Sane, Simple, Sacred: Weird? Yes, I Am

Weird? Yes, I Am

I learned two things that have stood me in good stead from Tom Cullinan. He is a monk, Benedictine, one-time of Ampleforth Abbey, and lives in the woods on the edge of Liverpool, his life an abiding witness to simplicity and intercession for the wellbeing of creation. He said, “It’s a good idea to want things other people don’t want.” (from a VERY good post about simplicity here)

I DO seem to want things that
other people don't want.
I'm a little weird, I know.

But, hey! It's pottery.

It's blue.

And it was only $.50!

How could I say "no"?

Found yesterday while stopping at my currently-favorite-thrift-store

on the way to visit my mother...

***
"Try to cheer another heart and you will go the nearest way to cheer your own" - Spurgeon
True in THIS morinng's experience of leading a hymn sing for residents
of Golden Years Nursing Home. What an absolute joy--no words accurately describe my heart
at this moment..

7 comments:

Nellie's Cozy PlaceAugust 22, 2014 at 12:25 PM
Hi Rebecca,
What Spurgeon said is so true..........glad you had such a fun and joyful time with the Srs. at the home, I really came to love so many of them when my MiL was there too. Some have no visitors
at all, so sad. So I always tried to talk with them and greet them, and they seemed so happy to
have some one notice them.
Your lil pottery vase will probably look great grouped with some other things. Pretty color and unique............
It seems you must be feeling much better cause you are up and out much more these days.
Glad to see that!!.

Have a blessed day my friend,
Nellie
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SandyAugust 22, 2014 at 2:33 PM
I like pottery of all kinds and this is pretty! And the Spurgeon quote is pure truth.
Thinking of you and yours often and keeping you in my prayers.
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RebeccaAugust 22, 2014 at 3:53 PM
Thanks for your prayers, Sandy. I'm trying to be diligent with exercises to prepare for knee surgery. It can't come fast enough.
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Breathing In GraceAugust 23, 2014 at 9:11 AM
The vase is beautiful....quite unique....reminds me of a crown! Your heart is full because it's so big and giving! I know those sweet older folk were probably feeling the same!
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susieAugust 24, 2014 at 12:05 AM
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Every time you set your eyes on this vase let it remind you that God sees you as beautiful and unique, as do your friends. Let's try to do lunch the first week of September.
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Janettessage.blogspot.comAugust 25, 2014 at 11:20 AM
This is a wonderful post with many meanings! Thanks for sharing...I am pondering this!
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"We simplify, not just to be less busy, even though we may be right to pursue that. Rather, we simplify to remove distractions from our pursuit of Christ. We prune activities from our lives, not only to get organized, but also that our devotion to Christ and service for His kingdom will be more fruitful. We simplify, not merely to save time, but to eliminate hindrances to the time we devote to knowing Christ. All the reasons we simplify should eventually lead us to Jesus Christ!" (Donald S. Whitney)

Dedicated to my sister-in-law, Beth--a TRUE home manager....

"I work for a King. He has put me in charge of his home. When He comes to see how I have managed His possessions and His children, I do not want to be found wanting. I want to do my best. Everything I have is on loan from Him. I have room and board and a job to do, but it is all for Him. Therefore I want to dress my best and do my best in all my work. I also want to be creative, for this is a sincere attempt to glorify Him and His beautiful creation. How I manage my home is a form of worship to Him." --Lydia Sherman

"A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry,
and see a fine picture every day of his life,
in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Contentment makes poor men rich.

-Benjamin Franklin

"What I am gradually discovering is that in the writing I come in touch with the Spirit of God." ~ Nouwen

~~"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting."~~Edmund Burke

C.S. Lewis: "To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in trusting a person if you wouldn't take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him."

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony." William Henry Channing

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Apostle Paul: "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

"It's a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet, and what is sand. It stops us from taking anything for granted. It has also taught me alot about living in the immediate moment. I am somehow managing to live one day, one hour at a time." Madeleine L'Engle

FIVE CERTAINTIES
WITH WHICH TO
START YOUR DAY

God holds you. Each day he carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:19 NLT
God sustains you. THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. Psalm 23:1 AMP
God covers you. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust. Psalm 91:4 AMP
God pours His love upon you. Through each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me. Psalm 42:8 NLT
God will not fail you. The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! Lamentations 3:22 NLT

THE BLOGGER'S PRAYER Lord, help me to learn to spell without spellcheck, manage to visit all that visit me, and post regularly - all in 5 minutes a day, so that I can clean house and take care of my family. Help me to not look at every occurrence in my life as a blog post, and to quit taking pictures of weird things to share as well. Please Lord, help me to stop talking about my blog friends as though they are next door neighbors or someone I have known all of my life. And help me, dear Lord, to think of something witty and wise to post tomorrow.
Love, The Dust Bunny Hostage

Sane, Simple, Sacred

Mercy

Weird? Yes, I Am

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Writing a Song a Week #3