March News
Nana’s Aerobics
By Eileen Key
www.eileenkey.com
www.hallelujahstories.com
I remember when I controlled two toddlers and hauled a baby under my arm without breaking a sweat. Those days are gone.
I’ve entered the age of grandmother-hood. My youth waved goodbye. I qualify for an AARP card. I didn’t realize how many changes had taken place in my body until I babysat my grandson.
My daughter and son-in-law planned a trip and asked me to care for their nine-month-old son. Delighted, I accepted the honor. I wanted to establish a close bond with my first grandchild. Baby and I stood on the front porch and gaily waved bye-bye.
Once indoors, I gated off the den and parked on the floor eye-level with this tiny treasure. He crawled, retrieved, played patty-cake, and wrapped my heart tightly around his chubby little fingers.
Soon he froze near the television. Pat Sajak’s voice mesmerized him, and he didn’t move for some time. Once a commercial began, Baby returned to play.
As he clambered about, an unpleasant odor drifted by. The kitten was outdoors, which made Baby the cause of the stench. A definite diaper change was needed.
I reeled him into my arms, and realized I would need to move from my seated position on the floor to the changing table. Tip: if you kneel on one knee, you can push off on the lifted leg with your forearm giving extra propulsion, and usually keeps you from dropping the baby.
Standing, I toddled to the bedroom, twenty extra pounds perched on my hip.
I found a diaper and placed Baby on the changing table. Having ridden perched on my hip, you’d think Baby would relish the idea of clean britches. He didn’t.
Twisting, turning, flailing, and flopping the fight began. I captured 2 legs. Pinning them with one hand, I used the elbow of the same arm to lie across the chest of the moving target. With cold wipies in the other hand, I cleaned the stinky area, said phooey on the powder, grasped the new diaper, and gave it a shake. I lifted the tiny fanny in the air, elbowing his tummy softly to cause a rollover, and slid the Huggie beneath the objective. Next the tricky part: unfastening tabs with one hand while controlling a squirming object.
With a deft motion of my dominant free hand, I flipped open the tab flap and quickly pasted it onto the decorated side of the diaper. Nudging again gently with my elbow caused the wiggle-worm to cooperate and roll to his other side. I grabbed the second tab and taped it securely.
I gently tugged on his arms to sit him up, and he gave me the sweetest smile of thanks. I used another wipie to remove sweat from my brow, lifted the twenty pounds of sugar, and returned to play.
As I passed the kitchen clock, I noticed Mom and Dad had been gone twenty whole minutes.
Grandparenting, Nana’s new aerobic exercise.
Take Success for Instance
by C.L. Mareydt
As we all know, Success comes in many different varieties. From the so-so bland to the outrageously--who would have thought it--kind. But any version of success comes with its price tag also, no matter what category it may fall into.
Often it is easier to opt for the success that is labeled with a worldly title of acceptance, with its hundreds of different status titles, instead of going for the types of success that have to be consciously and inwardly pursued in very quiet scenarios. We each hold our understanding of success at different levels of value and interest. One opinion may differ from another in very obtuse arguments. And, each just as valid. After all, whose scales can measure success, but then again? Such attitudes in discrepancies range from politics to peanut butter and every subject in-between. My success could be your demise. As well as your success, could lead me to utter ruin. Therefore, you can see the quandary that can evolve around any given measure of success.
I dare say, most people seek the outer show of success for notoriety, being socially noted and therefore more acceptable. More acceptable for what, who knows? But it is the 'Lizard Brain' at work, and for some, it is working overtime. The fear of success or lack of success can drive individuals toward contemptible acts; just as well as it can drive others to great and noble acts. Success by itself can be bitter; just as well as it can be sweet. On the other hand, it can be the proverbial mixture, bittersweet. All depending on where YOUR taste may be.
Too often, we subconsciously measure our personal social orders with a tape measure of success. Measuring ourselves verses the next person and so on and so forth. Adding and subtracting as we go. Oh, the plight our little minds go through keeping such tally cards. Success can take its toll one way or another, especially because it is usually built around the perpetual dollar sign. Fortunately or unfortunately, these accrued green backs spell success or failure to the masses. To the poor minds of the masses and to the masses of poor minds.
I would however; right here and right now, propose a slightly different point of view on the subject of success. The viewpoint is; that success is is not worth two hoots, one way or the other! That's right. Success really does not matter at all. Does not really count. Nor is your viewpoint or my viewpoint on it, worth a hill of beans. Simply obsolete and obscure at best. It is a terrible waste of time to ponder its points of relevancy within ones life. The human mind, whether it comes from a worldly or a spiritual acquiescence, is far too self-centered in its approach to the subject altogether. So only biased opinions remain with all of us. I might add, even with this Editorial!
So why is there so much attention and time spent on the programs and formats of success? There seems to be an innate personal need to be filled. But perhaps we are straining to be fulfilled with nothing more than someone else's obsessive dream. Why not instead take a novel approach and wake up from these pointless dreams and smell the proverbial real coffee. Life is sweet right now! Yes, this very moment in your time and in my time. Right Now.
It is only right now that counts for you and for me. Nothing more and nothing less. The past is gone, the future is yet to be; so it leaves us all in the now moment. Make this now moment count. Be attuned to right now. And put everything on the line in this moment right now.
Whether you believe or disbelieve, the total essence of our life is in the now moment. That is what contributes to the next, and the next, and so on and so forth. Take heart dear friend. We have just made one giant step together, into right now. Try it again and again. See yourself in total reunion with now and perhaps all the other foolery that stuffs our minds will disappear like the vaporous dreams they really are. Success, you might then say, will follow its true meaning!
After all, success only means "an event that accomplishes its intended purpose"! How about that for right now?
2 Corinthians 8:9 'For ye know the grace of Yahshua (our Lord Jesus Christ), that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich.'
Luke 12:15 'Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.'
1 Timothy 6:6-9 (Chapter 6 is 100% for Today) 'But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be richt fall into temptations and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.'
© Copyright C.L. Mareydt
March News
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