Friday Funnies

We used to have a fish tank, but I got tired of rescuing the fish from the floor. Cats and fish don't mix!

Make up, never leave home without it!!

Think I'm kidding?? See the next pic....

proof positive! Yes, that's me in my cool shades and not so cool pants...

kittens and Dr Who, there is nothing better!

Daily....

or many cookies....

Here's a bonus! I saw this video this week and I LOVE it! Absolutely could have been made in my house!

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Today is the last day on May's NaBloPoMo and I made it! (cyber high-5, please!) I didn't stick with the prompts, but I still think I did good! In fact, I have signed up for June. This will be my first attempt at 2 months in a row, so wish me luck! 

Today's prompt asks us to share a thought that gives us comfort. For me that is a simple one. God. All I have to do is think or speak his name. He is comfort, peace, power, strength, love, courage and forgiveness....forever. All too often I forget this and get wrapped up in the everyday and the worries that go with it. But He always draws me back. He is faithful to this weak and willful child. And I am grateful.

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you have a beautiful day! 

Just a reminder! :)

Why moments

There has been a lot of talk lately in my life about "Why". Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did God let this happen? Why believe in a God who allows this? Why????

I don't know the answers.

What I believe is this: God cares more for our soul than for our bodies or our physical circumstances. We are not promised blue skies and sunshine. If anything we are promised stormy days. We are also promised that we are never alone during those storms. Every moment of this life is a choice, an opportunity. We choose how to face our problems. We choose either to go it alone or reach out for His hand. And the choices we make shape us. It is the journey, the shaping of our soul and spirit that matters. It is our walk with God, that building of a true and deep relationship that He seeks to have with us that matters.

I believe this. But it doesn't make the "why" moments go away. It doesn't make the journey less painful. And yet I believe. And I cling to His hand.

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P.S. Don't forget to check out my Thursday Thankfulness post.

 

Pressure makes diamonds...but it also makes mistakes

Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Do you do your best work when you're feeling comfortable or when you're feeling a little uncertain?

So, last night I wrote a post around this writing prompt, but this morning when I opened the page to give it a final check I realized that the only thing I liked about it was the title. I think that pretty much sums it up. I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself by procrastinating, and usually I end up with a good finished product. But could it be better? If I removed some of the pressure and uncertainty by actually focusing on the task instead of avoiding it, what could I accomplish? Given my nature I'm afraid we may never know!

This is Sassy, she is keeping me company this morning while I write.

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Before I go I wanted to ask you to pray for the families and communities that have been devastated by tornadoes and other severe weather this week. Last night we were surrounded by severe weather and as I sat in my little trailer listening to the thunder and rain I couldn't help but think of all those people who have lost so much. My heart goes out to them and I pray that God will bring them through this terrible time. 

Sing a new song

Tuesday, May 21, 2013
When was the last time you did something that made you uncomfortable but was ultimately worth fighting through those feelings?

This would have to be when I volunteered to sing in my church's praise and worship group. As usual I volunteered without giving it much thought. I just wanted to help, but honestly I never expected anyone would take me seriously. Guess what? They did. Before I knew it I was on stage with a microphone in my hand.

At first I was so anxious I could barely whisper out a note. My anxiety was kicking in big time! But I stuck it out for my Pastor. It's been about 8 months now and I am finally starting to feel a little more comfortable on stage. I'm not sure I will ever be 100% comfortable but it is getting better. And yes, it is worth it. The fear and doubt and insecurity that is the root of my anxiety cannot compare with the simple joy of true praise and worship. And I have been blessed in that once the music starts all that negative stuff starts to fade into the background. If I keep my eyes and my heart focused on Him then I can forget that I am being watched by human eyes and possibly judged by human hearts. None of that really matters, right?

My Comfort Zone

Monday, May 20, 2013
How much do you push yourself to leave your comfort zone?

I am sitting here on my comfortable couch with my lap top and a cup of tea and I am looking at the question that NaBloPoMo has asked and I am thinking one thing.......Why would I??

And I guess that is the answer in itself. Nope, I don't push myself to leave my comfort zone. I like it here, it's comfortable! The people know me and accept my particular brand of crazy with grace (Oh, that's just Tamara, you'll get used to her).

I am rather like Diva here, curled up on her ducky having a nap. All comfy and cozy. Not a care in the world. Only I really do have cares and concerns. I really do have reasons that I must leave my comfort zone. I am just really good at ignoring them. (insert sheepish grin here)

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I should tell you, I am trying very hard to stick to the writing prompts this month. It's my own personal challenge. However, I am not sure I can stretch this comfort zone thing into a whole week. So, we may veer off topic some, you have been warned.


And now I am off to tackle my Monday. I'll see you tomorrow for more Comfort Zone talk.....

Comfort, Kleenex, and Prayer

Thursday, May 16, 2013

What do you do to give comfort to others?

I really don't consider myself a good comforter. I very seldom find the right words to say and I am an awkward hugger. I am quick with the Kleenex though. Show me some tears and I will find you a tissue!

Tissue and prayer, that is what I give. Somehow, offering prayer never seems to be enough, when in fact it is the best and strongest thing we give. Have you ever said to someone "all we can do is pray"? Why do we do that? Use prayer as the fall back, the last resort. It is in fact the strongest weapon in our arsenal!  Prayer changes things, it changes people. It changes YOU. It can be the ultimate in comfort.

At this very moment I know people who are going through overwhelming struggles, life altering battles that I cannot even imagine. Things that a tissue can't fix. But my prayers can. Reaching out to our Father, sharing the worries and concerns of our heart and asking for His presence in the midst can make all the difference.

Father,
There are people and situations on my heart right now that I can't share in this public space, but you know them. You know the deepest worries, the darkest fears. The life and death struggles that are taking place in the lives of people that I love. Please Lord, be with them all. Be in the midst. Be the comforter that I can never be. Pour your strength and healing and overwhelming love into each life. Heal bodies, deliver souls. Make a way through what seems to be impossible. Thank you for hearing my prayer, for hearing all of our prayers, the cries of your children never go unheard. I love you Father. Amen  

One of my favorites

Don't forget to click over to Thursday Thankfulness and check out my gratitude post! :)

Growth in disagreement

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Frank Clark said: "We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't." Agree or disagree?

I agree with this thought. At least in my life I find it to be true. Let's take the subject of homosexuality for instance. I know this is a touchy subject, especially for a christian blogger. But it is one that has been on my mind and heart more and more often lately. When I was growing up in the '80's if I thought of homosexuality at all (I was very sheltered) I thought of it as a sin. That is after all what they taught us in church. Right? Though honestly, I don't remember this subject ever being openly discussed in my home or my church. But somewhere along the way I definitely picked up the notion that it was a sin or even a sickness. And everyone I knew agreed with that opinion, or seemed to. Being called "gay" was a terrible insult, a cruel and hurtful thing said in whispers behind someone's back or loud and sarcastically to their face. It was a bad thing.

Growing up in a small town (one I still live in) before the spread of the worldwide web, I wasn't really exposed to a lot of different ideas about religion and sin. For many years I didn't even recognize the difference between faith and religion. I was a sheep, blindly following the sheep in front of me instead of looking to the shepherd. I never even considered questioning what I "knew" to be true. It was only when I began to make friends with people from outside our little town that I began to question my beliefs and perceptions.

In the mid '90's a lesbian couple moved in next door to us. I actually knew one of the women from school, we will call her Sue, but she had been gone from home for many years. Sue used to enjoy trying to shock me with bawdy talk and a lot of public affection for her girlfriend. She seemed to love to try to throw me, probably because she knew how sheltered I was (read nerdy and socially awkward) growing up. She did manage to embarrass me once or twice, but mostly she made me think. We discussed her time in the service and her dishonorable discharge because she was "outed" and would not out others. We talked about trans-gender issues and HIV (her brother had died from it). I have always been the agreeable sort, ready to meet half way on any issue to keep the peace. So I never argued with her, I listened. And what I heard changed me. I didn't always agree with her, but I began to see that maybe I didn't have all the answers, that maybe my beliefs weren't really the whole story. Maybe things weren't so cut and dry. I can't say I had an epiphany or anything, there was no "eureka" moment my blinded eyes were opened to the "truth". In fact it was only years later that I realized what she had done for me. I believe completely that her friendship was the beginning of my journey to understanding myself and my walk with God better. It was the first time I questioned what I "knew". It was the first time I can remember deciding for myself what I believed rather than blindly following the flock.

When I think back on the girl I was I really can't believe how naive and narrow minded I was. I actually believed I understood the mind of God! I sat in judgement, thinking I knew best. Oh, I never (or I hope I never) openly hurt anyone with cruel comments and opinions. I never harassed anyone or called them a sinner out loud. But in my heart....well, my heart was a very limited place. I am grateful beyond measure for that couple and for all the friends and acquaintances who came after, the people whose opinions were so radically different from mine on many issues and who made me think in new ways.

**For the record, these days I believe one thing, all sin is equal and I am no one's judge. Personally, I can no longer look at a gay or lesbian couple and see sin. I see two people who love each other, whose lives are not perfect, whose relationship is not perfect. People like me and my husband, just trying to be with the person they love. Is loving someone a sin? That one is way above my pay grade, but I don't think so. **

The comfort of friends

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Tell us about a time when a friend comforted you in the past.  What did he/she do that made a difference?

When I read this question my first thought is "does it have to be just one friend? Why do I have to pick?". The I remembered this is my blog and I can interpret the questions any way I want to. So here we go:

My mom, who is my dearest friend (aside from the hubby) is not comfortable with strong emotional conversations or displays so her attempts at comfort are more practical. In fact I have often joked that if she resorts to telling me that she loves me, things must really be bad! She does love me, of that I have no doubt, she just doesn't say it. More often than not, when I am being emotional she will suggest a cool wash clothe for my face, some Ibuprofen for my impending headache, and a nap. After all, life always looks better after a nap!

My sisters both live far from me, so their comfort usually comes in the form of Facebook posts and phone calls. If I even hint that someone has hurt me they are lining up to kick butt! It is a nice feeling, knowing your sisters have your back! I wish we lived closer (especially this week) but regardless of the miles I know that they will always be there for me.

I have this one friend, Brenda, whose comfort comes in the form of listening and asking questions. Who, what, when, where, and why? Sounds kind of annoying, but really it's not. Her questions help me to focus on the real issue, not my reaction to it. She helps me to dig down deeper to find the root of the problem. And she is always honest in her opinions, if this is something I did wrong she will let me know, if it's out of my control she will tell me. I find this helpful since I tend to take all the world's problems on myself. I need someone to tell me when I am not to blame!

Of course, there is my husband. I feel like I have written about him a lot lately. I hope I am not boring you. I also hope that I am not giving you the impression that our marriage is perfect. Because it is by no means perfect. We struggle, we fight, we frustrate each other. Sometimes that is just what marriage is, a struggle. But even at our worst, if I need him he is there. His comfort comes in the form of soothing words and just listening to me as I try to find my way back to center (he spends a lot of time talking me back from the edge of panic). He has that gift to be able to comfort me by just being there.

Wow, looking back over this list I can see how truly blessed I am. God has placed so many wonderful people in my life, these folks are just the tip of the iceberg. My life is full of great people!!

Trapped in an elevator!

Monday, May 13, 2013
If you had to be trapped in an elevator, which friend would you want trapped with you and why?

I don't like this question!! Why do I have to be trapped in an elevator? Why didn't I take the stairs?!? See, I have a bit of claustrophobia so I am not a fan of elevators. Especially the ones with people on them. I tend to avoid them (the people and the elevators) wherever possible.

I think if I had to be trapped in an elevator I would want the following:

• an empty elevator
• proper air conditioning and ventilation
• A comfy seat
• A good book
• a strong cellphone signal with a full battery and free WiFi.

 I think the first 4 points are self explanatory. The phone is for calling 911 and my husband to let him know I'm going to be late. The WiFi is important because it will link me to the world. Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, I am sure I can find someone in my social networks to keep me company. And I could access my blog and read other blogs. So, I wouldn't be alone, but I wouldn't have to deal with those pesky oxygen hogging people taking up space in my already too small elevator!

If I had all of that (and bathroom facilities) I could be perfectly happy in my elevator. In fact, it's starting  to sound like a pretty good deal, where do I sign up for this elevator??

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In other news, I hope all you moms out there had a great mother's day, filled with lots of love and joy. My mom didn't even know it was mother's day until I told her! She very seldom looks at a calendar and since I am her only child there was no one else to let her in on the secret! :)


I would also like to ask for prayers for my sister (on my dad's side). Last night her laundry room caught fire. Everyone got out of the house safely and the fire was contained to the laundry room but there is a lot of smoke and water damage throughout the house. Of course I am beyond grateful that no one was hurt and the damage is not more severe, but the clean up is not going to be easy (my sis is still recovering from some surgery she had last month). Please pray that everything falls into place for them with the insurance company and that the clean up goes smoothly. Thanks!

Be blessed and have a beautiful day! :)

Life lessons: Slow down kid!

Yesterday I answered this NaBloPoMo writing prompt: Who do you like to see when you're feeling uncomfortable who instantly makes you feel grounded?

I gave my answer, short and sweet, and moved on with my day. And what a day it was! Full of frustration, tension, and anxiety. From the moment I walked in the door at work thinks started going downhill. I couldn't get into my assigned work area because the computer tech guy was there, doing something to my computer. Well, actually he was babysitting it while someone offsite dialed in and did something. Something that kept me from being able to use my computer for another 2 hours. Not good.

So, I located another computer to use, but this one only had part of what I needed to complete my work on it. I needed MY computer. And my workspace. When I finally got into it I was running so far behind and getting more and more tense. And there were other issues too. People that I needed to talk to about other problems. Problems that only got bigger and more complicated the longer we talked. And the tension kept building.

I skipped my break. I skipped my lunch. I skipped a "mandatory" meeting. I worked. And worried. And got frustrated. And then I started making mistakes. Nothing life threatening. Just stupid mistakes. Ones that my supervisor had to catch. Great, more anxiety. Which lead to more mistakes. UGH!!!

Meanwhile in the very back corner of my mind I was thinking about my blog post. About how pat my answer to the question of the day had been. How simple it sounded. How stupid. FINALLY I went to a very late lunch. I had to get out of there so I went to my car and called my husband. I complained and I fussed. I whined. And I calmed down. It wasn't so much what he said, it was the fact that he was there on the other end of the line. It was his voice, his presence. It took 20 minutes, but I finally began to feel the tension unwinding inside me. I felt myself begin to center and calm. To be able to breathe a clean breath and know that it was going to be okay. Not just tell myself that, but know it.

I wish I could tell you that the rest of my day went smoothly. It did not. I really do not handle stress well. I am not the kind of girl who can just shake it off and move on. I am also not the kind of girl who has grace under pressure. In fact I am pretty sure no one who knows me would associate the word "grace" with me in any way at all! But I did survive the day, and so did the people around me, so we will call it a win.

So, what about my blog post? It really was too easy. My answer was too pat, too simplistic. Don't get me wrong, it was true. But it didn't tell the whole story. It made my life sound so.....bland. Boring. Which it can be at times (oh those precious moments!). I didn't really give that prompt my full attention. And what's the point of the prompt if I don't really think it through? I think that God might have been trying to teach me that lesson. Lately I have been really been wondering about the direction of this blog and of my life. Am I living up to God's expectations for me? Am I on his path? I don't think I will ever be one of those people who can write beautiful prose about scripture or anything. But am I using this blog to reach people? Am I telling my story truthfully and thoughtfully?

Isn't it strange sometimes how God can use our crappiest days to teach us? I literally lived out my post yesterday. My husband was there for me, only a phone call away. And he did ground me. He made me step back and realize that it wasn't the end of the world and it would be okay. And God was there for me too. Only a whisper away. And when I didn't turn to him in prayer, he found another way to reach me, through my hubby.

And what lessons did I learn?

1. Slow down and breathe.
2. Slow down and think, let yourself really think and feel your way through a post before you publish it.
3. Slow down and pray
4. Slow down and call your husband or a friend if you need to.
5. Just slow down.

I can't promise that these lessons will stick. But I am going to try really hard to remember.

Where are you?? *and some funnies cause it's FRIDAY*

Friday, May 10, 2013
Who do you like to see when you're feeling uncomfortable who instantly makes you feel grounded?

That's a longer list that you might think. Of course, my husband tops it. Then there is my mother, my sisters my dad, my pastor, his daughter (who is one of my dearest friends), my childhood friend Patrick, and my friend/coworker Elizabeth. Each of these people hold a unique place in my world and with it comes that feeling of peace and comfort. I am truly blessed. :-)

Now, how about some funnies??

Okay, I find this funny...but probably because it is so true in my life. Keep scrolling.....

I may have used this before, but he always makes me smile!

Yeah!

Truth in humor

More truth....

Where did all this truth come from???

Just because....

Thank you Jesus!!

And this concludes our Friday Funnies!

Have a great day and a fabulous weekend! God Bless you and yours

Comfort Music

Thursday, May 9, 2013
What song do you play to bring yourself comfort?

Well, I don't have a particular song, or even a particular type of music. Sometimes I like rock, sometimes country, sometimes contemporary christian, sometimes jazz. Honestly, I think I get more comfort from listening to a good audiobook. Right now I am listening to "The Host" on my mp3 player. I have only recently completed reading the paperback and really enjoyed it. I think I am enjoying the audio even more. Listening to the story brings the characters alive and losing myself in their words and thoughts almost always calms my mind and comforts my spirit.

LOL!

While you are here, click on over to Thursday Thankfulness and see what I am thankful for this week!

Sniff, sniff

Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Do certain smells make you feel instantly comfortable?

There is a smell that comes immediately to mind. It is a rose scented cream sold by Avon. I'm not even sure they make it anymore. I have 1 jar left that I bought about 5 years ago and I use it sparingly.  My mom always had a jar of this scented cream in her bathroom. I used to sneak in there just to open the jar and smell the wonderful fragrance. The scent always makes me feel young and safe, wrapped in love and security. 

Of course there are other smells that can instantly calm and comfort me. Fresh cut grass, vanilla, and impending rain (you know that one, right?) are all smells that bring comfort. But the one smell that is at the very top of my list (even above the rose cream) is one that is almost impossible to describe. It is so intensely personal that I debated (struggled) with the notion of including it in this post. It is that unique scent that is my husband. Sometimes, when the world is at it's worst, I just lean into his embrace and breathe in his scent. That smell that is him. I can't describe it better than that. It is safety and security. It is strength and warmth. It is the man I have loved since childhood, long before I understood what that word really meant. That smell reminds me that I am not in this battle alone. I am loved and treasured by one person who will never leave me. I am safe.

He doesn't like for me to post pictures of him, but this one should be okay. :)

What a beautiful, miraculous gift our sense of smell is. Stop and think about it for just a second. It is really amazing, not just the way we can distinguish smells, but how our mind, body, and heart can take that smell and connect to a memory and bring it to life in such a way that we physically respond to it. The comfort available to us just through a sniff of the right fragrance or aroma; What an incredible gift.  

More Comfort Food!!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013
NaBloPoMo asks: What makes you reach for comfort food?

Emotional eating is a huge problem for me and the comfort that I get from food is temporary. As a diabetic the negative effects of emotional eating are much more long term. My problem is when I am emotional I am living in that moment, not thinking about how this will affect my blood sugar in 30 minutes, much less how it will effect my health in 10 years. Diabetes is sneaky that way, it creeps up on you when you are not paying attention. You know you have it, you know what needs to be done. But doing it day in and day out, year after year is hard, so much harder than you realize when you are first diagnosed.

Ugh. Just thinking about that makes me want something to eat. See my problem?

Comfort Food!

Monday, May 6, 2013
NaBloPoMo asks: What is your biggest comfort food?

Have I mentioned that I am an overweight, middle aged, diabetic? Or that I am a serious emotional eater? Well, I am. And to top it off, I HATE to cook and I am picky about textures. For instance, I cannot eat a tomato, not because of the flavor, but because of the skin and the slimy seedy parts. Makes me gag every time. So, when it comes to comfort food I eat a lot of things that I absolutely should not be eating. Lots of processed junk (potato chips), or high carb foods like Mac and Cheese and Mashed potatoes, that kind of thing.

I think my favorite comfort food at the moment is a hot buttery biscuit. Fresh from the oven, split open and a pat of butter on each half. Yum. I grew up making biscuits from scratch every Sunday morning for my parents. I can't remember when it started, but for years I got up early on Sunday mornings (around 5:30), sifted the flour (remember doing that?), mixing in the salt and baking soda, cutting in the Crisco, and finally mixing in the milk. Rolling out the dough and using a biscuit cutter, dipping the cut dough in melted butter and then placing it on a cookie sheet to bake in a hot oven. Only then did I go wake my parents (all of this was my step dad's idea, I think to teach me some responsibility).

These days I do things a bit differently. My biscuits come from the freezer section of my local grocery store and have a picture of the Pillsbury Dough Boy on the package. I much prefer this method of baking!

Image source

So, what is your favorite comfort food? :)

NaBloPoMo May 1st: Pooh Bears and Blankets

Did you have a favorite stuffed animal or lovey as a child?  Tell us about it...

And that my friends is the prompt for the first day of NaBloPoMo for May 2013. This month's theme is comfort, a subject near and dear to my heart! After all, who isn't looking for some comfort in the world?

So, did I have a favorite stuffed animal or lovey as a child? Most definitely yes. I had both. I my lovey was actually 2 identical blankets with a cute little bunny village print on them. I had 2 because I had to have one with me at all times. This was vital to my well being and my parents sanity, so when one needed washing it was replaced with the other.

I don't actually remember the battle to break me from the blankets, but my mom tells me it was fierce and long. I do remember being severely traumatized at  about age 8 when I happened upon one of my old blanket friends stashed in the storage compartment of our horse trailer. Lord only knows what lead to my mom hiding it there! My little heart was so broken to find my old friend so neglected, but my mother (very wisely) did not let me take it in and wash it up. I am sure she realized that (even at the mature age of 8) the battle would begin anew if that blanket saw the inside of our home. So I had to say a final goodbye to my old comforter. It was a sad, sad day......

Mom may have won the war of the blanket, but she lost the war of the Pooh Bear. Of course, I am not sure she tried very hard to win that particular war. After all, Pooh was my bedtime comforter, I did not feel the need to take him everywhere with me. I'm not sure how old I was when my Mama Mac and Papa gave me my first Pooh Bear. Back in those days Sears was the only store you could buy a Winnie the Pooh bear from and Mama Mac worked for them, so I am sure she got a great discount! I slept with that old bear until I was 17. Really. And the only reason I let him go was because my other grandmother replaced him with a new one. That one I still have, along with many others. I collect stuffed animals now, all kinds (anything that makes me smile) but especially Winnie the Pooh. But my first Pooh Bear is lost to history. I wish I had kept him, just for the memories.

So, what about you? Did you have a favorite stuffed animal or lovey when you where a child? I would love to hear about them! :)

I am looking forward to this month's NaBloPoMo challenge. It's been a while since I have committed myself to writing everyday, I have gotten somewhat lazy! Time to get out of my comfort zone a bit (he-he) and explore the inner workings of what passes for a functional, relatively sane mind! Now, someone remind me of this moment in 25 days when I am just looking forward to the end of the month!! :)