What's a Northern Neck?

The Northern Neck is a piece of Virginia that looks like the Rappahannock River is going to split it loose from the rest of the state and  make it fall off  into the Chesapeake Bay. It's really a beautiful spot:  very woodsy, yet there's water and beaches everywhere.  And it's a great place to eat crabs.

My friend, Joy, and I went to visit another friend, Cheryl, who lives there.  Oh, did you two want to remain anonymous?  Well, don't worry, you practically are because not that many people read this blog.  We had so much fun spending a couple of days together.  We were especially glad the Northern Neck survived Hurricane Sandy since we were traveling down there a few days after the storm blew through the area.  They had very little effect from it and we had no trouble driving down.

Here's Cheryl's cute house set in a beautiful location with a lovely woods right behind it.  She even has her own playhouse outside. ;)  We have to go back in warmer weather so we can get the full experience.

She fed us crabcakes and taught me the mysteries of preparing and enjoying grits.  I didn't think I liked grits until I ate Cheryl's cheesy grits.  Now I make breakfast grits for myself a couple of times a week!

She also took us down to the Bay at sunset.  How peaceful and beautiful!

Cheryl and Joy

Cheryl and me

The Three Stooges... er... Amigas

We shopped, ate, redecorated Cheryl's house (at her request) and basically created work for her and her husband.  And we took over her daughter's room.  What a gracious family!

I think this next picture is the Rappahannock River.

On our way home, we saw signs for George Washington's birthplace.  It was only 2 miles out of our way, so of course, we stopped.

George's parents did find a lovely riverside spot for a home.

But, alas, the original house no longer exists, so they built this house sort of where it was in a style sort of like what could have been there, with things inside that are from that time period.  Well, we got the idea.  I loved the big tree framing the house.  Beautiful!

Thanks for a wonderful time Cheryl!  The Northern Neck is a lovely, one-of-a-kind place.  I highly recommend visiting there sometime.  Cheryl's a great hostess, but call ahead.  ;)

Learning to be Happy

I learned something new:  "happiness" can be learned and acquired through effort and discipline.  Now, I know that as Christians we are told that happiness is different than the deep, abiding joy we can know with the certainty of our salvation. So let's just say that being outwardly and inwardly happy (contented, joyful, relaxed, cheerful, lighthearted) is something that should be much easier for Christians than non-Christians because we have God as our strength, our Rock, our salvation, our friend, our helper and our adviser.  Christians should be the happiest people on earth.  The problem is that I know a LOT of Christians who aren't very joyful or even happy.  What's the deal?

Well, a few weeks ago I checked a book out of the library after hearing a friend talk about it and reading some magazine articles by the author:  The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  I didn't have high expectations when I started it because I thought it would be another silly self-help book with no real substance.  What I found was a thoughtful, intelligent, well-researched, well-documented, fun-to-read and actually quite helpful book!  Now Gretchen is not a Christian (she identified herself as an agnostic in the book) but so many of the "happiness" principles she talked about are backed up by scripture.  And as a person, I found a "kindred spirit" in Gretchen.  We both love to read and write, are extreme list-makers, tend to be critical in nature, and have a natural bent toward being-- shall we say-- less than happy.

I'm just going to share some nuggets I gleaned from her writing.  I don't really care if you agree, I have merely found that they make sense to me and have actually turned me to a deeper dependence and trust in Jesus as the source of my true happiness.

1.  Acting happy and being happy can be learned skills even if that's not your natural personality bent.

2.  Goals are something you reach.  Resolutions are something you keep (they don't end).  The author constantly keeps a list of current resolutions she's working on that will contribute to her happiness.  Things like "cutting people slack."

3.  What's fun for other people may not be fun for you, and vice versa.

4.  "Happiness comes not from having more, not from having less, but from wanting what you have."  (Sounds like scriptures I've read about being content in all circumstances.)

5.  You'll be happier if you just be yourself.  Acknowledge what makes you happy, not what you wish made you happy.  Many times we don't approve of our own preferences or "likes."  Sometimes I may wish I liked working out or watching sports or decorating cakes or planning large parties, but I don't.  I do like watching old movies, reading lots of books, photography, writing and taking long walks.

6.  When you're pursuing your passion, don't worry about getting results.  That's what keeps a passion enjoyable.  You see, I like photography and I like writing.  This means that blogging is perfect for me.  If I get bogged down in how many people are reading my blog or whether I'm saying stunningly original things, I'll never post anything.  I blog because I enjoy it.  Period.

7.  Realize that many people don't want to be happy or even to seem to be happy.  There's probably nothing you can do about them and their refusal to be happy, but you don't have to let their moods take over yours.

8.  Some people say they don't have a right to be happy because there is so much suffering around.  But being unhappy doesn't relieve any suffering, and if you are cheerful perhaps you're more likely to actually improve the atmosphere around you and be more of a mind to help suffering people.

9.  Some people use their own unhappiness to gain pity or attention or to inspire guilt.  Don't get sucked in.

10.  It's actually more selfless to act happy than unhappy.  It takes discipline, energy, generosity, humility and tremendous effort.

11.  It  takes discipline, energy, generosity, humility and tremendous effort to appear happy and indeed to be happy.  This bears repeating.  As many times as possible.

12.  Be willing to be pleased about things rather than looking for opportunities to critique things.  Train yourself to "give positive reviews" rather than negative critiques.

13.  If something is worth doing, it's worth doing badly  (This sounds bad out of context.  It refers to not letting perfectionism or fear of failure keep you from pursuing a passion).

14.  If you can do it in less than a minute, do it now.  (Procrastination and clutter are the source of much unhappiness for many people).

15.  Do what ought to be done.

16.  Cut people slack.  Realize that you don't know what's going on in that rude salesperson's life.  Cut them some slack and don't get so bent out of shape.  Same goes for annoyances brought on by family members.  Just cut them some slack for a change.

17.  Be a satisficer:  don't examine every single option before making a decision.  Be happy when you find something (a purchase, a vacation destination...you get the idea) that meets your requirements, then look no further.  A "maximizer" drives themselves crazy by checking out every possible option before making a choice, then often continues searching after a choice is made just to make sure they did the right thing!  Maybe good enough is good enough.

So, those are some of the concepts that were helpful to me.  Please just read the book for yourself if you're interested in the topic.  I skimmed some sections that I wasn't interested in, but most of it was fascinating and enlightening.

Be happy today!

Or maybe I should say bee happy.  I like puns.

Prayerwalks, coffee & hanging up clothes

Washline & "coffee table"

Yesterday was my first of (hopefully) a trend of early-morning prayerwalks. What is a prayerwalk, you ask? Well, I started reading a book called PrayerWalk by Janet Holm McHenry. I’ll be reviewing it on here after I finish it. But even though I’m just halfway through, it inspired to me to give it a try. I set out to walk for an hour, concentrating on praying the whole time. It was great! I was focused on God and His amazing creation and I had plenty of time to talk to Him about lots of stuff. I’ve tried praying on my bicycle, but somehow my mind wanders more then.

Note my fancy clothespin bag which my son brought back from a trip to Ecuador.

Normally, I have my devotions with my second cup of coffee. But yesterday, since my devotions were on the move, I had to have my second cup at the washline. I love to hang clothes outside to dry (except when tourists are walking by and I can feel their eyes on me. I refuse to look at them. It’s just weird. I live in a Civil War hospital house and I always feel like they expect me to be wearing a hoop skirt instead of cargo shorts and a T-shirt, but I digress). I even had to bring a “coffee table” over to the washline, but it worked! Now if someone could tell me how to keep my coffee filter from caving in and spilling grounds down into my coffee pot, I’d appreciate it.
By the way, this morning was my second prayerwalk, and I had more trouble staying focused. I knew this is bound to happen, but I refuse to give up so easily.  One thing-- it sure is easy to praise God when you’re outside in nature—especially for the first Queen Anne’s Lace of the season.

Pedal Pushers

Not everybody has a bike, or likes to ride one¸ or has a good place to ride one.  Well, don’t fret, because I’m going to take you with me today!  It just so happens that my dear Biker-Guy-Husband got me a very nice bike a couple of years ago and I like to ride a couple of times a week for the exercise.  I don’t really like to exercise.  That sounds sweaty and stinky and conjures up images of red faces and damp socks.  Ew.   But… I don’t want to get old and flabby.  The old part is inevitable, and I’ve found that flabby is really easy and happens without trying.  So, I ride my bike because I have to.

Now comes the good part.  I live in an area with gorgeous country roads.  Yes, I have to deal with those rolling Pennsylvania hills, but the sights and scents are absolutely spectacular.  Come on now!  Hop on your virtual bike and ride with me today.  (Since your bike is virtual, you can have any color, any number of speeds… AND you can have a matching helmet.  You do still have to wear a helmet).  My bike is pearly white.  I’m thinking of naming her “Althea” but I’m not sure yet. My car’s name is Chad, but that’s another story for another day.  Pull on your spandex shorts and let’s go!

Yeah, this is as much as you're gonna see of my spandex shorts.

Bikes get to go where cars can't.

An old holey-floored bridge.

Breath deep.  Aaah.  Honeysuckle is one of my all-time favorite things and it's everywhere this time of year.  Mmmm.

Didn't notice the dew til I disembarked from my bike.  Who knew crown vetch could be so gorgeous!

It's always fun to ride past farms.  I like 'em.

Feel the cool breeze coming off the creek.  Stop here on the bridge for a minute and listen to the trickling water.

Breathe deep again.  Smell those pine trees coming up?  Mmm.

The smells are some of the best things about our ride today-- new-mown hay!  (Fortunately I have no seasonal allergies!)

Katie's favorite house.  Give it a wave as you ride by.

I personally have a thing for old white farmhouses.  Love the balcony, old pump and windmill at this one!

Hop off, grab your water bottle & take a break on this bridge.

Watch out for the poison.

Serenity.

A little creepy?  Yes, but cool too.

Does your virtual bike have a little bell like mine?  It's good for telling squirrels to get out of the way, or to warn people that you're coming up behind them.  It's not nice to startle critters or people.

Guess we better stay on the road.

Watch your speed, people!

It's a hot day and the flies are biting.  Hiya, hosses!

Whoa! This huge flock of Canadian geese just flew over our heads.  Luckily nothing fell from the sky.

A new landmark for my ride.  I call it The Castle.

Old farmhouses are just so charming!  It's nice that we get to see so many along our route.

Amber waves of grain.  These wheat fields are awesome as the stalks bend & sway gracefully in the breeze.

Can't believe we haven't seen one single cow today.  I like to say Hi to them when they're out.

We did it!  Back home again, feeling virtuous about accomplishing a ride.

 

How do you feel?  Are you energized from the ride, or do your legs feel like noodles?  I hope you went for this ride before it got too hot, because it’s a scorcher today!  Thanks for coming with me.  It’s been fun!

I Can’t Even Imagine…

…just how popular one song can be.

And you can’t imagine how annoyed I get when “I Can Only Imagine” comes on the radio.  Yes, I’m talking about that beautiful song recorded by Mercy Me way back in 2001.  When it came out I enjoyed listening to it just like everyone else.  So, how have I come to this state of utter loathing for such a meaningful song about Heaven, you may ask?  The problem is that the song is 10 years old.  10 years.  And they continue to play it constantly on the radio station I listen to most (88.3 The Word FM).  Like three times a day.  Every day.  For ten years.  That’s 10,950 times.  Apparently other people don’t mind that sort of over-playing, but it haunts me everywhere I go.  Even when I turn on other radio stations-- Christian, country, pop... stations-- there it is!  My family members know to automatically change the station when as soon as they here the melodic intro.  They dive for the channel-changer before Mom goes off on another rant.

You should know that I haven’t always been like this.  I believe it was about three years ago that I plunged over the "Imagine" edge.  Apparently I had docilely listened to the song over 7,500 times before I began my revolt. I even went through a stage where I forced myself to listen closely to the lyrics just in case I had missed something.  But I think I pretty well absorbed it after the first 1,000 "listenings."

In case you are skeptical and thinketh I doth exaggerate, some Wikipedia statistics may be in order:  ” "I Can Only Imagine" is so far the most successful song to date by MercyMe and perhaps the most successful CCM single ever.”  It has sold over 1 million digital copies and has been certified platinum—the first Christian single ever to reach that distinction.  It was also a hit on mainstream and country charts.   A LOT of people like that song!

Hold on a minute—I’m just going to shut off the radio and turn on Pandora.  Yes, you can be sure I’ve already “thumbs-downed” I Can Only Imagine on my Pandora account, so it will never play there again.  If I ever get nostalgic for it, I can just turn the radio back on… it's sure to play in a few minutes.

P.S.  I’ve named my favorite Pandora station "Broadway".  (Pandora is internet radio where you make your own “station”, selecting some favorite songs and artists.  Pandora plays those songs and others which are similar, allowing you to continually refine your selections by “thumbs-upping or –downing” each song).  “Broadway” includes show tunes, big band music from the 40s and 50s, and people like Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald.  My second favorite Pandora station is called “The Chordettes” after the 50s group which recorded whimsical favorites including “Lollipop” and “Mr. Sandman.”  You may think my taste in music is questionable and be tempted to disregard my views on the infamous Mercy Me tune.  That’s certainly your prerogative.  Oh!  Gotta go!  They’re playing my song…  “Some enchanted evening, you will meet a stranger….”

Book Review: When Sparrows Fall

This is a charming book.  It has suspense, humor and romance.  Author Meg Moseley weaves an engaging tale about Miranda, a young widow and mother of six, her quirky brother-in-law, Jack and the creepy leader of Miranda’s church, Mason Chandler.  Miranda’s six children have been raised in a very sheltered and restrictive environment.   The children (and their mother) blossom as they experience growing freedom from the oppressive legalism of their cultish church as they gradually have their eyes opened to what God really wants from His people.  My favorite character was “Uncle Jack” with his great sense of humor as he relates to his new-found nieces and nephews.  The author did a great job of developing all of the characters, including each of the children, so that you feel like you know and care about each one.  I will definitely be recommending this book to my book club!

Although I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review, that fact has not influenced the content of the review.  You will not be disappointed with this book.