Take time to reflect....

....at the end of the day and appreciate the fact

you were able to live it.

notes....

the stories, splitting a funnel cake with hubby,

and slushies for us girls.

perfect festival weather

reconnecting with old friends

 photos 

bubbles and escaping balloons floating to the sky

nostalgia and magic in small town traditions

~

embrace the goodness

see people that are right in front of you

love your neighbors as yourself

choose joy and appreciation

be still and listen

remain present &

become one with it.

the best of life exists beyond the things

you were taught to crave

don't miss the sacredness of any moment

by wishing it was some other way

take a little time to be amazed

experience a glow

a sparkle

make memories

feel alive

 

A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind

works healing,

but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

~Proverbs 17:22

"It's not joy that makes us grateful,

it's gratitude that makes us joyful."

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Every now and then it's good to stop climbing

and appreciate the view from right where you are."

"The biggest lie we're told is 'Be with someone who makes you happy.'

The truth is, happiness is something you create on your own.

Be with someone who adds to it."

 

Something is shining...

...inside of you.

'And despite what you may be telling yourself,

you probably already know what it is.'

Simply let the light within you shine in the things you do.

It will breathe new life into you.

Live with your soul wide open.

notes...

look within

you may be quite surprised

by all those many good qualities

tucked away under those layers

great things take bravery

think about your dream

take the doubts and fears &

breathe courage into them

make time alone with God a priority

it affects & influences every single

aspect of your life

live in that sense of awe at the 

infinite possibilities that are 

right within you and all around you

the direction you go with your gifts won't matter

as much as the fact that you went

you moved

you saw a need and you did what

you could to meet it

let the real version of you authentically show up

& you will experience a new take on your life

and the lives of those around you

keep your belief in limitless possibilities

keep a positive mind-set

strong and unwavering

affirm the good until it sinks in and feels real

do something beautiful with your life

be well...

xoxo

💖

"The two most important days in your life

are the day you are born

and the day you find out why."

~Mark Twain~

"If I knew what I was really like,

chances are I'd like myself much better 

than I do."

"We're all deeply flawed & even

more deeply Loved by God."

Relinquishing control...

 ...may feel like you are giving up something valuable,

in reality you're letting go of striving,

which frustrates you more than it helps you.

notes...

the female cardinal (alias Mrs. Stanley) sat looking in the kitchen window

as we made our coffee and tea

we loved our morning at the beach so much

 that we decided to start our day there again.

My thermos tipped in the 

picnic basket, and everything sat in a puddle of coffee. 

Barely a cup was left.

I decided it would be enough, 

and taking in the moment was more...

the blue heron squawked 

& I savored that 1/2 cup of coffee

We came home to watch Charles Stanley's sermon

and Mrs. Stanley was outside our window

singing and dancing in the tree

(really a bush....but...you know...)

endeavor to celebrate your relationship with God

learn to walk consistently in the present

be patient

weigh the alternatives

make sure you make a wise choice

your mind is so strong & powerful

it can tell you you're inadequate

and limited

& it can help you to overcome obstacles

and position you to become what you envision

most thinking is 

recycled opinion

it's not really thinking at all

listen to the still small voice leading and 

guiding

and comforting you

not the voice of the world

expand your awareness

and see the way God sees things

and your part in it

do a check-in with your motivations

every so often

loosen up

you don't need to be uptight

when you are on edge it affects others too

you get to decide what part you are going to play

regardless of what your life looks like at this very moment

abundance is always available

drop your limiting beliefs

do your best for the moment

and then let it go

striving for excellence is a positive quality

striving for perfection is self-defeating

contribute to the world by making life easier,

happier, more beautiful, more fun, 

more interesting, more thoughtful, more loving

empower & compliment yourself

it will not make you lazy

it will nurture you

and enable you to give, do, and be your best

whatever you do 

bring something good to life

be well...

xoxo

💖

sign of a female cardinal ...

nurturing and care

good news & hope

brighter days ahead

turning dreams into reality

patience 

endurance 

emotional stability

"As a general rule,

your life story is more interesting,

the longer you can postpone the living

happily ever after."

"Somewhere amid life's endless distractions lies it's purpose,

each of us deciding for ourselves

which distraction it is."

Through everything...

...that did or did not happen...

the pieces still come together.

notes...

cont...the feeder was on the ground,

the food was gone from the trap

 door shut

nothing

bringing the feeders in tonight

a friend drove by as Hubby was leaving

for work 

her energetic wave

a cheerful greeting

followed by her signature giggle

it made me giggle too

 trimming around the wildflowers

a truck pulls up to the edge of the yard

some of my rambunctious buddies

with their human uber

 start hollering out the window

what a fantastic surprise

a little whimsy to start my day...

this breeze has been a godsend

meditate on His love

when the mind is no longer grasping for an answer

space opens

ask for wisdom rather than direction

what seemed a hinderance

proves to be a gift

if you only do what you're familiar with

you might miss what you've been made for

don't get so comfortable where you are

that you miss where God wants to take you

trust the process

offer your moments to Him

sincerely and consistently

the fear of God 

is being terrified of ever being outside His protection

it works for you not against you

you don't have to fear when you know

whom your trusting in

breathe deep

a new day is calling you into the light...

where old ways of thinking are made right

focus on life's blessings

rather than it's shortcomings

where you point the focus of your attention

is purely a matter of choice

'the more things you appreciate today

the more things you'll notice tomorrow to

be grateful for'

decide to be a grateful human

or not to be

your choice

'tiny tweaks add

up to big changes'

be well...

xoxo

💝

"I'm accused of favoring dogs over people

when in fact I favor

whoever comes running when I whistle."

"What if you eliminated all the faults in your character

only to discover

that the faults were the only character you had?"

"Ah, happiness, lying unnoticed beneath

the business of the moment,

revealing itself only to the quiet

of our recollection."

 

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."

 

Wake up...

...and seize the day.

You can make today whatever

you want it to be.

notes...

I was getting ready to mow the yard this morning.

The forecast said "rainy days ahead".

Plot twist.

I grabbed my camera and headed to the zoo instead.

The yard could wait.

There was time for both.

follow the steps as they appear

you will be shown the way

there is a time to wait 

and a time to act

let go of old beliefs and messages

that drive you into the crazies

give yourself permission to be who you are

and do it the way you do it

express yourself in your own unique way

practice bringing harmony into your life

inspiration isn't about 

what you're gathering together

and putting out

inspiration is about what you're

taking in

breathe deep

 and take in the world around you

open yourself up to it all

be well

xoxo

💝

"It is said that not all who wander are lost,

which has always struck me as not

getting the most out of wandering."

"Every day spent happily striving toward

some elusive goal

is to achieve the real goal,

which is to spend our days happily."

Today's to do list....

....sit in the grass with my coffee & journal

Ride my bike on the lake trails,

 & capture a moment or two

along the way.

Breathe deep. Move.

Feed my soul.

notes...

LOVE it ! What a gorgeous day!!

I'm taking my bike out.

...she was rowing by and I asked her if I could

take her picture. 

She said I could. 

It makes me smile.

I got everything loaded to leave the trail.

Grabbed my phone, water, and camera.

Shut the hatch back.

Locked myself out.

(keys in backpack with bike)

Had the code on my phone,

but no glasses to see it..

couldn't expand it...

so I zoomed in with my camera.

More rain coming....

💞

practice being spontaneous

there's no such thing as

what you "should"  be doing

do something fun

life is a gift

claim it

live it

love just being

have fun

be happy

be well...

xoxo

💝

"The trick is to enjoy your life.

Don't waste away your days,

waiting for better ones ahead."

"You owe yourself one hour a day for self-

maintenance,

It can include reading, writing, yoga, exercise,

dancing, meditation, painting, or whatever,

but you owe it to yourself.

One hour, 1/24 of your day.

That is less than 5%.

It matters, it really does.

Make it count."

 

While he...

mows the yard before dinner,

I grab my camera and retreat to the porch

where I capture some little slices of moments to keep.

notes...

everything works out in it's own time

each day is a blessing

and it's up to you

to make it lovely

what happens to you in life

is not nearly as important 

as the choices you make

you make your choices

and your choices make you

the rest of your life

can become the best of your life

be well...

xoxo

💝

"When things change inside you,

things change around you."

" A lot of things broke my heart

but fixed my vision."

~unknown~

"We can't always choose the music life plays for us,

but we can choose how we dance to it."

~unknown~

 

Refuse to walk...

...blindly through life.

View your personal reality

as an artist

with an eye for beauty and balance.

notes...

I provided a camera for Price

we had fun

I could feel my face hurt from laughing 

movie Hoppers reminds me of me

there were moments that Price would say

 "Robin"

it was sweet

💗

Relax- body, mind, and soul

trusting and thanking God

let  your gentleness be evident to all

if you want to soar

take your eyes off of what 

everyone else is doing

rid your heart of entanglements

throw off encumbrances

enjoy your journey

test your priorities

what is important to you

don't get caught 

in your own trap

you'll be known for your opinions

you'll be remembered for your love

be determined to fulfill

the role of your best self

understand why you're doing 

what you're doing

find delight in it

gratitude is a state of being

it's about having awareness of

and a deep appreciation for

the many miracles in your life

gratitude strengthens your faith

having a strong faith is the key

to transforming your life

stop and notice all the things you

are grateful for

make it part of your routine

handle life well today

and trust you can do the same tomorrow

be well...

xoxo

💖

"So often people who have the same definition of fun

have the same definition of love."

"Faith is your best buddy

when your scared shitless."

"I have found that winning isn't everything,

and, in fact,

in the relationships I most care about,

it isn't anything."

 "It is one of the beautiful compensations

in this life that no one can

sincerely try to help another

without helping himself."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~