frazzled & frumpy

Stop. Right now. Whatever you're doing. Tell someone you love just that- I love you. Text it if you must.  Pull your child to you in a bear hug. Kiss your spouse. On the mouth. Smile at a stranger. And, please, please stop thinking anything awful about yourself. You are a child of God. A divine being with beauty and potential. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. This life is hard. Disappointments abound. Heartache is rampant. Nothing, I mean, nothing is fair. We are busy and bitter and negative.  And, yet, it is beautiful, this existence. It can be difficult to see the beauty, to appreciate all that we truly have.  So.. Stop. Take a breath. Watch the sunset. Count a few blessings. Be kind. Sing out loud. Send that email you've been putting off. Forgive someone. And, kiss your sweetheart, again. None of us know how long we have. For just this moment, be grateful for the gift of being here.

Between NaBloPoMo (posting every day), and NaNoWriMo (writing a novel in a month),  and looking for a job- some of my posts may be short and sweet. Or just short.  And, since it's November, I may use the whole 'thanksgiving' thing as my cop out. My apologies. Today, I'm thankful for two hours to myself while the kids were at school. I was going to write the whole time. Instead, I sewed for most of it. I made helped my friend make a 'binder purse' I'd seen on Pintrest. We made it yesterday. (Thanks, Michelle!) I realized the straps were too long, so today I fixed them.  I did write, though I still have about 600 words to finish for today. Speaking of Pintrest-- do you? Pintrest? Oh, it's like quicksand. Sucks you right in till you can't, or don't want to, get out. I'll be doing a Pintrest post soon. I love it in a very unhealthy way. My family (siblings and parents) is doing a Biggest Loser competition. We're focusing more on hea...

If you looked around my house,  you wouldn’t be impressed. Hand-me-down furniture.  Carpet, that, like my life, is a bit trampled and worn.  Our meals are far from fancy, the pantry often rivals Old Mother Hubbard.  We don’t take nice vacations, don't vacation at all.  My children, while amazing in my eyes, win no prizes for sports or grades.  Personally, I’m no glamour goddess. I’m overweight and the signs of age are creeping up.  The smooth and tight of youth are but a memory.   What a sad life, right? Actually, I’m ridiculously happy.   Oh, I have my moments when worry takes over and stress balls up inside me.  My pillow is familiar with tears that are shed in the night.  But, these things are temporary and the light of a new morning always brings hope.  How is it that I can be happy in the midst of what the world would view as a bleak existence?  Happy is a choice. I have a friend ...

"When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost," This is a hymn sung often in our church. So much so that it is one I have memorized. There was a day recently when I was feeling especially 'tossed on life's billows'.  I was discouraged and though I didn't think all was lost, it was close.  The frustrations and difficulties had ganged up on me and beaten me down till I couldn't stand up straight.  It was a bad day. As I left an appointment that hadn't gone well, I began to pray.  I pray a lot in my car, mostly when I'm alone (or when one of my teeangers is driving).  I find it a good time to express myself to my Father in Heaven, no distractions.  This day, I began by asking what to do. The trial I was facing seemed so encompassing and I really didn't know what my next step should be. I poured out my heart and begged for something, anything to help.  I didn't get any great 'instant...