Michelle's Musings: 2019

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Pastor Keith

I went to the memorial service for Pastor Keith Wells on November 16. He was the music minister at Bethany Church where I attend for many years. He found out he had late stage pancreatic cancer in September and passed away about six weeks later. This picture is from the last service he did at Bethel Grace church. He will be missed.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

The Mummy

In The Mummy (1999), treasure hunters on an archeological dig in the Sahara Desert in 1925 get more than they bargain for when a 3,000-year-old mummified Egyptian priest wanting revenge is reincarnated.

I had the opportunity to be entertained once again by The Mummy when I watched it on Netflix recently. Ancient Egyptian history interests me, the plot is engaging, the cast does an excellent job in their roles, and the interaction between the characters is enjoyable, if somewhat campy. That is part of what makes The Mummy likable however. I especially enjoy Brendan Fraser as Rick, Rachel Weisz as Evelyn and Arnold Vosloo as Imhotep.

The Mummy is definitely worth seeing more than once, and that isn’t the case with very many movies.

Friday, June 28, 2019

Some thoughts

This isn't the final word or anything, but I think keeping this in mind might be helpful.

Treat others the way you would want to be treated.

Don’t say things about people you wouldn’t be willing to say to their face.

At the opposite end of the spectrum—don’t say things to people you wouldn’t want them to say to you.

Choose your battles wisely. Ask yourself if it will really matter five years, a year, a day or even an hour from now. If the answer is “no”, it’s probably not worth it.

Make an effort to listen to other people's point of view even if you don’t agree with them. You don’t have to agree with someone to learn from them.

Make “please”, “thank you”, ”I’m sorry” and “you could be right” part of your vocabulary.

Don’t worry about or take responsibility for things that aren’t your fault or you can’t control; focus on what can be changed. Take responsibility for your own actions, do what you can to make things right as necessary and then move on.

It takes more than one person to keep an argument going; sometimes the best response is no response.

Learn to forgive and move on, for you own sake if nothing else. You’re not really hurting anyone but yourself by holding grudges. Forgiveness doesn’t mean the person has gotten away with anything or that you have to hang out with them. It means you’re giving yourself a break.

If you’re treated badly, keep in mind that people who hurt others usually do so because they are hurting. No, it isn’t an excuse for bad behavior, but understanding that might help keep things less personal. Of course, as with anything else, there will be exceptions. In those cases, keep in mind it is sad the person is so damaged they would behave that way. Things do have a way of catching up with you. They will reap the consequences of their behavior eventually, even if it’s not in the way you might think or you’re not around to see it. Above all, remember they have the pleasure of having to live with themselves. Sometimes that is the best punishment.

Know the rules of the game even if you choose not to participate.

Be cautious when dealing with others but don’t assume the worst. It’s possible to use good judgment without being suspicious of everyone’s motives or assuming everyone is out to get you.

It is okay to be angry. It is not okay to be cruel or vindictive.

Indulge in some of the stuff--Music, books and movies--that you liked as a kid. It’s not necessarily something you’d want to do all the time, but a walk down memory lane can be fun. There’s something to be said for a good old-fashioned pillow fight or game of hide and seek too.

Pay attention to little kids. They have a way of cutting through the garbage to what really matters and they have a simple honesty we tend to lose as adults.

There are few creatures as loving and loyal as your dog. Take good care of your pet.

Back up your computer files.

Remember this too shall pass.