Health and Lifestyle
As a College Student
As a college student, I spent a few years working at an artificial flower company during the summers. I saw that the flowers were being shipped into the United States from other locations. As they arrived into the warehouse, they’d be sorted, glued, and assembled into beautiful arrangements. Some of them were sorted, marked, and sold to dozens of big chain outlets. These would be comparable to the Walmart’s, Target’s, and Hobby Lobby’s of today.
It was a hot factory where people were thankful to have jobs. In the morning when I arrived, I punched into the company in that area of the building. I got to meet many hard working and lovely people. Already temperatures were soaring and hot at 7:30 in the morning. Do you work in a factory? What are the conditions of where you earn your living? Are the people pleasant or resentful and negative?
Each summer I worked there I had a different job in the offices. Creating billing, typing manifests, following up on orders, and working on an International Switchboard. I learned a lot there and grew. Jobs create opportunities for our mental well being and tech us to be relational. We don’t always make a monetary gain, but hopefully we benefit ourselves and other people. For me, it helped me pay for the next semester at school.
If you are in business, a wife working at home, or a student, chances are you are far from being self centered. We learn along the way that we are to live for others. Our happiness comes from doing things for other people and serving in our communities. And when we put ourselves in the shoes of others, we become more compassionate.
Lent is around the corner and a time to be more self sacrificing. It is a time to do more outside our comfort zone and to learn from our mistakes. May your flower arrangements become those of the living kind. Present bouquets of kindness during the next 40 days. It may mean keeping silent with criticisms. Or reaching out to those less fortunate even though you don’t want to do so.
Maybe it is time to take a personal inventory of what you are doing habitually. I hope to indulge less in the things I am tempted to do, like drinking diet coke or taking the car instead of walking.
Whatever you do decide, “Delight in Living” and share that with others.
Have You Ever?
Have you ever felt like you were in the midst of a puzzle? You were a piece in the middle of a bigger picture, but you couldn’t figure it out? Well you are part of a bigger picture.
You are important. You were put here to serve and to help others find their roles and identity too. We may feel like a dot when one looks at all the other people in your home, your community, or your state, but you hold a prominent place in life! I am convinced that we a
re here with an internal spirit of joy. We may never know why, but we are to forge ahead with conviction, and drive.
We are being nurtured and schooled from the time of our birth. Each person so unique and skilled in some area. Perhaps you are the comedian in your family? The class prodigy in school? The efficient worker at the company you created? Are you contributing to your community food pantry and helping to feed your neighbors? Are you the prayerful person who helps support others during their trials with medical issues, schooling, or decision making? Are you one of a large family? Or are you alone?
I am obviously a puzzle fan. I find great clarity in assembling something from a bunch of pieces. It is what I do for a living! I listen to stories and help people with their life’s direction. I help them sort out what is a priority at any given time and to put a healthy spin on it for them. I help them to re-frame the picture
In other words, what we have learned along the way, allows us to grow in that realm. I am not a linguist from I know a few people who excel in languages; they help others communicate. I know people who are excellent in math or science and see the world in numbers and disease control. Delight in whatever skills you possess. Use them and share the quality of life you have and seek with other people.
Look for the mini miracles around you, for the people who are nurturing you, and for the opportunities that keep presenting themselves.
Vintage Circus Posters
A few months ago, during the Holiday Season, I went to get postage stamps and bought a sheet of these of the Ringling Bros. Circus. I have enjoyed looking at them and had them on the bulletin board above the desk. Now that the Circus is permanently folding its tents, I have glad I still have them. 
I am not sure how long I will hold onto them, but I will use them eventually. One tends to keep things that give us a good feeling and helps us remember good times. In college, I kept matchbook covers of places in the City of Chicago that I went to for dances. It was something that eventually held little meaning to hold on to and other things took their place.
What do you hang onto? Are they physical things like matchbook covers, photos, or other collections? What will become of them? Will you will them to your children, donate them to a museum, or will they be tossed out?
What kind of legacy are you leaving behind? We aren’t all famous people, but we can leave a legacy of kindness or something others will benefit from our presence. Every now and then I go for a walk in a cemetery (usually during the Lenten season) and think of the contributions each of those beneath the headstones has made. I find it rather humbling. I remember the first time I did that was as a teenager in North Judson, Indiana. I was walking from town to my aunt’s house and we began looking at tombstones. The names always fascinated me and the dates of their deaths seemed to tell a story.
This past week a Franciscan nun I knew died. She was 91 and had done wonderful things in her life. In recent years, she lived at the Mother Home where she was being cared for as she had Parkinson’s. One of 13 children, she and 7 others had pursued religious positions. A very inspirational family filled with mercy, kindness, charity, and hard work.
She believed that it was important to either be praying or working. We’d go together to visit shut in’s, because she believed 2 or more should be teamed up for safety and to be conversational. She’d remember the elderly and take them flowers or food or something they needed. She was a great cook and listened well.
She worked in an orphanage in Alaska early in her vocation. Weather often kept planes from coming in for months on end and she had many stories to tell. It was a special mission for about 14 years that she was called to do. Later she went on to other works that were equally or more difficult. I learned a lot from her and felt blessed to work at her side. She insisted on eating lunch on time; and always had lunch ready for those there. No doubt her disciplines kept her energized and healthy for many years.
Who and what were you taught by a mentor? What do you need to learn or replicate to make your life better?
Watch Your Steps
Are you comfortable with stepping outside of your comfort zone? The practical side locks us into what is safe and easy. Think about your approach to seeing a new doctor, traveling to a new place, trying a new job, or learning a new profession.
Do you approach new things with fear and trepidation or joy and confidence? Where does your confidence come from? Do the people around you help or hinder you? Are you empowered from a deep faith? Are you secure in your own talents and education?
So much of how we approach life begins in the early years with our parents or care givers. We may start out adventuresome and get stymied along the way. Our genetic makeup certainly chimes in as to how we react. As adults we are often set in our ways and don’t branch out into new territories unless we are pushed. Some people feel they can go the road alone; they do not feel a community around them is a big help at all!
I watch a dog that resides across the street from us. He sits under the trees and looks like a statue as he keeps an eye on the squirrels above. He will keep watch fearlessly as if it is his duty. Unlike this dog, we are not all that patient. We do not see things clearly. We are not provided for with our housing and food, nor do we have a “dogs life” of leisure. Our goals need to be defined.
Pathways lead us to new and exciting places. Sometimes they are smooth and easy to navigate; other times they are merely places to step. Where they take us is unknown. As a child walking a mile to school each day, I’d play games hopping over the grooves, reading the engraved signatures of the cement company, or counting my steps. I knew the path took me to a destination. 
Life creates pathways we do not always appreciate. We forge ahead through obstacles like health issues or loss of family members. Our jobs are eliminated without sufficient warning causing us to panic. There are the unexpected expenses that come from hikes in taxes, cracked septic fields, broken appliances, or the medical costs of a broken leg.
The direction of where we step next becomes unknown. There are times when we feel ourselves going in circles. We do the same chores repeatedly, visit the same stores, make the same appointments and feel unappreciated. So, who can help you break the cycle of feeling this way? Or do you like the familiarity of routine too much to leave it? There is a good and bad side to everything!
Thanks to the windows of opportunity that come along the way, we are able to rebound. Recovery comes along with advancements in careers, money from inheritances, information from the internet, or a professional that can direct us into a new direction. Sometimes a prayer is answered in an unexpected way and the sun shines into our lives. Those times are so relished and we need to recognize them and give thanks. Those are among the mini miracles that come to us. Give thanks!
“Asking for help is wisdom, not weakness!” Knowing who and how to ask is a learned skill. We need to do that with prudence.
THE STORM OF 1967
Storms come with a vengeance and can do so much damage. It stops people in their paths and makes things slow down. In 1967, I was working down in the Chicago Loop in a building on Wacker Drive near Jackson Blvd. I remember coming out of the building to a flurry of wet snow. It was windy and the air took your breath away. I needed to walk over the river to Union Station and the walk seemed far even though it was only a few blocks. Of course, the bridge was icy as always.
There was one strange thing that I will always remember. In the City of Chicago, there are always people around. This was a weekday, but I saw no one around me until I reached the Train Depot. The snow had come down so heavily that the trains were stuck. And the snow kept coming. By the time I got to my stop in La Grange, Illinois, everything was at a standstill. Cars were stuck in snowbanks. I remember walking home over 3 miles in this snow. It was the only way to get there. Youth and the desire to get home made the walk compelling.
This is a recent snow. In 1967 nothing was identifiable because everything was covered in snow. The City of Chicago and Suburbs came to a standstill. People abandoned their cars; there was no choice cause no one could move.
Along the way, cars were stuck everywhere. The local store where I would stop to warm up was emptying of food. People were trying to stock up on supplies. They would need to do that. Later on the news, the media showed cars, buses, and trucks blocking up the expressways. NO ONE could move except on foot. A couple of feet was impossible to move and there was no where to go with it. It was over our heads in places. What started out as a steady snowfall just escalated. Soon nothing was identifiable due to it being covered. Cars were totally buried for weeks.
So what did I learn in that experience? We are so very fortunate with cars and modern technology that things changed in all these years. People have cell phones and ways to communicate. We didn’t have a way to connect with our families. People had power shortages and a lack of daily needs. Stores, businesses, and churches closed.
Most things can wait. Not everything was an emergency. People did experience heart attacks and other medical problems from the stress and strain of trying to shovel or get around. Getting people to hospitals was an issue. Prioritizing was essential.
It taught us to be better prepared and grateful to kind people. We needed to look out for one another. It was a temporary situation and things eventually changed for the better, but not without patience on the part of so many of us. It taught us to put our own agendas aside to help one another who needed shoveling done or errands run. We had an elderly family next door and they were really stranded. The snowstorm called on neighbors to check on one another.
FINALLY, mini miracles happened. it was the first time I saw people rallying together. Respect to the elderly was being shown. People were grateful for food, warmth, and the basics that we all take for granted. Hopefully we all can remember to do this on a regular basis and not wait until we have emergency situations. I am so pleased we haven’t had this type of thing occur in recent years.
Peace for the Weekend. Have a good one!
Do You Want to Change?
“One single step may put you on the escalator of success.” by Linda Gullo
Do you want to make changes in your lifestyle? You do know that life is ever changing. We have no say in the matter. At fast as I type this, the clock has changed; seconds spinning into minutes. My ideas are solidifying into words and the weather outside has gone from fog to foggier.
People are being born as others pass away. As soon as a child is born, its senses and ability to accommodate to the temperature, light, and sounds shifts. The skin begins to acclimate, eyes adjust to light, and changes from the womb to the world are made. It brings joy and new experiences to everyone around. The mother is changed too. She has to adjust her thinking to care for the child, care for herself, and begin the lifelong journey of changes. She has a new role in addition to what she already claims.
Anyone who is a parent can tell you that changes are obvious and transforming. In scripture, we hear of how Jesus in his first miracle changed water into wine at the request of his mother during a wedding. He showed us in that situation not only His abilities, but many other things as well. He showed us how to respect our parents, how to provide for others, and how changes would happen. Often they would be to our advantage and other times out of our control. We would have to learn to trust.
When we make a choice to start a business, purchase something expensive, take a job offered to us, or move across the country, we may be the one initiating the transition. Those changes are usually welcomed and exciting, because we are in charge. It gives us a sense of power to make choices. Like all choices though, we are the ones that who pay the consequences. They may provide good opportunities or bleak results. We need to face them, or even make changes to alter the business model we are using to be fruitful.
Trying to keep clear in our thinking is important. We need to make changes that are valuable. Valuable for ourselves, for our families, and for our world. Also important for the success of businesses! It may call us to sacrifice time, money, and services in order to look out for the greater good.
Let’s all recognize how valuable change can be for ourselves and one another. Embrace your faith and stay connected with your values as you recognize the mini miracles emerging in your day. Know yourself well. Embrace the changes that occur we the attitude of gratefulness. Good things come out of even the worst situations. “One does not want to erase adversity. Properly channeled mistakes and times of heartache can become opportunities to learn, to help others, and to become influential.” (TAKEN FROM: Erasing Adversity by Linda Hnetynka Gullo)
WHEN IS IT THE RIGHT TIME?
WHEN IS IT THE RIGHT TIME?
When our children were younger we decided to attend Saturday evening Mass to avoid the crowds. We’d sit near the back of the church. Behind us was a doctor from our community who attended weekly with his wife. I’m not sure we were the best family to have settled in front of them, but I am sure we did add some humor to their lives. Most of the time, the kids napped over one of our shoulders.
In order to keep our youngest busy, we carried a small bag of Cheerios with us. As you may have already guessed from where this story is going, that a bag spilled. Of course, we had cheerios everywhere like confetti after a party. It was not a pretty sight and one that still is vividly fixed in my mind. They were under pews and in the aisle. It was near the end of the service and people were quietly praying. An “a-oh” was sounded by the smaller child. Our 5 year old leaned over to me and whispered “should I pick them up NOW? or just wait?”
And so ….
Life is like the cheerio story, sometimes we spill. We make mistakes. We have to make a decision about a job and pick the wrong one! The car breaks down; we take it to some place and it turns out to be the wrong place for a repair. Do we keep the car and have it fixed? So many of our life decisions make us wonder “when is it the right time?” Are we making the best choice? The solution is simple. Just pick up the pieces, clean up the mess, and go forward.
Mini miracles may happen when we fix our sights upward toward the heaven and ask for direction. Almost instantly we get a direction to call someone or a complete stranger makes a comment that focuses us elsewhere. Being open-minded is good. It allows us to grow and question things we otherwise might miss. I personally recognize that God created everything, including me. He does have a plan for me and you. We need to be open and willing to hear about it. Taking time in silence and prayer is most helpful.
Someone gave me a small devotional book this past November. JESUS CALLING; Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young. It is a great little book. I do not read it day by day, but will often sit and dwell on a few days at a time. The scriptures that apply are listed so one can go to the bible for your own insights.
Life has taught me to take one day at a time. I recognized this a long time ago when my mother and dad were both very ill. I could not prevent things from happening and I could not fixate on the problems. I was very busy keeping things status quo for myself, them, and my small children.
Often the answer of how to handle things become crystal clear after a good nights sleep. Sharing the issue with a reliable person may also help to resolve the problem because of added information from them.
Selecting the right time to sell our home, change doctors, get a new car or job may be problematic. Solutions come in many packages, “all problems are temporary” and many decisions are not!
Who would you like to know?
Life is strange and the people who make an impact on us may have lived generations ago. I am not talking about the Babylonians, the Phoenicians, or the Indigenous Australian folks, but instead about the people around you. Are they stars from Hollywood, icons in your field of endeavor, or just the simple minded people that somehow left an indelible mark on your life?
Often I’d like to be a fly on the wall at the Golden Globes or Star Studded event. I wouldn’t want to participate, but just watch how everyone is interacting. Some people appear so fictitious that they could be out of a story book, while others seemingly enjoy themselves. What are we to learn from those present and those past?
I’d love being on tour of several college campus’. There I would want to interact and meet the students. It would be great to learn what they are interested in and their stories. People fascinate me. When I have traveled, my best conversations with people were spontaneous. In Edinburgh, Scotland many years ago I recall talking with young adults at a bus sign. They were on their way the local University and chatty. In a few minutes, I felt so welcomed to their town. I hope I encouraged them to continue with the pursuit of their dreams. Do you know what your dreams are now? Are they different every year? Perhaps that is why people make new year resolutions.
What are you doing right now? Are you literally on a break? Perhaps you are just finishing your workout and stopped to read a few blogs? Are you in the midst of writing a book, repainting the kitchen, or an executive meeting? The things we do everyday become so commonplace and we take them for granted. What do you take for granted?
Be sure you embrace your identity! Find the things you love to do and do them. Hug your loved ones and accept their choices. That is always hard! In the process, focus on who are the people you want to meet. Engage, connect, and embrace one another.
Love freely given without anything in return.
Life is too short and once someone is gone, it is too late. I do think though that hugs go way beyond life when they are given freely and with love as shown in this picture. We try to wrap our arms around so many things in this day and age and sometimes we need to just step back and absorb all the good things in life. Think about the people you’d like to meet and reach out to them.
Catch your Mini Miracles everyday and see how they will grow into wonderful surprises.
Music Makes a Difference
Music has the ability to take us away from our problems for sure. It is equally as helpful in passing the time when one is running or exercising. It can be equally annoying when one has to sit on the other end of some prerecorded “waiting time” piece of music on the phone. It is usually not our choice of music.
No doubt you have a favorite form of music. Can you name it? Do you have several? When do you listen to it? Why and how did you come to enjoy it? Is music therapeutic for you?
Are you a musician and if so what do you play? I had a college friend who’s whole family had musical talent. I recall being their one afternoon as they were jiving. One would be playing the trumpet and suddenly switch to another instrument. They were all very versatile and so relaxed! Their music was therapeutic and fun.
They played for weddings, for their churches, and just to unwind as a family. They still do enjoy music with the next generation. I think the love came from their parents. The dad was among the players. I don’t recall the mom’s talents, but she was always smiling and very hospitable as well.
Now sometimes music is annoying. This is important to address, because we want it to be of comfort. I do know that when I need to really concentrate there are only select things I can listen to. If you check out “focus music” on the internet you will find there are musical pieces just for this purpose!
So the reason I am blogging on this topic is due to a video clip I viewed on Facebook this past week. It was of a therapist walking with a man who had Parkinson’s. He was working so hard trying to move and push his walker along. When music came on he suddenly picked up the tempo and began moving with ease at a normal pace. Ease to the point that he began to move without the walker and actually danced with the therapist. What joy!
Well my husband also has gait issues resulting from a partial paralysis some 27 years ago. Although he regained movement, it is stilted and difficult for his to move smoothly. In spite of that, he danced with me and my daughter-in-law at her wedding. She reached out to him and it was magical. He was able to dance comfortably.
Small joys like this in life bring on great memories forever. Turn on the radio, put on a CD or just begin playing your favorite instrument to enjoy! Let the tunes lift your spirits like the mini miracles in life.
Restoration or Innovation?
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Welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments where we are showered with small, but significant joys. New Years bring in opportunities for exploration, change, and diversity! Just a few suggestions to think about. Enjoy!