Ending the Year Positively......... 12/31/20

 My Gratitudes:

1.  For living.  It is wonderful still being vertical.  Because of the pandemic, we can't take this condition for granted any longer. 

   Let those dear to you know you love them.  Tomorrow isn't guaranteed for them or us. 

2.  Today, I enjoyed time with two people who are a part of my bubble.  It met my need for connection, communication and closeness. 

Closing Out the Year 12/31/20

       The New Year is upon us.  It could not come soon enough.  Seeing this year in the rear-view mirror gives us perspective. 

What We Are Learning: 

1. We cannot take

My Third Favorite Christmas Story, Revisited........... 12/31/20

 

WWII photo of the Ardennes Forest

       A Happy New Year, I wish for one and all.

        The following I wrote years ago. I post it during this season:

********

        I hope life is treating you well. For many, this Christmas season was frantic, materialistic. 

        Needn't be so. 

Thoughts on the Christmas We Just Celebrated........... 12/31/20

Taken from my favorite Christmas book,
The Christ Child, Iilustrated by Miska and
 Maud Petersham 

     I hope you had a Merry Christmas. 

    What is Christmas?  Nope, it isn't about gifts.  It's about one Gift, Christ.  This holiday is about God's incarnation, dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.  (John 1:14)

    Thank you, for journeying with me this year.  I appre-ciate your visits.  Inspired and cheered, is my hope, each time your drop by. 

The Second Favorite Christmas Story.. 12/31/20

Innkeeper's Note:

   How are things going for you? I'm exhausted, experi-encing Covid fa-tigue.  My work ramped up when the pandemic hit this world.  

   Many I see are afflicted with anxiety, depression, grief, and suffering from the loss of their normality. Gone is meeting with friends in person, no more hugs, and plenty of isolation, along with confusion, fear, and frustration.  

   I'm leaving a Christmas story written for this inn.  It is my second

An Overview of Codependency, Revisited ........... 12/13/20

"I have been young, and now I am old; yet
 have  I not seen the righteous forsaken, 
nor His seed begging bread."  Ps. 37:25

“When a person doesn’t have gratitude, something is
missing in his or her humanity.A person can almost
be defined by his or her attitude toward gratitude.”
        Elie Wiesel

A Provision Perspective that Promotes Peace 
     In this weak economy, many are anxious about financial security.  Neither our income nor our job is the source of our provision: 

Moving Beyond Our Painful Past, Revisited.............. 12/10/20

     I love seeing clients get better.  They learn how to handle a tyrant that lives within everyone during our time together.  Our default mode.  

    This unhelpful pattern shows up when we are stressed. Our limbic system activates this default mode, created by our reptilian mind, the non-cognitive part of our brain. It is the source of our felt sense----which makes us feel alive, frightened, or elated. 

     It is startling, realizing we mostly live throughout life with beliefs created in childhood by the part of our mind that does not think.  Yes, that is insanity, but we do.

Improving Our Lives: Having Presence, Overcoming Fear 11/30/20

      We can develop our patience.  Even if we already have plenty.  Patience improves when leaning into the negative circumstances we face. 

      This is being present.  We become situational surfers. No matter what circumstantial waves

A Healthy Perspective That Brings Healing, Wholeness, and Self-Acceptance ...................11/29/20

"I am a perfect hu-man being, I'm not a perfect God."

   What a relief, this sen-tence. My father suffered from the disease of per-fectionism. I did not know

Thanks Following Thanksgiving Day 11/28/20

Today's Gratitudes

1.  I spent time with a friend.  Today, we enjoyed the Califor-nia coast.  Our con-versation was authentic---there was no pretense.  

     We were trans-parent with each

The Central Day for This Inn---Blessings to Each of You!............. 11/26/20

   Happy Thanks-giving everyone.  Many suffer from worry. Multitudes endure the crip-pling power of depression.  

    Frustration, self-loathing is the plight of many.

    An Attitude of Gratitude coun-teracts these ills. Today is the cen-tral day of this inn.  May this Thanksgiving Day be your best.

      
     Cherishing loved ones, counting our blessings are

The Self-Torture of Interpretations and Conclusions 11/25/20

      This morning I spoke with someone I've known for several years.   He interrupt-ed me.  I told him I didn't like it. 

     "Well, I was answering what you wanted to know," he said. 

     Sounds reasonable, does it not?  It isn't.  Even if he was right about his assump-tions he was wrong. 

      Interrupting declares

Staying True to Our Values, Despite Pressures from Others ............. 11/19/20

          Sunday, I was chal-lenged, emotionally.  Three people banged upon my ser-enity, with urgent text messa-ges.  They wanted to rent big swaths of territory within my mind.  Each presented prob-lems they desired to add to my life. 

        We do not want that to happen. 

What Fun! ........... 11/15/20

   
    I had a blast!

    I spent nine hours at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, putting my car through its paces.  I and eleven others in the driving class were taught principles that will enhance how we will handle our cars. 

    With my helmet strapped

A Wnning Attitude................... 11/9/20

     Complaining is easy.  So is judging others.  It also usual-ly requires little effort being harsh towards ourselves.

     Better, is focusing on what we can do to make our lives more

Having Fun, Laying Down Boundaries When Someone Does Not Want to Grow.............. ...................11/8/20

   

Not today

     I'm glad I'm writing again.  

     My two laptops are dead, still.  Today, I bought a touchpad.  It is wonderful, using a keyboard.  

     It is easier than writing with my phone which was used for my last two posts.  That was a labor of

Entering An Amazing Time 10/31/20

   Hello, everyone.

    A 3-day weekend, I am enjoying, traveling the coast of Northern California, heading up to Eureka, near the Oregon border.

   Saturday, I spent the evening with a friend

Taking Care of Ourselves: Making Time to Breathe 9/28/20

     

That is what the city near Martin-
ez calls stop signs.  Another
 perspective, isn't it?

     This post is different.

     Both of my laptops are broken. I'm without a computer.  I'm writing this with my phone.

     Fun?  No, it is an effort of love.  We'll see what is born out of this attempt at communicating with you.

     More than nine hundred people

What the Hot Water Reveals About Us. Our Reactions Are Showing............ 9/7/20

 

    I hope you had a restful, not-so-smok-ey day this Labor Day. Here, in the Bay Area, the temper-ature set records. My town and nearby cities are recording temperatures in the

Dodging Life-threatening Danger, Enjoying Life.................. 9/1/20

       In August,  I had several mini-vaca-tions and excursions. It gave me time to breathe.  This is celebrating life. 

       Yesterday, after work, I  drove my roadster funster car five hours. 

Checking In. I Hope You are Doing Well 7/20/20

      Thank you, for dropping by.  I have not been around.  I've missed you.

      Truth be told, life has been fulfilling since March, Friday, the 13th, as the spec-ter of the Coronavi-rus raised its head. It

Memorial Day 5/25/20

Appreciating This Day

      On this Memorial Day, when we honor those who died on the battlefield, serv-ing our country, I'm thankful, living in the United States.

Views About Easter................ 4/12/20

     Good evening,

 As with everything I write, please take what you like, leaving the rest.

     Easter was celebrated to-day.  I know the image usually is about bunnies, pastel colors,

Using Boundaries: Not Accepting Unacceptable Behavior........... 3/17/20

     Recently, I asserted the need for acceptable behavior when relating with a boorish individual, one who constantly criticized, put down others and judged. 
 
     I relate with pleasant people, those who are compassionate, patient and focus on cleaning their side of the street, not the porch of

A Big Day...... 3/13/20

   Thank you, for crossing the threshold of this inn, joining me on this special occasion, celebrating a milestone the next few days.

    It is a big day today.  This is the ninth birthday of this inn of praise.  My, what has transpired since this place of gratitude opened it's doors.

    Visitors from around the world have warmed the rooms of this inn.  The tally in the top

Enjoying Life: Responding, Not Reacting to Life or Emotional Vampires......... ...................3/10/20

   Saturday, someone screamed.  At me.  He used obscenities.

   That's never happened, be-fore, ever.  He judged in the harshest ways possible.

   My response: joy, inspired and happy.  No, craziness has no part in my life.   

Courage Faces Fear and Thereby Masters It............ 3/5/20

       Awake at this late hour, work-ing, completing a project.  I missed meeting with friends tonight in the lovely island town of Alameda, because of the task before me.

      I haven't strayed from this event in years.

Opportunities for Growth When Challeged ............. 2/23/20

     Yes, I've been away far too long.  My apologies.  Life is busier than ever, all for the good.

    I have snuck in here, from time-to-time, editing "Signs of Being Toxic."