The O'Brien household is having a rummage sale this coming weekend. Please stop by and buy some of our stuff. (preferably all of it) Also, let me know if you are interested in bringing some stuff over to sell as well. I'm attaching a link with additional information and photo's.
Rummage Sale Info
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Give Me Faith
There are a lot of "I wonder's" in my mind today!
Imagine yourself out in your yard picking up some sticks. This isn't just an ordinary yard pick up day. You are picking up sticks in order to make a fire that will cook a last meal for both you and your son. It's a pretty bleak day. You expect death to be upon you soon after.
You see there has been a famine in the land for quite some time. In your kitchen sits just a little bit of oil and a little bit of flour. Enough just to make one final meal. You've probably been meagerly portioning out meals in the hopes that the famine would end before this day came, but it didn't.
So here you are, prepping your last meal. You're preparing yourself for one last taste of goodness before hunger turns death. I wonder if you are determined to just let fate happen. I wonder if there is any hope at all. I wonder if you are walking around in a delayed sense hoping your circumstances will change. I wonder if there is just a little bit of hope that the God that freed the Israelites from slavery would make a miracle happen for you and your son.
The Bible tells us of a woman in the Bible that was doing just this. While she was picking up sticks to prepare her meal a man of God walks up to her and asks not just for water, but for a little bit of food as well. She tells the man that she has just enough flour and oil to make one last meal for her and her son and that they then planned to die. The prophet, Elijah, tells her go on and make a cake for him first, then one for her and her son. He then promises her that if she does that, she and her son will not go hungry the rest of the famine. Of course, we know that when we read the story, the woman follows Elijah's orders and the Bible tells us that the flour and oil never ran out during the remaining time of the famine.
I wonder what that woman thought when Elijah told her to take what little food she had saved for her and her son's last meal and make a meal for him first and then them. What? WHAT? Didn't you just hear me preacher man? I said I'm making our last meal and then we are going to die! The Bible doesn't tell us what exact emotions ran through the widow's mind, the doubts that plagued her or even maybe some resentment that she was feeling. It only tells us that she went and did as the prophet bade her to do and because of her obedience her and her son never died of starvation.
Jesus told us in Matthew 17, that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed that we could tell a mountain to move and it would move. The verse finishes by saying, "nothing would be impossible".
Faith takes obedience! Faith takes doing what I can do and then letting God do the rest! Faith takes trust! Faith takes love! Faith takes WORK! But with it... nothing is impossible!
Hebrews 11 is a great chapter on faith. It starts off by defining faith for us. It's something that we can't see physically, but hope for with our spiritual eyes. It tells us about men of the Old Testament and how they did actions based on faith. Verse 6 even tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith. The rest of the chapter goes through even more Old Testament figures that used their faith muscles.
None of these people were perfect. Some had made big mistakes. Take for instance Sarah who was old. God promised her a son. When she first heard it she laughed. If I were in my nineties I'd probably laugh as well I think. However, God still performed a miraculous work and gave her a son that would be a start of a great nation.
I want mustard seed faith. I want the faith that says "move mountain" and it moves. I want that faith that would go and prepare my last meal for another person trusting that God would provide as promised. I want faith that believes the impossible is possible through my God. I want it!
Lord, give me that mustard seed faith. Give me that unwavering faith. Give me faith that will move mountains. Help me to learn to love you so much that I see that nothing is impossible with you! I have requests Lord! Things I selfishly want for my life. Things I want for others. I need that faith. Give me mustard seed love! Give me mustard seed faith!
Imagine yourself out in your yard picking up some sticks. This isn't just an ordinary yard pick up day. You are picking up sticks in order to make a fire that will cook a last meal for both you and your son. It's a pretty bleak day. You expect death to be upon you soon after.
You see there has been a famine in the land for quite some time. In your kitchen sits just a little bit of oil and a little bit of flour. Enough just to make one final meal. You've probably been meagerly portioning out meals in the hopes that the famine would end before this day came, but it didn't.
So here you are, prepping your last meal. You're preparing yourself for one last taste of goodness before hunger turns death. I wonder if you are determined to just let fate happen. I wonder if there is any hope at all. I wonder if you are walking around in a delayed sense hoping your circumstances will change. I wonder if there is just a little bit of hope that the God that freed the Israelites from slavery would make a miracle happen for you and your son.
The Bible tells us of a woman in the Bible that was doing just this. While she was picking up sticks to prepare her meal a man of God walks up to her and asks not just for water, but for a little bit of food as well. She tells the man that she has just enough flour and oil to make one last meal for her and her son and that they then planned to die. The prophet, Elijah, tells her go on and make a cake for him first, then one for her and her son. He then promises her that if she does that, she and her son will not go hungry the rest of the famine. Of course, we know that when we read the story, the woman follows Elijah's orders and the Bible tells us that the flour and oil never ran out during the remaining time of the famine.
I wonder what that woman thought when Elijah told her to take what little food she had saved for her and her son's last meal and make a meal for him first and then them. What? WHAT? Didn't you just hear me preacher man? I said I'm making our last meal and then we are going to die! The Bible doesn't tell us what exact emotions ran through the widow's mind, the doubts that plagued her or even maybe some resentment that she was feeling. It only tells us that she went and did as the prophet bade her to do and because of her obedience her and her son never died of starvation.
Jesus told us in Matthew 17, that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed that we could tell a mountain to move and it would move. The verse finishes by saying, "nothing would be impossible".
Faith takes obedience! Faith takes doing what I can do and then letting God do the rest! Faith takes trust! Faith takes love! Faith takes WORK! But with it... nothing is impossible!
Hebrews 11 is a great chapter on faith. It starts off by defining faith for us. It's something that we can't see physically, but hope for with our spiritual eyes. It tells us about men of the Old Testament and how they did actions based on faith. Verse 6 even tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith. The rest of the chapter goes through even more Old Testament figures that used their faith muscles.
None of these people were perfect. Some had made big mistakes. Take for instance Sarah who was old. God promised her a son. When she first heard it she laughed. If I were in my nineties I'd probably laugh as well I think. However, God still performed a miraculous work and gave her a son that would be a start of a great nation.
I want mustard seed faith. I want the faith that says "move mountain" and it moves. I want that faith that would go and prepare my last meal for another person trusting that God would provide as promised. I want faith that believes the impossible is possible through my God. I want it!
Lord, give me that mustard seed faith. Give me that unwavering faith. Give me faith that will move mountains. Help me to learn to love you so much that I see that nothing is impossible with you! I have requests Lord! Things I selfishly want for my life. Things I want for others. I need that faith. Give me mustard seed love! Give me mustard seed faith!
Monday, February 1, 2016
A Deliberate Touch
The story starts out for someone else. A man named Jarius. His daughter is sick and he comes to beg Jesus to go home with him and heal his daughter. Jesus agrees and begins the journey with Jarius.
Of course, the crowd that typically surrounded Jesus followed them. At one point, Jesus turns and asks the crowd, "Who touched me?"
This is of course a strange question to the disciples. They were surrounded by people. They say, "Master this whole crowd is pressing up against you."
Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. He KNOWS who touched. Some say He asked the question because He wanted the one who touched Him to step forward so He could teach them it was He who healed them and not just a magical touch of His garments. Others speculate that He wanted to teach the crowd a lesson. Neither of these stuck out to me as I read the passage.
What stuck out to me was Jesus' reply when the disciples tried to brush away His concerns that someone had touched Him. He said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me."
Someone didn't touch Jesus because He was the newest and hottest fad. Someone didn't touch Jesus because they had nothing better to do. A woman fought her way through the crowd to touch Jesus with the thought of "If only I could touch the hem of His garment I could be healed". A deliberate touch.
The Bible tells us that the woman had an issue of blood. Jewish law said that any man that touched a menstruating woman would become "ceremonially unclean". This would have held true whether it was a natural time for her or in her specific case an "abnormal circumstance". This woman was to be avoided, but she was desperate. Desperate for a healing. So desperate that she didn't try to get Jesus' attention and risk rejection. So desperate that she didn't call out His name to gain His attention as others had. She was so desperate that she didn't need to bear words. She said, "If only I could touch Him".
It was that faith that brought her a healing. The kind of faith that said, "I don't care what others say." She just wanted a healing.
I want that kind of faith. Faith that doesn't care about what others say. Faith that doesn't care who is in the way. Faith that says "I just want to touch Him."
How about you? How long have you been praying for something? Are you daring and bold enough to deliberately touch the God of the universe? I promise you, if you do, you won't walk away disappointed. You will walk away with the healing you seek! You will even walk away with peace, but first you have to deliberately touch Him!
Of course, the crowd that typically surrounded Jesus followed them. At one point, Jesus turns and asks the crowd, "Who touched me?"
This is of course a strange question to the disciples. They were surrounded by people. They say, "Master this whole crowd is pressing up against you."
Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. He KNOWS who touched. Some say He asked the question because He wanted the one who touched Him to step forward so He could teach them it was He who healed them and not just a magical touch of His garments. Others speculate that He wanted to teach the crowd a lesson. Neither of these stuck out to me as I read the passage.
What stuck out to me was Jesus' reply when the disciples tried to brush away His concerns that someone had touched Him. He said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me."
Someone didn't touch Jesus because He was the newest and hottest fad. Someone didn't touch Jesus because they had nothing better to do. A woman fought her way through the crowd to touch Jesus with the thought of "If only I could touch the hem of His garment I could be healed". A deliberate touch.
The Bible tells us that the woman had an issue of blood. Jewish law said that any man that touched a menstruating woman would become "ceremonially unclean". This would have held true whether it was a natural time for her or in her specific case an "abnormal circumstance". This woman was to be avoided, but she was desperate. Desperate for a healing. So desperate that she didn't try to get Jesus' attention and risk rejection. So desperate that she didn't call out His name to gain His attention as others had. She was so desperate that she didn't need to bear words. She said, "If only I could touch Him".
It was that faith that brought her a healing. The kind of faith that said, "I don't care what others say." She just wanted a healing.
I want that kind of faith. Faith that doesn't care about what others say. Faith that doesn't care who is in the way. Faith that says "I just want to touch Him."
How about you? How long have you been praying for something? Are you daring and bold enough to deliberately touch the God of the universe? I promise you, if you do, you won't walk away disappointed. You will walk away with the healing you seek! You will even walk away with peace, but first you have to deliberately touch Him!
Friday, January 29, 2016
Mustard Seed Faith
When you think about it, it's so easy to say that I have faith for something. Lately, the Lord has been dealing with me about this. Am I just saying I have faith? Or do I really have faith? Do I have faith that will move mountains.
I was reading through some Scriptures on faith and I came across the Scriptures when Jesus talked about mustard seed faith. The conversation came about because a man had come to Jesus and asked him to heal his son. The man said that his son would "have seizures" and "fall into fires and water". The man said to Jesus "I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him". Jesus seems a little irritated when he turns to to address the crowd, but then he calls for the boy, rebukes the demon and the boy was healed.
Afterward, the disciples come to Jesus and ask Him "why?". Why you and not us? Jesus very simply tells them that they do not have enough faith. It sounds as if the disciples were saying that they had faith, but didn't actually have the faith to back up their words.
At the beginning of this year, my pastor asked me to come up to the front of the church and speak faith over some things that were going to happen in my life. I spoke those words. I called out a committed life to God for my husband, restoration to God for my family and babies for my husband and myself. Those are some pretty tall orders. I spoke those in faith!
Now, it's three or four weeks later. It's hard to hold on to those words. We look for an immediate answer. When it doesn't comes, we start to justify our words, God's untimely answer, etc. Where is my faith? Why is it so easy to say it, but not believe it?
Jesus when speaking to His disciples told them that if they had faith of even a mustard seed, you could say to a mountain to "move" and it would move! WHOA! Now that is a faith that is believed. Jesus even follows up with something that should resound in our heads over and over again. "Nothing would be impossible".
If I have mustard seed faith for those things that I spoke of than I realize that nothing is impossible! Nothing! The things I listed in my moment of passion can be fulfilled because I said them with a sincere heart. All I have to do is believe.
So what is the difference between just saying it and believing it? I believe it comes from a true fear of the Lord. Not just an "I love you" moment, but an everyday, every breath, every step commitment with Him. It comes from a true bond that has been formed with the One True God! When we have a true relationship with Him, we can easily rest in the fact that whatever we ask in His name will be done.
So what is it that you've called out in faith to God? Have you grown weary from waiting to see it happen? Or did you not believe it in the first place?
Join me today, as we take the step of growing a deeper relationship with Him. Let's grow a love so deep for Him that we are nothing but secure when speaking out in faith.
Here is my favorite Bible to use while studying.
I was reading through some Scriptures on faith and I came across the Scriptures when Jesus talked about mustard seed faith. The conversation came about because a man had come to Jesus and asked him to heal his son. The man said that his son would "have seizures" and "fall into fires and water". The man said to Jesus "I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him". Jesus seems a little irritated when he turns to to address the crowd, but then he calls for the boy, rebukes the demon and the boy was healed.
Afterward, the disciples come to Jesus and ask Him "why?". Why you and not us? Jesus very simply tells them that they do not have enough faith. It sounds as if the disciples were saying that they had faith, but didn't actually have the faith to back up their words.
Now, it's three or four weeks later. It's hard to hold on to those words. We look for an immediate answer. When it doesn't comes, we start to justify our words, God's untimely answer, etc. Where is my faith? Why is it so easy to say it, but not believe it?
Jesus when speaking to His disciples told them that if they had faith of even a mustard seed, you could say to a mountain to "move" and it would move! WHOA! Now that is a faith that is believed. Jesus even follows up with something that should resound in our heads over and over again. "Nothing would be impossible".
If I have mustard seed faith for those things that I spoke of than I realize that nothing is impossible! Nothing! The things I listed in my moment of passion can be fulfilled because I said them with a sincere heart. All I have to do is believe.
So what is the difference between just saying it and believing it? I believe it comes from a true fear of the Lord. Not just an "I love you" moment, but an everyday, every breath, every step commitment with Him. It comes from a true bond that has been formed with the One True God! When we have a true relationship with Him, we can easily rest in the fact that whatever we ask in His name will be done.
So what is it that you've called out in faith to God? Have you grown weary from waiting to see it happen? Or did you not believe it in the first place?
Join me today, as we take the step of growing a deeper relationship with Him. Let's grow a love so deep for Him that we are nothing but secure when speaking out in faith.
Here is my favorite Bible to use while studying.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Cuban Sandwiches In The Midst Of Snowmageddon
I woke this morning with the knowledge that today would be a definite stay at home day. Snowmageddon had been forecasted for us already. I had planned all weekend long to make a recipe from my Cook's Country magazine (Dec/Jan 16). So once my husband left for work in the early afternoon I broke out the frying pan and got busy.
The entire recipe is extremely easy. Easier than I would have thought. Of course, I am finding the more I venture in to home cooking that a lot of dishes are a lot easier than I had thought them to be. Of course, since I am somewhat forced to be inbound I had to make some adjustments to the recipe.
It turns out the only struggle I had was getting a juice to thicken in to a syrup. The original recipe called for orange juice. I did not have any, but after a brief google search I read that really any juice will do. I'm not sure if this was fictional or if I was just cooking it wrong. I tried two different juices and neither of them really ever turned in to syrup. One of them I left on the stove for approximately 15 minutes and even turned it up to a high temperature.
The sauce ended up being a little more runny than I would have liked. Again, I'm not sure if it's because I was cooking the juice wrong or if I truly just needed actual orange juice for it. I didn't have any buns, so I enjoyed without any bread. The end result was very delicious.
I am including the recipe with my changes to it.
4 boneless pork cutlets
1 tablespoon peanut oil (changed from original recipe)
3/4 cup mango orange naked juice (also tried mango white grape juice)
1/2 cup dill pickle chips, patted dry and chopped
2 tblspn yellow mustard
4 thin slices of ham
shredded mozzarella cheese
1. I trimmed and patted the cutlets dry and added salt/pepper to them. Then, I heated oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cooked the cutlets on both sides until they were cooked all the way through. There was a nice golden brown color to them. (The original recipe said about two minutes on each side, but my cuts were a little thicker so I just adjusted until they were cooked all the way through) I placed on a plate and set in the microwave.
2. Then, I added my juice to the empty skillet and cooked over medium-high heat. This is where it was supposed to become syrupy after about 5 minutes, but it never did with either juice. Separately, in a bowl I stirred together the pickles and mustard. (The original recipe said to add salt and pepper to taste. I did not since I had already added both to the actual meat) I then stirred the juice together with the mustard relish.
3. Since I did not use buns I placed the pork down first. I added the shredded mozzarella cheese. Then placed a slice of ham on top. I had not preheated the ham, so I put the plate in the microwave for about 30 sec, then placed the mustard relish on top.
All in all this was not a difficult recipe and it had a pretty tasty end result as well. Hope the hubby likes it as much as I did.
The entire recipe is extremely easy. Easier than I would have thought. Of course, I am finding the more I venture in to home cooking that a lot of dishes are a lot easier than I had thought them to be. Of course, since I am somewhat forced to be inbound I had to make some adjustments to the recipe.
It turns out the only struggle I had was getting a juice to thicken in to a syrup. The original recipe called for orange juice. I did not have any, but after a brief google search I read that really any juice will do. I'm not sure if this was fictional or if I was just cooking it wrong. I tried two different juices and neither of them really ever turned in to syrup. One of them I left on the stove for approximately 15 minutes and even turned it up to a high temperature.
The sauce ended up being a little more runny than I would have liked. Again, I'm not sure if it's because I was cooking the juice wrong or if I truly just needed actual orange juice for it. I didn't have any buns, so I enjoyed without any bread. The end result was very delicious.
I am including the recipe with my changes to it.
4 boneless pork cutlets
1 tablespoon peanut oil (changed from original recipe)
3/4 cup mango orange naked juice (also tried mango white grape juice)
1/2 cup dill pickle chips, patted dry and chopped
2 tblspn yellow mustard
4 thin slices of ham
shredded mozzarella cheese
1. I trimmed and patted the cutlets dry and added salt/pepper to them. Then, I heated oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cooked the cutlets on both sides until they were cooked all the way through. There was a nice golden brown color to them. (The original recipe said about two minutes on each side, but my cuts were a little thicker so I just adjusted until they were cooked all the way through) I placed on a plate and set in the microwave.
2. Then, I added my juice to the empty skillet and cooked over medium-high heat. This is where it was supposed to become syrupy after about 5 minutes, but it never did with either juice. Separately, in a bowl I stirred together the pickles and mustard. (The original recipe said to add salt and pepper to taste. I did not since I had already added both to the actual meat) I then stirred the juice together with the mustard relish.
3. Since I did not use buns I placed the pork down first. I added the shredded mozzarella cheese. Then placed a slice of ham on top. I had not preheated the ham, so I put the plate in the microwave for about 30 sec, then placed the mustard relish on top.
All in all this was not a difficult recipe and it had a pretty tasty end result as well. Hope the hubby likes it as much as I did.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Reflection Moment
It was one year ago to the day that I was released from my employment at Kohl's. The summer leading up to that moment was one of the worst periods of my life. I was depressed and lost. It seemed that no matter what I did I was constantly doing the wrong thing. So as all bad stories get worse, I made poor decisions. Poor decisions that led me to being walked out of the door. I'm sure ultimately the ending would have been the same, but it could have been me walking out of the door with my head held high instead of low in shame.
There are many thoughts that go through my head about this. The final nail in my coffin was a fabrication of the worst kind, but I opened up the door to the fabrication with my poor decisions. I loved working for Kohl's. The company has great values that I can easily support and uphold.
However, as in life there are always some bad apples mixed in with the good. It is this week that I want to set aside my self-worth that holds me accountable for my actions. I want to rant and shake my fist at the evil-doers that took advantage of a weak moment. I want to put all the blame on them. I want to hate them. I want to hold their heads in a dirty toilet bowl and give them a swirly.
But alas, I cannot! You see, I know that God used this moment in my life to humble me. He humbled me to bring me back to where I should have always been. I had chosen to veer away from Him. For once in my life I was not completely reliant upon Him. I had a husband, a home, a nice job, good money. I was very "comfortable". I allowed the comfort to sway me in to thinking I could do it my way and be happy. I was too! I was very happy. By societies definitions and standards, I had everything that should bring happiness. Yet I didn't. I had walked away from my one true love. Jesus!
I have always believed in God and lived a "good" life, but I know now that I was never truly sold out. I was a tree without any roots. I just let the wind blow me wherever it went. I had a temper. I was tactless in how I approached people with my thoughts and opinions. I was rude and arrogant, all while assuming I was the most humble creature God had ever created. I laugh even now as I type this because I realize that I am still all of those things. I know that God has done some work on me because I have grown slower to speak, I try to listen more than talk, I try to do that listening to gain a full understanding before my temper is allowed to reign. I'm not perfect by any means, but I can definitely see a difference in my life from last year to today. God has created a miracle in me.
So it is with a different heart that I can honestly say that I forgive not just those that did me wrong in the role of ending my employment, but myself as well. Mistakes happen. So here I write a list of things I've taken away from my lesson with God.
1. Forgive yourself. I write this one first because I think this is the hardest thing ever to do.
2. Forgive others that are involved. I freely admit that there have been times when I have thought that I cannot wait to see the retribution that comes for those that do me wrong. God has been whispering in my ear that sometimes wrong things happen just because, like myself, people make mistakes. So instead, I pray for those who have done wrong to me. (sometimes while picturing their head in the toilet... I know! But I am human after all)
3. Review the situation. What could you have done differently? Don't rely upon someone else to change the circumstances or prevent it from happening again. Only you can do that.
4. Happiness doesn't equal joy. I have less money and less comfort. Yet, my weight and blood pressure are both down compared to this time last year. I find myself laughing more. I'm not so easily offended. True joy is slowly working its way in to my life.
5. Be friendly to everyone! I have a hard time with this one. I can be very "judgy" at times. A result of my forever changing family dynamic growing up I'm sure. I've sincerely tried to look past the immediate faults that pop in to my head and be friendly to everyone. It's amazing how many friends I have now.
6. Talk to God. He has the best wisdom anyone could ever ask for. He just wants to talk to us.
7. Most importantly, be thankful. I am thankful for family, friends, a roof over my head, a boss that is a little too much like myself, all the crazy animals sharing the same roof as me. I am also thankful for all the disappointments life has brought me. They have made me stronger, tougher and a better person!
There are many thoughts that go through my head about this. The final nail in my coffin was a fabrication of the worst kind, but I opened up the door to the fabrication with my poor decisions. I loved working for Kohl's. The company has great values that I can easily support and uphold.
However, as in life there are always some bad apples mixed in with the good. It is this week that I want to set aside my self-worth that holds me accountable for my actions. I want to rant and shake my fist at the evil-doers that took advantage of a weak moment. I want to put all the blame on them. I want to hate them. I want to hold their heads in a dirty toilet bowl and give them a swirly.
But alas, I cannot! You see, I know that God used this moment in my life to humble me. He humbled me to bring me back to where I should have always been. I had chosen to veer away from Him. For once in my life I was not completely reliant upon Him. I had a husband, a home, a nice job, good money. I was very "comfortable". I allowed the comfort to sway me in to thinking I could do it my way and be happy. I was too! I was very happy. By societies definitions and standards, I had everything that should bring happiness. Yet I didn't. I had walked away from my one true love. Jesus!
I have always believed in God and lived a "good" life, but I know now that I was never truly sold out. I was a tree without any roots. I just let the wind blow me wherever it went. I had a temper. I was tactless in how I approached people with my thoughts and opinions. I was rude and arrogant, all while assuming I was the most humble creature God had ever created. I laugh even now as I type this because I realize that I am still all of those things. I know that God has done some work on me because I have grown slower to speak, I try to listen more than talk, I try to do that listening to gain a full understanding before my temper is allowed to reign. I'm not perfect by any means, but I can definitely see a difference in my life from last year to today. God has created a miracle in me.
So it is with a different heart that I can honestly say that I forgive not just those that did me wrong in the role of ending my employment, but myself as well. Mistakes happen. So here I write a list of things I've taken away from my lesson with God.
1. Forgive yourself. I write this one first because I think this is the hardest thing ever to do.
2. Forgive others that are involved. I freely admit that there have been times when I have thought that I cannot wait to see the retribution that comes for those that do me wrong. God has been whispering in my ear that sometimes wrong things happen just because, like myself, people make mistakes. So instead, I pray for those who have done wrong to me. (sometimes while picturing their head in the toilet... I know! But I am human after all)
3. Review the situation. What could you have done differently? Don't rely upon someone else to change the circumstances or prevent it from happening again. Only you can do that.
4. Happiness doesn't equal joy. I have less money and less comfort. Yet, my weight and blood pressure are both down compared to this time last year. I find myself laughing more. I'm not so easily offended. True joy is slowly working its way in to my life.
5. Be friendly to everyone! I have a hard time with this one. I can be very "judgy" at times. A result of my forever changing family dynamic growing up I'm sure. I've sincerely tried to look past the immediate faults that pop in to my head and be friendly to everyone. It's amazing how many friends I have now.
6. Talk to God. He has the best wisdom anyone could ever ask for. He just wants to talk to us.
7. Most importantly, be thankful. I am thankful for family, friends, a roof over my head, a boss that is a little too much like myself, all the crazy animals sharing the same roof as me. I am also thankful for all the disappointments life has brought me. They have made me stronger, tougher and a better person!
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
MOB Readings: The Art Of Racing In The Rain
You will definitely enjoy reading this book if you love dogs. The premise of the book is family life from a dog's perspective. For clarification, I do not believe that dogs have souls or are actually able to think in this way. The author is able to take the things that dogs do and "humanize" those events and does so in a very believable manner.
The end of the book is completely predictable. It is impossible to not know how it is going to end when you read the first chapter, but the author keeps you completely entertained throughout the book.
If I had to complain at all about the book, it would be about all the racing references. I will admit by the end of the book they were growing on me. Of course, the title of the book would be completely useless if it didn't have the references.
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