A New Blog

The purpose of my short blog, actually note, tonight is to direct you all to a new blog you might want to check out from time to time.  I don't know how he lets people know when he has added a post, but Les has a new blog on Wordpress.  It's at our2storyhouse.wordpress.com.  It's really cute and we might both blog from time to time, but mostly him.  You are also welcome to post a comment there too.   
Enjoy
A.

"United we stand, Divided we fall"

The title of my post has been something I have been thinking about for several months, maybe longer.  It doesn't mean I have come to any answers to the things I am going to blog about, it just grieves me to realize our country has come to such a point of division.

I know there are other statements alluding to this concept, and credence given to others for it, but Patrick Henry said these words in the last speech before he died.  Henry was passionate about his belief that standing together was a strengthening strategy against the enemy.  Henry's enemy was maybe more discernible than ours, in retrospect.

If one part of the statement is true, (and I believe it is) the other is also true. The enemy in our midst today is not as recognizable as it was for Henry or his countrymen. While we would like to paint politicians and "the other side" as that enemy, I believe they only bring out our own selfish desires.

How do we, as a people living in these United States of  America, in the twenty-first century, determine who, or what has caused the divide we feel so strongly, and how do we fix it?

I believe the electricity surrounding this year's election has at least set the tone for some of the division and heightened emotions that erode relationships between neighbors, friends and even family members.  We don't consciously say it, but, if their views, concepts, feelings and at times core beliefs differ from ours, it makes them somehow wrong and less "evolved".

It seems, as a nation, we are becoming more judgmental and our ideology is that of excesses. We can't balance the idea that God created both this country and it's resources (actually the world's) and human life.  We believe we should conserve the former and, when convenient, trash the latter.  We think balance comes only by adding and subtracting.  We have become a people expecting someone else to pick up the slack, either for us or someone else.  Religion is good, no it is bad...business is good, government is bad and vice versa.  There never seems to be a common ground any more.

It seems the media thinks they are all knowing.  IF we could get clean, no spin news, we might be able to make decisions free of the practice of journalism "mind control", but that also plays into our own selfish desires of getting what we think we should have.

Who can honestly say we are getting smarter and more advanced as a nation when we rip our fellow countrymen apart because of their ideas and beliefs.  We are all allowed our own beliefs and even to express them, for that I am thankful, but to belittle, bombard and chastise others for seeing and believing differently is just wrong.  This is where our political "leaders" should come to the table (hum, another concept just presented itself to me, but for another time) and work for the people, not against them.

If somehow we, as Americans, don't get a grip on our obsessive, and belligerent actions, this nation WILL fall, just as other great nations have in the past.  When we are so inner focused and rigid about the fact that everyone should live by "my personal code", we overlook God's will for our lives.  Believe it or not, He does have a plan.  That plan may not become known to us now, but it will become known.

There are times I can't imagine that plan would differ from mine, (enter humor here) as we all do, but I pray for His Grace and Mercy to each of us and also the ability for us to show that same grace and mercy to others.

There! I just found my answer...That we grant the same Grace and Mercy to others that we feel we should receive from them.

I know there are lots of people who will read my blog and have ideas about what I have said.  I give you that freedom and I do enjoy reading yours in return.  I don't write without a lot of soul searching and self evaluation and I hope you read with the same.

I love and appreciate each of you.
Alma

Visit My Shop - Opening Soon

My new venture is in the development stage.  It is, of course a joint project between Les, who is my IT department, and me.

For several years I have been dabbling in scrap booking and having lots of fun.  I've made quite a few for gifts, and a couple for us to remember our fun times and family celebrations. We all have photos stored in boxes, each representing a memory waiting to be shared. I will be presenting different styles and ways for those memories to be "unboxed". It's fun to enjoy and share those memories with family and friends.

I will put your book together for you and you can have the enjoyment of placing your memories where they tell your story best.

The name of my shop is "YourSpecialMemories" and the address is Etsy.com.  Please be looking for the opening of my store, as well as pictures you would like to capture in a fun and attractive way.  We will be open soon and ready for your holiday gift giving.

If you don't know what to give Grandma and Papaw this year, a scrap book with family pics would be a beautiful gift.  It would provide hours of fun, laughter and "OH, I remember, that's Uncle Bob's place"... Or, maybe a shadow box frame with specialized touches.
Be watching for my blog telling everyone my store is open.

Love to all,
A.
p.s.  tell friends about...YourSpecialMemories...too. 
  

IN SEARCH OF BLUE BONNETS

Relaxing at the Woodlands Market Square

Over the weekend, Les and I went out of town for a few days. It was the first time in a very long time and can I tell you, I hope it won't be so long again.  We used to make a practice of going at least twice a year; now it has gotten to be maybe once every couple years.  We had a GREAT time.  Most of that is due, at least in part, to my husband's dedication to shopping...NO REALLY, he loves it. Old Town Spring, Michael's Arts and Crafts, Kirkland's Home, The Woodlands Market Square and yes, even Best Buy, all that was on Saturday.

Field of Blue Bonnets

On Sunday, we decided we had been to all the shopping places we couldn't find at home so we thought about going "In Search of the Blue Bonnets." What a perfect choice.  The day was beautiful and we had nothing pressing to do, so we started driving West on 290 (can you believe Les passed up the Prime Outlet Mall?)  After driving for quite a while we noticed about 10-15 cars lined up on the side of the highway. Afraid there had been an accident, we pulled into the left lane and slowed down.

People are Wild

  Lo-and-behold there were tons of people climbing fences, crawling through barbed wire and pulling kids after them.  They had found the Blue Bonnets.  I'm not from Texas, but I thought I had heard somewhere that it was against the law to deface the state flower...and that was some defacing. Babies were lying on blankets, moms were sitting on the ground, I even saw a dog go through.  We didn't feel that was the place for us to try to get our pics.  Les doesn't climb fences well and I don't climb them at all, so on we went. A few miles down the highway, another line of cars and wild people heading for the wild flowers. One group is naturally wild but I had to wonder about the others as well.  It was quickly becoming obvious we were not going to get close enough to get pictures of the beauty of nature, so we decided to ride a little further and go to Brenham, home of Blue Bell Ice Cream.  

Blue Bell

I think this is where the search became a little confused in our minds.  Was it Blue Bonnets or Blue Bell??  Maybe since we got closer to the ice cream factory than the flower patches, surely that was a sign.  But wait... the factory was closed.  Oh my, now what should we do?  Eat lunch at Casa Ole, of course, and continue on our journey.

Off the Beaten Path

We must have driven in a 30 mile crooked circle, seeing some beautiful ranches, woodlands and yes, we found our Blue Bonnets.  
They were smaller patches, but no people to trample them.  Les got some pretty pictures, although it was so bright the blue wasn't as true as I expected.  Also a lady told us at lunch we had probably come a weekend or two too soon.  But for us, our day had been a complete success, our search produced both Blue Bell and Blue Bonnets.

Texas Blue Bonnets

This was one the most relaxing days we've spent in a long time.  If you are all tied up in day-to-day crazies, I recommend taking time to Search For The Blue Bonnets and enjoy the journey on the way.

It's The Simple Things

Why do we set ourselves up with tasks that are overwhelming and in some cases next to impossible.   Maybe because by having a long "to do list" it makes us feel a sense of accomplishment.  Yes, we do need to accomplish certain things in life...as the old saying goes, "there's two things in life you HAVE to do, die and pay taxes".   Oversimplified for sure, but my thoughts tonight run more to the "small, or simple things in our lives".  The things we might do to relax or enjoy life, like stopping to smell the flowers, admire a beautiful sunset or smile at a child as we pass by.

Some of those things, for me, are spending time with family and friends, sitting outside with my coffee early in the morning, listening for the train whistle late in the evening.  I enjoy giving gifts either from my time or my abilities, and crafts are especially fun.  Another small pleasure I gain from the making and sharing of these, comes from the time spent with my daughters and my friends.



February was a very busy crafting month, a baby scrapbook, gifts for Zackary and Hunter's classmates and teachers, and getting to help two friends (and my granddaughter) make their first-ever scrapbook.  Toni and I both worked like beavers to complete the projects for the second month of 2012.



There are days when the simple things are as easy as sitting across the desk from my hubby (interrupting him with IT questions) but still hearing his voice and seeing his face. Then there is cuddling in the chair watching Hunter play Mario Cart.  That, though, gives me a sneak preview of what it might be like to ride with him when he's old enough to drive, scary thought, or listening to Zackary tell me about his last drawing (he's really very good for nine years old).



The last of the simple things in my life that I will talk a little about, is time sitting in a hotel suite with my three Diva sisters discussing everything from childhood memories to politics, our Faith (shhhhhh, that is not for the public to know), and shopping. Since we have come to the knowledge that the roses, train whistles, coffee sipping and even family don't last forever, the closer we have become.  When you've known friends for almost your entire lifetime, those activities become simpler and more precious every day.


The moral of this blog, I suppose, is enjoy the simple things in your
life, even if you  have to sit down and make a list of them first.
Oh, did I mention that blogging about people and events in my life is another simple pleasure...


Love To All,
A.