A moment with robin

In all we got about 4-6 inches of sleet in this storm. Well, do you know what happens to sleet when it's cold? Yeah, it freezes. Fun times. I looked outside my window this morning when I woke up and saw the funniest thing. Some guy couldn't get his door open - it froze shut. So, he took one of those garden shovels, you know the kind that you see in all those movies that people use to smack someone upside the head? He was using that to try to pry his car door open. Too funny. Of course his scrapper was inside his car (as it is for us all) and he couldn't get that unless he got in the car.

I'm glad that I did clear my car off as much as I did yesterday when I got home from work because it made today a lot easier. I went out while the sun was still out. Luckily the sun did a lot of the work for me. I brought my shovel out and tried to dig around my tires. That wasn't happening. All of a sudden I hear the beeping (or squeeking) of someone trying to unlock their car doors with a remote. I look around and no one is there. "That's obnoxious" I said outloud to no one in particular as I thought it was just some person trying to scare me when I realized it was the car parked next to mine. Suddenly, the car starts. Mind you, NO ONE is IN the car at this point. That got another comment with me with a twist - "that's really obnoxious" came out of my mouth, once again to no one in particular. I've only seen those remote starter things on tv or in advertisements. I can vouch that they work.

I'm getting ready to head back inside (you can only try for so long to remove ice from next to your tires that doesn't want to move) and I look up to see a robin standing on the snow looking straight at me. I couldn't help but smile because I know the bird and I were thinking the same thing. Didn't we just have spring this week? Where did it go?

I walked back inside and looked out my window to see if the phantom car owner had actually come out or not and I saw the robin standing in front of my front driver's side tire just looking around. It was almost like it was asking, where did she go? (you know we had a moment earlier). Again I smiled as I was reminded that Spring is indeed around the corner. The snow will melt, the flowers will bloom and the birds will sing.

I am so excited for Spring.

March Madness

Beware the ides of March....

Yesterday here in Philly it was 70 degrees. Today here in Philly it's about 40+ degrees less than that AND there is a combination of ice, slush and snow falling from the skies. What a difference a day makes.

I left work early today; my whole office did. I am glad I got out when I did because the roads are horrible. It's so slick and so slippery out there. I decided I should clear off my whole car when I got home to my apartment (and not just my rear and front windows as I did before leaving the train station lot). I figured it's only going to get worse so lets get some off the car now. There is nothing like getting pelted in the face by blowing ice that is falling from the sky. Feels good. Talk about a smack in the face.

Then I came inside and did what my mom would have done for me as a kid after spending time outside in the cold and snow. I made a cup of hot chocolate. Yummo. I even had marshmallows in the freezer (makes them last longer) that I put in it. It's fun being a kid at any age.

The other type of March madness in my life now is basketball. Oh well, got off work early giving me more time to knit in front of the tv while watching basketball. Sounds good to me.

I am woman...

I am reading Captivating by John and Stasi Eldridge. This is my second time reading it and it is just a fabulous book. If you haven't read it, you should consider it. You won't regret it.

There is a section that I read on the train on the way home that hit me like a ton of bricks. I thought I'd share it.

"Most of you thought the things that have happened to you were somehow your fault - that you deserved it. If only you had been prettier or smarter or done more or pleased them, somehow it wouldn't have happened. You would have been loved. They wouldn't have hurt you. And most of you are living with the guilt that somehow it's your fault you aren't more deeply pursued now. That you do not have an essential role in a great adventure. That you have no beauty to unveil. The message of our wounds nearly always is, 'this is because of you. This is what you deserve.' It changes things to realize that, no, it is because you are glorious that these things happened. It is because you are a major threat to the kingdom of darkness. Because you uniquely carry the glory of God to the world. You are hated (by the enemy) because of your beauty and power."

Not so easy to believe but words that I need to let sink in.

"You really won't understand your life as a woman until you understand this:

You are passionately loved by the God of the universe.
You are passionately hated by his Enemy."

That's a bit powerful. Defenitely going to need more time to soak in that.

A Timely Word

Proverbs 15:23 says "how good is a timely word." The writer was so very true about that one. As was the writer who wrote Proverbs 12:25 which says "an anxious heart weighs a man down but a kind word cheers him up."

Today I had an anxious heart. I even wrote a confession email about it to a friend. I had a conversation not too long after I wrote that email that was both timely and the kind word I needed.

On my way to the bathroom I ran into one of our facilities workers. She is in her 70's and is such a grandma type – she is as sweet as they come and a really hard worker. We chatted for a few minutes and she complimented my sweater that I said I got from my mom. In our conversation about moms and daughters she said the sweetest thing. She told me that I am a nice person, I have a good personality and she loves me. Ah, melt my heart. I told her how much joy she brings to my life each day that I get to see her and said that I love her too, which I do.

Considering all the negative talk I have been given while working in this job and the anxious state of my heart, her words did cheer me up. No my anxiety is not all gone, but I was definitely lifted up.

So I Think I Can Dance

When I was at the Mother Ship (the apartment complex that manages my complex and has a Club House) for the knitting class on Tuesday I found out that someone is teaching a hip-hop/jazz dance class. You have no idea how excited that made me.

So, I went Thursday night for my first class. How much stinkin' fun did I have? So much. I forgot how much I love dance classes and creating routines. Ah, joy to my heart and life to my feet. It also brought pain to my back and thighs but oh well. Nothing a little aspirin, heating pad or Therma-Care can't fix.

I realized how out of shape I have become. I haven't exercised since the weather has turned cold. I'm paying for it now, but hopefully between this class and the warmer weather (hey, it's bound to get here at some point) hopefully I'll be back in shape soon. Or at least enough shape where my body doesn't hurt the next day after a class. It's one pain that I am okay with having.

I'm a knitter by Tuesday and a hip-hopper (wannabe) by Thursday. Sounds like a good mix to me.