Always persevere and endure- even when all of the odds are stacked against you and you just don’t think you can go on. You can. My dad had an undiagnosed brain tumor that made him miserable for ten years, and most of my childhood. Even though he didn’t want to face another day, he would rise early in the mornings, make his kids breakfast, go to work, and take on projects to help out the church. Now he is tumor free and appreciates his health every day. If he could work as hard as he did through such sickness, what’s keeping my healthy self from giving my all each day?

Just showing up isn’t enough. If you’re going to begin a project, make sure you set out to do it right. Dad is infamous for beginning what should be a small project, and turning it into a huge to-do. This is because he knows the value of not cutting corners, of paying attention to the details, and of valuing your handiwork. Sure, lots of dads are handymen, but nobody is as meticulously handy as my dad. He makes me want to learn how to master new skills every day.

I’m always so proud when I meet people who know my dad. You can see the respect written across their face. But there’s a good reason everyone respects my father. He’s the kind of guy who loves his wife and praises her in public, he always offers a helping hand to anyone who needs it, he’s really good at everything he does, he doesn’t run his mouth or show his anger, he follows through with his word, and he shows respects to other people in his life. This man has never had trouble getting a job, because everyone he’s worked with highly recommends  him. Seeing how people look up to my dad makes me want to work for other’s respect too.

My parents have been married for over thirty years. When Phil and I were still dating, my Dad sat down with me and talked about commitment. At the time, I was confused about love and was afraid of making the wrong decision about who I was meant to be with. He told me, you’ll never find the perfect person for you. You should find a good person for you, be a good person for them, and commit to that relationship. There will always be someone better out there, in one way or another, but you have to commit to who you’re with, or you’ll always be looking. It completely changed my perspective on relationships and prepared me for a successful marriage with Phil.

Ten years ago, my dad was given the opportunity to move across the country and keep his beloved job of twenty-five years, or risk getting laid off if he decided to stay. I remember how torn he was about the decision. He loved his job and it allowed him to comfortably provide for his family. But a move would mean giving up the chance to be with family. He lived within twenty minutes of his parents, most of his cousins, aunts, and uncles. In the end, he decided to stay, because a good relationship with family was more important to him. He kept his job for a short while longer, but when looking for a new job, he still decided to take a lower pay so he could stay around family. Friends come and go, but a good family is a blessing that lasts forever.

Sure, my dad isn’t mute, but he’s certainly not a chatterbox either. Well, that is, unless we’re talking about the subject of a documentary he’s watched recently or about a design project he finds interesting. My dad just isn’t the kind of guy who’s always giving out advice. He rarely criticizes, gossips, or talks negatively about people. This means that when he does have something to say, you better believe I’m listening. James 1:19 says be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. That’s my dad!

Dad isn’t a time waster. He rises early, works on a lot of extra projects, and is efficient about accomplishing everything on his to-do lists. But he always has time to enjoy a cup of coffee, sit down with me to watch an old movie he’s already seen a hundred times, play in a volleyball league with his son and daughter (me!), suggest going out to ice cream at every opportunity, and host card parties at his house. He’s taught me that as hard as you work, you should also relax and enjoy the wonderful things in life.

I felt all eyes on me the first time I wore one. Sure, I had worn winter caps and slouchy berets before, but the first time I took a real chance and wore a vintage hat in public, I was terrified. Would I look like a goon? What would people think? But it was 2010, and this was the year I had firmly resolved to wear more hats. Although stepping away from the mirror and stepping out in public, I was so close to giving up on the whole silly New Year’s resolution.

Maybe it was the fear of what horrible hat hair laid beneath, but I resisted the temptation to leave the hat in my car, and to my surprise, I received so many compliments and delighted looks throughout my whole day! When I got home and put my hat back into its box, my feelings of insecurity had been changed into the heroic sentiments of a do-gooder. Really, wearing hats does make the world a bit of a better place!

It’s true that wearing a hat these days can take quite a bit of courage. They’re an endangered species, so wearing a hat will steal your anonymity and invite attention from strangers. But if you’re like I was, always admiring women who wear hats and wishing you could pull it off, you might decide to make a fun resolution this new year and commit to giving hats a chance. What’s there to lose? Okay, so there’s a little at stake. You don’t want to waste your hard-earned dollars on something you might never wear. So you’ll want to find a hat that you can wear with confidence. One that seamlessly blends in with your wardrobe and makes you feel like Audrey Hepburn reincarnate. Or Anna Karina. You just want to exude awesomeness. So let’s talk about some guidelines and tips that will get you to Awesometown. Continue reading »

Sometimes, when you’re really tired, and your baby won’t stop crying no matter how many boobs you have or shooshes you offer, it’s easy to have a negative point of view. Why won’t you stop crying, baby? Why?! Frustration sets in. Fantasies about life pre-baby begin to cross your mind. But during one of these moments recently, I was logged onto Facebook and saw the heart breaking news that friends of ours had lost their baby boy, who had been born just a week after Lucy and had been struggling with a heart condition for the three weeks of his short life. I quickly grabbed Lucy, held her close, and kissed her a hundred times. I began to wonder, do I take my blessings for granted? I totally do.

I don’t want to have something taken away from me or from a friend to to fully appreciate my blessings and to really experience the true joy in loving my life as it is now. Not as I wish it were, or what I hope it will be in a year or so. Happiness is really all about perspective, isn’t it? And thankfulness isn’t just for those who appear more fortunate. Contentment comes with being thankful for where you are and finding that silver lining no matter how bleak the situation might be.

I’ve been thinking about how great my life really is, and not in a bragging self-righteous way, but in a purely thoughtful and thankful way. Things can seem completely different when you shine a bright light on them.

• Phil found out he will be unemployed after this school year. But we found out early, and now he has seven whole months to find a new job.
• Lucy is having rough days of extreme crying, projectile vomiting, and issues with food sensitivities, but she has been sleeping peacefully through the night, and seems to be a healthy baby otherwise.
• I have this tumor in my neck that I need to have surgically removed, but now we know that it’s not cancer, and that our insurance will pay a good portion of my medical expenses.
• Our second vehicle is out of commission, but my mother lives close and always offers to help me run errands and get around town.
• Some days I despair at tending to a screaming baby all day long, often without a chance to bath or eat, but I have a partner! And when Phil comes home from work, he asks me what he can do to help, and by evening our baby is a joy to be with.
• Money around here is extremely tight (to say the least), and Christmas has traditionally been a stressful time financially, often overshadowing the joy that should come with this time of year. But this year we planned ahead and saved money every month so that now we can bless our family with thoughtful gifts on Christmas morning, and not worry about the financial strain.
• I’ve been struggling with body image issues since Lucy’s birth, and don’t know how to dress my new body, or how to love it. But I successfully carried my baby to full term and am able to breast feed her now, which is more important to me than fitting into my favorite clothes.

There’s so much more that I’m thankful for right now, but I really needed to write out my list of gripes and reconsider them as blessings for which I am truly thankful!