The Greatest Commandment: Love One Another

God's Greatest Commandment: Love One Another

For starters, let me just say that this post is coming after having watched the Bruce Jenner interview.  Having watched it, it touched on some real emotions and I just felt led to say my piece.  

I am a southern girl.  Born and raised here in the Bible belt, we are raised with strong religious beliefs and I'm so thankful for the morals I learned throughout my childhood.  I believe that it was being raised with a strong foundation in faith and God's love that has made me the person I am today and while that's not perfect and there's still a lot of work to be done, I'm pretty proud of the woman I have become.  

Recently in Alabama a huge thing happened that I never thought that in my lifetime I would see.  A judge made a decision that she knew would be a controversial one, she made it legal for a gay couple to become a legal married couple.  I was so so very proud of my state.

Not Everyone Was Happy

I have to say, I was ashamed and embarrassed by many of the things I read and saw after that huge court decision to legalize gay marriage.  One of my cousin's posted the question about "Should individuals reserve the right to refuse service to gay couples getting married".  I guess I shouldn't have been shocked, after all, I was raised here and I know the strong religious beliefs that are held by many.

Back in the nineties there was a HUGE explosion.  It was a bracelet with the letters "WWJD" meaning, "What Would Jesus Do?".  For me, it became a deep seeded thought process.  

Thou Shalt Not Judge...

There are so  many scriptures that talk about showing God's love and how we are called upon to love one another.  There are also many scriptures that teach us that it is not our job to judge, but our father in Heaven.

We may not understand or agree with the choices other people make, but it's not our job to.  Our job is not to condemn those who are hurting, but to show them God's grace and compassion.

There is NONE Righteous, NO not one.

Other than my father in Heaven who sent his son, Jesus to this world to live as a man and to die as a man, there has never been anyone on this earth who is without sin.

Therefore, we all deserve nothing.  All we deserve is hell.  However, God didn't want that.  He wanted to give us the gift of life!  So he provided us a way, he sent his own son to live like we do and to show God's love in a human form.  That's because he LOVES us ALL and is a merciful God.  Jesus is God's grace.

Bruce Jenner...

So, going back to the subject that triggered this post in the first place.  Bruce Jenner.  I will admit, I was so shocked when I caught something about him wanting to transition into a woman.  I probably even laughed about it.  I believe because of the Kardashian clan and the belief that they are just attention seeking and media hungry, no one really took Bruce seriously and just felt this was another "Media Ploy".

However, after watching the Bruce Jenner interview, I better grasp the true human side to this story.  This isn't about a man who broke records, who was a character in a reality show, this was / is a person who has been struggling his whole life with something that for most of us we can't even grasp or begin to imagine.  I saw a man who was real and who was scared and who was hurting.

How dare we as a society judge him and who he is?  My heart goes out to his whole family.  I can't judge Kris or the girls for how they are reacting, they too are humans and this has to be so incredibly hard for anyone, but especially those who are his family.

I applaud Bruce for getting the courage up to allow us in and to share his story with us.  It couldn't have been easy.  For someone who became known for their "Manliness" and for being a "Man of all Men" persona, how incredibly difficult and gut wrenching it had to have been for him to see himself portrayed as this "God like Man" when he knew that what he felt was so different than the man the world saw.  He became a hero and a God like figure for the American people, for him to make a huge change he knew that it would truly effect many.  Yet, he also finally realized that there were some who could benefit from the courage to be who he is and for sharing his story.

I respect that he wanted to shield his children from the pain that his choice would make and for understanding that his choice to change wasn't a choice that would only effect himself but everyone in his life he loved.  

I can't imagine that this is easy for any of them, but I imagine that it's probably most difficult for Kris, a woman who has orchestrated this whole "Media frenzy" that they now find themselves.  I pray that God will give her peace and understanding and that she can begin to heal and to accept Bruce for who he is.

God Makes NO Mistakes...

I believe that we are all created in God's image.  I also believe that God has a plan for each and every one of us, while we may struggle to find our place in this world and a purpose, I believe that ultimately in God's perfect plan for our lives there is always a path he creates for us.

While I can't even begin to understand the question "Why God?".  I don't understand why some people are born and are able to lead lives where they don't truly have to struggle and yet others seem to barely be able to survive through all the storms in their lives.

I don't understand why some people are born with mental or physical defects, but I know this, it does happen.  There are mental illnesses people struggle with everyday.  Perhaps it all goes back to when Adam and Eve first sinned and brought upon us all the sinful nature we all are born with, perhaps that's why there isn't perfection in this world.

If we can live in a world where diseases are a normal occurrence, is it also not possible that people are truly "Born" different?  

Not a Spokesperson..

I'm so not a spokesperson for the LGBT community.  I am just sharing as a Christian the things that I feel and the thoughts that I'm dealing with.

I just feel that we are COMMANDED by God to love one another.  Not play God, Judge and Jury.  We don't have to agree with other's choices but we don't have to judge them either.  I remember a story in the Bible where Jesus shocked the disciples when Jesus knelt at the feet of a prostitute and washed her feet.  Why did he do that?  Did he agree with the way she lived her life?  Absolutely not.  It's called GRACE.  He had compassion on her and wanted to SHOW God's love by his actions.

Are we better than Jesus?  Should we as Christians treat those not like us differently?  If you are a business owner who runs a cake company and a gay couple comes in and asks you to make them a cake for their wedding, WHO ARE YOU to say "No, I can't because I don't agree with gay marriage"?  Is that what you would believe Jesus would do?

We are all called to be a light in this world and to show God's love by the way we live our lives.  We aren't perfect and we are going to make mistakes, but we should strive for a higher purpose. 

Let Your Light Shine

I urge my fellow Christians to not judge other's.  I found for myself that for every judgement I have made on someone else, I have literally had to walk a mile in their shoes.  Judging others is a dangerous business.  

It is our duty as God's children to show the world through our lives and by example the love and grace that God gives us.  It is only ONLY by his grace that we are saved.  

Judge not that ye be Judged.  

Beloved.  Let us love one another, for love is of God and anyone who loveth is born of God and knoweth God.  

I know that this is so different than anything that I typically write about, but I really felt led to share this.  

Spring: Fresh Starts

Fresh Starts

Where would we be without second chances?  I don't know anyone in this life who is without blame.  Everyone I've ever met has made mistakes.  Some more than others.  So, being given that ability to have a second chance is a pretty important life lesson.

Have you ever met someone who always seemed to be able to get away with anything and everything?  You know the people I'm talking about, there literally are people who seem to have a special shield around themselves protecting them for those times when they do wander off the straight and narrow.  It's almost as if they are "Untouchable".

It's often said that people who are in prison were just unlucky, they just happened to get "caught" for their mistakes.  I happen to be one of those people who without fail always gets caught if I choose to do wrong.  It just is how it's always been for me.

THAT used to make me angry.  However, looking back, I've had to suffer consequences for all my mistakes.  There was no "Get out FREE" card for my life.  Yet, I really appreciate having been made to be held accountable for the mistakes I've made.  Without those consequences I may not have ever made the right changes in my life and may still have been walking in darkness.

My son seems to have inherited the gift for being held accountable for his mistakes.  He's never been able to get away with mistakes he's made.  He's paid the price and suffered the consequences for his mistakes.  

I've discussed before how he and another kid from our neighborhood broke in a house, and were arrested.  Despite the fact that there were TWO boys there that day, only one kid got a bad reputation around our neighborhood.  That one mistake has followed my son for two years now and likely until we are able to move, will continue to follow him.

My son has been in boot camp for a month and was in a juvenile center for two months prior to that.  He had made a few too many mistakes and he had to suffer the consequences for them.  He sounds hopeful and he sounds like he's ready for some changes.

I'm hoping that this short stay in boot camp will have been enough of a wakeup call so that he knows what wrong choices can get to him.  I hope that he uses the past couple of months as a gift.  He's been fortunate to make some small, minor mistakes while he is still young.  If he takes this time as a gift for perhaps saving him from far larger mistakes on down the road, well then it was definitely all worth it.

It's impossible to go through your lifetime and not make a mistake.  I know this, because my Bible tells me that we are all sinners.  That there is NONE righteous.  So, it's how we deal with the things that we go through, how we deal with our second chances that determine who we become.

Life is a series of choices and learning opportunities.  Even myself, when I make stupid rash choices, I try to learn from those so that I can try not to make the same mistake.

In recovery you are taught that the definition of "Insanity" is repeating the same things and expecting different results.  

So with all of the flowers starting to bloom, and Spring in full swing for myself I'm going to look for the opportunities that my mistakes bring me and learn from those things.  I look forward to our "fresh start".

Random Thoughts: Just Me

Character Defects

Ok, so this is so off-topic or off of what I normally write.  I just have been thinking lately about my own character defects.  I mean, we all have them.  There's always little quirks that we each have that we know are less than perfect.  Some we blatantly acknowledge, while others, not so much.  Perhaps we never recognize certain negative aspects to ourselves for whatever reason.

Lately though, I have come to discover that I have a special talent for cutting people off.  I don't mean during a conversation, although, I'm sure that I'm guilty of that too.  I'm talking about when I feel hurt by people, instead of fighting it out with them or confronting them, I just literally block them from my life.

Growing up, we moved quite often.  I at one time, counted thirteen different schools that I attended throughout my elementary, junior high and high school years,  It got me to thinking, when I recently again just "cut people out" of my life, that I wonder if all of that moving around created within me an abnormal defect.  An inability to form close, intimate relationships with women or really, anyone.

Throughout my life, I've literally just stopped talking to people.  For days, months, even years.  I don't know if it's a self-defense mechanism or what it is, but there's something about me that seriously lacks the ability to fight it out.  When it comes to "Fight or Flight", I flee.  

Perhaps now that I've recognized this defect, perhaps I'll be able to tackle it and figure out how to "Fix it".  I've always truly lacked deep friendships with people, oh I have friends.  I even have friends from childhood, but we don't go and hang out and grab a bite to eat every now and then.  

Note to self:  Form Intimate Friendships with Women.  And keep them.

I don't know, this is a completely random post.  Am I a totally abnormal person?  Or do you have some "defect" that bugs you?  

Starting Over: Progress

Baby Steps

So, when you've managed to dig a hole so big, it can feel like it's everything in your power to climb out of that hole.  You take two steps forward and get pushed back three steps.  The way a lot of systems are structured, it can really be difficult to climb out of a rut.

I've not had a good driver's license in probably more than five years.  It started with a ticket I didn't pay and just snowballed from there.  I was driving and didn't even know my license had been suspended until I was pulled over, so I got a "Driving with Suspended" ticket.  Well, I live in rural Alabama, not Urban New York where you can hop on a bus or a hail a taxi.  Driving here is not a luxury but a necessity.  

So, it's been extremely hard to survive without a driver's license.  This year knowing our taxes were coming, I had already planned on FINALLY paying off my last remaining tickets and getting my license reinstated.

However, I was told when I went to Tuscaloosa that by pleading guilty to driving with suspended would tack on another six months to my suspension.  I was completely devastated and overwhelmed by the news and was heartbroken.  

A Light At the END of the Tunnel...

Yesterday, I received a letter from the Department of Transportation stating that in order to be Reinstated I just needed to bring proof of taking care of two places I've already paid off!  So, another words I CAN finally, FINALLY get my driver's license.  

I cannot tell you how HUGE this is for us.  Finally, I can take my daughter places without fear!  It's such a huge weight off my shoulders.  

Progress on Living Situation...

So, sadly I've not had any luck on finding a new home.  We will think we have found  a place and either it gets snapped up or the deposit is an insane amount that we just can't afford it.  I know that there is a place for us and for now we've been fortunate that our landlords have been understanding, I just don't know how long I can appease them.

Hopefully things will fall into place for us and we will find the perfect home.  

Just taking things ONE step at a time....

A Series of Starting Over: Second Chances

SassyGalBeauty Presents:  Starting Over

So, I've been away for quite some time.  I had a whole lot going on in my personal life and just honestly couldn't emotionally manage any extra pressure on myself.  While I've still not worked through it all, I decided that by walking away from the one thing that has brought me some joy and a sense of purpose, I was only hurting myself more by walking away.

One of the things that I felt lead to do was to document my journey as I try to make some changes in my personal life.  We all go through our ups and downs and sometimes we all handle those highs and lows in different ways.  Personally, I tend to shut down when I go through stresses, especially if I feel that I have no control over my own life.

Starting Over:  Second Chances

Mental instability has plagued our family for generations.  Sadly, it didn't skip my son.  My son has a bipolar and ADHD diagnosis.  He is one of the sweetest kids I know 90% of the time.  However, there are those times when he's not the fun loving kid, but a different person takes over.

One of my son's issues he has been plagued with is an awkward social skill set.  He hungers for acceptance of his peers and so he has always been easily mislead by his peers.  It has gotten him in a lot of trouble and sadly caused him to be targeted by adults that should know better.

Our Story

I just feel lead to share the experiences that we've encountered over the past few years.  In order to do so, I will give you a bit of background to catch you up on our fun life....

I am a recovering addict.  About ten years ago, I lost custody of my children  After a few years of working like crazy to try and turn my life around and after completing a rehab program, in January of 2013 I was awarded custody of both of my children after an eight year seperation.

During the time when I had lost Cody, my son was placed in a group home for his behavior issues.  So, moving into our new home was a fresh start for us all.  We had found a nice little mobile home in the country and we all really looked forward to starting our lives together.  Sadly, it wouldn't take long for those hopes and dreams I had for our little family to come crashing down around us.

Peer Pressure

Everyone I'm sure can remember the awkwardness of being 13 and just wanting to be liked.  Cody was no different.  I was excited when I found that there were a couple of boys close to his age that lived in the neighborhood.  However, one afternoon that happiness soon dissiptated.

My son and an older kid (Much LARGER kid - literally about twice Cody's size) showed up at my home both in the back of a police car.  I was told that they had tried breaking in a home, but that they weren't admitting guilt.  They had my son get out so I could talk to him and I urged him to tell the truth, because making mistakes is one thing but NOT owning up to those mistakes was a completely different ball game.

After speaking to my son he told the truth that day.  We went to court, both kids were punished for their part in the incident.  They never actually made it inside the house, thankfully the house was armed with an alarm.

Since that time, the other boy has since been expelled twice for having possession of marijuana on his person at school.  

Small Towns

One of the things that drew me to our neighborhood was the fact that we were out in the country and I figured what better place to raise your children.  However, being in a small community has it's pros and it's cons.  Sometimes it seems that people in the country have nothing better to do than to start rumors or to gossip....

After "The Incident", kids would move in our neighborhood and Cody would get excited about the prospect of new friends.  He then would come home upset because the parent's wouldn't allow their kids to play with him.

As a mom, it's extremely heartbreaking to watch as your child is ostracsized by a community for a stupid mistake.  A HUGE stupid mistake, but regardless a mistake.  Cody had tried to reach out to our landlords to try to offer his services to cut the grass and other various chores as a way to try to pay his debt off himself.  He was told no.  However, shortly after Cody had asked, the OTHER kid was outside doing just that.

It soon became clear who it was that was telling people and "warning" them away from Cody.  However, it didn't take many parents long to figure out that Cody was a good kid, just had made a mistake.  Not all parents were like this, but a few were.

There were a few instances where items came up missing in the neighborhood and Cody was quickly the prime suspect.  Each time when the truth would come out, not one time was it found to be him.  We have lived like this for over two years now.  It reached a boiling point however, when Cody's friend (The landlords "Grandson") told Cody that he had heard that the reason he had been in a group home was because he had abused his sister.

That's when I really realized how big this thing was we were dealing with.  When my son in two years hadn't gotten into ANY trouble, these people were now resorting to malice and slander that was EASY to disprove (Since there was actual paperwork regarding his stay at the group home).  I don't understand how adults could make up lies about a child, especially lies so heinous that could truly plague him for a lifetime if believed.

Stress Boils Over

We have been without a vehicle or any type of transportation for over six months.  During this time I fell into a deep depression and honestly wasn't the best mom in the world.  The stress I was under naturally carried down to my own kids.

My father had come and stayed with us for a few months, but abruptly left one Saturday morning when our power was out.  My father and Cody had always had a very close relationship and so it hurt Cody pretty badly to feel abandoned by him.

Back at the end of December, the stress we were all under came to a boiling point and Cody had an episode where he lashed out, and I called the police to calm him down.  Then, a week later, a neighborhood 22 year old man gave my son alcohol and another neighbor gave my son marijuana.  The mixture of the two made my son, who doesn't have much if any experience with either extremely sick to the point of throwing up.  

My daughter called the police / ambulance because we were scared.  He wasn't coherrent and wasn't making much sense.  The people who had given him drugs refused to leave my home and had to get a neighbor over to make them leave.

After this incident, we were then evicted by our landlords for the police being at our home too many times.  

Second Chances

Since being evicted, Cody wrote an angry letter to the landlords after seeing me breakdown and scared to death at the thought of having NO WHERE to go.  They filed a harrasment report against my son.  Combined with the harrassment charge and the other incidents, my son has now been sentenced to pretty much "Youth Prison".

I'm not acknowledging that my son doesn't have problems nor that I have my own issues.  I do however, have an issue when our family has been targeted for years because of one mistake.  If you push anyone enough, you will find their breaking point.

Even today, as I type this, I have no clue where we will go but I look forward to hopefully having the opportunity to once again make a new and fresh start.  Everyone makes mistakes, not everyone gets caught and has to pay for those mistakes.  Hopefully, with everything that Cody has gone through he will be able to take those things and only make a better life for himself and not make it worse on himself.

Unknown Journey

You know, I've met a lot of people in my life that are incapable of seeing their own faults.  Seeing such behavior has always made me very self aware of my own mistakes and shortcomings.  I find that when people cannot see their mistakes it truly prohibits self-growth and betterment.  Learning from your mistakes become an impossible task when there are "no mistakes" in which to learn from.

I have no clue where we will go, our landlords basically told me today they don't care where we go and if we have nowhere to go but that I needed to leave.  It's pretty scary not knowing where you'll be laying your head, but I have faith that God will provide a way for our family.

Journey into the Unknown

I plan on trying to document our journey into the unknown.  The struggles and obstacles starting over can throw at you.  I know that our family has been through hell and are still standing and we shall overcome this as well.

Blogger Life: Integrity

Blogger Life:

Integrity

Google Search Defines in-teg-ri-ty:

1) The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness

One would assume that the word integrity is a pretty easy word and concept to grasp.  Integrity isn't something that is just a "Blogger" thing, it's a part of life and how we should all be striving to live our lives, with a strong sense of integrity.

As a human being we should all have an in-built sense of right and wrong which should help guide our actions and our reactions.  I remember watching Pinocchio as a child and "Jiminy Cricket" who played "Pinocchio's" moralcompass and even as a young child I could grasp that there was a feeling I would get in the bottom of my belly when I would tell a lie or do something I knew wasn't right.

Let me say, I am FAR from perfect.  I make mistakes every single day that I breathe, afterall I am a human being and at last I checked, there was none that has been found to be without sin except my savior.  So, please don't mistake this post as I am higher than thou or better than anyone, I know I am NOT.

Give Credit Where Credit Is Due:

When we create posts with original content, it is our expectation that our hard work will remain ours and that if someone does happen to come across our content and loves it so much that they want to use it, that they will give credit where credit is due.

Sadly though, I have seen far too often cases in which blogger's will steal content without citing their source.  Sometimes, it might just be an oversight and perhaps they don't even realize that there are rules about this type of behavior.

I have myself, used other blogger's pictures if I'm for example discussing a subscription box and haevn't ever myself received it, but in cases like that if the blogger hasn't already written her name on the picture, I will myself put the original site on the picture and sometimes even with a link to the original blogger's site.

However, recently I've come across some truly disturbing blogs in which all of the content is being plagiarized.  From the product reviews to whole posts about Beauty related content, none of the articles are by the blogger herself, nor is she giving credit to the true author.  She is copying these posts as if they are her own posts.

It's Stealing...

I guess a lot of people think of stealing as walking into a store and taking something without paying. However, I can't think of anything quite as horrific as stealing someone's thoughts.  Sure, they say that copying someone is the sincerest form of flattery, but it's also just plain WRONG and it's stealing when you don't cite your source.  I don't know which way I'm supposed to be saying site, sight, cite...  However, you catch my drift I believe.

Be Original:

I think that there is probably an audience for just about anything.  With as unique as we all are and so many different personalities that we all have, if you create original content then they will come.  There is going to be SOMEONE out there that can relate to what you have to say and will enjoy reading whatever it is you have on your mind.

I'm ME

I may not be the best speller, you are almost always guranteed to find at least one mistake in each and every post I write.  I may not be the most creative, but I am ME.  Love me or not the words in my posts are my own unless otherwise stated.  

Toothless Wonder

Another thing, I may have rotten teeth that are FALLING out of my mouth, but I am proud to have my integrity intact.  I may make mistakes, but I wear my "Big Girl Panties" everyday and I am comfortable in myself to be able to see my own faults.  I don't know how many times I openly discuss my own issues with the world.

Take Me or Leave Me

A lot of drama has ensued the past couple of days and I sadly have to admit that I have acted in ways that I am not proud of and said somethings that I shouldn't have said and made fun of someone in a "Private" forum.  I'm not a perfect person.  I am a fallible human being who will make mistakes everyday.  Among many ways I'm not perfect, I am a dreadful house cleaner.  My house is horrific, my organizational skills are seriously lacking and I am so ADD that I bounce from one hobby to the next and it's incredibly hard to keep up with what it is I'm obsessed with today.

I am myself though.  I am me.  You don't have to like me, that's ok.  But, I am going to continue being myself, as imperfect as that may be.

Talk to me now...

Have you ever experienced someone who copied your work or seen for your own eyes someone who copies other blogger's work??

The Reason For the Season: Getting Back to The Basics

Back to Basics:

You know, with Christmas right around the corner, things are quite hectic.  There's last minute shopping that needs to be done.  There just DOESN'T seem to be enough time in the day to do everything that needs to be done.

As we approach Christmas amongst all of this bevy of activity, last night I watched a touching video on YouTube, that made me realize in the hustle and bustle of it all I've lost my sight on what this season is all about.  It's about first, being given the ultimate gift: Life.  What a precious and wonderful thing to be gifted.  Sacrifices are often made at this time of year and it's touching to watch other's reaching out to those in need.

Our family has been amazingly blessed in the past few years.  I didn't have custody of my children for quite some time.  Then, through God's grace and mercy and a few very supportive people, I was able to turn things around and January two years ago I was granted full custody of my children.

Although things definitely aren't easy, we are truly blessed.  We've faced countless struggles within these past two years and still everyday it feels as if it's something new.  From being without a vehicle and having to pay for rides, to struggling to make ends meet.  We're never short of obstacles.

One thing that I can say though, we have each other.  Come what may, despite the challenges that we are faced with, we still are a family.  We are an imperfect family to be for sure, but what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

We've been thorougly blessed this year with so many things and people and for that I'm thankful.

I know that I've not been posting quite as much, but times are hard and it might take me awhile to get back to where I can be more consistent.  Thank you for your support, it means the world.

Weather... Seasons Change

Apologies...

I apologize...  I have not been posting like I needed to be, I'm so very far behind on doing everything that needs to be done...  I've been waking up with horrible headaches and just feeling horribly all the way around...  NOT FUN...  

I don't know if it's the season changing and this weather causing these massive headaches or what...  But, I'm starting to feel back to myself and hope to once again resume normal postings.. I have tons to bring to y'all and I hope you will all love them!!!

In the Meantime.....

My daughter and I were testing out a new product I have to review and we decided to do an impromptu Exercise Video...

So, for those of you who love Exercise or Dance or Just FUN, here's a video to keep you entertained until I can come up with some great products for you guys to try.....

SassyGal Gets Physical......

Kinda...

Hope you Enjoyed !

Rebuilding: Life after a Fire

Moving on After a Fire...

My mother and I have had what can only be described as a rocky relationship at best.  However, she's my mom and I love her.  Back in April my son accidentally set her house on fire.  A scary thing to happen to a 15 year old kid...  And the devestation was enoromous...

The window to the room where the fire began....

 The fire began in what was once my bedroom.

My fifteen year old son was smoking a cigarette (He's a kid, who is going to make some mistakes) when the undersiding of the bed caught on fire...

It happened so fast, and he tried to put it out himself, calling 911 instead of calling my parents for help.

Clearly, it was too late.  Instead of leaving down the steps with my stepdad, he waited almost too late and the flames at this point were fully going throughout the whole upstairs.

Luckily, he was able to jump from not this window, but a window on the other side of the house.

The Dining Room

A view up into the bedroom from the kitchen...

The upstairs foyer...  You can see part of the roof is gone...

The view from the landing on the stairs...

This was a tragic thing that happened.  But, luckily everyone is ok.  My son, hopefully learned a valuable lesson and he's alive and well as are my parents.

They have finally been able to move back in their home.  While they haven't been able to replace everything that was lost, they have started to rebuild their lives.

I am really happy that they now have a new home where new memories can be made.

God can take anything and turn it into a lesson, something that can be learned from and also lives can be healed even through a storm.

Just About ME....

Nothing Special....

So, I started out blogging back in May...  Yet, the past couple of months it's become more of a job instead a labor of love.  Sometimes you get so caught up in doing stuff you just kinda forget to sit back and enjoy it all.

I'm sure anyone who spends any time with me online knows that I've had some real personal struggles to overcome through the years.  I've definitely got what's known as an addictive personality.  So, whenever I start a new "thing", I really am all gung ho about it until one day it just fades away or I just stop...  I get burnt out...

CASE IN POINT:  Painting...

Last year I was obsessed with painting!  That's ALL I did, I probably accumlated about $1000 worth of painting supplies in about a six month time frame.  My family would laugh at me huddled on my coach sitting and painting little figurines...  I painted a beautiful plate for Christmas, I mean I loved putting the little detailing, all of it...  Then one day, I looked at my paint and it just made me tired.  It had become such a chore to clean off a spot and then once I got all my supplies gathered up, I was usually too tired to do anything else.

Balance:

That's what I have a really hard time with.  I struggle so much with getting so focused on one thing that everything else gets neglected.  I don't even hardly cook anymore.  I wake up and I'm checking my emails...  I'm networking online...  I'm sending out emails, I'm opening packages, I'm doing videos....  I get so absorbed in what I'm doing sometimes I look up and it's already 8:00 and I'm like WHERE did the day go!  Seriously!  

Working from home is a great thing, but it's also a curse.  Because your ALWAYS at work.  I always thought that if I worked from home, I'd not be discplined enough to actually DO WORK...  Yet, I find that's ALL I do.  Even when I'm not working my mind is racing with things I need to do or companies I need to contact... What reviews need to be done...

I need to learn how to balance.  I need to get a schedule and stick with it.  UNPLUG... Gosh, I woke up the other morning without internet, phone or TV and I was freaking out.  I thought my world had literally just come to and end!  I am so dependent upon the internet that it really does scare me about what happens if it becomes obsolete.

Your Thoughts:

How do you balance your life?  I really need to find good ways of balancing my life.  Do you ever get obsessed with one thing and then one day find your just burnt out??  

Well IF you have made it this far, THANKS so much for once again not falling asleep with my posts....  I really am amazed when I look at my numbers and there are actually people who come visit!  LOL