Joyfull Living

 This week, on my day off from work, the weather was picture perfect! Spring is in the air and as I did my errands, I made a stop at the Lowe's garden shop. They had beautiful flowers in abundance, so much time was spent soaking in all the beauty and deciding which ones were going home with me.  While checking out at the cash register with my cart full of flower buddies, a lady came behind me looking for a shopping cart. There was not one close by, so she decided to follow me out to my car and take my cart. (sounds kinda creepy, but that is just how fellow gardeners roll)!  As I checked out and walked with her in the parking lot, my mind was on the next stop and getting home to spend time planting the flowers. After a short distance, she exclaimed "Boy, those short legs move really fast!" . I naturally walk fast and with my mind racing ahead to the next thing on the agenda, I didn't pay attention to her trying to keep up.  After her comment, I slowed down and tried ...

  The sense of smell has to be my favorite of all the senses. I jokingly share I am in scent overdrive because growing up as a child, my mother was severly allergic to fragrances and our family had a strict no scent lifestyle. EVERYTHNG we purchased and used was labeled "unscented' - what a sad and lonely word! Memories of passing people in the store with a lingering fragrance still make me smile.  When I got married and had my own home, scents became my love language. I wanted to smell good and wanted an aroma all through my home, laundry, car etc. Candles, plug ins, fabric softener are frequently used and the stronger fragrance is always chosen.  There is even a Bible verse that speaks of the beauty of an aroma -  II Corinthians 2:15  "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life." But everyone takes scent differently. ...

For Five Minute Friday the word prompt is "Sunrise" .  This is my favorite time of the day and I've written numerous posts on the wonder and beauty of this daily gift from God. This post immediately came to mind to share for today's FMF. I can still feel the anticipation of catching sunrise at the beach!  August - 2016 Although the beach is always beautiful, my favorite time of the day there is sunrise. To see the sun breaking over the ocean is truly a sight to behold.  On a recent beach trip, we spent 3 mornings going for an early morning walk on the beach. On the first morning, the sun was already up in the sky.  It was pretty, but we decided to go a little earlier the next morning to try and catch a better view of the rising sun. On Day 2 the sun wasn't too high, but had already broken.  It was beautiful and peaceful to see, but we knew there was a moment of the morning that we were missing.  Day 3, we hit it just right.  As we walked to t...

I have a sister in law who can fix anything. Give her a home improvement project and she dives in headfirst and stays with it through completion. No detours or roadblocks stop her, she keeps at it until it is finished.  I married into a family of 4 boys who are all self sufficient and able to perform household repairs independently. The family I was raised in always called someone in to do any home projects. Do it yourself projects were foreign to me when I got married, but the value of being able to fix things quickly became clear.  I am the opposite of my sister in law. Home projects or repairs terrify me. Identifying and problem solving are just too overwhelming, take too much time and effort. Now, people fixing - that is a different story and  is something I can get into!  With people, a problem area or character flaw can be quickly identified and often, I have a remedy ready! When situations are shared, my mind can quickly find a solution that would help fix the...

 I could be called an avid walker. Walking to me is more than exercise, it is life! It is joining my heart with nature, moving my body, seeing the glory of God's creation all around me, clearing my mind and reducing stress. Mornings are my favorite time of the day to walk, besides the freshness and newness of the day, it is the window of free time before work and daily tasks.  My walking route and time are consistent each day and so is my neighbor "D". She rides her bicycle each morning faithfully. We pass each other on the road most mornings, regardless of weather, we see one another and know that faithfulness and love of our activity is what drives us.  'D' and I occasionally take time to stop and chat, but usually it's a smile and 'hello'. As she passes by she always says  'you have a blessed day, baby'.  And I smile every time!  Last year, our family took a long vacation. I told "D" we would be gone so she wouldn't...

  As much as I love New Year's Day and the exhilaration of a fresh new year, the month of January can also be pretty special. As the weeks go by this month, goals pop up in the mind and if we are serious about making a change, the goal goes to paper. But, if the goal or change is to stick, it must be practiced and developed.  As many shared the feeling of being happy to see 2020 leave, I've taken a pause to look at it from the other side. Through the year, a lesson was learned that there is really not much under our own control. The things I loved and faithfully practiced were simply wiped away. Church meetings, my job, relationships, hospitality, even the health I make a priority couldn't stand up to the challenges of the year.   Looking at several months of 2020, grief, sickness, loss, fear, chaos and politics were constantly in front of us. It was through faith that while our world seemed to be falling apart, we trusted that God was still in control. The circumsta...

Hello Friday and the completion of the first full week of 2021! This post is a writing exercise for Five Minute Friday - an opportunity to receive a writing word prompt and write for 5 minutes your thoughts. Today's word is TIME.  TIME is such an appropriate word as we begin a New Year. There is something about a New Year or a fresh start that opens up an opportunity for change. One of the greatest challenges many people face is with TIME - we struggle with how much we time we have in a day, how to best use that time and how to make the most of it. We are allotted the same amount - 24 hours, but our circumstances and season of life determine the challenges of using time wisely.  One of my favorite New Year's Bible verses is Ephesians 5:15-16 - " See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,  redeeming the time, because the days are evil." This verse always seems to bring clarity to the importance of time and how to be purposeful in using it to th...