Post #330

August 24,  2020

Finding Success

Getting Through

the Daily Grind

 

The first two hours

of my day

by Lynda McKinney Lambert

 

Every morning begins when our 2 dogs , Miss Mitchell and Miss Dixie Tulip wake me up before dawn.

With a slight lick on my face, Miss Mitchell lets me know they need to go outside. I feel lucky today because I did not have to go out in the middle of the night. This morning, I was able to sleep until nearly 6 am. That is late, for me, because our typical day begins between 4 and  5 am. 

 

 

Photo: Miss Mitchell in her chair.

Photo by Lynda McKinney Lambert.

As I am waking up, I notice there is a problem in the bedroom.

Yes! My nose informs me that the cats have struck again. One of the five cats apparently marked territory on my bed. Before I could take care of this problem, the two dogs have to be taken out. 

I am trying to think of everything I have to do as a privilege. Instead of grumbling about what I have to do, I think, this is what I get to do. I practice doing this as I walk the dogs around the sidewalk in the early morning light. I paused to look up into the sky – it is a bright silvery blue with white clouds. It looks so peaceful, and I notice the treetops surround the sky and clouds like a picture frame. I stop to look at this picture for some time, and I began speaking out loud.

I get to see this wonder of nature this morning.

I get to walk these two precious dogs that are so faithful and happy. Just look at their tails wagging with pleasure as they walk around the garden with me.

I get to walk, and I get to appreciate the world I live in this morning.

This is a beautiful new day, and I enjoy being a part of it. 

 

I returned to the house, I thought about how I need to stay focused on what I want to do. I started to make my morning cup of coffee, Caribou Medium Roast.   

When I walked through the dining room in my bare feet, I stepped into the wet spot on the white carpeting – yes! Miss Dixie, our little doggie, had been there. I had just scrubbed that carpeting 2 days ago, and it is wet again. Oh, this is so frustrating to have a dog that is so sneaky and has to pee on the dining room carpet every chance she gets to be in there with no one looking. Now, I have to get the carpet scrubber out and do it again.

I had to strip down the bed when I got up because one of the cats must have peed on it. My favorite fluffy, “My Pillow,” had a tinge of a pungent odor, I discovered. More sniffing around verified that other things on the bed had a problem, too. Sheets, blanket, and comforter had that smell!  “Darn cats,” I mumbled as I gathered up all the bedding and began to take it downstairs to the laundry room, which is 2 flights down, into the basement.

I stopped to empty the dehumidifier when I got to the basement. I put the pillow and some towels into the washer. I discovered that my husband had not taken the items out of the dryer yesterday, but he did not dry them thoroughly. Now, I needed to rewash them. 

I got everything going and went back upstairs to the kitchen to begin the morning coffee. 

 

I read a timely article  this morning by Cristian Mihai.  (Click on his name to read the article)

Some Days You Can’t Grow Through What You Go Through

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Cristian Mihai

 

The thoughtful writer’s  perspective is just what I need today.

He wrote, “During those days, the best thing you can do is to simply go through the motions. Yeah, I know you don’t feel like it. And I know you’re sure that nothing good will come of it, but the trick is to do whatever it takes to keep going.”

With so many challenges in the first two hours of the day,  Mihai’s article is a reality check. Some days there simply is no progress to be found.

Some days, we simply must  dig in and begin with what we encounter.  Something.  Anything.

Just do SOMETHING! But don’t ever QUIT!

When I went back to the laundry room, I discovered that the electricity was off. A load of towels and a pillow are soaking in the washing machine. More wet towels are at a stand-still in the dryer. The dehumidifier is quiet. It is at this time, correctly, that I realize the problem. Now that everything has shut down, I understand that I can not use the washer, dryer, and dehumidifier at the same time. There are simply not enough amps in this old house for such a tremendous surge of electricity. Once we have someone come over to get the electric back on, we will remember that before starting the laundry, we must not forget to disconnect the dehumidifier. I have solved the mystery!

 

I came  upstairs to my office, opened the window so the cats can look out on the garden and watch the birds. Mitchell and Miss Dixie Tulip are curled up in the doggie beds beside my desk. My husband is now up for the day, and he is cleaning the cat boxes in the basement.

I begin to enjoy my fresh cup of coffee in my favorite hand-made ceramic mug.

This was a gift, too, from a local potter.

We all get to do this, today.

–

In addition to reading some practical articles such as the one I read this morning by Cristian Mihai, I also find balance when choosing books that are inspirational and educational.  I believe in feeding our minds for success.

I am reading 2 books right now.

Born to Win – by Zig Ziglar.

Find your SUCCESS – Right here!

 

 

The Lifestyle of a Watchman – by James W. Goll. See it here

This book was sent to me as a gift.

It is a 21-day journey to becoming a guardian in Prayer. I won’t be reading it over a 21-day-period – I’ll do it much slower. I like to take my time and absorb the lessons as I go through the book. I’ll stop making notes and even write some poems or short reflections as I read this book.

 

 

This is an investment I am making in just 15 minutes a day for each of the books.

I suggest reading any book by Zig Ziglar. You can find them all at the Amazon bookstore.

At this moment, I am reading Zig Ziglar’s book, Born to Win.

I remind myself, despite the electrical shut-down, the wet carpet, this is still a great day to be alive. This may look like I am making no progress today, but even so, I get to do all of this!

---

This article is a GIFT for you from  Lynda McKinney Lambert. Copyright, August 24, 2020. All rights reserved.

Please SHARE but remember to honor my copyright.

Meet Lynda McKinney Lambert

Photo by Angelique Yaromey.  Lynda with her great-granddaughter, Isabella Antoinette.

 

Lynda McKinney Lambert is a retired Professor of Fine Arts and Humanities, Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA.

With her extensive background in Fine Arts, English Literature, and Humanities, she creates mixed-media fiber art for exhibitions.  Lynda’s  writings  are published internationally. Lynda has been called “A Renaissance Woman” by a number of editors and her work appears in a number of prestigious anthologies in the US, UK, and Hong Kong.

Lynda  creates art and writings from the inspirations of her life-experiences of teaching, travels, and her home life in a century-old home located in the historic Germanic village where her ancestors lived for generations. Her home is situated on a ridge overlooking the 50-mile long, Connoquenessing Creek where she lives with her husband, Bob, and their rescued dogs and cats.

 

 

NEW- first snow – a Chapbook

A collection of 30 wintry-themed poems. Finishing Line Press. 2020.

 

 

MORE –  Books by Lynda Lambert

 

 

One of the reviews for Star Signs