Clear the clutter!
I have often said that happiness is a state of mind. I am very good at giving practical advice and terrible at taking it, even from myself. I am coming to the realization that the person I think I am is not the person that I allow others to see.
I have always required a lot of solitude and self-reflection. I come up with all sorts of wonderful things that I want to do for my family and for others too. However, I spend too much of my time thinking about and preparing and too often don’t get around to the doing. Procrastination has always been my Achilles heel. I love the planning for a project, gathering what I need for the project, then sitting on the project long enough to come up with something else and repeat the process. I collect ‘stuff’ that I want to repurpose and use. There is a myriad of stuff and supplies to fix the stuff or create more stuff tucked into closets, drawers, the attic, the barn and anywhere else I can find empty. The clutter also exits in my mind and I am running out of room everywhere including my mind. It is time to do some major de-cluttering!
In addition to procrastination I have another problem, perfectionism. I was taught that if a job is worth doing it is worth doing right. So my desire for perfection becomes an excuse for doing nothing. I used to drive my mother crazy because I wouldn’t hang curtains on my windows, telling me to at least put up a blind or something to cover the windows. My attitude was that if I couldn’t have or afford window covering that I wanted that I would rather have nothing at all and still be able to see the outdoors from my window. Being somewhat pragmatic also plays a role here. I know when spending money on something that I can do without is senseless but I pinch pennies at the weirdest times and on things that I may consider unnecessary but DH (dear husband) finds essential, like buying him the brand of socks and underwear he prefers, even though I can save a few cents on a different brand or buying the store brand peanut butter instead of Jiff.
Well by now you may have decided that this is going nowhere, so I will try to get to the point! Focusing on what matters is difficult when clutter either physical or mental is distracting us. What does matter? The smallest things often matter the most and bring the biggest reward. When we are aware of the saving grace of our God through His Son we begin to be thankful for the blessings of life and when we actively thank God for those blessings our reward is Joy. Joy because by filling all the emptiness of our lives with Thanksgiving we run out of room for fear, worry and forms of negativity!
Today I am thankful for another day to love my family, to hear the birds greeting a new day and to smell the earth after the rain and to see the colors of Spring!
and this!
Smile a while, and give your face a rest…..
This man, 73, is wearing a protective flap over his ear while
Barack Obama addresses the Veterans of Foreign Wars —
I wish I could shake this man’s hand.
I just want to know where he got it?
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction… It must be fought for, protected… or we will spend our sunset years
telling
our children and our children’s children what it was once like in America where men were free.”
- President Ronald Reagan
life happens while we wait…..
We say when I grow up I am going to do what I want to! Then its, when I get out of school I am going to do what I want to do! Next its, when we get married we are going to do what we want to do! But then its, when the kids grow up we are going to do what we want to do! After that its, when we retire we will do what we want to do! Finally its, I wish I had done something I wanted to do while I was young and had the time and energy to do it!
It seems throughout our lives we are always waiting for the perfect time to live. I know I have made all kinds of excuses over the years for not doing the things that I really, really want to do. I have always dreamed of having a beautiful house that I designed with a beautiful yard and flower gardens that I tended. I wanted to fill my home with beautiful antique furniture, books and art. I thought that I would someday paint amazing pictures to hang on my walls. Basically I wanted to be June Cleaver and Martha Stewart all rolled into one. I just knew that all that would happen when the time was right.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not discontent with my life at all. I have been greatly blessed with a loving and loyal husband and amazing children who have given me amazing grand children. There is just this little itch that I always think I’m going to scratch. Its kinda like that thing you can’t remember but you know its something you need to take care of. Some call it a bucket list. I have tried to make a bucket list but when it comes to writing something on it, it sounds trivial when compared to the life I have actually led.
I suppose it isn’t unusual when you reach a certain age to have some regrets. You think about your life and realize just how much time has passed while you weren’t looking. Staying away from mirrors becomes very important because the person who looks back doesn’t fit with how you see yourself. That old saying that youth is wasted on the young now makes sense….
These days I can really appreciate the wisdom of Erma Bombeck! “Housework can kill you if done right.” That is why I am going to Dairy Queen with my granddaughter to have ice cream for lunch! Y’all have a better day that you ever dreamed possible!
Bonus message!
Don’t Go Away Mad, just GO AWAY!
Groom, TX
These are the pictures of the crucifixion of Christ, Sculptured from metal by a man near Amarillo, TX . The crosses are made of metal also. The man did this out of the kindness of his heart. Someone donated the land on which to erect them.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today. I feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us!
These are pics of a landmark just outside the little town of Groom, TX in the Texas Panhandle. It is widely known by travelers on I-40. It can be seen for 20 to 30 miles due to the flat lay of the land. Many travelers stop and rest here before continuing their journey . I have visited the landmark as well. These pics were from an email and I don’t know who the photographer was. If you are ever out here in our part of ‘flyover country’ you should stop and enjoy!
the war in my mind….
Sometimes I think I must be skitzo! I battle daily with how to deal with what so many see coming. Storm clouds are gathering and growing larger, there is distant thunder and flashes of lightning on the horizon…..
I hear the message of Love in my heart for all of humanity. I feel the apprehension and a growing fear that Freedom is really already gone. Americans take for granted their God given right to Life, Liberty and to pursue happiness. When I see people on the street going about their everyday business, I wonder if they too are feeling the same apprehension that I have. I suppose I look the same to them. I smile and greet people no differently than I ever have.
Americans in particular can’t envision a time when we would be forbidden to worship freely and without fear of molestation. We cannot fathom being killed for professing our love for God. We can’t imagine being forbidden to have more than one child or from owning our own home and raising our children according to our values. We don’t believe that someone really wants to brainwash our children for their own ideology. We believe that our food is safe because the government is making sure of it. We believe that all laws are for our own good and protection. We trust government to secure our liberty and our nation’s sovereignty. We believe our money is safe when we put it in our checking account. In short most of us think that tales of conspiracy and intrigue are just in the imagination of a few nut jobs who have nothing better to do with their time. That kind of stuff only happens in the movies and makes for good entertainment but it could never happen in real life. Ignorance is bliss up to a point….
Back to the battle in my own mind and how to continue with everyday responsibilities and wondering how much of what I read, see and hear is real. At the same time I want to live life according to my faith. To do that I must practice it in accordance to Biblical instruction, loving all people and being consistent in my speech, bridling my tongue, resisting temptation to seek vengeance on my own when I know vengeance is God’s. Praying for enemies, this is hard for me because I don’t believe there is an ounce of good in those who practice Sharia and execute their own people with such brutality as we have seen throughout the Arab Spring. Neither do I believe that the President and most Democrat and some Republican leaders are interested in anything but creating crisis to be used in exploitation of minorities, women, children, homosexuals, the poor, the handicapped or the elderly. All these groups are merely pawns who will be sacrificed as soon as total control is achieved.
This where my problem begins because it just makes no sense. Why would anyone, even those who see themselves as too rich and too powerful to be exploited want to take the chance that their own families might suffer and why do they have such little concern or compassion on those weaker than they are?
ALL human beings have a master whether they know it or not. Either God or Satan, man cannot serve two masters. God loves all of humanity and all of humanity has the God-given right of free will, to choose either good or evil. Satan presents himself in many different forms and ways. Those most vulnerable to his temptation are those who have no moral foundation, they believe neither in God nor Satan. These are minds ripe for the infestation of worldliness, believing that today is all anyone has and that eternity is just a myth. When people don’t love God and all that He stands for and has done for us, they cannot love their fellow human beings and they cannot recognize Satan.
As a christian, I can only speak from the perspective of my faith and that when I lose sight of God I open the door to Satan who battles hard for the souls of believers. This is when he comes to us in the form of something good or beautiful and exploits our weaknesses whatever they may be. For non-believers, Satan pretty much has them on auto-pilot being assured that they are his no matter what. Even atheists who are good people, living morally decent lives, much like the christian but dis-avowing God are already in Satan’s corner, so that they don’t recognize that he is their master already.
The christian engages in spiritual warfare daily. God has given us the armor and the weapons fit for battle but we have to put the armor on and use the weapons as instructed.
The Apostle Paul describes the Armor of God in the Book of Ephesians as both a defense and an offensive weapon. He describes six pieces of armor (combat gear):
Two were considered offensive weapons: shoes and sword
Three were considered defensive weapons: breastplate, shield, and helmet
One was considered neutral: loin belt (girdle)
Ephesians 6:10-17
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
1. Just as the soldier had his loin belt to put on every day to keep his armor together, we must apply the Word of God to our lives on a daily basis or we will not be able to maintain our defenses. The belt was the first thing that the soldier put on. Just as this is the first thing a Christian must put on. Much of the weaponry and protection depended on the belt being in place properly. If we do not use the word of God as our belt of truth, we have no foundation on which to base our warfare with the enemy. The belt held things in place where they needed to be. The truth of God’s word does the same for us.
with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
2. When you walk in the righteousness of God, it is a weapon of defense against all those slanderous accusations, and outrageous strategies of the devil. The Bible declares that the heart of man is prone to be tempted according to Matthew 26:41. We are righteous in God’s sight because of what Jesus has done for us. Right thinking and doing right are the part righteousness that we are to protect ourselves with.
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
3. Offensively this peace will help you to stand with your feet planted firmly on the Word of God and stay there, unmoved by the devil’s threats and lies. It will protect us when we walk through the rough places and keep us steady in the heat of a battle. It will keep our spiritual foes where they belong…under our feet.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
4. In this verse, the Roman shield stands for the faith of the believer in the promises of God. The value of faith lies not in the person exercising it, but in the person whom the faith is in. Faith is something that all people possess and use every day. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes through hearing the Word of God. Knowing the Bible and the God of the Bible gives you greater faith. Remember it is God that fights with you and that is some awesome protection.
17 Take the helmet of salvation
5. The parts of the Roman helmet were: a lining of leather, softened for comfort and good fit; the helmet itself which was a bronze cast for the soldier, or iron alloy for officers; a metal crest for the plume; and a chinstrap. The highest ranking officers had gold and silver alloy helmets for parade dress.
A well-designed helmet will protect you from various angles of attack.
The greatest battlefield is in our minds. This is the area that the enemy wants to attack the most. One key area he wants to damage is our assurance of salvation. Paul gave some good advice in Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. We must be on guard on what we let run free in our minds. Satan is very subtle in these areas. He has blinded the world and he will do the same to the unsuspecting or careless Christian. We must have a clear mind to be discerning in all situations. This comes by immersing yourself in God’s word and prayer.
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
6. Our sword of the Spirit is the word of God. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Jesus quoted His Father’s words and spoke them with authority. Consequently, each Word was like a sword-blow to Satan’s head! God has given us the authority to use His words because we are all ambassadors of Christ. God speaks with ultimate authority in the universe. He spoke and the universe came into being from nothing. When we speak God’s word according to his will, there is no power in the universe who can withstand it!
This description of the armor found at http://www.christianarsenal.comTHE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL Full Armor of God
Until we put on the full armor of God and carry His weapons, the armor and the weapons of this world will not be sufficient to defeat the forces at work in our nation to take our life, our liberty and our pursuit of happiness. Without it, we are no better than our enemies and expose ourselves to the same judgement.
Arming others with God’s Word is our mission as christians. Last night at worship services we heard about the work of the Eastern European Mission. This organization prints and distributes Bibles and teaching materials in Russia and Ukraine to 10,730 public schools and over 2,289,700 students can study the Bible every day in their schools. You can find out more about their work and their mission at www.eem.org – Email: info@eem.org. EEM is overseen by the Prestoncrest Church of Christ, Dallas, TX.
Would you ever have imagined that students in former Communist Bloc countries would be free to study the Bible in public schools? American students no longer are free to do that. What does that say about the land of the free and the home of the brave?
I got WARNED……
Yesterday I woke up with a terrible backache so I decided that I would go to town and get a pedicure at the local nail salon. I could relax in the massage chair and perhaps come out with no backache as well as prettier feet…..
So I get in my car, put on my seatbelt, leave the house, get on highway and set cruise control. Ok, then as I near the city limits I disengage cruise control and reduce speed to 45mph mandated by the traffic sign. I notice that a Highway Patrol is just leaving the city limits. There was a car gaining on me from behind and I glanced in my rear view mirror in time to see the HP whip across the median to turn around in my direction. I thought the car behind me must have been speeding and continued reducing speed down to 35mph, lower than the next traffic sign indicated. Glanced in rear view mirror again to see HP pass the car behind me, turn on his lights and it dawned on me that I was the culprit. I pulled over on a side street, rolled down my window, got my DL and insurance card out. HP saunters up to my car and says that he noticed that my front license plate is missing. I explain to him that I have it, show him that it is in the door pocket on the front passenger side, tell him that we had just recently purchased the car and that the bracket for the front plate was missing and that we just hadn’t found another one yet. I handed him my DL and insurance card and he went back to patrol car to run my info. After waiting for a few minutes he came back and handed me back my cards along with a warning ticket for the missing tag. I did not recognize him as one of our local HP, so I ask him if he was new to the area. He said no, that he was out of a neighboring town and seemed perturbed that I had asked. I just told him that since I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting him before that I thought he might be new to the area. He just said that I should get that plate on and turned around and returned to his car…..I thought to myself that it must be a slow day or something, if he decided that I was worth whipping across the median and chasing down over a front license plate.
I do respect the law and try to always obey traffic laws but this made me think about all the stuff we have to do just to get on the highway legally and how much it costs to stay within the law. Now I have a traffic stop on my record over something that is in my opinion, silly. My current tag sticker is properly placed on the windshield and the rear tag is there along with my current inspection sticker, don’t cops usually chase speeders or other offenders from behind? I guess gray-haired grandmothers with no front license plate must be a threat to road safety…..either that or the state is short on money?
On a brighter note, I went on to get my pedicure, sit in the massage chair and added a luxurious facial to my pampering due to the extra stress of being a threat to society…..I came out of the salon with pretty feet and a smile on my face! When I got home DH decided that bracket or no bracket to hold the missing plate that he would have to make new holes in the front bumper and find some screws to hold it there, I think I am good to go?
Meme ‘Memed’……
My friend Aggie over at Sithy Things, http://wp.me/s15alr-memed presented this challenge so here goes.
#1– Book or movie, and why?
I spend way too much time these days reading ‘Blogs’ mostly concerning current politics due to the fact that the country is going down the wrong road. I was once an avid reader but I find most fiction to be a total waste of time these days and am more interested in current events and news. I enjoy ‘old’ movies mostly and have read books associated with them in many cases.
#2– Real book, or e-book?
I think I might enjoy reading e-books more but I don’t have a Kindle yet……
#3– Funniest thing you’ve done in the past five years?
I’m thinking…..
#4– Do you put yourself in the books you read/write, or the movies you watch?
Yes, I have always done this. This is one reason I won’t allow myself to be hypnotized, afraid some of my other personalities might come out…..
#5– How would your best friend describe you?
DH is my best friend and would most likely say ‘paranoid but lovable’…
#6– Favorite kind of car and why?
Large, preferably 4×4 SUV or pickup. However I have always wanted a 1955 Thunderbird convertible….
#7– Would your choice of party be a catered meal, or a barbeque out back?
Definitely BBQ out back
#8– What is your favorite season and why?
Spring – love the rebirth of nature, hate the wind in our part of the world
Summer – too hot
Fall – just right, flowers that survived the windy spring and broiling summer actually look good for a few weeks.
Winter – grrrrrrrrr
#9– What specific lesson have you learned: spiritual, educational, occupational?
Gettin’ old ain’t for sissies….
#10– Besides writing (for the blog, or otherwise), what’s your favorite thing to do when you get some extra time?
I love to spend time outside working in the yard. I also love driving around the countryside with DH and camera taking pics of things I would like to paint or draw….
#11– What is one place you can be found at least once a week?
At church (love) and the grocery store (hate)
Now consider yourself tagged, and go meme yourself 
Texas funny of the day…
re: #3 above – still thinking……
this is to confirm…
that I haven’t lost my marbles! All of them are still right where I always keep them. Please no smart aleck remarks about the jar not being full!
These are not marbles! Hailstones from the storm a few days ago…
I heard her calling me….
I awoke this morning thinking I had heard my mother calling my name. Some of you know that I have spent much of the last six months or so chronicling my Mom’s battle with cancer from my perspective as an only child and caretaker and all the roller coaster emotions, thoughts and feelings during that difficult and exhausting journey.
It has been about six weeks since Mother passed away and I have been putting off the task of going through her things and cleaning out the home she and my Dad shared. I have made several attempts but the job is not only overwhelming in the amount of ‘stuff’ that has to be looked at piece by piece but everywhere I look brings memories flooding back to my mind. Yesterday, DH and I made another attempt and actually made some progress by just concentrating on things that needed to go to the dumpster. I want to have a garage sale at the end of this month to coincide with a community wide sale that brings out a lot of folks from here and surrounding towns as well.
Since she had always had a habit of hiding money, her ‘mad money’ as she called it, every thing needs to be look at carefully. A couple of weeks ago my family gathered at Mom’s house after worship services. We hid Easter eggs and the babies had a big time hunting them. 
We cooked hamburgers on the grill and had a wonderful day. When we were cleaning up the kitchen DD2 asked me if she could have her grandmothers toaster oven. I told her yes and she took it home. A couple of days later she called to tell me that she had found ‘the stash’. She had decided to try out the toaster oven and needed to remove the tin foil that covered the bottom of the tray and wash it before using it. When she removed the tin foil there were four 20 dollar bills and a 10 dollar bill that were shall we say a bit overdone…. 
Mother was born in 1929, so growing up in a family of nine children meant that there were a lot of very hard times. Mother started at a very young age finding odd jobs to earn her own money and always had a little stashed away. She kept that habit throughout her lifetime. I know that there is no fortune hidden but it is a little like a treasure hunt when I look around her house and see the magnitude of ‘hidey holes’!
not a Texan….sorry about that
Ok, I admit it, Texans especially NATIVE born Texans and a few lucky transplants have egos the size of Dallas! Let me qualify that somewhat, at least in my case my Texas attitude has to do with all things pertaining to state pride. After all I didn’t have any say-so about the pasture location or the cow turd they found me under…..
My poor DH had the misfortune of being born in California. Both his parents are native born Texans but his Dad was in the Navy and stationed in California after he came back from WWII. They had to stay out there after he was discharged, until he could earn enough money to move back home to Texas and so DH was six months old before he got to Texas. Not sure if he can ever be President of Texas but oh well….his blood is Texan!
Here is what I was trying to say!
Just in case…..
self explanatory…
Amen!
Not really, I don’t recommend trying this!!!
Amen again!!!
Need I say more….
lots of these…..
Must see!
Willie, Waylon and the boys hangout….
don’t touch one of these!
Advise to city slickers!
Peace!
All pics from the folks at https://www.facebook.com/TexasHillCountry
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