The Importance of Milestones

A friend recently shared with me the following quote from baseball great Satchel Paige:

 “How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?”

Since I've just celebrated a milestone birthday, I decided to ponder that question. I concluded that since I wouldn't have known then, what I know now—this is my best age. I've had the opportunity to do many wonderful things in my life, but nothing compares to the peace I feel today of being comfortable in my own skin. That doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement—there definitely is. There are many lessons I've learned over the years that contribute to my contentment at this stage of life. But there are areas of life that I want to work on in the next decade. And they all start with the letter “C.” With help from the definitions found in Dictionary.com and the New International Version of the Bible, here is my list:

•   Courage - To face difficulty without fear, and to not flinch in the midst of criticism.

I don’t want to be debilitated by my fears, but I want to face them and overcome them. I am reminded of the Bible verse in 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…”  To me, this means I should not rely on my own strength when faced with life’s challenges, but on the perfect love of God. 

            

 •   Compassion – To deeply feel for someone dealing with misfortune, with a strong desire to help their suffering.

It’s all too human to turn a blind eye to human suffering and to think its someone else’s problem and not mine. I want my eyes to be open and to be aware of those persons whose lives I can impact. Gal. 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

•   Creativity – To be inspired to generate new ideas and ways of expressing myself.

I am finding that in my “older years” I have more time to dream, be creative, and share those thoughts with others. If the Lord gives me time and the ability, there is an historical novel deep down inside waiting to be written.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

•   Connectedness – To develop new relationships and nurture existing ones with friends, family, and acquaintances. 

I want to see each person as having been placed in my life for a reason and a season. “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.” Ecclesiastes 4:9–12.   It’s my goal to connect and be connected with as many interesting and inspiring people as possible.

Please comment below if you would like to join me on my journey.

Make Friends with a Book

Joseph Brodsky—named United States Poet Laureate in 1991—wrote, “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.”  Brodsky was speaking from personal experience since he was raised in Russia during the Stalin era and was not allowed the freedom to distribute his writings.

A post on Facebook called “Surprising Book Facts” gives the following statistics:

• 33% of high school graduates never read another book during their lives.
• 70% of US adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
• 42% of college grads never read another book after college.
• 80% of US families did not buy or read a book last year.

Do you think that explains why graduation rates and test scores are at an all-time low?

Contrast those stats with another article I saw on the Internet with the headline Sandvoort, Guyana. The closest library to this South American village was a long two mile walk away. Most school age children had never read a book and the teachers used the “chalk and talk” method for their teaching. In a village where most families can barely afford toothpaste, the desire for learning is so great that villagers are using sweat equity to build a local library. Everyone is pitching in by donating their spare time to construct the building, shelve donated books, and cook meals for the workers. The children in that village will now be exposed to a whole new world of opportunities through their reading. 

I know the ways we receive information in the U.S. is changing due to the technology revolution, but we need to encourage our families to read. All authors, including me, want to know that people will read the words that we are inspired to write. An unknown author has said, “A good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend.”  So pick up a good book and read.

ere’s a suggestion:  Born Three Times-A New Life, A New Liver, A New Love.

http://www.amazon.com/Born-Three-Times-Life-Liver/dp/1462403875/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390853072&sr=1-1&keywords=Born+Three+Times

My Canadian Connection

My sister, Audrey, has served as our family historian and genealogist for many years.  I recently received from her a voluminous stack of documents that record her work researching the origins of our family back to the mid 1600’s and mid 1700’s.  What a fascinating read to discover all those who lived and died on my mother’s and father’s sides of the family. It is a record of hard working, industrious men and women who struggled through life with a lot fewer resources than I have today. Many dealt with the same health issues that I have had and it makes me grateful for the blessings of modern medicine. Neither my sister nor I would be alive today if we had lived in “the good old days.” Many had a strong faith in God that allowed them to survive and thrive in spite of life’s circumstances and I am the inheritor of that legacy.

My family tree on both sides has been traced back to Canada. I was raised in a small town close to the Canadian border in upstate New York. When my ancestors moved there, New York was not yet a state and the lands were populated by the Mohawk Indians. France and the Catholic Church controlled the Canadian provinces. The need for arable farm land and timber drove my ancestors from French controlled lands into what would become The North Country of upstate New York. The bitter cold winters and short growing season presented many challenges to be overcome in order to survive in that area.

I moved from that area further south in New York State when I was six years old to the Rochester, New York area near Lake Ontario across from Toronto, Canada. This past year, my oldest son, Stuart, accepted a position with the Bank of Montreal, with headquarters in Toronto. I visited his family before Christmas and was reminded again of my Canadian roots. Yes, the Polar Vortex is alive and well in Canada, but Toronto stays somewhat warmer than much of the country because it is on Lake Ontario. Nevertheless, it was very cold, windy, and snowy, and a true test of character every time we walked to the subway station or to a store. My granddaughter, Marcella, helped me navigate the icy streets. I borrowed a coat from my daughter-in-law so I wouldn’t turn into a Popsicle and promptly ordered a “puffer” coat to have for future visits. I hope to visit next time in July so that I can enjoy the brief, but beautiful Canadian summer.

We’ve all heard the saying “What goes around, comes around.” I can truly say that my life that began with strong Canadian roots has come full circle. 

Read more about my growing up years near the Canadian border in my memoir, Born Three Times-A New Life, A New Liver, A New Love. It is available in soft cover and Kindle formats at Amazon.com:   http://www.amazon.com/Born-Three-Times-Life-Liver-ebook/dp/B00A3UBK9C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389722852&sr=1-1&keywords=Born+Three+Times

A Clean Slate

ü  A new Word document  

ü  A blank calendar

ü  A fresh blog post

ü  An empty journal or diary

ü  An unopened flash drive

All waiting to be filled with words, dates, memories, and files—A New Year filled with choices, actions, resolutions, goals, and efforts.
  
Like you, I ask myself, “What will 2014 bring and what will I do during the next 365 days?” According to my calculation that is 8,760 hours; 525,600 minutes; 31,536,000 seconds. If I sleep one-third of my allotted hours, the remaining 5,840 hours or 16 hours each day await my imprint.

Some of those hours will be filled with office work, housework, food prep, and unexpected interruptions. Quantity time with my husband, family, and friends will be a priority as well as quality time with God through prayer, church attendance, and service to others. 

I start a new year with a clean slate when it comes to my writing. Writing 24 blogs in 2014 is daunting when I have an idea for only one. Most of my blog topics come to me from events or circumstances in my life. I  always look for a good quote or inspiration from an article or spot on TV. So far I have written 40 blogs with the self-imposed deadline of two each month. When you read and comment, I am encouraged to keep on posting.

My big project for the year is writing Charles’ life story. He has already given me pages of memories that I will massage and rework into a memoir that will be an inspiration to many. Like it was for me, writing his life story is a time of reflection on many events—some of which he would prefer not to relive. However writing my memoir, Born Three Times­­­­–A New Life, A New Liver, A New Love, proved to be a very therapeutic experience.

You, too, have a story to tell and I encourage you to take the time to find a way to record your memories for your future generations. It would be a good way to use some of your time in 2014 to bless other people. 

Let's fill our clean slates in 2014 with words and actions that will honor God and bless others along the way. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.”

Happy New Year

Frieda Dixon

Too Two Late Bloomers

 

An Orange Grove Parable

Spiritual insight can come from many places this time of year. Mine came in early November when Charles and I were heading home from our Florida vacation. The billboard on I-75 displayed pictures of beautiful citrus fruit with the invitation to take the next exit and pick your own. We are always eager to try something different so we followed the signs to a weather worn barn with green fruit displayed in bins. I was really surprised not to see orange colored navels and tangerines, and yellow grapefruit. The proprietor assured us that the displayed fruit was ripe, and that it only turns orange or yellow when exposed to cold temperatures, or sprayed with ethylene gas. I was not convinced, so we grabbed a ten pound mesh bag to fill on our own. We were given a word of caution, “You can pick fruit from any tree in the orchard, except the ones wrapped in crime scene tape.” 

We trekked into the orchard to find the low hanging fruit. Sure enough most of it was green, but a few tangerines and oranges looked better than the others and gave way when we gave them a gentle tug. Then we saw them, orange trees wrapped in yellow crime scene tape and covered with orange fruit. Those trees must have been exposed to cold air or gassed in anticipation of being sent to market. Like a little kid, I couldn’t stay away from those trees. I wanted to fill up my mesh bag with that fruit. With the proprietor's warning ringing in my ears, I dutifully continued to pull green fruit, but kept looking at the forbidden orange fruit in the middle of the orchard. 
 
Back on the road, it hit me. The account in Genesis of the first sin possibly took place in a fruit orchard. We all know the story of how Adam and Eve were told by God they could eat of any tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. God warned Adam if you eat of the forbidden fruit, you will die. And we know the rest of the story. Eve listed to the serpent, ignored God’s warning, and ate of the forbidden tree—then gave the fruit to Adam. The first sin entered into the world and people have been dealing with their sinful nature ever since.

Over two thousand years ago, God took on the form of a human baby, and came into our world for one purpose—to die in our place as the perfect sacrifice for our sinful nature. We can be forgiven of our sins and receive eternal life if we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. That is the real reason for the Christmas season and something to celebrate all year long.

Have a blessed Christmas.

 

Off the Beaten Path

While we were at the beach in Florida, we could only take so much sun, sand, and surf without burning and blistering our pale skin.  So we scanned the tour guides looking for adventures off the beaten path.  Something different to do so that we could say, “Remember that vacation to Florida when we …….”  Charles picked out one activity and I got to choose another. 

Ever since I first saw one, I’ve wanted to try a Segway—the personal electric balancing transportation machine you ride standing up.  I was nervous when I called to inquire about the price and how much skill would be required to take the Segway tour.  I knew I could no longer balance on a bicycle, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself by falling off a Segway.  I said, “I am a senior adult and I’m not sure I can do this.”  The voice on the other end was encouraging, “My best customers are senior adults.  I will train you until you are comfortable.”

It was a slow tourist day in Clearwater Beach and Charles and I were the only two who showed up for the Segway tour. Our tour guide, Fred, worked with us in the parking lot until we got the hang of the machine. A real no brainer- lean forward, machine moves forward, lean backward, machine stops-lean to the left and lean to the right whenever a turn is required. Our seven mile tour on an absolutely gorgeous Florida day was a thrill. We rode past the beach and onto the causeway built for non-motorized transportation over the high bridge overlooking the beautiful bay.  The bottle sharks and dolphins frolicked in the water while we watched from the bridge.  The egrets and pelicans dove into the water for their mid-day meal. We rode down the bridge and toured the historic section of Clearwater Beach seeing the100 year-old mansions that were the winter homes for wealthy industrialists from the northern states.  Riding a Segway is the best way to tour a new place, and I won’t hesitate to do it again. 

Charles’ describes his ride in the Sky Surfing Flying Tricycle. “I have piloted or flown in almost all types of aircraft except the Flying Tricycle, and I really enjoyed the ride with Dane in the Sky Surfer. Being an aerodynamics engineer I had to think at least twice before going. However, the "Sky Surfing" Flying Tricycle appealed to me because it has a well proven Delta Wing. I spent an enjoyable hour during the scenic tour of Clearwater Beach and the nearby islands.”

These two late bloomers won’t forget our Florida adventures any time soon and look forward to our next opportunity to cross something off our “bucket list.”  Zip-line here we come.

The Rhinestone Hospital

Our Florida beach vacation was just what the doctored ordered.  Rest, relax, eat out, and leave all our cares back home. We spent four glorious days in Clearwater Beach with a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico from our hotel. The weather was perfect and the Gulf crystal clear with very little surf. It was overcast and cooler on Friday morning as we packed up for the drive home.  Valdosta, GA was our destination to spend the night to break up the long drive.

About the time we got to Valdosta, I started getting the chills and shaking so hard it was impossible to get warm.  Charles heated up bath towels in the room microwave and wrapped me up like a mummy. With Tylenol and lots of prayer I made it through the long night and the miserable drive back to Acworth. 

I had no idea what was wrong with me or why my fever was almost 104 degrees, until my right leg started to swell, burn, and turn bright red.  At the Kennestone Hospital emergency room, it was soon determined that I had cellulitis caused by a bacterial infection which left untreated could prove to be deadly. I was admitted to the hospital so that treatment with high-powered IV antibiotics could begin.  The memories of sun, sand, and surf quickly faded only to be replaced by needles, nurses, and no-sleep. 

Watching TV and checking my email on my Smartphone was my main form of entertainment while I was confined to my hospital bed. Early one morning, I received an email from a friend who asked me to critique a story she wanted to submit.  I managed to reply (not easy with hands hooked up to IV tubing) that I was in Kennestone Hospital being treated for Cellulitis. The Android operating system for my phone did not like my reply one bit and decided to fix my ignorant statement with its auto-correct feature.  In its infinite wisdom, Android replied to my friend, “I’m in Rhinestone Hospital being treated for Cellulite.”

Once I realized what happened, I started laughing and couldn’t quit. It was 5 AM and I’m in my room laughing my head off. If a nurse had shown up, she would have called the men in white coats for sure. In my mind I was off to an exotic and expensive fat farm, eating rabbit food, and undergoing liposuction treatments for my dimpled, lumpy skin. If laughter is good medicine, then I improved my chances of recovery every time I thought about it. 

Reality soon hit with the shift change and the fresh deluge of nurses, aides, and doctors and the overhead bright lights so that everybody could check my progress. I recalled one of the lines Glenn Campbell sang from his hit song, The Rhinestone Cowboy. “But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me.”

After my two weeks in the spotlight, I am almost recovered and according to my scales, still carrying around way too much cellulite.