Another Birthday?! My, My...

So guess who's having another birthday?


Wow!... these things sure add up after a few decades.


Yes, it's another birthday for me and I think I'll keep it simple. I'll probably drive the few blocks to my favorite supermarket and maybe have some coffee there and sit with a couple magazines while tapping my toes to the retro tunes, something I've not done since we moved here. Then I'll buy a few cans of cat food for these crazy cats of ours. Alas.


Oh! And here's a picture of Sammy in case you're wondering what he looks like:

Then later Tom and I will order out for Chinese and perhaps finish watching The Two Towers (for the fourth or fifth time), but you know? I like all three of those Lord of the Ring movies because they speak to any recent questions rolling around my brain. They remind me there's a battle going on for our very souls--and always--to fight bravely. 

And never set my shield down, all forgotten-like.


And oh, that reminds me. For the second or third time, Tom has the option of extending his unemployment insurance checks. Wow! We've already been receiving them for something like 73 weeks and we'd thought last week was the final one. 

But two days ago they said we could have more, though Tom will have to hop through some extra hoops to receive them, but that's ok.


 In all these weeks we've cut back so much spending, so much so, that these checks have seemed like more than enough, especially when you add the way God has swooped in a few times to cover the major expenses which arrived unexpectedly.


And you know? I've come to love this new simplicity. Really. 

And Life does become much simpler when you have lots of choices removed because you just don't have the money to travel certain places or buy that big (or small) new gadget/book/trinket. And what is left? A peace which comes from knowing God will provide for the necessities.


I highly recommend simplifying ones life. Tossing the clutter, then refusing to load other, new clutter into the house. Keeping ones mind uncluttered, also, and at peace, by being obedient to God and trusting in the middle of all hard times. 


And setting aside whatever it takes to fall in love with Jesus. That's what I recommend the very most, because--once you have that love--everything will look differently, good even in the midst of bad, and you'll always have a friend sitting there beside you, comforting you, gladdening your heart. 

Come what may.






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"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."  ... Ephesians 6:16





Oh! Y'all know how I love out-of-the-box stuff, and well, this certainly qualifies. Oy!




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