New!

 A favorite show of mine is, King of the Hill, but like a lot of shows we love there are episodes we will skip. Although, if there is a good Peggy Hill quip I will watch just to once again here her misguided "in my opinion," about the obvious. I am feeling very Peggy Hill-ish this morning while writing about "new." Obviously since it is the new year, it is a hot word being tossed about. For me, this year it is different and not because I am noticing "new" in so many areas but the reality of so much new and so much God. These past few weeks have had such a delightful tune seeing God in the small, the ordinary and the mundane. As our pastor finished up chapter 65:17-25 in Isaiah, Looking Forward With Joy and I kept that joy and excitement all Sunday afternoon into Monday. In that joy we are new creations, the old has passed away and yay, all things become new. One of the things he said was, creation will be at peace and rest when all things become new. Yesterday, in our first Circle meeting of the new year, our first chapter being a new creation. Great timing on that for sure. One of the ending paragraphs talked about trinkets and souvenirs from our trips. I thought about all the Wendy Whitson prints I bought and had framed for our Rancho de Five home. I could look at those prints and remember where we had been and experienced. We just happened to be at The Biltmore the weekend that Antler Hill Village opened and Traditions, shop, had not only Wendy Whitson prints, they had Wendy Whitson there. In Texas I could look at those prints, most of them landscape scenes from the Estate. It reminded me of where we wanted to be when the time came. Now, those pictures are here hanging in various rooms, here. I am fortunate to have a mountain view from upstairs, but I still look at those prints and remember, then give thanks because we are here. 

Speaking of being here the tenth anniversary of tripping and falling at the Cracker Barrel in Lafayette Louisiana is coming up. Roy flew up before Christmas and we went back to Ranch de Five for Christmas and then for some doctor appointments I had in Houston. Critical cardiology appointment and a dentist appointment. I left for the mountains on January 18th. The story of the shattering of my hip is here

https://nancysmonablog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-peace-that-passes-all-january-18.html

https://nancysmonablog.blogspot.com/2016/01/prepare-to-pick-up-mat.html

https://nancysmonablog.blogspot.com/2016/01/atumblenal.html

https://nancysmonablog.blogspot.com/2016/01/has-it-really-come-to-this.html 

I had forgotten some of the stories involved with the whole ordeal and I laughed so hard at some of those memories. But God was in and with the whole thing. In fact, I was back in Rancho de Five by October 2016 to prepare for bilateral knee replacements. And since I had met the deductible almost everything was paid for until the new year. There is that thought again, new. 

Roy left this morning for the men's Bible study at church. The kittos and I have been running into each other all morning. I think they were wondering if they would be fed but I assured them I have it all under control. They were fed on time-ish and they all are members of the clean plate club. They have wandered off to their various napping spots. I would like to run the vacuum cleaner but that would be counterintuitive to do so. 

Our neighbors gave us some of their sourwood honey and oh my, it is delicious! I've been using it in my hot tea and if we have biscuits, it will be used then too. 

I have learned from lots of reading these past few months that the traits or foibles or habits of mine are not exclusively my personality but my ADHD brain and how it works. I mean using without warning an above light or giving me a big spoon for soup....ahhhhh! Well, another trait has kicked in, a new journal for a new year...yep there is that new again but my brain always thinks purchasing notebooks and journals are going to make me begin and continue. Nope, but there is always hope.

Hit The Ground Running or Walking Fast

 Several blog posts ago I gave some quick observations when believers start throwing down and around all types of aspersions just because you won't let them boss you around anymore. The most popular of those legalistic Bible Bros terms is, the spirit of Jezebel. I mean really, in biblical content I would think that is much too much of a throw down for the description of most women because Ahab's girl Jezzy was really quite evil...more so than a woman who wants to change meatloaf night to Friday instead of Monday. We have had fun throwing around the term, spirit of the ten brothers around this Christmas season. Joseph's brothers who were jealous of him and that coat but we use it in relation to our cats. We have two that are especially jealous of any attention another cat is getting. 

Happy New Year! Happy 2026. This year's NYE was rather quiet as they go around here. When we first moved here, hardly heard any firecrackers but the last few years have experienced quite a few. Maybe it was too cold last night but our kittos were affected by the few boom booms we heard. We were concerned about Willie but it was Mr Mo. Roy finally found him and put him to bed. Then there was quiet. All in all that is pretty much a contentment evening. 

While Roy has been working in the garage this afternoon, I have been working here in the house of a few small projects. Gathered up t-shirts for Goodwill and getting some books together. Each time I clean out books I give away books that I thought I would never let go. Oh well. Once in an antique store in Burnsville, I saw a grouping of books and I owned almost all the same books. Thought, somebody cleaned out or it was a relative cleaning out books. For a moment I wanted to rescue them but where would I put them? Right now I am torn on reading because I have a book that I need to read but have two other books that tug at my heart because they are books that normally draw me in. So nice to have this problem again, though. It has been a long while to do what I always had done until I didn't...have multiple books going at one time. 

The following paragraph is for comedic thoughts only. It is not a spiritual statement by me or espousing beliefs. Just sometimes when I read the Bible, the silly side of me comes out. 

This morning reading the Bible in one year with Chad Bird got my comedic side going. So today in the OT we read about Noah and the flood. He talks about it is a pattern that we can see Jesus in. His point that Noah coming out of the ark, the place of refuge, is similar to the creation story. All things began anew. This is where my mind went off track...Noah came out of the ark, first. No pesky woman to mess this thing up, rethinking Eve and the serpent. We really don't hear that much about Mrs. Noah at all. In my mind she might have stayed behind to clean up that mess the animals left behind to get that security deposit money back. Friends who have been to the Ark thing in Kentucky said the experts think that God caused them not to poop and wee wee. So, people who do not believe that God can do miracles today accept the no poop deal. Well, I haven't a clue but there are days we would believe God for a miracle for our kitty kitties. Well, once again I digress and we were talking about messes here and there in churches. The miracle? Messes get cleared by someone. Which is not unlike a lot of women in ministry today, they are cleaning up the messes they didn't make. Although, the scripture said Noah and all his family came out of the ark. Do these ultra conservative dudes that will argue (their concept of ) submission to the death, yet hardly ever walk in God's love, except their hearts rejoice in declaring the judgement of God, to and for everyone but themselves ever use this example to make their point? Sadly, now they can't cause a woman thought of it. I thought about how Mildred and Gertrude could have used this in a skit with the nativity cookies... it would have been very funny. 

Monday morning fog, January 5th. It was rather thick at 6:30am and it is hanging around for the first day back to school after the Christmas holidays...I mean winter break. Whatever. It covers the preliminary work being done across the road to build more houses. Looks like one of the houses will be out of the sight line from our front windows. 

These have been some contemplative holidays as we rally ourselves to be ready for 2026. This week we hit the ground running. Circle, Choir and Bible study for me and Roy will begin going to the men's Bible study. Books to read, things to study and looking forward to lots of fun.