Mon: Keep My Mouth Shut

"Angry words oh let them never, from the mouth unbridled slip."

BYU beat U of U in the annual football rivalry game on Saturday. It's great for the winners, not so much for the opposing team. When they interviewed a major player from BYU, he spouted angry & hateful words about Utah. I was surprised to hear him say he hated everything about them, their school, team, people and all. Last year his family had been treated poorly by Utah fans, which was the main culprit for such bad feelings. Today this player issued an apology for his remarks.

More often than not in the heat of the moment, many say what's felt in their hearts regretting it later. I've fallen into the trap myself, fortunately not on TV. Satan & his helpers relish when we bad mouth others. We need built in alarms to seal our mouths, when the temptation to talk about people starts bubbling up & out.

This weekend three of my neices visited. What fun it was to talk about their lives, school, movies & Grandma. They got an ear full about how interesting she can be. Afterward, I regretted blabbing away at my perception of her faults. Why can't I keep my mouth shut? When will I get smart & avoid those pitfalls?

We all have hangups & strengths, why highlight the ones we're trying to overcome? Reminds me of the beam in my eye comparing her mote.

Sat: A Sight for Sore Eyes

Dad cleaned the garage!! It looks amazing! I don't care what he did with the all the junk, because two thirds of it is neat & clean. Hopefully he will finish the job soon. It's really a sight for sore eyes & maybe help motivate others to do the same.

Too long now it's been my catch all. I've often tossed stuff into the garage as guests arrive at the front door. Thinking I'll take care later, it soon becomes part of the ever growing mound of mess. Allan keeps the three big doors closed to keep our things safe from stealers. I do it so no one knows what a pig I am.

When I spy a garage door left open, I know they are either careless or haven't caught anyone in their vehicles at 5am rumaging through things. Even though it's been six years or more, recent is the memory of me chasing that young twentyish lady down the street screamming to stay out of my garage, as she hopped into the get-away car and sped away. I hollered that I had their license plate number, but found later the car was stolen. Fortunately, they got away empty handed.

Keep your doors closed & spend an hour cleaning this week. Then treat yourself to a turkey sandwich or Christmas candy.

Thur: Thankful for?

What are you thankful for?

Blessings are so abundant, it only takes a few seconds to list numerous gifts so generously given. Big, small, major, minor, general or specific & everything in between always remember the Lord & thank him daily, not just on Thanksgiving.

Here are a few I have:
BIG: A healthy new grand child
SMALL: Having friends over for a delicious dinner, when nothing flops.
MAJOR: A son's marriage, w/awesome new daughter-in-law.
MINOR: Making new friends when performing in a play.
GENERAL: Having enough money to pay the bills.
SPECIFIC: Husband's that do what you ask, most of the time.
IN-BETWEEN: Major surgeries that go well, in state of the art hospitals.

Best wishes this Thanksgiving.

Here is one in honor of the season:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuwid8_O8dkst

Tues: Trailer Taken-Found, Before Impound

Four weeks ago our dump trailer was stolen off the job site. We were frustrated & sad, because it's a good source of income in a time where work is sporadic. All were excited when Allan spotted it for sale thru the online classifieds, asking less than half the usual price of $10,000 this spring. It filled multi-purpose needs in trash removal, implement hauling, & more. The hydraulic dump saved extra time, work & effort in unloading stuff.

No way could we replace it. As we berated ourselves for not taking precautions to keep it secure, we regreted our carelessness. The police were called and a report was filed. Faith in our fellow man was once again put on 'Don't trust anyone' alert. Prayers were said as jobs were delayed or passed over.

Yesterday the Sandy Police Department called, saying our trailer had been found abandoned on Sego Lily Road. As they prepared to impound it for being left on the roadside for weeks, the VIN number indicated it was stolen. A quick call to our police verified the owners. They called us saying we had 5 minutes to pick it up. Convincing them we needed more time, no delay was made in driving the eight miles to retrieve it.

Thankfully a dead battery was a minor problem, over damage most stolen property has when recovered. Apparently, someone needed it for their garbage, then left it. Many, many thanks to our Father, for the return of the trailer & the many blessings we've enjoyed this year.

Fri: Foot Follies & Finding Faith

How often we take life for granted, thinking nothing of how perfectly our body works. The mind efficiently sends & receives information second by second guiding our every move. Heart, nervous, gastro & other systems work overtime as we batter & abuse them. Skeletal, skin & senses plug along housing, heating & protecting us from harm. We think nothing of the miracle that keeps us ticking.

Sure we have a few maybe even many blips on the horizon, but when a body part starts acting up, is broken, bruised, inflamed etc. we sit up & take notice. Appreciation for our 'warehouse' increases ten-fold. Miraculously, the body often heals itself. During the mending period, being whole once again is our goal. For some it takes more, but thanks to modern medicine we manage or bear with the imposition like it or not.

When I developed plantar fasciitis a few months ago, it was stupid. I'd pushed my feet to the limit, wearing poor shoes walking endlessly on cement. In twelve hours they went from healthy to hurting & havn't stopped since. A strained tendon running my bottom left foot's length, hurt with every step I took. Doctor's visits, exercises & more didn't work.

WebMD was informative, as well as friends with success stories. After wearing a foot brace for a month, I'm now on the road to recovery. Four more weeks with the splint & a good $100 pair of shoes, has prevented additional problems. I'm glad only one foot reared it's angry head & said, "No more!"

When nothing works as problems arise & despair seeps in, go the the Lord. He will dispell your fear & bring comfort. You are 'Never Alone' & help is out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIrGKB5nRKE

Wed: Worry Wart to Worry Free

It started last night, when I awoke at 12:50 a.m. & began to worry about what to fix for my book group tonight. After going back & forth between apple cake or trifle, cider or water, supplies I did & didn’t have for the recipes, I moved on to Thursday’s needs. In a short time Christmas arrived on the scene, as I dove into another set of worries to wart about.

Time and again I tried to change my thought pattern to Christ or peaceful things, but within seconds jumped back on the ‘hash & re-hash Merry-go-round of life’. A week’s worth of worries in 2 hours was enough for me.

After praying for help, I packed up Wednesday’s troubles & mentally put them in a box by the door. Thursdays went in another one next to them. Bundling up the rest of my stresses, I threw them in a pile down the hall. My mind was free to contemplate the Savior and His life. Peace sent me off to ‘lala’ land.

When I awoke I picked up Wednesday’s jobs, transformed into a ’can do’ package. They were waiting for me at the door & left the others for later. That is how to go from Worry Wart to Worry Free in ten minutes or less. Be sure to leave a container by the door.

See you at book club. It’s “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson, a great read about how one person can make a difference in the world through service.

Mon: Make a Move to Minimize Messes

I'm on a roll for cleaning out & labeling things. My linen closet has been a mess since day one. I don't need 12 bedding sets, blankets & odd towels any more. I've organized them into piles of like, dislike, worn out & throw out.

Growing up our closets were so full, when putting clean laundry in them it was hard to find room. Most of them were overflowing with unused who knows what. Some of us have tidy homes but messy closets & drawers. Others have cluttered homes but organized behind the scenes. Blessed are those that have both.

Junk drawers are in every home, full of 'Junk!' I had more than one, so full they wouldn't open. I gave myself permission to toss most of it. I love it. I left one drawer empty because it feels so good.

Make a move today to 'toss' eliminate & take your drawers & closets back.

You have my permission!