A Teddy Bear Thanksgiving

I had a very nice Thanksgiving feast with Oliver today. We made lots of very yummy food – enough to feed me for a week! We had turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, biscuits, pasta salad, fruit salad, and jell-o. And pumpkin pie for dessert! Even alone I am blessed!



Oliver helped me out this year. First we went to Wal-Mart to get a few things, including a roasting pan. I usually buy a disposable one but these were cheap and I wanted to try something new this year. It worked great, even without a rack on the bottom (I used tin foil rolled up and coiled).



Next we went to Safeway to get the rest of the food for dinner. Oliver was strapped into the cart to hold my purse, and so no one would take him. He did very well! He held my cell phone and kept track of how much we were spending. Not enough to get a discount on the turkey, but it worked out anyway.



This morning Oliver made us some coffee. It wasn’t the Dunkin Donuts, it was actually a mix of French Vanilla Kahlua and 100% Kona fresh from Hawaii (well fresh almost a year ago). It was yummy, and I added some Almond Joy creamer, but I was so busy cooking it got kind of cold. (I drank it anyway).



Oliver wanted to know why the turkey was in the sink, so I told him it was getting a special spa treatment:  cold water bath, deep tissue herbal massage, and a nice tan! He’s such a curious little bear! He takes baths in a washing machine. He wanted to help make dinner this year, so of course I let him.



Here he is right before we put the turkey into the oven. I added a random mixture of spices but it turned out great! I love my squishy little helper bear!!

Although I had two very special invitations to share Thanksgiving with friends, I decided to stay home and have a feast with Oliver. I am truly blessed.

“One Life” (2011) Hedley

Oh
Oh
Oh woah, one life [x3]
One chance, two lips, free falling
We’re about to lose our grip now
Five minutes too late
Can’t be messing with fate
It’s time to get loud

Cause we’ve been up
When we should’ve been sleeping
We’ve been down
When we could’ve been high
We’ll come alive, tonight
Woah!

It’s a great big world and you'll see
It could pass you by at light speed
You got one life, one life
Don’t stop live it up woah!

If it’s the last night in these streets
You’d be a fool to take a seat
You got one life, one life
Don’t stop live it up
Oh, woah, One Life [x3]
Don’t stop; don’t stop live it up [x2]

Last thing you wanna make
Is your first mistake
But it’s too late now
So get up,
Get ready
Not everybody’s betting against you anyhow

Cause we’ve been up
When we should’ve been sleeping
We’ve been down
When we could’ve been high
We’ll come alive, tonight
Woah!

It’s a great big world and you'll see
It could pass you by at light speed
You got one life, one life
Don’t stop live it up woah!

If it’s the last night in these streets
You’d be a fool to take a seat
You got one life, one life
Don’t stop; live it up
Oh, woah, One Life [x3]
Don’t stop; don’t stop live it up

If you stop and think
You might start to sink
You can’t get it
If you don’t keep giving
Can’t get it if you don’t
Keep giving

Oh!
It’s a great big world and you'll see
It could pass you by at light speed
You got one life, one life
Don’t stop live it up
Woah!

If it’s the last night in these streets
You’d be a fool to take a seat
You got one life, one life
Don’t stop live it up
Oh woah, One Life [x3]
Don’t stop; don’t stop live it up [x2]
Oh woah, one life [x3]
Don’t stop; don’t stop live it up [x2]



This is a bonus post, kind of goes along with the first song for today and it’s the same letter, so I decided to share. Hedley is a Canadian band that was introduced to me by my Canadian friends, and this particular song also happens to have a great music video. I love all the children, jumping around and happy.

Not only is the music full of energy, the lyrics are all about living the one life we have; I love how he says “It’s a great big world and you’ll see/It could pass you by at light speed” – doesn’t that seem to be reality? The older we get the more responsibilities we take on, and it seems like time slips by faster and faster. This is one of those songs that I should play (and dance around my living room to) when I feel like I’m just wasting my time – and then get a drink of water and get to work!

“One Life to Love” (2008) 33 Miles

He never thought he cared so much about the minute hand
Until he started praying for a second chance
If he could only do it all again
And trade the long nights that he spent behind his desk
For all he missed
He tells his wife I wish that this moment in this room
Was not me dying
But just spending a little time with you

You only get just one time around, you only get one shot at this
One chance to find out the one thing that you don't wanna miss
One day when it's all said and done I hope you see that it was enough
This one ride, one try, one life to love

She never thought she cared so much about those little hands
That held on tight the day she left till she was scared to death
Sitting all alone on a hotel bed, the end of the road
The sun has set on her big plans to feel young again
She picks up the phone, dials a number, hears that little voice
That's haunted every single mile since she made that choice

You only get just one time around, you only get one shot at this
One chance to find out the one thing that you don't wanna miss
One day when it's all said and done I hope you see that it was enough
This one ride, one try, one life to love



Every time I hear the song One Life to Love I think about the movie “Pay It Forward,” and how we often fail to recognize that even the smallest act of kindness or mercy can spread around the world. Every day is a special gift, and we will only ever have one of each.

If I spent half as much time in prayer as I do complaining, I know my life would be filled with blessings a hundred times over what I have now. Instead of spending hours every week playing Castleville on Zynga, I could praying for my future family, or working on using the gifts God has blessed me with to create and write. If I spent as much time exercising as I do complaining about not feeling well or staring off into nowhere I’d be much healthier and more able to enjoy this one life I have.

We all only have one life….to live, to love, to learn and grow; to leave a legacy. What will be yours?

“Not Meant to Be” (2008) Theory of a Deadman

It's never enough to say I'm sorry
It's never enough to say I care
But I'm caught between
What you wanted from me,
And knowing if I give that to ya
I might just disappear.

Nobody wins when everyone's losing
Oh it's like one step forward and two steps back
No matter what I do you're always mad
And I can't change your mind,
Oh, it's like trying to turn around on a one way street
I can't give you what you want
And it's killing me and I, I'm starting to see
Maybe we're not meant to be

It's never enough to say I love you
No, it's never enough to say I try
It's hard to believe
That there's no way out for you and me
And it seems to be,
The story of our life

Nobody wins when everyone's losing
It's like one step forward and two steps back
No matter what I do you're always mad
And I can't change your mind
Oh it's like trying to turn around on a one way street
I can't give you what you want and it's killing me
And I, I'm starting to see
That maybe we're not meant to be

There's still time to turn this around
Should we be building this up
Instead of tearing it down?
But I keep thinking
Maybe….
It's too late

It's like one step forward and two steps back,
No matter what I do you're always mad
And I, I can't change your mind
Oh, it's like tryin to turn around on a one way street
I can't give you what you want and it's killing me
And I, I finally see baby
That we're not meant to be
It's like one step forward and two steps back,
No matter what I do you're always mad,
And I, baby I'm sorry to see,
Maybe….
We're not meant to be


I love the imagery and honesty in the song Not Meant to Be. It not only describes a very unhealthy relationship (“If I give that to you, I might just disappear”), I found I can draw parallels to other areas of my life – which is a necessity for me since I don’t even have a man I’m not meant to be with!

First of all, going back to that line I just quoted, “I’m caught between/What you wanted from me/And knowing that if I give that to you/I might just disappear”. I don’t know about you, but I think sometimes I feel that way when God asks me to do something that I don’t understand or don’t want to do. Even as my faith has grown stronger in the past couple of years, and I know, I know that He is my Provider, I still sometimes think He’s asking too much of me.

The next image that really stands out is “It's like one step forward and two steps back”. Now, I know we’ve all been there at some point in our life’s journey; sometimes we take several steps back before we can start moving forward again. Sometimes we just stop and wait. But one thing I’ve learned about God is that no matter how many miles we move back, away from Him, all we have to do is turn around and He’s right there. If only everything in life were so dependable and constant!

And finally, “It’s like trying to turn around on a one way street”. Again, who’s with me on this? How many times have you found yourself going in one direction in life only to realize it’s the wrong way down a one way street (figuratively, of course, as I’m sure none of you would ever actually do that in your car)? Or you’re rolling with the flow of traffic and suddenly need to turn around? Have faith my friends, God will always provide the exit, you just need to be watchful and don’t ignore the signs.

Ok, real quick before I go, this totally reminds me of the movie “Elizabethtown” when Drew (played by Orlando Bloom, who is totally hot), misses his exit, the now infamous “60B”. He keeps asking himself, “Did I miss 60B??” until he pulls over and frantically screams it to the universe. I laugh out loud every time!!

*Photo used was copied from this Google images page.

NaNoWriMo

For those of you not yet fluent in abbreviation, November is also known as “National Novel Writer’s Month”. There are groups that meet in cities and towns all over the country, encouraging each other to meet word counts and deadlines designed to finish a novel in one month.

Now, I realize how crazy this must sound to anyone who isn’t a serious writer. It sounds crazy to a lot of people who are! But it’s a great way to find support and accountability, and it’s just the rough draft we’re going for (I think). I’ve heard rumors that there are “winners” of “NaNo” who get their novels published….

Obviously I haven’t looked into it very well. The social aspect of it was enough to keep me at bay, and the prospect of maybe getting published if I can get my novel finished wasn’t enough to motivate me to write (go ahead, cry, I won’t judge; it’s a painful truth for me as well).

However, I am now finished with the whole first section of Coming Home (although I’m undecided on whether the finished product will be divided into sections), which contains the first nine chapters. I’ve also written chapters ten and eleven, and four others later in the story, so my focus now is sort of on twelve.

I say sort of because I could just as easily write the last chapter next, and work my way backwards; or start on chapter 21 and jump around. I have them all outlined or summarized or some combination of the two; let’s just say I know what I want to happen in each one, I just have to write them.

There it is my friends, the bald truth: I just have to write. It sounds like such a simple, matter of fact notion. And yet….I’ve got nothing. I wrote chapter eleven on October 13th. I looked at the calendar and realized there were 11 full weeks (plus a few extra days) left in 2012, and I had 21 chapters left to write. That meant if I could average two chapters a week, Coming Home would be finished before 2013. A reasonable goal, to be honest; so how many chapters have I written in the last month? None. Zero. Although last night I wrote most of chapter twelve (it helped that half of it was already written and intended for something else that I scrapped). Still. Something is wrong with this picture people!!

Is it still possible for me to finish it by the end of the year? Absolutely. I just need to write. And I will. Keep checking back friends, watch the miracle unfold.

Ten x Ten = 100

When this is published to my blog, it will be the 100th post of Random Rambles. That seems to be quite a milestone in most areas of life, so I wanted to write about something special in honor of it. I wish it could be the announcement that my novel is finally finished….but only 15 of the 36 chapters have been written to date.

A few suggestions were offered, including making a list of 100 things. I love lists! However, it’s more difficult to ramble when writing a list, and there are so many wonderful things to list I couldn’t narrow it down to just one topic. (I will admit the idea of making a list of 100 things to make a list about was seriously considered.)

Another idea was to ramble on about the number 100 itself, which was also seriously considered, as there are many fun and interesting things about the number 100 that I could talk about. But it just didn’t seem “special” enough, you know? A few more ideas were writing it in 100 words (but you wouldn’t know unless I told you, and I’d still need a topic), or 100 lines (which would be so long no one would finish reading it; we’re only on line 14 here).

So I continued to roll the idea around in my head, as well as asking friends for input, and I finally decided that I definitely want to talk about my novel, since I really, really, really, really want to finish it before the end of 2012 (or the end of the world, whichever comes first! hahahaha). I considered posting the first 100 words, but the second paragraph ends on word #97, and the next three lead you to believe something that isn’t true (how’s that for intrigue?) Since I haven’t finished the last chapter yet, I can’t include the last 100 words either....(plus that would just be cruel for all of us purists who like to wait until we get to the end to know what happens).

FINALLY I got the idea to use the first ten words from the first ten chapters, so there are 100 words total:
The first thing I learned at Faded Elegance was that
“Surprise!” I opened the front door and took a deep
The next morning I woke up early, and decided to
The second thing I learned at Faded Elegance is that
I pulled into the Zip’s parking lot and checked my
“How was your date with Blaize?” Connor and I were
The third thing I learned at Faded Elegance is that
I stepped into the September Valley Starbucks and smiled. Connor
The next morning I slept in and my family
“Are you nervous?” “Never,” I smiled. Connor opened the car

So there you have it. A fun and interesting way to celebrate 100 posts. Here’s to 100 more (and the long awaited completion of Coming Home)….

10 Things I’m Thankful For (vol. 1)

It’s been encouraging and amusing to read about the many thanks of my friends and family on Facebook this year. Here are my first ten, in no particular order:

1. I am thankful to be a Princess, a Daughter of the King of Kings. I know and love a living God who ardently seeks a daily, personal love relationship with His Children. He is the only One who is always there when I need advice, or want to share a special story (or random ramble), and always forgives my mess.

2. I am thankful to be blessed with the gift of writing. Weaving stories and creating worlds parallel to my own brings me peace and joy. Having writers’ block has also been an interesting blessing, prompting me to find new and more creative ways of exploring those worlds. I hope one day to share them with all of you.

3. I am thankful for this apartment where I’ve been living for almost two years. It has a large living room and two great bedrooms. The price is very affordable, and I feel safe and warm sitting here writing while our first real snow of the season is piling up outside the window behind me.

4. I am thankful for Dusty (my car), and the freedom she affords me to get up and go whenever and wherever I feel the urge or have the need. Although this is a small town, and walking isn’t unreasonable or unsafe, it’s much more convenient (and less stressful!) to just get in my car and drive.

5. I am thankful for the great new job I have this school year at Franklin Elementary School. The Staff have been welcoming and encouraging, and the kids are such a fun blessing to work with every day! And if I’m totally honest with myself, I can say that I am thankful even for the hard days, as I know we are making a difference.

6. I am thankful to be able to buy groceries and prepare meals for myself. I don’t often feel up to the task, especially since I live alone and don’t have to make anything for anyone else, but when I do cook something it fills me up in more ways than just a happy stomach – my heart is filled as well, knowing I can provide.

7. I am thankful for Oliver, my special teddy bear, my constant companion; I sleep with him every night, holding him tight, knowing that I’m safe. He goes with me to new places and situations that are unfamiliar and unnerving. He helps me stay grounded – and he’s so perfectly huggable!

8. I am thankful for my family and all of the encouragement they send my way. Watching them grow and start families of their own is a great picture of the loving design God has for our lives. I can’t wait to see the amazing stories of their lives unfold as we pass the years together.

9. I am thankful for my closest friends. To be honest, I am blessed to have two kinds of family in my life:  those that are connected by marriages and births, and those that are connected by choice. This special kind of family has helped me stay afloat and eventually make it out of the cave; now we can enjoy the sun together!

10. I am thankful for the gift of creativity. Being able to make art that will delight and touch others is also healing for me. I find it relaxing to make something out of a random mix of materials, to smear paint, glue, and pretty paper onto a canvas and create something beautiful. This is one more way I feel closer to the heart of God.