Adventures In Lockdown--Or--How's It Goin'?

"... equip God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up... In humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."   --- Ephesians 4:12, Philippians 2:3,4

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Ol' Debra's brain's been on a God-ordained vacation and boy, did she need it. Perhaps you've noticed during 2020 our Country's been a tad uptight.  シ

After these past my-oh-my 6 months, I needed a couple weeks to play. Relax. Dream.

I mean, really. Remember our farm years? The 4 acres? The 120 year old farmhouse? Not since then have I found so much to do. It's like the pace of Hobbit Cottage entered overdrive when our Governor in March said, "Stay home. Just stay home."

And it sounds odd, but remaining housebound like that suddenly made me what--usually--I detest: busy.

But busy's ok when it's Grace's idea and you follow her lead, her ideas. Receive her strength.

Tom's working from home now? Yikes! That meant my cooking more meals. 

Moving my office upstairs. 

Climbing those stairs way more often.

Creating a more defined schedule.

Becoming (really) ok with a husband housebound with me.

Watching prepper videos, adding to my knowledge of that subject.

Prepping more than just a 2-month supply.

Listening to pundits regarding what's happening out there.

And as our world spiraled into chaos? God reminded me of what I'd observed in the best ministers: In crisis times they pay closer attention. They put others, first, and aim for relevance so to address questions and fears. 

Good, loving ministers do not hide in crisis times. 

They shine! Previous years God prepared them (and you and me) for such a time as this and now they warn, comfort, instruct and live as examples.

Only a couple things have proven rough for me since March. One of them? Watching many Christians become silent, hide, and then label that 'peace'.

Oh, there's taking a much needed break (as I've done lately), but no vacation should last 6 months while people in our lives are struggling, questioning. 

No consistent, deep, preview-of-Heaven peace will ever soothe our minds if we hide from God's will. If we hold back in fear or doubt. Only in throwing our entire being upon Him, come what may, will we ever experience His peace which never disappears. 

Ever, no matter the face of the crisis.

" Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."   --- 1 Corinthians 13:7

"Therefore be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall."   --- 2 Peter 1:10

'The greatest of these is love' and that's where the greatest peace will be discovered: in showing love during the hardest times.

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This final Saturday of 'brain vacation'? We visited lots of yard sales where, again, no one asked us to wear a mask and all felt normal. Old normal (so there)!

From 2 boxes of free books, I came home with this one:

                And wow. For just $20, this:

Oh my goodness. Felt like such a present from God, I'm tellin' ya. Color me grateful.

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And lately? I'm reminding myself to stop saying, "Man, it's just so hard to find good movies these days!" In all areas I want to speak in faith, in believing for good, even in this one.

Tom and I both loved these films:

The Last Man Club  -- funny and sentimental, equally. Thoroughly enjoyable, only a smattering of language.

Concrete Canyons. I couldn't find a good trailer for it, but here's the Amazon link (it's free at other places, as well). If you loved Scott Patterson (Luke) in Gilmore Girls, you'll enjoy this. A very gentle mystery, with, also, just a tiny bit of language, but otherwise fine.

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Here when Labor Day came around? So did Autumn. Some of my front porch mornings are so glorious with a gentle breeze and that 'autumn slant of light' that I can barely contain the beauty!

"I would rather live free with a risk of death than hide in fear of death and not live." --- R. Loren Sandford

"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

Bitter? Better? (And Movie Recommendations)

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."   ---Ephesians 4:31

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Here at Hobbit Cottage?  The days have cooled after our second hottest summer in all of record-keeping.

I sit at the green front porch table reading original Nancy Drews, drinking hot chocolate, watching the river and the trees down there change their leaf colors.

Earlier I may have checked-in on Homestead Tessie, read some Bible verses online and visited Facebook, perusing posts in case friends need encouragement. Adding posts of my own if God so nudges.

I hang laundry on the front porch wooden rack then water my garden; carry in tomatoes, bell peppers and green onions, wash each, then add them to our lunch which is dinner 'round here with only a snack in the evenings.

Passing Tom at his desk, I climb the stairs, sit here at my laptop then learn more about prepping. Make shopping lists, peer at my shelves of food storage and call it Good.

Perhaps I watch Youtube music reaction videos, then a couple of pundits, including a pastor or two. Weeks past I watched lots of pundits, but I've cut back. The way I see it? Today's news all boils down to this:

God is good, 

But many people are acting badly;

They need Jesus,

So pray, Debra. Pray.

And all day, every day? God's peaceful, calming, strength-giving presence. After all these years I could not live without it. Wouldn't want to. 

In the 70's we sang, "He's Everything To Me," and yes, now He truly is. Everything.

And during these days of our Country's chaos? I intend to remain oh-so-near that calming, strengthening God. I'll do what He asks because He equips me for those tasks. 

I'm without excuses to disobey, because God gives me only what I can handle with Him. I could aim to become another Billy Graham, but that would sadden God. The perfect plan He made for me would go uncompleted.

I'll guard my heart. Allow no bitterness at what the world's become because bitterness and anger spoil the peace, the calm. 

May my heart become better. Not bitter, not ever. That is also my prayer.

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A Man Called Ove. Oooo, we watched this yesterday and by the end? I was an emotional mess--the good kind. シ

We laughed and cried through the whole thing. A smattering of 'language' in the subtitles, a couple thematic things, but otherwise lovely. 

(Free with Amazon Prime.)

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The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet. This was an immensely quirky film! Smiles all the way through, except there are mentions of the passing of a sibling. Otherwise, pure delight. (This young boy was wonderful in his first film role.)

(Free with Amazon Prime.)

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Now, ask Tom, but I don't watch Rated R movies. He will, but I won't.

But.  ツ

Last month I felt weary of watching suspense films again and again while (usually) remembering all along 'who done it.' I craved something unknown to me. 

So at Amazon I spied a 1997 R film with Michael Douglas titled, The Game. Often those older R films can more closely resemble Today's PG-13 (whose boundaries keep stretching, have you noticed?). 

We took a chance and yes! This was less problematic than lots of PG-13 films. Perhaps 12 'naughty words' and no 'dark violence' that I can't handle. No you-know-what, either, other than a blurry scene on a small tv.

The week before viewing The Game I wondered, "Whatever happened to films that returned to you, tickled your mind the following week?"

Well, The Game did that. Kept visiting my head. Seriously, that hadn't happened in years. 

And now all suspense films--for me--get measured against The Game. Yeah, it was that excellent! 

(But again, it's a suspense film, not a Hallmark movie. Uh, no. heh. Oh, and for best results, don't watch any additional trailers or read any comments. Going into The Game, 'cold', as we did, is best!)

(Here's the Amazon link and for my fellow suspense-film-efficienados-- if you watch this, could you please tell me what you thought? I'd love to know.)  ツ

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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

Bits And Pieces From Hobbit Cottage

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1.) Okay, this was different. 

It's a steam punk version of The Secret Garden(!) Not my favorite, ok, but the gadgets and clothing were super cool! Watch for free here (and no, I don't care what the title says; Colin Firth is not in this one!)  ジ

2.) Is everyone stocked-up on their tea lights? 

Walmart online has 100 for only $3.97. I like to keep these in mind for taking the chill off of a room during winter using those varied flower pot heater ideas. (I created my own version through trial and error and usually use votives, instead.)

And speaking of those, I burn votives in our fireplace all winter mostly for ambiance. Always, I buy these; best price, quality, plus they have cotton wicks--that's important. (I use my credit card rewards on these so I pay half.)

Anything used for emergency purposes I suggest buying now while you still can, for as you perhaps discovered last March: 

The middle of a crisis is not the time to prepare for one!

3.) And ha! I had to laugh at this, below:

4.) Are these Autumn-cute or what?

5.) When Tom began working from home I had to change my whole computer desk set up and this article showed me where I went all wrong. heh. 

Lots of helpful advice here for saving your back and your teeth, even!

6.) So have you heard of ebulbs? 

They're lightbulbs which charge as you use them, then they remain on during a power outage (awesome idea, right?). Tom and I currently are checking them out and thought our fellow preppers may find them interesting, as well.

7.) Am I still devouring the old original versions of Nancy Drew? Oh, yes, indeed. These arrived yesterday:

Those later, updated versions we grew up with in the 70's? Again, garbage. Now I can never go back.  シ

8.) Something else which whisks me away from this world's chaos? 

Those vintage music reaction videos I told you about. We're talking serious addiction to those, also. Man, I laugh, cry, and thank God for the musical gifts He gave so to bless our very hearts--and--for the folks who faithfully used their gifts rather than 'hem and haw' or hide them, instead, for decades.

Here's one of the latest reactions I discovered for my favorite Bee Gee's song, Too Much Heaven. Wow. What. A. Song! (Again, with headphones is best.)

"Everything we are will never die; love is such a beautiful thing."

9.) And yes, this, below. That's how social media can be, but don't let it keep you from sharing truth, ok? Always there will be people who listen, learn and reap the good.

(Just keep spreading seeds, no matter the flack! God will hold us responsible for that.)

10.) Those candle wicks I ordered (from Walmart) to use with leftover wax melts?

I'm able to cut them in half which means each candle-in-a-custard-cup costs only 5 cents since I'm using wax most people would just throw away. (Penny-pincher me is even toying with the idea of clipping the wicks into thirds!)

Easiest candles to make in the whole world.

I'm also saving the leftover wax from those candles to melt in a double boiler so I can use them again(!) 

11.) Photos like these Autumn ones, below. Happy sigh.

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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