I’VE GOT A SECRET

I was meeting with country friends this morning, for another jam/chit-chat session. I like these gatherings; and they always run overtime – I like that, too 😉

Yesterday's polish removed, and my fat little fingers updated; LOL. Even my toesnails got a shine.

Pearl for eyebrow highlight & Mauve for eyelid; Glittery Purple for eye 'liner'.

Glittery Pink Lipgloss; pink tube; Auburn Brow Gel, Rose-toned Cheek Heat liquid Blush, & Black Mascara - no foundation color used on face.

Ready to hit the road.

I held out to the very last possible moment before leaving town: I wanted to drop off a bag of books at the community library, and that didn’t open until 10 AM. I was cutting things slim, but it couldn’t be helped; the books I’ve read over the winter months are piling up … and they gotta go. Someone else will enjoy them.

Bag of books dropped off at Park Library on my way out of town; 1 of 3 stacked bags ...

When I pulled up to my favorite coffee shack, I was informed, “We’re out of oak milk …”

I do NOT want marijuana juice in my coffee!

Hemp seems to be the latest craze: I AM NOT INTERESTED. I had a friend (no longer a friend due to the blm nonsense), who liked to try to sprinkle the lunch fare she was sharing with me, with hemp seed – she was always gushing about how “healthy!” hemp is. I had to finally physically stay her hand, and say, “Stop, please. I’ve told you before I don’t want it. I do not use drugs of any sort.” She was offended by the rebuff, even though I had repeatedly told her I didn’t agree with her infatuation with hemp food products … and at that point, I was beyond offended by her pushiness.

The coffee shack employees may be thrilled to have hemp milk on their menu – but I am not interested. This aging flower child does not want it. I am not interested in the selling hype about {it’s benefits}: that is all BS to me. The selling hype around hemp {food} products is that “there is little to no” psychoactive THC in the product. Uhhhh … little is too much, as far as I am concerned.

And some people – I could very well be one of them – are dangerously allergic to hemp food products. I do not want to risk an itchy distraction rash, hives, or an onset of anaphylaxis while driving. I have a sensitive constitution; I have to be careful with my food sources.

I do not want marijuana seeds on my salads, and I do not want marijuana juice in my coffee.

I was happy to get to the jam session: the friends I’ve made are funtastic people, and the music is good – it’s a mish-mash of musical tastes, musical talents, oldies tunes/new styles, and ‘on the spot’ inspiration (this is the exciting anticipatory part – seeing the conception & birth of a cooperative, created, song). I LOVE IT!

I like this group of people – I will forever be grateful I was introduced to them. I feel like I actually belong; for once I do not feel I am standing entirely apart from everyone else watching life go by. And I am startled now and then to know that I am sharing some of the same space others share: up until recently, I have pretty much avoided people because most people get very annoying very quickly. But, since being cast adrift following Bob’s physical death, Elohim has been faithful to put people across my life’s path that have been very good for me in many ways. I am grateful for their low-key, inclusive, same frequency friendships … and I am thankful to be so loved and highly favored by my God.

I was surprised to see D walk in the door with a guitar case - I didn't know he could pick ;-)

While we were all sitting around jawing, and jamming (I'm the side-line cheer leader), J asked, “Val, do you sing?”

How to answer that?

Yes: and no. Yes, I sing when I am alone. No, I do not sing in group settings because my lung power eventually craps out and I end up either faking it, or mentally singing while those around me assume I don’t know the songs or I am a party-pooper.

I love music – music gives expression to what I cannot put into words.

I sing when I am alone … and I would sing with Bob when were together in-house, or in the vehicles and we were jamming to songs we both enjoyed; but I don’t sing in public (or in Fellowship) because my lung capacity just isn’t there – sooner or later, I end up lip-syncing when the song being sung requires a deeper air capacity than my lungs have. But, I haven’t had to use my inhaler since Mother’s Day (7 weeks ago), and I am breathing deeper than I’ve ever been able to in my entire life, so we’ll see if I eventually get up and sing 😉

But for right now, in this moment … I am content to listen to J, GG, and B belt the songs out while D & H do the instrumental backup 😉 GG sings perfect acapella (singing without instrumental backup), and sets the scale/pitch tone: Bob enjoyed acapella singers, if he were with me, he would really enjoy GG’s singing as much as I do. And maybe he is enjoying it 😊

Josh Groban Acapella – ‘You Raise Me up’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcLl0A-lXIc)

I believe that the Saints (which Bob now is part of: Hebrews 12) surround us – that being the case, I believe that Yeshua, and Bob, are aware of my daily life happenings. And that knowing, strengthens and comforts me.

J also asked me how old I am; I said, “65” – his eyebrows went up, and he said, “You’re pulling my leg.” I shook my head and said, “Truth. I’ll be 66 in December.” He said, “You do not look 65. You must be doing something the rest of us know nothing about.” I said, “I have a secret: clean living, good loving, and God first and foremost; covenant relationship. Age is just a number, the secret to aging well is not to stress about aging – it happens; so does life. Enjoy life while you have it, and don’t worry about it ending.” 😉

I exercise my body and mind - keeping both limber and active; I eliminate as much stress in my personal life as I possibly can, and I use make-up sparingly (cleaning my face as soon as possible when I get back home) – those basic eliminations keep my face pretty wrinkle-free.

'I’ve Got The Key, I’ve Got The Secret’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUCEGYz5bFc)

The Lindsey Family – ‘That Secret Place’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWx9m9NWdp8)

Personally, I think I look my age (what, exactly, does 65 look like?) – and I’m okay with embracing my age. Some people of my generation haven’t made it as far as Elohim has blessed me to be: in many ways I feel privileged to be 65. While my hair had retained much of its natural hue … there is quite a bit of gray in it (it blends very stylishly – thank You, Yeshua 😊); and I’m glad Bob got to see it showing up, before his spirit stepped off this Earth.

Aging does not have to be a heavy burden. MPO

And age really is irrelevant when you are in Elohim’s Secret Place 😊

Smith, White & Fairchild – ‘Secret Place’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzdWNYkpl68)

The jam session wrapped up around 4 PM. When I got home, I did an hour-long walk-thru in my garden area (watering, pinching back some plants, sprinkling slug bait in all the beds, noticing/noting which plants need to be reseeded, ect.); ate Supper, and started on another Angel Baby Blanket.

Mobility and relaxation is also another {secret} way to stave off the effects of aging 😉

MOD Angel Baby Banket started ... a repeat pattern.