Chinese Fashion Show

I Heart Faces "Green" - Kids Category

Jess in the Chinese Fashion Show Modeling a kimono from the 12th century. It was beautiful and so was she.

I Heart Faces - Green - Adult Category

Father & Daughter - I love this picture of these two. The theme this week is "Green" in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Hop on over to IheartFaces to check out the contest.

Intriguing Article: Why I Don't Go to Church Anymore

I read this article today on Heart of Wisdom blog. It is written by the author of the book by the same title. The basic premise is that WE are the church, not the brick and mortar building or the "institution" or the "organiztion". I have felt many of the same feelings of lack of authentic fellowship or meaningful connections with other believers. This has been the topic of several conversations I've had this week, so it seems sort of "fortuitous" that I happened on this article. If you have ever been disillusioned with organized church, you might find encouragement by reading this article.

http://heartofwisdom.com/blog/why-i-dont-go-to-church-anymore/

Photos from the Lake

SUNSET ON LONG LAKE (a small inland lake just south of the Straits of Mackinac)


ROUND ISLAND LIGHT - MACKINAC ISLAND

MACKINAW BRIDGE IN WINTER

FEZZIK & J ON THE BOAT


TOWING J BEHIND PANACEA

A Woman Inspired - Online Conference

If you go to the link at Life with My 3 Boybarians, you might win a free pass to the conference. All you have to do to win is post a comment and she will choose a winner. Check it out.

http://www.lifewithmy3boybarians.com/2009/03/woman-inspired-give-away.html



Here are a few details about the conference:

What do the following women have in common?

Lysa TerKeurst from Proverbs 31 Ministries
Darlene Schacht from Christian Women Online Magazine
Janice Croze from Five Minutes for Mom
Allison Worthington from Blissfully Domestic
Melissa Michaels from The Inspired Room
Tsh Oxenreider form Simple Mom.net
Lisa McKay from The Preacher's Wife
Marybeth Whalen from Cheaper by the Dozen
Amy Bayliss from In Pursuit of Proverbs 31
Sheila Wray Gregoire from To Love, Honor and Vacuum
Shelly Ballestero from Beauty By God
Alllison Bottke from Boomer Babes Rock
Cindy Beal from Cindy Beall.com
Natalie Witcher from Stiletto Army
Ginger Moore from Speaking Thru Me Ministries
Lynn Donovan from Spiritually Unequal Marriage

Brought to you by the same women who bring us Heart of the Matter Online, A Woman Inspired Conference is an opportunity for those of us who want the benefit of a conference without leaving home.

4 days of topics.
Lots of door prizes.
And all those amazing women on that list will be presenting.

You can learn more at the conference site - http://www.awomaninspiredconference.org/

I Heart Faces Creative Crop: Little Boy Blue

AFTER





















BEFORE PHOTO

I Heart Faces Creative Crop: My BFF and Smores

BEFORE



AFTER




Cook-out where we had a big bonfire, lots of friends and messy, messy smores! Our Japanese friends came and got to experience the American way of eating outdoors, bonfires and more. Kego just loved being outside and running too and fro in the twilight. The hotdogs cooked on a stick over the fire were big hits all around.

Another Give-Away at Ten Two Studios - St. Pat's Day

http://countdown.tentwostudios.com

Hop on over to Ten Two Studios for Lisa Vollrath's wonderful holiday countdown giveaways from now until St. Patrick's Day. She is so generous with her free downloads. She will be adding new posts each day.

LOVE & Jerry

"Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39

This Bible verse has been coming up in my life over and over again since Jerry died. Most of us that knew him agreed that his life beautifully illustrated these verses in the way he lived his daily life. Not that he was perfect, but he really did this well. He loved his Lord first of all, then his wife and his boys and then his fellow man. He invested so much into those people around him and never seemed to get too flustered by the humanness of it all and by the chaos and pain that was involved in working with people. His example was so encouraging to us all. And now that he is gone, many of us are attempting to take up the torch and live more like Jerry did.

It seems sort of interesting to me how often these verses keeps coming up. It was in the One Year Bible Blog Daily Bible study today. Thew were the theme verses for the ladies retreat that K and I went to last weekend. I've heard it on the radio, read it in books, heard it in sermons......So do you think the Lord might be trying to tell me something? I believe I need to listen closely and meditate on these verses daily. It is often difficult to love the unlovely! I do pretty well on my friends and family - it is the other people out there that I come in contact with that challenge me daily. I pray that I can be more intentional about this as I go through my daily life.

Black and White Childrens Photo Contest at i heart faces

Black & White Photo Challenge at i heart faces

This is a pic of my dd "geeping" around at a gathering of dear friends. I entered this into the i heart faces b&w photo contest that I discovered while checking out the Pages of our Life blog at this link:
http://www.pagesofourlife.com/. So I checked out the i heart faces website and thought it was pretty cool - lots of things you can learn about photography . I've been trying to take better photographs and I'm thinking that this website can help me. There looks like there are some great tutorials on the site, plus lots of good photos. If you'd like to learn more, just click on the link below.

Forty Trash Bag Challenge for Lent

I am a member of the Yahoo group for Flylady and also of Flylady.com and today in our email updates there was a note from a lady about decluttering for Lent. It really resonated with me as to what I need to do to help myself be less stressed and bogged down. I always think of giving up food for lent, but this made more sense to me for this year. Clutter really weighs you down mentally, emotionally and tends to make you tired just looking at all you have to do. I thought this was a good way to tackle some of the clutter and bless others at the same time. Below is the letter that was enclosed that describes the process. Anyone want to join me?

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlyLadyMentors/message/55811

Dear FlyLady,

I picked up this handout at church recently: The Forty Trash Bag
Challenge. It looked like a great idea, and it fit right in with the
Decluttering for Lent email I just got in my inbox. Here is the Forty
Trash Bag Challenge:

Every day during Lent this year, empty one bag of 'stuff' that is no
longer needed from your house, totaling a loss of forty bags of stuff!

1.) Taking a look at the size of your family and household, with an
acknowledgement of how much 'stuff' is present, make a prudential
choice on the size of bag to be employed during this challenge. Bag
size should be small enough that the goal of 40 bags during the season
of Lent is able to be accomplished, while not being too big that you
are left with nothing. We must still live in the world, after all!

2.) If smaller children are a part of your family, a 'gauge' may be
helpful to keep them engaged and help them keep track of progress. As
part of your preparations, make a 'paper chain' of forty numbered
links. As each new bag is started, place a new link in the bottom of
the bag. This way, as the chain gets smaller, there is a greater sense
of accomplishment.

3.) This challenge necessarily involves sacrifice. Each member of the
family should be encouraged to give something to each bag, or there
could be designated bags for each member of the family.

4.) Instead of just throwing things away, recycling is a great way to
encourage good stewardship of the gifts we have been given, as it
symbolizes that we are passing along our gifts to others. Families
with children are encouraged to pass along clothes that no longer fit
or toys that sit dormant in a closet to families in need instead of
just throwing them away.

5.) Units of count need not necessarily be trash bags, either; however
they should be equivalent. For example, a box of gently used toys or
clothes could equate one bag off the chain. A stack of books donated
to the parish library is another easy equivalent.

As the family accepts this challenge together, bonds will be created
that will last a lifetime. Lessons are also learned not just by
saying, but by putting it into practice. Here, the simple lesson will
last throughout life that having fewer things can lead to a greater
contentment in life.

(Credit due to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for this handout on
vocations and family faith formation)

Women's Retreat

I was able to take my dd to a retreat for women this weekend. It turned out to be an awesome and inspiring time There were missionaries there from SE Asia and we met and networked with lots of neat ladies from around our state and the US. One of the first things that happened was that me dd met another young woman who is interested in missions. It was interesting how much they had in common and it turns out that they only live about 25 miles away from each other. They are already talking about her new friend going with her to Mexico this summer. It is really amazing how God works.

Coca Cola Door - Mackinac

I tried playing around with Photoshop on this one. I'm not that thrilled with how it turned out, but it is a learning curve after all. I really like the little boy reaching for the star!

Mackinac Trees

These photos were taken when we sailed over to Mackinac Island last summer. Ron and I hiked around quite a bit on the island and I took lots of photos. The scenery is just so picturesque there. I love the feeling of being away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist part downtown and also away from automobiles! Mackinac Island is one of my favorite places.

Heart Leaf

Happy Belated Valentines Day

Roast and Toast

Ron and I went to a really cute little coffee shop when we were up North. Here are a few photos.

Tribute to a Great Man

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
Theodore Geiss (Dr. Seuss)

My friend Jerry was one of the greatest people I have ever known. He was the kind of person that when he talked to you, he made you feel like you were someone special. He always made time for people. But more than that, he loved life and he loved his Lord Jesus Christ. He truly was like my big brother, my spiritual big brother. He had a gift of helping people to deal with the realities of life, while at the same time inspiring you to be better, to do the essentials that are meaningful to life.

One of my favorite sayings of his was that there are only two things in life that are really important -
1 - Your relationship to Jesus Christ and
2 - Your relationship to others in Christ.
The other of my favorites was that he was continually reminding all of us to be intentional every day - to be intentional about reaching out to others, loving them and sharing Christ with them.

No other person outside my family has ever had a greater impact on me than Jerry did. When I was a new hire at Dow, he was always smiling, teasing and talking to me about how I needed to conduct myself to be respected and to be successful there. Once I became reacquainted with him when we moved here 21 years ago, he was constantly helping me and Ron to become better marriage partners. He mentored Ron and me constantly, both in our marriage and in our faith walk with Christ. We would spend hours sometimes talking about spiritual things and how we needed to walk each day to live out what God was teaching us.

When I was rejected by those closest to me - he was always my advocate. He would go to bat for me no matter what others thought. He believed in me and encouraged me to constantly lean on Christ as my rock. He listened and advised, even when the advice was difficult for me to hear. He had a knack for getting right to the crux of the matter and had the courage to say what needed to be said, even though he usually managed it without offending. His deep love for us always showed through and so we were able to accept his words because we knew his heart. He made us laugh and made us closer to each other. I hope to share some of my "Jerry" stories as time goes by. But right now, my heart is just too tender.

There are so many lessons I learned from knowing him, that I am truly a different and better person having known him. I am grateful to God that he gave me the opportunity to know him for almost 30 years. I am going to miss him terribly and so often I wish I could pick up the phone or drop by the church to talk something over with him. My family and I miss him terribly.

But I know that I will see him again...

Mackinac Doors

As some of you know, I have sort of an obsession with doors. So I have decided to post some of my "door" photos. I will start with some from Mackinac Island. This is such an inviting door - just makes you feel welcome and entreats you to come on inside and have a nice cup of tea, doesn't it?

Childhood Memories - The Snake

In honor of my husband's science unit on "snakes" I thought I would post a little memory from my childhood about a snake. I grew up in Mississippi where there are lots and lots of snakes. My cousin and my closest friend at the time, lived out in the country next to my grandparents. I spent as much time as possible out there playing in the woods and along the creek. (As a matter of fact, by first memory of a deliberate lie had to do with me telling my parents that my grandmother had agreed that we could come out one Sunday, when in reality, she had said that is wasn't a good day, since she and my grandfather were both sick. - More about lying and it's impact on another day.)

Anyway - on this particular summer day, my cousin and I were hunting snakes. She had a big ball jar to catch one in. I gleefully went along - not knowing what i was getting into. So there we were, about 1/2 mile from the house, lurking along the wooded side of an open field, when Jane spotted one. In that moment I became absolutely petrified with fear. And she was gleefully chasing down the snake. She captured it in her jar and came back to show me her treasure. I thought I was going to throw up. She was quite amused as all the color drained from my face. She said, "Aw, it's just an ole garter snake - here - hold it!"

Oh, my, I think I set an Olympic record, running back to the house as fast as I could go. She never let me live down the fact that I was a "city girl" after that episode. I have never liked snakes since then.

And then there's the story about the water moccasin swimming across my feet as I waded near the shore of my aunt's pond....oooooh!

Striped Sweater Purse

Here is a picture of my most recent sweater purse, made from a felted wool sweater rescued from the thrift store. The lining is made from a corduroy skirt also from a thrift store. I made it for my oldest daughter for Christmas.

I felted the sweater in hot water in my front loading washer with a little Woolite and then put the sweater in the dryer. Once it was felted, I cut out a purse that fit the sweater. My dd wanted one that was fairly large, more like a tote. I took the felted sweater with me to the thrift store and shopped for an article of clothing that matched to make the lining. My dd had liked the idea of corduroy, so I used a corduroy skirt, which adds to the sturdiness of the purse. I think it turned out pretty cute.

Sweater Purse Lining

Crazy Scarf

Here is a picture of my daughter wearing the "crazy scarf" I made her using all sorts of yarns, sort of like the idea of a crazy quilt. I had seen a very expensive one sort of like this a.t a local department store and decided that I could make something like it for a lot less. My dear friend and crocheting mentor helped me figure out how to do it. It didn't turn out exactly like I wanted it to, but all in all, it is not too bad.

Treacherous but Beautiful Skiing

Ron and I decided to check out some of the x-country skiing down in Petosky, and after driving around for a while trying to find a place to ski, we finally settled on this location near the local college. Since we knew nothing really and had read that the trails were groomed, it was flat and went along the river, we thought it would be a good choice. It was really cold out, so I was hoping for an easy trail that we could go relatively fast on to get good exercise and stay warm - and hopefully, the scenery would be nice. Well.....it didn't quite turn out like I expected. Whoever wrote about the trail should have defined "groomed" and "flat", as those were terms used pretty lightly in the write-up. It turned out to be somewhat treacherous for me, although, of course, dh didn't have any problems. The trail was packed down, but hardly what I would call "groomed". I fell several times. There were times where we had to travel over bridges that were barely wider than our skiis. We couldn't really travel fast enough to keep very warm, and I was exhausted from falling and trying to get up. "Help - I've fallen and I can't get up!" was my chant! But on the plus side, it was truly beautiful. And I got some good photos, although I had left the better camera in the car : ( So if I ever go there again, I will know what to expect and be more prepared.

My dh took me out for coffee afterwards to reward me for such a trying time. : )

Our Romantic Getaway Up North

Ron and I went up to a condo across from Boyne Highlands last week for a much needed get-away. With the economy, troubles at Dow, and just general exhaustion, I was desperately needing a break to take time to pray, re-connect with my husband and just re-evalute my priorities and how I was living my life. Lots of things to deal with and my emotions were at rock bottom. The condo was absolutely beautiful, the snow was beautiful and we had a really good time. I was able to feel much more rested and focused. I don't know that we made any big decisions, but we dealt with some things that needed to be addressed and I felt much refreshed.

If you haven't taken the time lately to re-connect with your spouse, Now Is the Time!

Twitter Moms: The Influential Moms Network

The Pets

The pets don't get much press around here, but they are definitely "involved" in our family. So here they are!

Devotional: King of Glory Video by Third Day

"Snow in the City Forest"
January 2009


A powerful worship song from Third Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ExnRvGk9ZA

I am trying to do the One Year Bible Reading and study located at this link

http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/

as my daily Bible study this year. I also purchased The Bible Experience audio Bible and I am really enjoying listening to the Bible this year. I read along online or in my personal Bible. I haven't done it EVERY day, but I am trying to keep up. My prayer is that God will renew my enthusiasm and zeal for Him through this study this year.

Memory verse for this week:

I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11 NIV

I also found a really neat site for parallel Bible, and Bible in various languages, including the Latin Vulgate, Greek, Spanish, etc. It is an awesome resource. Find it here:

http://biblos.com/

Two Hearts

This is my very first attempt at downloading brushes and using them. Of course my dd helped me a lot. But I think it really turned out quite interesting - don't you? This is a photo that I took when Ron and I were in Montreal this summer. I was wandering around during the day while he was in conferences for work. These hearts are outside the Musee Beaux Arts. It was a wonderful day of wandering. I just took my time and soaked in all of the old architecture, history and beauty.

My First Photoshop Try - Outhouse Door Handle

This is a photo that I took while up north on a cross-country skiing date with my hubby. We stopped in an historic village and I took some cool pictures. This one is the door handle of an outhouse. My dd helped me to edit it in Photoshop. I got the idea from this blog: http://www.thelastdoordownthehall.blogspot.com/ It is simply a fabulous blog and you should take a look around if you get a chance.

Ways to Renew Your Spirit

1. Go to church
2. Listen to wonderful music that you don't hear often.
3. Watch a movie that you love.
4. Read a good book.
5. Go for a walk or hike.
6. Sit quietly in your favorite chair with your eyes closed.
7. Take an extra long bubble bath or shower by candle light.
8. Make a pot of soup for supper and let it simmer all day in the slow
cooker while you relax.
9. Take a nap
10. Go for a drive.
11. Turn off your phone.
12. Sit outside and listen to the birds.
13. Take your dog for a walk
14. Curl up on the couch with a magazine.
15. Build a fire or light a candle
16. Do the crossword puzzle.
17. Listen to the audio bible.
18. Drink a really good cup of coffee while looking at beautiful books.
19. Do something creative.
20. Play the piano.

Time Management vs Procrastination

Professor C. Northcote Parkinson says,

Work expands so as to fill the
time available for its completion.

My Weight Loss Journey

I have recently lost 45 lbs and am trying to maintain the loss. Ideally, I would love to lose at least another 10 lbs. We'll see what the new year brings.

I used the Isagenix plan. I still do 2 shakes a day and one healthy (&sometimes not so healthy) meal and do a nutritional cleanse once a week. I didn't lose over the holidays and maybe gained a little. It was all those fruitcake cookies my husband makes! Ha! But now I want to try to get back in line with the program. One thing I have learned now that I am over 50 is that if I ever want to eat anything extra I MUST exercise. We have been x-country skiing when the weather co-operates and I have been doing a Pilates class once a week and trying to walk at the mall a few times a week. Now that school has started back up for me (I homeschool), it is harder to find the time to work in the exercise. So I hope being a part of the Yo-Yo Sisterhood Diet Rehab Twitter group http://www.twittermoms.com/group/yoyosisterhooddietrehab will help me stay motivated.

As far as my weight loss goes, it is and has always been, a struggle for me. My biggest "downfall" really was multiple injuries that kept me from exercising and also depression. It took a major devastating event to get me on my journey to weight loss and to get me to start putting myself on the list (like Oprah said the other night - ha!) I had spent so much of my life caring for others and giving and giving that I never took care of myself.

So the devastating event (which I won't go into) helped me to decide to take care of myself. (That - at least - was a positive outcome.) I guess there is that turning point for each of us - and it is different for each of us. But once I started healing - I was able to start moving toward health. And it is still not easy. But I would encourage each of you to consider putting yourself back on your list. I have to daily recommit to eating healthy and I do fall off the plan sometimes. I just keep trying to pick myself up and get back with the program. So...I hope these comments help a little for any of you who are struggling to lose weight or keep the weight off.

Twitter Moms

Interesting Quotes from TOS

"Home schooling is a very old way of doing things. If you look at any of the bills in your wallet or the coins in your pocket, they all have a picture of a homeschooler on them." -William Lloyd

"Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success." - Louisa May Alcott

7 Days of Give-Aways by Learning at HIs Feet

Starting today, you can click on the button in my sidebar to see how you can win a daily give-away for the next 7 days.

Holiday Printable Countdown Freebies by Linda Vollrath

Today I finally joined a Yahoo Group for Altered Books. Why haven't I thought of that before?! The first message I read was by Lisa Vollrath of Ten Two Studios and she is having a Holiday Countdown Freebie give-away of downloadable freebies. Please visit her web site and support her. Thanks, Lisa!



Also, I hope to scan in pages from my many, many altered books and post on here. I just never take the time to scan them in. But - over Christmas vacation......whee - hopefully I'll finally get to it.

Maybe as a part of this group I'll figure out if I'm doing things right, wrong or like any one else is doing. I'm really looking forward to this.

Thanksgiving is Coming

This year I hope to spend more time being truly thankful. I read a good article in our paper today written by a local doctor. It was profound as he shared a little about patients that entered his practice and how each one made him realize an area he had to be thankful for. For example, a woman who couldn't walk made him realize how thankful he was that he could walk. There are so many things that we take for granted. Even with the economy as it is right now, if we stop and really think, we have much to be grateful for.

Once again, my MIL will be with us for Thanksgiving. We are so blessed to still have her with us. And my SIL will be coming for a visit with her 2 boys and her boyfriend. It will be good to be able to enjoy her company. We have a warm, comfortable home in which to host our guests. I tend to focus on our lack of space instead of the fact that we have such a nice comfortable - and may I mention - paid for - place to invite friends and family to visit. Well, there are many more things - our health, my DH good job, my children, and more. But for now, I'll just say Thank you - to God, my creator and savior.

"O terque quaterque beatum”
We are three or four times blessed.

Jess in Chinese Cultural Festival

Today Jess performed in the Chinese Cultural Festival at the Center for the Arts. The dance they did was called "Dun Huang Fantasia" and was beautiful. The festival featured a Chinese Orchestra, Tai Chi Fan, a fashion show where the clothing was replica from the Tang Dynasty period, (Jess modeled a green Kimono with an umbrella), displays and exhibits of Chinese brush painting, Chinese calligraphy, food, musical instruments and more. It was quite well done and entertaining.

Jess was exhausted when it was all over with. She had to be there from 9 until it was over. I was very proud of her. She looked absolutely beautiful. She also made the newspaper and had her picture in - in silhouette - much to her relief. She was embarrassed to be seen in the costume which was a little revealing.

Fall Fun and Halloween

Last night the kids went out again and we had our annual Halloween gathering with much trick-or-treating, food, and fun. Katy and Alex went along as chaperones and were given much candy, since they, too, were in costumes. We had chili, nachos, homemade chai and wassail, and of course, lots of candy. We even had chocolate covered potato chips supplied by B! Wow were those ever good and even a little sinful. Ron also provided us with Margaritas to spice up the evening. The most fun for me is watching the kids get dressed up and also to see all the little ghosts and goblins that stop by. It has been an annual tradition now for about 10 years. Then while the moms sat with their feet up sipping Margaritas, the dads and kids played Apples to Apples. Lots of fun! I'll post photos later when I get my adapter back.

Economic Downturn and Homesteader Outlook

We have talked as a family about going on a "money diet", as my best friend often calls it. Now that our stock value has plummeted, we are looking at it as a good time to tighten our belts and teach the kids more about living frugally. We have never been really extravagant, but have always had as much as we needed. An article I read had the following tips for keeping a homesteader's mindset, even if you are not a homesteader. Here are the comments"

Avoid the feeling of depravity and start thinking of it as creativity.

Before purchasing anything (clothing, food, household item, equipment, etc.), there are several questions that run through the mind of someone who considers themselves a homesteader. These questions help decide whether he or she should make the purchase. Here are just a few examples:

* "Can I make it myself for less than it costs to buy it?"
* "Do I have something already that works in place of this item just as well?"
* "How often will I use this new item?" (Hint: If it's not used regularly, don't purchase it.)
* "Can I do without this item?"
* "Do we actually need it or do we just want it?"

When choosing to do without or make do or make it myself, the homesteader looks at the whole event as a way to be creative. Creativity is central to this new mindset, not just a budget or skimping, but creatively finding new ways to do things, new ways to make things, and new ways to use, reuse and recycle things. It's a challenge and a game to someone with a homesteading mindset to see just how happily and simply we can live. http://www.stretcher.com/stories/08/08oct20c.cfm

More Bike Riding

We went for a long bike ride last night. I have been very discouraged with my weight loss efforts. I seem to be gaining even though I am not eating much. So I know exercise is an important key. The neat thing is that the weather has been fantastic this week for outdoor activity. We rode until it was almost dark. My dh stopped mowing the grass just to go with me. Today I am sort of sore, but that is a good sign that I actually had a good workout. So I'll do what FlyLady says and say to myself, "Go Me!" I don't really like to congratulate myself, but I have to learn to applaud my own efforts at trying to live a healthy life style, so that I can keep going. Otherwise, I will fall by the way side. And I've put WAY too much effort into this journey to turn back now.

Casting Down Imaginations

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ..." 2 Corinthians 10:5

So, I pose the question, What has the enemy stolen from me? What image is he trying to foist upon me, to steal the joy in finding God’s best and success for my life?

Let’s reclaim the joy. Challenge the lies in our minds. Declare war on the father of lies. Cast down those wrong images, and let’s raise up the vision God has for us.

New Quote

"You may dazzle the mind with a thousand brilliant discoveries of natural science; you may open new worlds of knowledge which were never dreamed of before; yet, if you have not developed in the soul of the pupil strong habits of virtue which will sustain him in the struggle of life, you have not educated him, but only put in his hand a powerful instrument of self-destruction. "
-- Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne

I found this used in one of my Yahoo groups. It really causes one to think.

Riding My Bike

I have been very lax in exercising this summer - mostly because we have been gone so much. I have walked a couple of times a week, but nothing really strenuous. I was doing pretty good until I got a horrible case of poison ivy and had to stay in for 3 wks. But today I rode my bike about 9 mi. round trip with my family. It felt good to be back into it. I get discouraged because it is so difficult to maintain my weight. But I am trying to stay positive.

My dd is home from college this weekend, so that is really nice. I plan to enjoy her as much as possible.

Sunny Saturday in May

Continuing the Moving in May challenge, we walked about an hour today. Not really fast, but walking, anyway. I guess every little bit helps to set the pace and move toward the habit of exercising. My dear husband was willing to walk with me, even though his back is really sore from doing lots of yard work this weekend in the glorious sunshine. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, although it was quite windy. But the weather does help the mood. Signs of God;s renewal of the earth are all around us - blooming tulips, crab apple trees, flox and more. We were able to walk part of the way with my neighbor whom I don't see often anymore, now that our girls are older and don't get together as much any more.

We were able to go over to Bay City and get the sail and the dodger which we had repaired over the winter. Going up to put the boat in the water this weekend. I'm praying for good weather and hopefully we will get a chance to go out for a sail once or twice. Looking forward to spending some quality time with my husband.

My daughter is still in Mexico and doing well there. The weather is quite hot but the group seems to be surviving ok. They are stuccoing some walls for the apartments while the guys are doing more heavy construction - or de-struction, as the case may be. They are making holes in concrete walls for places to put doors. She is really getting a chance to practice her Spanish more and more. I'm praying that she has a great, rewarding and satisfying experience and feels useful to the children's home there.

My son made a delicious carrot cake tonight from scratch. It was really excellent and I was so impressed that he actually did it all, including the icing from scratch. I HAD to have a piece, even though it is not on my eating plan. But it was the best cake I think I have ever had - certainly in recent memory. He was disappointed in how it looked, but it was truly wonderful. I had to ask him to take it home with him, so I wouldn't be tempted to eat more of it. He even placed it on a Lazy Susan tray I had, which made it much easier to manage for icing. Pretty innovative idea. I know I never would have thought of that.

My husband cooked steaks on the grill for us tonight from our new beef we just purchased. It was really, really good. I never want to have to go back to buying beef from the store. This is so much better. We had asparagus, broccoli and potatoes, along with salad to go with it. Great meat. I am so fortunate to have two men that are such good cooks!

Moving in May II

More Moving in May info:

Yesterday was absolutely beautiful, and although my knee is still pretty sore, Ron and I rode our bikes for 1.5 hours - slow and steady. Boy was I tired when we got home. My legs felt like walking on Jello. But it was good to get out and enjoy the good weather and the beautiful Spring scenery. And the good news is that today my knee doesn't hurt any more than it did yesterday. So we hope to go again today. We have another absolutely breathtaking day out there.

So, as Tigger says: TTFN!!

Moving in May

The challenge from Flylady this month is called "Moving in May". We are supposed to exercise at least 15 minutes each day. This has been somewhat frustrating for me, because I hurt my knee at my Pilates class early in the month and haven't been able to do anywhere near as much as I would like. I have tried walking a little and biked a little. Tonight Ron and I biked for at least 30 minutes. Not hard, but steady. I have exercised on average about every third day. But my knee is starting to feel much better, so hopefully, I will be able to do more and more as summer comes on. I would like to lose 10 lbs. more, and it is getting tougher and tougher to stick with it. I am going to try to post my minutes here for the rest of the month.

My exercise for the previous part of the month is as follows:
5-1 60 min. Pilates
5-1 60 min. Aqua Fitness
5-4 30 min. biking
5-7 30 min. Walking
5-9 30 min. Walking
5-10 30 min. Biking
5-10 10 min. No Excuses Work Out (NEWO)

The Power of the Mind

I have run across many things this week that have to do with the power
of the mind. Experiments where a placebo has almost as big an effect as
the medication.

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth,
so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind.
To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again.
To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over
the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.

- Henry David Thoreau

Winter Photos

This is a neat slide show from webshots.