Bring On Lemons

It was a day. It certainly was a day. Not necessarily a bad day or a good day or even a mediocre day. However, it was a day and it's over. Kids are in bed, backpacks are ready for tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure my brain is like my computer and there's 898765 browser tabs open. I started a lot of things today and I think I finished approximately one of those. That also may be a stretch. I'm fairly sure things went south before I got out of bed. My youngest daughters were arguing about who was in the way of whom. At that time of day, my parenting is different. I begin each day patient and full of grace. We talked it out and got to church with a few moments to spare (thank goodness the older kids can drive because I needed valet today - thanks Andre!) So - I was late, big deal, right? Well...it's sort of a big deal but I felt I pulled it off somewhat gracefully with the help of my tribe. Things seemed to be turning around...until...I played the communion songs in the wr...

I was trying to come up with a catchy title for what's bopping around in my brain today. The words I'm hearing were spoken by my daddy when I was a little girl: "don't take yourself so seriously". Of course, I could have used that, but I wanted something catchier so I goggled synonyms of the word serious (this took a while as I spell synonym all sorts of ways: synonim, sinonim...anyway, you'd think I'd learn). Here's what I found: austere, bound, cold sober, contemplative, determined, earnest, funereal, genuine, grave, grim, honest, etc... The word 'grave' sort of caught my eye. I guess because I know that if we take ourselves too seriously, it leads to stress which in an unhealthy amount can lead to health problems which eventually lead us to our death or our grave as you will. That's the moral of today's story... take yourself too seriously or spend too much time being GRAVE and you'll wind up in the grave . Now, if you...

If (by Rudyard Kipling) If you can keep your head when all about you  Are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream  - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat these two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If ...

Today's journaling lesson included an explanation of the mind body connection. Mari McCarthy writes: "You'll notice yourself feeling more relaxed after you journal, because you have just released tension that you may not have even known was there." (here is a link to her site if you'd like to learn more:) http://www.createwritenow.com/peace-of-mind-and-body---27-days-of-journaling-to-health--happiness/ Today's exercise was less of a journal entry and more about writing down things that cause you stress and then reflect on them and when you notice yourself getting stressed out, make a promise to yourself that you will stop what you are doing, close your eyes, and take ten breaths. As I like to keep this particular blog as upbeat and positive as possible, I am going to share with you a story about how my amazing husband deals with stress...he handles himself with such grace and composure that even the gravest or most stressful situations don't bother h...

"Follow your passions and hold tight to your dreams and don't give up until your life is full of dreams, passion, and happiness" ~Crystal As I was watching the winter rye being cut and blown into the chopper wagons yesterday I was thinking about a lot of different things, but something worth sharing is the thought about life being like a chopper wagon. Be patient with me - I find farming incredibly amazing and rewarding in so many ways. The tractor pulls into the hilly field with the chopper and blower attached to it. The driver backs the unit(s) up to the waiting chopper wagon, then puts the pin in. At this point, the machinery becomes one - all the pieces work together to glide gracefully up and down the hilly field filling the wagon. When the wagon is full it is detached and another one takes it's place and this process continues until the field that was once lush and green with vegetation is ready for the next crop. The field looks like a carefully knit blan...

Are you in a relationship and wondering if you'd be better off alone? Are you alone and wondering if you'd be better off with someone? Isn't it the same story about girls with straight hair getting perms and girls with curly hair buying expensive flat irons? Or is it...??? (I seriously wish I could find a picture of my permed mullet from the 80's to put right here...kid you not, THANKS MOM!) Here's the answer - being comfortable alone is just as important is being in the RIGHT relationship. If you are in a relationship with someone who is not truly your partner is frustrating. If that is where you are at, it's true that you would be better off alone. If you know you are the only one you can count on, you won't be let down. If you have someone who SHOULD be helping you that isn't...you'll be constantly frustrated and feeling let down. What am I talking about? I have some experience in relationships and until recently I would have told you I only h...