an awkward encounter

It's strange sometimes, the little moments and awkward encounters that God sends our way to remind us of all that we have to be thankful for...

I went to Wal-Mart Monday night with a short list of things I needed to get -- one of them was new insoles for my tennis shoes. My beloved Nike cross-trainers have begun to show their age lately: long walks and thorough workouts are making my feet hurt because the soles of my shoes are almost completely worn through and without traction, and they just don't have the structure and support for side-to-side movement that they used to. But just as I cried when I drove away from my old Jeep for the last time, or when I chopped my unruly hair short for the first time in 20 years, I dread the separation anxiety that I know will come from parting with this comfy pair of old, reliable shoes. So I thought some good Dr. Scholl's might buy my Nikes some extra life support.

But as I stood in the footcare aisle at Wal-Mart, thinking all these morose thoughts about my dying shoes and trying to judge which insoles would make my feet stop hurting, a wheelchair came around the corner into my aisle, and in it was a young man with no legs. The irony of the moment absolutely flustered me -- there I was griping about my old shoes and sore feet, and there he was, perhaps wishing that he could feel the soreness of his feet once again.

I didn't buy any insoles. I couldn't, not in a moment like that. I just smiled and walked away empty-handed, completing my errands around the store and thanking God for my sore feet.

give my nose a pair of nikes!

I did a lot of running my pre-police academy days, but now I leave it all up to my nose. It's a good runner. It runs every day. Sometimes several times a day. I have always hated running, but my nose is apparently high on the endorphins it gets from all this running. I'm trying to walk gracefully through my workday, but the furious pace my nose sets makes it difficult to keep up with the Kleenex. You can only greet so many coworkers with that glistening snot moustache on your upper lip before something drastic must be done.

I'm calling Nike. This could be revolutionary -- just imagine! An aerodynamic, swoosh-designed device to help noses run more efficiently with less strain, some Jordan-endorsed way to maximize my nose's workout with minimal effort. Sturdy enough for long workouts, stylish enough for late evenings.

Nike Facial Tissue. Just blow it.

down time

I have had the most luxurious down time the past few weeks... an idyllic lack of busy-ness that will soon be over.

I spent Christmas week in Arizona with my family, watching LOTR with my dad, shopping with my mom, riding bikes with my nieces and nephew, having long conversations over really good food with my best friends, and never once setting a morning alarm.

I had a quarrelsome roommate move out of my house, taking all of the tension and turmoil out with her. And for a few brief weeks I've had the house to myself. Oh, the quiet and solitude -- just what I needed! Long days at the office dissolve into relaxation as I curl up in my favorite armchair and watch classic movies while I crochet a new afghan or scour the pages of a riveting new novel or biography. My house is once again a home... and I have been blessed with three new roommates who couldn't agree with me more about the importance of this principle. Our home is our sanctuary, a haven of peace and rest with an open door of hospitality and welcome.

And while my days at the office have been long, the pace of New Year's work has been leisurely, as everyone is slowly trickling in from their vacations.

While some may think all this relaxation and solitude is boring, I've learned to appreciate down time in all its shapes and forms, to let it thoroughly recharge my batteries before the pandemonium is unleashed... which won't be long now!

Happy New Year to one and all... and Happy Down Time, too!