My Family Needs Your Prayers

I don't profess to be particularly religious, although I was brought up in the Catholic Church and went to mass as often as my parents sent me, but in the last week I have probably said more prayers than the last 10 years combined. I am one of ten children, 7 boys and 3 girls and I am the youngest. We are a very tight knit group and since both of our parents have passed, my dad when I was a teenager and my mom a little over a year ago, we have needed each other even more than in the past.

Just last week, on Friday morning, my brother who is the oldest had a very serious stroke. It was actually a hemorrhagic stroke and the bleeding was in the middle of his brain. He is not in very good shape right now but we are hoping for the best. He is not really responding to any stimuli and we are not sure how much he can comprehend. Now this is a man who lived a very healthy lifestyle, working out 3 times per week and eating a healthy diet and was very active and vibrant, but I guess you just never know what life can throw at you. Anyway he is a bit of father figure to me as well, since my own dad died when I was young and my brother is just about 20 years older than me, so needless to say him and I have always been close. So what I'm asking is if anyone has any extra prayers or would like to take a minute and offer one up, we're taking. We could really use them.

It's Crazy Isn't It?

Jayjay

Friday Fill In

And...here we go!



1. Right now, I'm feeling concerned.
2. Home is where I want to be.
3. How does one know when to quit??
4. Life keeps me on track.
5. Please don't judge people before you know them..
6. Naturefills me with joy.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to the gym, tomorrow my plans include groceries and school work and Sunday, I want to do some baking.!

Busy Week

So I haven't had much time this week to do all the internet visiting that I would like to do, it has just been one of those busy weeks. We all have them, that's for sure. Now that I have a minute, and only about a minute, I just thought I'd write a few lines to refresh myself and anyone who may read this.

The week is quickly approaching it's end and I am looking forward to this weekend. Not because there is anything special I have to do this weekend, but because there isn't anything. This weekend is wide open and I think I'll just spend some time at home, do some reading, and some of the dreaded housework and just relax. Sometimes it's just those simple things that can seem so exciting just because it's wide open and free and you don't have anything you HAVE to do. Cheers for free weekends.

It's Crazy Isn't It?

Jayjay

Friday October 17

And...here we go!

Friday Fill In

Thanks Janet.

1. Follow the yellow brick road.
2. Sunscreen is something I always take with me on vacation.
3. To achieve your goals, you must work hard.
4. I'm a softie is something I'd like you to know about me.
5. I have a soft spot for unruly kids..
6. Hope floats.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a concert, tomorrow my plans include Laundry and chores and Sunday, I want to go on a nature hike!

I Love Long Weekends

You have to love a long weekend, that extra day just adds so much. We had a great weekend with family and friends, got lots of chores done and got to enjoy the outdoors also because the weather was great.

Even though the autumn is just a precursor to winter, I still love it. I love the crisp, dry air, the wonderful colours, Thanksgiving and even though winter is coming it brings thoughts of (dare I say it) Christmas, which is another one of my favourite holidays.

This fall I plan to really enjoy myself and take in as much of the outdoors as possible. I have also decided to take on a more positive attitude toward winter. Remember when you were a kid and a snowfall was exciting because you looked forward to sledding and making snowmen and skating, instead of heating and shoveling. So to that end I have made a vow to do more sledding and skating and snowman making and less shoveling and maybe, just maybe I will enjoy this winter like I did when I was a child.

It's Crazy Isn't It?

JayJay

Thanksgiving Weekend At Last!

Thanksgiving Weekend. The first long weekend of the school year. Wow that extra day on the weekend sure makes a difference.

I always find Thanksgiving works, it makes me sit back and think of all the things I am grateful for and really cherish. So for today I thought I would list a few in no particular order:

1. My husband and 2 children
2. My 7 brothers and 2 sisters
3. My parents who have both passed on, but were awesome parents, friends, mentors,
people.
4. Living in a free country
5. The ocean - I am thankful every day for the ocean.
6. My profession - even though it is at times frustrating, I love it.
7. Books - good books
8. Sunshine
9. Rain
10. Music

Of course there are many more things, but these are some that I cherish and am grateful for every day. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

It's Crazy Isn't It?

Jayjay

And Some Days Not So Normal

Have you ever read the poem May You Always Have Enough…by Patricia Bankhead. It reads as follows:

May you always have enough…

Joy to make you laugh
Hope to make you smile
Sorrow to keep you praying
Faith through your trials

Peace so you can rest
Pain to make you strong
Wealth to meet your needs
Friends to cheer you on

May God give you enough love from day to day
To help somebody else along the way

Well just a day after I had written about the greatness of a normal day, I had a not normal day. We had a situation at school, which was somewhat frightening, my oldest moved out (again), and many other little things, which were not normal, occurred. It reminded me of this poem because it made me think if we didn't have those days, which are "not normal", then we might not recognize the wonderful serenity that goes hand in hand with a normal day. I think this poem should also include the line "enough chaos to make normal seem like the best thing on earth".

It’s Crazy Isn’t It?

JayJay