True Joy in my Heart!!!

I thought it was going to be hard trying to figure out what I am thankful for today, because I had already covered my husband, my son, my friends, my job, my faith and my home….then I turned the channel on TV to see what I wanted to watch and the music that was playing while the screen scrolled through the shows happened to be one of my favorite bands, The Blues Travelers singing Run Around.  I love, love, love my music.  It makes me happy when I’m sad, it brings me to where I want to get up and dance and have fun.  I sing at the top of my lungs no matter if I can carry a tune or not and dance a jig when the mood hits me because I love my music.  One time I was with a date and we had gone to a street dance, one of my favorite activities in the whole wide world to do, and I asked him if he wanted to dance.  He told me he really couldn’t dance.  I told him that has NEVER stopped any of my friends!!!  We would go as a pack of wild dogs to dances and dance the night away.  We had so much fun.  Did this after I came back to MO in the early 80’s up until my son was born in the mid 80’s.  Even was known to get a sitter and go after he was born.  Love, love, love my music!!!

When Josh was little I use to hold him up close to me and dance to songs on the radio or would place him on top of my feet and we would boot scoot boogie.  He loves music as much as I do now to and has been known to go out and dance the night away!!!  One time we were going somewhere in the car and a song came on that we both liked.  I cranked it up and sang at the top of my lungs with him whipping out the ole’ air guitar.  After the song was over he looks at me and goes, “Woo, we could of hurt someone on that one!!!”

This year I went to see Boz Scaggs, Mandisa and Amy Grant.  Last year it was Carole King and James Taylor along with Rain (Fabulous Beatles band) and can I not forget my man….Eric Clapton.  I didn’t get an opportunity to go to many concerts as I was raising Josh.  For some reason I saw food and clothing more important along with all the things needed to go to school.  :o)  Michael Buble is playing now, I love that guy too.  I’ve gotten on a Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Louie Armstrong kick lately and have found a radio station that plays those tunes a lot.  The only music I never learned to appreciate is Opera.  I do like some of the Classical pieces though.  I know, I am ate up.

With that said it brought back memories when I went to Lowry City Jr. High and High School.  Our music teacher was Mrs. Braithwait.  She was an awesome teacher and worked us hard to become the best in music.  We would go to parades and march and win trophies.  One year we marched in the Homecoming Parade in Warrensburg at the Central MO State University Homecoming.  That was big dog for a little school like Lowry.  I can’t remember if we won a trophy or not but I remember the song we played.  Georgie Girl.  LOL.  The girls’ choir would sing in competitions too and we would win.  She really was good.  If you want to laugh your behind off you should get with some the guys that were in band and let them tell you some Mrs. Braithwait story’s though.  Crack me up BIG TIME!!!  What can I say, it was in the 60’s-70’s and we were in the Harper Valley PTA era!!!

Well, my day was eventful.  We had our training in Springfield for the local providers.  Had close to 40 attend.  It was held at the Missouri Conservation Nature Center and was absolutely beautiful.  When I booked that area I was like, awesome we can walk the trails during lunch and it will be so nice.  That didn’t happen, it rained all day.  We need the rain but would have liked to have had the opportunity to enjoy the Center though.  It was a cold rain too but all is good, like I said, we need it bad.  Everything is so dry.

Our training tomorrow will be in Joplin.  There is to be like approximately 20, and is held at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin. I love doing the training but it can be extremely stressful trying to get it together and of course my supervisor was there along with her supervisor.  Best part about today was some of the people in the training came up to them and told them how much they appreciate my co-worker Laura and me.  That’s pretty good, if I don’t say so myself!!! 

Not much earth shattering has happened to me today.  I am glad that there is a holiday coming up this Friday.  Veteran’s Day, which means I will not have a three day weekend but four because of my regular Monday’s off.  Rock the frick on!!!  Of course I love my Vietnam Veteran too and plan to do something special for him.  The first year we were dating he came and got me and we went out to eat lunch.  He had his Vietnam Vet cap on and an older gentleman that had a WWII hat on came up to Terry, shook his hand and said “Welcome home son” and then paid for our meal. Made me so proud!!!  Walk up and thank a Veteran if you haven’t.  It does your heart good and them too.  

Enjoy and good night my friends.  More tomorrow!!!

As I anticipate the next two days of training for our various providers, I have to say I am thankful for my job.  It gives me various forms of stress and there are times I think to myself, “Would retail pay enough to make it???”  Or, “I don’t have a problem saying, would you like fries with that?” But my job has given me a fairly comfortable living, health insurance and has helped me raise a strong and healthy young man.  There are days that I would quit for a job making fifty cents less and there are times no amount of money anyone could give me would make me quit.  I just wish I didn’t have to work so far from my home and my husband, but this won’t be forever.  I know. 

Oklahoma has just had their third earthquake in three days.  That’s scary; it makes you wonder what is happening.  We have always had earthquakes and it makes me wonder why the earth shifts and moves around in such a way.  I have heard so many different theories in my lifetime and have to say the most bizarre would have to be it is because of all the mining we do on the earth.  Is it a God thing or is it just the shifting of a large mass or minerals and matter.  Who knows, and we will probably never know.  I just pray we don’t have a deadly earthquake within the Midwest.  Oh, and Oklahoma had tornadoes too.  I pray for them right now!!!

I have been studying 1 Peter Chapter 5 and brought out my old Study bible and see a verse I have highlighted and I really love it.  “(7)Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  (8)Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  (9)Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”  That pretty much says it all in my book. 

I will get more insightful and all on another day.  I am tired and it is late.  It is going to take me a little while to adjust to this time change ordeal. 

See you later my friends!!!

Tonight I set here with my husband and my pets and realize I am so very thankful for my home.  It is a place I come to after a week in the trenches of the real world, dealing with issues that no one should endure, and find solitude and safety.  Not sure if you are aware or not but I am a foot solider in the war of public health.  Only those that think our jobs are senseless would be the first to scream the loudest if all of a sudden there was an outbreak of rubella, cholera, or anything else that we foot soldiers do to keep you healthy.

My home is a place that I don’t have to know anything or deal with drama; all I have to deal with is the joy of fixing Sunday dinners and having family and friends around whenever I want.  My home keeps me warm in the winter and cool during the summer.  I love my home and love my family.  I am so thankful for this place!!!

As we are getting ready to watch 60 minutes I realize how much I am going to miss Andy Rooney.  I really liked that gruff little man and they say he was 92 years old.  Wow.  He lived a full life and kept us all entertained.  They did a segment on him on Sunday Morning, another one of my favorite news shows.  He never would do autographs unless they were in books.  He said he wouldn’t write on a piece of paper that was going to be crumpled up or washed in the washing machine and destroyed. 

Well, there was an earthquake in Oklahoma yesterday and there are posts all over Facebook about various people feeling it. We didn’t feel it but it was felt 9 miles south of us and 50 miles north.  Wonder what that was all about.  I know one of these days we will be having a magnitude earthquake but I can’t think about it.  There is a verse somewhere in the bible that says don’t fear tomorrow, enjoy today.  I have never been a “the sky is falling, the sky is falling” Chicken Little kind of gal.  I mean if tornado sirens go off I am the first heading into the basement but I don’t head down there when it looks stormy.  In the Midwest you would be down there all Spring if you did that!!!  :o)

Heading off of here to watch the rest of 60 minutes.  Going to read a little on blogging and web design too.  Haven’t done much of that yet, but plan to.  Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you.  I have a Twitter account too but don't do much in there.  I have had it for about 4, maybe 5 years.  Not to crazy about Twitter.  It's more for keeping up with events and celebraties. 

Anyway, talk to you later,

Work in Progress,

       …glenda

Jesus loves me, this I know.  For the bible tells me so.  As I sit here, reminiscing the last two days, worshiping in the midst of Women of Faith, a Christian based conference I realize that I need to be thankful for the unconditional love that God has for me and for all of us.  It was extremely motivating and made me think about my purpose of life.  I am not sure what it is and may never know but I know that He is leading me closer and closer.  1 Peter, Chapter 5 is now my all-time favorite chapter.  He has brought me there and I will study it.  Rock on!!!

I am probably going to make this blog really, really short.  As I said I was at this conference for two days and I am really tired.  I came home from Springfield yesterday and hurried on up to the Sprint Center in KC.  Man that area around Power and Light and Sprint Center is really, really nice.  I am so proud of Kansas City for refurbishing that area in downtown KC.  Anyway, got home last night around 11 and got up at 6am to head back up to KC for day two.  Just a step for some of you but this ole bird needs her 8-10 hours of sleep.  And I plan on getting it tonight!!!

Well, I’m a little embarrassed but I cannot keep my eyes open writing this so I am going to sign off.  There were some really inspirational thoughts and ending statements and if I didn’t get anything else from these last two days, we are left on this earth to do the work of Jesus.  Love everybody and be kind to everybody. 

Friends

As I sit at the computer and do my nightly ritual of checking Facebook, checking my e-mail, looking up and seeing what the hometown news is, reading obituaries and making sure no one has passed away that I know, I realize that today’s thankfulness would have to go to my friends.  It would be such a lonely place in this life if I didn’t have friends. 

A friend of mine on Facebook posted on her status this following piece of wisdom,

“TODAY I SEND A CHALLENGE TO ALL MY FACEBOOK FRIENDS: It's November, the month of thankfulness, so instead of constantly talking about and highlighting the negative in your lives why don't you take the time every day to post what you are thankful for. Let me get you started - you can be thankful for: a roof over your head because I know you're not homeless, the internet because obviously you have that to get on here, a computer or cell phone because obviously you're posting from some electronic device, food in your belly because unless I missed it you haven't posted you're starving yet, income of some sort because obviously you can afford all of those things I've previously mentioned, friends because I've seen your friends list and there's more than just 1, and your health because obviously you're living and breathing. Dang! Would you look at that! A whole week's worth of thankfulness right there! Did you know that there are people in your own state maybe even town that are homeless, starving, have no income, don't have friends, and/or barely have their health to hang onto? Look at just how good you have it and be thankful because at any moment all of those things can be taken away!”

For those of you that aren’t on Facebook, there is a lot of whining, drama, and stuff people put on there that you are like, seriously folks, do you even have a clue that everyone does not care about that stuff.  I try to post inspirational things, things that make people laugh and sometimes things that make you think.  Like tonight I posted, “You know how to make a tissue dance???  Put a little boogie in it!!!”  I know cheesy but it makes you smile for a while, laugh and maybe even forget about something that is bothering you for a split second.

And that is why I love my friends.  They make me smile and I love making them smile!!!  Sometimes they make me mad too but that’s okay.  A good friendship is like a good marriage, it takes work, but don’t ruin it over something that really doesn’t matter in the long run.  What matters in the long run is that you have your friend for the rest of your life, no matter where they move to or you move to, so I am thankful for my friends. 

Well, getting ready to go to the Women of Faith Conference Friday night and all day Saturday with a couple of good friends.  I am going to sing, dance, cry, laugh and Praise like I’ve never Praised before in my life.  What a wonderful time and wonderful feeling.  I can’t wait. May not get anything posted tomorrow night because it is going to be late when we get home and will be getting up early Saturday morning to go back up there, so you may not hear from me until Saturday night.  Just warning you beforehand!!!

Today was a brisk cold morning.  It was raining when I went to work and I am not sure I am ready for the cold.  I was not one that was complaining about the heat this summer, I like summer but when it gets subzero weather, yes I do not like that.  I do like the first snow because it is absolutely breathtaking and even like a few after but when it starts being a cold mess and slushy, icy stuff….nope, don’t like it.  Oh well, it is all part of our seasonal changes within the Midwest and I don’t want to live anywhere else so guess I need to suck it up. 

Like I said earlier, I probably won’t post until Saturday night but look out.  I will have some stuff to say, I am sure. 

Peace out!!!

 

Josh and me

Memphis Trip Labor Day Weekend 2011

Day two and I have got to say that I am so very thankful for my son.  He is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  He literally saved my life and doesn’t even know it!!!  If any of you knew me before I became pregnant I was totally into sex, drugs and rock and roll.  I had married his dad and then I got pregnant.  I was all of a sudden, wait a minute, I have another life I am responsible for and I have got to stop this craziness and I did.  Unfortunately his dad wasn’t ready to stop, so a year and a half after I had this bouncing baby boy, Josh and I left.  I made it a point that no matter what, from that point on, everything is all about Josh.  I made sure he was active in school, in sports and I never missed a field trip or an after school activity, no matter how bad I really, really didn’t want to go. After all, you’re only a child once!!!   

I never had money to take him on vacations but we would do fun stuff together.  We went to Civil War sights in MO, we went hiking, we’d go on Sunday drives, when I would have a State holiday off and he was in school, sometimes we would just take off and go on a day trip somewhere.  We had fun but we had tough times too.  Growing up was hard but DANG, being a parent sometimes is harder I think!!!

This year we went to Memphis on a real vacation.  It was the first one him and I had ever been on.  Terry and his son Brandon along with Josh and I.  It was a blast and we are going to be taking these family vacations every year until the boys are married and have families of their own.  We may even do it then too.  Who knows!!!

Joshua Lee Hastings aka Dilrod aka Dilly is awesome!!!  I’m glad I married his dad or I never would have him in my life and he makes my life.  He’s personality plus and then some.

Well, I signed up for a Web Design classes today.  The library here in Springfield is the bomb.  I really, really like it.  I signed up for a 7 week tutorial on Web Design I that is free.  It is on Monday evening and I think it will work.  It doesn’t cost anything so there ya go!!!  Price is right.  I took a class at UMKC aka University of Missouri Kansas City that was HTML which is the language you use to create web pages so I know a little.  I’m excited because I have always wanted to dabble in webpage design.  Guess I can add that as one thing I have learned this year along with the blogging except I really haven’t learned that much yet with the blogging.  Hoping the design class will step me up a notch!!!

As I am sitting here trying to figure something to watch on the ole tube I see Harry’s Law is on at 8.  I do like that show, it’s pretty good.  Monday, during the day, while I was home Terry and I were watching The Cosby Show!!!  Made me think, I wonder what has happened to TV shows.  I love Mike & Molly, Big Bang Theory, and a few others but nothing is as good as the old Cosby Show reruns. Let alone some of the older shows from my childhood like The Dick Van Dyke show.  They are just good, moral, family values type of shows.  When did we start changing what we watch on TV and on the movies and where did these values go???  Why do we have to have all the reality shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Biggest Loser???  Oh well, I know when Josh was little and Beavis and Butthead was on TV I would not let him watch it but every week when it was time to come on he was over at Brock’s house watching it.  Brock lived across the street from us and had an older brother Brad that watched the show.  Took me a while before I realized what he was doing and when I did I was like, oh well.  Let him think he’s getting away with it.  Was I wrong, probably but did it warp him???  Nah, life is what’s warped Josh.  LOL!!!

Well, I’m getting off of here.  I’m doing my laundry and just buying time until Harry’s Law comes on.  Talk to you guys later. 

November 01, 2011

The first of November.  Where has this year gone???  This is a statement that comes to mind every year during this season.  Instead of agonizing over the New Year rapidly approaching, why not find comfort by looking back at the many memories this year has given you and count your blessings.

You may tire before this month is over but I am going to post each of my blogs this month and dedicate them to what I am truly thankful for.  There is so many things that I am thankful for and rest assured, these will not be in order like David Letterman’s top 10 list, but it will be whatever God has placed on my heart to bring to your attention.   As God and I both know, this could be interesting because I am never sure what is going to come out of my mouth, it just comes out.  Hopefully that is why each and every one of you loves me as you do, because that is just how I roll.  LOL. 

I do have to say my number one thing that I am most thankful for this year is my husband.  He is an awesome man and treats me like a queen.  I pray every day that I bring to him the love and joy that he brings to me.  He has brought so much love and content into my life that sometimes I feel guilty.  I feel guilty because not everyone can feel this, just like me in the past.  I never knew it could be this good in a relationship.  I have had some very dysfunctional relationships in the past as he has too, it is what has made us into the caring people that we are today.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  December 30^th we will have been married for one year, on October 16^th we celebrated our two years together.  Pretty cool in my eyes!!!  I feel the same about him today as I felt about him two years ago and those feelings have never ebbed.  You know what makes it even better???  He feels the same way because we tell each other daily. 

I saw a really cool quote today that hit very close to home.  The more you read my blogs you are going to find out I love my quotes, inspirational says and anything that will lift me up when I am down.  I believe in Christianity and go to church pretty faithfully.  I love the little church I attend and have gotten one of my best friends to attend it with me.  I have always felt in my heart what this quote is saying.

One time I saw a bumper sticker on a car that said “Preach the gospel at all times, when needed use words.”  I have taken that little bumper sticker to heart all these years and then today, BAM there was a better explanation!!!

“Don’t speak to me about your religion; first show it to me in how you treat other people. Don't tell me how much you love your God; show me in how much you love all His children. Don't preach to me your passion for your faith; teach me through your compassion for your neighbors. In the end, I'm not as interested in what you have to tell or sell as I am in how you choose to live and give."
--Mayor Corey Booker, of Newark

I’m thinking pretty dang cool and as my husband would say, “Outstanding!!!”

I have gotten some positive feedback from those of you that will admit you are following my blog.  For those of you that are just stalkers and read it, that’s fine.  Not much happened exciting today in the world of STD/HIV.  I am trying to get caught up on that dreaded paper work because I totally despise it.  It bites me in the butt every time too and am not sure why I let it do so but oh well.  Ya gotta love me!!!

Hope I didn’t get too intense on you guys but Thanksgiving and the holiday seasons that are coming up, I love.  Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter have GOT to be my favorite, simply because, not only does it consist of all my favorite comfort foods in the whole wide world it also consists of looking at your inner self and figure out what truly makes you happy!!!  How cool is that one guys???

I will talk to you guys again tomorrow.  We have officially entered Thanksgiving territory as of today, there is only three weeks and I can’t wait.  Anyone needing some place to go is more than welcome to come to our house!!!

Gobble till you wobble!!!