tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56137330893011304782024-02-21T07:19:12.073-06:00Living Out My JourneyKevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-59662100527473855902012-04-01T21:38:00.000-05:002012-04-01T21:38:02.929-05:00My Blog Site Has Moved!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I now have a new blog site, so please follow me over to the new page beginning Monday, April 2!!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.livingoutmyjourney.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">www.livingoutmyjourney.com</span></a></div>
<br />Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-41185719496362972472012-03-29T09:46:00.000-05:002012-03-29T09:46:01.727-05:00The Best Of... #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctESZcOo1erjHpmtFMpDE_YtZYlRF2px4gDgV0XxNtqb9fcOTWn-lHfO8x0DafgOAW8BC9p9Y2C4PWqEXtMLJMGBVDA0-p74qB4ZgLTEXt3NkWixB4Frcb6oaLrkpG2GzPXdw9NABKx8/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctESZcOo1erjHpmtFMpDE_YtZYlRF2px4gDgV0XxNtqb9fcOTWn-lHfO8x0DafgOAW8BC9p9Y2C4PWqEXtMLJMGBVDA0-p74qB4ZgLTEXt3NkWixB4Frcb6oaLrkpG2GzPXdw9NABKx8/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>I hope that all of you have enjoyed your week and are looking forward to a great weekend! I am super excited about launching my new blog site this Monday! The new address is </em><a href="http://www.livingoutmyjourney.com/"><em>www.livingoutmyjourney.com</em></a><em> and if you visit the site now, it is "under construction" but it will go live this Monday. I hope that all of you will follow me over to the new site and will also help me promote the blog and invite new readers to check it out! Again, thanks to all of you who have kept up with my journey on here - whether it was only one time or many times. It has helped me get this far and open up other opportunities to pursue a dream I love doing. </em><br />
<em><br /></em><em>Also, on Monday I will be announcing the winner of the next give-a-way! I love magazines and one of my new favorites is HGTV's magazine! My TV is on that channel a majority of the time and the magazine has great ideas for your home. I will be choosing from the "followers" listed to the right so if you are not one, simply click on the link and you will be eligible to win! </em><br />
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<em>This week has been "rerun" week on my blog and I have reposted the top four most read blogs. Each blog was very different but also meant a lot to me and I am glad that it did for you as well. Today's blog is the number one most read post since I started. It was written on January 24, 2012 and it was definitely written from my heart. I received a lot of encouraging comments from many of you and I hope that these words will cause you to stop and think about how your words and actions really do affect those around you. I am a firm believer that as human beings we should be much more focused on love and acceptance rather than hatred and bigotry. I hope you all have a great weekend and I will see you at the new blog site this Monday!</em><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">It's Hard To Hate Up Close</span></strong><br />
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There is a certain human flaw that has been showing its ugly face more and
more. It is nothing new but I seem to be hearing about it more in the news, in
blogs, on facebook and other media outlets. Every time it causes such a
stirring of frustration inside me. This flaw has many names - hatred, racism,
bullying, prejudice, ignorance. This flaw comes out of many intentions - fear
of the unknown, hatred for those who are different, out of "love." No matter
what you call it, no matter what your intention is, the plain and simple truth
is - it is wrong!<br />
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The stories are endless. A hate crime being committed
against someone simply because of the color of their skin. An overweight person
who struggles with motivation because of those who make fun of them. A high
school student who takes his own life because his peers make fun of him for being
gay. We look at someone who dresses differently than "the norm" and we
automatically make assumptions about the way they live their life. We place
harsh judgments on those who drink, or smoke, or do drugs, or struggle with an
eating disorder. Those who practice a different religion or faith than ours are
shunned. We see it every night on the news. It turns my stomach every time I
hear of someone who took their life because death was a better option for them
than the life they were living. Let that sink in for a moment. What some
people experience in life is so bad that they would rather cease to exist than
to live one more day in their own hell. <br />
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My point is not to be "pro" or
"anti" any of these issues. Yes, some choices hurt people and we should do our
part to help them but it has to come from a place of true intention and love.
It all comes down to how we treat people. No matter what anyone is going
through in their life, what they struggle with, the choices that they make - we
are not helping in any way if we throw hatred or disgust or anger in their
face. Many who disguise gossip as a prayer request need to simply be silent and
look within instead of fulfilling their own self righteous need. <br />
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I
definitely believe that ignorance plays a large role in this problem because
people are scared of what they do not know. Defining ignorance is simply being
uninformed, unaware, or uneducated on a particular subject. When someone is
different than us, it makes us uncomfortable and our tendency is to push away
instead of draw near. I recently heard a quote that I love - <em>It's hard to
hate</em> <em>up</em> <em>close</em>. It is very easy to hate, to bully, to
disrespect, to assume from far off. That is where ignorance comes into play.
But what if we chose to take a moment and listen. What if we chose to try and understand where a
person is coming from. If we get to know the person for who they really are
instead of the label that we have placed on them - I am confident that it would
change how we treat them. Again, whether or not you agree with the issue is not
the issue at all. But education really does tear down walls and can change how
we view certain aspects of life. It's hard to hate up close. <br />
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My
challenge to you is this: Find someone who is different than you, who thinks
differently than you, who believes differently than you, who looks different
than you. Find a way to spend time with them and as you learn more about their
life, about their story, see what happens inside of you. It is a way for us to
step outside of our own comfort zone and expand our view on the world. I know
that this is not a light-hearted, funny blog - but I have been so impacted by
the stories that I hear of those who struggle and even give up on life because
others chose to hate instead of show true love. Yes, I know that we live in an
imperfect world but we can each do our part to make change happen. Let's be a
part of the solution instead of the problem. Let's lead by example for those
who look up to us. It goes back to what our momma taught us - <em>if you don't
have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all.</em> However, some
of us need to speak out on behalf of those who do not have the courage to do
so. We need to be a friend to those who feel as if they have none. As a
society, we have come a long way but it does seem as if we still have a long way
to go. We never know the impact we have on someone's life - both good and bad -
so make the right choice and show someone that they matter. Be a part of the
change. Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-9530668403252340422012-03-28T11:03:00.000-05:002012-03-28T11:03:22.683-05:00The Best Of... #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuyL_AJnj20JdHUxwp42xUoq8U3hOD-6FNCjgtvftaAvtG4DWuL5-yWlDPsnV1g8WNk4IaCc-TDlzs2jdREhyphenhypheniijBQnMyQlgF_CYvUo_JEMN3CNM6gLuaYGe9cBiCbg-ieWuEHChI0xhM/s1600/2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuyL_AJnj20JdHUxwp42xUoq8U3hOD-6FNCjgtvftaAvtG4DWuL5-yWlDPsnV1g8WNk4IaCc-TDlzs2jdREhyphenhypheniijBQnMyQlgF_CYvUo_JEMN3CNM6gLuaYGe9cBiCbg-ieWuEHChI0xhM/s320/2b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Announcements first! Next Monday, April 2nd I am launching my brand new blog site - </em><a href="http://www.livingoutmyjourney.com/"><em>www.livingoutmyjourney.com</em></a><em> - and I am very excited about how things started for me a couple of years ago as a beginner blogger and has now grown into a passion for writing that I want to pursue full time! I hope that all of you will follow me over to the new site next week and help spread the word. Also, our next give-a-way is next Monday as well and one lucky reader will receive a one year subscription to the new HGTV magazine! It is a great magazine that I love with great ideas for your home. Just make sure you are a "follower" of the blog and I will announce the winner on Monday, April 2nd! </em><br />
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<em>Normally a week of reruns is not a favorite of mine, but I decided to have a "best-of" this week and repost the top 4 most read blogs. I must admit that I have really enjoyed seeing what you all responded to the most! On Monday, we rediscovered the concept of standing in your own truth and experiencing the freedom and joy that comes from living in truth. Yesterday, we reread the miracle day of my cousin and how her story of healing at seven years old reminds us to believe in divine power and to make the most of our days here on earth. Today's post is number two on the list and I am so glad that it made the top four because we all need to laugh! It was written on January 19, 2012 and this story of both of my sisters' encounter with "the death virus" seemed to cause a lot of laughter! Happy reading!!</em><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">It's Time For A Laugh - At My Sisters' Expense!</span></strong><br />
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Since today is about fun, I wanted to share a funny story about my two sisters,
Christy and Cara. As siblings, we have a great relationship and one overriding
theme in our experiences is that we can find the humor in any situation. This
may sound odd to others but one of our favorite things to laugh about is when
one of us gets sick (it really does sound bad, doesn't it?). In the moment, we
are sympathetic and do what we can to help the other get better but within a
reasonable amount of time (usually about 24 hours) we will begin joking at the
expense of the one went knocking on death's door. The laughter has been towards
me many times before and trust me - my sisters found humor in my vulnerable
moments rather quickly but this time it was my turn to do the
laughing!<br />
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Christy and Cara were together in a public setting a couple of
weekends ago. Little did they know that "the death virus" as it came to be
known, was making its way through the crowd. I am sure many of you have
experienced the death virus. Without going into too much detail it involves
twenty-four hours of aches, pains, chills, sweats, and very frequent sprints to
the bathroom! There are usually a couple of times during that twenty-four
hour span that you just pray for your life to end because death would be better
than what you are experiencing in that moment! Now that we understand what the death
virus is - let us continue on with the story.<br />
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Christy was the first
victim. It came on rather suddenly and she immediately made her first of many
sprints to the bathroom. Again, they were in a public setting and so she had to
go to a public bathroom. On a positive note, this was a one person bathroom so
she was still able to maintain some privacy. Cara noticed after awhile that she
had not seen Christy and began a search. Cara walked around for what seemed
like an hour before finding Christy - but nothing could have prepared Cara for what she
would find. Christy had pretty much set up house in this public restroom. She
had become so sick that the only comfort that could be found was laying down on
the floor. That's right folks - Christy laid her face on the public bathroom
floor! Dignity was thrown out the window. Modesty and self respect were no
more. What Cara found when she opened the door was her sister, half-dressed and
face to the floor. After Cara recovered from that horrible sight, they were
able to get Christy to a car in order to take her home and out of the public
view. I wonder what people thought as she walked out of the building? As
Christy's husband drove her home, she had another "moment" and all that could be
done was stick her head out the window and let the "moment" pass. I heard that
there were convulsions, kicking, and moaning (is that normal?) - and that
remnants of "the moment" were left all down the side of the vehicle! That is
quite a sight for all of us to take in right now. Can you imagine those people
that were innocently driving down the road and looked over and beheld - the
monster! <br />
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Cara thought that the death virus had passed her by but a
couple of days later, it came knocking on her door. She was home alone and
Christy called me to ask if I would check on Cara. I called - no answer. I
sent a text - no answer. I began to wonder if the virus had won but then later that
night, my phone rang. Cara had now been fighting with the virus for about
twelve hours and it was quickly winning. She began telling me (in detail -
which I will spare you, the reader) how she was burning up and freezing at the
same time. She spoke of how many constant sprints to the bathroom there were to have
"moments." At one point, she crawled out of the bathroom and laid on the
hardwood floor in her hallway - half naked - simply because it felt good. (What
is it with being naked on cold floors?) A friend of hers had dropped off some
crackers and Sprite by her front door. As Cara struggled to get to the front
door, she opened it and grabbed the items - only then realizing that she was not
wearing much, but did not care. Once again, all modesty and self-respect are
gone with the death virus! Cara than asked if I could come to her house the
next day and deliver some much needed supplies - Gatorade, Lysol, Pepto Bismol
tablets, and toilet paper. She said that she was going to try and go to school
so I agreed to come up and drop off the survival kit while she was away.
Basically that meant that yes, I will help you but no, I do not want you to be
there spreading your germs on me! When I arrived at her house, all I could
think was - I cannot get the death virus! I cannot get the death virus! I took
a deep breath, unlocked her back door and ran in - dropped the supplies off in
the kitchen, grabbed the Lysol and made a mad dash through her house spraying
things down. Her house was dark and for a brief moment I wondered if Cara was
laying on the couch while I was spraying it down. I did not wait around to see
because I was holding my breath the entire time. <br />
<br />
Both Christy and Cara
have survived the death virus and are now back to their normal selves. No more
laying down in public restrooms, no more nakedness in the hallway - they have
regained their self respect - only to now relive it for the world through my
blog. In all honesty, I am glad that they recovered and I am really glad that I
did not get it! But trust me - it did not take long for us to laugh about that
experience and make fun of each other! And yes, they know that being a part of
my life means that you might get included in my blog. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2b_-kL9WW0ZePPaSHiELBWZhgRSbQR99uOmjByGjIMG8oyj9BnZOUwAQtl3lz98UxsTqjlskgQlESaK0Ahj5xHCPSZ-5B-OG5icW6zyLI_U7L2JVzZd-b0zv1iIlUKXkYkY0OtUXZ4fk/s1600/IMG_0801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2b_-kL9WW0ZePPaSHiELBWZhgRSbQR99uOmjByGjIMG8oyj9BnZOUwAQtl3lz98UxsTqjlskgQlESaK0Ahj5xHCPSZ-5B-OG5icW6zyLI_U7L2JVzZd-b0zv1iIlUKXkYkY0OtUXZ4fk/s320/IMG_0801.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I do not have many pictures of me and my sisters<br />
but this is one that is a couple of years old. <br />
Christy, Cara, my niece Martha Ann, and myself </td></tr>
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<br />Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-46240345571481590342012-03-27T08:47:00.002-05:002012-03-27T08:47:16.888-05:00The Best Of... #3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTSTQzN1QgAGz4Y6WgW9xGy8TEntM7-vzDokDVHKJlNEwhTiup05K-G3_eGTW-2v7qlJfYe7AQAKV32p0-U4y9I1gjbmIejqUpPHtYBV3fHtfT5C200xBHbLEVHYGR5iKGtM8EqZopMI/s1600/3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimTSTQzN1QgAGz4Y6WgW9xGy8TEntM7-vzDokDVHKJlNEwhTiup05K-G3_eGTW-2v7qlJfYe7AQAKV32p0-U4y9I1gjbmIejqUpPHtYBV3fHtfT5C200xBHbLEVHYGR5iKGtM8EqZopMI/s320/3b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>This week, I am reposting the top 4 most read blogs. It has been great to see what posts have been viewed the most - they are four very different posts that I have written, but I like variety and I guess you do as well! One reason for this week of repeats is because I am working hard on my new blog site. The address is </em><a href="http://www.livingoutmyjourney.com/"><em>www.livingoutmyjourney.com</em></a><em> and it will go live on Monday, April 2nd. I hope that all of you will follow me over to the new site next week and help me promote it to your friends as well. Also, on April 2nd, I will be having my 3rd give-a-way. I am a big fan of magazines and I recently subscribed to HGTV's new magazine and I love it! Great ideas for your home and so one lucky person will receive a one year subscription to this magazine! Make sure you are a "follower" of the blog in order to have a chance to win! </em><br />
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<em>Yesterday's blog dealt with the topic of standing in your own truth and I am excited that it became one of the most read blogs because I love it when someone discovers truth in their lives, becomes comfortable in their own skin, or knows their purpose on earth and then they are able to live in that freedom. Today's blog is number 3 on the list. It was written on December 20, 2011 and told the story of a very special miracle in our family. My cousin, Amanda, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age seven and we were all able to experience first hand the power of prayer and healing in a child's life. I hope that it will inspire you to believe and know that nothing is impossible.</em> <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Remembering a Miracle....</span></strong> <br />
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Have you
ever witnessed something so amazing that it was simply hard to explain? Have
you ever been a part of a situation that at the time seemed almost hopeless and
then the answer you hoped for happens and the only way it can be explained is
divine intervention? This happened twenty years ago in our family and it
continues to be something we celebrate and are extremely grateful for each and
every year. <br />
<br />
It was 1991 and my sisters and I were sitting at the table
with Mom about to eat dinner. I am sure that we were all talking about our day
but when Dad came and sat down we knew something was wrong. He had been on the
phone and had just found out that our cousin, Amanda, had been diagnosed with a
brain tumor. At the time, she was only seven years old and we all just sat
there in shock and disbelief that this could be happening to such a little
girl. As Dad prayed, I can remember us crying and wondering what the future
would hold. When these situations happen, they are always horrible, but it
seems even more unfair when they happen to a child. <br />
<br />
The tumor did
affect Amanda with some physical limitations and the doctors decided that
surgery would be the best option to see if it could be removed. The surgery was
planned and we all began to earnestly pray for a miracle. I remember that as
the news spread, we realized that people all over the country were praying for
this little girl. If prayers were visible, I am confident that on December 19,
1991 - the day of Amanda's surgery - it would have been a beautiful sight to see
so many voices united and being lifted up to God on Amanda's behalf. <br />
<br />
On
the day of the surgery, the doctors told Amanda's parents that they would call
the waiting room when the surgery was complete. There was the chance that when
the doctors went into Amanda's brain, that they would not be able to remove the
tumor and other options would have to be explored. After a certain amount of
time passed, the phone rang and Amanda's mom answered the phone and the doctors
said the surgery was complete. It had not been long enough and everyone in the
waiting room feared the worst. However, the surgery was a success and the tumor
that had been robbing the life of a seven year old was now gone! We later
learned that the doctors were amazed at how easily the tumor was removed. It
was definitely a miracle and we all knew that a divine power was also at work in
that operating room that day!<br />
<br />
I remember that following Sunday, my dad
standing before our church and thanking them for the prayers that were lifted
for Amanda. As quickly as news had spread in the prior months to pray for
Amanda, it was now spreading like wildfire that a true miracle had happened!
That was twenty years ago and Amanda is now married and a mom to the most
beautiful little one year old, Ella James. You would never know that she
suffered such a traumatic event so early in her journey but her love for life
now is evident that she is truly living and not taking any day for granted. Her
mom said it so well on facebook yesterday - <br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><em><strong>Today is our Miracle Day! On Dec 19, 1991, God
spared the life of a little 7 year old girl with a brain tumor. We will never
forget to give praise and honor to Him on this day. 20 years have gone by and
that little girl that fought for her life, is a wife and Mom with a joy for life
that is seen by all those around her. I thank God for allowing us to keep her
and for how He continues to bless her. I love you Amanda Stallings Warrington.
You are a miracle!</strong></em></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"></span><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">I hope
that Amanda's story will inspire and encourage you to make the most of your own
life and to continually be grateful for each day - because it is truly a gift!
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu_7_ZBvS_TwshFMJ6Q8boyB1xplhZc9hcRdeDFR2tekXuhjEDfgvLvM7Ute-qdACIC-fMAkSu80A7LbhJcJ6sNzFf2EYJ8B0bNYZ_8UOze2rp-NRwEXSUG2jpXt7Cqmw3NJeMamprWc/s1600/Amanda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu_7_ZBvS_TwshFMJ6Q8boyB1xplhZc9hcRdeDFR2tekXuhjEDfgvLvM7Ute-qdACIC-fMAkSu80A7LbhJcJ6sNzFf2EYJ8B0bNYZ_8UOze2rp-NRwEXSUG2jpXt7Cqmw3NJeMamprWc/s320/Amanda.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda, her husband Trey, and daughter Ella James</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-56283831925883609572012-03-26T08:26:00.000-05:002012-03-26T08:26:51.689-05:00The Best Of... #4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em>Next week, I am launching my new blog site and I am very excited about this new chapter! Beginning Monday, April 2nd you can go to </em><a href="http://www.livingoutmyjourney.com/"><em>www.livingoutmyjourney.com</em></a><em> to find my blog. You can go there now, but it is still "under construction" and will not go live until April 2nd. In order to work out all of the details and make sure it is ready, I will be using this week to share the top 4 most read posts since I started this blog. Yes, it is like a week of repeats, but it was good for me to go back and read these and I hope it will be for you as well. The number four most read blog was written on April 5, 2011, and dealt with the topic of standing in your truth. I love this concept because I know that it is vital to making the most of our lives. I also realized that this is when I first started attending the church I go to now and little did I know how much of an impact it would have on my life over the last year! This post is a little longer than some of the others (and this intro paragraph didn't help either) so grab a snack and happy reading!</em></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Standing in your truth... </strong></span></div>
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Over the
last couple of days, there has been a theme running through my mind. Different
things that I did recently brought this theme out and I have really spent some
time thinking about it and how it continues to be a source of struggle and
freedom in my own life. It is the concept of standing in your truth. <br />
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I
recently heard that phrase from Suzie Orman, the financial expert. She said
that this was her motto for the year and the advice that she would be giving to
others. Since she gives financial advice to others for a living she is somewhat
looking at it from the perspective of how we handle money. Do we deceive
ourselves into living above our means or can we take an honest look at our bank
account and face the truth of our debt, our income, and how we can really afford
to live. She would also say that the other side of that equation is true as
well. If we are smart with our finances, getting out of debt, and living below
our means then we can also stand in our truth and experience the freedom that
comes with living this way. When it comes to money, I know that many of us can
benefit from a reality check and not get caught up in the idea of living some
kind of life that is outside of our financial means because the truth is - it is
not really living at all. <br />
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Standing in your truth can apply to our
finances and it can definitely apply to our entire lives. That is something
that has been a work in progress for me as it is to everyone. We spend our
lives trying to figure out who we really are and what truly makes up the essence
of our being. I believe that it is something that we learn more about every day
and is a continual process for each of us - but when we can be honest with
ourselves and with others, there is freedom there and a chance to really make
the most of our journeys.<br />
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I went and visited a new church this past
Sunday. For those of you who live in Nashville, you may have heard of Cross
Point. I had been wanting to visit for awhile and so I went to see
what it was like. I immediately loved it and know that I will be going back.
The pastor for that day spoke on truth in relationships. This could apply to a
spouse, someone you are dating, family, or close friends. He used the metaphor
of an iceberg and how it relates to how we handle truth in our lives. For many
people, what they see is what is on our surface level. They know us mainly from
an image perspective -which is what we want others to know about us, or what we
want them to think about us. However, in order to really form a close bond with
someone, you have to be willing to go beyond that and let them see what is
deeper. Just like an iceberg, what we see above the water level is good - but
most of the time the largest part of an iceberg is what is underneath. This is
very true in our own lives. He also stressed that we may not want to share our
deepest secrets with everyone that comes our way - it might scare them off and
every person does not need to know every thing that goes on in our lives (that
would be so exhausting!). But who are the people that we do let in? Who really
knows us inside and out? Is it a spouse, a family member, someone we date, a
best friend? We all need someone or even more than one person like that in our
lives. It is not an easy thing to do though. This hit home for me because I
consider myself a pretty open book. My family and friends know a lot about me -
the good, bad, and ugly - but there has always been a part of me that likes to
keep some things very private. Mainly those areas of frustration in my life. I
like it when people come to me and talk about their problems or need advice on a
particular topic. To me, that means that they trust me and that possibly I have
something to say that might help them. But when it comes to my own problems or
struggles I tend to stay quiet and want to figure it out on my own. I
have learned to open up more but I know there is room for improvement. Standing
in my truth means letting those closest to me into the deeper parts of my life.
As the pastor said, when we do this it really does bring about a greater
intimacy and openness with that person or people in our lives. That is also one
of the purposes for this blog. For me to share openly and honestly so that I
can live in freedom and hopefully help someone else out as well. <br />
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Last
night I watched the second half of <em>Master Class</em> with Oprah and once
again I was inspired. One of my friends had text me saying he watched it
yesterday and was blown away at what all he took away from it. Since this idea
of living fully in your own truth was in my mind already I took notice of that
in last night's episode. If we chase after dreams that do not line up with who
we really are, then that is all we will be doing - constantly chasing after
dreams and never seeing those become a reality. But when we follow our heart
and we invest ourselves into those things which are in sync with our very soul -
then we will experience this amazing truth - that God can dream a bigger dream
for us than we could ever dream for ourself. Over my lifetime, I have been
known to always be thinking of something new to do with my life, pursuing this
goal and that goal, but one thing I have noticed over the last few years is
this. The ones that line up with what my life's purpose is all about are the
ones that stay at the top of my list. All the others fade away because although
they may have been good things, they are not what I am truly passionate about
and are meant for someone else to do. I believe that we all want to live our
best life and we all want to reach the end of our life knowing that we made a
difference and had the opportunity to really live a full life. Standing in the
truth of who we really are frees us up to do just that and filters out anything
that might stand in our way. <br />
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If I could encourage each of you reading
this to do one thing over the next few days, weeks, and months - it would be to
stand in your truth and really find out what it means to do so. We can be
inspired and motivated by others and I do believe that God places people in our
lives for us to learn from - but I also know that discovering our truth for our
own lives can only come from within. We are all unique individuals and the
purpose of my life is different than yours. Over the last few days I was
reminded that standing in our truth only comes when we are connected to the
Truth - and that truth will surely set us free. </div>
</div>Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-48184505904818196162012-03-23T08:38:00.003-05:002012-03-23T08:38:26.238-05:00The 10,000 Mark!!Today, I have reached 10,000 views on my blog! I wanted to say a big thank-you to everyone who reads and follows along as I share all that is going on in my journey. My intent is that it would be encouraging, motivating, and entertaining. It has been very encouraging to hear from many of you that read and comment - it motivates me to keep going! I love being able to use this format as a way to express myself - at times, it is like therapy so this saves me a lot of money, right? Please know that I really am grateful to each of you. <br />
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I am looking forward to new changes and opportunities that will be coming soon! On Monday, April 2nd the blog will have a new look and a new web address. This is going to allow me to expand and do more things that I have wanted to accomplish with this blog. I will be asking all of you to help me promote the new site and hope that all of you will continue to follow me and give any feedback - I welcome the good, bad, and ugly!<br />
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Also, April 2nd will be our next give-a-way! Make sure you are a follower of the blog and I will announce next week what the prize will be - it's going to be a good one!<br />
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I will end the blog with a funny / grateful story that happened to me this week. On Wednesday morning, I was on my way to work and I passed a policeman going the opposite direction. I immediately looked down at the speedometer and knew that I was going over the speed limit. I looked in my rear view mirror and to my horror, I saw him do a U-turn and start heading back in my direction. I had that terrible feeling in my stomach and prayed that he would not turn his lights on (I'm sure God shakes his head at prayers like that)! The policeman was behind a few other cars and for a moment I thought I had escaped. However, in my moment of panic, I also ran a red light! At this point I knew I either had to pull over or try and begin a high speed chase. To my dismay, I saw the blue lights turn on and I knew he had me. I pulled over and waited to hear my sentencing. The officer came up and said he pulled me over for going 58 in a 40! <i>Oh crap - how was I going that fast? </i> <i>Did he also see me run that red light? </i>He took my license and asked if I had received a ticket in the last 3 years - to which I quickly replied that I had not and I was terribly sorry for going so fast! As he walked back to his car to run my license, I remembered that I had received a ticket almost two years ago! I panicked! I was speeding like a maniac, ran a red light, and lied to a police officer. I might as well get ready for the handcuffs and prepare to spend my weekend in some nasty jail cell with a scary man named Bubba. I saw him approaching the car again, and as a small tear began running down my face he said - Alright Kevin, be careful and have a good day. <i>What? Did I hear him correctly? Officer - did you not see me run that red light?</i> I was so excited that he let me go without even a warning! It was a miracle! In fact, I was so elated that as I drove off, I swerved a little bit on the road! I can only imagine what the officer thought of that! That was definitely my moment to be grateful and to remind all of us to not speed, do not run a red light, do not lie to an officer, and do not swerve while driving. Thank you Mr. Officer - I am truly grateful!!!<br />
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Have a great weekend everyone and I will see you back here on Monday!Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-38791561713739413322012-03-21T19:59:00.000-05:002012-03-21T19:59:08.364-05:00Some Pretty Good Suggestions On Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdxaS1VCGWKnTPD80voKl6h7Vi0Bccu34B5Xq0DbX9pR-NZ4zVD1ddGJPMxa56r1G1BuPZrX6iOOadKFfTuLtdVBodz2nw8jHrfgJrQ-WGkkZcp4OntVpu-YrwBQ40vtOg_xCw5ZJhmk/s1600/good+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdxaS1VCGWKnTPD80voKl6h7Vi0Bccu34B5Xq0DbX9pR-NZ4zVD1ddGJPMxa56r1G1BuPZrX6iOOadKFfTuLtdVBodz2nw8jHrfgJrQ-WGkkZcp4OntVpu-YrwBQ40vtOg_xCw5ZJhmk/s320/good+life.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My father passed away in 2004 and after he died, I discovered a handwritten list that he had given both of my sisters while they were growing up and getting out on their own. He entitled it, <em>Dad's</em> <em>Suggestions</em>, and I have found them to be very practical, insightful, and encouraging. I love that he called them suggestions instead of rules. He lived out each of these and wanted to pass them along as guidelines for living a better life. I have them framed in my room and I refer to it often. I thought it would be great to pass them along to you. We will talk more on these in the coming days. You will see that they are simple but Dad would assure each of us that following them would help us experience a deeper and more fulfilled life.<br />
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Dad's Suggestions:<br />
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1. Look at each day as a gift from God.<br />
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2. Be thankful. Don't take for granted what you are given.<br />
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3. Appreciate your family.<br />
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4. Love God, others, and yourself.<br />
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5. Be honest in all you do. Do not lie, steal, or cheat.<br />
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6. Learn how to handle money. Have a checking account, savings account, and spend wisely.<br />
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7. Give God a 10% tithe in all you earn<br />
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8. Discipline yourself in taking care of yourself. Sleep, Food, and Exercise.<br />
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9. Go to church at least once a week to worship.<br />
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10. Respect authority.<br />
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11. Have a daily quiet time<br />
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12. Each day help someone in need or compliment someone.<br />
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13. Work hard at whatever you are doing. Give a little more than what you are paid for or expected of you.<br />
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14. Have a sense of humor. Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself.<br />
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15. Take care of friendships.<br />
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16. Volunteer sometimes.<br />
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17. Forgive others. Don't hold grudges.<br />
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18. Read a book.<br />
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19. Help someone without expecting anything in return.<br />
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20. Be the best you can be and do whatever it takes to prepare yourself. <br />
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<br />My dad was one of the best I have known at finding true joy in the simple things in life. He made a difference in the lives of so many others and whenever I read over these suggestions, it reminds me of how he lived his own life. I encourage you to read over these periodically and see how you can apply them to your day to day experiences. Always strive for the good life!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiky2zqCfV1wYybqAZir1YlnJWQlL4oHtatxtQxUFXB70rTwxFX-kuCmg5zjraQm63lBc3iP9egrrQPM0XSssCPi1qShAzqmr2AKzEuY0qkGinbf4jmloENXTlmqcT6MJWeoxQURwEZjvM/s1600/sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiky2zqCfV1wYybqAZir1YlnJWQlL4oHtatxtQxUFXB70rTwxFX-kuCmg5zjraQm63lBc3iP9egrrQPM0XSssCPi1qShAzqmr2AKzEuY0qkGinbf4jmloENXTlmqcT6MJWeoxQURwEZjvM/s320/sky.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-26862040540977536792012-03-20T20:08:00.001-05:002012-03-20T20:08:26.913-05:00When Life Confirms Your Calling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some people call them <em>light bulb</em> moments. Others call them <em>aww snap</em> moments. Oprah calls them <em>aha</em> moments. Whatever you want to call it, I love it when life confirms that you are on the right path and your brain clicks and you say - <em>thank you</em>! <br />
<br />I recently started reading through some of my old journals. Not only were they hilarious because some of the things I wrote about seemed so important at the time, but it also caused me to stop and connect some of my past experiences to what I am doing now in life. That is when the <em>aww snap</em> happened!<br />
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Growing up, I was very involved in music at my church. During my high school and college years, I led worship at my church and various other events. I always loved being a part of that because I knew it was a part of what I was meant to do. It would help others in their spiritual walk and experience the fullness of life. I also recalled a project I used to do in college called "the letters." These were pre-blogging and social media days. Each week, I would send out a letter to a group of high school students. The purpose was to encourage, motivate, and challenge them in their life. It started with a small group of students and quickly grew. I loved doing that as well and using what I learned in my life to help others in their own journeys. The common thread in those situations was that I was being used to help others live better lives. <br />
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These are two examples of ways that I believe I have cultivated and expressed my own purpose in life and that also ties in to what I pursue now. Over the last few years, I realized how much I enjoy writing and using that avenue to creatively express myself. I have always believed that my purpose in life was to be used to help others live better lives. With this blog and working on another book, I can continue my calling in life. Of course, my goal is to be able to do this full time and I do believe that with hard work and determination, it will happen. Taking a look back strengthened my determination to pursue these dreams and to not give up. I was able to see in hindsight and know that whether I was leading worship, sending out letters, working with youth, or helping others - it was all a part of fulfilling my purpose that God has me on this earth to do. <br />
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I share all of this to encourage you to look back at your life and see how different events, experiences, and jobs are connected with your own purpose in life. Taking a look back might even help you discover your own purpose if you are unsure what it is. At times, I feel like my life's path is full of twists, turns, and detours - but I realized that the path was not as crooked as I thought it was. <br />
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That was a great <em>aha</em> moment for me! Oprah would be so proud. Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-38455259754837940752012-03-19T18:15:00.000-05:002012-03-19T18:15:41.291-05:00Kevin's Pick Of The Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Monday Everyone!<br />
<br />I hope you all had a great weekend! I have to say that I really enjoyed mine - very productive, beautiful weather, great church service, and good food always equals a nice weekend in my world! I live in a great neighborhood and I love when the weather gets nice because everyone is out and about, the flowers are in bloom (due to our monthly HOA fees), and children are playing at the park. It is almost like living in a small utopia. If you listen closely, you can hear a child singing in the distance - until my dog Axel runs out the door and starts barking, ruining the moment! <br />
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So far I have chosen a book (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) as well as an album (Adele - 21) as my picks of the month. This time, I have chosen a website. I cannot remember how I found this website, but I now look forward to it and it fits right in with my belief that the world is a better place when we take action and make a difference in someone's life! The website is: <a href="http://www.dailygood.org/">www.dailygood.org</a> This website is full of stories that inspire, motivate, and challenge us all to look past ourselves and make a positive impact on others. I strongly encourage you to check it out. In a culture that is bombarded with bad news, it is very refreshing to read a site that is fully dedicated to good news! You can sign up for their emails (which I did) and you will receive a daily story in your inbox. The site offers a wide variety of stories and I promise that it will inspire you - or at least give you a smile that day. So check out the site now and sign up for the emails!<br />
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I am excited to say that my blog will be changing on Monday, April 2nd! It will have a brand new look as well as a simpler web address. I am excited about this change and the opportunities that it will bring! I will be asking you to help me promote the new site in April and appreciate all of you that read it!<br />
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April 2nd will also be the next give-a-way! So far, I have given away a Target gift card and a Rachel Ray cookbook - I will announce this week what the next gift will be (OK honestly, I need a few days to figure out what it will be!), but make sure you are a follower of the blog so that you can have a chance to win!!<br />
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Have a great day and see you back here tomorrow!!Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-23378440281144562682012-03-15T19:52:00.000-05:002012-03-15T19:52:27.314-05:00Oh Yeah, There I AmI need to admit that over the last few weeks, I felt as though I had lost myself. With a few frustrations in life, being sick for a week, and just not feeling it - I was having a hard time finding the "half glass full" kind of attitude that I pride myself on for having. I have definitely had writer's block and anytime I sat down to either blog or work on my book - nothing. My mind easily drifted and I just shut my laptop because the words were definitely not flowing from my mind to my fingers. <br />
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Then today, everything changed! It was almost in an instant, but I felt a surge of the good life return and my entire being changed. I was driving and I turned up the music, started dancing and singing and I literally said out loud - There I am! There's the Kevin that loves life! I know it's weird and had you passed me on the road, you for sure would have laughed - or joined me in singing! All of my problems were not fixed but I saw my life from a much better perspective. So many good things are going on and there is a light at the end of the tunnel for those things that have frustrated me. It was more of an inner peace that reminded me that life is good. That moment of encouragement was needed and I am grateful for it. <br />
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Tonight, what I have been reminded of is that many times life happens in waves. There is the ebb and flow of life and the truth is - that is OK! Of course, we all prefer life when it is perfect, the flowers are blooming, and people walk around singing to each other - but let's face it, that is not real life! Sometimes we just go through a funk and we need to go through it so that we can come out of it stronger and more motivated to live out our journey. <br />
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Maybe life is great for you right now. Maybe life sucks for you right now. Maybe you are at a happy medium. Wherever you are - see it for what it really is and know that it's OK. And if it helps, get in the car and do a little singing and dancing - it definitely helped me!<br />
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Hope everyone has a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday! Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-36313685363139554532012-03-12T19:44:00.002-05:002012-03-12T19:44:33.168-05:00Back In The Land Of The Living!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Life definitely has a sense of humor. My last post was written one week ago today and I talked about my mini-staycation and how I was rejuvenated, refreshed, reenergized, and ready for the week ahead! That night I went to bed feeling great and awoke hours later feeling quite the opposite. For the next six days I endured either the flu or a flu-like illness. I cannot say with certainty what I had because I have never had the flu and I never made it to the doctor to have this sickness official declared but from what I saw when I googled my symptoms, it all pointed to the flu. Let me strongly advise against "googling" your symptoms because after reading various sites I knew that I either had the flu or some terrible disease that would probably give me hours to live! Whatever I had was not fun, it drained every ounce of energy I had from my body, and I feel as though I missed an entire week of my life. I was almost ready to wave the white flag, but I did finally recover. I do not make a very good sick person and quickly got very bored - but I can tell you what shows to watch from sun up to sun down in case you ever need to know! So I guess the week was not a total waste, right? </div>
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However, today I am back and ready to welcome life and all of its happiness! I really did miss blogging for a week. I attempted to write one while I was sick, but it quickly made no sense and was more doom and gloom than my normal love life motto so I deleted it. I am looking forward to getting back to writing on a regular basis and continuing to share my journey with all of you. I do not have as much to say today, but just wanted to touch base and let you know I was still here. We are in the third week of March so there are plenty of things still to look at this month and I will cover it all. I hope that all of you are doing well and have not been affected by the flu or the flu-like illness - I hear it's going around! Meet me back here tomorrow and we will get back in the groove.<br />
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Happy Monday Everyone! Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-33288174572832204952012-03-05T18:10:00.000-06:002012-03-05T18:10:51.146-06:00A Mini-Staycation Was Just What I Needed<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHmBLdg8pDC7yfzHIHFHq01JyxfbDKmfiTaxTakd_UhMfR6CsHKC-ZfZxca470QfFI4i2UVa5o7CiafaUgHf3Pym895RuO6FAD11blUlVKdJciSiHdbPSbJ2BjcQcXJHBR2mTA5SzoRI/s1600/staycation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHmBLdg8pDC7yfzHIHFHq01JyxfbDKmfiTaxTakd_UhMfR6CsHKC-ZfZxca470QfFI4i2UVa5o7CiafaUgHf3Pym895RuO6FAD11blUlVKdJciSiHdbPSbJ2BjcQcXJHBR2mTA5SzoRI/s320/staycation.jpg" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div>
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This past Thursday, I did something very spontaneous. I was starting to feel slightly "burnt out" at work and began thinking about all the other things that I needed to get done outside of work. Normally I would continue on working and just make the most of my next day off, but this time I chose to treat myself to some time off. I felt myself getting a little crazy, so action was necessary! When I left for lunch on Thursday, I decided to let that be my last hour of the working week. I signed off my computer, called the necessary people to let them know I would be off the next couple of days, and ran out of the building before anyone could change my mind! I felt so excited driving home - knowing that I had 3 1/2 days to do whatever I wanted!<br />
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It ended up being a full 3 1/2 days, but all activities that I wanted to do and had the time to enjoy doing them. My little niece, Martha Ann, turned 3 and we all got together for her birthday extravaganza! She loves to sing, but there is one song that she absolutely hates and that is the <i>Happy Birthday </i>song! She will sing anything else - I even heard her singing Pitbull's, <i>Give Me Everything</i>, one day (so cute and slightly awkward) - but as soon as anyone begins that familiar birthday tune, she automatically starts crying -as in, full out screaming and crying! So as she sat there looking very cute and ready to blow out her candles, we all stood around the table and sang <i>Old McDonald Had A Farm</i>. It made for a different experience but she loved it and that was all that mattered! Besides celebrating a 3 year old's birthday, I was also able to go out with one of my best friends - which is something we do not get to do often. It was a fun night filled with stories, laughter, and "specialty drinks." Crawling into my bed at 3AM, I was reminded why I do not do that as often anymore - but this was my staycation weekend and I decided to live it up! I also found time to go to my neighborhood coffee shop and work on my new book and I am really excited about the progress being made there. There is something about writing in a coffee shop that makes you feel like a "real writer." I ended the weekend with normal chores - laundry, house cleaning, and Publix shopping. It was a great mini-staycation and I feel very rested, rejuvenated, and ready for a new week!<br />
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You may be saying - why are you telling us this Kevin? That is great that you were able to take time off and do what you wanted, but why would I really care? I am actually a little too busy to even be reading this blog! First of all Mr. or Mrs. Negative, this is my blog so I can share what I want! (Just kidding - and in my head that sounded hilarious!) I tell you about my experiences to follow up with what I wrote last week about finding balance in life and how when things get crazy, sometimes we need to do what it takes to regain that balance. It might be taking a day off of work to just enjoy some much needed "me time". It might be shipping the kids off to their grandparents' house for a sleepover in order to enjoy a night not being parents. Maybe it is simply one hour of the day that you spend alone doing something you love - a good book, a favorite TV show, pinterest (I just started and it's a little addicting!). It is probably safe to say that most of us lead very busy lives and if we are not careful, it is very easy to get overwhelmed and burnt out. My encouragement is to not wait but make that time for yourself to maintain balance and sanity!<br />
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I hope you have a great week and lots of things coming up this month in my blog so stay tuned!Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-75990693221220325992012-03-01T16:40:00.000-06:002012-03-01T16:40:11.074-06:00And The Winner Is....It's time to announce the winner for my March Give-A-Way!!!<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">BETH JULIAN!!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCtv_NWpFfcLzdgIIfrgjX-SS4t3y77ULyg3_kpt8KYJiRVipoOhT_pUXD4ZicYnMALOtPZYEni33N8HDaeRLH7xuU_lfPy6b6zlE4I3EPZ3aUFmIvi4qisutrZGeRjDdHmbdaNc3V1I/s1600/applause2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCtv_NWpFfcLzdgIIfrgjX-SS4t3y77ULyg3_kpt8KYJiRVipoOhT_pUXD4ZicYnMALOtPZYEni33N8HDaeRLH7xuU_lfPy6b6zlE4I3EPZ3aUFmIvi4qisutrZGeRjDdHmbdaNc3V1I/s1600/applause2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Beth will be receiving a copy of one of my favorite cookbooks - Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals. I am definitely a food lover and this cookbook has delicious, easy, and quick recipes - and who doesn't love that?! Congratulations Beth and I will contact you so that I can send you your prize! The next give-a-way will be April 1st!<br />
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Since today is a fun day, I wanted to share a video that I watched this past Sunday night after the Oscars. Jimmy Kimmel has a special on after the Oscars and this year Oprah was one of his guests! Being a fan of Oprah, I was excited to see her on the show - however, I had no idea that it would be a side of Oprah I have never seen before! This video is hilarious and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!<br />
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Have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/IEfNFrMBkBo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-14512714237302153252012-02-29T20:31:00.000-06:002012-02-29T20:31:08.698-06:00How Did You Spend Your "Extra Day"?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaklbehK1iiY7OxOrfdsbbG5MpMH5ynDpfryFRPlnuH8j8fAThMtzuynwZw-lCl1IfR9vR6zENIryCNyzjLZYbKF1ApocVOgYA61yk99rFdIRCR6QLeTu6LmReEiSHQ_sm5tt-emthbI/s1600/leap+year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaklbehK1iiY7OxOrfdsbbG5MpMH5ynDpfryFRPlnuH8j8fAThMtzuynwZw-lCl1IfR9vR6zENIryCNyzjLZYbKF1ApocVOgYA61yk99rFdIRCR6QLeTu6LmReEiSHQ_sm5tt-emthbI/s320/leap+year.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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It happens once every four years and today was the day - we all had 24 extra hours for the year 2012! I wish I had prepared more for this day and really made the most of it. It is an "extra day" and I think that it should be celebrated by doing something out of the ordinary, being extra productive, or just having a party! (Leap year drinks anyone?) I say in 2016, we make the most of February 29th, take the day off from work, and do something great - who's with me! <br />
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Warning: History Lesson Today!<br />
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I have to admit that I have never educated myself on the reason there is a leap year and how it came about. Today I read an article in USA Today that explained how this originated in 46 B.C. when the Roman ruler Caesar added a leap day to the calendar every four years. This wasn't done just for fun. Astronomers came to the conclusion that the Earth does not circle the sun in exactly 365 days. By adding this extra day every four years it kept the season more in line. (Hang on, I'm almost done - don't run away!) This worked until the 1500s when the seasons began getting out of sync again so in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII created the newest calendar that we still use today and began leap year again in 1584. Without leap year, over time the seasons would not line up correctly with the year and everything would get very confusing! So a big "thank-you" to Caesar and Pope Gregory XIII for keeping our lives from getting too crazy!<br />
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<i>Yes, you are very welcome for that very informative history lesson today.</i><br />
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About 5 million people worldwide share this special day as their birthday. I know one of those - my sister, Christy! She, along with 5 million other people, actually has a REAL birthday today. I remember when she was younger, we would tease her and say that if it was not a leap year we did not have to get her a birthday present because she did not really have a birthday (we laughed about it- she cried). Today, I am wishing my sister an extra special Happy Birthday! She turns "8" today - you can do the math. Christy is one of those special people that makes the world a better place for all of those who know her. She is very talented, intelligent, organized, a peacemaker, enjoys life, and although she knows what her purpose is in the world - she does not realize how much of a positive impact she makes on so many people! She is a supportive and encouraging wife, an amazing mother to my two favorite little people, a genuine friend to many, and I love the fact that I call her my sister! <i>Happy Birthday Christy!</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEr11ZW_-F0ZwQ_ypDp9RdWxB8TCPL6WxfGn4MNvsDEFfEvIhCwhz_E0ZKFstpCKpwEj1-7dSg7Bc6yWYs3hUraz9gC2wwmFwYh9ePkfBYeBeQMaumNvGRAGRsC2TORuGE0TgTsRlv4vE/s1600/me+&+christy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEr11ZW_-F0ZwQ_ypDp9RdWxB8TCPL6WxfGn4MNvsDEFfEvIhCwhz_E0ZKFstpCKpwEj1-7dSg7Bc6yWYs3hUraz9gC2wwmFwYh9ePkfBYeBeQMaumNvGRAGRsC2TORuGE0TgTsRlv4vE/s320/me+&+christy.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christy and I back in the day - please notice Christy's hair style and my clothing choice! <br />
And yes, that is a camera hanging from my neck!</td></tr>
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Tomorrow is my next GIVE-A-WAY!! If you love to cook, you will love the Rachael Ray cookbook I am giving to one lucky reader! All that is required is that you are a "follower" of the blog, so if you are not simply click on the link to the right and I will announce the winner tomorrow! I am also posting a hilarious video that Oprah made with Jimmy Kimmel. It is Oprah like you have never seen her before!<br />
<br />Hope you all enjoy this "extra day"!!!<br />
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</div>Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-85698444131233642722012-02-28T21:43:00.001-06:002012-02-28T21:43:58.761-06:00A Little Off Kilter, Out Of Whack, And Not Balanced<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-zP0Tx-TGDCzOU1MknzPn5EKrKm9YGrHj8bwrn190HxwUZjqlvgHkvwjXmeyalPz6jQjd2SG4PwZUw_EgnBQVhDj32A9NtRsb8YP26vGXZ9RNZjlGgfcgN5FtjmGVHW7eNgsUhr4Zrc/s1600/scream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-zP0Tx-TGDCzOU1MknzPn5EKrKm9YGrHj8bwrn190HxwUZjqlvgHkvwjXmeyalPz6jQjd2SG4PwZUw_EgnBQVhDj32A9NtRsb8YP26vGXZ9RNZjlGgfcgN5FtjmGVHW7eNgsUhr4Zrc/s320/scream.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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After writing yesterday's post about life being silent, I began to think about other reasons that might cause life to not seem as in sync as it could. (Did anyone else just think *NSYNC? Just me? Ok - moving on then). Today was a beautiful day here in Nashville and I decided to leave work a couple of hours early so that I could go for a run and enjoy being outside. As soon as I got home, I changed into my running clothes, laced up my sneakers, pressed "play" on my iPod and took off! After a few minutes I remembered how much I enjoy running and how it is not only a way to stay healthy, but also a way to relieve stress and free my mind. Running is one of the very few times in my life where I experience a time to clear my thoughts. Most of the time, my brain is working overtime with all kinds of random thoughts (it is crazy in my head sometimes - not psycho killer crazy, just random crazy) but when I run, I can usually get to a place where I zone out and just simply run. As Katy Perry was singing in my ear (love her new song!), all the frustrations and doubts faded away and I really began to focus more on what is good in my life and what is needed to overcome any obstacles in my way. Running is when a majority of my ideas are formed - because that is when I am thinking very clearly. <br />
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What I realized tonight as I ran was that my life had been somewhat out of balance the last few weeks. Yesterday I mentioned that it had been a few weeks since I had been to church. It had also been a couple of weeks since I had been running. I have not spent much time working on my new book either. I had not been as focused on what is important to me and that was causing me to get a little crazy (hence, the painting above). Yes, there are times that life happens and twenty four hours is simply not enough time to get it all done. Other people need us, situations come up, and life does not always follow our schedule. We cannot beat ourselves us when that happens but we also have to know what is needed in our lives to try and stay balanced. For me, running is a great way for me to stay balanced. Going to church helps to feed what is needed on the inside and to remind me of what life is truly about. Writing is a way for me to express what is going on in my head and exercise a talent I believe God has given me. These things along with others help promote a healthy, much needed balance in my life and out of that comes postive growth. <br />
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For you, it could be many other things. You know what they are. I almost feel guilty sometimes saying that my life is too busy because I am single with no kids and many of you have much more on your plate than I do. However, I believe that we can all relate to that feeling when things just seem to not be in alignment. My guess would be that when we feel that way, we need to stop and think about what is missing that causes us to be out of balance. It is not selfish to take a little time for yourself - whether it's five minutes or an entire day. Make sure that you are allowing yourself the opportunity to recharge and refocus so that we can be used to make a difference in the world around us. <br />
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Find the balance. <br />
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This Thursday, March 1st is the next GIVE-A-WAY!!!!!! One lucky reader will win one of my favorite cookbooks - Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals! Make sure you are a follower and I will announce the winner in 2 days!!! I am also going to share a video from the Jimmy Kimmel show this past Sunday - if you didn't see it and you love Oprah like I do, you will want to watch!Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-73124776722095538592012-02-27T20:11:00.000-06:002012-02-27T20:11:30.576-06:00When Life Is Silent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">After missing church for three weeks, I had been looking forward to going back yesterday. I love my church and it is a highlight of my week to learn, to worship, to feed my soul, and to be challenged. Yesterday was no exception. Pastor Pete spoke on the topic of God being silent in our lives. It was a great message and I encourage all of you to check it out at <a href="http://www.crosspoint.tv/">www.crosspoint.tv</a> </span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">I wanted to talk about it today because it is something I am going through myself. When I look back at my life thus far, I can see times where life was moving forward, goals were being accomplished, prayers were being answered, and I was taking in each moment and savoring its worth. There have been other times where I felt very disconnected from others, unsure about the future, very challenged with life, and as if my prayers were just being tossed around in the wind. I have to be honest and say that right now in my life I feel as though I am a mixture of all of this. There are many great things going on in my life and I do believe that I know my life's purpose and the direction it should be going. There are also areas in my life that I feel very frustrated and that no matter how much I pray, God is simply silent on any kind of an answer. It is in those moments that it is very easy for me to struggle with thoughts of self-pity and frustration and desperately hoping for a change. </span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">As Pastor Pete spoke yesterday on this very topic, I was reminded that it is in the silence where our faith, our hope, and our trust is tested. I do not believe that God causes bad things to happen in our lives, but I do believe that He allows certain things to happen so that He can work out the bigger picture in our journey. It is very easy for me to confidently rely on God's plan for my life when things are great and I am thriving, but what about when there are struggles and frustrations that appear to have no answer? Is God ignoring me? Am I left alone to figure everything out? The answer is no - His love and plan for us are the same whether things are good or when life seems to be silent. </span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">As someone who wants so much out of life, who always dreams big, and does not always possess the virtue of patience - it is sometimes hard for me to trust when life is silent. There are certain things in my life that I want to improve now and for whatever reason, I need to wait a little longer. I know that probably all of you have dealt with this at one time or another. My encouragement to all of us is that we would continue to hope and believe that the One who is greater will continue to guide us even in times of silence. One of my friends posted this on facebook a few days ago and I was reminded of it yesterday: </span><br />
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<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><em>If we really believe that God is sovereign, infinitely good and loves us beyond compare, then why do we worry and stress over delays in our plans. So today trust and know His ways are best.</em></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6rmzT06xEJs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-15294198089711816142012-02-23T19:15:00.001-06:002012-02-23T19:15:23.709-06:00My Least Favorite Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUy04NRS5JiJ7JmuMWlhE2Jj-MmG0g2cZJM2V4Yhbh4qQOAvGQyHcwsXgeQ8SlKy3R3bne8QqDSNWyOHggpFREAf9lWPppYwyCAVuuZJixpO_KzMIkmf1NJpoHfivsTaQ-w6S3RFSrX0/s1600/fine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUy04NRS5JiJ7JmuMWlhE2Jj-MmG0g2cZJM2V4Yhbh4qQOAvGQyHcwsXgeQ8SlKy3R3bne8QqDSNWyOHggpFREAf9lWPppYwyCAVuuZJixpO_KzMIkmf1NJpoHfivsTaQ-w6S3RFSrX0/s320/fine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Just a couple of things before we get started...<br />
<br />1. Next Thursday, March 1st is our next give-a-way!! I will be giving one of Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Cookbooks to one of my followers of the blog. I have tried many of the recipes and they really are quick, easy, and delicious! Being a lover of food, I found it fitting to share great recipes with one of you! So make sure you are a follower by clicking on the link to the right and I will announce the winner on March 1st!<br />
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2. Thanks to those of you who have responded to the new idea on my blog - <em>What's Your Story</em>. It is something I am trying where I will share other people's stories so that we can learn, be encouraged, and lets' face it - hear about someone else's life besides mine all the time (so says one of my best friends)! If you would like to participate, simply send an email to <a href="mailto:livingoutmyjourney@gmail.com">livingoutmyjourney@gmail.com</a> and I will send you a simple questionairre to fill out and return to me. I plan to begin posting them next month!<br />
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So what would you say is one of your least favorite words? There are certain words that I do not like for various reasons such as - <em>belly</em> (it just sounds weird to me), <em>buddy</em> (never call me that - I use that word for little kids and dogs), <em>tore my stomach up</em> (I HATE it when people say that). I know there are others but those are the first ones that came to mind. <br />
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But there is a word that is used every day by many people that I really do not like. It is a boring, overused word that really has no meaning and does not give me any more information about a person than when we started. That word is <em>fine</em>. How are you doing? I'm <em>fine</em> (ugh -so boring!) How was your day? It was <em>fine</em> (that tells me nothing!) How was your 14 day, perfect weather, all expenses paid Hawaiian vacation? It was<em> fine</em> (just shoot me now!). The word <em>fine</em> could be good or bad - we really do not know. What about when you make someone mad and then try to make it better and they say - "Don't worry about it, it's fine" in that very condescending way. So annoying! <br />
<br />I wish that this very bland word could be taken out of our vocabulary. I think it has become such a habit for people to respond with <em>I am fine</em> that they do not even hear what they are saying. Yes, I know that even saying <em>how are you</em> is just a figure of speech sometimes because we really do not care - it is just something you say after <em>hello</em>. Just please give me something other than fine. I'm good, I'm great, I'm wondeful, I'm not so good, I'm mad, I'm annoyed - anything to me is better than fine. Let's try to break the pattern of <em>how are you - I'm fine</em>. The next time someone asks you - give them a more descriptive word! I can promise that if you ask me - you will not hear the F word coming out of my mouth!<br />
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So today is the day to get rid of the F word (and belly, buddy, and that other phrase)! No more boring, repetitive, mediocre answers! We are anything but fine!<br />
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Have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!!!!!Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-74169743020990750382012-02-21T22:14:00.000-06:002012-02-21T22:14:30.884-06:00It's That Time Of The MonthNo, not THAT time of the month (although they do say that guys have them too)! But I am definitely not talking about that. What I am talking about is - <em>Kevin's Time of the Month</em> (sounds a little awkward?). It's <em>Kevin's Monthly Review</em> (just sounds a little boring). It's <em>Kevin's Pick of the Month</em> (I kinda like that a little better). Maybe one day I will decide on something good - until then, feel free to leave any good suggestions in the comments below!<br />
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Each month, I like to recommend something that I want everyone to know about - a good book, movie, restaurant, website, etc. This month it is going to be music. My pick is not anything new really. Unless you live under a rock, you have definitely heard of this girl, but due to all of her recent Grammy awards I just wanted to make sure that everyone is listening to her! My pick this month is the CD - "21" by Adele.<br />
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I remember first hearing Adele on the radio in the early part of last year. Her voice was mesmerizing, her sound was unique and refreshing, and the lyrics were real and relatable. I quickly purchased her CD and did not stop listening to it for weeks on end. Seriously - I played it nonstop in my car until I knew every word to every song! There are very few CD's that I own where I could say that I love every song. Normally, there are a lot of good songs, but there are always a few that you skip over. That is not true with Adele. Every song is one that you will listen to over and over!<br />
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Her album "21" is all about a breakup with a guy and her reflections on that experience. I do not know who the guy was but her relationship and breakup with him made for some incredible songs. I wonder what her ex thinks about all of this? The connection throughout her music is that we can all relate to what she went through. These songs on "21" deal with the anger, sadness, self-examination, and forgiveness that come from ending a relationship. If you are going through a break up and play this CD - you will feel the need to turn it up and give your ex a "take that" attitude but then you will also want to sit in the dark and cry your eyes out on the next song (not me, but I have heard some people have reacted this way). Some of my favorites include <em>Rumor Has It</em> (track 2), <em>Turning Tables</em> (track 3), and <em>Someone Like You</em> (track 11). I am listening to the CD now as I write this and have it turned up loud - it's so good!<br />
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Adele's full name is Adele Laurie Blue Adkins and she is from London. I recently learned that she was discovered when a friend of hers posted a demo Adele had recorded onto Myspace (remember Myspace?). Her career has skyrocketed in the last few years and last week at the Grammys she won 6 awards including album of the year. She is one of those truly talented singers that does not need a lot of "extra" to make her live performance great. Her vocals are enough and when set to emotional music - it makes for a truly remarkable experience. One of my goals is to see her perform live! <br />
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If you have not purchased her album, "21", please get it today! You will not be disappointed! I have included a video from the Grammys last week of her performance to <em>Rolling in the Deep</em> - it's a great song and performance!<br />
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Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend! I have to admit that mine was sort of a roller coaster because there were many good moments but also some frustrating moments. Many times when I get frustrated, I take a minute to refocus myself and will work through it. Then there are those times that I let it get the best of me and I go into a "Kevin mood" that is never fun to be around! By late Sunday afternoon, I was in a full blown "Kevin mood" and just felt overwhelmed with certain frustrating issues in my life. </div>
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I had almost decided to go to bed early last night (I didn't even want to be around myself anymore) but then I remembered a show on Oprah's network (OWN) called <em>Oprah's Next Chapter</em> that was coming on. Most of the time I will just let the DVR record it and watch it later, but I knew the preview showed Oprah walking across fire and I thought I might like to see that and it would probably help get me out of my mood! I am so glad that I stayed up because it was exactly the motivation and slap in the face that I needed last night!</div>
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Oprah attended one of Tony Robbins' seminars called - <em>Unleashing the Power Within</em>. I knew a little about Tony Robbins' but mainly thought of him as just another motivational speaker or someone who did a lot of late night infomercials back in the day. This particular seminar is twelve hours a day for four days - which at first simply sounds exhausting! The show featured highlights from the seminar. It only covered the first day because that was all that Oprah was there for but it was enough to make me want to attend one of these conferences if I ever get the chance (although they said that the cheap seats are around $800 so it probably will not be anytime soon!). Tony Robbins' does not like to be called a motivational speaker. Rather, he is better known as a life coach. He is energetic, loud, tall (he's 6'7") and very focused on helping people realize their fullest potential as human beings. There were many take-a-ways from the show that I am sure I will share in later blogs, but the big build up was the firewalk that would happen that night. Oprah said that when she arrived at the conference, she had no intention of walking across fire, but after being there for twelve hours, she wanted to conquer her fears and do it! </div>
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Tony's intention for having every participant (there were 4,000 at this particular conference) walk across fire that night was to help them conquer their fear and experience a breakthrough moment. If you can walk across fire, then what else can you do with your life? I have to say that as the program built up to the big finale, I found myself nervous - not only for Oprah - but wondering if I would have what it took to walk across fire. Having watched the show, I am convinced that I want to do it! My mood was changed last night and I saw my frustrations for what they really were. Yes, they are problems that I will work through, but they are not the end of the world like I led myself to believe earlier in the day. I see the problem, I know what I need to do to resolve it, and I get off my butt and do it! Working towards the resolution produces much more progress than sitting around in my own little pity party of one! </div>
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I have included the video below from the show last night. It is exciting and funny. It convinced me that I want to walk across fire when I get the opportunity! As I went to bed last night, I was reminded of my own purpose in life and what the possibilities are. Maybe this will motivate you to do the same!</div>
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</div>Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-24405092116940108802012-02-16T20:35:00.002-06:002012-02-16T20:35:48.664-06:00My (Almost) World Famous Salsa!So I have decided what my give-a-way will be for March 1st. The idea came from my sister, Christy, so I have to give her credit for this one. I love food and I enjoy cooking so I am going to give away one of my favorite cookbooks! It is one of Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Cook Books! It is full of great recipes that are easy and quick to make (hence the name). I have tried many of them and it has always been an "oh wow this is delicious!" food experience - and who doesn't like great food? So if you are reading this and you love Rachael Ray - just make sure you are a follower on my blog and I will announce the winner March 1st!<br />
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In the spirit of great food - I wanted to share one of my own recipes. I love salsa and started making my own and it seems to get a lot of praise! Some have even said that it's like crack because it is so addicting - and there really is no higher compliment than that! It is basic salsa really but there are just a couple of twists with mine that I believe helps with great flavor! <br />
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I hope you all have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday! Here's the recipe for the salsa (otherwise known as crack salsa!)<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 Tomatoes – chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Green Pepper – seeded and diced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Red Pepper – seeded and diced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 White Onion – chopped </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 Jalapeno – chopped, diced, leave as many seeds in as you
dare</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cilantro – chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 Limes – use the zest and juice from the lime</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Salt – to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cinnamon – it’s the secret ingredient!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All you need is a pinch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Combine tomatoes, green pepper, red pepper, white onion,
jalapeno, and cilantro together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add
lime zest and juice from both limes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(The best way to get all the juice is to use your teeth to squeeze the
limes – something I learned from Oprah!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Add salt to taste and a pinch of cinnamon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is the other secret part to the recipe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pour half of the combined ingredients into a
blender and pulse a few times until well blended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mix blended and chopped ingredients together
and refrigerate for about an hour (if possible) before serving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enjoy!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Serves 5 – unless you are my sisters – in that case, it
serves only one </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J </span></span><br />
<br />Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-74722440227006538002012-02-14T22:25:00.000-06:002012-02-14T22:25:04.174-06:00A Shout Out To The Singles!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let's face it - today is one of those days that most single people just love to hate! As many people get all giddy making plans with their significant other, the rest of us seem to have a big sign taped to our forehead that screams - YES, I AM ALONE TODAY! Valentine's Day is a holiday that draws a big line between those who have someone in their life and those who do not. Couples will enjoy nice candlelit dinners at fancy restaurants while the single people will sit at home, lights off, eating Ben & Jerry's, and watching The Real Housewives marathon. How many single people sat at work and watched an ungodly amount of roses and oversized balloons being delivered - hoping that a friend, your mom, or that creep down the street would send you something just so that you could smile and pretend it was from a "special someone."</div>
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Ah yes, Valentine's Day. No matter how you look at it - No matter how many times you remind yourself that you should just love yourself (blah blah blah!), today was not meant for the singles. It is a day to celebrate all the couples in the world and all the sappy cards that they buy for each other. It is a day to get that perfect reservation at that sentimental restaurant as two people stare into each other's eyes hoping that it will turn out like the movies portray it to be. It is a day to try and live up to all the hype that the commercials make it out to be.</div>
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Well, I say that today we also celebrate those of us who are single and proud of it! Think about it - we did not have to fight with others at Hallmark for that perfect card. We did not have to beg and plead for a last minute reservation at some over-crowded restaurant! We did not have to embarrass our loved one at work with expensive flowers and balloons that are too big to fit in our car! That's right single people across this nation - we saved our money! We stayed at home in our comfy clothes! We enjoyed every bit of that double chocolate, brownie fudge ice cream! (I can hear the emotional music playing in the background now). I say stand up and be proud! It is Singles Awareness Day - otherwise known as S.A.D. (wait.. what?!)</div>
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So Happy Valentine's Day to all the couples out there - I genuinely hope it was a great day and the magic is still alive! And also a big Happy Valentine's Day to all the singles out there - if you are like me, it was still a great day and you are really OK with being single! Or if you are not like me, all I can say is there are only a couple of more hours to this horrible day - hang on just a little bit longer!!</div>
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<br /></div>Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-11364634240551360062012-02-13T21:02:00.000-06:002012-02-13T21:02:32.156-06:00Just A Few Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. My sister, Christy, and her family recently purchased their first home which is very exciting! However, the not so exciting part is that every room in the house needs painting. Not only painting, but taking down wall paper (which is a nightmare), sanding, and then painting. My two sisters and I are close and a benefit of being so close is that when one of us takes on a project - it usually means that all three of us are taking on that project! Therefore, my weekend was spent with paintbrush in hand, Pandora music playing on our phones, endless amounts of Chick Fil A & McDonald's sweet tea - and my little niece and nephew running around loving every minute of it! Although it is a lot of hard work, we do manage to have fun and laugh a lot in the process. The end result - basically a brand new house - will make all the work worth it, right! At least worth it for Christy and her family (wait a minute). <br />
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I just wanted to go over a few things today. I have received emails from some of you wanting to participate in <em>What's Your Story?</em> - my new section of the blog that will include stories from others and how we can learn from what is going on in your lives. For those of you who have responded - I will be sending out the questionnaires this week. If you would like to participate, simply send an email to <a href="mailto:livingoutmyjourney@gmail.com">livingoutmyjourney@gmail.com</a> and I will send you the questionnaire to fill out and return to me. The form will ask questions about your life and give you a chance to share your story with others. It is very easy - I promise! I plan to post 2 or 3 of these each month. I'm very excited about this new project and hope that many of you will participate!<br />
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Also, for any of you that live in the Nashville area - I am starting a project called <em>Pay It Forward</em> <em>Nashville!</em> This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and really feel like this is the year to take action. The goal is to have events once a month that will reach out to a person, family, or group of people that are very deserving of something good in their lives! As we do good for others, it will inspire them to keep it going and pay it forward! Right now, I am in the very beginning stages - a grassroots effort if you will - and I need to build awareness. If you have not done so, please go to the facebook page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/payitforwardnashville">www.facebook.com/payitforwardnashville</a> and click "like". Once you have done that, please "share" it with any and all of your facebook friends that also live in the Nashville area! I am working on a website and more info will come out soon!<br />
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March 1st will be our next give-a-way! This is a way for me to say "thank-you" to all of you that read my blog. I gave away a Target gift card last month! You have to be a follower to win so click on "followers" in the top right corner so that you can have a chance to win something (and read my blog - but winning is fun too!). I will let you know next week what the prize will be - yes, the waiting will build suspense and yes, I need more time to think of what the prize will be!<br />
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Hope you all have a great week and I will see you back here tomorrow!Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-33689886581785548722012-02-08T17:20:00.000-06:002012-02-08T17:20:33.510-06:00What's Your Story?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was out a couple of weeks ago and upon meeting someone, they asked me - <em>so what's your story</em>? In my over-analyzing, over-thinking kind of way I was unsure how to respond and my thoughts were racing. Does he want to know my entire story? Where should I start? Maybe we should sit down for this. My face is not very good at hiding what I am thinking so he looked at me and said - <em>just the</em> <em>basics will be fine</em>. This began a great conversation of learning each other's stories and that experience plus my own curiosity about people led me to wanting to start this new idea. <br />
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I am excited about including other people's stories into my blog. I hope to have sit down conversations with various people and actually interview them to get their story! However, some of you who read my blog do not live close by and I really want to know your story as well. I have come up with various questions I would ask to get a glimpse into your life and would like to know if any of you would like to submit your stories for an upcoming blog. If you are interested, simply send me an email and I will send you a questionnaire to fill out and send back to me. You can click on the contact info under my profile to submit an email. If you have any trouble, the address is: <a href="mailto:livingoutmyjourney@gmail.com">livingoutmyjourney@gmail.com</a>. <br />
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Don't worry - I am not asking you to write a book. The questions will be a guide to use and of course you do not have to share anything that you do not want others to read - it is not a tell-all for me to share all your deepest darkest secrets! It will simply help us learn more about you, where life has taken you so far, and your goals for the future. I know that we can all learn from others and the life they are living. I hope to hear from many of you and believe that it will be a great addition to my blog!<br />
<br />Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-76521094477924081082012-02-06T20:09:00.000-06:002012-02-06T20:09:39.027-06:00Why I Love Publix - And You Should Too!<br />
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I love to grocery shop! I hear so many people saying that they hate it - but I have always enjoyed it. I think it comes from my mom because she loves to grocery shop as well. When we were younger, she preferred to go by herself whenever possible. She said that my sisters and I would always ask for more than she planned to buy. Then we would try to sneak things into the cart so that it would find its way to the checkout before she had a chance to put it back! I think they used to make shopping carts differently because I can remember riding underneath the cart and thinking how cool that was. Did anyone else do that as a kid? Now when I am pushing a shopping cart, I have no idea how any child could fit under there comfortably! Now that I think about it, maybe one of the reasons Mom loved to grocery shop was because it was time for her to be by herself - away from us kids! Growing up, we were a Kroger and Walmart kind of family. I am from Jackson, Tennessee, and those are really the only two choices when it comes to grocery shopping. As I got older I heard about other stores, but only ever experienced Kroger and Walmart - until I moved to Nashville and my eyes were opened to a new store, one I had never heard of...a place called Publix. <br />
<br />My first time was one that I will never forget. As I walked through the sliding doors I was immediately greeted by such friendly faces. All of the workers in their green shirts were walking around as though they actually enjoyed their job! There was a different energy here than what I had experienced at other places and my heart felt all warm and tingly inside. My first stop was the bakery - the sights and smells are what I imagine part of Heaven to be like. Fresh bread, decadent desserts, muffins, cakes, and pies - all begging to be tasted. As I stood smiling in the middle of the bakery section, just taking it all in I heard - <em>Welcome to Publix, how can I help you today?</em> These people were so nice and offered me a sample and I love a good food sample! As I turned the corner, I noticed a nice older lady cooking. She was actually cooking an entire meal and offered free samples for us to try! Of course I did not turn it down and she gave me the recipe card to go along with it. How great is that?! The produce section was overflowing with beautiful and fresh vegetables. I immediately realized that this is what grocery shopping was meant to be like. If I remember correctly, a small tear made its way down my face. <br />
<br />Normally when I mention Publix to someone, their first response is - they are too high! I cannot afford to shop there! Although I can appreciate their response and agree that some of their products cost more than other places, I have learned the art of smart shopping and would like to pass it on to you. My receipts now show at least a 50% savings and some items I get for practically free! <em>50% savings? Almost free products? At Publix? Kevin, that's not possible!</em> Yes people - I tell you the truth! The secret lies in two words - BOGO and coupons. Each week, Publix advertises Buy One Get One free on various items throughout the store. At first I was buying one and also getting the free one. Then I realized that if I just buy one - then I am getting it for half price! (Yes, I know that is common sense for some of you, but it was actually a break through moment for me!) The second part of the equation is coupons. Each week now, I cut out all of the coupons in the weekly fliers. Unless its baby products, girly products, or old people products - I cut it out because you never know what is going to go on sale. I have an organizer and file them each week. It is a little like the show <em>Extreme Couponing</em> but I am not quite to their level - not yet at least. I have the Publix Ap on my iPhone and every Wednesday I look to see what the BOGO's (like how I use the lingo?) are for that week. Many times, I will have a coupon to put with the product as well. When that happens - it is an exciting moment because you save lots! I have bought cereal for fifty cents before and Edwards frozen chocolate pies for thirty-five cents - that was such a great day! Occasionally a fellow "couponer" will see me with my coupon organizer and share other secrets with me. It is great how coupons will turn strangers into instant friends!<br />
<br />Now this is key to smart shopping at Publix. You have to plan your meals around your shopping, not the other way around. If you make a meal list and try to shop for those particular items, you will not save as much. I am able to make great meals each night with what I buy each week. It might take a couple of weeks to stock up at first but my pantry and refrigerator now stay fully stocked - and that never happened before with those other places. Meats and vegetables are rarely BOGO at Publix so I buy them on a need to have basis. Before some of the moms out there blast me with emails - let me beat you to it and say - yes, I know that your results may be slightly different than mine when shopping for an entire family and yes, I also know that when you have kids you need to go to ONE store and get everything that you need in ONE stop (my sister tells me this all the time). All I am saying is - try it! I still visit some of the other stores from time to time to get necessary items that may not be on sale at Publix, but I would safely say that 90% of what I buy comes from Publix. If you have never been, just try it! The combination of exceptional customer service and great savings have made me a faithful Publix customer - and if I can help any of you save a dollar here and there - I am more than happy to share it! <br />
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If any of you have any shopping secrets that you would like to pass along - use the comment section below to share it! Happy Shopping Everyone!Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5613733089301130478.post-21722099485746333562012-02-02T19:59:00.000-06:002012-02-02T22:22:55.304-06:00A Preview Of What's To Come<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am sitting at a coffee shop here in my neighborhood. It is one of my new favorite spots and it is a great place to write! I am also learning that I do not have a firm grasp on the entire coffee lingo. I ordered a "macchiato" - very confident that I fit in with the coffee house crowd. The barista (I do know that term!) looked at me with a combination of hesitation and pity and asked if I was sure that's what I wanted since a macchiato was simply espresso with foam on it. Basically, it would be over in about two sips. I immediately responded with a nervous laugh and a - <em>what I meant to say was</em>..... and she helped me make a better decision. Hopefully in time, I will gain a better understanding of the terminology and be able to order a crazy sounding drink with proper confidence. <br />
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While here, I did something that I rarely do - I went back and read my blogs from January. Normally, once I post it I do not go back and read it. Oprah says that she rarely watches herself on TV so I do not need to go back and read my own blogs, right? Well, I noticed that for now, I should go back and read them - especially proofread before posting them out into the world. I am a stickler for spelling and grammar and I noticed a few grammatical errors (embarrassing!) for which I deeply apologize for and promise to do better in the future. I guess Oprah has "people" to help her and the last time I checked - I do not have "people" yet so I better keep proofreading my own work for now. <br />
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However, the other positive outcome that came out of rereading January's blogs was to have a better focus of where February is going. I love writing and doing this blog and I try to maintain a focused energy on where it is going. I take it seriously and have a strong desire to encourage others in their journey. I hope that each month gets better than the last and I know that planning on my part will help me to work harder and produce more entertaining yet effective blogs. <br />
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As you visit my blog this month (and I hope you will) I plan to incorporate some of the things I talked about in January. I am moving forward with my own personal goals and although it helps me to talk about them here, I hope that it encourages you with your own goals for 2012. I am also really excited about including other people's stories as part of my blog! My goal is to publish two of them this month. I may be reaching out to some of you to hear your story. If you know someone that has a very interesting life (not the boring ones) and would encourage all of us - let me know! I will include Kevin's Monthly Review (I'm not liking the name - I need suggestions!) and I am sure that a funny story will come out this month as well. For those of you in the Nashville area, there will be a push towards <em>Pay It Forward Nashville</em> - my big dream - so get ready for some exciting news for that this month as well! And another give-a-way will happen March 1st - wow, I have a lot to work on this month!<br />
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I hope that February includes a lot of exciting things for you as well. I almost forgot that Valentine's Day will be here soon. I guess that clearly shows that I am single! We also get one extra day this leap year and that's very exciting for anyone who was born on February 29th - my sister, Christy, being one of them! So let's start this month off with ideas, vision, hard work, and some fun along the way, too! Hope you all have a great weekend and I will see you back here Monday!Kevin Buchananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956751685919406144noreply@blogger.com0