Silence

"Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you know the silence when you haven't the answer to a question you've been asked, or the hush of a country road at night, or the expectant pause of a room full of people when someone is just about to speak, or, most beautiful of all, the moment after the door closes and you're alone in the whole house? Each one is different, you know, and all very beautiful if you listen carefully."

— Norton Juster ~ The Phantom Tollbooth

hello?

This post today serves just as a friendly reminder about general home safety.

Just to remind all that in case of an emergency, if the power goes out and electricity is cut off, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a phone with an "actual cord" that plugs into the wall, on hand! (Ok, maybe not actually like the vintage one above, but...)
It doesn't even have to be an expensive one. I picked one up at the store yesterday for 5 bucks. You may even have one tucked somewhere in your house already.
Do yourself a favor, a BIG favor! Take a couple of minutes today, search for it or go buy one, for the "just in case" scenario.

Thank you!

population ?

 

Then Jesus said, "When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters, or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. "

Luke 14:12-14



 

How many times do I daily live in my own little world! I wake up and go about my day as if it is all about me.

 

 I get in the car and drive to where I need to be (even church) and have blinders on...not noticing everything else out there. Not noticing the other stuff that really matters! Well, I probably do this more than I even realize!!

 

In the above video by Matthew West I came to realize that so many times we (me) live in a world of just population ME! A world that is safe, secure, and just big enough for all the things that I need to do in the course of a (overly busy) day.

 My eyes are set on what "I" need to do, when it should rather be set on what "He" wants me to do.

 

I don't know what's best for me. I really don't.

 

How many times I forget that I am a character in someone else's story. Whether I know it or not!!

It may be that homeless man I see walking the cold street every time we are on our way to church.

It also may be that person in the checkout lane that only has one item, but I am in such a hurry that I don't let her go in front of me!

Maybe the child that is standing alone after soccer practice, in the cold, waiting for a parent to pick them up.

 

We never know what "story" the other people in our lives are living. Some of them just have a prettier "cover" than others, and we assume they are just fine, when really they are hurting.

 

Well I have realized it is now time to take those blinders off and scan around me to see the bigger picture... the grander plan.

 

It's NOT all about ME!

 

 

 

Omnia mea tua sunt (All that is mine is yours)

 

 





powerful...

I hear this song by Matthew West on the radio on a daily basis. It's words really hit a nerve last week with me! I feel that this song is such a powerful motivator!

Enjoy!

a prayerful vote...

wake up, People!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you feel something click? Like you are witnessing something for the first time, even though you have been doing the same thing...over and over and over?
I had that experience just last week, and it was as I was reading People magazine of all things!
Let me explain...

A year or so ago, I got the opportunity to order some "free" magazines using unused airline miles that my husband had. I chose a few and was thrilled that People magazine was one of the choices! Wow! I always seem to be intrigued by the cover of it as I am in the check out lane at the grocery store. Now, I can get it sent to my house, weekly, for free!! Woo hoo!! This was to be my one "guilty pleasure" as they (whom ever THEY are) call it. I am not a huge TV watcher. I am not into all of those reality shows, gossip shows and "talkity-talk" shows. Soap opera's never appealed to me. I got my "dirt" from People.

Well, the magazines started to come. Every Friday I would find a fresh People in the mailbox. Full of juicy star gossip and chatter! Waiting for me to dive into.

 But, this is when the "click" occurred. This is when something odd happened! Something really "opened my eyes" as I really paged through that People magazine the last time I read it. I began to really notice the "other stuff".

I first noticed that the magazine was not just entering my mailbox each week, but was also entering my home each week as well. I also noticed that it was covered with not the most positive messages. An almost half-naked woman adored the cover of the last People magazine I received! Was this the message that a Christian Mama wanted to be sending her family? Her girls?? Herself???
The articles about teen moms, diet secrets of the stars and "this star that divorced that star", have jumped at me, hit me in the face and FINALLY woke me up! Enough is ENOUGH!!!
It also didn't help that there was 9 ads in the magazine for some type of medication. 1 cigarette ad and 1 ad for alcohol!! If that wasn't enough, there was also a VERY disturbing ad for a new cable show on TV. The ad depicted, what appeared to be Catholic priests and nuns, doing all sorts of "un-holy" things! This was TOO much! No more!

This is when the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 5:17 came to mind:

¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

I have "seen the light" and things are becoming VERY new to me!! I am ready to let the "old things pass away"!

At that point I put that People magazine promptly in the garbage can. I made a promise to myself that as each new one came in the mail each Friday I would do the same thing with them as well! You can imagine my surprise when last week Friday, as I opened my mailbox, I saw my People magazine sitting there...but this time it was not alone! For a "twin" had decided to join it this week! For now I am getting 2 instead of one! Hmmm... the devil ain't messin' with this Mama!!
 

you are what YOU eat!

The best and most efficient pharmacy is within your own system.
– Robert C. Peale

Yesterday as I was in the checkout lane at my Meijer grocery store I couldn't help but notice the lady in front of me. I actually kept staring at her (trying NOT to be TOO noticeable, of course!) She was a slender woman. Graying hair. When I looked at her face, I could tell she was an "older" woman... an older woman than I, that is. But, I couldn't for the life of me try to guess her age! She had no wrinkles. Her skin actually glowed! She looked SO healthy! So vibrant!! She really looked great for being probably a senior citizen. Wow!
I next glanced at her grocery items that she had on the checkout belt next to me. I instantly got a clue as to what this fit womans secret was. It was her FOOD! Her items included a large quantity of organic this and that. Tons of veggies and fruits. I don't think I saw one processed thing out of a box in her bunch of things.
This encounter with "this woman" fell directly in line with an awakening that I have been reintroduced to just this weekend! While at a garage sale this past Saturday, I found a book that really opened my eyes and made me have an A-HA moment. That book I have been reading, non-stop! The author of this book I have heard about in the past. He is an author that is HATED by the government! Why? Well, because he "tells it like it should be told" and THEY don't like that... AT ALL! This book is called "More Natural Cures Revealed" by Kevin Trudeau. This is the second book to his first "Natural Cures THEY Don't Want You to Know About". We have this book, and I have it in line to read next!
I won't go into those books in detail (now), but I will tell you that I feel stronger than ever that the old saying, "you are what you eat" is 100% true and it is becoming a new family motto in this household!

Happy and HEALTHY eating everybody!

Buzz buzz...

Sorry...it has been a while since I last posted.
I wanted to share with you, though, a new book that I just received in the mail the other day.
It is called Queen Bee Moms and Kingpin Dads by Rosalind Wiseman. I first heard about this book by reading about it in the back of Rosalinds other book, Queen Bees and Wannabes.
I dived in last night, but only got through the Introduction. Yet, I have already learned SO much.
It is not your casual reading material.... you have to take notes (or in my case, underline important areas...and I have already underlined quite a bit!)

Some of the stuff I learned so far:

-In this world, many parents compete ruthlessly through their own children.

-Parents' social hierarchies influence how they guide their own children's lives.

-Your job isn't to be your child's best friend!

-Our culture makes us feel that we have to be and look a certain way so that we belong.

- In many circles, being loyal means backing up your "friends" by saying nothing, laughing, or even joining in when their actions are unethical or cruel.

I am ready and eager to continue on with the book.
Just wanted to share...

me and my shadow...

I still hear you humming, Mama. The color of your song calls me home.

The color of your words saying, "Let her be.

She got a right to be different.

She gonna stumble on herself one of these days.

 Just let the child be."

 And I be, Mama.

~Sonia Sanchez

I had the great joy of spending the entire afternoon, yesterday, with just my oldest daughter.

 Just me and her - her and me.

 A rather rare treat - by why?

Why don't we do this more often - I thought, as the beautiful-sunny-February afternoon swept us away. We need to!

We are!

You see, my daughter is growing up. Her wings are starting to spread.

The time we spend together is important - vital!

I love her so much.

 ...my beautiful daughter of mine.

"In a gentle way you can shake the world" ~ Gandhi

Fumbling through a People magazine, I came across the Books section. The first book that was being reviewed, and that caught my eye, was a book called Quiet by Susan Cain. The first sentence of the review went as follows- "Anyone who has an introverted child- or was one- knows these dreaded words: "He should really speak up more in class".  Yep and YEP!! I can and DO relate! The rest of the review sounded just up my alley and I instantly knew this was one book that I MUST read!

 Visit the authors website ... Susan Cain- The Power of Introverts.

FIND this book!

I found this book at a rummage sale a couple of years back and it is truly one of my favorite all-time books! The book is by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. and it is called Highlighted in Yellow, A Short Course in Living Wisely and Choosing Well.

Remarking on his books, Jackson has said, "Most of us know what we need to do to make our lives more fulfilled and useful, but sometimes we forget. My little books are gentle reminders of those simple things which, if done well and in a spirit of love, can significantly change our lives."

I really believe that EVERYBODY needs one of these books!

thumbs UP

Before you buy, check out which stuff is made/assembled in the USA!

Go to: usstuff.com

STOP this movie!

I don't like to focus on negative and yucky stuff, but this really needs to be addressed! I just read an article about a new movie that is going to come out this month. It is called...gulp....Antichrist. It is said to be "the most horrific movie ever seen". I won't go into all the details, just read here.
Log on HERE to sign the petition to keep this horrible film from coming to your city.

What are your thoughts about this film?