Still

....the song I wake up to on repeat in my head.

" When you are in the midst of the rubbish that  life

sometimes tosses your way, it feels impossible to gain perspective.

When those moments come, hold tight.

Things will get better.

But first, be willing to work through whatever you are

experiencing.

No running, no distractions, and no negotiation.

Sit still, quiet down, and listen inward.

What is your experience telling you?

What is needed?

What can be learned?

This is the hard part.

But you can do it - and you will.

Eventually, you will end up on the other side

with resilience that you didn't know you had."

~ a year of positive thinking~

xoxo

💖

Surrender

This year, I picked SURRENDER as my focus word.

So far I love it!

It's kept me grounded and on track!

I'm not going to lie and say it's been an easy task,

however it has been 100% worth the effort for

redirecting my thoughts.

 Every morning I dive into my devotions and journaling

with a hunger for answers.

It has been an essential part of my life for years,

with time, it just keeps getting better.

I ask Jesus every day for direction,

and then I journal what I read as though He is talking directly to me.

Here are some of my takeaways for February that have helped me with Surrender:

"Keep your mind on the present journey, enjoying My Presence.

Trust Me to open up the way before you."

" This is not easy, but this is life at it's very best. The plans I have for you

far outshine what you could ever imagine for yourself."

" Trust me to transform you, be responsive to whatever I ask & walk in My will for you."

" Train your mind to seek Me in every moment, in every situation."

" Spend precious moments with Me, I will clarify your thinking & smooth out the 

circumstances is your life."

" When you are anxious, know that you are focusing on the visible world

and have Me out of the picture."

"You can find Me only in the Present."

" I have a plan for your life, don't allow the enemy to fill you with fear,

doubt and discouragement."

" Go forward in HOPE and CONFIDENCE."

" I will provide perfectly for you."

" Trust Me to help you."

" The best way to get through your day is step by step with Me."

" I will guide you to take the right action."

" You will never run out of things to worry about, but you can choose

to trust Me no matter what."

" The problem is not My ability to bestow what you need, but your ability

to receive it when fear or desire for control governs you."

" I will help you discern whether you need to work to change a situation

or simply accept it."

" Don't be ashamed of your exhaustion. See it as an opportunity for Me

to take charge of your life."

" Your main responsibility is to remain attentive to Me and take

one step, one moment at a time."

"Let Me guide you."

" You will always have problems, but they must not become your focus."

" I am orchestrating My provision for you in ways, places & with people

you cannot imagine."

" As you align yourself with My perspective, you can sort out what

is important and what is not."

" Whatever you are facing right now, you can assure there is a higher

purpose in it."

" This challenge you face will most certainly work for your good."

" Rather than focus on what you desire, turn your attention to what I want."

"Only as you turn to Me, your needs will be met leading you to wholeness."

"Allow Me to set your path and priorities."

" Just keep moving forward, eyes fixed on Me and off of everyone else."

"Dependence on  Me and Surrender to My will go hand in hand."

" Walk boldly along the path of life, relying on Me."

"You have every reason to be confident. I am always with you."

" Do not give into fear or worry. Trust Me enough to face the problems 

when they come."

" A clear solution to the problem will appear when the time is right."

" I am taking care of you. You needn't be afraid of anything."

"Rather than maintaining control over your life, abandon yourself to My will."

"It may feel frightening or dangerous- the safest place to be is in My will."

" Stop your silly efforts to save yourself, your strength will come from

settling down in complete dependence on Me."

" Let Me take over. The weaker you get, the stronger I become."

" When you cling to old ways & sameness, you resist My work within you."

" Embrace all that I am doing in your life, finding your security in Me alone."

" I allow the difficulties, so you will rely on Me."

" Everything you truly need is already yours in Me."

" No matter how committed you are to Me, you will always fight the inclination

to do things your way rather than Mine."

" I continually break down the obstacles within you until you are completely 

surrendered to Me and trust Me fully."

" Truly think about who I AM, your troubles won't seem so overwhelming."

"Keeping your eye on Me is a choice you must make 1000's of times a day."

" Believe in Me. Have the utmost faith in Me for every detail of your life."

" I will give you the strength, the love, the wisdom to face whatever may come."

" You can only take the information at hand & do your best in choosing thoughtfully."

" Are you saying 'I don't know what to do!' ?

Do you lack direction?

This is Me calling to you to listen to Me."

" I want to help you- to be generous in directing you and setting the course of your life."

"If you don't know what to do, the best solution is to seek Me."

" I have a plan, and I am always in control."

" Maintaining you faith in Me is the most difficult challenge you'll encounter

because it means turning away from every natural  instinct in you."

" Your tension & frustration come when you work against Me & fail

to trust My purposes."

" Don't fight Me- rather allow Me to lead you step-by-step & leave what

you don't accomplish in My hands."

" You may feel vulnerable, but trust Me anyway."

" I will help you and position you perfectly to succeed."

" Depend on Me to guide you. I will certainly show you what to do."

" Stay conscious of Me & My Presence throughout the day."

" I am leading you step by step, through your life."

"Your future looks uncertain and feels flimsy. Trust Me to open up the way.

I will show you the next step. Always turn to Me."

" There is strength in the willingness to gently surrender."

Be firmly on track for the best life possible.

xoxo

💗

 

Approval

 "You don't need approval."

"Don't concern yourself with what others think of your choices.

Instead, firmly stand for them.

Your decisions are your own.

You choose how you show up in the world

and who you spend your time with.

Do whatever brings you to your knees with joy,

gratitude, and belonging,

and do not seek approval from others.

Know that what is right for you 

may not be right for someone else,

and that's okay.

Stand in all that you choose-

with no approval needed."

~ a year of positive thinking~

"...and that's OK!"

xoxo

💗

 

Peace

Dear Farm,

You are a constant peace in a crazy world.

You have been there to celebrate the highs,

 and have been a comfort to me through the lows.

It just seems so much easier to let go when I'm with you!

I've been trying to let a lot of things go lately.

Yesterday three new babies were born into your arms.

It was an amazing, beautiful mess.

I could have spend all day visiting with you!

Thank you for your simple unhurried ways!

 I'm grateful that I can come as I am.

You're the best at helping me to release and renew.

See you soon!

xoxo

💖 

 

Camera

Dear yesterday,

I picked up my camera, and headed out to the farm with hot tea to go.

Hubby needs to heal a bit after his angiogram, so I was the official

gate-keeper, and feed-bucket carrier.

Taking care of the animals while

 capturing shots of the icy scene energized me.

Thank you for providing  some sparkle to my day.

isig: (my Swedish word for the day) 

icy, frozen

"Whatever makes your soul happy,

do that."

xoxo

💖

Celebration

Last night we got together and celebrated a very special day for sure...

 National Pizza day.

We sat, and listened to old music CD's (we burned way back in the day),

ate pizza from our quaint little pizza house,

 and had a long chat about life and trauma's and nature and hope...

and all was well in my world.

Note for today:

" Say what you feel. Wear what you want. Do what you please.

Believe what you believe. Have your opinion.

Graciously hear the opinions of others,

but do not allow anyone to bully you out of your truth.

Stand in who you are. Take a stand for others.

Celebrate what makes you different.

The world is awaiting your honest,

rebellious, and wild soul.

Show us who you truly are."

xoxo

💖

 

Snowdays

" When you recover or discover something that

nourishes your soul and brings you joy,

care enough about yourself

 to make room for it in your life. "

 Currently I seem to be at that stage in life that it's time to turn the page

or begin a new chapter.

I've been reflecting, and looking back to see what the costs were,

and where there has been some gains.

I've found some areas that have not been in balance.

Before I turn the page, or close the book,

I'm writing a rough draft on some things that

can need to change, some steps to balance things out.

Some quotes that I've jotted down lately:

" Major strides begin with very small steps"

" We are the CEO's of our own dysfunction."

" Sometimes you are so full of where you came from,

you can't see where you are going."

( on fighting the good fight)

" God gives you credit for the fight, not the score.

God will bless you just because you fought."

"Make peace with the fact that fighting the good fight is enough.

Whether you won the fight or not.  If you kept the faith...

you won."

"It's what happened behind you 

that determines how fast you move in front of you.

If you don't make peace with your past,

you'll never accomplish what your past came to propel you into.

There is a reason"

"Pray for the people who let you down. Let go of bitterness,

resentment, and frustration, it weakens your strength."

"I's the way that you talk to yourself

that determines whether you endure hardness or not.

Whether you stand affliction or not.

It is what you choose to think about."

" You either get better or you get bitter.

You allow pain to engulf you, or you rise to something above it

that blows your mind and sets you on a different level.

Choose which one you are going to take."

" I can't make you feel good about you,

until I feel good about me."

" To bloom where you are planted and prosper where you are,

you  have to be good being you."

" Don't use your ambition to create frustration."

"You're afraid to move because someone's going to get hurt,

but if you don't, it's going to be you."

" You get to be you. Break the chains of living up to everyone's

expectation of your life."

" Don't focus on what you don't have,

focus on what you do have and fight to be the best you."

xoxo

💖