What I Thought On My Autumn Vacation

 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said.   --- Mark 7:37

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Of course, God is always good, but this Autumn He especially is around Hobbit Cottage.

Charlie the Cat doesn't jump and skitter away when I approach him, his frustrating food-finicky-ness is fading (kinda) and he actually snuggles up against me on the red couch.

Ahh, the necessity of patience while waiting for a cat to fall in love with you.

Larry the Painter returned so to concrete-plug the holes he'd discovered in our foundation wall. One entire corner needed major repair: surprisingly it hadn't earlier gone tilt-tilt-splat.

Color us grateful indeed for Larry.

Sunshine returned this morning having left our sky (apparently) last Thursday. Oh my cold, grey bundled-up mornings on the front porch speedily reading my devotional books before giving up and seeking the house's warmth.

Yet the lovely Autumn ladies on Youtube encouraged me to find grace, coziness and creativty in grey and orange Fall days, reminding me of my own advice to you: if something feels wrong, fix what you can, but never allow self-pity to wash over and sink you.

And true, one cannot fix grey skies, but she can adjust her attitude toward them.

How good of God to, when we ask, introduce us to encouragers and what I've noticed? Many of the best encouragers are unique folks who spend much time alone because of that uniqueness.

So anyway, I fixed things. Remember when I added the books, framed print and lights to our entertainment center?

Well, I was hiding stuff behind the books, mostly candles (I asked Tom for a couple candles from Goodwill and now he can't seem to stop lugging bags of them home), then reaching blindly around and grabbing candles (or whatever) by feel-and-guess. 

Such a lack of excellence. Then one day I recalled our longish (22 inch) wooden tray hidden beneath the couch. After washing it then pulling out the stuff behind the books, I sat the tray on top and now I have a shelf for candles I can actually see.

When you live in a small house (and you're a stuff collector) it helps to keep an open mind instead of resisting change and remaining frustrated.

Oh, the control we do not have of that big outside world right now! Yet if we remain calm listeners to the Holy Spirit within us, He can bless us with ideas we'd never have thought on our own here in our own spaces.

And His ways? They're always better than our own and always doable (if we need help He'll show us whom to ask).

Some people insist God holds them back, but I believe He'd only do that to keep us from carrying-out our Honey-that'll-get-you-into-trouble ideas. 

His ways, His plans work and do not lead us to grief. And oh, to crave only God's wisdom, even though often it doesn't appear best or most sensible or fun at first glance.

Hence, that's when our faith must kick in. After all, without those faith steps, it's impossible to please Him.

"Artists of the everyday excel in elevating the simple to the level of the Sacred."   --- Sarah Ban Breathnach

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Such lovely rooms in this video about decorating in dark academia style. This one also. Both these ladies helped me realize I already have bits of dark academia happening in my living room. Probably comes from watching all those cheesy scarey movies while growing-up.  シ

Speaking of which, I've begun again watching the Basil Hathbone and Nigel Bruce movies about Sherlock Holmes. You can find them all free here.

My favorite lovely autumn lady, Darling Desi, recommended this book--

--and wow. The best cozy mystery, ever! Especially since each page oozed Autumn. Made me a tad crazy to read it, though. I wanted to devour it, yet make it last. I anticipated finishing it, yet hoped it would never end.

Highly recommended.

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Oh, and I'm not sure I've ever mentioned this, but around the corner from the Salvation Army drop-off down the street is a Little Free Library.

 For whatever odd reasons, last week was only my second time to visit it. I dropped off a book, brought another home which is good so far, but I'm wanting to read two others before I continue.

Do you have a Free Little Library near you?

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In so many instances, it's never too late to begin again.

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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