A Sudden Change for Easter

Easter is an annual Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus our Lord. Christianity would be useless without the death, and resurrection of the Son of God. Somewhere along the line a bunny and Easter egg hunts became part of the tradition of celebrating this special day. I do not pretend to understand how, why, or when these traditions began. 

Here in south Louisiana, many families and friends join together for an Easter tradition that for the most part is specific to this region. This tradition would be the crawfish boil.

My wife has desired boiling crawfish for quite some time. Not just for Easter but at any time during the crawfish season. I have never taken the time to learn how to do this correctly, nor did I have the necessary equipment. Being born and still living here, the items and skills are easily acquired.

I have always chosen to buy crawfish already boiled and ready to eat. This year was no exception. For Easter Sunday, you must order your boiled crawfish in advance because businesses sell out of them so quickly. This year I waited too long and found it hard to find a place that was not already completely booked. Luckily, I found a place and was able to order 30 pounds of boiled crawfish. At least, that is what I thought I ordered.

After church, I went to pick them up, and they brought out my order. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until I arrived at home.

Before I go on, let me inform you that I am not the most perceptive person on the face of the planet. If I am thinking about something, like enjoying a relaxing day with friends, the chance of me noticing even the most obvious things is slim.

Now back to the story. When I arrived at my home and went to unload our Easter lunch, I noticed the crawfish were still alive. Wait. What? That's right. I guess there were some communication issues with what I thought I ordered.

With a couple of friends coming over in about an hour, our Easter plans were dying a quick death. Neither my wife nor I were shocked at our new situation. Crazy things always happen to us. Life is an adventure. However, we are not the type of people to give up.

My wife and I had about five minutes to come up with a plan. We jumped in the car heading to the store as she googled recipes and times required to do the boil correctly.

After trips to two or three stores, we bought what we needed and returned home. We also asked one of our friends to bring us some fast food to satisfy our hunger until we could complete the boil and begin eating.

After spending much more money than planned, the crawfish boil went off without any more issues. Our Easter Sunday ended up being a great day. The fact that we now own the necessary equipment opens up opportunities for more boils in the future, just like my wife wanted anyway.

Life does not always go according to our plans. Things pop up suddenly and can turn things upside down. Many people decide to quit. They would prefer to do nothing than to change directions. Life is full of opportunities to adjust. When things get crazy, do not stop. Overcome.

The Apostle wrote to the Romans about all the trials he and his friends faced, but that in those things, they were "more than conquerors through him (Jesus) who loved us." Knowing that we serve the same God as Paul if he can overcome facing death regularly, we can overcome the daily issues that need adjustments.

Be an overcomer. 

Snow Day

I wonder if people in the North are laughing at those of us in the South. I know many in the South are laughing at ourselves today.

Today, we have encountered another snow day. The fact that we have had “another” in the past two months is news enough. It rarely snows here. I think this is the fourth snow we have had in about ten years.

Now, this is not blizzard-type snow, mind you. Last month, my house received about an inch and a half of snow. I doubt today’s snowfall can be measured.  I woke up and saw a few small thin patches of snow on the ground and the rooftops were white.

These “wintery conditions” resulted in schools and businesses to close. My company sent alerts to employees that only personnel necessary to restore power should come to work.  

Meanwhile, there are probably people up north who are shoveling feet of snow out of their driveways so they can get to work. I have seen posts on social media about how those in the south are more scared of snow than they are of hurricanes. That might be true.

There is a simple reason for everything shutting down in 20-degree weather with a hint of snow. We are not prepared to handle these conditions.  Some homes up north do not have heaters in their homes. They are not prepared for the heat that we get down here. Similarly, we do not have snow tires, chains, or the knowledge of how to drive when there is ice. Some may even question our ability to drive in normal weather conditions. Our cities do not own snowplows. We do not have the equipment to salt the roads. Driving in these conditions would cause accidents.

Now do not get me wrong; we love the snow. We just never see it. In fact, in three days the temperature will be back in the 60’s.  

In life, unexpected things can happen. Even enjoyable things can change our life’s direction. Suddenly you discover you are pregnant or received a promotion. These things can suddenly change your whole life. We may have been excited about the change, but not prepared for it.

There are also horrible things like disease or the loss of someone you love that can change everything. You do not want these to happen, but occasionally they do.

Whatever life brings you, do not freak out. If it is time to mourn, then mourn. If it is a time to celebrate then celebrate. We cannot possibly be ready for everything that occurs financially, physically, or mentally. However, we need to prepare to be ready to go through the unexpected.

We need to know where our strength comes from to endure whatever happens. Do not let it break your resolve. Do not let it stop you from being you. Learn to adapt to the new situation.

I am a Christian, and the joy of the Lord is my strength. That joy allows me to continue even when things go haywire.

A king had three men thrown into a fiery furnace for their execution, but they knew their strength came from God. They trusted God, and God gave them strength and deliverance. In Daniel 3:26 it says, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.”

Just as God helped them through their change of situation, He will help you out of yours. Will you trust him?

Jury Duty Day

Some people enjoy fulfilling their civic duty with jury duty. However, I do not know any of them personally. My wife is definitely not one of those people. Nevertheless, it was her turn once again to serve.  

The problem with jury duty is that it throws everything out of whack. It puts your normal life and routine on hold. You are responsible for changing everything to accommodate the courts. Babysitters, transportation, and rearranging schedules are all a part of this civic duty. I have had jury duty in all three parishes in which I have lived. There seems to be nothing worse than sitting in a room for hours with complete strangers waiting for the clerk to call your number. Getting questioned means more than a one-day commitment is possible. Sometimes it could take weeks or even longer if selected to sit on the jury. 

Fortunately, this was not my turn to serve. It was my wife's service. 

However, I did have to make some changes. With only one car, I had to make sure she was able to get there. I took a vacation day from work and spent the day in the area the courthouse is located. My second job scheduled me to work that evening, so I made sure my son was available to pick her up if her time was longer than anticipated. 

I was not about to just sit there and do nothing. I also did not want to drive home in case she finished early. With jury duty, there is no timetable established for the day. Many feel like a hostage. 

While my wife served, I decided to explore the town. I ate breakfast at a nice coffee shop. I visited a historical general store, a trading post, and an interesting yet peculiar art museum. I brought lunch to my wife when she called. Shortly after lunch, she was free to go for this particular day. My day was in stark contrast to my wife's day. I was at peace. She was ready to escape. 

As I reflect, I see the simple things in life that make it enjoyable. It is easy to go through life and miss the fascinating things that are out there. Our minds get lost on the big things. Many times, the big things cause us stress. The simple things can bring us refreshment and relaxation.

We recently purchased some patio furniture. I forgot how calming it is to watch the birds, the squirrels, and the sunset. I enjoy the quiet. We all need to enjoy the things that are out there. Some work too hard and miss everything, including their children growing up. Step back. Smell the roses. Enjoy your favorite beverage while relaxing from the stress of this world.

Stress is always available, but so is peace if you take the time to search for it. 

Coffee with Chunky Creamer

Last week, I was in the break room at work and poured myself a cup of coffee. I was looking forward to this cup of coffee. As I have said in a previous blog post, I like coffee. I enjoy the taste. I do not use sugar except for what is in the creamer already.

I opened the refrigerator that had several creamers from which to choose. I usually go with the original, but today I would try something different. As I poured the creamer into my coffee, chunky creamer fell into my cup.

Correct me if I am wrong, but creamer should never have chunks.

Of course, I did not attempt to drink the chunky-creamed coffee. I quickly poured it out, rinsed my cup, and poured myself another cup with the original creamer without chunks.

There have been times when preparing something to eat where I opened a needed ingredient to find out that it was no longer good. Frustrated and disappointed, I had to go to the store or find another unspoiled pack of the same thing to continue.

It does not take much to spoil a good thing.

It is like watching a movie, but the person behind you keeps talking or having one last chapter to read and someone tells you how the story ends.

When we view ourselves, we mostly consider ourselves as good. Sometimes we pour things into our lives that may seem okay at first, but eventually spoils. You may tell the facts about something, but the attitude behind it makes you a gossip. Your cream has become chunky.

I have heard how someone’s idiosyncrasies attracted him or her to another person. After being with them for a time, those same idiosyncrasies are what they complained about the most. It is like good creamer that has spoiled.

Maybe it is the time that we let some of our old habits die. Maybe the phrase “It is who I am” not be an excuse anymore. Let us try to improve. Let us enjoy one another’s company. Let us live our lives while getting rid of the trash inside. We all have some. We just do not like to hear it.

Whatever the chunky cream is in your life, throw it out and replace it with something fresh. 

Monday Morning

Seems like every Monday morning people needed more sleep. The first thought I usually have is wondering if there is a time to nap today. Sometimes, I can get one during my lunch break, but normally I began to wake up and do not need it.  Many people feel like they are useless on Mondays.

If only I went to bed at my normal time rather than my “weekend” time. It is not like my weekend bedtime is much later, but it is just not my norm. Some people think that normal is overrated. I am not known for being normal, but I like my schedule to remain as normal as possible.

Today has been anything but normal. I arrived at work and was told I was needed at another office today. This throws my normal into chaos. First, I no longer have access to the building to which I am reporting. Nor do I have access to any of the material that I will need. When they changed security cards, since I no longer worked here, I was locked out.

Of course, I will also be here alone for most of the day. That part I can handle until I need to get into a locked room.

Life can take us on strange twists and turns. Sometimes we are able to adjust quickly. Other times it appears our hands and feet are tied together and are given an impossible task.

However, I do not believe that anything is impossible. This is not because of my ability, but because of the great God I serve. He enables me to get through impossible situations. We all experience at least a few in our lifetimes.

The problem we often face is that we focus on the problem rather than a solution. I trust that everything will work out.

Perspective helps no matter how bad things appear. Today is Monday. My shift will end, and my Monday blues will be over. The end of the day always comes around. Maybe tomorrow will be normal. Maybe I will have another unexpected turn. Life is full of adventure. Some I enjoy. Others I prefer to avoid. Life goes on. Trouble is not the end of the world. You keep on going.

Focus on what you can do. Get help from others for those you cannot. Life does not end today. Even though on Mondays, it may seem like it.

 

 

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

I am not a supporter of Daylight Savings Time. In fact, I hate it. Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada started this in 1908. Germany was the first country to use it so they could conserve fuel during the war in 1916. Over 70 countries currently use the time change. The point is to make better use of the natural daylight.  

I do not know many people that enjoy changing the clocks twice a year. Laziness is not why they hate it. It is the losing an hour of sleep and regaining it months later. It throws people out of their routines. People appear more tired. Our bodies seem to take longer to adjust. 

In fact, we do not actually save any time. You still have the same amount of time throughout the year. My question is simple. Is this something that we need to continue, or has it outlived its purpose? 

Journals have published articles about the effects of the time change. Groups have conducted studies on the subject. It appears that the time change sparks more heart attacks and strokes, more auto accidents, and a reduction in work productivity. 

Studies have been unable to show any significant energy savings as a result. Many people have voiced the preference to change the laws, but only Arizona and Hawaii do not change their clocks.  

To me, the idea of continuing Daylight Savings Time is madness. 

People and businesses often refuse to let go of ideas or practices that no longer prove beneficial. We are often stuck with the thought of "it is what we have always done." Maybe we need to look at the direction we are going and the methods we are using to see if they are helping or hurting our goals.

Technology, society, and circumstances can make what was once a necessity into something outdated and impractical. Yet, many people continue their journey but never accomplishing what they once would. 

I once heard a man say, "If the horse you are riding dies, get off the horse." That is great advice. There are committees, meetings, and business plans that should be extinct. Letting go may be hard to do. We should periodically look at what we do. If something is not working, adjust it. Get rid of ideas that are no longer viable. There may be a better idea out there that will help you achieve your goals. 

Do not let pride get in the way. It may have been your idea, but it is more important to complete your purpose than to receive credit for a failed mission. If you cannot see why things are not moving in the right direction, ask others for the perspective. Others may see what you cannot. 

Blockbuster Trade

I am not a big basketball fan. I enjoy the game enough to go watch a live game but not enough to watch it on television. The extent of getting information on my local team is hearing about it on the radio news on my morning commute. 

For the last several years, I have heard how we need a new coach. The team replaced the old coach, and new hope arrived. After the first year, the call for a new coach and a new general manager started. The team has had its difficulties. We have one of the best players in the game and occasionally get into the playoffs, only to lose in the first round. 

This year has been no different. Every morning for many weeks, the sportscasters start suggesting that rather than aiming for the playoffs, try for a lottery pick in the NBA draft. Maybe we will have better luck next year with new coaches and players. 

This morning, the news was much different. I turned on my car radio and heard, "The Pelicans were going to acquire DeMarcus Cousins in a blockbuster trade." The sportscaster also added how the team now has a legitimate chance of not just reaching the playoffs but doing well. 

Again, I am not enough of a basketball fan to know the impact this trade would make. By the sound of the reporter's voice, the team has newfound hope I am aware that local media sometimes over dramatizes how big of a trade can be so I checked out NBA radio. The national media apparently agrees that this is a huge move for the team and possibly for basketball. 

Sometimes in life, we would love to start over. Maybe go somewhere that nobody knows us and start fresh. While a fresh start sounds nice, often it ends with very mixed results. The reason starting over is not always prudent is because we are the problem. We bring our own issues with us wherever we go.  

Most of us do not need a complete overhaul. We simply need to get rid of a few things that hold us back and add something better. 

Would we be better off if we traded hatred for love, discord for peace and selfish ambition for self-control? This would be a blockbuster trade. The results could bring hope. It could bring change to everything around you. It could even bring you success. 

We need to stop trying to change our situations and look inwardly for what we can change ourselves.   

New Glasses

I remember getting into several fights as a child. I do not recall the reasons behind most of them. Knowing me, I was probably the cause of most of them, probably said something stupid. I was a small farsighted kid. Many times, I would hand my glasses to someone to hold before throwing a punch. Other times, my parents would pick me up from school with the remnants of what used to be eyeglasses in my metal lunch kit as I shook the box so they could hear the soon to be replaced remains.

As I grew older, I went through a time where I no longer needed glasses. My eyes were changing.

As a teenager, I was driving my mom around and ran three stop signs. She questioned me as to the reason why and I simply responded with, “what stop signs?” Shortly after, my parents brought me to the optometrist. My dad pointed to a sign on the door across the waiting room, and I could not even see a sign, much less than read what it said.

I walked out with a prescription for new glasses to correct my shortsighted vision. I was amazed at what I could see. Things at a distance were now clear. I thought everyone saw things far away, as I did, fuzzy and unclear.

Just over 30 years later, my eye doctor informed me, I need bifocals. I can still read without my glasses, but with them, I read clearer.

Seeing things clearly is a wonderful thing. I no longer run stop signs. I can now see the words on a sign and not just the frame of the sign. There is nothing wrong with getting help to see things better.

I wish everyone could see clearly and not just physically.

People talk about being optimists, but some are positive only when things are going their way. Others are positive regardless of the situation. Some are always negative. None of us can be right one hundred percent of the time. Sometimes we need help to see things more clearly.

I know what I believe and why I believe it. However, I have heard differing opinions that revealed some errors in my thinking. When proven wrong, I have changed my opinion.  Being stubborn to other beliefs keeps us blind. Not being emotional or hardheaded breaks barriers and often results in a clearer vision.

Arguments never help anyone, but honest and open discussions may. You never know who may help your vision become clearer. Do not believe everyone or everything without knowing all of the facts but listen to others. It has taken me many years to listen to some, but I enjoy being able to see. My hearing has cleared some of my vision.

New Year Excitement

Every year, people take this time of the year to remember the things that have transpired in the previous year. The media published top ten lists that friends can debate. Rarely are everyone’s lists the same. My top ten movies are probably not the same as yours.

Every year there has its successes and failures. Last year, I lost 40 pounds from May to November, but in the last 2 months, I have seen an increase in 14 pounds. In sports, my New Orleans Saints looked bad, then really good, then bad again.

Good or bad, we do not live in last year. We live in the present year. Every year starts with celebrations. While the past year has people and events we miss, the New Year offers us a new hope and a fresh start.

It is up to us how we proceed. Many will dwell on the past. They will tell others of their great achievements. Others will recall their losses or failures. Remembering the past is one thing, but living in the past is another.

I chose to move forward.

I do not know what tomorrow will bring. I do not know how this year will compare to last year or to the following year. The excitement of the New Year is like opening a gift. You are not sure if you get what you really wanted or a set of ugly pictures that have be re-gifted year after year. Only time will tell.

I want to live as though this year will be the best ever. I want to live life as if this were my last one on earth. I want to make new friendships that will last for years to come. I want my family to grow through marriage and births. I want those around me to be able to laugh and enjoy life with me.

These are not resolutions. These are my hopes. Some may want more money, better jobs, or better health.

Of course, I want those things, as well, but I really just want to make the people around me happy. I love smiling faces. Laughter is the best medicine.

The New Year offers no guarantees. Some things that will happen will be out of our control. How we respond to things is completely in our control. If you fail, get up, learn from what went wrong, and try again or move on to something else. If you succeed, continue or move on to the next thing. Even better, help someone else to succeed.

This year, I hope people quit complaining and start telling jokes. I hope people will stop the practice of destructive-criticism and offer practical advice and encouragement. I hope the many divisions of people can move past the hurts and come together in unity.

Accomplishing these things start with us. I hope I will be the person to start the change in the New Year. I can only affect those around me. It takes more than just me. It takes a bunch of individuals to decide for themselves how they will affect positive change.

Be positive. Be helpful. Be the change.