Category: DianaLand

4th of July!

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

 How do you spend the 4th of July?

In America, the 4th of July is a family fun-filled event. Some cities, like mine plan a 4th of July extravaganza. This year the St. Louis River front is being redone so the celebration will be held at Forest Park in St. Louis. It’s a really big deal because the city turned 250 this year and I think it’s the first time the park will host the fair. Everyone here is a buzz about the traffic, shuttles, and buss routes. I’m hoping to go one of the nights to see the fireworks but the crowds will be huge and that might keep me away. 

I love the 4th of July with all the good food-yes I’m gluten free but there are some amazing hamburger buns out there, along with potato salad and watermelon…Now I’m hungry.

 

fireworks
4th of July!

 

Then the fireworks, the sizzle, the bang and ooohs and awes that follow, what’s not to like?

It’s been a long time since America broke free from England. No one that I know of holds any anger toward that country, many of us have been there or would like to go. So why continue this celebration? 

Here are my reasons:

I get to gather with my family informally. There’s no fine china or crystal at this party.

We play Scrabble, shoot BB guns, and slap mosquitoes before we sit back and watch my sons light up the sky. Every year my mom and I wonder if the bull frog will call out or be scared. He almost always has something to say. 

fire4

It’s a chance to think about where I live and how thankful I am. It may sound arrogant, I don’t mean to be, but I think my country is the best. I can wear what I choose, speak freely about Jesus, and I can feel free to say what I think about politicians without fear. It’s my home, it’s what I know and I like being able to travel from coast to coast without a passport. Okay, I don’t have a passport and I seldom travel but when I do I like it to be easy.

I like that we stand shoulder to shoulder as a family to take a photo. It’s getting harder to do that now as my sons are grown and have brought wives and now a grandson into the photo. I want to be the family on the lawn that is so large it sprawls and the cameraman has to back far away to get us in the shot. 

Those fireworks in the sky give me pause to think about those who have fought to give me a safe place to live. I am thankful. This past year I dug around ancestory.com to find out where my family came from. I discovered I had family that fought in the Revolutionary War. I had to sit back in awe, it’s rather unsettling and yet satisfying to know my family has a connection to those who made this a free country.  

If you celebrate the 4th of July what makes it special for you?

Amazing Grace Hate it or Love it?

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

There was a time when the song Amazing Grace played on every radio station and at least once an hour. It was sung by Judy Collins. 

It became a song that my brother and I hated. To us it was the equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard. Plus my mom liked it which of course made it not cool.

The minute it came on we raced to change the station. We  joked that whoever died first, the remaining sibling would request  Amazing Grace be played. Sadly for me the chance came too soon when my brother died young. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t pick that song for him. 

 Flash forward to now.

I’ve since come to love the song Amazing Grace especially this version by Chris Tomlin.

 

Last month, my friend Don died. He’d been battling ALS. A disease that chains you to your bed by robbing you of the ability to move your muscles, while leaving your brain alone. It does other things as well, none of them are pleasant. This great man, battled with the grace of a God-filled man. He never complained to those who came to visit. He had a cheerful disposition when we saw him and wanted to know about what was happening in our life.

I would walk or drive past his house and wonder how can he do this? Being trapped in a bed all day, unable to go outside and visit with neighbors or help with the garden?

At his funeral Amazing Grace was played and it made sense! Don knew his chains would soon be broken. He had the hope and promise of living in God’s house when his body failed. I know this from conversations we had while pulling weeds.

Since then I’ve heard Amazing Grace a few times, and I’ve come to embrace it for its meaning. Someday all believers will have their chains holding them to this earth broken and we will be free.

Now when I think of Don I see him waving at me while mowing his grass, or washing his car or bringing me my mail on snowy days. I miss his him and yet I’m so happy for him because I know Don believed in Jesus and he is a free man right now.

sunset
Amazing Grace

I also need to apologize to my mother. The song is cool.

Have you ever had a song you couldn’t stand become one you loved?

 

 

 

What to Buy a Man for Christmas

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

I’m not sure what to get my husband for Christmas. Every year it’s the , “Really what do you want this year?” conversation. Then he asks me the same question. I think he should tell me what he wants but know what I want. I could give him a list but I need more time to think.

Back to Mr. Quiet, he likes to cut things up and recently found he likes to read on my iPad so…

I’m considering these.


*affilate links

or this?

The question is now that it’s on my blog will he comment? Yes or no? What do you say Mr. Quiet want to go cut some things up? Or read a book?

Please don’t forget to vote for We’re Not Blended We’re Pureed over at www.bookfun.org.
Thanks,
Diana

Overcomer

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Overcomer

a2z: The Letter “O”

How many times do you give up when you think the odds are to impossible to succeed?

How do you overcome obstacles blocking your way?

I came across this song by Mandisa. I knew I wasn’t alone. I have Him who goes before me, after me and lives within me. How could I not overcome?

 

Like everyone, I’ve had to overcome hard things in life. Grief has been able to grasp my ankles and pull me under many times. Some days I wrestle with dark spaces, and I don’t understand why all of my brothers had to go to heaven so soon. I don’t get to experience the annoying, “Hey you’re older than me,” or “What do you think we should get mom for Christmas–since you’re a girl, why don’t you do it?”

God has helped me overcome the sadness through two men at church who have taken the ‘Brother Role’ seriously. They will do something to make me laugh or annoy me,and I remember that I have brothers on earth. We’re related through Christ. I am grateful to Eric. S. and P.V. for providing a bit of family that might  have been.

What have you overcome with God’s help?

 

Mandisa Overcomer youtube
Pin this!

 

It’s blog hop day!


10 ways to Maintain Your Exercise Workout

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

a2z: E is for Exercise

Do you like to workout? I do! But sometimes it starts getting old so what can you do to keep going?

Here are 10 ways to maintain your exercise workout and not in any order of importance.

  1. Change your workout. It’s good for your brain to refocus on doing an exercise a different way.

  2. Don’t work out sick. You’ll end up hurting yourself. If you’re coughing like a 2-year-old who coughs to get attention then you aren’t sick. You’re bored, see number 1.

  3. Figure out your Workout Social-ablity Needs. Answer these questions to help you decide:

Do you work better alone, in a group or a mix of both?

Do you like your music loud but you live in an apartment?

If you have to drive somewhere to work out will you choose the couch instead?

Would it bother you to run into someone you know while wearing workout clothes?

Now find a class or a spare room and get started!

  1. Get a workout buddy to hold you accountable. *note this doesn’t have to be a buddy that exercises when you do. I have a friend who calls and asks if I worked out. I can’t lie to her so this works for me.

  2. Get a tip jar. Love this one, it came from Kimberly Smith, my boot camp instructor. After a workout I add some money to the jar.

  3. Weigh-in only once a month on that scale! Exercising two days in a row won’t change the number on the scale, if it did, everyone would be at the gym.

  4. Measure your progress by the tightness of your waistband.

  5. Schedule your workouts. It sounds like a simple thing to do, but if you don’t put it on the calendar you’ll find something else to do.

  6. Feeling stuck, not sure you are doing a move right? Hire a trainer for a session.

  7. Don’t take more than a one day break between workouts–unless you like starting over.

Bonus!

  1. Start working out on Monday and as early in the day as you can.

woman doing a hand stand

  1. Another good way to be accountable is to join myfitnesspal or sparkpeople both are free.

  2. Use the DVDs you probably have stuck in a basket or hidden behind closed doors on a shelf. When you’re able to predict the next word out of the instructors mouth change to a different one.

  3. If you don’t want to put money in the tip jar, fill a jar with stones and for every pound you lose remove a stone. Thanks Doreen Warfield, my amazing Zumba instructor, for that one.

  4. DO IT FOR YOURSELF. Don’t start this so you’ll look good at a wedding, reunion or special event. It’s a lot of work to get into shape and if you aren’t going to respect yourself to do it for life– then don’t do it. YOU ARE WORTH the time it takes to walk around the block!

And here’s a bonus, if you want to get those 6-pack abs check out this post 10 Best Core Exercises.

Can you add to my tips? If yes, leave them in the comment section please!

Blessings,

Diana

Do Christians Doubt

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

 

a2z: D is for Doubt

Are you someone who sees a new opportunity and instantly feels this could happen? No doubt for you, nothing but smiles, rainbows and dare I write it? Yes, unicorns.

Is your faith so strong that you have no doubt that everything will turn out fine?

That is not me. I have fallen into the big hole of doubt. I won’t even look at it. When a question comes up that suggests a good outcome I run because I think it’s not possible.

woman holding question mark

“Be merciful to those who doubt.” Jude 22 Click to tweet.

I’m not sure when this switch happened. I used to cling to the verse, “Everything is possible through Christ.”

I still belive that verse, it’s just that I doubt it will work out for me.

Now, don’t be sending me off for antidepressants or to seem my favorite therapist Marty Lintvedt (co-author of We’re not Blended We’re Pureed) I’m fine, really I am.

My doubt turns to fear–did you all know it does that? My fear is about the world we live in. Is it going to implode next week? Will the taxes in Illinois cause us to lose everything? I’m probably wrong, but I’ll be close enough–small businesses like ours pays 44% in taxes right now, that doesn’t include our personal taxes.

The world around me is changing so fast between terror attacks and out of control government I think surely the end of the world is in a few days, so I doubt I’ll get that next book written or the fridge cleaned out. (Yeah probably hoping for that last one a little too much.)

Then I look back at history and realize as far back as Genesis it looked like the world was done for and what happened? God saved us, over and over again until the only thing he could do was send his Son. And that’s what it’s really about, waiting for Him to return and take me home.

So doubt go away and please don’t return another day.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

Is doubt an issue for you?

Do you think it’s okay for Christians to doubt? Please tell.

Yay! It’s blog hop day. Check out these amazing blogs and see what these authors come up with for the letter D.

a2z


The Power of Reviews

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Do you write reviews?

Do you read them before you buy a book or a product?

I do write them and it’s not always easy. If I love a book I give it a 5 star it’s the ones that I’m not so sureI love that I struggle with. If it’s a book I don’t leave a three star on Amazon because that’s as bad as a one star, those books I don’t post reviews.

Products? That’s a different story.

chalkboard with word review
Image credit: wayoutwest / 123RF Stock Photo

 

 

This past week  I left a one star on a product. I wanted to leave zero stars but it wasn’t possible.

If I had taken the time to read the reviews on this product I wouldn’t have bought it, but I didn’t think about it.

My cats go outside and I needed some flea protection for them. I was at Wal-Mart and usually I pick up Pet Armour. They were out so I snagged a package of Adam’s Top Spot.

Serious mistake. One of my cats, Wendell had a terrible reaction. He was shaking, staring off into space an his fun came out in chunks! I’m fortunate it wasn’t worse. After posting my review I read through the others on Amazon. Many cats have reacted to this product in even more dangerous ways, seizures and horrific sores.

wendell icecream

Wendell is fine now. This is an old shot of him feeling well– on top of the fridge.

He’s not quite back to normal but I’m hoping for a full recovery.

So do you write reviews?

Do you think it makes a difference when you post a negative review? In this case I hope my review protects someone else’s beloved cat.

Doctor Visits

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Why do they call them Doctor Visits?

Do you remember when you were little and your mom or dad said you were going to visit the doctor?

The first few times you probably thought it would fun like visiting an old aunt or a grandparent. Then you figured it out.

Doctor visits were code for “unpleasant” and a sticker.

Say Ah!
Say Ah!

As I’ve grown older those doctor visits no longer bring so much fear, or stickers, just high medical bills. Being self-employed means you get insurance that is expensive with a very high deductible. Now every time I have one of those visits my savings account gets smaller.

And I don’t get a sticker. Yeah, I’m hung up on that little extra something. Most of the doctors I’ve seen this year have been great about sticking to appointment times. That’s a huge improvement since my time is also valuable.

Still, I’m thinking visit should mean a little bit of conversation. I’ve seen my primary care and several specialists this year and I’ve noticed a trend. The more specialized– the higher the bill and less conversation occurs.

Now, I don’t want to discuss my entire life on one of these visits but it’s nice when you go to your doctor and they know what you do. “How’s the writing? How are your kids? Any grandbabies yet?” That would be my primary care. I love that doctor.  He knows me or at least something about my life.

Contrast to that to my husbands specialist who recommended he get some excercise daily. WHAT? The man lifts 50 pound wall blocks over and over, lays pavers, crawls on his knees, every six days a week. I think he probably burns 3-4000 calories a day. So the only thing that doctor knows is what is on the paper in front of him.

I’m not sure why I’m on this rant today. Maybe because I went to see my specialist who ‘didn’t get’ who I am or what I do. Suggestions made for me to fall asleep faster? Write a few pages–to a writer that’s like telling a reader who is reading a really good book to put it down and go to sleep. I can’t do that either I have to finish the book first.

I will say that this specialist was very kind, and did her best to understand. In the end, what I went to see her for was achieved. In the process we both learned a few things about each other. So all ended well–except I still didn’t get a sticker. 🙂

How about you? What kind of relationship to you have with your doctors? Would you like more interaction or less? Let’s discuss this in the comments.

Diana

I Scream for Ice Cream

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

It’s National Ice Cream Day

Are you celebrating by screaming for ice cream?

What’s your favorite?

I’m loving Talenti most of their flavors are gluten-free!

ice cream

Sometimes I have to tell Wendell it’s not his.

wendell icecream

So go get a scoop and celebrate National Ice Cream Day–just don’t tell Wendell what day it is.

*** Yes, I know it’s gelato and not ice cream but it tastes like it to me.

I’m also over at F.A.I.T.H. Girls Blogging today. Stop by and visit. FAITHGIRLS

The Lure of the Coupon

Posted on by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Can a Coupon Lure You?

As I’ve mentioned in other places on this blog we are following the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace way of life. Sometimes it hard…no wait, it’s hard all the time!

I’ve had this desire to purchase a tortilla press for quite some time. I’ve wanted really good tortillas and they have to be gluten-free. I have a recipe for them but not a press.

Making tortillas is supposed to be easy especially if you press them. So I haven’t tried making them since I don’t have the press. Are you following this logic? Ha!

So when the $5.00 off $15.00 coupon from Bed, Bath and Beyond arrived I knew it was time to get that tortilla press.

coupon
$5. off at Bed, Bath and Beyond

It’s been awhile since I’ve been inside this mega wonder store. My favorite place is at the front where all the organizing items are located. I touched, pulled things out and marveled at all I’ve missed while on my shopping hiatus.

Then back to what I came for –the tortilla press. They don’t have them in the store. Now what to do? I had a perfectly good coupon for $5. that’s like a five dollar bill in my hand, right?

I continued through the store searching, hunting and even digging through the clearance shelves. I was transfixed by monitors showing me a new way to curl and straighten my hair. Checked the price on that amazing tool–way over $15.

Before leaving I thought I should go back to the organizing items because there had to be something I MUST OWN for five dollars less.

And then it hit me. The coupon was a lure. The item I wanted wasn’t at the store. An item I wasn’t even sure I really wanted but rather desired.

I’d like to say I handed the coupon to another shopper but I stuck it in my purse–just in case.

I did leave the store without purchasing anything. Now that I’m home I’m glad I was able to resist that urge to spend the money to get five dollars off of ‘something.’

Now, I need to find that recipe, try it and if we like it, order the tortilla press.

 

How about you?

Are you lured into mega stores by coupons?

Have you fought back and won? or lost?

Tell me!

Blessings,

Diana

 

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