Thursday Doors - Kilauea Lighthouse - June 9, 2016

Because I love beautiful or unique doors, I decided to play along with Norm's Thursday Doors Challenge this week. As his blog states, "Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world." He encourages bloggers to post door photos on our blogs between Thursday and Saturday and then link them to his blog so we can see each others' beautiful doors.

This is the Kilauea Lighthouse in Kauai, Hawaii.  I love it's gray, metal doors.

Linda

Wordless Wednesday - Cabo San Lucas Weaver

Linda

Timeless Tuesday - Unrush Me

Sometimes I find myself rushing from one task or activity to another. When I find myself in too much of a rush mode, I try to stop, take a breath, and regroup.

Life isn't meant to be rushed through.

When we rush, our stress levels rise. Often, we become less patient with those around us. We may even try to hurry them up, too, which usually just causes more stress and irritability.

So let's try to slow down. Absorb the moments that make up your life. They don't have to be spectacular to be meaningful. Get back your joy. Let go of that frantic, always-one-step-behind feeling. Because what are we rushing to? Our certain deaths? Thanks, but I can wait for that. One slow, unhurried step at a time for me.

May your day be slow, unhurried, and filled with previously unseen beauty and wonder.

Linda

26 Weeks Letter Challenge: I

Week nine of the 26 Weeks Letter Challenge, where I'll post photographs of things that begin with that week's letter. Feel free to play along in the comments or on your own blog. It's a great way to use some of those pictures taking up space in your computer.

I is for:

Internet! Where would any of us be without this?

Introvert. This is my grandson. He takes after his Grammy.

Intelligence

Ice. When you live in Arizona, its importance cannot be overstated.

Investment. Men and women who have invested and sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Linda

Share Your World - 2016 Week 21

I'm participating in Cee's Share Your World Challenge today.

What is your favorite go to beverage? Water, coffee, tea, coke, soda (non-alcoholic)

The beverage I drink most of is water. It's a must living in the Arizona desert. But it's not necessarily my favorite. I love iced tea, especially with a packet of Stevia or Equal in it. That would probably be my favorite, but I try not to drink it that much or it keeps me awake at night. I never drink soda at home, but I drink it sometimes when I'm at a restaurant, especially if it's fast food. Then I always choose Diet Coke, caffeine-free if they have it.

Can you change a car tire?

Sure can. When I was a teenager, my dad insisted I learn to change a flat tire before I could get my license. It was just part of learning to be a responsible driver. I've been grateful ever since, though I've seldom had to do it. But it feels good to know I could if I had to.

Are you a listener or a talker?

I'm more of a listener, though I can be a pretty good talker if I'm with people I know. But my natural bent tends toward quiet introversion.

Would you rather have no internet or no cell phone?

No cell phone, please. I hate talking on the phone and might never do it if I could get away with it. If I ever call you, you know you're in my circle of closest friends or family. Now texting? That's a whole nother story. I don't mind that a bit. But I could live without it. But no internet would be like cutting off a limb.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
I'm grateful my daughter and her family got moved back safely to my state and now live only ten minutes away. Bliss!

I'm looking forward to a family gathering at my house on Memorial Day. We're grilling burgers and hot dogs and everyone's bringing a side dish or dessert. It will be the first time we're all together in almost a year-and-a-half. Did I mention how over the moon I am that my daughter and family are back?!

Linda

Thoughtful Thursday - Hurting

Hey, we've all been hurt. Many times. Sometimes brutally. Sometimes subtly. Maybe by a stranger. Maybe by our closest friend. It never feels good.

But here's the truth. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for our sins--yours, mine, and that person's who hurt you--is enough. It's bigger, stronger, more powerful than the hurt we experienced. It's enough to help you heal and move forward into a positive future.

And if I'm being honest, sometimes I've been the one who hurt someone. I was that person. What Jesus did by dying for me is so undeserved, but I accept the gift of His forgiveness. It reminds me how frail I am, how utterly hopeless some days. But Jesus covers it all. He gives me worth.

If Jesus can extend a hand of grace, forgiveness, and love to the very ones who hung him naked on that cross, surely I can do the same in my own small way to those who hurt me.

I refuse to let the sin I've done, or the sin that's been done to me, dictate who I am or how I behave. Instead, I choose to release it into the hands of the One who can mold my sin and hurt into something beautiful, and in turn, make my life beautiful through it.

Don't allow what has been done to you to become bigger than what Jesus did for you. Choose to live in grace, not wallow in grudges.

Linda

Wordless Wednesday - Old Flip Flops

Linda