Noah's Ark

I get these email forwards from an acquaintance all the time .. you know you have at least one friend like this who forwards you more dirty jokes, Anti-Obama propaganda, links to You Tube videos, etc. than you can shake a stick at.  I rarely have time to plow through all these .. so most of the time they just get a bulk delete executed on them.   Today, I was able to check out a few before dumping them.  I think this one got my attention because the subject line said "Noah's Ark" and I thought there might be a cute picture of an elephant .. I have thing for elephants, but we'll leave that for another day.

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark. 

ONE: Don't miss the boat. If you do, you miss out on so much

TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat! While our trials and tribulations might present themselves differently .. we really are all more the same than we are different ... be kind to others .. ya know like your parents taught you to be

THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark . I'm not sure of the actual figure, but the majority of families live paycheck to paycheck and are just one injury, one unexpected expense away from the brink of financial ruin ... 

FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big. It is a HELL of a lot harder to get back into shape then to stay in shape ... says the 40 something, plump girl who started running again after a 12 year hiatus who now dreams of finishing a half marathon "someday"

FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. There really are too many to list here, suffice it to say that I have met several critics in these 40 years .... some are terminally critical, some focus their criticism on a particular area - parenting, career goals, decorating style, and others eventually come around.  I have come to realize that sometimes the criticism is really just a distraction from their own shortcomings.

SIX: Build your future on high ground. 

Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy... that about covers the literal "higher ground" .. as for the figurative .. build your future on a foundation of honesty, loyalty, fairness

SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs. 

This was part of my argument when lobbying Paul for Baby #2 ... they would have each other to travel through life .... 

EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. Haste makes waste ... 

NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile. 

Sometimes in the heat of the battle it is hard to take a step back, to stop kicking and paddling, to just lift your feet and float.  There are times when it is hard for me to be still or to quiet the voices in my head  .. running is my float now, I put on my cute neon pink visor, lace up my shoes and hit the road.  The music, the fresh air, the concentration of putting one foot in front of the other makes everything else fall away

TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals. Just cause you have a title or a degree doesn't mean you are any wiser .. be open, listen.  It takes a lot of concentration and patience to listen ... not so much to talk. 

ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting. Most of the people who follow this blog know that I have a strong faith and belief in God. I rely on Him for strength and support when I am tested. I am raising my children to believe in Him as well, and I believe, that with Him all things are possible.