JUNE 2023

We celebrate Father's Day the third Sunday in June each year.  The above picture is of my son-in-law, Brian, and his granddaughter, Eevee. I love this picture of them having fun painting in the sunshine. It makes me smile. Wishing a Happy Father's Day to all this month.  The poem below seemed appropriate for "BB" (what Eevee calls her Granddaddy).

"My awesome granddad is the coolest guy,

He makes me laugh and teaches me to try.

I love spending time with him each day.

My BB's the best - that's all I can say!"

-Brann Rafferty

Dad's and Granddad's, you are important to your child's life. Spend precious time with them and love them all of their lives. Make good memories.

"When my father didn't have my hand . . . he had my back."

 -Linda Poindexter

"A Dad is someone you never outgrown your need for."

-Unknown

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. "

Thessalonians 2:11

"As a Father deals with his children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God."

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

I would love to hear from you. You may e-mail me at 

sandykwright@yahoo.com 

Several of you asked me to put some pictures of Brian's garden (which I wrote about last month) in this moth's blog. The above water iris blooms in his frog pool. There is a picture of Kristi's cutting garden and a night view of walk and light covered arbor later in this post. 

I have been reading lately about our thinking and how what we think about day in and day out  makes such a difference in our daily lives. To live a life of joy we have to make up our minds to think up thoughts. I know every day is not full of sunshine and roses; however, how we choose to think can make a major difference in how our days go.  

In an article by Piedmont, Angela Buttiman, a cancer wellness specialist, gave several ideas to help us to think in a more positive way. She suggested some of the following:

1. Focus to discipline your thoughts.
2. Start a Journal - writing down how you feel.
3. Ask yourself "What thoughts are contributing to these feelings?"
4. Once you know how you feel and think, journal how you want to feel.
5. Reorient your thoughts to find something that brings you gratitude and satisfaction.
6. Set an intention each morning to feel good and think positive.
7. Reflect on what you're grateful for, give yourself permission to be imperfect, and set realistic expectations for yourself.

Let us make up our minds to be happy and to think positive rather than negative thoughts. In doing this we will make our lives better and healthier.  We will enjoy life more and people will enjoy being around us. 

Our family welcomed Ezekiel Jacob in May. He is my newest great-grandchild. Isn't he darling? I had to share this sweet picture with all of you. We are very proud of him (and his Mom and Dad). Our family is growing and all of these tiny ones coming into the family make life just sweeter and sweeter. 

In keeping with this month's theme of choosing to be positive and grateful instead of negative and fearful, I wrote out a list of blessings in my life. This gave me an instant uplift, and so I encourage you to try the same.  It works - it really does. Also we can lift ourselves by doing something we enjoy; such as gardening, journaling, walking, riding bikes, etc. Be constant and inject joy into every day. Our quality of life will improve as the days go by when we "think joy".

I am writing a new book around the verse  Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV): "He will quiet you with his love." The title has not yet come to me. If you think of any good titles e-mail me and give me your ideas. I would love that. Hopefully the book will be out this autumn, before Christmas. Quietness, calmness, and inner peace in our lives is of major importance, I feel. We all get stressed and anxious at times and need God's quietness to surround us.  My heart is so happy about writing this book. It is going to be a weekly devotional type book with questions to contemplate and answer during each week. This is a different type of book than I have written before, and I am excited about it.  Hope you will be as well.

Have a blessed month of June and determine to be happy!