Lulled by stupefying illusions, the world is asleep in the cradle of infancy, dreaming away the hours.
– Mary Baker Eddy
The Sleeping Giant Awakens
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Category Archives: humor
“We are living in ridiculous times.”
I have been reluctant to share this – because I don’t want it to come across as trivializing our current circumstances or anything – but… this morning I was sort of going through my despondent mantra of the week: “We are living in dangerous times. We are living in challenging times. We are living in precarious times…” and this came into my thought: WE ARE LIVING IN RIDICULOUS TIMES. And it just… it lifted something from me, you know? It gave me a moment where I could laugh in the face of the mean-ness and hate trying to intimidate us all – and I could say, “I ain’t ascared of you!” And I really needed that.
Love the Hell out of the Cranky, Crabby, and Crusty
My dear Humoristian hooligans –
The next week may test our mettle. But we shall continue in the Humoristian way. We shall (cue in the music here – something rousing – maybe the theme song from Chariots of Fire) continue in our mission to spread laughter across our planet 24-7; we shall love the hell out of the cranky, crabby, and crusty; we shall bring mirthful merriment to the morose and melancholy; and hope and courage to the fearful and discouraged. We will love as the sun shines – without discrimination or agenda. And we will find the joy and beauty in each and every day. Go out there and make ’em laugh! Amen.
Karen
What are YOU looking at?
And on this note, I shall bid you all good night… :)
My Olympic Moment
Today I had my own Olympic moment AND I learned a key to winning: Don’t tell your competition that there IS a competition.
Scott and I rode our bikes into Edison for a snack and then back home. He led the entire way – until we came to the home stretch – the last 400 yards. Then I got it into my noggin that this was my Olympic moment – I started pedaling really fast and zoomed past Scott for the driveway. He just had time to say, “Hey!” before I surged ahead and got to the “finish line.” Yeah. It was pretty epic, as you can imagine. Thunderous applause and a standing ovation and flags waving and stuff. Well… you know… in my mind. But still… I am overcome with emotion here. Wiping the tears from my face and expecting the TV crew to appear on my doorstep at any moment. I probably should vacuum and dust. I have a paper plate that I think might make a nice medal.
There were two stories that came out of the 2016 Olympics that really touched me: The first one was the story of the South African athlete, Wayde van Niekerk, who went to the Olympics to represent his nation, his mother (a gifted black athlete who hadn’t been allowed to compete outside South Africa because of the apartheid in that country at that time), and his 74 year-old white coach, Anna Botha, who he said treated him as her own child; The second story that really touched me was the story of the two women (one from the U.S.A. and one from New Zealand) who stopped to encourage each other to keep going in the 5000 meter race after they both fell. Now, for me, those two stories are what the Olympics are all about, my friends – not proving you’re “better” than everyone else, not winning personal glory and accolades and praise – but working together, working for each other, competing for something or someone other than your own ego.
The Olympic athletes inspired me – not just the ones who won the medals – but every athlete who gave her or his best, who showed heart, who displayed kindness and courage.
Eagle in Flight (photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell)
…they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
– Isaiah 40: 31
(The image of the Olympic flag can be found at this URL:
http://www.pe04.com/olympic/trivia/flag_t.php)
Finally – A One Star Review!
Yes, my friends, it’s true! After years of boring old four star and five star reviews I have finally earned my first one star review! It took me 11 years, but I have at last entered the dangerous, high-octane world of REAL authors – a world of controversy, intellectual debate, and take-no-prisoners searing critiques.
Of course, I always thought the one star review would be for one of my Madcap Christian Scientist books – I never would have guessed that Finding the Rainbows: Lessons from Dad and Mom would be the recipient. Frankly, I never guessed anyone except my family and friends, and maybe other people with aging parents, would even be interested in READING that book. (And, actually, I’m pretty sure the person who gave me the one-star review DIDN’T read the book – there’s no “verified purchase” with the review and I think this might be someone I kicked out of a Facebook group for telling my friends to eff off – but beggars can’t be choosers and I’ll take the one-star however I can get it.)
The reviewer was really detailed and blistering in her/his offering. I mean. Well… okay… maybe not so much detailed. Or blistering. Alright, alright… it consisted of two words: “Total snoozefest.” As an author this was really helpful to me. I’m wondering now if I should have maybe added more car chases and fiery explosions and scintillating romances and stuff. I’ll have to keep that in mind for my next book.
Anyway. I just had to share. An author doesn’t often get this opportunity to brag. 🙂
Profound Thought
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Smile Experiment
“And Love is reflected in love…”
– Mary Baker Eddy
I’ve been wanting to share this experience, but I haven’t been sure how to go about it without looking like I am full of myself or something. So maybe I should start this post in this way: I am nothing special to look at – I am a stubby middle-aged woman, generally seen in schleppy clothes and walking shoes when I’m out running errands. I might have been called “pretty” when I was younger – but these days I look more like Cinderella’s fairy godmother than Cinderella. And I’m cool with that.
So a few months ago, on my lunch break at work, I put on my old walking shoes and ambled down into town in quest of something to eat. I don’t remember now what I was thinking about as I was walking, but it must have been something happy because I, apparently, had a smile on my face. A young man, approaching from the other direction, said he’d seen the smile on my face from a block away. He said he’d felt himself pulled to me so he could wish me a good day and let me know that my smile had put him in a good mood.
Isn’t that neat? 🙂
I thought of that experience again last week when I was grocery-shopping at the local supermarket. I was in a funk when I began my shopping. I no longer recall what had put me in this funk, but I remember feeling really tired and cranky. Coincidentally, everyone else I encountered seemed to be feeling less than jolly, too. As I rounded an aisle I saw a woman whose face looked particularly drawn and tired. My heart went out to her and I found myself summoning a smile for her. As soon as she saw my smile, she returned a dazzling one back to me. I could see the lines on her face literally lifting in front of my eyes. I felt the lines on my own face lifting, too.
I still had the smile on my face when a man turned his cart into my aisle and glanced my direction. And now HIS face turned up into a friendly grin. I decided to keep the smile on my face as I continued with my shopping – sort of conducting an informal experiment. And, sure enough, just as I had predicted would happen, every single person I encountered whilst wearing my smile, smiled back at me in a friendly, cheerful way. It was like magic.
I think people WANT to be nice to each other, you know. I think they’re looking for an opportunity to smile at other people and be kind to them – even stubby, middle-aged ladies.
But I should probably do a lot more smile experimentation to make sure my hypothesis is correct, right? 🙂
“Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it.”
– Mary Baker Eddy
Groucho Karen
This Planet Has Her Own Stamps!
As I discovered this afternoon when I went to buy stamps at the little post office near Moz and Dad’s place, the United States Postal Service, possibly anticipating the kerfuffle that might arise from a riled-up riffraff, has shown remarkable good sense in issuing a very special stamp.
There were several different styles of stamps to choose from at the post office: there were the traditional “Old Glory” stamps, some National Park stamps, and an offering of planet stamps, too. I had a hard time choosing between the National Park stamps and planet stamps – but finally went with the planet stamps. “You only get 16 stamps with the planets,” the postal chap told me, “but you can get four more if you buy the Pluto stamps.”
“Oh!” I cried eagerly, when he brought out the Pluto stamps. “Oh! Yes – I’d like some Pluto stamps to go with the other planet stamps, please.”
And this is when the postal chap informed me that, by the way, Pluto is no longer considered a planet.
“I am a member of The Society of Upholders of Righteous Indignation over the Egregious Demotion of the Planetary Status of our Glorious Pluto group on Facebook,” I told him in a huff, “and no one has the right to take away Pluto’s title.”
After a moment’s thought the postal chap had to agree with me. Who did those scientists think they were, anyway?! Who decided THEY should be the ones who determine what constitutes a planet and what does not?! Right?!
Right. Once a planet, always a planet, I say.
And how cool is it that the USPS gave Pluto its very own stamp series? Take that, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune!
And here is a picture of the Pluto stamps in all their glory:
Pluto Stamps
Don your tights and play your kazoos…
12:05 am, June 8
My dear Humoristian hooligans –
Yup, I am still up. Before I go to bed I wanted to send out a message to you to tell you how very glad I am to know you are on this planet with me. If you’re feeling discouraged or ascared or alone – know that you have a whole community of people who are working for the same things you’re working for, who care, and who are blest by your kindness. You have a reason to be here – a purpose. You are here to love and to spread laughter. You are a hero. So don that cape and those tights. Put on the Groucho glasses and play the kazoo. You have work to do, my hooligan friends. Go out there and spread your magic. I mean.You know. After you get a good night’s sleep.
xoxoxo
Karen
Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist 