New Year's Eve

Happy New Year's Eve! This will be the last post of this year and decade.

Yes a new decade begins on Wednesday as well. We should not only ponder on what happened in our lives in 2019 but the whole decade as well. I am sure things have changed for all of us in one manner or another. I for one realized that I was created for a purpose.

I look forward to 2020 see how my purpose unfolds. I won't go the whole yards for the next decade though. I know my life will change a bit over the next ten years.

The whole thing about our life purpose is not about us really it is about those we meet along the way. Not only can we help change their lives they can help change our lives too.

Going Back

One of our readers commented about one of the posts back on October 6, 2018, titled “Won’t Always Agree. Here is the link https://herbslookatlifeandsport.blogspot.com/2018/10/wont-always-agree.html

He wants me to write more on the subject too. I appreciate his response very much.

I find it OK we don’t always agree. The important thing is not to respond back with hate.  Positive criticism is OK though.

One of my friends who I grew up with posted recently on Facebook “don’t judge me because my sin is different than yours”. Amazing statement I believe. We all have sinned; we are not perfect by any means. So let’s accept one another though we don’t agree.

As the reader commented I will write more often about not agreeing with one another in the future as well. I will try not to overdo it though.  Amen!

Thank You All

The changes Google made on their social media I haven’t had as many viewership’s; I want to thank you all for sticking by me this year.

I hope more people will start reading my posts in 2020. Pass the word on to your friends.

It isn’t like I have anything profound to say but to encourage each one of you in your life and what the purpose God has given.

It is amazing to me those of you from different parts of the world read here even if it is once in a while. Again thank you!

Going Into Next Year

I am not into New Year’s resolutions because most people fail at them before January is over.

To say that I have decided to add to my daily Bible reading; I have read the Bible over three times this year. No, I am not going to try for four times. I have decided though to take a scripture and meditate on it all day long.  It may be one verse or a couple verses but that is the idea.

I am going to begin with Psalm 23. Today I will meditate on Jesus being my shepherd.

I think it is something we all should try. Meditating on scripture should allow us to live a greater life. Let’s make 2020 a great year. Amen!

Near The End of the Year

We are always surprised when the year ends and 2019 isn’t any different. Another surprise we have ended another decade ready to start.

So what are you planning to do to end the year? Are you going to do some shopping for items you didn’t get for Christmas or are you visiting friends out of town or something else altogether?

Whatever you are doing I hope you have a lot of fun doing so. Also, don’t forget to see what you can do with your life purpose to end the year as well. I hope you add some more gifts and talents during 2020. Not just for your benefit but more important for those whose lives you touch Amen!

Boxing Day

Those who are from Canada, England, most likely Australia and New Zealand is familiar with Boxing Day.

It is celebrated the day after Christmas. The tradition is servants who were not able to partake in opening presents on Christmas day did so on Boxing Day.

My mother celebrated Boxing Day for many years since she grew up in Canada. She would invite friends every year for dinner. She would make the meal herself. Finally at the age of 92, I believe anyway was the last year she did the tradition. She felt it was for her to spend the day cooking the dishes she served was hard to do anymore.

I recommended that she would continue the Boxing Day dinner by those she invited each brings a dish. It was so important she does the cooking she decided to stop having friends over on Boxing Day. It was sad she had to discontinue the celebration of Boxing Day; however, I understood how important it was to as well for all those years.

So I want to wish everyone a wonderful Boxing Day. It would be a great way if you could start a tradition by inviting friends over for dinner on Boxing Day.

Christmas Day

It is so important to remember what the meaning of Christmas is.

Though Jesus Christ was probably not born on December 25 it is the day we celebrate his birthday. The reason we give presents to one another is the wise men when hearing about his birth brought presents to Jesus.

The wise men saw a star they believed was the sign of the Messiah being born. Jesus Christ didn’t turn out to be the Messiah the Jews and other believers thought he would be. They thought he came to reign over Israel to be the King they were wanted instead he came for the world to be the Savior to forgive our sins.

Jesus Christ will come again more like the Messiah the Jews were looking for the first time; however, his coming will be to judge all mankind.

So Merry Christmas to all and give your life to Jesus Christ today.

Christmas Eve

I am sure most people have good memories of Christmas Eve.

This year it will be just mom and I. Like many memories from the past I just remember vague parts.

I was chatting with a gal that was in school with me on Monday on Facebook. We used to ride the same bus.

I told her I believed we were on the same bus. She asked me if I lived in Crescent Valley area or by the sand spit. I told her I lived near the spit.

It was so nice to remember those times. I know as a child Christmas Eve when I went to bed the night was so long. I didn’t want Santa to catch me awake.

Enjoy Christmas Eve as much as you do Christmas. It is the meaning of Christmas that is the most important thing. The birth of the Messiah changed the world; in his time people didn’t know the significance of his arrival. Wait until next time when he returns again. Be alert be ready. Amen!

Trust

We are close to Christmas now; I know we have a lot of issues in our lives and around the world.

One of the big ones been around since the beginning of time is trust.

With the internet people getting scammed is a big thing. We all know what we have heard if it is too good to be true it likely is. The problem we often fall for it anyway. Don’t do it if they ask for money if you haven’t met them yet.  

Another thing is if the person is an eloquent speaker who sounds good to I would run the other way or at least wait until you know them better and talk to those you know that do know them. This is where trust must come in.

We have all heard or experience with a family member when it comes to trust. We can’t always trust family either. I have been blessed because I have a family including cousins who I trust very much so.

Remember trust is earned not something automatic. We want to help others but do so with caution. Amen!

Three Days Before Christmas

When I woke up in the middle of the night I was thinking this is now three days before Christmas. It is getting so close to Christmas and a new year as well.

I started thinking about the Three Kings also known as the three wise men. Odd thing because I have never thought about it three days before Christmas ever before; also, I thought about the Twelve Days of Christmas too. I haven’t thought about it since I was a kid I think anyway.

I decided to share this with you all. I want to wish you all a wonderful and greatest Christmas of all. Let God reign in your life every day. Amen!

God Has A Plan

As we get ready for Christmas we must realize God has a plan for us. You may say “Well my life has been horrible so not a very good plan for me.”  It may seem that way; however, a thing can change where God’s plan will come in plain view for you.

There is Satan or more known by the name of the Devil who hates you passionately. As much as God loves you Satan hates you too. God’s love is greater than Satan’s hate but he does hate you. He works all the time for you to never reach the plan God has for you. The best thing for you and me is to allow God’s love and his plan for us to come together.

I hope you are encouraged by this as we get closer to Christmas. Enjoy your day and be very blessed. Amen!

Prevention

On Thursday afternoon my mother fell backward going down the stairs returning home from an appointment. I called 911 where the fire department medics took her to the hospital to be sure she was OK.

Mother had a bruise on her right leg with a cut on her head. They did an x-ray on her leg while an MRI on her head. Nothing found wrong on both so was sent home.

Going down the stairs the second time she was terrified which I understood but she did make it down without further altercation. Whew is what I can say for sure.

I asked the medics and the medical staff if there was anything I could have done to prevent mother from falling. I was standing in front of her. They said I did the right thing that I can’t always prevent a fall.

Mother was going down the stairs with her cane when she fell. I felt it could be a reason she fell so on the second occasion I didn’t use the cane. Now the cane is retired at least as far as using the stairs go.

I mention this because we can’t always prevent something from happening so we can’t feel guilty about it either. The whole thing about our life purpose is to be there for others doing the best prevention we can. Amen!

Frustration Happens

Recently having acquired two different products I had to put them together myself. I have to say I am not the most mechanically inclined person though I can do it slowly.

The frustration part is the instructions given are hard to read. I figure a person must have a gift or talent to understand the instructions.

You would think the person writing up the instructions would have it in mind for the simple person who lacks knowledge. In other words, it is like manuals that are called for dummies.

I had to go to youtube to get the instructions. It is the alternative but to find the one for the equipment I purchased it was not easy to find either. So frustration came through. I am not a big fan of wasting time.

Now we are in the holiday season and Christmas will be here in less than a week we must be prepared for getting presents that we will have to put together. It will be helpful to have someone with you to assist. Frustration would not be a great way to spend Christmas I have to say.

On this note have a wonderful and Merry Christmas.

Holiday Season Full Attention

It is easy to stay busy this time of the year. I ran into a friend of my mother’s when grocery shopping. I hinted mother would like to see her and other friends. I do understand it can be complicated during the holiday season.

Another of my mother’s friends I saw on Monday at the pharmacy. She told me that she has been thinking about my mother a lot. She told me recently she found out that she has Parkinson’s. So I totally understood her situation. Also, her husband has dementia. They have a caregiver taking of both of them.

It is sad to hear about people you know that are sick and the chances are not great that they won’t recover without prayer and a miracle of God. This is something we have to help in other’s lives.

It is so easy even during this time of the year to forget those like my mother’s friend and my mother who are ill or elderly. Our purpose needs to be part of their lives even when we don’t have a lot of time. At the very least they need to know that people care and love them. This even true even if you only have a few minutes to see them.

So for the holiday season visit someone who isn’t doing well even for a few minutes; take a group to a nursing home singing Christmas carols. They will appreciate it even if they can’t say so. My mother is great because she always thank you for the visit.

There Is No Place Like Home

There are a lot of retirees I know go south for the winter living in a second home in Southern California or Arizona.

I wouldn’t mind going for a visit to either Southern California or Arizona for a few weeks but to have a second home set up I don’t think so. I would prefer traveling throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and if I could afford it Africa as well.  If I am not in Gig Harbor, Washington I like to see many different places. Also, I enjoy spending time with my cousins up in Canada along with my sister and then my brother in Virginia.

After spending weeks if not months traveling around then back to home sweet home. It may cost more money but I wouldn’t want to maintain a second home either.

Though December we have a lot of rain in Washington State there are not many places I would want to stay for a long period of time. On Monday the sun came out for a few hours shining on Mount Rainier. I wouldn’t want to miss it either. Also, I would like to see others who stay around these parts especially the children and living out my purpose right here most of the time.

I do look forward someday traveling seeing the sites I have heard so much about. I do hope my health will allow me to.  I want my purpose to land on other soil too. It does on this blog every day.

Who Is In Charge

When it comes to our life who is in charge? The answer is God; however, often we put ourselves in charge instead. A major reason our lives get messed up from time to time.

If your life isn’t going along so well right now think about why it is happening. The answer is you are not letting God be in charge. What you do than give your life back to God. He will take you back no matter how many times he has to. Amen!

Sharing Good News

Our number one deal when living our life of purpose is giving ourselves to God. We were created in his image. We are to give ourselves back to God living for him.

The next thing to giving ourselves to God is sharing the good news. The primary good news is about God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. What is known as the Trinity. First of all telling others what Jesus Christ did on the cross and how it helped us in our lives. God the Father is the one who sent his son, and the Holy Spirit is the one sent when Christ went back to be with his Father.

Our purpose is to share other good news as well. Not only what has happened in our lives but any good news. God gave us multiple talents and gifts all to be used to give out the good news. We have all gone through or in many cases are going through where we need to hear good news.

The latest good news from me is that my mother’s wound is totally healed now. I am still wrapping her leg for protection. The next thing for her is to gain her strength, appetite, and confidence that she can do things again. Not an easy task since she is 99 years old.

Mom likely won’t have the strength she had before her accident because of her age but if she can get close than it is a good accomplishment. The confidence she can still do things while overcoming her fears that came from falling. It won’t be easy because of her age and the time she has been layed up.

So we can learn from her fall and recovery that we can overcome anything the importance is to have others coming along beside us. This is where we come in as well to coming alongside those who need help. This is the reason why we have these gifts and talents.

Enjoy this day, all its benefits, the holiday season and Merry Christmas to all. Amen!

Finally Rain and Snow

This week we finally got rain here in Western Washington along with snow in mountain passes.

It is very welcome for us. We actually get more rain in December than any other month of the year. We need extra this year because we are below the normal rainfall for the year.

We hear a lot about climate change and we see it a lot here in Western Washington over the last few years. Summer the temperatures have risen and the winters we don’t get as much snow in the city and countryside as normal either though last winter we did have more than usual.  

Though rainfall just started happening, for the most part, we did have a little rain at the beginning of December we didn’t have much sunlight. I figure it is a lot better to have rain when the sun isn’t out.

Enjoy your December and holiday season no matter what the weather is like. Encourage one another with great joy. It is a good way to give your life purpose away.  

Getting Along

I find it is important to get along with others even those we don’t have interests with.

As children, we were told to get along with others. It wasn’t an easy task especially when they didn’t want to get along with us.

I hope that we learned something from that experience. Often the things we learned in childhood are still with us whether positive or negative.

Let our lives be as positive experiences as it can be. Amen!

Generosity

I am sure a lot of people may think generosity means you are willing to give a lot of money away. 

It may be part of the deal but generosity means to give a lot of yourself way whatever it is.

Generosity is one of the gifts God has given us. I am sure he would love us to give away as much as we can. Whatever he has given us we should find a way to give it to others.

If you have a good sense of humor or you are passionate I am sure people would enjoy receiving it from you.

So whatever you have give it away to others. I am sure you get a lot in return as well. Amen!

Hanging Out At Coffee Shop

I think something good to do is to hang out at a coffee shop. It is a good way to practice your life purpose. See who shows up that you can encourage whether they need it or not.

I have been told getting a latte every day is expensive. In a way, it is true but not expensive as well if you are putting yourself in other's lives.

I don’t really like coffee so why I buy an Americano with white chocolate in so takes the coffee taste away. The same goes for eggnog latte. Actually, most coffee drinks take the taste away. 

The least expensive drink is buying drip coffee. If you don’t like coffee you can by tea as well. It isn’t much more in price.

There are those who go to the same coffee shop every day so it is a way to meet new friends. I sometimes run into old friends too. 

What better way to enjoy life than hanging out with others. Who knows they may even like you.

Things Do Happen

Monday late afternoon we received my mother’s lift chair through UPS so she can get up easier than trying to lift herself. Also, the chair is able to allow her feet to be up so her feet and legs don’t swell.

I figured when the chair arrived it would all be together so she could move from her other chair to the new one. I was mistaken I had to assemble the new chair. I was a bit upset by that but thinking more about it made a lot of sense. Assembling the chair wasn’t that difficult even for someone like me who isn’t that mechanically inclined. Now the chair is ready for her to use it.

It made me realize things don’t happen always like you expect. It makes me upset usually as well for a short period of time. I have to learn the lesson over and over again. I am sure most people do. We should learn to go with the flow but the flow we don’t like usually.

Until next time enjoy your life even when things don’t go the way you feel they should. Amen!

The Bright Side

There is nothing better than encouraging and edifying others. I believe is part of life's purpose.

At a young age we are told by our peers and some adults we will not manage to be anything. Wouldn’t it be nice if they heard the positive instead.

Edify

The words edify means to build others up. I have a group on Facebook I call edify. I use scriptures daily to build others up.

I hope I am doing the same here with living a life of purpose.

We all need to know we are here for a reason. We are created each for a purpose just meant for us. Remember that whenever you wake up in the morning. Amen!

A Sense Of Humor

Do you know God has a sense of humor?  I do because I have a sense of humor and I was created in his image.

Many people think God is mean and uncaring. The reason many who represent God are mean and uncaring.

God wants to have a relationship with his children. Reach out to God and he will reach back. Amen!

Love Around The World

It would be nice if love was the center of all of our lives unfortunately, it isn’t.

Hate seems to be in the center more times than not.

In fact, those who call out hate are causing it as much as anyone.

We all have free will to decide what our lifestyle can be but when others don’t agree with it doesn’t mean they hate you.  Of course, there are those who do hate because of your choice of lifestyle which is a sad thing.

I am sure there are those who are living in the alternative life style hate themselves as well which is really sad.

I don’t agree with the alternative lifestyle; however, I would always be kind and considerate to them. This doesn’t mean I agree with it but we are to love others. Amen!

Not A Joyous Season?

We know this time of the year it is supposed to be a joyous season with the birth of Christ, Santa Claus, Rudolph, and many presents.

This isn’t the case for everyone. There are those who deal with depression on some level, the loss of a loved one or they have poor health.

I have not always had a joyous time this season so my thought is we should find others who are going through what we have before or still going through spending time with them. It will be good for both parties.

My mother is a remarkably strong woman. She must at the age of 99. She has had a loss of many over the years of life but still keeps going on. When she entered rehab after her fall and again before leaving the facility she was asked if she ever thought of suicide. You could see on her face like what are you talking about. She was kind to the social worker by saying no.

It is not as though she doesn’t feel well but mother keeps moving on looking forward to her 100^th birthday next September. Her memory isn’t all there anymore; however, I would say better than most.

So I won’t end this by wishing you a happy holiday season instead make it through this season by helping others for all to have joy and the reason for the season at that. Amen!

Holidays We Remember

There are always holidays we remember whether it is on Christmas Day or the days leading up to it.

I am sure the ones we remember the most are those with the family that are not with us anymore or now live a distance from us. I remember several of them more than others. I mostly remember those that were there but are gone now. Also, I remember the ones when I was a child though I don’t remember all the details.

When I was in elementary school the last day before our Christmas break which they still called it in those days we were supposed to watch the movie “Heidi” with Shirley Temple. A snowstorm happened where we didn’t see Heidi, we were sent home early. Probably the only time I didn’t want to leave school early. I saw Heidi on another occasion on television. I can’t tell you the details of the movie; maybe I should watch it again.

Have yourself a wonderful holiday enjoy the memories of the past at the same time.

Being Busy

We all know with the holidays it means we will busy for December. It isn’t though we are not busy the rest of the year the holidays whether it shopping or going to parties it just busier.

Though we will enjoy our friends, co-workers, and family for these parties I believe we can use our purpose in a greater way. We might even be able to discover more of our purpose. This is something we all should look into.

I appreciate you all and I look forward to you looking in here in between everything else you do. Happy holidays with good cheer. Amen!

There’s Snow

Where I am there is no snow; however, the mountains got snow over the weekend for those to enjoy.

I am being tricky here to mention for those in the mountains there is a purpose. For most, it is to go skiing while for others it is to keep it safe for those who are skiing.

If I were at the mountains my purpose would be to enjoy the snow, throw some snowballs, going sledding perhaps, or hiking.

We all go to places for a purpose but there can be purposes we don’t even realize until we arrive and spending our time. This is what I find as exciting to our life purpose not only to do what we are here for but surprises come our way too.

Officially Holiday Season

I have now seen Christmas trees on the back of cars and my favorite coffee shop has their tree up and decorated. It means the holiday season is officially underway.

I know there have been stores with their decorations and items up for sale since the beginning of November but when people are buying trees to me this is official.

Unless you buy a fake tree the real ones won’t last through the season until buying at the end of November.

So enjoy the holiday shopping and the season. It is a great time to see old friends and meet new ones. A great way to use your purpose you were created for as well. Happy Holidays everyone. Oh I forgot a month until 2020. Unreal for sure.