Too Old to Change?

Over the years my children and grand children have "gotten" me into all sorts of things. At times good and at times not so good. I could relate some of those, but it would take all my blog space from now on, but I may write about some of them as they come to mind.
My daughter especially has a way of getting me out of my comfort (lazy) zone. At her school inservice this year, the teachers were trained in  "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey. I had heard of the book but had never read it. One of my resolves this year was to read a self help or self improvement book for every novel I read. I've been picking up books at estate sales and putting them on the bookshelf. They look really impressive there. I've actually read only two (and many more novels than that), but at least I'm trying. I told Mitzi that I would like to read any handouts, etc. they had received during their training. From what she told me it sounded very interesting. Well, a few days later here she comes with the book. She had found it at a garage sale. So now I have started it and read it every other day. The novel I'm reading is called "Tara Road" and I've gotten to a part where I don't want to put it down, but if it's my day to read the Covey book then I do that.
I'm not very far into the book, and he is "over my head" in a lot of his thinking, but the book is already making me think that things may not have always been what I was so sure they were. He talks about how we have been conditioned for a lifetime by the influences in our life - family, school, church, work, environment, friends and associates. We tend to assume that everyone sees the world as we do (or should), when we need to be able to see the world as they do also and it may not be the same. That's the assignment I have given myself this week - to really look and listen to people to hear and see their perspective on things and in most cases it will probably be totally different from mine. I may write about it  later if I have some success.
One thing I know for sure is that my daughter and my grand kids refuse to accept that I'm old and they stretch my mind and body far beyond where I think I can go. That's not a bad thing, and who knows, maybe I'll live long enough to finish the Covey book, since I have to read every page at least twice..

The List and What Became of It

Many times life throws you a curve - big time. I decided this was the week I would start to "deep" clean our house. I hadn't done much since having surgery in March and then May through August 13, went on vacation and then worked on "Give Away Day" for our church.
So - Sunday afternoon I made a list of things to do, starting Sunday afternoon through Saturday, things to do each day and by Saturday afternoon my whole house would be clean. The first mistake was that I was assuming since "Give Away Day" was over my time would be my own to do what I pleased. So many things have happened this week (and I couldn't begin to name them all) that I might as well throw my list away and just accept a messy house.
But God has put people in my life this week who need help much more than I need a clean house. I'm so thankful that I was here to mostly listen, and then put them in contact with people who could hopefully help them. I am finding out more each day how blessed I truly am to have grown up in a Christian home with the same mom and dad all my life. We had very little of the physical "things" most of my life at home, but we had food, shelter, and lots of love and amazing examples of service and  sacrifice. Most of that didn't rub off on me other than the incredible, unbelievable love for family. Just in the past 4 years have I started to really notice the tremendous needs of so many people. No one knows what God has in store for them, but I have decided that for whatever days or years I have left, I will do my best to open my eyes and heart to the needs of others and try to develop a servants attitude. I've been a "Martha" all my life, but I have just had a name change to "Mary". 
So, if you should visit my house, all I ask is that you not write your name in the dust!

Fourth Anniversary

How do you express your thoughts when it has been 4 years since our son contacted some terrible infection while in Baylor Hospital that, in my opinion, caused his very untimely death. Missing him and thinking about him is no easier today than 4 years ago. But today, I will count my blessings and try not to dwell on the sad things. My blessings are so many that I will undoubtedly leave some out but here goes:
God and his son Jesus Christ, all of my church family.
My earthly family - Deedie, Mitzi, Amy and Tim and soon to be Little Gabe,, Jason and Melody, Annette..
My sister and her family: Sharon, Ray, Christi, Eddie, Brandon, Madison, McKenna, Steven, Ami, Eric, Kevin, Emily, Shane, Shei, Blake Cade
My aunt Dorothy and cousins Margie and Bobby
All of my friends (and I will miss many) Doug and Linda, Martha, Leigh Ann, Sue, Mary Ellen, Cam, Pat, Linda Y., Dawn, Steve Steele, Steve and Barbara, Charles and Julia, George and Joyce, all of Annette's family, and the list could go on and on.
My home, my air conditioner, our little dog Opie, food in the refrigerator. car in the garage.
I'm thankful for all of the above and that's where my mind will attempt to focus all day. Pray that I will be successful.
Thanks!

Retirement

In my opinion, retirement is the best thing ever invented. It would have really been nice in our twenties! We have been retired for 12 years and I can't remember when we were so busy. I had envisioned long lazy days, having plenty of time for cooking really good meals, etc. That hasn't happened. One thing I don't understand is how we can end up with a desk full of paper work. I thought when I retired I wouldn't have a lot of paper work and decisions to make. How wrong I was. I get my desk cleaned off, everything filed and feel very proud of my accomplishment. The next thing I know it is full of paper again. I don't dare put it away before I finish it, because I would not only forget where I put it, but that I had it in the first place.
Of course having surgery for breast cancer didn't help. With over 55 insurance claims and bills from every person who met me during those 3 months it has been a struggle to keep it all straight.. If I hadn't known how to make a spreadsheet, I would have made many double payments. As an example, recently I received a bill from my oncology clinic saying I owed them a little over $700.00. I spent 4 hours one morning going back over everything I had paid, putting it on a spreadsheet and I ended up owing them $15.38. I mailed the spreadsheet along with my check to the accounting department. Within a few days I got a call from them telling me how much they appreciated the information. They just couldn't get it figured out. She told me that after looking over everything, I still owed them $23.00 and she would send me their explanation. I said "forget the explanation, I will send you $23.00 and we'll call it even." She sent me a letter saying "paid in full" and we were both satisfied, although I wasn't too happy about spending all that time doing their work for them. Maybe it just takes retired people longer to get things done.
More about retirement later.