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.
Deciding what I want to achieve this year is similar to deciding if I want to make a New Year Resolution or to make Goals. I do not usually make any Resolutions or set Goals.
IRESEARCHNET.COM
That being said, I do have a short list of Goals I would like to achieve this year.
2023 Goals:
To Pray more consistently 🙏🏼
To Read my Bible more 📖
To Read at least 30 minutes per day 📚
To not procrastinate about writing reviews – Be more consistent 📑📝✍️
What are your Goals, Resolutions? What would you like to achieve this year, 2023?
P. S. I must not forget that I want to strive to continue blogging and photography.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting. I appreciate y’all.
What is my earliest memory? That is a good question. I wish I could say I remember everything, but that would be nearly impossible. Our minds, especially mine, tend to have selective memories.
That being said, I do remember parts of my childhood. I remember living on South Meadowbrook Drive in San Diego, California. I remember playing outside all day. Playing baseball in the neighbors backyard. Part of the time I would play with Mary a few doors down from me, but mostly my brother & I would play with the three boys next door. We’d all play outside all day without question. Never had a desire to be stuck indoors. We’d play baseball, basketball, freeze tag, hide-n-go seek, and whatever else we could. We’d ride our bikes up and down the street, around the block, and sometimes up to the school on Saturdays; just to play on the playground. There were no fancy skate boards for us. We’d take the wheels off of street skates & attach them to scrap boards to make our skateboards. Those were such fun times.
I also remember all the girls wore dresses to school. Pants were not allowed until around my ninth grade in junior high school. Yes, my school was a junior high not a middle school. We moved after I was promoted from sixth grade to seventh. I didn’t know anyone in our new neighborhood or my new school. Therefore. I tended to ride my bicycle by myself, walk to and from school by myself carrying my books in my arms. I don’t recall backpacks back then.
I remember always having Sunday dresses that were only worn for church. We went to church every Sunday morning, every Sunday evening, and on Wednesday evenings. There was always Church worship and Sunday School. In the evenings after Sunday church worship, the youth would gather at a members house for a time of fun. In the summers, we would meet at someone’s house that had a pool so we could swim and splash around. Occasionally, we would meet at Mission Bay. Those were fun times. That’s where I learned how to water ski. No matter what activity we enjoyed, there was always singing & a short devotional.
There are more things I remember, but then that would be like writing a memoir. Too much for a single post.
One thing I remember and treasure from my early days, are given a love for the outdoors, the enjoyment of camping & hiking, and being taught about the live of Jesus Christ and His wonderful mercies.
A reflection of Coleman’s life throughout the year, 2022, before beginning the New Year. He’s grown so much in so many ways in such a short time.
The First Three Months: January-March…
Coleman – Age 2 1/2 January February March
The Next Three Months: April-June…
Coleman April May June
Onward to the Next Three Months: July–September…
Coleman July August September Now 3-Years-Old
The Last Three Months of 2022: October-December…
Coleman October November December
Where has the year gone? My little grandson, my hiking 🥾 buddy is not so little anymore. He’s become very adventurous. He loves to explore the outdoors. He love to visit Anne Springs Close Greenway. He has already hiked all 26 trails multiple times for more than 36 miles within the Greenway. He knows the trails better than some adults.
He does not like bad weather day’s especially since he does not like being cooped up in doors. He’d rather be outdoors all the time if he could. I pray his adventurous spirit will never be squashed.
Continue on little man, keep growing, keep learning, and always stay adventurous loving the outdoors.
Not exactly a Holiday Color, but a Holiday picture
Coleman in his new RED Flag shirtGreen stands aboveHoliday Lights Southern California Christmas Tree. Photo Credit: Julee VaughanWHITE Cabbage Patch OrnamentsNutcracker decked out in Holiday ColorsSILVER BellHappy New Year Dayspring.com
Here’s my entries for Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge.
Wednesday morning Ho Ho Waffles 🧇.
Mini Waffle IronHo Ho Tree Waffles Waffle Iron & Waffles Into the Woods Coleman Wanders Coleman Walking across a Wooden Bridge into the Woods 🪵.Coleman Watching the Water💦 in the Creek. Windmill at the Dairy BarnCee’s Midweek Madness Challenge
Reflecting back on Christmases past is something I don’t often do. This year I have been trying to remember what Christmases used to look like while I was growing up. Odd thing is I cannot remember much about them. Not what gifts were given or received. I know I gave and received them, but if you asked me what I received in any particular year I would not be able to tell you.
These photos are from my archives. Most likely taken by my father, Nornal Hule Waters.
The first photo by the date is of my very first Christmas taken with my dad, & my brother. So, this one my mom probably snapped. This first Christmas was spent in Great Falls, South Carolina. Great Falls is a town (not a city). The second photo is also taken in Great Falls, SC with my mom I presume the following year. And the third photo was taken in San Diego, California when I was either in Junior High or a sophomore in high school. Definitely before 1974. My brother went into the Air Force early in 1975 and was no longer home for Christmas afterwards.
The one constant which I remember is that every Christmas Eve growing up, we went to a Christmas Eve Service at church. We would dress up in our very best church clothes to attend the special service. It would be filled with music, both from the choir and the audience. It would be a joyous occasion, extremely uplifting. The emphasis would be given though a message (some would call a sermon) as well as the music on the true meaning of Christmas. The birth of Jesus Christ and the visit by the three wise men presenting the Christ child with precious gifts. This tradition was not continued each and every year after my marriage and living what I consider my hometown (not my birth city). Sadly, it is one that I remember and miss the most.
The above pictures were taken after I had my eldest son and later after my marriage. The first photo is of my eldest son, John Thomas Waters III. He was named after my paternal grandfather who was also named after his paternal grandfather. The next one is the first Christmas photo after my marriage. And the last one is with my daughter for her first Christmas.
The next group of photos are random pictures of my family throughout the years.
More Random Christmas Photos:
Capture the memories with your family and friends while you are still able. You never know when one of them may no longer be with you. Photographs speak a thousand words, more than you’ll ever know. I wish I could spend another holiday with my dad, mom, husband, and grandparents, but sadly they will only be here in spirit.
I pray y’all had a wonderful Christmas and will have a blessed New Year.
Coleman & his Brio World Lift & Load SetColeman’s first Remote control Paw Patrol Motorcycle Coleman’s Blaze vehicles
My grandson had to wait half the day before he could open his Christmas Presents due to his mom working in the morning. He was having a hard time understanding his needed to wait for his “Ho Ho” presents. Before then he and I enjoyed some cuddle time.
I trust y’all enjoyed your holiday (or at least the day) relaxing.
Photo was taken at the Anne Springs Close Greenway Horse Stables Entrance. The Greenway has many different types of farm animals besides the many, many horses.
Photo Credit: Copyright (c)2022@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com … All Rights Reserved.
God Bless. Thank You for Visiting. Hope y’all had a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Kawanza, or your special holiday with family and friends. Remember I appreciate y’all.
I bought myself a couple of new lenses for Christmas. Hey, I figured the only way I would receive any thing for Christmas was to buy want was on my wish list myself. Anyway, one of the new lenses I bought is a Altura .35X Fisheye HD lens attachment 58mm lens with Macro.
We only put up a Christmas tree yesterday and today after my daughter arrived home from work and ate her supper (Coleman & I already ate) we decided to wrap Christmas presents. Mind you, my grandson, Coleman is supposed to be sleeping. We almost get them all wrapped when he starts saying “eat, eat.” So, we stop wrapping and get him out of his room to come out and eat again. When he saw the wrapped presents, he thought “HO HO” (What he calls Santa) had already come and he thought he could open presents. We had a time trying to convince him that “HO HO” still needed to come and he had to eat and go back to bed.
Since we had most of the presents wrapped and sitting by the tree, I thought I might as well take a few pictures. Some are using the wide angle and others are using the Fisheye. This is the first time I’ve tried using a Fisheye lens. It will take me awhile to figure things out in using it.
Wide Angle Shots(First one is on Manual, I forgot to adjust the settings):
Fisheye Shots:
Photo Credit: Copyright (c)2022@gfpacificbeeintrospection.com … All Rights Reserved.
Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Happy Holidays to one and all! Enjoy and Blessings to y’all. I appreciate y’all.
My selections this time come from the trails around Wagon and Haigler Loops as well as by the Canteen at Anne Springs Close Greenway.
Pull Up a Seat Along Wagon Loop:
Coleman sitting on stone blocksUp the trail a short distance Colemanrelaxes on a bench.
Pull Up a Seat beside Lake Haigler:
Bruce T. Rush Pavilion:
Coleman sitting at one of eight picnic tables within the Rush Pavilion.
The Bruce T. Rush Pavilion is located at the Lake Haigler Entrance of the Anne Springs Close Greenway. It is an open-air shelter, available for rental, which features a hardwood ceiling with a stone fireplace. It overlooks the beautiful Lake Haigler. It is an ideal area for company picnics, birthday parties, receptions, and small intimate wedding ceremonies.
In Front of the Canteen:
Coleman sitting in one of several rockers out in front of the Gateway Canteen.
My grandson, Coleman and I loved to venture out into nature and roam through the trees whenever the weather permits. It has been raining a lot here lately, so we haven’t been out much. Only twice this week. Coleman loves to go hiking at the Anne Springs Close Greenway which is only a few miles from where we currently live. The Greenway has five different entrances, and we choose a different entrance to begin our hiking each time we go.
From the Horse Stables Entrance: Should we go to the Left or to the Right?
We veered to the LeftPast the Fences … onward to See the Farm Animals
Next, we switched to the Lake Haigler Entrance for some hiking near Lake Haigler.
Spotted this plant by the checkout counter at our local Aldi’s.
Christmas Kalanchoe
The Kalanchoe is a group of exotic succulents prized for their unusual foliage and flowers. The scientific name is Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. It is a herbaceous and is commonly cultivated as a house plant of the genus Kalanchoe native to Madagascar. A few of the English common names are flaming Katy, Christmas kalanchoe, florist kalanchoe and Madagascar widow’s thrill.
Instead of a normal cell pic, I am choosing to share a collage I made on my cell phone. The top two photos were taken on a cell phone whereas the bottom photo was taken on my Canon Rebel EOS T3i camera. Hope this is okay since it was created on my cell phone.
Top: Coleman taken in 2019 Middle: Coleman & Alona taken in 2020. Bottom: Coleman taken on Saturday, December 17, 2022
Wishing y’all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!