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7 Rules of Life

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I don’t know about you, but I am always up for some encouragement. Paul, with Total Safety Services, sent a email, to all his subscribers, with the 7 Rules of Life lessons. I am in that group. Thanks Paul, for this great list of rules, to remind us to take inventory of how we are handling life.

Here are the list of rules, that I have added scriptures to (and maybe a few other words):

  1. Let it go. Never ruin a good day by thinking about a bad day in the past. Brethren, I do not count myself to have [d]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV)
  2. Ignore them. Don’t listen to negative people. Live a life that’s empowering to you. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NKJV)
  3. Give it time. Time heals everything. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (I Peter 5:6 NKJV)
  4. Don’t compare. The only person you should try to beat is the person you were yesterday. So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12 NKJV)
  5. Stay calm. It’s okay not to have everything figured out. Know that in time, you will get there. I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. (Psalms 40:1 NKJV)
  6. It’s on you. Only you are in charge of your happiness. You are president & CEO of your life. If things aren’t working out, look inward, then upward. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV)
  7. Smile. Life is short. Enjoy it while you have it. whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  (James 4:14 NKJV)

Y’all. That thing you have been so worried about & stressed about? God is working on it. The Lord works behind the scenes for us all the time. Ain’t you glad we serve a Savior like that? I know I am.

Thank you for stopping by to visit. We have certainly been hunkered down since the mean, stupid Covid continues to hang around. I hope you & your loved ones are staying safe as possible. And by the way, Covid, if you are reading this, you are not welcome here. Go away & take all your drama with you. I have been praying for you. But you better count yourself lucky, let me just tell you, if my Mama Boyce were here, she’d get a switch to you.  Until next time, I have to be going, because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: wishesmsg.com, jengkie.tumblr.com, bibleversestag.com

And just like that, summer was gone & love your people

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We are right in the middle of being in the swing of things for school this year. Miss Neenee has plenty to keep her busy. She is cheering this year. We are so excited! Except that she has to miss band for the 1st semester.  However, 2nd semester, trumpet section, watch out.

She has had some spirit days at school where they dress up, appropriately, nonetheless, for the theme.  This was crazy hair day.

She had a bird’s nest made of hair (aka a bun).

They had a dance. And guess what? Mr. Sweetie Pants attended, too. He was just as cute, as the day is long, to watch dancing with all the “big girls”.

It was a black light dance, thus the freshly made glow in the dark t-shirts & face paint.

We went to the circus with the grands. They were so excited. I asked what their favorite part was & hands down, it was the dog that did tricks! Nevermind the blurry picture. There was LOTS of energy & not being able to be still in this photo. Oh & a Grand that can’t take good pictures.

We came across Batman, Spiderman, a tiger, & a puppy dog at the circus.

On Labor Day we had a fish fry. This young man had a really good time. He told lots of tales and entertained the dickens out of everyone, per his usual.

This man is full of entertainment. Lots and lots of entertainment.

I Thessalonians 3:12  

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,

I thank God daily for the full life I have. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by people we love. There is really no greater joy in life. I pray the Lord will also make your love BIG for your people, too.  Until next time, I should be washing clothes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

July Scripture Writing Plan

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JULY Scripture Writing Plan English

Hey y’all.  Just wanted to pop in & let you know about July’s Scripture Writing Plan.  Shannon, over at http://www.swtblessings.com, so graciously allows me to share her scripture plans.  Go on over & visit with her & let her know what a “sweet blessing” she is!

Patience & perseverance is the topics for July.  And Lord have mercy don’t we all need a good dose of that!  Join me as we read through God’s Word & enjoy knowing his tender mercies for us.

I hope you are having a wonderful week.  It’s 4th of July weekend!  That means family, food, & fun!  Can’t wait to spend it with my people.  My cousin is here from Colorado.  His 12 year old son said he could not wait to shoot some fireworks.  He was so very excited.  Evidently, Colorado is not a firework friendly state.  I hope you have some fun holiday plans, as well.  Until next time, I will be going, because I should be washing clothes.

photo credit: http://www.swtblessings.com

 

Things that make me happy

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There are a few things that make me happy this time of year. Here are some of those in random order.


Making Christmas cookies with my grands.
 The kids and grands hanging around playing games.
 Christmas movies with my church family.
 Basketball! December starts basketball!

 Christmas candy. Lots.Of.Christmas.Candy.


Miss Neenee playing the trumpet in the Christmas parade.



Gracia our elf. She’s ALWAYS doing crazy stuff.

 Mr. Sweetie Pants at a Christmas parade saying,”Grand, take my picture beside this police car.”
 Our Griswold Christmas tree.
 Mr. Sweetie Pants riding on the “reindeer”.
 May Christmas be in your heart all year long. Love y’all like chocolate gravy and biscuits. Merry Christmas from I should be washing clothes.

The end of 5th grade & how to deal with those angry birds in your life

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Just so you know Miss Neenee has kicked 5th grade to the curb.  To the curb, I tell you.  She came, she saw, she conquered 5th grade.  Maybe you remember when she started 5th grade:Neely 1st day of school

And now the end of 5th grade:

NeelyAll I can say is time quit flying……

And she wanted ya’ll to see her in her new glasses, lookin’ all sassy.

Neely glassesSomebody make it stop.  This is just too much for me.  Grown. Up. Little. Lady.

Here is a reblog of a post I did back in April of 2013.  It’s about how to approach a mountain lion (angry people).  I hope you enjoy it.

Click here to see it.

 

I hope everyone has a beautiful week.  Someone asked me what I was doing with my family this weekend.  I told them I didn’t have any plans.  They said they were going on a get away, seeing we are off work Monday.  I asked them why in the world would we be off work Monday?  Memorial Day.  I thought that was the Monday after this one!  Have you came across anyone thinking the same thing???  I have.  But I will take that day off work.  Just like it’s my whole duty.  Until next time, I must be going, because I should be washing clothes.

 

 

Don’t tell me to smile & what to do when it sunshines

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In life, I have found this to be true- you just never know what someone else is going through. The other day, I was at the pharmacy picking up my medicine.  There was a man ahead of me.  I was practicing waiting patiently.  I say practicing, because there are times I get sorta disgruntled, when I have to wait.  These days, I am so busy, that having to wait on someone else can put me out a tad.  This previous statement comes from the same lady that is the biggest time waster that ever was, which also has a love hate relationship with time management.  So, I know, I need to clean off my own door step before I even consider making mention of anyone else.  There, since that elephant is out of the room, I was standing in line at the pharmacy when I noticed the lady behind the counter looking sort of perturbed.  The man, in front of me left, & I stepped up to the counter.  I told the pharmacy tech what I was after & she got my bag.  As she was ringing it up, she said,

“Do you know what that man said to me?  He told me to smile.”

Then she shared with me how her daughter had run away from home at 18 years old.  She said she had not seen her in several years.  She said she had heard her daughter had gotten married & actually only lived a few miles from her house.  She said some days it was all she did- was to think of her daughter.

She then said, “You know with that on my mind, sometimes it’s just hard to smile.”

At that point I felt I needed to share with her the 5 cent version of the situation with my son.  I told her my 23 year old son left home several years ago.  That he’d had 2 car wrecks (while under the influence) & chose to do drugs & drink, still. Now.  BUT, that God was good & he took care of things in His own way & time.  I told her I would be praying for her & she said she would be thinking of me, too.

Nahum 1:7 says

7 The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (NKJV)

Nahum

Lord have mercy! Who in the world would have known that innocent little drug store visit would have been a chance to encourage somebody?  You just never know what other people are going through.  That’s why I HATE it when some well-meaning person tells me to smile.

If I look that disheartened, just ignore me, or say“Bless your heart,” or how about “Have a good day”?

Those kinds of things would be much better than,

“Smile, it can’t be that bad.” 

Really?  Because you don’t know if my heart has just been ripped out & stomped flat by somebody I love or if I am doing ALL I can to put one foot in front of the other or if I’m just sour person.  Why take the chance?  Just be nice.  That’s all we need anyway.  A little kindness.

The apostle Paul gave this commandment to the church at Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (NKJV)

ephesians 4 32

That means I need to be kind & you need to be kind, because God was kind to us.  He sent His son to die on the cross for our sins.  Do you think God was smiling when He did that?  Probably not.  And I bet nobody was saying to God that day:

“Smile, it’s not that bad.” 

Because you know what?  Sometimes it just is that bad & we need to be kind & tenderhearted toward each other.  Many times people need compassion.  Not somebody barking at them to get over it.  What if they don’t know how?  We need to be ever mindful of others.  It’s just considerate.  Be prepared to help & encourage whenever you go.  Kind words will melt a broken heart quicker than anything.

Thank you for stopping by to visit with me today.  Sunshine! Finally, coming through these windows.  Loving this 60 degree January weather. What exactly do you do when it sunshines?  You get out & enjoy it.  Just like we did.

Playing with rocks, no less.

Playing with rocks, no less.

Always a good time with a rock.

Always a good time with a rock.

And this cute puppy dog.

And this cute puppy dog.

I hope you have a blessed week.  Until next time, I should be going because I should be washing clothes.

photo credits: k.love.com,www.dianalamb.com

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness week & how I connect

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This week is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness week.  This is the week is to raise awareness about this disease.  You may read about this disease here.  My friends over at Healthline do a wonderful job of supplying lots of information about Multiple Sclerosis.  Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system.   It is a chronic condition, as there has not been a cure for it.  It is not hereditary.  However, a parent, sibling, or child has a significantly higher risk of developing this disease than someone with no relative with MS.

If you have followed me for some time, you already know this story.  If you do not, I will try to make a lengthy story short.  My Mama found out she had MS in the mid-1980s.  We had no idea what was going to happen.  It was a long road for her & us.  To start with she had some issues with balance & falling.  This led her to go to the doctor & after many visits, medicine, & tests, it was determined she had Multiple Sclerosis.  She experienced the classic symptoms, fatigue, dizziness, numbness & tingling, pain. bladder problems, & trouble walking.  Once she was diagnosed, the doctor researched her medical history.  He said she had shown signs of this disease for 20 years.  However, as years went by, the MS came to the surface.  There are different “kinds” of MS.  Her’s was the most severe, as she passed away in 2002.  She was a wonderful person.  She did so much for everyone.  She not only was good to her family, she had lots of friends.  That was due to the fact that she loved people.  She cared.  And people gravitated toward her for some reason.  Possibly because she was so kind & sweet.  And for the biggest part of her life, she had it all together.

She was bedfast for the last several years of her life.  It was a rough time for her.  She didn’t like having to depend on others.  Most of the time she took it in stride.  Sometimes she didn’t.  She was so courageous & brave.  I just don’t know if I could be the same.  I would ask her, how she did it.  How she made it through everything that was happening to her.  First & foremost she credited the Lord for her care, her salvation, & her destiny.  Then, she would always say,

“Just because I have a pain, doesn’t mean I have to be a pain.”

So this week and month I want to honor my Mama.

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I hope you decide to wear orange this week or this month for Multiple Sclerosis awareness. Hopefully on day this disease will be history. Until then please support those affected by this disease.
Thank you for stopping by to visit with me today. As for me, I have to going because I should be washing clothes.

Noah’s ark & some complaining

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noah's ark

I have a Bible class at church.  I look so forward to being with these lovelies each week.  They are 1st & 2nd graders.  Oh, the questions they have about God’s word!  It is amazing to look through the eyes of a child.  So, I knew when I was studying to teach them about Noah’s ark, I had better know my stuff.  As I was reading over the story in Genesis, I came across a verse that I immediately identified with.

Genesis 8:

6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth.

Sometimes we seem to overlook that raven.  We see pictures about the dove, that comes back with the olive branch.  But the raven has kinda gotten muddled up in the story somehow.  Well, let me tell you.

I think the raven was very significant.

Raven

I feel it’s pain.  Sometimes I feel like all I do is go “to & fro” with unrelenting problems.  Will they ever stop?  Will I be going back & forth forever?  At times, it sure does seem like it.  Whether it’s one of my kids sick with a stomach bug, bills that need to be paid, like yesterday, people who don’t get the concept of a car line at school, those who think more of themselves, than others, people who say harsh words to my loved ones,  my son, who has chosen a destructive path in life, missing my mama, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparents who have all gone on, life can get pretty crazy, ya know?  With my big family, I am constantly thinking, “What do I need to do next?” because something is always happening with one of us. When the doctor gives you 8 pills to take a day to “cure” your stomach problems, perhaps you may think will this ever end??  Stress can get pretty high every once in awhile.  And then, the hot water line to the washing machine starts to leak.  God bless my son-in-law for being around to fix stuff, when no one else is around!  I think, maybe once winter is over & we can get outside & get some fresh air, maybe things will settle down.  Oh wait, I get POISON IVY about every time I get in the yard.  Do you see where I am going with this?  To and fro, flying around, like Noah’s raven.  Nowhere to rest!  Sometimes, I think the only thing to make it all better is pitchin’ a dyin’ duck dawg fit.  Just gettin’ everybody while I’m at it.  Even the cat.

But then you know what?  Just like the raven, I hit dry land.  I realize I really do have it good.

 
Miss Neenee & Mr. Sweetie Pants playing a game of drop the pompom through the toilet paper roll & catch it.

Miss Neenee & Mr. Sweetie Pants playing a game of drop the pompom through the toilet paper roll & catch it.

Miss Neenee & Mr. Sweetie Pants playing a game of drop the pompom through the toilet paper roll & catch it.

 My Mr. Sweetie Pants grandson lights up our world.  Do you hear me?  Precious & sweet.  Especially when he says,

“Grand, hold me.”

 And stretches those little arms up.  Melts me.  Won’t be long until I have a grandbaby girl!  Of course she will be just as cute.  I have seen the sonogram pictures.  She is going to be a dandy!

Then, I have my kids & my husband who are so good to me.  Dirty dishes loaded in the dishwasher, by someone else than me.  Always a good way to make this mama’s day.  Not to mention, I have some of the kindest, dearest friends in the world.  My church family is exceptionally wonderful.  I have a good job & work with nice people.  I have the best big brother in the world.  My niece & nephew are the cat’s pajamas.  And my brother’s wife, she’s a good one to have on your team, too.  My Daddy is so kind & considerate.  He always makes time for us.  Those kids I have in my Bible class.  I so look forward to seeing them & spending time with them every week.  Some of the stuff they say just tickles me to death.  Blessed is what I am.

I’m so glad you came by to visit today.  You just remember, you are not alone in this world.  Life is a battle.  You may be going into battle, or coming out of one.  If things are going good for you.  Enjoy it.  Because problems rise up, when you least expect it.  The Lord is willing & able to comfort you & give you the peace of mind that nothing else can.  It’s been one more week.  I’m ready to see the weekend!  Come back & see me again soon.  As for me, I have to be going because I should be washing clothes.

Photo credits:momsgenerations.com, christark.com