As I rush out the door to work I bring you a morning thought. May we all come to the throw as a child and let God surround you with his gracious peace.
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And remember the value of kindness. Not only does the person receiving kindness benefit but you will be bathed in peace when you share it.
Linda Hill has created again the fun monthly task of Just Jot January to help us get on track for the new year and to have fun doing it.
Your prompt for JusJoJan January 2nd, 2020, is “a picture you’ve taken in the last week.”
Well, seeing that yesterday was January 1, find enclosed the picture of the meal prepared yesterday in honor of Gladys, my mother. She would have been proud.
Hope your new year meal was a grand as mine and since it was a good start, lets remember this is only day 2 and we have plenty of time in the year to do what is right by being kind in all we do.
I think all of us need something that helps us escape the stress and noise of the day and since I can not do the long walks that I love very often, I needed another avenue. Then Linda Hill created a way for us to share our release by creating Escapist Coloring Club. When I was young, art was very important and now I have enjoyed various adult coloring books and calendars of which some can be quite challenging. My current book is of animals but made out of flowers and leaves. Today we have mother bear and cub.
I think this book shows us that even with fierce animals, somewhere inside they are as beautiful as any flower.
As I watch the wildlife shows and the wonderful pictures from photographers who follow wildlife, it is evident to me that all creation understands right, wrong, and the emotions the creator gave all of his creation. Their trust is what is missing. But I have seen photos of unlikely wild beast showing kindness to a less fierce specie. A humans, we should take our cues from these animals and understand the full value of kindness and make sure we are always ready to share it. So I challenge you for the coming year to be conscious of situations where maybe just a gentle smile is all that is needed, but try to be aware and show kindness when you can.
Its the start of a new day, a new month, a new year and a new decade. Lets start it off with a reminder in scripture – be transformed by renewing your minds. Romans 12:2
Come join in on Linda’s January fun of Just Jot January and try to post each day. She will prompt us, so come play.
And as always I remind you of how your actions always reflect who your are or want to be, So be kind. Start the new year with a new lease on life and spread kindness like butter.
This was fun. I had to go to archives to find some color combinations with my garden this past summer but of course, red and green is still all over my house. Come join in on Cee’s Fun with opposite colors – red/green, yellow/purple & blue orange.
for Red and Green we are using my indoor wreath that I made last year…
Then we jump into last summer flowers remembering the glorious warmth of the season. First is Yellow and Purple….
Then there is Blue and Orange
As you are still remember the joys of Christmas, or the beauty of nature or the fun adventure you had, try to remember the smiles you also created while having fun. Share those smiles because a smile can turn into kindness and kindness shares that love language with others.
Interesting idea of sharing the successes and failures for the past year hosted by Sparksfromacombustiblemind. With a blog name like that how can you not come play. So with a New Year themed set of question, I am game as I had a pretty remarkable year. So here we go:
What was the single best thing that happened in your life this past year? That is easy. This past year I became a published author. After retiring in 2018 I was extremely bored and almost depressed. Its hard having a high energy job to do nothing. So I picked up a hobby I started in 2016, finished it and submitted it. If you love animals and are a believer in heaven, you might be interested in seeing what heaven is like froma dogs perspective with Our Home of Love.
The most challenging? That is also easy. During the last quarter of 2018, I had both feet operated on so 2019, I had to learn how to walk again. When one foot got done in September and I seemed to do so well, I decided to go ahead and do the other one in December. What I didn’t realize is why I did so well with the first one is I had the other not operated on foot to lean on – now I didn’t have that and it was difficult for several months.
One thing you learned in 2019? A lesson I have to relearn and relearn and relearn…Patience.
Given all your experiences, insights, and lessons learned in 2019, what’s the best advice you could give yourself for 2020? Take one day at a time and don’t sweat the small stuff that doesn’t get done – its all small stuff. Don’t borrow tomorrows troubles on today.
What’s the best meal/food you ate in 2019? Sorry, I live in the mid-west now and after living in Atlanta for 20 years, the food here is..boring to bad. Sorry, I guess I am just spoiled.
What are three activities you plan to use in the coming year to relieve stress? Since I was not able to walk much this past spring, I plan to walk on the nature trails of a historical park near me. Also walking along the parks at the river is nice as well. Not sure what others will come my way, maybe a trip to Atlanta to go eat – that would be a fabulous activity.
Gratitude Question:
What brought you the most joy and are you going to do more of that? My friends celebrating with me my new found joy of writing. The support and love they share makes it twice as fun and yes book two is almost complete and the start of ideas for book 3 and swimming in my mind.
Lastly – Any resolutions you’d care to share?I am not big on resolutions as they usually don’t last but I am going to give an idea I saw a good honest effort – Put my cell phone down more and pick up my bible instead. Also I am going to make a sincere effort to ensure I spread as much kindness as I possible can.
To join in on Share Your World 12/30/19 fun:
Suggestions for Responding by Melanie B Cee:
And in all things that we do, we make ripples in the lives of people everywhere we touch and interact with. So make your ripples kind so that kindness flows from you in a wave outward to circle the world.
As we look to end another year, we are reminded that this is the last two days of the month, the last two day of the year and the last two days of the decade. Pretty monumental. I have been busy and not on here much this month so its time to fire it back up again. I give you a poem on my thoughts for tonight with blowing flurries after unseasonable warm Christmas in the upper 40s.
THE DEEPER GIFTS
There is a frightful howl that the wind makes
As it zooms through trees with no leaf brakes
When darkness permeates the early evening sky
Reminding us of this season, one, I’d rather pass by
Each season has it gifts that reflect the makers plan
This one requiring deep rest across the land you scan
But as you look across the beauty of each season that you see
You will find a beauty for each one created for you and me
From the cold death of winter with a purity of white snow
That turns to bloom in spring where it all wakes up to grow
The warm caress across your face of a warm summer breeze
It sometimes backfires on you and reluctantly make you sneeze
But then there is fall where the flowers all turn to fruit
Giving food for your table to prepare anyway you suit
As I sit quietly in thought tonight by a fire and the warmth it gives
I am reminded of each season’s beauty, the many gifts our maker gives
So as we close on this year, being a bit more profound than others
We must remember His best gift ever, in that we are all sisters and brothers.
As you reflect on the beauty of this year gone by, remember the little things that were really quite profound and be thankful for the beauty of your year or if it was a bad year, be thankful for the grace in that you are still here.
If you can make a promise to your self for the coming year, remember the enormous value of kindness and try to always be kind.
We all enjoy the fun side of Christmas with memories that make us smile, gifts that can be ridiculously funny and the unforgettable time with family, whether it be good or bad.
I am sharing with you today the last of my ornaments to share for the year and one that I just received from my daughter that made me cry. Its a tradition in our family that if you find an ornament that absolutely fits another member of the family, its purchased as a memory gift, they are not allowed to be over 5-7 dollars although with the cost of things that usually get bypassed but definitely no $20 ornament.
One fun summer my daughter and I went to a craft fair that had a glass blower and he was making what he called sun catchers. We both looked at each other and said Christmas ornaments. These were not to be given as gifts as we bought some for our own trees and I thought I would share them with you as they are quite interesting.
Now that the noise of Christmas is done, its time to reflect on the meaning of why we celebrate this day. No other birth of any child has ever effected the entire world such as this birth. But it was just the beginning of why HE came. He loved us that much. So as you head into a new year, remember his love for you and try to share some of that love with others and always be kind.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
May you all have a joyous and blessed Christmas and may the light of Jesus shine upon you.
and remember to be Kind.
Here in the USA over the last couple of years, figurines for hedgehogs, especially with Christmas decorations, have really taken hold. I find that interesting as the cute little creature is not native to our country. There are 17 different species of hedgehogs which is fascinating in itself to me. They are native in Europe, Asia, Africa and New Zealand. You can find replicas of them here in plant stores and multiple places that carry decorations. I bought a new Tree decoration this year and created a hedge hog family with the ones I had gotten over the last couple of years. I made a fun post of this family including a short short story that you can read about if interested, its here.
I have become fascinated with them over the last couple of years because of the fabulous photographers that capture this creature and it cuteness and its apparent ability to smile. I wrote a special post on smiling animals here. Animals do smile, their entire face lights up when they are happy and treated kindly. But I have really been taken by the cuteness of a hedgehogs smile. How can you not smile at this cuteness?
I have recently added the National Geographic Photo of the Day page to my Facebook account and again I am amazed by the fabulous photographers across this world and the amazing pictures they take. Today and yesterday two pictures of hedgehogs were posted and I downloaded them both to share with you. One was of cuteness and one was mom and babies. I was amazed at how the babies look…like little pin cushions.
It is amazing to me how God can create so many fascinating creatures, some none of us have ever seen other than in pictures. We don’t even know all that is on the bottom of our deepest oceans, our most intriguing earthly frontier. Some of it that has been captured on film is quite scary looking.
But I will settle for the cuteness and the beauty that photographers across the world are capturing and sharing with all of us. Thank you.
And remember as you share in the beauty of God’s creation, to show it the respect that it so much deserves. And with all creatures, beast and man alike, remember the value of kindness and share it when possible.
For the Love of 