sharing some great sites and blogs. Enjoy!

I have had a bit of free time, and thanks to some amazing friends, now have access to wifi high speed internet on my desktop. (The desktop being the primary computer I actually use, lol) I have had the opportunity to be able to search blogs and some fun and informative sites lately. I just wanted to share a few of my favorites. :o) I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

24 CLEVER IDEAS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER

    http://jugglingwithchainsaws.com/2011/12/30/24-clever-ideas-to-make-life-easier/

Just from my own experience I have found a few things that have helped me in my everyday life.

I like to freeze chicken broth in ice cube trays so that I can add them to rice or noodles to add flavor.

We save the plastic trays from chocolate covered cherries. They make a great mold for homemade pb cups or nut clusters!

We use plain white stickers to bind our cables and cords. This keeps them tidy and gives us a place to label the cords so we know what ones go to what.

To organize toys I bought the plastic drawer units. We labeled the front of each drawer using printable stickers. We also use stackable crates to store games and large toys on. Placing the units in the closets gives us free space in our room and hides them from company. It also keeps the toys easily accessible and neat. The boys have quite a few nerf guns and blow pipes. I bought a clothing hamper and stand them up in that. It makes it easier for the boys to chose what they want to play with and keeps them from falling all over the place.

In the fridge we tend to have pop bottles and water bottles all the time. They tend to easily tip over. I put a tray in the fridge and place them on that. This keeps them from tipping over. (We have the wire grates as shelves in our fridge.)

To keep the Tupperware cupboard neat I only buy stackable containers. I then put all the lids in a plastic clear shoebox (you can buy one at the dollar store). This makes the lids easily found and at your fingertips when needed.

I’m sure there are many other things we do around our place but I will not bore you anymore.

So You’re Thinking About Giving Up Your Pet? You Might Want to Reconsider.

    http://makeadifferencerescue.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/so-youre-thinking-about-giving-up-your-pet-you-might-want-to-reconsider/

 

Everyone I know knows that I am not a big animal person. That being said, even though I am not really fond of them I don't hate them either. I think killing an animal unnecessarily is uncalled for and should be avoided. They are one of God's amazing creatures. They deserve to live. I just think that people who took the time to pick out an animal, buy it food and bedding, and have taken them to the vet to make sure they are healthy have made an unspoken commitment to taking care of that animal. That animal is now dependent on you. You have made it so. Stand up and make sure you take care of that animal then. It's not the animals fault you change life situations. If you find you cannot keep the animal for certain reasons, find it a new home. NOT A SHELTER. Most certainly DO NOT just let it roam free. This animal you are trying to “set free” has been dependent on humans to care for it. It is not used to the world and will surely be eaten or starved all just because you changed your mind. Don’t do that to the animal. It’s cruel. Ok, off my soap box for now. Thanks for listening. :o)

Being Retarded

http://phoebeholmes.com/2011/12/23/being-retarded/

 

I have an older brother who is clinically diagnosed as Mentally Retarded. I do not honestly believe he is retarded but rather  somewhere along the autism spectrum. That being said, I feel that those who are retarded are due more respect then we give them. They are smart, wonderful people who have such a warm heart, and a bright smile. They certainly are a true gift from God.  They are innocent for the most part. They have not grown up to become the way society feels they should be. They are who they are, not who others think they should be.

I sometimes am very guilty of using the word “retarded” casually and off-handedly towards others that I am close to but I never do it in anger or frustration, nor do I do it to those I do not know. I usually use it as a joke and a playful put down (usually referring to myself). May I first say I am sorry to those who are offended by my attitude. I do feel that I am wrong for using that word so casually but I also think too many people put more meaning on the word itself and get offended way too easily. My son has Asperger’s Syndrome. So does my hubby. My other son has Moebius Syndrome. My brother has Mental Retardation and I have other siblings that are “slow”. My parents were both “slow”. I have grown up around people with disabilities all my life. I babysat a child with Downs Syndrome for most of my high school years. She was a pure delight. I am not without sympathy or empathy just because I use the words in ways you may not like. If I see that I have offended anyone I will willingly apologize and correct me attitude. Please do not take offense to it as it is not said with maliciousness or to berate anyone. It is not said with uncaring or being flippant. It is just said.

Ok, this is my FAVORITE site that I have come across recently. 

http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/

She also has a facebook page located here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Play-at-Home-Mom/174614952594331

 

Now, some of these ideas I have seen, and used, before. Some of them are absolutely wonderful! I really wish I had this site when my children were younger. It would have made their difficulties that much easier to deal with and would have made homeschooling so much more fun. I have spent so much time (that could probably have been spent doing something more useful, lol) looking at this site.

Ok, well, that is it for now. I hope you find these sites helpful and fun to look at. I know I did. :o)

WOW! So many amazing things to talk about tonight. Right now, due to wanting to get to bed soon I will only talk about two things.

First thing I must praise the Lord Almighty for helping guide me to something that is actually helping me out of this depression rut I was in. For the last month or a bit more I have been taking St. John's Wort. I must tell you, IT IS AMAZING STUFF!!!

I'm not sure what it does in the body but I do know that it has changed my life. I have not felt emotionally better in the last 10 so years. I feel more like myself and am interested in doing things I haven't found energy or desire to do in so long.... I am back into braiding my hair and painting my nails. I feel more like visiting with friends and talking to people. I feel more social. I feel physically better, not so tired, not so sore. I also know that now I am spiritually I am better. The desire to pray, read Scriptures and memorize the Word has increased a lot! all because of taking one pill!!! That is it! Ok, so it's really 4 pills but it is the same pill so I can honestly say it is one (type of) pill. lol I take two in the am and two in the pm. I am no longer on ANY depression meds. Yup, you read that right, NO DEPRESSION meds at all!!!! I am literally blown away by the difference in me. :o)

THANK YOU JESUS!

On the next note I want to thank Mathew Gerwitz for his continued wonderful performances as worship leader for Worship Jam night. Tonight's worship Jam was wonderful!! If you live in the Rochester area I HIGHLY recommend you come some day. You will be blessed!  Each and every month the Lord works on someone, if not everyone who joins us there. today it was me He was working on. I'm not sure about anyone else but I know I have an issue with pride. Yup, PRIDE.
When I was teaching Sunday school to the little ones we had a lesson on Jonah's pride getting in the way of him forgiving the Ninevites. I was trying to find a way to teach what pride is really all about. God showed me this acronym. Personal Reflection Is Deemed Excepterional. Well, all day I have been reminded of that acronym. During my driving around I was listening to the radio. I heard "My Own Little World" by Mathew West. I have recently been faced with seeing myself as the person this song is talking about. I tend to shut out the bad in the world because it is hard to deal with. It is hard to think that people will do horrible things to other people, even though I have been the "victim" of such horribleness. I find the daily news broadcasts depressing and even angring at times. I have said I no longer wath it because it is depressing. Well, truth be told, I hate seeing all the sin this world is doing. Hiding from it is not making it go away or stopping it in any stretch of hte imagination. It is only hindering me from learning the lessons God wants me to learn. I do not live in a world of only me. I live in the world as God made it, even thought we do not treat it is as so. I need to watch the news more often so I can pray for the country, the leanders and the other countries and their leaders. 

We tend to try to live in our own little worlds and as a result we forget that those out there in the world around us need our prayers and our help. We can only do that if we pay attention and care. 

I will leave you with a note of encouragement. Pray for those around and you and thank Jesus for the ability to do so. He uses each one of us where ever we are in life, whether we realize it or not. Wake up and start focusing on what can you do for Him? What can you do to further the cause of spreading His word and shining Hi light? I plan to try to be better at letting Him use me to the fullest. I pray you do also.