Scribbles and Scrambles - A Nostalgic Find

We've been cleaning lately. With all the remodeling we've done, we've become really good at packing, hauling and temporarily moving something to a new home.

Unfortunately, with things packed in cardboard and stacked, it's easy to forget what's where. It's also kind of nice to look at clutterless sections of new and improved and it seems kind of criminal to load em up right away.

That said. We've found some treasures. This is my childhood piggy bank. I believe my mom made it in a ceramic class when I was very young. You can see that it may have taken a tumble or two and possibly has had surgery.

I had forgotten all about Petunia Pig. It was fun to find her nestled away in a box of treasures.

And now I can look at her whenever I want. And I just knew you'd want to meet her.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ To Do List

One of the best things about blogging is that I can actually write a post and schedule it to post magically while I'm busy doing something else.

I'd like to share my to-do list for the day.

1. Get up whenever I darn well feel like and toast the day with french press.

2. Ignore Blogger.com completely, and my e-mail, and the phone...because there is not a phone to ignore and the internet requires a twenty minute trip into town.

3. Read a bit...while sitting in the sun and listening to the sound of water lapping against the shoreline.

4. Decide to create something delicious from a pile of produce, or not.

5. Laugh a little, or a lot, depending on how funny Twenty-Two and Rob are choosing to be, actually, maybe I'll be the funny one.

6. Float on the lake amongst the loons and the occasional seagull.

7. Read a little more. Or take a nap. Or just hang out doing absolutely nothing.

8. Maybe a trip into town for a peek via wifi and over an iced double mocha of some sort.

9. Say a prayer or two. After all, a relaxing week is a GIFT from God.

10. Enjoy every laid-back minute of the day and hope you are having a great day, too.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Uhhh, Hello!!!

Am I invisible?

Well, obviously I've chosen stark black and white, no picture to make my point. But, seriously, even then I'm not invisible am I?

I've had a bit of a problem within society of late. Cars turn in front of me as if I'm not there. My vehicle is an emerald green mini-van...kind of hard to overlook. And at the grocery store the other evening, twenty-two and I were both nearly mown down twice. Once when a woman dived for Kashi bars, where we stood, discussing which ones to get. Maybe she was hungry, really, really hungry or had horrible low blood sugar. Who knows. The second incident involved a cart and an angry elderly lady. I've blocked out the details though I may still have the resulting nervous tic.

I'm short. Maybe that's the problem. Most people look right OVER my head not even noticing that I'm standing right in front of them. Or, maybe, the issue has to do with the silver in my hair. You know how hard it is to see gray or white cars on cement at twilight...

Serials and Scenarios - Blue Like Playdough - Tricia Goyer

Book Summary:

In the everyday stretch and squeeze of motherhood, Tricia Goyer often feels smooshed by the demands of life. In Blue Like Play Dough, she shares her unlikely journey from rebellious, pregnant teen to busy wife and mom with big dreams of her own.

As her story unfolds, Tricia realizes that God has more in store for her than she has ever imagined possible. Sure, life is messy and beset by doubts. But God keeps showing up in the most unlikely places–in a bowl of carrot soup, the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon, a woe-is me teen drama, or play dough in the hands of a child.

In Tricia’s transparent account, you’ll find understanding, laughter, and strength for your own story. And in the daily push and pull, you’ll learn to recognizes the loving hands of God at work in your life… and know He has something beautiful in mind.

Author Bio:

Tricia Goyer is the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including Generation NeXt Parenting and the Gold Medallion finalist Life Interrupted. Goyer writes for publications such as Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family, speaks to women’s groups nationwide and has been a presenter at the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) national convention. She and her husband, John, live with their family in Montana.

My thoughts: (You silly, little readers, of course I have thoughts. : ) )

If you've read Tricia Goyer's previous non-fiction you may be expecting discussion questions and anecdotal stories from other Gen X'ers, and, of course, a section for journaling in each chapter.

But, Blue Like Play Dough is simply a peek inside the thoughts and heart of a woman brave enough to bare her soul.

Writing requires blood. Birth always does, and sharing something as intimate as thoughts and shaping them for someone else to understand is a vulnerable and sometimes messy delivery. A pin prick, from a good writer, is often plenty to get thoughts communicated. But, in a work like Play Dough, Tricia had to open a vein and share struggles and challenges that many of us attempt to bury from even ourselves.

Moms aren't the only women who can benefit from the wisdom that Tricia has discovered during her walk of faith. Any woman who struggles with feeling inadequate, alone, like a failure, overwhelmed or ashamed may find a soft, brightly colored nugget of truth that could open her heart to the reality that God loves her very, very much and that He has created an adventure for her if she'll only place herself in His capable and loving hands.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Happy 18...

So, homemade strawberry krispie bars can't hold a candle to Eileen...but it's the thought that counts, right. (and sorry for the traumatizing book. )

Happy number 18, Shelby. I hope today is just the beginning of an amazing adulthood. I love you very much.

Yo Mama.

Serials and Scenarios ~ A Perfect Mess - Lisa Harper

Book Summary:

Caught up in the self-imposed pressure to do and be all the things they think a Christian woman ought to do and be, countless women are working desperately to convince everyone, including God, that they have it all together. Few have any idea that the Creator of the universe looks at them with delight even when they yell at the dog, drive a minivan littered with French fries, or think bad words about that rude clerk at the store.

A Perfect Mess offers hope to every woman who yearns for a vibrant relationship with God but worries she isn’t good enough or doesn’t do enough to merit His affection. With characteristic authenticity, speaker and author Lisa Harper shares poignant stories from her own imperfect life to showcase the real-life relevancy of the Bible in the lives of modern women.

As she guides readers on a story-driven journey through selected Psalms, they will be inspired to experience for themselves how God’s incomparable love transforms the messiness of life into a gorgeous work of grace.



My Review:


Lisa Harper shares some powerful truth wrapped in stories and humor and self-deprecation. Harper covers a baker's dozen of Psalms, the better loved and known like 119, 23, 139 and 51 among them. Life issues and emotions common to all humanity like overwhelming emotions, fear, paths, faith are discussed in twelve simple chapters and roughly 200 pages. Most illustrations are woman focused but a man could find some areas that would either convict or be balm to his soul as well. The format and transparent, honest writing coupled with discussion questions makes Mess a great idea for a woman's Bible or small group study.

Each chapter covers a Psalm and Harper breaks it down a few verses at a time adding illustrations from her colorful life. A dead goat and baggy pants ended up being quite a little story about the love of God and His mercy toward His pathetic little messy ones.
Other scripture and some historical and/or Biblical information is tossed into each chapter as well. Six or seven questions for consideration/study end each chapter. The questions are ones that could be verbalized, given a little time for thought, in a large group or journalized for personal study.

Harper is charming and often funny, but also capable of diving deep into teaching truth and allowing the Spirit to convict the reader's heart. I folded over several pages to go back to and ponder the truth within and I also plan to hand the book over to my anxiously awaiting twenty-two-year-old daughter who will get much out of this simply complex study of human nature and God's divine design.

Serials and Scenarios - Stretch for Life DVD

Stretch 4 Life

Educate, facilitate, increase range of motion, and repair muscular trauma

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX—Flexibility is an important aspect of overall health and well-being. The body has an enormous and amazing way of healing, and incorporating simple stretching exercises can be extremely helpful in speeding up recovery as well as in maintaining good physical fitness. Licensed massage therapist and educator Lori Walter has developed Stretch 4 Life, a proven and effective tool for people of any age and level of muscular fitness. By using this full body stretch routine, relaxation and flexibility can easily be achieved. The Stretch 4 Life DVD and manual are a wonderful resource for anyone who wishes to pursue enhanced health and well-being. This fabulous routine will also help reinforce healthy habits.

With this practical and easy to use program, Stretch 4 Life will enable anyone to achieve increased flexibility. Tailor any stretch sequence you need to aid in your journey to better health. Individuals can get started with only a few simple stretches to begin the healing process. Later, as the range of motion and strength improve, individuals can increase the specialized plan by simply incorporating additional stretches from the manual and DVD.

Lori Walter is a licensed massage therapist and stretch instructor. She has developed this Stretch 4 Life routine over her 13 years of work with the goal to help people heal and repair their structural integrity. For more information or to place and order, visit www.Stretch4Life.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to stretch?
Although the mind is the dominant center of control, by attaining relaxation in the voluntary muscle system, we can influence relaxation in the involuntary muscles and other systems of the body. While the muscles in the heart will perform their jobs without conscious effort, we can assist them by ensuring that the muscles we can control do not become tense and thus interfere with the processes. Instead those muscles can be relaxed, which conserves our energy for those times when we need extra. By learning to relax we have a useful tool for release when life gets more complicated.

What techniques will I learn to help me relax?
Muscle work always has at least two parts. A muscle contracts and shortens or it relaxes and lengthens. In this way muscles also work together but in an exactly opposite and reciprocal relationship. For example, when we bend an elbow, the biceps muscle contracts and the triceps muscle behind lengthens to allow the movement. Sometimes this interaction may be disturbed, as when our foot goes into a cramp. The muscle remains in a state of contraction, which becomes painful because it is prolonged and very fatiguing. Relaxation is the physiological state that follows muscle contraction. To achieve relaxation, we will learn to move in one direction followed by a balance of movement in the opposite direction.

What is diaphragmatic breathing and why is it important?
Respiration at rest is performed most significantly by the diaphragm, and any “action” occurring in the abdominal area is quite passive. In fact, if the muscles of the abdomen are not relaxed and passive, then breathing is forced up into the chest. Diaphragmatic breathing and relaxation of the abdominal wall complement each other by helping us stay loose and keeping our breathing slow and deep.

Why is posture important and can I learn to stand up straight now?
Correct posture is energizing to the system of the body. It is the position your brain likes best and will re-learn it quickly and easily.


My Review:

If you are looking for an instructional DVD on how and why to stretch this may be the one for you. Developed by a massage therapist over years of study and success with many subjects, this DVD is geared toward the instructor who wants to teach the best and most body-friendly stretches, or the student who wants to learn exactly how to do each subtle move.

The format begins with the common questions one might ask about why and what is involved in stretching with a demonstration for each answer. Then several stretches are modeled by two subjects. Proper breathing, muscle movement and beginner, intermediate and advanced techniques are shown and explained. The voice over is loud enough to understand. The movements are slow, studied and repeated.

Those who are looking for a routine or a set of exercises will not find what they are seeking within this DVD.The moves are very basic stretches/warm-ups. And I'll be honest in admitting that I did some skimming because there is a lot of information that I didn't want to sit through. The background music was slightly more annoying than soothing and I appreciated the models willingness to show the techniques but would have liked to see an occasional smile.

I can see the benefit for patients who are beginning recovery, the elderly or those in chronic pain as the moves are designed to repair muscles and increase range of motion as muscles grow more flexible and stronger. Adding these kind of stretching repetitions before bed or first thing in the morning and learning how to do them correctly would be worth the DVD purchase price as well.