The Next Thing

"Wisdom consists of doing the next thing."  ~Saying from my friend Mrs. Hepburn

Hello, my name is Tiffany and I have a Type A personality.  If there were a higher level, like Type A+, I would have that.  I'm a planner.  An analyzer.  An over thinker.  I need to think through every possible way that a given scenario could play out.  And I'm good at doing just that.  I think that this may be my cross to bear.

With that background, I want to share with you part of a journal entry written by my friend who also grew up in the booming metropolis of Logan, New Mexico.  She also happens to have just officially beaten the crap out of Stage 4 colon cancer.  And she's writing a book about her experience.  Trust me, I'll be the first one in line to read her book.

When Bunny got diagnosed with cancer, before her first appointment with the oncologist, she received a prayer from a friend.  The prayer was that she have blinders on, that she not try to see into the future, but instead that she would do the next thing and just get over the very next hurdle in front of her. 

Bunny deemed this the best prayer she had ever received.  As she explains it, "Just do the next thing.  That's all we have.  We don't have to solve every trauma in our life, we don't have to control the future (we can't anyway).  The only thing we can do is the next thing."

Well if there ever were words that I needed to pay attention to, those were them.  All we can do is the next thing. All we can do is take the next step.  When we try to look too far down the road--when we try and see how the story will end when we are not through the first chapter yet--that's where we panic. 

And by "we", I mean "me."  Just ask the poor Boy from Texas who has had to deal with my non-stop relationship analysis and trying to understand how we end up making this work despite living 9 hours apart and neither of us wanting to leave our jobs.  Bless his sweet heart.  This is a classic example of my problem.  I get caught up in non-stop analysis of how to piece a puzzle when I don't have the box lid with the picture on it or even all of the pieces.

And so today, I am making Bunny's prayer my own.  That I will not try to see into the future.  That, instead, I will simply do the next thing.  That I will enjoy the place where I am.  That I will let the future work itself out.  And believe that it can and will do so in a way I probably can't imagine or understand right now anyway. 

The only thing we can do is the next thing.  But that's enough.

Letter to Me at 18

"And I'd end by saying have no fear, these are nowhere near the best years of your life.."  ~Brad Paisley, Letter to Me

Yesterday I got the chance to guest blog for Miss Rae at Chasing Kite Tales.  If you don't read her blog, you should, so go check it out!

And to read my guest blog, click here. It's a letter to myself on my high school graduation day.

Lastly, because I love doing these kinds of letters to me, here are links if you missed the other letters that I've written to myself (one at 16 and one at 20).

If you were going to write a letter to yourself at 18, what would you say?

Meet the Cast Monday #48: Mrs. Arizona

Mrs. Arizona met College Roomie several years back and they became great friends.  I didn't want to miss out on any of the fun, so I butted my way into her life as well.  I'm so glad I did, because this girl is absolutely hilarious.  She has one of those laughs that is infectious and is one of the most fun people I know.  Want photo proof?  Here ya go.

 Here she is.  Meet Mrs. Arizona.

Tell us your engagement story.  {Because it's one of my absolute favorites.}

Oh, the engagement story...that is a good one. Ok, so my husband and I love to hike - it's one of the things we love about living in Arizona. He ordered these new hiking shoes and made a big deal about "Saturday, I want to try out my new hiking shoes so let's go hiking." Seriously, he REALLY wanted to try out these new shoes. So he wakes me up early Saturday (hey, 10:00 am is early for me on a Saturday) to go check out a new trail that he had tried alone before but wanted to hike with me. We go on this hike and it was brutal. I was pooped out not even half way. I finally collapsed in the middle of the trail and said "Ok, I'm done. Seriously, I can't finish this trail." I was so exhausted. Crying. Sweating like a pig...I was done with this hike. Much to my amazement, he said...No. Now, "no" was not a word I was used to him saying to me which totally threw me off guard.  {I love the preceding sentence.  LOVE!}  But he said it, the word No. I threw some sort of a tantrum and cried a little more to try to make him change his mind. It did not work. We were near the saddle so I pressed on figuring that if I made it to the saddle we could call it a day. I would punish him with the silent treatment for the rest of the weekend. We reach the saddle. I collapse on the rocks, still crying mostly at this point out of frustration, not pain and I kid you not...less than 30 seconds later he said, "Honey, come here. Look at this thing that I found. Come here!" Now, I'm really angry. I mean, I just start to catch my breath and he wants me to get up AGAIN?! I just might push him down this mountain. So, I get up and there he is behind me down on one knee and I see this.

Let's just say, I felt like a schmuck, started crying again and of course the rest is history. I also made it to the top of the mountain after that. Funny how diamonds will give you that sudden burst of energy to finish a difficult hike...

Happy engagement face.

What's the best advice you have ever received?

Best advice I've ever received. This is an easy one. Since I was a young girl, my dad always told me "Never settle." I apply this to all aspect in my life; a job, a man, friendships, easy and difficult decisions...If you never settle, you'll never look back on something and think "Did I make the right choice?"  {Amen, sister!}

 You practice hot yoga.  What is it you like so much about that?  Actually, I practice Bikram Yoga. It's still hot yoga (106 degrees and 50% humidity) but it's a series patented by Bikram Choudhury.  {You can see that I was never a very good yoga student...I have no idea if I did Bikram or something else.  I just know it was freakin' hot!} There are two things I love about doing Bikram Yoga 1) the dialogue. All Bikram teachers say exactly the same 90 minute dialogue in class so you always know what you're going to get. It's part of why Bikram's yoga is patented. 2) the detoxifying effects of the yoga is my other favorite part. The heat and humidity pull all the yuck out of your body and brain. We live in such a stressful and toxic world. It's awesome to finish a class knowing that I've left all the yuck on my mat. I leave the studio feeling taller, stronger and lighter. Then I do it all again the next day. Plus, it's great for your skin.

What's the best trip you've ever been on? This one is easy, my honeymoon. I got to spend 10 beautiful days in Hawaii (half on Kauai and half on Oahu) with the man of my dreams. Now, my husband has to hear me talk about how much I want to live there, like a lot. I kinda won't shut up about it. Here's a pic of me surfing on Waikiki.

You did not meet your husband in your twenties.  Tell us why you are glad about that fact.

This is something I feel strongly about. For ME getting married at 33 was a blessing in disguise. Now, let me preface this by saying that I obviously love being married but I'm so glad I was older when I found The One. I had my entire 20s to sow my oats and do all those soul-filling alone things like go to the park alone (or with your cat in my case), eat at your favorite restaurant alone, and just do anything you want alone whenever you want alone. It's incredibly empowering. Getting married when I was 30 something verses 20 something allowed me to experience the best of both of those worlds. As much as I didn't believe I would be grateful for that when I was in my late 20s and all my friends were getting married and I was getting scared that I would die alone with my cat, {this is a common fear, apparently!} I can now thank God for not letting me find The One when I was 25. My late 20s were the craziest, most memorable times of my life both professionally and personally. I wouldn't have traded those years for anything, even Mr. Arizona, if now given the chance. If I hadn't had those years, I simply wouldn't have been ready for him. {If people never take one thing said on this blog to heart, I hope that girls will listen to this.  I swear this is something that I want to scream from the rooftops and preach, preach, preach go every girl from about age 15-30.  Mrs. Arizona should write a book!}

Tell us about your wedding.  My wedding was in Napa Valley. It was the first trip Mr. Arizona ever took me on when we were dating and we made it a frequent stop in the following few years. So, when we were thinking about where to tie the knot, it was an obvious choice. Our ceremony was at Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma and the reception was at Franciscan in St. Helena. We wanted something intimate and on the smaller side so we had under 40 people. We also really wanted our guests to enjoy themselves so we chose not to have a wedding party. That way, everyone could relax, drink wine and just be there with us in a casual way. {I have to admit that if I wanted a destination wedding, Napa would be high on my list of potential locations based on Joy's photos.  It's beautiful there!} 

What is the one thing you are most excited about having a baby (in the future...she's not pregnant....just to be clear)?  What is the one thing that you are most scared about it?

The thing I'm most excited about when I think about the possibility of having a baby is the choice to raise a positive, caring, patient and loving human being. Oh, and also seeing Mr. Arizona do the same thing. And holding his own baby. And changing diapers. And carpooling. And getting up in the middle of the night to soothe his own child.  I'm just going to sit by looking cute and supporting him. Kidding obviously. It's the partnership of raising a child that excites me the most. The thing I'm most scared about is failing. I think that's normal, though...right?  {This question came up because at College Roomie's bachelorette party Mrs. Arizona and I were asking all the moms to tell us the things that people never tell you before you are pregnant.  There were things that I will never be able to unhear.  Mrs. Arizona was clearly less traumatized.}

What is one (or more) item(s) on your bucket list?

Mr. Arizona and I created a bucket list when we were discussing spending the rest of our lives together. {Best wedding idea ever!}

Here's a few highlights:

-Climb the highest peak in Arizona with Mr. Arizona.

-Save a life. (Hey, aim high, right?)

-Paint a self portrait.

-Learn to waltz.

-Visit Normay (I'm Norwegian and Swedish).

-Own a handgun and take a CCW (concealed carry weapons) class.

-Sing Fancy by Reba McEntire in a karaoke bar (I tried this once and well...let's just say I never went back to that bar).  {I don't know why, because we were rockin' Fancy all day getting ready for College Roomie's wedding sister!}

My Biggest Regrets

"My heartfelt wish for you: as you get older, your self will diminish and you will grow in love.  YOU will gradually be replaced by LOVE."  ~George Saunders

Earlier this week, I read a graduation speech given to graduates by George Saunders.  You have to go and read it here.  It's long, but it's good.  Here is his point:  "What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness." 

Um....yep.  This girl.  Guilty.  Ditto.  Me too.

I do not regret the times I made mistakes.  Or the times I fell for the wrong boy.  I don't regret getting on the wrong bus in Baltimore or almost drowning in a river in Costa Rica or getting sick after rushing the field in the pouring rain.  I don't regret the year I spent at a college I really kinda hated.  I don't even regret the time I had to be on crutches for two weeks after crashing my dad's truck into the swing set.  (Okay, maybe I regret that last one a little...)

The things I look back on and really regret, you know that knot-in-your-stomach feeling regret, are the times I was unkind.  The time I made a joke at someone else's expense.  The time I avoided sitting with a certain person at a lunch table.  The time I snipped something hateful.  I think back on those moments and can still vividly remember them years later.  What the room looked like.  My unkind words.  The faces of the recipient of my words.  These memories, which are apparently permanently etched into my memory, make my heart ache.

Be kind.  It's so simple.

It costs nothing.  I don't have to buy equipment or a uniform or new shoes to do it right. 

I know how to do it.  I don't need to watch a webinar or Google the steps. 

I have chances to do it every day.  With every single person with whom I come in contact.

I have no excuse for the unkind moments I regret.  None at all.

And so like Mr. Saunders wished the graduates, my wish for you and me is that as we get older is two-fold.  That our self will diminish and be replaced by love, and that we live our lives with no more kindness failures. 

Here's to no more regrets.

30 by 30 List: Month 9

Seriously, month 9!?!  How did that happen?  Three months from now is the big day....deep breaths, Tiffany.  Deep breaths.  For now, let's take a look at what I was able to knock off the list in July.

4.  Check 5 items off my bucket list (5/5 completed!)

That's right kids....5 bucket list checkmarks have been crossed off the list.  The final two were obtained in July when I went dancing at Billy Bob's in Ft. Worth and got two articles published in a magazine.  Love getting those checkmarks!

Billy Bob's Texas - July 2013

7.  Read 24 more books (12/24 completed).

Yikes.  I better get my reading in gear!  This month, I read a book by one of my favorite church figures--Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York--called A People of Hope. 

I thought it was fabulous.  I mean, seriously great.  Maybe the best explanation I've read on the Church's position on various hot button issues.  I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants a better understanding of Christianity or the Church or Cardinal Dolan.  A few of my favorite quotes:

What I really believe is that God never calls you to do something without giving you the grace to do it.

I can never reduce another person entirely to his or her political positions.

I'm not the kind of guy who goes looking for conflict, but if you're asking me if I'm willing to take a stand sometimes in order to try to keep the Church's door open as wide as possible, then the answer is yes.

There aren't too many things that can't be solved, or at least calmed down, over a couple of beers and a cheeseburger on the patio.

It may plant a seed of reconciliation that will take  years to flower, but the fact that it's been planted is important.  Sometimes we can get so caught up in a managerial way of looking at things, concerned with efficiency and returns on investment and so on, that we forget to also look at our choices through the eyes of faith.  From the point of view of faith, time spent in reaching out to the lost and hurting is never lost time.

We need to constantly be reaching out, constantly be willing to talk, constantly striving to make our lofty language about the Church as a family a reality.

I think one of the things we should not be afraid to do is to let people know that we have struggles and we have doubts.

(Discussing his niece fighting bone cancer)  I never doubted that God was in charge, but I was really somewhat vexed at the way he was running this.

There are times you, Jesus, don't make much sense at all, and I just love second-guessing you, but I've come to believe that even though sometimes it doesn't make a lot of sense with you, it makes utterly no sense without you, and I don't know where else I'd go.

Question:  So it's not like Pope John Paul II, if I came to your chapel in the middle of the night, I wouldn't find you prostrate on the floor in the shape of a cross?
Cardinal Dolan's answer:  Not unless I had fallen out of bed because I had too many beers!

8.  Send little gifts to my friends once a month (9/12 completed).

The Boy from Texas sunburned himself twice in the last month.  Like, bad sunburned himself.  I told him to put aloe on it.  He said he didn't have anything in his house except for soap, toothpaste and deodorant.  Seriously, how has natural selection not taken care of every unmarried male on the planet?  Anyway, I decided that was not acceptable and put together a little care package of items that belong in a bathroom for injuries/sunburns/etc. I threw in a picture of us and some snacks for good measure and girlfriend bonus points.

9.  Eat in 10 new restaurants (16/10 completed).

Ahh, this one brings back happy memories.  It's amazing I don't weigh 500 pounds guys.  Seriously.  First, up is a sandwich/salad place here called Newks.  I went with one of Super Mom's friends for lunch and it was amazing.  I had seriously one of the best chicken salad sandwiches I've ever had on bread that must be what the angels serve in Heaven.  For real, it was that good.

Next up we have a place in Ft. Worth called The Woodshed that Ski Trip John recommended.  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  It was amazing.  Great bbq sandwiches, homemade chips, live music, a table overlooking the river, it was seriously an awesome lunch.  Plus, add in this little cutie who spent lots of time sitting with Aunt Tiff and it just couldn't have been much better!

Me and Mr. Animal House's family at The Woodshed

13.  Create a gallery wall (again).

Okay, I know I already checked this one off my list.  Twice.  But I put together a cute gallery wall at my office of canvas prints of some of my favorite photographs and wanted to share!

29.  Bring home a bouquet of flowers once a month (9/12 completed).

The flower purchasing continued with this pretty summer bouquet from HEB.  Fresh flowers just make a home a happier place!

WILW

Happy Wednesday, kids!  We're halfway through the week, which means I'm that much closer to a weekend at the lake with the family and the Boy from Texas.  Cannot wait!  I haven't done a What I'm Loving Wednesday in a while, so here we go!

1.  The great feedback and attention my Texas Agriculture Law Blog is getting.  I appreciate all of you guys who went over and subscribed.  If anyone else wants to sign up, just click on the link above, enter your email address and you will get an email to open and confirm your subscription, and you will get every blog sent to your email address.  We're really trying to push the blog this month, so please pass the link along to anyone who you know that might be interested!

2.  This article called "All That Is Right With 4-H."  Go read it.  If you were in 4-H or FFA, you lived it.  I've been both the little kid getting the help and the big kid giving it.  There are no better organizations for kids than these two.

3.  This song I heard on the radio a couple of weeks ago called "Single Rose Kind of Girl."  Precious.

4.  This article giving advice to 20-year-olds on things that the should know/do in the workplace.  I think this lady is spot on.  Except for the being more productive in the morning.  Not this girl!

5.  This article about why our generation is leaving the church.  I think that she hits it right on the head.  It's not about fancy bands or coffee houses or political agendas, it's about seeing Jesus and living lives that point to Him.  My favorite line from the article:  "We want churches that emphasize an allegiance to the kingdom of God over an allegiance to a single political party or a single nation."

6.  A video my friend Jen shared of a birthday surprise for a little girl.  It's not all bouncy houses and princesses and that kind of crap when you live in the country.  Check this out.  I love it!



7.  This blog about not being afraid to tell people your dreams and to go after them.  Favorite lines:  "Too often we rob ourselves of the joy of dreaming because of the fear of failure and judgment.  Don't you think it's time to start chasing your dreams?"

Rich Heart, Poor Coat

via Pinterest

I'm an Author

"Dreams, if they're any good, are always a little bit crazy."  ~Ray Charles

One of the bucket list items that I have had on my list for a long while was to have an article published in a magazine.  I almost didn't put this one on the list.  It seemed like something that might not be obtainable, and I'm not a fan at failing.  But I went ahead and wrote it down, figuring that the whole point of a bucket list is to try and dream big, right?

Well last week I had two articles published in Seeing The Everyday.  It's a great ad-free magazine that is all about family and togetherness and how the little moments that we have in our lives are important.  It was so exciting to open up the magazine and see my very own name listed after "author."

So today, I'm going to share the articles with you.  But I'm also going to remind you to dream big.  Set goals that seem beyond your reach.  Go after something you want.  Because you never know what might happen.  With that....here they are.

Best Gift

Ask my dad about the prohibition on admitting hearsay testimony at trial. Ask him about how many minutes a quarter lasts in girls high school basketball.  Ask him the weight of a typical Holstein cow. He’ll be able to tell you about them all.

These are examples of my father's best gift to me. Did my dad have some inner love for the Federal Rules of Evidence or high school sports or dairy cows? No.  He is a simple mechanic and rancher who did not play high school sports, has never been to court, and does not raise dairy cattle.  He had no interest in these things, but my dad had an interest in me.  And, because of that, he took an interest in the things that were important to me.

I remember shooting baskets and my dad coming out to rebound for me or make suggestions about my form. He had never played basketball, and perhaps in a private conversation he would tell you that Single A girls athletics were boring. But he was there helping. When I judged dairy cows in high school he helped me study for the test by asking me the average weight for each different breed.  We spent hours studying for that test.  That work and time together was special.  Our relationship wasn't the only benefactor of that time side by side - we were State Champions and Reserve National Champions.

His commitment to our relationship hasn't changed since I've become an adult. When I would prepare for a mock trial in law school we would talk about the issues in the case, the motions in limine, and how we planned on getting certain statements in. Again—with no legal background at all, he simply cared because I did. And when we got the evidence in and won the trial, he sat in the back of the courtroom, beaming with satisfaction. 

Even last month when I was running a 5k early one morning  Dad called the night before to be sure I knew it was going to be cold and that I could wear tights and a jacket to stay warm. 


Knowing that you have someone behind you, who supports your interests even when those interests are completely different than his own, is a gift,  maybe the best gift that a father could give. I know that my dad is always in my corner truly supporting every effort.

An Old Kitchen Table

I grew up in a trailer house in Eastern New Mexico.  A small laminate covered table separated the kitchen from the living room.  It was nothing fancy.  It was not carved from oak or covered with marble.  But as I look back on my childhood, I realize there was no place that shaped the person I have become more than around that old kitchen table.

That old kitchen table held countless birthday cake: for a blonde haired, blue eyed girl turning three; for grandma dressed in a bathrobe turning 80.  After my grandmother passed away and her home was sold, that table became the gathering place for the entire family--all 40 of us--for Thanksgiving dinner.  On the old kitchen table, history papers were written, 4-H record books were completed, and corsages were set out before the prom.  

The true value of that table was best seen in the normal life of each day.  Every evening at 6:00 pm, my family gathered around the kitchen table.  We all ate together; the television was turned off, phone calls were not taken.  These were rules that my parents wisely planned and upheld.  For 18 years, we ate dinner together at that table--my dad, mom, younger brother, and I.

And during those meals, we talked.  I mean really talked.  Beyond the mere recitation of what we learned in school that day.  We talked about politics and wars.  My parents were open with us about the difficulties that often faced our family farm.  My brother and I gave our opinions on issues facing the nation, and our family. 

At that old kitchen table, we learned to listen, to analyze, to form opinions, and to express them.  We learned to converse with adults about serious issues.  We were taught lessons about life and death, about friendship, about budgeting, and about love.

In our modern, fast-paced world, there is great value in an old kitchen table:  the chance for a family to eat together; for children to learn to communicate, think, and understand how to solve issues that will occur throughout their lives; for grandmas and three-year-olds to blow out birthday candles; for papers to be written about Anne Frank; and for photos of show lambs to be glued into an old green booklet.  Despite that modern, fast-paced world, Mom and Dad showed us how to foster the relational joy and development that takes place at an old kitchen table.

My Cousin Got Married at the Methodist Church....

“What was love, really? Flowers, chocolate, and poetry? Or was it something else? Was it being able to finish someone's jokes? Was it having absolute faith that someone was there at your back? Was it knowing someone so well that they instantly understood why you did the things you did—and shared those same beliefs?” ~Richelle Mead

I know I'm wearing everyone out with that line from the fabulous Reba, but I just love it so much that I am going to keep using it.  Sorry I'm not sorry.

Today, it's time to recap Cousin Whitney's wedding.  Sorry I'm a month late in doing that, but I was waiting for the professional photos to arrive so I could share those as well!

I have to admit that things started out a little rocky with the flight from hell.  But after that, it was all smooth sailing.  On Friday, we did a ton of wedding related errands and I swore that I will elope.  Cousin Whitney's phone must have rang 50 times that afternoon.  But never fear, because when she got stressed out, I loaded her in the car, blared Reba's song and we had a jam out, sing along, dance party.  You can't be stressed when singing in the car.  I think it helped.

That evening was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, both of which went really well.

Me and Cousin Whitney at the Rehearsal

The Bride and Groom

Rehearsal dinner

Cousin Whitney and her bridesmaids

 After that, Cousin Whitney and I snuck out for a while to go hang out with our family, all of whom were cooking out at Little Brother's house.  As Cousin Whitney put it, she just needed some time with "our people."  And they did not disappoint.  It was awesome.

Me and my favorite kid

Family gathering.

Our people.

Then it was time for the lingerie shower.  I think Cousin Whitney is pretty much set on lingerie for the rest of her life.  And we had the best time.  Seriously, an absolute blast.  My favorite part?  Headed to the shower with 6 of our family members jammed in Cousin Whitney's car with everyone screaming and laughing and being generally inappropriate.  Man, I love my family.

Cousin Whitney and the loot.

Western cookies

The party people.

Our family (we were all jammed in one tiny car)

After the shower (and staying out WAY too late at Little Brother's), Cousin Whitney and I headed back to her house for the night.  She put it best about 1 am when she told me that she should have run off to Mexico.  Weddings do make you feel that way!

Saturday morning we hung out for a while just talking about life, and then it was time to get rolling.  Hair, make up, dresses, a little dancing to calm the stress....

Then it was show time.  Her wedding was really beautiful.  I always love it when you go to a wedding and leave thinking "that was just so them," which is exactly how I felt about her wedding.  I'll let the pictures do the talking here.

The happy couple!

Walking down the aisle.

Cousins!

First dance.

Our family.

Our famous jumping photo--we have taken these all over the world!

My Maid of Honor speech (read it here)

Little Cowboy and The Bride

Best part of the reception

Me and my cute date

After the wedding reception wrapped up, the newlyweds headed off in a flurry of rain drops and bubbles.  The rest of the family headed back to a hotel room where we jammed like 15 people in one room and should have gotten kicked out for being so ridiculously loud.

Sunday wrapped things up with a big brunch at Cousin Whitney's parents' house for all of the family who attended the wedding.  Biscuits and gravy and breakfast burritos, you can't beat that!

No Body but Yours

"You may be the only Bible someone ever reads."  

Yesterday, my sweet friend, Dr. Leah, posted the following prayer on Facebook by St. Teresa of Avila:


"Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours."

Let's let that sink in a minute.  Christ has no body now on the earth except for mine.  No hands with which to serve.  No feet with which to bring the good news.  No eyes through which to see--really see--people.  Except for mine.  

I had never once thought of it this way.  I have heard that we are the "body of Christ" and "blessed are the feet of those whom bring good news" but I didn't get it.  I did not realize that we really are entrusted with being the body of Christ, because he has no earthly body left here except for us.

Feast Day Mass - Shrine of the Infant of Prague - Prague, Czech Rep. - 2013

And then I thought about what I had done today.  I ran.  I went to work.  I talked on the phone.  Ran into Target.  Spent too much time on Facebook.  Is that what I'd expect the body of Christ to do?  Did I see anyone on His behalf?  Did I serve anyone with my hands or bring good news anywhere with my feet?  I think the answer is clearly no.  

We are called to do more.  We are called to do better.   We are called to be his body here on Earth.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.  May we live lives worthy of this calling.