The Silver Chalice Blog

Living your dreams

2012-01-22T23:16:00.000-06:00

Lately, there has been an influx of email, Facebook posts and texts from people I know that are wanting and needing to make extra money to help out with their living expenses. Some have been looking for work for a few weeks, others a few months and yet many others have been laid off for more than a year and can't seem to find a job.

With that being said, I usually give them a few ideas about non-traditional jobs they can do that will bring in some cash immediately, especially for those that are in dire straits and need to pay their rent/mortgage/car payment or they will lose these vital and very basic necessities.

Since I left my job voluntarily over 6 years ago, I've seen, mentored, and trained a slew of people that really wanted to do something about their financial situation. I don't mean to say that all of those that have asked for guidance/advice don't want to do something; just that they don't do it, for whatever reason.

Just this past Friday, I had a young mother tell me she has got to find a job to help out her young husband with paying their bills. He's a soldier and was deployed to Afghanistan but had to take an early leave to be with her as she has been ill and in a lot of pain and cannot take care of their 1 yr old son by herself.

She stated she had landed a job last fall at Victoria's Secret but when they saw she could not lift heavy boxes or stand for long periods of time, due to her illness, they told her it would be best for her to find another job. I mentioned to her that she could write her own paycheck. How much does a clerk make at one of those stores? Not very much, I'm sure. I explained to her that she could make either $8 or even $10/hour at one of those stores or she could write her own paycheck.

When I explained to her that she could do direct sales, the girl asked me what that was! It just goes to show that there are so many people out there that have not an inkling of the possibilities and the great rewards that can be had when they give direct sales the chance to provide them the freedom of building an empire that is directly in proportion to how smart you work.

How much do you think YOU are worth? Are you willing to put forth the effort that will give you financial freedom? Are you going to make the excuse that there are too many people doing Avon already, or Mary Kay, or Pampered Chef or Scentsy or Stampin' Up or whatever else you enjoy doing? You need to stop that mentality and stop it now! If you don't stop it, you will always be sitting there looking for the next $8/hr gig. With inflation being the way it is, that won't get you very far. Just stating facts here. You can if you really want it.

On the other hand, there are those like myself that just want to do something that will be fun and rewarding and get them out of the house for a little while and the extra money is just the icing on the cake. In reality, people like me don't really have the burning desire, I don't believe, like those that really need the money to pay their bills. Why do I say this? Simply because I know that whether I do a jewelry party or a skincare party or even a simple basket party with wickless candles, I know that my bills are still paid (thank you God for providing my husband a good job). It is the way to work smarter not harder.

You don't have to know how to sell, nobody is born knowing how to sell. There is no need to think that you have to be a hard sell, I dislike pushy sales people just as much as the next person. You do have to love the product/service you provide. When you get your mindset in the right place, you will succeed. In direct sales, you - the seller - are providing a service that the public needs, they are not doing you a favor by placing an order for product that they want/need. Once you get that thought right in your head, you will excel at whatever you wish to do. It doesn't just apply to direct sales, it applies to any service you wish to provide, eg house cleaning, babysitting, sewing, cooking meals; whatever you desire to do.

People that have a very important WHY are the people that will more than likely be most successful at direct sales. They will have the drive because they want to put food on the table and pay for their shelter and vehicle. If they really want to work hard, they have a choice to line the pockets of corporate executives by working for a company or they can instead choose to build their own business and add the results of their hard work to their own personal bank account instead.

So you see, you do have a choice. Living your dreams is within your reach, if you really want it. The ball is in your court. Let me know if I can help. Blessings to all and may you all be living your dreams real soon!

2012-01-14T16:13:00.003-06:00

I've been working on my jewelry website lately and although it is a tedious task, I think it will be of much joy for me when it is finally finished and everything is pictured, uploaded and priced. I've had so many people interested in buying my pieces that I had no choice but to give my customers what they want. It makes it easier doing the transactions for all parties involved.

Our moving back home has been pushed farther and farther out each time, it seems. Not giving up on that either, it just may take a little bit longer than planned. It's all good, I am on God's time, not mine. I truly believe there is a reason for everything and God knows what He is doing better than I know what I am doing.

It is getting closer to graduation time for my son who is no longer a teenager. I thought surely that college would bring him out of his shell a little more but that does not seem to be the case. He's still quiet, still studying and staying in his room like he has in the past. He's driving a little more and it's scaring me a whole lot more. I pray for him constantly and I know God hears my prayers. It's still scary to drive out there...the city is a big place and there are a lot of really careless drivers out there. He has a good head on his shoulders, however, and I think he has learned well from me. He's probably tired of hearing me tell him to be careful each time he walks out the door with the car keys. Oh, well, that's what a mom is for.

New Year, new goals

2012-01-08T16:35:00.001-06:00

Well, here we are, it is now 2012 and it has been a while since I've blogged on here. Life tends to get in the way of my love for writing. Busy-ness, family and all that encompasses a quick-paced lifestyle. I don't like it. I want to move out to the country and away from the hustle and bustle that is city living. I've prayed about it and although I know God hears my prayers, I know -- and accept-- full well that it is on His time and not mine that my plans and dreams will come to fruition. I'm not a very patient person mind you and I made the silly mistake of praying for patience many years ago. God answered, he sent me a daughter with ADD...if anything will teach you patience, having a child with learning differences will give you a healthy dose of learning opportunity. LOL! God does have a sense of humor.

I promise this year, I will be better at keeping this old blog up-to-date. There are so many things I want to write about it's just not easy to keep up with all the goings on in my life and the things I wish to do on my hard-to-come-by spare time. I've also been cooking a lot more lately, so I will also be sharing cooking tips and recipes. Now, if I can only slow down a bit. It will be okay. This year will be a greatly blessed year for all. I am praying a lot too.

This country is in a mess and it needs our prayers, as do our government leaders. Only God has the answers and if only His people would seek Him and turn from their wicked ways...He will answer and be quick to heal our land, our hearts and our people. May God continue to bless each and every one of you and may His mercy follow you all the days of your lives. See you around!

What is your talent, what is your passion?

2010-03-21T21:05:00.010-05:00

I've seen many people that go through life wondering what they are doing here; what their place in life is and why they are where they are. They lose their jobs and don't know where to turn to during these difficult economic times. I have friends that have been stay at home moms all their married lives and when their kids go off to college or get married and move away, they are at a loss as to what to do with all their time. Some of these ladies' husbands have lost their jobs for one reason or another and they are afraid of what the future holds for them.

Some of those same friends make gorgeous quilts, others make beautiful handbags, yet others, are wonderful cooks; many are good with kids. What they all have in common is that they don't realize how valuable these skills are. We all have special gifts that God has given each and every one of us. What can you do? Do you sew? Do you make candles? Do you love to type? Are you a good organizer? Do you like to clean? Strange as it sounds, what one person hates another one loves to do. There is a market for every talent you may have.

Another revenue-producing idea would be direct sales such as Pampered Chef- for those that enjoy cooking, Jafra - for those that love to do skincare and makeup, Scentsy- for those that enjoy candles but don't want the fire hazard of traditional candles, Creative Memories - for those that love to scrapbook and the list goes on.

Many of you are saying, that's all well and good but how do we go about marketing ourselves; our products and/or services. Well, that's the easy part. The hard part is narrowing down your choices. Find that one thing that you are good at doing; that one thing that others have told you that you do so well. If you think back on all the things you do I know that you will come up with something that you really love doing and that you are good at.

I'm listing some ideas below to see if any of them apply to you. If you need help with marketing your products or services, post your question and I will get back with you as soon as time permits.

Like kids (Nannies make good money)
Like to cook (become a personal chef or advertise your services; ask me, I'll tell you how)
Like to organize (oh my goodness! The market is open on this one) I hate doing this myself.
Like to scrapbook (many people will pay for you to do their scrapbooks for them)
Like to teach (tutoring pays about $20/hr. sometimes more)
Like to clean (it's so very easy to start your own cleaning business; I helped my neighbor do it)
Like to drive (doing errands for people is quite lucrative)
Like to type (there are many, many companies that will hire you as an independent contractor)
Like to talk on phone (companies will hire you to do customer service from your own home)

You can also teach candle-making, soap-making or skin care and body care product-making; I've done the candle-making classes several times when I need to make a quick couple hundred dollars.

What I'm saying here is, find your passion, do what you are particularly talented in and what you really like to do and I guarantee you the money will follow. It's a given. I love to make jewelry, I'm very creative. I can do a show or walk into an office and walk out with a couple hundred dollars in profit; not sales - profit!

Let me know if I can help with anything. There is plenty for everyone to go around. God gave us all at least one talent; it's up to us to do what needs to be done with it.

God's Plan and your children

2010-02-26T19:09:00.011-06:00

Well, today was the day that our 19 yr old son began to spread his wings and fly. He got a moped. I didn't like it, I still don't. Just the idea of a wet-behind-the-ears young man that hasn't had much experience with real life, let alone handle a vehicle that has nothing to protect him, makes me uneasy. I didn't like the idea when my significant other, also known to me, affectionately, as Mr. Sir, first mentioned it.

My mind quickly turned to the bad things that could happen. Didn't we just teach him how to ride a bicycle without the training wheels...just yesterday, it seems? Didn't he just go off to his first day of kindergarten? Out into the big scary world. How was it that our little boy was all grown up? Where was I? Where did the time go? Did I raise him right? Could he defend himself out in the real world? My teenage-type has never had much experience with real life. After all, he's been the quiet type. A loner. A straight A student that never made time for going out with friends; preferring, instead, to keep to himself and focus on his education. Had I done the right thing by letting him be such an introvert and not pushing him to be more outgoing?

I went to pick up the moped with him today and although I had hoped and prayed all week that it wasn't going to be raining on the day we would pick it up, it rained. It rained on our way there and it rained, to my dismay, all the way back home. Mr. Sir couldn't sleep and called me 3 times while we were out picking it up. He had mentioned to me that he was worried, a few days ago. That he thought we should let the teenager-type practice around the neighborhood a few times before we let him loose on the streets with it. Mr. Sir, however, works nights so I told him to go back to sleep, that we had no other choice, no pickup truck or trailer to haul the darn thing.

There was no other option. Our son would have to drive it. Yes, in the rain and yes in the cold. Yes, on his own. I, the nervous mother, would have to drive in front of him as a mama duck does with her ducklings when teaching them to fly for the first time. My heart was beating a mile a minute as I kept an eye on the road and an eye in the rear view mirror. Today I learned the meaning of scared. I'd been scared before, that wasn't it. This time, I was scared for my offspring; a feeling only a mother knows. A gut-wrenching feeling that compares to nothing else I've felt before. I had to do it, however, he's not 5 anymore. He has to learn to stand (or drive) on his own.

We got home and he made it just fine. A little cold and wet but intact, thank you Jesus. Yep, I now know what they mean when they say having a child is like having your heart walk around outside your body. It's scary but it's a part of life. He drove the 25 miles home all on his own. He was all smiles as he got off his moped and said to me, "Wow, that was fun!" I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.

In the Fall, he'll be going off to college. I'll worry, I'll definitely cry. I will help him get things for his dorm/apartment. I will help him open his own checking account and I will sit back and watch him go out into the world with the protection of a praying mother, a loving father and the reassurance that although he will be on his own, God will be there with him, always. When he graduates, I will wait to hear him say, "Wow, that was fun!" Life will go on and my little boy is now all grown up. Where did the time go?

Several weeks ago, when we had him take a motorcycle driving course, it was pouring rain on the first day. He fell twice but it was in a parking lot where they were training him. Although, at the time, we were complaining because it was raining, now we know God knew it would rain on this very day and that he would need to learn to drive in it. He was preparing him for today. I'm thankful that he learned to drive it in the rain because it's much better that he fell in the parking lot while training than in the middle of a busy street where he could've been seriously hurt, or worse.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

Time Won't Wait...

2010-02-16T21:45:00.005-06:00

Last Friday night I got a call out of the blue from a friend and ex-coworker of mine from my days at JP Morgan. I was somewhat surprised, to say the least, to hear from this young man as he never calls me. I readily assumed something out of the norm must have occurred since the call was so random. Quickly, I asked him what was going on. He stated that he had called to tell me that my ex-boss, of several years, had passed away. He wasn't sick, he said, when I asked him. There was nothing wrong with his health at all. He and his wife were on vacation in Mexico, celebrating Valentines/Anniversary or something to that effect. They had been on the beach just hours before. They returned to their room and she went in the bathroom, heard him coughing, she came out and saw him turning blue. She gave him CPR (she's a cardiologist) and was unable to bring him back.

I can still hear my friend saying those words, "Vinod passed away." Those words that kept repeating themselves over and over in my head in the days that followed. They sounded so hollow, so unreal, so devastating. My heart dropped when I heard those words. The finality of it all. My mind raced, screamed, it couldn't be true and my thoughts turned to his wife and the 3 beautiful kids he loved so dearly and left behind. How this sweet and gentle man had given me a job when I needed it most. He was funny. He was caring. He was genuine. I loved to talk to him. He was a cool boss. He took me to lunch on my last day at JP Morgan. I always thought about going back to take him to lunch and repay his kindness. In the last 3 years since I left, I kept planning to go back, to see him once more. To take him to lunch. To thank him for his generosity. Just to talk to him one more time. Unfortunately, time didn't wait for me. It took a good man from his friends, co-workers and most importantly, his children and their mother. Much too soon to die, much to young to die. Time won't wait. Time is cruel. Unforgiving. Unfair.

He told me, "You know you can come back to work whenever you want. I'll hire you back." I never got the chance. I decided to become a stay at home mom and homeschool my kids. Time won't wait. I had to do what I had to do because time won't wait. Not for you, not for me, not for anyone. Yes, time is cruel. I never got a chance to say goodbye.

I understand now that it was his time to go. Regardless of his good health. Time and death do not care that he was loved, that he had a family that needed him still. He died in a foreign land. Away from his family. Away from the people that loved him. Even his wife, the cardiologist, could not save him. His time on Earth had come to an end. Right there, in a cold hotel room, in a country not his own. Just like that, in a blink of an eye, he was no more.

Don't ever let a day go by without telling your loved ones how much they mean to you. Don't ever let an opportunity go by and you not take full advantage of it. In the real world, time won't wait.

Rest in Peace, Vinod. You will be greatly missed.

Baby Boomers and Beyond

2010-02-05T00:22:00.003-06:00

I was pondering the thought of getting old, or older I should say and it seems that the older I get the more certain I am of my refusal to get so old I will no longer be able to have independence. You know, the kind of independence where I can go to the bathroom on my own. To be able to shower myself without the assistance of someone who demands a large sum of money to take a gander at my wrinkly butt while they are lathering my (hopefully) skinny body.

I love old people. I love kids. However, I like old people better. I don't know if it's the helplessness I see in their soulful eyes or if it's the cruel reality that I'm headed in that direction quicker than a rabbit gets screwed. There is something about old people that just makes me want to hug them and reassure them that all is going to be alright; and if not, at least they get to meet our Creator and cross over to greener pastures, so to speak. Goodbye cruel world, no more paying taxes to that greedy Uncle Sam, no more making the doctors rich who in turn make the pharmaceutical companies richer. What is it about doctors that the minute you walk in their office they are handing you a prescription for something almost before you explain what your symptoms are? Why are they not better at helping to educate the patients on preventive measures instead of trying to use the band-aid approach for all types of ailments?

Being that my little Princess has what suspiciously seems to me as ADHD, I've been trying out more natural/alternative methods of treatment with her. Not only am I more aware of the foods we are eating but I'm researching a lot of natural and herbal remedies. Whole foods are not cheap; not by a long shot. I did recently discover a cool company that allows you to be part of a co-op for organic fruits and vegetables for next to nothing, really next to nothing. It is truly amazing the opportunities that can be available to us if we do the research.

My daughter and I are also trying out this new drink called Nopalea. I've tried various "health" juices in the past that tasted pretty nasty and thus discontinued the use of same. Some did help my rotator cuff problems but the taste was nothing I'd ever want to experience again. I've noticed that this juice has really helped me with keeping my glucose levels at a nice even keel. With the poor eating habits I've exercised throughout my life, this is the one juice that's really made a difference.

If more people with health issues would just do their research, they would find that there is help out there. We don't have to suffer and be at the mercy of doctors and their quick-to-prescribe habits. It's better to prevent a potential harmful disease than find yourself fighting for your life, literally. What is that saying...an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I think they were talking about something like this juice. The best part is that it tastes good. You don't have to plug your nose while you swallow it and hold your breath until you can wash the taste out of your mouth with a swig of something that tastes good. I've got my order on autoship. I don't want to be without this juice that even my little Princess looks forward to drinking every morning.

So, please, please do your research and find something natural that you can use for you, for your loved ones, for your health. God bless you all, and here's to a long and healthy life!

Amazing!!

2009-10-27T09:06:00.004-05:00

Lately, I have found that Christianity is not very popular. I mean, in the past, I've known it wasn't because of the droves of so-called "friends" that dropped me like a hot potato when they heard me mention anything related to Jesus or church or my faith even.

I go to the store with my Little Princess and find that we get stares (because of how we dress) as though we've grown two heads. It's funny to a certain extent and I believe that as time goes by and we get closer to the return of Jesus, it will only get worse. I live life as simple as I possibly can. Although we live in a nice house situated in a good neighborhood, we, by no means, live a life of luxury.

Our family is blessed that I am able to stay home and take care of my family by doing what needs to be done. I enjoy marketing my products and meeting new people on a regular basis. I don't have many friends that are close but the handful that I do have are very special to me.

One day I know that all of this will be worth it. I see my daughter growing up in an environment where she has learned that the most up-to-date fashions are not necessities and that to dress modestly shows others that she has self-respect.

I am amazed by how many men, though they call themselves Christian, are so lost when it comes to respecting women. It just boggles my mind to know that these people are out there and it makes me sad.

There's this particular Christian Forum that I visit where this guy thinks he knows so much more than others and he judges and disrespects the rules of said forum and nobody does anything about it. He's annoying more than anything. I kind of feel sorry for him because he spends what seems like hours on that forum criticizing and sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. It's sad that someone has so much time on their hands that they have to be so mean to others just to make himself feel better. He needs a lot of prayer. It's a sign of the times, I guess. It's people like him that give true Christians a bad name.

I have to write about this!

2009-10-06T17:55:00.009-05:00

Years ago, when my Little Princess was but a wee baby, she had this skin condition which her pediatrician called "baby acne." I didn't believe it. He told us she would outgrow it. As the days and weeks went by, I noticed the skin on her face was getting worse.

A lady from my job told me about this awesome company that markets all kinds of natural stuff and she suggested I try the Gold Bar. She gave me a bar and although I was a bit hesitant to use this on my baby's tender skin, I carefully lathered up the soap and washed her face with it on a wash cloth. In the days that followed, I noticed her skin was getting clearer and softer. I kept using it and told the doctor about it on her next check-up.

That was 11 years ago and I'm still using these awesome products. My daughter also suffers from ADHD and nothing has helped like the vitamins she's taking from this company and it is all natural, that's the best part. I joined just to get the discount and it wasn't until a few weeks ago when a friend of mine pointed out the money-making potential with this fabulous company. I'm seeing it from a different point of view and really want to help others be able to live a healthier life and make an excellent income in the process. The way I look at it is, these are items we all have to purchase anyway at the local stores; why not make them healthy alternatives that will benefit our whole family? It only makes sense.

You can find out more by visiting Here and if you have any questions that I may help you with, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would be more than happy to help you get on your way to a healthier happier you.

Fundraiser w/Chicken Enchiladas!!

2009-09-13T23:56:00.004-05:00

Well, the church I attend asked me if I could make chicken enchilada dinners for the children's ministry. Of course, I said yes. Granted, I will not be making any money off this as they will supply all the ingredients/trays/pans, etc. I guess it will be a good way to get others to try my famous enchiladas. LOL!

So many people are losing their jobs right now that I knew I had to help with the fundraising at church. It's for a good cause. I know it will be a lot of work for me since I have to start cooking at least a whole day ahead of when they need the food for since I will be making beans and rice as well.

It's been a month....or six!

2009-08-09T07:17:00.004-05:00

Wow, it has been a long time since I've been here. Life gets in the way sometimes and I can't come on here as often as I want.

The teenager-type will be going off to college sooner than I thought and I've been pondering the catering business idea that a few people have suggested. I guess I could get into making the Miracle cake and the chicken enchiladas to start off. I am not sure I want to take on more than I can chew at this time (no pun intended). I could also make Rico's rum cake; now that would travel really well.

The enchiladas are hard work though. Oh, I've prayed on the Miracle cake and I will be giving the church a nice donation for every cake that I sell. Our church needs a miracle. So many people lost their jobs and our pastor mentioned that our light bill for last month was $2500.00!! Of course it is summer in Texas. I've been praying about it and I feel I've been led to do this to help others.

My Miracle cake is just a simple pineapple cake with an amazing pudding topping that people just love. Everybody in my family requests this cake for their birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions. I really enjoy making them too.

People in other parts of the country have asked if I will ship this cake but I'm not sure it will ship well with the topping being pudding and it must be kept cold. Also, there are pineapple slices on top so I don't think it would be a good idea to ship, who knows, maybe someone with more cake-baking/shipping experience than myself can enlighten me.

For the past several days I've been getting up at 5 am for no apparent reason. I've been going on 5 hours sleep at most. I've not been wasting that time though. I've been praying every day about everything and everybody. God knows why.

You guys all have a blessed day. I know I will.

Christian Academy education

2009-02-25T19:32:00.004-06:00

When school resumed after the Christmas holiday, my husband and I decided to put our little Princess in a private school. A Christian school where she could get a good education, make friends and have a wonderful time. I researched, visited and talked to several different places and their respective staff. I finally had it picked out. A small Christian academy that was a perfect fit for us. I was happy, my daughter was semi-happy and it was close to our house and the best part: they had room for her! Wow, were we lucky.

So, I'm there and I'm signing the papers to get Little Princess enrolled. I pay the fees and tuition and I mention that I may be looking for a job when he asks me why Little Princess is no longer going to be homeschooled. He told me that they really needed a part-time teacher/sub if I was interested. I, never in a million years, would've even remotely considered taking a teaching position so was totally shocked when I heard myself say, "Sure, that would be a great experience!" As soon as the words were out of my thick head I regretted saying them. I thought to myself...what in the world did you get yourself into now, you ditz!

He took my word right then and there. I couldn't back out. Then I thought, well, at least I'll be able to see what type of environment my Little Princess would be getting that wonderful Christian education in and I didn't give it a second thought. I figured, what the heck, I'm not doing anything anyway.

I started the same day my daughter started school. I was a little bit uneasy that there were several different grade levels in one classroom. They hired me to fill in for one of the teachers that was out on Mondays. I agreed to that. Several days later, they wanted me to come in on Wednesdays as well so the kids could have other activities available to them. I agreed. My husband didn't like that idea too much. I convinced him the kids needed me. They did. Desperately.

The next time I went in I noticed that the kids were for the most part just needing encouragement and attention, lots of it. I built them up. They were, for lack of a better word, lost. Hungry for attention. They had low self-esteem. Those were the good qualities. More than half of the children, I later discovered, had ADHD, Dyslexia, or some other form of learning disability. I figured that was probably the reason their parents had put them in a private school. More one-on-one instruction. Special needs being catered to in a Christian environment. I knew I had made the right decision when the children started laying their heads on my arms so I could say words of encouragement and reassurance to them.

At first I thought this was a wonderful place for my daughter to be in as she loved going there. She enjoyed being around other kids her age more than anything. I quickly realized that she loved it so much because the curriculum she was given was so far behind from what I was teaching her when I homeschooled her. She tested so high on her diagnostic test that they only had her doing for subjects. Leaving out two subjects because she tested 4 levels above her grade level was just not what I wanted to see.

As the days went on I saw this same pattern with a few other students in my class. They were done with all their school work by 11 am. The rest of the day, they sat there bored and picking on each other, talking or playing. Remember, I'm only a sub so I can't really change anything. I did, however, approach the school director about my concerns. I pointed out that the kids should not, in my opinion, have all that free time on their hands. He felt the same way but said he had no control over the rules that had been set in place by the pastor's wife who was now gone from the school due to terminal cancer.

It annoyed me. I continued to play by their rules. After all, I'm only a sub. The kids all told me how happy they were that I was there because I really enjoyed helping them. One little boy told me, "Mrs. Rico, I like you because you always have a smile on your face. You walk in first thing in the morning and you are smiling. We ask you for help and you smile and help us all the same." I think I floated about 3 feet off the floor all day long. Humbled is what I was.

One day after school, the principal called me to tell me that the pastor's daughter had told him that I must not wear eye makeup any more. I got upset. Now, granted, I don't wear heavy eye makeup at all and the other teachers didn't even notice I had any on at all so I have no idea why this woman said that. Anwyay, I got ticked off and I told the principal that I wouldn't be controlled like that.

I was miffed. I would show them. I would tell them where to get off. How dare they expect me to look all dead and pale. I have dark hair and a very pale complexion. If I were to wear no eye makeup whatsoever, I'd risk someone calling 911 on me thinking I'm dying. Seriously. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't wear anything other than face powder and barely there eyeliner and mascara. Just enough to mask the ghost-like appearance. No eyeshadow, no blush, no lipstick, no lip liner. I do wear chapstick or lip gloss but nothing like blood red color on my lips. It's just not me.

In my head I had already prepared the little speech I was going to give them before I quit. Shoot, who did she think she was telling the principal to tell me not to wear eyemakeup. I'd show her.

The weekend came and I pondered the situation. I cooked for my family. I pondered. I did my daily family things and I continued to ponder. Monday morning I showed up with no eye makeup on. I looked frightful but I did as I was told. In coming to the conclusion that the kids were more important to me than looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I realized that what I looked like didn't matter any more. Being there for those kids that needed so much help was now my first priority.

Two weeks ago, I found out that our principal/director was going to be resigning. When I questioned his motive, he responded with something that totally shocked me and just broke my heart. The school that I thought was going to be where my daughter would graduate from was far from what I had envisioned. Apparently, a random drug testing that had been done on the high school kids had come back positive for cocaine on several of the boys. When the pastor was told about this he chose to continue with the basketball games and only suspended the guilty parties for a week. Although the kids were failing academically, the games were not cancelled and the principal told them he would be leaving because he would not be held responsible for something like that.

I immediately started planning on taking my daughter elsewhere or just to homeschool until the end of the school year and looking at other schools between now and the new school year in the Fall. What I found out next is like a nightmare from the very bowels of the inner city schools in the slums. Nothing could have shocked me more.

I didn't forget

2009-01-15T23:59:00.003-06:00

After thinking long and hard about finishing up the happenings that took place in my house back in the late Summer of 2008; I decided against it. For those of you that wanted to read "the rest of the story", you can email me and I will summarize it for you and let you know what happened.

Sorry for disappointing but I'd rather move on to more positive things. I will, of course, continue blogging as of tomorrow. On a regular basis. I really enjoy doing this but with the holidays and my birthday and all those fun days; well, I've been so busy.

I have some great news to write about as well. I'm bursting with energy and just happy that the Lord is ever merciful and kind to me.

Being too nice doesn't pay off

2008-09-30T21:54:00.005-05:00

I'm standing in my friend's apartment as she is crying and sorting out the few things left after she sold her belongings. She doesn't know where she is going yet but decides she will go get her job back. She has been calling her husband but he's not picking up. In fact, he has turned off the phone -- the very phone that she got for him because his credit is so bad he can't even get a cell phone.

She keeps asking me why he did this to her. I answer I don't know. The crying and earth-shattering sobs get worse and I, like an idiot, say "don't worry, it's going to be okay, if you need a place to stay, you can stay in our spare bedroom." As soon as I'd said the words I wasn't so sure that I truly meant them. She immediately jumped on it. I couldn't go back on my word.

She's got one other problem (as if she doesn't have enough already), nobody has bought her two-week old couches. They are nice but nobody wants them. I ask her what she plans on doing with them and after another bout of sobs and what seemed like endless tears she tells me she doesn't know. Then she asks me if I want them. I told her she could keep them in my living room as we are remodeling and it's empty anyway. We are planning to get new ones so they can sit there until she decides what she's going to do with them.

Stating she just got them, that her husband had purchased them for her, she looks at them with a sad look on her face. I feel so bad for her. I tell her she's going to be ok and let's get moving because it's getting late.

Throughout the remainder of the day she cries, laughs and wonders out loud why her husband did this...for the 100th time. I understand that she is grieving and in a lot of pain but I really can't do anything else other than try to be a good friend to her. Encourage her and tell her to put things in God's hands; that all will be fine. To just give it a few weeks and all this pain will be much better.

Tomorrow she is going to go back to her old job and tell them she wants to come back now. Tomorrow, her healing will begin. She says she needs to get back to the world of the living. Get her job back where she will be working and not thinking about all this mess she is in at the moment.

Tomorrow.

Some people just refuse to see the obvious!

2008-09-23T22:40:00.002-05:00

After I told my friend about putting God in the center of our marriage and family life I told her she could have that kind of relationship too if she so chose. I took this opportunity to witness to her, really witness to her. I saw a glimmer of hope come across her face.

I invited her to come with us to church on Sunday. She said she would go. Sunday came and went and she always had one excuse after another. I told her that I wouldn't push her and that it would be her decision. Quoting our pastor, I told her God was a perfect gentleman that He would not come into her life unless she asked Him wholeheartedly.

A couple weeks after her birthday she called me again to tell me she really needed to talk to a friend. I went and listened to what she had to say. As I had suspected, the husband was wanting out of the marriage. He was not coming home and hadn't for the past couple weeks. He'd been in town but he was staying elsewhere.

My friend was devastated. He told her he didn't love her as she had destroyed that love with her jealousy-induced accusations every time he came home. The proverbial crap had finally hit the fan. Here she was, out of a job, far from her family ( they are up in New York), no money and no place to go.

Come to find out, she had taken a leave of absence from her job and she had now decided that since she was going to go back home, she would not be asking for her job back. I tried to reason with her as best I could. I explained that she had no money, the apartment she lived in was paid for through the next couple months; that maybe she should just go back to work to make enough money to get back home. She was adamant she was leaving in a couple days. She wanted to get far away from this nightmare of hers.

She had a moving sale and sold all of her belongings that she possibly could. I was trying to tell her she was selling everything off way too cheap. She sold her dining set and her china cabinet for $200!! Same thing goes for the bedroom set. Nothing I said made her listen to reason.

Since she had already made up her mind that she was going back home I didn't push the job issue any more. In a couple days she would be gone and her healing would begin. I hated to see her in so much pain but at least I did what I could to help her while she was here. Going online, I found her some reasonably-priced tickets to fly back home. Everything was turning out fine after all. She would soon be home with her family, I thought, and this would all be only a terrible memory for her; one that would soon fade.

A few days later and a couple days before her flight was due to depart, like a bolt of lightning that comes out of the sky on a crisp clear day, she changed her mind! Being the dipstick that I am I start worrying about her job. I tell her my thoughts and that she better get back in there and get her job back. She acts like she cannot think straight. She is a total basket-case and is crying uncontrollably. I don't know how to deal with something like this as I've never seen anybody in that state of mind before.

I pray for guidance. I pray for her. I pray that God will show me what it is He wants me to do. She calls me several times a day. She comes over to my house. She is angry. She wants revenge on this other woman. She wants me to go with her and sit in this woman's apartment complex parking lot and wait to see if she can catch her husband with the "sewer rat" - as she called her.

For the life of me I don't know what to tell her. I mean this is insane! In the same breath she tells me she just wants to die. She wants to go to sleep and never wake up. I try to explain to her that she needs to think about her two sons. They need and love her. She has three grandchildren that need her around. This woman is 44 years old and she's acting like a love-struck teenager that has been jilted by her first lover. I tell her to get a grip of herself and to not shed anymore tears over a loser dog like her husband.

She smiles through her tears and she tells me I'm right that she's going to be okay and that she hopes the offending party will rot in hell and that he will pay dearly for what he's done. That God is merciful and He knows that she was a good wife and mother and that she is certain that God will take care of him as He sees fit.

In my ignorance I'm thinking she's coming around. She at least has put God into the equation, albeit in a different way than I was hoping but at least she has acknowledged Him. It's a start, I thought.

Night comes and goes and a new day has dawn. Little did I know what was in store for me that fateful day.

The saga continues....

2008-09-22T18:14:00.004-05:00

Well, as promised, I am writing another chapter in my mini journal of the past couple months during which I endured things that I never dreamed I could.

It appeared that my friend's husband was having doubts about their marriage. At the beginning of the summer he had taken his kids to their biological mother up on the east coast to spend the summer vacation there. I didn't think anything of it and neither did my friend.

My friend and I went to get our bi-weekly manicures/pedicures and she mentioned that her husband had told her it would be okay for her to quit her job if she so chose. That was around the middle of June.

A month later and after two weeks of not seeing or hearing from her, she called me out of the blue and told me she had quit her job. When I asked her how long ago she had done this, she told me since the last time we had spoken. So, she'd been out of a job for two weeks but I had not heard from her during that time. She apparently was trying to work on their marriage. She mentioned she enjoyed living a life of leisure and not having to go to work every day.

A couple days later it was her birthday and she called me to tell me her two sons (grown and in their 20's) hadn't even bothered to call her. How nobody had even sent her a card, a gift - nothing. I, being the good friend (and sucker) that I am took her out for dinner. We talked about girl stuff...the usual. She also mentioned that her husband was acting more snippy with her than usual. He wasn't calling as often and when he came home they fought all the time.

What I did notice about her was that she was constantly calling him. Nothing really to talk about just to say hello and to see what he had eaten, where he was; small talk. When she mentioned that I had taken her out to dinner he did tell her, "Ok, well, enjoy your time with your friend." Abruptly hanging up afterwards. I had a weird feeling that he did not like her hanging around with me...or anybody for that matter. When I told her about my feeling that way she just shrugged her shoulders and said that was nonsense. After eating, I drove her back to her apartment and told her to keep in touch.

The next week when we got together to go shopping she tells me that her husband wants some "time away" from each other because he feels like she's acting too jealous and constantly accusing him of cheating on her. I asked her where that came from and apparently she had still been attacking him about his talking with her now ex-friend every time he came home.

I recalled that she had mentioned it in previous conversations we had had throughout the past several months but I had given it no further thought after I had told her to not fight with him over that. She had, according to her, forgiven him and that she shouldn't be throwing it up in his face all the time or the marriage was going to suffer because of it. I thought she had taken my advice. Wrong!! This woman kept hounding him about his supposed relationship with her ex-friend. In a way, I understood her being upset about this but in my mind I thought she was making a big deal out of it.

First of all, I explained to her, you don't ever confront the supposed "other woman" because if you go and insult somebody like that and there is nothing going on there, after a confrontation like that there might be. Second, don't ever fight over a man. It is not lady-like and only two-bit whores do that. I'm sorry but that is my honest opinion and I am not one to mince words. Third, nobody can take anybody away that doesn't want to go. That's the way I see it. To go and make a fool of oneself like that just isn't something a woman should do. I wouldn't give either one of them the satisfaction if that were me.

When I asked her more about this woman she told me that she had been a neighbor of theirs. That she had two sons. The youngest one was from a relationship she had had with a married man!! When I heard this, my mouth hit the floor. I was like, what the heck are you doing becoming friends with a person like that?! She told me that when she found out that it was already too late that she'd become friends with her and that she couldn't cut off the friendship because of something like that. I'm sorry but I wouldn't allow such a person in my home or anywhere near my family.

Marriages have enough problems to deal with without a friend you have to watch out for in that particular fashion. I mean for goodness sakes, I'm a friendly person but sheesh already! That's like bringing a wolf into your barnyard to see how it gets along with your sheep. Por favor!

After a few choice words about her now ex-friend, she continued on about how a man could even look at another woman having her (my friend) for a wife. I thought to myself...well, she is a little full of herself but oh well.

She then asked me if I would be jealous of my husband talking to a friend of mine behind my back. I told her first of all I wouldn't have a friend like that. Second, my reaction wouldn't have been like hers. I'd have to consider the situation before jumping the gun. Third, how the heck is my friend going to have my husband's cell phone number unless I gave it to her; which wouldn't happen in the first place because I would not allow someone like that near my family.

Now if he went out of his way to talk to one of my girlfriends with any intention other than friendship talk (which wouldn't bother me), then why would I want to keep him anyway? Makes absolutely no sense to me. Oh, I forgot to mention that she said to me, "your marriage is solid because you go to church." I told her, "my marriage is solid because I put God at the center of it." Hello....earth to Mary, earth to Mary.

To be continued.....

Have a blessed evening and don't forget to thank the good Lord for all your blessings. Especially your family.

The past couple months

2008-09-21T20:23:00.002-05:00

I'm going to write about the reason for my 2-month long hiatus from blogging. It was a time of sadness, a time of joy, a time of indescribable insanity. Not really sure why it happened, how it happened all I know is that it did. Don't know if I'm the wiser for it or if I still have the big "S" emblazoned on my forehead.

A while back I met a woman and we became friends. We would go out and eat occasionally, share everyday life happenings and she would talk about how her husband drove a big rig and was gone for days and sometimes weeks at a time. We had a few things in common and we clicked as soon as we met.

Several weeks after we met she started to open up more about how her marriage was somewhat shaky. She apparently had caught one of her "good friends" calling and talking to her husband on his cell phone. When she confronted the friend she did not do it in the most diplomatic way possible. When she confronted the husband, he didn't think there was anything wrong with just talking to a mutual friend of theirs. My friend, obviously, did not see it like that. She went ballistic. Try as I might to explain to her that maybe she was making a big deal out of nothing she was adamant that something fishy was going on.

I pointed out to her that her husband wouldn't be stupid enough to mess up a good marriage. After all, my friend was raising his two children from a previous relationship, she loved those kids like they were her own. She dropped them off at school every morning before going to work every day. She got them medical coverage under her policy at work. She was there for them more than he was. Those kids loved her and she adored them. She spent her paycheck on buying things they needed. Her husband, their father, saw them once a week sometimes less. She meant the world to those kids.

At the beginning of July she told me she thought something was going on with her husband. I asked her why she thought this. She told me that every time she called him that he was cold towards her and always cut her off short saying he was too busy. It quickly went downhill from there.

More on this tomorrow. Have a blessed evening and say a prayer of thanks for your family. They are worth more than all the money in the world.

Whew! Busy, busy times.

2008-07-26T22:51:00.002-05:00

It's been quite a while since I've been on here. I'm going to fill in a couple of my faithful readers. I say a couple because I'm sure I have no more than that, if at all. LOL!

I've added handbags to my jewelry sales and they are hot! Doing handbag/jewelry shows again and it's a blast. I had almost forgotten how much fun I had when I had my handbag shop. Amazing and lots of fun for sure.

I have a helper that helps me do the shows and it is rather nice. I will have to schedule them around the kids' school after it starts but I don't think that will slow me down too much. I like making extra money like that. The replica handbags are doing excellent!

Maybe I should change my biz name from Rico Silver to The Bag Lady! ;)

Anyway, if anybody here needs a handbag, you know where to get in touch with me.

God bless everybody.

Angels among us

2008-05-24T15:39:00.004-05:00

There are times when people go through very difficult times in their lives and wonder where God is in the midst of their suffering. I have had my share of these times and will continue to have them, I'm sure, until the time comes for me to leave this earthly realm.

As I've grown in the Lord, I have realized that it is now easier for me to praise Him for these times as well as for the ones that are more pleasant. The knowledge that God is with me through all my trials and circumstances is the most wonderful feeling I could ever hope to have.

I'm going to write about the time when my son was very young and naive. My son is and has been highly gifted since he was small but has no common sense whatsoever. I have been told by other parents with kids like him that their children are lacking in that area as well.

When my son was in 4th grade I had to pull him out of the school he had been going to and enrolled him in another one due to safety reasons. I found a good babysitter to watch him and my then 2 yr old daughter while I worked. Being that this would be the first time that he would be walking to the sitter's house I called the school and made sure they knew not to send him home on the bus. They knew he'd been followed by a suspicious person and thus my reason for getting him watched by the babysitter. I specifically made it very clear that under no circumstance should they allow him to leave on the bus.

About 30 minutes after they got out of school I got a call from my babysitter because my son had not yet arrived and she was worried about him. I called the school and was told they did not know if he'd gotten on the bus or not. They could not find him anywhere. Needless to say I went ballistic and told the school Principal I had specifically told her to make sure she pointed him in the right direction and not to allow him to get on the bus. I was apologized to and thus began my ordeal for what seemed like an eternity.

I immediately left my job, explaining to my boss what had occurred. I wasn't very far from my home but it seemed like forever before I got there. Thinking he may have forgotten that he was to go to the babysitter's house and could've mistakenly ridden the bus anyway, I drove straight home. My heart beating a mile a minute I was praying frantically all the while. When I burst in through the door I called out his name, no--I take that back, I screamed out his name. In response I got an eerie silence. I burst into tears and loudly screamed at God, "Dear Lord Jesus in heaven, bring him home safely. Do not allow any harm to come to him. You have given me the privilege to be his mother; please do not take him like this." Through my desperation and tears and on autopilot, I called the cops and screamed at them to find my baby. You can imagine the thoughts that were racing through my mind. That was the worst day of my entire life.

After what seemed like a lifetime had passed the cop left and I contacted the school and told the Principal that if anything bad happened to my child that I would sue her and the school district for everything they could ever hope to have. A scared angry mother will do anything for her child.

An hour after I got the first call and after numerous calls to the sitter, my phone rang and it was the sitter saying that my son was there and that he was fine. I praised the Lord for bringing him back to me safely.

I drove to the sitter's house and saw my son and I praised the Lord out loud again for having mercy on me. I asked him what had happened and where he was. Apparently, he had taken a wrong turn and walked in the wrong direction. When asked how he had gotten to the sitter's house the sitter told me he had arrived in a white truck. Still reeling from the roller coaster of emotions I had lived through in the last hour, I asked my son how did he know who to ask for help. He told me he had come upon a lady that was playing outside with her two children in their front yard. He described her as blonde and wearing white clothes as were her two children. When he told her he was lost she told him to get in her truck which was also white, loaded up her kids and drove him to the sitter's house.

Immediately, I wanted to know where this woman was. I wanted to thank her and tell her how grateful I was for her being my child's guardian angel and bringing him back safely. We never did find that house even though we went up and down that street numerous times. The very same street my son walked on that day. Weeks went by, even months and I kept going up and down that street every time I got the chance but the house just wasn't there.

After many months and countless driving up and down that street, I realized that I would never find it. The lady never was of this world. She was an angel God sent to watch out for my little boy on that day. He heard my prayers...loud and rude as they were. More like bellowing, really. I put my faith in Him and yet again, He had given me a miracle.

Yes, there are angels among us. I've seen the work that they do. They have touched my life on more than one occasion. This one I wrote about just happens to be one of them. To me, the most important one.

Thank you, Lord, and I am forever grateful for the miracles that You have given me. I praise Your holy name.

God bless my readers. Trust in God with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. Ask and ye shall receive. With God all things are possible. I am living proof.

I got the answer from the man upstairs...

2008-05-17T14:26:00.002-05:00

Well, I visited with my pastor a couple weeks ago and during that time the subject came up about my plans to maybe go back to work. He was very clear and stated I should remain at home for the time being. Ask and ye shall receive. I had been praying about it and I was so excited about the possibility that I'd be going back to work and all the things I would be doing, and so on and so forth. WRONG!!

I asked God to make it very clear what He wants me to do and He did. I guess there is no second-guessing it now. It's okay, I promised I would do His will not mine so ladies, gentlemen and lurkers--I will continue to be a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom for however long the Lord wants me to do that. Which, to me, means that (as always) He will take care of us should our family need medical care.

I must admit now that my heart is full of peace about that dilemma. A peace that I'd never known before. In the past I was always questioning if this is what God really wanted me to be doing in this chapter of my life. Thank you, Lord Jesus for showing me Your ways. I praise You for that.

Contemplating going back to work

2008-05-05T22:33:00.004-05:00

At least for the summer, I've been thinking about going back to work. I've called a headhunter and they asked for my updated resume. These are the people that got me the job at JPM 5 years ago. We'll see if things work out. I've pretty much have 3 choices...drive to all the way to where I used to work, which is one hour each way, and I don't want to do that; go work downtown Dallas and although it is much closer, parking fees would have to be paid; or I could take a local job and make much less. Hmmm, I don't know what to think so I'm going to put it in God's hands and let Him decide for me. He always gets it right, unlike me. :-)

So, I'm waiting to hear from these people. I did get a couple calls from other places where I had submitted my resume last week. I chose not to interview with either of those two that contacted me. Then of course there's the little problem that is called IRS. If I go to work full-time they will sock it to us next year at tax time. Argh, I can't win for losing! That's why I'm putting it in God's hands and have Him decide.

Say a prayer for me that things will work out for the best and that I will do God's will, not mine. Also, say a prayer for my little princess...she's getting on my nerves (yes, again).

I got a new car...yes, again!

2008-04-16T14:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I went to get an oil change at the Honda service department. Yes, I drive a Nissan, or drove rather. Due to the poor customer service at Trophy Nissan and their greediness, I had it serviced at the same Honda place where Mr. Sir takes his Honda to be serviced. It's been that way since I first purchased the Nissan almost 6 months ago. The people at Rusty Wallis Honda have always been very good to us and we've received top-notch customer service.

Mr. Sir decided we should just go look while we were waiting for my car to get the oil changed. We started looking at an Accord but I didn't care for the new body style. We then looked at the Honda Pilot, the Ridgeline and I drooled as I passed the object of my desires...the Honda Odyssey. In the back of my mind I thought to myself, someday I'll have one of those.

We were referred to a sales lady there by one of the ladies that works in the service department. I told her I didn't think we could get anything since I'd had my new car less than 6 months. She said to us it wouldn't hurt to try if I really wanted to get into a Honda. I felt awkward taking my Nissan in for oil changes at the Honda place.

I gave it the ol' college try and was blown away that they were able to give me a great deal....same payment for a much better car. I told her the Odyssey is what I wanted and it had to be in white and I had no money to give them. My mind was thinking it's a long shot and I'm not getting my hopes up. All in all it worked out to our advantage and I am now the proud owner of a brand spanking new Honda Odyssey in white. I love it. Praise the Lord!! Another blessing.

Here's what it looks like.

I am in pain, heart-wrenching pain. God help us all!

2008-04-13T12:15:00.002-05:00

As much as I don't want to allow the economical situation of others bother me, it does. I belong to several Christian groups in real life and online. This morning there were two specific ones that touched me. One is a lady that is forced to live with very little food and in a house that is in bad disrepair. Another is a family that has only a few dollars left to their name, is losing the home to foreclosure that their father has left them and they don't have money for gas to get to a job. My heart is aching. I want to cry out to God and ask Him why! Why was I given a heart like mine? Why does the pain of others have to hurt me so much? What does He want from me? What must I do to help these people when they are so far away from me? I can't seem to stop crying for these people. It's insane!

It's as if they are my flesh and blood. I can't help them all financially but I will do what I can with what I have been blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ. It won't be enough, there is no way. And it frustrates me. I want to run and scream at how unfair this world is to so many people. I know God is in control though but I want to be able to help more. I want God to send me a miracle so that I may ease the burdens that these people must live with.

Lord, I cannot do this alone. Please help me. You gave me a heart as weak as mine and now I need you to keep your word and help me be the vessel You intended me to be. It hurts dear Lord and only you can ease the pain. You promised in Your word. I stand on that promise and I know Your word will not return void. Help me to be Your humble servant and show me the way to do Your perfect will. In Jesus holy name I pray. Amen.

What are the options?

2008-04-12T22:47:00.004-05:00

Every day I hear more and more how the economy is really bad and how people are losing their homes, their jobs, their savings, etc. It seems that at every turn there are new homes up for sale everywhere you look. I trust in the Lord and know that He will provide my family's every need. It's hard to say how these people are going to be doing in a few months. Some will probably end up losing their homes if they can't refinance them.

I feel bad for those that are in that situation. I pray that the Lord will enlighten them and show them the solution to their problems. It must be very difficult for a family to find themselves in a predicament such as is happening more and more each day.

There are too many things happening in the world and worrying about having a roof over one's head and food on the table shouldn't be something anybody living in this wonderful country should have to go through.

Just down the street in one community there are several houses up for sale. In the opposite direction there is a brand new community of homes being built, houses starting at twice as much as the one with all the houses up for sale. We went to look at one that was very nice - 4,000 sq ft. 4 bdrm, 4 bath, gorgeous kitchen. Amazing! Price - a mere $365,000. My jaw almost hit the floor; I say almost because it was already close to dragging from drooling so it gently slid and touched the floor and it lay there, motionless. This was the magnificent home of my dreams. Even I, the die hard, self-professed Victorian-era connoisseur fell in love with this gorgeous house. I wanted it. I wanted it bad. I needed it. Like the flowers need the rain. For a fraction of an instant I entertained the thought of jumping in with both feet.

Quickly and with the slap of cold reality that is life I realized that I didn't like to clean the house we now live in and it is only half the size of that beauty of a mansion, I knew it was a no go. Yes, I could just picture myself in such a lovely place and even imagine what it would be like to cook in that dream kitchen. Common sense is not a fun thing at times but this time it gently made itself at home in my cerebellum and I realized maybe this wasn't meant to be.

We went home, I went to bed and I cried. I curled up in a fetal position and I cried. I dreamt about the house, that I lived in it, I woke up and I cried. In the middle of watching my soap opera when I entertained for a fleeting moment the thought of owning the house, I cried. I pitied myself, had a piece of cake and I cried. Not really. It sounded good while I wrote the paragraph though. :)

I did, over the next several weeks, think about that beautiful house. I put it out of my mind for a while but always wondered what if...kinda like when you wonder about an old boyfriend, ya know!

Fast forward 6 months and here I am living in my same old house fighting the same old battle with the dust bunnies. My yard's too small for my liking as is our living room. My kitchen doesn't have all the granite countertops nor do the cabinets give the impression of an elegant, House Beautiful magazine page advertisement. Shoot, right now my dishwasher doesn't even work. I just had to replace the burners on my stove. My bathrooms have seen better days. Somehow, I feel incredibly blessed. In my own twisted way of thinking, I'm glad.

I'm glad that I didn't jump in with both feet into a mortgage that would've strained our budget. Sure the mortgage people painted a rose-y picture for us. They always do; that's the reason many people today are in the situation they are in.

Nope, they can keep their big fancy houses along with the mortgage payments to match. I think I will stay in my humble abode. Non-working dishwasher, small yard and all. Thank the good Lord that He has found it in His infinite mercy to bestow on our family the blessings that He so generously and lovingly does. I know of several people that now see our home as the "mansion" they'll never have. All because they were sweet-talked into buying more than they could realistically afford.

I pray for those that are in such a bad situation. God, however, does talk to us. He does tell us what to do. He does show us the way. He wants to do us good and not harm. Whether we choose to listen to His voice and guidance is up to us. Whether we choose to do His will is our choice. However, when we take it upon ourselves to follow our own desires instead of listening for His voice, it is always a disaster.

^{Proverbs 3

5} Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

I must admit I was a little ticked that we didn't get the house at first and didn't know why it didn't happen. God works in mysterious ways and six months later, He showed me why He did what He did. So now, I know. Had I not listened to His reasoning when He slapped me upside the head with that nagging little thing we call common sense, I would've been up the proverbial creek without a paddle right about now. Thank you, again, Lord for your saving grace. May you always guide me through your paths and allow me to do Your will not mine.

Homeschool Curriculum Buying Time (Again)!

2008-04-03T22:47:00.003-05:00

Just yesterday I got two different catalogs for homeschool curriculum for my kids. One was from the incredibly rude people at Abeka, the other was from Alpha Omega Publications. Each one with their own advertising tactics about how now is the time to purchase because they are being so generous with their percentage off discounts. I'm sticking with Alpha Omega for my Princess and well, the teenager-type doesn't know what he will use next (his senior) year.

I can't believe he will be a senior already. It seems like just a few months ago he was still singing for a dollar whenever his uncle wanted to see him sing and dance. He was 7 at the time. He has grown so fast. This is Giovanni now. That was a quick 10 years that flew by. He'll be 18 in October and he'll be off to Baylor University a year later.

I'm blessed with being able to stay at home and homeschool my kids. I'm blessed that we can afford to purchase the curriculum. I know a lot of parents that cannot. I won't be using SOS curriculum for my daughter, instead I will use the AOP Lifepacs. I like that it comes bundled with a Bible curriculum. One less thing for me to worry about.

I'll have to tell my brother and sister-in-law about the specials as they are also thinking about homeschooling their 9 yr old son. We'll see what happens.