Have Challenges? Be Excited!

"Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else..."   --- Galations 6:4

"These are glory days, not gloomy days."   --- Dr. Manuel Johnson

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So Tom and I were married in the '70's(!), back when you didn't save up to get married. No, if you felt madly in love and could afford an inexpensive wedding, plus your first month's rent, you considered yourselves all set.

A.K.A. The Good Old Days.  

My best-remembered times from those early years? Daily creating something from nothing and reveling in financial challenges, which either makes me sound like a lunatic or a kindred spirit.  ツ

Those far away years return to my mind, perhaps because I'm hoping my fellow humans are finding similar happiness during Today's financial hardships.

It's possible, you know, to appreciate challenges. To splash around in a rampant creativity required to make us stronger, wiser and more capable than we'd ever dreamed we could become. 

It's possible to not fear rationing or product limits, as well.

In my earliest homemaking years when we barely eeked by, oh, the trips I made to the library, thrift shops and supermarkets for instructional books, magazines and sales items. But now? Wow, the Internet can turn us all into homemaking superstars within our own homes.

Yes, prices are higher these days, but with wisdom, knowledge and the Holy Spirit, that doesn't matter. Godly overcomers still overcome, no matter what Life hurls at them or in what year or cost.

In other words, inflation doesn't blow God away.

Some Christians say we should be stressed and, "These are dark days," yet I would quip, "Only for those who don't, with their whole hearts, seek the Light."

The Light brightens everything. No really, everything.

" ... God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."   --- 1 John 1:5

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."

William Arthur Ward

"Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her."   --- Proverbs 3:13-15

Need more wisdom? The Bible tells us to just ask for it.

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My friend, Susan, asked me to share a list of favorite Youtubers. That list is quite long so here, given the subject of this post, I'll share the helpful Youtubers and leave the sillier, when-I-need-some-fun ones for next time.  ツ

Appalachia's Homestead With Patara  (prepping)

Somers In Alaska  (family life)

The Simplified Saver  (inexpensive meals)

Dr. Eric Berg  (health)

Joyce Meyer Ministries  (ministry)

Homestead Tessie Mobile Home Living  (prepping, home care)

Do It On A Dime (inexpensive home care)

Elijah Clips  (ministry)

Glenn Beck (financial, politics)

See Mindy Mom  (cheap, easy meals)

Mornings With Granny  (prepping)

Dan Bongino  (politics)

Whippoorwill Holler  (prepping, cooking, homecare)

Dutch Sheets  (ministry)

Michael Knowles  (politics)

Any tiny house channels, for they inspire me to creativity and owning less.

And of course, there's OpenLibrary.org if you'd rather read about helpful subjects.

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When we stay inspired to live our best life, we know we're hopeful, anticipating what God will do next far more than just watching what satan's doing now.

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

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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

It's Still A Wonderful Life??

"He must increase, but I must decrease."   --- John 3:30

"... the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."   --- John 16:13

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Perhaps you remember when this happened. 

Back in October of 2019, between 2 and 3 a.m., I'd consistently, poof! Be jolted wide awake. And that's when I began creeping down our dark staircase, curling up on the couch, then watching instructional Youtube videos.

It's like God said, "Do this."

Never before had this happened in all my 60 years and was I tempted to ignore the promptings? Oh my, yes. This girl likes her 8 hours of sleep.

And now, okay, sometimes I'd watch the videos, then fall asleep again before awaking Tom at 6, but a wild thing? Never do I recall feeling tired during the day those entire 18 months.

All those videos and all those new folks I 'met'! Preachers, preppers, prophets, teachers, decorators, builders, dreamers, artists, travelers, pundits and more. Strong, determined folks sharing their God-given purpose in Life, pouring into me essential truths.

And then came March of 2020, the beginning of 'the covid years'. Yikes!

But you know? I felt prepared mentally, physically, spiritually greatly due to God's awaking me for early morning 'schooltime', and all those teachers, and what He'd worked into me since 1994 (long story).

And because of 'what God had wrought', instead of hiding in 2020, I marched ahead, excited at those historic days. "What a fascinating time in which to be alive!", I mused.

Those nights I began taking notes and updating my prepper lists, then eventually that early morning season morphed into something different. 

I'd still awaken around 2 a.m., but only to check my laptop, read/watch the increasing worldly chaos, confusion, deception and calamities, then I'd shut it off and crawl back into bed---

---while feeling God's presence and the deepest, sweetest sense of peace, gratitude and safety, ever.

One thing of which I'm absolutely certain: God wants to prepare us ahead of time for difficult Life events. This whole planet is shaking side to side, even swirling upside down and around? God, earlier, created a way so that, in perilous times, we can stand. Sturdy. Upright and shining, still experiencing a wonderful life with and because of Him.

When we long for God to increase and us to decrease, that still, small voice isn't nearly as whispery-quiet as before. It's actually rather amplified and very, very persistent.

For a reason. Or many.

"But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries... If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land..."   --- Exodus 23:22, Isaiah 1:19

"But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved."

Hebrews 10:39

This is not the hour to SHRINK BACK from pursuing God with your whole heart while standing for his Truths. The two are eternally connected." --- Sean Feucht

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This lady is sweet. It's always like hearing your grandma talk about prepping.  ツ

Yesterday I finally began reading Joyce Meyer's, Eat The Cookie ... Buy The Shoes. What a treat! And I would highly recommend this if you have frequent 'Catholic guilt'. (I've heard it called that in tons of movies. heh.) I bought the $1.99 Kindle copy (I knew I'd be highlighting much of it), but you can find this book free here at Open Library.

Today's question: Is God asking you to do something you've never done before?

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

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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

Secrets and Another Birthday

Ha! That cartoon is so me these days. "Oh, for a treeless place," I muse. (If you'll drop by and view the hundreds of downed twigs out there, you'd not blame me.) シ

Anyway, ol' Debra had another birthday yesterday and perhaps for the first time, I didn't write a blog post on that day. Tried, though. 

But without the Holy Spirit's help, there's only struggle and frustration and who wants to remember creating thousands of blog posts that way? Not me, so whenever I sense He's moved on, I shut the computer and step away, as well.

Many writers would declare that too simplistic (or something else), but since I'll be leaving this Earth with having written over 3,500 blog posts, I'm content with that process.

Plus, writing without Him; what's the point?

Anyway, after the rare, dreary-beyond-belief fog burned off at noon, the day improved and as always, I so appreciated myriad birthday greetings from friends at Facebook. The afternoon prior, 4 birthday cards arrived in the mail--oh my! How glorious to open those at our sunny dining room table. 

How remarkable to have friends who still send snail mail.

Yet returning to rather high numbers, in the past nearly 3 years I've given away (or tossed) over 1,200 items. All in preparation for an upcoming move? Not always. Mostly because I felt God saying this was a  late life season of letting go. A long, long good-bye.

Here's what I've not yet told you about this decluttering: if you're imagining my home now has a new, fresh airiness, a simplicity and spaciousness, well, you're so wrong.

It looks about the same as before. Sigh.

But! (Here's the encouraging part.) On our calendar pages, I've kept track of the numbers of things I released, so now? Anyone can gaze around our house not spying a huge improvement, but I know what Tom and I have sacrificed.

I've taken notes. Done the work, paid attention. If I slip into criticalness this list, these numbers, encourage me. After all, it's about gratitude and if this aids my fellow declutter-ers, hooray! I'm thrilled.

Yet a deeper, hidden lesson is this: If you have relatives or friends who, these days, stare at you and quip, "You've changed? Really? I'm just not seeing it," then relax! 

If only you and our huge God know exactly the heart and mind clutter He's helped you release? That's all right. Eventually it'll show, along with a vital God-given humility, also, reminding you we can do nothing without Him---

---and wouldn't even wish to.

When God tells you, "Get your house in order," that's exactly when Grace is present to help you.

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."   --- John 8:36

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Are you aware of bookshelf tours over at Youtube? What fun to squint and peer at others' books, acquiring ideas for possible future reads of our own.

Speaking of that, I'm rereading these very pensive, dreamy books:

They're full of essays from the 90's, written for House Beautiful magazine. (Hooray! You can now find these over at Open Library.)

Anyway, does anyone have similar books to recommend? Ones full of essays about home/Life written by various authors (as opposed to just one)? Let me know, ok? 

I've let go of over 300 books during my Great Decluttering Season, but these 2 will never, ever be released. Never, ever.  ツ

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Yikes!

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

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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