MICHAELS, MADISON GRAND OPENING EVENTS!
You won't believe all the stuff we're giving away!!!
Great prizes given away EVERY DAY, SUNDAY, JUNE 3rd - SATURDAY, JUNE 9th! Come in and register!
Sunday, June 3rd - Prize Wheel from 1-4pm. Lots of cool prizes given away! Spin the wheel and win! It's that simple! We will be giving away all kinds of prizes. Art supplies. Scrapbook supplies. A Cricut Expression 2! A Speedball Silk Screen kit! And so much more!
Free Tote Bag to the 1st 10 people who sign up for a Knack Club Card.
Free Child Safe Kid's Fingerprint ID card (while supplies last)
Free Model Car kit to kids (while supplies last)
Free Patons Yarn Tote Bag with any purchase in yarn or sewing (while supplies last)
And LOTS more!
11am-2pm - Cricut Expression 2 demo
1-3pm - Adhesive Dot Glitter Frame - Make-It Take-It
2-4pm - Wilton Cake Decorating Demo
2-4pm - Jewelry Make-it Take-it
Monday, June 4th - 4-7pm - Jewelry Demo - Spiral Knot Bracelet
Tuesday, June 5th - 4-7pm - Kids' Demo - Foam Stamped Frame
Wednesday, June 6th - 4-7pm - Scrapbooking Demo - We Can Help Classroom Chart
Thursday, June 7th - 4-7pm - Fine Arts Demo - Artist Loft Visual Journal
Friday, June 8th - 4-7pm - Yarn Demo - Pom Pom Chicks
Saturday, June 9th - 11am-1pm - Card Making Demo
12 - 2pm - Duck Tape Demo
12 - 1pm - Cake Decorating Demo
1 - 4pm - Cookie Decorating Make-It Take-It
2 - 4pm - Jewelry Pink & Lavender Pearl Necklace Make-It Take-It
Plus learn about the great activities coming soon for kids, fun stuff to keep them from being totally bored this summer and driving you nuts!
All kinds of good stuff! Come see us!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
MAY is really a big month! It's MOVING MONTH for the north Jackson Michaels. Yep, we are moving to Madison! It's gonna be fun!!!
This week, Thursday, May 24th, 6-9pm, is Friends and Family Preview night! If you're reading this, then you're my friend! Ha!
So, if you want a coupon for 20% off your ENTIRE REGULAR PRICED PURCHASE, just send me a message on Facebook and I'll email you one tomorrow night! Or, just let me know you're coming and I'll have one at the door for you!
We are located about half-way between WalMart and Malco Theater, right next to Home Goods.
We officially open Friday, May 25th!
Grand Opening is Sunday, June 3rd!
Just wait until you see the BEE-UUU-TEEE-FULLL classroom! Woohoo! Not only is it gorgeous, there's more room for CROP NIGHT!!!! Woohoo, again!
I'm a little excited. Can you tell? lol
More on Grand Opening soon . . .
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Lessons learned while hanging out with my grandson:
I spent the day with this beautiful little boy. What a fun time we had! We had lunch together with his mom and one of my daughters. Then we were off to a busy day outdoors in the 90 degree weather. Whew! It was hot!
First we listened to one of Papa's bands, Latinismo! Little man was the center of attention. So adorable! Then we headed to a carnival to ride some rides and sweat some more! lol
So these are a few of the thoughts running through my head after a very active day with this little bundle of energy.
1. If you find something you enjoy, give it 100%. And don't worry about who's watching or what they'll think.
(Dancing while Latinismo! is playing. Adults are usually more concerned about what others will think than about their own enjoyment. I think the crowd enjoyed watching more than he enjoyed dancing!)
2. If you're curious about something, tune everything else out and look and listen intently. You never know what you might learn.
(Fascinated by the drummer, he literally didn't move through three songs! And I bet if you asked him afterward, he would say he knew how to play drums. When was the last time you tried to learn something new?)
3. Anything can be interesting if you just take time to look.
(While we sat in a coffee shop to cool off for a few minutes, he 'read' a golf magazine. Every. Single. Page. Cover to cover. Trust me, he isn't into golf. But that was irrelevant. There were pictures so he put words to them. How quickly we lose the ability to use our imagination!)
4. Making friends really isn't that hard. It only takes a few minutes and just one thing in common. In this case, a simple desire to go down the slide and 5 minutes. 2 minutes waiting in line, 2 minutes going up the stairs, 1 minute flying down the slide.
(The little boy in the middle was an almost instant friend. After just 5 minutes of 'knowing' each other, they were ready to go on to the next ride together! We adults usually just make things too complicated.)
.
5. Persistence often pays off! And you never know how you'll do on something if you don't try.
(I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, do carnival games. I also never ride carnival rides. But today I did both. He got me on the kiddie cars AND the bump cars. Yep. Grandchildren are the grandest! Anyway, the first thing he saw when we arrived was a kid with a 'flaming bat.'
"Grammy, I want a flaming bat."
"Grammy, I really like that flaming bat!"
"Grammy, can we get a flaming bat?"
"Grammy, will you get me a flaming bat?"
The bats were at the balloon-dart-throw game. Thinking I was being very proactive, I asked the carnival worker what it would cost to get one of those bats if I couldn't pop the balloon. He said just pay $5.00 and if I missed, he'd still give little man the bat. Since I had that information, I let little man throw. He missed the first time. But the nice guy gave him another chance. He popped a balloon on the second try! Silly Grammy. Should have had more faith! He got the flaming bat.)
6. And most important lesson of all. It's ok to just be silly sometimes! Life is short. Enjoy it!
As adults, we often judge ourselves and others by the labels that society gives. Disabled, challenged, special needs, too short, too tall, too fat, too thin, too old, too young, too inexperienced, too rude, too shy, too . . . fill in the blank. We all have limitations and areas where we just don't quite measure up, mentally, socially, or physically. I have a math disability. Not technically, but let's just say that college algebra was NOT my friend. The older I get the more I realize I also have a memory disability. lol. Maybe you are directionally challenged. Are you someone who wonders how you ever got from point A to point B before you had a GPS in your car?
No matter what limitations we have, we all have something to offer to the world. I love being around this little guy. He reminds me that right now, this very minute, is important. He challenges me to stop what I'm doing and see life from his point of view. He heads into whatever direction his imagination takes him with no regard for danger or consequences. He's intense. He's demanding. He's beautiful!
What labels, limitations, or disabilities are you struggling with? Is there a direction that your imagination is trying to take you but you're just too afraid to yield to it? Maybe a new job, a new ministry, a new relationship? Is God trying to give you a new plan for your life but your labels are holding you back? Be thankful that the only label God has given you is 'child of mine.' All you have to do is accept that. What a precious gift!.
Blessings!
Renea
First we listened to one of Papa's bands, Latinismo! Little man was the center of attention. So adorable! Then we headed to a carnival to ride some rides and sweat some more! lol
So these are a few of the thoughts running through my head after a very active day with this little bundle of energy.
1. If you find something you enjoy, give it 100%. And don't worry about who's watching or what they'll think.
(Dancing while Latinismo! is playing. Adults are usually more concerned about what others will think than about their own enjoyment. I think the crowd enjoyed watching more than he enjoyed dancing!)
2. If you're curious about something, tune everything else out and look and listen intently. You never know what you might learn.
(Fascinated by the drummer, he literally didn't move through three songs! And I bet if you asked him afterward, he would say he knew how to play drums. When was the last time you tried to learn something new?)
3. Anything can be interesting if you just take time to look.
(While we sat in a coffee shop to cool off for a few minutes, he 'read' a golf magazine. Every. Single. Page. Cover to cover. Trust me, he isn't into golf. But that was irrelevant. There were pictures so he put words to them. How quickly we lose the ability to use our imagination!)
4. Making friends really isn't that hard. It only takes a few minutes and just one thing in common. In this case, a simple desire to go down the slide and 5 minutes. 2 minutes waiting in line, 2 minutes going up the stairs, 1 minute flying down the slide.
(The little boy in the middle was an almost instant friend. After just 5 minutes of 'knowing' each other, they were ready to go on to the next ride together! We adults usually just make things too complicated.)
5. Persistence often pays off! And you never know how you'll do on something if you don't try.
(I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, do carnival games. I also never ride carnival rides. But today I did both. He got me on the kiddie cars AND the bump cars. Yep. Grandchildren are the grandest! Anyway, the first thing he saw when we arrived was a kid with a 'flaming bat.'
"Grammy, I want a flaming bat."
"Grammy, I really like that flaming bat!"
"Grammy, can we get a flaming bat?"
"Grammy, will you get me a flaming bat?"
The bats were at the balloon-dart-throw game. Thinking I was being very proactive, I asked the carnival worker what it would cost to get one of those bats if I couldn't pop the balloon. He said just pay $5.00 and if I missed, he'd still give little man the bat. Since I had that information, I let little man throw. He missed the first time. But the nice guy gave him another chance. He popped a balloon on the second try! Silly Grammy. Should have had more faith! He got the flaming bat.)
6. And most important lesson of all. It's ok to just be silly sometimes! Life is short. Enjoy it!
As adults, we often judge ourselves and others by the labels that society gives. Disabled, challenged, special needs, too short, too tall, too fat, too thin, too old, too young, too inexperienced, too rude, too shy, too . . . fill in the blank. We all have limitations and areas where we just don't quite measure up, mentally, socially, or physically. I have a math disability. Not technically, but let's just say that college algebra was NOT my friend. The older I get the more I realize I also have a memory disability. lol. Maybe you are directionally challenged. Are you someone who wonders how you ever got from point A to point B before you had a GPS in your car?
No matter what limitations we have, we all have something to offer to the world. I love being around this little guy. He reminds me that right now, this very minute, is important. He challenges me to stop what I'm doing and see life from his point of view. He heads into whatever direction his imagination takes him with no regard for danger or consequences. He's intense. He's demanding. He's beautiful!
What labels, limitations, or disabilities are you struggling with? Is there a direction that your imagination is trying to take you but you're just too afraid to yield to it? Maybe a new job, a new ministry, a new relationship? Is God trying to give you a new plan for your life but your labels are holding you back? Be thankful that the only label God has given you is 'child of mine.' All you have to do is accept that. What a precious gift!.
Blessings!
Renea
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Easter!
Happy Easter to everyone! I can't begin to convey how much this weekend means to me. I never cease to be amazed at the grace, mercy, and tremendous love that was shown to the world, to me, by our Savior. Humbled and overwhelmed.
Blessings!
Renea
Blessings!
Renea
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Classes . . .
LOL! If you look at my "Classes" page, I really didn't put all those extra spaces in when I typed it. Seriously. I have no idea why they are there. Geez.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Eyes Wide Open . . .
If you've ever been in an evangelical worship service, you've probably heard the preacher say something like, 'every head bowed, every eye closed, no one looking around.' You likely have also heard a pastor pray a blessing over the congregation at the end of a service. Neither of these things are out of the ordinary. But quite a few years ago my family started attending a new church and the pastor did something I found rather odd, and not just a little disconcerting for me at the time. At the end of the service he said something to the effect of, every head up, every eye open, every one looking around.
Then he began to pray a blessing over us, slowly looking around the room, looking each person in the eye as he prayed. He thanked God for us, telling God that he loved us, asking God to bless us and protect us, reminding God that we were His people. The uncomfortable feeling I had was such a mixture of affirmation and discomfort that I'm not sure I can even describe!
This pastor, Gary Maze, quickly became a very dear friend to our family. We learned that those benediction prayers at the end of every service were glimpses of his open and honest attitude toward those God had placed under his care. And it started a habit with me that others may find as uncomfortable as I found his prayer that first Sunday. If you attend church with me, and you decide to check things out during prayer time, you may notice me looking around the room. No, I'm not looking to see how everyone is dressed, or who decided to use that time to check everyone else out. I'm praying for each person that my gaze falls on. Whether I know them or not. Whether I have any idea what is going on with them. I particularly do this during prayer for the kids in our church. Each Sunday in the church we attend now, the pastor has all the children come down front and we pray for them as a congregation just before they go to children's church. As we pray, I look over the group, one at a time, and pray for each child, by name if I know it.
It seems to me that we get so intimidated about prayer. So many of us tend to feel that we won't say the right thing, or we'll say something the wrong way, or we won't seem spiritual enough. Many of us just refuse to pray out loud in front of people. And, how many times do we say we'll pray for someone, but then forget? Or, even if we remember to pray for them, never let them know that we actually did? I've tried, off and on over the years, to pray for someone, out loud, in front of them, as soon as they ask me. I had pretty much gotten out of this habit. Just in the past week, I had made a commitment to start back. This morning I got that opportunity. My sweet daughter, just before she got out of the car to go to class, told me she really wasn't feeling well and she would appreciate it if I just said a little prayer for her today. My first instinct was to say, 'sure, honey, I will!' But I stopped myself. And just prayed for her. Out loud. Right then. With her listening.
Let me just tell you, her quiet, "thanks, Mom. I needed that," was one of the sweetest blessings of all time! I pray for my children all the time. I pray for their protection. I pray for their salvation. I pray for them to see God working. I pray all sorts of things for them. But I'm so guilty of not praying for them where they can hear me. I've been thinking that is taking the easy road. Maybe it's because I don't want to disappoint them when they see my actions not line up with my prayer life. Maybe it's because I'm afraid of not stringing the right words together. Maybe it's just that I don't want to take the time out of my busy schedule. Whatever the reason, I'm challenging myself to do better. Prayer is so powerful! I know God hears, cares, listens, and answers!!! But there is something amazing that happens when we voice our prayers out loud, over the person we are praying for, letting them actually hear us pray for them! There is an energy that is released that can only be attributed to the Spirit's moving. And, if we believe scripture, our audible prayers, just speaking the name of Jesus, sends Satan running for cover! That alone is plenty of encouragement for me!
Have you talked to your Father lately about someone you care about? Out loud? Try it. Come on, I dare ya! Head up, eyes wide open, looking directly at the person you're praying for. And when you do, just imagine the devil fleeing from you - and the person you're praying for - with his tail between his legs, trembling in fear of the awesome power of our God!
Blessings,
Renea
Then he began to pray a blessing over us, slowly looking around the room, looking each person in the eye as he prayed. He thanked God for us, telling God that he loved us, asking God to bless us and protect us, reminding God that we were His people. The uncomfortable feeling I had was such a mixture of affirmation and discomfort that I'm not sure I can even describe!
This pastor, Gary Maze, quickly became a very dear friend to our family. We learned that those benediction prayers at the end of every service were glimpses of his open and honest attitude toward those God had placed under his care. And it started a habit with me that others may find as uncomfortable as I found his prayer that first Sunday. If you attend church with me, and you decide to check things out during prayer time, you may notice me looking around the room. No, I'm not looking to see how everyone is dressed, or who decided to use that time to check everyone else out. I'm praying for each person that my gaze falls on. Whether I know them or not. Whether I have any idea what is going on with them. I particularly do this during prayer for the kids in our church. Each Sunday in the church we attend now, the pastor has all the children come down front and we pray for them as a congregation just before they go to children's church. As we pray, I look over the group, one at a time, and pray for each child, by name if I know it.
It seems to me that we get so intimidated about prayer. So many of us tend to feel that we won't say the right thing, or we'll say something the wrong way, or we won't seem spiritual enough. Many of us just refuse to pray out loud in front of people. And, how many times do we say we'll pray for someone, but then forget? Or, even if we remember to pray for them, never let them know that we actually did? I've tried, off and on over the years, to pray for someone, out loud, in front of them, as soon as they ask me. I had pretty much gotten out of this habit. Just in the past week, I had made a commitment to start back. This morning I got that opportunity. My sweet daughter, just before she got out of the car to go to class, told me she really wasn't feeling well and she would appreciate it if I just said a little prayer for her today. My first instinct was to say, 'sure, honey, I will!' But I stopped myself. And just prayed for her. Out loud. Right then. With her listening.
Let me just tell you, her quiet, "thanks, Mom. I needed that," was one of the sweetest blessings of all time! I pray for my children all the time. I pray for their protection. I pray for their salvation. I pray for them to see God working. I pray all sorts of things for them. But I'm so guilty of not praying for them where they can hear me. I've been thinking that is taking the easy road. Maybe it's because I don't want to disappoint them when they see my actions not line up with my prayer life. Maybe it's because I'm afraid of not stringing the right words together. Maybe it's just that I don't want to take the time out of my busy schedule. Whatever the reason, I'm challenging myself to do better. Prayer is so powerful! I know God hears, cares, listens, and answers!!! But there is something amazing that happens when we voice our prayers out loud, over the person we are praying for, letting them actually hear us pray for them! There is an energy that is released that can only be attributed to the Spirit's moving. And, if we believe scripture, our audible prayers, just speaking the name of Jesus, sends Satan running for cover! That alone is plenty of encouragement for me!
Have you talked to your Father lately about someone you care about? Out loud? Try it. Come on, I dare ya! Head up, eyes wide open, looking directly at the person you're praying for. And when you do, just imagine the devil fleeing from you - and the person you're praying for - with his tail between his legs, trembling in fear of the awesome power of our God!
Blessings,
Renea
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Clearance flowers at Michaels!
The Recollections bottles of flowers are on clearance at the north Jackson Michaels! Originally $6.99, now $3.99! Lots of colors! ( These were the only ones I got a shot of but there are others.) 
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Spoken for . . . but free
I love music, all kinds of music, but worship music is by far my favorite. I can hear a song, sing along with it on the radio a thousand times, and still have an epiphany moment from a simple phrase that I've heard numerous times before. That happened a few weeks ago. As usual, it happened while I was driving, with the radio blaring, singing along, not really thinking about the words. This simple statement caught at my heart and got my attention.
Wow! If you aren't a Christian, or maybe even if you are, this may sound contradictory. How can I be free and spoken for at the same time?
The answer is simple. I'm spoken for. I belong to God. Totally, completely, forever and always, I'm His.
Free from my past sin. Free from the embarrassment of my past poor choices. Free from guilt over sins that haunted me for years. Free from the bondage of former failures, fears of making future mistakes, insecurity about day to day choices. I never again have to wonder if I'm good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, thin enough, or wise enough to be loved. I'm free to know that I am accepted and forgiven by a perfect and holy God. I'm free to have the confidence of knowing that my Savior is guiding me and loves me passionately.
I hope you are living in this freedom! Here's a link to the song sung live by MercyMe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFfNa-cHTIA
Blessings,
Renea
"I am finally free. My heart is spoken for."
Wow! If you aren't a Christian, or maybe even if you are, this may sound contradictory. How can I be free and spoken for at the same time?
The answer is simple. I'm spoken for. I belong to God. Totally, completely, forever and always, I'm His.
Because of that, I am free!
Free from my past sin. Free from the embarrassment of my past poor choices. Free from guilt over sins that haunted me for years. Free from the bondage of former failures, fears of making future mistakes, insecurity about day to day choices. I never again have to wonder if I'm good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, thin enough, or wise enough to be loved. I'm free to know that I am accepted and forgiven by a perfect and holy God. I'm free to have the confidence of knowing that my Savior is guiding me and loves me passionately.
I'm spoken for.
I hope you are living in this freedom! Here's a link to the song sung live by MercyMe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFfNa-cHTIA
Blessings,
Renea
Friday, March 2, 2012
MICHAELS OPEN HOUSE!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Children with disabilities and what their parents wish you knew
I'll never forget when my son was diagnosed with ADD. I was explaining to him what it meant. He was 7. Not explaining wasn't an option. When you have a super intelligent 7 year old that has just met with 500 (not literally, but seemed so) different medical professionals, the inevitable question of 'why' just has to be answered. I'll never forget his only question afterward.
Him: "Mom, does this mean I'm retarded?"
Me: "No, sweetie. It's sort of like your brain has a short in it, kind of like that lamp we have. Sometimes your brain does that. The information just gets lost before it gets to the right place."
Him: "Oh. That makes sense."
Done. Explanation accepted.
I made a point of always explaining to teachers, coaches, Boy Scout leaders, anyone who was working with my son that there were certain things that were difficult for him. He's brilliant. Really, he is. But as a child, put him in a contact sport where people were pushing, hitting, and everything was moving fast, and the possibility of a melt down was very real. Or give him 3 commands and send him off to accomplish them and chances were pretty high that none of them would happen. This is a kid who could memorize an entire page of dialogue to audition for a play but took at least 6 months to learn his multiplication tables - doing them every single day. This is a teenager who was so constantly distracted he could barely complete any assignment for school without a great deal of pushing, begging, threatening, and coercing but managed a basic working knowledge of at least 7 foreign languages and quantum physics before his 16th birthday. By the way, he has made it to adulthood with some major coping skills and, other than driving his wife crazy, pretty much manages his ADD successfully.
My point to all of this is that now I have 2 grandchildren who are considered by some to be in the category of 'different' than other kids. We have a beautiful granddaughter who was born with a lateral cleft. Personally, I never really notice her scar. But she does. And she thinks everyone does. She's only 4. Amazing and shocking how observant they are of the world around them.
We have a gorgeous grandson who is diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. For those of you who don't know, that is in the Autism spectrum. Just google it. He's 5. He's so stinking adorable! Sometimes he has a hard time communicating what he wants to say. But even though he may not be able to tell you everything he thinks or feels, he hears everything you say. And furthermore, he never forgets it! Don't assume that children with disabilities don't notice the comments you make or the way you look at them.
While I may not agree with everything these moms say on their blogs or in their writings, I thought the comments they made in the following link might be helpful. I know it's hard to know what to tell your kids about children who are different from them. But my favorite explanation of understanding learning disabilities came from my youth minister when I was a teenager. He said everyone is retarded in some area; some people just have more noticeable disabilities than others. One of my biggies happens to be math. What's yours?
Anyway, I love the advice in the link. Hope you enjoy.
http://blogs.babble.com/babble-voices/ellen-seidman-1000-perplexing-things-about-parenthood/2012/02/29/what-to-teach-your-children-about-kids-with-special-needs/?pid=199#slideshow
Him: "Mom, does this mean I'm retarded?"
Me: "No, sweetie. It's sort of like your brain has a short in it, kind of like that lamp we have. Sometimes your brain does that. The information just gets lost before it gets to the right place."
Him: "Oh. That makes sense."
Done. Explanation accepted.
I made a point of always explaining to teachers, coaches, Boy Scout leaders, anyone who was working with my son that there were certain things that were difficult for him. He's brilliant. Really, he is. But as a child, put him in a contact sport where people were pushing, hitting, and everything was moving fast, and the possibility of a melt down was very real. Or give him 3 commands and send him off to accomplish them and chances were pretty high that none of them would happen. This is a kid who could memorize an entire page of dialogue to audition for a play but took at least 6 months to learn his multiplication tables - doing them every single day. This is a teenager who was so constantly distracted he could barely complete any assignment for school without a great deal of pushing, begging, threatening, and coercing but managed a basic working knowledge of at least 7 foreign languages and quantum physics before his 16th birthday. By the way, he has made it to adulthood with some major coping skills and, other than driving his wife crazy, pretty much manages his ADD successfully.
My point to all of this is that now I have 2 grandchildren who are considered by some to be in the category of 'different' than other kids. We have a beautiful granddaughter who was born with a lateral cleft. Personally, I never really notice her scar. But she does. And she thinks everyone does. She's only 4. Amazing and shocking how observant they are of the world around them.
We have a gorgeous grandson who is diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. For those of you who don't know, that is in the Autism spectrum. Just google it. He's 5. He's so stinking adorable! Sometimes he has a hard time communicating what he wants to say. But even though he may not be able to tell you everything he thinks or feels, he hears everything you say. And furthermore, he never forgets it! Don't assume that children with disabilities don't notice the comments you make or the way you look at them.
While I may not agree with everything these moms say on their blogs or in their writings, I thought the comments they made in the following link might be helpful. I know it's hard to know what to tell your kids about children who are different from them. But my favorite explanation of understanding learning disabilities came from my youth minister when I was a teenager. He said everyone is retarded in some area; some people just have more noticeable disabilities than others. One of my biggies happens to be math. What's yours?
Anyway, I love the advice in the link. Hope you enjoy.
http://blogs.babble.com/babble-voices/ellen-seidman-1000-perplexing-things-about-parenthood/2012/02/29/what-to-teach-your-children-about-kids-with-special-needs/?pid=199#slideshow
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Thank goodness it's Monday!
(*This post was supposed to go out yesterday but I didn't get it finished. Had to work on my thankfulness list a little more. Conviction is an interesting animal!)
I know, weird. No one looks forward to Monday. We want the long weekends, the Monday holidays, the extra time off, right? Well, I guess that all depends on how your weekends have been going! We've had a couple of, let's just say, complicated ones. You know, the kind of curve ball, slap in your face, that come out of no where, kind ranging from terrifying, to frustrating, to stressful, and just about every other emotion you can think of. And, yes, we're all ok. Mostly. And there is a point to this post, not just a long, drawn out whine.
This past weekend we had another emergency. This time it was me. I managed to get my hand in just the right place to be banged between the handle of a metal cart and the door going into the warehouse at work. After another employee got ice for me, and I started breathing again, and talked to my boss, I called my husband to tell him I needed him to come take me to get my hand x-rayed. This story just gets more complicated from here on so I'll just get to the point. But first, have you ever thought about all the things that can't be done, or are really hard to do with one hand? So, if you're going to break your hand, here are a few things you should think about before hand: (Hahaha! Pun sort of intended.)
LESSON ONE: Buy bigger jeans or lose weight.
My first clue of just what a pain (silly puns) this was going to be was while I was waiting on my hubby to pick me up and take me to the ER. I had to go to the bathroom. Hmm. Jeans. I figured unbuttoning wouldn't be too difficult. But buttoning? Joy. The good news here is that it was very late in the day. Only women will understand this. The jeans were stretched out so easier to button.
LESSON TWO: If you're going to have an accident at work, have it after 8am and before 5pm and not on a Friday.
The insurance office that handles approval for workman's comp treatment closed at 5. After 15 minutes worth of questions on the phone with the after hours insurance office while standing at the window of the urgent care facility that was supposed to close in 5 minutes, I finally asked if my husband could answer the rest of the questions and let them go ahead and x-ray my hand. The guy on the phone says, "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't give approval for treatment. That office closes at 5pm." At that point my husband said, forget it. I'll pay for it and I just handed him the phone. For the next hour, my poor hubby had 2 cell phones going at one time. My boss in one ear and insurance dude that couldn't give approval for treatment still asking questions in the other. (Did I mention he's a saint? My hubby. Not the insurance dude. See previous post: http://matildyjanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/married-to-saint.html)
Fast forward to Monday. At 4:00pm, on Monday, after NUMEROUS phone calls, 3 days after I've been told to see a specialist, workman's comp finally approved my claim.
LESSON THREE: If you're going to break your hand at work, you should get your laundry and housework caught up ahead of time.
This goes back to the things you can't do with one hand. I'm re-learning how to type. But some things are just meant to be done with two hands. Like washing dishes. Sweeping the floor. Folding clothes. Not to mention the other basic things of just getting presentable to walk out your door. Ever tried taking a shower while keeping one hand dry? Or holding a blow dryer and a brush in the same hand? Not to mention putting on deodorant. Shaving your underarms. Putting on socks. Putting on a bra. (My apologies to any male species reading this. But, really, it isn't like you don't know about them.) And the list goes on.
LESSON FOUR: If you're going to have an emergency that disrupts your entire family, your life, your work, your schedule, and generally just stresses everyone out, don't do it on the day before your husband's birthday. Yep. Saturday was his birthday. No further comment here. Except, I did mention that I'm married to a saint, right?
LESSON FIVE: And this is the most important one. IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS.
Ugh. Now there's a wake up call for ya. Still working on that one. So, here are a few of the things I've found to be thankful for so far.
1. I won't be using as much gas in my car. I really dislike pumping gas in the cold. Which means my sweet hubby usually ends up doing it. Usually at 9pm when I remember I need it for the next morning. So I guess this should be a thankful point for him, right? Hahaha!
2. Since I can't go to work, I don't have to put makeup on and fix my hair every day. Which is pretty awesome since it takes me twice as long to do! lol
3. It's my right hand. I'm left handed. That means I can still sign the debit card receipts. (LOL) But more importantly, I can still feed myself, and do most everything else that only requires one hand.
4. It isn't my wrist, which would have been worse and more painful.
5. God has a sense of humor. I wanted some time off. Not the way I wanted it. But I got what I wanted - sort of. (This would fall under the category of being careful what you ask for.) Hey, I might even get those 'new kits coming soon' actually done and ready to sell!
6. I have a great boss who never mentioned how much work we had left to do and was eager to do whatever I needed to take care of me. AND had prayer for me at her church Sunday. And is covering all my accounts this week. What a blessing! (Did I mention that I work for Hallmark Cards and it's Valentine's week?)
7. The pain since Saturday has been minimal. Especially in comparison to Friday night. As long as I'm a good girl and don't bump it, move it, or try to pick something up that I shouldn't, I can tolerate the pain with just ibuprofen. Which is a really good thing for someone with my past and who gets sick from most pain meds.
8. I have an amazing extended family who always step up to help when needed. For this I am extremely grateful, especially in the world we live in where so many don't have this.
9. I can get caught up on my reading. I'm determined to read through the bible this year. I've tried several years before and just never made it. I was already getting frustrated that I was behind. Well, now I have time to catch up. (See related OLW post here: http://matildyjanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-little-word.html)
10. I'm thankful that I have a new opportunity to learn some humility. I HATE to depend on other people. This will be an interesting test in learning to ask for and accept help. And in learning to be thankful under all circumstances, even when I don't want to.
So my verse(s) on the mirror now will be,
"We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I Thessalonians 5:14-18 NASB (emphasis added)
God's will.
To be thankful.
In everything.
Rejoicing always.
I have much work to do.
Blessings,
Renea
I know, weird. No one looks forward to Monday. We want the long weekends, the Monday holidays, the extra time off, right? Well, I guess that all depends on how your weekends have been going! We've had a couple of, let's just say, complicated ones. You know, the kind of curve ball, slap in your face, that come out of no where, kind ranging from terrifying, to frustrating, to stressful, and just about every other emotion you can think of. And, yes, we're all ok. Mostly. And there is a point to this post, not just a long, drawn out whine.
This past weekend we had another emergency. This time it was me. I managed to get my hand in just the right place to be banged between the handle of a metal cart and the door going into the warehouse at work. After another employee got ice for me, and I started breathing again, and talked to my boss, I called my husband to tell him I needed him to come take me to get my hand x-rayed. This story just gets more complicated from here on so I'll just get to the point. But first, have you ever thought about all the things that can't be done, or are really hard to do with one hand? So, if you're going to break your hand, here are a few things you should think about before hand: (Hahaha! Pun sort of intended.)
LESSON ONE: Buy bigger jeans or lose weight.
My first clue of just what a pain (silly puns) this was going to be was while I was waiting on my hubby to pick me up and take me to the ER. I had to go to the bathroom. Hmm. Jeans. I figured unbuttoning wouldn't be too difficult. But buttoning? Joy. The good news here is that it was very late in the day. Only women will understand this. The jeans were stretched out so easier to button.
LESSON TWO: If you're going to have an accident at work, have it after 8am and before 5pm and not on a Friday.
The insurance office that handles approval for workman's comp treatment closed at 5. After 15 minutes worth of questions on the phone with the after hours insurance office while standing at the window of the urgent care facility that was supposed to close in 5 minutes, I finally asked if my husband could answer the rest of the questions and let them go ahead and x-ray my hand. The guy on the phone says, "Oh, I'm sorry, I can't give approval for treatment. That office closes at 5pm." At that point my husband said, forget it. I'll pay for it and I just handed him the phone. For the next hour, my poor hubby had 2 cell phones going at one time. My boss in one ear and insurance dude that couldn't give approval for treatment still asking questions in the other. (Did I mention he's a saint? My hubby. Not the insurance dude. See previous post: http://matildyjanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/married-to-saint.html)
Fast forward to Monday. At 4:00pm, on Monday, after NUMEROUS phone calls, 3 days after I've been told to see a specialist, workman's comp finally approved my claim.
LESSON THREE: If you're going to break your hand at work, you should get your laundry and housework caught up ahead of time.
This goes back to the things you can't do with one hand. I'm re-learning how to type. But some things are just meant to be done with two hands. Like washing dishes. Sweeping the floor. Folding clothes. Not to mention the other basic things of just getting presentable to walk out your door. Ever tried taking a shower while keeping one hand dry? Or holding a blow dryer and a brush in the same hand? Not to mention putting on deodorant. Shaving your underarms. Putting on socks. Putting on a bra. (My apologies to any male species reading this. But, really, it isn't like you don't know about them.) And the list goes on.
LESSON FOUR: If you're going to have an emergency that disrupts your entire family, your life, your work, your schedule, and generally just stresses everyone out, don't do it on the day before your husband's birthday. Yep. Saturday was his birthday. No further comment here. Except, I did mention that I'm married to a saint, right?
LESSON FIVE: And this is the most important one. IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS.
Ugh. Now there's a wake up call for ya. Still working on that one. So, here are a few of the things I've found to be thankful for so far.
1. I won't be using as much gas in my car. I really dislike pumping gas in the cold. Which means my sweet hubby usually ends up doing it. Usually at 9pm when I remember I need it for the next morning. So I guess this should be a thankful point for him, right? Hahaha!
2. Since I can't go to work, I don't have to put makeup on and fix my hair every day. Which is pretty awesome since it takes me twice as long to do! lol
3. It's my right hand. I'm left handed. That means I can still sign the debit card receipts. (LOL) But more importantly, I can still feed myself, and do most everything else that only requires one hand.
6. I have a great boss who never mentioned how much work we had left to do and was eager to do whatever I needed to take care of me. AND had prayer for me at her church Sunday. And is covering all my accounts this week. What a blessing! (Did I mention that I work for Hallmark Cards and it's Valentine's week?)
7. The pain since Saturday has been minimal. Especially in comparison to Friday night. As long as I'm a good girl and don't bump it, move it, or try to pick something up that I shouldn't, I can tolerate the pain with just ibuprofen. Which is a really good thing for someone with my past and who gets sick from most pain meds.
8. I have an amazing extended family who always step up to help when needed. For this I am extremely grateful, especially in the world we live in where so many don't have this.
9. I can get caught up on my reading. I'm determined to read through the bible this year. I've tried several years before and just never made it. I was already getting frustrated that I was behind. Well, now I have time to catch up. (See related OLW post here: http://matildyjanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-little-word.html)
10. I'm thankful that I have a new opportunity to learn some humility. I HATE to depend on other people. This will be an interesting test in learning to ask for and accept help. And in learning to be thankful under all circumstances, even when I don't want to.
So my verse(s) on the mirror now will be,
"We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I Thessalonians 5:14-18 NASB (emphasis added)
God's will.
To be thankful.
In everything.
Rejoicing always.
I have much work to do.
Blessings,
Renea
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