I often wonder how different my life would be if I were bored all the time. I frequently read Facebook postings that read, "I AM BORED". I don’t get it…
1. Interesting Dreams…
The other night I dreamt of twisters,
bed bugs and winding stairs. I looked them up in my dream book. Bed bugs are a little odd to be dreaming of (though I did have them in Greece) and I’m hoping the meaning behind them isn’t true. Maybe this all has something to do with the fact I finished
90 Minutes in Heaven and then after I personally emailed the author. I was intrigued and couldn’t sleep. I felt like I needed to have coffee with him; yet, I was still able to dream. But I was so tired when I woke up!
2. What is Heaven Like Anyway?
Back when I was in college, my dad passed out on our driveway. It was a balmy, hot August afternoon and my older brother’s 21st birthday. My dad was washing the cars and his heart stopped working. He experienced heaven for a short minute. He explains it as being peaceful and vibrant – a place he felt at home and didn’t want to leave. He met his grandma who only shrugged when he asked if that moment was his time. Then he woke to my mom slapping his face begging him not to leave her.
To many, this may seem crazy. Maybe it was a dream? Maybe my dad's brain was wigging out? But how do others have similar stories?
I finished
90 Minutes in Heaven this week. Don Piper had a similar incident, but he died for 90 minutes. He met several deceased relatives and friends in heaven. He embraced them. His description is very similar to my dad’s. However, Don was horrifically injured and was in ICU for weeks; my dad had to get a pacemaker…
I hope heaven is really as they both described. I frequently think of life after this…mainly because I can’t imagine being separated from the ones I love dearly or saying goodbye. Will I really see them again? And maybe that’s why love is the greatest emotion/feeling ever. I can’t imagine having a conversation with my grandpa one day while we're in heaven about the BMW I always wanted or how I wish I made more money. That stuff won’t matter because it won't exist...just love. I bet time won’t even matter and when I’m reunited with the deceased, it’ll feel like we were only apart for seconds. In my mind, time on earth is real and this is why it's precious. In heaven, time is endless and this is why love is precious. I hope I'm right. I always wonder if my dog Pete will be up there? Because that would be really cool.
3. Diets are LAME
I’m sorry but if you’re planning on going on a “diet” that consists of denying yourself breads, pastas or any carbohydrates, you will fail. Food is too damn good to pass up to lose a pound. Sure, you will drop weight after a couple weeks, but can you keep it up for 20 plus years?? Why?? Life is too fun and short to pass up delicious foods. Please save your money and do it the right way. I say this because I tried all those “diets”. I can save you a lot of TIME and money. The word diet shouldn’t exist. I like the words "lifestyle change". I’m 5’10” and used to be 179 pounds. Yes, I said it. At my largest, I was 179 pounds. My jeans were so tight I’d email my friends and cry to them, "I feel fat. I’m miserable.” I’d complain about my weight to anyone who would listen.
”But I’m eating so healthy,” I’d say. ”I worked out two hours yesterday and am running a half marathon tomorrow,” I’d whine. And my pants kept getting tighter and tighter. Yes, I was eating healthy; my fridge was stocked with sugar free puddings and fat free creams and skim milk. Problem was, I was NEVER satisfied and was ALWAYS hungry. The more I couldn’t eat the REAL stuff, the more I wanted it. One night, after eating three
Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, I baked a chocolate cake with butter and fat and ate the whole thing. Then I ran ten miles the next day.
After a long talk with my mom, I threw away all my fake, processed, chemically induced cuisines; basically anything that wasn’t REAL. Plus it always tasted NASTY and has been
linked to cancer, so what was the point? Soon my cereal was filled with delicious 2% milk and a Dairy Queen Blizzard never tasted so good. Something funny started happening. My portions grew smaller. I didn’t need to eat an entire plate full of food. My stomach stopped growling. And my pants started falling off. Vegetables, fish and chicken became staple dinner and lunch options because they tasted so good and fueled my body with nutrients. Too much sugar and I was practically sleeping on my keyboard at work. Being tired wasn’t worth it.
On my wedding day, I was about 140 pounds. Today, I fluctuate between 145 and 150. And I have never been happier.
My motto: yes, you can have your fatty cake and eat it too…just smaller portions
4. A hike in a swamp park
One of the many qualities I love about Karl is his ability to take charge. Sunday afternoon Karl decided we were going to go on a hike, but he wasn’t going to tell me where (yeah! I love surprises). We ended parking at a
trail just outside of Shakopee, near the
Renaissance Festival. The trails were great, but the mosquitoes were awful (possibly from the swamp). We had to turn around and take the shorter path since it was higher (less bugs). I love going on walks with Karl. I feel like they are mini adventures and we're back on one of our first dates.
5. My book status- chapter 14…or 15…
I’d like to say I have reached chapter 15, which would mean I am MORE than halfway done with my book! I’m technically on chapter 14 but I have inserted and started another chapter between 12 and 13, so doesn’t that mean I’m really on chapter 15?? I know, I know – I’m totally pushing it! I’m sad because I won’t be able to work on my book at all this weekend since my parents are up visiting, but perhaps I’ll have more energy and incentive to get to chapter 20 by the end of next week! Trying to stay optimistic! I love spending time with my family, so that’s my focus!
6. Talkative folks and other minor annoyances
Do you know someone who talks? And I mean…TALKS so much they don’t even breathe? I do. How do you suggest I approach this person and tell them ever so kindly to STOP? I have tried staring at the wall and running away, but neither seems to work. I know all I have to do is communicate to this person, but I’m not sure how I can get a word in or approach this matter professionally? Any advice would be appreciated! I don’t understand how they can get their work done and still manage to talk. I will briefly mention that LISTENING is one of those GREAT skills very few humans can master. To those amazing listeners out there, God bless you! Sometimes that’s all you CAN do.
One other bothersome event… why do cars pull out in front of me when there are no cars behind me and then turn just a few feet away so I have to slow down? Couldn’t they have waited until I passed and then pulled out?
Oh… and merging in Minnesota. It's killing me. People stop when merging and I don’t know why??? Did I miss the stop sign??
Ali and The Bachelorette…I don’t know why, but she still hasn’t grown on me. I have a hard time forgetting mean people. She was mean on The Bachelor. So I have boycotted this season. I can't get into it...
These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Follow the way of love. -1 Corinthians 13:13; 14:1 NIV
