Let's Find A Deal

 The weather has been so hot lately, it's not comfortable to be outside in the middle of the day. On a whim, I called up a friend and asked it she wanted to make a (air conditioned) run to Value Village. I had a short list of several kitchen items I was looking for. She was game. 

Before we headed there, we stopped at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Surprise! They had an 80% off sale on the Sage brand. And there right smack dab in the middle of the aisle was a 16 pce set of Sage dishes. Since I was planning to look for mugs at Value Village, and to replace some camping plates, I decided to purchase this. $1.60 per item! That's cheaper than VV! And I liked the pattern and color. So, why not? Serendipity!

I'm not surprised I got a better deal at BB&B than at VV.   I am usually reluctant to shop at Value Village, as prices have risen a lot in the last few years. On used merchandise and clothing! They are charging at least $5 for a paperback book, and often I see T-shirts that cost more than what I'd pay at a regular department store.  Nope, I won't do that when I can go to another independent thrift store and get real deals.

If VV was a non-profit, I wouldn't hesitate as much. But they are a for profit business. So, there's that. 

But, sometimes it's worth it. And, there's always the 20% off coupon you receive if you donate items. Today, however, I completely overlooked the box of items I had sitting at home for this very purpose, as I was rushing out the door, so I had to pay full price. 

But I did find several items for cheap enough, and so did my girlfriend. Honestly, though, it was more about getting out together for a catch up chat, so the deals were a bonus! 

Are you a bargain hunter? 

Photo by Becca McHaffie on Unsplash

F is for Friends

What is the definition of a friend? Essentially, it's someone who enjoys your company. Usually, if they like being with you, they are kind to you  and treat you well. They accept you for who you are. Of course, it's as important to BE a good friend as to have one.

 Little Enzo the Chi is happiest when he's physically close to his people. His big eyes often look up at me and I stroke his fur. He sighs audibly and deeply and settles down into his blanket.  He is definitely our little fur baby!

I recently enjoyed reading The Grace of Dogs: A Boy, A Black Lab, and a Father's Search for the Canine Soul by Andrew Root. In it, Root mentioned that studies have shown that dogs prefer being with people rather than with their own kind, which is unusual in the animal world.  As well, they are one of the few animals that constantly make eye contact with humans. They crave the connection with their human friends. We all know stories of friendship between humans and animals. There is definitely a special bond there.

A life lived well includes being a good friend as well as having them.

~help~

Day 22 Help 

It's not easy to get by without a little help from friends. In a world where independence is almost considered a virtue, it can be difficult to ask for help.

How many times in the last few days have you  needed help? 

I know I’m going to ask for help with my computer once I’m done blogging. Apparently my music app Spotify says it's ‘offline’ and I can’t get it to play, even though I AM online! 

 I’ve also asked for help with getting my phone to work last night. It seemed stuck in ‘headphones’ mode and I couldn’t hear anything unless it was hooked up to Bluetooth or to my earbuds. 

The other day I used google to figure out how to slide open the rear window in my husband’s truck. We had purchased some long pieces of lumber and wanted to slide them part way into the cab. The truck is new to us, and we hadn’t used the electronic rear window  slide before. 

 I gave my daughter in law some help the other day when I offered to take my grandson for a little excursion to the park for a few hours. I didn’t complain about that at all! 

My girlfriend asked for help the other day when she needed a ride into town. And then she helped me later by hauling some furniture for me. 

Most days I feel surrounded by people who are willing to help out. We take care of each other. We all need help now and then. 

Sometimes it’s hard to ask for help,  though.  “Do you need some help?” are sometimes the most welcome words to hear. I read an excellent book recently called Option B by Sheryl Sandberg, about how to survive when life throws huge curveballs and the life you thought you had goes up in smoke. One suggestion that really stuck out for me was to be specific when helping a needy friend out. Instead of saying "Let me know if you need anything", tell what you will do and do it. It eliminates the suffering person having to expend more energy to contact someone and ask for help. She probably won't. Sometimes life is just too overwhelming to do that. 

Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed by all the needs I see in the world. Do you?

Sometimes that leads to my prayers becoming very simple: "Help!"

I’ve  joined the 31 Days of Five Minute Freewrites. Read more about it here.

~Story~

I've decided to join the '31 days of Five Minute Freewrites' . With a given topic, I hope to write every single day during the month of October.  No overthinking, just set the timer and write for 5 minutes. We'll see how this goes, and if I actually am able to complete this challenge. I haven't done a writing challenge in a long time! But, the way I look at it, some writing is better than no writing. So, here goes! 

This is also my landing page. Please scroll to the end of this post  for all of my submissions for this challenge, as they go live. 

Day 1: Story

Your life tells a story. My life tells a story. Have you ever thought of what sort of story your life is telling? The other day I was browsing through our local free paper. Sometimes I enjoy scanning the obituaries. I don’t live in a huge city, so occasionally  I read about people I know who have passed away. Such was this past week. What I didn’t expect to see was someone younger than myself, a woman I had met years ago when we attended the same church. She was one of those people that made your life richer for having known her. This woman exuded joy wherever she went. She had a vibrant personality and her faith shone through in everything she did. She also suffered from a disease for many years, but this didn’t stop her at all. In fact, she was the friend who had invited me to her home to watch a video documentary over 30 years ago, the one I had mentioned in my previous post.  Her life certainly told a story. And it changed mine. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Click each link below after it goes live to read the post

{Day 2 :: Afraid}

{Day 3 :: Believe}

{Day 4 :: Why}

FMF Link-up {Day 5}  Share

{Day 6 :: Belong}

{Day 7 :: Hope}

{Day 8 :: Comfort}

{Day 9 :: Inspire}

{Day 10 :: How}

{Day 11 :: Door}

FMF Link-up {Day 12}

{Day 13 :: Talk}

{Day 14 :: Ask}

{Day 15 :: When}

{Day 16 :: Pray}

{Day 17 :: Pause}

{Day 18 :: Search}

FMF Link-up {Day 19}

{Day 20 :: Audience}

{Day 21 :: Start}

{Day 22: Help}

{Day 23 :: Common}

{Day 24 :: Brief}

{Day 25 :: Capture}

FMF Link-up {Day 26}

{Day 27 :: Whole}

{Day 28 :: Song}

{Day 29 :: Together}

{Day 30 :: Voice}

{Day 31 :: Close}

The Gift I See in You

The gift I see in you is....

your vulnerability, your 'this is who I am' honesty

your faith and positive outlook

your courage and tenacity

your gentle spirit

your infectious smile

your devotion to your faith, no matter what

your sense of humor

your individuality

your deep thoughts

your sensitivity

your care for others who are needy

the way you grab onto life and experience it

your calm and gentle voice

your willingness to try new things

your encouragement, continually

your amazing energy

your quiet disposition which has such a calming effect

the way you give of your time to others

your words of encouragement and honesty

your gentleness and care towards others

your hugs that say "I am so glad to see you"

your wacky sense of humour

your ability to make me laugh

your willingness to engage in difficult conversations

your unconditional acceptance of others

your simple, sweet hospitality

your wisdom and the way you share it in your writing

your friendship and care towards others

your willingness to forgive and continue on

your amazing artistry and your humility combined

your commitment to what's important

your courage to keep going when life is hard and scary

your celebration of the gift of life

how you share what you have with others

your attitude towards learning and growing

your attitude of gratitude

your tender, compassionate heart

your honest words, unfiltered

your tears

your imagination

your willingness to share the gift of who you are


I am thankful for my friends and family! Because of who you are, I have learned more about myself and I am inspired to continue becoming more fully who I was created to be.

For we are God's masterpiece (work of art). He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

Do you see yourself as a gift?

Target Practice

Yesterday my husband and I played disc golf for the first time. I'm not sure why we haven't tried out that sport sooner, because it sure was a lot of fun!

Enzo guarding the discs. Note how obscured the targets are..they are in there somewhere!

Preparing to throw. Note the heavenly rays of blessing streaming down ;)  

Enjoying the surprises along the way -
a carving of a bear, a beehive, and an eagle, from a tree stump

The big picture

Stopping to enjoy the view

 At first it took us some time to determine where each target was located. A lot of trees and brush obscured our vision at times. If we didn't keep a good eye on where our discs landed, we could have easily lost them. It took us a lot more throws than the 'par' suggested. And it probably took us more time than we figured it would.  But, ultimately, we did find each disc and we hit every one of our targets, with persistence, dialogue, and the help of  a few friendly young disc golfers who were happy to share technique and point us in the right direction.  

Our adventures in life are a little like disc golfing, don't you think? It's not a solo adventure and sometimes it seems we might be way off course. But with our goals on the prize, and with a healthy community around us who can walk with us and point us in the right direction, we are able to succeed. It just might sometimes take longer than we had initially anticipated! And it can be frustrating, especially when we compare ourselves to others or we only see the mistakes we seem to be making. 

Let us trust the One who has set the course and walks with us each step of the way. He is faithful to finish the work He has begun in us. 

God is with us all the way, and cheering us on.  

Moving Right Along and Slowing Down

Summer does that. It just keeps moving along and before we know it, the lazy days of summer are a thing of the past. I've read a few posts recently about looking forward to the end of summer and back to school thoughts. Please, for the love of blue skies and flip flops, let's not hurry summer! It will do that all on its own. It's not even the end of July yet!!

A week or so ago, we returned from our annual July family campout. This year there were about 26 of us, a mix of siblings, nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends. It promised to be a great time.

Roger's Pass, enroute to the Kootenays

We arrived at our campsite later in the day, unloaded our goods, set up the tarp, and  prepared our sleeping quarters (tent and airbed this year, as Leroy our VW was on loan to another family member). Later on,  feeling a little chill in the air, we anticipated a warm, cozy night's sleep. At bedtime, we entered the tent, and settled on the blanket covered airbed, only to discover it was half deflated. After a few exasperated comments such as "I can't believe this" and "It was fine the last time we used it", we did what those of us who sometimes don't want to face problems do - we pretended it was a very, very slow leak which would get us through till morning. Wishful thinking. In less than five minutes, our bodies were resting on the cold, hard ground. So, we made a plan. He would sleep on the driver's seat of the truck until his stiff body could stand it no longer. I stayed in the tent and stuffed as many blankets under me as I could and attempted to sleep. I felt every sharp stone. About 5 a.m., after laying awake most of the night, I pulled my  beach chair into the tent, wrapped myself in my sleeping bag, and stuffed myself into the reclined chair,  with little dog snuggled in a blanket on my lap. That bought me two hours of shut-eye. Day Two's plan -- a trip into town to buy a new airbed... and taking a nap later in the day! 

Did I mention that last year, some friends allowed us to use their fifth wheel? All the comforts of home - a fridge/freezer, our own personal WC, running water, and a REAL bed! I, usually a self-proclaimed(somewhat) purist, surprised myself by how much I enjoyed 'camping' this way! So, to all of you People-Of-The-Tent, if you are ever given the opportunity to RV, take it. Just so that you can say you experienced it, of course. 

Several of us  had a discussion one afternoon about why people even bother to camp. Nothing is easy when it comes to camping, especially when tenting! There are no comforts of home, we haul water,  cook outside in the cold, in the heat, in the wet, in the bug-infested outdoors. We struggle to keep our food frozen and veggies cool in the coolers. We wash our dishes in murky water we would have long since drained if we were at home. We sit in chairs that wouldn't satisfy us for long if they were in our living rooms. We share washrooms with strangers, and we drink 'camp' coffee. And we do it all again the next year!

 So, why do we do this? Think of it as a Sabbath from the daily grind.  I think we just need to get away from home sometimes, break the schedule, breathe lots of fresh air, relax, and  really experience the outdoors. Take the time to appreciate and really notice our natural surroundings. Reconnect with those whom we may not see very often. Breathe.

Despite this unwelcome start to our camping trip, our week in the Kootenays was full of good times. We enjoyed our official 'sitting around the campfire' nightly game Mafia, laughter, sharing meals, playing competitive games, hiking, swimming,  and  getting to spend down time with relatives and friends. 

 I am thankful for extended family that enjoys together time. We are quite a mix of personalities, quirks, and life circumstances, which makes for a good pot of family stew! Every year is different! Who knows what flavour it will be next year?

my capable knitting help

my sweet Enzo-loving nephew

the younger set keeps us laughing!

Are you a camper? What do you love or hate about it? 

Oh Joy!

The day has come and gone. Is it Monday night already?!! I now have another wonderful daughter in law! 

In a nutshell, the day was everything I had hoped it would be. Not that there weren't little glitches (there always are), but the joy that was felt, the words of love expressed between my firstborn and his lovely wife, the ceremony, the weather, the venue, the meal,

the laughter, the tears, the in laws, family & friends... well, all of it was spectacular. Simple, lovely, and elegant.

the outdoor chapel in the distance, viewed from our balcony

follow the flower petals... 

just married!!

the first dance

This picture is blurry but I LOVE it!! pure joy! 

Tomorrow!

How to Lose Blog Readers for Dummies

Here's how:
1. Don't publish comments
2. Blog very rarely

As I was catching up on emails, tidying up my inbox, I happened to check my email spam folder (who knows why? I usually never do!) and found a comment for my blog, waiting to be published! That means this particular person (who happens to be a faithful reader of mine) might have thought her comment was not worth publishing! How far from the truth! Everyone who comments on my tiny little blog in the corner of this ginormous blogiverse is valued and worth publishing! Unless, of course, you really ARE a spammer. You know what happens to spammers.. I won't go into details!

So, I went directly to my blog and checked the 'comments awaiting moderation' page. Oh. dear. All this time I have been publishing comments from my phone, but it turns out I have missed a LOT. Well, a LOT for me, means about 20. :)
So, my apologies if you have ever commented on my blog and then noticed I never published your responses.

Which reminds me of a blog I had started following several months ago, and commented on. One of her reply comments was found in my 'awaiting moderation' file today! Earlier this year, I read one of her posts about commenting on blogs and comments not being published and how that didn't feel very affirming (I agree!).  Was that my doing? Oh, I know, small potatoes in the world we live in. But it did make me think. We are an insecure group of people, aren't we? Or maybe it's just me.

Anyway, haven't been blogging much. Life, you know. Busyness. And mood. They say that when you journal, the spaces between your entries are as important as what you write. I think it's the same with blogging. Are you a fair weather blogger? I guess I am. I don't go into too much detail about struggles (I do share that with close friends and those I trust) and for me, that just feels right. Everyone blogs differently and that's good. The truth is we all have struggles and we all have times of celebration. We are all unique and we have different reasons to blog. In this season of my life, it's very random (no pressure to write) and usually light hearted. I do love to laugh, and sometimes I have to use my own life as fodder!

Have a great day, all, and remember to check your spam and comments awaiting moderation!

Midwinter Day's thoughts

Hello, all of you faithful blog readers. Thanks for the well wishes last week. Feeling much better (finally!)

 There are so many blogs shutting down these days, have you noticed? Closing doors. Walking away. Especially, it seems, the ones with huge followings. Is blogging becoming a thing of the past? Maybe blogging is going back to its roots? Not to make money, sell books, or garner a 'tribe', but just to be a listening ear, a ray of light, and a place for those of like minds to connect over similarities or challenge each other over differences. To be a community of 'friends' of sorts.
Don't worry, folks, my little web log isn't going anywhere for now. I like this quiet little corner of the blogiverse, where I randomly and intermittently write when I want to share or connect. And I enjoy skimming my list of favorite bloggers regularly, chuckling, being inspired, sharing burdens, praying for others, expanding my horizons, and getting a little view into their world. Seeing how we are all alike and how we are all unique. I think it's wonderful most of the time. (Sometimes, if I think too much about it, blogging is just weird ;)

I've realized that bloggers I've never met other than online count as some of my favorite people! And they ARE real people, I can attest to that. I've received books,  a kitchen towel, a hand carved tea spoon, journals, and more... from them. And personal emails. Who woulda thunk?

I first started blogging in 2005. Crazy, hey?  I've moved to a new address several times, started new blogs, then left them hanging, not having the heart to break off completely (how cruel). Some I visit and add to, but updating once a year doesn't sound too committed to me! Others I've locked up.. for my eyes only or with a few friends. I guess I should clean (blog)house sometime!  It would probably feel good.

How about you? How long have you been blogging? Still love it as much as when you started, or more?

And before I go, for those of you who enjoy reading on your Kindle or online, here are some free ebooks for this month. Check the 'free' dates for the ones you might like!  I downloaded Beyond Ordinary for free today. Just because. Sometimes ordinary isn't good enough.

But the book I am really looking forward to beginning later today is Giants In the Earth. I heard a discussion about it on my favorite podcast and decided it was worth purchasing for a few dollars. I look forward to getting engrossed in another good story!

The Spiral

Do you ever have one of those days? One where you let your imagination run wild and fears you have rise up, leaving you exhausted and discouraged?

Yeah, I had a day like that yesterday. Thankfully, I had the wisdom to leave the house after supper and check out the craft store and visit with a friend for a bit. No, I didn't even share the particulars, but I didn't have to. It was just good to get out and focus on something else. It helped.

And this morning I got up and decided a brisk walk in the cool morning air was in order. I talked to God, was reminded of some comforting Bible truths, and met up with a friend to finish up the walk.

Not everyone will understand the feelings that threaten to overwhelm at times. Not everyone goes through it! And it's not something that is easily overcome. It takes some work, in my experience.  It can be difficult to  turn those spiralling thoughts off.  

There's definitely something comforting about sharing with someone who says, "You, too? I thought I was the only one!" Two friends and I once studied Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. I remember it being a beneficial time for all of us.

I've got  The Anxious Christian, on my radar-- heard an interview with the author  and it sounds like a great book.

Do you have any books that are 'keepers' and have helped you through your bad days?

Play Date

Creativity flourishes when we have a sense of safety and self-acceptance. Your artist, like a small child, is happiest when feeling a sense of security. As our artist's protective parent, we must learn to place our artist with safe companions. Toxic playmates can capsize our artist's growth. 

                                                                           Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way

Which reminds me of  my grade 9 art teacher. She was not a safe, accepting companion. She was definitely toxic. And my experience in that class probably destroyed my last little shred of confidence in considering myself  a creative person.

But, thankfully, since then I have spent time over the years with  positive, helpful, encouraging teachers, family, and friends.  And so I tentatively attempt various creative projects, enjoying the learning process.

And I've come to believe that everyone is uniquely creative, because we all are created in the image of God, who is THE creator. It's our self talk (often stemming from negative experiences) that usually keeps us from leaning into the creative experience.

The Great Creator has gifted us with creativity.                                   Our gift back is our use of it.   

Today I spent several hours crafting with some of my favorite people, girlfriends who are positive, safe, and accepting. It always takes a little while to relax and get into the groove of cardmaking, I find. But once we are all settled with our artistic supplies surrounding us, a cup of coffee or tea and a treat within reach, and some good conversation.. well, then we are all off and running.

It was a great way to spend a Saturday in November.