Here's the other end of the spectrum:
Tips for Better Life
1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Sleep for 7 hours. ( propose to amend that to 9)
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did the previous year.
7. Make time to practice think, exercise, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. (by default, done :-) )
11. Drink plenty of water.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
14. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
15. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. (working on)
16. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
17. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. ( I'm not sure about that one. For sugar level purposes, I eat 6 consistant small meals through out the day)
18. Smile and laugh more.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. (guilty)
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. (done)
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don't compare your partner with others.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Forgive everyone for everything.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business. (tell myself everyday)
27. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
28. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family & friends will. Stay in touch.
29. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
30. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
31. The best is yet to come.
32. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
33. Do the right thing!
34. Call your family often.
35. Your inner most is always happy. So be happy.
36. Each day give something good to others.
37. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
38. Share this with someone you care about
Our Anniversary
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Worst Day of the Year by FamilyLife
This applies to me today although not due to after Christmas debt.
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:18
If you woke up feeling especially blah this morning, you're in good company. January 24 is now officially "the most depressing day of the year."
Those are the findings of Dr. Cliff Arnall, an English psychologist who specializes in seasonal disorders at the University of Cardiff in Wales. His formula for analyzing such things includes seven variables--the weather, personal debt, monthly salary and even the amount of time since Christmas, among other things--that determine people's feelings of happiness.
He figures January 24 is when credit-card bills start rolling in, reminding us how we got carried away again with our holiday spending. By now many of our New Year's resolutions have fallen by the wayside or at least been riddled with pockets of compromise.
Maybe he's right. Maybe you really are feeling it today. But what Dr. Arnall may not understand is that our joy and contentment doesn't have to be taken away by the bleak clouds of winter or the long wait until our next vacation. As followers of Christ, a settled sense of well-being and belonging can be ours no matter what our set of circumstances.
Hear again the words of a man who knew what to do with a January 24 kind of feeling: "Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord GOD is my strength" (Habakkuk 3:17-19). God is there with you every day of the year.
Discuss: Maybe this would be a good time to get a jump on Thanksgiving. Talk about everything there is to rejoice in, make a list of things you are thankful for, even on a day that may be blah.
Pray: Take turns giving thanks to God. Praise is one of the most important elements of worship and in experiencing God in our lives.
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:18
If you woke up feeling especially blah this morning, you're in good company. January 24 is now officially "the most depressing day of the year."
Those are the findings of Dr. Cliff Arnall, an English psychologist who specializes in seasonal disorders at the University of Cardiff in Wales. His formula for analyzing such things includes seven variables--the weather, personal debt, monthly salary and even the amount of time since Christmas, among other things--that determine people's feelings of happiness.
He figures January 24 is when credit-card bills start rolling in, reminding us how we got carried away again with our holiday spending. By now many of our New Year's resolutions have fallen by the wayside or at least been riddled with pockets of compromise.
Maybe he's right. Maybe you really are feeling it today. But what Dr. Arnall may not understand is that our joy and contentment doesn't have to be taken away by the bleak clouds of winter or the long wait until our next vacation. As followers of Christ, a settled sense of well-being and belonging can be ours no matter what our set of circumstances.
Hear again the words of a man who knew what to do with a January 24 kind of feeling: "Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord GOD is my strength" (Habakkuk 3:17-19). God is there with you every day of the year.
Discuss: Maybe this would be a good time to get a jump on Thanksgiving. Talk about everything there is to rejoice in, make a list of things you are thankful for, even on a day that may be blah.
Pray: Take turns giving thanks to God. Praise is one of the most important elements of worship and in experiencing God in our lives.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration
I feel like me for the first time in over a week :-) After the gluten incident I went full swing in to a viral infection that had me home from work for three days and on the couch for 5. The virus ran it's course over a total of 7 days. Feeling better physically does wonders for my disposition as Billy has been living with a bit of a grump.
This man
took an oath, so help him God before 1.5 million people:
and the entire world.
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
I watched the inauguration this morning at the office seated between two of Obama's voters. I cast my vote for the other guy. I am going to appreciate the effort the president will be called on to put forth over the next 4 years whether or not I agree with his decisions. I will be praying for God to guide him. He is all of America's president. Scripture calls on all of us to respectfully pray for those in authority. I say a fond farewell to President Bush for his hard work to protect this country from terrorism while trying to keep morals a vital aspect of this country. There's pressure on any incoming president especially this one for all he represents with the current economic, credit and mortgage crisis. One man didn't get this country in to this mess and one man will not be able to pull us out. It's up to each one of us to redefine the American dream from prideful arrogance, entitlement and materialism to humbly grateful servants looking out for each other. I took a few pictures from the projector screen in our training room streamed from CNN.com.
Today at this place:
Today at this place:
This man
took an oath, so help him God before 1.5 million people:
and the entire world.Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Food Embargo?
I use my blog as a way to chart gluten incidents. We believe the offending item was consumed during Friday afternoon's lunch. Saturday at lunch time the feeling hit. The best I can describe it is intense cramps, just a bit higher than if it was girl time. My joints began to ache and I fell asleep for the afternoon. So the rest of Saturday was scrapped as well as Sunday morning. About lunch time Sunday, it eased up, leaving me very sore and tired which is starting to ease up as well. I made it slowly and carefully to small group last night.
The culprit to the best of our knowledge was contaminated mashed potatoes. The wondermous new found mashed potatoes with the yummy half and half and cream cheese. It wasn't the new recipe but the mess up of eating Billy's left overs that he used his butter on. We use separate condiment containers due to when Billy (or any other normal person) butters his gluten filled bread and scrapes in there for some more it brings with it crumbs back in to the container. That's all it takes folks.
I was supposed to clean the house, do laundry and help take care of our niece and nephew for my SIL's birthday. None of that occurred on Saturday. It becomes so hard to make plans when I don't know when this will hit as I hate letting people down. As careful as we try to be, this sometimes is frustrating. I don't want to give full reign to my complaints, but suffice it to say there is a small part of me that feels like going on a food embargo. I am tempted to prohibit freight transportation any where near my intestines.
The culprit to the best of our knowledge was contaminated mashed potatoes. The wondermous new found mashed potatoes with the yummy half and half and cream cheese. It wasn't the new recipe but the mess up of eating Billy's left overs that he used his butter on. We use separate condiment containers due to when Billy (or any other normal person) butters his gluten filled bread and scrapes in there for some more it brings with it crumbs back in to the container. That's all it takes folks.
I was supposed to clean the house, do laundry and help take care of our niece and nephew for my SIL's birthday. None of that occurred on Saturday. It becomes so hard to make plans when I don't know when this will hit as I hate letting people down. As careful as we try to be, this sometimes is frustrating. I don't want to give full reign to my complaints, but suffice it to say there is a small part of me that feels like going on a food embargo. I am tempted to prohibit freight transportation any where near my intestines.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
I will not be silent
I nominated myself for this award after seeing the following criteria on a follow waiting mom's blog. I laughed so much from reading it that I had to post myself.
- If you could make a little house from used pee sticks and OPKs.
- If you talk in TTC acronyms nobody except people on the internet understand. ADD: Two people just asked, TTC means Try(ing) To Conceive.
- If you have ever been stuck with any needles in order to TTC.
- If you have had to stick yourself, or your husband has had to turn into your nurse in order to do it for you.
- If you've ever seen a blank ultrasound screen.
- If you know what a wandcam is.
- If you have ever gotten shower invites, family photos, or birth announcements in the mail and had a good cry.
- If you have watched someone go through an entire cycle or 2 or 3 pregnancies in the time it took you to even try
- If you have ever heard "just relax" or "it's not your time" or "it's God's will".
- If you dread holidays because you cannot announce a pregnancy to your family.
- If you dread holidays because there are no children to share them with.
- If you have ever held a baby or child and quietly pretended for a second that they're yours.
- If you have ever walked around the store in order to avoid the baby/toddler section.
- If you cannot park in the front spots of a store because they are for pregnant and expectant mothers only.
- If you've ever had to go IN the baby/toddler section of a store in order to buy something for someone else's baby.
- If you've ever yelled out during watching a movie or tv show about someone who's trying for a baby, "That's SO not realistic!".
- If you've ever sat around with a group of women who shared birth stories and labor pains and felt like you didn't fit in.
- If you've ever told anyone you are infertile and they're response was, "That sucks. I'm super fertile! I can have all the kids I want!".
- If a fertile person ever told you that they would be your surrogate because they have no problem getting pregnant.
- If you have ever gotten a shower invite through email while sitting at work trying to forget about TTC.
- If you know what an RE is.
- If you have ever graphed out your cycle on chart paper.
- If you have ever checked to see if your cervical mucus was egg white or clear, or could stretch 5 inches between your fingers and you know people in the next stall over are thinking, "WHAT is she doing in there?".
- If you were disappointed that you couldn't find any.
- If you have kept a HPT or OPK in your purse to use when you were at work or out just in case.
- If you laugh when people tell you to use pillows under your behind after TTC.
- If you have picked out crib bedding or nursery decor online and you're not pregnant.
- If you have ever felt panic when seeing a pregnant lady.
If you meet the criteria above, or you'd like to submit your own, please post the following award on your blog. This is for all of the women who will no longer be silent about their infertility. This is to remind you that you do not need to be ashamed and you are definitely not alone.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Last week in December
Billy's parents, aunt and cousin drove in from New Mexico on Christmas Day and stayed until the 29th.
We did some sitting around....
played some games
We got Billy's dad this year. He is famous for offering banana splits once we are full from a meal. He under estimated our stomachs this day. $.99 each from Sonic, so we didn't take too much advantage.
Went to church together.
Ate together
The kids playing with their new toys:
We rung in the New Year for the 4th year in a row with Nate & Amy. So glad Katy & Michael came, they have become so dear to us. I can't believe we didn't know them this time last year. We also got to meet Melissa and Phil.
We ate a great ham dinner and played Apples to Apples
While watching Ryan Seacrest
We left at 12:04 am. I barely made it, I was soooo tired. This is a great pic of Billy though :-)
We did some sitting around....
played some games
We got Billy's dad this year. He is famous for offering banana splits once we are full from a meal. He under estimated our stomachs this day. $.99 each from Sonic, so we didn't take too much advantage.
Went to church together.
Ate together
The kids playing with their new toys:
We rung in the New Year for the 4th year in a row with Nate & Amy. So glad Katy & Michael came, they have become so dear to us. I can't believe we didn't know them this time last year. We also got to meet Melissa and Phil.
We ate a great ham dinner and played Apples to Apples
While watching Ryan Seacrest
We left at 12:04 am. I barely made it, I was soooo tired. This is a great pic of Billy though :-)
Monday, January 5, 2009
Yours
The song "Yours" by Steven Curtis Chapman has been going through my head for the last few days. The last part of this song speaks to me and reading what inspired him to write this CD did too.
It's all Yours, God
My life is Yours, my heart is Yours
My hands and my feet are Yours
Every song that I sing
It's all Yours, all is Yours
All belongs to You
Our gifts are Yours, God
All our dreams are Yours, God
All our plans are Yours, God
The whole earth is Yours, God
Everything is Yours
His additional verse after losing his daughter Maria is so beautiful. " As a part of the family's acknowledgement of the tragedy and God's faithfulness to them through this difficult time, Chapman has also written a new verse to his song "Yours" from his current project, "THIS MOMENT":
I've walked the valley of death's shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I've had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you.
It's the difference between believing in God and living in God. Having a personal relationship with God is the best thing that has happened in my life. I spent my childhood believing, but only as a teenager and young adult did I start knowing who He was. I started to understand how he saw me and most importantly what He had done for me. He sent the person He loved the most to die for me so that this selfish person could go to heaven. No one else on earth can give me the worth or value that act does. I love Him because He first loved me. I continue to make my share of mistakes and knowing I get to go to heaven not because my good might outweigh my bad in the long run, but ONLY because God chose to provide a gap between my sin and God's perfection. Do I really think my good deeds are going to impress the perfect God who created all goodness? He thought of me since the beginning of time creating me for His purpose. It took me a long time for the knowledge of God's grace to make it's way from my head to my heart. I am His from now on. Nothing and no one can take that away from me. Cindy, our preacher's wife made an excellent point last night in small group. Peter did what we all think of all the one unforgivable sin, denying Christ-Peter did it three times. Christ still forgave him. I can't do enough good things to buy my way in to heaven and enough bad things to get kicked out. God's grace is not fair because neither I nor you deserve heaven. I'm glad life's not fair. I'm relieved that there is no scale of good or bad, only God's loving forgiveness.
When I think about the fact that God doesn't leave me, always willing to forgive me and does not give me more than I can handle I'm gratefully humbled. In a time of our lives that God is calling us to wait, to persevere to grow stronger confidence in Him; His promises are the only beacon of light of a future. Yes, I hurt, I doubt, I question, I get angry, sad, worry, fearful. I have harsh, judgemental, unloving, ungrateful, impatient thoughts towards others as well as the situation at large. I get stressed, impatient with the people I love the most. God's still there believing in me knowing if I turn to Him I am capable of being better. Since I love Him, I don't give in to every thought, every selfish motive. I exercise self control, I lean on God who is the only being on the planet who can handle my gambit of strong emotions fueling my opinions. I'm so sold out for Jesus because of the change in my heart. He took/ continues to take life's hurt and disappointments, injustices and He handles everything. I have to give it to Him though. I have to continually abdicate my right to be judge and jury for all the mistakes and life's unfairness.
Experiencing loss makes me think of my own mortality. How to apply what's going on around me so that I'm a better, not bitter person. What is God trying to show me through life's circumstances? I have to remember God is just, loving and oh so forgiving. I remember God honors our choices and loves us enough to let us decide whether we want to give our hearts to Him. He's respectful, He doesn't force us like puppets to be His followers.
When I pass on I want to be remembered as a loving person who trusted God. Someone who was there for the people who she loved and loved her. That's all because, it won't matter what job, where I lived, what I owned and how much I accomplished. I pray I kept my priorities of God, husband, family and friends, I used my talents but it didn't eclipse that people were more important. I hope that I loved people with as much of Jesus' unconditional love that I could no matter what we did or didn't agree on, no matter how different we were from each other. I hope I stood for what I believed in without putting anyone else down. I would rather mean much to a few people, than a little to many.
That, my gentle readers is what has been on my heart for weeks. What do you want to be remembered for? What are you doing today to make that a reality?
It's all Yours, God
My life is Yours, my heart is Yours
My hands and my feet are Yours
Every song that I sing
It's all Yours, all is Yours
All belongs to You
Our gifts are Yours, God
All our dreams are Yours, God
All our plans are Yours, God
The whole earth is Yours, God
Everything is Yours
His additional verse after losing his daughter Maria is so beautiful. " As a part of the family's acknowledgement of the tragedy and God's faithfulness to them through this difficult time, Chapman has also written a new verse to his song "Yours" from his current project, "THIS MOMENT":
I've walked the valley of death's shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I've had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you.
It's the difference between believing in God and living in God. Having a personal relationship with God is the best thing that has happened in my life. I spent my childhood believing, but only as a teenager and young adult did I start knowing who He was. I started to understand how he saw me and most importantly what He had done for me. He sent the person He loved the most to die for me so that this selfish person could go to heaven. No one else on earth can give me the worth or value that act does. I love Him because He first loved me. I continue to make my share of mistakes and knowing I get to go to heaven not because my good might outweigh my bad in the long run, but ONLY because God chose to provide a gap between my sin and God's perfection. Do I really think my good deeds are going to impress the perfect God who created all goodness? He thought of me since the beginning of time creating me for His purpose. It took me a long time for the knowledge of God's grace to make it's way from my head to my heart. I am His from now on. Nothing and no one can take that away from me. Cindy, our preacher's wife made an excellent point last night in small group. Peter did what we all think of all the one unforgivable sin, denying Christ-Peter did it three times. Christ still forgave him. I can't do enough good things to buy my way in to heaven and enough bad things to get kicked out. God's grace is not fair because neither I nor you deserve heaven. I'm glad life's not fair. I'm relieved that there is no scale of good or bad, only God's loving forgiveness.
When I think about the fact that God doesn't leave me, always willing to forgive me and does not give me more than I can handle I'm gratefully humbled. In a time of our lives that God is calling us to wait, to persevere to grow stronger confidence in Him; His promises are the only beacon of light of a future. Yes, I hurt, I doubt, I question, I get angry, sad, worry, fearful. I have harsh, judgemental, unloving, ungrateful, impatient thoughts towards others as well as the situation at large. I get stressed, impatient with the people I love the most. God's still there believing in me knowing if I turn to Him I am capable of being better. Since I love Him, I don't give in to every thought, every selfish motive. I exercise self control, I lean on God who is the only being on the planet who can handle my gambit of strong emotions fueling my opinions. I'm so sold out for Jesus because of the change in my heart. He took/ continues to take life's hurt and disappointments, injustices and He handles everything. I have to give it to Him though. I have to continually abdicate my right to be judge and jury for all the mistakes and life's unfairness.
Experiencing loss makes me think of my own mortality. How to apply what's going on around me so that I'm a better, not bitter person. What is God trying to show me through life's circumstances? I have to remember God is just, loving and oh so forgiving. I remember God honors our choices and loves us enough to let us decide whether we want to give our hearts to Him. He's respectful, He doesn't force us like puppets to be His followers.
When I pass on I want to be remembered as a loving person who trusted God. Someone who was there for the people who she loved and loved her. That's all because, it won't matter what job, where I lived, what I owned and how much I accomplished. I pray I kept my priorities of God, husband, family and friends, I used my talents but it didn't eclipse that people were more important. I hope that I loved people with as much of Jesus' unconditional love that I could no matter what we did or didn't agree on, no matter how different we were from each other. I hope I stood for what I believed in without putting anyone else down. I would rather mean much to a few people, than a little to many.
That, my gentle readers is what has been on my heart for weeks. What do you want to be remembered for? What are you doing today to make that a reality?
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