New Adventures!

It's Monday night and I'm as sick as it comes. I'm breathing albuterol from my nebulizer as I type this. I stayed home from work. I was also completely unproductive today...I should have been crafting away my illness, but somehow I just kept searching the internet. I played on Facebook. Currently I'm listening to Stacy place Zelda in the background.

That is right. Stacy. Zelda. In my apartment. It's not as bad as it might sound. And it is strictly platonic. He did make dinner though - can't beat that! ;)

I am off to a great start with Pampered Chef! Check out my website @ www.pamperedchef.biz/reginathomas

I am also launching another project on Friday - and I really can't wait!

This is my last week at Winter Creek, and while I'm going to miss certain aspects of it, I am thankful for the doors that are opening to me. I believe God has great things in store for me and I believe that 2011 is going to be a great year. Which, by the way, can you believe it's almost November?! I can't!! My how time flies these days.

Isaiah and I are going to be working very hard on some home education projects, and Asher is working very hard on pre-k this year! I'm so proud of both of my boys!

As good as it gets...

It's one of those days, my feet are up, I'm too tired to be sitting here, my brain is fried...and I keep thinking...it's getting better. I have that deep seated, inner peace that says it's going to be calm for a bit and things will move forward.

I've started a business, and I'm excited. I'm also wanting instant success and as I slow myself down and listen to those who have done it ahead of me, and the training provided for the company, I'm making decent progress. But I'm very all or nothing and I'm trying to learn to stop that cycle. Sometimes what I consider "all" is probably un-achievable and my giving up doesn't help me in any way.
I want to book two more parties for early next week and I don't really know where to look. I've about worn out all my FB friends with relentless "party posts" so it's time for some new territory....

The boys and I are at a farm in Newalla and it is amazing here. It is quiet, we milked a goat, fed big and little chickens, and the dog. We ate farm fresh, scrambled eggs for dinner and drank a cup of fresh goats milk. What a treat!! I am ready to move back to the country and start my very own farm.

Work. Nothing to say.

The boy's Dad has been around all the time. He's been helping with the boys, and I appreciate it. I miss them so much. I'm glad they came to the farm with me, however, I should be getting off here to go sleep so I get up early enough to get us all ready to go for Asher to go to school. Then I go to work. My plans of hiding on the farm Thurs - Sun got foiled by work. Bleh.

Goodnight :)

Pampered Chef...oh how I enjoy you!

So, I'm bouncing off the walls...I just had my first cooking experience with Pampered Chef.

Last night I went to my first cluster meeting, and the ladies there were all so inspiring. I'm so impressed by the businesses they've built, and the warmth with which they welcomed me, and several other new consultants!
I am excited to move forward in this opportunity, and as such, chose tonight to bake cookies.

I made whole wheat chocolate chip cookies (yes, I am weird like that, and they are awesome cookies!) using all Pampered Chef utensils.

I used the Mix 'N Scraper, Easy Read Measuring cup, Adjustable Measuring Spoons, Classic Batter Bowl (glass), Stackable Cooling Rack, and my Large Bar Pan. This recipe went something like this:

I put 1 cup of butter in the Classic Batter Bowl, put it in the microwave for 1 minute, melted the butter, pulled it out....the glass bowl was not too hot to touch but the butter was melted. I put 3/4c brown sugar in my Easy Read Measuring cup and giggled because it was so easy to read! I then measured 3/4c regular sugar, and giggled...this is definitely my favorite measuring cup ever! And with the ergonomic handle (which simply put means it feels good and is easy to hold on to!) I picked it up and poured the sugar into the Classic Batter Bowl. It poured super easy, did not make a mess, and impressed me more. I added an egg and 1tsp of vanilla. My measuring spoons are adjustable! No more digging for three or four different measuring spoons, just slide to the size I want and wow! Ready to go. I mixed all this together with my Mix 'N Scraper and it did a great job of scraping the sides - it's bendable enough to do the job well, and firm enough to not be flimsy. At this point I added 2c whole wheat flour 1/2tsp salt and 1tsp baking soda. I begin folding it all together with that excellent Mix 'N Scraper, the dough was thick like it should be, wasn't stuck to the sides of the Classic Batter Bowl, and smelled sweet. I mixed in 2c semisweet chocolate chips, then spooned 12 cookies onto my Large Bar Pan. I baked them at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes (9 would have been a little chewier like I like...). They came right off of the Large Bar Pan...put them on my Stackable Cooling Rack, and enjoyed a warm cookie a few minutes later.

In summary....these cookies are amazing! I love the even way the Large Bar Pan baked them, and the Classic Batter Bowl was perfect for mixing these up. I'm sold. I want more stoneware, I want the pans, and the all of the accesories and the knife block and and and and!

Pampered Chef produces a quality product, I made 2 dozen cookies in about 20 minutes, it took me maybe 10 minutes to clean up, and all of the products delivered a consistent, quality result. I'm looking forward to more cooking and baking as I add pieces to my collection. I know I'm selling something worth owning and I am excited to share these products with everyone I know!

Whew, it's been a while...

So, my finger tips have been burning, and I have a million things on my mind. Yet, I haven't been writing. I am not sure that the things I have to write about are appropriate for a blog. I like writing when I know no one is reading, but with a blog, that's just not the case. This is the stuff for people to read - and wouldn't you know it, I'd actually like to write stuff that someday, people enjoy reading.

Some part of me would really like to be a published author. I've started probably about 10 books in the last 4-5 years. I'm trying to decide if I'm failing at writing a whole book, or if it's just a really long process? I'm not sure which. In fact, upon browsing this computer this evening I've discovered only one of my starts is here. I have one on the desktop, as well. Both were intended to be masterpiece material, but I get bored
trying to figure out how to break a book into chapters and scenes and, let's face it, I'm no professional.

So here sits I, blogging on this Monday night. I still have one son awake, in fact he is now....thirsty! I only put him in bed an hour and a half ago. His older brother? Out! However, the little one seems to think sleeping is for anyone other than himself and he avoids it all cost and tantrum.

I'm going to start selling Pampered Chef, in all of this wonderful spare time I don't have. I'm going to talk to a student advisor about nursing, and I keep considering a change in job. You know what I'm realizing about myself? I want to be something, or someone great. I lost a huge part of my identity when I had to go to work and wasn't married anymore. I was something great, I was a wife and a stay at home mom. I was raising two kids, and tackling every day messes. Somehow, working, and sending them to school & daycare left me feeling void. I'm no longer something great. I have a stressful, pointless job. I see my kids for something like 34 hours a week, not including when they are sleeping. And that's only if they aren't with their dad on the weekend. When he takes them...I get like 10-15 hours a week. I no longer feel like a great mom, I'm not a wife, not even a girlfriend. I'm no longer a great volunteer (in fact, I haven't volunteered in months).

I bought myself a horse, and decided I was going to do great things with her. Yeah. I see her once a month-ish. Great. I was going to get in great shape and loose a bunch of weight. Nope. Hasn't happened.

Am I the only one that longs to do something great? What do you want to do that is great? I can't decide if I'm spread to thin to do anything great, or if I just haven't found what I'm supposed to do great at.

Well, that's all for this lonely September post...good night!

Defining Failure

As I'm mid way through another long week, I'm beginning to wonder how to define failure. Should it be defined by the things my kids are not exceling at? Work performance? Home life? A failed marriage? I'm thinking that as it stands, I don't measure up right now. I'm looking around and my kids are struggling, we get so little time at home that the couple hours in the evening just whiz by like they aren't really there, and most of you know by now that I am divorced. Work performance is going alright, I've taken on several roles and I'm maintaining for the time being. I suppose I'm paying my bills and buying groceries. Which is no small feat in this economy, but it just doesn't seem like success compared to all of the things going wrong. I'm trying my best, but that doesn't seem like enough. I keep praying for God's help, but I'm not any good at waiting, I need things to be resolved yesterday, and it's just not happening that way. I know God's timing is perfect and all, but it seems like my little boat is about to capsize in this storm....I suppose God's just stretching me. I suppose the good days where it looked like things were leveling out were just a chance to recooperate before another trying time. I'm no closer to figuring out how to define failure or success, and I don't have any more answers about how things will work out. I do know that God is looking out for us, and I think I'm a little more prepared to wait on the Lord after writing this.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness has got to be the hardest thing to give anyway. God's been softening my heart and really showing me how bad I really am at it. I thought I ranked moderately high on the forgiveness scale, until recently. As much of a struggle as it's been, I've made it entirely my own struggle. Somehow I decided that I had to the do the forgiving alone, to sort of earn my own forgiveness. Odd, seeing that I truly believe I am saved by grace through faith. I've been living outside of the love of God, and defintiely outside of the power of God. As I yield my heart to Him, I'm seeing miraculous miracles in my innermost being. I've stopped praying for change, and starting praying for transformation. I am so grateful for all that God is, and all that He does. As I am opening my life to His grace, it flows through me, giving me a clarity that I didn't have before, and a strength that is not my own. As I forgive, I'm finding myself with less to say, and more peace to hold my tongue. I'm willing to let other people interact with me more personally, and I'm slowly watching as God pushes the grip of fear out of my heart.

I just read "The Shack" by WM Young and all I can say is WOW. It challenged my view of God, and opened my eyes to things I hadn't considered. Now, I know the Bible is truth and our guide and that we should rely on the Word to shape our beliefs and our faith. I just think this book offered a beautiful perspective of the Trinity and is worth the time spent reading it! :)

Well, I'll probably write more on forgiveness, as I define what forgiveness means, and as God stretches me in this area. I'm so thankful for the hand of God on my life....

A little peek....

Here's a little peek into my recent struggles and some things I identified while driving home last night.

First off, while I don't wear my sins on my sleeve when I'm writing this blog, they are there. And I am quite adamant and convinced that I had just as much to do with the dissolution of my marriage. And that sucks. I hate it. Everyday. I didn't think the things I was doing would warrant my ex leaving me. I didn't think he'd walk out on me for it. I didn't think I'd end up a single mom, working full time, because of it. But I did. And if I had known those things would occur, I would like to think I wouldn't have been doing what I was doing, but I honestly don't know, because I didn't know.

Secondly, I like to do things myself. I like to see success and achieve goals, and while I can work with a team, I also like a lot of my "own" success. And giving those successes to God, and asking God for them, has been a huge challenge in my Christian walk...I'm learning, but it's been a slow process!

So, I'm driving home last night, contemplating my life, my ever intensifying schedule, and trying to process some things. I've been adding activities, and people, and friend dates to my life like crazy, and you know what I realized? I want to be accepted. And I'm pushing my limits, all of them I think, trying to gain acceptance. I just want to be loved, I want to know that no one else is going to walk out on me again. I want to know that I can trust people and be trusted. I don't want to feel alone. God has shown me that I am not alone, and has stilled the need/desire to go "man-hunting" for me. I am content to wait on His plan for me as far as a man-woman relationship goes. I am not, however, letting Him lead me in my daily activities.

I want to be everything, do everything and achieve everything, for everyone. I want to be so perfect that no one will get rid of me. I don't want to suffer that deep rejection that changed my life. I'm afraid to not fit in. Yet, I don't want to be fake. I don't want to give "face" answers - I want to answer from the heart the questions that are asked of me. I want people to really know me.

You know what God said last night? "You are loved, and wanted. I will never leave you, or forsake you. I sent my Son for you." And I'm resting today in the fact and truth that God bought me, at a price I couldn't fathom paying for anyone (especially when I'm thinking of my sons....) and I am His. I am His.

So, let this be a reminder to you, as well. You are loved, and wanted. God will never leave you, or forsake you. He sent His Son for you. You are His. Rest in that, take comfort, and let God strengthen you and hold you.