Did you ever have one of those days? I mean one in which you just flow through the day effortlessly, without a care in this world? I've been having a string of them lately, and the only thing to which I can attribute it is that God will give you perfect peace if you keep your eyes stayed on Him.
Retirement can be a beautiful thing, but it's so easy to get caught up in a busy schedule, rushing to and fro, and feeling just as tired at the end of the day as when one had a full time, demanding job. I've had to do a "self correction" recently to clear the underbrush of "make busy" activities that have nothing to do with my God-directed purpose in life.
Some of you know that my only child resides in a nursing home and is fighting the progression of MS. I am her legal guardian and her mother, so my main focus most days is to assure that she is okay. After that, my focus is on the "assignments" that God gives me-some small and some big. God knows me better than I know myself, and although sometimes I complain to Him that I'm retired, He gently pricks my heart, makes my spirit contrite, and says patiently, "Dee, I KNOW. I created you...I knew you before the foundation of the world...before you were formed in your mother's womb. I have plans for you to DO MORE, to GIVE MORE, to LOVE MORE."
I will start sharing with you, gentle readers, some of those God-directed assignments in future posts. Just suffice it to be said today that I am aware that it is my reasonable service to do that which glorifies my heavenly Father. Enough whining and complaining! Let's do this with JOY! Let's operate in the flow of the Holy Spirit leading me into all truth, and being anxious for nothing.
More to come...
Showing posts with label sarasota. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sarasota. Show all posts
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Florida Rain
It's June in central Florida and the rainy season has officially begun. Good for the farmers, not so good for the beach goers like me. But I've discovered that the beach can still be fun on a cloudy day.
First of all, it's not crowded; all the sun bunnies have stayed in. So you have lots more beach to roam and not run into anybody (except for the surfers who are enjoying the high tide waves-not Hawaii, but a decent wave to catch every now and then). Second, if you enjoy a sauna, then you can enjoy that feeling right on the beach; lots of heat and humidity makes for a good sweat to clean out your pores! Forget about the hair-frizz is the order of the day-just wash it, mousse it, finger comb it, and let it go. And lastly, take a look at that magnificent Gulf of Mexico that God created! Holy cow, it's absolutely breathtakingly beautiful in all its different moods.
So, let the rainy days come! I will still enjoy God's wonderful nature, especially the wet and wild Florida beaches on a rainy day. That reminds me...better pack my "hurricane tub." If you live in Florida, you know exactly what that is...pack it and pray that you won't need it!
First of all, it's not crowded; all the sun bunnies have stayed in. So you have lots more beach to roam and not run into anybody (except for the surfers who are enjoying the high tide waves-not Hawaii, but a decent wave to catch every now and then). Second, if you enjoy a sauna, then you can enjoy that feeling right on the beach; lots of heat and humidity makes for a good sweat to clean out your pores! Forget about the hair-frizz is the order of the day-just wash it, mousse it, finger comb it, and let it go. And lastly, take a look at that magnificent Gulf of Mexico that God created! Holy cow, it's absolutely breathtakingly beautiful in all its different moods.
So, let the rainy days come! I will still enjoy God's wonderful nature, especially the wet and wild Florida beaches on a rainy day. That reminds me...better pack my "hurricane tub." If you live in Florida, you know exactly what that is...pack it and pray that you won't need it!
Monday, April 22, 2013
The Rhythm of the Day
It's another beautiful Monday in Sarasota, my retirement destination home of choice. Sometimes, it's still hard to believe that I moved here virtually sight unseen without knowing a soul. But I believe that it is my fate and it is God's will that I be here for this glorious season of my life.
The warm weather, perpetual sunshine and lush greenery suits me perfectly. It has taken awhile, but I'm getting into the rhythm of each day. After some pretty intense volunteer endeavors for the first 14 months here, I have slowed down and am learning how to cherish and relish each day.
I can't believe that I was caught up in a whirlwind of being so busy that I forgot (albeit momentarily) that I love music, and that my day is incomplete without it. After years of piano lessons, I can't play a lick, but I can read and I love to sing at the top of my lungs on most days, and preferably without an audience.
Most of my music is now digitally housed in iTunes, even the myriad of CDs that I copied over. The music is backed up on an external hard drive. I am now a baby boomer purchaser of any tune I hear and want to own. My Sirius XM radio in the car offers so much variety, although my favorite stations are gospel, watercolors and oldies from the 60s. I keep a pad and pen in the front seat to jot down the name and artist of anything that I hear and love.
It's amazing to me how my iPod can shuffle thousands of songs and come up with just the right combination of what I want-no, what I need to hear at that moment. Classical, jazz, blues, easy listening, and of course, my favorites, gospel and contemporary Christian.
I'm contemplating heading out to he beach today, but right now, after a marvelous walk with the doggies, I am enjoying the rhythm of my day.
I hope that you are too.
The warm weather, perpetual sunshine and lush greenery suits me perfectly. It has taken awhile, but I'm getting into the rhythm of each day. After some pretty intense volunteer endeavors for the first 14 months here, I have slowed down and am learning how to cherish and relish each day.
I can't believe that I was caught up in a whirlwind of being so busy that I forgot (albeit momentarily) that I love music, and that my day is incomplete without it. After years of piano lessons, I can't play a lick, but I can read and I love to sing at the top of my lungs on most days, and preferably without an audience.
Most of my music is now digitally housed in iTunes, even the myriad of CDs that I copied over. The music is backed up on an external hard drive. I am now a baby boomer purchaser of any tune I hear and want to own. My Sirius XM radio in the car offers so much variety, although my favorite stations are gospel, watercolors and oldies from the 60s. I keep a pad and pen in the front seat to jot down the name and artist of anything that I hear and love.
It's amazing to me how my iPod can shuffle thousands of songs and come up with just the right combination of what I want-no, what I need to hear at that moment. Classical, jazz, blues, easy listening, and of course, my favorites, gospel and contemporary Christian.
I'm contemplating heading out to he beach today, but right now, after a marvelous walk with the doggies, I am enjoying the rhythm of my day.
I hope that you are too.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Squirrels and Snakes and Possums, oh my!
Welcome to the sunny South, Dee! You're not in Michigan anymore...
Living in central Florida has required some adjustments, most of them good and pleasant. It has been pleasant to enjoy a warm winter, and to be able to walk, sit outside on the lanai anytime of day or night, and go to the beach and enjoy the sun and the Gulf. Although it felt very strange, it was pleasant to experience my first warm weather Christmas since my childhood in Louisiana.
What has not been so pleasant is experiencing the various critters that are indigenous to this part of the country. Squirrels I can adjust to, although the pine-tree covered terrain of my Michigan home meant that we didn't see many of them. More sightings of deer than squirrels.
But I can count on one hand the encounters I had in over 30 years with the small garden snake. Since I love gardening, I would be surprised but not fearful if I stumbled upon a little green snake while digging in the dirt. Once I learned that they were not poisonous, and relatively harmless, I called a truce on my snake killing spree and most often would let them scurry away.
My first encounter with a long black snake in Florida happened one morning while walking Honey and Buddy, my two cocker spaniels. The dogs froze in their tracks and the snake moved from right to left about 20 feet ahead of us in a grassy, treed area right outside my apartment door. I was horrified, and immediately told the property manager about this monster snake sighting. With a twinkle in his eye, he informed me that it was most like a racer or fruit snake, who would mean me (or the dogs) no harm. I would have been okay had he stopped there, but he went on to describe other types of snakes which were poisonous and from which I should flee. I decided that I wasn't going to take the time to look at a snake that closely, and that I would just flee whenever I saw any kind of snake. My second snake sighting created a bit less anxiety, and after awhile, I remained cautious but not afraid of walking up on a snake. After all, I'm a Louisiana woman, I grew up in bayou country, and I'm not afraid of no stinking snake.
But the night I walked up on a possum is a different story. Actually, I drove up on him as I returned one Wednesday night from small group. He was strolling in the middle of the road and then turned and walked up my sidewalk. I was too terrified to get out of my car. Finally, I got my courage up and raced for the front door, and of course I fumbled with the keys to get in. And of course, Honey and Buddy wanted to go out. So, armed with two dogs and a broom, out I went to the other side of the road so that the dogs could do their business. As I came back up the sidewalk, to my horror, I realized I had left the front door wide open! I thought, the possum is in my apartment!
I thought, the dogs will protect me and help me get him out. The dogs strolled in, drank water, and settled down for the night, while I stood in the middle of the living room, broom still in hand, waiting for the possum to come out of hiding. I turned on every light, looked in every nook and cranny, all the while berating the dogs for not sniffing him out. I slept poorly that night with lights ablaze.
The next morning, I marched into the property manager's office to tell him of my experience. I said, "I've gotten used to the squirrels and the geckos, I've made my peace about occasionally seeing a snake, but I cannot get used to seeing a possum!" With that same twinkle in his eye, he calmly informed me that we lived in a preserve where all kinds of wildlife dwelt, and that I would somehow have to get used to occasionally seeing members of the possum family.
Okay, so I'm getting over these creature sightings.
And, welcome to Florida, Dee!
Living in central Florida has required some adjustments, most of them good and pleasant. It has been pleasant to enjoy a warm winter, and to be able to walk, sit outside on the lanai anytime of day or night, and go to the beach and enjoy the sun and the Gulf. Although it felt very strange, it was pleasant to experience my first warm weather Christmas since my childhood in Louisiana.
What has not been so pleasant is experiencing the various critters that are indigenous to this part of the country. Squirrels I can adjust to, although the pine-tree covered terrain of my Michigan home meant that we didn't see many of them. More sightings of deer than squirrels.
But I can count on one hand the encounters I had in over 30 years with the small garden snake. Since I love gardening, I would be surprised but not fearful if I stumbled upon a little green snake while digging in the dirt. Once I learned that they were not poisonous, and relatively harmless, I called a truce on my snake killing spree and most often would let them scurry away.
My first encounter with a long black snake in Florida happened one morning while walking Honey and Buddy, my two cocker spaniels. The dogs froze in their tracks and the snake moved from right to left about 20 feet ahead of us in a grassy, treed area right outside my apartment door. I was horrified, and immediately told the property manager about this monster snake sighting. With a twinkle in his eye, he informed me that it was most like a racer or fruit snake, who would mean me (or the dogs) no harm. I would have been okay had he stopped there, but he went on to describe other types of snakes which were poisonous and from which I should flee. I decided that I wasn't going to take the time to look at a snake that closely, and that I would just flee whenever I saw any kind of snake. My second snake sighting created a bit less anxiety, and after awhile, I remained cautious but not afraid of walking up on a snake. After all, I'm a Louisiana woman, I grew up in bayou country, and I'm not afraid of no stinking snake.
But the night I walked up on a possum is a different story. Actually, I drove up on him as I returned one Wednesday night from small group. He was strolling in the middle of the road and then turned and walked up my sidewalk. I was too terrified to get out of my car. Finally, I got my courage up and raced for the front door, and of course I fumbled with the keys to get in. And of course, Honey and Buddy wanted to go out. So, armed with two dogs and a broom, out I went to the other side of the road so that the dogs could do their business. As I came back up the sidewalk, to my horror, I realized I had left the front door wide open! I thought, the possum is in my apartment!
I thought, the dogs will protect me and help me get him out. The dogs strolled in, drank water, and settled down for the night, while I stood in the middle of the living room, broom still in hand, waiting for the possum to come out of hiding. I turned on every light, looked in every nook and cranny, all the while berating the dogs for not sniffing him out. I slept poorly that night with lights ablaze.
The next morning, I marched into the property manager's office to tell him of my experience. I said, "I've gotten used to the squirrels and the geckos, I've made my peace about occasionally seeing a snake, but I cannot get used to seeing a possum!" With that same twinkle in his eye, he calmly informed me that we lived in a preserve where all kinds of wildlife dwelt, and that I would somehow have to get used to occasionally seeing members of the possum family.
Okay, so I'm getting over these creature sightings.
And, welcome to Florida, Dee!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Living My Life Like It's Golden
It's been a little over two months since I moved to Sarasota, Florida. After living and working in southeastern Michigan for 34 years, I wanted to return to my southern roots. You see, I grew up in the small town of Monroe, Louisiana. But having no relatives there, I was not drawn to Monroe as a retirement destination.
I was looking for the Gulf beaches, and a moderate to warm temperature year-round. After checking out many library books, and spending many hours online, I chose Sarasota.
And, moving out of my comfort zone, I made a relatively quick decision to move. I am a very slow and methodical person, who can make a long project when making a decision, so this was extremely unusual for me to act so quickly. Over 40 years of stuff belonging to my parents, my daughter and me had to be sorted, donated, trashed, or packed. A condo full of furniture was donated, sold, or shipped. And all this was done in 6 weeks.
Regrets? None. The downsizing was inevitable and necessary. I feel lighter, less weighed down by "stuff." Some "stuff" that I had held onto for decades, like hundreds of pairs of shoes, dozens of suits, many sets of china, kitchen gadgets, and hundreds (if not a thousand) books were put in a more appropriate perspective for the lifestyle to which I am aspiring in my golden years. Lightening my load has lifted a weight off my shoulders. I feel more freedom than I have felt in years.
I aspire that my golden years will be spent writing and traveling. And spending many a sunny day at Siesta Key, rated the #1 Beach in the USA.
Life is Golden...
I was looking for the Gulf beaches, and a moderate to warm temperature year-round. After checking out many library books, and spending many hours online, I chose Sarasota.
And, moving out of my comfort zone, I made a relatively quick decision to move. I am a very slow and methodical person, who can make a long project when making a decision, so this was extremely unusual for me to act so quickly. Over 40 years of stuff belonging to my parents, my daughter and me had to be sorted, donated, trashed, or packed. A condo full of furniture was donated, sold, or shipped. And all this was done in 6 weeks.
Regrets? None. The downsizing was inevitable and necessary. I feel lighter, less weighed down by "stuff." Some "stuff" that I had held onto for decades, like hundreds of pairs of shoes, dozens of suits, many sets of china, kitchen gadgets, and hundreds (if not a thousand) books were put in a more appropriate perspective for the lifestyle to which I am aspiring in my golden years. Lightening my load has lifted a weight off my shoulders. I feel more freedom than I have felt in years.
I aspire that my golden years will be spent writing and traveling. And spending many a sunny day at Siesta Key, rated the #1 Beach in the USA.
Life is Golden...
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