Of Mental Health and Fix-My-Foot Days

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."  ... James 1:17

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No blog posts in 8 days? Probably because I'm taking 'mental health days' (avoiding much of the world) and the most exciting thing I've done is sit upon the red couch and aim my camera at Autumn light while it glides through our windows and circles my room.

My poor ol' foot is healing since I determined to keep it inside a shoe ("Help me! I'm claustrophobic!" it cries, but I must ignore it), so we rest and read, my foot and I, and watch dearly appreciated Castle dvd's and Autumn's shadows.

Like Emily said, there's just something about that 'autumn slant of light.'

'Round here, Autumn finally feels right. This year she broke heat records (since the 1880's!) and wow, that certainly felt wrong. But now? She's back to normal--cold, windy and sunny.

And when I'm not on the red couch, I'm at this computer ordering food and supplies not already upon our shelves. I'm hoping to give the delivery guys a Winter break so they'll not so often climb our snowy steps.

Oh, and after one full year of mentally swirling this around (and skipping 20 blog posts about it), I've nearly accepted that our small, meant-to-be-temporary house just may turn into a rest-of-our-lives one. Yep, almost there contentment-wise and oh dear. It's not been a picnic, certainly. Yet God and Grace have majorly encouraged this never-ending-decorator-at-heart that all will be well.

So I'm choosing to believe that. Choosing contentment rather than wishing, also.

 Anyway, that's where I've been. Soaking in contentment and that golden, mysterious Autumn light sent down from the Father of the best Light of all.

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A very, very cool thing? For months I'd wanted a pen and ink drawing just the size of the one above and guess what? This one appeared--surprise!--as a bookmark in a book I ordered. Wow, gave me goosebumps. Can you say, "God loves to make us smile?"

Oh, and see these?

Sally and Sue from across the street said I could take whatever cookbooks I wanted from boxes they were giving away. Of course, I snatched the older cookbooks, those being my favorites.

More presents! 


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Oh! Nearly forgot to share this old timey photo in remembrance of Halloween --

Can't you just imagine the smiles behind the masks?


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Everywhere, Teachers.

So I'd wanted to read a book by a celebrity from a favorite tv series. Being a cheapskate I, for months, watched the price go down then aha! Finally thought, "Why not listen to this book for free via Audible's invitation for a trial membership?" 

That 'free' word. Sends good shivers down my spine.  😉

Now, I enjoyed listening to Miss Celebrity's thoughts about her years on the tv series, yes! But the remainder felt, well, empty. Depth-less. So I stopped listening, but began praying for her again (I've often prayed for this entire series' cast).

Well, Audible said I had one more free credit so I asked at Facebook for friends' recommendations and received good ones I'll definitely read someday. But then I went on my own search and found something I so neeeeded. This --

Wow. In A Million Little Ways: Uncover The Art You Were Made to Live, Emily Freeman's reminding me of the need to stay inspired, creative, rather than all at-this-advanced-age-I've-been-there-done-that-already-oh-hum-ish.

Which, yes, the closer 60 looms, the more I've felt. ("Danger, Will Robinson!") 

Promise me you'll stay far from Oh Hum, ok?

Anyway, on yesterday's gorgeous autumnal afternoon, I listened to Emily's words like these--


“I don't believe there is one great thing I was made to do in this world. I believe there is one great God I was made to glorify. And there will be many ways, even a million little ways, I will declare his glory with my life.” 



-- and came away uplifted, grateful and reminded of why I mustn't let creativity slide into the What/How I Used To Be Column.

Here's Emily's blog. And you'll enjoy her podcasts here.


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Then this morning--oh! I discovered that Audible lets you trade-in audio books you didn't enjoy. Very cool. So I sent back the celebrity book, my free credit was restored, and I used it for this --

My, my, my. Another gift from God, one with similar threads as Emily's book, but told in Chrystal's unique style. Unique: aren't you thankful that God created uniqueness so not all writers/artists/musicians (etc.) write/paint/sound the same?

Here is Chrystal's blog.

You remember these verses, right? --

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live ... to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."   ... Titus 2:3-5



But you know? Both Emily and Chrystal are younger than me. Yet sometimes it's equally important that we older women listen to the younger ones because--if we'll hear with our hearts--we might remember forgotten things:

-- how it felt to face a brand new decade full of possibilities.
-- the anticipation of unknown adventures and dreams ahead.
-- bright possibilities for change, joy and answered prayer.
-- the fresh newness, the realness, of a God who passionately loves us.
-- and more. 

It's also like this --

The humble anticipate their days ahead with God rather than let an old-age cynicism creep in. They widen their narrow worlds. And if it takes women younger than us to shake away the cobwebs of a wandered-into drabness? So be it. 

God gives you and me stories to tell--and--may we welcome all storytellers He sends our way, no matter what their age or where their stories took them.

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At Amazon it's easy to sign up for the free one-month Audiobook/Audible trial. Just find a book you want, then click on the Audiobook box below the title. They'll take you from there.


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Yesterday at dusk, with Emily's words still floating inside my head, I walked upstairs, sat at the window and soaked in the Autumn evening --

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Finding a Way. Again.

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content."  ... Philippians 4:11


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Even as a little girl I loved marble. Eons later I still do.

Now, do I have marble counter tops or even ones which look like marble? Uh, no. Certain things just don't seem to be able to happen 'round here--and that is one of them.

Remember that post where I suggested rather than complaining about what you can't do, just do what you can? Well, once again I heeded my own advice. From Ebay for a good price, I (finally) bought a marble pastry board--

Ooooo. I loved it so much that, immediately, I stepped here to the computer and ordered another one. It arrived yesterday afternoon --

Now of course, they're not the same as whole new counter tops and yet? They still delight my eyes and senses: the sound of Fiestware as it's placed upon the marble. The juxtaposition of ceramic or glass upon it. The warm glow of a lamp upon a cool stone surface.

You know. 

And I'm not even planning on actually using them for pastry or slicing vegetables. Nah, I just enjoy staring at them. And feeling happy.

At this moment, I don't need a whole, long hunk of marble to make me any happier than I am already.

(And somewhere, there's a lesson mixed up in all that.)




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Tom, being male and all, enjoys describing his aches and pains. Me? Not so much. 

Like, I've not even told you that for two months I've had a bit of plantar fasciitis. For the blissfully ignorant of such things, that's where the bottom of your heel hurts when you walk upon it.

Now, it's not been a bad case (and oh, people out there have much worse problems). I've read about what helps and given my foot lots of rest and become adept at walking on tip-toe with barely a limp. Yet twice I took walks when I thought it had healed, but alas, no, it hadn't. Ouch.

But hey, it's not been a big deal and not too painful--just mostly annoying.

So why even mention it? Because of this, I've still not visited that new coffee shop around the corner. The one I declared I'd walk to the minute they opened, the one which God granted me as a reprieve for never stepping into the one which closed.

And uh-oh. I've been nervous that--after 6 weeks of being opened--they'll shut-down before I get there. (Tsk. Tsk. Oh Debra of Little Faith.)

Maybe I'll do Plan B. Instead of walking there, perhaps I'll have Tom drive me and we'll go inside together. He did sweetly volunteer earlier for that, but I told him he'd had his chance with the last place--twice I'd hinted I'd like us to go, but he just nodded and kept on driving. So this time I said, "No, I'll go by myself so I can be sure I get there."

Hmmm. Ol' Debra might just have to eat some crow with her donut while she and Tom sit at a table in that shop. If they do actually make it this time.

Stay tuned.




(The lesson here is pretty clear--always keep your options open and don't go burning any bridges you may want to someday cross.)  😉

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