Snow!

Typically in Kentucky January and February are dreary, cloudy and cold months.  They are long and like walking through taffy to get to spring.  This year a winter polar blast has come to visit.  We are in the midst of very cold days and snow!  True to form, people are starting to grouse and wish this six-week visitor would pack its ice cycles and go home.

Beyond the initial mess these winter storms bring, the road crews have done well to get the streets cleared so being out and about lends an opportunity to experience the winter wonder land.  It’s amazing to see the sleeves of ice icy2coating each little limb and stem of the trees and shrubs.  I feel for our old pine tree with the burden of ice that pulls the branches downward from its 60 feet height.  But the sun is out today and is helping to melt away some of that load.  No doubt the strength of 20 plus years will sustain our wooden friend.  The sunshine is probably the great redeemer in this long winter visitor.  If you followed our dog around all day you would know the places in the house that the beams of light invade and remind us that warmth is available.

Yes, warmth is available and more is on its way.  In the next few weeks, whether Mr. Winter has departed or not, the early spring flowers will begin their reign and the seasonal tug-of-war will begin.  I like to think that right icynow beneath inches of snow and ice, my flowers are sleeping and building their strength.  Their time will come and when it does those beautiful and graceful buds will burst through whatever lays above.

Weather is wonderfully unpredictable.  But we can count on the seasons to change.  We can count on the snow and ice to melt and spring to arrive.  It will show up in all its color and glory.  Keep watching for it, but don’t miss the beauty that has beaten the winter doldrums.

All the best,

KK

Rushing Retail

Fair_volleyball_wingsDecember 26th I passed a Valentine display at Wal-Mart.  It gave me a frustrated pause.  We live in this world of being never satisfied, wanting instant gratification, and rushing to the next thing.  Any chance those in retail encourage and promote this mindset?  There are entire Seasonal sections of big box stores.   These sections are the gateway to the buyer not being happy in the moment.  What’s coming up next?

It is our responsibility to control how much we let outside forces like advertising, email and other social media control our time.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about planning when it’s pertinent to my priorities and not because Hallmark thinks I need to purchase cards and candy six weeks early.  What do you do to not let these outside messages take over your time and day-planner?

All the best,

KK

“Weather” or Not

I love that weather is only somewhat predictable.  The meteorologists do their best with their fancy technology — 3D Doppler RADARs and layered mapping.  But still there are times when they just can’t predict the weather 100%.  There are so many factors that are in play with weather.  It’s not just what is coming from the sky, it’s the typography of the area, air temperature, wind on the ground as well.

While weather can be predicted and many people can be warned to take cover, weather can not be controlled.  I love that weather is one part of creation that man can’t touch or control.

Just a thought,

KK

Are you up for the test?

When I have meetings at the Kentucky Shakespeare office in downtown Louisville (Kentucky), I like to park in the open-air pay lot across the street. First of all, I don’t like parking garages and secondly, the man who runs it is friendly. It’s obvious he’s an ordinary guy, doing his best to make a living.

Recently, I pulled in and there was another gentleman in the booth. This time my meeting was the Fund for the Arts board meeting. After the meeting, I was pulling up to the booth to pay I pulled out my wallet to find that I had a large bill. Please note that I don’t make a habit of carrying large denominations. So I pulled forward and the gentleman checks my ticket and tells me it will be $4.50. And so begins my inquiry as to whether he could “break” a large bill.parking booth

He immediately said “no”. All I had on me in change was two dollars. So I implored him to let me just run to the bank and I would come back with money to pay him. He hesitated. I promised. I gave him the two dollars I had and emphatically promised to be back in 10 minutes. He relented. I went to the bank and was back in the time frame.

When I pulled in the same gentleman opened the metal booth door and smiled. “You are an honest person,” he said. I handed him a $10 dollar bill. “I didn’t believe you would come back.” With that he handed me change as if I’d given him $20. After quickly checking my bank envelope, I handed the money back explaining his error. He chuckled, “I was just testin’ ya.”

Enough tests for one day. I drove away thinking that in reality, he was probably a little challenged by the money math. I was also glad to be the honest example for the day.

Have you found yourself in situations like this? Has your character been tested?

All the best,
KK

Closing November

Before we turn our complete attention toward Christmas let’s look at the difference between thankfulness and gratefulness.  I used them interchangeably in the last six posts. They are synonymous.  One difference is that in the definition of thankfulness uses the term “aware and appreciative”; whereas the definition of gratefulness only has “appreciative of benefit” – a little fun with words.

Let me encourage you to continue to be appreciative each day and take notice (be aware) of all there is for which to be thankful.  Thankfulness can be an attitude, but it can also be an action.

Take action, be thankful.

All the best,

KK

 

I Caved…

So you know I feel strongly about giving Thanksgiving its due honor.  I do.  Our lives can get so cluttered that we don’t slow down often enough to give thanks.  In protecting this 24-hour vigil of gratefulness, typically I don’t listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving.  Let’s face it, Christmas music the day after Halloween is a plot by retailers to get us shopping early and often (just ask Lucy from the Peanuts).

Well, this year I caved.  The second week of November I was flipping radio stations and there was one of my favorites was playing, “What Child is This?” – such a wonderful melodic song describing the gentleness of our Savior.  I was drawn in and then I was hooked.   So many of the Christmas songs are as praiseful as many of the worship songs we sing in Church.

Sunday in church we had a guest worship leader, Michael O’Brien, an outstanding pianist and man of God.  The pre-Thanksgiving michael oChristmas music listening slope steepened when I found out that his Christ-mas CD was available.  UUUGGGHHH.  Let’s face it, I didn’t have a chance, there was no going back.  The CD is great, and full of Christ-centered music that celebrates His arrival.  Check out all of Michael’s music at www.michaelo.org (free shipping).

True confessions, my iphone, ipod and ipad are now fully loaded with Christmas music.  You will find me in traffic (when alone in my car) singing at the top of my lungs as if I’m right there with the likes of Margaret Cloud while she sings one of my other favorites, “Oh Holy Night” or with Whitney Houston singing “Little Drummer Boy.”  Ok, full confession is that when I’m alone cleaning (or cooking) it’s the whole singing and dancing thing.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, be grateful for the joy that music brings and the transformational message of Christmas.

All the best,

KK

P.S. — The Christmas movies stay in the box until the 29th!  I think.  I’m going to try…

Reading Your Way Across America

books across america

Since June I have been in a reading slump.  My favorite authors haven’t published anything recently and the books I’ve started I can’t seem to get into.  This feels something similar to worse case of writer’s block a person could have.  I tried reading through first novels but got hung up on a really bad first novel from a Kentucky author.  There is restlessness in my soul that is a longing to be taken away to another time and place by a novelist’s ability to make today disappear and paint pictures of places I’ve never been.   I want to become friends with the hero and get frustrated with the villain.  You know the feeling when you finish a good book and the next day you are wondering what the characters are up to only to realize they are gone.

I found this list that intrigued me.  This is a list of books that are set in each state.  Many of these books I have already read; others I think I may try just to scratch this itch.  It’s important for writers to read.  Really, it’s important for everyone to read.

Who is your favorite author?  Any suggestions?

Missing a good read,

 

KK

Sniffin’ It Out

Most of the time these days we are on sensory overload.  The sights, sounds, new tastes (however made up the flavors sound) and smells can overwhelm our senses.  Consider one of them for a moment: the sense of smell.  Smells can be a powerful leader sense that can tell a cautionary tale, stir up other senses (smell a lemon and your mouth will water), or transport us to another time and place (the smell of paste).  Below is a list of items (feel free to add to the list in a comment) that could have powerful memories, or create some other sensory response.  What do you think?

  1. Box of Crayons
  2. Pencils
  3. Markers
  4. Books
  5. Fraternity house
  6. Tequila
  7. Roses (what color do you picture when you think of the aroma?)
  8. A church building
  9. A school
  10. A locker room
  11. Grandmother
  12. Grandfather
  13. A bathroom
  14. A puppy
  15. A baby

Look forward to hearing from you.

KK

Consider the Weather…

Outside my window right now is a thunderstorm.  It’s one of those that come from a cold front and warm front colliding and the laws of nature duel.   The thunder rumbles through your soul.  Searching the sky for the next strike of lightning can be unnerving – no way to predict.

Weather can be planned for, but no man can control it.  How refreshing to experience something that we don’t have to control or schedule.  Even planning for what a meteorologist predicts is rarely completely accurate.  They do their best, but weather isn’t something God calls profits to.  How wonderful it is it to experiencing something completely surrendered to God’s hand as weather?

After the storm passes, many times the morning brings a calm spirit among nature and clean air settles in.  Whatever damage has been left behind, may cause grief and pain, but also provides the opportunity for a fresh start.

duck 2Consider our friends Canadian Geese – I love the fact that the population has invaded their waterways and land and they just go about their business.  They take full advantage of our gardens to bed down a nest, puddles and drainage ditches full from rain or even traffic doesn’t bother their daily routine.  Love it!  They have no sense of time what they need to do to fulfill their needs of the day.

To have such focus on the important things.

Think about it,
KK

What Will You Complain About Today?

 You’ve heard me share about how exhausting high-drama people can be.  UUUGGGHHH.  But recently, I’ve imagesCAP8EZ81wondered more about whiny people – complainers. Why are these people so discontent?  Why is nothing ever good enough?  The next question in my mind is, it they had the opportunity to design their day’s activities, weather and interactions to their liking, would they really like it?  Or would they not even know how to survive such a day?

Just a thought…

KK