A SENSE OF SECURITY IS FLEETING FOR SOME

I am blessed!

I have been a nurse for 25 years and have never had to worry about employment.

I have been married for nearly 17 years and have never had to worry about being alone.

Many are not so fortunate.

I cannot imagine having a career in an industry that lacks the certainty of a job from day to day.

I cannot imagine being in a relationship that lacks the certainty of 'till death do us part'.

I am blessed!

I not only have a nursing job that is secure but I also have a thriving home business.  I not only have a loving, supportive husband but I also have loving and supportive friends.

So why am I so blessed, when others live many days of uncertainty in both employment and  relationships?

I really don't know.  But I am very grateful!

Perhaps it is because I don't do stress well.

So perhaps my 'security' is more an outcome of what I lack...... an inner strength that survives a storm.

I believe we are only given burdens that we are each able to bear.  So maybe I am not strong enough to be employed in an industry of instability.  And perhaps I lack the personal strength needed to cope with the pain of broken or strained relationships.

So if you are one of those people who lives with the uncertainty of employment from day to day or who rides a roller coaster of relationships.........And if you are able to do this while keeping your chin up and persevering.......

Then "Kudos to you"!  You are strong!  And you inspire me!

Give Thanks!

BIRTHDAYS - TO BE REMEMBERED OR FORGOTTEN?

I have a twin brother and a sister who's birthday is 2 days after mine.  For me, birthdays were always a 3 way celebration.  So I never really learned to enjoy being the center of attention and I never really thought much of birthdays.  I can take them or leave them.

Some birthdays are obviously more special to most of us then others, such as 13 or 21 or 25.  After that they usually become less important.  Then when 40 comes or even worse 50, we would just assume stay under the covers and wait for the day to end and hope nobody is the wiser.

But when you think about it, birthdays really are quite special.  Chances are nobody you know shares the same birthday as you.  And we all could benefit from feeling special for one day of the year, where friends and family wish us well, through simple gestures of cards and phone calls.  For those of us who don't mind being the center of attention, a party never hurts either.

It is nice to know that people around us care enough to think about us on our special day each year!

But somehow that does not always happen.  How is it that our lives have become so busy that we cannot remember to practice simple gestures for those we love?

As a small business owner, I make an effort to give a card to each of my employees on their birthday.  It is a gesture of kindness and appreciation for the work they do for me and a means of honoring them on their special day.

On the other hand, some of us receive birthday cards from our business associates but not necessarily from our close friends or even family.  Seems rather ironic to me and also very sad.

Receiving a simple, kind gesture makes anyone's day brighter.  Even more so, if it is for no special occasion and a total surprise.  It is an opportunity to show someone you care.

I am as guilty as anyone of being caught up in my own busy world and forgetting to show those close to me how loved they are.  Birthdays are one obvious opportunity and we all have calendars and even smart phones that can remind us of important dates and events.  So we are sadly without excuse.

It really does not take much effort to show simple thoughtfulness, when you think about it.  But the results in the heart of the recipient can be enormous!

Note to self....Program my new iPhone with reminders of special dates to practice thoughtfulness.

What am I thankful for?

1) Being born in the best season (summer) so that my birthday is usually hot and sunny and fun to celebrate.  (Fun is very important as we celebrate 'older' birthdays.)

2) And for those who faithfully remember my birthday with good wishes and kind gestures each year!

Give Thanks!

A NEEDED LUXURY FROM TIME TO TIME

Sleeping In......What could be sweeter then staying in bed on a morning when it is wet and cold outside?

Having nothing to get out of bed for, the luxury of catching some extra sleep and keeping warm a little longer on a weekend morning is sublime.

However, for many of us something usually gets us out of bed sooner then we would like.  Employment is an obvious one but what about the other 'alarm clocks' that can sometimes be seven days a week and 52 weeks a year?  Like children or puppies or snoring spouses?  Then there is the seasonal stuff like the city snow plow or the lawnmower next door.  Or how about the good old garbage truck or telephone?  UGH!

There's nothing worse then finally getting a morning to sleep in and then someone, somehow spoils it for you!

Of course there are the truly blessed people who can sleep through anything and sleep in, any old time.  Oh how I envy them!  

Then there are people like me who have an internal clock that tells their body to wake up whenever the sun wakes up (or sooner) on just about every day of the year.

I confess that I fortunately do not need as much sleep as some people but I sure wish I could sleep in at least once a month and wake up feeling completely refreshed.

After all, our bodies need adequate sleep.  The description 'beauty rest' has some definite truth to it.  Adequate sleep does keep us looking and feeling younger and healthier.

Lots of studies have been done on sleep that indicate we concentrate better, have a better memory and a better mood if we get adequate sleep.   We also live longer, look better (because we don't look sleep deprived) and are healthier because of a stronger immune system.  Studies even show that chronic poor sleep increases our risk of cardiovascular disease.

So obviously we need to make adequate sleep a priority.  But this is easier said then done for some of us.  Even though there are lots of tips and advice out there, telling us how to improve our sleep such as  avoiding caffeine at night,  regular exercise, a healthy diet and keeping a regular sleep routine.  The fact still remains, when you can't sleep, you just can't sleep and nothing much is going to change that.  And I guess that's why some of us live healthier and longer lives then others.

But, nonetheless, I will keep trying to get that extra long sleep from time to time and when I do, I most certainly......

Give Thanks!

DINNER OUT ANYONE?

What's Not To Love About Eating Out?

•  I love trying new food
•  I love having my favorites again   

•  I love trying new restaurants                     
•  I love not having to cook

•  I love not having to clean up
•  I love going out with friends and family 

Well lately, I've been loving all of the above! 

My husband and I recently checked out 2 restaurants that were new to us in Langford, B.C.  The first was the Sabhai Thai Restaurant (www.sabhai.ca) with great prices, fabulous service and mouth watering food. I had the Drunken Noodles and the flavor was amazing.  My husband had the Hot and Sour Soup which he loves and does not get at home.  It actually met his desire for 'firey hot' which most restaurants are unable to attain, plus it was loaded with fresh cilantro.  With it he chose Pork Bites with a delectable pineapple dipping sauce.  I had to try some of these, of course, and they were a very tasty combination.  The atmosphere of the restaurant was wonderful and the place was crowded which says only one thing.....great food!

Our second new experience was the Log House Pub (www.loghousepub.ca) where we enjoyed good old fashioned, homemade, gourmet burgers.  My husband loves to eat a great burger on a regular basis but he doesn't love to cook on a regular basis; and since he is the burger cook at our house, we are always excited to find a restaurant that can make a tasty, juicy, loaded homemade burger.  The service was great, the prices as expected and the serving sizes were huge.  The usual pub atmosphere was present with large flat screen TV's for live sports, but not too loud and wild to interfere with eating and socializing.

My favorite restaurant, however, is not on Vancouver Island and believe it or not, it is a chain restaurant.  So periodically we take a ferry trip to the mainland and in the middle of Metropolitan Vancouver (in Langley, B.C.) is the only Olive Garden. (www.olivegarden.com)  We meet up with family, but my husband and I both order our favorites every time.   All entrees come with endless garlic bread sticks and a choice of either repeated helpings of their fresh house salad served with hot peppers, olives and their famous house dressing; or repeated servings of several homemade fresh soups.  My husband always chooses the salad with hot peppers and I always order the creamy, Zuppa Tuscano Soup with sausage, potatoe, kale and a hint of bacon.  I love it so much, I found the recipe on their website and make it at home sometimes.

We then both order our favorite entree which is the Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo.  It is tender, grilled beef medallions (medium rare is best) with a balsamic glaze, served with fettuccini and spinach, and smothered in a creamy Gorgonzola alfredo sauce.  After we each have 2 of our appys, we usually cannot finish the main course, so we take it home and reheat it later and it is just as incredible.  Wow, I'm getting hungry just typing about it!  The only sad thing about the Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo is that it is one of the few Olive Garden Recipes that cannot be found on their website.

So, who's hungry now?  Time to plan a visit to your favorite restaurant.  Don't forget to say grace and.......

Give Thanks!

DISILLUSIONED

Sometimes life does not make sense!

You think you have something figured out, a logical plan in place, a great idea to pursue and then it all falls apart.  So you reevaluate the situation and maybe make some changes but it still falls apart.

Then you start asking yourself if it was ever a good idea or plan to begin with.  Were you crazy to think of the idea in the first place?  Everything looked and seemed good.

Others would benefit from the plan and you would be happy to follow through with the plan.  So why couldn't the pieces all fit together so the plan could be fulfilled?  After all it wasn't outrageous or far fetched.

Second guessing is a natural outcome when circumstances in our lives don't turn out according to our well intentioned plans.  Disillusionment, confusion, frustration are all the typical emotions to follow.

So where do we go from nowhere?  Do we ditch the plan all together even though logic and even common sense dictates that the plan is not only a good one but perhaps even a crucial one for your situation.

Don't you wish life had a clearly marked road so that we could never get lost, feel lost and ultimately be lost by all the confusing signs and signals?

I like to be on the right road that is going to get me to the destination that is best for my well being and those who travel with me.  But that road gets very blurry sometimes.

There is nothing more frustrating to me then not knowing for sure that the paths I choose are the right paths - the paths God wants me to be on - the paths that, though not always rosy,  at least inevitably are the best for me and part of God's ultimate plan.

But how do we know for sure?  God does not always make it clear to us.

I fumble around in the dark even though I am walking in His light!

Until I get to heaven and can ask Him face to face, I will often be perplexed trying to understand what God's will is as I journey the confusing road before me.

There are those who believe 'pat answers' to the confusion are the truth.   But I believe 'pat answers' are part of the confusion.

I have concluded, once again, that I simply have to accept the perplexing situations and call this acceptance faith.   I have to hold on to the truths that God is good, God is sovereign and God is wise.

Hebrews 11:1 says that "Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see". (NIV)

Faith is a gift from God, as is the Hope I hold on to when life does not make sense.

When we are disillusioned, we must still.....

Give Thanks!