Friday, August 21, 2015
Find....
As a Mom of 5 and Grandma of 17 I have endeavored to find a way of being an example and encouragement to my family.
At the age of 17 I had both legs broken in a car accident and at the age of 59 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The memories of these times for years brought memories of dark times and the "assurance" of doctors that there were many things I would never be able to do.
After an ankle surgery to correct some complications from those many years before, my husband and I began to walk.
Several months later I took the challenge to walk 60 miles in 3 days for breast cancer. WOW...what a find!!!! All of a sudden at the age of 64 I had a way to show my kids and grandkids that "Age Doesn't Matter" and to turn the dark memories to joy and thanksgiving. The JOY of having life and the THANKS that I can walk to bring HOPE to others!!
Whatever your challenge in life, don't give up, but look to find the thing to bring light to your darkness and hope to someone else.Five Minute Friday...Find
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
CHALLENGES
I have decided that there is something within me that rises up and says, "ME, ME, Me!" when a challenge arises. Was I always like that?? I really don't think so. I think as I have gotten older I have gained that "I CAN DO THAT" spirit more each year.
Is that a good thing?? My opinion is YES, because as I consider the challenges I have taken on, have been mainly HEALTH oriented.
My new favorite montra is:
"DON'T TELL ME THE SKY IS THE LIMIT WHEN THERE ARE FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON"...Paul Brandt
My first challenge I found on the web sight of my Weight Watchers a couple years ago. A challenge to "get off the couch" and walk 250 miles in 3 months. I turned to my husband and said, "We could do this!!"
Now there was no prize, no recognition, just the knowledge that "I took the challenge and completed it." Well, that was enough for me, so I ordered pedometers and we began counting steps and miles.
At the end of that 3 month time, we had logged 500+ miles which was like a WOW factor to my soul!!
I had never thought of myself as an athlete but now I was realizing that my heart held the desire to prove that I could accomplish some pretty cool things.
About that I time I read about a man who had purchased a set of walking sticks and walked ACROSS the U.S. and then inside the boundary of EVERY state in the continental United States. Jim had recently retired and I suggested to him that, "WE CAN DO THAT! Let's walk across the United States."
He was getting a bit worried about my state of mind until I explained that I would buy a MAP of the United States and we would trek it by means of miles logged. THAT sounded do-able and our adventure began. To keep the adventure exciting and to get others involved, I set with my address book and GPS and measured the distance to the homes of family and friends. We made 'virtual' visits to people we had not seen in years!!! We arrived in Erie, PA one evening to 'share a dish of ice cream with our daughter and family!!! :)
It was in the midst of this incredible journey that I signed up for the adventure of a lifetime. I registered in February of 2013 for my first 3Day..60 Mile Walk for Breast Cancer. I had just reached a milestone in my life and took the challenge for several reasons. One being to prove to myself and to show my kids and grandkids that age need NOT be the measure by which your challenges and adventures are planned.
I had lived for years with the complications of having compound fractures in both legs as a teenager and the voices of doctors and others telling me "you can't do that." After an ankle surgery I was now celebrating walking further than I had in years.
Also 6 years earlier I had come through surgery and radiation as a Cancer survivor.
I claimed the 3Day as 60 Miles of celebration of life and the ability to walk. Also it was an opportunity to honor and give hope to many others who had fought and won and others who had lost their battles with the big 'C'.
So with a heart filled with THANKSGIVING, I joined approximately 1200 other walkers in Seattle for 60 of the most amazing miles I could have ever walked. The hills rang with the stories, faces were drenched with tears and smiles stretched for miles as hundreds of walkers shared their challenges and nursed their blisters on the trails. Each soul held their individual reason for making the walk.
At the end of the 3 days we walked as a group into a stadium filled with friends and loved ones who had cheered us on and provided words of encouragement and love when needed. It is impossible to voice the emotions and feelings of fulfillment those last few minutes brought to culmination. Suffice for me say that those 3 Days, the weeks of preparation (1100 miles walked) and the hundreds of people I met and stories I learned have change my life forever.
Let me share with you the one lesson I learned and the LIFETIME CHALLENGE I have given myself and would love to share with you.
"Each day choose to SLOW DOWN for a few moments and LISTEN to that person you find in your life for that moment."
Your life will be enriched beyond measure as you give that small piece of your day to another.
I would love to hear your story!!
Is that a good thing?? My opinion is YES, because as I consider the challenges I have taken on, have been mainly HEALTH oriented.
My new favorite montra is:
"DON'T TELL ME THE SKY IS THE LIMIT WHEN THERE ARE FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON"...Paul BrandtMy first challenge I found on the web sight of my Weight Watchers a couple years ago. A challenge to "get off the couch" and walk 250 miles in 3 months. I turned to my husband and said, "We could do this!!"
Now there was no prize, no recognition, just the knowledge that "I took the challenge and completed it." Well, that was enough for me, so I ordered pedometers and we began counting steps and miles.
At the end of that 3 month time, we had logged 500+ miles which was like a WOW factor to my soul!!
I had never thought of myself as an athlete but now I was realizing that my heart held the desire to prove that I could accomplish some pretty cool things.
About that I time I read about a man who had purchased a set of walking sticks and walked ACROSS the U.S. and then inside the boundary of EVERY state in the continental United States. Jim had recently retired and I suggested to him that, "WE CAN DO THAT! Let's walk across the United States."
He was getting a bit worried about my state of mind until I explained that I would buy a MAP of the United States and we would trek it by means of miles logged. THAT sounded do-able and our adventure began. To keep the adventure exciting and to get others involved, I set with my address book and GPS and measured the distance to the homes of family and friends. We made 'virtual' visits to people we had not seen in years!!! We arrived in Erie, PA one evening to 'share a dish of ice cream with our daughter and family!!! :)
It was in the midst of this incredible journey that I signed up for the adventure of a lifetime. I registered in February of 2013 for my first 3Day..60 Mile Walk for Breast Cancer. I had just reached a milestone in my life and took the challenge for several reasons. One being to prove to myself and to show my kids and grandkids that age need NOT be the measure by which your challenges and adventures are planned.
I had lived for years with the complications of having compound fractures in both legs as a teenager and the voices of doctors and others telling me "you can't do that." After an ankle surgery I was now celebrating walking further than I had in years.
Also 6 years earlier I had come through surgery and radiation as a Cancer survivor.
I claimed the 3Day as 60 Miles of celebration of life and the ability to walk. Also it was an opportunity to honor and give hope to many others who had fought and won and others who had lost their battles with the big 'C'.
So with a heart filled with THANKSGIVING, I joined approximately 1200 other walkers in Seattle for 60 of the most amazing miles I could have ever walked. The hills rang with the stories, faces were drenched with tears and smiles stretched for miles as hundreds of walkers shared their challenges and nursed their blisters on the trails. Each soul held their individual reason for making the walk.
At the end of the 3 days we walked as a group into a stadium filled with friends and loved ones who had cheered us on and provided words of encouragement and love when needed. It is impossible to voice the emotions and feelings of fulfillment those last few minutes brought to culmination. Suffice for me say that those 3 Days, the weeks of preparation (1100 miles walked) and the hundreds of people I met and stories I learned have change my life forever.
Let me share with you the one lesson I learned and the LIFETIME CHALLENGE I have given myself and would love to share with you.
"Each day choose to SLOW DOWN for a few moments and LISTEN to that person you find in your life for that moment."
Your life will be enriched beyond measure as you give that small piece of your day to another.
I would love to hear your story!!
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Over at Five Minute Friday...where we are given one word to write about for 5 minutes..the word for the week was WELCOME....
Welcome
WELCOME....
After nearly a year and a half of our home being attached to wheels (aka..Motor home), and 2 1/2 months of serious searching we walked opened the door to a new home. Not a new construction but new to us.
In the 48 years of this adventure called MARRIAGE I have learned that there are many forms a home can take. We have lived in a small camp trailer, a camper, a tent (with 4 children and a dog) a motor home and SEVERAL houses made of wood. I have learned that as long as LOVE abides no matter the size or type of construction, the WELCOME sign will always find its' post.
The table may be set with the finest china or a paper plate, but a meal served with love and shared conversation will speak WELCOME to any guest.
So it is with a heart bursting with thanksgiving I bid you WELCOME to my new home. The coffee is always on the tea pot will be set to brew, the door swings wide and LOVE ABIDES HERE!!
Friday, November 14, 2014
Five Minute Friday: STILL
I have only written a couple times in this group but have many times appreciated reading the thoughts of the heart that are shared here. I knew when I saw the word of the week I needed to join in.
Five Minute Friday: STILL
GO
The moment I saw the word of the week, the scripture from Psalms 46:10 ran through my mind...'BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD'
It has been a year since we sold our home and became true Vagabonds. After a couple months of living in a friends home allowing Jim a time of recovery from surgery. Then after five weeks in a condominium in the Florida sunshine we moved into our new home ...a 32 foot home on wheels (no slide out for extra room.) For 9 months we traveled, visited friends and family and made new friends. 3 months ago we returned to Montana to begin searching for a home base. A search we thought would be quick has turned into the adventure of a lifetime. Frustration has been a frequent visitor and my challenge is to be STILL...
Be STILL
Listen for that quiet voice.
Be STILL
Wait for His peace. Peace for that moment, that hour and that day.
Learning the balance of action and being Still.
Searching the ads...being STILL
Making appointments...Being STILL
Scoping out homes...Being STILL
Awaiting decisions...being STILL
Seeking patience....being STILL
After nearly 48 years of marriage I never anticipated this time of being unsettled. It is in those moments of stopping to be STILL that I know that He is God.
Five Minute Friday....STILL
Monday, September 1, 2014
Counting my Blessings
To make this year of training even more interesting and put a little more challenge into my commitment to walk the 3Day 60 Mile for breast cancer I have injured my right knee. When entering the motor home I slipped on some wet grass and twisted it, causing intense pain and a soreness that will not go away. I've tried rest, then exercise and nothing seemed to bring relief and a sense of healing.
Finally, out of frustration and a certain need to get back on the trail I went to see a doctor. She ordered the x-rays which seemed clear and then in for an MRI. With November and the 3Day quickly approaching it was not with great patience that I awaited the results.
As I was in prep for the test the technician ask me if I would like to listen to Pandora. I responded "sure" and requested the Praise and Worship station, which is one of my favorite walking stations.
As she slid me into position and the machine began to grind I found myself asking God to not let this be something that would stop my walking. The music began and the first song to filter through the ear phones was "10,000 Reasons to Praise The Lord ". Now, any walker knows that 10,000 is a special number. It is a number that becomes your goal as you begin the challenge of becoming a healthier you.
It is a number that proves you are no longer a couch potato but have entered the world of activity and are headed for better health. This chorus has had a special place in my heart as I hit the trails...Twice now it has come at a time that many would call a 'coincidence, but I see as a "Wink from God" letting me know He is aware of just where I am! I have concluded that if 10,000 steps will start me on the road to better health physically, then listing 10,000 reasons to bless The Lord will surely give me a healthier happier spirit!
It is amazing the power of the written word, even our own! How often we are blessed and thankful in the moment. Then we go on to new challenges and that blessing is lost or forgotten in the busyness of life.
Reminding myself of the daily blessings is like the pieces of a patchwork quilt put together with remnants of memorable materials. Alone that memory will bring a smile to the heart, but when stitched together they bring warmth and comfort to our entire being.
So, I would invite you to join me in my endeavor to list my 'Reasons to Bless The Lord' and remind myself daily it is the little things in life that prove His faithfulness to walk the path before me.
Finally, out of frustration and a certain need to get back on the trail I went to see a doctor. She ordered the x-rays which seemed clear and then in for an MRI. With November and the 3Day quickly approaching it was not with great patience that I awaited the results.
As I was in prep for the test the technician ask me if I would like to listen to Pandora. I responded "sure" and requested the Praise and Worship station, which is one of my favorite walking stations.
As she slid me into position and the machine began to grind I found myself asking God to not let this be something that would stop my walking. The music began and the first song to filter through the ear phones was "10,000 Reasons to Praise The Lord ". Now, any walker knows that 10,000 is a special number. It is a number that becomes your goal as you begin the challenge of becoming a healthier you.
It is a number that proves you are no longer a couch potato but have entered the world of activity and are headed for better health. This chorus has had a special place in my heart as I hit the trails...Twice now it has come at a time that many would call a 'coincidence, but I see as a "Wink from God" letting me know He is aware of just where I am! I have concluded that if 10,000 steps will start me on the road to better health physically, then listing 10,000 reasons to bless The Lord will surely give me a healthier happier spirit!
It is amazing the power of the written word, even our own! How often we are blessed and thankful in the moment. Then we go on to new challenges and that blessing is lost or forgotten in the busyness of life.
Reminding myself of the daily blessings is like the pieces of a patchwork quilt put together with remnants of memorable materials. Alone that memory will bring a smile to the heart, but when stitched together they bring warmth and comfort to our entire being.
So, I would invite you to join me in my endeavor to list my 'Reasons to Bless The Lord' and remind myself daily it is the little things in life that prove His faithfulness to walk the path before me.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
A Parents Heart is a Wondrous Thing
It is a funny thing...the heart of a Mom. When your children live on separate coasts your heart is never settled.
The joy of being with one only enhances the distance of the others. You know the old saying " A woman is never satisfied..she is Always changing her mind." Nothing could ring more true than when your children are involved!
Add to that mix a husband and oh, my, now confusion of the heart runs rampant!!
After our home sold in Montana and we were SO tired of the cold and snow and ice we set out to find a new home. Warmer weather, smaller home and SUNSHINE!!
We spent several weeks in Forida, back to the frost of Montana and then on to Arizona for a couple months. Arizona we loved! Sunshine,activities
galore,we even met up with new friends,but the road stretched a far distance to reach our family!
The past couple months we have been parked beside the home of our daughter, son in love and 5 grandchildren. What a joy!! Their home has an open door and hugs and love has been gathered, collected and stored every day. The voices and laughter of children and teens has warmed our souls.
Jim working side by side with Hal..sharing stories, dreams and disappointments only serves to prove that this 'in-law' thing is something to be treasured.
Sharing a Mom and Daughter trip, duties in the kitchen, time with the girls, along with any moment we can capture is priceless.
The search for a home has been a top of the list while here. Finding acreage and country living has been on the agenda. A couple properties have entered onto the horizon and the possibility of "home" being in Pennsylvania has been very real.
Because farming is still in Jim's' blood I began that process of preparing my heart for the change. After all, dreams are what keep the heart pumping and and the body moving so if it works a farm it is! Still knowing I would be delighted to be close to the East Coast family I was struggling to count the miles from the West. Again knowing that if the destination were reversed the process will be the same.
Twice we have set a departure date only to make a change as situations changed and opportunities to be of help arose.
A new date is set for pulling up stakes. July 28th eight days away....
There is no doubt that our hearts are eager to see the Montana crew...there are now a total of 20 kids, loves, and grandkids waiting for us there. The stories to be caught up on, the hugs to be gathered, meals to be shared and laughter that will ring through the homes, fills the heart with anticipation and longing.
So how can it be that when the love of family and friends in Montana is so strong and the pull so hard, that even yet, our hearts ache at the thought of leaving Pennsylvania?
It can only be answered by the fact that the heart being pulled is that of a parent, because both Mom and Dad...Grandma and Grandpa feel the pull and tearing of the heart strings as the days slip by.
Just call us BLESSED!!!
It is a funny thing...the heart of a Mom. When your children live on separate coasts your heart is never settled.
The joy of being with one only enhances the distance of the others. You know the old saying " A woman is never satisfied..she is Always changing her mind." Nothing could ring more true than when your children are involved!
Add to that mix a husband and oh, my, now confusion of the heart runs rampant!!
After our home sold in Montana and we were SO tired of the cold and snow and ice we set out to find a new home. Warmer weather, smaller home and SUNSHINE!!
We spent several weeks in Forida, back to the frost of Montana and then on to Arizona for a couple months. Arizona we loved! Sunshine,activities
The past couple months we have been parked beside the home of our daughter, son in love and 5 grandchildren. What a joy!! Their home has an open door and hugs and love has been gathered, collected and stored every day. The voices and laughter of children and teens has warmed our souls.
Jim working side by side with Hal..sharing stories, dreams and disappointments only serves to prove that this 'in-law' thing is something to be treasured.
Sharing a Mom and Daughter trip, duties in the kitchen, time with the girls, along with any moment we can capture is priceless.
The search for a home has been a top of the list while here. Finding acreage and country living has been on the agenda. A couple properties have entered onto the horizon and the possibility of "home" being in Pennsylvania has been very real.
Because farming is still in Jim's' blood I began that process of preparing my heart for the change. After all, dreams are what keep the heart pumping and and the body moving so if it works a farm it is! Still knowing I would be delighted to be close to the East Coast family I was struggling to count the miles from the West. Again knowing that if the destination were reversed the process will be the same.
Twice we have set a departure date only to make a change as situations changed and opportunities to be of help arose.
A new date is set for pulling up stakes. July 28th eight days away....
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| We are blessed! |
So how can it be that when the love of family and friends in Montana is so strong and the pull so hard, that even yet, our hearts ache at the thought of leaving Pennsylvania?
It can only be answered by the fact that the heart being pulled is that of a parent, because both Mom and Dad...Grandma and Grandpa feel the pull and tearing of the heart strings as the days slip by.
Just call us BLESSED!!!
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Buy A Mile for the Cure!
I never cease to be amazed at the people I meet and the stories they share. Those (‘God Winks’) I call them. This morning Jim and I went on a ‘breakfast date.’ As we got up to leave a lady stopped me to visit. She was with another lady and I left the restaurant thankful for an opportunity to have chatted with them.
When arriving at the car Jim had taken the dogs for a walk and as I waited the ladies came out. I decided to give them one of my 3Day letters...turns out they both had names for my shirt, incredible stories,and were so appreciative. I left feeling motivated and blessed and thankful for another chance to encourage others.
As of today there are 125 days till the gate opens and hundreds of women and men begin the journey of 60 Miles in 3Days walking the streets and hills of San Diego. I will be among the mix and am getting excited to know that things are Set and Ready! To date family, friends and strangers have joined to donate $690.00 (30%) of the required funds ($2300) under my name.. I have been hitting the gym and the trails in honor of the funds and the cancer victims to be prepared and ready to rock. But I need your help to assure my spot.
After doing some calculating it would take 60 people ‘buying’ one mile at $38.33 to make my total goal. So with the moneys already in if 60 people would donate $22.50 each (a person per mile) we would exceed the goal!!
It is not MY goal that is important but the opportunity to be a small part of bringing assistance and HOPE to others.
Join me??? www.the3day.org/goto/lauramoody
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