Raindrops In The Fog

FOG

by: Carl Sandburg (1878-1967)

HE fog comes

on little cat feet.

 

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

A New Goal

Confession, one thing that I do not "do" well is have company.

What brought this glaringly to my attention was that we had several different groups of "drop in" company over a period of about 4 days. 

To say that I did not handle it graciously would be an understatement.  The company was an intrusion on my well-ordered day, and it frustrated me.

 My attitude wasn't very kind, or neighborly.  I hope the company couldn't tell, but I was disturbed to find out that my husband could.

So, I've been thinking and praying about how I can avoid a repeat of this situation.

My personality does best with a little preparation to deflect stressful situations.  So, my first order of business is......

~~~~~~

 Be prepared for company.

~~~~~~

I've watched my mother-in-law put together meals for a crowd with very little warning, and some of her advice has always been "have some easy meals on hand."

You can do this a number of different ways.  By keeping some convenience foods in your pantry or freezer you will be able to put together a casserole or pot of soup within minutes. 

Another way is to make double of what you are feeding your family and freeze the second pan.  I've done this quite a bit lately, and it also helps me when I have a rough day and need an "easy out" for supper.

A third way that I can be prepared is to simply relax about my home and not worry so much about what people think of it.  There are four children and two adults who live here, and it looks like it.  Most of the company that comes to our house has children too, and should understand.

To be continued

Now, I want to hear how you practice hospitality at your house.  Do you have some tricks or strategies that work for you?

 

Financial Advice

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

(Especially if it's a laundry basket.)


Can you guess how many dozen eggs that is?


Thanks to all of you for guessing!

It made my day to get so many comments!

It was sixteen dozen eggs!!!

Starting Today

I will only drink one cup of coffee. :)

Dear Rebecca

You came into the world on a very rainy fall day--maybe that's why to this day you like rain, but hate the gray skies that so commonly come with it.

You were born into a family of all boys, and grew up almost like an only child--don't feel bad about all the time you spent playing alone--it has made you value friendship very highly.

Don't worry about the fact that you have so much to say.  There will come a time when you will need to speak up for the children in your home who "have no voice of their own."

When you marry young, and some people criticize you for it--take their advice and "think about it", but in the end follow your heart.  Your marriage will be one of the best decisions you ever made.

Don't feel ashamed when your dream of becoming a nurse doesn't work out.  Your life's vocation will include a lot of caring for sick children.

Infertility will take you by surprise and bring you to your knees, but for the rest of your life there will be others walking the same road that you can encourage.

You will stumble and falter at times, but you will pick up the pieces and go on.  You will need to go back and say "I'm sorry", but this will only serve to make you stronger.

When you look at others and are tempted to compare yourself remember "I am fearfully and wonderfully made;"

You are unique, your life has a specific purpose, and no one can fulfill that purpose, but you.


Sometimes we are pretty hard on ourselves.  We look at our past, and our mistakes and we see all the failures.  This idea of writing a kind letter to myself is not original to me.  Go visit here to read Betsy's version of it.

Beauty In The Ordinary

Our neighbors pond in the snow.

Are You Living Your Dream

.......if not maybe you should change what you're dreaming.

~~~~~~~

“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”
― Socrates



I think all of us go through periods of discontentment.  However, I've begun to realize that my contentment has more to do with being happy where I am rather than trying to reach some unattainable goal.