His Christmas Spirit is Infectious!

Dec9

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Oh how I love to be around my Son-in-Law, Robi at Christmas time! His Christmas Spirit is unmatched by any I have ever seen! Every year he restores a portion of The Christmas Magic I lost as a little girl.

As the oldest child, my parents relied on me a lot. Bless their hearts, one Christmas in particular, they bit off more than they could chew. My dad had been working a lot of overtime, mom was swamped with keeping up with 4 kids and that was the year they decided to buy us kids a kitchen and dining set for our playhouse.

Now, back then toys weren’t as easy to assemble as they are today. They were made of metal with lots of screws, washers, and stickers. So, on Christmas Eve, I walked into the den to find my parents sitting in the middle of the floor trying to get the sink, refrigerator, and stove/oven put together. As if that wasn’t enough they had also purchased the table and chairs and yes, they had to be assembled too! Out of desperation my dad turned to me and said, “Here, hold this” and before I knew it I was assembling my gift from “Santa Clause”. Yep, that was the year Christmas Lost its Magic!

That is until I met my Son-in-Law. Year after year I watch that man immerse himself in Christmas.

He LOVES Everything about Christmas!!!

Initially this confused me. I could not grasp the concept that a man could be so excited about Christmas; especially after being married to Richard for almost 41yrs. And, for 41yrs his response has never changed when I ask what he would like to get the kids or grandkids for Christmas…”Just get them a Card” he would respond. Bah Humbug!!!!

Now in Richard’s defense, he remembers Christmas being magical as a kid. His parents did an incredible job of providing him with a happy home; one that was balanced and was always receptive to providing our girls with that magical Christmas as well. However, he also thought I was excessive in my gift giving. So, with that said, you can better understand my confusion watching Robi’s excitement.

46488049_2105883862776934_4326163004975480832_nWith Robi, the process of Christmas begins well before Thanksgiving. He ensures the electrical wiring is ran creating a whole different breaker box just for Christmas lights. The week of Thanksgiving the lights are hung and he begins to pull the yard decorations out of the attic and organize them on the garage floor. Bins of Christmas decorations begin to emerge each labeled as interior or exterior.
As he removes the lids on the bins it is as if it is the first time he’s seen the treasures within. His eyes light up and his pupils actually dilate with excitement!

Thanksgiving dinner is over, most of the family has gone home and the process begins. The tree is brought in…This in itself is an ordeal because the tree is HUGE! Then, the fluffing process begins. As Brandi and I are putting the Garland on the stair banisters, I look over and see Robi grinning from ear to ear, cheaters on his nose, and intense concentration as he is shaping each individual limb and needle on the tree. He is in his happy place as he works his way up the tree.

Then, Brandi asks, “Do you want me to help you decorate the yard?”. No words needed…Facial expressions spoke volumes! And, they were off to place the yard decorations!

At that point Richard and I set off for our journey home (hahaha…just a few doors down the street) and leave them to it. Later Brandi tells us they had put out all the yard decorations out within about 30 minutes. Robi’s planning had paid off!

What I have learned from my Son-in-Law about Christmas:

  • Each Christmas is a new experience: Though the process is the same, he treats each year as though it has never happened before
  • It is a state of mind: Full of anticipation, excitement, and sheer joy. He never allows the cares of the day to interrupt his celebration
  • Preparation is key: Things fall right into place when the proper preparations have been made
  • Gift giving should be personalized: Knowing…really knowing the “likes” of family members makes finding that special gift so easy
  • Never hide your enthusiasm: You never know whose life you might impact

My Son-in-Law’s enthusiasm for Christmas has significantly impacted my life over the past 10 years and has restored the Magic of Christmas to me! Yep…

His Christmas Spirit is Infectious!

When is the last time you experienced the childlike magic of Christmas? I encourage you to:

  • Attend a Church Christmas Play
  • Watch Hallmark Christmas Movies and Drink Hot Chocolate
  • Take a Drive and Look at Christmas Lights
  • Invite a small group of friends over.
    • This doesn’t have to be expensive
    • Put on a pot of soup
    • Have everyone bring a side or desert
  • Buy at least one Christmas decoration a year and hang on to it. Before you know it, one year your place will look like a Hallmark Christmas Card
  • Go Christmas caroling
  • See the Nutcracker (this one can be a little pricey unless you can find it put on by a local dance studio)
  • Surround yourself with people who encourage your enthusiasm
  • Be Infectious: Be the person you would like to be around at Christmas

 Most Importantly…Remember and Celebrate The Reason For The Season”

JESUS

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So Thankful for What I’ve Got

Dec8

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So, this morning I decided to review some drafts of different posts I had started but never finished when the first one that caught my eye was

“So Thankful for What I’ve Got”.

Perhaps, it’s because we just recently celebrated Thanksgiving, I really don’t know why it caught my eye but it did. So as I read the title and what I had pasted to the page a good while back, probably well over 2 years ago, it became apparent why I had not finished the post. There was so much more to come!

Evidently, I had seen this post from the App “God Wants You To Know” because I had copied and pasted the post from my news feed. It said,

“Today, Lee, we believe God wants you to know that …

You have no right to wish for more, until you fully appreciate what you already have.

It’s not the amount that matters, but the blessings you are able to receive from it. A slice of stale bread gives more to the beggar, than a new house to the rich. Everything you have has unending blessings for you hidden inside, – learn to receive them.”

WOW…The words jumped off the page and into my heart as they took on an entire different meaning for me this morning than what I read over 2 years ago!

Now, by no means do I consider myself a beggar or do I consider myself rich, but I’m not gonna lie, we have lived through some very lean times and some times of plenty. We have lived in a 600 sq ft house and a 3,800 sq ft house. We have eaten casseroles with lots of fillers and we have had steak but no matter what we have always recognized it was God’s provisions for our life.

Here’s one particular example of God’s provision that comes to mind that I can share…

It was around 1996 we were living the “Good Life”. We both had good jobs, we had purchased out 3,800 sq ft home in Brazoria, we had finally found our church home, and we were happy that is as happy as parents of teenagers could be. Then we get the news Richard was being downsized by Dow.

Not sure what downsized means…They should have just said cut, chopped, killed, or any other word that would snuff the life out of ones livelihood. So anyway, here we were with this whopping mortgage, outrageous utility bills, car payments, not to mention, groceries we needed to buy!

Richard had applied for every job he could and nothing! So, out of desperation he decided to get his Realtor’s License. Now, you would have to know Richard, he is so brutally honest that he would rather lose a sale and go hungry than talk someone into buying something he know was not a right fit for that person. So, as you can imagine, he wasn’t selling any houses. He would tell me, “Babe, I can’t sell a life-preserver to a drowning man”. Bless his heart…He was trying so hard!!!

Ok, so here is where the unending blessing hidden inside comes…

One Saturday morning I got a call from my friend Dianne Butler asking if she could borrow a stick of butter (No way I would ever tell her it was the last stick of butter to our name) and I told her “of course”. So, a few minutes later she came down to pick it up and was off with my last stick of butter. Soon after that Richard came home for lunch. Things are sparse and so he decided to make himself a grilled cheese. He reaches into the refrigerator for the last stick of butter and it’s gone. He calls out to me, “Hey babe, where’s that stick of butter?”. I replied, “Dianne needed it”. He yells back, “ok, no problem”. So, when I walk into the kitchen I find him spraying his bread with butter flavored Pam and goes about making his grilled cheese.

Later that evening Dianne blessed us with a loaf of Banana Nut Bread…Now that was a great use for a stick of butter!!! It was delicious! But, the story gets even better…

The next morning we get up, get dressed, and are off to church just like any other Sunday.  Richard, was the director of the Adult lV group at the time and we would meet with all the classes in Adult lV for a general assembly before Sunday School.  We would have refreshments, announcements, and prayer then break off and go our separate ways for class. This particular Sunday something was different. We noticed people showing up that weren’t usually in our group they were in either an older or younger division. When I looked up and saw Dianne, I knew something was up.

Pretty soon, the room was filled with people. Richard continued with the announcements and then we heard Billy Canard say, “Brother Richard, can I interrupt you?” and made his way to the front of the room. He began to speaking to Richard and me in front of all these people who had come into the room. He said that even though we had not shared our  financial struggles the church body new times must be rough since Richard had lost his job. He proceeded to inform us that they wanted to bless us. And, Bless us they did!!!

Oh my gosh…They provided us with food, clothes soap,  toiletries, even treats for the kids. That classroom full of people had given us enough food to carry us from that day until the day Richard got a job and his first paycheck. We were so humbled by their outpouring of Love!!!

I could tell you story after story after story of how God has made provisions for our lives and still is. How He uses His servant children as the vehicle to bless our lives. While we recognize the blessing comes from our Father, we are also aware it requires a level of obedience on the part of His Children.

So, here’s where the “Everything you have has unending blessings for you hidden inside, – learn to receive them.” comes into play.

I’m not going to tell you it is easy to be the recipient…It Is NOT! Richard and I have always been taught it is more blessed to give than receive and oh how we love to give!!! But, one thing God has shown us… Those who gave would not receive their blessing if we had not received the gifts which they had given out of obedience to Him.

To this very day we continue to be blessed beyond measure!!! So much so one scripture comes to mind.

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I can dream about it (and I have), I can talk about it (done that too) but all that was meaningless because all those dreams and all those discussions could not compare to the way God has chosen to bless us with Mind Blowing Blessings!!!

I am So Grateful for God’s Provisions for Our Lives

I am So Thankful For What I’ve Got

I STAND IN AWE OF GOD!!!

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The Magic of Giggles

Dec7

 

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Recently I hosted “A Love Lee Christmas Tea Party” in our home and I’m not gonna lie, I was a little nervous. I’ve been hesitant to invite anyone over since the time I cooked a full Thanksgiving meal and all but one person RSVP’d they were coming and only a hand full of people actually showed up. So, as you can imagine, I was a little skeptical anyone would even come; even with an RSVP saying they would.

Then the day before the Tea Party Cheyenne, my granddaughter, walked up and gave me a big hug and said, “Meme, I can’t wait for the Tea Party tomorrow”. With that one single statement, all was well with the world again and all my anxiety dispelled. If no one else showed up at least Cheyenne would be there!

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So, I moved forward with the preparations for the Tea. I purchased the sweets (to avoid the temptation of licking my fingers while baking), made foods that were healthy and “legal” for my lifestyle, decorated the tables, cleaned the commodes (hahaha), and swept the floors. Everything was going according to plan.

The day of the party I had to run pick up a few things from the store but things were still going according to plans. I was right on track for the guest to arrive at 2pm. Then, at approximately 1:30pm the doorbell rang. OMGosh…My head started spinning and my heart pounding…I’m not done!!! I still have the ‘Christmas Tree” to make. I said to myself, “Oh well…guess they will have to help or talk to me while I finish up”. I opened the front door and there stood my Granddaughter Sarah (Brandon’s wife) with Skylar on her hip Then I looked down and Payton my Great Granddaughter was beaming with a smile from ear to ear!!! Sarah said, “sorry we’re early but she was so excited about coming; I couldn’t make her wait any longer”.

Immediately, my anxiety faded and I invited Payton to help me finish my Christmas Tree. Oh my goodness, that child was so excited!!! She jumped up on a stool and went to work. Before I knew it I had an expert on my hands! She strategically placed the fruits and quickly discarded any that were not worthy to be displayed. Then out of no where she exclaimed, “Meme, where’s the star? We have to have a star!”. Wow, I hadn’t thought of a topper…Leave it to a child to point out the obvious. I told her I would go look in my box of goodies to see what I could find. As I’m walking out of the kitchen she hollers at me “If you don’t have anything I will make you one. I love crafts!”. Knowing I had absolutely nothing in the house for “crafts” I came back with 2 pieces of fern covered in gold glitter. “Oh Meme, that’s perfect!”…Whew, she bought it!

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Soon Tommi, my daughter and son-in-law’s great niece (I love that she calls me Meme too!), arrived and she jumped up on the second stool and began to help decorate the “Christmas Tree”. Now Tommi, she is our fruit and vegetable girl so she was actually eating more than she was placing. I heard Payton tell Tommi, “The topper is not edible” (What 4yr old says edible?) so be sure and don’t try to eat it.

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Before you know it the door bell begins to ring and people begin to show up and the noise level begins to rise. My heart was FULL…They came!!!

Before we got started we blessed the food. Then Payton, Tommi, and Ava seated themselves at a smaller table. They began to prepare their tea while having the cutest little girl conversation.

And The…”Magic” Happened!!!

Giggles…Little Girl Giggles

My most favorite sound in the world was filling our home!!!

All of the cares of the world, anxiety over anything, and sadness engulfing us, lifts at the sound of Little Girl Giggles!

Excitement, Exuberance, Pure Joy exudes in Little Girl Giggles!

Then I began to wonder…When did my Giggle leave me? Where did it go? What made it stop?

But…Wait! One thing I forgot to mention, Giggles are contagious!!! Before I knew it I found myself giggling too!

My Giggle had returned!

The Magic of a Giggles…You have the power to start an epidemic!!!

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A School Assignment Generates A Life Assignement

Dec6

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Late in evening on Thanksgiving day we received a text from Brandi asking if we were still awake. When I responded “yes”, she text, “good, I’m coming down”. Hmmm…We had not left her house that long ago so, we could not imagine why she would be coming to see us.

Because we live only a few doors down from her, it took less than 5 minutes before she was standing in our kitchen with pen and paper in hand. She smiled and announced, “I have to interview one of you for my Psychology class assignment and its due tomorrow. Initially, I was confident she would interview her Daddy because she finds his conversations and responses to her questions humorous and entertaining. But, because he could not quickly put his hands on a baby photo and I could, I was chosen by default.

After only a few questions I became keenly aware assignment was based on Erickson’s Stages of Development. The questions she presented were hard and thought-provoking. The caused me to reflect on physical, mental, and emotional changes I have encountered with the aging process. Yep, it was Erickson’s Generativity vs. Stagnation

Care: Generativity vs. Stagnation

(Copied from the link above Erickson’s Stages of Development)

Existential Question: Can I Make My Life Count?

Generativity is the concern of guiding the next generation. Socially-valued work and disciplines are expressions of generativity.

During middle age the primary developmental task is one of contributing to society and helping to guide future generations. When a person makes a contribution during this period, perhaps by raising a family or working toward the betterment of society, a sense of generativity—a sense of productivity and accomplishment—results. In contrast, a person who is self-centered and unable or unwilling to help society move forward develops a feeling of stagnation—a dissatisfaction with the relative lack of productivity.

Central tasks of middle adulthood
  • Express love through more than sexual contacts.
  • Maintain healthy life patterns.
  • Develop a sense of unity with mate.
  • Help growing and grown children to be responsible adults.
  • Relinquish central role in lives of grown children.
  • Accept children’s mates and friends.
  • Create a comfortable home.
  • Be proud of accomplishments of self and mate/spouse.
  • Reverse roles with aging parents.
  • Achieve mature, civic and social responsibility.
  • Adjust to physical changes of middle age.
  • Use leisure time creatively.

Brandi asked questions I was not really comfortable answering; not because the responses were private but because I did not want to have to admit I was not thriving in gernerativity but instead stagnation.

Generativity is defined as “a concern for establishing and guiding the next generation”.

Holy Cow…This stage of development is for ages 40-59 and I’m 58???

What the heck…What the heck am doing? I’m Stagnant…I’m stagnant and I have only got one year left before I move on to the next stage which is “Ego Integrity vs. Despair”.

OH MY GOSH panic flooded my entire being but I didn’t want Brandi to see that my brain was literally freaking out. I initially told her “well, I can’t think of anything” then, the gears started turning and my brain engaged and a sweet voice spoke to me… “Hello, Lee Ann…Duh, what are you doing every time you train a nurse, medication aid, or CNA? What are you doing when you share your stories with your grandchildren or share a recipe, or offer an opinion when asked, or send that text, or hug them and tell them how much you love them. Baby Girl, you are giving back!”.

Ok…Ok…Ok…but is it enough I thought to myself. Am I doing all I can do to impact future generations? Am I doing enough to further the Kingdom of Heaven. The answer was “Noooooo!!!”.  So, I’ve been thinking of things that would move me from Stagnation to Generativity and here’s my “to do” list.

To Do List:

  1. Be Present: When I am with someone, I will be with them in that moment and not be distracted by the past of future. I will make this moment count
  2. Be Intentional: When I am with someone I will actively engage and interact with that person. I will unplug and make them the center of my attention without distractions
  3. Be Real: When I am with someone, I will be authentic and not try to be someone I think they need but be the me God created me to be. That is when I am my best version of ME and to give them all of me…I need to be the real me.
  4. Be Patient: When I am with someone, I will be patient and allow them to be them. Everyone has weaknesses and struggles. I will allow them to move at the speed they need to move and be patient if it is not my speed.
  5. Be Generous: When I am with someone, I pray I never withhold anything. I want to give them 100% of whatever God has blessed me with to give.
  6. Be Loving: When I am with someone and even when I’m not, I pray most of all they feel loved…Not just a warm fuzzy feeling but a deep to the core kinda love.
  7. Write About It: When God lays something on my heart, I want to be obedient and write about it. Not to draw attention to me but to generate a spark in someone else. Reminds me of that song “It Only Takes a Spark to Get a Fire Going”. Sooo True!

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I will mess up…Heck, I do it daily!!! But I ask God to give me the ability to recognize His opportunities to live a life so others may see Jesus.

So, it seems to me, Brandi’s school assignment generated my Life Assignment…

What’s your Life Assignment?

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I Found My Word For the Year

Dec31

That’s right…I found my word for the year after being challenged by my  dear friend Andrea Stunz who is a contributing author on Kirk Cameron’s website thecourage.com. I absolutely Love… Love…Love what she wrote in “The one word I need for the new year”.  After reading her story, I could not think of anything else…What was my word? I thought of a thousand words but none were perfect for me. Then all of the sudden it came while I was standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes. Of course, my word for 2018 is the most perfect word EVER!!!

HOPE

What is hope? What does hope really mean? I thought I knew but wanted to be sure. OMGosh, my heart skipped a beat as I read about hope and I absolutely loved the definitions.

Noun: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
            Synonyms: Aspiration, Desire, Wish, Expectation, Ambition, Aim, Goal, Plan
Verb: to want something to happen or be the case.
            Synonyms: Expect, Anticipate, Look for, Be hopeful of

Now when I was young I was taught the polar opposite definitions of hope. I was told:

  • “Don’t expect anything and you won’t be disappointed it doesn’t happen”
  • “Don’t get your hopes up”
  • “That will never happen”
  • “We’ll see”
  • “No”

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As an adult those phrases were pushed to the back of my mind until August of 2016 when   my life completely unraveled. I had allowed myself to dream but only to have every thing come crashing down around me. The words I heard growing up became a self-fulfilling prophecy and my life was engulfed with loss and disappointment.

For some, hoping is easy but for me it is a huge risk. Taking the risk to hope again could result in more loss and disappointment. However, I’ve decided…Nothing ventured…Nothing Gained.

There is so much anticipation in the word HOPE. It’s kinda like getting to go on vacation. All you can think about is where your going and what you plan to do when you get there. You expect to have a good time…YOU HAVE HOPE!!!

My favorite scripture contains HOPE!!!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

My Word for 2018 is HOPE

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What Lies Beneath

Feb15

We humans are the most fascinating creatures…We may be going through some really tough times financially, physically, or even emotionally but no one would ever know. Nope, the world is clueless because we are the masters of disguise.

I was reminded of this one day when Richard said, “How ‘Bout A Cup of Coffee” and we headed to the pier to have our afternoon chat. It was windy that day and the waters were a little choppy. I remember thinking to myself…Wow, even though the water is a little rough no one would ever know…

What Lies Beneath

By watching the video below you will understand exactly what I mean!

For the fish in the video, it only takes is a little food to bring them to the surface. You see, they are hungry and under those somewhat calm waters they are scurrying around trying to find that which satisfies their hunger…

We are much the same. We as humans tend to flounder around seeking that which satisfies the emotional hunger in us. To fill the void we buy cars, boats, clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and even enter into unhealthy relationships. That hunger for affection, acceptance or even success can drive us to unhealthy measures in efforts to quiet the turmoil within.

While our physical hunger can be met by the right choices in food, satiety can be obtained for our emotional hunger. In order to recognize what your hungry for, you must…

  • Remove those toxic relationships from your daily life. It is so important to clear out  those negative influences; the ones that drag you down and keep your life in constant turmoil. The relationships that cloud your view of what’s above the chaos.
  • Build healthy relationships. Foster those type relationships that build you up, support you, hold you accountable, and encourage you to be the best you can be. The relationships that keep you from drowning by holding you up and keeping your head above water
  • Be the perfect example of the type of person you are seeking to associate yourself with. Like attracts like so if you want
    • To be treated with kindness…show kindness
    • To be loved…love
    • To be shown respect..respect
    • To be included…include

I could go on forever but I think you get my drift..We can actually satisfy our  hunger by feeding those around us. In doing so we no longer have to feed on the bottom of the lake but instead we actually get to eat the good stuff. We are no longer subjected to the chaos, turmoil, confusion, or unrest…

What Lies Beneath!

If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. Isaiah 58:10

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How ‘Bout A Cup of Coffee?

Feb13

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Richard and I have always enjoyed coffee in the morning but it was in 2005 I learned to appreciate afternoon coffee. I even remember the exact moment our afternoon coffee ritual began…

We were living in Jones Creek, Richard was swinging on the porch swing and I was sweeping the patio when he said, “Baby, come sit with me and have a cup of coffee”. It was in that very moment I realized my husband didn’t care if the patio was swept…He desired my company and wanted my undivided attention. We sat in that swing for the longest time talking, laughing, and just loving each other.

The next day, I was working in the flowerbeds when I looked up and there was my precious husband holding two cups of coffee and he says, “How ’bout a cup of coffee”. I took off my gloves, set the rake aside, and made my way to the swing where we sat and once again shared memories of the girls, talked of the joys of being grandparents, and planned our future projects. Each day we would sit and have afternoon coffee and before I realized it, we had established a routine. Then, on the days he had to work I found myself craving a cup of coffee and our “together time”.

While that patio was one of my most favorite places to sit together, we have since found many places we love to have our afternoon coffee…floating in the pool, sitting by a camp fire, riding on a golf cart, sitting in the park, or our most recent…Sitting on a pier overlooking the lake at our daughter and son-in-laws home.

For Richard and me, coffee has become the code word for quality time. He recognized his “worker bee/ results oriented” wife did not know how or was ever allowed to just sit and relax. Not only did he teach me the art of relaxing, he also showed me the value of quality time, the importance of communication, how to dream and plan for the future. Richard believed in me and invested in me and while drinking coffee we have become closer friends.

Is there someone in your life worth investing your time in…someone you want to be closer to? A sister, brother, parent, friend, classmate, or co-worker?

Perhaps all you need to do is ask them…

“How ‘Bout A Cup of Coffee?”

Be ready…Some may not be willing to allow you to get close to them while others may try to suck the life right out of you. You will never know if your investment of time will be worth it unless you are willing to test the waters while visiting over that first cup of coffee…

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More Powerful Than Any Drug

Jan12

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Do you ever wonder how generations past managed to survive without all the drugs we have access to now?We now have medications for just about whatever ails you:

  • Pain
  • Nervousness
  • Anxiousness
  • Food sensitivities
  • Allergies
  • Irregular heart rate
  • High cholesterol
  • High blood pressure

In addition there are medications to help you stop:

  • Smoking
  • Putting on weight
  • Drinking
  • Doing recreational drugs
  • Laying in bed awake at night

You get my drift…

While watching a movie recently, “Awakening” based on a true story. Dr. Sayer played by Robin Williams makes the most profound statement ever…Sent chills over my entire body when I heard it.

“The human spirit is more powerful than any drug – and that’s what needs to be nourished.”

So, what is the human spirit? It is the ability to think, feel, love, design, create, and enjoy music, humor, and art. And it is because of the human spirit that we have a “free will” that no other creature on earth has.

So, if you think about it…When you can REALLY think, feel, love, design, create, and enjoy those things which God has given us for pleasure we have a tool at our disposal more powerful than drugs. Unfortunately for many life has become so complex and complicated. We get so stressed and overwhelmed that soon we begin to develop physical and emotional problems and turn to drugs first.

For many hearing this is a difficult pill to swallow…It is easier to grab an actual pill and go for the quick fix. However, I would like to recommend…

  • Prayer
  • Meditation
  • Listening to Music
  • Nature
  • Peaceful walks
  • Finding beauty in the little things
  • Verbalizing or demonstrating gratitude
  • Sing
  • Play
  • Dance
  • Spend time with a child
  • Volunteer
  • Spend time with those who lift you up rather than bring you down

You will find any of these activities to be…

MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY DRUG

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Do We Really Love?

Jan8

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When is the last time you said “I Love You”? Did you mean it? I mean did you really mean it? So many people say “I love you” giving no thought to the true meaning of love.

Really, think about it…Do you actions match your words?  Love is not a verb…It is a noun. Love is an intense feeling of deep affection and when the intense feeling is present there is:

  • Patience even when you want to rip someone’s head off
  • Kindness even for the meanest and most undesirable person
  • No envious thoughts no matter how bad you want ____ (you fill in the blank)
  • No boasting even though you are about to burst with excitement
  • No conceit despite how proud you are of ____ (you fill in the blank)

So, the short of it is…

If we say “I Love You” while harboring or expressing any of the following:

  • The opposite of patienceAgitation
    • Cowardice
    • Indifference
    • Resistance
    • Impatience
    • Intolerance
  • The opposite of kindnessAnimosity
    • Hatred
    • Hostility
    • Ill will
    • Indecency
    • Indifference
    • Intolerance
    • Meanness
    • Mercilessness
    • Selfishness
    • Thoughtlessness
    • Cruelty
    • Harshness
  • The opposite of no enviousness (Contentedness)Hatred
    • Ill will
    • Malice
    • Resentment
    • Coveting
    • Spite
    • Opposition
    • Resentfulness
    • Lusting
  • The opposite of no boasting (being modest)Gloat
    • Grandstand
    • Blow one’s own horn
  • The opposite of not conceitedArrogant
    • Cocky
    • Full of Hot Air
    • Ham
    • Know-it-all
    • Loud mouth
    • Narcissistic
    • Self-important
    • Stuck up

Do We Really Love?

I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it!

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It Has Been A Hard Year

Dec31

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Saying goodbye to 2016 will be one of the easiest things we could ever do!  This has been the hardest year of our adult life!!

The hard stuff started with Richard working a 100 day shut down. As if working shift work was not hard enough on both of us…The plant expected him to work 12/12’s in a row, take one day off, and return to work on the 14th day. Supper tough when transitioning from night shift to day shift as he slept his days off away!

Then, we decided to sell our home. Our grandson’s wife came in and helped us sell most of our furniture and interior decor only to discover our contract fell through…The buyers backed out! So, I redecorated the whole house again. Soon after we were settled in, our daughter and son-in-law approached us with a plan to downsize our lives and build a smaller more efficient home. After much discussion we were all in and placed the house on the market again. Before we knew it the house was sold and we were moving all our belongings into storage and we moved in with our daughter and son-in-law. Yep, that was the plan…Live with the kids while we built a house.

We found our land, our builder, and the process was in full motion! We worked the land, installed the culverts, obtained permits, had the electricity ran and we were well on our way then the neighborhood flooded. While where the house would sit was above the flood plain the roads to our land was under water. The flood delayed the building process and provided us more time with the kids. Then on July 30th our son-in-law presented an alternate plan…”Why don’t you just live with us rather than build? It just makes sense” he said. He offered us the second story of their home and again, after much discussion we were on board! He relocated his game room and we moved upstairs!

Also, during that same time Richard took a new job! He was finally going to be able to work Monday-Friday with weekend and holidays off. Woohoo…I had waited over 28yrs for a “Normal” life!!!

So, with us simplifying our lives and reducing our cost of living, I decided to retire. I gave my notice on August 1st. One day later we learned of our oldest daughter’s death. Tori lived in Austin and had passed away on July 31st but because we had move, they had a difficult time locating us. Our world as we knew it was rocked to the core and a giant hole was carved out of our hearts…The following days and weeks were a daze. We had a memorial service for Tori and celebrated her precious life. I am not sure we would have made it through those days without the support of Brandi, Robi, Cheyenne, and the kind words from family and friends.

Soon we realized we needed to get back to some resemblance of a life so we started the daunting task of emptying the storage buildings…4 of them to be exact! It was good to have something to keep our minds occupied because our hearts were aching! We sold, donated, and gifted people with our “stuff” by the trailer loads!  It was hard to believe all we had worked for our entire married life was gone in less than 2 months!!!

Once we finished all the hard work of downsizing we decided to buy a 5th wheel so we could do a little traveling. Richard’s schedule was 4/10’s with every Fri, Sat, and Sun off which was perfect for some weekend traveling! That is until what would be a 3yr assignment turned into 3 months and he finds himself without work.

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3

While 2016 has been filled with mourning and despair, God has been faithful and provided us with beauty for ashes:

  • We have a gift of a lifetime given to us by our daughter and son-in-law. One of family, love, laughter, and simplicity
  • We have witnessed our granddaughter Cheyenne enjoy being drum major this year
  • We have an income and our financial needs are met
  • We have a home
  • We have each other
  • We know we WILL see Tori again

It Has Been A Hard Year…But God has held us Beneath His Sheltering Wings and Close to His Heart and His Promises Are My Hope for 2017

We wish you a Healthy, Happy, and Prosperous New Year Logo

Love,

Richard & Lee

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