New Chapters of JOY

Warning: This is a post of pure JOY

I have been wanting to share this and just haven't sat down to take the time. A few good things I will be adding to my book of "Only stuff (s__t) that happens to Bonnie" or maybe it should be "Only Joy that happens to Bonnie" no matter there would have to be the chapters of either in the book.

I added a couple new chapters this past month...Miracles, Karma & Random Acts of Kindness (given and received) yes, received. I've done the pay it forward before in the drive thru at Scooters and McDonalds but until 3 weeks ago I had not been the recipient. WOW there really is such a thing as Karma. I'm a giver by nature so I don't think about being the recipient when I give. I'm only thinking about the Joy it's going to bring to the person receiving it. 

Well, the day after Jerry's surgery, my daughter, Molly and I drove through Scooter's in Lincoln (56th & Pine Lake). We ordered breakfast and coffees. Well when we got to the window to pay and get our order the gal told us ours had been paid for. I cried, and the look on the girls face said it all. She has to love that part of her job. So at that point I'm loving Lincoln that much more, right? It's Christmas time, I was living in a miracle haze of 'is this real life' and then that happened. It doesn't stop there. On Friday, Jerry needed rest so I decided to take a little me time and go get a pedicure. Guess what? Another random act of kindness was handed to me. I went to pay and a lady had already paid for my pedicure. The day got better after an amazing massage, I went to Trader Joe's, another happy place of mine and as I was checking out had the typical conversation with the checker. He asked if I found everything and I said I always find too much and go overboard, I don't get there too often. Where are you from and what brings you to town? I said, my husband had a bypass a couple days ago and we are from Battle Creek a couple hours away. I guiltily wasn't paying attention to his reaction as I was busy inserting my card with a chip, (lol, the joys of those new cards)and paying for my groceries. As I went to push my cart out he said wait a minute and another checker came speeding over to hand me a bouquet of flowers. Yeah, 3 random acts in two days. I couldn't help but be in such a joyful Christmas mood I headed over to Von Maur, another happy place, especially at Christmas time. Smiling all the while I shopped. Then I stopped at Panera and picked up my supper to go and as I walked out I turned around and asked the couple just ordering if they had ordered dessert. They said no and I handed them some cash and said, get some dessert on me. Merry Christmas. 

So there you have it my few days of miracles, karma, and random acts of kindness that brought more Joy than one could imagine. 

My heart still beats out of my chest every time I recall the memories of that week. 

Farm Wife- -- It's my story & I'm sticking to it

I could not be more honored or grateful for Katie Pinke at Pinke Post for sharing my story as a farm wife. When she asked me I wasn't so sure 'my story' was all that important to share. Mine surely didn't compare to the many other more glamorous stories she was sharing about amazing women in agriculture. Why do we judge our own stories so critically?
Well the experience helped give me the confidence, I am so quick to instill in others, to take ownership of my role, my story as a farm wife. My life is my story. It is my hope that others won't be afraid to tell their stories about being a farm wife, an important role no matter what others perceive it to be.
 Thank you Katie for being an inspiration to me and so many others sharing their story in agriculture.
I hope you'll read my story here.

http://thepinkepost.com/2014/11/bonnie-schulz/

Farm wife- who defines your title

Farm wife
There are some blog posts circulating trying to define a 'farm wife's' role. One in particular put a negative spin on it. Really? First just let me say that only a woman who will take on that title should be the one defining her role as a farm wife. Who defines the 'mother' title? That's right it's not a mold or textbook definition. It's personal. No, we don't do it alone we have to have a support system that helps us just like any other title. Just remember no matter what your title is in life, it's yours, own it.
I'm thankful for the rural sisterhood of women involved in agriculture that support my story & title in life.
Here's some positive insight to the title. Elizabeth at The Rural Sisterhood with the help of many others that have a part in the 'farm wife' title show how diverse the title & role really are with these descriptions.

Thanks Elizabeth for putting this together. http://theruralsisterhood.com/above-and-beyond-farm-wife/
Don't be afraid to tell your story that defines your title whatever it might be.

Being a Mom is hard...

Being a Mom is hard…

… You are stronger than you think!

As I was driving on Mother’s Day morning I was thinking about how hard it is to be a mom.
Thinking of where I myself find strength. To be honest, one of my daily affirmations is telling myself, that I am stronger than I think. Praying for strength for whatever comes my way, sometimes hourly. Seems like, almost daily I am reminding friends who share they are struggling with something that they too are stronger than they think, even on my weakest days. Some appear to be strong, and some fragile, but we(moms) all have that one thing in common, we are moms and being a mom is hard. I thought about some of the strongest moms I know, knowing the struggles they have been through or are going through. I started taking notice of things in nature that God gave us to remind us of perseverance and strength and I thought about infants/toddlers learning new things for the first time.

I started mentally making a list of things and situations that in spite of how fragile they look or feel remind us of God’s promise for strength and peace for all of us. 

So in my deep thoughts I thought of things around me personally that reassure us of our strength, just as his words reassure us in Phillipians 4:13; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

    

I start with moms. We all come from totally different backgrounds and family situations. I think we all know the typical mom struggles, juggling just the everyday tasks to attempt to keep everything and everyone moving forward throughout the day. I think of the strength of the mom who never met their child. The mom who lost a child. The faith of those who are yearning to be a mom. The mom who is doing it alone. The mom of a special needs child or even two. Moms that never knew their mom or had a mom that raised them. The mom who's child is graduating from high school. The moms who have lost their moms. These mom's give me strength watching their strength and perseverance. All moms are given God’s promise of strength to never give up even when their Faith seems as small as a mustard seed, Matthew 17:20.

Next, flowers, I am writing this as a reminder to myself and moms everywhere that God made us strong, just as he made Alliums and so many other flowers strong enough to stand tall and mighty, staying beautiful against wind gusts that could lay them flat. Do they always look beautiful against the struggles of nature? No, they struggle and show the wear and tear yet they still bloom.

The last thing on my list I wrote was an infant/toddler learning to walk. No matter how many times they fall down they get back up and try again. Recently in the news I saw this amazing toddler gymnast that when asked about what happens when she falls down, she very innocently replied, I get back up and try again.

In closing, you now know a few things I was thinking about when I reminded myself that being a mom is hard.  Other moms, flowers, and infant/toddlers. I want to hear from you. When you think of how being a mom is hard what things remind you, that in spite of how fragile they might look they remind of you of God’s promise of strength and peace and faith even as small as a mustard seed.

Here's a clip to end this deep post on a fun note.
 Being a Mother is hard
https://youtu.be/P2pG72t_PXU

My One-Word for 2014

One-Word, not a resolution for my New Year, but my focus. 

Good morning on the second day of 2014! It's a new year and instead of setting new years resolutions I am choosing One Word to focus on daily in both my personal and business life. As I read through the list of word ideas the one word that kept coming to mind is a word that I've tried to implement in my world for the past couple of years. It seems it always comes up when I think about the items on my to do list. So by choosing it as my One Word for 2014 it will be at the top of every to do list so that as I look at each item on the list my focus will be not only to accomplish the task it will be to "Simplify" the task. Whether it is how to simplify the specific task or to simplify the process in order to get the task done. End result, less things on my to do list and more accomplished! That is just one example of where I plan to focus my One Word. My plan is to focus on where that One Word can come in to play in all aspects of my daily life therefore feeling a little lighter in my step through life because I have kept it simple, hence simplified the action or thought! K.I.S.S. --Keep It Simple Silly  

Check out the One-Word website:

http://oneword365.com/

Some ideas for your One-Word:

Gratitude, Gracious, less, Hopeful, Passion, Purpose, DWELL, Implement, Inspirational, treasure, resilient, Gratefulness, Healing, Fire, Positive, #kai·ros, Selfless, PRODUCTIVE, commits, Excellence, nest, assiduity, Strive, Knowledge, Intersection, Taste, perseverance, Bold, Move, Naked, Control, Invest, Attend, Happiness, Confidence, Build, Happy, seek, strength, Na, deliberate, Nourish, SOW, Renovate, Credibility, Experience, Crucible, Organized, Balance, Zen, Change, determined, Unafraid, Unity, FOLLOW, Persevere, Resolve, welcome, Leap, Discovery, Mercy-Giver, Awareness, spontaneous, chooselife, Presence, LIGHT, Conquerer, adapt, Still, plan, Create, Rock, worship, Serve, Compassion, nourishment, YES, Dependence, Survive, Deliverance, Write, BRAVE, Acceptance, Focus, Celebrate, Laugh, joy, Fit, whatsoever, Patience, Pursue, Innovate, strong, Engage, faith, Vision, open, Jump, Improvement, uplift

What is your One-Word for 2014? Please share. I'd love to know what your focus in 2014 will be.

Pray…Anytime You Wish…

"God warms his hands at man's heart when he prays."  

---John Masefield 

Anytime You Wish by Wendy Signor 

I am inspired by the words and wisdom of this children’s book written by a friend. It is a simple message yet something so powerful that we take for granted so much. A reminder of sorts that we really can, and God expects us to, pray wherever we are and anytime we wish.

Deuteronomy 31:6  New International Version (NIV)

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

I have an ongoing conversation going on in my mind with God, everyday. Some days, I simply say, ‘Thank you for taking care of me and my family today, Lord.” Over and over and over. Some days I’m more specific but most of my prayers begin with Thank you… Prayer gives me so much peace and strength that why wouldn’t I pray even if it is the same prayer over and over sometimes.

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God."

- Brother Lawrence 

I share with you this children’s book not just to share with your children but for you to read and hopefully be inspired by it’s simple, yet powerful message. I pray that it will deepen your faith in the power of prayer.

Because I love this book so much I want to give away a copy. Receive a chance to win when you comment on this post with the name of your favorite prayer devotional book and a prayer or quote that you go to when you are looking for peace from our God.  

Include your email as a way to contact you if your name is drawn.

Post your comment by November 5, 2013 winner will be announced November 6, 2013

More information about the book search for it on Amazon.com

Anytime You Wish by Wendy Signor

A Blog Post sharing a Blog Post about a Farm Wife

Inspiring message from a newlywed farm wife from the North Dakota prairie. She's got it figured out in just a couple of years of being married to a farmer. What she writes is true and names weren't changed to protect the innocent. It's a quick read. Check it out.  :-)

An 1870 publication reads–

“The farmers wife is not less essential to successful farming than her husband.”

10 Ways marrying a Farmer will change your life...

http://jldphotographblog.com/2013/10/07/10-ways-marrying-a-farmer-will-change-your-life/

A farm wife...and so much more...