But First...

   One drop of rain does not a storm make.

   Many times I have over-exaggerated problems. But I have done well learning to be more reasonable.

   Having a negative outlook in life is quite the bummer. It goes along with the “awfulness” of labeling minor irritations as bigger problems. Anxiety can escalate.

   I remember once getting home from work, leaving the car windows open. Once inside my house I noticed a trail of ants in the kitchen. Ugh! Oh, no! And the cats had knocked over knick-knacks. A sudden burst of rain stormed down outside. Quick! Get rid of the ants! No! Run out to the car and close windows. No! I’ll get drenched! Pick up knick-knacks. But the ants! The rain!

   Silly me. I realized how stupid it all was making a big deal out of nothing. First things first. Sure I’ll get drenched in the rain, so what. Go close the car windows. Then get rid of the ants, Clean up stuff afterwards. Simple.

   Of course many problems in life are much worse and not always easy to fix. But the 12-step recovery idea of “First Things First” can help. Prioritize your needs, your family’s needs: what is most important and requires immediate attention? Worrying won’t fix anything and only leaves you feeling more helpless. (Matt 6:25-34)

   Does God give us more than we can handle? Often we do that to ourselves, like when we let others’ aggravating ways take up space in our minds. God allows us to see how much we cannot handle. When we feel overburdened, the Lord gives us a way out by relying on Him. (I Cor 10:13) He is our strength.

   One drop of rain does not a storm make. Clean up the mess and move on.      Theresa M

Opportunity Missed

   It traveled over 54 million kilometers to land on the planet Mars. It took thousands of pictures, sending us never-seen-by-human-eyes of a faraway land. It rocked, it rolled, it passed over rough terrain (a total of 45.16 kilometers) taking samples, sending us evidence of water that once was a part of this distant marvel. For about 15 years it reported remarkable discoveries.

Opportunity - NASA/JPL Cornell Univ.

   And then it paused. Quiet. For days, weeks, months. No responses back to its team on Earth. It was with great sadness the team declared Opportunity was dead, having completed its mission February 13, 2019.

Opportunity on Mars by NASA/JPL CalTech July 2004

   Although Opportunity was not a human or animal, it was a creative being. It acted with some human form: travelling, capturing samples of soil, pictures, relaying messages. It was in fact alive, and then it wasn’t.

   Opportunity sits there on Mars probably for eternity. A part of us is there on Mars; a part of Opportunity will always be here with us. Like God’s creation, we are all stardust.

                     We are One in the Spirit of the Universe.                     

                                               Theresa M

Opportunity trails, NASA/JPL CalTech March 2016

“And all the dreams I’ve dreamed before

that stretch out into the skies,

each hanging as stars -

an intricate web -

reach out and extend to connect

to a dream that is yours…”

                                      from “Starlit Wonder” by Theresa M

info on Opportunity:  

      space.com

      scientificamerican.com 

      mars.nasa.gov

Leap Not

For all those people with a birthday on February 29th: 

                    Happy Birthday anyway.

Maybe you’re lucky, you can always honestly say you’re younger than you are. Maybe not so lucky with no real birth date of February 29 for years to celebrate or get gifts.

Sure, I bet you celebrate on the 27th or 28th, maybe after March 1st. But is it really the same?

So every four years I think you deserve to have an over-the-top birthday celebration to make up for the previous three years. Tell your family and friends you expect this. Start preparing now for February 29th, 2020!

Here’s to you, February 29th birthers! You’re just as special as the rest of us!    Theresa M

         Leap Year

Twenty-nine the second month has

Every four years, so many says--

Why call it a leap year

‘stead of leap month?

Perhaps the extra day 

was meant to be a month!

If we were to leap to next year

From a leap month away from here,

Wouldn’t this day be the same

whichever way:

A year in the life of a month with an extra day?

                                            Theresa M 😊