A great lesson....

.... to learn is to soften during difficult times.

Times where we might rather shut down

and throw up our protective walls.

'When we open up, soften, and allow things to flow,

it provides opportunity to grow into our fullest potential

allowing amazing things to happen.

notes...

...laying down on the yoga mat draws the cat to my chest like a magnet 

she tries to shift with the all the changes

& sometimes she tries to hang on...

Chatting with a classmate/friend this morning

 we met during our coach training

 at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

she says...

"We've been on the phone for an hour and 45 min."

 

it's been a while...

we go to hang up

but we continue...

it's cooler this morning

 I caught a mosquito with tweezers

to feed a spider

 & my coffee tastes amazing

~

there are always challenges

you make the choice of whether you 

want to shut down or grow

frustration is your teacher

listen to what it has to say

about your beliefs

you may have to stretch a bit

face every situation with faith

not fear

get a bigger perspective

if you live for the approval of others

you will die by their disapproval

stay focused on your purpose

not your problem

life is meant to be fully lived

approach it with full involvement

understand timing on every detail

in your life

know when to speed up and when to slow down

remember God can bring good out of anything

He knows how to make the most of your life

more than you do

relax

He doesn't ask you do to anything

without providing you the power to do it

be kinder to yourself 

and to others

experience tenderness for who you are

be softer

be willing to love more today than you did yesterday

be well...

xoxo

💖

"When you blame and criticize others,

you are avoiding some truth about yourself."

"Beware of the half truth.

You may have gotten hold

of the wrong half."

"You gotta look for the good in the bad,

the happy in the sad, the gain in your pain,

and what makes you grateful not hateful."

 

Slow down...

...your mind.

Sit and listen.

notes...

'Look for God in the change that you are going through.

You can find the face of Jesus anywhere if you look close enough.

Don't seek the comfort.

Listen for God's whisper.

He speaks to those that take the time to listen.

Don't ask why, but what.

Every situation is an education.

You'll grow better or you'll grow bitter depending on your response.

Don't focus on  the circumstance, focus on your character.

Don't focus on the problem, focus on your personality.

Don't focus on what's going on around you,

 focus on what God wants to do in you.

Some things you only learn through difficulty.

Expect opposition.

Learn contentment.

Contentment and character is something you learn.

Give thanks IN all circumstances, 

not FOR all circumstances.

Focus on what never changes.

Don't face change alone.

Trust Him in the situations you don't understand.

God did not bring you this far just to leave you where you are.'

be well...

xoxo

💖

 

Learn the magical...

...lesson that making the most

of what you have

turns it into more.

notes...

cool windy morning

wrapped in a shawl and

spiced chai lattes from our favorite coffee shop

dress shopping today

gratitude  unlocks the fullness of life

it turns what you have into enough

gratitude provides a helpful

framework for the things

that concern you

gratitude brings peace for the day

and creates vision for tomorrow

it makes things right

reflect back and grab important 

lessons from the past

in order to make better

decisions going forward

flying through life on autopilot

can deprive you of joy

carve out time to evaluate

the quality of your decisions

and direction in your life

reflect on things that are working well

in your life

honestly assess where you're 

missing the mark

modify your strategy

pause and reflect on the person 

you are becoming

become more tuned in to how

you are actually living your life

be well...

xoxo

💞

"The unexamined life 

is not worth living."

~Socrates

"The unplanned life 

is not worth examining."

~Aristotle

"We ought not to look back,

unless it is to derive useful lessons

from past errors, & for the

purpose of profiting by dear bought

experiences."

~George Washington

 

Don't let failure...

 ....be final.

                                                                            notes...

my girlfriend was bullying me in my home

so I grabbed my purse and left.

It was almost dark & my emotions were over the moon

as I climbed into the John Deer tractor to drive away...

...then I woke up.

Stepped out into the dark morning to feed the birds,

 sunk my feet into the 

rain soaked grass and thought about trying to drive a

tractor as a get-away rig, and laughed out loud.

...tearing down the walls of control

building the walls of faith...

trusting the creator.

relinquish your desire for control

it's scary to let go

but walk in faith with God

& He promises to support 

you every step of the way

release your need to direct circumstances

trust

all you need to do is believe

and receive

when things are difficult

those are the moments

you find out whether you

really trust that God knows best

to feel safely rooted 

no matter what you encounter

be honest with yourself

by admitting how you feel

part of pain's roll is to make you

more honest with yourself

about the things

you can't control

it helps you become more open

and receptive

truth can be discovered once you

stop fighting against the natural forces

God is the best teacher

the more you turn things over to Him

the better it goes

your answers are inside you

you make your future anew every day

life is a mix of fate & free will

with a dash of mystery

"When you knock, ask to see God...

not any of the self-appointed intermediaries."

~Thoreau~

be well...

xoxo

💖

'At age 7 his family was forced out of

their home, and he had to go to work

to help support the family.

At age 9, he's still a shy little boy,

and his mother dies.

At age 22 he lost his job as a store clerk.

He wanted to go to law school but,

 his education wasn't good enough.

At age 23 he went into debt

to become a partner in a small store.

Three years later his partner died,

leaving him a huge debt which took years

to repay.

At age 28 after dating a young woman

for four solid years, he asked her to marry him

and she said "no".

In his 30's he ran for public office and he lost.

A couple years later he ran again, and he lost again.

At 37 years of age it was his third attempt to 

run for office, and he finally got elected to congress.

But two years later when he ran for re-election 

he lost.

 He had a nervous breakdown as a result.

At 41, (in an unhappy marriage) his four year old

son dies.

At 42 he ran to be elected as the land officer

and he lost.

At 45 he ran for the senate,

and he lost.

A few years later he ran for vise presidency 

and he lost again.

At 49, he ran for the senate and lost again.

At 51, he was elected President of the United States.'

His name....

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Abraham Lincoln

our 16th President

💞

To celebrate...

...is to delight in the gift

and to show gratitude.

Celebrate the lessons from the past

and the love.

Enjoy the beauty.

Celebrate all that is your life

 and all that is good.

Celebrate you!

notes...

We celebrated America's 250th

and our 11th Anniversary.

We kept it relaxing & simple.

The clouds have been so gorgeous lately.

Summer is flying by....

"....It has been and exciting 11+ years.

The next 11 will be even better....."

~Hubby

you do not have to try harder,

be better,

be perfect, 

or be anything you're not.

Your beauty is in you,

just as you are,

each moment.

be thankful on a daily basis

love the people around you

connect to the truth of your own heart

make inspired heartfelt choices rooted in love

not fear

true belief is more than something we say

it's a path we follow

write your own love story

move toward what you want to experience

say yes to the right things

and no to the wrong things

back off and look at the way you

have been thinking about your life

create space for the light to get through

do your best at whatever is before you

you feel what you dwell on

whatever holds your attention

molds your intention

when you go negative

you cannot produce anything positive

fix your mind on blessings

be well...

xoxo

💖

"Some things take longer than others.

The end goal may not be the reward;

perhaps the process is.

We can learn many lessons along the way.

Growth, insight, and perseverance are some

of the results we can see

throughout the process.

If something is taking longer than 

expected, stop and reflect on what you

stand to gain during the wait.

Be patient and thankful, even if it 

seems though.

Transitions generate discomfort and help

us achieve a new 

level of comfort."

 

Greatness is...

...not about accomplishing

some great achievement,

but realizing that presence alone...

has a purpose.

The lessons are right where you stand.

Be still and inhale what you can see,

there is greatness in every day.

notes...

"...all you have to do

is put your dream out there..."

~SH~

live by faith

you don't have to earn love

or try harder

don't hide your heart

the best way to do life is together

find people to draw close to

you can encounter greatness

right where you are

you are only a part of a

bigger picture

be well...

xoxo

💖

"But I can promise you,

as long as your heart is beating,

you are meant to be

on this earth, and you have more love

to give, and there is more love

to be given to you."

"As soon as you honor the present moment,

all unhappiness and struggle dissolve,

and life begins to flow with joy and ease.

When you act out of the present moment

awareness, whatever you do

becomes imbued with a sense of

quality, care , and love-

even the simplest action."

 

Chin up Buttercup...

...a memory from my childhood.

Plucking the yellow flower to place under our 

chins to determine whether 

we loved butter or not.

We all did.

It's the nature of the flower to reflect.

I picked a handful in the pasture while hubby 

 did his farm chores.

I wanted to find out more about this little yellow flower...

Meadow Buttercup

symbolizes joy, cheerfulness, childhood innocence,

happiness, and humility.

Humility...

it's a word I have bonded with this last 3 months.

I have been vague writing about my latest health

concerns, but it was so unexpected,

and as I was walking into the unknowns...

I thought it best to take it as it unfolded,

lean into my faith, and pray for the mindset

to trust God with my fears and concerns 

no matter how scared as I was.

Few knew more.

 I was in good hands.

A brief timeline...

 started with trigger fingers in my hands

x-rays

referral to get an MRI on cervical spine

 & referral to an orthopedic surgeon

in waiting....

suspect a UTI 

call my obgyn

get tested

confirmed

start antibiotics 

day before ortho visit

3 injections in 3 fingers at ortho

next day get a call from obgyn

rare UTI not treatable with oral antibiotic 

 referral to Infusion center,

 & Infectious disease Dr.

& for a C-scan to check my bladder, kidneys and stomach

infusion center very next day

2 shots of high dose anti's (one in each arm) for 5 days.

follow up at infectious disease...

explanations...about UTI & that

future UTI's (thankfully not common for me... )

may likely be treated the same way

released

C-scan with contrast

all is well in area of concern,

however

 obgyn is concerned with bowel

she discusses it with  Gastro Dr. 

(who I have been to)

he wants to examine...

better to be safe

pull in the driveway for this appt. and get a call

he's been called to OR

a brief moment of "NO....!!!"

redeemed by the thought ..."someone needs him worse than I do"...

a little conversation with God ...

"this is Yours."

I trust Him.

 At this point I know He is in control...

&

I have learned that I am DEFINITELY NOT!

 I breathe...

 then carry on...

wait on hold to reschedule...

drive towards plan B, to get groceries in the meantime...

"can you come in an hour if he's back from OR ?"

"Of course. Sign me up"

*thinking of it as a little cliff hanger

as I've come to the final Dr. on this seemingly long list.

Uncertainty mixed with relief.

Dr. shows up.

I show up. 

We talk, he's thorough, reassuring and fun.

His nurse is too.

We find the humor in the situation,

and we all giggle through the exam.

And I loved them for it.

And..

I am okay.

It's stressful facing the unexpected and the unknowns,

and I will forever be learning how let go & to walk with trust.

Life keeps twisting and turning to make sure of it.

Truth is, this hit me in the place I thought I had under control.

It has been a humbling and teachable experience for me.

I am not in control,

but I know who is,

I close my eyes and whisper "thank You!",

and all is well.

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Whenever you meet a ghost, don't run away,

because the ghost will capture the 

substance of your fear and materialize

itself out of your own substance...

it will take over all your own vitality...

so then, whenever confronted with a ghost,

walk straight into it and it will disappear."

~Allan Watts~

"The more you push against the things,

people and experiences you find unpleasant,

the more exhausted you will get and

the unhappier you will become."

"If the challenges of life waited for you 

to be ready for them,

they wouldn't,

of course,

be called challenges."

 

Love bits...

 

"Every single person deserves a love that expands them.

A love that nourishes them.

A love that never asks them to betray

who they truly are."

"You are enough. You are worthy.

Love should never be a battlefield

or a sacrifice."

"Stop settling for the minimum

and start choosing what truly aligns with your soul."

"Personal growth is a lifelong journey.

There will always be shadows to face.

Wounds to heal.

Beliefs to challenge.

But every step you take toward your truth

is a step toward a fuller, freer, more aligned life."

Notes to self:

Epiphany- a sudden grasp of the essential nature of something.

A profound moment of understanding, realization, or 

flash of insight that changes one's perspective.

Coming to my senses.

Clearly showing the madness of of trying to solve

things on my own.

Savoring these epiphany moments.

...one day at a time...

all is well.

be well...

xoxo

💝

"I asked, 'How can anyone who really knows me ever love me?'

only to discover that it was the only way anyone would."

"Let yourself disappoint people,

especially if you need to take care

of your mind because your

intuition is telling you that 

what they want does not align 

with who you are becoming,

betraying yourself is not virtuous.

Remember no one can feel your heart

better than you can."

~Yung Pueblo~

Everything I know...

I have learned from being directionally challenged.

 Remain calm.

There's always another way.

Pay attention.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Be present.

Avoid being distracted.

Take it slow...and go with the flow.

Trust your instincts.

Watch for obstacles.

Don't spend too much time looking in the rearview.

Move forward. Back up when necessary.

Make sure your tank is full.

Keep your vehicle maintained and repaired.

Have essentials on hand...tissue, wipes, water and a healthy snack.

Rest if your tired, or weary.

Stretch.

Always have a blanket and a poncho or umbrella or both for protection.

Have a bag or two....to collect snacks, nature, trash, or gifts along the way.

Take a time out. Enjoy where you are....

and the moment you're in. 

(sit in the grass, people watch, read the signs,

take pictures, freshen up. Recalibrate.)

If  you start to become stressed, shake it off, turn up the tunes & sing,

 turn off the tunes and pray. Always breathe...

ask for help, and trust in your GPS. 

Even if it doesn't make sense.

Life is fleeting...cherish the moments along the way, even if your lost.

Do your best & enjoy the ride.

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Life is an exercise in the pursuit of happiness,

the actual experience of happiness confined to brief pauses in 

the pursuit..."

"Perception is a clash of mind and eye,

the eye believing what it sees,

the mind seeing what it believes.."

" A life of contentment abounds with gratitude.

When you feel that things aren't the way they should be,

find the things that are. 

Shift your attention to the positive aspects of life

to cultivate a content heart.

When contentment grows, our perception of reality

changes and things that used to bother us

don't hold much power.

Our minds are powerful, and if we focus

our attention on gratitude and positive thoughts,

contentment is a result.

What are you grateful for today?"

~Sunrise Gratitude~

December 7, 2025

Sitting in the pasture giving Blondie some cuddles, then here comes baby.

 Mama-angus-cow #5 moseys on over next...

then soon, mama-red-white-faced-cow #55 

joins our huddle.

Their interest piqued by me sitting in the grass...

my interest piqued by their floppy ear tags flashing fives.

Of course, 

I looked it up as soon as hubby and I got back

to the pickup.

Number 5...

'means big changes and perhaps a period

of self-discovery and renewed personal freedom is coming your way.

You need to be strong and accept these changes with positive energy

rather than fear because ultimately these lessons will set 

you on a path that's meant to be.'

'encourages you to hold firm when it comes to self-belief,

freedom, and carving out your own journey in life.'

be well...

xoxo

💞

"Building trust from the inside out,

self-knowledge frees you from the prison

of self-absorption and the pain of constant self-questioning.

It lets you rest on solid ground."

...."Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less that the trees

and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you

conceive him to be,

and whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy

confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham drudgery and broken dreams;

it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

~Max Ehrmann  1927~

 

Notes on Consciousness

Maneuvering through the morning slowly,

enjoying small sips of coffee, wrapped in a quilt outside.

It's overcast, and cool.

 Still.

 Peaceful.

The porch decorated in chalk dust and graffiti from last

nights "lets-go-draw-on-the-porch" moment.

Bundling into sweatpants, hoodies and grabbing quilts to wrap in.

Twinkle lights and moonlight.

Goofiness and laughter.

Simple joys with my grand-girl.

I'm re-visiting some books I read before my coaching course.

Before I went on my own journey of being coached.

I had a twinge of "before and after" ,

and a prayerful celebration of the 

things I've left behind.

Sharing this out of the book:

Letting Go

The Pathway of Surrender

by David R. Hawkins M.D. Ph.D.

3years ago...a special friend/teacher/guide shared this book with me. 

Sometimes we just need the right information to

tug at our truth, and help us to see more clearly.

We don't know, until we know.

" Apathy and depression are prices we pay for having settled for 

and bought into our smallness.

It's what we get for having played the victim & allowed ourselves to be programmed.

It's the price we pay for having bought into negativity.

It's what results from resisting the part of ourselves that is loving,

courageous, and great.

It results from allowing ourselves to be invalidated by ourselves or others;

it is the consequence of holding ourselves in a negative context.

In reality, it is only a definition of ourselves that we have unwittingly

allowed to happen. 

The way out is to become more conscious."

"What does it mean to become 'more conscious' ?

To begin with, becoming more conscious means to 

start looking for the truth for ourselves, instead of blindly

allowing ourselves to be programmed,

whether from without or by an inner voice within the mind,

which seeks to diminish and invalidate,

focusing on all that is weak and helpless.

To get out of it, we have to accept the responsibility that

we have bought into the negativity and have been willing to believe it.

The way out of this, then, is to start questioning everything."

"As we become more aware, we begin to realize that we have a choice.

We can stop giving authority to all the mind's thoughts,

begin to question them, and find out if there is really any truth in them

for ourselves."

(great book if this interests you)

Journal notes:

"You are not alone; there is a great big world out there

waiting to champion you and help you live your very best life."

'The root cause of hesitancy is due to how you feel about yourself.

Remember who you are.

You have all you need to achieve every goal before you.

You don't have to fear.

You can do this.

Stop wrestling with your anxieties and get the job done.

Begin living your life with joy, and assurance of God's 

unlimited resources.'

You are free to live your honest story in the way it was meant to be written.

"We are defined by the narrative we write for ourselves every day."

Talk to yourself with love.

Your main work is to clear out debris and clutter,

making room for your Spirit.

Release and receive.

Go through your days distracted by everything going on around you,

or live fully engaged, and look for the beauty in life.

"You get what you repeat."

...finally she decided to stop suppressing her true nature.

be well...

xoxo

💗

"If you call forth what is in you,

it will save you.

If you do not call forth what is in you,

it will destroy you."

~Gospel of Saint Thomas~

"I never wanted to be the best.

I just wanted to be the best damn me."

~Lily Tomlin~