Giving up things for Lent

Usually I procrastinate about my personal chores, like put them off until I HAVE to do them. For example, having company? clear out the dust bunnies....clean the basement/closets/cabinets? nah, not today the weather is too nice, too cold, too rainy, too anything (for the last few months)...stuff like that. 

I thought the problem might have been spending too much time on Facebook or some other social media. I find I can fill the hours with all sorts of distractions - some I LOVE like knitting and my dogs, some I enjoy like certain TV shows and some that are just a distraction like You Tube.

I thought that maybe Facebook (or all of social media - Twitter, Google +, Pininterest) fell into one of categories. So, on Ash Wednesday I made this blatant declaration: I'm giving up Facebook for Lent.  I know it's only a few days, but I realize that I still haven't cleaned the basement or my closets. I have dusted but I do that every Saturday morning anyway.

So my conclusion is that FB is not the source of my procrastination - gee, what did I do before FB? My procrastination has been with me my entire life. I ONLY procrastinate on personal chores because I don't like doing them!!!! That's the truth. REALLY I should have said for Lent, I will give up procrastinating cleaning the basement. That would be a HUGE start.

Besides, everyone's life is on FB. How will I see my kid's and grandkid's latest pics, keep up with my family, hear the wonderful events in my friend's lives, get my daily dose of humor, words of encouragement, news, knitting updates and politics so quickly. Actually, reading all of this on FB is faster than making phone calls to all of my friends to see how things are going.......

So, back on Facebook when I have time.

"...And in the end... The love you take is equal to the love you make." ---The Beatles

Thanks for reading my Heavenly Thoughts

Knitting for the holidays

In August, my hubby and I trekked to the Knit Picks Warehouse Sale in Columbus, Ohio and bought all kinds of yarns in small amounts. There's enough yarn to make hats, scarves and mitts/gloves. (I prefer fingerless for driving and working)

Since we have the yarn, I've been working ahead this year and have been knitting holiday gifts for my family and friends. I'm trying to make enough quick knits so I can give one to each of my female relatives this Christmas. So far I have 4 or 5 done.  I need to make at least 15 for my friends & relatives and a few gifts for my kids. I'll just keep on knitting and hope to have enough by Christmas.

After I get a few more done, I'll post pictures.

"...And in the end... The love you take is equal to the love you make." ---The Beatles

Thanks for reading my Heavenly Thoughts

Friend Inventory - it's NATIONAL GIRLFRIEND MONTH

Girlfriends: they are wonderful to have, a source of comfort, support, laughter, tears, help and I don't know what I would have done without them!! I consider myself VERY fortunate to have some friends for a LONG time.

1 since Kindergarten, too many years to even say them out loud.
1 since 7 grade, 12 years old.
1 since 1977
1 since 1997
and my newest for the last 1 1/2 years

It's easy to make "acquaintances" and I have tons of them. But it's not as easy to make friends, and honestly, it's best that way. Friends have to trust each other. They know too much about the other person and frankly, some of the things they know about you, they're the only ones that do. So, it's even more important that you trust each other.

I can't imagine what my life would be without my girlfriends. It would have been a sad and lonely place, that's for sure. They have been there with me through thick & thin, good & bad relationships, child births, wine nights, lamenting about a better life, happy to be alive, celebrations, weddings, breakups, house buying, car repairs, deaths, just to name a few.

Here's the sad part - over the years, I have found it mentally healthy to do a "friend inventory". You know, you look at the girlfriends you have and ask yourself, why am I friends with them? Positive? Negative? Who benefits? Is it TRULY a friendship? What would my life look like without them? Is my friend benefitting from being my friend while being a pain in the ass to me? (And we have all had a friend like that!!) It's ok to identify who and why you're friends. And if the friendship is still warm in your heart, great. But on the other hand it's perfectly alright to cut that person out of your friend list.

So, for all you women struggling with friends that are not nice to you, talk smack, stab you in the back, use you for "something" you don't want to be used for, I advise you to take the "friend inventory". Ask the tough questions, then make your decisions based on facts, not emotions. Good luck! Hope you find you have more friends that you love than you have to cut.

"...And in the end
The love you take
is equal to the love you make."
---The Beatles

Thanks for reading my Heavenly Thoughts