Meanwhile, Down At the Little Yellow House in Goshen --

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”   --- John 16:33

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Oh dear. I aim at writing here once a week, but ....

First, I had to start manually advancing our old washing machine, causing me extra (tiring) trips down into the basement. Finally I discovered the hand wash cycle remains normal. Whew.

Then our 14 year old dishwasher went all I-just-want-to-do-a-sloppy-job-and-back-up-into-the-kitchen-sink-like-I-have-before-and-clog-your-drain. Last few loads, I had to examine every single item(!) and rewash many. Oh, and it grew a wall of mold.

And yes, I tried the hacks.

Finally, I gave-up on all that complication. I super disinfected it and now our dishwasher is the extra kitchen cupboard I always longed for. 

And washing dishes by hand? I adore the simplicity.

Then we had a day of high/bad air quality and guess who started coughing and feeling exhausted? Gah. Next day, too, and the next day and -- even when the weather app said, "Air's much better now! Open your windows! Be free! Go outside!

After more bleary-eyed perusing Youtube, I placed the small air-conditioner back in the upstairs window and ran it, even though outside was cold and rainy. That helped. (But those mid-May frost warnings made me cranky, for I couldn't transplant my indoor seedlings. Still haven't.)

Man, for days while draped over the couch with the cats, I was unable to think clearly. Groggily I'd repeat, "I love this life God's given me. I am grateful. And blessed. This, too, shall pass -- and mostly I recalled things like this:

"A great love knows that in every difficulty, every trial, every failure, the presence of the love one suffices... Just to be with Me, just to know I am beside you--does that bring you joy and peace?"

From God Calling

Eventually, while upstairs where always I felt better (hmm), I recalled our heater vents were still open. I sealed them and wow! Almost instantly I stopped coughing and felt awake.

Uh-oh. We began wondering if we have mold in the vents. Tom read about this, watched Youtube, and went all, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling! We'll have to leave while a professional mold expert (no regular vent guy) fixes the problem."

Eegads. I calmed him down. Reminded him I felt 95% better--and--that I'd need at least 3 days before the mold guy came lest he walk around with his gadgets and exclaim, "My, my. All the dust in your house!"  シ

Anyway, I think Tom's more serene about it all and we'll start with a duct work crew that's qualified and not likely to race into the street should they come across mold. 

Such is Life, right? So many tests which I'm determined to pass with godly reactions and attitudes. But yeah, sometimes it's ever so tempting to stay curled up on the red couch and wish them all away.

(Hint: go doing that and they'll just return later since God won't let us quietly flunk out. So let's all pass those tests, ok?)

"Repetitive complaining will attract things for you to complain about. Repeated gratitude will attract things for you to be grateful for."   

--Unknown.

Oh, and when we're not feeling well, it becomes super important to speak truth aloud so to drown out the hopeless voice from satan inside our heads (you know, like the one which says we'll always feel this bad, etc.).

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This was a huge helpful reminder for me lately:  Resilient and Strong

This young woman makes simple snacks look awesome!

Wow, one of Cass' most powerful decluttering (and living life well) videos, ever!

Don't know about you, but I found this video fascinating!

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We rewatched these movies recently and again enjoyed them:

Slumberland  (perhaps the most creative, colorful film I've ever viewed)

The Young and Prodigious T. S. Spivet (though there's talk of the death of a child in case that's a trigger for you)

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Books I Finished Reading in May:

Nonie: The Autobiography of Lenora Mattingly Weber

Chicken Every Sunday by Rosemary Taylor

Short and Tall Tales by Lilian Jackson Braun

Mystery of the Red Carnations by Mary C. Jane

Mystery on Echo Ridge by Mary C. Jane

Death and Wedding Cake by Nova Walsh

The Moffats by Eleanor Estes

Believe by Julie Mathison (I was so disappointed by the ending, but I understand why others would appreciate it.)

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be.

 

 *** 

 "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

Where She Lost Lots of Weight But Didn't Realize Because ---

"A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and the health of the body."   --- Proverbs 14:30

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Ok. Please keep in mind that each of us is at least a tad weird.  シ

***

One of my oddities? I'd not weighed myself in 6 years. Hey, this was due partly to my last 'Garfield experience':

Er hem. And too, I felt terrific and mostly stopped caring what I weighed especially since piecing together a fun wardrobe of leggings, capris and flowy/tunic tops, all of which are dearly forgiving and always fit.

Also, Hobbit Cottage has no plethora of mirrors.

But then came 2024, lots of sad times and health issues. (Anyone else hate it when that happens?) If I didn't make dietary changes, there would be consequences.

And you know? Those were the boost I needed. (For me, health overrides vanity.) Suddenly I felt grace (much. grace.) to switch to my own version of the Keto Diet (see below). Probably this happened in January, with a total giving up of cheese/milk in March. 

And remember when I began skipping dinner lest I feel sick in bed at night? Wow, that's called intermittent fasting. I didn't know it was a thing.

Then not until 3 weeks ago did I begin almost daily walking the block and a half to the Little Free Library. Hardly a marathon, but something.

Well, a couple days ago while on the red couch, I thought, "I wonder if, after all these changes (and not visiting the cafe in 3 years), I've lost any weight? Maybe it's time to finally step on that dreaded scale." 

So I did. Got on the scale and saw I'd lost 25 pounds. You know, since 6 years ago. 

Wow. After all I've experienced lately, I so needed that good news, especially since part of a reason for fibroids is carrying around extra weight. Yikes.

Plus, during my research, I discovered that stress slows down healing (from most ills you can name), so now I'm training myself to realize when I've strayed from balance and calmness. (It surprised me to discover I'm not a Calm Cathy as I once believed).

Oh, to be led by Grace and God who created us and knows our bodies best! I can imagine no better, no healthier goal.

One reason to remain calm? So that we'll not speak harshly to our own selves and disrupt our peace and health.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."   --- Galations 6:9

Note:

The main thought of this post is NOT that I lost weight. (I hope you'll not even mention that.) Rather, it's that slowly and consistently doing the right things will bring results--eventually--if we're willing to keep doing our part while we trust God to do His.

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To help me stay more consistently calm, I gathered a folder at Youtube which I titled Soothing Videos. Here are 5.

How to Romanticize Your Life

Gothic Seaside Vlog  (some of Desi's videos are like stepping inside a Victoria Magazine! Although, I do forward through her spooky movie and book recommendations. Hey, no one's perfect, not even Desi.)  ツ

Small Cottage Vintage Yellow Accent Ideas

Slowing Down Wasn't My Choice But I Needed It

What I've Learned This Spring

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The kinda-sorta keto diet I personalized for myself (and really, I don't go around feeling hungry. Honest.) ---

Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans

Grass fed beef, organic chicken, tuna

Eggs, 

Apples, bananas, cherries, pears, pineapple

Berries (with 2 heaping tbl.'s plain Greek yogurt)

Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green salad, tomatoes, green beans, mushrooms, avocado, peppers, spinach, zucchini, pumpkin

1 square cacao (per day), Stevia

Almond milk, quinoa, pinto beans

Olive oil, avocado oil, beef tallow

Sliced turkey when we order in/have delivery (I remove 3 slices bread from the sandwich and eat the remaining vegetables with a fork.)

Occasional 3-ingredient, gluten free Aldi chips

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HaHa!

Oh, and if anyone ever tells you that people over 60 can't lose weight, I hope you'll say, "Ha! They're doing it every day."

"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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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** 

 "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

Perhaps You Gave-Up Right Before The Answer Came

"Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”   --- Matthew 19:26

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My sweet friend, Tracy, lost her mother.

Days later at Facebook she shared with us her beautiful tribute and here's a portion:

Honestly, I felt like Mama was invincible. She was always so strong because she had to be. If Mama was ever afraid, she never showed it to us kids. 

When my parents divorced, Mama moved us an hour away to a small Alabama town. I'm sure she had her moments of despair, but Mama had three daughters depending on her on top of caring for her mother who lived with us.

She made a way even when there didn't appear to be one.

I always think to myself, "What would Mama do in this situation?" One thing I know: she'd figure it out with grit and determination.

Wow. Such a beautiful piece and my mind kept swirling it around till landing upon this: the way I'd given up easily on hanging suet outside in honor of Neighbor Sally, just because rats raced up the crab apple tree to eat it.

For decades, discovering answers to problems would challenge me (in a good way) and like Tracy's mom, I could find answers where none appeared to be. Enjoyed it, even.

Yet these past couple years? I'd lost much of that. Instead, I'd complain,  roll my eyes and think, "Great. Yet one more head-tiring, disappointing, impossible thing around here. Gah." (How many such things creep inside us unnoticed?)

So. With Tracy's mom in mind, I stepped around our yard in search of another place to hang the suet--and found one:

The top center of that trellis thing.

And so far, perfect. The birds love the suet's new place and I'm pretty certain rats can't climb that, at least, not without exhausting effort. (Besides, we've not seen rats around in months.) Perhaps squirrels can reach it, (haven't seen one yet), but Sally loved feeding the squirrels and I'm fine with that.

Whew. I felt so encouraged to find that answer and I do thank-you, Tracy, for sharing your mom and reminding me to stay open to solutions even while sinking in the center of impossibilities.

I so wish to receive creative ideas from the Holy Spirit, but that's only going to happen after I stop repeating, believing, "Now this thing, this just isn't gonna happen."

It can happen, but only if I listen to the Holy Spirit, keeping an open mind and heart to whatever He shares.

If I believe something is impossible, then for me, it most likely will be.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."   --- Galations 6:9

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Two Alaska Towns. One Survived. One Disappeared.  (I found this fascinating.)

More grandmacore decorating (minimalists --this may damage your mental health!)  シ  Yet a handful of these rooms took my breath away.

How to Protect Your Mental Health and Avoid Dementia

Some fun ideas for 'getting away from it all'

Quiet Spring Beginnings

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Books I finished reading in April:

By The Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Pioneer Girl: Growing Up On the Prairis by Andrea Warren

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Little Town on the Prairis by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Berry the Dead by Nancy McGovern

Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace by Donald J. Sobol

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Disgusting Sneakers by Donald J. Sobol

Retiring With the Dead by Nancy McGovern

Becoming Madeleine by Charlotte Jones Voiklis

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And as I shared at Facebook:

Yes and she didn't listen in her 50's so maybe now in her 60's?   😏

"Things that don’t change eventually die. The ability to change is one of the greatest privileges we have as human beings, and it is a gift from God. It is part of the way He matures us, brings us fulfillment in life, and moves us forward into His unfolding plans for us. I encourage you to believe that change can happen in your life."

--Joyce Meyer

Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** 

 "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