My heroes for today

When I was little, my favorite cartoon hero was Underdog. I can still hear it "There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!" I only went to half-day kindergarten and my best friend Randy lived next door to us with his grandparents. We were poor as church mice (our mom didn't work and our dad was in college and was the janitor at the Lakeland Ledger) and we didn't have a TV. So, some days, I got to go next door to Randy's house and we would watch Underdog at 2:00 and drink cranberry juice. I don't remember why that was so special, but hey, I was only four and turned five, what did I know???

For some strange reason, I've been thinking about heroes and what it takes to be one. I've read some great articles lately about people who do great things but I'm noticing that my heroes tend to be people who do quiet great things instead of loud, in your face great things. For example, I heard a great story about a women's college softball team, and one girl hit a home run, but missed first base and went back to tag the bag. On the way back she hurt her knee and couldn't walk. Two girls from the other team carried her around the bases. That story made me cry! You can read it here: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/24392612/

I read about a teacher who donated a kidney to a student in her class. That is unbelievably awesome... If you don't believe me, read it here: http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20131192,00.html

Those people are certainly heroes but I'll tell you about some more – only these, I know personally.

I know a lady who does stuff at my church. She owns her own shop and she sews. We do the Awana children's program at our church, and she sews on all the patches for all of our kids. Last year, she would come to church, get the awards, take them to her shop, sew them on and bring them back – ALL IN THE SAME NIGHT! At my old church, most of my own personal awards were held on with melted plastic zip bags. (They work great for a short-term iron on - the cheaper the better!)

Another woman I know has only been at our church since March. Since March, she's moved four times and one of those times was from Arkansas! She teaches a pre-K Sunday school class, is the Sparks director in our Awana Club, works in the time before Sunday school, and takes great care of her husband and her two boys. Besides all that, she keeps the most spotless house I've ever seen. I can't keep a spotless house and it's just the cat and me!

I have a friend in my Master's program that just had a baby. She has another child who was born in June of 2007. She teaches third grade, is doing the Master's thing, and has a brand new baby and a 17 month old. . . I don't know how she's not just crazy. Get this – she was in class ONE WEEK after giving birth.

Another remarkable woman I know does a lot too! She teaches first grade, is a single mom (who gets NO support from a dead-beat dad) is the greatest greeter I've ever seen at church, and is the Commander of our Awana clubs. Her daughter plays soccer, practice two nights a week and a game on Saturday, does dance class and never misses Awana club on Wednesday nights. This mom does this every week, with no dad to help. Also, at her school, they don't just send home report cards, they have report card conferences. So, in the last two or three weeks since report cards went home, she's done 18 parent conferences.

I think the most amazing thing about all these people is that they don't do these things to be the center of attention or to have people notice. They'd probably be embarrassed to read this. They just do it. I see other people who seem to have this need to have all eyes and all attention focused on them. I don't get that and I don't think it's necessary, it's actually selfish and self-centered, as well as annoying to everybody else. I have a poster at school that says, "Freedom is everywhere you look." So are heroes!

Fighting with myself

For about the last week, I have been fighting with myself. The good news is, when you fight with yourself, you always win. However, you also always lose. . . Strange thoughts I know, but if you know me, you're not really surprised. I'm fighting with myself over my compulsion to be negative instead of positive. Last week in Awana, I encouraged our TNT clubbers to be thankful for five things every day. Easy, right, we have five fingers, at least once a day, while we're praying, thank God for five things, one for each finger. Well, I tried to do it, but every time I try, I keep coming up with something negative for each positive thing. Why do I do that? What's wrong with me? Here are some of the odd thoughts running through my head. I'm thankful I have a job (I heard today that something like 10 million people are unemployed) but I'm irritated because I have so many children and we didn't get a raise (or even a step this year. According to our county, my year of work last year counts as . . . NOTHING!) I have a new car, but I have car payments. I have good friends, but no time to see them or talk to them. (Thank goodness for facebook—at least I can see pictures of them occasionally.) I am working on my Master's degree, but it's nearly killing me. See?? No matter what good thing I come up with, part of me comes up with some negative thing. I hate that! I wish I could just look at the positive. I'm going to have to work on that. Maybe I should just make a list of good things and carry it in my head, and jump right to the next one every time my mind wanders over to the dark side. I can use my habit of jumping from topic to topic to my advantage. . . So, here's my list of good things.

1. Master's classes – we are on week 12 and the semester goes to 15.

2. After nine more school days, we get a whole week off for Thanksgiving.

3. Thanksgiving. Yeah turkey and dressing, and I know Robyn will make a pound cake using Granny's recipe. .

4. My Aunt Mary Ellen is going to be fine, just fine.

5. My friend Stacy had a perfectly healthy baby.

6. I'm not the one who delivered a 9 lb, 6 oz baby last week.

7. My cat doesn't require around the clock attention (like a new baby does) although he is staring at my fingers while I type and watching the mouse move suspiciously. . .

8. Publix makes this great Chocolate Trinity ice cream. Chocolate, with Denali fudge and caramel cups. (It's incredible!)

9. I've got some great new friends at church (and on facebook!)

10. Those new friends have a great new business that is going to be incredibly useful for people.

See, my list of good things is MUCH bigger than the negatives. . Focus on that!!!