Tuesday's Thoughts

Don't forget The Brown Recluse has moved:  Margaret's Musings

Newest Post:

I’m a scroller…not to be confused with a troller, though admittedly, I have trolled social media…adding my 3 cents worth, worded in such a way to provoke.  God doesn’t like that.   Over the years He’s reminded me He doesn’t like it, and many are the comments that get deleted, or never get fully typed.  But I still type them out in my head.  I don’t think God likes that, either.

Years ago, I posted some sharp retorts to a man on a message board.  I was completely right, but entirely wrong to post like I did.  That night...(see more)

Saying Goodbye to The Brown Recluse: A Musing Reboot

This blog has served its purpose for going on ten years...but has been in hibernation for several months.   It survived major domain name malfunctions, mistaken identity, and my photos being hijacked by Photobucket.  This is the place where I could share, whine, preach, brainstorm...and there are some of you, Dear Readers, who have been with me since the days of AOL Journals  aka "Journal Land" or "J-Land."

When this domain (AmusingMargaret) expires later this year, I will not be renewing it.   I am not saying that "The Brown Recluse" will never again be seen...I really don't know yet if I will "retire" her permanently.   I have moved some of my favorite posts to my new domain (MargaretsMusings), and that is where I will be writing every now and then. 

For those of you who subscribed to this blog, you will receive a new email to confirm subscribing to Margaret's Musings.   If you do not want to continue your subscription, just ignore the email.

Thank you all so much for all the visits, comments, private emails, and Facebook likes/comments.  I do hope you'll continue with me on my blogging journey. 

A lick and a promise....

If you are interested in my Monday Musings...you will find them HERE.

I will give an update about this blog and where it's headed sometime this week.  

Happy Monday!!

Tuesday's Thoughts....Welcome to a Morning in my Head

Great Smoky Mountains...Clingman's Dome, if I am not mistaken.

Some random thoughts zipping through my brain this a.m.

When you do the wrong thing because it is easier you are choosing a convenience that isn’t always convenient.

The path of least resistance leads to a vast sea.  Resistance builds muscle.  If you’ve done nothing to build muscle, how will you swim the ocean?

Hijacked words don’t mean what they used to…but the rainbow is still God’s promise.

Sometimes your reasonable friends are silent and your unreasonable ones are loud. 

Lawlessness is a scary thing, and too many people are not recognizing it for what it is.  Wake up!  United we stand, divided we fall.

It is easy to forget how fragile life really is, and how so many things beyond our control can dictate our level of comfort…a drought, a tornado, an earthquake, a terrorist attack…can changes lives forever in just a moment.

Sometimes I’m reacting more to the fact that you’re telling me that rather than what you’re actually telling me.

There are days I hurry home so that I can do nothing...something I can do quite well.

Nobody wants to hear what you have to say because too many people are talking…and some of them are so loud!

What better day to start than today?   It’s the only day in which you can actually live and make choices.   Make some wise ones for yourself.

When I look at others and judge them a little because they are different from me, I am forgetting that I am different from them…and different from most people.  I remind myself to stop.  Just stop.  I don't have to answer for them.  I have enough things to answer for my own self.

Would you have ever imagined 20 years ago that everyone’s best buddy would be a hand-held device?

Arguing with strangers about religion or politics…or anything…in social media, forums, chat rooms, etc. accomplishes nothing.   Arguing rarely, if ever, accomplishing anything positive.

Truth makes you mad when it hits you where you live.

News Day Tuesday

Bowe Bergdahl:
Dishonorable discharge/no jail time. That made a lot of people unhappy…both he and the judge have been the subject of much discussion. I know he suffered at the hands of the Taliban, but it could be said that he asked for it. People were gravely injured and some are still suffering with permanent injuries as the consequences of his actions. Many lives were put in danger because of his choice. 

I know that Bergdahl had no clue of the repercussions of his decision, but to walk away in Afghanistan? Where was he going to go? The judge used Trump’s very public criticisms as a reason for his leniency. He probably should have gotten some prison time, but he will never live this down. It will follow him until the day he dies. And as it is for everything else, God will have the final say.

Donna Brazile:
Interesting allegations you’ve made. I can believe there was plenty of deception in the DNC, and that Hillary did everything you say in order to achieve her goal. But I have no doubt that Donald Trump would have beaten Bernie Sanders, or any other combination of democratic candidates.

I wonder how she will fare in the coming months in years…it has long been rumored that going against the Clintons can be dangerous.


Ashley Judd:
In a recent interview, she detailed how she was sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein. When asked by Diane Sawyer what she would say to him now, she said she would say, “I love you, and I understand you are sick…”

I didn’t see that coming after her hate speech in January, where she honed in on one “locker room” statement (not action) by Donald Trump some 12 years before. Ms. Judd was much more vulgar than Donald Trump was…very publicly and outside of the locker room. Was it hypocritical of her to keep her silence on Weinstein’s continuing actions while attacking the President’s words from years ago?

George Bush:
I always like the Presidents Bush. I liked the Bush family. I wasn’t one who labeled George W. as “the worst president.” (I have my own opinion on that.) Lately, I’ve lost a lot of respect for the Georges. I can understand their silence during the previous administration…that’s how former presidents should behave. But now…where is their silence? I fully believe it is because candidate Donald Trump was disrespectful to Brother Jeb. No matter what Donald said to/about him, Jeb would not have gotten the nomination. People were tired of the same old story, they wanted to turn the page. And they did just that.

I have to ask…if Jeb got his knickers so twisted over the words of Donald Trump, how would he have handled the likes of Kim Jong-un?

Massing Shooting:
My prayers are with the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. I never know what to say in the face of such evil. Just no words. I pray…I tell God about it…as if He didn’t know. I ask Him to send peace to the friends and family, to surround them with His loving presence, to give them strength.

In my head, I wonder, “How do I pray for something like this? I guess I also wonder how God helps people whose lives will forever be changed…and “changed” does not begin to cover what people who live through these kinds of tragedies face.

It would be great if taking away the gunman’s tool of choice would fix evil. But it can’t. Jesus can.  America can argue until He comes back. Too much proof shows that guns are not the only way to mass murder.

Vacation Woes and Tales

Downtown Helen, Georgia

 Sunday afternoon, we arrived in Helen, Georgia to begin our vacation, only to find out the Baymont didn’t have our reservation!   We had our confirmation from Booking.com, and the front desk chick (FDC) said they could accommodate us, but not at that price.

That never happened before!   I thought we may have to go on down the road, but Ole Boy called Booking.com and the guy assured us that indeed we did have reservations, and for that price, as well.   He called the Baymont.   FDC wouldn’t answer the phone.  She pretended like she was helping another customer who came in behind us, as he pretended he wanted a whole wing of rooms for about 25 men, but she couldn’t find his reservation, either.   I don’t know why should couldn’t answer the phone while that was going on!  

Ole Boy...my Honey Bunny
(But don't tell him I call him that.)

When we finally we got into our room, the toilet had about an inch of water in it, and wasn’t working right.  I called FDC, who sent a lady up right away with a toy plunger.  She flushed it…and it overflowed. 

Eventually, they moved us to another room with two queen beds.    Up to this point, all the bad luck may not necessarily have been Baymont’s fault.  But in the new room's bathroom, the tub looked clean, but strands of brown hair in two different places on the wall of the shower led me to believe they weren’t too diligent in their cleaning.  

Then there was the blood on the sheet that I didn’t see until I was leaving…that’s definitely their fault.

Thankfully, I slept on the other side of the bed.   But I think I slept in a bed that hadn’t been changed from at least the last visitor.  Which could be funny, only it’s not!  Of all people who would hate something like that, I would hate it the most.  :::shudder:::

The one redeeming quality for the Baymont in Helen is Big Daddy’s, right beside the hotel.   We ate there twice.

Downtown Helen, Georgia

Downtown Helen, Georgia

Downtown Helen, Georgia

Ole Boy

The next morning, it was pouring rain.   We explored our surroundings, anyway.  Later that day, the sun came out, and things got better from there on…well, at that time, I was still innocent about the bloodshed and (most likely) dirty bed on which I slept. 

Helen is very decorative.  I really enjoyed the artwork on the stores.

We gave ourselves only three nights in Gatlinburg.  Not enough!   Next time, less time elsewhere, more time in the Smokies!   

Some places had lots of fall color, but there was still plenty of green.

Only one incident in Gatlinburg.  At the candy store, Ole Boy was accosted by…uhm…I want to call her names and tell you about her bleached hair and fake eyelashes…but God wouldn’t like that, so I will call her “the girl” who worked there.  Old Boy wore a cap that simply had an elephant and the number “15” on it.  The girl recognized it as Alabama, and with no warning, got obnoxiously animated about Peyton Manning, quarterbacks, and running backs…and I’m pretty sure she said something about Alabama needing to watch out.  She was pointing her finger and preachin’ it, Sistah!

After Ole Boy left the store, I was still waiting to pay for my taffy (for the children…I promise…well, except for the ones I ate).  I was staring at her in disbelief, and admittedly, I was looking at her obvious fake eyelashes.  She got a little smart with me, I thought, when she asked me if I was “okay” in just the wrong tone of voice to make me mad.  I was too shocked to come up with an appropriate response.   Then she disappeared.  I’d like to think her manager called her to the back and chewed her out.   She probably just went on break, though.

Before I knew it…we were on our way home.   It was one of the fastest vacations I can remember!   Six nights and seven days felt like three days only.   When we left, it was raining, and the color was beautiful, waving goodbye to us.  The Great Smoky Mountains were sad we were leaving, too!

Just a few more photos:

Betty's Country Store...I loved it so much
I went twice!  (Helen)

In Betty's, I found RC and Moon Pies, something
Ole Boy and I talked about on the trip over,
wondering if RC Cola still existed.  It does!

Elk, at least 50 of them, as we were leaving Cherokee, North Carolina, just grazing on the side of the road.

By the way, I shaved this epic post down from over 800 words to under 700.  

You’re welcome. 

Day Six of The Weightier Matter HERE.

Thoughts for Tuesday

Huntsville Botanical Garden Closeup

It's Halloween.   When I was a child, I loved to Trick or Treat...I loved coming home with a sack of candy is closer to the truth.   Today, I plan to not even eat one piece of candy.   That's the plan!

We rarely get Trick or Treaters at my house...except for those who are kin to us...which means I'll need to have candy on hand.   Not in the mouth.   Got to keep to the plan!

      

Have you noticed that we live in a world where people love to tell us how to think?   We should see it their way or we are narrow-minded.  Or a hater.   Or racist.   But when you are right, you’re right, and there is just no need to argue with people who refuse to see the truth.   You don't have to prove it when you're right, and you sure won’t change someone’s mind who’s just as convinced as you are that they are right.  Truth is truth, it will come to light without my getting into arguments.  I have to remind myself that with truth, I am in a good place; they are in sinking sand.  No need to get in the mire with those who push falsehoods and fiction.

People seem to have “being bullied” mixed up with “just plain rude.”   They also have “hate” and “I don’t agree with you” mixed up.   Just because someone takes offense to a comment does not mean it is hate.  Don't be name-called into to changing what you know is true or right.  Just don’t give in to it.  Be informed.  Do your research.  Remember it's no crime to think for yourself!

There may a time when you realize that you are so politically/intellectually far apart from a person there will never be a real friendship.  Even if, aside from the political views, you like the person.   

Don't punish a person just for being who they are…but that doesn’t mean they get to invade your space with “who they are.”

Devotional Day Two:   The Weightier Matter