Catching Up

Well - I can't believe it's 10 days since my last blog?! What?! I usually always have plenty to say--trust me!! This can't be right?! LOL

The weekend after my last blog I had off for the entire weekend and I spent it visiting with my friend Melissa (from www.lifewithlissy.com) at her house - decorating a float and participating in the Milton Harvest Festival parade. That was SOOO much fun! I dressed as a big banana. It was hilarious! It got people's attention. After church on Sunday, we all went up to Sullivan Co. to Melissa's dad's farm to harvest, wash, and grade pumpkins. THAT WAS THE MOST FUN EVER!!! I can't wait to do that again. I'm such a farm girl at heart :) I can thank my grandparents & mother for that.. I know I didn't get a chance to spend much time on their farms, but it's their stories-experiences-example that keep me leaning towards that way of life. I just love it!

***SIDE NOTE***
Another interesting thing happened that weekend.. while visiting a local store, I ran into a person that I know from working at Cole's. Got a chance to talk & catch up, but I was saddened to hear of some very troubling & sorrowful things happening in their life. I offered my phone number as a line of communication because naturally being the person I am & going thru what I've been thru-- I thought I could help. Everyday since then I've heard from this person via text and the conversation has been a much appreciated and a welcomed thing! The troublesome issues in their life have not changed one bit but I know that having someone to talk to helps, even if it just about what's on tv, what the evening plans are, and what's for supper.. I pray for the situation every day. God hears their cry. It weighs heavy on my heart. I've started to get to know this person much better and I am super glad for a new friendship. It gives me a chance to be a listener--something God knows I need help with--and a chance to use some of my experience and knowledge with someone and it's not a romantic relationship (*which can be so stressful*). I'm beginning to understand why God has placed me at Cole's Hardware and why I've not been able to move on - away from it.

Every day there is someone that comes in that needs prayer:  sometimes it's a co-worker, sometimes it's a complete stranger...  All I know is that I've been praying for others more and more with each day.. 

^^^^^Just yesterday - a retired teacher that I had in school came in. She is a woman that's never married. She's lived with her mother & taken care of her the entire time.  Her mother's 94th birthday is on Friday. Her mother is getting weaker and weaker. I was saddened to hear of this & the stress that has been put upon her over the years while caring for her mother.. watching her progressively get worse. I told her that I would be remembering her & her mother in prayer.. *mind you- I had no idea what faith or religion (if any) that this woman believed in* HER FACE LIGHT UP LIKE CHRISTMAS MORNING! and she smiled at me in a way that she NEVER smiled at me before and said "Thank you. You can't understand how much I appreciate that." I COMPLETELY PRAISE AND THANK  God for the ability to pray for her. This woman was a .. well.. let's just say.. she was a difficult educator. LOL Now as an adult, I can understand how & why she may have been so 'grumpy' especially during the years leading to her retirement.. and the stress she must have felt in & out of school. AND this experience was brought to me by my WONDERFUL & LOVING GOD and my job at Cole's... which HE granted me. ^^^^^^^ TOTALLY AWESOME!!!

I am fully comfortable with where I am-- EXCEPT--I've gotten out of the habit of a regular workout 8^( I don't know when it happened exactly, but it did. I indulge in soda (*more than I should*) and I haven't been on my bike *except to ride quickly to Sheetz & back* in almost 2 weeks. Tomorrow is Wednesday and so far all I've done this week was mow my yard & clean like a mad fiend around my place. I think Wednesday is a good day to get back on track. Granted, I've not been over eating or cheating with too many un-healthy choices in my diet, but still... I need to be more focused and dedicated to improving my all around general health & fitness. IMPROVE THE TEMPLE!  preparing for battle & movement... God could lead me to the Congo someday and I want to be READY!!! LOL

SPEAKING OF CLEANING!!!! ......I have done wonders with my cleaning. I've downsized my cupboard clutter and a few issues in the kids' rooms. I'm hoping to start work on the closet in Lily's room this week AND finish up the outside pre-winter clean up and organization. I want to have an organized stack of firewood *for fall firepit season* and have the flower beds weeded and cut back etc etc. I got the bright idea that in the spring I'd like a veggie & herb garden & compost pile. We'll see if I can get it done. 

As for other things, come the end of the week I'm expecting to OWN a washer & dryer for my place. The one I have now came with the place and broke almost .. eh.. over... well... about 2 years ago. Since then, I've been hand washing the clothes in the bathtub & a plastic tub etc.. and rinsing & wringing them out and hanging them to dry either on a clothes rack in the tub (on rainy days) or on the washline I built out back. *WHICH.. needs some 'tweeking' - I'd like to have 3 strings instead of two & I'd like to tighten them all up a bit & rearrange them* ANYWAY - my friend's mom is getting rid of her washer & dryer- I made an offer & that set is to arrive HOPEFULLY on Sunday afternoon 8^) I'm so blasted excited that I can't hardly contain myself. I've been without for so long-- I'm not going to know what to do with myself if I have a working washer & dryer and not have to work so hard for clean clothes! WOW!!!

Also, I came to the mind-set that this place could potentially be the last place I live for the rest of my life. Being as small as it is-that means some of this 'stuff' must go! With the huge flood that devastated all those people's homes and lives-- my "I'll just keep it in case I ever get a bigger place" stuff can be donated to help them out. This includes the clothing that my children and I can no longer wear. I'm pretty sure my closet, drawers, and storage will be emptied by the end of the month (October). I'm on a mission to completely get rid of every single shred of un-necessary items. The stuff I've kept at my parents from when I've moved various times & toys from when the kids were babies--it can all go! I want to keep just a few things for a 'memoir' type box or plastic tote. Something for me to go thru from time to time and remember things (good & bad). Everything else?! Eh.. it can go!

I know that the possibility of moving and owning my own bigger place is real. I am looking forward to that day--and want to move as little as possible if that happens. I do not want to continue to acquire a lot of "stuff" and have to move it all. Keeping it simple is a much more logical and practical way of life & thinking for me. *coming from a long line of hoarders & pack-rats.. yea.. I'd say that's progress*LOL

*********my last blog was about hearts.. and the matters thereof********** I wanted to follow up on that just a bit. Since writing that blog - I've had a completely change of attitude & way of thinking about being in a relationship and the question of whether I should still have hope or not.. my new motto for that:

I'm happy & blessed loving the Lord & if HE chooses to bring someone into my life great! if HE chooses not to bring someone into my life great! No matter what!!!!- I will love HIM and praise HIM and seek HIM.

Since that revelation-- inside me has awakened a small spark.. *where the dark cloud of worry & doubt once was*... I don't know what you want to call it.. hope? I'm not sure... but inside of me I hear "today could be the day"... and that's SO exciting! No matter what it means..

TODAY COULD BE THE DAY....... that Jesus returns for His children!
TODAY COULD BE THE DAY..... that God brings another person to me to pray for.
TODAY COULD BE THE DAY.... that I learn of something new to praise God for His wondrous works
TODAY COULD BE THE DAY....that I get to witness to someone that needs to hear God loves them.
TODAY COULD BE THE DAY..... that God brings another miracle or blessing into my life.

See what I mean?! I'm not usually at a loss for words.. LOL I told you at the beginning and it's true at the end.. I'm a talkative person & blessed that God made me that way.   However, it's after midnight and I am satisfied w/ my 'catch up'.. I'll have to get back into the habit of more routine blogging.... LOL