Did you?

I can remember reaching the end of some days in the regular classroom (after staring at 25 kids all day) when I would stop and ask, "Did you say something nice today?" It didn't happen often, but when it did, I'd just had a "cranky one" and I would find myself reflecting on how much of that I'd passed on to those children in my care. Sadly, sometimes my answer was "No, I don't remember many kind words." or "Hmmm...I'm not sure."

Lately I've been drained. Really drained. There are many reasons for this. It's the season of the year where life gets extremely busy for me. I coordinate our state testing at our school site, so it's time to crunch numbers, check and double check materials, and make sure all goes well with this exam. It's also the season where people start planning for the next school year...including job assignments. It looks like mine should stay the same again, but it's always a time of questioning anyway.

Beyond the job, our family has experienced much change in the past few months. LG brings us great joy, but it's still a change having another person around. Having DSs 1 an 2 move out has been a whole different kind of change. We're down to two drivers vs. the three that we had the entire time DS 2 was here at home.

Yesterday, we learned of the death of a person that DH and I went to school with years ago. She was our age (45), the wife of a fellow United Methodist Pastor, and mother to four children (teen - college). She had pneumonia and lost the fight very quickly. Terri was a positive person who loved the Lord. She always had a kind word or a smile for everyone. It's just plain sad.

Yesterday and today it's been on my mind. A lot. When I think about how drained I've been...the familiar question-- "Have you said kind words today?" has entered my mind followed closely by, "Have you laughed and smiled today?"

It's evident to me that these are the things that you leave behind when you go. It's when you've been kind and loving to others that you make an impact. And when you find the time to smile and find joy in life, it is contagious.

So....for you and for me:

Did you say kind words today?

Have you laughed and smiled?

It's time!

Monday Meandering....

These are just some RANDOM Monday thoughts and questions in my brain:

• A couple of years ago, I was able to post a Thursday Thirteen or something like it with the smiley face you get on Word when you do this: :-) and I also had hearts in that post...I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I did that. Can somebody help me here?

• I tried to add Blogger for Word and it won't work...

• I also want to know how to do "strike-through" font...you know when something looks crossed out.

• Yesterday I hit return between each of my seven points and they kept going single spaced when I published...it made me CRAZY!

• Susie has me waiting in great suspense to preview my new blog design. I can't wait to see it and share it with you.

• The weekend made me TIRED and a bit CRANKY. I'm so tired right now, I just want to slip into a corner somewhere and SLEEP!

• Because I was tired, I didn't even get to see WHO Trump fired last night!

• DH left today for a week out...maybe that's another reason I'm a bit CRANKY...I miss him so when he's gone.

• For those of you praying for Heather...pray for increased White Blood Cells...they are steadily moving up which is good...but she will be in the hospital for another three to four days.

• DH had a church he works with send a prayer shawl for my colleague, C, who is fighting cancer. C is kind of a "New Age" person. She really is very eclectic in her faith and doesn't espouse Christianity at all. I am sending her the prayer shawl in hopes that she is blessed by the Christian community that she doesn't even know reaching out to her. Will you pray that she receives it as a blessing and that it helps her see God's love in a new way?

• I forgot my watch today. I HATE being without a watch...it makes me feel....naked! I keep looking at my empty wrist. UGH!

• I hope you all have a marvelous Monday....I promise I'll be less tired and cranky later on. I'm hoping that some of you more experienced "htmlers" and bloggers can answer some of my blogging questions at the top of this post...

HUGS!!

:-) Susan

Feeling Randomized???

As I stated in my post below, Linda had this randomization meme on her blog. I answered her questions on my blog two days ago and some of my readers stepped up to the challenge for MY random questions. I am NOT as adept at Linda at question writing, but I AM a bit competitive (OK, maybe A LOT) and tried to come up with unique questions. So, Leigh Ann, Carrie, Melli, Jill, Tammy, Susan,and anyone else who cares to answer, put your "thinking caps" on and start answering these questions:

1. What's your worst pet peeve?

2. (For Susan, who thought I should extend my Thursday Thirteen to others.)
What are five things you would do if "money were no object"?

3. If you could be an inanimate object, what would you be and why?

4. OK, fess up, some people have eaten crayons or tasted glue. What's the strangest thing you've ever taste-tested? Where were you and why did you do it?


5. And because I LOVE music and Linda used music: If you were standing before all of your friends and family and they asked you to summarize yourself in one to two songs, what would you sing and why?

I Asked For It...

"Isn't-she-so-funny?"- Linda posted this fun meme on her blog this week. It came from Deena who got it from Shalee who got it from....

Well, you get the idea! I should have KNOWN better than to volunteer to be "randomized" on Linda's first day back on COFFEE after her Lenten fast, but alas, the thought of answering five random questions intrigued and got the better of me. NOW, I urge you to compare the questions LINDA had to answer with the ones she is asking her visitors!

Here are Linda's questions and my answers. If you'd like to be "randomized" leave me a note in my comments and I'll send you MY five questions for you to "chew on" and answer.

1. What is one thing you'd like to do but do not have the courage to do? And why don't you do it? What's the worst that could happen, anyway??
I so wanted to just say ride the zipline down a mountain incline, but I can't say that. Instead, it has to be that I'd like to be unafraid to try out for a community theater play. I love the theater and actually have done it as a child, but haven't felt comfortable singing in front of people since I was a teen. Besides not having time, I don't know if I could "handle" being judged these days.
The worst thing that could happen is that I would open my mouth and nothing would come out and I'd faint of embarassment.

2. Describe your worst date. Did your poor fellow know it was your worst date? What did you learn about yourself from this experience?

My worst date was when I was in College and several of my "guy friends" from a particular fraternity, talked me into going on a "date" with a Japanese Exchange Student. He was a wonderful guy, but so new to the country, that he spoke about 9 words of English! Throughout the night, we smiled, we bowed and nodded to each other over and over, we danced, and then we went home. I thought it would NEVER end...and I'll bet he did too!

3. You are at a nationally televised Presidential White House press conference as part of the press corps. President Bush calls on you because you are waving your hand around like a wild woman. You stand, but suddenly, your heart races, your mouth dries, and you're seeing stars. You can't remember your brilliant question or utter a single syllable. The only thing you are able to do is sing. Remaining silent is not an option. What will you sing and why?

Call Me Irresponsible ----Frank Sinatra

Call me irresponsible - call me unreliable
Throw in undependable too
Do my foolish alibis bore you
Well I'm not too clever - I just adore you

Call me unpredictable - tell me I'm impractical
Rainbows I'm inclined to pursue
Call me irresponsible - yes I'm unreliable
But it's undeniably true - I'm irresponsibly mad for you

Why? Because it's the FIRST thing that came to my mind!!!!!

4. If you were named "Supreme Blogging Commander of the Official World Wide Webbings of Intranets" or some such other prestigious title, what is the first rule you would lay down as non-negotiable?

If thou readeth, thou shall commenteth!

5. What's your favorite color? NOT!!! Instead: You are hiring someone for a position in your company. Nevermind which position. It's just your job to hire the best candidate and then tell your superior why you chose that person. If you choose unwisely, you get fired. The pressure is on. Which one will you choose?

A. Candidate A brought her Ipod and said she could listen to you and the music at the same time.
B. Candidate B challenged you to an arm wrestling match.
C. Candidate C threw up on your desk and immediately started asking questions about the job, like nothing had happened.
D. Candidate D stated that if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by having your corporate logo tattooed on his forearm.

So which one is it? Why?

I'd say "Candidate A...because she's probably MY long lost Sister. You see, little did she know that she was talking with the Reigning QUEEN of Multi-tasking!"

I PROMISE I am not caffeinated by Linda, and the odds of me EVER thinking of five such...uh...RANDOM caffeine-induced questions...is pretty slim. Let me know if you want to play.

Can SOMEBODY Tell Me....

Have you ever seen Linus sit and ponder with Charlie Brown? My favorite is when Charlie Brown shouts out "Can anyone tell me what Christmas is all about?" And Linus matter-of-factly steps up to the mike and shares the Christmas story from the Gospel.

This is no "Christmas Story" question...but it IS a "Charlie Brown" question....

CAN ANYBODY TELL ME WHY MY RSS FEED DOESN'T WORK ON MY BLOG????

Melli mentioned my RSS feed doesn't seem to be working. I tried to reset it on the template. I confess I had to ask her what to do...

Now, I've been wondering for a LONG time why my blogroll doesn't show "new" posts when I tell it to do so....I'm starting to think this is all connected.

I realize this is no where as deep as the real meaning of Christmas. But, I know some of you techies out there might be my Linus...step up to the mike and talk to me.

:-)