December 18, 2025 a thought for today, Honor once lost never returns. Dutch Proverb

Photos in my life yesterday

This challenge upload is “a gift.” I have a few in this shot, not just one gift. This is the way age has elected for me to “wrap” gifts. 

Next has the assignment title “unbalanced.” The steps are in an uneven pattern
making a relaxed path as well as some being slightly unlevel in their setting.

The last upload is “lights.”  I have fewer lights on the tree this year not knowing what our kitten would want to play with. I kept things to a minimum so there wouldn’t be to my breakage if she gets overly excited. 

Life today. Yesterday was my birthday. First, all of the volunteers at food pantry got together and sang happy birthday to me. One of the volunteers who most closely shares in our senior years wanted to take me to lunch for my birthday.  Timing wasn’t quite right. Lowell and Rebecca were going to take me out for dinner. Again, timing wasn’t quite right for that. I have experienced the timing thing connected to my birthday many times before with this birthday being within the Christmas season happenings. As I was coming home from this day at pantry Andy and Tami came to visit bearing gifts. I now have a terrarium kit to work with I built them when I worked in a flower shop. Then I “built” a couple for myself over time. This one will bring back sweet memories along with some fun and enjoyment. Next as I was catching up on computer work I had a call from Texas. My sister-in-law called. She never forgets a birthday. As we were talking Lowell stopped on the way home from work to give me a birthday hug.  I had several email birthday wishes from photography friends and out of town family including one virtual visit.  All in all a very nice birthday.

It’s been a productive Thursday/printing day. The bulletin and newsletter are printed. After a small glitch with the computer in opening the newsletter file.  I had made arrangements with Dorothy to help me to come in on Friday to finish it. As I was listening to the weather predictions, last night I was thinking I should cancel finishing the newsletter Friday at church. The temps aren’t going above 28 degrees on top of freezing rain all night, not conducive to being outside. With the two of us being senior citizens, I felt it best to cancel those arrangements. I brought the newsletter home to finish on my own. My “relaxed” Friday will be a bit different. 

On my way home I looked for a couple of the photos I need for today. When I was home for a bit I helped Sue order one of those smart watches so she can better keep track of her heart and diabetes measurements. This was just after such a watch and its works saved our neighbor’s life, Sue and I together decided she should have one too. 

I got a quick start on the letter for today, an upload left over from yesterday, and cataloging the photos, I started the laundry. 

Today we are having a one day break in the below freezing temperatures that we have been experiencing. It is 53 degrees right now. 

I have stated a plan of searching how to manage my overall diet regimen trying to find food I can safely eat in caring for my diabetes/chronic kidney disease/acid reflux. This looks like it is going to be a major project leaving a very sparse selection of food. 

The word today is pace.  If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau.  Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm. Robert Louis Stevenson. Ambition never is in a greater hurry than I; it merely keeps pace with circumstances and with my general way of thinking. Napoleon Bonaparte.  It generally happens that assurance keeps an even pace with ability. Samuel Johnson.  Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Henry David Thoreau.  I am disturbed when I see the majority of so-called Christians having such little understanding of the real nature of the faith they profess. Faith is a subject of such importance that we should not ignore it because of the distractions or the hectic pace of our lives. William Wilberforce. Great changes cannot take place in the minds of generations of men without a corresponding change in their external symbols. There must be a harmony between the inner and the outward condition of human beings, and the progress of the one must keep pace with the progress of the other. William Godwin.  Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Lao Tzu.

Article summary. This is a little different than some of the more recent articles I have summarized and shared. I think it may touch a little on human sentiment in connection with entertainment. The word sincerity is what caught my attention. The article title is  “In a cynical industry, Rob Reiner’s films taught us the power of sincerity.”  Adam Daniel, Associate Lecturer in Communication, Western Sydney University. At the conversation.com. In the beginning of the article it pointed out that as an actor in All in the Family it “concealed his sharp political intelligence beneath blunt humour.” As the article moved on it related that the intelligence and humour would define his work. I liked the part in the article that used the words “character, contradiction and vulnerability” to describe how he used those concepts for his work in comedy. Some of his work became “influential” in the genre of comedy. I also like the way the author paid tribute to his capability in “brilliance and satirical sharpness” as well as “emotional range”. I think this article honored him in its choices of  mentioning the “unforeseeable” in some of  the entertainment performances he accomplished for people to enjoy and relate to. One way they explained it was how he was able to “explore broader questions of humanity.” Even though some of the subject matter could be “untoward” in spots,  his “work insisted on sincerity as a strength.” This allowed people to enjoy his work “without embarrassment”.  As an ending the author said his work of building characters was “masterful and sincere”. 

I think dinner tonight will be soup and a sandwich. 

Photos in my life today

My first upload today is “round circular”. This is icon is hanging in the hall of my church. 

The next upload is “lights” as the one at the top was also assigned from a different photo club. I spotted this outdoor Christmas tree as I was driving through the neighborhood. The lights were lit even thought it was daylight. I liked the feeling. 

The last upload today is “tree”. This Christmas tree is one in my church as
may be evident by the structures on either side of the tree. I think it also adds to the reason for the season of the tree.

Joy  

a dream break from winter