Good Life

"Perhaps the secret to the 'good life' is revealed in the Nearings' simply abundant suggestions for living less stressfully, which Helen shared in her moving memoir, Loving and Learning the Good Life:

"Do the best you can, whatever arises.

"Be at peace with yourself.

"Find a job you enjoy.

"Live in simple conditions; housing, food, clothing; get rid of clutter.

"Contact nature everyday; feel the earth under your feet.

"Take physical exercise through hard work; through gardening or walking.

"Don't worry; live one day at a time.

"Share something every day with someone else; if you live alone, write someone; give something away; help someone else somehow.

"Take time to wonder at life and the world; see some humor in life where you can.

"Observe the one life in all things.

"Be kind to the creatures."

--Simple Abundance

Scott and Helen Nearing abandoned their life in New York City in 1932 to become pioneers in the mountains of Vermont. They were determined to create a completely self-sufficient lifestyle that was solely dependent on their wits, hard work, and perserverance - all during the darkest days of the Great Depression.

Their journey included drinking only water, juices and herbal brews, consuming little more than raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and mass quantities of popcorn. They didn't use salt, sugar, tea, coffee, dairy products, or eggs. They didn't smoke or consume alcohol. Honey was only used sparingly - because it exploited the bees, and maple syrup was used and sold only when needed - because it sucked the life blood of the maple tree. They built their own stone house by hand when Helen was in her seventies and Scott was in his nineties.

Scott lived to be 100 years old, and Helen was died at 91. That's quite the life. This was their "Good Life."

I'm not sure why I am so intrigued by them today. But as I went camping last night - with all the wonderful convienences of being 10 minutes from home - I thought of them. I'm sure, despite such basic living, they had so much to be thankful for each day. Something to ponder...

Things I am thankful for today:

1. My inhaler. It's a steep climb to the campsites at our nearby State Park. Phew.

2. My hubby - so patient and kind when I'm having a rough time.

3. Campfires.

4. Smores.

5. A comfy, cozy tent - when it suddenly rains, especially!

6. Visitors to the campsite - raccoons, turkeys, deer...

7. Waking up to a beautiful sunny morning!

8. Neosporin - I slipped on some gravel going down the steep hill and scraped up my leg pretty good (I don't think I've had a scraped knee in about 10 years!).

9. Taking a nap at the pool.

10. Lots of laughs with the hubby this evening - especially leaving to go to the grocery store without shoes or his wallet. I think we need some more sleep....

Friday Fave Five - July 10th

Ohmygoodness. This week went by FAST! But good. Lots of good things. At Living to Tell the Story, we share our five favorite things about the week - feel free to join Susanne and the rest of us, and share yours too!1. Friday night in Hudson, WI for the Fourth of July festivities. The hubby and I took our lawn chairs and set up on the banks of the St. Croix river to watch the smalltown fireworks, literally, over our heads. Beautiful and fun! Afterwards, we snuck up to our favorite restaurant (while the traffic was heavy getting out of town), shared some coconut scallop pasta and a little tres leche dessert... and headed home. A perfect evening.

2. Saturday afternoon and evening, we headed to my parents' house in my home town and spent the day with the family, the neighbors, and friends. We talked, laughed, ate yummy food, avoided rain, and watched bigger fireworks, literally over our heads! Great fun - and worth the late drive home!

3. Sunday was a good day too! At worship, my pastor prayed over me and "dedicated" me to my new full-time position at that church! It felt really nice to have such support as I get started with this new job, full of possibilities! After church, the hubby and I spent the afternoon at the pool, and enjoyed a fun visit from Emily and Elly. So fun and relaxing! A great day.

4. Two days this week I volunteered for a Summer Meal Program at one of our local elementary schools - we went and served breakfast to about 200 summer school kids, grades 1-5. So fun! I got to work with people from my current, and old, churches - so it was good to stay connected to some already. The kids were so cute and polite and sweet. (The only thing I didn't care for, was being called "M'am" all morning... I think I'm past the days of "Miss." Bummer.)

5. I'm going camping tonight! I missed all my opportunities for sleeping under the stars last summer - so I'm very excited for tonight! The hubby and I will go to a State Park only 10 minutes from home, hike in to the campground, set up camp, eat a yummy dinner, enjoy a campfire and some smores, and watch the stars. Tomorrow, we'll make breakfast, break down camp, hike out, come home, and... go to the pool! Ha ha ha. I love living so close to a State Park!

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Sleeping in til 8am. That seems so late compared to the rest of the week!

2. The dog being giddy that I am still at home with her! (I worked 10-11 hour days all week...)
3. Getting a campsite.

4. The hubby calling to make sure I was awake to go get the campsite when they opened - well, I'm amused at that... Ha ha ha.

5. A beautiful drive in the country this morning - and again this afternoon.

6. Orange juice.

7. "The Message" paraphrase of the Bible.

8. Pastor Penny working our "Open Sanctuary" last night. It felt so good to be home by 6:30pm!

9. Smores.

10. Major rainfall last night! My flowers look great today!

200!

Whoa. This is my two-hundredth post. Crazy. You know what else that means? Over 2,000 things I have listed as being thankful for!!! Whoa... I like it.

The quote for today:

"Reflect. Be thankful. Be joyful and at peace."
--Anonymous

Perfect quote for a busy and chaotic week, and a 200th post. Thanks for all your lovely comments, kind support, and inspiration! I am thankful for all of you! And now that this crazy week is almost over - I am finding joy, and will be at peace tomorrow night around a campfire. I can't wait!

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Hitting the snooze twice this morning - I think it helped get me through the day.
2. The hubby making me coffee, and placing my mug next to my purse so I wouldn't miss it!
3. The little school kids at the Summer Meal Program I volunteered for this morning - so cute, and SO polite! I wish I could work with them everyday...
4. Spontaneous lunch with the hubby in the middle of a work day.
5. The dog hunched like a vulture by the window - keeping an eye on the neighborhood, and protecting me. She's vicious...
6. An email from my friend, Emily. Cracks me up!
7. Two of my former youth group kids having a CD release party this weekend! So exciting!
8. A fully charged battery on my computer. Finally!
9. Matt Kearny's comment on the radio about Lucinda Williams: "Now that's a woman. I would make her bacon and eggs." It made me laugh.
10. Melissa's little girls turned two years old today, and Beth's daughter is missing her from camp. So sweet - they're great moms.

Yummy Wednesday - Ginger Almond Grapes

One of my favorite summer snacks - great for bringing to a dinner party or cookout! They're cool and refreshing: Grapes Rolled in Almonds and Ginger, from the cookbook, The New Intercourses: an aphrodisiac cookbook. (Yes, it's the funny cookbook I told you about. I'm telling you - GREAT recipes!) So here it is:

Grapes Rolled in Almonds and Ginger

1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted

1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger

15 to 20 seedless grapes, washed and thoroughly dried

Chop the toasted almonds finely or grind in a food processor.

Blend the cream cheese and ginger in a bowl with an electric mixer.

Stir the grapes into the cream cheese mixture to coat.

Roll the grapes in the ground almonds.

Place on a wax-paper-lined plate and chill until firm.

Delish!

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Volunteering at a local elementary school, serving summer school kids breakfast. So fun - the kids are great!

2. Fun re-connecting with one of my favorite people from my old church! Good to see you, Gil!

3. Today, at 4:05 and 6 seconds on July, 8, '09 , it was 040506070809 - cool, huh?! Thanks, Diane!

4. Leftover mango chicken salad for lunch. No, I didn't make it. But it was so good!

5. Meeting up with Tracie for coffee - a great friend to talk about all things ministry, and all things life.

6. Making dinner with the hubby (he IS the great panini master!).

7. A nice walk on a cool evening.

8. Hooking up the DVD player and watching "Gran Torino" with Clint Eastwood. If you can get past all the derogatory words in the movie - it's a wonderful film! Highly recommended!

9. Chocolate chip cookies.

10. Refund checks from energy company screw-ups. 1/2 our vacation is paid-for on this one! Woo-hoo!

Unconditional

"God's love is without condition. He does not accept us because we are good. God is good, loving, and merciful and therefore accepts us. We are free to resist the grace of God, but we are not free to seperate ourselves from God's love.

"I know this to be true of my relationship with God because I know it to be true of my relationship with my son. Were my son to run away from home, he would seperate himself from my blessing. I couldn't feed him. I couldn't clothe him. I couldn't protect him. I couldn't hold him, comfort him, or tell him I loved him. My ability to bless him would be limited, at least until his return. But while my son is free to seperate himself from my blessing, he isn't free to seperate himself from my love. I have chosen to love him no matter what. His freedom to seperate himself from my blessing doesn't diminish my freedom to love him. His freedom to disregard my love doesn't require me to disown him."
--From the book, If Grace Is True by Gulley and Mulholland

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Alarm clocks. Uff-da.
2. Lunch with a friend - pizza and laughs. Good combo.
3. Having a couch and soft lighting in my office - good study atmosphere!
4. Getting a lot done today.
5. Book group. Good women!
6. Never having had a job where I had to ask someone for permission to use the restroom. Melissa, that one's for you!
7. Going for a walk with the hubby when I got home.
8. The hubby posted, "Megan is a Goddess in the kitchen" on his Facebook. Ha ha ha.
9. Missing all of the Michael Jackson hub-bub today.
10. A beautiful sunset and toads on our trail! I love our nature area!

A Simple Woman's Daybook - July 6th Edition

For Today...

Outside my window... it's a GORGEOUS day! Sunny, warm, slight breeze... Perfect.
I am thinking... I need to get it in gear today... The pool is calling my name!
I am thankful... to have had such a nice weekend. Family, friends, laughter, fireworks, relaxation, good food - it was all good.
From the kitchen... leftovers tonight, shrimp tacos tomorrow, and artichoke muffeletta sandwiches later in the week!
I am wearing... pastel plaid pj pants, and an orange tank top.
I am creating... a worship service. I preach again already this coming Sunday... I could use prayers on this one - it's a tough one!
I am going... to have lots of lunches with friends this week! I like that!
I am reading... "If Grace Is True" by Philip Gulley and James Mulholland, "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner, and I've started "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert.
I am hoping... the hubby and I can go camping Friday night!
I am hearing... kids playing down the street, car alarms going off (which is about to drive me insane!), and just a little bit of construction equipment.

One of my favorite things... unexpected visits from friends!
A few plans for the rest of the week... meetings, book group, lunches with friends, volunteering at a school breakfast program, camping...
Here is picture thought I am sharing... I took this picture on our walk last week... but for some reason it didn't get published. So here it is - the last full dandelion left on the trail. Pretty, isn't it?

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Cereal and OJ for breakfast - ahhh... the simplicity of it!
2. One last day off for the holiday weekend.
3. Mom found Bailey's frisbee! Phew!
4. The neighborhood kids singing across the street - so cute.
5. A really good workout!
6. A long walk.
7. Leftover steak for dinner. Yum-a-roo!
8. Funny notes on Facebook.
9. New pictures of my niece, Finley. So cute. 10. Low humidity. Love it.

Glorious

"Better one good thing that is, rather than two good things that were, or three good things that may never come to pass."
--Irish proverb

"Today there was no need to glance wistfully at the past or project anxiously into the future because the present was fully lived and simply abundant. Today was rich with one good thing after another until it literally overflowed with pleasure."
--Simple Abundance

A good Sunday.

Things I am thankful for today:

1. My great aunt, Nadine. I received news this morning that she passed away over the weekend. She was a great lady to be around - and will be dearly missed.
2. A prayer of dedication for my new full-time employment at church this morning. So nice.
3. The hubby's hugs.
4. Time at the pool. Glorious day for it!
5. A surprise visit from my friend Emily and her daughter, Elly. So fun!
6. Watching the hubby with Elly - so cute.
7. A LONG nap.
8. Grilling out - steaks, corn on the cob... as if we hadn't had enough good food this weekend!
9. Dessert - tirimisu... and then...
10. The hubby wanted MORE dessert! We had a piece of chocolate torte in the fridge and we finished that off too! It's vacation, right?! Ha ha ha.