Fifty-eight

I celebrated my 58th birthday recently.

My dear hubby took the day off,

and Brandon planned on spending the day with me too.

The gift of time. Priceless.

My plan was to do as many happy-making things as I can.

Keep it simple.

Enjoy the company of my two special guys.

Go with the flow, and just enjoy the moments.

Nailed it !

Today I am...

Reading:  Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies

Watching:  Debates, for the first time ever!

Highlighting:  " Use your imagination, follow what feels right,

play, push yourself, let it rip, and get good at making new, 

exciting choices that bring as much beauty into

the world as possible."

Loving:  my people a little more than usual.  Appreciating them so much, for

who they are, what they do, and how they have made me who I am.

Hating:  That I am not in New York this year visiting my family, 

and being awed by the New England Autumn.

Discovering:  That a lot of the things I've worried about,

things I've tried to "fix",

things I've tried to figure out...

pretty much just ate up precious moments of my life.

Enjoying: My bottle calf (Buddy) ,

cooler nights,

Mourning Doves 

trees changing color

girlfriends and flower crowns

learning more about politics from Brandon

(he's so stinkin' smart)

reading in the sunshine

Ollie binkies in the back yard

the last of my flowers

Thinking:  I could go on forever about the things I'm enjoying.

Hoping for:  The hurricane to miss Lake Charles this time.

My family to be safe and well.

Listening to: Crickets under my window. A lawnmower in the distance. 

A Blue-jay squawking.

Smelling:  Autumn breeze blowing in.

Thanking: God for it all

I hope you are safe and well!!

💖

 

Attention

 Waking up everyday, 

noticing all the little things,

that remind me of God's goodness.

* A wall in the barn that doubles as a backboard for pickleball,

while hubby checks the heifers.

* Finding Mom's missing cell phone under the seat of my car.

* A random trip to AR for a sleepover, and Mom hugs.

*Kit's affection & purrs.

*Picnic lunch at the park before I go, sharing crumbs with our guests.

* Blondie

* Mornings on the porch, with Ollie & playing with my chalk.

*Brandon's visits on maintenance night.

*Morning glories

" Let my brain venture down the tiny little opening of love.

A sliver of light sweetness in this world wrought

with dark judgements, disgruntled comments,

jagged-edged opinions, and lofty huffs of disgust."

I pray that you are safe and well,

and your enjoying the little things in life.

💖

Everything

" We don't have to have all the answers.

We just need to stay connected to the One who does."

the little things...

Some journal entries that kept me focused:

Begin to accept & enjoy yourself where you are,

and God will help you get where  you need to be.

(note: accept)

Treat kindly those who have treated you wrongly,

it is the most powerful thing you can do.

You don't have to perform to receive God's love.

He has boundless unconditional love for you.

God's Presence can eliminate much of the struggle

 we experience in  in our life.

Living close to God, makes me more fully myself.

Reasoning is not faith.

A wide-awake mind & a grateful heart will help you

not only pray better, but also live better.

Be committed and disciplined to staying close in touch with God.

Be firm in faith. Strong, immovable & determined.

We have to be willing to set aside our own desires

so that we can hear a word from God.

Fret not. Trust in the Lord and do good.

Delight yourself in the Lord.

Commit your way to the Lord.

CAST each care !

Be still in the Lord ,

wait for HIM patiently.

Cease from anger- evildoing.

" Knowing you belong to God, will give you the confidence

to walk in this world with your head held high.

You will be able to follow your own heart &

avoid adverse effects when people do not agree with you

or your choices."

This week:

I have continuously let go of trying to "fix" things.

Spent time with my family & friends, 

and soaked in what a blessing that is.

Kept it simple, and let go of how I thought it should be.

There is something in my life that causes me lose my focus.

Frustration starts to take over.

Hope starts to dwindle.

If I am not careful, I go into "fix-it-myself" mode.

If I've learned anything in my struggles...

I've learned that usually that only makes matters worse.

It steals all my energy and ends up kicking me to the curb.

I am noticing that if I can keep my focus on words like this...

and stay disciplined with my own thoughts and actions,

life is more enjoyable.

Focus on the little things.

God is there.

I pray you are staying well,

and safe.

💗

 

Disheveled

A bit how I feel at the moment.

Some other things:

Reading:  Anything and everything that inspires me.

Watching:  the birds outside my window.

Highlighting: This prayer I read this morning:

"Father,

I don't want to let disappointment and heartbreak

cause me to approach this life more cautious than creative.

More critical than compassionate.

More cynical than surrendered.

Thank You for the ways you tenderly meet me

in my brokenness and my pain.

And thank You for reminding me 

that I still have light and beauty to offer this world.

Today I am choosing to grab the brush.

No attempts at perfection.

No apologizing or strategizing.

Just me.

Lighting this world with my color.

Showing up with Your compassion and grace.

In Jesus' name, amen."

~Lysa TerKeurst~

Loving: bonding with my Mom and my Aunts over the last week.

 Mom joining me on the ground to do a restoration pose.

Looking over at each other.

Burst out laughing.

My Aunt opening the door, to see me laying there on the floor in restoration pose.

Her face.

Laughing till we cried.

Hating:  The destruction of Lake Charles & my Aunt's and cousins homes.

It's my birthplace, where I graduated from High School...

where I left a piece of my heart.

Discovering:  that  "fake it till you make it" 

was bad advise.

Like...what if I don't make it ?

Or make it, but as a fake?

I'll just be real, and deal.

Enjoying:  A cool drizzly day.

Thinking: I need my family.  I miss them.

Hoping for: some changes

Listening to: the bird chirping outside of the window, 

and the grandfather clock Dad made me, chiming that it is 12:00.

Smelling:  fresh air and the steamy scent from the dishwasher

Thanking: God, for lifting me up when I am down.

For keeping my friends and family protected.

Today.

&

Every. Single. Day.

I hope you are safe and well.

💗