I Have Enough Ice

When my ice maker is full, I remove some of the ice so that the icemaker can continue to produce. I store it in a ziploc bag in the freezer so that we will have plenty of ice.

Don't you hate it on a particularly hot afternoon when you go to fill your cup with ice and there isn't any? Maybe the house is full of guests, or it is just summer. Give me ice and plenty of it. I don't like to run out.

Yesterday, I went to the freezer and noted that the bin was indeed full. Then I noticed that there was already a full ziploc of ice cubes. Then I thought about the two large bags of ice in the large freezer in the garage. (Left over from the block party this weekend.)

I have enough ice.

Believe it or not, I almost felt guilty for not allowing my icemaker to continue to produce at full capacity. Like having that ability to produce and not doing so was somehow wrong.

Then it hit me.

I am my icemaker!

I do the very same thing with myself. No matter how much I produce, if I have the ability to produce more...I feel compelled to do so.

Maybe that's what the Psalmist was addressing in Psalm 46:10 when he wrote "Be still, and know that I am God;" Another translation says "Cease striving".

Cease striving. What a concept. I don't think this is a command to park under a tree and wait for animals to arrive with your daily bread. God has a pretty clear record of requiring labor. Second Thessalonians 3:10 says "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." He wants us to work, be productive, work hard even..but not to STRIVE. Give up that frenetic attitude that insists that you be producing output from the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning until your eyelids refuse to stay open at night.

Know that God is God.

Live prudently, but give up that knot in your stomach. Do your level best, but leave what you can't control to God.

You control less than you think.

No Alaska This Year....

Okay, so...while we were in Mexico we played quite a bit of beach volleyball. During the last game in what can only be described as a Herculean (yet failed) attempt to return a volley my right foot landed in an awkward position.

Since then my ankle has been bothering me. I've taken Advil and worn a neoprene ankle brace. I've attempted to continue training although I did skip my long run this past weekend.

Finally today (2.5 weeks later) I decided I should go get an Xray. The official line is that my ankle is sprained. The doctor told me to not run for two weeks. If it isn't better in 8 days we'll be doing an MRI and I'm wearing quite an impressive brace.

The two week break in training is enough to make it impossible for me to come back and run in Alaska in June.

I actually wept when the doctor told me.

Next: Google to find a half marathon in August.

More Soon.

"Edged, Mulched, Beds"

Mother's Day weekend 2003 my son (who was three years old at the time) and I ended up spending the weekend at my mom's house. My husband and 2nd grade daughter were out of town for a chess tournament.

My mom and dad had bought an old victorian home and had been working to restore it for a number of years. The focus thus far had been on the homes interior, so nothing had really been done in the yard except mowing the grass. We decided that we would rent a tiller and create edged, mulched beds around her house.

Keep in mind that May in Texas is getting pretty darn hot. Also, remember that 2 weeks later my Mom would be diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. She certainly already had the cancer and wasn't feeling stellar...but we hadn't gotten the bad news yet.

It was hard, hot work. We rented a not big enough tiller (because it was all that was left). We set a timer so we would remember to drink water because we would get lightheaded. It was an all day job. In fact, it was a two day job.

Several times I would find Momma trimming shrubs. "Momma! Our goal this weekend is edged, mulched beds." I knew that if we didn't focus on getting that done, we would come to the end of the weekend and all we would have in the yard was a mess.

I redirected her several times.... "Edged, mulched beds Momma!" Fortunately for me she was good natured about being redirected by her daughter.

By Sunday afternoon we indeed had edged, mulched beds. We even put some flowers into some clay pots and placed them around in attractive places. What a feeling of accomplishment that was!

Besides the feeling of accomplishment, think of the rest of the story.

Two weeks later we would learn that Momma had terminal cancer. I will always remember that weekend working with my Mom. It was really the last thing we did together completely untouched by Cancer. Many times over the next year Mom would sit out on her wraparound porch and look at those flowers and enjoy her yard. If we hadn't stayed focused and accomplished our goal that weekend, Momma might likely have been looking out onto an unfinished mess.

So, I ask you... What are your edged, mulched beds today? What one thing could you accomplish today or this week that would make a positive impact on your life? How could you stay more focused and not start trimming the hedges?

More Soon.

The Law of Gravity on Vacation

Apparently two passengers fell from their balcony on the Grand Princess this weekend.

According to the CNN report, "Coast guard officials 'found the man nude in the water' ". What on earth were they doing out on that balcony?

A word to the wise: Gravity still works on vacation. Be careful out there.

Life is Very Good

I really do have a blessed life. I've been thinking about this post for quite some time. I have hesitated to write it because I am sorely aware that some of the things for which I am most thankful might be sensitive areas.

It isn't my desire to offend anyone, or hurt anyone's feelings - only to express thanks.

I get to be a mom. Not only do I get to be a mom, but I get to be Mom to really truly two of the greatest kids ever. My kids are kind and thoughtful, not to mention really smart. We've been blessed to be able to provide them a really great education that we feel confident will allow them a solid foundation on which to build a successful life.

I have great parents. Just like all parents, I'm sure they made it up as they went along. They love(ed) us very much. If you've read my blog for long, you know that my mother passed away in June of 2004. Even during her illness I was blessed. I live close enough to my parents that I was able to be a part of her care and a support to my Daddy. Now I'm blessed that I get to have Jean (my Daddy's new wife) be a part of my family.

I get to be self-employed. For 18 years now, Philip and I have operated Legacy Travel. The travel agency industry has undergone huge changes in this 18 years and we've enjoyed every bit of it.

I still get to have fun. Even with 18 years in this industry, I'm having more fun now than ever. Late last year I launched Wild Travel Deals. I am forever fascinated by the wild guesswork scientific process involved in promoting specials to a nationwide audience.

I get to have a great husband. Philip is a brilliant visionary, although I don't often give him enough credit. He is a great dad and I there isn't anyone I would rather enjoy these blessings with.

I go to a great Church. For over 10 years I've been a member at Fellowship Bible Church North. With a church background like mine, I am forever fascinated and grateful for the focus on staying relevant to today's culture. I never knew Church could be so great. Not only the larger Church body, but I've been a part of the same small group (a "LifeGroup") for almost as long as I've been at Fellowship. These people are my larger family. I love them.

I could go on forever. I get to travel, I have a great home, great friends. I have a friend in my life who has known me since I was 12 years old, knows every horrible thing about me and for some reason loves me anyway.

I am also acutely aware that tides can quickly turn. It all comes from the hand of God. The greatness and the sorrow. Job 2:10 says "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

I almost hate to publish this post. It's almost as if I'm asking for trouble. I don't want any sorrow, but if it comes, I know that God has allowed it and that He'll provide me a way through it.

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. - Lin Yutang

The beach bed may well be one of the best inventions so far in the 21st century. I'm trying to figure out how to have one built in my back yard. I'm not sure it will be the same without someone bringing me snacks, meals and drinks though.

We gave Trey full freedom at the resort to check himself in and out of the kids program. There were six or seven boys his age at the resort and they ran together like a pack of dogs. This picture was late afternoon when he ran up to our beach bed and asked if he could have another strawberry slushie.


This was the view from our beach bed the 2nd day. We had a different one each day. Philip woke up at about 7am each morning and relocated to a beach bed. Even though there were many beach beds and the Azul is a small resort, an early effort was required to get a really good one.


So, we had a great time and we have even more insight to share with our clients about this resort.

More Later.

We're Home!

I'm sure I'll write more later, but for now suffice to say that it was a great trip!

Version 1.0

Okay, so here's what I'm trying for now.

When I send out an email special I'm going to include the following:

1)The special itself, with a link to more details.
2)A quote of some kind. (It just wouldn't be from me if it didn't have a quote.)
3) A travel tip. (For instance, I sent one tonight to my subscribers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. The tip is to put an old fashioned clothespin in your toiletry kit so that you can use it to close that tiny slit that seems to always let the light through the curtain in the morning. This way you'll sleep later on vacation.)

We'll see how that works.

So, what do you want?

One of my objectives right now is to increase the number of subscriptions to our opt in email list. I'm doing various things toward that end. For one thing, I've made it easier on each of the websites to sign up.

I've also started sending out specials to the members of the list. The challenge is that I've got list members in almost all of the fifty states. I clearly can't send the same email to everyone. This makes it time consuming, to say the least.

What I'm struggling with tonight is that when I send out specials, I also want to have the specials be part of an email that people will enjoy receiving. I want to perhaps include some travel news, maybe something humorous. I also don't want it to be too long, because who wants to get a long email?

One thought I just had is that perhaps in these early attempt I will include a request for suggestions.

Speaking of suggestions, do you have any?

"Four More Days to Mex-A-Co, Do Da, Do Da"

(To the tune of "Camptown Ladies")

Yes, that's right, I'm headed back to Mexico on Friday. Why should I be so excited? I mean, this will be my third trip there within a month. I've slept almost as many nights in Mexico during the last 4 weeks as I have in my own bed.

I am so excited this time because I get to go with my family! In fact, my Mother in Law, Father in Law and Sister in Law will be coming as well. We have such a great time when we travel together. I especially love it when we go to an all inclusive together because my sweet mother in law doesn't have to fuss around worrying about preparing and cleaning up food. Even when we're at my house she fusses about food.

Bama, stop it! :-) (Love you)

Anyway, we're staying at the Azul Beach Resort. I started packing yesterday. I have pool toys, sand toys, a football and sunscreen. That's about all we'll need, right?

Ii actually ate dinner at the Azul Beach a week ago Saturday. It's a beautiful resort and I can't wait to get there. There is a playground right on the beach. There are also numerous beach beds lining the shore. Look for my husband on a beach bed, my kids in the water and me somewhere in between.

More Later.

Has it Really Been a Whole Week?

I just looked up and realized it's been a week since I've posted. While I don't think anyone out there is hanging on my every word, I know how disappointing it can be to pull up someone's blog and find the same entry day after day after day.

About that, sorry.

Triskaidekaphobic much?

(Triskaidekaphobia is a fear of the number 13.)



Apparently some travelers were uncomfortable with the Brussels Airlines logo on the tail of the jet. It was made up of 13 dots. The airline has since added another dot to the logo.

Good Grief.