Winter

Winter

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

In This Life


In this life there are days when I feel about as interesting as a wet blanket. I have an old book and in it there is this selection that I try really, really hard to follow.

" If we wished to gain contentment, we might try such rules as these:
1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even the weather. ( I am working really hard to not complain about the weather right now.)

2. Never picture thyself to thyself under any circumstances in which thou are not. ( Like being at the beach, or playing in the snow or foggy days, or goodness, a rainy day.)


3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another. ( Like wishing I was getting some of that polar vortex this week.)

4. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been or were, otherwise than it was, or is. God Almighty loves thee better and more wisely than though dost thyself. ( Sitting here thinking of fall leaves, or ripe pumpkins or hooking a rug without sweat dripping down my back.)

5. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow often is to look forward to it. " The Lord will provide."  ( Things never turn out like I imagine anyway, the what-ifs just exhaust me anyway."


Every morning before the sun comes up. Ron goes to the garden to turn on the water. Because it is drip line and the water runs so slowly, we leave it on about an hour. I turn it off after he leaves for work. I have watched him every morning, as he goes out the gate, he looks around to make sure it is safe. This morning I wasn't watching so I missed this. I am sad about it too, I know I would have been laughing. He told me later, he opened the gate looked out and right there was the skunk. He said, he jumped back in the yard, and slammed the gate. Then he opened it to see where the skunk was, and it seems as the skunk was just as scared of him and was high-tailing over to the neighbors next door. To think, I missed it too.


I am so glad that we are at the middle of the week. This week is just flying on by. I hope your days are nice and cool and pleasant.

Happy Wednesday,
~Kim~


"It does not do good to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that..."
---Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling, 1997

16 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

you made me laugh with your 'not complaining about the weather'. :) and glad ron didn't get sprayed!

Mary Ann said...

Good advice, all, and I love your header picture!

Kerin said...

Good reminders, all of them.
Trying to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, is something I have to work on daily.

I love the pictures, and I am so glad that your husband didn't get sprayed by the skunk! Then, you really would have had something to complain about, and you would have been fully justified ~~**heehee**!

Enjoy your evening.... keep growing those pumpkins and dream about the day that they will decorate your porch, and it will be cooler :)

K.

Lynn said...

Your garden is looking good, Kim, in spite of the heat and drought. Gourds, pumpkins, flowers, eggplant -- yippee! Do you have herbs? Our basil, thyme, etc. has tolerated the heat well. Though maybe we're not quite as hot as you . . . anyway, enjoy that eggplant parmigiana :)

Alica said...

Yes! Good reminders...but I'm having a hard time not wishing for that polar vortex this week too! :)

Nellie said...

Lucky for everyone that the skunk went elsewhere! Some of us seem to always feel that the "grass is always greener." xo Nellie

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

That's a lovely creamy pumpkin you've got growing, and I'm guessing there are a lot more in your garden. Come autumn, we'll be seeing all that bounty. Skunks walk near our house every now and then about 11 pm after we have just drifted to sleep, only to be awakened by the scent and have to get up and shut the sliding door for a while. I never see them, but you sure can smell them! Those are some wise words in your book. Isn't it funny how we have to keep reminding ourselves of those things, and I guess it's always been that way.

Gumbo Lily said...

Well, I figure God knows my thoughts whether I say them out loud or not. Not that it helps to complain aloud.

We're nice a cool here. I wish I could send you a little, but I think your heat is on the way to us next.

Three Sheep Studio said...

Too funny ! An "animal catcher" once told me that skunks only spray when they are startled, or in defense when being attacked. When I go out to the shed at night, I clap my hands as I walk, so our skunk knows I am coming.
Rose

Nancy's Notes said...

Great post! Not complaining about the weather, yikes! Oh, Ron was so lucky, wasn't he??
Have a great day~

Anonymous said...

Are your quotes from The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment? Contentment is something I've been working on my whole life. Lord, have mercy!

Debbie said...

just LOVE yourself kim.....everyone around you does!! that should provide all the joy you need!!

and i find you to be very interesting so does that make "me" a wet blanket!?!? hehehe

dixiesamplar said...

Very wise statements found in your book, Kim!

Sue said...

Loved the thoughts on gaining contentment, Kim, I need to copy and follow them. ~smile~
Your sunflowers are beautifulI, I planted some of these and am so looking forward to them blooming!
Most days I too watch as my dh leaves even until he is out of sight, and like you when I don't something funny happens that he tells me about.
Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement! Dh and I both took some me time today, he went to the sheep sale, I took to my computer, now it is about time for me to fix dinner.
Hugs,
Sue

Cranberry Morning said...

Love the pictures from your garden. Sorry, I would have shared a little of the Polar Vortex with you. The other morning with the windows open, it felt like we were camping.

No skunk encounters yet this year. Knock on wood. Hate skunks!

Meg said...

Oh no! Well at least you didn't look out to see him get sprayed. ;)