Lisa M. Buske's Blog, page 31

T.O.P.'s Tuesday: Christmas Magic

Oh happy day, it's Christmas in two weeks! Two weeks! I can't even believe it...As I look ahead I found myself wondering if anyone has traditions they enjoy during the next couple weeks leading up to Christmas. In my home, we don't have any unless you count going to the movies on Christmas Day afternoon. 

I typically avoid patronizing places who have employees work on holidays but a few years ago, after my Mom passed away we decided we needed a new tradition to fill the emptiness of the day. It was fun and the employees thanked us for coming in because they said their day goes by faster when people are coming in. It's a win-win, right.

​With the exception of the movies, we don't have any traditions unless you count avoiding crowds and the hustle and bustle to enjoy time together at home. Time is the greatest gift one can give to another, time is one of my love languages for sure. What are some of your traditions and favorite things to do during the Christmas season? Do they involve hustle and bustle or the quietness of home and family? Regardless of what it involves, will you share with me? Christmas is in two weeks,
what is a tradition you look forward to?

I Appreciate You - Thank You!

The first thing I'm thankful for today is finding time to write, blog, and create for all of you. This is so exciting! 

I extend apologies and thanks to you all this beautiful Saturday...

Apologies for the sporadic blog posts over the past weeks and months. My mother would be so disappointed with me over this. She looked forward to reading my blog each day, then following it through the day to read other's comments. She inspired and motivated me to maintain my blog with consistency. I think this is the reason I struggle to be consistent today, I know my biggest supporter and cheerleader isn't anxiously awaiting the post. I apologize for letting you all down. 

With this said, I want to thank you for continuing to visit the blog looking for a new one and reaching out to send encouraging words the past few years since my Mom's passing. Friends told me the hardest loss we experience is that of a parent, they weren't kidding. The good news, with God and my faith, one day at a time, I'm moving forward and adjusting and creating a new normal.

In reflection I think part of the struggle was that I lost my mother and daughter within a year. My mother joined family and friends in heaven free of pain and cancer. My daughter started a new journey as a high school graduate and full-time college student. I went from being busy caring for two wonderful ladies to a lot of quiet time.

You'd think with the extra time for myself that it would have sparked more writing and creating but instead I found myself lost, lost in the extra time. Time is a precious commodity and I tend to run full throttle the majority  of the time so when thrust into a lot of quiet and down time, it's been a difficult transition, one I hadn't anticipated to be so difficult BUT on sitting here today writing this blog, I'm happy to report, a new norm and new groove is happening.

I don't have this new routine mastered or fully organized BUT I'm moving forward and figuring it out. I'm a slow study I guess, taking me more than three years to start figuring this out. Thank you again for your patience and encouragement. Let's get this creative party moving forward so you will be encouraged and inspired for years to come. You are blessings I count, thank you!!!
What, or Who are you thankful for today?

How Organized are You?

As I sat at the table earlier this week I was overwhelmed by the piles, boxes, stacks, and chaos surrounding me. While my husband was on vacation I erected the six foot folding table in the middle of the living room with intentions of working on my next children's book. Instead of it being of "work zone", it's become a "drop zone". Ugh! I don't even know where to begin.

Have you ever felt this way during Advent and the Christmas season? I don't think I'm alone and the more I think about this, it saddens me. Christmas isn't supposed to be about chaos and feelings of overwhelmment. We should be filled with joyful preparation and anticipation. It's Christmas! A time of year symbolizing Jesus' birth and reminder He will come again.

At Bible study earlier this week a woman shared how she struggles this time of year because of the commercialism. During our fellowship I shared how I avoid some of this and thought it might be worth sharing with all of you. My goal each year is to complete my shopping by the end of Thanksgiving weekend. It might not be wrapped or delivered, but the shopping portion is done.

​From Thanksgiving to Christmas I spend my time at home sewing, writing, wrapping, and watching mushy Christmas shows and movies. I find avoiding the malls and stores after Thanksgiving helps to keep my Christmas jollies and focus. Instead of pushing through the crowds and the temptation to overspend, I sip tea or coffee while listening to Christmas music or watching Christmas shows and creating gifts for those the closest and dearest to me. 

This is one way I find keeps the joyful preparation and anticipation alive and well in our home during the Christmas season.
How do you keep the Christmas Focus in your home and life?

What is your favorite Christmas Show and/or Movie?

As part of today's podcast I asked my listeners to share their favorite Christmas show or movie.

I tried to share mine and my one turned into a list, too many good ones:
Kid Shows
Charlie Brown's Christmas
Twas the Night Before Christmas
The Year without Santa Claus
Rudolph
Movies: Drama
White Christmas
The Christmas Card
Christmas Shoes
Movies: Comedy
Christmas Vacation 
Elf
Christmas with the Cranks

See what I mean, I can't pick just one and even as I started to make a list, I had to stop myself from adding more. This sparked my curiosity, do you have ONE favorite Christmas show or movie? If you do, take a minute and share it below in a comment. Have a great day!
What is your favorite Christmas show or movie?

Say Thank You Saturday: Week6

New Heating System and a Warm HomeRunning WaterA Roof over our headWarm clothing for cold daysFamilyFriends​A career I love & enjoy Unexpected time with familyAn Early Thanksgiving DinnerWords written Inspiration Good healthGod's WordMy faithHealthy relationshipsSafe travels​HOPE What are you most thankful for this week?

Are you sacrificing happiness?

Some of my favorite quotes are from Ralph Waldo Emerson. I stumbled upon this on the other day and it resonated with me. I spent so many years after my sister, Heidi Allen's, kidnapping angry. My anger primarily was of course that my sister was kidnapped and had to suffer the unimaginable but it was also at God.

I blamed God for her kidnapping and letting it happen. I could continue and list all the things that angered me but rather than focus on the past and all the minutes lost I'd like to focus on the latter. 

I think this is why Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote spoke to me. To think I spent more than a decade angry, it overwhelms me to think of the seconds of happiness I let escape me and those around me. I was curious so I looked up how many seconds I lost. One decade, ten years that is, has 315,532,800 seconds.

This is a lot of lost happiness BUT on the flip side, since restoring my faith, I've experienced 473,040,000 seconds of happiness. this doesn't mean I haven't had angry moments in life, instead, it means I've chose to make the most of life and not let anger get the best of me. If Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote isn't enough to inspire you then maybe the words of Solomon will encourage you.

"In the day of prosperity be joyful,
and in the day of adversity consider:
God has made the one as well as the other,
so that mortals may not find out anything that will come after them." 
- Ecclesiastes 7:14

I don't know about you but when the options are anger or happiness, striving for happiness and letting go of anger is going to be my choice. Earlier in the week I challenged you to live rather than exist, today I'll take you a step further. Choose happiness and joy over anger and negativity. What are you going to choose?

T.O.P.'s Tuesday: Choosing to Live Rather than Exist

IAs the weather in Upstate New York transitions from days of sunshine and warmth to darker and colder days we have a choice. We can choose to hibernate and exist until Spring or we can dust off the winter boots and live. Life is full of choices and one of the most important, and sometime difficult choices, is the decision to put your feet on the floor in the morning. I choose to get out of bed!

What will you choose?

This morning I got up by 3:30 a.m. because the dogs wanted to go out. It was cold and rainy. The breeze awoken me to the degree of "not-going-back-to-sleep" and wanting a hot cup of coffee. Rather than tucking myself back into bed and laying awake until the alarm went up I chose to start the coffee and the day.

What is a girl to do so early in the day? I don't know about you but a hot shower and Hallmark movies was a great start. I recorded and published today's podcast by 4 a.m. and spent some quiet time resting and preparing for the day. It's not even 6 a.m. and I feel rested, recharged, and ready for the week.

Yesterday I started the day with a long list on the family white board and was on schedule to accomplish everything until I received a text, "I have a free afternoon and know you have the day off, want to spend some time together?" and a big smile instantly appeared on my face as I reply, "Of course". The list will ALWAYS be there and have items to cross off BUT time with those near and dear to me won't. We have a choice to make, we can choose to exist and go through the motions OR to live and savor each moment. 

I'm thankful for the afternoon and evening I had yesterday. It was a gift and inspired me more than crossing things off my list. The list is still there and guess what, the world didn't stop. I chose to live, not exist.

Living brings one joy and companionship. Life isn't lived alone but with others and offers each of us the opportunity to soar and excel in whatever we do. The time spent with family yesterday is invaluable and uplifting. The turkey dinner, delicious. The cookies tasted like the best cookies baked to date in my kitchen.

The memories and time spent with those closest to me yesterday will carry me through the week and weeks to come. To cross things off the list would have been accomplishment forgotten before today's sunrise. I chose to live, not exist. Will you? What are you choosing...
Existence or Living?

T.O.P.'s Tuesday: A Day Late...

Happy Wednesday Everyone! The weekly Tuesday post is a day late BUT it's posted. I didn't even turn my computer on yesterday and it felt good. I enjoyed some quiet time before school then time with family and friends after school. Life is good...

It might be Halloween BUT it's also a great time to get some of those Christmas gifts ahead of time so you can enjoy the Christmas season and avoid the chaos. What better gift can you give then a book or two? If you want to share hope, organization, and a smile with your friends and family, you can find me in a couple locations in November, and one in December, for signed copies of my books. Annual Scriba Fire Dept. Craft & Vendor Show

​Saturday ~ Nov. 3rd
​
10 AM – 4 PM

Scriba Volunteer Fire Department 
5618 State Route 104 Oswego, New York 13126
New Haven Noel Craft & Vendor Show

​Saturday ~ Nov 10th

9 AM - 3 PM

New Haven Volunteer Fire Department
4211 State Route 104
New Haven, New York
​13121


Christmas In Mexico
All churches & businesses in town!

I'm located at the Presbyterian Church

Saturday ~ Dec. 1st

9 AM - 3 PM

First Presbyterian Church of Mexico
4361 Church Street, Mexico, NY 13144 I look forward to seeing you at one of these events
so you can get copies of my books for yourself or as gifts!
Now accepting credit cards....

Say Thank You Saturday: Week 5

A few things I'm thankful for on this Saturday afternoon:

* Family and Friends
* My Faith
* Food in the cupboards & Fridge 
* Running water
* A roof over our heads
* A healthy child
* Gas in the cars
* The hope of our heater & fuel being installed in the next couple weeks
* Electricity
* The ability to type
* A wonderful women's Bible Study group
* Opportunities to share hope and encouragement
* And the list could go on... Above photo taken
by John Aitken
Aitken Photography
johnaitkenphotography.com/ 
*Bird photo by me*
Can you name one thing you are thankful for today?

Do You Live For Today or For the Weekend?

How often do you hear TGIF? In case you aren't familiar with it, TGIF stands for Thank Goodness It's Friday. I'm sure I've said it before after a tough week but as I thought about this concept earlier in the week, I realized something. I'm wishing five days away for two. These are not good odds, right? Why miss opportunities and blessings of five days because one is so focused on the two day weekend. 

Sometimes it's in the mundane and most exhausting days that God might reveal an A-Ha or wrap His loving arms around us. The next time I'm tempted to say, "I can't wait for Friday" or "TGIF", I want to change my attitude and outlook. Instead I'll say, "Thank you for being with me God" or "Lord, I need your strength, courage, or endurance for this week, please be with me." and when the weekend arrives, let us say, "Thank you for another weekend to recharge."

What do you think? What if we all had this mindset shift? Imagine!