Happy New You Year!

So here we are New Year’s Eve 2016.  I have been trying to come up with something wonderful and insightful to write about but alas it all escapes me.  So instead I will write about what has been going on and what I have been seeing and maybe somehow it will all come together. 

So today ended my month of reclaiming my summer.  I had stated from the start that once we got down here I wanted a full month to just kick back and relax and take back some of the time I had lost while moving twice, packing and mostly from the stress of downsizing everything I owned.  We just moved today to a spot in the Ocala Forest and it has a nice little beach.  However, this warmer than usual weather is supposed to leave us after today so while I may be able to enjoy the view, I will not be doing much in the way of swimming, etc.  Honestly, I welcome the cooler weather.  If I don’t have somewhere to swim, 79 and muggy is not welcome.  Also the dogs will enjoy it more and the cats will come snuggle me in the bed.

I watched a really good sermon that someone had posted on Youtube and a relative had posted a link.  I will try to put the link to it down below but it had to deal with will power and us trying to improve our selves and then failing and feeling really crappy about ourselves.  Then I look at my podcasts and Joyce Meyer is talking about Self-Pity.  Again I will post the link if possible below.  Then I saw another post on Facebook (ok look I get it, my social life is pretty small but stick with me,) that had to do with taking control over changes you would like to see in your life instead of sitting and whining about them, blaming someone else or expecting someone else to “fix you”.  So…I took the hint and decided this is what I need to be posting about for New Year’s.

I like most people, view January 1^st kind of like the first day of school; a new chance to do things better or at least differently than in the past.  There are so many things I would like to improve about or within myself.  The question becomes, am I willing to do what it takes to change them.  I know I am capable of change from my accomplishments in the last few months.  The question becomes how do I go about making the other changes I would like to see happen? 

I have a friend who has an amazing ability to make herself do things she doesn’t want to do.  I, on the other hand, am a baby and want my way.  I somehow feel deserving of that extra scoop of ice cream and start to feel sorry for myself if I pack a healthy lunch and then everyone else is ordering pizza, etc.  I know I need to work out.   I have bought books, tapes, exercise equipment, cute workout clothes, you name it!  Then when it comes time to, actually do it, I am like eh :P  Why?  Why am I like this?  Why can’t I look ahead and say WOW, I am going to hate this for a moment then like it and feel FANTASTIC afterwards AND then also look better?  Why am I so short sighted?  Same thing with food.  I know if I eat the junk I want, it will taste good for a moment then I will feel crappy later and then I will look crappy later.  So why do we continue to do things that we KNOW are not good for us? 

Now I know many of you are in the same boat as me as I have YET to meet a woman who is like, “yeah I got it going on, I love the way I look and do everything perfectly.”  However, there are also non-physical things that make me crazy about myself.  For instance, I just went through MONTHS of paring down everything I own and when I do have to go to the store for groceries or necessary items, I STILL FIND MYSELF looking at the SAME ITEMS I JUST GOT RID OF!  I literally just caught myself watching an infomercial for an item I HAD BOUGHT, HAD FOR MONTHS, NEVER USED and gave to my bff.  Like I was really pondering ordering ANOTHER!????  And I have a horrible temper and really am not very good socially.  Now before you go, OH NO you are so friendly and funny and blah blah blah, please note.  You do not know me that well.  Yes you may see me for hours at an event or at work, etc. but until you spend some REAL time with you, you don’t get the full spectrum of my horribleness.  I am cranky and whiny and a big friggin baby and I recognize it and still don’t have a CLUE how to fix it.   I worry too much and honestly with all the time I am spending alone I am realizing I don’t really care for myself.  I can come off as a know-it-all bossy blow hard and I can be really obnoxious.  Other times I can be very antisocial.  I am sure I need some type of medication but until then, how do I just get over myself?

 

I wish I had a closing paragraph full of insight and wonderful tips and encouraging words; however I do not.  Instead, I will invite you to check out the links I am supplying and have recently enjoyed and invite you to share any tips you may have with me.  I am a firm believer that everyone has the same amount of good stuff.  By that I mean, no one is perfect.  We all have things we are good at and areas where we lack.  I just need to embrace my good stuff until I can tame some of my bad stuff.   I will continue to pray and ask God for His help in making me a better version of myself and try really hard not to hate myself in the interim. 

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=joyce+meyer+self+pity+sermon&view=detail&mid=CDDEF9ACFB0EF36934BDCDDEF9ACFB0EF36934BD&FORM=VIRE4

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=joyce+meyer+self+pity+sermon&view=detail&mid=1F99C014522EC2700A611F99C014522EC2700A61&FORM=VIRE2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfZMgjbV6F4&feature=share

 

 

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem, Shine On....

I finally convinced Adam to check out the local mall with me the other day.  As a child of the mall era, I am SO pro-mail and anti-strip mall but that’s another post.  Anyhoo, my husband is not a big fan of crowds so we went during the week and early in the day.  It was surprisingly quiet there for being this close to Christmas but it seemed like a healthy mall full of popular small stores and nice anchors.  (And for those wondering YES there WAS a Chick-fil-A!)   It was decorated in a festive manner and while Santa must have been “out feeding his reindeer”; there was an area to meet up with the jolly old elf.  I am sure I sound like a broken record, (it’s like a MP3 kiddies but you could hold it in your hand and it got scratched very easily making it skip…skip means…ahhhh nevermind) but watching people Christmas shop wearing shorts and flip flops is just WRONG to me J  Not wrong in the “we better pray for them” wrong but just odd.  Let’s just say, it doesn’t seem like Christmas.

Now, THAT got me thinking.  I know the warm weather is throwing us off a little even those in Ohio.  I mean the lack of snow and higher than normal temperatures has an effect on how Christmas feels.  Before you remind me that I previously stated that feelings lie and you cannot trust your feelings, I have to defend the Christmas feeling for a moment.  You know the feeling.  It’s a warm, hugged, teary eyed, loved feeling that when you are a child is filled with excitement and anticipation.  As we get older, while we tend to lose that excitement about what we are getting, it transforms into an excitement about watching our kids or other children’s faces knowing how that wonder of “what could POSSIBLY be in that brightly decorated box” feels and remembering how it felt to be young again.  There something so rewarding and warming about giving someone something you know they really want.  

When I was ten, my mom had my little brother.  At about 11 years old the nieces and nephews started coming so my transformation from “HURRAY FOR MEEEEEEEEEEEE!” to “HURRAY FOR THEMMMMMMM!” was seamless.  I have opened and watched kids open presents almost every year my entire life.  This will literally be the first year I am not going to have that experience in a looooong time.  While I did get a present for my brother’s kids, he still has it so they will not receive it until after the holidays.  I also used to have a long list of expectations for myself of what Christmas was supposed to be including decorations, baking, buying and wrapping tons of presents, etc.  Most of those things are out for me this year so, regardless of the weather, Christmas will not seem “like Christmas” for me this year.

Also, almost every year, I have spent Christmas with loved ones.  Most recently, it has been Christmas Eve with my family but others with my in laws.  On Christmas, it was stay at home with Adam and the animals.  After losing 2 pets on Christmas, this also changed the holiday for us.  This season it will just be Adam and our dogs and cats.  Don’t get me wrong, I am very thankful to have a loving husband and have him here for Christmas as opposed to those who are separated from their spouses for military assignment or other reasons.  I am thankful that I have 3 wonderful, seemingly healthy dogs and 2 young, crazy snuggly-when they are not trying to kill you cats but that being said, it still will not be the same type of Christmas I am used to having. 

So my question to you is, what does it take to happen for Christmas to “feel like Christmas” for you?  Is it where you are?  Is it who you are with? Is it part of the menu?  Is it the Lights at the Zoo?  Is it the yearly football game between you and your friends? 

As stated above, for me, that “Christmas feeling” is always evolving.  The first Christmas after my dad died was the first big thing I remember happening that changed how Christmas felt.  That year my mom bought us all stockings with our names on them.  It became a tradition that we would hang our stocking by age on the stair railing.  This continued well into our adult years with spouses and grandkids stockings added until there wasn’t an inch to hold onto as you descended, which add one clumsy family and one open stair case with no usable railing and ….well you get the idea.  Then came a year when mom couldn’t find the stockings to hang.  WHAT?  NO STOCKINGS?!  HOW CAN IT BE CHRISTMAS WITHOUT THE STOCKINGS?!     

Maybe those things that make Christmas “Christmas” just depend on the traditions our families uphold.  I know this year I am really missing decorating cookies with kids.  That is something we have been doing for some time and I really enjoy.  Another thing that can really get me in the Christmas mood is singing or listening to Christmas hymns.  For many years, I either took a part in or observed other Christmas pageants or concerts.  It’s not so much hearing them on the radio as watching them sang live and singing along.  While I will not be performing anywhere this year, I was able to hear some Christmas music at church.  Even the kids sang a song, albeit Jingle Bells, which I found an odd choice for church but again, picking my battles.

So if you know my belief it’s no surprise that I consider the meaning of Christmas about the birth of Christ.  That being said, tradition also holds a large part of that “Christmas feeling.”  So again, I ask, what would it take for me to take away from you, for you to say, “it doesn’t feel like Christmas this year”?

P.S.  The stockings were located years later and distributed to the appropriate family members just in case you were worried.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIjQfGFDyno    

 

 

Who Am I?

Casting Crowns - Who Am I (With Lyrics)

See more songs by Casting Crowns

Lyrics

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Do you ever wonder who you are?  Do you tend to label yourself and others?  I bet you do.  More than you ever think you do.  I see many of my friends on Facebook; educated, Christian, moms, dads, etc. that play those little games.  “Who would YOU be in a reality TV show?”  The little generator then randomly (or not so if you believe Facebook is always watching) picks people from your friends’ list and assigns them personalities or whatever. “The Troublemaker”, “The Crier”, “The Drunk”, etc.   Right now I see one that is about “Who are you at your Christmas Office Party” and then they say “Suzie is the one that gets drunk and sits on the copier”, “Freddie is the one that hits on this boss”, etc.  There are a million of them.  I get that they are just for fun but I would be lying if I didn’t root to see myself come out as someone good “the one with the GREAT Holiday outfit, etc.”   I also am guilty of reading many “self -help” books and articles to help you figure out “who you are”. 

From a young age we start discovering our identities.  We are often labeled by our place in the birth order,  “Mommy’s BIG boy” or “Daddy’s baby girl”.  That is what I was called.  Daddy’s baby.  And I LOVED IT!  When he died and I was 6, I seem to lose part of my identity with him.  “Luckily…” there are plenty of other people out in the world who are more than happy to give you an identity.  In school, especially when you are young, you are often labeled by either your learning ability “NERD!” or more likely your looks.  “The hottie”, “The fatty”, etc.   Everyone in my family (ok not my older brother) but when I was young, we were larger people.  I mean no one was tiny, by any means.  We are all of decent height and made sturdy J  I had friends around my neighborhood I played with but never realized that I was “big” until a boy pointed it out in music class.  Phil something.   I mean I was 7 years old and I remember Phil was the one that labeled me big.  I even remember what dress I was wearing.  I loved that purple dress and I had on white knee socks and he was sitting next to me and said something like “look how BIG your KNEES ARE!”  “Your KNEES are as big as MY DAD’S!”  Now my Dad had died by this point but I can promise you that his knees were bigger than a 7 year olds!  Maybe his Dad was really skinny or maybe my knees were really big but point is; I let “Phil” decide I was big and that was it.  Not just BIG but “As big as his DAD,” big.  So in other words I was abnormal.  That is a bad thing to feel when you are 7.  Especially when there is no loving Father to remind you “You are Daddy’s baby”. 

Later in life, on Facebook, and even when people are being “nice” (I know, I am being very “quoty” today), they will label you.  The “Great Cook”, the “Good Mom”, the “Cool Mom”, the “Crafty or Cookie lady” or maybe the “Fix it Guy” for those males reading this. 

Why is it we search, no YEARN for an identity?  And if there is no one to give it to us, do we then label ourselves? 

It’s easy to believe these identities, that others, and even WE, give ourselves.  Point is we are almost ALWAYS wrong.  We are NOT who the Facebook generator, the name callers at school or even our best friends say we are.  God says we are something else.  Yes the bible tells us who we are in Christ.  (You may be wondering at this point how this has ANYTHING to do with us going Tiny to Floriga, but if you know me you know I often take the scenic route so just hang tight and trust!) 

The bible tells us,

I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).

I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).

I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13).

I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).

I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).

I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7).

I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

You can read the full list at the following link: http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=knowing_who_i_am_in_christ.  

I have never felt “good enough”.  I am sure I am in good company in saying that.  Even if they won’t admit it, I am not sure anyone really ever feels “good enough.”  Isn’t that why we think we need big houses and nice cars and fancy designer clothes, etc.?  “Say what you will about my “Dad sized knees” I have a good job and a HOUSE!  Some people cannot afford HOUSES, and they live in APARTMENTS or shudder, even TRAILERS!”  Yes, I am sure I have had that thought in the past.  Why do we get our identity, even WORTH from what we own?  And what happens to that worth if you rid yourself of all of those things;  these same things that gave you your worth?  I am no longer the person with the good job.  Yes, I do still work remotely when needed and I am very thankful for this opportunity however, I also know that this may end at any time and then what?  I may become “the lady who works at the dollar store; the one that lives in a trailer and has no house to go back to”.  Am I ok being THAT person?  Is that my identity? 

Ok so that may be the view from those who may just meet me.  How about my friends, family and those who have spent the most time with me?  Who would THEY say I am?  My guess is depends on the day.  Again this is something I am guilty of.  If someone does something that benefits me, I am very likely to say to them “You ROCK!”  “You are the BEST!”  Do I express same these feelings after they do something that negatively impacts me?  What if they tell me that they cannot do something I have asked for their help with?  Would I respond with a “So you cannot stop and pick that up for me?  YOU ROCK!”, etc.  Doubtful.  Therefore, you cannot even trust those who love you and are closest to you to give you your identity.  The only place you can get your identity, or worth is from something bigger than you.  For me this is the bible. 

Please take this challenge for me.  For the next couple days, listen to yourself and others around you see how many times someone is “named” or labeled by another person; again, even if in a positive light. 

 

 

Who Am I?

Casting Crowns - Who Am I (With Lyrics)

See more songs by Casting Crowns

Lyrics

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Do you ever wonder who you are?  Do you tend to label yourself and others?  I bet you do.  More than you ever think you do.  I see many of my friends on Facebook; educated, Christian, moms, dads, etc. that play those little games.  “Who would YOU be in a reality TV show?”  The little generator then randomly (or not so if you believe Facebook is always watching) picks people from your friends’ list and assigns them personalities or whatever. “The Troublemaker”, “The Crier”, “The Drunk”, etc.   Right now I see one that is about “Who are you at your Christmas Office Party” and then they say “Suzie is the one that gets drunk and sits on the copier”, “Freddie is the one that hits on this boss”, etc.  There are a million of them.  I get that they are just for fun but I would be lying if I didn’t root to see myself come out as someone good “the one with the GREAT Holiday outfit, etc.”   I also am guilty of reading many “self -help” books and articles to help you figure out “who you are”. 

From a young age we start discovering our identities.  We are often labeled by our place in the birth order,  “Mommy’s BIG boy” or “Daddy’s baby girl”.  That is what I was called.  Daddy’s baby.  And I LOVED IT!  When he died and I was 6, I seem to lose part of my identity with him.  “Luckily…” there are plenty of other people out in the world who are more than happy to give you an identity.  In school, especially when you are young, you are often labeled by either your learning ability “NERD!” or more likely your looks.  “The hottie”, “The fatty”, etc.   Everyone in my family (ok not my older brother) but when I was young, we were larger people.  I mean no one was tiny, by any means.  We are all of decent height and made sturdy J  I had friends around my neighborhood I played with but never realized that I was “big” until a boy pointed it out in music class.  Phil something.   I mean I was 7 years old and I remember Phil was the one that labeled me big.  I even remember what dress I was wearing.  I loved that purple dress and I had on white knee socks and he was sitting next to me and said something like “look how BIG your KNEES ARE!”  “Your KNEES are as big as MY DAD’S!”  Now my Dad had died by this point but I can promise you that his knees were bigger than a 7 year olds!  Maybe his Dad was really skinny or maybe my knees were really big but point is; I let “Phil” decide I was big and that was it.  Not just BIG but “As big as his DAD,” big.  So in other words I was abnormal.  That is a bad thing to feel when you are 7.  Especially when there is no loving Father to remind you “You are Daddy’s baby”. 

Later in life, on Facebook, and even when people are being “nice” (I know, I am being very “quoty” today), they will label you.  The “Great Cook”, the “Good Mom”, the “Cool Mom”, the “Crafty or Cookie lady” or maybe the “Fix it Guy” for those males reading this. 

Why is it we search, no YEARN for an identity?  And if there is no one to give it to us, do we then label ourselves? 

It’s easy to believe these identities, that others, and even WE, give ourselves.  Point is we are almost ALWAYS wrong.  We are NOT who the Facebook generator, the name callers at school or even our best friends say we are.  God says we are something else.  Yes the bible tells us who we are in Christ.  (You may be wondering at this point how this has ANYTHING to do with us going Tiny to Floriga, but if you know me you know I often take the scenic route so just hang tight and trust!) 

The bible tells us,

I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).

I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).

I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13).

I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).

I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).

I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7).

I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

You can read the full list at the following link: http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=knowing_who_i_am_in_christ.  

I have never felt “good enough”.  I am sure I am in good company in saying that.  Even if they won’t admit it, I am not sure anyone really ever feels “good enough.”  Isn’t that why we think we need big houses and nice cars and fancy designer clothes, etc.?  “Say what you will about my “Dad sized knees” I have a good job and a HOUSE!  Some people cannot afford HOUSES, and they live in APARTMENTS or shudder, even TRAILERS!”  Yes, I am sure I have had that thought in the past.  Why do we get our identity, even WORTH from what we own?  And what happens to that worth if you rid yourself of all of those things;  these same things that gave you your worth?  I am no longer the person with the good job.  Yes, I do still work remotely when needed and I am very thankful for this opportunity however, I also know that this may end at any time and then what?  I may become “the lady who works at the dollar store; the one that lives in a trailer and has no house to go back to”.  Am I ok being THAT person?  Is that my identity? 

Ok so that may be the view from those who may just meet me.  How about my friends, family and those who have spent the most time with me?  Who would THEY say I am?  My guess is depends on the day.  Again this is something I am guilty of.  If someone does something that benefits me, I am very likely to say to them “You ROCK!”  “You are the BEST!”  Do I express same these feelings after they do something that negatively impacts me?  What if they tell me that they cannot do something I have asked for their help with?  Would I respond with a “So you cannot stop and pick that up for me?  YOU ROCK!”, etc.  Doubtful.  Therefore, you cannot even trust those who love you and are closest to you to give you your identity.  The only place you can get your identity, or worth is from something bigger than you.  For me this is the bible. 

Please take this challenge for me.  For the next couple days, listen to yourself and others around you see how many times someone is “named” or labeled by another person; again, even if in a positive light. 

In the Middle of my Little Mess, I Forget How Much I'm Blessed...

So I don’t know about you but I am much better in a large crisis than a small one.  In the song (lyrics below) the author talks about how it’s the little stuff that makes her crazy.  I often find myself willing to reach out to God when I am in “big trouble” but hardly bother to when I have the everyday annoying things.  And honestly it’s THOSE little things that DO make me crazy and make me stumble much worse than the big things.  For instance:

I remember when I was about 19 and I was on a double date with my then boyfriend and a friend of his and a friend of mine.  We were headed home from a dance club and apparently my boyfriend ran a stop sign and we were T boned.  I was not injured and all four of us left the car shaken.  Somehow his friend’s head hit a pin sized sharp point in the roof of the car leaving a large amount blood pouring out of his finely coiffed mullet (well then referred to as a bi-level).  The blood was running down his face and because it was dark he had so much hair it was hard to tell the extent of his injury.  He was freaking out running back and forth across the road between the 2 sets of headlights waving his arms.  I wish I could said it was instinct but honestly I think I remembered recently watching some show about how to handle a horse that was out of control, but however, I went up behind him and covered his eyes and started whispering in his ear.  It worked.  He calmed down and leaned into me.  I stood there holding onto him and whispering until the paramedics arrived and I handed him over.  They promptly took a look at his teeny cut and slapped a kotex pad on his head the soak up the blood.  I then very dramatically and with great grace passed out across the hood of the car.   I remember this vividly because he kept insisting it was a tampon they put on his head.  Apparently he had never been sent to the store for supplies, by a girlfriend, sister, mom or wife at that time and didn’t know the difference. 

Anyhoo, I have been trying to make a concerted effort to include God in all things.  I remember years ago talking to someone at work about how I was talking to God about eating an ice cream cone and he said “God doesn’t give a hoot about whether you eat an ice cream cone.”  First of all, I don’t agree and second of all, what can it hurt? I would rather eat an ice cream cone WITH God than without, but I digress.

So today I had a bunch of errands to run. I needed to find someplace to mail a letter, I needed groceries, a bank and some non-food items from a store.  I knew there were plenty of businesses around but had no idea which ones and where they were located.  I said a  little prayer and started making a plan. 

I decided to find a Dollar Tree to begin my search as I needed doggy poop bags and ours carries those.  I used the GPS and ended up at the Dollar Tree and apparently Georgia doesn’t have as much use for poopy bags because you wouldn’t believe how many places I have been looking for them.  Anyways, I got a few items and was trying to decide where to GPS next.  There was a Target store next door and I decided to go there.  I parked and realized I hadn’t been  to the bank yet nor had I mailed my letter so I thought I might as well leave.  I then was told.  No, go to Target.  I am like but what the heck can Target have from my list except maybe the poopy bags?  I was like, ok whatever, Target it is.  So I start walking towards the doors and exactly as I get to the doors, the mail truck drives up!  Seriously!  I am like haha..ok.  I handed the postman my mail to send and went inside.  Now my plan was to look in that cool little cheapy area just inside the door and get my poopy bags and go.  I started to look for the cheapy area and BOOM!  An ATM!  I was like WHOA, cool beans, now I have my banking and mail stuff done…Poopy bags and find a grocery store. 

After about three bewildered laps around the cheapy stuff, NO POOPY BAGS!  Are you kidding?  So I head back to the pet section where I find 8 ROLLS OF POOPY BAGS ON SALE!  Yes and they were multi-colored!  I kinda chuckled and was waved a finger up at God and said…”Oh YOUUUUU”.  Then I started to look for a few other non-food items.  I turned a corner and BAM!  GROCERIES!  Are you kidding me????  As it was, I ended up getting everything I needed in those two stops!  Why am I not praying and asking God’s help in EVERY aspect of my life?  Why do I let myself struggle through all those little things when let’s face it, those are the things that make us crazy????? 

 

Lyrics to This Is The StuffI

I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'cause I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

45 in a 35 sirens and fines
While I'm running behind
Whoa ho ho

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess,
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Whoa ho ho ho

Oooooh This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff
Someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

Whoa whoa ho ho
This is the stuff You use.

 

Songwriters: WOOD, TONY / ESKELIN, IAN / BATESTELLI, FRANCESCA
Publisher: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
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There's a Place for Us...........

So we have been looking for property and honestly I am getting them all confused.  After a while they all seem to run together.  We have looked all around the Valdosta, GA area as well as many towns in Northern FL.  I am again surprised at all of the dirt roads!  Some of them have been unpassable with large ruts and or flooded over.  Some of them are loose sand in which we have risked getting stuck.  Since many of the properties we are looking at are just that, land only, there are often no street addresses and so it makes it hard to find exactly what you are looking for.  Often the roads are also confusing.  Take dirt road 132nd Avenue and turn right at 112^th Street until it dead ends into 52^nd Road?  There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the numbers or names.  There seems to be plenty of vacant, affordable land but things are just different here.  For one thing, there are timber and mineral rights issues.  You may own the land but not the timber on the land ????    

While we are looking for an area with fewer restrictions on the size of the home you can build or type of home you can have there or whether you can have animals.  We also would like to be able to have access to electricity, or cable if we choose.  Also while we want some privacy, we also don’t want to be so far off grid that when we are gone, people will come and pillage our property.  We actually looked at a property where there stood the frame for a pole barn and it had a great cement slab.  We asked the realtor if there was a fire or something that caused them to leave this seemingly great spot and were told that the owner came back to the property after some time and someone had TAKEN THE POLE BARN!  I mean seriously we are looking at building a tiny.  How much easier is it to take that, especially if you built on wheels?  And this was the SELLING REALTOR TELLING US THIS!!   Many of the parcels allow items on trailers to be brought in and lived in for up to 6 months at a time without question.  What if a long trip into town leads to coming home to well, NO HOME?!

We also have found some lots with homes of some sort already on it.  We found an adorable cabin up in the woods in a primitive area that had a lot of potential.  The owner also had left a bunch of new pavers on the lot which still remained (good sign that no one had stolen them).   It was also funny because while trying to find this property (again no address signs, mailboxes or realty signs) we ran into a land appraiser back in the area who was able and willing to talk very candidly with us about the area and that property in particular.  It seemed that when the owner had built the little cabin the neighbors called out the county stating he was doing something without a permit.  It was also in a very little town with few employers and since we are going to be working for some time, so that concerned us.   The area seems very poor and with it being so far up in the woods, it just made me nervous.  Still a beautiful area. 

Yesterday a trip further south into Florida results in a good find.  We found an area that is workable distance to Gainesville that had a nice property.  It was over 2 acres and had an older mobile home on it.  It was in rough shape but seemed structurally sound.  It also had a large metal shed and a small play house type cabin up on stilts.  The yard was well maintained and it had a working well, electric and septic.  It also had a nice chain link fence that surrounded the entire property.  The area was so quiet and the road, while dirt was maintained by the county without a HOA fee.  The land parcels are often in little “neighborhoods” think a dirt road cull de sac that are governed by ??? (Some mystery group who makes up the bylaws of the areas then maintains the road and charges a HOA fee.)  Funny, because when I think of a HOA fee, I think neighborhood pool, etc. but nope, just a drivable road.   The small town where it’s located does have some businesses and the police dept. and school are nearby.  The yard is wooded but not so much that you couldn’t find room to put up a pool ;) and enjoy your yard.  Also there were a lot of oak trees.  Normally you see a lot of pine trees with some hard woods mixed in.  We would own the timber and mineral rights also which would be nice and mail would be delivered to our mailbox up front instead of having to go to a post office or put up a box somewhere on a paved road.  The only concern right now is that if we buy this is really maxes out what we wanted to pay and leaves us with little right now to make improvements.  I mean it includes many of the things we would have done in the future but asking us to pay now instead of as we go.  We are weighing out whether this is the one and praying for guidance.  I am sure if this isn’t the one God has something REALLY cool in store for us J

Somewhere (from West Side Story)

By Colm Wilkinson

There's a place for us
Somewhere a place for us
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us
Somewhere

There's a time for us
Some day a time for us
Time together with time spare
Time to learn, time to care
Some day!

Somewhere
We'll find a new way of living
We'll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere...

There's a place for us
A time and place for us
Hold my hand and we're halfway there
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow
Some day
Somewhere!

Songwriters: SAPORITO, LUCA / MIDDLETON, ANTHONY / GEDDES, STUART

© DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

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