Bee Propolis and Royal Jelly

You know how things always happen in the beauty shop?   You find out stuff you would otherwise never know?   Well, I was in the beauty shop and a friend brought another client over to introduce her to me.  Turns out she works with my husband.   Of course, I regret meeting one of his colleagues while my hair is sopping wet and I am swaddled in a towel from the neck down with no make up.   And I didn't have my glasses on, so she was a blurry form in my field of vision.   But very sweet.   After she left, my hairdresser asked my friend how much weight this lady had lost and it was significant.  What did she do?  Of course my hypothyroid hairdresser voiced the question we were all wondering about.  "Bee pollen".   That was the answer.
So......I came home and told my hub and he asked said employee about her weight loss and she confirmed the bee pollen thing.   Nearly broke my fingers typing fast as I could to pull up Vitacost.com and get my bee pollen.   When I ordered it, I noticed a box in the corner of the screen that said "People who ordered this, also ordered this".   Picture of a bottle of Royal Jelly capsules.   Royal jelly?   Isn't that what the Queen Bee feeds those worker bees?    I WANT TO BE A WORKER BEE!   So I also ordered royal jelly.   Threw down all of twenty bucks for the two of them.
A few days ago my order arrived.   I have been taking royal jelly and bee propolis and cleaning my house ever since.   No, I haven't lost any weight.   But I have cleaned my pantry, my kitchen, my dining room,the living room, and a bathroom.  I have taken several loads of stuff to Goodwill and made several runs to the dump.
Believe in the Bees!!!!

To Gym, or Not To Gym......

I continue to suffer with a weakened immune system and a lymph system that does not drain.   My doc has given me 12 suggestions to follow to build a healthy immune system and get my lymph nodes to start draining.   I am gung ho already on 11 of the items.   But, oh that 12th.....exercise.......the dreaded "e" word.  *sigh*
I lack discipline.   
And I wonder......if I shelled out the bucks to join a gym.....would that make me go?   A longtime tightwad, I suspect I would want to get my money's worth.
Or would I???????

Family Rules

Even though my children are all grown, I love the Dugger FAmily Rules from their website.    Adults can profit from these house rules as well as children :-)

1. Always use soft words, even when you don’t feel well.
2. Always display kind actions and joyful attitudes, even if you have been mistreated. Have the right response by quickly forgiving others in your heart even before they ask.
3. Always be enthusiastic and look for opportunities to praise others' character.
4. Always deflect praise and be grateful to God and others for the ways they have benefited your life.
5. Always use manners and be respectful of others and their belongings.
6. Always do what is right, even when others may not, or when no one is looking.
7. Thank God for how He made you, for what He has given you and everything He allows you to go through. (Romans 8:28)
8. Don’t mock or put others down. Develop compassion and pray for others.
9. Never argue, complain, or blame. Quickly admit when you have done wrong and ask for forgiveness (even if you were only 10% at fault). Don't wait till you’re caught. Be sure your sins will find you out. He who covers his sin will not prosper, but he that confesses and forsakes it shall find mercy.
10. Have a tough accountability/prayer partner to daily share your heart with and to keep you in line (your parents, spouse). The power of sin is in secrecy.
11. Be attentive and look for ways to serve others with sincere motives and no thought of self-gain.
12. Think pure thoughts (Philippians 4:8, Romans 13:14).
13. Always give a good report of others. Don't gossip! Never tale-bear unless physical harm will come to someone. (Use Matthew 18.)
14. Never raise a hand to hit.
15. Never raise a foot to kick.
16. Never raise an object to throw.
17. Never raise a voice to yell.
18. Never raise an eye to scowl.
19. Use one toy/activity at a time. Share!
20. Do your best to keep your surroundings neat, clean and organized.
21. Never let the sun go down on your wrath. (Don’t go to bed angry or guilty)
22. Amendment J.O.Y. -
           Put Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last.

Contests and the necessity of deadlines

Months ago, I received an entry form for the writing contest at a little arts festival in Wytheville, VA.   I have actually entered this contest before and won the short story division. They pay sixty buckeroos per winner.   So every year since, my entry form arrives in the mail and I have wonderful intentions.  I write story after story in my head.   I also write essays and poetry for those contest divisions.    All in my head.   They somehow never seem to make their way through my keyboard and into an entry envelope.    This year the deadline is May 15th.   I have great ideas.   And no discipline.  *sigh*
Did anybody notice that I failed to post an entry for yesterday?   I think I need a personal secretary to make me do this stuff.
Hey!   That's a great idea for a short story.............

Discipline For Dummies and Other Hardships

Today is the second day of my attempt to develop the daily discipline of writing.  I'm already whining about it.   Can I count writing checks?  I'm good at that.  How about writing grocery lists....or appointments on my calendar.   Okay, I admit it.   I'm a Free Spirit.   I have absolutely not a single shred of discipline in my character.   My house is messy.   I scrounge around for something to fix for dinner 30 minutes before my husband is due to walk through the door.  I have a dozen knitting projects on the needles at once.  The only thing I am good at finishing is books....and then only if I like them. *sigh*   

I guess if one has not developed character by ....say.....the 50th birthday, then perhaps that person is not likely to have any. Ever.

I do keep up with laundry.   May I count that?????

Mother's Day 2011

Happy Mother's Day to me. :-)   I have wanted to start a blog since my daughter and I went to a writer's conference months ago.   So as a present to myself, I have decided to embrace the discipline of daily writing, by giving birth to a blog on Mother's Day.

What better way to kick off my new blog than to reflect on my years of motherhood....35 years and counting.  

As a young college student, I dreamed of writing a best-seller one day, or winning a Pulitzer for journalism.   I dreamed about having an impact on the world somehow.....leaving an indelible legacy which time could not erase.

And then I had a baby.   A tiny little waif of a girl with big brown eyes that made my heart melt.   Suddenly, my only dream was to be the mother of my husband's children.   To create little people with the man I loved.   This was my mission in life.    

And mother I did.  Seven years later, the baby girl was joined by a little brother.   And much, much later, another baby swelled our quiver to three.   I was happy.   So, so happy.    Stay-at-home-mom was the best job on the planet.   I changed diapers, sat up all night nursing sick babies, kissed boo-boo's, warmed the bleachers at countless Little League and basketball games and horse shows, spent hours in Mom's taxi, and cherished every moment.  I believe that I have read the Nursery Rhyme and Fairy Tales volumes of Childcraft more than any other mother in history. I made lots of Halloween costumes  and even a wedding dress. I homeschooled a child through high school and realized success as he is about to graduate from college.  And I have known more joy than I ever imagined I could experience.


But I never wrote that novel or won the Pulitzer.   And I used to think that I had never done anything that would have an impact on the world.


Then I became a grandmother.   I have watched my daughter making a hilarious game out of running the vacuum cleaner with a 4 year old and twin toddlers.   I have seen my youngest grandson run to the comforting arms of my son, his daddy, when he bumped his head on a table.  I have watched my children enjoy and nurture their children.   And I realized, THIS is my legacy.    The skills to be a good parent are not at all random.   They are learned.   My children learned how to love children from their father and me.


I have succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.
:-)