Who can I bless today?

 Who can I bless today?  

Recently at a church meeting, we discussed things we could do this summer to bless and encourage others. When we focus on blessing others, we are usually blessed as well. Here’s the list we created.  

• Pray for one another. 

• Surprise someone with a treat. It takes just a little thought and not much money to give someone a treat.
• Leave bake goods on someone’s porch.  
• Give a gift bag of goodies to someone traveling. 
• Share a (chocolate) treat at the end of the meal with someone you’re eating out with. Also, leave one for the server. 
• Pass along a book you’ve read.
• Take someone a special coffee. 

• Check-in with someone who’s 
• been in the hospital
• recovering from surgery
• had a scary appointment
• dealing with the anniversary of a loved ones death
• home from vacation

• Share a memory from your Facebook memories.

• Help someone with a project they’re working on.

• Send an encouraging text.

• Pay it forward.

• Send a card or note in the mail.

• Schedule lunch or coffee with someone.

• Drop off a meal to someone in need.

• Do something new.

• Take a walk with a friend.  

• Remember someone’s special days

• Invite someone into your home…
• for a meal
• for dessert
• for games
• to sit around a bon fire and roast s’mores 
• 
  

• Be present!

UNEXPECTED GESTURES

  

Hubby and I recently watched “Fall City,”  a Christmas movie on TV.  In this movie a young man is trying to find his way. After many failures, he returns home for Christmas having nowhere else to go. His life is a mess and in trying to make amends in broken relationships the pastor suggested it may take “unexpected gestures in order to rebuild trust. “ 

I just finished reading the book, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” by Debbie Macomber. The main character, Julia, likes nearly everyone, but her standoffish neighbor presents a particular challenge. No matter how hard she’s tried to be nice, he rudely rebuffs her at every turn, preferring to keep to himself. She finally decides to “kill him with kindness.”  Over the twelve days of Christmas she shows him unexpected gestures of kindness. 

In Galatians the Bible says, “Let us not grow weary while doing good… (Galatians 6:9)

So now, I’m thinking about unexpected gestures of kindness.  

Recently, I’ve been the recipient of unexpected kindnesses.

• I met a friend for "coffee” (I say that loosely because I don't drink coffee) and she gave me a beautiful red knitted scarf that she had made. Totally unexpected. 
• A text from a “grand” saying, “Grandma, can I stop by for a few minutes?”
• Hubby cleaned out the kitchen pantry for me.
• An unexpected package arrived in the mail from an old friend.   
• I spilled my soda in the garage at my daughter’s house. I hollered for paper towels and my son-in-law came out and cleaned up the mess for me.
• My son forgot keys he needed and called to see if I could give him a ride to pick them up. That resulted in an unexpected, lovely visit with him.  

Now I’m thinking I should make unexpected gestures of kindness more of a habit. This will require thinking, planning and being intentional.  

So….I’m planning to use this Advent season as an opportunity for unexpected gestures.

ON MY WALK TODAY...

ON MY WALK TODAY.............

• I enjoyed sunshine, blue sky and a glorious 55 degrees.

• The bike path was almost completely dry with just a few places where the snow was melting across the path.  My toes are still nice and dry.

• I noticed the Pussy Willows are blooming. Hopefully the leaves will be budding out soon.

• I listened to a  "Jesus is Calling" podcast with Mark Wahlberg, Roma Downey, and Shauna Niequist:   

• Roma Downey says, "It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness."   

• What podcasts have you been listening to lately?

• I didn't see or hear any birds with the exception of one raven in the distance. That was disappointing because I always love to hear the birds singing. 

• I watched one plane descend into the Fairbanks International Airport and one plane take off. They were very noisy.

• I passed quite a few bikers and walkers. The majority were kids walking home from school. They didn't make eye contact with me (and generally don't), but the older walkers were very friendly with a "hello" or a wave.

• I noticed a few clean vehicles on the highway, while the majority of them are still dirty from breakup. Dave just washed our car and we're the ones driving through the deep water puddles very sloooowly. 

• I received a phone call that I had won the lottery.  Click!!!

• I didn't see one mosquito even though they are out and they're BIG! 

• I wish I had carried some cash with me so I could have stopped at Sunrise (coffee hut) for an Italian soda. Next time. 

At the end of my walk it's always good to see home sweet home.  

OLD PIANO BOOKS STILL SPEAK

My parents were married on April 3, 1945 and lived to celebrate 62 years together.  

I have many things around the house that remind me of them, but the most precious & cherished gift I have from them is a set of International Library of Music books. 

• While living in Cleveland, Tennessee my parents bought them for me in 1961 and I have had them now for 61 years. 

• They contain music history, music theory, a wealth of information and music.

• My Dad, in his very beautiful penmanship, wrote my name and date in each book.

• As a very young child, I would pretend to play the piano on the arm of the couch as my Dad played the guitar. I'm forever grateful that they invested in my love of playing the piano with these music books...and many piano lessons.  

• My piano teachers, Mr. Shultz at the Chattanooga Conservatory of Music; and Mrs. Gugler at Lee University used these books for my lessons. I love that their notations are still visible today…..still speaking to me. (I fondly remember my first piano teacher, Mildred Davis, and the John W. Schaum books.)

• When we moved to Alaska my piano had to be left behind, but these music books came with us.   

• Even though I'm very rusty, playing from them still brings me joy.  

• I do not remember how much my parents paid for them, but to me they are priceless. My parent's love continues to speak through them. 

 🎶  WHEN WORDS FAIL MUSIC SPEAKS. 🎶

BOOKS I'VE READ IN 2021

Here's a list of the books I've read in 2021 along with some quotes that really spoke to me. 

(Most of these books are from our local library....free reading!)

1.  By the Book, Julia Sonneborn

2.  The Good House, Ann Leary

3.  Reading People, Anne Bogel

4.  Perennials, Julia Cantrell

• Happy is a choice.
• Gotta keep growing whatever life brings.
• Only those who love you most can hear you when you're quiet.
• One minute you think you've got your whole life ahead, and the next thing you know, it's all behind you.  
• You can't have two alphas in the same pack.
• Take in the world with a wider lens.

5.  Outtakes from a Marriage, Ann Leary

6.  The Children, Ann Leary   

7.  It's Never Too Late, Katie Lee Gifford

8.  The Color of Air, Gail Tsukiyama

9.  One Mountain Away, Emilie Richards

• You have to keep trying, because if you stop you might miss something extra ordinary, something that's right around the corner.
• To help someone you have to walk beside them, not judge, not advise, but simply be there.

10. Somewhere Between Luck and Trust, Emilie Richards

• Never take more than you give.

11. No River Too Wide, Emilie Richards

12. 100 Days of Grace & Gratitude, A devotional journal by Shanna Noel

13. 100 Days of Prayer, a devotional journal by Shanna Noel

14. The Chilbury Ladies' Choir, Jennifer Ryan (WWII)

•  There's nothing like a good song to cheer us all up.  

15. The Color of Light, Emilie Richards (Goddess Series #4)

• Weddings bring out the inner storm trooper in even the mildest mannered.
• The deeper the darkness, the brighter the light.

16. Hanging by a Thread, Monica Ferris

17. Someone Like You, Karen Kingsbury

18. Don't Drop the Mic, T.D. Jakes

19. Unexpected, Christine Caine

20. Knit Together, Debbie Macomber

21. Dead Sea Rising, Jenkins

22. Under the Magnolias, T.I. Lowe

23. Out Live Your Life (You were made to make a difference), Max Lucado

• Here's a salute to a long life: goodness that outlives the grave, love that outlasts the final breath. May you live in such a way that your death is just the beginning of your life.

24. Have You Seen Luis Velez? Catherine Ryan Hyde

• Appreciate what you've got...it's no small blessing.

25. Lulu Cafe, T.I. Lowe

• Never have someone do something for you that you can do yourself.
• We need to be heard.

26. Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder, Joanne Fluke

27. Talk of the Town, Lisa Wingate

• There's no telling what I missed out on because I let myself be afraid.

28. A Long Walk to Water, Linda Sue Park

• Stay calm when things are hard or not going right with you. You will get through it when you persevere instead of quitting. Quitting leads to much less happiness in life than perseverance and hope.

29. Word Gets Around, Lisa Wingate

• Maybe the point of life isn't in getting past something, but in making something of it.
• You can't impact something you don't touch.
• You've got to work with the instruments you're given.
• We're all products of our experiences. We do according to what we've learned.
• When things are out of our hands, that doesn't mean they're not in God's.
• Sometimes it isn't the drunk or the sinner who needs a shovel across the rear, it's the ones who could quote you chapter and verse about grace, but don't hand it out.

30. Never Say Never, Lisa Wingate 

• Even through the storms, God is guiding our path toward something.
• When you're up against a wolf, you gotta think like a fox.
• The biggest enemy of having our hands ready for God's work is having them full up with other things.

31. The House We Grew Up In, Lisa Jewell

32. Awake, Natasha Preston

33. In an Instant, Suzanne Redfearn

34. Hush Little Baby, Suzanne Redfearn

35. Beach Haven, T.I. Lowe

36. Driftwood Dreams, T.I. Lowe

37. No Ordinary Life, Suzanne Redfearn

38. Sever Perfect Things, Catherine Ryan Hyde

39. Allie and Bea, Catherine Ryan Hyde

• Why do we not care enough about things until they happen to us?
• Live BIGGER.

40. The Music of Bees, Eileen Garvin

41. Last Breath, Karin Slaughter

42. The Good Daughter, Karin Slaughter

43. These Necessary Lies, Diane Chamberlain

44. The Midwife of Hope River (A Hope River Series), Patricia Harman

• No matter who they are or what they've done, when you hear someone's story you see him or her differently.

45. The Reluctant Midwife (A Hope River Series), Patricia Harman

• Life can be hard, but if we hold hands, we can make it across the river.

46. Once a Midwife (A Hope River Series), Patricia Harman

47. A Midwife's Song of Freedom (A Hope River Series), Patricia Harman

• Not everyone who wanders stays lost.
• I may never be rich or famous, but I can be kind. I can do my duty to God and my Master. I can comfort.
• Children grow in their own mysterious ways. And just because they seem broken doesn't mean they won't heal.
• We all make mistakes. And sometime the mistakes can lead us in the right direction.

48. The Runaway Midwife, Patricia Harman

• All around us are miracles.
• Life - sometimes it's rough, sometimes it's smooth. It depends on how the wind is blowing. And in the end, kindness matters.
• Oh God of all, bless this community as it seeks to move forward. Help us listen to each other with respect and an open mind. In the name of all that is holy. Amen.

49. The Clockmaker's Wife, Daisy Wood

50. The Secret Keeper, Kate Morton

51. The Christmas House, Victoria James

52. Dear Santa, Debbie Macomber

53. The Giver of Stars, Jojo Moyes

54. Books 1-16 of The Women's Murder Club Series, James Patterson 

• Audio books I've listened to while exercising.  

70. The Christmas Scarf, Kay Correll

My first book for 2022 is "The Secret of Snow" by Viola Shipman.  

HAPPY READING IN THE NEW YEAR!!

 

FIFTEEN

One of my granddaughters recently celebrated her 15th birthday. It’s hard to believe she’s 15 already, yet it’s harder to remember back to when I was 15. 

I was 15 in 1961…..

• There were no iPhones, Facebook, Instagram, texting, face-time, Zoom, YouTubes, smart TV’s, Alexa, Amazon.com or Starbucks. 

• “I did not know who I was supposed to be at fifteen." (Taylor Swift)

• I was a sophomore at Tomlinson Memorial High School in Cleveland, Tennessee.

• My Dad drove a Nash Rambler

• John F. Kennedy became the 35th president of the United States. “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.” 

• Alan Shepard became the first American in space

• The Movies to Watch included:
• 101 Dalmations
• King of Kings
• West Side Story
• The Parent Trap

• Minimum Wage was $1.15 per hour. 

• Pampers disposable diapers were available for the first time

• Popular toys: 
• LEGO Building Sets
• Ken Carson (Barbie’s boyfriend)
• Trolls  

• Most popular TV shows:  
• Wagon Train
• Bonanza
• Gunsmoke
• Hazel
• Perry Mason
• The Red Skelton Show
• The Andy Griffith Show
• Candid Camera

• World Series Champions: New York Yankees.  (This made me smile because my son is an avid baseball and Yankees’ fan. He recalls, at the age of 15, going to his first professional baseball game in San Diego with the Padres.) 

• Sprite made its debut

• The Berlin Wall was built, dividing East and West Germany

• The Viet Nam war began

• With all the Covid-19 going on today, here's an interesting fact from an article in The New Epidemics by Alan Phillips, December 2, 1961:  “…It was their U. S. counterpart, the Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta, warning them that influenza had broken out of China. It looked like a new strain of group A flu virus (later confirmed and tagged A2) against which the world's population had no immunity. An epidemic seemed (and was) on its way…”

• A few hit songs: 
• I Fall to Pieces, Patsy Cline
• The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Tokens
• Hello Mary Lou, Ricky Nelson
• Moody River, Pat Boone

• I’ve been 15 five times.    

Sunrise, sunset

Sunrise, sunset

Swiftly fly the years

One season following another

Laden with happiness and tears

(Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick)

AUTUMN AGAIN

I'm never ready for summer to be over, but it's September and it's autumn again....

• Cooler temperatures

• Sunflowers blooming except for a couple tall stalks. My fingers are crossed that they bloom before the snow falls. 

• Fireweed has all turned to cotton

• Hunting season  

Grandson, Kaiden, gets a caribou

• Bon fires and wiener roasts

• Back to school 

Granddaughters - Izzy & Maddy (left to right)

Freshmen in High School

• Yellow leaves and mushrooms

• Digging potatoes

• Bringing in tomato plant to ripen 

• Northern Lights

• Our nights return after a summer of long days. (We'll continue to lose daylight for the next 14 weeks and then start gaining daylight again.)

• Annual trip up to Murphy Dome where my Mom and Dad’s ashes are scattered.  

•  Back to knitting  

• The lawn furniture and hammock have been put away, and the flower beds have been cleaned out.

• The geese are flying south  🥲

• We're back to sweatshirts and long pants...but I'm still wearing my flip-flops.