Bloganuary Prompt – Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

2025 Bloganuary Daily Prompt – January 24 (Posting on 02/09)

Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.

U. S. National Whitewater Center

The U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, North Carolina has the largest the world’s largest manmade whitewater river and has outdoor activities all year long. Besides the Whitewater River area, the Center also has 1,300 acres of protected woodlands along the Catawba River. No matter your preference, the Whitewater Center offers a wide range of recreational opportunities to intrigue your interest for a
fantabulous experience in the great outdoors.

I have not done many water sports since my younger more limber and flexible days of my youth. What does perk my interests in visiting the U.S. National Whitewater Center are the forty (40) miles of trails designed for mountain biking and trail racing. You don’t have to ride a mountain bike or race on the trails to enjoy them. The 40+ miles of trails are a great opportunity for hikers as well. The trails are shared by hikers, runners, and bikers at all times.

The trails are natural surface and wind across the 1,300 acre woods of the Center. The trails run along the Catawba River and through hardwood and pine forests. The use of the trails are free not requiring an access pass, however, the Whitewater Center does charge $12 for a day parking pass and $40 for an annual parking pass.

I think Coleman and I would enjoy hikers some of the various trails at the Whitewater Center given the opportunity for warmer weather, costs and transportation to and from the Center.

For more information about the U.S. National Whitewater Center and what it has to offer click here .

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Bloganuary 21

Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.

דבורה

Currently I go by Deb more often than not. It is a shortened version of my given first name of Debbie. The name Debbie is a nickname for Deborah. However, it is not a nickname for me, but instead it is my given name.

The above name is the Hebrew spelling for Deborah/Debbie. In Hebrew it is the name Dēvōrah, which means “bee” or “swarm of bees.”Another meaning for Debbie/Deborah is one who has strong desires and aspirations.

Debbie embodies qualities of diligence, social connectivity, and a vibrant spirit. Historically’s, the name Debbie is associated with women’s empowerment. Biblically speaking, Honey and honeybees are used as images to convey God’s love, strength, wisdom, things of great worth, and even references to Christ. In the Bible, Deborah is the name of a prophetess and judge who led the Israelites to victory over the Canaanites. One can learn more about Deborah in the book of Judges in the Old Testament.

[As a side note, when I was in college I knew several people who were studying Greek and by assisting them while they studied I learned to spell by name in Greek, Δεββι. Afterwards I would often spell my name using the Greek lettering instead of the English letters. I liked the way Debbie looked spelled Δεββι.]

The name Debbie/Deborah gained usage among English Christians following the Protestant Reformation. In particular, it became significantly popular among the Puritans. The name became a popular choice for American parents and also for fictional characters. In the United States, the name was extremely popular between the 1950’s through the 1970’s.

Personality wise, Debbie would signify you are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. ( I guess this means I come by my stubbornness naturally.) You have a good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable and self-disciplined. (I’ll need to remember all these personality traits if I ever decide to apply for another job.)

Personally, even though I’ve always known Debbie was another form of Deborah, I always hated being called Deborah/Debra while I was in school and would insist that that was not my name.

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God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Bloganuary 2

Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?

Do I play in my daily life? Probably depends on what is meant by play. What says “playtime” to me? I am not sure and haven’t really thought about what “playtime” in my current state of my life.

According to Merriam-Webster , playtime is a time for play or diversion. Play has several different meanings ranging from playing games, recreational activities, to toy or fiddle around with something, and/or to act with special consideration so as to gain favour, approval, or sympathy.

When I first thought about the aspect of play in my daily life, I thought about playing games like solitaire, monopoly, rummy, and that sort of thing. However, play can entail more than just games people play whether they’re children’s or adult games.

Realizing play is more one tends to ponder more intensely and wonder whether or not some behaviours could be construed as play. Do you play with a person’s emotions? I think we all might whether we intend to or not.

I know I’ve sought to gain approval for work I’ve done, sought affection by seeking attention from those I care deeply about.

Now concerning “playtime,” for me “playtime” can be hiking with my grandson, playing catch with him, or simply spending time collaborating on a puzzle or a relaxing activity like visiting a museum or a Greenway.

How does play/playtime differ in your daily lives?

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God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Bloganuary 4

What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

The greatest gift someone could give me I have already received. That gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.

Some might tell you the greatest gift could be some materialistic thing, while others may say the greatest gift is love.

I tell you that, for me, the greatest gift I have ever received is everlasting life given to me by the love of God through His son, Jesus Christ.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16 KJV ( King James Version)

From this verse we can learn that God gives us His love, gives us salvation, and gives us life eternal if we only begin Him. This I believe.

“Salvation is arguably the greatest gift we will ever receive, but it is not the ONLY gift. Jesus gives us gifts for today as well.”
http://www.medishare.com

This quote from medishare.com implies that the greatest gift we can ever receive is salvation, but that is not all we receive.

I agree that Salvation is not the only thing we receive from God. He freely gives us love, grace, mercy, understanding, compassion and many many more intangible gifts.

Still others would tell us the greatest gift we can receive is love.

“Love is the greatest gift that God gives us each day when he loves us enforcers His Son Jesus Christ to die for us.”
http://www.biblestudytools.com

The greatest gift is your love is an expression that emphasizes the value, significance, and importance of love in our lives.

This reminds me of a song from the mid-sixties called “What the World Needs Now.” It was first recorded in 1965 by Jackie DeShannon and by Dionne Warwick in 1966. It has been recorded by many artists over the years.

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some, but for everyone.”
Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David
(genius.com)

What more can we give to others than what God gave to us, His love. We can spread the love to everyone we meet and share God’s love to the World.

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God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Bloganuary Prompt #19: What color describes your personality and why?

What color describes your personality and why?

Blue (analyzer/ organizer)

The color which describes my personality would be blue. Why you might wonder; it is the color that represents those who like to be organized & analyze their life and surroundings. I like to have everything in its place & do not like the order of my things to be disrupted. I prefer not to have conflict with others, but would rather have everyone get along and work comfortably together. People know when I work on a job or task that he will be completed and done well. I am a good listener and am observant of situations around me and try to crate the best possible solutions. I like structure & tend to prefer to not need the need to improvise if at all possible. That being said, I do work well within a team and am an invaluable asset.

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary #20: What irritates you about the home you live in?

What irritates you about the home you live in?

Just about everything irritates me regarding the “home” I currently reside within. You might wonder why I stay in my current residence if everything about it irritates me. The predominant reason I reside where I do is my grandson. Right now he is my world 🌎. I take care of him 24/7 in my daughter’s apartment. If it weren’t for him, I’d leave in a heartbeat. But then there’s financial issues which makes it difficult to leave. This is not what or where I thought I’d be just a few short years ago.

What irritates you about the home you live in? Is it the neighborhood? The people you live with? What can you change about it? Would you make changes if you could?

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God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary #13: If you had a billion US dollars, how would you spend it?

First of all, Is the billion dollars post taxes? If not, the government would take a huge chunk of it. That being said, with the portion I would actually be able to spend I would first off put a portion of it into stocks and/or bonds to hopefully increase the value.

Next, I would set a portion aside in trust funds for my grandchildren that would become theirs when they turn twenty-one. Who knows, I might if I deemed necessary, raise the age in which they would have access to it.

Then, I would purchase or build a modest home somewhere in the country with plenty of land around it. I prefer not having neighbors super close. I do not need or want a gigantic house. Just one that would sufficiently meet my needs.

I would also donate some of the money to charities that are close to my heart. I would be extremely selective on those charities in which I would choose to contribute.

I would like if at all possible to use a small portion of the money to travel to the various places I can only dream about visiting.

It is fanciful to think about what one would do with a billion dollars. Saying you’d spend it one way, however, good intentions aside one never knows until one would actually obtain it.

How would you spend a billion dollars if you had it? Spend it on yourself? Give it away? Invest it? Lots to think about on the subject.

Bloganuary

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary Prompt #26: What language do you wish you could speak?

What language do you wish you could speak? The language I wish I could speak would be Spanish. Hablo un poquito de español. I speak a little Spanish, however, I would like to speak it fluently. I took some Spanish in high school, but with lack of constant use I am lacking the ability to truly communicate. I can understand more than I am able to speak. It would be a wish of mine to be able to speak, write, and truly be able to hold a conversation in español.

Bloganuary

God Bless. Thank you for listening. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary #14: What is your preferred mode of travel?

What is your preferred mode of travel?

My preferred mode of travel is by car. Usually when I’m going on a long trip I will rent a car. Rental cars have more space and in better condition than any vehicle I have ever owned.

Is there an advantage to using a rental car for road trips? In my opinion, yes definitely. What are those advantages?

There are several advantages:

No wear and tear on your personal vehicle …
Drive Something More Comfortable …
Don’t Stress About Pre-Trip Tuneups …
More Space so You Won’t Feel Cramped …
Drive a Car in Great Condition …
Save Gas … rentals tend to be more fuel-efficient …

These advantages are the reason I prefer to travel by car whenever I travel, especially for long distances.

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary #12: What chore do you find the most challenging to do?

What chore do you find the most challenging to do?

The chore that I find the most challenging to do would be any chore I try to do while my grandson is awake. He demands so much of my attention that I can’t take my eyes of of him to do laundry, watch dishes, sweep or mop. I especially find it challenging to do any chores during the day. I have to clean the bathroom late in the evening, so as not to have my grandson near the cleaning materials, such as the toilet cleaner and the toilet brush.

The most challenging chore during the day is trying to sweep and mop the floors. Why is it challenging? It is because my grandson loves to try to help, but he is more in the way than helping when I move furniture to clean the dust from under where they lay.

Have you ever tried to clean with a three year old trying to help? It takes twice as long and is sometimes irritating even though I know he only wants to be a good helper.

Bloganuary Prompt

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary Prompt #18: What’s your favorite meal to cook and/or eat?

What’s your favorite meal to cook and/or eat?

I do not think I have a favorite meal that I like to cook or eat. However, my family likes it when I make homemade enchiladas.

My enchiladas are made using ground turkey 🦃, diced green chilies 🌶️, chopped black olives 🫒, and shredded cheddar pepper jack cheese 🧀, all inside a fajita tortilla. I use red enchilada as inside and out.

My family likes them better than frozen enchiladas and even restaurants enchiladas. Where we live it is difficult to find authentic Mexican food.

What is your favorite meal to prepare, cook, and/or eat? What do you prefer: to cook and eat at home or go out to a restaurant to and eat?

God Bless. Thank you! I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary Prompt #8: How far back in your family tree can you go?

How far can I go back in my family tree? It varies on the line I follow. On my paternal side, I can trace the paternal line back for eleven generations. On my father’s maternal line I can trace back for ten generations.

For my maternal line, I can trace my mother’s paternal line back for twelve generations. Now for my mother’s maternal line, I have only been able to trace back six generations.

The paternal line traces my father’s paternal ancestors. My father’s father, his father’s father, and so on.

The paternal maternal line traces my father’s mother’s mother, her mother’s mother and so on and so on.

The maternal line traces my mother’s side of my family. My maternal paternal line traces my mother’s father’s father, his father’s father, etcetera. My maternal maternal line traces only the females. My mother’s mother, her mother’s mother, her mother’s mother and so forth.

Have y’all tried to trace your family history? It can be quite interesting and for some very confusing. Our ancestral DNA 🧬 often reveals a different story then the one we’ve been told all our lives.

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God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary #7: Write a short story or poem about rain.

Rain drops from

Atmospheric pressure

Ironically resting upon the earth

Nurturing life, spawning growth and renewing energy like a transfusion within our body’s flowing into the ….

Reservoirs of our lives

Accelerating our souls toward an

Inner Peace

Naturally.

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God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary #6: Why do you write?

There are many different reasons people may choose to write. It could be anything from the desire to communicate with others to creating something beautiful that they hope will interest others or even just as a release to get something off their mind and enable to reflect with understanding.

Why do I write?:

Writing ✍️ is a necessary tool for communication. For me, it is easy to communicate through words put down on “paper.” I used to feel compelled to write in a journal my thoughts, emotions, and feelings regarding the day or situation. I am more comfortable expressing myself in writing than through verbal communication.

Why? I think 🤔, I feel, and I ponder on my life and the circumstances and situations which have occurred. It is hard for me to come up with the right words to express my thoughts instantaneously. Henceforth, I write.

I write letters, yes, actual letters not emails. I write notes in cards to let someone know I am thinking about them and I care. For me, emails are more impersonal than an genuine letter written down in my own handwriting. It takes more time and effort but the thoughtfulness is relaxed, friendly, and extremely natural & rewarding.

Nowadays, I use my smartphone or my laptop 💻 to write and express my ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Sometimes I write as thoughts appear in my mind, other times I wait until I am absolutely alone. When I am alone in the quiet of the evening, my brain functions more clearly and I am better able to concentrate and communicate in written words the thoughts, and feelings I desperately desire to convey.

I often use photos to help convey my thoughts and activities. How do you express yourself? Why do you write?

Bloganuary

God Bless. Thank you for listening. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary Prompt #5: What brings you joy in life?

What brings me the most joy right now in my life is spending time with my grandson. The ability to share my love of God, Nature, the enjoyment of hiking, and shower him with my never ending love.

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

Bloganuary 2023 #2: How are you brave?

Brave means: having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty : having or showing courage according to Merriam-Webster.com.

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”
Coco Chanel

How am I brave? I do not feel that I am brave, not like soldiers who go into battle, those fighting cancer, or those speaking out about injustices. However, bravery and courage can be found everyday in many ways that we(I) have not ever considered before.

It takes courage to admit and say you are sorry. I admit this is not always easy. However, we all gain benefit and grow from admitting when we are in the wrong, myself especially.

I can be brave when I allow myself to be me. When I allow myself to be vulnerable and sharing the real me, flaws and all, with others.

I can be brave and courageous when I can let go and forgive. This takes a lot of courage especially since hurts grow deep and anger and resentment can grow within if it is dwelled upon over time. I know I find somethings hard to let go over and forgive. The one thing I need to remember is that by holding on I am only hurting myself.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

In these past few years since Covid-19 began, it takes courage to be out amongst people. Even though many improvements have been achieved, I am not brave enough to be out amongst large crowds. I am fortunate, so far, to not have been infected by Covid. However, I have been affected by it since I’ve had family members who have had it. Some of which I took care of until they were better. I guess you could say that was brave. I’m not sure, when it comes to people you love, you do whatever is necessary.

There are many other ways we can be brave. How have you been brave? I strive to follow Joshua 1:9 and Be Strong and Courageous, to depend on God and remember He is always with me.

Bloganuary

God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.

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