HardworkinJudy

Thankful Thursday - Safety

2012-01-25T19:57:00.000-08:00

Not all of us live in perfect families. Not all of us have perfect lives. In fact most of us have some baggage we carry with us. My sister and I had a father with a very quick temper. He would burst into anger quicker than a match into flame and the intensity was as strong. We suffered from harsh words and physical wounds through most of our youth.

Why is it that those who live in households where they have to "walk on eggs" grow up and live in the same kinds of homes? Why is it that those who grew up in unhealthy relationships seem to fall into the same kind as adults? I promised myself as a teen that I would never be yelled at again or live in fear once I left my father's home. I believe that everyone deserves to be safe in their own home. We enter into a world outside our home daily with all it's uncertainties where we need to be on guard but at home one should be able to feel comfortable, secure, loved, and safe. We should be able to let our guard down.

3.3 million children witness domestic violence each year in the U.S. The long term effects on children are far reaching and include such things as post traumatic stress, emotional instability, anti-social behavior, mal-adjustment and a host of physical and emotional disorders.

While I was subbing in head start one day one little boy kept kicking and biting other students. The teacher I worked for took her cell phone from her pocket and called the boy by name telling him she would call his father if he did not settle down. (I had placed him in time out several times and it had not calmed him down.) The little boy raised his voice, rolled his eyes, and with hands on his hips looked the teacher in her eyes and spat out at her "Go ahead! My father went away with the policeman today for hitting my Mama!" He was angry and probably hurt and did not know where to turn or how to act.

1. What can we do to rescue our children?

2. Do you agree with the state that it is better to maintain the unity of the family?

This post linked to Thursday Two Questions. Amanda always has some interesting topics brewing. Thanks so much for visiting me today. Take care, stay healthy and God bless!

Pintrest

2012-01-22T12:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the guest post by Jo Levy

Since we got get WildBlue at our house, I have been spending so much time on the internet. I found this new site that is so addicting. It is called pintrest and it is just the site to get your creative juices flowing. Or if you are like me and don’t have any creative juices, you can just copy what other people did when their creative juices were flowing! I had the most fun finding ideas for cheap and homemade Christmas decorations. My favorite was the centerpiece for my dinner table. I used old clear vases that I wasn’t using anymore and filled them with fresh cranberries and water. I topped that with a candlestick. I was so beautiful when I lit the candles. I also made lighted topiaries out of an upside down tomato cage wrapped with a string of Christmas lights. I put one on each side of my front door and from the road it looked like two little Christmas trees! I feel kind of guilty for going on the website and only stealing people’s ideas and not sharing any!

Reflections - Guess Where I am?

2012-01-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

First stop, the thrift store. Look at the reflections in the shiny stainless steel creamer. Next stop the laundromat. The windows of the clothes dryer created some interesting reflections. This post linked to Weekend Reflections. Thanks for visiting today. Take care, stay healthy, and God bless.

Reflections of Love

2012-01-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

It's wonderful when we see reflections of something natural and beautiful.

But what about when we are the recipient of hateful words or deeds...

Do we reflect that back or do we do as Jesus did and reflect love? The night before Jesus was to be crucified he bent in love, loosed the sandals of the disciples and washed their feet. He knew He would be betrayed shortly and not one of His disciples would stand with Him as he faced torture and death, but He reflected love. It's easy to reflect what is in front of us, but how about reflecting what is within us?

This post linked to Weekend reflection. Thanks so much for visiting. Take care, stay healthy and God bless!

Are You Glowing? Why Not?

2012-01-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

Shadows fall upon the snow

And the branches shimmer

and glow

Sunshine casts a wonderful

Warmth that has us all aglow.

If you are not glowing, but are in fact feeling a little sluggish or under the weather perhaps you need to detox. Our bodies cannot be expected to run at peak performance if we do not properly care for them. I wrote an article about protecting our bodies from toxins. I found most of the valuable information in the book 7-Day Detox Miracle. If you would like to read it I have the link here:

What Can We Do to Protect Ourselves From Toxins?

This post is linked to Shadow Shot Sunday. Thanks so much for your visit today. Take care, stay healthy, and God bless!

Being a renter is looking tempting

2012-01-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine an apartment with hardwood floors, a fireplace, picture windows with stunning views, a dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer and loads of other amenities included? I came across this while looking at Edmonton apartments for rent. These apartments have everything we are looking for in a home.

Hubby and I just spent a week without heat. Annually we can count on our furnace going out at least once. Having bought the home in 1994 I purchased a one year warranty on the home and just a few months after it expired my furnace went out. I called a repairman and he placed a padlock on my furnace and informed me it was not repairable. He charged me for this service. Well this was in 1995. I took out a loan and had a new furnace installed. Every year since it has needed repaired.

Hubby and I have been together since 1998. We had to replace our water heater and have had numerous plumbing repairs. We have finally come to a point where we are wondering if home ownership is worth the hassle and expense especially when you can find such gorgeous apartments for rent!

We are seriously considering renting instead of purchasing. The 30 year mortgage seems like it drags on forever and instead of our home increasing in value, today's economy places our home's value way below it's original appraisal price. When you rent you no longer have to bear the brunt of repair costs or labor and you can have more time to just sit back and relax while you enjoy the beauty of your home, your children and or grandchildren and your hobbies. I am tempted. How about you?

Thank you for visiting me today. Take care and God bless.

Thankful Thursday - Tradition

2011-12-28T20:23:00.000-08:00

Christmas eve was very lovely. I got to see most my huge family, and my youngest daughter and her husband made a simply delightful dinner.They did an amazing job. Aaron (s-i-l) led the family in a beautiful prayer, the children played and entertained and family drifted in (mostly in) and out for the evening. Ruby, my daughter, had the children dressed up in their Sunday best, which truly added to the festive spirit and maybe even improved their behavior. :-) L`Mear and L`Mirrah, who are their twins, were dancing when we arrived and nicely obliged me in allowing me to photograph them.

They will soon be 6.

1.Do you think they will be embarrassed by this picture in 10 to 15 years? I thought they were cute.

I used to take pictures of my children when they were babies. The pictures were of them nude after a bath, and they were lying on their tummies. A couple of them were upset when they saw them. I think they are cute! In fact maybe I should go browsing to see if they are still there. Some of my pictures have mysteriously disappeared. hmm

2. Did your parents save embarrassing pictures of you as a child?

This post linked to Thursday Two Questions. Join Amanda and find out what all the buzz is about. Thanks for visiting me today. Take care, stay healthy and God bless.

Soft as a Kitten

2011-12-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

I love thrift stores for more than one reason.

They offer useful things at a fraction of the original cost and they offer unique items you would probably not find anywhere else! Which is a better incentive?

This painting is framed in a perfect frame, scratch-less and the painting is adorable. It is signed HarriSon. I am not familiar with the artist, but he or she is good, and bottom line the price was just $.79. The cashier was kind of surprised at the deal when I brought it up to check out. I love a good deal. Don't you?

This post linked to weekend reflection. Thank you for visiting me today. Take care and may Jesus be with you this blessed season!

A Slick Snowman

2011-12-18T13:19:00.000-08:00

He wasn't nimble

He wasn't quick

But the snowman thought

He was real slick

Until the sun came

out to play

And ruined Mr. Frosty's

day! ~135~

The bonus word is nimble. This is a very fun meme. Why not try your hand, it's fun and Design 215 makes the counting easier. You can sum it up with 140 characters or words, your choice.

Thanks so much for your visit. Thanks for joining Succinctly yours. Take care and God bless you and yours this Christmas holiday!

Puppy Love

2011-12-17T18:14:00.000-08:00

Mom's cock-a-poo had five pups, three girls and two boys and they are just 2 weeks old now, but she will be looking for homes in 4 more weeks.

This post linked to shadow shot Sunday. Thank you for your visit. Take care, stay healthy and God bless!

Reunited

2011-12-11T18:10:00.001-08:00

It had been a year since their divorce and he had been diligent in his efforts to get them to talk to one another. His diligence paid off! ~138~

The bonus word is diligent. This is a very fun meme. Why not try your hand, it's fun and Design 215 makes the counting easier. You can sum it up with 140 characters or words, your choice.

Thanks so much for your visit. Thanks for joining Succinctly yours. Take care and God bless!

Letter from God to Women

2011-12-03T12:41:00.001-08:00

This post linked to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Are you like me in that there are times when you feel painfully inadequate in achieving what it is you would like to do or being what you would like to be?

Someone sent me an email message years ago when I was experiencing some of these very feelings and I printed it and saved it because it touched my heart. I hope you will let me share it with you. You each en-body some very special qualities and perhaps you haven't taken time lately to take stock of them?

This letter is "from God and written" with women in mind. Note -I have not seen God write this letter, but the words are loving and encouraging just like I would imagine His would be:

When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being.

When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils.

But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed the life into man because your nostrils are too delicate.

I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you.

Man was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with the creativity.

From one bone, I fashioned you. I chose the bone that protects man's life. I chose the rib, which protects man's life, which protects his heart and lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this bone, I shaped you...

I modeled you. I created you perfectly and beautifully.

Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile.

You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life.

The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man as the rib cage supports the body.

You were not taken from his feet, to be under him, nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side.

You are my perfect angel...You are my beautiful little girl.

You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart. Your eyes...don't change them. Your lips; how lovely when they part in prayer. Your nose so perfect in form. Your hands so gentle to touch. I've caressed your face in your deepest sleep. I've held your heart close to mine. Of all the lives that breathe you are the most like me.

Adam walked with me in the cool of the day, yet he was lonely. He could not see me or touch me. He could only feel me. So everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with me, I fashioned in you; my holiness, my strength, my purity, my love, my protection and support.

You are special because you are an extension of me. Man represents my image, woman my emotions. Together, you represent the totality of God.

So man....treat women well, love her, respect her, for she is fragile.

Please share this with your women friends and family that they may know they are blessed by God and with your male friends so that they may realize the gift God has shared with them.

Thank you for your visit today. Take care and God bless!

Moving Away

2011-11-28T16:20:00.001-08:00

Author: Isiah Williams

I moved to Lubbock last year to go to college at Texas Tech. I took one year off to work and save in between high school and college, and I lived at home with my parents and had everything taken care of for me. You would think that in that year I matured and learned a few things, but I still felt really scared to go away to college. Even though Lubbock is only a few hours away from home, I was still terrified to leave. I registered a little late for my first semester, and there wasn’t a space in any of the dorms for me. I was worried since I thought that living in a dorm would be a good transition for me. Since there was no space, I had to get an apartment on my own, and figure out how to set everything up. The first thing I did was connect my electricity, and then I searched dish tv lubbock and hooked up my satellite TV. Then I moved on to phone and internet service. Before you know it, everything was settled and I was on my own. I couldn’t believe how easy it was!

A Colorful Winter Day

2011-11-26T12:24:00.001-08:00

If I was a robin
I'd fly away
Looking for
a warmer day

If I was a sparrow
I'd take my song
To a warmer climate
To sing along

If I was the sun
I'd put on a display
To promise the start
of another day

Not all days are dark
and dreary
The sky shows colors
to make you cheery

Reflected in the
waterways
Oh pretty sky
make the colors stay

Paint with a brush

wherever you go

For such as I

to see below

Nature by God

poem by Judy

This post linked to Weekend Reflection. Thank you so much for your visit. BTW, congratulations are in order, please welcome Marolina to our family. For a peek at the happy couple scroll down to the previous post. Take care, God bless and stay healthy and happy!

Thankful Thursday - Happy Events

2011-11-24T21:26:00.001-08:00

If we do not take all our accumulated time off by a certain time of year we lose it then we begin to rebuild next year. They pay us for 75% of it but to my way of thinking, that is a loss, so I asked for vacation time and was fortunate enough to get it!

Chris and Mari purchased their wedding license last week and I had truly hoped they would get married this week. The appointment book was full all week, but Chris left them a message to please call him if anything became available. When they called we were forced to rush around so we could take the the time slot which just became available. He had not had a chance to get his hair cut so he advised me not to post his pic on Facebook. He is very funny about that, but this is not Facebook, right? He gets his haircut nearly every month because it grows so fast!

She laid her cell phone on the bannister on speaker so that her mother could hear the vows as they were recited. Her work is slow in New York so she could not afford to come but when money becomes a little less tight they plan on traveling to New York so they can have the big wedding of her and her family's dreams. I am just so glad that I got to be a part of this one.

I am so blesssed in that from the moment I met Mari I knew she was right for my son, and when I see the way he is with her and the adoration in his eyes and hers, my heart does flip flops. They first met on November 27th. Some say it is too soon.

1. Do you think a long engagement is important?

2. What advice would you give the newlyweds?

This post linked to Thursday Two Questions. Amanda's back. I missed her last week! how about you? Can I stick last week's post in there too? :-)

Thanks for visiting me. Take care and God bless!

Forsythia Leaves

2011-11-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Jeannie came over the other day and wanted to see my forsythia bush. I told her that it had grown so much since I last pruned it a few months back that it followed me into my front door when I was talking on my cell with her one night. She laughed and said she had to come and see this amazing bush.

Well once she and I finished this bush, she whacked and I stacked, it was just a fraction of the size it once was. As I stacked the cut limbs in the wood pile out back, I saw one tiny limb with some pretty variegated leaves and rescued just it from the pile. I placed it in a vase and found out the vase had not been waterproofed so I had a puddle and two fallen leaves. I took the two leaves and placed them on a beveled mirror. I examined the colors blended from a light lime green to a bright purple...Isn't God amazing? The leaves were as pretty as the flowers once were on these bushes! BTW I did get up the puddle.:-)

This post linked to Weekend Reflection. Thank you for your visit. Take care, stay healthy and God bless!

Sunlit clouds

2011-11-10T18:51:00.000-08:00

God's glory shines upon the sky

In sunlit clouds as they roll by

In birds that sing and birds that fly

Up in the clouds that hang so high

I know that God must exist

I feel Him in the grass he kissed

With soft dew in the dark of night

And in clouds of yellow and white.

Nature by God

poem by Judy

Your visits are treasured. Thank you and God bless. This post linked to Skywatch Friday. Stay well.

Bygone days of summer past

2011-11-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

This post linked to watery Wednesday. Thank you for your visit. Take care and God bless!

Threatened with execution for defending herself

2011-11-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

She was raped repeatedly as a migrant worker by her employer. After fighting off the last attempted rape by him she was then gang raped by nine men throughout the evening then arrested. She is facing execution. For more about her story read here. For information regarding fighting for her appeal read here.

Everything human in us should cry out in this young woman’s defense. We applaud those who do not allow themselves to be victims, but in this country they want to execute her. There is an amnesty plea going in on her behalf and we can make a difference today. What if this was you or your loved one?

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 1 DECEMBER 2011 TO:

King

His Majesty King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz
Al Saud
The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques
Office of His Majesty the King
Royal Court, Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: (via Ministry of the Interior)
+966 1 403 3125 (please keep trying)

Salutation: Your Majesty

Second Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of the Interior
His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin
Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Ministry of the
Interior, P.O. Box 2933, Airport Road
Riyadh 11134, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: +966 1 403 3125 (please keep
trying)

Salutation: Your Royal Highness

And copies to:
President, Human Rights Commission
Bandar Mohammed ‘Abdullah al-Aiban
Human Rights Commission
P.O. Box 58889, King Fahad Road,
Building No. 373, Riyadh 11515
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Email: hrc@haq-ksa.org

Thanks for visiting me today. Take care and God bless! Picture sources; first Image source second Image source.

Hunting and Stalking

2011-11-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite past times is bargain hunting, so I am quite the "sports" person as not only do I "hunt" down bargains, but I "stalk" the sky so this was a very rewarding evening. I picked up a book a co-worker needs for just $.20 and some lovely sky shot reflections.

Thanks so much for visiting me today. This post is linked to weekend reflection. Take care and God bless!

Ahhh it's an "A"

2011-11-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

image source

The letter A is first; beginning the alphabet, beginning the names of my first born son then my first born daughter. . . Anthony, Aimee`, both names are defined as meaning beloved. Often companies choose to begin their names with "A" to be found first on the internet or in the yellow pages.

image source

Some of a writer's favorite words begin with the letter "A"; adjectives and adverbs, both breathing life into the noun and verb, adding color to the story; awesome, astonishing, akward, absolutely, adorably adept at adapting to alliteration.

image source

What is the best grade one can award an ardent student?

This post linked to Alphabe-Thursday!

Thanks for visiting! Take care, God bless!

Please don't remind her!

2011-10-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

She tried to be ambivalent about her husband's new interest, carving pumpkins but with her morning sickness, this pumpkin was just too much! 140

Every week Grandma's Goulash posts a picture and you can submit either 140 words or characters to the challenge. She also provided us with the word ambivalent to add a little more challenge. Why not try your hand, it's fun and Design 215 makes the counting easier.

Thanks so much for your visit. Thanks for joining Succinctly yours. Take care and God bless!

Grand River Reflections

2011-10-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

This post linked to Weekend reflection. I hope you are having a blessed weekend. Won't you stop by and see what James has in store for you?

Dancing Hearts

2011-10-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

Twas a windy day with leaves a dancin

When I spied the hearts I did imagine

That the cheery yellow was meant for me

Sending love from yonder tree

Hurriedly I scooped them up

Carried them home in a drinking cup

Laid them out on 'n took their picture

For a gloomy day they were the cure.

nature by God

poem by Judy

This post inspired by God and Clytie. Please visit God and Clytie often. :-) You can find Clytie at Guest Heart Thursday! You can find God everywhere. Thanks so much for your visit. Take care and God bless!

The Fountain at the Market

2011-10-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

There were no surprises of cranes, ducks or even birds today, just the lovely leaves beginning to turn gold... The weather was chilly and I quickly snapped just a few pictures and got back in my car to go back home. Thanks for visiting me today, please join us for Watery Wednesday and if it's too cold to get your feet wet, how about your eyes?

Take care and God bless!