“We eat not to enjoy food but to brag about its origin to our friends or anyone within earshot. It’s getting out of hand.” At Little Stories, Abby rails against the reign of “self-congratulatory nutritional piety.”
via On eating that which is real (and being relaxed about it) — Discover
Today as I reflect on the gifts I ordered on Cyber-Monday and the others I’ve already bought; I ponder will these bring happiness and joy to my loved ones?
It seems in todays culture we seek happiness as if it is a destination. As a place to arrive, but really I find it is a place of being. I have always believed we are responsible for our own happiness and yet we try so hard to make others happy.
What I truly believe is happiness changes with our stages of life. Now….I’m at the age where being a grandma lets me watch the different stages of life. Childhood, college, young families, middle-age and seniors.
The definition of happiness, joy and even contentment is so different in each stage. Childhood is looking for parents approval, the best friend or friends. Happiness for a college student may be getting into that desired school and graduating to the perfect job. What about the young family? It’s the wedding, the baby, the first house – all these bring happiness. You get the idea.
Unfortunately, things and situations don’t last or they change. I found myself a paraplegic in a six-hour time span from a rare neurological event in 2008. I have a good reason to not be happy or joyous. However, I wake up everyday and ask am I happy? The answer almost always yes!
Today, I am rolling out noodles on a table cloth that belonged to my grandmother and that makes me happy. It allows me to remember all the fun times I had with her in the kitchen. It also lets me to think about my parents (they live in Florida during the winter.) So this is just one example of what I mean about happiness being a state of being, not something we can attain through material objects.
I would be slack though if I didn’t mention that my relationship with Jesus is the number one thing that brings me happiness, joy and contentment. The scriptures are full of reasons to be happy everyday you have breath. They are so full of good news and hope.
I just want to encourage you to be happy with you and where you find yourself, because life never stays the same.
Enjoy your Christmas preparations my fiends,
Lora
Feel free to leave me a comment about what memory brings you happiness.
It’s the beginning of a new week, which is always exciting. Forget about what wasn’t done last week or what was attempted and maybe didn’t turn out so well.
Dwell on the good things. Count your blessings and be thankful….
In my opinion rosehilldesignstudio.etsy.com is my favorite place for inspiration. I love her stuff and this is just my opinion from ordering her journals.
Happy Thanksgiving week All!
Lora
I just felt the need to share something cute and cuddly with you today. It was a bit chilly this morning as I had a doctor’s appointment. So here they are:
Meet Lacie and Louie
Aren’t they the cutest? It is so nice to be able to love them and not have all the work, just like grandkids. Can you tell them apart? Here is the clue-the ears, Louie has the droopy ears and Lacie has the other. By the way, they are brother and sister. Lacie and Louie are both Penn State Nittany Lion fans, because that is where daddy played college football.
Share your grand puppy stories and pictures with me, please.
Wishing you puppy kisses,
Lora
My mother is the healthiest seventy-four year old anyone knows. Imagine my shock when I receive a call from my dad informing me she needs triple by-pass surgery in two days.
Did I forget to mention I’m in Ohio and they are “snow-birds, too old for the cold” living in Florida. They just left two weeks before this call. If you are familiar with my story, I am in a wheelchair. It is a rather nice chair, but all the same I had to make some decisions here. What was the best way to travel to Florida?
It will take 22 hours to drive or 2 1/2 hours to fly. I know what you are thinking, duh! take the flight. Did I mention the wheelchair? Flying leaves me without transportation to get around, unless I rent an over-priced mobility van. Driving is a long way for my husband to be the only driver, since we needed to get there now. What to do?
As always I had faith things would work out, as they always do. Our dear friends (also our pastors) called within the hour of hearing the news and offered to drive us to Florida in there comfy, nice mini-van. Not just that but they could pray with my parents and….wait for it…they would fly home and leave us their van to get around in .
Okay, I ask when in this self-centered, I’m too busy for you world would anyone be so generous? I’m telling you God’s people, that’s who.
Well long story short (I know too late for that), 24 hours after surgery we were told mom was the healthiest patient on the cardiac-ICU floor and she went home on Wednesday. That is five (5) days after triple-by-pass. She is doing great. At this time of Thanksgiving I want to appreciate and thank everyone for their prayers, Steve and Lisa for their great company and van use, and especially Jesus Christ for his healing touch on MoM.
August 2015-Mom on her 74th Birthday
Be Thankful, Be Giving,
Lora
Anyone living in the mid-northeastern area of the country this year deserves a break from the winter and spring we are having. The jokes on Facebook recently are “if I’d known spring was only going to last 3 days, I would have enjoyed it more.”
This year I was able to get a new wheelchair, this one reclines and does all kinds of other great stuff. So I was up for a new adventure at the beach with this new chair. Those of you that know me…well you know I always figure out how too!!!
It was perfect for getting a tan and being part of the actual beach. Take a look at what my chair is actually sitting on!! It’s a mat that lays on top of the sand for people with wheels…Thank you Fort Myers Beach, FL for making my 8 day get-away so fabulous.
I encourage anyone with a challenge to figure out a way to do what you love. Thank you to my parents and sister for making this possible.
Don’t you just love our crazy reading glasses…??
Blessings, Lora
I would only get up at 5am to bake a loaf of whole wheat bread, two peanut butter pies and crockpot potato soup for these three cuties
Brayden, Kaylin and Payton
Grandkis give you that second chance in life to mother again. There is no greater gift or feeling of pride you will experience than your grandkids.
I do have to admit the job was made so much easier with my crockpot and bread machine. I also buy frozen pie crust. I have to admit after 20 years of making my own crust no one has mentioned the switch to frozen.
Here is my mother-in- laws recipe
(God rest her soul)Ruth’s Peanut Butter Pie
1frozen pie crust (baked & cooled)
**Ruth made her own crust**
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup of peanut butter
One 5.1 oz (144g) instant vanilla pudding
one container of cool whipCrumble together the peanut butter and powdered sugar (I use my food processor.). Put most of this crumbled mix on the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Pour the pudding over the crumbs. Top with cool whip. Sprinkle the rest of the remaining crumbs over the top of cool whip. Keep refrigerated. TIP: when mixing the pudding the milk is always reduced 1/2 cup for pies.
Sharing the recipe of a loved one passed on is a great way for you to connect the memory with the later generations. The kids and I will have a great day talking about great-grandma Ruth, while eating her recipe.
Please share a way you connect the memory of generations past in the comments. I would love to hear from you!
Blessings,
Lora
I live in northeastern Ohio and find myself in the house for many days in a row. The main reason is because of the wheelchair; doing donuts in the chair isn’t as much fun as it was in the car. Anyway…. There are many reasons you may find yourself in this situation. Maybe you have littles or you live in Boston (need I say more.)
I feel what gets me through these days is to stick to a schedule. Make your day as routine as you can. Always begin with a positive reading. I find my devotional Bible and something funny like a short story very good. And then I keep to a schedule. My schedules are measured in blocks of time. An example; One hour of the news, two hrs crafting, and etc. setting a timer is my favorite thing to do! I never have the same starting time daily, as others so kindly help me get up each day.
Share some ideas of what gets you through these long winter days in the comments below
Be joyful, no matter the circumstances!
Lora
Good Morning friends,
Today I am enjoying my second cup of tea and trying to convince myself it is warm and sunny outside. I’m not so sure I even care if it’s warm I just want some sunshine. Yesterday the sun was shinning bright and I enjoyed my tea in front of the patio doors. I always enjoy watching the birds eat and play. All I could think about was all the new projects I have planned for Jim (dear hubby.)
I am blessed to have Jim in my life. If you’ve read my bio; you know that six years ago I was suddenly and without warning paralyzed from the waist down in a six hour time span. Thus, I live my life in a wheelchair. I do my best to stay independent and work on my DIY projects, gardening, decorating, etc. But without this man’s help it would be very hard.
My condition came on suddenly, but I notice many others who also have conditions that slow them down as we age. I know in my mind, I’m still that 30-something, how about you? We all need someone to help us sometimes. You may not have a Jim, but if you look you may have a friend or neighbor that will get just as excited as you are to plan and carry-out a project. The planning gets you excited and you can always trade something you can do for something they would enjoy.
My sister hates to cook or bake, I don’t let her near my kitchen. Something always gets broken. She is happy to trade dinner for cleaning my house or helping me with a project.
Can you think of that person you would love to get excited with, planning a project? Start the conversation, put the plans on paper, look for ideas on Pinterest! As you work that out I will enjoy my cup of tea. This is a picture of my little drink station I set up on my kitchen counter. I think it’s cute and it is something I could do on my own. Have a virtual cup of tea with me today, I would love your company.
Sincerely,
Lora
We were so excited this weekend to spend time with our nephew’s wife Jordan. She and my sister’s boy Brian are living in Hawaii. We are so proud to have him serving in the Navy. That’s Jordan in the pink
We went to a D-league
basketball game one night and played cards another.
Being in a wheelchair does have its perks-they seated my husband and myself right on the floor. We had the best seat
What did you guys do fun this weekend? Any suggestions for an activity in a wheelchair?
Enjoy every step!
lora
Living Wheel Life 