Monday November 2 2015  LAST DAYS OF SUMMER

It was warm enough to be outside today without a jacket.  I reveled in it.  Especially since I now know with a mediocrity of certainty that the warm weather will cease by Friday night.  On Thursday night the temperature is expected to drop to 48 degrees and on Friday night to 36 degrees.  That will help us out tremendously with all the farm produce that is coming our way.  We will receive 5 boxes total this week.  Two weeks later we will receive another collection of boxes, amount unknown.

We are so blessed to live in a country that has plenty of healthy choices to eat.  We are so grateful for the provisions that God has provided for us.  Never forget to say thank you to God for what you have.  As I go through the day I enjoy finding new things in which to be thankful for.  I believe a thankful heart adds health to my life and joy to my heart.  I try to never take anything I have or enjoy for granted.  One of my favorite thanks to give God is when I am in the shower and I feel the warm water coming from the showerhead.  I think of all the places in the world where water is scarce and must be carried from wells and streams in order to have it for personal use.  Never, ever take it for granted when you turn on a water faucet.  Stop throughout your day and look around you and think of new things to be thankful for.  I actually have a gratitude journal.  It is a separate journal dedicated to logging all the blessings I receive, and all that the Lord has provided for me to use and enjoy.  A couple of years ago I read a book about writing down all that we have to be thankful for.  I have well over 1,000.  I haven’t written in it much lately due to my schedule.  I look forward to getting back to it.  You might try it, it opens your eyes to all there is to be thankful for.  I wish I could remember the title of the book.  I’ll look it up later and post it at a later date.  It was a very interesting book.

Even though today was lovely and we are expecting three more wonderful days of lovely temperature, I am thankful that the cooler season is approaching just in time for us to store our vegetables in a safe temperature zone.

Yesterday’s rest did wonders for me today!  I felt quite refreshed and some of the body functions worked a bit better today.  I was able to get another portion of my desk organized and cleared so I have a place to spread out as I work on school orders.  I do not work efficiently with a cluttered desk.  I still had lots of mail to go through from earlier this year as well as the Branson getaway.  Fortunately, most of it was just things I wanted to take a peek at and were not important.  My throw away pile has grown and that is a good thing.  Now I just need to shred that which has personal information on it and I’ll be done with that clutter.  Slowly I am gaining control of the disarray.  It is a good feeling. 

Am I the only one that can make messes?  I never hear anyone else ever talking about their messes.  I can usually keep up with day to day life, but the whirlwind things like unpacking from long trips and going through all the papers and information of the areas I visited, is another thing.  Now I have another task ahead.  I must swap my wardrobe from summer to winter.  That is a big task.  I think I have too many clothes.  I hope to eliminate a lot while I make the swap.  In Wisconsin, seasonal changes constitute a whole different approach as to what attire you have in your closet.  We do not have a large walk in closet and only have room enough in the dressing area to hold what is needed for one season.  Each spring and fall we must do the switch over.  And believe me, it is not as easy as it sounds because I try to ferret out that which I didn’t wear much the prior year.  That will be my next task when I finish the school order, hopefully by the end of next week.  Dave is also going through his wardrobe.  Due to his weight loss of almost 60 pounds it is necessary for him to try on garments from several closets around the house.  Most of the clothes are way too big for him.  We have donated some clothes to the homeless in Madison as we were told large sizes are difficult to come by and there are quite a few who need them.  He has made the commitment to only keep what fits or is still too small.  As he loses more, hopefully, some of what he had from way back when, will still look okay on him.  And when he gets down to where he feels comfortable and settled, then we will have a shopping trip to outfit him in the correct, up to date, size and fashion.  He already looks so different.

When I do not do exciting things, I have nothing exciting to write about, so thus you get to hear about all the trivial things that happen in my life.  Sometimes trivial is very exciting to me.  Exciting because I love being home, I love it when nothing exciting is happening for a change, and I love it when my life would perhaps seem boring to others.  To me it is never boring to live.  It just might be boring for others to read about.  Sorry gang.  I promise not to do it too often.

Today I worked out, ate healthy, toiled diligently and only had a few telemarketing calls which I never answer.  Some days I receive upwards of ten or more such calls.  And we are on the no-call list!  Because my phone number is a business number they have the freedom to hassle me.  I just don’t answer if I don’t recognize the caller.  So if you ever call and I do not answer, please leave a message and I will return your call.  So all in all, this has been a productive day and I set no expectations and so therefore I was totally pleased with my accomplishments.  As you can tell, I am accomplishment oriented.  I don’t know if that is good or bad.  My mother was a hard worker and she taught me the value of being a good worker.  And, when it comes down to it, I enjoy being busy.

ONE THING I DON’T WANT TO BECOME

By Kathleen Martens

November 2, 2015

Just a little secret

I would like to share.

Being busy makes me happy,

And it doesn’t matter where.

If I can do, and do some more.

That’s just what I’ll do.

But to slow down is quite a task

For there is always something new.

But now I figure I must try

To slow my engine some.

It seems to be getting older,

And sitting down is fun.

At least for a short while

As I sit and write my blog.

One thing I don’t want to become

Is a bump on a log.

Do what you can for others

For it makes life worth living.

And great satisfaction found,

When to others you are giving.

Remember each day to be thankful for all you have, and even tell God how thankful you are.  Remember to do your best at whatever you do, AND DO IT AS UNTO THE LORD.  AND REMEMBER TO REST.  Our body needs a little TLC from all our toil.  I’m learning that!

May God bless and keep you.

Goodnight.