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Showing posts from January, 2025

One Down; Eleven To Go

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  January is finally on its way out.  Logically, I know that January has 31 days, but emotionally this month has felt like at least 730 days! I know others feel the same way. There have been days when my stress level has been through the roof.  I know others (too many others) have experienced the same thing.  I am not alone when I say 2025, one month in has NOT been a banner one thus far.   Cold weather, biting winds, fierce fires and so much other drama is so draining and exhausting. And in my heart I know that I actually have a pretty good, even though it doesn't feel that way. Is it any wonder that when it gets dark out (and I DO know that the days are getting longer, but it doesn't feel like it yet), I just want to take a hot shower, grab my pjs and jump into bed?  It feels like my only refuge from all the daily chaos.  (And to be honest it's not that much of a refuge.) Sometimes it feels like fear rules my life. I'm sure it feels the sam...

Gaining My Religion: My Faith Journey

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  Everybody seems to be talking about Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde.  They are talking about her sermon based on a two minute clip that is being shown on social media.  It's a great clip, but I encourage you to find 15 minutes (actually slightly less) to watch her sermon in its entirety.  It can be found:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwwaEuDeqM8 .   As a layperson who has occasionally filled the pulpit, I think it's a wonderful sermon.  Certainly I wouldn't be able to top it.  But then I don't have the education and experience that she does.  Furthermore, I don't think I could actually do her "job" because there's a lot more to it than just going in front of a congregation once a week.  That actually might be the "easy" part, IF there's any easy part. Based on that one sermon, I certainly admire her and want to hear more of what she has to say.  Her book:  How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith ...

Baby It's Cold Outside!

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  Yes, I know it's winter and I've said it before, this one is COLD!  And it's not just because I'm in the Pocono mountains.  Yes, it is WAY cold up there this morning.  (Weather app tells me it is currently 0 with a high of 13.)  It's not too warm here in NJ either...it's 9.  How many more days till spring? We got our first "real" storm of the new year Sunday into Monday.  It wasn't as bad as they said it was going to be, but there was still half of foot, not just in the mountains of PA, but in my NJ backyard as well.  I have to say I am extremely grateful though.  I woke up yesterday morning and since I didn't have to go to work, didn't get out of bed.  Then I heard a strange noise outside.  It was a truck.  Now usually I don't want to hear trucks at 6 in the morning, but this was the company that plows and shovels out our property so I was thrilled to hear the sound.  I did go turn on the front light so they could see...

January 20, 2025: A Federal Holiday

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Every year on the Sunday before the 2nd Federal Holiday of the year in the United States, a church that I attend plays part of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.  They do this, of course, because the next day is Martin Luther King Jr Day, which is observed on the third Monday of January to honor Dr. King and his legacy of service.  (So much in fact that in 1994, President Clinton signed into law that the day should be a day of volunteer service.)   Service to others makes good leaders great.  Think not just of Dr. King, but of those men and women who served humankind and made this world a better, fairer place.  As a Christian, I automatically think of Christ.  "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." (1 Peter 4:10)  Great leaders, no matter what their faith (or even if they have faith), serve humanity. Perhaps it is an innate part of th...

Good Bye Yellow Brick Road; Farewell David Lynch

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  You've probably heard by now that David Lynch has died.  And right before his birthday.  Lynch had emphysema so it shouldn't be a complete surprise, but it doesn't make it hurt less. Lynch is probably best known for  Twin Peaks  and I'll talk about that in a minute, as I am a fan of the series, but if you know him only for his bizarre and surreal films, you're missing out.  Before I even knew who David Lynch was, I was a fan of the movie  The Elephant Man .  Yes, he directed  The Elephant Man .  He also directed a very sweet film that I'm guessing most haven't heard of that I adore,  The Straight Story.   It's definitely not what you would expect from David Lynch, or from the David Lynch that you THINK of.  If you can, check it out!   Back to  Twin Peaks , when it originally came out, I did watch it.  I was not as pulled in as many of my friends were and I lost interest during season 2.  (Mu...

Dear Mom & Dad: Your Pride And Joy

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Dear Mom & Dad, We're halfway through the first month of the new year.  Your grandson will be going back to school next week and I really wish you were here to see how he is maturing and thriving.  While most people might say they regret that you weren't around to see him graduate from high school and won't see him graduate from college in 2027 (fingers crossed), I regret that you haven't witnessed his growth as a human being. (Actually mom, I really wish you could have seen him in "Hello Dolly" when he was a senior in high school in the spring of 2023.  I know that was one of your favorite shows, having seen it on Broadway with Carol Channing, and I'd like to think that seeing your grandson in one of the lead roles might have even topped that.) He's doing really well in college.  Over 3 semesters he's gotten almost all As. (Darn that required accounting course!)  He also might (and this is a big might) be following (slightly) in Great Uncle Ha...

Sunday, January 12, 2025: First Sunday After the Epiphany

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  I was reminded that today in the church calendar is the baptism of the Jesus.  While I don't remember ANYTHING about my baptism (since I was less than 6 months old but a photo shows my mother wearing a light blue suit with me in her arms just outside the church's back do), I DO remember a few things about my son's baptism.  Although it was almost 20 years ago, so my memories are a little dim and once again I rely on photos to guide me. Our son was baptized on the first Sunday of Advent.  It was right after Thanksgiving (as it usually is).   He did not wear a "traditional" christening gown (like the other baby that was baptized that day), but my mother had purchased a 3 piece outfit for him that we struggled to get our 3 month old in:  a button down shirt, corduroy pants and a pull over sweater vest.  A style that he continues (sometimes) to wear.  I don't think he wore shoes.  (Rest assured, he wears them now!  It was just that when he...

Random Thoughts/Observations For the 2nd Wednesday of 2025

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  Nothing earth shattering, although maybe some of the below will be though provoking... Is it colder this January than previous years?  Is it just me?  I have waited for the bus in winter before, haven't I?  For the past two days (the first two days of the new year where I am required to be in the office) have been brutally cold (at least for NJ) and so windy.  (I'm so tired of the wind shaking the house all night long.  It's why I'm so tired.)  I've been taking an earlier bus just so that I have less distance to walk and less time to wait outside for the bus.  With that said... The first "close" (meaning closer to my house) that comes after six in the morning (because I refuse to get on a bus before six in the morning...I mean I know I am an early bird, but even I have my limits...at least for now), has gotten earlier and earlier.  Yesterday I was grateful for that....

Jan 7: your birthday

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Dear Mom,   We should be celebrating your birthday.  Instead I am trying to remember if I was actually with you on your last birthday 3 years ago. I don't think we were.  That Christmas (2021) we had Covid and I didn't come to see you until the last day of 2021 when it was safe.  When your full-time caregiver had her first holiday so I stayed over for a day (or was it two?) Three years ago seems like an eternity.   My Google photos tell me that your grandson and I did come to see you later in the month.  It was the next to last time you saw him.   I should have been there for your birthday, but...Hindsight is always 20/20.   You said it always snowed on your birthday.  This year the snow came a little early.  If you were still living at the Jersey shore I don't know if I would have made it.  The snow in North Jersey was next to nothing, but further south...you never know with weather patterns.   This, the day ...

New Year: Fresh Start

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  Here we are in the first FULL week of the new year.  (Honestly, I don't think Wednesday-Sunday should have really counted for anything.  Although I was busy at work, we are still working in 2024 until the end of business today and quite frankly, it's been so crazy that I feel like we never really moved into a new year.)  Today is the first day back to school. (Unless you are further south in NJ where the snow is falling...in the "north" we are expecting some snow, but nothing like what the south is supposed to get.  How crazy is that?  New year, but the world continues to be an upside down place at times.)  On this gray and cold Monday (which also happens to be Epiphany), I am ready to start fresh. I am focusing (or at least trying to) on taking care of things that matter and facing the day to day with as much positivity as I can.  You know that's going to be a challenge when I head back into the office tomorrow.  How positive can I be when...

Cold Hearted B

 For many years I have never had a pet. Mostly that has to do with the fact that I have terrible allergies. So having cat or a dog is out of the question.  It made it difficult for my son who admittedly loves cats. It's just something we can't have not have.   As a result of not having a pet I have become that cold-hearted b****. I don't understand the pain that comes with the loss of a pet. I just don't get it. Or I just didn't get it. Recently his cold-hearted b**** has had karma slap me straight in the face.   When my husband and I purchased a house in the Poconos, it came with a pond. That pond was full of koi.  I know the previous owner loved the koi. Each one had a name. They were many of them and they kept having more babies, so some were unnamed. I loved sitting outside this past summer. I'd watch them swim. Sometimes they would leap out of the water. When I would feed them with their favorite snack Cheerios, they would rush to nibble them...

New Year's Prayer 2025

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 New Year, new hope.  Isn't that how it is for most of us?  We expect much of a new year.  Perhaps we expect too much, putting unrealistic expectations on the 365 days that are ahead of us. 2025 may be a new year, but we can't expect miracles to suddenly happen as the calendar turns for 12/31/24 to 1/1/25. So as we enter this year, I have this "realistic" prayer. As we enter this year of 2025, grant me: Patience as I navigate the complexities of life Stability as I traverse the rocky path of life Courage as face circumstances that make me uncomfortable, ill at ease, or frightened Wisdom as I make decisions throughout the year   Willingness to listen and learn, as we are never too old (or too young) to do both The ability to continue to grow as a person. (You CAN teach an old dog new tricks, if only you are willing) The wherewithal NOT to dwell on the past, but to focus on the now with an eye towards the future Faith in myself and tho...