2021 May 9th Mother's Day

“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31:31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

My mother loved life and had an appreciation for everyone in her life. She was a daddy's girl and had many traits of her mother. She absolutely loved her siblings and encouraged her children to also love each other REGARDLESS. 

Thank you for loving me and forever setting an example for me as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.

I loved you then and still do. I miss you everyday and will definitely see you later.

Color Can Be Intimidating

You don't need to understand my intimidation at the walls of color in a nail salon but it is my reality. I worked with my nail polish therapist Shaina Sample for several months.  Her talents are many and I hope that she knows that I appreciate her skills as my personal therapist. I am smiling.

I now feel like a grown-up and it only takes me about five minutes to select a nail color which is a huge progress for me. The teal color just spoke to me as thoughts of my mother came to mind with her love of green and my favorite color blue. 

My daughter in-law really had been selecting some beautiful colors for me. In fact the nail techs would ask me as soon as I enter the room "What color did your daughter in-law pick for you today?" and I would hand my cellphone to her so that she can see the text. The memory still brings smiles to my face.

By the way nail color therapists don't really exist but my daughter in-law helping me is real. I just decided to put a spin on my difficulty in selecting nail polish colors. Whew! I feel better telling this truth.

If you could only see my happy feet fully adorned with color.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

This is fiction but based on a real event where 9k+ lives were lost when the Wilhelm Gustloff passenger cruise ship was deliberately torpedoed during WW2. It reads so true and each character is a reminder of the types of people who could have been on the ship.  People who loved and were loved and had plans for a future. People who were victims and victimized,  people who lost people precious to them all because they didn't fit the desired pattern for humanity by Hitler, Stalin, etc.

I feel emotionally exhausted after finishing this book. I barely recall learning about this sinking of this ship and the others that faced the same fate during WW2. This book is a reminder that thousands on board were trying to escape their respective war torn country with their families or the remainder of families. Hoping to be delivered to safety elsewhere but instead their loss of life was considered a victory for the country from which its military had created so much death, torture, and defilement.

To think that the commander of the submarine is considered a wartime hero dragged at my emotions. Then I sat back and understood that wars bring tragedy and the commander was supposedly carrying out his duty but at a later time the decision of that commander came into question. 

I was drawn into each character which was well written by the author.  I am not generally a fan of this style of writing but now I am pleased that it was not written as a one narrator.  The authors notes at the end plus comments from survivors and the divers that actually explored the ship really added to the overall appreciation of this book.

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

Beauty, brains, intelligence, and resilience. Hedy Lamarr had it all. 

Hedy Lamarr was not only beautiful but intelligent, extremely intelligent. She escaped an abusive marriage in another country and she managed to make it all of the way to our beloved USA,  Adolf Hitler was entertained in her home during her marriage to do business with her husband, Speaking of her husband he concealed her being Jewish for his business convenience and she knew that he could change is mind at any time. As a result of her intelligence she has greatly enhanced our everyday day life through her patent.

One of the inventions that she held a patent on could have saved  many lives during WW2. Through great persistence she finally was granted an audience with certain military staff to introduce her invention. The military agreed that it could be useful but because she was a woman they did not know how to introduce it for approval simply because of her gender. Our military should feel shame for the additional lives lost for their ignorance. Talk about gender bias!

I now think of Hedy Lamarr often when using my cell phone since its design and functionality is directed tied to her invention so many years ago..

Ernest Hemingway was indeed human

I learned a lot about him from reading "The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain. Interesting man who lived life by his own confused terms. The book put his life into perspective for me. He never really wanted children and fatherhood proved difficult for him, especially emotionally.

After recently watching the PBS special about his life, marriages, writing career and stages of writing, and his mental state through the end of his life I actually have a renewed interest in him and my opinion has somewhat changed but only marginally. Perhaps I can finally finish the book by Paula McLain titled "Love and Ruin" that I started over a year ago.  It is just not as interesting as the one about his first of four wives.  This one is about the third wife in the life of this hot tempered and abusive cheater.  He appeared to believe in marriage just not celibacy within marriage. 

Hemingway shared the wise words with us many years ago. His war time experiences, less than happy childhood, and depression drove him and haunted him which led to his suicide. These words from him take on a special significance for each of us and it's all about choices. Choose wisely. It is sad that he did not take his own advice but it does not at diminish the value of these words.  

"Before you act, listen.

Before you react, think.

Before you spend, earn.

Before you criticize, wait.

Before you pray, forgive.

Before you quit, try."

 

- Ernest Hemingway

2021 March 9 National Get Over It Day

Yesterday was National Get Over It Day.

There are those who belabor everything and would beat a dead horse. The verbal hysterics and tirades have gotten old. Some continue in their attacks then say I love you to their respective audience. Talk is cheap.

Differences and differences in opinion are just that ... Differences. Stop being a two legged volcano. Then again there are those in attack mode that actually think that belittling others or playing the victim will change the mind of another. Fact check, it doesn't.

Here are some real truths that I have copied and pasted from the National Day Calendar website. :

"It” may be a variety of things. .... Even news such as being passed over for a promotion, poor grades, or an argument with a family member shouldn’t cause us to live our lives in a state of misery forever.

Say goodbye to the worry of the “if onlys” and “what ifs” and look forward to days with a more positive attitude.

Falling into dirt

My maternal grandmother always told me that you couldn't be around dirt without getting some on you. Today's media, political pundits, opinionated messages seen on Facebook, etc. reminds me of what compromises can do to us and the confusion that comes with it. The term "convenience thinking" comes to mind.

Sexual abuse, violence, and even ones sexuality have escalated over the years and the messages serve as a painful reminder of what is becoming of our society in this country, what it condones in the name of freedom. It's freedom run amuck.

"Freedoms" are exploited rather than seeking atonement for sin clearly defined in the word of God. In the name of progress we have regressed to lower our moral standards and make excuses to justify ones behavior. Yes, what I am seeing and reading has struck a chord, a painful one.

The real story behind the book The Shack by William Paul Young

After watching the TV documentary I now realize that there was and actually is a real story behind the book and movie, The Shack by William Paul Young. 

How it came to exist pulled at my heart in several ways. There is a powerful message about hiding and carrying with you your  own "shack" built by your experiences and relationships, forgiveness, OUR sins against those that we love, the facades that we build and hide behind, who we really are, expectations and lies that we hide behind, secrets and how they destroy us and interfere with God's plan for our life, and how we might lose everything by the world's standard to "reach" the bottom and that God carries, walks and leads us if and when allowed. 

Life is a journey and God's invitation is ever present. It was two hours well spent and thankfully with supportive Scripture. I included prayer before and then again after watching this exceptional documentary.  Bottom line is that God can use any one person and in or from any situation(s).

Be Thankful

BE THANKFUL that you don't already have everything you desire.....if you did, what would there be to look forward to?

BE THANKFUL when you don't know something....for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

BE THANKFUL for the difficult times....during those times you grow.

BE THANKFUL for your limitations...they give you opportunities for improvement.

BE THANKFUL for each new challenge...which will build your strength and character.

BE THANKFUL for your mistakes...they will teach you valuable lessons.

BE THANKFUL when you're tired and weary...because it means you've given your all

BE THANKFUL!!!!!! AUTHOR- unknown

2021 March 8th International Women's Day

March 8th is International Women's Day. God made us unique in every way but Gods plan is one of unity not divisiveness, love and not hate, inclusion and not verbal castration of either gender.

Celebrate who you are and accept that we are a result of our experiences but not defined or held hostage by them. You are you!

I am thankful, so thankful, for the privileges afforded me and the freedoms as a woman tied to the women in history who took a stand at their own peril for our united freedoms as women.

I am a woman but do not want to forget or neglect the importance and value of being a lady as well. Special thanks to the many women who helped me and inspired me throughout my life who are indeed too many to list here.