It's the little things in life...

Jump Start

2011-01-03T11:25:00.000-08:00

Pastor's message yesterday morning was on jump starting areas in your life. He preached from Ezekiel 37 and how God "jump started" the dry bones. I have some dry bone areas in my life that need a jump start!

Last year I got the idea from Amy's blog to have a word to focus on throughout the year. It was "love". I learned a lot about what love is, how to show love, how to accept love, and how to help people through loving them.

One Sunday night I was sitting in church thinking that I needed to come up with a word for 2011. I knew I needed to really focus on Bible reading, prayer, getting finances in order, just getting back on track in general in my life: my home, a schedule, the boys, everything! Just before Pastor told us where in the Bible to turn to, the word came to me! "Work". I had a lot of work to do and I needed to get to work. Pastor has us turn to John 9. "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the might cometh, when no man can work." That's right, Pastor was preaching on work. God just knows His timing, doesn't He?? :)

Pastor said, Work is spiritual: John 6:28 "Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?", Work is rewarding: I Corinthians 3:14 "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.", Work is profitable: Proverbs 14:23a "In all labour there is profit:", Work is necessary: II Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.", Work is something we are called to do: Acts 13:2 "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them."

Work. It's my word for 2011. I'm jump starting areas in my life that need work. It's my prayer that 2011 will be more productive because I've gotten a handle on the areas of my life that need work and because I will have learned to work.

Blessings...

2010-02-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

A "thank you" gift of Tangerine Fiesta Ware!

My boys laughing together.

Waking up with little feet in my side.

13 kids in my Sunday morning class.

Rejoicing with friends over a mutal struggle being conquered.

My Pastor's wife.

The rain.

Reconnecting with an old friend.

Enough money to provide my needs.

My Sunday school class.

Bug's excitement for his Wednesday night class.

Music that lifts my spirit.

God's word.

Improved health after bad colds.

Friends.

God's test.

2010-02-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

Recently I posted (was that just yesterday) about how good God is all the time! I've been giving "advise" to a friend as God puts things on my heart to help her. I've gotten an opportunity to encourage the ladies at CBC. I've picked "love" as my word for 2010 and my theme is 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Seek Him early'.

Now, it's time to put it all to the test. It's how God works, right? Gives you lots of information, wisdom, knowledge and then tests you. It's not different from school. Cram the info in, test on to make sure it sticks. Funny thing though, in school I would retain the information just long enough to get through the test and then forget it. God's tests are not so easy to learn, pass and forget. And thank Him for that! The information He gives is far more important than anything learned in text books. Unless, of course, it's His text book.

I found out today that there's a good possibility my job will end on July 1st. Is this news to God?? No. Actually, it's not really news to me. I've had a feeling that my job may be coming to an end. The feeling was obviously from the Holy Spirit. I'm both nervous and excited by this turn of events. Nervous because I don't know what the future holds and I hate not knowing what the future holds! However, I'm more excited because it's an opportunity for God to show Himself in my life. He knows where I'll be come July 1. He knows what job I'll have. My job between now and then is to pray, listen for His still small voice and follow where He leads.

Sweet are the promises, Kind is the word,
Dearer far than any message man ever heard;
Pure was the mind of Christ, Sinless I see;
He the great example is, and pattern for me.

Where He leads I'll follow, Follow all the way.
Where He leads I'll follow, Follow Jesus every day.

Sweet is the tender love Jesus hath shown,
Sweeter far than any love that mortals have known;
Kind to the erring one, Fathful is He;
He the great example is, and pattern for me.

List to His loving words, "Come unto Me",
Weary, havey-laden, there is sweet rest for thee;
Trust in His promises, Faithful and sure;
Lean upon ths Savior, and they soul is secure.

Where He leads I'll follow, Follow all the way.
Where He leads I'll follow, Follow Jesus every day.

I'll follow Lord. Where ever you lead.

Thoughts on my heart and mind

2010-02-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

God is so good all the time! No matter what! I've said this often and it's always true. No matter what I'm going through in life, God is still good. His grace is always the same, His mercies are everlasting and both are new each day.

I have a friend going through a divorce. After years of struggle yet trusting in God through it all, her marriage of 10+ years is ending. She's at a loss of where her life will go from here. I can certainly relate to so much of what she's going through! I try to encourage her to stay close to God. Keep good music on and keep talking to Jesus (not herself). It's a rough road to travel, but with God all things are possible. He loves her SO much! And wants her to lean on Him. She will. She's strong. Pray for her, please.

My new church family is such a blessing to me!!!! I thank God that He has allowed me to work with the Ladies Ministry at this church. They are a great group of ladies!! I see wonderful things for us in the future. ALL of us becoming great friends who get together not only for church things, but for non-church things too. There are so many ladies here that I get to learn from! Some my own age and many older. I think this ministry is just what they and I needed! I love these ladies already!

Trusting God. I trust Him with so much, yet there's still one area that I buck at. I'm getting so much better in this area though! No matter what, I've determined to stay faithful, trusting His promise if I just obey. So far, I've seen huge blessings!

My kids are beyond a blessing to me. They truly are God's gift to me. I know I don't rear them as I should all the time, but again, this is an area in which I'm learning. I've become more patient with them. I've stopped my busy day (Yeah right. It's busy with me doing my own thing.) to take time to really be with them. We are going on walks more, playing more and enjoying each other more without the tv! That tv is a time sucker!! My Bug can quote so much from cartoons but can he sing a complete church song? Ok, yes he can sing many church songs, but is that what he talks about on our drive home? No. It's about cartoons and video games. Yes, that is very convicting. It's an area I'm working on! Always working on different areas in my life. That's how we grow.

My word for this year is Love. I find my heart overflowing with love for the ladies in my church, my friends, my family, my wonderful little guys and especially my Lord. I want to know Him more that I may love Him more.

A friend was over some weeks ago with her children. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. As we were winding down and she was getting ready to take her children home for naps she said, "I'm going to wrap up with Bible when I get home". I asked her if she wasn't going to fall asleep! She said she probably would, but oh what a way to fall asleep. Conviction. I thought to myself, "When was the last time I wrapped up with my Bible and fell asleep reading it?" I couldn't remember. I'm determined to start a habit of it though.

Why? When will I learn?

2010-01-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

Just yesterday I blogged that as long as I follow the Lord, He will lead me. So why not even 24 hours am I fretting and worrying about a certain thing? I make a few phones and everything is already being taken care of. He's worked it out in His time, yet I sat here scared, fretting, worrying.

Repeat after me: Give it to Him and leave it there. Give it to Him and leave it to him.

It continues to flood my mind...

2010-01-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

I know I've posted on this thought already, but it keeps coming back to me. This morning I took the time to read my Bible and pray. I want to follow the steps God has planned out for me today. I typed this up and shared it with the ladies at the Well.

_____________________________

The steps of a good man ... seek Him early...

This is a thought that has been going through my mind since the beginning of the year. It actually started on Christmas Eve when, while at church, Pastor asked us to tell everyone what some of our greatest Christmas gifts from Jesus have been.

Mine was grace. Grace through the hard times of the loss of my mother, my divorce, moving homes, changing churches. And I ended with a thought that I hadn't considered before that very moment. I don't know why God choose to take my mom but He knows and if I just continue to follow His leading He'll continue to give me the grace I need. If we choose to follow Him, our steps are already ordered for us.

If we choose to follow Him, our steps are already ordered for us. We don't have to worry or fret or be sad or question. His way is before us as long as we follow Him. He never changes. He's never wrong. He makes no mistakes.

Previously in my life I came to the conclusion that it didn't matter whether I read my Bible first thing in the morning or at night before I go to bed; just as long as I read it. After giving it some thought, I find I'm wrong. How can I know what His steps are for me that day unless I get into His word that morning? His mercies are new every morning. We need His guidance, truths, mercy and grace new each day. I can't count on yesterdays blessings.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Ps. 37:23 ...those that seek me early shall find me. Pro. 8:17

New pictures

2010-01-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

I just updated the pictures of my boys and they bring back great memories!

The one of The Bug was taken in the front lot at work. He was flying a kite that my step-mom's sister, Thomasine, had bought for him back in August of '09. We don't see Thomasine very often, in fact we don't see my dad and step-mom very often either. Dad and Alice had come to California to deliver furniture to a client and we got to spend the weekend together. We all met at Alice's other sister's house. Thomasine had to go to the grocery store for something and Chris got to go with her. I had sent him with money to get a toy from those little annoying machines. He came back with a Buzz Lightyear kite. We had a great time flying it and talking about our weekend with Grampy, Grammy and Thomasine.

The picture of The Tiny Man was taken in December this past year. That snow man was originally on top of my fire place, but as soon as the Tiny saw it, he had it! He carried it around by it's hat at first. So much, that the felt disconnected from the glue and has almost fallen off. Then he started holding the snow man's hand. So cute! Snow man, however, has not always been a good little snow boy. A few weeks ago Snow man kept getting into the fridge and Tiny had to tell him, "No, No!" and give him a swat. Poor little snow boy.

Not posting it around

2010-01-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

I find I'm having a hard time remembering to love as I ought to. Yesterday was a particularly hard day for me... the morning at least. I woke up in a great mood that was soon turned sour by running late (my fault) and my kids being, well, kids. I ended up talking unkindly to them. I did apologize, but I think good behavior in the first place is more important than theatrical apologies afterwards. Name that movie. All kidding aside, I do think being good in the first place is more important than being able to humble yourself afterwards and apologize, especially to your children.

Although love is something one shouldn't need to be reminded to do, being as it's my word for 2010 and something I'm wanting to learn to do God's way, I need constant reminders to do it. I have yet to put the work love up around me as a reminder. I haven't made it a priority to do so. This week I will be fixing that. By Monday, I will have LOVE up in all areas of my house and office.

Isaiah 55:8, Psalm 37:23

2010-01-04T11:18:00.000-08:00

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way."

These two verses have been playing in my head last night and today. Well, the second one (Psalm 37:23) has been playing in my head for a couple of weeks now.

Yesterday, I recieved something I rarely look for. I haven't had to. I thought I had possessed it for so long that I didn't think about seeking it out again. Until recently. I was struggling: personally, spiritually, in every, every aspect of my life. It was New Year's Eve I started looking for it again. Peace. Not just any peace. The peace that only God can give. The peace that passeth all understanding. For the last three days I have been begging God to show me something, to tell me something. I needed His guidance, His peace. I thought I had gained it. And just when I was thanking Him for it He told me I didn't have His peace, I had my own will. Then He gave me His peace. My ways are not His ways, My thoughts are not His thoughts. My ways and thoughts would have brought me comfort and ease, good times and loving people. His ways and thoughts will bring me comfort through relying on the Holy Spirit, ease while staying close by His side, good times with people I will come to love.

I will lift up the cross daily in my life through my words and actions... following the One who has ordered my steps.

Lord, Thank you for your peace. Thank you for answering my prayers. Thank you for making it very clear so that I had no doubt it was from You. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to the cross where thou hast died. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to thy precious, bleeding side.

Specific goals for my Word of the Year - Love

2009-12-31T09:17:00.000-08:00

I've really gotten into reading this blog lately. She's a Godly woman who has real struggles, real blessings, real children and she shares it all. It's through her blog that I chose to do the Word of the Year. Today she shared what steps she goes through to really start getting her word into her life. I like her steps. They are practical, realistic steps that will help reenforce the word in anyone's life. I'm going to do them as well.

Here they are:

1. Writing out a working definition for my word. (Webster's 1828 dictionary is a great source for this.)
2. Doing a Bible study with "my word." (Blue Letter Bible has a concordance and links for various commentaries, etc. that are very helpful with this. Just type in your word or related words to begin.)
3. Finding various quotes having to do with "my word." (Type in your word along with the word "quote" in Google for more sources than you'll ever need. I am careful to choose quotes that line up with God's word. For example, the humanistic view of "contentment" is much different than God's view of contentment.)
4. Read through various essays or studies or books relating to my word. (These can also be googled with caution.)
5. Set some specific goals for myself. Write them down and pray over them. And do them.
6. Post the word in some form where I will see it every day. 7. Pray daily for God to work in my life concerning my word, and then stand back and watch in awe how He answers. Because He will.

Hopefully I will get time to do quite a bit of this today, but if I don't, I will do it when I return to work (and to internet access) on Monday.

I Corinthians 13

2009-12-30T10:48:00.000-08:00

I Corinthians 13 is a great place to start when wanting to learn about love. I Corin. 13:1 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

According to Strong's, this "charity" is: Agape - affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love.

This first lesson love for me will begin with a study of sorts starting this verse and this definition.

Love is affection, good will, benevolence, brotherly love.

Affection --According to Webster's 1828 Dictionary there are numerous meanings for affection. I feel this one best describes the affection here. "4. In a more particular sense, a settle good will, love or zealous attachment; as, the affection of a parent for his child."
-A settle good will, love or zealous attachement.

Good Will --According to Webester's is "Benevolence".

Benevolence --"1. The disposition to do good; good will; kindness; charitableness; the love,of mankind, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness."

So my first lesson in love is: good will, zealous attachment, to do good, kindness, charitableness, desire to promote their happiness. Hmm, sounds like putting people first and thinking about them above myself. I will think on and put into practice these things until my next post.

Good will, do good, be kind, be charitable, promote their happiness.

One Word for 2010

2009-12-28T14:27:00.000-08:00

I wrote my previous entry before reading a few other blogs today. However, it seems that it was destined that I read this: blog entry. I love the idea of praying over and chosing one word to study, pray over, learn more about and grow from.

My word for 2010 is Love. I want to learn what it really means to love, to give love, to show love, to be loved, to love others and to love myself.

Love

2009-12-28T10:28:00.000-08:00

Love is no little thing, but there are some little ways to show love.

For some reason, in times past, (those times being all the moments that have lead up to this morning), I've felt that there were more important tasks to do other than playing with my kids. When the Bug was little, he would bring toys up to me at my desk and I would remove them and tell him to go play by himself. I find myself doing that with Tiny now too. The Bug is six and well past the age of bringing toys up to my desk; more truthfully, he's probably just learned over the years that there is no point in bringing toys to Mommy's desk because she will just remove them and tell him to go play alone. Who wants to recieve that kind of treatment time after time? I know I wouldn't. And yet, I bestow it upon those that I love more than anyone else. It's not love. Selfishness is not love.

Of late I have begun allowing the Tiny to climb up into my lap while I'm doing my "oh so important blog searching" things online. I find myself getting frustrated with the fact that he wants to get into everything on my desk. Isn't it enough that he's just up on my lap at all?! Of course not. I get frustrated and remove him from my lap. He tries to climb back up and I forcefully tell him, "No!". Again, selfishness is not love.

I am selfish. There is no reason why I can't stop my mindless, empty, meaningless search for "interesting" information in the blogosphere to spend time with the two beings on earth with whom I have been entrusted with rearing. None whatsoever.

Does the amount of selfishness I find myself possessing equate to a lack of love for my children? I hope not. Better question asked... Can I stop, what has turned into years of selfishness, now and reverse any effects it has had on my children thus far? I hope so.

Doesn't I John tell us that God is love? Aren't we supposed to be more like Him? There are many examples of love (especially a mother's love) in the Bible. I hope to find them and share them here.

Love. I have it for my children (and others) and am going to do my best to start showing it, in little and big ways, to my Bug and Tiny and to those around me.

More from our trip to San Francisco

2009-08-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

Leah mentioned how much she liked the purse from the last post and, yes, it is just her style. However, Katrina and I agree that the South has really changed Leah! Just look at the purse she arrived with!

Wow... Uh, Leah. That's, um, that's pretty. Yup, uh, really pretty. Matches your outfit really well too.

We went to Tiffany's. My first ever trip in there! It sparkles!! Personally, I think you should have gone for the jewerly pouch Leah. It was only $150.00.

Oh. Well, um, ok. We'll continue telling y'all more about our trip next week. Have a great weekend!

Trip to San Francisco with great friends!

2009-08-13T10:29:00.001-07:00

This past weekend my friend Katrina and I went to San Francisco. We started out at the Ferry Building and the SF Farmer's Market. It was so beautiful there!

We wandered around Union Square, drove through North Beach (which doesn't have a water-front beach, if you can believe that!), went to the Coit Tower and ended the day at Pier 39.

A trip like this wouldn't have been completely without another good friend.

Yeah, it was sun-shiny outside!! Maybe she should have faced the other direction.

Leah, thanks for coming along with us. You made the trip more than just a trip, you made it an adventure!

Whoa girl! Sure. Go ahead and kick your feet up. We don't need your help right now anyway.

Music that speaks to you

2009-08-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

Music can be a very big topic for some. I know people that are huge into music and buy new cd's often or download mp3's always wanting to have music at their finger tips. They have their radios on all the time and up to date with who's new and what's hot. Me. I'm not like that at all. I have no clue who's new and what's hot. I couldn't tell you who the new American Idol is. I don't know the latest country song or who's remaking what. I don't have a radio in my car. Ok, I guess that's inacruate. I have a radio/cd player but the radio part is not hooked up and working. I don't own a million cds from every genre and listen to them non-stop. (I have kids so I don't need non-stop noise!)

Music that speaks to me is good, Godly, Christian music. Not to be confused with contemporary Christian music or Christian rock or whatever the newest name for it is. "Christian rock" is an oxymoron in my opinion, and since this is my blog I can state that opinion and not be bothered by who disagrees.

I want to listen to music written years ago by saints of old. I want to listen to mucis written recently by men and women with a heart for God. I want to listen to music sung by men and women who live their lives serving their Savior. There is a lot of this kind of music readily available online. Youtube is packed with it.

Here are just a few that speak to me...

Enjoy! I could sit here and add videos all day!! But I won't.

Posting! :)

2009-08-04T09:03:00.001-07:00

My kids are my pride and joy. They are full of smiles and love and cuddles and hugs. Some days they drive me the brink of insanity, but more often than not they make me laugh and smile and my world right. Here are few more recent shots of my Bug and Tiny Man... the heartbeats of my life.

The Bug 4th of July at West Valley Baptist Church

The Tiny 4th of July at WVBS. Not quite sure about the whole thing.

On the actually 4th of July we had Kelly, Kelly, Michael and Aaron over. Here is Tiny in Aaron's car seat.

The Bug showing off the YUMMY ice cream Kelly made for us!

Tiny diaper head. Not to be confused with...

Bug diaper head. :)

Tiny loves the bath.

Coolin' off.

Mr. Cool Dude

Summery time water fun!

Building a Bionical with Grampy

Grampy comforting the Tiny after he scared him while playing airplane. :)

Grammy saying night-night.

Grampy feeding the Tiny

And lastly...

They'll leave you singing.

I love you boys!!!

Americana

2009-06-23T08:37:00.001-07:00

What do you think of when you hear the term "Americana"? The first thing that comes to my mind is red, white and blue striped and starred wooden object decorating walls in a home. Blue and white checks. Teddy Bears. Second it brings to mind a more modern twist on the first. Antique looking signs advertising farm stands and fresh eggs. Those scenes in Armageddon where Doris has just been made known to the world. You know, the ones: Groups of people gathered around the radio in the barber shop, Kids running out the screen door and letting it slap shut a la The Waltons, posters of JFK with American flags streaming in the wind.

Driving home from work on Monday I was able to experience my own, perhaps truer, definition of Americana. My children were in the back seat sleeping or staring out the window. I had a cd playing softly of Pastor Steve Caudill singing songs he wrote about his love for the Lord. Around me for a while where golden tan rolling hills. I love those hills. I often imagined living in them when I was a child being driven through them at least once a month while heading to the Bay Area for one reason or another. They aren't always tan, or dead as I used to think. Just in the summer time. I used to hate that, but have come to enjoy the amber waves of grains. After the rolling hills come the part I love the most no matter what the season. The flatness of the fields with the occasion orchard or vineyard to make it interesting.

I settled in to my drive. The sky was the perfect shade of sky blue. So fresh and clear. Looking East toward the Sierra Nevada the clouds where sporadic and poofy. Poofy. Like spoonfuls of freshly whipped cream on top of bread pudding. And it was perfectly flat up to those mountains. I took a moment to think about my mom and how much she loved driving into the mountains and visiting our family cabin at Lake Tahoe. I told myself I needed to get up there, and soon.

As I said, I love the flatness of the drive up I-5. And this is where it became Americana, in real life, for me. I passed rice fields. Still green and growing strong. Sunflower fields. As yellow as the sun shine that makes them grow. Orchards. Their leaf covered branches jutting up into the sky almost disturbing the peacefulness of it. Hadn't it just been a few months ago those same trees where bare? Then weeks after filled with blossoms so white it looked as if snow had landed on their tips. Now, green and full and waiting for their fruit to come forth and ripen into nuts. Then fields again. Some full of plants at various stages of growth with the intermittent field laying fallow, resting, getting prepared for another crop at a later date. And the picture that makes it all quaint and decidedly Americana... the pieces of farm equipment left in the random field. Not forgotten or left by a lazy worker. But waiting there to be used the next day to do another days work. Transfer trailers in tomato fields waiting for a tractor to hook up to them and drive them around while harvesters fill them up. Tractors with various pieces of equipment standing by, ready to be hooked up and used for tilling or fertilizing or any of another dozen or more jobs I have no idea of. I look to my right and on the frontage road is a man driving an old pick up truck. Windows rolled down against the close to 100 degree temperature outside. It rambles down the road, off the freeway, traveling slower than the rest of us. I slow down too to take in beauty and life around me.

I look West. The sun shining in my eyes. I see the mountain range I most love: The Coastal Range. A section of those I know like the back of my hand. It leads me to my favorite place on Earth. Beyond that rolling range where I know elk, deer, pigs, bears and all sorts of animals call home is the vast expanse of ocean. But this is about Americana, not the ocean. To the West aren't as many fields as there are orchards. I see the sun dancing in the leaves, leaving shadows that play pictures in my mind like clouds in the sky do.

I get off the freeway to start my way down smaller highways home. The two lane roads my mom used to travel on the way to the Bay Area before there was an Interstate 5. The same one that man in the pick up was traveling; although I wouldn't be seeing him unless I pulled over and waited awhile. These slower roads are my home. These fields I've watched be planted, grow, harvested season after season, year after year. I've seen some change from places of food to places of shelter as some were sold to housing developers. These roads. With the same homes on them that were there 30 years ago and beyond. The same silos jetting up out of the fields that I remember as a child. The same worn out sign of this business or that.

I enter my town. It's city limit decided by my Bug as the John Deere sign. I pass the Fair Grounds that hasn't changed at all. The streets that I walked as a kid and teen to and from school or a friends house or the store or pool. I'm feeling nostalgic now, thinking of my Americana, and remember that my small home town has a Farmer's Market going on. I drive through town, past the strip mall -- the only one we have, past the golf course that hasn't changed in 30 years either to my first visit of our great Farmer's Market.

There are 8 stands. One lady selling Tupperware. One giving information on the Market and selling bags and local nuts. One is fresh bread, of which I buy a loaf. Not the delicious white chocolate cherry bread that may sound yucky but trust me is OH SO GOOD! No, I buy the healthy grain and nut bread. Three sell peaches, nectarines, apricots, strawberries -- all or some. Two selling zucchini and squash. I buy some fresh fruit and hand my Tiny a strawberry. It's warm and smells so fresh. He shoves it in his mouth and while the juice is still dripping down the side of his mouth he says, "I?" - his version of mine or may have I have another, I'm not entirely sure yet.

We take the long way home. Long way? In my town. It's 15 minutes instead of 5. I pass the strip mall again and remember when it was a field with one building it... the Elk Lodge if I remember correctly. I pass the building that used to house Taco Bell that sits on the property that used to be my friend, Stephanie's, house. I pass the big house that I've always loved and never been in and have never seen anyone live in. I take the left that will continue me around town past the 7-11. Past the rural fire department and the sprawling (for my town) auto dealership. Past the post office and the pharmacy/gift shop/florist turned the most amazing Mexican food in town building. I stop at the only stop sign on this street and think for a moment how things don't change. The bank on the corner that has always (in my life time) been a bank. The one screen movie theater next to it. The barber shop next to the bar that have been there forever. I pass the Court House which for years, decades?, was the only building in town to have an elevator. I love our Court House. It's white. Probably brick, although I've never paid much attention to it. It has pillars in the front and is green trimmed. Set back from the road it's surrounded by lawn and wide trees that shade the front and make it homey and beautiful. I pass the pharmacy that my family had always used. Past the only hardware store in town. I love this town. Everything so familiar and lovely. The old building a block long and falling down in places. The one that held my mom's my first job. Past Jackpot where the gas pumps still say, "Buy our chicken and get gas". The park on the corner as I turn left again. The huge estate houses covered over by trees and so stunning I can't help but drive slower to take in, for the millionth time, how it looks and makes me feel -- peaceful. I drive past the pool and Jeff's that used to be Rick's where I'd buy fries while visiting the pool. Then I'd take another left and head home.

Home. The house I've lived in since I was seven years old. The one my mom made lovely with her hard work and patience. The one I never cared for enough growing up, but have come to cherish now. I pause for a moment in front of it before getting out of my car. I think back to the times I spent at this house. Growing up. Learning. Leaving. Loving. Losing.

I glance at my boys in the rear view mirror and say a prayer. That they'll come to love, not just this house, this home, but this land, this area, as much as I do. I whisper a prayer that they'll live their life full here. Experience all our community has to offer. Get so engrossed with it that years from now when they are grown and gone and come back to visit they'll have the same feeling I had that day. The feeling of change within changelessness. The feeling of peace and contentment of the familiar. The feeling of home. Of pride. Of memories. Of Americana.

Yummy last minute fruit salad

2009-06-03T14:52:00.001-07:00

So I was at the coast and had bought some organic peaches and road side apricots and I already had a mango. I thought, "Uuuuu, a fruit salad sounds yummy! Some lime juice and honey drizzled on it. YUM!" Then my friend suggested I add the avocado to it too. Um, huh? Seriously? Well, why not. So I chopped it up too and tossed it in.

Oh.

My.

Goodness!

YUM!!!!

Peaches, apricots, mango, avocado, lime juice and honey. Enjoy!

Another blog

2009-05-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

My friend, Katrina, and I have talked about having a ladies tea sometime this summer. I think this blog will be a great help! It's full of wonderful chinch and antiques and flowers and frills. I love it!!! I couldn't live in it's world every day, but I enjoy visiting. The recipes look amazing also!

It's been TOO long and I have no excuses

2009-05-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

I'm just lazy! I get into a rut and don't want to check out blogs or message boards or facebook. It rotates as time goes on, but I think I'm up to starting this up again. (Redundant?) Oh well.

I've just finished reading most of walkingfortbragg.com. I say mostly because between January of 2009 and now he's not walking in Fort Bragg but instead is in Oregon near Seattle, I believe. Personally I don't care about that area all that much so I stopped reading there. However, I learned quite a few things reading his blog, about Fort Bragg, CA and about blogging in general. You know, one is not blogging failure if one doesn't blog daily or even weekly. Ron stopped periodically for various reasons I still enjoyed the blog just as much. Perhaps I was able to enjoy it more because he didn't add rambling filler.

The things I learned about one of my favorite towns on Earth are numerous!! Read walkingfortbragg.com starting in October 2006 and working forward. The older posts share some of the "oddities" that Fort Bragg has/had.

So for my blog back I'm sharing my little thing for today... walkingfortbragg.com

In the future I hope to share some of my other favorite blogs with you all. (All? All two of you? One of you? Hmmm.)

Happy Birthday Mom

2009-02-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

Today is my mom's 54th birthday. Happy Birthday Mom! I love you and miss you SO much!!!!! But, I know you'll spend today walking on streets of gold, sitting by a crystal sea and talking with Jesus. You know, I think you have the better end of the deal. Meanwhile, down here on earth, I'll cry and miss you and remember all the great times we had together...

Chris' 2nd birthday

Chris' 1st birthday

Breakfast in Winters before going to get our Christmas tree 2007

San Francisco Zoo 2005

Prince Edward Island 2007

Memorial Day weekend at Tahoe 2006

Thanksgiving 2004

...and a million and a half more I don't have pictures for.

List

2009-01-29T09:10:00.000-08:00

I'm a sucker for lists. I'm making one on paper right now of all the things I need to pick up for my Open House I'm having on Saturday. While looking through blogs I came across this list of things. The items that are bold are the ones I've done. Soon I want to do a few more lists of things I'd like to accomplish in my life.

(Bolded items are ones I've completed)

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain-- sort of

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch-hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Read Gone with the Wind

27. Run a Marathon-- walking counts too, right?

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone snorkeling or scuba diving

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Swam in the Mediterranean Sea

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Ok... so I've been a slacker. Can you all forgive me?

2009-01-29T08:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a post that is little more than a little thing, but maybe it'll get me back into the spirit of blog each day. Hmm, on second thought, it probably won't, but hey, at least it's a new post! :)

_______________________________

After my mom passed away I moved 45 minutes north and took over her house. It is a huge blessing to be in a house with two crazy boys rather than a tiny one bedroom apartment. When I knew I was getting the house, I had no reservations taking it and moving in right away. We had a Christmas there and have made it our own.

After about a month of commuting two hours a day 6 days a week I got to rethinking this brilliant, seemingly wonderful, blessing. I mean, I get up at 5am five days a week. I leave the house with two tikes no later than 6:45am. It's still dark outside for goodness sakes!! We get home anywhere between 6 and 7pm each night.

Then there came Sundays. Initially I said that there was no way I was transferring membership to the church in my new home town; I was going to be traveling the road five days a week for work, I could and would do Sundays as well. Well, again, after a month of it, it became quite tiring. I'd either stick around town all afternoon or drive back home just to turn around two hours later and drive back.

So what do you do when you're tired and tired of driving two hours plus a day and want to have a good excuse to go to a church closer to home and get a new job and have to put your kids into day care in order to have the new job all so you don't have to drive the two plus hours a day?? You pray. Then just to up the anty you ask your pastor to pray too... nothing will keep you more honest than asking your pastor to pray with you.

So we started praying and I attended that good, soul winning, independent, fundamental Baptist church one Sunday. Man! Let me tell you how great it felt to sleep in until 8am instead of leaving the house at 8am! It felt so great to be home by 12:30pm and not have to leave again until 5:45pm... that's right, 5:45 and not 3:30pm to get to church on time for singing practice and choir practice. It felt SOOO good!!! I was home by 7:30pm and got so many things done around the house.

Then I continued to pray for that good excuse to go to that church just five minutes down from my new wonderful big house. Know what? I couldn't find a single one. Yes the convenience is awesome. Sleeping in would feel so great! Getting a new job wouldn't really be that hard and maybe I could even pay one of the ladies in that other church to watch my boys instead of putting them into a day care. But, when it came down all those fleshy reasons weren't enough to convince me that the church we are in, the one 45 minutes away (one way), is exactly where we are supposed to be.

So last night I thrilled my pastor, his wife and some friends by letting them know that I knew for sure, from the Lord, that West Valley is exactly where we should be. As for the early morning and late nights and two hours in the afternoon... well, I guess we'll just have to keep getting use to it. Knowing that my ankle biters and I are exactly where God wants us is more comforting than my bed. Wait? Did I just say that? Yup, I think I did.

Tomorrow

2008-11-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

I will be sharing some little things from coast trip! I love the coast! :)

A few little things

2008-11-12T18:18:00.000-08:00

This is the only picture I have of all three of my boys together. :( I need to get Christmas pictures of all three of them done. I'll make the appointment tomorrow. I got to talk to Dakota on the phone for about 20 minutes tonight while he was shopping with his dad. It was really cool to just chat with him. He's doing really well in school and is growing up WAY TOO FAST! He's 9 and in the 4th grade.
The Bug had quite an adventure today. He woke up throwing up and ended up in the E.R. getting fluids through an iv. He really didn't like it AT ALL! but good Mom that I am, I took pictures which I will edit into this post tomorrow. He, too, is growing up too fast. He's 5 and in pre-k excited about going to West Valley Baptist School next year.
The Tiny Man also got to see a doctor today, but it was much less traumatic. He has a cold. Did you know that kids under the age of two aren't supposed to be given over the counter cold medication? I guess they are just supposed to suffer through the cold until it's over... poor little guy. But he's so wonderful. His smile so sweet and attitude, usually, very happy-go-lucky. Little by little he's eating more table foods and loves everything so far.

Next...

I made this in the crock pot today. Beans and Ham Hocks. While at the Davis Farmers Market I picked up a ham hock that had just been smoked the day before. I wanted to make beans and ham hocks like my mom used to do. Today, I did it. Ok, so she probably used dried beans, but I used canned, but the taste is spot on! YUM. The smell is the same and if I had bothered to pay attention, I'm sure the look would be the same too.

When I was young and would get head lice... oh, come on now, I know you've had it too... any kid that went to public school got head lice at least once a year. As I was saying, when I was young and got head lice, I would sit on my mom's bed and put together a jig saw puzzle while the rid did it's work. Well, today, The Bug and I found our "head lice" thing. No, he does NOT have head lice, he's sick, but we found our thing. The Diego Edition of Chutes and Ladders! So much fun! Diego, Alicia, baby Jaguar and Backpack go up and down the chutes and ladders while pictures of their rescued animals and the Bobo Brothers litter the board. The goal. To get to the Rescue Tree House first. After a few ups and downs, The Bug finally won the first round. Then his 5 year old attention span waned and he started playing with just the spinner. Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted. Next time he's sick, maybe I'll win.

Tea

2008-11-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

On another message board I'm on we all got talking about tea. Then someone posted that they liked tea and that surprised some people. In that person's case, they liked cold tea. Me. I prefer hot tea. Especially when I'm sick. Like now. I've got a yucky nose, a head ache and, maybe it's only my imagination, but I think I feel a tickle at the back of throat and in my ears.

After I got cancer, I read that coffee was bad and so I made a switch to this YUMMY! green tea. I love it. I would fix a hot cup of this in the morning, put in a travel cup and drink it all day even as it cooled down. Right now I don't remember if I actually felt, what I've heard are, wonderful effect of the green tea, but I do remember I liked it a lot. I say that in past tense because I've since reverted back to my old bad ways and am drinking coffee again. Shame on me. I really should be drinking more tea.

Today, however, I'm drinking this. I'm sick and I want something to smooth my tickling throat before it does become something more full blown. I've had this tea before when I'm under weather and it works like a charm! I had to sing one Sunday at church and I got a sore throat Wednesday or Thursday evening. I started on this right away and was very pleased with the results.

Do you like tea? Hot or cold? Which brand(s), flavors, etc. are your favorite?

Davis Farmers Market

2008-11-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

I love getting up Saturday mornings. Well, not always! But when it's a Saturday morning I can go to the Farmers Market, then I like getting up. This morning the Tiny man woke up at 7. Hoping he wouldn't wake up the Bug, I snuck into the kitchen, made a bottle and tried to sneak back in the bedroom. Unfortunately, in the short time it took me to make the bottle the Bug had woken up. So, I went back to bed, wrestled the Bug for a bit while the Tiny man giggled through his babas and then decided it was a good day to see what the farmers market looks like in Fall. We got up and ready within half an hour and headed to the Davis Farmers Market.

I love having breakfast at the market. I like the fresh farmed eggs and bread baked that morning. This morning I had a breakfast sandwich with eggs, spinach and goat cheese on cibatta bread. All fresh and home made. YUM! But the Bug. He likes the kettle corn. I like it too. So we buy a medium sized bag from the kettle corn guys and a fresh squeezed orange juice and eat our breakfast. Even the Tiny man got to enjoy the eggs, spinach, bread and popcorn. Hey, we can't be stingy here!

Now we're back home with our load and although it doesn't really look like the picture above, it is that fresh and wonderful. I picked up a ham hock for beans and ham hocks like my mom used to make. I picked up chard and fennel for Tuscan Chicken with white beans and wilted greens. Chris picked out tomatoes and bread and would have picked out all the cheese there had I let him. Something new we found was butter. Yum. What is better than freshly made butter?! If I hadn't just bought some yesterday at the store, I would have picked one up.

Do you go to a farmers market? Have you gone? Do you enjoy them? What are your must haves? Do you think you could do all your shopping just from a farmers market? I'll share the reasoning behind that last question at a later time.

The Davis Farmers Market. A little thing, with lots of stuff, that makes my whole family happy.

Details...

2008-11-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night Pastor was preaching out of town so we go to hear our Assistant Pastor preach. I enjoy listening to him because he takes a verse that, to me, wouldn't have much "deep" meaning and applies a very practical, very "you can't argue with this" life application to it. This time it was on details.

Matthew 5:18-19
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

He told us that "jot and tittle" are the smallest characters in the Greek or Hebrew language (I can't remember which). They are so small they are like a dash or apostrophe. God said that they will not pass away. He's concerned about the details of things.

Also notice that this passage says, "Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments,". Again, the details. Humans have made some commandments "more important" than others. To God all commandments are meant to be followed the same, even the least ones and those who don't follow them will be the least in heaven.

I know I don't always pay attention to the details in things, hence this blog -- to force me to look at the details, the little things.

The following is from an email I received yesterday. I've read it before and I think Pastor has even mentioned this during a message, but hearing our Assistant Pastor's message and then reading this, it just really sunk in how much all the details -the little things- in our daily lives really matter.

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.

Thoughts are the least of these. They are what only we, and the Lord, know. Others only find them out if we share them. But be careful, for thoughts lead on to become our character.

Details. Definitely a little thing.

Clear Beautiful Days

2008-11-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

This morning on my way to work I couldn't help but notice the beautiful clear blue skies. These are a favorite of mine throughout the year, but this morning was amazing because yesterday was a gloomy, rainy day and the day after rain is always more glorious. I think the rain cleans the air and earth and leaves it more clear and bright than before.

Factor in the smells that come out after the rain: the grass, trees, nuts, sunshine, dirt, and the clear blue, beautiful skies are definitely a favorite little thing of my Fall day.

Pumpkins

2008-11-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about Fall are pumpkins. I love traditional pumpkins like these! This year the Bug, Tiny Man and I went to a pumpkin patch that had eight different varieties of pumpkins. Wow! Some looked pretty strange, some just looked pretty, but I think the plain ol' orange pumpkin is still my favorite.

These pictures were taken at Apple Hill (another Fall favorite of mine that I will do a little thing on soon). Isn't the field of them beautiful? Doesn't make you want to cut them open and roast them? Make home made pumpkin pies and pumpkin butter and pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin bread and pumpkin chili and pumpkin ... um, other foods? *sigh* Yup. Pumpkins are definitely one of my favorite little things of Fall.

And the not so little things

2008-11-02T07:39:00.001-08:00

As you all can tell my new blog got off to a good start and then stopped. I'll be back to the little things in my life this afternoon. Stay tuned.

In the mean time, what is something little in your life that you love about fall? Is it the changing leaves, the cool weather, sweaters, apple cider? Share with me your favorite fall little thing.

And now for the Tiny Man

2008-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

I think there can be special "little things" for everyone, no matter what their age. My second "little things" post will be for my littlest thing... who isn't SO little anymore.

My Tiny Man takes after his mama. He LOVES water! Last night he and The Bug took a bath together (with me there the entire time not taking my eyes off of them!). The Tiny Man loved it! I have a video too that, were it not for The Bug standing, I'd be sharing it with you all as well.

You'll just have to take my word for it. The Tiny Man's little thing, is splashing in the bath tub.

A little thing for The Bug

2008-10-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

It's easy to find the little things that make children happy because if it doesn't change hourly, it at least changes daily. Today I'm starting out my new blog with something that's a little thing for my bug.

This small tape measure/level and magnifying glass were given to him by a CHP officer. A sticker would have made him happy, but the officer didn't have any stickers, he only had these things. The bug has not put them down since. These two "little things" have made his day better and brighter.

Well, playing in the CHP car helped a little too.

For Practice

2008-10-18T20:16:00.001-07:00

It's the little things that make a blog one you want to read. :)