Girlfriend Time!

 

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Where would we be without those dear sisters we call Girlfriends. The ones we laugh with, cry with, and shop with. Our mother’s, sisters and friends who encourage, teach, and help us to become better women.

Mrs. Mitchell, my third grade teacher who spent extra time with me, teaching me to read. When I repeated third grade, she never made me feel inferior. To this day, I still cherish her memory and kindness.

I think of my mother who raised me even when the stigma of being an unwed mother many years ago. (I will not tell you how many) I know that choice caused her many hardships in her adult life.

For eight months, I had struggled with depression, which a new medication caused. Depression was one of its side effects. During this time, my family and friends constantly loved, prayed, laughed and encouraged me, always reminding me that God knew exactly where I was. Sometimes when we get into a dark place, it is hard to find our way out.

When I hit a wall, I became overwhelmed, and started looking at all the circumstances and stress in my life, I forgot about all the good things. I took my eyes off of the Lord, instead of remembering all that He has done for me. My cup became half-empty, instead of full.

As I had time to meditate and look back, I realized how God has lead me with His love and faithfulness over the years. He is faithful, constant, and everlasting.

In Hebrews 11: 1-3 I am reminded:

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. By faith, we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

I have found Him to be all I need.
I want to thank all the Girlfriends in my life who daily encourage me to be the best I can be for the Lord. Your loved.
Lovingly, Karan

Thank you for sharing your time with me, I would love to hear from you.  

What have your girlfriends meant to you ?

I Value Your Opinion, Dear Friends

 I  Value Your Opinion, Dear Friends

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2014 Readers Survey

As I write my blog each week I think of each of you as my friends. By doing this, it helps put a personal touch on my writing.

Instead of me writing and sending something out into cyberspace for just any random person to stumble across, I want to have you in mind.  Offering real encouragement, thoughtful discussions and transparent hope as we share together.

I am eager to make my blog better and more relevant to your needs and interests. But to do that, I need to know more about YOU

This is why, I created my 2014 Readers Survey. This short survey will help me to better know who I’m writing to. I will be able to make my blog posts, emails, and resources more interesting, and relevant to you.

Your input is very important to me. The survey is easy to fill out and will take less than three minutes to complete. The results are completely anonymous, and I will not share your results with anyone. Just click below.

I Would Love to Help. Take me to the Survey!

Thanks in advance for your help.

Lovingly, Karan

 

 

I wouldn’t ride that thing if you paid me!

New Kind of Ride

d5d6244dd4d735d93a4bfec75fed8d14A recumbent bike what’s that.” I asked. My best friend was on the phone telling me of her latest bright idea. “Just think,” she said, “I will be able to get exercise and it won’t hurt my back”. (A point well-taken since she had struggled with back problems for years.) Well if you say so, I reluctantly encouraged. Dee researches everything so she must know her bikes.

What is a recumbent bike? I had never heard of it (probably because I don’t ride bikes, I fall off, I can’t coordinate my hands, feet, brain and mouth at the same time.)

However, after our conversation, I rushed to the computer to look at this biking wonder. Looking at this contraption, I was not sure how a person would ride it. It looked like a “lazy Boy” recliner at full tilt with two wheels, handlebars, and peddles. I was sitting there trying to imagine my friend on that bike, lying down with her feet in the air, leisurely peddling along on two wheels. (I am not sure I would ride that bike even if it had six wheels!) Secretly I was hoping she would not get her bike, it looked dangerous!

At Christmas she received her ‘Electric Blue’ recumbent bike, a fancy “high speed” cycling outfit, complete with matching gloves, shoes and a racing helmet (with arrear view mirror no less). You go Girlfriend. My theory in life is if you are dressed for the occasion, and look the part, you can do the job. She sure looked the part of a speed racer, why she could have been on the cover of Biking digest!

For a week she practice and I thought she did well she only crashed a few times in an effort to get out of the drive way. While she tried to find her perfect balance on that two wheeled “lazy Boy” recliner. As her friend, I could cheer her on, but I would not have tried to ride that bike if you paid me.

After a week of wobbling around the neighborhood, she finally mastered the technique. Dee was full of confidence, had found her balance, and felt she was ready to let the world see her new ‘Electric Blue” recumbent bike, complete with a matching outfit. What a sight.

However, she was having a few problems with the fancy helmet. She could not get the mirror to set right, and the chinstrap was a little

Mrs. Green Thumbs

Mrs. Green Thumbs

Tulips 1 I was a California beach bunny who married a Canadian rancher—a real cowboy. I wanted surf, he wanted turf. I loved rock and roll, he loved country.

I came to Alberta in go-go boots and a beehive hairdo and stuck out like a wild turkey at a chicken convention. I knew nothing about farming and ranching, while the women of this rural community could put Laura Ingalls Wilder to shame.

They drove tractors and combined at harvest time, rode horses, irrigated crops, and cooked meals for their working crews. They kept well-manicured yards, exquisite flowerbeds, and vegetable gardens and still had time to can everything.

I soon realized my expertise in makeup application; wardrobe and image consulting were not going to be useful skills on a ranch.  How I walked, sat, and got in and out of a car while holding my knees together would not help me ride a horse or drive a tractor in a more ladylike manner…

Efficient, no-nonsense women surrounded me and I longed to be accepted by them. I told myself I was a woman just like them, only wrapped in different packaging and definitely blonde.  

In desperation, I asked a friend in a nearby town who was known for her “green thumb” to help me design dazzling flowerbeds would impress these local women. With my diagram in hand, I needed only to stop at the garden center and buy the exact plant to go in the exact spots  coincided with the numbers on my friend’s plan.

However, while I was preparing the soil for my new flowerbeds, I noticed a large plant full of flowers  looked healthy and robust. I thought it would add extra dimension to the other flowers in my new flowerbeds, so I placed the lovely plant next to the front door.  

All the while, I felt quite satisfied with my own little touch of creativity. After planting, I waited a week to make sure all the plants lived before inviting the women over to admire my floral extravaganza. Surely, they would appreciate all the hard work I had put into this project.

When they walked through the gate, and began to laugh I was confused, and I wasn’t sure why they were laughing, so I laughed with them. As it turned out, my healthy, robust plant, which I had planted, front and center, was in reality a blooming “Stink Weed.” 

Isn’t that how life is? I want to be loved and accepted for who I am, weeds, warts, and all, yet, I am afraid to let people see my flaws. I work so hard to be accepted, recognized, and loved by others. In Jeremiah 31:3b it says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”  His love for me is unconditional, constant, and forever.

I am so glad God loves me; He knows all about me, and even calls me by name. I do not have to worry about fitting in; I am already accepted, recognized, and loved by Him.

In this busy world it is hard to find a place to fit in sometimes.  Do you ever feel like that, what do you do? I would love to hear from you, just leave a comment.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your time with me today.

Lovingly, Karan

I may Need a Little Help!

ATTENTION:  Male and Female ATM bank procedures

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A new sign in the Bank Lobby reads:

Customers using this new facility are requested to use the procedures outlined below when accessing their accounts.  After months of careful research, MALE & FEMALE Procedures have been developed.

Please follow the appropriate steps for your gender.

 

Male procedure:

  • 1.   Drive up to the cash machine
  • 2.   Put down your car window.
  • 3    Insert card into machine and enter PIN.
  • 4.   Enter amount of cash required and withdraw
  • 5.   Retrieve card, cash and receipt.
  • 6.   Drive off.

Female procedures:  What is really funny is that most of this part is the Truth, at least for me!

  •  1.  Drive up to cash machine.
  •  2. Reverse and back up the required amount to align car window with the machine.
  • 3. Set parking brake, put the window down.
  • 4. Find handbag, remove all contents on to passenger seat to locate card.
  • 5. Tell person on cell phone you will call them back and hang up.shutterstock_2671605
  • 6. Attempt to insert card into machine..
  • 7. Open car door to allow easier access to machine due to its excessive distance from the car.
  • 8. Insert card.
  • 9. Re-insert card the right way.