Thank You!!!

I have a facebook friend who says thank you for every little bonus she gets from me in one of those mindless games I like to play.  At first I was like that's nice.  Then I was like enough already.  Then I noticed other people saying thank you as well, I'm not sure if they were doing it to make fun of those who say it often or if they were genuine.  Then I discovered my overly-analytical side was in overdrive.  That's just another way for me to say, I appear to be the problem.  :)

Todays Question:  "Do you ever over-analyze the thoughts and actions of others?"

I do.  My pretty daughter was doing some University project, she was required to ask couples what one word they would use to describe the person they love.  I of course answered, oh your dad is my an excellent provider, I explained not only financially, but physically, mentally, my best friend etc., but in one word, after those 20 or 30...provider won.  Pastor Bob was over, Karen was working and his answer was beautiful.  Oh that's just wonderfully sweet, and true.  It was Gord's turn.  I could see him thinking, it seemed to take forever for him to say that one word I was hoping for...marvelous...and then it didn't happen, he said a different word.  "Analytical."  And that was it.  His one word description of me was analytical.  Let me define that for you:

an·a·lyt·ic (n-ltk) or an·a·lyt·i·cal (--kl)


adj.

1. Of or relating to analysis or analytics.

2. Dividing into elemental parts or basic principles.

3. Reasoning or acting from a perception of the parts and interrelations of a subject: "Many of the most serious pianists have turned toward more analytic playing, with a renewed focus on the architecture and ideas of music" (Annalyn Swan).

4. Expert in or using analysis, especially in thinking: an analytic mind; an analytic approach. See Synonyms at logical.

5. Logic Following necessarily; tautologous: an analytic truth.

Romantic isn't it?  At first I was very bothered by his description.  I let him know quickly that compared to Pastor Bob's description of his beautiful wife, my one word description from him pretty much sucked.  Gord looked at me puzzled and said; "Well you are analytical."  Matter of fact isn't he?  And in time I learned that he had indeed managed to define me in one word.  Not one I would have ever used to define myself but he was right. 

I like to figure out everything, analyze it, understand it and disect it.  Not the mathematical side of that for heavens sake no...I hate math and don't want to think about it let alone analyze it.  I do however, love to try and figure out the inner workings of the human mind.  Why did someone say that, what are they really saying, what happened in their lives to make them say that, and how can I respond/help/fix, etc.
Boy am I ever in the right profession.  :)

If I could just figure out why my body is so slow to drop weight I'd be laughing.  I remain at a 12 pound loss, I am exercising more, I do count yesterdays playing with Jr., I even ran, hello, what a workout queen. 

Do you wonder how I got from thank you to being overly analytical?  I'll let you figure it out.  For me, the thank you's made me realize that I think too much, that person just likes to say thanks.  Wouldn't the world be a nicer place if everyones biggest problem was saying thank you too much.

So let me just say...thank you and I pray you would be grateful for every gift, big or small, from anyone who has a heart of gratitude and a desire to give. 

Be blessed with a Wonderful Day.

Furniture Shopping

Today I'm going to look for new furniture...what fun. I feel like since I'm beginning so many new phases in my life, eating better, exercise, moving to an acreage, etc., I don't want to bring the old furniture into the new house.  I seem to really want change.  That's odd for me because I'm such a creature of habit and I thought I loved things that stayed the same.  Turns out I'm looking forward to changes and when I felt led to buy this old farmhouse I knew changes were coming and I was afraid.  I spent a great deal of time resisting the change I wanted, even to the point of asking Gord if it was okay if we didn't move after we finished the rennos and sold the farmhouse.  He didn't like that, but he understood and told me reluctantly that we could. 

Todays Question:  "How many of you want the choice to keep things the same and then decide to go with the change anyway?"

That would be me.  I just wanted to know I didn't have to move if I didn't want to.  Once Gord told me it was okay, even if he wasn't happy with that and his face was saying oh please God no, in a few days I was adapting.  It's funny how I felt an instant sense of release and I was no longer fighting with my thoughts every night.  If we moved great, if we didn't great.  I truly love both of my homes, I fear that if I wasn't practical (most of the time) I'd keep them both.  You know, have the city house and my country house.  Okay they are minutes away from each other but think of the gas I'd be saving while paying double everything else.  :)  I now find myself looking forward to the move.  I want a fresh start in a new/old house surrounded by beautiful trees, I want to make new memories with the people I love.  I want to start living again, not that I died or anything, although there have been days when I've felt like it, I just forgot how much I'd loved being outside.  I was raised on acreages, always had horses and lots of fresh air, pets and space.  I could run around the yard, lay in the yard with no one passing by, find quiet places to reflect and never ran out of things to do.  I guess we do go back to our roots.  I'm no farmer my friends, I do however love having space, privacy and horses around me.  Add to that the people I love and I'm a very happy girl.

I'm really surprised that I not only want to change where I live and my lifestyle but I don't even want the same style of furniture I've always liked.  Oh it has to be comfy but for some reason I want the decorations in this home to be totatlly different than the styles I've always had.  For those of you who have seen the befores and afters of my kitchen,  I went with white, not me normally, but love it, it's so elegant and clean.   I guess that being over fifty makes you really focus on what you want and love.  I told Gord when we were deciding to buy the farmhouse that I truly felt like it was now or never for one more shot at acreage life.  Neither one of us are getting any younger.  He agreed, so for the next decade or so...God willing...we are going to embrace this change and enjoy what I'm very certain will be our last acreage.   Unless I win the lottery, unlikely since I don't buy tickets, and then we'll hire young people to push us around the mini farm and bury us under one of the beautiful trees that surround us when we are old and Gord is gray.  (I'll still be coloring my hair people, the face will age, the hair will be flawless.)  It's fun to dream and I'm reluctant to admit but also fun to make changes.

Be blessed With a Wonderful Day.

My Prayer:  "God help us to embrace change and to enjoy all the days you give us under the sun."

Boy Did I Exercise

I finally had a day where exercise didn't feel so laborious.  I rode my bike to the farmhouse, then I worked outside for hours, loading, unloading, cleaning, sweeping, bending over to pick up garbage and then walking it to the pile, organizing, etc.  I can honestly tell you...it was fun.  I hope nobody fell over, I nearly did.  It would appear that I don't mind exercise when it's a beautiful sunny day.  I just don't want to workout in my basement, no matter how nice it is.  I am really encouraged because I think once our rennos are done and we move into our new farmhouse exercise will not be a problem.  Just walking from the house to the barn, something I will be doing multiple times a day once the horses come, will be 85% more walking than I do now.  Add to that, two acres that will need to be mowed, okay it's a ride on but I have to get on and off, work with me people.  I'll be hauling water, sweeping porches and decks, hauling word for our wood burning fireplace in the house and the garage, feeding, cleaning up after and riding horses.  Oh what fun!  And I mean that.  When I'm working with or for horses it just does not seem like work. 

Todays Question:  "What do you love to do that is exercise but does not feel like work?"

I'm looking for tips.  I know that walks with friends and loved ones never feel like work.  I enjoy bike riding because in my head the bike does all the work.  I just ignore the fact that I have to peddle and enjoy the view.  I love to swim but for some reason don't go do it, I blame Lucie she has such a nice pool in her backyard in Palm Springs that now I'm spoiled.  I want to walk out the patio door and step into the pool, I don't think my little dug out at the new place will give me the same result.  I have discovered that I don't really mind exercise if I don't think I"m doing it.

I am so glad Spring is finding it's way to Alberta.  We really did have a beautiful winter, only one week of very cold temperatures and then so many record breaking warm days.  I loved it, but I love winter, for those of you who don't, I recommend a place in Palm Springs or somewhere warmer, with a pool. Once you have that place feel free to invite me, I'll come help you exercise.  Call me your traveling personal trainer....I don't mind at all.

I hope this day brings you joy and strength for whatever your life has you facing.  I pray you find your way to fun exercise that will heal your mind and strengthen your body.  I felt so good riding my bike in the sunshine, it warmed not only my heart but touched my soul.  We are surrounded by beauty and given so many amazing sights to see.  God is good and the beauty of His creation continues to bless me.  I pray that you also....

Would be Blessed with a Wonderful Day.

Little Glimpses That Keep You Going

This morning, after a night at the hockey game, the smorg, and a small bag of free popcorn, I'm down one pound.  It's seems as wonderful a miracle as the Oilers winning.  Isn't life grande with it's high and lows.  It is those glimpses of glory that keep a person going, I'm feeling somewhat back to normal and the swelling is gone. 

Todays Question:  "What would the world be like without those small but frequent glimpses of glory to give us hope?"

I couldn't, and don't want to, imagine.  I love little reminders that life goes forward, regardless of how difficult the wait between glimpses can be.  When we are in the middle of a struggle it is the glimmers of hope that keep us going.  When all seems lost something so small but so significant happens to remind us that God is still in control.  In all things there is purpose, a lesson and a solution, if we could just remember that when things are spinning out of control life would be so much more peaceful.  I clearly  remember what I would define as the worst day of my life and the best day of my life. 

My son Calvin had been diagnosed with a rare but treatable disease, actually misdiagnosed, and it was taking all I had to fight the feelings of gloom I had.  Our rather small dog, huge in his own mind, had gone outside and decided he would take on a coyote in our backyard, I heard him yelp as I stood in my bedroom getting ready for the day.  I yelled out his name and all three of my kids went running to see what had happened.  There was our little Yorki-Pom Jr. hanging from the coyotes mouth.  I called my husband to come and shoot that coyote, the gun was loaded and in Gord's hand when mercy for that coyote got me, I said; "Don't kill it babe, just get Jr. and bury him.  Gord shot over it's head and it released our dog and ran off.  Calvin and Gord buried Jr. in the field.  I comforted my kids, went up to my room and lost it.  I asked God why all this was happening.  He answered me with scripture.  He said, "Jenny, "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose."  I said a tearful and rather firm, "ALL THINGS!".  And God said a gentle and most assuring; "All things."  I melted. 

Time would both surprise and teach me that God was in fact right, my dead dog and my beautiful Calvin passing from this life to everlasting life would indeed work together for good.  I had no idea how much I would learn from that wonderful glimpse of God's glory.  Had no clue that God could make the worst day of my life the most significant day as well.  My son's grace, acceptance of what was happening to him and mercy for others, who didn't know how to deal with his sickness, was remarkable.  No matter how much he went through and had to endure his answer was constant.  If he died he got to be with Jesus if he lived he got to be with us, he said he had nothing to lose and he was right.  His much older mother had yet to glimpse the glory that Calvin had obviously seen.  His passing and his accepting attitude changed me from the inside out.  I wish I could tell you that I accept things as wonderfully as he did.   I remember him asking me one night as we lay talking in my room.  He said; "Mom, I never thought I'd be the kind of person who got cancer."  I asked; "What kind of people do you think get cancer honey?"  He said; "I don't know mom, I just never thought I would be one of them."  Then he said the words that have changed my life; "Mom, better me than someone else."  And from that day to this my prayer has been that when I grow up I will be like that remarkable child.  At seventeen he knew what I'm still trying to learn...accept what life brings you with dignity and grace.  God has a plan whether it makes sense to us or not.  He will give you wonderful gimpses of glory throughout your life to remind you that you are destined for greater things. 

I have been able to comfort more people, reach more people and help others to heal because I embraced the words God gave me.  I embraced that ...."All things work together for good.." regardless of how hard, how sad, how pitiful, how joyful, how glorious, how hideous, how ugly or how beautiful it can be.  All things work to a single purpose...the greater good.  I keep going because I have hope and I will to learn from every struggle exactly what the good in it is.  Life is wonderfully complicated, everlasting life is amazingly peaceful, the struggling is done.  My baby boy has what I long for...He is daily in the presence of glory.

Be blessed with a Wonderful Day.

My prayer....Lord remind us of how little glimpses of glory can sustain us.  :)