Intentions Review for March 2021

My Star Word for this year is “Affirmation”. The internet says an affirmation is a positive statement of agreement.

I am a child of God, holy and beloved.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here are my intentions for 2021.

(After the dumpster fire of 2020, you’ll notice I’ve pared down my intentions for 2021, and I intend to hold them loosely.)

Physical Health

• Eat real food.
  • Eat more vegetables – Cauliflower, broccoli, and asparagus have reentered the regular rotation. I plan to return to in person shopping at the Commissary next week, so I’ll have a greater selection to choose from.
  • Be sure to get 25 grams of fiber every day – Check
• Notice and report any unexpected physical changes (rashes, bumps, etc.) to my doctor.
  • My Mohs surgery was a complete success. The stitches are out, and I’m carefully rubbing the scar to help it blend in.
  • Big Al and I got our second Pfizer shots on February 13th, so we’ve been fully vaccinated since the first of March!

Emotional Health

• Remember that I am a child of God, holy and beloved.
  • If I can say it for me, I must grant it to every other person on the planet, whether lovable or not.
    • My Lenten discipline is to “tame my snark”. I think I’ve done very well, refraining from posting “snark” on Facebook. Maybe it was that, or maybe it was the change in the administration, but I feel much less angst these days.
• Continue to post “Five Things that Made Me Happy Today” every day on my blog – Check

Intellectual Health

• Expand my leisure reading.
  • Major Pettigrew ‘s Last Stand  by Helen Simonson – finished
  • Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie – finished
  • The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie – finished
  • The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie – finished
  • Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry – finished
  • A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George – finished
  • How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates – reading
• Keep up with the national news daily without obsessing over it.
  • Listen to NPR – Check
  • Watch Rachel Maddow – Check
  • Follow Heather Cox Richardson for perspective – Check
• Participate in Creative Writing classes here at Franke Tobey Jones – A new course starts next Wednesday
• I subscribe to the New York Times and try to work the crossword puzzle and read several columns regularly, including the cooking column.
• I subscribe to the Seattle Times and read several of their newsletters.
• I subscribe to the Washington Post. and read several of their newsletters, including Travel, Fitness, and Cooking.
• Support aspiring writers via Patreon and Substack – Check
• Participate in Great Decisions here at Franke Tobey Jones – We had our second meeting and talked about the Persian Gulf
• I subscribed to MasterClass and finished the Paul Krugman course. It was very good. I’m starting a course on thinking scientifically from Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Spiritual Health

• Continue to participate in weekly Bible study, and weekly Worship – Check
• Continue with General Assembly Nominating Committee – No meetings yet

Social Health

• Tend the relationships I have at Franke Tobey Jones
  • Wellness Center – Gradually opening up with appointments for two people at a time.
  • Gazebo Group – We meet regularly on Zoom and hope to start meeting outdoors when the weather improves.
• Tend the relationships I have at Bethany Presbyterian Church Bible Study – Check
• Continue to connect regularly with family, virtually – Check

Social Justice

• Participate in Town Halls and face-to-face meetings with elected officials – Check
• 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 – Check
  • Climate action
  • Racial justice
  • Health Care Availability
  • Wealth Inequality

Five things that made me happy today – 3/31/21

I have decided to stick to love… Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. It was in the mid 30s and clear when I got up this morning. It has warmed up nicely to the upper 50s.

2. Right after breakfast I scooted down to Safeway and picked up the shopping for the week.

3. I got my Intentions for March written and posted this morning, before my computer developed a problem. Bill tried to help but, no joy. We’re going to work on it again later. I’m posting this from my iPad so if it’s a little clunky, I beg your pardon

4. I’m starting to feel snake bit with electronics. Our security system is not behaving. It’s fine if I set it to “Stay” but it turns itself off when I set it to “Away”. Maintenance is scratching their heads as well.

5. I watched the Zoom call about Penguins that I watched the first half of two weeks ago.

NOTE: I know this is not all happy, but nothing is earthshakingly awful, just irritating.

How about you? What made you happy today?

On Wednesday

It was on the Wednesday

that they called him a wasteful person.

The place smelled like

the perfume department of a big store.

It was as if

somebody had bumped an elbow against a bottle

and sent it crashing to the floor,

setting off the most expensive stink bomb on earth.

But it happened in a house, not a shop.

And the woman who broke the bottle

was no casual afternoon shopper.

She was the poorest of the poor,

giving away the only precious thing she had.

And he sat still

while she poured the liquid all over his head…

as unnecessary as aftershave

on a full crop of hair and a bearded chin.

And those who smelled it, and those who saw it,

and those who remembered

that he was against extravagance,

called him a wasteful person.

They forgot that he also was the poorest of the poor.

And they who had much

and who had given him nothing,

objected to a pauper giving him everything.

Jealousy was in the air when a poor woman’s generosity

became an embarrassment to their tight-fistedness…

That was on the Wednesday,

when they called him a wasteful person.

From: Stages on the Way, Iona Community Wild Goose Resource Group

Five things that made me happy today – 3/30/21

Only when we’re brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.

Brene Brown

1. It was 34 deg and sunny when I got up this morning. With the sun shining all day, we got up to 54 deg this afternoon before sunset.

2. We had Bible Study this morning, but between breakfast and that, I was able to finish yesterday’s NYT crossword puzzle. It only took one time through and I got it without hints. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

3. For lunch, the Bistro had a special of 2 egg salad sandwiches for $5.25, so we had that for lunch.

4. The housekeepers were here today so I have clean sheets on the bed, clean floors, everything dusted, clean bathrooms and a clean kitchen.

5. Big Al had his follow-up appointment with the pulmonologist. Everything looks like it’s back to normal (or as normal as it ever is for him). He will stop taking the Eliquis the end of May, and go back for a further follow-up the first week in July. Also all the oxygen paraphernalia will be picked up this week (Thanks be to God).

How about you? What made you happy today?

On Tuesday

It was on the Tuesday

that he let them have it.

If you had been there you would have thought

that a union official was being taken to task

by a group of mobsters.

Or that the chairman of a  multinational corporation

was being interrogated by left-wing activists

posing as shareholders.

They wanted to know why,

and they wanted to know how.

The questions they asked

ranged from silly childish speculations

about whether you would be a bigamist in heaven

if you’d married twice on earth,

to what was the central rule of civilized behavior.

They knew the answers already…

or so they thought,

otherwise they never would have asked the questions.

And like most of us

they were looking for an argument

with no intention of a change of heart.

So he flailed them with his tongue…

those who tried to look interested

but never wanted to be committed.

And that was on the Tuesday…

the day when he let them…

let us…

have it.

From: Stages on the Way, Iona Community Wild Goose Resource Group

Five things that made me happy today – 3/30/19 (Remembered)

1. The judge in Alaska who restored the ban on off-shore drilling the Artic. It was a ban initiated by Obama. The law says the President can designate areas for drilling or to be kept without drilling. But it takes an act of Congress to reverse that designation.

2. There’s a new Pho restaurant in the neighborhood. Haven’t tried it yet, but it will be nice to run there for a quick supper take-out, instead of driving half-way across town.

3. Spent most of the afternoon working with People Power texting about the ACLU’s Rights for All campaign that’s kicking off tomorrow afternoon.

4. I’m really enjoying seeing the photos of France from Anne-Cecile Baer Porter and Irvin Porter. I’m SUPER jealous of their travels.

5. In death and in life we belong to God. We had a Celebration of Life for a fellow from the Duplexes here at Franke Tobey Jones who passed away earlier in the month, and then we found out another friend in the Duplexes died this morning. In death and in life we belong to God.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 3/29/21

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love, then make that day count.

Steve Maraboli

1. It was 36 deg and clear as a bell when I got up this morning. By mid afternoon the clear skies had given way to scattered clouds and 52 deg.

2. I started to work on the NYT crossword this morning, but I thought I’d get a little done on the blog first. Alas, when I tried to open the Word document where I keep quotations to use as tags on the blog, my computer told me I didn’t have a subscription to Word. I tried everything from rebooting to threatening to teach it to fly, and nothing worked, so I turned to my tame IT specialist (#2 son who works for free for me), and the two of us proceeded to tear our hair out to no avail. He had a Zoom meeting at noon, so he promised to get back to me in the afternoon.

3. Big Al and I had ham, potato, and fresh asparagus for lunch. Luckily, it was quick and easy because I was NOT in the mood to mess with anything special.

4. After lunch my son called me back, and after trying many things, suddenly everything worked. Seriously, I quit! I have known for many years, that sometimes computers take irrational dislikes to people, and there’s no way around it. Thank goodness for a tame IT expert.

5. I did get all the laundry done (in and amongst swearing at the computer). Clothes are washed dried, folded and hung up. I’m finished with everything I needed to do in time for Gazebo Group this evening. Whew! (I never did get the Times Crossword started. Maybe tomorrow).

How about you? What made you happy today?

On Monday

It was on Monday

that religion got in the way,

An outsider would have thought

that it was a pet shop’s fire sale.

And an outsider, in some ways,

wouldn’t have been far wrong.

Only, it wasn’t household pets,

it was pigeons that were being purchased.

And it wasn’t a fire sale;

it was a rip-off shop in a holy temple

bartering birds for sacrifice.

And the price was something only the rich could afford.

No discounts to students or seniors, pensioners,

or social security claimants.

Then he, the holiest man on earth, went through that bizarre bazaar

like a bull in a china shop.

So the doves got liberated

and the pigeon sellers got angry.

And the police went crazy,

and the poor people clapped like mad,

because he was making a sign

that God was for everybody,

not just for those who could afford him.

He turned the tables on Monday…

the day that religion got in the way.

From: Stages on the Way, Iona Community Wild Goose Resource Group

Five things that made me happy today – 3/29/19 (Remembered)

1. Went to Joint Base Lewis-McChord and got my ID card renewed. I’m legal on base for another 5 years. Unfortunately, my old one was going to expire on April 15th, so I couldn’t wait until August when I turn 75, and I could get a permanent one with no expiration. We were afraid it would take forever, but we got in to see the Sgt in less than 5 min.

2. The Sgt laminated all our cards for us – our Medicare cards, and Al’s Golden Eagle Pass that gets us into all the national parks. It was getting really frayed.

3. Got all our groceries in record time (thank goodness, because Big Al’s back was fussing at him from walking a lot at Pass and ID.)

4. Tried out the new restaurant in our neighborhood, OddFellows. It was pretty good. There’s a really extensive menu and decent pricing.

5. Opened my can of WSU Viking Cheese with garlic and dill. It was nice. It was a little hard to get out of the can at first, but I finally figured out the trick, and it’s now resting happily in my refrigerator in little plastic containers that we’ve had for a long time.

How about you? What made you happy today?

Five things that made me happy today – 3/28/21

There must be always remaining in every life, some place for the singing of angels, some place for that which in itself is breathlessly beautiful.

Howard Thurman

1. Still low to mid 40s, still cloudy. It started raining just before church (thank goodness, I’m doing church on Facebook live), and continued most of the afternoon. Still 45 deg.

2. Church service this morning was a combination of Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday. The pianist played Hey-sanna, Ho-sanna from Jesus Christ Superstar. More music than usual and a good sermon.

3. Big Al and I WENT OUT TO LUNCH for the first time in over a year. We went to our really favorite Japanese restaurant. Al had teriyaki salmon and tempura, and I had a sushi combo with seven assorted pieces of sushi and a spicy tuna roll. It was great and felt so NORMAL!

4. Unfortunately, the COVID numbers in Pierce County are going up, so the governor is threatening to shut us down again. Glad we were able to indulge before that happened.

5. We have Greisser Girls’ Gab this afternoon, but Harriet was unable to make it at the last minute, so Betty and I met on FaceTime.

How about you? What made you happy today?