Magnanimous -- Word for the Day -- Friday, January 8, 2010

Magnanimous • \mag-NAN-uh-mus\ • adjective

Definition: showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit: showing or suggesting nobility of feeling and generosity of mind.

Did you know?
When you see "anima," "animus," or a similar formation in a word, it's an indicator of something alive, lively, or spirited. Something "animated" is full of life, for example, and an "animal" is a living, breathing thing. The Latin word "animus" means "soul" or "spirit." In "magnanimous," that "animus" is joined by Latin "magnus," meaning "great." Basically meaning "greatness of spirit," "magnanimity" is the opposite of pettiness. A truly magnanimous person can lose without complaining and win without gloating. Angry disputes can sometimes be resolved when one side makes a magnanimous gesture toward another.

Today is my day off and I am truly enjoying the warmth of this old house. When we go out to house shop we always come back and enjoy the space and comfort. I don't like pulling the drapes, but we have so much glass it would cost a fortune to heat if I wanted to see nature all the time.

We had a big fire in the fireplace last night... Hot, hot, hot.. I plan to do it again today since the temperature is 14 deg. right now and it is only 10:30 a.m. I can hear my mother now, "Oh, my Lord!"

ChemoSabe is out and traveling the state today. He will be very busy the next couple of weeks planning a big trip. The Dex and Velcade start again next Tuesday. It is hard for him to be magnanimous about it. It has become a dread. I believe the most dreaded is the time out of his schedule that it takes and the weight changes it presents.

Sissy has been in bed since Christmas with bronchial pneumonia. She was gracious enough to call me on Monday to tell me. She is so hard headed! ha. I worry about her. She is my rock.

My little brother did tremendously well over the holidays. I believe it was because he has Austin. He bought her so much stuff he is now having to make shelves to put it up. I have posted their photo so you would know who you have been praying for. He is the one we could call magnanimous. He is one of the kindest men I know.

We laughed all through Christmas because it was the first time in his life he had to buy gifts. He didn't know what to get the nieces and nephews. I told him socks, because they play sports, fish, cheerlead and just plain get out and play. He felt embarrassed by the thought. Well, I texted him last night and told him I forgot to tell him what our older brother got us... LIGHTBULBS! AND, we needed them. They are the pigtailed kind that are suppose to last forever and they are brighter. I thought it was a terrific idea. Little brother scoffed. He couldn't believe it. He thought the idea was worse than socks! ha Men......

Speaking of men --- forgive me guys. My boss loves to tell people I ride my own motorcycle. He calls it a 'girlie bike' even though it is a 900cc. I often see men weighing 250 lb. riding the same model as mine. So, here we go with the 'man' story.

We had a bike donated to the church around Christmas. Our custodian rode it down the hall and I warned him if he fell he could not collect workers' comp. Well, boss comes in two days later. He fell and messed himself up pretty good. He didn't tell me until the next day. He had a strawberry over his eye bigger than a 50 cent piece. He had a bruise on the inside of his forearm about the size of coffee cup and he said he hurt his knee so bad he thought he had broken it. Our custodian found so many bloodied towels in one of the men's restroom he thought someone had been stabbed. Until I told him the 'rest of the story'. When ChemoSabe talked to him, pastor said he really scared him when he was sliding down the hallway on his face. I wish I had a video of that.

Well, pastor has really been ribbed about the non-motorized vehicular accident. He has had Christmas gift offers of two front teeth, training wheels to helmets. I promise you the next time he says something about my 'girlie bike' he will live to regret it. Because mine has a motor.

ChemoSabe had a fabulous surprise sitting on the front step last evening. An overnight package from the CEO of his company. It was a plate with gold trim commensurating his part in a $700 million revenue in November 2009. His grin was so big I believe I could have used it for the plate hanger. I was so proud of him. I have placed it in the china cabinet with my collection of almost 150 thimbles, right in the middle.

I have put a pot roast with veggies on for dinner after my hunger trip to WalMart. My momma always told me never to grocery shop before I ate. What can I say? She was always right.

I was reading the Courier on New Year's Eve and saw my mother's name. It was listed with many other individuals that passed away in our county in 2009. She just jumped out at me. It was the very first name I saw and she was about the 40th person down. My eyes stung a bit as I thought to myself, she would have gotten a kick out of seeing her name in the paper.

Well, I believe I have rambled enough for one day. I have been writing on this all day.

Please pray for the couple staying in the house behind the church, Stan and Susan. He had his stem cell transplant two weeks ago. His WBC is still at 0.064. That is seriously low. He can't stay out of the bathroom and he is very weak. I couldn't believe his wife, Susan, thinks they will be able to go back home to Florida next week. I hope they aren't disappointed.

Also, please pray for our friends, Sambo and Rosita (their blog names). Their adult daughter still seems to be having problems with an addiction. It is hard to watch your children go through such trials. My own went through the same. We are blessed. He has been clean since 1994. He almost died.

Keep your toes in the sand. Well, maybe, dream about having them in the sand. Pretty soon we will be complaining about the heat. Are we ever satisfied?

Good evening and Love -- Pepper