Connecting

Have you ever looked at the internet tab as you are waiting for a site to download? Did you notice it says connecting and swirls until it connects to where you want to go?

Photo credit: ohdearbarb)

Connecting…

Sometimes the internet connects quickly and we are so happy we did not have to wait and wait. Sometimes is seems to take forever to connect.

Are we like that too? Do we connect quickly with others or is it hard for us to connect to others? Can we slow down our lives to make time for others? This past few weeks I have spent so much time connecting and reconnecting with friends. The visits and talks we have had over tea, lunch or dinner have been amazing. And the meals delicious!

My best friend from grade school and I had lunch last week after years of a Christmas card friendship as our children were growing. Even though we only lived twenty minutes apart our life path took us in different directions. Thank goodness for the connection of Christmas cards each year. She picked me up and I don’t think we stop talking and catching up for the three hours we visiting and ate Panera’s soup and sandwich.

What about Facebook? Sometimes a “friend” uses FB as an outreach for help through a rough time, sometimes it to share good news or daily moods, and sometimes it reconnects relationships. Summer of 2010 was a high school reunion year for me. The committee posted the reunion event on Facebook for all the classmates to respond. It was so good to see so many classmates at the reunion and then to keep connected with them through their posts and pictures. I love celebrating the pictures of some that are already grandparents (unbelievable, since I don’t feel old enough to be a grandparent) and some that have children graduating. I enjoy FB for the way it connects me to near and far away friends.

Connect through calls, visits, and cards. Share a comment on how you connect with those in your life.

So now the next time you look at the internet tab that is swirling around waiting to connect, pause and realize how many connections you have in your life and how you can foster those connections each day.

Call a friend and have a Panera lunch…
Embrace life and laugh with someone…and CONNECT!

Connecting..

 

 

 

Blue Skies in Shanghai

Reblogged from bartonstravels:

This week we had great weather in Shanghai. I was riding my bike when I realized I am spoiled. Weather like this week is common-place in Colorado. Colorado claims to have over 300 days of beautiful weather. I like it here. I could live here longer. But I love living in Colorado. I am spoiled.

I did feel like the warm weather made everyone here happier.

Read more… 193 more words

Sharing the sun with my sister in Shanghai

Hold my hand

holding hands – age 10, and age 8 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

IntimacyI remember someone asking my husband and I during the first few years of our marriage what is Intimacy? The definition we both first conjured up in our minds was mostly physical. But as we matured and grew, our understanding of intimacy grew also. Our relationship has grown throughout our 27 years of marriage. Like most couples we began with a physical attraction that grows into a deep love that was never imagined when the “I do’s” were exchanged.

We have raised babies, bought homes, owned a business together. We have survived arguments, financial challenges, unemployment, loss of our fathers, and much more in our years together.

We have learned to communicate

We have learned to listen

We have learned when to hold each other

We have learned to just “be” with each other

My children think we are too affectionate towards each other, because we truly enjoy each others company (and like to kiss and hold hands). But when you get either of them alone, they admit they like the fact that their parents are still attracted to each other and still are in love with each other. My expressive Italian husband is very passionate about life. When he laughs, its genuine and heartfelt. When he enjoys a good meal, he soaks it all in, from the smells to the presentation to the taste. He is passionate about his family – giving, kind and loving. Passionate is the word I would use to describe him.

He is not perfect, but he is perfect for me.

I love the way he holds my hand in his, I feel so safe, so loved.  I can spend all day just hand in hand with him.

I pray every person could experience the trueness of love from someone else. I know there is a lot of hardship in the world, but sometime we just need someone to reach out and hold our hand. Recently, I received some hard news, and the person who explained everything to me, sat next to me and held my hand. I remember looking at her hands and thinking, it’s exactly what I needed, I needed human touch as I was told this. Then I prayed for all the people who live days, weeks, months and even longer without human touch, without the intimacy of someone knowing them and being present for them. I felt sad, but not for me, for all those without another presence in their life.

My life is blessed in so many ways. I will survive my hardship no matter how thin the rope I’m hanging on to becomes…because I have a loving family always ready below to catch me and carry me until I can walk upright again.

As a youth minister, I have helped many people through churches, retreats and worktours. But when this caregiver held my hand, I realized the importance of always, continually, without ceasing, reaching out to touch others.

May your day open your eyes to the opportunities to hold the hand of another and know the true meaning of intimacy.

Some Nature Within Shanghai

Reblogged from bartonstravels:

A day at the largest park in Shanghai – Century Park.  Frank, Matt and I rented a bike/car to bike through the park which is sprawling. The bike was hard to peddle with three of us riding, but proved to be entertaining. Frank pushed us a lot of the time or we switched who had to walk.  Many Chinese families come here with their tents to spend the afternoon in nature.

Read more… 77 more words

My sister has been teaching this year in Shanghai. What a wonderful life experience. But I'm glad she will be home this summer. Enjoy!!!

Giggles galore

Laugh!

Laughter… (Photo credit: leodelrosa…)

Laughter is the best medicine. Author unknown.
Maybe the author is unknown because it’s too big of statement to be credited to one person. Everyone in their heart knows this statement to be true.

Laughter can change a mood instantly, laughter can change a heart forever and laughter can heal physically.

Psychology Today tells us that: “Now comes hard new evidence that laughter helps your blood vessels function better. It acts on the inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium, causing vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow. In other words, it’s good for your heart and brain, two organs that require the steady flow of oxygen carried in the blood”

God gifted us with this amazing way to positively affect our lives, we need to embrace it more often.
How can you watch this and not see pure joy?

Baby Giggling

We need laughter in our lives to help us lighten our loads.

Our family would much rather watch a Comedy than a Police drama. We do like most genre of shows and movies, but the memorable ones are Comedies.

Can you watch Modern Family  this week and not feel better afterwards?
Did you know “road trip” and “food fight” was made well-known because of Animal House?

Laughter is important in a home. One of the first things that attracted me to my husband was his smile and laugh. He knew how to have a good time, sometimes maybe too good with his high school friends ( but that’s another post). He laughed and he allowed me to be the silly girl I did so well.  Boy did we have great time with friends, lots of silly stories,many that my children have heard over and over.

We laugh with our children. Family vacations were always Road trips with hours in the car. But they were filled with car games, sing a longs and silly conversations.  I don’t know how many times I was asked if I was a fruit, what type of fruit would I be?  We laughed and laughed. Now that are children are older, we are very close and the now a sense of humor helped to foster those relationships. Aren’t you attracted to people in the room that are having the most fun?

One of my favorite picture of Jesus http://www.jesuslaughing.com/paper-prints.html – I love the image of him as my best friend laughing with me. I think you will too.

Giggle and laugh everyday. It will make you healthy and happy!

How do you live with laughter in your life? Who is your favorite comedian? What makes you giggle like crazy?