FMF: BLAME

 Hello, blog world I haven't been on here in forever, but today's prompt reminded me that I used to love this space. So here goes nothing...

Five minutes to write and one word prompt

Blame, it has been a hard, rough, stressful two weeks. I won't go into details, but suffice to say that I have a lot to learn about management. I could sit here and blame everyone else, but that isn't how the moving forward process works. I instead am here to own my part, I don't believe I am to blame for everything, but what I did was not acceptable, it was a rookie mistake and was more hurtful than helpful. I am moving forward from this and learning. I have actually spent the last two weeks feeling sorry for myself, having a pity party my husband has said, and then picking myself up and moving forward. I have been doing some therapy, some talking to friends, some self-care, some helping others, reaching out and reminding myself that one bump in the road is not my forever it is part of my story but not something to dwell on. I used to say at the office all the time when someone made a mistake, we don't do brain surgery we didn't kill anyone so move on. And I am standing by that, I didn't kill anyone, but I do want to apologize for hurting feelings, because that is hard for me to process. I am a people pleaser much to my detriment usually, but being mean is not something I like I have worked hard in life to not be a mean person. 

Lesson Learned: Don't blame yourself or others, own your part in the story and move forward. Be Better!

Green

 Linking up to Five Minute Friday, this week's prompt is Green

So many meanings one tiny five letter word, perfect for Five Minute Friday

Green as in the color of the fields in the spring

Green under the gills because she is seasick

Green as in the newbie worker

Green thumb

I love new green experiences as they are what you make of them. I can have a terrible time or try something new and see what happens. About 3 years ago we took a little family vacation on our way back from Idaho and we stopped and went zip-lining it was one of those things I was terrified to do. My husband and girls are adrenaline junkies, their wife and mama not so much. Pair that along with the fact that I truly hate heights and ziplining seemed like one of the worst experiences to ever come my way. However after walking thru all the safety stuff having them check and double check and watching the instructor go I thought OH I CAN DO THIS. And I did and it was so much fun, it was exhilarating and peaceful up there above the tree tops. 

Go enjoy some new green experience this weekend.

Enable

 Do you enable them? This is the question that came to mind when I saw the word for today. And the answer is maybe, I enable lots of people in my life to do what they do. Whether that is good or bad will remain a mystery for now. 

I enable my children who are 18 to be children. they are responsible have jobs, keep grades, are respectful engaging and genuinely good. They are seniors in high school, and with COVID have had a rough time junior and senior year haven't been what they should have been. So yes I enable them to grab any opportunity to have regular fun. 

I enable my husband to follow his dreams, because I believe in him. Once he sets his mind to something he might not always take the easy route, but he always takes the route that gets him where he wants to go and live this amazing life we have been blessed with. 

So enabling is not always bad, I don't enable those around me to break the law or hurt others. I enable them to live life, to enjoy the small things, but mostly to make memories. Because when we are gone from earth what we leave behind is the memories. 

You can read other Five Minute Friday posts here

Observant

 How observant are you with those around you? I would say I am sometimes too observant, I take little changes in mood, body language to heart. I am always feeling like I am not enough, maybe this is a mom thing, a wife thing, a friend thing, but it always feels like I could be better so I am overly observant. 

When did I lose being me, knowing that I am trying my hardest and that sometimes my hardest isn't going to be good enough, but that is OK. When did I become so wrapped up in everyone else and the world around me, waiting watching hoping praying, but never do that for me but for others. Being observant is so many things, but sometimes we need to be more observant of ourselves, taking care of ourselves, listening and watching our bodies and minds. Because we are so important to so many people around us, that if we aren't observant of ourselves sometimes we fail more. 

I am challenging all of you to observe yourselves, not your friends, kids, husbands, families, but just you. For a day pay attention to you I think it will help reduce your stress, remind you that you are an amazing human being.

You can read other blogs that wrote about this adventure of Five Minute Friday here

Sunrise

I am back!! 

Not sure there is a better Five Minute Friday prompt for this post. The sunrise says "Here is a new day, another adventure, another chance, make the best of it, make memories"

We are in a sunrise of becoming empty nesters, neither of us is excited about this, we have loved being parents, loved spending time with our girls and their friends, gaining friends from kids sports and friends, it has been an adventure that we have cherished every moment of and lost ourselves in.  We are learning that our next adventure will be fabulous too, we truly do like each other, respect each other, have fun together and can't wait to see what the future holds for our girls and us. We are all growing in this new sunrise, and I can't wait to share the adventures!!

If you want to participate in Five Minute Friday you can by clicking here

3 Wonderful Things

So it has been awhile...

I can't promise I will keep up, but today I feel pressed to post. I saw a journal prompt that stated to list three wonderful things you see when you look in the mirror.

1. My smile, it lights up my face. It is genuine and it's shows my imperfect side as it is a little crooked. I love it. 

2. My eyes they shoe my soul. I am pretty sure I wear my heart on my sleeve and my emotions can be felt through my eyes. Sad, mad, happy it is all there for the world.

3. My pink cheeks. My family calls it the Baker Blush, I don't need blush as my cheeks always have a little pink to them and I always used to hate it. Now they are just part of me.

What are three things you see when you look in the mirror?

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Monday Monday Monday

Ugh, what a day I am going to lay it all out and leave it for the man upstairs to help me sort out.

So it wasn't terrible none of it is earth shattering or movie worthy. 

First, a kid with one class that is kicking her butt, I am trying not to worry about this too much as it is just the start of freshman year and I know there is a lot going on. 

Second, a kid who forgot my golden rule of never ever argue over text or email. Arguing is always done best in person. High school girl drama be damned, I swear it might actually kill me the second time around. I knew when I had girls this could go one of two ways then I twin girls. One is so confident in herself that she says what she feels and there are no grey areas. The other is a little more unsure but guarded about what she says. This too shall pass. 

Third, is all little stuff a gazillion flies in my house, the lady that made me sit at the crosswalk for 7 minutes while she explained to her child about crossing, and the lady who slammed on her brakes to turn with no blinker. 

Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

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When do you feel content?

Hi, funny all day I have been thinking about doing a live video, but hiding behind my keyboard always sounds better. I found one of my favorite sites, "Text My Journal" and the post prompt for today is the title of this post. 

So when do I feel most content, well that seems almost too easy. On a Sunday, after grocery shopping and housecleaning on Saturday. I love getting to sleep in with my family, get up and make breakfast while drinking coffee in my PJ's. Then an afternoon of football, or getting firewood, or anything that isn't a house chore. That is content just hanging out with my family enjoying moments together because I know they are becoming fewer and fewer. 

When are you the most content?? Let me know in the comments. 

~Mama Feist

Book Review: The One Year Praying through the Bible for Your Kids

Praying through the Bible for your Kids...this book was not what I was expecting. It is a day-by-day, step-by-step, but I thought it was going to give me more of a system, or a keyword or help me with certain areas I was looking for, and it just didn't. I had a hard time reading this book or following along. 

I felt like this book was out of touch with issues, and problems affecting parents in today's world. I have 14 year old girls, so it is very possible that someone who has younger kids would get more out of this book. I am looking for help praying for them, and I just didn't feel connected to this book in this way.

I am happy to send this book to another parent if they would like to try it out and post a review on my blog with your thoughts? Send me a message or comment below.

** Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book

Book Review: 365 Pocket Morning Prayers

WOW....beautiful. This book comes all enclosed in this baby/robin blue soft leather cover. It is small and would easily fit in your purse. The book walks you through each day, short and simple message. I love how easy it is.

365 days, I have not read each of these yet, I love the guide in the back where you can search for a keyword and then just go to a prayer referencing that topic. I have a couple of pages dog-eared as I reference them often, good reminders. I love that I can carry this around, do it in the morning or at night or anytime I am feeling stressed really.  This book calms my nerves and has wonderful messages, good notes and the scripture references are the best. I usually store this next to my bible and can go between the two. I highly recommend.

**Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Book Review: Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal

This book is simple, it is coloring, relaxing, scripture, and reminding one that there is so much to be grateful for.  In this world we live in we easily forget how much there is to be thankful for. God provides our necessities, we take them for granted.  This coloring journal provides you a place to be creative, and take some time to reflect on the good.

Gratitude is a wonderful book, the pages are wonderful, the scripture and quotes are appropriate and timely. I felt like I could browse around in it and I didn't have to color in order. Some pictures I have not finished, some I have not started, but it always has a place. I love the concept of coloring and journaling, but with twin daughters, a full-time job, a husband, family and well just a busy life I found it difficult to find time to color as much as I would have liked. My girls did get to do some coloring in this as well and they loved it too. The pictures are brought to life by you.

***Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book

Supermom, Superwife, Superhuman, nah not so much

I used to love this term and maybe even if I am being honest with myself wanted to live up to that dream.  The dream that you can do it all and have it all, but truth be told we are all human and that term Supermom is nothing more than an illusion.  When my girls were little, I could cook dinner, scrapbook, and pay bills all at the same time, or at least I thought I could. However over the years, I have figured one thing out if I appear Superhuman in any way shape or form it is all an illusion.  While I am being creative, multi-tasking, and superhuman I assure you some part of my world is being neglected.

Yes, I consider myself a good mom, not perfect or superhuman by any means. I have walked out of the house many times without giving a kiddo cold medicine she requested before she went off to school. I have packed a lunch that might make McDucks look healthy. And I have yelled over them forgetting a violen or basketball bag at home more than once.

Now I also consider myself to be a good wife, not super though. I can pack him a lunch, make his coffee, and wash clothes all day long. You see I do all this because he loves that stuff, I could buy him a million gifts and he wouldn't appreciate it nearly as much as me packing his lunch every day. He can also infuriate me and make me laugh all in the same 20 minute period.

While I am good at both of these jobs, super I am not. Maybe for periods but while being a supermom I am not a superwife, and visa versa.  I am not and cannot be great at everything all at once. Now that doesn't mean I don't try, but lately I feel like being average is more my style. You get what you see. 

Yes, I make lunches for all of us every morning and coffee.  However I don't make breakfast every morning they are on their own for most mornings in fact toaster struedals and cereal are mainstays in my house, except Sunday's. That day I love getting up and making a good breakfast. That I do for me, I love sitting at the table and enjoying a morning meal with my family. Selfish yes, but sometimes we all do stuff that is more for us than those around us.

You see for all the stuff I do, I get back more than that in love. My husband really does appreciate my lunch packing, coffee making skills. It lets me use my love giving skills and his love accepting skills.

Please don't think I am super at anything, I am just me nothing super about it. And that is ok.

Anger

The prompt/question for the day....How do you deal with anger or frusteration? How could you improve your reactions?

Anger and Frusteration are honestly usually met with tears, I am funny that way I guess.  When I am frusterated it is always tears that you see, which is funny because that then makes me mad.  I hate crying as a response, but I guess there are worse things.

I am not sure what I used to do but my responses to both of these are pretty boring.  I will take a walk or journal. I love writing or typing out my frusteration/anger. It helps me think, collect my thoughts, and come up with a plan.

A little gratitude

I found this fun, thought provoking, engaging, and refreshing new blog, you can see the link below to check it out.

Text My Journal Blog

I love having prompts for each day, it helps me get going back into my writing and gives me food for thought.

I am picking up from yesterday when I found them so here you go

27. Pick a word to focus on for the next 7 days. Write it somewhere you’ll see it. Make a list of ways you can add the essence of this word into your daily routine.

So my word is HAPPY, and I instantly thought of Little Miss Sunshine. Yes, she is old school and I love her she always makes me smile.  I have printed several little versions of her and wrote the word happy next to them, and am placing them were I will see her daily (on my desk, in my planner, bathroom mirror, on the fridge, etc).

28. Make a list of five things you’re grateful for – one for each sense: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

Five things I am grateful for...

1. Sight - that I can see my children and watch them grow 
2. Sound - the crickets at night, it is calming and reminds me that I am a small part of a big world 
3. Smell - Smell of fall, apple pie, cinnamon, fireplaces, cozy 
4. Taste - I am thankful I can taste everything, but this time of year, stew and chili love cold weather food 
5. Touch - my husband, I love wrapping my arms around him 

More to come tomorrow and hopefully for many more days along with some none prompted entries, as I still have to write about our Family Vacation to Yellowstone!! 

Eye of the Storm

I love this song, heard it this morning and the beat and message is just, well, wonderful.

Food for Thought

Sometimes I receive something I want to share with all my friends and family. And I want to selfishly keep forever, this is one of those things.

LYSA TERKEURST

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:12-13 (NIV)

I remember sitting in the smelly middle school gym like it was yesterday.

I’d survived the awkward and much-dreaded moments of changing into my PE uniform in the girls’ locker room. And now I sat on the hard bleachers listening to the squeak of tennis shoes, the uneven cadence of bouncing balls, the teacher’s sharp whistle and the girls laughing behind me.

They weren’t laughing with me. That would have meant I was accepted, wanted and invited in to be a part of their group.

No, they were laughing at me.

I was the subject of their gossip. I was the punch line of their jokes.

And it hurt.

I imagine you know that hurt too. Change the scenery and people, and this same hurt can be found in most of our lives:

• When your coworkers all make plans to go to lunch, but you weren’t invited.
• When that other preschool mom says, “Several of us moms are concerned with how aggressive your child seems on the playground.”
• When everyone else’s social media makes marriage look dreamy and uber-romantic as you’re crying yourself to sleep.

Then a friend steps in with a gentle smile and a few simple words of encouragement and suddenly you’re not alone.

I want to be that friend for you today.

In the midst of whatever made your heart feel knocked off-kilter, can I whisper what I believe are the 5 best things one can say to a friend? And then might you give the gift of saying these things to a friend today?

This list is from our key verses, Romans 12:12-13, in a section titled “Love.”

1. “You’re wonderful.”

(Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope …”)

The world is quick to tell us all the ways we fall short. We are hyperaware of our faults and frailties.

So, what a precious gift to remind a friend of specific ways she’s a wonderful friend, a wonderful mom, a wonderful Jesus girl, a wonderful wife, a wonderful co-worker, a wonderful person.

2. “Me too.”

(Romans 12:12, “… patient in affliction …”)

What a blessing to remind a friend we all have afflictions, hurts, faults and tender places. We all get sick both emotionally and physically.

The patient friend freely gives grace because she so desperately needs it herself. “Me too” acknowledges I’m no better than you, but together we are stronger. It’s such a loving and disarming admission that we’re all in this together.

3. “I’ll pray.”

(Romans 12:12, “… faithful in prayer.”)

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to tell a friend you will absolutely be faithful in praying for her? I have someone who prays for me faithfully and even texts me Scriptures she’s praying.

But here’s what I really love about her. She doesn’t just pray about my situations: She prays me through them.

4. “I’ll share.”

(Romans 12:13, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need …”)

When we notice a need in a friend’s life, might we be willing to step in and be part of the solution?

I have a friend who lost every possession she owned due to a chemical spill in her home. So, we threw her a “Job Party” (like the man in the Bible). Each of us brought a few things to help her family start over.

We didn’t come close to fully meeting their financial needs. But we helped build a foundation of restoration and gave this family the assurance God was working on their behalf.

5. “Come over.”

(Romans 12:13, “Practice hospitality.”)

Welcoming a friend inside the sacred space of our home is such a needed gesture. There’s just something about relationships that are less pixelated when we get eye-to-eye, voice-to-voice and talk. Really talk.

Over broken bread we share broken hearts. And then we celebrate the parts of us that are still intact. We reach across the table and across our differences to grab hold of the glorious bond of friendship.

Yes, these are 5 great things to say to a friend.

And I’ve found as we purposefully ease the loneliness ache in others, we will see it is beautifully eased in us.

Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of friendship. Please show me who I can encourage today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Hebrews 13:16, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (NIV)

Book Review - American Patriots

Book Summary:

American Patriots, is a book written by Rick Santorum, it covers the stories of ordinary, regular American's and their role in our history.

My Review:

My opinion of this book, is hard written.  I am not a fan of the author and found this book very hard to read. I love history but maybe like my high school history teacher said you want to feel like you were there not like you are reading an account of it.  The people this book covered for the most part I had never heard of which did lead it's hand to keeping my interest but also had my mind wandering wondering more about the people.  Wanting to see pictures of them, wondering if other books/publications covered them.  For the history buff that likes short stories this might be a good read, however for me it was painful, long and very worded.


I did receive a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from Tyndale House.

Please go visit this little blog

So I have a friend, (well maybe I have a few), but this friend blogs and I want to share her blog with you.

Please go check out 

Femalespeciescom

And give her some feedback, love, praise and really take to heart her message. 

Great job Sara I am really enjoying your new venture.

Karma

I love this and there are some days I need the reminder more than once, I am human after all.

What goes around comes around. So I keep my circle positive, I do not seek revenge because I know those who are selfish, conniving, deceitful, and scheming will burn their own bridge. Nothing good comes from bad behavior. I say what I mean and don’t take others actions personally, the battle they are fighting isn’t with me it is their own. I will not smile when they fail I will be reminded that their failure was a direct result of their own actions.

Say good words. Think good thoughts. Do good deeds.

Slacking and Celebrating

Oh my you can say slacking? Well I can say it, and see it my last post was in December YIKES!!

Well there is a very special reason I am posting this man right here!!

You see he is another year old today and the best daddy to our girls. Every year he gets crap because my birthday and Christmas fall on the same day and he has to double buy presents. What not everyone realizes is that his birthday is really close to Fathers Day and sometimes on the same day.  So I get the same fun.  Not complaining just always think it's funny when people are like man I feel so bad for you.  

So to Shane, thank you for the last almost 16 years of us, and almost 7 years of marriage, and for our beautiful crazy life.  You and I have been opposites from the start, you being the wild to my calm, and the spontaneous to my planning, the ying to my yang.  I love that you bring me out of my shell, make me try new things, and remind me all the time that I am more than just a mom, I am your wife, a sister, friend, daughter, cousin, granddaughter, aunt, niece, and so much more. You push me to try harder, to reach for more, to relax and enjoy this ride we are on. Thank you for always making me feel beautiful, keeping me laughing, and for the days when it wasn't always easy loving me.

When it comes to our girls you can do no wrong.  They think you are a superhero, and I am thankful for that. You teach them that they are only limited by their minds, they will never know what they can attain if they don't try.  You are a friend, but parent and except manners and respect. Your relationship with them is setting the bar high for the men who are lucky enough to snag them.  They are going to expect someone hardworking, passionate, fun-loving, and caring. Thank you for always making sure that they have that example and always being there for them.

Now to that grandson title of yours.  If someone wants to see how grandparents are supposed to be treated they just have to watch you with your grandma. She is pretty sure you are perfect, and while you may have her fooled I love that she thinks that of you and that you have such a great relationship with her. I know you are lucky to have her and she is just as lucky to have you. 

To be honest and finish, you AMAZE me.  We have been together for a long time, but I am still learning things about you, and falling more in love with you.  I thank God for carpet glue every day!!

Love you babe, I hope this year is one of the best yet!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!