And Clarence's Parents Have a Real Good Marriage

Yeah so... I woke up twice this morning during the 3:00 hour... Leroy wouldn't quit patting me on the lips no matter which way I turned or tried to cover up... and I thought, "This night is taking FOREVER!  Guess I'll have to end it myself."  So I got up.  Around 4 a.m.  Even though today, purportedly, the city is frozen and, assuredly, my office is c-l-o-s-e-double d.

Read a couple Psalms.  Cliff notes version:  God will always, unfailingly protect you, hold you close and set you so high no enemy can reach you.  God will pay back people according to what they have done, and good people will thank God because His love is unfailing.

Sounds a little like peer pressure or strong advertising, perhaps... all the GOOD people obviously know that thanking God is a way to get into the GOOD category.  Not gonna over-think that one.  God certainly IS good.  And I don't praise Him for status; I praise and thank Him all through my every day, little steps along the way, because I am constantly reminded how good and faithful He is.  Hands down.  God is the best, better than any human could ever aspire to be.

It is right to put huge effort into modeling your behavior after God's... but crazy to think you could ever be as good AS Him.

So next I had to pull up the YouTube video from 8 Mile where Eminem shows his competitor what's what, uses all the things about himself freely and honestly then tells the crowd things about that competitor that the poor guy would never have admitted about himself.  And Eminem ends with, "So go on; tell these people somethin' they don't know about me."  I love that movie.  "This is me, all of me, this is what I'm made of, this is where I come from, this is what I've been through.  Now what else you got to add to that??  Please, go ahead."  See that HERE.

And now it's 5 a.m. and I am up, in the dark.  No doubt I'll be asleep again pretty soon.  Just had to break the monotony of sleeping and waking up and sleeping and waking up, etcetera etcetera...

I hope you've all been edified by what I shared about the Word of God and the words of Eminem.  *sly smile*  I am lying on the couch with cats intermittently jumping across me like bunny rabbits.  But it's stuff like that that makes me smile and laugh.  Probably be back to sleep soon.  Which is awesome because I CAN...I love snow days.

xo

Nicole

Remember Me

Still reading Psalms.  It occurred to me, David wrote what he was thinking, feeling, needing - fearing.  Longing for.  His words show true human weakness and need.  Psalms are honest cries... "God, You are strong and able.  This is where I am; right or wrong, this how I'm feeling.  Please step over the clutter of all my feelings and worries and please come help me."

It occurred to me, I could do the same.  So I wrote this just now.  I didn't put much thought into it; just let words flow.  Maybe plain truth is better than iambic pentameter, alliteration and a catchy rhyme scheme.

Maybe I could write my own book of Psalms, you know?

So here is what was birthed, with minimal analysis, from my mind this morning.  I tried to tap into the true flow of me, below the surface.  Honest, undecorated, free-flowing truth.

Nicole's Psalm 1.  😄


God, You are strong
Sure, stealthy, safe
Your promises are protection
Playing, praying, pure
Please remember me
Always, everywhere, forever
Surround me
In the safe place where I can reach up and
Trace Your face
With my childlike finger
Remember me
Never turn me away
I crave the feeling of safety
Safe, sure, surrounded by
Warm stability
Remember me
Past my insecurities
Past my fallings, fears, faults
My forgetfulness
You do not want wise words
You have my heart
Hold it in Your hands
Remember me

Step Outside and Breathe Fresh Air!

For you have rescued me from my troubles
and helped me to triumph over my enemies.

-Psalm 54:7

There are SO many cool and awesome things I could write about, and plan to, sometime soon I hope... but I just read this verse.  Read it a few times, actually, and had some interesting thoughts as a result.

I asked myself WHO or WHAT were my actual enemies.  The first things that immediately came to mind were depression, anxiety, nervousness, fear - things like that.

After thinking for a few moments, I had to conclude that all these enemies are INSIDE me.

The best way, then, to get rid of these internal enemies, would be to step... OUTSIDE... me.

I used to date someone who would at times ask me, "Nicole, are you in your head again?"  That was one of the best things I got out of that relationship.  Balling up in the confines of one's own mind cannot be healthy.  The air in there must get stagnant, and all you would see would be the same ideas and thoughts over and over.

I learned to get OUT of my head, so to speak.  Outside of that enclosure was and is a vast array of OTHER thoughts, fresh air and FREEDOM.

So.  If my enemies are inside me, I just need to step OUTSIDE for fresh air, fresh thoughts and fresh perspectives.

The challenge now will be putting that into practice.  The process is bound to be one of trial and error but, if I keep at it, I have hope that it will become a habit.  Like, "Whoa, it is dank and a little hopeless in here.  Let me step out because this is no good for me."

Perhaps forming this habit will be one of those rubber-band-on-the-wrist psychological  practices.  (I say that only half-jokingly...) but I feel inspired to work at making - not merely an option or a habit - but even an instantaneous REFLEX, to step out of the mess going on inside my head and enjoy all the zillions of other, better things life has to offer!

Wishing you the best in your own life's journey!

xo
Nicole

Feet Down Below His Knees

A new way of reading the Psalms has alighted in my mind!  It may be pretty different, kind of out-of-the-box... but then, out of the box is what I continually hope for.  Really something I should moreso STRIVE for, but anyway... for what it's worth...

I sing the Psalms.  To the tune of whatever random song is bumping around in my head at that moment.  The other day I sang a Psalm to "Come Together" by the Beatles.  Once I used the worship song "As the Deer..." and, once, I sang to the tune of the Goatherd (puppet show) song from "The Sound of Music." 



Today I sang Psalm 44 along with Dire Straits to the "Sultans of Swing."



Singing a Psalm forces me to slow down, focus on the words and what would fit where in the melody for that moment.  Remember I said awhile back, I was concerned about reading the Psalm too quickly and not getting the depth of meaning below the mere words on the surface.  Well, now I have a method and it is proving really frickin effective.  I love it.

Try it.  At least once, just for the sake of trying something new.  See if it feels good for you.  If it doesn't, then move on... but, if it does, you may have opened a door to a whole new world of seeking to understand and absorb the great things God wants us to get out of God's word.

Selah.

xo
Nicole

Dripping Water and Calling Cats

Dripping water because tonight is about the third hard freeze in a row, so you have to drip your faucets so the pipes don't bust... and calling cats because, for some reason, at night, my cats tend to wander the house yowling and calling out like they are alone in a giant, dark, scary cave somewhere.  Those were the sounds I was hearing at the start of this blog.

 <-- not my cat but you gotta admit, that's cute...

So today was January 2, 2018.  We had the day off as a paid holiday... with the option of working all or part of the day and essentially being paid double.  Sweet deal, I had planned to partake but my body said NOPE.. and my body is not the kind of lady you argue with.  Nope means nope... that generic cold medicine I talked about the other day really hangs onto me.

Around noon, I walked to French Truck Coffee on Government and spent some time reading a book on my Kindle.  Some books, you have to just hang in there for the first few chapters until you are inextricably snagged, fascinated, and devouring.  This book is called Behind Her Eyes:  A Suspenseful Psychological Thriller.  This chick (Louise) meets and ends up kissing a man at a party.  Turns out, he is married and she feels... a mixture of guilt and lingering intrigue.  Said man ends up being her new boss at her job.  Awkward!  THEN she meets her boss's WIFE; (Adele) - a beautiful, captivating, mysterious woman (when I read about her in the book, I see her as a type of Audrey Hepburn).  I don't think the wife knows about the kiss  Louise is seriously not interested in anything further with this married man who kissed someone who is not his wife, not to mention her boss.  So the two women run into each other on the street - literally collide - and end up having coffee and tending the seedlings of a possible new friendship.  With an agreement, Adele's request, that the husband/boss not be told of their meeting and hanging out.

Then it is revealed that, somehow, Adele has arranged this meeting up with Louise on PURPOSE!  But it doesn't say why, and it does sound like Adele has some kind of plan behind all of this... plus a thousand more details branching out in every direction... and it was at this point that the aforementioned snagging took place.  

So, at first, I was moderately unimpressed with this book.  However, as I kept reading, it grew more and more complex, entangled and fascinating and now I am snagged.  The author is Sarah Pinborough.  I have no idea what's going to happen and am still only learning the backstory in bits and pieces, but I highly recommend it to anyone who, well, knows how to read.  Haha... but seriously.  Awesome book.

I'm trying to wind down in effort to, hopefully, fall asleep at a decent time.  So I thought we could do a little window shopping together.  What do you say?  Come on, it will be fun.  I have learned of these two new websites over the holiday shopping season and I really enjoy their emails.  Mostly I just browse, but it's fun, anyway.

I get emails once or twice a day from Brad's Deals - sometimes they have pretty amazing deals, too!  I have tamed my shopping urges my asking myself one main question:  "Do I NEED this?"  The answer is usually no, and I move on.  I just like browsing, seeing different things and getting new ideas.

Here is what Brad offered up in his the most recent email I read from him:

Yankee Candle: $1 Fragrance Sale ...Never heard of a $1 Yankee Candle and this looks more like a hanging car air freshener... didn't even click on this... moving on!

Lands' End: Up to 60% Off Winter Sale Do not need... don't even really want... next...  LOL

Custom Ornaments $9 Shipped in 600 Styles Ehh... don't see myself buying ornaments anytime soon... though the family in the car and also the reindeer family are cute!

L.L. Bean: Extra 25% Off Sale Can't see myself in this sweater.  Plus I don't need anymore clothes right now.  (Just sharing my thoughts) 😊

10pc Mystery Jewelry Box $13 Shipped I did click on this one.  I like pretty, shiny things plus Lena's birthday is coming up.  In the end, though, I had to consider my budget and decided spending $13 on this, at this moment, would not be wise.  Moving on!

Balance Ball Training Set $43 Shipped I would LOVE to have a balance ball!  Would I use it?  Not often enough to justify spending $43 on it.  Hehe...

Fitbit Alta HR + Extra Band $120 Shipped Got a Fitbit already, paid less than this price AND I like it better than the one in the picture.  Next!

Free Country: Up to 55% Off + 25% Off THIS is a cute jacket.  But I really don't need another jacket.  Plus I don't like things that cinch in at the waist like that.  I'm not built like that, no matter how skinny I get, and it just feels awkward.  Cute, though, for someone else!

Converse: Extra 25% Off Sale Very cute, do not need.  Have to pass on this as well.

Sennheiser HD 6XX Headphones $200 Shipped Lena got me some SWEET, CORDLESS headphones for Christmas.  I love them so much, way cooler than these, and FARRRR less expensive.  NEXT!!

ThinkGeek Calendars from $7 Okay... no.....  LOL

Kohl's: Up to 60% Off + 15% Off Shoes Cute, do not need; I actually ordered a pair sort of like this recently and have yet to wear them for their debut!  Cool though.

Belk: Up to 80% Off End of Season Sale Like very much; honestly do not need.  OH well.  LOL

Macy's: Up to 75% Off Area Rugs Um... no.  Two words:  PET HAIR.  hahaha  No way!

Samsung 55" 4K HDR Smart TV $550 Shipped Do not want or need.  Though that is a decent price if I were looking.

14 CAO Holiday-Series Cigars $40 Shipped Not my thing.  Haha...

Michael Kors Watches from $85! My Fitbit is my watch.  That's pretty, though!

50% + 20% + 15% Off Holiday Storage Don't need.  Great idea, though!

2 Women's Winter Accessories $16 Shipped Cute, and a great deal!  But I don't need any more of that stuff.  I am replete in winter wear.

Up to 50% Off Holiday Decor Naaah...

Tervis: 25% Off Select Tumblers The other day I rearranged the tumblers we already have that we don't use... sooo...

Energizer Wireless Charger $10 Shipped Don't need...

Up to 50% Off Hoka One One Running Shoes I DID click on this because I AM potentially interested in new running shoes, and these look cool-- but they are SOOO EXPENSIVE... their "up to 50% off" is more than I spend on shoes.  Geez, come on!  *sigh*  I will keep looking.  This is not a desperate, need-right-now situation....

2 Parrot Jumping Night Mini Drones $50 This is something I would love as a cool gift, but not something I would spend $50 on.  Besides, I ordered a drone on a good sale I found and am awaiting its very cool arrival.  😎

NuDown Inflatable Insulation Jacket $165 Okay... INFLATABLE???  Seriously?  No really... SERIOUSLY??  hahahaha...

And finally, the last two, "do not need" and "do not need, either."  Look:                                                                         

4pc Travel Gear Spinner Set $99 Shipped
Bionaire 1,500W Console Heater $69

See, wasn't that fun?  Okay, kind of fun.  I was going to show stuff from the other site I look at sometimes but I am worn out.  Treasure the suspense, hee hee

Now I shall lie down and continue reading the building intrigue between Louise and Adele.  Then I shall sleep.

Unless I have to get up and pee all night because of the drip... drip... trickle... sounds from down the hall.  Hahaha  Oh well.  It'll all be okay.

Good night!

xo

Nicole