I just wanted to share a story with you today...
I was having an off day. We went to church and then headed out to Lowes to run some errands (get a grill cover before it snows). I was feeling kind of blah and decided i didnt want to deal with lowes and the boys and all of that so I went to turn around and go home. I ALWAYS stop at starbucks. I actually think my car automatically goes there if I am out in that direction. Today I was having an internal battle about going. I didnt really NEED it and we are trying to save money. God told me to bless someone with it. I have done this before usually on Fridays which was started in Georgia by some radio station. So off I went to the starbucks drive thru and paid for the girl behind me. I didnt stick around I drove off after paying. When I got home I had an email in my inbox from a girl who saw my Thirty-One sticker on the back of the van (which sometimes I forget is even there) and looked up my information. Her dad died of cancer a year ago today. She was having an awful day and her heart was hurting. She thanked me for the small amount of Joy she had in the day.
So maybe next time you are sitting in the starbucks (insert random drive thru place here) and you have the means to do so bless the person behind you. Maybe make Fridays drive thru Blessing Fridays for you and your family. You never know what that person behind you is going through or what kind of day they are having.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
7 on the 7th
This month's 7 on the 7th is your top 7 websites you visit. I have been a little off the last couple months so I'm trying to get back into the blog world. So here goes...
1. Facebook: I used to be anti facebook. I didnt like it because I just felt like there was so much drama and people unloading their business on it. HOWEVER I have come to love it. It is by far the best way for me to keep in touch with family and friends from all over. It is a huge blessing and if it wasnt for facebook I am not sure I would be in contact with half the people I am. Its a fast way for me to pray for people that need praying, encourage people that need encouraging, cry with people, etc. I really think its wonderful.
2. Gmail: I use email for everything. It's my number 1 way of communication with Widmar. I'm so grateful that technology has come as far as it has. I'm not sure what the wives did back in the day when they would not hear from their husbands for 1-3 years except through an occasional hand written letter (if that).
3. Pinterest: I LOVE this site. I have gotten so many wonderful ideas and recipes from this site. What a great way to organize all of your ideas. It's fun to look at everyones style too
4. Blogger: I love reading everyone's blogs its a great way to catch up on families and I just love reading what everyone writes especially friends from all over.
5. Thirty-One: I am ALWAYS on the Thirty-One consultant page with new trainings announcements, etc. I have been really working on trying to "boost my business" So I spend a lot of time on this site.
6. USAA: our bank accounts, insurance, etc are with them so i'm always checking to make sure things are well in our financial world. :)
7. Google: :) I google everything from recipes to answers to crazy medical questions where i learn i might lose my whole leg for a small rash I have. :) It's sort of funny what you can learn when you google things. It's not always great and can send me into panic mode. I have to step back and not research medical questions for that reason, but it is great to use for searching for recipes etc. :)
1. Facebook: I used to be anti facebook. I didnt like it because I just felt like there was so much drama and people unloading their business on it. HOWEVER I have come to love it. It is by far the best way for me to keep in touch with family and friends from all over. It is a huge blessing and if it wasnt for facebook I am not sure I would be in contact with half the people I am. Its a fast way for me to pray for people that need praying, encourage people that need encouraging, cry with people, etc. I really think its wonderful.
2. Gmail: I use email for everything. It's my number 1 way of communication with Widmar. I'm so grateful that technology has come as far as it has. I'm not sure what the wives did back in the day when they would not hear from their husbands for 1-3 years except through an occasional hand written letter (if that).
3. Pinterest: I LOVE this site. I have gotten so many wonderful ideas and recipes from this site. What a great way to organize all of your ideas. It's fun to look at everyones style too
4. Blogger: I love reading everyone's blogs its a great way to catch up on families and I just love reading what everyone writes especially friends from all over.
5. Thirty-One: I am ALWAYS on the Thirty-One consultant page with new trainings announcements, etc. I have been really working on trying to "boost my business" So I spend a lot of time on this site.
6. USAA: our bank accounts, insurance, etc are with them so i'm always checking to make sure things are well in our financial world. :)
7. Google: :) I google everything from recipes to answers to crazy medical questions where i learn i might lose my whole leg for a small rash I have. :) It's sort of funny what you can learn when you google things. It's not always great and can send me into panic mode. I have to step back and not research medical questions for that reason, but it is great to use for searching for recipes etc. :)
Sunday, October 30, 2011
My Take on Halloween
So this post may upset some of my Christian friends and family, but this is a place for me to openly share what I think. I will however accept comments and criticism if you want to share it If you are easily offended I would turn away now.
There is a lot of chastising going on regarding Halloween. I do agree it did start out as a Pagan celebration revolving around evil, however I don't believe that is the case today. Although some may still do this, I have yet to meet any of these said "Satan worshippers who only come out on this one day" As a responsible parent I will
1. make sure I explain to my children that halloween is a fun time to be with family and friends and get candy...nothing more nothing less. Its a time to use your imagination be a doctor for a day, be a firefighter, be a monkey. :) If it is a big concern for you then why don't you take the opportunity to hand out candy that you have wrapped with a bible verse, or pencils with something professing Christ's love. God didn't steer clear of sinners he faced them head on. He showed them love not hatred. He didn't bad mouth them. He showed them love sometimes tough love, but still love. He immersed himself with them so that He could love them. (just a sidenote I'm not saying people that participate in halloween are sinners, some people do think this)
2. This is a preference of mine but I will not allow my children to wear "scary' costumes. I want it to be fun and creative.
Along with all of this i typically find alternative things to do for this "holiday" such as go to the Boo at the Zoo or maybe a church fall festival. Safe alternatives for younger children. We will continue before and after to discuss with our children about God and His love for us and how He is the only God.
I have a hard time understanding why we can wake up on November 1 and put a costume on and run around the house or maybe go to the store (you know those kids...the ones that wont take their costumes off for days/weeks) You might call this dress up? Me too! Halloween is no different than any other day. We just get a little extra candy, which by the way gets donated to some wonderful organization or soldiers deployed overseas. I love watching my boys with their monkey costumes on thinking they can swing from trees and pretending, what a wonderful sense of imagination in their little two year old selves. I jump all around with them and we pretend to eat lots of bananas. (what wonderful family fun)
We have had lots of wonderful family time, painting pumpkins, carving pumpkins, going to the cider mill, playing at the zoo in our monkey costumes, participating in the parade at preschool in our monkey costumes. On top of that can you imagine that if it was in fact a day to worship satan which i don't think it is. Maybe it once WAS, but the operative word is WAS. Can you imagine how mad Satan is when there are Christians loving on others on this day and having fun and smiling and proclaiming His love to other people. So here lets do this, lets make Satan mad tomorrow. Share a blessing with people tomorrow when those cute little furry kids come running to your door. Make Satan mad :)
There is a lot of chastising going on regarding Halloween. I do agree it did start out as a Pagan celebration revolving around evil, however I don't believe that is the case today. Although some may still do this, I have yet to meet any of these said "Satan worshippers who only come out on this one day" As a responsible parent I will
1. make sure I explain to my children that halloween is a fun time to be with family and friends and get candy...nothing more nothing less. Its a time to use your imagination be a doctor for a day, be a firefighter, be a monkey. :) If it is a big concern for you then why don't you take the opportunity to hand out candy that you have wrapped with a bible verse, or pencils with something professing Christ's love. God didn't steer clear of sinners he faced them head on. He showed them love not hatred. He didn't bad mouth them. He showed them love sometimes tough love, but still love. He immersed himself with them so that He could love them. (just a sidenote I'm not saying people that participate in halloween are sinners, some people do think this)
2. This is a preference of mine but I will not allow my children to wear "scary' costumes. I want it to be fun and creative.
Along with all of this i typically find alternative things to do for this "holiday" such as go to the Boo at the Zoo or maybe a church fall festival. Safe alternatives for younger children. We will continue before and after to discuss with our children about God and His love for us and how He is the only God.
I have a hard time understanding why we can wake up on November 1 and put a costume on and run around the house or maybe go to the store (you know those kids...the ones that wont take their costumes off for days/weeks) You might call this dress up? Me too! Halloween is no different than any other day. We just get a little extra candy, which by the way gets donated to some wonderful organization or soldiers deployed overseas. I love watching my boys with their monkey costumes on thinking they can swing from trees and pretending, what a wonderful sense of imagination in their little two year old selves. I jump all around with them and we pretend to eat lots of bananas. (what wonderful family fun)
We have had lots of wonderful family time, painting pumpkins, carving pumpkins, going to the cider mill, playing at the zoo in our monkey costumes, participating in the parade at preschool in our monkey costumes. On top of that can you imagine that if it was in fact a day to worship satan which i don't think it is. Maybe it once WAS, but the operative word is WAS. Can you imagine how mad Satan is when there are Christians loving on others on this day and having fun and smiling and proclaiming His love to other people. So here lets do this, lets make Satan mad tomorrow. Share a blessing with people tomorrow when those cute little furry kids come running to your door. Make Satan mad :)
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Remembering
Today, September 11, 2011, marks 10 years since the attacks on our country. As I watched the news today between multiple episodes of blues clues and Diego I wanted to express what I was feeling but wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to say. I am not an eloquent writer and I don't have a way with words. I was saddened by the loss of the thousands from that day and as I was on Facebook the Fort Drum website came up with two more soldiers that were killed in action this week in Afghanistan.
I was a senior in HS and I remember after the first plane hit the TVs were on in every classroom. I had made it to my computer class and as a class we watched the second plane hit the tower. I remember crying a little and not knowing exactly what to think. i was young and didn't really understand exactly what had just happened to our country. I had friends at school whose dads and moms worked at the pentagon and were desperately trying to get a hold of them. That was my concern that day. Our lives as military kids changed that day. Dance practice that started at 7am we had to leave at 5:30am because it took that long to get in the gates. Again i didn't understand. I went off to college where I led your typical college life for the first year and then I met this guy. This Army guy. Who went to West Point who loved the army and wanted to be in the Infantry. We talked and I asked a lot of questions. Again I didn't REALLY understand. And then we dated. I learned what his ambitions were. I learned why he was in the Army. We visited NYC. I, wait for it....fell in love with this soon to be Army Officer. I was starting to understand. We talked about what life would be like to be married to someone in the military during this time of war. How fast they would deploy, how much training they would endure, how much time we would be apart. (this wasn't totally communicated) :) Next thing I know, there I was, a new Army bride. Proud of my soldier and proud to be his wife. Off we went on our honeymoon to Fort Riley, Kansas where he had to get back to work because they were training for a deployment. A deployment that would last 15 LONG months. 15 long months of losing friends and soldiers. I went to memorial after memorial of soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. To protect us of our freedoms. I shed many tears wondering if I would get to see my own soldier again. I finally understood.
Since then we have endured a few shorter deployments and we are now on another long deployment. Today as I watched the memorial ceremonies take place I wanted to remember I wanted to be reminded of that day. It serves as a reminder to all of us what our military members are fighting for. Many tears were shed today for those families as I watched young kids who were only babies and toddlers when their parent was killed on that day and they are grown up some of them young adults making their parents proud.
I think of the two soldiers from Widmar's unit whose lives were lost this week to this war and the many soldiers that gave the ultimate sacrifice so that something like the 9-11 attacks does not happen again. I am proud to be an American today. I have never been more proud to serve alongside my soldier, my own personal hero. I am grateful for all of those who have sacrificed so that our country may be a safer place. I am in prayer tonight for those who are still grieving the loss of their family members that were killed 10 years ago today. God bless them and help them find peace today and in the coming days. I hope they know that their loved ones will not be forgotten.
I was a senior in HS and I remember after the first plane hit the TVs were on in every classroom. I had made it to my computer class and as a class we watched the second plane hit the tower. I remember crying a little and not knowing exactly what to think. i was young and didn't really understand exactly what had just happened to our country. I had friends at school whose dads and moms worked at the pentagon and were desperately trying to get a hold of them. That was my concern that day. Our lives as military kids changed that day. Dance practice that started at 7am we had to leave at 5:30am because it took that long to get in the gates. Again i didn't understand. I went off to college where I led your typical college life for the first year and then I met this guy. This Army guy. Who went to West Point who loved the army and wanted to be in the Infantry. We talked and I asked a lot of questions. Again I didn't REALLY understand. And then we dated. I learned what his ambitions were. I learned why he was in the Army. We visited NYC. I, wait for it....fell in love with this soon to be Army Officer. I was starting to understand. We talked about what life would be like to be married to someone in the military during this time of war. How fast they would deploy, how much training they would endure, how much time we would be apart. (this wasn't totally communicated) :) Next thing I know, there I was, a new Army bride. Proud of my soldier and proud to be his wife. Off we went on our honeymoon to Fort Riley, Kansas where he had to get back to work because they were training for a deployment. A deployment that would last 15 LONG months. 15 long months of losing friends and soldiers. I went to memorial after memorial of soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. To protect us of our freedoms. I shed many tears wondering if I would get to see my own soldier again. I finally understood.
Since then we have endured a few shorter deployments and we are now on another long deployment. Today as I watched the memorial ceremonies take place I wanted to remember I wanted to be reminded of that day. It serves as a reminder to all of us what our military members are fighting for. Many tears were shed today for those families as I watched young kids who were only babies and toddlers when their parent was killed on that day and they are grown up some of them young adults making their parents proud.
I think of the two soldiers from Widmar's unit whose lives were lost this week to this war and the many soldiers that gave the ultimate sacrifice so that something like the 9-11 attacks does not happen again. I am proud to be an American today. I have never been more proud to serve alongside my soldier, my own personal hero. I am grateful for all of those who have sacrificed so that our country may be a safer place. I am in prayer tonight for those who are still grieving the loss of their family members that were killed 10 years ago today. God bless them and help them find peace today and in the coming days. I hope they know that their loved ones will not be forgotten.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Labor Day
My brother came in last week and spent 6 whole days with us. It was a blast. Jamie and Matt drove in Friday and we spent the weekend with them. We went down to the lake and swam a lot and got to take a couple of "goat" rides. The boys occasionally say goat still for boat. It has been adopted by all at my aunt and uncles lake house. Its pretty funny. I do however use the word correctly when talking to the boys. They can say boat now I think they think its funny when others say goat. They have a funny sense of humor at such a young age. they always crack me up. We took uncle Shaky (T9 ricky in your phone it says shaky) :) to our favorite cracker barrel for breakfast this morning. Apparently he has been deprived of this and we had a blast. Then we sent him on his way back to Texas. It was a blast having him here.
Now its back to lonely nights. One of the many downfalls from a deployment. When kids are in bed the nights can be lonely. I try to keep myself busy. :) We have a busy month planned. I am starting back up with my Thirty-One stuff and I am working on every certification the army offers to spouses. (funds custodian, FRG leaders, care team, etc etc.) It keeps me pretty busy.
My heart is joyful tonight. This weekend was fabulous and I feel so blessed that I was able to have everyone here and we were able to spend some quality sibling/family time together. Can't wait for it to happen again.
Now its back to lonely nights. One of the many downfalls from a deployment. When kids are in bed the nights can be lonely. I try to keep myself busy. :) We have a busy month planned. I am starting back up with my Thirty-One stuff and I am working on every certification the army offers to spouses. (funds custodian, FRG leaders, care team, etc etc.) It keeps me pretty busy.
My heart is joyful tonight. This weekend was fabulous and I feel so blessed that I was able to have everyone here and we were able to spend some quality sibling/family time together. Can't wait for it to happen again.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Rainy day
I need to get better about putting pictures in here I would like to know how to do the collage things. Those would be great (dion if you are reading this tutorial would be GREAT). :)
Today we had a lazy lazy day. Not even the stay in your jammies and sweats and do housework kind of a day, but a really lazy day. The boys played together pretty well all day and I got a lot of reading done that i've been wanting to do. I also played trains and "make mountains out of blankets" with them. But really we just snuggled a lot and watched some cartoons along the day too. It was great! There is something to be said in rejuvinating and taking time to do nothing but be with your family and just enjoy the peace of the day. It truly was a wonderfully blessed day. So I will thank Irene for my lazy day. I happened to think it was freezing today haha It was 55/60*, but thats cold compared to what I am used to.
Back to the grind tomorrow. I'm attempting 4 miles i think if its not raining and overly flooded outside. We will see. I pray everyone is safe tonight and that you have a wonderfully blessed week!!
Today we had a lazy lazy day. Not even the stay in your jammies and sweats and do housework kind of a day, but a really lazy day. The boys played together pretty well all day and I got a lot of reading done that i've been wanting to do. I also played trains and "make mountains out of blankets" with them. But really we just snuggled a lot and watched some cartoons along the day too. It was great! There is something to be said in rejuvinating and taking time to do nothing but be with your family and just enjoy the peace of the day. It truly was a wonderfully blessed day. So I will thank Irene for my lazy day. I happened to think it was freezing today haha It was 55/60*, but thats cold compared to what I am used to.
Back to the grind tomorrow. I'm attempting 4 miles i think if its not raining and overly flooded outside. We will see. I pray everyone is safe tonight and that you have a wonderfully blessed week!!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Juice
My concoctions so far...
carrots, apple, cucumber, DELICIOUS
Honeydew, cantalope, pineapple, strawberries DELICOUS
Swiss Chard, cucumber, cauliflower, apple, celery....too much celery, but it was also very good
I think everyone needs a juicer. :)
also a fun fact for the day...when you tell someone that you are "juicing" that means you are on steroids. Thanks Widmar for that little piece of advice. :)
carrots, apple, cucumber, DELICIOUS
Honeydew, cantalope, pineapple, strawberries DELICOUS
Swiss Chard, cucumber, cauliflower, apple, celery....too much celery, but it was also very good
I think everyone needs a juicer. :)
also a fun fact for the day...when you tell someone that you are "juicing" that means you are on steroids. Thanks Widmar for that little piece of advice. :)
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