Category Intentergy

Bed Full of Eyeballs – Funny Friday

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Bed Full of Eyeballs – Funny Friday

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Creating crafts is one of our favorite things to do. Sometimes our crafts need eyes, so I always keep googly eyes on hand.

My husband and kiddos were home alone on Monday evening, and when I returned, I found the house in its usual state of Hurricane Daddy-was-busy-watching-the-baseball-game. The aftermath of the recurring storm is always unpredictable and that is where the bed full of eyeballs came into play.

After calming everyone down and putting them back in bed for the third time, I headed to bed myself. As I picked up my pajamas, I found a googly eye. After pulling back my quilt, I found a pile of googly eyes. Clearly the kids found the craft supplies and used them to confetti my room while I was gone.

While a bed full of eyeballs sounds like the next major motion picture event for the scary movie genre, it was just another night in our crazy household. I removed as many eyeballs as I could find and fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, I was awakened by a strange noise. At first I thought it was one of the kids, but no one was up. My second fear was much worse, a mouse! But the noise stopped. I drifted back to sleep only to wake again as the sound returned.

I lay there slightly afraid because it sounded like it was under our bed. Now my husband is a terrific sleeper, so he did not wake. He continued with his peaceful snoring and restless leg slumber. The sound occurred again. Soon I realized that the pattern of the sound resonated after each time my husband shifted his legs. I turned on the bedside lamp and shook him.

“I think there is an eyeball on your leg,” I whispered as I tried to wake my husband. “What?!?” was his aggravated reply. “I think there is an eyeball on your leg,” I said again. I pulled the blanket off his legs and of course there were a handful of googly eyes stuck to his legs and quilt. He was annoyed and confused but wiped the eyeballs off onto the floor and went right back to sleep. The sound had stopped and so I fought my restless brain syndrome and finally drifted back to sleep.

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The next morning the alarm sounded way too early, as always, but I forced myself up and out of bed. After my shower, I went to wake hubby and could not help but laugh. As he lay sleeping on his side, there were two googly eyes stuck to his back. One was a big goodly eye and the other a very small one giving him a very lopsided monster look. When I pulled them off and woke him, he did not find it amusing.

I am not sure how anyone else would react to a bed full of eyeballs, but I think finding humor in the situation was necessary.

There are many lessons to be learned from this encounter with the googly optics of my craft cabinet:

  1. Keep the googly eyes up high and hidden, when I am going to be gone.
  2. My husband does not check to see what’s laying on the bed before he goes to sleep.
  3. My kids are always watching us (even in our sleep)
  4. If you ever find one eyeball in your bed, make sure you strip the bed to find all of the eyeballs before trying to go to sleep.
  5. Googly eyes really are creepy.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

Slow down, child

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Slow down, child

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Eager to grow fast
Slow down, child. Time is fleeting.
Cherish each moment

My children refuse to stop growing so quickly. They refuse to be my helpless babies anymore. They refuse to let anything hold them back.

As the new school year approaches, my children seem to have grown inches taller and smarter than I know what to do with. I am so blessed to have healthy, thriving children but, like any other parent, I would love just a few more weeks or months of them being little.

Today my schedule is packed with appointments and errands, but I have planned a fun “mommy day” tomorrow and am looking forward to making memories.

Find time to make memories with those you love. Time is fleeting. If not for them, but for yourself, slow down, child.

By: Melanie A. Peters

Stand Tall (even when you’re drowning)

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Stand Tall (even when you’re drowning)

Above water

When man-made lakes are formed, trees, fields, plains, and old homesteads are all covered with the collecting waters. What was once a forest or a small civilization becomes sights unseen. In spite of the hundreds of years put into growing those trees, we now only see a small tip of what made its way past the 30 or 50 or even 75 foot mark. The treetops are the only reminder of that tree’s grandeur for us.

Yes, there are still things we value in this tree. For example, tying your boat to the tree’s tallest boughs provides a successful spot for fishing, because now fish make their nests in its branches, instead of birds.We know that the roots still run deep, holding the foundation for the lake in place, and continuing to provide shelter for the animals that call the lake “home.”

The clusters of once mighty leaf-bearers are now skeletons reaching for the sky, proving they are still standing strong, leafless, broken, and drowning, but strong. Continue reading “Stand Tall (even when you’re drowning)” →

Elusive – I’ll Sleep When I am Dead

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Elusive – I’ll Sleep When I am Dead

Nap Apology

Sleep eludes me almost every night. Sleep eludes my children almost every nap time. 🙂

Sleep is elusive.

Our bodies need rest. Our minds need rest. I need rest.

My poor boys do not know how to sleep through the night. I am pretty sure they get their night owl status from my husband and their restless brain syndrome from me. They are doomed.

People ask me all the time how I keep going on such little sleep, I smile and say, “I’ll sleep when I am dead.” We laugh and then I worry that might actually be when I truly am able to find rest.

I have done a lot of research on parenting and sleeping and even more research on how to get my body to be at rest. All of the research suggests limiting caffeine and sugar intake, establish bedtime routines, and avoid stimulating media devices before bed. Tried all of these, but the lack of caffeine may kill me before the lack of sleep.

The bedtime routine seems to make my kids crazier. The second I mention baths, pajamas, or bedtime all hell breaks loose and my sweet angels are hanging from the ceiling fan throwing down remnants of their uneaten suppers. It is hard to find a restful state in this situation.

When I talk to other parents and my pediatrician about getting them to sleep, everyone has advice or ideas. We welcome any and all ideas, but my favorite ones involve my friends taking my kids for the night so I can get some sleep. (For some reason, my kids will sleep anywhere but at home.) The problem with this idea is that when my kids are gone, I still can’t sleep.

What is wrong with me????!!??! Continue reading “Elusive – I’ll Sleep When I am Dead” →

Positive Pants – Wise Words Wednesday

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Positive Pants – Wise Words Wednesday

Positive Pants Wise Words Wednesday

When we face trouble in our lives we are often told to strap on our boots and wade on into the battle or put on our big girl panties and do what we have to do. In keeping with the theme of dressing for success, I would like to challenge you to put on your positive pants.

Don’t worry about how fashionable your positivity appears or if the fit compliments your curves (at least you have curves.) Let your happiness radiate from your heart. Wear your worry-free outlook on your sleeve and show just how good positivity can look.

If you start your day with the intent to make it a great one, you are much more likely to make that happen. When you say, “This is a good day,” you are more likely to believe it and good things will manifest themselves. Continue reading “Positive Pants – Wise Words Wednesday” →

Carefree? When the Angels Let Loose

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Carefree? When the Angels Let Loose

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When I was a little girl, we were told that rain was the result of the angels crying. This idea always made me sad because I thought heaven was supposed to be a place where everyone was carefree and happy all the time.

In my innocent mind, the angels just had to be carefree.

As I got older, I started to believe that those angel tears had to be caused by more than sadness.

Those drops fall because the angels feel compassion or understanding for the earth below and know that the world needs to be refreshed or washed of the sorrows mankind has brought on itself.

Angel tears are sent to free us from our cares. They are to remind us that Heaven knows what is going on in our lives and that our hurt and sins can be washed away. Our souls can soak up all we need to live and love. Continue reading “Carefree? When the Angels Let Loose” →

Feast

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Feast

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Vegetables shared with us from our aunt and uncle. Potatoes provided by my father-in-law. Bananas and oranges from the grocery store.

We have an aunt and uncle who garden. By garden I don’t mean a few raised beds and a couple of hanging baskets on the front porch. I mean they GARDEN. Each year they plant four or five vegetable gardens.

They start the seeds in February or March in their home and then transplant them into the long, tilled rows of their various produce fields. They grow sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, potatoes, zucchini, squash, peppers, and more. Their bounty flourishes with their generosity towards us.

As the summer months roll along, I often come home to find a pile of zucchini or corn inside the front door. Sometimes there will be a bucket of tomatoes or a bag of cucumbers on the front porch. We are SO blessed that they share their garden goodies with us!

To show our thanks, I often bake them zucchini bread or angel food cake (Uncle loves this.) Sometimes I will take them a turkey dish or just sent a thank you card. This is all they ever allow me to do in the form of payment for the awesome summer treats.

Summertime really does provide a feast for us (thanks to Aunt and Uncle’s labors and kindness).

It doesn’t always take a box of tomatoes or a bag of sweet corn for us to feast on the blessings our loved ones provide for us. People in our lives grace us with tremendous gifts each day. Take time to identify and realize the wonderful ways your life is enhanced because of the actions your friends and family make.

Take time today to thank someone in your life for the blessings they serve you. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for the opportunities provided to you by your parents or friends. Make plans to do something that shows your gratitude for someone you care about.

Put your energy into positively pursuing your intents of gratitude, and you will surely find yourself feasting on love and added blessings.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

Taking a Break from a Break

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Taking a Break from a Break

Taking a break from a break

 

On our recent fishing trip, my kids could not wait to get out of the boat and climb the big rocks lining the shore. After a ton of whining and pleading, my husband gave in and pulled close enough for the kids to clamor out and explore.

They were wearing flip-flops and life jackets so climbing was not easy but they LOVED it.

With warnings like “Watch where you step,” “Look out for snakes,” and “Don’t throw rocks,” you would think their spirits would be dampened, but no way. My husband was so excited to fish with the kids and I think it was a little hard for him when they were less interested in catching the big one than they were in the monolithic rocks. I was more concerned with snakes hiding in the rocks, but we have to choose our battles (July Positivity Challenge).

After a bit I calmed down and reminded myself we were on vacation and it was supposed to be relaxing and fun. If the kids wanted to get out and roam over the rocks for a while, it might mean I get to relax while they rest up from their fun. 🙂

Soon they climbed as far as was safe and were ready to jump back in the boat. They had taken their break from our fishing break and were ready to get back at it.

In daily life, I often find myself so absorbed in my to-do list that I forget that it is ok to take a break or that a few extra minutes snuggling or drawing with my kids won’t hurt the unfolded laundry or unwashed dishes. We all need to give ourselves permission to climb and explore a little bit. We might find that it makes us more productive in the long run.

Give your intentions a new direction today. Let that direction lead you where your heart takes you, even if it’s only for a few moments. It will restore your positivity and increase your energy and that is what having Intentergy is all about.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

Eye for an Eye – Wise Words Wednesday

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Eye for an Eye – Wise Words Wednesday

Eye for an Eye

 

During Monday’s opening segment on The Talk, Aisha Tyler took a moment to speak to America. She said, “We are just a talk show here. We don’t have all the answers,” and then shared this quote from Mahatma Ghandi. After hearing those words, IAisha Tyler.png thought, “Aisha, you might not have all the answers, but you are off to a darn good start.”

I can’t begin to understand what it is like to live in fear everyday, as  African Americans and police officers do. I can’t begin to understand how people think that killing others is the solution to any problem. I can’t begin to understand how people feel so little love for one another that they do not value the life, liberty, or happiness of others.

What I do understand is that we are all created in God’s image and we are all called to love and honor one another. Stop poking out the proverbial eyes of those that we should love, and live in a world that sees the beauty and value of each individual.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

 

Mama Catches Happiness

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Mama Catches Happiness

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After I caught this crappie at Truman Lake, my husband told my kids, “Now Mama is happy.”

I made them take my picture. I was proud of my catch and I wanted my kids to see my pride.

Heavy storms with lots of thunder and lightening blew through two of the three nights we were at the lake. The storm fronts seemed to have scared off the fish because we only caught about 15 fish the entire trip. My contributions to the fishing came in the form of this and one other fish caught, keeping the boys from falling in the water, and having minnows ready to bait my daughter’s hook. I just happened to catch this guy during one of the quieter moments of our excursion. I fished with my youngest son on my lap so he could “catch” one too, but he couldn’t stand the wait so we never snagged one for him.

Fishing with my kids is stressful and scary for me. I am afraid of water.

Water has frightened me since I was a teenager. As a camp counselor, I had to rescue two girls after they tipped over their canoe in a deep and restricted part of the camp lake. A year later I had to provide first aid to a man who sustained a head injury at a local water slide when he flipped off the mat (on which he was supposed to remain seated). People who are not afraid of water get hurt. I am afraid of water.

On our fishing trip, safety precautions were my number one concern. Appropriately fitting life jackets, secured seats, swimming lesson reminders, and safety whistles were all in place.  The waters were calm and my always zen husband sat confidently as he drove the boat. I clutched my youngest son for dear life. Continue reading “Mama Catches Happiness” →