Happy Weekend! Staying on the positive in my finds this week.
1) Beyond the Guitar Doing What He Does –Classical guitarist Nathan Mills, on the platform Beyond the Guitar, arranges and performs themes from movies, TV shows, and video games. The last couple of weeks he has showcased two arrangements of his that display his genre at its best.
YouTube Video – The Mandalorian/Force Mashup – Classical Guitar Cover
Photo Credit: Beyond the Guitar, YouTube
YouTube Video – Spider-man: Miles Morales (PS5) Main theme on Guitar
Photo Credit: Beyond the Guitar, YouTube
Nathan teaches privately and via his Arrangers Academy (membership opens twice a year). His music (videos, sheet music, and MP3s) are why we are patrons. Well, and because we love the guy playing the guitar. Beautiful, nostalgic themes. Heart-soothing on every level and on any day.
2) From Cynicism to Delight – With that noise of social media and biased news media, we struggle to know what to believe about what’s going on around us. The tendency is to gradually go cynical, thinking ill of others, moving toward mistrust. Our thinking becomes negative, and we become suspicious of motives, questioning authority, and even disbelieving people trying to do right by others.
Negativity can become a habit…a negative habit.
This is no way to live. Cynicism dulls our thinking and darkens our heart.
How do we upend cynicism? Writer Jennie Allen talks on a podcast about how we can move away from cynicism and toward delight. Now, that is a surprising and almost old-fashioned idea. Delight is defined as “a high degree of gratification or pleasure; joy; giving keen enjoyment”.
Jennie Allen Podcast – Cynicism vs. Delight
What do you take delight in? It requires a measure of savoring, pausing to take note, considering a different possibility. We rush around in life, or at least in our thoughts – flipping channels, scrolling endlessly, moving from class to class or meeting to meeting with little notice to what’s going on around us (or in our own heads). What if? What if? We stopped, or slowed down, our minds and just took note.
Allen talks about the importance of what we put into our minds. Do we even think about it? 20 minutes on social media (depending on those we friend/follow) could begin a stubborn funk in our thinking. What about the people in our lives? She doesn’t encourage cutting people off, but guarding our conversations against the negative – gossiping, complaining, criticizing, thinking ill.
In the space we intentionally gain from the guarding above, we can begin practicing delight. At how well things are going instead of how badly, for instance. How beautiful the weather is, thoughtful your neighbor, generous your colleague, wise your mom or dad…This isn’t putting our heads in the sand; it is just considering life from a different angle…just as true/real as the negative, cynical take.
Allen encourages taking note of art as a fast track to delight. Whether it is music, or poetry, or painting. The world is full of beauty. We forget that sometimes in our “screened-in” lives. Many of us live in a place of four seasons. There’s always something to marvel at in nature. For many years, we lived in a part of the world with only two seasons. In each was still a myriad of beautiful discoveries. I have always enjoyed watching people, taking in all that’s there for the observer, without intruding. Then, of course, there is the wonder of God. How he continues to infuse our lives with good and possibility.
“The opposite of being cynical is being life-giving, and some might call you naive for it, but for the most part, people just need that in their lives. Most people will want to go to coffee with you because they need someone to speak life into them and actually believe it.” – Jennie Allen
Photo Credit: Empowered Living, Facebook
3) The Glad Game – There is so much we can learn from sweet Pollyanna and young Anne of Green Gables. Either through the book about Pollyanna or the movie. Or Anne: the books or the movies/TV series.
Both these girls were orphans, and both had figured out a way to thrive in their circumstances. Very different ways, but fascinating.
Ten Things Anne of Green Gables Taught Me – Samantha Ellis
Anne of Green Gables vs. Pollyanna – (In the Battle for My Mind)
I was reminded (see Friday Fave #2 above) of Pollyanna’s Glad Game. She was determined to find something good in every situation… something to be glad about.
YouTube Video – Pollyanna and the Glad Game
YouTube Video – You Surely Will (Pollyann’s conversation with the minister)
“When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.” – Abraham Lincoln
Photo Credit: Pinterest, Abraham Lincoln
Networking Lessons from Pollyanna and Anne of Green Gables – Marzena Podhorska
4) A Great Life and a COVID Death – As we continue to physically distance during this pandemic, we are beginning to know people who have died from COVID-19. The nearest one to us died just before Christmas. Reverend David Pickard. He was just 76. One of the pastors Mom wanted to preach her funeral. He did. The pastor who officiated at Dave’s and my wedding close to 40 years ago.
Pastor David has always held a special place in my heart. So full of joy. A smile and presence that would shake the chill off any roomful of people. He genuinely loved God and people. Generous and good, this man.
He always made time. That meant so much to us as first our mom became ill with cancer, and then years later, our dad with Alzheimer’s. Pastor David was no longer in their church, but he continued in their lives.
We have been in separate countries (for awhile) and states now for many years. When we heard he was in the hospital with COVID, we prayed hard like everyone else who loved him. It wasn’t meant to be. His time here was done, but not without leaving a wide wake of love and Gospel truth to everyone he had a bit of time with. He is so missed.
Pastor Dave and his sweetheart for life, Mrs. Dottie.
5) Life’s Comforting Rhythms – Here’s to all the rhythms of our lives that we count on and continue to bless us. Christmas cards, even in 2020 (although most of them arrived in 2021 through a weary postal service).
Christmas cactuses blooming right on schedule (how do they do it?).
Kale planted in the Fall still yummy in January.
Daffodils and irises pushing up through the soil with the promise of blooms in the Spring of this new year.
Sharing hot soup on a cold day with old friends (the lunch location altered somewhat by COVID)
And birthday greetings [this one from a lifelong friend who hung with me through our many losses and gains, and my lapses in communication] and a memoir by someone we have also shared through the years – through radio and concerts. #Garrison
[Karen, hope you don’t mind. Your note says it all. Especially getting through all the latest hards.]
That’s it for this Friday Faves. Please comment yourself on the rhythms that comfort you and the things that bring you delight. Thanks for stopping by. It means a lot.
Bonuses:
Ten Habits of People Who Lose Weight and Keep It Off – Gina Cleo
7 Good Things That Came Out of 2020 (It Actually Wasn’t All Bad)
Here’s How to Get Stronger After 50 – Abigail Barronian
Amazing Image of Unborn Baby at 18 Weeks Is Called the Photograph of the Century – Micaiah Bilger
Photo Credit: Eric McCool, Facebook
Twitter is just like a public street. You’ll encounter all kinds of people. Some are evil and nasty—many actually dangerous—and some are wonderful souls who are sent by God to bless you. Others still are people he wants to bless through your friendship and prayers. Be mindful. pic.twitter.com/Z8rToFE1IX
— Barry McCarty (@barrymccarty) January 12, 2021
Especially enjoyed Jennie Allen’s piece and the food bank suggestions. I make it a habit to have a bag with me in the car for when I run into some homeless people. You had some suggestions I hadn’t thought of. Another addition–warm coat from a resale shop. I bought two after seeing someone on a street corner on a cold day (for Texas 😉 ) in shirt sleeves.
A warm coat is such a good idea. I’m going to search out a couple at a thrift store this week. We also have a wonderful homeless ministry in our city (one of many maybe) named Moments of Hope. They have Saturday meet-ups where homeless come for a hot meal and then have the opportunity for health checks and visits to a clothes closet. Our church did a food drive for them at Christmas time. Thanks for commenting, Marge, and for your own good practice for the homeless.
I like the Tidy House article – 5 tips:
1. Tidy up throughout the day
2. Keep cleaning supplies stocked
3. Have house tidied before going to sleep
4. Keep items to be stored off of the floor
5. Use surface decor (knick-knacks) sparingly
#1 – my biggest challenge! Working on it.
#5 – have begun to omit clutter. Great results!
Tidying up through the day is also my biggest challenge. I’m also working on stopping using the floor as a storage place. Thanks for commenting, Friend.
Reading your blog this morning was a sweet way to begin the day… and to feel connected to you across several states. Love ya, Deb!!
Love you, Stacie. Thanks for reading. Miss you across those states.
The photos from (almost) 40 years ago of your wedding! Seems like 40 years HAVE gone by and yet it seems like just yesterday!
And Pastor David Pickard, who is in the wedding photos as the officiant, recently died from COVID. Very sad. I remember him from several of your family events.
Thanks for posting photos, Debbie! Definitely brought back memories for me — like they were just yesterday!
Thanks for being there with us that day…and for so many special times together. Yes…it’s been hard to think of someone as vibrant and joyful as Pastor David, gone. So glad for the memories.