winter solstice

The winter solstice always feels momentous because I know from now on the days will stop getting shorter! The angle of the sun around this time creates unique patterns as it reaches its "lowest maximum elevation" (Wikipedia). Did you know Stonehenge was built to align with sunset on the winter solstice? The historical rituals and festivals associated with the solstice are also fascinating.

The light (or lack of) creates a natural feeling of hygge and makes my mind run to all the coziness to be conjured up in this season. 

Reading

When asked to name which book had the greatest impact on me this year, I chose The Little Book of Hygge. Ever since reading it, I feel much better equipped to deal with winter. The Year of Living Danishly also influenced my decisions in building a cozy life. 

Puzzles

Last winter I only managed one puzzle due to working too many evenings. This year I've backed off my hours, which has been so freeing. Combining a puzzle with an audiobook provides a dopamine surge for this introvert. I honestly can't think of anything more fun to do! I've been building my 2000 piece collection, with 3 new ones acquired so far. My favorite brand is Ravensburger because of the high quality, thicker pieces. Paris Sunset was the first one I bought. A very thoughtful person gifted me with Old New York, not knowing it was on my Amazon wish list! Perks of aiding at school.😇 Today I scored Ocean Park and Ferry Boat secondhand, in perfect condition! 

I've also been eyeing the Galison Michael Storrings puzzles and hope to own some eventually!

Tea

What speaks comfort better than a mug of Hot Cinnamon Spice or Earl Grey? I like my cuppa with milk and a teaspoon of sugar, keeping the tea bag immersed. 

Candles/Lighting

85% of hygge is created with the right lighting (from The Little Book of Hygge, in my own interpretation). Danes burn more candles than any other European country. Scent is not needed, it's the ambient lighting that matters. You'll never look at lighting the same after reading this book!

Cheers to long, dark evenings!

September Joys

September has often seemed to me the saddest month of the year, and I'd decided it was my least favorite. There's plenty of supporting evidence for this, but I've tried be more open-minded this month to what is enjoyable about it. 

Highs in the 90s in its first week certainly helped to give September's status a huge boost in my rating. Although there are definite signs of fall, if you were to look at a panoramic picture of the mountains to determine what season it is, the evidence would be more summer-like than fall. Maybe September is summer's second cousin - a distant relation but still recognizable.

What better month than September for evenings around the fire? My soul was craving that chill-in-the-air/firelit faces/flannel shirts/spiced cider vibe when a dear friend who knew my longing obliged with a campfire supper invite. Bliss.

What other month of the school year holds such enormous potential and crisp pages? Returning to those bright faces and laughing voices boosted me out of a summer lethargy.

I'm beginning to think my favorite food texture is CRUNCHY. September's offerings of broccoli, cauliflower, and apples have been immensely satisfactory.

The past few evenings I've reveled in working on my first puzzle of the season. It really is the little things that bring the most joy.

long live summer

I'll never get enough summer. To the fall lovers and those who live in hotter climates, I'm sorry for you. Yes, I can see the beauty in fall, but it's so melancholy. On this last day of August, let's recount all those summer joys. 

The weather

I'm finally warm! Well, not always if I'm inside. Some people like to set the AC icy cold. Long evenings. The season of outdoor meals. No need for cumbersome extra clothing. 

The sounds

Symphony of crickets and katydids. Children's laughter. Lawn mowers. Roll of thunder and pounding rain.

The sights

Deep blue skies, dense green trees. Brilliant flowers frequently visited by butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Nighttime fireflies. Tall corn in the fields. Dazzling sunshine.

The feel

Laid-back schedule, infrequently waking to an alarm. This might be the first summer in a long time that I can say that! Impromptu excursions. I finally feel whole.

Books

Leisurely schedules allow time for extra reading. Nothing too heavy, breezy as the air. One to recommend:

The Reading List

Mukesh, a widower, finds a forgotten library book under the bed and reads it to feel closer to his wife. It takes him out of his house to the library, where he encounters a troubled teen librarian, Aleisha. She's never read much, but finds a book list while checking in books. Curious, she reads the first one on the list, To Kill a Mockingbird. It changes her. She needs to talk to someone about it! Aleisha gives it to Mukesh. Soon they're both devouring books and discussing characters. Mysteriously, the book list turns up for other people, who read the books as well. 

The list is as follows:

To Kill a Mockingbird 

Rebecca

The Kite Runner

The Life of Pi

Pride and Prejudice

Little Women

Beloved

A Suitable Boy

I love a good bookish book, so this one snagged me. The list itself intrigued me, and made me wonder what books I'd include if I were to make one.

LONG LIVE SUMMER ♡

the best of days

Today was one of those days I long for when I'm sitting at my desk during the week. A lazy drippy morning with a good book. An afternoon mulching and tending my flower gardens and NO snake encounters.

Plaza Azteca for an early supper, followed by more exhausting outdoor toil. Topped off with a sherbet float and lounge in my new incredibly comfortable chair. 

And this.

 

I am not an animal lover, but if I had a dog this would be it. Those sad eyes and droopy ears! As soon as I saw him I knew he had my personality. But alas, I don't want the responsibility of raising a puppy. My life is perfect the way it is.

A Treasure

The past few months have found me in a state of apathy, hence the long stretch of no writing. Unexpectedly I've discovered something that excites me, and I simply must share! 

Thanks to this blog, I've found a treasure of a book. Someone once said you have to read a lot of trash before you find a treasure. So true! There's been a lot of mediocre books so far this year, but this one is a shining star.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Harold is a lonely, hen-pecked old man who spends his retirement simply sitting in his chair. One day an unexpected letter shakes him up. He writes a brief reply and sets out to post it. Unexplainably, he walks past one post box after another. A chance encounter, a glimpse of faith, and suddenly he knows he will keep walking until he can deliver his letter in person. Along the way, he sorts through hurts in his life, meets people who share their struggles, and has moments of exhilaration and deep despair. 

This book has opened my eyes to humanity and even given me thoughts of taking my own pilgrimage. 😃 Harold says,

"If I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, it stands to reason that I’m going to get there. I’ve begun to think we sit far more than we’re supposed to. Why else would we have feet?”

Going against the flow

An article popped up in my news feed a few days ago about the "de-influencer" movement and it made my day. It's high time for less of the "clothing haul" and "home makeover" influencers who've built an entire brand on consumption. 

Full disclosure: At times I have fallen prey to trends and products pushed by a promoter. 

In the last while though, my interests have leaned towards minimalism. It feels good to buy less, make do with what I have, and get rid of things I don't use. Recently I read a book that inspired me even more.

The Year of Less is Cait Flanders' month by month account of how she lived a year on 51% of her income, ridding herself of 75% of her belongings in the process. She allowed herself to shop for groceries and kitchen supplies, cosmetics and toiletries only when she ran out, cleaning products, gifts for others, and items on her approved shopping list. The approved shopping list consisted of several items of clothing she legitimately needed, such as boots and a sweatshirt. It also allowed for replacing items that wore out. She was NOT permitted to buy take-out coffee, clothes, shoes, accessories, books, household items, and electronics. Cait describes how she once accumulated $30,000 of consumer debt by overspending. In her year of less she sorted through all her possessions room by room and donated or got rid of most of her clothing, books, and other belongings. She faced some challenging times in her year-long experiment, but ultimately it taught her what she valued most: her family and friends. She also found the courage to switch to a job that paid less but was more satisfying, because she proved to herself she didn't need more money to have a fulfilling life.

Now that is a lifestyle worth promoting.

Remembering Grandma

We laid our dear grandma to rest yesterday under the warm Mississippi sun. Even though many tears were shed, I think we all enjoyed remembering her life and being together as a family. She left a legacy behind. 

As one of the cousins said, if grandma had been there, she would've looked much the same. Even in death there was a little smile on her face, which the undertaker told us was completely natural and nothing they did. Grandma was vocal about the kind of songs she enjoyed and was especially partial to men's voices. She liked the kind of music you could tap your foot to, and many of her favorites were sung. I'm quite sure she would've been happy with the music at her funeral. The oldest grandson from each family served as a pallbearer, and they requested the opportunity to carry grandma to her final resting place instead of wheeling her most of the way. When the graveside service was over, it seemed we were all reluctant to leave her behind and the family remained as her body was lowered into the ground beside grandpa. It was a lovely spring day in the South, and it felt peaceful to leave her resting under the sunshine. 

There were some recurring themes brought in the memories. Grandma was a praying mother and grandma, and her descendants witnessed her praying for them. My own memory of that is the times grandma came over for supper and dad would ask her to pray before the meal. She enjoyed praying out loud, and I remember her making comments to the effect that if she were a man, she would've liked being a preacher. She had a ready giggle and enjoyed a hearty laugh. We grandchildren remember riding in her light blue Toyota Corolla or green Chevy Cavalier; she loved to cruise and pass trucks on the highway. She took quite a few of her grandchildren on road trips whenever she visited her family in other states. Her trademark cuisine was good old-fashioned Dutch food and lots of it. The mashed potatoes and noodles swam in browned butter. She also had some unique tastes in food. Grandma liked hunting and fishing and talked about the various creatures she'd cook up in her younger (and older) days. But she loved animals as well, always owning a pug or parakeet in my memory. In her Oakwood days, she made a pet out of a chicken and was resident dog Oakley's #1 fan. Immensely interested in who her grandchildren would marry, she thought she had a knack for pairing them up. 

It was a blessing to see most of Grandma's descendants gathered to remember her. She passed down some of her endearing traits and will live on in all of us!

The Most Important Thing

There's a jumble of thoughts in my head that I'm trying to come to peace with, and writing usually helps straighten them out. This is mostly an outlet for me, and if it doesn't interest you, I completely understand. If reading this feels like a waste of your time, please go do something worthwhile like hugging your child or calling your grandma instead. 

My dear, spunky Grandma Swarey is no longer with us, and it feels like part of my life is over. It's not only her passing that makes me feel that way; rather, it's a combination of milestones and events. I think I now understand why midlife crisis is a thing. It's completely frightening to one day do the math and figure out that something you are thinking of happened 20 years ago and you've been married almost as long as you were single. There's a Grandma-shaped piece of your childhood that is gone forever. You've been realizing lately that things you once thought exciting barely raise a flicker of interest anymore. The happy expectations as a child and youth have faded into a routine of work, a schedule, and responsibilities. And horrors! When my parents were the age I am now I thought they had it all figured out!

It's made me realize that what I have right now will be gone someday too, and I want to grab it fiercely and enjoy each moment. I've come to this realization gradually, but I'm now fully convinced that other than a relationship with God, there is NOTHING in life more important than those who are dearest. With that uppermost, it's easy to see when something comes in the way and I need to make a change or cut back. Maybe I don't actually need more money or an exciting, fulfilling job. What I actually want is the flexibility to take a day off on the spur of the moment, and to be there when the family is together. It's about wanting less and understanding I already have everything I need.

 

Recap: January

It felt like 6 weeks instead of 4, but January is over at last. It was a momentous month, being the busiest time of year in the Gehman Accounting bookkeeping department. January also brought ten days of revivals, house renovations, and 2 new nephews! I observed "gentle January" where I could, by cutting out exercise time to get a little more rest. I also made progress with setting goals for the year, using some great ideas from friends. 

A new thing I did this year was create a vision board instead of a 23 for 23 list. I loved the creative process of putting my goals into something visual. I used my word of the year "choose" to go along with some of the images on my vision board.

In brief, this is what it represents.

Hygge minimalism: work towards creating a cozy minimalistic home and lifestyle. 

Office: weekly goal of hours with Gehman Accounting, create a minimalist home work space. 

Planner: spend time each week, scheduling wisely to fit everything in.

Jordan Page: reminder to follow Budget Boot Camp.

Running shoes: reminder of my walking goal.

Be Still: make devotions a priority, have quiet time.

Schoolroom: fill my little corner in helping students and teachers.

Book: read more physical books 

Aunts & nieces/nephews: be cognizant of this golden opportunity to spend time with them before they're grown up.

Table: have company when remodel is complete.

One of my specific goals for this year is to donate blood on a regular schedule. I did my first donation this week, and have the rest of my donations scheduled for this year, which is an easy way to feel like I've accomplished something!

January made me thankful for:

My morning cup of tea. Hot cinnamon spice = mmmm! 

Beautiful babies and their heavenly smell.

My stage of life. Busy, but not as stressful as it could be.

Mild weather. A warm day in January is a privilege. 

The benefits of 2 part-time jobs. I can switch gears and go to my other job if one gets to be too much.

Goals and Gratitude

The week between Christmas and New Year's always feels exciting as a time of reflection and goal setting. My schedule has been so full that I haven't had a lot of time for that yet, but I had fun doing some preliminary thinking. I don't think I'll do a 23 for 23 list this year, and I'm still trying to decide if I'll have a one word theme. I've been a little disenchanted with it because of my low success, although it wasn't a complete failure. On the other hand, if I don't set goals, it's easier to float along and lose incentive. 

I decided to begin with some fun reading-related challenges, and started a list that I hope to add more to. When I searched reading challenges, there were so many cheesy ones, like "read a book with a color in the title." I'm looking for more of an actual challenge! This is what I'm planning on doing so far.

1. Read a book that challenges you. I chose Crime and Punishment since it was already on my TBR.

2. Read a book published the year you were born. 

3. Read a book you started but didn't finish. The Indifferent Stars Above is my choice.

My goal for this week was to finish this puzzle that has been languishing for weeks. 

It's one of the harder ones I've done because of the pieces not fitting together well, making it very easy to get them in the wrong place. The border is almost all the same pattern and wasn't put together right. But I'm happy to say it's finished! I don't usually save puzzles, but this one is beautiful enough (and I don't want to do it again!) so I framed it. It looks great on the basement wall. 

One of my goals for 2022 that I had success in was exercise. When I look at my stats from MapMyWalk, I've increased my walking distance by almost 50% from 2 years ago! I'm still astonished and slightly bewildered. Can I finally say I've conquered after years of trying?? I'm almost hesitant to think that, for fear of jinxing my success. But I know my mindset has changed to where exercise ranks near the top of what absolutely has to get done in a day. I don't do it every day, but 4 - 5 days a week feels realistic and attainable.

The 4:8 Principle taught that there's plenty of negative about ourselves that we could think or talk about, but why would we do that? Why give that so much space when you could instead focus on the good? So with that, I'm not going to mention the goals I didn't meet. 

Awhile ago I was especially struck with the thought of how incredibly blessed I am. Sometimes I can't see it so clearly because of a stressful day at work, or not enough sleep, a headache, or a dirty kitchen. Writing thankful lists can even become routine. But at that moment it seemed crystal clear how much I've been given. From the big things, like health, family that loves each other, a comfortable home, and an income; to the little things, like a cup of hot tea. Scented candles. Books. And So. Much. Good. Food. 

Goals are important, but I also want to remember how much I've already been given. There's sure to be blessings and disappointment in the new year, what will I focus on? 

2022 in books

I enjoy reviewing my year in books every December, and Goodreads does a fantastic job compiling stats. What is most outstanding for 2022 is that this was a year of re-reading.

2022: Stats

Shortest book: 84, Charing Cross Road

Longest book: War and Peace

Most popular: Pride and Prejudice

2022: Re-reads

- Jane Austen - The Complete Novels 

- The Book Thief

- The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings trilogy

- James Herriot: All Creatures Great and Small,  All Things Bright and Beautiful, The Lord God Made Them All

- Wonder  (Book club)

- I Will Always Write Back (Book club)

- A Wrinkle in Time (Book club)

- The Eyes of the World (Book club)

- The Boys in the Boat

- Outliers

- The Blue Castle

This was also a year of C.S. Lewis. Once Upon a Wardrobe and Becoming Mrs. Lewis rekindled my interest and I decided to venture beyond the Chronicles of Narnia.

2022: Featuring C.S. Lewis

- The Great Divorce Read it twice, very impressive. 

- The Screwtape Letters

- The Weight of Glory

- The Four Loves

- The Space Trilogy Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength - science fiction I totally enjoyed!

And now I've begun re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia to continue the re-reading/C S. Lewis theme! Actually, that had nothing to do with it. I've been wanting to read them again and figured this winter would be the perfect time. This time I'm going to read them in publication order instead of chronological order.

I don't intend to merely list the books I read, though! Quality absolutely overrules quantity, and I think that's why I reached for so many tried and true, sure to please books this year. I also read several books that impacted me profoundly.

2022: Most Meaningful 

1. Unshakable Hope

2. Mondays With My Old Pastor

3. The 4:8 Principle

No list is complete without top favorites! Only 3.8% of what I read merited a 5-star rating.

2022: Five Stars

1. When Breath Becomes Air

2. No Cure for Being Human

3. Anxious People

I'd like to take on some type of reading challenge in 2023. Does anyone have suggestions or want to join me?

Weekly Journal Volume 7

Monday December 5

Got up and worked at my desk for awhile before school. A typical day there, after which I went to pick up new spectacles, fill the car with gas, and do grocery pickup. Started chicken enchiladas and rice as soon as I got home and listened to The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street while cooking. I'm on a roll with Christmas-themed reading right now! Guess that's my way of celebrating the season. Could've/should've worked for Gehman Accounting again this evening, but going to bed early to read for awhile had a stronger pull.

Tuesday December 6

A miserable rainy day. This kind of weather makes it easier to be content at my desk though. Started the day off with a bike ride, followed by a long cool-down period of browsing the internet, wordle, and reading devotionals on my phone. Savored my morning cup of Earl Gray while driving to New Holland, listening to When Breath Becomes Air. Wow. This is proving to be a 5 star book, not to mention stoking my medical interests! Had to switch gears to the business world and face the usual Tuesday bookkeeping jobs. Team meeting today included accounting jokes/puns. "What do you call a liability without any friends?" A loan. (Get it? Alone 😄) was my favorite. I even managed to answer "What do you call really tall expenses?" (overhead) A bit of light-heartedness was good for the brain. Didn't leave work until after 6, then pulled in for another Walmart pickup to make up for all the things my local store didn't have. Grabbed a bite from Taco Bell and drove home in the rainy dark. Cliff was already gone, working on Business Bulletin. Ended the day with Sleepytime tea and a bath.

Wednesday December 7

Stayed in bed a little longer than usual, didn't have anywhere to be today. Put a meaty ham bone and navy beans in the crockpot to make soup with another evening this week. Started work around 9:00 and kept at it until a little after 1:00, then sampled the ham & beans for lunch. Yum. Wanted to go on a walk and thought maybe the fog had lifted enough by 2:00 to go for it. I got a little way down the road and realized it was still low visibility so turned back and rode the bike inside instead. It was truly a gloomy day - very overcast and foggy. SaraBeth and the kidders came after school to cut greenery from the woods, fun to be with them for a bit. The weather felt just perfect for napping, so I laid down for awhile and may have dozed a few minutes, but felt guilty because I knew I should be working! Put in a little more time at my desk before going to Phillip and Nancy's for a delicious soup supper with the teachers, Uncle Wade's, and Jaden & Tina. 

Thursday December 8

Didn't have the energy for both work and exercise before heading to school but decided exercise was more important than work. Good choice. Started packing up my stuff at school - I have to move into the music room so kindergarten can have my room. We are running out of classrooms! There has been lots of sickness going around school this week, with 14 students missing today. Cliff has had some type of cold ever since conference, but I've stayed well so far. Not sure if it's just luck or the flu shot. Left directly after school to put time in for Gehman. Worked most of the evening and Cliff had men's meeting. School is canceled for tomorrow to give everyone a chance to get better and hopefully contain the germs. I'm imagining all kinds of things I could do tomorrow instead. We'll see what happens!

Friday December 9

I must have been too excited about an extra day off, didn't even sleep late! Had plenty of time for Earl Gray and The 4:8 Principle, which really is as good as I was told. It's been very enlightening and encouraging. Knew I wanted to finish moving the stuff out of my classroom today so did that first thing before other things got in the way. Logged in to work for a little over an hour, then decided to take a deep dive into our finances and budget. As I suspicioned, expenses were greater than income. I want to get back on track with Budget Bootcamp and that involves spreadsheets and detailed recording, so I ended up working on that for several hours. Was ready for a walk and fresh air after all the number crunching. Today was wonderfully sunny and slightly chill. It was right in that zone where a coat is almost too much if you're exerting. I knew I was close to reaching 500 miles walked in 2022 and thought today's walk would get me there. When I checked afterward, I was rather annoyed to see I only needed 0.2 miles to make it! Started on supper while listening to Ben-Hur. Not sure why I've never read it before. It took me a little to get into it but now it's getting more interesting. Cooked up a huge kettle of ham and bean soup that turned out very tasty! Also made a batch of sugar cookies. Cliff took soup and cookies to the neighbors and stayed a while. I believe I was in the kitchen for 4 hours and that's more than enough for me! 

Saturday December 10

Today was the long-awaited day for Dad to knock out walls in our existing kitchen/living area. Cliff did a wonderful job putting plastic up to seal off the demolition area, which confined me to the back part of the house. The only way I could get to the kitchen was to go out through the basement and in the house through the back door. We'd prepared several weeks ago by moving most of the furniture to the basement and boxing up books and kitchen supplies. I was happy to be forced into (noisy) solitude and prepared by packing a few snacks and grabbing my tea before the action started. How grand to have another leisurely morning of devotions and reading without having to be somewhere or doing something! On the list for today along with weekly wash was to put away the stuff I'd brought home from school, clean 2 pairs of boots, and finish my budget project. I was successful in that, but of course there was more on the list I didn't have time for. In between tasks I warmed up soup for lunch and went on a walk. It's astonishing how much more space the demo opened up! I'm also getting a new, bigger closet in what was wasted space above the basement stairs. A HUGE improvement even though we're still in the mess of it all. Cliff cleaned everything up very nicely and I quickly washed the kitchen floor before going to Charles's for burgers and fries with the family to celebrate his birthday. Scrumptious and fun, except I was really tired and ready to leave early.

Sunday December 11

Got up early since we planned to go with folks and Derek's to NYC for Papa Tim and Mama Anne's farewell. Mom brought along food for lunch and supper and Charles's loaned their van so we could travel together. We arrived in the city just in time for church. It was a full house today with Poughkeepsie people, new houseparents Randy & Rachel Litwiller along with their daughter Christine and Shane, and Mifflinburg teachers with Ben & Sundaymar. Sunday school was spicy with several visiting ladies and different cultures! It's good to have something different than proper Mennonite church once in awhile. The service lasted awhile with all the testimonies and tears for Tim's and welcome for Randy's. We socialized most of the afternoon before deciding to walk downtown and see Christmas lights. It was raining and cold, but we had umbrellas and enjoyed the dark, rainy city and all the colorful lights and shop windows. We watched a short light show at Saks Fifth Avenue and looped through St. Patrick's cathedral and Bryant Park. Back to the unit house for supper and final farewells with Tim's. They are such wonderful, welcoming people and were fantastic houseparents! Felt sorry for the new houseparents. It would be quite overwhelming to take on that job in such a big, unfamiliar city, but I'm sure they'll find their place and do well. Got home just as Dec 11th ended. Bed felt incredible. 

less is more

The minimalist lifestyle has slowly been growing on me. My natural inclination has always leaned that way, and I routinely go through clothes, kitchen items, and home decor to discard things I don't use. Although I seem to enjoy shopping a lot less than most females, I used to not think twice about running to Amazon and clicking "add to cart". 

Several years ago I was amazed to see that the numbers on our tax return should have translated into a better financial position than we found ourselves. One day I took action and enrolled in Jordan Page's Budget Boot Camp. It's intense and takes a lot of time and hard work (do not attempt if you're unwilling for this!) but we had astonishing success. One of our wins was being able to pay over $15,000 extra on a loan. I learned a lot of valuable lessons in addition to the savings, though. It wasn't really anything new, but finding it out for yourself is still an eye-opener! Since then, I've fallen back into some of my old habits, although I'm much more aware that I do not need at least 50% of the things that I might actually use. I'd like to find ways to cut back even more. Here are a few things I've learned and items I've eliminated.

- More than 1 set of sheets per bed. Simply not necessary. Wash and put them back on in the same day. No need to store extra sets. In the same line, I've eliminated extra pillows and blankets. I do have a few spare blankets, but if I need more for company, I borrow from Mom. I guess it's a good thing some people DO have extras! 😄 Granted, this particular cut-back probably won't work if you host a lot of company. 

- Books that I've never read or don't really like. Although I read a lot, I decided I only need to own my top favorites. In the past, I've bought books thinking I'll read them someday, but never do. One exception for me is the books I got as a child/teenager, although I probably will never read most of them again. I kept the ones that were written inside saying who they were from, and the ones I loved most. 95% of the books I read now are from the library.

- Extra kitchen items. Serving bowls I don’t use, specialty cake/bread pans, items that were wedding gifts but I don’t really like, and such. Again, on the rare occasion I need a specialty pan (bundt cake, for example) I borrow mom's. I gave my sis-in-law Kait a splatterware pan I never used, and noticed she uses it a lot! With our kitchen remodel, I've had to box up over half my kitchen items. It's amazing how seldom I have to go dig something out! It looks like I could eliminate a lot more yet. 

- Expired medicines. Just take a look at the dates in your medicine cabinet, I promise you'll be surprised! I used to not pay attention to the dates, but working in a pharmacy where we could not use outdated drugs and checked dates on everything made me hyper-aware. Although they might still be good for a couple months after their expiration, drugs do lose their potency. Buy smaller quantities so you use them up before they expire. 

Be realistic, don't hold on to things you don't need for the lifestyle you have. Think about it, if you don't have much company now, will you have more in the future? Most likely not. For me, that meant I didn't need extra bedding. Likewise, don't buy things that don't fit your lifestyle. This spring I mentioned a couple times that it would be nice to have a fire ring. Cliff was ready to hit "buy now" when I put on the brakes. How often do we sit outside in the evening NOW? True, we might do it more often if we had a fire ring, but we don't really have a good place for it and we're both usually tired by evening. I don't think it would get used enough to justify the cost. 

Don't buy trendy home decor. I've done this and seen my folly. No matter how "in" it is right now, it WILL become outdated. I've learned I'm happier with just a few things that I love, no matter if it's in or out of style.

DO buy quality furniture you enjoy using. Go ahead and use some of the money you save by investing in furniture that is comfortable. This might not be attainable for everyone, but don't hold on to the same couches, chairs, or beds for years and years. 

Some people are happier with more, I am happier with less. I get a thrill out of discarding unused items and seeing mostly bare walls. Don't get me wrong, my definition of minimalism includes surrounding myself with a few select things I love. LESS IS MORE. 

Impressions

Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 

Conference 2022 - Tupelo, MS

The People:

- Some you see multiple times in a day, others you never see at all!

- Walking in to the arena and seeing home folks is a nice feeling.

- Interesting how many people you see that you know. I thought most would be strangers, but it's pretty easy to glimpse familiar faces in every direction. 

- Meeting friends from youth days, how did we get so old??! Extra pounds and a few well-earned wrinkles testify that life takes its toll on us all.

Fashion:

Short, wrinkly linen dresses and old-fashioned patterns. One positive of this fad is that the rumpled look is not generally tight. Cream is the color that pops out the most in the youth girls section. Black and rust are also popular. Most people are very ordinarily dressed; more of them than the outstanding ones. Tie downs go on and off, tied and untied. Would be so nice to do away with that tradition although I see how it makes everyone look more uniform than the cap.

The Leaders:

- Sea of suits and white or bald heads on the floor. Looks like the majority are above 50, kind of a scary thought! Where are the young ones to take their places? I spot some who have labored faithfully and led bygone conferences now sitting near the back and participating quietly. Gladwin Koehn, Melvin Penner, Sam Unruh, Orie Koehn... 

- The ratio of leaders to lay brethren seems disproportionate. 

The Logistics:

- All I know is, the people who planned and organized this event know what they're doing.

Arena ushers in white shirts and black vests work together to find seating for all. Car ushers tell pedestrians where to walk and wave vehicles out in sync with traffic lights. There is no gridlock at dismissal time. At meal time, we go through the line, pick up our bagged lunch, and are back at our seats in under 5 minutes. I observed that sometimes it's difficult to get people to go where they should and asked one of the ushers if he ever got frustrated with them. His reply was, "They sure like to talk!" 

- The guys at the sound booth are fascinating to watch. On the spot at all times, they control the big screens and messages that flash across. They focus the camera on the area of the crowd where a speaker is taking his turn and make sure the correct mic is on. Someone is in communication with the men on the podium writing resolutions and putting them on the screen at the right time. Another guy takes care of streaming the open services across the conference. Watching all this order and precision, I am awed by the God-given talent among us! 

The Lectures & Discussion:

- On the first day, the chairman outlines procedure for those who voluntarily speak to keep it at 10 minutes or less. A timer sounds when someone is nearing the end of their allotted time. A few times I wished the speakers giving lectures had a timer too! The human brain can only take in so much. For the most part, the speakers stick to the point without too many introductory "glad to be here's" and "feeling small in front of this crowd's" after the admonishment on the first day. If everyone said such unnecessary words, it would take up hours of the already packed schedule.

- Most of the thoughts from the floor are sound and spoken gently and lovingly. There are a few who seem to carry their own agenda, speaking boldly and strongly. It's amazing to see how that spirit does not settle into the hearts of the listeners.

- Silence when a new resolution is posted. The men writing these must be divinely led! How terrifying to think of writing something so serious in a few minutes that can't be changed unless brought before another assembly like this!

The Food:

Jimmy John's cold subs, chicken caesar wraps, followed by chicken caesar wraps, Jimmy John's cold subs, and cold sandwiches on croissants. Included in the bagged lunch are sides of chips and fruit and a packaged sweet, with a moist towelette to clean up afterwards. Really decent food, just repetitious. Water by the pallet was always available, but no sweet beverages or coffee unless you knew where to find them in hidden nooks. Supposedly there was different food at each serving station, and if you went to the same one every time, you'd eventually get Chick-fil-A. We rarely went to the same food line though, and never got it.

General Thoughts:

We heard a lot about spirits. I wonder if these spirits could also be called demons? I get a clearer picture when thinking of it that way. I imagine Satan sending out his demons to infect us with these spirits of division, worldliness, and self-gratification.

Conference was much more inspiring than I expected it to be. I assumed I'd be tired of all the "church" and exhausted by the people long before it was over. To my surprise, I didn't want to leave early or skip a day! We'd thought of leaving Thursday, but decided we didn't want to miss the third day after being there for the first two. It turned out that the discussion on photography and recording Thursday morning was one of the better ones.

It makes a difference what you focus on. Sure, some of the youth seemed to be at conference for the purpose of being with friends and meeting new people, didn't sit in the arena during sessions, or held their own conversations during a lecture they should've been listening to. But they were by far the minority. Hundreds of youth listened intently and behaved admirably, served in food lines, and dressed nicely. Yes, some of those who spoke might be called "liberal" and others labeled "hard-liner" but the resolutions that were made found the solid ground.

At one point I felt discouraged because I realized nothing new was being said and we discuss worldliness and drifting away from God at every conference. The resolutions are all about turning back and reaffirming prior resolutions. But then I thought - Isn't that the way God works? Gently reminding, giving small course corrections along the way? 

It's fascinating to observe the cycle of life. I wonder if the youth that are here today have realized that THEY will be the ones holding babies and toddlers by the hand at the next conference, carrying a few extra pounds and looking like parents!

Light & Dark

Tender compassion

and

Irritated passion

Comfortable companionship 

and

Walls of misunderstanding 

Laughter and fun and adventure

and

Tears and pain and trauma

The joy of living

and

The horrible bleakness of existence

The love of dear ones 

and

The island of isolation

Noticing someone else's hurt 

and

My own hurt blinding me 

Love

and

Hate

Summer

and 

Winter

Weddings

and 

Funerals

Birth

and 

Death

Young

and 

Old

Sunshine

and

Rain

Why

and

What do I do about it

How

To live in the light 

and

Not the dark