Hi Shenanigan Enthusiasts! 

Holy moly it has been a week full of blessings and lessons in our neck of the woods! Chip had his first real snow day since joining the funny farm family, Jeff, my handsome hubby (for those that don’t know), helped me turn over the bedding in the garage aka “Chip’s room” and put some new larger spools in the barnyard for the goats to hop up on and play king of the spool. Miss Bonnie can’t quite make the leap, so we put an old trough out for her to use as a step up. Fingers and toes crossed that these ones are solid enough Rowdy can’t buck them down the hill like he did the smaller ones. Happy goats, happy funny farm! I think Huckleberry has forgiven me for bringing Chip home. Merle the ‘paca loves Chip and anyone else who will tolerate his loves. He is a smotherer! Rowdy is sweet but making sure Chip knows who is boss. Trekking Chip back and forth from the house to the barnyard every day is helping to halter train him. He happily puts it on and trots down and back up every morning and evening.  It might help that I always have some treats in my bucket too. He is my spirit animal like that, I too, am easily persuaded by yummy eats (Nachos!) and good sips (Funny Farm Moonshine!) We are all learning and growing together around here!

 

What we aren’t doing together around here is shoveling the sh*t. That is reserved for me. And I am perfectly happy with my early morning sh*t shoveling therapy sessions. The earlier the better but I have been slacking a bit on getting down there this week which results in that much more you know what to shovel. Huckleberry is always right by my side, sometimes getting a scoop of poop on his back when I am not paying attention and chuck it over his way!!! Poor Huck!  As always, one morning I had tunes playing in my pocket as I went about my chores and thanking God for another sunrise hosting a new day full of new possibilities. Funny how those tunes so often turn out to be a little message to reflect on just singing away in my pocket. I heard the song Lessons by Tommy Karlas for the first time this week. A little miracle, I needed in the moment it showed up. Much to reflect on. 

 

Lessons by Tommy Karlas (click here to enjoy and reflect)

 

….. You ain’t gonna win if you plan on losing

Sometimes a curse can be a blessing

So wait your turn and learn your lessons

Don’t hold a grudge, it will make you bitter

Don’t think that money is gonna make you richer

Happiness ain’t about possessions

Gotta crash and burn and learn your lessons

You can’t win ‘em all, you can’t change the past

Don’t take for granted what you/ve got

Don’t always want what you don’t have

Take some chances, have some faith

Make the most of everyday

‘Cause it could all be over in a second….

 

LESSONS

My goodness, as each line was sung it hit home. Yes, so true, I thought. I considered how powerful my mind can be for better and for worse.

 

“You ain’t gonna win if you plan on losing."

There are times when I know what I want, what I am capable of, but I allow the doubt of falling short, not being enough, or failing to hold me back. In the moments of doubt, I can be my greatest obstacle. As those words sung, I was reminded to GET OUT OF MY OWN WAY and plan to win!

 

 

“Sometimes a curse can be a blessing”

Absolutely, sometimes the best things come from the worst things. The “curses” are usually lessons, opportunities to learn, grow and get better, which often result in becoming a blessing. My heart happened to be a little heavy with the weight of what one might perceive as a “curse” as these words sang along in my pocket. I reflected on so many moments, when it felt like the ground was shaking, or my heart was breaking and I was reminded every tear, every set back, every time things fell apart it became a blessing. Believing this with all my heart, I know I need to feel what I need to feel and then always CHOOSE to move through the uncertainty to find the magic in the messy.

 

“Don’t hold a grudge, it will make you bitter”

Gosh, I can resist this one, I feel my heels digging with the ya buts! For the most part I am pretty lighthearted and find it easy to come from understanding, forgive and let go, but and it’s a big BUT, the struggle is real with a select few. I know though easier said than done, forgiveness sets me free and allows me and you, if we choose, to take our power back. As long as we hold on to the grudge, anger, and hate we let the bleepity bleeper win. So let that 💩 go! It helps me to believe life will life them too. 😈😇

 

“Don’t think that money is gonna make you richer, happiness ain’t about possessions.”

 

Don’t get me wrong money and having the blessing of things we enjoy is not bad. Both can be awesome but it won’t ensure happiness, that is an inside job. I don’t know much but I think purpose (click here for some fun Purpose Cards), gratitude (click here for my favorite gratitude journal), and love are powerful keys to happiness.

 

“Gotta crash and burn and learn your lessons.”

As these words sang in my pocket, I thought of many times I have crashed and burned and failed. I thought it’s so true how the crashing is part of the journey that helps us learn, grow and get better. Well, little did I know, I had a literal crash ahead of me!!!

 

What was supposed to be nice relaxing enjoyable snowmobile ride up to Little Bear cabin with Jeff one afternoon went sideways when I decided to gun it due to a little wind drift in the middle of the road, the ski caught and I felt like we were tipping and in a panic to hold on and correct, I pinned the throttle, launching us over a three foot berm, down a steep mountainside. Jeff went booty over head off the back, I bailed, and the sled went down the hill head on into multiple trees. We were seven miles out, where vehicles couldn’t access but luckily we had cell service. Fortunately, Kyler came home and hopped on another sled with a saw and shovel to help. We could hear him getting closer when he stopped, then we heard him floor it and what sounded like screaming and yelling.  By the time he reached us he was pretty shook. He had crossed paths with an angry moose in the road. Moose look like gentle giants, but they are mean and brutal. Bears are better to cross paths with because they usually run away. He stopped to back up and let her cross, then she turned and looked at him. Kyler floored it and she began running alongside of him eventually cutting out into the trees. Three hours later, a whole bunch of cutdown trees, Jeff getting stuck again trying to ride that beast of a sled out (this one is meant for tootling on trails not carving mountains), we got out just as the sun went down. The front of the sled is completely wrecked but drivable. The wine and cheese never happened. So much for a relaxing and peaceful afternoon ride. Lessons learned! When in doubt go slow and let go of the throttle. I am so thankful for badass men in my life who saved the day. We are all laughing now.

 

“You can’t win ‘em all, you can’t change the past.”

 

Whelp! Isn’t this the truth! All we can do is choose how we move forward from the losses and leave the past in the past. Sometimes I when I allow pains from the past to bubble up it robs me of my present. Again, easier said than done but let that 💩 go! As we sat in the quiet of the beautiful winter afternoon on that mountainside waiting for Kyler I “what the bleeped” was I thinking so many things. Wishing I could do it differently but what I realized is I needed that lesson. I needed to be reminded to let go of the past and the throttle.

 

“Don’t take for granted what you’ve got, don’t always want what you don’t have.”

As these words continued to sing in my pocket, I reflected on how important this is. I think we are all guilty of taking the most important things for granted sometimes. I know I am.  Every day when talk to God, I say thank you for my blessings, the greatest of them being my family, forever love, my tribe, and this place I call home. You know what I don’t do every day? Tell my family how much I appreciate them. We say love you but maybe I should say what I love? I think it but I don’t always say the things. I take for granted they know. As I watched Jeff figure out how to get us out of the mess, I got us in I got to fall in love a little all over again. As I watched Kyler show up to save the day and help Jeff in a way I physically couldn’t I was in awe of the men in my in my life. Even in the snow, stuck down a mountainside, with the sun going down I felt safe. Jeff’s strength and fortitude never waivers and our two amazing young men are following in his footsteps. That day I told them more than I love you. GRATEFUL.♥️

 

 

“Take some chances, have some faith, make the most of everyday, ‘cause it could all be over in a second…”

CHANCES, FAITH & MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY DAY. This 100% is what really living is all about. Tomorrow is promised to no one. If there is something on your heart, do it! Take the leap of faith. Could you lose? Yep! But it will just be another lesson learned on this crazy journey we call life! LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE.

 

Victim - Survivor - THRIVER Podcast

 

The spirt of lessons helping us all learn, grow and evolve into our best selves is what inspired my Victim- Survivor- THRIVER Podcast. Be sure to check out this week’s episode. Maranda Dunn shares about her son spiraling down a dangerous path of cutting, drugs, crime, and anger. It was a roller coaster of trials, tribulations, and emotions. She shares how she trusted her intuition and chose tough love knowing with all her heart it was the only way he might see his way through the darkness. This story is a reminder there is always hope. Listen HERE or on your favorite podcast platform.

 

SHENANIGAN ENTHUSIASTS...

Until we connect again, may you laugh ‘til you snort, take the bull by the horns, give yourself and others some GRACE, live a good story, climb your mountain, dream, do hard things, live like someone left the gate open, make it a good one, strive to thrive, love like crazy, enjoy the little things, always look for the miracles to celebrate, be grateful, embrace the messy, turn it into your magic, dance, keep learning, growing, getting better, crossing things off your bucket list, spreading a little love around, chasing your hearts desires, walking through the raindrops, do what sets your soul on fire, choose to take the CHANCE, let go of pride,  love like there is no such thing as a broken heart and learn from life’s lessons!

LOVE & SHENANIGANS INSPIRATIONS FROM THE FUNNY FARM 

Let’s CELEBRATE the New Year! Use code CELEBRATE for 15% off your order at our Funny Farm inspired Love & Shenanigans store!!! Make someone smile with a little love and shenanigans!!!
 
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Much Gratitude, 
Zanna
SHENENIGAN ENTHUSIAST
 
p.s. I will dance in the kitchen every time you share the LOVE!!! Every time you share a post from Love & Shenanigans or the V-S-T PODCAST on social media or anywhere I can feel the love, you will be entered to win a goodie from the store!  Share away, tag us, and we will let you know if you are the lucky winner! xoxo

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