November 17, 2024 a thought for today, Time flies like an arrow. Japanese Proverb

The first upload for yesterday was a “my choice” upload and is one in myself assigned “minimalist” series. This was a coat hanging in the library at church. 

The next challenge upload for yesterday was “mushroom”. I bought some at the
store, I don’t often use them, just for this shot. I will share them with a friend of mine. 

The third and last upload for yesterday was “bicycle”.  I don’t have any around my house anymore (I had a three wheel, adult tricycle that I would like to have back now and them). Someone had left this to run off on another errand I guess. 

Life today. What a day! We’ll call it the saga of Joy’s life. I did my daily early morning virtual visits. Then I got ready for church. Starting the rental car began the “saga” for the day. I got about two houses away from the house and yellow lights started coming on in the panel. One was check the engine light. As I went a little further the car started chugging. I thought well maybe it will stop and went on to church. As was sitting in the church I thought I had better leave now and take it to Enterprise. I made it to the store.....told them the problem. They checked it and gave me another car....Toyota Camry, 2024. So I went back to church. My nerves were wrecked from the experience. The church helped relieve that a bit. Another good thing that came out of church for me was the mention of a relatively new version of the bible that some of our pastors have been referring to from time to time. It is called The Message. I have read the King James verison of the bible clear through a couple of times in my life. I have had a copy of The Message for a couple of years and have referred to it now and then. Two weeks ago I began my journey of reading all the way through The Message. I am finding light bulb moments....some things seem much clearer. 

My first upload for today is another of my “minimalist” series and is “my choice” upload. This is one of the lamps on the walls of our sanctuary. 

I was home for few minutes when Lowell came in with my “fixed” computer. That was wonderful timing on how long they would keep it. Butttt.....all of the software I use is either gone or needs reset.....just like getting a new computer, except that the rest of it, besides the replaced drive is about five or six years old. It started out that we, Lowell and I, couldn’t open the attached Microsoft files. Oh, during the “fix” they had it reinstall Windows. I had things I needed to get done computer wise and Lowell had other places to be so I elected to put off fooling with the “new” computer for now. I will try again tomorrow when my nerves have timed to settle. It may be we will have to take it back for another look. Having the laptop available is even more important. I think due to the problems I am going to have to move the newsletter to one week later than scheduled. 

I am going to get two things done then quit and try to relax and refresh, that’s what Sunday’s are for and this one is needed more than most. 

The next upload for today is “church”. That is an easy one for me. I am there at least twice a week sometimes six times a week. 

The word today is personal. The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. Confucius.  The universal order and the personal order are nothing but different expressions and manifestations of a common underlying principle. Marcus Aurelius.  It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a Free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even of his personal services to the defense of it. George Washington.  This thing comes to me, not by the hearing of the ear, but by my own personal experience: I know of a surety that Jesus manifests Himself unto His people as He doth not unto the world. Charles Spurgeon.  Nothing endures but personal qualities. Walt Whitman.  Personal experience is the basis of all real Literature. George Henry Lewes.  Persuasion is achieved by the speaker's personal character when the speech is so spoken as to make us think him credible. We believe good men more fully and more readily than others: this is true generally whatever the question is, and absolutely true where exact certainty is impossible and opinions are divided. Aristotle.  Perhaps the most delightful friendships are those in which there is much agreement, much disputation, and yet more personal liking. George Eliot.  We may be personally defeated, but our principles never! William Lloyd Garrison.  Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public. Epictetus.  The achievements which society rewards are won at the cost of diminution of personality. Benjamin Jowett.  

The last upload was also was taken at church. The challenge was “timeless”. The trinity is timeless. 

Article: Those of you who know me know I am an animal lover, well here’s another “love of my live”, house plants. This is a relatively current article about some benefits and uses. There is a National Indoor Plant Week that sparked the author to write this article. This now national holiday is celebrated “during the third full week of September and is an opportunity to recognize the importance of bringing nature into our built environments.” The benefits of house plants are many as in “incorporating indoor plants into our homes, offices, and other indoor spaces”. The article mentions the uses and benefits of house plants in indoor spaces. One is air purification. NASA has gone a long way in showing through research that pollutants can be absorbed or removed from the air with plants. Certain ones are better for one thing and another plant for another thing. Formaldehyde gas is one of them along with toluene (can cause among other things, birth defects). These two can be found in paint, upholstery, and carpets. Studies show that another of the things house plants help with is mental health and well-being along with a reduction in stress. The article goes on to mention how “indoor greenery can brighten up spaces, especially during long, gray, Ohio winters”. Another of the benefits of house plants is enhanced cognitive function. According to the article some research shows that plants can help with learning abilities by increasing “memory, concentration, creativity, and problem-solving skills”. Here are still more proven benefits to indoor plants, physical health, people in work spaces end to “use fewer sick days and experience fewer headaches, sore throats, and coughs”. It has been shown that living with plants reduce blood pressure and hear rates. Noise reduction is another value especially in indoor spaces while “creating a more peaceful environment”. The article promotes how plants add to economic benefits by increasing productivity and reduced absenteeism. Plants add peace in their addition to visual enhancement.

Dinner will come from the freezer tonight. 

Joy

                    in the shade and shadow (sounds like a song)