Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

For the long haul follow your passions.  Every person can do a lot of things competently–some more than others.  If you want to follow your dreams, follow your bliss, the things you get excited about and would do even if it produced no income.  Then you will impact others so follow your passions.  Only then will you truly be successful and enrich the world you live in including those around you.

Tags: enrich the world, follow your bliss, follow your dreams, follow your passions, God, truly successful
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Pain enables us to grow.  I am what I am not despite my bipolar disorder but because of it.  I certainly now have more empathy for others who suffer, whatever the reason.  It does not matter really why.  Yes, I have been to hell and back but so have many others.  What if nothing ever went wrong in your life?!  You would just experience boredom.  No one experiences this utopia.  Why should you feel for anyone else pain?  It is your own pain and suffering that produces empathy for others.

Tags: balance, bipolar disorder, depression, empathy for others, God, mental health, pain and growth, pain and suffering, relationships, suffer
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“Thump!  Thump!  Thump!”  I say that to my favorite dog.  And his tail just wags faster and harder.  Tilla has had other names in the past:  the loveable mutt was first called Atilla The Hun, now shortened to Tilla.  Then the Olympian.  He the was the only dog athletic enough to clear our fence forcing us to build it higher the next year.  He tried then right away to go over but bounced right off it and did not try again.  He is a lovable rogue. I am sure he will earn other names as time goes by.  He is the same dog that never forgot being chained to the table twice when we were punishing him.  You can not keep a leash near him:  he will simply chew through it so leashes are kept out of his reach.  He never forgets.  Right now I feel sorry for him for he is limping slightly.  The vet says he has a torn tendon.  I am hoping we can correct that in the future.  Anyway, he is my dog.  I won him over by giving belly rubs almost any time he wants one and he loves his sporadic walks I give him.  I love him with all my heart and soul.  I never thought any dog would replace Daisy–a black mutt I had since she was a puppy but he has.  Dogs don’t live forever so I will enjoy him now.  Everything is by grace.

Tags: belly rubs, chew leashes, Daisy, dog jumped the fence, dog limping, dog tail thumping, dog walks, dogs, everything-is-by-grace, God, lovable rogue, loveable mutt, my dog, pets, Tilla, torn tendon, vet
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I could not believe the acre of goldenrod.  It was at least a solid acre of goldenrod.  I had never seen so many plants in one acre as if someone planted them.  It really was the handwork of the Lord.  Man could not have done it.  I was totally amazed at the mass of yellow flowers.  I had never seen such a thing.  And how many people pass that same spot every day and do not see (???) give it a second thought.

Tags: flowers, God, goldenrod, handwork of the Lord, mass of yellow flowers
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Today I will choose to be happy.  No matter what God sends my way.  I will choose to be happy.  Every day something goes wrong.  So what!?  I will determine to thank God for every thing He sends my way.

Tags: choose to be happy, God, happiness, thank God
Posted in balance, beauty, God, life, love, seasons, time, wisdom | 1 Comment »

I am being blessed by this weather.  The next seven days it will be in the seventies.  Praise the Lord!  I will just enjoy it.  It has not been too long ago that the weather was unbearably hot, so I will just enjoy today’s weather.  And appreciate the mild weather and who knows I may, even, go fishing.

Tags: blessed, enjoy today's weather, go fishing, God, praise the Lord
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Everything is given by grace I am reminded again.  And the spirit of mercy.  Both are closely related.  You can’t have one without the other.  My wife has gone through a hard time with me, again.  And I know I don’t deserve her forgiveness.  I have done nothing to deserve that.  But she has bestowed me with that.  And all I can do is to thank the One above me for that gift.  So Jesus thanks, again for that free gift.  Grace and mercy.  I did nothing at all to deserve that.  So, thanks, again.  Everything is by grace.

Tags: did nothing to deserve that, everything-is-by-grace, forgiveness, free gift, give thanks, God, grace, grace and mercy, Jesus, my wife, spirit of mercy, thank the One above me
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God does not owe you anything.  Everything is by His grace.  All He promises you is food or shelter.  He often gives you gifts beyond that.  It says in the bible that when you pray, you do so with a spirit of thankfulness.  Otherwise you are this person who tells the Person upstairs I want this or that.  When you pray with a spirit of thankfulness, you appreciate the gifts He has given you.  And there is less and more in this world.  That is why when you have the ability to help someone in anyway and you turn your back on that person, you have committed a sin.  You are not able to help everyone, but, nevertheless, The Lord puts people in your immediate circle who need your help.  It does not matter what it is.  Each person has the ability to alleviate someone’s suffering.  It may be a kind word or even just a smile.  You do not live in a vacuum.  It is true God does not owe you anything but never forget you can impact others around you.  And that gift might have a ripple effect in our universe.  Never give up the power you have.  The power of one.

Tags: a kind word, a smile, alleviate suffering, appreciate His gifts, Bible, by His grace, do not live in a vacuum, God, God gives you gifts, help someone, spirit of thankfulness, the Lord, The power of one
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It was sixty-one degrees and there was a mist in the air–only briefly. And I praised the Lord! After several heat waves this weather was a real treat. The rain drops hitting my skin was soothing and a relief. There will be more heat waves before the summer will be up but today I will consider to be a gift even if a blue sky never appears.

Tags: blue sky, God, heat wave, mist in the air, rain drops, summer, today is a gift
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My wife said our dog was in the same spot for the last three hours. I approached him and he hardly moved. His eyes followed me so I knew he was still alive. I was afraid I would wake up the next morning and he would be dead. I found out in the middle of the night he was no longer there. I was thrilled: that was a good sign. Even the biscuit that had been lying untouched by his mouth was gone. He is twelve years old and still manages (despite his arthritic knees) to run to the other side of the yard. He may have gotten old all of a sudden. He was in the yard today not in a prone position but slightly sitting up. It is summer and our four dogs are not that perky. I love Pax but no pet lives forever. I would really miss him.

Tags: arthritic knees, dog biscuit, dogs, four dogs, God, my wife, no pet lives forever, old dog, Pax, pets, summer
Posted in death, God, local, pets, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »

No matter what I did there would be times I would displease my partner. Of course, if it happened continuously there was something gravely the matter between the two us. We simply had to work it out whenever possible. It also meant I had to forgive my partner for not living up to my expectations. We were still two separate individuals and hopefully bridged the gap between us often enough to bond to one another. We are all imperfect and flawed. Marriage vows enable you to ride out the rough stretches between you.

Tags: bond to one another, bridge the gap between us, displease my partner, forgive my partner, God, marriage vows, my expectations, we are all imperfect and flawed, work it out
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I bought into the house a white iris.  It had broken off and had two other buds.  The iris had a delicate fragrance and if you pull back the main petals the shapes and colors within are exquisite.  I stuck the iris in an vase after I put a little water in it.  Maybe the other two buds will flower.  I don’t know.  Sometimes to see the beauty of a flower you have to look a little harder.  It is amazing the creations of God.  All you have to look at is the diverse colors and shapes of the flowers in your own neighborhood.

Tags: beauty of a flower, flower buds, flowers, God, iris, the creations of God, white iris
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