40 days of Lent - slooooowww dooowwwnnnn

Well first - the question of the hour --how did I do yesterday?  For the most part I craved sweets all day long, because I knew I wasn't having them.  I did cave in before bed and had a piece of my mom's birthday cake.  As for meat - I did have the DiGiorgio pizza with the little italian meatballs on it but that was it for meat. 

Today's thought is just plain old good advice for everyone.

February 28 - February is a short month, but don't let it rush you.  Slow down today.

For me that is great advice, but today's not the day for that to happen.  I have a meeting after work and book club at 7:00 PM - tonight is one of those nights I feel rushed.  So many times I find myself rushing from one place to the next.  For the longest time I kept this scripture on my desk - Come to me,  all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:27-29   I always thought  rest was what I wanted, but truth is that make me fidgety sometimes.  Slowing down and pacing myself is much better.

So slow down today.  Even though I will be busy - I will try to take it all slower and at a much easier pace, so why not try with me.

40 days of Lent - Are they crazy?



Yes, that really is a Maple Bacon Donut and no, I am not
really eating one.



WHAT - are they nutz!!!!!!!

Are they crazy - OMG- okay - just breathe,  breathe - here we go.

Today's Lenten Message

February 27 ---  (I shudder just to write this)  Give up caffeine, sugar or meat for today.  How did you body, mind and soul feel.

What - I can't have a bacon donut with large coffee this morning?  How will I exist?

Back in the day I use to say that I ran on Coffee and Candy. 

But seriously (I wrote the above yesterday when I read ahead) I prayerfully considered what to do.  So I decided to sleep on it and start the day with elimating all three and see which one I could stick with, lol!

Meat, of course, is the easiest - but it will depend on what I make for supper.  The frozen pizza I have has meatballs on it - so it might be easier to order Papa Johns and have it either plain or with a veggie on it.  Lunch is a white bean wheat berry salad and some roasted carrots so that's already meat free.

Next there was caffeine - on a good day I could do without but not today.  Last night I came down with a major headache, so I took Benedryl and was foggy minded this morning, and I didn't want to not have caffeine and get a caffeine headache later.  So I started the morning with the usual cup of joe, but on the drive in my headache returned, but it is still not as bad as last nights, so keeping my fingers cross on that.  The coffee at work is decaf anyway, so I am not having a huge amount of it.  I'll skip the Pepsi Max tonight.

Lastly, sugar....Oh how I love thee...so since this is the most difficult - I will try to do without it.  (Good luck Barbara, since you sit behind me -- around 3 I should be getting the heebie jeebies).  I almost blew it this morning when I got jelly out for my toast, then I remembered so I switched to some laughing cow cheese.  Since sugar is indeed my downfall I will let you know tomorrow how I did, and how I felt.

So if you had all of the above already, you might want to try this challenge on another day, if not try one for today and remember - you can do all things with God who strengthens you.

40 days of Lent - Getting rid of excess

Today's thought is.....

February 26 - Whatever you have too much of, get rid of some of it today.  This might mean a trip to Goodwill or one less trip to the refrigerator or an apology you need to make.

I wonder.....does this include body fat?

Guess not, but if it did - I was ready to donate it!

When I was laid off a little while ago I  used that time to clean out the closets and get rid of all the excess stuff; and since our church has flea markets twice a year, I use that as an excuse to keep me from becoming a hoarder. 

I have also taken to heart the Lenten thought from February 16 and have been buying one item for the food bank each week - it also had me taking stock of the pantry to see what else I could donate.  But the last part of the thought for today is the most interesting -  "an apology you need to make".  I guess they also want us to clean out our conscience. 

Lent is a good time to get rid of any excess - it is a perfect time to take stock , and this includes all the areas of our lives.  So whether you have too many packs of noodles or too much guilt, it's time to get rid of it.

40 days of Lent - Moving the Mountain

Today's Lenten thought

February 25 - Jesus says even tiny faith can move mountains.  What are the "mountains" you could move with the faith your already have?

Whew - that's a tough one.   I got a lot of "mountains" I would like to move, but sometimes I don't feel that I have enough faith to move them.  Sometimes the faith is just the faith that I have in myself.  I believe that with God all things are possible, but I forget to include Him in my daily struggles, the little things I feel that I should not bother him with.

We all feel that sometimes we shouldn't be calling on God for the little things, or for our own shortcomings, but God doesn't mind.  He says to pray unceasingly so He knows and is ready to help with the "small stuff".

Todays Lenten thought is from the scripture in Matthew 17:20 - You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."

A mustard seed is so tiny but yet Jesus said that this is enough to move a mountain.  Now that is an empowerment - I feel better already just knowing that.  How about you, are you ready to move your mountains?

40 days in Lent - Remembering

I avoided writing this all day - because today's Lenten thought is

February 24 - Remember someone you have loved and lost.  Sadness and grief have their place in Lent.  The pain of loss is the cost of loving well.  Risk it.

I wasn't sure where to take this Lenten thought, but what immediately came to mind are the friends I have lost over the years, those friends who have departed this life to the next.

Those are the ones that leave a hole in my heart.  The friends that I loved and miss dearly.  The first that came to mind was Missy, we lost her way to soon to cancer, along time ago. She left behind 2 young daughters and it was probably the first death of a friend that I had to experienced.

Some other ladies I have lost were Evelyn, Ginny and Miriam.  All ladies I have learned from over the years, all ladies that held a special place in my heart.  Thinking of them brings tears to my eyes, but I know they are in a great place, waiting for me to get there someday.

If you choose to remember a relationship that was more of the man/woman love relationship feel free to do so.    I have had my share of that kind of love and lost, but time heals all wounds.

For those who have gone on before me, this day I remember you.  They are so many more that I will include in my prayers tonight, they are gone but not forgotten.  They live here, right here,  in my heart.

40 days of Lent - When Silence wasn't Golden

So - I started my day with a call to the bff, Cathy - It went Hi Cathy - Hello - Whatcha doing? - Nothing - What's new? - Nothing - I remained silent.....listening..... and Cathy said - Are you still there?

So much for today's Lenten thought -

February 23 - Clear out the chatter.  Really listen to other people today.  Don't just wait for your turn to talk.  Life might get more interesting.

This is not something easy to do on a Saturday - I am home cleaning.  Cathy told me - I need to practice this on a work day.

Now, I can see Barbara, my co-worker, reading this - she is saying - Bev never listens.  It is true, I work like I drive, I never see or hear what ever is going around me.  Many people think I ignore them while I am driving.  The truth is - I DO NOT SEE  OR HEAR YOU.  You may be tooting your horn, but I have my radio on ....loud.   And you might be waving right at me.  But I am looking straight ahead as to where I am going.  You might be butt naked standing on the corner, but sorry - I didn't see you and you better get inside before you get arrested.  Thus, I am like this when I work - Barb can say something - and then she follows it with - "did you hear what I said" and my answer is  - "huh?"

So maybe this is my true challenge, not for just today but every day.  A true challenge for me because I don't listen - I have endless chatter going on in my head and that's why I blog, because I have to get some of it out.  So I have to try living outside my box, which is my thoughts, and open my ears and listen to others.  Listen to what is happening around me. 

My friends, please be patient, this will not happen overnight.  After a lifetime of talking,  learning a new trait like listening could take a while. I will pray on this and ask God for His help, because this challenge like any challenge requires help.  We are not in this world alone,  we always have God, our family and our friends; and to each one of them I  need to learn to listen.

40 Days of Lent - is the glass half full or half empty

Today's Lenten thought is going to be a challenging one for me because I woke up on the pessimistic side of the bed today.

February 22 - Clear out the pessisimism.  Someone said, "Some see the glass half empty, some see it half-full, I'm just glad to see the glass!"

Ha, this is a good one for me today.  But since I started to write it yesterday I knew some of the things that were suppose to help me clear the negative thoughts, so I practiced some of them on my way in to work- I think it helped my mood a bit.  But I can feel those underlying negative feelings just waiting to bubble back up - so I might have to read this a few times today.

You know - we all have our "ites".  Old Testament enemies always seem to have "ites" at the end like the Moabites and Hittities - We have poverties, husbandites, wifites, bossites and what ever else that might cause us to whine and feel like the world is against us-ites.  But we got to shake it off, we can't dwell in the abyss we call our mind.  We can't think all the bad thoughts and not the good.  Get over it as my good friend Cathy would say.

So - with that - lets talk about 10 ways to become more optimistic. 

1) Pray  - It should be the go to thing we do first in any situation - but especially to help get rid of the negative thoughts.  Ask for help with the problem, and then thank God for the good things.  When you start taking the focus off the negative you can start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

2) Smile -  Of course, the first thing that came to my mind was the Lyrics to Smile - Smile though your heart is aching, Smile even though it's breaking. When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by if you smile through your fear and sorrow.  Smile and maybe tomorrow, you'll see the sun come shining through for you. A smile really does help change your mood and relieve stress.  It takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown!!!!

3) Surround yourself with positive people.   Sometimes not so easy to do.  But reach out to one of your positive friends, someone that will perk you up - DO NOT - I repeat DO NOT call a Debbie Downer

4)  Change the tone of your thoughts from negative to positive.  For example, instead of thinking We are going to have a hard time adjusting to our living situation, replace that with We will face some challenges in our living situation, but we will come up with solutions that we will both be happy with.

5)  Don’t play the victim. You create your life—take responsibility.  Even if our living situation becomes unbearable, there is always a way out. Think - you will always have the choice to make change happen, if need be.

6) Help someone else.  Take the focus away from you - Do something nice for another person.  Do something nice for a stranger.  Donate food to your area food bank or volunteer to take someone to the doctor.

7) Remember that no one is perfect and move forward from that.  If you are dwelling on your mistakes, don't.  Shake it off and move on.  Unless we have a time machine and can go back and change it, we can't.  It's like the old saying - don't cry over spilled milk.

8)  SING - Sing a song, sing it LOUD - Sing it STRONG - Sing of GOOD THINGS not bad.  Sing of HAPPY not sad.  Just sing, sing a song.  Need I really say more?

9)  Make a list of 5 things your are grateful for right now!  Being thankful for what you have can put a darn good prespective on your life.  Here is mine - right now.  Coffee, my friends, almost done with a book I am reading, I didn't have ants on my stove this morning and I have a job.

10) Read positive quotes, scriptures or even post happy cartoons on your computer, fridge, doors or mirrors as reminders.

2 Corinthians 9:8 - And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

“I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened”  - Mark Twain

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”  - Ashley Smith

You know what - I feel more optimistic already!

40 Days of Lent - Grace

Grace - as is saying Grace.

Today's Lenten Thought from the UCC Calendar is -

February 21 - If you don't already, start saying grace before your meals.  You can do it silently or start a new practice in your household with others.

Since I only grew up saying grace at Thanksgiving, I never really got in the habit of saying it at my every meal.  But, as with all things good or bad, it could become a habit.  In this case a good habit.

Research shows that it takes 21 days to develop a habit. That’s 21 days of going to the gym every day or exercising in some way every day, 21 days to meditation, 21 days to eat healthily, 21 days doing, 21 days of anything. When you want to start a habit, don’t tell yourself you are doing it for life, tell yourself (your conscious brain) that you are going to try it for 21 days.  Maybe it is just a coincidence but today is the 21.  Maybe that's a good sign that you ( and me) should start today.

Say to yourself that from now to Easter you are going to say grace before your meals and see if  by Easter it becomes a permanent habit.  A good habit.  And remember God doesn't need it real fancy with all the thou's and art's,  He will be happy with a simple "thank you for the food we eat".

40 days of Lent - Returning

Today's Lenten thought from the UCC Spring Cleaning Calendar is a simple one -

February 20 - Return things that don't belong to you; overdue library books, the Netflix movie that's been lying around, that Tupperware containiner (please wash first).

I can't say this is one of my problems, but I do have the occasionial stray container around my house and books from Barbara.  But for some others tardiness is our returning process could be a problem.  Why pay any extra for a book or movie.  Develop a new habit, return it as soon as your done.  Circle it on the calendar to remind you - or put in on your phone.  It this day and age there are so many ways to remind ourselves, that we shouldn't forget anything.  Of course, in saying that I missed a doctors appointment last month - because even though it was on the calendar - I didn't read it. 

During the Lenten season we can look at a lot of different ways to Spring Clean, not just our minds and souls, but even our houses and habits.  Good luck. 

40 Days of Lent - Thankful

Today's Lenten reading is:

February 19 - Pray for everyone who brought your food to you today, the growers, harvesters, cooks and servers.

"Thank You for the food we eat", is part of a prayer we all know and say before we eat; but did we ever stop to think where the food came from?  Unless we grow it in the garden or slaughter our own livestock there are many more people involved in the process of getting food to our table.

We start at the farms -- the farmers, the pickers,  the packers - off to processing -- packed on to trucks or other modes of transportation -- and then to the stores, where we buy the food.  Then it still has to be prepared!  That's a lot of people to thank. 

It is easy to take food for granted, it is everywhere we look.  I don't have to pick it.  I don't have to make my own little M & M's they come from a bag. 

So take into consideration what is involved in the food that you eat today, Thank God for the food and send special blessings out to all those involved in the process.

40 days of Lent - Repentance

Today's Lenten message from the UCC calendar is little more difficult than some of the previous messages.

February 18 - Lent is a season of repentance.  Look at your life.  Is there something you are sorry for?  Ask God for forgiveness, and after that, move on to human reconciliation.

According to Wikipedia - Repentance is the activity of reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs. It generally involves a commitment to personal change and resolving to live a more responsible and humane life.

Lent is perfect time to look inward and see what changes need to be made.  The first half of the message is reflective - look at your life, is there something you are sorry for.  I know I am sorry about a few things, some of which I have apologized for along the way.  The easy part  is to ask God for forgiveness.  That is because we have a great God who is loving, kind and forgives us when we ask.  Human reconciliation on the other hand, is a lot more difficult.  You have to face the person and not know if you will receive forgiveness, you have no idea what reaction will come out of it.  Makes you appreciate God a little more.

My Lenten Devotional for today offers a wonderful prayer for this situation.  If you find yourself in need of it today or in the future, use it.  Sometimes becoming a better person takes little steps at a time.  One deed at a time, one act of repentance at a time.

Lord, if I have been the cause of anyone's suffering, show it to me. And make me strong enough to apologize, then set it right. Amen

40 Days of Lent ...or is there?

Today's note on the UCC Calendar is as follows:

February 17 - Sundays are actually "in" Lent but not "of" Lent.  Sundays are not counted in the 40 days because Sunday is always a "little Easter".  Try shouting for joy somewhere, sometime today because it's a "little Easter".

 In most Western traditions the Sundays are not counted as part of Lent; thus the period from Ash Wednesday until Easter consists of 40 days when the Sundays are excluded. The 40 days represents the 40 days that Jesus spent in the Wilderness.

Forty days has been always a popular amount of days mentioned in the Bible, so much so that we told the Sunday School children this morning that if we ask you for the number of days of something it most like will be 3, 7 or 40.

Forty has many Biblical references: the forty days Moses spent on Mount Sinai with God (Exodus 24:18); the forty days and nights Elijah spent walking to Mount Horeb  (1 Kings 19:8);   the forty days and nights God sent rain in the great flood of Noah (Genesis 7:4); the forty years the Hebrew people wandered in the desert while traveling to the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33); the forty days Jonah gave in his prophecy of  judgement to the city of Nineveh in which to repent or be destroyed (Jonah 3:4). For forty days, every morning and evening, Goliath strutted in front of the Israelite army, before David slayed him. (1 Samuel 17:16)  Jesus retreated into the wilderness, where He fasted for forty days, and was tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1–2, Mark 1:12–13, Luke 4:1–2;   there also 40 day between Jesus's resurrection and ascension into Heaven. (Acts 1: 3).

Anyway - our thought for today is to give a shout for joy!   My Sunday School Lesson focused on gratitude for what God has given us.  So  give God a SHOUT OUT today!  Give Him Thanks!

You like it when someone thanks you - so why wouldn't God.

40 days of Lent - Feeding the Hungry

Today's Lenten thought and yes, I know I am running late on this one,  it was a busy day - I really should of took the time to write this in the morning, but I got caught in the busy things.

February 16 - If Saturday is your errand day (and today was) add this to your list.  Go to the grocery store, get ten good food items and drop them off at a local food bank or shelter.  If you have kids, take them with you to pick out the food and deliver it.

A great idea and Catasauqua has a food bank located at -
Catasauqua Area Food Bank
Address: 527 Front Street, Catasauqua, PA 18032
Phone: 610-264-8366
Hours of Operation: Wednesdays & Fridays 3:00PM-4:00PM

Now I am lucky, I don't even have to take my stuff there because my church collects items for the food bank and the first Sunday of the Month is designated as Food Bank Sunday and donations of food or cash are accepted and delivered to the Food Bank.

But when I looked at this I wasn't sure I could purchase ten items and in talking with the bff, Cathy, she said why not just buy 1 item every week.  What a great idea, in fact we took it to the Mission Committee (which is us and Paula) and are going to issue a Lenten Challenge to the Congregation to  bring in just 1 item each Sunday during Lent.   If everyone in the Congregation just brought 1 item each week image what would be collected by the end of Lent.

Sometimes, and I am guilty of this, we get a "all or nothing" attitude.  When I go on a diet, I want to loose 10 pounds in the first week.  I am not happy with just 1.  Well, I felt dumb putting just 1 item in the food bank box, and would wait until I could buy more, but why - one box of cereal will help someone, why wait? 

The scripture states:  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.  Matthew 25:35

Why wait to help, doing a little bit, is better than doing nothing at all.

40 days of Lent-Go Fish?

Today my UCC Lenten Calendar has the following:

February 15 - "Fish on Fridays is a Catholic traditions and not a bad idea. Eating fish twice a week is recommended by the American Heart Association.  Good for your brain, too."

I don't know about you but I certainly could use something for my brain.  

 I found myself researching where fish on Friday started.  There is an old story about a Pope way way back that decided to help a small fishing village by proclaiming one needs to eat fish on Friday.  However the Vactican says there are no records to that effect and that actually fasting is what was suppose to be followed.

According to Wikipedia - The Catholic Church observes the discipline of fasting or abstinence at various times each year, especially during Lent. For Catholics, fasting is the reduction of one's intake of food, which may or may not include abstinence from meat (or another type of food).

According to Christian teaching, Jesus died on a Friday, and his death redeemed a sinful world. People have written of fasting on Friday to commemorate this sacrifice as early as the first century.

Technically, it's the flesh of warmblooded animals that's off limits — an animal "that, in a sense, sacrificed its life for us, if you will," explains Michael Foley, an associate professor at Baylor University and author of Why Do Catholics Eat Fish On Friday? Fish are coldblooded, so they're considered fair game. "If you were inclined to eat a reptile on Friday," Foley says, "you could do that, too."  (Anybody for snake on Friday)

Any way - all this talk of fish takes me to the VBS song:

Today is the day for which I've been waiting
Jesus is a preaching and I going there
I'm packing my lunch it won't be empty.
I'm bringing plenty so that I can share
One basket, two fish and five loaves of barley bread.

We know the story - Jesus feeds the 5000 with just 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread that a young boy brings. A line in the song proclaims

Everyone agreed it was a MIRACLE! - which I love to shout out when singing the song

Miracles are around us everyday - we just don't notice them - just like yesterday's Lenten message which told us to "notice everything, notice ourselves"  today's is notice the miracles.  However small they are, like a flower, a bird flying overhead and especially a baby's cry, these are all small miracles.

The other day I felt like I experienced a miracle.  On my way to work Wednesday I came to a three way stop, I was just ready to make my right turn when I heard or felt "wait" and sure enough here came a car down the street, never saw and never stopped at the stop sign.  I would of been hit in the driver's side of my car.  After I made the turn, I said a small prayer, just simply "thank you God, thanks for that".

Today, be aware of the miracles ....they do happen, and when they do, say thanks.

40 Days of Lent

My Pastor, Pastor Mike has to stop giving rousing sermons.  They start me wondering as to what my mission and ministry is in this life.  What talents and treasures am I using that God has given me to work to His good.   Last night, at our Ash Wednesday Service he pointed out that we our Ambassadors of our faith.  Oh Pastor Mike stop it!

No, seriously don't.  We need reminders as to what we are here for and why we were put on this earth. 

We forget sometimes because life gets in the way.  Work, laundry and even cleaning sometime sidetracks me.   Our minds become marshmallows of thinking.  That is one of the reasons I stopped writing this blog, I had to think.  I had to study and search the Bible for answers.  Instead I gave into life.  But soon everything became the same everyday.  Example, and this is true.  I was driving to work this morning and when I hit Schadt Avenue I suddenly wondered, what did I wear today.  That is a true marshmallow mind. 

Well - in this 40 days of Lent  -  I vowed to start thinking again, so I printed off a calendar yesterday from the UCC Church that goes with their devotional that we are doing in our book club for Lent called Spring Cleaning, I received a very timely message....

February 14 -  Lent commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent wandering in the wilderness.  Go for a solitary wander through your neighborhood with no destination in mind. Notice everything. Notice yourself.

Wow, notice yourself.   Do any of us take the time to notice ourselves.  You know, it is in those solitary times that God can speak to us the best and those solitary moment become less and less with the increase of electronic devices that are at our finger tips so that we can be busy playing games or texting every moment of our day.  A Christmas song has a line in it that goes, I wonder while I wander. 

Today spend sometime wandering.  Maybe, you're like me and you can't really take a walk around your neighborhood because you're at work and won't have time later, so today, where ever I walk - which will be at the Farmers Market at lunch - take to time to notice everything.  Notice something that you might take for granted normally.  Notice the details in something, a piece of fruit as an example.  And more importantly notice yourself today.  Notice where you are in God's plan.  Are you where you want to be? And are you where God wants you to be!

Joyce Meyer says, "I may not be where I need to be but I thank God I am not where I used to be" 

I think that sums it up.  Good travel on your Lenten Journey.