If anyone...

..."is magically going to appear

and just suddenly make your life 

better,

just know that 

person's always 

going to be

you."

notes... 

sometimes one gets separated from her herd

and I feel a certain ache

we couldn't get her to follow us to the herd

so we got her herd to follow us to her

surrender fully 

day by day

'God does not show favoritism

we're all tied for first

in His view'

discern what is highest and best

in how you should make your

decisions

sometimes it doesn't take much

the most minuscule unexpected

change can shift everything

put your priorities first

don't pick the wrong things to dwell on

dwell on uplifting things that are working

dwell on the good stuff

sit quietly or take a walk and 

dedicate those moments

to focusing your attention

on God

it will likely be a rewarding break

trust in yourself

don't look back at your shortcomings

your past experiences do not define you

stop telling yourself that something

is wrong with you

you are capable of navigating your life

don't let your life get sidelined

by the things you can't control

allow yourself to be uncomfortable

and don't shrink when you feel uncertain

have faith

it is all preparing you for something

better

random unexpected things can come up

when you least expect it

 to push you along

put your heart in the lead

grow upward

be well...

xoxo

💞

"An open heart is a good thing,

just remember to be 

careful with it."

~Pa to Laura

Little House on the Prairie

"The introvert empath:

Sometimes they want to be left alone.

Sometimes they want to be included.

But most of the time they want to be included

with the option to be left alone."

~unknown

"I wish I could show you,

when you are lonely or in darkness,

the astonishing light of  your 

own being."

When you open...

...your mind,

the beautiful parts become more evident.

notes...

Trying to think of a name for the squirrel that

flattens out on or under the wicker chair...

Flat Stanley?

The coon is back. 

I read it is not good to relocate them,

 I love animals....

I decided to leave a dish of food out.

I was sitting on the porch

 writing in my journal,

 and something flew up and brushed my arm.

A bird landed on the pillow behind my back,

it startled me...and I startled it when I jumped.

I'm pretty sure I made my best loaf of sourdough this morning.

I decided to make a fresh "start" last week...

my last loaf was definitely meh.

Love sees the perfection in the person

& in the moment

take time to be still and

consider how beautiful

life really is

the more you give and receive love

the more you'll see truth

you are hugely responsible 

for creating your own reality

'you don't know how your story will end

or where a chapter will take you

don't let the unknown keep you from 

living

give it everything you've got

your story is written as you live

so live fully.'

love the people around you authentically

grow more into the person you want to be

tomorrow

your self-concept 

influences your attitude toward life

"Your true self-worth is based only

on what God says about you,

not on how you feel about

yourself."

filter out the junk that steels your joy

dance with God,

knowing that whatever you need 

one way or another

will always come

love can change a flawed perception

love is it's own reward

unity is our protection

you choose your conduct

your happiness & health are 

up to you

retelling old stories can 

hold you back from healing

you don't heal the past by dwelling there

you heal by living in the present

thank your hurts for all they taught you

be gentle with yourself

your in charge of noticing

that life is really in charge

you are not what others think of you

you're not even what you think of you....

you are an original masterpiece

whether you understand it

it is the truth

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Nature makes us aware of the preciousness

of life.

Nature tells us that life is precious

not only because it is,

but also because it doesn't have to be."

"Speak to yourself as you would to the one you love

the most.

Honor and respect your mind, body, and soul.

Take care of yourself by catching negative self-talk

and reframing self-judgements.

You deserve kindness, love , and approval.

Say something loving to yourself each morning.

With practice, your thoughts toward yourself

and others will change.

Love will emit from you powerfully

and you will become irresistible."

~Emily Silva

 

Trust Him...

...to take your broken &

make it beautiful.

notes...

 checking on the new cows

and they were nowhere in sight.

 we set out on a search.

one just happened to peek out from under a cedar tree

and hubby noticed it

on our second trip around the pasture.

hubby forgot to bring some feed along

so we made another trip to bring

 them a treat.

 it was a good hiding spot

we could have searched all afternoon.

Summer is here.

help comes in the form of people who

don't run away

prayer shifts the focus away from your problem

to one who can handle it

those who truly love you will respect

your priorities

even if they don't understand them

pause to see the blessings

& say thank you

you go a long way toward happiness

just by thinking in new ways

remember the difference between 

news & truth

'news comes to let you know what your

dealing with'

'God (truth) comes to help you

process all you are dealing with'

it's not about you handling it

it's about you handling it with God

your offer the greatest blessing to the people

you love 

when you lean into the truth 

about yourself & them

in the name of love

slow your roll

engage

take it moment by moment

ditch crummy self-talk

get excited by possibilities &

the challenge to stretch yourself

invite newness into your life

embrace change

be spontaneous

have fun

lighten up

you won't be punished by God

you were created to be fully human

enjoy the gift of being alive

being fully human

& being who you are

have fun with life

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Don't be in such a rush to figure everything out.

Embrace the unknown and let your life surprise you."

"Life is a balance of what we can control

and what we cannot.

I am learning to live between effort

and surrender."

"Anything you can't control in life

is teaching you how to let go."

 

Do you....

....want to go with me later to preg some cows?

notes...

Mmm...maybe...

 Yes! I will go. It'll be fun.

Plus I have been wanting to for a long time.

I woke up thinking I was going to make

this the best day...I thought that yesterday too...

I used to think it was up to someone else.

It's soupy outside.

I've been in the purging mood lately,

and that makes me happy.

 find something greater than you

and surrender to it's grandeur

you get the steps as you go

invite harmony, curiosity 

and wisdom into your life

enjoy the moment

you don't need to complete

anything

just breathe

refresh yourself

focus on the goal of your faith

listen to the right voices in your life

and drown out the voices of 

doubt, fear, and insecurity

listen to your dreams

& your values

awareness takes practice

speak of love, beauty, trust,

acceptance, grace and forgiveness

you can't honor God if you don't 

honor one another

be kind

love one another

be well...

xoxo

💝

"I'm beginning to suspect that the second 

half of life is about learning to let go 

of everything I feverishly collected

over the first half that wasn't

loving or human."

"Practice what you know,

and it will help you make clear

what now you do not know."

~Rembrandt~

 

Love finds us....

...where we are,

not where we were.

Blondie, 62 and Buddy

notes...

There was a knock on the door...

Ellie came to visit.

We had left the gate open to the road...

Blondie and Buddy kept with us as we drove back...

we sped up, they sped up,

we sped up, they did the happy dance

and sped up too.

We almost didn't win.

T1 likes to come up an nibble on me.

your renewed heart 

will be better

than before

be forward thinking

God meets you where you are

uses your story

and guides you into a better story

you are a mosaic 

of those who have loved you

give up the desire to have full control-

you don't

attempting to control things

will never solve the problem

it only makes things wonky

and ends up controlling you

you get to choose who &

what you allow in your life...

(thoughts, habits, beliefs....)

explore different solutions

make choices to improve the

quality of your life

you are designed to change

when you choose to

the way you live

will influence future generations

Be very careful, then, how you live-

not as unwise but as wise...

Ephesians 5:15

let go of beliefs 

that do not serve you well

believe that change comes from you

get better at things you 

know will help you

ask

seek

knock

request

search

action

deep breath in...

exhale...

be aware of your moments,

be well...

xoxo

💖

"I asked, "How can anyone who really knows me

ever love me?"

Only to discover it was the only way

anyone ever would."

"Yes, there are reasons no one could ever love you,

and you can be sure that the people who

love you know them all."

"It's not easy--loving someone through

the chinks in their armor--

especially when the love they return

is so often trapped inside."

 

Nothing in this....

...world is permanent,

including our stories.

Keep reinventing your story

as you continue to grow.

notes...

He wanted to spray before it rained,

I went along. The calves cleared a path

up to the pond.

#62 reminds me of Blondie when she was young,

I felt a nibble on my back when I was taking her picture.

replace your old story

with a newer happier story

redirect your focus

breathe it in

bombard yourself with it

get into new habits 

record blessings and small things 

your grateful for 

choose thoughts that help you flourish

don't let your brain boss you around

take small positive activities

you don't have to gain a bunch of knowledge

or figure it all out

be an authentic version of yourself

you don't need to conform in order

to belong

your true greatness will not come out

if you try to be what someone else 

wants you to be

make the most of what you're given

you are custom made

growth and change 

are inevitable

do you want to do something

awesome for God?

Go be you!

be well...

xoxo

💖

"Talk less. Listen more. Feel deeper.

Love better. Open your eyes.

Experience life."

~unknown~

"Listen and silent are spelled

with the same letters.

Think about it."

~unknown~

"The truth you believe and cling to

makes you unavailable to hear

anything new."

Be intentional...

...about where you're putting your 

energy & what you are

growing in your life. 

Otherwise, distractions will pop up & steal

your focus, taking away from the most

important things.

They may be small things, but awareness of the 

moments remind you of the bigger things.

notes...

packing up my morning routine and heading

to the farm. I'll finish there while

Hubby sprays.

every sunrise gives you another blank

sheet of paper & invites you to fill it up

with things that make you come alive

focus on love

let go of your compulsion to "fix" everything

breathe and refresh yourself in God's loving Presence

meditate and learning to guide your thoughts

can change your life

your thoughts are the most powerful 

tool you have

truly believe in yourself

and how much you want

to better other peoples lives

no limiting beliefs holding you back

your truth will be your truth 

as long as you choose to think it

the moment you begin to believe in 

the not-yet-seen

your reality will begin to shift

forget the flashy stuff

be engaged in your faith

friends family and nature

slow down to reflect on what's true

seek peace in daily life

it starts right here

in the present

it's here for you now

plenty can happen when you pay a little more

attention to the moment you're in

be well...

xoxo

💖

"You might, perhaps, give up on yourself,

but would you so easily give up on others in your life

you care deeply about?

And might that be the secret to sustaining hope--

each of us being another's hope?

I will not give up on you if you will not 

give up on me." 

"Nothing lasts forever, although you can seriously

underestimate how long it will last in the meantime."

"Hope is not a plan, but without hope,

nothing else is a plan either."