Sunday, March 31, 2013
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By:
Anita
Saturday, March 30, 2013
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By:
Anita
What's that?
I’ve been on the receiving end of a sharp tongue. Sadly, I’ve also been on the giving end, too. Since I’m not a “confrontationist” by nature, this history of my sharpness happened behind closed doors, behind backs. It embarrasses me to say, but if I’m to live authentically, I must.
I’ve spouted off at times, speaking in the flesh instead of through the Spirit.
I’ve allowed pain, hurt and frustration to guide my speech rather than Him.
I’ve given in to my humanness, turning my back on who I am in Him.
Saying it, writing it makes it so real.
I’ve been guilty of assumptions, assuming without gathering all the facts.
I’ve been guilty of surmising, creating scenarios in which to respond.
I’ve been guilty of sarcasm ~ lots of sarcasm.
In the midst of it all, He’s been quietly speaking into my Spirit, calling my attention to what flows from my tongue.
He reminds me of Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.
Then leads me to Matthew 15:18:
But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart. . ...
Followed by Galatians 5:22,23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
What has He been teaching me?
What is He teaching me?
1) A heart full of Him speaks Him because a heart full of junk speaks just that ~ junk.
2) I must allow Him to filter my words, not just catch them afterwards, repairing any damage.
3) Letting go of foolish speak is evidence of my love for Him and my relationship with Him and His word.
As I live my life I need to remember that HE sees my shortcomings, my faults and loves me through each. HE patiently teaches and reminds me how hiding HIS word in my heart influences what comes out of MY mouth.
Blessings
I’ve spouted off at times, speaking in the flesh instead of through the Spirit.
I’ve allowed pain, hurt and frustration to guide my speech rather than Him.
I’ve given in to my humanness, turning my back on who I am in Him.
Saying it, writing it makes it so real.
I’ve been guilty of assumptions, assuming without gathering all the facts.
I’ve been guilty of surmising, creating scenarios in which to respond.
I’ve been guilty of sarcasm ~ lots of sarcasm.
In the midst of it all, He’s been quietly speaking into my Spirit, calling my attention to what flows from my tongue.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.
Then leads me to Matthew 15:18:
But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart. . ...
Followed by Galatians 5:22,23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
What has He been teaching me?
What is He teaching me?
1) A heart full of Him speaks Him because a heart full of junk speaks just that ~ junk.
2) I must allow Him to filter my words, not just catch them afterwards, repairing any damage.
3) Letting go of foolish speak is evidence of my love for Him and my relationship with Him and His word.
As I live my life I need to remember that HE sees my shortcomings, my faults and loves me through each. HE patiently teaches and reminds me how hiding HIS word in my heart influences what comes out of MY mouth.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
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By:
Anita
My motto
These days it seems that for every step I take forward, I end up taking two steps backwards. Not a great way to get ahead, wouldn’t you agree?
You’d think that with only working part-time, I’d be able to get ahead with things around the house. Like the stacks of wedding photos from three years ago that are still waiting to be put in the photo albums, or give the house a good spring cleaning, {which was done when we were gearing up for that same wedding} or what about the closets that need to be purged of old and non-worn clothes, or how about organizing the games & video cupboard, or, here’s a good one, how about the boy’s room. Both boys moved out in September of 2010 when they left for college. Their rooms however look like they are only away for the weekend ~ because I’ve done nothing about it. I just keep doing what I’ve always done - which isn’t alot. Well now, that’s not quite true. I still make meals, do the laundry, tidy up, keep the dished washed, dried and put away, I try to go for a walk, and on a good day, perhaps go for run, read book or two, but that’s. about. it. Not much on the list to win me the good wife, mom, or contributor to the home award .. . . huh?
It seems that as each day passes, I am only able to manage the status quo. Because I am so far behind in everything that even the simplest of tasks seem to overwhelm me. .. . . and the more overwhelmed I feel, the further behind I seem to fall as every task seems insurmountable.
In fact sometimes even just thinking about everything that needs to be done overwhelms to the point that I can’t even get started on anything. I don’t know if making myself a goal list would help, or maybe I need someone to gently nudge me to get things done, giving me the incentive I need.
And then I remind myself of this:
Blessings
You’d think that with only working part-time, I’d be able to get ahead with things around the house. Like the stacks of wedding photos from three years ago that are still waiting to be put in the photo albums, or give the house a good spring cleaning, {which was done when we were gearing up for that same wedding} or what about the closets that need to be purged of old and non-worn clothes, or how about organizing the games & video cupboard, or, here’s a good one, how about the boy’s room. Both boys moved out in September of 2010 when they left for college. Their rooms however look like they are only away for the weekend ~ because I’ve done nothing about it. I just keep doing what I’ve always done - which isn’t alot. Well now, that’s not quite true. I still make meals, do the laundry, tidy up, keep the dished washed, dried and put away, I try to go for a walk, and on a good day, perhaps go for run, read book or two, but that’s. about. it. Not much on the list to win me the good wife, mom, or contributor to the home award .. . . huh?
It seems that as each day passes, I am only able to manage the status quo. Because I am so far behind in everything that even the simplest of tasks seem to overwhelm me. .. . . and the more overwhelmed I feel, the further behind I seem to fall as every task seems insurmountable.
In fact sometimes even just thinking about everything that needs to be done overwhelms to the point that I can’t even get started on anything. I don’t know if making myself a goal list would help, or maybe I need someone to gently nudge me to get things done, giving me the incentive I need.
And then I remind myself of this:
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
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By:
Anita
Mirror ~ Mirror
Have you ever seen the movies “Wizard of Oz”, “Snow White” or the TV show “Once Upon a Time”?
I am totally into these kinds of stories, these days. Especially after watching “OZ the Great and Powerful”.
At the heart of each one of these is good vs. evil - bad vs. good. Throughout the story the battle goes back and forth until you are left on the edge of your seat wondering who is ahead and who is behind. You curse when the Bad scores points against the Good and cheer when Good prevails. Back and forth it goes in constant drama. Makes for good TV but not so much when you are faced with it in life. Maybe not evil per se, but the back and forth with someone that only wants to hurt, discredit or force you to eat the poisoned apple.
Take the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. She stalked Dorothy, sent flying monkeys at her, threatened her and did everything to exert her power over her. Green with jealously, locked in her castle she needed to hurt what was good. She manipulated and lied and looked for any opening to release her anger onto another.
Or how about the evil Queen in Snow White? I just finished reading the book “Fairest of all”
It's a wonderful story about how the wicked queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs became so wicked. From the moment I saw this cover ~ I absolutely had to read it. In it we learn of how the Wicked Queen became the bitter and well, evil witch we've known for years. We are taken back to the days where she lived with her father, an artist in crafting mirrors. We also read of her marriage, her dreams, hopes and eventually her downfall.
And after reading her story ~ you begin to feel a little more empathy for her.
In fact, I really feel sorry for all people like this. When someone is so full of pain, of insecurity or just plain miserable with their own lives, they tend to lash out at others. They lie. They bully. They talk behind your back and do whatever they can to knock you down. They keep files and notes and look for whatever opening they can find to hurt you. They worm their way into your friends, your family and your life. However, you do not have to let their poison effect you.
In reality, it's not even really about you. It's about them. Their issues, their hang ups. Nothing you could ever do or say will change it. And when you realize this, you do not ever need to defend yourself. Hold your head up high, shoulders back and remember that it is not your battle to fight, they need to make peace with themselves.
But.. .. .. . I wouldn't eat any apples in the meantime.
Blessings
At the heart of each one of these is good vs. evil - bad vs. good. Throughout the story the battle goes back and forth until you are left on the edge of your seat wondering who is ahead and who is behind. You curse when the Bad scores points against the Good and cheer when Good prevails. Back and forth it goes in constant drama. Makes for good TV but not so much when you are faced with it in life. Maybe not evil per se, but the back and forth with someone that only wants to hurt, discredit or force you to eat the poisoned apple.
Take the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. She stalked Dorothy, sent flying monkeys at her, threatened her and did everything to exert her power over her. Green with jealously, locked in her castle she needed to hurt what was good. She manipulated and lied and looked for any opening to release her anger onto another.
Or how about the evil Queen in Snow White? I just finished reading the book “Fairest of all”
In fact, I really feel sorry for all people like this. When someone is so full of pain, of insecurity or just plain miserable with their own lives, they tend to lash out at others. They lie. They bully. They talk behind your back and do whatever they can to knock you down. They keep files and notes and look for whatever opening they can find to hurt you. They worm their way into your friends, your family and your life. However, you do not have to let their poison effect you.
In reality, it's not even really about you. It's about them. Their issues, their hang ups. Nothing you could ever do or say will change it. And when you realize this, you do not ever need to defend yourself. Hold your head up high, shoulders back and remember that it is not your battle to fight, they need to make peace with themselves.
But.. .. .. . I wouldn't eat any apples in the meantime.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
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By:
Anita
WANTED: Friends
“The only way to have a friend is to be one.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Most of us are familiar with the classic friendship story in the movie “Toy Story” - where our main character “Woody” the cowboy doll which had been Andy’s favourite toy, until it was replaced with “Buzz Lightyear” the spaceman figure, leaving Woody feeling left out of all the fun. Of course in classic Disney style the situations they find themselves in give these beloved characters opportunity to figure out a way to get along and end up becoming the friends they were meant to be.
You've got a friend in me, You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles, from your nice warm bed
Just remember what your old pal said, Boy, you've got a friend in me!
You've got a friend in me!
We all want to have true friends; however making friends is difficult… at least it is for me. I have always found it difficult to find someone that I could relate to. Maybe it was because I was shy. Maybe it was because I am a little on the abnormal side! {depending on your definition of abnormal!} Maybe I never wore the right clothes, said the right things. Regardless of the reason, I always found it difficult to reach out to new people.
The older I’ve gotten the harder it is {or so it seems} to make friends. Since I don’t work out of the house, the opportunities just aren’t there. Finding friends over 40 has proven harder than I thought it would. It seems with each passing year it’s harder and harder to meet people who are interested in developing a new friendship. It seems everyone out there is either afraid of getting hurt, doesn’t want to make the investment into a new relationship or are quite comfortable in their own little clique of friends. While I do consider my mother, my sister, my daughter, and my aunt my friends, nothing beats a non-related friend who will grab a cup of tea with you or just hang out because they enjoy your company. Someone who will listen to your rants and raves without judgement; someone who you can share your life with.
We been attending a new church for about a year now and we love it! The Sunday morning worship in music is Spirit filled, the Pastor’s messages proclaiming the Word of God fills my soul for another week and the people are so friendly that I revel in their genuine love for us; and yet I haven’t made a deep connection with another woman. I knew that when we left our other church I would sadly lose a lot of those friendships as we would not have the same opportunity to connect since most of our time together was at the church building. I knew it and yet was still greatly wounded when it actually happened. I’ve tried to stay connected to a few ladies, but others I had to let go as therewas is a lot of resentment because we left.
Which puts me, back in the friend market once again.
Maybe I should post a “Friend Wanted” Ad. Something like:
Wanted: Female friend who is interested in finding a real friend; someone who listens, who can hold a decent conversation, a kindred spirit to whom you can confide your inmost soul. Looking for someone that holds similar interests - such as going for a cuppa tea, walking, card making, working out, and cooking. Board game (book lover) is a bonus. Prefers someone with high family values. Looking for someone who is trustworthy, honest, and overall just a fun person to be with. Qualified person would be interested in fun times, new experiences, and creating what will hopefully be a lifetime friend! Serious inquires only.
Taking the time to nurture a friendship is worth every moment. As the years pass, some people will stay by your side, but many won't, and you'll realize that each friendship you keep is priceless.
Are you lucky enough to be blessed with friends, or are you like me and ready to place that ad?
Blessings
Most of us are familiar with the classic friendship story in the movie “Toy Story” - where our main character “Woody” the cowboy doll which had been Andy’s favourite toy, until it was replaced with “Buzz Lightyear” the spaceman figure, leaving Woody feeling left out of all the fun. Of course in classic Disney style the situations they find themselves in give these beloved characters opportunity to figure out a way to get along and end up becoming the friends they were meant to be.
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles, from your nice warm bed
Just remember what your old pal said, Boy, you've got a friend in me!
You've got a friend in me!
We all want to have true friends; however making friends is difficult… at least it is for me. I have always found it difficult to find someone that I could relate to. Maybe it was because I was shy. Maybe it was because I am a little on the abnormal side! {depending on your definition of abnormal!} Maybe I never wore the right clothes, said the right things. Regardless of the reason, I always found it difficult to reach out to new people.
The older I’ve gotten the harder it is {or so it seems} to make friends. Since I don’t work out of the house, the opportunities just aren’t there. Finding friends over 40 has proven harder than I thought it would. It seems with each passing year it’s harder and harder to meet people who are interested in developing a new friendship. It seems everyone out there is either afraid of getting hurt, doesn’t want to make the investment into a new relationship or are quite comfortable in their own little clique of friends. While I do consider my mother, my sister, my daughter, and my aunt my friends, nothing beats a non-related friend who will grab a cup of tea with you or just hang out because they enjoy your company. Someone who will listen to your rants and raves without judgement; someone who you can share your life with.
We been attending a new church for about a year now and we love it! The Sunday morning worship in music is Spirit filled, the Pastor’s messages proclaiming the Word of God fills my soul for another week and the people are so friendly that I revel in their genuine love for us; and yet I haven’t made a deep connection with another woman. I knew that when we left our other church I would sadly lose a lot of those friendships as we would not have the same opportunity to connect since most of our time together was at the church building. I knew it and yet was still greatly wounded when it actually happened. I’ve tried to stay connected to a few ladies, but others I had to let go as there
Which puts me, back in the friend market once again.
Maybe I should post a “Friend Wanted” Ad. Something like:
Wanted: Female friend who is interested in finding a real friend; someone who listens, who can hold a decent conversation, a kindred spirit to whom you can confide your inmost soul. Looking for someone that holds similar interests - such as going for a cuppa tea, walking, card making, working out, and cooking. Board game (book lover) is a bonus. Prefers someone with high family values. Looking for someone who is trustworthy, honest, and overall just a fun person to be with. Qualified person would be interested in fun times, new experiences, and creating what will hopefully be a lifetime friend! Serious inquires only.
Are you lucky enough to be blessed with friends, or are you like me and ready to place that ad?
Blessings
Thursday, March 21, 2013
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By:
Anita
The 50 book Challenge
I’ve always loved reading.. .. Even as a young child I have the fondest memory of sitting in my Grandma’s living room reading Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories.
I’ve long since graduated to many different authors writing many different genres of books with fiction being my favourite. I can and do end up spending several hours engrossed with a good book, in fact I can get so absorbed with the stories that I totally can lose track of the time. Reading is probably my very most favourite pastime!
So when Krystle posted this ~ I knew this was one opportuity I could not pass up. Not only does this challenge combine my love for reading but it also includes me hanging out at my favourite place ~ the Library! I love searching for new authors and get excited when my favourite author has written a new book ~ quite often I end up spending several hours there.
Here’s a list of what I’ve read since I’ve accepted the challenge:
#1 Triplets - Molly Gregorie
#2 Acts of Malice - Perri O shaunessy
#3 Secrets - Danielle Steel
#4 Extreme Measures - Michael Palmer
#5 Angles Flight - Michael Connolly
#6 Accident - Danielle Steel
#6 Low Pressure - Sandra Brown
#7 Up Close and Dangerous- Linda Howard
#8 The Trophy Wives - Kristin Billerbeck
#9 The Drop - Michael Connolly
#10 Shiver - Karen Robards
#11 Eyes Wide Open - Andrew Gross
#12 Full Disclosure - Dee Henderson
#13 419 - Will Fergussen
#13 These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf
#14 Broken Harbour - Tana French
#15 Lying with Strangers - James Grippando
#15 Double Blind - Brandilyn Collins
#16 In the Woods - Tana French
#16 The Truth about Dandelions - Hayley Linfield
#17 Faithful Place - Tana French
#17 Inside - Alex Ohlin
#17 The Lawyer's Lawyer - James Sheehan
#18 Last to Die - Tess Gerritson
I’m almost halfway through this challenge and it’s not even June yet! I am sure you’ve noticed that most of my books are fiction, {which according to Wikipedia is ~ Fiction: the form of any work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary and theoretical ~ that is, invented by the author.} um, ok, I guess they are all fiction ~ but there is just something about that genre that just pulls me in. Whether it’s taking me to far away places, an opportunity to live vicariously through the characters, or helping me decipher with the detectives in the most recent whodunit! It gives me a window in to another world!
It’s probably true that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but if the cover can’t grab me, I doubt the story will… I’ve also learned that through all my years of reading that there are too many good books out there to waste time reading a bad book. .. .. so if my most recent book from the library doesn’t quite entice me to continue reading it, I simply return it for the next one on my list.
“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all." - Henry David Thoreau.
Blessings
So when Krystle posted this ~ I knew this was one opportuity I could not pass up. Not only does this challenge combine my love for reading but it also includes me hanging out at my favourite place ~ the Library! I love searching for new authors and get excited when my favourite author has written a new book ~ quite often I end up spending several hours there.
Here’s a list of what I’ve read since I’ve accepted the challenge:
#1 Triplets - Molly Gregorie
#2 Acts of Malice - Perri O shaunessy
#3 Secrets - Danielle Steel
#4 Extreme Measures - Michael Palmer
#5 Angles Flight - Michael Connolly
#6 Low Pressure - Sandra Brown
#7 Up Close and Dangerous- Linda Howard
#8 The Trophy Wives - Kristin Billerbeck
#9 The Drop - Michael Connolly
#10 Shiver - Karen Robards
#11 Eyes Wide Open - Andrew Gross
#12 Full Disclosure - Dee Henderson
#13 These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf
#14 Broken Harbour - Tana French
#15 Double Blind - Brandilyn Collins
#16 The Truth about Dandelions - Hayley Linfield
#17 The Lawyer's Lawyer - James Sheehan
#18 Last to Die - Tess Gerritson
I’m almost halfway through this challenge and it’s not even June yet! I am sure you’ve noticed that most of my books are fiction, {which according to Wikipedia is ~ Fiction: the form of any work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary and theoretical ~ that is, invented by the author.} um, ok, I guess they are all fiction ~ but there is just something about that genre that just pulls me in. Whether it’s taking me to far away places, an opportunity to live vicariously through the characters, or helping me decipher with the detectives in the most recent whodunit! It gives me a window in to another world!
“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all." - Henry David Thoreau.
Blessings
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
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By:
Anita
Is it Spring yet?
According to the calendar it is and even more so because my Kraft Canada ~ What's Cooking magazine came in the mail yesterday ~ making it official!
I love this little magazine that arrives about 3 or 4 times throughout the year. With it's wonderful new recipes, great articles and information about new products ~ plus that fact that's it's free, makes it one great little surprise signalling the beginning of each season.
It something that I will read from cover to cover feeding into my cookbook addiciton, plus I will tear out any of the recipes that I want to make in the future and I will add to my collection and put them into this binder.
Since it's the first day of Spring and my magazine has arrived, let's hope the Spring weather soon follows.
Blessings
It something that I will read from cover to cover feeding into my cookbook addiciton, plus I will tear out any of the recipes that I want to make in the future and I will add to my collection and put them into this binder.
Since it's the first day of Spring and my magazine has arrived, let's hope the Spring weather soon follows.
Blessings
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
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By:
Anita
from the kitchen sink
from the kitchen sink a massive amount of overwhelming thoughts all collide in a little space. with my feet planted, hip twisting and body bending, suds foaming, water running, fingers wiping, i'm washing, rinsing, drying, re-loading. always repeating ~ day in and day out. my mental to-do list rising with the suds as i meet my sink, the list grows ... dishes, sweep, scrub, pick up, organize, dress, change, throw away, gather, replace, shoes, keys, snacks, car, call, return, remember, reflect, don’t neglect, chat, check locks, get checks, lip gloss, close door.
from my kitchen sink i think about so much. i gather so much of me there. i feel the frustration of not having accomplished enough, i see the endless counters to wipe down and desk overflowing with stuff. all my issues seem to rise with the water filling our crock pot now crusted with last nights meal, thoughts and fears bubbling over. and the mess never seems to settle... clean back splash, take out trash, did i say too much, did i say too little, i shouldn’t have sent that email, why am i so annoyed, what if she never replies, where did the time go, why do i still care, shake out the rug, did they even notice i wasn’t there?
from my kitchen sink i am forced to stay, forced to feel, and find myself in all my messiness. recently the stirring of my inadequacies have grabbed me and held me captive by all the things i am not. i chase down my faults trying to fix them, my mind dizzy with so many places that need mending.
and at my sink when i so often fantasize about achieving, i suddenly stop, shaking hands free of suds, i look out to see what always makes my heart stop, acres and acres of open fields, and my heart hears, “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” exhale. and i can stop fighting my insecurities and neurotic need to fix myself and everything around me, everything in me.
behind my sink, i stand and stare into my surroundings, and realize that i am blessed!
blessings
from my kitchen sink i think about so much. i gather so much of me there. i feel the frustration of not having accomplished enough, i see the endless counters to wipe down and desk overflowing with stuff. all my issues seem to rise with the water filling our crock pot now crusted with last nights meal, thoughts and fears bubbling over. and the mess never seems to settle... clean back splash, take out trash, did i say too much, did i say too little, i shouldn’t have sent that email, why am i so annoyed, what if she never replies, where did the time go, why do i still care, shake out the rug, did they even notice i wasn’t there?
from my kitchen sink i am forced to stay, forced to feel, and find myself in all my messiness. recently the stirring of my inadequacies have grabbed me and held me captive by all the things i am not. i chase down my faults trying to fix them, my mind dizzy with so many places that need mending.
behind my sink, i stand and stare into my surroundings, and realize that i am blessed!
blessings
Saturday, March 16, 2013
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By:
Anita
Copycat
My daughter posted this, and I couldn't help but copy this idea for myself... .. .
On my Night table: The Lawyer's Lawyer by James Sheehan
Through my speakers: Matt Redman: 10,000 Reasons
How about you? what have you been doing.. .. .. lately?
Lately...
In the Kitchen:
Taco/Nacho Salad, Chinese Dinner, Homemade
Pizza!
On my Night table: The Lawyer's Lawyer by James Sheehan
Through my speakers: Matt Redman: 10,000 Reasons
Search Engine History: Blogger, Facebook, Mennonite Girls Can Cook,
and this one is embarassing, but - Family Barn Multi-Player game on Miniclip
and this one is embarassing, but - Family Barn Multi-Player game on Miniclip
Readings in my Bible: Philippians, Psalms
Enjoyment: Walking our dog, Baking
TV Shows: Survivor, The Big Bang Theory
Movies: Oz the great and powerful, Skyfall
How about you? what have you been doing.. .. .. lately?
Blessings
Friday, March 15, 2013
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By:
Anita
OZ, the Great and Powerful
We're off to see the Wizard, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. You'll find he is a whiz of a Wiz! If ever a Wiz! there was. If ever oh ever a Wiz! there was The Wizard of Oz is one because, because, because, because, because, because… . . .. . .. because of the wonderful things he does. We're off to see the Wizard. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . . . . ..
I’ve always been a huge fan of the 1939 classic movie “The Wizard of OZ!” with the endearing characters of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin man, and of course my favourite the Lion. So when Krystle invited me to go and see “OZ the Great and Powerful” movie, to say I was exited was an understatement. Not only did I get to see a timeless classic in a movie theatre {which is something we haven’t done in years} but I got to spend time my best friend.
OZ the Great and Powerful:
From the IMDB {International Movie Data Base} ~
Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz. At first he thinks he's hit the jackpot-fame and fortune are his for the taking. That all changes, however, when he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity-and even a bit of wizardry-Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well. Written by Walt Disney Studios Motions Pictures.
This movie is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz and while you already have a basic idea of how the story will end, we still sat on the edge of our seat in anticipation wondering where the writers would take the classic story. I was not disappointed. They gave us insight into how the Wicked Witch of the West become green and full of envy, who the witch is that Dorothy’s house fell on and how OZ became the great and powerful. The writers tied in so many of the unique attributes of the 1939 edition movie and we were quite glad we saw it. It was a great movie one I would highly recommend.
Thanks Krystle for a wonderful ‘date’ night.
Blessings
OZ the Great and Powerful:
From the IMDB {International Movie Data Base} ~
Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz. At first he thinks he's hit the jackpot-fame and fortune are his for the taking. That all changes, however, when he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity-and even a bit of wizardry-Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well. Written by Walt Disney Studios Motions Pictures.
This movie is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz and while you already have a basic idea of how the story will end, we still sat on the edge of our seat in anticipation wondering where the writers would take the classic story. I was not disappointed. They gave us insight into how the Wicked Witch of the West become green and full of envy, who the witch is that Dorothy’s house fell on and how OZ became the great and powerful. The writers tied in so many of the unique attributes of the 1939 edition movie and we were quite glad we saw it. It was a great movie one I would highly recommend.
Thanks Krystle for a wonderful ‘date’ night.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
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By:
Anita
T.A.T.T
a.k.a. ~ tired all the time.
I am tired.. .. . ...
but you know? It’s more than that ~ I am tired of being tired. There seems to be a downward spiral happening. The more I am tired, the less I seem to sleep. My tiredness itself is not an illness, but is rather a symptom of my condition ~ and while I know that in my head, there are days when my limitations are difficult to digest.
It’s tough being tired all day. I’ve had days like this, when I’m struggling through the day and don’t have the energy to tackle anything that matters. When you’re tired, not much seems appealing. Life is dulled, and you don’t get much accomplished. Worst, you don’t have the energy to change the situation.
To be honest, the last few years have been like this.
We have, however, gotten good at ignoring our body’s signals ~ much of our lives is training our minds to pretend our bodies aren’t tired, so we can be more productive.
Here are a few tips I've found to be helpful:
Rest
Rest is the most obvious solution to coping with fatigue. When the body signals that it has reached a physical limit, a short nap or sleep period is the needed response. By responding with a rest period you give the body a chance to regain control.
Planning Ahead
Planning ahead, scheduling activities, and pacing yourself can help minimize the intrusion of fatigue. Limiting the number of strenuous activities, allowing interspersed rest periods, and remaining flexible can favor preserving energy.
Prioritize
Prioritizing activities helps curtail fatigue. Important activities should be done first before energy becomes depleted and less significant activities can be delayed if needed.
Organize
Whenever possible reorganize to make things more convenient. Keeping things within reach or nearby can be energy saving mechanisms.
The key response to fatigue must be energy preservation.
And then I remind myself of this:
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
What a great quote!
Blessings
I am tired.. .. . ...
It’s tough being tired all day. I’ve had days like this, when I’m struggling through the day and don’t have the energy to tackle anything that matters. When you’re tired, not much seems appealing. Life is dulled, and you don’t get much accomplished. Worst, you don’t have the energy to change the situation.
To be honest, the last few years have been like this.
We have, however, gotten good at ignoring our body’s signals ~ much of our lives is training our minds to pretend our bodies aren’t tired, so we can be more productive.
Here are a few tips I've found to be helpful:
Rest
Rest is the most obvious solution to coping with fatigue. When the body signals that it has reached a physical limit, a short nap or sleep period is the needed response. By responding with a rest period you give the body a chance to regain control.
Planning Ahead
Planning ahead, scheduling activities, and pacing yourself can help minimize the intrusion of fatigue. Limiting the number of strenuous activities, allowing interspersed rest periods, and remaining flexible can favor preserving energy.
Prioritize
Prioritizing activities helps curtail fatigue. Important activities should be done first before energy becomes depleted and less significant activities can be delayed if needed.
Organize
Whenever possible reorganize to make things more convenient. Keeping things within reach or nearby can be energy saving mechanisms.
The key response to fatigue must be energy preservation.
And then I remind myself of this:
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
What a great quote!
Blessings
Sunday, March 10, 2013
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By:
Anita
Captain Hindsight
The other day, I was telling my son about a decision that I had made and that knowing what I know now, I probably wouldn’t have made the decision they way I did. Which got us to talking about hindsight being 20/20 and that rabbit-trailed our discussion to my son asking, “have you seen the episode of South Park where the townsfolk meet the superhero Captain Hindsight?” Which of course I had not, so he goes on to tell me that in the episode, Captain Hindsight arrives at the scene of a burning fire in an apartment building, with firefighters trying to put it out, but instead of trying to resolve the crisis at hand, he explains to the crowd the precautions that should’ve been taken to prevent the disaster.
From Google:
Jack "Captain Hindsight" Brollin based on the eponymous superhero character originally featured in an episode of the animated TV series South Park is a superhero who "helps" people in need by appearing at the scene to lecture them about what they did wrong to get into a certain accident and what methods they could have used to avoid it, instead of actually rescuing them. Inspired by the character, image captions generally present various types of predicaments and then lecture on what could’ve been done differently to avoid the situation altogether. Despite this, civilians still feel much better afterwards. Perfect 20/20 hindsight is the power that Captain Hindsight is most associated with. With his natural hindsight abilities raised to superhuman levels, due to an accident with a retroactive spider, Captain Hindsight can immediately know how an event could have been avoided just by looking at the scene.
We all know the famous saying that hindsight is 20/20 and that if you knew then what you know now, you'd likely not make that decision the way you did. However, we all tend to make our choices based on the facts that we have at hand and making our decisions as best we can with the information in front of us.
The point of this post? Well, knowing now what I know, I likely wouldn’t have made the decision that way I did {hence the title}. But had I not decided to do what I did, I would not have realized that I was unable to do what I thought I was able to do. The only way to understand where we’ve come from is to have actually have been there, and I could not have come up with the same conclusions had I not done what I had originally decided to do.
Ironically we are like Captain Hindsight, we all have the superpower of perfect 20/20 hindsight vision, and yet the greatest weakness to this power as Hindsight demonstrated, is the fact the ability only works after the action has occurred, which more often than not can make us regret doing the action in the first place and could make us second guess every action we do.
And yet, as I re-read about that decision that I made in this post I am again reminded of the words from scripture: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 {New International Version (NIV)}
Blessings
Jack "Captain Hindsight" Brollin based on the eponymous superhero character originally featured in an episode of the animated TV series South Park is a superhero who "helps" people in need by appearing at the scene to lecture them about what they did wrong to get into a certain accident and what methods they could have used to avoid it, instead of actually rescuing them. Inspired by the character, image captions generally present various types of predicaments and then lecture on what could’ve been done differently to avoid the situation altogether. Despite this, civilians still feel much better afterwards. Perfect 20/20 hindsight is the power that Captain Hindsight is most associated with. With his natural hindsight abilities raised to superhuman levels, due to an accident with a retroactive spider, Captain Hindsight can immediately know how an event could have been avoided just by looking at the scene.
We all know the famous saying that hindsight is 20/20 and that if you knew then what you know now, you'd likely not make that decision the way you did. However, we all tend to make our choices based on the facts that we have at hand and making our decisions as best we can with the information in front of us.
The point of this post? Well, knowing now what I know, I likely wouldn’t have made the decision that way I did {hence the title}. But had I not decided to do what I did, I would not have realized that I was unable to do what I thought I was able to do. The only way to understand where we’ve come from is to have actually have been there, and I could not have come up with the same conclusions had I not done what I had originally decided to do.
Ironically we are like Captain Hindsight, we all have the superpower of perfect 20/20 hindsight vision, and yet the greatest weakness to this power as Hindsight demonstrated, is the fact the ability only works after the action has occurred, which more often than not can make us regret doing the action in the first place and could make us second guess every action we do.
And yet, as I re-read about that decision that I made in this post I am again reminded of the words from scripture: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 {New International Version (NIV)}
Blessings
Saturday, March 9, 2013
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By:
Anita
Calling the Unqualified
This came to my inbox the other day and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Read Thursday's post.
Max Lucado writes:
Peter, Andrew, James, Nathanael. Never traveled farther than a week's walk from home. Haven't studied the ways of Asia or the culture of Greece. Their passports aren't worn; their ways aren't sophisticated. Do they have any formal education?
In fact, what do they have? Humility? They jockeyed for cabinet positions. Sound theology? Peter told Jesus to forget the cross. Sensitivity? John wanted to torch the Gentiles. Loyalty? When Jesus needed prayers, they snoozed. When Jesus was arrested, they ran.
Thanks to their cowardice, Christ had more enemies than friends at his execution.
Yet look at them six weeks later, crammed into the second floor of a Jerusalem house, abuzz as if they'd just won tickets to the World Cup Finals. High fives and wide eyes. Wondering what in the world Jesus had in mind with his final commission: "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8 NIV).
You hillbillies will be my witnesses. You uneducated and simple folk will be my witnesses. You who once called me crazy, who shouted at me in the boat and doubted me in the Upper Room. You temperamental, parochial net casters and tax collectors. You will be my witnesses. You will spearhead a movement that will explode like a just-opened fire hydrant out of Jerusalem and spill into the ends of the earth: into the streets of Paris, the districts of Rome, and the ports of Athens, Istanbul, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires. You will be a part of something so mighty, controversial, and head spinning that two millennia from now a middle-aged, redheaded author riding in the exit row of a flight from Boston to Dallas will type this question on his laptop:
Does Jesus still do it? Does he still use simple folks like us to change the world?
God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called.
Don't let Satan convince you otherwise. He will try. He will tell you that God has an IQ requirement or an entry fee. That he employs only specialists and experts, governments and high-powered personalities. When Satan whispers such lies, dismiss him with this truth: God stampeded the first-century society with swaybacks, not thoroughbreds. Before Jesus came along, the disciples were loading trucks, coaching soccer, and selling Slurpee drinks at the convenience store. Their collars were blue, and their hands were calloused, and there is no evidence that Jesus chose them because they were smarter or nicer than the guy next door. The one thing they had going for them was a willingness to take a step when Jesus said, "Follow me."
Are you more dinghy than cruise ship? More stand-in than movie star? More plumber than executive? More blue jeans than blue blood? Congratulations. God changes the world with folks like you.
What an awesome reminder for me and perhaps you too?
Blessings
Max Lucado writes:
Peter, Andrew, James, Nathanael. Never traveled farther than a week's walk from home. Haven't studied the ways of Asia or the culture of Greece. Their passports aren't worn; their ways aren't sophisticated. Do they have any formal education?
In fact, what do they have? Humility? They jockeyed for cabinet positions. Sound theology? Peter told Jesus to forget the cross. Sensitivity? John wanted to torch the Gentiles. Loyalty? When Jesus needed prayers, they snoozed. When Jesus was arrested, they ran.
Thanks to their cowardice, Christ had more enemies than friends at his execution.
Yet look at them six weeks later, crammed into the second floor of a Jerusalem house, abuzz as if they'd just won tickets to the World Cup Finals. High fives and wide eyes. Wondering what in the world Jesus had in mind with his final commission: "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8 NIV).
You hillbillies will be my witnesses. You uneducated and simple folk will be my witnesses. You who once called me crazy, who shouted at me in the boat and doubted me in the Upper Room. You temperamental, parochial net casters and tax collectors. You will be my witnesses. You will spearhead a movement that will explode like a just-opened fire hydrant out of Jerusalem and spill into the ends of the earth: into the streets of Paris, the districts of Rome, and the ports of Athens, Istanbul, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires. You will be a part of something so mighty, controversial, and head spinning that two millennia from now a middle-aged, redheaded author riding in the exit row of a flight from Boston to Dallas will type this question on his laptop:
Does Jesus still do it? Does he still use simple folks like us to change the world?
God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called.
Don't let Satan convince you otherwise. He will try. He will tell you that God has an IQ requirement or an entry fee. That he employs only specialists and experts, governments and high-powered personalities. When Satan whispers such lies, dismiss him with this truth: God stampeded the first-century society with swaybacks, not thoroughbreds. Before Jesus came along, the disciples were loading trucks, coaching soccer, and selling Slurpee drinks at the convenience store. Their collars were blue, and their hands were calloused, and there is no evidence that Jesus chose them because they were smarter or nicer than the guy next door. The one thing they had going for them was a willingness to take a step when Jesus said, "Follow me."
What an awesome reminder for me and perhaps you too?
Blessings
Thursday, March 7, 2013
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By:
Anita
What's the plan?
Hi God,
So, um, what’s the plan?
Where to next?
What steps to take?
What things do I need to do?
God,
don’t you see
that if I know the plan
I can start?
I can start making lists
I can start fixing problems
I can start moving mountains
I can start doing…
Oh.
I see.
You want me to rest in you.
You want me to hand it over to you.
Wait,
you don’t need me to plan?
you don’t need me to fix?
You’ve got it handled?
You sure you don’t need my help?
But
I have some great ideas…
Oh, well, Ok.
I will wait.
I will be right here
and
I will let you
do your thing
Blessings
So, um, what’s the plan?
Where to next?
What steps to take?
What things do I need to do?
God,
don’t you see
that if I know the plan
I can start?
I can start making lists
I can start fixing problems
I can start moving mountains
I can start doing…
Oh.
I see.
You want me to rest in you.
You want me to hand it over to you.
Wait,
you don’t need me to plan?
you don’t need me to fix?
You’ve got it handled?
You sure you don’t need my help?
But
I have some great ideas…
Oh, well, Ok.
I will wait.
I will be right here
and
I will let you
do your thing
Monday, March 4, 2013
|
By:
Anita
ctrl+delete
i find it hard to bare my heart, my soul, out loud.
this is a constant point of contention as i like to think that i am good with words and often end up thinking that that should translate to the spoken word.
however, it does not.
my fingers do most of the work. sometimes, there’s a lot of deleting involved. ctrl+delete is my favorite short cut.
there is however, no delete in speaking.
what’s said is said and cannot be undone.
it’s final.
typing can always be undone. it can always be edited, adapted, changed, transformed. older editions are forgotten, and the new is cemented in the mind of the readers, or forgotten along with the old.
my preference is to type, to think through my fingers, the keyboard, the screen. i need this mechanism to fully understand me, this is how i operate. how i function. how i process.
conversation does not come easy for me ~ especially when the heart is at the center of it. my mouth gets in the way. my emotions sneak into the conversation and i say things i don’t mean or things that shouldn’t be said, or that i thought i meant but i don’t mean and i need to take them back, but i can’t because they were said and now they’re out there and their damage is done for better or for worse and i am stuck, wide-eyed, holding the ball, waiting to get sacked.
ultimately it's up to me to see to control what is said, because then there would be no need to delete.
blessings
this is a constant point of contention as i like to think that i am good with words and often end up thinking that that should translate to the spoken word.
however, it does not.
my fingers do most of the work. sometimes, there’s a lot of deleting involved. ctrl+delete is my favorite short cut.
there is however, no delete in speaking.
it’s final.
typing can always be undone. it can always be edited, adapted, changed, transformed. older editions are forgotten, and the new is cemented in the mind of the readers, or forgotten along with the old.
my preference is to type, to think through my fingers, the keyboard, the screen. i need this mechanism to fully understand me, this is how i operate. how i function. how i process.
conversation does not come easy for me ~ especially when the heart is at the center of it. my mouth gets in the way. my emotions sneak into the conversation and i say things i don’t mean or things that shouldn’t be said, or that i thought i meant but i don’t mean and i need to take them back, but i can’t because they were said and now they’re out there and their damage is done for better or for worse and i am stuck, wide-eyed, holding the ball, waiting to get sacked.
ultimately it's up to me to see to control what is said, because then there would be no need to delete.
blessings
Friday, March 1, 2013
|
By:
Anita
Confessions from a cookbook addict
I've got a confession,
I'm addicted to cookbooks, cooking magazines, recipes blogs and probably would be addicted to Pinterest if I understood how it worked. And I’m thinking I still would to like to add more books to my collection. Yep, I think I've got an addiction.
There is a whole drawer in the kitchen that holds my cookbooks, oops well not quite. Remember when I did this? This binder is filled with recipes I've cut out from of my Kraft Canada What’s Cooking Magazine {speaking of What’s Cooking I get a bit excited when a new issue arrives. I can't wait to dive into it!} that book’s too big to store in the drawer so, it’s up in the cupboard above the fridge. {making more room in the drawer for more books ^.^}
Now, if I were makingall any of these recipes, it might be one thing. But mainly I read them like a book of fiction and then try to incorporate some of their ideas or tips into my cooking/baking. Or, I try a recipe and end up tweaking it as I go along.
I'd like to tell you that I've examined my cookbook drawer and have decided I have enough recipes housed in there and that I don't need any more. But, alas, that would be a lie. One of my favourite cooking blogs would probably be Mennonite Girls Can Cook and of course I have their cookbook. Which may make you wonder why I need to have a hard copy of their recipes when I can easily find what I like on line. Well I did say I was addicted,. Didn’t I?
I could try to tell you that that would be the last of my new cookbooks for a while, but instead, I'll show you the newest one I just got.
It’s from this blog and there was a contest to win - all you had to do was enter a comment saying which book you’d like to win and hope they drew your name. I was super surprised when the e-mail came that I won.
If you're interested ~ here is a list of a few other recipe blogs that I follow ~ daily
Cooking with Memories
Chocolate Covered Katie
Tasty Kitchen
Budget Bytes
So, um, sorry, I gotta go, I have a new book to read.
Blessings
There is a whole drawer in the kitchen that holds my cookbooks, oops well not quite. Remember when I did this? This binder is filled with recipes I've cut out from of my Kraft Canada What’s Cooking Magazine {speaking of What’s Cooking I get a bit excited when a new issue arrives. I can't wait to dive into it!} that book’s too big to store in the drawer so, it’s up in the cupboard above the fridge. {making more room in the drawer for more books ^.^}
Now, if I were making
I'd like to tell you that I've examined my cookbook drawer and have decided I have enough recipes housed in there and that I don't need any more. But, alas, that would be a lie. One of my favourite cooking blogs would probably be Mennonite Girls Can Cook and of course I have their cookbook. Which may make you wonder why I need to have a hard copy of their recipes when I can easily find what I like on line. Well I did say I was addicted,. Didn’t I?
I could try to tell you that that would be the last of my new cookbooks for a while, but instead, I'll show you the newest one I just got.
If you're interested ~ here is a list of a few other recipe blogs that I follow ~ daily
Cooking with Memories
Chocolate Covered Katie
Tasty Kitchen
Budget Bytes
So, um, sorry, I gotta go, I have a new book to read.
Blessings
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