A Quiet Simple Life | Sallie Borrink

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

A Quiet Simple Life

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I Switched From Windows 10 To Linux Mint


I have long been intrigued by Linux as an operating system, but it felt overwhelming to consider making the switch. Through a series of events which I believe God orchestrated, I took the plunge and switched from Windows 10 to Linux. I am SO HAPPY I did.

My Linux journey started when someone shared on Telegram that a man named Jeffrey Peterson was starting up a Linux channel on Telegram. The goal was to help people break free from from Microsoft and Apple tyranny. I have long despised the way Windows controls my computer so I was more than ready. I did not want to spend one penny more on their products so moving to a free, open source option sounded fantastic in multiple ways. I was one of the first few hundred people to join the channel that has swelled to tens of thousands. A chat group was also created (JP’s Technology Chat) as well as a forum. (Jeff is also a Christian with a wonderful story of faith.)

After observing the massive conversation threads going on in the chat group and learning about Linux simply by reading and watching various recommended videos, David and I decided to purchase an inexpensive HP laptop for taking our first steps into Linux. I did not want to tie up my main computer that I use daily and we knew there was a chance that it would take longer to get it done than we anticipated. That was a smart move. If we had had an older extra computer that would have worked just as well, but we always get rid of computers when we’re done with them. MANY people in the Telegram group have dragged old computers out of the back of the closet and made them like new with Linux.

I wrote about the first part of my journey in Highlights From My September Weekend. At that point, I was trying out Linux Mint Cinnamon and that is what I chose to keep. There are so many distros (distributions) to choose from. Some look more like Windows and others like Mac. There are distros that work well with older computers that need something very lightweight. Almost anything you could want, you can find. I chose Mint because from all I read it sounded like it made the switch from Windows to Linux very easy. It definitely does. I love it.

After I was sure I wanted to make the switch, we partitioned my main computer to be half Windows and half Linux while we set up the new Linux system. Because I have an internal server program (WAMP on Windows, LAMPP on Linux) for my 2,000+ unpublished archived blog posts, it took a bit more work to get things switched over to only Linux. Once that was taken care of, David removed the partition which removed Windows from my life hopefully FOREVER.

I love that everything on my computer is what I choose to put there. My computer is not filled with programs I don’t want and can’t delete. It’s not loaded up on junk that tracks me. I make of it what I want. It’s so much fun to find free Linux programs and add them to my computer. Two of my favorites so far are Calibre (e-book management) and Joplin (like Evernote). I’ll write more about those in separate posts.

For now, I just wanted to share that I made the complete jump to Linux. I hope to write more posts about this to encourage as many of you as possible to consider doing the same thing. If you use your computer basically for email and surfing, there is no reason why you can’t move to Linux. The only things we have found tricky in our situation is that David is heavily dependent on the Adobe Creative Suite for our business (graphic design and websites) and Caroline is heavily “dependent” on Roblox. Neither one will run on Linux which is really frustrating. For now, he will have to keep his Mac and she will stay in a Windows environment. If we could, we would switch both of them to Linux in a heartbeat. Otherwise, there is a Linux program for almost anything you are using in a Windows environment.

I strongly encourage you to break free from big tech tyranny as much as you can.

Follow-up post: Switching To Linux Mint From Windows – Mega Resource List

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My Beautiful and Peaceful Christmas Music Station On Pandora


I created this Pandora station eleven years ago. I’ve curated it over the years to keep it to a very specific aesthetic. Every once in a while they try to introduce something new that doesn’t fit and it gets the big thumbs down. I laughed when I saw this morning how many things I had downvoted.

It would be wonderful if I could embed a player here, but that isn’t an option. You’ll have to go to Pandora to listen (for free).

My Beautiful and Peaceful Christmas Music Station

I hope the music blesses you and your loved ones during this season. ♥

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“Sit Still” by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman


“Ye shall not go out with haste” (Isaiah 52:12).

I do not believe that we have begun to understand the marvelous power there is in stillness. We are in such a hurry–we must be doing–so that we are in danger of not giving God a chance to work. You may depend upon it, God never says to us, “Stand still,” or “Sit still,” or “Be still,” unless He is going to do something.

This is our trouble in regard to our Christian life; we want to do something to be Christians when we need to let Him work in us. Do you know how still you have to be when your likeness is being taken?

Now God has one eternal purpose concerning us, and that is that we should be like His Son; and in order that this may be so, we must be passive. We hear so much about activity, may be we need to know what it is to be quiet. –Crumbs

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Nor deem these days–these waiting days–as ill!
The One who loves thee best, who plans thy way,
Hath not forgotten thy great need today!
And, if He waits, ’tis sure He waits to prove
To thee, His tender child, His heart’s deep love.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Thou longest much to know thy dear Lord’s will!
While anxious thoughts would almost steal their way
Corrodingly within, because of His delay
Persuade thyself in simple faith to rest
That He, who knows and loves, will do the best.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Nor move one step, not even one, until
His way hath opened. Then, ah then, how sweet!
How glad thy heart, and then how swift thy feet
Thy inner being then, ah then, how strong!
And waiting days not counted then too long.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
What higher service could’st thou for Him fill?
‘Tis hard! ah yes! But choicest things must cost!
For lack of losing all how much is lost!
‘Tis hard, ’tis true! But then–He giveth grace
To count the hardest spot the sweetest place.
–J. D. Smith

Lettie Cowman (1870 – 1960) Wesleyan missionary to Japan who, with her husband Charles E. Cowman, co-founded the Oriental Missionary Society in 1901 for church planting in most of the world outside North America. Her books are devotionals she compiled from sermons, readings, writings, and poetry that she had encountered. (Biography source)

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Thanksgiving Reading and Hymns


Happy Thanksgiving! Our Thanksgiving will be a quiet one with just the three of us. We are thankful for each other, our home, our work, and our health. Above all, we are thankful for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

If you would enjoy some Thanksgiving and Pilgrim themed reading for this day, here are a few to share.

One of my favorite hymns I’ve shared before as a Hymns & Scripture is actually a Thanksgiving hymn: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come. Here is another version in a lovely collection of Thanksgiving hymns.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Artist: George Henry Boughton 

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