Category: Betty Thomason Owens

A Bowl of Lemons

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens

lemons-368914_1280What comes to mind as you look at this photo?

Most of us think of the saying, “When life hands you a bowl of lemons…”

What does that mean? Sometimes life is tough, bitter, sour to the taste. So what do you prefer to do with a bowl of lemons? beverage-1030150_1280

Many of us will do this⇒⇒⇒

Be sure you have plenty of sugar on hand, (honey, or other sweetener). You’re going to need it.

When I was in first grade, we lived in San Diego. A lemon tree grew in our back yard. I’ll never forget sitting in the car on the street, the day we arrived at this rental home. The song on the radio–Lemon tree, very pretty…

It was a small, but very pretty tree. The blossoms smelled amazing. The lemons were large and beautiful. But you can’t really bite into them, unless you’re one of those who really love the sour taste. Is your mouth reacting to a memory right now? Mine is!Funny man Discharged

So, back to life and its situations. Sometimes things don’t go well. Sometimes it really does seem that you’ve been handed a bowlful of lemons. Less than perfect. What you do with what you’ve been given says a lot about your character. If you smile and make the best of it, you’re adding the sweetener to the bitter, sour taste and making it more palatable. (That’s my dad in the photo–being very silly–but looks like he might’ve taken a bite out of a lemon.)

They say it’s good for you to drink a cup of warm water with lemon every morning. Adds a bit of zest to your life, energizes you, and keeps you regular. It could even help keep your weight down. Now that’s making the best of it, isn’t it?

I prefer to make lemon cream pie with all those lemons, which doesn’t help keep the weight down, but it puts a definite smile on my face. I am one who will take an occasional bite of a lemon. I love the sour taste.

tea-with-lemon-783352_1280Whatever your preference, make the best of what you’ve been given. Put on a smile when you don’t feel like it. People will marvel at your strength and be encouraged by your attitude. It’s like mixing up a big pitcher of lemonade and sharing it with your friends. You’ll feel better, too.

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When I Am Afraid

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens1 Comment

girl-1246525_1280“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
     In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?”–Psalm 56:3-4 NIV

cat-393294_1280If you struggle with feelings of fear, you are not alone. Most of us do, at one time or another. The words of this psalm, penned by David after he’d been captured by the Philistines –wait–isn’t this the same bunch whose champion, a nine-foot-tall giant–fell to the shepherd boy, David?

Yes.

He’s down, but not out. He’ll be back. He knows they can’t harm him–at least, he’s pretty sure–because he’s the Lord’s anointed. But that doesn’t stop the temporary feeling of fear.

Notice I said temporary.

dog-708376_1280Before the actual physical circumstances change, David will talk and sing and praise his way out of the stronghold of fear in his life. Breakthrough. This is an important key. Sometimes you have to take a stand. Sometimes you have to talk your way out of a bad spot, if only in your own mind or spirit–convince yourself–remind yourself of who you are and Who’s you are.

There’s a great example of this type of praise tactic in Psalm 31:

“Praise be to the Lord,
    for he showed me the wonders of his love
    when I was in a city under siege.
22 In my alarm I said,
    “I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people!
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,
    but the proud he pays back in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,
    all you who hope in the Lord.”

In the beginning of that Psalm (verse 1-5), David gave himself and his circumstances to the will of his Father in Heaven. He was hoping to live, and not die, as the rest of this Psalm shows.

From the cross, Jesus quoted part of verse 5: “Into your hands I commit my spirit;” –He didn’t finish the quote, perhaps because He knew His fate was different. Jesus gave himself up to the will of His Father in Heaven, trusting in His ultimate deliverance. He had a greater outcome in his sights.

But David prayed, “Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.”

Ultimately, we have to trust that God will deliver us, one  way or the other. Sometimes, it’s the only answer.dontdarequit

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Hearts and Flowers

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens4 Comments

Ah, Valentine’s Day.

bouquet-of-roses-1246490_1280Will I get flowers?

Or chocolate? By the way–just so you’ll know–chocolate in any form is always nice, and perfectly acceptable. Hot chocolate . . . chocolate cookies . . . a chocolate lab . . .

A cutesy Valentine card,

valentine-1170622_1280Even a bowl of sweet tart hearts will show you didn’t forget what day it is.

valentine-candy-626446_1280dinner-table-1433494_1280

I wouldn’t mind a fancy dinner.

pizza-1702652_1280

Or even one not so fancy–just so I don’t have to cook or wash dishes.

 

Oh, and something like this–

diamond-1817292_1280

Always welcome! 🙂

So, those of you who stuck with me till the end, what’s your favorite Valentine’s gift? Do you remember your first Valentine?

What’s your favorite love story, book, or movie?

valentine, valentine's dayHappy Valentine’s Day!

 

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Mid-Winter Daydreams

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens3 Comments

Happy last day of January!

travel-1749508_1280These are not my shoes. This is not my view.

But I would like to be there, wearing those shoes, and enjoying that view. I think it would be nice to be sitting on a large deck, looking down on that. And I hope the deck is attached to a house with expansive windows and an oversized fireplace.

beach-1877070_1920These are not my shoes. This is a not my view, either.

But just looking at it warms me. And I can almost smell the salty air, and hear the sound of the surf. I wouldn’t mind a view like this one right now. A home by the sea would be mighty fine.

feet-1567104_1280Not my shoes. Not my view.

But I’m seriously considering buying a pair of cons. They look comfy, don’t they? I love this scene. I imagine it a pastoral one, with the smell of livestock, and freshly-turned earth filling the air. Birdsong and crickets are all I need to send me into a pleasant little siesta.

shoes-698533_1280By now, you know the drill: Not my shoes, not my view.

What I find most interesting in this last photo–the print of a bare foot above the shoes. My favorite way to traverse a sandy beach, feeling the warm, damp sand against the soles of my feet.

Daydreaming? Yes, happily.

But more than that, I think. Photographs, especially pleasant ones, can have a positive effect. Like enjoying fine art, it transports you, if you let it. And in the darker days of midwinter, when the sun often hides its face, sometimes we need a little inspiration.

  • Which of the above photos stir you most?
  • Are you a mountain person, or a beachcomber?
  • A hiker, or a swimmer?
  • Do you love the outdoors, no matter the season?
  • What’s on your travel bucket-list?

Patience and the Cat

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens1 Comment

Patience is a virtue right?

cat-1940489_1280I’ve watched as a cat waits for that perfect moment to pounce. They will wait…and wait…and wait. Long after I’ve completely lost interest, they’ll watch and wait.

Joyce Meyer said, “Patience is not simply the ability to wait–it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.”

Watch the cat, and you’ll likely notice they focus on the object of their interest. Besides an occasional scratch or lick to settle an itch, they don’t move. I’m not like that.

You know that moment when you click on something on your computer or phone, and the little circle appears? And it circles, and circles, and circles? I’m out of there. I go do something else, and come back later, because I just don’t want to sit there waiting on the computer to think. I have better things to do. Lots of things.

domestic-cat-1774535_1280I wasn’t always so impatient. I raised three sons. And, as you can imagine, there was a lot of waiting involved. Waiting for everyone to get ready to go. Waiting while someone finds a missing shoe. Waiting while someone makes a last-minute stop in the bathroom. Waiting. I learned to carry a book, or a Kindle, or whatever I needed to keep busy while I waited.

But time is not the only reason we need to practice patience. What about putting up with attitudes and differing opinions? Sometimes you can’t fathom what a person is thinking. How in the world can they believe that? Why can’t they see things the way you do? Why doesn’t everyone just get along?

Be patient and understanding. Life is too short to be vengeful and malicious. — Phillips Brooks

Patience is hard. Sometimes it goes against the grain. It’s uncomfortable — like the sound of a fingernail on chalkboard. Irritating.

But patience often rewards you.

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. — Jean-Jacques Rousseau

watermelon-832055_1280Ah, the fruit. Waiting until that melon is fully ripened before you pick it, almost guarantees a sweet reward. You might get that promotion you waited so long for (without complaining). My children often received a reward from me for patiently waiting while I ran errands, or took care of business.

cats-1885228_1280Yes, the patient cat may catch the mouse, and bring the carcass to you as a prize. They assume you’ll be every bit as proud as they are and reward them in some way.

The Bible teaches that patience and perseverance will eventually pay off. You don’t like how things are going? Wait a while. Don’t complain, but do your part to ensure a change, if necessary. Continue to study and improve yourself. Let patience become your nature.

If the thing you desire seems out of reach–keep dreaming–stretch yourself a little bit. Like the cat, stay focused.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” — James 1:2-4 NIV