Memorial Day

Did you know that Memorial Day began as "Decoration Day" . . There is evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War. Today it is tradition for VFW (Veterans Of Foreign War) decorate the graves of fellow service man and women.

In 2000 to help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed which asks at 3:00 pm local time we as Americans pause to give a moment of silence.

Moina Michael in 1915 wrote in her poem "In Flanders Fields"

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields were valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

Now that my son, Kevin is a Veteran, Memorial Day and Veteran's Day have given new meaning to me. I give thanks each day that I do not have to visit my sons grave like so many parents have to . . . I am blessed each day that God granted my prayers and returned him to his family safe.

Please find time to give thanks for the Service Men & Women that gave service to our great Country so we can enjoy this blessed weekend with our family and friends!

Tennessee

I took a trip last week to Tennessee to see my wonderful friend and her husband. They are the nicest people in the world . . no really in the whole world. If you met them you would think the same thing. We have been friends, as she pointed out on this trip, for 35 years. To some that is a life time but to me it seems like just yesterday that we met. My friend is a older than I am by about 17 years, back when I was 19 I thought she was to coolest women I had ever met, married with a good hard working man, nice girls a nice house and worked part-time . . just like I had always thought my life would be like . . . OK well that didn't happen . . but I did get the two nice kids! She was a good daughter when her parents were alive and is a good sister to her siblings, a great mom and a wonderful grandmother and a loving wife. She is wise beyond her years and is not only beautiful on the outside but is beautiful on the inside. She worships God and doesn't judge man by the color of his skin and that is one of her most endearing qualities to me.

Well I guess my point is . . . or what I am trying to say is . . . wonderful friends in your life are such treasures . . she gives me wisdom, unconditional love, laughter and just knowing her is a privilege . . and that is what friendship for me is all about. We have laughed together until our belly's hurt . . and cried together.

I am a better person because of her, she opens my eyes to what life holds for me as I grow older and the grace she carries herself with is amazing. I admire her in every way . . . I hope that you have someone in your life that changes you for the better if so make it a point to spend some time with them it is good for your soul.

Forgiveness

I have always been a forgiving person . . don't hold a grudge, usually never get mad, pretty easy going. I have always felt that judging people or the things they do wasn't my job . . because we will be judged in the end for the choices we make. . . right?

So when you forgive someone for doing something that really hurt you . . do you forgive unconditionally or do you keep that lie or hurtful comment in the back of your mind? Do you let the people you love influence your decision to forgive. . . and if you forgive someone for something hurtful . . does it matter if your family or friends understand why you forgave? Will the people you love understand the goodness inside you that allows you to forgive? The decisions we make do effect the ones we love . . but in the end whether anyone understands why we do what we do . . love never changes and people who love you should love you unconditionally . . .

Unconditional love and forgiveness is the only way I know how to love and to forgive, I thank my parents for that and hope my children have learned or as they age will look back and remember that forgiveness is as important as it gets!

So if there is someone in your life that you miss over something silly . . send them a card, give them a call, say a prayer for them and it let go . . . . it is Spring time . . . time to remember just what Spring is for . . . forgiveness and growth . .

Sun

OH SUN . . GLORIOUS SUN HOW I HAVE MISSED YOU!

I have come to the conclusion that even though I love winter . . with the white crisp snow . . I miss the sun to much. I have been sitting on the porch the last few days for 15 minutes like a big cat lapping up every ray of sun I can get. The last few years I have avoided the sun, you know all the wrinkles and all, but I have decided the last few days that I am going to drink up every ray I can . . . wrinkles and all. I plan on overdosing on Vitamin D . . strutting around my yard with my new tummy out for all to see, my bare feet feeling the heat off the pavement as I weed my flowers. . . heck I am even looking forward to the beads of sweat hanging off my nose.

Vitamin D is very important for people living in northern states that lack in sunlight light like Michigan. . . it can affect your mood, your bones, Vitamin D helps reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity . . do some research on your own to find what amount is right for you. . . OK off the soap box!

So I am hoping for lots of sun in my future even if it has to come out of a box at the tanner . . OK so that's not real sun . . but it's warm so it's a start!

The monster lurking inside of me

I have fought bouts of depression all my life, I have never let it get the best of me but it is always there lurking in the back ground. I don't think I am that much different than anyone else I just admit that I get depressed. I thought when I lost weight it would go away but no . . it follows me around.

There are some days when I don't feel like I really belong anywhere, like I don't fit in with my sisters, family or my friends. I have always felt connected to my two kids and my grand-daughter but lately I feel kind of lost . . have you ever felt that way?

I feel very disconnect and am not sure how to get "reconnected". . .

I think people sometimes think just because you smile a lot that everything in your life is great . . that is a misconception.

Maybe it's the lack of sun lately that has me singing the winter blues . . I miss being able to just walk out the door and work out all the worlds problems with just a good walk. Hopefully spring will get here and feeling the warm sun on my wrinkled face will make the world right again . . .

Someday my Prince will come . . yeah right!

One morning this past week I took my grand-daughter to pre-school in her dads truck when the princess CD began playing . . (apparently they listen to this when they are driving). . . Cinderella started singing "Someday my prince will come" . . . so that got me to thinking maybe I thought that was true in my twenty's or even thirty's but once the forty's came and went I knew the idea of my "Knight in Shinning Armor" was no longer a reality.

So now that I am in my fifties . . my vision of the prince has changed slightly . . . my prince is now a King . . probably retired . . his kingdom is a mobile home in Florida and his white horse is an old white Chevy truck . . with rust on the fender . . if you know what I mean . . lol

My wish for my daughter that she can tell her children her fairy tale someday and that my grand-daughter will be able to repeat her story of love to her children . . . and so on . . . I hope that as long as they live and believe in love they never give up the hope that dreams really do come true.

I still haven't given up hope that I will meet my King someday . . but for now . . I will keep looking at all the Prince's and hopefully they all have single fathers who are Kings . . .

Ramblings of a Crazy Women

Life can be so weird . . is this a test?

Why do grown people have to lie? . . isn't it just easier to tell the truth?

Why can't my wonderful son find a job?

How come even at 52 fresh fallen snow tastes so good . . ya that's right I still eat it . .

How come when I get sick . . like just about everyday (gotta love gastric bypass ) . . I don't get skinny??

These are just a few things I am pondering today . . .