All Categories - Rachel Carrington

Blogging Challenge—Day 26—Ten People I'd Have Dinner With

6/26/2019

Today's post asks the question: What ten people, living or dead, would you love to have dinner with and why? This question always makes me think. I imagine it's best to choose people I can't have dinner with or maybe I've never had dinner with before, but there are many people I've known over the years that I'd love to see again, to chat with them over a meal. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to tell get the chance to tell someone I love them again or to simply talk to them.

At any rate, here are the ten people I've chosen. Some I've known; others I wish I had; and still others, I wish I could.

My friend, Rene. She passed away in December, but I would love the chance to have one more conversation with her.
Tula, a woman who was like a mother to me. She was one of my closest friend's mother. I could tell her anything and count on her for solid advice, even if it wasn't what I was expecting.
Ronald Reagan. He was always a fascinating man to me. Funny, witty, and charming. I think a conversation with him would be extraordinary.
Steve Harvey. This man is an inspiration to me, and I'd love the opportunity to talk with him about success and life.
Queen Elizabeth. The life this woman has led! I'd love to talk with her about the history she's witnessed and the challenges of being queen.
Stephanie Meyer, the author of the Twilight series. I love this series so it stands to reason I'd love to have a long conversation with the writer. But there is so much more I'd like to talk to her about than just Twilight. Writing. Growing as a writer. Seeing your books come to the big screen. The challenges of success, and the list goes on.
Tyler Perry. He brings so much creativity to the world, and he survived such hardship. I'd love to talk to him about God, writing, success, staying humble, and so much more!
Laura Ingalls Wilder. I've read her books more times than I can count. Being able to talk to her about them and her life growing up in the 1800s would be a time to remember!
Brian Bird. He is the producer behind Touched by an Angel and When Calls the Heart as well as many others. I follow him on Twitter, and he has the most wonderful, engaging spirit. I'd love to have a conversation with him about life in general!

Blogging Challenge—Day 25—What Regrets Do I Have?

6/25/2019

I don't think regrets are useful. It does no good to look back at life and wish I had done something differently. What if I had done what I thought I should have done? Would I still know the people I know? Still have the life I have now?

That said, though, everyone has tiny regrets. I might regret wearing a certain blouse, going to see a movie, or even taking the route I took home. Those are minor, inconsequential things that won't change the overall structure of my life. But, overall, I'm happy with how my life is. I hope you are as well!

Blogging Challenge—Day 24—What Makes Me Cry

6/24/2019

I'll admit that I don't cry easily, mainly because I've had to be strong in my life. That strength is both a positive and a negative as it doesn't always allow me to express my emotions fully. But there are two things, besides the most obvious ones like the loss of a loved one or physical injury, that are guaranteed to bring on the waterworks.

When someone prays for me out loud or in writing. If someone tells me they're praying for me, that won't make me cry, but if I hear the prayer, then the floodgates open. There's just something about knowing someone cares enough about you to go to the Throne of Grace that touches my heart.
When I see suffering. Be it animal or human, if I see someone or something hurting, the tears will come. I used to lose it over those SPCA commercials with Sarah McLachlan singing "Angel." The pained looks on those dogs' faces did me in every time. And St. Jude commercials? Yep, those do it, too. Any kind of suffering will break my heart and bring on the tears.

Blogging Challenge—Day 23—How Would I Spend One Million Dollars

6/23/2019

Okay, so, today's challenge is if I had a million dollars, how would I spend it. First, that's a lot of money to just spend at any one time. Second, I know myself too well; I wouldn't spend all of it at once. I doubt I'd spend even a quarter of it at once. I might pay off my mortgage, give a lot to my friends, donate some to charity, and take one trip to New Zealand and another to England and all parts of Europe.

However I chose to spend it, I know I wouldn't just blow it. The mere thought makes me cringe! But I would want to help people as much as I could. To do that, I'd have to make the money work for me. I'd invest some and keep some back to live off of in my old age. But the most important thing to me would be making a difference. With a million dollars, I could do that.

Blogging Challenge—Day 22—My Favorite Quote

6/22/2019

I have favorite quotes for each area of my life like motivation, success, love, etc. So while I don't have an overall favorite quote that encompasses everything, I'll share the one that stays on my mind a lot. It's a reminder to me to be grateful for all that I have.

Blogging Challenge—Day 21—3 People Who Inspire Me

6/21/2019

This is another challenging post for me, mainly because I'm inspired by so many people and not just those that are in my daily life. I'm inspired by people that have overcome challenges, people who never give up, people who do for others, and so many more. And my life is filled with inspiring people. I am so very blessed to have the life that I have and the people that are in it!

Narrowing my list down to three people isn't easy, but these are the three people who have inspired me most recently. I won't use their names because they'd prefer to remain anonymous, I'm sure.

My former Sunday school teacher. I have known her since I was seventeen, and we have grown to be extremely close over the years. She's like a mother to me. She's almost 76, but she still works as a teacher, volunteers at a nursing home, is active in her church, has overcome breast cancer, is a hands-on grandmother, and is willing to take a four-hour drive to spend two days at my house so she could put up the backsplash in my kitchen. The woman is a dynamo and never slows down. I hope I'm that active at her age!
One of my closest friends. She has faced so many challenges in her life recently, especially dealing with her husband's illnesses, but she never misses a beat. She just keeps going, not just because she has no other choice, but because she knows if you're going through something, you have to keep going to get through it. She inspires me with her never-give-up attitude!
My sister from a different mister. We're two halves of the same whole, and although she and her family have been struggling, she's always there when I need to meet for some talk over coffee. She radiates positivity and is always quick with a joke to make those around her laugh. When the dark clouds come, she doesn't stay down long because that's not her way. Is it any wonder that she inspires me?

Who inspires you?

Blogging Challenge—Day 20—If I Could Have Any Job, What Would It Be?

6/20/2019

Wouldn't it be cool to be able to choose any job you wanted? Out of all of the careers in the world, to be able to point a finger and say I want that one would be incredible. I'll admit, though, I haven't given much thought to any other job I'd want. Over the years, I've wondered why I didn't go to law school or why I didn't go down a different path, but overall, I've been content with the route I chose.

Still, if I absolutely had to choose, I think I'd be an astronaut just for the chance to be up in space, to see the universe up close and personal. It must be an amazing view, but beyond that, I can only imagine what it would be like to take steps no one has ever taken, to explore our world beyond what we grounded people can't!

I don't consider astronauts to be lucky because they have trained hard and dedicated their lives to the exploration of space. They have education and skills that have taken hours upon hours. So much is required of them. I see them as heroes, willing to risk their own health to explore our world without boundaries. As much as I'd like to be that brave and I'd love to know what it's like, I don't think I ever could. Still, it's nice to dream!

Blogging Challenge—Day 19—My Earliest Memory

6/19/2019

I don't know if I was three or four years old, but I remember standing at the door, well, really behind my mother's legs as she was standing at the door. I was looking out at a mass of swirling clouds. I didn't know at the time that it was a tornado. My sisters had just gotten home from school and were running up the driveway to get in the house before the tornado hit. I can still remember my mom's frantic screams, telling them to get inside.

To this day, I don't know how much damage, if any, that tornado did. I only know that it didn't hit our house. For years after that, I was terrified of severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes petrified me. It took me a long time to overcome that fear. Now, I don't mind sitting on my porch watching a thunderstorm. Don't think I'd watch a tornado, though! Those things still scare the hooey out of me, but I can at least get prepared without freezing in my tracks!

Blogging Challenge—Day 18—Anti-Bucket List

6/18/2019

This isn't today's blog post challenge, but since I didn't care for the topic chosen, I decided to use this one instead. Back in 2016, I shared a list of fourteen items on my anti-bucket list and indicated it was a Part One. I always intended to finish it, but, alas, I didn't. So I'm writing the second part today. I'm still not sure if I'm finished!

Wrestle an alligator
Eat pufferfish. (I don't care how well it's cooked.)
Go scuba diving, even though I've seen beautiful pictures
Dance naked in the rain (Or anywhere for that matter!)
Rock-climbing
Fire-walking or walking over hot coals
Bungee jumping
Eat fire
Go camping (I'm not a fan of sleeping outdoors!)
Live in a tiny house (They're adorable but not for me!)
Get a tattoo.
Blow a lot of money gambling ( I just can't bring myself to let go of the money!)
Smoke a cigar
Live in a house attached to the side of a mountain like one of these

Blogging Challenge—Day 17—Someone I Miss

6/17/2019

I lost a really good friend of mine on December 10, 2018, and I feel that loss every day. There have been so many times when I've picked up the phone to call her before realizing I can't. Some of her old sayings constantly pop into my head, and I find myself using them more often than I ever did when she was alive. Maybe it's my way of keeping her alive in my life.

Rene was a writer, too, so we shared the same dreams. She'd been single the last few years of her life and could relate to my being single. We could talk about anything and everything. Nothing was off-limits. She shared my superhero fascination and watched many of the same television shows I do.

There were many ways we were different, of course, but that never came between our friendship. We had our fair share of disagreements, but we always found our way back to what mattered.

I miss her, and, without a doubt, I always will. And I wish I could talk to her one more time.