Day 83- Thank you to ISP Chaplain

As a wife a of an Indiana State Trooper there isn’t a day that my husband walks out the door to go on duty that I know he may never return.  On this day my husband received a postcard in the mail from his district chaplain.  The postcard stated “Each day I select a person from Lowell District 13 and pray for them. Today I have prayed for you. I have prayed for your wisdom, health, family and for you to be safe. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you His peace.”

I was so touched by this letter.  My heart smiled knowing that there are always many people praying for the safety of my husband on a daily basis.  My gift today was a letter back to the ISP Chaplain letting him know that I was thankful he prays for my husband and that I am grateful for the job he does. Take time to thank those that are praying for and watching out for your loved ones.  Saying THANK YOU is one of the simplest yet most meaningful gifts we can give.

Day 82-Red Cross Japan

^{My heart was devastated when I heard and saw all the pictures from what was happening in Japan.  The American Red Cross is an organization I have supported over the years and I believe they provide invaluable services to victims of various catastrophes around the world.  On this day, I gave a gift to the American Red Cross to support their efforts in Japan.  The Red  Cross belongs to a global humanitarian network of 13 million volunteers uniquely positioned to save lives and provide assistance to those affected by emergencies, such as the earthquake and tsunami in the countries across the Pacific.  To learn more about the Red Cross please visit www.redcross.org.}

Day 81-Chief Justice Shepard

^{I am a pretty social person and love to attend various speaker events that are in our community. On this date the Kiwanis were hosting Indiana Supreme Court Justice Randall Sheppard at our weekly meeting. We wanted a packed house so we were encouraged to invite a guest. Since I love the law I knew this was a rare opportunity to hear a Chief Justice speak in such an intimate environment.  On this day my gift was to a friend of my husband’s and an acquaintance to me. He is an attorney and I thought he might enjoy hearing the Chief Justice speak.  It is out of my comfort zone to ask people that I hardly know to attend an event with me, but I thought this would be a great gift. He was excited about the opportunity and graciously accepted my offer to come hear the Chief Justice Speak. My gift giving journey is teaching me to go outside my network, think of others and get out of my comfort zone. Have you given a gift lately that has challenged you to step outside your comfort zone?}

Day 75, 76, 122 and 125-Dinners and Desserts

I think I have mentioned in prior post I am not the best cook, nor am I the main cook in our household, my husband has that role and does it much better than I do.  I am combining a couple of days together because they all have to do with food and me cooking or baking…YIKES!

On Day 75 I prepared and took a meal over to one of my friends for her family. Her youngest son was having surgery and a group of women got together to make sure all her meals were covered for the week. I was a bit nervous about preparing the dinner.  Sure I have people to our home for dinner, but I don’t ever recall making something to take to another family. My mom use to do this all time when I was growing up. It seemed like she was cooking and taking meals to people on a weekly basis, but the difference is she is a great cook I am not.  I called my mom for advice, I needed something easy and that kids would like.  I ended up making homemade BBQ, Mac and cheese, a veggie tray and my favorite… cupcakes!  According to my friend the dinner was a hit and no one got sick, which the latter was my goal.

On Day 76 I took cupcakes to the three neighbor boys across the street.  I had baked way too many cupcakes on Day 75 and needed them out of the house. I love the boys across the street because they are growing boys and always welcome my food, or at least I think they do!

On Day 122 and 125 I actually cooked dinner for my husband.  I have been working on a big project at work and during the past two months my husband did all the cooking and kept me fed. If it wasn’t for him I may have starved in my office. He is so supportive of my job and the long hours I must work sometimes.  Since my project is over I have more time to cook and even though my husband is the better cook he enjoys the break when I cook for him!

The gift on Day 75 was really out of my comfort zone. It was something I wanted to avoid and not do. I was actually nervous about cooking the meal and wondering if they would like it and eat it. And then I realized, the gift wasn’t about the food it was about helping out a friend and I am sure if they hadn’t liked the food they still would have been grateful for the thought and that I tried to help instead of sitting on the sidelines letting someone else do the work. I challenge you today to look for an opportunity to give a gift that will stretch you out of your comfort zone. Doing things that make us uncomfortable is how we learn and how we get over our fears. Now that I have made one meal it is my hope I will have the opportunity to make more meals in the future.  

Day 71, 78 and 99- Calls with Emily

Time is something that we all could use more of and I am sure if there were 26 hours in a day we would be wishing for 28.  Lately I feel like my days are full from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed. To be honest I like life this way. I get bored easily so the more I am doing the better I feel.  I think on some days my husband would disagree since my over commitment at times can cause me to get stressed and a bit overwhelmed. Usually this subsides and I am back to committing myself to more projects.  I heard someone say the other day at a meeting, “If you want something done, ask a busy person!” I think this is so true.

Anyway enough of my ranting about being busy.  Sundays are a day to relax and catch-up before the beginning of the new week but typically my Sundays are just as busy as any other day of the week.  My gift on these days was time spent talking with my friend Emily. It is a gift to both of us. Even though if it seems like I don’t have time, I always try and make time for our talks. It is a great motivating start to my week.

 We are accountability partners and challenging each other to be the best people we can be.  We also discuss a book, this month, You Were Made for More by Jim Cymbala.  Great book, here is an excerpt from the back cover, “Jim Cymbala believes that anyone who wonders whether there is something more to life is on the right track. God does have more.  Whether you come from the bottom, the top, or the middle rungs of our society, Jim Cymbala knows that God can transform your life. You can become remarkable for the peace and joy you display.  Equip yourself to pursue the “more” God has for you.”

If you don’t have an accountability partner or a friend that is constantly challenging you in life, find one.  We all need a cheerleader and a coach to make sure we are living our best life!