Tag: Shopping

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 4

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Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense. 🙂

Day 4 Question #4: What is the greatest compliment you’ve ever been paid?

Answer: In the early ’90’s I worked at a museum in Atlanta. The museum director, Lillian and I got along great. One day she asked me to do something extra in order to promote the museum. She told me I had the option to say no and that would be fine too. Lillian asked me if I would make an exhibit using flowers to enter in the Atlanta Flower Show.

Midtown Atlanta, Piedmont Park
Image via Wikipedia

I was taken aback at first since I didn’t consider myself a “pro” at working with flowers. Then I thought about how I had worked with flower arrangements at home so I figured I’d give it a try. The job was to make  an arrangement that resembled the burning of Atlanta during the Civil War. Once I accepted the challenge Lillian stood back and looked at me then she said,” Wow! You’re simply amazing!” I laughed as I asked her,” What do you mean?” The comment caught me by surprise. Then my boss said,” I have never met someone who exudes so much self confidence. It’s almost as if you can do anything that comes your way, because you never let anything or anyone get in your way.” THAT, blew me away because at the time I didn’t think much of myself. I thanked her as we hugged and I went off to plan the exhibit. Words like that stay with a person 🙂

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1

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I was inspired this morning to start a 30 day Blog Challenge. The questions are from an interesting little book I picked up a while ago at a thrift store. THE MOM & DAD QUESTION, CREATIVE QUESTIONS to HONOR the FAMILY by Bret Nicholaus and Paul Lowrie. I will post one question per day and I will give you an answer that came from times of our discussing this little book at our family‘s dinner table. I look forward to my reader’s responses, so YES by all means leave me YOUR answers in the comments section of this blog. Since The Holidays are coming up, maybe you can pick up your own copy of this book and bring it to your own family’s holiday celebrations 🙂

Question #1:

For each one of your children, where were you and what were you doing when you realized that it was definitely time for your baby to be born?

Answer: Child #1: I was in the hospital where they induced me. Child #2: I was home trying to get some sleep when at midnight,  the contractions were coming at regular intervals. Child #3: I was making lunch for my 2 other kids who were toddlers at the time. Child #4: I was preparing dinner for my whole family and suddenly I had to call my midwife.

 

Julia’s Hands

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Julia’s hands tell a story, 

 all cut up and bruised-

paint a sad picture of painful loss-

no pain, no gain, no glory.

Julia a young teen,

 been working those hands

since her mama died at eighteen.

 She took over a grown up’s work load

when tragedy hit their lowly abode.

Julia sent away to labor in far away lands.

Her hands never wore any rings.

Not once did she ever paint her nails,

 no time  for self adornment;

always outside carrying heavily filled pails.

She  looks at girls her age, in sheer wonderment;

pretty dresses, perfumed locks, perfectly painted nails.

Does Julia cry,”Why me? Why me?” ever?

No, this young girl knows that alas,

her lot in life is for now, certainly not forever.

 

Eva Santiago Copyright 2011

 

 

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 14

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Johnny Cash influenced so many and I think his music will influence future generations to come. My favorite Johnny Cash song is one where he is feature with U2. “The Wanderer“, is a haunting tune and I was thrilled that one of my favorite ’80’s bands teamed up with such a huge icon to produce this amazing song. Cash preached a strong message in a number of his songs, to me this is one of his most powerful “sermons“; for U2 to pair up with him, was sheer brilliance!

Book Covers

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You can never tell what a person is going through or what they’ve been through in their past just by casual observation. This Sunday I heard a lady talking about how her 16 year old daughter Autumn  was almost killed when a horse stepped on her when she was a toddler. Before I heard her story I had not paid much attention to this woman. Now that I know the painful trial she and her family endured, I want to know more about this person. I made my way to her and we exchanged pleasantries. Then I told her how I almost lost one of my kids when she was 7 weeks old. She looked at me with the same amazement I had when I first heard her story. This broke the ice and now I’m compelled to know this woman more.

Last month I heard another shocking story. I was sitting close to a man who looks just like the actor Morgan Freeman; I had to take a closer look to see if it really was. By the way, I am a huge fan of said actor. I kept running into this same man and I would imagine that he must have a grand life because the peace that surrounds him, gave me the impression that perhaps he wakes up everyday and sings,” Zippididoodah  Zippideeay, my oh my oh what a wonderful day!” Then I heard the most amazing story about this man.

He was handed a mic and he began to share his personal tragedy. He said his name was Willie; he had lost 3 children in a house fire and soon after he lost 2 more children in a second house fire. My lower jaw fell wide open and I felt it touch the floor below. I leaned forward as my heart began to weep for this man’s great loss. He also shared his faith and said that it was God that had brough him through the whole crisis. Before I left that day I made sure I went to him and I gave Willie a big hug; then something amazing happened, we found comfort in our hug because unbeknownst to Willie , I shared in his pain since I too have experienced the heart ache that comes from losing your whole family.

We are all books. We all wear different covers; some are dazzling and colorful. When I chose my own book cover for my book AS CLEAR AS CLAIRE GETS, I wanted it to be eye catching and inviting. My story is not an easy read and knowing that, I had to design  a colorful, fun, cover that would draw people in; once they’re in they’re  hooked. Other  book covers  are mild and peaceful betraying the tragedy that lies between the pages of the book.

Whatever you’ve been through, the cover doesn’t matter one bit. We all start out with a blank book and it’s up to us to fill in the pages. My book starts out with one tragedy after the next, but I’m going to make sure at the end of my life, on the last page, you’re going to read that I became an over comer and a conqueror through my faith in God. Some people’s books start and end in tragedy; don’t let that be you.  Choose instead to use your pain to help others. Then there are other books that start out in victory only to end terribly; what could have possibly happened?

Next time you meet someone new, pretend you’re in a library or a book store even, and be prepared to handle them with as much care and attention that you would give that book you’re considering as your your next great read. It is true: One cannot read a book by its cover; neither can one pass judgment on anyone just by merely glancing at their book cover.

I looked into your eyes,
I felt your pain.
I looked into my heart,
my pain is yours- we’re both the same.

Matthew 7:1-2

“Don’t judge so that you won’t be judged. For the way you judge others is how you will be judged-the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.”

TFCL (talk from the clothes line)

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Ok God, please remind me to start doing laundry earlier in the day so I won’t be out here at 3pm when it’s the most scorching . The beads of perspiration forming on my upper lip and forehead remind me of the sound sizzling bacon makes on a live griddle.

Thanks for sending Raquel out here to pitch in. She said, “Mama I love the wet clothes on me ’cause it’s so hot.” Lightbulb! What a great idea. The help didn’t last long though; she couldn’t take the heat trying to bake her all of 4’5 frame so I sent her along.

Where were we God…AH yes, I know hell exists because  I live in a hot, arid climate and I imagine this has to be hell on earth! One big difference between this and the furnace that burns eternally: There is cold water, an occasional light breeze and shade! That’s what I imagine, it’s not like I want to find out! 🙂

Before I hang this last pair of socks, I just want you to know God, how glad I am that you are my friend.Chao for now ( as I make a fast dash for the shade of my porch where my ice cold water awaits.