Your gift of time...

...invest it wisely

to help you live fully today

everyday.

pretending she hasn't been anywhere
pretending I don't notice the tell tale signs...

notes...

the question....

"If you knew that today would be your last day,

how would you live it?"

...loving the people & animals I love, clinging to my kiddo

& taking few shots to capture our cherished moments...

Today's word :Practice.

a: carry out apply

b: to do or perform often

c: to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient

d: to train

That pretty much sums up my life in a simple word today.

Practice what I want to be better at...

that will be beneficial for myself and others.

Stop practicing & release the things that aren't.

Once you figure out what that is for you...

it simplifies things a bit.

Whatever you have learned or received 

or heard from me-

or seen in me- put it into practice.

Phil.4:9

it may take a long time

but keep waiting

keep trusting

keep learning

keep practicing

don't give up on all the cultivating 

you've done

'plans to prosper you not harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.'

Jer. 29:11

Live in the present moment

set aside time that belongs only

to God

place yourself in a position of receptivity

discover His personal love for you

allow the callouses to fall away 

as you've tried to guard your heart

from getting hurt

He cares about the heart behind it all

He loves and accepts you completely

He works on your heart

changes will come

some painful

some delightful

all of them purposeful

your life is happening in this moment

soak it all up right now

while you've got the chance

when it comes to the creatures you love,

the things you love,

the life you love,

what could possibly be more important?

each day is an opportunity

to make things better

express thanks for the smallest things....

hugs, smiles, second chances, music, 

AC....

appreciate the big and little blessings

that surround you

love and accept yourself now...

others too

be well...

xoxo

💖

"What are the things in my life that I most cherish,

and what did I do to cherish them today?"

"I have found that winning isn't everything,

and, in fact, in the relationships I most care about,

it isn't anything."

"We age not by holding onto youth,

but by letting ourselves grow &

embracing whatever youthful 

parts remain."

~Keith Richards

 

A Cinderella story...

... of our own. 

A desire to find true love.

"God finds each of us in the cinders of a less

than perfect world, held back from the life

we dream of living.

He longs to raise us up to a high position,

transform us and grant us His power,

so he seeks us out,

inviting each of us to dance with Him.

And yet each of us needs someone to affirm our

inherent value and encourage our transformation.

We each need a Cinderella story of our own.

Each woman's relationship with God is such that

He finds her in the ashes, held back from the life

she dreams of living.

He seeks her, invites her to dance with Him, 

transforms her by revealing the beauty hidden beneath

the ashes, then confers on her His power and position.

Dancing in the arms of God is a relationship between 

you and God that is based on love and mutual respect.

The two of you communicate in a close, intimate setting.

He holds you, but His embrace is the embrace of a lover,

not a restraint of an oppressor.

As partners in this dance, God leads, and you let Him,

moving with the flow of His leading.

You are not enveloped in God, losing your 

identity as a unique person,

you are who you are,

retaining your freedom and individuality at every turn."

~Women's Devotional Bible~

be well...

xoxo

💞

"Let life happen to you.

Life is in the right, always."

~Rainer Maria Rilke

 

We get so wrapped up....

....needing to have everything together,

trying to figure it all out,

that we forget that

sometimes....

the most beautiful things are found in life's

little imperfections.

notes...

an unmowed lawn

 weeds growing in the wildflowers

splashed coffee on the quilt

Polly's tiny wet foot prints on my journal page

cat hairs on my PJ's

another used up pen 

 a tiny chip in my favorite mug

and dirt on my feet

oh how much

I love all the itsy bitsy gifts of imperfections....

... I breathe a little deeper

what a perfect morning

you have a rock solid foundation 

with on which you can live

and move and have your being

as you worship

a new hope will grow within you

sit quietly

each time you are tested and overcome

you exercise your spiritual muscles

surround yourself with people who add wisdom

but don't subtract love, acceptance and purpose

be choosy 

you never outgrow the need to get feedback

from other people who see the world differently

but naysayers can stymie your progress

keep cynics at a distance

when you wrestle with big life decisions

you want love and acceptance first

information second

when you fail you need hugs

not advise

be an encourager

challenges are opportunities 

to refocus & keep going

slow down the pace of your life

life unfolds in a way

that guarantees growth

of your best self

keep your eyes fixed on what matters

to you

with God continue 

to move toward it 

even shake off a few sticky wickets as you go

see what happens

you cannot miss out on an experience 

that you are meant to have

every breath offers you a chance

to put your faith into the hands

of God

and to remember how blessed

supported

and guided 

that you already are

'once you slow down

something more than ups and downs

of personal gains & loss

can shine through'

slowing down is essential

this invites your heart to feel safe

enough to open

you are not a robot

let your attitude toward yourself soften

'whether your goals are spiritual

personal

or professional

when you slow down & relax

into a more natural rate of speed

you create a perfect space

for life's most incredible 

discoveries to unfold

you discover a more honest

relationship with life'

discover your heart as the home

you never left

envision a lovely future

or spend time visualizing 

what you don't want

your decision

you are here on your own journey

open your eyes to see all that life

has to offer

'your soul is the compass for your

adventure

and your wisdom is the testament

of your life'

do your best to create change

your efforts & your prayers

are being recognized

be well...

xoxo

💝

"People who take time to "be"

on a daily basis are measurably

more productive, better listeners,

more alive and more resilient

than those that don't."

"It is impossible to see the world as a 

friendly place (despite disappointments

and hassles) until the world inside

you own mind is also friendly."

 

If you can't run away...

...'to a cabin in the woods right now,

start small.

Make a cup of tea and find a sunset

to watch.'

Turn off your phone go for a drive and blast some

great music, read a book in the back yard.

Fight for moments of peace

in the midst of the crazy.

You can do that.

notes...

Hubby's got a stress test

up early to hit the road

coffee to go

love it when it's still dark

it's cooled down outside

pretty morning

nice breeze

what you do with your love 

is where you are in your faith

if you think you don't have time to 

bless someone

consider how consuming 

worry can be

learning to shift from worry to blessings

just takes practice

send blessings to your loved ones

to strangers

to enemies

to animals

to the planet

to you

Throw up an insta-prayer

and then just wait

use your energy to believe

create

love &

grow

taking control of your mind

can be the key to finding

peace in other parts of your 

life

your emotions are a by-product of 

the way you think

the spiral is real

"...according to researchers,

the vast majority of the illnesses

that plague us today

are a direct result of a

toxic thought life"

thoughts are just habits

see them for what they are

what you believe and 

what you think about matters

be well...

xoxo

💞

"Do what you can, when you can,

with as much love and honesty as you can,

and when you can't, rest."

"Life is all about balance.

You don't always need to be getting

stuff done.

Sometimes it's perfectly okay,

and absolutely necessary,

to shut down, kick back,

and do nothing."

"Our life is frittered away by detail.

Simplify, simplify."

~Thoreau 

 

Stop trying...

...to figure everything out!

I wrote in BIG capitalized letters

on the top of my journal page this 

morning.

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord

with all your heart and mind and do not rely

on your own insight or understanding....

seemed to keep showing up.

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

 

I waste a LOT of time trying to understand

 things out that aren't mine to understand.

I've pondered this a lot today.

notes....

trust in Me with all your heart and lean not on

your own understanding 

x5

the main culprit of the struggle is

 the minds appetite 

for understanding

and a strong desire to feel in control

of your life

you want to trust

but you feel stuck

believe that this is training you

wait confidently to see results

'despite how the snow globe of your reality

might get shaken up

it only occurs in order to guide

your journey in an 

exciting new direction'

allow the wisdom of you heart

to become your

inner compass

even when the odds seem stacked against you

it is only a brand new chapter of growth

obedience is about doing what you don't want

even when you don't fully understand

you may never shake the tendency to dissent

when you don't get what you want

you just act better

those are the moments when your faith

is put to the test

it's when you actually find out 

who you are

hang tight when things get tough

it's training ground for the next adventure

this is where it gets good

don't drink other peoples poison

even when it's offered with love

God can soften hearts, change circumstances

beyond your control

provide resources &

untangle messes

He's just waiting for your call

there's a difference between not getting what you've

asked for

&

not asking for what you need/want

sometimes you need to let yourself be & trust

that clarity will come later

in retrospect

it will all make perfect sense-

later

stop straining to know what you don't know

see what you can't see

understand what you don't yet understand

trust that being is sufficient

and let go of your need to 

figure it out

set aside time

to be quiet & secluded

call Him

be well...

xoxo

💗

"In the end, there doesn't have to be

anyone who understands you.

There just has to be someone that wants to."

"Sometimes we can't find the thing

that will make us happy,

because we can't let go of the thing

that was supposed to."

"The realist sees reality as concrete.

The optimist sees reality as clay."

 

Value what is true...

 ...and right

simply because it is true,

not only because it happens

to feel true.

notes....

it feels so good to have an unrushed morning

there's a lovely Wrenn song on the porch

 the chimes are gently blowing in a refreshing breeze

& hubby's checking the rain gauge from last nights light shower

I love getting away

I love coming home & catching up 

and I love those moments when it all settles down again

into a more natural rhythm

some parts of the day are for stillness & listening

others for sowing

make room for both

find your own rhythm

anything is worth doing if it's done

with love

and nothing is worth doing if

it comes at love's cost

hold your priorities up to love's

test

throw yourself into anything 

that passes

when you feel inadequate to serve God

remember that what He expects from you

is different from what you think

fact-check your beliefs against God's word

you don't have to have your daily steps

figured out

every second of the day

be attentive

He will show you His will

He teaches you how to do so

He will redirect you if you make

a wrong turn

do not fear going forward

No matter how badly you mess up

He will take the broken pieces of your

life and glue them back together

with His unconditional Love

if you never push through your discomfort

you will never find the understanding

& wisdom that awaits you on the other side

discomfort is a gift

it brings a  deeper meaning to life

growth occurs after a difficulty

you become polished through pressure

not ease

focus on one thing at a time

focus on what you enjoy about what you do

& the spaces in between the doing

instead of feeling weighed down by it all

decide that you live a sweet life

there's the rushed pace of the human-made world

&

 there's the natural world that invites you to be still

take the invitation

"Now these three remain;

faith, hope, and love.

But the greatest of these is love."

1Corinth 13:13

what you do with your love is 

what you did with your life

trust that the timing of everything

will come together in the 

way it is meant to

be well...

xoxo

💞

"It's what we know that ain't true

that causes us so much trouble."

"Balance isn't fitting everything in.

It's starting with what's important

and letting the rest fall as it will."

"Mental health is sooo important.

If you  need a day, take a day.

Find something to relax you.

Bubble bath, nature, writing,

painting, etc.

Just do it."

Would you rather...

...choose to complain about everything

that's wrong with your life...

or

count your blessings?

notes...

had a visitor this morning

I'd love to keep it close to it's home

but I worry about the girls (chickens) next store

I tried to pick the perfect spot

and got a nudge

those always turn out well

welcome to your home little one

twin fawns 

 on the way

I grabbed my camera

captured blurs as they

disappeared into the grass

so dang cute

celebrating America's 250th Birthday tonight

with the family

living well is both a discipline 

and an art

discipline your thoughts

stay present

be sold-out on your beautiful 

ambitions

be captivated by purpose

learn to follow your inner guidance

remember every step is of worthy gratitude and awe

the choice for gratitude rarely comes without

some effort

gratitude is a discipline

focus on what's lacking and experience deficiency and incompleteness

or

dwell of the positives and experience being blessed

your choice

it isn't easy

but you can control your thoughts

'On December 17, 1903

Orville & Wilbur Wright flew the first airplane

at 10:35 AM.

They saw their dream lift off the ground.

What were they thinking at 10:34?

odds

risks

physical safety

public face plant if they fail?

At 10:34

they chose to focus on their beautiful ambitions

rather than all the reasons not to try.'

be well...

xoxo

💖

"Move, but don't move the way

fear makes you move."

~Rumi

"The city of truth cannot be built

on the swampy ground of skepticism."

~Albert Schweitzer

"Who does not thank for little

will not thank for much."

~Estonian proverb

 

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."

 

Most of the time...

...we just don't know

the whole story.

Give God some room to write

in the margins of the story

you came up with.

notes...

We had 3 inches at the end of the day...

almost 4 by this morning.

Sitting on the stoop listening to 

the Wrenn singing,

Otis howling in the distance

and two cats growling at each other.

Polly is right here.

Hubby asked if I wanted an Arbor for our 

Anniversary.

"Steel is the eleventh anniversary gift." he says.

Umm...Yes!!

What a great idea!

The brush pile transformed itself into a garden

& covered up with morning glories

and a few Zinnias too.

I'm easily mesmerized by the droplets on everything.

The cats are growling again...

this time it's Polly.

..."but those who plan what is good

find love and faithfulness."

(Prov. 14:22)

challenge your disempowering 

stories

you have to believe it's possible to 

change a crappy story

then take action

jump in 

go deep

there will be setbacks and difficulties too

but don't let that keep you in the shallow 

end of your life

sometimes you just need to look a little longer

and a little harder

when setbacks come

treat them as a learning experience

setbacks are the path to 

your future

refuse to waiver in your faith

continue on in 

wholehearted faith

your dream makes the potential

struggle worth it

actions show that your faith is real

communicate love in 

every way possible

be well...

xoxo

💖

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

but we can choose how we dance to it."

"We can always choose to perceive things differently.

We can focus on what's wrong in our life,

or we can focus on what's right."