Ruidoso-Day 2

We woke up this morning trying to figure out exactly what time it actually was considering we had traveled into a new time zone, and our phones had not automatically updated.  Either way, even with the Fred and Ethel bed, we slept much later than usually. 

We got ready, and enjoyed a continental breakfast outside on the porch. Even though we had to wear a jacket our coffee sure good as we enjoyed the breathtaking view before us. Before we hit the road I packed us a picnic lunch for our trip to the Lincoln National Forest. 

Luckily, it was only about five minutes away. We drove around for a few minutes, and then double backed to the hiking trail. We hit the trail, and enjoyed walking through the forest spotting a Stellar Jay, the western cousin of the Blue Jay, along the way. Luckily,  trail was an easy one for two sixty plus hikers. After our hike we drove over to the picnic area, and enjoyed our lunch in the beauty of the forest. 

We stopped by the Ranger Station to check out the gift shop, but found it closed for lunch. We decided we would return later in the day.

We headed next to Sudderth Drive to visit the local shopping boutiques. We had a great time checking out the shops, and buying souvenirs.  Chuck got a cool tee shirt, and after much looking we finally found the required thimble for my collection. We also purchased a Christmas ornament, a really cute wood carved black bear, and a book of Aesop’s fables, and another Golden book for my collection. 

After leaving we drove to Grindstone Lake where I snapped a quick photo before we returned to the Lincoln National Park gift shop. We were able to pick up some Smokey the Bear gifts for the boys, and the park Ranger gave us three little Smokey the Bear license plates for the boys bikes. 

We left the gift shop, and stopped by Albertsons to pick up some more groceries for the house. We had decided we didn’t want to eat every meal out, so we picked up a couple of dinner options, and some eggs and sausage for breakfast. 

After returning home we were able to meet our neighbor who was out feeding his chickens. He told us he was from Lubbock and had retired and moved to Ruidoso with his wife. He said they really enjoyed the outdoor activities found in the area. 

We went inside and watched another episode of Suits, and then hung out on the porch enjoying the cooler weather and the beautiful view. After a dinner of yesterday’s leftovers we played a game of Scrabble, and returned back inside to watch a little tv. 

Ruidoso-Day 1

 

Our trip began around eight when when after packing the car we headed off to De Leon Donuts. Sadly, when we arrived the place was closed. We found out later that their fryer was broken. We continued down the road to Gorman where we were able to pick up some kolaches, and some cream cheese filled donut holes. I learned after several attempts the best way to experience their cream cheese goodness was to devour them whole in one bite.

Our drive was quite pleasant as we made our way to Ruidiso. We were only on the interstate for a short period of time, and most of the drive was traffic free on the back roads. We stopped in Brownfield for lunch at Long John Silvers, and were able to fill up the car with gas for $3.39 a gallon. We quickly learned when we crossed into New Mexico that gas was going to be a whole lot higher in price. 

The terrain along the way was pretty flat through Texas. We did see a few mesas that reminded me of our past trips to Lubbock. Once we passed Roswell, though, the New Mexico landscape began to boast the Sacramento Mountain Range. We arrived to Mountain Time Zone, and stopped by the rental office to give them a copy of Chuck’s driver’s license.

The temperature was noticeably cooler in the high fifties, and we were thrilled to have escaped the heat of Texas. We continued on to our rental which was about five minutes down the road. As we climbed up the hill that led to our place we were excited to see that the view did not disappoint. It wasn’t long before we were sitting on the porch gazing through pine trees, and admiring the mountain in the close distance. The clouds hovered around like a foggy mist. Even with a light rain everything seemed just perfect. 

Our rental was absolutely gorgeous. Brittany had done a wonderful job choosing not only a place with a view, but also a cozy little get away.  We learned later, after speaking with our neighbor that the whole place had recently been renovated. The interior was a designer’s dream, and we wasted no time getting settled. 

Later we changed out of our shorts into jeans and long sleeves for dinner. We had gotten a recommendation for dinner at a place called Casa Blanca. However, when we arrived the place was closed. As I checked the internet I discovered that the majority of the town’s restaurants were closed not only on Tuesday, but also Wednesday. We found that quite odd, but later we learned that we were visiting during the low season, and getting reliable help seemed to be a challenge for most of the restaurants. 

We ended up eating dinner at a lovely  place named Cafe Caliento. We both chose burgers, although two different types, and fries, and they were absolutely delicious. We did notice, though, that the prices were considerably higher than Stephenville. We also knew from past experiences that eating every meal out gets old pretty quickly, so we knew that a trip to the grocery store would be in order. 

After we left we stopped by an Allsups for some after dinner ice cream. We’ve both gotten quite spoiled to this habit. The man who worked there directed us to a small market around the corner where we picked up a box of Bluebell mini ice cream sandwiches. We returned home and settled into a relaxing evening of watching our latest Netflix obsession, Suits. 

All was well until Chuck came to bed later that night. I had noticed that the mattress was not going to win any awards for extreme comfort, but as soon as Chuck got into the bed he proceeded to roll to the center. It was quite reminiscent of an old I Love Lucy episode. I moved closer to the edge and fell back asleep, but we did get a good laugh the next morning when we sent Brittany the infamous scene of Fred and Ethel preparing for bed. 

Rome Wasn’t

 

According to Wikipedia, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” means “…the need for time to create great things.”

We live in an instant gratification world, and having to wait is not something most of us relish. However, often times in order to do the best we can we have to be resigned to the fact that it might take time. 

It’s easy to give up too soon, to become frustrated or bored, and not want to continue. I’m guilty of this. I prefer tasks that can be accomplished quickly, and because of this I shy away from things that take time to complete. In junior high I preferred cooking to sewing in home economics class. Chances were I could whip up a meal quickly, but it would take days, dare I say weeks, for me to finish sewing an outfit. 

In teaching our children we need to remind them that it is okay to work on a project over a series of days vs quickly throwing something together in a few hours. Hopefully the satisfaction of a job done well will encourage kids to remember that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” 

In fact, it might even be a good idea to show pictures of the architecture of Ancient Rome, or perhaps the Egyptian pyramids, and learn more about the time that was required to build them. 

Separate Realities

 Recently I finished reading a book by Richard Carlson entitled You Can Be Happy No Matter What. Now I did not choose this book off of the library shelf because I was so unhappy. Rather it was a short, little book that I thought I could read quickly, and perhaps glean a new blog post from. Little did I realize that the principles taught in the book had the potential to be life changing. 

One thing in particular really helped me to make better sense of the world in which we live. For many years now I’ve been totally perplexed as to why different people can look at the world from such different points of view. Many a time I’ve walked away scratching my head, and sadly not even wanting to search for common ground. 

I really wasn’t proud of that, and after reading this book it enlightened me on how each one of us actually has are own separate reality. This can be evidenced when two eyewitnesses of the same accident report what they’ve seen as completely different. How could that be?

Well it turns out that these separate realities are due to different thought processes. These individual thought processes are based on core beliefs, past experiences, temperament, and childhood influences to name a few. Even in the same family no two people are exactly alike. 

I remember my parents commenting on how differently my youngest sister, who was fourteen years younger than me, had been raised compared to me. Being the first born, my parents were quite diligent about the rules, but fourteen years later they basically were just plain tired. All those little things that seemed so important with me suddenly didn’t seem quite so important any more. 

Knowing that each of us lives in our own separate reality made me think about a teaching tool I used often in the classroom called a Venn diagram. As I thought about my husband and I, although we had many common interests, and shared common core beliefs, the way we view the world is very different. Now I think about that small sliver of intersection when seeking to understand how differently we approach the world, and realize the other two circles are much larger. 

Now I understand why my attempts to convince others to join my side in online debates basically have fallen on deaf ears. Unless, someone is truly interested in understanding your point of view, chances are they will dig in their heels, and stick to their guns. 

I remember a line from the Prayer of St. Francis that really made sense after reading this book. “…Grant that I may not so much seek to be understood as to understand.”

I’ve actually found myself more peaceful in not having to defend or convince others to think just like me. See how the concept of separate realities might benefit you and your relationships with others. 

Achieving Your Goals

 

“There are tons of paths that could help you achieve your true goal.”

Noom

This sentence intrigued me with the word “tons.” Although ton is a unit of measurement for weight, it also can refer to lots, many, an abundance or plethora of something. 

I think sometimes when it comes to our goals we are too quick to limit what we can or cannot do. We may even fall prey to the idea of false choices where we limit our options to one thing or another. 

When we challenge ourselves to come up with many options or ideas we may be surprised by our results. Our ability to achieve our goals shouldn’t be limited, and “the world is your oyster” should be our mantra. 

So instead of giving up or losing motivation take a little time to brainstorm as many possibilities as you can. Remember in the rule of brainstorming we are not to judge any idea at first glance. Allow you mind to run wild,  and then go back to narrow down the best ideas. 

You might be surprised with what you come up with. 

The Most Influential Person

The other day a friend posted something on her Facebook feed that really gave me pause. I quickly took a screenshot of it knowing that I wanted to return to it later. 

The photo appears to be from Madison Avenue Baptist Church, and states the following:

“The most influential person in your life is the one you refuse to forgive.”

Wow! This hit me like a ton of bricks. How often have I ruminated over some past event and person refusing to let it go? Always returning to that same point either blaming or questioning how things might have turned out differently if only I had…

Making the conscious choice to forgive, and to move forward is not always easy. Sometimes holding on to the past is a convenient excuse not to move forward. 

Refusing to let go means that you won’t have to take the responsibility of the choices you made in the past, and the choices that will arise in the future.

I realized that if I’m harboring any unforgiveness it is time to let it go. 

In the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, Jesus instructs us to forgive not up to seven times, but “ up to seventy times seven.”

Why would he be so insistent on the need to forgive? Because he knew that 

“Unforgiveness will produce bitterness.”

(The Master’s University)

Who is that influential person you need to forgive?

The Straw that Broke

According to Wikipedia, “The straw that broke the camel’s back,” means:

“…the minor or routine action that causes an unpredictably large and sudden reaction, because of the cumulative effect of small actions.”

Now when we think about the size and strength of a camel the idea that a thin piece of straw could result in a broken back seems quite ridiculous. However, ask the little boy who tried to keep the damn from breaking by plugging up the tiny hole with his finger. Drip, drip, drip. 

Eventually over time little things can add up, and if you have the tendency to hold in emotions, something quite insignificant might be all it takes for you to explode in anger. 

The lesson here is that even a strong animal has its limits. Keeping in check the “straws” in your life can help you from overdoing and ending up angry or exhausted. 

Teach children to deal with things as they come up vs letting everything pile up around you.