"Do this. Don't do that! Can't you read the sign?!"

So today is a very exciting day for my husband and myself: our daughter, who has been in Mexico for 6 months, doing short-term missionary work, is coming home for a month. Yea! 
I had a few things to check off my "to do" list, before picking her up from the airport this afternoon.
First, I needed to mail an item from the post office, prepaid, so I'm off to my first destination. Rather than observe the sign that reads, "Pedestrians must use the corner walkway,"  I willfully chose to ignore it. Earlier this spring, after a good rain, I chose to do the same thing. As a result, I slipped on the wet woodchips beside the sidewalk and fell into the street, headfirst!  A bit scary, yes. Lesson learned? Nope(which rhymes with dope). I knew I had crossed the street this way to the post office before, rather that walking to the corner, and using the marked pedestrian stripes to safely traverse the street. I did it again. The woodships were dry; piece of cake. A lady who parked beside me, happened to glance back at me, and was waiting in line when I took my place there at the counter. Somehow the conversation came up about crossing the busy street, and I proceeded to chat with this same patron, as well as another local.  I told them my story and they laughed, as I was willing to break the law again, just to mail a box. It was a pretty fun chat, as we occupied the line for some time. One lady said, "Hope they serve good meals where you're going!  At least they'll be free!" Only one p.o. worker was at the counter, and the line was now out the door. Another worker comes out, and asks for prepaid items, etc., so I happily jumped to the front of the line, then I made my quick exit. Did I walk to the corner, like a fine, upstanding citizen would do, having disobeyed the law twice before. I should say  . . .not!
Why, after 25 years of teaching young people, and seting and following regulations to a fault, have I now decided to lead a life of crime, out in the open, "in front of God and everybody," as my dad would say? Now I'm back in my car, kicking myself around, and telling myself to "straighten up and fly right," (another "dad-ism.")
Heading for the carwash, I saw a jogger moving very quickly, with apparently no intention of slowing down, not even for a (whole-lotta thousand, pounds) car. I was driving a tinly bit too fast, so thinking I would beat the jogger to the corner before he crossed the street, I zipped on ahead of him. Was there a stop sign for me to observe and obey? Yes. Did I? Nope (again, rhyming with dope)! So as he carefully, and very capably, I might add, jogs around the back of my car, clearly he was unhappy about my choice. He said, "Don't mind me . . . Idiot!"  Ok, now I was burned!  I was ready to turn left, instead of right, stop right in front of him at the next most inconvenient place, and give him a piece of my mind. Did I? Nope! (you know the drill) on my way to the carwash, I kept trying to think of a comeback for "Don't mind me," after he was long gone. I could of said, "I didn't!" 
LESSONS LEARNED: After I wash my car, I put it in the "spin-drive" cycle, to avoid a few water spots (it's a black car *wink *wink) and I got to thinking about the choices I had made within the past half hour.
Could they have been different? Most definitely yes!
However, I would not have had the chuckle with the post office ladies.
AND, had I chosen to observe the stop sign, rather than roll through it in order to get my way, could I have avoided a verbal confrontation with the jogger guy, the upset emotions which followed? Yes!
So the next time the opportunity presents itself, I will chose, not only to read the sign, but obey it, as well. It's the right thing to do.

Sweet,Sweet Land of Liberty

Reasons to celebrate our country's most important holiday-the Fourth of July . . .
Oh where to begin?
I went to a local parade here in Plymouth, Michigan, and a flood of memories came back, in many different forms.
I watched a mother ride to the parade on her bicycle with her two daughters following close behind. They and their bikes were all decorated for a festive and patriotic event, and they were SO ready! Each had a white helmet with fake, silver sparklers sticking out all over and adorned with silver stars. Mom and girls wore patriotic shirts and shorts, but the best part of the whole picture was the way the bikes were decked out: streamers through the bike spokes, with streamers in red, white, and blue trailing behind them.
My mind rushed immediately to the parades my family participated in years ago. The big deal was when the kids would decorate their bikes "to the nines."  One of the best parts was clipping a bubblegum card, or in desperation, a card made from a cereal box, to one of the wheel braces with a clothes pin. When the wheels turned, the card against the spokes would make the low sound of a small motor. SO COOL!
The Centreville, Michigan, parade, with its usual entries of the high school band and civic and business floats, always ended at the town cemetery (not realizing until just now, how this brought the event to a true dead end-sorry, poor humor!). It was then that the local American Legion chapter would offer a gun salute, we would pledge the American flag, and go home, to continue the celebration there.
Later in the evening we would head to the Centreville Bulldogs football field for fireworks. They were so great, complete with spinning, firey wheels and flaming flags.
I am so grateful to my parents, and especially my WWII veteran soldier dad, from encouraging our participation in such memorable events.
Watching the parade yesterday gave me pause to reflect on times past, and with newer entries, like the Business Suit Brigade drill team and Mini-Cooper Car Club of Michigan,  I can't wait to next year's festivities, eagerly waving "Old Glory" once again! God Bless America!

mailto:Twitter@shellyclarkyost,Facebook

Good Choice; Bad Choice; My Choice

Making good decisions: Why, sometimes, does it SEEM so much easier than it really is?
When I get up in the morning, immediately I have choices to make. The first one I make often sets the tone for what follows next, or even the tone for the entire day. As I wake in the morning, set my feet on the floor, I need to first mutter a phrase of gratitude to God for giving me a new day to live and breathe. Do I always do this? No. But I try to surround myself with things at home that put me in an "attitude of gratitude."
Do I have the ideal living situation? No. Have I had the ideal living situation for the past 10 years? No. BUT Have I ever been evicted? No. Has God always provided a place for me to lay my head each night, when so often I take it for granted, YES!
On Jauary 9 of this year, I was given a pretty heavy blow regarding my job, a place I had put my heart and soul into for the past 8 1/2 years. I was thrown under the bus by people in whom I had placed complete faith and trust. I was so numb; filled with disbelief, as if it were all so surreal. After I got home that morning, one of the first things I knew I must do was to step away from it all emotionally. I have seen what anger and bitterness, justified or not, has done to some people. I did not want that. My choice. The whole scenario that brought me home that morning was so bazaar, beyond comprehension, even beyond justification, was not worthy of anger or bitterness.
In a wierd sort of way, I actually felt pity and even fearful for my "accusors."  I was confused and bewildered, but not disoriented in any way. Others had gone before me, even from the same instution, whose sudden removal seemed completely unmerited. Now I know how they felt. So many had, willingly or unwillingly, "gag orders" placed on them, so that their stories could never be told. And this "institution" could continue on, smelling like a rose (a very stinky, dead rose, the way I smell it), soothing their own consciences in any way possible. They would wisk me away, hoping any memory of me would soon vaporize, someone else would move in, to take my place, and life would go on.
I was that easily disposable, as a friend and collegue. Their choice-Bad choice.
Truth be told, I had been wanting to exit said institution for 2-3 years prior to this action. The handwriting had slowly appearing on the wall. Jealousy, lies, setups, desperate pleas for loyalty-all to keep this place afloat, financially, institutionally, or any other way necessary.  I had always said,  about this job,"I'm not going anywhere. I'm here to stay. God Himself will have to remove me from here!" 
God knew the impending path I was about to travel, and seemed to say, "You can stay for a while longer, Shelly, but the day may come when I must step in and rescue you from this place, before disaster strikes and you are taken down with it." He DID take me out of there.
Good choice. I willingly left, knowing that God has my life and my plan in His hands, and I never want to be anywhere, except in the center of His Will.
I still do not know where God is taking my life from here, but I have a hunch that it's going to be pretty terrific! My journey has taken me to opportunities that I never dreamed I could experience, and I'm not through yet.
The choices that lie ahead of me, today or next year-well, I don't know what they will be but  hopefully, they will be good.
My husband has faithfully been so supportive through this "low tide" in my timeline; my daughter Erica continues to bloom where she is planted, making amazing strides in here young adult life. I have shared this journey with her in such a way, that she, like myself, does not hate the person; just hate their evil deeds.
Feeling ill will towards someone, because of their unfortunate choices, will get you nowhere.
Find a way to move forward.
You have the ability to make good choices for yourself, so do it!
You and I have been the recipients of the good choices of others, so it's time to "pay it forward."
Find someone today who needs you and a good word or deed from you.
My mom used to say, "If you cast your bread upon the waters, it will surely come back to you." I often wondered what that meant. It didn't seem to make sense. Then I started doing it. It's about paying in forward, with good choices.
And watch what happens!http://www.facebook.com/, twitter@shellbabe2006

Three Cheers for Chivalry!

Chivalry is not dead! Wore pants today w/ shallow pockets. Put some change (a few dollars) in from CVS prescripts. Man was waiting on my parking spot but stopped, got out of his car; when I asked him if everything was OK, he showed me dollars that had dropped on the ground. I checked my pockets, and it was exactly what was in my pocket! I thanked him (and God) profuselyI hope I can do a good deed for someone else today, and "pay it forward." Have a great weekend, everyone!

"Make New Friends, but Keep the Old . . ."

My husband, daughter, and I have been living on the first floor of a two-story an apartment building for nearly nine years in the suburban Detroit area. Because this is such a transient location, we've seen our neighbors come and go, MANY times.
Some neighbors, especially those who have lived above us,
have lived in this building as long as seven years (since we've been here). Others are here only for a month; they may be in the area on business, working here in the United States perhaps for a company overseas. One such gentleman came from Germany, to work on a project through the automotive industry. We usually knew he was home when he went out on the balcony above us, and briefly smoked a very pungent cigar.
Another family from Northville, was relocated for an automotive position for 3 years; they kept their home in
Northville, renting it out while they were away. They lived above us for a month, moving back from Germany with their two middle-school boys at the beginning of May, a few years ago. So the boys were away from the local school system here, for three years, only to be plugged back into the system, for say, the last 5 weeks of the school years here. That has to really stink! The  parents were getting their Northville home ready for them to move back into.
I often wonder, as a former school teacher of 25 years, what the teachers of these boys had to juggle, in order to include them into an existing class they've had for possibly the past 4 months, prior to the boys' return to the U.S.
I realize that the automotive industry has a job that needs to be filled, albeit temporary, and many times it means a boost in the family income, if an employee volunteers or agrees to fill that position. But my heart goes out to the children in the family, who must make the biggest adjustments, with a new country's culture, language, schools, etc. Wow!
Yes, kids are so much more resilient that adults in so many ways. This is to their credit. But I often wonder if the corporations who make these choices to uproot these children for a few years, from their familiar surroundings, have ever truly investigated how this whole scenario plays out, through the eyes of a child. Hmmmmm.  Food for thought.
I had a little girl in my second grade class, who was adopted from China. At the end of her year in my class, her family was temporarily relocated to China, as her dad was filling an automotive position there for the next three years. I felt obligated, as her teacher, to view this whole opportunity as a new "adventure!" And how cool was it that she would be able to live for three years in the very country of her birth! Perhaps she would be able to learn some of the language there, as well.
She and her family enjoyed their time in Asia, exploring not only China, but other countries, as well. They returned to our school in the fall, and what a thrill it was to see her again, to catch up on her "amazing China adventure!" She had grown physically taller, of course, but her experiences among the Chinese, caused her to grow ever so much more.
This precious young lady is a testiment to the resilience of children, when placed in a strange, unfamiliar setting, to make the very best of the situation.
While not all children adapt well, to new situations, especially those of a foreign nature, so much of what helps to make their transition successful depends on how well the parents communicate all that the family will experience, as much as possible.
I am all for families who travel to new places and soak up all that is wholesome and good from their visit. My mom and dad traveled so much with my brother, sister, and myself. Being school teachers, their summers were free for this, and it seemed that we went to new places, especially in the state of Michigan, yet often returning to favorite places.
Parents, travel with your kids. Talk to them, sharing where you are going, and after you are there, where you've been. Take pictures, videos, and/or keep a journal. Your kids might even keep a journal and watch it grow from one visit to the next!
Happy travels!

Get Over It!

Why do things involving family have to be so complicated sometimes? Anyone who thinks the way they conduct their family life is "normal" is delusional. Many times,the only example we have for being parents is that which we saw modeled for us as children-our own parents. Now, if one was adopted, or lost one or both of their parents at an early age, then whomever filled that spot -other relatives or friends-assumed that role.
Many a time I felt unsure of my parenting skills as a young parent, and usually fell back on the example my parents set for me growing up. Was their example always perfect? Absolutely not.
If I could, would I like to go back and change some unfortunate choices on the part of myself or my parents? You bet I would!
I have seen the heartache of poor parental examples all my life, but the exemplary ones far out-weigh those I shouldn't follow.
One thing I do know-my parents gave our family the very best of themselves; a wonderful homelife; great friends; great church; regular attendance at yearly family reunions; terrific education; and memories that I regularly pass on to my daughter. I hope one day, if God wills, that she will do the same for her husband and children.
Meanwhile, my husband and I have set a goal to let our daughter be herself, respectfully express her opinions, and live in such a way as to please her Creator, and as a result, please her family an friends.
Life will continue to be complicated, but a little unraveling of a "close-knit" relationship is always good for the soul.
Hebrews 12:14-"Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord."
Isaiah 26:3a-"You will keep in perfect peace Him whose mind is steadfast, because He trusts in you."
It's important to choose your battles, and to know which ones to let go. I think when we get to heaven, we'll be surprised by the small number of battles that really mattered to God.
Let me know what you think of this blog. I cherish your comments. Thank you~

Mom, When You Were Little, What Did You Do For Fun?

As a young girl growing up and living five miles from town, playtime often required creativity. Who would I play with? My best friend, Judy, lived right next door (she had a Shetland pony) with her four older brothers. Other friends sometimes I met through a country church which my dad pastored, so their ages could vary a great deal. But for the most part, my on/off friendship with Judy was usually it.
What would we play? Most often our playtime involved her Barbie dolls and my Pepper dolls(Mom would not let me have anything Barbie). Roll playing brought out the best in both of us. We even met a lady in our church who made Barbie doll clothes. We were in heaven! Neither of us had a Barbie house so we built one out of cardboard boxes and painted it. Architect Digest would have been impressed.
Where would we play? Judy went to my church so I saw her pretty much 24/7. Yes, we both had other friends, most of whom we shared, because we lived in a small town and were in the same grade. But sometimes we would have other friends or cousins over, and the other friend without visitors could have been left out. But more times than not, the lonely one would be invited along, and it made everything just that much more fun! I lived on property with a great hill for sledding in the winter and just rolling down the hill sideways in the summer. At the base of the hill, in the center, was a Hickory tree, which made skiing and sledding a bit tricky! As we would sled down the snow-packed hill , our dogs, Pokey and Chips, would run along side us, barking and panting wildly! Not far from the Hickory tree was a large oak tree, that, during one summer storm, was struck by lightning, splitting the tree in half! The part that remained upright my brother, sister, and I made into a tree house (fort), and the horizontal half became the home of a "girls only" club. The hill continued to slope down until it reached a channel. Now, sometimes in winter, when the temperatures had thawed and frozen the channel, the channel would become so hard that something magical happened. Once my brother said he thought that he could make it on his sled from the top of the hill , right onto the channel ice. Guess what? He did it!
In the summer, my mom, sister, and I would walk alongside the channel where the turtles were sunning on nearby logs and the frogs were croaking their little hearts out. I remember a large area by the water where the tall grasses had been flattened down, perhaps by animals or hard rain. We girls would lie down on the grass in the summer sun and stare at the clouds, pretending they were animals or something else. Some of the shapes we came up with would make us laugh, so eventually we called that special place our "secret laughing place." I can still see it now.
Those are the kinds of stories you can't make up; some are quite ordinary, while others showed what we kids were able to create without any Game Boys or DD gadgets requiring no imagination at all.
I'm so grateful for the childhood my parents gave me! Thanks, Mom and Dad.