Summer and Adam's Fort By Summer and Adam

Hello and welcome to our fort!

This side is a secret window!

This is the inside.

Come on in!

Wait- you have to tell me the password first!

OK- the password is "pass"

Here is Summer's bed.

Bye Now!

My goals for today...

Complete the Marketing section of my Business Plan
Start on the Financial (my last section- whew!!)
Fold and put away laundry - uh this is torture for me- hate hate laundry
Either go to the gym or walk with Asi for 1 hour

I am having trouble staying focused on completing my business plan. Just need to to remember how good it will feel when its done!

The past does not define us...it prepares us

The thing that really sucks (or is really great) about mistakes is that you need to make them in order to learn and grow and become a better person. I have been thinking a lot lately about my past mistakes (far far past and recent), and the thing is I have no one else to blame except myself. I think that I tend to talk myself into how someone pressured me to do something our how my "circumstances" lead me to make a bad decision- but who ultimately made the decision? I don't want to beat myself up for things that I have done wrong- thats not productive or healthy- but admitting we were wrong to someone is freeing. I would not be where I am today- healthy, strong, confident in my faith, a loving mother, a good role model, and in Montana- without the journey (sometimes painful) to get here. In a way I am thankful for the pain and struggles that brought me to a better place. I am thankful to God for my journey closer to Him.

Talents and ramblings

I think its so cool how God gave us each unique talents and abilities- there are so many things that I do not enjoy that I know others do. For example, my accountant told me she ENJOYED setting up spreadsheets- that would be pure hell for me. I am in awe of my teachers at the gym. They are so good and motivating at what they do. Do you think that these are God given talents or ones that we need to take the time to work on- with God as our guide? Someone asked me the other day how I became a chef? What???? I was taken back- I am not a chef! That is such a compliment that someone liked what I made so much they assumed that I was a chef. I hope that I am using all the gifts and talents that God has given me. Maybe its not a matter of using them at once- I was good teacher during that time in my life. I can use what I learned from teaching (how to deal with people, patience, flexibility, planning, creativity) with my business.

Have....to....vent....

OK so this has been on my mind ALOT lately- my neighbors. So, at first it really bothered me that they kept their 2 dogs in a cage 24 hours a day. The dogs do not get petted, any attention, or taken out ALL day. In fact the three small children they have spend time taunting and poking them through the fence. They created a "larger" cage for the dogs ehich is about 10x10 with a "roof" (a piece of plastic). When I walk by everyday walking Asia they attack and bite each other (I don't know why they do that maybe frustration?). every morning the mom "cleans" the cage and takes each one out for a 1 minute walk around the yard and then back in the cage they go. They are not trained, jump all over her, and do not know how to walk on the leash. So my question is WHY DO YOU HAVE DOGS? NOT ONLY ONE BUT TWO OF THEM????????????? Really, what is the point???? I don't get it.

So then if that isn't bad enough they had a rabbit cage with a few rabbits in it. Once again the rabbits were NEVER taken out. Hopped one step and basically stayed in the same position all day. Again I ask the question WHY???? So when we pulled in today I noticed the rabbit cage dismantled on the side of their house. I mentioned it to my kids and they said "oh ya they let their rabbits go" WHAT? those rabbits will be dead in a matter of days. They cannot survive in the wild. So why didn't they just go to a pet store, cut the rabbits heads off, and hang them for dead? I don't get it.

More plant based!

Looks like Weight Watchers is advocating a plant based diet!

"Research has shown that people whose diets are rich in plant-based foods—fruits, vegetables and whole-grain breads and cereals—have a lower incidence of most cancers."

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=44291&sc=3017

Quick post- and quick sermon!

Sorry its been a while but I've had a lot on my plate lately (in a good way). First, let me tell you I have been listening to Joel Osteen (pastor of lakewood church) and my thinking is slowly changing. I am changing how I function. I have this calm peaceful feeling overcoming me- I can't explain it. I think this is what it must feel like to take antidepressents- only this is a spiritual pill. I am trusting God's plan for me. One of the biggest things I get from Joel is not to settle for mediocraty in your life. God wants you to have the biggest blessing and most blessed life you can. What does it require? Faith in God's plan. Trusting Him. We all have those doubts- what we can and can't achieve. I mean people TELL us to our face (yes to me to- even by people that we care about) what we can and cannot do. What our limits, strengths, and weaknesses are- but can those people tell God what HIS limits are? It's not what you can or cannot do- its what God can fulfill in your life. Fullfilling your dreams requires taking a chance and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations. Putting yourself on the line- and in God's hands. Do you have a little dream seed? Waiting to sprout?

My dreams are seeming to becoming closer to me. Joel talks about "handfuls on purpose". It goes back to story of Ruth from the Bible- when she was collecting the leftover wheat from the fields- and the owner told his worker to leave her some "on purpose". Well, those handfuls are coming my way. Only by God's grace.