Kathiey's World

Journal Prompt-What Comes to Mind When You Think of January? When I think of January, I think of new beginnings and cold weather, both of which I love. I like the thought of a new year. It feels like a time when the slate is wiped clean, and I can start again. The lessons I have learned from any bad decisions in the previous year can help me not make the same mistakes in the new year. Any positive things I experienced the year before can follow me into the new year to make this new beginning even better.  I know that nothing changes when the new year arrives except my mindset. The thought of starting over with a clean slate tends to give me hope in the face of what is to come. It is a time to reflect on my life and make plans to create a better life in the coming 365 days.  Depending on where you live, January tends to bring cold weather. I say happy day to that. After experiencing North Carolina summers' oppressive heat and humidity, winter's chilly days are welcome and refre...

 I love to try new recipes. If I don't sit down and make a list of new recipes to try or old recipes to re-explore, I will not make an effort to try the foods that sound delicious to me. So that is what I decided to do. I am going to make a list and try to accomplish everything on it during January.  (The photos below are as close as I could get to the actual recipe.  I found them on Canva) On my January Recipe Challenge, I have recipes ranging from breakfast to dessert and everything in between.  Breakfast- Sausage Egg and Cheese Muffin Soups/chili- Shrimp and Corn Bisque Pizza/Sandwiches- Margherita Pizza Appetizer - Caprese Dip Salad- Autumn Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Feta Salad Entree- Longhorn Steakhouse Parmesan Chicken Veggies -Honey Butter Skillet Corn Breads/Rolls/Muffins- Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Muffins Seafood -Maryland Style Crab Cakes Crock-Pot- Crockpot Angel Chicken Grill- Aloha Grilled Chicken With Pineapple Dessert- Mini Pineapple Upside-Down C...

I chose this verse for New Year's Day because it speaks of "future" and "hope."  Not only a future and a hope but a blessing wherein God says he plans to prosper and not harm us.  Happy Day!  Life is going to be a piece of cake from now on. I will have a ton of money and be joyous in the future that awaits me.  Well, it may not be that easy.   As I read a few commentaries on this verse, I found that Jeremiah was writing to God's people who were in exile.  They did not have a carefree life; they were outcasts. At that time, this verse was a blessing of comfort to the people who received it, as it was for me when I faced the betrayal at the hands of my husband and the demise of my decade's long marriage. I leaned heavily on this verse to get me through each day, each minute.  I do believe in the context of the scripture and that God does want us to have a wonderful future and hope for each day.   In one writing, I found that to prosper means to grow...

  I am always looking for fun things to do in the area.  I decided to take it further and see what events occur in North Carolina in a specific month.  Let's look at a few things you may enjoy in January 2025 in NC. I live in the Raleigh/Durham area, so I looked for exciting events to attend in January that are within driving distance.  I would love to attend them all! The Links to Each Event... (Be sure to verify event times and locations before attending.   You may need a ticket depending on the event) Things to do in November 2025  in the Triangle Area November 16- Jan 12 is  The NC Chinese Lantern Festival  in Cary, NC. January 17 and 18 is The music of Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Neil Diamond by Michael Cavanaugh in Raleigh NC. January 26th is Worlds Toughest Rodeo in Raleigh NC. January 27-February 2nd is Triangle Restaurant Week  in the Triangle Area of NC. January 31-Feb 1st it Harry Potter Live in Durham NC. A Few Things to do ...

 Joy is relative. I may find joy in something that does not bring you joy, and you may find joy in something that does not bring me joy. That being said, we can find some type of joy in all phases of our lives.  During the most difficult and joyless time of my life, when my husband of 37 years walked out, I thought I would never find joy again. During this time, when I would have easily given up, I was determined, even in my weakened state, to strive to find some level of joy. It was hard work, but I fought to bring the joy I once had back into my life, and you can, too. So, what is joy? The Oxford Dictionary defines joy as... "a feeling of great pleasure and happiness" Happiness, according to Very Well Mind, is... "Happiness is a positive emotional state characterized by feelings  such as contentment, joy, and life satisfaction." Sometimes, our joy will be a great feeling of happiness or pleasure, as mentioned above. Other times, we may feel we have no joy, and dur...

This is a blast from the past.  My brother Bruce has since passed away, but I miss him very much.  I love you, Bruce! A Holiday Memory I love Christmas.  What a fun and beautiful time of year. Sometimes, I wonder about the origins of our many holiday traditions.  Just what does the wreath we hang every year symbolize? I consulted Google and came up with this quote...... "The circle of a Christmas wreath is a never-ending ring, a reminder of the  everlasting love from God."  With that in mind, my brother Bruce and I set off to see if we could find a Christmas Wreath or two...   Here are a few pictures of our adventures from a few weeks ago. The first stop was Bruce's favorite restaurant..."Bob Evans" in Dover, DE Fueled up and ready to go.....   I searched for area Christmas events online and found something happening in Odessa, DE. It was their annual Christmas open house. Folks were invited to come into town to enjoy their decorations, food, and ...