Sticks and Stones...

If only the saying were true. Unfortunately sticks and stones tend to cause less damage than words. I was reminded of this on Friday night as I sat with two friends and we evaluated what events had brought us to where we were.

I remember one particular event. I was around fifteen. I was sitting with a friend. (*Names have been changed.) What brought us to this point in the conversation I don't know, and what happened afterward I also don't remember. There was this moment, however, of about thirty seconds. That moment has been etched into my memory. *Fred leaned back and started speaking, looking up at the ceiling. "Celia is very beautiful. Brenna is by far more beautiful than anyone in the world. Brooke, well, she's not pretty at all. Oh, well Stephanie, you are prettier than Brooke." I don't remember what I thought then at that moment. I do, however, know that it impacted me. That one statement caused me to think, oh well, he's right. I only have the chance of being prettier than someone who apparently falls below the "beauty" line. It was one person's opinion. I took it for truth.

And so, Friday night I sat with my friends and listened between the lines. I heard sorrow. A kind of sadness that cannot be explained. I listed to them talk about how they have tried to forget and erase the words that someone put on them. I heard them as they rationalized how these statements, not even true, had caused them to rethink their actions. The problem is, words, once spoken, cannot be taken back. We can look back into the eyes of someone who just spoke to us and say, "Oh, that doesn't bother me," and yet, we know it does. For many, the voice of negativity and contempt comes from the inside.That voice is usually the hardest to silence.

The true words that we should be listening to comes from the voice of the one who knows us best. The one who sees us when we are the worst versions of ourselves and yet loves us.

An excerpt from a commentary:
A young man was talking with his teacher. The teacher told the student to go to the grave of a particularly famous man. Once there the young man was to yell at the grave. Scream at the grave. Tell the man who's body lay buried there how terrible he was, how imperfect...(You get the idea.) The student went back to his teacher and waited for his next instructions. The teacher sent the student back to the grave and told him this time to give praise. The student did so. He went back to the grave and instead of negative words he replaced his words with praise. The young man went back to his teacher one more time. The teacher looked at the student. "You see," he said, "What you just said to the body buried in that grave means nothing now. He is not alive to hear it, to apply it, to use it. So it is with those who are "dead" in Christ. Praise and blame mean nothing."

What does that mean to me? I read that and realized that when I look to God for the affirmation about who I am I am at peace. I can be certain in those moments that I am who I should be. If I trust God for my worth and my value, the words of others are not my foundation.

Este y esto

I've been a bit fuggy over the last week. A cold has set in and made my mind a bit cloudy.
Here are, however, some random thoughts that I've had:

• A chin up bar sounds like a good idea. What is the possiblity of injury to myself and to others if I try something like this: Stephanie's idea for fitness. I think that I could hang in over my stairs and then dangle carefully over the stairway as I pursue fitness. I want to buy all these things, but where would I store my new "in home gym" equipment?!
  
• Would online piano lessons be a possibility? Not just the instructions or the music, but actually a piano teacher online giving lessons. I think it sounds like an amazing idea! Any takers? I need someone willing to help me!
• My math assignments still are not completed. P-R-O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. Yes. That's what I'm doing. I've been doing a lot of cleaning instead.
  
• That brings up another point, how bad is it that I procrastinate doing work by another form of work? Shouldn't I avoid doing homework because I'm hanging with friends or maybe because I'm watching movies or going shopping? Not me, I'm washing dishes.
  
• An old injury has resurfaced. Many of you may remember the incident from last summer. I have once or twice over the last year pulled my rib muscle just in the right way and caused the old pain to resurface. With my recent coughing and sneezing fits I have re-injured myself. If you hear my yell or groan, "Oh my ribs," or if you hear me say, "Ow!" (literally) every time I sneeze, you'll know what I'm sayin'.
  
• Tonight I was talking with a friend and the the question I asked her was what has she learned the most over the last year. That question really makes me think. What IS the thing that you learned the most over the last year?
  
• A person can never have too many flowers. Or chocolate. Or cheese. Or shoes....I'm digressing...
• And, one last thought. Jessica Fletcher is really a spry lady. I just watched her jog all through her town of Cabot Cove! (Yes, I know. I'm old.)
  

Random picture of the week:My home town... Yes, those are cows in the distance!

One Week In...51 to Go!

I'm one week into my new decade, and I'd like to report that so far, so good. I woke up last Tuesday feeling, well, much like did on Monday morning, except it was Tuesday, and I had a new number added to my age.

What did my first week involve?

1. Dinner with friends.
2. Dinner with friends and flowers.
3. Dinner.
4. More flowers!
5. And... A hockey game! I was so excited because I had NEVER been to a hockey game before. I had NO idea that is what was going on. I arrived at my friends house for what I thought would be a usual night, but instead more friends arrived and then we picked up more friends and made our way to Milwaukee! I am a complete fan now! Really, how hard is it to follow? You have a stick and you hit a puck from one side to the other. I would love to play, except I have no aim and I probably could not stand on skates.

I cannot see into tomorrow. I cannot even see past 10 tonight, but I have a great feeling this is gonna be a good year! Everyone is welcome to join me in my new adventures!

Me in my cube. Terrible picture but pretty flowers from my friend Melissa- Love ya Lis!

Flowers from the mom and dad! (I love flowers!)

My first hockey fight!! The gloves were off!

This looks like an amazing ride! I wanna try glide across the ice on a sled!!

The Zamboni:

Las Vegas! Nothin' but class!