THIRD TIME LUCKY

I hate cold weather.


I do live in Arizona, but at a high enough altitude that we get freezing temperatures, and even snow once or twice a year (at least until global warming began turning every one's weather upside down and backwards).


And last night was one of those cold nights - it got down to 22 degrees Fahrenheit.

Our church is almost completely volunteer-based; we don't have a  paid clergy, church members teach the classes and run the organizations.

And we volunteer to keep our church building clean.

So this Saturday morning, our names were on the list to meet early to clean.

I called the brother who is in charge of the cleaning schedule Friday evening to confirm the time.

And he told me we would be responsible for cleaning the OUTSIDE of the building.

The pavements - and porches - and leafs - and raking - OUTSIDE.

And guess what?

It was COLD.

TWO DAYS RUNNING.... DO WE SEE A PATTERN HERE?

I have a few habits.... and I am going to try to make this post once again one of them.

And I am trying to determine if I should attempt to acquire some others.





I used to have a pretty strict schedule in a daily planner - which was necessary with a full-time job, kids still living at home, church responsibilities, etc.

Now I'm home alone - not doing much of anything.

Should I go back into the full-blown daily schedule, categorizing of topics, personal and spiritual objectives, color-coding of events?
 
 I would get more done with that, I am certain - but is that what I want?


I guess I am going to have to meditate on this for a couple of days.

SO WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL THIS TIME?

I've been dealing with some issues.

Some have been purely in my mind.

Some are in circumstances still  surrounding me.


But some things I have come through, am now on the other side, and feel pretty well pleased with myself.





And I'm not entirely certain yet if I can commit again to this blog.... but I'd like to.

Let me issue this as a challenge to myself. 

SEEING THE HORIZON

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.
I can see all obstacles in my way.
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.
It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day.






Okay, I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for.



Look all around, there's nothing but blue skies.
Look straight ahead, there's nothing but blue skies.




 I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.
I can see all obstacles in my way.
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.
It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day.

DEPRESSED OR LAZY?

I've been going through a rough period.

I got off one antidepressant in order to gain some energy - and then lost almost everything in the process.

I'm getting my feet back under me - am seeing another psychiatrist - but the lost energy is simply not coming back yet.

But is that depression, or am I simply being lazy?

It's hot, and easy to feel this way (the heat takes everything away from you).

Or is it lack of any ambition on my part?

SMELL OF RAIN IN THE EVENING CLOUDS

Technically, I do not live in the desert.

We receive enough rain to classify as "high chaparral", which means twice a year we get enough rain to keep our yuccas, mesquite and broom cactus alive.

But we receive little enough that we do refer to it locally as "moisture", not rain.

And it's more than a little bit of an event when it falls.

We're on the cusp of our summer monsoon season, and every afternoon, we look with eagerness to the gathering dark clouds over the mountains.

And we rejoice even when a few sprinkles come fluttering down.

We need the rain badly.

SWEETS

Horses are by nature herd animals; they don't fare all that well on their own.

And my poor horse, Najale, has been all on his lonesome for almost a year and a half now.

Enter Sweets, or Sweet Lady Grey (her full name).

Najale dances and squeals and gallops and races around, incredibly excited by the presence of another equine.





I put them in adjoining pens for a few hours until the fireworks peter out, and then let them formally meet.

A few more squeals - a couple well-placed kicks from each one - soon they are grazing together in harmony.









Looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.