Showing posts with label friend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friend. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
WHAT IS GOING ON?
My boss just ran out of the office because her father in law had a double by pass heart surgey and now they think he is having a stroke. My best friend since Jr. High left me a weird email at 2:00 am saying she was having severe chest pains and gave me all her important information. She ended up going to work, but I told her she HAD to go to the Dr.'s this AM, it's not normal for a 43 year old to have chest pains. She just called me and said they are taking her right over to the hospital...she is having a heart attack. I have to leave work, pick her daughter up from school and head over to the hospital......
Monday, September 8, 2008
COACH MIKE'S FUNERAL
This was a very tough weekend! We had the funeral of our friend Mike Burk, and all the boys decided to go...I was glad because it meant a lot to his wife Karen. I can't began to tell you how heartbreaking it was watching those boys and Karen. The sixteen year old was trying to be strong and not cry. The 14 year old was in tears throughout the whole service and the youngest didn't really understand what was going on...which I think was a nice distraction for Karen.
When we walked up before the service, I waited to give Karen a hug, not knowing what to say but just wanting to let her know I was there for her. She saw me and lunged into my arms. As we hugged she seemed to be hanging on to me as if I were a lifeline...a piece of the life that she and Mike had been a part of for 12 years. Baseball and basketball had brought us together and formed a bond and friendship that had become very special over the years. We held each other tight as she said, "Mike just loved you guys and the boys, thank you so much for being here. It really means a lot to me." Squeezing her tighter and fighting back the tears, "Mike has been an important part our lives. Please know that we are all here for you and the boys. If you need anything you know you can call us!" Jullien was standing behind me, she looked at him, chuckled and said, "Oh Jullien, Mike absolutely ADORED you! You always gave him a hard time but he loved you!" They hugged and laughed.
That comment brought back a whole new flood of memories...Jullien was always a hot head, a perfectionist and competitive to a fault. Mike knew this about him and I think saw a bit of himself in Jullien. As a coach he tried to calm Jullien down if he was having a bad game. He decided to find ways to motivate Jullien...one particularly important game found Mike's team down by quite a few points at halftime. He knew that if he could calm Jullien down and get his head back in the game...they could still win. He went straight to the heart of a teenage boy...he offered him CASH! He said, "I'll give you $1.00 for every basket you make." Jullien's eyes got huge, "Are you serious?" "Yeah..show me what you can do, let's see if we can win this game!"
Jullien's face lit up, a light had been switched on. He gathered the team, and said, "We can take these guys...we're better than them." My son turned into Koby Bryant right there on that basketball court, dribbling, passing, leaping, lay ups, three pointers, even a few allyoops. It was amazing to see, he had a look of determination that I had never seen before. We ended up winning the game by 6 points!
I walked up to Mike after the game and said, "What did you say to him...I've never seen him so intense before?" He just smiled and said, "I just figured out a little trick to motivate him." "Well what is it?" I waited patiently for the magic words that I could use for years to come. He grinned even bigger, "It's a secret!" "C'mon Mike, you have to tell me." "Jullien can tell you later if he wants." I got a little bugged, why wouldn't he tell me...I need to know, it was magical!
We got into the car, my son was beaming! "So, what did Mike say to you?" Waiting, leaning back over the front seat, anxiously holding my breathe for the answer (I'm very competitive too and HAD TO KNOW!) He reached deep into his pocket and pulled out a $20.00 bill. I said, "Where'd you get that?" "That's from Mike, he offered me $1.00 for every basket. So I scored 20 points and he payed me!" I told my husband to stop the car and turn around. Mike was just getting to his car. I told my son to give him back his money. He argued, but he knew I meant business! He got out of the car, head low, moping, and handed Mike the money. "My mom said I have to give this back." He walked Jullien back to the car and said, "We made a deal. He held up his end of the bargain so I need to hold up mine."
That was Mike, motivating, giving, encouraging, stubborn and most of all caring. He would not let this angry, overly aggressive kid get beat by himself. He looked inside, saw his heart and talent and found a way to lift him up and show him his full potential. Mike will truly be missed.
After the service I looked over to see his sixteen year old son standing alone, back away from the crowd of people. Staring blankly at the scene before him. I walked over, hugged him and told him how sorry I was and how much we loved his dad. He seemed numb, void, shocked, disbelief and nothingness...I saw a memory of myself when my brother died. I knew that he would be our mission. His long road ahead will be difficult, he'll need to be encouraged, watched and comforted. We'll stay close and help any way we can...we owe it to Mike. Stepping up in his memory and reaching deep inside to touch HIS children and wife.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever." PSALM 23: 1-6
When we walked up before the service, I waited to give Karen a hug, not knowing what to say but just wanting to let her know I was there for her. She saw me and lunged into my arms. As we hugged she seemed to be hanging on to me as if I were a lifeline...a piece of the life that she and Mike had been a part of for 12 years. Baseball and basketball had brought us together and formed a bond and friendship that had become very special over the years. We held each other tight as she said, "Mike just loved you guys and the boys, thank you so much for being here. It really means a lot to me." Squeezing her tighter and fighting back the tears, "Mike has been an important part our lives. Please know that we are all here for you and the boys. If you need anything you know you can call us!" Jullien was standing behind me, she looked at him, chuckled and said, "Oh Jullien, Mike absolutely ADORED you! You always gave him a hard time but he loved you!" They hugged and laughed.
That comment brought back a whole new flood of memories...Jullien was always a hot head, a perfectionist and competitive to a fault. Mike knew this about him and I think saw a bit of himself in Jullien. As a coach he tried to calm Jullien down if he was having a bad game. He decided to find ways to motivate Jullien...one particularly important game found Mike's team down by quite a few points at halftime. He knew that if he could calm Jullien down and get his head back in the game...they could still win. He went straight to the heart of a teenage boy...he offered him CASH! He said, "I'll give you $1.00 for every basket you make." Jullien's eyes got huge, "Are you serious?" "Yeah..show me what you can do, let's see if we can win this game!"
Jullien's face lit up, a light had been switched on. He gathered the team, and said, "We can take these guys...we're better than them." My son turned into Koby Bryant right there on that basketball court, dribbling, passing, leaping, lay ups, three pointers, even a few allyoops. It was amazing to see, he had a look of determination that I had never seen before. We ended up winning the game by 6 points!
I walked up to Mike after the game and said, "What did you say to him...I've never seen him so intense before?" He just smiled and said, "I just figured out a little trick to motivate him." "Well what is it?" I waited patiently for the magic words that I could use for years to come. He grinned even bigger, "It's a secret!" "C'mon Mike, you have to tell me." "Jullien can tell you later if he wants." I got a little bugged, why wouldn't he tell me...I need to know, it was magical!
We got into the car, my son was beaming! "So, what did Mike say to you?" Waiting, leaning back over the front seat, anxiously holding my breathe for the answer (I'm very competitive too and HAD TO KNOW!) He reached deep into his pocket and pulled out a $20.00 bill. I said, "Where'd you get that?" "That's from Mike, he offered me $1.00 for every basket. So I scored 20 points and he payed me!" I told my husband to stop the car and turn around. Mike was just getting to his car. I told my son to give him back his money. He argued, but he knew I meant business! He got out of the car, head low, moping, and handed Mike the money. "My mom said I have to give this back." He walked Jullien back to the car and said, "We made a deal. He held up his end of the bargain so I need to hold up mine."
That was Mike, motivating, giving, encouraging, stubborn and most of all caring. He would not let this angry, overly aggressive kid get beat by himself. He looked inside, saw his heart and talent and found a way to lift him up and show him his full potential. Mike will truly be missed.
After the service I looked over to see his sixteen year old son standing alone, back away from the crowd of people. Staring blankly at the scene before him. I walked over, hugged him and told him how sorry I was and how much we loved his dad. He seemed numb, void, shocked, disbelief and nothingness...I saw a memory of myself when my brother died. I knew that he would be our mission. His long road ahead will be difficult, he'll need to be encouraged, watched and comforted. We'll stay close and help any way we can...we owe it to Mike. Stepping up in his memory and reaching deep inside to touch HIS children and wife.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever." PSALM 23: 1-6
Saturday, June 21, 2008
RECIPE FOR A DREAM VACATION (On A Budget)
I was scrambling around when I got home from work, packing, checking my list, looking for the passport, finding the suitcases, packing the snacks, you know...all of the crazy excitement that comes with going on vacation. Ohhhh...the Bahamas, vacation in paradise...snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, and going down the super slide at the Atlantis Hotel. Relaxing under the palm trees, tropical breeze, hammock swaying as you drink your ice cold fruity beverage and read your favorite novel...without a care in the world.
Oops sorry, I was getting a little carried away for a minute...but this is my 13 YEAR OLD SONS VACATION!! Yes, you can tell that I am sooooo jealous! My son just left last night for my dream vacation. I know what your thinking and yes, I am excited for him, BUT....I want to go!
Elijah (my son) has a friend whose dad is pretty wealthy and every year they take him on an all expense paid vacation wherever they happen to be going. Why didn't I ever have friends like that growing up!?! I come from a family of 7 kids, so we never really went anywhere for vacation. Now, here I am with a family of six kids in the same boat. I have become very creative though...here's how it works for all of you STUCK at home.
DREAM VACATION RECIPE
1. Make yourself a big, tall, slushy, ice cold, tropical drink...slice the pineapple and stick it on the rim of your cup. You will need this first to sip on as you complete the rest of the recipe (refill often as needed)
2. Take out some bread, turkey, ham, roast beef, salami, cheese, tomato's, lettuce, pickles and your favorite sandwich spread. Put it all together and set it next to your drink.
3. Go to the fridge, pull out strawberries, grapes, apples, oranges, mango's, papaya's, pineapple, cantaloupe, and watermelon. Cut and slice as needed, put into one bowl.
4. This is the most important part of the recipe...cut a HUGE piece of chocolate cake (if you don't have cake then grab your box of Bon Bon's, Godiva chocolate bar, or brownies) JUST MAKE SURE IT'S REALLY SWEET and CHOCOLATEY ! For those of you allergic to chocolate (poor things) substitute with whatever your weakness is...remember, this is YOUR vacation, you can work it off when you get back.
5. This part of the recipe can be a little tricky...put all of your items on a tray and head over to your computer. CAREFULLY place all of the items around your desk...a spill or mishap can ruin your whole vacation so BE CAREFUL.
6. Go IMMEDIATELY to your room throw on your most comfortable lounging around shorts, tank top, loose fitting dress...whatever you wear to relax in. Grab the fan in your room and quickly return to your desk.
7. Turn on your fan, sit down, grab your drink, take a big sip (remember, no gulping...it's your vacation), turn on your computer, go to your Blog page. Once you've arrived, click Next Blog at the top of your screen.
8. While your computer is thinking, take a bite of your sandwich, and grab a piece of fruit. The fan should now be supplying a perfect, light, relaxing breeze.
9. When the first picture appears, scroll down, there will be more. If you happen to arrive at an undesirable vacation spot, or heaven forbid a work site...simple jump to another destination by hitting "Next Blog" at the top of the screen. Often times you will not be able to read about the spot you have arrived at due to a language barrier...DO NOT get frustrated...you're on vacation for the scenery, relaxation and beauty. Be sure to continually enjoy the feast before you (no worrying about calories remember...V A C A T I O N).
10. You have now arrived at your DREAM VACATION...the Bahamas, Tahiti, Costa Rica, Brazil, Australia, Italy, Paris, Switzerland...remember your trip will not be complete until you bite into your sweet, smooth, rich, heavenly CHOCOLATE!! Yes...now you've arrived...and what an amazing place to be. RELAX, EAT and ENJOY!!
Awwwwe VACATION!?!?!
Oops sorry, I was getting a little carried away for a minute...but this is my 13 YEAR OLD SONS VACATION!! Yes, you can tell that I am sooooo jealous! My son just left last night for my dream vacation. I know what your thinking and yes, I am excited for him, BUT....I want to go!
Elijah (my son) has a friend whose dad is pretty wealthy and every year they take him on an all expense paid vacation wherever they happen to be going. Why didn't I ever have friends like that growing up!?! I come from a family of 7 kids, so we never really went anywhere for vacation. Now, here I am with a family of six kids in the same boat. I have become very creative though...here's how it works for all of you STUCK at home.
DREAM VACATION RECIPE
1. Make yourself a big, tall, slushy, ice cold, tropical drink...slice the pineapple and stick it on the rim of your cup. You will need this first to sip on as you complete the rest of the recipe (refill often as needed)
2. Take out some bread, turkey, ham, roast beef, salami, cheese, tomato's, lettuce, pickles and your favorite sandwich spread. Put it all together and set it next to your drink.
3. Go to the fridge, pull out strawberries, grapes, apples, oranges, mango's, papaya's, pineapple, cantaloupe, and watermelon. Cut and slice as needed, put into one bowl.
4. This is the most important part of the recipe...cut a HUGE piece of chocolate cake (if you don't have cake then grab your box of Bon Bon's, Godiva chocolate bar, or brownies) JUST MAKE SURE IT'S REALLY SWEET and CHOCOLATEY ! For those of you allergic to chocolate (poor things) substitute with whatever your weakness is...remember, this is YOUR vacation, you can work it off when you get back.
5. This part of the recipe can be a little tricky...put all of your items on a tray and head over to your computer. CAREFULLY place all of the items around your desk...a spill or mishap can ruin your whole vacation so BE CAREFUL.
6. Go IMMEDIATELY to your room throw on your most comfortable lounging around shorts, tank top, loose fitting dress...whatever you wear to relax in. Grab the fan in your room and quickly return to your desk.
7. Turn on your fan, sit down, grab your drink, take a big sip (remember, no gulping...it's your vacation), turn on your computer, go to your Blog page. Once you've arrived, click Next Blog at the top of your screen.
8. While your computer is thinking, take a bite of your sandwich, and grab a piece of fruit. The fan should now be supplying a perfect, light, relaxing breeze.
9. When the first picture appears, scroll down, there will be more. If you happen to arrive at an undesirable vacation spot, or heaven forbid a work site...simple jump to another destination by hitting "Next Blog" at the top of the screen. Often times you will not be able to read about the spot you have arrived at due to a language barrier...DO NOT get frustrated...you're on vacation for the scenery, relaxation and beauty. Be sure to continually enjoy the feast before you (no worrying about calories remember...V A C A T I O N).
10. You have now arrived at your DREAM VACATION...the Bahamas, Tahiti, Costa Rica, Brazil, Australia, Italy, Paris, Switzerland...remember your trip will not be complete until you bite into your sweet, smooth, rich, heavenly CHOCOLATE!! Yes...now you've arrived...and what an amazing place to be. RELAX, EAT and ENJOY!!
Awwwwe VACATION!?!?!
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Invisible Man
Last Saturday my middle son Jullien really upset me when I picked him up. He said some pretty mean things to me, so I dropped him off at the house and just took off for some alone time (I needed to cry a little). I drove through Taco Bell, picked up some food and headed to a store where I was going to buy some crafts to make some Mother's Day gifts. I pulled up in front of the store and parked and just sat there eating.
As I looked around, (feeling a little sorry for myself), I noticed a guy with long tangled silver hair, a short white scraggly beard, an old black leather jacket, and torn blue jeans. He was standing up, leaning with his forehead pressed against the wall. I had some time to just observe while I finished my lunch, (which is very rare for me to have TIME). So I just watched, wondering if anyone would ask him if he was okay. The first couple that went by was probably in their 20's and didn't even glance in the man's direction. A couple of ladies in their thirties also proceeded to walk past the man, (who had not moved or changed positions for about 10 minutes), again not even a look towards him. The same thing happened about six more times. The way everyone just strolled by, made me wonder if the man was a figment of my imagination.
After about 20 minutes I got to the point that I was hoping and praying that someone would just LOOK at the man. With each new person I thought, "Surely they will at least see that he is there and may need help." Finally, a mother, with a short brown bob haircut, tan shorts, and a white floral blouse, and her daughter (about 3 years old), who looked like a miniature cut out version of the mother, went walking right past him. The mom seemed to notice the man only because her young daughter had lagged a little behind and she was concerned for her daughter's
safety. The daughter on the other hand, seemed to notice that something was wrong with the man and stopped to stare at him. The mother quickly grabbed her daughter's hand and dragged her away, while the daughter continued to look back at the man.
Next, a cute, plump, elderly husband and wife in their 80's walked by, they too, both looked directly at the man and then continued to look as they walked by, with a quick glance back before they entered the store. The man had still remained in the same position. About 10 more people in their 20's, 30's and 40's passed the invisible man.
As I finished the last few bites of my burrito, I thought, "Why was the man only visible to the young and the elderly?" Were they the only one's that were not too busy to see another person who may be hurting? How had my generation become so insensitive and self absorbed that they could not even SEE someone who may need them?
I got out of my car, and headed towards the man. I stopped and said, "Is everything okay? Do you need some help?" He looked up from the wall, smiled a toothless grin and said, "I'm just trying to figure a few things out on this cell phone, but thanks anyways." I said, "Good luck, they can be a little tricky in the beginning, have a great day!" He said, "You got that right, thank you, you too!" He seemed so happy that someone had spoken to him. He continued to smile as I headed into the store.
The invisible man did not need my help today, but what if he had? Did it take a lot of effort on my part to look at him and see if he needed some assistance? I hope that we can be like the young children and the elderly....that we will be able to SEE someone directly in our path. You may be the one person who can brighten that persons whole day. It requires only a little effort, concern, and time....but the rewards you will receive from a simple smile on a sad, tired, broken face, is amazing! Go out and notice the invisible men and women standing right in front of you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)