Twenty Years Blogging and Happy Autumn(?)

"To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!"   ---Proverbs 15:23

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Walking down the sidewalk beneath tall sycamores in 2004 I thought, "Should I begin writing in a blog? Who even wants to read about my life?" But then on July 25th I stepped into Blogland. 

Have a God-blessed dream, goal or longing? Do it before the conviction and grace seep away, ok? They erase the struggle.

Some of you immediately spied me, decided to stay, and 20 years later I thank you for hanging-out with me beginning at Autumn Cottage.

Others discovered my posts 18 years ago or 16 when, after our 6-month apartment-stay, we first moved to the farm. Such adventure out there! The barn, the huge garden, the painting of rooms, the job lay-off, the enormous yard (which finally defeated me). 

Yet always, the gratitude that we took the plunge and lived our farm dreams before that window in Time slammed shut.

Out upon those quiet 4 acres some of you discovered me, then decided to travel along to our Hobbit Cottage (or as I also call it, Our Little Yellow House In the Land of Goshen).

Thank-you for that.

You'll hardly believe this, but next month we'll have lived here 13 years. Incredible, especially considering this was meant to be a temporary stopping spot on the way to our dream house.

Another lesson? Always choose the house God wants for you. He knows if you'll need to stay longer than you'd planned.  He sees ahead. He realizes the upcoming circumstances causing you to use rooms (and do Life) differently and the way you'll need upkeep to become simpler.

He knows you'll not forever be that proverbial spring chicken.

Wow, the changes in my life these past 20 years! Yet what remains the same? With each post, I ask God to speak through me so to encourage people. To help them, you, learn from my mistakes and lessons-learned and to perhaps think differently about God and Life.

It's that simple and may I always keep it so.

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And the Happy Autumn thing? 

Yesterday was Day One of Autumn at Hobbit Cottage. I'd had quite enough of Summer (ugh) and decided to begin my autumnal celebrations early. Yes, in July, ok?  ジ

Something else I share here? Know yourself. Know what you need to keep yourself strong in God and Life.

I collected 50+ Autumn videos in a folder at Youtube. After making a low-sugar pumpkin pie for breakfast, I placed my metal Autumn Bucket List sign on the refrigerator. I began a search for Autumn-based books and am currently seeking Autumn computer wallpaper (thanks, Ann, for that idea!).

Last night we even spied an extremely autumnal tv commercial which I told Tom aired just for us.

And that was only the first day.

"There are exactly as many special occasions in Life as we choose to celebrate."

--- Robert Breault

How long have you been reading here? Hmm?

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And I'm still thinking about this. The small changes we make today really can largely affect our future. Let's all do what God is nudging us to today!

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A very favorite Autumn video.

This was hilarious and took me back in Time to cassette tapes.  ツ

Such cozy corners!

And this was cute: How To Live Grandmacore

I so enjoy people who know exactly what they like and want. Like her. (Those ladder stairs looked cool folded up against the wall, but to climb them? Uh, no. Not me. heh.)

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This quote made my week:

"Waiting on God is always active; it should never feel like you are doing nothing. If you're waiting on God, take action! Seek healing, improve your physical health, educate yourself in areas you're called to, and gain practical experience through internships or relevant work. Waiting is a time for preparation and growth, not stagnation."

--Shawn Bolz

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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

This Shocking Weekend Brought To Mind An Earlier Post And -----

" ... but the righteous are bold as a lion. Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. "   --- Proverbs 28:1, Ephesians 6:10

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Did I stay silent after the historic evilness which was the attempted assassionation of President Trump? No way. Instead, I recalled this post, below, from 4 years ago and chose sharing words of encouragement at Facebook and Twitter. (Hmm... have I even noticed before the word 'courage' within encouragement? Wild!)

Anyway, this post (with new links) from 2020 is what still nudges me to speak today---

After I arrive in Heaven? Personally, this scenario would horrify me (yeah, even there):

Four friends in Heaven: "Debra! How marvelous to see you here."

                                         (Hugs all around.)

Debra: "Thanks, Everyone! I really missed each of you."

Four friends in Heaven: "Say, we heard America was nearly taken over                                                 with riots!"

                                                       "And sin ran rampant in the streets and the                                                   Government!"

Debra: "Yes, it was a dreadful time." (She shudders.)

Four friends in Heaven: "So tell us! How did the Lord use you to fight

                                         against the darkness?"

                                         "Yes! Tell us."

                                         "What adventures did you have?"

Debra: "Well I, uh, prayed a lot." (She smiles.)

Four friends in Heaven:   "Sure, sure. All Christians were called to do                                                  that."                                              

                                                       "But what else?"

Debra: "Uhm, I soaked in the presence of God pretty often."

Four friends in Heaven:  "Also good. But what specific ways did God                                                 use you through your gifts? Your voice?"

                                         "What ways did you fight the evil which tried to take over your Country's people?"

                                        

Debra: "I, uh--"

Four friends in Heaven: "Yes, how did you make a difference?"

                                        "How did the Lord move through you to change                                             History?"

                                         "To awaken and warn others so they, also,                                                    would fight?"

Debra: "Er..."

Four friends in Heaven:  "Tell us how you helped others who struggled!"

                                         "How did the Lord use you to speak light into                                                the darkness?"

                                         "Yes! We love hearing how God moves upon the                                           Earth through His called and chosen ones."

                                         "Yes, and how others will recall their time upon                                            Earth for all eternity."

Debra: "Uhm, well ... They said we must stay home so I did. I prayed an awful lot. God helped me think happy thoughts while I waited for it all to be over and --

Four friends in Heaven: "And?"

Debra: "...and I was afraid, but right now I can't remember exactly why."

Four friends in Heaven:  "Oh."

                                         "Oh."

                                         "Oh."

                                         "Oh."                      

Heaven forbid.

One of the very scariest verses in the entire Bible? This one--

"If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them."   --- James 4:17

Something I wrote for Facebook yesterday--

Ecclesiastes 3 says there's a time for everything, including a time to speak and a time to be silent, a time for peace and a time for war. Now, I believe, is not the time to be silent. That's a huge reason we are where we are today. Too much silence and apathy while evil takes over. We'll be held responsible for being silent at the wrong time and seeking peace when we should've fought evil. So yes, it's going to affect our homes, but with God's grace heavy upon us, we can do this and we can still love the life He gave us while we fight against what's trying to take over our country. (Just my thoughts as I'm noticing most of my friends are choosing silence after the historic, evil thing which happened yesterday.)

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Glue Books! I think I found my next craft.  And here.

Messy Dollar Tree?

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And as I also shared at Facebook---

Oh wow. Yesterday we watched the new movie, IF, and loved it. The colors! The imagination! The old-timey apartments! IF made me remember all the rampant creativity I once had and challenged me to welcome it back.

My only complaint would be the overuse of the term "Oh God." But otherwise? I'd highly recommend this for anyone, any age. At the end, Tom even said, "We'll have to watch that one again."

Oh, and we watched it nearly free by using the 2 months for .99 cents each MGM+ offer, but it's also available at Paramount Plus.

Check out the trailer here .

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Looking future-wise, yes, this fits regarding what happened Saturday. Remember, there's more than one way God helps keep millions of people alive.

President Trump was shot at 6:11 (!) --

Okay, this got me all teary-eyed and determined! Am still reeling with gratitude.

Tempted just to hide and ignore what's happening? Ever looked up 'what does the Bible say about the cowardly'?  Yikes!--

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."   --- 1 Corinthians 16:13

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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

My Spider Story. (Ew.)

So on the outside walls of our Hobbit Cottage we've got some monstrous, rabid spiders. (That photo is only meant to scare you. heh. Not a true representation.)

Really, they chew their prey and blood drips down, leaving dark gross lines. In fact, that's partly why I considered painting our house dark blue this time--so the streaks wouldn't stand out as they do with yellow (but dark colors absorb sunlight and who needs more @#$% heat?).

Those marks were--I thought--unremovable. My trusty vinegar-water-and-baking-soda did nothing so I'd grumble, defrost my brushes, and paint over them.

(Could we have hired an exterminator? Uh, no. I don't believe in spraying poison on my walls around my edible gardens nor while having cats or heck, not while my family is breathing, either. Er hem.)

Anyway.

Good grief. Why oh why did it take me 11 years to search online for a solution? Why is this yet one more thing I must forgive myself for not figuring out sooner?

Last week I immediately discovered online that hydrogen peroxide will remove those blood stains. Traipsing downstairs, I grabbed some cotton balls and peroxide, stepped outside, sat down and didn't even have to scrub hard. The marks faded away.

Gah.

The older I become the more--it seems--I'm fixing things so to make my life simpler, healthier and more senior-friendly. So what I've decided? I can view all this as an annoying fact of Life or as an adventurous challenge. If it's the latter, any successful discovering of solutions will mean I can thank God and be proud of myself. You know the good pride:

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

So what remains is to stop feeling annoyed by the challenges aging brings and just whack them all down like a good little soldier...

... while anticipating the rewards of simpifying my days, a job well done, and feeling better about Life during these changing later years.

"We can see aging as an adventure, not something that means we have to be miserable and sit around and do nothing... The way we think about ourselves influences how we respond to aging."

---Joyce Meyer from How to Age Without Getting Old

Oh, the necessity of listening to the Holy Spirit in our daily life! Who knows better than Him the best way to do things?

Seems I'm always telling myself, "Forgive yourself. Do better next time, yes, but forgive yourself, also."

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How Grannies Are Saving Spain From a Heat Wave

How to Clear Out Your Parents' House

House Tour: Inside The Restored Grey Gardens  (Warning: lots of colorful rooms here! I love them, but your tastes may vary. heh.)

Five Tips for Helping Your Baby Boomer Parents Declutter

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Life around Hobbit Cottage This Week:

Poncho's favorite spot:

I bought a new toy for my Prayer Garden--the trellis thing.

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Right?   シ

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

June This And That

1.) Man, I keep forgetting to ask if you saw the videos from the 50th Reunion of the Little House on the Prairie tv show in Simi Valley. So did you?  ヅ

During that March weekend, I watched the videos while attendees uploaded them. Fun stuff which brought back many memories.

A few favorites to get you started are here. And here. And here.

2.) Did you know you can use castor oil as a before bedtime facial moisturizer? This was recommended by Homestead Tessie and I really like the results.

3.) Been meaning to show you one of my oldest binders, one from back in my collage-making days. I like the way this cover page turned out:

4.) I'm rereading An Enemy Called Average and if you're feeling stuck these crazy days? I highly recommend it. Always I find it hard to sit still while reading this book! I want to jump up and be excellent, instead.

You can read this, free, at Open Library.

Speaking of Open Library, whenever I discover 'books with potential' there, I click on the 'currently reading' button. That way they remain on my personal list and I don't forget to later try reading them.

I seriously love Open Library, partly because of my desire for expensive funky, vintage books. There, I can read them, free, sometimes choosing to buy them elsewhere only if it's a book I'll read many times over.

5.) What I've also forgotten? To show you my new dining room curtains and tablecloth. The old curtains were getting on my nerves: too bright, too cheap thin-looking. I still loved the tablecloth my friend, Anne, gave me, but it clashed with the new curtains so now it remains a 'petticoat' (along with another one) beneath the new tablecloth.

Someday I'll share not-so-dark photos of each, but for now, for an idea--

(Got the curtains, free, with credit card reward points.) 

Because I want our main level to declare 'we love Autumn' I've added more harvest gold lately for balance. And love the way things are turning out.

6.) Some movies we've enjoyed lately:

Arthur The King (starts slow, gets better)

The Boys In The Boat (same)

Living (very, very slow, but good)

I Can

And we finished the Chips episodes which, honestly, were comfort tv for me these past 3 months. We're actually now watching a few over again. ('Free' via Prime/Freevee.)

7.) I never tire of stories where you know an angel was involved:

8.) The books I've finished reading so far in June:

A Widow's Walk, Off-Grid to Self-Reliance by Annie Dodds

How To Age Without Getting Old by Joyce Meyer

The Wind Blows Free by Loula Grace Erdman

The Wide Horizon by Loula Grace Erdman

Mystery in Longfellow Square by Mary C. Jane

The Good Land by Loula Grace Erdman

Eat the Cookie .. Buy the Shoes by Joyce Meyer

Just Wait Till You Have Children of Your Own by Erma Bombeck

Come Be My Love by Lavinia R. Davis

(And I'm nearly finished with A Kind of Paradise by Amy Rebecca Tan)

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9.)  If you enjoy dollhouses and dioramas you may love this as much as I did!

Here's a Minnesota couple who are choosing a different style of retirement. Interesting!

Embracing a New Definintion of Luxury

If you love antiques in old houses you'll probably appreciate this tour of the Gertrude Smith House.

10.) Truth!

Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.

---1 Corinthians 15:58.

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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

But What's Going Right?

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words... Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."   --- Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 4:23

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So then came the time Tom fell in the kitchen.

I stepped inside from the front porch and Tom said he fell over Poncho, but not on him. "He freaked out and ran here, there, then upstairs. I think maybe I traumatized him." Sadly, he shook his head. You know, like he'd ruined our new cat.

"No! Don't speak that out loud," I stated. "You know our words are important." (He apologized, then took back the words.)

I said, "I'll go upstairs and give Poncho some treats. He's the kind of cat who forgives us everything if we just throw some treats at him."

And although, at first, Poncho nervously (after a silent moment) peaked out from beneath the guest bed, I tossed treats to him and he became all excited. He ate the treats and returned to his same ol' goofy self still to this day.

Anyway, since the trauma I experienced last March (with unfairly losing Charlie Cat) I've had to retrain my brain to guard my words, heart and thoughts.

Oh Honey, they went over to the dark side after that tragedy and wow. All the complain-y thoughts within my head and mouth!

But I've had to remind myself of the danger of semi-constantly complaining. It can morph into this:

"If allowed to loop within the brain continually, harmful behaviors such as complaining will inevitably alter thought processes. Altered thoughts lead to altered beliefs, leading to a behavior change.

Additionally, our brain possesses something called the negativity bias. In simple terms, negativity bias is the brain’s tendency to focus more on adverse circumstances than positive." (For more, go here.)

It actually can become difficult to think of the positive of one's life if we don't stop the complaining soon enough. And who wants a negative mind?

So I'm working extra hard on becoming who I once was. 

Mornings, I read from lots of positive, you-can-do-this books. 

I'm reminding myself to stay decisive (yesterday we watched the new Godzilla movie and boy, did the main character ever need that advice!)  シ

I watch videos with cheerful, making-a-difference folks.

I nudge myself to remain proactive, creative and open to ideas for making our home (and life) more senior-friendly.

I remind myself to eat my vegetables and take my vitamins.

And I get out in the sun and walk around our yard/gardens (or down to the Little Free Library) and call it exercise. heh.

And more, but you get it.

The worst thing we can do? Feel all guilty about having slipped backward. No self-condemned, guilt-ridden person ever got healed while they clung to all that junk.

Let. It. Go.

Oh, how Almighty God wants to heal each of us! And fortunately He's got outlined plans for that in His Word. What remains is for us to look it all up, then do it.

His way.

(Yikes! And it's kinda like a type of 'destroying angel' still comes along and wrecks our mind when we take up the habit of complaining. Something positive does seem to die within us.)

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world..."   Philippains 2:14.15

Gratitude. It's reminding ourselves of what's gone right. Of what is lovely in our life.

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Wow! What a luxurious tiny house and ok, expensive. But she had the best customizing ideas, ever. So there's that. (Loved the secret bedroom. Maybe that's what I'll start calling mine!)

Aww, this lady is so sweet, dreamy and lovely in her single wide mobile home. Kinda mesmerizing, this video.

How One Woman Saved 10,000 Jewish Children. Oh my! How had I never heard of her before?

Probably the most helpful of flower gardening advice I'd ever come across:  How To Grow a "No-Work" Flower Garden. Appreciated this much.

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A favorite 'summertime verse'!

Oh the humidity!  ッ

"We should war against the spirit of sadness,depression & fear with a genuine spirit of celebrating what God has done for us." -Joyce Meyer

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

 *** 

 "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