A Christian Viewpoint

So, I was watching TV and felt that I wanted to have a small little snack. Just something light to nibble on. Raising myself from my chair I travelled to the fridge. When you have done something thousands of times it becomes automatic. Standing in front of the fridge I doubt that my feet were more than a millimeter off from every other time I stood there. Hah, you could probably see the imprints of my feet in the floor from where I have so often stood to open the door.

Grasping the handle I swing the door open… yet as I opened the door it seemed to snag on something. Mind you, it didn’t prevent me from opening the door but it did impede its progress a little. So I closed the door and the same thing happened. Several times I did this, testing, trying to figure out what the problem could be. Was it the hinges beginning to seize up? Too much stuff in the door shelves? I couldn’t quite figure out what the door seemed to be snagging on.

After several more attempts I finally figured out what the problem was… my figure. As I was opening the door it swung out and touched my T-shirt. Oh well the T-shirt does fit rather snuggly these days. I didn’t think I ate that much for supper. Nor could it be the popcorn I ate later. Or the large bowl of icecream. Or the donut. The two cookies. The extra french fries. The glass of milk and the two peanutbutter crackers. Etc.

Now really, I only ate one little extra pound of TV fare yet the proof that I am eating too much was right there in front of me. Time to go on a diet? I guess I have to. If not it wouldn’t be long before I couldn’t open the fridge door at all. Funny, I must lose some weight so that I can continue to eat.

What a life.

Reprinting my comment from sheepdog’s blog

I love playing my guitar and I hate how my body aches when I do it. I open one of my christian song books and begin to play. I give voice to the words and hope springs into the light. The pain that comes is real but his presence makes rich. There is a time coming when there will be no more pain… only the joy will remain. What a wonderful day that will be.

As the Crow Flies by Jeffrey Archer
publisher: HarperPaperbacks 1991
fiction

Now this was one delightful book to read. The story follows the fictional life of Charlie Trumper. From his early childhood (1900) until his retirement (1970). The story begins with him as a child at his grandfather’s barrow in the Whitechapel district of London. These were flat carts, waist high, on wheels with some shelves that would hold produce: potatoes, celery, apples, oranges, etc. They would take up some space along a sidewalk and the owners of the barrow would start their sales pitch. There the story starts and winds its way through seven decades.

The book is broken up into 13 different sections. Each section is narrated from the point of view of one of the characters in the book. Some characters, like Charlie, have more than one section. The sections, time lines, overlap so that what appears as a mystery in one section gets its answer in another section. Far from it being repetitive, the stories of each character are entertaining and augment each other.

At nearly 800 pages in the paperback the story flies. Charlie’s life in the great war, the start of his store to become a small empire, the second world war and onward keeps the material fresh. Of course what would a story be without a protagonist? We have the Trentham’s. From the son to his mother you will shake your head. There are a lot of surprises along the way.

Linda recommends this book. She thoroughly enjoyed it. I will admit that I also enjoyed the book as well and recommend it. I have found that many copies are available on Ebay. I am certain that it is still in print.

I don’t clean the house often enough for Linda’s tastes. I must admit that cleaning is the last thing on my mind. Oh, I have the time, but I seem to be blind when it comes to clutter. Until I want to find something buried in a mound someplace.

Today I felt like taking a bold step and clean up the clutter on the couch and coffee table. No-one ever sits on the couch so it becomes a repository for everything transitory. What’s even better is that the coffee table is right against the couch so the two of us can really pile it on at times. Today I decided to dive in. Grabbed a couple of bags and began sorting it out.

First the garbage, kleenex tissues rolled up into little balls. A few wrappers from candy, a cup cake wrapper, the remains of shelled nuts and a popsicle stick. Oh, can’t forget the empty pop-can and the empty bag of chips, doritos and an un-named bag of mysterious origin. As well as a plastic container that held a few chips.

Now the major throw-aways. We just took out a temporary subscription to the Spectator. Haven’t read most of them. They are being delivered bound by a rubber band. So I save the bands in a dish and throw out the paper, two, three, four and the old tv guides for the past month.

Next came the potential file-aways. Letters and other correspondence as well as three shopping magazines and a few not so important fliers. Of course there always seems to be the manditory puzzle magazine or two with accompanying pens and pencils enough to outfit a classroom.

Next come the books I have read over the past month. As well as the two books I am curently reading. Not to mention two bibles I use to read and reference and the how to draw book I just started. Then there are her books as well.

Showing real signs of progress now. Just a bunch of random papers and bits and pieces missed from the first cull. At last, only one piece, an 8×11 sheef of paper remains. I pick-up the offending litter only to find that it too was covering an object. It was a book. This is the title:

Living Organized

proven steps

for a clutter-free

and beautiful home

😉