| GOALS |
| Janet Brown - July 10, 2009 |
Recently, I found my Baby Book - an account of the earliest hours, days and months of my life. My Mother and Father had noted every little detail of my development, growth and emerging personality. They identified early signs of amazing talents, awesome abilities, and advanced intelligence in their new baby girl. They delighted in every new movement, smile, sound and activity as I responded to their love, training and playtime. As time went on, they recognized musical talent and outside instruction was added to develop this talent - such as piano lessons when I was 4 years old. My Mother had minored in Music in College and was more than qualified to teach me, but they felt an established piano teacher would be the best choice and so I was enrolled. When I was 4 �, my Father convinced the local school district personnel that I was more than ready for kindergarten - rather than wait another year as my January birthday would suggest. So, I was in 1st grade at 5 �, younger than my classmates all through school. Mother, a degreed hospital dietician - though didn�t work while raising her family - taught me all about cooking, sewing, housekeeping and family care. As a very young child, I stood on a stool in her kitchen to help her prepare meals, bake cookies and do clean-up. I had a special dust cloth to use to help her with house cleaning, I handed her clothespins at the clothesline on laundry days, I set the table, arranged butter �pats� on a plate, poured water and learned many things about household management.. At an early age I was introduced to sewing and by age 11 or 12, I was making my own clothes. During this time, Dad was also very involved in my life. He had such a sense of �fun� and could make me laugh . He spent a lot of time with me, including me in many of his daily activities. He was a Minister and in his large congregation were many members from all around the area. He frequently visited many of them and I often went with him. When he went to a farm to buy eggs, I was allowed to help collect a few and meet the hens. At a dairy farm , I was given a tour of the Creamery. I rode on his shoulders to a nearby tennis court - where he enjoyed some exercise (he was exceptionally good at tennis). He took me everywhere. When the Ringling Bros. Circus came to town, we were in the first row to watch them unload at the train depot, and again for the parade and usually to watch them set up where we received tickets for the opening performance. I met many performers and all the animals. Sundays were special starting when I was able to walk. After the Service, I would stand next to Dad in the foyer to help him greet all the people. So many adventures as I was growing up, all learning experiences as was the training in the home with Mother. Along with everything I was learning and experiencing, my parents encouraged, praised and set goals for me. When I failed, they were always there to boost me up and help me accomplish the next step. Goals were simple - walk across the room, make a sandwich, learn a new piano piece, sing on key, print my name and so on. They always had time to talk to me, more important - listened as I talked to them. After an excursion with Dad, Mother was always eagerly awaiting to hear all about it. I would relate to her where we�d been, what I�d seen and learned. I realize now that this routine helped me learn so much, as in telling her with Dad� encouragement and reminders, the experience was set in my memory and has been helpful all my life. It has given me a better understanding and appreciation for everyday things. As for my accomplishments around the home - cooking, cleaning, sewing - Dad always praised every little thing I did. He taught me to take pride in doing tasks well, if not at first to keep trying. It has been an important goal in my life, because of those early years with all the help, encouragement, love and patience my special parents provided. Along with this foundation set in my early years, my life has brought me to today. Once on my own and somewhat of a rebel, I have made some really bad choices - and paid for them. Many of my choices have been right, some borderline, some questionable and some forbidden. Due to those early years, I have been able to deal with the consequences and right my course. One thing about a bad choice, it does alert me to how far I have strayed - sometimes for quite awhile - but along the way I hear those early words of encouragement, help and guidance to get back on the right path. Often disapproving, but with the assurance it is not fatal and with help, I can re-chart my course and get back on track. During those early years, my parents set the examples, the most important was to show me that �God is Love�. We always thanked God for all the good things bestowed on us, His providing our needs and often extras. We always talked to God about everything, admit our mistakes and asked for forgiveness and the strength to avoid the same pitfall the next time. We praised God for all the beauty around us, asked for help when needed, for health for our family, for help for those who were struggling. Our talks with God were frequent and Dad called them the ACTS of prayer - Application, Consecration, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Though these things were taught to me, the example set by my parents has been the most important in my life. Through the years, I have always set goals for my life. Some sensible, some outlandish, some ridiculous and some frivolous. To achieve, to accomplish, for fame, for wealth - some just to make it to next month. Along with all the goals I�ve set - the one constant one is: To Have FUN. Along with all the achieved and missed goals through the years, this has been the best one of all. It has made the lofty, more difficult goals reachable and has seen me through the disappointment of those goals I could not reach. My early years - Dad had a FUN side - oh he could be stern and sometimes even scary - but he was FUN! Whether on a picnic, a vacation trip, playing games, dinner time - he usually showed his FUN side. So many wonderful memories for me. He could make a serious learning experience - easy and fun. As for Mother, she always joined in, contributing her distinctive lilting laugh, her comments to make each event special. We had many serious times and often stern discipline, but so many fun times - it was a balance, a lesson for life. When to be serious, when to be silly, a necessary balance to be able to live in this world. To avoid depression, to find a bright spot in the darkest night, to be able to recognize the beauty around us, to know when we are slipping and need to give ourselves a pick-me-up pep talk. Now at this time in my life, I have a few goals. One is to make it through this period of health problems, to be strong and not give into a pattern of whining and complaining, not to feel sorry for my self and get upset when I imagine those around me don�t care. I don�t want to be demanding and assume everyone should feel sorry for me. In truth, I have days when very negative thoughts pop into my mind and I, for an instant think - �I give up�, I can�t take another step�, �I�m old, tired, limited, hurt, no one cares�. Then I have to focus on my FUN goal and rearrange the negative to some crazy idea of how to reinvent myself, a way to bring smiles to my neighbors and family, a new attitude of silliness to lead to laughter. It is important that this health adventure I�m on is used to radiate Hope, Happiness, Strength and my Faith in God to all I come in contact with. The most rewarding reaction I receive is a smile, maybe a chuckle or comments like, �I so admire you�, Your Faith is amazing�, The Man Upstairs is really looking after you�, �You are an inspiration�. These are encouraging words and give me a feeling that I am able to Witness to those I come in contact with. I am overwhelmed by the manifestation of God�s Infinite Love in my life. My blessings are countless - from the time He placed me with my Parents, my family, with all the adventures I�ve had, help with my inner struggles, my drifting away but He is always there to encourage and bring me back. As I look at the sand on my Life�s Beach - I see only one set of footprints for much of the time. My Lord has carried me much of the way, saving me from my independent choices to bring me to this point. To God be the Glory for all He has done for me. I am humbled by all He has given me, all He has provided, His endless love that has and continues to sustain me, and for never giving up on me. And important - helping me with my goal to have FUN> He has given me a sense of humor. So many in my peer group are dealing with serious health issues, many see mine as the worst possible. They are curious as to why I seem to take my situation so lightly. My sense of humor does often bring smiles to faces that are heavily burdened. You see, I am in a perfect place to Witness for my Lord, give Him credit and praise, to share with others my first hand, close relationship with my Heavenly Father. Perhaps their source of information has been from early years in Sunday School, maybe daily Scripture reading, or even misleading interpretations of the Gospel. But I am here in person, tangible proof of all the words they have heard and read. This is now the main task assigned to me with guidance and encouragement to let my light shine for My Lord. My current adventure could have been prevented, could have been healed, but then I would not have been able to Serve in this position. There is a reason and a purpose for my life. I have been well prepared to take on this task and pray that I will accomplish this assignment to the best of my ability - with help, of course. I am blessed to be able to be a part of God�s plan while here on Earth. . |
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