Sunday, January 13, 2013


I was going to make a list for you of some of the blogs I read, just for fun. I’ve never made a full listing in the sidebar, and I’ve actually had people ask me, from time to time, where I read online. But I think I won’t make that list. Because you know what? You have enough on your list already.

So, here is my hastily put together last post. I think that probably a number of people won’t see this, and it will only be up for a few days since I will soon close the blogs, but, for those of you who still have me in your reader, here’s my "advice," first to myself, and then to the world. (Haha. Just kidding.)

I’ve lived awhile, and I’ve watched a lot of wise people live their lives. I learn from watching those people and from talking to them, and there are a few things that have proven to be very good and very important in my life as well. To offer "advice" might seem arrogant, but my “advice” really is to me because I still have so much growing and changing to do. I could add a lot more things or create an entirely different list. This is in no way a list of everything that I think matters, but these are things I work on (in random order):

1. Make your bed. First thing every day. I’m serious.  According to Charles Duhigg in The Power of Habit, it is a “keystone” habit that can be the start of a chain of habit-development in your life. This is one thing I’ve done for years, and it truly does seem to kickstart the rest of the day in a positive way. I've read the book, but here's a little piece on the idea.

2. Have flowers in the house. Wow, there are so many benefits that correlate to having flowers in the house that it is just amazing. Somehow it doesn’t surprise me. I suspect that any arrangement from nature will have a similar effect. Here's a little list of links, for starters.

3. Be quiet every single day. Just be still. "Be still and know that I am God." You will see many things differently if you do.

4. Go outside every day. Go for a short walk, even for ten minutes. And when you’re out there, pay attention. You’ll be amazed, I promise.

5. Believe that your circumstances today are the exact ones allowed by your loving God. Embrace them. Be always thankful, hopeful, and joyful. It’s not easy, but He will help you.

6. Write letters, however short. Last summer, when I moved to this apartment, I ran across my Grammy’s letters. I laughed, I cried, and I remember her so warmly and affectionately. She wrote to me routinely, but some of those letters were on paper the size of a large post-it note. It didn’t matter. Love and Grammy’s wonderful personality shone through. These small, but warm, letters inspired me to write more letters, however short they need to be. Just write them. Emails and text messages are fine, but a hand-written letter is a true gift. (P.S. I'm reading a book of the letters of Jonathan Netanyahu--written in the 60's and 70's before he died--and even when less than two weeks pass between letters to his parents, he apologizes profusely for not writing sooner. Of course, this was before cell phones and email, but there's something about these letters that is powerful in a way that an email can never be, and there was a sense of importance in maintaining this kind of connection. In these letters, there's a sense of sacrifice, commitment, and value in maintaining communication and relationships. Reading these, I'm more convinced than ever that I want to write letters.)

7. Look for beauty everywhere. I read of a Jewish prisoner in a Nazi extermination camp who looked up at the sky and saw beauty, even in that horrible place. If we look past our circumstances and look for God, we can find beauty.

8. Slow down. Slow down your life, your mind, your spirit. Things will come into focus that you never knew were blurry.

9. Speak gently. Proverbs says that “pleasant words promote instruction,” and “a gentle word can break a bone.” Harsh words repel.

10. Take every thought captive. That thought that wants to be critical of others, that jealous thought, that complaining thought, that rationalizing thought that would justify procrastination or irresponsibility, that bitter thought, and all of those thoughts that make us focus on ourselves. Don’t waste your time with that; don’t let it poison or tyrannize you. Align that thought with scripture and make it obedient to the love of Christ.

11. Be grateful. Don’t complain. Ever. “Count your blessings, name them one by one,” and your perspective will change.

12. Share your life in whatever way you can (even at home with your families). Love others. It’s not about you.

13. Pray. Pray. Pray. And never give up hope no matter what. He hears you, and He already has your answer.

14. Work with your hands. Make something. Create, write, cook, garden, sew, knit, make music, build something. In these times, it’s easier than ever to become a watcher or a spectator and even a time-waster, so be sure to be busy with your hands.

15. Listen. Really listen. Try to deeply understand that other perspective.

16. Read, think, discuss, live, and write. It’s the best education ever. Keep learning. Keep working at developing your gifts. Stay curious for the rest of your life. Here's a good article my daughter sent to me two days ago.

17. Do it now. Don’t put it off if you can do it now. (I work hard at this one, and it has helped me make a lot of significant changes.) For awhile, I had a little sign scribbled out on a piece of paper and tacked to my wall that said simply that: “Do it Now!”

18. It’s about relationships. It’s emphatically not, not, not about my house, my clothes, my appearance, my reputation, my gifts and talents, my “calling,” my success, my popularity, or even being acknowledged or understood. It’s about relationships. It's about loving. This is what everyone says at the end of their life. You’ll say it, too. It’s either, “I wish I had. . .” or “I’m thankful that I. . .” put my time and energy into relationships. Into loving God and loving people well.

19. Go to sleep seeking God, and wake up seeking God (and you may as well seek Him all day long, too! :-) ). This makes a huge, sweet difference in my life.

20. Follow Him wherever He leads you. And wherever that is, He will equip you and provide for all of your needs. Sometimes the way seems hopeless or impossible, but He will be your strength and your guide. Even more, He will walk with you in relationship and in love. He loves you and will never forsake you.

Blessings and prayers and gratitude for your presence here,
Susan

56 comments:

  1. For a final post, this is wonderful! Thank you! Though I've only commented one other time, I've read HDH and this blog faithfully and want to join your other readers in saying "I will miss you!" I can understand you feeling like you need to stop blogging, but I'm sorry you're going to remove all the old posts. But thank you so much for all you've shared of your thoughts and lessons and life over the years. It has been a blessing.

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    1. Thank you "Anonymous" for your kind comment. :-) So, you've been around a long time, too. I'm glad you've enjoyed my blogs. That means a lot to me. Thank you. God bless and keep you!

      Susan

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  2. Thank you . . . you have been a blessing . . . look forward to meeting you in heaven! Blessings on your life and family now! Hope to find you writing again someday, but if not, that's okay, too!

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    1. Thank you so much! You've been around reading for awhile, too, and I always appreciate your comments when they pop up. Take care, and blessings on you, too! :-)

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  3. {sad}

    Thank you for the final post. I'll miss your wisdom here, Susan.

    May God bless and keep you and make His face *SHINE* upon you,

    ~Stacy

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    1. Stacy, I just adore you, and I pray that same blessing right back on you and your family! I will enjoy reading your blog whenever a new post pops up in my reader, and I will definitely stop in to say hi.

      xo

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  4. Thank you - wonderful words of life here, words to hang onto.

    This blog has been a blessing; I'm grateful that you kept it going long enough for me to find it.

    God bless you richly as you move forward.

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    1. Dear Susan, I'm so glad you did find this place, and I've so enjoyed getting to know you a bit! My God bless you richly, too. Take care. :-) xo

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    2. Me again - my dog woke me up in the wee hours and I am having trouble falling asleep again. So I've been tiptoeing through your archives. I randomly was reading in August (2011?) when I saw a reference to lipstick (ziplock purse post) and also a reference to visiting Grandparents in Alaska.

      My eyes lit up because I am from Alaska, born and raised.

      AND I love lipstick and must put some on before walking the dog.

      OK, going to hit the pillow again. Tomorrow is Friday and I'm glad I was up in these wee hours to enjoy a bit more of your blog. ~bye~

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    3. Hello Susan! This will probably be the last thing I post on this blog since it's way past my bedtime, and sometime after I get up in the morning, I'll close the blogs. I don't even know if you'll see it, but just in case. . . Too funny about the lipstick! :-) And, yes, a lot of my mom's side of the family lives in Alaska. BTW, that post had to have been about 2008 (it's from my HDH blog). :-) Take care, Susan!

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  5. Oh Susan, I'm going to miss you! Much love ~ Tracy

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    1. Tracy, you won't miss me for long! :-) (Did you get my letter yet? You can't get rid of me that, easily. You've been too big of a blessing to me in so many ways.) xo

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  6. Oh, I really do hope I get a chance to print this. I love it. Lots of these are reminders I need to hear. I do think posts like these would be lovely in your new blog ( even though I understand you decided not to do it).

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    1. Mary Beth, yay! It's so good to see you! I've always loved your blog and your spirit. I'm really glad you liked this post (I had fun writing it). Thank you for saying hello/goodbye, but I'm sure I'll see you sometime at your blog. Take care, Mary Beth! :-)

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  7. I have copied this into a word document. I'd write to you if I knew where! My grandmother wrote in green ink and I should like to do the same. Au revoir Susan, from snowy London.

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    1. Lucille, how can I resist green ink, especially from such a longtime reader/friend? :-) I'll be in touch soon (I do have your "snail mail" address still from when you sent those old magazines). Au revoir back, for now.

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  8. Thank you, Susan.
    The Lord bless you and keep you;
    The Lord make His face shine upon you,
    And be gracious to you;
    The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
    And give you peace. (Num. 6:24 - 26)

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    1. Rebecca, I just thank you for that! And thank you for popping in before I close the blogs. I truly appreciate you and am so glad to know that you've been out there. :-) God bless you, too, and make his face shine on you and your family. xo

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  9. Posts like this are part of what makes your blog(s) utterly unique and special....

    *Everything* on this list is wonderful, but number 14 especially resonated with me:

    Work with your hands. Make something. Create, write, cook, garden, sew, knit, make music, build something. In these times, it’s easier than ever to become a watcher or a spectator and even a time-waster, so be sure to be busy with your hands.

    I see this in myself, being a spectator and a watcher, and yes, even a time waster, especially since the Internet has become such a big part of my life these last 7 years.

    I must admit to wishing I was one of the ones you are going to keep in touch with via e-mail, but as you said, you can't keep in touch with *everyone* who has read your blog. So with misty eyes, I will just say a quiet goodbye....I wish you *many* blessings....and I hope you'll stop by my blog upon occasion to say 'hello'.

    Love,
    Michele

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    1. Michele, thank you again, for *everything*! I'll see you over there at your blog soon. . . :-)

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  10. Thank you for posting this, Susan. I'll miss you and am sad knowing I can't come and read anytime. But I understand.

    Wishing you many blessings.

    Love,
    Stacy

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    1. You're welcome, Stacy. I keep saying goodbye to you, but I don't feel like I'm losing touch. I'll see you over at your blog soon! :-)

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  11. Thankful for the posts and photos you have shared over the years with all of us. I will miss your blogs and your lovely photos. Love to you.
    Heather from americanadiangirl.com

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    1. Heather, it's been *such* a pleasure to have you visit my blogs so frequently over the years. Thank you for all of your warm comments and for these kind words. I really do wish you all the best and God's great blessings on your family (and you!). Love to you, too, Heather. xo

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  12. I will miss your blogs so very much. You've been a help and an inspiration to me.

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    1. Oh, thank you, Beth. This truly means a lot to me, and you've been an inspiration to me, too! I'm so glad I've gotten to know you a bit. God bless you richly. Love, Susan

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  13. I so will miss you and your writings. I hope for the best for you and yours. Love, sue

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    1. Sue, thank you for being so sweet. I appreciate you. Blessings and prayers, Susan.

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  14. I don't post much, but have loved your writings here and at High Desert Home. You will be missed! You have a quiet wisdom about you that is so needed. This post was one of the best I've read anywhere online in a while. Can you leave it up so I can link to it or may some of us repost on our blogs?

    God bless and keep you!

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    1. Well, Janet, that's really sweet! Thank you. :-) I'm not going to leave anything up (sorry), but you are welcome to link it now and then copy it and paste it in a post at your blog if you'd like. Or just go ahead and copy it since the blog will be closed on Friday.

      I need to do some more reading and get to bed. I'll try to get back and respond to comments tomorrow.

      Susan :-)

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    2. Thank you so much for letting me post this entry on my blog. I posted it here: http://www.janetscountryhome.com/journal/2013/01/15/great-words-of-wisdom/ I hope that many will be blessed by reading your words even after your blog is closed.

      God bless you!
      Janet

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    3. Oh, it looks so nice on your beautiful blog, Janet! :-) Thank you for doing that. God bless and keep you, too, and may He give you the desires of your heart! :-) Love, Susan

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  15. Dear Susan,

    I have wanted to share with you just how important you have been to me. It seems it is now or never. I am going to try to make this short.

    Almost 6 years ago I had my 5th child. I have had to have all of my children c-section and she was no exception. Unfortunately, an infection took hold. According to the doctors it was one of the worst they had seen. Postpartum set in, I lost every ounce of faith I had, was in complete darkness, full of fear, anxiety, and depression. I had not dealt with any of this before---I was completely unprepared. Looking back, I had no idea what was happening to me. But there I was, 5 children, homeschooling, and very, very, lost.

    I waded in the murk for a long time, finding solace nowhere. Then one day I was looking around on-line (which I did very little of—in fact I was still on dial-up) and I found HDH. I read. Then I read some more. And then I cried. I’m crying now. I don’t remember what it was that got to me, I just remember feeling hope for the first time in a very long time.

    As far as your children go, for me I have never looked at them as an experiment, so please tell them that. I have watched many homeschooling kids grow up---some turning out as idealistically as we mothers dreamt of back in our younger years of schooling, and others have taken paths that will be harder, made choices that are, well, just bad. So we pray. But somehow, we are more connected through our home schooling experiences. And this is how I feel about your kids. For me it’s never been about judging all of you. You all have been comrades on a journey—I consider all of you friends. Please tell them thank you for me.

    Again, I thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences over these last years. You have been a gift to me, from God, and I will always cherish and use all of the tools you have given me. May God bless you and all of your family—I will miss you terribly.

    Mary

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    1. Mary, when I read this, it brought tears to my eyes. I was/am really touched and privileged that the Lord was able to encourage you through my silly efforts. Truly, if anything came through in my blog I would want it to be that--hope. Hope in the Lord. Because He is faithful, He is good, and His burden is light. Thank you for what you said--all of it. Like I said, it brought a tear to my eye and a lump to my throat, even now, again. I pray for you, Mary, that God will continue to shine on you and give you deeper and deeper joy. Blessings, and thank you so much! Love, Susan P.S. I will share this with my kids. xo

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  16. Dear Susan,

    Well, I guess this time it really is adieu, you'll be missed!

    Hugs, Jane x

    P.S. Did you know that Mozart and Mudpies is back blogging?
    You'll find her new blog at http.mozart-mudpies.tumblr.com.

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    1. Jane, thank you for saying goodbye! I'm so glad you did. And thank you, too, for telling me about Ann's blog. I did not know! And I am tickled pink. :-)

      Take care. xo

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  17. Susan,

    It seems that I have found your blog again at the end of your writing. Thank you for sharing yourself, here and at HDH. You have been an encouragement to me, especially in homeschooling. Truly a blessing to myself and children.

    Many Blessings,

    Stefanie

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    1. Thank you, Stefanie. Our timing hasn't been the best, has it?! :-) But I'm glad we crossed paths at times, and I'm glad you've been encouraged. Thank you for saying so! Blessings back to you, Stefanie. Take care!

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  18. Thanks for posting your learning ideas on an easy format to copy! Wishing you many blessings in the next adventure in your life. Nancy

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    1. I didn't even do that "learning ideas format"! :-) Someone else did, and how nice of them, too! I pray you will be blessed, too, Nancy, as you have blessed me so many times here. Take care. Love, Susan

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    2. Susan- I never wanted to take "credit" for such a simple thing (and still do not) but I figured you might be curious- I am the one who made the Readlist of your learning posts. I sure will miss them (especially when I land in "panic mode" again- your posts always brought me back to what is most important). Again, thank you!

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    3. Tracey, I'm so glad you told me! That's awesome! You know you could copy anything you wanted from my blog, didn't you? Only if you wanted to, that is. . . Thanks again being here and for who you are, Tracy. xo

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  19. Big time missing coming up!!! The words, beautiful pictures (you have a gift there too!), new ideas, humor, kindness.

    So much has changed for you, and your closing your blogs is a huge change for all of us who have found a different kind of place to visit and rest a bit, as well as be energized!

    "For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven."

    May your next seasons be full of God's richest blessings.

    Thank you for all the good things you've shared with us.

    Writing and reading from Central Time, JJ

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  20. PS: In your 11/6/12 post, you speak of and have a nice photo of "spoon truffles." I think (?) I've seen something about them elsewhere in your blogs but can't find the post. I know I can get a recipe from the internet but would love to have yours if you could direct me to the blog and date. If it's too much, not to worry.

    Again, with thanks and best wishes,
    Writing and reading from Central Time, JJ

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    1. I'll just write you one response, JJ! Thank you for your encouragement and kindness. It means a lot to me, and I'm just glad you hung around with me here! I pray you will be blessed, too, and here's how to make those "truffles":

      Mix all together:

      3c. dried coconut flakes (I like the smallish ones), 1 1/2 c. cocoa powder, 1 c. maple syrup, 1/3 c. coconut butter, 1 T. vanilla, 1/2 t. salt.

      (Sometimes I make truffles and wrap this mixture around a little bit of peanut butter.)

      Otherwise, make into balls and keep in fridge. I usually sift a bit of cocoa powder in the bottom of the dish before adding the truffles, and then I sift more cocoa powder over the top.

      Love these! Enjoy them, JJ! xoSusan

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    2. Oh, Susan. Thanks so much for taking the time to type out the recipe. I know I'll enjoy them and will think of you each time I make them!

      It was no trouble hanging in with you on your blogs. It was wonder and joy!

      xo's to you!
      JJ

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    3. You're welcome, JJ! I'll think of you when I make them next, too! :-) Hope you like them (I do!). Blessings to you (again)!

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  21. Dear Susy Wawoosy Woman,
    I am so terribly sad that your blog is going away. Terribly, terribly sad. But it won't be quite so big as a deal since I only live a couple of miles away from you. Anyway, here is an ode to Susy:

    S usy
    U
    S weet
    Y ippeekiyay
    W oman, you
    A re
    W ild, and
    O bviously
    O riginal,
    Z any,
    Y odeling,
    W acky, and
    O verall
    M ost
    A wesome!
    -N icky

    P.S. I had fun with you at Off the Waffle. It was excelente el Camino!

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    1. Yay, Nicky! You are the best! I had fun eating with you guys, too. What? An hour ago?! Haha. See you soon. And, oh, what a winning poem, but I don't think I've ever yodeled. . . or have I?! :-)

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    2. I'm sure you have sometime when we're both in our super crazy moods, but really I'm not sure... I know I have!

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    3. Hey kiddo, you're online at the same time as me! :-) I'm off to class now! Are you on lunch break from your schoolwork? Or are you finished? xo

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  22. Susan. You are special. The comments in the last few posts have made me choke up! I'm glad they are letting you know.

    Love,
    Jodi :O)

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  23. Jodi, you are always so sweet! :-) I'm glad you're my friend.

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  24. susan, thank you for all the joy and blessings /i have felt since happening upon your first blog many moons ago. have a very happy life.with love and gratitude from penny lewis in englandxx

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  25. Dear, dear Susan,
    I will miss very much your thoughts here online. I just spent a little time this morning copying and pasting what I would like to save. I have saved all the learning posts, of course. But your food posts I enjoye just as much, I think, maybe more. I wouldn't mind reading every day just a little bit about your thoughts on food.

    You have truly influenced my life in many ways. Lots of times, you would mention a book, a food, an auther, etc. and off I would go to explore. I trusted your favorites! And my life is richer today because of it! More spices, more books, more grace!

    Always, I will consider you a mentor. Thank you!

    May you be richly blessed!
    Love,
    Renee(BessieJoy)

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