Since I missed Monday Musings today, I thought I’d add it today’s whimsical thoughts, as I feel a bit melancholy today…
I don’t feel bad, and I’m not necessarily sad. I just feel a bit more somber than most days.
I suppose, it’s mostly because today is my grandfather’s 94th birthday. But he’s not here to celebrate. He’s in heaven.
We said goodbye to him 18 years ago (on Oct. 6); so, today is not a new day or even a surprise from what it has been for many years now.
Yet, I always miss him on these days. My life was changed that day, and as much as I’m so thankful I’ll see him again one day on the other side, it doesn’t change the fact.
I miss him deeply. And today, I’ve had a thought time shaking the invading blues.
The sun is shining brightly, the breeze is blowing slightly, and it’s a warm 79 degrees here in Georgia. My life is blessed, and I really cannot complain.
In fact, I am overly blessed, and he’d never want me to be sad, even in his absence. So, I’ll put a smile on my face until I feel it down deep in my soul.
For he is no longer in pain. He is no longer suffering. He is rejoicing in our eternal home, and I will see him again.
So, as my heart continues to heal, as it does with time, memories and purpose, I will lift my hands today and worship my King.
For He is worthy of that worship, and it changes me in the midst of my obedience.
…And it makes that smile sink a little deeper to the depths of my being to bring sunlight through the rain.
Well, this week was so jam packed, I didn’t even get a chance to sit down and write. The last 10-14 days have kind of been like this, but this week, I didn’t have the extra to add words to the page.
So, today, I thought I might conglomerate them all as one. 😂 I thought the title turned out quite original (lol); now, let’s see how the blog will end up. Maybe great. Maybe a little less than good. But it really doesn’t matter. You can at least say I tried!
A few weeks ago, I threw a little dessert together that I thought I’d share. It’s pretty simple, and you can pick up most items at your local grocery store, and you can adapt it to your personal preferences.
I started with a simple lemon pound cake. I just happened to have Sara Lee’s lemon loaf. I added a couple of scoops of key lime gelato (I love Talenti Gelato!) and dropped a handful of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries on top. And then, I drizzled caramel over all this.
Oh, it was so yummy! Truthfully, because it was a cooler day right at the end of September, I was wishing I’d had this “grand thought” back in the summertime; however, that didn’t hinder my enjoyment one bit!
This one thought, of enjoying a “summertime dessert in the fall,” led me to thinking, sometimes, we can miss celebrating a moment we should be celebrating!
We can get so bogged down with past regrets or future ambitions that we aren’t present in the moment we’re living. Yes, we need to deal with the past at times, but we should be able to put it in it’s proper places. And we should be pushing forward toward those goals and dreams we have ahead, or we’ll never get beyond where we are.
Yet, if we are seeking so hard after those things ahead, or we become overwhelmed by the sorrows OR joys of the past, we will miss what is right before our very eyes!
So, take a moment today.
Breathe I deeply and exhale slowly.
Let your eyes focus and settle in on those things and those people before you.
Cherish the laughter; embrace the tears.
Walk through the days with purpose and diligence.
It’s not always about where you’ve been or even about where you’re headed.
Sometimes, it’s simply about where you are and who is there with you!
Now, go give yourself a treat today and have a whimsical fun day! 😊
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls & hard work.
Thomas A. Edison
“Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
Soak it in deep, cuz you’re gonna need it to survive.
Not just to survive but to thrive.
Let the moon of His shadow light the way through the dark.
No matter the abyss of the unknown, the rays of His promise will chase away the haze.
The winds of this world blow hard, always wanting to knock you off course.
The waves of this culture devour fast, always seeking to destroy peace, joy, and clarity of mind.
Stay the course, son.
Never become distracted by what was, what is or what one day might be.
Keep Him at the helm, and you will find a steadier voyage.
Keep Him at the forefront of navigation, and you will find your destination not far ahead.
I may not always be present in form, but you can rest assured, I am always near your heart.
And you will always be held tenderly within mine.
“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Sometimes, Friday Fun Days may not be exactly as you plan, but how about just making it the best you can?
We had to return to my home state to honor a great man whom we will miss dearly.
We couldn’t stay at our “regular places” due to the recent hurricane that had left devastation in its path.
We couldn’t eat at our “favorites” due to the same demise.
We couldn’t take time to spend with all the loved ones with whom we desired due to having to come and go so quickly and staying at a further distance.
But we took the hours that we could just to make the best of the trip that we had.
We sat out on the beach in the early morning hours and just soaked in the wind and the surf.
We took an adventure to shop for some fun souvenirs for our boys.
We enjoyed an amazing dockside seafood fare and savored every morsel.
We stopped at a fun little coffee roaster and drank in the delightfulness.
Then, we said our sorrowful goodbyes, packed our bags, and headed back home.
Sometimes, Friday Fun Days might not seem so enjoyable, but if you search hard enough, you might just find a little sunshine peeking through those clouds.
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Ephesians 5:15-16
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Let the sun deepen the glow and bring strength to my soul…
My mind settles from all the distractions…
My eyes rest from all the blinding pain…
My ears relax from all the blasting rain…
Just breathe deep…
Exhale slowly…
And my focus can return…
My vision can reform…
My hearing can be revitalized…
Just another minute… and another…
Just a little while longer…
And my heart can begin to sing again…
“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, In whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?”
There is so much truth in this statement, it almost hurts to embrace it.
If you’ve never hiked a strenuous trail, this may not be a reality for you.
If you’ve not experienced the deep exhale of stiff action after a treacherous climb, you might not quite understand.
But if you’ve climbed Brasstown Bald in Georgia for the first time on a hot August afternoon…
If you’ve used your trekking poles to achieve the heights of The Chimney Tops in the Great Smokies…
If you’ve had to take a break as you traveled toward the top of Mount Mitchell in the Blue Ridge…
If you’ve had to slow to catch your breath as you stretched toward the heights of Pike’s Peak in the Rockies…
If you’ve questioned your abilities as you pushed toward the peaks of Mount Rainier in the Cascades…
And if you’ve ever struggled in life to achieve more than the day before… if you’ve stayed up all night and the next day just to get the job done… if you’ve beat your chest through the turmoil, the heartache and depression just to reach the other side of sanity…
Then, you might just understand and appreciate this statement.
Because if you’ve ever climbed the malicious mountain to experience the refreshing breeze and behold the overwhelming landscape of the summit , you’ll fight and claw to encounter the next ascension.
“Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong…”
Sometimes, it just doesn’t seem like a Friday Fun Day.
As a family member, a great man who made you laugh till you cried, suddenly breathes his last…
As a hurricane, that’s not traumatic in size but traumatic in results, rips through your hometown wreaking havoc and demise…
As distant family members try to pick up the pieces of their lives and dreams…
As church family members die or become deathly sick, and all involved wonder if that precious saint will suddenly walk those streets of gold…
As calls of desperation filter in from various places, each needing help, restoration, healing in some form or fashion…
Sometimes, it just doesn’t feel much like a Friday Fun Day…
However, this is that thing we call living…
And you either put on your hat of perseverance and move forward with a strain and a push, or you’ll get trampled in the gate of ambition and determination…
Or worse, you’ll garnish that cloak of heaviness and despair and enter your grave while walking on your feet…
So, you look up and glimpse the sunlight peeking through the clouds…
You look beyond the debris and see the sunset light up that western seashore…
You look through the demise to find a hidden treasure, a cherished heirloom, a forgotten dream…
You look into the eyes of that neighbor, and despite the pain, you smile and embrace…
You remember the good times of friends, the memories of the fun, the love of family, and the sweet goodness of God…
You see the resilience to repair, the fortitude to rebuild, and the temerity to thrive again…
You watch the horizon of dreams as they creep over the surf as bright as the sun, brightening the path to another day, another aspiration, another hope…
And you smile…
For the Friday Fun Day will return…
If only for this moment held deep within your heart…
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”
There was a girl who got through the day with routines, laughter. and some memes...chores, laughs, smiles, and some cats...food, naps, plus coffee too...then yoga for the win... a warm bath, some books, and You Tube📺-hdtj💜
My journey didn’t stop with mere time travel or writing; it led me to become one of the most sought-after empaths, a soulful psychic who reads the hidden depths of the human spirit. I’ve been blessed—or perhaps burdened—with an ability that allows me to feel the emotions of people from every corner of time.
I am a licensed psychologist based in Greece. My love for housekeeping has inspired me to create this blog about home management and family relationships. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!
Dedicated to movie nerdom, nostalgia, and soul invigoration. In the late 90s, I worked at Blockbuster Video where they let me take home two free movies a day. I caught up on the classics and reviewed theatrical releases for Denver 'burbs newspapers and magazines. Today, while raising two young, beautiful daughters with my amazing wife, I look forward to anything rated R and not Bluey. Comments and dialogue encouraged!
the grizzle grist mill 