Gratitude December - Day 11

Today is Day 11 of Gratitude December.

I'm grateful for finding a new planner to help plan my days and months in 2022.

I'm the type that likes to write things down but I like to have most things in one place not in 10 different places. At the same time I don't want an overly demanding planner, one that is overly simplistic, too big or too small. 

The last few years I've wasted money on planners that I abandon after a short few weeks. They don't quite work for a variety of reasons.

I think I may have finally found one that I will actually like and use so I ordered one. I won't be able to tell how I like it until well into January but it looks awesome. Here are what the different elements of the planner look like.

I like that it comes with multiple ribbon bookmarks instead of just one.

I like that each day you can write the priorities at the top of the page and there is space for side notes

It's important to me to see the month at a glance and to have room to write in the daily boxes.

There is even space for setting out your goals for the years and longer term dreams

Extra space is included for reviewing your months, habits and daily practice as well as quarterly goals.

What about your dear reader? Do you use a written planner, an electronic one, a combination or none at all?

Does your system work well for you?

Kenya

Let me take a moment here to post again about the Kenyan missions for those that missed it yesterday and because it is Christmas, the season for giving.  I would like to help the people mentioned below to enjoy a Christmas meal on Christmas Day. If you would like to help them enjoy one day this month kindly hit the Pay Pal button to the right of the screen. You can reach the direct link by hitting the red flower. Thanks so much for considering the need. If you can't give please remember them in prayer.

Rose is the mature, pregnant woman.  She is married and has several school age children.  She has had numerous challenges during this pregnancy which has required her to be hospitalized on several occasions.  She's getting close to delivery and is currently at home until labour begins.  Rose will get vaccinated after delivering her child.

Charles - He is married and has several  children. I don't assist him much except at Christmas though I'd like to do more for his family. Charles has had his vaccinations.

Ernest - He has no children.  He has diabetes and suffered several health challenges namely breaking the same leg twice and having been hospitalized due to Covid 19.  Kenya has been slow to roll out vaccinations but he has now had two vaccinations.

Livingstone - He has no children. Recently he too recovered from a broken leg and Covid 19. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation of his leg through physiotherapy and has had two vaccinations.

Elijah - He is married with 5 children and a dependent MIL.  He is the man whose coffee plantation was flooded out a few months ago when major floods forced many Kenyans from their homes.

Janet - She is married but separated and has four daughters. Her brother chased her away from her ancestral home and we've set her up in a humble store with attached living quarters. 

Pastor Jonah - He has no children. Jonah is primarily the one I work with to undertake all the responsibilities of the grassroots missions. We often work with other leaders in his church including the Lead Pastor, especially when I am in Kenya. He has had his vaccinations.

If I am able I would also like to send to the following people:

David - He is married with 2 children. I've known David for long and usually send him something at Christmas. This year I've tried to send him something as often as I can because his small tourist business was badly affected due to Covid.

Pastor Parteleu - He pastors a remote, rural village church and has had recent health challenges including undiagnosed stomach issues. He has very little financial support and has a wife and 2 children.

Sarah - She is single with 2 children. Sarah lives in Kibera slums and lost her catering job prior to Covid when her boss/employer was defrauded out of his valuable property and restaurant by high powered people.  Sara is a talented cook and caterer and has been looking for a job in that field for long. In the past I've provided her with blankets for the chilly Kenyan nights.

Amy - She is a single mom with a 2 year old toddler.  I send something for her child as often as I can. Amy has tried her hand at many different casual jobs but it has been difficult having a baby with her at all times.

Altogether there are about 40 people, men, women and children represented on this list.  It breaks my heart that the mothers and fathers cannot provide even daily food and other needs for their children and that the men cannot find employment even though they want to work.So many people live without hope and without opportunity. Doing a little for them can really help boost their spirits and give them hope that there really is a God above who loves and cares for them.  Thank you for reading.

Update:  I got wet and a bit chilled on my library run on Friday night and have developed a sneeze. I'll be taking a few days rest and resume the gratitude list when I return to blogging. My next post will contain several days of gratitude items instead of one item. In the meantime, please take care of yourselves.

Gratitude December - Day 10

Many of you know that I was involved in a bus accident at the end of September. The CT scan indicated a potential issue in my right ear. I've been visiting the ENT department at one of the local hospitals since then. 

I've been to the ENT unit 4 times so far and on Thursday I met the surgeon for the first time. My next appointment with her is early in the New Year 2022.

 

I'm grateful that I've had such good,  experienced and comprehensive care by all the staff and doctors. Already they have helped my ear in so many ways. I've learned a lot including the fact that surgery may not be a foregone conclusion. Even if I ultimately get surgery, I feel I'm in very capable hands and that is very reassuring.

Kenya 

I'm also grateful to have a little something to send to people in Kenya this Christmas. I am hoping to make the transfer in the next few days and if you would like to help give a Christmas meal to village Kenyans, kindly hit the Pay Pal button to the right of the screen. You can reach the direct link by hitting the red flower. Thanks so much.

I hope to send to the following people:

Rose is the mature, pregnant woman.  She is married and has several school age children.  She has had numerous challenges during this pregnancy which has required her to be hospitalized on several occasions.  She's getting close to delivery and is currently at home until labour begins.  Rose will get vaccinated after delivering her child.

Charles - He is married and has several  children. I don't assist him much except at Christmas though I'd like to do more for his family. Charles has had his vaccinations.

Ernest - He has no children.  He has diabetes and suffered several health challenges namely breaking the same leg twice and having been hospitalized due to Covid 19.  Kenya has been slow to roll out vaccinations but he has now had two vaccinations.

Livingstone - He has no children. Recently he too recovered from a broken leg and Covid 19. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation of his leg through physiotherapy and has had two vaccinations.

Elijah - He is married with 5 children and a dependent MIL.  He is the man whose coffee plantation was flooded out a few months ago when major floods forced many Kenyans from their homes.

Janet - She is married but separated and has four daughters. Her brother chased her away from her ancestral home and we've set her up in a humble store with attached living quarters. 

Pastor Jonah - He has no children. Jonah is primarily the one I work with to undertake all the responsibilities of the grassroots missions. We often work with other leaders in his church including the Lead Pastor, especially when I am in Kenya. He has had his vaccinations.

If I am able I would also like to send to the following people:

David - He is married with 2 children. I've known David for long and usually send him something at Christmas. This year I've tried to send him something as often as I can because his small tourist business was badly affected due to Covid.

Pastor Parteleu - He pastors a remote, rural village church and has had recent health challenges including undiagnosed stomach issues. He has very little financial support and has a wife and 2 children.

Sarah - She is single with 2 children. Sarah lives in Kibera slums and lost her catering job prior to Covid when her boss/employer was defrauded out of his valuable property and restaurant by high powered people.  Sara is a talented cook and caterer and has been looking for a job in that field for long. In the past I've provided her with blankets for the chilly Kenyan nights.

Amy - She is a single mom with a 2 year old toddler.  I send something for her child as often as I can. Amy has tried her hand at many different casual jobs but it has been difficult having a baby with her at all times.

This is my small list of people to help in December 2021. There are always many others who could use help who are not on this list. In addition to monetary helps all of these people could really use the prayers of the saints.  Thanks for reading and considering.

 

 

Gratitude December - Day 9

Many of you know that I get most of my reading material from the local library. I always have numerous books on hold and try to schedule them to arrive sporadically, rather than all at once so I have time to read what I've borrowed before getting new books out.  Well I seem to have come up in the queue very, very quickly this month for many books, both eBooks and paper books  and that has made me fall behind in my reading.

I'm grateful today for completing the book entitled leaving time, by Jodi Picoult. This was a most enjoyable book for a multitude of reasons not the least being a focus on elephants and their behaviors in the wild and in captivity. It was very cleverly and masterfully written and I could not have foreseen the ending.

I'm grateful for having completed the book and I will also try and complete The Bookseller's Secret today so I can make a trip to the library on Friday to pick up more holds.

Gratitude December - Day 8

Today I am grateful for bonus points and store promotions.

Tuesday night I went shopping for a few items. I noticed in the flyer that they were giving fewer points than usual for certain expenditures on food.  However they were giving bonus reward redemption points.

This was good for me because I don't really need much in the way of food at the moment but I did need to stock up on things like laundry detergent, tin foil, cling wrap, zip loc bags, condiments and so on.  As of yesterday I had just over 18000 points or about $30 Canadian in my account.  Today those points were worth $50. Canadian.

This small haul cost $95.95 Canadian. After $50 discount I paid $46.32 ($45.95 + $.27 GST + $.10 PST) for a total of $46.32 Canadian. I had a balance of $7.56 remaining on a gift card I purchased so the balance payable was $38.76. Groceries have become super expensive and I'll need to spend a lot more before this month is over just for the Christmas meal and if I decide to do any baking. Other than that I have a good stock of food and only need to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and yogurt.

 

This is the first time I've heard of or used a bonus redemption at the grocery store. Normally I see that at the pharmacy. I hope more stores implement this idea.

How about you dear reader? Do your grocery stores have bonus reward redemptions? I know couponing is a huge thing in the USA and one can get groceries for very little or for nothing at all if you know what you're doing. I don't think I'd be a good couponer but I do like taking advantage of store rewards and special offers.

Gratitude December - Day 7

 Hi friends,

I wanted to thank those of you who have been following my daily gratitude blogs this month and especially those who left a comment. I have been having some issues with blogger for over a week now where I cannot post replies or sometimes even comments.  It took me numerous tries over 2 days to leave replies at the last post. I apologize for this if you are returning to see what I may have posted.

From time to time, I've read of other bloggers having this issue.  I've been blogging for approximately 12 years and thankfully this is the first time I've experienced a technical issue that has gone on for more than a week. I'm sure it will resolve itself in time.

Today is Day 7 of my daily gratitude challenge. I am grateful for this platform of blogging and for other free social media services. Yes, there are some cons or disadvantages to these platforms but overall they provide a service that most of us have come to rely on for various things. I love that I can 'meet' new people and keep in contact with others that I already know. It gave me a good substitute for socializing when I was unable and/or too busy with family needs. It also helped lead me to the Kenyan missions work I now do.

I'm feeling a bit tired so I will have an easy day. I'll finalize a package for shipping, maybe take a walk to the post office to mail it and buy a very few items for some planned dinners.  Dinner will also be easy. I've already prepared homemade meatballs so I can make that with sauce, spaghettini and salad. I'm also thinking of making a tuna casserole. I seldom make casseroles but I'm feeling like tuna and I have most of the ingredients. For those I don't have, I can buy or substitute with ingredients I have on hand. The main ingredient I'm missing is peas but I do have frozen carrots/peas/corn mix.  I prefer the casserole with peas alone but in the end I used what I have on hand instead of making a dash to the store. It gives me another day or two if I need it to make a store run.

Update: 

The tuna casserole turned out perfectly and was very tasty. I'm still having issues posting comments. It takes me many, many tries. I won't stress about it as I'm sure it will resolve itself in time. Take care!

What's on your gratitude list or simple dinner makes?

Gratitude December - Day 6

Happy Monday. 🎊🎉

Today we woke up to snow 🌨️❄️🌨️ It is cold enough to freeze the water in the bird bath. 🐦🛁

On Day 6 of Gratitude December I'm grateful for indoor heating. 🔥

For a warming dinner I made beef brisket in the Instant Pot.

I hope you are warm enough where you are.🧣🥾🧤

 

Thank you for stopping by!

Gratitude December - Day 5 & Tuesday 4

Today is Day 5 of my posts about gratitude and those things for which I'm grateful. Saturday was a beautiful day and more sunny than what I managed to capture in these photos.

 

Overnight there was snow and you can see some on the north shore mountains just under the clouds in the photos below.  There was an awful lot of traffic.

 

 

 

I was on my way to pick up some books on hold at the library. I picked up  the 3 books at the top of the pile. The other 2 books I already had in my reading pile. I also have another 3 digital books. This is the most books I think I've had on loan at one time. I try to space them out and change hold dates if I need to so I can finish reading what I already have.  However these books all came suddenly. I think it means that people are not busy reading as much right now for them to all be available so quickly. I didn't have time to change the dates.

 

Anyhoo, books are on my gratitude list today. I love books! There are many places in the world where books are not readily available and yet here I can pick up all the books I could ever hope to want to read. How blessed I am!

Fortuitously there is a books and movies theme out for Tuesday 4 so I've decided to participate in that.

Tuesday 4 is published each week in memory of our dear friend Toni Taddeo, it's author.

1. Is there a hero or character on TV, in a book or a movie .. or even on all three, that you are especially like? What do you find attractive about them?

I love heroes. I like strong characters whether they be male or female although I'm likely more drawn to male heroes simply because we hear or see much more of them.  I've totally enjoyed the movie hero, James Bond as played by Daniel Craig. I looked forward to each and every movie release and I'm sad to see his role come to an end. As the old saying goes 'all good things must come to an end'.  What I liked about him in the role are his looks, his believability, his strength yet vulnerability, his conscience and his big heart.  As for female heroes, I think my favourite is Wonder Woman. I grew up watching the television series and was always enthralled by the female lead as played by Lynda Carter. I would say that the female lead, now played by Gal Gadot on the big screen is not as well developed a character but perhaps in time she will be.

 

2.  Was there a book that was better in movie form? How about a movie you thought didn't live up to the book?

One book that I can readily recall which I thought was better in movie form is The English Patient written by Michael Ondaatje, Sri Lankan Canadian.  This book came with a lot of hype and it took me years to get around to reading it. When I finally did I was sorely disappointed. I simply did not enjoy it at all. The movie on the other hand I did enjoy and the movie cast is made up on very talented actors.  It is rare that I've seen and enjoyed a movie more than a book I've read.  It's happened once or twice but at the moment I cannot think of any. One movie that surprised me is The Life of Pi. I'd read it many years before and I enjoyed it so much. I had to go and see the movie because I couldn't figure out how they might manage to turn the book into one. The movie was great too.

 

3. When you choose a book, program or movie which subject it is most likely to be: science fiction, mystery, romance, comedy, documentary, etc.?     What draws you to a particular book or movie?

I've been keeping track of the books I've read over the last 10 years. Too bad I didn't keep track of books I read before then. What I've discovered through tracking books is that I tend to be drawn primarily to books of historical fiction and books set in other countries or within different cultures. I'm surprised by that because though I liked Social Studies as a student I would not say that I was overly drawn to history though I realize it is important. It wasn't a surprise to me that I love books set in other countries and cultures since I love to learn about other places and people whether that be trying new foods, attending festivals, making friends or travelling.

 

 

4. How important is the title or picture on the cover of a book?   How much importance do you place on a movie because of the actors who are in it?

The title or cover design are important to me because if I'm unfamiliar with the author or the book content this is what will draw my eye to it on the bookshelves. I've picked up many books that way though whether I liked them is another issue.  I don't choose movies based solely on who my favourite actors are. It really depends on the subject matter and my own schedule. Having a favourite actor or two will help but is not the determining factor.

I hope you have had a fabulous weekend and I wish you a wonderful week ahead. I'm linking up with Tuesday 4.

Gratitude December, Day 4

Hi friends and fellow bloggers. 

I didn't mention it previously but I am spending a few moments each day to reflect on one thing I am grateful for that day. Of course there is usually more than 1 thing, both big and small that I am grateful for each day but I want to try and focus on one thing.  I didn't post for Day 2 and 3 so I will do that separately. I'm not yet decided whether I will post several days of gratitude in one or do a separate post for each day. We shall see but I will use the labels "grateful" and gratitude" to make them easy to search.

Today is Day 4 and I thankful for a phone call from the daughter of my childhood Sunday School teacher. My former was such a wonderful, loving and kind person. She is now well into her 90s and developed dementia a few years ago.  She is now in a care home but her son and daughter visit her almost daily. After their mother developed dementia, the daughter and the son would bring her south for a holiday each summer and they would make a point of visiting various people including myself and my late mom when she was in a care home too. 

Such a blessing this family entire family is to so many people. The example of their mother and father, stalwarts of the church and kindness and love exemplified, helped me to become the person I am today. My spiritual fruits still have a long way to go to ripen as well as theirs but honestly their example still encourages me to this day.

Here is the basis on which I love to give gratitude in all things. It's been my daily practice for long though I don't always write it down.

 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:8

My World Tuesday ~ November 9, 2010

My thank you to those of you who are praying for Kipngeno's school needs. He really needs your prayerful support.

Hi friends,

Here in Vancouver it is very windy and wet. I am reminiscing about warmer times and nice flowers in my garden.

Like these red roses.

And these Zinnias.

It is the kind of day where I feel I should curl up on a nice chair and read or study. The rain can get to be too much here in late Fall/Autumn and Winter.  At those times, it is important to be grateful and remember that it is the rain that keeps our city green and full of grass throughout the winter, as well as bringing early flowers in Spring.

My study corner for quiet study. There is a comfy armchair close by and natural light from the window.

That is my world for this Tuesday. You can join others around the world here and see what they are up to.