SHARE YOUR WORLD FROM JULY 15, 2024

July 16, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 4 Comments

It is July 16th. I am only one day off this week in my sharing post!

I am sitting at my dining table writing this at 8 A.M. because I want to make sure not to miss another week of SHARE YOUR WORLD. This is the challenge where we answer four questions and give an affirmation at the end. By doing so we the contributors all share bits of our worlds.

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS AND MY ANSWERS:

Do you have a bestie (ie. best friend) YES! Jody Clapp has been my friend since 6th grade. We met in Mrs. Lapointe’s math class. We were in marching band together and concert band. He was Snoopy. I was Charlie Brown in the school musical. We went to church together and were best men at each other’s wedding. He is the worship director at the church I pastor, the head of building and grounds and one of the church deacons. My kids all call him “Uncle Jody” and his wife “Aunt Paula”. He is one of my most precious friends
Do you have a lot of friends? I do have a lot of friends. I have a whole church that I call extended family. We do life together.
3. Has a friend ever let you down to the extent that the friendship has died? Yes. Although dead things can be resurrected.
4. Are you more likely to confide in a friend rather than family? My family are my closest friends.

GRATITUDE:

SO THANKFUL MY DAUGHTER SENT ME THIS SONG YESTERDAY.

AND SO THANKFUL FOR THE YOUNG MAN FRPOM OUR CHURCH WHO WROTE THIS SONG.

SHARE YOUR WORLD FROM JUNE 24TH

June 28, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

I am a little late to the table this week, but here is m response to PENSITIVITY’S SHARE YOUR WORLD CHALLENGE FROM JUNE 24TH.

My answers below and then you can click the link above to see how all the other contributors answered.

What do you miss most, if anything, about your school days? I miss the innocence and hopefulness of those days. I feel like we have lost something over the decades since my school days. Maybe it is just me that has lost it, but life seemed a lot less complicated and scary back then.
Did your school have its own sports field or swimming pool? We had neither of those things. I can remember watching football games from the borrowed field of the local private school and swim team practiced at what is now the local YMCA public swimming pool.
What was your favourite day on the school week? I liked school on the whole. I found learning an exciting pass time. But I think my favorite day was Friday because it was pizza and peanut butter sandwich for school lunch.
Did you have one teacher for a variety of subjects, or separate teachers for each? In elementary school (primary?) we had one teacher for everything, but once we reached Jr. High and High school (secondary school for those of you across the pond?) we had different teachers for every subject.

GRATITUDE: I have had lots of time to play in my little forest garden this week.

SHARE YOUR WORLD FROM JUNE 17, 2024

June 20, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 5 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO THIS WEEK’S SHARE YOUR WORLD CHALLENGE. CHECK IT OUT!

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS AND MY ANSWERS:

If you are feeling below par and a bit down, how do you lift your spirits?

I try to take extra time to pray when my spirit is challenged and weighed down. Time spent with God always helps me.

Do you believe that laughter is the best medicine?

Yes. That is even Scriptural. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

What makes you smile?

My family makes me smile. Seeing progress at the work on The Vicarage also makes me smile. The church coming together to fulfill God’s mission also makes me smile. Oh! and the ocean…the ocean makes me smile. Summer…Summer also makes me smile…..

Do you have a ‘comfort’ food.

Cheesecake is my comfort food. Pizza is my comfort food….Macaroni and cheese, yes macaroni and cheese is my comfort food. Unless there is ice cream, then ice cream is my comfort food…..Oh wait….Fried chicken. I feel like my answers are taking on a format.

I HOPE YOUR WEEK HAS BEEN BLESSED. MINE SURELY HAS BEEN.

SHARING MY WORLD ON JUNE 11TH

June 11, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 5 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO PENSITIVITY’S SHARE YOUR WORLD CHALLENGE.

You can read all the responses to this challenge by clicking the link above. My answers to this week’s questions are below.

What is/has been your favourite job/occupation? I am really enjoying the work I am doing now. I have been ministering in churches since 1991 in all kinds of different capacities. I have been a youth pastor, organist, choir director, worship leader, children’s minister/ director, fellowship and visitation director and assistant to the pastor. Up until three years ago I had avoided the work of being a lead pastor because there were aspects of the job I was afraid of. Then the call came three years ago to step into this role. I am not good at all of it, but I am enjoying every bit of it even those parts where I am on a big learning curve.

Is there a job you would never consider doing? There are lots of jobs I would never consider doing: Astronaut, Marine biologist, Mountain rescue, Fireman, Policeman, Physics teacher, Airplane pilot, Circus acrobat, lion tamer and the list goes on. I admire those who can and do all of these jobs. I know they are beyond me.

Did your family own a business and expect you to join the ranks when you got older? My family did own a business. I did join the ranks, but I was never forced to it. I settled into it. Then my father passed away and then I realized I was not suited to the business and moved back into the field I was created for.

Did/do you have a career requiring qualifications or did you learn on the job and work your way up? This job of ministry has both educational requirements and on the job training that is necessary. Bible college is absolutely necessary, but I have never met a Bible college graduate that was “ready” to minister to a congregation on the day they got their diploma or certification. There are so many non-tangibles to this work that cannot be taught only caught. I would recommend to anyone considering this work to enter this ministry as an assistant first before trying to take or build their own church.

GRATITUDE: I was so blessed by this incredible weekend of ministry.It was a great weekend of adventure.

WORSHIP SERVICE- ACTIVATION CONFERENCE AT CORNERSTONE AG CHURCH WINCHENDON

LUNCH WITH A MISSIONARY FRIEND AT LITTLE ANTHONY’S

VISITATION WITH A CONGREGATIONAL FRIEND AT HEYWOOD HOSPITAL

SHARING MY WORLD 2024 FROM MAY 20TH ON MAY 24TH

May 24, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 3 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO THE SHARE YOUR WORLD CHALLENGE.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTIONS AND MY ANSWERS ARE BELOW BUT YOU CAN CLICK THE LINK ABOVE TO SEE HOW ALL OF THE SUBSCRIBERS ANSWERED.

Do you have a favourite movie you never tire of watching? I really love the Lord of the Rings movies and I think I could watch them over and over if I had the time.

2. Do you have a favourite song or special song as a couple? I love music of all kinds. To name my favourite is really hard. I am a big fan of David Phelps.

The song WATER IS A GOOD ONE.

I also really like Dimash. Here is a link to his song OLIMPICO.

3. How do you relax in the evenings? Lately I have been relaxing by gardening and spending time in extra prayer.

4.Do you celebrate special birthdays or anniversaries? Our family is what I would call celebrationally challenged. We don’t celebrate most things to the extent I would like to. I am trying to change that.

GRATITUDE: I am grateful for the beautiful weather this week and the lengthening days in which to do extra gardening.

WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR THIS WEEK?

SHARE MY WORLD WEEK OF MAY 13TH 2024

May 18, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 5 Comments

Well it has been a weeks folks. Lots has gone on and let’s just say I am glad to be coming the end of it and I am glad to be coming to SHARE MY WORLD for a bit of fun easy writing work. You can avail yourself of all the world sharers by clicking the capitalized link.

Now, here are this week’s questions and my answers.

1. Have you ever lied about your age? No. I never felt the need. Age has never really mattered to me and most of the things that required a “certain age” to do them I never did anyway.
2. Is there any time in your life you would like to relive? I think I would like to relive my young adulthood but only if I got to take the knowledge I have now back with me.
3. Do you own any antiques? My whole house is an antique. Built just at the turn of the last century The Vicarage has really begun to feel its age.

My family has lived here for the last forty five years and before that it was a parsonage for another local church and before that it was owned for years by one of the town’s photographers. Most everything in the house belonged to my parents or my grandparents before them…. So yes antiques are sort of the norm around here.

4. Would you like to know some of the history of places you’ve visited? I love history! I generally look to see if I can find at least a few historical facts of the places I visit. And I love to visit historical places. Here are a few of the places I have been.

Each of these photos has a story of my life attached to it and has a history all its own that has nothing to do with me.

Now for my Gratitude:

As we come to the Day of Pentecost (which is tomorrow). I am grateful that I serve a God of power who loves me and has my best interest at heart.

SHARING MY WORLD FROM APRIL 22ND ON APRIL 26TH 2024

April 26, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 3 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO PENSITIVITY 101’S WEEKLY SHARE YOUR WORLD CHALLENGE.

You can click the link above to go and see how other bloggers answered the challenge.

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS AND MY ANSWERS:

1. Have you ever attended a First Aid Course? It has been years but there was a time I was First Aid/ CPR/MED and RBV trained for my job. Those trainings served me well in working with the disabled population in my area.
2. Apart from grazed knees and applying a band aid, have you ever applied First Aid? Actually my First Aid training was some of the least utilized training I had. I used my Med certification all the time and my RBV (responding to violent behavior and deescalation) training a lot.
3. Are you squeamish about the sight of blood? No blood doesn’t bother me.
4. How far away is the nearest hospital? The nearest hospital is 15 minutes from my house and about 5 minutes up the road from the church. Living in Massachusetts we are blessed to have many hospitals close by. I know that is not the case with many locations in New Hampshire and Vermont or even Maine. I remember when one of my parishioners broke her hip in a nursing home up in New Hampshire they had to transfer her to Hartford CT for surgery.

SHARE YOUR WORLD FROM MARCH 11TH

March 16, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 4 Comments

This week I am participating in SHARE YOUR WORLD as my blog community connection post. The questions and my answers for this week are below. When you have finished reading my answers feel free to go on over to Pensitivity’s blog and read her other subscribers.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTIONS:

1. What was your favourite pastime as a child? Pretending I was a superhero

2. Did you use colouring pencils, fibre tips, or wax crayons for your childhood drawings? I used crayons when I did draw or color, which was an infrequent occurrence. I was too busy pretending to be a superhero.

Photo by Anthony ud83dude42 on Pexels.com

3. Did you use a paintbox or have a ‘magic’ book where you only needed to brush the page with water? I do remember these fantastic little inventions with my kids. I didn’t have one but I do remember having an etch-a-sketch.

4. What kind of books did you read as a child? I loved comic books! My Favorite was the Justice League and the Avengers.

When I was a bit older I would play hockey from school and stay home to read fantasy novels. I did that with the whole Lord of The Rings series and The Chronicles of the Unbeliever

MY GRATITUDE FOR THIS WEEK:

I am so grateful that my kids gave me and Brenda a day off from hospice duty yesterday to go furniture shopping and to see Dune II.

SHARE YOUR WORLD: FROM MARCH 3-9 2024

March 9, 2024March 9, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 6 Comments

This week for my weekly community challenge I am participating in SHARE YOUR WORLD.

This week all of our weekly questions are regarding Spring. Here is what our hostess asked this week:

1. What to you is the first sign of Spring?

The bird calls change. The males start to sing their songs to the ladies.

2. Do you have a favourite flower at this time of year?

I love tulips in the Spring.

3. Does your country exercise the hour change?

Ugghh! Yes! It is this weekend! It makes church an hour earlier for me. Less sleep than usual. I will not be crabby! I will not be crabby! I will not be crabby!

4. Do you spring clean your home throughout, change furniture around or keep to a normal routine?

I don’t change inside furniture around much, but part of the Spring routine is uncovering the lawn furniture and getting it put back in place for the summer.

Gratitude: I am thankful for another week with my mother and my family gathered around her. Here is a picture of Mom and my daughter Melanie taken while Melanie was here taking a turn watching over Mom.

SHARE YOUR WORLD WEEK OF FEBRUARY 29TH

February 24, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 4 Comments

Every week I am choosing to enter a blogging community challenge. One of may personal favorites is SHARE YOUR WORLD.

This challenge has been a part of the blogosphere for many years and has had several hosts. Check out the current hosts blog when you have finished reading my answers to her questions.

1. What do you normally have for breakfast? I am pretty ritualistic when it comes to breakfast. Most mornings I start with two glasses of water, a cup of coffee, two pieces of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and half a banana. About twice a week I will switch it up and have two fried eggs with toast or an English muffin and a half a banana
2. Do you prefer to cook using gas or electricity? I don’t really have a preference. I have always been a little leery of a gas stove, if I am honest.
3. When you are working on your computer/laptop/tablet/mobile device etc, do you listen to music or have something else on in the background? Not usually. I sometimes pray with music on, but if I am writing or working I generally do that in silence.
4. Do you hang pictures on your walls, or prefer to have personal photographs on shelves? My home was built with two “photograph rooms”. The photo rails are built just above eye level. I guess when the house was built it was considered that photos should not be everywhere in the house, but only in specific rooms.I have also been told, It was also considered improper to hang things on the walls. Today those shelves are jammed with photos and I have photos and art hanging all over the walls.

Gratitude: I have said it before. I am very grateful for family, friends and professional hospice workers who are helping to make Mom comfortable for however long she has left with us.