From the High School Lesson Book - Happy Father's Day!

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from HS Coffee Break helps fuel this blog. 

Father's Day is hopefully a time when the culture says, "This is our moment to look at who our men and boys are." ~Michael Gurian

Tomorrow is Father's Day in the United States and Canada, and as we celebrate dads, here's a little history about this day.

Father's Day in the western world is relatively new, and wasn't established until well after Mother's Day. I was surprised to find that the first officially proclaimed Father's Day in the US was in the 1960s and it wasn't until the '70s that an annual day was signed into law. 

There are a couple of claims to the first Father's Day celebration, but it's generally agreed that the distinction goes to Fairmont, West Virginia. Grace Golden Clayton suggested it for a memorial service for 362 men that had been killed in a mining explosion in the nearby town of Monangha. The service was held at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopalian Church South on July 5, 1908.

An alternative "first" claim is a celebration held in 1915, suggested by the president of the Lions' Club in Chicago, Harry Meek.

Another important pioneer of the day was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd. Inspired by a Mother's Day service, she wanted to honor the memory of her father, William Jackson Smart. He was a Civil War veteran who had raised six children on his own after his wife died in childbirth. She'd originally suggested June 5th for the service, that being the anniversary of her father's death. However, because organizers wanted more time to prepare, the service was actually held on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. Mrs. Dodd delivered gifts to handicapped fathers, boys from the YMCA wore roses in their lapels―red roses if their fathers were still living, and white roses if their fathers had passed away―and the ministers in the city preached sermons about fatherhood.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Mother's Day was already established and while there was some interest in a Father's Day as well, there was also a movement to get rid of both days in favor of having Parents Day. Fathers were generally not on board with having their own day anyway, seeing it as sentimental and rather unnecessary. During the Great Depression, however, retailers saw the opportunity to encourage gift purchases for fathers, and promoted gifts of neckties, hats, socks, pipes and tobacco, and even sporting equipment that men were less likely to purchase for themselves when money was tight. During the 1940s, Father's Day was used to honor the men who were serving in the Armed Forces overseas. 

President Calvin Coolidge had recommended Father's Day as a national holiday in 1924, but it wasn't until 1966 that it was proclaimed as an official national holiday by President Lyndon Johnson. In 1972 President Richard Nixon signed into law the permanent Father's Day as the third Sunday in June.

Nowadays, the Father's Day weekend is a time to celebrate what Dad likes to do and to focus on the important roles dads play in kids' lives. In the 1920s and 1930s, when fathers weren't generally in favor of having their own day, the family dynamics were different. At that time, men were primarily the providers for the family, working long days away from the home, and women were usually at home doing all the hands-on work of raising the children. In today's families, modern roles are more of a partnership with moms and dads sharing in the responsibilities of caring for children. 

My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived and let me watch him do it. ~Clarence Budington Kelland

I heard recently that a majority of people say that of their family members, dads are the hardest to buy gifts for. And probably fewer men need the traditional gift of a tie on Father's Day too! Restaurant gift cards, dinner out, a sporting event, and apparel from a favorite sports team are popular gifts. I was also interested to hear that books are popular gifts for dads as well. Overall, Americans spend about one billion dollars of Father's Day gifts annually. About half of all Father's Day cards are purchased by sons and daughters, and about 20 percent are purchased by women to give to their husbands. The rest of the cards purchased are for grandfathers, uncles, brothers, sons, and 'father figures'. 

The power of a dad in a child's life is unmatched. ~Justin Ricklefs

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: He believed in me. ~Jim Valvano

What about Father's Day celebrations in other parts of the world? In Spain, Portugal, Italy, and many Latin American countries―which are predominantly Catholic―Father's Day is on March 19th. This is the Feast of St. Joseph who is the patron saint of fathers. In Germany, Father's Day is recognized on the same date as Ascension Day. In Scandinavian countries, the day had been celebrated in the 1930s, but in 1949 it was decided that Father's Day should be moved to the second Sunday in November. The idea was to have it halfway through the year from Mother's Day and also to boost the retail economy during a traditionally slow period. Denmark didn't publicize the change, though, so they continued honoring fathers in June. And in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, Father's Day is on the first Sunday in September.

The importance and value of a loving and godly dad or father figure really can't be overstated. To a certain extent, our concept of God is shaped by our concept of a father, and the Scriptures present God as our Heavenly Father. In the prayer model he gave the disciples, and in his parables and teachings, Jesus consistently showed that God was a loving Father who cared for and provided for his children, and who disciplined and corrected them in both justice and mercy. In today's world, with so many broken families and so much confusion and controversy surrounding the meaning of masculinity and the roles of men, perhaps it's more important than ever that we honor and respect the men that are doing their best to follow the example of God in leading their families. 

And you saw in the wilderness how the LORD your God carried you as a man carries his son all along the way you traveled until you reached this place. 

~Deuteronomy 1:31~

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

~Psalm 103:13~

Give a sincere thank you to our fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and sons who give so much of themselves to love, guide, protect, and provide for their families. Pray for them and for families.

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers.

~Malachi 4:6~

This post will be linked at the Sweet Tea & Friends Monthly Link-up Party hosted by Grace-Filled Moments

Sources for this article include: Almanac, History.com, OfficeHolidays.com, Readers Digest

 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to HS Coffee Break by email 

 ©2006-2023 HS Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

A Groundhog Day Look at Light and Shadow

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Homeschool Coffee Break helps fuel this blog. 

Happy Groundhog Day! 

I don't think most people go around wishing each other a Happy Groundhog Day, and I've never seen a greeting card for this day. It's not a statutory holiday or a religious day, and other than checking whether Punxsutawney Phil (or your local rodent celebrity) is predicting an early or late spring, there's nothing special to do to celebrate. Right? Where did this strange little tradition of Groundhog Day come from anyway?

Although Groundhog Day has been shown on calendars for as far back as I can remember, and has been a part of folklore for centuries, it's probably fair to say general recognition of the date increased greatly thanks to the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray. The movie drew attention to Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania, and the Groundhog Day ceremony there, but that wasn't an invention of the filmmakers. Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney is a real place, and Punxsutawney Phil has been the weather forecaster there since 1887. That's when a local newspaper gave the nickname Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to a group who had made a tradition of hunting groundhogs on February 2nd each year. February 2nd is Candlemas (more about that in a moment), and the tradition of watching for groundhogs or other hibernating animals on this date goes back centuries in Europe. Germans who came to American in the 1800s brought this tradition with them, and since groundhogs were common, that's the animal that earned the distinction.

Did you miss Punxsutawney Phil's prediction this morning? You can see it here: GoErie - Groundhog Day 2023

What's special about February 2nd?

The beginning of February is about the halfway mark between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In an agrarian culture, it's really helpful to know when to expect the weather to warm up enough to start planting, and having enough sunlight to clearly see a shadow is a reminder of brighter and warmer days to come. But a clear and cloudless sky during winter usually means it's cold because the clouds aren't insulating and holding the warmth near the earth. Thus the weather superstition. Some ancient cultures had a mid-season celebration around the beginning of February, and this was a time to start planting crops.

But why February 2nd, in particular? It is forty days after the date for Christmas, when Christians recognize the birth of Christ. According to the Mosaic Law, a woman was to offer a purification sacrifice forty days after giving birth, and the Gospel of Luke records that Mary and Joseph obeyed this law and brought the baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to the Lord. So February 2nd became recognized as the Feast of the Presentation. As Europe was becoming Christianized, it was a handy thing when pre-Christian religious festivals or cultural traditions (such as looking for animals coming out of hibernation as an indicator of the weather) could be replaced or marked by a Christian festival, and that's exactly what happened in this case. The Feast of the Presentation, or Candlemas, as it became known, was also the day to check whether the hedgehogs or badgers were coming out of their winter dens.

What is Candlemas?

The Feast of the Presentation is the feast day marking Mary's ritual purification and the dedication of Jesus at the temple. You can read about in the Bible, in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2. The feast day was recognized as far back as the fourth century. The name Candlemas (Candle Mass) came later on, from the ceremony of blessing the candles on this day. The candles to be used in the church were blessed, and the people were invited to bring their own candles to be blessed for use in prayer at home. A candlelight procession is part of this celebration.

In many Catholic and Christian communities today, Candlemas represents a day of "purification, renewal, and hope." And all those candles are a fitting reminder that Jesus is the light of the world and God's light given to all nations.

"For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelations to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." ~Luke 2:30-32 

Moreover, it is a much-needed reminder during the remaining dark, long days of winter that, no matter how grave things may be, "the light sines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5).  ~Carolyn Pirtle¹

We celebrate Christmas and Christ's coming with so much joy and lots of candles and twinkling lights, but a bit over a month later, when all those decorations have been put away and it's still cold winter, it's probably a good time to be reminded of the light!

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." ~John 8:12

Candlemas Traditions

I found that one country, Liechtenstein, recognizes Candlemas as a national holiday! Traditionally, all the candles in the house should be lit, and, by the way, the nativity scenes from Christmas shouldn't be put away until Candlemas.

In Germany, where the Groundhog Day association originated, Candlemas was also associated with payment deadlines, the end of the "servant's year", and the beginning of the "farmer's year". 

In France and Belgium, it may be called "Le Chandeleur" and it's traditional to eat crepes. Apparently this goes back to an early pope that ordered pancakes be distributed to pilgrims, and the shape and color are supposed to remind people of the sun. 

(Now, if it were up to me, I'd have pancakes for dinner. But I didn't think my husband would be excited about that, so instead we will try this recipe for Savory Crepes tonight.) 

In Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries, it's celebrated as Candelaria. One custom is that the person who found the bean inside the Kings Cake on Epiphany is supposed to bring food to the feast on Candelaria. The family meal features tamales, so often the person who found the bean is responsible to make the tamales. 

Did you check your local groundhog forecast today? Whether we see signs of spring or a longer winter today, take heart in the knowledge that Jesus is still the Light of the World, and that to be in HIS shadow is to be kept safe.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

~Psalm 91:1~

This post will be linked at Encouraging Hearts and Home.

Sources for this article include: www.OfficeHolidays.com, History.com, McGrath Blog, GrowChristians.org

¹ Pirtle, Carolyn. "What is Candlemas and how to observe it"; McGrath Institute for Church Life. University of Notre Dame. Jan. 30, 2019

 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to Homeschool Coffee Break by email 

 ©2006-2023 Homeschool Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Adapt and Grow

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from HS Coffee Break helps fuel this blog. 

Usually on Fridays I share and link up a Five Minute Friday post, but that link-up is taking a holiday break for three weeks. Oddly, as it turns out, I discovered that I missed writing on three words way back in February when I did the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge. My theme was Coping With Change, and it also turns out those three words are perfect for the most recent changes in life that I've been coping with. Bonus words to write about for five minutes (or more) during the holidays.

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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.

adapt and adjust

adapt to suit

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The measure of intelligence is the ability to change. ~Albert Einstein

To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. ~Winston Churchill

Why do I tend to feel sorry for myself when I'm the one that is expected to adapt and adjust? Maybe we all tend to be a bit disgruntled when we are expected the change something that we hadn't planned on. It's not fair to be the inflexible, immovable person all the time either, and so we all do what we need to do. We all give a little bit and negotiate a bit and change happens. And sometimes change happens whether we're on board or not, and we are forced to adapt just to survive. 

Adaptability is a survival skill, I suppose. Being able to adapt our skill sets helps us succeed in a changing job market. Being able to adapt our communication and relational style helps us maintain good relationships with family and friends. Being able to adjust our expectations helps us stay reasonable and grounded.

To survive and even thrive in a changing world, nature offers another great lesson: the survivors are those who at the least adapt to change, or even better learn to benefit from change and grow intellectually and personally. That means careful listening and constant learning. ~Frances Arnold

Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live. ~Marcus Aurelius

Sometimes, though, there's a fine line between adapting and giving in. Between adapting and compromising. Healthy adapting shouldn't mean conforming to what everyone else is doing, going along with the crowd, or giving up our own identity or principles so we can fit in. 

The world around me has changed, and I have learned to adapt but not change. But I'm changing into the woman I am meant to be. ~Aurora

I have been adjusting my expectations of what my life would look like at this stage. I'm adjusting my expectations of what my home will look like and how I'll spend my time. I've been trying to adjust my attitude when I find myself feeling grumpy or like I've been hard done by. Adapting to change by making the little course adjustments when needed but not abandoning ship. I'm learning more and more that I need to allow the Holy Spirit to show me what needs changing, so that the adaptations will make me a better person and more like Jesus.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

~Romans 12:1-2~

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

~II Corinthians 3:17-18~

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You know I wasn't going to end without at least one more humorous quote, right? I have no idea who this guy is, a singer or a comedian probably, but I got a kick out of the quote.

Adapt to yourself, bro. What I wanna say is don't let nobody tell you that you should stay in your lane, bro. ~Ski Mask the Slump God

Which led me to include this bonus music video:

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For the recent Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge, I had decided to explore the theme of living well and with purpose during times of change. A few years ago, as I neared the end of my years as a homeschool mom, I realized my world would change when my youngest graduated. My roles in the homeschool community and in my social circles were affected. Things changed in the workplace. Things are ever changing at church. And as my children grew up and the nest has begun to empty, family dynamics are changing. To our surprise, my husband's job ended at the very beginning of 2022, which brought another round of changes to consider! (He started a new position in February, and moving was a change we did not have to deal with after all!) Fast forward to the fall of 2022, and the new job ended, and we did have to make a move and cope with a lot of changes! I know very well that writing about coping with change is not the same as having all the answers. I'll do my best to share what I'm learning and experiencing, and I'd love to hear from others in the comments. I didn't finish writing and posting everything at the tail end of the challenge, so I think maybe these last couple of prompts were serendipitously left for me to write about now, as I'm reflecting on the most recent changes I've had to cope with.

This post is part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. Find all my posts for the 2022 challenge here: 28 Days of Coping With Change

Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better. ~Sydney J. Harris

Although not linked at Five Minute Friday due to the holiday break, this post more or less follows my usual Five Minute Friday format.

This post will be linked at Inspire Me Monday, at the Sweet Tea & Friends Monthly Link-up Party hosted by Simply Coffee & Jesus, and at Let's Have Coffee hosted by Joanne Viola: Days and Thoughts

Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to HS Coffee Break by email 

 ©2006-2023 HS Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Strength When We're Tired

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from HS Coffee Break helps fuel this blog. 

Usually on Fridays I share and link up a Five Minute Friday post, but that link-up is taking a holiday break for three weeks. Oddly, as it turns out, I discovered that I missed writing on three words way back in February when I did the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge. My theme was Coping With Change, and it also turns out those three words are perfect for the most recent changes in life that I've been coping with. Bonus words to write about for five minutes (or more) during the holidays.

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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.

sick and tired

too tired to care

bone tired

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Life is one long process of getting tired. ~Samuel Butler

This has been quite a year. So many ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns on this roller coaster of life. And honestly, I'm just tired. Some days I'm just exhausted and weary and not sure how I'll find the motivation to do what needs to be done. I think we all experience that one way or another, and some of us suffer more than others.

We get bone tired. Physically tired and achy. Our bodies have limits and as we age or deal with health problems, we just start to wear out and few of us have as much energy as we did when we were in our twenties.

We get tired of trying. Emotionally drained. It feels like nothing is going right or that we somehow keep getting the short end of the stick. We keep trying to do better, to mend a relationship rift, to find joy and purpose, but we can easily get discouraged and lose our motivation.

Tired minds don't plan well. Sleep first, plan later. ~Walter Reisch

Physical changes, circumstantial changes, emotional upheaval can all combine to make us feel tired. And perhaps right after Christmas, we feel it even more. I often do, and I certainly do this year! It's cold and my joints ache, and gloomy weather makes me feel sleepy. I'm emotionally rather worn down by all the things related to the move and trying to settle into a new home. And we don't yet have friends or a church home locally to help with the burdens. And so, I feel tired, and even discouraged.

But when I am weak, Christ is strong. When I can't, he has already made a way. When I'm weary, he does provide rest and renewed strength.

We can be tired, weary and emotionally distraught, but after spending time alone with God, we find that He injects into our bodies energy, power and strength. ~Charles Stanley

I'm reminded of the disciples gathering around Jesus to report all their ministry successes, being interrupted and bothered by a crowd, and Jesus says, "You need to get some rest." He knows what we need.

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 

"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

~Mark 6:30-31~

When I'm tired of all the change and all the trying, Jesus offers rest and renewal. 

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strenght.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

~Isaiah 40:28-31~

Perhaps here, at the end of the year, is a good time to rest. To pause and reflect. To remember all the times God has been faithful and carried us through. Use our tiredness as a reminder to stop and rest in him, and to receive the renewal we need to head into a new year. Selah. 

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See my related posts: Ease The Burden and Dear Homeschool Mom . . . Come To A Quiet Place

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For the recent Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge, I had decided to explore the theme of living well and with purpose during times of change. A few years ago, as I neared the end of my years as a homeschool mom, I realized my world would change when my youngest graduated. My roles in the homeschool community and in my social circles were affected. Things changed in the workplace. Things are ever changing at church. And as my children grew up and the nest has begun to empty, family dynamics are changing. To our surprise, my husband's job ended at the very beginning of 2022, which brought another round of changes to consider! (He started a new position in February, and moving was a change we did not have to deal with after all!) Fast forward to the fall of 2022, and the new job ended, and we did have to make a move and cope with a lot of changes! I know very well that writing about coping with change is not the same as having all the answers. I'll do my best to share what I'm learning and experiencing, and I'd love to hear from others in the comments. I didn't finish writing and posting everything at the tail end of the challenge, so I think maybe these last couple of prompts were serendipitously left for me to write about now, as I'm reflecting on the most recent changes I've had to cope with.

This post is part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. Find all my posts for the 2022 challenge here: 28 Days of Coping With Change

Although not linked at Five Minute Friday due to the holiday break, this post more or less follows my usual Five Minute Friday format.

This post will be linked at Inspire Me Monday and at Let's Have Coffee hosted by Joanne Viola: Days and Thoughts

 

Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to HS Coffee Break by email 

 ©2006-2022 HS Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Unexpected Changes

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from HS Coffee Break helps fuel this blog. 

Usually on Fridays I share and link up a Five Minute Friday post, but that link-up is taking a holiday break for three weeks. Oddly, as it turns out, I discovered that I missed writing on three words way back in February when I did the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge. My theme was Coping With Change, and it also turns out those three words are perfect for the most recent changes in life that I've been coping with. Bonus words to write about for five minutes (or more) during the holidays.

********************

One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.

this is unexpected

an unexpected blessing

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Back in February, when I started the Write 28 Days challenge, my husband had just unexpectedly lost his job, and to our surprise he was able to find something else that allowed us to stay in our house and not move. An unexpected blessing! But once again, we faced an unexpected job loss at the end of September, and at that time, we did accept a new job offer that meant a move. And all of that was unexpected. A lot happened, and a lot changed, and all very quickly! A lot of change to cope with!

Often the most unexpected, unpredictable moments in life are the ones that leave the biggest impression and that teach us to roll with the punches. ~Natalya Neidhart

Although the suddenness presented a lot of challenges, in some ways I think it did make it easier for me as well. I didn't have time to mentally and emotionally prepare for it, so the feelings of grief and loss hit hard and sometimes at unexpected moments. But I also didn't have the dubious luxury of indulging in long pity parties or wallowing in my sorrow at moving away from my kids and friends and beloved home. We didn't have time to do a lot of planning and preparation for the logistics of the move either, so we've had to just complete moving tasks as we thought of them or as they came up. That has been unsettling and worrisome, but again, without time to overthink and second-guess everything, we've just gone ahead and got it done. It also forced me out of my default position of procrastinating on tasks that intimidated me.

If you so choose, even the unexpected setbacks can bring new and positive possibilities. If you so choose, you can find value and fulfillment in every circumstance. ~Ralph Marston

I won't sugarcoat it - I have cried more tears than I thought possible, because I am not a crier by nature. The feelings of loss and loneliness have been overwhelming at times. This has been HARD. But my family and my friends - and most importantly, my God - have been proven faithful and loving. Because I've learned to trust God, I've been trained to be willing to follow his leading and to look for the good he has for me. The unexpected blessings.

Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me. ~Carl Sandburg

Sometimes life drops blessings in your lap without your lifting a finger. Serendipity, they call it. ~Charlton Heston

 Most of us are celebrating Christmas this week, and thinking about how the Son of God entered the world as a baby. How unexpected! For his earthly parents, Mary and Joseph - what unexpected hardships and challenges, but what blessings and honor! The shepherds were given a very unexpected announcement from the angel, and their astonishment at finding everything just as the angel said must have been great. The wise men who traveled so far to find a new king must have been surprised to see the star stop over an ordinary house in which there was a humble young couple and their little child. How unexpected! 

God often doesn't do things the way we expect. But he always does things the way he has planned. It's unexpected to us, but never a surprise to him.

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.

Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,

and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts;

neither are your ways my ways,"

declares the LORD.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

and do not return to it without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,

and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.

This will be for the LORD's renown,

for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever."

~Isaiah 55:6-13~

Whatever unexpected challenges or blessings come your way this season, remember that you are in God's capable hands. Trust him to lead you through the challenges, and give him glory for the blessings.

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********************

For the recent Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge, I had decided to explore the theme of living well and with purpose during times of change. A few years ago, as I neared the end of my years as a homeschool mom, I realized my world would change when my youngest graduated. My roles in the homeschool community and in my social circles were affected. Things changed in the workplace. Things are ever changing at church. And as my children grew up and the nest has begun to empty, family dynamics are changing. To our surprise, my husband's job ended at the very beginning of 2022, which brought another round of changes to consider! (He started a new position in February, and moving was a change we did not have to deal with after all!) Fast forward to the fall of 2022, and the new job ended, and we did have to make a move and cope with a lot of changes! I know very well that writing about coping with change is not the same as having all the answers. I'll do my best to share what I'm learning and experiencing, and I'd love to hear from others in the comments. I didn't finish writing and posting everything at the tail end of the challenge, so I think maybe these last couple of prompts were serendipitously left for me to write about now, as I'm reflecting on the most recent changes I've had to cope with.

This post is part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. Find all my posts for the 2022 challenge here: 28 Days of Coping With Change

Although not linked at Five Minute Friday due to the holiday break, this post more or less follows my usual Five Minute Friday format.

This post will be linked at Inspire Me Monday.

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 ©2006-2022 HS Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Five Minute Friday - Simple

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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.

the simple life

simple pleasure

keep it simple

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

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A few years ago we decided we needed to declutter, get rid of some of the accumulation of stuff in our house. Wasn't the first time we'd made the effort, and we knew it wouldn't be the last. It's funny that we know we don't need all the stuff we keep, but for some reason we keep it anyway.

When we packed up to move, we weren't sure what kind of place we'd get, but we planned on renting so we knew we'd have less space. In a way, it was so good, because it made me think about what things I actually needed or wanted badly enough that I would make room for them. I even looked forward to starting fresh with only those things and having a simpler pared-down home. Some of the decisions about what to bring were not easy!

So here we are, still working our way around boxes and things. We haven't decided where everything goes and how to arrange it, and there are still a couple items of new furniture we're waiting on. We're not quire sure what to do with all the empty boxes. I haven't decided where to hang any pictures on any walls yet, because I want to know where the furniture goes first. And I don't have any picture hanging hooks and such anyway. We put up the tree but I still haven't decorated it.

And it's okay. It's not a race and there's no one to impress. I really think I should get the tree decorated tonight, but I know I'll use far fewer ornaments than usual. I kind of like the tree with just the lights. Over the next week or so, we will get the rest of the furniture, and most of the things that are still sitting out will go into the shelves or dressers or cabinets where they belong; and we'll get the empty boxes looked after. We might even get some pictures hung on the walls. 

Speaking of simple pleasures . . . 

And I wonder if I'll continue to be content with simple decor and fewer things? I hope so. We don't need to impress anyone with all the things we have, and people whose good opinion is worth having aren't impressed by all the things anyway. 

A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with - that's poverty - but how efficiently we can put first things first. ~Victoria Moran

Simple pleasures are the last healthy refuge in a complex world. ~Oscar Wilde

Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough. ~Charles Dudley Warner

In other words, simplicity has much in common with humility and being content. 

And Mary said:

"My soul glorifies the Lord, 

and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me -

holy is his name.

~Luke 1:46-49~

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 

~I Peter 3:8~

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'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we will not be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

~Shaker song by Joseph Bracket, Jr, 1848

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This post is linked at Five Minute Friday for the word prompt "Simple".

 ©2006-2022 HS Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.