74 Days – 74 things

This year, all 74 days of it, has been one of the longest years so far. And we aren’t even through March yet!! There’s so much to write about that it’s hard to narrow it down to just one topic. And so I decided to write 74 things, a list of sorts, from the year so far. These are not in any particular order.

1. February, for being the shortest month of the year – even on a leap year – seemed like the LONGEST shortest month of the year – in the history of all years!
2. I’ve become a pro at finding my car in the hospital parking deck at OSF.
3. I got to do my first set of wedding bouquets using more than just carnations last month.
4. It’s okay – and ABSOLUTELY necessary to say no sometimes.
5. When asked to commit to something, saying “no” is a complete sentence – it doesn’t require an explanation.
6. Pray for your circle of friends, family, your people – even if it seems like they are doing fine and happy and everything is great. Everyone you know is walking through something – or they know someone walking through a hard time. Pray for your people.
7. We were created to need rest, and not just 6-8 hours of sleep every night – but a pull back from things and really rest. There’s a reason why the Sabbath is a commandment in the Bible – our bodies (body, soul and spirit) were designed to need rest.
8. On that note – I fully believe that naps could help solve 98% of the world’s problems.
9. Flowers can bring a smile to even the grumpiest of people.
10. Hope grows when you give it away.
11. I am not at all where I thought I would be at the age of 41 – but I KNOW I’m right where I’m supposed to be.
12. I got to work in a flower shop, designing floral arrangements for Valentine’s day, for the first time this year – and it was AMAZING!!
13. Random Acts of Hope was initially called Random Acts of Flowers.
14. My favorite flower changes all the time, currently it is an orange calla lily. If there is ever a question – anything yellow is a good choice too.
15. Someday I want to have a home with a porch where I can sit outside and watch the sunrise and/or sunset – preferably away from lots of city lights.
16. Road trips are good for the soul – and this soul needs to take one at LEAST once a year, preferably more often.
17. I was born with a condition in my kidneys – the tubes from my kidneys to my bladder were in the wrong place… lots of kidney/bladder problems as a child… God healed that condition.. . completely.
18. In 2009 (or sometime before that) I was diagnosed with crohn’s disease – I no longer have that – God healed it – completely.
19. Ministry is hard.
20. I lived in Kansas City for 6 months and I NEVER went to a BBQ place while living there… one of the main things KC is KNOWN FOR. It wasn’t until a year or two later that I finally had KC barbecue.
21. Whatever you are going through, chances are you aren’t the only one.
22. I can disagree with you and still be your friend.
23. Sometimes hope looks like holding on even though things are hard. You can have tears and hope at the same time.
24. Thinking of 74 things to write is not as easy as I thought it would be!
25. Getting to play guitar with my mom playing piano and singing with her has been one of the very best things about this season of life.
26. January is my least favorite month of the year – Christmas is over, January paperwork is not fun, weather is dreary, etc. I’m not a fan.
27. Random Acts of Hope is doing a giant flower giveaway in August – GIANT giveaway… 10,000 carnations. You read that right TEN THOUSAND carnations. And I need LOTS of help to make that happen.
28. If you keep saying “someday” it may never happen. You have to put a deadline on things – because “someday” isn’t something you can measure. Measured things get done.
29. That being said – I am going to publish a devotional and/or book by the end of the year. There. I said it. And if you’ve read this far on my crazy list – you are welcome to hold me to this.
30. Tuesdays are my favorite days of the week.
31. The things you keep telling yourself are the things you will believe – good or bad. If you keep repeating it to yourself, going over it in your head again and again – it’s going to be something you believe. Make it count.
32. If you could bring a smile to someone’s face, and change the course of someone’s day for just 50 cents, wouldn’t it be worth it? 50 cents is about what it costs to buy a carnation.
33. Carnations, I have found, are the best flowers to give away as single stems to brighten someone’s day – because they last a LONG time – even out of water.
34. In high school drama class, my teacher decided that my voice should be the voice of THUNDER in a reader’s theater production… did I mention that I was VERY MUCH and introvert at the time who didn’t really speak to anyone????
35. My favorite movie of all time is The Princess Bride. Goonies and Breakfast Club are right up there as well.
36. If you ever have a chance to drive to Cumberland Falls in Kentucky in the Fall – DO IT!!! It is the most beautiful drive – with absolutely stunning views. Take someone with you – this view should absolutely be shared.
37. Send the text, write the note, make the phone call – even if you only have a moment. Sometimes your friends & family just need to know that someone is thinking of them – that they are remembered.
38. Coffee is ALWAYS better with a good friend. (no matter how good or bad the coffee may be).
39. The very best cup of coffee (taste) I have ever had was on the beautiful open air top floor of a restaurant in Antigua Guatemala – you know, right in the heart of where some of the best coffee comes from… lol
40. Forty years old seemed SO OLD when I was younger…. and now that I have friends who are 50+ – the “old” age keeps getting older.
41. Most likely, the person who walked by you without saying a word today isn’t mad at you at all – they just have a lot on their mind and life is overwhelming.
42. Pastors, their wives and families go through so much more than most people know or ever think about – give them grace – lots of it. After all, they are human too.
43. If you are waiting for a “good time” to have hard conversations – chances are, you will never have the hard conversations.
44. Have the hard conversations – hard conversations are never fun – that’s why we call them “hard conversations” but without them we don’t learn, grow, or move forward from where we are.
45. Facebook is NOT a good place to go to find out how your friends are doing.
46. Social media is an oxymoron. What was intended to keep us connected and “social” has pulled us apart faster than anything ever could.
47. It’s WAY too easy to misinterpret text – you can’t tell tone of voice or anything that an in person conversation could say.
48. That being said, there should be different fonts for different emotions – Excited, Sad, Angry (I suppose all caps maybe) and Sarcastic, just to name a few.
49. Please Please Please stop reading into things. I’m just gonna leave that one right there – because chances are when you read that – you thought of something you read into – so there you go. Just stop.
50. Life is busy. Just because you haven’t heard from your friend in a while doesn’t mean they don’t still love you or want to be your friend.
51. Friendships change – shift – grow – and sometimes grow apart – and that’s okay. (not easy – but it’s okay).
52. Hope – the hope that I have – doesn’t mean I know what the outcome will be – it means I trust God with it. I have Hope – I know that whatever happens, God has me – and my circumstances.
53. I have two dramatic reading pieces that I have written (and I almost said – “someday I will perform them” but I cannot write ‘someday’ anymore)
54. For someone who calls herself a writer, I use the word “really” a whole LOT! I just went through the top part of this list and just deleted about 5 of them!
55. My greatest fear is disappointing people.
56. Ask for help. Again – just gonna leave this right here because it’s another one of those things that when you read it, something probably came to mind.
57. Rain makes things green. Remember that next time you frown when it’s raining. Rain brings new life.
58. If you ever have a chance to go on a mission trip to a foreign country – DO IT! It is life changing.
59. Your pain is your pain. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not as painful as theirs – or it doesn’t matter. It matters.
60. You know that prayer you have been praying – for so long? Keep praying. Don’t give up. Don’t let go. Waiting is hard – but don’t give up.
61. I am one of those crazy people from the Midwest who will go OUTSIDE when there is a tornado watch/warning to see if I can see it coming.
62. I love the smell of fresh cut grass, Spring rain, and bonfires.
63. When I was growing up I wanted to be a paleontologist. . . and the only reason I can think of is because it was the longest, most complicated name – and I was so proud I knew what it was.
64. I also wanted to be a professional singer – because I LOVED singing – until someone told me I didn’t have the “stage presence” to do so.
65. Speak the truth – even if your voice shakes. And always speak the truth with love. Without love, the truth often cuts deep and brings lasting pain.
66. When it comes down to it – most of us simply want to be fully known and fully loved.
67. If you’ve made it this far down the list… you are one of the faithful few. Thank you.
68. For those of you who skimmed and found this one by accident – please go back and read #27.
69. I am a florist – who also has a full time job as an office manager – you could say that I’m an office manager who arranges flowers on the side – but I much prefer to think of myself as a florist.
70. There’s a line from a movie that says “sometimes all it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage…” I have thought of that line a few times – but have never actually let the “insane courage” moment play out in my life.
71. You are worth fighting for – no matter who you are – no matter if the last person chose to fight for you or not. You – reading this – are worth fighting for.
72. We ALL feel like we are not enough, in one way or another.
73. Being completely real with people is both terrifying and freeing.
74. The very best line I heard in a musical – when a man was asked about his occupation “So, you make a living?” his response: “No, I make a life…” That’s what I want my occupation to be – something that makes a life… not just a living.