Category: Life

Posted in 2020, Life, Quarantine Thoughts, Reflection

What we can learn during this quarantine

Posted on by MrsFrantz

Hey everyone, I know it has been a month since I wrote all of you, call it writer’s block, call it a distraction, it doesn’t matter, what matters is I have been a little neglectful when it comes to the blog and for that I am sorry. Honestly, 2020 is not what I thought it would be – I don’t think it is what anyone thought it would be -, and I am finding myself trying to not be bothered by the fact my routine is jacked up, as well as, figuring out my schedule week – by – week. The past three weeks were no help at all because either the internet went out, I had to get a new computer, or family drama….let’s just say it hasn’t been fun but I made it through and no harm came to anyone in the process. Hehe. Today is going to be somewhat of a mind dump, as well as just sharing some things I’m learning while being stuck at home just like I hope most of you are unless you’re going outside to get exercise – kudos to those that are because I haven’t been doing so well with this one -, going to the store to get your weekly necessities, or an essential worker.

yellow flowers in bloom
Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Pexels.com

Find something, anything that will bring you peace and is healthy and legal! During this time I have found it super helpful to find a place of solace, even if it is the bathroom – hey mamas, I get it, if you need space I hear this is the best place! I also think you need to find ways to find peace during this chaotic time. For me, I have been able to find streaming on Twitch and watching ambiance videos relaxing. BTW, I do plan on putting up more videos on YouTube of said videos, just need to find a quiet place the parents won’t bother me or the dog won’t bark his head off and mess up the audio. Anyways, maybe for you it is painting, or going on long walks/maybe a drive, reading a book – recently I have been getting back to this -, etc. Whatever it is, I hope it helps you find peace, joy, and an escape from the madness going on right now.    

 

Photo by Julian Jagtenberg on Pexels.com
Photo by Caio Resende on Pexels.com

 

Find A Creative Outlet

This is similar to the one above, except that not only should this help you find peace, but also joy and it could even help others – but we will get to that in a moment. For me, I started out decided to paint – which failed miserably…well, the painting is okay, but I decided to switch to something slightly less messy -, then went back to streaming games that I like to play – even board games Chris and I enjoy. The latter has been fun, gives me a chance to forget the mess going on right now, and it helps to bring joy to others. I also have been trying my hand at gardening – yes you read that right -, and even though I am still not the greatest, I haven’t killed that many plants or flowers…just a few. So there is that…Whatever you are good at or want to be – like I am learning Spanish, which is fun – find something creative that you enjoy and will help pass the time. You will be surprised how regardless of the crap going on, or how the days blur together like an impressionist painting, you are taking advantage of this time to enjoy the little things.

 

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
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Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com
Photo by Steve Johnson on Pexels.com

 

Be Physically Distant, But Not Socially

Just because we aren’t allowed to be in close proximity with a group of people doesn’t mean we have to cut ourselves off from others completely. I mean think about it. This is a great time to use social media and the internet to our advantage. We can meet virtually, we can write letters – yes those are still a thing, look them up -, and we can call people and check on them. There has even been a thing where people will drive by people’s homes and honk for them and leave them gifts for their birthday, or they will pick up groceries and stuff for their neighbors. Now is not a time to isolate ourselves but to help those around us! We have the power to be kind and loving to others now more than ever! Whatever you decide to do, make sure it looks outward more than in, and as you are finding ways to be at peace and feel loved, make sure you do the same for others. We will get through this if we maintain a selfLESS mentality instead of a selfish one.

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Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels.com

 

If you enjoyed today’s post, will you make sure to subscribe – I won’t spam you – so you can get notifications in your email anytime I write on here. Also, don’t forget to share, you know what they say, “Sharing is Caring!” Have a great Wednesday yall, and hope you have a peaceful and enjoyable week!!!!

Happy Trails,

Angie

Posted in Community, Life

Isolation: The killer to intimacy

Posted on by MrsFrantz

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing good today and staying safe and healthy. I have been pretty productive with our Twitch channel, getting some things done around the house, and I even picked up my paintbrushes on Monday for the first time in a while. Look forward to sharing a few pictures from the stream that night – mind you I have only painted a handful, if that, of times in my life so it doesn’t look the greatest. LOL Today I would like to share a topic that is on everyone’s mind, isolation. We may be performing physical distancing and separation during this time, but that doesn’t mean we should isolate ourselves from people socially and “go dark” in a sense – or completely shut ourselves off from the world around us. So join me today as we discuss the killer of intimacy, Isolation.

art back view backlit boy
Photo by Victor on Pexels.com

Isolation – What is it? 

When you think of isolation what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For me, I think of someone who has cut themselves off from the world and is a bit of a recluse. Webster Dictionary defines Isolate as: “To set apart from others; an individual socially withdrawn or removed from society.” The word that sticks out to me the most in this is withdrawn. I feel that during this time most people are prone to withdraw from everyone and everything – especially if they are not working right now and don’t have children. I asked a few people on our Twitch channel what they thought Isolation meant to them and one person responded with; “I feel it is synonymous with loneliness.” I believe now more than ever technology should be used to our advantage. I mean think about it. I joined a class for Spanish to brush up on the subject, and hopefully become fluent, and it is a class that is normally designed for people living in Colorado! How amazing is that? I think America – and even the world – is more connected now than we have ever been. Yet I feel we shouldn’t base our worth or value on how many people we are connected or not connecting with during this time and to be wise with how we spend our time online. I feel that using social media and the internet can be a great tool to fight against isolation. Which brings me to our next topic; intimacy, what is and how can we learn to become intimate with those we care about most.

Intimacy: how to cultivate it, and why it goes beyond the bedroom.

In our culture today, I have noticed a coloration between intimacy and sex. No without getting into the nitty gritty of it all, I want to make a mention that intimacy can lead to sex when you are talking about intimacy with your partner. However, that isn’t the kind of intimacy I am talking about here. Before I continue however, I want to again go back and see what Webster had to say about it. The dictionary defines intimacy as: the state of being intimate; familiarity.” A few synonyms for intimacy are; closeness, belonging, and nearness. In other words, when you are intimate with someone, you are sharing a piece of your heart with them, or sharing details and a side of yourself that most people don’t get to see. Again I asked my followers on Twitch and the response was pretty much the same. However you think of the word, it all boils down to opening yourself up to a handful of people and letting them see the real you.

So we’ve looked at what both words mean, but how can isolation be the killer of intimacy? I fully believe if you found someone – whether romantically or otherwise – that you can become intimate with, any shred of isolation will diminish because you want to share your heart with them and be around them more often. The walls you have previously had up towards people, and judgements you may have rendered toward even that person you are becoming intimate with, suddenly disappear when you get to know them and allow yourself to become vulnerable as the relationship deepens.

I hope during this time you’re not only able to strengthen those intimate relationships with your immediate family such as your parents, in-laws, spouse and kids, as well as your close friends. I also hope you find ways to connect with those in your community and are able to spread love and joy to others from all around the world; because at the end of the day we are all in this together and each one of us are feeling the affect of this virus and quarantine.

I hope you enjoyed today’s topic, if so then make sure to share this with your friends, and don’t forget subscribe to the blog so you can receive a notification when I write a new article on the blog.

Happy Trails,

Angie

Posted in Life, Updates

Coronacation: The Future of TNR

Posted on by MrsFrantz

 

person in yellow dress shirt drinking from white ceramic mug
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

So for the last three days Chris and I – along with most of the nation/world – has been under a quarantine because of the corona virus, and I am also on a mandatory “spring break”. I have been doing good actually – except for an hour on Wednesday when I thought i was going to lose it because I had been staring at a screen for the past two days -, and I’ve been very productive! I cleaned my floors, did laundry, and have kept up with the dishes. Not to mention I have done a lot of streaming – in case you missed that -, and a few Facebook or Instagram live videos. This “break” has actually began to feel like a little vacation for me, a coronacation you might say? I realized this morning I hadn’t reached out to my blogging community and so that is why I am here. I know we all are trying to adjust to being home-bound – for the most part -, while for some not knowing how long this will last. I just found out today the state of Kansas said schools are going to be out for the rest of the year – not semester, year! Wow! A part of me doesn’t think I could handle being at home and limiting my outings for a whole year, but then another part says, “You are stronger than this, you can make it work!” I guess what I am trying to say is I feel you. For someone who has a history of anxiety, it is especially hard, but I am finding ways to cope. One of those being, I am writing to all of you and I am streaming. Not only is it making the process easier to deal with, I actually get to talk to other humans – regardless if it is over a screen or not!

So what does this quarantine mean for TNR? Well, honestly, as long as I can come on here during the week and for an hour on Saturday’s or Sunday’s, I will be hanging out with each of you and making content that brings you joy and peace. As Chris and I said before, TNR is designed to foster community and love – especially in the times we are living now! So will you help me? Will you reach out to those you know and tell them about our Twitch channel and the other social platforms we have so we can build this community? This has been my baby for a while now, and I’m glad my husband could step up and help, but my vision is to see TNR reach the world and brighten the lives of every person we meet. So if you’re with me, and you want to help me create amazing content that will grow our little space, then comment below with some suggestions you think would help. And remember, Chris and I love tabletop games, RPG and MMO games, fantasy/crime/fiction books, and scifi/ inspirational family friendly movies and shows. If you can think of anything within that demographic that would help bring in more people share your thoughts below or send us a message in the contact section. Thanks again for joining us on this journey and have a safe and beautiful day!

Happy Trails,

Angie

P.S. Not trying to make light of the situation with the term, “coronacation”, but if we can’t find something amusing about this situation, we might just crack!

Posted in Life

Be on the lookout

Posted on by MrsFrantz

March Reboot 1

Hey everyone, so this week’s post is going to be a bit short, but I’m itching to share something amazing that my hubs and I have going on behind the scenes. However, I can’t quite share the details with you just yet, but I can say to be on the lookout for some exciting events and such we will have planned starting in Mid March, early April. O_O I know, very elusive, right? I don’t know if you’re like me at all, but I hate surprises….this is one, however, that I promise you will like – well, I hope you’ll like -, and what I can say is, you should expect me to be writing more on here one to two times per week, and uploading stuff on our other social platforms like YouTube and Instagram. That is all I can say for now, but I hope you will pray that God will direct our steps and help us as we step into this new leg of our journey. I look forward to sharing more with y’all! As always, please make sure to subscribe to the blog, head on over to our other social platforms on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube and follow us there, and then finally make sure to share with your friends so we can grow our little community and share this fun adventure with the world! ^_^

Happy Trails,

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~Angie~

Posted in Life

Stepping into your calling

Posted on by MrsFrantz

Banner Year

Hello everyone, today I wanted to share with you a few things I been thinking about lately regarding my calling/purpose. See, unlike some people, when I was little – and up until this past year – I always seen kids who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up. Some said firemen, others work for the police, and even a few doctors and nurses; however, I never really knew what I wanted as a kid. Fast forward to about 7 years ago and I began thinking about being a teacher. I wasn’t dead set on it, but the thought seemed like something I could see myself doing, you know? Then a year or two ago I began volunteering with a after school bible program for kids, and I really enjoyed it – especially when I got to teach. This of ‘course made me think I would just do this for fun and as a hobby, not something that I could make a career out of, and since I have been having trouble with the finances for school I never thought I would become a teacher. Well, after around February of this year, I knew I wanted to get a job and do something that would allow me to still work with the program – KCBS -, and make some extra cash so I could help pay down our debt, and that is when it happened. I found out through a friend about a school that was hiring teacher’s aides, and even though I thought I knew what they did, I was not prepared for the amazing things God was about to show and teach me.

Not only did I get the job, as some of you may know, but I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of being an aide. See, for those who were like me and don’t know exactly what an aide does, I got to help the teachers(I worked with both the pre-k teachers) with the various centers that help with verbal, communication, and skills they would need when beginning kindergarten and going on to further their education. I also of ‘course helped to maintain cleanliness in the class by keeping the floors swept and the tables cleaned after each activity and snack time, and help with lunch duties. I remember one day I literally got paid to set up an Easter egg hunt! It was probably a few weeks after Easter, and when I got to help with facilitating that egg hunt, that I realized this is what I wanted to do with my life. I really did want to be a teacher, and the avenue or pathway to getting my degree was going to be as an aide. See as an aide, you don’t have to have a degree, just need your diploma and some experience in working with children. This means I can work as an aide, and eventually finish my degree as the school pays for my training!! Of ‘course, currently I am not able to do this because of the school I am presently at, however, I am hopeful that as my husband is seeking another job elsewhere, that I will be able to find another job that is full – time and will pay for my training. I am starting to experience the joy most people talk about when they have finally found their niche or calling and are working for a place that they enjoy going to everyday!

Now, I know not everyone has had that aha! moment so to speak, but I hope that if you are not happy with where you are, this brings you hope to ask yourself and seek out that thing that reasonably makes you happy…and by reasonable, I mean use some common sense when thinking about it. I am not saying quit your job and go travel around the world abandoning those you love for some pipe dream, I mean really seeking your purpose and taking small steps to make it happen. Anyways, I hope this has helped you and brings you hope for your situation you are in. I know I have been greatly encouraged by my current job and the way my boss supports me in wanting to further my education, even if it means just saying a prayer for me to find a job elsewhere that will help me achieve my calling. If this helped you will you leave a comment below, subscribe, and share with your friends? My desire, besides being a teacher, is to write articles that help people and inspire them to be the best version of themselves, and in order to do that I need you to share this with those whom you think will benefit from my posts. Thanks in advance.

Till next time,

~Angie~

Posted in Life

Staying Charged Up

Posted on by MrsFrantz
battery charging device display
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

 

In a world where everyone is addicted to being busy, how do we stay connected with friends, family, and more importantly, God? In today’s post, I will share how being productive far outweighs being busy, and is definitely more fulfilling!

Since January, I have come to realize that God doesn’t desire me to be busy…and lately, that has been the case. I have realized I’m allowing life to get in the way of my relationship with God, my husband, and people I consider my close friends! I know I am not the only one though, because those who I thought were my friends have allowed life to get busy and every time I want to schedule us to hang out, well, the only response I get from them is, “sorry I am just so busy, but I can text,” and sometimes I don’t even get much of that. I am not condemning those who have texted me that, but it is giving me mixed messages as to whether you really want to be friends or just keeping up appearances.

Anyways, as I was saying, I am really busy this semester with working as a teacher’s aid, doing music and teaching for the Christian program I volunteer for, and helping with other various things throughout the week. I am enjoying the fact that I am keeping busy, but also feel a little isolated when it comes to my friends and keeping in contact with them. I find it funny the program I volunteer with is talking about using our senses to experience God in our lives. This has been helpful for me because the first one is about being still and looking for God in my everyday life.

How this relates to staying connected:

Through all the things I’m doing every day of the week, I am not just being productive, I am still feeling full and refreshed instead of feeling depleted and tired. I am learning to stay connected to God through prayer and reading the Bible, and this is giving me the energy to endure the week and not get tired out or experience fatigue. I am also learning to be content with where I am in life right now. There are things I would like to do, and people I would like to spend time with, but I am learning to just take each day one minute at a time and stay in the moment in a sense. I also am setting little goals for myself throughout the month, and I am taking time to rest – go to bed early(since I get up early), spending some “me time” where I am either reading a book; watching a show; or just enjoying nature by myself, and take time to take care of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. After all, the Bible says in order to love others I need to love myself, and I am learning how to do that.

In conclusion,

I am learning to spend time with God in the morning before going to work, I am taking proper care of myself and speaking words of affirmation over myself, and I am learning to be content with myself and what is going on in my life right now. By doing this, I’m staying productive, listening for God with my senses and for His voice, and finding ways to serve others. I know if this has helped me, it will help others. I hope this has been a light for you, if in fact you are feeling depleted and find yourself comparing with others. Let me know your thoughts below and some things you are doing to stay productive and fight off the busyness of life.

Until next time,

Angie

 

Posted in Life, Reflection

Stuck in a rut

Posted on by MrsFrantz

 

red car on muddy road near trees
Photo by ahmad syahrir on Pexels.com

 

Have you ever felt stuck in a rut? Much like the picture above, there have been so many moments in my life where I find I am stuck, just waiting on something or someone so I can pursue my dreams. I don’t know about you, but for me, I have had to fight tooth and nail for things in my life. Whether it is peace, joy, acceptance, a job, proper education, to get bills paid(debt gone), it has been a true fight. I have hope one day I will be able to achieve my dreams, but let’s be honest here, it can be tiring…and really wears me down. I try to help those around me through words of kindness and love, use this blog and my other social media outlets to reach those whom could benefit from things I have been through and such, and try to make friends with people that I can hang out with other than on Sunday mornings….all from what I can tell is to no avail. Am I speaking to anyone other than me? Well, if not then maybe I can write to my 50-something year old self and remind her to keep holding on, and one day it will get better. I mean, I have things to be thankful for, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I wish I could be doing what I was called to do. When will my time come? I can believe till my believer is broken, but when will I get to see some fruit from my hard work? Until I see that day, I take every day one minute at a time, shut up in my house studying and focusing on verses to help me stay positive, I encourage others on Sunday and through social media, and I just make it through the year having not lost my sanity. This may not be a very positive post, but it is the real me –  and at least I can say I have done that…been true and honest to myself.