Weekends just fly by too quickly, don’t they? After painting the 1st coat on the shed Saturday I woke up with a stiff neck yesterday, so we decided that a day with a bit more relaxation was a good idea. I puttered a bit around the house, Hubby worked out in the garage and we grilled steak for the first time this spring and it ended up being an awesome day! This morning is starting out fairly organized, since I packed lunches last night, so I should be able to get out of the house on time and without feeling the stress of being behind schedule.
I spent quite a bit of time this weekend thinking about families, relationships and loving each other. It is one of my deepest hopes that my children KNOW that I love them, that even when I was disciplining them when they were growing up, that they knew it. When they moved out as adults, I hope they knew I loved them, even though I was sad to see them go. When their lives are busy, and we don’t have as much time together, I hope they know that I always, no matter what, love them. Recently I met a young adult who was quite emotional as they shared their feelings. They truly feel that their parents don’t like them. I saw the pain in their eyes, and I felt so sad for them, and made me worry that my children may have felt the same. I don’t think so though. Our relationships are healthy and strong, they call and talk, laugh and share their lives with me. They know that even if I don’t always agree with their decisions, that I respect that they have the right, as adults to make them, and that I am confident that I did a good job raising them to be independent, responsible and strong. Parents, please. Let your children know you love them, no matter what. Don’t let YOUR child be one who thinks you don’t love them, causing them to question what it was they did wrong while they were growing up. It’s too heartbreaking.
Verse of the Day
May 7, 2018
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
Where does your heart live? That’s what these verses are all about. It’s about where we spend the most time with our hearts. Is there a constant awareness in your life that God is present? Is he the unseen but always present companion in all your ups and downs? Or is God here when it is convenient and gone when things are busy or we feel that everything is going okay? Joy comes from knowing we are never alone. Prayer is the ongoing conversation we have, Spirit to Spirit, child to Abba, human with God. Thanksgiving and joy are the great reminders that we have been blessed no matter what the outward circumstances imply.
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Food for Thought
If you’re like me, you’ve been watching the news from Hawaii, and the horror that is happening with lava flowing through people’s homes after the volcano erupted. I feel so horrible for them! Please, keep the people on Hawaii in your prayers as they get through this disaster and in the aftermath when they try to pick up their lives and rebuild.
Melanoma Monday – How many of us go through life thinking that nothing bad will happen to us? Illness is for other people – we don’t have time! Truth is that nobody is exempt. For Melanoma Monday – part of Skin Cancer Awareness Month – many dermatology clinics are giving free screenings, so today would be a perfect opportunity to get checked! If that isn’t available to you, please be sure to do a self-check regularly for any unusual spots that are new, or that have been there and are changing. The reason for all of the concern? Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer and instances are up by 800% in the last few decades among young women 18-39 years old, double the instances in men. Get checked, once a year, to make sure that you are OK. If you are hitting the tanning beds, STOP. Apply and reapply sun screen regularly, wear a sun hat when you’re out in the sun and pay attention to changes you see on your skin. And where is the celebration in this? Well, finding out you DON’T have melanoma is a great reason to celebrate, wouldn’t you think?
National Barrier Awareness Day – It is no secret that I feel that the best President we ever had was Ronald Reagan, though as far as getting things accomplished, I have to say that President Trump is right up there in the top two. It came as no surprise to me that he signed this Proclamation 5472 declaring May 7, 1986 to be the first National Barrier Awareness Day. I can’t possibly say it better than he did, so here is his proclamation:
“Today some 36 million Americans suffer from some form of handicap. Eighty percent of Americans will experience some disability in their lifetime. That makes it necessary for all of us to understand and appreciate both the barriers they must surmount and the contributions that they can make to our society. Many disabled people face financial, cultural, and physical barriers because of a lack of public understanding of their needs. We must become more aware of the barriers that prevent or inhibit so many of our fellow Americans from participating fully in the life of our society, and how much more they could contribute if those obstacles were removed….”
Bless him for that, and may the barriers continue to be broken down so that those who face them no longer be kept from achieving their dreams and goals because of these sorts of struggles.
National Tourism Day – Well, this is interesting. Yesterday was Tourist Appreciation Day, and today is National Tourism Day? Seems like someone, or a group of someone’s, is gearing up for summer – when tourism is at its high! Many cities and attractions really ramp up their advertising this time of year, offering discounts and promotions to draw people to bring their vacation dollars and boost local economy. So, if you are getting ready to go on a vacation and aren’t sure where to go, or what to do, start watching for the deals on sites like www.travelzoo.com, or www.groupon.com. Lots of wonderful stuff to do, much of it local, at really great deals. Don’t just browse and dream, book some sort of travel plans today! Hubby and I aren’t in the market for a big vacation this summer, but will focus most of our attention on a short road trip around our own state, and weekend camping trips. We’re pretty happy keeping things low key.
This Day in History –
1789 – The first inaugural ball is held in honor of George Washington and his wife.
1888 – George Eastman patents the Box Camera.
1934 – The World’s largest pearl (6.4kg.) was discovered in the Philippines.
1941 – Big band leader Glenn Miller records the “Chattanooga Choo Choo”.
1945 -Germany signs an unconditional surrender at Rhims, France, ending WWII in Europe.
1970 – The Beatles last album is released- “Long and Winding Road”.
Food Celebration of the Day –
Cosmopolitan – I’ve never had one of these pretty pink drinks, but I’ve seen them in the movies, and honestly after finding a recipe, they sound delicious! I think I have everything I need to make them, so perhaps tonight we’ll celebrate this delicious drink! I can make it low-carb by using unsweetened cranberry juice and make a simple syrup out of erythritol and water. Well, yum, tonight will be fun! The recipe is simple: 1 oz vodka, ½ oz triplesec, ½ oz lime juice and 1 oz cranberry juice. If you’re using unsweetened cranberry juice like I will be, add a bit of simple syrup made with low-carb sweetener of choice. Shake all the ingredients together and strain into a cocktail glass. It’s a pink drink kind of night!
National Roast Leg of Lamb – People either love lamb or hate it. It does have a distinctive flavor that for many is an acquired taste. I never knew the difference between lamb and mutton. Bon Appetit magazine has suggested that they are one and the same. The only difference is the history of the people who used the words. Lamb was used by peasants of German descent, and mutton was used by the aristocratic French. Most of us though, use the two terms to describe two totally different types of meat. Even though both lamb and mutton come from sheep, lamb is the meat from a sheep that is less than a year old. Mutton is from a much older sheep and the meat tends to be gamier and tougher. I don’t eat baby animals – I’d like them to have a chance to grow up first – so I’ll stick with mutton, thank you very much. Lamb is an Easter favorite, and is easy enough to cook that it can also be an everyday dinner, yet fancy enough for a special occasion. I’m guessing that this is the food of the day because we usually are having Easter closer to this time of year, and for some reason it came a lot sooner this year.
It’s that time of the morning when I must head out to work, and I’m sure many of you are doing the same right about now. May your Monday be fantastic in every way! God bless you and I’ll see you tomorrow.
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