Monday Madness- CARDINAL NATION!!!!

If you are in St. Louis, or just not living under a rock in the world of sports, you know I have only one thing to say this morning.....

SIT DOWN BREWERS!!!!! LET'S GO CARDS!!!!!!!!!


So excited the Cards are going to the World Series!


Yours, celebrating The Cardinal Nation,


Melissa

HELPING OTHERS…

While Melissa is away this weekend at a Song Writers Conference, I thought I’d let you know about a really easy way to help donate money, WITHOUT any expense to yourself, to several different causes. All by clicking your mouse!

Here are just a couple that are near and dear to our hearts at Karmel Publishing:

When you click on these sites, theirs sponsors donate money to their causes. There are also sites for:

• Hunger
• Breast Cancer
• Animals
• Veterans
• Literacy
• Rain Forest

It takes about 2 minutes to click on all 8 sites. They will even send you a reminder each day so you don’t forget! And while you’re there, the holidays are coming up and they have great shopping as well!!!

Thanks for taking a look.

Karen

FACING DILEMMAS

Every so often, we are faced with dilemmas that, as adults, we must decide what the right thing to do is. And many times, what may be the “right” thing isn’t always the easiest or even the best for everyone involved. (It’s really hard being a grown-up sometimes, isn’t it?)

Right now, I’m faced with 2 dilemmas. Both involve some degree of abuse, but one is towards a child and the other is towards an older adult. Not surprisingly, they are extremely similar in that I feel responsible for their safety and well being.

In the case of the child, any action I take could result in bad feelings toward me (best case scenario) to a family torn apart (worst case scenario). Or anything in between. It could be devastating for this family, who I consider friends. Oh, and one more thing. I could be wrong about what I suspect.

But I could be right. And wouldn’t I rather take action and be wrong than do nothing and have been right about my suspicions?

About my older adult friend, I know the situation here with absolute certainty. My fear with taking action is how my friend will feel. He trusts this person, and will see me as the bad guy. No problem, I can take that. But will it reinforce the relationship between him and the abuser even more? Will he see me as the one who doesn’t trust him and believe in him to make the right decisions? She’s building him up and trying to alienate him from his family and friends. Hopefully, he’s smarter than that.

Elder abuse and child abuse. Not really so different. The abuser picks on the weak and defenseless. It’s up to us to step up and protect those we love, and even those we just like, if that’s what it takes.

Karen

Monday Madness- Sit Down, Brewers!

Dear Milwaukee Brewers,


I've got to give mad props to Pujols, Carpenter, Thierot, Molina, Berkman and the rest of the BIRDS. I think you just might want to save face and stay home. See you at Busch for Game Three!

Love,

The Rally Squirrel

Sunday Thanks

Well now, it's Sunday. Which means I'm two days behind in Friday Fun. And if you read Wednesday's post, you know Karen is in denial.  We are completely on the ball, here at Karmel Publishing!  But you know what they say... "Wanna see God laugh? Tell him your plans!" That's been this past week. Remember last week when I wrote about "What Love Is?" Yeah... well, see the picture below for what happens when you run on sidewalks and not in the bike lane. UGH! I'm very thankful I did not face plant. My hands and knees caught it all.

I was slightly encouraged, however, in having Wednesday to myself as Webster cancels classes so that students and faculty may do volunteer work. (It's called Webster Works Worldwide.... the students get involved in some GREAT projects). I was stoked until Zoe came downstairs from the shower to have me check her head. Round TWO! It seems that our elementary school continues to combat head lice. UGH. It wasn't a re infestation- and NO, I'm not one of THOSE people in denial. So, because I was entirely overwhelmed, I did what any adult woman would do and I called my mother and cried. She came right over to help me sanitize the house, God bless her! While I did mega loads of laundry and combed and olive oiled and nix treated my child, she was scouring the kids' rooms because the even the THOUGHT of lice makes me do the willies dance. You know the one. It looks nothing like the happy dance. It more looks like I've got something unwanted crawling on my body and I'm shaking every single part of me in an effort to get it off!


The rest of the week was stacked. I did my long run on Saturday and went into work. Work this morning was a bit of a zoo, but it all came together just in time. Came home and YES! I got the fortunate task of unclogging the garbage disposal all while Lola was digging up the sprinkler spike in the backyard causing her to need a bath. Right after she chewed through both garden hoses. The fun never ends, here at the B house!


But you know what? It's still a wonderful life. It's full. It's crazy. Sometimes I think it might just drive me to drink one day. But given anywhere else in the world, even with all the frustrations, I still have it pretty stinkin' good.  I'll eat three times (or more.... it was a long run!) today. I have nice clothes, a family that loves me, a good job doing things I love, faithful friends... I'm a blessed woman.


And for that, I'm truly thankful.


Yours, counting them one by one,


Melissa

“THOSE” PEOPLE…

Isn’t it embarrassing when you realize you are one of “those” people? It doesn’t really matter what topic it is, or what the situation is, but suddenly you find yourself the one who would previously have been the target of your own ridicule. Or judgment. Or disgust.

I hate that!

So what to do? Do you become more tolerant of others? Or do you deny that you could EVER be as bad as those other people and keep your head in the clouds?

I like the “head in the clouds” bit! I mean, really, I am never the tacky dresser (white after labor day is acceptable if it’s still warm outside); I would never let my child run into the street without looking (I’m sure he DID look, but you were driving much too fast and he just didn’t have time to see you); I would never forget an appointment and not show up (maybe you should have given me a reminder call like everyone else does).

See, things are NOT MY FAULT!!! I am not one of “THOSE” people!

Whew, glad we got THAT cleared up!

Karen

 

Love Is....

If you read Friday's post, you know that I prefer to run in the bike lane of the road and not on the sidewalk.  My Saturday runs are my long runs. I had paced myself for my last really long run. On mile #10, a mile where I typically hit a bit of a wall and begin questioning my mental stability, I hear a voice behind me.


"What are you doing?!"


Startled out of my running reverie, I turn around to see my husband on his bike. You see, I always leave my run path written down for him in case I don't come back within a certain time period, he can come look for me. He waited until he knew I would be hitting a wall to come find me. Just to bring me some extra water. And a jacket in case I was cold. And to convince me to get out of the road. 


As it turns out, the very day I posted about running in the road and frustrating a small percentage of drivers, a young teen, training with his cross country team, was running too close to the line, stumbled and fell into oncoming traffic. Tragically, his injuries were fatal. After listening to my husband for 10 minutes- on that run, anyway, because he's been after me about it for about 3 months now- I decided I would get my feet out of the road. 


That's what Love does. It care enough about someone else to go take them water. And an extra shirt. To talk them through a tough spot. And harass them enough to change a habit for the better. And Love acquiesces to the better side of judgement, because she'd like to be around for a whole lot longer. 


Yours, wishing you someone who loves you enough,


Melissa