Papyrus Cards

When shopping for birthday (or other types) of cards, I like to shop for Papyrus ones.

They are very unique and the sentiments inside the card are very simple.

Papyrus Hummingbird Seal

When the card has a special piece of artwork on the front, Papyrus gives you a thicker stock small sheet to put over the artwork so the card doesn’t get damaged in shipping.

It also includes a sticker to seal the back of your envelope with a hummingbird on the seal.

I hadn’t read the text on this sheet until recently.

The text reads as follows:

“Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration.  The hummingbird’s delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life’s sweetest creation.”

I like the part that says “every personal connection has meaning.”  It’s so true.  We humans need to recognize that every person we see has an impact our our life.  A homeless person you see on the street might elicit feelings of sadness, regret, helplessness or maybe even a remembrance of someone you know who is homeless.

It matters not whether you talk to a person, we each touch each other – physically, emotionally or spiritually.

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MacBook Pro

Decided to buy a new computer for myself as the 5+ year one I have is very slow.  (Fortunately I don’t replace people when they’re slow or we’d all be in trouble.  haha)

I was very tempted to get the new Apple MacBook Air.  Very light to carry and feels good on the fingertips.  But it does not come with a DVD drive.

MacBook Pro 13 inch

Instead, I opted for the 13 inch MacBook Pro.  It is very sleek and works beautifully.  It also has 4GB of memory (the MacBook Air had 2GB).

MacBook Pro 13 inch

Apple thinks of everything when they put their computers together.  From the adapters to the ease of transferring files from one computer to another, everything runs perfectly smooth.

Currently, Apple also offers a free HP wi-fi printer (via rebate).  
HP Photosmart

Way to go Apple!

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Oprah Wisdom

Near Calgary, Alberta, Canada

In the January 2011 edition of O, The Oprah Magazine, Oprah says “Once you clarify your purpose for doing something, the way to do it becomes clear.”

I have personally found that to be true.  It’s easy to go through life with no direction.  Nothing really gets accomplished.  But when you define what your purpose is then your mind takes the steps necessary to make that purpose a reality.  Your heart follows and anticipates the accomplishment.

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Minnesota Living

After attending an open house in North Oaks, Minnesota, we stepped outside to the sight of deer on the property.

Standing in the snow, they looked at me and then continued what they were doing.
Minnesota is so white this winter.  I’m told that sometimes they don’t get a lot of snow but this winter we’ve had a blizzard and two snowstorms.  The weather has not been warm enough to thaw the snow so everywhere I look, it’s white.
I’m starting to get used to the whiteness, the cold and the warmth I feel when I step inside the apartment.  It’s a good contrast.

  
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Anger

Listening to a spiritual podcast by Joyce Meyer, I was reminded of my humanness as she talked about anger.

Sometimes we get angry at people and we hold onto it as if our anger is going to somehow make them change.  Yet it doesn’t.  It only changes us by filling us with resentment and sometimes hate.

A phrase that Joyce Meyer used to describe it is “we’re still eating poison hoping they will die.”  The poison is the anger.  And instead of them dying it is us who slowly die by hanging on to things that should have been let go of long ago.

The Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your…

And here’s a blog from my friend William on how Christ responded to his persecutors when crucified.  Instead of anger, love and forgiveness.  I pray that will be the way I respond to the “little” things in my life that I get angry about.

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Mornings

Starbucks in Woodbury

The sun is barely up on crisp mornings in Minnesota that lead me to start the day with a hot chocolate at Starbucks.

Although they don’t serve the best or near best hot chocolate, Minnesota has yet to produce such a place – perhaps yet undiscovered by me.

 

 

Many are the old-fashioned machines that spew out a cup of what I was  accustomed to growing up called hot chocolate.

The Starbucks cocoa leaves a taste of bitterness in your mouth.

Still, it’s better than nothing and the ambiance is perfect for starting the day in a calm environment.

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Minnesota versus Wisconsin real estate

House hunting has become a little wearisome.  And decisions that States make don’t make things easier.

When we first moved to Minnesota, we thought living in either Minnesota or Wisconsin were equal options with Wisconsin being right across the St Croix River.

Now we need to learn more of tax rules as it may be more expensive to live in Wisconsin.  The home values are less but the property taxes are more.  In addition, if you work in Minnesota, you may still have to pay Wisconsin tax on part of your earnings.

Still checking into all of the ramifications of living across the “border.”

What a bother!

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