tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60655234890842160432024-02-28T22:52:22.783-08:00Give a Girl a FigLearning. Growing. Preserving. Living. Simplifying.Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.comBlogger1319125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-86226992607736123582015-01-04T08:16:00.002-08:002015-01-04T08:16:51.055-08:00Sunday morning.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-39715024784309253132015-01-02T08:40:00.000-08:002015-01-02T08:40:34.072-08:00one word for 2015<div class="vk_ans" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large !important; font-weight: lighter !important; margin-bottom: 0px;">
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<span data-dobid="hdw">in·ten·tion</span></div>
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<span class="lr_dct_ph">inˈten(t)SH(ə)n/</span></div>
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<i>noun</i></div>
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<strong>1</strong>.</div>
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a thing intended; an aim or plan.</div>
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"she was full of good intentions"</div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&q=define+premeditation&sa=X&ei=4semVPnVL8mSyATSxoGgAw&ved=0CCcQ_SowAA" style="color: #660099; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"></a><a href="https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&q=define+forethought&sa=X&ei=4semVPnVL8mSyATSxoGgAw&ved=0CCgQ_SowAA" style="color: #660099; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"></a></div>
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the healing process of a wound.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For the past several years I've chosen a word to live by, or rather, the word seems to choose me. I don't think about it every single day...and I need to write it on a sticky note so I even remember it...but still I choose one, and still it seems to play out in my life.<br /><br />This year the word that popped into my head (without hesitation) as I considered what the word for 2015 would be is...<i>intention</i>.<br /><br />This year I will focus on living with <i>intention</i>...spending time <i>intentionally</i>...<i>aiming </i>for things, setting goals, and <i>planning </i>my time better.<br /><br />Originally I thought the word was <i>intent</i>...but when I looked up the definition for <i>intention </i>it included that part about "the healing process of a wound". It kind of caught me off guard...I'd never heard of the word <i>intention </i>used in that way before. But it caught my attention immediately, and I knew that <i>intention </i>was the word, and that part of the plan for 2015 is to heal some old wounds. Apparently it's time.<br /><br />How about you? Have you chosen a word for 2015? Care to share what it is? Leave a comment and let me know what word you chose...or what word chose you. If you blogged about it...please leave a link to your blog, I'd love to visit!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-17016946403050009762014-12-31T10:16:00.000-08:002014-12-31T10:16:00.740-08:00on this last day of 2014...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't make resolutions. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I feel like they are a set up for failure. I'm not going to join a gym tomorrow, I'm not going to start a diet tomorrow, I'm not going to give anything up tomorrow.<br />
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I am, however, going to choose a word for the year. (I'm still thinking on it...) I've done this for the past few years and it's been good...a good reminder to do something intentionally and a good reminder to continually try to improve myself...whether it's January 1st or any other day of the year. Rather than resolve to quit something I'd rather work <i>toward </i>something...<br />
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For the past several years I couldn't wait to ring in the New Year, I was ready for the <i>new start</i> that January 1st always promises because I was SO done with the prior year. But this year I'm not feeling that way...I mean, I'm fine that the New Year is here, but I'm not looking forward to it in as desperate of a way...if that makes sense. I guess I don't feel like things need to change so drastically as I've wanted them to in past years...my feeling is that if we keep on this upward trend we'll be doing good. Our jobs are good, our health is good, our roof doesn't leak, our heater works, our cars run, we've got food (and plenty of it!) in the freezer...life is good. I can't complain, ya know?<br />
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So here's to a safe and healthy and prosperous New Year...see you next year!<br />
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xo<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-78296670621037083112014-12-28T08:50:00.000-08:002014-12-28T08:50:03.354-08:00Good Sunday morning...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good morning. It's Sunday and still quiet around here. I'm the only one up...Food Network on in the background (do you ever watch <i><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/heartland-table.html" target="_blank">Heartland Table</a></i>? It's my new fave.), essential oil books open beside me, coffee within reach...it's a good start to a lazy Sunday.<br />
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Things have settled down now that Christmas has passed...it was a good time. Lots of presents, family, food...oh my, the food!...and now...quiet. Time to settle in for January and I can't wait.<br />
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I know some people don't do Winter, but it is my favorite season, and January might possibly be my favorite month. It's cold and gray and wet and perfect. It calls for warm meals and layers of cozy clothing and time spent indoors. I love it. And it's time for homegrown citrus...aren't they gorgeous? They're from my friend's tree and she is more than generous. They are so good and juicy...you can almost feel the Vitamin C seeping into your body.<br />
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January is also the time to plan the summer garden, but I can't ever seem to get it together enough to plan that far in advance. Each year I have the fantasy of planning an amazing garden, then starting my own seeds in plenty of time and planting our own seedlings come March or April. But the reality of this whole thing is...I don't have anywhere to <i>start </i>said seeds, nor do I have (or make) the time to actually <i>do it</i> and tend to them. The reality is I don't have a lot of space, let alone <i>extra </i>space for seed trays and grow lights and now that I am working full-time I don't have a lot of extra time, either.<br />
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So...the reality is...we will probably be buying 4 inch potted veggies come Spring time, and if it's like past years, we will buy them a tad too late. Luckily for us we live in California and have a long growing season.<br />
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And just because it's on my mind, I bought a couple tomatoes a week or so ago and they were AWFUL. So dry and mealy...terrible. Horrible. So bad I almost didn't even give them to the chickens. What a disappointment. I will try again because a BLT is just not the same with the T, but my goodness, I hope they're better than the last batch. Ick.<br />
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I've been off for a week and have another week to go...it sure is nice. Have I mentioned how much I love working for the school district? It's the best. This next week will involve tidying up the Christmas mess, finding space for new things and taking the tree down and putting away decorations. I am really enjoying the decorations this year...I will miss them, if I'm honest. The lights are my favorite. This year I decided to have a better attitude about Christmas...no more dread, no more Grinch...and it really helped. A lot. Christmas was good...<br />
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And now it's time to think about ringing in the New Year...2015. Wow. Crazy. A whole year has passed again...and fast. I've been thinking of my New Year word the past couple of days...it hasn't come to me yet, but it will. Matter of fact, one just popped into my head as I'm typing...I'll sit on it a bit and see what happens. I choose a word for the year, and then I don't really think about it much. But every now and then, as the year goes by, I am reminded of my chosen word, usually during a moment that I am actually <i>doing </i>it. And it reminds me that I am doing what I said I was going to do, but maybe not as often as I should be. But...that's OK. I don't want to live with "should's"...they're condemning. And I don't like that. I want to try and keep it positive.<br />
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Speaking of positive, today involves a pedicure...and I'm so happy about this. My feet are...well, um...let's just say they are terribly neglected as of late. So this will be really, <i>really </i>nice.<br />
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How about you? How was Christmas? Do you still have your tree up? (I do. It'll come down this week, though...I'll miss the lights.)<br />
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xo<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-55154028443566516872014-12-13T09:10:00.000-08:002014-12-13T09:10:07.739-08:0012-13-14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nellie and Sweetie...still going strong.</i></td></tr>
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Hey...it's 12-13-14! That's kinda cool, eh?<br />
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I feel like life has been so busy lately...go, go, go all week long and when the weekend rolls around I'm toast. I went to bed at 9 last night! On a Friday! Party animal, right?<br />
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We were supposed to have "the storm of the decade" (or something like that) midweek. As it turns out, it rained. Just...rained. I mean, it rained a <i>lot</i>. But still, it just...<i>rained</i>. We were warned to batten down the hatches, prepare with extra food, water, candles...clean those gutters and rake those leaves. People panicked...kept their kids home from school...called in sick to work...closed schools. And in the end? It rained. Admittedly, some areas of California did get hit pretty hard...flooding and trees uprooting...but our area? Rain. That's it. For the record, we cleaned the gutters and battened down the hatches and made sure we had supplies in case the power went out. But we also went to work and we went to school and...we <i>survived</i>.<br />
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On a sad note, we lost one of our chickens a little over a week ago. I came home from work and went out to check on the girls and there was Betty, tucked into the corner of the coop, beak nestled in her wing, gone. It looked like she just went to sleep and didn't wake up. At least I'm hoping it was that peaceful. Of course, I cried. And then went in the house and told Ian...he helped me so much...it was hard to reach where she was tucked away so he crawled back and got her then dug a nice big hole in the garden, by flashlight, so she could have a proper burial. I wrapped her up and placed her in a brown bag then made a cross out of pecan twigs. I don't like that part of animal keeping. I'm not good at it.<br />
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On an exciting note, I became a <a href="http://www.mydoterra.com/michelletakacs/" target="_blank">doTERRA Wellness Advocate</a> a few weeks ago. I am SO excited I just had to say something now...but I'll share more details in a separate post soon. In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to place an order, feel free to follow the link above to my web store.<br />
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We're going to get our tree this weekend...I'm actually looking forward to it which is strange as I'm kind of a Grinch at Christmas time. But I decided this year to be cheerful and to enjoy the holiday season...so that's what I'm doing. I gotta say, it's a lot better than being grouchy! So we'll get some lights up and decorate a little tree and set up the nativity scene and hang my favorite miniature wreaths on the kitchen hutch and I'll think to myself, "This IS kinda nice...Christmas isn't <i>that </i>bad."<br />
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What have you got going this weekend? Do you already have your tree? Whatever it is you choose to do, make it a great day while doing it!<br />
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xoMichelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-74093363131550459132014-12-12T06:35:00.001-08:002014-12-12T06:35:49.763-08:00God planned you, and has a plan FOR you...xo<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For you created my inmost being;</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-13" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">you knit me together<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16253R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16253R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> in my mother’s womb.</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-139-14" id="en-NIV-16254" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">14 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
I praise you<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16254T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16254T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;</div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-14" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">your works are wonderful,</span></div>
</span><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-14" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">I know that full well.</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-139-15" id="en-NIV-16255" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">15 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
My frame was not hidden from you</div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-15" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">when I was made<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16255V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16255V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> in the secret place,</span></div>
</span><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-15" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">when I was woven together<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16255W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16255W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> in the depths of the earth.</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-139-16" id="en-NIV-16256" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">16 </span><div style="text-align: center;">
Your eyes saw my unformed body;</div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">all the days ordained<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16256Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16256Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> for me were written in your book</span></div>
</span><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">before one of them came to be.</span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-139-16" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">Psalm 139:13-16</span></div>
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</span></span>Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-53622099747391294492014-12-03T06:44:00.002-08:002014-12-03T06:44:30.099-08:00Wednesday in the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-73647676696760214292014-11-30T08:54:00.000-08:002014-11-30T08:54:15.160-08:00Sunday morning. ..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-63179588928601454312014-11-26T08:54:00.002-08:002014-11-26T08:54:33.467-08:00Happy Thanksgiving....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Being grateful for... </i></div>
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loved ones</div>
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good jobs</div>
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good health</div>
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benefits</div>
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everyone under one roof</div>
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(a sturdy roof)</div>
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reliable cars</div>
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plenty</div>
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(more than enough, really)</div>
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good friends</div>
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(really good)</div>
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<i>Thanksgiving day will be full of...</i></div>
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Family...</div>
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Eating...a lot.</div>
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Laughing...a lot.</div>
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Catching up.</div>
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Picking up where we left off as if time hasn't slipped by.</div>
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<i>Happy Thanksgiving...xo</i></div>
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<i>(it's my favorite...)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">ps...A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is on tonight at 8pm!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I can't wait!</span></div>
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Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-47517769312130304932014-11-24T10:06:00.003-08:002014-11-24T10:06:57.444-08:00Monday, Monday...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's Monday...and I'm not at work. That is a glorious thing, isn't it? Have I ever mentioned how much I love working for the school district?<br />
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The weather has finally turned...the leaves are just about done falling from the liquid maple, but the pecan tree just keeps on giving. That darn thing...leaves, sticky sap, seed pod thingys that explode when they hit the ground and disintegrate into a chartreuse powder that gets <i>e-ve-ry-where</i>...oh, and of course, pecans. You name it, it drops it. <i>All.year.long</i>. It's a huge pain...but I'd miss it if it were gone. Isn't that so like a person...complain and complain about something or someone...but when it's gone, you miss it...<br />
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So I'm still in jammies (no surprise), sipping coffee (no surprise) and watching bad made-for-tv movies (no surprise). The only thing that must be done today is a doctor appointment...a teen and his knees, unfortunately I'm thinking he's getting that from me. Why must we pass on the bad stuff?<br />
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But there's good stuff, too...we'll focus on that instead. xo<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-41789728564912331242014-11-23T08:54:00.000-08:002014-11-23T08:54:06.223-08:00Sunday morning...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Heading to church today...fourth week in a row. </div>
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One week at a time... </div>
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So far, so good.</div>
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Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-51242320602501493722014-11-20T19:46:00.000-08:002014-11-20T19:46:00.650-08:00Do you ever wonder about the history of food?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Homemade croutons to accompany French Onion soup. Yes.</i></td></tr>
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Do you ever wonder about the history of food? I do. Especially simple, delicious recipes. I think my fascination began years ago when I first started reading about the "simple life"...self-sufficiency, making food from scratch, growing your own, raising chickens, that kind of thing. It could get a bit overwhelming, I'll admit, but some of the info stuck with me.<br />
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I think what struck me most was the ability people had to make a little stretch a long way to feed a family. There is a video series I love, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRKls2LLMqU-uK2csT6FOKw" target="_blank">Great Depression Cooking</a>. Clara is adorable, rest her soul. She had some great ways to make food stretch. This is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DSCNLl74F4" target="_blank">another interesting video series</a>, people really worked hard to feed their families. We've got it pretty good, I'd say.<br />
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Some of the foods that got me thinking recently were French toast and French onion soup. They are so simple and made with such few ingredients I can't help but think these were recipes born out of necessity...out of lack...someone used what they had in an effort to feed their hungry family and created something delicious. This utilizes two of my favorite things...good food and resourcefulness.<br />
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I decided to do a quick search and came across a site that lists the history of food... <a href="http://www.foodtimeline.org/" target="_blank">Food Timeline</a>. I instantly knew I wanted to share it. I can't wait to really take some time to dig in and look around. I am intrigued with food history. A couple of summer's ago I read <i>The Long Winter</i> by Laura Ingalls Wilder...partly because I hadn't read it since childhood and partly because I wanted to see if there was reference to how they cooked, what types of foods they prepared, what they ate during that time period. And she did...she wrote of making cheese and of making maple candy by freezing syrup in the snow, just two I can think of off the top of my head.<br />
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Feeding our families is a big job. And if we want to feed them good, healthy food, it's an even bigger job. I'm not gonna lie, working full-time puts a damper on the "make from scratch" ideal. I prepare my family convenience foods more often than I'd like to admit. But I try to balance it out...boxed mac and cheese with a fresh salad...or instant mashed potatoes (yes, you read that right!) with fresh steamed green beans and a seared steak. (I'm telling you, this meal can be ready in like 15 minutes!) I figure it's a good compromise. And my family's not complaining!<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-7419152984563970432014-11-19T06:36:00.002-08:002014-11-19T06:36:53.138-08:00Wednesday in the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-37426285307386808942014-11-18T06:20:00.000-08:002014-11-18T06:20:18.767-08:00possum in the hen house!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've had our chickens for about 5 years now. And for the most part it has been easy. Feed them, give them fresh water, clean their coop now and then, let them out to free-range and forage from time to time. Simple, really. Not much to it. And in exchange they give us fresh, beautiful, brown eggs.<br />
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Sadly, last year we lost one of our girls. She got sick and we couldn't figure out why. We tried our hardest to save her...but after almost three weeks it was obvious that she wasn't going to get better. So we made the decision to let her go humanely. It broke my heart, but it was the right thing to do.<br />
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Other than that, keeping chickens has been good.<br />
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Well, at about 3am Sunday morning I was jerked out of a sound sleep by the sound of something screeching...an animal of some sort screaming almost. I was half asleep so I couldn't discern exactly what it was but I was hopped up out of bed before I had a second chance to think about it. I asked Chris if he heard it and he sleepily replied, "Yes. It's a cat."<br />
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But I knew it wasn't a cat. And then I heard it again...this loud screech screech screech screech...over and over again. This time I was just about sure it was the chickens. I put on my robe, slipped on my flip flops and grabbed the flash light. I shone it out the back door to the chicken coop and there I could see my two golden Buff Orpington's, Nellie and Sweetie, cowering in the corner of the chicken run. I knew right away something was terribly wrong.<br />
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Number one, the girls go into their cozy coop at night. So for them to be out in the run at 3am was extremely abnormal.<br />
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Number two, where was Betty? She wasn't with the others.<br />
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I ran back to the bedroom and frantically told Chris, "Honey! It's the chickens!" He hopped out of bed immediately and we ran out to the backyard, me in my robe and him in socks. Chris cautiously peeked inside the coop and there hissed a HUGE possum. (I'm not kidding, he was HUGE.)<br />
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We formulated a plan, pretty much looking like The Three Stooges, but in the end it worked. Chris grabbed a rake and got that ugly possum out of the coop and I grabbed the girls one by one and took them to safety in the garage.<br />
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Poor things, they were so terrified and so groggy...ya know, chickens go into a trance-like state at night while they sleep. That's why they're so easy to pick off. Fortunately, the possum didn't hurt any of them. It wasn't looking good for Betty, however, as she was still trapped in the coop with him. She's lucky her frantic sister squawked like crazy to call for help, and she's lucky we heard it! Who knows what we could have woken up to? Chances are the possum was just looking for some eggs. But he was big enough to eat a chicken if he felt like it, so it's possible we caught him in time.<br />
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At one point, when we first got out to the backyard, we heard rustling in the trees and we thought <i>for sure</i> that whoever the intruder was had made off with Betty. We were SO relieved when we saw that she was still in the coop.<br />
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In the middle of all the craziness our phone began to ring. I didn't have time to answer it as I was running back and forth getting the chickens to safety and trying to keep an eye on Chris, making sure he wasn't attacked by a rabid possum. As it turned out it was our neighbor two houses down, "Michelle! Something's attacking your chickens! Wake up! Something is attacking them, bad!" That goes to show you how loud the squawks were.<br />
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In the end...all was well. The chickens were snug and safe and at peace in the garage. And Chris and I went back to bed...eventually. I gotta tell ya, that got our blood pumping!<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-48845310398472212612014-11-13T07:02:00.001-08:002014-11-13T07:02:10.743-08:00could it be?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Could autumn finally <i>actually </i>be here? </div>
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The leaves are falling...that's a good sign. </div>
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The temperatures are cooling...that's another good sign. </div>
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Oh...and...it's raining today! My favorite sign ever. </div>
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We're getting there...slowly but surely. Welcome to California.</div>
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-10179896427693518702014-11-12T06:51:00.001-08:002014-11-12T06:51:49.008-08:00Wednesday in the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Follow Him close</div>
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Do not stray</div>
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xo</div>
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Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-43194049121367653092014-11-11T09:43:00.000-08:002014-11-11T09:43:20.048-08:00wooden spoons.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>making Malt-O-Meal with Noni's wooden spoon</i></td></tr>
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After Papa passed away, and Noni had been gone from us for two years or so, it was time to go through their hard-earned belongings, deciding what to keep, deciding who wanted what, what was to be sold and what was to be donated.<br />
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This was no simple task. Noni and Papa had a <i>lot </i>of stuff. Like, <i>a lot</i> a lot. It took months of sorting and organizing and remembering and crying and laughing and reminiscing. After the "valuable" items had been gone through and divvied up among the kids (the kids being my mom and her three siblings, and then on to us grandkids) it was time to hold an Estate Sale. As we were readying for it we had to go through all of their daily household items...kitchen gadgets, sewing notions, tools, paintings, linens, books...and decide what was to be sold and what was to be donated. Essentially, we were figuring out what held value, and what didn't. For me, this question turned out to be relative.<br />
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Value, as it turns out, holds different meaning for me. Some of my favorite treasures are everyday items from Noni's kitchen that I ended up taking on a whim...a set of Pyrex bowls, the yellow one that I use almost daily...an oval cutting board that serves as a backdrop to her old glass canisters that now sit on <i>my </i>countertop and hold sustenance for <i>my </i>family...and her dented aluminum salt and pepper shakers that I <i>swear </i>make food taste better when I use them. Especially soup.<br />
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But the items that are quite possibly my favorite are a handful of her wooden spoons. They were overlooked and in the donation pile. On a whim I grabbed them and took them home, adding them to my own crock of much used wooden utensils.<br />
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It wasn't until I pulled one out one day to use while cooking dinner that I noticed something. One edge of Noni's wooden spoon had been worn down to an angle...the exact angle I was holding it at to stir the food I was preparing. And it made me happy...to imagine Noni standing at her stove, as I was standing at mine, preparing food for her family, as I was mine, and stirring with that very spoon. We were connected.<br />
<br />
Who knew something as simple and mundane as an old wooden spoon could be so special? Or that the sight of that yellow Pyrex bowl in my dish drainer would make me smile each time I see it. But every time I see that cheery yellow, or use the spoons, it's as if Noni is right there with me...in my kitchen, spending time, doing one of the many things that we had in common...taking good care of our families.<br />
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Value...it's a relative term, isn't it? What one person may see as old and useless could mean the world to someone else. To think I almost overlooked these everyday items of Noni's...and now they are some of my most treasured possessions.<br />
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Thank you, Noni...for everything. I miss you every day.<br />
<br />
Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-7539011060971756882014-11-10T09:05:00.000-08:002014-11-10T10:36:34.965-08:00and suddenly I have something to say...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>taking the long way home...</i></td></tr>
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I can't believe it's been almost two weeks since I've written...<br />
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I don't want to make excuses...or apologize for not being here...because I decided a while back to keep my blog going, but to let it be a creative outlet, not an obligation.<br />
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I took the photo on Halloween. It had been a long day, after a long week, after a series of long weeks and I needed to take a drive before heading home to do yet another load of wash and cook yet another hodgepodge meal.<br />
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Sometimes I can get stuck in my own head...and that's not always a pleasant place to be. I'm sure someone out there can relate...we can be so hard on ourselves, can't we? Focusing on the negative, dwelling on what isn't instead of being grateful for what is. It's a constant battle for me...I can be a bit of a pessimist. (Not surprising? I know.)<br />
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I went to church again yesterday...the second time in two weeks. It's been a long time since I've gone. And while it was slightly uncomfortable, for the most part it felt pretty good. The church was small, the people were friendly and the pastor was down to earth. My cup of tea, for sure. There wasn't a lot of bells and whistles, the worship was humble and heartfelt, no big light shows or smoke machines. Just a few people with musical gifts and a heart to play for God. It was a good combination...<br />
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I don't want to make a big deal of going to church. And I don't want anyone else to, either. It is what it is. I've been away from church for some time. And now I'm working my way back. Amen.<br />
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I spent Saturday at a women's conference put on by my dear friends. I wasn't going to go initially but one of them sent me a text at 6:30 that morning saying, "Come. Be my guest." So, I did. And it was good. Good friends, good food, good words of encouragement, good worship music, good prayer...God was present and moving and healing and speaking.<br />
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"Others are waiting for you..." is a truth I can't shake.<br />
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"You're a mountain-mover..." keeps ringing in my ears.<br />
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The bottom line...it's not about me. It's about taking what God has done for me and sharing it to help others. I don't know exactly how it's going to look, but God does. So I'm waiting on Him...He'll let me know when it's time. And when He says "go", I'll go. But not before then. It has to be in His timing, not my own.<br />
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You know, there's more to life than just the daily grind. We've all been put on this earth for a reason and a purpose. What's yours? Do you know? Has God told you? Are you living it? Are you avoiding it? Wanna join me in following God's lead to do what He created us to do?<br />
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There's so much more to this life...it's so much bigger and has so much more to offer.<br />
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Let's be brave, shall we? Let's run after all that God has for us. Come on...we can do it together. xo<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-1366177840081643232014-10-29T06:47:00.004-07:002014-10-29T06:47:49.410-07:00Wednesday in the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text Prov-27-9" id="en-NIV-17179" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative; text-align: start;">Perfume<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-17179B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-17179B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and incense bring joy to the heart,</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-27-9" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and the pleasantness of a friend</span></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-27-9" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">springs from their heartfelt advice.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="text Prov-27-9" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Proverbs 27:8</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="text Prov-27-9" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="text Prov-27-9" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love my friends...xo</span></span></span></div>
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Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-15454423884214698982014-10-26T08:23:00.001-07:002014-10-26T08:23:27.938-07:00Sunday morning...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>my favorite scripture.</i></td></tr>
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Well, hello Sunday morning...</div>
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It's been a while since I've been here...our internet was down and posting from a phone or tablet is just too tedious. So...<i>I took a break</i>.<br />
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It was good...it encouraged me to get up off my butt, get out of the house and go for a few walks. I have been making excuses as to why I can't exercise...no time, no exercise clothes, old shoes that cause shin splints...yada yada yada...blah blah blah.<br />
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Last Saturday I was going to go buy good walking shoes and a few pair of yoga pants (nope, I don't own one single pair) because I kept saying, "I need {fill in the blank} before I can exercise." But then it's like a voice inside my head said, "What you need to do is quit making excuses and for a dang walk."<br />
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So, I did. In jeans and my ratty shoes. And it felt good.<br />
And the next day? I did it again.<br />
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I know. It's two walks. Big deal. But you have to start somewhere. And I did. Granted, I haven't walked since Monday evening (which actually makes three walks last week), but hey, the World Series is on and <a href="http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=sf" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">MY TEAM</a><i> is playing</i>! I'm sure I'm burning calories yelling at the TV and pacing the living room floor!<br />
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This is my plan...I'm going to walk regularly, 3-5 times a week, as time and life permits...and take one or two yoga classes per week. I need to get healthy. And strengthen this body of mine. I figure if <a href="http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=7_reasons_we_dont_take_care_of_ourselves" target="_blank">Joyce Meyer</a> can start at 60-something, I can certainly start at 40-something. ;)<br />
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Maybe I can squeeze in a walk today between seeing Seth off to school (yes, he was home for the weekend...my mama's heart is happy) and tonight's game.<br />
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Enjoy your Sunday...xo<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-55757448261613267032014-10-15T06:46:00.001-07:002014-10-15T06:50:54.231-07:00Wednesday in the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>You’re blessed when you stay on course,</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; line-height: 24px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-119-1-Ps-119-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">walking steadily on the road revealed by <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; line-height: 24px;">You’re blessed when you follow his directions,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 0.42em; font-style: italic; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-119-1-Ps-119-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">doing your best to find him.</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-119-1-Ps-119-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">Psalm 119:1-2</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-119-1-Ps-119-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; position: relative;">I went to bible study last night. I love this group of women...what a crazy mix of ladies from all walks of life. We laugh, we cry, we share, we pray, (we eat!)...it's good. </span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-119-1-Ps-119-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; position: relative;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-119-1-Ps-119-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; position: relative;">Last night we read Psalm 119 out loud, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+119&version=MSG" target="_blank">The Message version</a>. Can I just tell you...it was powerful? Man...God's word never fails. Ever. </span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-119-1-Ps-119-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; position: relative;">I will tell you, Psalm 119 is long. Really long. And if you look at it, you might talk yourself out of reading it, like I've done on a few occasions. But now that I've read it, I'm so glad that I did. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Ps-119-1-Ps-119-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">I want to encourage you to take a bit of time to read it, too. Make a cup of something nice to drink, </span>quiet yourself and <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+119&version=MSG" target="_blank">read it yourself</a>. You will be blessed...I promise.</span></div>
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</span>Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-45420963030149263352014-10-11T09:15:00.004-07:002014-10-11T09:16:00.002-07:00This weekend couldn't have come at a better time...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>AT&T Park...home of the SF Giants</i></td></tr>
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I took this photo when I went to a game with a friend a couple of weeks ago...this view, this stadium, this scoreboard...it literally makes me happy. <i><a href="http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/attractions/index.jsp?content=ipix" target="_blank">AT&T Park</a></i> is amazing...and when I'm there I feel happy and carefree and...<i>hungry</i>.<br />
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I usually get a thing of nachos (with extra jalapenos!) because they're inexpensive and tasty...and that leaves room for the real reason I go to Giants games...the <a href="http://ghirardelli.com/" target="_blank"><i>Ghirardelli </i></a>hot fudge sundaes! I kid...I go to cheer on my Giants...but the promise of a hot fudge sundae doesn't hurt, either. And they're huge, so I usually share. <i>Usually.</i><br />
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Speaking of the Giants...we're heading to mom and dad's later today to watch the game. I'm looking forward to that...I need a change of scenery...and mom and dad's house will be good for the soul. Melodramatic? Maybe. But it's been a rough week. Let's just say, this weekend couldn't get here fast enough.<br />
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As usual, I'm moving slow this morning. But I gotta get going soon...I have a 10:30 appointment to get my brows waxed, then a stop at the grocery store, then home to whip up a batch of baked beans to take to mom and dad's.<br />
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How about you? Any big plans for today? Are you a baseball fan? Will you be watching the game?<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-44678629086866834612014-10-10T07:08:00.002-07:002014-10-10T07:08:14.177-07:00It's Friday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Don't you just love Snoopy? Me, too.</div>
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Happy Friday!</div>
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Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-58381317987009090802014-10-09T07:19:00.003-07:002014-10-09T07:19:37.653-07:00"Just let your pile of good things grow."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/bf/6a/2a/bf6a2aabb468dc69f514d78badaa125b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/bf/6a/2a/bf6a2aabb468dc69f514d78badaa125b.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Life is happening. And it's happening fast. And it's happening whether we are paying attention, or not. The days can seem monotonous...get up, get dressed, go to work, come home, cook dinner, go to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat.<br />
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But in between all of that so many good things are happening. Like eating ice cream and laughing so hard we cry (and maybe even pee a little!). Watching sunsets and taking long drives to nowhere just to enjoy the view. Smiling at strangers and offering a helping hand when given the opportunity. Spending the early morning hours watching the garden grow and listening to the neighborhood wake up. Stopping in the middle of chores to notice that dusk is happening, and maybe even grabbing the camera to try and capture it. Loading up the canoe on a rainy day and getting out on the dimpled water to watch the herons fly and the ducks bob for their breakfast.<br />
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This is a small pile of my good things...and I'm adding to it, one good thing at a time.<br />
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065523489084216043.post-47337102233067231892014-10-08T06:41:00.001-07:002014-10-08T06:41:14.210-07:00Wednesday in the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Michelle @ Give a Girl a Fighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16020971191511530538noreply@blogger.com1