When I was preparing dinner for a party a few weeks ago, I noticed that my oven was acting “wonky.” It was making a strange noise, and there was an odd smell. The smell was not the food I was cooking.
On closer examination, we noticed that the heating element was bent — at one point it sagged and touched the bottom of the oven. My husband pronounced that we needed a new heating element. Dang! We didn’t need that expense. That was bad luck. Or, was it?
I managed to get the dinner cooked, and we turned off the oven. We resolved not to think about it or talk about it until after the party was over, because we wanted to have a good time with our friends.
One woman had never seen my house, so I gave her the grand tour. As we walked into the kitchen, she noticed the oven and cried out, “Ooooh! Do you want a brand new digital oven?”
I glanced at my husband with a question in my eyes, wondering if he had told them about the oven. He shook his head to indicate he had not.
My friend continued, “We have a brand new, never-been-used, digital oven in our garage! Since we are friends, I’ll sell it to you for practically nothing.”
We bought that brand new oven (for about what a heating element would have cost us), and my handy husband installed it. I haven’t used it yet, but intend to do so tonight. Our “bad luck” turned out to be “good luck,” I’d say. And, the best luck of all? It was time to clean that old oven — and now I don’t have to do that messy job!
What do you think about this thing we call “luck?” I have mixed feelings about it. There are some things that happen over which we have no control. We couldn’t control the fact that our oven breathed its last gasp. But, we had a network of friends that saved us from that bad luck.
I think that mostly we make our own luck. When I look at folks I consider “lucky,” I notice they have a couple of things in common: they have a large network of friends and they have a positive attitude.
That’s what “Only The Good Friday” is about for me. “Attitude.” I chose several months ago to only post about the “good” in my world on Fridays. I had been posting only the good sporadically before that. I’m not Pollyanna or anything, and am pretty snarky on other days. But, on Friday I practice optimism. I do that, because I believe that we can make our days better by looking at the bright side.
I’m trying to spread an “optimism virus” on the internet, so I invite you to join me on Fridays. You can write about anything you think is “good.” Tell about something in your corner of the world that makes you happy … or tell us about a “cause” that you support … write about a good book or music that pleases you … or tell about that chocolate covered bacon you made (and make me drool!). Anything goes, as long as it’s good.
Some of my friends have joined me occasionally in writing good on Fridays: Mo at Inside Mo’s Mind, Thorne at Thorne’s World, Karina at Candid Karina, Toni at Ramblings of an Unstable Mind, Jamie at Duward Discussion, Jennifer at Down River Drivel, and Marcia at RV Poetry (who started this whole idea of “Only The Good”). That’s off the top of my head, so if you have participated, please tell me so I can link to you. Give them a visit –they are all worth the read.
And, leave me a comment to tell me something good! I hope your day is filled with only good!
Other posts you might enjoy:
{ 14 comments }
Wow, talk about good luck, or right time right place…what are the odds tha someone would have an oven for you, just when you needed it? Love it!
Here’s my good: http://tinyurl.com/bk2arz
Karinas last blog post..It’s About Time, It’s About Us
And, YOUR luck was good, too, I see. I love the story about your dream!
Who cares if it was “Good luck” or Karma or whatever transpired, but a nice new oven, coming along at just the right time in your life -great event, I’d say.
I’ve been lax for a good while about the Only the Good posts -just blame it on my old age induced senility or something like that. But today, I did get around to doing an “Only The Good” post but it was a rough one for me to do, trying to find the good in the loss of a friend.
Peace -and lots more good to come in the future, as long as we keep looking for it anyway!
It’s hard to remember to do this on a regular basis, so don’t feel bad about it (and don’t say you are senile!
). I’m sorry for the loss of your friend. I’ll be over to check out the post as soon as I get supper cooked. Gotta watch that new oven & make sure it works!
I try to see the good most of the time, though it doesn’t always work.
But, today was an especially “seeing the good” blog post. You can check it out here.
I’ve lurked for a while. Always enjoyed your blog, you’re one of the first that got put into my Bloglines account
Congrats on the new oven!
Thank you, ma’am. I’m in the process of seeing if that oven works! And, thanks for the kind words AND for joining in spreading this “virus” on the internet! Glad you de-lurked yourself!
mine’s up, too:http://nowherevilleusa.blogspot.com/
I’m just glad to get to cook—seing as how I love to eat! Thanks for joining in!
I forgot it was Friday again, but happened to have been writing a post on things I was thankful for when I realized what day it was!
Could be your oven “luck” was the universe’s way of telling you to either keep on cooking, or cook twice as much. Time will tell.
Marcias last blog post..Thankful, yep
If I cook twice as much, I’ll eat twice as much
! I’m testing that oven as I write this. I’ll be by there in a sec.
A brand new oven, a bargain, and no cleaning to do? Definitely a triple win in my book!
So what did you cook for your inaugural run?
Robins last blog post..That’s more like it
Yes girlfriend. I feel like I came out on top on this one. At this moment, I’m cooking some pork chops with apple stuffing. I wanted to wrap it in bacon…but I figured I was probably stretching my luck with the cholesterol as is
Ha! Great news, and a great post – I am a big believer that life is what you make it, and I intend to make mine as good as possible! …so, what’s for dinner tonight?!
Hope your weekend is fantastic!
Mos last blog post..Hurray for Hills!!
Pork chops and apple stuffing. That’s what will be on the table in about 30 minutes. Come on over…if you eat that kind of thing (however, it won’t be here by the time you make it to Texas…sorry).
Thanks for your post! I’m so proud that you are over there posting good (even when I am lazy!).
Well hon, you can call it luck or serendipity or coincidence or simply a blessing, it all amounts to Good for Shelly, and that’s good! I’m up with As Good as it Gets. Best I can do so far today, but the day is young!
Happy OtGF! (I’ll be visiting others a bit later)
Thornes last blog post..Only the Good Friday #9: As Good as it Gets
You betcha! I’ll hop by there in just a few! Thanks for taking part. Have a fantastic weekend.
I don’t believe in “luck” so much as an attitude about life. You keep going. Sometimes luck is nothing more than caring about those around you and moving ahead. Bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. The fairness doctrine doesn’t apply to life. You might as well just celebrate the good times, get through the bad as sanely as possible and don’t forget to tell others, “I love you.”. It’s amazing how lucky you get.
Jamies last blog post..Severe Nostalgia Attack
You are so right about the “fairness doctrine.” And, that attitude plays such a big part. I have a friend who fell and broke her arm recently—when I said, “poor thing,” she said, “I’m so lucky!” She fell at work, so she had workman’s comp. If she had fallen on her own time, she would never dig herself out of debt from the surgery! Yep…attitude alright.
I think your blog is FABULOUS!! Please do stop by and claim your Award!
Have a great weekend!
Mos last blog post..Thank you, Dah-ling!
You are so sweet!
I believe that out flow equals in flow. So if I am out flowing good..that is what I get back. Kind of an instant Karma thing.
I am in on the “Good Friday”! Great idea you guys.
Very well done on your new stove.
Sheila
Sheila Atwoods last blog post..Gone Fishing
Glad you joined! Yep, I like that new stove. Have a great day!
There is an award waiting for you at my place.
Jamies last blog post..Champagne For Breakfast
I appreciate you!
When I as still selling real estate and hit a rough patch I’d complain to the manager about how other agents seemed to have all the luck. He used to tell me, “the harder you work the luckier you will be”. He was right and I will never forget that lesson. Although now (it’s not Friday any more) my luck seems to have run out…ciao
rosittas last blog post..Was He Or Wasn’t He?
You can have luck even when it’s not Friday
but your boss was right!
OK – first off, I would like to know how your friend just happened to have such a nice stove sitting around? That is luck.
And second, I think there is such thing as luck, but that it is really there to remind those negative Nellies out there that good things do happen to good people so the luck brightens their attitude and encourages good work.
Whatever the reason – congrats on the new stove! Digital or otherwise, I’m lucky I even know how to turn ours on – it could be broken too for all I know!
Bumbless last blog post..ON FUN ~ Seven Sisters Girl…
Bwahaha! You didn’t have my Mamaw for a role model, or you would know all about ovens. I think I’m with you on the “luck,” however when you ask how my friend “just happened” to have a stove—all I can tell you is that it was my good luck!
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