TSWITW is off to the mall. I can’t imagine any reason to go to Blue Ridge Mall.
I think she’s going to go to Walmart also.
They have Post-it-notes and she doesn’t have any lavender ones, and they’re reduced down to a dollar.
I don’t care. I really don’t. It’s just that, after 57 years, I still can’t understand her reasoning. Though it doesn’t surprise me anymore. It mostly amuses me.
You get to a certain age, Chas, and a woman will do anything to encourage the allure of mystery . . . .just giving you a peek into the Girl’s Handbook . . .
Too bad you are not on facebook, Chas, or I would send you the picture of the book that helps men understand women. It is about four feet thick. I shared it with a friend, but she said her husband is waiting for the volume on red heads, which is what his wife happens to be. 😀
🙂 One of my daughters, her husband and two sons were here for a visit. We got to take the grandsons to a couple of state parks near here. One is a lighthouse where one of my relatives drowned when he was an assistant keeper. We have a couple of lighthouse keeper, including my great-grandfather, so it was great to be able to take them.
🙂 We and my grandsons managed to leave the parks intact. I have found that taking boys to places like this, is very different from when we took our girls. We got some good exercise at the same time.
🙂 My daughter got to come jam with both our regular jam and another summer one, that we attend. My husband had so much fun doing music with her again. I had the fun of listening and enjoying lots of great music.
🙂 Fiddler’s jam last night and a contest today. My husband will compete for the last time in the Senior Division. Next is Senior-Senior. He did not start to fiddle until our daughter left home. This will be a fun day to renew some old acquaintances and enjoy the music.
🙂 We joined one of the judges for a little music on Thursday night. He was staying in a local campsite and had invited others who happened to be staying there. One decided to join us and he looked familiar. It turned out to be a relative of some guys who played in a band with our daughter. He is now a praise leader at his church. We also heard a wonderful testimony, from the other gentleman, about a man he led to Christ. What a joy to be in the family of God!
🙂 I’ve gotten quite a lot of photos this week of cooperative hummingbirds.
😦 Though they have cooperated by sitting still, I’ve gotten very few with any red visible.
🙂 So I looked for good “poses” and got some nice silhouette shots, including this one.
🙂 I finished a pesky project . . .
😦 but had to go back and do more on it, since the person who sent me the project had promised the author I would do a task that the author really should have done herself . . .
🙂 but it is now really finished.
🙂 Hubby and I get the next week by ourselves, since the girls will be house-sitting for an aunt and uncle.
🙂 Getting my focus back on the things of God this week. I’ve realized I’ve grown complacent and distracted spiritually speaking. God is so good to bring those awarenesses to us. They are painful but wonderful, causing us to return to and live more fully for Him when we are drifting. I’m calling this my summer of starting over, in the sense that God has really brought to mind the feelings, thoughts and outlook I had in my first few years as a believer. Everything back then was so filled with spiritual possibility and meaning and purpose. I want that vision back.
🙂 I survived covering the Zamperini memorial on a very tight deadline. And the story was ‘shared’ by Laura Hillenbrand on her FB page which was very cool. Another younger reporter came with me and provided the continual live tweets throughout the event. She did great. She has much faster thumbs on a cell phone than I do and was able to live tweet quotes and the events, making readers feel like they were there. 🙂
🙂 Our editors for the sister papers loved the story I’m told, and my own editor threw in an hour’s overtime for me on my time card. Sweet.
🙂 A couple young men Louie helped, including one who very specifically talked of his Christian conversion and Louie’s role in that, were among the speakers I was happy to quote. So glad the family invited them to be there to remind the crowd what Zamperini’s story was really all about in the end: Glory to God.
🙂 An older (90s) friend from church emailed me to say how much she loved the story and that if Louie missed it, she’d be sure to mention it to him when she got to heaven.
Thank you anonymous, the story just felt SO disjointed — and I had to leave so much good stuff out — that I was pleasantly surprised when people told me it turned out OK. 🙂 Whew. I’d written some of the background beforehand, but working on those really fast, turn-around deadlines when there’s so much fresh material to try to organize is frustrating.
I always keep thinking how much better it could have been … And I invariable remember later a quote that I wished I’d included but either couldn’t find in my notebook or I just simply ran out of time.
Sigh.
Exciting about your book being ‘finished,’ it’s probably the same angst but 10-fold with the large of a project.
🙂 Had good talk with my disabled friend today, she’s decided to remove herself from what has been an unbiblical situation she’s been caught in for some 2 years now. Yay. It’s been so hard to see her trapped like that (of her own choosing, though, it involved her sharing a room with with a male friend; and while she insists nothing sexual took place, they were considered boyfriend/girlfriend and it simply was an inappropriate arrangement that her pastor also has been talking to her about).
😦 I became aware, however, that I sometimes can come off as sharp with her, I don’t listen patiently enough. I cut her off today when she was trying to tell me something and it really bothered her — and me, too, when I realized I tend to do that with her sometimes. Ugh.
🙂 God is always working on us, chiseling and molding away.
He sure is, donna. All that chiseling hurts–but it will be worth it! 🙂
I liked that article, donna and shared it on fb. I know it was reshared by someone, too.
My husband came in 2nd in his category at the fiddle contest. There were only two in the category. 😉 There is a friendly rivalry with the other gentleman. He deserved to win this year. I think they will have one more year in the category before moving on to the oldest one.
Sounds like fun, Kathaleena! (The fiddle contest and the friendly rivalry.)
Donna, I saw your 2:15 post above earlier today, and have been thinking a lot about what you said in your first paragraph, about getting back to focusing on God, and finding back one’s vision. I’ve had so many of those thoughts this summer myself, especially in the weeks I was offline. I started a journal at that time, and wrote similar things like you did above, about how everything seemed so meaningful and full of purpose, and how my outlook was so much better when I wasn’t allowing superficial distractions to get in the way of my relationship with God (and family).
It’s slipping again, though, since I’ve come back online. (I’m certainly not saying that is happening with you or anyone else here, but it is with me.) The computer is the first place I go in the morning, instead of to the Word. Not that reading the Bible has to be the first thing to do each day, but for me, if I don’t read it first thing, it oftentimes doesn’t get read at all that day.
I could go on, but since it’s almost midnight here, I’ll just wrap it up with a thank you for articulating so well your “summer of starting over.” I want that vision back, too. Maybe we could pray for each other on that. 😉
My blood pressure today at church (measured monthly) was lower than it’s been in two years. I tell you, it has been quite a challenge on many levels, to write this book.
But, really, to God be the glory. I could not have done this as just me.
🙂 My ride came to church today (she missed last week) — still no updates on the medical treatments she faces for the lymphoma but there should be more information this week. Meanwhile, I (and others) remain quite worried about her being so underweight, she’s down to practically nothing (though she’s very tall). A church member who recently moved to her same neighborhood, however, said she’s going to try to make sure she eats more (and better). She’s always been thin but its getting scary to see how extremely thin she is now.
😦 Sure wish I could transfer the weight I’ve gained this past year over to her. Why can’t we just do that?? 🙂 Someone needs to start working on some experiments to make that possible.
6 Arrows, I will be praying for you on that — yes, there are just so many modern-day distractions that make it hard to maintain a focus on God that goes deeper and is more meaningful than just the superficial, cursory quick prayers or hastily read Bible passages.
You know, I was sitting in Bible study this morning — a small group of ladies led by a close friend of mine — and thinking how different my focus is when I’m with others for Bible study and worship than when I’m going about my usual day-to-day activities at home. Even on the days when I do get in Bible reading before starting my day, I usually come to the end of the day wondering how I lost track of thinking and meditating on God throughout the day, not just while I have my Bible open, and then setting aside nearly all thoughts of God as if He’s just one compartment of my life.
In corporate Bible study and worship, I have a strong sense of the Lord’s presence, and I am filled with hope. Then I get home, and life’s usual routines almost seem to envelop me. I’m such a creature of habit, and my thoughts predominantly turn to the earthly rather than the spiritual. It feels like there’s this big disconnect between my thoughts while at church compared to those at home. I want to be in closer communion with Him, praying throughout the day, mindful that He never leaves nor forsakes me.
But you are right that it is a blessing that God brings these things to our attention. His patience, gentleness and mercy never fail to amaze me when I take time to meditate on His attributes. Would that praise for God would readily be on my lips!
Wandering Views 
TSWITW is off to the mall. I can’t imagine any reason to go to Blue Ridge Mall.
I think she’s going to go to Walmart also.
They have Post-it-notes and she doesn’t have any lavender ones, and they’re reduced down to a dollar.
I don’t care. I really don’t. It’s just that, after 57 years, I still can’t understand her reasoning. Though it doesn’t surprise me anymore. It mostly amuses me.
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You get to a certain age, Chas, and a woman will do anything to encourage the allure of mystery . . . .just giving you a peek into the Girl’s Handbook . . .
LikeLike
Too bad you are not on facebook, Chas, or I would send you the picture of the book that helps men understand women. It is about four feet thick. I shared it with a friend, but she said her husband is waiting for the volume on red heads, which is what his wife happens to be. 😀
🙂 One of my daughters, her husband and two sons were here for a visit. We got to take the grandsons to a couple of state parks near here. One is a lighthouse where one of my relatives drowned when he was an assistant keeper. We have a couple of lighthouse keeper, including my great-grandfather, so it was great to be able to take them.
🙂 We and my grandsons managed to leave the parks intact. I have found that taking boys to places like this, is very different from when we took our girls. We got some good exercise at the same time.
🙂 My daughter got to come jam with both our regular jam and another summer one, that we attend. My husband had so much fun doing music with her again. I had the fun of listening and enjoying lots of great music.
🙂 Fiddler’s jam last night and a contest today. My husband will compete for the last time in the Senior Division. Next is Senior-Senior. He did not start to fiddle until our daughter left home. This will be a fun day to renew some old acquaintances and enjoy the music.
🙂 We joined one of the judges for a little music on Thursday night. He was staying in a local campsite and had invited others who happened to be staying there. One decided to join us and he looked familiar. It turned out to be a relative of some guys who played in a band with our daughter. He is now a praise leader at his church. We also heard a wonderful testimony, from the other gentleman, about a man he led to Christ. What a joy to be in the family of God!
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🙂 Kathaleena’s post, with all the music references, but especially her last line: “What a joy to be in the family of God!” Amen.
If this were Facebook, I would “like” it. 🙂
LikeLike
🙂 I’ve gotten quite a lot of photos this week of cooperative hummingbirds.
😦 Though they have cooperated by sitting still, I’ve gotten very few with any red visible.
🙂 So I looked for good “poses” and got some nice silhouette shots, including this one.
🙂 I finished a pesky project . . .
😦 but had to go back and do more on it, since the person who sent me the project had promised the author I would do a task that the author really should have done herself . . .
🙂 but it is now really finished.
🙂 Hubby and I get the next week by ourselves, since the girls will be house-sitting for an aunt and uncle.
LikeLike
🙂 I’m finishing today.
🙂 I promise.
LikeLike
🙂 Getting my focus back on the things of God this week. I’ve realized I’ve grown complacent and distracted spiritually speaking. God is so good to bring those awarenesses to us. They are painful but wonderful, causing us to return to and live more fully for Him when we are drifting. I’m calling this my summer of starting over, in the sense that God has really brought to mind the feelings, thoughts and outlook I had in my first few years as a believer. Everything back then was so filled with spiritual possibility and meaning and purpose. I want that vision back.
🙂 I survived covering the Zamperini memorial on a very tight deadline. And the story was ‘shared’ by Laura Hillenbrand on her FB page which was very cool. Another younger reporter came with me and provided the continual live tweets throughout the event. She did great. She has much faster thumbs on a cell phone than I do and was able to live tweet quotes and the events, making readers feel like they were there. 🙂
🙂 Our editors for the sister papers loved the story I’m told, and my own editor threw in an hour’s overtime for me on my time card. Sweet.
🙂 A couple young men Louie helped, including one who very specifically talked of his Christian conversion and Louie’s role in that, were among the speakers I was happy to quote. So glad the family invited them to be there to remind the crowd what Zamperini’s story was really all about in the end: Glory to God.
🙂 An older (90s) friend from church emailed me to say how much she loved the story and that if Louie missed it, she’d be sure to mention it to him when she got to heaven.
LikeLike
🙂
Here’s the story for those who missed it:
http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-news/20140731/torrance-bids-farewell-to-hometown-hero-louis-zamperini
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Thank you anonymous, the story just felt SO disjointed — and I had to leave so much good stuff out — that I was pleasantly surprised when people told me it turned out OK. 🙂 Whew. I’d written some of the background beforehand, but working on those really fast, turn-around deadlines when there’s so much fresh material to try to organize is frustrating.
I always keep thinking how much better it could have been … And I invariable remember later a quote that I wished I’d included but either couldn’t find in my notebook or I just simply ran out of time.
Sigh.
Exciting about your book being ‘finished,’ it’s probably the same angst but 10-fold with the large of a project.
LikeLike
Excellent article, Donna. Really focused on what’s important and gave some answers. Nice balance.
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Well done on the Zamperini story, Donna. Very moving, inspiring quotes.
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Thank you Jo and 6 arrows.
🙂 Had good talk with my disabled friend today, she’s decided to remove herself from what has been an unbiblical situation she’s been caught in for some 2 years now. Yay. It’s been so hard to see her trapped like that (of her own choosing, though, it involved her sharing a room with with a male friend; and while she insists nothing sexual took place, they were considered boyfriend/girlfriend and it simply was an inappropriate arrangement that her pastor also has been talking to her about).
😦 I became aware, however, that I sometimes can come off as sharp with her, I don’t listen patiently enough. I cut her off today when she was trying to tell me something and it really bothered her — and me, too, when I realized I tend to do that with her sometimes. Ugh.
🙂 God is always working on us, chiseling and molding away.
LikeLike
He sure is, donna. All that chiseling hurts–but it will be worth it! 🙂
I liked that article, donna and shared it on fb. I know it was reshared by someone, too.
My husband came in 2nd in his category at the fiddle contest. There were only two in the category. 😉 There is a friendly rivalry with the other gentleman. He deserved to win this year. I think they will have one more year in the category before moving on to the oldest one.
LikeLike
😦 Tim’s painful neck
🙂 He is ever so slowly improving
🙂 The garden is producing and abundant amount of peas & beans right now
🙂 Managed to pick and process and freeze all that needed to be picked this week despite Tim’s situation
😦 All that work
🙂 Tasty veggies for the winter in the freezer
😦 Haven’t seen the other cat for a few days
🙂 Caught a nap today
🙂 The prayers and caring of family & friends
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Sounds like fun, Kathaleena! (The fiddle contest and the friendly rivalry.)
Donna, I saw your 2:15 post above earlier today, and have been thinking a lot about what you said in your first paragraph, about getting back to focusing on God, and finding back one’s vision. I’ve had so many of those thoughts this summer myself, especially in the weeks I was offline. I started a journal at that time, and wrote similar things like you did above, about how everything seemed so meaningful and full of purpose, and how my outlook was so much better when I wasn’t allowing superficial distractions to get in the way of my relationship with God (and family).
It’s slipping again, though, since I’ve come back online. (I’m certainly not saying that is happening with you or anyone else here, but it is with me.) The computer is the first place I go in the morning, instead of to the Word. Not that reading the Bible has to be the first thing to do each day, but for me, if I don’t read it first thing, it oftentimes doesn’t get read at all that day.
I could go on, but since it’s almost midnight here, I’ll just wrap it up with a thank you for articulating so well your “summer of starting over.” I want that vision back, too. Maybe we could pray for each other on that. 😉
Blessings.
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Done. 🙂
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oh, my, congratulations
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Yay, Michelle!
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That must be a great feeling, Michelle. Congratulations!
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My blood pressure today at church (measured monthly) was lower than it’s been in two years. I tell you, it has been quite a challenge on many levels, to write this book.
But, really, to God be the glory. I could not have done this as just me.
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🙂 michelle
🙂 Rain!
🙂 My ride came to church today (she missed last week) — still no updates on the medical treatments she faces for the lymphoma but there should be more information this week. Meanwhile, I (and others) remain quite worried about her being so underweight, she’s down to practically nothing (though she’s very tall). A church member who recently moved to her same neighborhood, however, said she’s going to try to make sure she eats more (and better). She’s always been thin but its getting scary to see how extremely thin she is now.
😦 Sure wish I could transfer the weight I’ve gained this past year over to her. Why can’t we just do that?? 🙂 Someone needs to start working on some experiments to make that possible.
LikeLike
6 Arrows, I will be praying for you on that — yes, there are just so many modern-day distractions that make it hard to maintain a focus on God that goes deeper and is more meaningful than just the superficial, cursory quick prayers or hastily read Bible passages.
LikeLike
Thank you, Donna. Praying for you, too.
You know, I was sitting in Bible study this morning — a small group of ladies led by a close friend of mine — and thinking how different my focus is when I’m with others for Bible study and worship than when I’m going about my usual day-to-day activities at home. Even on the days when I do get in Bible reading before starting my day, I usually come to the end of the day wondering how I lost track of thinking and meditating on God throughout the day, not just while I have my Bible open, and then setting aside nearly all thoughts of God as if He’s just one compartment of my life.
In corporate Bible study and worship, I have a strong sense of the Lord’s presence, and I am filled with hope. Then I get home, and life’s usual routines almost seem to envelop me. I’m such a creature of habit, and my thoughts predominantly turn to the earthly rather than the spiritual. It feels like there’s this big disconnect between my thoughts while at church compared to those at home. I want to be in closer communion with Him, praying throughout the day, mindful that He never leaves nor forsakes me.
But you are right that it is a blessing that God brings these things to our attention. His patience, gentleness and mercy never fail to amaze me when I take time to meditate on His attributes. Would that praise for God would readily be on my lips!
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😦 Manipulative, controlling people who have to have everything their own way.
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