Monday, August 24, 2020

Short, Sweet and Hopeful

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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."   --- Jeremiah 29:11


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On Saturday I wrote this at Facebook:


On our way to yard sales this morning (my first time this crazy year), I told Tom, "I refuse to wear a mask. I'll step up to the sales and if they ask me to wear one, I'll just say, 'Okay. Thanks.' then walk back to the car."
Guess what? No one holding the 4 sales wore masks nor asked us to, even at the estate sale where we walked around rooms, browsing(!) No one anywhere said a word about the virus or riots, etc.
So if anyone tells you a regular normal is forever gone, do not believe them! Do not! I experienced an old normal today and it felt wonderful and like a promise of better things to come.


And today I'll simply add this:

All sorts of folks online tell me (us) normal is gone. Forever. Well, last Saturday proved to me, anyway, that normal's returning! So if they're wrong about that, what else are they in error about? Hmm?

So there. シ


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You just can’t beat the person
who won’t give up.


--Babe Ruth

"Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God has done."   --from the old hymn


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Anyone else enjoy these kinds of vintage cookbooks?


The best cookbooks (they say) contain lots of photos so these must be amongst the best. シ Do I actually cook from these? Not really. Mostly I just browse through them on winter (and sometimes, summer) afternoons. And smile.

And speaking of books, did you know you can sign up with Kindle Unlimited free for 2 months? Go here to learn more.



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Oh! And on another personal hopeful note, Amy from the cafe posted Facebook photos of friends helping her paint and update. She'll be re-opening soon!

But amongst the photos I noticed this one which illustrates part of the view I've sometimes described to you. Between the hotel and house there's a peek of the river and to the left of this photo is a huge expance of sky where I watched that unforgettable 'starling ballet' (also known as a murmuration of starlings).

More normal soon to return! Color me so very grateful.




"Never give up,
for that is just the place and time
that the tide will turn."

--Harriet Beecher Stowe



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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

3 comments:

Betsy said...

I'm glad you experienced so much normal this weekend and I'm really happy for you that your cafe will be opening again soon. Life has been very quiet around here with Dennis gone. Hopefully he'll return on Wednesday and life can resume it's rhythem. Things always seem a bit off-kilter when one of us is missing.
Blessings,
Betsy

Pam said...

I sure do appreciate your outlook, Debra! It sounds like you and Tom had a perfect day going to yard sales. I remember many times in the past, you'd go and snag some of your favorite things. I think we owe it to ourselves, the people around us, and to God, to try our best to dwell in a spirit of joy and contentment. Yesterday, I got a call from my doctor's office with lab results that were the best I've had in nearly 18 months, so I am dwelling in that happy place, too. Praise God! He never changes!!

Debra said...

Betsy--hoping Dennis will be home today! And I also hope you've given yourself permission to get lots of rest after all that you've been through these past months. You deserve it!

Pam--thanks so much! Our yard sale day was much needed and I even found a like-new t-shirt in just the right color for around the house, something I'd been wanting. But my favorite part, of course, was seeing all the normalness.I'm so thrilled with you about your excellent lab results! Hooray!

Thanks so much, Ladies... Blessings, Debra