Begone Naughty Little Voice!

I can’t believe what I almost missed yesterday!

My morning began with the usual leisurely cup of tea and devotional reading, followed by a brief peaceful quiet time.  I sat thoughtfully in the semi-darkness of early morning, pondering the busy day ahead, visualizing what the chronological events of my day would look like based on what I recalled was on my calendar.

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, the naughty little voice in my head rudely interrupted my concentration and began to chide me, and tempt me! Grrrrrrr! It was doing its utmost to persuade me to skip my Thursday morning study on Biblical Womanhood. Really?

The naughty little voice chastised me: “You don’t need Gracepath today! It’s okay to stay home! Seriously Anthea, you need a break to catch your breath! With what you’ve got going on today plus the impending trip to visit your Dad, no one will blame you for bailing out. Besides, do you really need this chapter on mothers and daughters?”

Do you ever have a day like that once in a while? A day where you’d rather tune out, bail out or rearrange your calendar and stay home? LOL! I hope I’m not the only one!
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How Many Life Lessons Does It Take?

LessonsLearned2

I gazed out my bedroom window, longingly staring into the carefully manicured back garden where my parents were relaxing together after mowing the grass, weeding the flower borders, edging the lawns and trimming hedges.  Long lazy shadows stretched across the newly mown lawns and although the sun shone faintly, it bounced little glints of flashing light and sparkles up at my window as its rays danced on the water, bringing my attention to the two fish ponds.

It was mid-summer of 1952 and daylight savings was in full bloom in an unusually warm summer in England. It would have been close to 9:30 pm … approaching sunset … but still light enough to keep a seven-year old wondering why she was supposed to be asleep when she yearned to be down there enjoying the magical moment. Continue reading →

35 Years of AMAZING!

Yesterday was the 35th anniversary of our business!  Chuck and I signed the paperwork to start our business on March 13th 1981.  It’s truly amazing to think that next year I’ll reach a major milestone … I’ll have been in business for half of my life! C.R.A.Z.Y!!

While I’m not here to talk specifics about our business {I’ll save that for the business blog} I’d like to remark on the fact that building a successful business from the ground up has been a thrilling ride through the last 35 years of life …. in so many ways.

We’ve stuffed a 35 year story into 5 minute clip. Hope you enjoy it!!

35 Years of Amazing from Anthea Tripp on Vimeo. Continue reading →

The Drawer Upstairs

It’s been years since I gave any thought to the drawer. The one on the shadowy landing upstairs.

Not surprising really … it’s been more than 55 years since I visited my grandparents’ house. A good 65 years {and a whole lot of life has passed by} since last I peeked into the drawer.

What’s even more mysterious is why those memories came flooding back to me now? Random thoughts of the drawer have monopolized my mind for the last couple of weeks, and try as I might I have no rational way to explain their persistent presence. Even when I banish them, a few minutes later they bounce right back! It’s all very puzzling! Continue reading →

Happy Pancake Tuesday!

If ever there was a day to eat pancakes, it’s TODAY!

WHY?

Because it’s official Pancake Day today … Tuesday 9th February 2016! In case you’ve never heard of it before it’s also known as Shrove Tuesday! It’s always the day before the first day of Lent, a Christian observance which begins on Ash Wednesday {which happens to be tomorrow} … and the actual date each year depends on the timing of Easter. Continue reading →

2016 … My Year of Power Unleashed

still small momentsI’m so thankful for quiet moments in time. Still small moments to reflect. A few minutes of uninterrupted silence from the noise of life’s disturbances. Rest for the mind and body and a break from the often unwelcome and uninvited intrusions that bombard us from within and all around.

Doesn’t everyone yearn for little pauses from the self-inflicted head-chatter, relief from routine demands, and some down time from the unexpected distractions {I call them side swipes} that life relentlessly hurls at us? I regularly seek these quiet moments, so if it means getting up earlier than planned that’s okay, I’ll take it! I’ll seize every opportunity to be engulfed in tranquility. How about you?
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Just Laugh …. At Yourself!

Laughter is great medicine they say, so here’s the thing to consider … if you decide to take life less seriously, and learn to have a good laugh at yourself, you will never cease to be amused! It’s so true … at least in my case! Pretty much every day, I can find some silliness, or something I say or do that is humorous in nature!

Take today for example, I’ve already had a few laughs on myself, because of my own antics! First off, I decided to forgo the sandwich I lusted after for lunch, in order to keep the promise I made {to myself and others} to eat a boatload of greens at each meal for 21 daysl! So what’s funny about that? Read on ….

Everyone knows I’m all about eating clean and green living – I live, eat, breathe and promote it {99.5% the time} so healthy stuff is part of my daily life {going on 34 years! I love smoothies, but this green brew, stagnating {and almost fermenting} in front of me right now, isn’t the usual tasty yumminess I’ve whipped up in the past! What the ….? What happened to it?

Oh I daresay it’s healthy for me but the slick green slime appearance resembles pond scum and I’m half-expecting a green frog-like creature to emerge! After drinking half of it …eeeew … I can now confirm without a shadow of a doubt that it does indeed taste like pulverized earthy, moldy moss with river water and frog parts!
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‘Tis the Season to Be Jolly

JollyChristmasJ.O.L.L.Y …. I bet you can even hear the old familiar catchy tune ringing in your head …. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, . …. fa la la la la, la la la la. The well-known lyrics in the first verse of Deck the Halls, the famous Christmas carol – a jolly, frolicking song of good cheer!

With that said, are you JOLLY right now or are you feeling too jaded to embrace the “jolly” frame of mind? Are you numb, stressed and totally confused? Are you overwhelmed with too much on your schedule {and on your plate – ugh that means weight gain – oh no – NO comfort eating please} or are you flat out paralyzed and don’t know what to do next? Continue reading →

Dad’s 100 Days to A.M.A.Z.I.N.G

Today marks the 100th day anniversary of my mother’s death. She is greatly missed. I think of her many times during the day … every day … and I intentionally envision her healthy and happy, frolicking in her new heavenly home. It helps to heal the hole in my heart knowing that she’s at peace in a beautiful place surrounded by love and light.

Many of you have kindly asked how my Dad is doing now that he’s alone after almost 72 years of marriage to his life-long love. As he’s expressed a few times recently, “Mum was the anchor in my life”. She was his and he was hers. Even though Mum suffered from dementia in the final stages of life, she was physically THERE with him. In his presence. Her well-being became his sole purpose in life … to care for her and see her safely up to heaven. Continue reading →