Peacans in the Cemetery

I am simply amazed at how long it is taking to organized & scan pictures. Between work, end of school year activities, and working on the graduation video I have had no time to post.

Giving honor and glory to God, I have been freaking out from time to time, "how will we get everything done?" It was very stressful at work on top of the stress I have been putting on myself with this graduation and the fact that I did not get to bed until after 1:00 am the night (morning) before, I just sat in my office and started to cry. Then I read a post from Sneaky Momma and God reminded me to be still know that I am God. Later I read a devotion online where God was telling me to invite Him with me in every task I do, I stopped what I was doing and prayed at that very moment. A little later I started to calm down and what seemed impossible became possible.

I thought I was too busy to stop and pray, but then I realized I was too busy NOT to stop and pray . This morning I received the follow email that I thought was cute and wanted to share with you. Have a great and glorious weekend - and remember - invite God in all your tasks.

I'd like to share an email I received this morning:

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of site, and began dividing the nuts. "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me," said on of the boys. Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence.

Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough he heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me." He just knew what it was, so he jumped back on his bike and rode off.

Now just around the bend he met an old man with a cane hobbling along. "Come here quick," said the boy, "you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up souls."

The man said "Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk." When the boy insisted though the man hobbled to the cemetery. Standing by the fence they heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me..."the old man whispered, "boy you've been tellin' the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord." Shaking with fear they peered through the fence, yet, they were still unable to see anything.

The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord. At last they heard, "One for you, one for me. That's ll, now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done."

They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the boy on the bike!

Author Unkown

Healthy you challenge check in

Can you believe it, a week has come and gone. I have had both scale and non-scale victories.

My scale victory is a loss of 2 pounds. I was very surprised to see the release of 2 more pounds, I haven't counted points sense my nieces graduation last week. But it may be due to my non-scale victories, I am doing a lot better waiting until I am truly hungry and not over eating.

I will have to get back to counting points, I seem to be getting a little off track and I don't want to gain what I've lost. This next couple of weeks will be a test of my stress eating. My dd17 graduates the first weekend in June and I'm feeling more stress then I thought I would. Life will always deal us challenges and I need to learn to deal with those challenges as they present them self. My challenge for this week - work on finding other outlets for stress instead of eating.

In addition to working on the stress eating I also want to work on drinking more water. That habit as well has been slipping.

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Click HERE to read about hidden benefits of water.

What does HE want you to read?

Hello...don't you just love it when the beginning of the week falls on a Tuesday. The only thing better is when the last day of the work week ends on a Thursday.

I just got done reading Dawn's latest post over at Dawn's Cottage Corner about over thinking. Do you ever do that? I don't over think in general near as much as my hubs however when it comes to my blog I think I do. I have the same problem Dawn has, I'll start a post and think who would really be interested in blah, blah, blah? So as it goes I don't post for a while.

This made me think about why I started my blog to begin with, my goal is to bring the name and love of Jesus Christ to those who do not know him, to share his sense of humor and compassion and to remind all of us that even when it doesn't feel like it - WE ARE NEVER ALONE. It's not about what I want others to read but what HE wants others to read.

With that said:

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend and were able to spend some time reflecting and reminiscing about those who have gone on before us and gave thanks for those who have lost their life to give us our freedom.

Yesterday I went back home and met up with some family. We went out to the cemeteries to put out flowers and to do just that - reminisce. We had a few tears shed but they were tears of love not sorrow. Then we had lunch together before we had to head back home.

Other then that my entire weekend was spent working on a video for my dd17 who graduates on June 6th. If I had a penny for every picture I took over her life time there would be NO worry about paying for college :) Going through photo albums, scanning pictures, organizing those pictures, going through cd's of pictures - I never want to see another picture again. Ok, that was just the sleepy side talking. I have enjoyed going through the pictures of her past and comparing those pictures to the women she has become.

And GET this...my hubs is putting together a scrap book for her. I saw his first page last night - he did a great job. I also have to give my hubs more kuddos: he has painted the family room, taken up the carpet in said family room, moved a 1000 lb piano (3Xs) plus the rest of the furniture in that room, taken down wall paper in the kitchen that was hung with glue that had a vow never to separate from the wall and repainted those walls. Let's give him a hand - I knew I married him for some reason :)

Go forth and have a GREAT day.

Sheryl

Take time out to giggle

Two cannibals were sitting around the campfire talking. One of the cannibals said, "You know, I just don't like my brother-in-law."To which the other replied, "Then just eat the noodles." - Ed Buckner.

A young mother was standing outside a mall holding her six-month-old baby and her sister's three-month-old baby.Two elderly women approached the mother. "Are they twins?" one asked."No, they're three months apart.""My! You sure had them close together." - Morgan.

Visiting the psych ward, a man asked how doctors decide to institutionalize a patient."Well," the director said, "we fill a bathtub, then offer a teaspoon, a teacup, and a bucket to the patient, and ask him to empty the tub.""I get it," the visitor said. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's the biggest.""No," the director said. "A normal person would pull the plug." - Josh Roberts.

I was a percussion major when I was in college, and during a rehearsal of the student orchestra, my section kept making mistakes."When you're too dumb to play anything," the professor conducting us sneered, "they give you a couple of sticks, put you in the back, and call you a percussionist."A friend next to me whispered, "And if you're too dumb to hang on to both sticks, they take one away, put you in the front, and call you a conductor." - Jim Lopardo.

Healthy you challenge check in

I hope you had a great week last week. Let's just get down to business, drum roll please.............I lost 1.5 pounds.

I swear I am a professional dieter, I know what I should be doing but don't, why is that? I know that a healthy amount to lose is 1-2 pounds a week and my loss for this last week fits right in. But I was so disappointed.

Note to self: Don't weigh in during the middle of the week. I had lost 2.5 pounds 1/2 way through my week but that's not what it ended up at the end of the week and I think that may be part of the reason I was disappointed. I wanted so bad to go out to Burger King or McDonald's for a breakfast sandwich and just say to heck with this weight loss thing. But I persevered, ate my oatmeal and stopped thinking about fast food. That was a huge non-scale victory for me.

To be honest I'm having a hard time staying committed. What? I can only handle eating healthy for two weeks?

With God's help I am coming to this conclusion, life is life and it will have it's ups and downs. I can not let food control my life and I can't avoid life because of food. This weekend my niece graduated, there was the open house and dinner out with friends we hadn't seen for a long time. I didn't obsessed with counting points and if I should eat it or not I just tried to make the best decision with what I had. We'll see what the scale says Saturday morning.

Please pray for me for the next couple of weeks. I have come to realize the my emotional eating is no where in control at this point. I'm am a huge stress eater. My daughter graduates on June 6th and I am starting to stress out and worry that everything won't be ready, (my definition of ready anyhow). I just don't want to gain what I've lost because of stupidity.

Here's to a healthy week ahead for all of us.

Sheryl

Hello - just touching base

Hello everyone, it's been an amazingly busy week and not much time for blogging. As I write this I should be in the shower.

My dd15 and I have been working the concession stand for the UNL Huskers baseball games (cheer leading fund raiser). I have also been working on invitations for dd17's graduation now only three weeks away, not to mention all the extra projects we think we need to do in our home before the open house, making potato salad for my niece's graduation party that was yesterday and going back to my home town for her commencement ceremony today. Oh yeah, throw in working full time and a district track meet out of town. Gee after I recap that, no wonder my eyes won't focus this morning. Anyway, I guess we can rest in heaven, so in the mean time I get get ready to go.

I just wanted to thank all my readers for stopping by and checking things out and I will try to have something new for you to read very soon, maybe my niece's graduation?

Have a great day.

Crisis Averted

ALERT...ALERT...ALERT

I go into a small bathroom at work, sit down and start taking care of business. I look up and there on the wall across from me in all it's glory is a spider about the size of a 50 cent piece (w/ legs). He wasn't even three feet from me. Well let me tell you, that got my attention real quick.

I started talking to the spider (seriously, I did) telling it if he stays where he's at I'll finish up and leave him be. I didn't want to have to get close enough to kit it - not even with my shoe because that would have left spider guts on the wall and I wasn't going to get close enough to clean up that either.

Now I'm standing at the sink, the side of the sink mind you, I am not about to turn my back on him. Who knows, he could become a ninja spider and attack me when I'm not looking, you know how spiders can be. I put my hands under the water and at the same time thought I felt something on my arm. Yes, I am now screaming in the bathroom and no there was nothing on my arm. Just my imagination taking off with me.....sure felt real.

I proceed to get a coworker to take care of the eight legged problem. Now we have three people standing around this small bathroom. One person is in the bathroom looking for the spider. She's going to save it and take it outside. Another person is standing outside the bathroom armed with a fly swatter and this women knows how to use her fly swatter.

Great - spider can't be found, the thing can't move that fast. Then lady with the fly swatter yells, "there it is" and jumps back. Me, the brave soul that I am, starts pushing her elbow from behind saying, "kill it, kill it". Yes, spider in conversing with his maker as I write this.

Crisis averted, I know spiders have a place in this world, but NOT in the bathroom, especially when I'm in there.

Wicked

While in Chicago a couple of years ago on a band trip my then dd15 went to see the musical "Wicked". She absolutly loved that musical. After telling me about it I couldn't quite figure out the plot and the soundtrack made no sense to me.

At the beginning of this school year my now dd17's Tri-M group discovered the muscial was going to be performing at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha. When she asked if we could go I hesitated; (1) because of the cost, (2) I wasn't really sure I wanted to see it. She used teenage tactics and I caved.

The musical was last Thursday. I thought 'what a wonderful way to spend the evening with my daughter and they're taking a bus up, I don't even have to drive'. Imagine my surprise when I found out we were leaving the school at 10:00, sorry boss, guess I'm taking a vacation day.

Sorry, no pictures from the inside. They take their "No Camera" policy very seriously.

We were sitting up in the 2nd balcony. When I first sat down I wasn't sure I would even be able to tell if there were people on the stage.

Then the production began, it was AMAZING. I forgot I was sitting in the heavens and that was the fastest 2 1/2 hours I have ever sat through.

The singing was wonderful, the acting was wonderful, the sets were wonderful. Did I mention I loved this musical. I could see it over and over. As for the soundtrack, what else-wonderful.

I am so glad that I decided to go to the musical with her. It was a great musical and better yet it was a GREAT day with my dd17. I hope it's a senior memory she'll have for a long time. I know I will.

Healthy you challenge check in

It's that time of week again, the good old Healthy You Challenge check-in.

Drum roll please........I actually get to keep my "5lb Loss" button. I lost 6 pounds this last week, yea me!

Scale victory aside, I have had quite a few non scale victories as well or maybe you could call them "light bulb" moments. I've been journaling and really trying to go inwards as to why I have the eating habits I have.

During the Women of Faith conference I went to a couple of weeks ago God spoke to my heart and at least four speakers talked about weight loss or battles-what was up with that?

See, the thing that has really been weighing on me is my weight (no pun intended). I am very self-conscious about it and if I am going to be honest has put a big dent in my self-esteem. I did not just wake up one morning over weight, somewhere during elementary school my weight started to become a battle. Not bad but I was the one that was just a little bigger then everyone else, that followed through high school. As with lots of people I lost and found the weight several times but the real challenge was after having children. Heaviness runs in my family but I can't use that as an excuse because I now with God and a concentrated effort I can control this.

During the conference I heard the statement "Satan created more and says more is better." In some cases more is better: friends family, etc... Well I guess I sure fell into his hands where eating is concerned. Just had a "light bulb" moment; I'm going to post that statement in my kitchen.

When we are obsessed with something we can never get enough, I do believe that I am obsessed with food. After all my motto is was "I don't eat to live I live to eat." In Psalms 46:10 it says "Be still and now that I am God." We need to let go and let God do His thing, give the problem to Him and listen.

I am giving him my "Shame" card, shame because I let food run my life, shame because I don't have control over that food, shame because of my physical condition and limitations. I give it to God and thank Him for it. I have and still am learning so much because of this experience.

Praise God for new days and new opportunities.

Mother's Day

My favorite memory of Mother's Day was when my girls, who were pretty young at the time, decided to make me breakfast in bed. I could hear giggles out in the kitchen and I know dad was probably having kittens. When the time came to bring me my breakfast they walked into the bedroom as proud as if they were bringing the queen her crown.

The cereals was soggy, toast cold and then buttered, eggs, well let just say, they didn't look like eggs and a diet coke. That was the best breakfast I have ever eaten. The love those girls poured into making each and every thing and dad stood back and let them. I will always remember that breakfast.

In honor of Mother's Day I wanted to share this poem I received via email.

Real Mothers

Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of car pets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade... It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother.

The Images of Mother:

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.

14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

What's one of your favorite Mother's Day memories?

Ghost Writer

UPDATE: With that mess she's cleaning up in the computerand trying to get graduation invitations in the mail and some painting done (why do they think they have to paint for an open house, no one is going to pay attention to the walls anyway) she just hasn't had a chance to sit down and write.I'll give her a nudge....

Hi, my name is Jake and I'm Sheryl's ghost writer. Shhhhhh...thing is, she doesn't know she has a ghost writer.

I know she was planning on recaping the rest of her weekend at Women of Faith but I don't think it's going to happen for Thursday.

I heard her say something about idiot and then bonehead, (you know I never did see any bones), then I heard her say, "Dear Lord, I know that with you all things are possible......."

Didn't sound like much blogging was going to get done tonight so I thought I would fill in for her and let you know she didn't forget. Gee, I hope she gets done soon, I'd like to go on a walk.

It's a tank !

My daddy's truck. When my dad past away a few years ago I didn't have the heart to sell his truck. It's not pretty but it runs and has low millage for it's age. It spends 95% of it's time parked beside the house behind the fence.

My husband moved it out onto to street in front of our house. He was going to drive it for a few days to get the oil running, so he says. I think he was getting tired of driving a minivan, who can blame him.

We were enjoying a nice Sunday afternoon movie when my daughter said, "hey, some lady's coming to our door." My husband went to check it out. As he's walking out the door he yells back to me, "the truck's been hit."

I could not see the side of the truck she hit when I first walked out and after looking at her car I didn't want to look. That truck is not worth much and it wouldn't take much for the insurance company to total it.

I got to the front of the truck took a deep breath and looked at the side that was hit.

This is what I found.

Yup, that's where she got the burgandy paint. You can't even tell she hit it.

She caught her tire on the running board and smashed it in, must be what took the hunk out of her tire. I am very thankful that is the only damage to our property and even more thankful that no one was injured.

No wonder we only get five miles to the gallon, that things a TANK.

P.S. The lady that hit the truck just moved into the house beside us. What a way to meet your new neighbors.

Healthy you challenge check in

Guess you were wondering if I was going to continue with the "HYC". The intent was and still is to continue. But I have been too ashamed to post a weekly progress. You see, there has been no progress, not on the scale anyway. The five pounds I lost, yup gained them back-but I couldn't bring myself to take away my 5 lbs lost button. I felt like it would make me more of a failure then I already was at this healthy challenge.

As I reflect, even though there may not have been progress with the scale there has been been forward progress in my head and in my heart. Every time I would put something in my mouth I thought about the scale and what it was going to do. Am I really worshipping the bathroom scale? What's that saying....?

As you have already read, I went to a Women Of Faith conference this last weekend and God spoke directly to my heart. The majority of the speakers talked about their weight struggles in one way or another. I thought that was a little odd since that was foremost on my mind right now. Over the weekend, with God's guidance, I found and joined the Weight Watchers online program and I am very excited about it!

Yesterday was my first official day of tracking what I ate and my activity. Just yesterday alone I realized with my scheduled I will have to make it a point/schedule time in for some loving movement. Exercise does not come natural to me right now and I will need to make an effort.

So, that's where I am right now. I will not worship the bathroom scale, I worship only ONE and that is Jesus Christ, with him I can do anything.