Unplugged is the way to go

I have been without Facebook for 6 months now and I can honestly say I don't really miss it all that much. 

Occasionally when I am bored I go to open my web browser  on my phone,  I pause, then I close it and smile.   

It takes me only a minute to get over the fact that I can't check in on friends and family but overall its been really good and I am eager to see how long I can stay disconnected.  

Since then I deleted Twitter and Linked as well.  I DO have my Instagram and my blog (of course) and anyone else can send me an email.  

I'll admit, It's been pretty quiet but I have had more time to read some books, paint a few pictures.  I have blogged more.  I have played more games with my kids and a few other things.  

Unplugging is the way to go.  

Same Old... Day after Day

Sometimes as working adults, it seems like every day we wake up and do the same things time after time. 

Sometimes it even feels that we're almost reliving the same day over and over again until we get it right.  We get up, get breakfast, drive to work, work, eat lunch, work, drive home, eat dinner, watch tv, then go to bed.  

It's not that our lives are boring, it's just they are all set and planned.  I have always liked to take a page out of Bill Murray's Groundhogs day were everyday he does something completely different and crazy and wild.  I am constantly looking for ways grow and change and make sure I am not missing living a new and imaginative life - each day.  

Don't miss out because you're trying to fit in and 'just get by.'  Make each day different and more exciting than the last.  #happygroundhogsday

Old Man Look at my Life...

For many people who grew up in the small town of Saxonburg, Pennsylvania in the late 80s - 90s will recall what a vibrant and lively man, James N. Gordon truly was.  His wife Bonnie and he, ran the Famous SMPC Youth Group and opened their home and lives to so many.

Not only were the both so lively, outgoing and caring.. they were fun and made life way more interesting than what small town life sometimes offers.  They had kids piling in Sunday nights, Tuesday mornings, Thursday nights and Saturdays for special events or Habitat for Humanity Workdays.

Jim was a youth leader who had long hair and wore green sweater vest with ripped jeans.  He was a hippy - free-spirited kind of guy.  He loved the Beatles, him mom, and played the guitar.  Jim was different and that made him so cool to so many people (self included.)

During my years as a member of their youth group, I struggled with so many things.  Normal teenage things.   But their dedication and love raised me to become a strong independent women and much of my success in life is rooted in the things they taught me.

But as I reminisce now... all  the good and the bad, Jim Gordon, the most lively person I have ever gotten to know is slowly fading away battling Lou Garrett Disease.  Remember all those Ice Bucket Challenge folks a few years ago.. yeah that's the disease that all the money raised was/is suppose to help.

Jim is fading and that makes me sad to think about.  He was the special kind of guy that could always make you laugh.  Sometimes he was a jerk,  I called him that often, but aren't we all Jerks sometimes.   All and all, he was the kind of person that did his best to love Jesus but made sure you were have fun while doing it.

As I look back on his impact on me... I am blessed to have gotten a chance to pound nails with him,  smoke cigar, Play 24 hour games of softball, run beside,  sing, dance and most importantly punch during my wedding (while he married me..)   He's a bit of legend in his own kind of way and when his time comes to an end... the world will be a little bit less bright without him.   SO ... Today I say "To Jim.. May God be with you and Thank you for your impact in my life!"  

Don't Stop Dating...

A few months ago, I decided that I need to actively pursue to start dating my husband all over again.  Over the years we've made time for ourselves here and there but I knew it was a good time to make us a priority.  

There was nothing major going on in in our lives other than the day to day - kids - work - home things.  But after 17 years of marriage and now having children who were old enough to care for themselves for a few hours, I took the opportunity to plan a date-a-week with him. 

I recently scheduled the next few months worth and have them on both his and my calendars. Planed and ready.  

Last night, my son said to us "Why do you need to go on a date." (yes, a teachable moment.)   

We explained how it's important to keep your relationship a priority and how we enjoy spending time with each other.  

I have planned dates that cost very little money ... like a fire and wine in the backyard - to dates that are a little more expensive... dinner and dancing.  But its all worth it.  I have found that when we are actively pursuing each other we are less stressed, better connected and overall enjoying life more.  

So my challenge today is to date your spouse as often as you can.  

They say that ... breaking up is hard to do...

When you become an adult you have to make some extremely hard discussions that really kind of suck.  

Lucky for me, my life hasn't had too many of these really tough decisions that require a lot of prayer and oversight.

I recall one of those was the decision to put our dog down, who had cancer and was not well and most recently was deciding to leave our church community after 12 years.  

Yes, Breaking up is HARD to do.  12 years of service and dedication but a lot of hurt and frustration.  We gave our church the ability to pursue us and restore our relationship... but their efforts weren't timely and unsatisfactory.  

It was easy to decide to leave in our minds, but it was hard to actually decide to leave in our hearts.  We prayed about it and I read many blogs, articles and scriptures about 'when to leave' and 'why to leave'... and in the In the summer we made the jump and started visiting other churches. 

It was weird and different. As a family we knew we wanted to find something that fit all/most of our needs, which was evolving as our children are growing up.  As mature Christians we didn't think it would be hard, but it was.  

We visited some churches once and some for quite a few weeks.  We enjoyed some of the churches music and some churches their message.  We found some churches highly community driven and others not so much.  We found some churches extremely friendly and others who didn't even notice we were there.  We went to big ones and small ones.  Some Affiliated and others Unaffiliated - non denominational.   

It's a strange time for us ... to not be as plugged in to a church family as we once were.  It's hard that we kind of lost many of our friends through leaving our church and the feeling of being rejected once again.  

But I am reminded in Christ ... That this world isn't going to love us as much as he does.  We are going to be rejected (over and over again) and that doesn't define who we are in him.  

I  thought I have made peace and have given forgiveness to the whole fall out.  I thought that was all I needed to do.  This weekend I was reminded about anger and forgiveness... through grace and hope... I am now... going to forget about it.   

Smoothie ... not so smooth

The problem I have found with making my own smoothies is no matter how well I blend it ... I still end up with some green kale or spinach stuck in my teeth. 

I will be in conversation with someone at work, then causally use the restroom and while washing my hands I smile.  There it is.  Some strange green thing stuck in between tooth 11 and 12.  

I shake my head and say to myself  "Wow that's totally embarrassing."   Then I go find my floss that I keep in my desk drawer and make my dentist proud.  

In that moment of modification you think to yourself.  They will never forget how ghastly I must have looked.  You honestly believe that no one has ever had anything else stuck in their teeth and if you someone had walked by they would have video taped it and been an instant youtube star by how silly you looked.  

Right, yeah... not really.  We are all awkward at many moments of our lives.  We say stupid things, do stupid things, wear stupid things.  It doesn't matter if we're 2 or 60... life can be tricky and we should never find shame in those awkward smoothie mishaps.  

My constant rant to my daughter at the end of the day most people won't really remember or care about having green kale stuck in your teeth.  This world is so distracting and most of thing things we think are important really aren't. 

So next time you see someone who has kale stuck in their teeth, smile and politely say 'hey you have something in your teeth and I want you to know because it happens to me all the time and I always like when people tell me.'  

Most people will appreciate your honestly, some may still be embarrassed but overall I have found people can laugh about it and shake it off... kind of like a smoothie.  

Planning vs. Procrastination

It never ceases to amaze me how different my husband and I are.  

One of us is the SUPER planner - makes lists, plans ahead, constantly looks towards the future, comes up with strategies and game plans, makes sure the event or task is completed,  makes more goals, tries to get things done as quickly as possible.  This person has the calendars color coordinated and meals planned for the whole month.  Yep that's me.  

My husband on the other hand has no real motivation to get things done on a timely manner what so ever.  He blogged that he does better with a more tightly  time table. He blames it on the fact that he can't make decisions and therefore when you're under pressure you have to make the decision.   He owns up to his procrastination and is trying to get better. 

Even though we have our many differences we balance each other out nicely.  I am clearly and extrovert whereas, he is completely an introvert.  

But I found that even though we are both different in how we execute things ... we both can feel super stressed.  I start to get overwhelmed even sad when I don't have something planned.  When the vacation I planned for 6 months is over and I have nothing more to plan or do.  The other issue with trying to always be on the go (other than getting burned out) is getting bored and easily distracted.  

My husband on the other hand gets stressed out when he's waited to the last minute and there are problems in completing the task.  Things he didn't factor in to the equation and the little things that no one could've really seen.  He knows often times if he started the task a little sooner he would have the time to work out all those bugs.  He always seems to have the 'bugs' too.  

So together we try and figure out good balances of doing things NOW and LATER.  I need to be more spontaneous and my husband needs to be a bit more organized...  We'll get there.