My Happy Book: March Winds 2019

I misjudged the amount of weeks I needed in my positivity journal for the month of March, so it has the first two weeks of April in the March section. So this post is gonna be packed with goodies. smile!  Let's have GRACE please! Amen! Amen!

I was in a discussion this week about how a positivity book works. They did not understand the concept, so this is how it was explained to me -- write down anything that makes you feel good - favorite memories, your favorite poems, good sayings -- nice, positive things that people have done for you or kind things you have done for yourself or others, etc.. However, the journal is no place for negative things, even if they make you feel good. Say for example, descriptions of activities that hurt other people are not allowed, even if it makes you happy. Rather than reading scary novels or watching horror movies and writing them down in your book, find a good comedy to laugh to or read an inspirational biography about your favorite hero and write that down. I'm allowed to write scripture verses in my positivity journal because my faith is important to me, however you don't have to. Find some good poems, quotes or sayings instead. I was directed to Pinterest. It takes a little discernment to know what is positive and what is negative. When in doubt, leave it out. If crafting isn't your thing (it is mine - I call it my craft therapy - smile!), don't add the pretties. The idea is to write something positive in your book everyday, but if you don't get to it everyday, give yourself some grace and don't worry about it, but don't quit/do it! like Stephanie Ackerman says! Be sure to date the days when you do. 

"Pursuing Radical Joy in Christ" By Tim McConnell. Focus on the Family video

Front spread -- As the daughter of the KING - yes, I'm a peculiar princess -- I tried to find good character traits to add to the first page - a few I have, but Daddy God and I are working on the others. 

CHECKED IT OFF!

Finished a new biography on Albert E Brumley, a gospel songwriter, for my History Nut of Missouri blog! 

DELIGHTFUL VISTAS! 
Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where da robins is? 
Saw tiny purple crocus' blooming in my flower bed.
Wild hyacinths bloomed next. 
dove in front yard, daffodils and forsythia bushes blooming
sunshine!


GOOD CREATIVE EYE CANDY!

My four favorite creative people are: Mary Engelbreit, Gudrun Sjoden, Valerie Sjodin and the doodle lady - Stephanie Ackerman! :)

GOOD NEWS!

My friend, Elizabeth's Good News!

Nick was born, not aborted! And adopted out to a family who wanted him! 

POSITIVE MUSIC!

Accentuate the Positive - with Patti Page & Jo Stafford, 1958

Not In a Hurry - by United Pursuit

GOOD MEMORIES:

One of my Jr. High English teachers wrote a different quote on the board every day. Wish I could remember some of them. But he allowed the one I had written quickly on the board to remain when I got to the classroom ahead of him one day. He said it was an excellent one. = "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." ~ Edmund Burke. 

My dad's cousin's menswear clothing stores in Elkhart and Dodge City, KS. We visited them when we were in town. 

Liberal camp-meeting - I got to stay with my Great-Aunt Ethel Akers one summer for a week during Liberal, KS camp-meeting. Her house was across the street from the camp-meeting tabernacle which was a HUGE metal Quonset building with rows and rows and rows of pews on a dusty concrete floor. There was no air-conditioning in the building and one got there early to hopefully get a seat near a box fan in a window. Remember the vintage paper-board fans? There were plenty of those stuck in the hymnal racks on the back of each pew. Ethel's grand-daughter D, stayed too. We were allowed to go downtown to purchase some dip-film that was all the rage then to make flowers to donate to the Women of the Church of God missionary gift shop. Everything that was sold there were donations crafted by the ladies from district churches to raise money for the support of the COG missionaries like Edna Thimes. I was happy to make and donate my little bit. 

In our gratitude testimony time in our church service, I actually got up and thanked God for my Princess Sister C. smile! 

My husband took our son to work one Sunday morning and then swung by and picked up his parents. We usually take them out to eat on Sunday afternoons and take them shopping for what they need as they have been semi-shut-in since my father-in-law was taken ill last year. So they came to church with us this month! 

How many of you remember your elementary school teachers? I'm grateful for their patience as they taught this slow scholar to read, write, and do arithmetic. My elementary school teachers were: K-Mrs. Ward; 1st-Mrs. Musser; 2nd-Mrs. Dorty; 3rd - Mrs. Roe; 4th-Mrs. Roberts; 5th-Mrs. Hoeper; and 6th - Mrs. Harryman. Our principal was Mrs. Robinson. 

In Oct 2009, I was asked to join a design team for Posh rubber stamps by Warren Gruenig. I happily served for 7 months until the recession hit. I was delighted to be asked -- you mean you want me? smile! Amazed joy! 

Playing with Paula when Great-Uncle Paul came to visit Grandma when we were at the farm. 

Dad's vintage McCall's pattern cabinet. 

My hubby and I went out to eat at our local Chinese Buffet restaurant. 

GOOD POETRY

May your joys be as deep as the oceans
Your troubles as light as its foam
And may you find sweet peace of mind
Wherever you may roam.
~ Irish Proverb

GOOD QUOTES/SAYINGS!


I found a quote about friends on this lovely blog - click here! 

"Remember that when a family member passes away, they take a library of memories with them." ~Mary Harrell-Sesniak

One day you'll just be a memory to some people. Do your best to be a good one. 

"You can become better at anything if you practice everyday. Practice joy. Practice happiness. Practice gratitude. Practice positivity. 

Don't practice complaining. Don't practice negativity. Don't practice impatience. Don't practice self-doubt. The more you engage in these, the better at them you become. ~ Rich Pryn

"By altering your outlook and your perspective and loving the person you are and the body you have--despite the physical & emotional scars left behind from past battles -- you open yourself up to self-love. Pat yourself on the back for all the steps you've taken to rise up. Smile through the tears with confidence in knowing you will get through this." ~ Natalie Hayden. 

March winds bring April showers, May flowers, and June bugs. 

NAPKIN: Life is tough. I recommend getting a manicure and a really cute helmet. 

"People can't drive you crazy if you don't give them the keys." ~ Dr. Mike Bechtel. 

What goes in (our mind), eventually comes out. 

Live Life to Express not to Impress. (Stephanie Ackerman's Doodle Class project)

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day." ~ Henri Nouwen. 

"I determine whether I have a positive life or a negative one." ~ Dr. Gary Chapman.

Walk on the sunny side of the street.

Praise the positive! Neutralize the Negative! (definition: neutralize means to correct or counteract the activity of or the effect of). 

GRATEFUL FOR:
I'm thankful for God's good gifts of grace! 

RAKS:

My sister-in-love found a small silver turtle with a clear glass dome in place of its shell back. Under the dome it said "You Are Loved." She said when she saw it, she couldn't resist getting it for me.

Cards - my pastor sent me one and I stitched the bottom and the side together with embroidery thread to use it as a pocket for a lovely embossed card that my friend, K. stitched for my birthday last year. I also added a glassine pocket to the back to hold a bookmark that I had made from a junk mail postcard. The design was too pretty to throw away. 

My mother-in-love gave me a cameo pin one Sunday. 

My Princess Sister C. gave me a Christmas card that said: "Thoughts of thankfulness for the special gifts God gives like peace and joy and friends like you." :)

GOOD SCRIPTURE!

Exodus 15:2 = The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

Numbers 6:24 = The Lord bless you and keep you.

Psalm 5:11 = But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in you rejoice, let them ever sing and shout for joy, because you make a covering over them and defend them. Let those also who love your name be joyful in you and in high spirits! 

Psalm 34:18 = The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 

Proverbs 15:30 = A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; and good news gives health to the bones.

Isaiah 40:11 = He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Jeremiah 29:13 = You will seek me & find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Documented Faith).

Zechariah 6:12 = Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: "Here is the man whose name is the Branch and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord." 

Luke 1:37 = For nothing is impossible with God. 

John 16: 33 = I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world! 

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 = But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. 

Galatians 5:22-23 = But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Titus 3:4 = But when the Kindness and Love of our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteousness things we had done, but because of his mercy. 

James 1:17 = Every good and perfect gift is from above.

GOOD STUFF!

I LOVE my leggings, but I wear them with a jersey dress or knee-length tunic to cover the hipsters. I love them because 1.) I haven't worn panty-hose for a number of years, mostly because I can't afford my size when they snag or run too easily and I have to replace them;  2.) they don't ride up when I'm walking with my leg brace to make a "mushroom cap" at my knee like regular pants do, and 3.) they prevent my skin from rubbing raw when the brace band moves up and down against my leg as I'm walking. All pluses in my book! 

GOOD WORDS!

Peace, Possible, Seek, Simplicity, Thank you!

YUMMIES!

Fried apples slathered with white bacon gravy -- so yummy!  

I picked up a cookbook at a thrift store that had an interesting title: "The Bible Cookbook: Nourishment for the Body and Soul. By Susan Cameron." I looked through the table of contents and one of the recipes had an interesting title - p. 111 Positive Lamb Chops! The opposite page had a little devotion called "Negativity No More."  Bible Verse - Ephesians 4:31 = Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander; along with every form of malice. 

"Negative energy doesn't help anyone. It drags you down. When you dwell on bad thoughts, you crowd out thoughts that can heal, bless and energize. When you do something bad, you have lost the chance to accomplish something positive. Don't drag all that negativity around like so much dead weight. Turn yourself around this moment. Choose to do good. Choose to be good." ~ Susan Cameron, The Bible Cookbook. 

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UPDATE ON DIET: Doctor has removed caffeine from my diet, so that means no coffee, black tea, chocolate chips, cocoa, energy drinks or gum, Russell Stover's chocolate candy made with stevia, or  soda pop (except diet 7UP, A&W or Stewart's Root Beer as those brands don't have added caffeine). 

I was doing really well without any infections, until I tried sugar again after Christmas. My immunity went back down and my foot got zapped with one, so I'm back to sugar free foods. So I'm back to putting my thinking cap on -- looking for caffeine and sugar-free foods and recipes.

A couple of girlfriends gave me some herbal teas to try -- one gave me a box of Celestial Seasonings Fruit Tea Sampler along with a cute cup that said - "True Friends Make Your Life Sparkle and Shine."

I liked the raspberry and blueberry flavors the best. Next I tried Celestial Seasonings Black Cherry tea and it was yummy! Today I'm drinking their Bengal Spice -- it tastes just like my favorite Chai tea! It even smells good!

Another girlfriend gave me a package of orange-flavored 3 Ballerina Tea Dieter's Drink -- Having tried it, I think I'll save it for days when I need a moving experience as it is made with  Senna leaves! smile!  

I also discovered the sugar free "Singles to Go" drink mix packets in all kinds of flavors -- A & W root-beer, Crush, & Jolly Rancher are some of the brands I found in my local Walmart. You have to be careful though to look at the label on the package as my husband brought home some strawberry drink mix and it had added caffeine. I've been carrying a few of the pouches and tea bags in my purse and ask for ice water or hot water at restaurants and make my own. So far, so good and none of the restaurants I go to have fussed about it. 

I'm on the hunt for recipes using fruit puree again and wondered if any of the baby food companies had recipes using their purees, made with no caffeine, salt, or sugar -- yep! Beechnut does! Gerber had instructions for making my own, like these cooking instructions from wiki homemade "baby food" puree  - I have both a blender and Magic Bullet, so that shouldn't be much of a problem to make my own from cooked fruit and veggies.
I think I told you that I use 1/8 cup (coffee scoop size) Muscle Milk protein powder on my morning oatmeal. I see that the Muscle Milk website now has recipes using their product as an ingredient. I still have to be careful about the sugar and chocolate, but that's good that you can use it in no-bake recipes.

And my hubby purchased a nesting food dehydrator for me, so that I can make my own fruit "chips." I filled all four trays the other night with apple and banana slices and I had enough fruit chips for a week (1 cup a night). 

You know, I'm so blessed to have friends and a hubby who think of me and bring me goodies. 


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