What is desirable...

...in a man is kindness.

notes...

are you a kind person?

friendly, generous, patient, easy going,

warm-hearted, thoughtful, and fun to be with?

be kind to one another

put on a heart of kindness

it's our responsibility

kindness is a fruit of the Spirit

kindness is a natural, normal trait of 

a believer

sensitive to someone who needs kindness

there is no reason not to be kind

kindness is strong

God is always kind

God rewards you for your kindness

an act of kindness is the strongest defense you

can have

you can't fight kindness

pardons, provides, protects

every answered prayer is an act of  pure kindness..

it may not fall under your category of kindness

He loves expressing kindness

kindness involves truthfulness

discipline, instruction, love, gentleness

kindness....

His presence with you

never leave you or forsake you

it's feel-able

don't let kindness and truth leave you

it's our responsibility to practice kindness

it doesn't always come easy

experience kindness

kindness is close to the top

kindness can change your family

your friendships

it only takes one person

it is a gift...

we are the channels

do the thing that is proper

kindness changes everything

express kindness

be well...

xoxo

💝

"You can disagree with someone and still be kind."

~unknown~

"Some of you are unaware of just how amazing you really are.

The way you make people laugh, lift others up,

or spread some extra love.

You do this even though you are struggling too,

and I think it makes you such a beautiful human being."

~unknown~

"Always help someone.

You might be the only one that does."

~unknown~

"Treat one another justly.

Love your neighbors.

Be compassionate with each other."

Zechariah 7:9

 

Become childlike....

.... a child simply receives the promise of adventure

they live with an open heart, a sense of wonder,

& experience the joy of a day full of anticipation.

Open your hearts up with expectation again.

best things....

mom's call to sing Happy Birthday first thing this morning

 chatting with my Dad 

seeing him next week

a phone call from brother

opening the gift he sent while connected

an inside joke &

a very warped best memory as kids...

laughing so hard my abs are toned

my stepdad  finds my birthday written on a slip of paper

while he's cleaning his desk

realizes it's today

calls to sing Happy Birthday 

first time he's sang to me

a hilarious operatic happy birthday sung by an old friend 

left in my voicemail

a perfect fall day...apple orchards and pumpkin patches

apple cider that made my mouth so happy

the rest of me followed

an orange bird trinket 

 the orchard girls named nugget

nugget's now in my living room

exploring someplace new

 my kiddo on speaker phone 

talking wedding plans

sending him pictures

of the clouds

horses, goats, pigs, cows, sheep....

children playing, laughing & exploring in awe

dinner at an old favorite...

Mexican restaurant 

pregnant with my kiddo last time I ate there

nostalgia

an old jute box on the wall

 digging a quarter out of my purse

so hubby could play a song

he picks

"Crazy" by Patsy Cline

fall ice-cream flavors

a double scoop 

one eggnog one pumpkin

on a waffle cone

eggnog on top

a beautiful sunset on the way home....

dark orange, purple, and blue

feeling loved

a perfect day

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Relax wild one. It's not your job to be everything

everyone needs, and you don't have to be impressive

to be loved. Stop trying so hard.

Just show up and be real with the world.

That is enough."

"It is said that nothing lasts forever, but there

are moments in our lives when we think something will,

and it is the memory of those moments that lasts forever."

"Finally I realized I was never asking too much.

I was just asking the wrong person."

 

There is nothing....

....in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter

and good humor.

~Charles Dickens~

notes...

a  nice chilly overcast morning

 & the aroma of bread baking in the oven

paired with a freshly poured cup of coffee 

 a date with my kiddo in Springfield to celebrate an early B-day lunch

 definitely plan to indulge in a pumpkin latte for the trip home...

(it's been a couple of years....)

  a daily dose of laughter.....

and a few moments to celebrate a friend B-day too

be well....

xoxo

💝

"Lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more,

laugh more, and don't get so worked up about things."

"The cheapest therapy is to spend time with people

who make you laugh."

"True happiness is not found in materialistic things,

it comes from the love and laughter found with each other."

 

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~

 

Hyggly

There was something comforting about the wind picking up,

watching the trees sway, and

 watching the rain splash on the windows.

I lit candles, and rearranged a room in silence.

Then stepped out to cut flowers for the window,

turned French cafe music on Spotify, fixed dinner,

and made a batch of my favorite protein balls.

https://echoesofrobin.blogspot.com/search/label/Recipe

Charmed by my own life today.

Journal notes:

Lean into the important parts of your life.

Refuse to live according to the faulty standards 

of practices of our fallen peers.

'You will never go further than the limits of

the person you see yourself as.'

Holding onto grudges is not an option in healing and growing.

'All the precautions in the world won't stop some things from happening.

Yet viewed through a positive lens, even those events may eventually

be seen as gifts.'

"God doesn't enjoy seeing us fail.

He loves watching us grow."

'Go for it! Do the thing you've been dreaming of, thinking

about, pining over. 

Follow your intuition and not your fears.

Stop talking yourself out of whatever you've

been hoping for.

You are as ready as you'll ever be,

and procrastinating won't make you mor ready later.

Make the leap-

now.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit...

John 15:2

There is no rebirth without death.

Let go of the things that don't align 

with who you want to become.

'At some point you will realize that the

"this isn't true" voice,

is actually what isn't true.'

If you get the priority correct, the rest will come together.

"Put Jesus in the drivers seat & load up your gear."

be well...

xoxo

💖

"If you're having a sudden urge to clean,

redecorate or make a huge change this week,

it's because you're about to undergo some

major upgrades in your life." 

"The more you heal, the weirder the world feels.

The conversations feel louder.

The gossip sounds smaller.

The energy drains faster.

It's not you losing your mind.

It's you outgrowing dysfunction."

 

Unplugged

Last week there was volunteering, spontaneous trips, 

Aunts visiting from Louisiana, connection, and life on the go.

Today it was all about grounding and being still.

Breathwork, prayer, incense burning and Binaural beats.

Journaling, twinkle lights and feet in the grass.

Journal notes:

'Appreciate beauty for it's own sake.

See the intrinsic value of a thing

and prize it because of it's perfection.

See Divinity in all that exists.

It leaves the mind silent.'

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind...

Romans 12:2

Simply talk to Him.

"What we do is an expression of our internal

mindset - every act begins with a thought."

~Charles Stanley~

If we want to worry and fuss we can,

but we don't need to.

That is our choice.

When life is lived simply and in trust,

a beautiful mosaic called "my life" will be woven.

Mocking bird:

A connection to the divine, wisdom, and communication.

Innocence and goodness.

be well...

xoxo

💝

"One of the most healing things you can do for

your nervous system costs nothing:

Slow, deep breathing.

Just 4 deep breaths can shift you from stress mode

to rest mode, lowering your heart rate

and calming your mind.

Your breath is always available when you need peace."

~Dr. Mark Hyman~

"Placing your hand on your heart

while taking 5 deep breaths activates your

parasympathetic nervous system and releases oxytocin.

This gentle self-touch tells your brain

that you are safe and loved."

~Dr. Mark Hyman~

 

Season Change

The wind is howling, and a change of season is in the air.

I gather all the outdoor plants around me,

on a spot in the grass.

I cut back the old, the dead, and scraggly parts.

Pulled out weeds, and released roots from being bound. 

Larger pots filled with fresh soil, 

and plants placed in their new space.

Ready now, for their transition indoors.

A place to thrive, and continue to grow.

It all feels a little symbolic.

Polly chases the leaves...then a butterfly,

and disappears.

Checking on her minutes later, 

I find her transfixed on a groundhog that just dug it's

way under the fence into our yard.

Right on cue.

I too become transfixed.

Then I turn to get my camera, and it is gone.

Journal notes:

Only you get to choose what dreams align with your soul.

'Our future is our bodily destiny combined with what

we create through our evolving actions & thoughts.'

'Your deepest intuitions are confirmed as your body

feels rightness of what you hear.'

You make your future anew everyday.

Your answers are inside of you.

"Don't exhaust yourself trying to figure out

what has not yet been revealed."

Allow yourself to be led.

Trust and take heart. God's at work & has your back.

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

not any of the self-appointed intermediaries."

~Thoreau~

Sign of the Groundhog:

'Survival and the art of self-defense.

Deep connection with earth and nature,

grounding and establishing sacred space.

Elevated perspective & heightened awareness.

Productivity & efficiency.

Determination.

A solitary path.

Rapid growth, evolution, self-reliance,

and independence.

Self-examination & personal growth.

Digging deeper into your reality & 

finding your strengths.

"To leave the dirt behind you &

clear the way for your genuine self's emergence."

Rely on your intuition.

Restore balance.

Awareness through meditation &

removing yourself from external matters.

Perpetual student.

Love studying and excavating new information.

Cultivating all the knowledge they can possess.'

"Groundhog teaches you how to find peace in isolation,

all while showing how to sink your teeth into 

ambitions."

" As you enter different stages or seasons of life,

Groundhog acts as a guide for understanding, 

acceptance, and internalization."

"Connect with the new you!"

Mmm..hmmm...!

Thank you groundhog...

 your timing was impeccable.

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Everything happens for a reason-

the highs, the lows, the wins, the losses.

The ones who arrive 

and the ones who walk away.

Nothing is by chance.

Every moment carries a lesson,

and every lesson leads you closer to 

your purpose."

"Either you go after the life you want

or you settle for the life you get."

 

Happiness Habits

I remember a time when playing outside with my cousins,

then Dad taking us to my Uncle's gas station 

to buy a bottle of Coca-Cola from the machine

 was all it took to be happy.

It takes a little more intention these days..,

but it's still the little things that make me happiest.

 Like nature, movement, and savoring the simple pleasures.

Only now, it's walking through the grass barefoot,

practicing Tai Chi steps under the stars,

and relaxing with a healthy mug of hot-chocolate 

(sugar/dairy free)

 at the end of the day.

Journal notes:

"Problems can be the pathways to Spiritual growth

that good times can never provide."

~Charles Stanley~

Recognizing the extent of your neediness is one of your strengths.

"You don't need someone threatened by your happiness.

The right people will be happy for your joy."

'The happier, more content, the more fulfilled you genuinely feel,

the more you have to give. Everyone.'

'Our love is the light that shines in the darkness.

Just be love and it'll light up everything.'

'At some point you have to free the inner hostage.

No one else can storm the gates.

You alone can finally break the barricades & just free...you.'

'Jesus calls us friend.

He looks to us through the lens of love.

He accepts us the way we are,

but also helps us grow into all we can be.'

'Embrace the wonder of being alive. 

Look at things freshly.

Choose joy over discontent.

Transform your negative assets, 

and build on your positive.

Focus on what's right about you.

Seek your higher self.

Discover your unique talents.

Like yourself as you are.

Make today yours!'

be well...

xoxo

💖

"The less people know, the more stubbornly

they know it."

~OSHO~

"The goal isn't buying more materialistic stuff.

It's a nervous system that's regulated.

It's hormones that are balanced.

It's a gut that is healthy.

It's energy that's vibrant.

It's a spirit that's at peace.

It's friends that are safe and supportive.

It's a life well lived.

Health is the real wealth."

~Dr. Will Cole~

Rainy Morning

Today I will sit on my patchwork quilt spread on the 

kitchen floor.

I will swing the doors wide open, listen to thunder, 

 the breeze pick up, and chickens cackle.

I'll glance at lightening flashes,

  watch as an orange wooly worm

inches it's way to shelter under the potted plants,

and rain drops ripple 

in the birdbath.

I will sip my coffee, stroke Polly when she 

walks across my journal, feel the cool air on my skin and

soak in every sound, smell and feeling

of home.

Journal notes:

Let things happen as they are meant to,

in the highest way for all involved.

Learn to relax and follow the path as it appears.

Rather than blindly chase outcomes, go inward.

Don't be afraid to shine bright.

"Anyone can learn to dance with life 

if the mind was kept positive and receptive."

Search for the new. Pay attention & rewire your brain

to recognize there's something to learn in everything.

Every thought, movement, & choice you make has the 

power to reshape your future. 

Make positive changes.

Delight in the small things.

Look for the small joys that wait for you everyday.

"Life isn't as certain as we assume."

be well...

xoxo

💖

'Keep your eyes open for something different,

something you've never before seen during the same routine yesterday,

and the day before that.

Spotting something new every day in the familiar is a reminder

to keep your focus on the present moment,

to see the freshness in each day.

To be aware. To really notice. 

Truly noticing what's around you keeps your brain 

from shifting to autopilot.'

"We don't have a retention problem,

we have an attention problem."

"The soul always knows what to do to

heal itself.

The challenge is to silence the mind."

~Caroline Myss~

 

Fulfilled

Today, I allowed things to unfold naturally 

and let life take me where it needed to take me.

I trusted that life's plans for me was better than mine. 

I was fulfilled with Nature,

kindred spirits, deep conversation,

and....

 for the first time in 2 years...

my blood lab results came back normal!

I may have squealed.

Yay!

Journal notes:

Everything will unfold in the highest 

most peaceful way.

Take aim at the beautiful life I'm looking for.

Resist engaging in the negativity and fears of others.

The perfect steps for action will be shown.

Shifting from worry to blessing just takes practice.

You are a slave to whatever controls you.

(2 Peter 2:19)

"Don't let creating a perception of who you 

appear to be

rob you of who you are."

Love where you are and how you are.

"The courage that it takes to genuinely love

other people comes first from loving yourself."

Take more interest in what your life means 

than what it looks like.

Tomorrow's always a friend.

be well...

xoxo

💝

"Nature is a wireless charger for humans."

~Dr. Will Cole~

"You don't need a 10 step protocol.

You need:

Less sugar

More Sleep

Daily movement

Deep breaths

Clean meals

Real relationships

True health isn't extreme.

It's consistent."

~Dr. Mark Hyman~

 

Wonder

This morning I had a nice chat on the phone with my Mama.

I sat on my couch sipping tea by the window, and watched the leaves fall.

She sat in her car in the Walmart parking lot.

During our brief connection ...

 God came up, and we cried together. 

We giggled & sent good vibes to the little-cart-pushing-guy, as she watched 

him tackling a record-breaking train of carts.

Teared up with appreciation for Christmas-light-neighbor-lady with the house on the corner,

and a kind heart.

Shared a few fur-kid stories, and then cut off the conversation

mid-topic with quick "I love you" s and a "talk later"

before she roasted in her car.

Godzillacorn

Yesterday I volunteered at the therapy barn.

Our sweet little client got to experience her first trot

on Etsy the horse.

Her face just lit up with so much joy, and then, she started to laugh...

a moment of wonder.

An early afternoon nature walk around the lake,

lizards on rocks, eagles overhead, raining leaves, a fabulous breeze,

and nearly stepping on the biggest acorn I've ever seen...awe...

(pic)

natures wonder.

A few thoughts on mindfulness.

The dissatisfaction I feel in my soul is due to my focus.

I will restore a sense of openness and wonder to my daily round.

Rituals that help me open to wonder & stay focused:

Morning stillness, and quiet

The first sip of coffee

Journaling

Prayer and Meditation

Breathwork (4-7-8)

 Hubby's wave as he drives off in the morning

Having a good cry

Walking in nature

Hearing the sound of a loved one pulling in the driveway

Sitting down to dinner with a gratitude prayer

Curling up in the evening to watch an episode of  our favorite series.

( Grays Anatomy at the moment...

which makes me think of my cousin...thanks cuz!)

Practicing being more present, and mindful.

 Practicing Tai Chi

Practicing gratitude.

Practice, practice, practice....

be well...

xoxo

💝

'T.I.M.E.

THANKFULNESS

practice gratitude,

think it, write it, share it.

INSIGHT

gain insight

reading, or listening to podcasts.

MEDITATION

Spend quiet time alone,

breathe. 

EXERCISE

yoga, stretch, workout,

dance, move.'

Try making T.I.M.E. a part of your morning.'

~Think Like a Monk~ 

"One of the healthiest habits to learn:

being  grateful for the little things."

 

Joy

A gorgeous autumn evening for a country wedding,

and hubby's perfectly timed capture of the moment

we saved ourselves from toppling over backward on a giant tree swing.

'If you let each day offer moments of awe,

it's easier to wake up with anticipatory excitement.

See everything as a gift and open your eyes to 

the wonder all around.'

Journal notes:

'...those who seek the Lord 

shall not lack any good thing.'

Psalm 34:10

Show up for life and participate to the best

of your ability.

Be love...

be well...

xoxo

💝

"The entire point of life is to

be so wildly passionate that people

can't decide if you're crazy

or a genius."