MJR: Frankly, My Dear . . . - Frankly, My Dear . . .

Frankly, on Faith: You are Unique.

Jul 2, 2017 | 2 comments

by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68

Frankly, On Faith.

This world isn’t actually “one size fits all.” Heck, it’s not even “one size fits most.” In my family alone, you’ll find a bride, a widow, a grandma, two brothers, two daughters, four felines, and all the extensions that come with them. We are tall, short, skinny, not-so-skinny, loud, quiet, extroverted and introverted.

You’ve heard it said, “When God made you, He broke the mold.” I say, there was no mold to begin with. He didn’t use some manufacturing plant or a cookie cutter to make you. He took you in His own hands and formed you with His careful touch. He applied every dimple, smoothed every hair. He gave you the desires of your heart.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
~Psalm 139:13, NLT

He not only designed you uniquely, He filled you uniquely. Your gifts, talents, reactions, emotions, thought processes . . . Everything inside you. They are all uniquely you.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
~Romans 12:6-8, NLT

Do you hear that? He gifted you, so you can gift yourself to the world.

Believe in yourself. He already does.

CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: You are Unique. @RealMojo68 #faith #FranklyOnFaith

CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: God gifted you so you can gift yourself to the world. @RealMojo68 #franklyonfaith #faith

Frankly, On Faith: You are unique.

And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!

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Everything Old is New Again. Again.

Jul 1, 2017 | 2 comments

Remember when this happened, the first time?

Baseball on Pitcher's Mound. Frankly My Dear, If You Build It, They Will Come.

Field of Dreams

And how my love for all things baseball and community and movie quotes blended together to restructure FMD some years ago?

Well, folks. That paint is peeling. So guess what.

Are y’all ready for this?

All those old adages keep circling through my mind.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Hey, guys. Here’s the deal. I’m so stinkin’ excited (and it’s so stinkin’ late) I can’t concentrate.

So here’s another deal. Things are changing. But they’re staying the same.

Pretty soon you’re gonna see a new layout here at FMD. Also over at NIP. Nothing dramatic. Just some cleaning up. Just some updates and maybe a few layout changes. I’m tossing out the old posts. You know, the very first ones. The ones that don’t have much to do with anything except me spilling the milk in public. Yeah. Let’s not do that any more, okay? What remains will be the good posts. The ones where I actually say something. The ones y’all want to read.

Frankly, My Dear and New Inklings Press will still be who they are. Just updated. With a whole new upper management: Me.

MJR- Molly Jo Realy

I liken it to moving an existing business to a newer office. The work is the same. The management is the same. But the ambiance is oh so much better.

The reason? There’s a new site on web, my friends. A new sweet to my tea. A new kid on the block, and I don’t mean Wahlberg.

That’s right. This Girl is now a brand. A name-turned-whatever-it-is. This Girl is now a website.

MJR Website

Check out those colors. You know this already, but that there my friends is some Tiffany Blue, and orange poppy. Like Wizard of Oz type poppies. How smashing is this?

And at 2pm PST today, I’m hosting a website launch party over on Facebook.

Visit my new site at Molly Jo Realy: Here’s where it gets real.

Join the fun. It’s just beginning.

And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!

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Celebrating 150 Years of Canada

Jun 28, 2017 | 14 comments

by William Kendall @WilliamKendall1

A century and a half on and still looking fresh faced.

William Kendall, Photoblogger: National Arts Centre

2017 marks the 150th anniversary of Confederation for Canada. In 1867, the British colonies of North America were united into the Dominion of Canada after years of negotiation and work between delegates of all parties. What started with four provinces- Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick- has grown to become ten provinces and three territories in a country known around the world for breathtaking scenery, friendly people, hockey, maple syrup, and a wry sense of humour- among other things.

Our Fathers Of Confederation came from different backgrounds, with different concerns for their part of what would end up becoming Canada. Their differences were mitigated in the first half of the 1860s by what they were seeing south of the border- open war between the North and South, and the ambitions of Americans to look north to annex British holdings. While the Civil War reunited one country, it inadvertently helped foster the creation of another, one that retains the Westminster style of parliamentary democracy and ties to the Crown that remain strong today.

William Kendall, Photoblogger: National War Memorial

This anniversary year is a big one for us to celebrate. The celebration does bring with it some introspection, because the history of the country goes back much further than 150 years. Ten thousand years and more, when you factor in the First Nations presence on this continent- something that we often have overlooked, and the legacy of the past is something we still have to come to terms with. In another way, this year marks the centennial of a pivotal battle- Vimy Ridge- as part of a war in which the country came into its own. More to be introspective about.

I live in the national capital region, and Ottawa and Gatineau are certainly busy in the lead up to Canada Day. This is home base to several national museums and numerous local museums, and each are playing a role in the occasion. There are projects that are either finished or scheduled to be finished for the day, while others are longer term. Our Parliament Buildings, something that first comes to mind when one thinks of this city, are undergoing a multi-year renovation and restoration process that will see the work continue on for another decade. Scaffolding and work sites there are to be easily found around some of the buildings.

Other projects have had the anniversary year in mind. Our National Gallery has finished up a re-organization of its Canadian galleries, integrating First Nations works from time immemorial with the more conventional landscapes and portraits Canadian artists had been doing since the days of New France. Where before the two collections had been kept separate, now they are part of the same cohesive whole, and that reflects itself in the new direction, which has just re-opened to public viewing.

Our Museum of History has spent some years on a major reorganization of its permanent gallery, Canada Hall, bringing in the First Nations architect who designed the building in the first place to consult on the new way of telling the story of our history. During that time, other parts of the museum have been open, most notably the First Nations halls and spaces for temporary exhibits, but having Canada Hall re-opened will be a welcome sight.

William Kendall, Photoblogger: Canadian Museum of History

William Kendall, Photoblogger: The Great Hall, Canadian Museum of History

Our National Arts Centre, which was a legacy of our centennial year, sits a short walk away from Parliament, and in the last few months has been the scene of much work. While concerts and performances have continued inside the building, a glass structure has gone up around parts of the building, something that as it has progressed has done well in off-setting the Sixties era architecture. That new structure will be accessible to the public for Canada Day, with the orchestra putting on an annual concert inside.

William Kendall, Photoblogger: Centre Block, Parliament Hill

While a lot of the celebration is coming from the federal government as a whole, the city governments on both sides of the Ottawa River have gotten in on it as well, in activities and events that are taking place over the course of the year. That includes hosting embassies throughout the year to present aspects of their own countries for a day. It also includes special events such as MosaiCanada, a horticultural show set to open on the Quebec shore for the summer on Canada Day, or the winter event Crashed Ice. It includes public access to the mighty Chaudiere Falls in the river, something that has long been held off at a distance for the public. And it includes a summer long multimedia show taking place in what will, next year, be an underground LRT station.

What does it mean to be Canadian? I think a lot of what makes us who we are is defined by the vastness of the land. The wide prairies, the endless tundra and rough Canadian Shield. The rivers and valleys. The coastal landscapes. The rugged mountains. It’s shaped our national character in many ways. A mature country can both look at itself critically while marking its history and the path it has taken in a positive way. This anniversary year has something of each- sombre reflection, commemoration, and celebration. Where the next 150 years takes us? We shall see.

Odds are, though, that there won’t be a Toronto Maple Leafs team winning the Stanley Cup in that time though. Sorry, Leafs fans, but it’s not going to happen.