Choose to become...

I've been totally fascinated with a family who is on an amazing adventure of service.  Stephanie of Metropolitan Mama and her cute family sold their stuff, bought an RV and are traveling and doing large and small acts of service...Give Every Day is where you can read about their journey.  I have taken the concept of giving every day and challenged my family (and my 16/17 year old Sunday School class) to do at least one act of service everyday.  We gather every evening just before bed (my family, not the Sunday School class...that would just be awkward!) and discuss the best and worst thing that happened that day and their act of service.


I went to Time Out for Women  a couple weeks ago where the theme for this year is Choose to Become.  The thing I chose to become was more aware.  Aware of what I need, aware of what my family needs, and aware of what those around me need.  I tend to be very focused on the day-to-dayness of my life.  Not always stopping to really listen to my kids or husband.  Not being aware of what they really need from me. 

Definitely not being aware of what I really need.  I've been having a lot of upper arm and shoulder pain the last week and a half.  My chest and back just covered in muscle knots.  My body screaming out for attention.  I called on my friend New Age Ted who is a massage therapist/life coach and he said since my diet is so limited from my allergies, my body is in desperate need of some calcium, magnesium and potassium (do you have any idea how much food you have to eat to get enough potassium by diet alone...A LOT!)   It's definitely working - thank goodness!


I was reading Heather's post today i want to live richly in which she said:

I'd like to begin celebrating days, for no other reason than that they exist, and I get to exist in them.

That really spoke to me today.  And then she linked to a friend who had some amazing parties...just because...a lemon party and a pie party...check them out (is it ok to link to someone I have no relationship with other than I spent the morning stalking her blog after seeing these fun parties except that I want to be her new best friend...I hope so!)

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I had an epiphany at my daughters Parent/Teacher Conference yesterday.  Her math teacher said that if she doesn't get the concept right away she just kind of panics and gives up.  Oh. My. Gosh, that is so totally me!  If I don't get something right away or it seems too hard, I just give up.  Which would explain why I don't play the piano, or the drums or sing in public, or so many things I've attempted in my life!!  Where as my son (who she had years ago...and still remembers his learning style...impressive!) just keeps working away until he understands it - which is so like my husband.

At this same Parent/Teacher conference I asked my 13 year old daughter to pick one teacher I could say "you fancy, huh" to...but she would have no part of it...imagine that!!  And I've always wanted to tell Mr. Lillywhite that I secretly call him Mr. Larrytate like on Wizards of Waverly Place.  I think you have to do something to make those meetings bearable!  The best part was her worrying what I was going to do to embarrass her!  Last year, I unintentionally told her LEAST favorite teacher how much my daughter loved her and her class.

I did wait in line to tell a teacher she had last year how cute her new hairdo was, and I went in the office to tell the principal that I really liked their new set up, and one of the teachers had a sign in sheet because they weren't there and so I signed a random name to it...all benign things...but they totally embarrassed her...her teen years are gonna be great - just being me is embarrassment enough - apparently I won't even have to try!!

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I really hope you'll join me on my service challenge...to do one act of service or kindness everyday.  I'm not going to change the world with my small acts, but I hope to at least change the way I look at those I share this world with.

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