Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Blessings?

Lately I find myself forgetting what item or items I’m going after when I navigate my rollator from our all-purpose room to another room. 

There is an upside, though, to the aggravation of repeated trips. Each trip adds to the mileage recorded on my iPhone. That helps me meet my goal of walking more than a mile a day. And that's a blessing.

The day I started this post was a 1.2 mile day. Not great but not bad for a stormy day with heavy rain and lots of thunder and lightening that limited me to walking circuits inside our two-bedroom home. 

 When Hubby and I make it to a walking track or another outdoor space that has easy-to-navigate surfaces, I can usually make it well beyond that 1.2 mile total for the day.

A side effect of this walking activity has also created an urge I can't seem to resist--to check my iPhone throughout the day for my latest mileage.

At least that iPhone addiction keeps me moving. That's another blessing.


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Saturday, June 19, 2021

Flashback

One of Mad Snapper's posts wowed me once again at her facility and enjoyment of discovering and mastering new ways to enhance her blog posts. 

Her visual experiments make me laugh, see unexpected beauty, call forth a tear or see fascinating facets of what would otherwise be considered ordinary.

My admiration and--I confess, envy--stirred up memories of a time in my life when I was in awe of my female in-laws and cousins and quite envious of their outstanding skills in all categories culinary, crafting, home decorating and creating designer worthy apparel.

I recognized and secretly bemoaned the fact that my homemaking skills fell far, far short of those of my cousins and in-laws.  

I tried, Oh, did I ever try. It was a matter of emotional survival at the time. 

But my culinary skills were barely at the survival level. Our young sons did love the "not-from-a-can Sloppy Joes" I fed them on Saturday nights when Hubby was shepherding a Sunday morning newspaper edition to publication. 

But organizing and getting meals on the table in a timely fashion was definitely not one of my strengths. 

My successes sewing my own clothes disappeared in the early years of marriage after I realized my spouse had a better handle on what looked best on me than I did. 

So I only approached my sewing machine for minor garment repairs. It languished while Hubby and I shopped the ready-made offerings at department stores and dress shops.

And I would much rather read than continue lame attempts at creating the crafted items similar to those that graced the homes of my relatives.

I was just the odd duckling among all my skilled relatives.

Finally, though, it dawned on me that I was in a unique position with an attribute that not one of my talented and skillful relatives and in-laws was exhibiting. 

They were all so accomplished that they usually accepted each other's accomplishments with interest but little fanfare.

I, however, was always looking forward to seeing--or tasting--what they would create next, whether delicious meals and desserts, designer-worthy clothing, handcrafted jewelry, or other amazing handcrafts. 

My enthusiasm for their talents was spontaneous. I couldn't contain it. 

Eventually my contribution to the family talent pool became clear to me: The Appreciator. And I was really good at it!

Decades have passed. Appreciating is still my role, and I relish it

No need to measure up. Just do my job and keep enjoying the fruits of their talents!

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Thursday, June 17, 2021

July 2020: In Spite of COVID

Traditional photo with son Walt and his family before they head for home

Hubby and I gathered with a coastal Mississippi group of campers in July 2020 for a wonderful time of family, friends, food and fun in the Smoky Mountains.

Our oldest son and family joined us for three days of the 11 days we were camping in the national park's campgrounds.


Selfies may be our new tradition.

After breakfast at the Log Cabin Pancake House in Gatlinburg, we went to the sign at the  entrance of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park to document our Smokies experience.

Then son and family left for home. Hubby and I returned to a campsite we had reserved for several more days. 

But age had caught up with us. Hubby announced he was tired and about ready to head home. 

I concurred. We left a note for Hubby's sister and brother so they wouldn't think we were abducted by aliens.

We pulled out and hit the road accompanied by great memories and an equally great pleasure anticipating the comforts of home.

UPDATE: We are planning another Smoky Mountains camping trip. I think Hubby and I are now the elders of the Mississippi Gulf Coast camping group. 

Here's hoping my energy doesn't fail me!

But just in case, I'm loading my iPad mini with reading material in addition to the digital versions of my various Bible translations.

Give me something to read and I'm a happy camper, regardless of circumstances. Well, except that night several years ago when a severe storm tore through the campground.

There was a sizable crowd gathered in the campground's outdoor theater for a ranger program. Since keeping my balance in low-light conditions is a challenge, Hubby had driven our van and parked across from the ranger station. 

We hiked across the bridge over Little River, made it up the paved path to the amphitheater and chose a spot down close to better see and hear.

The ranger arrived and started the program. Suddenly we heard a roar in the tops of the trees. A cyclonic wind hit. We joined the crowd scurrying out of the amphitheater.

We made it to our van. Hubby drove it close to the ranger station and parked. He had chosen the space farthest from trees for waiting out the weather front. 

I don't recall any injuries or major damage in the campground, but our van was thoroughly rocked.

 


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Friday, June 11, 2021

A Good Dilemma

When someone asks what my favorite Bible verse is, I am at a loss. First of all, my memorization skills have diminished. But the real challenge is that wherever I am in my yearly read-through of the Bible, there are just too many verses to pick just one as THE FAVORITE.


It is rare that I fail to encounter verses that speak to me and fill me with awe, encouragement, peace or some new perception about God’s plan and continuing grace for me through the death and resurrection of Jesus my Savior. 



This is what I wrote after reading Romans 5:1-5 on June 8, 2016, almost five years and two months post-stroke:


"Peace with God through faith. I have read through this chapter dozens of times. I cherished it in an abstract way. But today as I started reading, it is designed for me--immediate, overwhelming, personal, concrete. I stopped at verse 5 to write. Verse 1 reaffirmed my salvation. Verses 2-5 detailed what I have experienced following my hemorrhagic stroke on Good Friday, April 20, 2011.


"Take Romans 5:2 as an example: Through Him we have also obtained this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."


When I wrote that I was so thankful for being able to stand physically as well as spiritually through His grace. I’m still giving thanks for that every day. 


ROMANS 5:1-5 ESV Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.


Yes!


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Reading Adventure

Last year when the Corona virus situation developed, I had reached John 17 on my New Testament reading list. That chapter included Jesus’ prayer before his arrest and crucifixion. 


He prayed for his disciples who had been with him in his earthly ministry and then prayed for those who would become Jesus followers without ever having seen him.


I guess I had just been reading that passage as I would read a story but had never before really grasped that those Jesus followers he mentioned after the "but also" referred to me personally and all others who believe but have never seen Jesus physically.


John 17:20-21New International Version reads “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20-21NIV


It was especially comforting as COVID-19 sparked mandated changes that swept through our lives.That experience confirms for me once again the absolute necessity for my reading through God's Word each year.


I am amazed at and thankful for how each year different Bible passages pop out for me. They flood my being with fresh and powerful perspectives just when I need help--for meeting current challenges, dealing with unexpected change or recognizing and eliminating bad habits and attitudes!


Reading the Bible through every year has become an adventure that I treasure.


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Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Exploring?

The turtle below is not the first box turtle to come up the ramp that leads to our entry door. It is the first, however, to detour onto the ledge adjacent to our screened porch.

When Hubby spotted this traveler, it was stalled. The ledge wasn't wide enough for a U-turn. And I don't think box turtles are equipped with a reverse gear. 

Hubby rescued the visitor after fulfilling my request for a few pictures with my iPhone. 

Wildlife around our home is really, really wild. Wild and sometimes weird.

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