saying thank you when the days are not easy

I used to think if I had X or if ABC would line up that I would be happy.  That I would no longer worry.  As if certain things could create a life that didn't have struggle. 

I was younger then.  Now I know that it doesn't matter what you have or even how easy you have it, life has struggle.

It is a deeply beautiful day today.  The weather is comfortable. It's sunny. The trees are changing color and I'm surrounded by blue skies.

I have new goals to learn self-discipline.  

I need to learn better ways to handle times that are difficult.  Because life always has difficulties.   One of mine will be loneliness. I have known that for a long time I guess.  It's for many reasons.   

Yet, I'm surrounded by beauty.  And I must learn to handle things better.  I roasted a chicken today. It was not one of my better ones. 

I roasted carrots as well.  Just olive oil, salt and pepper.  I should do more for dinner.  I boiled eggs. I'm going to the city tomorrow.  I'm going to try to pack food for the day. 

One step and then another, as we try again to do things in a better way.  It shocks me at times to realize the state of things and how one is so weak and such need of Christ our Savior.

The One who is the source of all beauty.

love and justice: a story of a man whose great suffering gave way to beautiful redemption

Love & Justice: A Story of Triumph on Two Different Courts by Maya Moore Irons and Jonathan Irons.

Maya a basketball star.  Jonathan in prison for a crime he didn't commit.  Maya fights for Jonathan.  Jonathan endured and impressively learned how to fight the injustice in court.  Thank God he was freed.  

I struggled to read this one because so much of it was like reading stories of terrible imprisonments during the time of the Soviet Union. So much deep injustice and cruelty.  

It's hard to imagine the deep poverty that Jonathan endured as a child. The suffering he endured in prison for decades is something that was so awful, dehumanizing, and so full of darkness, a denial of the dignity and worth of every human being.  

But even though I was given the words to describe this, my words are deeply inadequate because they cannot show the sense of how this inexplicable suffering reduces one to silence. Especially when one has not endured anything like that.  

You can't read something like this without seeing first hand the inequality that persists in the States in both poverty and race. This book was in no way slanted.  It's so easy to misunderstand simple truths because of how political some issues have become.  

It is inspiring to see that deep suffering and injustice, with faith in Christ, can make a human being so beautiful in the midst of such awful, terrible circumstances.

Their love and commitment is beautiful, as is their faith in Christ. I loved the picture at the end of the book. They are such a beautiful family. I pray that they never lose their faith, it's a powerful and healing source of love.

A Special Early 10th Birthday

My Sister's Daughter, my niece, is turning ten later this year.  Mr Husband and I took a trip home.  One of the many things we did was having a special early birthday party.  I gave away my white tea set to the almost ten year old.

We are nearly 40 years apart.  It's rather sobering in many ways.

May God bless and protect this young lady, my Sister's Daughter and may God's mercy be with her all of her days.

a deliciously somewhat normal day

A quiet day, errands in New York City this morning.  Then home, dishes, folding laundry.  We split a delicious burger for dinner.  I am back in NYC tomorrow.  May God have mercy on us all.

Sunday Peace

a really nourishing dinner

After 3 years of illness, I'm finally able to have a nutritionist again. I actually talked with her 3 years ago almost exactly. But now I'm at a much better point of health and space within myself and I can put things more into action. 

Heirloom tomatoes. A little bit of croutons avocado, Caesar salad, dressing, spinach plus smoothies that I bought and then added yogurt to and chia seeds as my nutritionist suggested.  Plus some simple bread from a restaurant and cashews and I had delicious fish that was made at a store with tzatziki sauce. My nutritionist told me I need 2 days of fish a week. I'm really looking forward to seeing how a better diet can nourish my body and hopefully I won't get as depleted and sick as I have them. But I can only do my best and the rest is up to the Lord and His holy and mysterious and perfect will. 

May God have mercy on us.

yesterday in New York

It was an incredibly busy day! I had four meetings during the day and I ended up having to go out at night again.  I walked 6.13 miles! It was often lightly sprinkling but I had an umbrella.  I had my trusty pink cart with me as always and my smartphone for the map!  

Today is the 5th anniversary of my dear friend Larissa's passing into Glory.  We're going to do a service later this morning.    I'm so grateful to have known her, to have so many of her beautiful things in our home and to know that she's praying for us still.  

Those we share our hearts with the deepest gifts from God and ones who are always with us. 

Today I also get my haircut and I'm going to learn to use some things to put my hair up. I have a beautiful new hat. That's a pill box and I want to learn how to have my hair up in a more fancy fashion I guess you would say.  I got some cute things from TJ Maxx. One of them is a set of two hairpins that I don't have a picture of here. 

God is so good to us. May God have mercy on us all.

time passes so quickly

It was so lovely to be in Church 💟

This week is incredibly busy for me.  May God have mercy on us all 🙏🕯️

NYC in a Thursday

Such a full day ❣️ My eye appointment was fine 🥰 I had a delicious eggs benedict ❣️ I successfully took the subway to my library ❣️ I went to the MET ❣️ I am very thankful.