Tired

It’s the same scene, on repeat.

It’s 9:30 a.m., and I'm in bed. Still.

I should be up making breakfast and doing my devotions {like all the other good women I know} but I shut my eyes for just a few more minutes. I feel bad about it, but I’m Just. So. Tired.

And thirty minutes later, already behind and run-down for the day, I hang my head and start the kettle. Why do I just have to be so, so tired? Why can’t I get it together? “What is wrong with me?” These are the questions I’ve asked far too many times.

When I forget to do something important, when I’m late for something, when I yell at my husband, misplace my keys, can’t keep up with life and dirty dishes, or walk into a room in my house and can’t remember why I went in there ~ the list goes on.  Being tired makes everything harder.

And every time I ask, “those questions” I’m actually tell myself something is wrong with me.

After months of carrying around that terrible, awful, no-good load of guilt, I had a thought ~ I wonder what Jesus thinks of me right now. No, really. How does he see me? Is it as bad as I thought? When I feel wrung out, and at the end of my rope, and dragging myself through the day… is He mad at me?

It’s an easy answer, when I put it like that. It even sounds silly ~ God mad at me for being tired. And then one day it happened: I got tired of telling myself something was wrong with me. And I realized that what I needed was to change the way I talked to myself. God doesn’t want us berating ourselves with questions and statements that make us feel defective.

But we can change that starting today. When you feel defeated or defective, stand on the promise that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 {New International Version {NIV}}

Period. The end.

There is nothing wrong with you or me ~ and we must not let anyone, convince us otherwise.

Take Care

Thankful Thursdays

…and so we continue counting the things we are thankful for…

51. slippers
52. treadmills
53. a warm bed
55. tea with my sister
56. financial books that balance
57. facebook
58. stiletto shoes

Will you join me as we begin to be truly thankful for each day, and for each opportunity given to us, and who knows? we might just see how truly blessed we really are.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart! 

Take Care

Book Review ~ Getting Rid of Matthew

Getting Rid of Matthew is the brilliantly witty and hilariously funny, unique look at “the other woman.” novel from Jane Fallon.

Helen a 39-year-old “Personal Assistant” {codeword for secretary} has spent years as Matthew’s mistress. Years without a full night spent together, years of waiting to be called “the Mrs.”.  And for years, Helen has been urging Matthew to leave his wife, Sophie, and two daughters. And then, one day, Matthew shows up on the doorstep of her one-bedroom apartment with a suitcase and announces his marriage is over ~ he has left Sophie.

So what happens when you get EXACTLY what you wish for?  

Helen suddenly realizes that maybe a full-time relationship with Matthew isn’t really what she wants after all.  So she comes with a plan; {excerpt from book}
PLAN A: Stop shaving your armpits. And your bikini line. Tell him you have a moustache that you wax every six weeks. Stop having sex with him. Pick holes in the way he dresses. Don't brush your teeth. Or your hair. Or pluck out the stray hag-whisker that grows out of your chin. Buy incontinence pads and leave them lying around.
PLAN B: Accidentally on purpose bump into his wife Sophie. Give yourself a fake name and identity Befriend Sophie Actually begin to really like Sophie Snog Matthew's son {who's the same age as you by the way} Buy a cat and give it a fake name and identity. Befriend Matthew's children. Unsuccessfully. Watch your whole plan go absolutely horribly wrong.

And as plan after plan fails to drive him away, Helen continues to find herself in more and more absurd situations. As she adjusts to life with Matthew, she finds herself becoming more and more miserable. This leads her to re-evaluate everything in her life, including her job.  The tangled web of fibs and lies get increasingly more complicated by the page and we can see that it is all about to come crashing down at any moment as she continually wrestles with the guilt of Matthew leaving his family for her.

The author does an excellent job of taking a traditional story about a wife, a cheating husband, and the “other” woman and telling it to us in a unique and enjoyable way. The real charm in the book lies in Helen’s introspection and how to resolve all these relationships and her own personal growth that develops from them.

In the end, the book is about friendship and love.  Getting Rid of Matthew isn’t as easy as it seems, but along the way Helen will forge an unlikely friendship, find real love and realize that nothing ever goes exactly as planned.

The message of the novel is clear: “Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.” 

Take Care

mhmm monday

This comforting and delicious casserole features tuna, some veggies, noodles and lots of ... YUM!

Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:
4 cups extra broad egg noodles
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 ¼ cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans solid white tuna
2 cups peas, thawed
¼ cup pimento drained & chopped {I omit}
1 cup coarsely crushed potato chips

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.  Place mushroom soup in large saucepan.  Gradually stir in milk.  Add cheese.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted.  Remove from heat.  Stir in tuna, peas and pimento {if using}.  Transfer mixture to a 2-qt shallow casserole dish.  Sprinkle potato chips over top of casserole.  Bake 325° F for 30 - 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Makes 6 servings.
Enjoy!

Take Care

Just Think!

I needed this reminder ~ perhaps you did too...

“A gossip goes around telling secrets,
but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.”
Proverbs 11:13 
{New Living Translation {NLT}}

Before you speak ~ THINK!

Take Care

Thankful Thursdays

…and so we continue counting the things we are thankful for…

44. reading blogs
45. learning a new game
46. country music
47. snow-covered evergreens
48. libraries 
49. massages
50. white zinfadel

Will you join me as we begin to be truly thankful for each day, and for each opportunity given to us, and who knows? we might just see how truly blessed we really are.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart! 

Take Care

tasty tuesday

These delicious banana muffins are super easy to make and taste as good as they look!

Banana Muffins

{photo & recipe website}

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 bananas, mashed
¾ cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans. Bake in preheated oven. Bake muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped. Makes 12 muffins.
Enjoy!

Take Care

Family

We took some family photos at Christmas and with it being family day, I thought it the perfect time to share!

 

 

Take Care

Be My Valentine

It’s Valentine’s Day today; the “holiday” where we are supposed to tell people how much we love them.

The problem, however, is that few people have any idea of what true love is.

The love-myths are endless; {here’s a few I Googled}
“If love is meant to happen, it’ll happen.”
“We just fell out of love.”
“Men and women love differently.”
“If the sex fades, so does the love.”
“Real love isn’t about dependency”
“We only get one chance to love”
“People who are in love never fight”
“Love is saying “I love you” often”
“Love is passion, romance”
“Love will conquer all”
“The right person will meet all my needs”
“And they lived happily ever after…”

And when you grew up watching Disney fairy tales and following Hollywood romance stories, these films create a dangerous expectation that love should look and feel like it does on the big screen.

But real love is a choice, not a feeling or an emotion.  It isn’t just something you promise to another; it’s a decision you make every day of your life.  Choosing to love isn’t always easy, but it is always worth the effort.

Love is something you do ~ even when you don’t feel like it.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 {New International Version {NIV}}

Take Care

Thankful Thursdays

…and so we continue counting the things we are thankful for…

37. bubble baths
38. fireplaces
39. in home movie date nights
40. snow plows
41. hot tub time
42. google
43. gentlemen who still open doors for women
 

Will you join me as we begin to be truly thankful for each day, and for each opportunity given to us, and who knows? we might just see how truly blessed we really are.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!

Take Care
 

Book Review ~ The Consequences

Our lives are determined by action and reaction.  Usually, the consequences are small…

In her book The Consequences, Colette Freedman tells a story examining the outcome of an affair. It was on one tumultuous Christmas Eve, that Kathy Walker confirms her suspicions about her husband Robert’s affair, and confronted his mistress, Stephanie.  This story covers a few days during the Christmas holidays as the unhappy threesome comes to terms with the tangled relationships.  Each principal character has a unique perspective on the relationship.  The story itself is fairly simple ~ told in three narratives ~ the mistress has the first third, the husband, the middle, and the wife closes out the novel.

Perhaps the easier story would have been better to tell either the wife’s tale or the mistresses’ story or even just the husbands.  But no, instead of telling the story just once exploring the aftermath of infidelity, this author elects to repeat sentences and scenes from three distinctive perspectives ~ husband, wife, and mistress.

Now normally I like reading different characters point of view however this was boring to say the least ~ and perhaps a bad choice.  It’s familiar ground that’s been done better before.

There are just too many good books out there to waste time reading bad books. Read this if you want but realize that everything in life has consequences…

Take Care

mhmm monday

Winter is the perfect season for meals made in the crockpot. Here's another yummy recipe to try!

Crockpot Peach Salsa Chicken

{photo credit & recipe}

Ingredients:
4 – 5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed
1 jar Smucker’sÒ Peach Preserves {18 oz.}
1 jar PaceÒ Medium Chunky Salsa {16 oz.}

Directions:
Cook chicken in crockpot on high for 3 hours {covered}
After 3 hours, drain juices from crockpot
Mix together Salsa and Peach Preserves
Pour mixture over chicken, and cook on high for 30 more minutes {covered}
Enjoy!

That’s it… now wasn’t that easy??

Take Care

Celebrating Papa

It was my Dad’s birthday yesterday; and most of the family was able to gather today to celebrate!

Happy Birthday Dad, may you have a wonderful year, full of great health, happiness and many, many blessings! Looking forward to celebrating many more years with you!

Take Care

God's Timing

Today, as I read in “Jesus Calling by Sarah Young”  I found God’s timing to be perfect as usual.  You see, I’ve been struggling as of late with different things and it was inspiring to read;

~ COME TO ME FOR REST and refreshement.  The journey has been too much for you, and you are bone-weary.  Do not be ashamed of your exhaustion. Instead, see it as an opportunity for Me to take charge of your life. 
Remember that I can fit everything into a pattern for good, including the things you wish were different.  Start with where you are at this point in time and space, accepting that this is where I intend you to be.  You will get through today one step, one moment at a time.  Your main responsibility is to remain  attentive to Me, letting Me guide you through the many choicees along your pathway.
This sounds like an easy assignment, but it is not.  Your desire to live in My presence goes against the grain of “the world, the flesh, and the devil.”  Much of your weariness results from your constant battle againste these opponents.  However, you are on the path of My choosing, so do not give up!  Hope in me, for you will again priase Me for the help of My Presence. ~

Romans 8:28 {Amplified Version {AMP}}
We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

Psalm 42:11 {New Amercian Standard {NASB}}
Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

How wonderful that what I needed to read the most was there exactly when I needed to read it!  Too often we I get consumed with my troubles and sadly, easily discouraged.  The challenge is to trust His timing.  He knows what is best.

God's timing is perfect!

Take Care

Another day, another year

It’s a New Year ~ well technically we’re already more than a month into the new year ~ however… with the start of another new year, most people take time to reflect on where they’ve been and where they’re heading, making resolutions or choosing their one word.

Living with an auto-immune illness can make this exercise a little less appealing than it can be to most people. As we look to the past, we can see pieces of dreams lining our calendar. We can spot the disappointments, and the misunderstandings our illness has caused.

2015 is a new year, but my health problems are not. My new year has begun with me in an active cycle {wide-spread pain, sleeplessness, digestive issues, fibro brain fog, dizziness and nausea} of my illness. I’ve struggled with how I would survive the day, let alone another year.

But God promises;

I don’t understand all the reasons for suffering/pain. What I do know is that living daily with an auto-immune illness is hard; and I also 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}}

How are feeling about the new year? Discouraged and weak, or hopeful and strong?

Perhaps as you look toward the new year, it doesn’t seem to be filled with potential, but only more tests, procedures, pain, and loss. We don’t always understand “the why” but we can be assured that God will never leave our side. We can turn to Him. Rest in Him. Put aside the bitterness, and disappointments and ask Him to give us the strength that only He can give.

Take care

Thankful Thursdays

…and so we continue counting the things we are thankful for…

30. walking the trail with my girl
31. superbowl parties
32. fresh baked cookies
33. vanilla scented candles
34. sunday lunches with friends
35. mini-vacations
36. Skype

Will you join me as we begin to be truly thankful for each day, and for each opportunity given to us, and who knows? we might just see how truly blessed we really are.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!

Take Care

tasty tuesday

The chia seeds when soaked in milk transforms them into a luxurious and creamy tapioca-like pudding. Serve this over some fresh fruit, and you have yourself an incredibly delicious breakfast!

Vanilla Almond Chia Pudding

{recipe website}

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or raw honey
Seasonal fruit for topping (blueberries, peaches, mangoes, figs, plums or strawberries ~ pictured here)
Almonds or other nuts for topping

Directions:
Combine milk, chia seeds, vanilla and sweetener in a bowl. Mix well until combined and the mixture begins to thicken. Store covered in the refrigerator overnight or for at least an hour.
Stir well before serving and add a bit of water to the pudding if it becomes too thick. Top with fresh fruit and nuts of your choice.
Note: This recipe makes enough for two large servings, but feel free to double the recipe and keep it in your refrigerator so that you have breakfast for a few days in a row. It will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Enjoy!

Take Care

So this is love...

Ahh yes, February 1st ~ the month of love has arrived; let the “countdown” begin.

February has always seemed like an odd month to me, nestled in between hibernation-friendly January and blustery March. It’s also the shortest month of the year; with only 28 days and then of course there is Valentine's Days, smack dab right in the middle of it. This is the month when some most of us celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving the one we love candy, flowers, and much more.

I’m what you might call a very romantic girl. This is a fact; I love chick flicks, romance, candles, dinner dates, listening to country songs … well you get the drift. However, sometimes I don’t get the hype about Valentine’s day. Sure it’s nice to celebrate love, offer get gifts, be taken out to dinner, enjoy a glass of wine together, etc…

And yet.

It still all feels a little forced. A little too commercial.

Because at the end of the day, this woman just wants to feel special. And call me crazy, but mass produced cupids just don’t cut it. Really, I just want to be loved. Thought of. Not as an obligation because the calendar holiday demands it. But rather, just because… He loves me.

So “what is love”?

Scripture tells us “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4 - 8 {New International Version {NIV}}

So this Valentine’s Day… let’s take the opportunity to tell our loved ones we love them. Remembering that love is real, it is deep, and it is priceless. 

“All you need is love..” ~ The Beatles

Take Care