THURSDAY THOUGHTS

TODAY I WILL RETURN TO THE BASEMENT WITH HUBBY THIS TIME to go through our stash of HOLIDAY DECOR.  Yesterday, I was down there and made a mental note of what I need to thin out.  I will continue going through more with my Husband this afternoon.  Tubs a plenty.  I managed to empty a few boxes.  Hubs will help me go through these things faster carrying them upstairs to group as I AM NO LONGER A PART OF THIS ESTATE.

Saying bye to these inanimate objects is doable.  If I tell myself that these things served their purpose serving us well and now it's time to let go...it's easier for me to do so.  I believe that I can purge and try different decorating ideas.       

Yesterday when I went to the COTTAGE to check on my hunny as he was unloading 1248 bricks each weighing 6.5 pounds from a moving van, I went inside the COTTAGE and looked around.  I had the easier job by far.  A load of towels were still in the dryer.  Will fold and put away.  He dealt with about 16,224 pounds over a three day period.  Loading, traveling with the bricks, then unloading.  Can somebody say HE MAN?  HE MAN!!!  Not bad for a 66 year old gentleman. 

I had forgotten that some CHRISTMAS tubs were in the utility room.  Oops. How'd that happen?  I went through these and emptied 4 oversized tubs.  More goodies to turn loose of.  Surprise, surprise, surprise.

Several tubs contained SANTAS.  I set aside just a couple that I will keep while grouping the others to let go.  I am attached to them, so I said my good-byes to these SANTAS that I have had for decades.  Hopefully someone else will get some joy from them in their HOMES or places of work.  See ya.    

This afternoon after we eat LUNCH, we will venture downstairs and bring the CHRISTMAS stash upstairs for turning loose.  I have SANTAS, ANGELS, and general HO-HO-HO stuff galore. Some ornaments and what nots.  I believe I can let go and take a deep breath of relief.  No more needing to store off season trinkets.  Downsize, downsize, downsize.

Are Christmas decor and exercise equipment two of the least desired things in households that people get rid of?    

The theme I had thought I would have this CHRISTMAS was a white flocked tree adorned with white, acrylic and silver.  Weeeellllllll...a few weeks ago I turned loose of our flocked tree.  So we will not have this theme this year.  *insert chuckle.  

Willing to forgive for turning loose of this mammoth of a tree.  Better now then later.  Since I love CHRISTMAS TREEs, it's alright.  I'll survive.  Changing my mind is one thing I'm very talented at!  

Probably go with our HALLMARK ORNAMENTS this year.  It's been awhile since I had my HALLMARK TREE.  Nice switch.  

PLANS for today are:  
✔Rest up from long drive to Iowa and back again.  
✔Thumb through the local newspaper and go through the mail.  
✔Closet time for clearing out some clothing items to donate to charity.  
☝Laundry caught up.  
☝Bills looked over.  
✔Downsizing CHRISTMAS DECOR.  
☝Shampooing my hair and letting it air dry.  
✔Skipping the THRIFT STORE as I do not need any more thrift items for now.  
☝Eat soup for Lunch and a nice meal for Supper.  
✔Computer time to watch decorating videos.  
☝Prayer time.  

The decorating videos are unlimited.  So many have their own channels.  So the decorating ideas are a plenty.  This is one area I have to discipline my time on as there are so many vids I could watch.  I'm sure this is a reason that magazine sales have plummeted.  

Lately, I have been tuning in to a young amish/mennonite type channel.  Even though the young lady is dressed according to their standards, she sounds so worldly when she talks, but how her community functions as a whole is very inspiring.  I know that just because someone is tightly knit into a religious community that they are still human with sin natures like all mankind.  They are not completely immune to sin.  If anything, there are hidden issues that they do not share.  

In other areas of social behavior in the world, experience with LIFE tells me that cults are still alive and consuming people every day including our American Christian communities and churches.  Mind sets are promoted.  Pseudo Christian communities are flourishing in the world and especially in my country.  It is extremely easy to get sucked into a cult and not even know it.

Anything goes.  With such an emphasis of loving without judging, the balance disappears.  God's counsel is overturned.  Being a balanced Christian isn't encouraged in these Pseudo churches as well as bible studies.  Appealing to the fallen nature of mankind, the food fed to the sheep is appetizing.  Taken like expected.  Pulling at the heart strings and emotional desires. 

I'm better off reading the Bible for myself in the comfort of my own home.  I can go at the speed most comfortable for me in a very quiet environment.  I can meditate upon scripture alone and not be in competition with anyone.  Not even myself.  Praise the Lord.  I am free and free indeed. I choose God's biblical balanced guidelines for so many reasons.

If we are left to our own devices, then we will injure ourselves.  God's guidelines are to help us and to protect us from injuries.  His DO NOTS are for healthy LIVING.  If we think of ourselves as thoroughbreds then we should take better care of ourselves. 

As for cults outside of the religious arena...it seems to be prevalent in the minds of those entangled with strong political views, Hollywood celebrities on their free time, social circles, Sports, physical fitness gurus, educational, inside High Schools and inside the enlightenment of higher educations, in the work world or in communities eager to please those in inner circles. The list goes on.  We are like sheep that have gone astray and need the good shepherd.

Our greedy desires get us off the mark.

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

It amazes me that I am actually thinning out our stash of everything.  I do mean everything.  

When I think about where we are headed and how little space we will have to store items, it gets my attention.  I'm getting faster at downsizing.  Thankfully, I will get even faster.  Don't need it. Don't want it.  Donate.  Give away.  Sell or trash.  Donate some more.

Suggestion.  If you find yourself hanging onto too much...you've got to get it in your head what too much is.  

Some people have no issues with thinning out.  It was easy for me to hang onto much.  Each year I'd collect more.  The downsizing is long over due. 

If we were staying put, I believe I would be downsizing anyhow as I know that death can come at anytime.  We are not promised tomorrow.  Sobering thoughts.  It is better to help others while I can as long as I can.  I have turned loose of much and will continue.   

My Thursday thoughts,

~d👵      

GEESE JUST FLEW OVER THE HOUSE

WITH THE FRENCH DOORS OPEN TO LET FRESH AIR INSIDE, I could hear the geese flying overhead.  A very nice sound to hear on this Autumn evening.  Their honking gets my attention and a gentle feeling comes over me.  They are lovely creatures to see flying in a group where they know exactly where they are headed. 

Hearing them as I am sitting seems appropriate this time of year and day.  They are beautiful birds to see at the ponds and lakes as well as in flight.  On their way to somewhere they will call HOME.

Wish them well as we're safely HOME after being gone for a few days.  I gathered the mail from the stuffed mailbox, contacted some loved ones as we had just got HOME from seeing my Sister and my brother-in-law that live in IOWA. 

We have plans for making a patio over at the COTTAGE in the Spring.  HANK had some bricks that he was turning loose of and Hubby made arrangements to pack and stack them in a moving van.  Yesterday they loaded the bricks and today Hubby and I came HOME with them.  We were on the road about 6 hours.  We stopped on the way and ate hamburgers and fries for supper.  A free day on my diet. 

On Saturday, we had gone to a Cross Country meet to watch our Granddaughter compete.  The weather was awesome.  Got some sunshine, Vitamin D and fresh air.  Grand placed again!  It is a delight to watch the kids run the distance.  Afterwards we headed toward Iowa.  

Visited with my Sister and Brother-in-law in their new HOME then they took us over to my Nephew's HOME. He and his wife had fixed steaks for us.  

Their two children entertained us with their musical instruments and they also have a new PUPPY!  It was a fun-filled evening.

The next day, my Sister and I went shopping to see her new community.  A very quaint place with historic buildings.  Enjoyed myself and found a large antique mirror I would have loved to have, but didn't purchase it.  

Also one shop had a pair of Victorian Piano Babies that I would have loved to have, but our piano is in terrible shape from the fire and we no longer have it in our HOME.  She's in need of a complete overhaul inside and out.  I suppose I could have placed the Babies elsewhere in the house, but then I'm downsizing.  So no for now. 

Supper at PF CHANG's

Honey Chicken

Crunchy Mango Salad

Chocolate Cake was a huge splurge one evening, but LIFE needs dessert sometimes and this was just one of those times.  Boy, was it gooooood.

We had a great time seeing the sights.  West Des Moines is a very nice community. We ate out, so no dishes to wash.  I really liked that.  The traveling catches up with me and the tireds hit.  Hello tireds.  I'll need to rest a day or so before going through Christmas decorations in the basement to turn loose of.  I wish it were already behind me.  Sigh.  Look upwards and forge ahead giving thanks for LIFE. 

Tomorrow I will return to the eating routine I have been on.  I only made 10 days on the Daniel Diet before I was needing more calories.  I believe I have nourished my body and can return to eating the way I am to on the Daniel Diet.  

Had some bread, potatoes, meat, dessert while in Iowa.  Back to vegetables and fruit as I will begin again in the morning.

Windmills?

The drive to Iowa and HOME again was beautiful.  SO many corn fields and wide open spaces. Rolling hills and lovely pastures across Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.  The trees are definitely turning more so than here in Kansas.  Where did my Summer go?  Tis dark outside by 8.      

Tis beautiful this time of year,

~d