Just had to share the product of our snow day :)

What I Do With My Snowday

Recently my brain has been in list mode. I don’t know when it started or when and if it will end but I went from thinking in short story mode to making lists. Everything I read recently seems to be in lists. The top 10 places to live, the 5 worst places to visit, the 5 best things to do with unruly hair, 8 perfect fashions for winter and on and on. So, I thought I would publish my own list.
The 5 best things I do on a snow day:
1) Bake – Really, who has time to just bake anything anymore. I bought this huge tin yesterday to make a giant gingerbread man because my husband swears he’s never eaten one. Poor neglected man, I will bake him one today.
2) Clean out the bedroom closet – I have tons of cool skinny jeans, flare jeans, cargo pants and some really neat stuff I haven’t been able to wear in about 2 years. They hang in there and mock me. I’ll show them! Today they will find a new home at the thrift store.
3) Stay inside – I know, you’re thinking “build a snowman, make snow angels, or just run and play in the snow.” Um…I live in Tennessee. We don’t have an L.L. Bean here so there is no way I will tolerate the snow completely unprepared. I prefer to watch it through my window and think..”Aw, that’s pretty. I wonder when it will melt?”
4) Talk on the phone – This is a great thing because it is multitasking. Not only do you get to catch up with people you’re too busy to normally call but it’s the only time your kids will spend quality time with you. “Mom, look at this…quick!, Mom, can I…? Mom, when are you gonna be done? Mom, can I eat this?
5) Watch videos on YouTube I love music videos and funny skits on you tube. But who really gets to sit at the computer for more than 5 minutes without someone saying “how long are you going be on there?” “Do you not have anything better to do?” Today, it snow and No, I don’t really have anything else going on so let me update all my status’, watch some videos, write a blog or two and then when my stomach starts growling, I’ll eat some cereal.

Well, that’s the list of my day. It will expire at the end of the day much like the to-do list on my fridge. It’s been there so long I don’t even know what’s on it anymore. But there it hangs with a magnet underneath some excellent graded school work from October, Thursday’s shopping list and last months perfect attendance award.

Can you really be the HERO?

One of my favorite TV shows is “What would you do?”. I have always been fascinated with the human mind and how we react to our surroundings, so this series is obviously a hit for me. I sit and watch situations set up by a crew with hidden cameras in place and watch as they film how people react as they pass by. Things like someone stealing a bike, leaving a baby in car or a guy slipping his date a “mickey” have been on the list. I sit on my couch and say to myself “can you believe these people aren’t stepping in to help??” We all think that in any given situation, we would be the hero.
I agonize to think back to a time not too long ago that I was in a similar situation. When I was younger and not too experienced in life, I was living alone in an apartment and I could hear the people next door fighting. Usually those non-luxury apartments didn’t have sound proof walls. I had never met or seen these people before and only recently moved in myself. I began to get nervous because the screaming lasted a long time. I started pacing anxiously. Then I heard a lamp crash. Next came the crying and begging for mercy. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I began calling people I knew for advice. I got answers like “bang on the wall so they know you can hear them, maybe they’ll quit” and “don’t get involved because you don’t know who they are”. Well, the only decision I could make was based on what I was told and not what my gut said. All of me wanted to go over there and kick some butt or to call the police. Reminding myself that I am female, young and living alone, I was afraid of future retaliation from these people. I left it alone, turned my fan on and went to bed. The next morning I did the usual routine and left the house to go to work. As I was leaving, so were the neighbors. He was a scrawny guy with an attitude of control issues and she was meek and quiet with shame in her walk. It only took a minute to see the bruises behind her huge dark sunglasses and her glance that was only a split second told me that I could have prevented this. I continued quickly to my car, drove down the block to the gas station, parked my car and cried.
Ever since that day my heart has always echoed, It’s never wrong to do the right thing. I have been obedient to this message. I promised I would never ever take a back seat, walk away, or ignore any cry for help, injustice to the weak or worry about my own safety if someone else is being wronged. In today’s society it is more important than ever to show, even perfect strangers, that you’ve got their back and can give hope to believe that there are people out there that that will step up, regardless of the consequences. You don’t have to GO be a hero, just keep your eye on the perimeter.

That’s my story, what would you do?...............

One of my favorite all time movies is Facing the Giants. The movie is about finding hope in a place where everyone tells you that there is no hope. Digging deep down inside and bringing out the warrior who will be victorious despise all odds. When I watched this movie, I thought about David; facing his giant and defeating him with one stone when a whole army was shaken, scared and doubted that Goliath could be defeated. I also reflect on these visuals in my own life. Who wouldn't love to have a coach or a cheerleader in life to scream at you "Don't give up, Give me your best and don't quit until you have nothing left".

How many times in our lives have we heard people say, "You'll never make a living at that" or thought that there's so many people out there better at this than me so why bother. You'll never write that book, be a great artist, have a successful business or climb Mount Everest. That kind of thinking should challenge you to prove who you are no matter the odds.

On a side note, My husband will confess that some of the most important life lessons he learned was while playing high school football. No wonder there are so many movies that use football to send a message.

The Pseudo-Ladybug

I really only learned one thing in my college psychology class and that was the definition of “pseudo”. This very cool word means fake, phony or not real. I liked the sound of it so much that everything I felt was phony would be preceded by pseudo. Pseudo-ladybug is a term I created when I first encountered these little rascals about 10 years ago. It’s not in the dictionary or thesaurus and when I googled it, it said “Do you mean dis-ladybug”? Well, yes, kind of.


One October as I was standing in my in-laws yard having a conversation, this little ladybug flies over and casually lands on my arm. Aw, how sweet. How cute is this little tiny creature. As I watched it stroll down to my hand, my husband says “Those things bite, you know.” We all know ladybugs don’t bite, that’s just ridiculous. No sooner than that thought crossed my mind, it bit me. I smashed it. As I looked around there were tons more everywhere. All just flying around like a swarm of gnats. I looked closer and noticed that they weren’t red with black dots like they were supposed to be. They were brownish tan with black dots and almost exactly resembled a ladybug. I had to find out what the deal was so I started checking around and getting the scoop on these things. Turns out that from what I understand, these are Asian (Chinese) imported pseudo-ladybugs that were supposed to feed on the other bugs that were infesting the trees, eat aphids and just be good all around. I guess we (US Department of Agriculture) thought that if a couple are good for the garden, we (US Department of Agriculture) should go all out because more is better. Like THAT ever works. Well they (US Department of Agriculture) released these things in the woods and it just so happens that instead of hanging out on the trees,eating pests and aphids, they had a taste for houses. Every year in October we are inundated with thousands of tons of these pests and they crawl all over the houses and get in the cracks and crevices. They really enjoy landing on your clothes and getting stuck in your hair. They have assimilated closer to the red color over the years and that I find interesting.
My message here: Anything we (US Department of Agriculture)import from Asia (China) is probably not a good idea and I can just hear the snickering from across the ocean. I do have a similar stories about the fiasco with Asian hornets if you’re interested………

A Love Letter to my Child

The day you were born, I looked down upon you and saw a true miracle. The most beautiful creation of all creation. I knew you would be special, unique, and unlike anyone else on the entire planet and you were mine. With such innocence and sparkle in your eyes, I promised to love and care for you always and keep you safe from all that’s out there in the world. While you grew, I watched with pride as you would laugh and play. I took pleasure in the moments you took your first step or sang your first song. My heart ached with you through every boo boo and every fever. My love always comforted you, covered you and gave you all you needed to keep growing. As the years went by and you became engrossed in the world, in your friends and the craziness called life, you balked on me and I loved you. You began to not trust my guidance and I loved you. At times you would even turn your back on me and then I loved you more than you can possibly comprehend.
But you did not realize that no matter where you went or what you did, you carried my comfort in your heart. I am always your beacon of hope in a place where hope is hard to find. You can always call on me and I will be faithful to be there for you. There is nowhere you can go that I cannot get to you, rescue you, save you. I would do anything for your happiness even to sacrifice myself so you can live.
Always remember that in the places that you feel the most alone or unloved, know that my love for you is never going to leave you. I will be there. Watching. Waiting. Knowing that if you look around, you will find me.
You will be victorious. I have equipped you with everything you need to conquer all, have a happy life and be a good person. You will never forget me because I will live in your heart through the end of time and until forever. Enjoy your life, make someone else’s day brighter once in while and strive to do your best in all that you do. Until I see you again. -God

When I grow up.........

I always wanted to be a Forest Ranger. From my first trip out west when I was twelve, I was completely amazed by the National Parks, all the stuff the rangers knew and the cool jeeps they got to drive. I was so impressed by their presence; I knew this was the place for me. Well, so I thought. Fast forward through the pressure of making a good living and the trends of society that business was where the American dream was hiding. I had completely forgot about my ambitions until recently. During a summer trip to the state park, we had the opportunity to talk to the park rangers, learn about what they do and what was involved in their jobs. I had mentioned during the trip of the memory that I wanted to be a park ranger when I grew up. I was taken back when he said “Well, why weren’t you?”
Over the past couple months I thought about that question and the memories slowly started to appear. It wasa my first night in Grassy Cove. Coming from a place where cars, trucks and police sirens hummed me to sleep every night, the quiet of the country was a whole other ballgame. As I started to drift off that first night, it was around the time the coyotes started stirring. Before I knew it the howling and wolf like chit chat was surrounding me and I was sure that there were ten or twelve preparing to attack. I pictured the Cujo creatures breaking through my windows and scratching relentlessly on my door until it caved. I woke my husband and asked him if he had his shotgun ready(because I don’t even know how to look at one correctly) for the imminent attack. I am not sure but looking back he was probably grinning so wide that he really couldn’t answer me. Adventure #2 was just about as pathetic. I had never heard of a screech owl or even remember seeing one in a zoo. I was sitting on the back porch one night enjoying the quiet when out of nowhere I heard a child screaming. Maybe even a baby crying. I ran through the house and grabbed Bill and demanding that we hit the woods and look for this poor child. He’s probably lost or scared. I was in a panic. He casually walked out the door and stopped. I am in a rush….get going …this is important…. He turns to me and says “that’s a screech owl” and goes back inside. Well, I obviously stood there a few minutes and decided to trust his observation. I looked out into the dark and scary looking woods and thought “what else could possibly be lurking out there in those trees?”
OK, so I admit that hanging out in the woods, interacting with nature, and being fearless to confront wild animals or other critters was not my calling. Over time I did learn to enjoy the sounds of nature and all its inhabitants, but not enough to step off the back deck on a moonless night.

Mother knows Best

I don’t know about you but I am sure getting tired of the media telling me how to live to be 100. I still remember when I was 17 counting the years to the year 2000 and wondering if I was going to make it for the big event (I was 35 when the millennium arrived). I also remember stating to my mother that I didn’t think I wanted to still be around at 50. I surely didn’t want to be THAT old. Since I am now what the younger me would have considered “old”, I had started to get as much information as I could to combat this deadly predicament. Butter is good for you now. So are eggs. Tomatoes used to be poisonous and coffee stunted your growth. Three times of exercise a week is still not good enough. Gluten is now our enemy. Who knew? My grandma knew. She would always give us off the cuff advice and good directions for what we needed to be happy and healthy. Drink a glass of orange juice every morning with your multivitamin, don’t skip breakfast, walk where you need to go any time you can and learn to love to read. She always had molasses cookies in the house, grandpa regularly made us frappes (milkshakes) as soon as we walked in the door to visit, and I had never seen anyone bake more bread that kept the house smelling like a bakery all the time. Besides that advice I would add what I observed. Do what you love to do and do it often; and always take time out to watch a Red Sox game. The moral of the story? Mother knows best( because she got it from grandma).

Training up a Child

My favorite verse in the bible is Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. I don’t know if its because it was the first verse I ever memorized or that the truth in that statement is amazing. You can pretty much apply this verse to just about everything . Train up means to give a child a taste for something. Lately I have been thinking about what Austin eats. He has this unbelievable craving for fish. He loves all kinds from catfish to lobster. He can never get enough of it. He hangs out at the seafood counter in the grocery store when I shop. I began to wonder where this was coming from then this verse hits me. When Austin was very young, 2-3 years old, he was lacking in essential fats for brain development. We would give him a daily dose of Cod Liver Oil (lemon flavored and no that’s not cruel) It incredibly improved his mood, disposition and learning ability. He is 10 now and we haven’t given him this in years. I believe he developed this taste for fish during those younger years of fish oil.
This morning I offered him a bowl of cereal for breakfast. I have all kinds in my cupboard from Frosted Flakes to regular Cheerios. You know where this is going because we all have quieted are little ones with a handful of Cheerios in the high chair. His taste for Cheerios with a little honey outweighs any sugar cereal I could drum up. Hmmmm.
If you think about this verse enough, you really can apply it to all things or lifestyles we can give our child a taste for. They may not always stick with the palate we try to create for them, but as they grow, they will find comfort in the garden of their youth.

Back to Penny Candy.......

The best summers I ever had were being able to spend a couple weeks with my grandparents. I don’t know what it was about being there; maybe the fact that it wasn’t home or just the fact that it was grammas house. When I think back or talk about the times I spent there I get that old warm fuzzy feeling that I just love. I have to share with you a piece of “penny candy” from my childhood summer. My grandfather love to do woodworking and I remember one summer he made my brother and I two pair of stilts. We worked those things endlessly until we got so good at them we could have stilt fights. I don’t think that’s what grandpa intended when he made them but we were kids and you know how that goes. We put more time into these things and had more fun than any computer or video game could handle. My mom still has the stilts in her basement and every time we go to visit, they come out and the kids have a ball on them. Even my grown kids will still try to attempt the impossible; jumping walls, stairs or something straight out of the X games. I smile with fond memories every time I see them. Memories of a time that was so simple and so basic, it’s relaxing just to think about them.

Our Marriage Secret

I recently read a blog post from one of my favorite bloggers on marriage. It was a short blog asking a question of how you thought two people would get along with different backgrounds. It made me think about my marriage quite a bit. It was also our anniversary this past week and it made me think about marriage even more. I stepped back and took a mental inventory of my marriage and how I was just as happy and content today as I was the first week we were wed. Then I started thinking about all the stuff that goes on in between and how on earth can it be this good? Well before I tell you the answer, I’ll tell you how life goes at our house. I want to save the world. Yes, I have been given a heart that just yearns to love a child, to help flood victims, spread some peace in the middle of chaos or just be there for someone who needs a shoulder. I don’t always make dinner or get the floor swept, sometimes I’m a couple days behind on laundry but my husband knows me and just rolls with it. Bill’s job is very demanding and there are times he puts in so many hours I don’t see him for days. I know him and I just roll with it. I am a yankee at heart and he is a country boy. That’s about as different as you can get around here. We just roll with it. We respect each other for who we were meant to be and have never tried to make each other something else. Here’s the reason we can be that way, we spend our time together talking about all the things God has done for us and blessed us with. Always appreciating His handy work in our marriage and the sense of humor he has of putting two people like us together. We give Him thanks for every day together every night as we eat dinner as a family. Believe it or not, by doing just that one thing, no matter what has happened during that day, there is a peace that comes over you just by being thankful. I challenge you to express your thankfulness for your spouse and your family for every day you have together as you say grace. Even in the midst of chaos or arguing, its amazing how much is unimportant when we are thankful for what we do have.

Change of Season

For all the kids around here, school starts tomorrow. My son is so excited to return to school and little does he know I am just as excited to get some structure back in my day. Just like I spent my spring plotting and planning all the fun, trips, hiking and playing, I spent the last few days doing another kind of plotting. It sometimes feels like it marks the change of a season. I do miss Austin at times when he is in school but I don’t feel guilty for the opportunity to renew the spirit. I have realized that with all the crazy summer planning and fun, I have let all the regular stuff go. I have 4 books I have purchased over the summer that are collecting dust. (If I can’t feed my brain regularly, I feel sub human). I have missed my ½ hour with Joyce Meyer, researching healthy recipes (mac and cheese seemed to rule my summer!), taking quiet walks down my country road, my treadmill and writing blogs. My plans for the fall are far from exciting and wondrous but for me it will feel like the chaos has slowed and routine can be allowed to rein once again. It’s because I have some down time that I am able to have strength over my busy time.

What Inspires Me.....

I am always amazed at the different ways people look at the world. The crazy place we live in may look one way to me and no one else can see the things I see. If you were driving down the road in anywhere USA and you saw a young couple holding hands walking down the street, what would you think? Would you want to write a song about it? Would you think about yourself and your relationship? Would you be appalled at the display of public affection? For me it would be a love story. I would see a long dirt road with fields on both sides being kept in check by a white picket fence. The destination is a creek flowing lazily through the shade trees at the end of the road. Picnic basket in one hand, blanket in the other……
How we see our world is directly related to how we interact in it. Inspiration to do great things, accomplish the impossible, and be happy with all that surrounds you in this moment comes from God and a heart filled with Love and Hope. Think about it the next time you look up from your desk, hang with your best friend, drive your kids to school.
Our church has had a preacher for the last few years that has always challenged me to do great things through love and hope and to never be afraid of the impossible. It has been a theme that has be indwelt into my heart. He has been an inspiration to me to be able to do everything I can in this life to bring happiness to someone else. Thanks Ricky.
What inspires you?

If I were a Farmer......

This week I brought the group of 8-12 year olds to the farm across the street to hang out with my neighbor/farmer. He raises cows, Belgian Horses, all kinds of goats and chickens. We learned some cool funny facts about goats like that they have rectangular eyes...who knew? We had a hay ride from one end of the farm to the other, chased the chickens a while until the youngest of us all caught one. We now call her the "chicken whisperer". If you ever have tried to actually catch a chicken, you'll know that this is NOT an easy task! There were plenty of baby goats to hold and I would swear when they cried for their mommas, they sounded JUST like a baby. Finally to the shock of all the kids involved, we do not have farms just to take care of animals and keep them safe. We actually learned that most farmers are highly educated and need to be to be productive and that we actually feed our country and others with what we raise. Wow! Really? I could not believe the kids didn't know this, and they are far from city kids. I would love to find out how many kids think our food is actually made at the grocery store. I would bet the answers would surprise you as much as they did me. Have a great day and will report back after the teenagers have had their turn in the barn!

Movie Day

Today is movie day, not just for me and 12 of my closest 8 to 12 year olds, but for all the kids of Cumberland County. Every Tuesday this month at 10am, the Rocky Top 10 Cinema gave away free admission to kids in the county. How awesome is that?? Since I started running around with some of my favorite friends this summer, I have found more people and businesses around here that are more than willing and happy to give back to the community and I am so impressed. When I was just sitting home watching the news, I was so frustrated thinking everyone was in for themselves or for the almighty dollar. I used to get myself all worked about the greed and craziness of this country. Well, guess what, I'm going to quit watching the news because the more I am out there in the world, interacting with businesses and people from all walks, the more I see the opposite is true. 99.9% are giving, helpful, wanting to be a productive part of the community and working together to help our families and our children. WOW. What else can I say except that I will no longer judge the majority on the reports of one or two.

Thank you very much Rocky Top 10 for your hospitality to our House of Hope group and the kindness you showed us when we were there.

My Newest Revelation

My computer is actually causing Attention Defecit Disorder. I have 2 things to get done this morning on my computer. I need to balance some debit receipts and try to find some information on a program for a friend of mine. Well, I sit down, first I have to check my emails in case someone sent me something important (right?). All three emails. While I'm on here I might as well check in with my facebook, twitter, and myspace friends. You know, see whats up. As I go through all the pages I find cool information on bands etc. that I need to check into, then I remember the other day I needed a phone number. I look that up. No pen so I try to memorize it. Then I just thought of that awesome picture I meant to share with my family so I need to find it and upload it to all my social networking sites and then I read where this incredible story came out and I have to check into it because I might want to leave a comment because I think I'm THAT important. PHEW!!! Ok, 2 hours have passed, now, what am I here for? oh yeah, that recipe.

I've got a feeling......

Have you ever been doing something then all of a sudden this realization comes over you in almost a panic and you just like scream? Like something so important that you forgot to do and then you just remembered? Yep, that happened to me this morning.
I have been looking forward to seeing a piece on the Today Show for a week and it was to air this morning. I slept in because I had been going wide open for a couple days; when I awoke, I casually moseyed into the kitchen for coffee, thought about my day, checked the temperature outside, said UG, and sat down on the couch. Then it happened, the little alarm clock in my brain went off and I jumped to the remote. As I am fumbling with it I’m thinking “please, please don’t let it be too late!” As soon as I flipped the switch on you would never have believed it. The story I was waiting for a week just came on. That second. That absolute moment in time that my finger pressed the little red button on the remote, the story started. I thought …really?, this late? The Today show has been on for an hour and half already? What are the odds? The story that was airing was one that was very important to me and divine intervention is something I am familiar with. So in the end, that little feeling you get should always be paid attention to because God works in mysterious ways and sometimes He has to slap you upside your head to get your attention!!!

Just Play

The last few days have been pretty amazing. I think every day I walk this planet I am educated just a little bit more. I have spent a lot of time with a bunch of kids and they are a pretty remarkable bunch. From petting snakes to hiking and playing, the day was a huge success. Every time I turn around they are resilient and happy, fun and complicated, wild and softhearted all at the same time. I really didn’t realize how much fun I would have hanging out with these guys. I can’t wait for next week when we trek to the horse ranch and spend some time on the farm!

Gen Next Apprentices

So far what I have schedule for 8-12 year old:
June 7th - Monday - Cumberland Mountain State Park- Meet the rangers, picnic lunch and 2 mile hike around the park.

June 14th - Monday - Connections Ranch - learn about horses, horse training, fun on the farm.

June 22nd City Park - Tennis, skateboard, playground and picnic.

Will be organizing a date to create baked goods ourselves and sell them at the Threads of Hope. Maybe also on the 22nd and sell at the House of Hope yard sale which is the last weekend in July.

GENERATION NEXT SUMMER 2010

Generation Next Summer 2010 Excursions

I am posting the current schedule for our summer trips. This set of trips is only for 13-17yr. olds. A seperate set will be posted for the 8-12 group. There will be a maximum of 12 for each group.

June17th Connections Ranch- Horse Ranch and Training Facility, picnic areas, trails and just a great day on the ranch. We meet at the House of Hope at 9am. Contact me if a pick up and drop off is needed.

July 1st Fall Creek Falls Hiking trails to waterfalls, park activities, lunch and whatever else we can get into.

July 7th. City Park- Tennis Play and Instruction, Kevin Byrne will be teaching basic and helpful tennis skills, skateboard, we'll play and eat lunch.

July 15th Survival in the woods Edible herbs, nature walk with Do’s and don’ts of surviving in the woods.

July 27th Library fest for Kids The library is needing volunteers to help with kids activities during this festival. The festival hours are 8am to 1pm. Services setting up, running and taking down booths, helping with the kids, keeping the area clean. The kids will have a blast and it will be fun for us.

Upcoming top schedule ( let me know if you are interested)
1) Dat Pro audio jam session- You will need to bring a guitar


Contact Cheryl Derrick at the email here for Sign up information. There will always be 2 adults to accompany each trip.

These trips are currently sponsored and overseen by the Cumberland County Childrens Center House of Hope and myself. CAll Cheryl if you are interested in helping in any way.

Where your heart is

I am the type of person that once I get my mind on something, the world would literally have to implode in order for me to shake it. Just about a month ago I was sitting in my coffee drinking chair thinking. I was thinking about this summer. I recently have had the luxury of staying at home with my son the past couple of summers and was thinking about what excursions we could go on this year. I also began to remember the time when I had to work and dreaded trying to find something for him to do while I was working. That lead me to thinking what do you do in rural America with kids too old for daycare and too young to go out alone and hang with friends? Here where the nearest store is 10 miles away, its not like you can walk. Alot of this thinking would have never come about if I hadn't spent so much time listening to stories about local children who are just out there in the world during the summer, home alone, eating junk food if they ate at all, always surrounded by drugs or alcohol or both, spending an entire summer looking forward to the first day of school just to get away. That makes me mad. That makes me want to get a van and scoop them all up and take them to fun places where they can be kids and run and play and have exciting things happen to them.......

Oh wait, this is the part where I tell you that that's what I decided to do. My grieving heart showed up one day at the door of the House of Hope to do some computer work with Karen, one of the mentors there, and as I shared my vision of volunteering my summer up to take these children/Teens out to have some cool experiences, I heard Denise , the director of the House of Hope and so focused on children, say in the other room "Hey, we can do that!" (She says that alot). So the ball starts rolling. I have spent alot of time working out plans and people and times and days but I have to admit I am overwhelmed with joy.

All the people I have talked to or approached about giving a little of their business or their time were more than willing to do so for these kids. Wow, thats just awesome. The short of the story is, if you stop by my blog and I haven't written, you can be pretty sure I'm working it out for the kids or living it up with them. There are two things that go through my head everyday:

1) Where your heart is, there your treasure is also. and

2) The closest you can get to God's heart, is to love a child.

Nashville Clean Up Day

Last Friday was a very cool day.  It actually all started on Thursday.  I decided that after following the flood stories in Nashville through Cross Point Church for days and days and my heart breaking and breaking for all those people, I wanted to do something. I called my son Kevin and he and his friend Neil and another friend Caroline from church agreed to meet with me.  The 4 of us set out that next morning early to donate our time to the cause to help anyone.  We met up with the Cross Point Church team in west Nashville early on Friday morning and we set out on our mission.  These people were amazing.  They were organized and focused. I was stunned at what had been accomplished so far and how many people just kept diving in to help.  As we ventured into the flood zone it really wasn’t at all what I imagined.  Some houses had huge piles of garbage and sheet rock that had been extracted sitting out in front and other houses were left virtually unscathed due to the hilly nature of the landscape.  We arrived at the one house that we would spend the day working at and immediately noticed the attitude of the world around us.  Every so often a car would come by and if they couldn’t physically help clean up, they were handing out water or ice cream or anything else that workers and volunteers would need.
These people weren’t part of any organization, they were part of America.  Loving their neighbor and answering the call.  Many times random people would come by to ask who needs helps and what could they do. My heart really went out to the couple and their young son as they dealt with all the loss the best they could. But these homeowners had an incredible positive and gracious attitude. They were thankful for the help, happy they were all fine and pleasant to work around.  I could write a seven page journal on all that I experienced that day but it is just a blog so you get the abbreviated version.  The day had been a success and as my son put it, “We punched the Nashville flood in the face today”.

Summer break is almost here.

Parents dread it, kids love it. Some parents may love it and some kids may dread it...Summer break.  For parents its probably the most complicated time of year, especially if you have a child too old for day care and too young to be left home alone if you work.  If you dont work, you can't just let them play video games or watch TV for 3 months and most of us dont have tons of cash laying around to entertain all summer.  When I first started suffering bad from Fibromyalgia it was in July of 2007. I had left my job and was staying home. Most of that summer I hurt so bad I could hardly move nevermind throw a baseball or take a hike.  The pain in my heart from watching my 7 year old watch tv alone, ride his bike alone and just plain tire of summer break was almost worse than the disease.  It was after that summer that I vowed,  never have to watch my child dread another summer break.  I di all I could do in my power to get my illness under control and now I am going to spend some time looking into this summer thing and get a bunch of great ideas for what to do with a kid or kids during the summer.

Idea #1- I talked to the local manager of the music store and asked him if they had any places kids could jam together over the summer.  Any ages from like 9 to 19.  He is going to look into it and maybe we can get something going.  Contact me if you want to help or have ideas on this as well. 
Keep checking back and new ideas will come!!!  Lets keep these kids busy and happy.

National Day of Prayer. Pray for Nashville

Nashville Flood Update from Pete Wilson on Vimeo.

Nashville Flood

This is just so incredible.

Grassy Cove after the rain

Its been a crazy two days of thunderstorms, tornado watches, floods and I would say that it was stressful but it really wasn't. In Tennessee we get this a lot. I hate to be complacent but after being through some really crazy weather, seeing consecutive tornadoes hit our county one after another in the same night, being awake during my first earthquake, watching flood water rise so high we have had to take a boat across the road to get home, I have learned that stress, fear and worry have no place here.  Instead, my family, my county, my state and I spend time praying for safety, keeping up with our neighbors and finding out what ways we can best help each other. That's the Volunteer State. I have been keeping up with people in Nashville during this flood and I am not surprised by the stories of help, support, rescue and good will they are giving each other and stepping up to share a common task. You people make me proud to be a Tennessean.

My friend Huck.

So here's the thing. It is a beautiful day in the cove. I have worked hard all morning and decided to treat myself to a cup of coffee, a good book and a chair in the sunshine.  I collect all my items, head outside, sit in the prepared chair, pillows and all and then WAM. The neighbors dog, which is as big as a house comes over and starts licking my head!!!!  This dog is so big you can't just push him away. I start laughing and the more I laugh the more he thinks I'm playing!!! Had to take the shot looking up at him because I couldn't stop laughing. Turns out, that was the best part of my day! There you go Kasey, Its in large view and not sent on the cell phone :).

Just wondering.....

What are these for? No, they are not for guardrails because they ran them along the guardrails as well. They are not mile markers. That would be pretty pointless so close together. Hmmmmm. Surely not of fence. That would be like bumper cars on the interstate if it were....any suggestions?

Pleasantly surprised

The first time this year I ate lunch at my sons school was in October.  I had to check it out since this was his first year in a new school.  I arrived about 11:15 for the 11:25 on the dot lunch time.  We proceeded through the lunch line and I obediently  followed my sons lead like he was an old pro at the practices and procedures. What I noticed at this school that struck me as odd was that you grab a tray and then you continue along the line choosing the individual items you want to eat.  This is in contrast to what I would expect like giving the child one plate with a little of everything they served that day.  My child of course chose two servings of chicken nuggets and fried potato cubes. I was so proud (sarcastic). The small bowls of salad were piling up and the veggies were left untouched and the whole display of greens looked like the line of adoptable sad face puppies that nobody wanted. I felt so bad for them, I just had to get some. We sat, ate and got through the meal catching up on my sons day so far.  I left there heavy hearted and discouraged as to WHY my child gets to choose.  If I had a choice at age ten to pick a Hershey bar or a plate of greens, I would go chocolate in a minute.

That was then. Back at the beginning of the year.  My son again (dreadfully) asked me and Grandma to join him for lunch one day when she was visiting last week.  This time I insisted on bringing some Subway sandwiches.  I asked my mom to do a little experiment with me and proceeded to tell her the situation and what I had experienced last time I had lunch there. We agreed to look around to see what the kids were actually choosing since I didn't feel like that was appropriate for elementary school.  When we got there we skipped the line since we had our own food and the both of us quietly sneaked peeks at the items on the trays of the other young children in the room.
"Did you see that?" I asked.
"I think I know what you're talking about." mom replied.
"I KNOW. Just look at it!!!  Fruit and salad on every tray! Some even had two servings of fruit!"

Ok, I dont know what's been happening in this school since October, but those kids are actually eating the fruit and salad! That was one time I was glad I was made a fool.
PS. I would still like to see just one plate and grown ups serve out the food to be sure the option to eat it after they sit down is there.

You are being abused

I have so many thoughts on this food thing that I just couldn't write one post and let it go.  Whether we realize it or not, its not only our choices that can keep us healthy but those who influence those choices.  If you are unaware of how you are being manipulated, you should research it and make better choices based on your information.  Here are a couple some things for starters that I have learned to always keep in mind when trying to make good food decisions:

Processed (the yucky stuff) food is cheaper. Simple supply and demand. If we keep buying it, the distributors make a ton of money and then they can easily compete with that body healthy food. You may have to pay a few dollars more now but you will benefit a bunch in your medical bills later.

Just because its written on the box, doesn't mean its healthy.  There is a very thin line being walked on by our products labeling and many are dancing around the nutrition for marketing purposes. I about fell over when I saw a pop-tart box (one thing I am trying to rid my house of) that said in really large letters: "20% FIBER" Ok, so does that mean that pop-tarts are now good for me? And because everyone says we need fiber? Did you know there has always been fiber in pop-tarts? And in every other food item that involves any type of wheat bread.

Bottom line is be smart when you plan meals and go to the store. Eat a good salad or snack on carrots before going shopping and that should get you primed for making good choices.

Tomorrow I have got to tell you about my lunch experiences at my sons school.  Lets just say, Shock and Awe!

Food Revolution Update

The first blog I ever wrote was after the first episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution about a month ago.  I reported my thoughts about the whole thing. Great idea, kind of expensive, don’t know if it’ll fly. Since that day I have done more research on this food thing Jamie was trying to sell.  I have put some of these recipes, costs, and likeability to the toughest test. The test of my family which ultimately includes a 10 year old chocolate eating chicken nugget, pop tart addict. 

To start with, I did have to buy the book (which I love) because the recipes on the internet have measurements and some stuff I don’t comprehend.  I started cooking recipes a few times a week.   You have to remember, I’m a chef of hot dogs, chicken and rice and that’s about it. The thrill of this for me was going to the store and buying things I have never heard of.  What isle do you look in for something you have no idea what it is or even if it’s in a jar, in a can, is a spice or a veggie.  I felt bad for the other shoppers at the supermarket as I was constantly in need of weird things like capers,  garam marsala(?), and tandoori.  After I got past this, the rest was pretty easy.  The recipes really don’t take that long and taste fantastic. 

My latest adventure tonight was Quick Salmon Tikka with Cucumber Yogurt. I decided to actually go to the store and price all the ingredients for this. It totaled about $20.00 for the meal that fed three (and I had leftovers )plus a salad.  Once you have ingredients in the cupboards, the expense isn’t that bad. 

The bottom line is this; I can buy good affordable healthy meals.  I can get my child to eat ceaser salad and asparagus and like it and best of all, we all spend time in the kitchen together laughing, working on the recipes and enjoying each others’ company .  This Food Revolution has been more than just an awareness of what we eat, its actually made some good changes here that will last and we really love it.

Its not you, its me

I love America. I am so glad you are nothing like me. I am so glad I don’t have to go through the day encountering a bunch of people who think like me, act like me, and do what I do or wear what I wear. That would be a fate worse than death. I just love the fact that we can all be so human and all be so unsimilar. I was on Facebook this morning and noticed that all my friends have a passion. Not the same passion but all different passions, opinions, things that are important to them, things they want to educate others on and things that matter deep in their soul. That got me thinking of all the people I know. They are all so vastly different that I have no idea how we were all placed together in this big puzzle called “my life” and each of them I love for their differences and not for what they can agree with me on. I have friends that are workaholics, stay at home moms, been to Iraq, never been anywhere, sun worshipers, Jesus freaks, city dwellers , country folk, American born, foreign raised and the list goes on to infinity. We don’t go on vacation to see places we already have seen. We enjoy learning about things we either don’t understand or don’t know about. I think we should spend more time embracing each others’ differences and less time being offended by each other. What a wonderful opportunity we have in this free country to learn cool stuff about other people. To me, this “melting pot” is a pretty interesting and fun place to be.

Newest Member of the family

There is nothing in this world more beautiful in my eyes than a new born baby. Meet Haylin Looper pictured here with her mom and brother. Born April 23rd 2010. I had the chance to hold her when she was only a few hours old and as I did I looked down into that face and saw such peace as she slept. They told me her eyes were open when she was born and she would look around everywhere. I wonder what she was thinking? Was it a happy feeling or a distressed feeling? Were the lights too bright? Did she recognize her moms voice? I also thought about how she is so new that she didn't have any of the scars we have or the pain we have or the hurt we've been through and she hasn't even sinned yet. What a blessing it is to look into the face of such perfection. There is a definite feeling between every person on the planet and holding a new born baby whether you have had one or not or if it is your own. I'm not sure what that is but I am sure that it's a true miracle every time. No matter how I feel or what I think, I just can't wait to watch this little princess grow and change and work this thing we call life.

Election Time......

I really think election day is a good day. A happier day than average I would say. It wasn’t always like that. I have always voted because I am very strong willed about getting my voice heard and no matter how loud I speak during the year, my vote speaks the loudest. But I dreaded the voting process. The lines were forever for 2 booths. The schools had to close just to accommodate the in pouring of people as determined as me and the lines ran on average 2 hours long. Then I moved to Grassy Cove and experienced a whole new kind of voting. I pull in to the Community Center, which used to be the old school house, to cast my ballot expecting lines, waits, ornery workers and just plain hassle. I walked in and first confronted my in-laws and for me that’s a very good thing. My mother in law asked for my drivers’ license and I just look at her like “are you serious? You don’t remember me?” She recorded the info then onto my father in law who asked me my name and to sign a piece of paper….what?...really?. Protocol. I was really getting a kick out of this. I looked around the room and saw a couple neighbors from up the street I haven’t seen in a while, my son declares there are cookies in the back and of course mamaw says yes. There was coffee there if I wanted any and the whole crew was carrying on with neighborhood talk. I didn’t think places like this existed in America anymore and I felt privileged to be a part of it. I hope it will stay like this forever so my kids can experience it. Yeah, election day is a good day and no, I have never taken advantage of early voting.

The Girl in my Heart

There is a girl who has been in my heart and prayers. I want to dedicate this to her.

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than just what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You do have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)

-Kutless

Flip Flops on the beach in Jacksonville. I love flip flops. Does anyone know where the foam comes from? I don't remember that much when I was a kid.

The Road Taken

Do you ever feel like you need to “Be a better person”? I notice that people go to many lengths to try to find the areas where they can improve themselves. Try to be more patient or more focused or more tolerant? Well I have decided that the best way to find out where you lack is to leave. Leave home and just go somewhere else. Get out of your comfort zone a little and see what comes up. I did that. I left home last week for a trip and I was surprised to find that area of my personality that is lacking. The one area that needs a lot of tweaking and fine tuning is… road rage. Hi, my name is Cheryl and I have a road problem. It started the minute I hit the interstate and to make matters worse I was driving in a rental car with New York plates so sometimes I took advantage of my situation. I think God created cars just to test us. I think he put that woman who can’t STOP hitting her brakes in front of me to teach me tolerance. I think He put that crazy guy in the pinto weaving in and out of lanes to keep help me practice focusing on my task at hand. I then finally concluded that He put the man on the cell phone driving in the fast lane going 60 in a 70 in front of me to teach me that life is about the journey, not the destination. I really think if I can get a handle on the road thing, than learning the life lessons will be a walk in the park.

Coffee Talk

Saturday morning at our house belongs to the farm. Before Bill gets out and starts going wide open with fence, cows, tractors and gardens, we always make time to sit on the front porch together with a cup of coffee and solve the problems of the universe. Not about what we hear in the news or who’s doing what to whom for how many chocolate chip cookies, but more importantly, the condition of the human psyche. The conversations usually revolves around how we were raised and the morals we had versus our kids today. This mornings’ topic was manners. We bragged on our parents for the great job they did teaching us please and thank you, respect your elders and always look at someone when they speak to you. Our focus seemed to veer off in the direction of why kids are more focused on material things than treating other kids right with manners and respect. We then ventured through the hoops of priorities and whats most important. Finally, we decided that if parents spent more time instilling values of love, honor and being nice instead of the façade of money, power, and looking like you’re all that, the world would be a better place. The coffee was finally gone and time to get the day started. Austin announced that his friend was on his way over and we needed to be ready. Bill and I had never met them before so off we go to straighten up and get dressed. Bill walks out of the bedroom appropriately dressed for the day ahead in overalls and a T-shirt. I turned to him and said very seriously, “You’re not wearing THAT, are you?”
I guess we don’t really know that much about the human psyche…….

Burn by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy

I recently read this book by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy. My disclaimer is that I am already a big Ted Dekker fan and love his writing and subject matter. He teams up again with Erin Healy to write this great story .
“Janeal who has always felt trapped in her fathers Gyspy culture. Then one night a powerful man named Salazar Sanso promises her the life she longs for—if she will help recover a vast sum of money tied to her father. When the plan implodes, Sanso attacks the gypsy settlement and burn it to the ground. During the blaze, Janeal is faced with a staggering choice. That moment changes her forever.”
This was a really good read. Suspense and shock value I would say was a 9. With the of stories that pitch good versus evil, this one can actually blur the lines and really make you think. One minute you are taken to a place that you think is good, turns out….well…I can’t give away the story but I highly recommend the read if you are into good vs. evil and human desire. It only took me two days to read it, I couldn’t get myself to lay it down for more than a few minutes.

 
 
 
 

Spring means.....

I have millions of pets. Literally. Millions. They keep me company all spring and summer and sleep all winter. Perfect. Most people appreciate my pets. They don’t love them or even wish they had any but they are appreciated. My honey bees.
Honey bees are like all other pets, they need to have plenty of food and water and need to be medicated to stay well or they die. It is a lot of work to keep up with them. It doesn’t surprise me at times when in the first warm days of spring I trod out to the field to find a hive or two dead of starvation, mites or even unknown things that baffle me. But I try my best to keep these little fellers going so our hay will grow tall, our fruit and veggies will be more abundant and we can get honey for our tea .
But bees are fickle. One spring they are swarming and causing chaos in the neighborhood, then the next spring they are the perfect obedient lot, pollinating and making lots of honey. There is no rhyme or reason to their inconsistency.
So if you live in a three mile radius of my house, please don’t step on or squish my friends; they are in short supply and without them we could not feed the world.

Farms and Flip Flops

As a suburbanite, I have this love /hate relationship with rural America. Grassy Cove is a 3 square mile of God created beauty. Farmland and four wheelers, mountains , silos and combines. The mountains completely surround about 8 or 9 farms like a wall of protection from the world. I know this sounds like absolute paradise but the day I got here 11 years ago, I wasn’t so sure. My first night here, the scream of sirens and loud cars were replaced by the howling of coyotes and screech owls. Did you know screech owls sound like a child screaming in the woods? The first time I heard one, sheer terror ran up my spine and I skipped two front porch steps in my flip flops on a heroic mission to save whatever was calling for me. It was after that in which I was finally educated on all the strange things in these parts that I know for sure only belong in the zoo. There have been rattlesnakes in my driveway, packs of coyotes and wild hogs running rampant in the mountains behind me, and calf killers everywhere. What the heck were those created for? Those things look like giants ants, classified as hornets, can’t fly but can sting so bad you wish you were dead. Oh, and, nothing kills them except cutting them in half with an army knife. This is just the tip of the rural iceberg but as I descend down the mountain after dropping my son off at school, I look around and breathe a sigh of contentment. This is my place. My place to be safe and snug, warm and happy with history and friendship. Rural America...

The Mouth of Babes

Some of the most informative, introspective conversations I ever have are with my 9 year old. We are driving home from ball practice this Good Friday and I decided to start a conversation about this holiday. My hidden agenda being to test him like all us parents do to our kids to see if they are paying attention to what we say. I started off by asking him about Good Friday. In his confidence he educates me “Jesus was crucified today and the third day he rose from the dead and that would be Sunday and that’s Easter”. What a proud moment for me. My child actually pays attention to what’s going on around him! I was beaming. Then I had to throw in “But I wonder what the connection is between Easter eggs and Easter?” Without missing a beat he says, ”That’s simple. All the people were happy when Jesus rose from the dead and colored Easter eggs make me happy. Something all you grown ups don’t understand.” When I looked at him totally baffled and asked “What don’t we understand?” He said, “The ‘happy’ part.
If we could only see the world as a child sees it………..

The City Mouse

I was raised in suburbia America. I had my neighbors. My 1.2 acres of grass lawn, mowed and manicured. Some people may have called that lifestyle the American dream but I believe they were grossly misinformed. I loved where I lived and my family was great but as a 10 year old, the days I lived for were the weekend road trips to the place in the “country”. I will never forget that first step that hit the driveway on the farm of my aunt and uncle. The smell, it was always first, the smell. First trees and air, then grass and animals. I would only linger there a second and my eyes would wonder to the creek behind the house. Thoughts of the rocks I could jump, downed trees I could balance across and special treasures I could find to bring home in a jar to display on my dresser for all my “city” friends to see. Oh how proud I would be. About a five second run from the creek stood the old barn , mostly gray from wear and tear, filled to the brim with cool gadgets, piles of hay for forts, and weird things I’ld never seen before but could imagine their usefulness in a game of spy vs. spy. This was like heaven where I could do and create whatever I wanted and the day would never end. Then it happened. I took my second step away from the car and heard my mom’s loving but stern voice say “Honey, don’t get those shoes dirty, they’re new!”

Beauty in the Eye

I love to take pictures. Everyone loves to take pictures. I think of myself as an amateur sidewalk photographer at best. I carry the camera everywhere I go. Its in the car, at family outings, holidays, ball games, hiking, on purpose or just in case. It would be just horrible to miss that one chance to take the perfect picture that I’ve waited for all day. Why?
One day I was hunting everywhere for a picture I had taken. Two hours, four jump drives and 3 rubber maid containers later my effort was futile so I started thinking, Why? Why do I do this? Everyone takes pictures and why do I think mine are so much better than anyone else’s? Then it hit me. That afternoon I was pulling down my driveway going to work. I have 20 things on my mind, ball practice, dinner, work, who I forgot to call, schedules, etc. You know the drill. As I reached the end of my driveway I saw something that made me stop dead in my tracks. I looked to my right and saw it. On the narrow road that goes off into the mountain were two magnificent 12 foot tall, muscular light brown horses with blonde looking manes and tails. In between the two Clydesdale looking pair was a farm hand casually and purposely guiding these horses down the road. As I stopped and just watched the trio head toward the mountains, time stood still, my head was clear of the chaos, and I wanted my camera. I wanted my camera because I so badly wanted to share that feeling of peace that I had with the whole world.
That’s what photography is all about. We want to give someone else a moment we just experienced; a feeling of peace, love, happiness, joy or beauty. We use our eyes to feel more than we do to see. That is what we want to really share with the world.

Catch 22

I have been totally inspired. I watched -Jamie Oliver’s -Food Revolution last Friday night and I was so excited about what he was doing, I caught myself yelling at the TV screen! In case you missed it, This Chef from England comes to the unhealthiest town in America and tries to change a culture to eat right and get our kids in school to eat right. Sounds great, right? Not. I could not believe the resistance he received when he showed up to tackle this. I thought “What is wrong with you people” !

After the show was over, in my excitement, I decided to put my money where my mouth is. I searched for Jamie’s website and start writing down recipes and getting cooking advise ( those who know me know I need it!!). Yesterday I went shopping. I bought all the things on my list for about 3 dinners and some miscellaneous grocery items.

I spent $110.00. Then I went..” AH HA!” I figured out the American dilemma. I have to choose. People may think we are lazy or too busy to cook or addicted to fried food which some of that is true but in this economy, it is cheaper to buy processed food that eat a good meal. This is the problem we have to solve before we can educate America on eating right. The almighty dollar. Is it the grocery stores gouging us? Is it the farmers lack of rain? Show me how to buy a week’s worth of meals, 3 a day on a fixed income and I will be the epitome of health.

For the record, the meal I made last night was Bacon wrapped white fish with Asparagus and Lemon Mayo sauce. My husband said it was THE BEST meal I had ever made!!! I support Jamie Oliver in all he does and I will continue to work on healthy eating in my family as far as the budget will allow.