A New Year Means New Stories

    "Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid..."   ... Luke 12:7

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So there ol' Debra was, New Year's Eve, sleeping peacefully inside her cute closet bedroom when, "Boom! Boom! Boom!" awoke her. 

Hmmm. Wasn't the huge always-shakes-me snowplow, though it sounded similar. 

The booming continued, so I stepped into my new so-warm, ice-blue robe then hobbled down the stairs where I met Tom. We both said, "Oh. It's midnight. Happy New Year." Yawn.

Yet not till after Tom stepped into the bathroom did I see the gorgeous fireworks filling our bay window. Wow! Colored light spears exploded over the huge motel on the river and I had one of the best seats on the block for the show. 

Red, green, blue and gold lights flickered upon our table glass, even. So cool. Tom, though, stood beside me maybe 6 1/2 seconds, then returned to bed.

Yet I remained transfixed the entire 15 minutes of showering lights, my heart full of gratitude to a God who so often, in two states even, made sure we bought houses where--if there are fireworks to be viewed--we'd see them from our windows.

Always, I feel like He brings the gorgeous light shows to a couple of home-loving introverts like us. I really do believe He's that kind, that loving. That thoughtful.

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 The happiest of new years to all my readers! May you gather many new stories brimming-over with gratitude to a God who loves His kids so very much. 

Voiced-gratitude and praise-- they're much more powerful, Earth-changing than we realize. Use them lavishly.



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"Complain and remain. Praise and be raised."   --- Joyce Meyer

Make it a wonderful year. Finish the things you began in 2017. Ask God what to begin next. Sit with God, walk with Him, stand when He says, "Wait." Be creative, giving and kind. Do good to others and say "I appreciate you," often. Scribble all sorts of wonderful things upon the empty, clean pages of 2018!

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And to those of you who encouraged me to finish the photo book? It's done! And ordered, two even, one for my mom on Mother's Day.

Seriously, this Mixbook place is meant for us who require things to be simple. Wow. My first book took hours, but at least they were happy hours, not frustrating ones.

Oh! And afterward I received an email saying if I sent Mixbook an email address of a friend who later completed a book, they'd give us both $20 off the next one we made(!) So if you think you might be interested, feel free to email me your address and I'll send it to them. GladOne4@yahoo.com

Other thoughts about Mixbook--

This was a terrific place in which to learn tons of tricks in compiling a photo book. It's free to play around with as long as you like.

As far as I can tell--even if you don't order your book--you can share the online version with friends(!)

Oh, and if you'd like to see my finished online book--and if you already know my last name (it appears on the book and I do like to keep a semblance of anonymity here at this blog), you can email me for a link. Again, at GladOne4@yahoo. com

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Currently just down our street, really --

Brrrrrr. But we're warmer today! Tom and I rejoiced this morning that we were up to 13 degrees F.  😉

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Uh-Oh. So Did She, Like, Lie To Us?

"So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man."   ... Acts 24:16


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Remember my firm "I'm as techno as I want to go" post? Well, er, some might say ol' Debra lied when they discover she now uses an iPad(!)

Of course, I have my excuses. 

See, Naomi, for Christmas, gave us her iPad which she no longer uses. Total surprise--honest! And though I was tempted to gulp, "But I told my blog peeps that I'm already as techno as I want to go!," I, of course, said only, "Wow! Thank-you, Sweetie. Can I use it like a Kindle?"  😉

Then later, I had to laugh when Naomi showed me how to use the iPad rather like this--


(Naomi) -- "Oh, it's so easy to use! You'll get it in no time."
  
(Me, inside my head) --  Riiiiiight.

(Naomi) -- "You just push this button,
then swipe the screen like this,
then enter these numbers,
then swipe,
then tap twice,
then go here,
type this, 
then click-click,
then swipe, tap, tap, 
then go here, click, swipe, tap, tap, tap, click, click, swipe, and you're good to go!"

Oh dear. My head swirled and I had to sit down. heh.

Two days later alone on the red couch, I sat for 20 minutes with the iPad, just trying to access the Kindle Reader Naomi had linked-to for me. No go.

That's when I put the iPad away, lest I sling it through the window.

Yet an hour passed so I tried again and oh! For the first time, ever, I read a Kindle book out at our sun-gleaming dining room table rather than here inside this dark, shadowy office. Wow. Remarkable.

And so far, this is as techno as I've gotten on this newfangled contraption. 

Why? Because I know myself. I must go slow and make repetitions--and that's ok. The older I become the more I realize Life is not for competing nor comparing, but rather, for learning and then doing all God created me to do. That way--when I leave--I'll have painted this planet a bit brighter, uniquely so, in my own way and timing through Him.

And I'm thinking that's what He wants--and it's enough.

(And now we're clear, right? Debra's more techno than she'd previously believed she wanted to go.)  😉

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..."   ... Jeremiah 1:5


"There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do."   ... 1 Corinthians 12:5

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Awww... the actress, Rose Marie, passed away. I'd love to someday watch her new film about her life and I wish I'd have known she was active on Twitter. She truly was wonderful as Sally Rodgers on The Dick van Dyke Show.


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On A Cold (But Sunny) December Afternoon

Brrrr!  And Merry Two Days After Christmas to you.

I'm thinking of all my Readers, but then, aren't I always? Hopefully your Christmas was the type you prefer-- crowded or quiet, hectic or relaxed. I enjoyed fun times at Facebook, cooked dinner for Tom and myself, then Naomi and Justin joined us here and oh, what a sweet time. And just right.

And now? Now I'm reeling and celebrating Normal. Blessed, blessed-- Normal how I do love you.

"Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth."   ... 1 Timothy 6:6

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Usually I send for a free calendar (for our refrigerator, using just the plain grid pages) from either Betty Crocker or Pillsbury, yet this year? Let's just say it didn't work out (long, dull stories).

But hooray! Today I discovered that dear ol' Joyce Meyer is again offering free calendars so I rushed over there and signed-up.

Anyone else in this same boat? Here's the link, and do hurry before they're gone, ok?



Oh, and yes. I do realize you can print calendars galore free, but--lest you've forgotten--my own personal printer is, well, evil. It sits here beside me and I try not to snarl at it.  😳


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And wow. Tom tried  something new for Christmas--he consulted my Amazon Wish List (such a novel idea!)  and my, my, my. All but one of these are from him ---

I'm so enjoying the Dark Windows one. Mary C. Jane was my best discovery in 2016 and I wish I'd found her earlier, but hey. I'm learning that--as the Bible states--there truly is a time for everything, so who am I to question the things which seem to appear late?

There's a reason for everything and the refreshing thing? I needn't always know just what it is.


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Tried something new this year. Placed our Christmas cards amongst our kitchen pictures. I'm liking it.

(And a huge thanks to all who mailed cards to us!)



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And one last thing... Most people need fewer projects, but ol' Debra? She needs more. So guess what I found this morning? The Mixbook Photo Company.

For years I've meant to create a book using my photos, so that's what I'm doing--making a photo book about our years at Hobbit Cottage. And wow, so far, it's extremely easy. (If I can do it, you certainly can, too.). They have special first-time offers and it's also Ebates friendly.

I'll let you know if I actually complete this project or if it joins the Stuff I Began But Then Forgot or Lost Interest In list. Stay tuned!


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