Sunday, October 30, 2016

Please Pray...

It's been a rough couple of days with today being the toughest so far.  My dad went into the hospital Thursday night with severe pancreatitis, which is one of the most prolonged and agonizing painful experiences you can ever face.  He's in SO much pain and it doesn't go away with the strongest pain medications.  It's really hard to watch someone you love go through so much pain for so long.  It was really hard leaving the hospital today because he had such a hard day.  But, I pray for pain relief soon and comfort to get through this dreadful process of healing.

Please pray for my dad and that his pancreas heals quickly and the pain diminishes completely SOON!!!!  I truly appreciate any prayers and good wishes as we help him through painful process.

Blessings to you and your family for a healthy week ahead!

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

As We Get Older...

As we get older our wants and needs and likes change...sometimes several times.  It's just part of experiencing life and understanding what you want, need and like at that time in your life...the awkward teenage years, the care-free college years, the trying-to-make-your mark years, the coming-into-your-own years, the mid-life crisis year(s), the completely content with who you are years, and the completely enjoying life years.  It's all a journey we all take as we learn and grow and come into our own...our true selves.  It's a process!

So, for my dad's birthday earlier this week he just wanted to spend it alone.  Yep!  Alone, without anyone around...peace and quiet all to himself.  So, we obliged.  He spent it doing probably one of his most favorite things in life...with cows!  Yep!  He went to the sale barn and watched cows being sold.  That's all he wanted to do, so we let him...ha!  Simple, yet profound in going back to what makes him the most happy as a kid, a teenager and an adult...just being around cows.  Yes, that's the ultimate farmer in him and as he gets older and maybe a little grumpier he speaks up for what he wants and doesn't want a little more loudly...and that's his prerogative as the elder statesman of our family.

Looking back what "wants and likes" have changed over time?  Growing up I never liked tomatoes, but I eat them all the time now.  I like a lot more vegetables than I did growing up!  It used to be just green beans, corn and potatoes for the most part.  Before I moved to California for work years ago, I didn't think I would ever buy a house before getting married or that I (as a single person) should buy a house.  But, after living in California and seeing the crazy housing costs I knew I could and wanted to buy my own house...even if I was single!  So yes, with knowledge and experience our perspectives change and we expand our horizons to hopefully become a better version of ourselves than the day before.

Yes, perspective on life changes as we get older and it's a good thing.  It means we continue to learn and grow and that's all any of us can really ask for as we continue our own life's journey.  So, for whatever wants, needs and likes are changing in your life right now I hope you appreciate them, reflect on them and embrace them!  Blessings for new perspectives to come into focus for you today and in the future!

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Garage Sale

Have any of you held your own garage sale or gone shopping at garage sales?  It's one of those quintessential acts between a buyer and seller that goes back as far as one can remember.  Someone is selling something (a good or service) and someone else is the buyer (of that good or service).  Today, most garage sales are a purging of one's belongings that you no longer need, want or use.  But, as they say "one man's junk is another man's treasure."  I think that's true...because the things I always thing will sell like hotcakes I'm still holding onto at the end of the day, and the things I think are "junk" sell quickly.  Go figure!

Yesterday we had one of our neighborhood garage sales and I had been holding onto our (my parents and my) "junk" for over a year.  They hold a neighborhood garage sale in early summer which is always too hot to participate in (like this year), so we waited until the fall one to try and get rid of all our "junk".  It was a beautiful day out and started off pretty chilly out.  My kind of weather!  Luckily, a couple of my other neighbors got their selling on, too, which always helps draw more traffic down your street if there is more than one other person selling.  The past couple of years when I have done it there's just been me on our street and it's been pretty slow...except in the early morning which is when most hard-core garage sellers arrive. But this year we had a steady traffic of shoppers drive by which was also thanks to my neighbor who advertised on Facebook!  It really made a difference!  And yet again, some of the things that I thought would sell didn't and most of the things I thought wouldn't sell did!  Luckily, I did get rid of a few things that were big sellers (in garage sale speak) and made a decent haul for about 6 hours of selling.

Now I have a clean and open garage again since we took all the leftovers to a local resale shop...ahh!  It's nice to have all the open space again...that is until the next purging takes place!  Actually, I think it'll be another couple years again before I need to do another garage sale, but thankfully this last one was a good one and not a complete dud!

Good luck with any buying and selling going on in your part of the world...and with the internet and tons of selling sites for the average person it's much easier to sell your things online to anyone and everyone!  Blessings for a prosperous week!!

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Is It Over Yet?

I'm soooooo over this presidential election!  I was a couple weeks ago...I mean really over it!  It's been mind-numbing, depressing and sadly a reflection of "who we really are" in this time in history.  It's brought out the good, bad and the ugly...and the insane!  And yes, I did think about moving to Canada earlier in the year!

But, November 8th can't get here soon enough!  Obviously all the damage, hurt feelings, rhetoric, criticism won't end after November 8th, but hopefully we can start healing, start coming together and respecting one another again.  Hopefully we can UNITE as AMERICANS and not be SO DIVIDED by our labels!  Ohhhh, lets HOPE!!

But, 20 more days of this insanity plastered all over the news, Facebook, and all the other social media outlets...ugh.  I've actually started to mute that section of the news every night.  I'm just so sick of hearing it over and over again!  And, tonight is the final debate.  Good, bad, indifferent?  Yep, exactly!  Another side-show to go along with crazy and insane!  

Well, good luck suffering through/enduring the final weeks of this crazy presidential election!  God speed to all of us...and may we ALL use our voices on November 8th as we get out and vote!  Or get our early and vote, which is what I'm going to do...just get it over with already!!!!!  Put us out of our misery!

Blessings to you for surviving another week of presidential election madness!

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Finding Strength

Where do you find strength?  Strength to get you through a tough day, to battle cancer or life-threatening illness, to pick you up from a broken relationship, to get back up after hitting rock bottom, to find comfort in someone's death, to simply find hope and purpose in your life to keep going.  Where does it come from?  How do you summon it?  

For me, it's through God's grace, mercy and love...through prayer!  Sometimes constant prayer, purposeful prayer to be in constant contact with God.  Days when I don't feel myself...like yesterday when I just wanted to cry all day and eat whatever I wanted (which I didn't do either)...it's God's grace that pulls me through.  Constant prayer for strength to get through another day, to give me hope and a purpose that is clear and to just calm my heart.  That's how I get through the tough days.  I turn to God.  And he pulls me through.

And, I woke up feeling more hopeful this morning!  That's God's grace, too!  He fills my heart with calm and steadiness instead of fear and doubt.  He's always there leading the way and I trust in his timing and his plans for my journey in this life.  Just leaning on Him makes me stand taller.

So, on the days you need to find a little strength I hope you find what you need however you need to and that you know God is there to lift you back up....and fill you with hope, love and joy!  Trust in that, always!!  Blessings to you for an uplifting week ahead...and strength to carry you through!

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

New Favorite Fall Show!

Do you have a new favorite fall show?  "This is Us" is mine!  Initially I just wanted to see it because it had Justin Hartley, Mandy Moore, and Milo Ventimiglia in it.  And, I thought it was just a show about family similar to what "Parenthood" was previously.  It is about family, but it's also about adoption.  It's had some unique and extremely creative twists in just the first few episodes, so I'm definitely hooked!  I love it!  It's very well done, the storylines are intriguing and I do like watching Justin, Mandy and Milo.  Have you watched it?

It's one of those shows that I really can't wait another full week to watch the next episode!  I want to see the next episode tonight!  I want to see how each of their stories unfolds and how they deal with their adopted child as all the kids get older.  It will be fun to watch what many of us have probably experienced at one time or another growing up as adopted children, as well.  Especially if you have other siblings that are the birth children of your adoptive parents.  It may sound confusing or challenging to those watching that don't have any experience with adoption or for any non-adoptee, but for those of us who are adopted it makes complete sense and we can totally relate.  It just comes down to the experiences we all encounter as we get older and how those experiences shape our world views and perceptions of other people.  That's why it's important to keep learning and keep growing as we get older.  You're never too old to learn something new!

So, if you haven't watched the show yet set your DVR for next Tuesday night on NBC!  It's a great family show and you'll love it!

Blessings to you the rest of this week and may you seek out a new perspective from someone completely different from you!  You may find some understanding on a new topic, find some respect for someone else's circumstances, or just learn something completely new!  Let's all grow together!!

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Couch Potato Time....

Today is must-see TV...too much goodness to watch!  Of course I'm rooting for the Dallas Cowboys playing right now and then right after that are the Texas Rangers who HAVE to win tonight to stay alive in the playoffs....and then what we'll ALL be watching, the second presidential debate.  Yes, must-see TV!  The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!  I always loved that line from the good 'ole "Wide World of Sports" on ABC years ago.

The Cowboys look good so far and have looked better than they have in years, really.  So, we finally have something to cheer about!  And, it's due or die time for the Rangers.  I really hope they pull the next two out because they've had too good of a year to drop out again against Toronto.  Come on, guys....let's do this!!

And then...the debate.  Wow.  What a firestorm in the media the last 48 hours.  I'll refrain from talking politics on this blog, but wow...just wow.  And I'm sure they'll be much more commentary, opinions, rhetoric out there after the debate.  Thankfully the end is in site...only 30 more days until this is ALL OVER!!!  Lord have mercy on us all!

So, blessings for a wonderful week ahead and enjoy some couch potato time, too!

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

It's Fall Ya'll!

Yes, it's fall...the time of year I wait for ALL year!  But wait...it's fall?!?!  Already?!  How can it already be October?  How has this year already whittled down to the last quarter of the year?  How is it already almost Halloween?  Don't we have 4-5 more months until Thanksgiving and Christmas?  How has this year flown by so quickly?

Do you ever feel like you've blinked and half the year has passed by?  Is it all a blur?  That's one thing that will never change...time!  It marches on no matter what!  No matter the joy you are experiencing that you want to last forever or the pain you're feeling that you wish would end.  It just keeps going whether you want it to or not.  But, that's also the beauty of it...no matter what went wrong the day before the sun always rises the next morning to start anew.  There's always a second chance to get it right...or to at least try and do it better than the day before.

That's definitely something I've taken to heart this year...trying to enjoy each day, but knowing no matter how much I mess up today tomorrow will come and I will try again.  I will always get up and try again and again and again!  Sometimes it takes a little while longer to pick myself back up, but I will always keep trying!  And you should too!  You never know what surprises, results or accomplishments you'll reach if you just keep trying!

So, even though I can't believe it's October already...I'll enjoy each fall day as the temperatures cool down, the leaves start turning colors and hot chocolate fills me up!  Enjoy all that fall has to offer and may blessings keep you happy and healthy!

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Birthday Month!

It's the busiest birthday month for our family...October!  Starting today, my little sister and brother's (the twins) birthday is today!  They were one of the first twins born in the little town we grew up in so there was a lot of excitement upon their arrival.  I remember my mom was on bed rest for a month or more before they were born, so they hired a family friend to look after me during the day.  I just remember baking a lot of cookies!

Tomorrow is my oldest nephew's birthday and he's turning 11!  He's getting taller and taller by the minute and I'm sure by his birthday next year he'll be taller than me already!  He's smart, into politics (yes, already!) and likes watching YouTube (yikes!).  He's funny and silly and did I mention smart?!

Towards the end of the month we'll be celebrating my dad's birthday.  The oldest of the bunch (as my mom reminded him yesterday).  As he gets older now it's more of a blessing each year that we get to continue to make more and more memories together!  I know how fleeting it can be since I know so many of my friends have already lost a parent or both.  It definitely makes you appreciate the time you have together!

So, whatever month is your family's craziest birthday month...may you stay sane, enjoy all the parties and cake, and be grateful for all the fun memories made with your family!  Cheers to all the birthday gals and guys out there!

And, blessings for an enjoyable first full week of October!!!