The Mayonnaise Jar....

Maybe You've already read this little story...but, I so needed to read it today....on this last day of 2009....It made me stop and think....and I hope it encourages you in some way too!!!


When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, When 24 hours in a day is not enough;remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and started to fill it with golf balls.He then asked the students if the jar was full.They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded With an unanimous 'yes.'
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed. 'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family,children, health, friends, and favorite passions Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- The small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, You will never have room for the things that are important to you. So... Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.'Take care of the golf balls first -- The things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked'. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.

First on my list for 2010.....Taking care of the golf balls....Spending MORE time with my Lord & family, Making time for FUN! And....making sure to share a cup of coffee (okay, that would be tea for me :D) with a friend!

My heart is truly blessed that I have each of those golf balls in my life....and I'm praying in 2010 your jar is filled with golf balls first too! Sweet blessings!

Our wish.....

Our wish.......for you......(even though it comes a little late :D)......

May your manager be full of

unique blessings this Christmas!

From our hearts to yours....from our home to yours....from our cows to you....

Merry Christmas!

&

Sweet blessings!

Sweet Surprise!

Yesterday was filled with such a Sweet Surprise! (or little delights, as I like to think of it :D)

It was an unusual day....another 2 hour school delay...meaning I only went into work for my afternoon class. It was wonderful that we had the opportunity to Celebrate Jesus' Birthday, Act out the Christmas Story, and EAT a great snack! Plus, I was blessed with so many sweet gifts...

Then, after work I had to run home, change into my farming gear (due to all the MUD that has appeared with the snow & freezing rain melting :D) do my chores, change back into some real clothes...head to Pendleton to deliver some beef...met up with my in-laws for a GREAT dinner out and some much needed catching-up. And, finally got back home around 7:15.

On my way home, my sister called..."could I borrow some wrapping paper...and when you come I have something for you.." ."What?" to which came the usual answer "You'll see" !!!

I swung into my house, was greeted by my husband being home again :D Listened to the answering machine....Cottage Flowers had been to our house, but no one was home...so, please call on Friday????

Off to my sisters....and guess what was waiting for me there.....This LOVELY Bouquet!!!

My parents had surprised us with a beautiful Christmas arrangement...and since the florist was delivering just down the road to my sister...and a short conversation led to him realizing we were related...my flowers were waiting for me at her place :D PERFECT!!!

My heart was totally warmed...and each time I look at the flowers I can't help but smile! What a sweet, sweet gift! Thank YOU Mom & Dad (YOU know you shouldn't have :D) But, we will totally enjoy them and think of you each time we look at them! And, did I mention...they smell sooooo good! It's almost like I have a "real" tree in my house!

So, my Thursday of unusual-ness, turned into a day filled with warm wishes, JOY, LOVE, and many, many Sweet blessings!

Little delights....

It's that time of year for Little Delights....


things that just make me smile...my heart happy... & bring JOY to my day.....


Actually, I think "little delights" are there everyday...I just might not be seeing them or looking for them as much as I do during this month of Celebrating Jesus' Birthday!


Here's some delights so far...


* On Monday after work I decided an Ice Tea might energize me...as I drove-up to the window to pay...the girl told me my drink had already been paid for by the car ahead of me! WOW! Truly blessed !!!


* Looking at all the lights on the homes as I drive here & there, simply makes me smile....the time, energy, & love put into making one's home glow for the holidays :D


* An extra day-off this week, and a couple late starts....just a little more time to catch-up!

* Hearing one of my three year-olds playing with the little people nativity set, telling the whole story of Jesus' birth...totally PRICELESS & PRECIOUS! (They really do take it all in ...even when I think they aren't hearing a word I say :D)

* Waking up & falling asleep next to my Mr. this week...he's been able to work around home more lately!

* All those sweet Christmas cards that I open my mailbox up to find each day (soon, very soon, hopefully mine will be sent out!)

* The smell of goodies being baked

* The sounds of Winter...the quietness of the new fallen snow, to the crunch of the freezing rain...and the drip, drip of the icicles hanging from the eaves....

* The simple smiles people share with one another during this time of year...don't you wish those smiles were there every month, day of the year???

* Chocolate....Yes...Chocolate has been such a delight to me lately...I don't know why...but, it just keeps calling me name!

Even though, not one Christmas thing has happened at my house yet...I'm not anxious...or stressed....or even panicked......because the older I get...the more I see...the more I realize...it's truly a simple thing...A sweet gift that was born in the manger for each of us....It's not about the fuss...it's not about the hoopla.....it's simply about those little delights!

So, what little delights are you finding surrounding you this season??? May each of them be truly precious to your hearts, bring a smile to your day, and JOY to share! Sweet blessings!

It's beginning.....

It's beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas.....

This is the view I was greeted by this morning as I headed out to do my chores...(okay, not the first view as that was 5 kitties anxiously waiting to see me :D)

This is the side view from my front porch.....

The view from the center of our front porch....

There is just something magical about the first snowfall....everything seems so quiet, peaceful, and pure. Even the air has a smell of freshness to it!

And, I just know kids everywhere in town woke up soooo happy, excited, and simply wanting to skip breakfast to go out and play in it!

I'm wishing for that exact same thing this morning....that I will embrace this first snowfall with a spirit of fun! May you see this white blanket through the eyes of child today too....maybe it'll be in the form of a snowball..or a snow angel :D Or maybe it will be to just take a moment to take stand outside, take a deep breath, eyes wide-open, truly in Awe of ALL God has Created!!!

Happy Sunday...Happy SNOW day....Happy 12th Day of December!!! May today be filled over & over again with Sweet blessings!

$5,859.26

Do you ever have a moment where you just wish you hadn't opened up something???

Well that happened at our house a couple weeks ago...

The Visa bill came...and for some reason I hadn't opened it yet...we were getting ready to head out the door to our Core group meeting and the Mr. asked how much it was...so, I had to do it...I opened it...and it was $5,859.26. Not that it was extremely high or something out of the ordinary...because a lot of time my Mr.'s travel expenses for his real job are on our credit cards.....as is the bill from the Butcher's.....etc....

But, this time....there were a couple items on it, that my Mr. was hoping would be on the next month's statement. You see sometimes in the life of owning your own equipment and animals...expenses just happen...and this has been a year of break-downs....virtually every piece of equipment we own has needed a MAJOR repair. This time it was the Mixer. And, it DID happen, and the repair bill CAME on this statement....And, this month, because markets are finished...the cash flow isn't quite the same.

So, I honestly have to admit...a few MINUTES of PANIC set in. How will we cover that bill this month, and the other monthly expenses??? After all, the Cows do have to eat :D I know, I know, it's not the end of the world...we could just make the minimum payment on the card (something we have NOT had to do yet). We could sell some Cows.....And, we could first and foremost PRAY. We chose the later...deciding we needed to stand in prayer, lay our finances at the cross, and look to God for wisdom.

I have to say the first evening and day was filled with anxiousness , but by day 2 both the Mr. and I were filled with a sense of peace. It would be okay...and although humbling not to pay something on time, it would be okay. Day by day, step by step....prayer by prayer...

And, do you know what we saw every. single. day....rays of hope! The slowness of the meat business faded....phone calls came daily for orders of meat. A new opportunity to place our meat in an established business came....and, on Monday when we signed the paper for the refinance of our home (Yep, it's true...the rates were low, and we decided to take another jump...something that has been in the process for three months...and something I find so interesting...that process all began before this need arose???!?! Mmmmm...still amazed :D) there was a line that said we would be getting some money back! Enough money that we were going to be able to take care of the WHOLE Visa bill! As we left that office on Monday, we were both humbled and very emotional...because GOD IS SO GOOD!!! It is so humbling still.

Today the bill was due. Today I paid the entire bill....but, that's not the most important, exciting part.....the BEST part was ALL the GLORY goes to GOD! He made something that seemed impossible turn possible......when we didn't have a clue how it would work out, HE had the answer.....when we wanted to be scared & stressed, He gave us His Peace! And, I wasn't just writing out that check today....I was PRAISING GOD all the way!!!
More than that...I know that if it hadn't of worked out...if we had NOT been able to pay the balance today....things still would of been okay, because life isn't about paying bills, or making payments, it's about being a servant with what you have, it's about honoring God in all you do, it's about having Faith!

Thank YOU GOD again for your faithfulness to us!

Sweet blessings!

Even though....

Even though.....

It is VERY COLD OUTSIDE.....

GOOD THINGS are still happening on the INSIDE !!!

* Even though our wood stove is a bit messy...(meaning wood chips here & there, not to mention a film it tends to leave on the windows & other things...) it keeps our HOME so WARM!!! There really isn't anything like wood heat when it's cold...backing up to it and feeling that warm heat warm clear through your body!

* Even though it's been FREEZING....my HEART has been WARM....by sharing each evening with my husband....home cooked meals, opening the mail to find cards from friends & family.

* Thanking God that I have warm clothes to wear....and four layers is much better than one!

* Watching the smiles and joy as little three-year olds come bounding into the classroom packing plates filled with home-made cookie making fun :D And, tasting those cookies was definitely GOOD too :D

* Thankful that we have water-heaters for our water-troughs, so all my outdoor "babies" have water to drink.

* So happy ( even though we found time to move our Cattle to their Winter homes on Sunday, when the wind was blowing like crazy)...they are moved and settled!

* Feeling Peace & Joy even though I haven't done ONE SINGLE THING to prepare for Christmas...because over & over again I'm reminded it's NOT about ALL the THINGS!

Even though it's COLD...it's only temporary...just like the HOT was this Summer....and through it all....GOD is always the same..and right now, I'm soooo THANKFUL for ALL His gifts!

Hope you are each finding your own ways to stay WARM..(even though it is COLD) :D
Sweet blessings!

Welcome....

WELCOME DECEMBER!!!

It's here.....

May you enjoy every moment this month brings......

* Opportunities to give

* Smiles to bring

* Gifts of Love from the heart

* Sounds of Christmas music hanging in the air

* Smells of goodies being baked

* Snuggles with those you hold close

* Warm memories of special times and creating new memories

* Celebrating the birth of Our Lord Jesus!!!

Happy, Happy December from my heart to yours......Most of all may it be filled with many, many Sweet blessings!

Lately....

Lately....

Lately....I've just been in a "spot"....

A spot...of routine..

A spot...of just going through the motions...

A spot....of being overwhelmed....

A spot...of being simply tired....

A spot....of ordinary, ever day, same-ol' things...

Maybe it's just Winter setting in.....or the fact that instead of life settling in, it seems to keep speeding up...Maybe it's my hormones (you know when 40 comes, so do hormonal changes :D ha, ha.)

Maybe I'm just in a "spot"....
Sometimes that just happens with life....

But, what I really want to be is....CONTENT!

I'm going to start....looking to truly be CONTENT with EVERY. SINGLE. THING. OOPS! Did I just say every. single. thing...Mmmm...now, that's going to be the challenge....because let's be honest, most of the time, most days, true contentment is not part of our day....But, it needs to be...it must be....and so I am going to truly strive to make it BE!!!

C-Caring & cheering for each day

O-Open to God's plan for my story

N-Nurturing relationships

T-Time each day to be quiet

E-Every moment is an opportunity waiting

N-Never losing focus...it's not about Me...at all :D

T-Truly trying to be all I was made to be

What a great word...contentment...and even more what a great word to be able to use to describe yourself....!!!! So how about you...what brings you contentment??? Have you found it???

May each day bring more & more contentment to your heart....and may this December be overflowing with just that...and many, many Sweet blessings!