My End-of-Year Blessing

  I've shared a few times that I like to make a donation to World Vision each year. Some of you sponsored me when I did a 20-mile hike to raise money for them in May of 2020.

This year, I donated to the fund that adds an extra layer to the effort to bring clean water to villages, and through solar or generator power actually pipes the water closer to the communities and makes it available through a spigot.

This is from their website: "One tap from a mechanized water system reliably delivers clean water to an average of 85 people! Your gift helps to drill for water, install a pump, provide generator or solar power, lay a piping network, and finally, provide a tap where families can get sparkling clean water close to home. You’ll help kids and families stay protected from disease by ensuring they have clean water for drinking, handwashing, cooking, watering crops, and more."

I don't tell you about this to toot my own horn. I'm sure almost all of us have causes we like to support. I do think this is a good one. World Vision gets very high ratings as to how much of the money donated actually ends up helping people as they claim.

I like to shop the Gift Catalog.

One of the items on my "Quality Day" list (see What Is My Quality Day?" is to do a service. This is one of these events.

I didn't accomplish much today. Maybe tomorrow I'll kick it back into gear.

See 20 Miles for World Vision

It's Almost Always the Little Things

 
Had a good sales day at the Shagway Arts Barn vendor event. But I want to tell you one little story. OK, two.

One of the other vendors, Chris, had seen me eyeing little drink cozies that she makes. We met a couple of years ago at Shagway, and have often participated together in work days out there, and sales events.

I don't like drinks in cans, and I don't need more stuff, but not only does the barn motif appeal to me, the colors and everything about it just strikes me as pleasing. Now, these are very reasonable, and I could certainly afford to buy one. I told her I was thinking about buying one to use as a pencil cup. I have been using an old tin can. Well, she gave it to me!



This is the epitome of the saying, "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

And this inspired me to clean off my little chairside table top, above.

Chris makes lots of nice quality craft items for sale. Here is her booth from last month. She's on the left and her sister, Jan, on the right. Look her up at local craft and vendor events.



My other little story is from the booth on the other side of me. Dixie was lovin' up to her human mama, Amanda. Dixie also gave me plenty of doggie kisses and snuggles. She was a real sweetie.



These are nice reminders that although once in a while there is a big event that makes us joyful, it's usually just some little thing. This is what "My Quality Day" is all about.

Thanks, Christina and Dixie.

PS, and Ellen, because that little patterned towel I have on that table to catch drips or whatever, was a gift from her a couple of years ago.

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What is My Quality Day?

 
I've decided to let the blog world in on a secret. Eighteen years ago things were very dark for us and I needed some little tangible thing beyond "the everlasting arms" of God to keep my head above the waters of despair. I learned that it didn't take much, but just a little something, and I needed to pay attention and make note of the fact that even one good thing had happened. I came up with a list of 6 Elements of a Quality Day, usually coded QD for short.

If any one of those things happened, I could make it through one more day. Even in those dark times there was seldom a day that one of those things did not happen. I wrote my QD entries at the beginning of each journal day. I've kept the system, although it's a long time since it's been a struggle to make it from day to day, just because it always reminds me that there is something to be cheerful about.

(I don't tend to be an eternal optimist... one of my mother's nicknames for me was "the little thundercloud."). I haven't faithfully noted every day's entry, but sometimes I have. It's fun to go back and see what I put down.

So here's my list: Elements of a Quality Day
1. Experience something new or beautiful
2. Do something outside
3. Learn something new
4. Accomplish something
5. Do a service for the Lord
6. If I just feel good anyway for no particular reason (in other words, it's not a bad day if none of the above happen, but I'm not feeling down about it. This prevents the logical progression, "if none of 1-5 happen then I must be depressed.")

This blog will be devoted to tracking the elements of my quality days. I don't promise to record something every day, but perhaps my little slivers of sunshine will occasionally brighten someone's day.

I decided to add this blog to my others because it is more personal than Get Off The Couch News and yet not as personal as another blog that is more for family and close friends. (long since abandoned!) If you have been invited here, or have discovered this blog, I hope you will enjoy the quality days with me.

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