Are you "Mom-opic"?

I first heard that coinage a few months ago while listening to a panel discussion comprising women who couldn't and women who didn't want to have children. It was interesting to hear their perspectives so I decided to expand on it based on my personal experiences.

Let's start by breaking down the word. "Mom-opic" is combination of 2 words...I expect you can make them out. Yes "Mom" an alternate word for "Mother" and "opic" from "Myopic" which means narrow-minded and lacking in intellectual insight - in other (my) words "poor-sighted." Melanie (I didn’t catch her last name) who coined this word said she came up with it after observing how myopic a lot of mothers are; too many mothers, intentionally and sometimes unintentionally, believe that women who don't have children (yet) don't know anything (or know nothing) about raising children. It is such a sadly myopic view because some of these women have raised or supported others to raise children - say, their younger siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends' children, foster children and the list could go on.

The other misconception, pun intended, is that Motherhood = Womanhood - nothing could be further than the truth. I'll delve into both "I-sight" issues with my insight, which some may say is too __________ - not sure how you'd describe it hence the blank space, so let's move on.

Grace to stay grateful

As this year's Thanksgiving Day was in the horizon,

I wanted to do something different & thought-provoking. So last Monday, I sent an email to some of my colleagues, including my boss, encouraging each person to write one thing they are thankful for each day so that by Friday, each person would have at least 5 things they are thankful for.

It was nice to read what others are thankful for - even some things we take for granted e.g. choices. There was a funny example of "one (wo)man's meat..."

- someone was thankful for the nice weather i.e. no snow yet and another person was thankful for Winter holidays.

I knew I'd be out of the office on Friday so I made sure I completed my list of 5. At the end of the day, I added the 6th one laid in my heart. Yes, you guessed right, it was:

I am thankful to God for

the grace to remain grateful/thankful... especially beyond Thanksgiving Day.

It was both a point of thanksgiving and a prayer as well. As you may know, it’s very easy to get caught up in life and not take the time to express our gratitude to God...which takes a decision and effort.  As a ladies, we're always encouraged to be graceful - and that takes some effort - at least for me it does. So I guess if there was one grace we all need, it's the grace to be grateful every day and everyway.

Author Edward Sandford Martin put this need to have grace to stay grateful aptly,  

“Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year;

to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.”

May we receive the grace and remain gracefully grateful...and move to ThanksLIVING.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Happy ThanksLIVING life!!

Funky

or Functional?

Ripple effect...

 

Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness.

Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.

~ Scott Adams

Laps for laps

As I was preparing for a trip, I tried on my newest pair of jeans - which I had bought 3 weeks earlier and behold, they were tight on my thighs. Hmm? Where was I when that happened?

 

It then hit me that the fact that you're not actively doing anything to add weight doesn't mean that nothing is happening. So I started thinking that maybe I need to start doing laps (i.e. running) for my laps. The very first "proposal" in my thoughts was that I need to get a buddy who'd encourage & keep me accountable. I quickly discounted it because I need to decide and do - and the buddy may become a bother. The way I see it, fitting into my new pair of jeans comfortably is enough motivation. 

 

Talk about taking responsibility. I really like this cartoon - it's not completely true for me at least not now and hopefully never - if I take active action now. So I started doing some research and found out that brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming can be done in laps and fat is burned. But doing this once a month or just over the summer is not sufficient. The bottom line is that I (we, in case you're in the same boat as I am) need to move from knowing what to do to doing it and being committed & consistent. Doing this for 45-60 minutes, at least 3 times a week will produce a lifestyle.

I've decided to give myself a birthday gift that I want. No, not new outfits, but a better "fit-in" - so help me God.

Please encourage anyone around you who has set a self-improvement target. You & I can do it...

To thrive...

...trust and obey.

Jer 17: 7-8 - [Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.*

 

Psalm1: 1-3 Happy [Blessed]are those who don’t listen to [walk in the counsel of] the wicked, who don’t go where sinners go[stand in the way of sinners], who don’t do what evil people do[sit in the seat of mockers]. They love [delight in] the Lord’s teachings [laws; instructions], and they think about [meditate on] those teachings [laws; instructions] day and night. They are like a tree planted by a river[streams of water; full of life, strong, vibrant]. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don’t die [wither]. Everything they do will succeed.*

Job 36: 11 - “If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant. (NLT)

Reference:
* Amplified

Take it easy, woman

It's interesting and enlightening to watch people and of course learn from them.

A few weeks ago, I saw a lady travelling with her husband and their 2 sons. It was very obvious that she was "in-charge." She was even in control (more like custody) of the boys' travel pillows.

When their luggage arrived on the carousel, she looked at her husband and said: "The 2nd, 3rd & 4th are ours." (I was lip-reading) BTW, her husband had gotten 2 luggage carts and each son had one. The next thing that happened - without warning - she started lifting their large suitcases off the carousel herself.

Amazed, I looked at her husband who looked equally amazed. As I walked away, I felt like going to her to say: "Take it easy woman."
All that was going through my mind was that there's no way I'd do that with my husband and sons right there beside me. Did I mention that their youngest son looked about 10 years old?

You know, I believe that sometimes women overdo things. You may be able to do everything but you really don't have to do everything. Some of us spend more time complaining that no one helps us whereas we don't give others space or time to help us - like the lady I mentioned.

To really enjoy our family - and family time, engage them in various activities...live a more balanced life. One with more rest and less stress... Join me as we say this to ourselves: "Take it easy, woman." Yes, it's okay to...

P.S. This experience makes me even more grateful for the men in my life. My husband and sons wouldn't even have let me carry the 1st suitcase. They would have repositioned themselves and taken charge there.  God uses them to help me take it easy from time to time. Love you all...lots.