Voice of Truth

I have been listening to this song a lot lately. I think it has such a great message. How often do we listen to the wrong voice? How many times as a child (or an an adult) did you hear that you weren't good enough, that you were a loser, or that you will never amount to anything, or you could never do anything right? We end up missing so many great things if we listen to that voice. And that voice is not the voice of truth. Any yet, people make these comments not realizing how deeply they can pierce others. Years can go by, but we remember those words. They can echo in your head filling your heart with lies. And if you are not careful, you then start to believe them. Our words can be so powerful. We have the power to bless or curse others. We all want love, affirmation and acceptance and when we fail to get it, there is such a emptiness that can quickly overwhelm.

I think back to the past couple of months and wonder about all the teen suicides that were on the news.  One of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers is suicide. The Centers for Disease control report that it is the third leading cause of death, behind accidents and homicide, of people aged 15 to 24. Even more disturbing is the fact that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14. How I wish they could've heard the voice of truth!  We are using our words to hurt instead of lifting others up.  It's a shame we don't listen to that old saying "If you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all".  I pray that we all pay attention to the words we use with others especially kids.  They soak up everything we say like a sponge.  Do you want that sponge to be clean and tidy or dirty and gross?  I pray that we use our words to bless others and to never use them to put others down.


As I am writing this, I am surprised by what I have written. This is not what I had planned on writing about. But I think this message is so much better than what I was going to write.  I pray that everyone of you is listening to the voice of truth!

It's Mega Swagbucks Friday!!!!

Fridays mean Mega Swag Bucks  This basically means that instead of winning just 10-50 bucks on a search, you can win 30-1000!!

So be sure to use the search engine as much as you can today!

Did you know that you can now earn Swagbucks by watching SwagTV?  And by taking surveys and playing games?

It’s also a great time to join Swagbucks – they seem to really be pumping out the Swagcodes lately.

What are Swagbucks?

Swagbucks is a way to earn points (Swagbucks) by doing the things you normally do online – like perform a search. Just use their search engine and earn Swagbucks that you can redeem for prizes. They have a ton of prizes to choose from, but the most popular is a $5 Amazon.com gift card (only 450 Swagbucks).

You get a Swagbuck bonus just by signing up and can win more every time you use their search engine (which is just like Google, Yahoo, etc). Just go about your normal searching and wham! all of a sudden a screen will appear saying that you’ve won anywhere from 10 – 50 Swagbucks. I usually win once in the morning and again in the evening.

You can add even more to your account with Swagcodes (codes that you find in their newsletter, on the toolbar or in a fun Swagcode search they usually put on a few times a week). They just added surveys to their site too!

I think it’s a great way to earn a little extra at something that you do every time you’re online anyway. I still prefer Google as my main search engine, but I just try to remember to do a couple searches a day over there to earn the points.

Another site that I have really enjoyed lately, is Zoombucks. I introduced them as a site just like Swagbucks, however, there really is much more to this site. Besides getting paid to search, you can earn “zoombucks” for doing other simple tasks, offers and surveys, and several other things… including playing games!

I average about $20-30 in gift cards a month which really helps when birthday come around and especially Christmas!!! I highly recommend you check it out! :)   And use these links so I can get the referral. Hope you all have a great day!

Our Yearly Appointment

When my daughter was born, she was breach so she had to be born via c-section.  I still remember everyone telling me that she had plenty of time to turn but I knew in my heart that she wasn't going to turn.  I wish that I had not been right. I didn't want a c-section. I was afraid of getting the spinal, the surgery and the recovery.  But you do what you have to do.  And it really wasn't bad at all.  After she was born, I found out that her left hip was dislocated and the her right one popped in and out occasionally. I still remember that moment clearly.  The doctor came in and was talking about it like it was no big deal.  There was something wrong with my baby!!! I got no sympathy or compassion from her.  My world felt like it was falling apart and she just went to the other side of the curtain to talk to the other mother that was in the same room as me.  It took me a couple of hours before I could compose myself to call my husband with the news.  As a mother, I feared the worse.What if she couldn't run and play sports?  Would she have a limp? Would she have to wear a brace to walk?  Would kids make fun of her?  I had never heard of this happening before.  I have since learned that it is fairly common.  I wish I had know that then.  Later that day, the orthopedic doctor came in and explained what the plan was.  We were very lucky to have caught it so soon.  The longer it takes to diagnose, the longer the time in the harness.

She was born on 11/30 and on 12/5 we were at the orthopedic getting her fitted for a harness. She had to wear that wonderful torturous contraption for about 6 weeks. It was wonderful because it fixed my baby girl but torturous with every daily activity.  In a perfect world, the harness would never be taken off for those 6 weeks.  But we all know that this world is far from perfect.  We took it off about once a week to change her clothes but that was it.  It  wasn't too bad except for her spitting up.  That harness smelled so bad when those 6 weeks were finally over.  She couldn't have a normal bath and diaper changes required weaving the tabs through the harness.  Normal diaper changes are easy as pie compared to changing her diaper!  While she had the harness on, we had to visit the ortho doctor every ten days and get ultrasounds/x-rays every ten days as well. It was exhausting.  At the end of the 6 weeks, I was actually afraid to get the harness taken off.  What if the hips popped out after it was removed?  The harness was like a safety net. Nothing bad could happen to her hips while she was wearing it.  But I loved being able to give a bath. a real bath!!!!! I took joy in all the normal things that most parents do without thinking about it.  I changed her clothes often and diaper changes were a breeze.  I didn't have to worry about the harness rubbing on her skin and tummy time didn't look like torture time.  Even just watching her kick her legs was new to us! Ahhh the simple things in life! Now, we just have to go yearly to get x-rays done and see the doctor.

Last year when we got her x-rays done it went horribly!  Lots of screaming and kicking.  So this year I decided to get prepared. I got books that had x-ray machines in them and talked about doctors.  We practiced how she was gonna have to lay down on the x-ray table and all the different positions she would have to do.  I told her it she might be scared but I would be there with her the whole time and that the most important thing was to stay still.  But we didn't call them x-rays, we called them pictures. She seemed really excited to get pictured taken of her hips. We were ready. We were prepared. Yeah right! When are you ever prepared when you have a 3yr old?  It wasn't horrible though.  She cried and screamed but she stayed still so they got what they needed quickly.  I think having to take off her pants pushed her over the edge.  She was nervous and clingy but when they asked her to take off her pants, it all went down hill from there.  Afterwards she was fine and when we picked up the x-rays, she was very excited to see them.  Now, I just had to prepare for the ortho appointment.  *sigh*

Seeing the ortho doctor usually goes well so I didn't do any preparation. Plus since all my hard work and preparing for the x-rays turned out to be a bust, why even bother!  Of course we sat in the waiting room for 30 minutes before we got into a room. but luckily they had a toy duck that made noise and had a string so you could pull it around.  That made her day!  She loves rubber duckies. :)  When the doctor finally came in, she said the x-rays look great! I am always afraid that they will find something wrong and she'll have to have another harness or a cast.  She is sooooo active that anything that would slow her down would be devastating.   All we had to do before we left was take off my daughters pants so the doctor could take a feel.  Of course, just like last time, the brought out the tears.  But the doctor tickled her while she examined her so it went well!  The doctor did mention that she is very flexible and loose and that we may have a future gymnast or cheerleader.  Then she asked it she got that from me? Hahahahaha I never heard anything so funny before. If you know me, you are probably smiling right now cause that is just not me.  I think she will be into sports not cheer leading but you never know. And looking at her now, you would never have known that she had ever had a problem.

I often wonder about her birth. Nothing about it was "normal".  I wonder if that was to prepare me for now.  What we are doing to have another child is not considered "normal" either.  But I never considered myself normal anyway so that is alright by me.

Well, I got another two years to plan for our next visit to the ortho doctor and to get her x-rays done.So who wants to help me remember to do that in 2 years???????

Is the food you are feeding your pets any good?????

I have been asked many times "What is a good dog food to feed my dog?".  I always tell people that they need to look at the bag.  The first 3 ingredients will tell you if you are using a good dog or cat food.  It can be hard to understand the list of ingredients and know what they mean.  That is why I am writing this.  I challenge you to go look at your pet food and see what the first 3 ingredients are.  The first 3 ingredients should be a protein. Don't worry I will wait until you get back.

I hope you actually took that time to look. If not, you better check later cause I will quiz you the next time I see you. So you better be prepared!  :)

High quality foods will contain superior sources of protein like whole, fresh fish or single source meat meal.  They will have a whole-meat source as one of the two first ingredients and will have whole, unprocessed grains and vegetables.

High quality foods will not contain food fragments, meat by-products, artificial preservatives or sweeteners, or artificial coloring or flavoring.  So, did your pet food pass? I doubt it.  I hate shopping for dog and cat food because most of the foods out there aren't very good.  I think we have gotten very good about reading the labels on the food we eat so know it's time to do the same with our pets.

I am also going to explain what some of the terms mean that you will see in the list of ingredients. It can be confusing and I think they do that on purpose. They want you to think you are buying good quality food when really you are feeding them corn and rice!

First I will list good ingredients that you want to look for. :)

Chicken meal - the dry product from a combination of skin and flesh, with or without bone derived from the whole carcasses of the chicken, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails

Lamb meal - the rendered product from the lamb tissues, exclusive of hair, blood, hide, hoof, trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents

Ground rice - The dehulled rice kernel, without the pericap, ground or chopped

Brown rice - the entire product obtained in grinding the rice kernels after removing the hulls.

Chicken or lamb  fat - Obtained from the tissue of chickens/ lambs in the commercial process of rendering/extracting

Flaxseed Meal - the ground product obtained from the see of the flax plant

Sunflower Oil - Obtained from extracting the oil from the sunflower seeds

Here are some things that you do NOT want in your pet food

Poultry by-product meal - Consists of the ground parts of slaughtered poultry such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines (gross!)

Meat meal/meat and bone meal - the rendered products from mammal tissues, excludes blood, hair, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in trace amounts. Here is the gross part!!!!  Most people associate this ingredient with beef. The truth is that it can be from ANY animal. i.e. pigs, goats, horses, rabbits or even roadkill. It can also come from dead, dying, diseased or disabled animals!  I warned you that is was gross.

Ground corn - This is just a filler

Wheat flour - Basically waste leftovers from the mill

Animal fat - The species is unknown and the quality is usually very poor

BHT/ BHA/ Ethoxyquin - These are artificial preservatives that enhance the shelf-life of dry foods.  There are debates as to how much of these products should be in pet foods. Vitamin E in fresh food is a great preservative!

Well, I hope this has helped you better understand what you are feeding to your dog or cat.  Now go check the label if you haven't already. Take the pet food challenge!!!

Your Hands- JJ heller

I feel like this song was written for me.

Lyrics:

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Your hands
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave You when...

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave...
I never leave Your hands

It's all about perspective

If I said the number 50, would you think that number is small or large?  Perhaps a different perspective is needed. If I said 50 grains of sand in a sandbox, would that number be small or large?  What if it was 50 happy meals or 50 snow flakes?  Your answer is probably different for each question isn't it?  It's all about perspective.  Now you are probably wondering why I am asking a question like this and why the number 50.  Well, I'm gonna tell you because I need your help.


Saturday night I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep.  I have come to realize that when this happens it's because my mind is figuring something out or some truth needs to be discovered. And then  it came to me. I feel it is my mission to fill 50 boxes for Samaritan's Purse. I have included the link just in case you have no idea what I am talking about.  It's amazimng how quickly I fell asleep after I came to that realization.  

  http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Pack_A_Shoe_Box/ 

 So, what do you think of the number 50 now? Is it large or small?  To me it doesn't make a difference, I'm gonna do it.  This is where I need your help.  I don't think I could get 50 shoe boxes on my own.  I currently have 1 in my closet so really I only need 49 more.  It's all about perspective!  To me, getting the 50 boxes isn't the hard part, it's the fact that I need to fill them.  Doesn't anyone have any shoe boxes they don't need??????  Plus, Tupperware sells plastic containers that are the size of a shoe box. I think that would be nice idea since they could use the container too!  Collection week is in November. Please let me know if you would like to help in any way.                : D

Here is a video of a boy receiving his gift from Samaritan's Purse.

Boy opens his gift. What joy he has!

It's not just a box that they get. The boxes give us an opportunity to reach out to them and they are a great tool for explaining to them who Jesus is and to share the Gospel with them.

End of the year

The year is almost over and boy did it fly by!  As I look back on the past year, I realize that a lot has changed.  I have found a church that I love and attend regularly.  I am actually getting baptized Jan 2nd!  I wanted to read the whole bible this year and I am proud to say that I have! :)  lost my job but recently have gotten another one.  I finally went to the dentist, something that I had been putting off for a long long time, and survived!  But most of the changes you may not notice.  Most of the changes have been within me.  My priorities have changed.  My focus had mostly been on having a baby and while that is still important it is not my top priority.  We will continue to try to have a baby, which is taking longer than we had thought. 2 1/2 years and counting!

This year my little love bug had her first day at school.  And she isn't so little any more.  Where did my little baby go?????? She has turned into a beautiful and fun "big girl"!  She is turning out to be like me.  I can't get her into a dress, she loves to wrestle, likes cars and sometimes plays with her dolls. She is no girlie girl, that's for sure!

In January I will be starting my oral meds for our next round of IVM. (See previous post)  I have to be on them for at least 3 months before doing any procedures.  Hopefully no more mayor expenses  pop up.  We have already had to buy 4 new tires for the truck, a  new fuel pump for my explorer, our cat was diagnosed with cancer so we had to put her down, our pitt has a bacterial infection on her skin and the rotti is due for her annual shots.  It seems like it is never ending sometimes.  So hopefully in April/May we will begin again.

As I sit here, I wonder what this next year will hold for our family.  Will will finally have the baby that we have dreamed of for so long?  Will I like my new job?  Will the economy get any better?  Where will we go for vacation?  Will I be able to do all the things that I want to do?  Will I ever be able to get my love bug in a dress????????????

Who knows what this year will bring. I do know that there will be laughter, plenty of hugs, probably some pain and some tears.  A roller coaster would be no fun without the ups and downs.  I only get to ride this life once and I want to enjoy it!  I pray that the times of laughter outnumber the times of pain and there are more hugs than tears.