Saturday, July 3, 2010

WHO AM I KIDDING????


I started not to Post until Monday- and then I remembered WHO I was; My Life; and admitted- WHO AM I KIDDING! So, here is a read!

Hi all….,
 May this be a Happy, Safe and Wonderful 4th of July. May we always remember our Troops and their Families now and forevermore, for their past, present and future Service, that has afforded us these magnificent Freedoms!

I truly Love our growing family, and will get back regularly to all of the Blogs in my side bar. This has been a recent explosion for me in QUALITY New Friends that I think you too would like, and enjoying reading and getting to know. Thanks to everyone- and if you are not on the list!! Leave a comment or e-mail me and I’ll fix that!!!
 I went to see my baby Sister in Wilkesboro, NC just N. of Boone- (Appalachian State’s home)- and all the Ski resorts!  ICE SKIING!!!  Ski -----NC Ice—you can ski anywhere!
 It was so quiet it was palpable. The coolness compared to our record tying June—tied for hottest on record since 1898 when records were kept,
 With an average 88.3!!! This happened once before in 1950!  So is that global warming???? Our normal is around 80-82 for June!  We had 5 days in the 100’s, 20 days in the 90’s and 5 days in the 80’s!

I reconnected with Nature, Mother Earth and my Sister in one fell swoop! What an awesome and VERY IMPORTANT Trip. I’m so proud I totally knew it would be this way made ME go. It would have been so easy to say—well… After the 4th…..or, in the next two weeks—or, well, let’s let the summer get by…… then OMG, it’s been 5 years! “Where the hell did they go?” to quote Pat Tillett, in a recent comment. They SNEAK by us!

Seeing my sister was awesome, even though we talk regularly and e-mail almost daily—(just silly forwards mostly). But still we talk. In no way does this compensate for SEEING her, and watching as she beamed with pride, her eyes dancing just like my Mom’s as we toured the property. OMG_SHE WAS MY MOM!  That was so awesome seeing my Mother for the first time in my Sister. It was almost eerie- then I realized how comforting it was. I can see Mom- in my sister even after she’s gone. I just lost my Aunt to Cancer this past week. We did not know each other very well, but her Husband—My Uncle Bob—my Mother’s slightly older brother was very close when I was growing up. Another 25 years and I saw him once!!!! I knew NOTHING of his struggles until I found out about a week before how bad off she was! My Aunt was terminal and I never even sent a card until after her death!
Icing on the cake soon followed.  My Niece and favorite whom it FELT like we helped raise, only because she was the absolute coolest kid I have ever known. Not having children, we grabbed every opportunity to see and keep her, and spend time with her.  She went to Vacation Bible School here in summers, accepted Christ and was baptized in My Wife’s and Mine’s Church!  My sister and Dana’s dad were great parents and let us keep her most summers growing up!
I didn’t see my 4 to 15 year old little girl: I had missed a Major and formative CHUNK of her life and had no idea what it was like. I only pray she will fill me in! We have an awesome rapport, not to mention the fact that we get along really well!

What I saw was a 22 year old young woman-. Damn—how had I missed so much!

Again, I’d like to welcome all new Followers, and I am getting to all of your Blogs! I noticed that time is slipping by. I checked my notebook/journal and the last entry was May 31st. I usually journal religiously and do my devotions-, at the same time.  Personal Worship and Devotion time with Jesus in a non-commercial type private session- my bedroom.  No I’m not special!!! He IS!

I must have been in one Major Funk to go that long without journaling. I’ve also found that if you are doing it just for the sake of not missing a day you are doing it for the wrong reasons. This break was desperately needed and helped put new Vision and Perspective on a lot of things! No desperate measures need to be taken, and the current path and direction feel very solid and Purposeful! I’m finding some passion and a better vision again.

If anything, this has been a great confirmation that I’m on the right track. I truly enjoy living each day, (and if possible, moment), as this brings an uncertainty and excitement that I have not had in about ONE year to the week, my last day at Urgent Care.  I didn’t know what being mandatorily medically “RETIRED” would do to me!!! I have made certain adjustments and am again starting to move FULL-ON FORWARD!

It feels GREAT to write that out, and be honest about it. I know challenges are just around the corner. But I look forward to the Journey again! As Miley Cyrus sang, “Life’s a Climb…but the view is worth it”!
This was just posted by someone- and I wish I could remember who—SoccerMom—GreenEyed Momster???? Anyway—it was a great post! Thanks for that reference, and I had just seen the movie days before!

FINALLY—of all things to come on TV today:  THE WIZARD of OZ!  Totally fitting as it had such an early impact on my life, and still impacts many lives! Fitting that I had just returned to my Kansas! Fitting we all have magical Ruby Slippers; called, phones, e-mail, letters, etc……… Go ahead—JUST CALL and go visit!—their ONLY FAMILY!!!!
JMc

13 comments:

  1. Hey, John, how ya doing? Another great post.
    Tell us more about journaling...it must be similar to blogging, but not stuff you publish? When you say devotion, is it more like private prayers that you do...or meditations on God? It sounds great!
    God bless you. Happy Fourth to you and your family.

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  2. What a nice post, John. I've always opted for quality people rather than quantity (as you know). They add to the richness of life.

    It's great to read you had such a good visit.

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  3. Okay, as your reader who knows the most about NC, Wilksboro is EAST of Boone, on US421. Of course, North Wilksboro is north of Wilksboro.

    I'm glad you had a good visit with family--it's amazing how everyone grows up. One of the most embarrassing moments in my life occurred when I was still living in NC and at a conference in the Pinehurst area. At night in a bar, after a long day, there was a drop dead gorgeous girl dancing with her boyfriend and everyone's eyes were on her. Then, to the surprise of everyone, she walked right up to me. Was she dumping him for me? Then she said, "Sage, is that you?" She was a cousin of mine that I'd not seen since she was probably 12, and I was 18, at our grandmother's funeral! Needless to say, the guys sitting with me gave me a hard time the rest of the conference.

    Have a good 4th and enjoy your sojourn in the Promise Land.

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  4. Juanny, I need a pair of magical red slippers to go with my magical red hair. lol

    Cheers and happy 4th!!

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  5. Joe-- YES!! Exactly--you talk, pray and worship one on one like you are talking to your best friend- you laugh kid, joke, cry- and God is more willing to reveal Himself that way and then through Scripture you have read 1,000 times but see something NEW in it to you for the first time. And when that TRUTH of God's hits you- and you realize He showed it to you--you just get a confidence, renewal of Faith and Chills you can't describe.

    It works for me, on this intensely personal level-and is almost hard to share. Unless someone happens to be on the same path and same time as you! Then it is even MORE of a confirmation!!

    Thanks for the Interest--but just jot down ANYTHING--no matter how insignificant at the time. It is usually a great building block--divied out in small digestible pieces!

    John



    Angel--great big hugs as always to you!!!

    God Bless,

    John


    sage-- Beautiful story! I will and AM having a blast!

    Thanks Kind friend--but you should have NEVER given me that much ammunition--- LOL,,,nah- I'm sure you caught enough grief when it happened!

    John

    Ily- Absolutely--then it's White Water rafting Time!!!!

    LOL,

    J.D.---- cheers!!!!

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  6. Strange it is how some families are so uncivilized with each other. It's great to hear when one gets along.

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  7. KW- we still have our moments- but it really is something I don't want to take for granted! Thanks man!

    J

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  8. Quality rather than Quanity, I relate 100% to that my friend.

    Medically Retired? that is how I came to retire early, took me about four years to accept it but now life is good and I am proud to see you moving Full On Forward because that is how you keep going the right direction.

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  9. You cannot choose your family and it is just great when people can get along. Have a great 4th !

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  10. Enjoy your family- it's the only one you got!

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  11. Wait 'til you end up with over 100 followers to tend to.

    Then blogging becomes A BITCH, lol !

    Happy 4th, John !

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  12. How strange - I've checked my blog list at least 4 times and this JUST came up!!!!

    I'm glad you got to see your sister - I'd planned to see my brother but then the surgeon ordered physio so I thought - maybe later - but you know, physio isn't doing much so perhaps I'll just miss a week of it and go see him.

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Incredibly smart relies: