I love fall!

Sorry for being away for a while. Well, not that sorry! I was on a little vacay visiting my baby girl in Oregon. I have to say if you want to see the most beautiful sites, go there in the fall. the colors are so bright and vivid, it's blinding! I was just in so much wonder over them. The best place we went was the Japanese Gardens in Portland. OMG! It was amazing. Highly recommend a visit there. Parking is sus, plan on walking a ways. We had to park in the neighborhood area. Let me share some pics!

They are so much more beautiful in person. I can't describe it. 

Well, after this day, it was hard to match anything the rest of the time I was there. but we did try. As always, baby girl takes me to the food places that I would normally not visit. I mean, if you look at them from the street, you probably would be like....I don't think so... or wouldn't even pay attention to it. But she finds them and we go. And they are usually really good! We had some thai, raman, and mediterranean. All was so good.The best was the mediterranean. The hummus and kebabs were splendid. I would go back. I may have to find a good one here in my hometown. Wait, another good place we ate at was a sandwich shop. I got grilled cheese and tomato soup. Excellent. Best grilled cheese I ever ate!

We walked everywhere! I was afraid to look at my steps calculations because I knew they were going to be a lot.  And it was. But it was good because I needed to walk off all the calories I ate from all the wonderful places we dined at. 

The worst part of this trip...Oregon is SO EXPENSIVE!  I don't understand why. Food high....gas is crazy high! It is $1.50 higher there than at my house. I would not be happy if I had to pay that much for gas as much as I drive!

 Overall, a good trip. It was great to get away, see baby girl (even though I will see her in Dec!) and to just have some girl time and talk. And some shop therapy thrown in there. Always good to have that....reset the mind and spirit.

Matthew 6:34; "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own"

Revelation 4:11; “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Love to all,

Everyday

 Everyday...there is frustrations. This week I was driving home from work and once again, guess what..TRAFFIC! It was so busy at work. I don't want to say it was a bad day, because, trust me, I have had BAD days. It was just a busy stress. Lots of meetings. Lots of time talking with people. Stressing about getting done what I needed to get done in that day. I just wanted to get home and have a little quiet time where, you know, you can sit and not have to talk to anyone. Even if it was just for a little bit.

But then as I drive home, in all that traffic, Or should I say as I sit in the traffic, I start to notice the things around me, the colors. And the sun was making the colors so bright on the trees. Yes, I am talking about the leaves and the beauty that the fall brings with the change in color. The golden yellow and red colors can be mesmerizing, and that isn't good when your driving!

Everyday is a day for a new opportunity, a new experience. You just have to open your eyes, and take it all in. 

1 Peter 3:3–4 – "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment... Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Love to all,

Hard work weekend

 

Don't let this smile fool you. I am having back pain, cramping in my legs and thighs. All caused by me and the hard work of this weekend. Not sure what I was thinking. Well, I can tell you exactly what I was thinking....Let's save some money...staining and weather-proofing the deck will be a weekend job. No sweat, just painting on the stain. Shouldn't be that hard. All I can say is OMG! Next time, if there will be a next time, I will find someone that wants to cash in and do the work. In 2 days I got most of it done. Still have about 2 more days of work left! Supposed to rain on Friday, so that means I have 3 days to get it done so it can set and dry before the rain. 

But there is a problem...I have to go back to work. So the hour of daylight I have when I get home the next 3 days, I will be SLAMMING out the stain on the deck stairs.  I just hope my ibuprofen works and keeps the my old back feeling like I'm 30 again. At least for this week! 

Have you ever overthought you can do something and then in the middle of it, think, what was I thinking? Good. I am glad I am not the only one that does this. And you would think I would learn in the 58 years I have been alive. But NOOOOOO! I keep having to learn this lesson over and over. Maybe I need to start writing this all down and keep a list, so I can refer to it before I decide to do something. Maybe call it the "hard work list, don't do it". 

So I leave you with this. Learn from your experiences in your life, good and the bad. 

Proverbs 10:4 – "Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth".

2 Chronicles 15:7;" But as for you, be brave and don't lose heart, because your work will be rewarded!” 

Love to all,

Doing it again...

 

I'm back in the saddle again...the manager saddle, that is. And this is after I said I wasn't going back in it! Hubs says he thinks that I like being a manager. I guess I do. So after A LOT of thought and praying, when this position came open, I decided to apply and who knew...I got it! I was so nervous and anxious. And for a sec I was second guessing myself, am I made the right decision, do I want to do this, will the people I work with support me.  I was even thinking, do they even like me! Well I guess they do because it has been 2 weeks so far in this new role, and I have to say I feel this is the best decision. I work with some amazing people and feel so supported. That is half the battle, being supported. 

With this role, I have an office. So now I need to decorate it so at least it is welcoming for when people come in to talk with me. And I am not a very good decorator. So this may take some time! I really should do something behind me where I sit. Most of my meetings are on zoom and I need something behind me other than a plan wall! And another thing...I have to get some new clothes! yay for me...shopping trip! When I left my last manager role, I also had lost a lot of weight. So instead of getting new dress clothes, I got scrubs. Well, I think I need some new dress clothes again! Like I even needed a reason for shopping. LOL.

As I am going back into this leadership role, I got to thinking...You don't have to have the title to be a leader. We all are leaders, whether in our jobs, at home, we all lead. Like with your kids. No matter how old they are, you are leading them. My son just got married, is moving into a new home this week. He looks to us for guidance (leadership) to help him answer questions on a road he has not taken yet in life. 

No matter what your job is, I am sure you look to your co-workers for assistance and they look to you as well. That is being a leader. Just go out there and do your best, give it your all and take pride in your work and what you do. 

Luke 12:48; "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more."

Philippians 2:3–4; "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Love to all,

Another tooth burial

 

Well,  you can't tell from the picture, but I have recovered from this morning. OMG. I hate the dentist and had to go back again today for my bridge to be removed and had not one...but 2 teeth pulled! I am really tired of going to to the dentist for work on my teeth. I just wish I my teeth would behave! Thank goodness you can't tell that I am missing teeth and that it was teeth in the back of my mouth. 

It started with an xray and my dentist saying that my tooth was "hanging on for dear life!" I thought it was funny till I saw the xray and it really was. I have periodontal disease and that causes bone loss and gum recession which eventually causes you to lose your teeth slowly over time. So your PSA today is BRUSH YOUR TEETH AND FLOSS KIDS!

Moving on...I show up. They take me right back, probably so I am not sitting there thinking about what is going to happen. The dentist comes in tells me what he is going to do then BAM! Out of nowhere, he starts to give me the numbing medication. Ok I have had this before, so I am thinking there is nothing new to expect. Well, he goes in and then I feel the "pinch". LOL, pinch is a kind way to say it. He then sticks it in the roof of my mouth! I can tell you that you don't want to experience that. I about levitated off that chair. 

While we were waiting for the medicine to sink in, he left. My young tech kept walking past my doorway, secretly checking on me. It was kinda comical because she appeared to try not to be conspicuous. Well, looking back, I can see why she was concerned. I was trying not to have a panic attack. When the dentist left, I started to get overwhelmed with feelings of fear. Hot tears in my eyes, and me trying to hold back so no one will think of me as a baby. Hands shaking, especially after that freaking shot in the roof of my mouth.

Y'all, Jesus showed up. And my God has such a sense of humor. I had my earbuds in and the song from Lauren Daigle came on...."Be Okay".  One verse goes like this:

You're gonna be okay, I know that you're, you're gonna be okay

Not a care in this whole world can take that truth away, You're, you're gonna be okay

THEN.. the next song that comes on is from Forest Frank, Good Day. It goes:

I'm 'bout to have a good day (good day); No matter what they say (what they say)

Sun is shining down on me, Birds are singing praise, I'm 'bout to have a good day (good day)

In every single way. The God who made the universe Knows me by my name, So it's a good day

So after hearing this, and listening to God through their words, my hands stop shaking and I felt more calm. Why? Because I knew that Jesus was right there with me. I was going to be okay. 

Now I have to learn how to eat on the other side of my mouth until it heals. This is really gonna be fun! (insert sarcasm). I have to wait 11 weeks for it to heal before I can move forward with getting "new teeth". This is going to be a fun time!

God speaks to all of us through different ways. You just have to be still and listen. You will hear him.

Psalm 85:8: "Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people."

Love to all,