Blue

February is not just any February

It is not just another year, it is still the beginning of a year. The first quarter of a year. We have an opportunity to make some positive goals and plans. Is there anything you have been wanting to do to improve your life?

I am thinking of not just immediate things that must be taken care of, or long term goals and things we must do to achieve them or even short term goals. How about little not so important things you have always wanted to do but never get around to doing… .

This February I am trying to focus more on my immediate responsibilities, however … stop, let’s catch our breath a little.

What point am I taking my sweet time to get to?

For example let me see if you can guess:

I was doing a zoom ministry with a friend this morning. Her husband came home from work. He took the kids to the zoo, What?! During these Covid times???!!!. Yes, Hurray! The young mother was able to stay home for a little R&R. The husband got a break from work and was able to enjoy a happy time with his kids. The Zoo’s are still open and need support. This world is breaking an falling apart and here this little family made time for a sensible happy time. I am impressed!

This evening, I walked with a teenager to her home because I did not want her walking home at dusk alone. (I forgot to wear my ankle supporters! How painful. However visiting with a young person on a walk was healthful and enjoyable). As I neared my home a couple neighbors I had not previously met came out an visited with me on the street. They mentioned how they see me going for Occasional walks and how delighted they are that usually have a friend on the phone on the speaker and I am gabbing an laughing. She said that it makes them so happy to see. She told me she would like to walk with me gabbing and laughing. I said, “let’s do! It’s a sanity keeper.”

As I see I have some piles here and there…where do they come from? I have no one to blame. Having a busy mind and life with many interests you can only imagine. Mindfulness, something that has eluded me for half a century.
My husband has deteriorating health and I am trying to maintain some mental health during these trying times.
I find doing little activities like a game, Pick a Pile. That is the name of my game. It is helpful and the situation domestically is slowly improving. Put away, throw away. You cannot believe how much needs to be put away or thrown away.
One such little pile had a antique fold up chair with no seat or back. I have owned it most of my adult life and it has needed repair most of that. I decided that I need to do what I have been needing to do for a long time, if I have appreciation for the chair I need to just finish it. Now, while sitting with my husband I am doing some stapling an hot glueing in hope to have a sturdy sit worthy chair. As I am a good sum heAvier than my husband I had him sit on the chair to make sure the seat I put together would hold. It held him just fine. My seat may be too much for this little chair to bear so I am putting that on hold as I try to lighten up a good sum.
In conclusion I would just like to say, we have our lists of things we never get around to. Making just a little time for something refreshing is good for our state of mind and well being. This little list has rediculous unnessessary things that I have always on the back of my mind. There are scriptures that say Make sure of the more important things and I believe we should do that 95% of the time. However, the Bible also says we need to sing, dance and laugh that these things are important too.

If you would like a few suggestions:

  1. Go to a zoo on an day that it may not be busy. Be cautious. Your discretion.
  2. Take a walk
  3. Practice the piano or an old instrument that is gathering dust.
  4. A hobby you may have let go of, give yourself a couple afternoons a month to enjoy.
  5. Bible reading and prayer, Mathew 5:3 says Happy is the person conscious of their spiritual needs. This deserves a more important role in our routine.
  6. Getting some light exercize more regularly
  7. Making time for fresh air and sunshine improves our outlook.
  8. Take a break from the computer, phone and tv one night a week, what would a person really do without those? How did mankind live these thousands of years?!😂
  9. Making time to interact with our loved ones talking and listening with eye contact. Of course no phones. Light conversation with words of appreciation. Relationships with our mate, parents, children and siblings need and deserve the investment. ( A side note: people in loneliness go out looking for new relationships instead of taking care of those right there already needing and wanting them. Isn’t that interesting.).

It is my hope you are encouraged. Be blessed.
written by Gina Rydin


Feeling Blue

Blue in the sky is most inspiring, everyone loves a blue sky associated with happiness.  Yet, a cloudy day can cause some to feel uninspired, tired or depressed.

Why is blue when associated feelings commonly associated with being in the dumps, depressed or almost grieving?

I do not have the answers yet I wondered why a beautiful bright blue sky and or a mournful type of mood could be associated with the same color.

Blue can be a complementary color for most people to wear.  Midnight blue is a different hue than navy blue which is different than bright blue or light blue.
Some are born with blue eyes, blue green eyes, light blue eyes or grey blue eyes. Elizabeth Taylor was said to have had a violet type of blue eyes.

Yet, feeling blue is a true blue we feel that most understand.  A very wide variety of emotions, or circumstances, can create this.  Understanding the difference between feeling a little blue compared to true depression is important to consider.

Physically under the weather, a bad day at work, or some temporary feelings of loss or loneliness are experiences most people occasionally have.

Longterm distress, loss, physical pain, financial duress, health problems, stress, feelings of failure, painful experiences and the list goes on.  This can bring on a form of situational depression.  And if we cannot figure out solutions to our problems than this brings on a greater form of depression.672E9785-73DC-45D2-96CF-CE939B801894.jpeg
Understanding our situation, have we a total loss of control of our situation?  Depression is inescapable making us incapable, the cycle goes on.
When hit with all types of problems at once we can be devastated.  It seems there are no answers and it is hard to discern the best answers. One thing I am trying is a new list.  Do you like making lists?  They can help us identify, and accomplish.
The list I am working on is my top ten stressors now in my life.  What seems out of control?  What three things can I do for each thing on my list?
Yet, something to consider is the control offered by striving to practice these few things can remedy much.  The reality is we must strive to practice a simplified daily routine

Eat regular healthy meals an snacks

Get daily walks or exercise

Make time for your spiritual needs, as Mathew 5:3 days, Happy is the man conscious of his spiritual needs.  Of course, reading our Bible daily can greatly nourish our mind an heart an give us direction.

Try to pick up after ourselves daily.  This is not an easy one for me but it makes me happy when I do.

Keep up with our daily chores another thing I am always seeking to improve on.

Oh, how I yearn to make good choices, responsible decisions, educated conclusions.  There are so many opinions, faulty guides that do not always care about the consequences we must endure.

Personally I am between feeling blue and a deep depression.  Some situations feel forced upon me yet I am unable to find valid solutions.  The situation causes me to feel rather helpless an hopeless.

Prayer and Principle are my only valid options right now.  I am praying a lot, and seeking to maintain principles of integrity and always wanting to bring honor to my God.  Therefore, my current circumstances are distressing as I am trying to make the most honorable choices.
Just as Job an David in the Bible felt distress at times, we seek to, despite our problems, we want to make beneficial decisions and sometimes only Jehovah God can help us when we have tried to make decisions, only he can bless us.

How is that for a long sentence that breaks all the rules with sentence structure?  I am a writer, not an editor.

If your depressed, feeling lonely or blue, hurt, defeated or depressed try praying to Jehovah about it.  Talk to a close friend, relative, or even your doctor about it.
I hope you will be seeing sunshine and blue skies again.  I desperately need that too.
Let’s work on our lists an see what we can accomplish while we clear the clouds away.
Written by: Gina Rydin