Daily Reminder # 702

Just watched another very fine movie... LOST IN TRANSLATION. I did not expect to like it as much as I did. Always a nice surprise.  Hot an yucky here once again. It's 2 am as I'm typing this and it feels like the middle of a hot day... and that's here in the country where it is supposed to cool down at night. For the first time in my life, I find myself wishing for an air conditioner. Yuck.  Maybe it's my approaching antiquity. I have never liked hot weather, especially HUMID hot weather. I used to suffer it with good humor, though. Now it just makes me cranky. If I live to be 75, I suspect I am going to be one cranky old witch.  Because of the weather I was going to skip the back door, but instead visited quite late and was blessed by a visiting bunny.  I'm going to share a Neale Donald Walsch Message from God tonight because I think it's really true. It's part of why my gratitude list is so important to me... because I think life is just a collection of daily miracles.... from the sound of a cat purring, to the trill of running water and indoor plumbing, refrigeration, electricity, and of course bunnies and chipmunks and birds singing. And colors and... the list goes on and on.

 On this day of your life, dear friend, 

I believe God wants you to know...

...that miracles do not, in fact, break the laws of nature.

C.S. Lewis said that, and it is an enormous insight. If

we think that miracles are normal, we will expect them.

And expecting a miracle is the surest way to get one.

  

Love, Your Friend....

As I was typing this reminder, I had Pandora Radio playing and a song came on playing a song ai never heard before by a group I never heard before. I love it. I think it fits with the Mr. Walsch's message, so I'm adding it to the post. Seems to much like synchronicity to ignore sharing it.





Some things I'm grateful for today:  (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to befriend, embrace, entice, invoke and otherwise find abundance... and to make friends with the Creative Forces of the Universe in hopes that they will help me manifest material, emotional and all forms of life's abundant goodness.)

• Angel and Tara Grace
• my home
• FANS... wish I had more
• Pandora radio
• my awesome Bose speakers
• the joy of listening
• the joy of singing
• the discovery of new voices
• miracles
• electricity
• did I mention fans?
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• my rock collection
• the colors of the rainbow
• a wet cloth on my neck
• iced tea mixed with lemonade
• granola bars
• bread and butter
• water
• paper towels
• my computer
• the internet
• email
• computer games
• my TV
• the remote control
• the MUTE button
• Netflix
• completed wordzzles
• words
• poetry
• ideas
• inspiration
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• my camera
• the view from my front window
• my back yard
• critters
• grass and flowers and birds
• lavender
• white sage
• peppermint
• sight
• taste
• touch
• hearing
• smell
• breath
• my body
• my grabber
• my chair/walker
• my cane
• that my legs still wobble me around with help
• my electric toothbrush
• Listerine
• my kitchen
• the refrigerator
• indoor plumbing
• coconut oil
• Sam-e
• Omega-3
• IP-6
• Vitamin D-3
• Nintendo
• a sun room on the back of the house
• more flowers/landscaping in the back yard
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• a CEILING FAN in the bedroom (PLEASE hurry universe)
• a safe, affordable way to hook my dryer up now that I have one
• company/companionship
• thermal blinds for the front window
• a new (Dutch) front door
• help rearranging my furniture
• a gathering of friends for my 65th birthday in 10 days
• more paying reiki clients
• $5,000/week for life from PCH or a million a year or some other large sum of money
• winning lottery numbers
• a truckload of cash (big bills)
• a paid off mortgage
• zero balance on my credit cards
• lower interest rates
• one or more whistling vessel gatherings
• clean windows
• a mattress for the guest bedroom
• seeing the red list turn to black
• reiki
• angels
• miracles 
• Dennis Puffett
• the colors of the rainbow
• my friends
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy, healthy and successful
• kind neighbors
• Dr. Bronner soaps
• Dr. Ihhiru probiotic soap
• resilience
• determination
• Advil
• good movies
• Google
• SKYPE
• YouTube
• that Obama care was found constitutional
• President Obama
• imagination
• inspiration
• words
• ideas
• an education
• plastic containers (they may not be ecologically sound but they are handy)
• my microwave
• my refrigerator
• matches
• hope
• possibilities
• things I'm forgetting
• things I am grateful for in private
• love
• laughter
• life

HAVE A MIRACULOUS DAY!

Daily Reminder # 701

Late posting. Skipping Gratitude (though I'm feeling it in my heart). One person in this world to be grateful for is Bernie Sanders. Too bad we don't have more people like him working for the American people. This is a speech worth listening to.

WISHING YOU A SPLENDID DAY!

Weekly Wordzzle Challenge # 209

And the story of the Paragon of Virtue is winding down. Today's installment - # 49 - may be the final one or... In any case, there won't be too many more.  Much as I have whined about doing this story for 49 weeks now, it feels odd to have it coming to a close.  Guess I just like to complain.

Once again, I'll post my  exercises in the morning. Going to set this up to post and go take a much needed nap this afternoon. 


5:50 Saturday.  Ok. Finally posting this week's exercises. The story of the Paragon of Virtue is not quite ready to lay itself to rest, I guess. But soon. 


Here are links to the previous episodes.  If you need/want to catch up, click here for the 1st installment, 2nd installment, 3rd installment, 4th installment, 5th installment, 6th installment, 7th installment., 8th installment, 9th installment, 10th installment, 11th installment, 12th installment, 13th installment, 14th installment, 15th installment, 16th installment, 17th installment, 18th installment, 19th installment. 20th installment, 21st installment, 22nd installment, 23rd installment, 24th installment, 25th installment, 26th installment, 27th installment, 28th installment, 29th installment, 30th installment, 31st installment, 32nd installment, 33rd installment, 34th installment, 35th installment, 36th installment, 37th installment , 38th installment, 39th installment, 40th installment, 41st installment, 42nd installment, 43rd Installment, 44th installment, 45th installment, 46th installment, 47th installment, 48th installment...

Words for this week's 10 word challenge:  difference, flamboyant, over-heated, stone wall, radiate, spider web, chord, sign, error, pop   And for the mini: tired, shadows, baggage, fabric, roll




My mega: 


"It's a sign," the painter exclaimed with flamboyant and somewhat overheated drama. "A new life for a new time. The shadows and evils of the past are rolling away and...."  "Painter Perfidy," Bubbles interrupted. "While I appreciate your poetic words, this baby is not going to just pop out of me without some help, nor is it going to wait for a more convenient time to... owwwwww.... enter this world. All of you, please radiate as much joy as you wish for my happy miracle at some other time. For the moment I need HELP. NOW!"  Her words - or perhaps her tone - clearly struck a chord with the tired heroes. Their weariness seemed to drop from them as each moved with purpose to perform one task or another in preparation for the new life that was about to arrive.  With a flick of his want, Wizard Spark, converted what had recently been a table into a bed. The Paragon, happy to practice his skills for a joyful purpose, magicked up several rolls of soft and beautiful fabric with which to cushion Bubbles on the bed and for wrapping the baby when he or she was born. "It is said to be made of thousands of spider webs, so soft that when you rest on it you can feel no pain. I read about it some time ago. It is highly recommended for pregnant mothers. I hope it will make you more comfortable." he stuttered, feeling suddenly a bit embarrassed.  "Be not embarrassed, Paragon. You have made no error with this choice," Lady Purist came to his rescue, "When I gave birth to my son, I was blessed to rest on just such material. The bed that had felt like a bed of nails seconds earlier became like a cloud." Turning to Bubbles, she clasped her hand and said with a smile, "not that it was painless, but the difference was palpable and much appreciated. "You are going to be fine, my dear." I can see that you are strong in body, mind and spirit. Looking at your beautiful face, I believe I see a reflection of your mother in your eyes. You lived in the house with beautiful stone wall and the giant oak tree. Just at the edge of the forest, did you not? Your mother was one of the kindest souls in the realm and often let me drop the heavy baggage of my sorrow and loneliness on her strong shoulders. "I remember your visits," Bubbles answered with a smile. We all loved you and were honored to ease what suffering it was in our power to do. We - my people - are dragon whisperers. Although we failed you Lady, it was not for lack of love and effort."

The mini:

"Failed me?" Laughter rolled out of Amanda Purist like music. "Child, that is false baggage that you must put away forever. Though they could not see clearly the whole fabric that was being woven - my husband was a magician of great skill - your parents saw the shadows of what was to come and did all in their power to prepare and protect me. Their kind hearts and love lifted my spirits when I was most tired and afraid. And there are skills they taught and protections they wrought, that protected me from the worst, helped me to stay sane and to know with every fiber of my being that hope was not a foolish fancy, that help would come in time and that the time of darkness would be followed by great light. And here we are. But enough of the past. We have a new life to welcome. I would consider it an honor to help midwife the birth of your child."


The 10-word:

Bubbles smile was all the answer that was needed. "Lady, Purist, now - even as you did then - you radiate love and kindness that is like a healing balm. I used to climb up onto our stone wall and eagerly watch for some sign that you might come for a visit.  I didn't always understand the sometimes overheated conversations Mom and Pop had about your safety and about how to protect you. You seemed so strong and sure and magical to me that I thought they must be in error. Why, my child's heart, wondered, would anyone try to harm such goodness and beauty? And even if they wanted to, how - I foolishly thought - could they do so? Alas, time has taught me lessons I wish I had not learned. But now it also teaches me that my child's heart was right. You were strongest in the end and they could not truly harm you.  Oh, my! This child has a will to enter this life. Where is healer McFlash? I believe my time is very soon." "I'm here, my dear." McFlash responded. "The moment is indeed close." "Where is the Paragon," Bubbles asked suddenly. "Right here," an anxious voice replied instantly. "Is there something more that you need?"  Bubbles giggled and then groaned slightly as another contraction shook her body. "I wanted to thank you for the spider web fabric and let you know that it has indeed made a difference. The pain is much more bearable. Also, I wish to ask you and all the others gathered here if you would do something for me. It is a family tradition to have our children sung into the world. I will let the dragons decide whether this child should be welcomed with a flamboyant song or a lullaby or something in between, but I would be grateful if you all at least struck a chord or two as this baby starts her life." Fred Johnson felt a rush of inspiration. "If I might teach you an old earth song - forgive me dragons, I know the choice is yours - I would love to do so. It is a hymn called "Amazing Grace," and somehow I believe it is your daughter's song, Bubbles. "Ah, Paragon, you never cease to amaze! Grace is the name her father and I chose for her when she was first conceived. That sounds like the perfect song indeed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words for next week's 10-word challenge:  the answer, vow, plot, pillar, fans, effective, walk the line, craft, oversight, civil 

And for the mini: speech, local, crowd, rock fall, back-scratcher

Thanks you for playing.  Newcomers can check here for some guidelines to make the game more fun. There are no rules, just some general guidelines and tricks.

Belated Daily Reminder # 700

Wasn't feeling well last night when I went to bed and am still kind of weary this morning. It is hot and humid here again, so I'm feeling very whiny and miserable. It could be worse. If I had slept better last night it would probably not feel as oppressive as it does. I think it's more tiredness than the weather that is making me whiny. Angel has a bump on her side. I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and get the vet to look at her after the holiday has passed. I think I'll skip the gratitude list today. I AM grateful... for my home for the fans, for iced tea and a damp cloth on my neck and a lot of other things.

 I did watch a superlative movie last night: THE READER.  I love movies the explore the complexity of good and evil and human emotions.  This was one of those Netflix movies that sat on my desk for a couple of weeks before I got myself to put it into the DVD drive and watch it. I'm not sure what I was expecting. Anyway, I highly recommend it.  Humans seem to always want everything to be simple. This person is good. This person is evil. I love this person. I hate this person. We are just much too complex and the wounds of the human spirit sometimes make good people act in ways that are wicked.  Anyway, I highly recommend the movie. I thought the performances were superlative.

                                                                                                                                                                                           

I think that's it for today. Not a very good effort, but all that I have in me.  On top of everything else, I'm having ant phobia. It's just my hair falling out of the clip, but I keep thinking I'm being crawled on. It's really a good idea to make sure you get enough sleep.  At least with me, my judgment is much better and my ability to cope with things is much better when I am not hours short of the proper quota.  Eleven days until I'm officially old.

May the Day be Kind to You

Daily Reminder # 699

Another glorious day here in Hancock. Colorado is on fire and Florida is flooded and we have perfect temperatures, sunshine and a lovely windy (but not too windy) day. Sometimes life is just not fair. I'm going to let Neale Donald Walsch do the work again this evening with a pep talk from God.  And pictures.

On this day of your life, dear friend,

I believe God wants you to know...

...that how bad things may look right now means 

nothing.  It's how good you know they can 

look with God's help that counts. 

Life has a habit of changing itself completely around 

in 24 hours. Heck, in 24 minutes sometimes.

Don't you dare give up on Tomorrow because of the

way things look Today. Don't even think about it...

Love, Your Friend....

Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to become comfortable with the idea of abundance and to inspire the Creative Forces of the Universe with a desire to lavish me with all good things.)  Thank you for:

• Angel and Tara Grace
• my home
• coffee and Int'l Delight
• granola bars
• water
• grapes
• paper towels
• my TV
• PBS
• Comedy Central
• Jon Stewart
• Stephen Colbert
• humor
• the remote control
• the mute button
• my computer
• email
• YouTube
• google
• Sam-e
• Omega-3
• IP-6
• Vitamin D-3
• indoor plumbing
• litter box changed, garbage out
• the garbage man
• the smell of white sage
• Pandora Radio
• music
• the joy of listening
• the joy of singing
• my awesome Bose speakers
• the boom box by my bed
• my wonderful mattress
• my nieces, my nephew and their families
• that they are happy, healthy and successful
• my friends
• my neighbors
• the view from my front window
• my back yard
• visitors to my back porch
• my camera
• a sun room on the back of the house
• more flowers/landscaping for the back yard
• company/companionship
• Nintendo Wii
• winning lottery numbers
• $5,000/week from PCH or a million a year of any large sum of money
• a truckload of money (big bills)
• a safe, affordable way to hook the dryer up
• clean windows
• freshly painted living and bedroom walls
• a new (Dutch) front door
• a gathering of friends for my 65th birthday in two weeks
• a paid off mortgage
• zero balance on my credit cards
• lower interest rates
• one or more whistling vessel gatherings
• a ceiling fan in the bedroom
• more paying reiki clients
• thermal blinds for the front window
• a mattress for the guest bedroom
• a good rearrangement for the living room and help moving stuff
• seeing the red list turn to black
• reiki
• angels
• miracles
• Dennis Puffett
• Healing with the Masters
• Jennifer McLean
• the ability to read and write
• the ability to type
• ideas
• inspiration
• words
• poetry
• Netflix
• tingshas
• recycling
• electricity
• my Tibetan salt lamps
• my rock collection
• the colors of the rainbow
• sight
• taste
• touch
• smell
• hearling
• beauty
• breath
• my electric toothbrush
• Listerine
• paper towels
• computer games
• miracles
• my cane
• my chair/walker
• that my legs still wobble me around with help
• possibilities
• Advil
• resilience
• fans
• things I'm forgetting
• coconut oil
• blue skies
• clouds
• flowers
• love
• laughter
• life

MAY YOU FEEL YOUR ANGELS 

WATCHING OVER YOU

Daily Reminder # 698

Am stumped for something to say this evening. I think I had something that I wanted to talk about earlier, but it has gone the way of the Dodo. Luckily, the drought at the back door was broken this afternoon. Nobody very exotic showed up, but at least there was some variety in the guest list. Baby woodchuck even waddled up onto the porch but left as quickly as he came so I didn't get a photo.  Got lots and lots and lots of OTHER photos, though, so I think tonight will be pictures and gratitude.  Oh - and prayer requests. Please, if you would, hold my friend Ellie in our prayers and her father, who is very ill. And my friend Rosalie and her mother who is very ill and having trouble letting go of this life.  

Scarface was having a day of contemplation and
prayer in between feeding frenzies....

It may be that he was praying that the doves and other
birds would go away and leave him to eat everything
all by himself as usual. If that was it, his prayers
were not answered this time.

I wish this robin would have come closer.  He or
she was singing so beautifully. It was magical.

Have to remember to get someone to tell me what that silver thing is.
I keep thinking I should know but I can't figure it out.

So many photos, I think I'll do paragraph gratitude today. Grateful for lovely cool weather even though if I were to nitpick, I'd wish for it to be slightly LESS cool. The weather fairy doesn't seem able to strike a balance at all this year.  I want to remind myself here of something that I realized when I was having trouble sleeping (again) last night. I want to shift - or at least add the world "Thank you for" instead of just things I'm grateful for.  Things I'm grateful for is maybe more detached than is best. So anyway. THANK YOU  for Angel and Tara Grace and their hugs and their purrs and their antics.  Thank you for my home and my coffee maker and the coffee I have with my International Delight. Thank you for my nieces and my nephew and their families. Thank you that they are happy and healthy and successful. Thank you for my friends and my neighbors and for all the kindness that comes my way from so many people and venues. Thank you for the beauty that is all around me, for the view from my front window and for my back  yard and for birds and bunnies and chipmunks and woodchucks and flowers and blue skies and clouds and other good things. Thank you for the colors of the rainbow. Thank you for silly but fascinating tests for color blindness (I scored a 28). Thank you for electricity and my Tibetan salt lamps with their orange glow. Thank you for my rock collection, for music and sight and taste and touch and hearing and the ability to smell. Thank you for the scent of lavender or what sage. Thank you for paper towels, for my kitchen and my microwave, for my bathroom, for my electric toothbrush and toothpaste and Listerine and for indoor plumbing. Thank you for laughter and wit and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Thank you for words and poetry and the ability to read and write. Thank you for humor and laughter. Thank you for reiki and for all the wonderful healers who are available online. Thank you for all the other things I'm not going to list so that this doesn't get any longer than it already is. Thank you for hearing my heart wishes and granting them. Thank you for the fun of having heart wishes. Thank you for love and kindness and hope and possibilities. Thank you for resilience and determination and laughter and thank you for life and all it's joys, sorrows, wonders and delights.

I WISH YOU PEACE AND COMFORT