Thanks, Shorty!

Sometimes, it's just good to go home.

Today was one of those days.
The church was nearly
empty when I arrived.
I thought I was late.
But instead, I was 45-minutes early.
The extra time provided me an opportunity for reflection.

I'd been carrying a burden -
one totally unrelated to this day's events.

Yet in this place, I felt it begin to lift.

The funeral readings

and songs carried

the burden higher.

But it wasn't until after the reception meal
that I was given the tools to let go.

Out-of-the-blue,
her grieving son-in-law
came to me saying,
"I'm getting too old to hold grudges."

He explained how his career as a prison guard
had opened his eyes. His mission with the prisoners became to help them see: It's healthier to live with a respect for the afterlife so that "There's nothing to lose."

Then it dawned on me:

In The Lord's Prayer,

Jesus teaches

his friends to pray,

"Give us this day

our daily bread,

and forgive us our sins

AS we forgive those

who sin against us."

Forgiveness is the key -

to lifting burdens,

to heaven

and to peace.

Suddenly I realized:

I'm getting too old to hold grudges too. 

He finished his story noting 

that after having served

their sentenced time

and on their way out

the door to "freedom,"

the released prisoners

would smile and say,

"Thanks, Shorty!" 

Tonight I echo

those sentiments

and RELEASE.

The ONE Thing

It's easy to say: "Be good at ONE thing, and let go of the rest." But quite another task to implement that philosophy. As household coordinators, moms especially suffer this plight. Allow me to elaborate:

"Ah - Wendy. The checkbook is overdrawn!" 

"Mom! I need pit stick - can you find the 

green Twist-Up kind?" 

"Lip balm! Mine are sore and cracked!" 

"Game in Hackensack Saturday. Just scheduled." 

"You put my sweatshirt in the dryer, didn't you? It shrunk. Can you get me a new one?"

Yes! Those "Oh, crap!" moments to which this mom rides the wave and replies: 

"I've done the research and found the bank is still taking out $227.47 each month for a car loan that's been paid off since July. Now do you see why I was hesitant about an automatic with-drawl loan? I'll handle it..."

"Sure, I'll spend 10 minutes in the hygiene aisle ruling out the new Twist-Up body spray, gel and roll-on (all in deodorant form) until I finally locate the solid antiperspirant!"

"Ah, you lost the three lip balms I bought you last winter? Well... the local market carries a beeswax kind with the school logo on it for $2. What? You don't have two bucks? Well... I'll see what I can do when I run in to mail the seven bills I have to send out."

"Flag football THIS Saturday morning in a town an hour away?! That's NOT happenin'! Dad signed up the WHOLE family to work at the church Scandinavian supper all day!"

"Sweatshirt? Yes... I suppose I did put it in the dryer. Sorry. I only do five laundry loads a day, and with five people, it's hard to remember who's what gets dried and who's gets hung up. You'll have to hang on with the replacement, I just spent $30 getting you non-fishing-logo T-shirts last week to stop your friends' teasing."

Sigh... One might say: I've suffered plenty when it comes to being good at ONE thing. In fact, those T-shirts I mentioned are ones I - just now - pulled out of the DRYER. I can hardly wait until Aaron gets home so I can say, "Sorry, honey. I shrunk your clothes again!"


If there's ONE Thing these lessons are teaching me, it's FORGIVENESS - of myself, my family and others!


Today I fully forgive my own mother for an "oops" moment that until this very moment I never understood. She washed, dried and shrunk the off-white virgin-wool v-neck sweater which I'd chosen after winning a gift certificate from a clothing store that offered the prize to the county 4-H member with the best conservation records. I wore the $30 sweater - maybe twice - before it became felted to toddler size. 

I got over the loss but couldn't fathom why someone would stick a wool sweater in the dryer. Today,
I GET IT! (I'm constantly shrinking my kids' clothes.) We are all human and make mistakes.

My own mother suffered from multi-tasking for a family with four active children. Well...
Dan and I have just three! 

I am hopeful. 


Today I understand The ONE Thing I can work to be good at is FORGIVENESS, something that - by its very nature -
requires LETTING GO!