Articles

Sep 03 2014

Lady, Call Me Anytime!

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 4 Comments

Lady, Call Me Anytime

car_mn_0While doing last minute packing for a speaking engagement in northern Alberta, my husband was warming up our SUV. I was excited about the northern adventure, but also a little apprehensive because our vehicle’s electrical system had been acting up. The fan would run off and on when it was turned off. Lyle was staying home and I felt a little insecure about my technical abilities, and didn’t want to have a dead battery on my trip. My understanding of a working automobile consists of putting the key in the ignition. If the motor starts, it works. So simple.

After putting my bags in the back of our vehicle, my husband suggested that I go by our dealership and have the fan disconnected. I promised I would.

Arriving at the dealership I checked in, and sure enough the fan was still running at full force in the SUV. I went directly to the service department and the manager said, “All the service personnel are having their morning coffee break, they will be back in twenty minutes”.

I took a seat, and thought I would use my time wisely by telling the service department manager how disappointed I was with our vehicle. I blathered on about the electrical problems and how stressful it was to be stranded somewhere away from home. After twenty minutes a serviceman said he would look at my car, and as we walked I explained the problem. I opened the back of the vehicle, he climbed in and listened, turned his head from side to side and listened some more.

As he climbed out of the vehicle, he said, “I don’t think it’s the fan. I think it is your tote bag.”

I told him with certainty the bag contained a blow-dryer and curling iron, and as he could see they were not plugged in!

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Aug 20 2014

The Great Laundry Caper

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: No Comments

The Great Laundry Caper

images (69)Moving is a stressful and time-consuming project, the more mature I get the less I like this task.  While I was drowning in boxes, I needed to search for a washer and drier. Our clothes were piling up and I was nearing my last pair of underwear ………  I searched the sale fliers for a laundry set that would fit both our needs and budget.  After comparing prices we made our decision.  A white set with burgundy lettering, I thought it would match our other furniture.  Besides, it had a wrinkle free cycle that appealed to me, sense my ironing board and iron are a Stone Age model.  

The salesman was anxious, jumpy, and talked incisively.  He assured me I had come to the right place, gotten the best price, deal and warranty of any other customer he had had that day. Plus they were going to deliver it on Saturday morning around      9:00 am. I was the luckiest woman in town.  Of course I was thrilled; I had a week’s washing and needed to get some clothes washed.

Saturday morning came and no washer and drier, I was in a panic we needed to wash clothes and be at another appointment across town by 2:00 pm.  Finally, I received a call telling me they were running late and would arrive at 1:00 pm. I knew this would be cutting my time short, mentally figuring out how I was going to make my next appointment.  I was about to have a meltdown. 

Arriving at 1:10 pm I was told they didn’t have time to set everything up. “It was easy, a piece of cake, you could do-it-yourself” Jr. said, giving me the thumbs up as he raced out the door.  Now I don’t know about you, but when someone tells me it’s easy, red flags start flying. He said he had confidence in me. Clearly, he hadn’t heard I am both un-coordinated and mechanically challenged.

I remember thinking the washer and drier looked different, but I didn’t have time to spend on that thought as we rushed to our appointment.

After a stressful afternoon, arriving home I began looking at the washer and drier again, I realized the top was the wrong color. Instead of white with burgundy letters across the top, it was baby blue enamel.  It had that “blast from the past” 50’s look.

Stressed I was awake most of the night doing research and worked myself into a dizzy-tizzy.  I was sure the company had ripped me off and sent me a relic from the back of the warehouse. I finally fell asleep at 4:00 am worn out and upset.  And I still had no clothes washed!!!

The next day I decided to go by the store and discuss the situation with the salesman.  Praying all the way over there that I would be kind but firm. I walked in and asked for Harold.   Explaining to another gentleman the wrong washer and drier had been delivered to my house.  He wasn’t sympathetic and told me those things happen all the time! At that moment I wasn’t feeling “That Lov’in Feeling.”

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Jul 23 2014

The Big Purse Principle

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

 

The Big Purse Principle  

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          Years ago I remember how intimated I was stepping into the business world. I would always wear a business suit and three-inch heels, hoping to make a good impression. It was important to me to look pulled together so the people I dealt with would assume I knew what I was doing.

Then I attended a Women’s Conference and heard a speaker talk about how others could tell a lot about our personality our purse size. (Which totally blew my whole dress for success theory). This was a little horrifying to me, because I always carried a purse about the size of Texas. As she proceeded with her talk, I learned women who carried small purses are perceived as decisive, powerful, organized, and goal orientated. All the things I wanted to be, and felt I was not.

In that conference I learned big purse people were thought of as fun, artistic, easy-going and their purses were usually mess. (I knew that, my purse carried papers, wrappers, candy, Swiss army knife and a telephone at the bottom I could never find. In fact once something went into that purse, it could be lost forever. I thought my purse was my secret, I wonder if she had peeked.

At that moment I decided to become small purse woman, so people would think I had all the attributes of a responsible businesswoman.

I laugh when I think back to those days when I put so much emphasis on a purse. Even funnier, I bought that small purse.
When I couldn’t get everything into it, I ended up carrying two Safeway bags around

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Aug 08 2012

The August Hustle – Back to School

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

August has always been a stressful month for me.  I am rushing to finish up all the loose ends before fall arrives.  It is also an expensive month, with all the costs of getting the kids ready for school.  New clothes, backpacks, supplies, and trying to get an extra weekend away before those school days, sports, and music lessons take over my life.

When my children were younger, I could take them to the store and buy their school supplies and clothes, and they were thrilled.  However when they became teenagers, each one had their own distinctive fashion style.  One of my daughters decided she didn’t want to wear Levi’s anymore; she wanted designer labeled jeans like everyone else.  My husband, Lyle, wasn’t sure what designer was in, but he thought surely as long as it had a name on it, it would work.

While visiting a western-wear store, he found a sale on designer jeans: “Kenny Rogers” with the name and face embroidered on the back pocket.  Wow, he thought he had hit the jackpot and bought two pair. He couldn’t wait to get home and show off his find.

I had a hard time keeping a straight face when he gave those “Designer Jeans” to our daughter. They say, “A picture is worth a 1000 words.” I wish I had that picture.  She didn’t have the same enthusiasm that my husband had for those jeans, and she said, “I’m not wearing a picture of Kenny Rogers embroidered on my butt.” Who knew?

All My Life (Kenny Rogers song)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She never did wear those jeans, and two years later we packed them up and gave them away.

When I think back, I just laugh out loud thinking about those “Kenny Rogers” jeans. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have worn them either.

My husband thought he was giving her a greatest gift, but she didn’t see those jeans as wonderful.  How often I do the same with God. When he doesn’t give me what I want, or my struggles overwhelm me, I begin to doubt his love and promises.

Jeremiah 29: 11-14 states, ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.

My plans are often complicated and stressful, I tend to over research and worry about every detail. It is such a relief to know that God has a plan for my life, and he cares about the details too.  I am learning to trust in His plans and promises for my life, confidently embracing the hope and future he has planned for me.©

Lovingly,  Karan

Do you  find it hard to trust God in the in the hard times of your life?

What time of the year do you find the most stressful for you?

Jul 19 2012

Trauma in the dressing room!

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: No Comments

A changeroom in a department store

My self-image has always been a little distorted, so shopping for a bathing suit is a traumatic experience for me.  I have spent extended lengths of times in the “chamber of horrors” (the fitting room) only to leave in tears, because I could not find anything that looked right.  I would leave wishing I was taller, thinner, had a flatter stomach and no muffin top around my waist.

Occasionally I even toyed with the idea of a major overhaul, from top to bottom.  You know the kind, where they pull everything up, starting at the knees.  (Somehow the image of my navel in the middle of my forehead, has kept me taking the last step)

Do I put more emphases on what others think of me, instead of caring how God sees me?  I think God must have a sense of humor, after all he made us.

Have you ever stood naked in front of a mirror and quoted Psalm 139: 14a, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Personally, I have not been able to get past the fearful!

Our confidence comes from knowing that God made us in his image, he knew what we would look like before we were ever born and loved us anyway.

When he looks at us we are perfect in his eyes, he thinks each one is of us is unique and special. ©

Lovingly, Karan

When you step into the dressing room does your self-image take a nose dive?  Would you rather avoid dressing rooms? I would love to hear your comments.