PENSIEVE

Verbal inspirations ~ Fun Monday

I am a lover of words...not just words for words' sake, mind you, but well-articulated, skillfully-constructed thoughts and ideas.  Some words act as agents of change in my life, but rarely are they only the words heard with my ears or read with my eyes.  Instead, they echo within the chambers of my heart and alter its beat, taking residence there, and eventually resurface in conversation or action (preferably the latter).

Inspiring thoughts that imbue the spirit and heart with a sense of urgency to follow their leading transcend letters on a page or common speech--and their influence and impact can last for generations.  As a "words of encouragement" girl, I believe words CAN hurt more than the bones sticks and stones break, but conversely, words can bring healing and hope and love and laughter and oh, so much more!  Convincing evidence of incomparable "wordpower" is magnificently displayed in the Biblical account of creation; the Psalmist, with a gift of brevity, perfectly summarized the passage.

Hundreds (thousands?) of quotations from great thinkers, poets, philosophers, authors, and everyday people have inspired, affected, challenged, encouraged, and provoked me.  Narrowing the field down for Fun Monday has proven an exercise in frustration!  Here are just a few:

“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” ~ Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. " ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ~ Maya Angelou

"I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?"
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
"Jesus said love one another. He didn't say love the whole world." ~ Mother Theresa

"Live in the moment and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering." ~ Fanny Crosby

"It is never too late to be who you might have been." ~ George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)

"Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. those who don’t believe in the magic will never find it!" ~ Roald Dahl

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them..." ~ Paul the Apostle

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. And my ways are
far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." ~ God

Photocredit:  Linda's Manymuses

Your favorite "words of inspiration" might just be THE thing someone needs to hear

I'm pleased to host this week's Fun Monday and I'm already looking forward to reading your favorite inspiring quotes--I suspect by the end of FM blog hopping, everyone will have a few more favorites to add to their list!  (For additional details about this week's theme, please click here).  Please be sure to let to visit (and comment to) as many FM posts as possible--even if your "Monday" lasts all week long!

If you've never joined this group, what an encouraging week to begin--there's no such thing as "too late" to sign up! If you're a first-timer, let me know in comments and I'll be sure to make note of it in the listing below.  Thanks to all of you who've already signed up and please be sure to check your link below to make sure it's not broken.  For the convenience of those who just remembered (or just learned about) Fun Monday, sign into Mr. Linky below my posted links, and I'll add you to the current list as soon as I'm able (you're still welcome to post a comment or email to let me know). 

THANKS FOR JOINING IN THIS WEEK!  Next week's host is Jo Beafoix and her theme is gonna be a ton of fun!

Robin, Pensieve (oops...I almost forgot to include myself!  Ha!!)
Janet, From the Planet of Janet
Swampwitch, Anecdotes, Antidotes & Anodes
Lisa, Lisa's Chaos
Jo, This is Jo Beaufoix... - NEXT WEEK'S HOSTESS
Patience, Patience-Please
ChrisB, Ms Cellania
Ellen, The Happy Wonderer
Kaytabug, Lady K
Swampangel65, A Florida Journal
Mariposa, Mariposa's Tales
AOJ & The Lurchers
Carrie, Carrie & the Koehmstedts
Lisa, The Food Snob
Janjanmom, All in a Day's Work
Jan, The Prytz Family
Karina, Candid Karina
Celeste, Ragracers
Sandy, Myanderings
Alison, RDH Mom
Jenn, Simply Jenn
Pamela, The Dust Will Wait
Alix, DC Days
Deb, Deb's Buzz (One Crazy Stitcher)
Molly, Return of the White Robin
Junebug, God Put a Smile on My Face
Kim, Rainy Day Diamonds
Peculiar, How Do We Get There From Here ** FIRST FUN MONDAY! :)
Jenn V., Jenn's Inklings
Joy T., A Spot of T
Nikki, My Husband Calls Me Weird
Rotten Correspondent, Confessions of a Rotten Correspondent
Sauntering Soul
Jientje, Heaven in Belgium
Tiggerlane, The Neophyte Blogger
Beth, The First of Six
Rose, Rose's Garden ** FIRST FUN MONDAY, new blogger & Karina's mom!
Hootin' Anni, Hootin' Anni's
Melanie, Our Happy Happenings
Sayre, SayreSmiles
Jenn, Jenn and the City ** FIRST FUN MONDAY!! :)
Nutso, House of the Purple Worms
Gattina, Writer Cramps
Katie (Kitten), Kitten's Homeschool
Faye, Summit Musings
Hulagirlatheart, Growing Older but Not Up
Kim & Randy, Nekkid Lizard Adventures
Jennifer, Dust Bunny Hostage
IamwhoIam, Dungarees Ablaze
Arkansas Songbird, Quarter Notes
Arie 1965, Beyond My Slab
Rachel, Pink Basement Dweller
Mamalang
Dawn, Colors of Dawn
Terri, My4Kids
Kila, Momto3cubs
Stephanie, MamaDrama
Min, MamaDrama
Storyteller, Small Reflections ** FIRST FUN MONDAY!! :)
Lil Mouse, The Name was Over the Door
Baba, Night Owl
Jamie, Wisink6's Weblog ** FIRST FUN MONDAY!! :)

Thanks to Gattina for the adorable Fun Monday logo at the top of the page--I had wondered who designed it!  Does anyone recall who came up with the purple logo above?  I know the original green one was by Chris B's grandson.  If you let me know, I'll credit all the logos on the Fun Monday info page :).  Thanks!

If I live to 90, then I'm smack-dab in the cross hairs of middle age...

{Click here for FUN MONDAY details or scroll down a few posts :)}

Forty-five is an interesting age...it's tickling 50, it gives a fond, backwards glance to 40, and it means you can remember things from 20, 30, heck, even 40 years ago!

Odd to me, the cat's got my tongue this morning...I figured I'd wax poetic for 12 pages about life and love and the pursuit of happiness in celebration of my birthday...instead?  I think I'll wish you a day full of peace and joy and delight in the little things.

Sounds like a winner to me :).

 

Photocredit:  From the shores....

Note to all my seven legions of loyal readers--

No, I have not written 15-20 posts in one sitting and posted them at the same time.

Yes, I suppose something was screwy with my RSS feed.

No, I have not actually gained 300 pounds, but yes, we're (probably) having babies.

If you have no idea what I'm talkin' about, never mind.

Thank you.

A last minute reminder & an added bonus!

TODAY is the last day you can enter "PENSIEVE" as a promotional code to receive 20% off your order from Paula Deen's online store.  If you've been waiting til the last minute to place your order, there's an additional benefit:  20% of every dollar you spend will be donated to Savannah's Second Harvest food bank to purchase food and household essentials for families in need!  Paula emailed me "personally" to make sure I knew, and of course I was compelled to share this wonderful news with you.

After you finish laughing AT me, click on over to Paula's store and order some grits or "Y'all Come Eat" (Bobby & Jamie's new cookbook), a Lady and Sons Travel mug, or somethin' else yummy from the Deen cupboard.  I totally dare you to buy Paula Deen's Butt Massage seasoning--it may well be the best thing since sliced bread, but I'm not gonna try it til you (or Mikey) does!
 

Don't forget--to receive your 20% discount, type "PENSIEVE" as your promotional code!

Oh no oh no oh no oh no OH!NO!!!

No doubt, this is the most disturbing conversation I've ever felt compelled to share at Pensieve.  In the past I've shared funny convos, conversations that caught me off guard, and little ditties that either made you spew coffee or gag or maybe even both simultaneously. 

This one has consequences I hoped we'd never have to bear. 

(Big breath...)

Stephen:  "Mom, can you come outside?  Pippin's doin' somethin' he's never done before...."

Note, in the past, Stephen thought the rabbits were really sick because during the day they slow down--they're most active morning and late afternoon.  I thought Pippin (the much smaller bunny) might've been "resting"....

Me, reassuringly, as I'm headed to the door:  "Okay, honey, I'm sure he's okay."

'Nother note:  Most days we let the bunnies out of their hutch so they can hop around; Tad built a large pen for them, but since they have to be supervised in case our pseudo-pet fox visits, Stephen often lets them play in the back of Tad's truck, where he doesn't have to keep as close an eye.

Stephen:  "Just watch...he'll do it again in a second...."

Me...with a slowly dawning realization forming in my brain...:  "IS HE CLIMBING ON PEPPER???!!!!" 

And as I peer over the side of the truck, sweet, cute, innocent little Pippin hops over to his much bigger
b r o t h e r  and proceeds to hop up from behind and do a little "dance"....

Me:  "Oh $#!+!" said three times before I realized I had said it the first.  Me continuing, totally freaking out that our two MALE lionhead rabbits might not be after all!  "STEPHEN--I'M SORRY!!  I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY THAT BABY--I'M SORRY DON'T LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER RIGHT NOW!!!!"

Then I asked him what Pepper did when Pippin did "that". 

Stephen:  "Well, Pepper just sits there but I put my hand on Pippin and he was shaking all over...."

Never did it occur to me that Pepper might be female...if any, it would've been the smaller Pippin....

Me:  "Honey, I think they're mating...and by now, it's too late to stop 'em...we might have baby bunnies in a few weeks..." 

S i g h....

Some additional thoughts/comments:

a)  So, now I have a literal visual to go with the phrase "screwin' like rabbits"....:/ 

b)  I'm sparing you the pictures because I don't believe in the promulgation of rabbitporn.

c)  Additional cute-innocence from my son:  "If they're both girls, can they still have babies?"  (time for a "chat"???)

d)  By my optimistic husband:  "Well, they could both be boys...I've seen male dogs try that with each other...."  (gay rabbits????)

e)  Does anyone want a FREE pet lionhead rabbit???  I'll have some adorable samples in about six weeks....

f)  I'm gonna shoot my father-in-law...it was HIS great idea to give Stephen TWO rabbits in the first place (and THUMP on the head to me and Tad for letting him!).

Yes...I hear you laughing AT me...it's well deserved....

YES! YOU LOOK FAT IN THOSE PANTS!!

Spring is a colorful, dynamic season of transition--in the weather, in nature's landscape...and in my closet.  As temperatures warm, out come months-forgotten clothes that can't wait to go from lifeless hanger or drawer to a hot-blooded body.  That's right, interpeeps, clothes have personality and character and feelings.  I'm convinced that's why I get attached to them.

Pondering what to wear this morning, on a day that began frosty-ish but promised 70s before the sun set, I remembered a pair of khaki's I got, the good end from a not-so-great Christmas return.  Actually, I wanted to wear a three-quarter-length- sleeved sweater (in one of my favorite colors to wear!), the perfect top for a 30-something--70 degree swing; my black pants required heels, so I opted for khaki. 

Pulling them off the hanger, I slipped in one foot then the other.  Something was dreadfully wrong!  My thighs were close to exploding the seams!!!  Thoughts raced through my brain at the speed of sound or light or whatever's faster, simultaneous layered thoughts, not linear or sequential--"These-were- a-little-big-when-I-got-'em, and-I-wanted-them-to-shrink, but-not-THIS-much!-WHATTHEHECK-are-these-made-of???HOW- could-I-have-gotten-fatter-when-I've-been walking-two- plus-miles-a-day??Is-my-metabolism-in-reverse???" among other thoughts and words than I'll spare you now.  I was confused and in a state of disbelief. 

Mortified and with great effort, I peeled them off...furious that middle age does this to you without advance warning.  I didn't understand how I could be heavier than I was a few months ago, been walking faithfully for the past several weeks. 

Usually, I can brush things off like this...not this morning.  I was mad and disgusted.

Lingering thoughts of my inexplainable, overnight-expanding hips, thighs and buttocks hung in mid air as I flipped the pants to read the tag; I was curious what they were made of because I knew shrinkage had to have SOMETHING to do with my not being able even to zip them!  And then I smiled....

YES!!  THEY WEREN'T MINE!!  They were my 15-year-old daughter's!!  The words "Old Navy" never looked more beautiful.

And, once again, all was well, inner peace and harmony were restored...and I ate a bowl of chocolate ice cream for breakfast to celebrate ;).

p.s.  The last time I wrote about "fat jeans", it was a VERY different story, daggum it >:(............  One of y'all hexed me, didn't you?  ;)

Rolling the dice (15 Words or Less Poems)

This week's photo for Laura's weekly poetry challenge--

Seemingly random choices
still end with
concrete consequences.
The Game of Life
well played
requires much more
than
chance.

Black-eyed Bunnies, Blue-eyed Boy

Come and get it while the gettin's GOOD... and...I have a date with Paula, Jamie & Bobby Deen (and MAYBE with Phil-the-webmaster, too)!

{Please scroll down for next week's Fun Monday Challenge}

<--- First, take a peek at my left sidebar.  See that promotional code for Paula Deen's online store?  The 20% discount is good until this Friday, March 28th.  WHAT ARE YOU WAITING ON???  If you haven't already placed your order, you still have a few days to take advantage of it said the pot to the kettle  to buy a surcie for me and have it delivered in time for my birthday.  Click the graphic to get details.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In even more exciting news, I'll be joining my good friends Bobby, Jamie and Paula Deen at The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show in Atlanta!!!

Who cares that I'll be just one of thousands joining them?  I'll take my camera, wear all black and pretend to be one of the show's professional photographers (one of my favorite discoveries of having an SLR camera is that it's my "ticket" in to a lot of places that are otherwise off limits  wink wink).

According to the MCES website, "The show promises to be a fun, exciting, and unique experience for cooking and entertaining enthusiasts and novices of all ages...".  Right.Up.My.Alley.!!  Roughly 150 companies will be exhibiting with one goal in mind:  "to motivate you to have fun by cooking and entertaining with ease."  With ease?  Nowthat'swhatI'mtalkin'about! 

I'll be heading back to familiar territory--the show venue, the Cobb Galleria Centre, is only a few miles from where I lived back in the day--when I was single and livin' large in HotLanta.  If you're interested, tickets are still available; general admission for the two-day show is just $20/advance tickets.  Reserved seating for the Celebrity Cooking Theater will put you face to face with the Deens and other chefs with mad culinary skills including Michel Nischan (creates a "cuisine of well being", focusing on the "pure and simple"), Akasha Richmond (a "self-trained chef and artisan-style baker who lends her time and expertise to groups such as Child Healthy World, Common Threads, The Organic Center"), Jon Ashton (whom I now have a HUGE crush on after toolin' around his site--how could I not with culinary philosophies like: "Food is food. It’s calm like the sound of a mother’s voice, and effortless like the silent dialogue between couples in love. It’s as comforting as your favorite pair of faded jeans. Food is expressive like Van Gogh’s masterpieces and unadulterated like a child’s laugh. Fully naked, it is simple, provocative and needs no pretense."?!  But, I digress....), and Jason Roberts (who has wanted to cook since exiting the womb and says he does it "...to indulge my imagination, my creativity and to feed my artistic passion. To me, cooking is the most consistent of life’s joys and is immensely rewarding – instantly and constantly”).  Whew--what a CULINARY-SUPERSTAR- LINEUP!!

But for me...the icing on MY cake?  I think I might just get to meet "Phil" and his lovely bride...!

:)