03/20/10 5:31PM

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." Genesis 8:22

Happy first day of Spring! :)


I put my birdfeeder up yesterday and the birds found it right away. Yay!!


Sherri


  • misssonja
    Well, I think spring peeked out yesterday, but decided to take a nap this weekend. We're covered in SNOW.
    by misssonja at 03/20/10 6:00PM
  • sallyanne
    We went to a lovely wedding today. Two godly young people from strong families. What a blessing! It was a beautiful, modest, and tasteful wedding...and lots of FUN!
    by sallyanne at 03/20/10 8:45PM
  • canardmom23
    It's snowing, so much for spring. I am still waiting for the warmth of the sun.
    by canardmom23 at 03/21/10 1:39PM

:)

at 03/19/10 2:55PM
Happily back home now with serenity and order mostly restored. :)

Actually getting on the road was a bit challenging, due to the water heater repairs, teaching ladies class, feeling draggy and very last-minute car issues, but we did finally make it, had an uneventful drive up and got settled in at my little sister's new home. She has the apartment fixed up so nicely...it's very clean and orderly and cutely decorated. Made me very proud! :)

Sunday was a delightful day, with attending morning and evening services at the Paris Ave. congregation. It's always good to see my friends there, and hear Rick Liggin preach. Both lessons were good, but I especially enjoyed the evening one, which was about raising children. He made some good points I hadn't considered before. Bill and Esmeralda came over for lunch and the afternoon, and the six of us enjoyed a laughter-filled game of Apples to Apples. (that is one of my favorite games now.) I've known Esmeralda through facebook for quite a while, but never had the chance to actually visit with her till now. So fun!

Monday morning Jarret and I went for a drive, enjoying the pretty scenery. I suppose some would consider that boring, but we both enjoy it, so that's that! We also discovered that my Illinois gazetteer is somewhat lacking; it made for some confusing navigating! We spent the afternoon with my cousin Paul and his wife Alice. Backyard volleyball and card games made for a very fun time. The four of us drove back to Shelley and Billy's for supper; we girls made the pizzas and the guys happily devoured them. Apples to Apples was played again, and much fun was had. Reading the cards you've collected, which are supposed to describe you, is hilarious. I have not laughed that hard or that much in a very long time...I think it did me a lot of good. :)

Tuesday Jarret had to work, so Alice and Shelley's sweet MIL and I all went resale shopping. We also went to a used book store, and oh man, I could spend hours there! I came away with three books: the last two in the Anne of Green Gables series and "Bamboo and Lace" by Lori Wick. So excited about that! Found a couple very cute decorative plates, too. My sister remarked that they were "Just what you need" but I am overlooking that sarcastic comment. ;)

Wednesday morning I spent with Alice, making homemade bread and rolls. So fun! Jarret got through with his meetings early, so we were able to make it home just barely in time for evening worship.

It did me a lot of good to be around my family/relatives and friends again, and do some catching up, socializing and laughing. I thoroughly enjoyed the good spiritual discussions we had and the encouragement received. It's such a good feeling to see my sister, Paul, and Bill all married to good, strong christians who love them dearly. And of course, having Jarret there with me just made it perfect! He fits right in with us, whether we are being serious or wacky. My spirit has been refreshed, and I feel ready to pick up and get on with life again. :)

Something I realized was that all four of us couples were married in the same year, within months of each other. Bill and Esmeralda were married in April, Paul and Alice in May, Jarret and I in August, and Shelley and Billy in December. Funny how that worked out! I guess we were definitely a "newly wed" group! :)

Well, I should be finishing this here post up. I got my housecleaning done this morning and laundry begun, but I need to compose a grocery list and run some errands. And since I'm done with my lunch, I have no reason to dilly-dally around on the computer any longer! :) Tomorrow I work (in place of Tuesday), Sunday is Jarret's grandma's birthday party, Monday I need to get our guest room cleaned up, Tuesday I work, and Wednesday I need to do last minute preparations before Thursday working, the visiting preacher and his wife arriving and our gospel meeting beginning. It's only a "weekend" meeting, running through Sunday, but it'll still keep us busy! I'm very much looking forward to having them stay with us and getting to visit and catch up!

You all take care and have a beautiful day!

Sherri
  • booklover
    I LOVE the "Anne of Green Gables" series. I have every book that L.M. Montgomery wrote, I think. I recently found a "prequel" to "Anne of Green Gables" called "Before Green Gables," by Budge Wilson. Have you ever read it? I cried, laughed, cried, smiled, cried..... It begins when her parents met and ends just as she gets to Prince Edward Island. I highly recommend it if you like those type of books. Although there are some very sad parts, it's what I call a feel-good book. It's uplifting and inspiring, because of Anne's attitude. You never want it to end.
    by booklover at 03/19/10 4:06PM
  • apbooklover04
    I so enjoyed spending time with you guys :). I enjoyed shopping and baking together.
    By the way, the rolls turned out quite well. However, I waited forever for them to rise (which they did a bit) and get to the point where they would bounce back when you poked them, and they didn't. So I gave up and stuck them on in the oven. They came out almost more like a cross between rolls and biscuits, but they were very good :). Paul and I both really liked them.
    by apbooklover04 at 03/19/10 4:36PM
  • cbonk
    I didn't know Paul was your cousin. Did you know that Alice is mine?
    by cbonk at 03/19/10 6:12PM
  • MexicanJewel
    Sherri. you are too sweet! We had such a great time with you guys. Hope it will be the first time of many more in the future! Take good care. BTW - you and Jarret make a great couple!
    by MexicanJewel at 03/19/10 7:30PM
  • jkmram
    We just started playing Apples to Apples, too. :o)

    Sounds like a great trip!
    by jkmram at 03/20/10 6:40AM
  • fullofgrace
    by fullofgrace at 03/20/10 2:28PM
  • azuresky42
    I'm so glad you had a loverly, refreshing time!
    by azuresky42 at 03/20/10 2:48PM

:)

at 03/13/10 1:22PM *
My awesome husband got our hot water heater fixed last night. I am so impressed by him. Even with things he's never done before, he knows how to find out what to do, and will then give it a good try. I don't think I know of anything he hasn't been able to do yet. But whether it worked or not, I'm most impressed by the fact that he will try. That's really the most important thing and best attribute -- to be willing to try! And there is something to be said for spectating and offering a helping hand; I now know more about hot water heaters than I did previously. :-) I love learning...whatever it may be, I love increasing my "sphere of knowledge."

Ladies class this morning went well, even though only three of us were there. Nice and cozy, and we finished up on time for probably the first time yet. :-) I thoroughly enjoy teaching class!

We're leaving later today to head to Peoria for a few fun days with my little sister, new brother-in-law, cousin and cousin-in-law. So eager! The "fun time" with Jarret and with them is most welcome. Bring on the card games!

First day of Spring (by the calendar) is one week from today. And tonight daylight savings time begins. Aaaawesome!! I dearly love that extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day.

Have a terrific weekend everybody! And please, add your thoughts to the previous blog. I'm very interested to hear them! :)

Sherri

Perfectionism

at 03/12/10 1:16PM
Some people couldn't seem to care less about themselves: their work ethic, their morals, how they speak, act, talk, live... and then there are those on the opposite extreme, who are extremely hard on themselves, expect themselves to do everything right, know everything automatically, get everything right on the first try, never stumble, are always trying to do and be better, bottom line: perfectionists. Doesn't matter that it's not a matter of sin or right & wrong, they have to be right! Anything less is cause to mentally beat themselves up.

As time goes by, I realize over and over that I am one of those Perfectionists. I'm not hard on others. I quite easily understand that people aren't perfect, make mistakes, don't know some things and have to learn, etc, and will be very encouraging to them. But when it's dealing with myself, well, then none of those understanding things seem to apply, and I just can't accept that I wasn't perfect. It's very frusterating, because nobody is perfect, yet you want yourself to be, and it's quite literally an impossibly high standard.

Anybody else ever feel this way? If so, how do you deal with it? How do you accept yourself (as in not beating yourself up over whatever it was)? There's a balance to be had, where you want to do the best that you can, yet you realize that you won't ever be perfect. Sometimes I think I'm doing better at finding that balance, then other times I totally blow it. So tell me, what helps you??

Sherri


"They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds." ~Wilt Chamberlain



"Congratulations! You're not perfect! It's ridiculous to want to be perfect anyway. But then, everybody's ridiculous sometimes, except perfect people. You know what perfect is? Perfect is not eating or drinking or talking or moving a muscle or making even the teensiest mistake. Perfect is never doing anything wrong - which means never doing anything at all. Perfect is boring! So you're not perfect! Wonderful! Have fun! Eat things that give you bad breath! Trip over your own shoelaces! Laugh! Let somebody else laugh at you! Perfect people never do any of those things. All they do is sit around and sip weak tea and think about how perfect they are. But they're really not one-hundred-percent perfect anyway. You should see them when they get the hiccups! Phooey! Who needs 'em? You can drink pickle juice and imitate gorillas and do silly dances and sing stupid songs and wear funny hats and be as imperfect as you please and still be a good person. Good people are hard to find nowadays. And they're a lot more fun than perfect people any day of the week." ~Stephen Manes, Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days!
  • pami
    i am harder on myself then anyone else. i will beat my self up for days when i make a mistake. i feel as though those around me will see me as less of a person since i made a mistake. then one of my employees spoke to my husband about how i was isolating myself and making things around me miserable for all. my mistakes were the same as everyone else's. we all have crisises (sp) that effect us, but we do not always realize how we handle them effects everyone else.
    now i try to beat myself up less, learn from the mistake and move on. and now my employees can tell me (and not run to my husband) that i am not myself. at least they want the old me back.
    by pami at 03/12/10 3:24PM
  • puppymaster
    I just read an article that said that highly effective people know how to determine when perfectionism is appropriate, or when 'just getting by' is a better use of time. Of course, the article didn't elaborate any further on how to make these determinations!
    by puppymaster at 03/12/10 4:35PM
  • sallyanne
    We have company (a day early-they made good time on the road!)...just saw this before they arrived and wanted to come back and let you know that I will definitely answer these good thoughts. I wanted to also see other responses. I'll be sneaking a few breaks so I'll definitely dedicate some time to this.

    This is a topic I enjoy because I am rather a perfectionist (and I probably appear to be even more of one than I am if that makes sense), but I don't let it 'get to me' or make me unhappy or beat myself up as a general rule. I will have to think more on it and come back. I think it is tied to the idea of expectations--another thing I like to write on...
    by sallyanne at 03/12/10 4:39PM
  • worker_at_home
    "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might....." Eccl 9:10 I've heard that some think this means we must do things perfectly. But where does it say that? In fact, where is it implied? It isn't. It says "do it with thy might..". Do a good job. Do it well. Do your best. God doesn't expect perfection from us because He knows we can't attain perfection, but He does expect us to do our best. Is our best TODAY the same as our best was TEN YEARS AGO? No.
    by worker_at_home at 03/13/10 12:24AM
  • worker_at_home
    (sorry, my keyboard had a tantrum) Our best will differ from time to time, as our circumstances change. I didn't accomplish nearly as much yesterday as I did last Thursday, but the circumstances of my day were different. I did my best both days though. And God was pleased with my efforts on both days. I'm sure that nothing I did on either of those days was perfect, but it didn't have to be, because I did my best. I think this expectation of perfection can be a tool of satan, if we're not careful. Ironically, it can distract us from our service in His work and cause us to be ineffective. If you are a child of God, try to always do your best. If you aren't a child of God, then you need to get in the race...........and run "with thy might"!
    by worker_at_home at 03/13/10 12:45AM
  • sallyanne
    Well, she beat me to my favorite line. It is always my goal to do my personal best at whatever I do...and like she wisely notes my personal best might not always be the same. When we had all that company and I was sick, I did not try to be perfect...I did my best to be a good hostess. My best that weekend was not the same as my best the previous weekend, but it was the best I could do in the given situation.

    At all times I try to be the best daughter of God, wife of Jonathan and mother to my six children that I can be. And, I make mistakes. Lots of them. And, I don't like mistakes, but I make them and then I rise up again and do better and learn from them.

    I am not perfect and I think it wise to remember that only Christ was perfect. Because I keep this in the forefront of my mind, I don't struggle with the concept of perfectionism. I am redeemed, I am saved, I have put away sins and I try to be holy (set apart) like He is holy...but I will never be perfect.

    I really believe that Eccl 9:10 is a wonderful guide for us. Honestly, I think little of 'perfectionism' -- meaning I don't think about being perfect by definition or somebody's standards. This has been something that I have learned over the past two decades...there was a time that I struggled with some ideas of perfectionism...i.e. I have struggled in the past with trying to have/maintain the 'perfect' body...but I have finally learned that seeking to be healthful is more important than the number on the scale.

    I do use the term 'perfect' and I fear that I need to be more careful with that...it may be misleading to those who don't know me. For instance, I will say, my husband is the perfect man for me...what I mean is that he is a 'perfect fit', 'just what I need', etc. He is not a perfect man, but he is 'perfectly suited for me'...I might say that something turned out perfectly...I mean that it was the best it could be, just right....so I even use the word somewhat accomadatively.

    I do like to do things right the first time...if I don't I just fix it and move on. I try to learn things so that I can make good decisions...when I fail I dig deeper, study more, try harder. I think we ought to be running the race always doing our best...but realizing that it is OUR best and that we WILL make mistakes. I think I have found the balance with this. I have expectations based on my energy level, my situation, and my circumstances and I desire to do what I think I should with those factors...but if plan A doesn't work, I move to plan B. I reevaluate my expectations before I determine if I need to do better or if I'm expecting too much. My husband is a great help with this! He keeps me grounded and balanced.
    by sallyanne at 03/13/10 2:01AM
  • misssonja
    You might want to keep your husband's talents secret, lest I ask to rent him. :)
    by misssonja at 03/13/10 6:13PM
  • littlelamb
    James fixed ours last night, too. Right now he's working on installing a nifty pump thingy that makes the hot water instantly availably at any tap at any time- no more waiting for the hot water!
    by littlelamb at 03/13/10 9:22PM
  • sallyanne
    Wonderful to have a fix-it husband! I've been blessed with that on many occasions and they are so handy :)
    Thanks for your lovely comment on Hannah's article!
    by sallyanne at 03/14/10 9:17AM
  • canardmom23
    The longest journey must still start with the first step! _ proverb. But why is the first step always the hardest?! lol. I've learned that if you can just muster enough courage to do that then you can do almost anything you set out to do!

    Also, perfection isn't never messing up. Perfection is in how you handle or correct things when you do mess up!
    by canardmom23 at 03/14/10 3:09PM
  • tryphena
    The Biblical meaning of the word "perfect" is "complete." We can be complete without being free of imperfections. I was much harder on myself as a young adult and, ironically, made a lot of mistakes (sins, even) as a result of my quest for perfection, or at least the illusion of perfection. When I tell a little child that his drawing is "perfect," I don't mean that every little detail is accurate; I mean that it was adequate for the situation. When I strive for perfection, I am striving to be adequate and complete.
    by tryphena at 03/15/10 8:11AM

uh-oh

at 03/11/10 8:53PM
We have no hot water and the hot water heater has been acting up a bit here and there of late. Cold showers are not a fun thing. Here's hoping it's short-lived and not a huge problem to fix!

Today was another beautiful day. I even opened a couple windows in the library because it was getting warm. Soooo nice! Love it, love it, love it!!

Sherri
  • bestill
    I can't stand cold showers!! We were without hot water at camp last year for a day or two. Brrr! We had rain this morning but then it got really nice here, too. So, will you be at Paris Ave. Sun. or are you worshiping in Pekin?
    by bestill at 03/11/10 9:19PM
  • trevaesa
    Hope the water heater straightens up for you! Have you tried flushing it out to see if that helps?
    by trevaesa at 03/11/10 9:42PM
  • seashelll
    It's been warmer here, too. Yesterday or the other day it may have been sixty degrees.
    by seashelll at 03/11/10 9:58PM
  • misssonja
    Rut-roh!

    Today was dreary until about 4 pm when the sun came out briefly -- now it's raining. I ate a salad and tomato soup for lunch, then bought myself some lavender-scented cleaning products and squirted my kitchen and bathrooms with it. I should do a lot more, but I'm lazy. Maybe I'll pry myself up and iron the clothes that are mocking me...
    by misssonja at 03/11/10 11:29PM
  • littlelamb
    Same problem here today. I just reset the pilot light for the second time- I hope it stays lit this time!
    by littlelamb at 03/11/10 11:55PM
  • crystalized
    Boo cold showers. Yay open windows!
    by crystalized at 03/12/10 12:16AM