Thanks (in) Giving Giving (in) Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving.  Almost considered a designated time of year, we all like to gather as a family in a variety of celebrations  (sometimes numerous occasions) and enjoy specific foods, fellowship, friends and family.   Friendsgiving was celebrated at work last week and as a family, some got an early start last weekend when 14 of us gathered at Megan's house for our 2nd annual "pre-thanksgiving" meal.  As expected, this meal looked hauntingly familiar...much like we will see again this week. 

Holidays play out different in every family and we have gone through several iterations of celebrating.  We have done Meals on Wheels in Kansas City and Operation Turkey here in Austin.  We have celebrated with friends in the neighborhood who included us like family.  At our first celebration this year, one of the things I like best is, without any more discussion than who will bring what, we all KNOW what foods will be served.  Always turkey (which can be complemented by a roast or ham), a variety of potatoes (mashed, scalloped and sweet potato), pies (pumpkin, pecan, cherry) and our family specialties (scalloped eggplant and some salad that Megan makes that tastes more like dessert). And let's not forget the rolls!

Prior to the meal, pickles, olives and deviled eggs are up for grabs.  It is a veritable feast!  While some of us might be ready for a nap after eating, we are setting up a type of tradition (how many times do we have to do this before it becomes expected?) and play a questionable card game (Cards Against Humanity) and then go watch Ethan in whatever musical production he is a part of. 

And even as we enjoy this time with our family, I am reminded of the opportunities that abound which allow us to "give (in) Thanks.  Canned food drives, blankets for the homeless, Angel trees at work, Salvation Army bell ringers....the list goes on and on.

The Bible says it best..."For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required," Luke 12:48 KJV

It's true we have all  "been given" a different amount, but there will always be someone who has more than you and so many more that have less.  If you are reading this, (because it is only shared electronically) I would guarantee you already have SO MUCH MORE than so many people in our world enjoy.  

We all have electricity, electronics (to read my blog), a roof over our heads, food on the table, drinkable water (and this list goes on and on also).

I challenge you to find a way to give back this season.  And may the joy received by your giving, encourage you to be a part of this bigger community all year long.

Until next time,
#mayyoubeblessed

your pal,
(and thankful for each of you)

Kari

The Greatest Show on Earth!

Not your mother's kind of circus!

When we were growing up, us five kids were frequent attendees of the annual circus when it came to town.  Because both our stepfather and dad liked to give us tickets, (and we never wanted to hurt feelings) we inevitably went twice.  By the time I became a parent, I was pretty much done with the circus and most of the time, let (encouraged?) Aunt Lori take my kids with hers.

Looking closely at the definition of circus, it appears I never have to enter "the big top" again to enjoy (suffer) the antics.  

Back in the 1830's-1860's (no, I wasn't alive then), Dan Rice's circus was first described by an Arkansas paper as the "greatest show on earth".  Most of us will remember Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus using the phrase as a slogan.


Did you know, the word circus derives from Latin circus, which is the romanization of the Greek   κίρκος (kirkos), itself a metathesis of the Homeric Greek κρίκος (krikos), meaning "circle" or "ring".  You can see I did some research on this topic.


Keep in mind, just like many things in our world, that is the old school definition.  Wikipedia describes a circus as a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats,trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, unicyclists  as well as other object manipulation and stunt-oriented artists. 

And every time I read that definition, I no longer think of "circus" in the traditional sense of the word.  

Let's talk about every day life.  How often are we surrounded by a band of "performers"...clowns if you will, even jokers.....(wasn't there a song about that?) that provide a  wide range of reaction on a daily basis.  ADMISSION IS FREE.  Just look around you.  We see some who are walking the "tightrope" and "juggling" so many balls in the air at one time, we wonder if they will finish the "show" without getting hurt.  And sometimes, just like in the old day circus, accidents happen. 

Maybe they (we)  didn't even know we were part of the show!  And the show must go on.

Turn on your TV and social media.  Both are manipulated by the "magicians" that present it to us, different views depending on what you want to hear.  Love those options.  It's just like having three rings going at one time in the old day circus.  

So much to hear, so much to see.  And where is our voice in this?  Do we all play "ringmasters" spouting off to a void that is safe...no popcorn can be thrown here, inciting condemnation over behaviors we are returning in kind?  Do we behave like "animals"?

The circus is in town.  Before taking your "seat" or entering the "ring", identify your exits so you can get out safely, not if but when you need to. 

Thanks goes to Katy for giving me the idea of this topic.  We were talking about things going on in today's world and she said "It's the Greatest Show on Earth".  And we laughed and laughed.  So we wouldn't cry and cry.

Until next time,

#sendintheclowns

#nowaitIamafraidofclowns

your pal,

Kari

  

I'm Here,,,Where are you?

Where are you?

I have no sense of direction.  Growing up in Topeka,  Kansas, I had the illusion of knowing which way I was going because of main streets that ran north and south.  Topeka Boulevard and Kansas Avenue basically ran from one side of town to the other, so as long as I knew where I was in relation to those streets, I knew what direction I was travelling.  Obviously, this was before the days of a compass being included as part of our car's dashboard and I was one of those geeks who bought a compass to keep on board.

Luckily,  my penchant for getting turned around (at best) or totally lost (worst case scenario) has not blocked my moral compass.  This is not to say that I haven't diverted from a righteous path (we are all sinners here) but I always recognized the road I was travelling was "not right for me".  Sometimes I traveled down that road longer than I should have but I always knew.

We are now living in a time when a moral compass tends to be optional versus necessary (IMHO).  Oh sure, on the surface EVERYONE says the right things, appears to do the right thing...but are they living the right thing?

A former boss of mine used to always take the opportunity to share with others his tolerance of all things, his generous instruction and guidance versus penalties and consequences, blah blah blah.  He  himself had been a benefactor of a boss who extended grace when errors were made and therefore recognized the importance of second chances. 

Remember the parable in the Bible (Matthew 18:21-35) of the unforgiving debtor?  This began when Peter asked Jesus how many times one should forgive and then went into the story of a king who brought his accounts up to date and found a servant who owed him millions of dollars.  Because he couldn't pay, the king ordered the man to be sold, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.  The man fell down before the king and begged him for patience.  The king felt pity for the man and forgave his debt.  Yet, with this forgiveness, this GRACE, the servant left the king and went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars.  He grabbed him by the throat and demanded payment.  He ignored the fellow servants pleas and had the man arrested and thrown into prison until the debt was paid.  When the king found out what had happened, he called the forgiven man back and after calling him an evil servant who after being extended grace, could not extend it on his own, sent him to prison to be tortured until his debt was paid.

Wow.  A whole new meaning to "pay it forward".  This former boss (as those of us who worked regularly with him soon realized) did not extend unconditionally, the same grace he enjoyed.   Regardless of intent, he effectively filtered his moral compass to make it acceptable.

We have all put filters on our own moral compass throughout life.  Maybe this made it easier for us to have what we wanted.  Maybe we used it as an excuse for some type of behavior that we knew was not exactly what it should be.  Regardless, some of us, (most of us?) subconsciously know what we are doing.  And we find our way back ....back to where we need to be.

A reset if you will.  If something isn't working, first you hit the reset button.   It takes you back to where you need to be.....dare I say, want to be.  It is as simple as that. 

Where are you?

Until next time,
#reset

your pal,
Kari

But guess what?

Wednesday.  Blog day.  When I first started this blog (almost five years ago now!) I was religious about writing one EVERY SINGLE WEEK.  It could be late in the evening but before I could settle down, I would drag myself to the computer and write (type) away. 

I never have a topic in mind, however, if an idea appeals to me, I go ahead and enter it as a potential post.  Right now I have seven topics in the hopper that I will probably write about someday.  But before I get through all seven, I can promise you that I will add more.

It's a routine.  I have an expectation (of myself) to write.  I acknowledge that I enjoy writing and while I have varied the routine of weekly to (usually) every other week, it is still something I know I will do.  Because I like routines, expectations, plans, writing things down ....and the list goes on.

Am I a slave to routine?  The quick answer would be yes.  It is "the chain" that holds my life together.  I love structure.  So how can I accept, even welcome change when it comes?

Hmmm.  Sometimes I am better at it than others.  I like to be open minded and hear different ideas.  As I have gotten older, I am much more gracious about recognizing that I don't always know the right way to go.  And once a change has been accepted and made....guess what?  It becomes my new routine.

By the same token, when life interferes with routine (think broken foot versus Barre 3) after a short period of time, it is easy to forget that routine every existed.  And I know when I get this boot off, I will be harder for me to restart that particular routine.  Mainly because I had made such progress and now it will be starting all over again.

I tell you this because that is what I appreciate about routine.  It can keep you going.  And when you keep going, whether it is exercise, quilting, going to work, attending church.......you see results!

#wearefamily

These past few days Mom and I have been surrounded by sisters,  cousins and aunts (Mom's sisters).  We have been talking, laughing,going on field trips, eating all our meals together and even getting some quilting done.  (this is allegedly the reason for our gathering).   Not my normal routine.  But guess what?

It feels like it now will be.  My sisters and I are scattered across four states and this is the first time (since very early adulthood) we have all spent quality time together with cousins and aunts.  And they live in different states also. But guess what?

This change of routine, this newly forged chain will now keep us together.  In our world of technology, we are all just a phone call (ok, maybe text) away!  True, we always have been...but now we KNOW each other.  My world just got bigger!

Until next time,
#blestbethetiesthatbind
#thechainkeepsusto

gether

your pal,
Kari

Walk (or hobble) on!

It was still dark (as usual) when I was driving in to work and I was almost there, when I saw a HUGE pothole in my lane.  I take the same way every day and it wasn't there yesterday.  Luckily I was able to center the car over it and continue on with no damage.  And then I started to think.

In the big picture, it's not that big of deal

I was thinking about sinkholes (a grown up version of potholes) and how all of a sudden, they open up and consume whatever is in the path.  There have been cars...even houses that fall prey to the widening gaps.   And the equivalent of a sinkhole in the air is an air pocket.  You can be flying along (in a plane, of course) and just like that, you drop into the pocket.  That smooth flight can change on a dime.  While terrifying in the moment, most pilots recover quickly enough.

Thankfully I have never experienced a sinkhole but I still vividly remember a flight I was on around 30 years ago and we hit an air pocket.  It felt like we were free falling straight down (not a nose dive but the entire plane just dropping).  The attendant said "Need I say more?  Fasten your seat belt!"

So then I started to ponder life.  And the most constant thing about life is change.  Sometimes you may hit a rough patch, or plow through a pothole.  You can re-route, but sometimes the detours are more trying than just slowing down.  Slowing down is another option, avoiding the rush through everything as you figure out the best way to go.

Recently, I broke my foot (again) and this has caused me to slow WAY down.  It is a challenge for me because I am very physically active and enjoy always doing SOMETHING.  That generally is not limited to sitting around with my foot up.  My preference has always been to "be in the game" versus cheering from the sidelines.

And then I remembered someone else that has never been a cheerleader.  Madison was 11 and very active in EVERYTHING.  All we did was run from one activity to the next.  Until she broke her leg, which took her out of all activities for about a year.

We were given back all this time.  And we made the most of it!  We went to the grandson's games and watched them.  We shared meals together and entire evenings at home.  And until we were sidelined, we didn't really know what we were missing.

So I have hit a pothole.  Just a routine change, not a life change.  We have all had both.  But I have noticed, that a pothole can turn into a sinkhole, if one is not careful.   The challenge is to find the best way to redirect and be grateful for time given back.

Thankfully, I love to read!  And I dare say I am becoming a bit of a quilter.  Maybe I will write a blog!

Until next time,
#Iwillsurvive


your pal,
Kari

Is the juice worth the squeeze?

The other day I was sitting in a meeting and the group was discussing a new approach to reach the desired goal.  The more we talked, the more convoluted it started to sound.  Finally, one of the guys in the meeting said "Is the juice worth the squeeze"?

Wow!  What a GREAT summary.  I instantly told him, I will use that phrase again.  And here we are.

What the heck are we doing?  Whether it be at work, at home, at play.....is the juice worth the squeeze?  Is the effort, thought, worry..... we are putting into whatever it is, worth the outcome?

So much energy is spent on things that at the end of the day, really don't matter.  We are all guilty of believing and subsequently acting, as if we are in control.  Control of our lives, time, future.

Earlier this year I was watching the World Cup and the two teams playing were tied so it went to the shootout (I think that is the proper terminology) where each team chooses a set number of players and they try to score a goal against the opposing team's goalie.  Sometimes it looks as if the goalie is just trying to avoid getting hit but Mr. French advised that a decision by the goalie has to be made before the kicker even kicks the ball because the game moves that quick.

What does that have to do with this blog?  Doesn't it sound even a bit familiar? Every day when we wake up, don't we instinctively start moving in the direction we WANT the day to move in, when in reality, we have NO IDEA of what is coming.

The best laid plans.....

Pastor gave a great sermon several Sunday's ago, where he talked about how we pray for what we need...I should say, what we know we need.  But how can we know what we need, WHEN WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING!!!!

So now we are back to - "is the juice worth the squeeze"?

Is there anything today (or yesterday) that you did that now seemed to have required so much more thought and energy than it was worth (more squeeze - less juice?)

Until next time,
#somethingtothinkabout

your pal,
Kari

I'm just a love machine

Available for calls and confiding!

Yesterday I heard that song on my play list (by The Miracles) and was instantly reminded of one of my best memories.  Several years back (probably longer back than I care to remember), a fund raiser was being held at work that called for performers.  Participation was "voluntold" for the Leadership team and right away the imagination was fired up.

Myself and three other guys (for the most part also introverted like me), decided to "sing/dance" to a medley of songs and "I'm just a love machine" was what Mick and I performed.  We all decided to buy those hideous rubber masks representing past and wannabe Presidents - George Bush, Jimmy Carter and for Mick and I - Bill and Hillary Clinton.   Hence the song....It was posted on YouTube under Thee Presidents for quite some time but don't think it can be accessed now.

We were so much braver behind the masks.  I had no idea they were so empowering.

Which brings me to the topic that I have been pondering lately - social media.  Isn't that like wearing a mask?  Who doesn't feel braver when they can "hide" behind a keyboard?  This is evidenced by comments I continue to see which include (but are not limited to) judging, filthy language, armchair quarterbacking, all or nothing statements, blah, blah, blah.

So thankful for our Freedom of Speech constitutional rights that lets us throw common courtesy and decency to the wind.   I love how much smarter we all are now that we can fire off a response to any given topic, based solely on what is being presented.  No fact finding necessary to see if it is 1) true; or 2) tells the whole story.  How many of us have shared something as if it were gospel, only to find out later it was less than truthful if not just made up? 

I wonder if all the repercussions of social media were imagined when it first came out?  Surely it seemed like a good idea and venue to share family pictures, stories, blogs (here I am)....okay, even what you fixed for dinner.  #guilty

Miss knowing you!

What it has evolved to for some is a replacement for direct communication.   I promise you that there are some folks out there that if they never called me again, although they might not have a clue about what's really going on with me, I would still never miss a superficial  beat in their life.  I know where they have been, what they are wearing, what they are eating (and drinking) in addition to any attitudes, beliefs, judgments, etc. that they may have. 

There in lies another problem.  Surely we represent our "best selves" when we share the pictorial diary of our days.  No one shows what is "less than".  Why would you?  Unless you wanted to really connect with someone specific.  Optional these days.

Before I sign off, remember that while some of what I am sharing in this article is factual, other things are perception and opinion.  And since we live in a world where perception can quickly become reality, buyer beware!

Until next time,
#cuteoutfit
#persocialmedia

your pal,
Kari