What Jesus wants for Christmas

Sunday, Christmas Day, someone wants to be with you.  His name is Jesus.  Jesus wants to be with you as he was with all of us on that 1^st Christmas Day…when he became human, like us. That’s what Jesus wanted for Christmas.  He loved us so much that he could not bear to be separated from us or for us to be separated from him…so he became like us, not only to be with us then and now…but to take us to himself for all eternity so that where he is, we also might be. 

Because Jesus wanted to be with us for Christmas, he united himself with each of us to share with us his divinity.  He assumed our humanity so that we might become like him, not as slaves or servants, but that we could share in his life and power.  When Jesus became like us…we could become like him.

Because Jesus wanted to be with us and one of us on that 1^st Christmas day, he reconciled us to each other and with God, our Father, he began a life as one of us and through his life, his teaching, his suffering, his death and resurrection…we were set free.  We were rescued.  And…all of this came about because Jesus wanted to be with us, to be one of us, on that 1^st Christmas Day.

How special are we, we have been made new, whole, rich…sons and daughters of our God and Father because Jesus wanted to be with us, one of us on that 1^st Christmas day.  As we approach Christmas, we should be gald…rejoice…because Jesus, who shares his life with us, who delights in us…wanted to be with us…for Christmas.

Why We Rise and Fall with Sports Teams

If you're a sports fan, you know it happens.  If you're the die hard fan a a particular team, you KNOW it happens.  The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  The baseball playoffs are right around the corner.  Some fans can hardly wait, some are already waiting for next year, and some are agonizing over the last spot.  Boston or Tampa Bay?  Atlanta or St. Louis?  It all comes down to the final days.  You're talking about it at work.  Reading about it online.  And I know more than a few of you are praying about it at night.  But why? Are you taking home the ring or the financial benefits that go with it?  Are you pitching the final inning or driving in the winning run?  Well, no.  But for a few weeks in September and October (and lately into November), everyone is a kid again...and every one of us pretends we can.  We're out on that field with them and we feel what they feel.  That's the magic of sports.  Feel your heart pound...look away from the TV screen...fall to your knees....jump with joy.  It's Playoff time and that's what you're supposed to do.

It's the little things...

So what makes you happy?  Really.  Not what would make you happy, but what makes you happy...right now. For me it really is the little things. I love knowing that when I get home, my husband and my dog are there to greet me--which isn't really a little thing, it's a HUGE thing.  I love hugging them and love loving them.  Driving someplace with no traffic makes me happy.  So does a good meal at a restaurant I thought was gone for good.  I nice sunny day with warm temperatures and no humidity makes me happy...but so does a snow day.  Sundays watching football makes me happy, and I'm even happier if the Giants decide to play to win.  A phone call or email from a friend always makes me happy.  Reminiscing about the fun things in life is great.  Looking forward to a vacation, even if it's a year away makes me happy.  I could go on and on about the every day things that make me happy.  So now it's your turn.  Make a list.  You'll be surprised at just how happy you really are.

What's standing in your way?

You've got so many things you want to accomplish.  Whether it's at work, at home...or maybe a personal goal, there's much to do.  So what's standing in your way?  There are lots of excuses...no time and no money come to mind as the top two.  I hate excuses.  The only thing standing in your way is you.  You can find a way to do,to learn, to try anything.  Really.  Step out of your little box of comfort and accomplish something today.

Facing the End...

The Oprah Winfrey Show ends on May 25th....but you knew that already....

Whether you like her or not, you have to admit she has made a huge impact on lives and pop culture.  Everyone knows who she is.  Everyone knows of her generosity.  Everyone knows her television show has been on for 25 years...if you didn't know these things, wake up, take heed and find out what you've been missing before it's too late.  The lessons she has taught us are many.  You have the power to be the person you want to be.  YOU have the capacity to forgive, to heal and to love.  She and Gayle King have shared their friendship with us and reminded us of our BFFs and all the fun we have together.  One of Oprah's favorite quotes from Maya Angelo is, "people will always show you who they are.  Believe them the first time."  I love that.  Her guests have been the celebrities we love, the controversial figures we needed to learn more about and the everyday people we were inspired by.

I will be watching on May 25th, and yes, I will be have a little lump in my throat and tear in my eye.  Good-byes are just not my thing.  While Oprah will do many things on OWN, I will miss the consistency of a show that's aired every day since I was 20 years old.  While I didn't watch it all the time, I knew it was there.  Thank you, Oprah, for the lessons, the laughs and the inspiration.  I wish everyone was a little more like you.

Finding the Perfect House

It's not easy deciding where to live.  So many factors...what's the neighborhood like, how far is the commute to work, are there stores nearby...and of course, is the house perfect.  I love my house.  I've been living in it for almost six years.  Finding this house was a process I won't ever forget.  You wouldn't believe how some people show their house.  One place we looked out was a complete piggery.  Stuff was everywhere.  The next house was just even worse...the woman had, in her bathroom sink, a dirty cloth she used to remove the 10 pounds of make-up she had on the night before.  Really?  Driving to see what eventually became our house we were a little worried.  It's near a college and when we turned down our street, it didn't look the best.  About halfway down the street, it started to turn nice.  Then we saw our little house.  Our eyes lit up, but we hadn't been inside yet.  By now we knew what could be behind the doors of a seemingly nice house.  Then we walked in.  This was it!!  I'd always heard that when you find the right house, just like when you find the right person to marry, you just know it.  Well, we knew it.  The house was perfect.  It had everything we said we wanted and it was immaculate.  The people who live there obviously loved the house too.  It was a seamless transaction and we couldn't be happier.  I really want to hear how you find your house.  If you're in the process of looking for one, tell me what kind of horror stories you've encountered.  I know some of you have some stories that are doozies, so let's hear 'em.  And remember, no matter how many times you walk into the wrong house, when you walk into the right house, you will know it.

Waiting for vacation

There's something about the anticipation of a vacation. No matter how old or young, vacations bring out the best in us.  We're more ourselves.  We let loose, try new things, become adventurous and somehow become better people.  Kids count down to summer vacation and all the things they're going to do.  As adults we count down to a vacation to have a few days off from work and time to spend with our families...worrying about nothing except what weather will be like.  I've got a vacation booked and every time I log on to check on a detail, the website flashes how many days until I leave.  It's very exciting.  63 days until we don't have to worry about work, doing yard work, cooking dinner, or hearing an alarm go off at an un-Godly time of day.  The only bad thing about vacations is that they're not real life....and they end.  But not before they give us enough to make it through to the next vacation.  Hope today finds you thinking about your next vacation and the excitement of just being you for a while.

Opening Day

To say there's something special about Opening Day is ridiculous.  It's more than special.  It's tradition, a transition between the bleakness of winter and the joy of summer, it's a day when every team is hopeful that they'll be finishing their season raising a trophy in November.  Well, every team except the Cubs....and the Royals....and the Pirates...and this year, the Mets....

I love the Cubs.  And while opening day is exciting, I don't expect the Cubs to win the World Series any more than I expect to win the lottery.  I would love to, and would welcome it with such joy, but I don't expect it to happen.  So today when Ryan Dempster takes the mound and throws the first pitch of the season, I will cheer, I will be happy, and I will hope that the fun of the game overpowers the need to follow a winner.  Lovable losers exist all over the country, in every sport.  I hope everyone who follows them has a happy Opening Day.

Did you ever want to....

I'm a hard working person.  I do my best, respect the people I work for and with.  But seriously....did you ever want to just make ALL the decisions at your workplace just because you have no idea why some decision are made?  This week, I've had the overwhelming desire to just say, "HEY!  You're doing it wrong....let ME tell you what to do...."  But that never happens, does it?  And it's probably a good thing.  If I made all the decision in a week, by Friday I'd either lose my job or never want to question anyone ever again. Neither one of those is a good option.  Lead, follow or get out of the way was a slogan for a car company a few years back.  It's good advice if you can figure out which one of those things you should be doing.  Trouble is there are times for all three of them.  Here's our challenge...for a full week, write down every decision you question.  Then write down what decision you would have made.  A few months from now, get out the list and see where things stand.  Would you have made the right decision?  If not, it's time to figure out when to lead, follow or get out of the way.

If you've ever wanted to do it....

We all have something we've always wanted to do.  You know, one of those once in a lifetime things.  Some of my friends want to sky dive...others, run a marathon....still others just dream of living on a beautiful beach.  One of the things I've always wanted to do was swim with dolphins.  I've always been fascinated by their intelligence and playfulness.  They turn me into a little kid.  So last spring, for my birthday, my husband arranged for me to swim with dolphins.  We were in Bermuda, and it was an experience I will never forget.  Dolphins are amazing.  I was giddy just getting in the water.  Then I got to play with them.  One splashed me, one let me tickle its nose, and one let me kiss him.  You should see the pictures.  The huge smile never left my face.   If you've wanted to do this, do it!  You will never forget the feeling.  I was in the water with them for an hour and it's one hour that will always stay with me.  What's that quote?  "People will forget what you said and forget what you did, but they'll never forget how you made them feel."  Well the same goes for dolphins...(and dogs  :) )...and whatever the "thing" is that you've always wanted to do.
So what is it you've always wanted to do?  What's stopping you?  If you've always wanted to do something, you  owe it to yourself to LIVE....do it!!  Tell me what you've always wanted to do....and what happened when you finally did it.  I bet I know the answer.

A Social Network Christmas

What is it with the ladies' locker room?

I love going to the gym. I'm not a gym rat and I'm not chiseled to perfection.  But I do enjoy going.  I feel better, look better and it's a great way to unwind.  However, ladies, please be aware of your conduct in the locker room.  We have the young babblers who apparently think everyone cares about their teenage troubles.  We have the rude space hogs who think they own the whole room. Pick up your crap and move it!  I'm standing at my locker and your stuff is everywhere.  Then there are the paraders.  Seriously, I do not want to see your naked body parading all over the locker room.  You don't look that good.  The other day there was a woman, I'm guessing in her mid to late 40s, who I know thought that she was it.  As I was leaving she was (at first) standing buck naked facing her locker.  She was so skinny, I thought she was just a spine.  Then it got worse....she turned around.  And there she was...a spine with nipples.  Come on, picture it.  A spine with nipples...HUGE nipples because her breasts were emaciated.  This is an image that has burned its way thru my brain and will be there always.  Ladies, please be aware...some modesty is a good thing for all of us.  It's good for you and it is most definitely good for the rest of us.  When going to or coming from the shower, steam room or sauna...cover up.  I don't ever want to see anything more than I already have.

Why I Love Amazon.com

We're all looking to save money...I clip coupons, look for bargains, buy low, sell high, pay myself first and don't splurge all that much.  Until recently I was shopping a one of the warehouse stores and paying $35 a year for the privilege.  Then along comes Amazon Subscribe and Save.  Basically anything you can find in Sam's, Costco or BJs is at Amazon's Subscribe and Save section.  Here's how it works.... Visit the section and find what you need...say 2,500 Bounty Napkins.  You click on them and indicate how often you need them delivered to your house.  Every month, two months, three months or six months.  Then hit subscribe.  The item will be delivered to you FOR FREE.  And the savings on most items is between 3 and 4 dollars.  Some more, some a little less.  I really love this.  I love it so much, I've added Amazon to my blog.  Click on my Amazon store Robin's Amazon Store or go to the Amazon search box and see for yourself.  Amazon made it easy for me, so I'm making it easy for you.  It's all about saving money, saving time and ultimately, saving the precious minute or two you may have to yourself.

Let me know what you think.  And let me know how much you saved!

This will be interesting...

To blog, or not to blog.  I've always wanted to, so why not?  But what to write about.  Food, dogs, work-place incidents, sports...why not all of them?  "People, please be aware" was a phrase I used often in a former work place.  People really needed to be aware of many things.  Like their own ridiculousness. Now I work at a decent place...but my office is adjacent to the kitchen...and some of the things I overhear are, indeed, ridiculous.  This is as good a place as any to start the blog.  Entry number one:  "If our bodies were perfect, they wouldn't smell."

Think about the funny things YOU'VE overheard in your office.  Feel free to post them. Come on, this is gonna be fun!