The Square Peg

I’ve heard about Lent throughout my life, but never actually celebrated Lent personally. Until now.

For the past few years, I have felt as if Easter had sneaked up on me and was gone before I knew it, but I determined this year would be different. I wanted a fresh perspective for Easter this season and there’s nothing like intentional, laser-focused awareness to bring about a change of view (and heart). This year I am contemplating Easter and celebrating its meaning in a very deliberate way; by giving up coffee during the Lenten season.

I spent nearly two weeks thinking about what I would give up for Lent to assist with my paradigm shift. I considered giving up carbs, soda, caffeine, TV, and the internet before settling on coffee. I even toyed with the idea of doing it backward and adding something new into my life rather than removing something. But in the end, I kept coming back to coffee. I consider coffee to be my greatest indulgence, so giving it up will be a meaningful and challenging sacrifice for me.
I expect it won’t be easy. I expect to be challenged. I expect to miss it. But each time I think about coffee, I’m going to redirect my focus onto Easter’s meaning and purpose. I’m not sure how I’ll mark the finale of the Easter season yet. But I’ve got 46 non-coffee-drinking days to consider it.

Do you celebrate Lent? If so, I’d love to hear about what you’re giving up and why.
Peace out.

Moose and I were walking around site-seeing this afternoon while we're in Washington, DC for a few days. When we were checking out Barack's new digs, we saw a squirrel sitting on the top of the seat back on one of the benches. Moose had the camera so I asked him to take it out and snap a picture. While he was reaching for it, the squirrel got down off the bench, scampered over to where I was standing and started climbing up my leg.
I'm not kidding!

He stopped just below my hip and stayed there. I really wanted to pet him but was concerned about being bitten, so I shook my leg thinking it'd scare him off. But of course, squirrels live in trees and they're used to the wind blowing during storms, so not only did he not get down, he just grabbed onto my jeans a little tighter. Then he focused his gaze onto the pocket of my hoodie, where I put a half-eaten bag of Fritos leftover from my dinner.

I guess he realized he had invaded my personal space because he climbed down and sat on the ground. I tossed him a Frito and he grabbed it and ran off. I guess that's all he wanted. Crazy, huh?
And it all happened so fast, Moose never had a chance to get a picture. Bummer.

Actually, it's the way Anne Morriss sees it. Anne is a Starbucks customer from New York City who describes herself as an organization builder, restless American citizen, and an optimist. Her submission is on today's coffee cup from my happy place. It says:

"The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life."

We would leave the cover off our pool year-round if we didn’t have so many trees in the back yard. Now that they’ve all fallen, we uncovered it today.

I missed seeing the water this winter. As I sat outside and chatted on the phone with my friend April, it was mesmerizing to stare into it again. The pool is like a sanctuary of sorts for me. I don’t know what it is about water, but I do my best meditating, relaxing, and connecting with God by the pool (and in the shower).

Sometimes I lie on my stomach on the diving board and watch the dragonflies skim the top of the water’s surface. Other times I flip over on my back and close my eyes and listen to the birds as they serenade me. I hear Mocha, tired after playing ball with Moose, walk down the steps, stop on the bottom and slowly turn around to dunk her back end into the water to cool off. I hear the squirrels playing in the branches of the tall Georgia Pines.

It is here that problems seem smaller, stress loosens its grip, and peace begins to reign inside me once again. I feel inspired, thoughtful, and calm.

Where’s your sanctuary; the place you go to get a new perspective?

This has been going around on Facebook but I thought I'd post it here. It's an easy way for you to get a feel for just how square this peg really is.

1. I don't have a middle name.

2. I wanted to be a linguist for the United Nations when I was young. I also wanted to be a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall. Go figure.

3. I've been a military dependent all but 6 years of my life (Army brat, AF wife). I've lived in/visited 13 countries, and 34 states. The places left to see on my bucket list: Australia, Fiji, and Japan. And I'd really love to go back to Europe at least once more.

4. Because my first marriage was to an abusive man, I spend time building relationships with girls who are vulnerable to hooking up with guys like that in an effort to pass along lessons learned. It's very important to me that women understand their value; not in a feminist "I am woman, hear me roar" kind of way, but in a healthy, truthful, balanced way.

5. I started using Mary Kay cosmetics when I was 25 years old and haven't used anything else on my face since finding it. Facial moisturizer after a shower is a must! In case you're wondering: no, I don't sell it. I'm a cheerleader, not a salesperson.

6. I love to work out but hate to get sweaty. But you can't kickbox, salsa dance or do some Pilates moves without breaking a sweat. At least, I can't.

7. I always put on my left shoe first. Yes, I am a southpaw.

8. I can only eat Skittles and Gummy Bears in even numbers. I'm not sure why; I don't feel that way about M&M's. I eat those by the handful. :-)

9. Moose and I met on a blind date. We knew we completed each other right away.

10. I enjoy few female singers. Pink is one of them. I wish she would cover the song "My Redeemer Lives". I bet she'd rock it big time.

11. I could sit in a public place for hours and just 'people watch'. That, and make fun of how they dress. Which brings me to my next point (although I'm including it here rather than giving it its own place on this list): I haven't seen a person yet who can pull off skinny jeans. Not the super skinny girls, not the emo boys, and definitely not the fat chicks who think those jeans elongate their legs. Skinny jeans should be explunged from the fashion world.

12. I don't enjoy cooking. If I ever volunteer to make food for you, know that I think VERY highly of you.

13. I like to change my hair - a lot. Whatever color or style it was the last time you saw me, it won't look like that next time you see me.

14. I'm a detail person. I love the challenge of organizing big projects.

15. Cleaning is therapeutic for me.

16. I do not understand morning people. Perky & Awake don't open until 10-ish.

17. I believe traditional religion has made it difficult for people to connect with God.

18. I want to be in a Saturday Night Live sketch. And I want to anchor Weekend Update with Seth Meyers.

19. Driving fast and listening to loud rock music purges a lot of anger.

20. I am an extremely observant person about weird stuff like body language, symbolism, patterns, and my surroundings.

21. I was kicked off the cheerleading squad in high school for missing the first pep rally & game of the season and then lying about why. Lessons learned from that experience are still with me today. In fact, I've advised my boys many times in relation to lessons from that single event. Thank you, Mrs. O'Steen!

22. I've been in the delivery room with half a dozen friends when they had their babies. Being a mid-wife is a closet dream of mine.

23. I am a blend of serious and silly. I have two best friends; one of whom is more serious than I am; the other much funnier.

24. I'm half Italian and half Hungarian. The flags for both countries is red, white & green, but their colors run in different directions. I wonder if that says anything about my personality. Ha!

25. I love interviewing people (not in a brash, nosy kind of way) and I'd love to host my own talk show someday. Ellen Dengeneres is my favorite TV host, hands down.