The RV

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


Ask nothing more of me, sweet;
All I can give you I give.
Heart of my heart, were it more,
More would be laid at your feet:
Love that should help you to live,
Song that should help you to soar.

--Algernon Charles Swinburne.

So as I have posted earlier, I've been YouTubing and reading a blog on Rv living. I've only begun, but already I have many concerns. Here they are!

1. Mice
 I've seen two videos on mice entering the Rv. That's way too many. I abhor mice or any type of rodent. Uggh. Just the thought that this could happen has me seriously doubting this lifestyle. UGGH!  The thought of having to touch a mousetrap or have the cat bring me a dead one, sends me running in the opposite direction. Uggh!


2. Winters/Cold
I'm not sure an Rv is equipped to keep one warm in the harsh Winter weather. Majority of the Rv dwellers live in a very warm climate. I really need more research on this.

3. Maintenance
This scares me a little even if I had a Tiny House or an Rv. I worry if I'm able to maintain the upkeep of batteries or the propane tanks. Then there is the hot water, the gray water and the black water treatment. What about the generator? What about the solar? I would have to take a course. 

4. Boon Docking
Boon docking is camping without any hookups. My original plan was to park it on someone's land or mine. There is an option of parking at a campsite or Rv Park. There are two problems I see already. One, none of these parks are year round. Two, they're a fair distance away from my family. I could boon dock with a Tiny House no problem, but can I do so with an Rv?

These last two are an absolute plus to an Rv!

5. Storage
Almost every type of Rv I have seen on YouTube, has plenty of storage for me. I say for me, because I am one person and I already know what I would be taking with me. A Tiny House might be a problem in that regards.

6. Hooks, Hooks
It seems that Rv dwellers have an unlimited use for hooks of every type. Their imagination is beyond anything I have ever seen. Ideas galore!

So it seems I still have much more research ahead of me as I try to find something that will fit my purpose. 

Have a Blessed day everyone. 

Lent

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


He leads me where the waters glide,
The waters soft and still,
 And homeward He will gently guide 
My wandering heart and will. 
J. KEBLE.

As a child, I have spent every Lent Season, giving up something in remembrance of Our Christ dying on the Cross.
Ashes on Ash Wednesday, followed by The Stations of the Cross at Church. No meat on Friday. On Palm Sunday, we shaped our Palms into a Cross to hang in our cars and homes. We would get a mason jar full of Holy Water from the Church and sprinkle that around our home/vehicles, The following Saturday, we decorated our Easter Baskets with specific goods: Butter shaped into a lamb, Easter eggs, sausage, salt, grated beets with horseradish, small round loaves of bread and a pound cake shaped into a lamb. This was our Easter breakfast. 

This was my Lent as a Catholic. For the last six years, Emily and I have been fasting every January for the entire month. That was how we welcomed the New Year, fresh and clean, free of any baggage from the previous year. Since our move back in December, we basically skipped that fast this year. I have no particular reason. We just felt a need to do something different this time around. 

As Lent is here, I've been thinking what others  are doing this time or what it means to them personally. When I was a Catholic, it was traditional and ritualistic like Thanksgiving Dinner. The problem with tradition and ritualism is that it can become the norm. I think in a way, our fasting every January has become the norm. 

I'm not here to rain on any given religion and their traditions, but I do sometimes wonder if people come out and visit their Churches during these traditional events or do they every Sunday. I've always held this belief that if I claim to be someone or something, well then, do it all the way. Not just sometimes or on Holidays. Be that every single day.

Every Ash Wednesday, Christians come out and get their ashes, making one believe the world loves Jesus. Only that isn't really true. People love Jesus when it suits them. Sadly, on Thursday, the world will go back living the way they have been. They will, of course, come out every Friday proclaiming no meat.

I'm sorry if I sound condescending. I really don't mean to, but we need to wake up. We cannot just claim to love Jesus and  only obey His Ways when we feel like it.  This is why we Christians are viewed as fake by nonbelievers. We don't live what we preach. Just like the movie War Room claims, no one likes a lukewarm anything. 

Have a blessed day everyone. 

Random Thoughts Take 2

                                             Everyday is a brand new day,
                                            everyday is a journey

Though man a thinking being is defined,
Few use the grand prerogative of mind.
How few think justly of the thinking few!
How many never think, 
who think they do!

--Jane Taylor.

Two things have been on my mind lately:1) Finishing all of my projects and 2) the future a.k.a. my Tiny Living.

I have been pouring over YouTube channels watching everything out there on Rv living. Honestly, I'm not very impressed. What I'm really looking for is a good blog on the Rv lifestyle. That's what I did when researching Tiny Houses and it has been very informative. It seems that the majority of blogs out there in regards to Rv living, are travelers. Well, I don't want to travel nonstop here. I want to park it and live in it. 

I thought that perhaps I am using the wrong terminology. Perhaps there is a term for living in an Rv that I don't know about. After more research, I've finally had some success. Not the kind where I'm very happy with, but I've decided on two sites. 

One of them is really a YouTube videos of her life in an Rv, but she seems to be stationed in one place at least. Another, I'm not sure if I will like it, but she has several posts on her blog. We will see how this will work out. It was much easier when I was researching T.H.O.W.'s since there are several bloggers on that subject. 

What I'm looking for is the complete story from A to Z in why they chose this lifestyle and the ups/downs of the everyday. I'm not interested in seeing pictures of their various trips. I don't mean to sound uncaring, but I am trying to see if this is for me or not.  

I will keep you posted. At least, with the videos, I'm able to multitask. I can work on some of these unfinished projects while watching them. Stay tuned.

Have a blessed day everyone. 

Things To Take To A Friend In Need

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



And yet these days of dreariness are sent us from above;
They do not come in anger, but in faithfulness and love;
They come to teach us lessons which bright ones could not yield,
And to leave us blest and thankful when their purpose is fulfilled.
ANON.

One of the most asked questions of me pertains to helping someone with a chronic illness. What can we do to help someone as they go through their illness? From time to time, I've posted several ideas that either someone has done for me or I will love it if they did. 

1. Recently, two of my girlfriends and I decided to go for a treat and have a massage. This wasn't Massage Envy or any other topnotch competitor, but the local foot massage places one sees for half the price. What I didn't know is that this treat I was giving myself ended up being a treat from them. What a nice gesture and it wasn't extremely expensive. Regular one hour massage was like 29.99 and with a Groupon, they paid even less. I still think about that massage, but most of all, I think of the great time we had together. 

2. I think that gift baskets or gift bags of any kind are awesome to receive. I have gotten so many different kinds in these past ten years. I have received one while at the hospital that held basic items everyone requires for a few nights stay. From razors, nail files and puzzle books to just plain socks. Basic dollar store stuff that I had so much fun going through. 

A gift basket can consist of anything. I've received ones that held a variety of books. Another was an assortment of teas. Recently, I've seen one with cookies, brownies and hot chocolate. One could make a gift basket out of anything as long as it reflects the person's taste. God for it!

3. Food is a great choice. You cannot go wrong, it is always appreciated. The only thing I want to add here is to consider the other people in the household. Everyone thinks of the sick person, but there is a family here and everyone needs to eat. The last treatment I've received, I've had many meals delivered. All were delicious and appreciated. There was one that stood out the most in my mind, because this person thought of everyone. Also, if you are visiting someone in the Hospital, please don't forget the relations of that person who are there 24/7. A bagel or cup of coffee would go a long way. Many times, they don't even think of food for themselves. 

4. Now, on the flip side. Please don not take this the wrong way, but sometimes too many visitors can be exhausting. I understand that everyone loves you and cares for you, wanting to call or come over, but it can become overwhelming. I, myself, needed naps as part of my treatment. Entertaining can really tire a person out. It did me. I did not know how to tell someone that I'm tired and could they please go home. I never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings, especially when they came bearing gifts and took the time to deliver them. So please consider that they are sick, they need to rest more and keep the visits short. 

5. Another thing I really loved this past treatment is when others would pick up my prescriptions or drive Emily to her appointment for me. These little things really made a huge difference. I've always been a person who wanted to exert my independence so I never really took people  on their offers. I'm glad I did the last time. What a wonderful help they were to me just by picking up a gallon of milk or painkillers. Thank God for these people. 

I hope this helps whenever a situation arises and a friend is in need. We should always treat others the way we want to be treated when in their situation. 

Have a Blessed day everyone. 

Radiation Therapy

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


Lord, with what courage and delight
    I do each thing,
  When Thy least breath sustains my wing!
    I shine and move
    Like those above,
    And, with much gladness
    Quitting sadness,
  Make me fair days of every night.
H. VAUGHAN

Radiation. . . .I still shudder at the very mention of the word. I'm so happy to be rid of it for good. I hope I never have to endure that type of treatment again. Never has anything taken such a mental hold over me as radiation. I find that frightening. 

Frightening, because the very thought of something having such control over me, scares the heck out of me. It also has taught me a valuable lesson. I was becoming way too comfortable with my progress as a cancer survivor. In my mind, I thought I have learned and gone through everything I needed to experience mentally. I mean, it's been almost ten years. I'm a seasoned survivor. 

Bull. All bull. You are never finished. You are never done learning. There is always so much more. You may have overcome one obstacle, but there is another around the corner. We need to stop thinking that we are here on this Earth for our pleasure. We are here to prepare for the work we will be doing in Heaven. 

That thought process changes everything. We are flawed, imperfect people who need to be working on becoming as Christ like as possible. That won't happen overnight.

Radiation brought me to my knees. It made me realize how vulnerable I really am on the inside. There is still a lot of work left in me. Here I am Lord, turn me into a worthy vessel, molding me into the person you see me become. 

Have a blessed day everyone. 

Falling Off The Wagon

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


My soul is sailing through the sea,
But the past is heavy and hindereth me.
The past hath crusted cumbrous shells
That hold the flesh of cold sea-mells
About my soul.The huge waves wash, 
the high waves roll,
Each barnacle clingeth and worketh dole
And hindereth me from sailing.

--Sidney Lanier.

What is your sin nature? First, we have to define what is sin nature? 

What is the sin nature? - Got Questions

https://www.gotquestions.org/sin-nature.html

Answer: The sin nature is that principle in man that makes him rebellious against God.

We all have a weakness in us that defines our sin nature. We continually struggle with that weakness where we keep falling off the wagon. According to Christianity 101:

"Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51:5). Every human being sins. Sin is often defined as missing the mark. It is a failure to live up to God's requirements. We sin because we have a sin nature. Every human being possesses a sin nature -- a corrupt nature inherited from Adam. Our sin nature separates us from God: "The result of one trespass was condemnation for all men" (Romans 5:18). Christians have two natures at work in their being -- one is the old sin nature, and the other is a new nature controlled by the Spirit. These two natures are constantly at war with each other. Paul explains that, despite his best intentions, he is still influenced by his sin nature: "I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do -- this I keep on doing" (Romans 7:18-19). While our two natures are constantly in conflict, it is not the sin nature that will ultimately control the Christian. Part of the sanctification process involves dying to the old nature. The Christian will sin, but the Christian will not continue in unrestrained sin: "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you" (Romans 8:9). Sin in the Christian's life will be followed by remorse and repentance. At Christ's second coming, when the believer's body is glorified, the sin nature will be destroyed once and for all. Until then, we are told to resist the sin nature's temptations. God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1  I know I have a battle with my own sin nature. I'm even embarrassed to let you know what it is, because I am ashamed. Just when I have been real good for months, BAM! I fall within seconds and not even with a fight. Why is that? Even the Apostle Paul had a sin nature that he often wrote about. We are so imperfect and in need of our Savior. Thank goodness He is so forgiving and full of love for us. When we fall off the wagon, He just picks us up and covers us with His love.  Have a Blessed day everyone.

Winter's Haven

                                             Everyday is a brand new day,
                                             everyday is a journey

So to the calmly gathered thought

The innermost of life is taught,

The mystery dimly understood,

That love of God is love of good:

That to be saved is only this--

Salvation from our selfishness.

--John Greenleaf Whittier

It's funny how the Winters have changed around here in the past few years. Very rarely do we have tons of snow, blizzards, ice and below zero weather. Mostly it just rains. 

It may surprise you when I say how much I miss the snow. Well, not all the time, but sometimes. There is something so calming watching the snow come down as we lay snuggled in our cozy homes. A cup of coffee and a glass of wine on the end table as I crochet my little heart out. 

Winter has always been a time of nesting for me. It's usually too cold to go out into the world like in the Summer where almost all of our time is spent outdoors. I miss that cozy feeling of contentment, serene and calm. At least, looking from the inside out!

This thinking has led me to believe that change not only happens in our lives, but in the conditions we live in. I've always thought that a major change occurs every ten years or so where we either move forward or lag behind. A sort of upheaval in our lives. I call it an upheaval, because many of these changes are unwelcome. 

It seems the same can be said of the weather. I cannot even remember the last time we had a snowy Winter. Not that I'm complaining, but I need all four of my Seasons. I don't think I could live in a zone where the same temperature reigned all year long. How boring! Remember, I like diversity. 

This week alone, we are enjoying weather in the sixties in February. People are walking around with bare legs and shorts. In the next few days, the temperatures will drop once again. Is it any wonder that everyone is walking around sick?

Although, the weather is beautiful, I still secretly am hoping for at least one snowstorm where I can look out through my window admiring the beauty of Our Lord. I know there is some snow coming, I just wonder when. 

Have a blessed day everyone.