Female in Motion

(Pictured at top is Dot and T.J. on their last day at our house. Bottom photo is Dee Page, B.D. Tharp and Marilyn Monson at the Derby Public Library.) My mom, our dear friend, Dee Page, and I attended the Book Talk for author B.D. Tharp on Thursday night at the Derby Public Library. If you haven't been to the new Derby Library yet, you must. It's gorgeous! Mom had never been to a book talk with an author before. We all enjoyed the lively discussion about women "of a certain age" and the unique challenges that presents. B.D. Tharp is a fun speaker, too. *** The four-month odyssey is at a close. Socks, the pregnant cat who abruptly came into our lives one cold February day, and her four furry and fun kittens went to their forever home this afternoon. The whole family will be living on a beautiful farm outside Ark City, complete with barn and pond. Although we will miss them sorely, we're so happy that they will have a whole new world to explore. Best of all, they wi...

While watching "American Idol" a few weeks ago, the contestants chose inspirational tunes to sing. Most pieces were Whitney Houston tunes or the R. Kelly sap-fest, "I Believe I Can Fly." It got me to thinking, what songs do I consider to be inspirational? After pondering this question for a time, I came up with some surprising, albeit satisfying selections. What do these tunes have in common? None of them are sung by professional singers! #3: "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. This piece, recorded in 1970, stands the test of time. Most famous for his trumpeting skills, Armstrong delivers a heartfelt and sensitive touch to this classic song. Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5ROPCfL9hQ&feature=related #2: "It's Not Easy Being Green" by Kermit the Frog. This self-acceptance anthem by the cute and cuddly amphibian from The Muppets is warm, wistful and completely wonderful. Listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/...

I took a walk through my mom's garden on Mother's Day. It seemed to be a walk through my family's history, as well. I saw roses from my Grandmother Monson's garden, and ones from my Uncle Chuck, too. The pink and white peonies reminded me of MaMa Ballew. Peonies were her favorite flowers. My mother spends time tending her flower garden, but all those roses and irises and peonies are not her ultimate focus. My mother tends something much more important: her relationships. Mom is a people person. Now you know where I get it from. She passionately cares about others, like her family, her friends, her church and pretty much everyone else she meets. I love how she can simultaneously make you feel as if she's giving every drop of her energy to you, while at the same time she is taking nothing away from herself. Cool! *** There were three, count 'em, three high school concerts last week and yours truly was at every one of them! Due to the tornado in our backyard last M...

I've been battling a migraine all day today. I woke up at 5:48 this morning with my head pounding. No matter what type of medicine or rest or food I take, it hasn't let up much. I couldn't figure out what was going on...and then the tornado warning hit. While The Hubster and I were huddled in the basement, riding out the storm surrounded by assorted cats, it hit me. When the barometric pressure swings wildly, my head pounds. Ah! But does that fact make my head and stomach feel any better? No, not really. *** A spring concert was held at Cowley College last Tuesday. I got to see the Concert Band perform five exotic and intricate melodies, each one a sparkling gem. To top it off, the Concert Choir presented eight stunning operatic pieces. There were three solo arias, brought by sophomore members Mitch Wright, Jessica Latham and Bryce Sund. The delicious dessert portion of the evening was the "Brindisi" from "La Traviata" by Verdi. Soloists were Cowley alum...

When my daughters were younger and ran across a heartache or a headache, I would sit down and talk with them about the Book of Their Life. I asked them, "Does this person or problem deserve a word, sentence, paragraph, page or chapter in the book of your life?" Although they rolled their eyes, I think my girls listened to me (at least about that!). Have you ever thought about your life and the people and situations you allow to have place in it? Sometimes it seems as if our days have a life of their own and we are merely passengers that trail along after it, fingernails dug in. What if we got a lot more intentional about our lives? If you were writing the book of your life, would you think a little more carefully about your actions and associations? I know I would...that's how my brain works. God has blessed me with a great life and I want to honor Him and myself with it. So I want to make a conscious effort to follow my passion, live honorably, love mightily and think be...