Tuesday 4: Books, TV, Movies and more...

 This week the Tuesday 4 meme was all about Books, TV,  Movies.  I didn't participate in the meme yesterday because I just couldn't come up with any interesting answers. But I enjoyed reading everyone else's thoughts on the topic.  You can check them out at the link above.  But the first question was...well, what the heck. I might as well play along. Better late than never...

"Hello Friends.. welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. Just 4 questions each week. So glad you are joining in and the more the merrier!"

Books.. TV.. Movies are the topic of the week.

1 A movie theme song will play every time you walk in the room.. what is it? (consider asking family or friends)  I finally came up with a song as I was looking out my window at the little Bluebird house in our yard...

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

My, oh, my, what a wonderful day

Plenty of sunshine headin' my way

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder

It's the truth, it's "actch'll"

Everything is "satisfactch'll"

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!

Yes, sir

2. What movie, book or TV program could you live in?

Anne of Green Gables....

Most of you have heard that I was named after Anne of Green Gables...my middle name is Anne, spelled with an "e", because I was a redhead and my mother loved this story, and when she saw me for the first time she knew she had to give me that name...

3. Is there a book/movie/TV quote you often think about or that effects you in some way?

Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music

4. OK friend, its your turn to organize our Blogger Movie Night where we get together as a group for snacks and movies! What movies have you planned for us tonight and what snacks are we going to have?

Well, based on all of the above answers, I guess we will watch those three movies:  The Song of the South (zippity doo dah!), Anne of Green Gables, and The Sound of Music.  Snacks...We will have fruit cake and cherry preserves and raspberry cordial, in honor of the famous tea party that didn't turn out so well that Anne of Green Gables had with her best bosom friend Diana...well, maybe we won't have that exactly, but we will have popcorn for sure because I think we should always eat popcorn while watching movies. And maybe a delicious homemade pizza.  Drinks? Well, probably sodas and/or iced tea or coffee if you prefer. OR how about a Root Beer Float??? Haven't had one of those in ages!!

Okay, I did it. Sorry I was so late. I just needed some inspiration from the rest of you.

Speaking of bluebirds, Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird have been quite busy lately...apparently the babies have arrived and the parents are coming back and forth with juicy bugs for them all day long.  It's hard to get a good picture because they are in and out so quickly, but here's the latest today of Mrs. Bluebird:

Maybe she is singing "Zippity doo dah!"

On another note, I started my physical therapy yesterday for my neck.  I will be going 3x a week for three weeks, and then we will re-evaluate my progress. I am also scheduled for the epidural in my neck later this month. Praying that will help.   Yesterday at the PT appointment I was being asked to think about all the things I can no longer do because of this pain and discomfort in my neck.  I guess I hadn't really thought about it that way. But when faced with the question the reality hit me...there are things that I have not been doing or find difficult to do because of decreased strength in my arms, which is caused by the pressure on the nerves in my neck.  One thing I've noticed is that it is very painful/difficult for me to lift a full pitcher of iced tea and to put it back in the refrigerator:

Lifting a gallon of bleach or milk or anything that size is also very difficult:

Even lifting this teapot full of hot water to make a pot of tea is difficult because I can't use two hands on it when it is hot:

The therapist also asked me about reading..."Can you sit and read a book?"  I hadn't thought about it like that. I just knew that I have not been doing much reading at all in quite a while, and when I do try to hold up a book I have to hold it up in front of me at eye level so I don't bend my neck down to read, and that is why I am finding it difficult to sit and read anymore for any length of time.  

It is also why I sit at a desktop computer rather than try to use a laptop. Thankfully that is what I have and what I prefer anyway.  I've tried to use my hubby's laptop, and I find it very difficult.

But the thing I thought about the most that made me kind of sad was realizing that I no longer feel like inviting people over for gatherings at our house, which is something I've always loved to do. Our house has always been the gathering place for family holidays, etc., and now, with the exception of our immediate family here for a meal now and then, I just don't feel like going through all of the work it takes to clean/cook/ and clean up after for larger groups.  That actually makes me sad. But in reality, since last year's pandemic, no one really wants to travel and come anyway so I guess it doesn't matter. If we get together we have to find a place half way where we can meet at a restaurant or something. Or someone else has to do the cooking and cleaning...which is a nice idea, don't you think?

So, my goals in getting better is not to focus on what I can't do, but what I can do.  I don't want to be a person who just says I can't do this or that anymore. I want to be a person who CAN do.  Even though with something like degenerative disc disease my neck and spine will probably not really ever get better, but with proper exercise and PT the goal is to hopefully strengthen the muscles that support those areas and fight this thing and not let it define what I can and cannot do or who I am or will become. That is my hope and prayer.  

Remember this song?  Maybe this should be my theme song:

"I'm only human I'm just a woman

Help me to believe in what I could be and all that I am

Show me the stairway that I have to climb

Lord for my sake teach me to take one day at a time

One day at a time sweet Jesus that's all I'm asking from you

Give me the strength to do everyday what I have to do

Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine

So for my sake teach me to take one day at a time

Do you remember when you walked among men

Well Jesus you know if you're looking below it's worse now than then

Pushing and shoving crowding my mind

So for my sake teach me to take one day at a time

One day at a time sweet Jesus that's all I'm asking from you

Give me the strength to do everyday what I have to do

Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine

Yes just for my sake teach me to take one day at a time"

Thanks for sticking with me here friends.    Oh, one more thing.  Our dear blogging friend Martha Jane Orlando from "Meditations of My Heart" lost her dear mother this week after a prolonged illness. Please remember her in your thoughts and prayers.  

Also, another dear blogging friend, Mildred from Laurel Wood is having some health concerns and I know she would appreciate your prayers as well.   Thank you dear friends. You're the best!

"Zip a Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-a-Dee-ay"

"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh, my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's "actch'll"
Everything is "satisfactch'll"
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!"

(from Walt Disney's "Song of the South")

Does that happy little song bring back sweet memories of your childhood? It sure does mine...Uncle Remus and Br'er Rabbit...and singing "Zip a dee doo dah, Zip a dee ay!"

Well today was one of those kind of days...a beautiful sunshiny day...it actually felt like spring again after last week's dip back into winter.  Although I hear we may be getting some more wintry weather later this week...today was just "satisfactch'll"

Mr. Bluebird wasn't exactly on my shoulder, but the truth is, he was on my bird bath and then on my pine tree:

Imagine my amazement as I sat on the back deck just relaxing, and then this bluebird landed on the birdbath right in front of me:

He turned around and said hello to "Bobby" the Squirrel...

And then he said "Zip- a -dee-doo-day, zip-a-dee-ay" I'm flying out of here...

But curiosity got the better of him, and he came back a few minutes later...not sure if it was "Bobby the Squirrel" he was interested in, or if he wanted to get another look at the crazy lady on the deck with the camera:

Next he flew to the pine tree and sat there for a while, playing peek-a-boo with me.

I'm sure he thought I couldn't see him, so he was safe to sit there and take a peek at me...

 Oops, better turn my head and not let her get a good look at me...

Well, maybe just another little peek...

"I think I'd better fly up to that other tree and get where I'm safely hidden from prying eyes"

And so he flew away, but hopefully he'll be back another day. Now I need to find a bird house and get it fastened out there somewhere so maybe he'll stay and bring his wife and family...

As I watched that clip of that song above with Uncle Remus and the children, I noticed that there were many other critters skipping along with them as they sang. I didn't quite see all of those special creatures today, but I did see a few others that were interesting:

Early this morning the Canadian Geese were getting quite close on our shore, and they were being stalked by a neighborhood cat who just happened to be passing through the yard:

 She kind of crept alongside them for a while....

But then she was off to better hunting grounds and they stood and watched her go...

 I'm sure they were quite relieved...

And then later this afternoon these Suwannee Cooter turtles were sunning themselves on a log in the pond.

 They look quite content and peaceful just relaxing in the sunshiny day...

I noticed there was a little brown dog in the movie clip running alongside the children...and sure enough, this little brown dog came trotting through our yard this afternoon.  Not sure where he came from or where he was going...he paused for a minute and said hello, and I said hello back to him, and he sniffed around and off he went. My son says he has seen him come through the yard before. He seems to be healthy and friendly, so I assume he belongs to someone although I didn't see a collar, but perhaps he just goes on a daily run through the neighborhood. Of course there are leash laws that are supposed to keep that from happening...but sometimes little brown dogs just have to break the rules. I hope he stays safe and gets back home okay.

So now I am singing that little tune and having that "wonderful feeling"...it's a "wonderful day".

I believe the Lord gave me this happy little interlude this afternoon as I am beginning to prepare for my surgery one week from today. Today we went shopping to get some things stocked up here at the house. I am trying to get things organized here at home so it won't be too difficult for hubby to take care of things in my absence (or even when I am back home and still unable to fully participate for a while).

Yesterday at church I was so completely surprised, blessed and thankful that our Pastor called me and another gentleman, who is also going to be having surgery this week, along with our families and anyone else who wanted to come and stand with us and lay hands upon us as he prayed for us. It was such a beautiful and spirit filled time of prayer on our behalf, and I truly felt the Presence of the Lord, and just as Jesus laid His hands on so many throughout His years of ministry and healed them, I believe that Christ is still reaching His hands out to us through His ministers and people of faith and that there is healing in those hands. I thank the Lord for this blessing and gift.

Our pastor's sermon yesterday was entitled "Forgiveness is a Product of Repentance", based on the passage in Luke 15:1-10. One key verse was verse 10:

"I say to you that likewise there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Luke 19:10 says: "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." 

Repentance = "to change one's mind", "to turn away from something", "to make an about-face in your life."
Salvation is Christ's message. He is calling us away from what is destroying our lives toward what will totally change our lives.
"Repentance refers to practice of continual self-examination and turning away from anything that destroys or diminishes our relationship with God."
In Psalm 51, King David  is praying a psalm of repentance after his sin with Bathsheba.  In verse 3 he acknowledges his sin. In verse 4 he recognizes that his sin is against God. Sin has stolen the joy from his life.

• Sin steals the joy from our lives.  David asked for cleansing.  He repented of his great sin and asked God to restore the "joy of Your salvation." (verse 12) 
• Forgiveness is a product of repentance.  We receive forgiveness whenever we repent.  
• Repentance should be a part of our daily communication with God, for we have all sinned. 

In Exodus chapter 32 the people sinned when they made a Golden Calf and worshiped it in place of Almighty God.

• What are the "golden calves" that we have made and worship today? They can be very subtle...
• What keeps me from drawing closer to God? 

Perhaps we need to identify that Golden Calf in our lives and repent and turn back to the Lord.  And the Lord will forgive us and restore the joy of our salvation when we turn from that which is separating us from Him.

Sermon Notes: FUMC, Interlachen, FL, Pastor John Bennett, 02/23/2020

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given. I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously. Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said. Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear... That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts. So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

There is such joy when we know we are forgiven of our sins...and then we can sing along with the song above "Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay!! Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!!  I hope you have this great joy in your heart too!