Busy Morning

Woke up. Got off of the bed. Pottied. Showered. Washed laundry. Unloaded dishwasher. Loaded dishwasher. Put laundry in dryer. Cooked breakfast. Fed Baby. Fed Hubby. Washed pots and pans. Unloaded dishwasher. Loaded it again. Sent Hubby to work at home office. Sent Boy to play with toys. Made a cake. Put it in the oven. Went outside. Mowed lawn. Edged. Trimmed hedges. Raked and blew excess. Went back inside. Folded laundry. Put laundry away. Went back outside. Washed car. Washed truck. Hosed off driveway. Went back inside. Poured a drink. Sat down at table. Heard oven timer. Woke up.

Hmm...I guess it was not the oven timer buzzing. I feel so good that I got so much accomplished before I even woke up, though, that I think I am done for the day.

Just Me

Brains, Doctors, Ignorance

We went to the doctor because I had been having headaches. The doctor sent me to get an MRI, which told us that I have a cyst in my brain. With that, I was off to the neurologist who then determined that I needed to see a genetic specialist because the cyst could be indicative of some genetic anomaly. In the mean time, the doctor sent me to the hospital for some study about my breathing. Are these all related? Somehow my breathing could have a part in my headaches. HUH? Who knows? More specialists. More tests. "They" have found more wrong with me since I went to the doctor for my headache than I would care to know.

My question is, if I never went to the doctor, would I live a healthier longer life? After all, no one would have told me about everything that was wrong with me, so in my mind, these issues probably never would have existed. Right? Then the only thing that I would have to worry about killing me would be life. After all, the number one cause of death is...as we all know...birth.

Just Me

Random Kindness

"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." -Aesop

Random Acts of Kindness. Sharing happiness with others. Extending some sunshine. Spreading the love. Whatever you want to call it, it is such an important concept. When someone receives a Random Act of Kindness, they cannot help but experience a good feeling.

One of my goals is to get more people sharing random acts of kindness with one another. Someone said that this might not be so easy because the way to succeed in getting people to do what you want is to offer something that they want. My hope is that people want to share kindness and cheer and make others happy.

Have you experienced any random acts of kindness recently? Have you shared any? Please click on the comment link below and share your experiences!

"Our deeds determine us as much as we determine our deeds." -George Eliot

Just Me

You Big Phony

"I wish people would learn to like me for who I'm pretending to be." -Mike G. Williams, http://www.mikewilliamscomedy.com/

When I first read this, I chuckled because it was funny. Then I actually laughed because it is funny and true. Everyone is pretending to be something that they are not. Do not deny it. We all are. Even when we sometimes do not realize it, and even though it may not be at every moment, we are phony.

To be clear, I am not talking about intentionally doing something to appear to be something that you are not. I am not talking about gals holding in your belly and pushing back your shoulders to look taller and slimmer or guys sucking in your gut and flexing your muscles to appear to be in better shape than you are. I am talking about the unintended times when we possibly are not even being true to ourselves.

Maybe you are pretending to be happy when you are not. Are you keeping up appearances because you do not want to bring down those around you? Are you hiding behind a smile because you are uncomfortable with attention and just want to avoid the possibility of someone noticing and asking you if you are okay? Are you keeping what bothers you bottled up inside because it is easier than dealing with it? After all, fake it 'til you make it, right?

Do you know a Bible verse of encouragement that would fit perfectly here? If so, then please share it. If I choose yours, then I will let you pick a future blog topic!

Maybe you are pretending to have a good relationship with your family when you do not have as good of a relationship as you -- or they -- need. Do you spend quality time with your husband or wife, or do you spend more time with your computer? Do you make time to focus on your children, or are you too focused on your job? When you spend time with your loved ones, is it time that counts, or is it just sitting in the same room watching television?

Challenge yourself today to set aside an hour or two today with no television, no radio, no computer, no distractions, and just enjoy your family. Talk with them. Ask them questions. Listen. Learn about what is on their minds. Appreciate one another. Remember to hug each other. Then...do it again tomorrow.

Speaking of family, do you keep in touch with your parents (and siblings)? Do you see them or speak with them often because you love them, or do you only bother to contact them when you need something? Will you be satisfied if your children are the kind of children to you that you have been to your parents? If not, what can you do today to change that?

Maybe you are pretending to be blonde. Well...actually...I have nothing to say about that.

Maybe you pretend to be a good Christian. Yes, I said that. Perhaps we pretend because we do not want people to know what we are really like. Do I pretend? Am I a good Christian? I mean, I know that I am not a perfect Christian because there is no such thing, but am I at least a good one? ...or am I just pretending? Why would I pretend? Am I putting on an act to try to make others think that I am good so that they will like me? What if I am not good? Am I afraid that they will not like the real me, the me that sins and hurts and fears and questions? Am I not satisfied enough with who I really am to just be genuine? What would make me not be satisfied?

What good would pretending do, anyway? The Lord always knows the truth. I mean, do think that I can fool God? Ha! Who do I think I am?

So often in our lives we are pretending. We are trying to look smarter, happier, more attractive, funnier, richer, poorer, whatever it is that suits the situation. We try to impress people by being something that we are not. Why is it so difficult for humans to just be who we are?

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Suess

Just Me

The Effort

Obviously, I have not been very faithful to my young blog. My challenge to myself is to blog every day for thirty days. If I miss a day, I will not chastise myself because it is not a big deal. Feel free to encourage me and remind me. I can do it!

Just Me

HAPPY 1.5th BIRTHDAY!
You know who you are.
;^D

Male Body Image

Someone posted on a local forum about body image and how women seem to be uncomfortable about theirs while men do not seem to care. Is this accurate? As for me...HA! Hubby says that he loves my body, and I tell him that he needs to put on his glasses. Is it that I cannot accept a compliment, or is it that I do not believe him? Do other people see the imperfections in me that I see in myself? Why do I care? Who are they to judge me, anyway? Why do I live at a lake yet do not want to wear a bathing suit? Why do I go out on the boat wearing shorts? Who is going to see me, anyway -- the people starting out of their windows with binoculars? What is wrong with me?!

Well, Ladies, to ease your pain jist a little bit, I can safely assure you that men...do have self image issues just like us. Do not let them tell you otherwise. Men are self-conscious about how they look, what their body is like, how healthy is their skin, how their hair looks, etc. Why do you think that men go to the gym? Why do you think that there are so many hair products for men? Why do you think that men have their own clothing departments, their own body care products, etc?

Sure, there are men who do not seem to care too much, but then there are women who do not seem to really care either. I think that we just see the insecurities in ourselves more because we are experiencing them firsthand, and we cannot hide from ourselves.

Fear not, My BlogWorld Friends! You are not alone! Insecurities aside, I believe that you are all beautiful!

Just Me

Officially Toddler Parents

Yes. The day has arrived. We are officially parents of a toddler. While he has been walking since nine or ten months, and he has been progressing and learning and playing the age appropriate activities, and we considered him a toddler, only this past weekend did he make it official for us. We are Toddler Parents. You cannot argue with us because we have proof.

We have blue marker on our tan wall.

If you have not had a toddler yet, you may be sitting there with your jaw on the floor and displaying optical poptitude. Those of you who have children, though, are probably shaking your head up and down with a knowing and understanding look on your faces.

Do not pity us, though. We have spare paint for touch ups!

Just Me

Morning

It is morning, and I am not a morning person. Something woke me at five something this morning, and here I sit at eight something, exhausted. However, as I sit here, I am given the opportunity to see the sun peaking over the trees and shining in such a glorious way that it reminds me of how incredibly awesome God is.

You know what I mean. Sometimes a scene catches your attention, and you stop to look at it and think, "Wooow." How much beauty is all around us every day that we miss? Do you ever stop to purposefully look at each petal on a flower, the shape of a tree, the intricate detail of a spider web, the algae on a forest pond, a field of wheat, a bunny rabbit hopping across the yard, a deer in the night? The Lord blesses us with so much visual joy every day.

There was something on television once where one of the characters was God in human form. Someone asked Him to prove that He was God. He pointed. In a mocking tone, the human said, "It's a tree!" God replied, "Let me see you make one."

Hehe...that gives me a chuckle.

My challenge to myself today is to try to notice as many visual gifts from the Lord that I can. Will you join me and challenge yourself to the same thing?

Just Me

Today is Just Today

Today is Sunday. It is raining. We are in the house, and I do not even feel like the outside world exists. Do you ever feel like that? Do you ever feel like nothing exists outside of the walls of your home? Maybe it is a feeling of loneliness. Maybe it is a feeling of fear. For me, today, it is a feeling of contentment.

There are no worries about what is going on in the news. There are no worries about returning telephone calls. There are no worries about work. There are no worries about much of anything.

Today, I am enjoying the peace of being. There is no television, no radio, no company. There is just my family and me, living. I like it.

Just Me

A Dream Crushed

For as long as I remember, I have been wanting to go back to school. What I have wanted to study has not been available to me, though. Recently, we moved to a place where I can go to school and study what I want. It is a bit of a drive, but the classes are only two days a week, so I am going for it. Finally. Yay!

The college allows you to fill out your admittance application online, so I did. The form asked for my first name, my middle name, my last name...the usual. I filled in those. Then it asked what I prefer to be called. Since being a white, middle class housewife will get me no breaks (and I need all of the help that I can get), filled in Shaniqua Pocahontas Rodriguez.

Now I am registered, I have my classes set, I have paid, and I am ready to go. How do I find out what I need? Am I supposed to show up for the first class prepared, or will the teacher tell us what we need when we get there? How do I find the class? Where is the campus? Maybe this online registration was not the best idea.

Will I be the only person creeping up on forty in a class of eighteen and nineteen year olds? Will the other kids in the class think that I am an old lady and wonder why on earth I am there? Will they call me Mom? Worse yet, will they look at me and call Grandma in their youthful, snotty, going-to-be-young-forever tone? Shut up, you teenagers! You will not have those young, skinny, tan, firm bodies forever. One day you will probably be forty with sagging and cellulite and (Dare I say it?) wrinkles...so leave me alone!

Young kids are so mean these days! I cannot take this abuse! What was I thinking? I need to cancel my class and see if I can get my money back. Who needs this?!

Just Me

More than I can handle?

God will not give me more than I can handle, right? Bull dinky!

People say this so often, and I see it written in fancy letters on cute cards or some such places. It has become such a common saying, but why? Who said it? God did not. It is not in the Bible. The fact of the matter is that, as frightening as it can be, He will certainly allow you to have more than you can handle.

Huh? What? Why would I say such a thing? Frankly, I do not believe that the Lord wants us to handle everything on our own. He wants us to turn to him. We are His children, and He wants to guide us and comfort us in the same way that we want to do those things for our own children.

Think about it. If your child was so independent that they never turned to you, even when they needed to, would that not hurt you immensely? Would you cry to see your child suffer because they were so stubborn? In that same way, imagine how we hurt the Lord's feelings every time that we neglect the fact that He CAN help us.

We ask God for the not-so-important things all of the time. "Lord, please help me be on time for the movie even though it starts in three minutes, and I have not even left yet. Please let it be a sunny day for my day off even though there is a forecast of rain showers. Oh, and while you are at it, Lord, I did just buy a lottery ticket...." It seems so easy to take for granted that He will hear us and [hopefully] give us what we want. If we do not get what we want, though, then it is not such a big deal since they are not important things, anyway.

What about when it is not so trivial, though? What about those times when we want to just crawl into a hole and wish the world away? What about those situations where it seems that there is no possible "fix" or solution? We feel so lost, so afraid, so alone...but are we?

Remember that we can rely on God for everything. He loves us. He wants to show us His love, His mercy, His grace. He always answers our prayers. Are we praying to Him when we need Him the most, though? We may not get the exact answer that we want in that moment, but God knows exactly what we need.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:3-6

Just Me

Just Me

On the chance that anyone out there in this crazy world called the interweb might read my blog except for me, I decided to start with a little "about me" note. As I sit here and type, though, I find myself wondering what it is that anyone would care to know. All that I suppose I can do is share some things with you and let you decide.

I am a Christian. Right off of the bat, I will say that I am a child of God and that He blesses me in so many ways. Life is not always easy, but life is good. I am blessed with such a wonderful and loving husband who works so hard to take care of us. I am blessed with a gorgeous and amazing son. I am blessed with a home. I am blessed with friends (though a few more would be nice). There are so many blessings in this life that I could go on for hours.

With that being said, though...

I am also a human. I am imperfect. I am a screw-up. I have problems. I make mistakes. I complain. Yes, sometimes I even whine. Oh, and sometimes...sometimes I say a bad word. Yep. I do.

That is me. What can I say? If you are looking to read about someone who is perfect in every way, then you are at the wrong blog! If you want to read my scattered thoughts because you find that can relate to me, because you want to make fun of me, or just because you are bored, well, then please feel free to follow my blog because who knows where I will turn next?!

Just Me