Wednesday, June 16, 2010

rainbow in the storm

Last night I was driving home from an errand - in yet another rainstorm.  I will admit to having done more than my share of complaining about the weather.  For someone whose goal was gratitude that's not such a good thing.  BUT as I headed home, there in the midst of the gray skies and rain was a rainbow.  How any sunlight got to the water to make the rainbow, I don't know.  But there it was, reminding me that within the rain there can be moments of joy and reminders of God.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

More on Happiness

A few more random quotations from THE HAPPINESS PROJECT by Gretchen Rubin.

1) To eke out the most happiness from an experience, we must anticipate it, savour it as it unfolds, express happiness, and recall a happy memory.  (page 108)

2) quotation from C.S. Lewis - When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so.  Now that I am fifty I read them openly.  When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."  (page 119)

3) Three different kinds of fun - challenging fun (most demanding, takes time and energy, but also most satisfying), accommodating fun (requires making accommodations, takes effort, organization, and it strengthens relationships), and relaxing fun (doesn't require honing skills or taking action)   (pages 134 and 135)

4) quotation from a reader - I can DO ANYTHING I want, but I can't DO EVERYTHING I want. (page 123)

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Lessons - both large and small

I just started reading a book called THE HAPPINESS PROJECT by Gretchen Rubin.  I already like it.  Here's a sample of why I like it.  Her list of secrets of adulthood.

People don't notice your mistakes as much as you think.
It's okay to ask for help.
Most decisions don't require extensive research.
Do good, feel good.
It's important to be nice to everyone.
Bring a sweater.
By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished.
Soap and water remove most stains.
Turning the computer on and off a few times often fixes a glitch.
If you can't find something, clean up.
You can choose what you do; you can't choose what you like to do.
Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy.
What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.
You don't have to be good at everything.
If you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough.
Over-the-counter medicines are very effective.
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
What's fun for other people may not be fun for you - and vice versa.
People actually prefer that you buy wedding gifts off their registry.
You can't profoundly change your children's natures by nagging them or signing them up for classes.
No deposit, no return.
Never start a sentence with the words "No offense."

Saturday, March 27, 2010

glasses again

So, once again, it was off to try on glasses.  Quite a marathon event - including visits to 4 different places and pairs too numerous to count.  But - the choices were narrowed down.  I know which ones I like best.  What do you think?

Edit note:  I guess it was dangerous to put in the ones that I really didn't like, the ones that to me were a joke, since some people like those best.


Edit note #2 - So, I've decided.  Thanks for your input.  You'll have to see me when the glasses come in so you know which ones I picked.



Monday, March 22, 2010

Son gets in His eyes

"How can a righteous God look at me, a sinner, and see a precious child? Simple: The Son gets in his eyes."



This is an awesome quote I just found on Carolyn Arends' blog at www.angelwrestle.blogspot.com.  Perfect for any time, but especially apt for the season of Lent - for remembering what Christ did for us.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Nativity Scenes Revisited

So, here they are.  All three of the nativity sets my friends and I made.  Same pattern.  Same collection of material.  Yes, there are similarities, but we each know which one is ours.  Three different quilts because we are all different people.  Reflecting the unique tastes and creativity that God has blessed us all with. 

Friday, March 12, 2010

Decisions, decisions

So the time has come for the next step in life - buying prescription reading glasses. It seems that the drug store variety will no longer suffice. Or so says the optometrist. And I guess he should know. What to buy? Hmmm. Here are some different pairs that I tried on today. What do you think?

Edit note:  The pictures have been removed as I've made my choice.  The glasses are ordered.  And now I wait.  Patiently.

Friday, January 29, 2010

The love of God

I chanced upon a quote today that I want to remember.

There is nothing you can do to make God love you more. There is nothing you can do to make God love you less.

Certainly puts it all in perspective, doesn't it?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

gratitude

It was my turn to lead staff devotions a couple of weeks ago. Normally that is a tense and stressful time. What, oh what will I talk about? This year it was easy. I chose gratitude as the topic as that's what I'm trying to focus on this year. Gratitude is hard, but it does help me deal with certain situations. I even had time to put it into practice the week I was on staff devotions. When it's your turn for staff devotions, you're also responsible for staff room clean-up. Miraculously I remembered to do this every day that week. A momentous occasion, to say the least! Usually when I have to do this, I grumble about people who can't do their own dishes, meaning I have to do a sink full of dishes. This time, when I was tempted to grumble, I stopped myself, and tried to find a way to be grateful in the situation. And, I found one! There's now a dishwasher. So all I had to do was put the dishes in the dishwasher. It was good.

Below are some quotations and Bible verses I shared in my devotions that week.

Johannes A. Gaertner
To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.

John F. Kennedy
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Melodie Beattie
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

David Steindl-Rast
Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15.

Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship. Hebrews 12:28

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6 and 7

Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High.
He who sacrifices thanks offerings honours me, and he prepares the way, so that I may show him the salvation of God.
Psalm 50: 14, 23

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Black and White and ????? Sudoku

I finally put together the 9 patches for my black and white Sudoku. The squares had been cut for months (since September!). Now to decide what colour to use for the sashing. I took some pictures with different ideas. Any preferences?




Friday, January 1, 2010

It's a New Year!


It's a new year. I'm not so good at the hype of New Year's Eve. I like a quiet night at home. And that's what I had. A movie. Chatting with a sister. It was all good.

I'm also not so good at New Year's Resolutions. I'm not sure why. Part of it may be that I am a teacher, and it seems to me that my year calendar runs late August to June, so this feels like a funny time to make resolutions. Having said that, I read a blog yesterday where the author picks words to have as her focus for the year. I really liked that idea. So much so that I'm actually taking her two words as my words for the year. And adding one of my own.

GRATITUDE

I'd like to think that I show gratitude in some ways. But I'd like to make a more conscious effort to show gratitude to those who add to my life. More importantly, I hope I can cultivate an attitude of gratitude. I want to cut down on the complaining I do - and see more of the good God gives me in my life. And there is so much good!


GENEROSITY

When my sister and I talked about this last night, and I said I wanted to be generous with more than money - with my time, she told me that I had already met that goal. In many ways, I think she's right. But somehow I still think there's a ways to go with this. Some of the times I'm giving of my time, it's out of a sense of duty, and sometimes accompanied by irritation that I have to be doing it. I need to change that and that's what I want to work on. Lessening the sense of duty and increasing the acts of giving freely.


BALANCE

Now anyone who knows me is laughing. This is not a new thing for me at all. I'd like to believe I'm getting a little better at this balance of life and work, but there's still a ways to go. Here's hoping!


May we see the wonders of our loving and faithful God as we attempt to walk in the paths He has laid out for us. Happy New Year to all!