7 Days Before Christmas

                                                                Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                               everyday is a journey



The task Thy wisdom hath assigned,
    Oh, let me cheerfully fulfil;
  In all my works Thy presence find,
    And prove Thine acceptable will.
C. WESLEY.


Each day comes with an adventure. It may not always be a great adventure, but an adventure it is. My adventure today consisted of tidying up my "everything room" into some kind of order. Unfortunately, this has to be done quite regularly for me to be able to just move around in it.

So welcome to my chaos! This is what I will be working on for the rest of the day. My main goal will be to separate the bins into two types of yarn: The cake and the regular skeins. I do have a goal in mind for better organization and I hope I will be able to get it done this year. That is coming up in my 2020 blog in a few days. Well, I better get to it.

Have a blessed day everyone.

8 Days Before Christmas.

                                                 Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.


My crown is in my heart,
 not on my head:
Not decked with diamonds
and Indian Stones,
Nor to be seen.
 My crown is called content.
A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.

—William Shakespeare.

It's been awhile since I had to use a seamstress let alone a dry cleaners. Emily's zipper on her Winter coat wasn't working properly, kept snagging and eventually stopped working altogether. Honestly, that coat is not even a year old. That zipper should have still worked fine, but unfortunately, things are not made the way they used to be. The quality is just not there. Working in manufacturing, I have learned that companies are always looking to cut costs.

Have I mentioned how much I am enjoying my time off?

It's not what I am doing that is bringing me so much relaxation, but the leisurely way I am doing it. There is no rush, no urgency in the way like when I am at work. This morning, Emily made some vegan bacon and eggs. Delicious! I also dug out two of our Christmas decorations: The tiny fiber optic Christmas tree and our candy cane door hanger.

                 
                            

Being home, I made a decision to go do some thrifting by visiting the Salvation Army and the Resale Shoppe in our neighborhood. I would always run in and out, heading directly to the crafting area part of the stores. This afternoon, I strolled through each of these stores, really taking in what they had to offer. What a difference! I was able to find a great little journal and an interesting book. I even tried on some jeans, but then saw my own reflection in the dressing room. Why do those mirrors never flatter our figures? A;ways the opposite.

We have been enjoying supper together usually watching a movie or show afterwards. Emily goes to bed a lot earlier since she has to be up around 2 a.m. and that means I am left alone to do some crocheting or paperwork. It has been nice, real nice and the thought that it will end after the Holidays dismays me terribly.Somehow, I have never worked a daily shift like normal people where I would be home in the evening. I like it . . . a lot.

Have a blessed day everyone.

9 Days Before Christmas

                                                               Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.

In the end,
it's not the years in your life,
 but the life in the years.

Abraham Lincoln

Isn't that the truth? My quality of life is so very important to me. I don't want to be just living out my years. That's not how I see my life. I want to spend my life doing what I enjoy the most . . .Ministry. Blogging. 

This morning, I was up and running after 6 a.m. I spent the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep. I certainly didn't feel I was living my best life at that point. After running around doing one errand after another, the rest of the day was spent cleaning. The next thing I knew it was evening and the day was over. 

In fact, my first week off from work hasn't been any better. Nope. I have spent the majority of my time off preparing several boxes of donations to send off via the post office. I got my flu shot finally and finished all my Christmas cards. Now I am in the process of digging out my tiny Christmas tree and my candy cane to hang on my front door. 

Seriously, where has the time gone? My intentions were to sit at home working on my files, paperwork and writing. Of course, crocheting is always included. I didn't even want to leave the apartment. This always happens, by the way. Whenever I have some time off, the first few days I spend running around.

All is not lost. There are still plenty of days left to enjoy all the things I so love. Until tomorrow, my friends.

Have a blessed day everyone.

Successes And Failures Of 2019

                                                                  Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                                  everyday is a journey.


There is not time for hate,
 O wasteful friend.
Put hate away until the ages end
.Have you an ancient wound?
 Forget the wrong—
Out in my West a forest loud with song
towers high and green over a field of snow,
Over a glacier buried far below.

—Edwin Markham

As we come to the end of 2019, I find myself reflecting on the past year. As I have said many times, I over analyze things to death. That's the way I am made and one cannot teach an old dog new tricks. It has been a very interesting year and I can honestly say that it has taken me on a journey I never thought I would be on.

Every year in January, I set a goal for myself as the theme for the remainder of the year. There is always something we can work on to improve our situation or wellbeing. This year, what I set as my goal took a different direction than I thought. I wanted to be financially free and I basically ended up taking care of things long left unfinished. So let's see how I did with my successes and failures.

My biggest failure happens to be with my blog. I began the year with such a high number of subscribers and views, but it quickly dwindled to almost half. Some of the reasons I believe were because of my neglect. I experienced writer's block, something that has never happened to me before. I couldn't post on a daily basis any longer. The saying out of sight out of mind really effected my blog. Every time I tried to get back on track, I would fail miserably after a couple of days. Concentration proved difficult as my personal life became more stressed and I couldn't write. Even the content at times was mediocre. That is the truth of it. The blog is a failure.

The Ministry, on the other hand, flourished. I don't know what it is about this Ministry, but it never really suffered in any way. Even when we were short on donations, there was always enough yarn for the month to cover what we needed. We may not have had any excess, but we had just enough. The Ministry is just blessed and I am blessed for it.

Now for the 50/50 and we have a few. My main goal for this year was to be financially free by paying off a few bills. We accomplished a big one earlier in the year. Then we sort of hit a slump. There was no overtime available and we were a bit tired from exerting ourselves full force in the first half. It took a lot to get that paid off and we were left feeling exhausted. Right now, we have a small one that we might be able to write off by the end of December or early January. Well, there is one more and I am not sure when that one will be paid off completely. That's why I'm calling it half'n'half.

Another hit/miss was the YouTube channel. I got it out there, but it wasn't easy and there have been times where I felt I should give it up. Now that it has been a full year, I feel that if I made it through this far, I should continue on. Really, really hard. Probably one of my most difficult challenges thus far I've had to face in a long time. 

So here you have it. This observation of my year is by no way a pity party or a pat on the back for myself. I believe that in order for us to move forward and grow, we need to look honestly in the mirror to acknowledge our part in it. We ask ourselves what worked and what did not in order to improve. Now that an assessment has been made, the next step is an action plan.

Have a blessed day everyone. 

The Cross In My Pocket

                                                                             Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                                              everyday is a journey.

A good man prolongs his life;
 to be able to enjoy one's past
 life is to live twice.
—Martial

As the Christmas Season approaches, I find myself becoming bogged down in the details. I need to get the Christmas cards done and mailed. I need to finish my gift shopping. I need to prepare a menu. I need to get the house in order. I need, I need, I need.  It seems that every Holiday begins this way, just a constant list of things I need to get done to make this Holiday as perfect as possible. Jesus entry into this world was far from perfect. He was delivered in a stable on a cold Wintery night. He was laid upon a bed of straw with the animal's breath to keep Him warm. He was the perfect part of this great miracle of life that we received upon His birth. He sealed our salvation upon that cross on Calvary.

The following poem is a small reminder during probably one of the most chaotic and busiest times of the year, what a small Babe in a manger has done for us. I don't know what it is about this poem, but it touches me deeply where I cannot finish the entirety of it without tears welling up. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.

The Cross In My Pocket

By: Mrs. Verna Mae Thomas

I carry a cross in my pocket

a simple reminder to me

of the fact that I am a Christian

no matter where I may be.

This little cross is not magic

nor is it a good luck charm.

It isn't meant to protect me

from every physical harm.

When I put my hand in my pocket

to bring out a coin or key

the cross is there to remind me

of the price he paid for me.

It reminds me too, to be thankful

for blessings day by day

and to strive to serve Him better

in all that I do and say.

It's also a daily reminder

of the peace and comfort I share

with all who know my Master

and themselves to His care.

So, I carry a cross in my pocket

reminding no one but me

that Jesus Christ is Lord of my life

if only I'll let Him be. 

Have a blessed day everyone. 

The Hardest Commandment To Follow

                                                               Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                               everyday is a journey.


He prayeth well who loveth well
    Both man and bird and beast;
  He prayeth best who loveth best
    All things both great and small;
  For the dear God who loveth us,
    He made and loveth all.
S. T. COLERIDG

The photo above is courtesy of my friend Cindy Alvarado who visited her homeland of Ecuador and brought back these beautiful photos for us to enjoy. 

As the week unfolded to yet another stressful month, I've come to realize a very important fact. The hardest commandment to follow happens to be love thy neighbor. That statement alone does not just include the guy next door, it includes everyone on the planet. Can you love everyone?

It is so easy to love the people we like at work, at home or that nice barista at your local coffee shop that always gets your coffee right. What about the person who has different views on politics, religion, moral values or just plain race? Wait! Don't answer right now. Let's wait until 2020 when the presidential race takes center stage. Will you be able to love THOSE people then? You know which ones I mean. The ones who believe the opposite of you.

I know what you're going to say. Lottie, they are different than us. Not everyone is nice or deserving of my love. That murderer in prison does not deserve my love. That cheating spouse to whom I gave everything does not deserve my love. That awful co-worker who bullies everyone does not deserve my love. You don't know what they have done to me. To my family. To someone I love.

In the Bible we are commanded by Jesus to love our enemies, but yet that is the most difficult task. I am always amazed at people I know who can do that. Yes, they exist, usually they are way older. I believe it has taken them a lifetime of growing spiritually to achieve it. I want to be that person. I really do. I want to love everyone no matter what they have done to me.

It begins, I believe, with forgiveness. We have to allow forgiveness into our hearts on a daily basis. It has to reside inside of us all the time in case we need it immediately. We could be driving along and someone cuts us off. We may have to pull it out instantly and instead of cussing that person out, we have to bless them. Easier said than done. Oh Lord, give me strength. Cover me with Your righteousness and grace. Open my heart to love even the most undeserving as you have loved me. Can you open your heart? Let's try together.

Have a blessed day everyone.

Simply Breathe

                                                Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey




Make us of one heart and mind;
  Courteous, pitiful, and kind;
  Lowly, meek, in thought and word,
  Altogether like our Lord.
C. WESLEY.

Breathing . . . so simple, right? Then why do we have such a hard time sometimes dealing with the everyday stuff? The stress. The frustrations. The overwhelming schedules that somehow never seem depleted, never finished. During these types of days or weeks, life may seem suffocating. We are left unable to breathe normally as our hearts beat faster and faster with each heavy load.

Once the year is over, I plan on taking a long vacation from goals, planning or any kind of "to do" list. I just want to breathe in and out slowly inhaling everything around me in a leisurely way. This has been one of the most stressful years ever and I am grateful it is finally at an end.

For the past several years, I have been extremely goal oriented in finally getting my life in order. I have procrastinated in many things, stockpiling everything into a folder marked later. I realize that one of the reasons it has been stressful has to do with the fact that I have put things off far too long. When we keep shoving things under the carpet with the mentality of out of sight out of mind, sooner or later we will trip over that mountain of neglect. It's been far too long, my friends. I needed to address many issues that have plagued my life. Having finally done so, I paid for the consequences that followed. I acknowledge and accept my part in this, but I'm also ready to move on.

This coming year, I just want to live as peacefully and uneventfully as possible. Allow me the opportunity to breathe in and take stock of where I am in life. I am so appreciative of all that God has given me, regardless of perhaps the struggle that it required to achieve it. Life may be hard, but it is also rewarding. I look forward to further developing the relationships I hold so dear to my heart and any new ones that may come in the future. We can never be sure of where we are going. God has His own plan for us, so let's enjoy the journey.

Have a blessed day everyone.

Just Share It: Alistair Begg

                                                                            Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                                                everyday is a journey.


The barriers are not erected which
 shall say to aspiring talent, 
"Thus far and no further."
—Beethoven.

I really had to share this letter from a devotion I receive from Truth For Life. It is difficult for majority of us to believe that people are not allowed to celebrate Christmas across the world. We live in a free Country that exhibits freedom of choice. I came from a Communist Country that has been liberated as recently as the eighties. I remember what that was like living with no freedom liberties and basic restrictions. The following brings home to me how fortunate I am to be able to practice my faith openly. Enjoy.

Dear Friend,

I was six years old when Christmas Day became an official holiday in Scotland! That’s right—1958! Until the 1960s, it was the norm for most people across the country to work as usual if December 25 fell on a weekday. The reason for this was not secular but religious. The Scottish Reformation not only removed the dogma of Roman Catholicism but also frowned upon superstitious celebrations of “Yuletide.” In my own city of Glasgow, even singing a Christmas carol was considered a crime, and in 1640 an Act of Parliament made celebrating Christmas illegal. In my lifetime, the headmaster of a local elementary school in the Scottish Highlands was dismissed for having a Christmas tree in the vestibule.

So try to put yourself in the position of true believers whose commitment to Scripture meant that they must try to stay with the message—“For unto you is born this day … a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”—in the face of all kinds of “superstitious” intrusions. Ironically, we find ourselves in a similar situation, inasmuch as we have to work hard to resist Christmas’s secular, commercial trappings in an endeavor to get to and stay with the“good news of great joy.”

Perhaps you’re already saying to yourself, “This explains why in Disney’s version of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is cast as a Scotsman.” You may even be fearful that my love for the Reformers has robbed me of real“comfort and joy.”

Do yourselves no harm; I really love Christmas, and for my joyful participation I would probably have been excommunicated from Glasgow Cathedral in 1583. I often wonder what it must be like to celebrate Christmas in countries that are entirely opposed to or closed to the Gospel. The absence of all the outward trappings would cause us to focus entirely on the wonder of Emmanuel, “God with us.”

As Christmas approaches, let’s pray for one another that the Lord Jesus will be increasingly precious to us, that His presence will fill our homes, and that the light of the Gospel will flood our communities.

On behalf of all of us here at Truth For Life, have a blessed and joyous Christmas.

With my love in the Lord Jesus,

Have a blessed day everyone. 

The Ten Day Photo Challenge

                                                                 Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                                 everyday is a journey.


All as God wills, who wisely heeds
    To give or to withhold;
  And knoweth more of all my needs
    Than all my prayers have told.
J. G. WHITTIER.

I've been challenged on Facebook to post for ten days a photo of my life without any explanation, just the photo. Then I had to nominate one person a day for ten days to do the same. I thought it would be pretty cool for me to show them right here on this blog. So whom do I tag? Well, everyone!Here are my ten photos of my life. Enjoy.

So what does your ten days in photo looks like? 

Have a blessed day everyone.