We must empty....

....'ourselves of all that fills us,

so that we may be filled with what we are

empty of.'

~Augustine

clearly His hand is in this...Luke 1:66 MSG

notes...

a gust of wind, and then the rain,

so I moved everything in again

cushions and quilt thrown on the floor

breathing in the moment through an open door

~

Beautiful reminders this morning...

(sources: Jesus Calling, Jesus Lives, The Message Bible & Charles Stanley devo.)

His ways are higher

and  He is capable of all you need

pursue a righteous life-

a life of wonder, faith, love,

steadiness & courtesy

seize the eternal life

..listen to the wind words

His heart is full of unfailing LOVE 

for you

you can relax and enjoy His presence

since you know He is taking care of you

your tendency to be anxious

grieves Him

awareness of His pain can motivate you

to break free from this hurtful habit

He is showing you the way

one foot at a time

Luke 1:79 MSG

surprise us with love at daybreak;

then we'll skip and dance all day long

Ps. 90:14 MSG

walk right up to Him 

and get what He is so ready to give.

Take the mercy & accept His help

He will take care of everything you need

He wants you to obey Him out of Love,

Joy, & Gratefulness-

not out of obligation

He wants to pour Himself into you

and shine through you

and give you a genuine Love

His purpose is never to break your spirit

or cause you pain

there is always a positive, crucial

eternal purpose in struggles

He works all the details together

for the good to those who love Him

you may not be at fault for what has happened to you

but you are accountable for your response to it

be well...

xoxo

💖

"So whatever you experience & however broken you 

may feel because of the trials that assail you,

always remember that I have a blessing in store for you.

Never give in to the thought that this is the end

or that there's a limit to My ability to redeem

even the worst, most pain-filled experiences

in your life & turn them into something worthwhile.

Accept that I know your pain,

I am powerful,

I love you unconditionally,

and I work in the unseen for you. "

~Jesus~

"When you speak to yourself, be more like a cool breeze

and less like a furnace of judgement.

Give yourself love and accept yourself exactly as you are.

Honor the journey you've been on with acceptance and appreciation.

As you wake up, think about all the things you have

accomplished.

Give yourself gratitude and love.

When you slow down to recognize who and what you are,

acceptance comes in like a breeze,

making everything better."

~Sunrise Gratitude~

 

Another freaking growth....

....opportunity.

AFGO

Those often 'frustrating, recurring, life challenges

or relationship hurdle that forces you to 

grow whether you want to or not.'

'Failing to grow into new horizons can blind you

to the beauty of life's adventures.

You become like a plant that's outgrown it's container.'

notes...

agitated, frustrated, intolerant, anxious

and weepy.

I can usually guess what's coming next.

AFGO

Tired, yes. Too much caffeine...probably...

uncomfortable and edgy...yep. 

Classic symptoms.

Tempted to eat a whole bag of Dove Chocolates

and then wash them down with a 1/2 gallon of vanilla Blue Bell 

ice-cream?

 Yep.

(side note...didn't go quite that far...)

It all fits.

It's a process I've repeated 

times a zillion.

Hate it ? yes!

Grateful ? again....yes, with reluctance.

Until I give it time...let it come up, and wait for 

the tsunami to hit, linger, and linger....

until it cleanses whatever it is...

(which I usually am aware of what it is....the "thing")

until it follows it's natural process....

I'm stuck in the precursor of the emerging "thing."

Once it's over....

and it is over...

(*Hallelujah!!)

there's a certain peace, (exhaustion) relief, and humility.

I feel it all today.

~

renew your mind with the objective truth

of the Bible

"Spirit's thoughts on paper"

there is no division between logic & spiritual

when all is said and done

it makes perfect sense

things come alive

you see something new

you will have more understanding

look for principles 

principles are timeless truths

like the laws of nature

you will know when it is meant for you

Spirit will lift something out of the context for you

read a little every day

be encouraged to ask for wisdom

instead of direction

'He who trusts in his own heart is a fool

but he who walks wisely will be delivered.'

Prov. 28:26

(principle)

the soul is healed through union with God

His words are the fuel that keeps you 

functioning properly

no matter how much you think you know

always be willing to take another step of growth

growth is a process

and sometimes it is painful

if you allow it 

it will stretch you so much further 

once you determine not to let 

your current situation define or constrain you

humility is key

"ask, seek and knock"

Let go

Listen to your heart & quiet the ego

Love can create a path to understanding

in those moments

trust builds and love grows deeper

be well...

xoxo

💞

"The true challenge we face is to look at ourselves and the world honestly.

To see what wounds there are, so we can help heal them.

Not to flinch. Not to spend our life wrapped in denial and trying to avoid pain.

Not to avoid the feelings. 

'...the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant

by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly

and gently.'

Healing means living in the raw."

 

What if...

..."your markers of success

were how well you slept at night?

How many books you read?

How easily you laughed?

How much time you spent storytelling,

feeling warm in the arms and homes

of people you adore?"

notes...

when you focus so much on what you must do 

you miss who you're doing it for

we try to organize our days

God wants to shape our hearts

productivity is a great tool

but not always the best way to build

and maintain relationships

reflect love, joy, peace, 

and compassion

you have the power to

transform the environment you're in

with love

the present moment is where peace lies

your mind will try to pull you away with problem solving or worry

and you live in your head

instead of experiencing the life happening right

in front of you

life can be good even in a broken world

you don't create your world from the outside in

you create and transform it from the inside out

the strongest person isn't the one that

controls everything around him

the strongest person is the one that 

learns to master themself

be respectful to everybody

appreciate their uniqueness

value their worth

do the best you can do 

with what you have

Know what matters

and what doesn't

let values guide your behavior

the only way you will have a remarkable life

is if you're willing to be different

the rest of your life 

could be the best of your life

be well...

xoxo

💖

"One difference between friends and relatives is that

a relative presumes you're innocent because you

didn't mean it;

a friend presumes you're innocent because

you didn't do it."

"Free Nervous System Regulators

Hum

Rest

Sigh

Sing

Swim

Walk 

Yawn

Dance

Laugh

Nature

Ground

Prayer

Stretch

Meditate

Sunlight

Gratitude

Pet Animal

Safe People

Cold Shower

Breath Work"

~Dr. Will Cole~

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable-

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-

think about such things."

 

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."