Sunrise to Sunset

My Day

07:15am

Today is starting off earlier than most days lately. I woke up around 6:20am. It took a while before I actually got out of bed because I felt like I might fall back to sleep. I did not...hehehe It has been a rough morning so far. But that's okay. I've been having some really great mornings lately. It was bound to happen sometime...LOL I went to bed about the same time as I normally have been lately. Something that has happened often is that my white noise app would end around 6:30am. I typically lay down around midnight now and the app is currently set for 6 and half hours. After it turns off, I've been sleeping anywhere between 45 minutes and a hour longer. Most days, I don't even notice that the app has stopped. Today, I woke up to go to the bathroom a little before the app was going to end. I started it a little before midnight last night. So, at around 6:21am, it stopped and I was wide awake. I'd like to end my dependence on the white noise. I've been using something like this since 2017 or 2018. Before that time, I had used ear plugs for a few months. The white noise helped the most at the time. But now it seems I need it all the time. And I don't like that...LOL I'm just such a light sleeper mostly. Anyway, one good thing is that I am seeing the sunrise today. I haven't been opening my window blinds until after the sun has already risen. I didn't go outside to watch it. But my window blinds are open and I can see the sky changing as the sun is rising today. Perhaps this will reset my day and get it going on a smoother path ☀️

Time for coffee and toast! About an hour earlier than normal...LOL

08:15am

I love toast and coffee...hehehe My morning is going much better now...LOL Not because of the coffee and toast, though. While having breakfast, I did my daily scripture reading and The Bible Recap for my Bible in a Year plan. I love weekends for this very reason. I'm able to do this before I do anything else for the day. That's a difficult thing during the week because of work. I definitely prefer my intimate God times to be in the mornings. That's really only possible on the weekends at the moment. I've been trying to adjust my sleep schedule to get back to my daily morning God time. That hasn't been going well. When I switched my sleep schedule last June to prepare for my first California trip, my body was like, hey, I love this schedule! That's do this fffooorrreeevvveeerrr!!! HAHAHA This seems to be a the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak scenario for me. What I would like to do (spirit) isn't working because my body and mind (flesh) prefer something else. Perhaps applying Proverbs 3:5-6 to this will make a difference. It can allow my spirit to get what it needs. Either to overcome the flesh with a successful change of sleep schedule, or Peace knowing that my routine is what God is wanting for me in this season.

How my mood has shifted so quickly brings up a good point. Whenever I'm focusing on God, my spirit seems to change. The circumstances typically do not change. But how I feel about everything does. Of course, I don't mean every time I read the Bible or pray my spirit suddenly has Peace. I truly mean focusing, or setting my heart's eyes on God. Reading the Word or praying doesn't automatically mean that I'm actually focused. During my morning reading today, I was quite focused. I was looking to know more about God. That heart posture doesn't happen everyday, or every time.

09:25am

I had forgotten to read my journal entry from a year ago yesterday. So, I read it this morning...hehehe I'm grateful I started journaling again. It doesn't take long to read the previous year's entry. Over time, it would take longer if I read each year's entry for the day. But it does give me a nice little path for the journey I'm on to see how I've grown. It's an edification process that I'm beginning to value more this year now that I can look back and see how far I've come. It helps with self-awareness and self-improvement. That's not to say it has anything to do with ego or pride. More of a grounding technique. Especially since it's God who is my Guiding Light on the path. My history is more about His Story. That's why I do this. If I continue this for the rest of my life, I'll have a lot to read each day...LOL And when I pass on into the next age, all of this will go away. It's mostly all digital and there won't be anyone around to keep paying for the storage once I'm gone...LOL I have no desire to archive it someplace that will live on after. I suppose some of what I create will live on. But I've decided that isn't a goal of mine anymore. If I make an impact, that's okay. If I don't, that's okay too. I no longer feel like I want to be remembered. Besides, if anyone does remember me long after I've passed, it won't likely be accurate. Only God and I truly know me...LOL Everyone else just sees me from their own perspective. I'm merely a projection of how they see my life...hehehe At one time, I wrote about how people only see what I show them. That's really only part of it. I could show them every piece of me and they still won't see the true me because they'll be looking through the filters they wear over their heart's eyes...

10:15am

I've decided I'm not going to do my Snow White dapper bound for the upcoming Dapper Day on the 26th. There is a lot of controversy and hate going on concerning the recent live-action adaptation. Personally, I loved it. But I also understand what others are saying now that I've been exposed to some of the information. Opinions and perceptions really do shape how we respond or react to such things. I get it. I'm no different. But I don't want to draw any attention to that so soon after the film's release and unfortunate reception. I'll eventually do my Snow White ideas. I'll just wait for the noise to die down. I'm in the too soon season...LOL My love for Snow White is from the original and not the live-action film. If the original didn't exist, Snow White wouldn't be my favorite Disney princess in the first place. So, my dapper bound is based on the original film and story by Walt Disney and his team. Not what today's team came up with...LOL

I woke up today thinking about my Joffrey's Coffee dapper bound ideas...LOL That's right, I have an idea for a theme that relates to my favorite coffee company...LOL I've seen all sorts of bounds for odd things, including Disney transportation systems like the monorail...HAHAHA When it comes to bounding at Disney, there seems to be no limits on the creativity...hehehe I first got the idea when I ordered some shirts from Joffrey's last month. I'm wearing one of them today, actually. They are just t-shirts. And I could do a casual bound using these t-shirts. But I also have ideas for representing a dapper coffee cup. This past week, I ordered some pins to go along with my ideas. I like wearing pins that match my mood or dapper theme when I dress up for Disney parks. Plus, if it isn't clear to someone what I'm representing, I can point to the pins...HAHAHA

Anyway, I'm now leaning toward my Joffrey's Coffee dapper bound for the Dapper Day on the 26th...HAHAHA

01:15pm

I have a new scalp treatment arriving tomorrow. Since I started growing my hair out again, I've been in search of a solution to my dandruff. I've already tried 3 other treatments. So far, nothing is working. Back when I used to grow my hair before shaving it, I used Head & Shoulders. It was the only thing that worked as far as the big names. Now that I've been on my health journey, I've been evaluating ingredients of even things like lotions and now my shampoo. Head & Shoulders didn't make the grade to be a product I wanted to use...LOL Hopefully this forth treatment will be good.

I have a lot of options for things I could do today. All of them good and most could actually all be done in the same day...LOL But some of those doors have been closing. So, I'm still at home. The things I can do at home are getting done...hehehe I wanted to go out for a bit, though. Maybe Zen again. Maybe Disney.

I may go to the grocery. I've been in a sort of reset mode for food. Last week, I didn't replenish some of my supplies and switched to different things. Some of those experiments aren't to my liking. So, I may go back to a few things I missed having this past week...hehehe Yeah, I think I should go to the grocery next...

03:00pm

I just got back from the grocery. I'm about to go for a walk but wanted to pop in here to talk about my grocery trip. They had everything I was looking for except a donut. I've been craving a donut. I need to see where I can get one around here other than Dunkin. Dunkin Donuts taste okay. But I've heard they make them in a factory now, freeze them, and basically just heat them at the stores. I don't know if that is true. But that's basically what they taste like now. I'm not craving that kind. But, everything else I wanted at Sprouts was available. I'll be going to Publix or Walmart Market for some other things. I may check for donuts there. Or try to find a donut shop. It doesn't have to be clean ingredients. This is a cheat thing. When it was time for me to checkout, there were some long lines. But one of the workers asked if I was paying with a card that has tap to pay. Since I use my phone for that, I said yes and she welcomed me to her register that had no line...LOL Yay!!! There was even someone there to bag everything as she scanned. All I needed to do was unload from my cart, and then tap to pay...hehehe Easy! Also, I did get some of those things I took a break from last week. I decided I definitely wanted them back this week...LOL

My diet has been going really well lately. By that, I mean the foods I'm eating. I'm not on a named diet plan. I feel great, have lots of energy, and I'm maintaining a stable weight. All in all, I'm balanced right now. I have had to eat a little more than I was. But that's just because I've been more actively lately. I'm really happy with how I feel and with what I'm consuming.

09:15pm

I took that afternoon walk. And then I sat near the pool to enjoy the peace of the breeze. It was nice. And then I drove all the way out to have dinner at Ford's Garage. While driving, I tuned into today's Dodgers game. The MLB.TV subscription allows me to listen to the radio broadcasts in my car through the CarPlay app...hehehe When I arrived at the restaurant, I plugged in my earbuds and kept listening while I sat at the bar. The Dodgers won! Yay!!! It was great listening to the game instead of watching. It was like the good ole days before television...hehehe This was the first time I've listened to a ballgame in this new era of my fandom. I loved it so much and connected with the experience. So much so that afterward I turned on a 1920s and 30s music playlist to listen to on my way home...hehehe It was like stepping back in time listening to the old pastime of a ballgame and listening to music...all on the radio. I even saw an antique car on the drive...LOL And I was driving into the sunset...hehehe Well, sort of. The sun was getting low. But wasn't quite setting...hehehe It was an amazing evening 🤩 All that was missing was a hotdog and crackerjacks...LOL j/k

When I got home, I had enough sunlight left to do a final walk around the pond for 3 last laps. I'm glad I did. It was peaceful and allowed me to see the actual sunset. Since I began the day seeing the sunrise, it was the perfect way to close the book that was the day. Of course, the day isn't actually over yet...LOL I'm still writing in this journal and I still need to choose today's photo...hehehe The sunrise and sunset thing was really lovely, though.

10:40pm

The photo has been chosen and posted. Thank you for helping me choose, deer friend ❤️ I enjoy choosing the song to go with those photos too. I hadn't ever heard today's before. It was suggested by IG when I went to choose the music. I sometimes go with one of their recommendations...hehehe It felt really good for today's.

The day started off rough, quickly came around, and was very Blessed.

Now, I need to find a donut...LOL I haven't found one yet...LOL whispers (I'm looking for the perfect donut) HAHAHA Since it is a cheat, I want it to be special 😃

Today's photo 📸

You can find this photo in the photo section too.

Bible Study

📖 Today's Bible in a Year session in the Bible section.