Last 2019 post

This year has gone by really fast. Friends have come and gone, lessons have been learned, my spiritual growth has increased and I am still here. Apparently there is still more that I am supposed to do before leaving this planet called earth.

My wish for the coming year is that my health does not get any worse than it is and my bank account does not decrease. I hope that my writing projects begin to bring in more money, but if not I will still write. It is what I am supposed to do.

I look forward to acquiring more friends in the coming year/decade. It is through them that I am able to travel around the world- free of charge.

Hopefully I will finally stop taking responsibility for things I have no control over. That would be a major accomplishment. I'll let you know how that turns out.

On the eve of another new year/decade I wish all of my friends and followers a fantastic journey!

Surprise surprise

Well I hadn't expected a major expense at the end of the year, but one occurred anyway. I had to replace a clothes dryer that was damaging clothes. Living in a small town this can be a problem. I knew I didn't want to get a dryer from Albuquerque because it would have cost me over two hundred dollars to get it delivered. I knew there was one store in Grants who offered appliances, Nancy's Appliance. After exercising this morning I stopped by but it wasn't opened. This can't be, I thought.

After arriving home I called the phone number, which kept ringing busy. Assuming someone was actually there I continued to call. Finally reaching the owner, I was told she had been having trouble with her phone. I also discovered she had one dryer left and the price was compatible with Albuquerque. I told her not to give it to anyone and I would be there in a few minutes to pay for it.

When I got ready to pull out my credit card I was told her machine was tied to her phone and I couldn't use it. My only option was to write a check. Even though I hadn't planned to write such a large check today I am grateful that I could. I am also grateful that I chose to shop locally, because it saved me a lot of money. It also only cost me $20 to have the old one carted away to the dump. I am now waiting for my new purchase to be delivered.

Do gifts speak?

Over the years my son has given me some very unusual gifts. To list just a few: a new microwave oven, a kitchen faucet, a cook top hood, and an air fryer/toaster oven. My Christmas gift this year left me with an open mouth. It was a replacement ceiling fan. I am trying to remember that it is the thought that counts. I am also trying to remember that I got nothing from my other son and daughter, not even a card. 

Under the tree

Comparing what was under our little tree last night with some of my friend's pictures leaves me wondering just what they think Christmas is all about. Piles and piles of gifts do not make Christmas anymore special.

This year I am happy to have made the acts of kindness I spread around my little town the focus of the season. Thinking of those who could use the knowledge that someone, whom they may not even know, was thinking of them makes me happy. I have discovered that it doesn't take much money to sprinkle the real meaning of Christmas around. I plan on doing it again next year and for as long as I have the ability to do so.

Merry Christmas! 

December 25,2019

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve

The house is all quiet, not even a mouse. The tree is up and decorated. My snowman collection are spaced all around. A few gifts sit under the tree to be shared with my son and me, oh and Ebony, Smokey and Ejay. I am praying my youngest grandson will break his ten month silence and come to see what I have for him. I have made a special desert I found on Facebook called Cherry Trifle. It was actually fun to make and it looks as if it will be the hit of our dinner. In a couple of hours I will start beef stew, which might be a little nontraditional, but it sounded good. The trifle will also pass for a birthday cake for my son, who will be 59 tomorrow. Where does the time go?

It will be a quiet Christmas again this year, but there isn't anything I can do about that. I have decided to let everyone else live their own lives and use the approaching new decade to focus on myself. I remember the message a massage therapist gave me several years ago and I should have listened. She said, "You do not have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders." Perhaps I have been doing that my entire life. 2020 is the time to take a new direction and see where it leads.

On this Christmas Eve 2019 I wish all my readers the happiest experience possible!

Let it go

I just read my oracle card for today and the message seems to fit like a glove. Here it is.

"The burden of carting your past around has made you weary, dear one. It's time to set this burden down. Keep only the lessons and the love, and leave everything else behind. You don't want it or need it, and it's now gone."

Reflection

Looking back over the last twenty years of my life I see that there have been a lot of changes.I have had a ton of experiences and met a lot of people; some of which were only meant to be temporary to aid in my evolvement. Without them I would not be the person I am today. In leaving this decade and moving on to the next there is something I would like to share with my readers. It is a poem that was channeled to me in 2000. I may have shared it before, but it is worth repeating. The poem is now titled, "Pure Love".

Pure Love

I will love you forever and ever

I will defend you against your enemies

I will support you when you are weak

I will cry with you when you are hurt

I will warn you when I see danger

I will teach you anything I know

I will listen quietly as you teach me

I will pray with you and for you

I will hold you if you need comfort

I will feed you when you are hungry

I will help you live but will not live for you

I will respect your right to your freedom

I will love you forever and ever.

Barbara Loure` Gunn 2000

Life stories

I was just looking through the book that contains pictures of most of the sixty-four subjects in the life stories that I wrote for the Cibola Beacon and my Amazon E-book, Spirits of Cibola County. I noticed that at least eight of the souls are now deceased.

This morning I am wondering, was I chosen to put their life stories in print?

I enjoyed the interviews I did that created these stories, but more than that I had the opportunity to really get to know all of these people on a different level. When I began interviewing and writing I had no idea where my path would lead. I just followed the bread crumbs and I am happy that I did.

Can't wait to see what the new decade will bring!

Communicate

This morning while I was sitting in my chiropractor's waiting room I had a nice conversation with a man I didn't know. Then I was called in for my free birthday adjustment.

I began to ask my chiropractor about her pending Christmas trip to visit her family in another state. I asked how long her flight is and she said five hours. That's a lot of time to be sitting in the same place. I asked her if she read on the flight. She answered, "Sometimes I read or watch a movie or just sleep."

I thought it odd that she never once said she talks to her flight mate.

Maybe that's what is wrong with people now days. They do not take the time to communicate.

Just checking things out

This blog began in November 2009. That's over ten years of writing. Just out of curiosity I checked and see that I have written 1,377 posts and have had 101,480 page views. Wow!

Now I have to ask myself is it worth it to continue? Am I really helping anyone by what I am offering?

Because of this blog my daughter doesn't speak to me and she is followed by my two granddaughters, who all had a problem with something I wrote in those 1,377 posts. You know what? My answer to all of them is- GROW  UP!

I intend to keep writing and if I occasionally offend someone, oh well. Perhaps someone needed to do it.  

New approach

As the decade dwindles down to the last couple of weeks I am thinking about what I can change. I have found out the hard way that expecting others to do the right thing, according to me doesn't work. Not everyone is kind or generous or grateful. It makes little sense to me, but that is just the way it is.

Some time ago a friend suggested that I should not focus on the outcome of situations and he was probably right. All I can do is focus on myself and what makes me happy. That may sound self centered, but it really isn't. I have spent my life worrying about the welfare of others. As the new decade approaches I plan to stop that.

Well that's odd

I had my cardiologist appointment this morning and came away thinking- that's really odd. Nothing new, just same old PVC or premature ventricular contractions. He said everything looks good, but increased the times I take a medication he prescribed two years ago. He gave me a spiel about most cardiologists prescribe it three times a day, but he finds that four times a day works better. What I found odd was that he was the one who originally prescribed it for three times a day.

He did say I would probably have this problem for the rest of my life. He suggested, "Don't worry about it and just live your life" Okay, I can do that. I have no doubt had this problem all of my life without knowing it, so what's new?! 

As the decade ends

Wondering what is my biggest accomplishment during the last decade. I think #1 is a conscious awareness with the spirit world. I am also aware and grateful to have inherited my maternal grandmother's generous spirit. Of all my ancestors I believe I am most like her. She may have had her secrets, but they are just that- HER SECRETS!   

How much does a smile cost?

I came up with what I thought was a really great idea this morning. I was going to go to the dollar store and buy boxed Christmas cards, sign them Secret Santa and take them to our local nursing home. I checked and they have 65 residents. I figured three boxes would do it. I imagined the smiles it might bring to the residents. I am sure there are many who have no visitors.

So I began checking the dollar stores we have in Grants,NM Would you believe there isn't one that carries boxed cards?! Determined, I checked out online sources and ended up being discouraged because it would have cost more then I thought I could afford.

Still determined, I again used Google this afternoon. I checked Walmart and found cards that were $9.95 for boxes of 40. Although it was more than I expected to pay I ordered two boxes, which will be delivered to my store Friday, with no shipping charge. Yay!

It gives me plenty of time to sign the cards, Secret Santa, and deliver them to Good Samaritan Center in time for Christmas. I hope it makes some of the residents happy, if only for a moment!

A Secret Santa

I am just finishing the Kindle book, Luke's Gift by Kaylie Newell. Luke is a Secret Santa who does not want his identity revealed. Who could blame him? The book encouraged me to do little acts of kindness in my small town. I can't tell you what I did because then it wouldn't be a secret! It doesn't take a ton of money to do this project. All it takes is a little imagination.

I encourage you all to give it some thought and try it. It's fun, it really is!

Who is frying what?

Holiday shopping is such an interesting activity- no one said.
I thought I was being very clever this year and shopped online for the few gifts I needed to purchase. I got my son an air fryer because he is really enjoying the instant pot he gave me last year. The fryer came and has been sitting in its box in my office.

Yesterday was my birthday. I woke to a very large box sitting on my dinning room table with a birthday card on top. Opening it I found an air fryer. Granted it was fancier than the one sitting in my office, but now there were two.

I told a couple of friends about my problem with the hope that someone would want to buy the smaller one. I really didn't want to take it back to the store, which is in Albuquerque. Later in the day I got a call from a friend who announced that she wanted it for her daughter and was fine with reimbursing me the amount I paid for it. It is now sitting in my trunk waiting for the exchange!

Apparently my Christmas shopping is not done!

Happy almost birthday

In one more day I will be 82 years old. Remembering back when I was 5 or 6 and, according to at least one nurse in the hospital, I was not expected to live, my response is- fooled you!!

So far I have outlived most of my family, including my parents, brother and two ex-husbands. I have also survived raising three children, who have produced four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

I have written and published two hard cover books, three E-books and created two newspaper columns. I have spent the last twenty years of my life focusing on inspiring others to be the best that they can be.

My life reminds me of the young boy, reaching the end of his life, asking Oprah Winfrey, "Have I done enough?"

If I were to answer that question my answer would be, "No, not yet."

I haven't read the book of my life so I have no idea how the story ends, but I am sticking around for the final chapter.