Yikes! When Debra Got Convicted In A Comment Box.

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."   ... Colossians 4:6


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Last week while reading a Yahoo article regarding President Trump's declaration that we recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capitol, I became miffed that, in the midst of such a historic time, the writer concentrated on the President's vocal delivery of the speech, hinting at possible health/sanity problems.

Then I read the comments (big mistake), felt horribly annoyed that people could be so mean to those with whom they disagree--and said so.

Uh-oh. One person then replied I had no room to talk because, months ago (when you click on a person's name, all their previous comments pop up) I'd said, "Snowflakes! Snowflakes are falling everywhere."

Now at first I thought, "Good grief. There's a huge difference between that and the cruel, mocking, degrading statements people are making this morning."

But then, clicking on my name, I read the ten comments I'd written over the years while feeling that, hey, I deserve to let off a bit of political steam somewhere-- and uh-oh. Five of my responses, though super-tame by comparison, still sounded sarcastic and snarky. Oh, bad, bad tone.

Wow. I even thought, "Who was that woman?" Because, really? She's not me now. Now Debra wouldn't make those same comments. 

So I repented to God, first, then deleted any comment which even hinted at not caring that people were hurting over things not currently hurting me. 

And oh, it was Conviction City around here. What I want now--more than to let off steam--is to be part of the solution, not the problem. 

Tons of folks are shooting-off harsh words, hitting, harming others. Yet only a fraction seek to be led by compassion and speak the truth in love as Jesus would.

Which means more than just 'toning down' my comments, believing they're ok with God because, hey! They're not even in the same time zone as mean. Nope, that's too much like this --


"Comparing themselves amongst themselves, they are not wise."  ... 2 Corinthians 10:12 


Oh, some of my readers may think, "But it's not fair to hold back what we really feel!" Yet, actually? It's not about holding in what we feel, rather, it's more about letting go of what doesn't please God. Of giving Him more room within us so He can, through us, love and understand others better. 

It's about growing, changing and dying to the sarcasm and snarkiness temptations.

After all --


"It's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives within me."    ... Galations 2:20


Yes, even in a 2017 world where opinions fly as freely as birds, everywhere.

"For by your words you will be justified and by your words you'll be condemned."   ... Matthew 12:37


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And on a rather similar note, here's a quote from Cheryl Strayed, which she made here, shortly after the release of Gilmore Girls--A Year In the Life :

 “This is such a beautiful, painful part of life,” she said. “Sometimes it takes even more strength to remember the love and the kindness and the generosity that we’ve received from people than it is to remember how they hurt us, or how they didn’t live up to our hopes and expectations. To admit to their gentleness or their beauty is more painful, I think. It’s not about fighting, it’s about accepting. It’s about saying, ‘Okay, I can see the whole you and I’m not going to fight you anymore. I’m going to accept you.’”

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December This and That (And Some Shopping Stuff)

1.) Sometimes I miss the ol' hometown where I finished high school, met Tom, and where we began our little family, the town from whose obituaries I occasionally share lines with you.

So recently, at Ebay, I found a postcard from Chester, CA and now display it within our hutch --

What a delight to walk past this and remember those younger-us days.


2.) Oh! It's that rare time of year when Dollar Tree, for 72 hours only, offers a flat shipping rate of $4.95 for your entire order. Normally, you must pay, like, $7+ shipping on every single case you buy(!), so this, folks, is special.  😏 Check it out here (offer ends 12/8 at 11:59 p.m.).


3.)  Two fun things to watch:

The Carol Burnett 50th Anniversary Special.  (During my lone college year I got to watch a dress rehearsal of her show. Such a terrific memory!) You can actually watch this anniversary show online right this minute. Go here.

The Psych Movie. This was a favorite tv series of our family and they're returning on Thursday for a reunion movie. Should be fun.

Oh! Want to watch it online? Go here.


4.) Here's a great idea for renters or others who'd like a new backsplash, but not pay a high price in cash/construction messes/patience -- White Subway Tile Temporary Backsplash. Pretty cool!


5.)  Look what I found at Etsy --

Fits my kinda-sorta-French bathroom perfectly. (Doesn't it feel great when you stop procrastinating and just make the improvements you've considered for years?)


6.)  Now here's something you don't see everyday(!)


7.)  Sometimes I think, "Wouldn't it be pleasant to have prints made of my favorite digital photos that I've taken? (Our printer, being a headache, is evil and I avoid it.)

Well, finally I got serious. Monday I visited various places online that will mail photo prints to you, but good grief! Complication City.

Sorely tempted to give up, a tiny voice said, "Try Walmart." For goodness sake! Clicked over there and easey-peasey. Yet one more thing to add to my What Took You So Long? list. Sheesh.  (And we're not talking wedding photos here, so I'm not expecting perfection. Just some prints to hold in my hands and to send to my mom, as well.)


8.) The strangest thing happened! While signing up for a free month at Hulu, my Ebates button popped up, saying, "Save up to $25." So while thinking that didn't even apply in this case, I clicked the button anyway.

Hours later I received a typical 'cash back update email' from Ebates and whoa! They said I'd earned $15 because of signing up with Hulu. And here I'd planned to cancel and pay nothing(!)

But anyway, of course now I feel guilty. In fact, if I were the boss at Ebates, I'd march over and snatch that $15 away from me, pronto.  😊 But hey, Hulu does have some great tv series. Hmmm. Perhaps I'll stay awhile longer, especially since, technically, it'd be free.

(Oh, and the reason I signed-up? Bronson Pinchot (at Facebook) said Hulu has all seasons of Perfect Strangers.  Hooray!)

9.  Had another gorgeous sunrise this week --

Can you believe God's creativity?

10.) And lastly, how do I spend my credit card rewards cash? On votives for our fireplace each Winter. 

Just looking at those flickering flames in the sundae glasses warms me till Springtime. 😉 



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Just Can't Title This One

" ... but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers."   ... Psalm 1:2,3

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When, inside my heart, I'm relying upon God and thinking about Him like this--

-- or this --

... the cool thing is that, on the outside, I don't become like this --

And there, in pictures, is our lesson for the day.  😉

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"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."   ... Isaiah 26:3



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So last week I finished reading that book I mentioned--

... and oh. My. Goodness. Ever since, I've not stopped feeling extreme gratitude for the life I have (the one I sometimes complain about).

Wow. If, lately, thankfulness has felt hazy and elusive for you, I seriously recommend this book. Dare I say it's haunting and will not leave you the same person?

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Speaking of things I cannot shake .... My buddy, Dolores, shared this photo with me--

--and I can't stop staring at it. I've one small corner upstairs that needs major help and I'm thinking these colors and ideas just may be the answer. Stay tuned.

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Oh! And last week Naomi won 2 free tickets to our local Bills vs. Patriots football game and as an early Christmas gift, she took Tom this past Sunday. They had the best time (Naomi is such a Daddy's girl), especially since Tom's favorite team is the Patriots and they won!  😊

And like I said at Facebook --

(And for anyone thinking, "Aww, poor ol' Debra couldn't go," puh-lease... I would have sat there for hours and whined things like, "It's soo cold. I hate football. Is it time to go yet? For Pete's sake, can't we leave early?" Seriously.)

Oh, we must know ourselves! Our strengths, our weaknesses, our likes, our dislikes. Being true to the way God made us just might save others from having to put up with our out-of-sync, no-Grace crabbiness. 

As I always say-- learn to recognize Grace, then follow her close!

"On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me."   ... 1 Corinthians 15:10

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