Project Linus

Today I would like to take the time to introduce you to a wonderful organization that helps children whom are ill, homeless or just in need by providing them with a wonderful handmade blanket/quilt to help them feel loved. I was first introduced to this organization 9 years ago when my son Tyson was undergoing cancer treatment at Children's Hospital in Omaha Nebraska. Tyson needed to have complete cranial, spinal and testicular radiation and of course no one could be in the room with him while he went thur this procedure. In most case because of his young age of only 6 the doctors recommend having the child be put under "sleepy med" to perform the radiation. However, Tyson hated "sleepy med" and so a Project Linus blanket came to the rescue. With the aid of this blanket ( which could go in the room with him) he was able to lay perfectly still for 16 rounds of radiation-1 per day. After I lost Tyson this past year and I was cleaning out his room I came across this wonderful blanket and it reminded me that their are children nation wide whom need our help.

So this year my 4-H club has partnered with the Omaha Chapter of the Project Linus to attempt to make at least 100 blankets to help any child whom may be facing a great battle and need the comfort of a warm hug. I would like to urge you to join in our efforts and locate your own local Project Linus Chapter or you may just help our cause. Donations may be sent to: 4-H workers PO Box 101 Cambridge NE 69022. We will accept money, gift cards for supplies, or finished blankets as long as they are made from new materials. Patterns may be found at the following web address. http://www.omahaprojectlinus.org/

My Pity Party

Hi there and welcome to my pity party. I suppose you may be wondering what is a pity party and why am I inviting you to join me at it? Well we all have them.........they are the moments in life that get you down and sometimes keep you down for a really long time. However, we sometimes need to learn to share these moments with others in a good way so that we can waddle in our pity and then get back up on our feet and move forward with life. So here goes and I invite you to get your tissue box ready ahead of time.
My person current pity party began on a beautiful spring day last June 4th. I went to work at my parents farm with my three children Tyson, Dillon, and Amelia and even had my 84 year old grandmother in tow. Everything was going as planned. Dillon and Amelia were helping do chores around the house with their cousins Kailee and Jadyn and Tyson he was off being a big boy helping the men spray muskthisle (a noxious weed) in the pastures on ATVs. Then as lunch time arrived one of the hired men came bringing Tyson to the house and said he had wrecked the ATV and something was seriously wrong. We called 911 and got Tyson undressed to see what was wrong. He was talking, but in a lot of pain. He told his grandmother he would never work on the farm again. Then I said 'Baby hold on God and he Angels are here and 911 is on the way.' He said 'Wait God I can't go yet I have to tell my mom something.........Mom I love you!'. Then the 911 crew arrived and we headed for the hospital, but he didn't make it he died in transport. My son was a courageous young man whom had survived cancer (Leukemia-ALL) twice and knew how to live life to the fullest. I know he is with Jesus and that he suffers no more.
But this is where my latest pity party began and has remained with me for the last 10 months. In some ways it has totally ruined my life. I am not the same person I once was nor do I ever expect to be that same person. However, I know that I have to start making the effort to live again. So I am hoping thru these blogs and the wonderful people that I know God will lead me to that I will be able to do just that. So thank you for listening and if you have any ideas about what could help me go on living please share them. God Bless you All!

The Ripple Effect

Have you ever given much thought to you actions? Be they good or bad they create what can be viewed as a ripple effect in life. Everything you do touches another person and in one way or another causes that person to react. Imagine if you can that you are standing on the side on a pond and you pick up a stone and you toss that stone into the water. What happens? The stone sinks and the water creates a rippling tide pool away from where that stone landed. So in life your actions are very much just like that stone. You cast them out into space and wait for them to land. Some times they have the gentle gliding effect that the stone had upon the water and don't really upset the balance of nature or those around you. Other times they act like a bunch of stones (boulders) hitting the water with a splash and have a great effect on the pond in which they land. Perhaps even sending the water out of the boundaries. We need to learn that our reactions to life leave a ripple effect that will be felt for many generations to come. And that just because things seem peaceful at the time that they can become the great title wave that sends the pond ashore. In life you want to be remembered for your good ripple effect and not your bad ripple effect and the only true way to have a good ripple effect is to ask yourself more often "What would Jesus Do?" "Am I living my life in a way that could make him proud?" If you can honestly say "Yes" to these questions then I would say you are leaving behind a good ripple effect that will touch generations for years to come. God Bless and Strive to Be All That You Can Be.

Girls Nite In!

When was the last time you had a group of your girlfriends over for a relaxing evening in? We all know that we are stressed out and that we love to get together, but when was the last time you took the time to do it? Well I would like to introduce you all to an empowering, fun, and relaxing way to do just that. Try hosting a Jordan Essentials Bath - Body - Spa party in your home. All you have to do is locate a consultant, invite over a few of your friends, and provide a simple snack the consultant will do everything else and I promise you will all leave feeling like a million bucks. Imagine for me Starting your pampering with a relaxing hand massage while you get to know the hostess. Then you are introduced to a spoiling foot soak in dead sea salts while you are treated to a round of drinks and wonderful information about the great products that are being used on your body. Then to finish the treat of you are invited to indulge in snacks while you visit and shop from your seat not your feet. All products are delivered to your door within two weeks and best of all you had FUN WHILE YOU SHOPPED FOR THEM!!
In today's stress filled world with everyone running a mile a minute it is important for us to cultivate friendships and to take the time to Treat Spoil and Pamper ourselves. That is why I am in the business that I'm in, because I love to help UN-stress women and give them the much need opportunity to relax with friends. So I invite you to contact me to locate a consultant near you and get your own GIRLS NITE IN started ASAP. www.myjestore.com/andreasayer Until we meet again God Bless and Keep in touch!

To Visit or Not?

Have you ever wondered why we don't take the time to visit our friends like we know we should? Back in the day our grandparents and past generations knew the full value of visiting. Fact of the matter they made a ritual of it. It was not uncommon to find them planning a Sunday visit after church with the neighbors or a Saturday nite spent in town after getting the weekly supplies catch up on the local gossip and good times while the silent picture showed on the outdoor theater wall. Where have all of our values of true friendship gone? Now days you hear that a dear friend is sick in the hospital and you maybe head for the local card shop to "pick out the cheer you up card from the Get Well Section". We often think twice about sending ourselves to the hospital for the visit. Our excuses range from I can't take hospitals to I don't want to give her something else. But my question to each of us is "Do you remember what Jesus said? 'I was sick and ye visited Me.' Jesus never mentioned a cheery card. He said 'visited.' Think about it." So as I think about this I have the urge to for go the cards and phone calls and go directly to to visit mode. So don't be surprised if I show up on your doorstep or at your hospital room a little more often than I used too. Perhaps I will be toting a baked good or two or just my bag of Jordan Essentials Bath & Body Products to Treat Spoil and Pamper you with. But the fact is I'm going to make an effort to enjoy life more and visit those I love while they are here to visit, because as I know its a long time til I get to see them on the other side. Love and Peace.

Is it a 5 minute Latte?

Life is full of conflict, confrontations, and obstacles. It's how you view them and react to them that makes the difference in how you perceive whether your life is good or bad. Today in church we were discussing the book of Romans and how Paul sets the stage for the book in a very long introduction opening letter to the people of that time. Now days we just start our letters or twitters out with Hello or something even shorter. This got me to thinking about how most of us start our day and then how as our day goes on we begin to create mountains out of mole hills. For instance how many times do you run thru the coffee shop to order your favorite drink and breakfast goodies only to have them mess up the order? Then instead of just politely saying this is not what I ordered with a smile we begin to stir up all sorts of anger and frustration, which in turn gets taken out on them. We then leave the coffee shop our mood already upset and begin our day on the wrong foot. Next someone cancels an appointment we have been counting on for several days and we get even more upset. And so goes our day. However, look at it this way........If instead of being upset about the wrong coffee order you just smiled and said "Hey thanks for the effort, but I prefer mine the way I ordered it could you please make it that way?" It might take just 5 minutes but that 5 minutes will change your whole days out look. Then when that cancellation comes in remember that usually these things happen for a reason. Perhaps you weren't meant to be at that place at that time. Call it divine intervention and just plan to do something fun with a friend or family member instead. Or if it is work related catch up on something you have been putting off for too long during that appointment time. Learning to prioritize your life into 5 minute problems, 5 hour problems, and 5 day problems will in the long run let you have a happier more peaceful life and I promise those around you will notice too.

Spring In Nebraska

Hello there as the weather continues to warm and the days get longer that deeply embedded farmer's daughter spirt in me begins to surface once again this year. I love spring; the smell of fresh turned earth ready to plant; the greening of the pastures and leaves forming on the trees; all the little livestock that is born from calves and colts to chicks and bunnies. Everywhere you turn you can't help but reminded of the gift of life. However, today its about my great love of the smell of fresh turned dirt that I want to share with you all. I can't wait to plant potatoes every year. To me they are the easiest and most rewarding of all the garden crops that there are. You can always plant them in the early spring (fact of the matter Good Friday is best) and you have wonderful tasty treats by mid July. Yum I can't wait. Now days there are so many choices too....this year I planted red potomic, yukon gold, blue potatoes, finger links, and a white variety too. With just some mulching, watering and hopefully little weeding due to my mulching I should have wonderful potatoes by July. I will keep you updated on the progress and share recipes when we dig them. :) Oh I noticed too on my way back in the garage its almost time to pick my first crop of rhubarb. Won't my husband be happy for the first tast of Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie? Promise to share my award winning recipe when I get that made next week. Well I gotta run and be my mom's nurse again today. She had her knee replaced on Monday the 19th and is doing great, but still need daily care. So til we meet again may God Speed.

What Earth Day means to me!

Earth Day........well we all know this can be quit the controversial topic if you allow it to be. Sure we should all be conserned about our affect on the world and the footprint we will be leaving behind. But should we have to have a special day to be concerned about this? And more over should we only be conserned about this on this certain day? Well to let you all in a little secert about me up until 11 years ago I wasn't even really aware that the day existed nor did I care that it did. And to this day I haven't changed what I do for the earth on this day. But 11 years ago my life changed forever when my baby sister was killed in a car wreck on "Earth Day"! So for me Earth Day will always be the anniversary of her death and the start of my broken heart. Yes I will say that I do try to make the world a better place now, but I do it in honor of her. So I hope that each and every one of us can honestly say that we have a real reason to make the world a better place and not just a date on the calander that for one day we try to change the world for that day. I'm now more careful about the litter I leave laying around, the chemicals I use in my home, and I am especially careful about what I allow my friends and famliy to use on their skin which I will explain in a later post. So for today I will sign off and let you all think on this for a while. God Bless til we chat again.