Over on Facebook, I'm seeing a lot of profile pictures and covers sporting various Valentine's Day themes, along with different posts about this holiday of love.
Even though, it's two days away, I'll write about Valentine's now; as Thursday promises to be a very busy day for me.
*~*~*~*~*
Last year, Tex and I were on a very tight budget . . . and we were also anticipating the last payment to be made on our truck. It was also a busy time for us.
In trying to make a decision about whether or not to buy the first Season of "Law & Order / SVU", I piqued, "Why don't we just buy it as our communal Valentine's Day gift? LOL
Kinda weird for a Valentine's Day gift . . . but we were both ok with that; and so that's what we did. (We eventually bought all the other seasons, one-at-a-time - all except for last years' DVDs - we're still waiting for its release).
And for the ultra curious, we are now in our 4th season of "Star Trek / The Next Generation" . . . one season at a time.
:)
*~*~*~*~*
Last night, we decided that we *really* need to replace our travel coffee mugs. Really, we do. It’s time to lay the current ones to rest and to move one. I imagine we'll be making these purchases sometime soon.
A few minutes later, sitting in the passenger seat as we’re traveling down the interstate, I piped up, "Why don’t we deem the new coffee mugs this year’s Valentine’s gifts to each other?"
There ya go. Romance just sloshing all over the place.
Ha!
My practical, functional nature shows itself at the strangest times.
But. Tex agreed; and so that’s what we shall do.
WooHoo!!!
*~*~*~*~*
I think one of the reasons I’m so pragmatic about Valentine’s Day is that I don’t see it as strictly and only a romantic holiday. I also hope that couples are expressing their genuine and heartfelt love for each other often and in various ways and not just one day a year.
I see Valentine's Day as a day of all types of LOVE - not just Storge & Eros, but also of Agape and Philia.
I was the little girl who was always so excited to make her own Valentines and who couldn’t wait to give them to her classmates - because I truly did love them, and I wanted them to know that.
And, I still feel that way. A few decades later, life is a bit busier and sometimes more complicated (sometimes of my own doing; sometimes, simply because of life) . . . but, I still look at Valentine’s Day as a day of Love for everyone. In fact, perhaps, everyday should be Valentine’s Day . . . afterall, isn’t that what we’re supposed to do - to LOVE one another?
*~*~*~*~*
Don’t get me wrong - I’m definitely appreciating all of the cute Valentine’s Day photos and posts over at Facebook, and I’m enjoying all of the ones with romantic slants. I'm celebrating and encouraging the excitement that my friends are expressing over early gifts and whatnots from their spouses or "special ones".
BUT. *For me* - romance is only part of the equation.
Sure, this Thursday, I’ll be making lasagna for Tex . . . it’s one of his favorite meals; and that is one way that I can specifically show my husband how much I love him.
But, there’s many more people in the world other than my husband. I hope that I remember to show love to others as well; in wonderful, unique and myriad ways.
What about you? How do you plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Thanks for reading, y'all!
Be blessed.
Love,
Sharmie
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Monday, December 24, 2012
Quiet, Peaceful Christmas Eve Morning
My 30 Days of Blessings (Thankfulness) went far better offline than it did online . . . I count 18 separate Blessings of which I specifically wrote here in Swirlings last month.
I wondered at the beginning of November just how many such posts would see the light of day. :)
I knew that there would be days when the priorities of the moment would take precedent, and I also knew there would probably be times when the right words just wouldn't come for any day's particular blessing. I was right in both cases.
But.
That's not at all to say that there were days when I was not fully aware of the vast blessings Our Lord has placed in my life. And, in reality, isn't that the real test of writing one's blessings - to be aware that Blessings are, indeed, abundant - and sometimes even too numerous to tally?
Live life moment by moment. Do what needs to be done in the moment and look for Our Lord's Covering over and in that moment.
*~*~*~*~*
This may turn out to be more of a end-of-year post, rather than a post that one would expect on the day before Christmas.
My ponderings are rather contemplative this morning; and the end of this year is still a week and several hours away. Who knows what my thoughts will be by then?! :)
I'm ok with that, though. I hope you are, too!
*~*~*~*~*
2012 has been a topsy-turvy year; that's for sure.
My father-in-law passed away in March. Tex and I were there with him, in the hospital, when he died. Just the 3 of us and the nurse. It was incredibly peaceful. I have been so thankful that Tex and I could be with him when he went to his eternal home. I think of this wonderful man often. I knew him exactly 2 years . . . not a very long time; but in the grand scheme of things, time really is insignificant when it comes to hearts bonding and people loving.
My mother-in-law has had her own share of health problems this year, as well.
In August, just as she was nearing the end of chemo treatments for cancer that was diagnosed in 2010, she was hospitalized for West Nile Virus. She spent quite a bit of time in the hospital and also in rehab. It was a hard time for us; we came very close to losing her, as well.
Recently, within the past couple of weeks, she was hospitalized once again; this time for liver problems. She's out of the hospital now. She's got a tough journey ahead, but she's also a tough lady with a lot of grit and determination. Admirable qualities, indeed! Please keep her in your prayers.
*~*~*~*~*
Am1, DelawareBoy and Mr.Handsome moved back to Delaware at the end of summer. Tex and I keep in touch with them via various technological opportunities . . . but still, it's hard to hug tecnology . . . well, for most of us, anyway.
Am2, MichiganBoy, LittleMiss and BruiserCharmerBoy visit us when they can, and we visit them when we can. Fortunately, that equates to approximately 1 - 2 times per month.
Ya know . . . I never knew I would absolutely love being a grandmother as much as I do. All 3 of my grandkidlettes have my heart. Thinking about them can simultaneously bring laughter and tears. I laugh and smile at their antics, their sweetness and even their mischeviousness. I feel deep pain when I think of all the dangers that they might encounter during their life. And then I remind myself that as much as Tex and I love them and as much as their parents love them, that God loves them even more; much more than I will ever be able to comprehend. So. I thank Our Lord for letting me be in their lives, and ask Him to watch over all 3 of them. And, then I go on.
Speaking of being grateful for being a part of someone's life . . . who knew that I would ever refer to anyone as my child?! But, Am1 and Am2 are not just Tex's daughters; they are our daughters; they are my daughters. And their husbands are our sons-in-law; my sons-in-law. These 4 grown-up people . . . I can laugh just as much regarding them as I can our grandkids. I can also cry for them just as passionately as I do for the little ones. They are my family. Plain and simple. And, I deeply love and pray for each and every one of them.
*~*~*~*~*
For those of y'all who know me well, then you know that I encourage people to live grateful lives, to live with Our Lord's Peace and Joy, to always seek His Wisdom and His Guidance and to give things to Him that are puzzling and/or painful. You might also know that I tell people to not waste their time and mental energy on people who don't want to be a part of your life. By that, I mean, accept it and continue living your own life. No one can make anyone else be a part of their life. No one can make anyone else like them. So, why fret over it? Why let it cloud your own life?
Ironically, I spent much of 2011 and about 7 months of 2012 trying to figure out what I did or what I said regarding a couple of people who suddenly decided they did not want me in their lives. I would spend my lawn-mowing sessions walking around the yard, pushing that mower and regurgitating various real and imagined scenarios over and over in my mind, trying to pinpoint exactly what happened to cause such a rift. And yet, no answers came.
If you know me well, then you also know that I am pretty upfront with things, and I encourage people to talk things over with each other. Sometimes, though, the other person simply doesn't want to do that. And again, you can't make someone communicate with you if they don't want to - so why waste the time and energy? Why create such a frustration?
I made several attempts to try to open the lines of communication with these 2 people, in hopes of perhaps clearing the air; all of my efforts in this regard were either rebuffed - or worse, ignored.
A few months ago, I was finally able to take my own advice. I was able to let them go - and get on with my own life without regard to the whys of how they felt toward me. Ironically, such liberation came after an "out-of-the-blue" blow-up initiated by one of these people. I walked around for days after that, talking to Our Lord about this person's attitude & behavior and most importantly, my response to such illustrious blow-up (which, frankly, my response was definitely nothing to brag about). It was, however the catalyst that allowed me to let it all go.
Why am I telling y'all about this?
Great question! I'm glad you asked!
I spent probably a year-and-a-half dwelling on something that I could not change. I wasted that time; time that I won't be able to have again.
AND, I also noticed that it was beginning to change me . . . and not for the good. This is why I encourage people to not do this in the first place. Don't give yourself away. The reality of the matter is that I probably spent way more mental energy on these specific people than they did on me. For whatever reason, they wanted me out of their lives, they chose to not discuss the reason with me; and that was probably the end of the matter as far as they were concerned. They probably went on with their lives without giving me a second thought. Maybe not. Either way, it's really none of my business.
Likewise, it's really none of your business what someone might think of you; especially if it's derogatory. Don't let people's opinion of you define who you are or who you will be.
Pray for them. Pray sincere prayers that Our Lord will bless them. And, then, move on. If you encounter them while you're busy living your own life, treat them with genuine kindness and graciousness; regardless as to how they treat you. If you mess up on that part, repent to our Lord and ask His Forgiveness. Then, apologize to the person - and mean it (yep, that's a hard pill to swallow, but do it anyway).
The way we treat someone should not be dependant on how they treat us. It should be dependant only on how Our Lord wants us to live our lives.
There ya go.
*~*~*~*~*
That's been my 2012, in somewhat of a nutshell.
It's probably been one of the more unsettling years that I've experienced in a while . . . but, even that is ok. I personally feel that it's been a time of growth; and that is always a good thing.
In between the frustration and confusion and even tears, there's also been much laughter and much love.
I choose to focus on the laughter and love, hold tight to cherished memories of loved ones now gone, do what needs to be done at any give moment, give the ick and the yuck to Our Lord for Him to do with as He pleases, change directions when I get off-kilter . . . and always look to Him for His Strength, His Wisdom, His Guidance, His Peace and His Joy.
*~*~*~*~*
Tomorrow is Christmas. For me, that means commemorating the Birth of Our Lord, Jesus.
In my world, He definitely IS the reason for the season; and for that I am so very grateful.
I hope that each of of y'all have an abundantly blessed Christmas.
Thanks for reading!
In His Peace, His Joy and His Love,
Sharmie
I wondered at the beginning of November just how many such posts would see the light of day. :)
I knew that there would be days when the priorities of the moment would take precedent, and I also knew there would probably be times when the right words just wouldn't come for any day's particular blessing. I was right in both cases.
But.
That's not at all to say that there were days when I was not fully aware of the vast blessings Our Lord has placed in my life. And, in reality, isn't that the real test of writing one's blessings - to be aware that Blessings are, indeed, abundant - and sometimes even too numerous to tally?
Live life moment by moment. Do what needs to be done in the moment and look for Our Lord's Covering over and in that moment.
*~*~*~*~*
This may turn out to be more of a end-of-year post, rather than a post that one would expect on the day before Christmas.
My ponderings are rather contemplative this morning; and the end of this year is still a week and several hours away. Who knows what my thoughts will be by then?! :)
I'm ok with that, though. I hope you are, too!
*~*~*~*~*
2012 has been a topsy-turvy year; that's for sure.
My father-in-law passed away in March. Tex and I were there with him, in the hospital, when he died. Just the 3 of us and the nurse. It was incredibly peaceful. I have been so thankful that Tex and I could be with him when he went to his eternal home. I think of this wonderful man often. I knew him exactly 2 years . . . not a very long time; but in the grand scheme of things, time really is insignificant when it comes to hearts bonding and people loving.
My mother-in-law has had her own share of health problems this year, as well.
In August, just as she was nearing the end of chemo treatments for cancer that was diagnosed in 2010, she was hospitalized for West Nile Virus. She spent quite a bit of time in the hospital and also in rehab. It was a hard time for us; we came very close to losing her, as well.
Recently, within the past couple of weeks, she was hospitalized once again; this time for liver problems. She's out of the hospital now. She's got a tough journey ahead, but she's also a tough lady with a lot of grit and determination. Admirable qualities, indeed! Please keep her in your prayers.
*~*~*~*~*
Am1, DelawareBoy and Mr.Handsome moved back to Delaware at the end of summer. Tex and I keep in touch with them via various technological opportunities . . . but still, it's hard to hug tecnology . . . well, for most of us, anyway.
Am2, MichiganBoy, LittleMiss and BruiserCharmerBoy visit us when they can, and we visit them when we can. Fortunately, that equates to approximately 1 - 2 times per month.
Ya know . . . I never knew I would absolutely love being a grandmother as much as I do. All 3 of my grandkidlettes have my heart. Thinking about them can simultaneously bring laughter and tears. I laugh and smile at their antics, their sweetness and even their mischeviousness. I feel deep pain when I think of all the dangers that they might encounter during their life. And then I remind myself that as much as Tex and I love them and as much as their parents love them, that God loves them even more; much more than I will ever be able to comprehend. So. I thank Our Lord for letting me be in their lives, and ask Him to watch over all 3 of them. And, then I go on.
Speaking of being grateful for being a part of someone's life . . . who knew that I would ever refer to anyone as my child?! But, Am1 and Am2 are not just Tex's daughters; they are our daughters; they are my daughters. And their husbands are our sons-in-law; my sons-in-law. These 4 grown-up people . . . I can laugh just as much regarding them as I can our grandkids. I can also cry for them just as passionately as I do for the little ones. They are my family. Plain and simple. And, I deeply love and pray for each and every one of them.
*~*~*~*~*
For those of y'all who know me well, then you know that I encourage people to live grateful lives, to live with Our Lord's Peace and Joy, to always seek His Wisdom and His Guidance and to give things to Him that are puzzling and/or painful. You might also know that I tell people to not waste their time and mental energy on people who don't want to be a part of your life. By that, I mean, accept it and continue living your own life. No one can make anyone else be a part of their life. No one can make anyone else like them. So, why fret over it? Why let it cloud your own life?
Ironically, I spent much of 2011 and about 7 months of 2012 trying to figure out what I did or what I said regarding a couple of people who suddenly decided they did not want me in their lives. I would spend my lawn-mowing sessions walking around the yard, pushing that mower and regurgitating various real and imagined scenarios over and over in my mind, trying to pinpoint exactly what happened to cause such a rift. And yet, no answers came.
If you know me well, then you also know that I am pretty upfront with things, and I encourage people to talk things over with each other. Sometimes, though, the other person simply doesn't want to do that. And again, you can't make someone communicate with you if they don't want to - so why waste the time and energy? Why create such a frustration?
I made several attempts to try to open the lines of communication with these 2 people, in hopes of perhaps clearing the air; all of my efforts in this regard were either rebuffed - or worse, ignored.
A few months ago, I was finally able to take my own advice. I was able to let them go - and get on with my own life without regard to the whys of how they felt toward me. Ironically, such liberation came after an "out-of-the-blue" blow-up initiated by one of these people. I walked around for days after that, talking to Our Lord about this person's attitude & behavior and most importantly, my response to such illustrious blow-up (which, frankly, my response was definitely nothing to brag about). It was, however the catalyst that allowed me to let it all go.
Why am I telling y'all about this?
Great question! I'm glad you asked!
I spent probably a year-and-a-half dwelling on something that I could not change. I wasted that time; time that I won't be able to have again.
AND, I also noticed that it was beginning to change me . . . and not for the good. This is why I encourage people to not do this in the first place. Don't give yourself away. The reality of the matter is that I probably spent way more mental energy on these specific people than they did on me. For whatever reason, they wanted me out of their lives, they chose to not discuss the reason with me; and that was probably the end of the matter as far as they were concerned. They probably went on with their lives without giving me a second thought. Maybe not. Either way, it's really none of my business.
Likewise, it's really none of your business what someone might think of you; especially if it's derogatory. Don't let people's opinion of you define who you are or who you will be.
Pray for them. Pray sincere prayers that Our Lord will bless them. And, then, move on. If you encounter them while you're busy living your own life, treat them with genuine kindness and graciousness; regardless as to how they treat you. If you mess up on that part, repent to our Lord and ask His Forgiveness. Then, apologize to the person - and mean it (yep, that's a hard pill to swallow, but do it anyway).
The way we treat someone should not be dependant on how they treat us. It should be dependant only on how Our Lord wants us to live our lives.
There ya go.
*~*~*~*~*
That's been my 2012, in somewhat of a nutshell.
It's probably been one of the more unsettling years that I've experienced in a while . . . but, even that is ok. I personally feel that it's been a time of growth; and that is always a good thing.
In between the frustration and confusion and even tears, there's also been much laughter and much love.
I choose to focus on the laughter and love, hold tight to cherished memories of loved ones now gone, do what needs to be done at any give moment, give the ick and the yuck to Our Lord for Him to do with as He pleases, change directions when I get off-kilter . . . and always look to Him for His Strength, His Wisdom, His Guidance, His Peace and His Joy.
*~*~*~*~*
Tomorrow is Christmas. For me, that means commemorating the Birth of Our Lord, Jesus.
In my world, He definitely IS the reason for the season; and for that I am so very grateful.
I hope that each of of y'all have an abundantly blessed Christmas.
Thanks for reading!
In His Peace, His Joy and His Love,
Sharmie
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
B27 - 2000 hits, Skype and Dad's Birthday
The past 10 days have been filled with travel, family, relaxing, various offline projects . . . and, a some laziness also thrown into the mix.
All-in-all, it's been an amazing time.
*~*~*~*~*
I was pleasantly surprised when I came to Swirlings today and noticed that the hits counter was right-smack-dab on 2,000!
That brings me to my first Blessings for today's post . . . y'all. I deeply appreciate everyone who takes the time to read what twirls and swirls within my grey matter. Swirlings will be 8 months old this Sunday; and in those 8 months, I have made 50 posts (not counting today's blogging). Averaging that gives an average of 250 hits per month or 40 hits per blog post. Yay for y'all! :)
I hope that you will continue to read Swirlings, and that you will also share my links with your friends and family.
I'm also interested in hearing from you. Always feel free to leave your comments to any of the posts.
*~*~*~*~*
Technology is my second Blessing for today. I often marvel at the way that our forefathers and ancestors lived. In the grand scheme of things, it's only been in recent generations that day-to-day living was not simply about survival.
Today, pretty-much whatever we want to accomplished can be done by pushing a button.
Sometimes I rail against how utterly spoiled we are today, compared to even a few years ago. I opine regarding how lazy technology has made us.
But. I also recgonize the tremendous advantages that technology affords us.
Thanksgiving evening is one such personal example.
Am1, DelawareBoy and Mr. Handsome (our 9-year old grandson) moved back to Delaware a few months ago. I have missed seeing them and being able to hug them. They are often the topic of conversations between Tex and me. We hope that they all are happy and doing well. We pray for them often.
Thursday evening, thanks to modern technology, we were able to Skype with Am1 and Mr. Handsome. "We" being Tex, Am2, Little Miss, Bruiser Charmer Boy and me. Well, actually, I don't think Bruiser did much chatting, but he did baby-babble through some portions of the conversations. Who knows; maybe he was imparting fascinating and wondrous secrets to his big cousin, Mr. Handsome.
It was SO wonderful to be able to see Am1 and Mr. Handsome's faces! It was the first time I had seen them since the left Texas, back in August.
Skype, thank you!
*~*~*~*~*
My 3rd Blessing for today regards my father.
As a clarifying reminder . . . whenever I speak of my parents I am specifically speaking of my adoptive parents; not my birth parents.
Dad was also my step-grandfather. I was 3 months old when he and my grandmother received custody of me, and it was about a year later when my adoption was finalized.
My memories of Dad during my childhood are a strange, eclectic mix. My mother (maternal grandmother) was alive for the first 10 years of my life. Alcoholism was rampant between the two of them. After she died, Dad went even deeper into the bottle.
As a teenager, he and I did not get along. While I didn't know it then, I was rebelling against the alcoholism that I had lived in all of my life. Some of the effects of such lifestyle from a tenderly-young age were not at all pretty.
In fact, one of my very earliest memories is of abuse. I grew up experiencing a variety of abuses; none of them, however, are really pertinent to today's post.
As negatively as I felt toward Dad throughout all those years, I also knew that he would never physically harm me. It's quite a paradox, I know; but nonetheless, it is the truth. I despised his drinking and the havoc it wreaked, but I also knew that he would never physically hurt me. For me, that was a rarity back then.
Dad died when I was in my mid 20's.
One of the biggest Blessings that I will be continually thankful for is that a year before he died, we were able to come to an understanding of each other and we were also able to forgive each other for all the junk we both had inflicted upon each other. I was able to tell him about my experiences that no child should ever have; so many secrets that he never knew about. And, he believed me; without question. That, in itself, is another Blessing that I deeply cherish.
That last year of Dad's life was such a tremendous Blessing. Forgiveness is a wonderful gift; both for the one being forgiven and also for the one doing the forgiving. With Dad and I, both of us were both forgiver and forgivee.
Today commemorates my father's birthday. He would be 91 years old if he were alive.
The man fought in 3 wars (WWII, Korea and Vietnam). He was a naval fighter pilot; and while it's not an excuse and while I very much believe in people taking personal responsibility for themselves, part of the alcoholsim that he inflicted upon himself was connected to how he militarily served his country. I know because as a teenager I often heard the alcohol-induced nightmares he would have regarding some of his experiences during those 3 wars. It's an ongoing reminder for me to always be genuinely thankful for the myriad sacrifices that our military personnel willingly give in order that they can serve and protect our country.
Lest I leave you with a lop-sided view of my dad, I'd like to close by saying that aside from the alcoholism, I also have some good memories our relationship with each other. Even with all the ick and yuck that we went through, I know that he genuinely loved me. That, in and of itself, is a treasure.
Here's to you, Dad.
All my love,
Sharmie
*~*~*~*~*
Thanks for reading, y'all!
May y'all each be abundantly blessed.
All-in-all, it's been an amazing time.
*~*~*~*~*
I was pleasantly surprised when I came to Swirlings today and noticed that the hits counter was right-smack-dab on 2,000!
That brings me to my first Blessings for today's post . . . y'all. I deeply appreciate everyone who takes the time to read what twirls and swirls within my grey matter. Swirlings will be 8 months old this Sunday; and in those 8 months, I have made 50 posts (not counting today's blogging). Averaging that gives an average of 250 hits per month or 40 hits per blog post. Yay for y'all! :)
I hope that you will continue to read Swirlings, and that you will also share my links with your friends and family.
I'm also interested in hearing from you. Always feel free to leave your comments to any of the posts.
*~*~*~*~*
Technology is my second Blessing for today. I often marvel at the way that our forefathers and ancestors lived. In the grand scheme of things, it's only been in recent generations that day-to-day living was not simply about survival.
Today, pretty-much whatever we want to accomplished can be done by pushing a button.
Sometimes I rail against how utterly spoiled we are today, compared to even a few years ago. I opine regarding how lazy technology has made us.
But. I also recgonize the tremendous advantages that technology affords us.
Thanksgiving evening is one such personal example.
Am1, DelawareBoy and Mr. Handsome (our 9-year old grandson) moved back to Delaware a few months ago. I have missed seeing them and being able to hug them. They are often the topic of conversations between Tex and me. We hope that they all are happy and doing well. We pray for them often.
Thursday evening, thanks to modern technology, we were able to Skype with Am1 and Mr. Handsome. "We" being Tex, Am2, Little Miss, Bruiser Charmer Boy and me. Well, actually, I don't think Bruiser did much chatting, but he did baby-babble through some portions of the conversations. Who knows; maybe he was imparting fascinating and wondrous secrets to his big cousin, Mr. Handsome.
It was SO wonderful to be able to see Am1 and Mr. Handsome's faces! It was the first time I had seen them since the left Texas, back in August.
Skype, thank you!
*~*~*~*~*
My 3rd Blessing for today regards my father.
As a clarifying reminder . . . whenever I speak of my parents I am specifically speaking of my adoptive parents; not my birth parents.
Dad was also my step-grandfather. I was 3 months old when he and my grandmother received custody of me, and it was about a year later when my adoption was finalized.
My memories of Dad during my childhood are a strange, eclectic mix. My mother (maternal grandmother) was alive for the first 10 years of my life. Alcoholism was rampant between the two of them. After she died, Dad went even deeper into the bottle.
As a teenager, he and I did not get along. While I didn't know it then, I was rebelling against the alcoholism that I had lived in all of my life. Some of the effects of such lifestyle from a tenderly-young age were not at all pretty.
In fact, one of my very earliest memories is of abuse. I grew up experiencing a variety of abuses; none of them, however, are really pertinent to today's post.
As negatively as I felt toward Dad throughout all those years, I also knew that he would never physically harm me. It's quite a paradox, I know; but nonetheless, it is the truth. I despised his drinking and the havoc it wreaked, but I also knew that he would never physically hurt me. For me, that was a rarity back then.
Dad died when I was in my mid 20's.
One of the biggest Blessings that I will be continually thankful for is that a year before he died, we were able to come to an understanding of each other and we were also able to forgive each other for all the junk we both had inflicted upon each other. I was able to tell him about my experiences that no child should ever have; so many secrets that he never knew about. And, he believed me; without question. That, in itself, is another Blessing that I deeply cherish.
That last year of Dad's life was such a tremendous Blessing. Forgiveness is a wonderful gift; both for the one being forgiven and also for the one doing the forgiving. With Dad and I, both of us were both forgiver and forgivee.
Today commemorates my father's birthday. He would be 91 years old if he were alive.
The man fought in 3 wars (WWII, Korea and Vietnam). He was a naval fighter pilot; and while it's not an excuse and while I very much believe in people taking personal responsibility for themselves, part of the alcoholsim that he inflicted upon himself was connected to how he militarily served his country. I know because as a teenager I often heard the alcohol-induced nightmares he would have regarding some of his experiences during those 3 wars. It's an ongoing reminder for me to always be genuinely thankful for the myriad sacrifices that our military personnel willingly give in order that they can serve and protect our country.
Lest I leave you with a lop-sided view of my dad, I'd like to close by saying that aside from the alcoholism, I also have some good memories our relationship with each other. Even with all the ick and yuck that we went through, I know that he genuinely loved me. That, in and of itself, is a treasure.
Here's to you, Dad.
All my love,
Sharmie
*~*~*~*~*
Thanks for reading, y'all!
May y'all each be abundantly blessed.
Friday, November 16, 2012
B16 - Perspective
Today I am so very thankful for perspective. Being able to to look at a situation, any situation, and think it through from all angles is a precious gift. Being able to do that through Our Lord's Wisdom and Guidance is even infinitely better.
Thanks for reading, y'all!
Be blessed,
Sharmie
*~*~*~*~*
How about y'all? What are you thankful for on this 16th day of 30 days of Thankfulness?
Thanks for reading, y'all!
Be blessed,
Sharmie
*~*~*~*~*
How about y'all? What are you thankful for on this 16th day of 30 days of Thankfulness?
Thursday, November 15, 2012
B15 - Tex!
 |
| On a business trip - and, of all places - Niagra Falls, Toronto Canada |
 |
| An unusual way to take a bath |
 |
| Playing catch with Mr. Handsome |
 |
| Building a train track with Little Miss |
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| Chilling with Bruiser Charmer Boy |
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| Cutting floor tiles for the master bathroom after the Flood of 2012 |
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| Washing his truck |
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| The nerve of him! |
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| Finally, he sleeps. |
Tex - my husband, my best friend, my Beloved.
So very many, numerous blessings wrapped up in one man.
Tex, I'm so thankful that Our Lord brought us together. I'm so thankful that you are my husband and I am your wife. I love you. Forever and For Always.
Sharmie
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Thanks for reading, y'all!
Be blessed.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
B14 - Trust & Friendship
I was all set to write about Tex today. I even had a few photos selected to share with y'all.
But, that particular blog post will need to be for another day.
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I received a phone call from a friend this afternoon, giving me an update on an aspect of her life. It's an aspect that needs to be covered in prayer. So, for those of y'all who do pray, please remember my friend and her situation. The specifics, of course, do not need to be published here in Swirlings - Our Lord will know who, what and why you are lifting up prayers.
It struck me in the middle of my conversation with my precious friend, how very blessed I am that people trust me.
Yeah; the timing of it was a bit narcissistic. There ya go.
But, still.
I do not take such trust lightly.
I want the people in my life to know that they can come to me and talk with me about anything. I want them to know that I will listen to the best of my ability; and hopefully, truly hear them. I want them to know that my prayers are with them. I want them to feel safe with me. I want them to know that I love them.
I count it as a huge blessing when this happens. I count it as an honor and a priviledge.
It truly is something for which I am deeply thankful.
Thanks for reading!
Y'all be blessed,
Sharmie
But, that particular blog post will need to be for another day.
*~*~*~*~*
I received a phone call from a friend this afternoon, giving me an update on an aspect of her life. It's an aspect that needs to be covered in prayer. So, for those of y'all who do pray, please remember my friend and her situation. The specifics, of course, do not need to be published here in Swirlings - Our Lord will know who, what and why you are lifting up prayers.
It struck me in the middle of my conversation with my precious friend, how very blessed I am that people trust me.
Yeah; the timing of it was a bit narcissistic. There ya go.
But, still.
I do not take such trust lightly.
I want the people in my life to know that they can come to me and talk with me about anything. I want them to know that I will listen to the best of my ability; and hopefully, truly hear them. I want them to know that my prayers are with them. I want them to feel safe with me. I want them to know that I love them.
I count it as a huge blessing when this happens. I count it as an honor and a priviledge.
It truly is something for which I am deeply thankful.
Thanks for reading!
Y'all be blessed,
Sharmie
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
B8, B9, B10 -and- B13
Last Wednesday, after Tex got home from work, the plan was that he was going to play chauffeur and take me to Am2's house for a few days.
That was the plan.
By Wednesday, I realized that I needed to stay home and get some sleep, so we delayed the trip until the next day.
By Wednesday, I realized that I needed to stay home and get some sleep, so we delayed the trip until the next day.
And. I'm very glad I did - I needed the extra time to decompress from the previous few days.
(BTW, our roof is done - YAY! The workers finished Thursday afternoon. They did a great job, too!)
*~*~*~*~*
So! Thursday afternoon, we packed up the truck. "We" being Tex. Not Tex and I. Just Tex. There ya go. Hey! I did all the packing; doesn't that count for something? And, just to let y'all know, I have not mastered the art of traveling light when going to spend a few days with Am2. Me - a minimalist - over-packing. Go figure.
We arrived just in time for a scrumptious pot roast dinner that Am2 had prepared . . . hey, do we know how to plan things or what?!
:)
After a few hours, Tex and I kissed each other goodbye, and he drove back home.
The next few days, I was able to hang out with Am2 and play grandma to Little Miss and Bruiser Charmer Boy. It was awesome; lots of baby snuggles and laughters and good conversation with Am2. And, even though I didn't get to spend a lot of time with MichiganBoy (work duties and such), it was nice to see him and share some time with him, as well.
Saturday was the Big Day! Even though Little Miss' birthday was yesterday, we celebrated it on Saturday. She had a Minnie Mouse-themed birthday party; and beforehand, kept reminding us that there was going to be a party. HER party. Ha!
Tex arrived, with his mother and a family friend. Even though it was only a few days that we had been apart, it was so good to see him. I always enjoy my visits with Am2 and entourage . . . and I always enjoy seeing Tex when he comes to take me back home.
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I knew I would probably not have much time to do any world-wide webbing while away from home last week . . . so I decided to delay posting last Thursday - Saturday's Blessings posts.
Today's post is a conglomerate of those 3 days.
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I love my family. My husband, our daughters, our sons-in-law and our grandkidlettes - along with our other family members that encompasses the total umbrella of Tex's family.
I mentioned it yesterday, but it bears repeating . . . I love, absolutely love, being a grandma to Mr. Handsome, Little Miss and Bruiser Charmer Boy; and I consider it a deep honor and priviledge to be allowed this opportunity. I also deeply love both of our daughters, Am1 and Am2. They often refer to me as their mother, in some form or fashion. I am truly humbled. Their own mother is still alive; and I never want to intrude upon or disrespect that. That both Am1 and Am2 are happy to have 2 mothers in their lives blesses me deeply.
Marrying Tex was so wonderful, in and of itself. I love that he is my husband and that I am his wife. I treasure our marriage and daily thank Our Lord for him and for our marriage.
And.
I didn't just "gain" a husband 2.5+ years ago, I received an entire family.
I didn't really have a family when I was growing up, so being so readily accepted as mom and grandma is a blessing that I'll probably never adequately be able to convey the tremendous impact it has had on my life. I love our daughters deeply. And, I truly don't think of them as my step-daughters; they are simply and fully daughters.
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Moving on to current time . . .
. . . Today is the inaugural of my 49th year on this merry-go round we call life.
I am so very thankful for my life; I am so thankful that Our Lord created me and gave me such life.
I often miss the mark, but my goal truly is to live my life in a manner that will bring Glory and Honor to Him and that will encourage and edify others.
So, here's to y'all! Thank you for being a part of my life.
And thanks for reading.
May Our Lord abundantly bless each of y'all,
Sharmie
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