Tuesday, March 11, 2025 Psalm-A-Day

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We’re sorting through some old stuff and I came across the very first birthday gift that I gave to my husband after we were married.

What is it, you ask? Somehow I thought that what he most needed in life was a Japanese-style canister with verses from the Psalms in it, so he could pick out one per day to read and ponder. I decided to write out one verse from each Psalm (there are 150 Psalms), cut each one out and fold it. And I had to do it when he wasn’t around. As I recall, it took a long time, a true labor of love. In retrospect, it seems like an underwhelming gift, but he received it with gratitude and used it daily at least one time through all 150 verses. That was 40 years ago!

Quotes to Share

Confess all known sin; Get rid of everything doubtful; obey the Spirit immediately; proclaim Christ publicly.
Evan Roberts, in the 1904 Welsh Revival

Friendship is a sheltering tree.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Song can turn melancholy into joy,
and weakness to overwhelming power.
Peter Leithart in From Silence to Song

You say grace before meals. All right.
But I say grace before the play and the opera,
And grace before the concert and the pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
and grace before sketching, boxing, walking, playing, dancing;
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink.
G.K. Chesterton

And now I’ve got to figure out how the font changed. Very mysterious. I’ll probably delete this before I figure it out though.

Monday, March 10, 2025 Rest Vs. Distractions

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Our pastor said something yesterday in the sermon that caught my attention and my imagination: we should not equate our amusements and entertainments with true rest. For example, if we’ve completed our day’s work and sit down to reward ourselves with some time on social media, play some games, watch a fun show, read an undemanding novel, we tend to think of those things as taking a well-earned rest. There’s nothing necessarily sinful about doing any of those things within bounds, but this is not rest. As our pastor said, “Sin makes us restless; the heart corrupts our desire for rest and seeks amusement instead.” What he said next really caught me: “Rest is when you can face the hard questions of life.”

I’ve been turning that over in my mind quite a bit since hearing it. Perhaps when we are truly at rest, we are not distracting ourselves from important matters but are giving thought to them, which could take the form of journaling, talking to someone else, praying, reading the Word, reading books that encourage and edify us in those matters, etc. We talk about the Sabbath Day as being a day of rest from our regular labors; it’s challenging to think that we’re not just resting “from” something, we’re also resting “for” something. And the kind of rest our pastor was talking about isn’t something that we would do only on Sundays.

When I was walking more regularly, I was inspired by the poet Mary Oliver to use it as a time to think and observe, rather than a time to listen to podcasts, audiobooks or music. There’s something about giving my mind space to think that is restful in and of itself. It’s also where creativity happens.

Lately, I’ve been doing too much “doom scrolling” on Instagram. It’s amusing, entertaining and sometimes interesting, but after 30 minutes of it, I can’t really say it’s restful. It feels more like I just wasted 30 minutes of my time. Distractions, indeed.

Well, that’s what I’ve been musing about today. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits…

Honeybee slippers for Lynniebee

Snow, snow, snow!

Warm weather to melt aforementioned snow

Good books

Sunrises and sunsets

Quiet evenings

Washing machines and dishwashers

I’ll probably amuse and distract myself before deleting this in the morning.

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Thursday, March 6, 2025 It’s the Little Things…

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I’m very hard on slippers. I wear them all the time in the winter and require a lot out of them. Even the best of them falter, fade and fizzle out as days turn into months and then years. If I get two or three years out of a pair, it’s amazing. Inevitably, however, I’m in the market for them again.

Have I ever mentioned that I don’t like shopping? Also, have I ever mentioned that I’m cheap…er, I mean – frugal? And picky! I have to be able to put slippers on easily from a standing position and they have to have hard soles in case I need to go outside in them. And I have big feet. Those of you with darling little feet don’t understand what us Bigfoots have to go through to find something we like in our size.

I did some half-hearted hunting in February but the inventory is low in most stores by then. “Here’s a pair I could live with – oh, but they don’t have them in my size.” Meanwhile, my old pair of slippers were losing their soles, which is very disheartening for shoekind.

I stopped in today at our local Most Excellent Shoe Store. It’s not called that, but it should be. This is a full-service shoe store, a dying breed, sadly. Their inventory is high quality with prices to match, probably the reason I didn’t go there first. Shame on me!

I didn’t have high hopes. But there on the sale table was the last slipper of its kind in the store. In my size. And it had bees on it. BEES!!!!! 🐝 I’ve been using the name “Lynniebee” for my various creative pursuits for a number of years now, so that got my attention. The slippers are made with wool and were on sale for less than half the original price (which I never would have paid. The frugality goes deep).

How kind of the Lord to pay attention to these little details to delight me with such a gift. Do you think He’s got better things to do than to provide the perfect slippers for me in just the right size at the perfect price? He does, which is all the more reason to praise Him.

And why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:
they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you,
even Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field,
which today is alive
and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,
will he not much more clothe you,
O you of little faith?
Matthew 6:28-30

Also, bonus: the brand of the slipper is “Halflinger.” How could I not think of the Hobbits, those “halflings” of Tolkien’s, while wearing them?

Step into a friendship. I certainly have.

I’ll bee deeleeting thees in the morning.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025 Plunk

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It’s getting late, so I’ll just plunk a couple photos on here and call it a day. The theme is: Endings

Farewell, poinsettia!
Beautify the yard with your brave and bold leaves.

Sunset through the front door.

From the rising of the sun
to the setting of the same
the name of the Lord
is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3

I’m plunking this one in the morning.

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 Phooling with Photos, Using LI, Oranges of Power

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That title might be the best part of this post, by the way, but forge on just in case.

I took a few photos from my digital album today and subjected them to some upgrades (or not) through the use of photo editing programs.

What name would you give this fine specimen of a squirrel?

Somehow a haiku appeared on this photo, though not the product of AI, but LI (Lynniebee Intelligence).

Adding a green-ish background to these oranges just made the orange color pop a bit more. The oranges played an important part in the cake, by the way. Oh, haven’t I mentioned the cake yet? Read on!

And last, but not least, we ate cake, due to the celebration of my husband’s birthday. I won’t tell his age, but will give you the hint that yes, I still need him and feed him.

The Glorious Orange Marmalade Cake

And day turned to night, the sky became dark, rain will turn into snow, and we are glad to be indoors.

This post will turn into empty seed bristles in the morning.

Monday, March 3, 2025 Back At It

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The older I get, the less capacity I have to fit multiple things in the mental space that is my brain. Hence the two-week break from posting on this blog. Other things were occupying the Space Formerly Known as Blog Posting.

But it’s a new week, one in which space has opened up again. It’s time to share some random photos from February and finish up with a list of Daily Benefits.

The Scepter of the Fairy Queen
Playing peek-a-boo with a squirrel.
“Please kind lady, could you give me a peanut?”
“Much obliged. Thank you. Now leave me to eat in peace.”
A visitor to our yard.
Our latest granddaughter! Adorable!!! ❤️

Note: Even though my readership is small, this is a public blog, so I don’t use the proper names of our grandchildren on here. For that reason, I ask those of you who know the names not to mention them in your comments. Thank you!

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits:

Grandchildren!

The miracle of babies.

Black bean soup…yum

Body parts that still work.

Warm days in early March.

Letters in the mail.

Neighbors who will text you when you have an eagle in your front yard.

Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

All righty then! I think it’s time for my usual sign off: I’ll probably delete this in the morning.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 The Workshop: Impossible House and a Cat

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My sister visited recently and we decided to spend a little time watercolor painting. I found a couple paintings on Pinterest to copy and that’s been my artwork for the week.

Original painting by Lynda Hendrickson Shilhanek. My version looks a little wonky if you look at it too closely (and maybe you shouldn’t). The front of the house juts out a bit, but the roof still covers it in an impossible way. Kinda trippy! It was a quick painting and I enjoyed working on it.

Original by Lavinia de Boer. I mostly like how this one turned out, except for the legs and feet. Fortunately, you can’t see the original. Another quick painting!

I’ll probably delete this quick blog post in the morning.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 The Velvet Glove, The Iron Fist

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What books are y’all reading these days? I’m working on the Georgette Heyer book, The Grand Sophy that was a favorite of my mom’s – this is probably my second read-through. I’m re-reading Surprised by Oxford, for the third or fourth time. It’s a memoir written by Carolyn Weber about her experience in unexpectedly finding Christ at Oxford. The commentary on Hosea by John Calvin is one that I’m plodding through and don’t expect to finish any time soon. I’m enjoying the book The Things of Earth, Treasuring God by Enjoying His Gifts, by Joe Rigney. My husband and I are reading through a book called How to be Unlucky by Joshua Gibbs, a second read-through for me and first for him.

Quotes from the Commonplace Book

There, peeping among the cloud-wracked above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end, the Shadow was only a small and passing thing; there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach. …for a moment, his own fate, and even his master’s, ceased to trouble him. He crawled back into the brambles and laid himself by Frodo’s side, and putting away all fear, he cast himself into a deep untroubled sleep.
JRR Tolkien, The Return of the King

I always found that to be such a lovely quote near the end of The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien. In the midst of the most oppressive darkness over Frodo and Sam while they march forward to Mount Doom, Tolkien inserts this beautiful meditation by Sam as he sees a star peeping through the nearly unbreakable cloud cover. That last part reminds me of 1 Peter 5:7, in which we are told to “cast all our anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

Being a writer doesn’t just mean writing. It means finishing.
Andrew Peterson, Adorning the Dark p. 15

Ouch, Andrew.

The tyranny of evil looks like love until you mount resistance. Underneath the velvet glove there lurks the iron fist.
Andree Sue Peterson

A guest in my home is God in my home.
Polish Saying

Would it be tyranny if I delete this in the morning?

Monday, February 10, 2025 Funny Meme, Broken Bowl, Loads of Benefits

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I don’t think I’ve ever shared a meme on this blog, but I came across this one recently and laughed so hard at it. Maybe it will bring some well-placed cheer in your life as well.

Ha ha ha!

I had some bread dough kneading in my Bosch mixer the other day and went to go play the piano for a few minutes while the machine did its work. I began hearing a funny noise and came back into the kitchen just in time to see the mixer working its way toward the edge of the counter. I ran to try to avert disaster, calling out “NOOOOOOOOO!” but to no avail. The mixer sailed off the counter and dropped to the floor with a loud crash. Believe it or not, the dough was not ruined and the bread was excellent. The plastic mixer bowl, however, did not fare so well.

I’ve had that mixer since 1997 and the bowl has performed faithfully and well. RIP, my plastic friend. Your replacement will not suffer the same fate.

Blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits:
Hillsdale free online classes
the means to buy groceries
good dental care
morning and evening “liturgy” at home
fresh baked bread
weekly communion
restful sleep

I will knead to drop this post on the floor in the morning.

Thursday, February 6, 2025 The One-Eyed Cat

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The one-eyed cat
Just sat and sat
I want to know
What you think of that.

Her one-eyed glare
That baleful stare
I want to know
If she’s still there.

A one-eyed tabby
Shouldn’t be crabby
I want to know
If she’s getting flabby.

The one-eyed cat
Just sat and sat
I want to pet
That putty-tat!

I want to know what you think of me deleting this in the morning.