You’re a Mom When …

 You’re a Mom When

  • Your feet stick to the kitchen floor…..and you don’t care.
  • You can’t find your cordless phone, so you ask a friend to call you, and you run around the house madly, following the sound until you locate the phone downstairs in the laundry basket.
  • Your favorite television show is a cartoon.
  • You’re willing to kiss your child’s boo-boo, regardless of where it is.
  • Your baby’s pacifier falls on the floor and you give it back to her after you suck the dirt off of it because you’re too busy to wash it off.

  • Your kids make jokes about farting, burping, pooping, etc. and you think it’s funny.
  • You’re so desperate for adult conversation that you spill your guts to the telemarketer that calls and HE hung up on YOU!

 

The closest you get to gourmet cooking is making Rice Crispies bars

  • You are out for a nice romantic meal with your husband, enjoying some real adult conversation when suddenly you realize that you’ve reached over and started to cut up his steak.

 

  • You spend a half hour searching for your sunglasses only to have your teenager say, “Mom, why don’t you wear the ones you pushed up on your head?”
  • You weep through the scene in Dumbo when his mom is taken away, not to mention what Bambi does to you.
  • You can never go to the bathroom alone without someone screaming outside the door.

 

  • You find yourself humming the Barney song as you do the dishes.
  • You hear a baby cry in the grocery store, and you start to gently sway back and forth, back and forth. However, your children are still at school! Author Unknown

 

 

 

 

Reflections:  Are You Like Your Mother”                                                                      

People would say, “You’re just like your mother” and I would cringe. At the ripe old age of 15, 20 and 28, those were not the words I wanted to hear. I wanted to be a super mom, you know, the woman that did and had it all. I was going to be organized, clever and insightful at life. No traumatic crisis for me.

My mother came from a harsh background; I think she spent her life trying to work through the difficulties she encountered as a child. She strived to be understanding and kind towards others. Unlike her parents, she achieved her goal. There were painful personal and emotional struggles in her life, as well as great highs. Mother was always optimistic no matter what life handed her. Her motto was: Tomorrow’s a brand new day.”

She worked hard to put a roof over our heads and food on the table, never giving up or expecting handouts. Although others13 thought we were poor, I can’t say that we ever thought we were. We always had enough, when we outgrew our shoes and clothing; she made sure we had something new to replace the old. I often wondered how she worked her magic with the budget, but as I look back I realize she went without so that my sisters and I would have more opportunities and a few extras.

Mother loved a good deal, so thrift stores, Salvation Army, garage sales and flea markets were thrilling when she found the ultimate bargain.

She loved her flower beds and gardening much better than house cleaning and often said she felt closer to God outside. She loved to spend time talking to Him in the quietness of the morning as the sun rose on a new day.

We knew mother loved us and loved God too. She trusted Him, leaned on Him, and believed His promises would sustain her throughout life. She taught us daily about God’s grace, forgiveness, and love. Through her life, we were able to see how God faithfully protected and care for our needs. My mother has given me a lifetime of wonderful memories that are worth more to me than silver and gold. 

Now when I hear “You’re just like your Mother,” I say thank you. I pray that my children will know how much they are loved and that they would see the light of God’s love in my life too.©

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 Thank you for sharing your time with me dear friend, what are your special Mother’s Day memories of your mother?

Happy Mother’s Day!

Lovingly, Karan

The Special Speaker ~ The Workout?

The Special Speaker

A long-winded speaker was continuing to deliver his dry and lengthy speech. He had long run over his assigned time for the presentation. The master of ceremonies tried to get him to stop, but couldn’t get his attention.

Finally, in desperation, he picked up his gavel and fired at the speaker. He aimed it low trying not to attract too much attention from the audience.

However, he missed the speaker and hit the man in the first row.  The poor man slumped down in his chair and groaned, “Hit me again, I can still hear him.”

 

Reflections:  The Workout?

My friend loves physical exercise and thinks she has not had a workout unless she is sweating buckets. My idea of a good workout is a color coordinated sweat suit, 1-inch gold flip-flops, and pearls, full makeup, hairdo—the works. (In case I run into someone, I might know). Besides, I never sweat, I mist! 

Taking a walk with us is an experience in comic relief. Dee wears sensible shoes and clothing, charging ahead, getting the workout over in record time, with as much sweat as possible; while I leisurely walk along, trying not to get all misty, carefully stepping over rocks, puddles, and other debris.

It is great having a friend to talk to; someone in whom I can confide my secrets, even if she is jogging circles around me so she can keep her heart rate up.

But the greatest comfort about my friend is the assurance that our friendship is secure. I know she loves me even with all the fluff and glitter, blonde hair and pearls.

I also have another friend who thinks I am special, allows me to the freedom to be myself and I never have to impress him. God is cheering for me and wants me to be all I can for him. His love and grace are forever, unchanging and constant. Even when times are hard, I am secure in his care.©

Psalm 63:8N (NLT)

I cling to you;
    your strong right-hand holds me securely. 

Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children.
I am so thankful for God’s promises. They give me peace.

Thank you, dear friends for spending your time with me, Have a wonderful weekend. Hugs to all.

Lovingly, Karan

Three Elderly Sisters ~ I Could Run Away

˜Three Elderly Sisters

Three sisters, ages 92, 94 and 96, lived in a house together. One night the 96-year-old draws a bath. She puts one foot in and pauses. She yells down the stairs, “Was I getting in or out of the bath?

The 94-year old yells back. “I don’t know; I’ll come up and see. She starts up the stairs and pauses. Then yells out, “Was I going up the stairs or down?’

The 92-year-old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea and listening to her sisters. She shakes her head and says, “I sure hope I never get that forgetful.” She knocks on the wood table for good measure.

She then replies, “I’ll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who’s at the door.”  Author unknown

 

Reflections: I Could Run Away!

Do you ever enjoy an incredible weekend full of carbs, sugar, and extreme fat overload? And after feel guilty, bloated and 10 pounds heavier than when you started. You know, the weekend where you ate everything you could get your hands on just because you couldn’t stand another carrot stick? I have, and I always scold myself afterward. I usually feel so guilty and miserable I promise never to do that again. Well, maybe that’s a little rash, I hear a little Chocolate is good for you now and then!

Perhaps you’ve had a dispute with your neighbor, friends or even the kids and your nerves are frayed. Possibly you’re saying, “I need to get away for a while or take a vacation. That sounds good to me.

Some day’s life does not go the way we expect it too. We can write lists, make plans and try to make some sense of order, yet life does not stop because we have bad days.  Do you feel like that too sometimes?

I am glad that with each day I have an opportunity to choose to be thankful.  I am learning to find happiness in the small moments of each day.  Not because my life is perfect, but because I know a God who loves me through the circumstances of my life. He is the shield which blocks the sting and protects me in his perfect will. Nothing touches me that does not go through the cross first.

Although I will always have my share of bad hair days, bags under my eyes, blow my diet and lose my temper. I am safe and secure in the knowledge that God’s love and forgiveness are constant, unconditional and forever. He is my Friend. Is he your friend too?©

                     How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.                       Psalm 36:7

” We can trust God to handle the things that overwhelm us.”

Thank you, dear friends for spending your time with me, Have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs to all.

Lovingly, Karan

Non-Athletic Exercising

Non-Athletic Exercising

A calorie guide citing a recent medical association report: “Proper weight control and physical fitness cannot be attained by dieting alone.

Many people who engage in sedentary occupations do not realize calories can be burned by the hundreds by engaging in strenuous activities that do not require physical exercise.”

Here’s the guide to calorie-burning activities and the number of calories per hour they consume.

Beating around the bush………………… 75
Jumping to conclusions………………….100
Climbing the walls……………………..150
Swallowing your pride………………….. 50
Passing the buck………………………. 25
Throwing your weight around
(depending on your weight)……….50-300
Dragging your heels…………………….100
Pushing your luck………………………250
Making mountains out of molehills………..500
Hitting the nail on the head……………. 50
Wading through paperwork………………..300
Bending over backward…………………. 75
Jumping on the bandwagon………………..200
Running around in circles……………….350
Eating crow……………………………225
Tooting your own horn………………….. 25
Adding fuel to the fire…………………150
Opening a can of worms…………………. 50

Source Unknown. 

 

 

Reflections

Every year when spring arrives, I tell myself that this is the year I am going to take it easy and relax more. Taking time to smell the roses and enjoying a quieter pace. However, by the summer’s end, I find I need a vacation away from my vacation.

Many times over the years I have toyed with the idea of booking a room at the retirement lodge for a month. To recuperate from the wear and tear of life, sitting quietly on a porch rocking peacefully singing “Blessed Quietness.” When your life feels out of control, have you ever felt like running away? 

My life has been a roller coaster for the last few years, and when my to-do list hits overflow, I become overwhelmed. At this point, I feel guilty and decide not to look at my list anymore. (No, I ‘m not feeling better yet) Throwing the to-do list away now becomes a real option. I could start a new list, and forget how far behind I am.

The problem is, I often cannot face failure or rejection. I would rather not try than to risk failure. I want to see the big picture and know success is inevitable. However, nothing in life is guaranteed, when my financial prospects are bleak, the job market is uncertain, and I struggle with health issues, it is easy to become overwhelmed.

Sometimes, I wish God would send me an e-mail, as a quick reminder that He is still in control and cares. However, he only asks me to trust him. Can I trust him to help me with my to-do-lists, concerns, and fears? 

Psalm 46: 1-2 says, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.

He is my strength, and light in a troubled world, I will not fear? ©  

 God’s love does not keep us from trials; it helps us to get through them.

Thank you, dear friends for spending your time with me,

Have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs to all.  Lovingly, Karan

Are You Aging with Humor? – A New Address

Are You Aging with Humor?

I’ve sure gotten old! I’ve had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes.

I’m half blind, can’t hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.

Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation; hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.

Can’t remember if I’m 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends.

But, thank God, I still have my driver’s license!

 

Reflections: A New Address

I would like to share a deeply personal story that our family has journeyed through over the last eighteen months. After my Cancer surgery at the end of June 2015; in August, my dear son-in- law learned of his Cancer diagnoses.

After many highs and lows, starts and stops, joys and disappointments our family learned there was nothing else they could do for Kerry.

I can’t explain how confused my heart and mind felt for my daughter and her beloved husband. They had a beautiful family and a true love story marriage. Why?

Our family prayed and cried together, trying to understand this new territory we were traveling.

Many times, as I would sit and visit with Kerry, he was always more of an encouragement to me than He will ever know. As people came to visit or call him, he would pray with them before they said goodbye.

I remember our discussions about heaven and the amazing gift of God’s love and grace. Kerry’s peace was God given. And when we cried together, he would remind me the God he loved knew the number of his days before he was born. God’s promises gave him great comfort. The verse is;

Psalm 139: 16 NLT

16 You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

Our beloved son-in-law Kerry Kurtzweg passed away this last week, he changed his address from Foremost, Alberta to Heaven on February 20, 2017. Just two days before their 25th wedding anniversary.

He will be greatly missed and he was dearly loved.©

How sweet is rest after fatigue!
How sweet will heaven be when our journey is ended
.

– George Whitefield –
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Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me and all your prayers for our family.
Have a wonderful weekend. Have a great week, HUGS
Lovingly, Karan