A day of rest

It seems like everywhere I turn over the past month or so, people have been discussing Sunday being a day of rest. I had a discussion with a dear friend recently about the fact that we all seem to fall into the trap of using Sunday as a day of catching up on things, going to the store, out to eat, whatever we didn't get to do during the week. Yesterday on Facebook, one of my dear friends brought up the question of how many of us will actually "rest" on the Lord's day. I had made plans Saturday night that after church on Sunday, I was going to pick up the house just a little and check emails to get a jump start on next week. Then I went to church Sunday and heard an awesome sermon. Many things hit home with me and as I got to thinking about just exactly when and how often do we seek the Lord when things aren't going our way? He has set aside a special day for us to rest from all we go through and yet we find things to do to keep us busy on His day. The ONE time He has basically told us to take it easy. So I came home, had lunch and relaxed all day yesterday. I watched a little Andy Griffith reruns, read a little, and took a long nap. When I woke up I took a long bubble bath and read some more. Then we had a light supper and I headed back to the couch with my pillow and blankie to watch the Next Food Network TV Star show. Talk about restful. It was AWESOME. I got up this morning at 6:00 and can't remember the last time I started my week by feeling so refreshed. It is 6:46 and I have already cleaned house, set up my work day, checked my Facebook and wrote my blog. There really IS something beneficial about resting on Sunday's. As always, God knows what he is talking about. We just need to learn to listen.

Update on the past week

It has been a full week. My mother and sister have been down on vacation. I kept meaning to put something on my blog every day, but we have had such a full week that I just wore myself plum out as we say in the country. Mom turned 80 on Thursday and we had the best week. We went to Cades Cove, Dollywood, shopping, Apple Barn, Old Mill, and much more. We had a blast. We are going to a cookout at my daughter's tonight. My son and his family are getting home from the beach today and I can't wait to see them there. I'll get back to my regular postings tomorrow. I have missed posting and have missed your comments. Have a great day.

It's moments like these....

Life can get you down, people can get on your nerves. Things have a way of coming at us from all directions that make us just want to scream.

But in the midst of all the turmoil and toil, a little 5 year old granddaughter can hold your hand and say "This is going to be the best day." And when you ask why, she answers "Because I'm spending it with you."

Melt my heart!!! I love my grandchildren. It's moments like these that make everything we do and everything we are worthwhile.

Thank you Alexis Caroline for making my day. I love you.

What will they think of next....

Well, I bit the bullet and upgraded my cell phone yesterday. OH MY GOSH! It is one of the hottest new ones on the market with US Cellular. There are so many bells and whistles that it will probably be obsolete before I figure it all out. It is one of those touch screens and it slides open to expose a full QWERTY keyboard, just like a computer. No more hitting function to type my numbers in text messages. It is a Windows phone. So not only do I have a "My Documents" folder, I now have Outlook, Excel, Word and yes...even Power Point. ON MY PHONE! Is that not awesome. Owning my own business, it's a dream come true. I am totally mobile. I can sit at the beach and sign up new clients, check emails, type contracts, everything. And the best part about it...it was on sale if we renewed our contract AND had a $70 Visa Card rebate. You know I love a bargain. It accesses the internet just like a computer does and even has a tilt screen so it feels like a mini little laptop. Am I high tech or what? Of course, I'll have to call in the Brain, my nephew-in-law, Eli. He's our family techi and he helps us with all our modern techonology. It just amazes me that we have such technology right at our fingertips.

Seafood

As we think of summer and thoughts of the beach, many turn their minds to seafood. They love the all you can eat crab legs, lobster tail, shrimp, not to mention the many varieties of fish available. I have never been a seafood lover. If we go to a Calabash style restaurant, I have chicken. If we go to Long John Silvers, I have (you guessed it) chicken. I'm sure fish and crab legs are delicious for those who can stomach the thought of eating something that lurks below the murky waters of rivers and oceans. However, I have loved Mrs. Paul's fish sticks since I was a little girl. I realize this is not considered as seafood to those who love the many creatures of the deep that are created into culinary delights. But to me, Mrs. Paul's products are the epitome of seafood for my soul. Now you might ask how I can eat those "cardboard" fish sticks when such succulint seafood is in abundance? You might wonder what makes them acceptable when other fish will not do. The answer is simple, I believe that sweet, little ole Mrs. Paul raises these fish in a cute little aquarium at home just to make fish sticks for picky eaters like me. That is my story and I'm sticking to it. Please do not burst my bubble.

Thoughts of whimsy

Do you ever like to do things just because you can? I am 53 years old and I still love to swing, jump rope and play jacks. Now, these may not be great achievements, but I have been known to get all the way to my "tensies" most of the time. I was cleaning dresser drawers, cabinets and toy boxes yesterday. I found what we knew as super balls back in the day, but are now referred to as bouncy balls. I loved when we got bouncy balls when we were little. We would take them out on the patio and see how high we could get them to bounce. We would try it in the house, but inevitably one would knock something over and we would get the old "No playing ball in the house" lecture. I remember one time, we went to our friends house and were playing jacks in the kitchen. We snuck and used a bouncy ball instead of the regular jack ball. It bounced so high it went in the pot of stew Helen had on the stove. That ended that pretty quick.

As I was doing my cleaning and I found two bouncy balls in the toy box, I had several thoughts in succession:

"I need to throw these away before somebody breaks something."

"There are only two and I have four grandkids so there will eventually be a fight over these."

"Oh, but I love bouncy balls and these have such a pretty design."

You guessed it, the bouncy balls did not get thrown away. I could not force myself to do it. However, I tucked them in a spare drawer for safe keeping and to keep my stuff safe. One of these days when we go outside to play, I'll drag them back out for the kids to enjoy. But I better buy 2 more first.

In honor of our fallen soldiers...

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis Courage: a mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty Hero: one that shows great courage Thank you to the men and women who have given thier lives so that we may enjoy the freedom we so often take for granted. You may be gone, but will never be forgotten.