The Season of Waiting...

This is it... the season of advent ... waiting... as children, we remember the anticipation of the pure bliss of Christmas morning, and as adults we look forward to the sight of happy family members and friends being delighted by the things that we have planned for them to enjoy. What a wonderful celebration Christmas is!

Hmmm...

I haven't written in a while, and I've just spent about four minutes thinking of a title... and this one seems to fit best. September has flown by, and we're already a third of the way through October. The past two days have been gloriously beautiful... both for sunshine and the fabulous shades of autumn. I think we're at the peek of leaves this week. My birthday was yesterday... which I describe as the day that the last of summer's roses bloom, and the first flakes of winter may fall... so this was definitely a beautiful day to enjoy, because we got one last warm taste of summer rather than a nip of winter's chill.
Right now, I feel like it's a waiting day. The next season's adventures will soon be upon us, and things will be filled with zillions of projects. But it's not now...and not yet! So I'm just enjoying the wait!

The end of Summer Bliss

I love summertime! This summer is a wonderful example of why I enjoy it so very much. During the past three months and a half months, I have had the opportunity to see most of my family and many of my friends. I love having the opportunity to travel, and this summer is going to go down in my family history books as a great year to travel! I have celebrated graduations and weddings, flown across the pond to see the beautiful land of Eire, sank my toes into the sand, and visited the birthplace of the King of Rock-n-Roll. If you haven't figured it out yet... I had fun!
It hasn't been all sunshine and roses... (There has definitely been a little laundry...) But my summer has been a delightful experience. A friend of mine posted on his blog the concept of where do you go to recharge yourself? This summer has charged my need for celebrating life. So I'm wondering what do you do to celebrate life?
I'm a little sad to see the carefree days of summer go, but I'm looking forward to celebrating the joys of Autumn.

Forever Young...at least in our minds

Last night, I celebrated a reunion of dear friends. It was my friends' 20th high school reunion. I was a party crasher in the sense that it was the class just a year ahead of mine, but in reality, I was an invited guest, so it was a special evening with cherished classmates! In the afternoon, I pulled my yearbook off the shelf to look at their senior year. The yearbook's theme was "Forever Young", after the classic song. But it caused me to reflect on the idea that in our minds in some sense each of us will always be forever young in the hearts and minds of our classmates. When I was in high school, the show Designing Women was a hit, and in one of the episodes, the Delta Burke character Suzanne Sugarbaker goes to a class reunion. I don't remember if I paid attention to that particular episode at the time... other than thinking that class reunions are for adults. But rather recently, I came across that show, and Suzanne's comments on seeing the people there...how no matter if people before her have gone grey, hairless, or whatever... in her mind... They will always be the same "sweet boys who carried her books." I think I agree. I hope I left a sweet impression in high school, and I'm so glad to be blessed with sweet dear friends who left such an impression with me.

By the Sea, By the Sea,By the Beautiful Blue Green Sea

I don't think that I've mentioned that I love the beach! Well, I do! I love the feeling of sand between my toes, the sound of the waves crashing on the shoreline, the distinctly good smell of the sea, the taste of fresh seafood, and the wonderful sights seen only at the beach... of waves, water, shells, shore, and friends who live so far away, but are delightfully close by only when we vacation together at the beach. It makes me as "happy as a sea gull with a french fry!" A quote that made me giggle at the thought... because I know how much the gulls love fries! I've been going to the beach for most of my life, and I always find myself refreshed and renewed from a journey to the seashore. From the enormousness of the ocean itself to the finest grain of salt, I see the beauty of God's creation. How beautiful it all is to see and discover, and know that it was created for us to enjoy. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to see and experience this part of the world. If you haven't been to the shore, you should give it a try! If you've experienced a blissful day at the beach, feel blessed because you are!

God bless America... Land that I love...

This is a belated celebratory note about Independence Day! I love our annual summer celebrations! Hot dogs, Hamburgers, potato chips, and ice cold pop make the celebration yummy. Family and friends from near and far make it fun! I'm glad that America is the great melting pot! Hope you had a fun celebration!

When Irish Eyes are Smiling!

My family went on holiday to Ireland in June. It was a wonderful adventure to explore a new land together! We saw beautiful fields, shorelines, cliffs, islands, and lovely little towns. It was fun to see a place that you have imagined for always... and to discover that it is more than you ever imagined. My ancestors came from the Emerald Isle centuries ago, and yet our family has never forgotten that we are Irish as well as American. I arrived at the Irish customs desk to hear the words... "Welcome Home!" The places we visited were amazing, and it's hard to imagine that my family chose to leave the beautiful isle to go on a long hard journey across the sea to America. We went with a more recent Irish imigrant who shared that "No one ever wants to leave his homeland." It's an interesting comment made even more memorable when you know that he can come and go back and forth easily across the sea in an airplane, but the reality is that my ancestors left that beautiful land to never return. Their descendants have only recently been able to see the land that they left, but have always remembered the love that they had for their homeland. I'm glad that I went across the sea, and even more glad that I could return home again so easily!

Memories are made of this...

Tonight is Prom night. It's a night to make memories that will last a lifetime. It's the first time that you get to wear a ballgown not because you are playing dress-up or wearing a costume, but because this is the night that you are allowed to look like the princess you truly are! This evening, I took photos of my lovely Godchild looking every bit the princess that I know she is... for she is a lovely child of God!
Then while walking downtown tonight, I walked passed other prom goers and thought about the memories made at my own prom. My school had a Junior/Senior prom, and so I went two years! On those nights of not so very long ago, the princess wore ballgowns of pink satin and white lace! I remember dining elegantly at "The Club" with dear friends wearing equally elegant attire, and chatting at dinner like the "grown-ups" we were suddenly becoming. My junior prom memories are filled with friends a year older who were once my neighborhood playmates. Our hairstyles coiffed in that post eighties/early ninties pouf. My senior year prom memories recall the heat of the evening... which was probably 100 degrees in the high school gym, and the decorations of course. But the memories that truely linger sweetest are the memories of my Grammy coming to attend the pre-prom festivities, my mom helping pick my dress, my collegiate friends coming to video the night, and the fun and laughter of friends who made a difference in my life!
Girlhood memories of longing for the day you finally get to wear a prom gown remind me that my expectations were probably far more romantic than the evening really was... but it will always be a night of memories! The memories are not of what I expected... but they are better sweeter more wonderful than I could have imagined! I hope tonight is a night of memories for my sweet Godchild! I hope she knows how much she is cherished and prized, and that the memories that she comes to cherish in her heart are just as precious as mine are!

Making memories... one page at a time...

I love to make colorful scrapbooks. It's the kind of hobby that you can work on a little bit or a lot. Tonight was my first night to organize a scrapbook event at church. I really hope that it's the first of many events like it... I just think that scrapping is the type of hobby any woman can enjoy. It doesn't have to be fancy or frilly. It can be a plain Jane style and still be beautiful in the eyes of the beholder. Because the reality is that a scrapbook is a reflection of the legacy of your life. Within the pages of a book, you can share what's happening in your life, who you love, who you miss, and what you enjoy doing. Today, I didn't do a lot of scrapping for myself, but I did help my friends work on their pages and that was fun!

Considering the Lilies...

I just enjoyed a wonderful walk downtown. Spring's blossoms are lingering a little and it's a wonderous thing to enjoy. I noticed "baby" oak leaves today that hung so beautifully like lace upon the tree. It makes you pause when you consider all the wonderous little miracles you see every moment of the day... not to mention those amazing senses that God has blessed us with! There's a famous verse that says that we should consider the lilies and remember not to worry... Sometimes it's hard to remember, but I think I'm going to try to enjoy the blossoms and remember that every flower has a season to bloom!

Spring has sprung and wants to turn into Summer... but winter's holding on strong...

I've been walking a lot on these beautiful spring days. I like walking up the hills and around town. So far, I've walked at least once the whole way to the other end of town, but most days, I've been out walking and wandering for an hour or two a day on these beautifully bright days. I like Springs like this in which the snow stays to cover the mud until it's time to warm up... but in a way... I'd like the spring time blooms to linger... to stay more than a day... because we've been waiting so long... and now it's here and now it's gone. Springs a little like vacation... we look forward to it... but the blooms never seem to last as long as we would like. But I guess that's what makes us enjoy the blooms so much!
Tomorrow snowflakes are supposed to appear again...and it's funny how the first snowflakes bring joy and excitement...but these ones...aren't as well received. We're ready for the next event in life...and yes...we're starting to long for the lazy hazy days of summer.

The Last Supper...

Our minister has been talking about The Last Supper for the past several weeks at church. Last Sunday, He gave us the challenge to think about if we had one meal left to eat... who would we want to spend time with... and to tell them... It was an interesting thought... as my mind thought of friends and family around our community and actually around the world whom I love and hold dear. I spend a lot of time eating with my immediate family. And of course, I would want them there... but my last meal on Earth would really be a celebration of my journey to Heaven. I think I would want dancing and laughter and chatter of friends! My Grandma used to have a photo of an imagined table in heaven... with seats enough for everyone... and a table setting fit for the King of Kings. So the thought of the Last Supper... made me think of that heavenly table and how while I don't really know where you'll be on my last day here... but some day I want to celebrate in heaven with all of you!
Today, our lesson on the Last Supper was about how the Lord called the disciples to His dinner not because they were perfect but because He loved them... Our God is an Awesome God... and I hope you know that you are invited to the most awesome, incredible, amazingly cool party in heaven...with our host the King of Kings and Lord of Lords... I'm so glad that we are incredibly blessed!

Just in case you ever wondered...

This is my first blog and it's been an interesting experience to begin to write it. I started with the title "My Blissful Beautiful life" and wrote quietly about life in general...just because I wanted to try blogging. I wanted to give my readers a couple things to read before I shared it online... My initial title was a quick choice after several attempts to name it were already taken. I liked the blog... but not the title. So I looked for something that fit my life. The idea of a trousseau fits me to a tee! If you aren't aware what a trousseau is it is a description of a single woman's dowry or hope chest and the treasures found within it. I like concept as a blog title because it's both traditional in that women have been making treasures for their own trousseaus for centuries, and by being a blog, it gives a modern twist to an ancient tradition. So this is the beginning of a shared blog... feel free to read the older posts and expect some new ones too. Hope you enjoy reading!

Sunshine and Happiness...

The sun shone brightly today! How good it feels to see some sunshine! Spring is coming after a long winter... We've had more than a month of snowy, snowy, snowy weather! I like snow, but I'm ready for a change in environment. I'm ready for spring flowers and green grass. I'm ready to see robins and bunnies. I love living here... I'm definitely a four seasons kind of girl! It's funny though... because while right now I'm excited about Spring... It's not the season that I love best... (Summer bliss of white sand in between my toes, and lavender and roses blooming...) Nor is it the season... I think of with joy... in spite of winter winds and cold... Winter's beauty is found in Christmas joy. And actually Autumn Days of red and orange are favored in my mind... perhaps because I'm an October girl and I love Applefest... Spring to me is the season of waiting... waiting for the sun to appear, waiting for the slush to go, waiting for the grass to grow, waiting for the flowers to bloom, waiting for the mud and muck to disappear...
I guess I'd rather not have to wait... Which is funny when I truly think about it, because somehow, I feel like my life is in a waiting stage. As a substitute, I wait for a telephone call. As a single chick, I'm still waiting for the Prince. I didn't expect to be such a lady in waiting... but I guess I am... And as I ponder the comparision... I am reminded that snowdrops, peonies, redbuds, and lilacs are springtime's blissful beauty... actually ones that can only be found in the waiting days of Spring. I need to enjoy the days of waiting... to see the beauty within them. I need to find the bliss of a Spring day is just as precious and unique as a dazzling Summer day at the beach. I need to enjoy the days of waiting.

In the Pink...

I love pink! It is the color of happiness for me... all the shades you can think of from the softest palest baby blush... to brilliant almost red... I love it! So the season of Valentine's just makes me happy to see all the pretty pink possibilities! Currently, I've discovered that Valentine's M&Ms are delightful, and there's a pink floral arrangement on our kitchen table that is really just plain lovely! I'm glad that God made so many shades of color, and especially glad He created pink!

That's What Friends Are For...

Last night, I caught up with a dear friend! We used facebook and chatted for over an hour and just had a fun evening... My theme of the day is based on a comment from last night and a memory shared! In seventh grade, I sang that song with a group of friends in our school talent show. I think back on that night and the words in the song...are sung in my heart... "in good times and bad times..." and I think how much life has changed since that night we sang. I know that I thought I understood the song then, but how much more I understand the song now. I grew up in a small town, and have gradually realized how unique it is to have lifelong friends... from preschool, kindergarten, grade school, middle school and high school... (I never thought that it was unusual basically because my parents have friends like that!) But over time, I have realized that it is rather unique.
My mom's family has a set of friends whom our families have had a friendship for over three generations. My age mate in that group of friends was a lifelong friend. We grew up together, played games at picnics, were penpals from elementary school through high school, and celebrated life's events together. She passed away unexpectedly about two years ago. I always wanted to be lifelong friends... but I wanted to grow old together. She is missed on this side of heaven.
I think I have a unique perspective on life. As a relatively young person, I've lost multiple relatives in tragic accidents. Most people think of middle age as your 40s and 50s, but I've played with middle aged eight year olds. (We just didn't realize it at the time.) As a teacher, I think that knowing that you don't know what the future will bring makes me more aware of making school an inviting and comforting place. I think that sometimes people look at things as if there will always be a time for fun later... but the reality is that sometimes there isn't... I think it helps to keep things in perspective. School is important, but the students the school educates are infinitely more important.
I'm not sure how I ended up writing about this today. But I guess it relates to my life right now... Take time for your friends in good times and the bad ones! Don't forget to take time out of the important stuff like cleaning and working for the fun stuff like chatting, gathering, remembering, celebrating, and living. After all... you aren't going to be remembered for the deadlines you met, but by the people you loved! You, my friends, are definitely loved!

In the Bleak Mid-Winter... Groundhogs do appear!

Happy Groundhog's Day! Today... the pine boughs of Christmas are disappearing and we celebrate winter Pennsylvania style! Groundhog's Day is a little bit of fun in the midst of a long winter! It's a moment of choosing to have fun... instead of whining about when will spring arrive! Yes, it's a bit of bliss in an otherwise rather bleak season. Spring is coming but coming slowly in my neck of the woods. The ground is snow covered, but the birds are singing in the bare branches of the bushes. Beneath the white frozen blanket, plants are growing... getting ready to appear... It's a time for hope. We know it's coming... but not yet...

Considering the Lilies...

I may have named this blog "My blissful beautiful life..." but it isn't always... and sometimes I wonder at the adventure my life and career has taken me on... But today I'm remembering that I need not worry, because God has it covered, and he knows exactly where I am and what I'm doing. My career has been a roller coaster, and it's not done yet. But in spite of the craziness of my career, I know that for now, I'm where God wants me to be. I have told my friends and family about my wacky unique career. It isn't what I planned... but it seems to be what God wants for me. Each year, I find myself wondering about the year, and somewhere in the middle of the year... it makes sense why I'm doing this instead of that... (Well, most of the time it's the middle of the year...one year it was probably two years later that I saw the bigger picture.) Today is a bigger picture day... I got to see one of the reasons I'm a sub. This career has helped me see life as an adventure, and just how cool it is to watch how God works to help and comfort those who love Him. God is Amazing! He is Good! All the time!

Let my lifesong sing to you!!!

God is good, All the time....All the time, God IS Good! We say this every Sunday morning as our benediction. It's a simple phrase, but it's a difficult concept on a tough week. But I know that God is good always. We sang about our lifesongs this week, and I remembered a quote about friends are the people who will sing your lifesong back to you when you forget the tune. I think our community is finding itself singing our united lifesong back and forth to one another as we ask... Can I help you??? Do you need anything??? What can I do for you??? For in this place as God's servants, we are truly the hands and feet of the living God. We will sing our lifesong of praise and worship in sorrow as well as joy. For it is out of our great love for the one who made us that we have learned to sing, and he loves our praise and worship in all times... even when our voices have don't have words to tell of our sorrow. He knows our very thoughts and prayers even when we do not know them. So remember that in all things and at all times... GOD IS GOOD!!!

Sorrow surrounds you...

My title comes from a beautiful song that my church choir has sung several times in the past couple years. It describes how though there are trials in life... God is with us. This title describes my community this past week. A dear friend lost his life in the line of duty for the Pennsylvania State Police. He was a man of honor, quiet dignity, strength, and faith. Our community has hurt this week. We have been heartsick over the sudden death of a protector doing his job. Bliss has been suddenly interrupted. It's a reminder that bliss on earth isn't perfect, and that we are in a battle against things that are truly evil. So onward we must go turning away from evil to see the beauty of life in Christ.

Once in a Blue Moon...

A Blue moon occurs on New Year's Eve once every nineteen years or so... meaning that in my lifetime. I've only experienced two of them on New Year's eve! I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in this blue moon year!