Foolywank Friday: Last Week

Jury Duty


The death of three young adults.  Very young adults... like 18 years old.  Felt and still feels so swift and untimely... My heart literally aches for their friends and family.


Paper trails and red tape of the insurance process.  How someone can have insurance, need an emergency surgery and yet be waiting in the hospital for treatment is absolutely asinine.  


Watching a couple walk through a hellish, real-life nightmare within the legal system.  Tough, bizarre and surreal, especially when I think of the numerous chronic offenders who traipse in and out of the justice system.  


Did I say jury duty, already?


Many times last week it felt like I was seeing life through a dark and cloudy glass.  I kept rubbing the window pane trying to create a clear spot for viewing however my visibility remained somewhat obscured.  I continued moving forward.  Slowly.  When it's foggy, you have to travel like that despite your hopes, aspirations and plans.  Keep moving forward even at tortoise pace.  Even when things are not turning out the way I wanted them to and especially when I have to do things that I don't want to do. I am reminded that Growing Up...  Maturity is a continual process.  Last week drained me.  I felt mentally, physically and emotionally tired.  Thus the foolywank.  Not the issues and incidents that happened but my response? Foolywank.  So after I throw a fit or two or three, I finally land on these facts: 


During the times I cannot make clear, direct meaning or really grasp the greater purpose of all that is going on, I cry and cling Hope.  I am Broken and Hopeful all at the same time.  Broken because I am physically unable to alter or fix anything that is going on.  Hopeful because I know who can. And in the event that He does not work things out to my specifications, I am Hopeful still because I know He is good and that ultimately (somehow, someway... EVEN THOUGH I CAN'T SEE THROUGH THE CLOUDY WINDOW PANE) things will work out for good.  So I invite my brokenness in, have a real good cry and then cloak my brokenness in Hope.  Hope that things won't always be Broken.  I actually heard an amazing and uplifting message on this divine paradox just the other day.  Click here if you'd like to hear/view a video of the message.


As I type this Foolywank Friday post, a few lessons start to emerge:


I cannot get mad at God for what others do with the gift of free will.    


Being grateful (for what I do have/did have ...for how ever long I have/had it) is key.  


Jury duty made me especially grateful for my daily gig, way of life and many blessings.  (Soon-ish, I will write a post about my final day of jury duty because it was really sweet.)


Hold on to Hope.  Hold on to Hope.  Hold on to Hope.  Never let go. 


Trust Him and Surrender to His Process   


So, in light of our weeks that look like pure, unadulterated foolywank, let's cling to Hope, shall we?  The Hope that one day what is now cloudy will become crystal clear.  


p.s. On a non-Foolywank Friday note, last night I got to see the screening of an AWESOME, INSPIRING, and FAMILY FRIENDLY movie, Courageous.  My sweet friend, Vanessa hooked me up with tickets.  Thanks again, Vanes!  :D ... The movie made me think, laugh and cry.  Yet I left uplifted.  The movie is good.  So good that I will pay to go see it again this weekend.  Click here for more information about the movie Courageous



Love and Hugs!!!

One of my favorite quotes

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." -Marianne Williamson

prettystuff.tumblr.com

10 Things No One Tells You About Being an Adult by Deidra Romero

I just read the most wonderfully written post about the stages of life and adulthood (is that a word? lol).  It was so delicious that I had to share it with ya.  Click the link below to read an inspiring, encouraging and timely word from my sweet, sincere, full of wisdom friend, Deidra Romero. 


Click here to read Deidra's brilliant post.

Best Advice

Jadyn Noelle Photography

Wear clean underwear (In case you get in a wreck and have to go to the hospital, you want to have on clean underwear...) Never mind the fact that clean underwear (wreck or no wreck) is a good idea everyday.  Am I the only one who received the underwear/wreck advice?


Put your pennies all away.  Save them for a rainy day.  


Birds of a feather flock together.  


Believe.


Never give up!


Always tell the truth. 


Give freely without obligation or expectation.


Tithe.


Read.


Don't believe everything you hear.


Think before you speak.  (Still growing in this area.  Even when I manage to keep quiet, my expressions betray me.  Help me, Jesus!)


Work hard.  Play hard. 


Live a simple life.  (Simple = full of love, purpose/meaning and all the things that aren't things.)


Pray.


Do your best.  


Don't worry. 


Be yourself!  


These are pieces advice that I have heard over and over again from the folks who raised me.  I appreciate and value every lesson they've given me.  I do my best everyday to live by these principles and pass them along to my fam, especially the bit about clean underwear... minus the wreck, of course. ;)




What about you?  What's some of the best advice you've been given?

Jury Duty

Jadyn Noelle Photography

Yep, that's where I'm at this week.  Holding down the justice system.  Not really haha.


So far, I have met:  
-some of the cruelest, school of hard knocks female administrators on earth
-some of the coolest and nicest ladies and gentlemen on earth
-a girl who is just like me
-folks who are nothing like me but groovy all the same


So far, I have sat still for more hours than I care to count... more hours than I ever imagined possible...  


I have observed hilarious, antiquated practices and machinery.  I have been accused of being an undercover cop.  And been reminded that hearing a person's story makes all the difference.  


People watching. People watching. People watching. I'm so nosey that I could hardly read any of my books (and I LOVE to read) for people watching, people watching, people watching.  


I ate the most delectable chicken burrito imaginable.  It was healthy and delicioso.  Imagine that!  


I have laughed, cried and cursed the day I was born (not really, just going for dramatic effect here).  More like I have cursed the day I received the notice in the mail.  


I have made new friends, reconnected with a college friend, whined via text message to my good friend Holly and squealed with glee when I got to go home a little earlier than expected.  


I get to do this again tomorrow.  Yay.  *itty bitty bit of sarcasm*


Surely it can only get better tomorrow... right??? 


Any of you ever been called for jury duty?  Any tips, pointers or coping mechanisms?  haha




*Click here to read: Jury Duty Part Deux*

Foolywank Friday: Forgetting that seasons change...

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 Is this Fall weather not delightful?!?!  I find myself daydreaming about lighting the fireplace, drinking hot chocolate and noshing on homemade caramel corn.  It's really hard to fathom that a few weeks ago, I was sweltering in the throes of a blistering and unrelenting heatwave.  Today the temp is a cool and breezy 57 degrees and I am lovin it!  A good friend on FB pointed out how our temps today are half, yes HALF of what they were when we were living in the days of the outdoor incinerator.   As I pondered the dramatic drop in temperature, I realized the foolywank-ness of forgetting that seasons change.  This foolywank is especially present when in the midst of an adjustment period or a tough time AKA the inferno.  This too shall pass and when we adjust to the "new normal" it will then be time to evolve again.  Such is the journey of life.  I wonder when we will accept it.  Today is as good a day as any, don't ya think?           


People change.


I change.


You change.


Hopefully for the better.




Seasons change...


Embrace Embrace Embrace.