charlie brown, the great philosopher, once stated, "what we need in life are more hellos and fewer goodbyes." i agree...goodbyes make me sad, too, charlie brown...
but life is full of experiences that have hellos and goodbyes built in...in fact the biggest milestones of life are usually events that have both a hello and goodbye in the same experience...graduation, birth, marriage, promotions, moving, and dying...these are the experiences that stretch our emotions, that make us face two strong, diametrical feelings...
but the most important part of these hello-goodbye adventures is what's in the middle...what happens between the beginning and the end is what makes the real difference...the middle is where the meat of life is...timing automatically gives us the hellos and the goodbyes...but it is up to us to sculpt the middle in such a way that the starts and finishes are divinely justified...
a middle needs a sense of purpose big enough to include God and wide enough to include mankind...a middle needs a purpose that takes us beyond ourselves and challenges us to make life good for other people...
a middle needs to rid itself of the question, "what can i get out of this experience?" replace it with this question: "what can i bring to this life experience that will enrich others?" a middle requires hard work and commitment...it needs imagination and courage for each day, so that when we come to the end, the goodbye...we can exit the experience with a song of thanksgiving and a sense of accomplishment...
then as we are suspended in time, hanging between a yesterday and a tomorrow, we can make a half-turn into the next hello with anticipation and hope...
freedom is not the right to do what we want but the power to do what we ought...
~ corrie ten boom
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
the world ain't all sunshine and rainbows...
The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! - Rocky
my friend had this as their update on facebook today...i read it like 7 times...just to really let it sink in...
life does hit hard at times...how are you going to handle it? are you going to let it rip you to shreds? or...will you rise from it...no matter how difficult...no matter how slowly...no matter how unstable...
if you don't move on...you miss out on the lessons...you miss out on the strengthening...you miss out on everything else waiting for you to experience...
in my past...it was not until i was able to pick myself up...one wobbly step after another...and start moving...towards something new...it was only then...that i was able to look back at whatever crippled me for a while...and learn from it...or take from it what i needed to...
but most of all...it wasn't until then...that i was able to embrace all the good surrounding me outside the pain...
my friend had this as their update on facebook today...i read it like 7 times...just to really let it sink in...
life does hit hard at times...how are you going to handle it? are you going to let it rip you to shreds? or...will you rise from it...no matter how difficult...no matter how slowly...no matter how unstable...
if you don't move on...you miss out on the lessons...you miss out on the strengthening...you miss out on everything else waiting for you to experience...
in my past...it was not until i was able to pick myself up...one wobbly step after another...and start moving...towards something new...it was only then...that i was able to look back at whatever crippled me for a while...and learn from it...or take from it what i needed to...
but most of all...it wasn't until then...that i was able to embrace all the good surrounding me outside the pain...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
tears...
as most of the people in my life can attest to...i am a crier...
it is true...i have a very quick tear reflex - at least that's how i like to refer to it...
i have been known to cry at movies...commercials (the hallmark ones especially) sad and happy moments...
i can watch any two beings (animals, humans, friends, enemies - it doesn't matter) in a scene where one is saying good-bye to the other, and i will cry every single time...
happiness always sets me off...many times...as i'm crying...people have wondered...shouldn't she be happy? the thing is...i was...and crying was the only response that came to me...
of course, i do an outstanding job of sad tears...when someone suggests going to a movie...my first thought is...does the movie have sad parts...i do myself and everyone else a huge favor by staying out of sad movies...the movies that evoke hard sobs...not a good sight...those movies are best reserved for me solo...in the privacy of my own home...
i have noticed that some of my friends use my tears vicariously...some have been brought up with the notion that you should not cry...or at least not publically...many times they have looked at me in a tearful situation and said, almost hopefully, "are you going to cry?" i guess if i really thought about it...i was brought up that way...the problem with me...was that even if i wanted to not cry...i had little ability to stop the rainfall...
but i have learned that tears are nothing to be ashamed of...in fact, i am rather proud that i can feel so deeply about things...and, more important, people who know how to cry also are the people who know how to laugh...the self-control that shields a person from tears is the same control that secures the emotions against being open to laughter...
i can't speak for everyone who cries...but for me tears come from a well of joy deep within my being...not always happiness, but genuine joy...happiness is somthing people invented - a happy day, a happy event...but joy is something very different...joy comes from deep within...joy is such a wonderful surprise welling up so unexpectedly...well...it just makes me cry...
tears are a vital cleansing element in a woman's life...it helps you know you are still alive and in true touch with your deep well of joy...
it is true...i have a very quick tear reflex - at least that's how i like to refer to it...
i have been known to cry at movies...commercials (the hallmark ones especially) sad and happy moments...
i can watch any two beings (animals, humans, friends, enemies - it doesn't matter) in a scene where one is saying good-bye to the other, and i will cry every single time...
happiness always sets me off...many times...as i'm crying...people have wondered...shouldn't she be happy? the thing is...i was...and crying was the only response that came to me...
of course, i do an outstanding job of sad tears...when someone suggests going to a movie...my first thought is...does the movie have sad parts...i do myself and everyone else a huge favor by staying out of sad movies...the movies that evoke hard sobs...not a good sight...those movies are best reserved for me solo...in the privacy of my own home...
i have noticed that some of my friends use my tears vicariously...some have been brought up with the notion that you should not cry...or at least not publically...many times they have looked at me in a tearful situation and said, almost hopefully, "are you going to cry?" i guess if i really thought about it...i was brought up that way...the problem with me...was that even if i wanted to not cry...i had little ability to stop the rainfall...
but i have learned that tears are nothing to be ashamed of...in fact, i am rather proud that i can feel so deeply about things...and, more important, people who know how to cry also are the people who know how to laugh...the self-control that shields a person from tears is the same control that secures the emotions against being open to laughter...
i can't speak for everyone who cries...but for me tears come from a well of joy deep within my being...not always happiness, but genuine joy...happiness is somthing people invented - a happy day, a happy event...but joy is something very different...joy comes from deep within...joy is such a wonderful surprise welling up so unexpectedly...well...it just makes me cry...
tears are a vital cleansing element in a woman's life...it helps you know you are still alive and in true touch with your deep well of joy...
Monday, July 27, 2009
friends who walk beside me...
few journeys are a solitary walk...even though i cherish my moments alone...i draw the most strength from being with people...other people nurture me, encourage me, draw me out of my doldrums, and give me courage...
God made us to be social creatures...He created us for sharing, for reaching out, and for drawing close...the most profound meanings in life come in the process of loving and being loved...
i think about the friends i have in my life...most of my friends...when i first see them...we start the visit with a big hug...then we get down to business sharing aches and pains...then we move to the good times coming up...
i think of good friends who hold my hand and tell me what a good job i'm doing...i think about my friends who challenge me and nudge me out of my pity party and back into real life...i think of the friends who bring me soup and medicine when i am sick...and the friends who call and say, "i was just thinking about you today...how are things?"
i certainly think about the cherished friends in my life who on a weekly basis...we have made it a point to sustain each other...i think about my friends who do not live close; we only talk every few months or so...but i feel their presence and hold every memory close...
how lonely the walk would be without my many wonderful friends...they enrich my steps...they hold me up when the going gets rough and join in my chorus when my skies are blue...
God made us to be social creatures...He created us for sharing, for reaching out, and for drawing close...the most profound meanings in life come in the process of loving and being loved...
i think about the friends i have in my life...most of my friends...when i first see them...we start the visit with a big hug...then we get down to business sharing aches and pains...then we move to the good times coming up...
i think of good friends who hold my hand and tell me what a good job i'm doing...i think about my friends who challenge me and nudge me out of my pity party and back into real life...i think of the friends who bring me soup and medicine when i am sick...and the friends who call and say, "i was just thinking about you today...how are things?"
i certainly think about the cherished friends in my life who on a weekly basis...we have made it a point to sustain each other...i think about my friends who do not live close; we only talk every few months or so...but i feel their presence and hold every memory close...
how lonely the walk would be without my many wonderful friends...they enrich my steps...they hold me up when the going gets rough and join in my chorus when my skies are blue...
Thursday, July 23, 2009
ch ch ch changes...
i had a very deep discussion with a friend of mine on change...
we both came to the conclusion that a life with no changes from day to day is a sobering thought...
change is good...change is necessary...change brings new life and new opportunities...change leads you into ways you were not expecting...change can be growth...change keeps you from dying bit by bit...
embrace change!
i believe change comes in two ways...sometimes you decide you need a change, and you make the choice to move on...sometimes fate hands you a change you weren't expecting...both kinds of change are hard in different ways...
change that you decide to make gives you time to consider all the options and alternatives on the front end - new job, new boss, new place to live, new marital status, whatever...on the front end of this change decision, there obviously has to be a catalyst that shows life not to be what you wanted it to be - poor pay, being passed over for promotion, unsatisfactory working conditions, unresolvable conflict...
at first it's like a trapeze artist trying to jump off the platform to catch the swing....you think and think about how to hold onto the past in some way and just make a few adjustments...
obviously that doesn't work for long, so you have to move to additional actions - learning to let go, then turning your full attention to the new...and that's where change gets scary...for a moment in time, you are suspended in midair between past and future...this is when you find out what stuff you're made of...
the other kind of traumatic change is the kind that is thrust on you from a secondary source: your job is downsized, someone you love walks out, you face a catastrophic illness...now you're in a quick-change mode where a new plan has to be made in a hurry - no time to think or evaluate...big life transitions come whether we're ready or not...
first, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and take a step...sure, you're scared...sure, you feel unprepared to go on...you are uncertain where your best resources are...fear is OK...but standing still and whining only intensifies fear...take a step...move in some direction...
second, sudden change sometimes moves you in a direction that turns out better than you ever imagined...let unexpected changes bring you some things you really wanted - a new part of the country, new friends, a new profession...since everthing is up in the air anyway, throw in the changes you would like to see happen...
third, make lemonade...i have this card that i keep...it is a picture of an oil painting of a lemon placed in my journal to remind me to make lemonade when life hands me a sack full of lemons...somehow, get a positive slant on the situation - not always an easy thing...i know...but if you can see a tiny piece of the change that has a positive slant, you can begin to build on that...
fourth, embrace the change...it is a part of your life now...whether you wanted it or not...resistance to change takes a lot of energy and prevents you from moving on to enjoy life...yes, i said enjoy life...move on...
pray for guidance...remember, you are still measuring life with a very short stick...God is measuring your life by eternity...He knows how this experience fits into the total picture...trust Him...
i have had a lot of changes in my life - some shocking, some sad, some planned, and some where i went kicking and screaming every step of the way...but something good has come out of every change...as i bend into the pain of transition...i find myself growing stronger and able to do things i never thought i would do...and most of the time i was able to understand that, yes, the change left me in a more favorable situation than before...
we both came to the conclusion that a life with no changes from day to day is a sobering thought...
change is good...change is necessary...change brings new life and new opportunities...change leads you into ways you were not expecting...change can be growth...change keeps you from dying bit by bit...
embrace change!
i believe change comes in two ways...sometimes you decide you need a change, and you make the choice to move on...sometimes fate hands you a change you weren't expecting...both kinds of change are hard in different ways...
change that you decide to make gives you time to consider all the options and alternatives on the front end - new job, new boss, new place to live, new marital status, whatever...on the front end of this change decision, there obviously has to be a catalyst that shows life not to be what you wanted it to be - poor pay, being passed over for promotion, unsatisfactory working conditions, unresolvable conflict...
at first it's like a trapeze artist trying to jump off the platform to catch the swing....you think and think about how to hold onto the past in some way and just make a few adjustments...
obviously that doesn't work for long, so you have to move to additional actions - learning to let go, then turning your full attention to the new...and that's where change gets scary...for a moment in time, you are suspended in midair between past and future...this is when you find out what stuff you're made of...
the other kind of traumatic change is the kind that is thrust on you from a secondary source: your job is downsized, someone you love walks out, you face a catastrophic illness...now you're in a quick-change mode where a new plan has to be made in a hurry - no time to think or evaluate...big life transitions come whether we're ready or not...
first, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and take a step...sure, you're scared...sure, you feel unprepared to go on...you are uncertain where your best resources are...fear is OK...but standing still and whining only intensifies fear...take a step...move in some direction...
second, sudden change sometimes moves you in a direction that turns out better than you ever imagined...let unexpected changes bring you some things you really wanted - a new part of the country, new friends, a new profession...since everthing is up in the air anyway, throw in the changes you would like to see happen...
third, make lemonade...i have this card that i keep...it is a picture of an oil painting of a lemon placed in my journal to remind me to make lemonade when life hands me a sack full of lemons...somehow, get a positive slant on the situation - not always an easy thing...i know...but if you can see a tiny piece of the change that has a positive slant, you can begin to build on that...
fourth, embrace the change...it is a part of your life now...whether you wanted it or not...resistance to change takes a lot of energy and prevents you from moving on to enjoy life...yes, i said enjoy life...move on...
pray for guidance...remember, you are still measuring life with a very short stick...God is measuring your life by eternity...He knows how this experience fits into the total picture...trust Him...
i have had a lot of changes in my life - some shocking, some sad, some planned, and some where i went kicking and screaming every step of the way...but something good has come out of every change...as i bend into the pain of transition...i find myself growing stronger and able to do things i never thought i would do...and most of the time i was able to understand that, yes, the change left me in a more favorable situation than before...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
the love of my nieces...
sometimes i have a hard time accepting how old my two beautiful nieces are getting...they have grown and blossomed into two of the most remarkable young ladies i know...i am so proud of the both of them...
our times spent together are so precious...whether it be a girls weekend...or a ladies nite out...or movie nite...or just getting together for an ice cream...that time is spent in lots of laughter...lots of sharing...sometimes tears...but all in all a geniune love for each other...
when they were little...it was easy to plan time with them...but now that they have grown...and are able to drive...they have lives of their own...their own friends...loves...activities...
they still make time for their auntie...and that truly warms the cockles of my heart...
my oldest niece will be leaving soon to college...she has worked so hard to get to where she is...and it was through this hard work...her determination...that she has landed in a great school...at first we thought it would be a few hours away...which was difficult to comprehend...but now...it looks like she will be out of state...not only out of state...but in a whole different time zone...
as hard as that is...her sister & i are already planning our visits...there will be a few for sure...
and as these last few weeks are slowly closing in...before she takes off...i know that she has tons of friends that she needs to spend time with...but even in that...she is making sure that we have "our" time...a few more get togethers...she and her sister are thoughtful that way...
the younger niece...is a spit fire...i love her spunk...her zeal...her craziness...
the older one...gets mistaken for being quiet...but she is quite the comedy relief...that is probably part of the fun...it is so unexpected...
i do not think the two of them realize how much joy they bring me...i love hearing all about their escapades...their loves...their shenanigans...even being able to share each others hurts...the story that is their life...
i am thankful for them...i am thankful of their hearts...most of all...i am thankful to know them...
love you j & m...
our times spent together are so precious...whether it be a girls weekend...or a ladies nite out...or movie nite...or just getting together for an ice cream...that time is spent in lots of laughter...lots of sharing...sometimes tears...but all in all a geniune love for each other...
when they were little...it was easy to plan time with them...but now that they have grown...and are able to drive...they have lives of their own...their own friends...loves...activities...
they still make time for their auntie...and that truly warms the cockles of my heart...
my oldest niece will be leaving soon to college...she has worked so hard to get to where she is...and it was through this hard work...her determination...that she has landed in a great school...at first we thought it would be a few hours away...which was difficult to comprehend...but now...it looks like she will be out of state...not only out of state...but in a whole different time zone...
as hard as that is...her sister & i are already planning our visits...there will be a few for sure...
and as these last few weeks are slowly closing in...before she takes off...i know that she has tons of friends that she needs to spend time with...but even in that...she is making sure that we have "our" time...a few more get togethers...she and her sister are thoughtful that way...
the younger niece...is a spit fire...i love her spunk...her zeal...her craziness...
the older one...gets mistaken for being quiet...but she is quite the comedy relief...that is probably part of the fun...it is so unexpected...
i do not think the two of them realize how much joy they bring me...i love hearing all about their escapades...their loves...their shenanigans...even being able to share each others hurts...the story that is their life...
i am thankful for them...i am thankful of their hearts...most of all...i am thankful to know them...
love you j & m...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
twisting balloons...
look how far twisting balloons has come...
this is what i love about fashion...there truly is no end to the possibilities of a creative mind...
although...i think these would be difficult to sit in =)
which is your favorite?
this is what i love about fashion...there truly is no end to the possibilities of a creative mind...
although...i think these would be difficult to sit in =)
which is your favorite?
Monday, July 20, 2009
taking a risk...
sometimes life throws us curves...and then waits around to see how one will react...
my latest "big" hurt came two weeks ago...from someone so unexpected...that is a total of two big totally unexpected hurts in less then one year...sometimes i wonder how my little fragile heart can withstand it...but it does...somehow...
i am seeing a little bit of a difference in my responses to hurts...where once i couldn't function...i am now seeing all the "other" stuff that is around...a lot sooner...i guess for me...i don't want to be pouring out my all when someone doesn't deem it important enough to care...
this was something at one time that would linger for so long...trying to understand why a person would hurt me, or leave me, or both...i've come to terms with the fact that people are not always placed in our lives for the full duration...
the not knowing...of what happened...or didn't happen...of what was in that persons head...how with no emotion...they just walk...no explanation...no discussion...when once all they talked about was how important i was in their life...sure...i'm human...i wonder...and i try and understand it...some things though...will never make sense...
but the bigger picture draws me to the place...of releasing something that was never mine...or something that was meant to be but for a while...
the memories are there...the beautiful moments are there...and for the time...the purpose was served...and although i don't understand the ending...
it is what it is...and what it is...is something that is out of my control...i can only be who i am...the best of who i am...and guard my heart...and guard my thoughts...it would be so easy to become jaded...and stop believing in people...when there are those that just say words...and their actions contradict those words...
life and love and laughter...it is all a risk...there will always be risk involved in opening up to someone new...but for me...the rewards are so much bigger and better than the risk...and although...a few people have let me down...there are the many...who i took the risk on...and are a huge integral part of my life...
my latest "big" hurt came two weeks ago...from someone so unexpected...that is a total of two big totally unexpected hurts in less then one year...sometimes i wonder how my little fragile heart can withstand it...but it does...somehow...
i am seeing a little bit of a difference in my responses to hurts...where once i couldn't function...i am now seeing all the "other" stuff that is around...a lot sooner...i guess for me...i don't want to be pouring out my all when someone doesn't deem it important enough to care...
this was something at one time that would linger for so long...trying to understand why a person would hurt me, or leave me, or both...i've come to terms with the fact that people are not always placed in our lives for the full duration...
the not knowing...of what happened...or didn't happen...of what was in that persons head...how with no emotion...they just walk...no explanation...no discussion...when once all they talked about was how important i was in their life...sure...i'm human...i wonder...and i try and understand it...some things though...will never make sense...
but the bigger picture draws me to the place...of releasing something that was never mine...or something that was meant to be but for a while...
the memories are there...the beautiful moments are there...and for the time...the purpose was served...and although i don't understand the ending...
it is what it is...and what it is...is something that is out of my control...i can only be who i am...the best of who i am...and guard my heart...and guard my thoughts...it would be so easy to become jaded...and stop believing in people...when there are those that just say words...and their actions contradict those words...
life and love and laughter...it is all a risk...there will always be risk involved in opening up to someone new...but for me...the rewards are so much bigger and better than the risk...and although...a few people have let me down...there are the many...who i took the risk on...and are a huge integral part of my life...
Friday, July 17, 2009
my first time at the rose bowl flea market...
this last sunday i had the most unbelievable dream come true day...my first visit ever to the rose bowl flea market...not only was i with people i love...but surrounded by things i love as well...
vintage!!!!
i have wanted to go to this particular flea market for years and years and years...located in southern california...it is open only one sunday a month...there were so many times that i was in the area...but always the wrong sunday...this time...the trip was planned around the "right" sunday...
i was like a kid in a candy store...wanting so desparately to find at least one little treasure that i may take home with me...there was so much to see...so many vendors...so many beautiful vintage pieces...in clothing, jewelry and furniture...
where to start? i knew at least that furniture was out...i mean...there was no way that i could get it home...so i focused on clothing and jewelry...
i saw so many things that i wanted...but i didn't want to go overboard...and i didn't want to spend my hard earned money on just anything...i knew when i saw "it"...the "it" would be the treasure that i couldn't leave without...
well...i ended up finding three such items...all from the same vendor...which makes it better...because then there is definately wiggle room for negotiating...
handing over $40...i was handed my bag of treausures...
a gorgeous necklace (in one of my favorite colors!)
vintage!!!!
i have wanted to go to this particular flea market for years and years and years...located in southern california...it is open only one sunday a month...there were so many times that i was in the area...but always the wrong sunday...this time...the trip was planned around the "right" sunday...
i was like a kid in a candy store...wanting so desparately to find at least one little treasure that i may take home with me...there was so much to see...so many vendors...so many beautiful vintage pieces...in clothing, jewelry and furniture...
where to start? i knew at least that furniture was out...i mean...there was no way that i could get it home...so i focused on clothing and jewelry...
i saw so many things that i wanted...but i didn't want to go overboard...and i didn't want to spend my hard earned money on just anything...i knew when i saw "it"...the "it" would be the treasure that i couldn't leave without...
well...i ended up finding three such items...all from the same vendor...which makes it better...because then there is definately wiggle room for negotiating...
handing over $40...i was handed my bag of treausures...
gloves with gold beading (perfect for my tan 3/4 sleeve vintage coat at home & other outfits)
a gorgeous necklace (in one of my favorite colors!)
a full length black wool coat with mink collar (so deliciously fabulous)
all in all...as we got in the car...for our LONG drive home after a fabulous weekend...i knew i had to be the happiest vintage girl lover around =)
the funny thing...is out of mouth...i uttered these words..."i wish it was winter so that i could wear my coat & gloves" i shudder to think...this sun lovin gal was wishing for cold...but for good reason!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
a soldier in iraq...
rec'd this email yesterday...not sure if it was truly written by a soldier...but it doesn't matter...the message is truth...and that is what is important...it seems at times our priorities and thoughts are so out of whack in america...nothing wrong with paying tribute to an incredible talent...but seriously...is that top news for weeks?
THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A SOLDIER IN IRAQ .
Okay, I need to rant.I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on Michael Jackson . As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villian to many people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and I respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point of my rant.
Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their minds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the country was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need to flock to a memorial in Hollywood, and even Congress sees the need to hold a "moment of silence" for his passing?
Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's a freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those Soldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war, still raised their hands and swore to defend the Constitution and the United States of America . Where is their moment of silence? Where are the people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over them because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when a Soldier dies, there are more people saying "good ridence," and "thank God for IEDs?" When did this country become so calloused to the sacrifice of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off their deaths, and instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop Icon?"
I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN CONGRESS for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for every service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . They need to PUBLICLY recognize every life that has been lost so that the American people can live their callous little lives in the luxory and freedom that WE, those that are living and those that have gone on, have provided for them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because there have been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we will never make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood, sweat and tears so that people can enjoy what they have.
Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it. Feel free to pass this along if you want.
Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is serving in the military; "So that others may live..."
Isaac
Only two people have ever effectively given their lives for you. Jesus Christ and The American G.I. One died for your sins, the other died to give you freedom.
THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A SOLDIER IN IRAQ .
Okay, I need to rant.I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on Michael Jackson . As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villian to many people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and I respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point of my rant.
Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their minds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the country was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need to flock to a memorial in Hollywood, and even Congress sees the need to hold a "moment of silence" for his passing?
Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's a freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those Soldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war, still raised their hands and swore to defend the Constitution and the United States of America . Where is their moment of silence? Where are the people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over them because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when a Soldier dies, there are more people saying "good ridence," and "thank God for IEDs?" When did this country become so calloused to the sacrifice of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off their deaths, and instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop Icon?"
I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN CONGRESS for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for every service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . They need to PUBLICLY recognize every life that has been lost so that the American people can live their callous little lives in the luxory and freedom that WE, those that are living and those that have gone on, have provided for them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because there have been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we will never make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood, sweat and tears so that people can enjoy what they have.
Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it. Feel free to pass this along if you want.
Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is serving in the military; "So that others may live..."
Isaac
Only two people have ever effectively given their lives for you. Jesus Christ and The American G.I. One died for your sins, the other died to give you freedom.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
run with the wild horses...
i've been listening to a certain song..over and over...by natasha bedingfield...it is called "wild horses" the words so captivating...
i can picture a green field with wild horses running free...their strength...the freedom...sometimes i wish i was there...
I feel these 4 walls closing in
My face up against the glass
Im looking out... hmm
Is this my life im wondering
It happened so fast
How do I turn this thing around
Is this the bed I chose to make
Its greener pastures i'm thinking about hmm
Wide open spaces far away
All I want is the wind in my hair
To face the fear but, I feel scared
[Chorus:]
wild horses I want to be like u
Though we caution to the wind
I run free too
Wish I could recklessly love,
like im longing too
Run with the wild horses,
run with the wild horses!
Ohh yeaaa yea
I see the girl I wanna be
Riding bare back, care free alone
For sure
If only that someone was me
Jumpin head first headlong with out a fall
To act and tear the consequence
I wish it could be that easy
But fear surrounds me like a fence
I wanna break freee ee yeah ohh
All I want is the wind in my hair
To face the fear but,
I feel scared
Hoohhh woah woah
[Chorus:]
wild horses I want to be like u
Though we caution to the wind
I run free too
Wish I could recklessly love,
like im longing too
I run with the wild horses,
run with the wild horses!
Ohh yeaaa yea
I wanna run too.
Hohhh woah oh woah oh
Breaklessly im ......... My self b4 u
I wanna open my heart tell him how I feel
[Chorus:]
wild horses I want to be like u
Though we caution to the wind
I run free too
Wish I could recklessly love, l
ike im longing too
I run with the wild horses,
run with the wild horses! [X2]
Hooaah woah ohh woah Yeeaaaah
I wanna run with the wild horses
i can picture a green field with wild horses running free...their strength...the freedom...sometimes i wish i was there...
I feel these 4 walls closing in
My face up against the glass
Im looking out... hmm
Is this my life im wondering
It happened so fast
How do I turn this thing around
Is this the bed I chose to make
Its greener pastures i'm thinking about hmm
Wide open spaces far away
All I want is the wind in my hair
To face the fear but, I feel scared
[Chorus:]
wild horses I want to be like u
Though we caution to the wind
I run free too
Wish I could recklessly love,
like im longing too
Run with the wild horses,
run with the wild horses!
Ohh yeaaa yea
I see the girl I wanna be
Riding bare back, care free alone
For sure
If only that someone was me
Jumpin head first headlong with out a fall
To act and tear the consequence
I wish it could be that easy
But fear surrounds me like a fence
I wanna break freee ee yeah ohh
All I want is the wind in my hair
To face the fear but,
I feel scared
Hoohhh woah woah
[Chorus:]
wild horses I want to be like u
Though we caution to the wind
I run free too
Wish I could recklessly love,
like im longing too
I run with the wild horses,
run with the wild horses!
Ohh yeaaa yea
I wanna run too.
Hohhh woah oh woah oh
Breaklessly im ......... My self b4 u
I wanna open my heart tell him how I feel
[Chorus:]
wild horses I want to be like u
Though we caution to the wind
I run free too
Wish I could recklessly love, l
ike im longing too
I run with the wild horses,
run with the wild horses! [X2]
Hooaah woah ohh woah Yeeaaaah
I wanna run with the wild horses
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
when in waiting...
waiting...
the waiting can drive me crazy...but i realize it is a part of this life...and not everything comes easy...
when in waiting it's as though you can hear every tick and every tock...
during the promise it's as though you can't imagine that the clock even struck all day...
the trial is during the waiting...every tick with faith and every tock with praise...
the test is during the promise...will i still pray? will i still seek?
will i still remember what it is like to wait?
tick, tock, shhh...can you hear His heartbeat for you? tick, tock, shhh...do you hear the pounding to the nails on the wrist to the cross...it is His heartbeat for you...you are loved...i am loved...
when we are in it...the trials and tribulations...there are many questions...and many silent times...no answers...no sign of an ending...no relief...only the deafening sound of silence...
each one of us at one point or another...have had our trials and tests...when i think about this past year...i am still in shock at the hits and jolts that i have been through...and yet...i am still standing...running and soaring...
i have become who i am because of the many tests i have gone through...i am who i am because i have allowed God to walk me through gently even when i could not understand why...
as i think back over the year...so many lessons...and so many rewards...through the tears...the laughter somehow comes...
so what do you do when in the midst of it? many times...i started going down the path of "what is the use?" these last few weeks have been like that...when you find yourself back in a place you thought you wouldn't be...i know that the next few weeks will be just as tough...and although i have so many unanswered questions...i find myself fighting not to stay there...in the place of giving up...in the place of "here we go again" because in the "big" picture...i know that there is a rainbow waiting...
so what tiny morsels do i live by? what do i do...when i don't feel like doing anything?
what do i think about...when i don't want to think about the trial...
here are just a few...
give...when you don't have it to give...find some way...be creative...
life is what you trust God it to be...approach each day ready to live...
and i tell myself...it won't be this way forever...
as for me, these past few years i have learned that people truly are to be loved no matter what...they are your brothers and sisters in Christ...they may act out of anger, but they do not know what they are really, truly doing or they wouldn't have...others may show hate to you one day and a few years later realize what they did wasn't right - always be ready to forgive...who am i to harbor unforgiveness? i have done the same...God forgive me...
God will take away, but i am learning that He has to, to create all that He wants to within us...He will not only take away, but He will add to your life more than you could have ever hoped or imagined...in His special way...and i know...even though at times...i need to remind myself...it's for my good...
my pain - He has taken care of it in time in the past...and He will again...now...
their pain - He'll take care of that as well...so be ready...
so many times these past few years i have said under my breath, "why take that O God, please not that, not that person, not her, not him, they are my funnest and favorite" He would remain silent and send then on their way and give me hope through His Word and others' words of encouragement...
so as i am in a period of waiting...and if you are as well...i leave these words for you...but also for myself...
be encouraged in the waiting - while you are on your way to where you are going...enjoy...God's timing is perfect, being frustrated will not make Him hurry...enjoy today, because right now is all you & i have...
so as i sit in my silence...with tears flowing...because i know of God's faithfulness...God is undeniable...
i wipe my tears...and know that i must continue on with my day...dispite the pain...i have responsibilities that i need to attend to...and God decides to pour in my spirit as i sit in my dark room with my laptop at this very moment...maybe just for you and me...the waiting...it is not convenient...but i feel the tick and tock of His heart...He is near...
the waiting can drive me crazy...but i realize it is a part of this life...and not everything comes easy...
when in waiting it's as though you can hear every tick and every tock...
during the promise it's as though you can't imagine that the clock even struck all day...
the trial is during the waiting...every tick with faith and every tock with praise...
the test is during the promise...will i still pray? will i still seek?
will i still remember what it is like to wait?
tick, tock, shhh...can you hear His heartbeat for you? tick, tock, shhh...do you hear the pounding to the nails on the wrist to the cross...it is His heartbeat for you...you are loved...i am loved...
when we are in it...the trials and tribulations...there are many questions...and many silent times...no answers...no sign of an ending...no relief...only the deafening sound of silence...
each one of us at one point or another...have had our trials and tests...when i think about this past year...i am still in shock at the hits and jolts that i have been through...and yet...i am still standing...running and soaring...
i have become who i am because of the many tests i have gone through...i am who i am because i have allowed God to walk me through gently even when i could not understand why...
as i think back over the year...so many lessons...and so many rewards...through the tears...the laughter somehow comes...
so what do you do when in the midst of it? many times...i started going down the path of "what is the use?" these last few weeks have been like that...when you find yourself back in a place you thought you wouldn't be...i know that the next few weeks will be just as tough...and although i have so many unanswered questions...i find myself fighting not to stay there...in the place of giving up...in the place of "here we go again" because in the "big" picture...i know that there is a rainbow waiting...
so what tiny morsels do i live by? what do i do...when i don't feel like doing anything?
what do i think about...when i don't want to think about the trial...
here are just a few...
give...when you don't have it to give...find some way...be creative...
life is what you trust God it to be...approach each day ready to live...
and i tell myself...it won't be this way forever...
as for me, these past few years i have learned that people truly are to be loved no matter what...they are your brothers and sisters in Christ...they may act out of anger, but they do not know what they are really, truly doing or they wouldn't have...others may show hate to you one day and a few years later realize what they did wasn't right - always be ready to forgive...who am i to harbor unforgiveness? i have done the same...God forgive me...
God will take away, but i am learning that He has to, to create all that He wants to within us...He will not only take away, but He will add to your life more than you could have ever hoped or imagined...in His special way...and i know...even though at times...i need to remind myself...it's for my good...
my pain - He has taken care of it in time in the past...and He will again...now...
their pain - He'll take care of that as well...so be ready...
so many times these past few years i have said under my breath, "why take that O God, please not that, not that person, not her, not him, they are my funnest and favorite" He would remain silent and send then on their way and give me hope through His Word and others' words of encouragement...
so as i am in a period of waiting...and if you are as well...i leave these words for you...but also for myself...
be encouraged in the waiting - while you are on your way to where you are going...enjoy...God's timing is perfect, being frustrated will not make Him hurry...enjoy today, because right now is all you & i have...
so as i sit in my silence...with tears flowing...because i know of God's faithfulness...God is undeniable...
i wipe my tears...and know that i must continue on with my day...dispite the pain...i have responsibilities that i need to attend to...and God decides to pour in my spirit as i sit in my dark room with my laptop at this very moment...maybe just for you and me...the waiting...it is not convenient...but i feel the tick and tock of His heart...He is near...
Monday, July 13, 2009
feeling vulnerable...
being vulnerable...such a scary place...
when you've had your heart broken a few times...when you've had confidences betrayed...when you've thought someone was there for you...only to find out...that it was you that was there for them...and they used it up...till they didn't need it anymore...
i have always been careful not to get jaded by disappointments...meaning that because one person does something to you that is out of character...or maybe in character...but you were in denial to see it...however it comes at you...it is easy to generalize...and start thinking that "everyone" is like that...and everytime it happens "again" it is easy to let those feelings pile up until you feel it is easier to just curl up in a ball...and not take a risk anymore...
many of the risks i've taken in allowing someone in my life have turned out wonderful...and i focus on those relationships...not the broken ones...not the ones that left me shattered...not the ones that left me feeling like i possibly was a bad judge of character...
these last two weeks were hard...i'm not going to pretend that they weren't...and someone very special to me...just disappeared...with no word...no discussion...nothing...
feelings from that come in so many forms...feeling like you are not good enough (again)...feeling like you could have done more (why do we make it our fault?)...feeling completely side-swiped...feeling clueless...
i think the hardest thing to accept when someone leaves our lives without a word...you are left to deal with your own scenarios of what took place in their head...and your heart...
through all the disappointments in my life...during those healing processes and in the midst of it all...one thing i know is that i have become stronger as a result of them all...during the hard times...my prayer to God is for healing and strength...God has continually shown me and helped me grow through the changes...and i know and believe that He will never abandon me...
so as i find myself during a time of unanswered questions and hurts...there are moments that i truly wish i was doing better...but i know that i am doing the best that i can in this time...as friends rally around me...i've broken down in tears in front of them...and sometimes i wish i didn't...because i don't want them to see me like that...so vulnerable and weak...but a very dear friend of mine reminded me that it is alright to be weak...especially in the situation that i am in...life is all about experiences and the emotions that come with it...so i should always look forward and to never let any circumstance take away my joy.
another friend wrote me...
"Here’s what I know we are responsible for. Acknowledging our legitimate needs, having the confidence to voice them to the people we are in relationship with, and then expecting for them to be respected, honored and responded to. When the other persons response is ‘I care about you…I’ve got too much going on right now…I want you in my life..but I can’t give you what you need’ I think we then sell ourselves short by thinking we are asking for too much. That’s when we allow other people’s comfort to supersede our real needs and in the process we devalue ourselves and settle for what is comfortable. We are worth being pursued, respected, sacrificed for…and I think that is what we want to do for the person we are in relationship with. There are some aspects that absolutely have to be reciprocal to make a relationship work.
Love you….."
staying focused and seeing what it is that keeps me smiling and staying positive is what has been helping me stay strong. i've fallen short of my strength many times...but i couldn't have pulled through as best as i have without the tremendous support of my family and friends...i have built great friendships and cherish every single one...listening to my heart and knowing that i have many shoulders to lean on has reminded me of all the wonderful people in my life...
so that is why...even though being vulnerable is a huge risk...i believe from the bottom of my heart...that it is the way i want to remain...open and honest...willing to take chances...for in taking chances...amongst the few that possibly may hurt you...there are the many...who have become such an integral part of my life...and those...i wouldn't trade in for the world...
when you've had your heart broken a few times...when you've had confidences betrayed...when you've thought someone was there for you...only to find out...that it was you that was there for them...and they used it up...till they didn't need it anymore...
i have always been careful not to get jaded by disappointments...meaning that because one person does something to you that is out of character...or maybe in character...but you were in denial to see it...however it comes at you...it is easy to generalize...and start thinking that "everyone" is like that...and everytime it happens "again" it is easy to let those feelings pile up until you feel it is easier to just curl up in a ball...and not take a risk anymore...
many of the risks i've taken in allowing someone in my life have turned out wonderful...and i focus on those relationships...not the broken ones...not the ones that left me shattered...not the ones that left me feeling like i possibly was a bad judge of character...
these last two weeks were hard...i'm not going to pretend that they weren't...and someone very special to me...just disappeared...with no word...no discussion...nothing...
feelings from that come in so many forms...feeling like you are not good enough (again)...feeling like you could have done more (why do we make it our fault?)...feeling completely side-swiped...feeling clueless...
i think the hardest thing to accept when someone leaves our lives without a word...you are left to deal with your own scenarios of what took place in their head...and your heart...
through all the disappointments in my life...during those healing processes and in the midst of it all...one thing i know is that i have become stronger as a result of them all...during the hard times...my prayer to God is for healing and strength...God has continually shown me and helped me grow through the changes...and i know and believe that He will never abandon me...
so as i find myself during a time of unanswered questions and hurts...there are moments that i truly wish i was doing better...but i know that i am doing the best that i can in this time...as friends rally around me...i've broken down in tears in front of them...and sometimes i wish i didn't...because i don't want them to see me like that...so vulnerable and weak...but a very dear friend of mine reminded me that it is alright to be weak...especially in the situation that i am in...life is all about experiences and the emotions that come with it...so i should always look forward and to never let any circumstance take away my joy.
another friend wrote me...
"Here’s what I know we are responsible for. Acknowledging our legitimate needs, having the confidence to voice them to the people we are in relationship with, and then expecting for them to be respected, honored and responded to. When the other persons response is ‘I care about you…I’ve got too much going on right now…I want you in my life..but I can’t give you what you need’ I think we then sell ourselves short by thinking we are asking for too much. That’s when we allow other people’s comfort to supersede our real needs and in the process we devalue ourselves and settle for what is comfortable. We are worth being pursued, respected, sacrificed for…and I think that is what we want to do for the person we are in relationship with. There are some aspects that absolutely have to be reciprocal to make a relationship work.
Love you….."
staying focused and seeing what it is that keeps me smiling and staying positive is what has been helping me stay strong. i've fallen short of my strength many times...but i couldn't have pulled through as best as i have without the tremendous support of my family and friends...i have built great friendships and cherish every single one...listening to my heart and knowing that i have many shoulders to lean on has reminded me of all the wonderful people in my life...
so that is why...even though being vulnerable is a huge risk...i believe from the bottom of my heart...that it is the way i want to remain...open and honest...willing to take chances...for in taking chances...amongst the few that possibly may hurt you...there are the many...who have become such an integral part of my life...and those...i wouldn't trade in for the world...
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
for tears and laughter...
for tears and laughter
i am grateful, God, for tears.
for the ability to cry.
how marvelously you made us
that we are equipped with this
way to express our emotions.
quick tears to relieve the sudden hurt.
or the times when we are touched,
too moved to speak.
or when deeper sorrows come,
that we have this fierce
and wonderful cleansing.
this release that helps to wash away the
very grief our crying demonstrates.
how You must love us that You thus provided for us.
no other being has it, no insect, bird or beast.
only man and woman made in Your likeness.
we are the only creatures who can cry.
Jesus wept, as we weep.
our very own tears are testimony to Your fatherhood.
we too are your sons and daughters.
thank you for this proof,
and for this healing outlet,
the ability to cry.
and thank you, Lord, for laughter.
and for all the people who can bring it about,
make us see the funny side of things.
the world is so full of anguish;
life itself sometimes seems so grim.
thank you that in Your vast understanding
You gave us laughter to make us forget,
to restore our wounded spririts, brighten the journey,
lighten the load.
just as You saved tears for human beings,
You blessed us alone with laughter.
and surely this too is a clue to Your very nature.
a nature akin to our own.
thank you for this blessing, Lord.
this shining gift of laughter.
(author unknown)
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
another day in the dark...
what do you do...when you don't know what to do?
i think this for me is one of the hardest things...to sit still...and to wait...i can do that for a while...pretty well actually...but when the hour turns to 1/2 day...and the 1/2 day turns to a full day...and then you need to endure the nite...only to wake up...with no answer...only knowing...that you are about to go through it another day...
this is where faith comes in...and it is a constant battle...a constant time of reminding myself...of where i place my trust...and do i truly believe that He has got it all in control...and as i tell myself that i do believe...i question why i start to take the reigns back...maybe i should try this...maybe i should have done that...
the wonderful thing about the Lord...i believe He understands these battles we have...i'm sure He is sitting there shaking His head...knowing that i am putting more pressure on the struggle then needs to be there...
but...it is hard for me...it is hard to sit...and wait...and wait...without a glimmer of a sign that possibly He has heard me...
but what i know for sure...is that He has heard me...and He does have everything under control...especially when i don't see it...
thank you Lord...
i think this for me is one of the hardest things...to sit still...and to wait...i can do that for a while...pretty well actually...but when the hour turns to 1/2 day...and the 1/2 day turns to a full day...and then you need to endure the nite...only to wake up...with no answer...only knowing...that you are about to go through it another day...
this is where faith comes in...and it is a constant battle...a constant time of reminding myself...of where i place my trust...and do i truly believe that He has got it all in control...and as i tell myself that i do believe...i question why i start to take the reigns back...maybe i should try this...maybe i should have done that...
the wonderful thing about the Lord...i believe He understands these battles we have...i'm sure He is sitting there shaking His head...knowing that i am putting more pressure on the struggle then needs to be there...
but...it is hard for me...it is hard to sit...and wait...and wait...without a glimmer of a sign that possibly He has heard me...
but what i know for sure...is that He has heard me...and He does have everything under control...especially when i don't see it...
thank you Lord...
Monday, July 6, 2009
nothing to blog about...
i just sat in front of an empty blog screen for 45 minutes...i'm guessing at this point...i don't have anything to write about...truth be told...my mind is racing in so many directions...and i can't seem to pin point one area to write about...
so what do i do?
do i write about nothing...and hope that it turns into something? or do i just close it up...and call it a "blog-free" day...
there is a part of me that feels the need to write every day...monday to friday...weekends off...and i think i have only missed a few days...here and there...vacation or holiday...or a real big "i have nothing to write" day...
what is this sense of obligation i feel? i feel bad when i miss a day...or i feel like i better have a pretty good reason for not writing...
i'm really not writing for anyone but me...but as it trickles out...from my head and heart...to the masses...maybe one reads it...maybe ten...maybe none...sometimes i am left feeling like i bare my soul...other days...i just feel the need to put in words where i'm at...sometimes it is a good place...sometimes...not so much...but it all comprises into this capsule of my thoughts...
so i guess i can write without really writing anything...if that makes any sense...i once heard a speaker who spoke on blogging...and she said that when you hit a dry spell...just start typing whatever comes to mind...talk about what you did...what you feel...talk about the fact that you have nothing to talk about...and usually...in that...you somehow come out with a theme of some sort...
so i guess my blog today...is about not having anything to really blog about...but feeling the need to blog anyway...
hey...it's my blog...therefore it's my perogative...
so what do i do?
do i write about nothing...and hope that it turns into something? or do i just close it up...and call it a "blog-free" day...
there is a part of me that feels the need to write every day...monday to friday...weekends off...and i think i have only missed a few days...here and there...vacation or holiday...or a real big "i have nothing to write" day...
what is this sense of obligation i feel? i feel bad when i miss a day...or i feel like i better have a pretty good reason for not writing...
i'm really not writing for anyone but me...but as it trickles out...from my head and heart...to the masses...maybe one reads it...maybe ten...maybe none...sometimes i am left feeling like i bare my soul...other days...i just feel the need to put in words where i'm at...sometimes it is a good place...sometimes...not so much...but it all comprises into this capsule of my thoughts...
so i guess i can write without really writing anything...if that makes any sense...i once heard a speaker who spoke on blogging...and she said that when you hit a dry spell...just start typing whatever comes to mind...talk about what you did...what you feel...talk about the fact that you have nothing to talk about...and usually...in that...you somehow come out with a theme of some sort...
so i guess my blog today...is about not having anything to really blog about...but feeling the need to blog anyway...
hey...it's my blog...therefore it's my perogative...
Thursday, July 2, 2009
if it's not here...it probably doesn't exist...
i can hardly stand it...
in a little over a week...i will be...at the place that i have dreamed of...for years and years and years...
every vintage lovers dream...i have been an avid collector of vintage clothing, handbags & jewelry...i love mixing it with contemporary...to come up with "my" own look...i have been to many flea markets...estate sales...goodwill shops...antique stores...and have found some incredible pieces...pieces that i have had over many many years...and can still work into my wardrobe now...that is what is so cool about vintage...
so for this vintage girl...the fact that i have never been to this wonderful place...is baffling...but soon...i will be able to experience...the wonderful world of:
the rose bowl flea market...
here is the website description of this phenominal place...i cannot wait! i especially love the last line..."if it's not here...it probably doesn't exist"
in a little over a week...i will be...at the place that i have dreamed of...for years and years and years...
every vintage lovers dream...i have been an avid collector of vintage clothing, handbags & jewelry...i love mixing it with contemporary...to come up with "my" own look...i have been to many flea markets...estate sales...goodwill shops...antique stores...and have found some incredible pieces...pieces that i have had over many many years...and can still work into my wardrobe now...that is what is so cool about vintage...
so for this vintage girl...the fact that i have never been to this wonderful place...is baffling...but soon...i will be able to experience...the wonderful world of:
the rose bowl flea market...
here is the website description of this phenominal place...i cannot wait! i especially love the last line..."if it's not here...it probably doesn't exist"
Boasting more than 2,500 vendors and a customer base that includes a roster of Hollywood stars, the Rose Bowl Flea Market has continued to attract serious collectors, bargain hunters and novice shoppers to one of the world’s greatest outdoor marketplaces for the past 39 years. Guaranteed to have something for everyone, vendors come stocked every second Sunday of the month with vintage items, home furnishings, hand-made crafts and collectable pieces. Thousands flock to the West’s best treasure hunt to peruse the wares and negotiate prices, come rain or shine.
Name the item and the Rose Bowl Flea Market is bound to have it. Whether it be vintage costume jewelry, antique furniture or a circa 1960’s G.I. Joe collectible lunchbox, the Rose Bowl Flea Market is the place to search for it, find it and bargain for it. Head-and-shoulders above the ordinary local swap-meets and garage sales, many vendors are specialists in their area of expertise and the quality of merchandise sold at the Flea Market reflects that. True to flea market fashion, Rose Bowl vendors begin setup before sunrise and ready themselves for the early bird buyers looking for the perfect items. Patrons include international buyers shopping for their own stores, as well as local customers and celebrities seeking personal treasures. A one-stop venue for many bargain hunters, shoppers who feel they received a good deal on any item purchased can have it appraised at the Rose Bowl Flea Market before heading out to showcase their find.
Increasingly, today’s Rose Bowl Flea Market buyer is younger and more “cool” than in recent years. A new generation has re-discovered the event as a way to furnish a new apartment or do a makeover, find something musical or amazing to amuse friends, culled unique clothing for their closets—and done it all at an affordable price.
Just as diverse as the buyers are the vendors who have come from different walks of life, as well. Some are regular denizens of the outdoor-market circuit, yet others with customary weekday jobs like to showcase their hobby or passion and sell their merchandise one Sunday a month. Some sellers own brick-and-mortar retail stores and make a monthly Pasadena trek to introduce their product to a completely new audience, thereby building their clientele. Additionally, the overhead difference between renting retail space and the Flea Market is so great it often means that the savings are passed onto shoppers who may secure bargains normally not received in stores.
To make it easier for a variety of customers to do as much browsing and purchasing as possible, sellers are often grouped into sections creating more than five miles of shop-able booths. Areas that continue to expand every year include: antiques, vintage clothing, arts and crafts, as well as new-and-unusual products.
“It’s often said that you can’t experience the Rose Bowl Flea Market in one Sunday, since new and original merchandise is brought in continuously every month,” said R.G. Canning, creator and producer of the famous Rose Bowl Flea Market. “Every year, new vendors become part of our Flea Market family because of the wide array of people that come in the thousands to see what’s new, what’s old and what’s different. You’re guaranteed to find something you didn’t see the first time, and sometimes you just might find yourself browsing next to Hollywood royalty!”
The Rose Bowl Flea Market has cornered the niche on being the place to shop, as well as watch celebrities bargain shop. Among the Flea Market’s V.I.P. list are: Academy Award winners Clint Eastwood and Whoopi Goldberg; music icons Madonna and Cher; funny men Rob Schneider and George Hamilton; First Lady of California, Maria Shriver and fashionistas Gwen Stefani and Ashley Olsen.
Whether you’re decorating your first home, adding trend-setting items to your wardrobe, looking for the perfect gift or just wanting to know what the celebs are buying these days, the Rose Bowl Flea Market is the only place to shop and be entertained at a bargain price…if it’s not here, it probably doesn’t exist!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
the affects of a closet cleaning...
so my quest for a simplistic clean home continues...
today i tackled one of my three walk-in closets...what lies beyond...was what i was thinking...as i opened the door to the jam packed closet of "junk"
what i realized is that a person needs to move fairly often in their lifetime...otherwise...they start to accumulate...and accumulate...and well...accumulate...
i have been in my home well over 15 years or so...and the contents of this closet showed it...
i found out some stuff about myself...some made me smile...some made me a little sad...some made me glad i was where i am today...
who knew that the cleansing of a closet could have such a profound affect on me...
the lingering task that i knew needed to be tackled...and that lay beyond the confines of this closet door...were the years and years of checks & bank statements...i spent many hours today shredding...but...since my accountant had confirmed...that all i needed was to keep three years worth...i started with one envelope...the good thing...is that i didn't have 15 years worth...but pretty darn close... =) not anymore though...so i was triumphant!
while shredding...i came across many of my tithing checks that i had written over the years...this made me a little sad...not because of the tithing...but at the amounts that the checks were...it was true evidence that at one time i was bringing in some nice cash...not so much right now...
the economy has hit my business just like any other business...and i recalled how lately i have had those moments of almost embarrasment over my tithing checks...and even at times...thinking...how could this even make a dent...should i even bother putting it in the offering...
but while shredding...i really had to release that thought process...and instead...focus on the years that were very plentiful...the years that were ok...and the years that were down right hard...through it all...no matter what the paycheck was...i was always ok...and i know that i know...that that was God taking care of me...and i believe God was speaking to me...telling me that it is not the amount of the check...but my heart in giving...
through my journey in my closet...i stopped many times to gaze at pictures of my life...first...well...i have to say...i had me some big hair at times...and i know that i thought i looked half ok...it made me laugh...i also went through all pictures that showed all the wonderful places i have had the opportunity of visiting...many different countries...and different cultures...what a blessing...
and all the pictures of family and friends...parties & celebrations over the years...always surrounded by incredible wonderful people...another blessing...
the most incredible find...in my closet...was one of the first cashmere scarves i had ever bought from an "expensive" store...it was buried amongst many other scarves and shawls that i didn't wear much...this cashmere scarf was bought at i magnin...at one time...this was the elite dept store in san francisco...it doesn't exist anymore...and i remember the feeling when i bought it...because it was one of my first big splurges...
wow...talk about a vintage piece...
i am not quite done with the closet...all that is left is the reorganization of it...and to place all my items back that belong there...by my front door are many bags going to goodwill and many bags of shredded checks to go to recycle...
what a feeling...had i moved once or twice in the last 15 years...i'm sure half this junk would not have been there...or would it? guess we will never know...
the important thing now is that it is done...one down...two more to go...
i'm that much closer to my dream of a clean simplistic home...
today i tackled one of my three walk-in closets...what lies beyond...was what i was thinking...as i opened the door to the jam packed closet of "junk"
what i realized is that a person needs to move fairly often in their lifetime...otherwise...they start to accumulate...and accumulate...and well...accumulate...
i have been in my home well over 15 years or so...and the contents of this closet showed it...
i found out some stuff about myself...some made me smile...some made me a little sad...some made me glad i was where i am today...
who knew that the cleansing of a closet could have such a profound affect on me...
the lingering task that i knew needed to be tackled...and that lay beyond the confines of this closet door...were the years and years of checks & bank statements...i spent many hours today shredding...but...since my accountant had confirmed...that all i needed was to keep three years worth...i started with one envelope...the good thing...is that i didn't have 15 years worth...but pretty darn close... =) not anymore though...so i was triumphant!
while shredding...i came across many of my tithing checks that i had written over the years...this made me a little sad...not because of the tithing...but at the amounts that the checks were...it was true evidence that at one time i was bringing in some nice cash...not so much right now...
the economy has hit my business just like any other business...and i recalled how lately i have had those moments of almost embarrasment over my tithing checks...and even at times...thinking...how could this even make a dent...should i even bother putting it in the offering...
but while shredding...i really had to release that thought process...and instead...focus on the years that were very plentiful...the years that were ok...and the years that were down right hard...through it all...no matter what the paycheck was...i was always ok...and i know that i know...that that was God taking care of me...and i believe God was speaking to me...telling me that it is not the amount of the check...but my heart in giving...
through my journey in my closet...i stopped many times to gaze at pictures of my life...first...well...i have to say...i had me some big hair at times...and i know that i thought i looked half ok...it made me laugh...i also went through all pictures that showed all the wonderful places i have had the opportunity of visiting...many different countries...and different cultures...what a blessing...
and all the pictures of family and friends...parties & celebrations over the years...always surrounded by incredible wonderful people...another blessing...
the most incredible find...in my closet...was one of the first cashmere scarves i had ever bought from an "expensive" store...it was buried amongst many other scarves and shawls that i didn't wear much...this cashmere scarf was bought at i magnin...at one time...this was the elite dept store in san francisco...it doesn't exist anymore...and i remember the feeling when i bought it...because it was one of my first big splurges...
wow...talk about a vintage piece...
i am not quite done with the closet...all that is left is the reorganization of it...and to place all my items back that belong there...by my front door are many bags going to goodwill and many bags of shredded checks to go to recycle...
what a feeling...had i moved once or twice in the last 15 years...i'm sure half this junk would not have been there...or would it? guess we will never know...
the important thing now is that it is done...one down...two more to go...
i'm that much closer to my dream of a clean simplistic home...
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