Mary Pierce

TODAY’S LAUGH: I was in my car waiting at a red light here in our town (pop. 60,000) when the driver next to me started honking. I looked over at him. He smiled and waved, obviously very glad to see me. Then he pointed to the passenger seat as if to say, “Look who’s with me!” His female companion leaned forward and smiled and waved as well. I smiled and waved back, the light changed and we both drove on.

The problem? I have NO IDEA who those people were!

And here is the freaky part: the guy looked so much like my son who lives in Colorado (sans Tyrolean hat) that I immediately called Catbox Boy on my cell to make sure he hadn’t come to town to surprise me! (He hadn’t.) I’d been transported to the Twilight Zone…I could hear that music...

Freaky Followup: I told the story to my friend Ellen the other day when she came for coffee. Later she called to tell me that, on her way home from my house, she was at a stop light when the woman in the car next to her honked and waved. And you guessed it–Ellen has NO IDEA who the woman was.

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: It’s a small world, after all. Two other people have since said they’ve seen my son’s “twin” around town as well. So I wasn’t just imagining the resemblance! Whew! But what are the odds that someone who looks so much like someone I know would be there at that very moment thinking that THEY knew ME?

How do you explain it? Coincidence? Something in my coffee? Divine connection? Rift in the time-space continuum?

What weird things have happened to you? Have you spent time in The Twilight Zone?

I’d LOVE to hear your stories. It gets lonely here in my little world, despite all the honking and waving.

AND this is the last week to enter the MARCH FREE BOOK DRAWING by submitting a comment here or sending me a note via the “Contact Mary” link. (CHECK out the new review from Mary Gilson.)

Blessings all!

P.S. RADIO: If you’re in the Chippewa Valley area, tune in to WHEM 91.3 fm on Wednesday mornings at 7:40 a.m. I’ll be laughing with Garrett Novak on “A Brand New Day” every Wednesday morning starting MARCH 26th.

TODAY’S LAUGH: Last week, as I took the Ice Monster’s picture for this blog, I didn’t know that would be its last photo-op. Later that very day, I heard a crash and a clunk and looked outside. I.M. had fallen to pieces, brought low by warmer temperatures and the threat of spring. <SIGH>

As I stood over its remains, a drop of water from the furnace exhaust pipe above fell to the spot where I.M. had so proudly stood. As the water droplet and then another splatted at my feet, I thought about how I.M. had grown to over seven feet tall — one drip at a time.

And I paraphrased a common phrase in memoriam: “Great ice monsters from tiny drips grow.”

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: Since I believe all things–even Ice Monsters–can teach us, the lesson was clear: Drip by drip by drip, big things can happen.

Dreams can become reality. Clutter can be cleared. Weight goals can be reached. Gardens can be planted. Muscles can be developed. Houses can be built. Books can be written. Projects can be completed.

All of it–whatever dreams you’re dreaming–can be done, one drip at a time.

Here is the question: What’s your big dream? What “drip” can you make today? May all your plans succeed!

This week, I wish a blessed Easter to all who celebrate His resurrection. (He is risen, indeed!)

P.S. Order gift books for Mother’s Day by April 30th and we’ll gift wrap them for free and ship them to your favorite mom!

TODAY’S LAUGH: A picture is worth a thousand words, or in this case $1,200 worth of gas bills…

This “ice sculpture” grows every winter outside my office, as water drips from the furnace exhaust pipe suspended from the underside of the deck. It’s usually only a couple of feet tall. THIS winter has been SO cold that this ice MONSTER is SEVEN FEET TALL! (Click the pic for a closer look if you dare.)

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven…” says Ecclesiastes 3:1, written long before the Byrds recorded “Turn, Turn, Turn” in 1965.

A time to dance and a time to mourn. A time to plant and a time to reap. And there is a time to freeze and, just as certainly, a time to thaw out!

As with all things in life I remember today that, “This too shall pass.” The weatherman predicts temps above freezing all week. The ice monster will be gone very soon, and I don’t think I’m going to miss him.

I plan to enjoy THIS spring as no other! How about you? What says “spring” to you? What in your life needs “thawing out”? A relationship? An attitude? When do you remind yourself that “this too shall pass”?

PARTING THOUGHT: “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” (Anne Bradstreet)

May you be blessed today! MP

(P.S. Tuesday March 11, 2008, 4:05 p.m. CDT The Ice Monster has fallen! It’s 45 degrees outside. May we have a moment of silence please…?)

TODAY’S LAUGH: John Lennon said it best: “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” (And you gotta believe him because he also said, “Everybody loves you when you’re six feet under…” and you can’t argue with that!)

So, life happened on Monday and Tuesday of this week and that’s why I’m a day late with this posting.

Isn’t that just the way it is? You’ve made your plan, got your schedule all lined up, identified your target, clarified your outcomes and WHAM!–not necessarily a major disaster, but some unexpected demand of life changes everything.

Maybe you’re a parent and you’re all ready to work and Li’l Susie decides to see how much toilet paper can be flushed at once.

Or maybe it’s the other end of life, and you’re ready to work and Ol’ Pop calls, needing to talk, or needing a ride, or… you name it. Life happens.

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: Life happens. Staying flexible is the key to staying sane. Having some wiggle room in your schedule. Being willing to let the plans go and embrace what’s come. Being willing for things to be less than perfect.

Life happens. To survive you have to stay loose and be willing to shift your priorities on the spot, to take care of what’s most important in the moment. Connecting with some of the people I am blessed to have in my life occupied my Monday and Tuesday.

And connecting with you, though I’m a day late, is my most important priority today. May you be blessed just as you have blessed others.

And for the sake of your sanity, when life happens, stay loose…

How do you stay sane when “life happens”? Comment here or use the Contact Mary link and I’ll put your name in the MARCH free book drawing.

CONGRATULATIONS TO LORI - the February Free Book winner!