Five things that made me happy today – 2/29/20

May the words of our tongues, no matter how biblical, no matter how well-intentioned, not become stones that weigh down and drown our siblings.

Rachel Hackenberg

1. SERVE

#Photo-a-day #Lenten Discipline

2. I’ve been reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and finished it off today. I can’t really say it made me happy, but I am happy that there is someone compassionate and caring to stand for justice and mercy.

3. Tuna salad sandwiches for lunch using one of the eggs my friend from the Wellness Center gave me yesterday.

4. Trip to the grocery store, and I picked up some Breyer’s Chocolate Snack Cups. Since I no longer get mochas, I’m glad to get a little chocolate fix.

5. Wrote and posted my “check-in” for my Intentions for this month.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Intentions for 2020 – Review for February

My Star Word for this year is “Encourage”. The internet says “encourage” means to give support, confidence or hope to someone.

Here are my intentions for 2020.

Physical Health

• Continue to eat real food, and, hopefully, lose about 15 more pounds this year. – Not much change in my weight, but I am holding steady.
  • Minimize chocolate, including mochas. – I’ve done pretty well with minimizing chocolate, but the mochas keep calling me. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, I’ve given up mochas for Lent. The money saved will be donated to One Great Hour of Sharing.
  • Be sure to get 25 grams of fiber every day. – Check!
• Continue to work with my personal trainer for strength, balance, and endurance.
  • Schedule three sessions a week. – Went to all of them.
  • Work on core strength and balance by myself between times. – Check!
• Notice and report any unexpected physical changes (rashes, bumps, etc.) to my doctor. – no new rashes, bumps, or aches!

Emotional Health

• Remember that excessive encouragement can be nagging. – I’m trying to remember.
  • Say it with a smile. – Check
  • Don’t belabor the point. – Check
• Continue to post “Five Things that Made Me Happy Today” every day on my blog.
  • Notice encouragement from other people. – several other people have started posting their own #5Things.
  • Notice encouragement from the Universe. – I’m noticing what’s right in my life now, and I’m much calmer and (I think) nicer to be around.
• I’ve returned to my Meditation practice, daily.
• In the light of COVID19, I’m trying to be much more intentional about washing my hands regularly.

Intellectual Health

• Expand my leisure reading. Read 50 books this year (not just “fluff”).
  • The Testaments by Margaret Atwood – finished
  • Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo – finished
  • Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy – finished
  • Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson – finished
  • On the Bright Side by Melanie Shankle – reading
• Keep up with the national news daily without obsessing over it.
  • Listen to NPR
  • Watch Rachel Maddow
  • The news about the administration’s bungling over COVID19 is front of my worries.
• Participate in Creative Writing classes here at Franke Tobey Jones.
  • Work on my on-going story about my childhood – still waiting for inspiration.
  • Keep writing Midrash poetry when the opportunity presents itself – no new poems
  • Taking a “Flash Fiction” course every other week now. It’s fun to “just write” for 30 minutes without worrying about spelling, or grammar.
• Attend Brain Training when it is offered by Senior University. – Attended the session the first week of the month. Good brain practice.
• Participate in Great Decisions here at Franke Tobey Jones. – I led the discussion on Climate Change. It went well, except there was one member who refused to believe it was caused by CO2 emissions, and instead insisted the ocean was the culprit. It was a difficult discussion, but other people told me I handled it well.

Spiritual Health

• Continue to participate in weekly Bible study, and weekly Worship.- Check
• Participate in Interfaith Dialogue – I will talk about Lenten practices at the Christian Lenten Soup Supper, to be held next week.
• Continue with General Assembly Nominating Committee – I’m reviewing applications now, in anticipation of meeting the middle of March.

Social Health

• Tend the relationships I have at Franke Tobey Jones.
  • Wellness Center – Check
  • Gazebo Group – We have expanded to include several people who live in Lillian Pratt, and Bristol View. We regularly have 20+ every week, now.
• Tend the relationships I have at Bethany Presbyterian Church.
  • Bible Study – Check
  • Earth Care Congregation – we have been certified as an Earth Care Congregation.

Social Justice

• Participate in Town Halls and face-to-face meetings with elected officials. – Attended a Town Hall with my three members of state government.
• Support the Southern Poverty Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, and MoveOn. – Check
• Support the election of officials who are champions for Social Justice issues.
  • Climate action – My US Representative has sponsored two bills to protect wild areas from logging.
  • Racial justice – I sign and send petitions, particularly when requested by the Presbyterian Office of Social Responsibility
  • Health Care Availability
  • Wealth Inequality

 

Five things that made me happy today – 2/28/20

May the words of our tongues, no matter how biblical, no matter how well-intentioned, not become stones that weigh down and drown our siblings.

Rachel Hackenberg

1. COMMAND

#Photo-a-day #Lenten Discipline

2. The robins are back, joining the chickadees and flickers who have been here all winter. There are also wrens today – I love their wagtail friskiness and their black masks. And there’s a Stellar Jay in his navy blue suit and black hood. All the little birds are twittering and singing in the bush outside my kitchen window.

3. Good workout with my personal trainer today.

4. One of the other trainers at the Wellness Center raises chickens at home, and she brought me six fresh, organic eggs.

5. Good, healthy lunch of ham, macaroni and cheese and green beans.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 2/27/20

Truth still exists; the truth still matters.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson

1. WILDERNESS

#Photo-a-day #Lenten Discipline

2. Big Al had his appointment with the personal trainer this morning. Afterwards we tried to go to the Pita Pit, but it isn’t open yet, apparently, so we went to the Rosewood Café. I had a gourmet sandwich, and Al had Shepherd’s Pie that he pronounced “Outstanding!”

3. I was able to get my steps in while Al was with his trainer.

4. There was a second class on Improv this afternoon, and we had a good time.

5. Another beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest. Blue skies, and temperatures in the mid-50s. The fruit trees are budding out and spring flowers are starting. I’ll enjoy today, even if it turns colder tomorrow.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 2/26/20

Truth still exists; the truth still matters.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson

1. LED – by my personal trainer to find better fitness.

Photo-a-day prompt – LED.

2. If you’re wondering what my Lenten disciplines are they are to post a photo-a-day following ReThink Church’s prompts, and to give up mochas and donate the saved money (probably $100 or so) to Presbyterian’s One Great Hour of Sharing.

3. This morning we had a professor of archeology from Pacific Lutheran University who talked about the Aztecs and the civilization who preceded them. Very interesting.

4. The sun is out and it feels warmer than the 50 deg. the weather app says it is.

5. Headed to the church in a bit to get my ashes. I think we’re going to read Psalm 51.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 2/25/20

Truth still exists; the truth still matters.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson

1. In Bible Study today we talked about Matthew 6:1-6. It’s a really tough thing to balance praying, and showing off your piety.

2. Big Al and I went out for pancakes for lunch. It’s almost impossible for me to get into Lent without Mardi Gras leading the way. I guess I’ve been around my New Orleans daughter-in-law for too long. (Although Shrove Tuesday was the day for pancakes in England, too).

3. I led the discussion on Climate Change for the Great Decisions group today. Out of about 25 people in the group, I had one Climate denier who insisted that people had nothing to do with it. It was all the sun on the ocean! I kept my cool, though, I think, and we had an interesting hour.

4. I managed to get my 10,000 steps in (by the hardest).

5. I’m going back to the church this evening for a talk on “How to get the most out of your garden plot.” That should be interesting, and should fit right in with my commitment to “greening” the earth.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 2/24/20

Truth still exists; the truth still matters.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson

1.  A friend of mine made me four bees wax food wraps. I bought a set from somebody on line and I love them. It’s great to have more! She is a quilter, so this was a great something to do with some of her scraps.

2. Daughter-in-law had the first follow-up for her foot surgery from last Friday. The doctor said everything looked fine. She’ll go back to have the stitches removed in two weeks. For now, she has a “knee scooter” so she can get around.

3. Good workout with my personal trainer. She makes me sweat, but it’s what I need.

4. The laundry is all washed, dried, folded, and hung up.

5. It’s Monday – that means Happy Hour with my tribe!

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 2/23/20

Truth still exists; the truth still matters.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson

1. I was ripped from slumber at 6:45 am with a clap of thunder, and rain and hail hitting the windows like a fire hose was aimed at the house. I burrowed under the covers for a minute. I love elemental storms.

2. The wind and lightening knocked out the electricity for 5 hours and 15 minutes. By 9 am it was getting cold in the house, and I decided to go get breakfast – BUT, the garage door was closed. The maintenance man came and released us.

3. Big Al and I went out to brunch because there was no possibility of a hot breakfast at home. We went to OddFelllas, that fortunately had not lost power (or if it had, it had been restored.) I had French toast and ham, and Big Al had homemade corned beef hash with eggs on top.

4. After breakfast we returned to FTJ and took refuge in Lillian Pratt because they had lights in the lobby from the emergency generator and a lot of residual heat. At noon, almost exactly, the power came back on and we returned home. I’ve got all the clocks reset (including the one on the server), and the computers running.

5. The wind continued, but there was no more rain. As long as none of the trees on the other side of the fence decide to get in bed with me tonight, we’re good. We decided to have our planned lunch for dinner and went to Moctezuma’s for Mexican food. Not a bad day although it started off with a fair amount of drama.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 2/22/20

Truth still exists; the truth still matters.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson

1. I spent the morning at the 27th Legislative District Town Hall Meeting hearing from my state Senator, and the two state Representatives, one of whom is the Speaker of the House. Interesting information about how Washington is attempting to mitigate some of the worst effects of the other Washington.

2. I stopped on my way home from the Town Hall and picked up beef pho. Warming and filling.

3. After lunch I went over to the Wellness Center and rode the NuStep for long enough to get most of my steps in for the day.

4. Quick trip to Starbucks for a skinny mocha and a blueberry muffin.

5. After meditating with my new Oak app, I had time to sit quietly and read my current novel.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 2/21/20

Truth still exists; the truth still matters.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson

1. My daughter-in-law had surgery on her foot today. She has always had flat feet, and she finally developed bone spurs on her heels. She had one foot taken care of today, and the other will wait until that one heals. She is home and “floating” now. She will be much happier and more comfortable after this is over. Prayers for her quick healing.

2. I found a new app for meditation called Oak. I’m going to try it and see how I like it.

3. Lunch was scrambled eggs, ham, and hash brown potatoes. Comforting to have breakfast for lunch.

4. Good workout with my Personal Trainer and 10,000+ steps finished off today.

5. We had happy hour for the folks who live in the Duplexes and Bristol View. Decent hors d’oeuvres and wine. Nice people.

How about you? What made you happy today?