Random thoughts/events on a Sunday

I decided to attend the 11:30 service this morning.  I walked in during the 1st praise & worship song and the usher asked if I would like to sit closer to the front.  I said sure and he took me to the very front row!  Ugh, I thought...  I don't like being that close to the front.  I got over it quickly as praise and worship was great. :)

The message was about do we listen to Jesus or our culture.  Trust that He knows everything, has my best interest at heart even if I don't understand it and trust that He can change my life.  It was also about true authentic love for one another meaning that I'm going to spend myself for your good which is difficult to do.

Here's my thoughts.  The above is all fine and good as authentic love is that you love another unconditionally by accepting them for who they are faults and all.  It is ones heart's desire to help that person be all that they can be as it should be the same for them as well towards you.  Wow!  How awesome would that be if everyone looked at each other as a precious gift and treated each other as such!

Their solution was this:  'I need someone to love me who has no need of me' and they are referring to Jesus.  This is good but I wanted to share that it is ok to want/need relationship with others as God created us that way.  I've been in church most of my life and in high school it seemed to be repeated over and over again  that all you need is Jesus so when I felt the desire to be in a relationship I would feel guilty.  It's been that way for me for years until just last year.  Now, I am not saying rush out to find any type of relationship.  Always keep in mind though that it is better to be by yourself than to be in a relationship with a person that does not respect you and treat you well.

Yes, we do need Jesus or to believe in something that is greater than ourselves whatever that looks like for you.  Hear my words...  It is normal and healthy to desire to be loved and to give love.  Do not ever let anyone tell you that ALL you need is Jesus or Buddha or whomever or whatever you believe in.  We need human companionship and touch. 

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Ok, so much for the serious thought of the day! :) 

I'm not much of a junk food person but on occasion I'll stop by the Sonic for a treat because as you know today is National Ice Cream Day!  As I'm waiting, a girl and her horse, yes I said horse,  walks up beside me and places their order. Ice cream for her and water for the horse.  I loved it!  You should have seen all the looks and smiles she was getting.  I started a conversation with her.  Katrina is the proud owner of a 4 year old Paint named Drifter who happens to have one blue eye and one brown eye.  He was gorgeous!  This is her first horse in which she's been training him for the last two years.  She's getting ready in the next couple of weeks to head up into the moutains for a 3 day adventure wtih him.  I wish you could have seen her face, the way she talked about Drifter and the way that she looked at him.  "He's my baby", she said.  I completely understood her as I am the same way about my Cheyenne girl.

I mentioned in a previous post about taking a different route or going at a different time and being open to the possibilities.  Who knows, you may just meet a girl, on a horse, at your local Sonic Drive In. 

Love yourself, be yourself, give of yourself!

Much Love,
Robin

                               Even Cheyenne wants some extra company every now and then!  :)

Feel Better in 30 Days! I Challenge YOU!

How are you feeling this summer?  Vibrant and full of life or somewhat sluggish?  Would you take a 30 day challenge to feel better in 30 days or your money back?  You have nothing to loose, only gain!!  Check out the Rx for a Healthier Life.  http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/show.php?video=RxforHealth

Just for trying Shaklee Vitalizer for 30 days you will also receive the special promo below.  (Or any other combination of products totaling $70.00 pre-tax.)  If you are not satisfied with the improvement in your health, Shaklee will refund your purchase.

Get the Most out of Your Workout! Get a FREE $75 (Retail Value)Sports Nutrition Pack when You Join Shaklee with a $70 Order.*

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CHECK OUT SHAKLEE SPORTS NUTRITION VIDEO BELOW.  DO YOU KNOW WHO IS FUELED BY SHAKLEE?
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* *Requirements:
Shipping, handling and applicable taxes apply.  Join Shaklee with a $19.95 New Member Pack or a $39.95 New Distributor Welcome Kit, plus a product order with a pretax total of $70 or greater (not including the cost of the New Member Pack or Distributor Welcome Kit), or join Shaklee by purchasing a GOLD PAK, a GOLD PLUS PAK, or a SUPER GOLD PAK, and you will receive a Shaklee Sports Nutrition Pack for FREE.  When you join as a member or distributor you will receive 15% off retail prices!  If you join Shaklee with a GOLD PAK,  a GOLD PLUS PAK,  or a SUPER GOLD PAK, you will receive 15% off of your initial order and then 30% off all orders following that.

Promotional offer valid June 1–July 31, 2011.

http://robinjones.myshaklee.com

View the 2011 Shaklee Product Guide! http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/shaklee/2011productguide/#/0

Our guarantee to you:  Shaklee products always work, are always safe, and are always green.  Shaklee is available in the following countries:  US, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan & China.  We have a sales-only site in Singapore as well.   Product sales are made through Shaklee Independent Distributors in each market.  If you are not living in a current Shaklee market but can buy and receive the products from a distributor in a Shaklee market (for personal consumption), you may still place an order on my Shaklee website. 

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  Here's to your health!

Robin

LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN

Sometimes life just brings us things/events/circumstances, etc. that we may just not expect...   Sometimes we don't understand the meaning behind it, what to learn from it or simply 'Why did this happen?'. 

I came across this short clip today about gratitude titled 'Learning to Dance in the Rain'.  I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share it with  you.  I don't know your situation or circumstance nor do you know mine but I do know that how we approach our situations can change our entire mindset in how to process and work through them.   http://www.danceintherainmovie.com/

Living at 8,770 feet for ten years in the mountains of Colorado I became used to winter being the longest season.  Summers were mild with cooling afternoon showers.  Fall is my favorite time of year and way too short lived!  Now that I live in Fort Collins I have the opportunity to experience all four seasons; however, with that comes more severe weather.  I can handle lots of snow but what's been difficult for me is the thunder and lightning storms because of what may follow... tornado's.

I'm an Oklahoma girl and grew up with tornado's around me but have never been in one.  Tornado's don't usually occur in the mountains so I never thought about them.  Anytime the weather gets bad here I'm on my computer looking at the radar loop and listening to the weather.  No different from when I lived in OK.  I guess I just got comfortable living at that high altitude because it offered some type of safety to me in all ways of my life;  however, I was not living to my fullest within that safety net.   

Where in life do you want change but you are so comfortable that change creates fear within you?  Are you willing to be uncomfortable to attain whatever your dreams may be?   I went through a series of seminars with Klemmer & Associates last summer & fall.  It's all about learning the potential from within yourself and making choices to move forward in your life.  If you're interested in learning more, their website is http://www.klemmer.com/.  You can also check out some books by Brian Klemmer.  I am wrapping up 'The Compassionate Samurai - Being Extraordinary in an Ordinary World' by Brian and it's probably one of the best books I've ever read!

Life is a journey, a process, an adventure... life is LOVE!  We all have fears that we can work through...  Won't you join me in Learning to Dance in the Rain??

Much Love,
Robin

Thunder, lightning and hail storm on Wednesday.  No damage to my truck but I did have some damage to some of my plants and veggies in my garden...  I'm expecting the plants to bounce back just fine!

Duke & Duchess of Cambridge

The Royal Couple made it to the US today!  Too bad they're not coming to Colorado!  Although it's been just over two months since their wedding I wanted to share some photos from the SUNDAY Mirror from Friday, April 29, 2011.  The newspaper put together a special souvenir of the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton and included a double sided photo.  My friends JJ and Maz who live in Luton, UK, knew how excited I was over the wedding so they sent me a copy!

Yes, I know I could purchase a copy of 'TIME' of that special day but I feel very lucky to have the local newspaper.  Thank you for being so thoughtful JJ & Maz!!  I love and appreciate you both!

Robin

Organic Horse Trough Garden Update

My friend JJ said it was time for an update on the garden, so here it is!  It's been five weeks since I put the horse trough organic garden together!  I've added some other plants and will note it under the pictures.  In the horse trough I've got: Bok Choi, Broccoli, Basil, Sweet Pepper, Yellow Pepper, Green Pepper, Eggplant, Burpless Cucumber, Zucchini Squash and Gold Bar Squash.  Yes, it is somewhat crowded.  My plan is to take the vines as they grow and drape them over the trough.  Let's hope it works out ok!  I also added earth worms to the soil one week after I did the planting as their castings are a great fertilizer.

I have thoroughly enjoyed taking care of the garden and watching it grow.  It's fun!  It may seem like something simple, but I enjoy the simple things...  This is also my first garden so I am rather excited about it!  There were several plants in my garden that were damaged in the bad hail storm several weeks back.  I wasn't quite sure if they were going to make it or not.  I am happy to say that they have thrived! 

I hope that you take time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life!  I also hope that when the storms come and you experience some heart, ego, physical, mental or spiritual damage, that you will know that you are not alone.  Seek support from a friend, a mentor, your family and your Lord.  I promise, in due time, you too will grow & thrive again.  HOPE... always hope and believe in yourself how valuable and precious you really are!

Much Love,
Robin




I made the picture larger so the detail would show up better.



Orange Smoothie Pumpkin - great for cooking and decoration.

Italian Oregano & Parsley, Orange & Red Pepper



Roma Tomato



Lettuce

Raspberry Bushes that came over from the neighbors backyard.

Roses



The 'Right Person' Myth

A friend shared with me a series called 'The New Rules for Love, Sex & Dating' by Andy Stanley.  

When I meet the right person, everything will be all right. This way of thinking creates trouble in our dating lives and sets us up for trouble in marriage. In this message, Andy challenges us to ask ourselves Am I the person the person I'm looking for is looking for? And he previews God's list of behaviors that will lead to success in dating and marriage.

Andy is an excellent speaker that will challenge you to think about how you're going about your dating life or desire to have one.  We all want to find that 'Right Person' but how much time do we spend on ourselves to become the 'Right Person'.  BECOMING is the word to focus on.  We are either growing or decaying.  Are you working on the quality traits that will be attractive to someone else.  Not on a superficial level but on a deeper level.  Those quality traits become who you are... your BEING.  These qualities require effort and don't just happen...

Are you approaching your relationships thinking like a child and reasoning like a child?  You probably think you are NOT but take a deeper look at what 's happening in your past or present relationships.  It's time to put ways of childhood behind you and become the person with genuine qualities you're both looking for.  Chemistry and passion may bring people together but if you don't have the qualities Andy speaks of, your relationship will not last because even the chemistry and passion will go away...

I want to stress there is a difference between having a fun child likeness in how you may look at some things in life and having the ability to play.  I'm not referring to that when I mentioned reasoning like a child above.  I'm sure you know the difference as I love to play and have fun myself!  My challenge to you is to take the time to view this link with an open mind and an open heart because you are either growing or decaying...

Which one will you choose?

http://www.northpoint.org/messages/the-new-rules-for-love-sex-and-dating

Much Love,
Robin

'Just Walk With Me'

Are you stuck in a rut?  Do you do the same thing over and over again?  Do you like to keep on schedule?  If you answered yes to any of the above then that's not uncommon.  I like schedules except on the weekends and vacations.  We all get into our daily routines.  What I'm going to share is something rather simple but quite meaningful. 

I go on two walks a day with my dog Cheyenne.  She does well on a regular feeding and walking schedule.  Over the weekend I decided to do my afternoon walk in the evening and by chance went a different way than I usually do.  As we were walking on the sidewalk across the street and down an entire block was an elderly woman.  I literally could see her smiling from that distance so Cheyenne and I crossed the street to meet her.  It is not uncommon to visit with others on walks when you have an 'overly social' dog such as my Cheyenne girl!

Betty introduced herself and after talking briefly we realized we had some things in common.  She explained to me where she lives but I wasn't quite sure where she was talking about so she said 'just walk with me'. I learned that she is 80 years old and lost her husband 10 years ago but still has family in the area.  She had knee surgery on both knees just a year ago and walks daily.  We both enjoy having tea so I'm sure we're going to meet up soon.  Here's the thing.  I asked her what day would work out best for her and she proceeded to tell me her schedule:  mass every morning, volunteers for two different organizations a couple of times a week and something else that I just don't remember.  So we left it at I would drop off one of my business cards the next time I was in her area and she would call me back.

Here I was thinking that she would enjoy some company when in reality she is company to so many different people!  Wow!  To be 80 years old and living a life of contribution on a daily basis like that.  Her smile is contagious and she has such a genuine warmth to her.  I am looking forward to the conversations and the things I'm going to learn from Betty! 

As I mentioned above, this is simple yet meaningful.  Two things to think about:  change your schedule every now and then and go a different way to be open to the possibilities in your life.  Secondly, is there someone in your life that you can say 'just walk with me'?  That really stood out to me... 'JUST WALK WITH ME'. 
Are you walking along with someone or can someone walk with you?  What about both?  It could be in the form of: mentoring, friendship, helping out by babysitting, house sitting, errands, etc.  ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!  

But Robin, I don't have any extra time!  Well, you have your family and current friends and if they are struggling or need encouragement let them know you'll walk with them....  It doesn't have to be with someone new.

"The true measure of success lies not in how much you achieve, but in knowing you have touched the lives of others." 

Enjoy the weekend!

Much Love,
Robin