HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON...How Blessed We Are!

I have absolutely LOVED this Christmas season! There have been so many wonderful moments, and I have savored each one. They all go into my memory bank. Here are a few of the highlights of this blessed time in somewhat chronological order:

1) Going to the Nutcracker ballet with Jessi and Emma. We went out to lunch first and then the ballet! It was magical! Watching Emma watch the dancers and seeing her dance in the lobby after the ballet warmed my heart!

2) Going to Anna's Christmas concert and hearing her sing! What beautiful and angelic voices! This set the tone for me for the Christmas season!

3) Going to Seattle and seeing Grandma Elaine in person after her stroke
and singing songs to her including Jesus Loves Me! Making that trip with Amy and Jenna helped me to remember that the Christmas season is about giving and it is about loving family!

4) Having time in Seattle at the hospital to connect with Steve and Joanna and really share our faith! Getting to have quality time with them was a real blessing!

5) Talking to Bazz (Tim's sister) on the phone when she was at the hospital with Mom. I love her so much...always have and always will!

4) Finding special Christmas "buckets" at Safeway and loading them with special presents for my family and delivering them to neighbors! Finding "just the right gift" for people delights me, and then stuffing the buckets with tissue paper and those Christmas goodies is so much FUN! We have a blazing fire in the fireplace, drink hot cider, and listen to Christmas music during this process!

5) Drawing my own Christmas card and personalizing each one with glitter! Having the time to be creative and do art is a gift to my heart!

6) Reading Christmas cards and letters from friends and family and re-connecting with them!
I know some people want to give up the tradition of sending Christmas cards, but it's a ritual that has great meaning for our family!

7) Meeting my goal (plus one) of losing thirty pounds by Christmas! WOW! This was a huge gift to myself and those I love! I came into this Christmas "lighter" in spirit and pounds!

8) Having dinner at Clinkerdaggers with my special friend Sharon Hartnett! (I go every year on a spiritual retreat to Cannon Beach with Sharon) Clinkerdaggers is dressed up for Christmas like no other restaurant I know! Sharon and I split a dinner and had a great time sharing and catching up!

9) Doing special wrappings and decorations on Christmas presents! This year I went wild with glitter, ornaments, bows, and glittery pine cones! My grandpa (My Dad's Dad) once told me that the present really starts with wrapping it in a way that someone gets a visual gift even before they open it! I even made glittery snowflakes on bags at 2am Christmas morning! How fun!

10) Sewing a special Christmas stocking for precious baby Jenna...see picture above! :)
This is a tradition started by my Mom, Nana Dee!

11) Going to the most meaningful Christmas service at our church and really pondering and celebrating what the birth of Jesus really means today! The gospel music rocked my soul and the contemporary Christmas play was amazing!

12) Christmas morning with Jessi, Rog and Emma and seeing Emma's face totally light up with her presents! Finding special ballet goodies for Emma made my day! Boppa also gave Emma some special rocks for her rock collection. These rocks had been collected by Boppa's Daddy! Emma looked at each one and shared about the rocks in her collection! What a special time!

13) Celebrating Christmas with Amy, Ryan, Jacob, Jenna, Zac, and Kayla at the Coeur d'Alene
Resort where we went swimming, hot tubbing, took saunas and some of us had massages! What a treat! We all loved the chance to be together and how fun to not do the cooking or clean up! We all had a mini-vacation! Bert and I had an extra day there so we had some fun couples time too!

14) Having relaxed time to spend with my sweet hubby where we could watch movies, talk, and take walks in the snow! Bert and I LOVE to spend time together. Seeing movies and discussing them is so much fun for us! We still, after all these years, love "date nights"!

15) Seeing the amazing movie Grampa Tim made about Jenna! What a treasure! I've already watched the DVD three times, and I cry each time! What a HUGE amount of love and work went into this gift!

16) Receiving special presents like the family calendar, a "Nana's Brag Book", family photos, and amazing digital photos in a frame that changed and moved! These thoughtful gifts really touched my heart!

17) Knowing in my heart of hearts...that nothing compares to loving Jesus...and that He is the reason for the season! While all of the fun and activities were a blast...even more important to me is keeping my eye on the gift of Jesus during Christmas time!

My prayer is that this has been a time of fun, joy, celebration and gratitude for you as well! Thank you for the gift you are in my life!
God Bless! Love and hugs to all who read this! Love Linda

MEETING THE CHRISTMAS GOAL....Thirty One Pounds Bite The Dust!

Gifts comes in all shapes and sizes! This gift was a gift to myself and a gift to those I love!

I set a Weight Watcher goal of losing thirty pounds by Christmas...and I actually lost thirty one pounds!

The journey of a healthy lifestyle continues...weight loss, exercise, and drinking lots of water! New goals will be set for 2008! I am excited to see the new results!

But for the moment...I am thrilled to keep this promise to myself!

A HUGE thanks to those who have supported me... especially Bert, Amy, Jessi, Kayla, Jacob, Kim and Tiffany, the members of my weight watcher group, and the students in my 8:30 Interpersonal Communication class!

God Bless! Love and Hugs to all who read this!
Love Linda

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

At this blessed Christmas time...Bert and I want to send you our love and Best Wishes for a wonderful Christmas and a New Year filled with love, joy, fun, challenges, faith and hope!

Here's our family's Christmas card! Some of you will get this in person...for others we send it to you with love!

God Bless and love to all who read this! Linda and Bert

PASS THE CHEER!...and then in a twinkling I heard in the driveway! :)

'Tis the season to do wonderful things for others and surprise them with your anonomous generosity!

At 6:10 am this morning, after my walk in the snow, I went out to get the Sunday paper.
There was a man with a hand-held snow shovel shoveling our driveway.

At first I didn't recognize him so I said "Good Morning!"
He looked up with a huge grin...and guess who it was....???

Our Pastor, Pastor Lonnie Mitchell :) :)

Our busy, busy Pastor, on a church morning, was shoveling our driveway, by hand.
Our driveway...I still can't get over it!

What an act of kindness! He reminds me of how Jesus would act and how Jesus would give.

I am so, so touched by his kindness! We'll see him in church in just a few hours, but until then I can't wait until Bert wakes up to tell him who our secret snow shoveler was!!!
Tee Hee!

God Bless! Hugs and loves to all who read this! Love Linda

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES..."Nana, are you on the naughty or nice list?"

Children say the darndest things. And often what they say is so pure, so straight-forward, so honest, so to the point of it all... that it knocks my socks off.

Christmas brings up lots of discussions with grandchildren at our house. Jacob came over for a playdate and to spend the night. He was shocked to see our dining room table brimming with Christmas cards, personalized ornaments, and glitter. At first he closed his eyes and wanted to be sure if it was OK if he looked. I assured him it was. He then found a corner of the table to do an art project on. And that's when the conversation began.

"Nana", he said. "Yes honey" I said.

"Do you think you'll be on the naughty or nice list?"

We had been singing the Christmas song about :

"You better watch out, you better not cry. You better not pout, I'm telling you why" ...
"He's making a list and checking it twice. He's going to find out who's naughty or nice."

I told him, although suddenly not quite sure about it really, that I hoped I would be on the nice list.

He said he hoped he would be too, but he had really been thinking about it alot lately.

[Side note here...being a Nana and really hearing what my Grandchildren think, feel and believe is a sacred honor to me! These are golden moments, memory makers for me. I adore seeing who my sweet grandbabies REALLY are.]

Jacob then proceeded to tell me that he was really working on being nicer to everyone, even the "mean people".

I asked him what the "mean people" do and he said, "They hurt others because they are really sad inside because they don't have love in their hearts. Maybe if we are nice to them they'll be happier."

OK...I was speechless.

The end of a year is always an opportunity for self-reflection. It's an opportunity to set up new goals for 2008. Jacob's talk with me really opened my heart and started me thinking. How nice have I been to some of the "mean people" in my life? Oh, not that they set out to be mean. Maybe, they are just cross, or grumpy, or distant, or don't call any more. Maybe they are too hurt to do any of those things so I need to swallow my pride and call them...again? Maybe their tanks aren't full or they need more love? Maybe, just maybe, I am on someone's "mean people" list??

I want to step out of my comfort zone, even with the folks who may not respond positively.
How I am, and how I want to be, has nothing to do with how they behave.

Jesus is my role model for that. He was nice and kind even when people were really mean.

So thanks, Jacob, for the Christmas gift...a perfect reminder. Am I on the nice list or naughty list?

It's up to me!

God Bless! Love and hugs to all who read this! Linda

ANOTHER POUND BITES THE DUST...For A Total of 28!

The Christmas season is full of temptations, but I am keeping track of my points and saving the temptations for something special...when I have EARNED them!

This past week has been full of arts and crafting, so much of my attention has been diverted from food! My goal is to keep losing a pound a week during the holiday season! I'm also eating lots of vegetables and drinking water.

Blessings, hugs and loves to all who read this! Love Linda

"THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS"...Drawing My Own Christmas Card :)

One of my "sanity savers" is to sit down and draw! It captivates my soul, my sense of color and dimension, and my love of fine small details! I get lost in drawing! It's like reading the best book and looking up to discover that three hours have passed.

I started drawing when I was quite young. I took a number of art classes in Seattle, but I am mostly self-taught! My favorite kind of art to engage in is water color pencil drawing, collage with fine transparent papers, and pen and ink drawing!

I made Memory Books for both Jessi and Amy..."Letters From Your Mom-What I Want You To Know When I Am Gone" and I included some of my art. I also have a tradition of drawing my own Christmas cards.

Someone recently asked me what that process was like. So here's a view inside this artist's head:

First, I search and search for an inspiration piece, something that jogs my ideas anf gets my creative juices flowing. One year I found my inspiration on a card, another year in a painting in a window in Levinworth Washington, on a piece of fabric, a cookie box, and this year in an art piece in a book.

Next, I get artist's paper and begin to sketch in pencil. This often takes several days to a week of work. Getting the size and dimensions to "fit" on a small piece of paper is often difficult. My biggest problem areas are eyes and smiles. Last year I must have re-done Santa's eyes ten times.

After sketching everything in pencil, and if you look closely at my letters and drawings you can still see some of the pencil marks, I set out with paint pens, watercolor pencils. white out for mistakes and take over our dining table as the process unfolds.

This year, as always, Bert was a part of the whole process. His encouragement and comments.. "Wow, that's coming right along!"... are so helpful. You should see our dining room...paper and pens, glitter and envelopes...EVERYWHERE! The painting process often takes several 6-8 hour days to complete.

I then take the painted original to Kinkos and they color copy the original. I usually make 40 cards. However, the process is far from over.

The next step is to personalize each card with gold paint (for Santa's buckle. sleigh rails, bells etc) and lots and lots of glitter! My grandaughter , Emma, is my inspiration for that! Like her Nana, she loves sparkles and glitter. Her card is always so glittered that you can hardly see the drawing:) ...Clear glitter for Santa's beard, gold glitter for the elves boots, Santa's buckle. green glitter...well the list goes on and on. Needless to say, our carpet sparkles.

I dry all the cards by our fireplace, punch holes in the card and attached letter, and tie each one with ribbon. I then write a short personalized note, decorate the envelope, and send the card on its way.

The whole process usually takes several weeks and often the ideas percolate for several months. I often take the saying for the card from old Christmas songs. Last year I had Santa checking his list and said, "He's making a list and checking it twice" and I had all the names of my grandchildren on the list! What a hoot!

I already have an idea for next year and wish there was time to get started right now!

These cards are a gift of love from me to my family, a Christmas tradition. Making the cards is is a gift to my soul.

Over the years, to see all the fine, detailed work, I have graduated to wearing glasses during the process...just like St. Nick. I'll unveil this card on my blog after I send it out to family and friends!

Tee Hee! What fun!
Love and Christmas kisses! God bless! Love, Linda

LIFE LESSONS...I Miss My Mom!

Yesterday I was at Safeway for my early morning espresso. Now "early morning" is relative because when school is in session I am there at 5:30 am, like clockwork! I know the night crew by name and Paul greets me as I come in the door. Not many regular customers at that hour.

But this was different. As my Mom used to say, and I LOVE this phrase, I was " Lolly Gagging Along" and I got there at 7am. Who did I meet but my former student Theresa Waco. Theresa was my student 15 years ago at SCC, and she is currently a special-ed teacher at Hamblin Elementary School. She is a former nun, former teacher at Mt. St. Michael, and her life story could be a made-for-TV movie. She is one of the many "could never forget them" students that I have had over the years. I was invited to her last birthday party, had coffee with her after her mother died recently, and I bump into her at Fred Meyers and Safeway regularly. We light up when we see each other.

My conversations with Theresa are never surface level. We always get down to it , as if this was the last time we will ever see each other. She, like most dedicated teachers at this time of the year is exhausted. She was carrying an "energy drink" that promised 4 hours of energy. She needed much more and days of sleep. We talked about Christmas and her upcoming holiday. We talked about missing our Moms.

Theresa mentioned that one of her sisters was putting together a family calendar with pictures and "Mom Sayings" from each of the kids. A few of the questions to they were to answer that would go on the calendar?...what was one phrase that Mom always said to you? What was the happiest memory you had with Mom? What was your earliest memory with Mom? If you could talk to Mom today, what would you say to her?

There just are not words, not any words, that can possibly convey what it feels like in my heart and soul to have my Mom gone physically, to have her dead, to not be able to hear her voice or listen to her wisdom. I can't stop crying, even now years later, when I think about it. After Theresa and I talked and I got in the car...a deep, deep sob came from somewhere inside me.
Truth is...I miss my Mom terribly! I miss her every day, I miss her when I am sick, I miss her at the holidays and on her birthday and anniversary...I miss her all the time.

Now you might assume from all that missing that I had a perfect relationship with my Mom. I didn't. She wasn't perfect and neither was I. For the last several years of her life she was very ill, and I traveled to Seattle every other weekend to help with her care. I coordinated all of her health care and kept track of all her insurance. She was often furious at me that I refused to buy her cigaretes and unhappy when I gave her the nubulizer treatments that helped her to breathe. I remember, deep in my bone marrow, the sounds of the oxygen machine that kept her alive at night. I slept in the spare bedroom right next door to where she was and could hear every gasp of air that she took. My life was uprooted during that time...a life lived partially in Spokane and partially in Seattle. Yet I wouldn't trade a minute of that "give back time" that I had with her. Not one minute.

You see while my Mom and I were very different in many ways, she was a detail person whose home was always in perfect order and I was and am someone where time with people means more to me than a clean house, I really had a Mom who loved me every minute. I had a "go to the ends of the earth for you kind of mom" every minute that she was alive. I had a Mom who loved me with every cell of her body and that didn't change when I left home. I had a Mom that could irritate me like no one else, but at the same time could love me like no one else. I had a Mom. Had a Mom.

I am currently reading Mitch Albom's book "for one more day". Mitch is the author of "Tuesdays With Morrie", one of my all-time favorite reads. In his latest novel Albom explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one? This book, which for me is a 5 kleenex book, explores several life lessons that hit me in the face right now.

When you look back, and it is all said and done, will you be overwhemed with regret that you held on to bitterness and didn't do forgiveness? What happens to our spirits and our hearts when we refuse to see the good in others who are right beside us, our mothers, our sisters, our fathers, our brothers, our children, our spouses, our co-workers? What happens to our souls when we make someone "wrong" and can't let go of decisions they needed to make for themselves? What happens to us when we are too angry, too proud, too self-righteous, or too hurt, to reach out to others and say "I am so, so sorry. I must have really hurt you!"

Someone once said to me, "Treat everyone as if they have a broken heart...because they probably do!" Wise words. When you get that lesson, and see others differently, perhaps we can live life with more compassion and more real love.

If I could have one more day with anyone, it would be my mom. I would tell her how much I miss her and what a WONDERFUL Mom and friend she was to me. I would tell her I am so, so sorry for any of the petty differences I let come between us. I would tell her I am so proud to be her daughter, her friend. I would tell her that I will never, ever forget all of the sacrifices she made so I could go to college, all of the times she drove me to school, all of the sleep overs she had at my house, all the lunches we had that I took for granted. Now, when I see other daughters my age having lunch with their elderly Moms...I want to go over and whisper in the daughter's ear..."Soak it up, appreciate it all...she may be gone tomorrow!" I would give anything, and change any busy schedule, to have lunch one more time with my Mom.

I would tell her that I haven't been a perfect Mom either, but I have tried, really tried with all of my heart, to have Jessi and Amy feel as loved by me as I felt loved by her. I would tell her that I could feel her presence at the Nutcracker Ballet and wished she was there. I would tell her what Jenna, and Jacob, and Emma are like...knowing how happy that would make her.

So the life lesson for me today is this. ..Don't take those you love for granted. You will discover, when they are gone, how many opportunities you missed...by being angry, or hurt, or distant...to tell them that you really love them.

Trust me, that when they are gone, you will regret every wasted moment...and you will miss them beyond what you could ever imagine.

God Bless! Love and Hugs to all who read this! Love Linda

SLOWLY BUT SURELY...Weight Watcher Weigh In!

Wow what a week it has been...full of emotional ups and downs...a real roller coaster of sorts.

Not only did I grade final exams and notebooks, I did final grades! It's like running a marathon...you are exhausted and yet satisfied at the end. :) On top of all of that, our precious Grandma Elaine had another serious stroke and ended up in the ICU. And then there are Christmas preparations...which I love doing!

I always draw our Christmas card and doing that has been a sanity saver for me!

It was hard to keep any focus at all on Weight Watchers. Yet the habits I am getting in place are doing the job, stress or no stress.

I lost another pound for a total of 27 pounds!

My goal is 30 pounds by Christmas. I will be very happy, however, if I continue at the one pound loss per week during the Holidays!

This weekend (Saturday morning) Amy, Jenna and I are headed to see Grandma Elaine at the hospital! Jessi and Tim were just over there, and I am anxious to give some special loves to this dear lady!

May the true spirit of Christmas live in your heart! God Bless! Love and hugs to all who read this! Love Linda

Oh How I Love Her - Thoughts About Grandma Elaine!

Usually God gives you one Mom. I was blessed to get two. ..

my own Mom, Dolores McColm and Tim's Mom, Elaine Seppa!

Elaine has been a second Mom to me, my faith mentor, my friend, my mother-in-law, Grandma to Jessi and Amy, and a beloved family member! She has been a pillar in my life for 43 years!

I saw Elaine not long ago in Seattle when Amy, Jenna, and I went there for a Women of Faith Conference. We went a day early so we could see Gandma Elaine and she could meet Jenna!

It was a wonderful visit, and we also got to see Kathy (aka Bazz) and Diane Seppa too! We laughed, cried, talked about God, and embraced each other as friends, family members and faith sisters. It is a visit I will never forget.

Awhile back Elaine suffered a stroke and came back after much physical therapy and hard work.

This last weekend she suffered another very serious stroke and is in the hospital. My heart aches because I can't imagine my world without her.

But what I know for sure is that Grandma Elaine is right with God and she is ready to be with Jesus whenever it's her time to go. She is right with those she loves. Jesus has been the pillar for her whole life, and He is the pillar for her right now!

She is in my prayers as so many memories of her flash through my mind and heart! She left me a voicemail just this last week. She said, in her soft, sweet voice..."Hi Honey! This is Mom!"

And she is.....

God Bless! Love and hugs to all who read this! Love, Linda

AN EMOTIONAL DAY ... and the WEIGHT WATCHER WEIGH IN!

Yesterday was an amazing and emotional day for me on many levels! It is finals week and my last day with 92 students. I had been grading non-stop for four days and had only had four hours of sleep in the past two nights. I'd been at school until 9:30 pm Wednesday as I read final projects that reflected the souls, hearts, and minds of my students.

I am SO proud of my students for the amazing, college level work they did. I have pushed them hard all quarter...let's turn up the dial and do more and do it better! I upped the expectations, and they came through!

It's excruciating to have them all leave at once, hear from each of them what they learned, and see the changes they have made in just twelve weeks. I cried while they talked, and I cried while I talked to them, saying goodbye. I copied off one of my favorite sayings for each of them and brought each one a flower.

There is still more grading to do and final grades to do, but this is just how yesterday went.

This is a job I have loved for forty years and I am so, so honored to be their teacher! They are SO courageous and such fine people. I still can't stop crying when I read their cards and notes!

After leaving my students, and THREE class potlucks in a row where I only had carrots and celery, I went directly to my Weight Watchers meeting and weigh in.

I lost 1.4 pounds for a total of 26 pounds! I am over the 25 pound mark. I went up, got a magnet, and have been letting that sink in ever since.

I have adored my life...every day, all the time. I have adored the ups and downs and the great learnings.

However, I have NOT adored being overweight the last few years. I have NOT adored the "lose 15 pounds, gain it back" cycle. I have NOT adored buying clothes of larger sizes. I have NOT adored looking in the mirror. I had quit weighing myself, I just didn't want to know. I had somehow resigned myself into thinking that this is how my life was going to be.

And then Amy invited and gently pushed for me to go to Weight Watchers and this journey began. Every day is hard work, not just in what I eat, but how I "use" food. Is food a comforter, a friend, an answer to hurt and stress? Or is food just food...fun, tasty, and what I need to eat when I am hungry.

The journey to heath and weight loss is a lifestyle change that is physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. I have always taken on tough goals and have often gone after them with great effort and stamina. Now I am doing that for my health!

I will lose 4 more pounds by Christmas. I will continue to make tough choices. I will NOT take the easy way out or make excuses! I will not lie to myself that things are OK with my weight when they are not. There will be weeks where I may gain weight or maintain my weight, but I will not let those weeks stop me from doing what I said I would do.

I will allow myself to be proud of me for the enormous effort I have put into this!

I know God loves me and His love and strength have held me up in this process. I know my husband loves and adores me. He is so proud of me and delighted as I get clothes of a smaller size or wear clothes I couldn't get into any more. I know my family and friends love me and stand beside me as I work to do this. I know they want me to stay on the planet and be healthy.

I know I love me and that I am worth doing this for!

So...yesterday was an emotional day, a very emotional day...it still reverberates through my soul! 92 goodbyes and goodbye to 1.4 more pounds!

Hugs and loves to all who read this! God Bless! Linda

OH...OH... TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY!!!

I LOVE just about EVERYTHING about Christmas!! For me this is how we should live life every day of the year...full out...full on...full of joy, celebration and love!!

One of my favorite Christmas one liners comes from the book and movie "The Christmas Carole" by Charles Dickens. This story, about Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchet, Tiny Tim and his family, tells a Christmas story, yet a story that rings true during the whole year.

Ebenezer is a "Bah Humbug" kind of skin flint who is self centered. His employee, Bob Cratchet, is as poor as a church mouse, works himself to death for his family, and yet is still kind and nice. Tiny Tim, who is crippled, is the "Spirit of Christmas". Tiny Tim has very little, yet he is grateful for it all.

It takes really looking back, and seeing the error of his ways, for Ebenezer to "get" what his horrible attitude and selfishness have done to others. The "ghosts" of Christmas past, present, and future give this grumpy old man, who only sees things from HIS point of view, an up close and personal vision of the heartache he has caused.

In true Christmas story fashion, thank heavens, Ebenezer opens his heart and makes profound changes in being generous...not just financially but in loving people just as they are and empathizing with them.

Why bring up this story? What do I have to learn from ALL the characters in the story Dickens crafted with such insight and wisdom? Why has this story endured over time?

I am ALL the characters in "The Christmas Carole". I am the person who doesn't get it, who only sees their side of things. I can find it difficult to "re-frame" what I see going on around me.
Instead of celebrating someone who presents healthy boundaries that work for them, I can take it personally and be mad that they didn't do what I wanted. Yet, if the tables are turned and I want to put out boundaries, I want them to respond with respect for my needs. Yikes, sometimes I have to give myself a stern talking to.

I can also be Bob Cratchet who loves and adores his family and works and works to help them.
I can lose the meaning of Christmas in trying to get it all done.

And I can be Tiny Tim who really gets how life should be lived!

Speaking of Tiny Tim, that one liner I mentioned earlier came from him. Tiny Tim says:

If you look
If you really look
You will find goodness
Everywhere.

This Christmas season I am going to be more like Tiny Tim. I want to celebrate the goodness, set aside the differences, appreciate the best in those I love (afterall...what if they were gone tomorrow?), set aside petty complaints and let the true JOY of Christmas fill my heart!

I am getting ready to celebrate the birthday of Jesus...and He deserves an attitude of gratitude, comfort, and joy!

May you find the Tiny Tim in you this Christmas season!
God Bless! Love and hugs! Linda

WEIGHT WATCHER WEIGH IN: Another 3.6 Pounds Bite the Dust

After several weeks of being sick and Thanksgiving (which fell on my Weight Watcher Meeting day)...it felt GREAT yesterday to be back at Weight Watchers, weigh in officially, and attend the meeting. :)

I've lost another 3.6 pounds for a total of 24.6 pounds! I am making steady progress and I am pleased that the hard work (and I do mean hard work) is paying off!

At our meeting we developed a "Strategy for the Holidays!" Pre-planning makes a big difference as I go into a busy time with lots of social activities...most of which involve food!

My plan...lose five more pounds by Christmas eve, drink LOTS of water, up my exercise program, email my daily point totals to Amy so I am accountable on a daily basis, attend every weekly meeting, and remember to really enjoy my time and all the festivities!

I am not on a diet, I am doing a "lifestyle change!"

I feel GREAT physically, and even with the exhaustion of final exams and grading I am staying focused on my short term and long term goals!

Hope you are well too! God Bless and love and hugs to all who read this! Linda

I LOVE MY LIFE...and the special people in it! :)

I love one liners...and my new favorite quote is:

" To have character is to be big enough to take life on!"
- Mary Caroline Richards

My life is so full, and I am incredibly grateful for all of it! I am TAKING LIFE ON...
but I'm not doing that alone!

This week I have had a deep and profound sense of gratitude for the gift of the special people in my life. I am blessed by their mere presence, a gift from God, and a daily blessing!

Here are just a few of my angels:

1)Yesterday I got an email from Jacob and I smiled and giggled about it for more than one hour!
He has put several posts on my blog and they warm my heart! :) His love for me runs so, so deep as does my love for him! He lights up my life!Thank you Jacob! You are such a blessing in my life!

2) Yesterday I also got a phone call from Emma. She is "SO ESCITED!!!" because she heard the Nutcracker music on the radio and knows that we will be going to the Nutcracker ballet together! The lilt and enthusiasm in her voice made my day! Her enthusiasm about everything rocks my world! Thank you Emma for being such a blessing in my life!

3)Bert is always so kind and attentive, even more so during this finals time!. Tomorrow he is coming to share his wisdom in my classes! After 25 years, I still adore that man! Thank you Boppa for being such a blessing in my life!

4) Amy and I talked yesterday and today will weigh in together at Weight Watchers! Her support and encouragement have helped to fuel my journey of getting healthy! I appreciate her wisdom about life, her open heart, her gifts as a Mom, and her unconditional love for me! She includes me in her life and teaches me constantly about what it means to be a "Yes Woman For The Lord!" Her faith inspires me! Thank you Aim for being such a blessing in my life!

5) Jessi and I talked yesterday and are meeting for coffee on Friday afternoon. Her support, cards, and information about being healthy have helped me in my journey to take charge of my health and wellness! Our phone conversation yesterday centered on the personal growth we are both experiencing and the "life lessons" that are at our door! Those talks warm my heart! I love knowing who you really are and sharing in your life! Thank you Jess Jess for being such a blessing in my life!

6) Kayla is so special and makes such an effort to post comments on my blog! Her love and support mean so, so much to me! I love it when Kayla and I share "Nana and KK Time!" Thanks Sis for all of your love, your desire to spend time with me means the world to me! Thanks too for caring enough to post your thoughts and feelings on my blog! Thank you for being such a special blessing in my life!

7) And I just can't leave out the cutest, most adorable baby girl on the planet...Jenna Marie Farrell! EVERYTHING Jenna does is SO adorable! She is a super stress reducer for her Nana, a gift from God and a reminder that He answers prayers. Her giggle and smile make me know that "All Is Well" in the world! I love her to the moon and back. This GG (God's Girl) is a HUGE blessing for me! Jenna- I love you and feel so grateful for the blessing you are in my life!

There are so many others who are a blessing....those of you who read this blog and comment on it make my day (special thanks to Amy, Jessi, Kayla, Jacob, Lorie, Kim, Tiffany...and others who have done that in the past). I always look forward to your support! You bless my life more than you could know!

So to family members, special friends, students, special colleagues, the gals at Starbucks who even gave me an early espresso so I could get to school early....you are ALL a blessings....
and I AM SO GRATEFUL!!

God bless! Hugs and loves to all who read this! Linda

THE PUSH IS ON...Nine Class Days Left To Go and Then Grading!

I have to chuckle to myself! I have been a teacher for forty years, thirty one of those at The Community Colleges of Spokane. You would think I would be conditioned to the flurry, hurry and push at the end of the quarter. Truth be told...I am always shocked at how long the hours are, how tired everyone is, and how rewarding it is to see students push through to the end.

There are nine total class days left....then finals...then grading finals... and submitting grades. I am in the "super-plan mode" for each day. And there may be a snow storm tomorrow. Yikes!

What I know for sure is that we will finish snow or no snow. We will do what has to be done. And then, in an instant, it will be over and all 93 students will, for the most part, be gone.

The entire process is a miracle full of challenges, love, care, hard work, talking, listening, complaining, doubting, believing. It is like orchestrating a symphony with the ultimate goal being each musician's ability to find their own instrument and play it beautifully...all by themselves.

I am blessed to be a teacher. I am called to be a teacher!

I would NEVER trade the hard work for any other job. I will miss each of my students, and I am SO proud of them!

God Bless! Love and Hugs! Linda

MY REAL LESSON ABOUT GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING!!

Our home is located near a church which has one of those message signs you can see from the road...not a fancy sign mind you, but the kind you put up word-by-word and letter-by-letter!
I glanced at that sign yesterday and saw it with new eyes!

Granted, I have been quite sick for the past week (and that is relative to what REALLY sick looks like), so perhaps I missed it as I drove by. Another possibility is that I read it and somehow just missed the enormity of the message. In any case, this time I stopped, read it, and re-read it as tears flowed down my cheeks.

The sign said this:
God, thank You for everything.

Sound simple? Just an average message? Not in my book.

While I consider myself to live a life of gratitude, there is no way I can even begin to calculate the enormity of the blessings I have...and I have those blessings every day. Am I truly grateful for them all, not even close. Do I thank God every day for the roof over my head, the food I have to eat, my wonderful husband and fabulous family, the 2 fabulous jobs I love, for all of the people who bless my life, for the smiles that come my way, for every student who graces my classroom?...or am I more caught up in the mundane "Here's What I Have To Do To Make It Happen Today!" mentality?

If I'm honest, there's no contest. I take for granted so many of life's blessings and forget to thank my Creator for making me and blessing my life.

And if I forget to thank Him for the multitude of blessings, I certainly miss out on thanking Him for the trials, disappointments, frustrations, and hard spots.

There is no way I can even begin to calculate the important gifts and life lessons I've received through the very difficult parts of my life. Each one is a gift, but I often forget to say thank you for those too.

I learned a HUGE life lesson this week about the REAL meaning of Thanksgiving and that lesson will stay with me for the rest of my life.

One of my very special students moved to Spokane to start a new life. He is someone who walks into my class and with a HUGE smile greets everyone. His smile lights up our room. He is someone who is honest, smart, authentic, and such a HARD WORKER. He even does all of his homework (yes, any one reading this who is a teacher will smile at that one) :) Every assignment is done with careful penmanship.

He LOVES school and feels so grateful to get to go. School, and having a new start in life, means everything to him. As he leaves class every day, he turns and says..."God Bless You!" to all of us.

My tears are falling as I write this...because this week I discovered, quite by chance, that he is homeless. He lives in his car, showers at our gym, and hadn't eaten since last Friday. That's right, LAST Friday! I found out all of this yesterday...Monday...and he hadn't eaten since last Friday.

I cannot bear that this lovely young man does not have a home. Needless to say, Bert and I went into high gear to set this straight, to get him help, to tell him he was MY student and I would NOT allow this to happen to him. Not on my watch!

But the point of this story is simple...while he was homeless, living out of his car, and not eating since Friday...he was grateful for EVERYTHING!

When I talked to him he said, "God's with me right there in that car so I am never alone!"
Tears streamed down his face as I got him breakfast. He kept saying. "You're so kind. There are others who need this more than I do."

Where oh where has MY gratitude REALLY been?

So as Thanksgiving approaches...this wonderful, young, African American man, who showers at the gym at SCC and lives in a car, is my angel. He has taught me in a way that nothing else can...God, thank you for EVERYTHING!

I am blessed beyond measure and he is one of my blessings! So are you!

Love and HUGS to all who read this! God Bless! Happy Thanksgiving!
Love Linda

Weight Watchers Works...Another Pound Bites the Dust!

When I first started Weight Watchers we were asked to send ourselves a post card. It would arrive before Thanksgiving. On it we were to put what our weight loss goal was by that holiday!

My postcard arrived yesterday and it said, "By Thanksgiving I want to lose at least ten pounds."

Well, Thanksgiving is almost here and another week has passed. I've lost another pound for a total of 22 pounds. I feel pleased that I am ahead of schedule. :)

I've been sick the latter part of this week, so not much appetite. I even had to take a sick leave day from school because I had a fever and absolutely NO voice...so food hasn't been a huge priority. But I have managed to stay on the program...sick or not.

I have a plan for Thanksgiving, in fact for the holiday season. I plan to stay focused, set reasonable goals, enjoy the food I eat, drink lots of water, and walk and exercise regularly.

My goal is to lose 5 more pounds by Christmas.

Love and hugs to all who read this! God Bless! Love Linda

ANOTHER CAREER?...Want To Manage Stress? Do What Makes You Happy!

I used to marvel at my Mom's love of decorating! Growing up, as the holidays approached, I would see tasteful and artistic decorations slowly transform our home into a fairyland of delight! I remember putting on records like Perry Como or Bing Crosby in our living room, positioning myself under the Christmas tree, and getting lost in the myriad of colors, rhythms, smells, and textures!

The process of decorating for the holidays, be it Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, was a pure delight for my Mom. She had a Masters Degree in Home Economics from the University of Washington and the holidays gave her a chance to put all of her talents to the test! The sights, smells, and sounds will always stay with me. Even now they make me smile! I can see her decorations in my mind and heart!

What I didn't understand then, but I get now, is that transforming our living environment from the mundane to the spectacular, was a gift to my Dad and a gift to me. It was also a gift to HER soul.

I have always said that if I had a third career besides teaching and consulting, both of which I currently do on a full time basis, it would be interior and exterior decorating. I absolutely LOVE doing this!! It feeds a part of my soul and heart that nothing else does! It makes me happy! It gives me an artistic and creative outlet!

When Bert and I drive past houses I am like an in-car "decorator at your disposal" sort of person. I always have a running dialogue about "If they just painted their front door it would make such a difference"....or "A splash of color would really transform their house." I inherited the decorating "gene" from my Mom. She used to say the same kind of things! :)

This last week, when things were really nuts and stress had reached a "beyond any normal proportion peak", I found great relief and stress management in starting to decorate the outside of our house for the upcoming holidays... not Christmas decorations per say, but "Winter Is On The Way" decorations. What? You didn't know that "Winter Is Coming!" is a season that merits decorating? :)

Bert works late three nights a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). On Wednesday night when he came home at 8:30 pm he found me hanging small white lights out in our garden. He gently said, "Honey, it's late. What are you doing?" I replied with a huge grin, "I'm creating a winter fairy garden!!"

Isn't everyone doing that at 8:30 pm in the dark?

And in putting up those lights, and re-doing the pots on my front porch, I was happy beyond measure! I sang my Christian songs and even threw in a few Christmas carols. You could hear me singing lines like "oh, oh tidings of comfort and joy...comfort and joy!"

And out in that garden, doing what made me happy, no matter the crazy hour, DID give me comfort and joy!

God Bless! Hugs and Loves to all who read this!
Love Linda

WEIGHT WATCHER WEIGH IN, MY WEEK IN A NUTSHELL, and FRIDAY'S FAVORITE QUOTE!

Recently I was at Mel's nursery and saw a plaque with this quote on it:

There are no shortcuts
To any place worth going.

I stood in front of the quote and couldn't seem to move! Those words really spoke to my heart and soul. In other words..do the work, move the mountain.

This week hasn't been easy. The 26 year old daughter of one of my long term teaching colleagues at the college died unexpectantly while sitting in a chair. Her husband was talking to her, left the room, came back, and she was gone.

Like that! In an instant! She had not even been ill.

Her mother, my dear friend, is broken. She is still at school because she doesn't want to be at home. My tears flow with her tears as I even try to remotely imagine how I would have felt getting that news about one of my beloved daughters. It is unthinkable.

This week Bert nicknamed me "Mrs. Dash". My schedule this week has barely left time to go to the bathroom. Rack 'em and stack 'em has been the theme. I LOVE teaching, and as of Thursday I have 92 nine page per student exams to grade by next Tuesday. We are at mid-quarter and the pace is unbelievable for students and teachers alike.

This week I have not felt balanced. I have been up every morning at 3:00am to grade, construct tests, get consulting done. At times I have forgotten to even breathe. I couldn't even find the time to take my morning walks. I made all these choices.

I got Oprah's Magazine and turned to the page where she says..."What I know for sure is...
and Oprah says, "I know nothing for sure this month. I have been too busy to be in touch with myself and too far behind to write this column." You have got to be kidding me! Even Oprah has lost her sanity.

Even more important, and a greater personal loss for me, I have skipped my time of reading the Bible in the morning. I ALWAYS do that and read my devotionals! That centers me! That helps me to focus on what REALLY matters in my life! I talked to Jesus on the run all week long. "OK God," I'd say. "Sorry I've put you as a PS", I'd say.

Do the work, move the mountain. There are no shortcuts!

I sat down and had a heart-to-heart talk with myself. I cannot have another week like this. I will not permit it! I will not choose it! I will not be praying in the car that I make it to the next school committee meeting on time without having an accident! I had three school meetings in the same day...two days in a row! I will set better boundaries!

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going!

I saw a video clip on Amy's blog about who God is that touched my soul! I cried every time I watched it! I KNEW I was off track!

I went to Weight Watchers not even knowing how I had done because while I had written down all the points I ate, I hadn't even kept good track of my progress! I was on auto-pilot all week. Weight Watchers took a back seat like everything else this week.

I lost another .6 ponds for a total of 21 pounds! I even got a Weight Watcher present for the percentage of overall weight I had lost. I had still followed many of my new habits even though I was in full speed mode this week.

But truth be told, I couldn't celebrate the small victory!

I knew in my heart of hearts that the week had been so off balance that my usual intentional attitude had been lost in the whirlwind. I take FULL responsibility for all of the choices I made that turned my days from 3am to 11pm. Some form of "Get It All Done Insanity" had taken hold.

Life is too short to not get my daily walk in! Life is too short to not have my daily Bible time!

Life is too short for not making the time to be grateful! Life is too short to not take breaks and breathe. Life is too short to not see Bert all week, except in small spurts while I'm headed elsewhere!

After all, the week's MOST important lesson is that you can be GONE in an instant!

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going! I will slow down! I will practice saying no. This next week will look different and be different!

This morning I got up early, took a wonderful walk, had a healthy Weight Watchers breakfast, actually took the time to taste my food, and had my Bible and prayer time!

I am breathing again! It's a start.

God Bless! Love and HUGS to all who read this! Love Linda

WEIGHT WATCHER WEIGH IN RESULTS: A New Milestone

Well... I am smiling today as I met one of my short term goals in Weight Watchers. After nine weeks in the program, and losing another .6 pounds, I went over the 20 pound mark!!! :) :)

As of today I have lost...drum roll please... 20.4 pounds!!

Yup, I have lost a 20+ pound frozen turkey from my body!!

This first 20 pounds is one of my goals, but I am far from finished with this life-long process! There are no words to express how happy I am and how grateful I am for the support of those who love me and care about me!

This week I plan to do some experimenting with other healthy receipes, new (to me) weight watcher products, and I am completing my Fitness Challenge at SCC!! This is hard, hard work, but I am invigorated by the challenge!

Stay tuned...you'll see less of me next week!

God Bless! Hugs and loves to all who read this! Love Linda