One of the best ways to take your mind off things that are stressing you is to take a walk and look at nature. My husband and I take our walk most evenings when he gets home from work.  It gives us a chance to talk and it helps him to unwind from the pressures of his work day. In my neighborhood there are always a lot of wildlife like deer, rabbits and birds to observe. Just simply marveling at how amazing they are is enough to take your mind off most anything.

Then there’s the sunrise over the river in the morning and the colors of the sunset in the evening to awe and inspire us. Every time I see them it’s always breathtaking. I never get tired of that beauty. The river itself is a sight to behold; smooth and calm one day, full of whitecaps the next. You’ll see some impressive things in this Earth God created and it will remind you just how insignificant what you thought you had to worry about really was.

We’ve all been cooped up in our homes and offices for such a long time. I’m afraid it’s going to get worse again before it gets better. So, I guess my point is just get outside and move! Enjoy the view wherever you live. A walk is simply good for the soul; I promise!

Blessings, Cindy J

I think we can ALL agree that 2020 was a difficult year. It was indeed a year of many changes and challenges. But most of all, it was a year of finding out that the simple things in life can be our biggest blessings. That’s why I have decided that during 2021, I am going to keep a blessing box. Each time I encounter a blessing, I will write it down on a card and put it in my Blessing Box. Or maybe, I’ll slip a memento of a special trip into the box. There will probably be a picture or two of my sweet grandchildren and my family as well. Just saying!  I want this to be a year of thankfulness and gratitude for everything that God has allowed me to see and do. Won’t you join me in looking at all the good things in your life this year?

Blessings, Cindy J.

Traditions; boy, that word kind of went right out the window this holiday season! Large family gatherings, office parties, church socials and Christmas programs were either cancelled or scaled back. In our small town, we didn’t even have a Christmas parade! The things that we love so much about the season just weren’t done this past year.

Traditions are important to us.  They define who our people are and when we can’t spend time with them it can be very disheartening. Our people can be our family, our church, our community, etc. They’re the ones we long to gather with on special occasions and holidays. Sorry, but Facetime and Zoom are just not the same.

In the church, especially a Baptist church, we are all about tradition. Traditions are good in that they help us remember who and what has come before us. Plus, they give us a sense of structure and belonging.  In my family, traditions are changing and developing to meet the needs of my adult children.

The fact is though that traditions change and people struggle with change. Sometimes we have to redefine and adjust traditions to meet the needs of the current situation. It’s all about negotiating the old and the new until we can agree on a different tradition. In this season of challenges with COVID, don’t give up your traditions. They matter. Just find a new way to make them work.

Happy New Year!

Blessings, Cindy J.

I am alive! I am well! I am blessed! This is how I feel today and this is how I should feel every day. Just the fact that I am still alive after facing my bout with cancer 10 years ago is enough to make each day a grand day indeed! On those days when I struggle, and I do struggle, that is what I need to focus on so I can remain positive. I am a child of God and He cares for my daily needs. I matter to the one who created the universe. Isn’t that the greatest blessing of all? My two grown sons and their spouses are healthy and well, just wish they lived a little closer but they are happy. My husband loves and protects me. I live in a beautiful home in a quiet neighborhood. I’m retired so I don’t have the stress of work any longer plus it gives me time to write. Yes, blessed and at peace. What a gift!

Oh, did I mention my sweet granddaughters? Now that’s a blessing that always makes me smile. Plus, I have another grandchild waiting to make his appearance in January of 2021! In this season of Thanksgiving, take time to think about all the things that make you truly blessed. I bet you’ll be surprised at how many things you can add to your list. You see when you count your blessings, they just never seem to stop.

P. S. I am blessed to know each of you and thankful that you read my blog. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Blessings, Cindy J

I think I’ve always known that the little things matter. When I was working in my first public job as a cashier at McDonalds, my boss told me to pay attention to details and be nice to every customer. He said if I excelled at this part time job, people would notice and better things would come. I embraced that philosophy in my professional life and always tried to make sure I took care of the little things; even when no one else paid attention. What I’ve learned though is that other people really are watching.

I tried to use that same philosophy in raising my boys. A little note of encouragement, an extra treat for hard work, cooking their favorite food at a meal, sitting down to play a game after dinner and yes, editing papers when needed. These little things matter. A lot!

My question for myself today is, do I pay the same attention to the little things when it comes to God? Does my Christian walk show they matter? Do I notice when He sends someone my way that needs my time or resources? Do I share the hardships I’ve been through with others who are going through the same thing? In reality, I think we can all ask ourselves these questions. Someone may be watching and waiting. They may need that little thing in their life that only you can give them. The next time you think that the little things don’t matter just remember, they DO!

Blessings, Cindy J

While shopping in a small coastal town the other day, I kept seeing all these signs like you find in touristy gift shops that listed various attributes as super powers. We all know that only super heroes have super powers, right? Spiderman does his web thing; Batman is the caped crusader and Superman has tremendous strength. Their goal, to use their special powers for the common good of mankind. Those signs got me to thinking though, do I have a super power? And I decided that I do, yes indeed I do.

Anyone who has ever given birth to a child knows that motherhood is a super power. Who else besides a Mom would go through nine months of carrying a baby, then labor and invest all that time and love in molding a person to give to the world? I have two grown self-sufficient sons to prove it! Yep, I’m pretty proud of that super power.

As a retired educator, I can definitely say that teaching is a super power! It takes a desire to want to be around students all day long, deal with the constraints of education these days and plan engaging lessons to help children learn. Every educator is a super hero in my book.

One super power I thank God for every day is that of being a cancer survivor and thriver. If you’ve been through cancer treatment and come out on the other side, that makes you a super hero. If you’re going through cancer treatment right now, you’re using all your super powers to get through this ordeal. One result of being a survivor is that I have become a writer and am sharing my thoughts with each of you. You see, super powers build on each other.

My very best super power is that of being a Christ follower. I mean the Bible says, “I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength”. He is the greatest super hero of all time and I’m grateful I belong to Him. The next time you start to think that you have nothing to contribute just remember, each of us has a super power. Use it for the good of mankind.

Blessings, Cindy J

That’s a pretty appropriate question for this time of the year. Buses are finally going to get back on the road and school will start to return to a new normal schedule. I ask though, have you ever really thought about who’s driving the bus? I can tell you from my experience as an educator, a good bus driver is important. That bus ride to school can set a kid’s tone for the day. If an experienced, compassionate driver is not driving, then chaos breaks out. If something happens on the bus, the rest of the day is usually not a great one for that student. A good bus driver knows their students and can anticipate problems many times before they arise.

We all need guidance from time to time and it’s important to know who’s driving our bus! Do we pay attention to who we let sit in the driver’s seat or do we just let anyone influence our decisions? For those of us who have had to make life changing decisions about our health, it’s important to know that a competent physician is driving that bus. Actually, for just about any major decision we need to make sure that we have someone capable guiding us to make the right choice. I mean, would you buy a car from someone who doesn’t know anything about cars?

Over the years, there have been times when I let someone drive my bus who was not qualified and I ended up making decisions that were not right for me. I’m learning what I really knew all along, that God needs to be the primary bus driver and that He will send in the right driver at the right time. So I leave you with this thought today, who’s driving your bus?

Blessings, Cindy J

I can’t tell you how many times I used to say to my boys when they were younger, “Now, hold my hand and do not let go.” It was my way of protecting them from the dangers of the world. Plus, I just liked having them place their little hand in mine. My youngest in particular had a habit of darting ahead and getting into trouble so I was always careful to hold firmly onto his hand!  When couples first start dating, they always hold each other’s hands as they walk along. It’s their way of sharing the newness of their relationship. When we meet someone for the first time, many times we shake hands with them. When you’re sad and a friend reaches over and puts their hand on yours, it’s comforting. Holding hands is important to us for many reasons; it’s how we stay connected to one another

In these times of COVID-19, we are discouraged from touching hands and we’ve lost that important connection. Elbow bumps just aren’t the same as having that physical contact with one another. I will be glad for the day when I can look at someone and say, “Hold my hand”. It’s much easier to navigate this world when we hold onto each other. Plus, it’s just a whole lot better with someone by your side. Hang on tight and don’t let go.

Blessings, Cindy J

My front porch is home to many, many spiders. I’m not sure why they like my porch so much, but they do! I can knock down their webs in the morning and by evening they’ve built them back again. They are persistent little creatures. I guess I have to admit that I do admire their tenacity as well as their handiwork. I often wonder how something so small can create such an intricate work of art.

One of my favorite webs is created by the black and yellow garden spider. Their web has the most unique crisscross pattern and when it is covered in the morning dew, well it is simply awe inspiring. Again I ask, how in the world do they know exactly how to weave that particular pattern? The answer is that it is other worldly. In short, it’s a God thing. It’s the way He created them to be in nature.

We can learn a lot from spiders. Obviously, they don’t give up easily and they make no apologies for building the webs that help them survive. Their web after all is how they snag their meals!  If we as humans had to work that hard to survive, I wonder how we would fare? Yet there are times when we do feel unsure of how we are going to make it to the next day. That’s when our inner strength and courage kick in. For me, that’s a strength that comes from my faith.

So, be like a spider. Work hard. Don’t give up when someone or something tears down your web. Press forward.  Create a thing of beauty with your life regardless of the odds you face. Get out there and build your web anyway.

Blessings, Cindy J