Mindfulness

This photo is from: https://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9781594862748-us.jpg.

 

I thought I’d start a blog about cleaning and use a quote I got from a book in our library called Speed Cleaning. The book was published by Rodale Press in 2005 and written by Jeff Campbell and the Clean Team and copyrighted from 1985-2016. Their website sells some products for less cost than those that I bought elsewhere. I obviously don’t know the quality, but that was impressive. Their website is www.speedcleaning.com.

I can’t give the author’s exact quote, but it was about being mindful of what I’m doing when cleaning so I’ll enjoy it more. Keeping focused on where I’m standing, what is nearby so I don’t trip over it, and paying attention to what I’m doing throughout the job came up as well.

I’ve heard it said that people find fulfillment in whatever they’re doing if they give full attention to the activity (if it’s not a painful thing).

So, when cleaning the refrigerator if I concentrate on the fingerprints disappearing and a shine taking their place, the endorphins in the brain should get released, right?

On another subject, on Saturday night, I made a mayonnaise cake and when I finished it, it felt so good to see it completed and not sagging in the middle. I went to bed after blogging about it. At midnight, my husband noticed it sank to the middle but he didn’t want to disturb my rest. One of the ladies at our church is such an encourager. She told me it really didn’t look bad. I ended up running out of mayonnaise and used a substitute vegan style for the last half cup. I ran out of white sugar and used a little less brown sugar instead. It tasted the same as normal and looked similar. I ate a bit too much of it, so I put the left overs in the freezer. Out of sight, out of mind. That’s one food item I don’t want to be mindful of. I gained weight after eating it two days in a row.

Do you have something you’re struggling over? I remember reading a book on weight loss by Steve Arterburn some years back. He took time to taste his food and enjoy the meal. This is a more recent book by him that I haven’t read, but it sounds good.  This photo is from: https://www.christianbook.com/solution-spiritual-emotional-physical-permanent-weight/stephen-arterburn/9780849947261/pd/947260?event=ESRCG#CBD-PD-Description.

I believe it’s an updated version of the book I read with more offerings: exercises and other beneficial information.

I hope you are keeping your eyes on Jesus in this world with the turmoil and with the good. I heard my daughter read some Psalms today after telling me she’s concerned about her elderly and much loved cat. He’s not eating well. God’s Word is a comfort. She’s experiencing His peace in the midst of her trial.

May God bless you.

Joy in Writing

 

Monday night I searched files to see what I would bring to a new writers group I got invited to earlier this year. I chose a devotional I sent out in 2016. I’d been tracking it for quite a while and then I got busy with other things and let it go. I thought: if I bring a devotional that is already published, it probably won’t need much critiquing. So, I got online to check e-mail and sure enough, an announcement from the publisher said they’d accepted the devotional and the tentative date was for September 25, 2016. If you want to check it out I’ve included the link here: http://www.christiandevotions.us/viewblogentry/833

It’s called “For the Love of a Daughter.”

That made my night and then when I found the tucked away home of the writer who invited me, I prayed that it would go well. The last critique group I attended had a writer who criticized my Bible study, Chapter One so harshly, I left wondering if I was delusional and if any talent I thought I had really belonged in the land of dreams. I looked to the leader of the group for a suggestion to lighten up or to be kind, but she remained mute. As I headed home, I thought God said in His still small voice, “I didn’t call you to this group.”

This past year I ran into the leader of the group at a library gathering to hear a poet, and she invited me to attend the writers meeting they host there. I told her “Thank you for asking me,” as I pocketed the slip of paper with the time and day they meet. A Christian friend saw the exchange and encouraged me to join them; she had recently started to attend. I told her I’d pray about it, and I did. I didn’t sense any leading to be a part of their meetings and then this opportunity arose.(photo from http://www.goodsearch.com/search-web?utf8=%E2%9C%93&keywords=writers+group+photos&button=)

The members of the home town gathering may be different by now. Maybe that particular author didn’t feel well that day and so she got cranky over my offering. I don’t know. What I do know is that the group on Monday night was gracious and did line-by-line critiquing where necessary, grammatical editing and gave suggestions on the flow of the work. One lady is beginning a novel and I told her I wanted more description, less telling and more showing without actually using those words. What I did tell her was that I wanted to see what her interaction with her grandmother was like. I wanted her to set the scene.

One of the writers asked me what type of article was I writing, where did I picture it being published? I wrote an essay on health for mature readers, but the market I thought I’d send it to seems to be out of business now.

Then the published author thanked me for making it out and for the contributions I added. She and the others blessed me and I hoped I could bless them. Now that I’ve met them, I’m going to bring a more substantial project. We each had fifteen minutes for the reading of the piece and then the comments from the other wordsmiths. I hope we’re able to continue for a long while. We’ll see what the Lord has in mind for us. I’ve wanted a writer’s group for a number of months. I’ve learned that God’s timing is best. Isaiah_40:31, (KJV) says:  “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

May God bless you.

Showers of Blessings

When I went to a baby shower tonight, one of the games for the people attending was to try and match a sentence or two from the children’s book it belonged to. Sixteen classic books, from Winnie the Pooh to The Secret Garden to Peter Pan to I Think I Can to Horton Hears a Who to name a few.

The ladies throwing the shower requested we bring a children’s book with a message to the baby written inside the cover. What fun!

It’s amazing how impactful children’s books are. Those attending ranged in age from low twenties to the grandmother at age 89. So many of the gals shared contented sighs as they talked about their favorite stories from early childhood.

Jesus told stories. He told about the young son asking for his inheritance early in life, while his dad and brother were still alive. After he spent all of his money on “wine, women and song,” he became hungry and friendless.

After almost starving to death, he remembered his dad and decided to go home and ask to be hired as a servant. His father welcomed him with open arms and I’ve seen more than one movie made based on “The Prodigal Son,” as the story is called.

We, as sinners goof up and as soon as we ask God to forgive us and determine in our hearts to turn from our wicked ways, God accepts us as a loving, earthly father would do.

It can be found in Luke 15.

I hope you are having a great day. May God bless you.

 

Direction

I’ve been reading a book by T. Davis Bunn, now writing as Davis Bunn, called Promises to Keep. Bethany House Publishers published it in 1991 and T. Davis Bunn copyrighted it in 1991. I read it before, but I wanted to read it again. I’m learning about politics and lobbyists and the way laws come into being or bills are buried so they disappear. I didn’t see this the last time I read the book because there was so much to the story. It covers some uncomfortable issues. It makes me aware that I don’t know what the laws are that this fictionalized tale speaks of. The author leaves footnotes to tell of actual testimonies and persuasive arguments.

This book emphasizes the power of prayer. I received a newsletter from an evangelist who came to our church a few times. He asked that his readers would please pray; that God is in control of the elections and of our country and of our world. Both he and T. Davis Bunn remind their readers that what might seem impossible is not impossible to God.

Luke 18:27, (ESV) quotes Jesus here:  But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

In this instance He is speaking of how hard it is for a rich person to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, in other words, to be saved.

Also, in Luke 1:37, (ESV) says: “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

In this particular conversation, Mary, the mother of Jesus is being told that her elderly aunt, Elizabeth is pregnant. Then the information that nothing will be impossible with God is declared.

I take great comfort in God’s Word. He is all powerful and He is in control. Nothing is impossible to Him, even though He allows things to happen that break His heart because He gives mankind free will. Yet, I recall many times over my life getting a small nudging to turn this way or don’t eat that, because God was trying to direct my paths so I’d avoid injury.

Once was early on in my walk with God. I kept having insistent thoughts to turn down a particular street or to try and sell a school fundraising item to a family on another side street. I would rationalize the ideas away. Why would I turn here, it’s out of my way?

I don’t want to bother that family; they’re putting their groceries away, I decided. So, I headed the straightest route home with my elementary-aged daughter and encountered a fierce dog. I froze while she flapped her arms around and said, “Mommy, look, a dog.”

I couldn’t even speak. The dog bit her and I developed a strong fear of dogs. I then understood why I kept having these promptings to go another way. Thankfully, it just bit once and the owners came running out of their garage to whisk it away. I learned a lesson that day. If I sense God leading me in a way that’s a little out of the ordinary, I just take it, most of the time. I’m still learning.

I’m praying about the next big project God wants me to write. “Please direct me, I pray in Jesus’ name.”

May God bless you.

Fever, a Stranger, and Australian Cattle Dogs

I contracted a fever for two days and then cold-like symptoms for a week or so.  I haven’t had a fever since I don’t know when, thank You, Jesus.

Then our daughter’s friend, who is living with us for a bit, invited a stranded lady to sleep in her car outside of our house. She didn’t think I’d still be awake to ask, and usually I’m not. But, I was; so I woke up my husband. I knew she wouldn’t end up sleeping in the cold Autumn night, in NY State, just outside our door. Besides, she had the  plus of having dogs with her. My husband loves dogs. Now me, I’m not a great dog lover. I’m a dog appreciator if they are well behaved and don’t demand too much attention. These dogs were new to me: Australian Cattle dogs. They were polite and friendly and relaxed. I enjoyed them immensely.

I wrote an article about our experience entitled, “East Meets West,” and I hope to have it published on Associated Content, a Yahoo.com site. I expect to submit it tomorrow and I’ll note it here if they accept it. I signed up to write for them more than a month ago, and every time I tried to send something, I would hit a wrong button on my computer and lose the manuscript. So I decided to blog here instead, which I’ve enjoyed. Hopefully, I won’t glitch it tomorrow. LOL