Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Mother Teresa
I was browsing through a Christian catalog today and came across a quote from Mother Teresa. I have been struggling over the last couple of days with trying to keep a good attitude and not let others and the world get me down. Normally I am in a pretty upbeat mood and don't get discouraged easily so it really has frustrated me to feel the way I have. These words of Mother Teresa helped me to realize how the most important relationship I have is the one I have with God and to focus on that. I cannot please everyone else nor can they please me. We live in an imperfect world. I need to focus on what I'm giving out rather than what I'm taking in. I hope you are blessed by her message:
People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
FORGIVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
BE KIND ANYWAY.
If you are honest, people may cheat you.
BE HONEST ANYWAY.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
BE HAPPY ANYWAY.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.
GIVE YOUR BEST ANYWAY.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
IT NEVER WAS BETWEEN YOU AND THEM ANYWAY.
~ Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
FORGIVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
BE KIND ANYWAY.
If you are honest, people may cheat you.
BE HONEST ANYWAY.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
BE HAPPY ANYWAY.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.
GIVE YOUR BEST ANYWAY.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
IT NEVER WAS BETWEEN YOU AND THEM ANYWAY.
~ Mother Teresa
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Compliments
I had an experience at work today that brought back memories of a high school teacher that really left a mark on me. Her name was Mrs. Wildermuth and I had her for a Media class. What she taught me actually had nothing to do with the subject matter she was teaching. For some reason she always felt led to add things to the class that would make us better people. For that I will always be truly grateful.
When I think of Mrs. Wildermuth I think of the word compliment (an expression of praise, commendation, or admiration). She stressed how important it was to compliment those we come in contact with. She challenged us to find several people each day to pay sincere compliments to. She told us not to make anything up but to find something we appeciated about that person and to compliment them on it. I think at first it was a challenge but after awhile it became second nature. It was amazing how one single compliment could change that person's expression and possibly effect their attitude for the rest of the day. Mrs. Wildermuth always found something good to say to all of her students and it always made us feel good when she took the time to communicate that to us.
This morning I had to post our company newsletter to our agent's website. The newsletter comes out quarterly and Pam, the lady who spends hours working on it, typically sends it to me and I put it out for the agents to see. Every quarter I just slap that newsletter out there and it's done... until today. I got to thinking about how hard she must work on that newsletter to get the articles collected and all of the graphics and typewritten material just right. After I sent her my typical email stating that the newsletter had been posted I decided to send her another one telling her just how nice of a job she did on it. I told her it looked great and how she always does such a good job on it. It took me 20 seconds to type her that email and click the Send button. I wonder how long that compliment stayed with her? I hope it made her feel good like it was intended.
I'm glad I had this small experience today. It reminded me of a wonderful teacher and of the great lessons she taught us all. I hope to remember the word compliment on a daily basis and make an effort to see the good in the people around me. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving - what a good time to have this wonderful reminder to show our thankfulness towards each other and most of all to the God who loves us all.
When I think of Mrs. Wildermuth I think of the word compliment (an expression of praise, commendation, or admiration). She stressed how important it was to compliment those we come in contact with. She challenged us to find several people each day to pay sincere compliments to. She told us not to make anything up but to find something we appeciated about that person and to compliment them on it. I think at first it was a challenge but after awhile it became second nature. It was amazing how one single compliment could change that person's expression and possibly effect their attitude for the rest of the day. Mrs. Wildermuth always found something good to say to all of her students and it always made us feel good when she took the time to communicate that to us.
This morning I had to post our company newsletter to our agent's website. The newsletter comes out quarterly and Pam, the lady who spends hours working on it, typically sends it to me and I put it out for the agents to see. Every quarter I just slap that newsletter out there and it's done... until today. I got to thinking about how hard she must work on that newsletter to get the articles collected and all of the graphics and typewritten material just right. After I sent her my typical email stating that the newsletter had been posted I decided to send her another one telling her just how nice of a job she did on it. I told her it looked great and how she always does such a good job on it. It took me 20 seconds to type her that email and click the Send button. I wonder how long that compliment stayed with her? I hope it made her feel good like it was intended.
I'm glad I had this small experience today. It reminded me of a wonderful teacher and of the great lessons she taught us all. I hope to remember the word compliment on a daily basis and make an effort to see the good in the people around me. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving - what a good time to have this wonderful reminder to show our thankfulness towards each other and most of all to the God who loves us all.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Proud Parents
Last week was just a wonderful week for us as parents. Our son Evan, who is 8, had a great week at school. You have to know Evan to appreciate the significance of what happened to him last week.
Evan has always needed motivation to do things. He is a perfectionist and doesn't want to do anything that he cannot do well on the first try. He can get anxious about things (probably gets that from me) and tends to mull things over in his mind going over every little detail of what might or might not happen.
Well now that he is in 3rd grade he had the opportunity to try out for the spelling bee which is for grades 3 through 8. When we excitedly talked to him about the spelling bee he was adamant that he wasn't going to be in it. We assured him that he would be fine. Well they started out with a spelling bee withing his grade and the top 3 kids got to be in the school bee. He got 1st in his class. He seemed okay with that but said that he did not want to get up in front of people and insisted that he would get stage fright. Todd and I tried to tell him helpful hints like picturing everyone in their underwear, etc. LOL! He fought us tooth and nail over going but we pretty much told him he had to do it. We knew we would have to push him. I thought that this experience would help him to realize that we all have to face things that we are not comfortable with and that we will grow from those experiences.
Well the day of the bee came and since I only work part-time and it was on one of my work days I didn't attend the bee. Todd nervously went not sure what to expect. He called me on the way to the bee and I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was very concerned at how Evan would handle being up in front of the school.
In the meantime I sat at work praying for Evan. I truly didn't care how well he did in the bee. I just wanted him to have a positive experience. About an hour and a half later Todd called me and said I was the proud mother of the spelling bee runner up. I couldn't believe that he did so well. My prayers had been answered - that he would get through it and have a good time. The bonus was how well he did. I was just so thankful. I am still so proud of him for facing that giant. It sounds like a little thing but I know it was a big thing to him.
The funny thing was that Evan told us beforehand that he didn't want to win. He didn't want to have to go to the city bee. I told him that he probably wouldn't win because there were 8th graders in the bee that had much more exposure to the harder words. Well now that he is the runner up he has to go to the district bee sometime in February. He has already told us that he does not want to go. We know, however, that with God's help he will be able to face another giant in his life.
That was the highlight of my week and yet there is more. Evan got the "Random Act Of Kindness" award for helping a fellow student. He also got on the A Honor Roll, and took 3rd place in his Cub Scout Space Derby.
I told him several times how proud I was of him. I have no idea if he truly knows how I feel. I know this is just a little thing in his life but those are the things that shape us and make us who we are.
Evan has always needed motivation to do things. He is a perfectionist and doesn't want to do anything that he cannot do well on the first try. He can get anxious about things (probably gets that from me) and tends to mull things over in his mind going over every little detail of what might or might not happen.
Well now that he is in 3rd grade he had the opportunity to try out for the spelling bee which is for grades 3 through 8. When we excitedly talked to him about the spelling bee he was adamant that he wasn't going to be in it. We assured him that he would be fine. Well they started out with a spelling bee withing his grade and the top 3 kids got to be in the school bee. He got 1st in his class. He seemed okay with that but said that he did not want to get up in front of people and insisted that he would get stage fright. Todd and I tried to tell him helpful hints like picturing everyone in their underwear, etc. LOL! He fought us tooth and nail over going but we pretty much told him he had to do it. We knew we would have to push him. I thought that this experience would help him to realize that we all have to face things that we are not comfortable with and that we will grow from those experiences.
Well the day of the bee came and since I only work part-time and it was on one of my work days I didn't attend the bee. Todd nervously went not sure what to expect. He called me on the way to the bee and I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was very concerned at how Evan would handle being up in front of the school.
In the meantime I sat at work praying for Evan. I truly didn't care how well he did in the bee. I just wanted him to have a positive experience. About an hour and a half later Todd called me and said I was the proud mother of the spelling bee runner up. I couldn't believe that he did so well. My prayers had been answered - that he would get through it and have a good time. The bonus was how well he did. I was just so thankful. I am still so proud of him for facing that giant. It sounds like a little thing but I know it was a big thing to him.
The funny thing was that Evan told us beforehand that he didn't want to win. He didn't want to have to go to the city bee. I told him that he probably wouldn't win because there were 8th graders in the bee that had much more exposure to the harder words. Well now that he is the runner up he has to go to the district bee sometime in February. He has already told us that he does not want to go. We know, however, that with God's help he will be able to face another giant in his life.
That was the highlight of my week and yet there is more. Evan got the "Random Act Of Kindness" award for helping a fellow student. He also got on the A Honor Roll, and took 3rd place in his Cub Scout Space Derby.
I told him several times how proud I was of him. I have no idea if he truly knows how I feel. I know this is just a little thing in his life but those are the things that shape us and make us who we are.
Here I Go!
I have to admit that I've been going back and forth trying to decide whether or not to create a blog. I'm definitely not a great writer or storyteller. Just an ordinary technical geek who has very little language skills. I am an avid blog reader though and have spent a lot of time reading wonderful blogs like my husband's and those of other people we know. They all seem so inspiring and are able to choose just the right words to express themselves. I decided it was time for me to share my thoughts once in awhile on those things that matter to me. So here I go!
Name:
