Friday, June 26, 2009

Blogging Break

I will be out of town until July 8th, so have a great week or so! I am going to be a camp nurse for a little over a week. Please pray everyone stays healthy and uninjured! I don't really want to work. :o) The internet was not working at home this morning, so sorry for the quick post.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Think on These Things Thursday


Giving Others the "Benefit of the Doubt"

Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.


I have been saddened the last couple of weeks by the way people are offended by what others say. Especially when someone is trying to relate to or comfort another. I think that many times people are just trying to relate in some way, even if it is small and say things that to the one in a difficult situation seems to "trivilize" THEIR situation.

Helping the one going through a difficult time:
I have learned that it is difficult to say the right thing to someone going through a difficult time because we have NO idea how that person is truly feeling. Everyone reacts to situations differently and works through them in different ways. One person may need a shoulder to cry on as soon as difficulty comes, another may take days or weeks to come to that point. I wonder how many times I have said something that may have been taken in the wrong way. Furthermore, I have to resist the temptation to say the first thing that comes to mind, usually some trite little saying, in my temptation to fill the void in conversation. I think that often people just say ANYTHING to fill the void in conversation, because most of us are uncomfortable with silence and feel like we need to help the other by saying something really wise. We often end up saying the wrong thing and further upsetting the other. I think the best thing we can do is let others know we are thinking and praying for them. Let them know we love them and are concerned for them and to PLEASE let us know if we can be of any help--meals, listening, cleaning their house, watching their kids, etc. Then BE QUIET!!! You can also offer to take them out for a meal or coffee, but be ready to listen and be quiet!

Please Listen ~ author unknown
This poem was given to me when I worked at a camp for children with cancer. It is a good reminder to BE QUIET! :o)
When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving me advice, you have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do something to solve my problem, you have failed me, strange as that may seem.
Listen! All I ask is that you listen. Don't talk or do - just hear me.Advice is cheap; 20 cents will get you both Dear Abby and Billy Graham in the same newspaper, and I can do for myself; I am not helpless. Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.
When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself, you contribute to my fear and inadequacy. But when you accept as a simple fact that I feel what I feel, no matter how irrational, then I can stop trying to convince you and get about this business of understanding what's behind this irrational feeling.
And when that's clear, the answers are obvious and I don't need advice. Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what's behind them.So please listen, and just hear me. And if you want to talk, wait a minute for your turn - and I will listen to you.

If you are the one going through a difficult time:
Realize that people are genuinely trying to be helpful, even if they may not truly BE helping you. I learned this when my father passed away. The circumstances were really difficult. Many people said things that were not comforting in their attempt to BE comforting. I can’t imagine anyone would have deliberately caused us more pain. Even if they were, we can not judge another's intentions because we don’t know their heart. I guess I just want people to give others the benefit of the doubt. Try to look at them as helpers accidentally saying the wrong thing. Be thankful that they care enough to try. You can let them know nicely that you just need some quiet time or would like them to listen for awhile. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, will allow you and others to be much happier. If you allow yourself to be offended, you will probably just end up hurting yourself the most. Being upset at another is quite a burden to carry around!
P.S. I am still learning. The verses above are helpful and remind me to be more forgiving if only I would remember them all the time!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Kitchen Tip Tuesday

How to keep eggs from cracking while you boil them
Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water. This works really well. I'm told it will also keep a poached egg compact in the water instead of spreading out. I haven't tried the vinegar with poached eggs as I never cook them.
For more great kitchen tips, visit: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/

Monday, June 22, 2009

Off to Camp Chetek

Well, it's off to Camp Chetek today with the oldest three kids. They are pretty excited about going to camp. "Z" will be home with us. I don't think he has decided if this is will be fun or boring. If you are interested in seeing what the kids are up to, you can go to the camp website. They post pictures. The website is: http://www.campchetek.org/

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Think on These Things Thursday

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

It is so easy to let our tongues get away from us and to say the opposite of what we should say! As James tells us, the tongue can not be tamed. HOWEVER it can be controlled. We can change the way a situation is viewed for a long time to come by our response to it. If we are kind and have a soft answer, people won't be angry. If we have an angry/negative response people will probably become angry.

This is such a simple principle, but so hard to follow sometimes. It IS so important, though.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A Non-Kitchen Tip

I'm excited to say that the following tip has allowed me to weigh MUCH less than my goal weight!!! NO diet pills or dieting needed!!! NO exercise required!!! Finally a way to level the playing ground so that we don't have to worry about weighing more than our neighbor!!! ;o)
The correct way to weigh yourself:

I can't believe I was doing it wrong all these years.
WE MUST SPREAD THE WORD!

Now to get my Wii Fit to work like this!!!

Thank you Kristan for sending me this tip, you have changed my life! :o)

Monday, June 15, 2009

Weekend Review

On Friday night we went to Kohl's to look for dress clothes for Timothy. I had a 30% off coupon. I got two polo shirts, two long sleeve shirts, four sweater vests, two dress shirts, a pair of jeans and a suit jacket for $41. The bottom of the receipt said I saved $280.00! :o) :o) I got a couple of household item also that are needed for the new bathroom when it gets finished (the contractor is done with his part, we just need to finish the painting and fix where Duke ate part of the door frame!).

On Saturday, we went to a Pancake breakfast for the daughter (Kara) of one of the nurses I work with. Kara has leukemia and is the mother of four children, ages 7 and under. Please pray for her. Then we went to the Great Lakes Aquarium. The kids had chosen this as their completed school reward. We now have a membership that allows our whole family to go for a year at no ADDITIONAL charge. So, if you come visit us this year, we'll probably take you to the aquarium. :o) We then had a picnic for the Young adults and then hubby was asked to drive the bus for the youth activity, so we stayed for that also. We got home about 7:45pm and had to get ready to Sunday. :o)

Sunday was busy and we had a nice day. We had a missionary to the Czech Republic. He and his family were an encouragemet.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Update on Work

Work is better than last week, except...we discovered that the legislature passed a new law about PCA services that overhauls them. Many of the changes are needed and should have occured a long time ago. This was a suprise to us because we had been watching a bill that was supposed to change PCA services. I had read it (FUN!) and we were basically already doing everything. They didn't pass that bill, instead they put the overhaul of PCA services in the omnibus bill that is 378 pages long!!! (Sneaky politicians!)

You should have seen me on Wednesday. I found the bill and pushed "print" only to realize it was 378 pages. I quickly pulled the cable out of my computer and deleted the print! I then searched each page for personal care and printed each of those out--only about 100 pages. :oP I have been reading/rereading it to sort it all out. TOO MUCH fun. There is a reason I am NOT a lawyer! I have two pages of notes so far! My boss and I have this fried our brains in Law school look and we are not even studying to be lawyers!

Did I mention we are unsure when this all goes into effect. We know at least some of it does on July 1. Not to worry, it's only the middle of June. At least life isn't boring.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Think On These Things Thursday

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
I Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
We are commanded over and over again in the Bible to be thankful. It is so easy to get busy with the things of life and to forget to be thankful for all the Lord has done for us. I'm making an effort to be more thankful and have started a thankful mug at work. It is amazing how looking for things to be thankful for can change your perspective. (Don't you think God knew this and that is why He commanded us to be thankful. Also, He wants us to remember that He is in charge, not us.) You can have difficulties, but always find other things to be thankful for. If nothing else, we can be thankful for the character building experience. :o) Some have told me I'm already ENOUGH of a character, though. :o)

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

A Sweet Girl

"E" had another check up for her arm. The Nurse Practitioner is very happy with how well it has healed and the range of motion she has gotten back. :o) We just have to follow up with the surgeon at 6months and a year from the break to make sure the arm is growing properly. Her broken arm is actually better than before because she does not have the bend outward that she has in the other arm and had in her left arm that actually makes her prone to really bad breaks.

U took her back to work with me. She was very well behaved. I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she said she wanted to take care of me. :o) Of course, I had to have her tell everyone at work, so she was quite the hit of the office.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Kitchen Tip Tuesday

So Long Smells
How to eliminate smells from your plastic ware:
  • You can put water in the dish and add baking soda or vinegar and soak it overnight.
  • My favorite--put it in the freezer overnight. I know it sounds strange, but it works.

How to eliminate smells, such as garlic or onion from your hands:

  • You can rub them against your stainless steel sink. If you have a cast iron sink, you can use stainless steel cookware. :o)
  • Rub vinegar over them and then wash them.

Freebies: Be careful about multitasking too much in the kitchen, it can be costly as I found out this weekend by scorching a big pot of cream of mushroom soup! :o( Admit your human and spend a little more time in the kitchen or enlist kid help--they are awesome stirers! :o)

For more great kitchen tips, visit: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3415

Monday, June 8, 2009

Weekend recap

This weekend was a quiet one in that we didn't have anything planned. I did a lot of cooking. Unfortunately, I had a couple of goofs! I hate it when I waste food!!! The kids played outside with the neighbor kids literally all day on Saturday. They seemed to have a lot of fun as evidenced by the lack of crying and fighting. :o)

Yesterday we officially welcomed our new assistant pastor and his family. They seem to be great people. I am looking forward to their ministry with us.

The true adventure was moving the HUGE freezer in our basement that came with the house because there is no way to remove it without calling in experts! (We are having an electrician come to upgrade our electrical to breakers instead of fuses. and the freezer was in the way.) It is so big I was afraid to look in it because you could put a whole football team of dead bodies in it! Hubby and I got the job done. We found some intersting stuff behind it--including cleaning products we have never heard of and two axes. Interesting place to hide the axes! (NOT ours!)

For your amusement:

Rules to Live By--Minnesota Style

1. Der’s only one God, ya know.
2. Don’t make the fish on your mantle an idol.
3. Cussing ain’t Minnesota nice.
4. Go to church even when you’re up Nort.
5. Honor you folks.
6. Don’t kill. Catch and release.
7. There is only one Lena for every Ole. No cheatin’.
8. If it ain’t your lutefisk, don’t take it.
9. Don’t ya be braggin’ about how much snow ya shoveled.
10. Keep your mind off you neighbor’s hotdish.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Please Pray for me


I have had an interesting week at work. I am trying to have a good attitude, but am having a very difficult time. I can usually do some mental gymnastics and find a positive spin to put on things, but am having a really difficult time. The gymnast keeps falling off the balance beam!!! Since I am over others, I generally try to put a positive spin on new "developments" that will not be cheerfully accepted. This week has been a test for me in putting a happy smile on MY face and dealing with it. I even put a sticky note on my desk that says "It WILL get better" (IWOP--it's worse other places), however I keep having to resist the urge to tear it up--not good!! It's just been tough in that I get my attitude somewhat in check and then have more junk dumped on me. On a positive note, maybe I can put this job on my resume when I decide to be an agent for Hollywood types--I will have lots of experience in putting a positive spin on unpleasantness. :o) Maybe I'll put a sticky note on my desk that says "This is just practice for when you are the agent for a really famous person." :o)

P.S.--Don't worry I really have no aspirations about being an agent. I am just trying to add some humor. Maybe this is a gymnast that SHOULD fall off the balance beam! I do realize that being an agent would make this job seem like a cake walk--most days anyway. :o)

Thanks for listening, I feel better. Hope this doesn't make too many people think I am ready for the loony bin!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Think On These Things Thursday


Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I have several thoughts today. First, has anyone else noticed that there seems to be those out there who are using the economy as an excuse to exploit others. I have seen it in employers--you better do this and with a smile--you're just lucky you have a job--giving people extra hours (no compensation) because they've laid off other people, etc.! I have seen it in people hiring others to do their work at really reduced rates and being smug about it. I can understand a bit of a deal, but less than half the going rate???? We won't even discuss the government!!! I think this is really sad. Talk about kicking others when they are already down. What happened to treating others like we would like to be treated. It is usually the people who would be the first to scream if they were taken advantage of. How do they sleep at night? In their defense, most of the above has probably not crossed their mind. Sorry about the rant!

We need to be careful how we treat others. Make sure the above mentioned philosphy is not allowed on our doorstep!

A lesson from "T": We were helping our new youth pastor and family move into their apartment. Our whole family had arrived early and all of us were carrying things in, including the kids. Eventually, we ended up with about a dozen adults. I didn't want the kids to get stepped on or knocked over by a sofa, so I thanked them for their help and asked them to please stop for awhile and even told them they could go to the park. The younger three quickly ran off to the park. "T" started to cry because he wanted to continue to help. I wish I had an attitude like that!
I guess my whole point is that we need to make sure we are treating others the way we would like to be treated. We should be helping others, especially in times like these. It is sometimes so easy to get focused on our lives that we forget about others and the difficulties they may be facing!

The hiccups again

I will post my "Think on These Things Thursday" post tonight. We have had a lot going on--helping friends move in, crazy at work, church, contractor at my house, orthodontist appointment this morning at 7:40... So due to the hiccups of life, I'm delaying my post and haven't been posting as much.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Kitchen Tip Tuesday

Grating Chocolate
I had a recipe to make this morning that called for you to grate semisweet chocolate bars. Since my memory was that I had the chocolate when in reality it was unsweetened chocolate, I went digging and found semisweet chocolate chips. I realized that trying to grate them on a regular stand type grate was not an option unless I wanted injured fingers! I've tried using a minichopper before, but the chocolate is not at all uniform--mainly big chunks and powder. So......
I decided to try my rotary cheese grater (that has the crank--I didn't know what the official name was 'til I googled it)!!! This worked great!! The chocolate came out finely grated. It looked great sprinkled on top my Strawberry cheesecake trifle. :o)
For more great kitchen tips visit: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3407

Monday, June 1, 2009

Stuff

Not much time to post, busy weekend and week, so not sure how much I'll be able to post. A contractor is starting work in our bathroom and I have a nurse's meeting to get ready for.