Fun Friday – What does a trip to the post office and menopause have in common?

What is your sense of smell like?
Photo Credit: Science ABC

It was lunch time, all I needed to do was make a quick stop at the post office to pick up a package. I guess everyone else had the same idea. The line wasn’t quite out the door, but there were enough of us to call it a crowd.

I stood in line and scrolled through messages on my phone as I waited. Then my Spidey senses began to tingle. My extreme superpower was beginning to react. The Six Million Dollar Man had a bionic eye. The Bionic Woman had super hearing. I’ve gained the superpower of a heightened sense of smell.

Someone breezed past me and left behind the bold scent of baby oil. It wasn’t bad, just bold. Not even a minute had passed when a breeze from another direction tickled my nose hairs. It was the scent of pancake syrup. There I stood contemplating whether I should go home and shower or make waffles with melted butter and syrup.

I blame the entire post office episode on a menopausal hormone imbalance. At the tender time in a woman’s life when she reaches half a century old, she can blame hormones for whatever she wants. Therefore, a trip to the post office can trigger a menopausal moment… but it will pass.

Menopausal moments come and they go. They can happen anywhere – the grocery store, the bank, while you’re sitting and relaxing. Find the humor in it, treat it like a superpower, and move on.

What situation have you experienced recently that caused you to uncover the humor?

Words of Wisdom - Sing with Your Child Month

When your child doesn't want you to sing

“Sing…sing a song. Sing out loud, all day long. Don’t worry that it’s not good enough for anyone to hear…just sing. Sing a song.” It was in seventh-grade music class that Mr. Brown, wearing a white button-up shirt, rolled-up at the wrists, led this song. He moved his hands like a conductor guiding an orchestra.

Sorry Mr. Brown, I still sing off-key…but I sing anyway. The month of March is celebrated as Sing with Your Child Month. Whether your child is young, a young adult, or…old, singing is a great way to express emotions, make connections, and have fun. If you sway in the wrong direction, clap offbeat, or cause a dog to howl, you’re doing it right.

Here are three ways you can celebrate Sing with Your Child Month:

1.      Sing a favorite song together

2.      Make up a song

3.      Create a music video

The sillier you are, the more fun you will have. Keep in mind, you’re creating a joyful memory.

The video below is an episode from my family memory. It was a road trip turned into a sing-along. Check out the big guy in the background, he’s my brother. Either my lovely singing put him to sleep, or he totally blocked out the sound. What do you think?

What tips do you have for celebrating Sing with Your Child Month?

Motivational Monday – Spiritual Wellness Month

Affirmations, meditation, prayer. These are all a part of your spiritual wellness. The month of March is celebrated as Spiritual Awareness Month. Beginning this month, focus on being in a state of harmony with yourself and others.

What do you do to take care of your spiritual wellness? Perhaps you fellowship with others at church, participate in retreats, or read devotionals. Be deliberate this month about focusing on your wellness.

Each year the woman’s ministry from my church hosts a Woman’s Retreat. The retreat is like a spa day for our mind, body, and spirit. We laugh, we praise, some even cry; it’s a cleansing from the inside out. We leave rejuvenated.

It’s time for a spiritual wellness check-up. An article from Work Smart Live Smart, poses the following questions as a way of evaluating your spiritual wellness.

·         Do I make time for relaxation in my day?

·         Is there time for meditation and/or prayer?

·         Do my values guide my decisions and actions?

Affirmations, meditation, prayer. No matter how you choose to focus on your spiritual wellness, just do it.