Good-bye and Thank you!

Good-bye and thank you

2022 ! You will go out as a bittersweet year for me.

You have provided so many wonderful moments with my family

and friends... 

and you have also been one of great sadness.

I leave you with the loss of 

my beloved sister-in-law, my cat Adam, and my dog Scotty.

And if I may be honest....a part of myself, 

that I am super-happy to part with.

(thank you very much!)

Fritz...my grand-dog

You leave me, with a deep sense of gratitude,

teachable lessons, growth, and insight.

I am so thankful for the whole

crazy mixture you served me, and all that I take away.

You are definitely leaving a mark in my heart, 

and I will forever be changed from this amazing time with you.

Thank you !

Dear 2023,

"May we all resolve to be a light of hope.

Be a force for good in the world.

Seek out the positive.

Treat other people the way you want to be treated.

Be nice. See the good. Do the work.

Take the risk. Make mistakes. Own your actions.

Exercise your brain. Do your best.

Believe in love. 

Forgive everyone and everything.

Smile. Dream. 

Say please. Say thank you.

Take action in your heart.

Put your phone down.

Look people in the eye. Be present.

Love. Be kind.

 Set goals. Write them down."

Wishing you a happy, healthy and love-filled 2023 !!

Cheers to you !

And a big hug too !

xoxo

💖

 

Cozy Contentment

It's Christmas eve, and I have been LOVING

all the homey, warm and comfy feels this week.

One of my favorite cozies (that I shared earlier in Hygge & Cats)

is the ambiance scenes on YouTube. 

*note* pairs well with a mug of your favorite hot beverage and a fluffy blanket. 

" Hot coffee and cold winter mornings

are two of the best soul mates who ever did find each other."

Enjoy!

I have realized this last year, (and the last couple of weeks )

that cozy is my "safe" my sense of security.

It isn't just huddled in a blanket with a cup of coffee...

it's a feeling.

It's where I can make like a hermit, to reboot...recharge...& relax.

It could be anywhere that I find solace and stillness.

Sometimes it's at home alone, 

 other times it's with a family member, a friend, or my pet.

It has been in my car with a cup of coffee from the local coffee shop,

 or sitting in the pasture on a blanket surrounded by cows.

It's where I feel like I can escape the real world for a brief time

 and admit to myself....I  don't have to have it all together.

It's being OK with that...

and feeling a sense of contentment and overwhelming gratitude for it all.

" What people are craving isn't perfection.

People aren't longing to be impressed;

they're longing to feel like they're home.

If you create a space full of love and character

and creativity and soul, they'll take off their shoes

and curl up with gratitude and rest, no matter how small,

no matter how undone, no matter how odd."

~ Shauna Niequist~

" The older I get, the more I realize

I don't want to be around drama, conflict, or stress.

I want a cozy home, good food,

 and to be surrounded by happy people."

"We believe :

An ordinary life can be extraordinary,

there is beauty in the IMPERFECTION,

and that magic can be found in the everyday."

Wishing you a warm and safe Christmas.

xoxo

💖

Snow Day

It is our first snow day of the year, and the local

weather forecast warns everyone to stay in due to wind and record low cold.

I've got the kettle on, a snuggly blanket, sparkly lights and my sweet cat

to curl up beside me.

It's a good hygge day...

Hygge 

[hoo-ga] noun

"A calm comfortable time with people you love,

a complete absence of frustrations or anything emotionally overwhelming.

Often enjoyed with good food and drinks,

warm blankets and candlelight.

This is happiness"

Currently:

Reading: Becoming by Michelle Obama  (Love her!)

Listening: To one of my old favorite Christmas CD's (I used to treat myself to a new one

every Christmas, when I was raising my kiddo.)

Feeling: Relaxed. Cozy. Grateful.

Watching: The trees sway and the snow swirl outside my window.

Smelling: A pot of homemade vegetable beef soup simmering on the stove.

Appreciating: My Dad and my Mom and our phone chats today.

Accomplishing: staying warm, and my 308th day of learning 

the Swedish language. 

💖

"Frost upon the windowpane and softly falling snow,

Warmth beside a crackling fire while biting north winds blow

Books and blankets, steaming tea

The soft glow of an ember

Candlelight and cozy nights-

The magic of December"

Sending you all the warm cozy feels...

xoxo

💖

 

Renew and Repair

"...if thou canst believe; all things possible to him that believeth."

" Life can be messy, unexpected, and complicated,

but it can also be filled with magic and overwhelming beauty.

You can push up against this contradiction or choose to flow alongside it;

the decision is yours.

Accepting life as it is allows you the freedom to bend without breaking,

regardless of what life sends your way."

"Nothing is too far gone that God cannot resurrect it."

"Trust it in God's care."

"Only His miraculous work can make it bubble back up to the surface

where it belongs."

~ Priscilla Shirer ~

Fervent 

I will testify!

Sending out warm and happy vibes...

xoxo

💖

 

Hygge and Cats

Good morning! 

Wow ! It's been a while ! 

That whole saying, " life speeds up the older we get" thing. 

Those are some serious words!

So as to try to slow time down a bit...I have been

focusing more on homey-hygge-bits.

Less noise and distraction, more calm and cozy.

Which takes me to my cat, Polly.

She is my little hygge side-kick.

And my new addiction.... the warm cozy scenes on You-tube.

I usually start my morning devotion and journaling in the dark,

and one morning rather than turn on the lamp... 

I decided to search for a peaceful scene on the TV for light...

which eventually led me to this peaceful (live-ish) scene (among others).

 Turns out it is just the right touch that was missing...

that I didn't know was missing. I am hooked.

I share them with my Mom...because, she's all about cozy-feels too...

and they remind me of her.

Now...back to cats. We have 3 now.

2 are still in the kitten stage...

and are not allowed to take over the house. Yet.

They are closely supervised as they

are still in training.

 Which leads me to a giggly thought.

The other day, my husbands great Nephew was here at the house.

My hubby asked if he would like to see the kittens

(he had seen them before we rescued them).

He said sure!

Well, I had them in the house at the time, and so 

we all gathered around the kits, who were being

quite mannerly, and purry.

  Nephew was commenting on how much better they looked,

when suddenly one of them (Gabby...our little girlie-girl)

made a quick B line to the litter box.

With that, I start to narrate...as I do at times....

" Oh excuse me, I gotta poop, that roast I ate is going right through me."

Hubby looks at me laughing, and says to his nephew...

"Oh...she's narrating for the cat"

Then the nephew turns to me laughing with,

"Well, I was wondering...,

 I was just going to thank you for the play-by-play."

Then we all got tickled.

Lovin' the little things....

Today's quote:

"Hygge is an atmosphere,

a feeling,

a calm energy.

It's relishing in life's simple

pleasures."

Sending warm cozies your way!

xoxo

💖

 

Eudaimonia

Good Morning! 

Today I want to share my new favorite word.

I was super motivated by it. 

It has become my new single-word-goal.

I hope it inspires you to imagine and dream a little.

 Eudaimonia

(I love new words)

It is a Greek word that means: "The state or condition of good spirit."

It is a way of living, and is not a product of external circumstances (wealth, achievement, etc.)

It is a goal we as humans seek to achieve.

It suggests that while it involves pleasure and leisure, that the pursuit of

learning is equal to if not more important when it comes to Eudaimonia.

It is about choosing to becoming our greatest selves & living our greatest lives.

"We have to pursue fulfillment rather than wait for it to come to us.

It boils down to a way of life & the little choices we make every day.

Do we choose to live well and flourish in this moment?

OR

Do we routinely choose something less fulfilling because it's easy?

Eudaimonia is actively seeking out fulfillment and choosing to flourish in 

the little ways, starting right now."

***

"No matter what you do, someone won't be pleased.

Someone will think your choices are wrong.

And someone will tell you what you should do instead.

No matter which path you take, someone will seem to be doing better.

Someone will have more than you.

And someone else's life may look more impressive on paper.

If you are being true to yourself, none of that will matter

because you will have something more satisfying than approval

and the illusion of "success":

a life that feels right for you, based on your own wants,

needs, values and priorities."

Be well.

xoxo

💗

Perfectly Loved

Today's sharable:

This song. 

 I heard it for the first time this morning.

It's beautiful...and it made me a little emotional.

I hope you'll pause to listen, and that it touches your heart,

as it did mine.

" Maybe the reason nothing seems to be 'fixing you'

is because you're not broken.

May today be the day you stop living

within the confines of how others define or judge you.

You have a unique beauty and purpose;

live accordingly."

Be well...

xoxo

💖

Doing Things

Today I am...

Enjoying the sound of rain through an open window...

& scratching the essentials off of my "to do" list:

Drink coffee

play with the cat

get my exercise packing and unpacking my suitcase 

(Dadward bound)

while dancing to my playlist.

" Life is about moments.

Create them.

Don't wait for them."

" The world is bursting with new experiences if we show up for them."

xoxo

💖

Grateful Scandinavian

Today I am....

celebrating Leif Erikson Day !!

(and 234th day of learning Swedish)

I clicked on a wrong link this morning, and it directed me to 

 a woman ( kvinna) talking about this special day.

So with that, and having bits of Scandinavian blood pulsing

through my veins, I decided  to honor this day.

Cuz without it ?

There's a pretty good chance I wouldn't even be here.

 

So the story goes, that this is the day, back in 1825 that the Restauration ship

arrived in New York Harbor from Stavanger Norway.

Leif Erikson is credited with bringing the first Nordic people into America.

The reason it was made a day.

" .... our Nation is stronger and more dynamic because of the 

contributions of Nordic Americans.

On Leif Erikson day, we express our appreciation for 

the many contributions of Nordic Americans,

who have enhanced American Society and strengthened 

our cultural diversity."

So Skal Leif Erickson! And tack sa mycket !

" We are all leaders-whether we want to be or not.

There is always someone we are influencing-either

leading them to good-or away from good."

~Leif Erikson~

xoxo

💓

 

Winds of Change

 

Today I am...

feeling the winds of change blow through my life.

I just received a phone call from my sister-in-law.

Her voice sounded very energized....happy and full of zest.

She talked about how she'd just got back from the restaurant down the street.

She had grabbed a ride with a 20 year old guy to take her there,

 because it was raining and she didn't want to walk in the rain.

She "pissed" the teen-age waitress off because she demanded service, 

after she'd been sitting there for 20 min..

She's a little miffed that she can't fix snacks at her place,

 because she's not allowed to have a stove there.

She thought she's like to get her driver's license again, 

 and go buy a beat up car.

That way she can get out more often,

 just to travel down the road.

Then she's second guessing that idea,

because she knows that age will probably catch up to her sooner or later.

It was nice to hear her sounding so energetic

and spunky.

I was happy that she was happy...

and that,

for that moment...

she'd forgotten that she was in a nursing home,

  and she's not been able to walk in over a year,

and that solid foods have not been part of her diet in months.

I love her dearly, and I am so sad that her mind is going.

She's always had a strong mind, even when the rest of her was failing.

I hope that her thoughts always bring her to places of adventure,

and are full of her...

Joy.

" Sometimes the things we can't change

end up changing us."

xoxo

💕

Need to Laugh

Today I am...

so dang grateful for the goodness of laughter.

" A good laugh heals a lot of hurts."

xoxo

💖

Praise

Today I am....

grateful, thankful & peaceful.

I went for a walk with my sister-friend Angela yesterday,

and  I shared my concerning thought...

" I feel like something is wrong with me, 

to NOT feel like there is something wrong with  me."

She laughed, and said " Isn't 60 great?"

I smiled and said...." Yes...yes it is!!"

And my heart is wooed into thanksgiving & praise 

for what has been given me.

" Learn to be present and engaged in the present moment.

Be happy with what you have, what you know and who you are right now.

Don't allow your mind to trick you into thinking that you won't be happy

until you get where you want to get."

Appreciate what's in front of you.

xoxo

💖

 

On the Sixtieth Year

I decided that for my 60th, I would appreciate and celebrate each

day in October. 

I will break my habit of taking myself so seriously all of the time

over such little nothings. Let that s--t go!

I'm giving myself permission to laugh at myself, 

and allow the journey to be what it is,

with all of it's beauty & imperfections.

I will learn to pace myself down the rough and bumpy

paths, and appreciate the flowers along the way.

I will work on the things I can change,

and accept the things I can't.

I will remember that I am loved, 

and when I hear the whispers in the wind, a dove coo, or the noise of a jet...

 I will remember that

I am never alone.

Shareable quotes :

" The butterfly does not look back at the caterpillar in shame,

just as you should not look back at your past in shame.

Your past was part of your own transformation."

" Live your life for you not for anyone else.

Don't let the fear of being judged, rejected or disliked

stop you from being yourself."

" Look at you! Healing those traumas, addressing those bad habits,

holding yourself accountable,

no longer seeking validation from others,

and finally speaking your personal truth.

Seriously, I applaud you!

Growth gets messy, ugly, and painful,

yet here you are growing. We see you !"

"One of the best things you     

Can do for yourself is          

   Taking time to learn to grow. 

               Once you give yourself patience, you 

         Become your best friend. And the 

 Empathy, self-kindness and   

                 Resilience are what you need to grow." 

" Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."

xoxo

💖

 

Self-acceptance

Some mornings I wake up and have to remind myself:

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME !

I have patterns to unlearn and wounds to heal.

That's all.

There is nothing wrong wrong with the core of who I am.

I'm unlearning...

and learning.

That takes time.

God speaks to me when I read His words.

Today I will share with you these little morsels,

I copied in my journal this week.

'Together, you and I can sort out what is important and what is not.'

'You will realize that most of the things aren't important.

shrug them off immediately and return to your focus to Me.'

'Every morning begin your day with fresh compassions.

Don't let yesterday's failures weigh you down.'

'I can turn your life around in the most miraculous ways.'

'Ask My Spirit to quiet your mind so that you can

hear My still, small voice within you.'

'I am speaking to you continuously: words of life, peace, love.'

'I will answer your questions & show you what steps to take next,

and give you understanding.'

'I lovingly meet you in the place of your neediness.'

'I can do absolutely anything in your life-

even what looks absolutely impossible.'

'Trust Me regardless of how challenging your circumstances appear.'

'Go off-duty for a while, trusting that I am watching over your and working on your behalf.'

'My healing work within you is most effective when you

are resting in My wonderful care.'

'This is the path I have set before you.

As you follow it wholeheartedly, you experience abundant life & peace.'

'I empower you to do far more than you could ever do on your own.

Don't be intimidated by challenging circumstances or tough times.'

'Conduct a constant re-defining session with yourself,

so that moment-by-moment you catch My definition 

of who and what you are.'

'Do not allow yesterdays garbage to influence your experience today.'

'It is always My plan for you to give up the hurt, resentment,

& bitterness that have came about because of other peoples actions.'

(I struggle here.)

'When you forgive, your releasing the matter so I can do the miraculous though it.'

'Even when it's difficult, let go.'

'Allow Me to have my perfect way in your situation.'

'It grieves me to see you working harder & harder to be loved.'

'I love and delight in you.'

'I can smooth out all the tangled-up places,

including those in your mind and heart.'

'I am here to help you untangle your complex problems and find the best way forward.'

'Be willing to live with unresolved problems,

but don't let them be your focus.'

'Don't waste energy lamenting bad things over which  you have no control.

Focus your energies on doing what you can to brighten the place where I have put you.'

'Pray-fully seek to understand where others are coming from

especially when their words or actions confuse or upset you.'

'Turn back to Me and stop your silly efforts to save yourself.' 

Quote:

" Life is funny. It's a trip, a wild ride, and adventure of the soul.

No soul came into this human earth thinking,

'And I better get it right this time!'

Our souls came here seeking the kind of adventure 

and growth that often goes backward to go forward."

Notes to self:

Fear: Acknowledge. Confront. Trust yourself. Move forward.

Inadequacy: Accept. Embrace. Thank God.

This frees you from trying to be what you are not.

Trust in the process, it takes time to develop.

Remember self-trust is the foundation of your ability to trust.

God has a gift to give to the world as you.💖

Be well!

xoxo

💖

 

Details

" God didn't create the world

and step back to admire it.

He painted himself into the picture."

I love this capture from last night.  

We decided to go to the local festival with some friends.

We have not been in years.

I read that quote this morning....and it just 

reminded me of how I felt in the moment that I took this shot.

Wait!

 Now that I think about it,

 that is where the seed was planted for photography.

Those moments where I just felt...

more.

I can't deny the fact that there is great comfort

in this small town of ours, and the traditions

that dwell here.

I love it!

It's true that...

"God is in the details."

In the midst of the noisy and the obvious,

it's nice to pause every so often simply to 

 value the small, the quiet and the subtle.

Sometimes we think that if we stop or slow down, we're going to miss something.

When in fact, when we don't take that time to be present,

we could miss everything.

Be well.

xoxo

💖

 

What if...

"What if we stopped celebrating being busy

as a measurement of importance?

What if instead we celebrated how much time spent

listening, pondering, meditating and

 enjoying time with the most important

people in our lives?"

What if greatness was made up of all the little things?

The little moments of  our daily lives.

What if we choose to make the most of the moments 

right in front of us now?

Even during our smallest of tasks...

what if we focused and committed ourselves

as much as possible?

After all, the little things all add up in the long run.

Let's all practice being great in the smallest of ways.

Be well...

xoxo

💖

 

Cherokee Tale

It's rainy and cool this morning, 

 and I am sitting here by an open window with coffee in hand,

 listening to the birds sing.

Jag alskar det!

(I love it!)

I  just finished my EFT tapping meditation.

I am so hooked ! 

I have been at it for 27 days now, 

 & 60 sessions later....I can honestly say, 

it has been a perfect addition to my self-care routine.

Today's daily inspiration was from an Old Cherokee teaching.

I loved listening to this favorite tale to start the day.

This teaching is sometimes

referred to as The Tale of Two Wolves.

"One evening an elderly grandfather was telling his grandson

about the inner conflicts within him.

He says to his grandson, " A fight is going on inside me.

 It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves.

1 is evil, he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance,

false pride and ego."

He continues " The other is good, he is joy, peace, love,

hope, humility, kindness, compassion and faith."

He looked at his grandson and went on.

The same fight is going on inside you and every other person too.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and asked

his grandfather, "Which wolf will win? "

The grandfather replied simply " The one you feed."

It's feels good to have perspective and focus.

We can't change what's going on around us

until we change what is going on within us.

Our willingness to look at our darkness 

is what empowers us to change.

And when we can no longer change a situation,

we are challenged to change ourselves.

God lovingly meets us in our willingness to 

walk through those dark places.

Even when things feel restrictive, or don't make sense,

trust that all will be well for you,

and do what's good and right in His sight.

Be well!

xoxo

💖

 

Pollyfrog

If you put the cat outside,

chances are she's going to want to play.

...and when she finds something like a frog to play with,

she just might want to show it to her mama.

...and chances are if she shows it to her mama,

she might get that toy taken away.

...and if that happens,

 chances are her mama will place it in the birdbath.

...so if it ends up in the birdbath,

mama has saved the poor soul, then decided to have some fun with it too.

"When you try to control too much,

you enjoy too little.

Sometimes you just need to let go, relax,

take a deep breath and love what is."

xoxo

💗

 

Surrender and Faith

Good morning,

I was sitting here wondering what to share today.

I am so excited with this inner peace I am feeling,

that I want to shout praises all day!

This year has been all about surrender, growth and healing for me.

I made it a commitment at the beginning of the year, and as best

I could, I stuck with it.

It has been one of the hardest years of my life.

It's hard to let go of control, especially when you don't even realize

that it's a problem.

It's hard to let go of blame...

when you thought it was justified.

Hard to admit to faults, when you realize you have them.

Hard to unlearn things you've learned.

It's hard to be who we are, when we have always

tried to be what  we thought others wanted, or what worked, or what kept us alive.

I had a lot of messed up habits, and thoughts about who I was.

I operated on auto-pilot. Sorta.

I know that now...not then.

Then. Not even a year ago.

I was determined to get un-stuck.

I made the decision to keep an open mind,

trust in God, and follow my heart (not head).

Not an easy task.

I thought I knew what I wanted, what was best for me, how my life should look,

and who was to blame if the picture wasn't quite turning out as I planned.

I look back on how crazy it all seems today.

I talk about my faith, and support groups and such...

which all leads me to God. 

You may call it whatever you like. Higher power, the universe...or whatever,

but for me, it's God.

I didn't grow up with much church or religion,

however I did have exposure to it, and family who believed.

 I was scared of God. 

Now that thought makes me sad.

I have not always had my family close, so when there was no one there

to talk to, to cry with, or to turn to for counsel or comfort...

I learned that I could turn to God.

I have been on a personal journey with Him for 27 years now.

When I was pregnant with my kiddo, I got baptized at our Christian Church.

I have been committed to having a relationship with God ever since.

 Like any relationship,

it takes determination, devotion and dedication.

 Best commitment I've ever made.

This year, putting my focus on surrender,  has moved me up a level.

I didn't know how to surrender. 

I lived life in survival mode.

I thought surrender was giving up, weak...passive, defeating.

It actually took more strength and courage then anything I've done.

And the truth is...it's also been the most liberating, and empowering.

It has taught me to trust in the unknown. (God for me)

Here are some journal notes and quotes I'd like to share:

"Surrendering means to stop fighting, stop resisting, stop acting like

your life depends on you having all the power over everything and everyone.

It doesn't."

When you believe this, your resisting the natural unfolding of things.

What are you afraid might happen if you let go of  control?

You might think that controlling makes you happier,

it just makes life harder.

"It's not that you have to find the answers,

you are the answer."

" You spend your whole life waiting for the calvary,

all the while never realizing you are the calvary.

Your life is waiting on you to finally show up."

Take the time to think, ponder, and experiment for yourself.

(yes! I wouldn't trade this year in for anything!)

" There is no greater knowledge than the knowledge you have

verified for yourself,

in your own experiences."

"Stop blaming luck. Stop blaming other people.

Stop pointing to outside influences or circumstances."

( I read this and cringe.... I was so good at it too!)

" If you're not willing to take the actions to change your situation-

in other words, if you're willing to put up with your situation-

then whether you like it or not, that is the life you have chosen."

" Accept that while there are things that happened in your life that you 

had no say in, however, you are 100% responsible for what you do with your life.

 Always, every time, no excuses."

Be willing to let go, willing to change, willing to accept.

Be willing to engage in life with a new perspective.

" When you have faith the size of a mustard seed and abandon

yourself and all the details of your life to it,

your greater-yet-to-be bursts forth."

Surrender is a tough thing.

 A year into it...and I still let-go-take-back.

My little trick has been,

that whenever I'd start to engage in worry or self-pity (or

one of the other horrible habits I have been trying to change...)

 I would switch my focus to one of letting go, and surrendering.

Trust.

(Repeat as needed.)

 I have over time, formed a healthier habit that works better for me.

I still worry, but it no longer takes center stage...

which has giving me more time to enjoy my life.

Hallelujah!

"Live carefree before God, He is most careful with you."

" Living in union with Me makes you more fully   yourself." ~Jesus

Be well!

xoxo

💖