The Cost of Silence

     I feel that listening to inner promptings is an important aspect of communication. How important it can be to follow inner promptings to seek others out. How will others know you care or are thinking of them if you don't let them know. I feel that often when someone crosses your mind there is a reason. You don't know if they might be going through something or are feeling alone and could use a friend. Or if that one small gesture of a "Hi" might open them up to come to you at a later time when they need it most. They might not be at a point where they feel comfortable responding, but knowing that there is someone out there that cares can mean the world.
     There is a huge cost of silence that I don't think people pay much attention to. I know how easy it can be to think of people, hope they are doing well, pray for them and leave it at that. We don't want to interrupt their lives, or have our outreach be rejected, or we just don't know what to say, so we say nothing. But silence can be damaging.  Even just a quick "hi" or "thinking of you" can mean the so much.
     I had bits and pieces of  the poem that follows running through my head one night so I felt the need to get it out of my head and post it. I don't believe it is peoples intentions but its the feelings I have experienced from my specific situation.

      

The Cost of Silence

Do you know the cost of silence? How it ripples through a soul? Comes across as judgment or abandonment untold. Friendships and acquaintances crumbled with a breeze? Years of cherished fellowship fall with apparent ease?

The teachings as I understood were never followed through. Tax collectors and unsaved were treated with contempt. But what of love and witnessing or a little bit of grace? It wasn't seen, it wasn’t done, it hardly shown its face.

Numbers counted on one hand the lives that shown His love. But fear and shame held the few away, unable to explain. A trust was broke, a vow just words, a covenant was raped. Of loneliness, abandonment, hurt, fear and untold pain.

The cost of silence so much greater than most will ever sence. My choice alone, decisions made, I pay the consequence.

Just something to think about. The impact and influence you can have on someones life. Who has crossed your mind recently?

My Birthday Fun

      I have wanted to post again for a while now. I started one but it has been taking awhile for me to work out what I want to say. So it sits and waits patiently as I add a little too it here and there.

      Also for the past week my allergies have been freaking out. I have been trying to stop the inevitable. When my allergies freak I usually end up getting sick. Pneumonia or Bronchitis are my old faithful’s and they try to show up about once a year. Though I was lucky they stayed away the past 2 years. 

      Soooo,

      My boyfriend surprised me wonderfully for my birthday this weekend!

      He scheduled a haircut and makeup session. I went short and had highlights put in. It is super different and fun for the summer.  

      We had diner at my favorite pizza place with my family. 

      A dozen roses! (I have never had a dozen roses before) and some other flowers. 

     Then we went for karaoke afterward with my BF, cousin and hubby. 

      By the end of the night I had basically lost my voice. By the time we got home the coughing had begun. The BF told me that I would not be getting a birthday kiss because I had gone viral. :( But that he would hold and snuggle with me all I wanted. :)  I took some medicine and was soon out for the night.

      And then I woke up to breakfast in bed this morning! It was fantastic! I had bacon and cheese omelet,  bacon, ham, and a crumpet with cinnamon butter. I then proceeded to spend the rest of the day awake for a little bit coughing until I would fall asleep only to wake up in time to take some more medicine and do it all again. 

      Really I'm not even sure what I'm writing right now. It just feels like I'm randomly hitting keys and I'm lucky that it is actually forming words.  I am going to try to make posting a regular habit. My goal is to post once a week, now lets’ see if I can make that goal. 

      Oh, and by the way, my birthday is not until Tuesday.

Its Only Skin Deep

     I have wanted a tattoo ever since I was little. I always thought that there was 
something so intriguing about them. Or at least about the ones I liked. Though they might have a significant meaning to the individual who has it, some tattoos come across as just another tattoo.
     Growing up I was taught that you don’t get a tattoo. That it’s wrong. At one point a few years ago when I was out to lunch with my mom, the topic of tattoos briefly came up. My mom stated that "If you ever get a tattoo, I will disown you." I thought that was a very strong stand against tattoos. She is my mother, I love her very much, that is her belief on the topic, and it doesn’t sway me one way or the other. I am going to get a tattoo, but only one.
     I was told once that every time a certain famous singer (I don’t remember who) wants to get a tattoo he pics the design and then waits a year to make sure he really does want another one or that he really does want that design. I thought that was very good advice especially since this is a very permanent accessory to attach to you. So I figured my first step should be to figure out what I want. I have drawn my own a few times and I have liked them but there was something missing.
     Also figuring out where on my body I wanted it seemed like an important thing to know also. My own personal preference is that it should be as discreet as possible for maintaining a position in the business world, i.e. easily covered by most clothing. Though the foot or ankle is fine; and the wrist area works as long as it is not obnoxious. It’s also a private thing for me so the location is important. Now these are my own preferences and thoughts, what others do or like are fine for them.
     Very rarely do I wake up remembering any dreams I might have had, to the point that I feel like I don’t dream at night. So a few months ago when I woke up and could remember bits and pieces from a dream that night I was excited especially since it was of me and my tattoo. I dreamt the location and what it was! But when I went to try and figure out exactly what it was all I got were impressions and ideas. And that started me on my hunt to figure out my tattoo. I knew a few of the elements that were in it but I couldn’t exactly put my finger on it, until last night that is!
     I have spent weeks looking through pics online of tattoos or drawings that had pieces in it that I liked. I have saved so many pics to my computer and probably accidentally texting a few to the poor guy from my previous post. Slowly I found the right pic for each part of my tattoo. I am so excited! Now my next step is to have a friend draw the tattoo and then find an artist, someplace in town, who can replicate the drawing onto me.
     Finding the artist is probably the most nerve wracking part for me. They are the one that will make this permanent and I don’t want it messed up since I will have to live with this forever. I’m also a little nervous about the actual tattooing process because, I might think I have a decent pain tolerance, I’m pretty sure this is going to hurt. After that comes saving for it. Since it is not a priority in my list of bills it will be a few more moths. But I think it will be well worth the wait.

So, does anyone have tips for me getting my first and only tattoo? Or, recommendations of artists to check out in the Des Moines area?

To Laugh at Myself

So, last night I'm looking up craft ideas on my phone. For some reason I'm not able to save pics on my phone, but I am able to text them to myself. Well on March 13th i changed my phone number and for a few days i was having a hard time remembering it, but its a fairly easy number so i memorized it no problem.
Now i do almost everything on my phone, talking, texting  surfing, games, you name it. I'm also very into crafts and i enjoy digging through the depths of the web to find great ideas. Well back to my previous statement that i cant save pics, so instead i text them to myself. Well tonight my phone rings, which doesn't happen very often, so of course i answer it. On the other end is a very nice sounding man who informs me that, though he is sure i am sending them by mistake, for the past few days i have been sending him random pics. I gasp, shocked and embarrassed  He very graciously tells me not to apologize but that he wanted me to be aware of this. I quickly explain that i just changed my number recently and had thought i was texting myself, slipping in another quick apology. We both laugh and wish each other a good night.
      Laughing at myself, I make a quick post on Facebook about my entertaining error. And that got me thinking about the ability to laugh at oneself. Some people say it builds confidence to be able to laugh at yourself. That it makes life more enjoyable to not be so serious. That if you can laugh at your own mistakes its easier to not be so hard on others, or that it makes bad situations hurt less.
    For me, I cant always laugh at myself. It depends on my perception of the severity of the error, or my level of embarrassment. I try to look on the bright side of situations, to not be so hard on myself or others, to find humor in life. But I'm human and have my up days and my down days just like everyone. I might not always be able to see the funny side because sometimes there isn't a funny side. Sometimes a situation calls for seriousness. You have to face the scope of an error, be honest with yourself and others.
     But when seriousness isn't needed, laugh! Its a fun thing to do and you will be glad you did.  Smile, don't be afraid to make mistakes, be lenient on yourself and others. Enjoy all the moments of this life.

A Brand New Day!

As the title says today is a brand new day!

I have tried blogging before but with no real purpose in mind. Today I start again with the only purpose being for myself. I have no grand ideas of people reading or even following me. I only write for myself. To share my ups and downs, my past and my present and my hopes for the future.

So for this brand new day I say, dont wait for tomorow!