Jul 27 2009
Last spring, my friend, Dallas, gave up Facebook for Lent. Ever since then she’s had me thinking. I have 709 friends on Facebook. That’s a bit much in my opinion. Do I really need to know that many people’s business? For that matter, do 709 people need to know *my* business? I think not. So, I’m deleting people. Lots of people. Today. Right now.
Hopefully I’ll follow in Dallas’s footsteps and cut back on my Facebook time. Anyone care to join me?
Jul 09 2009
One of my aunts sent me this email. It’s one of those forwards worth sharing.
Killed in action the week before, the body of Sergeant First Class John C. Beale was returned to Falcon Field in Peachtree City, Georgia, just south of Atlanta, on June 11, 2009 .
The Henry County Police Department escorted the procession to the funeral home in McDonough , Georgia . A simple notice in local papers indicated the road route to be taken and the approximate time.
The link below is a short travelogue of that day’s remarkable and painful journey. Watch this if you wish to have some of your faith in people restored.
Mar 02 2009
Every day I leave school at lunch to go let the doggie out. When I am driving back and forth between work and home I usually listen to NPR or nothing at all. I used to listen to other radio stations, but the DJ people got on my nerves so badly I just had to stop listening. I don’t watch the news or read the newspaper, so NPR is my new source and entertainment in the car.
All of that to say… today when I was driving to go let Olivia out during lunch, I heard this man talking about the capacity of the brain and its relationship to our will power concerning food. There was an experiment done using two groups of people. One group was asked to memorize a 2-digit number and the other group was asked to memorize a 5-digit number. Then the two groups were offered a snack. I can’t remember the exact snack choices but one was healthy and the other was not. The individuals who had memorized the 2-digit number mostly chose the healthy snack and the individuals who memorized the 5-digit number mostly chose the unhealthy snack. They were saying that this is because the brain had put so much effort into memorizing the number there was no capacity left to make a rational decision about a snack. This explains why I sometimes get a cookie at the faculty meeting after teaching first graders all day when there is also a vegetable tray right in front of me. I am so spent I can’t even think straight when choosing a snack.
The whole point of the program is that if we have been engaged in a lot mentally demanding work that we need to be aware of how that stress affects our willpower. Very interesting I thought.
Jun 23 2008
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Not long ago I got an email from one of my uncles telling me about a visit he and my aunt made to see my cousin and his family in Kansas City. This prompted me to think about a trip I took there a couple of years ago by myself. That little 2 day trip meant a lot for me as a 20-something single girl. I planned the trip by myself and I don’t think I even told anyone I was going until I had it all planned. I know for a fact I didn’t even tell my parents I was going, but they called while I was there and wanted to drop something off at my apartment, so I kind of had to tell them where I was. They were of course fine with it—I just didn’t want my dad to worry about me being by myself. Anyway. So before I drove to KC I had done a little research to see what all was there and what types of things I would want to do. I planned to do a little shopping and to take in a couple of museums. I thought about a Royals game, but they weren’t playing. So, I went to several museums, Union Station, did a little shopping, read a book, and did some writing. I also went to sit-down restaurants alone and went for a run in the park. I did exactly what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. It was fabulous. I have always (insert Mom’s head nod here) been a very independent person, but as a newly single 20-something this trip really reaffirmed my self-confidence and helped me understand even more about who I am and what I like. It’s hard to adequately explain in words. I have thought about this trip more times than I can count and have patted myself on the back for going–not just for going but for enjoying myself. I have a map in the pocket on my car door of KC from my trip and even 2 years later I can’t bring myself to remove it. If you’re in a position to go on a little venture like this independently, I really encourage you to do so. It doesn’t have to be 4 hours away and an overnight stay. Just take some time for you–even if that’s in your own house… to learn more about yourself and what you like to do and then begin to invest in those interests or activities. Friends and family are very important and I am not suggesting that you should completely isolate yourself from people all the time, but when we know who we are and what we’re about I really believe we can serve our friends and family better. Here are some pictures from what was for me, a monumental trip. |
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Jun 12 2008
Last week, Richard and I listened to an interesting broadcast on a program on NPR, The Infinite Mind. The topic that day was vacationing. The guests and hosts discussed the necessity of vacationing and how difficult most Americans find it to truly relax. I found the program most interesting and I hope y’all enjoy it, too!
Also included in the program is a segment about an organization that provides a summer vacation to suburban and rural communities to children who live in New York City. I really enjoyed that part.
Click here and then click “listen now”.
Jun 04 2008
This excerpt from Elizabeth George’s book A Wife After God’s Own Heart caught my attention. I’d love to know your thoughts about it!
Ah, home-sweet-home! At last your day at work is over. And now your “job” is to be sure it’s over. Leave work at work! Leave the disputes, emotions, confusion, and any hurt feelings or disappointments you may have experienced on the job at the job. Your husband deserves your attention when he gets home. He is the most important person in your life. He deserves a listening ear, a nice meal, and a pleasant evening.
So train yourself to be all there when you are at home. Pray on the way home. Thank God that your day at work is O-V-E-R! Purpose not to rehash your day and latest office gossip. You are a wife (and a mom and a homemaker) first…and thena worker. So, once again, when you finally make it home, be all there! Give your all. Enjoy your family to the max. Soap up every pleasure home and family bring to your heart! Ah, home-sweet-home!
Click here to see others’ tips WFMW! (I just noticed it’s Mom, I’m Bored week….oops.)
May 26 2008
Amidst our golfing, boating, and grilling this Memorial Day weekend, let’s all take a moment to remember and be grateful for those who have sacrificed their lives so that we can live freely in the United States.
Apr 27 2008
Hi. My name is Laura. I am a former tanning bed addict. At one point in my life I loved basically seeing how dark I could get. Going to the tanning bed wasn’t just about the tanning though. It was a 20 minute break from my demanding schedule. Furthermore, I felt better about myself when I was tan. Well, those days for me have passed. I am now not naive about the dangers of the tanning bed. Being stark white is not an option, so I opt for the daily moisturizing sunless tanning lotion (STL)!
Here are some tips for application (if the font is too small try the Ctrl+ trick):
:: I am a fan of the daily moisturizing type of STL because it gets the job done and it is more forgiving than the “get a tan from the tropics in an hour” version.
:: STLs purchased at a department store or other such location do no more than the drugstore variety, so go ahead and save yourself some money.
::Exfoliate and cleanse your skin before application: the mesh shower scubbie thingies work great for exfoliating.
:: If you have sensitive skin, wait several hours after shaving before applying the STL. I personally apply right after shaving and have no trouble.
:: Before applying the STL, put a little bit of regular lotion on your knees and elbows to lessen the effects of the STL on these areas.
:: When applying, blend the STL down from your legs onto your feet (this allows your feet to get some “sun” without becoming splotchy).
:: In the same way, blend the tanner from the top of your arm around to the underside.
:: Immediately after applying the STL, scrub palms, fingers, and nails with a soapy nail brush. If you want your hands to be a little bit tan also, after your hands are drying from the washing you might try dabbing a little bit of STL on the tops of your hands and fingers. I’d go very light on this though.
:: Wait a few minutes for STL to dry before dressing.
:: Apply STL every other day. I realize the bottle says “daily”.
:: One topic of concern in regard to STL that I haven’t completely found a solution for is the awful smell of STLs. To lessen the stinch of the lotion, I have started applying the lotion only to my legs, arms, chest, and shoulders. Less lotion means less smell, right?
Go forth and tan yourself!
P.S. If you have any STL helpful hints, please share them!
Apr 20 2008
Do you struggle to know what to do during your quiet time? Do you have trouble finding time to have your quiet time? I have a friend who frequently forwards me devotionals she gets in her email. Her reasoning for having devotionals emailed to her is so she can surround herself with God’s word. I don’t think there could be a better reason than that.
I have done some research and have found the following sites that offer online devotionals. Some of the sites email the devotional to you and some simply have the daily devotional on their website (can be bookmarked for daily access).
Crosswalk offers devotionals on a variety of topics by a variety of authors. I think you’ll find this page helpful.
http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/
Living Proof Ministries (Beth Moore) offers devotionals to be viewed online or printed. I like to have a paper copy of something I am reading for my actual quiet time, so this is a nice option in my opinion.
http://www.lproof.org/weekly_devotional.asp
Purpose Drive Life offers devotionals that can be emailed to you. My friend has forwarded me several from this site and they are always good!
http://www.saddlebackresources.com/en-US/MyAccount/Login.htm
For those who have an iPod, The Church at Pinnacle Hills in Rogers, AR (Dr.Ronnie W. Floyd) offers a podcast of the Sunday morning service. Listening to a 45 minute (or so) sermon would sure make that cardio time go by quickly!
http://www.churchph.com/podcast/
My father-in-law introduced me to Marriage Today. When you click on ‘log in for more info’ you can sign up for a weekly newsletter. This ministry always has good information to share and they even have a free magazine that I really enjoy!
I hope these ideas help you simplify your devotional time and provide you with a new way to keep yourself surrounded by God’s word!
P.S. I am sorry I had to type the actual web addresses instead of linking—some websites don’t cooperate when I try to link! Hope you enjoy them just the same!
Mar 13 2008
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121
