This morning I stood in the aisle of HEB for what stood like an eternity and stared.  I thought long and hard on what might make or break dinner for our old friends who are coming to visit;  salad dressing.

The choices are endless.

I love a good vinaigrette, that's easy.   But then you have balsamic-creamy or not, raspberry, honey pear?, poppy-seed, .....trust me I could keep going.  And these are just vinaigrette choices.  No telling how many versions and brands of Ranch dressing there are.  If you're an indecisive person like me, shopping can be overwhelming.

If I could transport my air-conditioner and i-phone, and of course my loved-ones, I think I would happily go back to the mid 1800s.  I might live in Walnut Grove like the Ingalls of "The Little House on the Prairie". I would shop at the Olson's Mercantile after easily getting dressed, slipping on one of the two dresses I owned.

I long for simplicity.

I yearn to be decisive.

I've gotten the same flavor sno cone for years-Tiger's Blood (except for the two times I went out on a limb and got Cajun Red Hot). I do this because I don't want to have to think about what flavor I want.

(see sno cone flavors right)

This problem of superfluous choices exists with more than food. Yes!  There are far more important choices that are difficult to make.

What music do I allow my children to listen to.

What do I allow them to wear.                                                                                     

Do I take my kid to the doctor.

Should Rylie continue allergy shots.

Recently it has become a more important question-What movies and books will I choose or decline.

How do I/when do I discipline my children?

What activities and chores do I force my children to do and where can I be flexible.

For every decision there is to be made, there are a hundred opinions.  I can consult Yahoo, Google, Ask Jeeves.... I can ask my neighbor, my friend.  I can buy a book from Barnes and Noble. And  I can do what I often do and just consider popular opinion.

Why am I guilty of caving to popular opinion?  (the opinion that says kids should be allowed to listen to whatever music and wear whatever clothes they want)

Why do I rush to Google? How many times have I read on Google that my symptoms or my children's symptoms indicate death is imminent?

Then there are the times that I'm asked questions by friends or family.  Too often I hastily give an answer ("Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge"....God says)

Today both at HEB and at the Sno cone stand I had to repeat a word to myself. It's a word I repeat to my children more times than I can count.

Focus.

Focus. Focus.

There is an answer.  Wait for it.... Pray for it....There is a good choice; a good decision found in a single source.

I'm going back to simple.

The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.  Proverbs 18:4

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25

By the way, I bought the balsamic vinaigrette again.

I'm sticking with the tried and true!