Journey's Traveled

Yesterday was a wonderful Fall day. I took a journey down a path I have never traveled before. I went to Dahlonega, Ga. Now most folk when you say the name of the city, would sorta look at you funny, and cock their heads to one side, and say" Dahlonega, why in the world did you go there?"
And to be honest, I would have to say, that before going to that quiet little town, I would have said the same thing. Why did I go there?
Well the answer sure does bring various answers to that question, like I originally went there for a concert, but what I actually got from the trip is so much more.
This is a town that has a small college there, it has a town square, with all these quaint little shops, restaurants that have delicious smells that greet you on the sidewalk, and friendly people that remind you that this is what small towns are all about.
Yes, I saw a great concert last nite, and heard two great ladies sing. But I was also reminded that, in towns such as this, lives people that still say hello to you as you walk down the street, towns where, people take pride in it's little small square, and towns where you feel like you just stepped off your own front porch.
Listening to one of my favorite singers was a plus, hearing her tell her cute and funny stories, priceless, and listening to her talented husband accompany her on her acoustic guitar that just catches your attention, makes your leg move in time and rhythm of the music, and gives you such a complete feeling of contentment like nothing else truly can.
Jennifer Daniels is this great artist I speak of, and her equally talented husband Jeff plays the electric guitar and mandolin. And just as they accompany each others musical talents, from your seat, if you pay very close attention, you can equally see how they accompany each others lives. When they are on stage, Jeff watches Jennifer very closely, and sometimes when he is not playing with her he will wander off stage and watch from a seat, and you see Jennifer look for him in the crowd, and a small, faint smile graces her face. And you know, that the music isn't just the only thing they have in common, but you feel the deep respect they have for one another, the love that they share, and the need to be with the other, even if its from a small seat in the back of the building. Jeff is a quiet sorta guy, but you can sense the admiration he has for his singing wife and that he enjoys listening to her play and sing their songs on a deep emotional level.
Sometimes, you have to leave the quiet walls of your home, travel down paths you never thought you would, find these quiet, quaint towns nestled in the mountains to remind you, to.. from one of the opening acts songs... simply..."LIVE LIFE." Sometimes we get caught up in our lives that we forget that we are actually living them. We fall into routines, ruts, and get lost some where down the paths we travel each day. We need a few bumps in the road, winding curvy roads to wake us up.
I for one am awake today, even after very little sleep, the journey was a longer one that normal, and I arrived back at home pretty late yet, my thoughts are alert, my mind set on enjoying life as much as I can, to love those around me fully, and to live as if its my last.. it very well could be.

That Time of Year

When I hear the phrase," It's that time of year again," I think of cool brisk mornings, fire on the mountains outside my window, heavy frost on the ground, and clear, blue skies filled with puffy,white clouds.
It is also that time of year, when different seasons of sports is taking a front seat and a few others are taking a back seat to popularity. Like baseball season is closing, football season has begun, and many of the colleges are beginning to practice basketball, and get geared up for another long season. My niece plays basketball, I enjoy going to her games tremendously, and for a few brief days, we the family, were not sure she would be on the court this season. But God is good, and he has answered prayers, and she is back out there practicing with her mates, a bit slower than normal I would guess, but still she is out there giving it her all. Much will change this season, a new face will be on the bench next to those ladies, and as of now, I do not know who it will be, but a new coach will take their seat next to those ladies in the red and white uniforms. And it will be an interesting season, no doubt, change always brings about interest that is peaked in the hearts of those involved.
And the cool nites, so crisp, so clean, welcome me as I come home either from church, school, or work. It welcomes me as an old dear friend, and I stop sometimes, take a look around, and bask in the favorite time of year, Fall. Soon, the leaves will turn, and they will begin to fall from the trees, and my emotions will get the best of me, and I will yearn for long drives that pull me along country roads, some known, some unknown. I look forward to this time of year from the first really hot day of summer, when the heat is boring down on you, making every inch of your skin sticky, and I let my mind wander, to the cool days that will slowly find there way to me, those crisp and cool days of Fall. Ah, I can see the bright colors already, though they have yet to be seen in the trees, the brilliant reds, bursting orange, and the pale yellow that brings those mellow feelings to my heart. Days gone by that I remember when we would pile up the raked leaves, run as fast as we could, jumping as high as possible and landing in those crunchy leaves. Only to rake them up, and start all over again.
Fall is the best season of all. It's my favorite season of all. And as it is slowly coming to my neighborhood, I smile and throw out my arms to welcome it home.

You know you're old when..

As I sit here today and my body hurts from too much activity yesterday painting at a friend's new apartment... I realize, I am getting old. Granted, this is not my first realization of my age, my body not willing to do things it did twenty years ago, but it sure resonignates again today, when my hands ache, my calves hurt, and my back is sore.

I don't blame my friend, granted I am sure she is sore today as well, we are not spring chicks anymore. But I still have a fast paced gait, I can outwalk most of my family, and some friends. I still read without glasses or contacts, and I still have a good amount of energy.

All of the things that I am able to do everyday I am eternally grateful. Everyday that I wake up I am thankful. I am thankful I can get out of bed, I can shower, that I have the knowledge to drive myself to and from the gym, and I am able to exercise and on the list goes, but all of these things are normal everyday occurances, simple, and easy, but I try to remind myself that there are those out there who can't dress themselves everyday, or drive a car, or fully use every limb they have. I am blessed beyond measure, beyond my own deservance, and so.. I end this with a thanks to my creator and God, who gives all these things to me, who can take them away at any moment in an instant, I praise God for the things, the very simple things that I am able to do for myself everyday.

May each of us be grateful for the mercy and grace we are given by the Lord who loves us.

Why is it when you are 17.. your world is ending.?

The past few weeks have been a huge blur. Time has passed so quickly and I have barely had a chance to rest or even catch up.

But as life swirls around me, running ahead, and leaving me somewhere in between, I hear a voice crying out to me, and it says..." Why is it when you are 17.. your world is ending.. because??" And I am sure we can fill in a blank or two there, like when your current boyfriend breaks up with you, and you think you were supposed to be with him forever. Like at 17 you even know what forever entails?
And so, my thoughts are on a certain 17 year old, a girl who has her life before her, has just graduated high school, thought she knew where she was going to college, and had her next four years all mapped out. So what happens to change those plans? Life, love, and fear.
All of the sudden she isn't sure of much of anything, and she is faced with choices she has made, which, for the most part were not so great. I mean really, do you even consider other people when you are 17? Do you care if your actions cause other people pain and heartbreak? Or if you cause your mom to loose sleep because she doesn't know where she went wrong in raising this child which no longer resembles the girl she gave birth to. Does she care if she broke a promise she made, or a heart that was planning plans of his own?
I don't know any of those answers. I do know that she is fearful, scared, and unsure of herself. I know that because she thought she had found someone fun, who offered her a bit more of a different perspective of life than what she had, seemed a bit more adventurous for a few days. That she was willing to give up on a promise to love someone, who had also promised to love her too. And the ring came off, and her guard is down, and doubts creep in like the rolling fog.
But then, reality sets in. She is still afraid, unsure, and scared. But somewhere along the way she realized, maybe the adventure isn't so great after all, maybe the green of the grass is just the same green over on this side of the fence. Whatever caused her to feel that the choices she made on a whem were not necessarily so great as she orginally thought, well, I for one am glad to see, that some sense has crept back into her cute little head.
But then, she is still 17, young, and not mature. No life lessons to look back to, or to learn from. Just the road ahead, and, well, she is fearful. And I say to her, " Honey, it's normal to be afraid, to be unsure, and to be a little lost. But don't let fear stand in the way of you going to a college not close to home, or to stay with someone that isn't so bold and fun that he might jump off a huge building with a small bouncy cable attatched to his body. Just because he is practical, and plans ahead doesn't mean he is boring."
And to those 17 year olds out there, who are lost, scared, and fearful, I simply say, " it's ok, life will go on, and tomorrow is yet another day."

Being there

 I had to learn a hard lesson this wkend, I had to stay home due to sickness, from my niece's last home basketball game. She plays college ball for a Christian school in Pulaski, TN. I have not missed a home game all year. I have also been very fortunate to be able to travel to most of her games that were away that was within our driving range. I enjoy watching my beloved niece play her most favorite sport, I love being able to support her and her mates. I love being with my other family members that are there along side of me as well. It's a pretty intense time, there is lot's of yelling, on my part, some bad, some good, and lot's of watching the game from the edge of my seat.

 Granted this is not your divison 1 A basketball, like the Lady Vols, but still, it's basketball and these ladies play hard. 

 Anyway, yesterday, much like today, I am being held prisoner in my home due to a serious sinus infection. And it is against my will. I would have much rather been at the game yesterday than sitting here at home, however, I was able to listen to the game and feel somewhat connected to it via my little, home technology computer. I am happy that I could at least listen to it. T, my niece, short for Sweet T, is a very hard ball player. When she is out there on the court, she is out there for the win, and she will put in her 120 % to do it. I am proud of the fact that whatever she does, she gives it her best. Yet, when the minutes are up, the buzzer has sounded, and the score is down on their side, as it was yesterday, she tends to get upset. She gets upset and sometimes she cries. I hate to see her cry, but losing does do her good sometimes.  My lesson was, that even though I couldn't be there, I know I was missed, and yet just being able to listen to the game, I could tell my T, played her heart and soul out. GO T and the Lady Redhawks. They have two games this week, both away, and the season is over.  She has one more year to play college ball, one more year to endure hard practice sessions, one more year to put up with nasty players who do not play fair, one more year to endure unfair calls from the ref's, but the amazing thing is she is ready to give up her time, and do it. She may even have to give up part of her dream of being a nurse because she has her tuition paid for by her scholarship from ball. She is determined not to let it stop her from reaching her dreams.  I am so impressed that she won't give up. It pushes me to not give up either. I hope that I am that strong and determined in my own life that I can say I give that much of myself.  I hope I do. 

 So, being there is good, but not being there is good too. I saw the game from a different perspective yesterday, and sad that I couldn't be there to lend my support,  I was still able to enjoy the game, picture in my head how hard T played, as well as her teammates, and I learned it's the next best thing to being there. I had to visualize the game in my head, and I didn't get so tensed up over the crappy calls from the ref's and I didn't leave the game mad. I get mad too when the ref's give my girls a hard time, and don't call fairly for both sides. So yes, my frustration does get the best of me sometimes. But it was good that I could learn from that all the way from home. 

 I do pray that next year, I might be able to sit along side the court and not get so hyped up... but that is asking for a miracle.. cause her mates like to hear me yell. lol.  It's my way of letting T know, I am there for her, not only in body.  But maybe there is still some room for improvement on my part. I can only try. :) 

 Until next year T, and until you give up... I support you in whatever you do. I love you so much... and have enjoyed being and will continue to be your aunt G. 

 I am also thankful for my sister, who gave birth to two beautiful and wonderful girls, for my mom, who raised us to be there for each other, and for my step dad aka gramps, who is always there for all of us each day of our lives. 

 I hope that in the years to come I am able to enjoy my family, and be a blessing to them as well.. until next time... Blessings, and Go Lady Redhawks. Yea!!

Every Single Day

 I write today, of a song, by a very amazing Tn lady.. Jennifer Daniels, from Lookout Mtn Tn. And if you have not ever heard of her, well it's ok. She is a great singer, my co worker just described her voice as calming and I would have to say she is right. Her voice is calming, strong, vibrant, and husky at times. 

 She has written this song, titled none other than Every Single Day, it's a very private song that she has shared with her vast and growing fans. I praise her for that. Yea Jennifer. It's a song that upon hearing for the first time, made me cry, which is not often an easy task. I beg you all who may read this blog to go to your search engine, type in Jennifer Daniels, find her web page, and listen to this song.  

 She writes her own music, and she and her husband play together all over the place. I recently, well I say recently, at Christmas time heard my own little private concert with her. It was known to the public, but for whatever reason, most of the public stayed home. Granted this was at the Starbucks on top of Lookout Mtn, by Rock City, and granted it won't hold a lot of people, but no one wanted to come out that night. Except me and one of my friends. A few people trickled in here and there, eitehr by mistake or just for the coffee, but I was there for one reason, one reason only...to hear this new artist, at least to me, sing. And sing she did. She sang Every Single Day twice, once by my request.. once cause she wanted to.

 Anyway, one line from the song... goes like this.. if you decide to love me, I 'd really like to know, and we can stage the rest of our days, just to tell each other so. Let those days make up our lives let all our hair turn grey, I love you Every Single Day. 

 The song, is by far one of the greatest I have ever heard. The words so powerful, so true, they move you and moved me, to tears. 

 I request you to please check out this song and this amazingly talented artist. Jennifer Daniels.  

 Thanks for listening, if you check it out.. you won't be disappointed. 

As my day starts

 I suppose we are all alike to an extent? I don't know. But I think it's fairly possible. As I said, to an extent or degree. I think we all want to be accepted, loved, cherished and we all like things in our own little unique ways.

 My ways are simple, I like things where I left them. Mind you, they are not generally in the middle of the living room floor, but still, I like to come home each day and find things just as I left them. I like to have the same routine, even the same meal for lunch every day. Well Most every day. I do things, this random order if you will, to save time. I save time by making things easier, no decisions that make me think beyond  a second or two. I am a weird little person, this much I do know, and am oft reminded by my friends. I laugh, and say, yep, I am. I have this theory I guess, that if you don't have to decide what clothes to wear, that you have them prepared before hand, you don't waste time making decisions what to wear. I have my scrubs, my work attire if you will, all planned out according to the day of the week so when that said day comes, I do not waste time say hmm, shall I wear this today? It's all planned out, in my little scheme of things, and all I simply have to do is go into my closet, pull out Tuesday's outfit and put it on and go. 

 I do the same thing with my lunch. I take the same boring food to eat, every single day, for as long as at least three years. I eat a pepper jack cheese sandwich, I eat sun chips, garden salsa flavor, and an apple. However, over the course of the last few weeks I have added an upgrade if you will, an orange. If I had to sit back and try to formulate meals in my head for each day, I would literally go insane. I think that it's a waste of precious time. People do not know or understand how I can eat the same thing every day, for days, even weeks on end. It's simple, I hate spending time making decisions that are lengthy, wasteful, and sometimes, to me, silly.

 I do come home each evening, place my car keys in the same place, my purse hangs on the same door knob, and my coat hangs up in the same place that I took it from. I hate losing things, and for me, placing them in the same place each day, helps me to keep them within my view. Boring? Predictable? I answer yes to both of those questions, but still, it helps me save time looking for my keys, wondering where I put my coat, or where did I leave my purse? I think for the most part, I lead a very simple life, and so I do, yet, I can sit here at the end of my day, typing away on the computer, or reading books, and not have to worry where my keys are. Or if I will have to hunt something to wear for the next day, it's already planned out, layed out, and ready for me to put on, pick up and take off. 

 Some may think I am crazy, some think I am weird, and others, well... they just love me anyway. And for that, I am especially grateful