Toddler Moves

Is there any sight quite like a toddler rummaging through a container of anything?

So intense!

Usually quiet! 

Very quick!

I hope someone catches him before he slides back onto that novel on the floor. Wait, that looks like Beyond Church Doors, the second novel in my Church Doors series! 

Smiles 😊😊!

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Hot Coffee and Antics

 

My mischievous husband often senses when I'm on my way to heat my coffee in the microwave. He appears from somewhere in the house and puts his coffee in the microwave first. I often remark, "You get up early, way before me. Why not heat your coffee when you get up instead of waiting for me to head for the microwave?" He always smiles.

This Sunday, it happened again. When I entered the kitchen, he was ironing his shirt. I quickly seized my opportunity, filled my coffee cup, and headed for the microwave. Before I got there, he did a lightning fast spin and put his coffee cup in the microwave. I looked at him, smiled and said, "I'll take my shower first, then come back down and heat my coffee."  He looked surprised. When I stepped out of the shower and got into my robe, this tray with  hot, aromatic coffee and a comical knickknack was on the sink counter. Husband entered the room, smiled, and we hugged.  All was well. Partners and their interesting ways. Does this remind you  of one of  your partner's antics?😀

   ~Sylvia 😊💕

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Sometimes Things Backfire

Most authors get a special thrill when they see a reader react to something they've written.  I know I do. The reader pictured here took a minute to close the book and consider the words she read. It could be many scenes, for many things happen in this book, my 3rd novel in the Church Doors series. One chapter tells how spiritually immature church sister Chloe plots to take down church sister NikkiMac by showing evidence of NikkiMac's past sin to other church sisters. This chapter has a powerful ending!

Behind and Beyond Church Doors: Promises

Always Sylvia

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

Let's Get It Started

What's your daily morning getting-up  routine? When my alarm goes off, I silence it. Then I turn on my right side and swing my legs down from the bed as I support myself with my arms. My feet touch the floor and I'm anchored. Twenty years ago, all this happened quickly. I don't make these moves so fast any more, but I thank God I can still make them. I say a morning prayer, starting off with gratitude to the heavenly Father for watching over me through the night and waking me up in the morning. I head downstairs to the kitchen and greet my husband, who gets up with the chickens. I'm not fully awake, but I'm in function mode, and I can perform many tasks in that mode. My mother knows this, and she teases me good naturedly about it. She knows all of her children so well. My goal is to get a fresh, hot cup of coffee. I have only one cup daily, before noon. I sip it while I enjoy a morning devotion of Bible reading, meditation, prayer, journaling, and making a plan for the day. How do you start your day?

Always, Sylvia  ~   www.sylviabrownroberts.com

 

In These Shoes

I bought these shoes about 21 years ago. I've only worn them once. They occupy a space in the top of my closet. I don't favor light-colored shoes because I always get them dirty. I don't want to throw these shoes out or give them away. I look at them every few years, then put them back in the closet.

QUESTIONS:

Why do you think I keep them?

Why do you think I bought light-colored shoes?

ANSWERS:

These are the shoes I wore at my wedding in 2000.

They have sentimental value to me.

I bought light-colored shoes because they looked great with the wedding dress made by my brother Ray, the fashion designer.

I'm still with the man I walked up to in these shoes to meet the preacher on our wedding day.

Do you also have shoes or some other clothing item you haven't worn, but you've kept it  because it means a certain something to you? Let me know at info@sylviabrownroberts.com

Sending you positive thoughts,

Sylvia

www.sylviabrownroberts.com

 

    

 

These Are The Covid Days

Great start today, with a trip to the church annex to sort clothing and shoes for the monthly church clothing giveaway this Saturday. It feels good that people in the community benefit from the projects our congregation has continued throughout the pandemic. When I left the church building, I went to pay my water bill, which I usually mail, but it arrived in the mail on the 4th and is due on the 10th. I knew it wouldn't get to the Philadelphia address in time, and I didn't want a late fee, so I went to pay in person. At the Water Works office, a guard came outside to tell me, "No one's allowed to enter the building. Only the staff."  It was some precaution related to Covid19. However, he was kind enough to suggest I put my payment in the outside Water Works mail slot, which I didn't know existed. YES! Next stop, the ATM in the bank lobby. Another guard stopped me with, "No one's allowed, select staff only. Covid19 safety measures." I waved my ATM card and he realized I wanted to enter the lobby only. YES! I was able to push through, complete my tasks, and not break into frustration and waterworks of my own. 😊 God is good.

 

Whose Turn is it to Wash Dishes?

As I wash the dishes, I go into the routine zone. That's what I call the place I go to when I do tasks on cue because I was trained by my parents to do so when I was a child. My mother made sure that when each Brown child got to the appropriate age, that child was trained to do certain housekeeping tasks. That way, the household work load was shared. My mother kept a clean house. It was modest, but it was clean. The kitchen cleaning process included clearing the table, scraping the plates so the food scraps went into the garbage can, washing and rinsing dishes/pots and utensils, wiping the tablecloth or the tabletop, putting away all condiments in the fridge or cabinet, and sweeping the floor. Each able child was assigned a week monthly for kitchen cleaning after dinner. Important rule: dishes were not allowed to sit on the table until the assigned child got around to cleaning up. When the last Brown left the table, the cleaning began. Dishes and food did not sit out all afternoon, evening, or all night. Thanks, Mom💗! 

Does this sound familiar to you?

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