Closed Doors, Open Windows

Welcome to my "Open Window"...a place of hope, encouragement, and adventure as we journey down the road from "Closed Doors" to the new opportunities God places in our pathway. I hope you will take the time to go back and follow the trail of mixed blessings and fears, failures and triumphs from the past and side-trips in the present. Perhaps it will conjure up some of your own special memories, and be an invitation for you to share with others. I look forward to spending this time with you!

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Hello, It's Mushy-Headed Me!

Yes, it's me...trying to keep cool in our "lovely pool" in the summer heat. (Ha!! Some things you just have to leave to the imagination.) Pardon the white legs. You may need to put on your sunglasses. I don't get out in the sun much due to my fair complexion and the high heat. Try not to laugh too hard.

I thought I'd better post something on my blog before you think I've abandoned it. No, I haven't gone away...just haven't had much to say. I went to my doctor for a check up the other day, and I told him I felt kind of "mushy headed"...couldn't think clearly, fuzzy on the brain, feeling fatigued. In addition to finally talking me into taking medication for my extremely high cholesterol level, (after my years of failed attempts to control it by diet and fish oil, etc., you know the routine) the doctor ordered some lab work to check my thyroid, but not until my next appointment in October. By then I could have a totally moldy brain. But that's the new protocol apparently for medicare patients...you are only allowed so many appointments per year and lab tests unless it is considered urgent. I guess I wasn't quite mushy headed enough to warrant an emergency. Ha.

So, I decided to try and fight through this "purple haze" and write something whether I have anything worth saying or not. In light of all the turmoil and terror in our world, I would like to try and be positive and offer hope. How can I do that, when I feel a sense of hopelessness creeping in to my fuzzy mind? I don't even want to turn on the television anymore for fear of more "breaking news".

So, this is what I am trying to do to cut through the fuzz:

Start each day by reading from God's Word and following a good daily devotional guide.
Pray...for my family, friends, our nation and world.
Daily look for ways to be thankful for all that God has done for us.
Look for ways to share God's love with others.
Find ways to get some exercise and fresh air every day, preferably before the thermometer reaches 95 degrees. Early morning walks and after supper walks are daily goals. Take photographs of anything interesting along the way.

Eat a good healthy diet, avoiding too much cholesterol, sugar, and junk foods.

Homemade Ice Cream on the 4th of July is exempt

Spend my spare recreational indoor time writing and/or reading good inspirational books or other uplifting articles, rather than watching television or spending too much time on the computer.
Find new ways to exercise my mind by taking on realistic, reasonable projects, puzzles or other creative activities.

Most of all, in order to restore peace, calm and an uncluttered order to my mind I must fix my eyes on my heavenly Father, the Creator and Sustainer of all life.

Here is a passage of Scripture that speaks to me...and possibly to you if you can relate to the things I've been discussing above:

II Corinthians 4:15-18

"For all things are for your sakes,

that grace, having spread through the many,

may cause thanksgiving to abound

to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart.

Even though our outward man (or woman) is perishing,

yet the inward man (or woman) is being renewed day by day.

For our light affliction,

which is but for a moment,

is working for us a far more exceeding

and eternal weight of glory;

While we do not look at the things

which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

For the things which are seen are temporary,

but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Perhaps this post speaks to your "mushy head" today as well. I pray that you will also seek God first and foremost in your life...and that you will NOT LOSE HEART.

Here's another passage to encourage us along this race of life:

"Therefore we also,

since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin which so easily ensnares us,

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus,

the Author and Finisher of our faith,

Who for the joy that was set before Him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Hebrews 12:2

So who's ready to run this race with me? Keeping our eyes focused on Jesus as our leader...we will grow stronger and happier every day. Let's get going and drive away all the fuzzy, mushy heads!

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!"

Philippians 4:13

Amen.

Monday, July 4, 2016

Happy 4th of July! Some Random Thoughts and Memories - UPDATED 7-4-16

I originally posted this on 7/3/2013. A lot of things have changed in our lives since that Independence Day three years ago. But some things have not changed and hopefully never will. We still gather with whatever family and friends we can bring together to celebrate the holiday, holding fast to as many of the old family traditions as we can. I am so thankful that we still have that freedom in our country...and I pray we never lose the freedoms that we hold most precious. This is a presidential election year, and it would appear that a lot of those freedoms and rights are being tested and tried in our country's midst. We need to pray for our nation as we make decisions that will affect our future generations in ways that could mean a great loss of many freedoms that we take for granted right now.

Original Post 7/3/2013 (with a few additional current pictures and comments):

I know you may not understand why I am posting a picture of a doll for the 4th of July, but that's okay. You don't have to understand. I just wanted to take her picture all dressed up for the holiday! This is my "Margie Doll", named after my Aunt Margie, who gave the beautiful doll to me for my 7th birthday! I won't tell you how old that makes my Margie Doll. Let's just say that she would qualify for a senior discount at most restaurants.

The Original "Margie"...My Aunt Margaret Tedlie Moss a "real doll"!

I don't know how I found such favor in the sight of my sweet Aunt Margie to receive such a wonderful gift for my seventh birthday, but as you can see, it is a gift I have treasured. My mother actually made the dress that my Margie doll is wearing. She also made her a couple of other dresses that she wears for other occasions. (Click for picture of Margie in her Christmas Dress, with her friend "Valerie", another special doll)
(see the Page "A Few of My Favorite Things")

Here is a picture of my wonderful Mother, all decked out for the 4th of July also:

My Mother, Always the patriot!!
(1917-2006)

This is one of my favorite pictures of my mother, Dorothea Tedlie Mursch, waving her flag proudly on the 4th of July! I sure do miss her.

Tomorrow (2016- we already did on 7/2/16! Couldn't wait!) we will celebrate the 4th of July in the traditional family manner...we will have a gathering of some friends and family, bar-b-que some chicken, eat potato salad, deviled eggs, baked beans, and all the other good stuff that goes along with that...and then we will make homemade ice-cream, following my mother's recipe.(Click on link to go to "It's Recipe Thyme-some of My Mother's Recipes" , and then scroll down on the page until you come to the recipe.

Yes, holidays and birthdays have always been special occasions in our family. I am so thankful to have grown up in such a family. Here are some pictures from some of our 4th of July memories from the past. These are pretty special to me, as now my Daddy is in heaven, and so is our son Matthew.

Our son Matthew, 7/4/2009

My sweet Daddy, 7/4/2009, with my brother in law Art assisting

My grand-niece Sarah, my brother in law Art, brothers Russell and Clifford
7/4/2009

My grand-nephew Jack, 7/4/2009

Our grandson Noah - 7/4/2009

I come by my doll interests honestly...my mother loved dolls too...so that is another family "tradition" passed down to me.

This is my "Baby Elva" doll, all dressed up for the holiday (7/4/2016)

I guess you could say that I am just an old fashioned girl.

yeah, that's me, "several" years ago, dressed up
like an old fashioned girl

I like doing things the way we did when I was growing up. I enjoy carrying on the family traditions, playing with my dollies, dressing up for fun, having tea parties, acting silly, laughing and enjoying life with my family and friends. I also look forward to sharing these thoughts with you, because you are my special friends. Many of you may never actually visit with me in person, but we share many wonderful treasures of memories and dreams together through our journals and daily posts. (weekly, monthly, whatever, whenever!)

So thank you for indulging me this evening while I allowed you a little glimpse into my childish heart. You know, Jesus said

"Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)

In another place He said,

"Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

(Matthew 19:14)

I know He didn't mean that we should play with dolls and act childish, but He was speaking of the faith and humility of a little child...that we should trust in God like a child, and not worry ourselves about things over which we have no control. We ought to:

"become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." (Philippians 2:15-16)

Some final words to us personally as we celebrate our independence as a nation in a time of great turmoil and anxiety and disappointment in our current national and world situation:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

Amen...and Have a Blessed and Happy 4th of July!

These pictures are from our 2016 celebration (we celebrated on 7/2/16 this year)