February 2, 2020 thought for the day: A needle is not sharp at both ends. Chinese Proverb

I picked up some gift cards that one of my groups was late in getting for Christmas gifts. I was elected to pick them up and hand them out.  I got to church early so I could leave them out for the people they were going too.

The photo of the day theme for February 1 was “imperfect”. There are all kinds of things I can think of that though to most would be faults and possible “junk” can also be artfully beautiful and thought provoking. I am thinking of rust spots, flowers with petals missing and are sadly departing their space. My choice for this one is the fallen leaves and berries that were once healthy and beautiful.

We had a bible study before our choir rehearsal today. A couple of surprise guests at church this morning along with a couple of regulars who haven’t been there for a while. That is always nice.

I am taking it slow and easy today, enjoying some of the sunshine that has been missing for the past few days. On top of that it is a little warmer than it has been for a while. It feels like a taste of sp

ring.

The word is display.  We attract hearts by the qualities we display; we retain them by he qualities we possess, Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Suard. The sage wears clothes of coarse cloth but carries jewels in his bosom; He knows himself but does not display himself; He loves himself but does not hold himself in high esteem, Laozi. How abundantly do spiritual beings display the powers that belong to them! We look for them, but do not see them; we listen to, but do not hear them; yet they enter into all things, and there is nothing without them, Confucius. All the dancer's gestures are signs of things, and the dance called rational, because it aptly signifies and displays something over and above the pleasure of the senses, Saint Augustine. Behavior is a mirror in which every one displays his own image, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  When you see a man with a great deal of religion displayed in his shop window, you may depend upon it, he keeps a very small stock of it within,  Charles H. Spurgeon. Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess, Samuel Johnson.   

Today’s theme is “in my cup”. Once again that could be a variety of ideas. It could be coffee, tea or hot chocolate with steam rising or containers for plants. I have often put a flower head or bud in a cup to float on top when it became detached from the parent plant or stem.

The article today sounded like such a fun adventure that I wanted to share it. It is about a couple who are building a “retirement castle”. The couple are experienced builders. When telling about their project they stated that it is a whimsical plan with hidden rooms. There are plans for a slide from the second floor to a guest room. According to the article the outside is already built, the inside is a plan that comes about every day. The couple have plans for a special room grandchildren. Here are a few of other listed plans: a gathering place with 20 foot ceilings and a huge limestone fireplace, a master bath with a two-story rain shower and waterfall. There will be a stained glass window with a story of “Beauty and the Beast”. This vision of a castle has been a dream since high school and a visit to Cedar Point’s Frontier Town. The walls are twelve inches thick and concrete in the center. The ground floor living area will have wide doorways and no steps so that as human aging takes place there are safety and comfort spaces available. The location for this castle is close to the homes of many other family members.  This is a family oriented clan having twenty or more people for dinner once a week. The couple hope to have the project finished this year.

I feel like ordering-in for dinner this evening. I will have to think about where we will order.

Joy