catahoula's blog

QotD: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?

I'd take my husband first, to Timbuktu, Mali.  I discovered that it is a real place (it's always been an expression of how far something is) and that one of the world's oldest universities is there.  So, as my wonderful husband wants to see the university made from mud bricks and view the library, I would love to take him there.  He does so much for our family and gives so much of himself, he deserves to have something this exciting.  Then, we'd travel just wherever, open up a map and go there!  We recently went to Kakabeka Falls, Ontario all because I could pronounce it and my husband spotted it on a map!  One day, yup, one day and until then I'll keep dreaming.

QotD: Happy Father's Day

What important life lesson did you learn from your father?

My Dad taught me many things, but he taught me most importantly how to laugh and sing when things may seem to be going in the wrong direction.  He also taught me that a hug really can fix things or at least make them much less like a crisis.  He taught me to appreciate nature and  look out for the underdog.  You taught me to give praise when it's due, but not to overdo it and to always give thanks.

So Dad, for all that you are, all that you do, Thanks.

Dad's Day

Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there!  Way to go!  Keep on doing your best for your family, they may not tell you, but you're really, REALLY important to your family.

QotD: Brothers and Sisters

When you were a kid, did you want to change the sibling (or only child) dynamic of your family? Add a sister? Get rid of a little brother? What about now? Do you wish you had more (or fewer) siblings?

Age old question and yup!  Wanted a little brother or sister.  My parents, as I'm the youngest of 4, got me a dog! Now?  So very glad for what we have.  If I had the power to change things, I don't have the wisdom and would have really mucked it up.  Family isn't perfect, but if we view it as a gift and through the eyes of unselfish love, we'll see how blessed we really are.

Hand in Wing

You said for us to take a walk in the woods,
   The path was so soft and gentle,
With pine needles strewn underneath to cushion our feet,
   And the soothing green canopy to shelter our heads.
We felt You in the breeze that caressed our cheeks,
   And our hearts felt complete.

You said for us to walk to the meadow,
   Where the sunshine warmed our faces,
Where the sweet grass and the daisies enticed us,
   And we were overwhelmed with joy,
Lifting out our arms in sheer adoration to You,
   And our hearts felt complete.

You said to strengthen our arms,
   When the young came, talons outstretched, biting in,
When the raw beauty and the pure pain collided,
   And we felt the weight of those great ones,
Then You reached out and steadied our arms,
   And our hearts felt complete.

You said to love these wild ones of prey,
   Who responded to gentleness with talons and hooked beak,
Who reacted with fear and showed their mighty strength,
   And we were overcome as our arms began to shake,
Who then, without warning, would settle and let their majesty shine,
   And our hearts felt complete.

You said to hold on to the tips of their wings,
   To walk hand in wing with these through the woods and meadows,
To show them this great world and their place within it,
   And we saw them strengthen their wings,
To begin to fly without our support,
   And our hearts felt complete.

You taught us to love and walk with eagles,
   We learned all that it entailed, pain and beauty,
We learned to bearly grasp that which we thought was, "our's"
   Only to discover that it was really Your's,
We learned to join together with eagles under Your sun,
  And our hearts, they are complete.

Dear Children

As I look at the photo on the fridge,
 - it was such a hot day filled with so much promise!
My heart divides between sheer joy and so much doubt.
You both bounded into our lives,
Filling our hearts from now to eternity.

We dreamed of showing you the world
And walking among the stars with you both.
We believed that love would be enough,
To fill that hole inside your hearts,
And to dry the tears from your eyes.

Now we watch as you both storm off,
Stretching yourselves between independence
And rage or pain deeper than we could know.
Our hearts break as we watch you struggle,
Wanting to ease your pain, and we can't.
So we doubt ourselves instead...
And look at your sleeping faces
To fall in love with you both,
All over again.

QotD: Missed Connection

What is a "missed connection" you just can't forget?
Submitted by TheConfessional.

As I sit here, coffee cup warming my hands after another 3 rounds of 'go fetch it' (me getting the ball, not the 58lb Catahoula), I'd have to say with our darlin kiddos.  If anyone could begin to understand what it's like to approach every encounter, relationship, and person with the fear of trusting them, then you could imagine what it's like for our children.  They came bouncing into our lives at 6 and 3 1/2 years old and became enmeshed into our hearts forever.  Daily we try to connect, sometimes we do and I store up those connections like precious jewels. A lot of times it's a missed connection, and you walk away with that feeling like when you see someone on the subway that you think you should know, but you're too afraid to ask, and the train comes to the next station and the opportunity is missed.  It's that ghost whisper before I fall asleep.  It's that gentle air kiss on my cheek when I wake up.  It's the reason we keep going back and trying again, determined that this time we'll be able to ask that person, "do I know you?" and their response will be a face lighting up in delight and eyes that shine back into yours.

Bemused - What Would Kipling and Theresa Think?

Apparently its becoming fashionable to be outraged... I thought that this was 'the style' for a long time - squeaky wheel gets the oil and all that.  Perhaps though, the focus of the outrage may well be changing and that is the 'new fashion'.  It seems that while previously it was all about 'Me', it's now PC to be outraged about the injustice of the economy, the environment, etc.  But, what where does all this get us?

Sometimes I have to sit and wonder.  I work with children.  I see a lot of outrage.  Some is based on 'me' and learning to turn that into 'you and us'.  Some of that is based on altruism.  Some is based on genuine lack of needs being met - either presently or in the past, which, may be even greater in the outrage because it's been bottled up for so long... I watch as these little ones learn problem solving skills, negotiating skills, critical thinking skills, and I wonder...where will these take them? Already I'm seeing some of the 'fruit' of this teaching and I was alarmed... These amazing kiddos had taken these skills and used them to negotiate -- to get what they wanted.  Hmmmm, teaching and theory are right.  What's missing?  Depth.  It's still about "Me".    Apparently outrage can sound like it's for 'you/us' but in reality be used for 'me/my'.

In his speech on Inauguration Day, President Obama talked about responsibility, accountability, and refocusing on what was important to Americans.  Maybe I'm a dreamer, but this speech, though I am a Canadian, inspired me.  It gives me hope that outrage will one day be 'out' and genuinely caring for others will be 'in'.  Perhaps though, the greater challenge isn't what's out and what's in, but how to create a depth of real character?  That however, won't take place until we all learn a valuable lesson of walking in another's shoes - one I'm still personally learning.  My independent spirit is one that says I can do it myself, but it's only been through learning to walk in another's shoes, to force myself that extra mile, to really see people and their concerns and hurts, that I can begin to see that I truly do need to learn to depend on someone else besides me.  That is scary.  It means I'm vulnerable.  It means that I have to actually use those skills instead of sitting back and screatching outrage.  In the end I'll get tired, and sore, and worn-out.  I'll have my heart broken and fixed.  I'll be stretched and pulled to limits I never knew I could handle and realize that I'm slowly growing up.  I'll be poured out for others and few will ever say thanks.  And do I need to be thanked, really?

Rudyard Kipling wrote the poem, "If", challenging people to learn to grow beyond what they thought they were capable of.  Mother Theresa wrote, "Do It Anyways" along a similar vein.  Each challenges their readers to grow and stretch beyond themselves.  I wonder what they'd think about all this outrage?  There's enough hot air flowing to fill the sails of a ship, but the question is, where is the ship going?   It's so easy to be outraged, it's harder to bring meals to someone in need or to listen to a heart that's breaking.  Maybe we just need, not new vision, but a new set of eyes to see this world with, new hands to work with, and a new heart to love with. 

HD Brandon Heath - Give me your eyes [official music video]

QotD: Personal Strength

Where do you find your personal strength?
Sponsored by Nature Made.

God. Coffee.  Great Husband.  Wonderful, though energetic kiddos.  Sweet dog.  Herbal nerve tonic and vitamins...

QotD: Happy Mother's Day

What's the best thing about your mom?

Her strength of faith.  Whenever troubles come, I can hear her calm and sing-song voice reassuring me to stick to what is right.  Her faith at all times is what we've all come to depend on, and something I am aspiring to build for myself.  Knowing the type of relationship she has with God, lets everyone who knows her, that they can have that too.  Mom, I love you!