Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Priorities

2015 Planning


The priorities you choose will dictate the life you live.
So choose carefully.
(100 Days Of Prayer For Women, p. 37)
31 December 2014


Tuesday, December 30, 2014

What Am I Thinking


And once you understand that your emotions and behaviors come directly from your thoughts, you will simultaneously understand that the way to attack any personal problem is to attack the thoughts that support your negative emotions and self-defeating behavior.
(Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, The Sky's The Limit, p. 358)
30 December 2014

Monday, December 29, 2014

It's Not My Problem


Face facts: the upcoming day will not be problem-free. In fact, your life can be viewed as an exercise in problem-solving. The question is not whether you will encounter problems; the real question is how you will choose to address them.
(100 Days Of Prayer For Women, p. 247)
29 December 2014

Sunday, December 28, 2014

The Course Of Our Lives

Capitol Christmas Tree
Capitol Building Shrouded in Plastic and Scaffolding
Christmas 2014
Photo by Mr. Dickie

Failure is one of life's most powerful teachers. How we handle our failures determines whether we're going to simply get by in life or press on.
(Beth Moore, in 100 Days Of Prayer For Women, p. 31)

... it takes a close call before most people will put the emphasis in their lives on the sense of purpose and meaning.
(Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, The Sky's The Limit, p. 322)

The course of our lives is seldom determined by great, life-altering decisions. Our direction is often set by the small day-to-day choices that chart the track on which we run. This is the substance of our lives - making choices.
(Gordon B. Hinckley, Stand A Little Taller, 2 January)
28 December 2014

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Material Wants


Lincoln Memorial
Lighted model, at the U.S. Botanical Gardens, Washington, D.C.
27 December 2014
Photo by Mr. Dickie

Many times material wants are based on emotional needs we don't know how to satisfy. ... it may be difficult to stop using material purchases as pacifiers.
(Amy E. Dean, Night Light, 4 May)
27 December 2014

Friday, December 26, 2014

Attitude


Most of us bring to everyday life a somewhat naive psychological attitude in our expectations that our lives and relationships will be simple.
(Thomas Moore, Care Of The Soul, p. 14)
26 December 2014

Thursday, December 25, 2014

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Christmas Tree - 2014

O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come, and behold him,
Born the King of angels,

O come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.
(John Francis Wade (c. 1743))
25 December 2014

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Complacency


Complacency ... is rarely listed among the major human faults, yet it can hinder us in every form of personal growth.
(Hope For Today, 15 February)

If great care is not taken to deal with problems, they can soon throw a monkey wrench into the smooth machinery ... [of life].
(Harry and Emily Griffith, This Love We Share)
23 December 2014

Monday, December 22, 2014

Where Am I?


You may not be where you should be, but at least you're not where you used to be.
(Joel Osteen, Become A Better You, p. 88)
22 December 2014

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Serenity

2014 Christmas Cactus

... acquiring a sense of reality 
... is absolutely essential to serenity
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 15 February)
21 December 2014

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Uncharted Waters


We are literally walking through uncharted waters here. And everyone involved is doing the best they can with the knowledge and understanding they have at this point in time and space.
(Louise L. Hay, Meditations To Heal Your Life, p. 11)
13 December 2014

Friday, December 12, 2014

Understanding


I have understood nothing of what I have read so I have to go back and read it all over again.
(Frederick Buechner, Listening To Your Life, p. 276)

******
We went to the thrift store yesterday. I was looking for one more 2015 calendar. I found two and didn't like either. They were offering a 40% discount with their VIP card. I looked at the CDs twice and found six in like-new condition that I bought for $1.19 each. Three are Bluegrass. Mickey Basil, a cousin of Kathy Lee Gifford, plays piano and sings in the Annapolis, MD area. Mickey played piano at one of Wayne Taylor's Bluegrass concerts in Crofton, MD.
  1. Gene Pitney - 20 Greatest Hits
  2. The Bluegrass 45 - Once Again From Kobe, Japan
  3. Claire Lynch - Friends For A Lifetime
  4. Claire Lynch - Crowd Favorites
  5. Mickey Basil - Live at Sam's Waterfront Cafe
  6. Trisha Yearwood - Where Your Road Leads

Dick Henthorn
12 December 2014

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Choices


Whatever you love most be it sport[s], pleasure, business, [alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, sex, money, your stuff] or God, that is your god.
(Billy Graham, altered by Richard E. Henthorn, in 100 Days Of Prayer For Women, p. 37)
11 December 2014

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Choices


We create our own feelings by the thoughts we choose to think. We have the ability to make different choices and create different experiences.
(Louise L. Hay, Meditations To Heal Your Life, p. 90)
10 December 2014

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Hurried Decisions

National Harbor Christmas Tree

When against one's will, one is high-pressured into making a hurried decision the best answer is always "not" because "no" is more easily changed to "yes" than "yes" is changed to "no."
(Charles E. Nielson in Night Light by Amy E. Dean, 27 March)

******
The Christmas decorations are up. This morning we returned the empty boxes to the attic.
9 December 2014

Monday, December 8, 2014

Christmas Village

(Not Our Christmas Village)

Don't get ahead of yourself if you want to maintain control of where you are going.
(Richard E. Henthorn, 2 March 2014, after Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, 1 March 2014)

******
Our 2014 Christmas Village is set up. I used those thumb sized Christmas lights to illuminate most of the houses.  I switched to a string of of fifteen sockets.  A few houses and lighthouses have their own cords for the lights. 

We added three new items this year, purchased at the University Park community yard sale.
  • Winery
  • Covered Bridge
  • Clock Tower
The main display is set up in the living room on the buffet and a folding table.
  • Barn and Silo
  • Butcher Shop
  • Churches (2)
  • Victoria Train Station
  • Ceramic Christmas Trees (2)
  • School
  • School (with movable brass bell)
  • Sweet Shop
  • Santa's Workshop
  • Church (with plastic window)
  • City Hall
  • Daily Blizzard Newspaper
  • Covered Bridge
  • Blythe Pond Mill
  • Village Inn
  • Clock Tower
  • White & Black Lighthouse
  • Brown Lighthouse
  • Crystal Creek Winery
There's also an overflow display on an end table.
  • White Lighthouse 
  • White & Black Lighthouse
  • Bakery & Inn
  • Three Snowmen (with illuminated "Let It Snow")
Dick Henthorn
8 December 2014



Sunday, December 7, 2014

Pearl Harbor Day - 7 Dec 1941


Yesterday, December 4, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
(Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) - address to Congress delivered on 8 December 1941)
7 December 2014

Saturday, December 6, 2014

The Struggle


There is one thing that keeps many people from gaining ground and from fervently striving to improve; the dread of difficulty, or more accurately, the effort of the struggle.
(Thomas 'a Kempis, The Imitation Of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 25)
6 December 2014

Friday, December 5, 2014

Wisdom


People who think themselves wise are seldom humble enough to allow others to guide them.
(Thomas 'a Kempis, The Imitation Of Christ, Book 3, Chapter 7, p. 94)
5 December 2014

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Boundaries


... boundaries are a civilizing ingredient in social interaction, a matter of self-respect and respect for others. Setting limits requires some degree of communication skills because others cannot read my mind nor I theirs. Others need to know how I feel and I need to lovingly communicate my feelings. Likewise, it is important that I listen to and respect their feelings.
(Hope For Today, 6 November)

******
Melva hung the ornaments on our little Christmas tree. I unwrapped the rest of the figurines from the Christmas Village display and replaced three light bulbs that I didn't like in the ceramic houses yesterday. I'll need to go up in the attic one more time to organize the empty boxes and to put away the last boxes when the decorating is done. We've been working on the project for at least three days.

Dick Henthorn
4 December 2014

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Quality Of Life



The quality of a man's life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence.
(Vince Lombardi, in The Little Book Of Virtures, 3 December)
3 December 2014

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Christmas Is Coming


When you have the choice to be right or to be kind, always pick kind.
(Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Excuses Begone! p. 234)
2 December 2014

******
We are into day two of working on putting up the Christmas decorations. Yesterday we brought the boxes and the artificial tree down from the attic. That's so much fun, especially taking all the clothes and shoes out of the closet to gain access. We unpacked all of the Christmas Village houses and some of the other decorations. This allowed me to to put the empty boxes back in the attic before putting the ceiling panel back in place.

Today, we moved some furniture around in the living room. I washed the front windows and moved the round table in front of the big window. I put the 4.5 foot artificial tree up and set it on the round table. The permanently installed lights on the tree worked. We have them flashing white and then multiple colors. Melva will put the decorations on the tree later.

During the year, at a community yard sale, we bought three ceramic items to add to my Christmas Village: a covered bridge, a town clock tower and the Crystal Creek Winery. Later in the week I'll set up everything on the buffet and a folding table along the carport side of the living room. I'll need to buy a couple of power strips to do it right.

Dick Henthorn
2 December 2014

Monday, December 1, 2014

Attitude


Attitude is the mind's paintbrush, it can color any situation.
(Barbara Johnson in 100 Days Of Prayer For Women, p. 54)
1 December 2014

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Conversation


A conversation requires two parts: talking and listening.  
When only [one person is] talking, that is a monologue.
(Amy E. Dean, Night Light, 22 February)
30 November 2014


Saturday, November 29, 2014

Cluttered Mind


More important than learning how to recall things is finding ways to forget things that are cluttering the mind. Before going to sleep at night, empty your consciousness of unwanted things, even as you empty your pockets.
(Eric Butterworth in Night Light by Amy E. Dean, 23 February)
29 November 2014

Friday, November 28, 2014

Black Friday



So, it is vanity to seek material wealth that cannot last and to place your trust in it. It is also vanity to seek recognition and status. It is vanity to chase after what the world says you should want and to long for things you should not have, things that you will pay a high price for later on if you get them.
(Thomas 'a Kempis, The Imitation Of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 1)
28 November 2014

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Grace and Gratitude


Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. 
Grace evokes gratitude like the voice an echo.
Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightning.
(Karl Barth in Peace Flowing Like A Gentle River, 26 November)
27 November 2014

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Going Through The Motions


You cannot have a sense of purpose and meaning in your life if you are merely going through the motions of your life rather than living as you would really like to.
(Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, The Sky's The Limit, p. 342-3)
26 November 2014

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Negativity


Negativity is highly contagious; we give it to others who, in turn, give it back to us.
(100 Days Of Prayer For Women, p. 227)
25 November 2014

Monday, November 24, 2014

Once Is A Fluke


... once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a pattern.
(Hope For Today, 9 January)
24 November 2014

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Success


In reality ..., you cannot achieve success in anything without failures along the way.
(David Jeremiah, Journey, 29 September)
23 November 2014

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Judgment


Just for today I will release any need to judge or criticize others and begin to see them in the same way I might want them to see me.
(Hope For Today, 31 October)

******
Bad news yesterday.  I noticed that WikiSpaces is no longer "free."  They want $50.00 a year for the space.  I'm sharing lots of genealogy information there. Now I'll need to make a decision. I'll admit it, I'm not good at making decisions. I didn't determine how long I have before I lose all the work.
20 November 2014

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Things


Things

Things are about power.
Things are about belonging.
Things are about identity
Things are about perfection.
(Extracted from 
Making Peace with the Things in Your Life, 
by 
Cindy Glovinsky, p. 37)
19 November 2014

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

On Aging

Southern Comfort Quilters

If age is denied, soul becomes lost in an inappropriate clinging to youth.

It's difficult to let go of youth, because that release requires an acknowledgment of death. I suspect that those of us who opt for eternal youth are setting ourselves up for heavy bouts of depression.

As we age, our ideas formerly light, rambling, and unrelated to each other, become more densely gathered into values and a philosophy giving our lives substance and firmness.
(Thomas Moore, Care Of The Soul, p. 139 & 141)
18 November 2014

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Substance


As we age, our ideas, formerly light, rambling, and unrelated to each other, become more densely gathered into values and a philosophy giving our lives substance and firmness.
(Thomas Moore, Care Of The Soul, p. 141)
16 November 2014

******
Yesterday the three of us were out for a while enjoying the day.  We went to the Fall Bazaar and Auction at the Greenbelt Community Church in Greenbelt, MD for the bake sale and bazaar. Melva's friend, Laura, had three tables set up along one wall. Melva donated several items for the sale. We've been going to this sale for many years.  The church is on Crescent Drive and it is easy to get there by entering Greenbelt from Kenilworth Avenue.

We also attended the bazaar at the Patuxent Research Refuge National Wildlife Visitor Center near Laurel, MD.  The Center was completed in 1994. Melva and I had been there before, but not since the building was erected. We decided not to take the tram ride because it was too chilly.  We did walk out to the lake at the end of our visit.  One of the retired ladies encouraged me to consider doing volunteer work. There were quilts on display from the Southern Comforters of Bowie, MD.

Everyone bought something at the two bazaars.  Cyndi got a green cameo broach set in sterling silver and she won a matted sunset photo door prize at Wildlife Visitor Center.  Melva bought a pair of pants and baked goods.  I bought a book, "1001 Ways to Live in the Moment," by Chronicle Books to go with their book, "1001 Ways To Relax," that I bought in January 2011.

Dick Henthorn
16 November 2014

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Negative Attitudes

My peace of mind depends on overcoming my negative attitudes. I must try, day by day, to be honest with myself.
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 9 May)
13 November 2014

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Trust Yourself


Trust yourself and your intuition when something is out of kilter enough to mistrust.
(after Sandra A. Crowe, Since Strangling Isn't An Option, p. 248)
12 November 2014

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Giving


Giving frees us from a vicious struggle for possessions and from a debilitating preoccupation with calculating how to gather more material things for our own use.
(Joan Dargatz, 52 Simple Ways To Give Your Spiritual Life A Lift, p. 95)

******
I've been working on a genealogy project to extract some records from a GEDCOM file. The source file needs extensive edits before copying the information into my own genealogy file. I got so wrapped up in this project I lost interest in posting to any of my blogs for several days.  It takes discipline and dedication to blog on a regular basis.

Dick Henthorn
11 November 2014

Friday, November 7, 2014

Powerful People


When we refuse to submit to someone else's thinking 
we stop being a victim and become powerful people.
(Perry Tilleraas, The Color Of Light, 19 October)


7 November 2014

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Call Of Duty

Some of Melva's Flowers

Going far beyond the call of duty, doing more than others expect ... is what excellence is all about. And it comes from striving, maintaining the highest standards, looking after the smallest detail, and going the extra mile.
(The Little Book Of Virtures, 5 November)
5 November 2014

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Election Day - 4 Nov 2014

Copyright - Jeff Parker

He brings disaster upon his nation who never sows a seed, or lays a brick, or weaves a garment, but makes politics his occupation.
(Kahlil Gibran)
4 November 2014

Monday, November 3, 2014

Danger


There is danger in taking on another's duty - danger that we may neglect our own, and that we may deprive them of what they may learn from finding their own solutions.
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 7 May)

******
I think we solved a long-standing problem with our house yesterday. For a long time whenever we had high winds we heard a noise at the back of the house.  I checked the three windows, the gutters and the aluminum siding. I couldn't locate the loose piece. This weekend our daughter, Cyndi, told me to check the basement door. This door, with a doorknob lock and a deadbolt lock, was moving back and forth about 1/4 of an inch whenever we experience fluctuating wnds . I wonder if this problem manifested after the earthquake we had several years ago. I devised a temporary fix. I wedged a screwdriver between the deadbolt and the door jam. This moved the door slightly inward and stopped the back and forth movement in the wind. I wouldn't have found the problem myself. I swore the sound was coming from above ground.  The joys of home ownership never cease.

Dick Henthorn
3 November 2014

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Searching For Serenity


If I stay out of other's affairs and become more aware of my own,
I have a good chance of finding some serenity.
(Hope For Today, 1 April)
2 November 2014

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Ducks In A Row


I no longer care if my ducks are in a row. Sometimes I prefer they aren't. By not forcing my thoughts and feelings into a straight line, I can see all the possibilities. I can explore and be creative, innovative, and adventuresome. [I can share with others and] ... expand my horizons to encompass unexplored avenues of perception and action.
(Hope For Today, 21 October)
1 November 2014

Friday, October 31, 2014

I Saw That Coming

We are looking forward to seeing this flower blooming in our backyard.

If you realize that a person's behavior takes on a predictable pattern, you can anticipate that behavior and not let it bother you.
(Sandra A. Crowe, Since Strangling Isn't An Option, p. 204-5)
31 October 2014

Saturday, October 25, 2014

I Don't Get It


As the speaker, you must do whatever you can to make sure the other person gets the message.
Just because you say it, doesn't mean it was heard.
(Sandra A. Crowe, Since Strangling Isn't An Option, p. 202)
25 October 2014

Friday, October 24, 2014

Follow By Email


The "Follow By Email" option is now available on all four of my Google blogs. You have to scroll to the bottom of the first page on each blog to find it and subscribe.

If you subscribe, when I post to that blog you will receive an Email message with the link to the post. This eliminates the need to constantly check the blog to see if I am posting.  This will be particularly useful in the case of the Obituary blog which I infrequently update.

Dick Henthorn
24 October 2014

Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Formula

Melva's Quilt in the backyard

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure -- try to please everybody.
(Herbert Bayard Swope in Night Light by Amy E. Dean, 18 March)

******
Today I'm working on a project to update my CD music catalog. I put away all of the CDs that I added to the catalog. I can't remember how many months went by without posting anything. It's been so long I have forgotten how to create a report that I can save to "the cloud." I'll have to think about it. 

I posted a link to my genealogy blog that displays two articles written by friend, Charles H. Gander of Arlington, VA. This was a project that took me far too long to complete.

Dick Henthorn
23 October 2014

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Harmony

When circumstances have compelled you to be a little disturbed, return to yourself quickly, and do not continue out of tune longer than the compulsion lasts; for you will be more the master of the harmony by continually returning to it.
(Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Chapter VI, 11)

*******
Yesterday, for the first time in months, I uploaded a 62-page genealogy PDF to my Box account. When I Previewed the file on Box I got a surprise.  The text was a mess.  The Preview used a font I didn't like and inserted blanks (spaces) between words.  I downloaded the file and opened it with Adobe Reader on my computer.  No problem.  I Previewed some PDFs that I uploaded months ago and they looked all right.  I sent a message to the Box Help Desk along with a link to the file in question.  I'm going to be disappointed if they can't explain and fix this issue.  Things are always changing and there's always more to learn.

Dick Henthorn
22 October 2014