Bloganuary 2024: Jan. 16

Where can you reduce clutter in your life?

Hoo boy. Well, I’ve already reduced my fabric and yarn stash by vast amounts, so there’s that.

My closet is better as I’ve dropped about 40 pounds and given away four huge bags of clothing that I WILL NOT EVER need again!

A lot of the clutter I deal with belongs to my seriously ADD husband, who has a very hard time throwing away paper. Drives me bonkers. Good thing I love him. And I suspect that at some point I’m going to miss his clutter. So I shut up and put up, and sometimes he goes a little nuts and throws something away.

Rarely. :)

Bloganuary 2024; Jan. 11

The prompt: What snack would you eat right now?

The response: Anything chocolate and/or salty. Or chocolate ice cream. Well, almost any ice cream.

And that’s all, folks.

Bloganuary: Jan. 10

Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?

There were several things I treasured as a girl. The last doll I received, which came with several pieces of clothing that my Aunt Katy made just for her. A dresser set that came with “jewels” that I glued into little designs. A book of paper dolls; the book opened out into four rooms for my paper doll family.

One thig I truly loved and wore a lot was a gift from a friend of my mother’s on my 10th birthday. It was a ruby, for my birthday month, on a gold chain that also held a small square that had my name engraved on it. It was the first piece of jewelry I’d ever received, and I felt so grown up when I wore it. 

I have no idea what happened to it. I suspect it was lost during one of our many moves. It was long ago, and I rarely think of it now. It’s been fun, though, to remember it tonight 🙂

Bloganuary 2024: Jan. 9

What is your mission?

First thought: Micah 6:8. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

I’ve lived 76 years on this earth. If I live 76 more (no, Lord, please!), my mission would be the same. To behave in a just and fair manner; to love God’s mercy and to love showing mercy to others; and to walk humbly with my God.  

Bloganuary 2024: Jan 7

What could you do differently?

_________________

Differently from what? This is a non-specific question that I find very difficult to answer.

Surely we all look back on our lives, especially those of us who have lived a long time, and perhaps wish we had done something differently, better, somehow. But as I look around me, consider all that I’ve done, places I’ve been, things I have–no, I’m fine, thanks.

I really don’t think I’d change much at all.

Bloganuary 2024: Jan.6

If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?

Simple: ”Be ye kind one to another!” Ephesians 4:32,

Bloganuary Jan. 5, 2024

Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?

I really don’t know. One might think, since I am 76, that I would spend a lot of time thinking about the past. I do have memories. Most are very good; some are not.

I have enough going on in my life that I have no need to just sit and ruminate on the past. I keep up on current events; I’m taking piano lessons; right now I’m knitting for my grandkids; I make sleeping mats from plastic bags for the homeless; I’m involved with people at church, and have lunch dates now and then with friends. I’m as busy as I want to be.

And I read a lot. The past is a great thing to remember, but I do not choose to live in my past. I’m perfectly content in my present 🙂

Bloganuary Jan. 3, 2024

What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

There is very little that I need. I’m 76, and if I truly need it, I probably already have it.

In thinking about this, I realize that the most precious things that are given to me these days involve time and conversation.

Our church sponsors a co-op for homeschoolers. It meets twice each month. I was privileged to teach for eight years, covering subjects in both English and history. I love it when the older students are home from college and take the time to come and talk with me, sharing their hopes and plans. It is so important to me to stay in touch with young people, who renew my energy and give me something to look forward to every week when I see them in church.

This past Sunday, there were two young people who don’t ordinarily attend my church, but they had come to visit and catch up with friends. I loved spending time with them. One young man was never in my classes, but he’s a gifted pianist and we share a love of music and of playing the piano. Those moments are gifts to me that I treasure.

I have a grandson in his early 20s who calls every now and then just to stay in touch, and we often have some rather deep conversations. I love knowing how young people today are thinking. Sometimes their observations are quite different from my own, and that’s a good thing–well, most of the time :) 

Of course there are other friends, people of all ages, that I love catching up with. A quick hug, words of encouragement, just a glance across a crowded room that says “I’m thinking about you.” These are gifts of the heart and spirit, and they are meaningful to me.

Bloganuary: Jan. 1, Playtime

Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?

I play. . . . .my piano!

Sometimes, I play Mexican Train!

I read a lot.

I wish I could still do physical things I used to do, but my youthful energy is all played out. Roller skating, swimming, baseball, jump rope, hula hoop, hide and seek, and endless other activities that occupied long summer days, and indoor games for the winter as well as all the fun we had playing in the snow.

But–life changes, and bodies change with age. And that’s okay. I have a storehouse of wonderful memories, and I wouldn’t change a thing.