red oak road: Random Good Stuff

1. My friend, Dr. Janet Johnson, asked me to write a guest post for her Media Rhetoric Blog.
I was pretty darn excited to be a guest blogger!

2. My super wonderful, awesome, fabulous
husband has said that he insists that I take
time for myself every single day.

3. I got back to yoga last week! It felt so good! I used to practice regularly, but then I had that shoulder injury...so I stopped and had a hard time fitting it back in my schedule.

But I am SO super glad that I did!

Yoga makes me feel balanced and centered and focused.

I breathe deeper.

I stand firmer.

I feel better about myself.

Thanks for the encouragement, Honey!

4. I don't usually make resolutions.

I believe that every day is a chance to live a better life than the day before.

But~ this year, because I did so much evaluating of the homeschool situation over the month of December,

I ended up doing some personal evaluation as well.

And I decided to make an effort to change some behaviors that were not serving me well.

Projecting what people are thinking about me,

you know,

"they are probably thinking...(my butt looks big/I've gained a few pounds/I'm a nutjob for homeschooling/my haircut is too short/this scarf is all wrong with this outfit)"

Now, when I catch myself doing that,

I remind myself that I have no idea what they are thinking

or what is going on in their own life.

I try to think something positive.

5. I've also made an effort not to spend hours and hours and hours trapped on the computer, just checking facebook or my blogger Dashboard or whatever
one more time....
(It's the "one more time" that gets me! -- just in case there was an update in the last 20 seconds!)

We stopped doing spelling because it was not working for us

and all of the research suggests that it doesn't work...

I stopped making lesson plans,

now we just keep working...

I have lists of ideas for when we get to something, but no "timeline" per se...

I've let go of the behaviors that were not serving me well,

were not working for me...
I am trying REALLY hard not waste time,
because I need more TIME not less...

6. I have time to read about techniques and learning styles, time to research projects and ideas,

and time to read novels.

I will not give up reading novels.

I love to read. I will not give up reading novels that are just for me, that I enjoy.

Seems counter-productive to do that when I am trying to instill a love of reading

in my girls.

So, every night, before bed, I will read something I WANT to read that has nothing to do with homeschooling or education.

7. Back in December, Jessica at Teachable Moments, brought a blog called Brave Girls Club

to my attention.

There was a post that circulated:

Seeing Past What It Seems

it's an amazing post!

I've been reading that blog.

Melody's story is amazing

and wonderful

and really makes you realize that there is a God.
And that miracles do happen.

And that we all need to be there for each other.

We need to support and encourage and love one another.

8. I was excited that the author, Melody, is launching a Brave Girls Club

with a Message Board

and Forums you can join.

There are Daily Emails you can sign up for, that are encouraging.

There are One Week At a Time Challenges that are awesome.

There is even a Mixed-Media Soul Restoration Workshop.

The groups I have joined on there are helping me with

#1 , #2 and #3

on this list!
(obviously I'm spending a lot of time here now...lol)

9. After two years with an interim pastor, our church finally decided on a new pastor!

She preached last Sunday.

It was great!

I am excited about this new change,

this new direction.

The last two years were like limbo.

Our new pastor is a woman

(We are Presbyterian).

She's been involved with mission all over the world,

she gave a terrific sermon,

she is a pastoral counselor,

and a great artist!
I feel like this is the right next step for
my spiritual journey.

10. I've discovered another new blog

Life in Grace,

I had not read Edie's blog prior to December

when her family home burned to the ground.

Now I am inspired by her faith, by her spirit.

I am mesmerized by her words.

And because I like to have photos in every post
and because my awesome, fabulous, wonderful husband
enjoys spending Sundays in the kitchen
with the TV in there tuned to football,
making a magnificent feast for us.
(He says that he feels like he didn't accomplish anything if he just sits and watches football.
I'll take it!!!)

This weekend, he made
homemade salsa
which had the perfect amount of garlic in it ...