After my mom passed away in 2003, her younger sister, my Aunt Lois, learned of my crazy passion for writing and encouraged me to contact her author friend, Sally Jadlow. I did so and while Sally was very gracious in encouraging me to get busy with my writing, I don’t think I was quite ready to fully commit to the discipline of writing (And yes…I am well aware that my writing seldom resembles anything disciplined.). But, even so, I have followed Sally on Facebook and she has written several books, all of which seem to get published at the precise moment I don’t have time to read. So, I am just now getting around to reading one of her books (I told you I was a very slow reader!): God’s Little Miracle Book. Because I am so slow, Sally has also written a sequel to this book which I hope to “schedule” onto my reading list sometime this year. But, since I have about a dozen books on the list ahead of her sequel, I may be discussing it around the time she publishes # 3!

And for those of us plagued with reading every single word of a book, Sally makes it very easy for us to read God’s Little Miracle Book. In 2 to 3 page vignettes, she tells us, time and time again, how God continues to yield large and small-scale miracles in our everyday lives. What? You didn’t know this? It’s not in your newspaper? I’m not surprised. Our present excuse for a press is seemingly bent on writing about the shocking inactivity of our government these days and while that is important, I do wish that we would give God a little more press from time to time, too.

Thankfully, Sally Jadlow takes care of that for us. With the recent popularity of the History Channel’s The Bible, I am hoping that someday, someone will undertake to make a film or show about Sally’s books, if only to give some credit where credit is due–to the Creator of the planet who, for some crazy reason, still seems to want to have a relationship with people who can’t quite seem to get their acts together all the time.

So, when you have to sit in the doctor’s waiting room or you’re waiting in the carpool line at the school or soccer field, or the latest vampire sequel gives you nightmares, take a literary “walk on the wild side” and read Sally’s books. God’s Little Miracle Book reminded me of the importance of a solid faith and praying when life sends you some “storms” that seem overwhelming. And right now, faith and prayer may be the only things that get us through an inactive government, a negatively-bent press, and a recessionary economy.

Tomorrow’s Post: An FB Fave: Things I Can Now Say Because I’m Old…

Warning: Get your favorite beverage first. 

Today is Dentist’s Day. Since I just had my dental check-up last week and the mother-in-law had to endure oral surgery last week, it seems only fitting to talk about someone I have been “seeing” for over 20 years. I have been blessed with great dentists throughout my life, despite a mouth that wears out the most ardent proponent of the “choppers.” And they are probably a much under-appreciated group of professionals, so here’s what they have taught me thus far:

1. I miss the little white spit sink. Don’t ask me why. There are some reading this who have no idea what I’m talking about.

2. Since some of my fillings have been around since prehistoric times, I am deeply concerned about the loud sucking sound emanating from the end of my dental hygienist’s hand.

3. Pictures of my dental hygienist skydiving with my beloved dentist do not add to my sense of calm.

4. I need a blood transfusion after hanging upside down in that dental chair. I’m waiting for them to strap in my ankles  the next time. I’m also waiting for the NASA countdown to begin.

5. I’m convinced that dental syringes are what they feature as a torture device in Hollywood movies about Frankenstein.

6. I pay for the privilege of someone grinding on my teeth with a drill that puts a minty gritty substance in my mouth for the next 2 hours. This probably means I need to turn in my Phi Beta Kappa pin.

7. My dentist keeps asking if he can take out my wisdom teeth. I keep reminding him he did that in 2006. He says it would be easier this time around, as a result. Maybe we should revoke his Phi Beta Kappa pin, too.

8. Dentists apparently have to finish Stand-Up Comedy School in conjunction with finishing dental school. See # 7.

9. If your oral surgeon refers to your husband as Little John, it might be time to get a new oral surgeon. See # 8.

10. The nerve between your two upper front teeth has to be the most sensitive part of your body and your dentist is well aware of that and is apparently a sadist. See # 5.

11. You can kiss your husband, even with the bottom right side of your mouth and face being completely numb, but he will keep wondering why you shift your face towards the right to do so.

12. We can do panoramic x-rays by just having a machine go around your head. We can MRI entire bodies by simply inserting ourselves into a tube. Yet, when getting a check-up, the dental staff insist on invoking my gag reflex by inserting inflexible, awful-tasting, large pieces of plastic in my mouth. Why don’t they just insert a large serving spoon in the back of my mouth so that I can at least make an ’80’s joke about it??? Again, there is an entire generation who doesn’t get that reference, either.

13.  The people who invented the mammogram machine must have invented those dental x-ray pieces. They must be sadists, too.

14. All dental offices have the same tooth “cutaway” model in their offices. And I can live without seeing the inside of my molar. Thank you.

15. All dentists give you a complimentary toothbrush that might take the plaque off a flea, if you brush really, really hard and use an entire tube of toothpaste. But, I never receive a complimentary tube of toothpaste.

16. After you grow up, dentists will tell you that you should have had your wisdom teeth out 20 years ago because it would have been easier. What’s the statute of limitations on suing your childhood dentist?

17. After you grow up, dentists will tell you that you should have had braces. If I find my childhood dentist, he can pay for the braces’ deductible and my unemployment insurance for being the only adult to wear headgear when interviewing for a job. Wearing headgear to a job interview somehow does not convey maturity and responsibility.

18. After you grow up, dentists will tell you that your mother should not have taken certain drugs while pregnant with you and that that is why you now need whitening treatments. Since I had no control over what the woman took during her pregnancy, what is the point of this??? Can I sue my mother? Oh. Wait. She died 10 years ago. Never mind.

19. While your children are growing up, the dentist will demand that you pay for all of your children to have braces, whiten their teeth, and to take out their wisdom teeth. My sense of fair play is not exactly happy. Neither is our dental insurance carrier.

20. As children we regularly saw commercials for how Grape Nuts cereal was good for us. As adults our dentists tell us eating Grape Nuts every morning as children is why we are losing enamel and have cracks in our teeth. I should have listened to my Scottish grandmother, who suggested eating oatmeal every day. At least that is a cereal I can gum my way through, should I lose all my cracked teeth.

21. Foods with high acidity are bad for the precious enamel on our teeth. What do our doctors want us to eat? Foods with high acidity. Hmmmm….Will the doc pay for my caps?

22. Anything my dental insurance will pay for is not tooth-colored. Just call me metal-mouth and no, I’m not wearing braces.

23. Colored braces came out…after I grew up. I sense a conspiracy here.

24. Dental office waiting rooms come equipped with a fully-stocked playroom, complete with DVD player and lots of Disney movies. You guessed it…this occurred after I grew up.

25. The “grown-up” dental office waiting room is “decorated” with an antique soda-pop machine. This is the definition of irony, right??? I need to give that definition to Dr. Comedian. Maybe that’s his way of working on job stability in a recessionary economy????

Point to Ponder Challenge: Gum disease and other dental inflammatory diseases are now being linked to much more serious disease, such as heart disease. Have you brushed and flossed today??? Is it time to get a new toothbrush? Has it been too long since you’ve been to the dentist? Work on improving your dental health in some tangible way today!

Tomorrow’s Post: Do you believe in miracles?

When I had the idea to work on the 26 Acts of Kindness, I decided to “schedule” each victim by last name alphabetical order. Little did I know that Josephine would wind up being featured the week before my birthday (which was last Sunday). Josephine had just celebrated her birthday right before the shooting, sadly. So, I feel a little kinship to Josephine right now.

I thought about doing something birthday-related, but all of my birthday-type ideas seemed to have a “down side” to them that bothered me…a lot. So, I decided instead, to focus on her love of the color purple (the shade, not the movie!). The university in our little town has, as its school colors, purple and white. And this is the school where I worked and studied as a grad student. So, I decided to give the local “spirit store” a check (to a trusted friend there, who just happens to manage the store). I asked her/the store to give a purple t-shirt to whomever she deemed “in need of a free t-shirt” anonymously. She was very kind and was delighted to take part in this act of kindness.

Since our college’s basketball team is always pretty competitive, I figure this is a great time of year for someone to be donning a new purple tee. Let’s hope they get as much joy out of it as I did, giving it in memory of Josephine.

Today’s honoree is Dylan Hockley. Here is a little information about Dylan:

Dylan Hockley, 6

Dylan and his family had just moved from England to Connecticut two years ago. “We specifically chose Sandy Hook for the community and the elementary school. We do not and shall never regret this choice,” Dylan’s family said in a statement. Dylan’s family said he loved to cuddle and play tag with neighbors at the bus stop every morning. “He was learning to read and was so proud when he read us a new book every day,” the family said. “He adored his big brother Jake, his best friend and role model.” Dylan’s parents also expressed gratitude to the educators who died with their son. “We cannot speak highly enough of Dawn Hochsprung and Mary Sherlach, exceptional women who knew both our children,” the family said. “Dylan’s teacher, Vicki Soto, was warm and funny and Dylan loved her dearly. We take great comfort in knowing that Dylan was not alone when he died, but was wrapped in the arms of his amazing aide, Anne Marie Murphy. So, what did you do for your act of kindness? Please submit a comment below that you participated (Details are not necessary, but are certainly welcome!).

Tomorrow’s Post: What I Just Love about Visiting the Dentist….

Last week’s Word of the Week was kanban. Kanban means “just-in-time.” So, if the kangaroo convention gets canned veggies before its opening, I suppose that will  be kanban. In other words…I wasn’t even close with my definition guesses!

This week’s word is realia. As usual, no fair looking up words online or in an honest-to-goodness dictionary. Just submit your definition below in the comment section and we’ll see who gets closest.

realia (rē-ˈa-lē-ə): 1. The mania that ensues when things get too real. (Can you tell that the master’s in counseling regularly “leaks” into my definition guesses???) 2. regalia that is slightly less regal. 3. the trash that gets deposited on your real estate after a party on Saturday night, even when you weren’t the hosts of the party. (Can you tell that we have some experience with this at our “real estate”?)

So, what is your guess? Make sure you submit it kanban. 🙂

Tomorrow’s Post: What did you do for the Birthday Girl?

She was born in a blip of a village
Over a half century long ago,
Where everyone knows everybody
And caring is the norm.

She grew up in a small southern town
In the tempest known as the ‘60s
And found herself center-stage
As the winds of time turned quickly.

She had her first kiss
In the suburbs of a city
And learned about who she was
In the flash known as the 70s.

Her city became a university
Where life changed so dramatically
And she wrestled with identity,
Tradition, and civility.

She met a country boy
In the midst of transformation
And he turned her head to a new life
Far from the dreams of her own destiny

As she grew into a woman
Life was not kind to her own well-being
And she struggled to achieve sanity
In a world of huge hypocrisy

She forged a new self-idea
As she learned to be a mother
And found that parenting struggles
Are far harder than any other

In the midst of a large crisis,
She found herself again
And slowly turned the pages to a
New and better “yen.”

She took on daunting challenges
At a time when most would quit
And shed too many tears
Because of mentors gone and spent

But, now she is much wiser
Even though she still has much to know
And the good Lord leads her quietly
On a road few ever go.

Warning: You might want to get your favorite beverage first. 

Slowly, over the last 20 + years, this Yankee has become a little “Texanized.” Here’s how one can tell if you, also, might be a Naturalized Texan Woman:

• Your hands now contain 4 rings daily, one of which is either a James Avery ring or is at least silver in color.
• Your belt collection has not only grown in number, but in width and silver content.
• Your earrings contain at least two colors of metal and dangle…a LOT.
• You own a full collection of flip-flops for every occasion, in every color and heel height.
• You have bootcut jeans, bell-bottom jeans, and straight-leg jeans and they are wrinkle-free at all times.
• The jewelry around your neck bears a striking resemblance to the hub caps of most U.S. cars.
• You have a frequent buyer card for Sam Moon.
• You are never caught dead without a watch or bracelet (or set of bracelets) wider than a Coke can.
• You refer to all fizzy drinks as Cokes.
• You have conducted, or been to, a “Come to Jesus” meeting.
• You refer to any female not related to you as “girlfriend,” which is a four-syllable word when uttered appropriately.
• A pedicure is essential to your mental well-being, complete with big toe flower detail.
• Your kitchen is not complete unless you have a margarita machine, an ice cream maker and a tortilla warmer.
• You have just as many of your meals outdoors as indoors.
• Your luggage is anything but boring black.
• “All the colors of the rainbow” is a mere starting place for your wardrobe.
• Chicken spaghetti and 7-layer dip are the most stained recipe cards in your recipe box.
• You evaluate cars based on the following criteria:

• Ability to cool down in 100+ heat
• Ability to warm your rear end in weather under 50 degrees
• Ability to regulate the amount of sunshine you let in and out of your car
• Ability to pass cars on a single-lane highway in less than 500 feet of road
• You know who drives the # 24 car.
• Your closet has a huge color-“leaning” towards your favorite high school, college and professional football teams.
• Your skis are right next to your barn boots.
• You have a sunglasses collection.
• You buy sunscreen only in the 100 SPF formula.
• You party “until the cows come home” and then attend church bright and early on Sunday morning….probably because you need Heavenly forgiveness for what you did on Saturday night.
• You can boot scoot boogie in cowboy boots, rock a runway in heels, and run in flip-flops, all without losing a heel, toe, or do-si-do.
• You know the proper, complete conjugation of “y’all” and “fixin’ to.”
• You have sundresses for all occasions and have cowboy boots that match each one.
• There are 3 different lengths for your shorts collection.
• You don’t work out outside if it’s under 50 degrees.
• You don’t work out outside if it’s over 100 degrees.
• You know the “hotness” level of each kind of pepper in the produce department at your grocery store.
• Your grocery cart regularly consists of ranch beans, green chilies, and whatever steak cut is on sale this week.
• Your significant other or at least a very good friend has a portable smoker.
• You audibly let out an “Oooohhhh” at the mention of the phrase, “Uncle Julio’s.”
• Dr Pepper is a food group.
• Sweet tea is a food group.
• Pico de gallo and salsa are NOT the same thing. And guac is hallowed.
• You learned, a long time ago, to play outside and garden in the mornings.
• You know to back up slowly if you hear a particular rattle in tall grass.
• You know a rattlesnake wrangler.
• You know a rodeo cowboy by first name.
• You know the appropriate hand position for all major Texas Universities and which ones you are not permitted to use in your home in front of your adult children (unless you enjoy taking your life into your “hands” literally).
• You have seen a LIVE armadillo and have the pictures to prove it.
• You get scared when there’s a burn ban AND lightning within 2 miles of your home.
• Eating dinner during a tornado warning is normal in the springtime.
• You not only understand the term, “Big Hair”, but you also know how to create it, much to the chagrin of your daughter or niece.
• Starting a business conversation with “How y’all been?” is the only way to conduct business.
• You have skirts in a multitude of widths, lengths and depths.
• You taught your son how to tackle properly.
• You’ve shot a gun at a varmint ‘cuz he’s chewing on your petunias and you just finished watering those flowers for the 2^nd time in 24 hours. 

Tomorrow’s Post: The Birthday Girl