help...

Does anyone know of any organizations that help with more than just toys for Christmas time?

There is a local Buy and Sell group that someone introduced me too a while back and I am quite taken with it.

Kids clothes, shoes, household items, dogs and cats. Nothing seems to be off limits and prices range from very good to youcouldgetitbrandnewatWalmartfor lessthan that. Have seen partial bottles of perfume,skin cleaner and more. When the buyer and seller settle on a price, they decide on a location, usually in a parking lot to make the exchange. It seems odd to me that someone would drive across town for an item that costs $3.

Today, I found a post with the questions about help for Christmas. There were 61 responses. This person lives in a shelter. Someone else with a small child who also lives in a shelter, commented also. They did both say they wished someone would adopt their children for Christmas. There were few offers of instant help but many resources were offered, even someone who would walk them through the process - signing up with Salvation Army, Boise Resque Mission, etc.

In many of these posts, the phrase, Must go today, is used over and over. Apparently an issue of space restriction. Not sure how a chair or exercise bike would be a matter of urgency to move and if it was, one could take it to SA or Youth Ranch for immediate disposable, if space is at a premium. I have always been successful with putting something by the curb and putting a free sign on it. Always gone, usually within a few hours.

This must be the new way to market one's wares and maybe more. I hope these two ladies take advantage of the help offered. If they were looking for more and fade away, they weren't in it for the right reason. There are so real needs out there and it has always been in my heart that people are hungry all year long, yet the Salvation Army pails are put away the day after Christmas. Just leave the pots, you don't need ringers. We humans are smart enough to find them and put in money by ourselves in June, July or August. When we have stopped on the store on our way to a BBQ or birthay party, we understand that we were able to buy what we needed yet someone else, could not. Time to Go Big or go home...

Team Brianna...

Have bee working on putting together Team Brianna and we are ready to go. From wonderful Mary who got the Hello Kitty charms to me in short order when I told her Brianna's Story to the clerk at the post office who now knows Brianna's Story and where I am sending my parcel. It has been a labor of love, of many.

I haved shared Brianna's Story everywhere I go. Even a funeral. The one to whom I told Brianna's Story works in a hospital and knew all about the diagnosis. She said she would pray for Brianna.

I share Brianna's Story at Walmart with the young clerk when we discussed that we didn't know they made Hello Kitty duct tape. She shared that a girl at her high school had cancer and they started a team for her. I told her I would pray for her friend.

I ran across a talk in Ted this week, by Dan Buettner.

How to live to be 100+.

In his talks, he explains how we weren't built for longevity. He shares the nine diet and lifestyle changes that have proven to make us last longer. It is not just about eating nuts and berries. We are more than what we eat.

We know isolation kills

I have started to take his happiness quiz and the questions were interesting to say the least.

Do you won a pet?

How many hours a day do you listen to music?

If asked, could you explain your sense of life's purpose in a phrase or sentence?

I will tell you, I got a D+.

Suggestions for a better life were to get a dog, go outside more, turn off the TV and sleep more. Can not say I disagree with them, not sure what I will change if anything.

What Dan is trying to say is that we are social animals. 15 years ago, the average person had three close friends, now we have 1 1/2. It is a combination of diet, social and taking time for ourselves. All that to say, I have been quite social lately. As for the dog, maybe Someday...

passwords...

Here is a list of the worse passwords of 2012. Some, you can understand but Ashley coming in at #19? Or monkey at #6.

I will admit that a variation of one of these, is one of my passwords. I have already changed it but quite honestly, I sometimes run out of options for passwords. I now have them in my address book. It seems like that might be a good business opportunity but then you would have to protect yourself from the Password People.

If I lived on Chicken Dinner Road like a friend of mine, that would be my default password for everything or the side street that intersects, Drumstick Rd.

1. password

2. 123456

3. 12345678

4. abc123

5. qwerty

6. monkey

7. letmein

8. dragon

9. 111111

10. baseball

11. iloveyou

12. trustno1

13. 1234567

14. sunshine

15. master

16. 123123

17. welcome

18. shadow

19. ashley

20. football

21. jesus

22. michael

23. ninja

24. mustang

25. password1

seen...

Keaton's first choir concert tonight. The Manly Men and the Lovely Ladies were manly and lovely.

The boys and about boy things - pirates, and a salute to those who have fought for our country so we could be free. Most certainly, manly worthy.

The girls sang a few darling girls songs and ended with the Battle Hymn Of The Republic. Not the most feminine of songs but the words cross every gender barrior and apply to us all. Whether you are spiritual or not, whether in nature or seen in nurture, it seems difficult to deny.

Mine eyes have seem the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Sunrise or sunset.
The birth of a new baby.
Witness to a miracle.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the lord.

What does that look like for you and me?

I can only answer for myself but right now, in this very Moment, it looks like understanding that hope is greater than fear, and that is just fine with me...

triggers...

We all have them, good and bad.

I love Fall. Summer is like going to OZ for the weekend but Fall is the everydayness of the things we love...Except when it starts to change. The calendar tells me we have many, more fall days until winter but the minute the rain starts falling and the leaves tremble as they fall to the ground, I lose a little of my Fall Love.

Not unlike when a certain song comes on in the car while we are just busy living our lives. We are instantly transported to a certain day and time. We can remember where we were and who we were with. If someone calls me Nainie, I can tell you that it is someone who knew me while I was still in my teens, mostly family. I hadn't hear that in a long time, it was nice and familiar.

The bad triggers may get more or our attention. Just like the good ones, they take us back to a time in our lives that we may have even forgot about, momentarily. The triggers that affect me the most are the ones that were in the first half of my life. The second half or life, not so much. Obviously, as children, we are more aware and those triggers make us feel like a kid again, either good or bad.

My favorite triggers are music. For as long as I shall live, I will never understand how we have song lyrics in our head that refuse to leave. It tells me we all have a larger capacity brain than we are using. Steve Jobs might have tapped into that with the iPod. Althought my love for All Things iPad is widely known, it all started with having my favorite songs not entire albums. I carry a iPod Shuffle and a Nano with me. While I drool over an iPhone, this keeps me happy and a happy girl is, well, the best anyone can wish for...

forefront...

Who - my friend who lost her dad Sunday
What - one who comes to mind often, for peace and acceptance.
When - strengthen my resolve to not need answers until, Someday.

Every morning, we each wake up with a million thoughts running through our heads. I am one of the lucky ones who has the time to continue these early morning thoughts. The are at the forefront of my mind for most of the day. Some are the same every day, many more are not.

While our circumstances may wildly vary, we each have life things that must be attended to. Family, jobs. The fires that get up out are the ones that have the biggest flames. The ones that need immediate attention, come first. Whatever is the most forefront in our minds, gets our attention.

Here is the deal. I think we have more control about what those things are if we are flexible and open. If you pray, don't let it suck the life out of you. Don't have a list and then feel bad if you forget Something on the list.

Leave room in your forefront for the unexpected.

Go ahead and plan your day but keep a bit of your forefront open to anything. I believe that anything is possible. I didn't always, I do now. It doesn't always happen but that doesn't nigate the fact that it is possble. Big difference in thinking, even bigger difference in perception.And that, can change the world...

instructions...

Most things we buy come with some kind of instruction. Even food tells us that a can of soup is two servings. Really, do you know anyone who can make a can of soup last for 2 meals?

The first few computers we bought, had a manual a mile long. The last one I bought have a fold out with lots of pictures and little else. It seems that it is no longer possible to get much instuction with anything we buy but, it might be available on line.

And then, there are babies. They come with absolutely nothing at all. Naked, and wet is our first glimpse of them and not once, has a How To manual come with any of them. We are human, we need manuals. we are not as DIY as we like to think. It is true that even if babies came with manuals, some would not take the time to read, no less execute what they read. While we can get bogged down with information sometimes, a little bit is helpful. Sometimes a bit more, is needed.

Was looking for a recipe yesterday and took time to check through 4 pages of comments. We are talking a three ingredient recipe. In those 4 pages were every imaginable variations that one could imagine. We took something that was simple, good and easy and made it complicated, unhealthy and confusing. That is what we humans do.

Right to the point, concise. Not too much or not enough, just like the Three Little bears, just right...

RIP Papa K...

There was a certain gruffiness to him. If you knew him, you knew that was just his way.
My friend's father yet he embraced me and mine, when he didn't have to. My girl says he was a better grandparent than her birth ones, that is how she remembers him.

The pain he was in yesterday and many days before that, is now gone. He is now with Jesus. That is what I believe, and I imagine that even today, his gruffiness with a big heart was what he met Jesus with.

We are each, one of a kind. There is no one quite like me, or you. We are remembered by family and friends by our encounters of Love that we showed with the time we were given. We stand alone like others before us, yet the memories we leave are unique to each of us. Thank you Papa for the Love you showed to me and mine. May God bless you. as you did for us...

no...

Sometimes, the answer is no. Rather, that is our perception when we don't get what we want or have prayed for.

I imagine that while no, is how we look at the prayer that was not answered to our liking, Down The Road, it will all be clear. I know, I know - there are passages in the bible that in essence say, Ask and it shall be yours, then we do and it doesn't come. We are left with a mailbox full of bills. no food in the house and worse.

The bible also says, when not if. When you walk through the deep waters of life. Not if, but when. As I prayed for 3 life or death situations going on in my circle of life right now, I became painfully aware that a no might be part of the future. We know intellectually that people don't live forever but when they are our old people, it is different. When praying for a child, it is even harder.

On Twitter last night, parents were asking for last rite prayers for the teenage son who was dying of cancer. The family had gathered around him, his breathing was heavy and they didn't know if he had hours or days. They were asking not for prayers of a cure, but for prayers of peace. That this wonderful child might feel the Love all around him, that even though he put up a gallant fight, it was ok to, stop...and rest.

When we find ourselves up against a no, we have two choices. We can walk away or, we leave our pain and fear at his door, for another time. Looking for a word to replace no because I don't think it suits us or God, well. While I am searching, my prayers continue. Run the race, run it now. Run it strong, run through the tears. Just, run...

school...

Learned this morning that in France, school kids have 4 day weeks, 2 hour lunchs and there is legislation being looked at right now to ban homework. It seems that a substantial amount of kids don't have parents who will help with said homework and that would put them at an unfair advantage so all work will have to be done at school. Also heard that Spain has a 3 hours lunch which explains why you will never see a Spanish flag on the moon.

I know of one school in the valley does the same thing for somewhat the same reason. Parents, for whatever reason, are inconsisent in getting homework done so none is sent home. Is that bad? Not sure.

Read an interesting article also this week about college and how in ten years time, it will all be done on the internet and it will all be free. Imagine, no more student loans issues and everyone who has access to a computer, could get a college degree. There is legistation pending here to give all high school seniors, laptops. In a perfect world I would all over that but I understand that this is less than a perfect world. If I was given a laptop, I can guarantee it would be sold/traded immmediately for cash to be more important things, like alcohol. There are many more households now where this would be the likely scenrio and the kid is left holding the bag. The same parents who can't/won't do help with homework would most certainly be heavily involved in a laptop program and not in a good way.

Technology is changing the world faster than we can keep up with, emotionally. There are such possiblilites and this young minds are finding new ways to do things, everyday. I am amazed at the ideas, that seem to come so naturally to them.

Move to France? Probably not. Closer to DisneyWorld? Now you are talking. If they are right and school goes online, it won't matter where one lives. Imagine, never having to, imagine...

rich...

Was blog jumping and the writer talked about as a kid, she thought that only rich people had picnic tables. She now is the proud owner of a beautiful, woooden picnic table and feels on top of the world.

I frequented a rich person's home and that second refrigerator in the garage, filled with more soda pop than I could ever drink. I remember thinking one would have it made and when I got a refrigerator in the garage, filled with all the pop I would drink, I thought I was the richest person in the world.

We all have lots of ideas when we are kids. Some are dreams. Some are make believe and some are spot on. Some have imaginary friends who could not be more Real and some live lives that no child should ever have too. We come into this world, innocent and full of curosity and possibilities. What seemed to make perfect sense as a child, dometimes, doesn't translate into adulthood. But maybe, just maybe, that little girl who thought you must be rich to have a simple thing was right and maybe the adult, needs to step back and relearn a few things, from the little one who may know better...

leap of faith...

We take them, everyday.

Life is about an endless chain of leaping from one thing to another. Some are fixed, yet if we were being honest, is anything in life truly, fixed? The very act of leaping, does take faith. It means taking that step of faith with no promise of a favorable outcome. There is danger and fear in every step and with all available information says, this may not have been a great idea.

If it was easy, we would all do it. You will at some time in your life, be faced with taking a leap of our own. Make a plan but remember, when it comes right down to it, it will still take faith on your part. It always as and always will...

defense...

I don't know much about sports. Not having boys or a DH who was sports-minded, it was never much on my life's radar. Having Gage and BSU football, has changed all that. We even add a cable box for a few months, just so we can watch the BSU games.

I have always loved the idea of football in the fall, running in the background. The mere sound of it, is now a calming effect. Don't care who is playing who, it all sounds the same.

In my conversatiosns with Gage and Poppa, I have learned a few things about football, and about myself. It would seem that defense and offense are two different minds sets. I thought everyone on the team could pretty much play any position, with a bit of help. I see now, how crazy that is. If I was to suit up for Coach Pete, I would most definitely be, defense. No doubt.

All my life, I have played defense, one way or another. Ready at a moment's notice to take out whoever was trying to get past me. Physically, I was born to play defense. I am a big girl and I am not afraid to show it. Come at me, if you will but be ready to pay the price. I will stand in line and wait, like I see those huge defense guys do, and when it is time, take you down. Can't beleive I never saw that before.

Some may call it over protection, it is those anger issues that get trigger the fight or flight response. I am a bit too old to engage in fist fights but would if need be.

Sports may have come to me, late in life but it is never too late to learn. There are some great lessons to be learned, and I think, this is the perfect time to get into the game...

damaged goods...

I saw an ad the other day for a cleaner that would clean a 10 yr old cookie sheet. IMHO, cookie sheets have a short life and need to be replaced not cleaned. On average, I buy sets of three every year. I just can get myself to use an old, hunk loving piece of metal to try my delicious(insert food here)new favorite.

This sign might change my mind.

Damaged but still good.

Sounds a lot like what most of us say to ourselves, at one time or another. None of us is perfect, and we are probably a whole lot worse than even we imagine. If we applied this sign to our lives, I imagine we would be more loving, more understanding of others. The way we treat others is shadowed by the way we treat ourselves. Love me, love my friends. If we are able to see pass the outside, we might get a glimpse of the pretty, good inside. If I can see the flaws in myself and decide to look beyond, for a second glimpse...I can do the same for you and that, could change the world...

it's the most wonderful time of the year...

I know, I know. The song is about Christmas but I think I could make a pretty good case about fall, fitting the bill.

There are many of us that think fall is the best. The warm days and cool, crisp mornings. The trees and leaves are starting to turn colors. There are pumpkins, everywhere and there is a feeling of being one with all things, fallish. Hot cocoa after raking leaves, making smores around the fire pit, and visiting the pumpkin patch once...or twice.

Fall just makes me happy. Exercise seems like a good thing. Wearing a jacket first thing in the morning, is a small price to pay when one know's that in a few hours, it will be short sleeve weather again.

Along with my daily To Do list, during this time of the year, the idea of being greatful, is an easy one. The Big Picture is easier to see. The best of life can be seen for miles.

Today was a good day. A quick trip to the local pumpkin patch, with my camera, was all I needed to put this day in perspective. Thank you Fall, I so needed to see the world through your eyes. You are a true friend, and one to be greatful for, and I am...

prayer...

We have been praying for Brianna for many weeks now. Praying that God will touch her and heal her. So far, we are still praying. Asking nicely, sometimes, begging through tears. Courtesy of Brandi, we are praying the Word of God, inserting Brianna's name, which comforts us as well.

As I was walking the track today, here comes The Weary Kind again, on my shuffle. If you have seen the movie, Crazy Heart, you know the song. First thing Friday, this song came on and I was reduced to tears. I kept moving and then heard these words. Funny, usually on the shuffle, there are no repeats...

And this ain't no place for the weary kind
This ain't no place to lose your mind
This ain't no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try
. The Weary Kind/Ryan Bingham

It didn't make the tears go away but it reminded me that prayer isn't a quiet, little ritual. It is a powerful, maybe even animated force, that is not to be taken lightly. No matter what you are praying about or for, it is a time that is not to be messed with. If you have been praying and it seems like you have not gained ground, don't let it get you down. Don't rely on what you can see. Know that what you can't see, it greater than what you could ever imagine. Be confident that as you pray, God is near and is praying with you. So, I pick nyself up, wipe my tears and go on. I believe that God is able to do anything and I believe in Brianna's prayer - I know it doesn't look good now, but I am going to be alright. Word...

daily...

Am compling a list of Things To Do, Every Day - No Matter What.

Whether the sun is shining, or my heart is barely beating. Some, like gratitude and prayer are of a spiritually nature. Some, like being fluid and less sarcastic, are more of a personality issue. Learning to be satisified by recoginizing that I am full, will be a constant battle, one that will never be mastered this side of heaven.

Maybe the same can be said for each of my Dailies. That by admitting to being human, I understand and do by acknowledge, that very little comes naturally and that most everything is a discipline on some kind of sliding scale.

It is easy to love my family, it is easy to love chocolate. I had a Golden Corral kind of day last week. I mean, I really did go to Golden Corral, Miss M chose that as her place to eat on our sleepover. She always choses Chapala, always but at the last minute, Golden Corral was the choice. You would have thought I never have seen a buffet and would not be able to gather food, for a long, long time. I did not hold back. It was a free for all, right on my many plates. Wish I could say that won't happen again but it will. Maybe I will stop sooner, maybe not.

It is a list that I will continue to add to. Very few times can we sit down, make a complete list and not have or want to add too it. We are grocery list kind of people. You start a list days before you are going to the store, you tell everyone to add what they need as they think of things, as do you. Three days is a good number, if you/they haven't remember they ran out or needed something in three days, it can wait until the next shopping trip.

Tomorrow, I am going to add being brave. Life is risky and sad enough as it is, I don't need to foresee and imagine what else could go wrong. Yes, definitely adding being brave...

strangers...

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Heb 13.2


Are there times, that we prefer strangers around us, instead of people we know and love? I think there may be.

This is the stuff for late night talks around the fire. The air is cold, the fire feels good against our toes and faces, our bellies full of smores. Ideas pop up that would never see the light of day. Free to contemplate the what ifs of life, we set our minds free, and follow their lead in new directions.

Strangers allow us to tell our Stories, one more time.
Strangers let us to be emotional when we can no longer be strong.
Strangers mayt bring a new perspective to an old problem.

I always, until this very Moment, saw the Hebrews verse as a physical, hospitality, the act of preparing a meal for one unknown. What if it also includes, the sharing of ourselves? At times we need it the most and by that very act, been loved on by angels. Wow...

true...

All things live, all things die and God is in control.Donald Miller.

Seems a bit cold. While this is not news to us, it is not a Place we want to think about or can stand to live. I can't tell you how many conversations I have had about what it would it take for me to give up my faith and walk away. Would I have the strength, the will, the faith - to keep walking. To keep trusting, to keep loving, to keep believing.

How about the death of my child or my grand babies, would I be able to see a Bigger Picture that God would send or would I say, on the inside, Screw you and walk away?

The truth mayb lie in the Moment. Trying to hedge your bets for future acts, can not be done. We have what we need in the Moment and don't get more until we need it. And then, it is up to us to accept it. Lord, help us all...

walk away...

don't be afraid to walk away. Unknown.

I say unknown but really, I can't remember where I heard this but I do know that I keep coming back to it.

In the middle of a deep conversation today, these words kept coming back. There are things we all need to do and things we should not be doing. As with all of life, knowing how to tell them apart is tougher than it looks and we do and will make mistakes.

If you walk away for the wrong reasons, you will be sorry and there will be consequences. That is what we fear, the consequences. That fear will freeze us in our tracks and make us less likely to try again. If we should walk away but won't because of fear, commitment or failure, there are emotional consequences. Have a had at least one issue in this camp this week, made a decision and will live with the consequences.

We will never get it right.
We will make mistakes.
But I have to think that if we are not afraid to walk away,
we will make more better choices, than if we were afraid.
It gives us a choice, it gives us the ability to live freely.
It gives us the chance to be human, and live with those choices...

reality...

You are going to be okay. Your moods are rarely reality. Reality is something else. Trust God.Donald Miller.

Good words to start the new month off with...

IMHO, reality shows in the droves that we now watch, have skewed our idea of what is real and what is not real. Maybe blogging has also. we live in a immediate gratification world and with that, comes change, and the change comes from having a new normal.

I know of several situations where families are experiencing a new normal. The loss of a loved one, sickness of another. Their lives, not their moods, have been changed and it is a permanent change.

Read this morning about a family who took a 31 day challenge to their finances. Nothing but essentials for 30 days. No clothing, eating out or Starbucks. They saved over $1000 in a month. That is a mood, there are many people out there who live the same way because they have no other choice, and they, don't save anything. In fact, they go into the money hole, deeper and deeper every month.

What is my mood today?
What is my reality today?
What is the Place where these two meet?

And, what does that look like in my life? Making a list of things I try to practice every day. Telling these two apart and making choices based on those identifications, just made the list...