Last Minute Gifts

“Spring” means many things - Easter, planting flowers, weddings, graduations, softball and soccer games, spring break, Mother’s Day, and more. As I look at this list, one more word comes to mind - BUSY. Some days it seems as if everyone is trying to cram in one last thing before summer comes along. It would be terrible if our spring were lazy and relaxed - or would it?

Last Saturday, we were blessed with a very unusual day. We had absolutely nothing on the calendar, and it was a beautiful spring day. The sun was out, and we could enjoy it any way we wished. I will admit, we were so out of sorts by having “nothing to do” that we didn’t take advantage of it as much as we should have. We spent half the morning in our PJ’s catching up on e-mails, bills, and house projects. But that ended up being a gift in itself. Those nagging items were no longer weighing on our minds, and it gave the kids some time to play. We spent the late afternoon taking a drive in the country, went to the local art museum, and tried out a new restaurant for dinner.

The rest of our spring is jam packed with fun and exciting activities. But I have a feeling we will remember that lazy spring day for the gift it was.

I happen to be one of those gullible moms that “volunteered” to be the Brownie Troop leader. I am the proud leader of 17 first and second grade Brownies. And in the Girl Scout world, spring means one thing - camping!

I happen to love camping. Since I was a kid, many family vacations have been spent sleeping in a tent or cabin and sitting around a campfire. But taking 17 little girls out in the wild isn’t the same thing as a family vacation! So, to start our Brownie camping experience, we decided to go “indoor” camping by attending a lock-in. The girls actually got to sleep in tents and learned how to pack for a camping trip, but we didn’t have to build a fire, use an outhouse, or sleep in the cold. It turns out, our biggest hurdle was keeping track of each girls’ belongings. Very few of our first graders had been away from Mom, so keeping their belongings in one place by themselves was a whole new concept.

We are now ready to graduate to outdoor camping - at least the girls think we are. I am prepared with a list to the parents. It includes bringing a good bag to keep everything organized. I am also prepared to get very little sleep and to give myself the gift of some pampering when that wonderful camping trip is over!

The weather is finally warming here and my husband is working on his golf game. Before he actually gets his rounds in he spends time practicing. First he goes to a nearby driving range and practices his drive. But he also likes to practice his short game. Last year for Father’s Day I got him a Chipmate golf chipping net. He really uses it a lot.

What he likes about this chipping net is it’s easy to set up and take down and store in the house when he’s off doing other things. The bullseye design helps him fixate his gaze and the separate net component for the bullseye let’s him know when he’s it it spot on.

How often do you stop to give thanks for your good health? If you are like me, I rarely appreciate the fact that my body works as it was intented.

But last week, we visited my in-laws, and my appreciation is renewed. My parents and in-laws are relatively young, as they are all in their early 60’s. My father-in-law is in very good health, except for the fact that he was recently in a motorcycle accident. Thankfully, he came throught the accident with only a broken hand and an injured shoulder. But for a person that likes to exercise everyday, these injuries are slowing him down much more than he would like.

My mother-in-law has type 1 diabetes. She struggles daily with her blood sugars, high blood pressure, loss of vision, loss of balance, and the list goes on and on.

My in-laws are wonderful people that are working to enjoy their lives despite their health issues. But it reminded me that my health is a gift that should be treasured each day. Despite my busy life, I have legs that walk and a heart that pumps as it should. Do something good for your health today -play your favorite sport, go and get a massage - so that it can continue to be a gift for many years to come.