Tag: Blogmas 2021

BLOGMAS 2021, Day 31: Looking Ahead to 2022 Reading Challenges

I am limiting myself to very few reading challenges because I have two new “challenges” on my time for 2022.

TWENTY TWO IN ‘TWENTY TWO

Adapting an idea from Rubin’s Happier podcast, these are a few things I want to accomplish 22 of in ’22.

22 Novels

22 Non-fiction books

22 Books from my TBR shelves

22 Minutes of reading time (minimum) daily

This may sound like a lot of books, but some will overlap within this challenge and with other challenges. I believe it’s doable.

MOUNT TBR 2022 CHALLENGE

“January 2022 kicks off the eleventh year for the Mount TBR Reading Challenge…” I will read from my own TBR shelves from books owned prior to Jan. 1st 2022. Since I have already planned to read 22 books from said shelves, I will add two books for a total of 24, and attain Level 2, or Mount Blanc Level of the challenge.

This will be fun and hopefully overlapping challenge, hosted by My Reader’s Block blog.

These two sets of challenges will be enough to begin the year, and maybe I can come up with a challenge to join that will be exclusively during the summer months.

ALL BOOKS MUST BE READ BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2022 AND DECEMBER 31, 2022, AND MUST BE NEW* TO ME. If you have recommendations for any of these challenges, please leave a reply in the comments box below. (* I am considering a book a new one if I haven’t read more than 50 pages of it because there are many books on my TBR shelves that I looked over, started, then placed on the TBR shelf. I will probably have to skim those 50 pages again.)

JOIN ME AND READ ALONG IN 2022. WATCH WHAT WE CAN DO IN 2022!!

Bring on 2022!

(Happy New Year 2020. Lettering Composition With Stars And Sparkles. Holiday Vector Illustration.)

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BLOGMAS 2021, Day 30

Today’s devotional from…

This devotional has helped me celebrate Advent and Christmas.

“This Christmas we recognize that we are children who share our infancy with the Divine Infant. Christmas teaches us that God is at home with us. Not visiting, not passing-through–God is at home. Shoes come off, pretenses are left behind, beds are unmade, our hair is out of place, and dirty dishes are in the sink–nevertheless God is at home… Smelly socks and dirty diapers are part of our family history as much as sacraments and cathedrals. Recognize that God is pleased to share every part of you.”

As I begin to plan for a new year, Lord, guide my plans with your wisdom and discernment; may they be within your will, not mine.

Evin, I’m saving the new sign offs for the New Year. Thanks for these.

BLOGMAS 2021, Day 29

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2022…

Let’s continue to look ahead, not behind.

Looking ahead to 2022, I see the New Year as a chance to reset. No, not a do-over; I am so DONE with 2020 and 2021; I need a redo, a reset. I plan to enter the waters of 2022 with a cautious, gentle step, not to jump in feet first. I have no ambition to make a splash, just to move forward, stepping around obstacles that might be ahead in my path. This coming year, I hope to accept and embrace whatever changes might be necessary to navigate my life and to grow, as I continue my journey. I will NOT make resolutions, but will set goals. That said, look for challenges in my reading life for ’22 soon!

sign in by Evin

LOOKING BACK AT CHRISTMAS…LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEW YEAR

BLOGMAS 2021, Day 28

CHRISTMAS GREETING ARE DONE; MOST OF THE PRESENTS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED; THOSE WHO SENT US CHRISTMAS CARDS TO WHOM WE DIDN’T, NEW YEAR’S LETTERS ARE DUE.

This Christmas has meant a lot to me in that it was the most inspiring Christmas ever. Following the days of Advent for the first time by reading this devotional book each day added a great deal of meaning to the season.

A Child in Winter is not just a book one reads, but a book one experiences.

It is almost sad to put such a lovely Christmas behind me, but as I pack a few ornaments from day to day, intending to have all traces of Christmas gone by January 1st, I have enjoyed thinking where each ornament/decoration came from and remembered many happy Christmases. Now it’s time to look ahead to 2022, the New Year, hopefully a happier, healthier one than last year.

We will follow the Southern tradition of serving black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, but instead of a pork loin with a cranberry glaze like last year, we’ll have pulled pork sandwiches from Flyin’ D’s BBQ down the street, accompanied by potato chips and the blackeyes on the side. Dinner for two, not the lovely company we had Christmas Day. Quieter, more restful, more meditative as we look to the future, quite unsure as to what it will bring, thanks to the Omicron variant.

Thanks for the new sign-offs, Evin. I am saving them for the new year.

BLOGMAS 2021, Day 26

Whew! As my grandmother used to say when something came to an end, “It’s all over but the shouting!” Today will truly be a day of rest as every Sunday/Sabbath should be. Leftovers, yes, no cooking. We ran the dishwasher yesterday to clean up the things we cooked in, and will run it again today to clean up the dishes we used for our meal. We expected five people: two came besides us, one had to back out at the last minute, and we sent two plates home to people we would like to have come, but they were unable to do so. Everything was delicious (if I do say so myself), and the mother and daughter who came brought a delicious orange salad. All in all, it was one of our best married Christmases yet. Turkey for two can be pretty depressing, even though My Better Half has always been an appreciative diner and never leaves the table even on ordinary days without complimenting me on the meal. THAT makes cooking a pleasure. For me cooking is therapy and a creative outlet for me most of the time. I love to “invent” casseroles and desserts, using leftovers and what is on hand. Many chilis, soups, and salsas began with the question, “What needs to be used up that’s already in the refrigerator?

Tomorrow I will get back into the routine of things but for today and tonight I plan to take it easy, luxuriate in the Sunday newspaper, and read, read, read…

BLOGMAS 2021 will continue through December 31st, then again, it’ll be “…all over but the shouting!”

Sleep tight, Santa, you did right by the kids in our neighborhood. Our 88 degree day saw lots of new bikes and scooters being tried out Christmas Day.

DAY 25, Christmas Day
Christmas Eve

“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give Light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of Peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

From today’s devotional, “The Way of Peace”

“How small and gentle His coming was. He came as an infant. The night in which He came was noisy and crowded; it is unlikely that, in the traffic and travelers to Bethlehem, the tiny wail of the newly born could be heard.

God approaches gently, often secretly, always in love, never through violence and fear…Very often we do not recognize God. God comes in many people we do not like, in all who need what we can give…God. comes in those we love. In our fathers and mothers, our brothers and sisters, our friends and our children…We must love everyone with a supernatural , sacramental love…”

PRAYER: “Oh God, who renews us this Christmas, help us keep track of the ordinary, even in the midst of celebration, so that our feet will never stumble in the way of peace.” (Devotional from Child in Winter: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany by Thomas Hoffman)

Christmas morning

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Rae

BLOGMAS 2021, Day 20

An Advent Devotional Book that is helping me celebrate the days leading up to and beyond Christmas

Today’s devotional for December compares the Baby Jesus at this point in time, in his mother’s womb, to ” a seed in the earth” that “grows toward His birth.” As for Mary–she rested. “She rested in God’s will, in God’s timing, in God’s planning.” My prayer, too, is that I accept God’s will for whatever is to come, that I will wait on God’s timing and not be impatient, and will not plan ahead of God, then ask Him to bless my plans after the fact. These three things are especially hard for me to do…to wait, to rest, and to accept.

Thanks, Evin for the sign off.

BLOGMAS 2021, Day 15

I have started listening to Christmas records as I do housework and cook. We bought the old record player at a pawn shop for my birthday, the year before this birthday.

I’m shifting gears…hopefully done with the hustle and bustle; no more standing in line at the post office. What hasn’t been done may not get done, and that’s all right. I am starting to plan Christmas Day dinner and small gifts for my Christmas Day guests. I’ve been getting outside almost every day, mulching the flower beds with pine needles and brown, crusty leaves.

I hear this now from clerks in the grocery store and from people taking Christmas books and stuffed animals from my Little Free Library.

I’m deliberately focusing on the true meaning of Christmas, reading four devotionals daily, one which celebrates Advent, a season or time period I’ve not celebrated before.

So far this has been the most meaningful Christmas ever, and posting for Bllogmas lets me keep track.

What is really celebrated at Christmas, Christ’s birth.

Remember to read the Christmas story (The second chapter of Luke is traditionally used on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. If you’ve never done so before start a new family tradition.

Evin