What Love Isn't

I didn't want to make the obvious list of what love is on Valentines Day, I'd rather state what isn't.  I'm weird like that.  Let me first say Happy Valentines Day to you all and I pray that you would know all kinds of love and never restrict that to just the love between couples.  Love is not bound or limited in any way...thank God.

Todays Question:  "Do you feel like you are more loved on Valentines Day than any other day of the week?"

I sure don't and I hope you don't either.  I note one difference as a married woman, my husband always says, "Happy Valentines Day sweetheart."  Then he kisses me and says; "I don't have a mustache to kiss you with anymore."  Our first kiss was 31 years ago on Valentines Day and he'd just come in from outside and the mustache he had then was a little frozen.  I'm sure love isn't repeating yourself for me but I'm equally as sure it is for Gord.

Aside from that comment, the kiss, gifts a card or whatever Gord does from Valentines Day to Valentines Day, I find that the day feels no different.  I no longer need him to make such a big fuss about the day because I have learned that love isn't about what he does on one day but about what he does all year long. 
Love could never be fully expressed in one day.  I also know that love isn't gifts, cards, flowers, chocolates (it was a little hard to write that one) or even fabulous vacations.  I like all those things but they are not love. 

Love isn't giving something material to get something back.  Do you remember those Valentines cards everyone gave out in school.  It was a contest to see who got the most, no one called it that but that's how I saw it.  I got lots of cards but I always felt sorry for the people who only got the one the teacher gave out.  It made me feel so sad for them. When my kids came along I made sure I bought them enough cards to give to everyone in their class.  We can and should teach our kids to think about others.  I wonder if elementary school is where the programming for Valentines Day began.  Way too many kids felt left out on Valentines Day and way too many men and women who don't have a significant other feel left out now.  Love isn't leaving people out or making them feel less important on any day of the week.

Don't get me wrong I'm not a Valentines Day hater, I just wish that we could express our love to everyone in equal measure.  It's not a day for couples it's a day for lovers and I'm a lover of so many people.  Love isn't restricted to husbands or children, or friends for that matter.  I love Gods creation, I love horses, I love sunshine, clouds, rain, snow, cold (I'm an Albertan), I love condos in the moutains and farmhouses, etc.  I'm a lover people. 

So today lets celebrate Valentines Day for what it isn't.  It isn't a day for some...it is a day for all.  We are all loved and all valued.  God is love and I pray we would all learn to love like He does...perfectly and without condition.

Be blessed with a Wonderful Day.

Fabulous Friday

I love Friday and I know so many of you share that joy with me.  I actually love every day of the week because they are coming whether I like it or not so I might as well enjoy them.  I am baffled by how fast a week goes by and even more amazed at how the years slip past.  I remember my mom telling me when my kids were little that I would turn around and they'd be grown so I should enjoy them while they were little.  I had Calvin and Tessa both in diapers at the time and Darren and Scott living with us, add Gord being out of town for most of our 26 years, and you'll understand why I didn't beleive her.  For those of you who know Gord and I have been together for 31 years, he's been home now every night for the last 3 plus. There were times when Gord had a job here and there that brought him for a few months or so, but for the most part it was me and the kids going whereever he was to visit.  It was interesting and challenging but I'm sure that's why I have such adventurous kids.  They learned to travel lots and well.  Gordon Jr. was more like his mom, we like home, but just like I travel now for reasons other than me, I travelled then so the kids and I would get to spend more time with Gord.  It was always fun once we got to him.

I am feeling very reflective this morning and I find myself amazed at how fast time flies.  I remember being 12 and feeling like it took forever to get to 13, 14 took too long because I wanted my learners permit, 15 dragged by while I waited for 16 and a drivers license.  I'm telling you it felt like forever to finish grade 12 and turn 18 so I could vote, be considered an adult and even drink, wasn't a fan of drinking but wanted to be able to go anywhere I wanted.  Once I hit 20 the looking forward to getting a year older seemed to pass, I've never minded aging, you just stop waiting and maybe that's why life seems to zip by after 20, you stop waiting for the landmark years and start dreading them instead.  I can honestly tell you that I've never minded growing older, I really do feel like I get a little wiser every year and since I had such a shortage of wisdom I guess looking forward to gaining it interested me. 

Todays Question:  "Do you see every year as a gift and the potential for growth?"

I know way too many people who don't and it makes me sad.  Life was meant to be savoured and lived, you can't have it both ways, either you die, which I'm also looking forward to, and stop the aging process or you live and age.  So what?  I mean so what if we have wrinkles and our skin gets a little loose, we are merely learning to relax.  So what if there are younger and prettier people in the world, trust me on this one, there always has been.  So what if your bones ache a little, at least you know you have them.  I never even thought about my bones when I was young.  So what if I don't move as fast as I used to, I'm taking more time to smell the roses.  So what if my bra has more work to do now than it ever did, it's finally earning the big bucks I had to spend to get it.  So what if the thought of a thong makes me cringe, I don't have to be that cool I'm going for comfort people.  I refuse to sacrifice this wonderful gift of life God has given me for the complaint department.  I want to grow old with grace and I want to die to live forever in that same grace and thanks to God I will.

So, rejoice my friends, life is short no matter the number attached to you when you die.  Thanks to Jesus you'll live happily ever after regardless of how long you thought you were living.  I think life truly begins when you die and I always will.  I will to enjoy all!

Be blessed with a Wonderful Day.

I'm a Hacker

I wish I was talking about the computer hackers, unfortunately I'm referrring to how much I "hack" and cough.  Oh I don't like being sick.  I am trying to see the postive, all this coughing may tone my stomach muscles and I will be counting that as exercise, just so you know.  I am happily taking a break this weekend from home rennos and going to Radium for a well deserved rest.  Gord deserves it more than I do, and in spite of the fact that he's kicking and screaming about the three full days of work he'll miss at the farm, he's given in.  Smart man.

I have maintained a fourteen pound drop and that makes me feel good.  I'm still a little apprehensive about the long weekend but I am tyring really hard not to plan my own demize.  I would love to be twenty five pounds lighter by the summer.  I think that's a realistic goal and I have finally learned that faster is not better when it comes to eating right. I've also learned that setting goals that are attainable is the key to succeeding.  I can't tell you how many times I've tried to lose twenty pounds in a month for a wedding, or a vacation. 

Todays Question:  "Why do we lie to ourselves so much when it comes to weight?"

I wonder what part of my brain shut off when I thought I could lose ten pounds in a week because I wanted to look better in my bathing suit.  I can't imagine who I thought I was kidding when I said I'd start eating right on Monday.  I haven't really beleived one of the New Years resolutions to exercise and lose all the extra weight I had on.  Pick a year, you'd be right if you said any year for the last 30.  Isn't that pitiful?

I love having honest people in my life, I really am not fond of lying and yet I have lied to myself constantly for the last 30 years.  My biggest, you don't mind being fat, you look good.  Let me just say I don't think I look bad, but I sure don't look my best.  When it comes to looking honestly at myself this nursery rhyme comes to mind; Liar, liar pants on fire.  Probably be good if my pants were on fire, at least I'd get off my butt and run.  Okay I'd probably walk but I would get up. 

I really need to stay honest, stop making excuses and move forward.  My results may be slow but they are coming.  I should at least be willing to give myself time to undo what's taken me 30 years to do. 

Be blessed with a Wonderful Day.

True But Scarey

So the truth this morning, I'm down another pound which makes me fourteen pounds lighter.  The scarey part, a long weekend in Radium is ahead of me and I didn't want to tell you about that pound so it could be my safety net.  I'm already planning my demize.

Todays Question:  "What can we expect the end result to be if we plan for our failure before hand?"

I know I"m not the only person who does that, seriously.  I can't tell you how many people go on big vacations or small and expect to gain four or five pounds.  It's like a part of the itinerary and the budget plans.  Please tell me what is wrong with us ladies, my husband never even thinks about his weight.  (Except for now because he needed to lose 15 pounds to get his hernia operated on in Toronto at the place of our choice.)  Most men just eat when they are hungry and don't even think about the end results, either end.  Most women think about nothing else. 

I have to confess that if I'm even a hairline off a loss I post the same weight I was the day before.  If I'm a hairline from a gain I'm a sealed vault.  No need to mention that it's not a full pound.  Oh I need work.  I'm not really allowing myself to celebrate when I'm a pound lighter because I'm always thinking, "What if I gain tomorrow, I'll have to post it on my blog."  Question, was it my idea to blog because I'd sure like someone to blame?  I know the answer and since it was God who I felt leading me to do it I'll look at the real problem...me.  I sadly am not very good at believing in myself.  I love believing in God.

So now what?  I'm going to take Gods advice and take one day at a time.  I seem to spend a great deal of time getting ahead of myself and I have to stop that.  It's way too hard to go beyond a day, I know that and still do it.  The word wacko comes to mind.  I'm going to be happy I am fourteen pounds lighter, I think that is the highest drop since I started, a new record.  I'm a regular olympian people...my personal best.  Someone call the Edmonton Journal.

Be blessed with a Wonderful Day.