I Love This Doctor

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable).. And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! .... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!


Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
And remember: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride"
AND......
For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.
1. The Japanese eat very little fatand suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fatand suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wineand suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
CONCLUSION
Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Spring Utah Style

Last fall the kids and I planted about 350 bulbs in the ground. There is always that fleeting thought that they got planted up-side-down, but here is proof that we got it right; young weather changing blooms.Sweet-boy so excited to see the Daffodils, finally.
But then we turn around and see this coming our direction. Could all that wonderful sun of yesterday, the kind that tickled our noses and left a slight trace of spring pink to it, could that have all been just a joke?

Yes indeedy it was, winter is not ready to let go. This is the delight that awaited me as I opened my blinds this morning. Poor little guys are not liking that snow on their butter-cups.

We were just jumping on you, snow free and ice chunks melted. Blasteded 6 more weeks of winter, in Utah terminology that means that it could go on till June.

So for today I will put away my capris' and get out the warm coat again and keep dreaming of warmth, the kind that is not fleeting.

Happy Spring!

This is good for a laugh and some are the new proverb

A First Grade school teacher had twenty-six students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the 1st half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by First Grade students. Their insight may surprise you. Keep in mind that these are 6-year-olds, because the last one is, well a classic!

1. Don't change horses until they stop running.
2. Strike while the bug is close.
3. It's always darkest before Daylight Saving Time.
4. Never underestimate the power of termites.
5. You can lead a horse to water but How?
6. Don't bite the hand that looks dirty.
7. No news is impossible.
8. A miss is as good as a Mr.
9. You can't teach an old dog new Math.
10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll stink in the morning.
11. Love all, trust Me.
12. The pen is mightier than the pigs.
13. An idle mind is the best way to relax.
14. Where there's smoke there's pollution.
15. Happy the bride who gets all the presents.
16. A penny saved is not much.
17. Two's company, three's the Musketeers.
18. Don't put off till tomorrow what you put on to go to bed.
19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and You have to blow your nose.
20. There are none so blind as Stevie Wonder.
21. Children should be seen and not spanked or grounded.
22. If at first you don't succeed get new batteries.
23. You get out of something only what you see in the picture on the box.
24. When the blind lead the blind get out of the way.
25. A bird in the hand is going to poop on you.
And the WINNER and last one!
26. Better late than Pregnant.

Have a great spring weekend everyone, school starts up again for me on Monday so I will be MIA again, but wish me luck I am on Week #4 and will be more than half-way done. My goal is to finish early before the seven week period comes so keep your fingers crossed.

March Madness

I have never really thought much about the phrase "March Madness" till this particular March of my life.

I am deep into a class that although started out kinda hokey, is turning out to be a great mind bender. Finally all those years of working at LDS Hospital are paying off. Processes that I heard about, policies that we were tested on yearly, verbage that I have not used for eons is coming back to my consciousness and I am ace-ing the tests. It is like that gift of work experience is finally paying off and my box of knowledge that was buried deep in my mind is open and alive and enjoying being in the light again.....

But I am also seeing the cost that this experience is having on my family.

Dad just is not Mom.

Am I surprised about this realization?

No.

I have attended BYU Women's Conference the last three years and come home to, well, less than desirable conditions. I know that my expectations are not the same as my husbands and my schedule is not the same, but still it is tough.

Friday was a no school day for me and I used the time to play with my kids. I missed them, I had not realized how much I enjoy being with them, bringing the craft box down and watching their creative juices flow, sitting with DQ and doing Pre-Algebra, jumping on the trampoline and trying not to break my neck. I miss that sense of time belonging to me and I wonder am I pushing life along too fast at the cost of what really matters most?

Do not get me wrong, I am really glad that I am doing this class. Come April I will have a degree that will allow me to be more marketable and also step right into a Nursing program if I so choose, but I am also wondering if the time is right?

But when is the right time?

I have always felt that my job in bringing children into this world was to be there to raise them. I know that not every situation allows for that to happen, however I do owe it to my kids to be there when they need me.

*****

Flashback to high school.

I was voted the person most likely to never get married and never have children. I was going to conquer the world, be a CEO and have all the things that money could buy and forget all about men, they are the devil. As we all know that did not happen and when my daughter arrived on the scene all that changed. She became the center of my world, everything I did was for her and still is. One time I got a part-time job and had to go to all day orientation. So I left her with a daycare center and went off to orientation. When I came to pick her up she was still in her diaper of 9 hours ago and was still in her car seat. Had they not taken her out and played with her? The worst was that she would not look at me, she was so mad at me for doing that to her. She was only 8 months old too - she knew what I was doing and she was having no part of it. Needless to say that I quit the job and we suffered financially for a while longer so that I could stay at home. But I saw how important it was to be there, no one was going to do it better than me.

Fast forward to 2009.

People are loosing their jobs, homes are in foreclosure, life is scary and uncertain, no one is immune to financial disaster. Do I still feel that my certification is a good idea - you bet. But do I really want to use it by getting a job, not especially. I have a job, one that I chose almost twelve years ago and it is not going to end anytime soon. It is a job that no test could have told me I was naturally predisposed to, but one that I have grown into and love. My job is being a Mom and no matter what, it is the job that I need to be there to complete.

Dinner Group

The Man and I have been really lucky to find incredible people where ever we have lived.

This group is one of our favorites - the Dinner Group. We get together during the even months with everyone taking their turn hosting the dinner, we eat great food and spend the night laughing till we are silly.

Well last month it was open and we decided to go out and inflict, I mean enjoy a meal that someone else cooked.Thanks you guys, without you all, things would really be boring!!

5th Grade Fun

Drama Queen came home with an assignment, make a simple circuit.

Huh?

I can help with the math but that is something that sounded like a good Daddy-Sissy project.

What I love about those two putting their minds together is that they come up with some really cool things.

So with a couple of trips to Home Depot and several switches, wires and light bulbs later they ended up with a working circuit. Now the fun really began. Drama Queen got out the Legos and began to form, something, but then it turned into a masterpiece.

A very proper Lego home for our little Lego man, complete with a mailbox and a tree in the yard.

Best part is that is lights up so cool in the dark.

Day of the showing all the 5th graders got to display their items. I went around to see what others had done and I still thought hers was the best. Definitely no favoritism here.

We have another great teacher this year and here she is. Thanks Mrs D for another fun event for the kids and the big kids too.

So am I any smarter?

I am back in school and one of my readers - yes Trooper Thorn I am talking about you, asked if I was any smarter yet?

Well, I may know more things then I did before and I have taken more tests than I care to again, but now it is time to put that knowledge into action. I have reached the clinical section and we are not even half-way done yet.

I think the most important thing is to look good no matter what you are doing.
Smarter, well maybe, I actually consider that I now know enough to really be dangerous, but bring on the long-term care facility.

Wordless Moments of February

Stupidest thing that happened to me all week

Normally stupid is considered a swear word in our home. I really despise that word, it is very belittling, but in some moments and certain situations there is just one word for things that happen in your life and this week STUPID is it!!!

All week long I have been smelling this awful, horrible, stinky, smell. It follows me where ever I go. I cleaned the house, took out the trash, put more Scentsy wax in my burners, and applied more perfume but, to no avail. It was always there, hanging in the air, that stench.

****

Now since the pregnancy of my son, I have a heightened sense of smell. I walk in a room and I can smell peoples feet, whether their trash is rank or even when the babies need to be changed before others. It is good but for me it has been a lingering curse. I am hyper-sensitive to smells and if something is too strong it makes me physically sick.

****

Fast forward to this week, I am beginning to get sick, the smell..... So last night while watching a movie I smell that smell, I lift up my shirt and look into an orfacice that I normally just ignore - my belly button. It is oozing with a foreign substance that looks like cottage cheese.

What the.......?

I grab Alcohol and fill up my belly-button reserve and scream with pain while it burns - that hurt!!! It hurt all night and made me even sicker to think that all that smell was coming from me.

*****

Morning dawns and I am off to see the doctor. Can I just tell you how embarrassing that was.

Dr: So what are we seeing you for today?

Q: (in a timid voice) I have something oozing from my belly-button.

Dr: What was that, I didn't hear you?

Q: I cannot even believe that I am here for this, it is so stupid. (long pause while Dr stares at me) I am oozing from my belly button.

Dr: Oh, (a look of relief on his face) well lets take a look.

It was people, but as he put it, not the grossest, nor most horrible thing he has seen today. Yeah, that made me feel so much better.

****

Fast forward to the Pharmacist who wishes me a speedy recovery as I pick up my script. I tell him that it is the dumbest thing in the world why I need these drugs. He drops what he is doing to hear the story. I am sure they were laughing long after I left - but he did tell me that it does happen, that it can lead to worse things and it is nothing to be ashamed of. He also told me it was a kids disease too - GREAT!! I really needed to hear that one too.

*****

So why do I share this with you, aside from giving everyone a good laugh through my horror, take a moment next time you are grooming to look at your belly-button and give it some much needed care or you too could be going to the doctor for this STUPID reason.

Why men are never allowed to take phone messages!

Do I need to say anymore?

Missing in action

See this person deep in academia, that soon will be me.

Yep! I am taking the plunge yet again.

This time it is an intensive 5 week course, where I will become certified as a Nursing Assistant. This is my short-term and low cost version of nursing school. I figure that when I am done I will either love it and want to finish my degree or hate it and have only wasted 5 weeks and a much lower amount of money, then I will know that another degree is something I need to pursue.

So if I am missing from action here, you will know where I am, deep in study to pass this course.

Wish me luck everyone this old lady is gonna need it!!!

what keeps LOVE alive

Every year it comes, it is on the calendar but still The Man thinks that it is a planned day for men to be caught, put on the spot and yet again scrutinized for their lack of the WOW factor. Valentines Day is a real stressful day for the men in our lives, what to do, what will get that "Awhh Honey you shouldn't have" response and make all their wives girlfriends green with envy. After 13 years I have realized that if I want that kinda of a day then I need to VOCALIZE what it is that will do it for me. So Sunday night I sat The Man down and told him what would do it. We already had the kids farmed out for Thursday night for a work dinner. So I asked him to take a personal day off of work and spend the day with me.

What?!

That was it, no large purchases, no trips to the spa. I think he was stunned that I did not have a laundry list of things that I wanted. What I really wanted was to make some memories with my sweetheart.

Thursday morning dawned and I was so excited to know that I had The Man all to myself, no phone, no computer, just us. Once the kids were off to school we read the paper and leisurely got ready for the day. Then it was off to a place that we have not gone to together for a very long time- The Bountiful Temple. This place has special meaning for us and it was good to go back there again. It was such a spiritual boost that I think we both needed. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch talking about us, no kids, no bills, no deep topics, just things that were light and enjoyable. Then we went and did something that we have never done, jewelry shopping. I want a plain band or an anniversary band to wear during my clinicals. My ring is too big and glove ripping to not get trashed on the job. So we went looking and it was so fun- window shopping. I missed doing this when we got married. I told The Man what ring I wanted and he had the ring made, so when he placed it on my finger that was the first time that I saw my ring.

Then it was home to get the kids ready to go to Grandma & Grandpa's for the evening and homework squared away. We dropped the kids off and decided to skip the work dinner and go see a movie. We had the theater all to ourselves, that has never happened before. We sat where we wanted to, we had a popcorn fight and we laughed loud and long. Then we sat there and did what most teenagers do at drive-in's - we made out. It was so fun and so thrilling thinking we were going to get caught at any minute and traumatize some poor teenaged kid just wanting to clean the theater. At this time we needed to get the kids and realized that this was the first time all day that we had looked at the clock. It was sad to think that the day was coming to an end, but it had been a great day. On the drive home, holding the hand of my man I reflected on what a good day it had been. I had the day that I wanted, I had spent it with my favorite person, and I was truly content and happy. This year I loved Valentine's Day - it was everything I wanted and so much more, it is a day that I will remember for a long time to come.

Happy Valentine's Day - go make some memories with your Sweetheart.

Try-It-Tuesday

Today we are featuring one of my favorite meals, Crepe's or as the kids call them "creepies". They are so easy to make and just the right thing for that age old question - Whats' for Dinner or Breakfast or whatever. So here we go.....

*****

Crepes`

3 eggs

1 tbl flour

1 tbl water

1 tbl milk

pinch of salt

1/8 cup sugar (for a sweet crepe)

Mix all this together vigorously, no flour clumps and you want the mixture to be frothy

In a non-stick pan add just a touch of oil and wipe off with paper towel, making sure to cover the rims as well. You want to batter to stick in place but not stick and never come out of the pan. Pour the batter in and swirl till it covers the entire bottom of the pan. I cook at a high heat so it goes quickly. When the crepe can be separated from the edge easily, flip over and brown the other side. At this point you should be able to move the crepe with your hand and it should slide out of the pan with no spatula.
Let the crepe cool down before adding the filling.
Filling:
I pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix till well incorporated then spread over entire crepe, at this point you can add fruit filling or I used any jam that we have in the fridge.

Roll up and wait for the rest to cool. One batch usually makes about 4-5 crepes so I usually double it.

Place on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar and with a BIG glass of milk, enjoy!!!

These are so yummy and so easy to make and once you have the crepe you can fill it with anything you want.

A little rant and rave about the single scene

I was reading the blog of my sweet friend and she linked to this site called "Why mormon girls stay single".

So of course to help me understand why this adorable, funny, talented and incredibly successful lady is not married I visited this site. I read and the more I read the madder I got!!!

How can these young men be so cold?

I am sure that they are meaning this is good fun, but really. All the things that they listed such as, always being available, no facial hair and no strings attached when they want to get a little action but you really are just their friend?

What the....... Now who sounds like they are playing games?

Definitely the men here!!!

In one of their posts all the things that they mentioned in this day and age would not have gotten me anywhere. Lets show some examples:

1) When a guy calls with a last minute offer for getting together say yes.

Before we were married, the man called me an hour before a Christmas party that he wanted me to go to. An hour, are you kidding? I asked him how long he had known about the party, for two weeks, so if you had wanted me to attend with you, then I guess you would have asked me two weeks ago - answer was No!

So according to this post I would have been marked as not flexible, when in reality all I was asking for was respect. Respect of my time, respect that I was someone worthy of more consideration then an hour.

2) Paying for a date.

Okay on this one, I was very adamant about paying my own way due to there not being any hidden feeling that I was beholden to a man for anything. This was largely due to being burned way too many times by paying men. I also drove to the date so if needed those bathroom visits could turn into a great get-a-way to escape mister creepy. But these guys think that no matter the level of the relationship the woman should pay so as not to drain them of funds. Are you kidding me, when the man told me he loved me, he also told me that he wanted to take care of me, forever. I still offered to pay for things and did but that was the beginning of combining our lives.

3) Displays of affection.

First they thought that any sign of facial hair was an automatic reason to discontinue seeing you. Next, you might be a really good friend and someone that they did not have feelings for but they might still want to lock lips with you and did not see this as a problem. Does anyone else really feel like going and worshipping your husband right now. I mean come on, that is so how men mess with woman's emotions. We are just friends but come give me a kiss.

If I had to go back out there and date again, I know that the answer would be "NO". I have had thirteen years with someone that knows me, good bad or indifferent this is me and I am too old to change now. Then there is my kids, could I handle watching someone else discipline them, be with them - NO!!

I guess after reading all this and getting an idea why my sweet friend is completely frustrated with men in the single scene it also made me grateful for what I have. I am so glad that I have a husband that respects me, that did not treat me like a pal and mess with my emotions. Our friendship was honest from the beginning and through time developed into love, the kind that lasts and gets better with time. We have two amazing kids and a life that I marvel at. I cannot remember a time without him in my life and for that memory loss I am grateful for.

So ladies go and love your man, thank him for being in your life, cause if we found ourselves single I think we would all be very confused, the game of love has really changed since we were in it.

Breakin the Law

At the crack of dawn I jumped into my car and carefully and cautiously drove to one of my favorite places - Traffic Court.

In one of those mommy moments of trying to get it all done before 5pm, YES, I was perhaps pushing on my gas-pedal a little more then usual and to my great fortune it was all witnessed by a Deputy ever willing to use me to help fill his ticket quota for the day. We got tagged and issued a lovely lime green note to appear and it was time to face the judge.

After being searched, scanned, and ensured that my underwire does set off the metal detector I was herded into a line to check in. Then after that and more forms to sign we were all herded again into the court room. At first I was ready to put up a fight, I was not going 46mph in a 30 zone, but after watching the judge, I quickly reconsidered, guilty might help get this over with quicker. The judge was commanding, point-blank and I think a bit mad that he was here dealing with all of us way before 8am. That was manifest when the man before me got taken to jail the hard way. That made me realise that our freedom can be taken away at any moment if we make dumb decisions. I got called up and put on my most respectful face, saying "no sir" more then I can ever remember saying. In the end having a clean driving record and looking relatively normal got me probation. So now I have to be a good driver for 9 months. That is going to be hard to do with all the driving that I do in a week, but I do not want that ticket nor do I ever want to go to that court room ever again, next time I might not get off so good.

Drive safe out there.

FatCat's Fun

We had another long weekend with the kids home from school. Instead of hanging around the house we decided to go and stimulate the economy by blowing some Christmas money at FatCat's.

******

It was a great day filled with video games and dreams of owning a motor-cycle. Sweet-boy turned out to be a great rider and he stayed on that motor-cycle as long as his tokens held out. Now that is a happy boy! Drama Queen had to join in the fun too, look at that serious face, she really tried hard not to run everything and everyone down and to go the speed limit. I guess my brush with the law freaked her out.

Next it was bowling, with the bumpers up of course and I had mine up too, I figure that when every throw is a gutter ball that is not fun. Sweet-boy is amazing. I have never seen his technique of sliding across the floor and then the ball rolling along at .02MPH and then knocking all the pins down. He won the first game with a score of 99 and then the second game was 89.

"Yeah, I just knocked them all down mom!"

Drama Queen had her own technique that was unique as well, she really used the bumper to her advantage, making the ball zig-zag down the lane. She ended up beating all of us with her final score of 121.

Bowling, video games, junk food and bumper cars; all the makings for a pretty great day with those that I love. I sure hope that you had a great weekend with your family.

Best e-Mail of the week

I want to thank my dad for sending me this one. It is another of those "so true" e-mails. Enjoy everyone!!!!

*****

THE GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN
Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa, half discovered, half wild, fertile and naturally beautiful!

Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe, well developed and open to trade, especially for someone with cash.

Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain, very hot, relaxed and convinced of her own beauty.

Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece, gently aging but still a warm and desirable place to visit.

Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain, with a glorious and all conquering past.

Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Israel, has been through war and doesn't make the same mistakes twice, takes care of business.

Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada, self-preserving, but open to meeting new people.

After 70, she becomes Tibet, wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and the wisdom of the ages...only those with an adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual knowledge visit there.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN
Between 1 and 80, a man is like Iran, ruled by nuts!

Love really does come in a yellow envelope

I have to admit that January 2009 started out with a dark cloud permanently hanging about. It seemed that no matter what I tried there was this sense of impending doom.

So how does one combat that?

Well first you turn to your family that is looking at you for the prompt on our families mood, I had nothing to give, so that was a dead end. Then you call your friends and hear that they are in the same fog that you are in, no help there, but still good to comiserate together. Then you turn to your bloggy friends and see that so many are in the same boat as you are. So one day in my funk as I perussed the many posts of so many, it became painfully clear that we are all in the same dilema and all asking the same question, "How do we get through the job loss, the lack of a buyer for our home, the health issue, the deaths, the never ending turmoil around us." I have tired to change the tempo in our home by using that much cherished Christmas money towards fun and not bills. Going to Chuck E. Cheese, FatCat's and even taking Drama Queen for a much needed Mommy-Daughter pedicure. But still it was not enough to truly shake the almost sadness that had found a home in my soul. Then I went to this site and read this.....

******
Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Deep thoughts by me, The Motherboard.
Recently, I have been watching someone I love go through a very difficult thing. My heart aches for her, as we sit and talk, and run the "what if's" over and over. My heart hurts as I watch her struggle to make sense of her new reality.As this trial for my loved one has unfolded, I have found myself reflecting on one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament, the story of Shadrachm Meshach, and Abed-nego.

I love this story because of 3 little words...

But if not...

The 3 amigos, as I lovingly call them (please don't thrust me down to hell for that one...) refuse to bow down to the kings idols. He is angry, and tells his servants to make his fiery furnace 7 times hotter than usual-- so he can burn these guys alive. The King mocks them, and says that if they didn't fall down and worship his idol properly, he would thrust them into the fiery furnace and they would burn to death, and really, who did they think would deliver them? Not their silly God... he, their king, was the one with all the power.

I love love love this next part... My 3 heroes say: "17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to a deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not a serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up"

I love that whole but if not part. Because that is where our faith comes into play.

But if not... Essentially they were saying that they know that God could deliver them from the Kings hands, but if not, they would never stop believing in their God, and they would never turn their hearts from Him.

We are all faced, at various times, with things we wish the Lord would take away... Things that we would rather not have to deal with or even experience. Sometimes we can pray and pray and pray, and nothing seems to change. Our trials do not go away... they are still there. Some would find themselves wondering where God is? Why is he not answering my righteous desire? That's where that whole but if not phrase comes into play.

Sometimes we have to do hard things. We can go to church, read our scriptures, pray, and those hard things are still there, every morning waiting for us. No matter what we do, they just won't go away. That is when the but if not phrase comes into play... "Lord, I need you take this trial from me. I can't do this anymore. But if not, I will still be true and faithful to you." It's how we react in the but if not part that Lord is interested in seeing. And I think, that's the hardest one to give.

I mean, who doesn't want to have their trials removed? I know I do. But if not, I will stand firm. It will be hard, but I will not waiver. I know, just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego did, that the Lord is perfectly capable of delivering us from our own personal "fiery furnaces", however, sometimes he doesn't. And the whole but if not part means that even if my crappy stuff is still here in the morning, I will be steadfast and immovable in my commitment to Christ.

Sometimes our faith is pushed to the very edge, and we have to rely on that but if not principal. We have to trust that even though things aren't turning out the way we want them to, God is still in control, and aware. We know that Heavenly Father will not try us beyond what we can handle, and further, we know that these trials are what make us not only a better person, but also one step closer to being more like Him.

We have to have faith that God will deliver us from the trials of teenagers going astray... but if not...

We have to have faith that God will deliver us from the trials of sick children... but if not...

We have to have faith that God will help our home sell... but if not...

We have to have faith that God will deliver us from a wayward spouse or a difficult marriage... but if not...

We have to have faith that God will deliver us from the trial of not being able to have children... But if not... We will still believe in God and we will still press forward in Faith.That is the test that God has sent us here to perform. He wants to see what will happen when we are faced with that but if not part of our faith.
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After reading her words it was like a 2X4 to the forehead. I had lost my faith, but I am happy to say that I am finding it again. I am finding it in the small and simple things of the smiles of my children. I am finding it in the delight of an impromptu dinner with The Man. I also found it in the most unusual place, a small yellow envelope from Ohio.

A dear bloggy friend (Heather) that took it upon herself to not just send thoughts of hope to me over the internet but took time from her busy life and made, handmade, the most beautiful cards I have ever seen. They arrived today and I was so elated to get them. Especially since all the other things in the mail were bills it was so nice to recieve something made out of the hope that their arrival would bring a smile to the recipients face and it did!

Thank you Heather for your kindness, these works of art have truly made my week.

♥♥♥♥

I also need to thank Motherboard for her post. She had no idea how much her words stirred my soul and helped me to find my faith again.

Things that make me go, hmmmmmm

A sign that we found at the dollar store that is so perfect for my DQ. It is on the fridge as a gentle reminder to B.E.W.A.R.E. Sweet-boy has been dying to go to Chuck E. Cheese's so we were off for the adventure. This was the best thing they could have invented, a soft cage for kids. I loved the idea and thought about my high ceiling in my garage and a pully system for when the kids need a time out.

Does this really qualify as child abuse if the kids are smiling? He was in there for such a long time that I began to wonder if this would truly be a punishment or just another cool place to play.

It was a crazy place, Saturday insanity, but also supper fun to play video games and be with my best boy. I love first grade but not having my little bud to run errands with me is some times very lonely. I am glad that he still wants to go with me when he is home, even if it was going to Chuck E Cheeses'.

Not just clothes in my Dryer

There are times when I wonder why I get toys for the kids when major appliances are just as entertaining.

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This morning I hear the whimpers of someone, who could it be but Sweet-boy. He has set up quite a little comfy place in the dryer and of course he wants his sister to come and see what he has done. Drama Queen of course has to have a turn and a photo op.
Yes, I was tempted to shut the drawer and push "ON".

Now both in there, I really did not think that it would work but there they are.

Now the great challenge to get out at the same time. Next holiday and birthday I am going for new appliances that they can enjoy, no more toys that annoy me or that are not played with.