Olympic Fever?

Do you have Olympic fever yet?  Have you been cheering your country's athletes on as the games have just begun?  Did you like the Opening Ceremonies?  Are you glad you're watching the competition from a warm location versus actually sitting outside for some of the events where it's literally freezing or below freezing?  I am!

But, I must say the I haven't caught the Olympic fever yet?  Maybe it's because I've been trying to avoid all the germs out there causing one of the worst flu outbreaks (in the U.S.) or even the common cold so far this year.  I just haven't caught the excitement of the thrilling competition that tends to unfold at Olympic games.  Maybe it's because I'm not attached to any of the athletes or they're just not as well known to me as in the past.  Usually there's at least one figure skater I'm excited to watch, but I'm a little ho-hum this year.  I'll watch here and there and I've got the Opening Ceremonies recorded so I'm sure I'll watch that at some point, too.  Those are always fun to watch.  But, overall until something amazing happens I'm a little uninterested, sadly.  I do love that we all come together to cheer for our country's athlete's during the Olympics and I wish that were the case more often...especially these days with the social and political climate we're currently facing.  

Either way, if you're totally gun-ho with the Olympics right now or you're just warming up to them, I hope we all remember the immense pride we feel when we watch our athletes compete, fall, get back up and try again.  Blessings to all those competing in the winter Olympics!  And, blessings to you this coming week!  

Winter Olympics

The winter Olympics start this week in South Korea...my homeland.  It would be amazing to be there for all the sporting events, but alas I'll be watching from home as usual.  Besides, I've heard it's pretty cold there...obviously!  Plus, there probably aren't as many sports I'm really a fan of watching in the winter Olympics versus the summer Olympics, so watching on TV will suffice.  

However, I was thinking that it would be a lot easier to visit and travel around during the Olympics because they're expecting so many tourists there from so many countries, so there might be more guides/signs/hosts that speak English.  They would be expecting the confused faces and might be more eager to help versus when I first visited Seoul, South Korea.  It was in October and I was traveling there for work.  I went a couple days early so that I could explore and get a better feel for my homeland, but I was truly a tourist in the city.  And, if you've traveled to any foreign city where they don't speak the language and most of the signs aren't written in English it's definitely a "foreign" feeling of being lost, but trying not to look lost so that you don't tip people off you are a tourist.  I was always very conscientious of not drawing any attention to myself, being courteous and cautious, and not doing anything that would offend anyone or their culture....especially being in the country you were born in.  But, not understanding the language is always the hardest thing about international travel no matter where you go.  But, after being in an international city for awhile I could pick up on people's tone or inflections and get a sense for what they were saying.  Many times I would guess right and throw off my hosts who thought I actually knew what they were saying.  I write more about this in my book, "Corn-fed with Rice on the Side."

I think the Olympics always bring a sense of pride for your country no matter where you live.  It's a fun time to cheer on the athletes, watch amazing competition and to learn more about a country and culture.  So, I'll definitely be watching!

Blessings to you in whatever competition you may be involved in or if you'll simply be rooting on your country in the Olympics!  Cheers!!

Super Bowl Sunday

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!  I'm wondering how many people around the world watch the Super Bowl?  And, I'm wondering if they see the same commercials we see?  It's definitely more than just a game.  It's a fun-filled viewing bonanza for sports enthusiasts, ad lovers (basically the Super Bowl of commercials), half-time entertainment gawkers and foodies who love snacking during all the festivities!

I'm not really a fan of either team, so I really don't care who wins this year.  So, I guess I fall into the "I'm watching for the commercials and half-time entertainment" group this year.  And, if I can stay up long enough I'm totally in it for the newest "This is Us" episode that will follow the Super Bowl.  Get ready for tragedy, heartbreak and sadness...and I'm not talking about the game!

Enjoy watching the game and lets hope we get some creative, funny entertainment throughout the game!  Blessings to you on this first full week of February!!

Trusting in Faith

If you've just recently started reading my blog or have been reading it since the beginning (thank you, by the way), you'll notice I do talk about God and my faith from time to time.  I grew up going to church and Sunday school, I went through the whole confirmation process and I continue to attend church regularly as an adult.  It's just part of who I am...or should I say God is part of who I am.  He's the one constant in my life no matter what happens and I give thanks every night and every day.

I've actually never read the bible from cover to cover before so that's one of my goals this year.  Something I read last night struck a cord as I think we all struggle with our faith throughout our lives if we are spiritual in any way.  I know some of you may be more spiritual than religious and whatever you believe and however you go about practicing your beliefs, I think we can all agree God is good, He's love, He's peace and only wants those things for us.  Here's what made me sit and think awhile about my own faith...
"The real issue in life is not the search for God's will; it is the search for God.  The issue in faith is not knowing what God is doing.  The issue of faith is seeking God's presence, not God's plan for my life, because there is no plan outside of my knowing him." (Mike Yaconelli)

We've all heard "For we live by faith, not by sight" or some iteration of that bible verse before.  And that's why faith is hard because we can't see what God is doing "behind the scenes" for us.  We don't know what pieces are falling into place in our favor.  We just have to trust and believe that they are and that God knows what is best for us.  We have to trust in God.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."  I've said that verse over and over and over again to myself so many times.  I believe it but like anything else some days it's just harder to understand.  But, that's just it...we're not supposed to understand at that moment.  We're just suppose to trust in the Lord...and have FAITH!

I think in some ways our faith is always being tested...somehow.  But, I think that's just part of our journeys.  We grow in our faith as we grow as people.  It has to be nourished to grow and flourish as we continue to move throughout our journey of life.  So, wherever you are in your faith journey I hope you continue to work at it.  It's worth it!  God is good all the time.  All the time God is good.

Blessings of faith and trust in the Lord the rest of this week!!

Ohhh Resolutions....

Are you sick and tired of your new year's resolutions already?!  Have you fallen off whatever wagon you were hoping to be on in the new year?  Has your hope for actually reaching one of those goals gone by the wayside?  Yes, it's about that time of the year after our new year's resolutions were highly anticipated, were made, were painfully worked on for a few days or weeks and then...when our new year's resolutions go out the window!

Are you there yet?  And, it's not even the end of January yet!  Oh yes, what's the point?  I tend not to make new year's resolutions each year because really after the holidays it's always the same...lose the 5 lbs I just gained over the holidays!  So, with that in mind I've failed miserably so far this year!  Anyone else?  I had some stomach thing the first two weeks of the year so that didn't help and then the last two weeks I guess my mental strength hasn't been so strong.  So, as of last Friday I'm back to January 1st...off to a new start!  I'm sure it won't be the last "January 1st" of this year for me!  And, I'm definitely struggling a bit today because I'm tired and when I'm tired I just don't care.  And, there's an awards show on tonight.  If you read one of my last posts about wanting to eat a pint of ice cream everytime the Oscars or Golden Globes are on, well, it's usually not a strong urge for music award shows.  I'm not sure why.  But, tonight might be another story.  Wish me luck!

Plus, the Super Bowl is next Sunday...oh great, the super bowl of game day foods!  And then only a couple weeks after that it's my birthday!  Oh geez!  But, my goal for now is to go clean and healthy until my birthday, so I've got a couple weeks to go.  Sigh.  Distractions.  Distractions.  I need distractions!  How do you stay on task or working towards your goal when you're tempted to do something else in conflict with your goal?

Well, wherever you are with you new year's resolutions I hope your either keeping up the positive momentum, your motivated by resetting them or you're completely done and enjoying life again!  Blessings to you as January comes to a end this week!!

Do You Practice Self-Care?

Growing up, most of us have heard the phrase "If you don't take care of yourself you're not good to anyone else."  So, take time for yourself.  But, what does that mean?  Most of us think that means treating ourselves to something we don't get to do often like going to the spa or indulging in a decadent dessert or simply just taking a bubble bath.  Whatever self-care means to you I don't think women really understand the meaning or they still tend to put everyone else's needs in front of their own because that's how we're wired.

So what is self-care?  I heard this definition today and thought it totally hit the nail on the head.  "True self-care is not about salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don't need to regularly escape from." (from Brianna Wiest, Thought Catalog).  Now that true peace...peace of mind, peace of living...mindfulness.  I think it's definitely an exercise of awareness.  Knowing how to slow down or pick up the pace when needed, knowing what truly brings you joy or what weighs you down, what sucks all your energy during a day or what energizes you for the week.  

I think we all, men and women, need to exercise more self-care in our lives.  It not only makes us a more vibrant, productive and loving individual but we reflect that and more to those around us.  So, that old phrase is still true because if we truly take care of ourselves then we will be better for those around us.  How can you practice true self-care in your life?

Wishing you active self-care the rest of this week.  We're still in January so all those resolutions and self-improvement goals should still be running strong!  If not, reset and try again!  Good luck!!

A Sign?

Do you believe in signs?  No, not the kind you drive by on the roadway, but things that happen in life that are a precursor to something coming.  You know, a sign from above.  A sign from a loved one that has passed away.  A sign about what decision to make.  I think some signs are simple and subtle and if we're not listening or looking we may miss them.  And, other times I think signs are a little more obvious that you know it when you see it or hear it and it lights up something inside of you...you just know it's a sign!

I pray (not every day, but often) in the mornings that God will open my eyes to the beauty and simple joys of the day ahead.  A beautiful sunrise, a blooming flower, the rain after a long drought, etc.  There's always something that reminds us of the beauty God has surrounded us with each and every day if we're willing to see it.  Just remember to take time to look for it...appreciate it...and thank God for it!

The other day I got a sign.  It was unexpected, heart-warming and very much needed!  My dad's mom passed away in 2009 and after the funeral all the cousins were given one of the small plants that had been sent by well-wishers.  I was given a small pot with a Christmas cactus.  It bloomed that Christmas because it was full and vibrant, but over the years part of the plant died and it never bloomed since then.  I only have a small little branch left that I've managed to keep alive all these years that I've refused to throw away.  Year after year it's sat there and never bloomed again since that first year...until now!  I noticed a few flower buds actually on the few branches that remain.  One of the buds is a bit bigger than the others so I was pretty sure it would bloom and yesterday it did!  My (Grandma's) Christmas cactus bloomed for the first time in 9 years!!  It's a sign, right?!?!  It's got to be a sign!  Even if it's not I'm saying it is!  I have to believe it's a sign of good things to come...that change is coming, a new day is dawning and a new start is here!  I have to believe!  That's the optimist in me...the one that has hope for a better tomorrow, a brighter future, and opportunities to let my light shine!

So, whether you believe in signs or not I hope you take time to see or hear the simple joys and beauty of today.  Appreciate it and allow it to brighten your day.  May blessings fill your week with wonder and excitement and possibly a sign that will show you the way forward...just keep moving forward....just keep getting up....just keep trying!!!