Joy

Posted on

It’s a few days before Christmas, and for now, the quiet is enjoyable.  I’ve decorated, sent out the cards and the gifts are all wrapped. The food and drink menus are set. All that’s left is to fill this place up with humans.

A picture of Joy in my Life

Our adult children and our first grandchild will all be here on Friday. Their Aunt and Uncle will be joining us, this year, for the festivities. It will be a nice addition!

I have observed so many things this past year.  Things that brought up a lot of emotions:  anger, frustration, fear, and Joy.  But tonight, I’m going to share the Joy. The rest of those feelings, I can share with you later.

We’re in the house of our dreams which brings us immense Joy!

We’ve had friends and family visit to share in our Joy.

Our family was blessed with our first grandchild, the definition of Joy.

We’ve been blessed to live close to Jeff’s brother-in-law and sister while they navigate his illness.  Helping them brings us Joy.

We’ve also heard from so many people this year about their Joys. Their new life journeys, new grandbabies, new homes, new jobs, and weddings. For those who are gone, our memories of them should also bring us Joy.

If you’ve felt throughout the year that some of your Joy has been taken from you and you’ve had zero control over it, here’s what I believe…

I believe Christmas was chosen to be at the end of the year. It’s celebrated at this time to replenish all the Joy that’s been taken from us throughout the year. 

We are meant to let go of the fear, the anger, the sadness and replace it with the Joy from a very small gift.  The gift is the baby, in a manger, who was sent to take away our fears, our anger and our sadness.

This gift enhances the lights we look at. It creates emotions to the carols we listen to. And it warms our hearts at the laughter of family and friends. Our JOY “tanks” are filled during Christmas. Filled with the Joy given to us by that special little baby.

Grateful for you and wishing you a Joyful and a Merry Christmas,

Sheree 

 P.S. My favorite song about that Joy-filled baby “Mary, Did You Know”


Focus People – Focus

Posted on

On my last trip to Phoenix to help plan a wedding, give moral support to a downsizing friend, and search for an apartment with my daughter, I was driving around A LOT.  I began to think about all the roads I’ve driven on this past year.  I realized that I’m as guilty as the rest of us, thinking about number five on my list while driving, instead of concentrating on the number one thing I’m doing – driving.  My observations: FOCUS PEOPLE – FOCUS especially ON WHAT YOU’RE DOING!

You wouldn’t apply your mascara while performing brain surgery or doze off when pouring cement for an expansion bridge, would you? And what about the people reading a book while driving?  Seen it…

Why do people think speed limits and stop lights are only a suggestion?   And as witnessed on every 5 hour drive to Arizona, 16 wheelers CANNOT stop on a dime, so please don’t try and prove they can.

Why oh why are people, like moths, attracted to lights? I’m talking about the flashing lights on the side of the road?  Aren’t the people involved in those incidents humiliated or hurt enough?  It’s like the roll-over accident I drove by recently; the cars ahead of me caused another accident by looking at the original accident which happened on the opposite side of the road,  geez….

It’s said that in California, people (I’m now one of them) are crazy drivers. Perhaps it’s pent up frustration, since driving on some of the freeways takes over 5 minutes or more to go one mile when at the average speed of 65 mph it should take 55.38 seconds. In defending “some” of these people, the D.O.T. (Department of Transportation) needs to understand that it takes a lot of concentration to follow the painted lines instead of the paving seams.  This is not ok, because yes, it sucked me in …

LA Road

Trying to Focus in LA

In Arizona the normal speed people drive is 10+ miles over the limit. I think it’s because people are afraid their tires will melt when it’s 110⁰.  But in reality – PEOPLE – tires melt at around 752⁰, and it hasn’t quite reached that temp there, yet…

When I’ve driven the speed limit in the suburbs of Chicago I feel like I’m speeding, but realize people have been conditioned. The cars that drive into the city, on the toll roads, are usually moving around 5 mph so… driving 10 mph under the speed limit on a surface street IS like speeding to them.

In Colorado driving at dusk or dawn is like playing the old Frogger game. You’re always trying to avoid the deer and elk who love to dart across the road, JUST when you’re approaching.  My daughter, who lived there, called the cute little deer “so annoying” because they like to stand in the middle of the road and stare you down.

I think that the grills on ALL cars should be redesigned to look like they’re smiling.  Thank you Mazda for initiating that plan.  People would always be happy when they’re driving to and fro, because how do you not smile when someone or something is smiling at you?

mazda3grillajr.wordpress.com

mazda3grillajr.wordpress.com

Don’t even get me started on the texting thing… I do appreciate that California and 13 other states enforce the hand-free ruling. I use Siri to text or call people for me, and apologize if she inadvertently calls you a slut or insists your legs are hairy.  My diction may not be the clearest into my headset, when texting.  Perhaps we should build texting lanes, like the ones they just produced in China for walkers who text.  These traffic lanes could have five foot walls on each side so those who text would mess up only their cars.

When texting focus is completely lost

Photograph by Associated Press Canada.com

And what about those “tagging” artists who embellish abandoned buildings in the desert or underpasses in the city?  Why hasn’t some graphic company rushed out and hired them? The artistic talent found throughout my drives was pure talent!  (Oops, I must not have been actually focused on driving when I noticed this…)

By:  Classic Film

By: Classic Film

Multi-tasking is assumed to be a good thing in society, but in regards to driving, it is NOT. Bottom line – I was told when I first learned to drive that I was driving a 4,000 lb. weapon, I can see that now.  I can see that because I’m working on FOCUSING PEOPLE… FOCUS!

Grateful for you,

Sheree