Tuesday, October 26, 2010

DVR – Friend or Foe?

I’ve become a slave to our DVR.  I see the DVR list getting longer and longer.  It overwhelms me.  I think I’m a little OCD when it comes to lists.  I see my list and I want to eliminate everything on it.  Should I watch or erase???  Should I consider erasing a failure?

I started DVRing Oprah this season because it’s her last one on network TV.  I don’t watch every one of them because most of the subject matters don’t interest me.  But I want to be in the know about what is going on.  So I have Oprah on my DVR list 5 times a week.  Then there are all of Tom’s hunting shows on the list.  Come on, those shows are all the same.  They are 30 minutes of commercials for hunting gear.  AND THEY ARE WHISPERING THROUGHOUT THE EPISODE!!!!!!  I say ERASE!!!

I’ve never been the kind to not go somewhere because “my show” is on, but now I want to DVR everything so I don’t miss something.  Then I end up erasing because there is no way I am going to catch up on all those programs.  I don’t even want to.  When I do watch a show that we’ve recorded, I get all tense waiting on the commercials so I can fast forward.  I don’t really enjoy the shows I do watch.  What’s a woman to do?

I’m going to go through my programmed recordings and delete some.  But which ones?  American Pickers?  Pawn Stars?  Oprah?  Biggest Loser?  Man vs Food?  Ultimately, I do like the freedom the DVR gives us, but I’ve really got to be more selective or chill out about erasing so much.

Andy Griffith is on pretty much ALL THE TIME.  It’s my fave.  I really don’t need a DVR…….if I could only convince Tom.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Let ‘em Have It!!!!!!!!

Saturday we had the

1st Annual PDJ “Let ‘em Have It” Shoot Out

I named it “Let ‘em Have it” Shoot Out, because Peyton and one of his friends would holler that at each other when they were shooting.  I told them they should have their own hunting show and “Let ‘em Have it” should be the name of it.   We are hoping to make this an annual event to raise money for the scholarship fund.  My vision for this is big and I am looking forward to going public with it next year!!!  I will be recruiting LOTS of volunteers to help out.

Here are some pics from Saturday.  We appreciate everyone who came out.

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I couldn’t help thinking how much Peyton would have enjoyed this event.  In my mind, I can see in detail how he held his rifle.  This memory brought some heartache, but it also brought comfort.  I’ve said this many times, but the biggest fear after Peyton went to Heaven, was the fear of forgetting.  The memory of him holding is rifle assured me I will not forget.  There are so many things I remember in vivid detail and I am grateful.   

We also ate lots of deer chili and shared some hugs too.  Oh yeah, Tom won the competition.  Something was said about home field advantage, but I’m sure that wasn’t it.  He’s just good. :)

Thanks for reading!!!!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

19

Friday was Peyton’s 19th birthday.  Tom & I took off work, picked up the flowers and went to the cemetery. 

There were a couple of guys at the gravesite when we arrived and they were carving this.

It’s says PDJ.  I don’t know if this is against the rules or not, but it’s there and I love them for it.

I received a text the day before asking if we were “having anything” for Peyton’s birthday. I said we didn’t have anything planned, but we would be home if anyone wanted to stop by.

WE HAD A HOUSEFULL AND LOVED IT!!!!!!!!

 

Tom & I appreciate the support so much.  It means tons that they remember and want to share their memories and their lives with us. 

Saturday marked the day of a new tradition.  I will post about it later.  Thanks for reading :)

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Are You Listening?

I was talking to a colleague at work and I told him, “ I am anointed to do my job.”  This really took him by surprise.  I told him I knew I was exactly where God wanted me and I would stay there until He moved me someplace else.  I may work for my present employer until I retire, or God may tell me to leave tomorrow.  I can assure you, if God tells me to leave, it will be the best thing for all concerned that I obey.  He still had a puzzled look on his face and I told him the story of how I came to work there.  A friend called me as I was leaving the house to go to work, and asked me if I would be interested in working in her office.  I cried all the way to work because I knew I would be changing jobs.  Even though I knew it was God, I was going to miss the people I worked with very much. 

This man I was talking to asked me, “how did you know?”  I just knew.  It wasn’t something I knew in my head.  I knew it in my spirit.  God speaks to me.  He didn’t think God spoke to him.  He speaks to ALL of us, but sometimes we are not listening or we have not practiced tuning in to His voice.

He speaks to me in different ways:

Sometimes He speaks to me through His Word    

Sometimes I see visions in my spirit

Sometimes I hear words in my spirit

Sometimes I see words in my spirit

Then there are times there is a “knowing” or a feeling of insistence about a situation.  These things are not going on in my mind.  They are coming to me through my spirit.  That is how God speaks to us.  He is a Spirit and He speaks to our spirit    

 John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.              

The Creator of the universe wants to communicate with us.  Prayer should not be a one way street.  We have to take time to listen for the answer.  Prayer will make our spirits more sensitive to His voice.  This enables us to hear from Him in everyday situations, not just when everything is quiet.  He wants to be present in our everyday lives.  He loves us so much.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday with Friends – Fall Decorations!

I enjoy decorating for fall!!  The colors are so vibrant.  I’m linked up with Friday with Friends again.  Make sure you check out the other fall decorations.

Welcome!!
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Hobby Lobby carved pumpkin :)
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Come in!
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Scarecrow is a must!
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Looking forward to having a fire in this!
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Pilgrims!
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Pilgrims close up :)
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Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Friday with Friends – Fall Recipe!

***************************  Revision   ***************************************************
I was reading over this recipe today and saw that the cooking time was wrong, it should be 1 &1/2 hours, NOT 1/2 hours.  Hope this didn't cause any problems for anyone.  Also the recipe says "pour" the batter, it's more like spoon it.  I made it today for the first time this season and it is super thick.

This cake is a favorite of my family and friends.  Hope you will try it and let me know how it turned out :)

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup oil
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
4 apples, peeled and chopped. (I like a tart apple, like granny smith or gala, both good)
Mix eggs, sugar vanilla & oil in bowl.  Mix flour, soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add apples & nuts to dry ingredients.  Mix all together.  Pour into well greased Bundt pan.  Bake for  1 &1/2 hours at 325.  Cool for 15 minutes.

Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 butter (use real butter)
1/2 cup whipping cream

Bring to boil.  Serve over slices of cake.

When I take this cake to a gathering, I turn it out onto a serving platter, poke it a few times with a butter knife and then pour the sauce over it.  Good stuff.


I'm linked up with Friday with Friends.  Hop on over there for more fall recipes!!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Tipping the Balance…….in my favor.

During the last (almost 3) years, I have discovered that my hard times dealing with missing Peyton come in cycles.  I can feel myself getting stronger and then it gets really hard for awhile.  Satan really pours it on as I am gaining ground.  It is a battle.  It is a battle I am winning.  I am stronger and happier now than I have been in a very long time. 

Tom and I were talking last night and I told him, “I feel good enough to stay this way until we get to Heaven”.  I was saying that I have enough good days and happy moments that I could stay at this level of “grief recovery” and be fine with it.  I think of Peyton constantly and have a balance of smiles and tears.  I smile enough that I don’t feel utter devastation; I cry enough that I don’t feel I am forgetting. 

I know this level is not where God intends me to stop.  He doesn’t want me to be satisfied.  He doesn’t want me to be “fine”.  He created me to be more than a conqueror. 

A couple of boys guys came over with a deer one of them harvested yesterday and stayed for quite awhile to visit.  My friend was also here and she asked me if I was ok.  I said, “We are living the life we were intended to have, but Peyton is supposed to be here.”  No matter how full our life becomes it will never swallow up the hole we have because Peyton is not here.  Knowing that gives me confidence to get better.  Knowing that I will never forget him and how much we love him, strengthens me so I can let go of the grief. 

I have avoided blogging because I didn’t want to NOT write about grief or missing Peyton.  I have other things to say, but didn’t want to let go of my favorite topic, so I wrote nothing.  I don’t know what I will be writing about in the future.  I do have a few more Peyton stories that I will sprinkle in now and then.  I hope you’ll keep reading and commenting.