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

I can’t believe how fast the time is going. A little more than two weeks we will have reached winter officially and another thirteen weeks spring-officially anyway. It seemed as if Thanksgiving has just come and Christmas is less than three weeks away. Then New Year. I know every January and February we have at least one “freeze”. And those periods will seem forever. Before we know it the Farm Show will be here. And it invariably snows that week. There is always two periods of time. The Greek language described time at least two different ways. There will be the period where it flows forever. And then where everything happens in slow motion. All this at the same time.

Tags: Christmas and then winter and spring, Farm Show, February, freeze, Greek language, January, New Year, snow, thanksgiving, time, time going fast, time in slow motion, Time is experienced differently at the same time
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It was almost November and one pink rose was still blooming. The weather, on the whole, was still mild although the temperatures were still gradually dropping. It is hard to believe that in less than four weeks Thanksgiving will arrive. The clock gets changed this coming Sunday. The colder weather is coming but all I can think of is the weather of next spring. I wish I could hibernate. But I can’t. I will just endure the coming colder weather (and dress warmer).

Tags: dress warmer, flowers, mild weather of Autumn, November, pink rose, rose bush is still blooming, spring, thanksgiving, the hour gets put back, the on-coming cold weather, wish I could hibernate
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Thanksgiving is not about turkey dinners and all the trimmings.  It is about families getting together and displaying gratitude for all your blessings.  I know it is a hard time for those especially in NY and NJ who got hit hard by the storm “Sandy”.  It created havoc in those states particularly.  The original Thanksgiving celebration was about the pilgrims praising the Lord for food and shelter.  Not everyone made it through the winter.  Thanksgiving is just that, thanking God for all your blessings and everyone has some reason to be thankful.

Tags: all your blessings, families getting together, food and shelter, God, gratitude, NJ, NY, pilgrims, praising the Lord, reason to be thankful, storm "Sandy", thanking God, thanksgiving, turkey dinner
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How many more opportunities will I have to see my sisters?  We are meeting them both at the PA and NJ border.  My one sister now lives in California and comes East maybe once a year.  My other sister has a second home in Plymouth.  We used to always go to her house for Thanksgiving in NJ once a year.  Now she has it in Plymouth and that is just too far from us.  I just wonder how many more opportunities will I have to see them together.  We never know how much time we have so all I can do is enjoy the time He gives me.  It is really not up to me.  Time is a gift.  And we never know when it runs out.

Tags: California, enjoy the time He gives me, family, God, how much time we have, NJ, PA, Plymouth, sisters, thanksgiving, time is a gift
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I want to thank the people who are in my life.  I know most people will never read this and I will leave out people and I realize Thanksgiving has passed but it is never too late to do this.  All these people take the “extra step” and I do not want to take any of them for granted.

First the medical team

(1) Dr. Hume for your kindness and helpfulness

(2) Dr. Cornelius for your patience

(3) Dr. Blake for her thoroughness

(4) Dr. Mital for your ability to listen

Then,  P & R and Bob and his team who takes care of our cars and keeps them running smoothly, I thank you for your honesty and competence and for standing up to your work even when it costs you and most of all for always giving me the time of day when I have a question about my vehicle

For both of my sisters Fran and Marilyn who are always there when I need them

For Tony for your support:  you know who you are

For Sara, who I have known for over fifteen years and is one of the reasons I still write for her encouragement never abated

For the audience at the local coffeehouse who laughed at my material encouraging me to continue to find the humorous in everyday situations

For Elizabeth Yon wherever you are and the years you spent moderating our writing group

My two kids who years ago I thought I never would have but they came and have blessed me immeasurably

All the many people who God put in my life including those from my small church who have blessed me with their presence

To Sonya who welcomes everyone at the local post office and gives me one more reason why I want to stay in my small town and Perry county

And most of all for my wife who inspires me and still makes me laugh after all these years and came into my life when I was not looking, who thinks she is better than me at Scrabble (she did lose the first ten games she played against me).  As an editor she has no equal.  My website and blog would never have come into being if it was not for her (she is the webmaster).  I “pop” out my bed each morning because of her.  And she bakes a pretty “mean” apple pie.  She gives me a reason to cook.  And that is no small thing.  And after six years she still wants to sleep in our bed.  I call her “serendipity” although she can really be stubborn (for that matter so can I); nevertheless, I thank the Lord every day for her.  I did nothing to deserve her.

Tags: apple pie, audience, blessed, blog, car mechanic, cars, church, coffeehouse, competence, cooking, doctor, editor, encouragement, find the humor, friends, God, honesty, inspires me, makes me laugh, my kids, my wife, post office, Scrabble, serendipity, sisters, small town, stubborn, take for granted, take the extra step, thank people, thank the Lord every day, thank-you, thanksgiving, the Lord, those who serve, webmaster, website, writer, writers group, writing
Posted in balance, beauty, children, God, health, humor, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, mental health, relationships, time, wisdom, writing, your job/mission/profession | No Comments »

It is always easier to want less, to be satisfied with what you have.  There is a reason ‘Thou shall not covet.’ is one of the ten commandments.  There is no end to wanting.  There is always one more thing around the corner–one more gadget, one more whatever.  There is peace in being satisfied with your current possessions.  There is no end to wanting more.  It has to stop somewhere.  Now is a good time as any.  And approaching each day with thanksgiving is a good start.

Tags: be satisfied with what you have, be thankful, Bible, God, no end to wanting more, one more gadget, peace, ten commandments, thanksgiving, thou shall not covet, wanting less
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All I could do was ride out it out–my depression that is.  I knew why.  My wife reminded me it was a bad time.  The “holidays” were coming up.  That was always a hard time for me.

The holidays reminded me, particularly, I was separated from my kids.  It reminded me of my divorce.  I was always glad when Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year were over.

There are such high expectations during the Christmas season.  I could never meet them.  I was, also, afraid of disappointing people around me.

Of course, this year I had health concerns and was trying to figure out what control I could exert in that area.  My depression was an accumulation of many things–a lot of which was not in my control.

I was not going to do any thing rash.  I was just going to ride it out.  I know most of the depression would lift when the new year came.  That was comforting to know.  And that was all I needed to know.  My depression would end.

Tags: Christmas, Christmas season, comforting, depression, depression would lift, divorce, health concerns, high expectations, holidays, my depression would end, my kids, my wife, New Year, not in my control, ride it out, separation, thanksgiving
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There is a slight chill in the air.  I checked the weather forecast for the next six days and the temperature has dropped a few degrees.  Labor Day is less than two weeks away.  I know now that summer is on its way out.

There are other signs:  the hummingbirds who regularly visit my feeder have dwindled.  I think there is only one who regularly feeds on my nectar.  I can tell this only by noticing how quickly my nectar for them is going down.  The others must have started their long journey down south.

All of a sudden we no longer have to run the air conditioner in our office.  Last night for the first time for months covering myself with a sheet was not enough.  I had to get my blanket.

School is about to start.  I may have bought my last watermelon for the season.  The local peaches are almost gone.  Fall is coming.  And before I know it Thanksgiving will be here.  After Halloween.

Tags: air conditioner, autumn, bird feeder, bird-watching, birds, chill in the air, Fall, God, Halloween, hummingbird, Labor Day, migration, nectar, peaches, school, seasons, summer, summer is on its way out, thanksgiving, watermelon
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I love my local diner.  For the first five and a half years I did not even set foot in it.  It is a mere three miles from my house.  Finally I started going there.  I was waking up early and frankly was lonely.  My wife was not up yet.

At first, I would just get a cup of coffee there.  I was learning about the lives of the waitresses (I do not like the word server) in dribs and drabs.  I learned that Sharon had almost worked there for thirty years.  She loved what she did.  And there was Jane and others whose lives I slowly entered.

They were making a living from serving me (and others) but it was more than that.  They had running relationships with most of their customers.  The local diner’s rules were pretty relaxed:  I saw customers going in back of the counters and serving themselves coffee because the waitress was just too busy at the moment.

I would sit at the counter taking in all the conversations around me.  You might say I was eavesdropping without being too obvious about it.  I heard some big tales especially about hunting.  This county shuts down when hunting season for deer starts the Monday after Thanksgiving.  In fact, this state ranks two in the nation for bear hunting.  Some of the tidbits and snatches of conversation I heard were fascinating.

I would not talk to too many people.  I could tell some customers, particularly the men, were curious who I was.  I would take my time, let them take me in.  One waitress asked me if I had just moved here.  It was only last summer when my town had their 200 year anniversary.  I realized I had to do things a little differently if I wanted to meet people in this town.

I started watering the plants in the post office and gradually grew to know the postmaster and the other clerk:  we became friends after a period of months.  I would water the plants six days a week.  And not only that, I would run into other people.

I started going to a local church where I felt very comfortable and met people in my community there.  Going to the local diner was just another step in my involvement into the community.

Going to the diner had other ramifications:  I would occasionally go to the the Susquehanna River which was less than an hundred yards away.  I went there today and mist was rising in swirls from the surface of the water.  It took my breath away.  I have spent more time visiting the River in my town since I started going to the diner the last four weeks than in the first five and half years I have lived here.  All because I am occasionally getting my morning coffee at my local diner.

It is an absolutely magnificent River.  It is another world.  You never know what you are going to see there.  It could be a bald eagle or a great egret or some other exotic bird or creature.  Usually when you least expect it.  I missed having being able to walk to it which had been a five minute walk from my house in Duncannon.  Now I am back.  There are so many reasons visiting the diner has changed my life.  Visiting The River is only one reason.

Tags: 200 year anniversary, bald eagle, bear, birds, church, coffee, community, conversations, customer, deer, Duncannon, great egret, hunting, local diner, meet people in town, morning, my wife, plants, post office, postmaster, Susquehanna River, thanksgiving, waitress
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Sometimes life is fair.  Sometimes it isn’t.  And sometimes it never is.  I am reminded of the famous anecdote of Eisenhower whose mother told him what you have to do is deal with the hand you are dealt with.  The fact life is not fair.  Some people appear to have it very easy.  They have no money worries.  Their life seems to flow.  And there is no doubt money (the lack of) can cause quite a bit of worry.

The fact is we are all unequally gifted.  Some people are very talented:  can do almost anything and be successful.  Some people have more.  Some people have less.  Envy can eat at you.  There is a good reason “Thou shall not covet” is one of the ten commandments.

But when you rail at the higher powers for being so unfair with your worldly station, it only leads to problems and dissatisfaction.  Pray to God with thanksgiving.  There is a reason for that advice in the Bible.

Otherwise we are this whining entity wanting this and that from above.  I think of God being above and millions maybe billions of strings are pulling at him all wanting it a different way.  Realizing everything is by grace and thanking God for all your blessings corrects your dissatisfaction with your life.

Insisting on God (or a higher power) being fair only can frustrate you.  Because life is NOT FAIR.  The serenity prayer is worth repeating and these are not the exact words:  what is in your control change, accept what isn’t and have the wisdom to know the difference.  These are not the exact words but it gets the point across.  Grab the control in your life you can, realize what you have no control of.  And accept the results.  That is the beginning of wisdom.

Tags: accept the results, balance, Bible, blessings, deal the hand you are dealt, Eisenhower, envy, everything-is-by-grace, fairness, gifts, God, knowledge, learning, life is not fair, money, pray to God, relationships, serenity prayer, take control in your life of what you can, talent, ten commandments, thanking God, thanksgiving, thou shall not covet, wisdom
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Less is always more.  One of the ten commandments is, ‘Thou shall not covet.’  I did not realize for awhile I was breaking that commandment all the time or even it was one of the commandments.  Things are always distributed unequally in this world.  Some people have more.  Some less.  That is reality.  The trick is to be happy with what you have.  I do not like game shows and lotteries because both pander to greed.  God gives to each of us abundantly.  He only promises food and shelter.  Everything else is given to you by serendipity.  The poor will always exist in this world.  We are commanded to help the less fortunate.  In fact, if it is in your power to perform a good deed and you don’t it is a sin.  Thank God for all your blessings all the time and help the less fortunate.  Again, I will quote Mother Teresa:  ‘Do small things with great love.’  Never forget your blessings.  And always pray to God with thanksgiving.

Tags: 'do small things with great love', balance, be happy with what you have, Bible, blessings, covet, God, God gives abundantly, God's grace, greed, help the less fortunate, less is more, Mother Teresa, pray to God with thanksgiving, serendipity, ten commandments, thank God, thank God for all your blessings, thanksgiving, thou shall not covet
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