Days 21-26 - Don't Look at Me: The Weekly Digest [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Looking out the window....

I'm thoroughly enjoying the mild weather here in Colorado.  I know that the colder "real" winter weather is coming, but for now I've got the windows down and blasting happy music as I drive and sing along.

 
A cool experience...Our administrative assistants' fellowship group, Gatekeepers LTD, had their annual Christmas lunch.  One of our admins has a six-month-old daughter.  While mama ate, I got to hold sweet baby Jordan.  It was fun getting to be the "baby whisperer" for nearly 20 minutes. 

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

On the pronunciation of the word pecan (pəˈkän):  "Pee-can" is what you use when you ain't got no indoor toilet."- Auntie

Don't be jealous of what some else has if you don't want to do what they did to get it. - Joyce Meyer, The Power of Thank You, p. 152.

Leadership is the ability to add value to others. - John C. Maxwell

I'm thinking about...

I've nearly completed my 25 for 2025 list.  Now on to the 2025 Happier challenge put out by Gretchen Rubin and the one word for this season in my life.  Last week, the Happier podcast issued the 2025 challenge:  Read 25 in 2025.  The goal is to read for at least 25 minutes a day.  I really enjoyed the Write 24 in 2024 challenge this year because it made me focus more on my daily journaling practice.  The problem with this new challenge is that it isn't a challenge for me.  Nearly every day I read for at least 30 minutes  (more when I have time).  Books in all forms are already a part of my daily routine. So what 25 "thing" can I substitute for this challenge?  Maybe Write 25 in 2025, but focus on creative writing like blogs and books.  It's a thought.

What I read this week...

• The Power of Thank You by Joyce Meyer ✮✮✮
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮
• The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮

I'm currently reading...

• A Year of C. S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis
• Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
• God is in the Manger by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
  
• Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell

My current long reads (those I am processing more slowly)...

• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
• Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
• The New American Standard Bible
  

This week's blog posts...

• If at First You Don't Succeed:  The Weekly Hodgepodge is here.

 I am thankful for...

• Rubber tips on new gel pins to keep them from leaking.
• Coffee.
• Mug/candle warmers
• Babies
• Our Gatekeepers LTD group at work.
• All the beautiful Christmas cards I've received so far.
• Being in the Christmas spirit this year.
• Kind delivery drivers who actually read and follow directions.
• Fun co-workers who have become forever friends.
• 
  I'm thankful that the college deans I work for/with aren't very "dean-ly."  Don't get me wrong, they are distinguished, respected, and knowledgeable.  However, they are not academic stuffed shirts who have no sense of humor.  Quite the opposite. 
• The quilt journal I was given for Christmas last year.  I've enjoyed chronicling the quilts and quilt tops I've finished.
• Mild weather.
• Good neighbors.
• The fun of watching squirrels chase each other up a tree.
• The convenience of an on-site laundry room.
• Old fashioned gospel tracts. 
  

From the Workshop...

Please see my latest Aunties Workshop blog post here

 

 

Days 19 & 20 - If at First You Don't Succeed: The Weekly Hodgepodge [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

Join the fun! 

Come on over to 

From This Side of the Pond 

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

 

What's one thing you want to get done before the calendar flips to a new year?

Not so much things to get done before the end of the year, but things to prepare myself for 2025.   I'm preparing my 25 for 2025 list and looking over goals for the coming year.  I'm also planning out what I'm going to do (and not do) during my two week Christmas stay-cation.

What's something that brought a smile to your face this year?

Aw, I only get to pick ONE thing?  I know I mentioned it in my last post and will probably mention it again in one of my 2024 "best of" posts, but my quilting design wall.  That flannel and foam board structure makes me grin like a possum.

What do you like on a cracker? Do you have a favorite cracker variety? 

My favorite cracker toppings are either cheese or peanut butter.  I enjoy eating all kinds of crackers:  saltine crackers, oyster crackers, graham crackers, wheat crackers, Ritz crackers, Captain's Wafers, Keebler Club Crackers,...you get the idea. BTW--do Cheez-Its count as a cracker?

A couple of weird things I like on crackers are butter and french onion dip (not together).  I know, it sounds gross, but these are holdovers from college.  Broke college kids will eat anything that doesn't eat them first.   And if you've seen my "before" pictures from that time period, you know it to be true.

Do you have plans for ringing in the new year in a fun or special way? Are you typically awake at midnight on the last day of the year? 

Not that I know of.  I'm normally asleep way before midnight.

What are three words that describe your 2024?

Insert your own random thought here.

Today, I am thankful for:

• A couple of quiet days after such a busy weekend.
• Journals and notebooks.
• Uniball gel pens.
• Books in all forms and the ability to read them.
• Houseplants.
• My beta fish, Freddi.
• The Dry Bar comedy YouTube channel.  They specialize in featuring clean comedians (clean, not cheesy).  Here's one of my favorites:
  

 

 In case you missed it:  

• My previous Hodgepodge post "Caught in a Snare" is here.
• My latest Five Minute Friday post "Stuff" is here.
  
• My latest Weekly Digest "Days 14-18: Party Popper" is here.
  
• My latest book review "2024 Full Shelf Challenge V. 2: 05" is here.
• My latest First Line Friday post: "#25 - The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant by Terry Felber" is here.
• My "24 in 2024" post is here.
• My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.
• My latest series on my Auntie's Workshop blog "30 Day Art Challenge 2024" starts here.

 

Days 14-18 - Party Popper: The Weekly Digest [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Looking out the window....

A lovely sunny day.  A perfect fall-ish day for a Sunday drive.

A cool experience...This week, I had the privilege of attending a campus-wide function in our nearly-completed Armstrong Center.  The open house and dedication were earlier in the fall, but I was unable to participate. 

Darn cottonwood trees!

Anyway.

I didn't arrive early enough to tour the building before the meeting started, but I at least get a peek at the chapel (pictured below).  The auditorium where we met isn't quite finished, but it's coming along nicely.  They plan for us to meet there again in February, so many more elements like projector screens and extra lighting should be done.

I know it's just a building to some, but to me, it's a testimony to many hours of work, prayer, and patience.  The project was delayed for several months because of litigation (can you say "frivolous lawsuit" children?  I knew you could.).  God was faithful through the whole process.  Now we get to enjoy finishing and beautifying the inside, seeing the new library filled with books, and having music and drama events conveniently on campus.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

I don't like the stolen valor of fake plants.- Josh Johnson, comedian.

There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God Himself...as if the good Lord had nothing to do but exist!  There have been some who were so occupied with spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ. - C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce.

Asking God for what we want without thanking Him for what we have reveals a heart that is not right before Him, perhaps a selfish or greedy heart.  A heart without gratitude is very unattractive to God.. - Joyce Meyer, The Power of Thank You, p. 105.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.  Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. - Albert Schweitzer

I'm thinking about...

My 25 for 2025 list and my one word for the year/season.  Though I won't reveal them until the first of the year, I think I've narrowed down my options.  Some of the 24 for 2024 items that I didn't complete will either be added to the new list, or retooled prior to adding to the new list.

What I read this week...

• How Can I Practice Christian Meditation by Joel Beeke  ✮✮✮✮
• The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮✮
• Eternity is Now in Session by John Ortberg ✮✮✮✮
• Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis ✮✮✮✮
  

I'm currently reading...

• A Year of C. S. Lewis by C. S. Lewis
• Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
• The Power of Thank You by Joyce Meyer
• God is in the Manger by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
  
• Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell
• The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis
  

This week's blog posts...

• Caught in a Snare:  The Weekly Hodgepodge is here.
  
• Days 08-11: These Feet Were Made for Waling...Gingerly [40 Days of Gratitude 2024] is here.

 I am thankful for...

• My design wall. 
  

• The Posh Paper Lady.  Her YouTube channel has a plethora of instruction videos for paper crafting projects.  I've been able to create many gifts because of her easy-to-follow guidance.
  

 

• A fun family memory of an inside joke.  I saw these at the Dollar Tree and thought of my family.  Even though we don't really know where this came from, our daddy was the first one we ever heard refer to a sandwich as a "sammich."  I'm sure the other shoppers thought I was nuts for taking a picture of these in the cooler while cackling like a hyena.
  

• The near completion of the Armstrong Center (mentioned earlier).
• Making my first therapy appointment for January.
• Trifocals.
• People in my life who love and appreciate handmade items.
• Christmas parties with friends.
• Our Poco a poco kids choir cheerfully singing carols  (most of them) in the foyer of the church.
  

From the Workshop...

Please see my latest Aunties Workshop blog post here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Days 12 & 13 - Caught in a Snare: The Weekly Hodgepodge [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

Join the fun! 

Come on over to 

From This Side of the Pond 

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

 

What's one task you'd like a little Christmas elf to sneak in and take care of tonite?

Not just tonight, but for the rest of the season.  Driving.  There's many events I'm going to miss during the holidays because they are at night or the reads are icy (No, I'm not going into my rant again about how the Denver metro area needs to do a better job of illuminating the main roads.  This is one of the things that my hometown does better. )  Then there are those days when driving feels so tiring that staying home is the better option.

What's your biggest challenge during the holidays?

Maintaining my mental and physical health. Though Advent is "the most wonderful time of the year," the things that make it so can be detrimental to me if my mind isn't in a good place.  The rich foods, the gatherings I either miss or don't feel quite like I belong in when I do attend, and the conundrum of wanting to see people back home but not having the mental or financial bandwidth to do so can make a fat, sad holiday season if I don't reign in my thoughts.  The good thing is that I work very had to focus my mind and creative energies on others. The bad news is that I tend to do this instead of taking care of myself.  Is it even possible to do both?

Are you a cookie baker this time of year? If your year had to be summed up in the shape of a cookie cutter what shape would it be? 

I'm a pretty decent baker of breads, cakes, and, ironically, no-bake pies.  However, my cookie skills aren't that great.  I'm on a quest for soft, moist, delectable confections.  So far, I keep getting the aforementioned geriatric dog biscuit from my last post.  This was a problem way before I moved to a higher altitude.  I'm not sure how to fix it. 

If 2024 could be summed up in the shape of a cookie cutter, it would be a ginger bread person with the head broken off.  No, not saying life is awful; it just means "Hey, we tried.  We made a good go of it; it's just a little broken."

Santa likes milk with his cookies. Do you like milk? What kind of milk is on tap in your house? (whole, 2%, skim, almond, oat, etc). What's the last thing you made that called for milk? 

I generally use 2% milk, but I do cook with buttermilk (when I can find it in the store).  The last thing I made that used milk was Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Share one favorite line from a Christmas carol or holiday tune? 

Go tell it on the mountain
     over the hills and everywhere.
Go tell it on the mountain
     that Mary's baby is not just an ordinary baby.
Tell them the Savior is born.

Insert your own random thought here.

Today, I am thankful for:

• From Monday
• Thankful the practical:  a roof over my head, food, running water, heat, a good working vehicle, clothes, shoes, and a good job.
  
• From Tuesday
• Getting to an from my dental appointment without incident.  It's a well-known fact that I avoid/refuse/detest/panic at/nearly pee my pants over driving on icy/snowy days. #ImStillSouthern.  There was no way for me to know six months ago when I scheduled the appointment that travel was going to be treacherous.  I am relieved to now know that the dentist no longer charges a cancellation fee.
• A good report at the dental office.  Yes, I need another crown, but I already knew that.  Thankfully there's nothing new to fix.
• I'm thankful for musicians who actually put DRUMS in Little Drummer Boy.  Look, being a percussionist makes me a bit biased and I know a drum solo at a baby shower is a bit unorthodox, but if you're going to sing about playing your drum for the newborn King, shouldn't you in fact PLAY it?
  

 In case you missed it:  

• My previous Hodgepodge post:  "Billie's Jeans" is here.
• My latest Weekly Digest "Days 03 & 04: Help Wanted" is here.
  
• My latest book review "2024 Full Shelf Challenge V. 2: 05" is here.
• My latest First Line Friday post: "#25 - The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant by Terry Felber" is here.
• My "24 in 2024" post is here.
• My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.
• My latest series on my Auntie's Workshop blog "30 Day Art Challenge 2024" starts here.

Days 08-11: These Feet Were Made for Walking...Gingerly [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]

 

Today, I am thankful for:

• Taking my first pain-free outside walk in months.   Back in August, I started noticing some pain in my left heel.  With every outdoor walk on pavement, the pain got worse.  It got to the point that any walking was very painful and wearing shoes seemed to make it worse.  Since then, I've been ginger with it, riding the stationary bike at the gym solely (I usually trade up with walking on the treadmill), icing the area, and taking ibuprofen.  This week, I went for a short walk outside and felt no pain.  I'll see how it feels tomorrow, but it is a step in the right direction (no pun intended). 
• Enjoying a fun Christmas brunch with the ladies of Table Mountain Baptist Church, my friend Diana's church.
  
• My church's kid's choir, Poco a poco.  They led worship on Sunday and did a great job.
• A stirring sermon based on the Magnificat.
  
• A friendly cashier and not being accosted by hobos at Wal-Mart.  
• The various charity projects I've seen in stores that are helping local kids have a good Christmas.
  
• My Christmas earrings for the year.  I got them at a craft fair in Evergreen.
  

Five Minute Friday: "Stuff"

 

What is it about the holidays that makes some of us want to stuff our faces beyond the realms of common sense?  I can't speak for anyone else, but for me I think that part of it is the prospect of eating lip-smacking delicacies that I don't consume until the appropriate season.  So, some the attitude is, "Hey, I'm not going to eat stuff like this until next winter, so just eat it."

The real problem (at least for me) is that the food becomes a substitute for closeness.  In other words, the anxiety surrounding food that's already a daily struggle is combined with overwhelming feelings of insecurity and the understanding that I'm going to go home (or wait for people to leave if they are at my home) and berate and judge myself for everything I said, did, or didn't say or do.

So, stuffing is easier (no necessarily better).  It's a preemptive strike against the mental chaos that delays the inevitable.

 

Maybe I need to declare a "No stuff holiday" that has nothing to do with decluttering or limiting purchases.

-----------------------------

In case you missed it:  

• My latest Weekly Digest: "Days 03 & 04 - Help Wanted:  The Weekly Digest [40 Days of Gratitude 2024]," is here.
• My latest First Line Friday Post: "#25: The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant" is here.
• My latest Wednesday Hodgepodge post, "Days 12 & 13 - Caught in a Snare," is here.
• My latest book review of Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear is here.
•  My "24 in 2024" list is here.
•  My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.

First Line Friday #25: The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant by Terry Felber

Thanks to Carrie at
Reading is My Superpower
for the Link-up

 

Title:  The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant
Author:  Terry Felber
Genre: Business/Personal Development

  〰First Line〰

─────────────────────────────────────────────────

Antonio strained to control the horse as they turned the corner and headed west in the direction of Rome.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────

Synopsis:  (From Amazon.com) 

Every life requires a spiritual foundation.

"Grandfather, you left this..." Julio lifted the leather-bound journal and stepped toward the old man. "It is yours now," said Antonio, with a gleam in his eye. "I've lived my life according to the twelve principles recorded in it. And if you will apply its principles as I did, your success will be greater than you could ever imagine."

Be a minister in the marketplace. Terry Felber has written a parable that will transform your life and your business. Many years ago, this ago book helped Dave Ramsey rediscover the marketplace as a mission field--and merchants as ministers. Now let it open your eyes to the opportunities for service and leadership all around you.

Are you ready for a change? The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant will change the way you see yourself, your job, and your purpose.

 〰First Thoughts〰

This book is another Dave Ramsey recommendation (he also wrote the forward).  With the exception of Acres of Diamonds and The Magic of Thinking Big, I've been quite disappointed with Brother Ramsey's reading list.  Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Dave's show, his Financial Peace University course, and his no-nonsense approach to finances.  However, his book recommendations often leave me scratching my head (an example would be this one).  With that in mind and with much trepidation, I purchased this volume from the thrift store.  At least if I hate it, I'm only out a couple of dollars rather than $20.

So, what's the first line of the book you're currently reading?