Thursday, January 25, 2018

       ~ Laughter is a tranquilizer with No side effects.
         
                                                                 Arnold Glasow



I need a tranquilizer of laughter right about now!  Oh my goodness....It has been forever since I have seen my very close friends.

November and December are so busy....and January of this year has been super busy as well.







Life is awesome with great friends......

How Blessed I am to have them in my life!

Shug ~

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Last night...I was looking back at some of my MANY journals that I have kept from years ago.  This is a great thing to do, because I can see so many situations where God's favor was showered upon a need.   I can also see many answered prayers.


This particular journal is one that I wrote in, way back in 2005.  Gosh, that was a long time ago!


Don't judge my writing skills.  Truthfully....I think my writing pretty well can dictate my feelings on any given day.  Some days, everything is perfectly neat...other days, well...lets just say it reflects how I'm feeling.   LOL.  

June 15th...2005

Help me to show goodness today in my life.  Thank you for another Birthday for my mother.  I have been so blessed with a loving, kind mother.  Thank you for the years of her life.  Keep her strong and healthy...Bless her in her life.   She has inspired me so very much throughout my life.    Happy birthday to the sweetest mother on earth.  I pray that happiness fills your life as you begin another year.  

Little did I know that she would pass away just a few months later.  However....I have my journal that is filled with so many more special times, to remind me that I was so Blessed to have this beautiful lady as my mother.

October 2005

Great are you Lord.  I lift your name in Praise!  I magnify your name.  Great is your faithfulness....Thank you for a beautiful morning...I am so thankful for this time of peace, a time that I can sit quietly with you and just take in all of your glory.  Thank you Lord for the Blessings that you have poured out in our church....May we continue to grow together in love and fellowship.  Thank you for the doors that have been opened in the lives of my children.  Now...give them wisdom to use these gifts wisely.  

Such a fabulous way to start a day.....Praising God and thanking him for HIS tender mercies and HIS grace.  Giving Glory to God.   I actually recall this day.   I think I almost rocked the wood off of my big rocking chair on the back porch that morning.   It was a Perfect morning!!

I shared these two little journals from back in 2005 to show just how important it is to reflect back on our lives and to be able to empower and encourage others, by sharing the goodness of God.   

I hope you all have a super special day.....declare that you will and I promise, your day will be wonderful.  

Hugs 
Shug ~


Monday, January 22, 2018

Good morning......

This was my view for most of  all last week.  Isn't it beautiful?
I sure enjoy going to all of the Nursery shows.   There are so many gorgeous flowers, shrubs and trees.   There were several booths filled with succulents.   I am becoming a big fan of the small little succulents.   



I only have one problem with these shows......I want to bring EVERYTHING home!

OK....so the truth is....I did bring some home!



blooms from the lemon tree we purchased.






Our trip home was heavenly.....we enjoyed the sweet fragrance of these blooms all the way home.   It was 8 1/2 hours of our car being filled with such sweetness.


I looked out on the porch yesterday, and there must have been at least 50 bees all over this plant.  Oh my...can you imagine their happiness of finding these blooms, after last weeks snow?

We also brought home an avocado tree that is full of blooms and an Orange tree....also full of blooms!

~~~~~~


Shug.......



Saturday, January 20, 2018

Grief does not magically end after the death of a parent, a loved one or a friend.   I have no idea what causes feelings of grief to return on certain days or on the anniversary date of a loved ones death....but I do believe that it is a normal feeling for us as people.  

It's not sympathy that I'm looking for.....and I don't believe that sympathy even crosses the mind of others who experience delayed reactions to a death. There are many people, including myself who hold strong emotional depths of love in their heart.  

The anniversary date of my Dad's death is coming up this next week.  While I know that he is now in heaven.....and is no longer suffering from alzheimer's and a stroke that left him unable to swallow.....I also know that my heart hurts.   

The truth is....for some of us....we need a much longer time to grieve.    Hey....I know a good bit about grieving....I've experienced grief many times.  My sister passed away at an early age.   She was 28.
Her son (my nephew) also passed away at an early age.  He was only 28 years old.   My mom was only 72 and my dad was 86.  

Who wants to look as if they are dysfunctional?  Not me....I prefer for others to see me as a person who has it all together...A person who is strong and in control.  And for this exact reason, I never allow myself to fully grieve the death of a loved one...the way my emotional heart needs to grieve.   Instead, I try to be normal like everyone else around me.   

However.....the normal person does not feel what I feel.   They did not love the person I am grieving over, the way I did.   So....why do I want to be like the normal person?  It's called fear of others thinking I am crazy.  

I have even heard people say that Christians do not have to go through deep grieving experiences, because they know that their loved ones are with the Lord and that we should all be rejoicing in their home-going.  

I understand the point that these people are trying to make.....but my breaking heart does not understand.


My dad passed away on Jan. 23rd, 2017.....I watched him breathe his last breath.   Being there, in the room, holding a loved ones hand when they take their last breath, is a very profound experience.   

This is not an experience that is easily wiped from your memory.   This is why I know that it is alright for me to have the feelings that I have!!!   Others around me may not understand when I cry....over a death that happened an ENTIRE YEAR AGO, but for me that entire year ago was just like YESTERDAY.

My point in writing this post is to encourage others to let their emotions be free.   Don't bottle things up....it is OK to cry!

It's ok to cry any time that you feel like crying.  It is definitely alright to be preoccupied with the wonderful memories of your loved one.  

What is a memory?   It is something remembered from the past!  What is the past?  There is no time frame on your past.   Wonderful memories are gifts from God.

I intend to experience these wonderful memories of my loved ones, over and over again.   If they bring me tears, then I welcome each and every tear.

Blessing to all of you...

Shug  

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Oh Dear me, Y'all.....

I have been waiting for YEARS .....for it to snow in Chandler Texas.    And guess what?  It snowed last night!!!



Trey having fun on the 4 wheeler.....


A little trampoline jumping in the snow...





Broad Street in Chandler.....


Trey and Mylee Jo.....having fun....



Bella and Diamond....staying inside where it is warm....


Tucker and Emily...enjoying the snow day...

Here is the sad thing.......   I MISSED ALL OF THIS!!!!!!!

I DID....AND I'M SAD ABOUT IT!

Sam and I left on our trip before all of this hit and so we missed all of the snow and ice.  While I'm happy that we didn't have to drive in this mess....I am sad that I didn't get to play with my kiddos in the snow!!!  

Maybe next year!!!  :(    :(

Shug

Friday, January 12, 2018

Relax, Refresh oneself, and recover strength!  What am I talking about here?   I'm giving you the definition of the word REST!

One of my sweet blogging friends posted that even though she really was not looking for a "word" for the year 2018......the word 
REST came to her mind. 

Another dear blogging friend of mine......left a comment for me just this past week mentioning........ that with all the crud that I've had....perhaps, I just needed to rest!  Let my body REST!


Now.....this is what I call resting!!

It is true....Our body has a way of letting us know that it needs rest. Way too often, I ignore those signs and just keep on trucking along.
What usually happens is that after so long of trucking along, my body says: NO MORE!  It's at these times that I finally have to take a few days to recoup.   

As I was thinking about this word REST......I realized how much my mind needed a rest.  I'm pretty sure, that just like many of you, our minds have been on overload since about September!!  

September....School gets back into swing.....we have Fall festivals.....Decorating....Parties.....Trick R' Treat......Thanksgiving....cooking......Decorating.....Christmas.....giftbuying......wrapping.....cooking.....Christmas with Families......and sometimes, we might throw in a Fall vacation.

But....how many of us really rest even on a Fall vacation?  Even though WE usually take a September vacation......rarely is it a RESTFUL vaca!!!

Our vacation schedule is so planned out, that it leaves very little time to relax.

For me.....it is very difficult to settle down by the time January gets here.  I am overwhelmed with this huge onset of boredom, after having just come away from the past.... 4..... super busy months.  

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to rest when you are bored?
This is a very difficult task......for me anyways!


God's word tells us to rest......it say's to BE STILL.   How can we possibly hear God speaking to us if we never take time to be still and REST. 

This world that we live in.....is so very demanding!  Demanding of our time and over demanding when it comes to being productive. 
I would love to know how many times a day the word HURRY is spoken.   Hurry up...... are the two words that COMMANDS our days.

Are any of you hungry for REST?   I know that I am.   

Sam and I have a business trip this next week that requires quite a bit of driving.    Although we will be spending many hours on the road.....I plan on sitting back and giving myself the opportunity to rest.   I usually help with the driving, and I will again this time....but instead of allowing my mind to be absorbed with what I need to do two weeks from now....I'm just going to take in the scenic views and enjoy myself.   

Hugs to all....
Shug ~







Thursday, January 11, 2018

We have  ~ Rain ~ again today!    


The rain is really very pretty....however, it kinda 
"Dampens" the day!  LOL.

Early this morning, I fixed a big pot of Beef Stew!  It smells so good, and with the rainy, dreary weather outside.....this will make a perfect meal for dinner.

             ~~~~~~

We have a new driver in the family!!  Yay....for Tori!


How could it be......that she has gone from this sweet little tortilla faced, basketball playing kid.......




                                                                                  To 



being a 16 year old...... with a boyfriend, her own car and now having  her 
Drivers License????

This is all happening way too fast for this Shug!

To my grandchildren.....I say:  Please don't grow up 
Sooooooooooo fast!!!

Hugs,
Shug




Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Hang on.....this is what I keep telling myself.   Tomorrow will be better!  It will be a new day!   I even humored myself today when I took a look at myself, in my bathroom mirror.    It says a whole lot about a person, when..... even your dog doesn't want to hang out with you.

Do you really think that there are people out there that enjoy taking Steroids?  Geez....these things are from the devil.  My goodness..  Not only do they make you irritable, but they also make you HUNGRY!

I have been starving and yet....nothing taste good at all.    It's like you can't stuff enough food into your mouth.  My eating schedule has been like on the 15's.....every single hour!!   1:00 ~ 1:15 ~ 1:30 ~ 1:45 ~ 2:00.      YIKES!!!!

What hasn't made me mad......has made me madder!!  Is that even a word?  Seriously....let me tell you, steroids can make you have a really bad attitude!

I'm just here to tell you that I don't like taking the things!!

Now....  On to a better topic!


My sweet "Bella"

She is the sweetest, most precious little dog.   She was born with one eye....but this has not slowed her down ANY.
I've had her for about 8 years and I can definitely tell that she's getting older.

It has been a couple of months since we had her pampered....and WOW....she really needed it!

This time....I used a new lady to come give Bella a good spa day!

Check this out!!


Yep...that is a cute little Mini school bus.....parked in my circle drive.








This groomer has a little mini school bus that she drives and comes right to your front door.....to take care of your pet.
She picked Bella up at my front door......took her out to her mini bus.....gave her a bath, trimmed her, pampered her, dried her and delivered her back to my front door.





How much easier could it get?   I love this idea.....and I love not having to drive 20 miles to take Bella to a groomer....and 20 miles to go back and pick her up.   I'm SOLD on this for sure!!!

Plus....I love that little school bus!   I think I would like to have one for myself....just to drive around!!


Shug

Monday, January 8, 2018

I'm beginning to think that someone needs to come on over and give me a swift kick in the bottom end.  I don't like to complain, but this Bronchitis stuff that I get once or twice a year....has not been very nice to me this year.   

My goodness....I don't know which is worse...the Bronchitis itself, or the Medicine!  I'm finishing up my second round of steroids...plus a steroid shot....a shot of antibiotics, cough medicine and more.   I still like about a weeks worth of antibiotics and hopefully I'll be done with pills.    

I'm thankful that I don't have pneumonia.....!!  I sure don't like taking meds though.   I honestly have not had the energy to do anything.   The most comfortable place for me has been sitting in the recliner......doing nothing.   AND...at 8:00 P.M. I start watching the clock so that I can go to bed. 

How pathetic is all of this?  It's terrible.    I have things to do...I even have gift cards to spend.....All I need is a huge dose of Energy!

Everyone stay well....wash those hands... and don't go anywhere you don't have to go...

Hugs..
Shug


Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Oh wow......Let me tell you......This girl is on cloud 9!

My new pantry is finished and I am loving it......




One thing that I was shocked about is that I really thought I had a LOT of stuff in the pantry.....but with it now stretching from the floor to the ceiling, it makes it look like I barely have anything.



I have plenty of storage for extras and everything is now in plain sight.




OOPs.....My chili can is upside down.....I'll have to make sure I fix that..    This OCD girl can not have an upside down chili can.



I chose to wait until Spring or maybe the first part of Summer to paint the shelves.   For one thing...it's way too cold outside and I was worried that it would take way too long for the paint to dry...Plus the fumes would be a little bad.

Second.....I need to repaint my kitchen cabinets as well, so I'll just it all at one time.




I laughed at this picture......the reason?  Sam does not like Corn and yet....I have several cans of corn on the shelf. 



Originally......this was a long {wasted} hallway that led to our Bedroom...... We never used this hallway, because there is  another entrance to our bedroom that we always use.  

We closed in the hallway and for several years now, I have had a couple of sets of black bookshelves in there to stack my can goods in.   NOT ANYMORE THOUGH.   We took the bookshelves out and had these new wall shelves put in.  

I Love the way they turned out.....


Shug....

Sunday Thinking

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