Wednesday, October 28, 2009

More Thoughts For the Day

Just thought I would share some thoughts that were passed on to me. Take one or two of them and apply to your life today. You will be glad you did! Enjoy =)

Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

When in doubt, just take the next small step.

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

Pay off your credit cards every month.

You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

It's OK to let your children see you cry.

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

Over prepare, then go with the flow.

Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?"

Always choose life.

Forgive everyone for everything.

What other people think of you is none of your business.

Time heals almost everything. Give it time. Time.

However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Believe in miracles.

God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

Your children only get one childhood.

All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

The best is yet to come.

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Harvest Time is Here!

Harvest time, harvest time ~ I love this time of year! Fall is my favorite season because of all the pretty colors, the leaves turning, the combines in the fields, the nice cool crisp air, the bonfires at night, the fact we all have to dig out our warm clothes again. I love everything that comes along with fall! My quote I have always loved to say is "I love fall, but not what follows fall." That would be the yucky cold white stuff that falls from the sky, S-N-O-W. Don't get me wrong, I love the first big snowfall, but after that, it could stay gone for the winter and I would be perfectly content with that.

So it's that time of year again ~ fall and harvest season. When I think of harvest, it makes me think of the crops being harvested by the big old monstrous combines, and the tractors driving in the field, and the semis hauling the grain away from the fields. I absolutely love the farming life and all this comes along with it of course. I would rather ride around in the combine on a Saturday night running through the cornfields than go out on the town. I guess that's just the country girl in me, but I love it!

Here's a harvest saying for ya'll to enjoy ~
Take me out to the cornfield honey. I'll kiss ya between the ears.
(I just thought that was the cutest saying ever!) Get it? Lots of ears of corn in the cornfield. Kissing between the ears. Even the blonde in me got that one right off the bat =-)


Here's a couple more cute ones that signify life but refer to harvest season:

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.
Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.


If you think about it, life is similar to planting and harvesting crops. Farmers plant the seeds in the spring, watch the crops grow in the summer, and then harvest them in the fall. In life, we plant or sow seeds, watch them grow and sprout, and then wait to see what the end result will be. Every single thing that happens in life starts as a seed and grows. So good things start out small and bloom and blossom into wonderful times. And bad things start out as a small seed and then turn into hard or tough times the longer it grows. The cycle of life and all situations ~ starts out small and eventually grows. Then once that cycle is over, a new cycle begins...

So let's all enjoy harvest while it is here this year! And enjoy the fall season too! I believe the peak of the season will be this weekend. With any luck I will get to the pumpkin patch with the girls and they can pick our their pumpkins to carve. And hopefully I will get lots of pretty pictures of the trees and beautiful scenery that is only here once a year. Fall won't be here much longer so take advantage now and enjoy the last of the decent weather before the cold settles in for the winter. And before my blogs turn into "I hate winter" blogs LOL. Just a forewarning that will happen! So get out there, take in the fresh crisp cool air, and make memories in the fall of 2009 before the season fades away!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Impossible People

Have you ever had a person in your life that is absolutely impossible to please? No matter what you say or do is good enough for them. These people tend to make life difficult and unpleasant at times. Sometimes this person is someone close to us and sometimes they are not. It might be that customer that comes into the office that nobody wants to offer customer service to because they are unpleasant and rude. It might be the next door neighbor who isn't nice or is always complaining about something. It might be a total stranger in a store that accidentally bumps into you and then turns around and yells at you for it. It could be a close friend that you know very well but is sometimes hard to be friends with. It could be a family member who is always hard on you and feels like you do nothing right in life.

Regardless of who it is, those people are out there. And to put it quite literally, they can make life a living hell at times! These people are usually negative, overbearing, and not someone we typically like to be around. It would be nice to shove these people in a closet or simply ignore them, but that's easier said than done most of the time. If we luck out and it's someone we barely know or rarely have to see, we can usually deal with them for the amount of time required and then be done with them. But if the person is close to us or we have to see them on a regular basis, it's not such an easy situation.

Again, it would be nice to shove a rag in that person's mouth and block out their constant nagging or opinions on everything! With that being said, that theory is not very nice, but it is very true. So the reality is we have to deal with them whether we like it or not. There is more than one way we can handle these types of people. Depending on the type of person you are will determine how you handle this situation when it arises. Some people will take the high road and listen to the person and let it fly over their head, or ignore this behavior to the best of their ability. Other people will crawl in a hole or under a rock and just take the behavior and not fight back which means they consistently deal with the nagging or abuse from the other person. Others will fight back and let their opinion be known and not take crap from anyone. And others will listen at first, and then shut that person out of their life completely. There can be a range of actions but those are just some of the basic ones I can think of. And sometimes we will react with a combination of those options.

Let's talk about the people who learn to ignore constant nagging or negative behavior from others. These people are generally optimistic or the "go with the flow" type. They don't let alot bother them and they accept life how it is and don't rock the boat too much. So rather than dealing with confrontation, they take it all in and then let it leave their brains. This is the theory of "in one ear and out the other." You listen with one side of your head, the information travels through the skull and out the other ear. Basically, you process the information, but you do not retain it.

Then there is the crawl under the rock people. Those people tend to be passive and scared about things. They also do not like confrontation and that is one reason they just take whatever comes at them and do not fight back. This type tends to be quiet and like the little mouse in the corner that you never hear. They will not voice their opinion back because they are too afraid. Sometimes these people have low self esteem and do not know how to make their own decisions or let their opinions be heard. Sometimes this type of person has had an overbearing person in their life, or has been controlled by others in their life. It's sad, but this world is made up of these types of people everywhere. You may be one or know of one. With prayer and God's guidance, this type of person can come out of their shell and live a life they have never even known.

Now let's move on to the "fighters." These people stand up for themselves, what they believe in, and will not back down from a fight. This type is usually pretty stubborn and can be bull headed. It's when you get multiple people with this type of personality together that a problem arises. It's like the theory "too many chiefs and not enough Indians." We all lead at sometimes in life, but then others times we follow. And we should do both depending on what the situation is. Sometimes we have to take charge to teach others, and other times we need to let someone else lead so that we can learn.

Not every person is going to fall directly into one of these categories. Many people will exhibit multiple traits of the different types of personalities. It also depends on the type of person you are and what your current mood is as well. Sometimes someone will say something to us that strikes a nerve, and we react in a way we don't normally. The bottom line is everyone reacts in their own way and each person will react differently given the same situation. But when a person puts up with something for so long, the option of pushing that person out of there life or away usually comes into play. We as an individual can only take so much. We all have our limits that we get pushed to, and depending on what type of person you are, your limit is higher or less than others. But when someone reaches their limit, things tend to turn ugly.

If we put up crap for so long from someone, over time we start to develop resentment, anger, hatred, and bitterness towards that person. And if that person keeps it up and keeps pushing, eventually they are going to push that person out of their life completely. It's like a car on the edge of a cliff. A car is hard to move by one person alone. But if a person pushes that car just a little each day, they won't move it very far. But over time, they will move that car enough to where it falls over the edge and is gone. It might take years to move that car far enough to where it will tip and fall and be gone, but if you move that car half of an inch (1/2") every day, the progress will eventually be made and the car will fall off the cliff for eternity.

If you have never had to deal with someone who is overbearing and nothing is ever good enough for, then you are blessed! Praise God for your blessings, please! Unfortunately most of us have had to deal with at least one person or multiple people in our life that are like this. No matter what we do, no matter where we go, no matter who is in our life, no matter what decisions we make, NOTHING is ever good enough for that particular person. We could strike gold, or discover a miraculous cure for a disease, or be the upmost and outstanding citizen, or be the best person we can possibly be, and our notable actions are still not up to the standards of someone else. They are all out there, and sometimes we have to deal with them each and every single day.

If you have this type of person in your life, know that God loves them just the same. Know that they were put on this earth for a reason and maybe they haven't discovered their purpose yet. Know that even though they are annoying or unpleasant, they were a gift from the Lord and there is some purpose they are here on earth. If you have been blessed (yes there is some sarcasm there) to have someone like this in your life, try to find the good in that person and love them anyway. We are supposed to love our friends and enemies both, but sometimes our friend and enemy can be one person at the same time. Sometimes that person is good and we love them unconditionally, and other times they are like a monster and we do not understand how they could act the way they do.

More often times than not, that person hurts us by their words or actions. They expect so much from us and when we think we deliver our best, it still isn't enough for that person. We must realize that when we truly give our all, that is really all we can do. If we be the best person we know we can be, that is all we can do. If we try and succeed, that is wonderful and all we can do. If we try and fail, we must learn from our mistakes, and that is all we can do. See the pattern here? Be the best you can be, live life the best way you know how, be good to others, be kind to others, and try to follow what God would want you to do in life, and that is ALL YOU CAN DO. The Lord will see your actions and be proud of you. Even if that negative person in your life doesn't see the good in you, God does and that is ultimately what matters in the end. Your kindness and goodness will shine through and will hopefully touch others who appreciate the good you do in this world.

Remember that if you are blessed with one of these people in your life, pray for them. Really, I am dead serious. PRAY FOR THEM! They need it more than you do, so do it. I even pray for people I don't necessarily like because I want the best for them. I always want the best for everyone, even I don't like the person. For those negative birds out there, they won't understand that last statement, but it's true. I never wish any harm or any bad stuff on anyone because that is not a good Christian. I would not want someone else to wish harm or bad on my family or I, so I will not wish bad things on someone else. -> That's the golden rule of life you know! "Do unto others as you wish done unto you." (Or at least that's my version of it!)

I have a theory in life that some people may agree with and some may not. I live my life how I choose to live my life. This means that I make my own decisions whether people agree with them or not. I always make decisions based on what is best for my daughters and myself. If I make a decision that turns out not so great down the road, I learn from it and move on. I do not dwell on the past. In fact, I can't say I have any regrets in life because everything that has happened in my life has made me into the person that I am today. And I am very proud of the progress I have made in my life thus far. It can only get better from this point forward! Don't get me wrong, there will be ups and downs just like we ALL have in this world, but being the optimist I am, I will find good in everything and roll with it day by day.

Life is too short to live unhappy in life. We are only given so much time on earth so make the most of it. If you are always hard on your friends or loved ones, take a step back and look at how you treat others. Would you want to be treated that way? Would you want to deal with negativity and rudeness all the time? Probably not. So treat others how you want to be treated. Instead of finding things to argue about, or petty things to fight about, spend that time telling others how much you appreciate them and how much you love them. Let me ask a couple of questions to my faithful readers: If the world ended tomorrow, would you be happy with the progress you have made thus far in life? Think about it. If you died tomorrow, would you leave a legacy or would you have unfinished business you would regret not taking care of? Would you regret the way you treated others on earth or would you be content in knowing you were good to others? On the flip side, think about this: What if something happened to that person and they were no longer here? Would you care? Would you wonder how things could have been different if you'd been more positive to them? Would you regret the fact you never told them you loved them, but instead told them what they did wrong? Think about it. Those are some heavy questions, but extremely important ones to ask yourself. If you are happy with life and know you are living the way you should and being nice to others as you should be, then congratulations. You are doing all you can do and God is smiling down on you right now. But if not, think about making a change. And not just a temporary change, but a permanent one. Stop being so hard on everyone and start being nice to everyone, even if you do not like the person. Do nice things for others because it weighs on your heart to do them, not because you have to. Love others unconditionally, no matter what accomplishments or mistakes they have made in life. Do not intentionally try to hurt people, or peoples feelings; instead say something positive to them instead of something negative. If you are too mean to people or are negative for so long, you will eventually earn a reputation as being that way. And nobody wants to be known for that. I personally want to be remembered as a good person, a good mom, a good friend, even a good wife (once I get there), a good sister, a good daughter, a good cousin, a good niece, a good worker at my job, a good whatever it is that I do! You get the idea. Start today, don't wait until it's too late. Make the changes you need to make to improve your life for the better, stop dwelling on negative items, and be happy! There is nothing better than being happy and really living life the way God wants us to live. There is no greater feeling, I am living proof! I would love to have feedback or comments on this post if you so desire. We all have someone in our life we wish we could make a more positive or a happier person, so more power to those who need positive energy and prayers from the Lord! Until next time, love much, live happy and laugh often because that is what life is all about! May God bless any person who needs positive spirits and guidance from Above...

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Life is Good!

Yes, life is good! Life should be good all the time. Life is what we make of it and how we choose to look at it. We must take the good with the bad because we don't really have a choice. I always say life is a roller coaster ride; there will be hills and there will be valleys. But if you can take the hard punches along the way, it will make the good times even better.

I also like to think of this saying ~ God will never give us more than we can handle. Sometimes we may not always agree with that statement but it's true if you think about it. You have endured hard times in life, but you made it through them. You may have been at the end of your rope, or at your wits end with life, but you survived through whatever it was you had to deal with. You may have felt like your world was going to end, but it didn't! Those are the times in life that make us appreciate the good and happy times even more. We all have our limits that we have been pushed to, or even pushed over at times, but with prayer and God's guidance, we have the ability to handle whatever comes our way. But only if we let Him in and let Him help us with our troubles. And not just help us, but take our troubles away from us. God never wants us to suffer, but the harder times in life do make us stronger. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger, a very true statement if you think about it.

Life is good because I choose to see the best of everyday and choose the positive aspects in everything. I love my life, and wouldn't trade it for anything! God has a plan for my life, and each and every person put here on this earth. There have been hard times in the past and even recently, but I always look for the silver lining in the cloud and roll with it. If I didn't, it would only get me down and that is not what the Lord wants for us in this world. He wants us to know He is always there for us and will be no matter what happens or what mistakes we make in life. Just ask Him for forgiveness and granted that you will be!

Remember to have at least one positive thought every day. Just one positive thought or action can erase all the other negative thoughts or feelings you have. You would be surprised at how different life could be if you choose to be happy and in positive spirits all the time. We all have our down moments and that is ok. Just remember don't fall so far in the rut that you can't pull yourself back out of it. We can always rely on the almighty God to help us, but we also have to rely on ourselves too. We choose our actions and our thoughts in life, so let's make them good experiences and have positive thinking! May God bless you and your family today and each day forward. It is truly life changing if you just accept His word into your life! And not just accept His word, but live it too! Until next time, God bless...

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Another RIP Memory Post...

I posted about a week and a half ago about Grandma Becky's sister, Isabelle. Sadly she did not get better and she too passed away on Saturday, October 10 ~ just 12 days after her sister left this earth to be with the Lord. They are both in a much better place now while they dance on the streets of gold no longer in pain.

I believe when it is your time to be called to Heaven, you will be called Above no matter what you are doing at that moment in time. You could be driving a car, walking down the street, sleeping, you could be doing anything. Sometimes we are given a certain amount of time to live, and sometimes we are taken very rapidly from this earth. We just never know what our future holds. So please remember to live each day as though it's your last. Also, please pray for the family as this is a tough loss to lose two family members within 12 days of each other.

I also have a very good friend who is like a mother to me who lost her stepdad this past weekend. And let's add to the list another aunt on the other side of the family passed away this weekend as well. I did not know either of these individuals but please also keep their families and friends in your prayers as you pray at the end of the day. Thank you and may God bless each one of you today and everyday!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Please Don't Share Your Swine H1N1 Flu!

It's that lovely time of year... the time for fall leaves to fall, pretty colors to soon change, the weather becoming colder, and the best part of all ~ everyone sharing their germs and sickness since they are so kind and generous! Aw yes, that lovely time of year when everyone becomes sick, and I do mean EVERYONE.

I am just about banking our schools have had the highest rate of absence this year in a long time. I wouldn't be surprised if a new record is set for the number of absent children and how often they are absent this year. It seems that swine flu, oh wait let me rephrase that... H1N1 flu is making it's way around the world and so happens to be in my area at the moment. Since people don't like that term "swine" flu, we must not say that now. I personally call it swine flu because that was the term introduced to the world and had everyone in a frenzied panic a few months ago.

It was abundantly awful to come home last Friday to my oldest daughter who had a fever of nearly 103. I felt so incredibly sorry for her. There is absolutely no worst feeling in the world when your child is sick and you can do nothing for your baby. Or, should I rephrase that to when your children are sick and you can do nothing for your babies. Yes, that has been my life these past few days! I knew my oldest would share with my youngest and sure enough within 48 hours I had both babies sick with high fevers. After much ibuprofen, taking temps every couple of hours, lots of gatorade, and many prayers, they are finally fever free. I am sure there is still more sickness to deal with but I hope and pray that the worst is over!

As for me, I have luckily avoided the fever so far but I have the yucky cough and sore throat coming on. And for some reason it comes out like the big bad ugly monster when I'm trying to go to sleep at night! Not fun for me =(. But I will handle it like a big girl because that is all that I can do. Ever heard that phrase that mommies aren't allowed to be sick? Well, I may feeling that before this is all said and done. Let's just hope and pray that doesn't happen (if you are listening oh wonderful Lord)!

Back to the term swine flu, I think it's funny myself. The doctors and rumors around the local town are that they are not confirming that the ugly pig headed virus H1N1 flu is here. Well, I have a big news flash for these people ~ just pick 1 out of every 2 households and go make a visit. Most of the people I know from around here have been sick so that ratio is probably low! I was cracking up last week after a 6 minute phonecall of a message from the head of local health department (or some fancy title like that). Anyway, he called to reassure parents that no known cases of the H1N1 flu are going around and not to fret just yet. After about 2 minutes of listening to this monotone voice, the voice stopped and he started coughing and hacking. Then he would pause, uh.... um.... and repeat himself over and over for 6 minutes. 6 minutes just to get that information out to the public! Wow. Then the jokes that started flying around on Facebook and emails to friends, it was great. So here is a phonecall from someone assuring us parents not to worry when the guy can't even make it through the phonecall without hacking and coughing through half of it himself! Very reassuring, let me tell ya.

On a serious note, if your kids or you have accrued this awful swine flu (and yes I will call it what I wish), please stay at home and indoors until you are better. Most of the doctors don't even want to see people unless they are at high risk because the more people that get out and share their germs, the more this terrible thing is going to stick around. And if your kids have it, keep them home! Some people may have to miss work or school, but it's better to get over it then spread the germs. I hope and pray mine are over the worst of it, and that I don't get any more of a cough then I already have! Remember to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. My daughter carries that stuff around like it's candy; she is great about using it! Ok, I'm off to grab another cough drop now...

Friday, October 2, 2009

A Tough Friday

We must always remember to put our trust and faith in God at all times. Even in the most difficult and hard times, we must trust in the Lord. Sometimes we just need a little reminder to do that. I do trust in the Lord at all times, but sometimes it's not always the easiest thing to do. I just have to remember that what happens in life is out of my hands and I cannot control some things. But if I have faith and trust in the Lord, He will not steer me wrong. It's important we remember this each and every day!

Today was a difficult day. Grandma Becky was laid to rest and I am so grateful she is in Heaven with my baby Mindy (as we still call her) and the rest of the family that has gone one before us. The funeral was a lot tougher than I thought it would be. I have missed seeing all of my old family members from when I was married. They all told me I am still family and I am forever grateful for that. This family certainly is a wonderful bunch of people who have touched my life and changed me in so many ways.

Please pray for Grandma Becky's sister, Isabelle. As Isabelle was stepping into the car to attend her sister's funeral, she lost her footing and fell straight backwards and hit her head. She had a huge bump on the back of her head and was rushed to the hospital. She has a blood clot on her brain and they are waiting to see if surgery is an option. From the little information I have, there would only be a 50% chance of survival if she went through surgery. So what are the chances of that? She is leaving to go to her sister's funeral and takes a fall and now they are waiting to see if she will survive this fall. God works in mysterious ways that we do not understand. So I ask that you please add this family to your prayers as they play the waiting game and see what happens.

I would like to thank the Lord again that Grandma Becky is finally at peace. She was such an amazing lady with a great sense of humor. Her funeral contained much laughter and even some dancing, as she told one grandson she wanted people laughing and dancing at her funeral. She is already missed and will be for a long time. Until we meet again Grandma Becky, take care of my Mindy Grace, we love and miss you from all of us in the family! God Bless...