The Ever Present Agenda

Have you ever met someone and known, almost immediately, that they wanted something from you? I am not talking about that Electrolux salesman that always catches you as you are navigating the mile high stacks in the garage while trying to get to your car without causing a massive fallout. He's obvious...

I am also not talking about the per functional conversations in the "meet and greet" at church - or, to explain for the unaffiliated: the times that you are told to go find someone you don't know and MAKE SOME SORT of SMALL TALK! lol... (I have a friend that always manages to race to the bathroom once "the bell tolls" ... funny how 'Mother Nature' seems to strike at the SAME TIME every Sunday... :P )

While way too many people spend those looming 5 minutes interrogating and sucking information out of you like a trained CIA Agent, most folks are just trying to escape without incident... lol

We all have agendas, no? Needs to fill, quotas to meet - with jobs -they say it's not what you know but WHO you know...

At times, I have felt as if I only hear from people when they want something. That may, in fact, be true.

But then again, I guess we all DO have an agenda at times..

"Oh Don, I have to call Aunt Gertie to ask her for that pot roast recipe that Grandma used to make. I will get stuck on the phone forever, AND I will have to make small talk, too... *shake my head* Better butter up the old bird..."

I have noticed the insane amount of "events" that I get invited to... Some people use networking sites for the SOLE purpose of meeting their agenda. There are only so many things I can cram and press into an already tattered at the seams weekend... sigh ...

Maybe I am old fashioned, but I prefer to see you face to face...AND when I text, it's because I am not at a place where I can talk.. but I DO want to talk to you ... :)

I do, also, have to mention one wee detail.. Since I gave Jesus my life fifteen years ago, I also gave Him - the Great Tapestry Weaver, the rights to the agenda(s) as well.. while I sometimes grab them back like a starving Weight Watcher's dieter.... but that is another rabbit trail for another diatribe... :P

and He has the best agenda for me... and everyone He plants in my path :) so forget the agenda for just ONE moment... take the time for that lonely one this week... because truthfully, you never know what kind of impact you might make in their life!

Happy Fall Everyone!

Too busy to breathe?

Hey all!!!

Welcome back to my life! There has been a theme winding it's way around my cerebral cortex for a while now... : ) and therefore, as you may have figured out, that generally morphs itself to a blog entry... : P

As I sit here and try to unravel the yarn that I have been spinning tirelessly (lol) lately, there are a few things that have struck me as a "Mayday". Maybe for you? Definitely for me!

Time seems to be such a precious commodity. With X amount of hours in the day, and XY and Z to get accomplished, how can we establish and maintain a somewhat stress free balance in our harried schedules?

I can tell you that I used to pride myself on my ability to multi task... I mean, doesn't EVERYONE take their tax info to the bubble bath??? lol... Granted it IS easier for women to multi task than men.. We inherit that : ) BUT, what we don't inherit, is frenzy.

As far as I can tell, we have choices. We can CHOOSE what we want to make a priority. Healthy boundaries and learning the word NO (heck - babies know THAT one!!!) can be a valuable tool for regaining sanity.

(Dr. Henry Cloud, Clinical Psychologist, wrote an insightful and needful book on boundaries in relationships, check it out!) I sometimes have to give myself permission to say no... that's a tough one for people pleasers. (still recovering, I am : )

Another point... I don't want to reach the end of my days with regrets. Especially with regards to (loving) people. : )

I find that if I leave my self open to be available, I can be used by the One that has some awesome things for me to do. For and WITH Him... : D ... and the last thought I have to leave you with is this...there is an awesome verse in my favorite Book that tells us that being in a state of rest or stasis, is where we need to be restored to.

"Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Doesn't THAT say it best?

Have a great week - and slow down a little.. it'll be good for you and those you love! <3>

Hey there! It's that glorious day, once again! That much anticipated event that circles the calendar in a happy dance! Yup, it's FRIDAY!!!!

Isn't it interesting that we wait and groan for the weekend... all week the countdown plunges us closer to the beloved two day bask-o-refreshing... or does it?

Last weekend, I had so much stuffed into my weekend, it felt like an erupting girdle. A cattle prod couldn't have crammed more things to do into my weekend.

Time stacking. In triplicate. That veritable five o'clock whistle couldn't blow fast enough. Like a runner with a baton, I was out of the starting gates blowing steam and leaving skid marks.

Come Monday, The hamster wheel struck again, claiming another hapless victim.

Visions of a deep calm sea invaded the mind. Well, after all, things will calm down .... right after....... and so on and so forth... you get the picture...

sigh...

But one thing about wheels, they eventually come around again-and when it did, I made a choice... No more victim!!!

I am a victor! <3>

Come on in!.............. the water's FINE!