In fact, some people are dead set against receiving love and kindness. They create drama where there is no drama. They are desperate to play the victim. They denounce the faults in others while diminishing their own failings. And no matter how kind or loving you might be, they will always find a way to turn it around into something awful and ugly. Always.
Lesson #2: This shouldn't deter you from being kind and loving to everyone...even that same person.
Loving the unlovely is...sigh...impossible. Arguing, screaming and spewing hate would be way more gratifying but, aside from a moment of vindication, it has no lasting benefits, and it steals way too much from you to be worth it.
Lesson #3: Never let these people suffocate your joy!
No matter who you encounter this week, I'm praying that you will display immeasurable amounts of love and kindness toward all, with a healthy helping of Buddy-the-Elf-esque joy.
Strawberry festival and no shortcake, no jam... terrible
ReplyDeleteI will get to the birdfeeder but it is down the list of projects. Night before last I made liqued soap from a bar of soap. I'm sure you have done this so you know that it has to set up over night. I was so happy that it worked that I sat aside two cups of soap and added a little pumice to make some gardeners soap. It was so cheap and easy that I will never have to buy liqued soap again. Yippee. Next the sewing machine comes out as I have some sewing projects this week.
How is your garden coming ? Mine is alright, some tiny cucumbers and some yellow and pattypan squash coming on.
You know how some books remind you of others. When I was reading Maj. P. I kept thinking this reminds me a bit of The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. When reading The Kite Runner it reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha. I think because both books take you to a place and culture so different from our own experience. They both cover along period of time from the main characters childhood to their adult lives and are so well written you have to remind yourself that you are reading fiction and not a biography. I'm not going to tell you the story of the kite runner because I want you to experience it as the pages unfold. Wonderful!
Sharon I don't think the above post was random. You are a kind. loving, giving person and I'm so sorry if someone was disrespectful and unable to reciprocate your affection. Their loss. You are correct as to all three lessons. I have learned, sometimes from hard experience that some people are in a bad place and no matter the kindess or love you show them they only want to bring you down to their level. Miserery loves company as the saying goes. There is a miserable person over at ykw's place. Really disturbing and creepy and hateful. Sad but aggravating. There has been more patience shown in this sitution than I could muster.
You have many people around you who love you, you just keep loving on them and they will give the love right back my friend.xoxo
I'm going to post a picture of my garden on twitter. I didn't listen to you. I planted two zucchini plants and three squash plants. They've basically taken over. I'm only hoping that there will be bees to pollinate, but with the amount of rain we've been having, I'm not sure that they'll be able to find my little garden. Nothing ready to pick yet - except lettuce!! How's your lettuce?
DeleteSewing machine! Have so much fun! I love sewing projects.
The Kite Runner is on my list! Can't wait! What has been your favorite book? In fact, I'm not sure that I have one favorite book, because I've had different favorites at different times in my life. The Rebel Witch, when I was in elementary school, with one of my favorite lines: Main character has just punched someone to the floor. They respond "You hit me!" She says, "Get up and I'll hit you again!" Hahaha! I loved it. To Kill A Mockingbird in middle school. When I asked my sister why it was titled that, she looked at me and said, "Read it and find out." I was so mad at her, but in the end, so glad that she didn't just tell me the answer. Hermann Hesse's Demian in high school, because I felt like he understood me better than any other at the time, and I felt known and safe because of it. The Screwtape Letters in high school, because it again helped me understand myself a bit more. There were multiple books in college. The last great book that truly affected me was Jim Elliot's In the Shadow of the Almighty. It's basically his journal entries, his thoughts which were well beyond the years of a 20 something. And there are other that I can't think of right now. Oh...A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Life After God...lots...
Yes, this post was written out of my experience today. Still, I staunchly believe that love can conquer all...just maybe not today. ;) Thank you for your kind words!
Have you seen Philomena yet? Really just beautifully done. Worth a watch!
The rain drowned out my adventure for today - we are drenched here! I don't mind - it means I don't have to water the garden.
I hope you're enjoying the start to your summer! xoxo
Don't worry about planting to much squash, everyone does at one time or another. When it starts producing you will have plenty to share, which is nice. You will be the zucchini lady haha. My lettuce has sprouted but not much more, very slow. Yesterday I kept one of my kiddos and his sister and baby brother for awhile so their mother could go to the dentist. She told me her sister-in-laws family grew four hundred ears of corn. She asked if I would like some, I said yes please! They will bring it on saturday.
ReplyDeleteI have a new sewing machine. My old,old one had seen better days. Since I started this new shopping method I have been doing more scratch cooking and also I'm trying to cut back on paper products. I decided that I would start with something simple like making more cloth napkins and some new aprons. Do you wear aprons? I hope these easy projects will help me get used to this new machine.
Favorite book... I don't know. My mind kinda goes to a blur withof so many books. When I was young I read all of the Nancy Drew books. I guess that was my first book series haha.I clung onto those books until I finally gave the first five in the series away to a little girl for Christmas. I do remember reading Gone With The Wind when I was about twelve, it seemed a weighty tome to me at that time. In more recent times I would say Memoirs of a Geisha, The Name of the Rose, Under the Tuscan Sun, and two different series which I have read all the books. Jan Karen's Mitford series and Tony Hillerman's Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn series. I'm sure there are other books but those are some that come to mind. At Books On the Nightstand blog they threw out a game to get people interested in summer reading which at first I thought was silly. But giving it more thought I wondered how far I could go with the 24 topics and genre's they suggested. Maybe this would take me out of my comfort zone, broaden my reading. Of the 24 I've only filled in about half. 1. thriller/ suspense-Lions of Lucerne-B.Thor 2.one best seller-? 3.reread something-Watership Down 4. part of a series- Somewhere Safe With Someone Good- J. Karen 5. that you started but never finished- I can't think of one, I always force my way thru even if I don't like it -why? 6. with a child on the cover-Heaven Is For Real-T. Burpo 7. aurthor who shares your first name -Last Christmas-J Williams 8. choice because of cover-The Time In Between-M. Duenas 9. one word title- Persuasion-J. Austin 10. book with a red cover-? 11. set in another country-The Lost Child of Philmena Lee- P. Lee 12. a novella-? 13. a classic that you should have read in school-Middlemarch-G Elliot 14. a play-? 15.that you saw someone else reading-? 16. by a small press-The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street- S. Gilman 17. an audiobook- haha audiobooks make me sleepy 18. historical fiction-? 19.poetry collection-? 20. Graphic novel-? 21. science fiction-? 22. that everyone but you has read-The Book Thief 23.has been on your tbr list for over two years-My Name is Mary Sutter-R. Oliviera 24. biography or memoir-? If I think about these for fall/winter reading I think I can fill them all in except 20 and 21, I never read those genre's. How about you,do you think you could cover all those topics.
I'll try now to wait until I read the book to see Philamena. They could have throw in best film adaptation from a book!
Have a good day my friend :-)
I plan on making an apron this summer too!! I'm so excited about it. I should be wearing aprons, but I wear long skirts and just wipe my hands on those! Hahaha!
DeleteSo kind of you to watch some kiddos for a while! Just like you!
Okay, your book list! Wow! I've been giving it some thought and I have no idea what I would read. I've read the first of the Mitford series but I didn't really get into it. I'm not one to force my way through a book. Actually, if I don't like the beginning, I go to the end and read the ending. Gasp! Sacrilege, I know! I'm impressed with your stick-to-it-edness...(so not a word!) Heave is for Real was an interesting, fast read. Persuasion is one of my sister's favorite Jane Austen stories. A play? Waiting for Godot was interesting. When we were in NYC Andy and I could have seen that with Jean Luc Picard and Magneto, but we saw Chicago instead. Still kind of kicking myself. Audiobook: have you heard or read Tina Fey's Bossypants? Have the audio book and it cracks me up. But the best audiobook I've ever heard is The Help. Just amazing. Really worth a listen. Historical fiction? Does Redeeming Love count? Have you ever read that? Poetry: Have you ever read anything by Mary Oliver? Red Bird is a great one. Graphic Novel? Hahaha! Science Fiction...not my category either. I haven't read the book thief yet either. The memoir I'm reading now is pretty hilarious, but it has quite a bit of cussing. You might not like it, but in case you're interested, "Let's Pretend this Never Happened." Just too funny!
Okay, so now I have to figure out what I would read for all those. I'll let you know. I'm not sure that I have a good handle on what I would even want to read. That's always my biggest problem, finding something that will hold my attention.
We were able to have salads for dinner the other day bc our lettuce is growing so nicely. I hope yours does soon as well. Enjoy the corn!
Have a great weekend, friend!