humor

KITCHEN REMODEL IN PROGRESS

/ theraisleyrundown / 1 Comment

My most recent project has been to give my outdated kitchen a more modern look.  This has involved deep cleaning, sanding, priming, and painting walls and cabinets. It’s taken more time than I thought it would, but the end is in sight! Not only that, but I’ve learned some things about myself. In true Raisley Rundown fashion, I decided to make a list!

  • I am neither Chip nor Joanna Gaines Material.  I love the show Fixer Upper. I often think about what it would be like to be on that show and remodel homes for people and change their lives. This kitchen project has told me that I could never remodel an entire house without cussing…let alone remodel home after home for a living.

 

  • My joy disappears after an hour of sanding and an hour and a half of painting. I start out happy and excited about the transformation that is coming. Sometimes I sing and whistle. That sure does wear off after a short time!
  • I simply cannot be neat. After each painting session, I spend more time scrubbing paint off of my arms and my hands than I spend cleaning brushes and rollers. I just can’t seem to be a neat painter. There goes another possible career.
  • I’m extremely proud of myself. I may not be the neatest or happiest person when it comes to priming, painting, and sanding, but I am already patting myself on the back for the awesome transformation that is taking place in the kitchen….even midway through the project. There is such a great feeling that comes from doing a project yourself, even when it takes a lot of time and effort. (Oh, should I say that I’ve already decided to NEVER remodel the kitchen again!)

 

 

  • Chaos makes me uncomfortable. The absence of my cabinet doors, the painting supplies on my kitchen counter, the primed doors strategically placed throughout the garage, and the unfinished state of the project in general, tend to make me uneasy whenever I lay eyes on them. Based on these feelings, I should be a much better housekeeper. Now there’s something to think about.
  • I love keeping my money in my pockets. As challenging as this project has been, I would still rather do it myself and save all the money I would have to spend on a contractor. The only thing I’ll be paying a business for will be the countertops, because at the end of the day, no matter how much I may whine or complain, I choose to keep my money and have the joy of a job well done.

 

I’ve got some stray paint marks to scrub off of my arms now. Be sure to post your favorite home remodeling project adventures in the comments!

Listfully yours,

Vicki

A Practical Guide to Murphy’s Law

/ theraisleyrundown / 3 Comments

We are all familiar with the dreaded Murphy’s Law…”Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Those are dreaded words that we all know are not necessarily true, but nevertheless, we subconsciously fear them.  I thought this would be a fun subject to laugh at this week. So here are my practical applications of Murphy’s Law.

  1. If you are choosing a checkout line from any number of open lines, you WILL choose the slowest one.
  2. If there is a moped on the highway it will always be in the lane ahead of you.
  3. When you carry your umbrella or raincoat to work, it won’t rain. If you forget your rain gear, it will monsoon.
  4. If you are a teacher, you will inevitably get the “stomach bug” over the weekend or a holiday.
  5. Another for teachers….a 10% chance of rain means that it will rain only during your recess time or at afternoon parent pick up duty.
  6. When you finally purchase something you’ve been debating about for awhile, it will go on sale a few days later, causing you some extra steps to get the low-price guarantee.
  7. All quick trips into the bank will take an average of 20 minutes longer than you anticipated.
  8. Any time you get excited about cooking a special meal, you will be missing one key ingredient!
  9. When you say something stupid, it will always be in front of someone who is extremely important to you.
  10. Friends will always drop by on the day you decide NOT to vacuum.

I think y’all get the idea here, so I’ll stop right there. Now, I’m not really a negative person, so I don’t totally buy into Murphy’s Law. Let me give you a new law that I’d like to call Vicki’s Law. “Stuff will always go wrong, but you will decide never to over-react so that you can have MORE JOY and less stress!”

What Was I Thinking?

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     Now that I have been retired from teaching for a little over a week, I have been thinking back nostalgically on my career, my college days, my high school era and my childhood.  Well, if you know me at all, you will know that it was less a nostalgic trip down memory lane and more of a comedic reflection. This is what caused me to write today’s blog, “What was I thinking?”

    I’m going all the way back to childhood this time! When I was a little kid, there were some things that I absolutely hated that now, as an adult, I love!  Take a look at some of the ridiculous things that were on my “hate list.”

  1. Napping. I absolutely adore a good nap! There is nothing better than falling asleep on the sofa in front of a perfectly good movie or even climbing in bed on a Sunday afternoon for the real deal with pillows and blankets. Napping on a raft in the pool is great and even on the lounge chairs on the pool deck. I now have an awesome new option, and that is the hammock that my school gave me for my retirement! Naps are the best. What was wrong with me as a child when I would resist napping?!
  2. Eating Veggies.  As a child, I can remember absolutely detesting any vegetable that crossed my plate. I tried swallowing them whole, hiding them, begging my brother to help me eat them…but actually ingesting them was the last thing I wanted. Flash forward to 2018. I’ve been participating in the Weight Watchers Freestyle program and now I only want to eat the vegetables because they are NO POINTS on the plan!!! (Okay, so that’s a white lie….I still love all the other food groups, but veggies are Freestyle gold!)
  3. Reading. I did like reading as a child, but when summer rolled around I always got a chip on my shoulder about the assigned reading that our English teachers thought we would enjoy doing. I would grumble and complain, but then after reading the books, I found myself in love with each and every one of them.  During my adulthood, I found that I couldn’t wait for summer break from teaching so that I could actually read books that were NOT education related. I start every summer with no less than 10 books on my Nook or in my hands and can’t get enough reading time in! My middle school self would be in shock that my adult self reads because I adore it!
  4. Working in the garden. My parents had a huge garden every year during my life under their roof. My brother and I would have to take time weeding the garden or picking all sorts of vegetables every day. This was an agonizing punishment for me then. I was so annoyed and hated sweating and crawling around in the dirt. However, my grown-up self would love nothing more than to work in a beautiful garden. I’ve tried my hand unsuccessfully many years to reproduce a garden the fraction of the size that my parents had. My grown-up debit card would love the satisfaction of NOT PAYING for vegetables. Oh, what was I thinking when I complained and whined to my parents back then?
  5. Taking a shower.  Most kids hate to come in from playing outside to get a shower or a bath! It’s a total waste of playtime. Living in the south, however, has really made me appreciate the shower as an adult! In fact, with heat indices in the 100’s most of the summer and humidity nearing 100%, I often take 2 showers a day and on some occassions, I can even manage 3 showers in the same day. I’m sure my parents never let me run around being the stinky kid, but I do remember fighting them about bath time.  As a 6-year-old, I never would have imagined loving the shower so much!

 

    I’m sure that if I thought for even five more minutes that I could come up with many more things to add to my list, however, I’m feeling like a short nap would be a much better use of my time. I’ll let you all add to the list for yourselves!

Listfully yours,

Vicki

Let’s Celebrate!

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Lately I’ve been bursting out in songs like, “Celebrate good times, come on! It’s a celebration,” or “It’s a party in the USA!”  We Americans just love to celebrate things! It’s not a bad thing to want to celebrate great events, milestones, birthdays, anniversaries, and the like. It’s actually a very good thing to commemorate important events in our lives. This past weekend, I took to the internet to explore some of the many fun things we Americans celebrate! I found thousands of reasons to celebrate!   Here are a few of my favorites!

 

National Buffet Day. January 1st.  This sounds like an amazing excuse to have to go to dinner at your favorite buffet. Every other day of the year I avoid buffets because I’m leary of food that sits around for hours on end at inappropriate temperatures. Let’s get our food poisoning over with on January 1.

National Umbrella Day. February 10th.  Why not celebrate umbrellas!?! This little invention keeps our heads dry!

National Everything You Do Is Right Day. March 16th. I have been waiting for one of these days for 50 years. I cannot wait for March 16th so I can be right all the time!

National Walk Around Things Day. April 4th.  Could this also be called National Don’t Clean Up Your House or Room Day?! I mean, as long as we’re walking around stuff….let’s leave stuff out on purpose!!!

National Limerick Day. May 12th.

This day seems like such a fun time

To celebrate this kind of rhyme.

You  may need to think

And then grab some ink

But you’ll write down a poem most sublime!

 

National Vanilla Milkshake Day. June 20th. I’ll drink to that!

World Emoji Day. July 17th.  Why not celebrate this one?!?! I mean, a picture is worth a thousand words, right!?

National Black Cat Appreciation Day. August 17th.  I am not even a cat person, but I can definitely see myself celebrating this one! I mean, those poor kitties are run away from and feared all year long. They need love, too!

National Ampersand Day. September 8th. The ampersand is a cute & cuddly piece of punctuation. What could be more fun & meaningful than to celebrate this little piece of artwork that fills in so beautifully for the word “and?!”

National Name Your Car Day. October 2nd. I don’t name my cars. I don’t know why I don’t. Because there is a special day set aside for this, I will name my new car this year on October 2nd.

National Calzone Day. November 1st.  I picked this one out for my blog simply so I have an excuse to eat a calzone. This may be “countdown” worthy!!!

National Cat Herder’s Day. December 15th.  This day is near and dear to my heart because teachers are the ultimate cat herders.  I was a cat herder for 30 years. I did not know I had an entire day set aside to honor me. I will celebrate from now on! Does your job involve herding cats? Let’s go to lunch together!

 

    Look friends, I know you can find something to be happy about and to celebrate each and every day of the year! Don’t let the monotony of your everyday routine dull your sparkle and steal your joy! Find something everyday to celebrate! It doesn’t have to be a peach pie or a chocolate shake either! It could be that you celebrate getting out the door on time by getting a coffee from the McDonald’s drive through. Celebrate your child’s great math test grade by stopping at the park to play 30 minutes before going home to do homework. Treat yourself to 30 minutes with your feet propped up after completing your “to do” list!  Life is so much more fun when we find reasons to celebrate and be happy! I think that’s why I ended up getting lost for over an hour in that Google search of celebrations! Be joyful. Have fun. Celebrate life!

Listfully yours,

Vicki

The Traffic Jam!

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     If you’ve read many of my posts, you already know that I love to people watch. It’s fun, funny and can even teach you a thing or two about yourself.  I’ve really been watching people in traffic the past couple of weeks, and once again, it’s been a real treat. Let me introduce you to the people I’ve met recently.

 

The happy driver.

Now, this particular species is definitely on the endangered list. These are the people who are smiling, singing with the radio, happily conversinging with their other passengers, and generally looking relaxed and pleasant. They aren’t yelling at other drivers or cutting in and out of lanes just trying to get ahead. They are just enjoying the ride. I just love these people. I wish there were more on the roads.

The oblivious drivers.

These folks scare me. The other day I was driving home and the lady in the car in front of me was texting and drifted out of her lane into the right lane beside her nearly running into the driver who was on her right. He was totally unaware of the car almost striking him because he was talking on his phone. As it turns out…I was the only one paying attention and I was the only one of us about to have a heart attack. There are way too many people driving who are paying NO ATTENTION at all to the road. Jesus take the wheel!

The obnoxious drivers.

You’ve all seen these guys and girls. They ride up on your bumper fully believing that if they get close enough to push you that you will be annoyed and go faster. Sometimes they honk, wave their arms, flash you a finger, or a dirty look. They change lanes without signals and squeeze in where there is truly not room for them. These people think that they are the only ones worthy to be on the road and will take dangerous chances to annoy you and get you out of the way. The scariest obnoxious drivers are the motorcyclists who ride between lands and squeeze in everywhere. I certainly hope that no one I know drives like this.

The overly cautious (aka the roadblock).

These drivers are always going a minimum of 5 mph UNDER the speed limit. They will stay in the left lane which is normally designated for faster drivers and they will start to annoy you because you will have to ride your brakes in order to stay back far enough.Then you have to deal with the obnoxious drivers that drive on your own bumper while staying a safe distance from this roadblock.  These drivers can make even the Happy Drivers scowl a little bit. I appreciate the fact that you are being cautious and think you’re being safe, but if you are the overly cautious driver, please take as many back roads as possible and please avoid coming out during rush hour!

The Textbook Driver.

I just love these people! They  are the teacher’s pet of drivers. These folks use their turn signals all the time. They look before they merge. They signal and scoot over a lane so that other cars can easily merge onto the interstate with them. These lovely people leave safe space between themselves and other drivers and they would never even dream of not waiting their turn at a 4-way stop. These people restore my faith in humanity. I hope everyone I know is this kind of driver!

 

    Now I know that riding around on the crazy streets of Charleston, SC can be a real trial for even the best drivers. I tend to be the Happy Textbook Driver, but if I’m not careful and intentional, I could become that angry, obnoxious driver. So, I’m not saying that I’m perfect or that I’m never tempted to cut someone off to better my position on the road. I am saying that, like so many other good habits in life, good and peaceful driving is a choice. When I feel frustration building up during my commute, I consciously take steps to keep myself in control. I’ll sing to the radio, pray, converse with the people in my car or even have a chat with myself about how getting angry or upset in traffic is not worth the energy that it would be zapping from my life. This summer, why not take the challenge to be the Happy Textbook Driver and make your time on the road even more enjoyable!

Listfully yours,

Vicki

Thrown Into The Future!

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My last car purchase was in 2009. Nine whole years ago. I bought a 2008 Chevy Trailblazer back then and drove it for 126,000 miles. My husband decided that it was time for me to get a newer used vehicle and so the hunt began. Last week, we found the vehicle we were looking for and now are awaiting its arrival from its current home. In the meantime, my awesome dealership gave me a 2018 Chevy Equinox to drive around until my vehicle arrives. I feel like I was tossed head first into the future and that my rental is now 10 times smarter than me. Here’s why!

 

  • There is no key!!!! So, I get into the car to drive off and there is no place for the key. The millenial salesman kindly tells me that my car is smart enough to sense when the little key fob thingy is in the car and all I have to do is push the button on the dash to start and stop the car. This is MAGIC, people! MAGIC!!!!

 

 

  • There is a back-up camera!!!! Do you mean to tell me that I’ve been turning my head around backwards in order to back up for 37 years and now all you have to do is look at a screen?!?!  It’s a modern miracle!!!!

 

 

  • This car knows how far I can go until I run out of gas! I used to keep track of my milage and how much gas I put in the car to figure out how far I could go on a tank of gas. Now….I have NO MATH to do….I just push a button and it tells me how far I can go on the gas I have.  No way!!!!!!

 

 

  • The engine stops at long lights and other times when I’m sitting still for longer stretches. Wait, what?! You just know when to stop the engine to save fuel when I’m sitting at a red light or railroad crossing?!?!  Just. Shut. Up!!!!

 

 

  • This car won’t let me run you off the road!! There are nifty little flashing lights that illuminate my mirrors when someone is in my blind spots. If I really pay attention to my car and my surroundings, I have no excuse to ever change lanes on you and run you off the road!!! (See….there’s even something for you!)

 

 

  • I don’t need my phone while driving…my car has all the gadgets! I’ve got Bluetooth Technology, Sirius Radio, Wi-fi,  OnStar, Auxilary input, USB ports, and so much more!!! I could take a lifetime to learn all the things that this rental can already do. Heck, even opening the gas tank cover was a new experience! Wowza to all the crazy extras.

 

 

So, now I know I sound like a really old fart, but you’ve got to admit that technology sure has changed our vehicles. I’m so amazed and thankful for all the smart engineers and technologists who came up with all these advances. I guess I’ll have to learn some new features when my own vehicle arrives at the dealership for pick up!  I’m excited to say that I have been thrown into the future and I LOVE it!

 

Listfully yours,

Vicki

My Latest Obsessions

/ theraisleyrundown / 2 Comments

Over the past week I have been chatting with some of my friends about various things that we love to do, to read, to eat, to see, to collect, and so forth. It was very enlightening to learn what kinds of things make my friends happy and I got a lot of fun ideas from hearing what their latest obsessions are.  Today I will share my top 10 obsessions! I hope you enjoy!

 

  1. Lipsense Lipstick.  I have never been a good lipstick wearer. I could never be bothered with putting it on and then remembering to touch it up all day long. Enter Lipsense by Senegence. True to its claims, Lipsense really does last all day and is non-transferrable. The first day I wore it, I was teaching about the instruments of the orchestra. In all six of my classes I played the flute, clarinet, trumpet, French horn, and trombone. My lip color never came off on the instruments! I also ate and drank at lunch and dinner with no loss of color. Now, I am obsessed.

 

  1. Avery or Post-It Filing Tabs. I have been using regular Post-its as bookmarks and tabs forever! However, one day I received a free sample of the filing tabs which apply like Post-its but are shaped like filing tabs and are very sturdy. Now I have them in all of my journals, my Bible, my lesson plans, the books I’m reading and more! I need more of these tabs in my life!

 

 

  • Pens. I am obsessed with pens. I love to collect pens that have seasonal characters on them and light up. I love pens that come in all sorts of unusual colors. I love pens with unique grips or shapes. I love heavy pens that feel luxurious in my hand and light pens that don’t aggravate my carpal tunnel. I love inexpensive Bic pens as well more expensive designer pens. Just writing this makes me want to find a new pen.

 

 

 

  • Karen White’s Tradd Street Series Books. I am an avid reader. I love mysteries and suspense best. Author, Karen White, has written this series of mysteries that I have gone crazy over. All of the stories take place in historic downtown Charleston, SC. The main character is a successful real estate agent with a knack for seeing and communicating with the ghosts who are hanging around in the historic properties that she is trying to sell. The stories are absolutely fascinating and I enjoy them even more because I live in the area. You need to read these books.

 

 

 

  • Cadbury Mini Eggs. This is my all time favorite candy of choice. For more on this subject, please read my Easter blog!

 

 

 

  • Micellar Water. Three months ago I had no idea what micellar water was. A friend of mine told me about it and once I tried it I became addicted! This water is NOT for drinking! I originally got it as an alternative to expensive makeup removers. I wear waterproof mascara and eyeliner and it is difficult to get off with traditional removers. However, an inexpensive bottle of micellar water does the trick. Simply soak a cotton ball with micellar water and place it over your closed eye for 15-25 seconds. Then you will gently wipe across your eyelid and your makeup will be removed completely.  Not only will micellar water remove stubborn makeup, I have used it to clean jewelry! My son got guacamole stuck in the crevices of his class ring and it dried by the time he got home. The next morning, I dipped the ring into a cap full of micellar water and gently brushed with an old, soft toothbrush. The guacamole disappeared in an instant with not scraping or digging. I also dipped a silver necklace into a dish containing micellar water and then dried with a soft cloth and it easily removed the tarnished look and restored the shine.

 

 

 

  • Jamberry Nail Wraps. As a serious musician, I have always had short and boring fingernails. If I ever painted my nails the polish would chip and peel in a matter of 2 days. After my knee replacement, I learned that I could no longer get pedicures because the chance of infection is too great. That’s when I discovered Jamberry nail wraps. They come in all kinds of gorgeous colors and patterns. I apply them with heat and pressure for a super cute, long lasting fun look. Their gel nail colors compliment my wraps and are tough enough to last over a week on my clumsy hands. I love the products so much that I signed on as a distributor, so if you want to try this product, let me know in the comments.

 

 

 

  • Yeti Tumblers. I cannot drink room temperature water without gagging. For some reason I can only drink extremely cold water and enjoy it. I tried other cups and bottles over the years, but nothing compares to the fabulous, thermal insulated Yeti tumblers and bottles. Each morning, I fill a Yeti tumbler or bottle full of ice and add water. The water cools down quickly and stays that way until I’ve consumed it. I add water to the tumbler or bottle all day long and continue drinking freezing cold water. The next morning my tumbler or bottle STILL HAS the ice in it and is ready for another day of freezing cold drinks.These tumblers are a must for anyone who loves to drink super cold water!. They come in cute designs and colors, so they are even more fun to collect!

 

 

 

  • Watches. In all honesty, I LOVE any kind of jewelry, but watches are a real weakness for me. I love the colors, the styles, the patterns, the ones that reflect my hobbies and talents, and also the very unique. I live by the clock as a school teacher and when I have appointments for photos, so I figure that I need a great selection of fun watches to keep me going and on time!

 

 

 

  • Smelling Books.  Yes. You read that correctly. I am obsessed with smelling books. I honestly cannot pick up a book without sniffing it. I love the smell of all kinds of books, their pages, their inks and even the glues. You need to find the closest book to you and smell it right now! If you don’t have a book near you, head to the nearest bookstore or library and begin browsing with your nose. You will thank me!!!!

 

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about a few of my unique obsessions! I hope you are inspired to try some of the products, activities or books that I love! Feel free to share yours with me in the comments!  Happy Obsessions!

 

Listfully yours,

Vicki

 

You Might Be A Teacher If…

/ theraisleyrundown / 2 Comments

As I was planning my upcoming spring break(3 weeks from now), I noticed some very unusual things on my Spring Break Bucket List. That made me begin thinking about how teachers are definitely a breed of our own for so many reasons.  Today, I think I will share my quirky teacher habits in Jeff Foxworthy fashion.

You Might Be Teacher If:

  1. You get excited when you can go to the bathroom any time you want!  Let’s face it, teachers are on a bathroom schedule. Those students of our cannot be left alone, so we get to go to the bathroom on a schedule. For me, those times are 7:45 a.m., 11:20 a.m., and 2:40 p.m.  If I ever have to go to the bathroom in between times, forget about it. I can’t.

 

 

  • One day of your spring break is filled with all the doctors’ appointments that you cannot fit in during regular school weeks. We teachers keep crazy hours and have so many meetings after school that we often cannot get in to see a doctor. If you plan well, you can probably see 4 doctors in one day over spring break!

 

 

 

  • You plan at least one lunch with your teacher friends at a real restaurant during vacation from school. During school, teachers are lucky to get 20 minutes to eat. Sometimes teachers have to supervise children with disgusting eating habits while trying to consume their own lunch. Eating out with our friends over spring break makes us feel human! We can eat slowly, talk lots, and ignore everyone else around us. Ah, the bliss!!

 

 

 

  • You get excited to read a book just for fun…and not a children’s book. Oh, it’s so nice to meet you, Beth Moore and Ted Dekker! Oh look….there’s James Patterson, too! I’ve missed you all so much!

 

 

 

  • You avoid Wal-Mart and Target in July because you might see school supplies WAY TOO SOON!!! Enough said.

 

 

 

  • You geek out over fun office supplies such as colorful pens, cute post-it note holders, and Post-It filing tabs! I personally have enough colored pens to last a lifetime…but that won’t stop me from buying more!

 

 

 

  • You have one wardrobe that you don’t mind getting paint, chalk, or slightly snotty fingerprints on….and another wardrobe that you wear out with “grown ups.” Let’s face it, there are lots of gooey things involved in teaching elementary students. Dress for success.

 

 

 

  • You view every empty jar or plastic container as a future art project or storage solution. I can’t throw away a nice plastic lunch meat container or those cool plastic containers that Crystal Lite comes in! Oh, and don’t get me started on those large cool whip containers! I love those!

 

 

 

  • You can tell the moon phase just by people watching. People act and drive the worst during a full moon.  Ugh.

 

 

 

  • You cheer like you just won a huge lottery jackpot  when you hear the announcement, “The faculty meeting for today has been postponed/cancelled.” We dearly love our administrators, but please put it in an email. We’re exhausted. If you ever want to hear a collective cheer, be in a school when that announcement is made. We really do sound like we just won the super lotto jackpot!

 

 

Now that’s just a hand full of the endearing little quirks that we teachers possess! If you know a teacher or are related to a teacher, I think you’ll see some familiar things on this list. If you happen to be a teacher, embrace your quirks because that’s what makes us a special breed! We are wildly wonderful wizards of wisdom and whimsy! We make the world go around a lot better than it would without us! I am thankful for all you teachers out there! Happy Spring Break!

Things That Make Me Thankful

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Gratefulness is not just for the month of November. Actually, gratefulness should be part of our daily lives. It is said that if a person learns to be grateful for what they have, they will eventually remove all traces of entitlement, greed, and jealousy from their lives. The spirit of gratitude is best friends with the spirit of joy, and if you happen to be a Christian, gratitude pleases God immensely! I Thessalonians 5 15-18 even say thankfulness is God’s will! “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Do you want to be in God’s will? Be thankful!

 

After you read this post, I’m going to need everyone to get a small notebook or a fancy journal and begin listing what you are grateful for.  If you are artistic…draw it! If you are poetic…write a poem about it! If you love photography…take a picture, print it out and paste it in your journal. Don’t just read this! Do something to make yourself dwell on the gifts you have around you every day!  Since you know I love lists so much, it should be no surprise that I’m leaving my partial list of things that make me feel grateful!

 

  1. My husband. After my first marriage ended 15 years in, I was sure that God would never give me a second chance at love. I was wrong. He gave me Scott and I am forever grateful.

 

  1. My Son. I have a talented, intelligent, funny, independent, cheerful, kind hearted, and God-honoring son. I am truly blessed.

 

  1. My Church. My current church has done more to challenge me to be a better Christ-follower than any past church I’ve attended. I am grateful.

 

  1. My friends, Teresa, Dawn, Ann, Stefanie, and Cortney. I hate to name names and forget someone or hurt someone’s feelings, but these 5 ladies have been my closest friends, my biggest cheerleaders, my attitude adjusters, and my sounding board for years. They are my 2:00 a.m. friends….who would take my call at that hour if I needed them. They know some of my worst character traits and love me anyway. They know my biggest fears and failures and they still stick to my side. They even put up with my weird sense of humor.  I am so thankful for them and blessed!  This is not to say I’m not grateful for my other friends. I am so lucky to have many great friends in my life! They each mean so much to me! They make my heart bubble over with gratitude.

 

  1. My Job. I love my job. I am thankful that I get to do something amazing to earn an income which helps keep my family supplied with food, clothing, and shelter.

 

  1. My medical benefits. I have amazing health insurance. I can go to the doctor when I need to go and yes, I’ll have to pay my share, but I never worry that I’ll run out of money and never be able to pay for my care.

 

  1. White Chocolate. Okay….I had to get something quirky on this list. I LOVE white chocolate and when I eat it I’m even more grateful for my taste buds.

 

  1. Dogs. Dogs are a gift, straight from Jesus to humankind. Dogs make me so happy. I am grateful for all the cute ears and happy little faces!

 

  1. iPhones. I don’t even know how I survived with a phone attached to a wall or to a phone that only makes calls.  I love this little miracle called a smartphone!

 

  1. Cameras. I love taking pictures. I love the creativity. I love the memories. I love capturing beautiful moments and keeping them forever. I am thankful to have some great camera equipment.

 

Folks, I could literally go on all day. When I first jotted this list in my journal, I was able to write down these 10 things in just minutes. If you really train yourself to look for things to be thankful for you will find it becoming easier and easier. How about that close parking spot at the grocery store when you’re feeling exhausted? How about that cool morning that makes you feel awake and alive? How about those gorgeous trees and flowers in your neighborhood? How about when your spouse or friend takes you out to dinner and you were dreading having to cook that night? How about when a friend calls you on your way to work just to chat? Here’s a great one for Charleston SC…how about those mornings you leave at just the right minute and traffic is moving smoothly? Even the little things are huge blessing for which to be thankful!!!  Now, go out there and keep a list of all the little and big things that make you feel grateful and develop your attitude of gratitude!

 

Listfully yours,

 

Vicki

Things I Don’t Understand

/ theraisleyrundown / 3 Comments

Think about how much knowledge there is in the world. Really think about every possible profession that you know of and think about the specialized knowledge that those professions have. Think about how your own body is a miraculous creation of cells, organs, bones, synapses, electrical impulses, and DNA coding that makes us each a unique individual. Now, have I made you think enough to realize how much you DON’T actually know. It can be terrifying to feel so small and insignificant, right!?! Well, today I’m going to share a dozen of my favorite mysteries of the universe. Here goes.

  1. Why is there Braille on a drive up ATM?  If you need Braille, you shouldn’t be driving.
  2. Why does Amazon send small items that you purchase in gigantic boxes? I recently ordered two high-speed memory cards for my camera that fit in the palm of my hand and Amazon shipped them in a shoe-box sized box. Yesterday we received two desktop organizing trays in a box that would hold two office-sized microwaves. It seems a little extreme.
  3. Why do we think criminals will obey MORE gun laws when they break the ones we currently have? All joking aside, I think we need more Jesus changing people’s lives.
  4. Why can’t directions for assembling things have words AND pictures? “Back in the day” when I had to assemble something that I purchased I would read written words and see diagrams for putting these items together. Now, we have switched over to directions with only pictures and obnoxious arrows pointing to things on the picture that don’t even exist on the item being assembled. I just want my words back. I’m not a caveman with no language skills.
  5. Why am I called intolerant when I don’t agree with your opinion…but when you don’t listen to my opinion you somehow are NOT being intolerant? Just think about it.
  6. Why do people loot and trash their own cities when their sports team wins a big championship? What kind of message are they trying to send? Is that some kind of reward for winning? I just don’t get it.
  7. Why am I so tempted to touch the surface that has a “Wet Paint” sign? Do I really think in my heart of hearts that someone would lie to me about that?
  8. Why do I get slightly annoyed when someone calls me when they could have easily texted me? When did I quit loving to talk out loud? That’s totally not me!
  9. How is it that the first 50 years of my life just flew by so quickly and the past week has felt like a century is passing ever-so-slowly? My time sensor must be off! Someone, please rescue me from this long week!
    Why are the pockets on ladies shorts, pants, and skirts so tiny? I love pockets. I need room for my keys, a lip gloss, and maybe even my iPhone 6. Is that too much to ask. Stop giving me these tiny, shallow pockets that won’t hold anything and incidentally, will dump out the contents whenever I sit down. That is all.
  10. Why are ladies’ belts so cheaply made? Men get these gorgeous leather belts to hold up their pants and shorts. What do women get? We get these flimsy belts that are NOT made of leather but have price tags that are only appropriate on leather belts. I need a belt to not only hold up my pants but to also hold my holster at my side when I conceal carry. Will someone please tell the fashion industry that it is possible to make sturdy, leather belts for women that are also pretty? Thank you.
  11. Why does my kid laugh at me when I use the “talk to text” feature on my phone? Is that an old person feature on a phone? I feel certain that everyone is allowed to talk to text if their phone is capable of this magical feat! Or was this feature indeed created for the older person who can’t type that fast on that a small phone keyboard?
  12. Why are the pockets on ladies shorts, pants, and skirts so tiny? I love pockets. I need room for my keys, a lip gloss, and maybe even my iPhone 6.  Is that too much to ask. Stop giving me these tiny, shallow pockets that won’t hold anything and incidentally, will dump out the contents whenever I sit down. That is all.

There are literally thousands of things that I do not understand. This list could go on and on for weeks and weeks of this blog. In fact, the rest of my career could be spent on this topic. However, I’m going to leave you with these mysteries to contemplate and if you happen to have any answers to these, feel free to drop that information in the comments!!!
Thanks for reading!

Listfully yours!
Vicki