Inner Child

 No matter how old I get, I hope I never lose my inner child.  It is the part of me that makes me wonder, find joy in the simplest things, play, act silly, make friends easily, and simply have fun.
One of the childlike delights I enjoy is found in the chilled fresh vegetable bin at a local supermarket.  Periodically, when I am picking out peppers, green beans, ginger root, or collard greens, I hear a rumbling thunder sound, so I pause and smile with expectation.  Next, a fine water mist sprays the fresh veggies!  It is an artificial rainstorm, and if you stand too close, some of the mist will float over you! 
Now, how cool is that!  
Smiles,
Sylvia

Pack Mentality

The other day, a cousin of mine was attacked and robbed while at college.  He was walking along, minding his own business, when several guys jumped him, beat him, kicked him, and robbed him.   The sense of outrage I feel is somewhat tempered  by the fact, that by God's grace, my cousin survived the beating.  He is recuperating.  I pray that he will be restored to his full self, on the  inside and on the outside.
I also pray that the people who attacked and robbed him will be brought to justice. 
This was a senseless and cruel act that I wish had not happened to my cousin.  It should not happen to anyone else, either.
Peace be,
Sylvia

A Record of Your Dreams

Have you ever kept a record of your dreams?   Long ago, I purchased a little dream journal from a dollar store.  Recently, I found this journal  as I was cleaning my study.  I  had made a few entries in this dream journal; they are from about nine years ago.  It was weird to read them, because I do not remember these dreams I wrote about back then. Some people I know say they do not ever remember their dreams.  I have read somewhere that you should write down your dreams as soon as you wake up.
Anyway, this dream journal has prompts where you enter the date and time, what each dream was about, who was in the dream, what your role was in the dream, what the dream means to you, if the dream was in black and white or color, and what you read or watched before you went to sleep.
This old journal of mine has a lot of blank pages left, but not because of my lack of dreams.  I dream a lot.  I just do not have the time to write my dreams down. 
Enjoy your dreams,
Sylvia

Snow Shoveling Outfit

We are having the third or fourth or fifth snowstorm in a row.  I have lost count.  This one is supposed to be quite strong.  I am not complaining.  God gives us the weather He wants us to have, and I am thankful that He gives us weather.  He knows what is best for us.
I have been doing some of the snow shoveling around here, and I have put together my shoveling outfit.  It is not cute, but it is functional. My outfit consists of my black Totes waterproof boots, my black sweatpants, two pairs of socks, a cotton tee shirt worn under my purple fleece hoodie from my teen's middle school years. I top all of this with a water repellent hooded coat and my leopard print fake fur hat that covers my ears.  Once I put on my knit gloves, I am ready to shovel.  I even set my small writing timer for thirty minutes and put it in my pocket.  After thirty minutes, I take a break so I don't overdo it.
What's your shoveling outfit?
Be careful out there.
Sylvia

Live On

An elderly member of the church moved away years ago to live with her relatives in the south.  I remember many things about her, including her familiar statement, "Live on, child.  Live on!"   It took me being a woman to fully understand what she meant by that statement.  When we are young, we think we know almost everything, but life teaches us so much more.  Our experiences often teach us that what we thought we knew was not accurate or reliable.  As we live on, our attitudes and actions change from the ones we had when were the know-it-alls that some of us used to be.   As we continue to live on, we continue to grow in many ways.  Hopefully, we also grow spiritually.  Now, I find myself saying to people who are younger than I am, "Live on, just live on. You will see what I mean."
Take care,
Sylvia

Put On Your Winter Coat!

I notice that teen girls, including my teen, often sacrifice comfort for fashion in terms of what style of coat or jacket they wear outside in this frigid weather.  What they call a coat, I call a jacket.  To me, a coat covers you at least to your knees.  For lots of the teens I see, like the ones I saw walking home from high school this afternoon, the short  black jacket  or navy  jacket is popular, but it does not cover too much beyond the waist.  My teen tries to compensate for this by wearing tights under her jeans and says this keeps her warm.  The girls also wrap long scarves around their necks and faces.  They also wear gloves and sometimes hats. 
 I remember being a teen girl.  I remember that fashion was so important.  I also remember our parents' expressions when they saw some of our outfits.   Sometimes, my mother would make me change so that I would not  "Freeze to death!" 
These teen girls look stylish in their jeans and and short jackets,  and I know they want to look fashionable, but when the temperature is in the single digit degrees outside, the girls also look cold!
Stay warm,
Sylvia

Do It Yourself

When I was growing up, I heard this often: "If you want something done right, do it yourself."  Sometimes,  I can go with that.  However, the down side of this thinking is you find yourself resisting the delegation of tasks.  You may find yourself micromanaging folks to whom you assign tasks.  You find yourself worn out because you think you have to have your hands on every aspect of a project.
How many of you have worked with a boss or supervisor who asked you to handle a task and then kept stepping in to see if you were completing the task the way they would?   This probably made you think, "If you were going to keep stepping in, why did you ask me to do this task in the first place?  Do you not trust that I know what I am doing?"
I know how we can use the  "done right, do it yourself " message  without it failing us.  It is when we see a person in need and we help them ourselves.   Then, it is done right.
Take care,
Sylvia

The Baby in the Lab

 I had a blood draw recently, and there was a young mother and her son ahead of me. He appeared to be about a year old; I saw them when they entered the little procedure room.  The child was happy,  I could see his smile and hear the sing-song in his child noises.  Mom and he "talked" as did the tech and the child.  Then, the tone changed when the tech asked the mother to hold the child.  The little boy stopped singing and started a whining, "Let me go!" sound.  I could not see inside the room, but I guess this was the part when he was being held still and his sleeve was rolled up because it was time for  the cold alcohol swab.  Then, I heard a yelp of pain!  He must have started wriggling around, because the tech asked his mother to please hold him still.  I'll bet he was moving around like an eel!  Next, the child's holler changed from pain to indignation.  He was mad, and although his mother sang nursery rhymes and squeaked his squeaky toy, the child would not be silenced all through the time his mother put his snowsuit back on.  He finally stopped expressing his loud displeasure and quieted to a few disdainful sniffs when his bottle was placed in his mouth.  Even then, he'd drink a little from the bottle, stop and do a whimper, and go back to the bottle. His mother kept making comforting sounds to him.
I feel sorry for babies when they have to have these procedures, because they do not understand why someone is causing them pain and discomfort.  We adults know we are trying to keep them healthy, although these tests are no fun for us to watch or the children to have.  I think we adults get as weepy inside as the child gets weepy on the outside!
Take care,
Sylvia

Enemy Care

I noted a radical concept during my personal Bible study last week.  It is in Proverbs 24:17-18.

"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him." (NIV)

Many of us have learned not to hate our enemies.  Many of us have learned to not try for revenge when our enemies attack.  But not being glad when our enemies fall and we are not the ones responsible for their fall?  Not thinking, "Good! That is just what you get, you enemy! Your fall will teach you not to mess with me anymore!"   That surely is another notion!
With God's grace, we can do it.
Take care,
Sylvia

Yay!

I am so excited!  I actually managed to add a link to a page on my website (www.nikkimacproductions.com) after creating a pdf!   I just tested it, and it works!  This may seem trivial to many of you, but if you were as tech-challenged as I can be sometimes, you would see what I mean.
Granted, I had to call the Customer Support Center and speak with a female tech, who was very nice, by the way.  I wrote down everything she told me, prayed to think calmly, and followed the steps.
Now, I can shut down the computer, go to the kitchen, and eat my dinner.
I love little victories!
Take care,
Sylvia

A Birthday Observance

Today, we have the  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday observance.  "Drum major for justice" is one of the references to a peaceful leader who pushed for nonviolence and equality.   I remember the time of active protest, demonstrations, and unequal opportunity.   
The scriptures tell us about peace.  Matthew 5:9 reads, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called  sons of God."(NIV)
One of the cool things about peace is that we all have the ability to contribute to it.

Take care,
Sylvia

A Compliment

While I was at the grocery store last week, I saw one of my friends.  Now, here is a fact about me: when I am grocery shopping, it is not a highly social experience.  I have a list, I have coupons, and I read labels.  Some folks go to the grocery store to shop and chat with anyone they remotely know.  I am perfectly happy to greet people in a friendly manner and then keep it moving with the shopping task.
Anyway, when I saw my friend, I was happy to see her.  We greeted and embraced.  We were both in a hurry, but we took a little time to catch up on each other's news. 
Before she walked away from me, she said, "You know, I read your book, Behind Church Doors.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I am reading it for the second time."
I was touched.  The last thing I expected was a compliment while shopping at Marrazzo's.  It is a good thing I took time to chat.
I hope you enjoy your weekend.
Sylvia

Lifework

I had to attend two funerals last week. It is not that I was a close friend of either person, but I needed to offer support to the remaining family members. Sometimes, just being there counts a lot when people are dealing with the process of saying goodbye to a loved one. 
At each funeral,  the departed was not much older than I am.  This reminded me that we have no way of knowing how long we have to make a positive mark in this world, so we have to get on with our lifework  while we are able.
Take care,
Sylvia

Food For Thought

This is just a silly thought.  Exactly how long does it take for you to gain weight after you have eaten some food?  Is it as soon as you put the food in your mouth?  Is it after you have chewed and swallowed the food?  Is it while you are digesting or after you have digested the food?  What if you move around and burn calories while you eat the food or right after you eat the food?  Will that keep you from gaining weight?
I am sure some expert knows the answer.  I do not.  All I know is that if I eat food after 8 pm, I will see the unwelcome result on the scale the next morning.

Have a great Wednesday!
Sylvia

Refrigerator Etiquette

Unless you live alone, you probably share a refrigerator with one or  more persons.  That can be harmonious or it can be a challenge.  If all the refrigerator users in the house have the same refrigerator habits, it is all good.  However, usually one member of the house is very conscientious about the use of the fridge, while at least another one is, well,  trifling.
Refrigerator violations include:
Placing  uncapped containers holding liquids on the fridge shelves.  These containers always get knocked over and this makes a mess.
Leaving fruit in the refrigerator until it turns into something petrified, oozy, or unidentifiable. Yuck!
Letting  food grow fuzzy mold because it has been forgotten about.
Never refilling the ice trays.  Not everybody has their ice maker hooked up.
Never wiping up any spills.
Putting so many bottles in the inside door panels that the door has trouble closing due to the weight.
Putting fruit in the dairy section of the fridge.
Putting lettuce, carrots,and other veggies in the colder part of the fridge.
Putting cut, unwrapped onions in the drawer with the cheese and cold cuts.
Leaving the fridge door open for five minutes while you look in, trying to decide what you want out of it.

Violations or not, we all have to get along, so let us be kind to one another, and to our refrigerators.
I wish you and your fellow refrigerator sharers a harmonious kitchen existence!

TTYS,
Sylvia

Here Comes the Snow!

I was raised in the northeast, so I am used to having four distinct weather seasons each year.  In the winter, we expect for it to be cold and to snow.  What I have difficulty figuring out, however, is the way people here dash to the grocery stores and the gas stations when they hear that a snowstorm is coming.  It is kind of funny, because it is not like we are going to be snowed in for a  whole week.  Most of us have food staples enough in our houses that we will not starve before the roads are cleared.  As far as gassing up our cars, where are we going to drive to if the roads are blocked? 
You can barely get into the parking lot at Shoprite, because we have another snowstorm predicted for tomorrow.   I guess if there are children at home, they want to have milk for drinking and for eating cereal.  Of course, children also like juice, and sandwiches need bread.  Babies need their disposable diapers.   Others need their toilet paper.  Yet, I see lots of folks in the snack and soda aisles at the supermarket.
Why am I here?  I guess snowstorm shopping is a bit contagious!   Now, where do they keep the olives in this store?
Stay warm and dry,
Sylvia

A Blood Draw

I had to go to the lab for blood work today.  It is truly not one of my favorite activities, but every now and then,  it is necessary.  Think about it.  Who really feels relaxed while a stranger ties a rubber tube around your upper arm and pats around the inside of your elbow, looking  for a vein to show itself?
Who feels relaxed when the technician tells you to make a fist, and then swabs some cold alcohol on your arm?  You know what is coming next!
What about those little vials? I always count how many of them they plan to fill with my valuable blood.  When the moment of puncture arrives, I usually close my eyes.  Then,  I quickly open them to see if my blood is cooperating by flowing quickly into the vial. 
Finally, the part comes when the tech removes the needle from my vein and puts a cotton ball on the puncture spot and asks me to press down on it. 
Then, the tech covers the cotton ball with adhesive  tape, and I am so out of that chair!  Happy to leave!

 Oh, right before my turn at the lab today, there was a toddler who was there for a blood draw.  Listening to him pulled on my heartstrings.  I plan to tell you about that next week. 

Wishing you all the best,
Sylvia

Car Names

I was just thinking about automobiles and their names.  I know there is marketing pizazz behind it, but I wonder if we consumers are influenced by the names of our cars and other vehicles of transportation.  Do we associate ourselves with the image that comes to mind when we think of the names of our vehicles?  Is the name part of the reason we bought our vehicles?

During this musing, I thought of the given names of some cars, like:  Maverick, Challenger, Impala, Malibu, Charger, Dynasty, Cavalier, Neon, Escalade, Colt, Volt, Soul, Altima, Ultima, Maxima, Escort, Mustang, Tahoe, Prius, Beetle, Accord, Civic, Alero, Camry, Golf, Milan, Explorer, Outback. 
Whew! That's just some of the names; maybe the name of your car is on this list.

Maybe I have too much time on my hands today!  LOL!

TTYS,
Sylvia

Surprise Found Money

Money is not everything in life. I am clear on that.  However, it is fun to find money that you put in a certain spot and then thought no more about it.   Earlier, you may  have put this money in a coat pocket,  in a drawer,  in an envelope, in  your bathrobe pocket,  in another purse,  in your car, etc.  Then, you  did not miss it because you forgot about it. 

Yesterday, I found two twenty dollar bills in the back pocket of a pair of jeans I wore last week.  As soon as I took the bills out, I remembered that I had put them there while I was rushing out of the house.  My intention was to put them in my wallet, but I never did.  Cool! That money came in handy today.
I call this Surprise Found Money.  I do not have to return it to anyone because it is mine.  I do not consider it the same as lost money.  Finding lost money is cool, too.
Anyway, I think I will go through some of my old purses.  I might have some more surprises in store for me!

I wish for you some happy surprises!
Sylvia

Magazine Excess

Next on my list of things to pare down are my subscription magazines.  I only subscribe to two for relaxation reading, but as of today I am ending those subscriptions.  The reason for that is I have so many back issues that are unread.  One of my weird things is that I have a hard time throwing away magazines without reading them first.  I feel like I may miss reading some helpful hints or other information I should know about.
This was not so much a problem when I was teaching, because I made sure to read the magazines before I took them to my classroom.  My students enjoyed reading some of the articles about their history, and looking at the pictures and using them in art or writing projects.  They knew they could tear out the pages or cut out their favorite pictures.  My students would ask me for new issues after I read them and this would prompt me to keep up.
Now, for some reason, I do not get around to reading the magazines on schedule, and they have piled up.
I will give myself to the end of January 2011 to get caught up with reading the magazines that are here before I bring another one into the house.  Onward and  upward I go!

TTYS,
Sylvia

Easy Open Packaging

This is about some product packaging that aims to be simple and user-friendly, but instead is complicated and user-frustrating.  My latest example of this was a package of deli meat with the directions: TEAR HERE and RESEALABLE PACKAGE written on a strip at the top edge of the package.  I looked for the tiny tear starter indentation, put my fingers precisely there, and tried to tear as per the directions.
I was hungry, and I could see the sliced turkey inside the package, but I could not get to it by following the directions.  The turkey was so close and yet so far away.  Finally, I discarded all thoughts of following directions and  entered the so-called EASY OPEN package with a pair of scissors! 

Do not stand between a hungry woman and her sandwich.

TTYS,
Sylvia