OLYMPIC WEEK FAVES

I for one am glad it's Friday.  It's been a long, kind of slow and boring week for me. I was fighting my first head cold (started on Saturday with very mild sore throat) since 2018!  The last time I was sick, was when Dave and I both had covid during my Winter Break in February 2023.  I'm thankful I don't get sick often and that the head cold was pretty much over with by Wednesday evening.....I need to be intentional about finding the blessings this week because honestly, the week sure did seem to drag. 

I'm sharing FIVE blessings that make my "Faves" list and joining up with other grateful bloggers over at this site, hosted by Susanne. Join us!

• OLYMPIC OPENING!  I settled onto the couch last Friday evening with a wine spritzer Dave made me after dinner and a warm, fleece blanket to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics. I loved it. Class act this year!  I loved the theme of creativity with harmony and all of the Italian culture that was represented but most especially the 3 Italian composers (Verdi, Rossini, and Puccini) who were depicted. It was so well done!  Much classier than the last couple of opening ceremonies for sure. (this is my opinion).  I didn't think the coming together of the 5 rings looked like a pentagram at all although I know certain groups are saying it was a satanic symbol.  How sad that they can't see it for the beauty and symmetry that it was intended to be!!  Our world sure does love controversy doesn't it? how sad.  But I'm thankful that I personally didn't see it that way at all...I thought it was a beautiful piece of Italian art and the music was gorgeous.  I've enjoyed watching some of the highlights at 8 pm this week: alpine skiing, cross country ski racing, figure skating. I'm thankful for the unity of the Olympics and the hard work and talents of the athletes. 

backyard on a warmer Wednesday 

• FLAG FOUND!  About a week ago the little Valentine garden flag I had in the front yard blew away and I thought it was lost down the street somewhere. It was far too bitter  cold to go searching for it so I gave it up as lost and told myself well....there goes the $12 I spent. When I went out to re-fill the bird feeders on Wednesday morning (because it was warmer!), there was the flag stuck to the side of the house between  the siding and the gutter pipe.  I gently peeled it off the pipe/house and brought it inside to thaw out.  I put it up again on a different garden pole in the backyard which gets less wind than the front yard. I like the cheerful color  with the white snow. I'm thankful I found our little flag and that the temps have warmed up to the mid to high 30s this week, finally!

more clothing donations

• ERRANDS DONE:  Because the head cold was finally pretty much gone by Wednesday, I was able to get out and do a couple of errands: return books to the library and get 2 more; take Dave down to our mechanic so he could pick up his car from a needed repair; and bring a huge trash bag full of donated clothes to the local thrift shop.  Most of the clothes in the bag were old clothes I used to wear to teach in:   3 pairs of nice jeans, pants, blouses and tunics, a couple of dresses and skirts, leggings, and a couple of nice short sleeved summer shirts. These were all things I hadn't worn in the last year and know I most likely never will in the future. A couple of things were brand new and I maybe wore them just a few times. I'm thankful I had a half day to purge the closet and trunk. 

pots, frying pans, covers, small glass containers

mixing bowls, stock pot
slow cooker and
in the far left of this corner  cupboard:
large plastic bowls and party platters

the microwave cart now has the cereals and crackers on the bottom shelf
healthy snacks like protein bars, nuts, quinoa chips on the upper shelf
Drawer holds foil, waxed paper, freezer baggies, extra pot holders

• CUPBOARDS CLEANED:  Usually I wait until  Spring to thoroughly clean out some  cupboards but this week, because of the bitter cold and my own head cold, I stayed indoors and decided to go through the bottom cupboards/corner cupboard and re-organize all the cookware. It felt so good to do this! I used a lightly scented Mrs Murphy's spray on the shelves. I like the end result and even Dave likes it better (he could usually care less about how I arrange the cupboards). Since we no longer buy lots of processed snack foods or store bought cereals, I was able to utilize the lower part of the microwave cart for this. In the plastic bin on the higher shelf (to the right) we have a variety of low sugar protein bars, boxes of raisins, nut mixes, and low sugar fig bars.  We keep these stocked for tossing into our beach bag or hiking backpack. Dave also likes them in his work lunches. Sometimes I'll grab a protein bar, fruit,  and sparkling water for lunch in place of a salad or sandwich. I'm thankful this chore is done.  

• COFFEE and READING:  One of the errands I had to run this week was to  purchase a gift certificate for my oldest daughter for Valentine's Day.  This year I went with gift cards for both girls.  Courtney first introduced me to this fave coffee shop awhile ago and now that they're in the new space in the town just to the north of us, I head there at least once a week for a coffee and my book or Bible study. This week I brought a library book I was finishing up.  I spent a wonderful 45 minutes nibbling on one of the almond croissants and a maple latte.  There's a book section where you can borrow a book while in there or you can buy certain ones. Many are used.  They also sell some local artists'  wares and not only do they cozy tables for 2-6 people, but they also have cozy arm chairs spread around the  cafe. I love it. I usually go just for coffee but since it was close to lunch and I didn't feel like having a big lunch, I ordered the almond croissant which is absolutely decadent and wonderful. I'm thankful I had this break in my routine. 

Those are the simple things that made me smile this week...just simple blessings but they all warmed my heart. 

I hope whatever you have planned for Valentine's Day, if you celebrate it, that it's a memorable day for you. 

The Positive Focus

 

This morning for my quiet time, I opened up the Jesus Calling devotional book I have and read today's entry.  I don't use this devotional every day but today's really spoke to me.  I discovered something "new" to me in reading the Scripture posted above. 

I love when we read Scripture over and over and one day God reveals something new about it.  That happened to me this morning as I sat sipping my hot coffee. 

If you're unfamiliar with this devotional book here's a summary: The Scriptures are written out after the short half page anecdotal reading.  The author explains in the Introduction that she first experienced peace in the Presence of God while in the French Alps. The entries are words she heard from God while meditating on various Scriptures. The book is like hearing directly from Jesus!  It's very powerful and meant to be read in a quiet place with all of your thoughts focused on God. 

Today's reading was about letting Jesus be our focus....God is a positive focus for our thoughts. So many of us, especially Americans, look for positive focus in sports, shopping, music, etc.  But God has placed a desire in our hearts.  In every human being.  What is that desire? It's a deep longing to be loved and known.   And only God can fully meet that desire. Our spouse or significant other can't, our children cannot, our material possessions cannot, money cannot.  

And here's where the Scripture "clicked" for me.  I've always known that it doesn't mean that God will give us anything we ask or desire.  It  does mean that when we look for Him and to Him...when we truly place our hope and find our joy in Him, then HE (God) becomes the desire of our hearts. We will then desire time in the Word, time talking with Him (prayer), time with Him in whatever mode has you "feeling" closest to Him.  (your spiritual temperament). For me, that is time spent outdoors.  (Naturalist).  For my husband, it's time spent studying Scripture and taking Communion. 

We have a longing in our souls for deep, covenant relationship.  Allow God to dwell in your heart today. Spend time focusing on His thoughts towards you. 

God knows our thoughts before we can even express them!

Tell Him what He means to you. Tell Him your struggles and then listen.....listen to that still, small Voice inside your heart/mind/soul. Peace comes from hearing the Words of God. 

And you will find that inner joy....God will become your positive focus. 

What are you focusing on, today?? 

2026 Book Review #5:Penitence

 

I saw this novel on the "new books" shelf at the towne library. This is the author's debut novel and it was a good story with no editing errors that I could find. 

STORY SUMMARY

Angie and David Sheehan have two young teens: Nico age 14 and Nora age 13.  The children are only 10 months apart and are very close.  Nico has been recently diagnosed with children's Huntington Disease.... a very rare genetic disorder. It is October and he was diagnosed over the summer. He is already displaying many of the physical and behavioral/emotional changes. 

One night, their  whole lives are shattered.  A murder has happened and it was Nora who killed her brother Nico. She calls 911 confessing.  After that, she stops talking. 

Angie and David are desparate to defend their daughter so they turn to an old friend, Martine, who happens to be the mother of Angie's ex-boyfriend from high school, Julian.  Julian himself is a criminal defense attorney in NYC. Martine is local and is in her early 70s thinking of retiring. But she takes on Nora's case as a favor to the family. She brings in Julian because she has not had a lot of experience with criminal defense. 

Angie and Julian have to now navigate through their feelings from their shared past. Both of them carry heavy secrets for which they have no inner peace. They do share a horrible accident that happened to result in Angie's younger sister, Diana, being killed on the ski slopes of Colorado where Angie now lives with David.  Her mother Livia forced her to break up with Julian....now her mother is in a memory care facility for Alzheimer's Disease but Angie remembers keeping the secret of living with Julian in NYC when both moms (Martine and Livia) think they had indeed broken off their relationship. 

Angie crushed Julian when she left NYC shortly after 9/11.  And that is when she had a huge secret she has never revealed to any one. 

It's David who figures things out.  And it's David who reveals some of the secrets that have plagued Angie....and Julian...over the years.  

Will Julian be successful in doing penance for his behavior back in high school? Will Angie ever forgive her daughter for killing her son? Will they ever hear Nora talk again and explain why she pulled the trigger, not once but 3 times? Will Julian and Martine be successful in getting a plea deal for Nora and keep her out of prison for life? 

How will the act of forgiveness play out in this story? 

MY THOUGHTS

This was a pretty good debut but it was rather slow paced and seemed to get bogged down in spots.  The bulk of the plot begins towards the middle of the book. 

The characters and settings are very well developed.  The description of NYC on 9/11 and shortly after were chilling as I remember that horrible day very well. It is just a brief moment in this story, but it's exceptionally well written in my opinion. 

I felt relieved at the end of the story which ends with Angie and Nora together on Nora's 14th birthday. I'm glad they were together but....it left me with wanting to know more and the feelings that came out in Angie seemed much too abrupt and not fully resolved. 

I was a bit disappointed at how Angie and Julian's relationship evolved after a big secret was revealed by David. It felt like that whole section could have been a bit more climactic.  

The author is good at expressing all of the emotions that parents go through when a child is killed.  She explains at the back of the book that this is not based on any one crime but she did research the topic of what's known as fraticide (a sibling killing another sibling). What bothered me most was that no one looked deeper into Nora's mental health.  It  seemed that the author was leading us one way and it ended up just falling by the wayside....it just seemed to end too abruptly. 

There were some good quotes that jumped out at me and one of them is actually from a different book called Just Mercy:

"You are more than the worst thing you've ever done." (pg 278 Penitence by Kristin Koval c. 2024) 

That quote is said in another spot in the book but I forgot to mark which page it was.

I also liked this quote:

"Sometimes who a person becomes is more important than who a person used to be" (pg 107)

"God goes silent on all of us. It doesn't mean He doesn't love you." (pg 137). 

Overall, this book is a good look at the struggles of keeping secrets for many years, of marital issues while navigating parenthood and care of an elderly parent and parenting a child with a terminal diagnoses. It's also a good look at how the American juvenile justice system is broken.   I think the author missed the mark on forgiveness though.  We can only really forgive when we know the forgiveness of God. She alludes to it in her section of when Angie goes to Catholic church and "confession" but......again, it just didn't wrap up well. It is thought provoking though. 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older. 

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this an 8. 

 

 

 

He Lets Us

 

The following is the Scripture and Vision Statement I gave out to all of my 2026 SoulSteps Hiking Group members this past weekend. I love and am thankful that I get to lead this group.  I love that God lets us have His creation to enjoy and be refreshed in and I wanted to share this with my blogging community because I know some of you also feel closest to God when out in His creation......the spiritual temperament of "Naturalist". Or some of you just like the mountains, fresh water lakes and streams, and/or woods.  Here is the statement for all of the hiking members: 

I truly never expected this hiking group, SoulSteps to become more than 50 people (including children).  What in the world is God doing?? When Ping first encouraged me to start a hiking group, I truly had no idea that  this would be more than just a “few women taking a walk in the woods” But here we are, 2 full years of this group completed and we are beginning our third year.  I’ve meant so many awesome Christians from leading this group. If you’re a part of this group, thank you! Thank you for joining me on this journey. 

This year I wanted to have some kind of “vision” statement with a Scripture. God’s word has a lot of great Scriptures about mountains and his creation but He led me to use this one: 

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters”. 

~Psalm 23:2 NIV~

But I prefer the NLT version

 

“He lets me lie down in green meadows,  He leads me beside peaceful streams” 

He (God!) gives us rest. “Green pastures” typically symbolize nourishment (like for sheep…we’re the sheep in this case!) and abundance. Peaceful streams signify safety (think kayaking on still lakes vs rushing rapids!) and rest and a refreshing. Our Shepherd is also a Creator.  Oh how those of us who love to hike up a mountain get enthralled when we look out from that summit over what He has created…..how we marvel! But we also have to rest after that climb, don’t we? And if the hike includes the peaceful waters of a lake or stream, how much more blessed are we to linger there. Nature…God’s creation…is restorative to not only our bodies, but to our minds and souls. With all of the angst going on in our nation….and the world….we need quiet times to nourish our minds and souls. There is a reason that God commanded us to have a day of rest.  A day to just be with Him, thinking about Him, talking with Him. It’s restorative. 

Stepping out in God’s creation can remind us of His glory but it also recharges us and can calm us.   Let the Good Shepherd guide you in all that you do and marvel at what He has created for us to enjoy. 

The goals of this hiking group are simple.  It’s meant to be an activity group that restores our bodies with movement; to restore our minds with good conversation and fellowship with other Believers, and bring peace  to our souls during a busy week or month. 

I’m looking forward to finding some green pastures and still waters with you this year. 

Peace,

ps If you would like more information on how to join SoulSteps Hiking group and are located in the Capital Region of NYS just reach out to me or leave a comment!