Moody Monday's: The Lengths People Will Go To Earn A Buck

photo by tlpoague

It is one of those rare, quiet mornings where I feel the urge to get up and tackle my day before the sun rose. I grabbed my usual cup of coffee and headed to the computer.
Have you ever caught yourself in a moment where you truly admit you are addicted to something? I sure did, I popped open Facebook in the hopes of getting a message back from a fellow patron. I was disappointed to not see the icon stating I had a message, but it didn't keep me from the thrill anyway. Once I browse through the added garbage that often shows up on my feed, I was off to do some writing.
This was halted by the thought of checking my posts on Bubblews.
“It would only take a second” I thought to myself.
Thirty minutes later I found myself reading a post that had been stolen from a previous post I had just read.
It amazed me the boldness (and length) people will go to make money. It also was a stark reminder how easy it is to loose your earnings to someone like this.
How hard is it to be creative? Something tells me that if you have to steal content to be a writer...you shouldn't be in that field. Find something that you are good at and let your creativity shine.
This led me to thinking about this weekend and the excitement surrounding it. If you are a reader that surrounds the state of Kansas, you may have heard of the Hwy 36 Treasure Hunt. All along Hwy 36 from the Colorado border, across Kansas, to the Missouri border, will be a three day Kansas wide garage sale.
I have met many people that spend a better portion of the year creating projects just for this sale. Some of them refurbish old items to give them new life. Others quilt, knit, crochet, or sew items to show off their talents. My favorites are the food...and of course the hidden gems.
It is very much like a treasure hunt. Short of a flea market, I don't think I have seen so many garage sales in my life.
If you are out and about this weekend, and in the area, I would recommend checking it out. You never know what you will find. As for me...well...I've got a few projects to finish in the hopes of making a buck.

The necklace, headbands, and tin can are a few of the projects I have made.
photo by tlpoague

Nothing makes a day of shopping more enjoyable than cookies.
photo by tlpoague

Each of the projects here I made.
photo by tlpoague

Homemade goats soap. It is the best I have found so far.
photo by tlpoague

This lady had loads of time on her hands. She crochet each one of these.
photo by tlpoague

What a cute Christmas gift to give a child this year.
photo by tlpoague

Moody Monday's: God Answers Prayer

Moody Monday's : God Answers Prayers

tlpoague

Welcome again to Moody Monday. 

We are living in a world that no longer wants-or sees a reason-to believe in God, or the teachings and salvation of Jesus Christ. Even Christians I have come in contact with are drifting away from their belief as they are daily tempted and tested by worldly thoughts and views. (These are only my thoughts, I don't expect everyone to believe the same as I.)

I found myself walking this line. I was in a haze believing in God, knowing Jesus is my Savior, but filled with questions and doubt. I started to see myself struggling in my faith. So, one day, I stopped for a moment to pray for answers to my questions and those others had asked me about God and the bible.

I felt a lingering doubt about God answering my prayer as I plowed my way through the Old Testament. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what any of it meant, or had to do with today's living. I can't explain why I had this doubt, only that some questions seemed impossible to find the answers too. To be honest, I was about to give up reading that part of the bible and move on.

A day or two later, I was bored out of my skull, so I decided to browse through some YouTube videos for crafts to create for our upcoming winter bazaars. Upon opening the webpage, there sat a single video completely irrelevant to the ones surrounding it. It was called “The Watchers” by LA Marzulli. Curious, I clicked on it.

My world was suddenly rocked. Things I thought I knew about the bible were cast aside as my eyes were opened to other possibilities and explanations. My questions and many more were answered. Hungry for more, I watched every video I could by LA. This led me to Rob Skiba's “Return of the Nephilim”. Suddenly things began to make sense once you added in the fallen angels, nephilim, and the descendants of the nephilim. God didn't seem like such a heartless soul out for a massive genocide on innocent people. Immediately I went back to re-read parts of the Old Testament I had previously skimmed through.

God's answered prayer didn't stop there. As I have mentioned in a previous post, my mother found out she has cancer. Since she struggles with taking prescription medicines, fears arose and questions were asked. She wanted to find other alternative forms of treatment but many doctors don't/won't accept it. We believed that it was through the power of prayer that she was able to find one that not only accepted it, but also encouraged it. It was also through prayer that she was able to take her chemo treatments with little side effects. What a blessing it is to see God at work, even as others continue to doubt.

So today, I leave you with a simple request. If you haven't heard of LA Marzulli, or Rob Skiba, please take a moment to check out their videos. If you believe in aliens, ancient mysteries, and secrete societies, I think these videos will open your mind to a new understanding of our world in which we live in.

Have a great Monday! 

         

Moody Monday's : Back For More Fun

tlpoague

It's me again! Back from a long summer of craziness. I am still working on my book. What started out as a bit of a face-lift has turned into a major re-write. But...I just couldn't stay away any longer from my online family and friends.
To begin, I want to thank everyone for their support. A writer wouldn't be much of a writer if it wasn't for their readers and fans.
I would also like to state that I'm not sure how many posts I can post in a week, but I plan on continuing with Moody Monday's. It seem to be the one day a week I could set a goal and make it.
This summer has been a crazy one between the writing, crafting, and time spent with family.
I have been doing research to improve my stories and found some really interesting literature and videos that I plan on sharing at a later date. I guess you could say that it was one of the benefits of taking a sabbatical because I don't think I would have bothered looking a few of these topics up.
As for the family...we have had a few ups and downs. We have come to rely on our faith in God, and sense of humor, when we were given the news that our dad is dealing with congestive heart failure and our mother was diagnosed with cancer.
The humor part kicked in when my oldest brother mentioned that he didn't trust doctors. He wanted a second opinion and then fell off his horse, breaking his collar bone and fracturing a few ribs. (The rumor was he was going to teach his son the proper way to ride. It became a "what not to do" moment.) By no means were we laughing at the accident. It was his attitude towards doctors and the timing of the accident. He had hung up with mom only minutes before.
I think the highlight of this last week was the time I spent teaching my sister-in-law how to sew her first quilt. We now know just enough to get ourselves in trouble.
In closing, I would like to say that I am thankful for the time I have spent with my family. I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given to develop my skills. I feel bless to have such a wonderful group of family, friends, and online writers.
I wish you all the best as you enjoy your Monday.

Moody Monday's: Having Faith

tlpoague

It's Monday again! That day of the week that is often dreaded. A time to shake of the weekend slumber/fun and head back to the work place.

It is a day that often starts out on the wrong foot. A day where nothing seems to go right. A day that finds most in a slump of negativity. 

So, how does one get past that slump?

I could list a series of ideas but I can't speak for anyone but myself. Each of us deal with life differently. For myself, I seek the Lord. 

It may not be the answer for everyone..but it works for me.

I have been in a slump these last few weeks. I feel the clutches of negativity and stress digging its claws in.  I have tried to face it with humor. I have tried to overcome it with projects. I have tried writing about it. I have been tempted a time or two to post about it. But in the end, none of these methods have worked...until I prayed about it.

God has helped me along the way.

With God:

I have been able to face my fears of success/failure. 

I have set goals and felt the exhilaration of making them. 

I have learned that procrastinating only gets you so far before you have to do something.  

I have learned the path is much easier when trusting God to guide the way.

I have been flipping a coin as to continuing my writing online. I have many irons in the fire that make it difficult to find the time to mingle with everyone I have meet. I love the writing family that has surrounded me and supported me. I am grateful to be a part of it. I don't want to give it up...but, in the same sense...I'm not sure this is the direction I should go. I will continue to pray about. For now, this will be my last post.

I will continue to keep in contact as time allows. 

I will think of you all often. 

I will cherish the time we had together swapping stories, laughs, and support. 

I will always be grateful for the friendships.

I feel blessed with the opportunity to meet and correspond with all of you. 

If in the future you want to chat, just drop me a line on FB or email.

I thank you all for everything you have done to help me to grow as a writer. I wish you all well in your adventures.

Hugs,

tlpoague    

Moody Monday's: Kicking Fear to the Curb

tlpoague

I am in a mood this morning. It isn't one that can be quickly labeled. It is more like a swirl between the worlds of negative and positive. I am discouraged but not to the point of quitting. I feel determined but not at the level of success I desire. I am feeling encouraged and yet beat down. Oh, let's face it, I am a walking contradiction this morning.

I have been in a mood to write, but found myself lacking the desire to write online. I have tried to be sociable but find myself lacking in spirit. Could it be because I placed an unrealistic expectation on others, or myself? I have never been one that could smoothly fit in, because of that, it has become a stumbling block for me.

I have also placed upon my path the task of finishing projects I started months ago. This latest one was a quilt for my grandson to go with the log bed his grandfather made him.

Did you know you can sew a complete project with your thread threaded wrong? I didn't but found out the hard way this week. 

The log bed Grandpa made Little J.
photo by tlpoague

I also found that I have this problem. It keep holding me back from things that are so simple to achieve. It causes me to doubt myself and question every step I take. He also likes to call upon his buddies to hold me back from overcoming this problem.

His name is Fear.

I felt it as a child when I would give my heart to the world to only have it crushed by his friends Envy, Ego, Rejection, and Criticism. It didn't take long for his friends and him to dig their claws in for a long party.

“You're too stupid.”

“You'll never amount to anything.”

“Why do you even try? You always fail.”

Those are words that hung out with Fear.

Soon I began to believe them.

Then one day I woke up with a feeling I never knew before.

Her name was Desire.

I desired to find a way to overcome Fear.

I desired to write, to sing, to finish something...anything.

I desired to achieve the things I had given up for various reasons.

Slowly over time, I have met those goals.

I may not be a famous writer whipping out books by the masses, but I still love to write and share it with others.

I may not be at a Martha Steward level in creativity but know I can do anything I set my mind to.

I may not be able to belt out a tune anymore, without causing the dogs to howl, but I still have the desire to try.

While on the phone to my mother and sister this week, I was telling them about my dilemma with my quilt. I feared screwing it up. I didn't want to cut the pieces then it be too short. I wasn't sure about the design. I felt I had no clue what I was doing. 

It is still a work in progress.
photo by tlpoague

Then it happened.

Most of my fears came true.

Some of the pieces weren't right. Most of them wouldn't sew together. It bound up, thread broke, and measurements were off.

I adjusted the tension. I tested my decade old thread. I tried to blame the interruptions I endured while studying my problem. (How is it that when trying to work, one endures more interruptions and distractions than watching TV?)

Then it came to me clear as a bell, (and the fact that I finally pulled out my sewing book.) I had been threading my bobbin and needle wrong. This had affected the tension to sew the quilt properly. My measurements were off because I was trying to rush it. The thread broke because it was too old but still usable if I took my time.

Now I had a cross road to choose from....give up, tear it all out and start over, or improvise and finish it?

I choose the latter.

It may not be perfect but I will finish it.

Before, Fear would convince me to quit. I would tell myself it was too much. I didn't have the knowledge. Before, I would just dream about it, not try. That was before.

Now...now I know I can do anything...just kick Fear to the curb.

Wordless Wednesday: The World Is A Playground

Sometimes we forget what it is like to explore the world through the eyes of a child.

photo by tlpoague

photo by tlpoague

Come join the fun of Wordless Wednesday with Cascia Talbert and Abracabadra. 

Moody Monday's: Gardening Is Good For The Soul

tlpoague

I got into a mood this morning. I told myself, after a night of lacking sleep, that I needed to get more exercise. (I was seeing fluffy in areas that didn't need much fluff. If anything, they needed the elastic tightened.) I heard that housecleaning was a great form of exercise, but it sure wasn't cutting it for me, no matter how many times I trampled up and down the stairs. So...mood set, tools in hand, I headed out for the garden at six this morning.

It was a disaster!
All the hard work felt wasted as I stood there, hands on hips, surveying the tundra of weeds. With the help of our son, my poor hubby had struggled to till the plot. Then helped me sow seeds into the neat rows. Only to watch the weeds grow instead of our precious plants. (It was apparent that my seeds were too old.)
I wanted to admit defeat, but my soul said no. (And the part where certain critics wanted to say...I told ya so!)
As luck would have it, a small tornado came for a visit Saturday. It did a hop and skip over town, leaving signs of its presence behind in many forms of wind damage. Even a small plane was flipped on its top as it passed. This meant that most of Father's Day was spent squaring away the debris left from our visitor. (I am grateful that no one in our area and the surrounding areas were hurt.)

For my good fortune, this also meant that plants at store were on clearance. I grabbed as many flats as I thought would fill my precious space.
I wasn't too worried about the root plants or ones I could sow from seed for a fall harvest. Instead I felt a great joy finding hidden gems like Brussels sprouts in the broccoli and cauliflower, or green bell peppers in the hot peppers. Soon I had visions of my abundant garden dancing around my head.
This also meant that I wouldn't have to worry about being in short supply of exercise.

Here I was...bright and early...ready to tackle the weeds...and plant my produce.
The first couple of rows weren't too bad.

I didn't think my rows looked too bad.
photo by tlpoague

I had my handy hoe, with a fork on the back end, plowing up the weeds and pitching them in a bucket. I wanted to make sure some of them little critters didn't come back for a visit. I would come back, draw out a row, then fill it with my newly, bought plant. I had a pretty good rhythm going.
My hubby, feeling a might guilty that I was tackling such a big job, came out to check on my progress. It was then, with his kind suggestion, that I realized my straight rows had taken on a curved look. (Hmm, I was wondering why I was getting a bigger gap between a few of them plants.)
Horrified, I proceed to fix my mistake, while Hubby helped with planting peppers.

I still have a lot of weeding to do.
photo by tlpoague

Let me tell ya, by the time I was done planting them flats of plants. I had a burn in muscles I forgot existed. I didn't dare complain about it either since I had made such a big deal about needing exercise.
That much work called for a break. Since I had ran out of room for some of my hot peppers, I decided to share the wealth with my aunt and uncle. Snagging my bored nephew, we set off to the restaurant they owned.
I had just settled in with a sweating glass of ice tea when my elderly neighbor from across the street came in. We exchanged pleasantries before she finally chimed, “Girl, I didn't know what to think of you out there sweating in that garden. I feared you were gonna pass out. Don't ya know you shouldn't wear black in a hot sun? And that poor hat of yours fallin off your head. Ya really needed to tie it down with a scarf.”
It was my turn to chuckle at myself as I replied, “Well, when I started it wasn't that hot. As for the scarf...its around the hat.”
We both had a good laugh at my mistake.
Having a garden is good for the soul...and great exercise too!