RPM's and PJ'S

At a business retreat Rick and I went to, a yoga instructor told us she always did her RPM's in the morning.  My husband quipped up, "Rise, pray, and meditate?"  "No," She laughed.  "Rise, PEE, and meditate."

I decided to add that to my morning routine but kept it Pray.  RPM'S can be an acronym for whatever you want it to be--hers, mine yours.  It was hard to do when I had kids at home.  I felt like I hit the floor with the RPM's going from 0 to 60 in 2 secs flat.  Now, I am more like an old jalopy, and I kind of like the feeling.

I rise after a decent night's rest (usually) and always start my day with prayer.  I need to ask God to help me throughout my day.  Some may scoff at the idea, and that's okay. It's their choice.  But it's my choice to start my day this way.  It helps me get going.  My meditation is usually reading a good book-scriptures, news, or something I want to read. Something that fills my soul with happiness.  I must say, not all news does this, but I like to keep up with what's going on in the world.  I limit this to once or twice a week.  This is done during breakfast and no more than 30-minutes.  I have been known to spend too much time involved in a good book.  :)

Now what are PJ'S?  That's the bedtime routine of course-Prayer, Journal, and Scriptures. These are done in any order, and if I have already done scriptures earlier in the day, I sometimes read a church magazine, do a crossword puzzle or something else to wind down.

I've always been one to write in a journal.  I have them going way back to when I was eight.  I don't do the whole routine every night.  It's always the P, but I usually save the J for once or twice a week.  I don't have enough worth writing about everyday.  I try to do the M and S everyday as I find taking time for me is very crucial.

Also, with journaling, I find it funny to read about me to my kids.  They realize I was a 'real' kid and teen and had issues just like they faced, even in the 'old' days.  It's good to read the stuff I'd forgotten I'd done with or to my siblings and about relatives who have passed away.  I get to read about when I first met Rick back when we were fifteen and laugh about the fun times we had.  He wonders why I wrote about all the crazy stuff.  I am glad I did, because I would have never remembered it.

I guess this blog is also a kind of journal for me, too.  It helps me unload some things I might not say otherwise.  It is therapeutic just like my RPM's and PJ'S are.

Friends

During this week, Life threw a few curve balls my way.  Living with MS, I expect all types of fast ones t0 come my way at any given time.  This week just happen to have a little of both MS and normal Life Game balls thrown into the mix.

In fact, everyone should expect curve balls at some point in their career.  For when those curve balls come and we hit for all we are worth (hopefully hitting some out of the ballpark), that is when we call the one or two good friend/s we have in our lives.  These friends give us a base to go to; a home plate to come safely into. Maybe, we just want a cheerleader.

I, for one, don't want unsolicited advice or someone to tell me "I told you so."  I just want someone to blow of some steam to; some to cry with; someone to help out; or someone to just listen.  Maybe that is why people tell me I am a great listener.  It is because I am hoping to be THAT friend to them.

I am sure we've all had someone come up to us and ask, "How are you?" or my favorite, "What can I do to help you?" and then, when you start to tell them, they stop listening or come up with all the reasons WHY they can't help you.  These are not true friends.  They are lip-service acquaintances. They want to give the appearance they care but don't really.  So when they ask the questions, they're duty is done.

A few year's ago when I was down for a relapse with MS, I had a person ask me if I needed help.  I thought it was a sincere offer.  I asked for a simple task that needed to be done. A week went by and then, this person told me, "My house needed it done too, so I worked on it instead. Hope you don't mind."  Really? Mine never got done.  Why the offer if there was no intention?

Are we guilty of doing that?  Do we offer lip-service?  Are we what my mother-in-law calls fair-weather friends?

I have gone out of my way to try NOT to do that.  If I am going to ask a person how they are doing, I want to know, and I stay to listen.  If I am going to help someone out, I make sure I am willing and able to do whatever it is they MAY ask of me.  You may never know, you could be someone's lifesaver just by simply stopping and taking 5 minutes to LISTEN or to help out.

The other day when one of those curve balls came, I was thinking of whom to call and help out. The list was few.  I didn't want another lip-service person with 1001 excuses of why now wouldn't work.  I needed a friend.  I said a silent pray that my #1 Friend wouldn't be busy and could help.  And he just happened to be free!.  The Lord was with me--He always is.



I am so glad I am married to my #1 Friend.

Our engagement photo 1990      

At our 25th year HS reunion 2011
 (yes, we graduated at same high school; no we weren't high school sweet hearts)

          

My second friend I call when my husband is busy and can't be around is my mom!

This was at an honor dinner at Weber University in Ogden, Utah, for my Mother-Virginia Stevens.
May 2005
(way young)

.A close third is my great daughter, Jess (now married to a great guy!)-

Hiking in Zion's National Park
Feb 2011

Zef and Jess Anderson
Draper, Utah
Dec 29, 2012

My sister, Bobbi Menlove-

Dec 29, 2012
Reception of Jess' wedding 

Bobbi and I enjoying camping and friendship.
Many Pines Camp Ground near Neihart, Montana ca. 1980

My friend since 7th grade-Cathy McGuire Kotzian

Cathy and I go way back.   Though life may have put miles
between us, we still keep in touch and we know we are there for each other!

This is Cath and I about 1985.  Bad pic but those were the days.
Charles M. Russell High School, Great Falls, MT.

This is me now :

Dec 29, 2012 Riverton, UT
Daughter's reception

I had many great friends who helped me out with this reception.  My mother and sister where a great help. They were with me almost every step of the way.  I couldn't have made it at all without the help of my #1 Friend at all-the love of my life who has been with me for twenty-three years now.  And surprise of surprises, my friend since I was three showed up to help me, too.  It was a three-hour long drive for her and her husband to get there, but they came and stayed until the bitter end. 

  

Teresa Lackner Chipman and I 

Dec 29, 2012

Teresa Lackner and I with my little brother, Travis Stevens

1980 Great Falls, MT

  Taken with an instant Polaroid

Got to love the quality-haha

Sometimes you meet great new friends, like I did at my daughter's wedding, and they help you out. Sometimes you have friends that will never let you down, like my long-time chum of 42-years.  Most times, you will have those that will just want to give you a passing glance.  It is those I hope we don't become. The world has too many of those.

Bounteous Blessings

This is just a writing to finally show you my lovely garden beds built by my Darling Hubby and Super Son.  I have been talking about this early in my previous posts and promised  to show pictures.

While I was out taking pictures, I realized I needed to count my blessings of all the things I can and have done out in my yard.  With the help of my family and the neighbor boy, I have done all you see below.  Just remember, we live in second driest state in the Union (Nevada is the first).  It is a battle to keep our grass green and the weeds down.  haha

One of the three boxes built this year.  We only has enough money to fill two and half

with enough soil.  This one has Early Goliath Tomatoes, Pik Rite Tomatoes,

Nacho Macho Peppers, and California Wonder Bells.

I won 5 Blue Ribbons in the County Fair with all these varieties last year.

The start of something delicious!  Can't wait.

A far off few of my garden from the corner of my yard.

I have 5 varieties of grapes growing around my yard.  This one is a pink champagne-type grape

called Candice.

The Candice grape growing in this section.  I have Concord, Himrod,  Glenora, and an unknown variety.

My beautiful Hollyhocks that bring bees and butterflies.

My raspberry patch!  I love, love this.  When I would send the kids out to pick

these, I would never get what I was expecting.  They would always

pick one, eat two.

The season is just beginning. 

I have have six fruit trees in my back yard, also.  The one above is an apple.

The one below is an apricot.  I also have two peach trees and two cherry trees.

We lost a peach tree this year.

With all this surrounding me, I couldn't help but think of all the blessings I have.  I can garden to my heart's content.  I get to have fresh fruit and vegetables and nothing beats a red, ripe tomato.  So the little trip around my back yard, through the morning heat of 90*F, helped me realize I do somethings after all, and I am blessed by my Heavenly Father in more ways than one.