A thought to Inspire...

"There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other."  -- Douglas Everett, American Hockey Player





Quote source:  Famous Quotes

It's Monday, let me ramble.

It is Monday in case any of you are wondering.  Have you ever noticed how it rolls around every week? Even if you ignore it, others will acknowledge it and make it so.

Awards

I have good blogging buddies that gave me awards, a few weeks ago, even though I don't deserve the awards, but...I will take them, because...I'm not that humble. 

The first award You Rock! came from Jules at Trying to Get Over the Rainbow.  SHE rocks. I just want you to know this. And I love the title of her blog because I always feel like a Dorothy trying to get over my rainbow to find my gold, and to enjoy that gold. Her title has helped me think (I know, I know more thinking) that my pot of gold is right here where I exist--right in this moment and I need to stop trying to find my rainbow because I have been living it. Now, isn't that a Dorothy moment if you ever heard one? Thank you, Jules.

The next award came from Gail at At The Farm: Creative Blog Award. I love being called creative, but SHE is creative. She created her own award, and I am 99% sure she took this photo. Her blog is full of creative photography and writing. The vibe I get from Gail is her love and respect for animalkind. I've told you this before, but she takes in dogs in need when she can. I get my fix of horse, dog and cat love when I visit. Thank you, Gail.

If you haven't visited you must do so and join their parties.

SDC
I played this weekend at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. The weather was so perfect, I looked around to make sure I wasn't in heaven, but then saw all the stupid people and decided I wasn't. What? You think there will be people in heaven. Yes, but not stupid people...right? Right?

The welcome committee at the SDC entrance. Does anyone else see the spooky Santa lurking in the bush? I swear I didn't see him when I was there. I hope this doesn't give me you nightmares. I can't wait for my son and daughter to see this photo. That's all I'm saying. It has something to do with Santas, Clowns, Easter Bunnies, and/or statues with vacant eyes...and crying. That's all I'm saying...really.

I've been visiting SDC for over 30 years and will post on my rural blog soon about this experience.  It is a wonderful place to visit, but a place typical of Missouri--the hills. I got a good workout.

I went on the train and a little boy in front of us (probably 8 or 9) didn't like the train robbers and wanted to get out of there quick and mostly hid his head in his dad's sleeve. His two-year-old sister and two brothers loved it.

I told my daughter when I become a zillionaire I would buy SDC and kick everyone out and live there. She said that would be terrible and she wouldn't let me do that. I told her she couldn't stop me. She said she would have to make more money than I did and stop me. I told her the only way she could stop me was if she had me committed. Then I thought about this. She's a psychologist. She knows how to do these things. I might rethink my venture.

Photos
Yes, that is a new photo of me (at the top of the page) and I predict (if I know myself) will come down in 2.5 days because I hate me in photos. The last one I put up looked like I was an Avatar woman. This one isn't any better.

Bed Bugs
What's not to like about the life of a bed bug? They travel. They eat all they want. They don't have to worry about enemies who can kill them.


Do you have a favorite place to visit? What does it do for you?

Firmly Established

The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.

The seas have lifted up, O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty.

Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house or endless days, O Lord. Psalm 93:1-5 (NIV)

JW's thoughts: 

We live in a fast paced, throw away world where we shouldn’t get too comfortable with anything. Here today, gone tomorrow. In a blink, our worlds can change—jobs end, marriages break, and friends betray. Yesterday’s successes are not today’s successes.

One thing we can depend on is the unmovable God of the universe. He is established, mightier than all the forces of man and nature. God is the opposite of chaos. He takes chaos and puts it in order. He is in control of all things.

When our world falls apart we need to be careful of assigning human likeness to God. If we do, we diminish his power in our minds and hearts and our faith suffers. Our heavenly Father’s understanding is not our understanding. His is better.

We do better if we align our thinking and faith to his. Then, God can be God.

Writing

I don't have a post today on writing. Here are my excuses for not providing you with a Friday writing post:

• I had to draw pictures with my granddaughter
• I had to mow my acre
• I am finishing a short story for a contest
• I had to watch the new Criminal Minds and be too scared to sleep
• And then I had to sleep
• I had to talk to my daughter on the telephone
• I had to take my granddaughter home (darn it)
• I had to talk a minute with my son
• I had to think of these excuses

I encourage you to keep writing and if you get stuck use this Creative Writing Prompt site to get you out of the funk or use it just for fun. Point to a number and get an idea. If you have children, give them a prompt and have them either draw or write a story. 

It's supposed to be in the seventies here this weekend and no rain on Saturday. Have a great weekend!

Dear Dark,

Fear is scary. If I could choose my phobias, I would fear bubblegum or popsicles (but never dust bunnies who run rampant in my house).




Instead, I fear these four things:
1. Spiders (big and small)
2. The dark (that time of day without light)
3. Closed in spaces (elevators, closets, coffins)
4. Change (not coins, but things that happen to alter ones normal life)

I decided I would write a note to one of my phobias (I really need a pen pal).

Dear Dark (also known as: darkness, midnight without the moon, nighttime),

You have bullied me from a very young age. I imagine you entertaining those things that go bump in the night. I imagine your playmates are zombies, people who want to stab, oh and spiders. Your lack of light makes me shiver and distrust. Have you ever considered lightening up a bit?

You mock me with your noises. You trick me with the light of the moon then make it disappear behind a cloud. You are cruel with your howling and hooting from who knows where. You make my mind go crazy with images.

However, I must accommodate you in order to sleep. Without sleep, I cannot live. Therefore, Dark, I must learn to live with you. 

 Sincerely frightened,
JW

Gotta phobia? Wanna talk about it?


Photo source: Google images

Ten TV Shows

It’s hard for me to join a blogfest to be one of the crowd, not because I can't, not because I hate to--no, no, it's because I like to walk to the beat my own (and different) drummer. But today I've decided I want to join one and name ten of MY favorite television shows and reminisce (or ramble as I like to call it.)  It's Alex Cavanaugh's baby, but he asked "us" to join. (BTW he has a book coming out in a month.)

Here they are in no particular order.

1. Medical Center (1969-1976) – I loved this show because (1) Chad Everett was a hunk and (2) the show was very interesting. 

2. Dallas (1978-1991) - I loved the characters on this show. Let me say you couldn't peel me off the TV when Dallas came on. In 1999, I got to visit Southfork Ranch  and wanted to live there in the fictitious house and on that ranch that wasn't really used for filming--much.  I cut my hair like Pam's more than once. My life was so empty after the show went off the air that I had to learn to live again on my own--without Pam and Bobby.

3. Knots Landing (1979-1993) This spin off from Dallas may have been my favorite show. I couldn't be happy until I viewed weekly the messed up lives of KL's characters. I've always wanted to live on a cul-de-sac.

4.  Seinfeld (1990-1998) To me this is one of the funniest shows around. I want to write funny like that.

5. Bonanza - (1959-1973) I was so in love with Parnell Roberts aka Adam. I didn't realize that it had been on TV so long (until I researched it) or that I didn't start watching it until the 1970's.

6. Charlie's Angels (1976-1981) Why? Because I felt with a little makeup and some training, I could have been one of those girls. And there is the Farrah hair that I may or may not have had...at times.

7. The Young and the Restless (?-present) You can call me whatever bad names you want and bar me from your crowd, but I love this daytime drama. (Yes, it's a soap opera.)

8. Star Trek- the original show. (years?)  I feel like I've watched every episode. James T. Kirk and Spock and the entire cast was wonderful. The show entertaining. Here's a website with Trek history.

9. Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations- This PBS show is so much fun. Three men travel in a van and find unique places and people. I love it.

10. Desperate Housewives - I can't help it, I am in love with this silly "I get nothing good from it" show. Yes, I know it's a nighttime soap. (Judging me will not make me your friend.) I like watching people whose lives are out of control and they are not mine.

That's only 10 of my favorites. I have many more because I am a TVaholic.  Some from my childhood: Sky King, The Walton's, Hawaii Five-O, Batman, I dream of Jeanie, Bewitched, Andy Griffith.

I want to thank Gail and Jules for new awards. I will get those out soon, so you all can see how lovely they are and how awesome these gals are.

Feel free to tell us your favorite TV shows past and or present.

Thoughts

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.


And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.


Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Phil. 4:6-9 (NIV)


JW's thoughts:

Where did you get that idea?

When my daughter was 3-years-old she came to me, slapped my arm, and said, “How the hell are ya?” I was  well…surprised. This wasn’t our normal language. Call me a prude, but I don’t curse unless:

• I’m in traffic
• I stub my toe
• Something goes terribly wrong with my home projects
• Or you call me a prude

I pulled her in my lap and said, “Where did you hear that?”  (We also talked about words we don't say.)

She said, “TV.”

Stephen King said in his book On Writing, “…good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn’t to find these ideas but to recognize them when they show up.”

It’s like welcoming new friends into your writing home--ideas.

Where do you find your ideas for your storyline? Do you ever have two separate ideas that come together for your writing pleasure?




King, Stephen (2000), On Writing, p.25. Simon & Schuster: NY

Stepping out

Soon, I will be stepping out of my comfy box all lined with love and confidence and into a new world that I'm unsure of, and, I am a little worried that the people who think I can—might find out that:

1. I start out as a fake and morph into something real, eventually
    a. Because I’m shy and uncertain.
    b. Because I want to make good impressions.
    c. Because superheroes do it.

2. I’m nicer than I am
    a. This means I’m nice, but I’m even nicer later. And…
    b. My serious look may confuse you, but it could just be my colon acting up again and making me look too serious.

3. I’m not as calm and collected as everyone claims
    a. Have they seen me put together new dining room chairs?
    b. Did they see me when my son put his leg through the ceiling?
    c. Have they seen me when I get lost on U.S. highways?

4. I’m pretty darn intelligent (if I have to say so myself), but, I can also be as dense as a Missouri forest on humidity.
   a. This could mean I’m green, but I’m not.
   b. This could mean I’m complicated, and I am.
   c. This could mean eventually I'll catch on to the program.
  
5. I’m scared
    a. Of spiders
    b. The dark
    c. Of spiders in the dark
    d. Of change
    e. …in that order

Sometimes we have to change jobs, move, face disease, divorce--all the while stepping into unknown territory. Sometimes we make decisions that aren’t right. That’s ok. Sometimes we can make those decisions right again. .

If you have something new to do and feel inadequate keep in mind—you weren’t born prepared to live life, you had to learn.

More later.

Daughter-in-law

An Update:

My daughter-in-law had a very rough Labor Day weekend. Tuesday morning she went to her doctor’s office, he said she had to check into the hospital immediately and would have surgery that day. She had an infection and areas that needed repair from the C-section. Recovery has been a slow journey. And can you imagine, just giving birth to a beautiful baby boy only to be separated from him? But, she did get to see him every day by way of her mom taking vacation days.

She was told she might get to go home Friday, but when Friday came the doctor said no because the hospital couldn’t get something she needed to take home that would help with recovery. It hadn't been ordered. She would have to stay in the hospital all weekend. Our hearts sank. Then an Angel (from the hospital) Friday afternoon hurried paperwork through to the medical supply place and by Saturday evening my D-I-L went home. My son and his family are together again. Woo Who!

It has been a very sad and stressful week. But, she is home and (we all hope) on the mend. 

CHAIRS

I've needed new chairs in my dining room for a couple of years. Even though I glued and re-glued the old chairs (more than once) they continued to be rickety and frankly scary to sit in. They fell apart constantly and if not they creaked and groaned to make you think they would fall apart.


You know how long it takes me to decide on anything new....

But, a few weeks ago I ordered six new chairs from Overstock.com. The gray/creamy green chair had super great reviews. Two weeks ago they arrived. With all that has been going on, I had to put them together when I found the time. 

I wasn't even sure I could do it, but I did--do it.












They are prettier than the photos. Trust me. They are sturdy chairs and I intend to rate them--five stars. That's how pleased I am.

I hope my family likes them. Don't tell them I put the chairs together myself. It's our little secret. OK?

So that's it for Monday. I am exhausted mentally and emotionally, but very glad to have last week behind us. Again, thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

Be Strong

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)


Thanks for all the prayers and support. We felt it. I will update you soon. JW's thoughts:

Time away

I'm going offline for a short break. My daughter-in-law had emergency surgery last evening. I need to concentrate on that wonderful part of my family.

Please pray for us. We need comfort and healing.

Have a great week.
Teresa

Monday

Except for new baby boy being born (whew say that fast) last week (who is so incredibly cute and precious), the terrible memories of last week will not be discussed, recalled, or rambled about.


Instead, I will show you one of the parks we hiked (ok ok walked) this weekend.

This was the highway we had to walk to get to the castle ruins.  It may look like it was flat, but uh no it was uphill. Just want you to know I felt the burn in my caboose. I thought mine had died years ago, but no--it lives--my caboose.

We found a better path through the woods, lots of nature, on the way back to the car.

Ha Ha Tonka state park is one of my favorite places to visit. It overlooks a lake. Some of it trails are challenging to walk.

Robert Snyder, a wealthy businessman in the early 1900's, purchased 5000 acres and began building the place of his dreams--a castle high on one of MO's hills overlooking Ha Ha Tonka lake. He didn't get to finish it because a year later he was killed in a car accident (one of MO's first).

photo: Castle ruins


In the 1920s his sons finished the castle. It burned in the 1940s.

Moral to this story?

Don't put off until tomorrow what you...well you know.

I am wishing you a fun Labor Day. Please don't be laboring. OK?

PS Automobiles at The Ruralhood

Source: MO Conservation Dept.

Confidence and Peace

The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?

When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.  (Psalm 27:1-5 NIV)

JW believes:

Hands

When my daughter was three or four years old, she came to me one day and said her tummy was hurting. I pulled her on my lap, held her close, and with my hand rubbed her tummy. The next day, she complained of her stomach hurting. Again, I rubbed her tummy (and probably gave her Seven-Up). When her stomach hurt the third day, I became alarmed, called the doctor, and took her in.