Dream BIG

Today's post is a poem.


                   Dream BIG

If you're going to dream at all

dream BIG

Don't see yourself as small

dream BIG

See everything in your grasp

dream BIG

With everything you have

dream BIG

The sky is not the limit

dream BIG

If you can see it you can get it

dream BIG!


copyright  2009 Verlyn Tarlton

Have a terrific Tuesday!

A blog of thanksgiving

Tonight as I sit here and write a little after 11 pm, I am so very thankful that my 5 year old daughter is still alive. This evening was one of the most scariest days of my life.

It was a normal evening, my husband ran to the store and the children were watching a video while I was working in my room. Grant it we live in a rambler so I can hear everything that goes on. All of a sudden I hear this strange coughing sound, not like any other, more like a choking sound. So I listened, I heard it again and I got up. As I was exiting my room, my 5 year old was coming towards me literally choking. I asked if she could speak as I approached her and she could not, she could no longer even cough, she was gasping for air and panicking.

Of course this scared me as I realized she really was choking. I began to hit her back and do all the things I remembered from CPR/first aid class years ago, while trying not to panic because my husband was gone.

Nothing was working and I watched as my daughter began to turn blue, then dark blue and then almost purple. All I could do was continue to try to dislodge whatever was in her throat, I thought she was going to die when I saw how dark she looked, I just prayed and called on Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. I could feel panic rising up in me but I kept saying Jesus.

Nothing came out of her throat but all of a sudden she said "I need water!" and her color was coming back and now she was coughing again. She spoke and my heart started beating again. I gave her a little water and she was fine.

I asked what she had swallowed. She showed me the yogurt lid made of the foil type substance, she tried to peel it back with her teeth. The part she broke off went down her throat and got stuck.

Of course I will not be buying this type with the aluminum lid ever again and we all had a talk about getting help when we need to open things and not using our teeth.

I never remember feeling so helpless as I thought my daughter was fading away. God was with us and I am so thankful for His grace and mercy. I am so thankful she is sleeping soundly and safely in her bed tonight. I'm so thankful she is alive.

After the ordeal, I was literally shaking, and breathing as if I ran up 20 flights of steps. I had to sit down and process what happened. I could not believe what I just saw, but for the grace of God there might have been a different outcome.

This Saturday, I have so much to be thankful for. God was with us, and I thank Him.

Tonight as everyone slept, I got down on my hands and knees and cried tears of thanksgiving that I was able to tuck my baby to sleep tonight. As a matter of fact, I cried, I cried like a baby. Even as I write this I am crying tears of joy because He heard my cry and He rescued us. May God bless and keep you all safe in His care. 

Let's save some money!

If ever there was a time to save money it would be now. My plan is to offer some money saving tips from time to time as well as to solicit yours. Remember " a penny saved is a penny earned." Let's get right to it.

 

There are 3 ways you can save money by incorporating the following. Combine errands, visit your local library, and reverse menu planning.

First off, I always plan a day to run errands. With 3 small children at home, this is critical because I know I have to drag them along...  The closest big town is about 40 minutes one way, so to save gas I make a list of every place I need to go and hit those spots. I never run in to town for something minor, this would burn too much gas and cost me more in the end.

For example, my daughter's guitar needed 2 strings replaced. The closest music store is 40 minutes away, so I put the guitar in my van and kept it there so that the next time when I headed that way I would replace the strings. Last week when I put my computer in the shop I made the 40 minute trip worth my while. I dropped off my computer, got the guitar fixed, made a drop off at the library on the way, picked up information from parks and recreation, and carried out 3 other errands while I was out. We made a day out of it and it was worth my while. Having a list made it possible to remember all the stops and complete my tasks.

Next, we live in the library. We use the library to not only borrow books but also to borrow movies. We do not have cable or the monthly charge that comes with it, nor do I run out and buy expensive dvd's. I am not in the business of giving money away, at least not consumer debt. Borrowing movies is much cheaper than paying a cable bill every single month or shelling out $20 for a new dvd.

Also it makes my life easier to go to the library and choose what the children will watch, cable is just too much work. With borrowed dvd's I can control what goes in to my children's ears and eyes. I don't want my daughter to have a distorted image of beauty (this is another blog) and even the children's networks have inappropriate themes at times. Why pay for all of this when I can borrow (free of charge) wholesome movies we can all watch.

Finally, reverse menu planning, I love it! Typically with menu planning you plan your meals and then you make your list and get shopping. With reverse menu planning you use what you already have and save the grocery trip for another time.

So this is what I do. I look in my pantry and fridge, make a list of what I have, and then plan my menu around my list. Living on ONE income with a family of FIVE, you learn how to save money and not run to the grocery store every other day. I'll blog about this later.

Whatever I have on hand is what I fix. I started this because I noticed that food will get pushed back into the pantry and never be used, the same with the fridge. Just this week I did inventory and found 6 dozen eggs, that's right 6 dozen eggs! Two of them are about to expire. It's only 5 of us and we don't need that many eggs. Now I won't say who brought all of these eggs in order to protect HIS identity...

What will I do with 6 dozen eggs? Let's see, egg salad, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, egg sandwiches, omelets. I will consult google to get egg recipes, I suppose this will be an "eggceptional" week! The point is to use what I have already and save money. Doing this can foster creativity as well as eliminate waste.

I hope some of this will help you keep some hard earned money in your pocket as there is much competition to take it out. Please share your tips on saving money, it will be greatly appreciated!

Remember, those pennies saved add up.

 

 everyday talk for everyday women

Can we really overcome evil with good?

First off, I'm very glad to have my computer back, it was being serviced. Now to catch up with posting.  Hope you have been doing great for the past few days.

The post stems from a conversation I had with a very good friend about dealing with difficult people or those opposed to us, in addition to my own personal battles. I tried to push certain feelings aside and just hope folks would go away, we all know this does not happen. Even if the person goes away, someone else is sure to pop up and take their place, so we might as well face the challenge. It seems most of us have to deal with overcoming evil with good in some form or another.

So then the question is not "can we overcome evil with good" but will we? I don't wear this as a badge of honor, but I'm more of a "smack em" type by nature. I know, I know, that's broken English...  something about "smack them" just doesn't have the same impact!

True enough smacking folks is not listed as a way to overcome evil with good, it's just returning evil for evil, nothing is overcome that way.

How then do we deal with conniving co-workers, nightmare neighbors, outlaws (I mean) in-laws, manipulating step-children, sour siblings, the list goes on...

Might I suggest we start on our knees. It's the most humbling place to start. You see these issues are beyond us as most are. These are issues of the heart and we can't change that. The truth is most of us can't really change ourselves, but there is one who can.

What I try to remind myself is that God has a purpose and plan for their lives (other than driving me nuts) just like He has for mine. He loves them as much as He loves me. If  we don't allow pride and offence to blind us, we can begin to pray for those who chose to make our lives miserable.

There are no fancy quotes or antidotes. We can start with a simple prayer like this. "God bless ________." You fill in the blank. I have tried this and will still try this and it can be a fight just to get these words out. There were times when I did not want to say the persons name. So then we pray "God help me" and He will. He hears us when we pray. We may not see instant results, but change is going on behind the scenes. If we are praying for a person I'm convinced we won't look at them the same, even when they start to cut up.

Maybe the change will never come in the other person. Maybe, just maybe the miracle of change will take place in my heart, in your heart. Maybe this person is the avenue of growth for me and for you. Maybe the person does not even want to be the way they are and they need someone to pray for them in order to set them free.  

We can overcome evil with good, but it first starts in us, with us and then through us.

After you read this post, make a point to start praying regularly and I mean really praying for yourself and your enemy of choice. I'll do the same. Let's watch as prayer changes us. 

If you have tips on overcoming evil with good, please share them or share your story.

Remember victory begins on our knees. Be an overcomer!  

Right place right time

How do I reconcile what I think I should be with what I am now? How do I reconcile where I think I should be with where I am now? Have you ever asked yourself these questions? I did very often, but then I read 2 Kings 5.

This chapter opens with Naaman who was the commander of an army but he had the dreaded disease, at that time, called leprosy. Then there was a servant girl who had been taken captive, they don't even mention her name, but she changed the game.

During this time there was no cure or treatment for leprosy and one would suffer until death. During a normal day of doing her task, the servant knowing the suffering of Naaman, told her mistress (Naaman's wife) that he should see the prophet Elisha who would cure him.

Naaman did just what the servant said, he went to Elisha and he was healed.

Now how does this relate to us today? Well in my mind, I thought I should be doing "great things" noticeable to man or at least myself. Being a stay at home mom is fine, but not where I thought I would be right now. I had other plans. The truth is sometimes I feel insignificant. At this stage I should be a professional writer, real estate mogul or an influential speaker. Or should I?

Now I'm starting to understand that being where I'm supposed to be is "doing great things". You see, being at the right place at the right time can be a conduit for miracles, whether we see it or not. If we can just grasp the fact that where ever we are, we are called to a life of service, we might all be a lot happier. There is significance where ever we are in life. Who knows what blessings and miracles will take place if we do our part right where we are at the appointed time?

Just think about the servant girl in 2 Kings. Had she not been there serving at that place during that time, Naaman may not have been healed. There was no mention that she had a dream or great revelation, no mountain top experience. Maybe she was sweeping the dirt floor, washing clothes or making a bed when she gave this life changing advice. It was a day just like any other. She was doing her job and Naaman was healed because she was there, not somewhere else.

No matter how menial the task may seem, it's important in the grand scheme of things. No matter how small the role may seem, we must play it big!

Remember, one servant girl changed the life of a commander. Just think of all the lives that can be changed or blessed by you and me.

Being where and what I am right now has taken on new meaning. It's about being at the right place at the right time. It's about being where and what God has called me to be, anywhere else is just a waste of time.

...everyday talk for everyday women

What's going on?

In the words of the late Marvin Gaye "what's going on?" I'm sure news has traveled about the bombs going off at the Boston Marathon. What is one to think about this? Hearts are heavy.


We pray for mercy, we pray for strength, we pray for grace, we pray for all. We must still believe that God is good even when bad things happen. We pray for faith.


Pray for others, pray for all. When one of us hurts we all hurt, when one of us weeps we all weep. Our hearts go out. We are neighbors.

 

 

 

All I have lacked is God

in my searching near and far
i'm finally learning who you are

a life long song played in my heart
a melody sung right from the start

 

 

no one can replace you as my King
my heart my life to you I bring

your song so sweet music to my ears
your harmony touches me brings me to tears

all that I have longed for and wanted to know
you've given to me a love that is so

faithful and true during my times of fear
please let me know you're always near

all I have lacked is God


copyright Verlyn Tarlton

Before you call the plumber...

It's a great day and boy do I have something funny to share with you!

The toilet has been getting clogged a lot lately. Finally it got so bad that we had to shut off that toilet and lock the door. Thank God for a second bathroom. We were taking a guess as to how much we would have to pay for a plumber to come out and fix it. Keep in mind we used everything on the market to unclog the toilet but nothing worked.

Before pulling out the "big guns/bucks" and calling the plumber, we asked ourselves "what is clogging up the toilet?"  So my husband decided to dig a little deeper. He got out the old wire coat hanger and started digging in.  Can you take a guess at what he found? Read on...

Let me first mention, if I have not already, that I have 3 children all 5 yrs old and under at home. Two of which are twin boys, 4 yrs old. Can you see where I'm going with this? To my knowledge they were going in the bathroom, using it, washing their hands, and then coming out like good little fellas. They make mommy so proud.  

So what to my wondering eyes should appear?
 

These were pulled out of our toilet after about 40 minutes of digging with the hanger! When the boys were asked about this, they confessed. They just didn't know why they did it! Were they conducting science experiments?  How many tooth brushes can fit in the toilet? Do tooth brushes float? How many tooth brushes does it take to clog the toilet? Will mom or dad ever find these? I have to give them credit because they only flushed their tooth brushes. How considerate... I wonder what else is lurking around down there?

We had a good laugh about this! So what did I take away from this besides "I better watch the boys in the bathroom" and " put the tooth brushes up high."

In a nut shell, we almost called a plumber to do what we could do because we thought it was beyond us. Sometimes a problem or issue can be less serious than we think. We just have to take the time to communicate, not jump to conclusions and ask questions. Pretty simple? Not always, it takes practise.

It's amazing what we adults can learn from the shenanigans of our little ones. Thanks boys for giving me something to write about today!

Have a Super Sunday and a Marvelous Monday!

Share your funny stories with us, we would love to hear them. Post a comment below or send me an email.

Clothes for charity

It's Friday and tomorrow I get to sleep late. Very good indeed.  

So, yesterday I spent the day putting the children's winter clothes away and pulling out the spring/summer collection. Yes, I said "collection". I could not believe how many clothes had accumulated in those boxes and plastic containers.

I am blessed to have friends who pass down clothes to me for the children, saves a ton of money. Usually, I go through the clothes when the seasons change and pass them along to someone else. This has been a standing tradition in my house.

Last night as I was folding and stacking the "give away" clothes, something new came to mind. Why not have a yard sale? Instead of passing the clothes to someone who may or may not need them, I'll recycle them back into the community. Everything will be sold for a quarter as in (25 cents) a piece.

All of the money made will be donated to a charity of choice. This plan will incorporate my children. As I see it, it's a win-win situation. The children and I talk about caring for others and giving to those in need, but now we can put our talk in action. They are only 4 and 5 yrs old,  but this is a great way to get started, at least on a small scale.

So this is the plan. We will have our talk again about caring and giving and then we will chose a charity or ministry to give to. When we have our yard sale they can help me sort and put the clothes on the table and decorate signs for the sale. We can also decorate a jar for the money to go in, they love this sort of thing.

Teaching my children to care about others, is very important to me. It's easy to just say, do this or do that but how much impact will it make...

On the other hand, if we demonstrate it and allow them to participate, we sow seeds into their hearts and minds. They see and feel what giving and caring is all about and from there, hopefully a legacy will begin. Caring for and about others must be taught and practised just like any other life lesson.

A date. Now we must chose a date for our yard sale. I suppose we have to clean out the garage in case of rain, this might prove more complicated than I thought... No worries, we'll make it happen.

These are not all of the clothes (see below) I still have boxes to go through.

I'll keep you posted.

Do you have any ideas relating to giving or charities?  If so, please share them. Your idea could be featured next!

You can post a comment below.

Remember. Great things are always happening!



 

Welcome one and all!

So glad you stopped by...

I am very excited about this new blog. I still have my other blog about stewardship, I'm just moving in a different direction. While this blog will feature posts about stewardship, it will target a variety of topics related to women.


Why did I choose "relentless"? Relentless is my absolute favorite word ever. Also the other two names I wanted were taken already. 

In this blog I hope to begin a forum that will allow imperfect women to talk about imperfect things. Life is not perfect and being transparent about this is key to hope, healing, and happiness.

Of course I don't claim to have all the answers, but I hope to learn from others as we share thoughts and experiences.

This blog was birthed to encourage all as we seek to be the best we can be. For me this blog is the beginning of a new season, a new day. It represents new things and a new way.

I am very thankful for those who encouraged me to start this type of blog, yours was the voice of God. In my heart I wanted to do this, but fear of failure hindered me. Thank you friends.

In the meantime, may we be relentless in life, love and loyalty. May we be relentless to embrace transparency while we work on our imperfections.

Join me while I share, your comments, poetry, devotionals, and thoughts in general. Thank you in advance for helping me create a life changing blog.

See ya next time!