Random Thoughts

So, technically, I broke my New Year's goal by going all of last week without a post, but I did think of lots of posts in my head...and it's the thought that counts, right?

To make up for it, I will post lots this week...maybe.

I have about 4 book review posts to write and a few more digiScrap pages to post (I didn't shirk on that goal last week), but for now I'm just going to give you some of the random things in my head.

1)  Have you ever thought about how the things you wait forever for become old hat soon and before you know it, you've been doing them forever?

For example, getting your license....I was youngest one of my friends and the very last to turn 16.  It seemed like I would never get my license.  Now, I look back and realize that I've been driving for over half of my life!

Contacts.  I wore glasses from 4th grade to 8th grade.  At that time, all my friends were getting contacts and I wanted some too.  Finally I got them!  Now I've been wearing contacts for 20 years - old hat.  (Oh, and I really want Lasik now, but, alas, I don't always get what I want.)

2)  When kids get sick, they don't want to slow down.  When Mommy gets sick, all she wants to do is slow down.

Case in point, David has had a little touch of a stomach bug this weekend.  He'll say his tummy hurts and lay down for 15 minutes, then go to the bathroom, and be good to run around and play for an hour or so.  Despite me trying to make him stay in bed and rest, he won't do it.

Me?  I got a sinus infection a couple of weeks ago and it lasted for several weeks.  All I wanted to do was stay in my bed all week but instead I had to drive my kids to school, fix the meals, keep the house clean enough to walk through and be available to be the homework guru and the piano consultant.

If I was still a kid, I would take advantage of the whole staying in bed while sick thing.  Build up a sleep bank for use later on in life, when you need it.  If only I knew then what I know now...

3)  You ever notice how you might hear 50 compliments from people about something you did, then you hear one negative remark.  Which do you think stays with you?  Yup, the negative one.

Several months ago, I was in charge of a "thank-you" breakfast for a group of people, people who I really appreciate and think highly of.  I was NOT in charge of bringing the food, picking the location, or choosing the times for the breakfast - just coordinating it all.  50 people came in and thanked me, thanked those who brought the food and seemed genuinely grateful.  2 people didn't.  They came late and complained that I was putting away the food too soon, then they complained that there wasn't much left.

Guess how I felt for the rest of day?  Guilty.  Maybe I put the food away too soon.  Maybe I should have asked more people to bring in food.

Same thing happened yesterday.  Our troop was selling Girl Scout cookies in front of Walmart (very lucrative spot to sell, by the way).  Hundreds of people were nice and friendly and said "Yes" or "No" politely.  Then one guy gets all huffy and upset.  What do I think about when I go home?  That one guy.  And I feel guilty that maybe I said something wrong or asked him if he wanted to buy cookies in the wrong way.

Really???  I feel guilty over some stranger at Walmart?  I feel guilty over 2 people who complain about something nice I am doing for them, when 50 people thanked me?  Why do I do that?  Why do I torture myself that way?  Can't I just concentrate on the good things?

Philippians 4:8 says


"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."


If Paul, who was beaten, imprisoned, spit upon and left for dead, could think on these things, then so can I.  That's what I'm going to think about this week.

What random thoughts go through your head?