Saturday Morning Plans

Saturday morning is upon us and normally, I would be home for most of the day. However, due to taking the day off yesterday to be with family, I will be working some today. I really do not mind except that it just seems to throw everything off.

My plans for later today are to catch up some of my online work the same as I did yesterday and then I also plan to get Christmas decorations up. Many people will be shopping today as it is Small Business Saturday, but I currently am unable to do that as I just do not have the money. I will be surprised if I am able to buy anything. I think that it is nice to honor the small businesses like this and I hope that part of the money that people spent yesterday on Black Friday will trickle into the small businesses today. For many bloggers and others that earn online, they are a small business. Maybe we should all visit just one new blog today and click on the ads there in order to help the views of that site.

I hope the day brings you peace and joy. I am thankful for the job that I have today and I am hoping to make a difference in someone's world today.

Post Thanksgiving Thoughts

Just like many others this week, I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. We have discussed what we are thankful for and we have talked about the upcoming Christmas season. I have really became discouraged with Christmas as it seems that each year we are trying to outdo the year before. It also seems as though each year the money becomes harder and harder to come by although I do work outside the home. However, I know that I have many things to be thankful for and I will focus on that.

I am thankful that I have family that loves me and that will allow me the time to write online and have this amazing blog. I am thankful for the fact that they do not care if I write about them. I am thankful that God has allowed us to have horses and other animals here. I am thankful that I have children that have been fairly obedient even during their teen years. I am thankful that my oldest has struggled with Lyme Disease but has not allowed it to control her life.

I am thankful that my nephew and niece have both lived with me this year. I am thankful that I was able to give my nephew a home and that my niece has gone back to her mother. It is not because I did not want her here, but I think all teen girls need their mothers. I am thankful that my nephew that was getting into some trouble before has now gotten a job and has straightened up.

I am thankful that my mom is going back into surgery to repair the esophagus problems that she had earlier in the year. I am thankful that at 80 years old she is able to do most things on her own. She lives with us due to finances for herself, but she could live independently.

I am thankful for the job that I have and I am thankful that I have a roof over my head and food in my stomach each day. Those are necessities that some people do not have. This brings me to what I have decided to do. I am going to attempt to start a not for profit organization for helping those less fortunate in cities where there are not many homeless shelters and other places to help them.

I am asking for advice as to what I could use as the name and what I could do to start it. I know raising money these days is hard but I believe that if you believe and trust God, He will provide, I will give more details soon!

Follow Your Heart

For several months now, I have been thinking that I might want to find a new job, but I have been praying about where I would be the best suited and I have been asking God to show me where He wants me. I feel that my heart is being led in a totally different direction that I thought it would be. I feel that God is leading me to writing more and I feel that he wants me involved with an agency that helps either homeless families and especially women or with an agency that works with abused women or even into an agency that works with sex trafficking victims.

I have no idea as to how to get involved in any of those agencies and I do not know of any near me, but I would like to find a way to follow my heart and be where God can use me. Abused women are heavy on my heart as my mother was abused. I was a child that was raised in an abuse filled home and it was a sad way for any child to grow up. I think that the child truly suffers more at times that the abused. The child suffers in a silent way as they do not understand that they should not be scared at home.

Domestic violence is a horrible issue and one that is sometimes kept so quiet that no one around the family knows or pretends to know. Others who might question the family are afraid to get involved. They might wonder what if I am wrong? The children though that go to bed and hear the fights, hear their mother begging not to be hit, those are times that no child forgets. I know I haven't.

People, even myself, often ask why the women stay. They have been beat down and abused for so long that they either are convinced that it is their fault or they feel that they have no place to turn. Also, many women are threatened that they will be on the streets or that they will have their children taken from them. Many are threatened with death of themselves, their families, or even the children if the abuser feels that it will keep them there.

Men who abuse women are cowards. They are lacking in their own life and so they feel the power that they have over the other person makes them better or makes them a bigger person. Abuse can even take place in front of others as the men will do it in front of his friends that he knows won't tell to make him look bigger, badder, and the boss. it is a sad realization, but it does happen.

If you are a praying family, say an extra prayer for that woman that might be going to leave tonight and also say a prayer for the one that wonders how she can possibly take one more beating. Pray that this holiday season, each one can find their way to an open door and a friendly smile and a helping hand as they finally break from the abused life and the abuser.

Saving Pigs

Many Indianapolis, Indiana firefighters found themselves in an odd predicament last night as they were called to save over 2000 piggy's when the tractor trailer hauling them turned over along a busy interstate. Most of these men and women have never lived on a farm so knowing how to handle pigs is not one of their strong qualities.

The fire departments and others that responded to the call have to be praised though as they successfully managed to get these piglets moved to the state fair grounds until another truck could be found to move them to the right destination. At least one Wayne Township firefighter does have some knowledge of these animals as he once raised pigs and possibly still does as his son shows at a nearby local fair each year.

Can you imagine how surprised both the pigs, the truck driver, and the crews were when there were suddenly that many piglets to be taken care of along the interstate? I am unaware as to whether the animals were ever loose along the interstate or whether they were ever in any danger, but it would make for an interesting day of work for those firefighters.

I have a couple of pigs here, but I would not want to have to track down that many of them at one time. It does seem that it could be a very dangerous job with that many piglets along the interstate. I am thankful that the animals were safely moved to the fairgrounds and I hope that the driver was safe as well.

As you make your way out the door today, please be cautious to the other drivers and farm animals that might be along your way. Also, smile and say a kind word to someone as you never know what it might mean to them.

Snow and Cold Hit

My Scene Out My Front Window

 

Old Man Winter is seeming to poke his nose out early this year. Normally, our temperatures are around 54 degrees Fahrenheit here at this time of the year, but not this year. We are actually having an extremely cold snap and we are set to have record cold temps as they will reach temperatures that we have not seen in over 130 years. That is crazy!

We already have some snow on the ground and although is not a large amount, it is enough to make travel a little tricky. It seems that people here forger each year how to drive in snow when we get out first one. I find that interesting considering we have quite a bit of snow. The above photo was taken out my front window last year during one of our large snowfalls, but as I look out this morning, it seems to look similar to this. I am thankful for the beauty that the snow here makes. With the house settled in the woods, it makes for a beautiful scene.

 

Not sure but I believe this is another photo out of my front window last year. As I look at these, I realize that I could almost write a story and illustrate it with these. I think I could title the book, The Small House in the Woods. I don't think I could use the Little House due to all of the books that we all know by Laura Ingalls Wilder, but it would still be an interesting story.
 As you can see, my woods are beautiful scenes during the winter. I am thankful that we live where we do. I do not like the winter driving, but I do not mind the scenery that we are offered on a daily basis. I wish I could find a photo of the horses covered in snow as I find that a beautiful sight.
 The record cold that we are seeing could be a look into what is to come for winter. Last winter, we struggled with the polar vortex that brought record cold and snow to our area of the United States and we seem to be having the same thing happening again. Weather patterns can easily be followed with all of the forecasting tools that the meteorologists have these days. I just pray that the weather makes for a much easier winter than last year.
 Whatever weather you are having, enjoy it even if it is miserable. You might not be in a condition where you could see the beauty that the snow brings, you might not be able to walk to worry about slipping and falling, you never know what tomorrow brings.