Merry Christmas!

We hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas!

In our family, we celebrate Christmas until after New Years. Why stop now, this season rocks! =D

If the Christmas celebration ends for you after today, we hope it was awesome for you, and hope the rest of December is smooth sailing!

What are you plans for the next week? Any ideas on how to end the year? We always like to try and go out with a bang! =D

One more week for 2015 - we hope it's marvelous!

Thanks for all your support, and for being so awesome!

~Rose & Ken

So, I've Written a Book...

Some of you may know, I'm a writer. I write a ton, and have since I was two.

I've never had the nerve to actually publish anything though, and rarely even let other people read what I write. I know, stereotypical, right? I know a lot of people are the same way.

Well, I'm no exception. I had to get over that whole "what if they don't liiiiike me?!" thing, and build up the courage to publish...something.

Last year, I joined NaNoWriMo, and loved it! I had a blast, and while I didn't even come close to finishing the book I started (got like 25,000 words or so), I decided I liked the story I'd come up with, and wanted to keep going. I wrote with the hope I'd be able to publish it, but no concrete plans.

A year later, I'm prepping it for the public!! I'm so nervous, but also extremely excited.

At the moment, it's sitting with the beta-readers. I'm hoping to get them all back in January sometime, and have it edited (by my amazing editor hubby), ready to publish sometime in January. Fingers crossed :)

Anyway, if you're a reader, and enjoy following newbie authors, I'd love the support!

I've made accounts under my author name, Rosie Zayne - cool, hu? ;)

Anyway, I'm on Goodreads and Twitter. I also made a Facebook profile, and an author page.

Please feel free to connect with me anywhere you'd like, and follow my book!

It's called Desi Pere, and is the first in the three part Swirling Secrets series. I have a place-holder image already, and am planning on releasing the official cover on January 11th. I designed it myself, and can't wait to share it! =D

I'll be putting together a list of blogs willing to participate in the Cover Reveal soon, which is so exciting!

I will also be putting together a Release Blitz, when I have a better idea of when I'll have it ready to be published - eek! =D

I'm going to be self publishing through Amazon Kindle at first, then Createspace for the paperback copies. 

I'm so excited to be sharing this book, and can't wait to see what people think of it! Even if it's a total bomb, it's a ton of fun putting a story out there, and creating something from nothing. Always a treat.

If you'd like to contact me at all about my author/writing stuff, please feel free to shoot me an email, at rosiezaynewrites@gmail.com.

Thanks! :D

#ThankfulThursday

Hiya everybody!  Hopefully your week is going along swimmingly =)

Last week, with all the Thanksgiving posts of inspiration, positive, and reminders to be thankful, my heart was rejuvenated a bit.  I had the idea to make a Thankful Thursday a weekly post, because why keep being thankful limited to one day a year, or every few months?  When Googling it (as I do with any new idea, to make sure I'm not stepping on toes) I saw that it's already a thing!  How cool is that!  It's definitely a band-wagon I want to jump on, so I am!

This is the first of what I hope will be many, many #ThankfulThursday posts.

Today, I'm thankful for my family, all the pets we have, and all the opportunities open to us.  God has blessed us all so much, and I'm so grateful.  I'm thankful for the ability to write blogs like this, and connect with amazing people all over the world.  How amazing is that, to meet and befriend someone across the planet, with a blog.  So crazy, and so amazing.

What are you thankful for this week?

Good Grief, it's December!

How is it already December!?  This year has flown by so quickly, I can hardly believe it.  I still feel like it's July.

December's always been my month of reflection and introspection, so I'm starting that this week.  Going over the past year, all the different events that add up to make this year's collage of memories.  It's been a crazy year, that's for sure!

In addition to that, we're starting to get ready for Christmas, and enjoying the holiday season.  I love all the snowflakes, and wearing my Christmas earrings! :D

I'm still deciding whether I want to make a resolution list for next year.  I never seem to do well with them, because life is expectantly unpredictable.  Do you like making resolution lists?

Do you like to look over your year an analyze it?  What do you think about as the year comes to an end?  Any plans for Christmas?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hiya everybody!  Happy Thanksgiving!

I know this blog has been slightly boring for a while, which I hate, and makes me cringe.  I have definite plans to get back to blogging, on all my blogs, asap.

I wanted to take time out today though, to say thank you.

I don't know what you're doing today, or what your outlook on this holiday is, or if you even celebrate it.  What I do know, is that you're awesome, and I'm thankful for YOU.  When I say my prayers today, I'll be including you in there.

Thank you all for following us, for reading our goofy posts, and for always inspiring us to do better.

Have a wonderful day, no matter what you're doing, and we'll talk to you all soon! :D

Evil Starbucks Cups!!

Hiya, how are you?  Hopefully doing well :)

Ok, so unless you've been living under a rock the past couple of weeks, you've most likely heard the hullabaloo about the cups.  Starbucks holiday cups.

Apparently, the lack of decoration on them, has been taken as an "attack" on Christmas, and by association, Christians.

Cups.

Red cups.

Are you friggin' kidding me??

Gimme some fish, cuz people need to be smacked.*

What I want to know, is who was the first one to get offended by this.  Can someone point that asshole out, please?

The most ridiculous part about this being taken as an "attack" on Christianity, Christians, or Christmas, is the fact that previous decorations on Starbucks cups haven't even been related to Christianity!!!  They've been Santa sleighs, or bells, or trees, or snowflakes!  None of which are in the Bible, or have anything to do with the Christ-related part of the holiday!!

I just...agh!

People irritate me.

In case you're wondering, I am a Christian and *gasp* I'm not offended by the plain red cups.  I think they're cute.  I don't tend to get drinks from Starbucks, as I don't drink coffee, but if I end up in the mood for some white hot chocolate, I won't let some stupid cups stop me.

Sheesh.  This kinda crap is why people have heart-attacks at 50, and get cancer.  And why they think Christians are nutters with nothing better to do than cause drama.  People need to stop making mountains out of molehills, looking for offense where there is none, and stressing about nothing.  We have real issues to deal with - leave the cups alone!

K, I'm done.  Moving on.  Wanna join me? :)

What do you think of this "issue" and offense?  Do you plan to buy Starbucks?  More importantly, whatchya doing for Thanksgiving, since we aren't even in December yet? :P

*Smacking with a fish: This is a phrase we use around our house.  We joke about how people being ridiculous/mean/or have bad attitudes need to be smacked with fish.  Dead fish, if they are being particularly offensive.

Fake Christians ~ Take 1

Hiya, hope you're doing well.

Today, I'm starting a series I'm calling Fake Christians.  Unfortunately, there are plenty of examples to choose from, and they all make me so upset, I know I'll have things to say about most of them.  (This is a bit of a rant, btw.  You've been warned lol).

This particular story is (at least when I read it) presented by WorldTruth.TV.  Good site, btw, if you're looking for stories not published in the mainstream media, or smaller stories.  Like this one.

Basically, a woman wrote into a column in the Denver Post called Ask Amy.  Here's a cut-out of it, so you can read the woman's side, and Amy's advice/response:

Hidden History - Irish Slaves

Random rant, but this is something I'm seeing bashed and bad-mouthed a lot more lately, and people are ticking me off with it. Irish Slaves.

Seriously, how does no one remember or talk about this? Like, ever??? Do people read?

This article has a ton of fantastic info - well worth the few minutes it would take to educate yourself a little more.

"The Irish slave trade began when James VI sold 30,000 Irish prisoners as slaves to the New World. His Proclamation of 1625 required Irish political prisoners be sent overseas and sold to English settlers in the West Indies.

By the mid 1600s, the Irish were the main slaves sold to Antigua and Montserrat. At that time, 70% of the total population of Montserrat were Irish slaves.

Ireland quickly became the biggest source of human livestock for English merchants. The majority of the early slaves to the New World were actually white.

During the 1650s, over 100,000 Irish children between the ages of 10 and 14 were taken from their parents and sold as slaves in the West Indies, Virginia and New England. In this decade, 52,000 Irish (mostly women and children) were sold to Barbados and Virginia.

Another 30,000 Irish men and women were also transported and sold to the highest bidder. In 1656, Cromwell ordered that 2000 Irish children be taken to Jamaica and sold as slaves to English settlers.

Many people today will avoid calling the Irish slaves what they truly were: Slaves. They’ll come up with terms like “Indentured Servants” to describe what occurred to the Irish. However, in most cases from the 17th and 18th centuries, Irish slaves were nothing more than human cattle.

As an example, the African slave trade was just beginning during this same period. It is well recorded that African slaves, not tainted with the stain of the hated Catholic theology and more expensive to purchase, were often treated far better than their Irish counterparts.

African slaves were very expensive during the late 1600s (£50 Sterling). Irish slaves came cheap (no more than £5 Sterling). If a planter whipped, branded or beat an Irish slave to death, it was never a crime."

This is my argument when people start their slavery rants. African Americans were one of the kinds of slaves, yes, but not the only ones, and not the worst treated. Think about that - Irish slaves were treated worse than African American slaves.

Do we have our own month? No. College funds? No. Do people give a hoot if an Irish-man is elected president? Nope.

Kind of silly, this country cares so much about one set of people because they are loud and angry, but ignore another because they have accepted it and moved on, looking toward the future instead of the past. #lifelessons #notfair #hiddenhistory

I only shared a few passages - if this interests you, please, go read some more, and do your homework.

https://peoplestrusttoronto.wordpress.com/2014/12/27/irish-the-forgotten-white-slaves/

Why = Death of Creativity

Why?  Such a simple question.  Three little words, seemingly harmless.

In reality, that little word has the potential to unravel a person completely.  Why?

A killer, masquerading as innocent curiosity.

People are naturally creative.  We are also naturally curious.  The irony is, curiosity can kill creativity.

When you ask "Why?" the search for the answer switches you into a new mindset.  Out of creativity and imagination, you switch to logic.  Even when you're being creative, and asking "Why" with imagination, you're automatically introducing logic into the idea/situation/area.

Answering "Why" means you need to know the path.  You're searching for the way something happened, the way it works.  It adds in "How" almost automatically.  The two work simultaneously most of the time, overpowering anything floating in the creative realms.  They pull an idea from the clouds, anchoring it firmly to reality, caging the once free bird.

In our life, when something happens, we almost always react with "why" or "how" adding in the other easily.  We are taught to look at the "who" "what" "when" "where" and "why" in school, and most still apply it to life.

The problem with this is, logic kills.  When things make sense all the time, there is no room for spontaneity or creativity.  Life is creativity.  It is organized chaos.  When you have too much logic, life becomes simply order.  Dull.  Lifeless.  Stressful.  Dying.  Suffocating.

When you apply that to God, you see the clear reason many people fall, fail, and walk away.  They ask "why" far too often.  We search for knowledge now, no matter what.  We look for answers, for the reasons, for the logic.  We kill ourselves searching for "truth" when the only truth that means anything, is the fact the "why" rarely ever matters.  What is, is.  God.  He is, always has been, and always will be.  He knows the why, so why isn't that good enough?

Why can't I simply enjoy something He's given me?  Why must I search for answers constantly?  Why must I pick it apart, suffocating it with the obsessive need for knowledge and desire for the answer to "why" in my own head.

Cuz that's really it - my head needs to know why, even when my heart already knows it is.  It just is.  That's it.

I appease my own head, by suffocating my heart; drowning it in logic and a growling need for knowledge and answers.

When I stop asking "why" my spirit soars.  My mind is able to be creative once again, released from the cage of logic.  I can fly.

Why has it's place.  On the shelf, where it needs to stay.  Only used when absolutely necessary.  A dangerous tool, best left alone.  A necessary evil.

God is creative.  His logic is the only one that matters, and I don't need to understand it, simply trust it.  I follow Him as a child follows his father.  He is my father, and I shouldn't question Him so much, simply trust Him.

I knew this once.  I simply did what my heart told me, without constantly asking why.  If someone else asked me why, I'd simply shrug, and say "because I felt like I should" or something equally simple.  Life was simple.  Happy.  An endless expanse of creativity and joy.  I simply lived my life, grateful to have it, enjoying every second I spent marveling at God and His creation.  Because really, He is a creator.  Creative.

Seeking "knowledge" is folly, because I'll never truly understand God.  He is unfathomable.  His knowledge is what actually matters, and my "logic" and "understanding" is as silly as holding a candle to the sun.  It may make me feel a little better in the moment, but it's fleeting, small, and in the grand scheme of things, meaningless.  He is constant, unmovable, and magnificent.  Why bother working His creation out in my head?  He created us to enjoy life, not pick it apart and kill it with "why" and logic.

I don't need to know the why.  Just what is.  Him.  That's all that matters.

I'm putting a smile on my face, my questions in the trash, shelving the "why" and following my malnourished heart.  It's time I take my life back from the greedy seed of Why.

Ready to move on, enjoy Him, and simply live.

Dancing Envy

 So, I'm sick again, right?  Yeah.  Both my guys are working tonight, and I'm in bed.  Stuck between "too awake to sleep" and "feeling too crappy to walk" and/or "brain is mush, can't think enough to work" keeping me in a state of blah.  The computer and I have spent a bit of time together today, wasting away the hours.
As I scroll through Facebook, bored and hoping for something to cheer my germ-filled body up, I come across this video:



Now, my first impression is to be impressed, obviously - wow!  They rock!  I'm overwhelmed by the smiles on their faces, and how much fun they're having dancing together.
I start to think about how nice it would be to dance again; how much I miss it.  I remember how much energy I used to have, and how easy it was for me to do things like that.  To dance.  Move quickly and enthusiastically, using tons of energy and spreading joy.

I wonder if I'll ever get there again.  I think about the soft layer of skin now resting over my relaxed, sick muscles.  Even when I'm healthy, I'm no where near the shape I used to be in.  I give in for a moment, to the self-loathing part of me, silently cursing my body and the things I dislike about it.

Then I merge into longing - the deep seeded desire to be able to use my body like that again.  To be fit; healthy; feeling good.

I think "Maybe it's just that times have changed."  Bah!  Times haven't changed.  I've changed.  Or rather, my abilities have changed.

I hope I'll get my body back soon.  I hope I'll be able to move like that some day - smile like that some day.
I hope I'm not a coward.  Plenty of people have it worse than me, and somehow find the strength to do all sorts of great things.  Why can't I?  What's my excuse?  Why does my pain stop me, when my desire is so strong, and so deep, it brings me to tears.

My healing requires patience.  I've never been very good at patience.  We've had a very tense relationship over the years.  I'm looking forward to the day when I'm back in control, and not forced to submit to patience and waiting.
Til then, I'll watch videos of people doing extraordinary things, pulled between awe and envy.

Taking Crosses Out of Church?!

Soooo, yeah.  Browsing around Facebook today, I came across this article.

Fair warning, I am a bit pissed.  Fuming, really.  And at the same time, heartbroken.

Long story short: Eva Brunne, a Lesbian Bishop (don't even get me started on that...) from Sweden, has announced her desire to remove crosses from the Church, in order to make refugee Muslims more comfortable.  She believes it will make it "more inviting" to them.

Yeah, cuz it won't be a Church any more!

She reportedly wrote, “Leasing a room to people of other faiths, does not mean that we are not defenders of our own faith. Priests are called to proclaim Christ. We do that every day and in every meeting with people. But that does not mean that we are hostile toward people of other faiths.”

Soooo, now crosses are hostile?  Since when?  Are head scarfs hostile?  NO!  Is the Star of David hostile?  NO!  Since when are crosses IN THE CHURCH hostile?  Are you kidding me??

The Church is supposed to be a safe gathering place for those who follow God.  Period.  It's not just a "religious building" in general - it is our safe place.  God's house.  Not the world's house.  No other religion does this sort of thing, especially not for Christians.  Since when do we hide our faith in order to make other faiths more comfortable?  Acceptance, not hiding.  We are called to love.  That means we honor and respect other religions - why do we not expect the same treatment in return?

If I go to a Buddhist temple, I'm not going to ask them to remove their statues or anything to do with their religion, just to make myself more comfortable. I may not be Buddhist, but I damn well will respect those who are, and THEIR place of worship. Christians and Catholics should expect and be given the same respect for anyone visiting OUR houses of worship. Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans, people who worship salt, I don't care - anyone visiting a Church should have the respect to honor our faith as well.

In the military, the chapel does the sort of thing she's suggesting - it's simply the religious building where everyone is welcome, and there are many types of services performed. Christian, Catholic, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, Wiccan...and Satanic. That's where this type of thinking leads. Satan is invited and welcomed into God's house. It's no longer God's house, because darkness cannot be in the same place He is. If we invite it in, we essentially remove God willingly. That's not ok.

Holy ground needs to stay just that - holy. If we take God out of it to appease people who don't believe or follow Him, and just make it a neutral building, then it's no longer a Church.

Once we compromise our faith for others, and hide what makes us who we are, then others won't hesitate to trample us.  Muslims believe the same way - ask a Muslim woman to remove her head scarf, and you'll hear the same arguments.  Why should we be any less passionate about our religion?  Why do we not fight for our faith with that much tenacity and ferocity?  Why are we ok with casting our faith aside, in order to make others more comfortable in theirs, when they don't give us that courtesy, and we wouldn't ask it of them?

There does need to be segregation of religion, because they are all just too different. We all need to give and expect others to honor and respect our faith. They don't have to agree, convert or condone it, but they should respect it, just as they would want respect for their faith and beliefs.

They are welcome to visit, but just as any visitor to someone else's house, they are just that - visitors. Guests. They should respect that. It isn't their house, they aren't moving in, they aren't taking over. They are visiting.

I don't take down my Christian art or scriptures when someone of another faith visits my house; I don't put my Bible away; I don't hide my religion. If they aren't comfortable with my God, then they are welcome to leave. I do not remove my signs of faith, my God, or my pride in Him for anyone.  He is more important, and the moment anyone else becomes more important than Him, and my relationship with Him, I am no longer a faithful woman to my God.

The Church should be no different, and if anything, even stronger in that mindset.  I belong to God, and our Church belongs to God. It shouldn't be stripped of that to appease others, any more than His children should have to hide their pride for their faith.

We aren't asking Jews to remove their Star of David, or Muslim women to remove their head scarfs if they come into a Church; we shouldn't take down our crosses. It's just that simple. Mutual respect.  Mutual love.  We welcome them in love, but they need to come in love as well.  And that means, no one needs to hide or remove their symbols of what they believe.  Ever.

It breaks my heart, that a Bishop would ask for such a thing.  Especially guilt tripping people, by citing the fact we proclaim Christ in our every day life, in every encounter.  That's true.  Does that mean that's enough, and we don't need a safe place to gather with our brothers and sisters in Christ?  No.

People like her, are why the Church is failing.  God is being removed from the Church, favoring people and the world instead.  That is why the end times will come; that is why the world will end.  God is slowly being removed from His own house, in order to accommodate those who see us as infidels, and would not hesitate to see us dead for our Faith.  Ironically, proposed by a woman who would be executed for being a lesbian in some Islamic countries.

Just, wow.  I need to pray.  And cry.

Today Sucks

Ugh, such a crappy day.  You know those ones?  Where it just feels like you're getting a pile of poo dumped on you, over and over.  You start to get rid of the poo, and more just gets dumped on.  It sucks.

It's smelly, and heavy, and depressing.

That's what today feels like.  Just crappy.  Shitty.  Poo-tastic.

I hate days like today, because being a person who struggles with depression, these days tend to seep down really far.  It takes a while to get the yucky feeling to go away, and find some happiness again.

I don't find comfort in things like food or people - most of the time, those just make it worse.  Walking and exercise help, but I can't today, for other reasons.  So I'm left with music, which even today, is simply acting like a band-aid.

That's the really scary part - usually music snaps me out of it quick and helps heal everything.  Not today.  Today, the crap is so monumental, music can't even make its way through.

I really just can't wait for this day to be over.  It's got a long way to go though, and I don't know if I can take it.

Today sucks.

Oook, Planned Parenthood

I've seen so much about this controversial issue lately, and have kept my mouth shut so far.  I wanted to wait, and see what happened.  With people actually "calling" for bombings of PP facilities, and the murders of various people, I can't sit quiet any more.

What is wrong with you people?  We are at "war" with a group of people who did those exact things to us, because they thought it was right.  We call them terrorist.  What the hell, people??  What is wrong with you?

If something is so intense, and has been so blown up that people are making public hit requests and bombing REQUESTS on internet comments, this is getting out of control.  Wait...it's already there.  Everyone needs to chill out, and calm down.

This is the point where we would put toddlers in separate corners to cool down, before having them come back and discuss things nicely.  As adults, that's what needs to happen with the Planned Parenthood issue.

Chill. Out.

People disagree, but when the entire argument of those opposed to PP's actions is senseless murder, then why would murder be the right answer?  Why call for that as the solution?  No.  That's insanity.  That's exactly the same kind of thinking that's gotten us in the mess we're in as a country.

Knock it off!!

The fact is, women who decide they don't want a child will get an abortion one way or another.  Or worse, they'll give birth to their child, then kill it, or leave it for dead.  The problem isn't Planned Parenthood.  They are there to help - period.  They are left with the remains of what would have been a baby, yes.  They do not force anyone to give up their fetus.

When a woman decides something, there is little that can be done to change her mind.  Yes?  We can all agree on that, I think.  Regardless of whether a pregnant woman would regret the abortion after having the baby is irrelevant - at that time, when she's decided she doesn't want it, that's the end of it.  One way or another, she will get rid of that baby.  She won't want it.  If she is then put in a position where she feels she is "forced" to keep it, she won't care for it properly, if she lets it live.

Bottom line - it's the parent's choice.  It's the mother's choice.  Planned Parenthood is simply the place that person goes to have it done safely.  Blaming them is like blaming the doctor for giving you a shot, when you went there on your own, and asked for it.  The doctor didn't force you - it was your choice, your request, and your money paid for it.

People are creatures of opportunity.  When these medical professionals are left with a fetus, they are forced to make a choice.  Either depose of it and call it a full waste, or try and make something good of a tragedy.  Find the silver lining in the dark cloud.   They use what they can, so that life isn't a total waste.  The mother made her choice, but something good can come of it, if we let it.

In the end, the responsibility lies with the mother.  If PP wasn't there, yes - women wouldn't go there to get an abortion.  Does anyone remember Dirty Dancing?  The side story that doesn't include the two main actors?  His previous dancing partner got pregnant, and didn't want the baby.  She had a guy do a back-alley abortion, and it tore her up inside, leaving her for dead.

That is real.  That happens.

When those women decide they don't want a baby, the lack of PP won't stop them - they will do what they have to in order to get rid of it.  Coat hangers kill women who are desperate to get the fetus out of their body.  What's even worse, is if that woman doesn't get an abortion, and gives birth.  And the baby is left in a dumpster.  Or found in a freezer some years later.  Or in a lake.  Those things happen too, because women decide they don't want it.

Blaming the people at PP is idiotic - it's pointing the finger at the wrong person.  They are there to help, and are now being attacked as heartless murderers.  Wrong.

The mother makes the choice - period.  One person.  The father doesn't even get a say.  The mother can decide it if she wants.  One person holds that responsibility, and her alone.  Attacking an organization who helps make sure that women doesn't die from internal bleeding from a coat hanger ripping the unborn child out of her, is stupid.

In the end, that baby is going to die if the mother decides she doesn't want it.  It's a sad thing, but a reality for us to deal with none the less.  PP makes it humane, and at least lets some sort of good come out of tragedy.  The woman will live with her choice, but it was just that - her choice.  She is the killer - not the people she hired to do the killing.  They are there to help, and do far more good than any bad that people choose to see.

I've used their services, and am happy with them.  They help, and were the first people to actually give a shit about me as a woman.  They cared.  They were there to help, and did far more than they needed to.  They aren't heartless - they are some of the kindest people I've ever met.

Stop calling for the killing of people just doing their jobs.  If you want Planned Parenthood closed, fine.  It's a mistake, but so are a lot of our choices.  Don't make the mistake of calling for more death - more destruction - more tragedy.  THAT is senseless killing.

Peace begins in our hearts.  Start there, then start changing the world.

Life As A Profuse Sweater

Sweating.  We all do it (well, most of us).  Some lucky people don't hardly sweat at all.  Some of us though *cough cough* sweat a little bit more.  It sucks.  A lot.

You start the day feeling clean, happy and healthy.  Life is good.  Very good.  You can take on the world, and there's a smile on your face.

Then you step outside, and the heat hits you.  Or the humidity - it sucks too.  Or worse...both.  There's no other feeling like it.  You can feel your skin start to pucker deep down, like a face scrunching up in displeasure. 

Crap...

You try to tell yourself it'll be ok.  Everything will work out, and you'll have a great day.  Your body will stay cool, chilled, and relaxed.  I mean hey, it's only a little heat, right? 

Then your skin gets that feeling.  The one where it's about to start sweating, but it's still trying to cling in desperation to the coolness of the air.  All of which is gone, as far as your body is concerned - it's hot!  You realize, it's not happening.  You will start sweating.  Soon. 

You run through the mental check-list: 

-Deodorant/antiperspirant

-Shirt that will reasonably hide the sweat

-Perfume/clone to cover up the odor

-Rag/wipe/cloth to take care of face-sweat

If anything is missing/forgotten, it's an instant downer.

You go about your day, pretending you're not dreading anything.  Pretending you don't feel the first beads of sweat pushing out of your pores.  Like you don't feel your skin starting to cry. 

You are sill in the denial stage, simply dabbing away a stray bead or two.  Still holding onto the "I Got This" confidence, that has yet to be washed away in rivers of sweat. 

After a little while, you can tell your clothes are a little damp.  You've wiped sweat away, trying to keep it out of your eyes, hoping you don't look as bad as you feel.  Your hair is a little damp at the hairline. 

You've started showing signs, and feel the denial start to fade.  People are looking - they've noticed.  You feel the urge to be defensive, and just let it out.

Once you recognize and accept your fate for the day, your body seems to say "Finally!  Gates open!"  Suddenly, all the pores open, releasing the sweat your denial seemed to be holding in.

You start to worry about overheating, health problems, and if your shirt is see-through yet.  Your brain is thinking simply "Damn it's hot" and "Ice!  I need ice!" Within minutes, you're a wreck. 

You pray for rain, for a light breeze, or simply that you don't reek as badly as other people you know who pour sweat.  Your friends are still fresh, looking wonderful and happy.  Clueless of the hell your body is putting you through, each looking at you like

Basically making you want to smack them.  When you ask why they're not sweating, or if they're hot, they're still perky with patience and joy. 

You give them silent annoyance, while secretly (or not-so-secretly) envying their cool, calm body in the heat that's slowly dehydrating you.  Especially the people who crack the "don't sweat it" jokes, while you're clearly sweating...

You try to mimic the cool confidence you started the day with, grasping at the slim hope your attitude will help balance out your surely disgusting image.  Really, you just fake a smile, inwardly feeling utterly disgusting.

You can't wait to peel off your drenched clothes, and take a glorious shower, and as soon as you're home, that's where you're at.  Even with the refreshing cleanliness, you know soon, you'll start the whole thing back over again, setting you up for round two.  It'll start slow, concealed, and won't get to pouring (hopefully) with the cooler later-day weather, but will still leave you feeling gross.

You keep telling yourself to love your body, taking the good with the bad, while jealously wondering what the secret is of the non-sweaters who judge and turn their noses up at you.  They must have a secret, right?  Right...

We'll probably never know.  :'(

Just think: cooler weather is coming soon - you can make it!

Do you have to deal with profuse sweating?  How do you cope?  Are you one of the lucky people who don't sweat much?  Do you know how lucky you are?  Hopefully - all the sweaty people out there envy you.

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by!  Keep sweating! :D

Random Thoughts on Life & Growing Up

So, recently I have been talking to a few of my friends.  We're all coming up on that age where a lot of people are having stuff start to happen in their lives.  One is getting promoted, another is graduating, another is pregnant, and another is moving to a new city.

I'm so happy for all their success, but part of me can't help but feel...inadequate.  I kind of end up feeling like Rachel in Friends, when her old friends come to visit and they're all like "I'm getting partner at my dad's firm!" and "I lost a sh*t ton of weight and look fabulous!" and "I'm having another baby and my husband is loaded!"  All while Rachel is like "I serve coffee, and live in the city...whoot?"

Kind of a buzz-kill.

That's how I felt the past few days.  Again, don't get me wrong - I couldn't be happier for my friends.  They've worked hard, and they deserve their prizes and good things, for sure.

What do I do with that feeling though?  I just feel like yay for you, and guess what!?  I...I...I'm getting a new phone.

Yay me...

Normally, this feeling would prompt me to re-evaluate my choices.  My life.  Where it's headed.  Change some stuff up so my luck improves and I keep moving forward.

Here's the issue with that though - I've given my life to God, and He's said "stay still and wait."

Ken and I feel like big things are coming, but we have to wait.  And wait.  And once we're done waiting, we'll have to wait some more.  We're feeling like our life is passing us by, but trying to be positive, and not think negatively.  Sometimes though, we feel like:

We've both been late bloomers in life, and apparently that's not over.  I think we're in the "we're waiting some more" phase, so hopefully it'll be soon, where God lets us go to town.

See, right now, we are in training.  We joke that it's God's boot camp or Basic.  We're honing skills, going through a ton of tests, trials, and challenges.  By waiting and trusting Him, we're strengthening our relationship with Him.  I know in the future, we'll be so glad we went through all this, and stuck it out.  We're living a life that's unconventional, and getting more odd all the time.

We have the urge to control it ourselves - to make it happen in our time, instead of waiting for God's plan to lay itself out and happen when it's supposed to.  That's what a lot of people do - take the wheel from God, and control it themselves.

Well, we've aspired to not do that, and this is part of that difficulty.  Waiting.  Waiting while others succeed faster.  He's building our patience, and waiting for us to build our Faith a bit more, and strengthen it as much as possible.

It totally feels like those dogs who have the treat on their nose, and have to wait.  And wait.  And drool, while waiting some more.  It'll be worth it, and I know He'll be proud of our Faith and commitment to honoring and obeying Him.

But it's hard.

And I want the cookie.

I'm tired, and I want...something.

But I'll keep waiting.  I'll keep having Faith.  I'll keep trusting.  And I'll be happy that I'm following God, and He's leading us down such a unique path.  It'll be worth it in the end, I know.  He's said so! :)

If that damn dog can do it, then so can I! :D