The Lessons We Learn, Part 2

I knew this was gonna end up being a useful post title! ;-) There are so many lessons in life, especially a faith-filled life. Yes, I said especially a faith-filled life. I believe that there's more to learn about life when you have Divine considerations/influences in your life. Not only do you have your society's norms, customs, etc. to learn, but you also have those associated with your faith. And often – especially when that faith is centered on Christ – those customs, values, etc. are in opposition to those of your culture. While I think everyone should be respected, the Christian faith teaches that there is only ONE way to Heaven. And that is through Christ. You can be the nicest person to ever grace this planet, but if you deny Christ, you're not going to Heaven. That is because the basic premise of Christianity is Christ himself. Other religions don't recognize Him for who He is. Some people believe that it doesn't matter what you believe, and everyone's right. If you believe in the Christian God and His Son, you're good. If you believe in the Muslim God (Allah, I believe) then you're good. So long as you believe and follow something, you're OK. I believe that is the basic premise of Agnosticism. I could be wrong about that, though, as I don't recognize that as a valid choice. In my opinion, that is a cop out. "I don't wanna choose," for whatever reason. And "I don't wanna tell anyone else what's right or wrong," again, for whatever reason. I think it's noncommittal and just stupid. Sorry if you consider yourself Agnostic. That's just how I feel. People are allowed to bash us Christians and our faith all they want, but the moment one of us says something about other religions, we're the bad guys. Whatever! I don't care what anyone thinks.

And now that I'm done with that tangent, here's what I really intended to write about: being judgmental. How is that different from what I wrote above? Good question. I'll have to think on that one. But, until then, this is what I can come up with on the fly: Christianity is based on a set of beliefs and principles. Christianity is Christ-centered. Christianity has a lot of black-and-white elements, one of which is that without Christ, no one goes to Heaven. Therefore, I don't think that stating these ideas (which I believe are spiritual FACTS) is being judgmental. One doesn't have to believe something in order for it to be true. People didn't believe Galileo when he claimed the earth was not the center of the universe. But it still was true. You don't HAVE to believe in Jesus Christ. You don't have to believe in God. That's because He gave us FREE WILL. That means you get to choose whom you will serve: Him, yourself, some other deity. You get to choose. He doesn't want people following Him out of obligation. He wants your love. I totally get that. I don't want my husband to be with me because he feels like he has to. I want him to be with me because he loves me.

Again with the tangents! LOL Back to the subject. Being judgmental. I have been thinking about this for weeks – maybe even months. Possibly even longer. I'm not sure. What I do know is that I am writing stream-of-consciousness right now, which is why I'm going all over the place. One thing makes me think of something else, and off I go. That's from whence the tangents come! ;-)

And now I'm hoping to remain on topic at least for a full paragraph. Although, I think I'm finding it difficult because this is a tough subject for me. This is something with which I've struggled and felt God dealing with me about for quite some time now. Writing about it is somewhat humbling. But, it's also somewhat therapeutic. It helps me process my thoughts, examine my feelings and the reasons behind them. And sometimes, it helps me better understand the lesson God is trying to teach me.

With that said, I really feel God has been dealing with me about being judgmental. I have somewhat recently come to the realization that I've spent much of my life being judgmental of others. Certain patterns of thought, more than anything, are what it's been. And much of it I hadn't before realized just how judgmental I had been. Some of it never even registered as judgmental, until now. Whenever I find myself reflecting on these thoughts I've had in the past and how I've gained a new understanding, Jesus' words come to mind:

¹ “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ~ Matthew 7:1-3 (NIV)

That is so very true, and so very interesting. (And, no, I have never doubted Jesus' words. I just have a new understanding of them! ;-) ) And God does indeed have a sense of humor, if you can call it that. I dunno. Perhaps in this case that's not the right terminology. All I know is that everything I've ever been judgmental about has become something I have to deal with. I have plenty of examples, too. Don't worry!

• My weight ~ I remember thinking as a kid (or perhaps a teenager) that I would never be one of those moms. You know, the ones who don't lose the weight after having their kids. Well, there's a reason I don't share too many pictures of myself, and I'll just leave it to that. Yup. I've learned not to be judgmental about that.
• My housekeeping (or lack thereof) ~ I used to LOVE to keep my place clean. Then I had kids.
• Being cool ~ I vowed when I was in about junior high that I'd be a cool mom. One of the moms who listens to the current popular music and watches the same movies as my kids, etc. Um, yeah, so not happening. I've done my best to drown my kids in Christian music, and they all like it. But the day Abby comes home loving the Jonas Brothers or Justin Bieber is the day I'll be uncool in this regard!
• The animals ~ I swore I'd always think of my animals as my furry babies. Then I had real babies. And now, well, let's just say they don't always get the attention they got before the kids came along.

And many, many more things. I swear these are just a small glimpse of things – most of which aren't too serious, thankfully. But, believe me, there is so much more. And every time I find myself reflecting upon things that I once vowed would be one way (to avoid being like one or another person I came across), I shake my head. "If only I knew then what I know now." I sometimes chuckle to myself, and almost always feel like kicking myself.

Now, when I catch myself thinking along those lines. "Well, at least I'm not like her ..." or "That is so not gonna happen with my kids ..." or "At least I'm not that bad ..." or any number of things. I stop myself, ask God to forgive me for having such judgmental thoughts, and get those thoughts out of my head. Sometimes I have to do that several times. I have a new empathy for people, and (hopefully) a new humility. (Is saying I've learned how to better be humble the opposite of acting it?) God is teaching me, dealing with me. I'm trying my darnedest to make sure this lesson is one that sticks!

The Lessons We Learn

As I thought about what to title this post, The Lessons We Learn popped into my mind. I think this might end up being the first in a series, as Lord knows there are many lessons we learn in life – and I'm not talking academics, either! ;-) For now, though, I'll just share what's on my mind.

As you might or might not know, back in early September, I hurt my wrist. Badly. I couldn't type much, and that's when I fell out of the blogosphere for a while. I still have some pain and/or discomfort (depending on the day), and was told by my doctor that it could take up to 12 weeks to fully heal. (Darn those ligaments! ;-) ) Based on my tendency to overdo it at times, I wouldn't be surprised if it took even longer than that.

Anyway, in the course of learning to cope with an injured wrist, I learned a lot. A lot about myself, and a lot about how much I take having a whole, (mostly) healthy body for granted. And before I continue, let me state that I am left-handed, and had injured my right wrist. I think that's pertinent. Anyway, today, while getting dressed and doing laundry, I thought of a whole bunch of things that it just amazes me how much we (and I think it's safe to assume I'm not the only one here) tend to take for granted. So, I present to you my list.

Things I took for granted before hurting my wrist:

1. Tying my kids' shoes. It's very hard to get the angles and movements down right when you can't bend your wrist.


2. Doing my hair. I wear it up a lot. Putting my hair into a ponytail wasn't happening with just one hand!


3. Reading a book. Seriously! I know it sounds silly, but it's hard to hold the book the way I normally do without being able to bend at the wrist! Especially with paperback books!


4. Sleeping. I am not kidding. It was hard getting comfortable with a heavy brace on my arm – and being unable to bend that wrist the way I guess I normally do. (I had no idea I do that!)


5. Putting on my bra. It's next to impossible without being able to bend the wrist. Ladies, you know what I'm talking about! That back closure – um, yeah. Thank God I could get the hubby to help.


6. Cutting my children's food.


7. Driving. I didn't realize how much I drove one-handed, using my right hand! I ended up basically having to use my left hand while cradling my right arm in my lap. But, when it came time for turn signals, that was rough. The brace has a metal plate/bar thing inside that goes up the length of the underside of it. (That's the side that includes the palm of my hand.) It's next to impossible to grip anything when using the brace!


8. Sex. Sorry, but I'm not going to elaborate ... ;-)


9. Changing diapers. It's not as hard as I thought it would be, but still. A compromised – and largely useless – hand makes it a bit more challenging!


10. Getting dressed. Slightly less tricky than getting my boobs covered was pulling on the lower-body coverings ...


11. Doing laundry. Loading the washer/dryer wasn't so bad. Took extra long, though, with only one hand. (Both are front-loaders.) But, folding laundry was impossible. And, yes, now I am behind. Most stuff is clean, but not necessarily where it should be ...


12. Lots and lots of other things. This list could go on for days and days! LOL

It was amazing to me the things I took for granted. Absolutely amazing. I had no idea how much I actually do rely on my right hand, despite being left-handed! I do think that my ability to adapt pretty easily comes from being a lefty in a right-handed world. (It really is true – ask any lefty!) I am EXTREMELY grateful that it was my right wrist, and not the left one, though.

I am finally no longer wearing the brace. For a few weeks, I only had to wear the brace for sleeping. It was so nice to be mostly free! LOL I recently was told I can go without even overnight, and that has been awesome. Although, I have aggravated things a bit over the past couple of weeks, and elected to sleep with the brace again. I'm hoping and praying that this injury gets fully healed SOON, as I'm kinda tired of this!

The Ws (and H)

I know the who. Natalie. I know the what. Her third birthday. I know the where. Anywhere she is! ;-)What I'm not so sure about is the why – or the how. OK, yeah, I get the why, biologically speaking. But still, who said she could "grow up" so damn quickly? I know, God (which is what Abby would tell me), but still. I don't like it one bit! Why is the baby phase over before we know it? Why is it that we blink and it's gone? (The logical, not-so-sentimental side says that it's because if that phase was super long, we'd never have more than one child – or we'd die much younger than we do ... ;-) Clearly, it's not the logical side writing right now ...)And, HOW? HOW is it possible that she was born THREE YEARS ago? Talk about time flying by! I still remember much of my pregnancy with her quite vividly, as well as her birth and her as a newborn. Don't get me wrong, I am not a huge fan of the newborn phase. I love them small and snuggly, but I hate the helpless feeling when you just can't figure out what's bothering them ... Anyway, clearly, it's the cute, cuddly stuff I'm waxing poetic right now! ;-) I just cannot wrap my mind around the fact that my precious, sweet (SUPER surprise) baby girl is THREE YEARS OLD! Knock me over with a feather!

Yes, I said surprised. Nothing about my final pregnancy was planned. I was still nursing Grant when I found out I was pregnant again. He was 13 months old. From sometime during his first year I knew instinctively (mother's intuition – or divine advanced warning – you decide) that our next baby was going to be born in October. I did not realize it meant the October after his first birthday ... Still, the pregnancy was a complete surprise – especially to Mr. Ham. On a very, very deep level, I knew I was pregnant before it was possible to get a positive pregnancy test. So, when I did get one, I wasn't all that surprised. And I definitely wasn't shocked – but he was. I was excited by the time I broke the news to him, because I had had some time to absorb the idea. I don't know when he got excited, but let's just say that it's all good now. We both love her to pieces. She is the absolute best surprise ever. God has been so good to us.

Still, it's hard to believe that was three years ago – or three years and nine months, if we're counting the pregnancy. Man, these kids grow up fast! (I don't currently have good Natalie pics on my computer, but I'll try to get one up soon.)

Well, it is late and I am EXHAUSTED! I was hoping to write more, but this will have to be it.

Thinking

I have noticed that there are times I tend to isolate myself from my friends. Not my family, because that's pretty much impossible. (It's hard to isolate yourself from people with whom you share a house!) But, my friends – especially my closest friends – are another story. I'm not entirely sure why I do this. I've thought about it, but I just don't know. In some ways, I would guess it's so I can be selfish – or maybe because I'm being selfish. If I'm isolating myself from them, then I can wallow in my own misery without feeling guilty. Until I realize I've basically cut off everyone who cares about me. It's not like I do it on purpose. I never realize I'm doing it until I suddenly realize that I haven't spoken to certain people in what feels like forever. Then I realize I'm doing it again. Yes. Again.

I wish I knew and understood why I do this. This is one of those many things that makes me think I should be in therapy. And, no, I don't think being in therapy is a bad – or even embarrassing – thing. I really think it can be very helpful and very good for someone who needs it. And I believe I'm one of those people. But, I haven't the slightest idea how to go about finding a good therapist. I have trust issues, so I can't just find a random person and talk to him/her about whatever's bothering me. I know they are bound by law to keep my secrets or refrain from sharing information I'd rather be kept private, but that doesn't help me in the trust department. Trust is a HUGE issue for me. Huge. (Just ask any of my close friends or Mr. Ham about it.) That's one of the things that makes my faith so unbelievable for me. I can trust God in just about anything. I know He'll pull through for me. I know He'll take care of me. But, He has proven himself again and again in my life. I KNOW – without the tiniest bit of doubt – that He is trustworthy.

After almost 12 years of marriage and more than 17 years together, my husband has proven himself trustworthy, too. It's taken me a LONG time to get to where I can honestly say I trust him completely, but I'm finally there. Satan keeps trying to make me doubt that, but so far I've been able to disallow his seeds of doubt to grow. He keeps inserting thoughts along the lines of "Things are too perfect. Something's gotta go wrong soon. This is the calm before the storm. Can you really trust him implicitly? How many women think they know their husbands, think they can trust them, only to find out he's been hiding something big?" I am trying desperately to keep these seeds from being planted. I'm trying hard to deflect every one of these. Mr. Ham has never given me a real reason to doubt him, and I refuse to do so. But, Satan keeps trying. He knows where I struggle, and he's trying to exploit that. I won't let him.

Anyway, I appear to be in a funk again, although I think my cycles affect that greater than I'd like them to. And, yes, this funk includes being reclusive. *sigh* For me, there's not much getting around that. It appears to be the way I'm wired.

I am at a loss as to the best way to end this, so I guess it's over now! ;-) Thanks for reading!

Review: DiamondEarrings.org

I love this heart-shaped box.
So cool!

The 411: I was recently contacted to review earrings from DiamondEarrings.org. I thought, sure, why not? Who doesn't love diamond earrings, right? Now, to make sure it's clear: these are not real diamonds, but simulated diamonds. This is part of a promotion for DiamondEarrings.org, to help spread the word about this site. The eventual plan is to sell real diamond jewelry.

My Thoughts: First, I was quite impressed by how quickly these earrings arrived. I expected to wait weeks, but that was not the case. We're talking days! And this was free – no money out of my pocket! I'm guessing paying customers will be able to expect the same, if not faster, shipping! When I opened the package, I was delighted. The box the earrings is a black velvet box that is heart-shaped! LOVE the heart shape!

Sorry the quality of the picture
isn't very good. The earrings
are gorgeous and fun to wear!

The earrings themselves are beautiful! They look as real as my real diamond earrings, and that is pretty cool. I'm always nervous about wearing my real diamonds to things like the pool or something that could result in my losing one. These are great to use as my replacement pair. My husband and my friends were unable to tell that they are simulated diamonds.

Get Them: For a limited time, you, too, can get your hands on a free pair! All you have to pay is $3.77 for shipping and handling! Simulated diamond earrings for less than $4! All they ask is that you spread the word about their site in exchange for the earrings. For more information or to place your order, visit their site, DiamondEarrings.org.

Thank You: These earrings were sent to me free of charge by Chris at DiamondEarrings.org.

I did it for my daughter

This weekend was Abby's overnight camp out for Girl Scouts. I had to be there, too, which was fine. It was nice to get to have some time with just her (and a bunch of other Girl Scouts and their moms ...). But, sleeping was a challenge. I decided to write something up in the notepad on my iPod Touch in the midst of my insomnia last night. This was written at 1:56 a.m. today.

Longest night EVER!!!!! Can't sleep to save my life! :-( gaaaaahhhhh! I hate, hate, hate this. I don't usually have trouble sleeping like this. What is the problem?

1. The bed sucks.
2. Others snore.
3. Beds are noisy.
4. Abby occasionally makes noise (once even shouting her BFF's name while still asleep), causing mommy senses to kick in.
5. Lots of lightning.
6. Thunder is beginning - finally.
7. No fan.
8. No Dan (known around here as Mr. Ham).
9. Stupid wrist brace.
10. Sleeping bag sucks.
11. Tiny, hard bed - more of a slab, really.
12. Can't get comfy. Possibly related to a few previous items. Who am I kidding? Definitely ...
13. Thunder is getting LOUD.
14. Mystery "soundtrack" music on my iPod - songs not conducive to SLEEPING!!!!!!!!

I didn't get to sleep, sleep – you know, truly asleep – until after 3 a.m. But, Abby had a blast, and that's what makes me not mind. And for me, this is HUGE. Normally, I am GROUCHY (making Oscar look like a saint) and do NOT function well on so little sleep.

And on that note, I have some reading to finish up. And some sleep to catch up on! ;-)

Tiny Update

Here I go again, ignoring this blog. I'm sorry. I have really, really overdone it with Proud Book Nerd. Too much to read in too little time. Then I added Blogmania to the mix, which I stupidly forgot to mention here. Sorry, friends! :-( On top of all of that, I've had sick kids, who decided to share their germs with me. I was VERY ill for a couple of days this week. And, the icing on the cake, I somehow (don't ask how, as I don't know how) managed to injure my right wrist. (Thank God I'm a lefty!) I've seen my chiro, who has found one of the little bones out of place. It has been popped back into place, and is healing. It feels MUCH better, but is still sore. I wear a brace on my wrist most of the time. I'm doing much better, but this situation makes typing a bit tough.

That's my excuse ...

Anyway, I'm hoping to get this blog in on a holiday giveaway (similar to Blogmania) in December. Something fun. I haven't heard back yet, though, as to my status. If not this, then the book blog, but I'd rather here. Share the love! ;-)

Me, personally, I'm overall OK, despite what I mentioned above. While sick, I missed two days of the Zoloft, then briefly considered never looking back. But I'm not ready for that yet. I have decided that I need therapy. Now I am overwhelmed by the task of trying to find a therapist. It is IMPERATIVE that this person is also a Christian. I have to have someone with similar beliefs to my own. That's not negotiable. Otherwise, I dunno. I think I'd prefer a woman, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyone with advice on finding a good therapist? I think I'm gonna call or e-mail my church and ask for referrals or recommendations, and go from there. Anyone with a better idea?

Why do I want therapy? Well, there's a lot on my mind. A lot more stress than I think I even let myself realize on a conscious level, if that makes any sense. Add to that, I have past stuff that just needs to get worked through. I don't remember a vast majority of my childhood, and what little I do remember is fuzzy. There has to be a reason for it. Based on what I do remember, I think I spent a large part of my childhood depressed. There was a lot of loss, much more than most kids have to deal with, and I took it hard. Perhaps there's more to the memory loss than I know, but that's the reason for therapy. It's like an infection under the skin. It's going to fester and affect me, whether I can see it or not. While the process is painful, it's best I get to the source of the issues I have in my life. Once I get to the junk beneath the surface, then true healing can occur. How can I give it all to God if I don't even know what it is I'm carrying? How can I forgive others, if the need is there, if I don't know what needs to be forgiven? I think this might also help with the whole weight-loss issue. And my self-esteem – or lack thereof.

And now my injured wrist is starting to ache. Better stop typing. Love to you all! I have some plans for this blog – the direction I want it to take. I just have to heal (the aforementioned wrist) and make time (the aforementioned book blog). While I have little control over the former, I'll do what I can about the latter!

It SHRUNK, and now I'm STUCK!

I'm in a pickle! It's not a major issue, rather more of an annoyance. Last weekend, I finally washed the hamper covers we have for our kids. They have the folding wood-framed hampers. Well, the girls' hampers might have shrunk a little, but the boy's hamper. Well, it shrunk so much I can't really get the cover back on there! :-( So, now I need a new hamper cover for him. But, I can't find one. I did a Google search, looked on eBay, and even checked esty. No luck. Plenty of hampers, no covers without the frames. Anyone know where I can get just a cover? Or, anyone crafty and able to make one? I managed to find the hamper for sale on Babies R Us, but I don't think I want this hamper/cover again! :-/

What it looks like:

The "specs" (click on it to read it):

The link:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3762925

Random Dozen 9/1

1. What insect are you most afraid of? Feel free to post a picture. Insect? I dunno. I guess maybe bees, wasps, things like that.

2. What is the greenest/most organic thing about you or that you do? Umm ... we buy organic milk for the kids.

3. Tell me about a recurring dream that haunts you. Gosh, it's been a LONG time since I've had the dream. But, it's always in a big white house that has a huge lawn. My family – meaning my mom and my sisters – is always there with me, and there's always some evil spirit in the house. Last I remember it we were on the second floor, and there was a stairwell in the back corner of the house that led down below the house, where the evil spirit was dwelling. I remember us trying to pray against the spirit, but ending up trying to flee the house. We were in a small white car, trying to get as far away as possible, but traffic was horrible and we couldn't move very quickly! That was the latest installment. I've had that house in my dreams, with my mom and sisters, and some sort of evil presence, many times throughout the years. The circumstances, the "resolution" or whatever isn't always the same, though.

4. Have you ever missed a flight? What were the circumstances? Nope.

5. What do you consider your best feature? If we mean physical feature, I'd guess my eyes.

6. What was the last concert you went to? Umm ... I think it was Skillet in November. Or Winter Jam earlier this year. Yeah, that was it. Third Day, Tenth Avenue North, Fireflight, and a bunch of other groups were there.

7. Describe the most embarrassing church moment you ever experienced. Can't think of one, sorry.

8. Are you a whistler, hummer or singer? Singer.

9. George Washington Carver said, "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." What is God saying to you through nature today, or this very minute? Umm ... I dunno. I'm sitting at my computer desk in the corner of my living room. The sky is full of clouds, and we're expecting more storms.

10. On September, 1, 1752, the Liberty Bell arrived in Philadelphia. What memorable event will take place in your life on September 1, 2010? Today? I don't know. I have nothing particularly memorable planned. But, the day's not quite half over, so perhaps something exciting (in a good way) will happen.

11. Taco Bell or the Liberty Bell? (You must choose.) I'm hungry, so right now Taco Bell! ;-)

12. Do you believe men and women can have purely platonic friendships? Maybe. I don't think all male-female relationships are sexual, but I think the potential is ALWAYS there. Always. So, as a married woman, I try to make sure my husband is friends with my male friends. And he tries not to cultivate friendships with women I'm not familiar with.

Friend Makin' Monday: Back to the Basics

Friend Makin' Monday is back! YAY! I've missed this one. It's always been a lot of fun. This week it is hosted at All the Weigh. To participate, just copy and paste, then insert your own answers. Don't forget to add yourself to the linky in this week's post!

I like...so many things. The first thing that comes to mind won't shock any of you: reading. ;-)

I don't like...Mondays, even when Makin' Friends. Getting back into the routine can be brutal. If only I had the discipline to maintain the schedule even on the weekends ...

I love...my family, God and Jesus, music, reading, etc.

I dream of...Genie ... hee hee! ;-) I dunno. Of my children coming to Christ, that's for sure.

I wonder...when (or should I say if?) I will ever feel rested again!

I know...that God placed me on this earth for a reason. I just wish I knew what that reason was ...

I went...to Europe when I was 10 weeks pregnant with my son. Early in pregnancy is not the time to travel to new places. I was miserable, unable to enjoy the food (Germany and France), and too tired to do much!

I have...a wonderful husband. God has really blessed me.

I think...that I need to get off my arse and get myself – and the kids – out of PJs and into our clothes for the day. :oops:

I plan...on the number of books I read for review so I can enjoy books I wanna read just because.

I regret...too much. I need to learn to let go of the past, to forgive myself for mistakes I've made. Regret doesn't get me anywhere but depressed.

I do...not know if I should blog about life issues here or on an anonymous blog. I want to work through some things, and I want to be able to talk about whomever/whatever I choose without worrying about repercussions. I suppose that means it should be anonymous – or not at all ...

I drink...too much Dr Pepper. If I stopped drinking it, I'd lose a lot of this weight ... but, I don't drink coffee, and often need the caffeine.

I wish...I was a better person.

I am...struggling.

I am not...happy with myself lately. I'm still fat. I'm almost constantly tired. I'm just sick of this.

I need...to go outside and cover the sandbox before it starts raining.

I graduated...from college a few months after getting married. Mr. Ham and I spent the first few months of our marriage apart. (He was working in Chicago, and I was in school 3 hours away.)

I hope...to bring all of my children to Christ. Abby has accepted Christ into her heart, so I have one down and two left to go.

I want...a bigger house. I want a playroom, so the toys aren't all over the place. I want a second bathroom and a master suite.

I sometimes...wonder if I'm bipolar like my grandmother was.

I always...trust God and know that He will guide and protect me.

I can...read quite fast. I've already read over 60 books this year.

I work...around the house, as a SAHM.

I cannot...control everything I wish I could. I need to accept this, and learn to give it to God.

I avoid...conflict like the plague. It's pathetic, really.

I will...not give up. I will give things to God and allow Him to work.

Five Question Friday

1. How many pets do you have? Three: Two cats (Huckleberry and Zeus) and one dog (a beagle named Sawyer)


2. If you could switch places with anyone in the world for one day, who would it be? I honestly can't think of anyone. I like my life.


3. What is your favorite money saving tip? Using coupons can make a big difference.


4. What do you want your kids to be when they grow up? Something they enjoy – not enjoy but are passionate about. It makes a difference to love what you do. In addition to that, it's gotta pay the bills and keep them fed. ;-)


5. What is your favorite quote? I have a lot of them, really. One of my current favorites:

"One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us."
— Cassandra Clare (Clockwork Angel)

Wanna play? You can find Mama M.'s post and linky HERE.

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. You do your thing; I do mine and sometimes we can work together.

2. The book I'm about to start reading is what's been on my mind on and off all day.

3. Remember when life was a lot simpler.

4. Dr Pepper, reading, and music are three of my favorite obsessions :-)

5. During the last year I have learned a lot about myself.

6.My family puts a smile on my face.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Disc 1 of Season 4 of Grey's, tomorrow my plans include laundry (fun stuff), reading, and possibly more Grey's and Sunday, I want to finish laundry, and read some more!

Thursday Thunks: Giving away Money

1. To whom did you last give the finger? Um, I don't know. I don't generally do that, so it's been quite a long time.

2. If you had 1,000 dollars and HAD to spend it, what would you buy? Clothes for the kids, lots of books for me, clothes for the hubby, a new bike for me, some things for the house.

3. What was the last beverage you spilled on yourself? On myself? I dunno. It's been a long time!

4. When was the last photograph you took? What was it of? Gosh, over the last couple of weeks, of the kids, of course! ;-)

5. Who was the last person to smoke a cigarette in your presence? I'm not sure. Probably my sister.

6. What animal did you last pet or hold? Our cat.

7. What was the last superstitious thing you did? Probably knock on wood. I do that a lot.

8. What was the last text message you received? DH telling me the text I sent him before that was funny.

9. Berleen has decided to buy twelve goats. If she trades three for some awesome pot, loses one while she was stoned, what do you think she did with the rest? Milked them and made cheese.

10. What was the last musical instrument played in your presence? I don't know.

11. What was the last note that you wrote on your hand? I don't write notes on my hand.

12. Kimber announced that she was born on another planet. Which one do you think it was and why? Mars. Because it sounds neat.

13. What are you wearing as you answer these ridiculously stupid TT questions? PJ pants and a tank top. Time to go get dressed ...

That was fun. If you wanna play, check out the Thursday Thunks blog! :-)

Friday Fill-Ins

And...here we go!

1. Laughter is the best medicine – or so "they" say.

2. Hey, I got ... are the three words that started off the last email I sent.

3. What I'm most looking forward to today is just that it's Friday night. The weekend begins.

4. Being with my kids (when they're not misbehaving) puts a smile on my face.

5. Where in the world is Carmen SanDiego? ;-)

6. This peace and quiet is just what I needed!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Grey's Anatomy and finishing my read, tomorrow my plans include posting a review of previously mentioned novel, more reading, more Grey's Anatomy, and possibly ordering new tires for the van and Sunday, I want to read some more, finish Grey's (if not already done), not sure what else!

If you want to play along, go HERE.

Tuesday Tunes #9

I almost forgot Tuesday Tunes this week! Today was my daughter's first day of school, and it's totally messed up my concept of time! LOL Anyway, let's listen to some MUSIC!

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

This week’s picks:

Once again, I set my iPod Touch on shuffle, and this is what came up! (Click the links to listen.)

1. In The Blink Of An Eye by MercyMe ~ This is off their 10 album, and I'm not sure which album it was on originally. But, it's a great sing-along song!

2. More Than Fine by Switchfoot ~ This is on their The Beautiful Letdown album. I bought this on a whim, when I saw it on BIG-time markdown at Family Christian Stores. Their name sounded familiar, and a couple of the song titles rang tiny bells in the back of my mind, but I wasn't quite sure who they were. Until I listened to the CD. LOVE it. And, so far, it's my favorite of theirs. Switchfoot is an awesome band.

Play along! Put your iPod, MP3 player, iTunes, CD player, or whatever on random/shuffle and share the first couple of songs with me!

Friday Fill-Ins

It's been awhile, but I am making the point of taking more time for this blog. And now on with the show ...

1. Music is my passion.

2. More sleep is what I like first thing in the morning.

3. The first thing I said this morning was:"Don't wake up Grandma" .

4. Pizza?; it's what's for dinner tonight.

5. It's all been fun

6. Nothing is what I feel like doing right now.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading and hopefully watching more Grey's Anatomy, tomorrow my plans include laundry, more reading, vet appointment for the cat, and more Grey's Anatomy and Sunday, I want to read some more, watch more Grey's (I have two discs on hand right now), finish laundry!

If you want to play along, you can find this week's thread HERE.

Random Dozen 8/11

1. When was the last time you laughed until you cried? Gosh. Somewhat recently. I think laughing at/with the kids.

2. If you found $10 today, what would you do with it? Pocket it and save it until I need some cash.

3. Do you volunteer anywhere? No. I should.

4. What is your favorite summertime veggie or fruit, and how do you eat it? Fresh sweetcorn. YUM! We boil it, then smother it in butter, salt, and a tiny bit of pepper! YUM! I LOVE living in the Midwest!

5. Is your social sphere (circle of friends) small, medium or large? Depends on how you define my "sphere of friends" – all friends, or just people I know IRL? All friends (including those I only know through online interactions), I would actually say it's medium-to-large. Just IRL people, miniscule.

6. When was the last time you attended a family or school reunion? How did that go? Our 10-year school reunion was 5 years ago. I was VERY pregnant with my son, and my husband (who was in my same graduating class at the same school) was gone for a 30-day civilian deployment to New Orleans. (It was his first time helping out with post-Katrina stuff.) It was neat to see people, but I kinda felt like an odd-woman-out.

7. When you're feeling blue, what is the best way someone can cheer you up? Hugs, making me laugh, and relieving me from kid duty for a few hours.

8. Have you taken a vacation this summer? No. I wish we had, but it didn't work out. Maybe next year.

9. What is the most unnecessary item you carry with you all the time? A book. About 90% of the time I have a book in my purse. It goes everywhere with me, because I just never know when I'll wish I had it. It's great for waiting on the doctor at appointments, stuck in a traffic jam (I'm talking stand-still for 30 minutes, which I've experienced), waiting for the bell to ring when picking up the kids after school, etc.

10. What is the best summer flick you have seen so far? Eclipse.

11. Describe a perfect summer day. Hmm ... I could go one of two ways with this. Day 1: AWESOME, powerful thunderstorms. It's not too hot, so I can sit comfortably on the front porch and enjoy the smell of the rain, the feel of the wind, and the sound of the thunder. It's also not too cool, so the rain doesn't make me chilled. It's also not too windy, so I can read a book while enjoying the storm. Day 2: About 75-80ºF, no humidity, a perfect light breeze.

12. Please a share a favorite photo from the summer so far! Umm....all of the pics are on my hubby's laptop, which is going to St. Louis with him today. So, I can't get those right now. Sorry!

Tuesday Tunes #8

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

This week’s picks:

Once again, I set my iPod Touch on shuffle, and this is what came up! (Click the links to listen.)

1. Amazed by Building 429 ~ Great song.

2. Everlasting God by Chris Tomlin ~ Chris Tomlin is one of the best Christian songwriters out there right now. He writes some of the best, most worshipful, songs I've heard in a while. I don't think this is one he actually penned, but that's beside the point! ;-) This is a great song nonetheless!

Enjoy!

Blogger Appreciation Day: July 2010

It's hard to believe it's already August! Where is this year going?

As such, it is time once again to say thanks to you, my readers. So, thank you for your support! It means a lot to me!

This is also time to thank those who share this blog with others.

This was started by Kelli at 3 Boys & a Dog.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go into your tracking service (I use Google Analytics) and set the time period for July 1st – July 31st.


2. Find the sites that have referred readers to you and put them in order from most sends to lowest.


3. Write a post (like this one) listing your top 10 referrers.


4. Link that post up in Kelli’s MckLinky, which is HERE.

It would be appreciated if you could link back to this post, you know – return the favor! ;-)

Without further ado …

Thank you to my top 10 referrers for July!

1. 3 Boys & a Dog ~ 17


2. Proud Book Nerd ~ 16 (yes, it's mine, but there were slim pickings in July :oops: )


3. Sunday Stealing ~ 13


4. The Undomestic Momma ~ 8 <– first time on the list! ***TIED with #4 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


5. The Girl Creative ~ 8 <– first time on the list! ***TIED with #3 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


6. BlogUpp! ~ 4<– first time on the list!


7. MomDot ~ 3 ***TIED with #6-7 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


8. There's A Book ~ 3 ***TIED with #5, 7 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


9. Trendy Treehouse ~ 3 ***TIED with #5-6 – listed in same order as on Google Analytics***


10. Busy Moms Who Love to Read ~ 2 <– first time on the list!

(I do not list engines, Twitter, FaceBook, etc.!)

Tuesday Tunes #7

You know what would be really cool? If anyone played along with this! I'm lonely! :-( You know I love you all! ;-)

For the newbies, here’s the scoop: Tuesday Tunes is a hopefully weekly meme hosted here at Rambings & More. What’s the point? Sharing music. I LOVE music. LOVE it. In fact, I would say it’s very reasonable to say that music is my passion. It’s one of few, very few, things that I couldn’t imagine living without. As such, I’m always looking for new music, and I’m more than happy to share my favorite music! Well, not just my favorites. I also share whatever’s in my head at the moment, and sometimes that’s determined by what my KIDS are into at the moment. Anyway, please share your music with me! For now, just leave me a comment with your link. (And please link back to me.) When we get some more participation, I’ll make a button and get us a Linky to make sharing easier! Note: Sometimes (likely more often than not) I will share Christian music. That does NOT mean only Christian music is welcome. I wanna know what YOU’RE listening to, whatever genre it is!

So, as I recently mentioned, I've finally started watching Grey's Anatomy. (If you haven't read about it, you can find the post HERE. Go ahead, I'll wait ...)

And now that you're back ... As I said on the post linked above, one of my favorite things about Grey's is the music! I like it so much I actually went out and bought a 3-disc boxed set of Grey's Anatomy soundtrack music! And, it only seems fitting that I share one or two songs from that! So, here we go (click the links to listen)!

1. Cosy In The Rocket by PSAPP ~ This is the full song from which the title song for the show is taken. I love it!

2. Song Beneath The Song by Maria Taylor ~ Another one I love.

I'm gonna stop now. Both of these are on the first CD. Maybe, if I can't think of anything else next week, I'll share more favorites then!

So, how about you? What are you listening to lately?