alteration in your journey?

How do you feel when you let your physical body, with its imperfections, define you?

How do you feel when your spirit defines you through your body, accepting its imperfections?

Challenge:  Tune in to yourself – catch yourself and make a course alteration when you find yourself allowing your body to define you.  Make the choice to let your spirit define your body and your journey!  Ponder this for a while and have a beautiful day!

#foe, #ufy, #belikeharry

The value of a well-placed, well-timed question should never be under-estimated.  I am working through an excellent book – full of positive content and very thought-provoking.  It presented a question today that really “rocked my world”.  I am always amazed and profoundly grateful when this type of grace appears.  Often as not, it kind of sneaks up and blindsides you – takes your breath away – then fills you full of “feelings”.  It is so easy to miss this – or intentionally ignore it – and just let things be status quo.

It is an exquisite experience to open yourself to this gift of grace – fasten your seatbelt, open your heart, mind, and eyes – and ride with it.  Know what I am talking about?

More grace – my “word” of this year found me.  Working on the seatbelt and acquiring a crash helmet for this one.  Do you have a word for 2019?  If you haven’t done this before, there is lots of information if you search for it.  Basically, it’s a word to focus on throughout the coming year.  For me, the last two years, my word “found” me.  The word just keeps appearing in various avenues, and you know it is going to claim you.

Found some beach grace this morning-this involved some running, a lot of talking, some cool treasures from the ocean, awesome reflection time, and sea fog.  I happened upon the realization that letting go, forgiveness, and ditching the rearview mirror is a monumental gift of self-care and self-respect.

2019 is going to be phenomenal!

 

 

This is an incredible season of grace.  Humble beginnings, a Father giving life to His Son – knowing that His Son would give His life for ours.  All knowing, all loving – servant leadership at its best.  We celebrate this every year, and every year the Gift seems sweeter and more profound!

Regardless of the Holiday you celebrate (or don’t) – I wish for you a season of rebirth.  See the world through the eyes of a child – a world filled with wonder and possibilities.

I wish for you the gift of forgiveness – towards those who have caused you to feel hurt, towards yourself for feeling not enough, and from those who have felt hurt by you or your actions.

I wish you the gift of humility and freedom from ego – and the ability to accept yourself as you are – wonderfully created for magnificent things.

I wish for you the gift of surrender – the ability to realize that you can’t/don’t/won’t have to control everything around you and those you love.  The ability to surrender stress and worry about what comes to next and truly live in this very moment – appreciating the wonder of right now.

I wish you the gift of hope and faith – to believe like a child, hope for the most excellent of things, and the faith to know that you have the power to make life magical.

I wish you the gift of love – the knowledge that you were created to be unique and to serve your unique calling in this life.  Giving and receiving love – in word and in deed.  And the freedom to open yourself to the giving AND receiving.

I wish you the gift of action – to take the next single step on your amazing life journey – and follow that with another.  Know that each step – taken in any direction – is forward progress.

I wish you the gift of grace – “the peace that passes all understanding”, the deep inner knowledge that you are exactly where you are supposed to be at this very moment – perfectly imperfect – a wonderful work in progress.

Sending you love and light from our little corner of the world!

 

 

 

I’ve known for a long time that almost everyone that works in the same job/career/profession that I do has “certain” personality traits.  Our job, by its very nature, requires us to scrutinize (often our peers) documentation.  We look for inconsistencies, we want to see things wrapped up in neat little packages.  The dots should all connect to make a pretty, very detailed and unique package for each patient.  I’m pretty sure it drives the clinician 12 shades of crazy.  We follow “rules”, “conventions”, and “guidance”.  We HAVE to see the documentation – not just hear what you have to say.  We earn the nickname “A Team”.  We don’t let things slide, we don’t go with “good enough”, it has to be perfect.  We are liability-conscious, “HIPPA freaks”, detail-oriented micro-managers.

I will freely admit that before I changed from being a hands-on nurse to a QA (quality assurance) nurse, I would be the one 12 shades of crazy because of “those QA people”.  I have been on both sides of the fence – and easily poke fun at myself.

I’ve spent the last couple days in class to update my knowledge and test to renew one of my certifications.  This class is comprised of about 85% QA staff and 15% clinical staff.  Therefore, it is about 85% obsessive compulsive QA geeks.  Yesterday I was seated next to a lady that wanted to talk and comment about everything the speaker was talking about.  I wanted to hear what the speaker had to say.  Tried politely ignoring her, she was blissfully ignorant.  Finally, just straight up told her I was not going to converse with her.  I was there for class.  (Not my usual behavior – speaking up and speaking out.)  This morning, I selected a different seat when I arrived.  That was around 7:45am EST – did y’all feel the earth move?  That simple choice caused a cascade of horror.  I “stole” someone’s seat that they sat in yesterday.  Which meant that she had to sit in a different seat – and someone else had to sit somewhere else – and on and on…..A couple of them were like fish out of water – gasping and huffing and puffing.  Finally a brave one asked me if I would consider sitting somewhere else – like the seat I was in yesterday.  I smiled, and politely declined. (Not my usual behavior – again.  A very short time ago, I would have packed up and moved right back.) This resulted in more gasping and dyspnea.  I gently pointed out that we didn’t have assigned seats.

Growing up, we had a pastor that gently poked fun at us Methodists for always sitting in the same pew – every Sunday.  Lawdy, lawdy – I found a group dedicated to owning seats more than us Methodists!

Grace lesson:

Be able to poke fun at yourself.

Be flexible.

Change your seat periodically.

Speak up for yourself.

Stick to your guns.

Grace lessons:

Step out of your comfort zone – often.  Failing to do so causes the zone to become smaller.  Stepping out enlarges it.  (Courtesy of Bill)

I frequently hear and read the thought that “it’s not about the destination – it’s about the journey”, or “joy in the journey”.  I’ve concluded that we ARE the journey, we ARE the path, and we ARE the destination.

What do you choose your journey to be?  Is it a friendly adventure or a fear-filled burden?  Is it exciting or are you playing it safe?

Is your path well-marked and familiar – or is it filled with twists and hidden surprises?  Are you brave enough to welcome the unknown?

Is your destination one of your own choosing – honoring your heart’s desire – or is it one that is ‘expected’ by others.  Can your destination be moved – continually nudged forward and dynamic – or have you locked it in – static and finite?

 

 

~Before my race runs, I can always count on a text from my Mom – she always says “Run (and inserts the running girl emoji) with your angels.  Love you.  Mom”.  I love those texts – look for them – and keep them.  I had time to think about running with my angels.  I have many – first and foremost – my dad.  Sometimes running is a good way to exorcise some demons that are haunting you – I get that.  But running with your angels – intentionally choosing to invite them into your thoughts – wow!  Gives your run a whole new dimension.  It’s a lot more fun to run with your angels, than from your demons!

~Beth told me her “hard miles” were usually between 18 and 21 and asked me what my hard miles were.  Couldn’t answer that and told her so.  She told me I would soon figure it out.  She was right – it was between mile 14 and 16.  I’m pretty sure we passed those three mile markers a zillion times before we got to 17.  When I told her that I thought I had found them around mile 14, she told me to pull out my “whys” – all the reasons I wanted to do this particular run – and remember them.  Hmm, “Because I grew up during this era of the space continuum, because I wanted to start with the first year of the multi-year challenge, for the beach towel, for the cool medal”….none of those seemed particularly motivating at the moment.  Of course, those were just fluff answers.  I wanted to do this race to prove myself wrong – to erase the belief that I couldn’t, wasn’t strong enough, etc.  At mile 14, I realized that every mile from here on out was farther than I made it on my first attempt.  I was pretty excited to make it to mile 20 – that was the final turn-around point and from there – we headed to the finish line.

~As we got into the 20+ miles, Beth looked at me and said “Mom, just think about all the people that can’t walk – and how much they would love to be in our places right now.” (this might have been when we stopped for a brief stretch for cramping calves).  My girl is a motivational speaker!  I know I would have made it through the whole race alone, but I wouldn’t trade those 26 (.2) miles with her at my side for anything.  Fairly early in the race, we decided to “switch off” our clinical brains.  Both of us have the tendency to look at everyone through clinical eyes.  We look at airway, breathing, and circulation, then gait, then the rest of the assessment.  Not very productive!  Good day to leave the medical concerns to the medics and first aid folks.

~Peace that surpasses understanding.  After 10 days, I still don’t have the nagging feeling that I need to prove myself.  I have signed up for some runs, and I am looking forward to them – no matter how they turn out.  It has turned into something I want to and get to do for me instead of something I HAVE to do because I don’t think I can.  #belikeHarry – try it and have fun with it.

~Everything seems mostly back to normal.  Giving up the short-lived morning naps, still got the goofy smile, my legs still get kinda tired after low mileage, and my sunburn is in the itchy peely stage.  The only lingering part are the ugly toes – gonna lose 5 or 6 toenails from this one, I think.  How blessed I am to be able to have been on my feet long enough for that to happen!  Small price for such a blessing!

~Your goal – whether it is 26.2 – shorter or longer, work-related, health-related – whatever it is – pick it.  It is a dream.  Write it down – it’s starting to become a goal.  Break it down – into baby steps, little bites.  Now you have your action plan.  Start NOW – take one action toward that goal.  Write your plan, allow for re-writes and a few curves in the road, but stick to your plan.  You only need to focus on the very next step.  You’ll be surprised at how much you accomplish – and how much more you will discover on the journey in addition to accomplishing your goal.  Believe in yourself.  This isn’t an original idea – tons of motivational speakers and writers address this.  You just have to grab the concept, make it yours, and take that first step.  What’s the worst that could happen?  Forward progress and growth?  Look forward to one heckuva celebration!

#belikeHarry, #ufy, #foreveronedge, #foe, #NOW, #believe

 

What do you need to let go of?  Reminded by our pastor at church that God is greater than our past, and grace is greater than our sins…

 

It has taken me 5 days to write this – and more than 5 attempts.  I really thought it would be much easier than this.

Last Sunday, I finished the Space Coast Marathon.  It was even more special because Beth surprised me and did the run with me.  We had an exceptional cheering section of Bill on site; Mom and Walt from afar.

Briefly, it was a beautiful course along the Indian River in Cocoa Village.  The first half was cool with an occasional light breeze and fog that settled in right after sunrise.  (The run started an hour before sunrise).  The second half was considerably warmer with Florida sunshine.

The whole experience was much different from the first time I attempted a marathon – and I am full of gratitude.  I am still trying to take it all in; but have found so many Grace Lessons already.

Grace Lessons

1. First – finishing those 26.2 miles was definitely by the grace of God.
2. Your mind/mental attitude can take your body places you never thought possible – even without formal and consistent training.
3. Believing in yourself – and having others that believe in you – sometimes more than you believe in yourself – is really important. Cultivate belief in yourself.  It helps to back it up with action.
4. Beth – gave up a weekend (these are really precious for her because she rarely has a free one – and it’s the only time she can spend with her “girls”); and put herself through a marathon just for me. That counts for Christmas presents for the next 10 years!
5. Bill – our on-site cheerleader, go-fer, chauffeur, and fresh legs. It’s hard to hang around and kill time, and watch on the sidelines while someone else chases a dream.  Knowing he was waiting at the finish was a driving force.  I want to be better for him because he is my better half.
6. Walt and Mom – cheering from afar – it truly is possible to feel the prayers of others. We also had our church in Michigan praying for us – again, feeling the results of those prayers.
7. Even in the midst of 7000 new runner friends, and with Beth beside me – a marathon is an intensely personal experience. You get to spend a lot of time in your head – kind of like a captive audience.
8. Choices – you realize just how many choices you have. Quit or go on?  Walk or run?  Smile or grumble?  Stress about the remaining distance or focus on the next step?  Meet new friends or develop tunnel vision?  Hit the wall or pass right through?  And for laughs – water or Gatorade?  Pee at this mile, or wait for the next?  Sports beans or gels?
9. Competition – you really are only competing against yourself. The self that says things like “you can’t do this”, “you’re not an athlete”, “you’re not strong enough”, “you haven’t trained enough”, “why bother – everyone else is faster”, “you’re getting tired – it’s okay to stop”.  That self gets louder and more obnoxious with each mile.  The other self – the quiet and determined one – she won this time.  Her victory chant was “I AM – I am enough – strong enough, fast enough, persistent enough.  I WILL finish”.
10. Side Effects – There seem to be several. The smile – just keeps appearing.  Appreciation and gratitude for my body – it CAN do things I never thought possible.  Peace – a deep sense of peace, and the feeling that I no longer need to prove that I am good enough.  (More about this another time.)  Gratitude – for the people in my life that are there without question, that believe in me when I have trouble doing that, and that love without condition.
11. Challenging yourself is good. I challenge you to choose a goal – and if you can – make it a physical goal.  Break it down into little bites and before long, you will have eaten the whole elephant.  We met a 72-year old lady that was doing her first marathon and we met Harry – who is 87, working on marathon #312.  He hadn’t been running for the past 7 months because of an ankle injury and just thought he would try and have fun with this one.
12. Take it at your own pace. I wasn’t fast, but it was my race.  (Beth was beyond gracious and slowed to my pace.)  We got to see dolphins play in the river, lovely flowers, fantasize about some of the homes, laugh and giggle so hard we were snorting Gatorade, and talk to people – participants and volunteers for 26.2 miles.
13. Recognize just how blessed you are, and how rich your life is.

 

 

Today has been a weird weather day.  It was interesting to watch the radar paint two different systems and watch them collide.  We’ve been treated to wind and gray clouds all day, but temperate.  Our beach walk was cut short because of the winds, it was still beautiful to see nature’s strength at work.  Now we will be lulled to sleep by the sound of rainfall.

When we started this lifestyle and being away from family during Thanksgiving and Christmas; I was afraid that I would really miss all the preparation and build-up of the day.  We had our Thanksgiving Dinner at the Galley here on base – and what a blessing it was!  The food was good, but even better was all the smiling faces of the young men and women that prepared the meal.  We took full advantage of the opportunity to express our gratitude to them, and our appreciation of their talent.

I realize that what I really miss about this time of year is being able to cook and prepare with my family.  As in cooking with Mom and Beth, and having Bill, Walt, and Rob around to taste test for us.  As in sharing treasured memories as we make more.  I am grateful for those times, and grateful for the opportunity for Bill and I to make our own memories.  Since we get to write our own rules, I am starting to plan holiday meals for when we return to Michigan.  They will be summer holiday meals – and they will be times of Thanksgiving!  It would be wonderful to have family join us here, but that isn’t always possible.

More thanksgivings…I’m on day 25 of my 30-day prayer challenge.  Still praying for the same 5 people.  Still haven’t told them – and am not planning on it.  I am immensely grateful for this challenge.  I have no idea what effect my prayers have had on their lives, and probably will never know.  Remember, these 5 people were picked because it was really hard for me to think of them in a positive, loving, giving attitude.  The challenge has brought forgiveness, kindness, and generosity that I never thought possible.  I’ve gone from a quick “bless them Lord” to much more.  This has added a dimension of gratitude to my life that I didn’t know was possible.    This challenge is not a “one and done” challenge.  I’m already considering my next 5.  Of course, my prayers are not limited to just 5 people – I’m just being very focused and intentional about them.

 

As cliché as it is, make every day a day of thanksgiving.  Cultivate gratitude.  Grace abounds!