2014 in review – your joy is my joy

I am surprised that this is here, that I found this in my email, that my stats were noticeable enough for WordPress to prompt me to say something about them. I thought one would have to be blogging for at least a year in order to get one’s name up in lights, so to speak.

Well, I have only two things to say about this.

First, a huge thank you to everyone who made my blog what it is. I couldn’t have done it without your visits, likes and comments. And, after all, you are who I am writing this for.

The second thing I have to say is this: COOL!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,800 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 30 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Knowing Who I Am Gives Me Joy

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly writing challenge: “Ice, Water, Steam.”

It is the one constant within me

The rod to which I can cling 

When I weary of the burden 

Placed upon my back

And I have carried like a packmule

Fearing to release 

Those woes

For they may not understand

They might think my love

Has died

So I carry on

And cling to that constant rod

The rod of truth

The rod of love

The rod of my testimony of the Gospel of Christ

What is your constant in this world of constant change?

A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day

Grown Up Joy

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “All Grown Up.”

It was when I first looked into those beautiful eyes of blue.

Of course, you knew you had me from the moment we first met. How could I resist? Your innocence unarmed me. You had a pureness about you that I found so rare in the male members of the human race. And that smile of yours lit up the night!

And then, when I first held you in my arms, I don’t believe there was a more tender moment in all time.

You were so fiercely independent, yet unashamedly dependent on me and my love for you. How could I help but love you?

Yes, the first time I really felt grown up, was when I held you, my babies, in my arms! 

How has your mother’s love helped you to live your life joyfully?

A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day

A Touch of Warmth

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Warmth.”

A walk on a warm November day

Fryer Oaks Court, St Cloud, Florida. Street Shadows

Or just standing beside hubby can keep me warm!

Hank and me on a Sunday after church

What keeps your heart warm today?

A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day

My Hero Brings Me Joy

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “My Hero.”

I tell him all the time what he means to me.

But I wonder if he really knows. This is the man who the Lord put in my life over twenty years ago, and I knew it was my chance to clean up my life. The man who saw me through the death of my older son, James. Who has helped me deal with health issues, including strokes and a broken back that have left me incapacitated to the point that he has had to dress me because I couldn’t lift my arms. He has taken care of my personal hygiene because I was unable to do so myself. I still cannot shower by myself due to risk of falling. He has happily taken on all household duties, saying that he would have to do them anyway if I wasn’t around. Now, you can go to Jared’ s, but for me, this is real love. And that’s why Henry J Horn (aka hubby) is my hero.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone!

A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day

Resolutions

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “To Be Resolved.”

What did I resolve to do?

I don’t remember. I usually make resolutions sometime in October or November, some arbitrary day that has no particular meaning to it, and my resolutions aren’t for the year. They are more specific to what I am working on at the moment. If I am trying to outline a new book, it may be setting a deadline. If I am working on my blog, I might brainstorm possible topics for my posts, and need to set aside time to organize them.

So what is left to be resolved?

Only what is in front of me. I heard a man once say that you always die with your in-basket full. I resolve to keep my in-basket at a manageable level simply by taking care of the task at hand, and then everything else will take care of itself. I don’t spend too much time thinking about what the future might hold, and making resolutions that I know I’ll forget three months down the road seems pointless to me. I like taking care of today. After all, today is all we really have.

A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day

Yellow

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Yellow.”

A Question For You

Are you on fuzzy footing?

Do you know where your next step should be placed?
As you can see, I don’t always know what step to take. It’s not always clear to me.
But what is always clear is the One in whom I believe. The One who makes my pathway clear.

I know if I put my trust in that same Christ whose birth we celebrate this month, my footing will always be sure.
A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day

JOY!

JOY TO THE WORLD
THE LORD IS COME
LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING

LET EVERY HEART
PREPARE HIM ROOM
AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING
AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING
AND HEAVEN AND HEAVEN
AND NATURE SING

A POCKETFUL OF JOY TO FILL YOUR DAY
WHAT ARE YOU JOYFUL ABOUT?

Personal Favorites – Joy!

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Unsung Heroes.”

Since I discovered I can’t eat oats anymore, I guess I can give away my secret to my Heavenly Oatmeal Cookies.

But I’m not going to give you a recipe, because I believe it will work with any recipe you have.

So, are you ready for my secret weapon in the kitchen? Well, you take out whatever fat is being used in your recipe and you replace it with…

BACON GREASE!

That’s it! And it doesn’t overpower your cookie, it just gives it this most wonderful flavor that makes you wonder why you never tried this before.

So now that you’ve tried them, you can thank my grandmother. And be a Pocketful of Joy to Fill the Day of someone who could use them, and bake them a batch of these scrumptious cookies!