Let's Take a Moment, Shall We?

I look for teachable moments for my children all the time. Moments are always presenting themselves, if you only look for them.

I found one in the car the other day when this song came on the radio.

I had heard it several times before and really liked it. The words are so precious. When it came on when my kids were with me, I said, "Listen to the words of this song. Boys, this is how you should feel about your future wives and you should tell her these things. Baby girl, you need a boy that feels this way about you", and I turned the volume way up.



I want my boys to grow up feeling this way about the loves that God has for them and I want them to know how important it is for them to express themselves. I want my daughter to know that she is special and not to settle for less than the words of this song when she chooses her lifetime mate. I let them know that no one is perfect, of course, but unconditional love is the ultimate goal. Teachable moments...

I love this song. I love the lyrics. I want someone to feel this way about me. I don't want my kids to settle for less, so why should I??

Perhaps my kids weren't the only one that learned something that day.

Have a teachable moment myself? Don't mind if I do...

*WHOOSH*

I am drained...physically, emotionally, spiritually, drained.

Need a refill? Don't mind if I do...

Serenity...Now

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Words To Live By

Runnin' out of self-control
Gettin' close to an overload
Up against a no win situation
Shoulder to shoulder, push and shove
I'm hangin' up my boxin' gloves
I'm ready for a long vacation

Be good to yourself when, nobody else will
Oh be good to yourself
You're walkin' a high wire, caught in a cross fire
Oh be good to yourself

When you can't give no more
They want it all but you gotta say no
I'm turnin' off the noise that makes me crazy
Lookin' back with no regrets
To forgive is to forget
I want a little piece of mind to turn to

Be good to yourself when, nobody else will
Oh be good to yourself
You're walkin' a high wire, caught in a cross fire
Oh be good to yourself
Be good to yourself when, nobody else will




Be good to myself? Don't mind if I do...

Oof!

Your life ever feel like this??

Rainy Days and Mondays...

It's a beautiful day here today.  There is a crispness in the morning air that we haven't felt in several months.  It's lovely.  It's also Monday.

Monday...blech!

I'm not typically one to assume every Monday will be bad.  It's just another day of the week.  I try and give Monday the benefit of the doubt and not prejudge it.  Today, it has held up to it's reputation...and it's only 8:30am.  *sigh*

C'mon Monday...break the cycle of crappiness!!

Be a Monday hater today? Don't mind if I do...

Run, Forrest!!

I'm a runner...at least I used to be. I went running today. The weather in Texas is finally cooling off enough that I don't have to risk possible heat stroke to get a run in. So...I ran.

I have a couple of new gadgets to help me in my run. A new iPod, that I am still getting used to, and a GREAT new app on my iPhone4. It's the Nike+GPS app and I LOVE it. It tracks not only time and distance, but also your average speed, route and pace. It rocks!!

I love to run and I'm pretty good at it. I would like to run a marathon someday, but I don't know if I have the time to train like you need to, to achieve a goal such as that.

Running for me, is not just exercise. It's also a stress reliever and it gives me time to think. I get ideas and clarity when I run. The fact that it works off the Banana Royale Sundae from Baskin Robbins that I consumed last night is just a benefit (it was delicious and oh, so worth it, btw).

I ran 4.5 miles in 53 minutes. Not too bad considering I haven't run in 6 months. I plan to continue to run and improve on my time. There is a 10K in November that I have been told about. I sure would like to shoot for that. It's always good to have a goal and who knows what great ideas and life clarity will come to me as I run for my life.

Run, Shan, run? Don't mind if I do...

*SIGH*

Someday?  Don't mind if I do...

Answers...and I mean QUICK!

Monday, I posted about my lack of excitement. I felt the need to post a follow up to Monday's plea.

I did a photo shoot with my three kids late on Monday afternoon. We had gotten them some new hats a couple of weeks ago and I picked up some cute outfits to go with. As a photographer, I don't have nearly as many pictures of my own kids as one might think. I took this opportunity (and the new ensembles) to get some current pictures of my little people.

This was the first time, in a long time, that I have picked up my camera, and boy, did it feel good!!! I didn't realize how much I missed taking pictures...the capturing the shot, the creative juices flowing...it all came rushing back to me and it got my blood pumping!!! After the shoot, I took the kids to dinner at Outback. Within an hour, four different people had asked me about my photography business and expressed interest in it...more blood pumping!! Yesterday at work, my friend Sacha sat me down and told me, as only Sacha can, that I need to get off my booty and start working on my business again. She told me I was talented and that I am wasting the God given gift I have by not doing what I want/need to do in photography! That was the kick in the tail/major blood pumping that I finally needed.

Thank you, Sacha for reminding me and not being afraid to tell me what I needed to hear!! <3 


God answers prayers. Sometimes He chooses to do it quickly. I am thankful that He hears me, even when I talk to Him through this blog. My blood is pumping again. Excitement is brewing. CaptureLife Photography is comin' at cha! 


 Put my photographer's hat on and take pictures of YOU? Don't mind if I do...

~ My website ~

Time Out!!

I saw someone post this on her Facebook status and I decided to "borrow" it (thank you, MKA).

Some beach, somewhere, there's a big umbrella casting shade over an empty chair.

I need a vacation...a trip to anywhere. It doesn't have to be to a beach with an umbrella, but a fruity, frozen cocktail sure sounds good!! I need a break.

Unfortunately for me, it's back to work and reality. So...I will continue to dream about my toes in the sand, the feel of the sun on my face and an ice cold cerveza in my hand. Airfare is cheaper in my imagination anyway. *winks*

Get away from it all, even if it's only in my mind? Don't mind if I do...

I'm So Excited...NOT!!!

I realized this morning that I'm not excited...about anything. There is nothing going on right now that excites me. I don't have any big plans...No trips on the horizon...Nothing to look forward to. Just the mundane things of every day life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sad or depressed, I'm just not excited about anything. *sigh*

Maybe this will help...



I need to find something to get my blood pumping again. I'm going to talk to Jesus about it. He has always been a good blood pumper!


Let Jesus be my excitement? Don't mind if I do...

*sigh*

If you don't mind...

I Am Woman...

Two days ago, I unclogged my bathtub (an unfortunate side affect of having two long haired girls in the house) and I now take a shower without standing ankle deep in soapy water.

Right after that, I unclogged my toilet (an unfortunate side affect of buying the more expensive, "plush" TP, and having 3 kids in the house) using a toilet auger...no plunger for this girl!

And...I am pretty sure I'm bringing home the bacon...

*RAWR*!!! Don't mind if I do...

Half and Half

I like to think that I'm a positive person...a glass is half full kind of gal. Sometimes, however, my glass feels more empty than full. It's difficult to be positive all of the time, but it sure helps.

Being positive is a choice. We have to make this choice every day...often times, several times a day. It just feels better to have a half full glass than a half empty one.

If you are a positive person, why not do the world a favor and fill up the glass of a not so positive person. Hug their neck and remind them of the good in their world. It might just fill your glass up a little more in the process.

If you are a not so positive person and you see a glass filler coming your way, don't turn tail and run, just go with it. It won't hurt, I promise!!

Make someone's half empty glass, half full today? Don't mind if I do...

What Is It Good For?

Hold up my white flag of surrender? Don't mind if I do...

Pick Your Hill

In life, we have to make choices. Some are as simple as what you will have for breakfast. Some as monumental as what you will be when you "grow up" or who you will marry. Life is full of choices that need to be made.

I heard a statement in a parenting class I used to teach, and it stuck with me:

"Choose the hill you want to die on."

The context of the statement was referring to parenting your children and the fact that, when they are babies, you can't make every moment be a training moment. Sometimes you have to do whatever you need to do to get them to sleep...rules or no rules.

This can also be true in everyday situations we encounter or even in relationships. You have to decide if your point of view or your way of thinking is worth going to the mat over. Is THIS the hill you want to die on? Standing firm on your feelings about something is important, but is it important enough to possibly lose a relationship over?

I am not good at letting things slide by. I do not internalize most things. I am not afraid of confrontation. If something bothers me, I will hold it in for about half an hour and then I am ready to discuss it. Let's get it out there, talk about it, come to a conclusion and move forward. I have never understood people that just suffer in silence and bury things deep down. Who does that help?? The only thing that may get you is a lovely, seething stomach ulcer...no thanks!

There are some people that feel like they can say hurtful things and then after some time has passed, pretend like those things were never said and go about the relationship as if nothing ever happened. I am NOT one of those people. I'm all for moving forward, but I feel like things said in the past should be discussed. I'm not suggesting that every little jot and tittle be poured over and rehashed, but if there is a big enough rift that produced some hurtful and untrue things said, it needs to be resolved...right?

Which brings me to the reason for this post: I am on a hill. I have to decide if this is a hill I want to die on. If it is, I could be risking the possibility of ever reconciling the relationship. Will I be able to let my personal feelings aside in the interest of "letting it go and moving on"? If I walk away from the hill, I have to never look back, otherwise, it will all be in vain. Decisions, decisions...

Pick the hills I want to die on? Don't mind if I do...

Don't look, Ethel!!!!

I could never be a streaker, or a nudist, for that matter. It's not that anyone has ever asked me to be one, but if the invitation presented itself, I'm afraid I would have to politely decline.

Perhaps it's because I'm not completely comfortable in my own skin. I rarely walk around naked at home...even when I'm totally alone and have every right to do so. Walking past a mirror, or worse, standing in front of one getting ready, while I'm in the raw, makes me pick myself apart. A bump here, a flaw there...always something that could look better.

I like wearing clothes. They hide a myriad of things that nakedness flaunt. Nothing wrong with wrapping the package, so to speak. Not to mention, nudity leaves nothing to the imagination.

I suppose there could be an argument made that going to a nudist colony would help me feel better about my body...boost my self esteem and help me get more comfortable. Nah....besides, I would miss the shoes!!!

Keep my clothes on in public? Don't mind if I do...

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

I need to find out what it means to me.






Don't mind if I do...

Tangled...

How Do You Like Them Apples?

A few weeks ago, I was cutting up some apples for my kids. One of them had a bruise. I cut the bruised part off and served the rest...there was nothing wrong with that apple. It made me start to think...

People are like apples. Sometimes, (most of the time, really) we have bruises or bad spots on us. As humans, we have a tendency to throw away a good apple because of the bad spot, instead of cutting it away. That means we might throw away a perfectly good relationship or friendship because we can't look past mistakes or poor choices that others make.

My apple has been thrown away...by several people. Some have dug my apple out of the trash, sat it on the counter but haven't yet decided what to do with it. Some want to forget my old bruised apple ever existed and are attempting to put a brand new apple on the counter for me. Still others left my apple on the counter, but covered it up in hopes the bruise would go away.

I am so thankful that God prunes my apple. He has done much of that in the last several months. As difficult as the process is, I know that my apple is better for it.

I like to think that I wouldn't ever throw anyone's apple away, no matter how bruised it may be. I have been at the bottom of the trash, knowing I am still a great apple, so I wouldn't ever want to do that to another. Lessons learned the hard way!

These thoughts were an epiphany for me. All this from cutting up one little apple for lunch! Isn't God funny?

Stand proud as God's good apple, bruises and all? Don't mind if I do...

AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!