Skills to Last a Lifetime

Here’s another one of my “back-in-the-day” posts. Please forgive my musings but I roll with what I believe are God’s bright ideas. This one came from my post yesterday when I mentioned the recipes I learned in Home Ec. A rush of memories flooded my mind. Those of us of a certain age (ahem) may remember a time period (or at least hearing about a time period) when high-school girls took home economics class, and high-school boys took shop. Men were going to grow up and work on their own cars or home repairs, while women would become homemakers and take care of their families. I must say that shop for my “high school” boyfriend and home ec for me served us well the rest of our married life.

I learned some great cooking techniques, recipes, table place-setting, measurements, basics of sewing, and washing and ironing techniques in those classes. Thankfully, for my young husband, I had a few “tools in my toolbox” that gave him some decent meals and awarded me the title of “World’s Best Cook” (love AND a hungry man may be blind). I could sew buttons on, hem slacks, take in some shirts, set a table with putting the silverware where it belonged and could wash clothes without turning everything pink. And, thankfully, for me, my young husband learned so many “tricks of the trade” that he became known as “Mr. Fix-it” man. He could repair any and everything.

If my granddaughter, Alexia, had been afforded the opportunity to have Home Ec classes, I don't think she would have taken them. She’s one of those “I’m going to marry a man that can cook!" But, I’m proud to say, “She loves to sew!” She finds inexpensive, second hand clothes and reworks them into some adorable outfits.” I bought her first sewing machine. I stopped sewing until my Alexia came along, and I picked up where I left off. I carefully made the christening gown pictured here and it represents the love I had and have for her when I see it displayed in their home. Most importantly, it represents the day that her Mom and Dad presented her to God and her church family, like Jesus was presented to God in the temple by His Mom and Dad.

Back to home ec and shop – those classes were a common part of our high school curriculum. Isn’t the whole purpose of school to provide children with life skills and knowledge that will benefit them….long term? I don’t know that I have used what I learned in chemistry, geometry and geography that much – but I sure appreciate what I learned in home economics and vocation office education (VOE). VOE was the in-school office training – filing, typing, shorthand, and general office skills – that opened the door for my first clerical job during my Senior year. I still use those skills today – even as I type this blog, do my monthly bookkeeping, filing and other administrative skills. Real life skills and knowledge. I’m truly grateful for what I learned in those classes. They have served me well.

And, as skillful as I became in doing life as a wife and mother in those early years, nothing prepared me for life more than my attentiveness to what I learned from God’s Word and women and men of faith. That training has equipped me for untold surprises, ups and downs of life, overcoming tremendous challenges and living in peace in the midst of some very tumultuous storms. I learned from faith-filled role models how to pray for my sick babies and stand on God’s promises for their lives and future. I became well-acquainted with being an encourager to my husband when he was down and even found the self-confidence to pray out loud for him, my babies and others. I learned those skills that still give me the bold courage to speak up and out for God as His devoted follower. But mostly, I am still in life skills training and daily I stay close to our Master Instructor Who seems to teach me something new each day about trusting, obeying, living in peace and joy, and most of all LOVE -- those skills that last a lifetime.

I Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda
You know those words: “I should have done that but", “I would have been been that but" or “I could have gone there but…..” Should -- Would -- Could are words I’ve determined to get out of my vocabulary this year because they represent the past and that past is behind me. Or they represent hesitation to move forward.

I posted that I chose the word “contentment” this year as my word of the year to focus on and maintain. But yesterday a new thought occurred to me: What word am I not going to choose this year? I’m going to take the “shoulds” off the table because I want to wake up each morning and have a true purpose in this new day. I want to take on projects and activities and be able to say “yes” to opportunities that open the door to new friendships and new adventures. That’s why I’m volunteering at Scottish Rite Hospital for Children where I meet precious children, families, co-volunteers, and medical personnel. In fact, I met a co-volunteer yesterday that inspired me with her energy and zeal. I could be saying, I shoulda volunteered, but instead, I’m saying “I’m sure glad I did.”

I’ve also signed up for a couple of “field trips” to historical places to visit here in the Dallas area. I remember a friend of mine coming to Dallas last year with a group and her describing the interesting places that I had never visited in my city and I thought -- “I should have gone to those places by now!” No more “shoulds”. I don’t know anyone going on these upcoming field trips, but I’m going to get out and about and meet new friends and make the most out of it.

I said “Yes” to being on an advisory group at my church. Instead of being a “shrinking violet” I’m going to use my skills and talents to hopefully benefit this group with my knowledge and training.

When we take the ‘shoulds’ off the table, we find out why we’re really waking up in the morning with a true purpose and intent on forgetting the past and making the most of each new day. Instead of saying I should do this. I should do that. I shouldn’t feel this way, I'm going to make statements like “I will do this. I will do that. I will not have those feelings.”

I thought “What can replace the ‘shoulds’ in my life?” It came to me that gratitude is what belongs in my heart and on my lips. For example, I took a nap the other day and when I woke up I thought “I should have finished inputting those records.” Then I came to myself and whispered, “Thank you, God, for that nap gift. I must have really needed it.” I got up and finished my work.

‘Should, would, could in my life are trickster and fibber words. I have decided that I won’t be speaking their names this year. Instead, I’m choosing, “I will, I can, I am”. I choose to live with no regrets because there isn’t a thing we can do about the past. We can lament a missed opportunity for years that can weigh down our hearts like a steel anchor. “If I had only…” has nothing to do with talent; it is simply the result of courage or procrastination.”

Those people – the shoulda coulda woulda folks – are not you and me. We are destined to leave an indelible mark on the world, as long as we have the will to make it happen. We’ll never know what we are truly capable of until we unleash our passion and give ourselves permission to go, do, be creators. I don’t know about you, but when I get to the end, I hope I’ll have more battle scars and fewer regrets. May we seize the day and never, never, ever be a shoulda, coulda, woulda.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

My Amazing Dance Partner Makes Every Day Memorable

Last night, was karaoke night on the cruise. I urged my Staci to sing, and she did -- blew the crowd away with her rendition of "My Heart Will Go On". She dedicated the song to me.....and of course the tears flowed, as, once again, I remembered when my sweetheart was her #1 cheerleader and coach. He relished hearing his girl sing, as I, but because he had been her coach for so many years, he loved seeing his protege, and his pride was beyond description. "Train up a child in the way he/she should go, and when he's/she's old they'll not depart from it." She continues to thrive in the abilities and skills her daddy taught her.

So here we are in Cozumel, Mexico! My sweet husband and I, our children and grandchildren were on a cruise 11 years ago (there were only 4 grandchildren then) where this Cozumel port was part of the itinerary. I remember that trip well. We enjoyed the beach together, Ryan & Shawntel went scuba diving, we watched a dolphin show and we ate at a great Mexican Food restaurant that had a wonderful band. Staci sang on stage, and my sweetheart and I danced together. Aw! Precious memories! This is the photo of that day on the left -- my Honey and I dancing -- and I still have the family picture of all of us from that day displayed in my home -- still today. Those precious memories are captured in print and in my memory bank.

We made even more memories today. We re-enacted our day from years ago, and, ventured out for, yet again, a great Mexican Food restaurant and my sweet son took the place of his daddy and danced with me (pictured on the right). My sweetheart lives on today in all of our hearts -- we sense His presence with us. How is that? Legacy doesn't die. A word, an experience, a memory, a location, an action, a story, a picture -- precious loved ones are still with us.

My sweetheart is dancing in heaven now, but today my sweet son took his place here. This vacation will soon end. These days will be simply sweet memories that I will carry with me. But the best news is EVERY DAY I have an amazing dance partner– my Father God, and He makes EVERY DAY memorable -- full of celebrations and joys and victories! Who could ask for anything better....or anything more? Most certainly -- not me!

Retirement -- Not a Word in my Vocabulary!

We all have treasures inside of us -- there's skills, talents and potential that God put there, and it's up to us to grow and develop them. If we don't, we'll find that "rocking chair" or "couch" -- "just switching channels on the remote control" -- becomes "that's all there is" to us. We will have stopped growing and when we do, we'll start dying to ambition, risk-taking, living life large, and refusing adventure and excitement. Did you know the wealthiest places on this earth are in cemeteries -- where there are businesses that were never founded, songs that were never sung, books that were never written, potential never realiized?

As for me (and, Judi Dench).... I'm going to keep learning new skills, reading books, taking internet courses, going to seminars, gleaning from mentors. I refuse to coast through life. I don't use the word "retirement" in my vocabulary. Retirement isn't a word found in the Bible (my source of inspiration and how to live life). However, we can read about re-firement many times over. And, that's me. I'm purposing to make the moments count -- I'm going to keep on KEEPING ON....I am going to LIVE and GROW ON PURPOSE....and help a lot of other folks GROW ON PURPOSE with me!!!