If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11
What scriptures are you pondering today?
A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day
A simple teriyaki tofu and vegetables over brown rice. The rice was already cooked, and we put the tofu, mushrooms, and veggies in our pressure cooker with teriyaki sauce for 4 minutes. Simple, delicious, and done in a flash. Love my Cosori instant pot!
What are you doing healthy tonight?
A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day
I could have voted when I was 18. In fact, we were taught how to vote (they used to use machines that you would stand behind curtains and pull levers) when I was in elementary school. I learned the importance of each vote and looked forward to when I was old enough to cast my ballot.
But somewhere along the line, I lost sight of that. By the time I was old enough, I believed my vote didn’t really matter. And I hated politics in all its forms. A good friend of mine used to say he was a musician, not a politician. I concurred.
But when I got a few years behind my belt, I found that, if I wanted to keep my values, if I wanted my voice to be heard, I had to vote.
I now vote by mail. I have had health issues that don’t always allow me to get out when I want. But in my community, I can drop my ballot off at the local library. That way I don’t have to worry about it getting lost in the mail.
So, if you want to make your values count, get out and vote. If you don’t, you have no right to complain about the results.
What are you considering this Memories Monday?
A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day
And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
Joel 2:11
What scriptures are you pondering today?
A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day
I took a 10 day break from social media challenge. That’s why I haven’t been posting. It’s interesting the things I learned about my habits.
First, I’ve been wasting a LOT of time watching what I now refer to as junk food for the eyes. I’m unsubscribing to half of the people I’ve been following, because, although they might be entertaining, they’re empty calories.
The second thing I learned is how much I really enjoy reading, and my time on social media was taking away from that. I’ve actually read three books during that time and have started a fourth!
Third, I wasn’t aware how much this was affecting my mental health. I would get caught up in politics or man’s inhumanity to man, and I was getting depressed. It was affecting my mood and my motivation.
I am back on social media now, but am very selective as to what I choose to watch and/or engage in. If I can keep from falling back, I know I’ll be much happier. And if I can’t seem to keep away from the darker side, I might have to divorce myself from it altogether. Time will tell.
What are you doing to improve your mental health today?
A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day
Breakfast was this bowl of noodles made with miso and veggie broth, frozen mixed veggies and broccoli.
Dinner is a Light Line vegan hot dog (the only kind Dr. Esslesten approves of) with spicy mustard and Trader Joe’s sauerkraut. Yum!
What foods are you nourishing your body with today?
A Pocketful of Joy to Fill Your Day
Twenty nine years ago, I got word that my father died. Had he lived, he’d have been 96 years old this past February. He had been a lifetime smoker, only having given it up about 10 years before his death. He told me once that smoking was the only freedom the Japanese didn’t take from him. Isn’t it odd that this one freedom is what led to the lung cancer that finally took his life.
I have shared a few things about my father. About his 3 1/2 years as a POW of the Japanese in WWII, about some of the atrocities he suffered, about how my mother was his nurse when he finally got back to the states, to an Army hospital outside Philadelphia.
What I didn’t tell you is how hard it was with him as my father. We were not allowed to scream or squeal, and he would hoard food to the point of it spoiling, yet we weren’t allowed to eat it. I understand that now, but as a child who grew up hungry because my father spent so much money on alcohol to drown his memories, all I knew was fear and deprivation.
As we became adults, we began to know of the horrors he suffered and I was able to forgive him. I really believe he didn’t know what he was doing, or at least he had no control.
He began to heal through the years, and actually became a really decent man. I love my dad and the sacrifices he made to help keep our country free. He taught us to stand for the National Anthem, hand over heart for the Pledge of Allegiance, to not park in handicapped spaces, respect for our elders, and so much more. I’m glad he’s in a place of peace now, where he doesn’t have to suffer any longer.
If you’d like to know a little of his story, read Behind Japanese Lines by Ray Hunt. He was my father’s friend since they met after having both escaped the Bataan Death March.
In memory of Walter DeHaas Chatham, Jr., February 1, 1921-October 1, 1989.
What memories are you cherishing today?
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