Laughter....a cure for lemonitits

Wikipedia defines laughter as;
Laughing is an involuntary reaction to certain external or internal stimuli. Laughter can arise from such activities as being tickled,^[1] or from humorous stories or thoughts.^[2] Most commonly, it is considered a visual expression of a number of positive emotional states, such as joy, mirth, happiness, relief, etc. On some occasions, however, it may be caused by contrary emotional states such as embarrassment, apology, or confusion ("nervous laughter)" or courtesy laugh. Factors such as age, gender, education, language, and culture are determinant factors^[3] as to whether a person will experience laughter in a given situation.
Laughter is a part of human behavior regulated by the brain, helping humans clarify their intentions in social interaction and providing an emotional context to conversations. Laughter is used as a signal for being part of a group — it signals acceptance and positive interactions with others. Laughter is sometimes seen as contagious, and the laughter of one person can itself provoke laughter from others as a positive feedback.^[4] This may account in part for the popularity of laugh tracks in situation comedy television shows.
The study of humor and laughter, and its psychological and physiological effects on the human body, is called gelotology.

Now on with today's story-
I went to see a friend this week and my brother was there. When he and I are together we usually have a good laugh about some of our childhood shenanigans. Like when I was going on my first date and he arrived to find me duck tapped to the front porch. Or, the time my glasses got broken due to us rough housing. Important info to know is that a paper towel DOES NOT  wipe super glue off of glasses. I spent the next day bouncing off things because of the haze over my lenses. She asked us where we got our witty sense of humor from. I thought to my self. "self; laughter was our only way of surviving our childhood".

Then being the deep thinker that I am, I started to explore just how much all of us use laughter for different reasons. Like for my brother and I it was probably, subconsciously, an escape from what we dealt with.

Think about how often at a funeral you will see groups of people standing in a huddle telling funny stories about the deceased. No matter if it's out of nervousness or sadness, that's how a lot of people deal with death.

Even during an interview or a class, some people get the giggles (yes even guys) as a coping mechanism for stress.

Laughter is good for your health

• Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
• Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems. http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

I think most women would say one of the top things they want in a mate is someone to make them laugh. I am drawn to people who are witty and quick with a comeback.

So, when your doctor tells you that you have a bad case of the lemonitis, maybe rent a movie, check out YouTube or call your funniest friend.

Here are a list of movies that make me LOL;



http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Nine-Yards-Bruce-Willis/dp/0790750422



http://www.amazon.com/The-Sweetest-Thing-Unrated-Edition/dp/B000069HYG

http://www.amazon.com/Napoleon-Dynamite-Jon-Heder/dp/B00005JNBQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1375282684&sr=1-1&keywords=nepolian+dynamite

http://www.amazon.com/American-Reunion-Unrated-Jason-Biggs/dp/B005LAIH9A/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1375282709&sr=1-1&keywords=american+pie+reunion

My truch is always tuned to the comedy channel on XM.
Here are a few great comdeians to check out on youtube that I promise will make you smile

Kathleen Madigan
John Pinnette
Bob Marley
Kenn Kingston
Craig Shoemaker
Frank Caliendo
Leanne Morgan (local girl)
Jon Reep (from HICK-ory NC)

As, for my brother, I truly believe my sense of humor came from him. Thank you Woody for teaching me early on to laugh even when everything around you is wrong. I Love you forever!

Until next time- Safe Picking and Laugh On!!!

Tammy

Facebook or Lemonbook?

I totally agree that Facebook has lots of positives to it. For example, on your birthday, it is very heart warming to get so many birthday wishes from people who would never know it's your birthday. Facebook has been a great tool when I am looking for something I can't find. Just post it, and usually 7 people will give you suggestions.

But Facebook does has it's negatives as well. One that I've been thinking about the last couple of weeks is how it seems to take you back to high school days. I know for me, and I'm certain someone else feels this way, that I start comparing my life to others. "How do they have that kind of money to spend 3 weeks in Europe?" "How is she that skinny after having 5 children?" "I'm a failure because I don't get up and run 7 miles at 5:30am every morning." Or, "they have a perfect family, one boy, one girl and a white picket fence", and I never even gave birth to a child of my own. It seems to just accentuate the lemons you were either handed or picked.

But just like in high school, Facebook is a digital edition of your yearbook. All the pretty pictures, successful honors and accolades are posted for everyone to see how wonderful you are. But, it can leave and empty space for those that are different than that.

I have to keep myself in check when browsing through FB. I have to remind myself that no one (well most people would not), post pictures of the pink slip their husband got at work that day. I've never seen anyone post their mugshot from their DUI arrest. You never see the beautiful lady with mascara running down her face after finding out her husband has a girlfriend.

I guess this takes us back to a lesson we should have learned in kindergarten.We are all different. You should not be jealous of what other have. And, love yourself.

We are all created in His image the way he wants us to be. You have 2 choice in life. Accept what you have and are or change it.

PROVERBS 14:30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.


Until next time- safe picking and safe FB browsing.

Tammy

Standing outside the Fire

Typically if we get caught in a bad storm, our instinct is to run for shelter. If we touch a hot pan, without even thinking our hand pulls back immediately. For most people, if you see a snake or dangerous animal, no one has to tell us to get outta dodge do they?

It is human nature, when faced with a physical danger to remove our self from it as quickly as possible. The other day I was thinking about how when we are faced with a spiritual or internal storm why we do not react the same way.

I know several people at this moment who are standing in the middle of a storm and I am just watching them get soaked and they refuse to do anything to get out of it. Our storms could be a unhealthy relationship, a dead end job, or feeling sorry for ourselves and not living anymore. Every ones is different. I recently faced a dark cloud that has followed me for many years and am working on making my storm disappear.

Psalm 40:2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

I believe that God does strengthen us through trials, storms and fires. We always come out stronger even if it takes a long time to understand his plan.

1 Peter 1:6-7

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

But I also believe that he gives us the strength to help ourselves. Just as a parent wants to teach their children to do for themselves, our Father wants the same. This is the point of learning to pull yourself up and praying for what you need to remove yourself from bad situations just as quickly as burning your arm on the oven.

 

Just like the pain of going to the gym and ripping your muscles so they heal back bigger and stronger (which is how weightlifting works if you were wondering), these storms of life water our souls to grow into better people. But even most plants that sit in water day after day will eventually began to rot or mold.

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHJW-3EGqKs

 

Sorry the quality of this video is not great

 

Until next time- take that first step outside your storm and safe picking!!

Tammy.

 

Side note: I am going back to using Blogger instead of Wordpress because it's a little more user friendly when posting from my mobiles devices. So it may look different than you've seen.

 

Mother's Day for Moms, Non Moms, and Wanna Be Moms

Mother's Day is a very special and can be emotional day. Most of us women are saps. We get all sentimental and emotional around these holidays. We have been raised with the Hallmark expectation of how these holidays should go. When they do not turn out that way we are disappointed. I think all of us mothers go through years of changing diapers, potty training, temper tantrums, countless hours of running them to sports and dance, and years of eye rolling just dreaming of the payoff we will get. At one point or another, we have all envisioned Mother's Day, when our kids are grown, and they come home to say "thank you" for all you did, or "mom you were right about everything you told me". Face it ladies, that fantasy is right up there with your husband telling you to enjoy your one night with Channing. But, it can be a let down when it doesn't work out that way (the kid thing, Channing would never be a let down). This part was inspired by a letter that I read on Facebook. The following is a letter to a preacher that brought me to tears. Please take a moment and read this if you haven't.

 Dear Pastor, Tone can be tricky in writing. Picture me popping my head in your office door, smiling and asking if we could talk for five minutes. I’m sipping on my diet coke as I sit down. You know that I’m not one to shy away from speaking my mind, part of the reason you love me (mostly!), so I’m guessing that internally you brace yourself wondering what might be next. I set my can down and this is what I’d say. A few years ago I sat across from a woman who told me she doesn’t go to church on Mother’s Day because it is too hurtful. I’m not a mother, but I had never seen the day as hurtful. She had been married, had numerous miscarriages, divorced and was beyond child bearing years. It was like salt in mostly healed wounds to go to church on that day. This made me sad, but I understood. Fast forward several years to Mother’s Day. A pastor asked all mothers to stand. On my immediate right, my mother stood and on my immediate left, a dear friend stood. I, a woman in her late 30s, sat. I don’t know how others saw me, but I felt dehumanized, gutted as a woman. Real women stood, empty shells sat. I do not normally feel this way. I do not like feeling this way. I want no woman to ever feel this way in church again. Last year a friend from the States happened to visit on Mother’s Day and again the pastor (a different one) asked all mothers to stand. As a mother, she stood and I whispered to her, “I can’t take it, I’m standing.” She knows I’m not a mother yet she understood my standing / lie. Here’s the thing, I believe we can honor mothers without alienating others. I want women to feel welcome, appreciated, seen, and needed here in our little neck of the body of Christ. 1.Do away with the standing. You mean well, but it’s just awkward. Does the woman who had a miscarriage stand? Does the mom whose children ran away stand? Does the single woman who is pregnant stand? A.w.k.w.a.r.d. 2. Acknowledge the wide continuum of mothering. To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you To those who experienced loss this year through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is. To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you. 3. Commend mothering for the ways it reflects the Imago Dei (Image of God) by bringing forth new life, nurturing those on her path, and living with the tension of providing both freedom and a safety net. I know I might be an unusual one to be speaking about Mother’s Day; but maybe that’s why so many talk to me about mothering, I’ve got the parts, just not the goods. Thanks for listening and for continuing to mother us in a shepherding way. Even though I’m a bit nervous to come on Sunday, I will be here. But if you make us stand, I might just walk out =). 
Warmly and in your corner, Amy

 I have been many years to my church on Mother's Day and stood up when asked. It is the kind of situation that I can imagine would not feel good to those still sitting. Mother's Day is very tough for me and has been for years. Some of you may know my situation and that I have not gotten to spend Mother's Day with my son for several years. It doesn't look like I will be either for a long time. Since Evan is in prison, most of thetime he doens't even know what day itismuch less it it's a holiday. Because of that I usually don't even get a phone call. It is usually a very sad day for me. Don't get me wrong, I love celebrating my mom. She is the one who gave me the strength and taught me to deal with so much. I think some women feel the intention of our creation was to bore children, and when that doesn't happen, it can be devastating to some. Spending Mother's Day without your child or a child can be very lonely. Let's go a step further and talk about women with no children. Just like the lady in the letter, it can feel alienating. To the women who can't conceive, has miscarried, or lost a child, these things are just another reminder of their loss. I think we should change it to Wonderful Woman's Day!! Let's celebrate all women for what they do. I'm certain that 90% of women either have/had a child, husband, animal or relative they have cared for in a motherly way. Also, in the slightest chance there are any men reading this-Mother's Day is for anyone who is a mother, not just your mother! Do not forget your wife just because she is not your mom (I'm stepping off my soapbox now). Sunday let's show our appreciation for all women! Until next time- safe picking! Tammy



We all know a few four letter words, but what makes you say them? This is a story of a very dear person to me. She is the sweetest thing ever next to Mickey D's tea.\

 

              

Have you ever had that conversation with someone and all the sudden, they drop a the four letter word? Some people it's every other word. But there are some that if they were to say it, it would be like six legged lizard walking in front of the TV during Greys Anatomy. You would think "where in the world did that come from?" The first time I was talking to my sweet friend and this happened I was in the car and about ran off the road. Hearing that word from her was as foreign as hearing the Pope say it. It kinda made me chuckle.

 

 

But my thought is what got this lady, a former preachers wife who normally would not say a cross word, to the point that these words can just flow off her tongue so easily? I have a feeling that it was a four letter word that got her to this. L.I.F.E. Life has a tendency to change who you are.

 



 

 

 There obviously have been a lot of lemons between the role of wife of a preacher and mouth of a sailor with lipstick. The cool thing is that this sweet lady recognized what was happening and decided to control her life instead of her life controlling her. I think her moments of turrets came from feeling out of control. She is back to being her charming southern better self.

 



 



 

If you do not learn to deal with these lemons life hands you, you could ended an old bitter prune.

Everyday she is making the decision to do one thing differently to take back control of her life. This is just a speed bump in her life. If we can identify these things, whatever it be that is keeping you from being your best "you", recalculate as our GPS would say and take another route.

 

 

 

 

 

So, I thought I would help out with a list of acceptable four letter words just for the fun of it

 

LOVE     HUGS

LORD     HOLY

CAKE     BUTT

BARF     WINE

CASH     NONE

BOYS      DUMB

 

Just seems like these fit together. I'll finish off with this photo I found and just love the message and the colors, and also with another use for those lemons that do come your way.

 

 

 22 THINGS TO DO WITH A LEMON PEEL

 

 

Until next time- do not let life control you, learn to control your life!

Safe Picking!

 

Tammy

 

 

 

 



Rock, paper, scissors, words

If you had to choose your weapon from rock, paper, scissors or words, which would your choose?
Remember the old saying when we were kids "sticks and stones will break my bones but words can never hurt me"? But as it turns out, words can be the most dangerous weapon of all these things.

A lemon was handed to me as a very little girl. I was probably about 8 yrs old. The rodeo had come to Townsend and it was very exciting. When it was time for the calf run I was ready. All you had to do was chase the calf and pull the red ribbon of its tail and you won $5.

Well I did win that $5. When I made it back to the stands where my dad was, he made a comment about how I ran funny. Back then my dad was a completely different person (see "is everyone addicted to something" post for more background).

I never forgot those words. When I was in middle school and high school the thought of gym class and doing any kind of sport around a crowd was paralyzing to me. I somehow made it through 4 years of high school without going to one single gym class. I would get physically ill about it.

I know to some this might sound a little extreme, but you never knew when your words can affect someone in this manner. Especially a child.  Our words should do nothing other than build their self esteem. No one has the right to degrade, no matter if you are a child, adolescent or adult.

I do ride a bike now and snow ski some. But even now, not hardly a day passes that the little girl in me does not hear that voice. I missed a lot that I wished I had been brave enough to try. Hopefully the pain of that can open someone else's eyes to make them more aware of what a dangerous weapon the tongue can be.

Now, I know that my daddy is my biggest fan and he loves me no matter how terrible I am at sports.

Until next time- safe picking and safe speaking

Tammy

Since this blog is all about lemons I have decided to add some ideas of what you can do with these lemons that come our way to the bottom of my post.

Please share on Facebook and Twitter.

 

43+ Uses of Lemon Essential Oil

Did you know it requires about 3,000 lemons to make one kilo of lemon essential oil? Or that lemon has been used throughout history to fight serious diseases, such as malaria, typhoid epidemics and scurvy?

187

http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/lemon-essential-oil.html

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Because I am a Queen

 

First of all let me apologize that I have not written anything in a couple of weeks. I tripped and fell into my "big dark hole" as I call it. Then someone pushed an elephant in that landed on my chest. On top of that they tried to fill the hole in with a load of lemons. I ate my way through the elephant and planted the lemons in my garden and I am back.

I have this video that a friend sent me that is on my mind that I would like to talk about. I feel, as women we have become conditioned to not be able to accept a compliment. If we say we like something about ourselves we are being conceited. Think about it, if someone says "I love that dress", most of the time, our response is something like, "this old thing" or "I got this for $10". What happened to just simply saying thank you. I feel, for me at least, if someone compliments me and I do not brush it off that I am appearing as though I am superior, or ahead of them or more cool. However you want to word that.

Please take a moment and listen to this song from India Arie (thanks JB for turning me on to her music)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J4zOYEOW5k

The video that inspired me so much has been making its rounds on Facebook. It about how women describe themselves opposed to how other see them. Why must we be so critical of ourselves? And why does our self worth have to be based on our physical self? I have come to the point that I believe Jesus made me with big thighs and who am I to go against what Jesus wants.

Go get some tissue and take a moment to really watch this Dove video. I was squalling like a baby half way through it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk

I think we, as women, should be able to say 3 things that we like about ourselves. I will go first. I like my lips, my small hands and my eye color. It is our job to teach the younger generation that beauty truly is inside, outside and in your actions, attitude and personality. The more we can teach these girls to believe in themselves, the less they will have to depend on a boy to determine their self worth.

I challenge all of you, once a day for the next week, to tell someone that they are beautiful!

Homework assignment #2, come up with 3 things about yourself that you like and leave on my comment section of this post.

Lemons come in all sizes and all sizes come from God. Love what He gave you.

Until next time- Safe Picking.

Tammy

Check out some more Dove beaYOUtiful tips
http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/Self-Esteem-Toolkit-And-Resources/default.aspx

Also check out this self-esteem test http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/interactive/interactivetests/selfesteem.php

Lemon-in-law

This post was inspired by a very good friend of mine. Actually the title was her idea too.
I think the overall perception is that none of us get along with our in-laws. For my friend, this is exactly the case. Her lemon-in-law, as she calls her, even lives with her. Hence the beginning of "Operation get momma to leave". This just makes me giggle. This covert operation would make the CIA jealous of the skills this woman is using to rid her home of this third wheel.

Check out the mother-in-law song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD0Yav3V2D0

As moms, we are the first woman that our sons fall in love with. I am the mother of a grown son, and it's definitely an adjustment when you are not #1 in your sons life anymore. Someone else is queen bee, and truly that's how its suppose to be.

  My husband's mother past away before we were married. But, I did have a mother in law with my ex husband. To be honest with you, she was an amazing lady. I'm still very close to her. The marriage didn't last, but that friendship did. Love you Janet!

If you are a trying to find a way to have a civilized relationship with this person that, even though she gave birth to your husband but is trying to rule his life now, be patient. Understand that this is a very tight bond that is not easy to let go of. She could also be you insight to why he does some things he does also.

If you are the mother-in-law, for you own safety, let his wife take the lead that he has chosen her to take. If your son had wanted you to always be in control of his life, he would have never left home and you would still be washing his dirty underwear. She is the gateway to any future relationship you might have with him or your grandchildren.

So let's call a truce and mend these fences so we can all say we love our in-laws instead of

thinking of them as lemon-in-laws!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-X7C6vZOvo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKFzmJDPAUc

Until next time- Safe Picking!

Tammy

Molded Lemons

When something gets old, what does it do? It either sets up, wrinkles up or gets moldy. Well with turning 40 I am starting to feel like a molded lemon. I always say I am not old enough to have any of this getting older stuff going on. Boy am I wrong! Everyone of us will be handed this particular lemon at some point Yes, even you young 20 year olds with your freckle-less tight skin. And I promise it is a bitter lemon to swallow.

 

To start with, when did I develop jowls? I am not an English bulldog but my face thinks I am. You know the part on each side of your mouth that droops down interrupting that flawless jaw line you used to have. Boobs. When do boob and belly buttons become neighbors. They used to live 3, 4 blocks from each other. They also become shy and go around looking at the ground. Everything that should be dry is wet, and everything that is wet should be dry, and nothing is firm anymore.

Why is it when I am in heavy traffic I have to turn the radio down to see? Things that 10 years ago I could look at a picture and figure out, now even with reading the directions I still can not comprehend it. I will go for a comfortable pair of shoes over sexy anyway of the week. And is elastic waistband really THAT bad?

  10 years ago I did not make groaning noises just simply bending over to pick up something. Who would have thought that my daily routine would not only be moisturizer but fiber also?

  I dare any woman over the age of 35 to look at your arms and hands and tell me you do not see your mothers. Ladies we will all be handed this lemon someday. All I can suggest is that we find a way to make a facial scrub out of it and hope for the best!

Until next times- safe picking Tammy

you might be a lemon picker....

If you are new to the blog I will reiterate that the purpose is to define what lemons in life were truly handed to you and which ones we choose ourselves. Just like to popular test out there that gives you clues that you might be a redneck, I have come up with some questions of my own to help you determine if you are, indeed, a lemon picker.


Here are just a few things to help you identify if you are bringing some of this on yourself.
If you have been married more than 4 times and you at not Larry King, you might be a lemon picker

If you justify your significant others behavior on a regular basis (he has a lot of stress on him, he usually does not drink this much, it was only once and not near a school OR it calms his nerves when he wears my panties) you might be a lemon picker.

If you have met someone online and believe that within a week that they are your soul mate.....or met anywhere for that matter, you might be a lemon picker.



If you spend every Saturday night at home alone crying because "he promised he would call", you might be a lemon picker.





If you are broke again because that friend promised, that when their underwater basket weaving business was up and running, they would pay you the $5000 back, you might be a lemon picker.
If, once again, you are baby sitting 3 kids under the age of 5 for that friend that does not even have the decency to ask why your eyebrows are singed off when they drop the kids off, you might be a lemon picker.

If your hands are turning blue from carrying your new Coach purse that Lonnie swore was real when you bought it out of the trunk of his car, you might be a lemon picker.

Bottom line is STOP BEING A DOOR MAT! Stand up for yourself and stop making these bad decisions. Here is a little hint.....no one feels sorry for you for things that you bring on yourself.

Again- I speak from experience (not about the panty wearing man though) not arrogance.
Until next time-
Safe picking! Tammy Please share on your Facebook and Twitter account below.