For the last decade or so, I’ve continued to read but with no particular interest in a specific author – until now. I am happy to say that I finally have a favorite author again. And as you may have guessed from some of my previous posts, his name is Andy Andrews.

Andy was a bestselling author long before I discovered him, but I’ll never forget the moment he came into my life. I was browsing the bestseller aisle in Books-A-Million and The Noticer caught my eye. After reading the cover, I decided to purchase it. The book was was an upcoming selection in one of Books-A-Million’s book clubs, and there was a 20% off coupon right there for the taking. But there was one problem. The coupon wasn’t effective until the following month! I could hear Dave Ramsey’s scolding voice in my head, so I decided to postpone my purchase.

Imagine my surprise when my friend John, another loyal Dave Ramsey fan and follower, stopped by my office a couple of days later. “Tish, Dave Ramsey recommended a book on his show the other day, and I want to read it!” I asked the name and was shocked to hear him say The Noticer. I went that night and bought the book – without the coupon. After all, I now knew that Dave would approve!

In his early twenties, Andy Andrews was homeless and living under a pier in Alabama. It was there that he met a mysterious old man named Jones. Jones taught Andy some valuable life lessons, the most notable being that sometimes all a person needs is a little perspective. And a little perspective is exactly what Andy got. His eyes were opened to opportunities that had been there all along, but that he had somehow failed to notice. Jones gave Andy that push he needed to become not only a bestselling author, but also one of the country’s leading corporate speakers.

The Noticer is a blend of autobiography, fiction, and inspiration. It tells the story of Jones and his positive influence on the lives of Andy and others living in Orange Beach, Alabama. It is entertaining, but more importantly, it is life changing. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

After reading The Noticer, I decided to pick up some of Andy’s other books. The Lost Choice is the story of a young boy who finds a piece of an ancient artifact in his back yard. His parents are intrigued and embark upon a journey to trace the relic’s history. As it turns out, the item has been in the possession of some extraordinary people, including Joan of Arc, George Washington Carver, and Oskar Schindler. This story motivates and inspires the reader to harness the power within himself to become extraordinary in his own way.

Just last month, Andy released a new book – Return to Sawyerton Springs. It is a collection of funny and heartwarming stories from the small town where Andy grew up. Like Andy’s other books, this one is an enjoyable read woven with inspiration and life lessons.

I am now reading The Traveler’s Gift. It’s the story of a man who has lost hope and is given a chance to find it again by traveling through time and meeting some of the greatest individuals the world has known. I’m only a few chapters in, but so far, David Ponder has met Harry Truman and King Solomon. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Once I finish The Traveler’s Gift, I’ll move on to Island of Saints, the story of Nazi artifacts that are unearthed in Andy’s yard and the subsequent search for their meaning. On a deeper level, it is a story of forgiveness. I’m sure it will be just as touching and just as meaningful as Andy’s other writings have been.

I can’t tell you how nice it is to finally have an answer to the question I am asked so frequently – who is my favorite author? And when I answer, it is with incredible enthusiasm. After all, I know that each person I convince to read one of Andy Andrew’s books will be touched by the positive messages in it, and will be inspired to greatness.

©2012 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

A blend of autobiography, fiction, and inspiration, The Noticer is the story of a mysterious old man named Jones with the extraordinary ability to “notice” things that others overlook. He enters the lives of numerous people in seemingly hopeless situations, and he gives them a new outlook. Their desperation gives way to opportunity, and their lives are forever changed.

I found this book to be particularly engaging, as it deals with a variety of life situations that we can all relate to. From choosing a life mate to struggling with divorce, from facing bankruptcy to contemplating suicide, there is no situation that is too big for Jones – or for us. All it takes is a little perspective.

After reading the book, I was curious as to just how much of it was based on actual events. I watched several interviews with the author and was surprised to discover that he had once been homeless, and his life had indeed been changed by a noticer named Jones. Have a listen for yourself.

Fans of The Noticer will be happy to know that the book has its own Facebook group. Andy Andrews also has a Facebook page where he regularly dispenses bits of wisdom and inspiration.

Andy, I’d like to thank you for using your God-given talents to give me and so many others a little perspective!

©2012 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

Let us first define the word “crush”.  In my opinion, a crush is an admiration from afar.  Though crushes vary from person to person, there are certain “crush factors” that are usually present. 

Crush Factors
1.  The crush is admired from a distance.
2.  The crush and the crusher are not very acquainted with one another.
3.  The crush is usually unaware that he or she is being crushed on.
4.  The feelings are one-sided.

At any given time, I have at least a couple of crushes going on.  They are usually innocent enough – never really given much serious consideration.  But occasionally there is a crush that makes me question whether it is really a crush at all.  Thus the question, “When is a crush more than a crush?”

Let us examine my own “serious” crush using the aforementioned crush factors.

Rarely a day goes by that the crush and I don’t converse.  We talk for hours on end and share the intimate details of our lives.  He’s one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and I’m pretty sure he considers me the same.

1.  The crush is admired from a distance.
2.  The crush and the crusher are not very acquainted with one another.

The crush and I have discussed our crushes with each other.  He is my crush.  I am his. 

3.  The crush is usually unaware that he or she is being crushed on.
4.  The feelings are one-sided.

As I said, crushes vary from person to person, but some or all of the crush factors must be present to qualify as a real crush.  In this particular case, none of the crush factors are present.

So when is a crush more than a crush?

When your heart begins to race at the sight of an email from him.  When each day brings a new opportunity to learn more about his hopes and dreams.  And when you are inspired to be the best person you can possibly be – because that’s what he is.

©2012 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

My grandmother taught me to cross stitch.  She tried to teach all the girls in the family, but I’m the only one who took a real shine to it.  The other kids each took to their own crafts – my sister to a variety of sewing and crafting projects, and my cousin to candle making.  One of my brothers has been gifted with a talent for woodworking. 

My grandmother battled cancer for the last few years of her life, and she died in 1993 at age 65.  I think of her often with fond memories.  I remember having Thanksgiving dinner at her house.  I remember waking her up while playing Operation with my sister and cousin.  I remember her sweet smile and the kindness she always displayed.  But most of all, I remember the cross stitching.  She always had a project in hand, and she always encouraged me to do the same.

“Mamaw” always told us the story of The Cross Room.  Basically, the story goes that a man was struggling in life, so he told God that his cross was too heavy to bear.  God then took the man to a room full of crosses and asked him to lay down his cross and choose another.  Some were like towers.  Others were smaller than a breadbox.  The man walked around the gigantic room and then chose a tiny cross leaned up against a far wall.  “That is the cross I want,” said the man.  God replied, “My child, that is the one you just carried in.”

Mamaw loved that story, and she always talked of stitching it for a wall hanging.  She never got around to it.  Toward the end of her life, she went blind in her left eye due to a brain tumor.  Tears well in my eyes as I think of how sad she was that her ability to cross stitch had been hindered.

After Mamaw’s death, my mom gave me all of her cross stitch books and materials.  I added them to the big box of my own.  I am ashamed to say that I hadn’t opened that box in several years until a few nights ago.  As I sorted through my many half-finished projects, I found an old newspaper clipping of “The Cross Room”.  I found graph paper with half-finished patterns for the story.  I found several unsuccessful attempts to stitch the story.

My grandmother’s love of cross stitch now resides in me.  It always has, even though I haven’t practiced regularly for a number of years.  Cross stitch utilizes fine threads, allowing you to create beautifully detailed art.  Even the smallest projects take a significant amount of time to complete, but the sense of accomplishment is great. 

Last night I began working on a Christmas tree ornament.  I thought my skills would be rusty, but I’m progressing quite nicely.  I plan to do a few small projects to get back into the groove.  Then I’m going to tackle the project my grandmother always dreamed of.  I’m going to design and stitch a wall hanging of The Cross Room.  I am going to hang it in my living room to serve as a constant reminder that there are others who are far less fortunate than I.  And I am going to honor my grandmother’s memory by bearing my cross just as she bore hers – with diligence and dignity.

©2012 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

My mind began to wander. I’ll turn 34 this month. Is that middle aged? At what point will I be middle aged? I began to recall all the high school classmates that I’ve run into since graduation. Some of them have children that are now 14 or 15 years old!

Life is funny. It never seems to work out quite the way you had it planned. I now realize that sometimes this is a blessing in disguise. When I was 20, I had my life all mapped out. I would have a successful career. I would get married to a wonderful man. I’d have one child by age 30. After age 30, it would be smooth sailing. I’d be content in spending my remaining years being the best wife and mother I could be, all while leading a successful career – doing what, I have no idea. That’s the only part of this fantasy that wasn’t quite clear at the time.

At age 21, I made a poor decision. I married a man who had absolutely no respect for me. By the time I wised up, I had spent a total of six years with him. I divorced. I moved on. I went back to school. I healed. And I swore that I’d never marry again.

Fast forward to the present. I keep thinking of that Garth Brooks song. You know the one – “Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers/Remember when you’re talking to the man upstairs/That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care/Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.” Indeed. My marriage didn’t work out. My child didn’t work out. But you know what did? I learned some valuable lessons! I learned a lot about who am I, and what I do and don’t want in a relationship. I learned to respect myself. I learned that the right man is worth waiting for. I learned that love is not love unless it is without condition. And most importantly, I learned that in the end, things work out as they should.

So here I sit, in the quietness of my home. I smile to myself when I think of how far I’ve come – from a naive, scared, little girl with big dreams to a content and confident woman who is patiently waiting to see what happens next. I still have dreams, but they are much different these days. I’ve decided that marriage can be a beautiful thing if you find the right person. I want to find that person. Being in the mid-30s, however, I’d rather not put my body through the stress of a pregnancy. Adopting a child or becoming a stepmother would be ideal. Careerwise, I am satisfied with where things stand right now.

Times have changed. Views have changed. I have changed. I guess I should chalk it all up to the wisdom that comes with middle age!

©2012 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.