Grey Barn STORIES: Here's The Plan

Showing posts with label Here's The Plan. Show all posts

11/18/16

Stuff

I'm embarrassed to say that this is mostly my "stuff" in the above picture, so I'm not judging anyone here. "Stuff" can kill ya. At the very least, it can strangle and leave you gasping for breath.

I've started following a blog called "Becoming Minimalist" and that is what I'm fixin' to do.

I am not a fan of clutter, never have been. But my minimalist friend said something that will be my new motto for 2017; "don't just declutter, deown."

Listen to me when I say, "stuff" costs way more than what you paid for it.

I've already taken down one household, so I am qualified to take down some more.

After all, you can't take it with you.

Stay tuned, and keep an eye out for eBay, Craig's, and Airbnb listings, a household auction bill, a barn sale sign, trailer for sale or rent, and a rustic venue realtor may or may not be involved.

It's time.

We're movin' on up.

2/9/16

every damn new year i vow to keep this blog updated

words do not come as easy anymore

committments can creep in and overwhelm

but i'm gonna give it another shot

before i stick a fork in it

the 'ole college try

what does that even mean

first rule of writing

don't use cliches

i could write a book

time marches on

The pic above was to be the T-shirt

for a family reunion that wasn't.

It's now become my prayer list.

Life has definitely taken it's

twists and turns (more cliches)

for this family

and we all continue to struggle in a myriad of ways.

Lucy and Moses are not quite here yet.

In the spring and summer

Derek & Chels and Joel & Ang

will intorduce two more.

In the fall, we'll add Katie next to Austin.

We said good-bye to Brandon, gone way too early,

leaving a gaping hole we'll try to fill with memories.

I'm sure it seems more like a bottemless pit to Megan and Emme

As with this blog, once again, I vow to renew and rekindle the relationship with my Heavenly Father.

My verse of the year will be Jeremiah 24:7 ~ "I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart."

How will you know?

How will I know?
At the end of the day/month/year it will be obvious

I commit to walking in the spirit.

24/7

Next up: Letters to Lilly, Max, Calvin, Moses, & Lucy

Fruit of the Spirit Wall Chart by Rose Publishing
Dance in the Rain Poster sold by Antique Farm House

1/19/15

Let's Review

I knew it.

It takes time and effort to tell stories. Yesterday I had some Julee time. Tried the Happy Gospel Center for church, then off to Sarasota to replenish at Whole Foods and a lunch on their promenade. I don'mean to be mean, but alone time is how I renew, refresh, and rethink things.

So, today you'll get a pic update and a movie clip which pretty much sums up our Christmas weekend, New Years, leaving Remington, and arriving Bradenton.

Verse of the day: John 8:36 "If the Son therefor shall set you free, you will be free indeed."

Highlight of the week: Happy Hour with an old friend, albiet a skype hh.

Christmas Week-end

iPhone Christmas

New Years Eve

Leaving Remington

Degrees of separation

Sunshine State

Sew it goes.

God bless America! In honor of Martin Luther King Jr, I give you this clip and then I'm off to see "Selma"

Quote of the day:

Come visit, but just know, we have plans on Jan 29! Go Wings!
God bless you if you read here.

1/15/15

Senior Trip Day 3

Miss Shirley

While walking today, I met Shirley. She peered out from below her straw hat and removed her gardening gloves to say hello.

I don't really remember if I pursued her or she pursued me, but I ended up with a wonderful short story of her life.

She's a born and raised Floridian. Oh, now I remember, we had just arrived and she asked me about the weather on our way down. Told her it didn't reach 50 degrees until the Florida/Georgia line.

Her Georgia husband (not quite sure if he was the original) found his "Miss Shirley" while vacationing in the panhandle. They moved here in 2001. He passed away in 2007. She loves it here, but is kinda lonely. Thinks about returning to the top of Florida, but probably won't.

She weeded her whole garden (maybe a 4' x 4' space) while telling her story, and then asked mine. She couldn't place mom and dad, but welcomed me. She called me Miss Julee.

Later in the day, while we visited with mom and dad, Miss Shirley walked up to us. She had her headscarf tied securly and her handbag hugged tightly.

I introduced her as my new friend and then she rambled on with the biggest smile on her face,

"Miss Julee, thank you for stopping by, where were my manners, I should have invited you in."
"I live in the oldest trailer, but I keep a clean house."
"Nobody much likes me here."
"I'm straight down the road in A-11, it's the oldest, and most rundown trailer in here. (It's a darling 1950ish peach Tropicana, and I love it.)
"Nobody here talks to me much."
"I stay to myself, but it does get pretty lonely."
"Ole Miss Shirley, livin' in the dumpiest trailer, with no friends."
"Nobody much likes me here."

Well, Miss Shirley, you can't say that anymore, because we just met you and we like you already.

And God loves you, my dad reminded her.

I will look to say hello and visit with her from here on out. I could use some of her southern charm and she could use some of my self esteem.

Verse of the day: Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Motto of the day: Smile and say hello to everyone you meet.
Photo of the day: The shelf, circa 1995ish from Muskegon's own Pier One, was the Mr's "Honey do" project today and a shot of kitchen. My live-in dishwasher wouldn't like that I posted a pic with dishes in the sink, but I refuse to cook* and clean-up.

Turkey Chili from THM
Homemade Wheat Thins from THM with Asiago Cheese
1 lb ground turkey (from cage free turkeys)
1 can organic Chili beans or black beans
1 can organic diced tomatoes
1 can organic tomato sauce
12 oz organic chicken broth
Salt, pepper, garlic and onion salt to taste (I browned my ground turkey with garlic and onion)
2t Cumin
2t Chili powder Brown turkey and simmer all ingredients for 1/2 hr. Smells like you cooked all day.
Wheat Thins from THM
3/4 C golden flax
3/4 C almond flour
2 egg whites
2 T nutritional yeast
1 T parmesan cheese (I used 2 heaping T)
1 T olive oil
1/2 t baking soda
Mix all together and roll out as thin as you can get it with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min.

Steamed Buttered Broccoli
Applesauce

1/14/15

Senior Trip Day 2

I may have to start retitling these or do daily updates on a once-a-weak post. We'll see if I keep up with the updates, I'm optimistic.

Today, we'll call "The Tin Man"
Does everything run on oil? Even our bodies? I'm beginning to think so. With all the hub-a-ba-loo on the internet and "essential oil" companies popping up like flies and claiming to heal everything from cold sores to cancer, you can bet I was skeptical today, as I sat through a "Young Living" presentation.

True Confessions ~ I'm actually a "Young Living" distributor, have been for quite some time. I also watch "The Bachelor" so do with it what you will.

But today something clicked with me and "oils" I connected the dots. Whether it's EVOO {extra virgin olive oil for you newbies} or a drop of peppermint in you tea, our bodies need oil to function.

Fun facts: Well, two fun facts, and one serious fact.

I am related to the gentleman who started, Lehman's Peppermints. We used to have a tiny jar of peppermint oil, which sat inside our spice cabinet. Every once in a while, we'd dip a toothpick in the jar and then float it in hot water for a peppermint tea treat.

There's a plant/oil called Melissa.

When I worked for Weight Watchers, we had a Dr. come to one of our conventions and beg us not to teach cutting the good "fats" out of our diets. It was the 90's and EVERYONE was buying and eating {and hating} everything from fat-free sour cream to fat-free cheese and crackers.

Oil for your engine, it makes sense. No worries, I won't go fanatic on you, and I will most definitely never give medical advice, but I'm gonna give it a go, mainly peppermint, lemon, and frankincense. {It's mentioned over 70 times in the bible} If I update daily here, I'm going to need to store up some post material, so frankincense musings will be another blog post.

While I'm going with true confessions, I also want to let you know, I'm on a healthy eating kick. My daughter's inducted me into a new club called "100 Days Of Real Food"* Ok, so there's that.

Verse of the Day: "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky." Philippians 4:14 & 15

Motto of the Day: Still on the "no complaining" kick. Did you listen to yourself yesterday?

Oil of the Day: Just kidding.

*Dinner on Day Two:

Grilled Turkey Burgers
1 lb of ground turkey breast
1 handful of spinach, finely chopped
2 T parsley, minced
... sorry no sage or thyme {insert musical notes)

1T rosemary, minced
1 t. sea salt
1 t. pepper
Grill in 1 T EVOO

Lemony Broccoli
Saute Broccoli until soft in 1-2 T EVOO
1 small chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic
Squeeze 1/2 lemon over before serving.

I'm also reading the book Trim Healthy Mama {I can hardly stand to type that title, but it is a brilliant read} so no potatoes for me, the Mr. had some potato salad with his meal, compliments of his mother-in-law.

Photo of the Day: I will try to be more creative with the photos, but for a couple of days, pacify me.

Clickin' my red shoes together and can't even believe I'm calling this home for the time being!

6/12/14

Clap Along

In no particular order, some with the good camera, some with the "little" camera, and even an iPhone pic or two. This is my life, as of late.

What does it mean when it says ...

"This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it?" or "Rejoice! And again, I say, rejoice!"

Clap along and get happy, my new motto!

Entertaining Frey girls.
De-wilkeing 37 years.
Florida Trip #3 ...
Go to girl.
Cousins.
Engaged.
Neice and soon to be nephew.
Hobnobbing.
Sister, daughter, friend.