People ask me often how in the world I keep up with my busy world. I haven't the slightest clue. If I ever wrote down what all I do in a week , and who all I have to keep track of, I would probably get depressed. There are many days I get a bit spaced out because of computer...err brain overload.  There is a limit to how many things can be processed in a mannerly fashion and I exceed that limit weekly.
   From last Monday until next Wed night my busy life is on steroids. Not only is it Thanksgiving Week, but from certain circumstances that have come about, I have had to add a few responsibilities that normally are not mine and hopefully will be taken away sometime soon. But it will all come out in the wash and while I am very tired there are lots of bright spots. It is probably because since laughter is the best medicine....  we are kept well. We laugh uproarishly many times each day. Well, I say we... it is mainly the head baker and I and now we have added another number to our mix that is laughing right along with us.
   My dilemma is this.... we have decided for the morale of all involved it would be wise to be closed, not only Thursday, but Friday also! So here is a whole, long day staring at me... empty, just waiting to be filled. Normally I always sacrifice and give spare time to my girls, but I am selfishly thinking this one may be about me.  Shall I lounge on the couch all day with a cup of coffee? Shall I clean all the dirty corners? Shall I sew curtains for my bare windows? Shall I paint a room or 2 that I have been wanting to? Shall I decorate the empty space above my cabinets that keeps glaring at me so reproachfully? Oh the many ideas that flow through my head.  Somehow the best thing that comes to mind is to lie on the beach......
   I am sure I will have plenty of time to figure it all out. :)  There is just a Thanksgiving Party in the 4th grade, McKayla is cheering at a basketball game, Alexis is playing her first basketball game, there a gazillion turkeys to tend to, and bread to bake, and food to prepare, and well...... all I want to eat on Thanksgiving Day is a big pot of greens.
   I say all this in fun and laughing.... but deep down in the serious part of me, I am very, very thankful that I am in a good place. There have been many days in my life that I wasn't in a place that I found much to be thankful for. I allowed myself to wallow in ugly and hurt and despair. Circumstances are still circumstances and they always will be. But I am thankful for the blessings God has given me.  Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

   It's Monday again....  basically the only time I get to sit and think. And then sometimes on that day I just sits too.  Now it is bugging me where that phrase comes from. I do believe it is the talkative old lady who took Anne (with an E) somewhere one time.  "Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits".  I have this crazy ailment or whatever you want to call it, that at any given time a certain word will just bring something else to mind. Most of the time it is a song. I have been told I have a song for every word or phrase.....  It creates many laughs at my work establishment. My one employee and I are known to burst forth into song over any comment.  :}

   But, that is not really what is on my mind today. Yesterday we were Encouraged to Encourage....   There is just a lot of awful stuff in this world and we all have junk we are dealing with and for the most part stress levels are higher then ever.  Depression and that "navy blue" feeling isn't uncommon in a lot of lives. So it seems to be thee perfect time to be an Encourager.  It was brought out that being an encourager is not normally an easy job. How many times have you said something positive to someone and it was shot down with negative or disbelief and you try again and once again it is met with negative.  It's easy to walk away and just give up on saying anything nice.

   I wouldn't say this is something that comes naturally for me. I think for some people it is more of a natural thing or maybe they have practiced it enough in their life and it has become easier for them. But for me I sort of have to purposefully make an effort to encourage. Many times it is just making an effort to say nice things that I am thinking.  Why it is harder to say the nice things I think then some things that are better off left unsaid, I don't know... except that the old man part of me likes to rule.

   So here is my encouragement for the day:  Say something nice to someone today. Smile at the grumpy old man you see. Tell your kids something you love about them. (instead of "put your lunchbox AWAY, the minute they get in the door :)) Tell your husband thank-you for working so hard. Tell the lady at the drive through that God loves Her. Let your kids teachers know how thankful you are that they are there for them each day.

   The list could go on and on. It's sort of fun to come up with something out of the box to do for someone else. But, it does take effort. So go for it!

 

 You know how you feel when you get a brand new notebook and a sharp new pencil and there is a little thrill that runs through you over the wonder of this fresh new start?  Well, maybe it takes more then that to cause a thrill to run through you..... but I guess I am that simple.
  This new blog site feels sort of like that for me. A sense of excitement and a feeling of wanting to start fresh and not mess it up. I want to fill it with words of wisdom, words of humor, and just chatting about life in general.....   there was a (long) time in my life that there wasn't much willy-nilly about it. I "needed" order, organization and all my ducks in a row. God threw a wrench into all that order and now I wonder sometimes if I have a clue what end is up or not. But He is also teaching me to find the good in this new style. To overlook when I don't quite make the "grade". (the grade I made up in the first place)
  Anywho.....  I missed blogging since Xanga went to the sidelines. I missed a chance to just write my heart. So we will see what happens, maybe just maybe I will find a few chances here and there to write again.

    I joined the choir......   I love to sing and I always said I want to sing in a group again. So, when it was offered at church I decided here is my chance. This is a tad bit different from the way I grew up singing. (all acapella) When we learned a song, we sang it till we got it right, either by listening to a recording or to someone who knew it already. I had never sung my part with the keyboard and no soprano to follow. Once in awhile I sort of want to giggle. One of my friends who is also in the alto group was asking me how I was getting a certain note or how I knew. I just said when I hear the soprano it makes sense to me and I can hit it......  she rolled her eyes at me. Don't go asking me which b flat to hit and how to sharp it. I know what those things are but I sing by ear.  Anyway, come December I will be in the Christmas Cantata singing my heart out!  The theme is the "Names of Jesus" and I do love (most) of the songs :).

   As of today I can now say I am a Basket Ball Mom.  I love when my girls play sports. Alexis actually does a lot better academically when she is playing a sport, she knows if she falls below all A-B's she can't play. But it also gives her exercise that she wouldn't do otherwise and I am a firm believer that exercise sharpens the brain. That's a fact, Jack! I get a bit overwhelmed at all the different pick ups, drop offs, and games etc.... but hopefully I can manage it all.  I did discover I am not a fan of being a Cheer Leading Mom....  The 4th grade can't play any of the sports at school so I thought I would let McKayla participate in the cheer leading for a this year.  That was a mistake....  I know there is great controversy but it's not a sport :). There is just too much drama. I decided they don't work them hard enough and they don't get worn out so they can spit spat back and forth.  It was cute, but not again......

    There is a smidgen of the willey-nillyness in my life. It is "fixin' " to get a lot nillier as the holidays come, new workers to train, lots of decisions on our plate, but it's all good. Maybe next time around I will tackle some of the thoughts that have been rolling around.....  I have been reading the book "Idol Lies" and it's a good read. Now if I can apply it.