JustMOMsensations

Sharing a story sent to me via email - the author is unknown but the message is beautiful. Two Angels Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.   The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.   As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied,   "Things aren't always what they seem" .   The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife.   After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.   The younger angel wa

It has taken me a few months to get back to this blog series.   A friend posted a FaceBook status recently, providing motivation.   She talked about her displeasure in the overuse and positioning of the word ‘authentic’.   “Be your authentic self.”   We have heard Dr. Phil and Oprah use this quote, wrapping entire episodes of their television shows around the understanding and pursuit of that statement.   This concept is not new.   It is just a new tag phrase wrapped around teachings most of us experienced throughout our lives. My parents would say, “he/she is true blue”, meaning that they could be counted on to be themselves – implying a trustworthy experience.   As they guided me through building my character, I would often be faced with dilemmas of conscience – learning to balance the line between right and wrong.   It was not unusual for them to remind me of a quote from Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet; “to thine own self be true” . What does it all mean?   Whatever you call

As someone who has made a career of utilizing and mastering multiple software programs, I have a great deal of experience with their flaws.   Like software, humans are imperfect.   Many intriguing analogies may be drawn between the two. When software does not deliver the expected result, it is referred to as a ‘bug’.    Some people continue to push the button on the program, hoping that the problem with disappear.   That frustrated persistence often causes the software to get stuck in a loop – locking up the computer and resulting in a complete systems crash.   Experienced computer Users know to turn off and restart their machine first, in case it is a strange anomaly that disappears when the computer is at rest.   This is called a ‘reboot’. Once a bug proves to be persistent, it must be further tested to determine the severity and impact of the issue.   If a positive result is possible through an alternate existing feature it is called a ‘workaround’.      If the bug is consid

 Photographer: N Rau Whether you celebrate this annual event or not, Halloween gives kids a chance to explore their creativity in costumes and provides the opportunity for communities to get more acquainted.   One Cornell home proves kids are not the only ones churning those creative juices.   This Cornell – Markham home grows its Halloween ornateness a little more each year.   It is not surprising to see cars slowing or families making special foot treks to explore the ‘eye candy’ this home has to offer.   From the towering Frankenstein, to gravestones, spiders and a carriage of horror – this family goes all out!!   When asked what motivated the effort, homeowner Jenn said, “We started it for our own kids.   Each year, as neighbours commented, it grew and grew.   This year – we even received a letter of thanks from one neighbourhood boy!”   Photographer: N. Rau Daniel’s family moved to Cornell just over one year ago. “We fell in love with this communi

All writers need to explore their dark side, every now and then.  Let me know what thoughts this poem provokes in you:   The Blur   I crave the blur Whether joy or pain provokes The blur equalizes   I want to share The tongue gets loose Acceptance mesmerizes   I join the group The spirit is free The value criticizes   I awake with regret Self-preservation protects Remembering emphasizes   I feel it again The blur did not erase The emotion metastasizes  

I am in a unique place in my family.   I was raised by parents born in the Great Depression of the 1920’s.   My three older siblings are of the BoomerGeneration   and I am Gen X .   I have nieces, nephews and cousins who are Millennials  (also known as Gen Y).   I have empathy for all perspectives.   Of primary concern, I am driven to understand the possibilities of the world my small children will inherit. This video from Upworthy.com crossed my screen recently.    It is a sarcastic depiction of criticisms directed toward the Millennials, and the response of some, referencing the conditions created by previous generations.     Don’t let the sarcasm distract from the powerful message.   The video is both thought provoking and disturbing. As the compelling ideas from the video began dancing through my head, they gained momentum and reminded me of what I already know;   there is no reality, only perspective.   Since that provokes the next thought – empathy comforts perspective, I

Elvis the cat went missing last Thursday night.   For 14 years Elvis the Cat lived with me indoors. He was afraid of the outside.   Due to kidney disease, he has been living on borrowed time but was still vibrant, fat and happy.   Lately, he seemed desperate to get outside.   I had been warned he might run away to die.      I searched for two days and nights, was sad, and began to look back …. We met at a farm in 1999.   He was undernourished, with mites and fleas.   I was embarking on a new, independent life.   We knew instantly that we belonged to each other.   I nursed him back to life – physically, and he nourished my spirit.   I didn’t hear him meow for the first few years of his life.   I always thought it was because I saw to his every need before he knew he had it.   At night, he would sleep curled in my arms.   If he heard a noise, he would perch on the end of my bed between me and a potential threat.   We took care of each other. He was a rascal.   My hair ban

My kids are “colorblind” – when it comes to people.   They are 8 and 5 years old and I have never heard a derogatory racial comment come out of their mouths.   I have not heard them refer to any person with a label, other than referring to someone as an adult, child, teenager, parent or teacher.   Perhaps we really are raising a generation of children who are better than we were. My parents grew up in the 20s and 30s.   They raised four children to have open minds. We were taught to decide about people for ourselves, based on individual qualities – not generalizations sometimes used in society.   My parents would not tolerate bad behavior or language toward any person; whether from our Scottish/Irish/English background or otherwise.   I do remember my Father describing some people as “colored”.   Not in a malicious or negative way but as a descriptor, that seemed acceptable when he was growing up.   When my Father would use that word, I would say, “What color Dad – purple wit

I started on a ‘Social Journey’, and then let you all down by taking an extending vacation.   Why?   Social Media can be all consuming!   No matter what site, the goal is to get people to ‘like’ the contributor and commit to receiving regular updates on what is shared.   The more people collected the better.   But what if I’m not witty and brilliant every day? Previously for Women’s Post, I wrote the following articles: 1.        Going Social 2.        Adventures in Blogging – Built it and They Will Come 3.        Adventures in Blogging – Does This Make Sense? 4.        The Push and Pull of Blog Promotion – Part 1 5.        The Push and Pull of Blog Promotion – Part 2 I am a creative, experienced business professional and writer – surely I can come up with more to talk about.   I began to question my lengthy list of story ideas.   Did I complete enough due diligence and vetting of the sources and details to feel comfortable writing about what I had learned?  

Look up ‘serenity’ on Wikipedia and you will find a musical band, a movie, a prayer and countless other references.   Dictionary.com defines serenity as “ the state or quality of being serene , calm, or tranquil; sereneness. ” I think serenity is a state of mind.   The ingredients for tranquility may vary from one individual to another.   For me, serenity comes when I allow myself to be in the moment.   Serenity abounds at those special times when the ingredients for peace come together in just the right combination - allowing my multi-tasking to halt, my brain to slow and my spirit to absorb the full experience.   Ahhhhhhhhhhh ….   This summer, serenity came to me at a northern Ontario, Canada summer home.   We are blessed to have access to a number of such homes, through family and friends.   There is something so placid about observing land meet water – at the exact moment the sun is escaping into the landscape.   The remaining sprinkles of sunshine dance across

“Mommy please, can we do a lemonade stand this weekend??” said both daughter and son – repeatedly .   My husband and I gave in.   We decided to approach it as a teaching opportunity, as opposed just four hours in the hot sun – waiting, and waiting for potential purchasers willing to pay 25 cents to quench their thirst. The day became an introductory training session for the kids on sales and finances.   My husband specializes in both and me the former – so we were well positioned to convert our lifetime of knowledge into kid-friendly learning. Sales Lessons After the supplies were purchased and table and chairs in place, we sat the kids down to draw their signs.   Advertising is key to draw attention to the product.   They affixed signs to both the front and back of their stand, so both foot and auto traffic could be attracted.   They marketed their products by going door-to-door, inviting neighbours to buy their lemonade, and by jumping up and down yelling “lemonade for sale”

If asked to make a list of negative things impacting the harmony of my family, these items are definitely close to the top: ·          Parents struggling with weight gain and lack of energy ·          Tired in the morning – difficult to get moving ·          Lack of patience – parents and kids ·          Kids squabbling more than ‘normal’ ·          Kids having trouble focusing at school and with homework Could all our issues be impacted by each of us getting more sleep?   Recent studies suggest more sleep could be the solution!   The Mayo Clinic says sleeping less than 5 hours nightly can cause weight gain.    The study suggests that lack of sleep affects hormones, which play a role in our metabolism.   It also reminds us that people who are experiencing fatigue, have less motivation to exercise. Since having children, my husband and I have allowed our hectic schedules to impact our sleep.   We stay up late at night to catch up on work, or to have ‘

My children have unknowingly become the moderators of my work/life balance.   As parents, we focus on teaching our children and preparing them for the future.   The by-product of parenting, if we pay close attention, is the lessons we learn from our tiny humans. Looking back, there were lots of cues offered to me from my kids.   As early as 2-years old, my son would close the lid on my laptop and say, “no ‘puter”.   Then, I would sometimes listen.   Now that he is 5-years old, and those years have flown by, I close the computer every time and accept that heart-filling snuggle, that might prove elusive in another 10 years. This winter, my 8-year old daughter asked if she could cut-back on her public speaking lessons, because it was taking away from family time.   At 8 years old, she already possessed the ability to balance - that work-life balance that I had strived for, over 2 decades.   I immediately agreed and praised her for her insight, bravery and honesty. One thing I

Garage Sale Season Begins .....   Whether you are participating in a community organized sale or having one of your own, garage sales are a great way to shed rarely used items, earn a little extra money and get to meet your neighbors.   This blog includes some tips on how to prepare to make the day run smoothly and add a little fun. 1.  Go through your home to collect items Plan ahead and set aside items throughout the year, keeping them in a storage box until garage sale day arrives.   You can also prepare immediately prior to the event, while you are spring cleaning through your house to remove clutter and freshen up your home. 2.  Plan a date that makes sense Select a date the promises reasonable weather for outdoor shopping.   Check the events calendar to ensure there isn’t a community event that will compete with your sale.   Do not choose a weekend that is known for people exiting the city, such as Easter, or a summer long weekend.    Conversely, if live in a