Trendy hair styles! I used to follow the trends, long or short, big or butchy…but I finally gave up.
I wear my hair very short, and likely will never change that. I out grew the need to follow styles and trends because it just wasn’t practical. At one point my hair was HUGE, curly, teased, down to my waist in back, the classic 80′s style. That took 45 minutes to accomplish every morning and after a while I just simply could not do it anymore. I needed something fast and easy, something that could easily be recovered after climbing off the back of a motorcycle, helmet or not. I found a style I love, SHORT. I spike it out a bit in the back, or just let it go. That is as far as I will likely go with changes. When I get a wild hair to do something different, I spray pink in it.
Welcome to the 33rd edition of “Meet Me On Monday!” Blogging is a funny thing…we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, “who is this person!?” I know them…but yet I don’t know them! I want to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great way for all of us to “meet” each other!
Every Sunday Never Growing Old will post five get to know you questions that you can copy and paste into your own Monday post and we can all learn a little more about each and every one of us!!
“Its a great way to to meet new friends and for others to get to know me better….one Monday at a time!!!”….as quoted by the Chacogirl!! I will make this SIMPLE and FUN!!!
Questions:
1. What do you put on your hot dog?
2. Do you play Sudoku?
3. What is your favorite vegetable?
4. Do you color your hair?
5. What is your favorite brand of clothing?
————————————————————— My Answers!
One of the coolest things I’ve seen this year is the one word vs resolution concept for the new year. Tomorrow being the last day of January, I wanted to revisit it quickly and encourage others to participate.
I heard about it on the way to work right after New Years and decided it was great. It was not hard for me to find my word, as I was getting back to my faith, back to church, seeking God and His will for my life. SEEK is my word, it hit me and I knew that it was the word for me. I am seeking to please God, seeking His will for my life, seeking to be in His word more, seeking to learn His word better, seeking to spend more time in prayer each day….I am SEEKING. So, seek is my word for 2011.
The My One Word site has a blog to subscribe too and home work to do through the year that will help you make the most of the word you chose. Before you pick one, go there and read up, then chose a word for 2011. You have nothing to lose, no resolutions to be broken yet again, just a word that will help guide you throughout the rest of this year.
I decided I would do a search through the Bible on the word, seek, and see what I found:
Matthew 6:33 (New King James Version)
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 (Amplified Bible)
33But seek ([a]aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness ([b]His way of doing and being right), and then all these things [c]taken together will be given you besides.
Matthew 7:8 (New King James Version)
8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Matthew 7:8 (Amplified Bible)
8For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.
Those are great verses, and from great passages. I have much to seek and much will be gained this year from that seeking.
“Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on.…” ~ Samuel Butler
I wonder if we thought about that daily, how differently we might behave? If we were playing a violin solo, in public view, while learning to play it as we went along, most of us would be diligent to practice, and try very hard to put on a good performance. But in the game of life we don’t always strive to be our best, we often forget who is watching us as we perform.
When my marriage came to an end, it shocked me. I was devastated and really took it very hard. A marriage ending is much a like a death, and there are stages that you go through just like when losing a loved one. In many ways I think it is harder when it is a divorce, as you have to go on and from the background you are forced to watch the other person move on without you. If they wanted out they are off and living their new life, often before you even know the marriage is over, so their present is often your own future. They are going on, you are still picking up the pieces of your heart trying to figure out how to glue them all back together again and just learn to breathe.
As I moved through the grief stages I thought I did a fair job of handling things considering no one handed me the sheet music to play with the announcement or when we filed the paper work. I was expected to play an unfamiliar symphony with no conductor. In many faiths you cannot get married without going to classes. I think classes in how to get divorced would be a great requirement in order to even file the papers to get things started. Anyway I thought I had done a fair job of handling things. That is until the other evening when I made a comment to my daughter about how ugly my brother’s divorce has gotten and how vindictive and mean I’ve learned his ex-wife-to-be has become. My daughter, wise beyond her 20yrs, looked at me and said “you aren’t one to talk”. That brought me up short. I never saw anything I did as being close to the ugliness I see coming from my sister-in-law. But the more I thought about it the more I could see that my kids were impacted by my solo show, regardless of how well I thought I had played.
I could have fought hard and forced the ex to sell the house, and dragged things through court, but while I made a lot of threats in hurt and anger, I didn’t do that. I did send a good number of mean spirited texts and emails to my ex, often threatening to get a lawyer and fight for all I could get, but I didn’t mean them. I never did get a lawyer, never went after anything, I just acted out in emotional turmoil. But what I didn’t take into account was how much my kids would see and know, or how they’d be affected, as I was playing that violin. There were things I said in front of them, and I’m certain there were things their dad shared that he would have been better not too. It really caused some issues and hurt to my daughter that I was being less than kind. Referring to her daddy as “he who shall not be named”, “Lord Voldemort” and assorted other not so nice nick names really did not do much good, they caused her to withdraw from me to the less hostile environment at her daddy’s. My son is more removed in that until last week he didn’t live at home any longer so he was able to stay fairly neutral. He didn’t over hear either his dad or me talking to others or to one another so he wasn’t impacted like his sister. At times I made no attempt whatsoever to play the music, I was too busy bashing the ex virtually over the head with my violin, it wasn’t a very nice performance.
A very wise man that has been through a number of divorces himself, made the comment to me one day that divorces usually turn into drama fests and fights because of those outside of the marriage. The friends and relatives on both sides feed the fires with comments and opinions that would be better left unsaid. They tend to get one side of the story but not both, form an opinion and then pick up their tuba in an effort to enhance the production, influencing their side to go for it all, etc., embellishing the facts or even telling out and out lies, trying to make one side look bad. In the end, it serves no good purpose but to make a bigger mess of an on stage musical that never should have opened the curtains. And in the end, the outcome is not usually changed at all by the fighting and attacks, the courts have a pretty standard method for how things get divided up and doled out. The only parties that hurt are those hearts caught up in the middle, usually the kids. Even in my late 20′s, as my own parents divorce was taking place, I heard remarks made by friends and family members that had taken my dad’s side. I’ve never forgotten those things, and while it is forgiven, I have no desire to be around those that judged and pushed the drama rather than just staying neutral.
As you play your violin solo of life, keep in mind that others are hearing and watching your performance, and often we are unaware of those in the audience. You usually only get one shot at each piece of music you have to play, make sure that you give it your all in such a way that the critics can give you rave reviews. Oh, and don’t try to play your tuba during someone else’s violin solo, trust me you won’t be doing anything to enhance their performance.
My brain is not up to a lot of deep thought today so it seemed like a good reason to do a list. Not to mention I was inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Midwestern Mama, who did a list post today. Her list is random facts about her, none of which I knew but nothing truly shocked me. My list is 10 random things that made me happy this week, or at least smile!
1. I got my nails done this week! They were very long, street walker nails is what my youngest brother, Mike, called them once. They are at a much more manageable length now.
2. I got my hair cut and highlighted this week! It was way over due and driving my nuts so I was quite happy to be squeezed in to Debbie’s schedule and have it done. Even better was finding my daughter there having her hair done, and my sister showing up to get her’s cut as well! Family night at the hair salon.
3. I got a new purse. I have had the same one for well over a year now, going on two to be honest. It was time. I LOVE it! Black leather, and big enough to carry my Kindle in, which is critical as that goes everywhere with me now.
4. My mom brought home cookies the other day when she returned from a trip out. Pecan Sandies…with dark chocolate chips! YUMMY!!
5. My niece shared a Youtube video of Marcel The Shell, which totally cracks me up. Here it is if you need a chuckle:
6. I tried out the Chinese place across the street from my office last week, and this week tried cashew chicken. I now have a new, favorite lunch to munch in addition to the Chipotle addiction I have.
7. I found a brand new tube of Oil Of Olay In Shower Body Lotion!!! This stuff is SO good, and is the single best cure for dry skin in winter. I thought we were out, but while digging through the supply basket for face soap I found the in shower lotion. YEAH!!!!
8. I had a craving for something yummy, and fattening…and discovered we still had some Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream in the freezer, YEAH ME!!
9. My cat purring in my ear as she fell asleep was so soothing!
10. I finally have a TV for my room!!!! My son moved back home with my ex, and had a spare, 21 inch, flat screen TV (HD!!) and he gave it to his mama! Cable box will be here tomorrow and tomorrow evening I will be able to watch TV in bed, in my room.
SO, as you can see, all in all, this has been a GREAT week, even though I am sick and feeling like 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag, life is still good!
I am EXHAUSTED. And sick. Some how I managed to contract the cold or whatever from hell and lose my voice. My head is stuffed up, I am lucky to get out enough voice to even be heard, and last night had the pukey stuff to go with it. This so is NOT what I wanted to be doing. I wore out completely what little voice I did have by the time I finished work yesterday. Just after crawling in bed and drifting off to sleep last night I was suddenly wide awake and very very sick. Without much detail it is suffice to say that I never made it out of my room, and owe my sister big time. I was completely unable to sleep all night between the sour stomach, mega night sweats and not being able to breathe. I stayed home from work today and slept as much as possible.
The cats seemed to pick up on the fact that I was not well, as they all came and checked on me several times. Noel was in bright and early this morning and groomed my hair line on my forehead. That is a big hairy deal as she is anti-social. Guess they were worried that the food wench (I am the one that typically feeds them both times in the day) might be on her death bed.
Ditzy napping with me
My cat slept at my feet quite often. Then later, during an afternoon snooze, little Ditzy kitten came and napped with me. She is such a doll. While the other two will check on you, Ditzy is a cuddler and she wanted to snuggle in for her sick watch over me. She purred for close to 20 minutes, even as she drifted to sleep, which was flat out adorable.
This getting older stuff and creeping through early menopause is for the freaking birds. I have about had it with the whole deal and I’m only 47 and this has a LONG way to go.
My mood swings are controlled thanks to the meds I am taking and those are supposed to be assisting with the hot flashes. If this is what they are like with assistance, holy heffer what would they be like without??? Better living through chemistry I suppose.
The worst part is at night…like last night. As if it is not bad enough that I’m awake every 55 minutes thanks to the decongestant I am taking, I keep having night sweats! The day time hot flashes are bad enough but this night time stuff has to end. I feel like a malfunctioning Easy Bake Oven! Just stick a cake mix in my arm pit and in 5 minutes you can have freshly baked cupcakes.
Combining this with the cold medication made for some wicked weird dreams last night. Keebler Elves take me captive and force me to consume cremated remains in my fudge stripe cookies and protein shakes. Seriously, I have to watch what I read before I go to bed until this cold/allergy attack from hell moves on. My son had a post on his Facebook status that read: Would you add a cremated dead guy to your protein shake for $1,000,000?? (Dead serious). At first I thought GROSS, not a chance. Then I actually started to figure how much is really left of the body after it is cremated and….YUCK what is wrong with me? Evidently there are a whole lot of desperately broke folks on his friends list because it spawned a lengthy series of comments most in favor of it, like me, but wanting to know how MUCH of said dead and over baked corpse had to be consumed in the shake. Where the fudge stripe cookies came in from is beyond me. Perhaps it was the cookie dough ice cream I passed on when I got home, or the Snickers peanut butter candy bars I also bypassed in the kitchen despite craving chocolate and other assorted junk food last night. When I woke up in a fog I muttered out loud that I had about had it with the hot sweats and night flashes. Yeah, it’s the drugs.
Anyway I cannot seem to find a happy medium in body temperature. I’m either freezing to death or over heating. I’m sitting here writing this with the window open next to me and it is 30 degrees outside. Which is a heat wave compared to the single digits and negative wind chill temps a few days ago, but really??? We gals get to have ALL the fun in life.
~*~
Have something on your mind you want to share? Hop on over to Shell’s place by clicking the icon above and pour your heart out!
Welcome to Wine & Cheese, my weekly, Wednesday whine session.
Every week on Wednesday I devote a blog to whining. Despite being a really happy, positive person, I do have things that annoy me at times.
I never let anything grate on my nerves for long but thought it would be fun to vent them periodically in my blogs.
I also feel that good things, the cheese in life, should be acknowledged as well.
I’m even going to throw in a bit of dessert, a piece of virtual chocolate, something that made me laugh or smile just a bit more than normal.
If you’d like to read the past editions of Wine & Cheese just click HERE for all of the past postings.
Sit back and join me now for the 25th serving of some wine and cheese!
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
WINE
Colds suck. Allergies suck. Whatever it is that has invaded my body, be it a cold or allergy attack, YOU SUCK. I have lost my voice and my nose would be running off my face right now if it weren’t for Mucinex D.
Mucinex D – YOU SUCK. I am a hot mess through the night with the lovely (heavy on the sarcasm) dreams I have all night. Not to mention waking up approximately every 55 minutes on the nose and wondering WTH I was just dreaming about. Something to do with Keebler Elves and ash remains in my protein shakes (thanks to my son’s Facebook status – see yesterday’s Post It Notes post), and I don’t even drink protein shakes! If you didn’t work so well at clearing my head so I can breathe I’d break up with you!
Winter you suck the worst of all. I HATE this weather! My skin is so dry I have to practically bathe in body butter to avoid looking like an alligator. I’m tired of being cold, tired of snow, tired of my car being so filthy it looks gray rather than white. Be gone!
CHEESE
Hats off to Debbie, who got me in on a moments notice to chop off my wayward locks and spice them up with some highlights! You are the best! And my sister’s hair cut, very sweet! I love it and might just go that way this summer myself.
Family night at the hair salon! Running into my darling daughter then my sister showing up and all of us being there at the same time was great! And to my lovely daughter, your hair is so adorable in that style, SO glad you cut it off again!
The body-less head that is attached to the kitchen table, you are making my day. The cats are so confused. I admit it is rather creepy when I walk in the kitchen and see it, but the cats reaction to the woman with no body at the table is priceless. As much as you felines annoy the rest of us, this is worth the creepiness of seeing you 3 trying to figure out where the rest of her is, and why she won’t blink and you poke her peepers.
DESSERT
Warning! Today I am coloring OUTSIDE the lines ~ seen on a Facebook status.
YEAH!!! I love Tuesday, because it is not MONDAY, which frankly makes Tuesdays good right out of the starting gate. Add to that, it is Post It Note Tuesday, a meme where you can let it all out on post it notes! Just click the yellow note to join in the fun. Then post away! Oh and if you need help making the stickies for this meme, go HERE to make your own in 4 lovely colors.
This week I am posting status lines I’ve seen recently on Facebook. Some were funny, some touching, and one just flat out made me thing WTH??? Have an awesome day everyone!!!!!
The Marvelous One
There are times when I really can beat myself up like no one else could. I am without a doubt my own worst critic and when I get on a roll it is so easy to rip myself apart from one end to the other, finding fault in everything I think, say or do. I’ve made enough mistakes in my life that I have plenty of ammunition for the assault on myself, so I need no assistance from others. Though often it is others that trigger it, and there is nothing that can get under my skin like someone finding fault with me. I spent a lot of years with self esteem that was almost non-existent so it pains me a lot when someone dislikes me, especially when I don’t really understand why.
But then I remember that my worth is not in the minds of others around me. My worth is not really even my own. Any value is in Christ. God sees me through the blood of His beloved Son, making me priceless, and whole, and perfect. In Christ I am everything I should be, though that perfection won’t be seen this side of eternity, it is there. And it is now how I try to steer my thinking about myself. As my favorite Jason Gray song says, “I am not defined by mistakes that I’ve made”. And I’m not. I’m defined by who I am now with renewed faith.
Psalm 139 says that I am ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’. WONDERFULLY made, and that God knew everything about me down to how many days I will be on this earth, long before I ever was conceived. I would say that makes me pretty darn spectacular, mistakes and all. Jason’s song goes nicely with this Psalm, which is one of my very favorites!
Psalm 139 (New King James Version)
Psalm 139
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them! 18If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.[c] 21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1:2-4 (Amplified Bible)
2Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
3Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
4But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.
~*~*~*~
I could just let those verses be my post! Patience…I have next to none. I want what I want, when I want it, which would be now. But good things take time. Certainly the Lord could just touch me and make me patient, a quiet and gentle spirit, etc. But what would I really gain from that? I’d not see the blessings unfold one at a time as my dependence is more and more on Him and less and less on myself. I’d not need to cry out in my heart for strength to get through the hard times, or need to be in His Word to find encouragement and guidance. Without the hardships, I’d not have anything to compare the good things too, which cause me to praise Him. Every single thing we go through helps to strip away the bad and purify the good. The dross floats to the surface and can be removed so we are refined like silver. Trust me there is plenty of dross in this vessel, but I’m a work in progress.
Diamonds are formed within the earth under extreme pressure and temperature. Silver and gold are purified under extreme heat to cause impurities and dross to float to the surface, and faith is made strong through trials….the heat and pressure in our lives. Not that we want to pray for difficulties, but when pain and adversity do come along, it can be for our good, as it causes us to lean on the Lord, pray, and draw closer to Him. More of Him, less of me = “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
If you do not live in this area, you really miss out on the fun of watching the panic that will set in as SNOWPOCOLYPSE decends. Sometimes called White Death. Known to most of the nation simply as SNOW. Yes snow, that stuff that happens in winter. It is a typical occurrence here in the Cincinnati area, snow happens in winter. But you’d think we lived in the Florida Keys and never seen the stuff before the way things will progress here.
It starts at the local news level, where I believe some sort of kick backs from grocery stores must take place. For days out the weather men will begin predicting the coming snow storm (of 3 inches of snow) like they report on a pending hurricane on the coast. The way people will react to the news you’d think that is exactly the level of catastrophe we’re looking at taking place. As the doom draws near, the panic begins and by the night before the big event, insanity has taken over the minds of otherwise intelligent individuals.
Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tomorrow there is a weather forecast of a ‘really big snow’. Yes, this one is above average, we might get up to 7 or 8 inches of snow. I’ll wait while readers in areas such as Buffalo, NY, laugh to the point of tears. *insert pause* This type of snow fall here will paralyze this town. In Buffalo and other areas I doubt it is even news that it snows. Here, it is the leading story for days on end. Because the snow is due here tomorrow, today is the day to get a front row seat at the grocery store. In fact, park every extra car you own in the lot. Anywhere will do, just go lay claim now to those spots. You’ll thank me this evening when you can sell those spots for about $20 a piece to the fearful coming to wipe out the grocery store.
Ah yes, the grocery store. Out there, somewhere, is a winter survival guide that lists French Toast as the staple food to get one through a really bad blizzard. I know this because by 10pm this evening there will be no bread, milk or eggs to be found in this city. I have yet to figure out what else can be made from those 3 ingredients, but I am not exaggerating when I say the shelves will be empty. You would be lucky to find a package of out dated, moldy hot dog buns at the back of what was once a well stocked bread aisle. Hens cannot hope to keep up with the demand for eggs, and the cows will be drained dry. It is frankly pathetic. Really folks, if we are going to be snowed in for any length of time, what good are 10 loaves of bread, 8 dozen eggs and 5 gallons of milk??? Why not steak, potatoes, some veggies, dessert (ice cream!), a few cases of beer and a few dozen bottles of wine, some snacks and a bunch of fire wood? That sounds like better choices to me. Just saying.
I have lived in this city for 47 years. I’ve survived the blizzards of 77 and 78. Snow emergencies were declared at level 3, no one but the emergency personnel (cops, EMS, fire) were permitted on the roads (mandatory snow days for adults are the best!), and at no time were we close to starving. Possible death by BOREDOM perhaps but not from being snowed in, trapped, lost in white death. WE HAVE SNOW PLOWS!!!! We have salt trucks!! And within 24 hours the roads will, for the most part, be reasonable.
I won’t drive in the bad stuff, my car is paid off and it is rear wheel drive. I’m not stupid enough to chance it. But I will NOT panic. I will curl up in a chair, sip hot cocoa & coffee, in my slippers and jammies and watch the deer that frequent our back yard, and watch the snow fall.
What I won’t be doing is watching local stations on TV. Our local news media will report on the snow fall as if the Lord is returning. From the time the first flake floats gracefully down to earth it will be wall to wall coverage of SNOW FALLING! Every local news station will have every available reporter standing in various parking lots and at intersections throughout the city to report what we might not be aware of…OMGITISSNOWING!!!! Yep, I am not kidding, this is big news. I’ve said it before, if the world was coming to an end, a meteor was headed on a crash course with the earth and we were about to be destroyed before the dinner hour, we in the greater Cincinnati area would be blissfully ignorant of the impending death because OMGITISSNOWING!!!!! Snowpocolypse is news here, BIG news. If you are hoping to catch The Ellen Show, The View or The Young And The Restless, give it up. God forbid the news would break away for the day from reporting that roads are getting slick and the snow is coming down. A fact that everyone in the city aside from those under anesthesia for surgery will be well aware of simply by looking out a window!!! This will continue until the last flake falls and the roads have been cleared, usually within about 24-36 hours.
Someone is shaking our snow globe!!! Run, Chicken Little, buy bread, milk, eggs!! The sky will be falling!!!
Welcome to Wine & Cheese, my weekly, Wednesday whine session.
Every week on Wednesday I devote a blog to whining. Despite being a really happy, positive person, I do have things that annoy me at times.
I never let anything grate on my nerves for long but thought it would be fun to vent them periodically in my blogs.
I also feel that good things, the cheese in life, should be acknowledged as well.
I’m even going to throw in a bit of dessert, a piece of virtual chocolate, something that made me laugh or smile just a bit more than normal.
If you’d like to read the past editions of Wine & Cheese just click HERE for all of the past postings.
Sit back and join me now for the 24th serving of some wine and cheese!
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
WINE
I am whining about cats this week. As in the 4 legged, long tailed, obnoxious fur ball kind of cats.
THEY ARE THIEVES! They like to steel stuff from us all and hide it, or play with it, or even eat it! Ditzy helped her cute self to my blue tooth last week. I had it with my purse, Kindle and phone on my bed before I left for work. She made off with the blue tooth and my mom later found it in the living room. I had seen her playing with it but thought it was a cat toy. The piece that goes over the ear? Well half is missing having been bitten off, and there are teeth marks all over the remainder.
THEY CANNOT TELL TIME! Or maybe they can, and it is just the weekend thing that throws them off? I like to sleep in on Saturday morning, it is my only day to enjoy this luxury. Granted, my alarm goes off at 5am during the week, so 7-7:30am IS extra sleep, but my idea of sleeping in is say 9 or 10! Pixel begins her morning assault at no later than 6:30am. She gets up on the dresser or desk and begins moving objects around. If I do not react she knocks them off to the floor. I get up, go put out fresh food and go back to bed. Soon, she comes back and brings her posse, Ditzy, and they start the tag teaming. If the moving of objects doesn’t work, they wrestle….on the bed. If I do finally give in and get up, they move on. They don’t want anything other than to have someone else up and about.
MY CAT NEEDS A SHRINK! We already know that Ditzy is ‘special’. To say she is mentally challenged is being very nice. She is fortunate that she is so adorable, it allows us to look past her lack of brain matter. My cat, Pixel, needs a kitty cat psychiatrist. She used to use the litter box like she invented the thing and fine tuned it. But now? She won’t allow her paws to touch the litter to cover her deposits. Instead she circus performs around the edge of the litter box, scraping the plastic liner, as if that is going to be effective. Sooner or later she gives up and leaves, and Noel goes in and in complete disgust, while glaring at Pixel, covers the down load that was left behind. Here, a visual aid, maybe some other cat owner can help us? We’ve tried changing litter, nothing seems to work.
pixel
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CHEESE
Not all things cat related are bad, some are quite good!
We found a new litter, World’s Best Cat Litter and, while I am not one to do a product endorsement, I have too. THIS STUFF ROCKS! No annoying perfumes, just NO odor. The stuff is amazing. Of course, you have to change the litter on a regular basis, but this stuff is really good. For the go-green folks, you will love this, it is made from corn! Yep whole kernel corn! It is amazing stuff. If you go to the website you can get a coupon to get a bag free (by rebate). We in the Diva Den highly recommend and endorse this product!
Cats are endlessly entertaining. We often spend Saturday mornings sitting in the living room watching them stalk, pounce and fight with each other or cat toys. They are such a riot to observe! And we’ve all learned from our 3 felines, take time to play! Silly, crazy, wacky, FUN play. I read recently that cats NEED to have play time to avoid getting mental? Well so do we humans. We can learn a lot from our cats!
Cats provide the greatest means of recycling register receipts. Assuming there are no coupons on the back that can be used, of course. We call them crinkles, a ball made of a long register receipt. This too will provide endless entertainment to us and the cats, who will play soccer with the crinkle. Now we know that there are crinkle balls that can be purchased, we have those, and the cats prefer the home made ones. One crinkle and 3 cats = lots of laughs. It should be noted that if the crinkle ball by chance lands in the water bowl, it is no longer a good play toy and should be disposed of! This will disappoint the cats.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
Well okay, I was having a really rough way to go for about 24-36 hours. The blues had set in and I’ve been struggling hard against bitterness and depression. But thankfully the Lord answered the prayers through various sources. Encouragement from several people, reminders of the blessings in my life, and then that verse from Psalm 43 is on my calendar for today. It is a cute, verse a day calendar my mom gave me. I really need to start reading it in the morning rather than when I get home, this one would have been good for me today.
And I heard this song, and it made a huge difference. It always does, it is a GREAT, worshipful song. And it is very hard to be anything but filled with joy when praising God. I just need to keep my focus on Him, remembering that there are no mistakes, everything that comes my way is because God has allowed it for a reason. My life is blessed beyond measure and I need to stay in the Word and in a state of mental worship and prayer. The video will give you the link to actually watch it on youtube, it is worth it for the beautiful song.
I do have the blues, bad today. I have been battling it for a few days but today was the worst.
I miss my kids.
I mean REALLY miss my kids.
And in that missing them is a great deal of bitterness trying very hard to work it’s way past the armor wrapped around my heart. Bitterness toward their dad. Bitter, mean, nasty stuff that wants to worm its way in and make me spew all kinds of hateful words that I am refusing to let enter my mind. I’m in a battle and refuse to let go and fall into that trap again.
I miss seeing my little girl (20 years old is still a little girl to a mom), even when it may have only been when she was deep in sleep and I got some mumbled gibberish when I kissed her good bye in the morning when I left for work. Yes, I still kissed her goodbye and told her I loved her before I crept out, and she was 19. I desperately miss her frumpled up hair and sleepy face when she’d wander into the kitchen in the mornings. I miss her contagious laugh and gorgeous smile that was a part of nearly every day when we shared the same home. I miss those nights when her dad was on duty and she’d come out to the hot tub with me, with her cell phone in a zip-lock baggie so she wouldn’t miss a word from her boyfriend, and how I loved seeing her in love. I even miss her pissy, PMS driven days filled with attitude and crabbiness. I miss my baby girl so much.
I miss hearing my son’s tales of work, though it causes me to worry about him. I miss his crazy sense of humor and how he could make me laugh until I cried. I miss when he would come for a visit and then fall asleep on the couch because of exhaustion from his insane schedule. I loved watching him sleep, missing the little boy that sat in my lap once and held my face in his tiny hands, seeing me crying, and wiped my tears away saying “don’t cry mommy, it’ll be alright”. I miss him asking for my laptop to show me countless videos that he thought were hilarious. He will be moving back in with dad and his little sister, into the house that was our home, MY home, filling the walls with laughter and fun again.
I feel so disconnected and unneeded to them now. On Facebook I am blocked by their dad, so the comments on my kid’s pages, and often the string of replies makes no sense at all to me because I cannot see what is there unless someone that is a mutual friend of them all shares it so I get the joke. Often I comment and mine are lost in their exchange with dad and I feel invisible. It is like I disappeared and sometimes I wonder if I am even missed at all. They will be a family in the house that they grew up in, but I’m not there. The house that I was instrumental in providing, the one we’d have not had without my mom’s help, and I’m the one on the outside. I was the one forced to leave my home, my kids, MY FAMILY.
The pain has been fresh and overwhelming the past few days again.
I miss my house, my neighbors, the dog…..but mostly….
With the honeymoon over now, in my renewed faith, I know that my friends are correct, I need to be in the word and prayer daily. I’ve been at a real loss has to how to pray about my hurt over not being with my kids like I used too, and the bitterness I feel trying to creep in on me. I’m thankful that when I have no expressible words, God knows my heart and what is there and will hold me up. I pray for strength to not let go of His hand, not stop turning to His word, and just hold on tightly.
I opened my bible to seek comfort there in the word and found it immediately:
Romans 5:1-5 (New King James Version)
Romans 5
Faith Triumphs in Trouble
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:1-5 (Amplified Bible)
Romans 5
1THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified ([a]acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to [b]enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
2Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.
3Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.
4And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of [c]character (approved faith and [d]tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] [e]joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.
5Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
Welcome to the 31st edition of “Meet Me On Monday!” Blogging is a funny thing…we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, “who is this person!?” I know them…but yet I don’t know them! I want to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great way for all of us to “meet” each other!
Every Sunday Java will post five get to know you questions that you can copy and paste into your own Monday post and we can all learn a little more about each and every one of us!!
“Its a great way to to meet new friends and for others to get to know me better….one Monday at a time!!!”….as quoted by the Chacogirl!! Java will make this SIMPLE and FUN!!!
Java will add a linky so we can follow who participates and get to know them better!! Be sure to link the POST and not just your whole blog!
Questions:
1. Do you like your ice cream in a dish, waffle cone, pretzel cone, sugar cone or cake cone?
2. Do you read the newspaper daily?
3. Marinara or meat sauce?
4. Last time you cried?
5. What word/phrase do you find really annoying?
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
1. Do you like your ice cream in a dish, waffle cone, pretzel cone, sugar cone or cake cone?
If I am eating my ice cream in a cone, it has to be a waffle cone, preferably one that the end has been dipped in chocolate and nuts or sprinkles. The way I see it, if I am going to indulge in something fattening I might as well go all the way with it, right?
2. Do you read the newspaper daily?
Honestly it is rare that I bother. If I do take time to read it then I do it online but most of the time it just ticks me off so I tend to avoid it. On Sunday I will read the comics and browse the coupons but beyond that I have little use for the newspaper anymore.
3. Marinara or meat sauce?
OH meat sauce! I am not picky if it is ground beef, chicken or turkey, as long as there is meat in that sauce, YUM!!!!
4. Last time you cried?
Hmm..I teared up in church a few times Sunday. And then again at home while writing my blog yesterday but that time it was happy tears.
5. What word/phrase do you really find annoying?
I truly detest this phrase, it is just dumb. Of course it is what it is, as if it is something else?
That is how it was put to me this morning, that the honeymoon of my renewal of my faith is over. Yes it is true, that euphoria associated with coming back ‘home’ is now over and the battle that is all around us in a realm we do not see, is on.
Ephesians 6:12-17 (New King James Version)
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
The battle is against things I cannot see, but trust me when I say I can feel them.
Last night I had dinner with my daughter, son and his girlfriend and her daughter. It was a good time though I feel strange around my kids, like an outsider. This was driven home when they were talking about New Year’s Eve, when they were at a party with their dad, my ex. It was very hard, it hurt that my kids were off having fun and dad was included but not me.
I struggle with feelings of envy that I am no longer a part of my daughter’s day-to-day life as I was when we lived under one roof. I miss my son who is going to be moving back home with dad and my daughter soon. They will be a family unit and I’m no longer a part of that unit, a part of the family. My family, in what was my home, that I was forced to leave behind when someone else determined for me that my marriage and place there was over, I was no longer needed or wanted. I struggle hard against a seed of bitterness that desperately is trying to root itself in my heart. I struggled with the knowledge that I’ve been equated with common household appliance this past week by the very man I stood beside and loved, supported and never walked away from in some of his worst and darkest hours. And yet despite giving all of myself I’m just an old dishwasher that has been tossed out.
This morning I was so thankful for my dear friends Jane and Ellen, and their taking it all back to scripture and encouraging me. Jane has been the mentor and encourager since days before I returned, checking in on me and keeping me accountable. Yesterday Stan was a gentle, loving, yet firm encourager to keep focused and turn away from the negative things that are causing the seeds of bitterness to fall around me. I’ve been so blessed to have the Divas around me loving and supportive throughout it all.
I am blessed that I am not a new or baby believer. I have a firm foundation of knowledge and faith under me, that while I let it become over grown with worldly weeds and let it be buried beneath sinful debris, it is there. Clearing away everything I have the armor and tools of my faith still there at my disposal. I have strong believers as friends willing to pray for me every day as I struggle to remain firmly planted.
This much I know, I am still the daughter of the King of all, I am loved by the One with my name written on His hands, and He has surrounded me with brothers and sisters in Him that love me and keep me in prayer and encouragement. I have all the strength I need in the Lord, and need to rest there in Him.
Okay so my sense of humor is a bit warped, I cannot deny that. But this is funny stuff, ya just gotta admit it! Some genius is no doubt going to make a mint off this idea. A wedding ring coffin! I want one, I think it is a total hoot. I’d never bury my rings, what a waste of potential cash that I plan to sell them for instead! But it is highly amusing to me. Maybe cremate the wedding certificate/license and put it in an urn inside the casket too? Sick I know. Thanks to The Peachy One for sharing it on Twitter today, made my whole afternoon!
Today is just one of those days when I would be completely content to stay in my jammies, sip coffee and read all day. That is not how it has gone but it certainly sounds marvelous to me! I instead pulled myself out of bed (thank you Pixel and Ditzy for the rude awakening), made coffee and launched into my day. I have accomplished next to nothing at all. I did run an errand with my sister to Hobby Lobby, my all time favorite, put a cot in the backroom and I’ll just live here store. It was there that I grabbed a journal I spotted, to use for taking notes in church. “It’s A Wonderful Life” is such a great movie, and a great reminder to take stock in life and the richness in blessings we have. When I spotted it I knew it was for me, it even matches my bedspread, how is that for a sign that I should have it?
The reality is that my life is indeed very rich and blessed. I do lose sight of that at times but thankfully have great friends, and the awesome women of the Diva Den, to gently nudge me back in the right direction when I let the stupidity and shallowness of others to infringe on my happiness.
I just noticed there are 2 cats sleeping on my bed, the same two that woke me up this morning. Wondering, is turn about fair play? Should I bug them until they get up? Oh so wickedly tempting. If only they would understand it was revenge I might.
I have been very pleased with the Friday Featured Friend I started last week. Both guest posters were fantastic. If you’d like to be a guest poster let me know by clicking the invite over at the top of my side bar, I’d love to make you are Friday Featured Friend. It is not necessary to be a blogger, if you just would like to write about something, let me know!
My list is 10 random things that made me happy this week, or at least smile!
Colds suck. Allergies suck. Whatever it is that has invaded my body, be it a cold or allergy attack, YOU SUCK. I have lost my voice and my nose would be running off my face right now if it weren’t for Mucinex D.
~ seen on a Facebook status. 
