Cleaning House In 2016!

I could make this all about house-cleaning given the title. Gotcha!

The last thing anyone wants to hear about is cleaning a house!

HOWEVER....I have stumbled, perhaps a little late in the game, upon the concept of Minimalism.

That word has scared me for years. It conjured up the old childhood feelings of Mom throwing things away that I wanted while housecleaning, of the 1970's white rooms with a chair and a table and no stuff, and of a bare and soul-less existence. I have to get rid of all of my BOOKS? My mementos? My works of art? All of my clothes that are out of style or don't fit well? All the papers and notes to myself? Every gift anyone has given me, EVER????

Calm down, Honey. Bring it down.

The idea is not to get 'rid' of things but to keep the things you treasure the most. If you think of it in that way, it's not as traumatic. If you are a hoarder, of course, everything is a treasure and everything stays. In that case, you get professional help. I'm not joking.

I've decided to tackle my closet, first. There is NO way, my daughter is going to use my wedding dress. It goes. I have bridesmaids dresses I've worn that are going, also.

They say you only wear about 20% of what is in your wardrobe. That would be a smaller number for me, personally. I'm actually excited about ridding myself of anything there that does not give me a pleasurable feeling. I know there are tons of things there like that. That is the reason I can stand there looking at it all saying, "I don't have anything to wear!".

It's clothes. They aren't human beings. They aren't children. They are replaceable. Things don't matter. People do.

Once that connection to them is broken, as is that addiction to shopping for more  items is broken, it makes for a happier existence. The shopping part has never and will never be a problem for me as I've stated before, I lack that shopping gene. Dressing daily will be a breeze as you will have only what you love and looks good on you to wear. You can practically reach in with your eyes shut and find exactly what you need! Well. That's what the idea is. Then, if you buy something new, it should be to replace something no longer wearable (worn out, ripped, unrepairable) or a piece that will fit in with what you have in your wardrobe. The best of it, to me, is that everything you have is functional, wearable, fits, and you love it!

It's suggested that you go through your laundry bin or basket and start there. The items there are the ones you wear, obviously, or they wouldn't be there.  Le duh!

So, that's where I'm starting. Not today. I've already done my laundry for the week.

Therein lies the rub. I'm a procrastinator. I put off today what I can do tomorrow, or the next day, or next week. I'm only partially kidding.

I realize what will happen when I start. Life happens.

I want to start and I want to finish. I'm the type of person that if I begin any project, i.e. a portrait, painting, sewing, and writing, I will stay awake and finish it, however long it takes. I was that kind of a worker, once. If it came across my desk, I wanted to handle it once, be done with it, and never see it again. I would tell co-workers, "Here ya go. Don't ask any questions about it."

I have a head-start because of that attitude. That's what is recommended. Take EVERYTHING out and deal with it and be done with it. That's my philosophy so we are of the same mindset, at least. Therefore, when life gives me a day to deal with the closet and drawers throughout the house, meaning ALL of my clothing, I will.

The books will be last. I'll keep you up-to-date.

Reboot Challenge? Join me in cleaning out 2016 of the things we don't absolutely treasure or need in our lives!

Bring Pastor Lim Home

Because it's the right thing to do.

There is a petition with Change.org for every ill happening in the World, it seems. This one sent to my e-mailbox is one I want to share and comment on but won't be the last, I'm sure.

According to the website, and here is the link, http://www.change.org/p/get-canadian-humanitarian-out-of-north-korean-prison-freepastorlim-bringlimhome, this man has made over 100 trips to North Korea to orphanages, nursing homes, basically doing what we are all supposed to be doing in caring for our brothers and sisters. Last January 2015, he was arrested and only last month received a life sentence to be served out in a labor camp. Where was his country in this?

This man is in his 60's and is a Korean-Canadian. He admitted his guilt. He absolutely did commit what they call crimes. And I'd do the same in his place. There have been many martyrs for the Faith in History that never had a petition to free them. Here's a chance now that a way exists. I'm with him! If you will find me guilty of being a Christian, so be it! It is admirable to me what he has done. I hope I'd have the Faith and strength of purpose to do the same thing. This man is ready to die for what he did. Who else would do that?

Do we feel that way about anything these days? Do we rise up only in ways and for causes that are convenient? Do we only feel anger against injustice in our own lands and not, generally, for everyone who suffers on our planet? Are we so distanced from what's outside our front-door that all we can do is complain on Facebook and blast the "other side" with memes, misinformation and the blame-game?

But there's an election coming up and the Super Bowl.

We have some easily led 'odd' people who are convinced they are patriots in Oregon right now that are doing something. Unfortunately, what they are doing is, well, crazy. The people they are there for, the Hammonds and others in that area, have even distanced themselves from the 2 dozen gun-toting guys out there. The Tea Party has even been suspiciously quiet.

These men are lighting a fire under others to join them and it, we can all make the prediction, will end badly. There's no doubt in my mind. It won't be because the government is being held hostage! It's not that the government has responded with force, yet. If that was the case, it would have been done in the past 3 days instead of 'monitoring the situation', to date. It's because the crazies in the Wild Bunch out there will start a massacre before they give up. I say they'd better take names and pics of those out there before they scatter or die over Federal land that belongs to the people of the United States and technically, to NATIVE AMERICANS.

My opinion? They should have started a petition. (Insert sarcasm here.)

Meanwhile, others are seeing the differences in black and white and Muslim and Christian and constantly seeking the differences instead of similarities. The pot is boiling.

Our President just announced his War on Guns. Good luck with that. The previous President had a War on Terror. You can't fight an abstract. I'm not smart enough to have all the answers but I think the heat has just been turned up some more on that pot I just mentioned.

For every evil deed that occurs, someone somewhere with a loose screw, death wish, or misplaced sense of duty, feels they have permission to do their worst to the nearest victim. That, Dear Friends, is what I fear. And I don't fear much, normally.

Yeah, sure, I've been interested, lately, in Korean Culture but this was purely coincidence. A bad one.

You can't fight every battle, especially not with arms, but you can choose one that matters to you and go for it. Fight it with justice, with love, with righteous anger, and with Peace.

When did we stop using our words?

It's just a petition, you say? Guess what? Petitions actually work! They have in the past and they do now. North Korea has released people who've broken their laws in the past. Mr. Trudeau just needs to get serious about this!

And, we have to get serious about what matters to us. It should be everybody.

Reboot Challenge? Sign the petition. Then, find a Cause to devote your life to, like World Peace. Social Networking is a 'tool'. Use it well.

*****Update: Video Released*****
https://www.change.org/p/get-canadian-humanitarian-out-of-north-korean-prison-freepastorlim-bringlimhome/u/14921130?tk=10gPOoD6bh2jM3BKtqUY_Bx4k2UM-Z2XcIjmwpdk3Ic&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email.

Well. They Got Him.

By 'him', I mean William Henry "Bill" Cosby born July 12, 1937 (same age my Dad would be) and married since 1964 (that's coming up on a 52 year anniversary, sigh).

He has a warrant against him now and it's official and it's not going away.

For anyone who has not kept up, Bill Cosby has had over 50 women come forward with allegations that he drugged them and had his way with them after promising to 'mentor' them, apparently, since the 1970's. Many women have refused to give their names. Some have. Many have healed. Many are still scarred. Many blame themselves.

It's the last that I say I'm mostly interested in because it's the mindset that many women (and men!) put themselves in when something traumatic happens to them. They blame themselves.

"I should have known better!"
"How could I be so stupid?"
"I should have seen it coming!"
"I never should have trusted that person!"
"I shouldn't have been there!"

Any one of us are capable of "could-ing" or "should-ing" ourselves into shame and blame. We cannot.

Once we begin to point that finger back at ourselves, we have paralyzed ourselves from moving on with Life. It makes Victims the Perpetrators, and the Perpetrators free in their minds to continue to live in good conscience..."They were asking for it."

Not one person who has been harassed, betrayed or abused in any way has ever asked for it. We all have let our guard down at times, placed ourselves in situations that were sketchy, or didn't pay attention to our 'gut feelings' or instincts. None of that is anything to blame ourselves about. It's simply a lesson to pay attention in the future.

We have all trusted someone that has hurt us, physically or emotionally, and can make us not want to trust anyone in the future, including ourselves and our own judgement. If that happens, the Bad Guys win.

In saying what I'm about to, I may receive a tremendously negative response because I'm not expressing outrage today.

Forgive the ones that harmed you whether they ask for it or not.

Forgiving is not for the other person (it's nice if it changes them in some way) but it is for yourself. It allows Peace to reenter your being. It allows Love to remain free in you for yourself and others. It frees you to Live, to move and to Hope.

Not doing so, can weigh you down forever until you see whatever you need to see happen to that person that caused you harm. Even seeing revenge or justice with your own eyes may not be enough. You may find yourself not knowing what will be enough to clear it for you. Meanwhile, the clock has ticked by and obsession with seeing someone 'get it' caused you to miss out on your own life. Then again, I say, they win. Where does it end?

Mr.Cosby (I say with respect for an elder) will have to face women, a judge, jury, and the World for his crimes. He'll face a greater judge, eventually. We don't worry about it. That's not our call.

Today, I pray for all victims/survivors, for healing for the additional pain his family will feel (they lost a son, violently in 1997) and I regret that a ground-breaking illustrious career is being flushed down the drain but I say that ALL comes to light, in time, for each of us.

Reboot Challenge? Make sure there are no skeletons in your own closets. Make soup. Kidding (had to lighten it up a little!). Live well, show love and be good to each other today. Show how Love and forgiveness works to everyone. Clear the list.

Pick One, Already? No.

It's been a little quiet on this end of the blog for several reasons. Fortunately, it hasn't kept readers from around the World from checking in. Thank you!

I have been enjoying most recently, a visit from my daughter, preparing for Christmas and the New Year, doing volunteer work and homework learning Korean, catching up on Korean dramas, Twitter hashtag games, keeping up with Facebook, and discovering that after watching a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother, a show I didn't like but gave a chance, only to find that I really hated how it ended.

Then, throw in my writing of 3 books at a time and reading 4 at a time, and I can say I've been pretty busy. As the meme said, don't let Facebook be the only book you read this week.

What is life without busy-ness, though?

We are busy with jobs, life, families, hobbies, and whatever we are obligated to do or do only for fun. I'm glad we are! Life should be active like that. We should have time with family members and friends. We should spend time while we are here doing as much as we want and are able to do. We should be doing the jobs we can, even if it only pays for the fun we want to have. If we sit like bumps on a log, we look back and wonder where did the time go and what did I do during it?

If we can't look back and see that we made differences in others' lives, created something worthwhile (to us!), learned useful lessons, a degree, or learned completely useless skills but we enjoyed it, then what was our life about? I'm about to reveal a little of my inner-Hippie again here.

I may never use Korean language anywhere but in a local restaurant but I like challenging myself to see if I still have it enough to learn,

I may not finish 3 of the 4 books I'm writing and may never publish any, but the experience of writing them are fun to me.

I definitely will not be a violin virtuoso but have been having a blast learning.

I no longer do all of the physical activities I used to, but will challenge myself to see what I actually am able to do within my limitations.

There may be no winning lottery that will allow us to travel to destinations unknown but I can read up on cultures and traditions and live vicariously through others. I may be due for that lottery since I recently won a prize at a Christmas Toy Shop, then another, then first prize at our Church Christmas Dance, all in one day! The wins were so timely that I could only thank God for His hand in it all.

So, Life is made to be lived, is my 'eventual' point.

I don't collect stuff for the sake of having 'stuff' but for memories. And, believe me, there will be no U-Haul behind my hearse at my funeral whenever I'm called home.

This World is being inundated with bad news every day. We can wallow in sorrow over it. Or we can live our lives as well as we can, while we can, praying, and helping where and when we can with love for everyone and joy for each day we awaken.

Reboot Challenge? Do something for someone on a regular basis without expectation of repayment. Take a class completely fun and unrelated to a degree or certificate. Learn a skill or language that doesn't have to have a goal. In other words, enjoy the life you have while you have it.