20 for 2020

/ Apple Hill Cottage

It’s a new year; it’s a new decade.

Can I get a Hallelujah?

A few months ago (actually many months ago) a friend reminded me that I had not written a post since February 13. “Yes, I know,” I replied. “I think about it almost every day.” The true question was, “Am I done blogging?” It seems so out of date and self-serving. Can I just say that this world does not need any more self-absorption?

I wrote at least five drafts that bored even me. Then, every time I would sit down to write, the egomaniac who is the current president would do something so ridiculous, so awful, that I would start to rant. And  I didn’t need to add to the clamor, the din, the tumult… But that might be just a weak excuse.

Like all years, this past one had its ups and downs, goods and bads: I lost 25 pounds; our  beloved Henry the cat died; I planted sweet potatoes and peas for the first time and they did great; the staples of tomatoes and peppers did poorly. We had tons of cherries and pears; we had almost no apples. I retired and had plenty to do; I retired and sometimes felt at loose ends. I read a lot of great books; I stopped writing almost entirely. We finished the beautiful back porch and the lower side of the house; the bathroom is still unfinished and ugly. I read and studied my journaling Bible every day, but truth be told, this year God has often seemed distant. I get depressed reading the New York Times and watching World News Tonight; my faith tells me I must have hope.

So last night just as I was deciding to give it up entirely and not even do a New Year’s post, WordPress sent me a notice that my stats were booming.

An unknown person across the internet somewhere far away was reading my blog posts in order — they had started with all the early posts about the cottage and then read at least forty-five of my 245 posts.  And that one little thing changed my mind. So here is my post for the New Decade. It might be the one and only, the first and the last; I’ve no guarantees. After all, I’m retired…

This morning I was reading an article written by James Hatch, a 52-year old former Navy SEAL who is a freshman at Yale. He wrote: “I challenge any of you hyper-opinionated zealots out there to actually sit down with a group of people who disagree with you and be open to having your mind changed… To me there is no dishonor in being wrong and learning. There is dishonor in willful ignorance and there is dishonor in disrespect.” Amen, brother. Let’s stop disrespecting each other. Starting today.

There are two kinds of people in the world:

1. those who would go to Times Square for New Year’s Eve, and those who couldn’t be paid enough to go…

Sunrise from our bedroom windows

2. those who go out for New Year’s Eve, and those who stay home…

3. those who would rehab an old vacant house, and those who would look for a new one instead…

boards

4. Cat-lovers and Dog-lovers…

Cat in the Christmas tree

5. Savers and Pitchers…
pitchers

6. Dreamers and Doers…

7. those who believe and those who scoff…

Micah 6:*

8. those who stay, and those who go…

9. those who love snow, and those who don’t…

10. those who take naps, and those who feel superior to those who take naps…

Cat nap

11. those who love city streets, and those who love country roads…

12. those who look up and those who look down…

13. those who eat their fruits and vegetables, and those who eat their meat’n potatoes…

green tomato salsa

14. those whose glass is half-empty and those whose glass is half-full…

Stag's Leap winery

15. those who work for pay and those who work for love; and those who are blessed to do both at the same time…

Mr. H.C's truck

16. those who believe santa is a democrat, those who believe santa is a  republican, and those who believe santa should just start a third party for the rest of us — the Dempublicans? The Republicrats? (Surely he would get more than just my vote…)

Blue Santa
Red Santa

17. Those who love to go shopping and those who would rather eat worms than go to a Walmart.

18. Flitterers and Plodders…

19. Readers and TV watchers

 

20. Right and Wrong (please God, give us grace for both…)

At different times in our lives, we can be any of these. (Well, probably not too many of us would admit to being that turtle…)
Me? I have been all these — a city lover, a country girl; a scoffer, a believer; an optimist, a pessimist; a cat-lover, a dog-lover; a dreamer, a doer; a shopper and a worm-eater; right and wrong…(Though I would have to be paid a lot of cash to go to Times Square on New Year’s Eve.)
Can we remember this?
Can we remember that our differences make this beautiful world what it is?
Can we let go of our prejudices, our prides, our preconceptions, our disrespect… and just love each other?

May grace, peace, and joy be yours in abundance in 2020.

Christmas angel

30 thoughts on “20 for 2020”

  1. I cannot tell you how delighted I am that you’re back, that your well, and that the absence was just a hiatus. Your post calls to mind a poem—it might be Carl Sandberg. I shall have to do some searching. Happy New Year!

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  2. It’s about time……and I hope you continue to find meaning and delight in the (usually) ordinary things in life. Your posts are some of the best reading I do. You are a dear friend….Happy New Year.

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  4. That was beautiful! I’ve been gone awhile, too. Trying to start again and posted (now yesterday). Disappointed with the WordPress reader interface. Everyone’s photos are not displayed well. Several changes that I hope are for the best. Anyway, nice to see you again. I will leave you with this. “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation”
    ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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    • I saw your post last night as I was heading for bed and thought i wanted to wait until morning to look at your gorgeous photos. They are stunning.
      I’ve had my issues with WordPress too, and it was one reason I was waffling. At any rate, I’m giving them a second chance. Glad to see you are back too… and thank you for the verse–it is one of my favorites.

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      • Glad to be an encouragement, dear sister. Thanks for the visit and kind compliments. I emailed WordPress support about all the changes with the reader, and posting in general. I find they’ve weighed it down with a lot of unnecessary options (baggage). I prefer simplicity! Looks like we’re both giving them another chance. I’ll share with you when I hear back from them.

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          • Thank you for that information!!! I have to click around in circles to find it! But I still have a lot of trouble with spacing. I hope to figure things out in due time. They also have these new “blocks” on the app that they’re pressing me to use. Like I said, I’ll definitely give them another chance! Thanks!

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          • Guess what. I followed your instructions and the problem is that sometimes it was making me do block editing and I needed classic editor. I just went in and fixed some things. Unfortunately it appears I mixed both editing so it’s not perfect but the spacing is so much better! Many thanks again!

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            • Yes, they default to block posting and editing. I may play around with it and see. Unfortunately, the reader still looks terrible, not just for me. But everyone. I just click on the website. Oh well; first world problems. But sad for 2nd and 3rd world bloggers.

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    • And to you, Neil. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to comment on your posts, and WordPress wouldn’t let me. I wasn’t logged in, or my password was wrong, or there was just Error 404, whatever the heck that is…. Thanks for commenting.

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      • I hoped that would be the reaction but I am also happy to be in a new year. I am not usually a new year person. If your comment issue is with the WordPress app, you might try reinstalling the app. I find that apps sometimes get corrupted after being updated.

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  13. You are back!!! I am SO glad. Your posts make me think. And I need to do more thinking, not just being busy.

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