Category: Random

Posted in daily prompts, Random, Uncategorized

High School Field Trip

Posted on by fromthebrainofsarah

via Daily Prompt: Blush

 

There’s a rush to get on the bus.

Jostling and laughing, a few shouts.  The bus rumbles to life.  Diesel perfumes the air.

Amanda’s sweater is blush pink.  It matches her cheeks.  Cheeks made rosy by youth not cosmetics.

She sits on the slippery vinyl bench in the row with the “hump” to rest her feet on.  Primly she folds her hands in her lap and waits.  Will he sit by her?  She watches the door eagerly.

He appears in the doorway.  He looks her way.  Smiles.

She blushes prettily.  Her heart races.

He strides toward her.

Walks past her.

Sits on the last row with the jocks.

Her smiles falters.  She pales.  Embarrassed, she looks around.  Could anyone tell how high her hopes had been?  No one sees.  Everyone is talking and laughing and joking while she sits alone on a bus full of people.

 

Posted in Random, spiritual, Thoughts from the Word

Yesterday

Posted on by fromthebrainofsarah

Yesterday I went to the funeral of a man from our church.  He was 86.  I listened to his family talk about him and it reminded me of my own father’s funeral and what was said about him.  I was challenged at this man’s funeral, as I was at my own Dad’s funeral to do something and be something that really isn’t “me.”

It was said that this man would check up on each one of his family members.  He was interested in their lives.  Not just the big things, but the little things.  If he knew his granddaughter needed an oil change, he’d call later in the week and ask if she got the oil change, where at, how much?  It reminded me of my Dad, how he would call and see how we were doing, ask about each one of the boys and listen to our concerns.  He didn’t butt in, but he made himself available to talk and give counsel.  We knew he cared because he showed he cared.

Yesterday I was reminded that I had said at my Dad’s funeral that I wanted to be that to my family, I wanted to check on them and let them know they were loved.  I do love my family.  I am interested in their daily lives.  But how are they going to know it if I don’t show it?  I’ve got to show up, be present.  Step out of my comfort zone.

Yesterday is gone.  Tomorrow is not promised to us.  What can I do today to be PRESENT in my family’s, in my friends’, in my fellow church member’s lives?  One day, it’s going to be my funeral.  Will my loved ones know how much I really loved them?  How much I cared?

To my family, who will know what this means… “and… I love you!”

Posted in Random

Hangry

Posted on by fromthebrainofsarah

It’s almost 3pm. I’m feeling a teensy bit irritated because since noon I’ve been on a “clear liquid diet”  which is code for water, basically. Human nature being what it is, I (of course) want food. French dip sandwich? Yes, please. Bowl of ice cream? Sure!

Surgery tomorrow. It’s interesting to be on the patient end of this process. The hospital set up a pre-surgery class on what was going to happen, the do’s and dont’s, etc… Of particular interest to me was the blurb on cleaning. They give you a bar of antibacterial soap and tell you to start using it 3 days before surgery. Then they give you a packet of hibiclens to use the night before and the morning of surgery.  This decreases your chance of contracting an infection. Sounds reasonable. Makes me wonder why I’ve had post-surgical patients come in to the ER who are covered in filth? It is a mystery. I guess human nature again.

I’m not nervous, just ready to get this done so I can come home again and grit my teeth through the healing process. Pain meds (narcotics) and I don’t get along.

My friend, Sweet T, gave me some great encouraging words when I cried a little on Saturday due to my concerns for my husband while I’m recovering. This is a surgery that needs to be done, so trust that Ray will have the strength to take care of me and himself and don’t let the devil have any inroads in my life to make me worry. Gotta have FAITH.

Meanwhile, I’ll have faith that I won’t be too cranky to my dear ones as I suffer these hunger pains.

Posted in Random

A Few Favorites

Posted on by fromthebrainofsarah

Driving home from work Sunday night, one of my favorite things happened.  The train was running through downtown Easley, a moving wall of metal which can give you a bit of a start when it’s dark out, but nonetheless results in all green lights for through traffic.  Yesss!  This made me think of other random favorite things:

  • the smell of freshly washed laundry
  • blank notebooks and a sharp pencil
  • new calendars
  • humorous poetry (aka silly rhymes)
  • laughing for no apparent reason for an inappropriate amount of time with friends
  • the feel of a baby asleep on your chest
  • bacon
  • a real, honest-to-goodness, in the mail, note from a friend
  • sitting in my spotless house (so yeah, RARE) in my favorite chair reading a book and sipping tea
  • the sound of wind rushing through the trees
  • the little ripples in the pool
  • when something strikes me funny when I’m out by myself and try sharing it with a stranger who doesn’t get it AT ALL
  • deep conversations with strangers on planes
  • making homemade soup
  • eating homemade soup
  • Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie dough
  • organized drawers
  • randomly bumping into a friend while running errands
  • silence
  • the smell of books
  • the ocean and all that goes with it:  sand, surf, salt, seagulls, sounds of conversations, sun glistening off the water, shells
  • walking barefoot in the rain

The list could be longer, but you get the idea.  What are a few of your favorite things?

Posted in exercise ramblings, Random

Day 2… the “adventure” continues

Posted on by fromthebrainofsarah

I’ve been keeping myself motivated since Thursday for my run today.  Then I opened my run trainer app and it said “1:00:00.”  I’m like… mmm, I don’t think so, but I’ll try!  I slowly (not quite dragging my feet, but almost) headed out the back door and through the gate.  I looked down at my app.  It didn’t tell me what my walk/run ratio would be.  There was going to be NO motivation?!  This was my face…  20160208_092127

But I bravely set out.  I chose a different route this time, since I was going to be walking/jogging for an “hour.”  (I’ll be honest, I gave myself permission to do a half hour. This is, after all, only day TWO.)  The new route wasn’t so great.  A lot more traffic, a lot less room at the side of the road.   But I do enjoy learning different roads.  Ask my kids how they feel about my “short cut/adventures.”

Random things were swirling about in my head during my 2.17 mile, 35:04 minute run/jog (rug? jalk?).    Why was this farmer’s grass patch green and everyone else’s is brown?  Why do people throw beer bottles on the side of the road?  What was a ReWa truck doing here?  I AM going to run up that hill, and then I can walk!  Hello, mister farmer man in the tractor on the road….

I was thinking about my devotions this morning.  I Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” I was thinking how doing the right thing (in this case, exercise) isn’t always enjoyable.  Sometimes you DON’T feel better after doing them.  Sometimes it’s cold outside and your ears hurt.  Sometimes your muscles hurt and tighten up after you sit for a few minutes.  But it’s still the right thing to do.  It’s part of stewardship.  Taking care of something/someone that has been entrusted to your care for a certain amount of time.

I was also reading about King David tracking down Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. Remember how Jonathan and David were best friends?  closer than brothers.   The Bible said their hearts were “knit together.” King David wanted to honor his friend by taking care of what remained of the family Jonathan had left behind.  David found Mephibosheth and brought him into his household.  The Bible says “As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.” (II Samuel 9:11b) “So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem:  for he did eat continually at the king’s table;” (v13)

I was asking the Lord what he wanted me to meditate on today, and he brought this to mind:  What does is mean to eat at the king’s table?  What privilege does that bring into a person’s life?  Earlier in the chapter, David restored to Mephibosheth Saul’s lands.  Saul was Jonathan’s father, Mephibosheth’s grandfather.  Saul had been the king before David; he had made himself the enemy of David and had tried to kill him multiple times. Yet David extended kindness to Mephibosheth for Jonathan’s sake.  How like our Lord Jesus, the King of kings!  He went to even greater lengths to restore us… “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) He died on the cross for our sins so that he may restore us to our rightful inheritance, that we might sit at His table continuously.  Fellowship with God.

Being fit is not my purpose in life.  But being a good steward of those things that God has given me IS.  Walking in fellowship with the king, sitting at his table IS.