I seriously considered just not posting today. I seriously considered jut calling out. In a sense, that’s exactly what I will be doing … although it involves words.
Since making the decision to share something daily, I’ve been going non-stop. The last time I didn’t post was Dec. 29, 2018. That’s 677 consecutive days. I didn’t want that streak to screech to a halt because I just couldn’t think of anything to write about.
Actually, that’s not a totally accurate assessment. There is plenty to write about. The problem is I am tired. I am mentally spent.
Now, I’m not looking for sympathy and I don’t think I am depressed. But I am in a rut and my daily routines aren’t bringing me any joy.
It’s not all that unusual for me to get melancholic this time of year. From mid-August around my birthday to mid-November around my wife’s birthday, I usually look inward. Typically, I can multi-task and see out as well. This year has been different.
I continue to try and share joy and optimism, to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, to let my words heal and inspire. I constantly receive messages saying that continues, but the words of encouragement for me seem more shallow and superficial. They are coming in through my eyes and ears, but they’re not taking root in my heart and soul.
That, of course, bothers me. I know I’m where I’m supposed to be at this season of my life, but over the past few months, it’s been harder and harder to pull myself up by the bootstraps. It probably has resulted in a wave of skepticism that cloud my words. What bothers me most, however, is that is not fair to you as readers and followers.
Typically, life buoys me up. The first snowfall, watching football, doing a little traveling, watching Christmas and other Hallmark movies, writing, sharing all even the road. Not so much these days. My psyche faces daily mountains and valleys.
I just wanted to share where I am with you. I know I am blessed with relatively good health and the love and affirmation of family and friends. So just bear with me. I may completely take a break or two down the road … or I may not. We’ll see. But for today, I’m taking the day off {despite actually sharing this post}.
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: You couldn’t re-live your life, skipping the awful parts, without losing what made it worthwhile. You had to accept it as a whole — like the world, or the person you loved. — Stewart O’Nan, The Odds: A Love Story
The Amazing Hearing Aid
The devotional is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young and is billed as a devotional for every day of the year. Segmented by days, the devotional reflects Young’s thoughts and experiences in the quiet times of her life. She altered her quiet time from monologues to dialogues “with pen in hand,” She jotted down the thoughts she “heard” in her mind based on the Scripture she was reading. Her devotions are meany to be read slowly, preferably in a quiet place — with your Bible open.
Jerry Jenkins notes, people turn to devotionals to meet deep needs. Some have lost friendships, been divorced, suffered from criticism, betrayal, or the death of a loved one. They need the balm of God’s comfort.
I Believe … 
… you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
… maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had, and what you’ve learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.
… your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t even know you.
Jesus speaks these words to His disciples after He had sent them out to proclaim the gospel and do works in His name. When they returned to Him, they were amazed at all they were able to accomplish.
Approach the throne room and respond with faith and not fear, knowing the promises of God and His mighty hand will hold us through any situation! Sometimes, all it takes is just one prayer to change everything. Something extraordinary happens when two or more agree together in prayer.
We also need to pray for colorblind peace. Racism will remain a plague until we stop looking at people as black and white, but as human beings created by the same Creator. We pray for new eyes, calmer heads, and softer hearts. 
Rick is going in for a bone marrow transplant and could use prayer.
John suffered a stroke this week and needs to be lifted up in prayer/
Please pray for Michael who is really struggling.
Please pray for the healing of Esther, 19, whose family has rejected her because she has epilepsy.
Callie is asking for prayer. After years of testing and much tribulation, she is finally pregnant with twins. Please pray those little babies are both there and healthy. A fetal DNA test was inconclusive, probably because it was taken too early. She has a doctor’s appointment Tuesday.
Edi is asking for prayer her pregnancy test will come out positive and she will carry the pregnancy to delivery.
We come to You, Lord, because prayer is the least yet the greatest thing we can do for each other. When two or more are gathered in Your name, we confidently know You are with us. What better company can we have? You reign and we trust You! We may be broken and battered but know You heal and quiet the soul. You are the source for all that happens in our lives. We thank You for the progress being made. We thank You for the many blessings we have received this week. Some we unfortunately didn’t notice. Nonetheless, those blessings are ever-present in our lives. We thank You for healing. We thank You for slowing us down. We thank You for providing us our daily needs — no more and no less. We thank You for being with us, listening to us, walking with us on this journey. We thank You for the support of our family and friends … for seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary — sunrises, sunsets, flowers, kids laughing, adventures, good news amid the bad news. We know we can come to You with our concerns and they will be heard. Through Christ all things are possible. We lift up those family members and friends who are battling various physical, emotional, financial, career or spiritual issues and ask not for Your guidance and healing (although that would be welcomed) but to keep reminding us we are not alone in our battles. Specifically we lift up Eddie, Debby, Rick, Butch, Vivian, Millie, Dennis, Bill, Marie, Luna, Sue, Larry, Margie, John, Andrew, Helen, Sheila, Y, Robert, Joyce, Michael, Kyle, Ava, E, Marsha, Hilda, Esther, Riley, Grace, Jasy, Teddy, Cookie, Jesse, Callie, Barbara, Isaac, Edi, Joy, Joy, Nova, Mike, and all those needing Your healing and guiding touch. We pray for the families of all those You have called home. We grieve … You celebrate. We pray for obedience to Your Will so Your “Son” Light shines through us through the power of the Spirit. And we come to You through the confidence of the words taught by Your Son Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Five Minute Friday is an opportunity to focus on a prompt word for five minutes (more or less), write a pithy (or sometimes not so pithy) post, share it with others at our Community page on 
With less than a half hour before the polls closed, Mike insisted she get to the polls and told her to get her coat and he would drive her to the polls. Mandy protested. “I told you who I was going to vote for.” But Mike answers, “I want you to stand up, sweetheart, for what you believe in …”
Speaking of candy, that was the only redeeming virtue of the holiday. I may not like the celebration, but I’m not adverse to sharing the spoils.
Interestingly enough, I do remember a YMCA Halloween party I attended. I was probably 12 and may have met my wife there. I don’t remember it, but apparently we were both at the downtown festivities that year. She was a princess — one of about 1,000 princesses {okay, that’s an exaggeration} at the party. She always insisted she remembered me, primarily because of my unique costume and the fact I planted myself near the refreshment table. I remember my home-made costume and, yes, I was the only robot at the party. It consisted of a big foil-wrapped box. My arms, gloves, legs, and shoes were also wrapped in foil and I had a foil-wrapped plastic bowl on my head with eyes, nose and mouth cut out. There were red dyed pipe cleaners affixed to the bowl as antennae and colored buttons on my chest.
Hereafter
Another potential problem is expectation. Chances are review stars will be the same, especially by the second reviewer. If you give a four star review, expect a four star back.
The Light 