Brother’s Birthday

Today is my younger brother’s birthday. The parents took all us kids (below) out for dinner at a great Thai place downtown, E-San, we all stopped to say hi to Grandpa, then came home for gifts and a little homemade spice cake. And of course, Mom insisted on getting a photo of the four of us. Can’t blame her, really … my brother’s girlfriend goes to school in Kansas City and we haven’t seen her since Christmas, she flew in for his birthday to surprise him and boy, was he shocked! … so we obliged. And actually, the pic isn’t half bad (although a bit grainy and I turned it black and white):

Left to right: Birthday boy, his girlfriend (aka “the new girl” although they’ve been dating for like months now), myself the little big sister, and my fiancé (aka Fidhlear or that crazy Irish man).

Can I pluck your feathers?

“Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely.” – Chinese proverb

Everyone can teach you something. That’s what I learned from an email I read this morning.

As a member of SparkPeople.com (a nutrition and fitness site), I subscribe to half a dozen of their daily newsletters. One is called Healthy Reflections, and each day it includes a short quote and a few sentences of reflection or background explaining it. Today’s was the above, and at first it sounded a bit pointless to be honest. But after reading the rest of the email, it made a lot more sense:

Possible mentors and teachers can be found everywhere and anywhere. Everyone you’ve met today has something they could teach you–a skill, a bit of wisdom, or a personal secret to success. All you have to do is look for it and ask plenty of questions. Most of all, respect the fact that each person has something of value to offer. If you can’t find one “feather” to pluck from someone, you’re not looking hard enough. Yet, in the end, you still have to think for yourself. It’s still your job to take the knowledge you gain and turn it into your own value system for solid decision-making. It’s still up to you to use your skills to carve a unique path in the world. So when night comes, those feathers can make a nice soft pillow that lets you rest your head in peace.

Are you plucking feathers from everyone around you? Do you have a feather of advice to offer to me? Are we using the bits and pieces we pick up along the path of life to create our own personal plan of action? Think about it, and leave a comment with your thoughts.

Maria’s Miracle Fund

When looking back my previous post, I noticed a number of other bloggers had written similar posts. One mentioned something I hadn’t yet heard about, so I wanted to share it, too.

As the parents of three adopted daughters themselves (including Maria, pictured at left) Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth have been involved for years working ” to care for orphans by engaging the church and helping Christian families reduce the financial barrier to adoption.” They made it the mission statement of Shaohannah’s Hope, an organization they founded which awards adoption grants to Christian families. They’re also asking that, in lieu of flowers, any gifts in Maria’s memory be directed to Maria’s Miracle Fund at Shaohannah’s Hope.