FAB-RUARY 7th

Another day to link up with Helen at:

iwillbloom.wordpress.com

And to be challenged to "find the fab" in my life!

Today, the challenge is to share...

Books you've loved -

loved as a child -

want to read!

This is actually easier than yesterday's; I still haven't come up with something really cool - yet!  But, I have an idea circulating in my brain...

But, for today - Books Books Books!

I can't remember what books I read as a child or young person...I'm sure I read the Nancy Drew (and maybe the Hardy Boys) series.  I loved English and Literature in Jr. High and High School; so I am sure I read some classics then.

As an adult, I renewed the love of reading; but when working full time, didn't get much reading done.  It would take me forever to read one small paperback book!

But...

In my older years - my retirement - I do take more time to read; and started keeping a list of what I've read, when I started the book and when I finished.  I haven't actually written any kind of synopsis, or other information on the books besides the author's name.

And, here is my 2014 list...

Shadow of Silence

by Judith Erwin

(this author was a classmate

of my husband's

from high school)

Fireproof

by Eric Wilson

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

Sanctuary

by Nora Roberts

The Ghost

by Danielle Steel

Heaven is for Real

by Todd Burpo

Her Mother's Hope

by Francine Rivers

The Things I know Best

by Lynne Hinton

Beneath a southern Sky

by Deborah Raney

Her Daughter's Dream

by Francine Rivers

Burning Bright

by Ron Rash

Remember to Forget

by Deborah Raney

A Time to Dance

by Karen Kingsbury

The Lottery Winner

by Mary Higgins Clark

Light from Heaven

by Jan Karon

After the Rains

by Deborah Raney

The Giver

by Lois Lowry

Along the Way

short stories

by Trudy Cathy White

The Best of Me

by Nicholas Sparks

"The Chronicles of Narnia" series

by C. S. Lewis

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Prince Caspian

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Silver Chair

The Horse and His Boy

The Magician's Nephew

The Last Battle

and currently reading:

 In the Shadow of the Cypress

by Thomas Steinbeck

Quite a list of books, huh?!  It's clear I love to read; I am a "chain reader"!  I put one book down, and if still in a place where I can continue to read...

I pick up the next one!

Many of these books have been made into movies!  I enjoy reading the book - sometimes before I see the movie; and sometimes after.  Some of them I haven't even seen the movie and probably will not...

I try to keep a notebook handy in case there is something I want to remember; and have used some of the quotes in my journal and other writing.

There are a few books on my shelf (and in my head) that I plan to read:

Unbroken

by Laura Hillenbrand

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Confessions of an Imperfect Caregiver

by fellow blogger Bobbi Carducci

at TheCaregiverSpace.org

White Oleander

by Janet Fitch

Smoke Screen

by Sandra Brown

These are just a few of the books on my shelf that I need to read - except for the first one that is still being read by my son-in-law!  Maybe I will get through them all this year?!

FAB-RUARY 6th

Another day to link up with Helen at:

iwillbloom.wordpress.com

And to be challenged to "find the fab" in my life!

Today, the challenge is to find...

The coolest thing I ever saw (and why!)...

Recently while watching TV, I saw a commercial that highlighted various animals inter-acting with other animals not in their own species.

I do not know what product was being advertised; but what caught my attention were the animals, cuddling, sharing, even feeding the other. I only wish I had a clip of that commercial;

but I did find a few pictures of animals on Pinterest that I will share (these are not the animals from the commercial; just others that I found equally as "cool"):

AWWW Factor!!

These pictures and the commercial reminded me of the verse in Isaiah about the wolf and the lamb;

the leopard and the goat;

the calf and the lion...

And, it also reminded me of a special pair we saw at our local zoo a couple of years ago!

Stella, the anteater, gave birth to a new baby in May 2013. We visited the zoo in June of that year, when the baby was only a few months old...  

Can you see the Baby Anteater on his mother's back? We learned from one of the zoo's employees that the baby stays with its mother for many months, bonding and becoming acquainted with its surroundings.

They don't bother them until the baby is much older - not even to discover what sex the baby is!  (I don't even remember finding out that little bit of information!)

God's creatures!  So amazing...so cool!!

Why can't we human beings act more like these animals! We are God's "creatures", too...

And, that is my COOL THING to share for Fab-ruary 6th.

Kindness Counts Friday - Giving and Receiving

Always on the look-out for something different to help jump start my writing, I first read a Kindness Counts Friday post on  iwillbloom.wordpress.com.

I have wanted to share in "Kindnesses", but held back because...



Although I am a giver, most of what I had to share were things I received!

But, after reading a "Message from God" that I found on Facebook, and wrote in my journal about, I decided to share today (better late than never, right?!)...

First, my "Message from God":

"God wants you to know that...

it's OK to receive.

Have you been the giver for so long

that you have forgotten how to receive?

Allow others to give you some of the love

that you give so freely.

Seek a balance between

your giving

and your receiving."

And I wrote that by receiving, I am allowing someone else to be the giver...

So, today I want to share a few things that I have received over the past couple of weeks:

• A scrapbooking friend, unable to attend the recent retreat I attended, paid the fee for me to be able to attend.
• Two friends bought me meals at two different occasions during the retreat: first, dinner on Saturday night, and then breakfast on Sunday morning.
• Another friend, unable to attend the Patriot Service Dogs retreat in May, wanted to sponsor someone by paying their initial fee, and chose me!

Patriot Service Dogs

Fall Retreat 2014

• Somebody at the last retreat gave me a plastic container that holds my Cricut cartridges.  They found out I needed one, and bought it from the yard sale we always have at the retreats.
• Other people give me things they have in their crafting supplies that they no longer need.
• Another friend gave me a package full of home-made cards to add to those I am using as a fund-raiser for the Patriot Service Dogs retreat.
• And, one more that I can't not publish because it is just so "outside of the norm" (for him, anyway)!  The other night I was washing dishes while hubby was watching TV; I could see it from where I was standing.  A commercial with Sofia Vegara came on and he remarked about how beautiful she was.  I said with all that money, she could afford to have "people" help her stay that way.  And he said, "Well, I think you are beautiful"...after a brief moment of shock, I thanked him!  Now, if this is the only compliment I get from him for a while, I think it will be plenty to last a lifetime! 

OK, this is enough!  I am so humbled and blessed to be part of this amazing group of ladies.  They are all loving, helpful, sharing, caring and just plain FUN to be with!

I have been on the giving end of kindnesses, too:

• Taking a friend to the clinic for her radiation treatments.
• Babysitting my daughter(s) so they can have alone time with their husband(s).  (This counts as a Kindness, doesn't it?  Even if I get the benefit of being with my grandchildren?!
• Sharing supplies at the recent scrapbooking retreat (we all do that; so I am on the receiving and the giving of that).

Seems kind of one-sided, doesn't it?!  I will be more pro-active in the giving and better at the receiving.  Perhaps next week it will be a little more evenly spread!

Random Journal Day - February 6th

Linking up the First Friday of Every Month with Dawn for Random Journal Day.

Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I found a couple of entries I made regarding this special "LOVE" day...

First, what is Valentine's Day?

"Each year on February 14th, many people exchange cards, candy, gifts or flowers with their special “valentine.” The day of romance we call Valentine’s Day is named for a Christian martyr and dates back to the 5th century, but has origins in the Roman holiday Lupercalia."  (Source:  history.com)

So, this is a "day of romance"?  It has been many years sincee there was any "romance" in my life!

Let me share a journal entry I came across from February 14, 1991:

"(Valentine's Day) should be for 'lovers' and those who are 'in love';  but, the people we love don't have to fit that description of 'a lover' or 'being in love'.  Like: I love my kids!  I love my Mom, and my Grandfather!  I loved my Dad, and still do love him, and remember him fondly.  I also love my job; the people I work with; some more than others.  I love my friends, my special friends.  LOVE?!  There are many facets of Love; many forms of love.  Well - anyway...

I received a few remembrances: from my daughter; from co-workers and my 'boss'..."

Of course, I didn't mention love as that between a man and a woman; a husband and wife...

There was no remembrance from the person that I was/am married to...

Why is it that "in the beginning" things are great and you are remembered on special days like birthdays, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day?  You know, the "courting period"?!

But, as the years go by...

Even "back then" - nothing; same as it is now!

I just learned to live with it!

So...

Let's jump ahead to February 2005; was it any better?

We celebrated "Senior Ministry" at church just before Valentine's Day that year; and, my favorite Scripture, I Corinthians 13 was used during the service...

These verses have meant so much to me; I have read them many times - but I am not sure how much of the meaning actually sunk in...

I wrote these verses in my journal:

"If  I speak in the tongues of mortals and angels, but do not have love, 
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  
If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, 
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, 
I am nothing.  
If I give away all my possessions, 
and if I hand over my body so that I may boast but do not have love, 
I gain nothing.  
Yes, love is patient; love is kind, 
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogrant or rude.  
It does not insist on its own way; 
it is not irritable or resentful, 
It does not rejoice in wrongdoing, 
but rejoices in the truth.
Love bears all things, 
believes all things, 
hopes all things, 
endures all things.
LOVE NEVER ENDS."
(I Corinthians 13:1-4 NRSV)

Reading further in my journal entry from that day, I remember what happened that Valentine's Day, and how he treated me - certainly not as a "lover" or even a wife should be treated on this special day...

How he decided to take our daughter out for dinner; and I guess I assumed he meant both of us when he said he wanted to go out...but that was not what he intended!

I went to finish getting ready; shoes, purse, etc.  And...

...when I came out - nobody was there!  I looked to see if they were waiting in the car...

but they were GONE!

It was his way of "keeping up with our daughter, what she needed or was doing" (even though she was over 20 years old); his way, even though it was Valentine's Day and it should have been us; or...at least both of us even if she did go, too - a family dinner.

I was so hurt!

Later, when they came home, our daughter apologized...

...and when she left, I brought it up to him; but he just shrugged it off; said he wanted to be able to talk to her without other people around...

I told him I wasn't "other people"; I was her mother! And whatever he had to say to her could be said with both parents around!

Yes, remembering all of this takes me back to that time (and others like it); and I have had a hard time living by these words in I Corinthians...

It is ironic that this has been such a special scripture for me; when I read these words, especially the way The Message Bible reads, I Corinthians 13:4-7 and 13 clearly says how we/I should act - in love:

"Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't strut.
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first",
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others.
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything.
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
LOVE NEVER DIES...

But for right now, until that completeness,
we have three things to do 
to lead us toward that consummation:
Trust steadily in God,
hope unswervingly,
love extravagantly:
And the best of the three is love."

I know I should live by these words;

But, it's hard...

Knowing I should...

That's one thing; doing what I should, that's a totally different thing...

And the only way I can do this - 

is with God's help...

So, this is how I should live in love:

I should never give up.
I should care more for others than for self.
I should not strut.
I should not have a swelled head,
I should not force myself on others,
I should not always be "me first",
I should not fly off the handle,
I should not keep score of the sins of others.
I should not revel when others grovel,
I should take pleasure in the flowering of truth,
I should put up with anything.
I should trust God always,
I should always look for the best,
I should never look back,
But I should keep going to the end.
BECAUSE...LOVE NEVER DIES

And, I should go forward with these words on my heart...

and, with God's help, I will!

Five Minute Friday: KEEP

Once again it is Thursday night, and I will be linking up with Kate at http://katemotaung.com/ and all the other FMFers!  It's exciting to read what other bloggers write using the same word prompt...so, join us for the FMF Party!

Tonight's word is:  KEEP

Ready...

     Set...

          GO!

Have you seen those "KEEP CALM" logos?  They show up on Facebook all the time; and I checked Pinterest and found all sorts of ways to "KEEP CALM":

Keep Calm and Be Yourself!

Keep Calm and Be Original.

Keep Calm and Just Be the Best You Can Be!

Keep Calm and Love Your Friends!

Keep Calm and ... (can I say it??)... LET IT GO - or LET IT BE!

Keep Calm and Go to Disney.

Keep Calm and Eat Bacon...

or Keep Calm and Eat a Donut; or a Cupcake or whatever!

Keep Calm and...

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor!

OK, so you get the picture, right!?  Even if you haven't seen these - well, they do show up everywhere!

Telling us to "Keep Calm"...

but, how are we to "Keep Calm"?

When our world around us is not calm; when things are going wrong all over the world; when our lives are shattered or hurting or we just don't know which way to turn...

We can "Keep Calm"... 

Because we know...

And that is why we are able to "Keep Calm"...

(ok, so I went over the five minutes)!

FAB-RUARY 5th

Another day to link up with Helen at:

iwillbloom.wordpress.com

Excited to be challenged to "find the fab" in my life!

Today's challenge is:

"This makes me smile..."

 

Anybody who has read even a few of my posts would most likely know exactly what I am going to say...

or who I am going to write about!

MY GRANDCHILDREN, of course!

They make me smile when I am hurting inside; or even when I am hurting outside - aches and pains that don't seem to go away...

But, one look at one of my grandchildren - even if it's just a cute picture posted on Facebook - 

and my pains fade in the background as I bask in the sunshine of their smiles!

I will never get tired of seeing them...

Cousins Blaise and Bash

on the way home from school

with Cathy at the wheel.

Bijou and Shayne

having a deep conversation;

the boys playing in the background.

Melissa helping Soren

learn to climb the stairs.

And, they make me smile remembering the fun times we have whenever we get together; even if all we do is sit around and talk and watch the kids play and have fun.

So...

And...

 

And, remember to...