Hills of Inspiration: Arthur Pt. 2
To finish my posts sharing about the town of Arthur, I thought I would invite someone in who really knew the town: my stepmom. Teeyl was born and raised in the community and so I figured she could probably tell you about it better than I. So please give a warm southern welcome to my lovely mid-western step-mother, Teeyl.
Growing up in a town with a population of 120 in the 70s and 80s was a unique experience. We lived on a ranch raising cattle, chickens and horses. My dad and brother rodeoed both amature and professionally. My sister rodeoed all through high school and college and my mom taught art and decorated Arthur homes with her student’s artwork for 20 years. We were fairly self sufficient between the beef and my mom’s enormous garden.
We were always busy, whether we were helping mom or dad or the neighbors or participating in school functions. And when we tried to be sneaky behind our parent’s back, a neighbor always set us straight or informed our folks. This amazing village truly raised ALL children.
My kindergarten through 2nd grade years took place in a single wide trailor with one teacher, Mrs. Sizer. My class consisted of myself and a brilliant girl named Marjorie. She even napped better than me! In those days kindergarten lasted a semester and my parents sent me second semester 5 days a week.
I attended the “big white school house” grades 3 – 8. It was divided in half with grades 3-5 in the south room taught by Mrs. Helmer and grades 6-8 in the north room taught by Mrs. Corfield.
When we reached high school everyone participated in everything no matter your talent level. We simply needed numbers. Arthur County H.S. had football/volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter and track in the spring. After sports practice we all were involved in theatrical plays and during the school day we all participated in choir and band.
I graduated with 10 other classmates and we have all moved on to be successful in our own realms because this little village wouldn’t accept anything less.
Even though I would never move back to this small town because I’m too accustomed to the big city comforts, I am very proud to say I grew up in Arthur, Nebraska!
Dealing with the Lies
I recently came to Lacey, fed up of with this very thing. I see it in all directions, big and small. I wanted a way to write/deal with it but couldn’t really get on my feet. So, I asked Lacey to help me out and, boy, she did not disappoint….
- walk with discernment: although it can sting to experience deception, it can also teach us to walk in greater discernment. I tend to be a very trusting person, sometimes to a fault. While I don’t want to have a bitter view of humanity, it could also be good for me to practice greater discernment: evaluating every word someone says and taking into consideration their character as well. This doesn’t mean I never trust anyone again, it just means I practice more wisdom.
- grant grace: whenever someone wrongs us, it’s really easy to forget the times we haven’t treated people well. It’s very easy to say, “I never do ________,” or “I always say what I mean,” or, “I’m so glad I’m not like so-and-so.” Sure, all of that sounds really great, but when I’m honest with myself, I can think of some times (more than I want to admit) where I didn’t really treat people the way I want to be treated. When I remind myself of that, it’s a little easier to grant some forgiveness and grace.
- communicate clearly: sometimes, being lied to requires some confrontation. If you need to confront the one who lied to you or about you, do so clearly and concisely. Don’t be so caught up in yourself that you treat them as if they’ve committed the greatest crime ever, but also be willing to confront right and wrong. While it’s not ok to go on and on about how horrible of a person he or she is, it is ok to admit how the lie made you feel, and how you both might have been able to handle the situation better.
- avoid hosting your own pity party: when we’ve been wronged, it’ so easy to bring out the Kleenexes and get everyone of our friends on our bandwagon. Our very first tendency is to want to make everything about us. Instead, push yourself to surround yourself with people who will provide you with encouragement and will also keep your from pulling out the poor, pitiful me woes.
- carry yourself with honesty and integrity: one of the few gifts that come with experiencing deceit is that it can actually drive you to walk in integrity. When we bear the pain involved with being lied to or lied about, it can make us more aware of how we do that in our own lives. Do I always speak my words with truth and honesty? Do I mean every word I say, or do I speak in half-truths? Do I tend to embellish stories to make myself sound a little better? Do I stretch the truth about someone else for my own gain? Have I ever told a little white lie? Reminding myself of what it feels like to experience lies is also a good reminder to not practice them myself.
Guest Post: Take a Break
I want to apologize for going on and on about being on vacation, yesterday. As I sit here on my beach towel, soaking up the sun, I realize that wasn’t very nice 
Today, I have another lovely blogger writing in my place. Lacey Wilcox from Live Loved {who you may remember from here} is such a sweetie for helping me out. I hope you jump over to her blog and check her out as well.
{via}
Hey there everyone! I’m so excited to be here today, and even more excited to hear about Meghann’s big day! I have no doubt she’s going to be beautiful!
One of the things I’ve always loved about Meghann is that she is an incredibly real person (and by the word “real”, I mean honest, truthful, and forthright. But, I’m also glad that she’s very real as well . In keeping with that spirit, what I’m talking about with you today is the importance of rest.
My guess is that most of you have some pretty full plates. And those full plates can leave you pretty tired at times. Worn down even, or exhausted. The truth is that we all need rest.
It reminds us we are finite, that we don’t control the universe, and that we are human. (Note: there is a big difference between choosing to take a rest and choosing to rest all the time. One is good, the other, not so much.) Rest also keeps us ready for the things that do fill our plate. I think we can all agree that a worn out woman is not a woman who loves or lives fully or unconditionally.
But, reality is often not quite as generous as we would like it to be, and the truth is that most of you have kids, jobs, and demanding schedules that make it hard to do this very thing.
So, here are my top 10 thoughts on intentionally resting, in a way that ends up being better for you and everyone around you:
1.) Admit you need rest. It’s easy to try and be Superwoman, but don’t forget that even she was just a comic book character. I’m not saying to avoid productivity, but I am saying to remember you do have limits.
2.) Don’t let guilt keep you from getting rest. It’s also easy to try and put yourself last, thinking you have so many to care for, and to feel guilty about the thought of even trying to take care of yourself. Don’t forget that taking time to rest actually allows you to do everything else better.
3.) Figure out what is most restful for your heart and mind. For everyone this is different (and could even change from week to week). It might be a nap, it might be reading a good book or your Bible, it might be creating, cooking, or a conversation with friends. Figure out what brings rest to your heart and mind, and do it.
4.) Set aside the time you need to rest. At least an hour a week. This might seem impossible, but I challenge you to set aside the time. If you don’t set aside the time, you will never ever start. And if you never start, you’re never going to know what it’s not like to be tired.
5.) Get everything you need in one place. If your “rest” involves any kind of materials (even if it’s a pillow and blanket!), get everything together. If you think you’re going to be tempted to cut your time short, get a timer so that you go the full time!
6.) Prepare those around you for this time. If you’re kids are old enough to understand that this is your time, explain it to them, and give them enough activities to keep them busy. If they’re not old enough, rest while they’re napping just once during the week. If you have roommates, let them know what you’re doing so that they don’t disturb you.
7.) Get a friends help if you need it!
8.) Eliminate distractions. For me, my biggest distraction is my computer and phone. I try to set aside 30 minutes every morning that just involve reading my Bible and prayer, and so I don’t even let the phone or computer near me during those times. Whatever your biggest distraction is, figure out a way to eliminate it!
9.) Enjoy. Enjoy that the universe doesn’t rest on your shoulders, and you truly don’t have to do it all. Take the time to truly enjoy things that bring you peace.
10.) and then, come back, rested and rejuvenated for the task at hand. You’ll be much better for it!
Do you have a regular time to rest? If so, what are your best tips for maintaining it? If not, what holds you back?
Lacey Wilcox
Guest Post: Take the Stress out of Wedding Planning
As you read this, I’m most likely building sandcastles, hunting shells, or looking through a magazine with the sound of waves crashing in the background.
Oh, vacation.
But no worries, I have not left you hanging high and dry. Two of my most beloved bloggy friends have jumped in two help out. Today we have the ever spunky Lauren Bonk writing. You might remember her reading her wise counsel in an earlier post here. She blogs over at LaurenBonk.com.
And without further ado…
In light of recent announcements here at Fuzzy Little Wishballs, I thought it would be appropriate to write a wedding-related blog post.
When Meghann asked me a few weeks ago to write something, I thought, “Oh, Meghann’s right in the middle of wedding-planning! I should write a post on ways to keep yourself sane throughout the process.”
Then we find out that she’s practically finished with her planning, and has actually done a good job of keeping herself sane.
Oh, well. This post may not be terribly relevant to Meghann anymore, but I’m sure it’s relevant to someone.
So, indeed, how can you keep yourself sane while planning one of the biggest days of your life?
Assess your feelings, research your options, and…
Choose your 3-5
Weddings are funny. There are a lot of things that need to be perfect. There is also the fact that it is inevitable that something will go wrong. It may be as insignificant as forgetting a can of hairspray, but it will happen. As a bride, how are you possibly supposed to handle that?
This is where you choose your battles. What do you absolutely have to have? Choose 3 to 5 things that simply mustbe perfect, and focus the appropriate amount of effort there.
My 3 things were these:
My dress.
My bridesmaid dresses.
My dance.
So, I made sure that I had the perfect dress, and ordered it as early as I could. One of my main concerns was that my bridesmaids didn’t go broke simply because I wanted them to stand with me. I found $55 dresses at New York and Company that were exactly what I wanted. Finally, my dance. I almost cared more about the dance than my dress. I wanted everyone to have a blast, but didn’t want my Grandma to have to watch Bobby and Suzie making babies on the dance floor. I found a rockin’ DJ, who played 80′s and 90′s music all night long. It was perfect. Did things go wrong? A few. In the end, did I really care? Nope. Not at all.
Take a walk outside, take a deep breath, and…
Look for the Love
I’m lucky. I have in-laws I like. Some people don’t. No matter how you feel about them, however, family (in-law and your own) can cause some serious stress when you’re trying to plan a wedding. This is where you need to stop, take a deep breath, and realize that a lot of this stress is coming from an unlikely place:
Love.
It may not seem like it, but your families love you both, and they want this day to be perfect. Even if you are positive your mother-in-law is pure evil, chances are she loves your fiancee like there’s no tomorrow. You, of all people, can appreciate that, right?
Ultimately, emotions are high because love is high. Try to remember that and power through it.
Sometimes you have to stop listening to other people and…
Listen to Your Future Self
You’re going to be presented with a lot of decisions. From salad dressing to bridesmaid order, you’re going to have to make some choices that people may or may not like. What do you do in these situations? It’s pretty tempting to try to make everyone else happy. It’s also a little tempting to go Bridezilla. Either way, I think you should have a little chat with your future self.
In the future, do you see yourself caring if Aunt Shaniqua was pissed that you chose generic Ranch dressing over the Hidden Valley? I don’t know about you, but my answer would be “probably not.”
In the future, are you going to look back and think, “Man, I wish I would have just said no to letting Uncle Methuselah bring his pet ferret…”? Again, I can’t speak for anyone else, but that would be a situation where my future self would probably hop through the Time Vortex and slap me with a lobster.
Basically, these are decisions you’re going to have to live with. Make sure you can…well, live with them.
None of these things are a cure-all, but they definitely helped me when I was feeling like flipping out.
Do you guys have any good anti-wedding-stress suggestions?
Guest Post: Blogging Through a PC Crisis
Good afternoon, friends. Its another rainy day, here, in the Land of Little Girls. Dancing in the rain, included. That also means I don’t have to go out an water my herbs, right?
Remember that totally awesome redhead I told you about on Monday? The one I wrote my first guest post for? Well, Lauren so generously offered to help out during my no-computer time. Is she wonderful or what?
Today, Lauren will use her crazy writing skills to talk to us about keeping up with a blog during a computer crisis. And what better topic to write about in a time like this? Take it away, Lauren!
I have to admit that when I heard about Meghann’s computer situation, I thought, “Yikes. That stinks. Glad it’s not me!”
I then remembered when I thought my motherboard was going out (turns out it was just full of dust…) back in March. We were without a computer for a few days, and everything seemed to come to a halt. I was able to scramble to the library to get my actual work done, but just wasn’t able to keep up with the blog. I was in Meghann’s situation, and could easily be there again.
So what can we do if we find ourselves computer-less? Do we just give up and let our blogs go for a week or two…hop back on later and say, “Hey guys…sorry about that one?”
I say, “No.” I say we prepare ourselves with a plan. Next time our computer dies, slows down, or explodes, we dig up that plan and hit the ground running.
Okay. So, let’s say it’s Monday morning. You blindly mash the ‘on’ button on the coffee pot, rub your eyes a bit, and sit down at your laptop. You try to turn on the computer. Nothing happens. Your heart starts to beat a little bit faster. You suddenly forget about your coffee. You start muttering despicable words that are punctuated by forceful button pushing, key tapping, and your forehead hitting the keyboard. Finally, you come to terms with the realization that your dear computer has taken the final crapper. What do you do next?
Keep calm. Assess your situation.
First order of business: Call your computer people and get that baby taken in. It would be a good idea to have this number written down somewhere other than your computer. The sooner it gets fixed, the sooner you get back online. Next, compile your computing assets. Where can you go to access the internet? The library is the easiest option. If you don’t have a card, remember, they’re free. Bring your ID and proof of your current address, and you’ll quickly be back in the game. The computers might be tyrannosaurus-ancient, and there might be a smelly dude sitting next to you, but the important thing is you’ll be connected. If you live close to a college campus, you might be able to find a computer lab you can access. Finally, don’t forget to ask your friends and family. They’ll most likely be happy to help…and maybe bake you cookies.
Re-evaluate and re-organize.
When I was in college, I had a friend break her leg in dance class…right in the middle of a busy semester. She was convinced it was God telling her to slow down. She used the time to look at her life, simplify, and prioritize (she also used the time to go with me to a Harry Potter movie, which is what I think really helped her get her life back on track), and I think we can apply that theory to the potential loss of our computers.
Stop. Take a breath. Think. What are your main goals right now? What’s working? What’s not? Use this time away from your technology to take a hard look at your successes and struggles. How are you going to change them to better your blogging?
Get Old School with your writing.
Remember…the olden times? Times when people still thought MMMBop was sung by girls? Times when scrunchies were cool and David Hasselhoff frolicked over the waves with a big floatie red-thing strapped to his back? Times when people…used a pen and paper to write? I don’t know about you guys, but my life doesn’t always allow me to go spend a couple hours at the library blogging. If you need to write and you’re stuck at home, get out the pen and paper, for goodness’ sake! Sure, it’s gonna take you a little longer…but that’s okay. We’re turning these circumstances into a lesson in simplification, right? What better way to do that than to get back to the roots of writing? Feeling that pen dragging across the paper will be good for you, I promise.
Although none of these ideas will get your computer back any faster (that’s where bribing your tech-guys with cookies comes in), I hope they’ll be helpful in getting you through this tough time. In these days, when losing your computer is like losing a thumb, a little help in these situations is always appreciated!
Lauren Bonk
http://LaurenBonk.com
My First Guest Post
Good afternoon, friends! After a few storms, the past couple days, we’re finally having another pretty one. You know what that means! A dress, sunglasses, braided hair, floppy hats and ice cold sweet tea! It has been a good day, indeed.
Oh! And guess what. My Lilie is back!! The house is alive, once again, with giggles and little foot steps running up and down the stairs. Just knowing she’s sleeping in the next room helps me sleep more sound.
Ok. On with business.
I’ve written my first guest post! How fabulous is that? I’m excited to share it with you. Just visit the blog of one of my fellow redheads. Lauren Bonk. You’ll find lots of goodies over there. I hope you check it out.
Well, what are you waiting for? Get on over there!
Happy reading and hope your evening is lovely!
Coconut Brownies
Hey, everyone! Its me! I’m back! I’m having to bury my little laptop, though. Its the motherboard and ts really not worth my money to fix it since I paid so little for it to begin with. So, I’m saving to go ahead and make the leap from pc to Mac ASAP! In the mean time, I’ll be going from the campus labs to borrowing a friend’s old backup. Thank God for generous friends, right?
My wonderful, beautiful, amazingly talented Texan cousin is guest posting for us today. She writes for her own blog over at Live Loved… and I do encourage you to visit her little nook. She’s a beautiful writer and really knows how to speak to and from the heart.
Today, we have a late installment for the Summer of Growth series. This one goes in with the adventurous cooking segment. Lacey’s recipe is sure to get you trying new things in the kitchen.
So, here she is. Please give a warm welcome to Lacey Wilcox.
- Pre-heat oven to anywhere from 325-350. I know that’s a gap, but it will depend on your oven. Baking with honey requires you to bake at a little bit lower temperature, so you’ll want to really watch these the first time you make them!
- Melt your coconut oil (or butter) over low heat in a sauce pan.
- While it’s melting, combine all the dry ingredients (except the instant coffee) in a bowl, and whisk together so that they’re thoroughly combined.
- In a mixer, combine all your liquids, including the honey, and add in the instant coffee.
- Gradually mix the dry into the wet, making sure you scrape the sides of your bowl to get it all.
- Once everything is mixed together, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread into a greased 8×8 inch pan (my batter was a little thick, so it didn’t really pour).
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. If your brownies have baked this long and still aren’t done when you try the toothpick test, bake them for two-three minutes at a time until they seem done!
littlewishball
