OCTOBER 2022

"EVERYONE MUST TAKE TIME TO SIT STILL AND WATCH THE LEAVES TURN."

-ELIZABETH LAWRENCE

Oh, the joys of the month of October!  When October 1st came I thought "what happened to September?" I had committed to myself to relish the days of September (and I did somewhat) but still it flew by. So I now find myself saying once again "I'm going to enjoy every beautiful day of October."

Some ways to quiet our mind and relish the time:

• Breathe deep - pay attention to our breathing. Set aside time every day for this exercise.
• Listen to soothing music  and be still while listening.
• Go outside and sit in the autumn sunshine - soak it in, listen to the birds sing, to the rustling sound of the leaves, and all sounds of the fall of the year.
• Think on good thoughts - release worry thoughts into the wind. Let it blow them away.
• Relax your muscles. Pick a body part - foot, leg, neck - and tense it for a few seconds. Then release and  totally relax it.
• At bedtime do some relaxation techniques - possibly use a sound machine - pray - rest in God's love.

"You will keep in perfect and constant peace the ones whose mind is steadfast [that is committed and focused on You - in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in you [with hope and confident expectation]."

Isaiah 26:3 AMP

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

sandykwright@yahoo.com 

As I begin writing about celebrations and happy times, I never want to appear unthoughtful of all who are hurting around the world. There was devastation from the recent hurricane that affected Florida and South Carolina and our hearts go out to all those who were touched by this. We all know there are people hurting, ill, with all types of losses. We lift these up in our prayers and thoughts. 

This blog was designed to bring encouragement and joy to my readers. While I strive to meet this goal, I also want to be sympathetic to people who are struggling.  Please know, I have felt the same things all of us feel at times when going through life's struggles. We may not all go through the same problems, but we all have troubles at some time in our lives. Let us be gentle and kind to one another knowing this. 

We celebrate Halloween in October - some love this celebration and others may feel it isn't something to celebrate. My family have always loved Halloween, just for its fun. My children and grandchildren loved "trick-or-treating" and dressing up in costumes.  Make this a family time if you can, and enjoy being together with friends and family. Make pots of different soups and enjoy the cool evening.

I just read October 4th is "Cinnamon Roll Day" (I love cinnamon rolls) so let's celebrate this! And October 5th is "National Be Nice Day" - what about that? I  personally think every day should be a "Be Nice Day".

This time of year pumpkins are everywhere, and I do love decorating with them. Bright orange, beautiful green ones, yellows, those with bumps and odd shapes - all beautiful!

The above picture shows an assortment of pumpkins, all sizes and shapes displayed on a wooden serving board. I loved the warmth the candles mixed in with the pumpkins gives.

Decorating our homes for the seasons is a great thing to do. Making the place we live happy and love-filled is important to us as well as to those who live with us. 

"Your home should be the antidote to stress, not the cause of it."

-Peter Walsh

"Peace - that was the other name for home."

-Kathleen Norris

"The home should be the treasure chest of living."

-Le Corbusier

"Seek home for rest, for home is best."

-Thomas Tusser

"The light is what guides you home, the warmth is what keeps you there."

-Ellie Rodriguez

"The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely."

-Louisa May Alcott

We can make our home, no matter whether it is a castle or a cottage, warm, cozy, peaceful, and filled with love. It is within our power to do this by our attitudes and actions. Love those you love well! Wishing you a happy and blessed month of October!