Showing posts with label rack'd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rack'd. Show all posts

Thursday, December 22, 2011

On the 4th Day Before... I Got Real

Read and leave a comment where your visiting from and I'll visit and follow you wherever you are!
No, it's not my birthday but if it was, I'm 21! (wink)
Ok, so I have been working on the RACK'd idea of spreading random acts of Christmas Kindness around. I didn't post one yesterday because...well, I didn't have one. At least I don't think I did.

I realized today that I am thinking too hard about this and working too hard at it. It's ok to be open to those perfect opportunities to be nice to someone or help someone. It's ok to proactively seek out or create opportunities to spread kindness. But it's also ok if it just doesn't present itself plainly or at all.

I was feeling guilty not having something to share, some inspiration. Hey, that's ok. That's real. Be real. I actually had a pretty crappy day yesterday (at least half the day). Not as crappy as some, I am sure but in my moment in time and space, it, quite frankly SUCKED!

Let's back up a moment to 2 days earlier...
Earlier in the week, a fight broke out, ok a brawl broke out between my daughter and son. I know, you pictured Norman Rockwell here in the Flip Side house. Sorry to burst your bubble.

I broke up the brawl only to have my daughter turn on her heel and tear after my son in a vengeance (much like Voldimort after Harry Potter). She attempted a Karate kid fence post kick which launched her slip on shoe hurdling into the air (yes, I am watching this in slow motion) straight into my, my, (my eyes grew like saucers and if I could have gotten on my knees fast enough to pray...) into my onyx pendant light over my granite counter top.

Literally, as if in slow motion, in unison, I, with my head in my hands and the pendant fell toward earth in silence. I knew what was next. Then the shattering sound of rock hitting rock penetrated the air as muffled shrieks from within my hands followed and then silence.

Exhibit A in front and
Exhibit B in the back
I didn't want to look. My heart broken. I know they are just lights. Just 200 dollar lights that I searched high and low for... I know.

"Sorry mommy?" A questionable sorry as if she knew the padded wagon was coming for her mother and it was all her fault.

Skip forward to yesterday (two days later)...

Long and short of it. My son, a big ball, the knowledge that blasting it around the house was unacceptable and the one big, ceiling high bounce that once again happened in slow motion so I could witness it all (but not slow enough to get on my knees and pray). I watched this giant green ball ricochet off my..."NO!"... my, "Please God,  NOOO!"  ( I know, not worth the prayer), my other Onyx pendant light.

Rock hitting rock (now a familiar sound). Afraid to look.

I nearly fainted in disbelief. My son nearly did too, like those fainting goats to avoid ensuing danger.

Those lights have been up since 2008 and in one week, two of them kissed granite. I admit it. I cried. Shallow. Material. "How can this happen to me" cry. Then, I came to my senses and realized that it's no big deal really. There are worse things that can happen.

Something good came of it. All three of my kids helped me clean the entire house as a consequence. I mean really clean (to avoid the wrath of mom). This week my husband's word for them was "Accountable". I held them accountable for their actions. Their actions of anger toward each other and disrespect toward rules and others hurt innocent people around them. Ohh, and those poor Onyx pendants. Sniff.

They had to do some work and my son was grounded from his friend coming over (even though his friend was on his way over-embarrassing for both of us). I am usually a softy. But not when I can get my house clean. We all actually enjoyed working together. My oldest actually said he liked it. Amen.

Accountable: be responsible for actions or decisions;

Where are you reading from? Let me know and I'll check it out!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

On the 7th day before Christmas...

Today, I was trying to think of a way to spread some Christmas cheer so on my way to the post office, I stopped at a florist and bought some flowers to give to the postal worker that helps me today. The lady at the florist was going to re-wrap the flowers and I stopped her because they were in a nice Christmas plastic and I told her what I was doing with them. She and another customer loved the idea. I wasn't telling them for recognition but so maybe they might decide to RACK someone too. It also made them feel warm and fuzzy too to know that I was doing it Just Because (like my book).
I was actually a little nervous standing in line at the post office. It was clear that the people in the long line were wondering what the flowers were for but no one asked. Inside, I am still a very shy person so it made me nervous to do it which is silly. She smiled and said thank you. I think she was a little taken aback. As we finished, she thanked me again and seemed very grateful. 


You've been RACK'd! Random Acts of Christmas Kindness!

Feel free to share this post starting today to spread holiday kindness 
for the 12 days before Christmas.

PLEASE share with me what kindness you've spread each day 
here on the Flip Side. Give people ideas big or small. 

I want to hear about the nice things you are doing. Post ideas for others. Let's spread the cheer! 







On the 7th day before Christmas, I spread some holiday cheer by...
buying flowers for a postal worker at the post office and gave it to them when I sent a Christmas package to my brother-in-law. 


On the 8th day before Christmas, we were given some holiday cheer by....being unexpectedly invited to see Santa even though there were no more appointments available for the day, being given Christmas pins by an little old man in church this morning and being given a Santa coin so my daughter could get a little toy she wanted.



On the 9th day before Christmas, I spread some holiday cheer by....
having 4 glasses of wine while spending a great evening at a holiday party with great friends. 




On the 10th day before Christmas, I spread some holiday cheer by....
 sending 3 gifts in for my children's teachers to thank them for their hard work.

On the 11th day before Christmas, I spread some holiday cheer by...
taking the time to call a couple of friends I haven't talked to in a while and wish them a Merry Christmas

On the 12th day before Christmas, I spread some holiday cheer by...
writing a love note to my kids on the mirror saying Merry Christmas and how much we love them.