What's Been On My November Calendar

I decided that Rhythm would be my WOTY and one way I'm trying to establish a rhythm is by keeping a very brief daily diary, to watch for daily and weekly patterns to develop and to be intentional about keeping the good ones going. I attempted to keep this month's wrap-up post short, but it took on a life of its own!

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We turned the page into November while on a short vacation. My parents were here visiting during the last couple weeks of October, and we wrapped up their visit by taking them to Maryland to visit the kids there for a few days. So we kicked off November with some special family time that included playing games, cooking and baking, and just enjoying each other's company. My mom and I made kjielkje (noodles, very much like spaetzle) and rullkuchen (sort of like beignets) and it was a special treat to have my granddaughter helping us! Where age-appropriate, of course!

November 3rd - We said our goodbyes to the Maryland family and drove up to Buffalo with Mum and Dad. We crossed into Ontario just long enough to meet up with the friends my parents were staying with there until their flight back home, then hubby and I drove back to Columbus. Traffic was heavy and thanks to one unintentional detour the drive took longer than expected, but we made it home and got a a decent night's sleep before getting back to our usual rhythms and routines starting Monday morning. 

The first full week of November was pretty ordinary. Regular workdays and our usual weekly activities including my chorus rehearsal on Monday night, and Dinner + Discipleship at church on Wednesday night. The exception was that Tuesday was Election Day, so I voted first thing in the morning and arrived at work a little late, and watched election results livestreams all evening. I enjoy following politics and find it very entertaining, and we were very happy with the results, as it happened! We spent other evenings relaxing at home, and binge-watching Only Murders In The Building.

On the weekend we slept late on Saturday and did a little housework, then met up with our son and his family for a day trip to Yellow Springs where we visited Youngs Dairy, hiked at Glen Helen and had barbecue for dinner.

Week Two started off with us both on worship team at church, and then lunch out with our 55+ dinner club friends. The weekdays fell into that familiar rhythm of work, chorus, Dinner+Discipleship, and quiet evenings at home. On Saturday, I went to get my hair cut and particularly enjoyed driving through the little towns just outside of Columbus that I wish we could live in. 

Week Three also began with worship team and church on Sunday morning, but with a little different twist. Our worship director was away so I was helping to lead the team and we were hit with a few technical issues that literally disrupted our rhythm! It's hard for a band to play and sing together when some of us couldn't properly hear our in-ear monitors for some of the time! We powered through it though. In the afternoon one of my chorus friends hosted an impromptu choreo session so I got together with those ladies to work on our rhythm learning some moves ahead of the full rehearsal. Then I met up with hubby and the kids for dinner and to watch some of hubby's hockey game. Then another busy but rather ordinary workweek followed. We did get our first snow of the season on Thursday morning, and Thursday evening we went to the hockey game. On Friday evening I had a personal voice instruction session, and on Saturday we enjoyed a rather lazy day, although we did our big pre-Thanksgiving grocery shop. And I made hubby the chocolate cheesecake he likes for his birthday, a couple days early, so we could share with the kids for Sunday dinner. 

We had a fun, busy Sunday to get Week Four started. After church, our son and his family came over for a late lunch and some birthday cheesecake, and then we went to the New Albany tree lighting together. We stuck around until the tree lighting, which was followed by a holiday drone show. Have you seen one of these yet? It's an interesting alternative to fireworks - perhaps not as exciting, but creative, and without the loud noises that bother pets and many children! We enjoyed it! Following that, I went to our church Friendsgiving dinner by myself since hubby had a hockey game.

The week was a full one, and the rhythms were a bit different from the usual. The beginning of the week was normal, but on Wednesday morning I left home really early so I could get to my Smash 'n Flash appointment before work. I left work a little early as well, to give myself enough time to get home and changed to go to the hockey game. This was a special one because my husband's favorite team, the Montreal Canadiens, were the visitors, and it was his birthday. Thursday was Thanksgiving! And an unusual one for us, since it was the first time ever that it was just the two of us, no kids! We did the turkey on the grill/smoker for the first time and it turned out really well. It was a little odd cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner, setting the table with the china and all of it, just for the two of us, but it was good. I thought I might get weepy, but I made it through. Oh, and another change to our rhythm - we are dog-sitting this weekend while our son and his family are away for Thanksgiving. On Friday hubby and I both worked a half day and went to the afternoon hockey game. This time it was my team, the Calgary Flames, visiting, and although it was a good game, my team did not come away with the win. We will end the month with an easy rhythm Saturday, decorating for the holidays (finally!). 

Gratitude and being thankful for our blessings should be part of the daily rhythms of life, so I'm concluding with a sampling of the things I was specifically grateful for during the past month:

-family that enjoys spending time together

-my parents' example and friendship

-the ability to travel safely and for GPS

-the right to vote in a nation that is not perfect, but is still great

-music, harmony, and the ability to sing

-opportunities to make music with others that love it

-coffee and comfy chairs

-being healthy and fit enough to go on explores

-so many hiking and walking trails for exploring!

-friendships

-the veterans that have served their country

-sunsets

-pleasant surprises

-a phone, and the ease of calling without long distance charges!

-comfort food

-small towns

-Christmas music

-well-stocked grocery stores

-books and free libraries with well-stocked shelves

-sleeping late

-snow

-hockey

-pets

-birthdays

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 Rhythm is my Word of The Year for 2024 because I realized I'd need to adjust my routines and work on my time management as I started a full time work schedule, and I couldn't be striving or fighting all the time - I need to establish a healthy, balanced rhythm to my days and weeks. And additionally, in the last part of 2023, I felt like God had really been speaking to me about the subject of Sabbath, and that he was inviting me to be more intentional about practicing and celebrating a Sabbath rhythm in my life. Here's my WOTY post to explain: WQ - Rhythm Inspires

 

What's Been On My Calendar? #WBOYC

When my posting schedule coincides with the link-up I share at What's Been On Your Calendar #WBOYC hosted by Deb's World.

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A Thanksgiving Hodgepodge

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. Talking turkey . . . are you cooking the turkey this year? Does ham belong on a Thanksgiving day menu? When it comes to gravy do you pour it over your whole plate, skip it altogether, or land somewhere in between? Cranberries - homemade or jelled right out of the can? Do you look forward more to the main course, the savory sides, or the desserts?

 

I am cooking a turkey this year, or perhaps it's more accurate to say my husband will be cooking it. Usually we deep fry it, but this year we are going to smoke it. Fingers crossed! Ham does not make an appearance on our Thanksgiving day menu, and probably never will. Not that I don't like a baked ham, it's just not a Thanksgiving dish (and definitely not an Easter dish!!) and we don't have it often. When it comes to gravy, I'm somewhere in the middle, leaning towards the skip it end of the spectrum - I put it on my mashed potatoes and sometimes on the stuffing/dressing. But almost never on the turkey. Notable exception is post Thanksgiving leftovers - I love a hot turkey sandwich! I'll eat cranberries almost any way they are available, but when I'm planning the meal, I choose the whole berry sauce out the can. When my kids are eating, we also have the jelly and they eat the stuff like it's going out of style! My most anticipated part of the meal is probably the sides, the corn pudding and sweet potato casserole in particular. Although those are both more sweet than savory, aren't they? 

 

2. Holiday movies . . . tell us your favorite and what it is about this film that makes you love it. Is it the film itself or a memory it stirs?

 

Since this is a Thanksgiving themed Hodgepodge, I will first mention a favorite movie of mine that I associate with Thanksgiving. Babette's Feast. I absolutely love this foreign film (so you have to read the subtitles) from many years ago that tells the story of two elderly sisters in an isolated Danish village that take in a French refugee as their cook. She serves them faithfully for many years and when she wins a lottery, she asks to provide and prepare a French-style meal for them and their guests. It's discovered that she was a celebrated chef for the French aristocracy, and that she spent her entire winnings on the food. I love the story itself, which explores generosity and humility, and the beautifully done surprise ending (which I've just spoiled, but it's a film from thirty-plus years ago). It's also a good memory, because I took my daughter and her friend to see it at a community theater at Thanksgiving some years ago, and they did not have very high hopes, but wound up loving it and talking about it for quite some time afterwards.

 

And you thought Planes Trains and Automobiles was the only Thanksgiving movie. I absolutely love that one too, by the way.

 Now for holiday - as in Christmas holiday - movies . . . it's a toss-up for me between White Christmas and It's A Wonderful Life. I love the music and story and nostalgia of White Christmas. No Christmas is complete without watching It's A Wonderful Life. That's a family activity. Most of us can quote most of the movie by now. Such a heartwarming and encouraging story about how we can make a bigger impact on the world than we may ever know simply by being generous and selfless, and doing right by others. 

 3. A favorite way to give back and help others?

 In a way, we're still finding our preferred way to give back in this community. We are getting more involved with our church and have taken part in food drives and distribution efforts through the church. Awhile ago I helped assemble, bake, and deliver around fifty lasagna dinners to households in the area and I thought that was such a great way to help others in a way that is practical and simple. There was a group of us at church that got together to do the work, and the organization we worked with is called Lasagna Love.

 

4. Name a place or setting you encountered this month that made you feel grateful.

 It was way back at the beginning of the month, when we were in Maryland visiting our kids there, and my parents were with us. I was so grateful that my parents are healthy and were able to travel to visit all of us; grateful that we enjoy such good relationships with the whole family; and grateful that the kids all get along so well. I often think about how blessed our family is that we get along and enjoy each other's company.

5.  Knowing what you know today, if you could redo yesterday what would you do differently?

 

Well, I'm finishing this up late on Wednesday. If I could redo Tuesday, I would have tried to get some prep done for Thanksgiving, and I would have gone to bed earlier. 

6. Spill your own random thought here.

I'm getting this finished while it's still Wednesday local time! I got up a bit earlier than usual this morning so I could do my annual Smash N Flash appointment before going to work, and I left work a little early so I wouldn't feel too rushed going out to the hockey game in the evening. We had tickets to the Blue Jackets game against the Montreal Canadiens - the Canadiens are hubby's favorite team and it was a milestone birthday for him today. (And the Canadiens won, so he was happy!) So that's why I'm late to today's party!

This morning I shared my Wednesday Quotes post, and I'd like to invite you to stop by the current link-up and join us: WQ - Helping Hands

There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark. ~Helen Keller

So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

~Galatians 6:10~

For those who are celebrating the day, Happy Thanksgiving! Whether you mark the American holiday or not, I wonder, what are you especially thankful for? Leave a comment and let me know!

I'm sharing in this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond.

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WQ - Helping Hands

As many of us are turning our thoughts towards Thanksgiving this week, we may also be thinking about generosity and serving others. The story of the "first Thanksgiving" in the new world that we're familiar with emphasizes the help that the native Americans gave to the pilgrims that difficult first year. Without their generosity and helping hands of the native peoples, the colonists surely would not have survived. 

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth - Jennie Augusta Brownscombe [Public domain]

My physical survival may not have been on the line, but I can think of many times in my life that the kindness and assistance offered to me was my lifeline. Sometimes the person that stepped up to help me probably wasn't aware of the impact it made on me, or how timely their gift of time or service was. I'm certainly very thankful for those who have been helpful and generous to me, and hope that I rise to the occasion whenever I have an opportunity to extend a helping hand to someone else. This edition of Wednesday Quotes is focused on "Helping Hands" and it's a challenge to me to be ready to give and to receive help and kindness.

Kindness is one of the greatest gifts you can bestow upon another. If someone is in need, lend them a helping hand. Do not wait for a thank you. True kindness lies within the act of giving without the expectation of something in return. ~Katharine Hepburn

Blessed are those who are generous,

because they feed the poor.

~Proverbs 22:9~

The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor. ~Hubert H. Humphrey

The highest test of the civilization of any race is in its willingness to extend a helping hand to the less fortunate. ~Booker T. Washington

Instruct those who are righ in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life.

~I Timothy 6:17-19~

You never know when a helping hand will change another person's entire life. ~Zig Ziglar

The only way you can serve God is by serving other people. ~Rick Warren

Dear friends, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another.

~I John 4:11~

And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God's people.

~The Apostle Paul (Philemon 1:6-7)

There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark. ~Helen Keller

So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

~Galatians 6:10~

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,

~Titus 3:4-6~

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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.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Wednesday Quotes 2024 Themes

October 2nd - Kindness

October 16 - Harvest

October 30 - Superstitions

November 13 - Confidence

November 27 - Helping Hands

December 11 - Natural Beauty

December 25 - Traditions

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 Sadje at Keep It Alive and Kym at A Fresh Cup of Coffee. 

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 ©2006-2024 HS Coffee Break/Just A Second/A Fresh Cup of Coffee. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. https://morecoffeebreaks.blogspot.com/ 

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.

Twenty-Six Lists - On The Menu For The Holidays

Welcome to Twenty-Six Lists! I hope you'll join me in this simple link-up, where I share a writing prompt for some kind of list, and invite you to share what's on your list. Your list can be very simple or include lots of explanation; short or long; a bullet point list or essay style. Interpret the list prompts however you like, depending on how much time you have to spend, and how much background you'd like to share. 

In the United States, this is Thanksgiving week and it seems like everyone has been planning for Turkey Day and that is what everyone is talking about too. (Along with debating when it's appropriate to begin decorating for Christmas or listening to Christmas music.) It really is the holiday season, and there are several holidays coming up. Holidays usually involve food, so that's what this list is all about. What is on your holiday menu? It can be your Thanksgiving menu, your Christmas season menu, your Hanukkah menu, your Kwanzaa menu, your New Years Eve menu . . . what did I miss? Whatever you're celebrating, share something about what will be on the holiday table. And share recipes too, if you'd like!

Menu For The Holidays

My menu for this Thanksgiving looks a little different from any previous year, mainly because it will just be me and hubby here on Thursday. This is truly a first! Due to scheduling, we are not going to Maryland for Thanksgiving like we did the last couple of years, and the son that lives here is traveling to be with his wife's family. So we are not having our turkey deep fried, which is our tradition. We are going to try smoking the turkey. I hope it turns out well, so we can enjoy it and also enjoy all the inevitable leftovers!

I have potatoes and sweet potatoes, but honestly I'm still deciding how I'll fix them. Just ordinary mashed potatoes with gravy, plus baked sweet potatoes would be the easiest, but I really would like to have sweet potato casserole. Or maybe I'll go to my trusty standby - roasted root vegetables - and mix them together with carrots. Just one dish, which is appealing. I'm planning to make corn pudding (Holiday Creamy Corn Pudding - the recipe is from This Old Gal). We'll have dressing (since we're not stuffing the bird), and of course there will be cranberry sauce. 

There's only two of us, so I'll miss it, but no Pineapple Casserole this year. And I doubt I'll bake bread. I will do some dessert. I've already made the chocolate cheesecake for my hubby's birthday so we'll still have some of that to enjoy on Thursday, I'm sure. I'll bake pumpkin roll and on the weekend I'm planning to bake pumpkin cookies. Post-Thanksgiving, I usually make use of the leftover cranberry sauce in Cranberry Crumble. 

This list - and these recipes - are pretty much a repeat of my list "On My Menu For Autumn" a few weeks ago, which I guess means I didn't think through the list themes very well. All the same, here are a couple of recipes tested for many Thanksgivings at my place. 

Bonus List of Recipes:

Pineapple Casserole

3 (20 oz) cans chunk pineapple

6 tbsp flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

6 tbsp pineapple juice

3 cups sharp cheddar, shredded

1-1/2 tubes ritz crackers, crushed

1/2 cup butter, melted

Drain the pineapple very well, reserving 6 tablespoons of the juice. Put drained pineapple in a 13x9 pan. Combine flour, sugar, and pineapple juice to form a paste; spread over pineapple chunks. Spread shredded cheese over that. Combine crushed crackers and butter to make crumb topping; spread over the cheese. Bake at 350* about 25 minutes.

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Cranberry Crumble

1-1/2 cups rolled oats
1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

whole cranberry sauce, about 14 oz or so

Mix together the oats, flour, sugar, and soda; mix in the butter until crumbly. Pack just over half of this mixture into a greased 9x9 pan. (Or use an 8x8 if you're short on cranberry sauce) Spread the cranberry sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Press the crumb topping down just slightly, using your hand. Back at 350*F for 35-40 minutes. Best eaten while warm, with a bit of vanilla ice cream or cream.

What's on your menu during the holidays? Please share.

The link-up is open for two weeks, with a new prompt every other Tuesday. 

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Click here to enter

We're almost finished with the 2024 Edition of Twenty-Six Lists on A Fresh Cup of Coffee! If you're curious, the year started here: Twenty-Six Lists - Accomplishments and Goals. I don't plan to do the Twenty-Six Lists link-up in 2025, but maybe sometime down the road I'll bring it back. Thanks to everyone that has read, commented, and linked up at some point during the year. I hope you'll be back for the last couple of Lists!

Bonus List: The next few list prompts so you can think ahead!

December 10 - Holiday Ornaments and Memories

December 24 - Holiday Movies and Music

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 ©2006-2024 HS Coffee Break/Just A Second/A Fresh Cup of Coffee. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. https://morecoffeebreaks.blogspot.com/ 

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Tell Us About . . . Confidence: The Story Behind "Gaining Confidence"

Our recent prompt for Wednesday Quotes was Confidence, and I'm not sure how I managed to pick that theme right before the great bloggers that host the Tell Us About series picked the same one. Perhaps I saw it was coming up and it was in my subconscious? Anyway, when I realized it, my first thought was to just link up my WQ post, but I decided to use it as a starting point but to make it a little more personal.

As I was putting together that WQ collection, I reflected on the ups and downs in my own confidence over the past couple of years, but I didn't say a lot about it in the post. You see, at the time, I had just been asked to do something slightly outside my usual, and I'd immediately responded that I'd be glad to do it. Only after getting a few more details about what would be expected did I question myself: What did I agree to? Would I be able to deliver? What if I can't handle this or I fail? I had to reread the information I'd been given and figure out exactly which things I already knew how to do, which things I was pretty sure I couldn't do, and which things I might need at least a little help with. Then I knew what questions to ask, and to my surprise there was only one thing that I probably couldn't handle on my own but there was already a plan in place for someone else to do that part. My questions were answered, and I was back to being reasonably confident again.

Being prepared and being willing to ask for help lays the foundation for being confident.

If you are confident you have done everything possible to prepare yourself, then there is nothing to fear. ~Michael Jordan

Think positively and masterfully, with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in experience and achievement. ~Eddie Rickenbacker

I think there's more to it than just thinking positive thoughts, of course. It's wise to have realistic expectations of myself and my abilities, even when I'm challenging and stretching myself. It's wise to have a sober assessment of the obstacles I might face, and to always be considerate of others, and aware that things don't always go as planned. Not nearly always! Confidence comes from being prepared and having done the homework, and from understanding that even if things don't work out - even if the endeavor is a failure! - that doesn't mean my worth as a person has changed.

Very soon after I'd published my WQ on Confidence, I managed the task I'd taken on and believe me, it did NOT go exactly as planned! There were a couple of "technical difficulties" that presented challenges, but I - and the others involved - carried on and my guess is that very few people realized that we were flying blind for part of the time. There were a few moments that I sure felt like it was all going to completely fall apart, but I found that I had the confidence to calmly power through with a smile. I'd prepared as well as I could, something happened that was outside of my control, so I did the best I could. 

Athletes and performers have to train and practice and prepare, and then trust to the training when it's time to perform. Their confidence is well-placed and realistic. They may have natural gifts and talent, but they also put in all the hard work of practicing so that they know each move and each play and can act and react in an instant. They can't be fearful or worried they will fail when they step onto the field or into the arena. They have done the preparation work and have to believe that the effort and coaching will pay off. 

There is a difference between conceit and confidence. Conceit is bragging about yourself. Confidence means you believe you can get the job done. ~Johnny Unitas

When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things. ~Joe Namath

Yes, I agree! When I'm confident in my abilities and preparation, I can enjoy myself and that almost always leads to a better outcome and performance! This is something that I've seen in the time I've been with the Scioto Valley Chorus. We spend a lot of time preparing down to tiny details so that when we step onto the concert and competition stage, doing everything correctly feels natural and automatic, and we can have fun! Lots of preparation means more confidence and freedom, and less nervousness and tension.

Being part of this vibrant and dedicated group of singers is something that has really helped me get back the self-confidence that I thought I'd lost a couple years ago. When we moved two years ago, after the dust had settled a little bit, I was struggling. I hadn't made any friends and was having trouble even figuring out where I'd find people to socialize with. It felt like a very slow process as we got involved in a local church. I wasn't working and wasn't really connected anywhere so I was isolated and felt almost invisible. Not surprising then, that I was second-guessing whether I was "interesting enough" or "likeable enough" to make friends, and whether I had any skill or talent to offer, and maybe I wasn't "good enough" to contribute anything valuable to my church or community. For the first time in decades, my self-confidence was gone and I was more anxious and uncomfortable in new situations than I'd been when I was a teenager!

"confident" me right before the move

I'd come from a place where I'd been a part of the same homeschool community and the same church for twenty years. I'd been involved in a community choir for many years. I'd worked in a couple of jobs and had lots of friends, and knew a lot of people. I was comfortable with what I was good at and what I wasn't so good at, and my confidence had been built along with my reputation for what I could do. So I was not prepared for the difficulty of starting from scratch and feeling like I had to prove myself at everything again. Joining the chorus was one of my first steps. Choral singing was something I loved and felt like I could still do, so I searched for a group that I thought would be a good fit. I was welcomed and though it stretched me, I loved the group and it gave me something to work at and to look forward to. That sense of belonging and being a valuable part of something boosted my self-confidence.

I felt more confident in hunting for a job - something I hadn't really done before, believe it or not! I'd had some really great jobs but almost all of the things I'd done since moving to the US had been "right time, right place" and "it's who you know" situations. For the first time in decades I had to properly update my resume, put in applications, and actually sell myself at an interview. Each step along the way boosted my confidence, until I landed the job I have now, which has turned out to be a good fit.

I've concluded that confidence builds on experience and successes. All the preparation gets you ready, but it's when you can rise to the occasion and deliver successfully that confidence gets a boost. I had to first remind myself that I had a good resume of things I was good at and that I was still capable of learning and doing new things. Every time I made myself step out of my comfort zone to try something, I felt a tiny bit more confident, even if it wasn't a huge success! Because another ingredient for confidence is knowing that failure isn't the end of the world. I went to a couple of community events that I liked, but that did NOT result in me finding a friend or an ongoing involvement. So those efforts weren't successes in that regard, but also nothing bad happened! When I asked myself what is the worst that could happen if I try this thing, and realize that the absolute worst is highly improbable and the likely worst is not really that bad, it's easier to go ahead and try. I also reminded myself that even if this thing does fail spectacularly, my family and my true friends will still love me. And more importantly, God will still love me, and nothing will change that. 

Confidence is at the root of so many attractive qualities - a sense of humor, a sense of style, a willingness to be who you are no matter what anyone else might think or say. ~Wentworth Miller

Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure-footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life. ~Ann Landers

Confidence is classy!

So then last week I was asked to do something else that would stretch me a bit, and once again I said Yes! With a little more confidence! I'm confident that it will be a fun and successful endeavor, and a great learning experience at the very least. And my confidence will be on even more solid ground. 

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained. ~Marie Curie

The quote from Marie Curie hits on another ingredient in having confidence. Believing that we have a purpose and that we are here and still alive for a reason. We make a difference. We have something valuable to bring to the world. I believe that we find that purpose when we get to know God, because he made each of us and knows us better than anyone. He has a purpose for each of us to fulfill. That's why confidence is also a gift that God has for us. We can be confident that God loves us, that he hears our prayers and answers them, and that obeying him will bring us peace. We can have full confidence that he will always love us, no matter what. We don't have to be fearful about our future, or worried that God will abandon us. He promises to always be with us. When we exercise our faith by believing what he says, it grows our confidence in God and that he will keep every one of his promises.

Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

~Hebrews 4:16~

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us―whatever we ask―we know that we have what we asked of him.

~I John 5:14-15~

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

~Hebrews 11:1~

The LORD's justice will dwell in the desert,

his righteousness live in the fertile field.

The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;

its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

~Isaiah 32:16-17~

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This article is based on my post WQ - Gaining Confidence, which is part of the Wednesday Quotes link party series that I co-host. It's 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. Wednesday Quotes is co-hosted by Sadje at Keep It Alive and Kym at A Fresh Cup of Coffee. The next link party opens on Wednesday, November 27th and the theme is Helping Hands. 

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Tell Us About . . . is a monthly opportunity for bloggers to showcase their creativity. Each month one of the co-hosts will choose the word to focus on. On the third Thursday of every month we'll respond to the prompt "Tell Us About ---" which could be absolutely anything. And how we respond is also wide open. It could be a blog post with our opinions or reminscences; a poem, photos, a short story or whatever takes your fancy―it could even be a mix of all these! This month's theme, chosen by Gail from Is This Mutton, is "Confidence" 

This post is linked at Is This Mutton.

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