Monday Musings ... Memories

Once upon a time before Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter, people relied on yearbooks, photos, and memories to recall past events. Have you ever attended a high school reunion and realized some of your classmates are remembering events you do not recall.

As they retell events, you may look puzzled, annoyed, or frustrated. You think to yourself, "Really." You may even say,  " I don't have that memory at all." In two years, I will celebrate my 50th  High School  Class reunion. Lord willing, we will look over yearbooks and photos that will actually document events.

At our 35th and 40th High School Class Reunion, classmates were having difficulty remembering events.  Time and age have a way of distorting memories until they shift and change and may no longer resemble the truth.

In my experience, some memories are vivid. Others not so much. I wonder why happy or traumatic events  are somehow more  clearly etched  in our memories. 

I think Barbara Kingsolver said it well, " Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth, but not its twin." 

... prepare your minds for action

"Therefore prepare your minds for action, discipline yourselves, set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that your formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."
I Peter 1: 13 - 16  ( NRSV) 

Autumn Rain

Here is DH Lawerence's poem, Autumn Rain on this first day of Fall.

Autumn Rain

The plane leaves
fall black and wet
on the lawn;

the cloud sheaves
in heaven's fields set
droop and are drawn

in falling seeds of rain;
the seed of heaven
on my face

falling - I hear again
like echoes even
that softly pace

heaven's muffled floor,
the winds that tread
out all the grain

of tears, the store
harvested
in the sheaves of pain

caught  up  aloft;
the sheaves of dead
men that are slain

now wined soft
on the floor of heaven;
manna invisible

of all the pain
here to us given;
finely divisible
falling as rain

Thrifty Thursday

My cousin, Cindy  taught these  young girls a sewing project.
Next week, you will see their finished project.
They were fortunate to have a patient and kind teacher. 

"Beautiful 
things
come together
one stitch 
at a time"
Unknown

Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

"I'm starting to think that maybe memories are like dessert. I eat it, and it becomes a part of me, whether I remember it or not."

Erica Baumeister,  The School of Essential Ingredients

When your server shares a dessert tray do you feel overwhelmed by the choices?
Looking at this sampler, what is not to love.
Key Lime Pie, Pecan Pie, Bread Pudding, and more.

Monday Musing ... Boxing ... fighting ...

Are you familiar with any of the fitness trends for 2018? I became familiar with boxing studios because of my son. Months ago, I began to see a few pictures of him boxing on social media.  Then I began to notice boxing classes in our community.

Here, my son- in -law is
trying out his new glove.

Of all the trends, I wonder, why boxing? Sandy Todd Webster, editor in chief of the IDEA Fitness Journal  answers this question.  " We're all living with an incredible  amount of stress in our lives and hitting a bag or throwing forceful air punches using the torque of our whole bodies is an amazing release."

Plus this exercise is said to help strengthen your core.

Not all boxing or fighting has to do with exercise. Some battles have to be fought in the political arena. Or, you may have to fight for a worthwhile cause. You might have to battle against false accusations, or work to defend others.  At others times, you may have to navigate a  health care systems or fight for someone who is ill or powerless.

What battle are you facing? Whatever the situation, I pray God will give you strength and courage.