Cure yourself...

...'with the light of the sun and the rays

of the moon.

watching the lunar eclipse with Ang

With the sound of the river and the waterfall.

With the swaying of the sea and

the fluttering of birds.

Put love in tea instead of sugar

 and drink it looking at the stars.

Heal yourself with the kisses the wind 

gives you and the hugs of the rain.

Stand strong with your bare feet on the ground

and with everything that comes from it.

Get smarter every day by listening to your

intuition.

Jump, dance, sing, so that you live

happier.

Heal yourself, with beautiful love

and always remember you are medicine.'

notes...

grow strong in the light

as it shines upon you

you receive nutrients that enhance your 

growth and grace

take good care of yourself

time

in prayer & meditation

blesses you doubly

value the contribution of your life & 

the role you play

your are irreplaceable

this is your life

no rehearsals

no retakes

no delete button

realize how priceless you are

value yourself

you have been chosen to play

the lead role in your life

a mission that no one else

can accomplish

be well...

xoxo

💖

notes...on lunar eclipse...

marks a powerful point of release

soften your grip 

let the old dissolve

emotional clearing

make space for a life that feels more aligned

more honest

more true to the woman you are becoming

closing an old chapter for good

and opening a brand-new beginning.

 

Passion is the fuel...

 ... 'in the engine of your purpose.

It moves you in the direction your

best intentions want to go.'

It digs in for the long haul.

It's your " want to".

notes...

passion, self-sabotage, truth, accepting,

draw near, application, weak, becoming,

 continue, be,

character, mission, motivation, love,

 mind, body, soul, spirit,

daily word, step-by-step, presence,

encouragement, friends,

faith, everywhere, wherever, whoever,

 define, delight, attempts,

precious, able, recognize, unique, heart,

spiritual,

recovery, real, hope, belief, build on,

warps, perspective,

writhe, discomfort, sweet timing,

prayer, outward, upward ,God,

do better, work, true place....

a few of the words I circled in my journal this morning.

I called to touch base with my girlfriend,

she shared... 

"I woke up this morning,

and I just felt wrong."

It was so cute, honest and real,

it made me laugh.

Then she laughed too.

she added...

"If I don't get this straightened out,

I'm going to have 

a whole

 bad day."

and we laughed some more.

Lately, I'm acutely aware that I've been dragging my

 feet on a path that is etched in my own heart.

Today I'm motivated and encouraged to

step up

set new intentions, 

and tweak my priorities.

Learn to enjoy life more

savor every blessing

ground yourself in faith and prayer

accept yourself and the choices you've made

get together with friends for prayer and encouragement

you don't need permission to spread love

you don't need an invitation to live your faith

there is a place for everyone-

a unique

special

place

your need for God's grace is 

a passion enhancer

hold out your hands in thankfulness and gratitude

for His faithfulness and goodness

stop trying to "fix" 

and "figure"

everything

it's up to you to find your true place

no matter how difficult it may be

when you arrive

you will know it

be well...

xoxo

💓

"If God had wanted a better me,

He would have created a better me,

which leads to the daunting possibility

that He did."

"For some this true place will shake the entire world.

For others it will soothe just one tiny home.

In either case,

the world will be left a better place."

special note:

Thank you for allowing me to share your words,

and for giving me a lift my dear friend...

xoxo💗

There is power...

....in experiencing the simplicity

of faith.

notes...

First words in my journal this morning

"I'm in severe need of a mind renewal"

Woman's conference this morning.

Yay.

Then...

 stomach ache, didn't register,

couldn't find my wedding ring...

pause. pray. breathe. 

determined to go

even if....

Have a heart overflowing with gratitude

cultivate a thankful mindset

He will open up the way for you

one step at a time

wait in expectation

waiting and trusting are ever so closely connected

don't be overly focused on getting the answers you seek

watch and wait

He is trying to take you to a place you 

can't go alone

surrender to His plan

and exercise your gifts

when your faith is stretched to the limit

& your dreams are shattered,

everything in you may be telling you to give up

don't

believe 

despite everything around you

when you experience a situation for 

which answers are lacking & there seems

to be no hope

your facing a test of faith

conference notes...

'once you've tasted the Lord

you can't go back'

~Sarah

'Do you want to ask me?

Or do you want to tell me you can't'

#prayer

~Sarah

"Pour out what you have...

pour out your light

& God pours into you."

~Sarah

"There's always miles you didn't see coming

Nobody can run the miles for you."

#triathalon

~Sarah

'We love even if it is never reciprocated.'

~Cassie

'Come and see a Man who meets you

right where you are

who wants to make your heart whole.'

~Sherice

'Healing and transformation began

after the woman stopped hiding.'

~Daphne

'Walls keep people out

keeps healing out

keeps God out.

~Daphne

"You can't heal what you won't reveal."

~Daphne

"Jesus knows the whole story

and He stays."

~Daphne

"He will cancel out all the

voices of your past."

~Donna

....and I was severely blessed

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Holding space for another person requires active

listening through presence and respect.

When people share their stories, 

they are inviting you in with a bid for connection.

Giving them the time and space to express

themselves is an offering and deep connections

are formed with each interaction.

We tend to get wrapped up in our own story

when we need to listen.

Try to really hear what they are saying and offer 

the empathy and love they are seeking.

Open your ears when others choose you

to open their hearts to."

 

Serendipity feels...

...like a big hug from the universe.

Timing is everything.

Celebrate these moments.

notes...

Rain showers on and off, all day in pj's,

The Story of David

popcorn and sloth mode with Angie.

the world is filled with beautiful things

go all out in love so if your understanding

of the truth changes

you're still good

a well nurtured soul

can actually improve your appearance

set your heart to listen

show up just

the way you are

be well...

xoxo

💝

"there is beauty in the mundane.

life doesn't have to be constantly

adventurous or exciting to fun or worth living,

there's beauty in spending a saturday baking

cookies and reading a good book.

there's beauty in taking a hot shower

after a hard day.

there's beauty in ordering pizza and watching

a movie with your best friend.

these things are just as worthwhile

as traveling the world

or skydiving.

you're allowed to appreciate

small joy, as well as big joy.

you'll be happier for it."

~unknown~

 

Spring cleaning....

...inside and out.

Throwing out. Tidying up.

Refreshing my surroundings

in every way.

weekend with Ang

It seems like no matter how much I clean and organize,

the clutter returns as if it has a mind of it's own.

It started to annoy me, clutter on the

outside, makes me feel edgy on the inside.

So this week I went Full Rambo on it.

It's so freeing.

I'm over the moon.

 Quite happy in my simple, open space.

Less is definitely more.

Notes:

being is more important than having

life is a gift to be shared

relationships are the school we learn in

assist and support each other

happiness joy and a sense of well-being

comes from within

you will never know your highest and best

unless you give your highest and best

you can't have what your unwilling to become

become the person you want to be

transformation isn't always pretty

the detoxification process is a way of life

release toxic thoughts, resentments, beliefs,

emotions...

choose to question your beliefs

rather than spend your life blindly playing victim

to the cranky old "truths" that no longer work for you

start with a clean slate every day

notice negative patterns

give yourself a course correction

come together to change,

create, play, grow,

become more yourself

be free

be well...

xoxo

💖

"Love in action has the kind of power 

many of us haven't tapped into yet."

"Being out in nature strips away many distractions

of our everyday life.

Adventuring outside resets our hearts & minds

individually and with one another."

'If you find your here and now intolerable &

it makes you unhappy-

you have three options:

Remove yourself from it.

Change it,

or

accept it totally.'

"Detox your timeline, your page, your home,

your refrigerator, your counters, your closet,

your ride, your phone, your life, and your mind."

"Don't believe everything you think."

 

Singer teachings...

never get old. 

The message he conveys...

 calls me out, & helps me see 

the error of my ways.

"The most precious thing in anyone's life is time.

What are you going to do with that time?"

"It doesn't matter how much time you have,

but what you are doing with your time."

"You can't take stuff from the outside &

make it good on the inside."

"Don't look outside for something that's inside.

Something outside is not going to fix your inside."

"There is a reason for everything that is."

"...you walked into a moment that has

nothing to do with you."

"Learn to use your will to put your

consciousness onto something healthy."

"Honor and respect the moment unfolding in 

front of you."

"You didn't create the moment

the moment created itself.

The moment you are seeing 

is a moment no one has ever seen before

and never will again.

This is your moment."

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Nothing makes you a good and decent person

like having friends who stubbornly

operate under that assumption."

"Do things while you can and while they matter to you

because neither is a permanent state of affairs."

"The reason life works at all

is because not everyone in your tribe

is nuts on the same day."

 

Friendship

Once upon a time, many years ago...on a cold winter day,

she woke up with a sudden urgency (huge nudge),

to get to the airport.

A bit confused, and somewhat anxious...

she started her morning off in the usual way.

Angie

She drove her kiddo to school, then returned home with her unshakable nudge.

She decided to follow the nudge, but felt very freaked out by the random weirdness

of it all...

so she called her "Barbara Mama".

Barbara Mama had taken her under her wings over the years,

and had become her spiritual warrior.

Mama spoke in a comforting voice, and kind words, & then prayed with her.

She then encouraged her to get ready, and head to the airport.

"Don't ignore this. Just go! You'll know when you know."

Following Mama's suggestion, she wiped away her tears, pulled herself together, 

and headed out for her one hour commute.

She pulled into short term parking, her heart pounding in her ears.

*deep breath*

She made her way into the lobby. Totally awkward & directionless...but

curious. She visited the airline counters and picked up a few applications

at the rental car counters. 

That didn't satisfy the nudge.

 She was missing something.

So she found a bench, and decided to sit for a while and just be.

She heard laughter, and looked across the hall into

the gift shop. Miss J, and Miss R, were working,

and looked to be having fun.

That seemed to draw her attention and pull her right into the 

shop to ask if they were hiring.

Jokingly they made a few comments, 

and then disappeared to grab an application.

She filled it out and gave it back.

After a few more synchronous events...

a week went by, and she was asked to join the team.

One day her manager told her she was going to meet

another co-worker.

"You are a toned down version of her"

he said.

"I think you two will hit it off nicely"

They did hit it off, & discovered they had much in common,

  a love for twinkle lights, nature

and all things cozy.

And, both of them lived far from their families.

One's from the East, one's from the West.

They bonded instantly,

 becoming sisters.

The girl loved working at the gift shop, and the people she met,

 but the commute was long, 

and the hours were wonky. 

She wanted to be closer to home.

So after a year she closed the giftshop for her last time,

and stepped into her new chapter as a fitness instructor.

As for her sister?

She continues to plan weekend stays.

They spend all day in sweats, one sips coffee, the other, hot tea,

and they cackle like chickens when they laugh.

They talk...and talk...

and talk...

and hug when they cry.

Then...

cackle some more.

They never ignore the power of the nudge...

for now they know the reason why.

be well...

xoxo

💝

 "Gratitude is a way of being."

"People who are living life in balance...

tend to be more often at the right place

at the right time."

"I think people really underestimate

how attractive it is to be passionate and real

instead of trying to be everyone's cup of tea."

"When 'I' becomes 'We', even

illness becomes wellness.

Kindness is medicine.

Friendship is medicine.

Connection is medicine.

Reaching out is medicine."

~Dr. Will Cole~

January 10, 2026

The aroma of fresh coffee before that first sip.

The song and dance Polly goes through before

finally finding a place to settle down on my lap.

The lightness in my soul after an evening 

spent with an old friend to share our struggles, dreams,

and our faith paired with pizza, and pup cuddles.

My kiddo's thoughtfulness, random texts, and charming sense of humor.

The way the sunrays shine through the window and warm my skin

on a cold morning.

The letter that formed in my

journal notes this morning.

I may not always know where I'm going -

but today I sense that I'm 

heading in the right direction.

Dear beloved,

The more you trust Me, 

the more I empower you to do so,

Trust me here and now. You are in vigorous training-

on an adventurous trail designed for you alone.

I am doing things you can't understand.

Trust Me.

Cling to My hand as you follow this trail

of shadowy darkness.

Find hope in Me beloved, for I am taking care of you.

Focus on enjoying Me and all that I am to you-

even though your circumstances scream for resolution.

Refuse to obsess about your problems, &

how you are going to fix them.

Affirm your trust in Me, wait hopefully in My

Presence and watch to see what I will do.

I always know what is in your best interest & act accordingly.

Regardless of what your circumstances look like,

I know how to turn them for your good.

I am aware of everything influencing the situation

as well as all the potential consequences for you and others.

I alone comprehend the totality of every decision.

Stay in continual fellowship with Me.

You may not know what to do today,

but I do - perfectly.

Seek Me and pay attention to what I am teaching you.

I am faithful to lead you in the way you should go.

I have plans for you that are good and lasting and important.

Work with what you have - 

not what you wish you had.

Times of desperation often lead to great revelations

if you make the choice to be open and look for them.

Invite Me to build something beautiful and lasting.

Participate in life to the best of your ability.

Relax. Your best is good enough.

~Jesus~

be well...

xoxo

💝

"A spiritual journey truly is unlearning fear &

remembering love."

~Gabby Bernstein~

"What you think 

becomes what you believe.

What you believe

determines how you behave.

How you behave determines 

what you experience."

"You are today where your thoughts have brought you;

you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you."

~James Allen~

Bake Me Happy

 Historical downtown at night.

Christmas lights reflecting in windows and on rain-slicked sidewalks.

Drops falling as I stroll under a nature-print umbrella.

A gift from my kiddo. 

 Ducking into the warmly lit eatery for a baking class.

Sipping spiced chai as we wait to begin.

my first loaf of sourdough💞

A girlfriend walks in.

A surprise for us both.

A few women and an older man.

Uniting around a sizeable butcher block table,

mingling in black, flour-dusted aprons and super-sticky hands.

Story telling, laughter, and learning.

Stretching, folding and proofing our dough.

A freshly baked loaf and rolls to go.

I've been wanting to make my own sourdough.

Half to keep and half to give away.

I am making another loaf today.

be well...

xoxo

💖

" Fikabröd 

are the freshly baked goods

that accompany coffee."

"Who needs therapy

 when you've got floury hands and a warm loaf? "

"Behind every great sourdough

is a messy kitchen and a happy baker."

"What begins as flour and water

becomes nourishment through love and time."

 

 

November 5, 2024

Today the constant swirl of to do's seem to be fading away,

leaving some space for dreams, and creativity.

I have been enjoying some quiet rainy days at home,

reflecting, unpacking and just putzing around the house.

Twinkle lights, candles, books and a cat on my lap.

 Hygge mode.

Today I am thankful for:

Hubby coming by to pick me up so we could go

vote together

My dad. Today is his birthday.💖

Long catch up phone chats with my girlfriends.

It was good to hear their voices after 3 weeks.

The sun peeking out from the clouds, 

and a walk in the woods by the lake.

Hubby picking up Mexican carry out for dinner.

Graduating as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach.💞

Finding a quote that I wrote down  from the movie "Dog Gone"

(Netflix)

"You live in a bubble,

eventually you suffocate."

My favorite journal takeaway for today:

Avoid the temptation to doubt yourself.

Be willing to go for what you know, when you know it, 

with or without the company of others.

Happy voting !

xoxo

💗

 

November 2, 2024

I woke up feeling refreshed and happy this morning.

 It felt good to get the house spruced up yesterday. 

If felt a little stale and stuffy when I returned home

after being away for two weeks.

It's overcast and breezy today. We've got storms moving in.

Otis just let out a howl.  It makes me smile.

He's our neighbors hound dog, and I just love the big ol' goofy guy.

I just noticed the message on the label dangling out of my mug of tea,

and it reminded me of a moment from back home. 

My childhood friend and I went on a little outing,

had lunch at a quaint little bistro, and then an afternoon walk to

 soak up the gorgeous day, & our rapidly dwindling time together.

"We are all fabulous in our own way."

~tea tag~

We thought she was a hip older woman.

When we reached her, she turned out to be really hip young woman. 

We appreciated her and send her much love. 💗

Here are a few top picks on things that I am so grateful for this morning:

3 apple cider donuts (from Taft Farms) 

that I carefully packed away in my carry on traveled well.

Having a coffee & donut moment with hubby.

Sharing a special treat with the taste from home,

and the cozy memory of my Dad and I having our first cup of coffee & a cider donut 

the morning I left.

Wildflowers still blooming in my garden,

and vases of freshly picked blooms brightening up my windowsill.

Wearing the same hoodie I wore on the chilly mornings back home,

and feeling comforted.

Waking up to cloud dappled sky, in blues, pinks and greys,

and the chance of a storm moving in.

Feeling so much love for & from my family and friends. 

And (now that she's over being mad that I left) Polly too.

And my favorite takeaway from my journal this morning:

"You are not bouncing haphazardly through time and space.

Invite Me into your decisions. I know how to get  you where you want to go.

"The greatest service you can offer to Me, yourself & the energy

of the universe is a blessing."

~God~

Sending you blessings.

Be well.

xoxo

💝

 

Between Friends

I unearthed an old sketchbook/ journal today.

I remember the day I copied this text off of my phone,

it was from my best friend.

I still remember the day.

I believe it was the start of a new level of healing.

We're still healing together.

It was dated 2-5-14.

Ang: Hi sister! Thinking about you! Checking to see

how you are? Love you! XOXO

Me:  Awww! Love you so much ! How did you know?

I am doing better now...

(sent a pic. of kleenex scattered, devotionals, and my

journal.)

Had a come to Jesus this morning.

I gave him some more "stuff".

I honestly want to let go of it...but it keeps multiplying.

Eventually I will flush it out.

How are you?

I was thinking about you last night.

I am so thankful you're my sister.

I adore you ! XOXO

Ang: It keeps multiplying because you are actually

dealing with it.

When we stop hiding and burying our shadows &

bring them into the light to be seen through &

healed, it sometimes seems like we aren't getting

anywhere.

Just remember you've been burying stuff since you were

a child, and so it's like an onion...

peel one layer off and lo & behold there's another

layer, and another...

But eventually we come to the center of our

Brilliant, Beautiful, Amazing, Authentic self, 

and we see the point of it all.

Even now we have moments,

and even sometimes mornings or afternoons or days of clarity,

and being centered.

Remember this is not a destination but rather an

exciting, joyous, loving, magnificent, & sometimes challenging,

eternal journey.

We are on a GRAND adventure!

You are doing and being exactly who,

what, and where you need to be right now.

You are surrounded by love and light.

That is your true identity.

And when you feel less than love filled,

just remember that at that moment,

you are just playing dress up and it's just a game...

an activity you made up to hide your true identity while you play

this particular game we call life.

It's all good my powerful, amazing, loving, kind sister!

It's all good !

I love you!!

*mwahhhh*

xoxo

💝