Remembering Yester-Year, Friday Flashback

Fandango Friday Flashback gives you the opportunity to see what you were doing a year ago, you get to share it with new friends and you get to remind old friends of the post. A hats off to Irene of Heavens Sunshine as she was the one who brought this poem to life for me. I hope you enjoy it for the first time or again if you remember from a year ago. It was probably one of my favorite poems. See post below:

TO THE TOP from THE BOTTOM

One of the most enjoyable things about blogging is the amazing photographers, professional and non-professional that share their photographs for all to enjoy. A lot of the photographs that are shared are due to various challenges as the one I will be sharing with you today, well technically it’s night (2:30 am)but I couldn’t sleep so I am writing.

Irene from Heaven’s Sunshine was following the challenge for stairs from Pic And A Word by Patrick Jennings. Her picture was so inspiring to me, I told her I was going to write about it, so I did. I hope you enjoy it and do stop by Irene’s blog for some wonderful pictures.

Steps to the Cross — Bailly Cemetery – Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

THE CLIMB

I see and maintain it still is not fair,

I have nothing to lay at the top of the stair.

It’s not my fault, I did nothing wrong,

Well, maybe I did, it’s just been so long.

How long has it been since I climbed to the top,

I remember it’s relief, Why did I stop?

How can a symbol of such astounding grief,

Be given to us to bring so much relief?

With love so amazing, to the cross did He die,

To flood us with gratitude that still makes us cry.

The burdens we carry don’t always seem fair,

Always we can lay them at the top of the stair.

The first step looks brittle, can it carry my weight?

This burden is heavy and may seal my dire fate.

As I touch each step and climb ever higher,

Is this what I should do, is this really my desire?

As I clear the last step, the cross is before me,

I question my worth, did He also die for me?

As my knees get bent, I am smothered by His grace,

And I lay all my burdens at the accepting cross base.

– Anita Neal –

Always remember there is a burden carrier and it isn’t you. Scripture tells us repeatedly that He is there to carry our burdens for us, we just have to be willing to give them to Him.

crossburden

And as always, I remind everyone the much loaded value of kindness. Carry it with you where ever you go and share it as much as possible.

kindness3

What now?, First Line Friday, 1/31/2020

The wind cut into his skin and grey skies pressed down on the rotting town, but at least he was home.

The windows on the houses stared back at him with hopeless abandonment, much like how he felt as he walked down the streets hoping against hope to find one home lit showing life. He had heard stories of how his quiet little home town had been sold off to developers after he left for college but he never dreamed they would totally destroy all the cherished details that once made this town unique. Now the developers had gone belly up and left everything to just rot. His family had left when it all sold so there had been no reason for him to ever come back.

Now 15 years later, the company he was working for was looking to buy the town and develop a resort there because of the huge lake on one end of town that had been know at one time to have bass tournaments resulting in record size fish. He wondered if there were even any fish left or did they die off with the town. Supposedly old man Sorenson was still there. A hermit of a man with little trust of anyone. It was no wonder with what all he had seen over the years. And here he comes, that young whipper snapper, as Sorenson had called before leaving to college. He remember Sorenson’s son, Jake, who had died in a car wreck. A good kid, just a little reckless. But his dad couldn’t handle his death and locked himself in the house. Now it was his job to see if he could talk with him, they needed his land as well as it sat almost center of the old town square.

Getting back in his truck, he headed back to the center of town to see if he could even get an answer at the door. Next town over was 30 miles and he really would like to get there before it got really dark or before the clouds unleashed their gray torment.

-Anita Neal-

As you read the stories of sadness that life can sometime drop on us, remember there are many who hide from hurt. So find was to always be kind. Kindness can open doors of light that can assist many to help walk through those doors and find life again.

kindnessdoors

A Sacrifice of Time

stillness

Good morning. Thought I would share the peace I received this morning as I was reminded of God holding our hand like a child and us trusting his direction of a God-breathed life. Jesus Calling by Sarah Young reminds us of the value of our time and how sacrificing our time in the quiet stillness of the morning with Him can accomplish far more than we realize by surrounding us in His peace.

“Bring me the sacrifice of your time, and watch to see how abundantly I bless you and your loved ones.”

May you all feel his peace this morning and have a truly blessed day. And as always, remember to be kind.

kind Eph

Life Happens, Sometimes Too Much

I have not posted in nearly a week or so as Life does seem to happen in a big way at times and changes our direction. On Friday we got yet another weekend snow event as they call them here. Anything over 3 inches is an even, otherwise its just snow. The event came on the heals of some excessively cold single digits with wind chills in the -20. And as temp warmed, the snow turned to ice. Its been fun. I question myself when these events happen… Why did I move from the south…then when summer hits and temps are in upper 80’s or low 90’s, then I remember no triple digit temps for months at a time. But this even was especially not fun as it froze the pipes in the kitchen, causing them to burst on Monday(while at work). So AGAIN, the basement is flooded.

The snow also covered up the dish so no TV and no internet…Well Linda, I got lots of coloring done for the 1st of February’s Adult coloring prompt. But it began to warm up a bit, enough to start melting this 6″ mess, which actually brings up the theme for the prompt. Pictures below show last years flood that lasted 5 months.

ballpark flood

We had record snowfall, combined with record spring rains, combined with record breaking heights to Mississippi River flood records for the area. Some people still have not gotten back into their homes fully or are just now getting back in. The water level really never went down like they do in the fall and so far the last two week we have had over a foot of snow – which is melting and will probably finish melting next week, swelling the river. Lower Mississippi River states are already seeing flood stages begin and its just January. Water is nothing to mess with, whether in your home or a massive river like the Mississippi.

dep iowa 3 revised

So if you come across raised waters this spring or even before, please be cautious. It can get dangerous quick. Keep in mind the families and businesses near this river as this may be another bad flood year. Mother earth is kind of ticked off right now.

I leave you with the beauty it this earth can display so that we leave it with happier thoughts.

abeauty

Remember the beauty but also keep in mind those who are struggling with the issues life brings us and be kind and supportive of them.

kind flower

Cost of Fur Babies

We can’t really blame the natural instincts of a dog to destroy a toy, as they are only living out the deep seeded generations of wolves gone by.

Ode to a Friend

I sing out this ode, to my friend gone by

Not meaning to do it but I ripped out it’s eye

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Such a sad day; it was my favoritest toy

But running through the house did seem to annoy

Was the same for bear ripping out eyes and nose

But mom was able to fix it, the holes she did close.

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The holes in the hedgehog she was not able to fix

Which brings my toy numbers down from seven to six

Saturday is coming with a trip to the store

Maybe, oh maybe, she will bring me some more.

– Anita Neal –

We do love out pets but we must remember that because they are domesticated they are very dependent on our care. Care for them well. We must be deserving of the devotion they shower on us. Learn to be kind as they understand kindness.

Always be Kind!

JusJoJan, 1/14/20, Publish

What an interesting prompt Linda gave us for today, a place where we publish our thoughts with each post to anyone who may read them. So here we go…

In November of 2019, my first book was published. A silly book to some, a funny book to others and a hopeful book to many who loved their dogs who are no longer here. A book of dogs in heaven and the fun they are having playing with friends and waiting on their owner to come to heaven. You know the pictures you have seen of all your dogs waiting for you once you get to heaven…

dogs in heavdn

Yes, they are waiting.

Book 2, the sequel, 1st draft was finished on Saturday, now for the long edit process. Hope to be finished by end of month and book published by spring.

This is what happens when you retire and have nothing to do…you write, or at least I do. So find a fun thing to do and remember in all that you do… be KIND.

kind flower

kind3

1 Liner Wed; Just Jot January 01/08/2020

dessert

Life is too short so eat the dessert first.

As you dream of the sweetness of dessert, remember to be kind because life IS short indeed and we should make every effort to reflect kindness.

kindness icecream

Beauty Of Photographs

Every once in a while a photograph will come a cross the bloggosphere (I am sure that is not a real word, but you know what I mean) that so inspires me that I put pen to paper and write about it. Today’s photo came from stefansphotos.se and since we are now legally in winter I felt it was good time for some winter fun…with words. Thank you Stefan for your beautiful photos. Check out his photographs at the link above.

Winter Forest

Winternight Stephan

Deep in the forest where the light seldom shines

Beneath the tall branches of the evergreen pine

There lives such a creature, one hardly ever seen

Here the cold moonlight makes his bright eyes sheen.

The snow reflects the light of the full moon above

Shining through the night like a white mourning dove.

The winter moss is green and soft at forest floor below

As he moves along paths where no one will ever know

What lurks in those dark shadows beyond those next trees

Nothing more than old man winter playing in the night freeze

– Anita Neal-

As you find yourself in the coldness of winter, remember it is easy to warm it up by being kind. Kindness can be like a blanket to wrap you up warm and snug, so let kindness come from you to cover someone like fresh new snow.

Kind snow

JusJojan & Monday Windows a Possibility

It is a possibility to join two blog ideas that have nothing in common but in reality if you turn your words right anything can be a possibility. For instance…

The possibility for modern day construction to be able to replicate the beauty created in older stone work of buildings made in the early 1900 is not really possible or feasible thus making it an impossibility.

Coming home from work today I caught the image of the windows of the 3rd and 4th floors of the county government building and was intrigued by their beauty. I was driving so I apologize for them not being straight, plus it is my phone camera.

This spring I plan to make a blog post on the beauty of the stonework in my area. Some of it is quite beautiful and some of it you look at and go ‘what were you thinking’ thus proving the possibility of most any design regardless of it making sense. Maybe by then I will have a real camera.

May you have a week of great possibilities that make you happy. And if you do or even if you don’t, remember the rest of us struggling with our impossibilities and be utmost kind.

Kind breeze