Lisa M. Buske's Blog, page 46

More Than a Monday...It's a SNOW-DAY!!!!!

My Mom & Auntie M
​ as kiddos... Heidi and I sledding as peanuts... We had a wonderful weekend for a few reasons. A surprise visit from our daughter started Friday off on a VERY good note and then the bad weather yesterday keeping her home an extra day, better yet. Thanks to the snow day called by our district superintendent, I was able to take Mary back to college myself and enjoy a few moments of mother-daughter time with her. God was nice enough to clear up the weather for our travels and as I type this blog, the snow and stormy weather returns.

Instead of rolling back over and sleeping in I got up with the alarm and got busy. The day started with a two-hour delay and my goal was to get ahead of the game before going to work. Three loads of laundry washed and dried and the dishes were done before the call came announcing the snow day. With this gift of time I smiled and went to my sewing room and started to enjoy some time puttering on my next project.

It is common to hear people say "I don't have enough time." and I'm guilty of this at times too so on a Snow-Day, I take advantage of this gift of time to catch up on things that keep getting moved onto the next list, or baking, or sewing, and sometimes (not often) I just vegitate and read a good book or watch Hallmark. ​If you are gifted a day of time,
what would (or did) you do?​

Fitness Friday: When It's NOT Fun

“I decided to take an aerobics class.
I bent… twisted… 
jumped up and down…
and perspired for a half an hour.
But by the time I got my tights on….
the class was over!”
​- Anonymous I started to "plank" this past week when I don't make it to the gym. OUCH! I'm thankful my daughter encouraged me to do these because they are such a fabulous core work out BUT gosh they are hard. Are you on Pinterest? I am and I did a check for beginner plank challenges. I guess I should just go at my own pace because the "easiest" challenge I could find started at sets of 30 second planks. Yikes! I'm up to three sets at 20 seconds and the last set I'm ready to fall after 10 seconds but I'm making it now. 

I'd share a pic but there is no way I can plank and take a pic for proof. And I'm sure neither you or I want it displayed on the blog. Long story short, my fitness success this week is I've added planking and doing some core work at home when I don't go to the gym.
​What is your success story this week?

Writers' Wednesday: What do you see?

What was the first think you
noticed in this picture?

Write a story or let us know what it was.
I hope you'll share in a comment below.

T.O.P.'s Tuesday: One Simple Truth

As the upcoming hearing in Rochester approaches later in the month, headlines return yet the focus is different than twenty-two, almost twenty three years ago. I understand the reason for this and accept this helps inform people of happenings in the court case related to my sister, Heidi Allen's kidnapping on April 3, 1994. More than two decades later, we still don't know where Heidi is. 

I continue to hope and pray for God to answer the prayers of His people to bring Heidi home. I pray the Holy Spirit tugs on the hearts of those who know where Heidi is and for those who hold truths they keep to themselves out of fear. I know there has to be someone out there holding the piece of the puzzle for law enforcement to locate Heidi. The most important and only thing I can do is wait...hope...pray...and trust.

This is the simple truth and message of today's blog...God knows where Heidi is and there are so many people praying to bring her home, this is the simple truth... God has the power to answer our prayers...
join me in praying  to ask...Where's Heidi?

Creativity Saturday...Week 5

It was a snowy day in upstate New York and instead of getting dressed and venturing out, we stayed in all day. It was wonderful. I did finish a few rows on a quilt, get the dishes done, worked on a an upcoming presentation for the NYSRA Delegates conference, and for a meeting after school this week. So I guess it wasn't a complete binge-watching television kind of day, tee hee.

It was fun to not keep a schedule, rush to get somewhere, and just enjoy the day. I'm thinking we should do this more often. 
How did you spend this beautiful Saturday?

Getting Creative with...Week 4

So far this month I've shared a couple projects I worked on last year and a couple I'm puttering on now. In addition to these smaller projects, I'm working on a couple quilts too. If you are a quilter and sew, could you take a moment to leave a comment below to answer this question...DO YOU WORK ON ONE PROJECT AT A TIME OR MULTIPLE ONES?

I ask because sometimes I think I should be focusing on one thing at a time but when working on a bigger project, like this John Deere quilt for instance, I like to do a smaller project. The smaller project in between allows my brain and eyes to focus on different color schemes, see a project from start to finish in a weekend, and in the case of the tissue holders, allows me to bless more people, more often.

Then I think of an author friend, Dave Fessenden's advice while attending a writers' conference a few years ago. I'm obviously a distracted artist, lol, as I am always working on a variety of writing projects at the same time. For goodness sake, while I'm looking up different sewing projects, I'm also writing different blogs and brainstorming new book and speaking engagement ideas. BUT, is all this pin-ball-machine-thinking truly a negative?

It might be, within a few minutes I forgot to share Dave's advice with you. He challenged me to write out the word MULTITASKING or was it a statement with the word multitasking in it? I can't remember which, but either way, you write it on a piece of paper. (BTW, this is a scattered thinkers way of justifying not finishing one project at a time, lol) Then he suggested I write out the same word/phrase, one letter at a time going down the paper. I think, my memory is failing me.

If Dave reads this, maybe he will comment and share this since my brain is struggling to remember. Either way, this is the point. When you simply write it out, it goes quick. If you write it one letter at a time, up and down the page, it takes a lot longer. The lesson to learn, focus on one thing, right? OR, is it okay to when sewing and quilting, to have a couple projects going on at a time? Do you have one or more projects going on at the same time? If so, why?

Fitness Apps...What is your favorite?

Last week I shared my BMI and primary fitness goal...to be healthier! Weight loss is important, especiallywhen you are looking at the need to lose 60 - 100 pounds. 

My first mini-goal is to fit comfortably into a size 14 pants and dress with the ultimate goal of a size 12/14. Once the size 12 is comfortable then I'll re-evaluate if I continue toning and losing to fit into a size 10/12. 

For now, let me share the apps I'm using to achieve my current goal:
1) Fitbit App: click here to learn more
My favorite aspect of this app is the ever changing emoticon changes. My least (and favorite one) is when it sticks its tongue out at me because I haven't moved enough. I get up and move, sometimes using the restroom as an excuse if I'm in a meeting. Another goody is being able to view my "active" minutes. I lack in "active" minutes throuhout the day. I might acheive 10,000 steps but my activity is still in need of improvement. Another thing I like is when I check the app and the circles go around and make confetti to celebrate when I achieve a goal.

2) My Fitness Pal App: Click here to learn more
This app allows me to document my calorie intake, exercise, and daily water. It also tracks how many days in a row I log in and exercise. I can even set reminders if I fail to log in. 

3) Map My Walk App: Click here to learn more
This app logs my walking routes and workouts. I set mine so the routes are private, for security reasons but if you want to share your route with friends, you can. In addition to Map My Walk, there are similar apps to track your run or bicycle ride. 

These apps are all free and do have the option to upgrade to monitor more information but the information I gain through the FREE versions is enough for me. 
What Fitness Apps Do you Use?
What are the Pros and Cons?
Please share in a post below....

TOP's Tuesday: The Ideas Return

I've realized something as I incorporate more exercise into my schedule and life style. To write it here makes it sound quite simple yet it is a big a-ha for me.

The more I take care of my physical being, the better I feel and the more energy I have. The more energy I have, the more I'm able to accomplish in a day. The more I accomplish, the more I have to be thankful for. The more I have to be thankful for, and the more thankful I am...the easier it is to see God working in my laugh. These might seem like small realizations yet they are the big things when we pause long enough to reflect on them. 

What does any of this have to do with TOP's Tuesday you might be asking yourself, so let me fill you in. Over the past seventeen months I've struggled to find the inspiration and desire to write or reach out to churches and libraries. I write to glorify God and pray those reading my words or listening to me share will draw closer to Jesus themselves yet I didn't recognize how important it was for my Mom to read and respond to my writing. 

This is the reason I started with the importance and significance of exercise and realizing Who is responsible for the things I have to be thankful for. I'm thankful for my Mom's interest  in my writing and speaking but the thing I miss the most...her feedback.  Mom read with an editorial eye and gave feedback with a mother's unconditional-love-and-honesty. She posed questions and offered suggestions.

There were times I didn't like what she said or asked but I received her message of love because it was challenging me to be a better writer and speaker. As I reflect on this and how the realization of how incorporating a healthier living into my life renews my inspiration and desire to write BUT the pastor's message this past Sunday reminded me of why I write...for God and to share hope, healing, encouragement, and the opportunity of eternity to all though the tragic loss of my sister, Heidi Allen. 
Why do I write?
I write and speak to...Encourage others by sharing hope, healing, and my testimonyKeep Heidi's memory alive and hopefully help bring her homeI write for HIM, for Heidi, and because I enjoy writing and sharing with others.
I hope this makes sense to you because I know it seems like a rambling yet it's one that makes sense to me, at this very moment. 
If I was to write another book...
​what would you like to read? 

An Up-Cycled #DailyWhiteBoard

If you don't follow me on Facebook then you might not know about the #DailyWhiteBoard message I share (almost daily, lol). Some ask how I choose the verse or quote of the day, it's different each day. Ways a verse or quote is selected:​​​ *share a verse related to a thought weighing on heart
*share a verse that I woke up thinking about 
*share the verse-of-the-day from my Bible app
*share the verse from one of the devotionals I like to use

God's direction this past Friday as I woke up...thinking of the friends and family who have told me, "God couldn't love me because..." Or "the church would fall in" when I've invited them to church. I thought this myself in the past or I went to church on Saturday evenings because it was what I was "supposed" to do with no expectations, unless you count the church not falling in.

Guess what, the church never fell in and when I opened my mind and heart to hear the message the priest, pastor, or speaker shared...I ALWAYS learned something and left with something I could apply to my life. BUT when my eyes, ears, heart, and mind aren't open to hear, then it's impossible to experience or accept God's love.

A lesson I learned as an adult, the church is actually the people, not the building. I probably heard this countless times as a child but I missed it. Keeping this in mind, if you are reading this and feel like the person who believes God can't love you or accept you, please let me encourage you. God loves YOU! I pray you take this step of faith today.

The first and often more difficult step is to talk to God. You've been told to "pray" since you were a little boy or girl. To walk into a church was hard to do after my sister's kidnapping  because I didn't want people talking to me but this ended up being the easiest step I made. The most challenging was to pray and talk to God, to share my heart's thoughts, thankfulness, and requests.  When you step out and talk to God, you've made the most difficult step and you can do this right where you are, right now. What are you waiting for?

When you are ready to attend church, whether it be a mass, service, worship service, Bible Study, or whatever outreach might be an invitation in...go with an open heart and mind. The one inviting you, your friend or family, is still standing so...God loves you enough to send this person to share His love and invite you to a place of acceptance and love.  It's scary and a bold step, yet it's worth facing your fears. God's is where you are, don't worry about walking through the church doors today...start with a conversation and prayer.
What was the first event you attended at a church, voluntarily?
Was it a church service, an event, or other?

Getting Creative with...Week 3

One of the first things I realized last year when I started to sew again and added quilting to one of my sewing projects is this...there are a lot of useful scraps. Yes, there is also a lot of "waste" but rather than focus on this, let's think about ways to use the "left overs". My friend, author and seamstress, Terri Groh, makes good use of her scraps so I searched for  Pinterest  for various ways I could do the same, and bless others in the process. 

In life, there are people and things we could view as waste but in truth, they are the left overs and scraps remaining. Think about it, after a conflict or poor choice, there are bits and pieces that can either be savored or forgotten. Our scraps of previous sewing projects are just the same. We need to sift through the pile and keep the positives and let go of the hurts.  The best part of this process is we can remember what we've experienced, or made in the case of fabric while developing into something new and better. 

When we learn from the past and choose to focus on the good pieces, there is something new to be developed or created...in life it might be a friendship, fogriveness, or peace. In sewing, and in this case...it's a travel tissue holder. A special thanks to http://hellocreativefamily.com/ for having their pattern available on Pinterest, this is the one I plan use to transform my scraps into something new and beneficial. How do you use scraps to bless others?