Stay Tuned...

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. I'd like to include my thanks for all the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. We are truly blessed to live in such wonderful country.

In other news, the results for the second round of the ACFW Genesis contest comes out this week.

Putting Off

Do you ever find yourself "putting off for tomorrow what you can do today"? Maybe it's washing the dishes, or doing the laundry, or vacuuming the house, or mowing the lawn. Honestly, sometimes it's all of these things for me. :) I don't know about you, but every time I buckle down and finally do those chores I've put off, it makes me feel better. Perhaps it's the bringing order to chaos. I don't know, but it's then I ask myself "why did I put it off to begin with?"

This topic is fresh on my mind because after letting my grass get so high I could lose my dog in it, I finally mowed yesterday. My, but I was a sight--faded blue jeans, bright yellow shirt, purple sunglasses, and a red bandana tied over my nose. If anyone saw me, they would've thought a rainbow bandit had commandeered my lawnmower. If anyone heard me, they'd have thought I'd taken leave of my senses. For someone who didn't want to mow, I truly seemed to enjoy myself. I was out there yeehaw-ing while bumping and bouncing my way through the waist-high grasses like a bronc-riding cowgirl. (Literally!) This morning I've got the bruises to prove it, but my freshly mowed lawn makes me smile. Maybe we should "never put off for tomorrow what we can do today." 

What are you waiting for? Seize the day!

Anna Finch and the Hired Gun

Okay, so who doesn't like to read stories set in Colorado in the 1800s? Anna Finch and the Hired Gun has it all--Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Pinkerton agents, and a woman who'd rather ride her high-spirited horse and shoot her Smith & Wesson pistol than look for a husband. This is definitely a page-turner that will keep you hooked 'til the end.

I read this book over the weekend and would recommend it to anyone in the market for a good read.

Have you read any good books lately? If so, please share.

Heartfelt Thanks

"Why do we have Mother's Day?" I actually had this question asked of me this past weekend. My mother and I came up with the response, "Someone must have really loved their mother and made a day to celebrate it." In a way this is true, but now I wonder what is the real history on the subject.

From what I gather, many countries celebrate mothers. Although, they do not all celebrate on the same day. My count came to 79 countries (including the U.S.) who will celebrate on the second Sunday in May. The push for a "Mother's Day" began in the U.S. as far back as the 1870s, but not until 1914 did it become a national holiday. Anna Jarvis is given credit for finally convincing others, including President Woodrow Wilson, that we should have a day for celebrating mothers.

I, for one, celebrate the gift of my mother. She is an amazing woman of God who loves me unconditionally. I am grateful she taught me God's Word from a young age. I am truly blessed to have her in my life.

How about you? Are you thankful for the mother figures in your life?

Impulse

Do you ever have that impulse to do something different? Break the monotony? Bring a change? Maybe it's moving the furniture, cutting your hair, or getting away for the weekend. Well, I felt the urge to do something a little on the crazy side this past week. Don't be afraid. I've done this before on a few occasions, but this time it went a little different--I was surprised with a wonderful blessing in the process. Okay, I can almost hear you asking, "what did you do already?!"

Answer: I donated my hair to Locks of Love.

Yes, I whacked off more than ten inches of hair. It now curls under my chin instead of hanging to the middle of my back. Impulsive, I know, but it's great! Besides, it'll grow back (and I can do it all over again :) ).

All right, so what was the blessing?

Unlike the times before, I didn't have to pay to have my hair cut! The guy did it for free, but I didn't find that out until he was finished. He was thrilled to get a donation and not only that but one of red hair.

My pastor has preached--and I've read it myself--that when you're in the center of God's will, He provides. God surely did that for me on Thursday.  :)

Now, here's some questions for you: Have you done anything impulsive lately? Has God provided for you in some special way? Or has He given you an unexpected blessing? Share your thoughts, and maybe I'll share a picture of my new haircut.