tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54867132320291552602024-03-13T10:18:21.663-07:00Branching Out...sowing seeds of graceAn ordinary woman
listening to our extraordinary God.
Sharing ordinary events
with extraordinary insight and humor.
Join her on her journey.Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.comBlogger408125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-18483447182543959832020-03-13T10:48:00.002-07:002020-03-13T10:48:44.519-07:00Rain Will Make the Flowers Grow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUarvjcpEizta8UBT0drTKFuXyGkC9J-ewUWgPBvCpaL7L_4sdESc5mF7ujBnP-bScKVm2JX6g2QFxHuCmu_klvUiIZqUPPAqxBzAGvPj_kLCRcAF7jpGW0IcLHp2Y4ha3wKKk0efahwTT/s1600/IMG_2931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUarvjcpEizta8UBT0drTKFuXyGkC9J-ewUWgPBvCpaL7L_4sdESc5mF7ujBnP-bScKVm2JX6g2QFxHuCmu_klvUiIZqUPPAqxBzAGvPj_kLCRcAF7jpGW0IcLHp2Y4ha3wKKk0efahwTT/s320/IMG_2931.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The rain pounded against the windows, slanted against the wind, coming down in sheets. I wandered the house, remembering that days ago I had opened windows to air us out. A windowsill glistened with collected water, and I ran to grab a cloth with which to soak it up. I watched the way the aqua terry cloth not only absorbed the rain, righting the mistake I had made, but cleaned collected dust and pollution off of the painted white wood. Rain has a way of cleansing us, washing our world free.<br />
<br />
The world is wobbly right now.<br />
It's been accelerating this past week, past month...in some ways, all of 2020.<br />
There is chaos.<br />
There is panic.<br />
There is fear.<br />
<br />
Somehow I am have a deep-seated feeling it's all part of a bigger redemption story, a greater opportunity, and one I am anxious to watch unfold.<br />
<br />
Not that loss hasn't been profound for oh, so many people. I don't mean to belittle the pain throngs in society are feeling. For myself, already in thousands of dollars of deficit from missing weeks of work due to a crippling seasonal flu, I find myself finally well enough to work but without any. <br />
Arts educators and freelancers of all kinds are feeling the squeeze, the lack. <br />
Events are cancelled. <br />
Classes and programs eradicated for now. <br />
I decided to nap for an hour yesterday as that cleansing rain poured, my class cancelled, in the hopes of soothing my weary heart. <br />
<br />
<i><b>I fell asleep employed and awoke an hour later unemployed. </b></i><br />
<br />
Disneyland had closed; my classes suspended indefinitely; schools shutting down; non-essential groups dissolved for now. And <b><i>my loss is extremely small</i></b> compared to so many others.<br />
<br />
Yet...<br />
<br />
<i>The beauty was to be had.</i><br />
A post from a fellow teaching artist friend with resources for financial help.<br />
Texts flowing between colleagues and friends, offering comfort and support.<br />
A community outreach department covering our salaries through the gap.<br />
Innovation and community replacing competition and anxiety.<br />
A friend telling me she and her husband had started praying together again.<br />
A devotional suggesting we reach out to each other and offer words of comfort and grace...truly making another feel seen and heard in their loss and their fear.<br />
<br />
<b>The beauty is to be had all around us.</b><br />
<br />
Perhaps this time of uncertainty, of "<i>social distancing</i>," could actually bringing us closer in community if we let it. I truly believe that what starts as loss or lack in our minds many times becomes connection and outreach in a deeper way, if only we look beyond the immediate.<br />
Perhaps this illness will bring a different type of unity to our incredibly fractured world.<br />
Perhaps when we accept we are not in control of our circumstances but are able to control our responses, we will open our hearts and allow our Father to guide us where we are needed.<br />
<br />
For myself, as our Lord has sent the rain to renew, I am looking to the rain to guide me.<br />
I will actively look for growth in community and outreach.<br />
I will seek the places I can cleanse and restore.<br />
I will try my best to soothe and comfort.<br />
And with these actions, my hope is that my small effort will fall like a raindrop on a puddle of water, rippling outward and expanding further in grace for us all.<br />
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<i>"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants." - Deuteronomy 32:2</i><br />
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<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-17799033672892931942018-01-30T09:18:00.000-08:002018-01-30T09:18:16.720-08:00Figuring Things OutI just figured out that <b><i>I haven't figured something out</i></b>.<br />
Stay with me here...<br />
<br />
While thinking this morning through some interpersonal issues I've been having with a colleague and the unrest and sadness I feel over the financial failure that was my God-sized dream, I was thinking through my options:<br />
<i>1. Resign from my gig to afford myself some peace</i><br />
<i>2. Give up any aspiration I ever had of redoing houses in part to give back to the homeless community</i><br />
<i>3. Run far, far away (San Diego has often been my preferred fantasy location of anonymity...)</i><br />
<br />
Quite frankly, the options are, even in this quiet moment, all looking pretty good to me right about now. I had all but settled on these solutions...well, at least number one...when I put on Laura Story's <i>"Grace"</i> as I drove home from dropping my son off at school. <i>(One of a very few school drop-offs I have left as our final high school graduation looms large. Note to self: That may be making up some of my current angst.)</i><br />
<br />
Anyway, Laura Story began reaching me in that intimate, vulnerable way that only she can...<br />
<i>"My heart is so proud.</i><br />
<i>My mind is so unfocused.</i><br />
<i>I see the things You do through me as great things I have done."</i><br />
<br />
No sooner had she sung these words than the "aha" came over me.<br />
As epiphany's go, it's a doozy, and one that, even though it's come over me, I'm scared I won't be able to remedy.<br />
Ready?<br />
<br />
<b>I've never figured out my relationship with Christ in my old life.</b><br />
<br />
<b><i>Thud</i></b>.<br />
Allow me to explain.<br />
<br />
When I first introduced this blog in 2011, I was in the midst of a great change.<br />
I was finally beginning to emerge from the pit after an epic battle with diagnosed major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and Satan trying to extinguish my light.<br />
I had lost my voice, thus <i>(I thought at the time)</i> losing my career.<br />
I was at a crossroads.<br />
Thankfully, I had finally decided life was worth living, albeit, acknowledging that a new life would have to form in the absence of any type of work I had ever known.<br />
<br />
Slowly, things clicked...I began writing...the fog began to lift...I was using my unusable voice in a different way...I got into an exciting, new rhythm...<br />
<b><i>A new rhythm without music</i></b>...who'd a thunk?<br />
Most importantly, because I had been stripped bare, I had only Jesus to rely on, leaning into Him in every circumstance and for every decision.<br />
<i>(In actuality, this was the first time I realized that <b>I only - ever - had Jesus</b> to rely on. Any reliance I had mistakenly thought was mine up to that point was simply, well, not.)</i><br />
So walking with Jesus became my new normal.<br />
It was like a honeymoon with my Savior, the one truest, greatest love of my life.<br />
I experienced a peace such that I had never known.<br />
Oh, how I long for those days.<br />
<br />
Then came the house sale and the move...<br />
The newer, bigger house...<br />
The new community...<br />
The return home and subsequent round-the-clock needs of a child in need...<br />
The return of my voice and the subsequent return of a career...<br />
The wondering where we will go now that our time in the new house is almost over...<br />
<b>So. Many. Things.</b><br />
I was back in charge. <i>(Ha! Big mistake...huge...)</i><br />
<br />
But what I finally realized this morning is that I've never actively sought the walk with Jesus in my current life...because the habits formed long before in my previous career accompanied that return. I had <i>never </i>met Jesus profoundly and utterly in my singing/teaching/coaching career. And though I employ and try to espouse His ways of encouragement and wisdom in my teaching, the decisions in the classroom, the studio, the rehearsal space are "obviously mine."<br />
Oh how foolish I forever am...<br />
<i>"I see the things You do through me as great things I have done."</i><br />
<br />
I have no answer to this.<br />
<i>(Hey, cut me a break...I'm an hour into this realization! :)</i><br />
But I know today and each day that my walk will only get "easier" by seeking Him.<br />
<i>By inviting Him in.</i><br />
<i>By knowing that this second chance song He's given me to sing is nothing...<b>NOTHING</b>...</i><br />
<i>without Him.</i><br />
<i>Without His grace.</i><br />
<i>Without His lead.</i><br />
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Oh, Jesus, please meet me on the road and the path forward.<br />
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<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-13497277887254886412017-10-08T09:04:00.000-07:002017-10-08T09:04:15.836-07:00Looking for the Good - A Week-long Recap<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was a lot of good for me this past week. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So much so, that my inauspicious start to this month's challenge...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">well, became even more inauspicious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And though there's a part of me that feels guilt over focusing on what around <i>me </i>is blessed while the world reels in sadness over tragic events, there's a <b><i>critical </i></b>part that remembers...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The point of focusing on the blessings is to spread that purpose within my reach, throwing a stone and hopefully making a ripple of good.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Exhale</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So will you indulge me as I give a recap?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is no deep philosophical discovery here....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Simply an intentional concentration on the ways our great and gracious God daily blesses me...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It wasn't only good...it was GREAT riding my bike to the beach with my husband, grabbing a bowl of Nekter on the way and making camp in the sand as we watched the Huntington Beach airshow. <i> (And thank goodness for ear plugs.)</i><br /><br />The very first meet and greet with my amazing partner teaching artist, Megan, and our brand new school couldn't have gone better. We have been so blessed with a team of teachers who are excited to be chosen as one of four schools in the OC to onboard <b><i>Disney Musicals in Schools</i></b> and are preciously nervous about learning and leading. Yes to sustainable musical theater programs in schools!<br /><br />Teaching two workshops at Disneyland for a GREAT group of <u>all girls</u> was hilarious, chatty and pure joy. I loved watching the faces of these young women as they were challenged to sing better; tell stories through music; and see and hear firsthand their musical and performance gifts. Thanking Jesus for the opportunity to change young lives through music has become a mainstay focus for me.<br /><br />Interviewing for and booking a new gig on the spot was a highlight. Best comment from my interviewers, <i>"After looking at your resume, we asked ourselves, 'Why are we even interviewing her? We should just hire her.' "</i> As a woman approaching midlife whose nest is almost empty and who often struggles with her worth and future, this much-appreciated and humbling comment was exactly what I needed to hear that day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>God knew. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>And I am so grateful</i>.<br /><br />Shopping for my daughter's wedding reception (yes, it's still almost two years away, but we cannot be stopped!) was such a gift. I love watching her vision and intent becoming clear and helping her follow through with it. It's a sweet reminder of her womanhood and future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>So many moments to relish.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>So much good to share</b>.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I pray each of you finds some beautiful moments in your weeks to cherish and share with those around you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Praying we all continue seeing the good.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Have a great Sunday.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>And thanks for reading.}</i></b></span></div>
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Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-91074091836304953362017-10-03T23:04:00.000-07:002017-10-03T23:04:43.338-07:00Looking for the Good - Reminders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sometimes the good in my day is found reading scripture or devotionals...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other days I simply see a lovely quote with a lovely picture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then I inhale the good...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and exhale the stress...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just going to leave this here for all of you to breathe in.</span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">{Pray you're looking around you for the good today.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Thanks for stopping by.} </span></i></b></div>
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<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-19079351216976372002017-10-02T18:52:00.000-07:002017-10-02T18:52:06.715-07:00Looking for the Good - The Water, Part 1<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are days that I quite literally go out <i>"looking for the good."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For me, that's the ocean...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or bay...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or river...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Really any body of water will do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'll sigh in contentment over a puddle if that's all there is around.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being in Huntington Beach for at least a little bit longer...at least until next Spring when my </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">son. graduates. high. school.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(HUH?!?!?!)</i>,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the ocean is what is nearby.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, my goodness gracious, does it beckon me home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I bought these notecards at a street fair here in our city last year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Truth be told, I haven't used even one of them for their intended purpose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I can't seem to let them go, I am so inspired every time I look at the picture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Produced by <a href="http://houseofwickersham.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">The House of Wickersham</a>, the cards were made from an original acrylic painting by Cathy Wickersham entitled, <i>"His Love."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And oh, how I feel that love when I see the painting.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Oh, how I feel that love when I'm down by the water.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"<span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray." </span></i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">- Acts 21:5</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It seems so many miraculous things which happen in the Bible involve water. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Moses leading his people through the parted water of the Red Sea;</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan;</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Jesus walking on the water of the lake toward His disciples;</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>later Jesus appearing to His disciples after death when they went to fish in </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>the Sea of Galilee.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Water heals.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is a life force.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Mysterious and moving.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Energetic and alive.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I am surrounded by questions and chaos, uncertainty and confusion,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I need to remember to <b><i>look for the good</i></b> down by the water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's so close by.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And maybe, just maybe, I'll have the courage, there on the beach, to cast self-consciousness aside and kneel and pray, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">thanking God for His goodness in so many parts of this life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">{Thanks for reading.}</span></i></b></span></div>
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<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-28397475707221551372017-10-01T09:08:00.002-07:002017-10-01T17:49:44.076-07:00Looking for the Good<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y'all, it's been a year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well almost a year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I got a second wind in April that lasted a day. <i>(It didn't take apparently.)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For those of you who have been following <i>(who used to follow?)</i> this blog since it's inception back in September of 2011, you may have wondered if you would ever see a post pop up again in your inbox.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>You're not alone.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>I wondered as well.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Six years...</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Wait, can I count the last year with almost no entries? I think I'm gonna just give myself a break. One month of writing plus one post is better than none I guess.)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Six years since hammering out that very first sentence.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Do you ever need a good, swift kick in the pants to hear God's message to you?"</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So much has happened in the world and in all of our lives since then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But lately it feels as though God's message to me has been getting lost in the noise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Truthfully, the onus is on me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have been more worried about the state of the world and the state of my life and future than the state of my heart, soul and mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Without the state of my soul as the main focus, the darkness set in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It happens without fail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't know why I continually have to relearn the lesson.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And over.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And over again.</span></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm really kinda tired of being this dense.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So when the annual Write 31 Days post popped up in my news feed, I wondered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Will I write?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And what will I even write about?</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(I'm not kidding...the darkness has been circling, y'all.)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was recently reminded by a dear, dear friend that unless I fix my eyes on those things which are good...and lovely...and pure...and noble...I cannot be part of a solution. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I cannot lend my voice and my focus, my "likes" and my "comments" to the vitriol and expect things to change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(I'm interpreting...she didn't say those actual words. </i>š <i> </i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But it's what my heart heard and needed to hear.)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was the good, swift kick in the pants that I needed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have been adrift and focusing my heart and mind on the wrong things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And I need to seek the Light.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am so grateful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So in the spirit of walking in the Light, I have set aside my reservations that anyone cares or is judging that I blog when I feel like it, and I am joining the #Write31days challenge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And I've chosen a theme that will redirect my focus in the hopes that it will help your hearts as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Looking for the Good</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm actually getting excited as I peck out these words on the keys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm excited to look around me for all that He has blessed me (us) with and share it with you all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm relieved to start to emerge from the darkness into His light.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Phil-4-8" id="en-NIV-29451" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">"8 </span>Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirableāif anything is excellent or praiseworthyāthink about such things.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Phil-4-9" id="en-NIV-29452" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in meāput it into practice.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29452L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29452L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> <b><i><u>And the God of peace<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29452M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29452M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> will be with you.</u></i></b>" </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="text Phil-4-9" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">- Philippians 4:8-9 <i>(emphasis mine)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Will you join me in looking for the good?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And even better, will you share with me your good?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I need all the help I can get.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">{Thanks for reading.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">So relieved to be back.}</span></i></b></div>
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Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-28119082447943592152017-04-14T08:03:00.002-07:002017-04-14T08:03:32.818-07:00A Final Act<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hate feet. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have I ever mentioned that here?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have a number of idiosyncrasies but feet may top the list. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've never liked them. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had a real aversion in high school. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Couldn't even look at them. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had a friend, Kerri, who had the only feet I actually thought were kinda pretty. I didn't mind when she wore sandals. Everyone else though...cover up those dogs please!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yesterday was Holy Thursday. I went to church last evening where we heard the Word and mourned the start of Jesus' walk to the cross. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His betrayal.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His denial. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His death. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The pain of that night is unimaginable to me.</b> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Unfathomable. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The wait until the bells ring on Holy Saturday night, even to this day, feels interminable. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To think that Jesus knew - the entire time He walked among us - that He would suffer this horrible fate without relief breaks my heart. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was considering the reality of the scenario this morning as I prepared to live my day today. And I started thinking about death as one sometimes does when considering the death of another. What would I do if I knew my death was eminent? What would I choose if I was told this was my last day on Earth?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are a number of scenarios that I can imagine. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Visiting a place I always wanted to see. </i></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Walking alongside the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico for the final time, toes relishing the sand and the surf. </i></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Eating my favorite meal. </i></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Spending time with cherished family and friends. </i></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet it seems the meal and the friends are where my similarity to Jesus end. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And let's face it, even though bread and wine may have slaked Jesus' hunger and thirst, it's really not the same as choosing your own delicious final meal. In my case, a big bowl of pasta, garlic bread, and endless Chianti. <i>(Okay, maybe vodka cranberry with a twist of lime instead.)</i> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My point is that the single unifying detail to each of my "last wishes" is <i>my </i>comfort. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>My </i>joy. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Living those final hours in such a way that <i><b>I </b></i>am at the center. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Not so for Jesus.</b> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm embarrassed to say this is the first time in my 48 years of Holy Thursdays that His actions on that monumental night have struck me in quite this way.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That His final meal was not His favorite but was the <b>gift of his body and his blood</b> given to His friends and family...for them...so <i>they </i>may have eternal life. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That He did not run to the corners of the earth to see sites which He would not see again until He sat at the throne at His father's right hand.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That He did not put Himself at the center except for the center of a table where they ate what would be <b>His last supper.</b> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No, instead His final act was one of service.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He knelt beside each friend, posturing beneath them and bathed them.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Y'all.</i></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>He washed. their. feet.</b></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And let's be real here.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Those feet were not the perfectly pedicured ones of today.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Those feet traveled miles and miles on themselves.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Those feet had to have been calloused, dirty, filthy, tough and worn.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was no clear polish or scraped heel.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These feet were utilitarian only, not a glamorous accessory set in a peep-toe platform pump.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Yet still...</b></i></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text John-13-12" id="en-NIV-26643" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">"When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. <span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">āDo you understand what I have done for you?ā</span> he asked them.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text John-13-13" id="en-NIV-26644" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">āYou call me āTeacherā<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26644M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26644M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and āLord,ā<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26644N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26644N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and rightly so, for that is what I am.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text John-13-14" id="en-NIV-26645" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one anotherās feet.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26645O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26645O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text John-13-15" id="en-NIV-26646" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. </span></span><span class="text John-13-16" id="en-NIV-26647" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26647Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26647Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. </span></span><span class="text John-13-17" id="en-NIV-26648" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>(John 13:12-17 NIV)</i></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He washed their feet.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">An <b>act of service</b> on His final night.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">An <b>act of love and grace</b> so great that they wrote about it.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They passed it along to us.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So we might remember that - always - no matter the circumstance...</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even that of our final breath...</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That we are to emulate His example and live a life in service of one another.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And we will be blessed if we do them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Praying for you all as we live this Holy Week, </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>reminded of the greatest sacrifice </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>ever made on our behalf. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i> I pray you have a sacred one. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>A blessed one.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Thanks for reading.}</i></b></span></div>
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Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-30773662907977762672016-11-07T11:39:00.003-08:002016-11-07T11:45:30.014-08:0030 Days of Loving Well - Your House<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I love our house. And I loved the one before that. And the one before that. And the apartment before that. And the condo shared with roommates before that. <i>(Actually, I didn't really love that one...too many "guy" things surrounding me from a formerly three man bachelor pad.)</i> But I loved the townhouse before that too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've moved ALOT!!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>If you're reading this, it doesn't matter if you live in a one bedroom apartment...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Or a three bedroom 1950's ranch...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Or a shared townhouse with roommates...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Or a 3,000 sq ft house near the ocean...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Or your parents home in a small bedroom...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't care if you rent or own or lease or squat<i> (well, I guess I should care if you squat)</i>...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've lived in every single one of the above, in each and every scenario <i>(again, minus the squatting)</i>, and what I've found to be true remains the same:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4dwtPR3ipvTTqqTx_E8dng7bkwXKQTYLzzFU8BPwcBvixMuS7F8dICZvgfUjO86-xr765X2RJa-oSmhhTGHNeenMQL_AnnRVgNhOzEwURRKpiHU8XXqlkviI0Oiz3e5KO3LemRAj9QK3/s1600/01e0003992dec4f079037bb7d44ecfc47b6d5c4acc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4dwtPR3ipvTTqqTx_E8dng7bkwXKQTYLzzFU8BPwcBvixMuS7F8dICZvgfUjO86-xr765X2RJa-oSmhhTGHNeenMQL_AnnRVgNhOzEwURRKpiHU8XXqlkviI0Oiz3e5KO3LemRAj9QK3/s640/01e0003992dec4f079037bb7d44ecfc47b6d5c4acc.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Different homes in different seasons with different loves...</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>You can love any place you live as long as you open your heart to what you have.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are a few guidelines I've tried to follow to make the most of where I am.</span><br />
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<li><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Surround yourself with things you love </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- colors that inspire or comfort you, candles if you feel lifted by your olfactory senses, books, music....the sky's the limit! Really there are no rules for this one because each of us feels emotionally embraced by different worldly things. For me, it's the colors grey, aqua/turquoise, and orange; vanilla or autumn candles; and birds upon birds upon birds. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(My kids call me a "weird bird lady." I'm cool with that. I just love them so much.)</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The most important canon here, though, is it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive...just surround yourself with the things that make your heart happy.</span></li>
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<li><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Start small</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> If you want to love your house more but only have a small budget, make small changes that go a long way. Start with new pillows, for example, in a fabric and color that makes you feel good. Paint a room </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(provided you have the landlord's permission!)</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> It's the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">biggest bang for your buck</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> action; throw up a peel-n-stick wall paper in a fun pattern; change the knobs on your kitchen cabinets. You don't have to go all glass tile back splash and travertine floor tile to make a big change in the way you feel.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Keep things clean</b> - I am <b>the. worst.</b> at this. However, when I take the time and follow a regime <i>(rarely)</i>, I feel <i>soooooo</i> much better about my home. I'm just starting to take this more seriously, mainly because we all have such bad allergies at this time of year. I found <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/568438784201402723/" target="_blank">a helpful chart on Pinterest</a> from "A Cultivated Nest" that I'm printing, posting and attempting to follow in the days to come <i>(though cleaning vents monthly is a hilarious goal I will never achieve!)</i>. If this kind of organization makes your head spin, I've discovered and followed one rule that <i><u>always</u> </i>makes me feel better: <b>Start each day by cleaning your kitchen sink.</b> Boom. You're welcome.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>It's the people, not the stuff, that makes a house a home</b> - Accept where things are in your life right now. If you kinda hate where you live <i>(truly, I'</i></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ve been here too)</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, unless you have the budget and are planning for a whole home reno, in the words of my kid's 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Koerner: <i>"You get what you get and you don't throw a fit!" </i>I've had little in a rundown apartment in a rundown neighborhood and I've had "stuff" in a beautiful home in a beautiful neighborhood. And the same remains true no matter the scenario...if I seek joy in the company I keep; in the graces of each day; in the gratitude of my heart, everything around me just looks more beautiful.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hope you look around you today, wherever you are, with great joy and reverence for the blessings He has showered upon you and yours. Now, light a candle and go clean your sink. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Loving this #30daysoflovingwell series. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>It's really working to focus </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>my heart on grace. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Whew...needed it.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Thanks for reading.}</i></b></span></div>
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<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-57324931656196164632016-11-06T10:15:00.000-08:002016-11-06T10:20:57.178-08:0030 Days of Loving Well - Each Other<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I got distracted this morning while preparing to write. I started looking down my right column of stats about my posts...when they were published, how many people read them...that type of thing. I NEVER do this anymore; not since my first five months with a blog when I would spend weekends agonizing over growing my audience, missing out on the very blessings I should have been living to later write about. But this morning, looking in a somewhat detached way at it, it was interesting to see what was interesting to others. And to look back at words, if I'm honest, I don't remember writing. While I was browsing, I came upon a blog post I wrote over two years ago...and one I thought perfectly summed up today's post on loving each other well. So, please forgive my indulgence, but I don't know if I could better say today what I meant - and still feel to be true - two years ago. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Authentic and honest communication is THE KEY to loving each other well, I truly believe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loving, honest words with warm and open hearts...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I was contemplating this morning when I would send out some texts to folks I've been holding close in prayer, it struck me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been checking in and hearing back for a bit now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My heart has been easier when receiving responses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've thought, <i>"Oh, she seems better than I thought she'd be."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or <i>"Maybe this situation isn't as bad as I got from her on the phone."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Why?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Because each text response ends with an exclamation mark.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In her blog post yesterday, <a href="http://www.incourage.me/2014/10/you-are-not-a-brand-you-are-beloved.html" target="_blank">"You Are Not a Brand. You Are Beloved,"</a> Bonnie Gray cited an article published in The Atlantic about online communications, social media and <i>actual </i>social interaction. It stated:<span style="color: purple;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 29px;"><i>āā¦within this world of instant and absolute communication, </i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 29px;"><i>unbounded by limits of time or space, </i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 29px;"><i>we suffer from unprecedented alienation. </i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 29px;"><i>We have never been more detached from one another, or lonelier."</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This spoke to me deeply. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though I have a really beautiful and supportive network of online friends, and I truly feel I've gotten closer and more connected to several people because of their encouragement, there is sometimes that still, small voice in me whispering, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"It will never be the same as<b> real. live. human. contact."</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A touch. A smile. A sympathetic "<i>mmm-hmmm.</i>" The hushed sing-song of a voice comforting another. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That thought further begs the question, "Is <b><i>any </i></b>of this real?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Real pictures.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Real words.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Real sentiments.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Real life.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some of it maybe. But I truly believe that much of what we see in the virtual is an edited, cleaned up version of our regular ol' messy, broken lives. After all, who wants to post a picture of a sobbing kid </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">splayed out in front of mountains of unfolded <i>(or worse, unwashed!) </i>laundry </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">who's just thrown up all over your clothes? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No, we wait until the virus is over, scrub everyone and everything up spanking new and smile wide and <i>"true"</i> for that selfie. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Add a filter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crop above the waist.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our replacement face-to-face conversations can feel the same way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You know those conversations?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ones that take place with a quick type on the screen followed by a <i>"send."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, it's not possible to fly across the country and give a hug whenever we want.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But corresponding back and forth via text, email, FB message, tweet, woof, bling, buzz, whatever <i>(those aren't really things) </i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">can leave us feeling like we have the whole picture when instead, we might </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">simply</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">be getting exclamations punctuating a hidden hurt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>A hidden heart.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I need to remember to delve deeper than mere typographical symbols will allow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To see and hear the person and not just their words.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>To see and hear their heart</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The loneliness.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Sadness.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Fear.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Depression.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Confusion.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To connect deeply with words and nuance and empathy and emotion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>To connect heart-to-heart.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I need to see beyond the exclamation point to the true friend inside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Standing in belief of these words on </i></b></span></div>
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<b><i>communication today and every day. </i></b></div>
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<b><i>And endeavoring to be mindful of </i></b></div>
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<b><i>my own words and heart...</i></b></div>
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<b><i>a struggle daily but worth working toward.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Thanks for reading....again.}</i></b></div>
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Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-14062072192501263512016-11-05T14:03:00.000-07:002016-11-05T14:03:17.588-07:0030 Days of Loving Well - Daughters<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I have only one teenager.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But two children.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Can you guess why?</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(This scenario is not quite as complicated as the riddle, </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">as told by our friend David, that</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Colleen loved solving years ago at a camping trip up in Yosemite: A teenage boy is in an accident with his father, needs surgery but when the doctor comes in and says, "I'll operate on my son," the question is posed - How is this possible? The answer, of course: The doctor is his mother. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">P.S. Could that riddle be any more insulting to women?!? Probably why Colleen loved it. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She knew she would confound the stereotype to be in medicine one day!)</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Anyway, one teenager...two offspring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You've probably guessed it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's my daughter's birthday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And she's 20.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Colleen has been a surprise her whole life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She was born five months after her father and I were married...</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(In the sage words of my sister's mother-in-law: "Most babies take nine months but first babies can come any time. :)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And to say that she has been the love of my life ever since is a serious understatement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Coll was born with eyes wide open, looking about the hospital room, studying each person.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The nurse blurted, <i>"She looks <b><u>just </u></b>like her Daddy."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Twins, it turns out, in appearance and personality.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Though, as <u>my </u>mother-in-law points out, Colleen has my "beautiful, curly hair." And for that, we will thank God daily.)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She crawled for one week before she started walking; late, I might add, because I would <b>never. put. her. down</b>. </span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Bless her separation anxiety's heart. Totally my fault!)</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She's always been the most dependable, organized, responsible daughter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But also serious and a bit worried, and I'm finding that some of those qualities often go hand in hand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She has the voice of an angel though since moving from her performing arts college to attend a college dedicated to the labor and delivery nursing field, I miss hearing that lark singing as often as I did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So when she's beside me in church, letting it go, I am moved to tears.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She is studious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She loves babies and children immeasurably.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Loves dogs...especially her dog, Faith.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Loves to bake and is quite gifted at it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Loves to be creative, as her studies take her to the solemn side more often than she probably should travel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She is my heart's love and my great joy...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Perhaps most endearing to me, however, is the fact that, though we could not be more different in personality and communication style, she often seeks my counsel. To take advice from your polar opposite can be a challenge, and I do not take the sacrifice she is making in doing so for granted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It has been the most difficult year of her life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But through it all, she has been courageous.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Honest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tenacious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And transparent, perhaps the hardest quality for one who is guarded.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I couldn't be prouder of her bravery and her ability to look beyond today to a time that her goals will be complete, helping mamas and their babies with every new little thing that comes their way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So today, on my daughter's 20th birthday, I am reminded of the great devotion that develops between a mother and her daughter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The grace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sharing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The emotional bond.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I will forever be grateful that God blessed me with my beautiful firstborn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Thanking Jesus today for the life of my daughter...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>For the hedge of protection He has placed </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>around her this year.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Mostly, I'm looking forward to a 20th year </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>of joy and peaceful hearts.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Happy birthday, Colleen!! Love you dearly!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>And thanks to my community for reading.}</i></b></span></div>
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<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-67057321153189556812016-11-04T12:54:00.000-07:002016-11-04T13:02:33.886-07:0030 Days of Loving Well - Sons<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Seventeen years ago, I didn't have much of a frame of reference for raising a boy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am one of five sisters - no brothers! - so girls were my wheelhouse.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Not that I raised me and my sisters...but at least I knew what we liked, what made us mad and what clothes to purchase!)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">True, I had two nephews, and I worked full time for my friend, Annie, doing production work while also helping with her son, Charlie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still these experiences with other people's sons were essentially just anecdotal situations that only slightly better informed my knowledge of boys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Add to that the fact that I had been raising a girl for three years and the needle on my </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"boy meter"</i> pointed way, way down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I was pretty nervous to actually raise one.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Then on November 4, 1999, my worldview expanded by a huge amount.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>I had a boy.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We named him <b><i>Braden Joseph.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>And my life changed completely for the better.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEife9ND7OuoF7vF74Vw9hIVsr41Mw5VruXnfSsSbx_lHdjNFteaD9b3RTS7KSLxsUGCvgRl6XpJXgl8Gbs3IHz1XgH_S4HCnWjLdxsgJ8MdXCLUEUOYqz5INDZeVOaT7KghePbEbEcLJdfL/s1600/braden+profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEife9ND7OuoF7vF74Vw9hIVsr41Mw5VruXnfSsSbx_lHdjNFteaD9b3RTS7KSLxsUGCvgRl6XpJXgl8Gbs3IHz1XgH_S4HCnWjLdxsgJ8MdXCLUEUOYqz5INDZeVOaT7KghePbEbEcLJdfL/s200/braden+profile.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's hard to explain that God knew exactly what I needed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though Braden's road has often times been challenging, helping him traverse it has been an honor and one of my greatest joys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>He is kind.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>He is an emotional rock.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>He is hilarious.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>He is smart and oh, so talented.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Most importantly, he is a man of faith, looking at life with grace and through prayer.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>He has grown into such a fine young man.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So today, on this, his 17th birthday, I am reminded of the bond that is shared between a mother and her son.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The <b><i>gift </i></b>that it is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The incomparable love that is exchanged.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>And how very, very grateful I am to be blessed with this son.</i></b></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">{So proud of my young man & </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">the walk he is making.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Thanking God for his beautiful life.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Thanks for reading.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">And Happy Birthday, Brae!!}</span></i></b></div>
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<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-38514308022313652832016-11-03T17:10:00.004-07:002016-11-03T17:10:53.349-07:0030 Days of Loving Well - Marriage<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've written here about my marriage...</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">my husband...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">what we do well and what we will <u>forever </u>need to work on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't know much about marriage and would never presume to advise anyone on the correct way to maneuver in one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In fact, I'm so woefully not-knowledgeable about it, even after twenty years, it's almost laughable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>But I do know one thing and that one thing is this:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When you are married, in order for <b>any. other. thing.</b> in your home to work, the two of you must be working.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With the exception of the love of our Heavenly Father,<b> <i>the marriage has to come first...</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Be the ultimate priority...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Take a back seat to no one...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because when things are off in a marriage, everything in the home is off as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't care what that "other priority" is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Children.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Work.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Parents.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Play.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Friends.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been guilty of putting every single one of these ahead of my marriage to my great later angst.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Simply put, filling each other's tanks is necessary in order for the marriage vehicle <i>(can it be a convertible BMW?) </i>to drive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So in the spirit of love in the home, in the partnership, in the marriage, following is my favorite scripture on love, as told by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. It's shown here in its' entirety, 1 Corinthians 13, to read with a fresh eye, to absorb with all of our hearts:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text 1Cor-13-1" id="en-NIV-28667" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">"If I speak in the tongues<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-28667a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NIV-28667a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13&version=NIV#fen-NIV-28667a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28667A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28667A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-2" id="en-NIV-28668" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>If I have the gift of prophecy<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28668B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28668B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and can fathom all mysteries<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28668C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28668C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and all knowledge,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28668D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28668D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and if I have a faith<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28668E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28668E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> that can move mountains,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28668F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28668F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> but do not have love, I am nothing.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-3" id="en-NIV-28669" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>If I give all I possess to the poor<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28669G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28669G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-28669b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NIV-28669b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13&version=NIV#fen-NIV-28669b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28669H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28669H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> but do not have love, I gain nothing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text 1Cor-13-4" id="en-NIV-28670" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>Love is patient,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28670I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28670I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28670J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28670J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-5" id="en-NIV-28671" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28671K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28671K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> it is not easily angered,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28671L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28671L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> it keeps no record of wrongs.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28671M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28671M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-6" id="en-NIV-28672" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>Love does not delight in evil<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28672N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28672N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> but rejoices with the truth.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28672O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28672O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-7" id="en-NIV-28673" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </span>It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28673P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28673P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text 1Cor-13-8" id="en-NIV-28674" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28674Q" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28674Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> they will cease; where there are tongues,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28674R" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28674R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-9" id="en-NIV-28675" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>For we know in part<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28675S" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28675S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> and we prophesy in part,</span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-10" id="en-NIV-28676" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>but when completeness comes,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28676T" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28676T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> what is in part disappears.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-11" id="en-NIV-28677" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28677U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28677U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> behind me.</span> <span class="text 1Cor-13-12" id="en-NIV-28678" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28678V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28678V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> then we shall see face to face.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28678W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28678W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28678X" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28678X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-13-13" id="en-NIV-28679" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28679Y" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28679Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> But the greatest of these is love."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, the greatest of <b><i>all </i></b>is Love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">{Praying for all of the married & partnered couples out there today. </span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">That the words of Paul will be in your relationship each day. </span></b></i><i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks for reading.}</span></b></i></span></div>
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Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-72379448356544920222016-11-02T22:53:00.000-07:002016-11-02T23:00:03.455-07:0030 Days of Loving Well - Loving & Being Loved<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Giving a true "launch" to my 30 Days of Loving Well with an homage to my father's personal message, his signature homily. I wrote about this message years ago in the months following Daddy's passing. (<a href="http://godsdailymessageforthedense.blogspot.com/2012/06/crosses-hearts-part-ii.html" target="_blank">I invite you to read about it here.</a>) And though I won't go into the kind of detail about how Daddy was actually gifted this message from our Heavenly Father, </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">at it's core, it is <b>entirely. about. love.</b> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It bears repeating. And repeating. And repeating.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until the message becomes part of our breath.)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My Daddy received a message after hours of prayer, a plea for words to share, on a long drive to speak in front of hundreds of people...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell them I love them.</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell them to love themselves.</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell them to love each other.</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell them to love Me.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I first heard him preach this homily, I was sitting on the altar with my then fiancee, my father delivering this missive as the sermon at our wedding. It went on for some time as I drank in every word. Later, when I watched the wedding video and had time to better digest the words, I'm embarrassed to admit, I thought to myself, <i>"For something he is preaching everywhere, all over the country, this message isn't very radical." </i> <b>Oh, the arrogance of youth...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">More than twenty years after that day...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After many joyful moments and heartbreaking goodbyes...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After learning and maturing (kind of?), experiencing and living in prayer...</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I see the depth in its simplicity.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For you see, to follow the steps above,</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Truly follow them...</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As in <b>each and every moment of each and every day</b>...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our worldly problems could be veritably eradicated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I remember Daddy explaining the order in which the directives were received, and he practically crowed when the first lesson was <i>"Tell them I love them."</i> He said he knew that if the first dictate had been <i>"Tell them to love Me,"</i> that he may have believed it to be Satan, as he always puts himself first. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But since God's words were that He loved <b><i><u>us</u></i></b>, he knew it was truly God speaking to him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That God, even in His awesome kingship, had always put us first. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So of course, he would want us to know of His great love for us, despite our flawed humanity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, to believe the first, you almost need to accept the second message beforehand. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because without love of self, we cannot -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and often do not -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">believe anyone can love us...or give our love to others in equal measure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh, how God knew our frailty when He gave the message.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And that frailty spills over into our personal relationships.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell them to love each other.</span></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell them to love each other.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh, how simple it should be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love each other.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love each other.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just. love. one. another.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Can we?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Can I?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Then last...but truly so very far from the least...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell them to love Me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Tell them to love Me. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Love Me...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Love Me...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>.....Love in all its grace and goodness.....</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love you.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love yourself.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love each other.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love Me.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Four simple rules to follow to live a lifetime of love.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">{Thank you for reading.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Thank you for loving.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Thank you for travelling this road with me.}</span></i></b></div>
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<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-21852789963578597382016-11-01T13:00:00.000-07:002016-11-01T13:00:25.163-07:0030 Days of Loving Well<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Autumn is my favorite time of year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I love the cool and the changing colors of the leaves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Yes, there are a <u>few </u>trees here in Southern California that change. Always a treat to see them!) </i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fall is also a time for starting new things. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Perhaps ingrained from my childhood school days, even though I was a bundle of nerves before the start of every school year, it was always an opportunity to learn new things...reconnect with friends...and shed the laziness of summer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It felt like a time to get down to it...a time to be industrious, collecting nuts to sustain me through the winter months and into spring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As an adult, November is especially dear to me as it is the month when God blessed me with my two greatest gifts on Earth...my children.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcJTyVy430vQKbrbnfaeBU1q1TxnucOjHcMBhVu23nntvdtYgWkqn6rRvGinhNyJy1l4TNamTVnhWxogc3CqYUwJWFMPj90-B8BEXLHlJyzhqp5dmDKQ1hx8Y1JEOAqytspOv19W4x5us/s1600/2165700278_654ae40128_q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcJTyVy430vQKbrbnfaeBU1q1TxnucOjHcMBhVu23nntvdtYgWkqn6rRvGinhNyJy1l4TNamTVnhWxogc3CqYUwJWFMPj90-B8BEXLHlJyzhqp5dmDKQ1hx8Y1JEOAqytspOv19W4x5us/s200/2165700278_654ae40128_q.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Born one day (and three years apart), I always look forward to celebrating their lives and the incredible world of love they have opened to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So for this, my most favorite time of year, I've decided to dedicate November to a series on <b>loving well</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ourselves. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each Other. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I'm truly looking forward to turning my eyes in the direction of my blessings....</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All I have been given.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The gifts that surround me each day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Thirty days of loving well</i></b> seemed like the perfect way to start.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Praying I get all 30 days in this time.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>I hope you will join me as we </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>travel this month of gratitude, </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>looking about you for all you have to love.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Thanks for reading.}</i></b></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">photo credit: Dawn Ellner, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/naturesdawn/2165700278/in/photolist-4inMeY-8PZZtw-hp8MSN-aG47Bv-BGgeQ1-p2yEBQ-5vK557-8SYF33-5vohe1-aq9njR-8N1PE6-3Tg8Wp-4bxiM4-g1dtxr-9f5WvT-oTf5RX-7kKUBd-dmtoai-qhxSva-azbwHa-pMnSD2-dnUDKt-5o2CVF-dvRikZ-8PRQCf-iWtdLc-3baeUJ-4kDYSe-pXR9Fa-h8Pwx5-aT8sWT-5NxjRz-pCbVeY-dYGSPT-Jicanc-gZhRXe-5zD245-pGuVBQ-hoHX37-gZLWD2-7R8AKh-8NUvGv-8PMwca-5umjEp-5Mq1Qw-c5wiPW-hJHE6S-qV5NyG-5BDkoX-dmd6FL" target="_blank">"Autumn Leaves"</a> on flickr</i>Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-19044565335005789512016-10-31T21:50:00.004-07:002016-10-31T21:50:40.676-07:00Coming Home #24<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">ā</b><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">Tis "the witching time of night", / Orbed is the moon and bright, / </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">And the stars they glisten, glisten, / Seeming with bright eyes to listen .</i><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px;">ā - John Keats</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How fitting it is as myriads of trick-or-treaters skip past our home tonight...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the neighborhood is alive with families and friends...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As each home on our street has their own interpretation of fall cast across their eaves...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That this is the final eve of my <i>#write31days</i> challenge. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOk8iiGy-HDYs4wlaizIFW8Qr4b-aZSPwjdVzz4Jmi6Y2a0PrUfnBvElrFIol8FUG-P3rVHrLisTtmiO0BnG4heGajVIs4mJHtFlWgw7kwtw_FyoEPu2u6-uuI6LAOxnW3jDynuaZWY-G/s1600/01de67c504df7aca124a2c6e3d1fb10c33a4aad80b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOk8iiGy-HDYs4wlaizIFW8Qr4b-aZSPwjdVzz4Jmi6Y2a0PrUfnBvElrFIol8FUG-P3rVHrLisTtmiO0BnG4heGajVIs4mJHtFlWgw7kwtw_FyoEPu2u6-uuI6LAOxnW3jDynuaZWY-G/s400/01de67c504df7aca124a2c6e3d1fb10c33a4aad80b.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Though I wrote but 24 of the 31, I am beyond thrilled, as navigating this year has led me far away from my reflections and into the very belly of the beast.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I'm very grateful - as ever - for October and the impetus to get behind my keyboard again. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I want to thank each and every one of you for being part of my community...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For encouraging me to continue sharing especially when a post resonates with you...</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For reaching out and telling me that you're glad <i>Branching Out</i> is popping back up in your inbox...</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Thank you for reading...</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>And listening...</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>And loving.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you - <b><i>completely </i></b>- for <i>Coming Home.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{More to follow in November.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Plus it's NaNoWriMo...</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>National Novel Writing Month.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>It's my goal to complete 50,000 words </i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>by November 30.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Please say some prayers for me!}</i></b></span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></b>Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-683677038057424292016-10-29T21:00:00.000-07:002016-10-29T21:00:25.155-07:00Simply Saturdays - Coming Home, #23<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two of my recommendations </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">this week </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">are books and the third rec is a versatile, yummy product that I've recently started using - with interesting results.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Let's talk about reading first...</i></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkBx81d2tnME4mLFzJNor1HCYQ2TZ80vX3enfs8XHohM9odPvKJgJPgmybel1lyvqeweODp7-A7EsyEfjo5mxzwEweMzOpebpxc33cJaS5KnpS-izQOLvdLJueOfyyqaOWZiSHLPuJk4e/s1600/conversational+capacity+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkBx81d2tnME4mLFzJNor1HCYQ2TZ80vX3enfs8XHohM9odPvKJgJPgmybel1lyvqeweODp7-A7EsyEfjo5mxzwEweMzOpebpxc33cJaS5KnpS-izQOLvdLJueOfyyqaOWZiSHLPuJk4e/s320/conversational+capacity+cover.jpg" width="212" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first is a book my husband was exposed to at his leadership training in Seattle a few weeks ago. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> He travels there again on Monday to take another seminar or two with the author, Craig Weber.</span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Autograph anyone?)</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The book is called </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Conversational Capacity"</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and is, not only a leadership tool but, a tutelage in getting on a level playing field with conversations anywhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Speaking as a reformed <b><i>"flame thrower"</i></b> <i>("Must win, must win, must win....strong-arming to ensue to prove I'm right...") - </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">converted to a <b><i>"minimizer"</i></b> <i>("I know you've been stressed lately, but I was thinking maybe, if it's okay with you, we could possibly do X." Gross. It stresses me out just reading that.)</i> -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">it has been invaluable to me in assessing my conversation tendencies and rethinking strategies to land on a more healthy interaction with ALL people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you struggle with getting your point across and accepting others' opinions as well, don't walk...<b>RUN </b>to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Conversational-Capacity-Building-Successful-Pressure/dp/0071807128/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477793254&sr=8-1&keywords=conversational+capacity" target="_blank">get a copy.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>Book #2</b> is on the opposite end of the spectrum. It's a Bible study written by Denise J. Hughes that encourages the reader to <i>write every word of the Word</i>. We're studying Ephesians in this session. So over the course of the course (</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">intentional</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">), I'll have written every word of this book while studying each. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcNhC1mW6-ircJHd7wwY_Fu-_LO-ZGfzGlBSijhstFDSl2c8Bh7vdL8kF42TZjY_-9DbrKXWiyV56XEqj7b_MV1Vvt8D76S4xkbFtFRLyrOGT40cSVSeGQgA3V3ENQOwrcORhmMfPVN53/s1600/Word+writers+Ephesians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcNhC1mW6-ircJHd7wwY_Fu-_LO-ZGfzGlBSijhstFDSl2c8Bh7vdL8kF42TZjY_-9DbrKXWiyV56XEqj7b_MV1Vvt8D76S4xkbFtFRLyrOGT40cSVSeGQgA3V3ENQOwrcORhmMfPVN53/s320/Word+writers+Ephesians.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hughes has multiple studies published like this one through </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>#wordwriters</i></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and, in addition to being simultaneously </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">lovely and peaceful visually, they encourage a deep dive into the words of Paul. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because I love to physically write plus support Hughes' contention that one retains words longer if they are written down, I loved this format. However, I was sold in her intro to Ephesians...in reference to Paul's message: <i>"Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"Paul knew some strange ideas about God would soon perforate the faith of new believers. He knew the message of grace would be challenged. He knew the believers would be tempted to forget their First Love. Paul also knew his remaining days were few....Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a call to carry on with an undying love for our Lord...And the same saving grace that changed Paul's life continues to change lives today."</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Word-Writers-Ephesians-Experience-Writing/dp/0736968458/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477794181&sr=8-1&keywords=word+writers+ephesians" target="_blank">You can look at her book here</a>. And if you decide to join up, let me know, okay? We can journey a bit together. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWlxpiclpoDKAFiFO1K23vs-w4o4Dgvv_AagnSuxlhTxDjc_nx2IGRtIk1SwhQ_kgwMVqu4l7Rq0X9K6hWHH2ghTpo1-UVub_-jwXFTV-Oa4r1CcbDGZZ4WdpzI1zmqAMUWKr-IY0U6CB/s1600/nutiva+coconut+oil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWlxpiclpoDKAFiFO1K23vs-w4o4Dgvv_AagnSuxlhTxDjc_nx2IGRtIk1SwhQ_kgwMVqu4l7Rq0X9K6hWHH2ghTpo1-UVub_-jwXFTV-Oa4r1CcbDGZZ4WdpzI1zmqAMUWKr-IY0U6CB/s1600/nutiva+coconut+oil.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>My last recommendation is organic coconut oil. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(Nutiva, the brand I chose, also donates 1% of every purchase to sustainable agriculture up to 2 million.)</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So far this week, I have <a href="https://draxe.com/oil-pulling-coconut-oil/" target="_blank">oil pulled</a> <i>(only gotten to 10 minutes at a time...gonna have to work on this one)</i>...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Conditioned my hair...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And used it to soften my feet. <i>(TMI on that last one, I realize. But they're yikes, so yay me!)</i> The last one, if I continue regularly, I think may actually solve my problem!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm looking forward to cooking with it and also trying more of the holistic suggestions I've found on various websites. <a href="https://draxe.com/coconut-oil-uses/" target="_blank"> Just one referenced here</a> but lots more where that came from. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Thanks again for being my community through this month's posts.</b> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I'm so grateful to be here with you. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Thanks for reading.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Hope you're having a great weekend.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>#write31days #cominghome}</i></b></span></div>
<br />Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-79373339107104080622016-10-29T13:44:00.000-07:002016-10-29T13:58:43.516-07:00Foodie Fridays (Finally!) - Coming Home, Day #22<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, obviously I've skipped a few in my #write31days challenge. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But I gotta be okay with it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My feeling is, if you're trying to write a blog post based on God's grace, and all you're feeling is STRESSED. OUT. there's something wrong with your motivation.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Or He wants me to work through the stress to get to the message? Or not? Or actively seek inspiration? Or...welcome to my brain. <b>This argument could go on for hours!</b>)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, I'm doubling down today. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Posting a <b><i>Foodie Friday</i></b> now then a <b><i>Simply Saturday</i></b> later in the day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then back to a regular post tomorrow. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then Monday.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then done with this challenge!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ask me if I'm happy with doing 20-something posts out of 31, and I'll give you a resounding <b><span style="font-size: large;">YES</span></b><span style="font-size: large;">!</span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Big shout out to Jesus for encouraging me to persevere and my family for (mostly) leaving me alone to write lately.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My final Foodie Friday post <i>(though, I may make it a regular thing after the first of the year...what do y'all think?)</i> is actually a recipe I haven't tried but one that I found that </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>I cannot. wait. to eat.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since I've gone mostly gluten-free for the last long bit<i> (don't stick a plate of pasta with garlic bread in front of me if you expect me to adhere to the GF program, however),</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">but wouldn't really willingly eat a waffle or pancake, I've been looking for a <i>more-than-just-decent</i> substitute.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I sure do miss them!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">SO when I saw this recipe<i> (with syrup...you'll need to be an essential oil user to make this part to completion...though you can make most of it without them)</i> on the Young Living blog, I had to earmark it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I'll give <b>ALL </b>the credit for this recipe where it belongs - to <b><i>Gourmande in the Kitchen</i></b> - and include the <a href="https://www.youngliving.com/blog/gluten-free-yogurt-waffles-with-lemon-lavender-blueberry-syrup/" target="_blank">link here</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the meantime, here it is...if any of you try it before I get to it, I'd love a review in the comments below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">BON APPETITE!</span><br />
<br />
<b>GLUTEN FREE YOGURT WAFFLES </b><br />
<b><i>with </i></b><br />
<b>LEMON-LAVENDER BLUEBERRY SYRUP</b><br />
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-ingredients" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Avenir LT W02 35 Light", sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Ingredients</div>
<ul id="zlrecipe-ingredients-list" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Avenir LT W02 35 Light", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; list-style: none; margin: 1em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2.4em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 Ā½ cups <a href="https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/garys-true-grit-gluten-free-pancake-waffle-mix" style="border: 0px; color: #8fbe3e; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.4s; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Garyās True Gritā¢ Gluten-Free Pancake and Waffle Mix</a></li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 teaspoons baking powder</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ā½ teaspoon sea salt</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 tablespoons coconut sugar</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8 ounces plain whole milk yogurt (preferably with a loose consistency)</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 large eggs</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ā¼ cup melted coconut oil (plus more for waffle iron)</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></li>
<div class="ingredient-label" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; left: -10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
For the Lemon-Lavender Blueberry Syrup Recipe</div>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 Ā½ cups frozen wild blueberries</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ā cup unfiltered honey</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice</li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1 drop <a href="https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/lavender-vitality-5ml" style="border: 0px; color: #8fbe3e; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.4s; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Lavender Vitality essential oil</a></li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3 drops <a href="https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/lemon-vitality-5ml" style="border: 0px; color: #8fbe3e; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.4s; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Lemon Vitality essential oil</a></li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></li>
<li class="ingredient " itemprop="recipeIngredient" style="background: url("images/ul-dot.png") no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></li>
</ul>
<div class="h-4 strong" id="zlrecipe-instructions" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Avenir LT W02 35 Light", sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Instructions</div>
<ol class="instructions" id="zlrecipe-instructions-list" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: "Avenir LT W02 35 Light", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 1em; padding: 0px 0px 0px 3em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="instruction " itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and coconut sugar. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, eggs, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture and mix well to combine. Let batter sit 10ā15 minutes for the flour to fully hydrate. While waiting, make the syrup.</li>
<li class="instruction " itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Combine the blueberries, honey, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5ā10 minutes or until the mixture is syrupy. Set aside to cool slightly; then add Lavender and Lemon Vitality essential oils, stirring well to combine.</li>
<li class="instruction " itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Heat waffle iron at medium heat and brush with melted coconut oil. Pour Ā¼ of the batter onto iron and close. Cook until waffle is golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set on a baking sheet in a low-temperature oven to keep warm; repeat with remaining batter.</li>
<li class="instruction " itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Serve immediately topped with the Lemon-Lavender Blueberry Syrup.</li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "avenir lt w02 light" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Thanks to Young Living for this recipe.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>And thanks to all of you for sticking with me </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>for these 31(ish) days.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>#cominghome}</i></b></span></div>
Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-32051947297346342202016-10-23T21:22:00.004-07:002016-10-23T21:23:28.800-07:00Spiritual Bliss - Coming Home, Day #21<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's a short one today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I enjoyed an afternoon of taking my daughter to lunch after celebrating a beautiful Mass all together as a family...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then napping on the couch while my husband watched football, my daughter baked, my son did homework and it rained outside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Kinda perfect.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But I couldn't let the day pass without writing in praise of my husband and his incredible musical gifts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was his week to play drums with our praise band - <b><i>Mark 12:30 ** -</i></b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>(Hang on...I gotta go frost a cake...)</b></i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Okay, I'm back.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, we had the great fortune this week to all be involved in our Mass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I proclaimed the first reading from <a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102316.cfm" target="_blank">Sirach</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Braden was with his Confirmation leadership team.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The praise band asked Colleen to cameo in the second Communion song...one of her favorites, "<i>Blessings</i>."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(She sounded so beautiful, I wept.)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then there was my husband behind the drum kit, keeping the rhythm of the music for every parishioner...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shimmering the mallets on the cymbals, growing the emotional depth of praise until the building veritably shook with bliss.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh, how I love when he plays.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He's steady but spectacular.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>After his Masses, <b>I always leave the church better than I entered.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In my home away from home, with my husband behind the drums, the fruits of the Spirit wash over us all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank God for this gift</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">** <b>Mark 12:30 </b>- </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"<span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (NIV)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Hope your weekend was as </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>uplifting as my morning.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Thanks for reading.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">#write31days #cominghome} </span></i></b> </span></div>
Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-22908964696061704112016-10-22T17:00:00.000-07:002016-10-23T11:29:45.516-07:00Simply Saturdays - Coming Home, Day #20<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have only one recommendation for this week because it's a pricey one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We had the excuse to spend the money because it was a gift I thought my husband would enjoy, so we got it for his birthday. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Although, full disclosure, I think I use it more than he does!) </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Meet the newest member of our household as of August...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Echo-Bluetooth-Speaker-with-WiFi-Alexa/dp/B00X4WHP5E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1477160051&sr=8-2&keywords=alexa" target="_blank">Alexa</a>!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(aka <b>Echo </b>powered through your Amazon account)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are some of the things that Alexa can do <i>(verbatim as listed on the Amazon page...)</i></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EP26hwDrups/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EP26hwDrups?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<ul class="a-vertical a-spacing-none" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; padding: 0px;">
<li>Plays all your music from Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more using just your voice</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Fills the room with immersive, 360Āŗ omni-directional audio</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Allows hands-free convenience with voice-control</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Hears you from across the room with far-field voice recognition, even while music is playing</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Answers questions, reads audiobooks and the news, reports traffic and weather, gives info on local businesses, provides sports scores and schedules, and more using the Alexa Voice Service</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Controls lights, switches, and thermostats with compatible WeMo, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Wink, Insteon, Nest, and ecobee smart home devices</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: disc; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="a-list-item" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Always getting smarter and adding new features, plus thousands of skills like Uber, Domino's, and more</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All of this is programmed from your smartphone with the free Amazon app. It even has you answer a bunch of questions so it gets used to your speech patterns. Fun!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Here are the things I like to do with Alexa:</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0supBo_TWRw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0supBo_TWRw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Get the weather report</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Check traffic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Add items to my grocery list (this has been invaluable to me as I often don't pause to write it down then I forget!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Set a timer to go and get a kid from school</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Play my favorite classical music and/or artists</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Get the day's news while I'm cleaning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Play Seinfeld trivia :)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Order a pizza</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aaaaannnnddd, Drew's favorite thing...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Alexa, tell me a joke..."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Didn't intend to spend $175 for Drew to occasionally hear a corny joke, but...)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anyway, if you have a techie kind of person at your house....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or if you feel like any of the functions above would be helpful in organizing your life, I highly recommend Alexa as an investment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Plus, sometimes, it's just nice to have someone else's voice in the house when I'm alone during the day...makes me feel a little less crazy as I'm talking aloud. :) Man, I gotta get outta here...)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My next play will be getting from programmable light bulbs so I can have Alexa shut the lights off from away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you already have an Alexa/Echo, I would love to know what skills you have it programmed for....I'm always trying to learn more to make the most of our investment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/godsdailymessageforthedense/" target="_blank">Comment here on my Facebook page.</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been fun programming it to do more and more things each week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Thanks for reading on a Saturday. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Hope your weekend is filled with </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>rest & relaxation!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>#write31days #coming home}</i></b></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-8588484009316694652016-10-22T11:03:00.000-07:002016-10-22T11:03:09.602-07:00Foodie Fridays...Finally! - Coming Home, Day "some number"<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Y'all!!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Oh. My. Gosh.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I found the MOST amazing meal the other night while searching for "<i>baked curry chicken."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have absolutely NOTHING to do with the following recipe...besides having the good sense to find it and prepare it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I wanted to share it here because it's <b>Easy. Fast. DELICIOUS.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wish I had taken a picture to share but trust me, if you like spicy <i>(not hot spicy but flavorful spicy) </i>and curry, this is the recipe for you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/baked-thai-coconut-curry-chicken-breasts-52793391" target="_blank">BAKED THAI COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN BREASTS</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>INGREDIENTS</u></b></span></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts<i> (not cutlets)</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kosher salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Black pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 (14 oz) can full-fat coconut milk</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3 Tbsp Thai red curry paste</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 large garlic cloves, peeled</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 small bunch cilantro, root ends trimmed (leave the stems - they add amazing flavor!)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>PREP</u></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over chicken breasts arranged in a single layer in a roasting pan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a blender, combine all other ingredients </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Puree until smooth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(I used my Nutribullet again! Gosh, that gift keeps on giving!)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pour over chicken and bake for 30 minutes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Turn on broiler and broil for an additional 5-7 minutes, until crispy and slightly charred on top</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make sure to keep an eye on the chicken as broilers vary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(Mine did not turn out slightly charred but it was still delonsh!)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I added tri-colored carrots </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">to the roasting pan</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, pared and cut into thirds, beside the chicken. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On a small white dinner plate, I placed a handful of fresh spinach drizzled with olive oil; </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">layered a ladle-full of brown rice on it; then placed a chicken breast and carrots over the top.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lastly, I poured the reserved sauce over all of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>YUMMY!!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Recipe credit</b>: Epicurious</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Note</b>: <i>If I had it to do over again (and believe me, I will!), I would have added more cilantro and a generous sprinkling of curry powder to the bullet before pureeing. Just a thought.</i></span>Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-22250911556630018912016-10-20T13:32:00.000-07:002016-10-20T13:32:22.664-07:00Rest at Home - Coming Home, Day #18<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yesterday was a good day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A weird day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A busy day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was out for a good portion of the day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then back at home for a bit before driving kids back and forth to classes and commitments. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I got home for good at about 9:45 PM...thought about writing...but I was so tired and just wanted to spend time with my husband and kids.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I realized that my <i><b>#write31days challenge</b></i>, though so important and life-giving to me most of the time, may in that moment take away from my actual home life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I took the night off to equal parts guilt and relief.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This morning I looked back on my decision then forward to getting back to writing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The right decision to rest at home?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Absolutely</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My brain needed the break and my blood pressure needed the lack of worldly pressure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So a brief thought for yesterday that moved me when I read it...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="yiv6945209568quoteBody" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1476993717981_8513" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding-left: 25px;">
<i><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1476993717981_8512" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Home wasn't a set house, or a single town on a map.</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="yiv6945209568quoteBody" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1476993717981_8513" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding-left: 25px;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1476993717981_8512" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>It was wherever the people who loved you were, whenever you were together. </i></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="yiv6945209568quoteBody" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1476993717981_8513" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding-left: 25px;">
<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1476993717981_8512" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Not a place, but a moment, and then another, building on each other like bricks to create a solid shelter that you take with you for your entire life, wherever you may go." </i></span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="yiv6945209568quoteBody" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1476993717981_8513" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding-left: 25px;">
<i><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1476993717981_8512" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- </span></span><span class="yiv6945209568quoteAuthor" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin: 10px 0px;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2987.Sarah_Dessen" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; background: transparent; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sarah Dessen</a>, </span><span class="yiv6945209568quoteBook" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492856-what-happened-to-goodbye" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; background: transparent; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">What Happened to Goodbye</a></span></i></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>I carry my brick buildings, people who loved me and my moments everywhere.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Thanks for waiting.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>And thanks for staying.} </i></b></span></div>
Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-60632059798472056172016-10-18T12:33:00.002-07:002016-10-18T12:33:27.245-07:00Making Miracles, Part III - Coming Home, Day #17<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(A short and sweet wrap-up to <a href="http://godsdailymessageforthedense.blogspot.com/2016/10/making-miracles-part-i-coming-home-day.html" target="_blank">Parts I</a> & <a href="http://godsdailymessageforthedense.blogspot.com/2016/10/making-miracles-part-ii-coming-home-day.html" target="_blank">II </a>following....read to get caught up. Grateful for a loving home.)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After my little breakdown and my husband's loving response on Saturday, I was driving my boy to a show that evening. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Usually we chat and sing and laugh during our drives together, but this time, I was still feeling blue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So instead we just listened to the radio as we traveled the ten minutes there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was rather unfocused as a song played until I heard these words pouring out to me...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">"So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;"><b>Your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place</b></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;">Just be held, just be held."</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: proxnov-reg, arial, sans-serif;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>(emphasis mine)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Your world's not falling apart...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>It's falling into place.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Everything from the day - and even beyond - seemed to suddenly make sense.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If I weren't having problems with friends, I wouldn't have needed to rely so heavily on my husband to listen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I may have made a phone call outside my home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And he wouldn't have had the opportunity to comfort me, growing and strengthening our relationship and answering a prayer of twenty years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Jesus was holding me the whole time.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And continues to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, these hard things will be hard sometimes regardless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The friendships are difficult still.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But without the challenges, I would not have been blessed with an added dimension of love and grace to my marriage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh, difficulties rarely make sense when we're in them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank God He's at the helm waiting to put the pieces of our world back into place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Beauty from the ashes...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Song Lyrics credit: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZitK6_IMQ" target="_blank">Casting Crowns, Just Be Held</a></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{So eternally grateful for grace.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>And thankful for community with you.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Thanks for reading.}</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-40152786525072500322016-10-17T17:00:00.000-07:002016-10-17T21:03:50.690-07:00Making Miracles, Part II - Coming Home, Day #16<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(You may want to read <a href="http://godsdailymessageforthedense.blogspot.com/2016/10/making-miracles-part-i-coming-home-day.html" target="_blank">Part I </a>of this post before continuing below...)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Saturday was a hard day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For no reason other than <b><i>everything </i></b>and <b><i>nothing</i></b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It started kinda crummy <i>(save the sleeping inā¦that was the best ever)</i> and continued to get crummier until I was a weeping mess. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I felt a lack of value. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I felt - to use a very harsh wordā¦<b><i>worthless</i></b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Purposeless</i>. </span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Man, do I despise the devil always whispering low but steady in my ear.) </i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It has been a sad but constant theme of late. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another running theme is the changing of some of my friendships.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At 48 years of age, I thought I was set for life...maybe adding a friend here or there until I cross over the veil.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But events from this past year have me questioning many things, and disconcertingly, some of my friendships are among them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My world has been getting smaller and smaller...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Partly by design and partly by choice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's a disorienting feeling, like hanging off a cliff wondering whether or not the net that's usually in place is there to catch you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since a couple of these friends were ones I often went to for advice or just to talk with when feeling low, my internal compass has felt ever shakier.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So on Saturday, when I was down, down, down, adding to my lack of direction in life was a lack of direction with whom to communicate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Now shall we get back to my miracle from yesterday's post?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I tried several things to get myself out of the pit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I read my devotionals.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I wrote a bit.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I cleaned the kitchen and lit my favorite candle.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I made a green drink.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I did an hour on the treadmill.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My heart didn't budge.</b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGUACF2OXZSJ_PYfVzybMtTVjq-0z9EdgzjOKk99KNbuU9hFahgXHKMEMp1KJTD7fL-W0kWxU98XYEMaO0fO8IKEP6dAFeyREGSBtkOBufk4GbpnBVO491RyEMqJVB_zswGUBZZGarR3y/s1600/01fe45cde26b4e7c9725d3ea23d157e4912bd49b07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGUACF2OXZSJ_PYfVzybMtTVjq-0z9EdgzjOKk99KNbuU9hFahgXHKMEMp1KJTD7fL-W0kWxU98XYEMaO0fO8IKEP6dAFeyREGSBtkOBufk4GbpnBVO491RyEMqJVB_zswGUBZZGarR3y/s400/01fe45cde26b4e7c9725d3ea23d157e4912bd49b07.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then my husband...that great "doer" - my favorite man of action - he did something so unexpected, I could hardly catch my breath.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He put his arm around me...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Asked what was wrong...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And let me cry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>He didn't offer a word of advice.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>No suggestion for action.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He simply held me as I wept, pouring out my heart to him and confessing my most insecure, ugly feelings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At one point, I said,<i> "I need to get out of here."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To which he asked, <i>"Do you want to leave for the day?"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I replied sadly, <i>"One day isn't gonna do it."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And he just whispered, "<i>yeah</i>," in understanding.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He continued to rub my back and tell me how sad and sorry he was that I was feeling so worthless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>He told me he valued me</b>.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>He told me my job was the hardest.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And he told me whatever I needed to do for the rest of the day, he was fine with.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(Seeing as how we had people coming over for the football game, that was an especially big deal!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God had answered </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">my prayers from all of those years, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">speaking to my husband in the perfect way for to him to listen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a place away from us so he could focus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a forum to help him get better at his work, his place of action.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then later, He whispered secrets to his heart to make our marriage stronger and more loving....and most beautifully, my guy listened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Still God wasn't finished working yet.</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Why Part III tomorrow?</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Why not just finish the story?</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Well, a miracle 20 years in the making </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>felt like it deserved a third day.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Hope you come back to finish it with me.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Thanks again for reading.}</i></b></span></div>
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Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-13207632669938244782016-10-16T15:07:00.000-07:002016-10-17T13:13:44.403-07:00Making Miracles (Part I), Coming Home, Day #15<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>A miracle
happened yesterday.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>A miracle
prayed for 20 years.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But I didnāt
realize it until today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My husband
and I are alike in a couple of ways <i>(we LOVE to laugh!)</i> but different in most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most
noticeably, our communication styles are opposite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mine is to
<b>com.mun.i.cate.</b> A lot. Endlessly, in fact. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>For hours. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And hours. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And hours. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Andā¦well,
you get the picture.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My husbandās
is to <b>"do." </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Action first.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In place of
talking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>For hours. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And hours. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>And
hours. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Andā¦again
with the picture.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sometimes
these qualities, though opposite, are complimentary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take for
example, when one of our kids is struggling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Iām happy to
listen and talk and listen some more and talk some more and hold them when they
need the love ā thenā¦you guessed it! Listen
and talk some more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the other
hand, Iām generally so spent from talking and listening and empathizing that I
canāt DO anything else by the end. In
swoops my husband, taking a trip to the grocery store, getting stuff for
dinner, often making it and thenā¦still not done DOING...will run to get ice cream
at 10PM if thatās what the kid needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>It works
really well for us sometimes.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Other times,
however, <i>(read: when Iām the one struggling)</i> it doesnāt work. <b>Period</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Because my
sweet husband will DO anything I need him to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But the
listening and empathizing does not come as naturally.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>āI donāt
need you to do anything or make suggestions on how to fix this problem,ā</i> I have
said probably 1000 times over the years.
<i>āI just need you to listen and empathize and be on my side.ā<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>āWell, you
know itās my nature to fix a problem,ā</i> he will respond. <i>āI canāt be something Iām not.ā</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This broken
record has played over and over again for twenty years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Never to
either of our satisfaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>He feels
criticized and I feel misunderstood and the divide grows.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few years
ago, I just stopped trying to <i>āhelp himā</i> understand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(She says
tongue in cheek as it most certainly has not felt like a help to him at
ALL!) </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Instead, I
just started praying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>āGod, this
clearly is not working. Heās unhappy and
Iām unhappy. We just donāt understand
one another. If itās gonna get fixed,
youāre gonna have to fix it. And you're going to need to speak to him in a way he will understand.ā</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then on we
would go in our sadly dysfunctional cycle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Until a few
weeks agoā¦</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My husband
took a trip to Seattle for the conclusion to a leadership training he has been participating in for some time. We donāt get
to talk much while heās gone as both of our schedules are quite full. But every now and then, weāll stay up talking
about what he has been learning, and this trip was no exception. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>I love these times.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We are both consummate learners, and I live
vicariously through him in these times. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Among other
topics, one of the most important ones they covered was that of being an
āactive listener.ā Most of the people taking these seminars are, not only
leaders at their place of work but, managers who need to be tuned in to those
who work under their purvey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They need to
be able to listen without suggestion or criticism or one-upmanship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>They need to listen only.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>No
judgment.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>No solution.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>No donning
of the rose-colored glasses.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When my
husband was telling me about this
portion of their training, he said, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>āI started thinking about how each
of these qualities ā the judgment or unrequested solutions among others ā
arenāt helping the issues that the person talking to us is after. In fact, Iāve started thinking about how this
type of active listening could really help me in my relationships at home. Especially with Braden. And even with you.ā</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>(Iām crying
unbeknownst to him on the other end of the line by now.)</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>āLike when
Brae tells me heās had a bad day, I think it would be more helpful if I just
say, āUgh, thatās the worst.ā Instead of making a suggestion as to how he could
have handled that day differently.ā</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>(Sobbing by
now across the milesā¦)</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was too
stunned to remember what I answered but it was something to the tune of, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>āThat
sounds like a really good idea. Iām sure
heād appreciate it.ā</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little did I know, my prayers were beginning to be answered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And a miracle was about to occur.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Please come back tomorrow to read </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Part II to this post.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>And know that, whether you know it or not, </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>your prayers will be answered...</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>when you least expect it.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Thanks for reading.}</i></b></span></div>
</div>
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Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5486713232029155260.post-85272503443624322152016-10-15T12:59:00.001-07:002016-10-15T13:02:12.405-07:00Simply Saturdays - Coming Home - Day #14 <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Welcome to Simply Saturdays!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I found (or finished :) some awesome things this week that I thought you may like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wanted to send 'em your way...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtc7ho66kOfLeUUmnvgwllpLxMnxM_OBCgNCCsK-GqwBq966Cs8eyPaPfe9Gfm5Ew1k30XDFeY2EgINJbpyQ6ILt0NlEKQTqgtRWu5Ruw-YOaQI42ttBLpf_ovardgaQtZF-x87a19lq1/s1600/wild+in+the+hollow+book+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtc7ho66kOfLeUUmnvgwllpLxMnxM_OBCgNCCsK-GqwBq966Cs8eyPaPfe9Gfm5Ew1k30XDFeY2EgINJbpyQ6ILt0NlEKQTqgtRWu5Ruw-YOaQI42ttBLpf_ovardgaQtZF-x87a19lq1/s320/wild+in+the+hollow+book+cover.jpg" width="220" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>#1 - Amber C. Haines book...</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Hollow-Chasing-Desire-Finding/dp/0800724070/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476290920&sr=1-1&keywords=wild+in+the+hollow" target="_blank">Wild in the Hollow</a></b></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Hollow-Chasing-Desire-Finding/dp/0800724070/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476290920&sr=1-1&keywords=wild+in+the+hollow" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: center;" target="_blank">On Chasing Dreams and Finding the Broken Way Home</a></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I bought this book back in January and have only now made the time to read it. But, man, am I grateful I did! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amber is a blogger at <a href="http://amberchaines.com/therunamuck/" target="_blank"><i><b>The Runamuck</b></i> </a>I have followed for years...a fellow Alabamian...and one of the most beautifully lyrical writers I have had the honor of reading.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her prose is melancholy and rich.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She is a poet for this generation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Warning</b>: If you like only <i>hide-your-head-in-the-sand</i> and <i>pretend-there's-only-positive-in-the-world</i> kind of reading, this book is not for you. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But if you are moved by depth and hurt and brokenness to redemption, please run right out and get a copy. You will be profoundly changed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>#2 - Thieves Essential Oil</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Okay, at the risk of sounding like, what we used to non-acceptingly call, a <i>"granola" </i>- or <i>Mother Earth</i>, if that makes more sense to you - I am LOVING my essential oils! I am now embarrassed that, at a younger age, I never gave holistic approaches more of a chance. When we had such prevalent illness in our home earlier this year, I bit the bullet and did what I had been planning to do for more than a year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>I bought an infuser and a starter kit from <a href="https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/thieves-essential-oil" target="_blank">Young Living</a> and started oiling.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A year ago when I was slated to go on stage in front of 1000+ people to sing the <i>Ave Maria</i> in a Christmas concert, I was so sick that I <b>could. not. swallow. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My friend, Jessica, put some of her proprietary blend of eo's in my water, and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I experienced nothing short of a miracle! I totally cleared out all of the sick & sang normally! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>(Praise report!)</b></i></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aj1tAo-vIPgZd9VRLIS8Vx-WGAkjZhlJxVb-n6pcDwIGadJzWuZAj_xDOcRI9r1MPgrIs-fjqwEvFCr2WFXjrnMUs0fEJszbZXNVTvvO9JS_5hVOAwTdTJ5dOmEh7MRut2Go4-KOAgeB/s1600/thieves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aj1tAo-vIPgZd9VRLIS8Vx-WGAkjZhlJxVb-n6pcDwIGadJzWuZAj_xDOcRI9r1MPgrIs-fjqwEvFCr2WFXjrnMUs0fEJszbZXNVTvvO9JS_5hVOAwTdTJ5dOmEh7MRut2Go4-KOAgeB/s1600/thieves.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If it could help with that, why not other things....<i>like our anxiety, hot flashes, upset stomachs and more? </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So today, I want to recommend my most faithful oily friend, <b>Thieves</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is an immune support oil that I apply to the bottoms of my feet every night before bed<i> (thanks, Mary, for the tip)</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I haven't been sick once since I started doing this. <b><i>(</i></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>I always catch EVERYTHING!) </i></b>My </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">husband is coming off of a pretty bad upper respiratory infection...but I feel awesome! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Run right out and get a bottle of this before the flu season starts! It's a little pricey but no more so than a trip to the doctor, a copay for medication and a day or two of missed work!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(I can get it for you wholesale if you want...just comment on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/godsdailymessageforthedense/" target="_blank">FB post</a> to get the deets.)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>#3 - Claire Diaz-Ortiz's blog</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have been following <a href="http://clairediazortiz.com/" target="_blank">Claire Diaz-Ortiz</a> for several years since her book, <b><i>Hope Runs,</i></b> was introduced to (in)courage, a blog community to which I belong. Claire was an early employee at Twitter <i>(Remember when Pope Francis famously sent his first tweet? That was Claire sitting beside him!)</i> and has been named one of the Hundred Most Creative People in Business. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcH3pKVEox_ngrcQxZNmVFq7fxU39x6M-caLkSk8XdYGDdhbsyHIiIu50TYaN-sISd2U_vsinDdvqxf5Nm2YM2bS1of_EPf050N9_mW6mEtVdBpXn9-1ZK9eHmkHrci3lFUkD_ttixKhj/s1600/claire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcH3pKVEox_ngrcQxZNmVFq7fxU39x6M-caLkSk8XdYGDdhbsyHIiIu50TYaN-sISd2U_vsinDdvqxf5Nm2YM2bS1of_EPf050N9_mW6mEtVdBpXn9-1ZK9eHmkHrci3lFUkD_ttixKhj/s320/claire.jpg" width="228" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have personally read two of her six books, <i>"The Better Life"</i> & <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Design-Your-Day-Productive-Purpose/dp/0802412947/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476561179&sr=8-1&keywords=design+your+day" target="_blank">"Design Your Day"</a></i> and, as productivity is </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">one of my greatest struggles, I </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">have gleaned multiple tips from her books and her blog. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I recently took a ten day seminar on business and copy writing because of a recommendation that Claire made. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blah, blah, blah...you get the picture. I think Claire is valuable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you need help in any of the areas above or want to understand how to more greatly increase your social media presence for your business, <b>sign. up. now.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It doesn't cost anything and the only effect you'll feel is another email in your inbox.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But it could also change the way you conduct your day...and if you're like me, it will be a very, very good thing!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Happy Saturday to all!!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fight on!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>(Gotta support my husband's alma mater...:)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>{Thanks for reading.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Whether being productive </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>or enjoying rest, </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>I hope your bucket gets filled!}</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Cynthia Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365224825615524184noreply@blogger.com0