For the past several months I have found a routine that works pretty well for me, at least for the mornings. I wrote about that in THIS POST. After breakfast my husband and I do some reading together. Then I head back upstairs to read in Psalms and make a journal page, including writing a haiku. Then I exercise. After that my day may vary. On this sixth day of April, I am linking up with A Simple Woman’s Daybook with Peggy.
For Today
Looking out my window…
Today is a mixture of sun and clouds, but last week there was quite a lot of variation in my view of the sky between March 31 and April 3. I want to share three pictures to show you what I mean. This first picture from March 31, 2020, is taken just slightly to the right from the following two pictures.
This one is from the very next day, April 1, 2020.
I am thinking…
At first the stay-at-home advice for this coronavirus didn’t bother me much, because I stay home a lot anyway. But now it’s getting harder since I don’t get to see as many people. I hope things will improve soon so we can enjoy visiting with others again.
I am thankful…
for social media as a way of staying in contact. I can chat, email or even video chat, which is what my oldest daughter and I did for about 3 hours the other day.
I am creating…
with crochet. I’ve been having fun with a couple of recently finished projects – a large colorful bag and a colorful hanging tube to store plastic grocery bags.
One of my favorite things…
is playing the piano, but I hadn’t done much in several months until recently. It needs tuning and the sustain pedal is squeaky, but I played anyway and enjoyed it thoroughly. I even recorded some and shared with a couple of friends, who encouraged me to share on my blog even with the imperfections. So I will share a couple here. The first is “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and the second is “Change My Heart, Oh God.”
I am wearing…
a short sleeved flowery shirt in shades of black, white and gray, a pair of blue denim capris, and flip flops on my feet.
I am reading…
together with my husband a book by Michael Card entitled A BETTER FREEDOM: Finding Life as Slaves of Christ. It talks of Jesus as our Master/Servant and refers to His followers as servants to Him. We are all slaves to something. Either we submit to Christ and His loving authority or we are slaves to sin or whatever we let control us. Michael’s point is that in Christ we have a freedom that we could never find apart from Him – a better freedom. There is much more to the book, and we have been inspired by it.
In my garden…
there is not much growing yet. I need to buy some plants. Right now there is a lot of chocolate mint growing, practically filling a 4’x4′ square. I plan to dig up some to give away and some to put in pots.
I am hoping…
to make some progress this week in rearranging some furniture and getting rid of some unneeded items. We also want to set up a coffee/tea station against the wall right next to the kitchen. It will make a world of difference and more room on the kitchen counters. As soon as it’s done I will take a picture and show you what I mean.
I am learning…
to be more patient as I wait for changes in the house to be made. In the meantime I’ve been enjoying learning some new crochet stitches which I used in the recent projects. I am learning to trust God more in these uncertain times. No matter what goes on around me, He is always the same, never changing. In the midst of the chaos, He is my steadfast Rock and Refuge.
But the Lord is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection.
In my kitchen…
we are making lots of meals in our Instant Pot. A quick favorite is Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni. I also used the IP to cook a whole chicken. Then I put the bones back in with water and vinegar to slow cook for a couple of days to make bone broth.
Post Script
My friend Bettie and her husband, Barry, shared a delightful story on YouTube. It was written by Barry about 40 years ago and illustrated by Bettie. They made the video as a gift to their grandchildren, but all children and adults alike will surely enjoy their presentation. Barry reads with such expression and the pictures are perfect.
Shared Quote
The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.
~J. R. R. Tolken ~ The Fellowship of the Ring
A moment from my day…
I have enjoyed writing haiku poetry using the Online Magnetic Nature Poetry kit. This photo was taken some time ago at the SC Botanical Gardens in Clemson, SC. I wrote the poem just a few days ago.
Closing Notes
I would like to leave you with one of my latest journal pages with verses from Psalm 119 and a haiku. It kind of goes along with the message in Michael Card’s book.
I’m linking up with: A Simple Woman’s Daybook, #InspireMeMonday
Gayl, I love your style and your crochet stitch. Thanks for a thoughtful post. Your IMM neighbor.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings to you!
Hi Gayl. I enjoyed reading your daybook. The pictures are beautiful. I’m glad you decided to go ahead and share your playing the piano. You play so well. Those hymns brings tears to my eyes whenever i hear them. I also loved the haiku poems and your Psalms journal page. May you have a blessed rest of the week 🙂
Thank you, Tajuana! I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and music. Thank you for listening and for your thoughts. Yes, I love those hymns, too. Glad you like the poems, too. I love doing those journal pages. They keep me focused on God each day. Blessings to you, dear Tajuana! xo
Thank you for letting us in one of your days, in your thoughts and activities! I love your journal page and your encouragement that God is never changing so we can grow our trust in Him in these uncertain times.
Thanks for visiting, Hadassah. I’m glad you were encouraged here. Blessings to you, dear friend! xo
Dear Gayl,
Thank you for giving us this look into your days. I loved seeing your beautiful crochet projects, and hearing your piano playing is such an encouragement. It brought tears to my eyes tonight, as I listened again. Truly, our God is so good to help us and to stay as such a solid rock for us. And thank you so very much for sharing my husband’s and my book video. Your prayers and encouragement have meant so much. Blessings, love, and hugs to you my dear poet/sister/friend! xoxo
Dear Bettie, thank you for your sweet comments. You are always such an encouragement to me. I’m so glad you enjoyed the music. I am very glad to share your book video. It is so very good. Much love to you, my dear sister, with many blessings! xoxo
What a creative person you are! I enjoyed the piano playing. I haven’t played much the last couple years but I love to! 🙂
Thank you, Kelly! I’m glad you enjoyed it, squeaks and all. lol I don’t play nearly as much as I should, but I want to change that. Blessings to you!
Gayl, I love visiting your sight, it is so homey! What do you use chocolate mint in? Also, I enjoyed listening to you playing the piano. Over the last few years my life has become more simple. I can see that in your description of your day. I too, miss face to face contact with people but am really enjoying being at home more!
Nancy, thank you for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed visiting. 🙂 Chocolate mint can be use to make tea, to add a twist to salad, as an ingredient in desserts, etc. I guess you could use it wherever you’d like to try it. 🙂 Plus it smells good. 🙂 I have been enjoying the extra time to crochet, etc. Blessings to you! xo
I love this, Gayle. You have so many creative gifts, and now I know another one. You can even play piano. 🙂 Beautiful! Yes, great is God’s faithfulness. So encouraging. And thank you for sharing Bettie’s and Barry’s video. 🙂 Love and blessings of a HOPE-filled Easter to you and your family!
Dear Trudy, thank you so much for your sweet comment! Yes, God’s faithfulness is never changing. He is always faithful and that is one of my very favorite hymns. We even sang it at my mom’s funeral four years ago. Yes, Bettie’s and Barry’s video is so delightful and inspiring, isn’t it? Blessings and love to you, too, with the hope of God during this time we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus! xoxo
The past weeks and months I have been unable to sit by my computer more than just a few minutes, and that only on some days. This post was such an encouragement. It was lovely to see and hear Bettie’s and Barry’s tree story within your blog. I’ve missed hearing it earlier.
Blessings to you with all your creative projects!
Dear Lisa, I’m glad you were encouraged by my post. It must be so hard for you not to be able to write as much as you’d like. But I’m so glad you are able to write some again. Oh, yes, Bettie and Barry’s story is so inspiring and encouraging. Blessings and love to you, dear Lisa, and prayers that you will continue to regain strength! xoxo