Saturday October 29 2016 A DIFFERENT VIEW OF SATURDAY
Saturday October 29 2016 A DIFFERENT VIEW OF SATURDAY (NOT PROOFED)
Since retirement I have frequently said that “every day is a Saturday”. Well, now I have a different perspective.
When working five days a week and having only Saturday and Sunday off, it makes the weekends a wonderful reprieve, especially Saturdays. When you attend church on Sunday, Saturday then becomes your only unscheduled day. And oh, as a worker I do remember those occasional wonderful Saturdays. (You see, I photographed weddings so I didn’t really have many Saturday’s off.) But suffice to say, that once one retires and no longer has a five (or six) day a week job, every day may truly seem like a Saturday. And so it seemed that way for awhile.
Dave and I could go shopping any time we decided to go, so that made it seem like every day was Saturday. However, I now look at it from a different perspective. Currently, Monday through Friday are my favorite days and Saturday is often a day of inconvenience. I will admit that each day has the feeling of sameness but there is something that is exclusively Saturday’s derision. A few times I have needed to do something on a Saturday only to realize the business did not operate on Saturday. Other times I wanted to go someplace, such as the library, and then discovered it didn’t open as early as it does Monday through Friday. And to my chagrin, it even closes earlier! But the greatest grievance I have toward Saturdays is the fact that when it is necessary to go out shopping on a Saturday (due to my busy retirement schedule), there are just too many people in the stores and parking lots.
So, everyday is no longer a Saturday to me. Saturday is my stay at home day if at all possible. Even the gym is more crowded! We do not miss events we plan to go to on Saturdays, but I will say I have a bit more respect for all those who MUST shop on Saturdays, so we just stay out of the stores and give our elbow room and place in line to another.
Retirement is a great place to be! And I’m willing to share my Saturday absence in the stores with those who have no other choice but to be there. Except…I still must exercise on Saturdays. Oh well, I’m just glad EVERYDAY IS NOT A SATURDAY!
Sunday is a sacred day to us. And Sunday has never felt like a Saturday.
NEVER ON A SATURDAY
Kathleen Martens
October 29, 2016
http://www.visionsofpoetry.com
Saturday comes but once a week,
Even now that I’m retired.
Once I believed every day the same
Until in crowds I was mired.
Monday through Friday is the time
To seek out places to go.
Few people with which to contend
And lines are seldom slow.
Back road driving peaceful and calm
And I can drive a pokey car.
Less traffic is so awesome
When you plan to go far.
And the scenery is even better
When no one is on your tail,
Just meandering wherever you go
Seeing beauty will not fail.
No crowds to fight in stores or roads
Until rush-time mass appears.
But by then all errands done
And at home I am always near!
So Monday through Friday
Are the gems of the week.
Saturday our quiet rest,
Our day of calm retreat.
I love being retired!
Thank You God that I have lived long enough to experience retirement.
Thank You Lord for the peace and calm you place in my heart.
My prayer for today:
Lord, I ask that you would bring peace to those who have no peace. Please bring healing to those who seem to have lost hope for their healing. Renew the strength of those who are struggling, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Give hope to those who feel they have no hope left. Lord, please give strength to those whose strength to go in this life seems to be defeated.
Father, heal the brokenhearted, heal those who are sick, heal those whose hope is lost. Lord reach down into the most painful heart and renew their hope, heal their body, and restore their strength; pour out over the hopeless Your abundance of healing water, Your river of life, Your joy and love and peace. Renew their mind that they may turn to you and think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.
Lord, You have promised that if we cry out to You that You will answer our cry. I claim that promise today for those who are suffering. I pray for complete healing. Oh, Lord, here my cry for Your children. And make aware to those who are in need that there are those who are praying and loving them through their journey.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Dear Readers:
Please pray the above prayer with me this day and every day that you remember to do so. I know those who are in deep pain, sick, and without hope, who desperately need our joint prayers. Join my prayer and remind Jesus to intercede to the Father for Kathleen’s friend who needs these prayers to go up in her behalf. Sometimes people are even too sick to even pray for themselves. Let us be their voice as we lift up prayers on their behalf. And Lord, instill in their hearts that there are those who send hope and love their way as they are facing such a difficult journey.
GOOD NIGHT ONE AND ALL AND REMEMBER TO NEVER TAKE YOUR HEALTH FOR GRANTED.
“If you have been gifted with good health consider it a treasure worth tending”. Quote by Kathleen Martens October 29, 2016
P.S. I know it is Saturday and I don’t normally write a blog on Saturday. I just felt it come to me and wanted to share it with you, especially the prayer. I didn’t know why I was writing it but when the prayer came I then knew why.
Friday October 28 2016 CONTENTMENT
Friday October 28 2016 CONTENTMENT
One hour from start to finish is all I have today for writing. So I thought I would talk about contentment. I read the following quote but have no idea of who spoke it:
“Contentment is not the achievement of all we want, it is the realization of all that we already have.”
This above definition is my favorite quote regarding contentment. Satisfaction, happiness, pleasure, gratification and ease are the words the synonym finder comes up with. Yet, how many times do we find ourselves in situations where none of the words apply to how we actually feel, or how we look at life. Perhaps we are not content with our car because there are so many other cars that look better, or are faster, or more flashy. Have we ever looked at what we do have and just give thanks for what it is we can afford, or has been given to us?
I find that the more grateful I am for what I have, regardless how meager, my contentment seems to grow. When I give thanks to God for all he has provided, the fact that I HAVE a car and it gets me where I want to go, goes a long way in growing my contentment.
The fact that I would love to spend three hours in my office thinking about what I will write, making certain every work is proofed or what poem I will compose, but have no time to do so, should that make me discontent? Instead I thank God for the few moments I do have. I thank Him that I can rely on Him to give me words to write. I thank Him for the desire to write and gift of writing a poem to Him daily; and my heart changes. I find that I am content with what I have and even with who I am because it is the realization that I actually HAVE these few moments to use. I am so fortunate to be alive this day and to share my heart with my readers. I pray daily for God’s will in my life and He fills me with contentment. God has a unique plan for each of us, but there is one plan that he has for all of us:
“1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 New International Version (NIV)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
REMEMBER TO GIVE THANKS
Kathleen Martens
October 28, 2016
Lord I give you these moments,
Use as You will.
Open my heart
That gratefulness fills.
Regardless the circumstance
I offer thanks to You
And I pray continually
That Your will, You do.
Thank You Father that I have these moments to share Your contentment with others.
Thank You Father for the beautiful memory that 44 years ago today I met my husband.
GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU
Thursday October 27 2016 KITCHEN PLEASURE: MAKING SOUP
Thursday October 27 2016 KITCHEN PLEASURE: MAKING SOUP
KITCHEN PLEASURE: MAKING SOUP
Kathleen Martens
October 27 2016
Delicious smells from the stove,
Onions sizzling in the pot.
Wooden spoon fragrance stirs
As garlic I add a lot.
Chicken broth and roasted tomatoes
Along with tomato paste,
Bay leaves, salt, and pepper,
Nothing goes to waste.
Dash of cayenne, and four potatoes,
And lots of pepper flakes!
Add two teaspoons of sweet paprika,
The beginning of soup to make.
Add southwest seasoning; a tablespoon,
A chicken flavored bouillon cube.
All the flavors blend so well,
And together they are never rude.
And then add ten full cups
Of tightly packed kale.
And let it simmer for quite a while
And your soup will never fail.
Sliced carrots always a must
To be added toward the end.
The timing of each ingredient
Becomes soup’s greatest friend.
And just a little dollop
Of jalapeno pepper juice;
It is my secret ingredient
A delicious taste to induce.
And then pour in all the beans
Cooked fresh from being dried,
Never use those old canned things,
They cause your soup to cry.
And then add cooked barley
Fresh from the back burner.
Just one bite of its texture,
Makes a tried and true quick learner.
Do not skimp on ingredients,
And be alert as you assemble the lot.
Be sure to remember fresh lemon juice
Because it adds a good punch to the pot.
And there you have it my friend,
Dinner for many a day!
And I even eat it for breakfast
Whenever I have my way.
And that is just what I did this morning; ate soup for breakfast and then made another great big pot of Kale Soup.
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