Sleeping Lessons

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams..."   ---Acts 2:17

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So Wednesday morning I awoke from a deep sleep and later groggily asked Tom, "Do you ever have dreams about attending high school class reunions?"

"Nope. Not ever," he answered.

I said, "Really? I do nearly every month. Hmm."

This last dream, wow, I can't shake it. On the planning committee, I helped with the Victorian decor (seriously? Victorian?) and well, it mattered. It mattered that my former classmates felt enchanted, welcomed, upon stepping into the beautiful room we'd designed. The time and thought we'd placed into tablescapes and all arrangements felt important. 

People expressed appreciation, gratitude, toward being there, partly because of the effort we'd expended as a committee.

What also mattered? The life I'd lived after high school. While chatting with old friends, I sensed a vitalness that I'd not screwed up nor wasted my decades. This, too, mattered, almost life and death-like.

And just as that thought touched my mind, I awoke.

Perhaps in my recent writings you've picked up that I'm considering Heaven much. But hey! Not in a 'Jesus,-please-beam-us-up-soon-because-sheesh!-Life-down-here-is-ridiculous' way. 

No, not even close.

Rather, when I reach Heaven, I want to feel grateful that I did what I did here while I still could.

Like, may I know I gave when God said, "Give." Money, time, condolences, encouragement, courage, greetings and thank-you's, even to the delivery folks upon my front porch.

Sounds tiny or insignificant? No, every single task God asks of us is huge--because He is. All that He does through us helps shapes this world in eternal ways even though it's a temporary place we're just passing through.

Everything we do now, matters. Every task or kindness is valuable. Important.

And will be--always.

"For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men..."   --- Job 33:14

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Oh! This cottage was sincerely sweet.

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I love it when God makes Himself so obvious, for also on Wednesday? Tom and I watched Grimm (Gee, we enjoy that show) and toward the end, Nick and Juliette danced to the song, Tomorrow is A Chance To Start Over.

Oh, the song delighted me! I came upstairs, found it online (remember when, in the old days, we couldn't do that?) and played it over and over, remembering it upon my pillow and two days hence.

Beautiful, hopeful song, perfect for our times. A few lyrics:

"You are another day older 

Soon you'll be through the dark

Tomorrow is a chance to start over 

You'll re-ignite the spark

Tonight you can lie here on my shoulder 

Soon you'll be through the dark

Tomorrow is a chance to start over 

Start over again"

And may the shoulder of Jesus be incredibly real to you, my friends, especially these days in which we find ourselves living, days we can--still--make a fresh start each morning.

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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

October This And That

1.) Still need help decluttering your home? This verse always helps me--

Something else? Watching videos like these of abandoned homes. Oh my. Makes me almost want to rent a huge dumpster and toss things from my windows! heh.

2.) So have you heard of The Mandela Effect? I'd not looked into it till a few months ago upon discovering I'm not the only person who remembers the Berenstain Bears books as the Berenstein Bears.  (Anyone else?)

If you're ever bored and crave something to research (and, like me, enjoy feeling your mind spin), you might want to look into The Mandela Effect. 

(Insert the theme music from The Twilight Zone here.)  シ

3.) Speaking of the Twilight Zone, here are most of my favorite episodes (Hulu still has these)--

Where is Everybody? 

The 16 Millimeter Shrine

Walking Distance

When The Sky Was Opened

A Stop At Willoughby

The Last Flight

Kick the Can

Little Girl Lost

Changing of the Guard

Nick of Time

The Odyssey of Flight 33

100 Yards Over The Rim

A World Of Difference

Elegy

The Trouble With Templeton

The Silence

Shadow Play

4.) Something I wrote at Facebook--

Ok, not many of us are fans of Alec Baldwin, but the comments I just now read after a story about the tragedy yesterday? My head is still reeling (and horrified) from all the blatant condemnation and assumptions, most from people who call themselves Christians.

May God have mercy.

(And I'm adding this here at my blog: Seriously, I felt almost traumatized after reading the cruel, prideful comments. I had to stop, walk downstairs, then watch an episode of Stargate SG-1 so to shake it.)

You'll find the original Alec Baldwin story here.

And for good measure, let's add this verse today:

"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."   1 Corinthians 13:2

5.) Does this painting zip you to a lovely place, or what?

6.) Okay, here's a bold statement: If you're a Christian who doesn't enjoy historically-based Bible movies, there's nothing wrong with you(!) They may be based on Bible events--but still--they're an art form and art is highly subjective. Highly. Subjective.

So if for years you've felt a gnawing sense of guilt while your friends express their deep LOVE for these movies, well, stop. Just stop the guilt.  ツ

And speaking of movies, Tom and I recently enjoyed watching My Spy. Just a smattering of language, otherwise fine.

7.) Spied this pretty kitchen at Gab, posted by Sandra Steele, one of my favorite folks there--

8.) Recently I stopped watching a Youtuber because too often they were on the defensive about negative commenters rather than just creating good content for us. 

Ever wondered why I don't acknowledge haters in my blog? This pretty much explains it--

9.) Need a way to combat the rising prices of groceries? Now's a perfect time to learn tons of money-saving cooking secrets! Here's a good place to begin, but oh my, the Internet has endless help in this area.

10.)

And lastly--

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

The Only Reasons I Would Commit Social Media Suicide

"A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me." ---John 16:32

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Wow, these last 19 months, right? Oh, what we've all witnessed, felt, experienced. 

And what a testing of our faith! Whether for decades we followed God's Holy Spirit and His empowering lessons--or--a joyless, it's-all-about-rules religious spirit.

The difference is huge. And in difficult times? Telling. Revealing. Humbling.

Anyway. 

While I watch various Christian friends committing social media suicide (vanishing altogether or just silently sideline-watching), I shake my head. Now you retreat? Now in the middle of our warned-about battle? Seriously, it's all 'just politics' and meant to be ignored?

That all saddens, but will never stop me. No, only 2 reasons could force me to walk away.

1.) If the fight literally killed me.

2.) If, very clearly, God whispered, "For you, the battle is finished."

Would anything else chase me away? Any cruel words or losses of old friends? Any standing alone or a wounding of my spirit? Any fear/threats/cancellation?

Nope!

Not gonna bail out for any of those trifles. Eternity is way too long to live with memories of running away.

Okay, one more thing: Just as I'm not called to lead every single soul on Earth to Christ, neither am I called to fight in all battles out there. God only asks that I confront those for which He's equipped me.

It's rather like this:

Our part may not be huge, but the responsibility of obedience certainly is!

But thank God for this, right?

(May He) equip you with everything good that you may do his will ... Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called..."   --- Hebrews 13:21, 1 Timothy 6:12

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Still needing help discovering your specific God-given callings? I can guarantee you'll find them if you keep the search this simple:

What do you enjoy doing? What are you good at? 

Writers write.
Singers sing.
Seamstresses sew.

Encouragers encourage.

Artists create art.

Organizers organize.

Funny folks share humor.

Videographers create videos.
Gardeners garden.

Bakers bake.
Hairdressers dress hair.

Actors act.
Pray-ers pray.

Preppers prepare.
Servers serve.
Knitters knit.

Photographers take photos.

Comforters comfort.
Teachers teach.
Babysitters sit babies.
Encouragers encourage.
Musicians make music.
Bloggers blog.

Listeners listen.
Animal lovers love animals.
Cleaners clean.

Candlemakers make candles.
Personal trainers train.
Decorators decorate.

The sad thing? Some will read down this list and scoff, not even imagining all the places Life will take them--and all the people they'll meet-- once they step into their calling and determine to serve God there.

Take that first step! See it through! Don't quit early or you'll never experience the adventures God created specifically for you so to change the lives of the hurting ones.

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Ever outgrown some of your Youtube favorite folks? There's no shame in that. We all grow and change at different rates and God provides folks who'll help us in each season--

--and then we move on to people who'll aid us in our later seasons. This happened to me recently so I asked God for someone who more closely reflects where I am now and He sent me Inspired By Nikki.

Move on with grace, not guilt!

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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

Checking-In From a Quiet Place

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."   ---Psalm 34:8

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I'm back! Well, almost.  

Isn't it wild how having company can, after they leave, require several days in which to slip into your old groove? You know, rather like coming off the high of Christmas or--for me at this age-- crashing because I used bits of natural adrenaline to keep going. シ

I've known God's wanted this to be another restful, meditative time for me--and I've felt much peace!--but I've too often spoiled it by thinking, "Shouldn't I be blogging right now?" or "Shouldn't I be decluttering/weeding/cleaning out the basement or ?"

A few times I tried writing posts, but felt no Grace so I deleted them. (Since the beginning of this blog I've refused to sit here without the Holy Spirit. Long story.)

You'd think I'd know better by now that when God says, "Rest," He means, well, "Rest."

Anyway.

We're having a gorgeous Autumn! Sunny with warmish temperatures (I would mention the words 'Indian Summer', but they're probably politically incorrect.) Outside on our front porch I'm rereading By The Shores of Silver Lake (15th time perhaps?) surrounded by the large potted mums and pumpkins Naomi and I bought before my nephew and his wife arrived.

Autumn! I'm thinking my house in Heaven will be in the Autumn section. Yep, constant Autumn would truly be heaven for me.

Mostly, I'm just checking-in here today. 

I've spent much time alone, though never feeling alone-alone because of God's constant presence. (Which always reassures me I'll be fine, even if I lose scads of friends over what's become politics-invading-our-home-life.) Probably I've thought a million thoughts and also felt giddy to be alive during this time in History.

Remember! Each of us was created for such a time as this. We were born because of now times. Each of us was meant to make a one-of-a-kind difference. 

And each of us will, for all eternity, live with what we did during this time of upheaval.

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Our nephew and his wife at the Buffalo Harbor with Shark Girl  シ

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Oh! Another lovely, small apartment. (Gee, this woman is creative!)

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What I've shared at Facebook lately:

This is not the time to say, "Lord, take us." Rather, it's the time to say, "Lord, use us."

---Hank Kuuneman

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

Leaving Some Older Octobers For You

                                           Guess where we visited again on Saturday?

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Still here! It's just that, since Friday, we've had company from California and we're enjoying our time visiting and sightseeing with them. How lovely to reconnect with family!

So in the meantime, here are posts from other long-gone Octobers. (I tried to choose ones which might encourage you during our Country's current wild days.) Feel free to choose a couple to peruse.

Wishing each of you a glorious Autumn!

The Rampant Crime In My Community (just for fun! 2006 at Autumn Cottage, though technically September 30th.)  シ

When God Asks That We Pause (2007 at Autumn Cottage)

Of Wishers And Such  (2008 out at the farm)

The Saving Money Game (2010 out at the farm)

Dreams. The Ones Which Happened. The Ones Which Didn't (2012 here at Hobbit Cottage)

What If This Is It? (2014 here at Hobbit Cottage)

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