Invest in yourself...

....think quality not quantity. Be strong. Be patient. Pray. Take hot baths. 

Buy bubble bath. Buy bubbles to blow. Wake up early.

Do yoga. Write. Find a friend who truly listens to you.

Study. Read. Write some more.

Book a VRBO for a night away.

Write this day down, write it all down.

Cry. Feel homesick. Learn to be in silence.

Learn to stand being alone.  Drink good coffee and tea.

Eat chocolate while watching your favorite reality show.

Meditate. Stretch. Breathe Deep. Dance.

Buy overpriced coffee. Learn to be with yourself.

notes....

rainy morning, door open, smells like fall

quite content to just sit and savor this morning

meditate

being nudged on patience this week...

stillness and quiet seem to be enveloping me

in a very good way...

~

engage patience with your whole heart

self-pressure slows everything down

and makes it harder

let go of the time-table pressure

let the journey take its course

become more aware of your need for patience

every time something thwarts your plans or desires

use it as a reminder to practice patience 

practice in all the little disappointments of daily life

reframe setbacks as an opportunity to practice patience

"But let patience have her perfect work, 

that you may be perfect and complete,

lacking nothing."

James 1:4

be well...

xoxo

💖

"In a world drowning in fake,

people are craving what's real,

whole, and Holy.

When the spirit is nourished,

the body always follows."

~Dr. Will Cole~

"Nourishment isn't just food...

nourish your mind

nourish your soul

nourish your spirit

nourish your heart

nourish your body

nourish your nervous system.

A full plate was never the same as

a full life."

~Dr. Will Cole~

"A recent study found that having just one

meaningful conversation with a friend each day

can boost happiness, lower stress, and reduce

feelings of loneliness.

Connection is essential for health.

~Dr. Mark Hyman~

 

There are always....

...new and simple ways to capture the sense of 

everyday magic....

...you just have to go out and find them.

Magic for me is in the little things...

the nothing-but-beautifully-ordinary moments

that pile up like treasure to be stored.

notes...

just realized that the time changed

sitting with the windows & doors open

sipping on lemon ginger tea

the breeze blowing through the house 

& the leaves swirling in the wind

Polly dashing in and out like the air...

 enjoying a simple day today...

~

move forward in a way that keeps you enlivened

empower yourself with small choices 

that up the quality to your life

set some goals you want to make

that'll make you healthier & happier

simplify things

slow down

unplug and just BE 

recognize your day-to-day moments

you were created to take care of a small space in

the world for a while

it's a huge responsibility

pass in on better than you found it

preserve what's beautiful

'So be content with who you are.

Live carefree before God'

(1 Peter 5: 6-7 MSG)

"You have to find places where you recognize yourself."

be well...

xoxo

💖

'... I like to think that each breath is a bit more to my plot.

Some days life doesn't make sense,

but the longer we live, the more we look back,

we see the completing work & realize that each and every

moment becomes a sentence, a page, a stack of softly tattered tomes

that feel of well-worn leather.

We pick them up as the years soldier on, thumbing through

them to remember. To remember the good and the bad

and to marvel at the sound of softly falling leaves.'

 

Voices that say...

....your not enough

can derail you from your path.

But...

when you recognize that you have the power to change

those voices, 

you can become unstoppable!

notes...

a perfectly gray morning 

twinkle lights and candles aglow

started my morning with a guided meditation prayer *love

sitting on the floor with devotionals scattered around...

my journal, Polly pacing over me kneading certain spots to

settle...then not

hubby's Sunday bacon, and the smell of coffee...

feeling hooghly today....

~

self-critical and external voices have the power to shape 

how you feel, what you do, everything about you...

it doesn't mean it's relevant

if you are listening to those who say you are....

or should be....

and it doesn't align with the truth...

close your ears to them

one of the greatest enemies of joy in your life

is conflict with others

relationship problems can contribute significantly

to your sense of discontentment & despondency

dealing with difficult people is challenging enough

managing your negative thoughts about them

can be even harder

you may be stuck with them...

feel like you've had all you can take....

don't know what to do....

do the best you can

moment by moment

focus on your part

...we never stop growing

He never stops working....

~

'Meditate on My word.

Do not be discouraged by the difficulty of keeping your

focus on Me.

I am delighted by your deep desire to walk closely with Me

through life.

You can be so influenced by others and swayed by their opinions.

It's important that you realize I allowed these people into your life

for My purposes.

Instead of allowing them to become the focus of your thinking,

ask Me what I am teaching you or providing for you through them.

When inappropriate, ugly words, & deeds of others drive you to turn

towards Me

they can be unwitting agents of your spiritual growth.

So make the choice to turn towards Me.

I promise to give you the wisdom &

strength to deal with them with grace.

I am pleased with you.

Rejoice in the tiny triumphs.

I love you!'

~Jesus~

(sources: Jesus Calling, Charles Stanley, Bob Goff)

be well...

xoxo

💖

"Sending peace to those whose dreams were replaced

with survival mode.

I hope you do whatever the hell makes you happy!"

~Nate~

"Let them be wrong about you.

There's nothing to prove."

~unknown~

"When a person starts healing after living in survival mode,

they have a deep desire for honesty & authenticity.

They've had to fight for their ability to think clearly

& know who they are.

It's been quite costly.

They're not willing to engage with those who won't

respect that."

~Nate ~

"It's not only trauma people are healing from,

but the ways people treated them when they asked for help."

~Nate Postlethwait~

 

God, what are You...

...saying to me?

notes...

Surprise

God says something in a very special way

Personal

God what are you saying to me?

Specific 

Read the Bible with God's message to you in mind

Encouragement

He gives you words of encouragement

because He knows you need it

He wants you to listen

He wants you to believe He speaks to you

Serious

He wants you to understand when He's speaking to you

He can speak to you anytime

oftentimes you're not listening

Listen to Him because He has something to say

to you

He knows exactly how to get your attention

He wants the best for you

He will guide you

When God says this is what I'm going to do

you don't change God's mind

Frightening

When He tells you to do anything

He assists you.

You don't live by your feelings

you live by the truth

He will be clear enough that you'll understand

what He requires of you

Learn to talk to God

Learn to listen to God

Step-by-step

He will speak clearly

He will never tell you to do something that He

doesn't have a reason, purpose, or goal

Obey Him in the simple things

Trust Him no matter what

Watch Him work

He loves you

be well...

xoxo

💝

'Unforgiveness. A source of a great deal of conflict

and stress in your relationships.

Examine your heart.

Check to see..

*If you secretly hope someone gets what they deserve.

* Talk negatively about anyone to others.

*Indulge in fantasies of revenge-even seemingly harmless ones.

*Spend time mulling over what others have done to you.

*How do you feel when something good happens to a person who has wronged you?

* Do you blame anyone for how your life has turned out?

Do you find it difficult to be open & trusting with people?

*Are you frequently angry, depressed, or bitter?

*Do you find it difficult to thank God for anything that happened in your life?

If any of these is true for you, you may be harboring resentment.

Confess any unforgiveness to Him.

Lord, help me forgive wholeheartedly, 

just as you have forgiven me.

Help me to forgive others and to honor You.

Amen.'

(source: Charles Stanley Every Day in His Presence)