SLIGHT PAUSE IN THE ACTION...

Well, guys...it is supposed to be favorite song Friday, BUT - I am slammed here at work and really can't post today. Hope all of you have a wonderful day! Hopefully I will be able to get back to posting soon :)

BAH - BAH - BAH...

I am certain the suspense is nearly killing you all. What could the first song be? OK, ok…I guess you’re probably not thrilled to the max, but I AM! I have to say, being someone who loves music, it was difficult to pick this first favorite. I hadn’t heard this song in a while, but my husband mentioned it to me the other day, so I decided to look it up. I enjoyed every note. Are you ready? (FYI - before you play the video clip, be sure to put my blog's music player on pause so you don't have two songs playing at once.)

Sweet Caroline, written and performed by Neil Diamond

I love this song for one reason. (Not because I love the Red Sox – sorry baseball fans!) I love it because it makes me happy! How can you not want to join in? Especially on that chorus – Sweeeeet Caroline, BAH – BAH – BAH…

So I hope you all enjoy this song today – and may you hum it incessantly…throwing in those BAH – BAH – BAHs, of course…as will I – ALL DAY LONG.

Have a blissfully happy Friday and a super-fun weekend!

More fun stuff to come...

So, great news, boys and girls! I am starting a new thing on my blog - “Favorite Song Fridays.”   I will be tracking down some of my specialties and sharing them with you, along with a little commentary about why they are important to me. Hopefully, some of these songs will be a blessing to you or maybe cheer you up just in time for the weekend!

Here’s the dealio – I want to hear back from you! Feel free to comment to me about your own personal favorites – any genre. Also, tell others about my blog, and follow me if you aren’t already. It is simple to follow. Just go to blogspot.com, set up a google account and hop aboard!

Tune in Friday for my first favorite…and be thinking of some of your faves, too!

A Valentine's Day Post...

Well, today’s the day - Valentine’s Day! I must admit, it’s never been my favorite holiday. I do enjoy it more now than ever, though…thanks to my man. He is truly the best. And he makes Valentine’s Day special for me.

I really liked a quotation I read this morning by Ann Landers.

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is a loyalty through good and bad. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."

Wow, isn’t that the truth? I’m not perfect. Josh isn’t perfect. Neither are you or your spouse. And that is something we need to remember. Just because someone slips up doesn’t mean it’s time to leave. We’re finished. It’s time, rather, to forgive. To realize that, hey, we all make mistakes, and next time it will probably be me. Then I will want understanding and forgiveness.

There is no greater example of this than our Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows us better than anyone, yet He loves us more than anyone. Amazing, isn’t it?

I hope everyone enjoys this special day with loved ones…whether you are married, dating, single – whatever the case may be. It really doesn’t matter. Love is universal.

I, for one, will be enjoying the evening with my buddy, who is bringing dinner home to me…and we will be cheering on the Mountaineers tonight from the comfort of our couch! (After all, this isn’t just Valentine’s Day, it’s also BIG MONDAY for all of my fellow NCAA basketball fans.) Let's Gooooooo...!

My Tips for Having an Adventurous Day (sort of) …

Are you like me? Do you sometimes get tired of the monotony of everyday life?  I promise you – I am not complaining. I am very happy with my life right now. Josh and I are right where we want to be (where God wants us to be) and are enjoying every minute of life together. Sometimes, though, the normalcy just gets to me. Blah, blah, blah…life is so normal. But, guess what? That’s life. We get up, we do our “get-ready-for-the-day” routine, we go to work, we leave work, we go to the gym (or to church, or take kids to practice, games, etc.), we go home, we relax (or not),  we sleep, we get up, we do it AGAIN…and again…and again. Yeah, you get the idea. I think winter time makes this feeling even worse due to the fact that the weather so often keeps us trapped inside.

[If I may, I’d like to interject a comment here about the gym. If you don’t go, GO! Exercise is SO important. I can’t even begin to express how much it helps me. It also gives my mom and me a chance to be together throughout the week. Maybe you can’t go to a gym, but you could do something. It’s important to make time to exercise at least a few days a week. FYI – Ladies who live in my area – You should give Flex Express on Raleigh Hill a try. It is a great place to come and work out and meet wonderful women in the community! Bring the kiddos to play in the Kids Korner also!]

I do have a few ideas that can help add some change-up to your day. Some of them may seem silly to you, but it’s the little things that tend to brighten my day – how about you?   

1.     Breakfast of Champions. I tend to get in a rut when it comes to breakfast. I do try to eat something, but usually it’s the same old thing. Oatmeal, pop tart, whatever. In an attempt to resolve our breakfast blues, Josh and I have started taking one day or so of the week and making it “Biscuit Day.” We leave a bit earlier for work and head to Hardee’s to grab a biscuit. YUMMO! 

2.  The Music in Me. I work on my computer a lot throughout the day. I make opportunities to get up from my desk when I can, because I hate to sit all day long. While I am sitting, I like to listen to music. Turn it up, people! Don’t disturb the others around you, of course. Bring head phones if you are near someone else. Music is a great encourager. My favorite on-line radio is Slacker. Give it a listen and find your favorite stations. There are hundreds.

3.  Lovin’ Lunch. Is it odd that I already have two tips regarding food? Not to me, because I love to eat. Another little thing Josh and I do is pick one day of the week to be our eat-out lunch day. It just changes the pace a bit. (Remember, it’s the little things…)   

4.  Date Night Any Night. Go grab a movie out of the Redbox on your way home to watch with your love.  Netflix is pretty awesome, too. You could also look ahead at the TV Guide and see if there is a particular show or movie you two would enjoy watching together. 

5.  Spontaneous Special Nights. I totally realize it is difficult to be spontaneous when you have kids. Obviously, you would need to plan ahead if you want to do this as a duet, not as an ensemble. BUT, every once in a while, why not decide to go to the mall or a movie or grab dinner out with the whole fam – or just the two of you. Not just on the weekend…

In my experience, it’s little things like the above that tend to revitalize my everyday life. Certainly there are dozens of other things you could do to make each day special. If you have any other ideas, please comment and share them with me. Josh and I are always looking for new ways to have fun. Happy adventuring to you!

My Constant

I get an email devotional called Girlfriends in God. I was reading along the other morning and the writer mentioned that she sometimes prays, “Lord, I am scattered, restless, and only half here.” Ever felt that way before? I know I have (and do). SCATTERED – in what feels like millions of directions…home, husband, family, work, church, etc. RESTLESS –  to get things done in all areas of my life, but needing to focus on one thing at a time. ONLY HALF HERE – trying to listen intently to the person speaking to me, but thinking of ten million other things. Yes, we have all been there. In fact, many of us linger there. Our journey seems to drag us sometimes, rather than allowing us to take control of the wheel.

As I thought about my busy, hectic life, God pricked my heart with this amazing truth: In a world filled with inconsistency, He is my one constant. Things change, people change, but God is the same – yesterday, today and forever!

So, today, in the midst of the [ORGANIZED] chaos, remember He is there…always. Tell Him all about your aggravations, your worries, your joys. Not only is He always with us, but He truly cares, too! Praise Him!