Showing posts with label Matt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matt. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Mansfield Reformatory

Yes, I took Matt and three (3) of his friends to Mansfield, OH for a self-guided tour of the reformatory and we had a blast!! The drive each way was 'interesting' and wandering through the old reformatory was so kool. I will be posting a photo daily either on this blog or at www.patreon.com/karenjoyce (back and forth between). Some photos will available to the public and some will only be for select tiers of patrons. Please keep an eye between both blogs so you don't miss out . . I have so many photos to post!!

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Making the Grade!!

Makes a momma proud. Not all his classes looked like this but he's still a work in progress . . An award like this is highly motivational!!  


Day 143/365



Sunday, May 5, 2019

A Good Son

Many have son's, but are they good son's? What constitutes a truly good son?
There are so many possible answers to these questions, and, really, the answers can change as the years pass. 
And there are stages son's go through where a parent can't help but worry.  . . moments when it seems a new girlfriend has eaten their brain and is now running the show . . when they ride their bikes down concrete steps or jump off a fire hydrant onto gravel to show girls they can land on their feet  . .! 
But then . . they bring us flowers . . cook us supper . . happily hang new miniblinds to replace the ones we broke (true story). They are the boys who bring their girlfriend to church and sing along with your favorite Christian radio station!! 😂

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

1000 Marble Challenge~ weeks 951-955

~ house hunting
~ bunny fun 
~ long talks about grades 
~ shopping for hoodies 
~ sleepovers 
~ hiking Oak Openings Preserve 
~ hiking Cullen Park 
~ new-to-him bike 
~ long bike rides with a friend 
~ catching up schoolwork 

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Tbt~ "The New Mower"

How kool to be able to look back at Matt 9 years ago. Where has the time gone?
Funny how we have been talking about getting a new rotary mower . . life works like that sometimes. 

Monday, April 1, 2019

🎉Joy Dare 🤗 March 19-31, 2019🎊


🐇19th~ 3 gifts eaten ..
☕coffee
🍔cheeseburger
🥛sweet tea

🐇20th~ 3 gifts that made you laugh. .
👴🏾fun client
👨chatting with Matt
🙏prayers answered

🐇21st~ a gift salty, sweet, just right . .
👵 caramel yogurt from Mom
☕fresh hot coffee
🌃evening at home

🐇22nd~ 3 gifts found in His word . .
📖life lessons
📖His rules
📖comfort

🐇23rd~ 3 gifts found in women today ..
👵strength
🙏prayerful
📖well read

🐇24th~ 3 gifts spoken . .
👨soft voices of 3 polite young men
👨hearing their plans/hopes
👨soft evening chat with Matt

🐇25th~ a gift sung, written, painted  . .
🎶"Thy will be done . ."
📱blogs
🚃bright future

🐇26th~ 3 gifts almost gone . .
🏢time there/lessons learned
👩‍🎓time till I go back to school
⏳time for getting right with God

🐇27th~ 3 gifts redeemed ..
😣my bad attitude for His loving attitude 😊
🚃blessings for obedience
🙌hooe for fear🤔

🐇28th~ 3 gifts entwined .  .
✝️trusting Him
🙏prayers
📖His promises

🐇29th~ 3 gifts of His promises . .
✝️salvation
📖 safety
🙏grace

🐇30th~ 3 gifts uncovered .  . .
😊 trust
🌱new Avon client
⏳time

🐇31st~ a gift heard, held, hoped for . .
🗨️her answers
🤗His plan
🍹new patron

Saturday, March 30, 2019

When You Can't Get a Doctor Appointment . . .

You're sick, really sick this time ..  and your doctor's office has no available appointments . . 
Or your doctor won't listen . . won't acknowledge the symptoms you're describing . . 
Inevitably the ER becomes the only option. 
But, does it have to? 
Isn't it possible for us to keep a stocked medicine cabinet and first aid kit to handle all but major surgery? 
I, myself, would like to have a better first aid kit. We have several we put together while Matt was in scouts. I'd like to see these sorted and recombined/consolidated. . . 
I'd also like to have a way way more extensive set of first aid skills. It seems like I've been taking some sort of classes in this forever . . babysitting class in 1976 . . Girl Scouts . . Then, years and years later, I began prepping and needed to brush up on skills . . Matt joined Cub Scouts then Boy Scouts and I sat through multiple first aid lessons . . Zoom ahead again to my current job with Visiting Angels and so so many classes including first aid, nutrition, etcetera . . 
And I seriously crave more .  . . 
Okay, so I have to admit I LOVE learning .   . . Can't deny that . .  
Don't want to become a nurse . . I don't think so anyways . . Not right now . . Too many hours away from home . . Yeah, okay, maybe I'll just check into that a bit more . .  
But meanwhile . . 
IMHO, we each need to be able to be responsible for the majority of our own healthcare needs. Yes, there will always be some things we'll absolutely have to rely on a doctor for . . 
But . . 
Times are changing. 
This is not the world we grew up in or our parents grew up in. 
🌀Remember Katrina?!?! 🌊 
Remember how badly our government failed us? And what about the most recent failure after Maria hit Puerto Rico?!?! 
As we sit here and now we should not by any means be relying on others for our own survival. 
We need to look back at how self-reliant pioneers were. Take a couple first aid and CPR classes. Restock our first aid kits. Learn some herbal medicine then plant a nice herb garden. 
One step at time . . 
Learn a skill and put it to use . . 
Then learn another. 
Be prepared to be self-sufficient!! 

In a disaster there may not be a doctor nearby for months. 

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

1000 Marble Challenge ~ week 948-950

~ working together
~ looking at trailers to buy 
~ new girlfriend ❣️Mr Romeo❣️
~ surviving no hot water in our apartment 🚱 
~ cleaning and organizing  
~ urbex 
~ cleaning together 
~ hiking Toledo w/friends 

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Winter City Lights on Maumee Bay




Hey there! Welcome back .   . Matt and I made a quick Pokemon go road trip to Cullen Park in Point Place (lots of Pokemon hang out there!!) and I stopped to take a few quick picks of the lights on the water.




If you have time to stop by on a night when there is some ice on Maumee Bay you can hear the treat that is the ice shifting on the waves and wind. It is at the same time interesting and astoundingly eerie!!

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

All My Latest Tidbits!!

Hey, here I sit feeling totally blessed and wanting to share with you what's going on. I have found a new outlook on my future. I have come to terms with some things in an amazingly content way.
First of all, marriage. Yes, I still believe that, as he and I both fully understood God's will for marriage, we are bound to be obedient to that. But  . . . I can also clearly 'see the forest for the trees' and know that, although (as far as I can tell) he has not biblically remarried, he has been living with the same woman off/on for 10+ years and seems content that way. I have prayed for him and for marriage restoration since we divorced in 2002 to no avail and I know God will not force anyone to follow Him.
Hector's choices are what they are.
And my life must go forward for Him regardless of what anyone else does/doesn't do.
We all know God forgives (look at the life of King David) and goes on to use people in mighty ways but that is no excuse for deliberate disobedience. Yet, I also know my ultimate calling is to be a pastor's wife and that will require me to eventually get remarried.
But definitely no rush.
I am content . . so content.
Second, our housing situation. Where we are is not acceptable in so many ways (I promise to blog those after we are moved and free of this place!!). I am planning to buy a used trailer, rehab it and live in a local trailer park. This would give us our own home where we would have control of maintenance and repair (ie: consistent heat/hot water).
October 25th can't come soon enough!!
Third, I am getting a French Blue Angora Rabbit  . . hopefully Friday evening. I haven't named him yet . .  and I will be setting up a blog just for bunny activities.
                     🐇 ~ Names ~ 🐇
🥕 I need a cute name for my rabbitry as I'll have pedigrees rabbits
🥕 I need male and female names for rabbits
The first rabbit will be a male.
I was thinking of naming my rabbitry 'chapelier fou lapin' which is French for Mad Hatter Rabbitry . .  not sure if this is available . . or, actually, I think I prefer a variation on that name!! Then I could name my rabbits for the Wonderland characters but use the French translation.
What are your thoughts?


Sunday, January 13, 2019

👍Thumbs Up

Have you seen the movie "Eat, Pray, Love"?
Remember the scene where Elizabeth and her friend are drinking a Thumbs Up?
I actually found this beverage by accident!!
I was on my way to a client's house and really really needed a Coke (I allow myself fun periodically). I was sitting in the parking lot by Reddy Food and Spices playing Pokemon go so figured I'd see if they carried Cokes. Well, they don't actually have American Coke, but they have the Indian (as in from India) version Thumbs Up!! It is so yummy!! 😋

Are you a Coca Cola drinker? Have you tried Thumbs Up or the Cokes made in Mexico?
My comparison~
*American Coke~ tastes "chemically"
*Mexican Coke~ tastes natural
*Indian Coke~ tastes natural

Hard to drink the Mexican and Indian Cokes slowly . . I can't explain why. Maybe because both are so refreshing.
They each have a distinct taste/flavor and both are delicious. If I was throwing a party I would prefer to serve these vs American Coke.
~ side note~ I think the Indian Cokes may have more caffeine than the Mexican 

If you're a Coca Cola drinker I'd seriously recommend trying any Cokes made outside the US. The differences are Amazing!!!


Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Urbex in Toledo's Pedway

There are lots of quaint shops down here . . It's a fun place to explore and there are spots to buy a lunch or some baked goods.
We didn't explore anywhere not publicly accessable as we want to urbex without getting arrested for trespassing/B&E. I imagine there are quite a few interesting things beyond the locked doors. I heard there are tunnels that have been locked off since Promedica attained property downtown. The tunnels for the pedway supposedly connect to those leading to the Promedica buildings so were locked for security reasons.
It would really neat, and possibly a money-maker, to give tours of all sections of the tunnels. Maybe include a few historical displays also. There could even be school tours so the kids could see the possibilities of what could be done!

  


Matt and I .. 
This is my hiking/exploring buddy supreme!


Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Appropriate Hiking Friends

Exploring is so much better when you include your craziest most out of the box wildest thinking friends!!
That's why I go exploring with Matt!!


Monday, January 7, 2019

Where is God?

As I did my Bible study tonight the Lord led me to this:
KJVA Bible. Ezekiel 8:1-18
[1]And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
[2]Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
[3]And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
[4]And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
[5]Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
[6]He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.
[7]And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
[8]Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
[9]And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.
[10]So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
[11]And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
[12]Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.
[13]He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
[14]Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
[15]Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
[16]And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
[17]Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
[18]Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.


I had prayed for perseverance and strength, guidance in where to focus and for guidance for Hector, Matt and myself (my little family).
He is always with me . . Close by to listen, strengthen and reassure.
This was a reminder to stay away from places where there is jealousy and debauchery.
Thank You, Lord for always leading me.


Friday, January 4, 2019

Forgiving Past Transgressions

As I sat in church last night I could, unfortunately, hear my son's voice drifting softly across the aisle. He was chatting with his girlfriend and, although I couldn't hear what he was saying, others around him undoubtedly heard every word. I grimaced thinking it was silly banter and he was disturbing those around him.
It was way worse than that.
Way worse .  Beyond way worse.  . .
She had, apparently, asked him if there was anyone at church we hated (why would such a question even come up??!) and he gave her a long list of names and how he felt each person had wronged us! 😕
As he sat in the car later telling me all of this I almost died. If ever there had to be a reason to find a new church this had to be at the top of the list!!
As we drove I explained to him that this was inappropriate. We are supposed to forgive and move on. We are not to keep a list . . Or publicly broadcast a list.
And, honestly, quite often things that hurt us are done unknowingly. The person may not be aware they are being hurtful, that what they are basing their statements/actions on is inaccurate.
I have learned that many people speak without knowing the whole story. They assume based on their life or rumors then offer unsolicited advice. They mean well.
But, regardless of the origin, we need to forgive and move on.
To be forgiven by God we have to first forgive others!!
And then we need to give them extra love and pray for them.
I have found that, with sufficient love and prayer, someone who was making my life miserable turned out to be a great friend!!
Hopefully our church members will reciprocate love and prayer as Matt learns.


Thursday, January 3, 2019

Love in the Art Museum!!

A trip to the Toledo Museum of Art with Matt and Rachel. Their first date was a hike with her family. Their second date was to the  Toledo Museum of Art.



Working archeological puzzles together.


Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Guiding our Hearts

KJVA Bible. 1 Corinthians 13:13
[13]And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.


Charity (or love) needs to begin at home. How we treat our spouse and children when no one is watching speaks volumes.
And if we are deficient in this area we can always improve.
Maybe we are (as I did) putting our children before our spouse. This can be easily changed.
When I realized the mistakes I was making raising my kids I bought the book,  "Have a New Kid by Friday" . This book changed our home life for the better. And. . . . watching the kids' reactions to the new rules was priceless!!!!!
To love them meant that I needed to quit giving in and become a real parent . . not a brick wall parent ..  not a jelly fish parent . .
I became a backbone parent. And life was better.
Love . . Do we love our family enough to change ourselves? Our outlook? Our priorities?
Can we work at becoming a better spouse? Parent? Son/daughter? Sibling? Employee?
It's really up to each of us what we allow our hearts to do, where they wander. We need to guard and guide our hearts in order to sustain our families.


Matt's too Tall for the Basement!!

Matt hit his head on a beam in the basement ceiling again .. 


This time the beam retaliated!!


#needtocheckbeamfordamage!!


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