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I Love Apps

26 Sep

I create scripture posts for our church Facebook page. I find verses during my morning quiet time and save them to Notes with the date. Then when I need to upload a verse, I have a collection to draw from. I also enjoy pairing the verse with photos and backgrounds.

My go to app of the moment is Adobe Spark Post, but I have been experimenting with The Bible app this week and like it quite a lot. It doesn’t give me as much creative control, but the plus side is the program will offer up two or more layouts of the same verse. This gives me the opportunity to share the same verse on different platforms without appearing to be repetitive.

Here are two examples, strikingly different in appearance so it can be tailored to each audience.

My heart has been sore this week and I am thankful for the programs and apps that give me an outlet to express my emotions.

I would enjoy hearing from you about programs and apps that you use. I need simple and free!

I'm a winner

After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience. Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites, Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books where we frequently host the best in up and coming authors.

My 2019 goal is to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.

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Can Facebook Figure Me Out?

24 Sep

I think I am going to start a Tuesday post titled “Can Facebook Figure Me Out”?

Like many people I am frustrated with the social media giant. It was annoying that Facebook decided which of my family and friends posts I would see based on how popular their post were. It’s like being in middle school and trying to be the popular girl. If a post does not get multiple comments and likes, it gets buried. To make matters worse, they now want FB to be a “happy place.” Their algorithm rate posts based on comments, loves and wows. Gifs push it even further up the happiness poll. If you click like, sad or mad, that is the kiss of death.

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay

A couple of weeks ago I mounted my personal protest by hiding ads in my news feed. Facebook needs money and that money comes from ads. At first I clicked hide out of a sense of defiance, defund the FB control freaks! After two weeks, I have made it a game and quite enjoy it.

The Facebook algorithm, henceforth to be called “It”, is determined to figure out which ads I will click. After barraging me with a wide range of ads, It settled into religious ones, obviously noting that I share scripture graphics on my timeline. I hide them all, finally It must have decided I am Catholic and suggested a book about praying with prayer beads.

So far this week the ads have gone from luxury cars, bras, fertility and life insurance. I wonder if in some weird way It thinks they go together.

Next week I will share Its choices for me. Do you think It will finally give up? Is it possible to exhaust an algorithm?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

If you want to feel violated, go to settings, ads, Your ad preferences, Advertisers and Businesses. There you will read this:

How Lists Containing Your Information Are Uploaded

  • These advertisers have run an ad in the past seven days using a list uploaded to Facebook containing your information, typically an email address or a phone number.
  • Facebook matched the uploaded information to your profile, without revealing your identity to the advertiser.

Now you know why you get so much spam email. You are welcome.

Stop by next week and share your ads story!

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The Last Summer Blooms

19 Sep

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

With thankful hearts we loaded our truck last Thursday and headed back to the North Carolina mountains. The temperatures in the mountains were warm, but after the heat of Florida, it was delightful to sit on my porch again and enjoy the soft, morning air.

Yesterday a cool front pushed into the area and it is windows open weather! I will need a light blanket or jacket when I enjoy the porch tomorrow. My kind of weather!

I picked a few of summer’s last blooms yesterday. I will miss their bright welcome as the car comes up the driveway or when I open the blinds, first thing each morning but fall has it own colors.

Our Coleus plants have had a phenomenal summer. I don’t think I can recall ever having such lush growth! The Pink Splash I planted with it went crazy too. Our hanging basket that “winters’ in Florida has flourished. I think this winter will be its fourth. We had to move it to a larger pot and it is too heavy for me to lift. For the life of me, I can’t remember the name of the plant. I think it starts with a “d”. If you know what it is, let me know.

While we were in Florida the pansy flowers from last winter played out. I can’t believe they thrived through the summer. We planted mums for fall in our moose planter but I need some contrast. I am thinking of Dusty Miller.

Before leaving for Florida we set up a game camera not expecting much would be captured. To our delight, a doe and two babies visited to eat the grapes on my husband’s vines and top off the Hosta plants. I know that deer liked eating hosta, but this is the first time they have bothered ours. They are so cute, I don’t mind a bit.

Monday officially kicks off fall. Let the pumpkin fest begin! I have a decadent recipe for Keto Pumpkin Spice Muffins from the Keto Gatherings cookbook by Kristi Sullivan. (If you are eating Keto, I recommend this cookbook for holiday recipes.) that will be perfect served with pumpkin spice coffee made with heavy cream!

Full disclosure, I am an Amazon Affiliate and may receive a monetary benefit from your purchase.

I'm a winnerAfter my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience.  Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites,  Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  where we frequently host the best in up and coming authors.

My 2019 goal is to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.

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Dorian Went East But Too Late for Abacco, Bahamas

5 Sep

As Dorian drew closer to us without turning, we grew tired of trying to figure out what to do, so we booked a hotel room inland to wait it out.

Our daughter’s townhouse does not have room to store hurricane boards and we debated buying the plywood for the storm and chalking up not being able to store them as a worthwhile loss. The next problem would be how to hang them. When we owned a home in Florida, we used hurricane clips to hold the boards in place. That way the frame of the window was not damaged. Unfortunately, once a storm approaches the clips disappear quickly from the store shelves. The exterior of her home is solid concrete covered with colored stucco and we were hesitant to drill holes in the wall as her neighbors did.

On Monday we packed up food, water and our daughter’s cat, Mia and headed west. To our surprise, traffic was light, unlike previous evacuations which tend to be bumper to bumper for miles.

This was Mia’s first road trip and we were concerned about how she would handle the stress. She is by nature an introvert. We traveled in two cars and our daughter said that after her initial distress, Mia stopped voicing her anxiety.

Mia lying on Rebekah’s manuscript. All work and no play makes a bored kitty.

Once we made it to the hotel, Mia found the tightest spot she could squeeze into and stay there or another hiding place most of the two days. She did come out in the evening to eat, use the litter box and snuggle up to our daughter.

We were relieved when the storm finally began to move after being stalled for so long over the Bahamas and heartbroken for the people on Abbaco. The pictures from phones on Facebook of people praying for help were beyond wrenching.

I don’t have any answers to why the storm stayed so long there beyond meteorological analysis. Our community is thankful we were spared and many groups are preparing to send aid to the Bahamas. According to the news, one man in South Florida spent $49.000.00 on generators and supplies to send to them. The proximity to Florida will make it possible for many small groups to deliver aid and politics aside, we are a generous people. Will join with those praying for the people of the Bahamas to heal from this tragedy?

As Dorian heads up the eastern seaboard as a Cat 2, almost 3 please pray for those in the path. Already tornadoes are being spawned across North and South Carolina.

On a positive note, Florida was prepared for the storm. I have never seen so many power company trucks stationed around our community, ready to restore power once the storm passed. These crews came from across the country, giving up their personal time for us to work in what could have been horrible conditions.

A big Thank You to the linemen who came to Florida to restore power.

Our big box home improvement stores were fully stocked with plywood and most stores had ample supplies of bottled water. We were truly blessed.

You see odd things during hurricanes. One of the neighbors wraps their cars in clear plastic. I kid you not! Three cars were wrapped and one was left free to drive. They are still wrapped maybe in an abundance of caution as there are a couple more storms brewing.

This year they added cardboard to cover the glass.

Go East Dorian, Go East

30 Aug

One makes plans, hurricanes ruin them.

In the mid 80s until 1990 our church had a vibrant youth group, led by youth minister, Tim Shrader.

At a Church ladies luncheon in May, my daughter and a friend from her youth group days had the chance to reconnect. As they chatted and wondered about others from their group, a plan was born.

Tim and his wife purchased airline tickets and we were thrilled they could come. Others made plans to come from out of state.

The “youth”, now in their 40s would enjoy a cookout on Saturday afternoon then Tim was set to preach on Sunday followed by a church wide pot luck. We were excited!

Then along came Dorian and the reunion had to be cancelled. We are terribly disappointed but trusting that God’s timing and plans are perfect.

Meanwhile, here on the east coast of Florida, I continue to pray the hurricane will go east and out to sea, all the while carrying out storm prep.

Speaking of storm prep, I am seriously annoyed with the local news media, especially on Facebook. Florida gains new residents by the thousands each month and the media is scaring the daylights out of them with their sensational language. The newbies need information given in a calm and reassuring manner.

I read this verse in my quiet time today. I found it to be encouraging, especially with all the storm decisions to make, plus I liked the photo from Pixabay.

Prayers for Florida and every other state in the path of Dorian appreciated.

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Go Away Dorian

29 Aug

I am not in the mood for hurricane Dorian this weekend. I have plans and I am offended that a hurricane would dare to interfere with my right to have plans. Well, I am putting my foot down. The people who create these models need to change this.

What I am saying is of course, silly. Hurricanes gonna do, what a hurricane wants to do.

Fortunately, our daughter keeps an updated hurricane kit so we won’t have a lot to do should the storm insist on continuing our way, but I am praying and claiming that it won’t. Our church has a reunion weekend planned with a guest preacher and we are all looking forward to it.

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Who is Your Because?

27 Aug

Subliminal Egg Messaging

21 Aug

My daughter and I were shopping at Publix Supermarket today. I like to scan the dairy and egg sections for possible marked down items and noticed these eggs. It wasn’t the price that caught my eye, it was the name!

The subliminal message is that if I eat these eggs from the Happy Egg company, I will be happy and feel free.

I am pretty sure those eggs won’t fulfill the subliminal message for me but I know what will.

Be happy as you serve the Lord!
    Come before him with happy songs! Psalm 100:2 in the ERV (easy to read version)

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Zap It!

15 Aug

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

Last week I wrote about creating a video to do list for my husband. I did it in part as a joke and in part as an experiment. The joke and the experiment were a success. My husband saw the humor and I confirmed my observation that his memory is stimulated visually.

Speaking of visually, I had an A-Ha moment this week while sipping my morning coffee on the porch.

I am not a fan of bees who buzz me. I know they are necessary for pollination so I generally try to be tolerant, but tolerance has its limit. Each day it seems one particular bee has it in for me. One morning I spent claiming Dominion over the bee but the next day it returned. Something had to be done or I would have to abandon my porch time.

On our trip to Anderson, South Carolina last week, my husband bought an electronic bug zapper.

It uses batteries to power it. There is a small button you press when you swing the racket and it emits a low voltage zing that crackles and sparks if you connect with the bug.

The first time I connected with the bee it not only crackled and sparked it sparked twice. It scared me so much I almost dropped the racket!

I searched the porch floor for the bee, but couldn’t find it. I decided the swing of the racket must have propelled it off the porch. I settled back into my chair to enjoy the morning.

Before I could finish my coffee, I heard the drone of the bee again. He was back! The zapper must have only stunned it. The bee did seem to be moving slower, so the next time it drew close I swatted it again. And that was the end of the bee…until the next day.

The bug zapper and the bee seem to be a parallel to the battle for my mind and there is always a battle as the world continually bombards me with worry, fear, anger, you name it.

I am learning to reach for the greatest zapper of all time, the Word of God and His precious Holy Spirit. Yes, like the bee, the thoughts return, but as I practice daily rejecting (swatting) them, my response becomes more automatic and often I am prompted to pray God’s will over a situation and ask for blessings over those who anger or hurt me. And sometimes, I simply swat and move on.

I am not sure if the Gif below loaded and preview isn’t working. Grr….

https://giphy.com/gifs/esvKhsEPlxvFFbGDQ5/html5

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Seeking Peace-In the Everyday

9 Aug

My husband asked what I planned to do today. “I’m not sure, just piddling around,” I answered. I needed to put a clean cloth on the dining table and I wanted to spend some time working on new tweets for Rebekah Lyn Books.

I usually work on my computer at the dining alcove table so I decided to change the tablecloth first. I knew that staring at a task undone would annoy me.

I enjoy choosing a fresh tablecloth and had one in mind as I opened the drawer, a cheerful one with splashes of blues and flowers. But lying on top was a vintage tablecloth that had belonged to my mom. For years I didn’t use it because it is about 2 inches shorter than my table, then one day I said, what the heck. Each time I use it now, I am reminded of delicious meals and interesting conversation around the table. For me, the the tablecloth represents love.

I spread the cloth and began to choose what other items to add. Yesterday my husband brought in a yellow gladiola and I had placed it in a tall hot pink vase, enjoying the vibrant colors. I definitely wanted to enjoy it on the table.

When I turned 50 my family threw me a surprise birthday party. I received a flower pot in the shape of a VW van with flowers and peace symbols on it. I was a child of the Flower Power generation. I can’t remember if it was a gift or a decoration. For decades it has been simply a decoration on a shelf. A pleasant memory.

This year I decided to put it to use as it was intended, a flower pot. In Florida, I loved a plant called pink splash or polka dot plant as some are also green and white.. The plant was hard to grow as it does not flourish in the heat and I killed them summer after summer. The first time I grew them In North Carolina, I was shocked at how rapidly they grew and how large. Definitely not a small house plant.

For my flower power pot, I planted cuttings from the ones by my front door and they rooted immediately. Then I waited a week until they were healthy enough to trim. I didn’t want leggy plants.

The final object on my memory table, that’s what I began to call it as I wrote this piece, is a hot pad my daughter gave me as a souvenir from her Ireland trip. On our family trips each summer, I would purchase a hot pad with a picture of the place we visited as my souvenir memory. So this item touches memories past and present.

If you have been reading her blogs detailing the trip, you know how appropriate the umbrella is!

After all this chatter, here is the picture of my memory table. It is certainly not decorator quality, but it makes me smile and soothes my heart.

Often the slow times in our day can lead us to focus on the negative and we end up dissatisfied and angry. To guard against this, I find it helpful to remember the excellent advice of Phlippians 4:8.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

OOPS! I forgot the most important thing I needed to do this day. Make my husband a Keto peanut butter pie for his birthday tomorrow. He has lost 68 pounds!

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