Blue Monday

"Happy Blue Monday" everyone~ Thank you Sally for hosting this fun event. You can click on the link http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ or the Blue Monday button on my sidebar to visit other blues today.

One of my favourite confections, although I have several, is brown sugar fudge! Since I can't make my own {I have a hard time beating the candy while it cools; I only have success making chocolate fudge} and my mother can't make it for me any more; I am so happy to have discovered this fudge in the super market. It comes all the way from England and it satisfies my sweet tooth when I get a craving {which is more often than I ought to}. It also comes in a blue bag which is why I'm sharing it with you today.

Take it from me, it's as good as it looks!

Hmmm, what have we here? A little blue velvet box! Wonder what's inside?

Why it's a pair of little sparklies for my ears!

This next item was a birthday present from my son Joel and his wife, Carina. They had gone down to the States to a Michael W. Smith concert at Christmastime and they bought two of these; one for Carina and one for me. When they came home in February, they brought this with them to give to me. I was so surprised and very happy! I would imagine most of you in Christian circles would be familiar with his music. He is one of my favourite singers and I was tickled pink to receive this hoody with Michael's name on the sleeve. It is navy blue with a big heart on the front and Faith, Hope, Love, and Serve on the back.

I am probably the only one on the Island to own one of these! It is unique and a real blessing to have it! Thanks guys!

So, those are my blues for today. I hope you all have a wonderful and bright 'blue' day and please do make your way over to other Blue Monday posts. You never know what you'll see!

Spiritual Sundays ~ Change Your Thinking!

Hello Friends. I received a short story through email this past week and thought I would share it with you. You may have read this before but I think it is worth a second read! It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, and where they had both been on vacation.

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while the children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene. One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks, and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

"Today is a gift, that is why it is called the Present."

When I read this story, I cannot help but think of the scripture verse from Philippians 4:8 - "Whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy, think on these things."

The scriptures also tell us that there is life and death in the power of the tongue! We have the power to make someone else's life better just by having a good attitude!

Let's have an attitude of gratitude and be a blessing to others!

I pray you were encouraged today and I hope you will go visit Spiritual Sundays for a wonderful array of devotionals and stories. Just click on the Spiritual Sundays button on my sidebar.

The Lord be with you & bless you!