Articles

Oct 23 2015

Only a Designer Label Will Do! Lol

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 4 Comments

Only a Designer Label Will Do! Lol

When my daughters were younger, I loved to take them shopping for their clothes, and they appreciated my input. However when they became teenagers, each one soon developed their unique personal style. One of my daughters decided she didn’t want to wear Levi’s anymore; she wanted designer labeled jeans like all her friends. My husband, Lyle wasn’t sure what designers were famous, but he thought surely as long as it had a name on it, it would work.

While visiting a western-wear store, he found a sale on designer jeans: “Kenny Rogers” with the name and face embroidered on the back pocket. Wow, he thought he had hit the jackpot and bought two pairs. He couldn’t wait to get home and show off his find.

I had a hard time keeping a straight face when he gave those “Designer Jeans” to our daughter. They say, “A picture is worth a 1000 words.” I wish I had that picture. She certainly didn’t have the same enthusiasm that her father had for those jeans, and she said, “I’m not wearing ” Kenny Rogers” picture embroidered on my butt.” Who knew?

She never did wear those jeans, and two years later we packed them up and gave them away.

When I think back, I just laugh out loud thinking about those “Kenny Rogers” jeans. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have worn them either.

My husband thought he was giving her the greatest gift, but she didn’t see those jeans as wonderful. How often I do the same with God. When he doesn’t give me what I want, or my struggles overwhelm me, I begin to doubt his love and promises.

Jeremiah 29: 11-14 states, ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.

My plans are often complicated and stressful; I tend to over research and worry about every detail. It is such a relief to know that God has a plan for my life, and he cares about the details too. I am learning to trust in His plans and promises for my life, confidently embracing the hope and future he has planned for me.©

Lovingly, Karan

Do you find it hard to trust God in the in the hard times of your life? What time of the year do you find the most stressful for you?

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

Oct 16 2015

Happy Birthday Cowboy

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 4 Comments

Surprise, Happy Birthday Cowboy

Every morning in our ranching and farming community the men would always meet at the local restaurant to enjoy coffee and breakfast and to keep up with the happenings of the day before. Topics included: cows, crops, politics and solving all the world’s problems for the day. At 6:00 am – 8:30 am it was the men’s den!

On my husband’s birthday, October 7th a few years back, I decided to surprise him with a singing telegram at the restaurant so all the friends could enjoy his birthday too. I took the cake to the restaurant the night before so when they sang Happy Birthday the cake could appear. I thought it would make a memorable birthday for my husband and his friends

When I booked the singing telegram, I chose the dancing Gorilla in a hula skirt to show up at the coffee shop at 6:30 am for the biggest effect. I was excited about the next day’s surprise. However, the night before, the woman from Party Singing Grams called and said she was sorry but they were double booked and couldn’t come. I was so disappointed, all the plans seemed to be falling apart at that moment. She then suggested she could lend me the gorilla suit with the hula outfit, taped Hawaiian music and the birthday song recorded if I would come and get it.

I decided to go ahead, how hard can a hula dance be with music? I saw it on TV once, two steps to the left waving your arms then two steps to the right still waving your arms. I was so confident about the steps and music when I brought the outfit home I never practiced. Besides, if I were wearing, the gorilla outfit no one would recognize it as me.

After my husband left for work at 6:00 I hurriedly put the outfit on. My daughter drove me downtown, and I stood outside the window trying to get my brave on. Finally I went in, messed up my husband’s hair, took a pose with my arms out and pressed the button to start the music on the tape-recorder. To my shock “Credence Clearwater Revival” blasted out a rock and roll tune– she had sent the wrong tape! Stunned my mind raced at what to do next, so I just decided to try and make the Hula work. Lol

I started the music again and did the two steps left waving my arms and two steps right still waving my arms only at a much more accelerated speed. I thought that tape would never end, and I was starting to sweat. That was hard work in a gorilla outfit!

Finally, the happy birthday song started, and I just ran out the door, giving the proper birthday wishes and left. I raced home, packed the gorilla outfit up and waited for him to come home; all the while trying to pretend nothing unusual happened. The hardest part was for my daughter and me to keep a straight face when he came home. He described to us about what happened to him at the coffee shop. How some woman dressed as a hula dancing gorilla tried to do the hula dance to a “Credence Clearwater Revival’s” rock and roll song, very strange.

But the cake was great. He also added that he thought the Party Singing Gram lady had put on some weight because she was much heavier than she used to be! And by the way, he noted, her hair was blonde now, she must have dyed it because he saw blonde hair at the back of the gorilla’s neck!!!

It took me two years to confess that the gorilla was me, but when I think of the fun I had it still gives me the giggles. Thank you, God, for giving us a sense of humor, where would we be without it?©

Thank you for sharing your time with me today, dear friend. If you find and inspiration, love or laughter here, please share with the ones who might enjoy a giggle too.

Have a Great week, HUGS

Lovingly, Karan

Oct 10 2015

“Those WHY questions.”

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 2 Comments

Do You Remember 1950?

These statements made me laugh; ahh those were the days:

1. “I’ll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it’s going to be impossible to buy a weeks groceries for $20.00.”

2. “Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won’t be long when $5000 will only buy a used one.”

3. “If cigarettes keep going up in price, I’m going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.”

4. “Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?”

5. “If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.”

6. “When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we’d be better off leaving the car in the garage.”

7. “Kids today are impossible. Those ducktail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls,”

8. “I’m afraid to send my kids to the movies anymore. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying damn in “Gone With The Wind,” it seems every new movie has either Hell or damn in it.”

9. “I read the other day where some scientist thinks it’s possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas.”

10.”Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn’t surprise me if someday that they will be making more than the President.”

11. “I never thought I’d see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.”

12.”I’m just afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.”

13.”Thank goodness, I won’t live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to Congress.”

14.”The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.”

15.”There is no sense going away any more for a weekend. It costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.”

16. “No one can afford to be sick any more; $35.00 a day in the hospital is too rich for my blood.”

“Those WHY questions.”

When I talk, hear, and see many of you, I am constantly aware that the world we live in is very demanding. With those extra demands in our homes, with our children, and the social and work obligations in our lives, we have a lot of stress. We need to find a way to de-stress and find strength and calm in the midst of the chaos.

I love that verse in the Bible that says, “For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.” (Philippians 4:13, NLB)

It gives me great comfort to know that God’s telephone line is never busy. He will never put me on hold, and He does not have an answering service or voice mail. He takes all my calls quickly and personally.

There had been times in my life when he has not answered me right away, and sometimes he has even said no. I also recognize there will be times in my life when I will never know all the answers. Those are the WHY questions, the one’s I don’t understand. And there seems to be a lot of them these last few years.

Can I love him and trust him enough to accept the answers He gives me?

God does not always answer yes,
to every prayer I pray.
Sometimes He answers “No my Child,”
I have a better way.

Thank you for sharing your time with me today, dear friend. If you find and inspiration, love or laughter here, please share with the ones who might enjoy a giggle too.

Have a Great week, HUGS

Lovingly, Karan

Sep 25 2015

I Don’t Remember what I Remember!

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 3 Comments

Super Granny–Defender of Justice

An elderly Florida woman who was doing her weekly shopping returned to her car and found four young men in the act of stealing her car.

She dropped her shopping bags, drew her handgun and started screaming at the top of her lungs, “I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car! The four young men didn’t wait for a second invitation. They got out and ran like mad.

The elderly woman, considerably shaken, began to load her shopping bags into her car and slid into the driver’s seat. So shaken she couldn’t even get her keys into the ignition. She tried and tried and then it dawned on her why the keys didn’t fit.

A few minutes later she found her car parked a few spaces further down. She loaded her bags into her car and then drove to the police station.

The sergeant to whom she told the story could barely contain himself. Trying not to burst out in laughter, he pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale young men were just reporting a carjacking. They described the elderly woman as mad, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair, and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed! (Published by “USA Today” newspaper)

I Don’t Remember what I Remember!

I laughed when I read about the Super Granny story, I don’t know about you, but I too have forgotten where I parked my car in a large parking lot.

I was visiting my sister in San Diego, California and need to go to the mall for some items. My sister was busy and suggested I take her car for the afternoon and enjoy a little retail therapy. I was thankful for the time to just browse the shops seeing the different stores and shops that we don’t get in Canada. I needed to be home by 4:30 to meet my sister, so I gave myself plenty of time and headed for the car at 3:00 pm. As I Headed to the parking lot, I could not remember where I parked my car. I walked up and down all the aisles of that lot twice and couldn’t find my car. I started to panic; I thought I might have to contact the police and report the car stolen.

After having a total meltdown, and no cell phone I began to walk down the aisles one more time. And suddenly there was my sister’s car, a white Buick. I was looking for my car a gray Chrysler, which was in Canada. I was two hours late; my family was about to send out a search party. Whew, what a day.

A funny thing happened on the journey to maturity. I am learning that “normal is just a setting on the dryer” and aging is not a scary process but an extraordinary adventure. I can look back at the love lessons God has given me learn, both the hard and enjoyable. I have seen how he has been faithful to his promises and walked with me every step of my journey. I have never been alone.

Although my Blonde hair is becoming whiter, and my body isn’t the same as it once was, I am never to old to serve God. I can still encourage, love and help others. God has blessed me with many memories and experiences to share. And besides, today is a fabulous day, I don’t feel so old! Lol©

What have you learned about getting more mature? Share your thoughts with me, I would love to hear from you.

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

Lovingly, Karan

Sep 18 2015

“These are a few of my favorite things”

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 6 Comments

“These are a few of my favorite things”

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knittin‘, Walkers and handrails and new dental fittin’s, Bundles of magazines tied up with string, These are a few of my favorite things.

Cadillac’s, cataracts, hearing aids, glasses, Polident, Fixodent, false teeth in glasses, Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings, These are a few of my favorite things. When the pipes leak, When the bones creak, When the knees go bad, Then I remember my favorite things. And then I don’t feel so sad.

Hot tea and crumpets, and corn pads for bunions, No spicy hot food nor food cook’d with onions, Bathrobes and heat pads and hot meals they bring, These are a few of my favorite things.

Back pains, confused brains, and no fear of sinnin’, Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin’. And we won’t mention our short shrunken frames When we remember our favorite things.

When the joints ache, when the hips break, When the eyes grow dim, Then I remember the great life I’ve had, And then I don’t feel so sad. THEN I REMEMBER THE GREAT LIFE I’VE HAD AND THEN I DON’T FEEL SOOO BAD! Author unknown

Quilting Reflections from a Novice:

I have often admired the beautiful quilts that people make and all the intricate patterns and colors they use. When I sewed my first quilt it was many years ago, it was called a rag quilt. It was so easy I never made another one. Lol.

But as time passed, I decided to help my granddaughter make a T-shirt quilt. She is a T-shirt expert and loves each T-shirt she buys and wears. So for her, having her favorite T-shirts near was comforting. We cut, spliced, pieced and sewed blocks all the while trying to keep everything squared. It was difficult because I didn’t know what I was doing and was trying to learn how to quilt from the internet.

Working on this quilting project, I talked to some wonderful quilters in our area who were encouraging and helpful. And seeing some of their beautiful quilts and pictures I started to become a little wobbly in my abilities. I wondered if my quilt would look alright and be acceptable. In my heart I knew it would not win any prizes, all I could see was the flaws. I worried about everything on that quilt. Could I do the binding right, would my hand stitches be even, would anyone even notice?

Do you ever doubt your abilities when you look at others and admire their talents and perfection? Only to find yourself grumbling how your talent doesn’t measure up to their perfection. Instead of thanking God for the privilege that he gave you to serve him in your special way, and enjoying the process.

When my son-in-law came for a visit and helping me to square the quilt preparing it for the binding. He helped me to see a new quilt perspective. Pointing out all the flaws and mistakes I had made, he said,” it adds character, everyone will know it is an original homemade quilt made with love.”

Thank you, Lord, for those words of wisdom to remind me that love can transcend time and eternity because of you. My son-in-law was right, every stitch began with the love for a special granddaughter. And it was fun to see the process unfolded. I wonder if God loves to see the process of our lives unfold too. ©

Lovingly, Karan

How do you deal with doubting your abilities and comparisons to others? Let me know if you do that too.

Thank you, dear friends for sharing your time with me today, Wishing you a wonderful weekend with your friends and family. Hugs to all!

Karan K. Gleddie

Offering Love and Laughter to Women who need Hope

Articles

Only a Designer Label Will Do! Lol

“Those WHY questions.”

I Don’t Remember what I Remember!

I Don’t Remember what I Remember!