Seeing the good not the bad.

It is so easy in life to see the bad all the time. I mean all you have to do is switch on the computer and there it is or the TV. It just never ends. As a child you are sucked into almost not seeing much of the world disasters. From your work place you might see people losing their jobs, marriage break downs or hurting souls. Yet if for one moment we took the time to see the good I wonder how different the world would be. If we took a moment and in our fears we trusted someone or we saw the good in something and just made a huge do of that. I think the world would be a much better place. The ice a few weeks ago made a huge mess but it's beauty was amazing. I maybe divorced next week but I am thankful that I love Christmas because of the man I married.
It is not always easy seeing the good but it sure helps and feels better than seeing the bad.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Mum 101

The single mum is coming and the train whistle is a blowing. The train does not make a sleepy sound like the words in a song I use to sing as a child with my family. I have learnt parts to do with cars that I would rather not, and now medical insurance what a nightmare. WOW who came up with how that one works infact does anyone know how it works. Then there is the mortgage company it is like dealing with the Government themselves. Hey add the maths problems of 8th grade and finding a job. How do you make Mum sound cool in the industry of marketing yourself to get a career that might actually pay well. It's degree's, word, excel, publisher, access and accounting terminology. I mean give me a band aid, some tissues and a sketch book and hey I am up there with Microsoft Word. Now all of a sudden I am rethinking myself. Hey I am in my forties now better look it. Mum 101 have to look like I know what I am doing. The truth is Mum 101 is a thing I am learning as I go. I know more about cars than I did last year. I know how to use a cashier register and smile even when I want to say pack your groceries yourself thank you. So as I enter Mum 101 I would like to say to all Mum's give yourself a break your doing a great job you may not have a degree you may not know what access is but you sure know how to hug your child better than any living soul. You are amazing.
So find the hair brush and lipstick and smile you are doing a great job Mum.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

The writing on the wall.

If I look back at my marriage and many times in my life the old saying comes to mind the writing was on the wall. Last night I wrote this. When all is said and done who's writing is on the wall, a message about yourself, a loved one, or perhaps God wrote on your wall when you had no strength to write anything at all. I think this is true. Throughout the last three years at times I have felt zapped for strength and I think at those times he took the pen and wrote encouragement on my wall sending wonderful people my way. Like the poem footprints he carries us through those times. As the days tick to February 18th and my divorce date my heart is surely heavy and my tears just a bit more tearful I cry out to a God who I surely believe is writing on my wall a better tomorrow to come and who holds me tight. I am not saying it is easy trust me this has been the hardest road I have travelled and I would not wish it upon anyone. No one understands the intensity of it all then my brothers death was just huge. But I do believe that God takes his plume of a pen and writes with such wonderful skill our future.
I encourage you to imagine those wonderful old manuscripts to see the most wonderful beautiful things and see that that is how God see's you.
Here's to better days.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

A taste of college tears or am I getting old.

My older daughter Emily went on a retreat this weekend with our church. We marched in placing the bags and sleeping things down and getting info. I thought oh how in a few years this would be off to college she goes. Katie and I stood almost in tears. I thought wow am I getting old. Parents eagerly waited today as their very tired children marched out of the chapel.
Perhaps some children came back a little more appreciative of how blessed they are. I know when I have gone on a retreat to Ken Hessler I am so appreciative of life itself. It seams like burdens are lifted and life is just a little more easier to bear. I am getting older every day but as I get older I am glad to say my heart becomes more tender to cry a few more tears to reach out to others and just see life in a different way. Who knows what i will be like when my girls go to college a crying mess probably but very appreciative of them and for once able to understand the crying parents who stand there.
I wonder if God cries a few tears as we go through the college of life hoping that we come through better people. A crying Dad who at the end, no diploma is given but the words Well done my good and faithful servant. To me no earthly diploma can ever match that.
Here's to a wonderful week.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.

My daughter Katie has to go for surgery on Thursday. She has been amazing, about three years ago we found out that Katie had extra teeth. So she had them removed and after years there was no front teeth, so Katie had braces and a space was made for her front tooth nick named the Heffalump. This Thursday her front tooth will get the old heave ho your coming down. The specialist will put a tiny chain and start pulling that toothy down. She is amazingly brave and is an amazing young lady.
I wonder if God often feels like giving us the old heave ho your going to listen. Like Katie and her tooth so I have learnt often the hard way.
I use to laugh about the song all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth. However we all take things for granted and I have learnt that through my dear little girls teeth how I took the simple thing of having front teeth for granted. Perhaps in it all I have also seen how I took a lot more than just teeth for granted.
Thanks Brave Katie for making me see life just a little bit different
Here's to you your new two front teeth.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.

The Dash between birth to death.

I recently received a forward and to be honest a lot of times I do not like forwards. This one was very touching. It reminded me of a poem I read at school about the tomb of the unknown solider of how his life had counted. This story went on about how on a tombstone you see the date of birth and then a dash and then the date the person died. It went on to say how that dash was the memories that space in time where their life was made where only people who knew them could fill in that dash. How we often take for granted that dash in time. My brother Scott will have been dead five months tomorrow. No more dashes in time the number at the end has been written in books and sealed in time. Yet that dash in time will always be filled with memories for those who shared his life. I would imagine my blog can speak to many a soul. It spoke to me when all is said and done what will people say about my dash in time. Will I be remembered for making a differance for laughing at bubbles or for what. I guess it is true life is so fragile handle with care. Life is but a fragment in time. I know I took it all for granted until Scott died. I ask you to reflect on the moment in times and your dash what will it say about you. There doesn't have to be a tombstone my brother was cremated his life will have a dash always and I am glad that I shared in knowing him in that dash in time.

Please have a cup of tea with me today.

Little red lamp.

Yesterday I saw this little red lantern it really stopped me in my tracks. It is amazing how a little lamp could do that. It bought back so many memories. When I was young my dad would go around the antique stalls and places and find these old lamps we had loads of them. I remember my dad painting them dark red. I never cared for them to be honest as we had so many. I never thought of them been used in a coal mine and maybe my dad's dad using it as he worked in the coal mines of Dover and in Wales. As I saw this little red lamp it bought back memories I wondered if Scott had had any in his house or if my dad had had any of them. I did not ignore the lamp this time. My younger daughter merrily picked it up and paid a couple of dollars for it. It sits on the table in the lounge. Reminding me of the light it can bring in and memories of these old rusty lamps been made new.
It also reminded me of how God's light can shine forth and make a difference yet if we ignore it it is no different than the rusty lamp waiting for someone to find it. God takes us as rusty lamps and if we allow him allows the light to shine in and bring others home.
Thanks little red lamp for making me smile and bring the light into my day.
Please have a cup of tea with me today.