Jenn’s Journey from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Good morning everyone! Happy Monday once again. Thank you for stopping by and having a few moments with me. I hope this new week holds some good adventures for you!

Speaking of adventures, I had one this past week. I've talked often here in my blog of being a recovering perfectionist. Life is full of opportunities for improving upon this aspect of my life. I've slowly but surely been practicing letting go of my high expectations, trying to give myself credit for the things I do right.

Back to my adventure. I promised to check on my parents’ home while they are out of town, to water their indoor plants and make sure all is in order. They live about 45 miles away, so it's a bit of a drive. I planned out my week; notice how I say, 'planned,’ figuring that Tuesday was the best day for this trip. I prepared my daughter for the excursion, promising a treat for both of us and charged up her DVD player. She let it be known this was not how she wanted to spend her day…but I assured her we'd have fun and make some memories along the way.

For once, we sailed right up the hill with no traffic and pulled into the driveway. I stepped out of the car, and with a sudden sinking feeling, realized I had the wrong set of keys with me. The house key to my parents’ house dangled safely from its hook 45 minutes away. Normally, this would really set me off, either I'd be mad, or be in tears. Instead, I laughed.

If you know me, you probably have your chin on the floor right now. My daughter asked me "Mom, what is so funny?" I told her the situation and she just looked at me, standing there, in the driveway, laughing. I explained that we would go to the backyard, pick the plums as promised and then we'd go get some lunch and take go to the park.

We did just that. You know what? We had fun!  I didn't spend time beating myself up for this mistake. I was able to stay in the moment, and make some memories with my girl.

To some, this would seem a small thing. To me, it is huge.  The still small voice of God says "Jenn, slow down; enjoy what is around you. I will help you handle whatever the day throws at you" Oh, may I count on Him more.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13

Until next week, be blessed.

Jenn

Coffee in Cabo from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thanks so much for joining me for Coffee Hour and Cabo memories. I think this is every bit as fun as scrapbooking, actually a bit easier because I can definitely write/type faster than I can scrapbook! Grab your coffee and come on in.

On Thursday evening, we went to the Beach Party put on by the resort. I was anticipating another fun time, hoping to laugh like no one was listening and dance like no one was watching, just like we had unexpectedly at the Fiesta. Right after dinner, the Emcee got us up and out of our chair into a conga line. The party was definitely starting, but this time, George and Rodney stayed back and Cheryl and I joined the line.

The song hadn’t even finished and Roberto stopped everyone and began explaining the Limbo. The more he explained, the more people left the line. I was up for the challenge, and so was Cheryl, though she was a bit hesitant. When it came my turn, I confidently walked forward, practicing the positioning that Roberto had explained to us: bend down, thrust hips out, shoulders back and walk!

I got closer to the bar and bent down, thrust my hips back and began to walk forward, that is until a pop that I swore everyone heard stopped me. For a brief second, my body broke out in a sweat and instantaneous paralysis, but pride pushed me forward. The crowd cheered their approval for me to continue on in the contest, but I went straight to our table not stopping to collect $200. I was in excruciating pain. I don’t know if I pulled my groin or thrust my hip out of its socket, or what. All I knew in that instant was pain. I literally had to take both my arms and lift up my right leg to get it stretched up and out on the chair in front of me, which was empty, thank God!

beach party fun…b4 injury!

The rest of the night passed in a blur. I did manage to get up and dance a bit, but it certainly wasn’t as if no one was watching. In fact, as I tried to move in the sand, I probably looked as though there were invisible restraints attached to each of my legs while the rest of me sort of swayed to the beat!

We managed to stay through the end and my pain lessened a little bit but if I moved a certain way, it would begin to rear its head and cut at me like a razor-sharp knife. I think this was the night we went up to their room at The Ridge – no, that was the night before. Oh, that was another hysterical memory. Have you ever tried to walk through a screen door in the dark? OMG, we all laughed so hard over that one that I nearly had an accident.

Rodney & Cheryl dancing like no one’s watching

Anyway, the night after my injury, we went into town so George and I could get a massage. We knew right where to go: to the place we had been last year where for only $25, you got a one-hour massage! And it was really good. Or at least it used to be.

When we walked in and saw completely different people, that should have been our first red light, but we proceeded anyway. The language barrier should have been another flashing red light. Last year, we were able to hold a conversation with almost everyone in the place. They motioned for us to follow them and they put George in the room next to mine. Let me tell you, when you don’t speak the same language, or any part thereof, there’s a problem, a cultural problem.

To make this long story short, here I was supposed to be relaxing through a one-hour massage

Looking 4 hats!

but instead of laying down in an attitude and atmosphere of relaxation, I spent the next 60 minutes grimacing, clenching my fists and even at times grinding my teeth. And just when I think this had to be the worst massage I’ve had, and I’m fighting the urge to just get up and say I’m good, you will never believe what happened: She began pounding on my face! I thought she was going to break my face bones. If I wasn’t so shocked, I might have broke out laughing at how ludicrous it was. Now I know there was minimal lighting and it’s hard to really see, but you would think that she would have noticed the terrified look on my face, the gritting and grimacing and grinding would have caused her to stop, but no, she kept on pounding. And when her sweat dripped on my face, I nearly jumped off the bed, but sat there frozen in disbelief and pain. I couldn’t move because my hip or groin or something was killing me!

enjoying the pool at The Ridge

I have never been so relieved in all my life to know one hour of massage was finished and I have had more than my share! Before she left out of the room, she thanked me. All I could do was shake my head.I was so tempted to ask her where in the heck did she learn to do what she had just done, but I bit my tongue, reminding myself it is better to speak into someone’s life than out of it!

In a couple minutes, George came in to get me. “Get me out of here,” I gritted through my teeth fighting back the bipolar urge to scream and laugh at the same time. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough, and oh, the look on Cheryl’s face as I told her about my massage experience was priceless, almost worth the facial beating.

We laughed all the way down the boardwalk. That’s the beauty of traveling with friends like

Rodney never met a stranger

them; laughter can come when you least expect it but it always comes!

There are many more Cabo memories that I’ll always treasure, but pictures speak a thousand words. Thanks for allowing me to recapture the moments that made this trip so special.

Join me Monday for the return of Nana Holds. Wow, are things ever changing in that series!

Joyfully,

Evinda

Coffee in Cabo from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thanks for joining me for coffee hour and more Cabo highlights. I hope you are enjoying them as much as I am enjoying reliving them! I may keep you a bit longer today, so grab your coffee and get comfortable.

They say things come in threes, and there definitely is a third one that happened our first day, a heart-squeeze that made us all laugh in the days that followed. Let me share it with you and maybe you will find yourself laughing at the irony of the blessing.

For us, Cabo is a yearly thing because we have a timeshare there. Back in November, we invited Rodney and Cheryl to join us and even offered one of our weeks so they could have their own place if they wanted. Once flights had been booked and both our places confirmed, I began to pray that they would get a suite like ours – it’s a one-bedroom with a kitchen, living room and two bathrooms but the best thing is it’s right on the sand. I did add in my prayer to make their room as close to us as possible.

Well, as soon as Javier finished our check-in, he began to look for a suite for Rodney and Cheryl. He kept pushing buttons on the computer and shaking his head, then suddenly he smiled. “There is one like theirs in the next building” – it was only a couple hundred yards away. Rodney wanted to know where that was so Javier pulled out the map and showed him. Rodney asked if there was anything closer. Javier turned his focus back to the computer, his head shaking no, and then he smiled again because of other possibilities but they were on The Ridge, which happened to be on the other side of the resort. In other words, you couldn’t get any further from us! 

My eyes got real big and so did George’s as we realized what Javier was offering our dear friends. Rodney thought about it for a minute and then decided on the one closest to us. I offered up a silent thank you to Abba for watching out for them and then noticed Javier was again shaking his head in the negative. “It’s gone!” Just like that, bam! Gone!

He pulled out the map again and showed them the other two possibilities at The Ridge. Now, let me explain something

view from The Ridge

about The Ridge. You need a special key to get up there, first of all, and it’s pretty much like the penthouse area of the whole resort. The only reason George and I have ever seen the rooms is because of the member update, which includes a tour of The Ridge! Ramon handed Rodney and Cheryl a key and invited them to go take a look so we all headed up there to check it out.

OMG, you talk about a prince and a princess in a palace! Seriously, friend, I’m sharing this not to boast about this blessing but in the Giver of the blessing. When God is serving, it’s filet mignon, not hamburger! I was so happy for them because these are two people that do for others with servants hearts 365 days of the year without any expectation. Now here in Cabo, they were going to be served! This was way above and beyond all of our expectations! It was like a honeymoon suite and a presidential suite all wrapped up in one package, and with an amazing view of the marina!

So that was the third blessing in our first day! And again, let me emphasize, I am boasting on our Father’s goodness, not on ours or theirs!

Monday: I woke up to the sound of the crashing waves that put a smile on my face and cleared the cobwebs out of my mind as I remembered where I was. I made my way out to the kitchen but first went to the big sliding glass window in our living room and opened the curtains wide, allowing the beauty of the ocean to fill our room with its majestic sound. Then I headed for the coffee pot, poured two bottles of water into it, several scoops of Mexican coffee and pressed the “on” switch. The day had officially started! Not too long after that, Rodney and Cheryl knocked on our door to join us for George’s famous chorizo and egg breakfast!

We had agreed to participate in the “Update for owners” so we could get a $50 certificate per couple to use for an

a quick pose in the amazing tub!

activity, like parasailing, a sunset cruise, a spa treatment! They would be taking us next door to the newest resort called Grand Solmar, which George and I saw last year. Let me give you a little Cabo insight: The word “timeshare” is both a joke and a cuss word out here because everyone is pushing them from the moment you step foot in the airport to the walks you take out on the boardwalk! But, hey, we were on vacation and we had the time, so since Rodney and Cheryl hadn’t been here or to the Grand Solmar, we thought it would be something fun to do, kind of like checking out new homes.

We showed up in the lobby as instructed at 11:15. The receptionist introduced us to Ana Begonia, the one who would be conducting our tour. She was beautiful, and very friendly. By the time we got into the shuttle, Cheryl had already given her a flier for the book signing and I watched as she read it. Something she read on that flier really got to her because she looked at me, and smiled an intriguing smile, one that made me want to ask her what she was thinking about, but I didn’t have to. “Evinda – is that how you say your name?” I nodded my head. “– I need books like this. You have no idea.” She shook her head as if to shake away tears, even turning to face the other side for a few seconds. Then she looked back at me and she began to confide in me that just the night before she was crying – she said, “I was crying so hard, and I was like yelling at God, asking Him if I am supposed to stay at this job or not.”

Well that was an open door inviting encouragement, and so that’s exactly what I did because I so understand how it feels to be in that place of discouragement and confusion. I told her that God loves her so much and has a plan and that our meeting was no coincidence.

We arrived at Grand Solmar and Ana took us to three of the floor plans, each one more beautiful, extravagant in all its

The view from Grand Solmar

décor, lavish with amenities, and views that take your breath away. It was fun to pose in different places, pretending we lived in them, and yet, I know in my heart that this kind of lavishness is not what I or Cheryl desire!

We finished up the tour with Ana, and though we didn’t upgrade or purchase, I had come away from that experience a bit richer in a different way, knowing in my heart if all I had was all money could buy, I would be poverty stricken.

That evening was Fiesta night at the resort and there were a couple of significant blessings: One was running into someone I had met last year, a sweet gentle soul named Carol. This time she had brought her daughter, Laura and so we sat with them at the Fiesta and it was time that squeezed my heart as I learned more about them. I asked Carol about Pat, her friend who had come with her to Cabo last year. I learned that she’s been in a lot of pain lately and vowed to pray for her. So, Pat, if you are reading this, know I am praying for you and missed seeing you in Cabo.

Cheryl had us roaring!

The next blessing was the laughter we shared that night at the Fiesta. I don’t think I have laughed so hard in a very long time. I so needed the laughter, and even more than the laughter itself was whom I shared that with: Not just Rodney and Cheryl, but my husband, too. It’s been a long time since we laughed, a very long time and that night as I lay my head down on my pillow, I savored the sensation of true, deep-down from the gut laughter, the kind that makes your abdominals hurt, in a good way, of course!

The next morning when I woke up, my first thoughts were of the laughter we all shared from the day before. I don’t think I’ve ever realized its healing power, and maybe that’s because I’ve been in a tough and painful unpeeling process for a very long season and haven’t really laughed much, if at all. But then again, there is beauty in that as well, for I appreciate the gift of laughter so much more. That is the inspiration of these words:

Laughter from yesterday that makes your heart giggle today brightens the perspective for tomorrow!

Laugh today!

Evinda

Dancing with the Butterfly-From Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thanks so much for joining me today for a little break. I have a fun story to share with you so grab your coffee and come on in for a bit.

Just a couple of weeks ago, my assistant and I were in Texas at the C.S. Lewis Writers’ retreat and when I got a chance to take a break, we went exploring the sights around the camp in search of nature’s beauty so she could capture it with her camera. Walking up the hill was invigorating and calming at the same time. It was such a peaceful place full of woodsy-type smells, the sound of whispering branches as the wind rustled through them, birds talking off in the distance, and other creatures, too. At one point we even saw a deer saunter across the road and take off in the forest of trees.

Suddenly something sort of whimsical caught my attention, its colors dancing before my eyes, teasing me and taunting me to follow it in flight. It was a beautiful butterfly. As I watched it traverse the air just in front of us, almost as if it was showing off, I was mesmerized. The little beauty pulled me out of my trance when it landed on the ground just in front of us.

I started to move toward it ever so slowly and motioned for Jocelyn to join me so she could capture this beautiful butterfly who had its wings wide open, in all its glory, as if he was showing off. She got one picture but as she crouched down beside me and  got the camera focused, the little bugger shut his wings and then after a pause, took flight again.

We stood and watched it, expecting it to just fly away, but instead, it flew around us and around us and toward us and then away from us and then back toward us. This went on for a couple of minutes and suddenly, in my gut, I realized this butterfly was wanting to dance and if it had a voice, I could only imagine the joyful laughter we may have heard coming from this beautiful creature and the pleas for us to join him for some playful dancing.

I lost count of how many times we danced with the butterfly, stopping when he did, bending down to try and capture him with his wings wide open displaying his colorful splendor and each time we would get just right, and Jocelyn would get ready to click and smack! Wings shut, he would sit there for a pause, probably laughing at us, and then he’d get up and take flight again.

It made me think of the pursuit of happiness, how just when we think we’ve arrived, bam! Here comes heartache, trouble, trials and our happiness takes flight again. And then unannounced, it returns, flittering and fluttering, tempting and teasing us to reach out and grasp at it just one more time because for sure this time we’ll catch it only to have it intercepted with life’s disappointments and troubles.

This happened enough to where we thought we’d never get the shot so we began to walk the way we came and as I turned around, my mouth came open in disbelief; he was following us! At one point he came so close to my face I jerked backwards in my reflexes. We were back in the dance, falling for his tricks when he would land on the ground with his wings wide open only to shut them when we were ready to take a picture.

Suddenly I got an idea and picked up a leaf. I stood up and held my arm straight out with the leaf in between my index finger and my thumb. “Be still and see if he comes,” I told Jocelyn. It wasn’t thirty seconds and suddenly, there he was, perched on the leaf in my hand looking right at me. Happiness bubbled up inside me and I could barely contain myself, but I did. I stayed right there, in the happiness of the moment before he took flight again!

Oh that we would stay in the moments filled with happiness, soaking up the laughter they bring, not worrying about it going away, or about tomorrow for that moment is what we have here and now.

Joyfully,

Evinda