Month: June 2019

A Special Kind of Stupid

Anyone who reads my posts regularly knows that I am a major supporter of being kind and trying to find the best in people. And I believe that is how everyone needs to be treated. That is what is right. However…(Don’t you hate it when a sentence starts off with a however or a but after a statement like that has been said. You know it doesn’t bode well.)…People are not born stupid but they sure can act stupid and this guy was a special kind of stupid.

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It’s Friday evening and we usually always go out on Friday evening but because of the week we both had, we decided on take out. The casino about 15 minutes from the house has a pretty good little restaurant with sandwiches and stuff so we opted for that. I ordered ahead and went to go pick it up. As I got there, there is a pickup truck kind of out by itself and the windows are cracked and a dog was barking from inside. That made me unhappy as it is still 86 degrees and too hot to leave your dog in a car with only a small crack, but I see other movement so I figure and hope there is a person also inside.

I pickup my sandwiches and head back to my car and the dog is still barking. This only exacerbates the dogs situation because he is guarding the truck, he is hot because it 86 degrees – I don’t care that the sun is starting to go down, its still hot. Unacceptable practice in my book.

So I drive over by this truck to check out the situation and yes there is another body in there, a second dog. So now I am really mad. I am mumbling to myself the cruelty of this guy as I am looking for a scrap sheet of paper as I am going to leave him a note and get his tag number. So I write my note to put under the windshield and then get out of my car. Dogs have a body language and dogs who are wagging their tails so hard that it wags their entire back end are not ferocious dogs. I speak to the dogs as they are trying to get their heads out the window for attention and then I head around the front of the truck to get to the drivers side windshield. Now you need to visualize this, as this is the funny part of the story – this truck has massive mud bogging tires on it and I am only 5’4″, this was going to be a challenge but I was determined. As I place my hands on the hood of the truck to lift up and grab for the windshield wiper, I came back down with a shock. The truck is running. Whhaaatt??? Right now, this area is having an issue with car thieves and you are going to purposely leave your truck with the window partly down with dogs inside that are obviously not really mean dogs…and it’s running.

I got back in my car as I realized  the dogs were okay and …this guy was not.

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We really should not judge people but sometimes their actions make us shake our heads in disbelief. “What did you do with your brain today? Take it out and play with it like a slinky?”

Forgive me for this unkind post. God did not give this guy the disability of not being able to think, especially if he is driving a 35K pickup, although he is throwing away money at a casino…so…

And what am I doing at a casino…just getting food. Casinos are known for good food and this one is pretty good and its close.

Forgive me again as I totally believe in always being kind. Lord give us strength to deal with those who try our patience. And try to be kind.

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I have no cute anecdote type picture to close this post so just enjoy the beauty of nature.

Angels in Orchids

I do enjoy my flowers but I also enjoy the many photographers who take pictures of flowers and life who then share them with us like Cee’s photos and challenges, Nancy Merrill’s many challenges or Irene’s many beautiful flowers she comes upon in the various gardens or trails she goes on.

I posted my orchid the other day with Cee’s “3” post but I am posting it again for the angels that I can see in these flowers. The beauty of flowers to me shows God color palette of the day and gardens are an amazing place to find and see His handiwork. Maybe I can go to our botanical garden this weekend.

Below are my angels of today.

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This angel has a skirt of lovely pink finishing in white at the bottom with a yellow bodice and the sleeves raised in praise are pink to match the skirt. There is a turtleneck color in creme with pink splotches and her hair in veiled in white. And her wings are splayed out behind her in graceful elegance. I realize that may be a little too much out of the box for some but I love to play and visualize other creations out of the beauty we find in nature.

Below is this same orchid with its fellow angel above it that if you follow the same patterns of color, this one seems to have its head and hands lowered down in prayer.

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The angle difference of the top flower makes the sleeves look like they are attached at the top and the yellow center looks to be a yellow muff for the hands. The head seems to be more in a downward tilt looking at the yellow muff in a stance of prayer.

Hey, its all in the eyes of the individual artist and we all are artist in our own realm. As long as we look, admire and enjoy their beauty, its all good – even if it gets a little quirky. As you admire the beauty around you, take time to smile and let your smile shine. That shine may be just the thing to dispel the gloom of someone else’s bad day. So shine on and be kind.

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Spellcheck Not Enough

There have been several complaints going across the waves of WordPress about them eliminating the spellcheck feature and while that is a concern and something I use each time I am at the computer…with me, that just isn’t enough – I need a WORD check. I apologize to all who read my words…I promise I do re-read and edit before I post…yet I still miss blatant errors. It’s embarrassing…I even went to college! – like that would make a difference.

Recently I posted on my Instagram page to come over and see my blog for encouragement, flowers, dogs and silliness. So I went through the Instagram site to see how they would see things…”oh mi gudness”!! How did I miss that, oh and look at that dumbness…so embarrassing.

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Loser

So yes, I feel like a dingbat but I remember reading an article where your brain knows what you are trying to say or read and does it for you eliminating the error in your brain. Even those silly games where the letters in the center are wrong and if you can still read the sentence, you are supposed to be smart. Yea I am good at that but still mess up here. Good grief.

And for those of us with ADD or who have brains that go two sentences ahead of what you are trying to say or do, its a real problem, especially if you are trying to convey and important message.

So I apologize in advance and hope that is not the reason you would never be interest in the book I am getting published this fall. I have editors to fix that nonsense. But if you are a lover of dogs and a believer in the rainbow bridge, it may be a book of interest to make you laugh or not, no pressure.

Regardless, I appreciate you stopping by to read my blog, even with my poor editing ability. Hope those mistakes can now bring a smile to your face as it does mine. We have to be able to laugh at ourselves and the silly harmless mistakes we make and go on without it dragging us mentally down a dark tunnel. Life is too short for that.  Laugh and let those around laugh with you, then re-punt or start over.

And in all things, remember to always be kind. That kindness you share, even when you don’t feel kind, may be the very thing to remove that dark cloud that has engulfed you.

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Do Spiders Fly???, Fun Challenges

The antics of spiders in web-making is amazing to me…as long as they stay outside. Jansen Photo’s challenge today is Radiant. I was not sure if I could play with this challenge but the picture I took of the web I thought was neat showing the sun radiating across it and the light fracturing as it hit the window and camera lens.

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Web is over 5′ high and measures nearly 6′ in length to a nearby flower

I so enjoy sitting on my couch writing where I can watch the antics of the birds a they come to feed on my three feeders. Today they became part of Cee’s photo challenge of  3. Three feeders and three birds feeding if not more.

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Or how about the beauty of my miniature orchid with it 3 flowers on one stem.

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The fun we have sharing our enjoyment of photography and blogging with each other can be so inspiring. Thanks to all who share what they love.

And as we share the fun, remember to share in the kindness of the fun. Kindness brings smiles and makes the fun last.

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Three Amigos

 

Attitude of Hope and Love

There is so much sadness in this word today. So many broken promises, so many hurts both physically and mentally but I cling desperately to the spiritual truth of God’s love for me and all of mankind and of course for His creation with all its components. He said after creating the world at the beginning that it was good.

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And it was meant for good but alas, it failed due to the weakness of man and the trickery of the evil one. It failed due to the misunderstanding and distrust of man of God. It failed because man forgot the first love. Not our first love that we remember but we have forgotten that HE loved us first.

So many have become so complacent with the world that God is no longer even in their picture.  Then they question those of us who still hang on to God’s hand and His love for us asking “WHY??”. My answer to them is…

I would rather live my life fully believing in a God that loves me, will take care of me, will guide me in all ways but when I go to die, only to realize the belief I encourage myself and others of the joy and peace we felt through our entire lives was only our imagination and none of our beliefs were true and once you are dead its over…..   Than to live my life not thinking anything about a God that loves me, throwing all of my life and cares to the wind and doing everything that pleased only me, never thinking of the harm or discord I brought to anyone or anything else, then to die and realize in horror that I was wrong. There was in fact a loving God who loved me and cared for me and now…it is too late for me and I am lost forever.

That would be the saddest scenario that I can imagine. May we all strive to believe that there is a just, loving and compassionate God who left us an instruction book called the Bible to guide us in any way that we need, to help us face our toughest day, and to show us how to feel the joy of His peace that he offers us through His grace to all of His creation and that He does dearly love us.

And may we remember to reflect His love by showing the kindness He so heavily graces us with so that we in turn we can give it to those who have forgotten His ways and maybe bring them a smile and a hope of His love for them.

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The Warm Fuzzies

Jut got home good from church so I am still feeling the warm fuzzies. That doesn’t always happen but today Pastor Rob really struck home on some key things for me as a Christian. No, he did not preach on warm fuzzies but on the power of prayer. We are all familiar with the golden rule, some may not realize it is biblical because it expresses something we all want, to be treated fairly. John 6:31 – Do to others as you would have them  do to you. 

I found this picture of a explanation by Michael Josephson sometime ago that to me sheds a different light on that rule and I liked it.

Golden Rule
Its About WHO WE ARE, not who they are!

John 6: 27-36 goes into other details of why we treat all people with kindness, even people who may mistreat us, as kindness is an expression of God’s love. It is easy to love those who love us but infinitely hard to love those who are mean to us just because they can be.

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But we are to be reflections of God Most High and He is…Love. He is Kind to the unkind. Verse 36 tells us – Be merciful, just as you Father is merciful. And if you just can not do that face to face because you know the rebuttal you will invoke, then pray for them. Always pray.

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The benefits of peace you will receive from the prayers you make or the kindness you give will never be removed from you.

One of the songs we sang today was When Peace Like A River. It is such a wonderful visual image of His love continually flowing over us like a river, soaking us with His peace. The warm fuzzies of peace.  And like the last song that we sang, Better Than Life, its closing line says Your loving kindness is better than life!

So I encourage you today to come join me in the warm fuzzies and remember even in the meanness that you sometimes come upon, always try to be kind. Sometimes when we are nice to meanness, it stops it in its tracks as it tries to understanding why you were kind…and maybe it will begin to change.

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Photo A Week & SoCS, Leaves & Flowers

Nancy Merrill’s challenge and Linda G Hill challenge both fall into today’s task – dead leaves and new flowers. The winter was very harsh with crazy amounts of snow and what little spring we have had has been so wet the flowers are just not doing well. They need sunshine as well. We are toward the end of June and we have not had an 80 degree day yet to speak of. Weird. Those who despise the heat, like my daughter, are happy about that but I like my heat. An now that I have said that July and August will probably be awful. Go figure.

So you see below the effects of too much rain and not enough sun. Leggy plants, dying leaves and poor bloom production. All the petunias in this area seem to be so sad.

I went Wednesday and bought replacement for some of my pots. Went with Zinnias and Marigolds as they are hearty and very colorful.

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My lilies look to be opening soon so I will post those when they do.

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But today I needed a new filter for my fridge which took me to Lowes which has an awesome garden section…yea, spent another chunk. Its okay, I will pay it all off next winter.  That’s something I don’t want to think about – this past one never seemed to leave.

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More replacements

Gardening and writing are my two “me” times, oh, and then there is also the clowning and face painting. Some of us are just on the quirky side but if my quirkiness brings a smile, then the quest has been accomplished. My goal is that if I can make someone forget for two minutes the trials they are going through and smile at my flowers or my silliness, then that is a day well spent. Never forget the power of a smile, a kind word or a gentle gesture. It shows the reflection of God for that brief moment and shares hope with all that come in contact with it. So smile often, speak gently and periodically hug when you can…and always be kind.

 

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When you show kindness to others, you bring out the best of yourself. A side effect of this kindness brings a brightness to their world and a happiness to yours.

 

Gran-ma’s Cellar Door

Grand-ma’s Cellar Door

I stand and remember the wonder of this place, familiar smells are embedded forever

The three legged milking stool to stand on as she worked, with sun shining in her hair 

The herbs are still there, were there even before, as great gran-ma was most clever

By planting them by the cellar door, the door great grand-pa had built for her to share

So when winters blast came through out the land, with white seeming to go on forever,

With simmering smells floated through the warm home, the cold could not compare

The love of family around a small table, only a candle for light, a memory that last forever.

Anita Neal

Come join in with Sue Vincent’s Thursday photo writing prompt. Use the image above as inspiration to create a post on your own blog… poetry, prose, humour… light or dark, whatever you choose, by noon (GMT)  Wednesday 26th June.  Don’t forget to use the #writephoto hashtag in your title so your posts can be found.

And those who know my writing, always know I close in a reminder to be kind. Kindness is a reflection of God’s everlasting love for all things.

 

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The Old Stone Door

Garden door

The Old Stone Door

This door seems too narrow, with no way to lock, a wedge pushing it always open.

The stone is so old with odd colored splotches, green moss growing all over it’s face. 

This can’t be the way, no look at the door. It looks to small to be used as was spoken.

This is the garden, I know that for sure with tales of peace and beauty of this place.

But many remember a time of no peace, with shouts of anger and shedding of blood

With torches ablaze and sharp swords flying, an ear was taken, but now back as new

“Put away your sword”, he said firmly in love as they struggled standing in dark wet mud

Shall I not drink this cup the Father has given me? A cup allowing for of all things new!

Now, centuries later the garden lays quiet with forgotten memories of that time gone by

I walk through the beauty of flowers and trees and feel the reality this has had on me

Will I feel His love when I walk away from here, the beauty of flower and bright blue sky

Will I be able to use the love I feel, and bring it as proof, an everlasting love for all to see.

Anita Neal

There are times when  fellow bloggers post a picture that is so inspiring that I ask permission to try to write a post worthy of its beauty.  Today, Ken of tallulahbass created a post for Norm for the Thursday doors and posted this door.  I thought it was a beautiful door and thought of the Garden of Gethsemane wondering what it would be like today to walk through that garden.

As we remember the everlasting love he has for us, let us remember to share that love with a loving smile, maybe a gentle touch for a hurting soul or a helping hand for those in need. And always remember to be Kind.

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