The Art of Living ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where the idea is to promote blogging and friendships.

The art of living can be tricky and you need to know how it's done.  Life gives you lessons if you are paying attention.  Part of the art is knowing  how to see things as they really are.... 

Let's talk about your view on life..... 

1.  What gives your life meaning or purpose?    Why does it do that for you?

My faith in God and eternal life as a gift gives me purpose and meaning.  My faith helps me get through each day especially the hardest days.  The moral aspect of my faith is my moral compass that provides a direction in how I live my life and the ethics that go along with it.  

2.  How do you define success and happiness for yourself?  

Success and happiness is being able to do the things that give you joy and contentment. I also believe it's important to have good relationships with family and/or friends depending on your circumstances and to help others when you can.

3.  What lessons have your biggest challenges taught you?  

It's best not to worry too much. I say too much because though we're told in scripture not to worry, I think it's human nature to spend time worrying.  Some people worry more than others but the believer must try to cast their worries and cares upon our Heavenly Father.

4.  How do you want to impact the world or those around you?

I want to be remembered as someone who lived out her faith and inspired others to a life of faith. I also wish to be remembered as someone who brought joy to those around me and hope to others when they needed it most. I also wish to be remembered as someone who loved family and did her utmost to support them throughout life.

Life Update

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you are all well and fine. I'm still keeping busy here at the homestead. This will be a long post so settle in with a refreshing drink and relax awhile.

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I saw that the building contractors seemed to have packed up and finished with their patio reconstruction. However there was an issue I had been raising with them all summer to no avail. Apparently they said it was due to the instructions they had received from the engineers. I kept trying anyway. Once they completed the work but still hadn't dealt with my issue (actually an issue for most of the owners but no one else seems to have raised it), I called the building management company and explained the situation. The management then spoke to the engineer and I couldn't believe that within the hour, the contractors were here having a look at the issue and brainstorming how to resolve it. We just had a long weekend so no work happened until today but I am pleased the work was done. It isn't perfect but it is much better than it was and I'm satisfied.  Moreover the other owners' balconies are getting the same solution. When I spoke to the management, I told them that we owners had spent a considerable amount of money to get the patios redone and by leaving them the way the engineer recommended, we would likely be having to spend even more money in the not too distant future. I had to emphasize that because I think there was some misunderstanding that I was merely raising a design or aesthetic idea. Anyway that is done. Over the past week or two, I have also purchased new patio chair pads and a new patio umbrella. I also had time to wash the patio doors and all the windows and sills from the outside and move or position all the patio planters. It's doubtful that I'll plant anything in the planters until next spring. I will try to find some suitable greenery to plant this fall if there is anything at the nursery that fit within our new planting guidelines. If not, I'll have to wait until next year. 

Before table and chairs were washed.

In addition to the patio, I'm still working in the master bedroom. I've been moving and rearranging things. I also finally called the movers to discuss some claims items (2 of my belongings were damaged) so resolving that will be the goal over the next week or so. The moving company is eager to resolve the issue so they can also get paid their considerable sum by the insurance company.

One thing that has added to my already busy schedule is potluck dinners every week at the church. I don't need to take something every week but as the church gathering is not usually that large, I have taken something for several weeks in a row. Last Sunday my contribution was dessert. I was going to take dessert bars because they are easy to make and easy to transport on the bus but in the end I decided to take a reduced sugar version of Peach Cobbler and a version of Bliss Balls which I made up with ingredients on hand.  Both were quite good and a hit with people who attended.  Now I'm taking some time off from baking and will take either a main course or a salad for the potluck at the end of September.

Bliss balls made with dates, shredded coconut,
walnuts, peanut butter and cocoa.

Reduced sugar Peach Cobbler 
I also used ground muesli mix instead of flour

I've been busy shopping for a few needed items: a new heavy duty backpack from Swiss Gear. This is a laptop backpack but I bought it just for every day use and I'm very happy with how sturdy it is. I've already gotten a lot of use out of it.

I bought a few dresses on clearance prices and a pair of Mary Jane shoes which are suitable for wearing with dresses or pants. I've decided to try and dress more traditionally (dresses where possible) for church.  I thought long and hard about these purchases but looking at my closet, I realize I have very few wearable dresses for certain occasions. 

Since these are summer dresses, I'm planning to wear them as much as possible before colder weather arrives. I'm also experimenting with how to extend their wearability as the weather gets cooler by pairing with tights, scarves, jackets, cardigans, covered shoes and boots. These ideas will help in reducing the number of new purchases as well.

I've already enjoyed wearing this one.  DH liked it too!

So much of the past few months has been all about work, some of it very unexpected like the leak several floors above me and the ensuing damage in the master bedroom. It's meant a lot of extra work for me in so many ways.  To take a break from it all, I've done a fair bit of reading and watching the boob tube or the You Tube. These are easy ways to take a break when one is tired of work.  

The reading statistics thus far

• 18411 pages 
• 47 books

I'm currently reading 4 books. 

The book on the Vagus Nerve.

These books should keep me busy for a while. 

Last but not least, I'm still trying to declutter. I've made good progress but more to go. I need to make more progress before my niece comes to stay for a brief visit later this month. I'm also hoping to hear from my brother and his wife but they will be staying elsewhere.

I certainly haven't been leading what one would call an exciting or fun life of late but I know it's certainly better than the alternative. A good friend passed in July. She was seemingly healthy and a bit younger than me. It is still difficult for me to accept that she's gone and sometimes I think of calling her to get together. I guess it will take me some time to get used to the idea that she is no longer with us.  Losing her reminds me that every day we have here is a gift and it helps me to be content with what each day brings. Actually, I've been working on that principle for many years already however losing someone close to you brings the principle more sharply into thought and focus.

If you've read this far, thank you. I truly appreciate your time and interest. Let me know you were here and how your summer went or if you are on the other side of the globe, what did you do this winter?

A Life

It's time for Tuesday 4 started by Toni Taddeo and kept up in her memory by Annie of the blog, Cottage by the Sea.

This week's topic is about spending time

1.  Are you currently reading a book you'd like to tell us about? Maybe a TV program you can recommend to us?

 I just finished reading the late Cecily Tyson's memoir Just As I am. A few weeks after I heard about her book she passed on at the ripe age of 97. I didn't really know much about this actress only that she seemed to be a powerhouse in her field. I immediately got the book from my local library and was looking forward to it. Her life's story held many revelations for me and in that sense I enjoyed it though I cannot really say I was a fan of the writing style. Given Ms. Tyson's longevity and accomplishments as an actor, I would highly recommend her book.

2.  Are you a Jane Austen fan? So many seem to be. If you are what is your favorite book and who is your favorite character.  If you aren't a fan, is there an author you especially like to read? Favorite character, etc.?

I am absolutely a Jane Austen fan and it is hard to pick favourites as I've enjoyed each and every one of her books. If I really had to pick a favourite I would choose Mansfield Park though I cannot remember now if I read this book first, or whether I read Pride and Prejudice first. You can watch Mansfield Park as a movie right now on YouTube for free. I don't really have a favourite character in any of Jane Austen's books. I love each and every one because together they all add to the wonderful stories she writes.  I will say that most of the television adaptations of Jane Austen's books do not give me the same enjoyment as reading the books though some of the big screen movies do.  For example I really loved Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.

3.  How do you spend your time during the day?  Do you set apart time to read, watch TV, study?

Yes I do all of the above. I very much enjoy reading and watching good television or YouTube videos. I also enjoy crafting (knitting, crochet, sewing, and from time to time a few other handcrafts) during quiet times. 

Here is the last large crochet project I made. It is a crochet blanket large enough to cover a tall man in a twin, hospital bed. I made it for one of my uncles. He just passed on today. I pray he is enjoying his reunion with loved ones in glory.

 

 

The green items are knitted dishcloths I recently completed. I really enjoy making these because they are quick and also very practical for personal use and as gifts.

 

 

Spending time almost daily, with my charitable mission to Kenyans, a grassroots effort to bring humanitarian helps and hope to a number of destitute Kenyans, is also something that occupies my time. It is my belief that it isn't enough to say we believe in God as Christians. I believe we must show our belief through actions.  Though actions and works won't save our souls, actions and works are a demonstration of the fact that God's Holy Spirit lives in us and that it is alive and real, not dead. 

God is love so we too must be examples of love to others. Not because people deserve it but because God is love and he loves each and every one of us. If we say we love God but have no demonstration of it especially to the very needy, yet we make sure we meet all of our own needs, I don't think that is love. Love demands a sacrifice from us. Not so we can become martyrs through sacrifice but so that we truly understand what God has given to us and how he has sacrificed so that we might have salvation and a hope of a wonderful eternal future.

These few thoughts don't capture the totality of my beliefs in this area but they will at least give a glimpse. Often when I share these thoughts people will jump to defend themselves and say that giving is not only about money or that there are people in our own backyards that need help too. I agree with both of these statements. God doesn't limit us to helping here or there. Each of us has opportunities to stretch ourselves both at home and abroad especially in this present day and age. We just need to be open and alert to those opportunities and also willing to use the creativity through the ideas that God gives to each of us to find ways to do what he wants. We also need to be open to hearing him when he is speaking to us in that often still and small voice.

4. Have your beliefs changed in your life time? New religion.. new politics? Or are they the same as they were growing up? Do you spend time thinking over the important things of life to take stock in your life?

Neither my political nor my religious beliefs have changed in my life time. I have always been a Liberal (in USA that would be a Democrat). Though I know many Christians support Conservatism (Republicanism) I am of the belief that God made every one of us a free agent to live and choose how we will live and whom we will serve. I do not believe in penalizing people for how they live unless they willfully harm others or disobey laws that are there for the protection of all . One day each one of us will be judged by a power much greater than a human being.  

I grew up believing in God long before I ever went to church (my parents were not Christian or church goers until much later) and learned about him in a formal way.  I did not always go to church as for a time. In my late teens and early twenties,  I did my own thing.  But God always called me back to him and in my adult life I have not strayed from the path.  I have to say that being a believer in God and casting my cares upon him has really helped me in every way. Some of my old friends called my belief in God a crutch but I don't care. " I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able. To keep that which I've committed, unto Him against that day" (from the song I Know Whom I have Believed). I am a strong person so I do not need a crutch. 

 

 

My faith is in God because I know he loves me and has saved me from a life of ruin.  Those are not just words but have great meaning and I'm writing them in humble gratitude for how he gave me a hope and future from the background in which I grew up.  It was not an easy life for me or any of the generations before me in my family, but praise God, he made a way for me and for many others in my family.  I am truly grateful for that.  A life with God brings me a lot of contentment and inner joy. I want to use my life and whatever I have left of it to bring glory to God and as thanks for everything he has given to me.

I do spend a lot of time thinking about the big issues in life and also spend a lot of time taking stock of my life. I do this and try to improve myself here and there and make sure I am on the right path for me. When I was younger I spent an awful lot of mental energy on these activities.  We go through various stages of growth and now that I am older I still do a lot of deep thinking.  But I probably spend more time doing and acting. As we age, we have the sense and awareness that time goes by so quickly. I don't want to waste too much of the time I have left and ask God to help me to make the best use of my time, to even extend my time and to open doors that he wants me to enter.

 

 Thank you for visiting my blog and for taking time to read my thoughts.

I'm joining in at Tuesday 4.

May God truly bless you in unimaginable ways.

🙏🙏🙏

The Week Flys By & There is So Much to Learn

Hello friends,

It's been a very busy week  and I managed to get a lot done.  Top it off the weather has cooperated so nicely. Instead of the rain we were anticipating at the end of last week, the weather has remained sunny and even quite hot at times.

My little garden has seen it's better days but is still blooming so I'm enjoying the colour.

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I don't think I've ever shared in this space that I have intentions of writing a book. 

It has been on my list of things 'to do' for awhile now.

My mom and other family matriarchs are no longer alive.  Once I am gone there will be very little remembrance of certain things, especially the spiritual heritage but also other important family information. 

If you have ever grown up in a family knowing little about your family background you will appreciate how important it is for someone to leave a record behind for you. 

Even a partial record is a true gem to the recipient.

My late mom and I had plans to co-write a book but she changed her mind along the way.  The actual planning and writing was too stressful for her to contemplate when she had so many other things on her mind. She loved to share her stories orally.  She wasn't technologically inclined and we could never get to the point of capturing her stories on recorder or video due to competing priorities. Whenever I thought we might finally be at that point her health or some other issue would demand attention.

For my part, I've made a modest start by drafting a rough outline.  I've even written a few rough chapters.  However there is still a long way to go to finish and to redraft before it is ever published.  Let's face it, time challenges are huge these days for most of us. There are only so many hours in a day.  If you are a beginning writer such as myself, it takes a certain discipline to figure out how to move forward and to actually do it.

My "classmates"

Last weekend I went to a presentation by a local best selling author. Her talk inspired me to get serious about the writing and helped me understand that the writing needn't take years and years.  I now have a much better idea about the publishing process, through both the traditional publishing route and through self publishing. I also have some rough estimates of costs associated with the process. There are also Christian publishing and Amazon publishing to look into.

Over these past few years  my blogging friend, Linda from Spiritual Memoirs 101, has also been a huge encouragement.  I first came to know of Linda when she still published a blog called Grandma's Letters based on her missionary experience in Kenya. We share a love of Kenya and of missions.  Through reading her blog posts at Spiritual Memoirs 101, I've kept alive, the idea of writing as a future possibility.

Now I need to get organized and make a plan for consistent writing. From the outset, I've only ever thought of my memoir as being for family members but that  may change. For now, it is enough that it is for family and it is important I get it done for that reason alone.

I also have a few children's books in mind and I'm hoping to get those to a wider audience.  The hard task will be to find the right illustrator as I have a very specific style in  mind.  I have done some searching for just the right illustrator but haven't found the right one yet.

Anyway enough about writing for now.  There will be more to come at a later point in time.

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I've also been very busy this week with a number of seminars.  One of them had to do with fashion challenges.  It is helping me assess my current fashion sense and style preferences, as well whether I am actually implementing what suits me fashion-wise.

Once upon a time when I was working I had a very classic style and I enjoyed the look. Now that I am retired I've gotten into a bit of a style rut.

Over the past year or so I've been trying to build up a nice wardrobe that meets my current needs. I've made some inroads into building a look but now I need to take stock and figure out what is missing.

All of my purchases have been things that have been on sale.  It means I did not always get what I wanted in the colour I wanted.  That's what happens when you shop end of season sales.  Now I must take stock of where things are at and I think start looking at capsule wardrobes.

The concept of a capsule wardrobe is to be able to mix and match many looks from a smaller quantity of clothing items per season. Nonetheless I find it still adds up to a lot of clothes and more than I would normally buy. I suppose that is why I never quite have the outfits I need. I also don't do a good job of coordinating the colourways and items needed per season. I just buy what I like and hope it goes with other things in the wardrobe.  This approach also results in too many clothes and nothing to wear.

My goal will be to pare down the number of clothing items I have and better assess how everything goes together.  Then I can fill in the gaps and only purchase what will round out the wardrobe.  The other thing I am trying to pay attention to is buying clothing for my body type.  This is much harder than it sounds (at least for me) and makes finding just the right items that much more difficult.  All in all though, I've had fun looking at what other ladies deem to be 'nice' outfits and learning about their struggles and challenges in trying to dress well. The group I am participating in even had a woman from Kenya join in. Small world!

Another interesting webinar I enjoyed this week was a Christian seminar presented by Donna Partow's of Women's Empowerment University. I heard of Ms. Partow through a friend of mine but didn't realize that she had an online university with extensive topical teachings.

The one I took the other day was just what I needed and has reminded me of the importance of making time for deeper intimacy in my prayer life and walk with God. Intellectually of course, I already know this.  But it can be challenging to ensure one keeps space in daily and weekly life for spiritual matters. Over time I am making small changes here and there in hopes of having quality time and more time for my spiritual life.

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I rounded my week with a free seminar in my community on nutrition and reading food labels. None of this is really new to me but I do so much appreciate the chance to review the information once again. When with a group of ladies and enthusiastic team leaders, it is so much more fun than reading and learning on my own! We even did some line dancing and had healthy snack as breaks from the presentations.

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Life is always better when one takes time to smell the roses so I made time to do one of my favourite things; visit the waterfront and take photos.

It was such a fantastic day.
I strolled along the waterfront, took photos, had something to eat, sat on a log and watched the waves and talked to others looking at shells on the sandy beach.

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This critter enjoyed fetching a stick from the ocean.

Unfortunately I forgot my camera at home and had to rely on the phone camera.
In bright sunlight the photos are never quite as good.
Or at least I haven't figured out how to make them look as good *smile.

Thanks for reading me today. 

I know it was a long post.

Enjoy your weekend. ♥

Joining in with Skywatch Friday 

Friday Foto Friends

and

Saturday's Critters

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The Path of Life

Enter ye in at the strait gate, says the Lord, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

This verse has been a powerful verse of scripture and positive influence in my life.