Without any ado, here are the things I give a High Five to this week.

1. Song I enjoyed listening to the most: Pray to Your Name, by Don Chapman and Adam Fisher, sung by Steve Smith and the Brookwood Church Praise Choir.

When I was a worship leader, I would spend hours at a time, listening to songs to sing during worship time. This is one of my favorite songs. I listen to it over and over and never get tired of hearing it.

"When there's nothing I can do, I will lift my eyes to you..."

This week I noticed my clothes were fitting more loosely. I weighed myself and I discovered I had lost a little bit of weight. I also noticed that the arthritis pain in my shoulders had reduced. In the past, I was unable to raise my arms without extreme pain. Now, I can raise my hands above my head and swing them in circles. There is still a little pain, but I can do more today than I have been able to do in a very long time. I am open to considering that my results may be psychological, but I don’t care. I’m seeing positive results. No pain is all gain.. that is... unless it's weight gain. Tee hee hee!

I read that as a pain reliever, capsaicin is so powerful it is banned from use at Equestrian sporting events. Horses that test positive for capsaicin are banned from racing.

Here is my disclaimer for sharing my experience with capsaicin. I am not a doctor, so I cannot give an official account of the effects of capsaicin. Your experience may be completely different than mine. If you have any medical conditions, be sure to check with your doctor before trying capsaicin or any supplement.

3. Truism: A fake online friend can be more real than a live fake friend.

Think about it.

Sometimes the people we have never met in our lives – fake... virtual people who support us online through  professional communities and forums can give us the kind of support we need to thrive in life. Sometimes the live... actual people we associate with on a regular basis can be the most hurtful, least supportive people in the world.

I strongly believe that whether virtual or actual, we live a better life by hanging out with the people who instill confidence in us, helping us to become better people. Our Heavenly Father desires for us to serve others with the kind of love and compassion that he shows us. Be real. Be kind. Be gentle.

“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” Luke 6:31 (New American Standard Bible)
The golden rule!

4. Bible verse that helped me through the week: Philippians 4:13 (New King James Version)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

5. Television show that had me rolling on the floor laughing: Best Time Ever with host Neil Patrick Harris.

This is one of those shows that I thought was going to be… stupid. But, this week as I was thumbing through the channels wishing there was something decent to watch, I lingered on NBC just long enough to catch the gist of the show. Best Time Ever is a variety show containing pure entertainment. Before the show ended, I set my cable service to record every episode. I actually went back to re-watch that night’s episode again. It is stupidly funny and now I look forward to watching it again next week. Few shows capture my attention the way this show does. It’s clean, it’s humorous, and that Neil Patrick Harris is one very talented guy.

Aside from the highlights, it has been a rather uneventful week. Quiet days leave me challenged to find the one thing that stood out in that day. When there is nothing happening, it forces me to be even more quiet and reflective, thinking about the things I am grateful for.

Here are the five things I am grateful for this week.

My High Fives for this Friday...

1. Song I enjoyed listening to the most: All of Me by John Legend

“I give you all of me and you give me all of you.”

Whenever this song comes on, my husband and I sing it like a duet. He actually has a really nice voice. He can hit all the high notes in this song... on pitch, I might add. Nowadays, I don’t really know how John Legend sounds when he sings this song, because my husband and I sing over the song at the top of our lungs every time it comes on. It’s like our cue to sing loud. It’s a little out of character for both of us to break out in song, but it’s kind of fun. This is one of those things that make memories we can share with our grand kids someday.

Lo and behold, I get a phone call from a real estate broker whose blog I maintain each week. I also create CMA’s and help her with her marketing program. Anyway, she calls me on Monday morning and asks me if I would consider being her Escrow Coordinator. What? Of course! I jumped at the opportunity to work a few hours here and there and bring in a few hundred dollars per transaction. Everything is digitally managed. After being in real estate for 26 years, I would have no trouble managing the escrow transactions this broker has lined up for me to coordinate.

Most people would think this is pure coincidence. I know better. This is my heavenly Father looking out for me. He knew what I needed, knew my anxiety, knew my willingness to do what needed to be done for the money and so He provided a way for me to obtain the money in a way that would be most rewarding for me. That’s my Amazing God! He just does stuff like that.

3. Most fun I had: This actually happened last week, but on the weekend. I had the pleasure of attending my youngest grandson’s football game. Oh what fun I had in the stands with my husband, daughter and all the fans (parents) rooting on the young players. They won their game and so the mood was high. After the game, we went to my daughter’s home where she provided a scrumptious dinner. By the way, I want the recipe for the spices used on that Tri Tip Steak. Anyway, we laughed and carried on like party hounds. It was fun. It was memorable and I can hardly wait until we do that again.

4. Best life lesson: (Poem) You Pen a Post

You pen a post
An update boast
Expect at most
You’re not a ghost

© Marlene C. Bertrand 2015

Few things can drive your demeanor down like a Facebook post that gets zero responses. You share an update with your “friends” and it seems like no one cares. This happens to me a lot. In the past, it made me feel insignificant. Fortunately, I am quick to shake off that feeling of inferiority. People are as busy taking care of their lives as I am taking care of my life. Besides, it’s more fun interacting with live people, getting real hugs instead of virtual (((((HUGS))))), (SMILEY FACE), and I (HEART) U.

5. What I am really happy about: Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S.

Even though I am not Catholic, millions of people in this country are Catholic. The truth is, people don’t have to be Catholic to appreciate the Pope’s message of love and peace. I am happy the Pope had time to visit our country because so many people are lost in this world and the presence of the Pope gives us all hope that things will get better here. I know people are listening to the Pope, and when I hear the Pope say things like, “Treat others as you would have them treat you.” I get the feeling things have a chance of getting better.

Those are my High Fives for this Friday. Please leave a comment, maybe share something you are grateful for this week.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Here are the highlights of week 3.

1. Song I enjoyed listening to the most: Duet: “Tell Him” by Celine Dion & Barbra Streisand.

This is a beautiful blend of two of the prettiest voices on the planet.

Some of the lyrics: “Tell him that the sun and moon rise in his eyes…” “Love will be the gift you give yourself...” “Never let him go...”

This song reminds me of how fortunate I am to be married to someone who jumps up with joy to help me in anything I do. This is a man who wakes up every morning and jumps out of bed like a Pogo stick. The entire day is filled with excitement when he’s around. This song reminds me to thank him for the joy he brings to my life each day.

2. Best news I heard all week: “You have been pre-approved for the loan.”

My husband and I have been saving for years to build on some vacant land that we purchased. We paid all cash for the land and wanted to keep the property unencumbered with loan obligations. So we save a little and build a little. It has been five years now and the property is still not complete. We wanted to build without a loan. But, we’re getting older and more tired. Now, we just want the thing to be done. So, we applied for a home loan and were pre-approved for the loan. That’s good news. It’s the best news we’ve heard all week. But, we’re not totally happy because it means we have given up our goal of owning the property free and clear. We haven’t accepted the loan yet. Still, it is good news. We’re praying about this loan and we’ll make a definitive decision next week.

4. Most inspirational message: Poem - Sorrow Seems to Follow

Sorrow seems to follow
Everywhere you look.
Maybe you need new glasses
And a word from the good book.

©Marlene C. Bertrand 2015 

5. Funniest joke I heard: Told by Drew Lynch - Contestant on America's Got Talent.

Drew is a stuttering comedian who made it to the finals. His jokes are hilarious. When Nick Cannon asks Drew what it would mean for him to win America’s Got Talent, Drew answers something like this, “Well, my girlfriend has been working three jobs so that I can pursue my dream. If I win America’s Got Talent, I’ll let her drop down to two.”

The crowd roared. I fell on the floor laughing.

That's it for High Five Friday. Have a great weekend!

High Five Friday! The highlights!
1.       Song I enjoyed listening to the most: “Thinking Out Loud”, by Ed Sheeran. My favorite verse is the lyrics where he sings, “We found love right where we are.” I don’t think he has ever written a song I didn’t like. The video that accompanies this song is really quite beautiful. I didn’t know Ed could dance. He can, and he does quite well. Watch him perform with a very talented dancer in the official video of Thinking Out Loud.

2.       Funniest joke I read: The joke is about priorities -
A writer comes home to a burned down house. His sobbing and slightly-singed wife is standing outside. "What happened, honey?" the man asks.

"Oh, John, it was terrible," she weeps. "I was cooking, the phone rang. It was your agent. Because I was on the phone, I didn't notice the stove was on fire. It went up in seconds. Everything is gone. I nearly didn't make it out of the house. Poor Fluffy is--"

"Wait, wait. Back up a minute," The man says. "My agent called?"

3.       Best thing I discovered: Adult coloring books. They have all kinds of themes. The ones that peak my interest are the coloring books that have the stress-relieving patterns. You can buy them at book stores or online at places like Amazon. They are reasonably priced, too. Who would have thought that as an adult, I would still be coloring in books.

4.      Most exciting place I visited: Like I said before, I don’t get out much, so the most exciting place I visited this week was the Department of Disabled Veterans (DAV) in Yuba City. The DAV was conducting a free help seminar to assist disabled veterans receive the benefits they are entitled to receive. I went there with my husband who is a veteran who was wounded during the Vietnam war.

5.      Most inspirational message: “Whatever you say, whatever you do, people are watching and learning from you.” –Marlene Bertrand. I wrote this one especially to state that as a parent, we have an opportunity to teach our children how to behave. Children are good at mimicking. They watch what we do so they can copy us. We are their teachers. They are watching and learning from us. Our children are not the only ones who are watching what we do. Other people, who we interact with on a regular basis or by chance, are also watching what we do. This is another opportunity to teach and mentor to all people through our actions.

Well, folks! Those are the high fives for my week. Have a wonderfully blessed weekend.