conversations, meditations, reflections
Posts tagged this is my life!
Cures for my tired brain!
Mar 6th
March 5, 2010
LOL… well, more and more I’ve been finding that I’m really getting “brain dead” by midafternoon… and so later afternoons and evenings are pretty much a total loss for any thinking type activities I’d like to do…
I’ve been trying to get exercise and fresh air (like walking to and from work) and that does help… but this morning I read the results of a study that said a nap of ½ to 1 ½ hours mid-day makes a big difference. So I slept from noon to about 1:30 this afternoon… and then topped it off with a healthy sandwich (whole grain bread, field greens, meat, cheese) … and a pleasant conversation with one of my beautiful daughters!
So we shall see how long and well my brain functions for the rest of the day. (It was really getting groggy by noon… of course I was up before 4:30 am and have done a lot of “thinking” stuff today!) Well, now I am feeling quite excellent ? So we’ll see how long that lasts! Oh yes, I also opened the front and back doors and let the lovely fresh spring air blow through the house… and I’m sitting writing this, right now, to the tune of birds singing in the trees!
Dreams and stuff
Feb 27th
February 25, 2010
Alarm just woke me from an interesting, old-timey dream. We were driving around the countryside in an old care – a 1950s Chevy I think – and everything else n the dream was pretty much old-timey too. But it was very clear and real. We went into a little corner general store type place, and got a home-baked pastry, and the menu (and/or local newspaper… can’t be sure exactly what it was!) was hand-written. Anyway, it was pretty cool.
And a couple nights ago I had a dream of my Grandma (my dad’s mom). She passed away when I was 13 – that was 41 years ago – and I surely haven’t dreamed of her for many, many years. But that night that I dreamed of her, I had just scanned and posted up on face book a whole lot of old-old-timey family photos from my dad’s side. And of course, I have recently been scanning a lot of old timey photos as well from my mom’s side, as well as going to the Heritage Week display at the mall, and reading those local history books I picked up there, so all that has no doubt triggered long-ago memories!
Of course when I was a teenager (in the early to mid 70s), my brother had a very cool 55 Chevy, all customized, that we drove all over the place, but the car in my dream was more average, and, I think, might even have been older – early 50s or even 40s… well, maybe from memories of when I was even younger, just a child. My dad was partial to Chevy’s, and I’m sure my first car rides were in Dad’s old Chevy. He didn’t get one with more “modern” lines till about 1961 or so, I think… by which time I was about 6 years old, so of course I have lots of memories from those early times tucked away in my subconscious. Ha! I’ll have to take a look at his old pictures again!
Snow!!! And other wonderful things!
Feb 27th
February 24, 2010
I came home from work, made lunch (chili), and watched 40 minutes of CSI – then started to watch another show, but then turned it off. Did a quick facebook check. Now I’m so tired… oh dear, should have remembered to do something “hands-on” eh! … Anyway, I do want to finish my Bible reading for today before a nap…
Oh! It actually snowed this morning! Very wet and quickly melted, but it was snow and I enjoyed it! A lot! Outdoor coffee time, very wet, kind of chilly, soaked shoes and clothes… but well worth it! Yay!
…. Later… well, I woke up hubby, made dinners, went to the store to buy milk, juice, tea bags, hot chocolate mix, canned milk … and pudding cups! Mostly a “milk run” so to speak!
After supper, and hubby gone to work, I did laundry and cleaned up my emails. Sent some pictures (by email) to N, some funny emails to A, and resent some emails to T (as her hard drive crashed and she lost the originals…. Good thing I hadn’t cleaned up my emails lately, lol!)
Now in my cozy bed. I am tired! But at least much “healthier” tired than I was earlier today… I really do need to do those “hands-on” things when my brain (and emotions) are tired! But still I want a bit more time with You! I love You, Lord!
Proverbs 19:11 A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression…. 17. One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed…. 20. Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days. 21. Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the LORD will stand. 23. The fear of the LORD leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil…. 25… reprove one who has understanding and he will gain knowledge. … 28… the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity….
Do hands-on stuff when my brain is tired!
Feb 27th
February 24, 2010
Yay! I am up early and having time with You instead of rushing to boil eggs and do baking! I’m really sorry I didn’t think sooner of doing afternoon baking. I really am not in shape after work to do more “head stuff” … and so I have really wasted a lot of afternoons watching TV etc. But as I discovered yesterday, even when I am “brain-tired” (and feeling body-tired because of it), I CAN do hands-on-stuff! (And feel better for it – especially if I have briskly walked home in the fresh air instead of taking the car!). And then, in the evening, after hubby left for work, instead of just crashing out, I found that my brain was reinvigorated, and I was able to read Your word, and journal, and spend time with You, too, because I wasn’t already in the worn-out-slack-off-groove – although I was kind of getting there, sitting beside hubby watching the evening TV news while eating supper… he loves for me to do that with him… hmmm… what to do about that??? Papa???
Well, here it is just after 5 am – just 8 hours later – and back into Your word! Love it!
(Oh! And thank You for reminding me – in a dream! Lol! – that I’d left the chili out on the counter! So that I quickly got up and put it in the fridge! I’m sure it will be just fine! Thank You!)
What if Facebook never existed? and other aspects of my life!
Feb 27th
February 23, 2010
Well, thank You, Father, for keeping me in the JOY department today!
I did a lot of “listening” and “shouldering” at work… oh Papa, please DO YOUR WORK there! Thank You!
This afternoon I boiled 4 dozen eggs and already had 2 dozen boiled and ready in the fridge, so that’s 6 dozen ready for street church breakfasts/coffee times .. and I baked 4 pans of scones: some as pigs in blankets (with those little cocktail wieners), some as mini pizzas (with sausage, ketchup, Italian seasoning, cheddar), and some topped with cheddar slices. So I have enough made up for the next 3 days… and will therefore have available some early morning time with You instead of rushing around doing last minute prep! Also made a big crock pot of chili! Yummm!
My poor daughter – her hard drive on her computer bit the dust, so she “lost” everything on it as she hasn’t backed up for some time, oh dear! Well, it motivated me to get busy and back up my own pictures and documents on my external hard drive. (Thanks for that wonderful device, Lord!)
A friend on face book posted this as her status: “MAY I ASK? WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING RIGHT THIS MINUTE IF FACEBOOK NEVER EXISTED? BE HONEST WITH ME!”
Well, that certainly hit me right between the eyes – because face book was the first thing I did this morning – and I realized immediately that I would have been deep into prayer and Your word right then if there was no face book!
So I copied the words onto a document, enlarged them to big letters – and posted that question right above my computer!
Well, I haven’t totally “fasted” from face book today … but I must say I’ve gone to it a lot less that I might otherwise have done!
Maybe it will also mean a lot more time for writing. I was listening to CBC Radio in the car yesterday. They were interviewing a couple writers (both women) and asked for advice for would-be-writers – and their number one piece of advice was to “write for at least 20 minutes every single day!” Yep! That’s what I need to do!
Getting ready to move on?
Feb 27th
February 22, 2010
I’ve been wondering, Papa, if maybe You are preparing me to move on to other things (my ponderings about the reasons why can be found over on my blog “My Church Journey” at http://normajhill.blogspot.com/ ). I’ve been a bit worried, I have to admit, about what kind of job I could get that would allow me time off when I need it to go and visit my daughters when their babies arrive (three of them are expecting within the next few months), and allow me to take vacation time with my husband in the summer, and all…
And I was talking to my friend P on the phone today, and she said she and her women’s group are trying to decide on a new Bible study topic, and someone suggested the book of Acts, and she had right away said, “Oh! It would be so great to have Norma help us with that!” (and I remembered wonderful studies I’ve been part of in the past…)
And then I got another one of those Sheila Wray Gregoire emails today about a program she has developed about “Raising up new speakers” … in fact, she has a whole blog about it (and I remembered times I’ve spoken to women’s groups in the past…)
And I got an email recently asking me if I would be willing to tutor their child (and I remembered how much I enjoyed tutoring in the past…)
And I’ve had such a wonderful time lately with facebook photos, writing, chatting online, and journaling and blogging, and the online groups I have started… so on and on… and all those encouraging and helpful emails from the Zen Habits blog guy…
And I’m wondering if You really are preparing me to STEP OUT into something new, something that is more flexible and might allow me to go here and there, and do this and that, whenever and wherever You open Your Way….
I love You, Lord! Thank You! Amen!!!
Pleasant days…
Feb 27th
February 21, 2010
Had a nice time yesterday afternoon. We drove up the valley, took lots of pictures, especially of the Bible camp I have attended many times through the years, from the time I was a very small child. Came home and posted the pictures up on a facebook page dedicated to memories of the camp!
We went out for supper at the home of some good friends, and had a wonderful visit.
Earlier in the day I cleaned house, did book keeping, and went for a walk and for tea at Starbucks with a friend. We looked at a couple of photo albums of pictures from our childhoods – and today I scanned ones of her and emailed them to her.
Today after street church breakfast, I was going to come home and sleep, but ended up scanning lots of pictures, especially historical pictures from my dad’s side of the family, and posting those on facebook too, to share with my friends and relatives.
Got groceries. The other day the street pastor went shopping for the street breakfasts, and picked up a package of those little cocktail wieners for me to make “pigs in blankets” with. But somehow they must have got mixed in with the groceries of the person in front of him or behind him at the till, because he never ended up buying them! I told him, “Oh well, Father must have something better planned!” And sure enough, I just went shopping, and was able to get a dozen packages on clearance for much, much less! Praise the Lord! I knew You had a deal coming up, Father!
More “this is my life…”
Feb 13th
13 February 2010
I am keeping up better with regularly posting my blogs these days (yeah, okay, so I haven’t posted this one so much, but check out other ones! Links to the right…)… and have been handing out my “business cards” with all my blogs and websites listed!
I posted up an album of my daughter in her “wild child” days, and an album of “old old timey” photos of my grandparents and great-grandparents, and uncles and aunts and such – all on face book of course! And I’m enjoying all the feedback from everyone! Oh, and I posted a copy of the first snapshot of hubby and I together, back in the day… in honor of Valentine’s day!
My daughter and her hubby left their Wii Fit here for me to use… but I have to admit I’ve only used it once so far… It was pretty easy, exercise-wise, but the “techie” aspects of operating it show my old age, lol! I do need an exercise mat, however, as my mid-section is getting flabby… in our last place, exercises were easy on the wall-to-wall carpet, but here with our wood floors, not quite so comfortable!
I want to bring my French language books and computer programs and stuff in from the storage shed and get going on them again… but I need a bookcase to store them on… behind my bedroom door, maybe, at least until I have the spare bedroom (which was supposed to be our office slash guest room…. Hmmmm)
I really intended to sleep in both yesterday and today… but my silly “internal alarm clock” had me awake both mornings at 5 am!
Busy at work… Passport… thoughts on Olympic spending
Feb 13th
10 February 2010
Well this has been a way busy week at work – again! – and after last night’s meeting where I took fast-and-furious detailed minutes for 2 ½ hours, my fingers were really tired and my shoulders sore. It took me most of the time at work today – at least 2 ½ to 3 hours – to do “most” of the detailed minutes (with “corrected” spelling and nice set-up and so on), and I still have to finish the end of those, and then do the summary minutes. But I do know that it was definitely You leading the meeting, in the long run! Yes!
Also today I took in my passport forms, so I assume they are on their way – should have the passport back by March 25. Still need to get immunizations and anti-malarial drugs or whatever – and $$$ and practice speaking French/Creole… if indeed I am meant to go. (Your will be done, Father).
Winter Olympics start in less than 48 hours and it is wet, wet, wet, and warm!! Ha!
Lots of people (including myself) are pretty disgusted at the cost of the Olympics, when so many people are poor, schools being closed, hospitals with long waiting lists, shortage of low-cost housing… and that’s just here in BC and Canada… not to mention the much worse poverty and pain in so much of the rest of the world. It seems that this kind of spending to “put Vancouver on the map” and “showcase our place” and so on, is really driven an awful lot by plain and simple greed! Just a big money-maker (they hope – because if it isn’t, we’ll be paying for it for years to come. Montreal just recently paid off Expo 67!!!)
13 February 2010
It’s been a long and busy week.
I got my passport all filled out, and took it to Service Canada to get it accepted and sent off… and I have an appointment to get the immunizations and stuff done.
What a day!
Feb 5th
3 February 2010
Up at 5:10 am. Made blueberry muffins, pepperoni scones, did dishes. My daughter came with me to street church coffee time. Then I went to work, and it was a very, very busy day. Home for a mid-afternoon lunch, to the store for some groceries, home again. And in the next 3 hours, made nearly 9 dozen pieces of fry bread, played scrabble with my daughter, watched “The Proposal” movie and laughed and laughed, did dishes, cleaned the house downstairs, did laundry, and checked facebook. Then to my other daughter’s house for a family supper, playing scrabble and clue with the kids, dancing and twirling with my little grandson, taking lots of pictures, and home to bed at 9 pm!
By the way, this morning I googled my birthdate and “number one hit” … and found out the number one hit when I was born was “Rock around the Clock!” That got my toes tapping all day. Usually when I dance with my grandson (packing him in my arms!), I hum or sing something waltzy – but this time we were rocking and rolling to “Rock around the Clock!” And the little guy – 16 months old – was laughing and singing along, “Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock…!”
