Double Dog Likes...

I am trying not to use the word "love" indiscriminately anymore... I saw a youtube video posted by a wise but exceedingly funny young man recently about how we overuse this word... His example was saying you "love" a grilled cheese sandwich then later say you love Jesus... His point was he is sure Jesus appreciates being on the same list as your lunch... Made me think... Here, is a link if you want to see it for yourself... So instead of saying that these are my current "loves", I am referring to them as my "double dog likes"... For those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile, you will remember I used to do a weekly post called "Five Favorites Friday" and this post is like that... I am even thinking of reviving that fun weekly post...

Here we go in no particular order...

1. Brach's Candy Hearts...

Is there a happier candy on the planet? I really only like the orange ones (although I will eat the purple and pink too) but I so enjoy them and their eternal optimism this time of year... Their soft colors, their upbeat if not somewhat odd messages of the hope of, well, love... A big jar of them on display seems to be the perfect antidote to the mid-winter blahs...

2. This Song...

This song touches at the very core of what I feel for the youth group... 

If you have a few few minutes  please listen to it.

3. These Bowls...

From here ... I currently have some cute red and dark yellow bowls that I found at HomeGoods but they are way to big for daily bowls... They are for all intents and purposes, small mixing bowls... I frequently use them as small serving bowls... How insane then that they are the bowls we grab when we want a bowl of cereal, soup, ice cream or even chips? We need more reasonable sized bowls and I wanted some that seemed "happy" to me... These are a little more then I wanted to spend, but they come in so many fun color sets I was sold right away. I think a set or two of these will be my Valentine's gift from my husband... Now to let him know...

4. This Post...

This one... Right HERE

From Musings by Mommy...

By this blogger...

When we lived in Tennessee I was a leader in a homeschool teen group. In our first year one mom brought her son to several of our get-togethers... I admit I didn't get to know her very well, she seemed sweet but a little quiet and even though we chatted some, I was there for the teens and had little time to visit with the other moms. They moved away after that first year and even though I saw her posts from time to time on facebook, we lost touch... As acquaintances tend to... Until I started blogging... It turns out she is a blogger too... And I kick myself regularly for not getting to know her better when I had the chance, but thanks to this crazy bloggy world, she is someone I have gotten to know!

Anyhow, she wrote this blog Saturday that seriously stepped on my toes... I couldn't get it out of my mind all weekend... Her words about the hurtful nature of sarcasm haunted and convicted me. If you get a chance to pop over and read it, do... My comment to her post was painful to write...

Here is what I said...

 "I have been thinking about this post all weekend... I think you are right... It hurts me to admit it but sarcasm is mean. I admit, at first I didn't totally agree with you, but I think there is a big difference between a "witty retort" that makes everyone laugh and sarcasm which by it's very nature makes everyone but the person it's aimed at laugh. Even if they do laugh, it had to sting a little. Who hasn't felt the burn of sarcasm? I will definitely be on the lookout for it in my mind or conversations... I think it is a seed of hurt that I no longer want to sow."

5. This Man

This is one like I love... He is an amazing guy who spent all of last week helping me in any way he could to make my life easier while I was pretty incapacitated by those headaches... He never complained that dinners were quickie, thrown together and not at all planned out... Usually stuff from the freezer department that was just dumped on a cookie sheet and baked up... Pizza rolls, tater tots, chicken patties, etc... Not at all "real" food, but not one single negative word... He did a lot of the basic housework and helped out with laundry and stuff so I wouldn't fall too far behind. He handled all the planning for Bible study and youth group too... He picked up my slack in such a self-less way and without fanfare... He just did it and didn't seek credit for all he was doing. I know when most people use the word "hero" they mean somebody that went rushing into a burning building to save a small child, but from his military service, to his serving in the church, to all the self-less acts and sacrificing her does for us, to me this man is my hero and I am blessed beyond measure to be married to him.

Thanks for listening,