She did not...

...need much,

wanted very little.

'A kind word, sincerity, fresh air,

clean water, a garden, 

books to read, sheltering arms,

a cozy bed, and to love

and be loved in return.'

notes...

cloudy, breezy & nice this morning

 hubby getting tickled over a

lost-in-translation moment...

and hearing him laugh

cleaning out the cabinet and unearthing

a bubble gun & a supply of ammo

a quick pop-in-pop-out by my kiddo

passing through town

getting the yard mowed just as it started to sprinkle

munching on a lemon protein ball (in recipes) &

 just letting life unfold at it's own pace today...

'God wired you with a unique way of giving

away love, and then He told you

to go play.'

embrace those around you

enjoy your story

divert your attention away from the junk

and toward the best things in your life

life can only be found in the present moment

don't miss out

there are plenty of small things there for you right now

are you there for them?

value simple pleasures

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Six year olds laugh an average of 300 times a day.

Adults only laugh 15-100 times a day.

Be six again."

"There's a system in your brain called

the RAS.

It filters millions of signals every day.

What you consistently focus on  

becomes what your brain prioritizes.

Train your attention toward health,

purpose, connection, and possibility,

and your brain will start looking for them."

~Dr. Mark Hyman

"Your nervous system & stress hormones

can calm down with

Peace 

Love

Stillness

Grounding

Breathwork

Safe People

Forgiveness

A cleansing cry

Self-Compassion

Deep belly laughs

Somatic practices

Food that loves you back

JOMO (the joy of missing out)

These are little love notes to 

your body."

~Dr. Will Cole

 

If you can't run away...

...'to a cabin in the woods right now,

start small.

Make a cup of tea and find a sunset

to watch.'

Turn off your phone go for a drive and blast some

great music, read a book in the back yard.

Fight for moments of peace

in the midst of the crazy.

You can do that.

notes...

Hubby's got a stress test

up early to hit the road

coffee to go

love it when it's still dark

it's cooled down outside

pretty morning

nice breeze

what you do with your love 

is where you are in your faith

if you think you don't have time to 

bless someone

consider how consuming 

worry can be

learning to shift from worry to blessings

just takes practice

send blessings to your loved ones

to strangers

to enemies

to animals

to the planet

to you

Throw up an insta-prayer

and then just wait

use your energy to believe

create

love &

grow

taking control of your mind

can be the key to finding

peace in other parts of your 

life

your emotions are a by-product of 

the way you think

the spiral is real

"...according to researchers,

the vast majority of the illnesses

that plague us today

are a direct result of a

toxic thought life"

thoughts are just habits

see them for what they are

what you believe and 

what you think about matters

be well...

xoxo

💞

"Do what you can, when you can,

with as much love and honesty as you can,

and when you can't, rest."

"Life is all about balance.

You don't always need to be getting

stuff done.

Sometimes it's perfectly okay,

and absolutely necessary,

to shut down, kick back,

and do nothing."

"Our life is frittered away by detail.

Simplify, simplify."

~Thoreau 

 

It will go by...

...in a blink of an eye.

Mississippi River

Reggie

 Huckleberry Finn & Tom Sawyer

Love locks

You cannot do everything

only some of it.

What do you truly want or need?

Find your some.

Know your limits.

Life doesn't have to be frantic and frenzied,

just full.

notes...

an invitation to go camping for a week

I chose to join them on their fist stop 

to be there for her birthday

we explored caves

  & soaked up all the history, myth, and legend

we could in one day

then they headed to Wisconsin

I headed home

Happy 73rd dear friend.

xoxo

stay connected

be faithful for the path laid out 

before you & take your next step

not someone else's

stay on your path

often the next "right" action

in life can be felt

as a palpable inner pull

you may not know what the correct route

will be tomorrow

but in the moment 

if you listen

you'll be shown step-by-step

the way to go

don't pay attention to the opinions 

of others

believe God for greater things

don't make it too complicated

love people right where they are

do things that will last

if you have to choose between

 projects or people

pick people every time

people will remember the way you

made them feel

of all the things you accomplish in 

this life

only love remains

go big on love

& let the rest work

itself out

focus on what's present & working =gratitude

or what's absent & ineffective =anxiety

your choice.

there's only one place to start

and that's right where you are

the place you begin

is with you

immerse yourself in good things

bypass worry

cherish life for what it is

a gift

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Small streams don't plan to become

mighty rivers.

They just run in the direction they

were created to move,

and their creator decides what they'll

become."

"Good friends, good books,

and a sleepy conscience:

this is the ideal life."

~Mark Twain

"Twenty years from now you will be

more disappointed by the things

that you didn't do than by the ones

you did do."

~Mark Twain

"Keep away from people who try to belittle 

your ambitions.

Small people always do that,

but really great make you feel

that you, too, can become great."

~Mark Twain

"You cannot succeed, in anything which

you do not like,

because you must be interested

before you can succeed."

~Molly Brown

"I don't know what my destiny is,

but it isn't to be sunk in the sea

or blown into the air."

#titanic

~Molly Brown

"Sometimes at night, in a new hotel,

I put myself to sleep by listing all 

the people whom I really love;

and all the people who I know trust

and love me;

the little list I'm working on of people

I allow myself to need."

~Molly Brown

 

When your....

....life is prioritized in a way that makes sense for you,

you experience definite satisfaction and

true contentment.

]

notes...

The guys are off to work

Fritz is my side-kick today

the sunflowers are starting to burst

the praying mantis was at the front door

I was it's uber to the garden

it was so happy for the ride it jumped for joy

and I had to search on my hands and knees

 to take it's picture

whispering a prayer that the severe storms 

pass by our little town tonight

and everyone is safe

learn to laugh at yourself

more freely

don't take yourself so seriously

enjoy life lightheartedly

' a cheerful heart is good medicine'

 keep your faith uncluttered

happiness will come from setting the priorities

you need for the dream you have locked into

make decisions about what it best for you

based on your priorities

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Today is the perfect day to create the change you desire.

Life is too short to dwell in misery, hoping that someday

things will change. 

You could make a million excuses as to why right now isn't 

the right time, but then you will never find the perfect time

to do anything.

Perfection is just an illusion.

If we keep waiting for the stars to align,

we will reach the end of our lives regretting that

we never tried.

Stop the waiting game and take action toward the 

change you want."

~Sunrise Gratitude~

 

Self-brain surgery....

...reorganizing the brain,

and renewing the mind,

I'm in.

I love neuroplasticity...

God & science.

I love learning.

I love when it all aligns.

notes:

the brain changes when you think different 

thoughts

80 % of your thoughts are untrue

90% of your thoughts are the same

thoughts you thought yesterday

when you think right

you live right

being lost in the futility of your thinking

IS the root problem

change the things you think about

your allowed to be under construction

for as long as it takes

there's no deadline

You are moving forward even in the stillness

especially in the stillness

be you own most consistent healing sanctuary

(with God😇)

Book: The Life Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery

by W. Lee Warren MD

Forward by Dr. Daniel Amen (love)

(also on audio book)

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Perhaps worse than never realizing your dream

is never enjoying your consolations."

"The intangibles of life not only bring greater happiness,

they require less closet space."

"A Mind to rule the brain,

A Spirit to fire the mind,

A Heart to temper the spirit,

A Soul to guide the heart,

A Grace to nourish the soul."

 

Find a way...

"...to love your life so much that you feel

lucky to be you.

Like it's a privilege just to wake up as yourself.

Like you are  utterly charmed by your own life.

What a beautiful home you've built.

What incredible friends you get to text all day.

How  you spend your time and your life-genius.

What fun!

What a strong mind you have.

What a way you care about yourself &

listen to your needs.

What great kids, or dogs or cats or plants

you've raised.

Wow,

you've got this whole life thing figured out.

Or, if not, look at you,

trying to figure it out and fight for your joy.

How lucky you are

that you get to be you."

notes:

reality is a wonderful teacher

take a lighthearted view of trouble

seeing it as a challenge you can handle

(with God)

deal with it

the more unexplainable the situation

the easier it is to give into doubt

remember there is much  more going on than 

what you see

find your center in your own heart

create a nice environment for yourself 

work with yourself to make a healthier person

breathe in all the possibilities of what could be

exhale, releasing the need to control the outcomes

hold that mindset

life is waiting for you to participate in it

make plans considering how your wired

learn to trust & listen to yourself

about what you want

your life is yours

this is your life

if  your not careful

you'll miss it

be well...

xoxo

💖

"Rather than focus on getting every detail right

for the unknown future,

go deeper into the details of the 

story that's already being written."

"Will you spend your life pushing a boulder

uphill so that, once uphill,

you will have a boulder to sit on while

regretting your life?"

"Sometimes it seems like you've spent your whole life

preparing for an inspection that never happened."

 

I Love You...

be still...listen...breathe it in...💝

"I am your God, I have molded you with My own hands,

and I love what I have made.

I  love you with a love that has no limits,

because I love you as I am loved.

Do not run away from Me.

Come back to Me-not once,

not twice, but always again.

You are My child...I am your God-

the God of mercy and compassion,

the God of pardon, and love,

the God of tenderness and care.

Please do not say that I have given up on you,

that I cannot stand you anymore,

that there is no way back.

It is not true.

I so much want you to be with Me.

I know all your thoughts.

I hear all your words.

I see all your actions.

And I love you because you are beautiful,

made in My own image,

an expression of My most intimate Love.

Do not judge yourself.

Do not condemn yourself.

Do not reject yourself.

Let My love touch the deepest,

most hidden corners of your heart and reveal

to you your own beauty, a beauty that you have

lost sight of, but that will become visible to you

again in the light of My mercy.

Come, come, let Me wipe your tears,

and let My mouth come close to your ear and say to you,

'I love you, I love you, I love you.' "

~The Road to Daybreak~

be well...

xoxo

💗

 "If ever you have been afraid to fly

for fear of where you'd land,

and you have struggled finding peace

in what you do not understand,

Know that trusting is better than knowing

there is ground beneath your feet

because, my dear, courage is found 

in believing beyond what you can see."

~Morgan Harper Nichols~

"Reading consistently regulates the nervous system,

Lowers inflammation, calms stress hormones,

strengths the brain, improves focus, and 

supports longevity.

And by reading, I don't mean doomscrolling

social media."

~Dr. Will Cole~

"Respect your body when it tells you it needs time to rest.

If you don't pick a time to slow down,

your body will choose one for you."

~Dr. Will Cole~

December 29, 2025

Listening to an audio book on mindfulness.

Just squeezed my lemon into it's container,

instead of my mug. I need it.

I had 4 solid priorities today.

Learned a few more moves with my Tai Chi buddies.

Wowed by  

my mama. OMG!

I am so stinking proud of her right now.

I better copy my recipe, so I have it for next year.

Our Christmas French toast

1 loaf of crusty sourdough or French bread

8 eggs

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. vanilla extract

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup cold salted butter cut into pieces

Serve with:

warm syrup 

1 cup blueberries for serving

(note: also used bananas, raspberries and strawberries and whipped cream)

Grease 13 x 9 baking dish

Cut French bread into slices and place in dish.

(or cube. I did both)

Whisk in a big bowl:

eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla

pour over bread

cover tightly and refrigerate over night,

or  bake right away.

( I overnighted it)

For topping:

in a small bowl, stir with fork...

flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

Add butter. Mix until crumbly. (pebbles)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sprinkle topping over the top

Bake 50 min.

Note: you can use 1/2 and 1/2, or unsalted butter...

however, the heavy cream and salted butter are

the tweaks I mad this year...and nope. I won't go back.

Scrumptious.

Yummy leftover too.

be well...

xoxo

💝

'Life is full of distractions-

some positive, some menacing.

Prioritizing your you life keeps you track.

Determine your priorities then write them down.

Writing is a powerful tool, because you can go

back and see if you're still on the right course.'

"This is your daily reminder:

Do not absorb other people's 

whack ass energy."

"May the tears you cried in 2025

water the seeds you plant in 2026."

Weekly Journal Dump

'...and if you touch any heart with what you do for the brief

moment you are here, that's enough.'

Blondie 💖

Journal lately...

Your only role is to serve with as much love as possible.

The rest is God's.

Life has a way of testing what we're made of.

"You will be astounded at the relief that comes

once you stop assuming you have all the answers."

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze

directly before you.

Proverbs 4:25 

Don't let the path of other peoples lives 

make you second guess your own.

Release the noose of public opinion.

'Steel your resolve by knowing what you believe &

why you believe it, then activate what you are going

to do about it.'

Quit playing it safe & don't play it scared.

Be strong & courageous today.

Follow the natural pull. It's trying to tell you something.

Put your energy where you want to see growth.

Eventually something will align.

Finding your path belongs only to you.

No one else knows where you're supposed to go.

Go and find out more about the activities that pull 

on your heart.

"The pain might be a sign of progress, 

and if we stick with love long enough, 

we'll find out the fruit of it is life."

"To live a life you love, you must do what you love.

And you can't choose what you love, 

you can only discover it."

'Disconnect from the ideas that limit you.

Open your mind to new possibilities.

You are capable of more than you ever imagined.'

Your grumbly-self, is a sign of a victim mind-set.

'Mindfulness helps us to let go of the story,

and shift from "bad things happen to me",

to "things are happening".'

~Think Like a Monk~

'Try to depend on the Spirit as you go through this day.'

'Faith is being sure of what we hope for &

certain of what we do not see.'

~Hebrews 11:1~

'By letting go of the "story", we are leaving behind an old world.

We no longer define ourselves by the traumatic event(s),

but instead by the love that freed us from it.'

"God approached us with arms open wide, asking nothing

in return, so we could show that same love to people around us."

Be mindful of why you're doing whatever you're doing &

how you react.

"Being mean won't fix insecurity - it highlights it."

Communicate love, patience, and understanding.

Smile. Hug. Listen.

"I'm not going to die because I failed as someone else.

I'd rather just succeed at being me."

be well...

xoxo

💝

"You cannot change the past. It is done. Leave it behind you,

rather than allowing it to anchor you in place and keep

you from moving forward.

There is hope in looking forward and freedom in 

letting go.

You deserve to have both."

"Whether our psychic pain is in the area

of relationships, health, career, or elsewhere,

love is a potent force,

the cure,

the Answer."

"Hugs heal your gut-brain connection.

Cuddles and a good chat increase oxytocin,

nurturing gut bacteria that tell

your nervous system that you are safe...

...lowering inflammation and anxiety.

This is your sign to fix your hug deficiency."

~Dr. Will Cole~