The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
~I Peter 4:7-11~
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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Fridayand this is today's free-writing post.
getting engaged
engage in conversation
engage in business
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I remember the happy anticipation and excitement that we experienced when we got engaged. And when our sons got engaged, and when family members and friends got engaged. Being engaged to be married is a milestone commitment and celebration in a relationship, making it "official" and the kickoff into wedding planning and beyond.
But we use the word "engaged" in other contexts as well, and so I wonder whether the same forward momentum, hope, and commitment are demonstrated in those contexts. When we engage in conversation, it's more than just small talk about inconsequential things. It's a intent to really hear, understand, share, and communicate about important topics; and the goal is building relationship. Engaging in business means being deeply involved and committed to the success of the venture. Being all in, not passive. If you engage in politics, you are committed to your cause and being informed and involved, and taking a stand for the principles that you believe in.
It's important to be fully engaged in our relationships and especially in our relationship with the Lord. He wants to engage with us through his word and through prayer. When we are committed to knowing God and living for him, we find delight in his word and become engaged in living out that faith and hope each day. There's forward momentum, hope, and commitment in the way we go through life, and it makes such a difference in how we meet life's challenges.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
~Colossians 3:23-24~
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Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. ~Plato
A hodgepodge is a jumble or assortment of things that might not appear to belong together. Joyce at From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly link-up called Wednesday Hodgepodge that is a little collection of questions for bloggers to answer just for fun and to get to know each other. I always look forward to chatting with friends over coffee, so pour a cup of your favorite and let's visit for a few minutes!
Here are this week's questions - and my answers - for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge.
1. I write the Hodgepodge questions so they'll post on Sunday, which sometimes throws me off in terms of what day it is. St Patrick's Day will be celebrated on Monday, March 17th. Did you mark the day in some way? Wear green? Make a special meal? Watch or participate in a parade?
I didn't do anything particularly special this year, but I did wear green and my shamrock earrings. My little shamrock plant was in the place of honor on the table, along with a shamrock theme doily. We did have corned beef on rye for dinner on Sunday but we were so busy all weekend and on Monday that I didn't make a full corned beef dinner. I didn't even make myself an Irish Coffee! (Until the last couple of years, I made sure to have Lucky Charms on hand for St Patrick's Day breakfast, and baked Barm Brack.) I haven't ever participated or watched a St Patrick's Day parade.
2. Do you think luck plays a part in your life? Explain.
Luck, chance, probability . . . yes, they are all real and sometimes I get the lucky bounce and a lot of times I don't. I don't rely on luck or believe that there are good luck charms or those kinds of things that can make a difference. Most of the time, I think good luck is largely a result of hard work, persistence, or God's intervention, or some combination. There's a saying about "gotta be good to be lucky, and lucky to be good" that is probably true, to some extent.
3. Of the 15 green foods listed, which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Any on the list that are a hard no for you? In general do you like fruits and veggies? As a kid did you eat them willingly or did you hide peas in your napkin hoping your momma wouldn't see?
On its own merits, I like grapes best. As a featured ingredient, lime wins because of Margaritas and Key Lime pie, not necessarily together. I also like pistachio flavored ice cream and lattes, but for whatever reason I seldom eat pistachios. I like baby spinach as a salad green, and spinach in dishes like Chicken Florentine or cannelloni. Broccoli and avocado are hard no for me. Generally speaking I like most fruits but there aren't a lot of veggies that I genuinely like. A lot are just okay - I like them but without any enthusiasm, and most veggies I just kind of tolerate and eat them because they're "good for me" and to be polite. I did not like veggies at all as a kid and avoided all but corn and carrots as much as I could.
4. What's something that makes you 'turn green'? (with envy or with illness . . . whichever way you want to run with it)
It's so tempting for me to be just a little green with envy about a couple things: people that have all their family living close so they can see kids and grandkids any time; people that have the ability to travel a lot; and, in keeping with the question about luck, people that seem to always have things turn out super well.
5. Did you spend a lot of time outdoors as a child? Doing what? Do you spend a lot of time outdoors now? Doing what?
I wasn't constantly outdoors as a kid, but I would still say I spent a lot of time outside. We played in the backyard and roamed the neighborhood playing with our friends in their yards or at the nearby parks. I walked to and from school. We rode bikes everywhere. When my family went on vacation, it was usually a camping trip so that also meant time outdoors. Nowadays, I don't spend that much time outdoors. Working full time is a big factor, but also I'm not riding bikes or running around at playgrounds any more! We do try to go for walks and to visit parks with good walking and hiking trails.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I'm a little worried that I'm coming down with a cold, as my throat started feeling icky this afternoon. Most likely it's allergies, as my eyes have been itchy and weepy for a few days and I also had a couple of sneezing spells today. All the same, I opted to stay home from Dinner + Discipleship, and get some rest.
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What does it mean to practice self-care, or to look after yourself? I think it can take a lot of different forms, depending on your personality, your season of life, and other factors. Some want a gym membership, or regular visits to a salon for manicures or hair styling. Some need to set aside time alone to read or even to have a hotel room to themselves. Sometimes self-care means participating in a hobby that brings you joy and fulfillment, or treating yourself to a daily or weekly 'little thing' that refreshes you.
When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life. ~Jean Shinoda Bolen
For me, those things that I do for myself are blogging and music. I spend more time than I probably should here writing, and still find it difficult to keep up with reading and commenting on other blogs, and occasionally I've asked myself if I should give it up. The answer has always been No, because even though I stress myself with deadlines at times, the whole process is fulfilling and feels like something I need to do for me. I love singing in a group, and so joining a Sweet Adelines chorus and being committed to that is one of the most fulfilling things that I do. It costs money and time and effort, but it's so worth it!
Looking after yourself means giving yourself grace and being kind to yourself. You won't always be perfect and get everything right, so don't be too hard on yourself. Sure we should take responsibility for ourselves and our mistakes, learn and grow and sometimes fail and often need to apologize, but it is self-care to do those necessary things and not beat ourselves up.
There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself. ~Brian Andreas
Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are. ~Malcolm Forbes
For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith.
~Romans 12:3~
So we shouldn't let ourselves be self-centered, self-absorbed, and conceited. But we should be confident in who we are and find joy in being our best and acknowledging our gifts and good qualities. That's when we are in a good place to see what we need to work on and improve and set about caring for ourselves in a positive way, whether it's learning something new, making changes for the better, or improving ourselves physically.
Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live. ~Jim Rohn
You can't hate yourself happy, you can't criticize yourself thin, you can't shame yourself wealthy. Real change begins with self-love and self care. ~Jessica Ortner
Is it selfish to prioritize taking care of yourself? I think it can be, but seeing to your own needs and taking responsibility for your own well-being and happiness is reasonable and healthy. Again, as long as we're not self-centered and selfish. It can be as simple as knowing when it's time to say No and to allow yourself to rest.
Selfish is caring for ourselves at others' expense . . . Self-care is taking care of ourseves so that we can be there for others. ~Bill Crawford
Boundaries are a part of self-care. They are healthy, normal and necessary. ~Doreen Virtue
Some people think that being a 'good Christian' and being kind and peaceable and meek means always putting yourself last on every list and sometimes we associate the word "self-care" with "selfishness". But the Bible assumes that we know how to take care of ourselves and want to do good things for ourselves, because the standard by which we are to love others is the way we'd love ourselves.
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
~Romans 13:9~
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All that said, I couldn't resist adding a favorite old song about "looking out for Number One . . . and that's me!" I think this qualifies as being selfish, but it's a great song!
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Wednesday Quotes is a bi-weekly opportunity for bloggers to share their writing, poetry, photos, or stories inspired by our theme. We've chosen the themes as a starting point for your creativity, and the only requirement is that your post include at least one related quote. Feel free to combine or "double-dip" with other writing or photo challenges as well. Of course, we'd appreciate a link back to us, if you'd be so kind. Add your link and please visit others and leave a comment! The link is open for two weeks.
Thanks to Marsha at Always Write for introducing us to the Wednesday Quotes challenge, and for passing the hosting duties along so we can continue sharing great quotes! Wednesday Quotes is co-hosted by Kym at A Fresh Cup of Coffee and Sadje at Keep It Alive.
Quoting reminds me there are other people in the world besides only me.
And other thoughts besides mine, and other ways of thinking.
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages. now and forevermore! Amen.
~Jude 1:20-25~
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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Fridayand this is today's free-writing post.
journey through life
faith journey
joy in the journey
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We're all on a journey, so the saying goes. And of course, we are, but often the destination seems very far away or just unclear. When will we get there? How will we know when we've arrived? What if I take a wrong turn?
Life is full of twists and turns and unexpected detours and I've often been puzzled about whether I've made the right choice or how things could have been different. I've been discouraged when I couldn't figure out the purpose of the route I found myself on. I've been fearful that I'd gotten myself way off track and anxious because the map wasn't making sense. I've never been particularly good at reading maps, after all. To be fair, I've been pleasantly surprised and completely delighted by other unexpected turns my life has taken.
There is definitely truth in the little proverbs about finding joy in the journey, and great comfort in knowing that we don't travel alone. If we are walking with the Lord, we have a wonderfully reliable guidebook and an ever-present traveling companion that knows every bit of the road. It's good to know that I can trust him to get me to the destination HE has planned, and that he can use every step along the way to prepare me for something around the bend.
Nothing goes to waste on the journey of life. Both good and bad experiences shape your mind and heart for what is to come. ~Leon Brown
For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this immense wilderness. The LORD your God has been with you these past forty years, and you have lacked nothing.
~Deuteronomy 2:7~
Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years, a detour from a journey that should have taken only a couple weeks. And yes, in large part it was because they disobeyed God. But God knew they would need training and teaching if they were to become a nation and bring his blessing to the world. It may have looked like they were wandering aimlessly, but God led them and cared for them every step of the way. We can be confident that he is leading us as well, and that he is using each experience to teach us, to grow our faith, or to discipline us; and he will always take care of us and be with us every step of the way.
Carefully follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase, and may enter and take possession of the land the LORD swore to your ancestors. Remember that the LORD your God led you on the entire journey these forty years in the wilderness, so that he might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your ancestors had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothing did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these forty years. Keep in mind that the LORD your God has been disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. So keep the commands of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and fearing him.
~Deuteronomy 8:1-6~
Some journeys take us far from home. Some adentures lead us to our destiny. ~C.S. Lewis
A hodgepodge is a jumble or assortment of things that might not appear to belong together. Joyce at From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly link-up called Wednesday Hodgepodge that is a little collection of questions for bloggers to answer just for fun and to get to know each other. I always look forward to chatting with friends over coffee, so pour a cup of your favorite and let's visit for a few minutes!
Here are this week's questions - and my answers - for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge.
1. March 15th is known as The Ides of March, the date on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC . . . have you ever been to Rome? If so what did you love most about the city? If not, is this a place you'd like to visit?
I haven't been to Rome, but I sure would like to see it! I don't think I'd go there as my sole destination, but my dream would be a Mediterranean cruise that included Rome.
2. 'Rome wasn't built in a day.' What projecct/activity/improvement (of any kind) do you have going on right now to which this saying might be applied?
I think it applies to weight loss and fitness. I remember reminding myself when trying to get back in shape after having babies that it took me nine months to gain that weight, and it would take some time to get it off. I kind of feel the same way about trying to lose weight and get in shape now. I didn't gain it all in a day! The saying might also apply to some of the projects that I tend to procrastinate on, such as cleaning up my desk or altering my chorus costume. I have a habit of putting off getting started on things like that if I don't think I'll be able to finish the project in one sitting. Not the best strategy, I know.
3. Let's do a little this or that with some Italian foods . . .
Caprese salad or Prosciutto with melon?
Bruschetta or Antipasto?
lasagne or ravioli?
bolognese or Carbonara?
Risotto or gnocchi?
tiramisu~gelato~cannoli?
Prosciutto with melon, please. Hmm, I'll have the Bruschetta. Very tough decision because I love both lasagne and ravioli, but if I have to choose . . . lasagne. Here's an easy one - Carbonara! Another easy one - I love gnocchi! For dessert . . . I like all three but I'm especially fond of tiramisu. As it happens, we're going to Olive Garden with friends for Sunday lunch, so this got me started thinking about my choices!
4. Of the colors red, white, and green which would I find most prevalent in your home? Which one do you think is most flattering to you in terms of your wardrobe? Have you ever had your colors done? Is that something you'd be interested in doing?
In my home, I think green is slightly more prevalent than red. Both colors are used as accents, so it's kind of a toss-up, but I think green wins. For my wardrobe, I don't have a lot of it, but red would be most flattering and I certainly have a lot more red than either white or green! I have a couple of white t-shirts that I almost never wear, and one cream colored dress that I wear only for special occasions, so white ain't it for me! I haven't ever had my colors done by an expert, but I remember studying the color charts and all way back in the late 80s and early 90s when it was a very popular thing. I suppose I'd be game to get my colors done now, by someone who knows what they are doing!
5. Life would be boring without _______________
Kids. Music. Laughter.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Who else found their vehicle covered with "dirty rain" or "dirty snow" on Friday? Yuck! It's just weird that I don't remember that happening before - at least not the dirt being picked up several states away and then RAINED onto us. I wanted to get my car washed earlier but the car wash places have long lines - go figure! - so I guess I'll put it off until Thursday or Friday.
I have never been a fan of Daylight Saving Time. I hate it slightly less vehemently in the fall, but I still think it is a silly thing and we should just get rid of it. I know there's pros and cons as far as going to work or school when it's still dark and all of those things, but I think overall we'd be better off without having to do the twice yearly switcheroo.
What are your thoughts on any of these questions? Leave a comment and let me know!
This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Fresh Cup of Coffee helps continue the coffee breaks and conversation. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
