Reality Hiatus

hi·a·tus noun \hī-ˈā-təs\

1a : a break in or as if in a material object : gap b : a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ

2a : an interruption in time or continuity : break; especially : a period when something (as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted  
I'm taking a break.  

As I prepare for the arrival of my sisters and their families today, and all the fun, laughter, madness, and chaos they will bring to my household for the following days - I realize that writing for my blog will be very low on the priority list.  As a result, I have decided to break until the new year arrives.  

No fears.  I will be back as 2013 begins.  With just as much to say as ever.   

Happy New Year.  Be safe.  Be blessed.  See you soon!

A Spirit of Gratitude: Twas The Day After Christmas

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

• Christmas Eve candlelight service
• Relaxing morning
• Watching the offspring and grand baby open presents
• Eggnog Coffee
• Snuggling on the couch with the Man of  the House
• A house full of relatives
• Laughter
• Holiday ham
• Brownies with peppermint frosting
• Christmas songs
• Dr. Who Christmas Special

Photo Credit: www.ign.com

Still Here...

As most of you are perfectly aware by this point - the world did not end yesterday.  There was no massive polar switch, no rogue planets or asteroids colliding with our little planet. 

In the words of Robert Browning: "God is in His heaven and all is right with the world".

Which for me means... cookies to bake, presents to wrap, and cleaning still to be done!

A Spirit of Gratitude: December 20

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

• Seeing the living room DIY project finally coming together
• New fudge recipe
• Emails from family
• The way my dad always gives a weather report when he writes or texts
• Gumbo in the crock pot
• Dog getting into the Christmas spirit
  
  
  

A Spirit of Gratitude: December 19

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

• New living room furniture
• Guitar recitals
• Celebrating a friend's birthday with him
• Ice packs
• Muscle relaxers
• Picture texts of the grandbaby while waiting at the doctor's office
• Being able to hug my children and grand baby and tell them I love them
  
  

  

  photo courtesy: www.lysaterkeurst.com

The Big Pain in My Behind

IT all started Friday morning.  I woke up feeling a little achy, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Until I stood up and tried to walk.  Whoa!!!  

Pain in my lower back and hips.  Serious pain.  Pain that sent me scrambling... ok... hobbling... back to bed with some ibuprofen and a heating pad.  Wondering how in the world I had hurt my back. 

I once heard a comedian joke that you knew you had reached a certain age when you could hurt yourself in your sleep.  Apparently that wasn't a joke.  It's a very real phenomenon.

Once the over the counter pain meds kicked in, the pain was at a tolerable (?) level.  At least enough for me to do something that resembles functioning. 

It was Saturday at the male offspring's guitar recital that I learned sitting for over 30 minutes caused my right leg to start tingling - as if it were falling asleep - all the way down to my foot.  And also increased the pain level in the back and right hip.

Ok, this was not fun.  Not that it was fun in the first place, but now it was really really not fun. 

After 3 days of discomfort, pain, and numbness/tingling  and very little sleep - it was time to call the doctor's office on Monday morning.  The last thing you want to do when you're experiencing what I was going through is a long, long wait in those uncomfortable waiting room chairs, surrounded by people who may or may not be carrying the flu.  But I was just desperate enough for some relief to brave it.

Finally... finally... I was shown to an exam room.  A million questions, and some testing of my reflexes, range of motion and to determine that there was no loss of strength on the right side - I had a diagnosis of sciatica (possibly caused by a slipped disc or a strained back muscle) and a prescription for Prednisone and a muscle relaxer.  Accompanied by orders to limit activity and not to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for about a week to rest my back.

So... yeh...

Mrs Grinch's Small Heart Grew Three Sizes That Day

All you Christmas Elf type bloggy friends can relax.  Mrs Grinch and family have a tree.

Yes, I realize it's not decorated yet.  That is on the calendar for Wednesday night. 

Don't Worry - it was not obtained by shoving it up the chimney of some poor unsuspecting Who down in Who-ville.

Wisdom from Oma

Very few sounds are quite as irritating as that of a 14 year old boy sighing deeply in response to being asked to do some chore.

A Spirit of Gratitude: December 13

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

• Christmas Crafts
• English muffins
• Strawberry preserves
• Hot tea with honey
• Furniture shopping with the man of the house
• Finding out my sister is having my first nephew!



A Little Off

It's just one of those mornings when things seem, well... a little... off.

The dog is pacing and whining to go out.  Despite the face that he has already been out - for a good long time! 

The dog also won't eat his food.

The cats will eat the dog food, and are trying their very best to do just that!

I'm feeling a little ADD this morning.  My mind is bouncing in a dozen different directions.  I feel like there's something I should be doing, but I have no clue what it is.

Because of the bouncing brain syndrome - I can't seem to get anything accomplished.  That's what happens when you can't seem to focus on one thing for longer than 2 minutes!

I am very hungry, but nothing - absolutely nothing - I can think of to eat sounds good.  (maybe the cats are on to something?)

Wait... what was I talking about?

i Can't Do it

I keep thinking (and writing) about what I need to do.

I need to change.  I need to be kinder.  I need to watch my tongue.  I need to...

I...  I... I...

Until the day came in my journey recently when a sudden clarity stopped me in my tracks.

You know what?  I can't do it!!

Don't you think if I could have done it on my own it would have happened by now?

Anyone who reads my blog is likely aware that I love a To Do list - probably a little too much. So it probably comes as no surprise that I feel like I should be in control.  I can't shake the feeling that there is a list of things I should be marking off one by one.

But that's not how it works, is it?

What I really need to do is to get out of God's way and let Him do His work in me.  I need to admit I need Him if any of those changes are going to take place.

I have to acknowledge His greatness, and my smallness.  I have to realize His strength in my weakness.

That's what I need to do

That's not to say I can just be idle.  Sitting back and waiting for miracles to happen.  There are steps I have to take myself.  But I have to recognize God is in control.  I can't do it alone. 

Scripture doesn't just tell me I can do some things, but that "I  can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 ESV - emphasis mine)

Wisdom from Oma

An English muffin with strawberry preserves accompanied by a cup of hot tea may not be a healthy lunch - but it sure is yummy!

A Spirit of Gratitude: December 11

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

• Waking up to the coffee having already been made
• Christmas cards
• This picture!                                                                                         
• Christmas shopping
• Getting great deals while doing that Christmas shopping
• Spending time with the female offspring
• The grand baby saying "Oma"

They call me - Mrs. Grinch

I am having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year.  I'm just not feeling it.

Maybe it's because the weather has been so warm.

Maybe it's because my sisters won't be visiting this year until after Christmas.

Or maybe it's because our house is still in the throes of the living room renovation and not looking very Christmas-y at all yet.

I am starting to stress about whether enough of it is going to be done in time to make our home at least reasonably settled for Christmas.  It feels like there is still a lot of work to be done. 

And because of the renovations to the living room, the rest of the house is starting to look like something deserving of it's own episode of "Hoarders".  (Is that a sofa under all that stuff in the dining room?  Why, yet it is!)

I had to inform the family last night that based on the way the schedule to get things done is looking, there may not be a tree this year. 

That's right... sing it with me....  "You're a mean one, Mrs Grinch"

I'm really not trying to be a Scrooge.  It's just that we can't pull a tree in right now.  The baseboards and trim have to be done first.  The curtain hardware and the curtains themselves need to hung.  Having the tree in would just complicate the entire process.

And I can't imagine going through all the work and difficulty of getting and putting up a tree for just  a few days.  (Go ahead, sing another verse... I'll sit here quietly until you're done)

As you can imagine, I'm not incredibly popular around here right now. 

I sincerely hope I'm proved wrong and things are at a point by next weekend where putting up the tree can happen. And if it doesn't... well, we all know how the Grinch's story ended... even without all the wrappings.

Please Also Read: Mrs. Grinch's Small Heart Grew Three Sizes That Day

Follow Friday Four Fill-in Blog Hop!

TGIF! Which means it's time again for the Follow Friday Four Fill In Blog Hop! Each week, Feeling Beachie gives us four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs.

I get the honor of being this week's co-host!  Want to be featured as a Co-Host to the hop? Come up with four fill in’s of your own and email them to her at feelingbeachie@gmail.com. If she uses them, you get a nice little mention in that weeks hop! Please help her out and email some statements!

Please help spread the word about the Follow Friday Four Fill-in! Just tweet, facebook, etc about the Follow Friday blog hop. If you tweet, please use #f5-bloghop . And add the little linky tool there at the bottom to your own blog if you participate.
The statements are:
1.         ___in the ___ is the ___
2.       __is my____  
3.       I like to think ____; but I know _____.
4.       If I just ______, then I could ______.

My Responses:

1.  Coffee first thing in the morning is the only thing that gets me moving
2.  The Man of the House is my best friend 
3.  I like to think I'm very funny; but I know I am often the only person who thinks so.
4.  If I just find the time and energy to work out, then I could probably lose the extra 25 to 30 lbs I'm carrying around.

Christmas Cut

It's that time of year again.  Yes... the Christmas season.  But that's not what I am referring to right now. 

This season rolls around once or twice a year.  I hear the scissors calling me.  It's that time of year when I start getting the urge to cut my hair.

Of course, then the big question starts.  What sort of haircut should I get?  How short?  Do I change completely or just trim up what I've got going on here already? I start dreaming of how I would look with a long bob. Or with a bunch of layers. Or if I keep it long and start using hot rollers. Or... well, you get the picture.

It's gotten soooo long!  It's almost to the middle of my back.  Which makes for easy braiding and ponytails when I want it out of the way.  But it seems I'm always pulling it out of the way. 

Leaving it curly seems to result in frizz.  But straightening it takes forever. 

So, what's a curl... er, a girl.... to do?

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ~ Proverbs 3:5

I've been thinking about this verse a lot.   

You see, I'm a bit of a control freak.  I like things to go the way I think they should.  The way I expect them too.  And I get more than a little flustered when they don't.  When I'm faced with something I don't feel I can control, I tend to get discouraged and doubt whether I am up to the challenge at all.  As a matter of fact - when that happens it's entirely possible that I might even talk myself into just walking away from that particular mountain rather than risk failing to climb it.  

This aspect of my personality makes trusting God and His Word - really leaning on Him and relying on Him - a bit of a challenge.   

I was pondering all of this in the car the other day when this thought occurred to me:  

When you find yourself thinking "I can't do this!"; God is right beside you whispering, "You're right - you can't.  But I can."

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. ~ Philippians 4:13

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~ Isaiah 41:10
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

A Spirit of Gratitude - December 4, 2012

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

• A Charlie Brown Christmas

• Cookie dough Blizzards
• Sunlight peeking through curtains
• Sunday afternoon football
• New curtains
• A great deal on those curtains
• Frozen egg rolls (for egg roll yumminess whenever you want!)
• The breeze from the ceiling fan
• The Man of the House making an early morning errand run and bringing home biscuits
• French fries
• donuts

Living Room: Time for Floors!

The new floors are finally going in! Yippee!! The end is actually in sight!

FYI - when you see all these DIY shows and they tell you how very simple it is to put in laminate flooring - don't believe it!

OK, that might be a little strong. You can believe them. Maybe it is simple if the floor you are installing over is pretty much pristine. Ours was not. We were pulling up 30-something year old carpet. Which meant 30-something year old padding. Padding which had been walked on, spilt on, walked on some more, cleaned numerous times, and who knows what else. In other words, it was a little compressed... matted down... compacted. As a matter of fact- in some spots in no longer resembled padding at all. But more of a hard rubber which was now part of the particle board underneath.

Thank heavens for all the hard work by The Man of the House and the female offspring who spent hours (and hours and hours) scraping that mess up and replacing areas of particle board which were not salvageable!

Finally, the floors were prepped. The new flooring was purchased. Installation is ready to begin!



Look!  Boxes of flooring!

First row is done!

Moving right along!

Remind You of Someone?

I have always loved this quote: "Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy."

It recently occured to me, that sounds a lot like Someone else I know...

Yes, there is a God. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Living Room: Painting

The living room is finally painted!  Whew... that's a lot of work!  Even the dog got a little paint.  ;0)

Loving the pale gray walls and the darker accent on the wall with the fireplace!

A Continuing Spirit of Gratitude

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to continue my "30 Days of Gratitude & Thanksgiving" series under the Header "A Spirit of Gratitude".  It may not be (probably won't be) a daily feature as it was through out November.  But it will be a regular post - appearing at least once a week for Thankful Thursday and probably more often than that.

I am crazy grateful for everyone who reads this little blog!! Thank You!