vote

This political season has troubled me in so many ways

but the right to vote is a privilege.

Sigh . . . 

decision making

There are two types of decision-makers: “maximizers” and “satisficers.”

A maximizer looks at every possible choice to determine the strongest contender. 

A satisficer goes with “good enough.” 

This article "How to Be a Better Decision Maker"
 in  Real Simple Magazine found that 

satisficers are happier with their choices.

They also have more free time, 

since they’re not laboring over the alternatives.

Are you a “maximizer” or “satisficer"?

uncommon philosophy

"Keep only what you use, 

make peace with imperfection, 

and (seriously) help those in need."

{Real Simple Magazine April 2012}

I need this to be my mantra for one more month . . .

british columbia

Today we bid farewell to this family

as they begin their move to British Columbia.

It has been a month that went by way too fast . . .

this could be an endless job

loving "old" Fisher Price toys

a visit from the amazing lady 

who cared for our children while we worked

it is such a blessing to know her

one last sleep in Grandma Mary and Pa Jim's room

a new adventure begins

such mixed emotions

about two miles out of town Cedar said to his mother

"It takes so long to get to Canada"

new smile

I shy away from having my picture taken for many reasons

but the biggest reason is that I have had a crooked tooth.

If I have control of the photo I immediately Photoshop that 

awful tooth so that it doesn't look quite so bad.

After a discussion with my dentist and 

some cosmetic bonding

I can now smile for the camera . . . 

Just in time for Benjamin and Lindsay's wedding!

prayers

We are saying prayers for our friend's sweet little granddaughter. 

She is having some pretty serious surgery tomorrow and our hearts go out to them.

{Nissen Fundoplication and g-tube placement}

Everything will be all right in the end... 

if it's not all right . . . 

then it's not yet the end.

We love you guys.

cocoon

A few things in my life lately make me want to
"cocoon myself away from the world outside".
{thank you lemon lane cottage for this phrase}

When people you love are going through a crisis
and you don't know how to help . . .
remember you can always pray.

It is so hard to know that as badly
as you feel, they feel much worse.



Praying for strength and wisdom to cocoon listen, reassure, advise, help . . .

slow loading blog

Lately I have had trouble loading a couple of blogs that I follow. I think it may be due to the blogHer ads on the top and side. More and more of those ads are java script videos and interactive links. They take a long time to load as they have to load video players and then use up quite a bit of memory.

One blog always gets this error, freezes and then I can't close it unless I open the task manager.



I tried opening it on another computer and it did the same thing.
I enjoy this blog and miss not being able to read it.

I was wondering if anyone else was having this problem with any blogs??

wait to worry

I used to worry more.
About all of this . . .



“Wait to worry”
has now become one of my new personal goals.
I might have a reason to worry but what I am worrying
about may not happen today or even tomorrow or maybe ever.

So . . . I am not going to let worry steal my joy.

There are friends in my life {fellow worriers}
whose thoughts also run to the “worst case scenarios.”



Since I can't take their worry away I will encourage
them {and myself} to “wait to worry”.

The worst kind of worrying I do is about things I have no control over.
Such a waste of time and energy.

I read recently than only 8% of what we worry about ever comes true.
Pretty good odds that things will be okay.

We have so many things going on in our lives that are stressful.
Worrying about all of the things that “could” happen takes so much energy.
I want to avoid that extra stress - so now I will “wait to worry”.

Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.

John 14:27
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Corrie Ten Boom
Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.

cheek wrinkles

Many of my friends are beginning to turn 60 and in 5 months I will join them. I do have mixed feelings about it but my life is pretty happy right now so I am not fearful.

Just recently I looked in the mirror and noticed new wrinkles on my face - cheek wrinkles! I have many other wrinkles but somehow these just cry out old.



And to make it worse . . .
We have been trying to eat healthier lately and I have lost 5 pounds. I ran into a friend yesterday who said, "You must be losing weight girl, I can see it in your face." I just know she was talking about my cheek wrinkles. Argh!

restless sleep

My friend Debbie P. and I are worriers.
Try as we might it is a hard thing to break free of.



Gracious God,
You have filled our night with safety, but we lie down with anxiety and wake unrefreshed. Open us to your spirit and blow through us like a fresh ocean breeze.

{a prayer from the church bulletin last Sunday}

deadlines

Do you ever love something and hate it at the same time?

I love working on our school yearbook but hate when a deadline approaches.
My "last 22 pages" are due Monday so the pressure is on.