Hunting The Good Stuff

I will never forget hearing Elisabeth Elliott speak to missionaries gathered at Alliance Academy in Quito, Ecuador.

Perhaps you know her story told in the 2007 movie End Of The Spear. Elisabeth Elliott was a mother of nine months, married just three years when her husband, Jim, was killed in the Ecuadorian jungle attempting to make missionary contact with the Huaorani Indians. A lesser woman would have fled the Huaorani and Ecuador. Instead, Elisabeth learned the Huaorani language and three years later returned with her young daughter to minister to those who had killed her husband.

Marveling at her resilience I imagined she would share how the Lord had carried her when she could not walk. How the love of friends and family had sustained her through her darkest days, etc. etc. Instead she gave a locker room speech and quoted Isaiah 40! “Have you not known? Have you not heard?...The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary…He gives power to the weak and, to those who have not might He increases strength.” She said, as Christians we have no business falling into despair when stunned by the blows of life! When there is no one around to help keep you from succumbing to discouragement you have to, “Get a hold of yourself. Pick yourself up by the scruff of the neck, sit yourself down and remind yourself of God’s promises!” It is up to us, not our husbands or our wives, our pastors or friends to strengthen ourselves in the Lord.

How? How do I stop listening to my doubts, fears, worries and feelings and strengthen myself in the Lord?

One way is to deliberately shift my focus from the bad, begin hunting the good stuff and then writing it down for future reference. The good stuff that demonstrates: God is who He says He is; can do what He says He can do; and that I am who God says I am. As I begin journaling the good stuff, I strengthen my soul and am able, as Elisabeth Elliott exhorts, to follow the command, not the suggestion of Christ to, “Let not your heart be troubled”. (John 14:1)

Some Summer-Time for YOU!

“Summertime and the living is easy”? Maybe not so much…

Summer can produce mega stress with the kids out of school and a list of “Summer Fun” activities that keep you on the road more hours than the UPS man! Add to that, basket upon laundry basket of sweaty Tee’s and underwear; outdoor plants and gardens that need tending to; dirty dogs with fleas; sky-high gas prices dampening promised vacations; water bills that make you want to dig wells, visits from out-of-towners on their vacation; cooking on the grill; keeping the hummingbird feeder full; mowing the grass; severe thunderstorms that zap your PC and keep your nerves on edge; trying on bathing suits with 3-way mirrors; the summer kid swap with your “ex” and mosquito bites on top of sunburn…

Good grief! All this summer “fun” makes the chaos of the Christmas season look like a swing in the hammock!

And speaking of hammocks, when was the last time you rested your weary bones in one or any other comfy thing for that matter? When was the last time you did something nice for yourself? Write down what it was and how long it has been since then:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I imagine you just created a pretty short list of event(s) and that they took place some time ago, right?

Now look at my list of 50 Fun Ideas To Give Yourself A Lift and with no guilt, excuses or reasons why not to, pick one that appeals to you. Then copy the sentence below on a piece of paper, fill in the blanks and then tape the paper to your bathroom mirror.

“This week on (write the specific day of the week) ______________,
I am going to__________________________.”


50 Fun Ideas To Give Yourself A Lift!

1. Go card shopping - mail one to a friend and one to yourself.
2. Ask the manicurist to glue a gem on your pinky nail.
3. Take any kind of a “first class free” class.
4. Buy yourself some flowers at the grocery store.
5. Lie on a blanket and stare up at the sky.
6. Sit outside in the sun, close your eyes and listen to the birds.
7. Drive to the closest body of water and splash!
8. Pick out some fancy stationery to write on.
9. Visit to an upscale market, drink the complimentary coffee and try all the
food samples.
10. Plant some garden bulbs in a tight group.
11. Brush your hair 100 times.
12. Start a project with a friend – scrapbooking, knitting…
13. Take a train ride.
14. Go roller or ice skating.
15. Subscribe to a new, fun magazine.
16. Make yourself a hot fudge banana split with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry
on top!
17. Light every single candle in the house.
18. Drive to a new neighborhood then get out and walk it.
19. Read something worthless while you get a pedicure.
20. Sing in the shower! Loud!!
21. Go to a pet store and hold the bunnies.
22. Go to the animal rescue league and bring home a friend.
23. Order a gourmet sandwich you have never tried before and eat it at a picnic
table.
24. Invite a friend to join you for “formal” coffee wearing a hat and gloves.
25. Go to a beauty school and get a facial…


Want to see the other 25? Great! Shoot me an e-mail at thebloomlady@gmail.com and I’ll send them to you right away! I’ll also add you to my list of Column Friends so you can start receiving my column and our more-or-less quarterly newsletter.

Remember: Stressed spelled backward equals desserts - and you deserve some!Choose to change things with a new attitude that says, "I'm worth taking good care of!", and begin taking time for some summertime fun just for YOU!

And smile! God loves you.

Give Your Heart A Home

Have you ever noticed how the drive to a place you have never been before seems longer than the return trip along the same route? I experienced this phenomenon on a recent trip to Lake City, SC. The unfamiliar roads twisted and turned for seemingly endless miles with only the robotic voice of my GPS leading the way. I wish my GPS knew how to give what my husband calls “girl directions”. Instead of simply stating, “Continue on SC Route 134 for 46 miles”, it would say something like: “Turn right and then stay on 134 for about half an hour or so. You can go fast past all the corn fields but slow down after that. When you get to the big stop sign and blinking caution light you will see a building on the left with a red tin roof. Be sure to stop and browse, because they have great hostess gifts!” Don’t get me wrong. I am very thankful for my GPS. Without it the police at the speed traps after the corn fields would more than likely have been out on a “search and rescue” mission trying to find me!.
Joining other friends I took my seat in a comfortable wooden pew and opened the program inscribed, “In Loving Memory of Milne Eaddy”. Milne is the mother of a dear friend who is also a member of a small group of women known as the Tuesday Girls. The name was derived from the days we lived on the coast of South Carolina and met each Tuesday for prayer and topical Bible studies. Separated now by time and space, we continue the tradition by gathering once a year for a time of rest and reflection and would never miss being together in times of celebration or sorrow.
Reading the order of the service, I was struck by the number of family members participating. The prelude was played by a beloved granddaughter, the presiding pastor was a newly ordained nephew and the eulogy was given by another granddaughter. It was this granddaughter who most deeply touched me with her words.
“I am a military wife and, because of that, I have not been able to be with my Grandmother as often as I would have liked. She knew that and she knew it was hard for me to be away from her. So, whenever we talked she never ended our conversation without reminding me that, though I may be separated from my family, nothing could separate me from the love of God. She would tell me to remember the words of the children’s song, Jesus Loves Me and never said good bye without reminding me she loved me too”. With quivering hands and a lump in her throat, the beautiful young woman at the podium concluded by saying, “The love of my Grandmother and her reminders of God’s love for me has helped me be a good military wife.”
Driving home on the now semi-familiar route, time seemed to fly even as a steady rain added water hazards to my journey. I reflected on the words of my friend’s daughter based on the Biblical truth of Romans 8:38-39. They could have well been my own. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” No matter where life takes you, with or without military orders, when you know the love of Jesus your heart will always have a home.

Book A Mover & Then Get Out The "P's"

I know you've been there. You pick up that "real" (code for old, worn and dirty)treasure and just can't decide if you should pack or not. Here's a clue: If that thought even crosses your mind, the answer is "no". It's kind of like when a man proposes. If he opens the ring box, pops the question and if there is any other thought immediately in you heart and mind other than, "yes, yes, yes", the answer should be "no". Another thing to keep in mind is my golden rule about ugly things. DO NOT KEEP THEM. THEY WILL GROWN ON YOU!

So what are the "P's"? Obviously they are not the frozen kind. Keep those for your aching back after bending over packing boxes all day. These P's are easy to remember (there are only of them) and are all words beginning with the letter "P". Here is how it works:

Each time you touch or pick up an item tell yourself you can not put it down again until you have decided if you are going to:
Pack It
Pitch It, or
Pass It On

More about how to decide on the tough stuff later...
In the meantime, remember the Law of the Harvest ~ you will reap what you sow!

3 Weeks To Edgefield County a Bloom!

3 Weeks To Edgefield County aBloom!


In just three weeks, on Saturday, April 30, The first annual Edgefield County aBloom event will tak place from 10:30 to noon at the community theater in Edgefield, SC, and I'm still not sure if I should be baking quiche for a crowd or just enough for a few close friends...

The idea in planning this event is for me to record my latest talk, "It's All About Change" in a setting where the acoustics are great and a live audience is present. It's also a great way of advertising for our county merchants and will give our newly opened community theater exposure and support. A local artist, Pamela Moore, will be painting the backdrop for the stage (can't wait to see it!!) and door prizes will be given away! The event is free but we will be "passing the hat" to raise funds for the theater.



With limited seating and all this fun in store for everyone you would think the RSVPs would be pouring in! But getting a solid, "yes" or "no" from folks is proving a hard thing to do. "I'll try", "Maybe" and "I'll be there - unless something else comes up between now and then", are not words to inspire a gal to bake by!

So, I guess I'll be on the phone for a while, going down the list, asking the age old sales question: "Is there any reason why I should not count on you being there?"

We All Live In Cracked Pots

Two of my friends have undergone radical mastectomies. One of them is more alive than ever, completing her “bucket list” at the speed of light, while exhausting the rest of us.

The other seems stuck in defining herself by her cancer and is slow to move past her surgery to the place where she finds a renewal of life in her relationships and is able to scatter joy in the lives of others.

Another friend, Doris, who has endured the heartache, loss and pain of losing her only son in a tragic accident recently told me she believes life is much like a grape; it is in the crushing that the good stuff comes out!

Her comment reminded me of the children’s story of the Velveteen Rabbit and how he became “real” when his whiskers were worn off, his fur was matted and spotty and he had been loved so long he could not even remember when his nose was pink.

Like the Velveteen Rabbit, Doris and my bucket list friend have been able to grow through the experience of their pain and are two of the most vibrant, caring, compassionate and loving women I know.

The other has turned inward and spends most of her time at home talking about ailment and seems far worse for wear than “real”.

I may not know exactly how I would respond to a radical mastectomy but would like to think I’d fall somewhere in the middle of my two friends reactions and, in time, like Doris be able see the promise of Romans 8:28.

How To Make New Friends In A Jiffy

Don’t waste time waiting for the Welcome Wagon to arrive.

Instead, keep an eye out for neighbors returning from work.
Then surprise them with a welcome gift of this easy to bake deliciousness
and you’ll literally be making friends in a jiffy!

Longing for someone to ring your doorbell? Bake the bread in a glass pan that has to be returned. Not quite ready for return visits? Use a disposable pan or cut bread into squares and deliver on a paper plate. This method allows you to taste the bread
before making deliveries, and maybe keep a square or two for yourself

Oh yes, don’t forget to swap phone numbers while you’re there!

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Grease well a square baking pan.
Preheat the oven to 375.

Make Friends In A Jiffy Corn Bread Recipe
From the kitchen of The Bloom Lady, Penny Hunt

In a medium size bowl, mix together:

½ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 small can cream of corn
1 8oz container sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 8oz box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Pour mixture into greased pan and bake at 375 degrees
25-30 minutes or until just golden brown. Don’t over bake!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This has helped me meet the neighbors for years.
What works for you when you're the new kid on the block?