Holy Cow. I have wanted to write for so long now, but the world is excessively noisy and the last thing I want is for my words to be more noise. In reality, my writing is more for me to sort out my words and feelings; to stop the frenzy in my head and organize my emotions into cohesive and productive ideas. The topics of the world have scared me off for some time. But lately I have people ask me when my next blog will come into fruition. Because that means so much to me, and because I love my peeps, I feel the need to write-if only to show my care and gratitude. So here goes.
Many people know that dinosaurs and dimes are very important to me. They are important for different reasons, but they both accomplish many of the same things for me. When I find one, or receive one, it shows me I am being watched over. My belief is that they show that God is mindful of me and that my earthly father who has since passed on, is watching over me as well. They bring me peace and hope and comfort. They are a light in a dark world. So I am on a continual search for dimes and dinosaurs.
*to read about dimes and dinosaurs, and their importance to me, click here:
The world is hard right now. It is overwhelming for me a good part of the time. The complications in the world have added stresses and health issues that I am battling, but by the grace of God, I am surviving them. The opportunity to be back at work, to provide reassurance and comfort for all my little elementary school kids, and interact with wonderful people who help me look for good, all go a long way in sustaining me. In fact, as I was sitting with one of my little reading groups the other day, I had a feeling of such contentment and happiness wash over me. I was enjoying the time with my kiddos so much that for the moment, the cares of the world had faded away. I am so blessed to be with these children. It truly gives me much needed strength. Add to that the incredible parents, faculty and staff I interact with and that's a blessing of epic proportions.
Of course, as always, my peeps are key in my comfort. I am so blessed to have so many friends, co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances in my every day to lift and bolster my spirit. And though I know how much I am blessed, it continually astounds me what I really DO have.
A couple of weeks ago, I was having a day. Yeah...one of those days. As I headed into work, I was struggling to put on a brave face and face the day with optimism. There were a few issues I knew I was going to have to address, but I wanted to exude light anyway. As I walked through the parking lot, I whispered a plea aimed heavenward, and asked my dad to help me find a dime that day. I promised to search everywhere I went, but to please let me find one so I knew I was being watched over. Well, I went about my day, made it through some hard and even uncomfortable things, and never found a dime, despite my extra efforts to do so.
When I arrived home, I dove into the extensive list of chores I am never able to get through and I buried myself quickly. As I sat there with a bigger mess than I started with, I got a picture and a text from my mom that said. "Call me to talk about this." Grateful for the break from the chaos I had created, I called her up. She chatted for a minute, and then told me that she had been visited by one of my long-time friends, whom I had grown up next door to during my teenage years and early twenties. She said he had walked over with something in his hand. He went on to tell her he had found it over a month earlier and had had the impression to give it to me. He didn't know why, just that he should. He talked of how he had almost taken it out of his truck, and gotten rid of it, but that something kept telling him that I needed it. At that point he opened his hand, and in it was a small, blue, plastic dinosaur. Again, he said he wasn't sure why he was supposed to give it to me-he said the only reason he could come up with was that it must be the blue-and asked my mom if I still had a blue streak in my hair.
Always the blue streak
My mom told him I do have the blue streak (and will keep it as long as I can maintain it) but that the dinosaur meant the world to me because, well, it's a dinosaur. He said, "But I thought dimes were her thing" my mom laughed and said, "Well they are, but so are dinosaurs. There's a whole story for it. Dinosaurs are very important to her family." At that moment my friend got teary eyed, glad that he had followed that prompting. I'm so grateful that he did. It is a treasure. It changed the course of my day, reassured my soul, and gave me light that I, in turn, will share with others.
I have promised to type the entire Dinosaurs In The Mud story for him, but in the meantime, just know that in our family, finding a Dinosaur In The Mud is the finding the good in each day, even the hard day. It is recognizing the details that show us that someone-whoever you deem your higher power to be, (but for me...my God), is watching over you and aware of your needs and circumstances. I love finding dinosaurs. I love finding dimes. They give me great hope. Thanks, dad(s) for watching over me, I am grateful.
