New traditions but....

Don't reinvent the wheel.

This Thanksgiving was a joy and delicious food flowed.  Our refrigerator is still stuffed with food.  I'll freeze some and eat others in new ways.  One of the things I tried was making my own stuffing.  I also bought a box of Stove Top stuffing because I love it.  My sister pointed out that it didn't make sense for me to struggle with making my own stuffing if I already like the Stove Top stuffing.  I thought about it and that makes sense.  I also tried draping the turkey breast with bacon.  I discovered that I don't like my turkey tasting like bacon.  However, the same trick with the ham tasted wonderful.  Learning to cook I am exploring new flavors and ideas.

My daughters and I enjoy gathering for Black Friday sales early in the morning.  The new part of the tradition is instead of going to a restaurant for breakfast, one of my daughters makes these fantastic cinnamon rolls to share.  So yummy.  I found a few items but mostly searched the shelves for items they are looking for the kids.  I am thankful I no longer need to decide what someone else would enjoy.  Sometimes I would get it right but I would feel really sad if I missed and gave them a gift the kids didn't really want.  I love using my phone for Internet searches.  We were looking for Polly Pocket dolls...none to be found for a reason.  Matel bought out the company that made them, changed it to try to copy Barbie, then people stopped buying them.  So they are no longer made.  Any dolls are now collectors items with price tags to match.  I am learning a great deal about keeping in my life the things that I enjoy.  Letting go of the things and changing the things I don't enjoy.  Life is good. 

Black Friday Morning....

Slept right through my alarm.  Met everyone at Joann's.  I already purchased most of the things I wanted on the Tuesday before.  Left me to browse and find more projects....yea just what I need.  I spent a wonderful morning shopping with daughters then part of the day watching cartoons with grandkids.  Helped fluff an artificial tree.  Worked on cleaning up from Thanksgiving.  Ready to sleep again.  Hugs to all.  Remember recovery is a vital part of Thanksgiving weekend.

Had a Happy Thanksgiving

A day to celebrate family, friendship and survival.  I had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  It wasn't perfect.  It didn't need to be.  Wonderful food wonderful family. With a wonderful day behind me I need to remind myself that recovery time is crucial.  Either I do this voluntarily or my body decides for me.  Good night. 

Tranquil moment

Changing how I viewed myself

The one of the most difficult things I did during counseling was change how I viewed myself.  Setting boundaries I had to learn that I deserved to have healthy boundaries.  Holidays I had to learn to I deserved to have a joyful holiday.  Early in my counseling I told KavinCoach that I felt like I had a target on my back that said 'kick here.'  He replied, 'You do.'  He then went on to explain that how I walked, how I responded to people, how I viewed myself all shouted to every predator "Here's a sitting duck waiting to be abused."  I had to changed everything about myself. He started with teaching me how I viewed myself and all the rest followed.  Karate is helping me with the transformation.  I'm thankful for teachers that showed me how to take off the 'kick here' sign.

Emerging From Broken

Nobody likes it when the boundaries change. “They” didn’t like it when I started asking for mutual respect~ why would they?? I had always put up with mal treatment before. I wasn’t asking for the moon, I was just asking for mutual relationship. Everyone was accustomed to me jumping through ALL the hoops, everyone saw my mother and my in-laws push me around, saw me cater to my husband, saw me put myself last and without my realizing it I showed everyone what I would accept. It is understandable that it took a while for me to change the way that I had communicated all those years. But it has paid off. Darlene Ouimet ~Author ~Emerging from Broken the Beginning of Hope for Emotional Healing

Offending

 *****Warning this may be triggering for some people.  If you don't want to hear a lot of heavy stuff, read something else today.  *****


I love meme's.  They are like the posters on my wall when I was a kid growing up.  Short thoughts that can pack a lot of meaning into a few words.  One of the ones that hits the top of my list as memorable and funny in a twisted way:

I can't please everyone but pissing them all off is easy.

I noticed a few months back an increase of criticism of those that expressed their religious views.  I noticed that I backed off on some of the things I was writing.  I lost some readers.  I wondered if I wanted to continue.  Then I realized I was in a spiraling down depression.  I was overwhelmed and sad.  I saw people suffering around me but I don't have enough resources to help them all.  I see homeless people on the corners on my drive to work.  I hear on the news the plight of thousands of Syrians which is a drop in the bucket of the millions that are displaced.  Yet not a peep on the news about the Christians that are being brutalized and murdered. The world seems to be racing towards the insanity that gripped the world for two world wars.  It would be wonderful that the whole world got along.  It doesn't.  One person posted that there would be no terrorist if people were educated.   I know from first hand experienced that there are those that are bright, intelligent, well educated that chose to hurt and destroy others.  Terrorist are not stupid or uneducated.  They choose to insight fear, create chaos, and hurt as many people as possible.  Their destruction does not consider anyone innocent....all are in the cross-hairs of violent people bent on forwarding their agenda of hatred.  Then my sister reminds me that we turn the problems over to God.  That we do what we can with the resources we have.  We are prepared for this moment in time for our purpose.  She reminded me that God is with us.  I reminded her that God does the impossible.  On God's team you are asked to walk in the bottom of the sea while the water is towering above.  He asks you to stand in your place with 300 others while the fight rages around you.  In the dark of the storm, He asks you to walk on water.  I keep that picture in my sewing room of Peter walking towards Christ and he starts to sink.  Am I prepared to get out of the comfort of the boat?  Will I take on the challenge of changing impossible to I'm possible?  I don't know the answers.  Tomorrow I pack two lunches, one for me and one to give away where ever it might be needed. 

Thanks Judy

My sister is a blessing to me.  I forget how far I've come she reminds me.  I feel isolated and she reminds me I'm not alone.  I feel frustrated with things that are hard to explain, with her, I only need to say the minimum because she gets the rest.  I am thankful my sister was sent to our family because I doubt we would have met any other way.  She is amazing example to me.  She finishes books, prays, and gets me out exercising.  I'm thankful for my sister.