Mary Pierce

TODAY’S LAUGH: I’ll admit it. When I first heard the title of the movie, “The Bucket List,” I thought, Huh? And then the light came on. Oh THAT bucket! DUH!

Have you seen the movie? Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are dying and vow to do the things they always wanted to do before they die. I thought, why wait? Here’s my bucket list and I’ve already started:

1. Laugh with a friend. Check–thanks to you!

2. Enjoy a sunset. The other day two-year-old grandson Joey and I watched the sunset together as I sang, “The sky is pink and Joey is sweet…” Check.

3. Hug somebody. What a privilege to still be able to give DaMama a hug! Check.

4. Surprise someone with a smile. At Target, I smiled at the checker as she waited for a price check for the person ahead of me in line. She seemed surprised–I guess most people don’t smile as they wait. Check.

5. Tell somebody you’re sorry. You know who you are and we both know what I did and I’m sorry. Truly, truly sorry! Check.

6. Forgive somebody. You know who you are and we both know what YOU did…and it’s over and done with. I forgive you. Let’s move on. Check.

7. Thank God for something. Well, that’ll be ongoing and I pray I’ll still be doing it as I kick the bucket myself!

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT is in this quote from Stephan Grellet: “I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

We shall not pass this way again… What’s on YOUR “bucket” list?

TODAY’S LAUGH: As a writer of books, you dream — and your publisher shares the dream– that people (Hundreds? Thousands? MILLIONS!) will buy your books and read them with gusto, reveling in your adroit turns of phrase and relishing the perfection of your prose.

And you dream that when they’ve finished reading your baby (slowly, for they are reluctant for the magic to end), they’ll lovingly assign it a home on their bookshelf and never give it away. Ever. (And not just any bookshelf, but the shelf where they keep their most treasured books. Right there alongside their copy of Gone with the Wind. And the Bible.)

So it was humbling this morning to see one of my books offered for sale on craigslist.com and another offered on ebay. It’s not the same as seeing my books on amazon.com and others. Those outlets are part of the great flow of impersonal retailing.

But craigslist and ebay? Now, that’s PERSONAL. It means a reader had my book and now wants to get rid of it. For half price! WAA-A-A-AH!

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: But writers are tough and used to rejection. And creative souls that we are, we can fabricate a tale to soften the blow. So in this case, I’ll assume the book is for sale because the reader said to herself, Oh my GOSH! This is the BEST book I’ve ever read and I can’t WAIT to pass it on so somebody else can have the THRILL it gave ME! And recoup a little of my investment to boot… (How can I argue with that?)

I’m curious. Have you ever been humbled by life? What story did you tell yourself to soften the blow?I’d appreciate your input because I’ll need some new stories to tell myself the next time I see that woman who told me, gleefully, “I just got your book for FIFTY CENTS at the Goodwill store!”

Here’s the bottom line: As humbling as life can be, I am profoundly grateful for each and every reader and so very grateful to God for the privilege of bringing a little laughter and encouragement into this world through my writing. Thank you!
Humbly yours today…

MP

Today’s quote from Malcolm S. Forbes: “Victory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat.”

CHECK OUT THE NEW PAGES: A CAREGIVER’S HEART and JUST WRITE

TODAY’S LAUGH and CRY: Last week I ordered myself a “secret gift.” It’s not for my birthday or any other nationally-recognized holiday. I sent myself this secret gift because I reached a goal I’d set.

Nobody but God and I knew about the goal; nobody else knows I achieved it. (I won’t be flashing the news across the Jumbotron at a major league game anytime soon.)

Nobody would know if I celebrated this quiet, personal victory or not. But it is worth celebrating, so I did.

I ordered the little gift –it cost less that $5.00–online and then I cried. Yep, I sat at my desk and bawled like a baby. Why? Because I realized how hard it was to give myself this simple “self-approval.”

Why is it so hard for some of us to honor our own achievements, so hard to say to ourselves, “Well done!”? (I know God loves me. I know others do, too. But to love myself? That’s another story…)

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: We make progress, but feel it’s not “enough.” Not good enough. Not far enough. Not perfect enough. We listen to the voice saying, “Yeah, but what about..?” reminding us that we still have a long way to go.

Well, it’s time to tell that voice to “Shut UP!”

How about you? When is the last time you celebrated your progress–however slight it might be–toward a worthwhile goal? When is the last time you gave yourself a pat on the back? When is the last time you told yourself, “Well done!” and believed it?

What in your life is worth celebrating today? What secret gift can you give yourself, agreeing with God that you are worth loving?

Give yourself the gift and hear Him say, “Well done!”

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Comment here, or if you want to keep it private, use the “Contact Mary” link. Let’s celebrate together!

NOTE: APOLOGIES IF YOU HAD TROUBLE COMMENTING. WE’RE WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. MEANWHILE USE THE “CONTACT MARY” FIELD AND I’LL POST FOR YOU. Thanks. MP

TODAY’S LAUGH: I would have posted this earlier today, but I spent almost an hour this morning looking for a book I’d been reading over the weekend. I searched the upper floor of our house–our bedroom, DaHusband’s office, the guest room. No book. I searched the main floor–every nook and table, every pile in every room. No book. I looked through the basement, in my office, the family room, even the basement storage area. No book.

I looked again through every space, and a third time. I plopped down on a kitchen chair. Am I CRAZY? Where the HECK did that STUPID book GO? Think, girl, think!

I glanced over at the pile of cleaning supplies I’d used the day before while I was cleaning the upstairs. I’d left them in the kitchen so I could organize them before I put them away. There in the pile was the cardboard box I’d marked “PUT AWAY” yesterday, to hold everything from the upstairs that belonged elsewhere. And there, under the pile of newspapers and magazines to be recycled was the book.

I’d collected the things to be put away elsewhere. I just hadn’t gotten as far as “elsewhere” yet…

Here is the delicious irony in this story. The book was one of my favorite organizing tomes: GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER by Pam Young and Peggy Jones. HA!

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: At least I TRIED to get my act together yesterday. I didn’t do it PERFECTLY, but I made progress.

Here’s my new motto: No matter how big a mess you’re in, keep plugging away. Keep trying, one little step at a time, to move toward where you want to be in this life.

I have a feeling I’m not alone. What craziness have you experienced on the way to “getting your act together”?

CONGRATULATIONS! JANUARY’S FREE BOOK GOES TO TAMI JOHNSON!