Jan 20, 2012
Recently, my mother was certain she saw a fox in her front yard. A fox! That may not be news for some of you, but this is the desert of Southern California. We’re used to things like tumbleweeds and roadrunners and Wile E. Coyote.
Every so often we get things in our little city that come down from the mountains. Creatures like black bears and mountain cats. Bobcats have certainly been making the rounds lately. But, again, a fox?! Are you sure?!
And she was. But she almost doubted herself. Why? Because. Society tells us if it isn’t normal then it just can’t be. The word “impossible” permeates our vocabulary and gets into our very subconscious, fighting against what we know is true and right.
My mom saw a fox. Even if no one else saw it but her. How do I know? She’s my mom. She could have just said “I saw a fox today” and that would have been enough for me. But she went beyond that. She offered me verbal evidence: she detailed its appearance, its mannerisms. And for several days we checked facts online: how do foxes live, sleep, eat, raise their young? We saw the den it tried to make. We saw the leaves where it slept. Everything pointed to the same conclusion: my mom was lucky enough to make eye contact with a beautiful fox in her own yard.
It got me thinking. Recently I went through a bit of a discussion with God. I keep telling Him I trust Him. But I certainly don’t act like it. When the funds are low, I pray, “Thank you God for getting us through this day,” and then I cry to myself in fear and anxiety.
I read the Bible, full of miracles and awe and wonder, and I claim that same God as my own. But when I’m faced with stepping off a ledge, do I really believe He will catch me?
I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve let the physics of this world interfere with my Faith in His. For whatever reason, God brought to mind a conversation I’d had many years ago with someone from my church. We were talking about finances and life and all things in between and my friend suggested a necessary expense I thought was unaffordable. “How?!” I remember crying out. “How am I supposed to do that?!” Back then I was fairly new in my faith. But not now. Now I’m firm. Cemented in the Foundation that God Is, Was, and Always Will Be. And I’m still crying out, “How?!”
I already trust my Mom completely. I need to trust my Daddy-God more. Not just say it. I’m not afraid to ask Him for favors; why am I afraid to trust He’ll actually provide them?
The moral of this little post is this: If God tells me there’s a fox in the yard, I’m gonna believe Him. Period. I don’t need to find the evidence. That’s just confirmation of what I already know: He’s trustworthy. Period.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jan 19, 2012
I want to be a Wine Snob. I want to be able to tell from the color and aroma in my glass that it’s going to be good or bad. I want to know right away which bottle to serve with my chicken, my fish, or my aperitifs.
But wine is expensive. Usually. So I’ve learned a few tricks to develop a taste for good wines. This won’t do if you’re in a hurry to learn about wine. And by no means is this the only, or even the best way, to learn. But for myself, I’ve enjoyed taking this route.
First, I allow myself a small wine budget. Originally it started out at about $10 or $15/month. It’s not much, but remember: you’re not a Wine Snob yet. Find a flavor you are interested in, and give it a try. Once you find a flavor you like, then buy a more expensive label.
Second, find a store in the area that caters to wine drinkers. They have informative cards that detail information about the kind of information you’re looking for: where and when it’s made, what foods it pairs with, what to expect from its taste and aroma. Some regular stores are starting to do this; but you can also find local wine tasting shops that offer the information.
Third, it’s always fun to schedule a wine tasting at a local wine shop or even a winery if you live close enough. For a very nominal fee, they offer information and a great afternoon experience.
I’d like to get a book like “Wine Tasting for Dummies” or something similar. There are plenty of books that assume you already know the language. Find something easy and introductory. It’s not only informative, it’s fun!
Ask your friends what they like. Ask your waiter what he recommends. Don’t be afraid to experiment. You’ll come across some flavors you don’t care for. I recently discovered that I prefer a lighter wine than the full bodied Syrah. You’ll find ones that will always be your favorite.
What tips do you have for becoming a wine snob?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jan 18, 2012
I’m a little bored today. I’m feeling a bit drained and under the weather, so I don’t have enough energy to start the spring cleaning in the back room. That doesn’t stop my mind from planning how to get it all done in just one day. With the exception of buying new shelves, I can get it all done: reorganizing the closet, touch-up painting, and putting knick-knacks away to make room for books. I’m getting excited just thinking about it.
I’ve never really been an extremely patient person. But I’m learning to make use of the time at hand. I’m learning that it’s okay to say “Later!” and it’s okay to come up with a plan in the meantime. I’m also learning that it doesn’t do any good to be in a rush for Step One if I know for a fact that Step Two is a little down the road. It can also be a good thing to make sure there’s time between Steps, in case I want to make changes.
Let’s say I want to change around my room. If you’d asked me a month ago, I knew I wanted two bookshelves. I could have bought them before Christmas, and had them sitting in my garage just waiting to be put together and brought in. How stupid would I have felt, then, when last week I saw what I really need: two cube-units from Target. They’re fantastic! Each one has nine cubes in the unit, and you can customize it with fabric or straw baskets. How great is that? Not only is it a sectioned bookcase, but the open shelves will hold the items I want displayed while the bins hold the miscellaneous items I still need access to. See? Waiting on Step One to make sure I know where I want to be for Step Two.
And the Cookbook. The Cookbook! That great little booklet you all know I’ve been working on for quite a while now. I could have found a way to just print a basic recipe collection and had it out there a month or so ago. But I took the time to talk with a few people, and now it’s turning into a really great little cookbook. I’m so much happier with it now than I was even four weeks ago. And we’re still in the development stage! This time has also opened doors for other writings of mine to be published. When I thought Step Two was just printing the Cookbook, it turns out Step One turned me in an entirely different direction. Awesome!
It’s a new adventure for me, this Patience thing. But I’m really loving it. I’m so ready to start Step Two, but I’m not finished with Step One yet. So I get to slow down, think things through, evaluate, make informed decisions, and rest. In the end, I think that’s worth it.
How do you slow yourself down when all you want to do is plough ahead?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jan 17, 2012
Well… I got nothing.
There’s no profound thoughts running through my head.
No terrific (or horrific) events to tell you.
And my daughter watching Friends in the background keeps distracting me.
So this is what I’ve come up for this post:
I may not always be profound.
I may not always have time to write a long post.
I may not always be entertaining or uplifting or even make sense.
But that’s okay.
Because I will always be me.
Whether I share me or not.
So for tonight, I’m signing off.
But rest assured that tomorrow, me, Will Power, and Nippers will all be thinking up ways to get back on the Blog Bus and share our stories.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jan 16, 2012
I’m rediscovering my love for Le Grenouille.
This is him:
Handsome little guy, isn’t he? I also call him “Nippers”.
He just wanted to hop on over and see what this blog is all about.
He cuts quite the profile, doesn’t he?
He’ll be making appearances now and then, with and without his friend, Will Power.
Right now, he just wanted to introduce himself and say hi. Well, actually, he says “Ribbit!” and let’s me interpret for him.
‘Le Grenouille’ is French for ‘The Frog’. I come from a diverse ethnic background… on my father’s side. From my mother, it’s just French. A little Canadian thrown in, but the French kind. So I don’t think it counts. Her brother, my favorite uncle, also had a love of words and writing. He let me live with him during my college years and introduced me to the term Le Grenouille.
Many years later (hey! Not that many!), NCIS ran an arc through Season 4 that involved a French arms dealer nicknamed Le Grenouille. I was so excited. I explained to Dot what it meant.
Now, my daughter has all the ethnicity I have and then some. But she loves her French heritage. While I’m only about 0.05% Italian, you’d think I’m 100%. It’s how I decorate, cook, talk with my hands, love. My daughter is 100% French. No matter what other countries run in her blood.
So having a personal link to a character nickname on NCIS was just a fun little treat for her. And me. Shortly after the first few episodes, we went out and bought a Webkin and named him Le Grenouille.
But as we moved and she grew older, Le Grenouille found himself buried in boxes and bins. Through this weekend’s spring cleaning, he’s been rediscovered and just in time.
Because I need a frog for my mascot. And this little guy just jumped at the chance!
He’ll be playing a much more important role in days to come, and we’ll be more than willing to share those stories as they come along.
But now it’s time to hop off to bed and get a good night’s sleep. We’ve got some flies to catch tomorrow.
“Ribbit!”
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
