Getting Organized....

The term "too many irons in the fire" refers to a blacksmith who could lose track or make his work cumbersome if he placed too many irons in the fire.

In the past, there have been times when I, too, felt like I had too many irons in the fire. The challenge comes in trying to decide when and what to "let go." Many times we struggle with obstacles that are of our own making.

I had the opportunity recently to attend a webinar on getting organized called "Do it, ditch it or delegate it."
It was awesome. She gave step-by-step instructions on how to unload the "loads" in your life that are keeping you bogged down and that are such "time-thieves".

I implemented her thoughts and plans and it has been awesome. I am more organized. I get more done in a day than I ever imagined. The main thing I learned was it is all about focus. We must focus on the job at hand and not worry about what is waiting in the wings. If we spend as much time focusing on what we are presently doing as we do focusing on what we "need" to do, we can accomplish a lot more.

This brought to mind Matthew 6:34a - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.... - NKJV

There is nothing in our life that the bible does not cover. We should use it as our road map. There are so many wonderful verses that provide these simple steps that we can do to insure that we can lead a balanced life without having to feel like we have too many irons in the fire.

Can you still have morning sickness when your kids are 33?

Yes, I believe you can. When I was expecting my twins, I worked for a company in Huntington, WV. There was this wonderful little drive-in restaurant called Wiggins that had the best hot dogs and french fries in the entire world. I would go there every single day and order 2 plain hot dogs, an order of fries and a Coke to go. It was across the street from the local high school and did a lot of business from students. If you drove through their parking lot you could end up in Sears & Roebucks lot. I would go to the very end of the lot, roll down my window and eat my lunch and read a book.

During that time, the Marshall Tucker Band had a hit out called Heard it in a Love Song. Everyday around 12:15, WTCR radio station would play that song while I was driving back to work. Since I suffered severe bouts of afternoon "morning" sickness, I would go back to work and within an hour would be in the restroom deathly ill.
Now, you would have thought I would quit eating hot dogs everyday, but they are one of my vices and I craved them so bad I couldn't help myself. It soon passed and I was able to have lunch and return to a normal work day.

However, no offence to the Marshall Tucker Band, but to this day, if Heard it in a Love Song comes on the radio I get nauseous. I feel like it's 1977 again and I just left Wiggins and my poor tummy says "Turn that song off." So yes, I do believe that morning sickness can continue for many years if the circumstances are right.

Mere words....

We recently learned a new song for our church choir that had the words "Hallelujah, what a morning, when I reach for His nail scarred hand. I will go from grace to glory on the banks of the promised land."

Now to some people those are mere words. It's just a song. But to me, they speak of a brighter tomorrow. A foundation of  HOPE. A love everlasting. A grace that knows no bounds. Divine mercy.

Isn't it the most wonderful, peaceful, fabulous feeling to KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that even though we may stumble and fall, He is a forgiving God; a just God. And that our faith can see us through until that most beautiful day when we can go from grace to glory and see Him on the banks of the promised land.

Because you love me....

To my husband, with love. He is my life. He's every breath I breathe. He has been my rock through so many rough times and I would not be the happy, contented person I am today if I did not have his love and support. I dedicate this song to him. It really gets to my heart....

Go Red for Women

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything

you do flows from it. 

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV©2010)

Make It Your Mission to Fight Heart Disease at GO RED FOR WOMEN.

Each year on the first Friday in February, thousands of hospitals, small businesses, multinational corporations, news broadcasters, schools, individuals and even landmarks “Go Red” to help raise crucial awareness and significant funds in the fight against heart disease in women. - American Heart Association

Today is National Wear Red day. Please show your support in the fight of heart disease by wearing red whereever you go today. Thank you.

Love is....

February is one of my favorite months because it is the month of Love. It is also very special because 30 years ago on Valentine's Day, my precious husband popped the question. I didn't even hesitate to say yes. We went the next weekend to pick out rings. I remember it so fondly. I had twins three years old from my first marriage. He had three children from his first marriage....a four year old, a three year old (only 5 days older than my twins, it was almost like we had tripletts) and a one year old. So here we are with 5 children four years old and under and we walked into Kay Jewelers in Huntington, WV. Hubby walks up to the counter and says "We'd like to look at wedding rings." The poor clerk took a look at us. Four holding hands and one in a stroller and he couldn't help himself. He opened his mouth and the first words out were "I would hope so." We cracked up. We still laugh at it. I guess he figured we had a BIG head start on our family.

That was in 1981 which was the year George Strait released his first song Unwound. In his high school years, hubby was a lead singer in a band that played for school dances and benefits. He has a gorgeous voice and loves to sing to me. When George Strait started his recordings, Hubby discovered that he could do George's song very well as they have the same voice tone and range. Over the years, he has sung many songs to me but in 1992 when Pure Country was released starring George Strait and the title song for the movie was I Cross My Heart, hubby took the time to learn it and it has become our signature song. For 19 years he has sung that song to me. It melts my heart every time. The words are so perfect and the way hubby looks at me when he sings it let's me know how very deeply I am loved.

I dedicate this video today to the love of my life, my husband Allen.

Good for a laugh...

I enjoy humor as much as the next person. There is nothing that relieves pressure and stress like a good chuckle. We all get those chain emails that contain funny stories, pictures or jokes. We read them; we get a good laugh. And we hit forward and send them on their merry way to release some humor into another life. We post them on our blogs and share them on Facebook.

I received a letter in the mail yesterday and it contained something that caught my funny bone. I wanted to share it today, but as I was typing it God spoke to me. "Don't". It was not crude or offensive in anyway. It was just a little chuckle. In the overall scheme of things it was just a little sentence that made me laugh that was used as a marketing ploy by a large company. But when God spoke, it made me think. I have so many readers according to my stat counter that come from many different places. I do not know anything about them. I do not know what they are going through in life. I do not know their personal situations, their religious affiliations, their political views, or their core values.

It made me think. What if this one little sentence that lightened my load for a moment and made me laugh offended one of my readers. What is this off-hand remark wounded their soul or "hit home" on what they are going through. Would I want to wound one soul just so everybody else could laugh. The answer was very clear. No, I do not. One thing that I cannot abide is cruelty, even if it is not intended. I do not like to see anyone hurting by something someone else has said without thinking. So I will not share the laughter. Instead, I will share Proverbs 14:13 - Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

How appropriate is that. There is a lesson to be learned here for all of us. In marketing, the first thing you are taught is to know your target audience. This should be true in all of life's situations. Before you share that next joke, cartoon or video, please, oh please, make sure you know who you are sharing it with. I would hate to have one off hand comment or quote make someone laugh only to remind them of their pain and cause hurt in the end. Have a blessed day.