Slow, because of the rain
Driving home in traffic
We go slow, because of the rain
In my rearview mirror, a play ~
Vehicles looming through the dark light
A solemn ballet of white-gold headlights
And upright driving
And sprayed fans of mist
From their wheels.
Sounds of swishing
As the rain comes down.

We pass the place
Where I often see the birds
Silhouettes floating broadly overhead
I feel better when they're there,
When they cover my sky
Like a dotted net,
Or in groups,
Fluid clay-like forms made of wings,
And feathers
And dark details.
Fleet unhurried
Ever-changing, in an instant
Unknowable mysteries~
Like the river beside us.

Christmas songs and major awards
(both blogs)

I'm grateful again today for the Christmas media (shows, music, etc.) that have made Christmas more fun, and ended up helping me build even more traditions to observe and enjoy (play these songs when decorating the tree, watch these films, things like that)~ here are some I love to partake in, during the holiday season....

The first claymation I can remember seeing: 'Little Drummer Boy' ~ Rankin-Bass productions

'Frosty the Snowman'

Have you seen this one? ~ 'Christmas Eve' starring Loretta Young (sorry the image is so small)

'A Christmas Story'
("Thuck! THucK!!!")

'It's A Wonderful Life'
( I have this old poster.)

Rudolph and the elf-dentist!

Rosie's Christmas cd

Lennon Sisters are the bomb!
(I believe this is the Christmas album we had when I was growing up.)

'White Christmas'

The little-known, little-bit-schmaltzy Lifetime film, 'Beauty'

'A Christmas Carol' ~ book and film and all the variations!

Today's thanks
I'm grateful for the Lennon Sisters' heavenly harmonies~~

(image: singers.com)

I put them at the top of my Christmas playlist (see side margin, hear pretty music?) because I grew up with their Christmas album. Karen Carpenter and the Lennon Sisters had the most beautiful voices around, to me!

My family had 3 albums (and they were albums, not cd's!) that we traditionally played at Christmas, when I was growing up: Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas, Gene Autry's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer album, and the Lennon Sisters' Christmas album.

(image: sergent.com)

These are great memories for me, and I'm trying to get around to replenishing these 3 in my own Christmas music collection....

FreE-commerce
Morgen made some scha-weet Wren's Nest banners for us to put on our blogs~

This is my favorite:

Go on over there and visit!

Quiet, full life
I feel that my life is simple. Maybe it wouldn't seem that way to someone with a simpler life, but to me, it feels simple, quiet; but I take it upon myself to make sure it stays fun for me!

(Maxfield Parrish "Ecstasy")

You have to enjoy life, and have things to look forward to!
But it has to be at your pace, doing things that you find fun~ not things that 'seem' fun, things that are 'supposed' to be fun, but are really just going to rumple your peace/well-being.

Define "fun"
I mean, I myself wouldn't find it fun to go skydiving....but watching "Mulberry" on dvd last night, for the first time ~ now, that was fun to me!
Sitting in my big comforter on the porch at night, looking up at the sky and feeling the air on my face~ highly enjoyable!
Reading a good Maeve Binchy book~ fun!
Listening to music, dancing to it~ funfunfunfunfun!
Talking with my friends~ major fun!
New projects I'm really interested in~ fuuuuuun!

A dull life and a quiet life are two different things. People on the outside of it seem to forget that, in their tearing around and stress. They can't seem to stop and put the brakes on and get into a nice 'flow'.
But flow is important to have in a life. Flow and fun!

Noone is going to give those things to me ~ it's up to me to see that my life is conducted with a sense of enjoyment, and within the flow that living within God's thoughts will give.
Live your life, with your everyday, overall state of mind, your little moments geared towards God's thoughts on the subject, keeping God in mind (even during those moments when you don't do the right thing), and all that peace calm and beauty and gratitude around you are suddenly revealed, in all their splendor!
"Even during those moments when you don't do the right thing"~ to me, it's very simple: God reallyreally wants your company, and is ready to forgive instantly when you wander from Love's will, even before you do the thing that God doesn't want you to do. Being human, I'm going to trip up sometimes, and do something that isn't written in holy ink (hehheh).

But that shouldn't keep me from God's side!~ I can't let my own stupidity alienate me from Love~ and I believe that it's us, not God, that pushes away during the times we do wrong things. I feel it's painful and saddening to God when we stay away~ we could ask for forgiveness, yet still keep a distance, still feel guilty, afraid of punishment.....
I think that hurts God's heart, when we do that; and that's why sin is deadly. God can deal with our rebellion better than we can. Because God is Love, and Love is quick to forgive and see the good in the loved one.

Get back up
I know I'm going to fall sometimes. Duh. Hopefully, it will happen less as I get older, but I'm never going to be shining perfection. That being the case, I have to be brave enough and focused enough to realize that my relationship and closeness with God is more important than my failings. Love wants me by Its side, regardless. I do better when I'm walking alongside the love of Christ
('the journey is better
when made together!'), so it's to my good that I keep getting up and sticking close to God/Love's side. That's the only way to get into the well-being and happiness and 'peace that passes all understanding', and it's the only way to be open to the beauty that's hidden beneath it all, just below the superficial surface of our everyday eyes!

I'm thankful that I view things this way~ to believe in a God/Love great enough to love me unconditionally.

Moonlight sonata
(both blogs)

(image: lazycloud.com)

I wish you could've seen my porch, last night~ the moonlight was on the roses. Those el cheapo disposable cameras I keep getting would in no way be able to take a photo of a rosebush in the moonlight, but you can picture it, right?

I can't believe that rosebush is still blooming! And we're talking big roses, not little bitty cold-weather puny things!

Of course I had to stop and get a good look at it, kind of absorb it.
There is something fascinating about seeing white moonlight on a pink-and-white rose in November....not a thing to pass by in a hurry.
You know I'm thankful for that~ roses blooming ccheerfully on my porch in the last chilled, austere days of November!

The rain did not turned to snow, yesterday, and Autumn is just now starting to wind its colors down. We've had quite a mild and beautiful time of it ~ the foilage has been fantastic, I suppose to make up for the droughty-dry Summer we endured.

I'm looking forward to Christmas!
Are you?


(image: thomas kinkade jigsaw puzzle)

The white obsession continues


After seeing this photo in Martha Stewart's book-with-the-long-butt-title, "Christmas with Martha Stewart Living Classic Crafts and Recipes inspired by the Songs of Christmas" (deep breath in!) at the library, I had to check that book out! Isn't it beautiful?

I tell you, I am soooo into white, all of a sudden! I've always had a thing for white rooms, but lately, it's grown to massive proportions. If I didn't get so much sheer enjoyment out of it, I'd have to say it's dang near unhealthy! :)

Which brings me to a lovely link to pass along to you:

moderncountry

It isn't all in English (I think that's Swedish....or maybe Dutch? Oh, I don't know!), but I don't care~ it's always full of whitewhitewhite pictures for me to contentedly sigh over!
For which I am thankful.....!~

White
(both blogs)
I have a plain white comforter that I put on my bed during the colder months; last night, I took it out of the dryer, warm and smelling so clean, and took it out on my front porch.
I wrapped myself in it, and looked at the moon, the stars, the wispy clouds, warm and snug against the cold night air....
Tonight, it's raining, a gentle pitter-patter, and I'm going to do the same thing, again~ wrap myself up in that white comforter and sit out in the overcast, moon-washed rainy night....

That's what I'm thankful for.~ Moonlit nights with a scatter of stars showing, warm, sweet-smelling comforters warding me against the cold, soft rain in the chill night air.

Saturday
(both blogs)
Today I'm grateful for a lazy day off~ no Grand Day Out, no errands to push me out of the house and around the town, either~ just a lazy, carefree day of staying in my flannel pajamas and fuzzy-soft slippers and fuzzy-soft robe, reading, watching a bit of tv, whatever I like!

*purr*

3D Life fun
(both blogs)
Blogging just didn't fit into my Thanksgiving day, I was having way too much fun living my RL to get around to this part! I ate my mom's cooking till I was ready to bust, and Dad would point out any interesting bird to me when it would come to their backyard bird station ("So, that's what a nut-hatch looks like..."), my kids were all there with me, and my son-in-law, and my grandbaby, so I just had a great day, yesterday.

Today, I'm ignoring all the "Black Friday" sales, and just being. My roses are still blooming out there, there's a little dusting of snow, it's a day off, my daughter is having a friend over to play video games, and I'll watch that, and read Maeve Binchy's "Evening Classes", and just have a grand ol' time.~

So, that's what I'm grateful for~ being able to have a grand ol' 3D life! ~

Gee
(both blogs)


(image: victoriansociety.org)
*
Remember yesterday, how I couldn't recall my own birthday's colors?
*
Here you go:

"The colors of Epiphany are usually the colors of Christmas, white and gold, the colors of celebration, newness, and hope that mark the most sacred days of the church year. In traditions that only observe a single day for Epiphany, the colors are often changed after Epiphany to the colors of 'Ordinary Time', usually green or thematic sanctuary colors, until Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday before the beginning of Lent." - cresourcei.org

*
Today, I'm thankful for the internet, the way it can give me information like this, so easily and quickly. Quite handy!

"Fa Ra Ra Ra Raaaa...."
(both blogs)


(image: www.botit.botany.wisc.edu)

Bring on the 'A Christmas Story' marathons
I love the Thanksgiving/Christmas season! (I can feel your deep shock on that one!)
But really, I'm crazy/wack-o/wonked-out about it all...~
I realize that tis the season for people to start griping and whining and complaining about the commercialization of the holidays, but I live for this time of year!

The whiney attitudes actually sicken me more than the commercialization itself, because a non-commercial season (a meaningful and/or spiritual holiday, in other words) is the responsibility of the indivdual. If you're not tuned in to the commercialization, it doesn't really touch you, it only adds flourishes to what's going on, inside you!

I edit my exposure to the "Buyme!buyme!buyme! You need me if you want to be happy! Buy me!!" stuff ~ not too much tv or any of that
(aside from those holiday movie marathons, of course!),
taking plenty of time to reflect on the really important meanings behind it all, hoping to instill in my kids those true meanings.... after that, the commercial stuff just doesn't bother me.

Go at it with the belief that the stores want a successful fiscal quarter to report, so it's their job to go blast through our spaces with enticements to buy. Our job is to keep our thoughts on the importance of the spirit of each holiday.
Everything will then be sifted through that spirit filter, and the commercialization won't rankle your focus!

Ecstatic rant begins
I love the feasting of Thanksgiving, and I love the gratitude factor of it; I love Christmas and of course, Epiphany, which we didn't observe when I was growing up, but I still enjoy it as my birthday~ plus, as the Twelfth Day of Christmas/Twelfth Night, it has its own colors! White and.....um...I think it's silver, but it might be gold. Either way, what could be better? ~ I love white, and I like both gold or silver with it, so it's fine with me.
Anyway, I really like Epiphany! It's all about the Lights, that day, so what could be cooler than a birthday of Light?

So, today I'm grateful to be able to enjoy the long, long, long, not-long-enough holiday season~ from Thanksgiving (with my mom's cooking~ I'm soooo looking forward to that~ you know my motto: everything tastes better if someone makes it for you) to Christmas, to Epiphany,
it's a most wonderful time of the year!

Scarlet Feather
(both blogs)
Today, I'm thankful that I didn't wake up feeling awful~ I stayed up past midnight, last night, reading Maeve Binchy's "Scarlet Feather". I just could not put it down! I was fighting a bad sinus headache, which wasn't being helped by my lack of sleep, but that book had me enthralled~ I couldn't wait to find out what happened, next!



Don't you love it when that happens? With the book, I mean. Finding a book so good, you can't put it down....

Day 64/100 Day Challenge
(both blogs)
I've been feeling inspired (even compelled, really!) to make dance, with its grace, strength and flexibility, a daily discipline in my life. It just seemed to fit, somehow.


(image: http://photos.igougo.com/)
*
Since coming to that conclusion, there's rarely been a day go by that hasn't seen me dance and stretch for at least one song's worth. My objective is to gain flexibility and strength (not to mention the grace those two together can bring), so I've been leaning towards ballet-inspired music~ the soothing songs in my music collection.
*
Since this is a discipline, I've gone into it realizing that it would be, at least at some point, a challenge, so I decided not to mention it until I was well in the groove of dancing and stretching everyday. To see if it 'held'. To see if it remained an important piece of my life. To see if I could do it everyday. To see if it really did fit in to my life's pattern with some kind of meaningfulness.
It's done all that, so I've continued it.
*
I wanted to be fit and agile, but I didn't want it to just come because I wanted it~ I wanted the fitness to be genuinely earned, to have the life that usually comes with that kind of flexibility, grace, strength, fitness that dance gives....
*
Gratitude
Not one day has gone by where I didn't think how grateful I am for being able to dance and train my muscles, make them strong and flexible. There are plenty of people who can't do that.
I've learned that the body actually can increase in strength and flexibility until around age 60~ and after that, the demise is a lot slower than most people realize.
*
Old and creaky at 40?
We trained ourselves to become decrepit and stiff well before God planned on it. There are people in their 80s running in marathons regularly; and people who are put in environments made to look like the times dating from their young adult years show an increase in health and agility.
*
After reading all of that, I decided it was a pity to let the potential drain away from me, to have a sit-down job and a sit-down figure to go with it! I feel that God is kind enough to give me this wonderful thing, a chance at great health and body condition at this time in my life and on~ 40 years old, and on up, for as long as I'm given this health.
I go slowly and carefully on building my flexibility and strength up, to lower any risk of causing myself some kind of pain or injury~ so far, there's been very little of that (thank You, God)!
*
So, I stretch and dance and work on my flexibility and tone, and feel very glad to be able to be doing it.~

(image at www.housetohome.co.uk)

Fresh laundry
(both blogs)
I'm doing laundry right now, and I'm thinking how great it is to have modern conveniences to do it with.
*
I don't have to boil the water, or scrub the linens on a board. I don't have to haul the heavy, wet clothes through a wringer, then haul them outside and heave them up onto a clothesline on a cold day, where the clothes would get stiff as boards as they dried. I don't have to string them across the rooms and hope one of my kids doesn't run into it, like my middle daughter did that time my dryer broke! (Jeff Foxworthy says that if you've ever run into a clothesline in your living room, you might be a redneck!)
*
When I go upstairs, I can turn to my dishwasher and stove and refrigerator and running water to make my life even easier. I don't have to build fires and worry about the milk souring or the bread burning ~ heck, I don't even have to make the bread!
*
I'm sitting on a computer, talking to people all over the world, some I know as "letter-writing" friends, basically pen-pals, via this blog. My laundry is practically doing itself, and I even have fresh-smelling dryer sheets to go in the dryer, later on. (Would I have been able to get my hands on some lavender plants and successfully grow them, in this garden zone, back then?)
*
Modern conveniences. That's what I'm thankful for.

I will be good
(appears on both blogs)

I showed my earthy side, yesterday ~ now, I'll be good as gold, I promise!

Isn't it pretty?

I got this really great round mousepad from a coworker, Doug. I was admiring the one that was on someone's desk here in my office, and I happened to ask Doug if he'd seen it. He asked, "you mean this one?" and pulled out one just like it. "Would you like it?"

I was so happy, I almost forgot to say 'thank you'!

But that's what I'm thankful for, today~ a new, very pretty mousepad that I adore looking at!

It's so cheerful a color~ and I love flowers! Orange is one of those colors that appeals to me year-round.

Biting my knuckle
(oh, look! Betty Garrett's in the photo, too!)

I would like to thank the tailor of those swim trunks,

lovely, talented Betty Garrett for sharing photos of her and her knight in shining swimtrunks,

the retouching censors, for letting this get by without any fix-ups for the sake of puritanical decency, (then again, maybe they DID retouch!)

and the late Larry Parks, for having the kindest eyes and the most beach-worthy body in the 50s hemisphere!

(That they were very talented and hardworking people must be mentioned, as well!)

Last but not least, I'm thankful for Here in the Hills, for bringing the fantastic Betty and her hunkHusband, Larry to my attention.

Because of HitH's blog, I'm reading Betty's autobio, as I've explained on my other blog, and it's vastly entertaining~

the beefcake photo was a total and unexpected bonus....

:D

Just a dash of a note~
for both blogs
We've been having a mild day, today~ overcast, but it hasn't yet begun to rain during the daylight hours, and very nice temperatures, giving the air a wonderful feel to it.~
It's like we're getting one last look at warm weather, before the Wintry time sets in! I was thinking this morning that it seemed just like a present from God, this one perfectly mild day, in the midst of Winter-Coming!

I enjoy mild weather and rain and Autumn color, and today, I'm getting them all, so that's what I'm grateful for....

Blog award

Joan of Joan's Journeys gave me an award I really treasure~





I love these gracious, graceful awards that are out there!
Today, I'm grateful for bloggy friends who create these lovely things and share them with others.

Misty morning serenade
(Appears on both blogs.
Because I'm in a hurry~)



One of the bright spots of the cold season for me is the way the birds carry on. ~

One would think the little dears would spend the cold weather buried in the deepest fir trees, freezing their little feathers off.
But no, they become like inflatable, fat balls of fluff, poufing themselves out against the cold, and proceeding to make a joyful racket every sunrise, sunset...and often in between, for good measure!
This cheery fellow likes to sit outside my bedroom window and serenade me.~

I'm thankful for the funny, little, relentlessly cheerful birds.

Sunday
(both blogs)
*

(ad in Victoria, http://www.chelseahouseinc.com/)
*
I'm grateful for a serene Sunday of gentle rain and soft thunder....
*
Relishing "Nights of Rain and Stars" and re~relishing the November/December edition of Victoria ("Bliss").

Come Saturday morning

I remembered to write in the olde blogs, today! Yay!

I'm really happy, right now~ because it's been a fine morning, cold enough to make the heat kick on in the house, but gorgeous outside, and I've got a New Dawn rose out there blooming happily.

There hasn't been a hard frost, yet~ mild Winter coming? We usually get a hard frost by the end of October, around here.

But, it hasn't come, and my rosebush is happily blooming a pink-and-white beauty. There's something so delightful about a rose that comes when you don't expect it....

(the photos I took of it are still in the camera, so here is a shot of last Fall's surprise rose!)

I made biscuits for breakfast, but so far, I'm the only one who is up, and eating them! You know the refridgerated cardboard cans of biscuits they sell here in America? I loooooove those, the ones that have the 'golden layers'~ there's something extraordinarily fun about peeling off each dainty, paper-thin, buttery layer.

I know fine chefs everywhere are cringing at this, but really, I love those canned, layer-y biscuits!

I'm reading Maeve Binchy's "Nights of Rain and Stars" and loving it!!

So, I guess today I'm thankful for a peaceful Saturday morning with breathtaking weather, a surprise rose, a great book, and delicious (for me, anyway) biscuits.

With grape jelly!

I am grateful for~

This is one of the things I'm grateful for, today~

I've been listening to the P&P cd.

I love the Pride and Prejudice movies, book, cd~ all of it! This cd is a thorough treat!

I often take advantage of the soothing affects of the fantastic soundtracks that are in my collection, and am always on the lookout for more to add to the list!

*

Happy, with a sparkle

I find myself pondering how funny it is that I didn't know how much it affected me, to not be able to believe in a God Who really has unconditional love for me! I guess it might not be visible from the outside, but I'm seeing the difference, inside. It feels more sparkly-eyed, in there!

*

(Actually, I've had comments that I seem happier, more joyful~ and I feel lighter in my heart, yes~ but I don't mean to give the impression that I'm constantly and dramatically transforming. That's just not how it is!

I don't expect all these things to be outwardly evident. I don't expect their impact to be felt by others in a big, sudden *blam!*)

*

I have only myself to blame

This whole Hairshirt-God concept I managed to develop was just not good for my faith~ I find I can't learn to love or trust such a concept of God. It isn't Unconditional Love, that kind of action being a prominent characteristic, and I won't believe it about my God/Love.

*

Unconditional Love is quick to give, quick to try to make the loved one happy, always looking out for your best, always hoping to make you smile from your heart, in true happiness...
*

Working on it

It seems to me that sometimes it's good to be very specific about what we want, what we hope for, but the big picture, it needs to be an ongoing trust in 'whatever'. To be open to God's cool ideas, and to expect good things to happen, to have this love letter being written back and forth between you and God. To believe in God's kindness and generosity and desire to show you Love every possible way.

A good faith opens the doors and windows for that Love to come flooding in!

*

It seems to me that Satan, Evil, is all about chaos and unhappiness, suffering, both physical and spiritual ~ so, God, Good, is the opposite of that~ peace and happiness, joy of the profound kind, both in the physical world and spiritual.

Why didn't I connect that, before? Why did I allow my concept of God to be so hateful, in ways so insidious, I didn't even realize I was thinking of it that way?

*

You may disagree, but I believe the God I know would only "allow" suffering, in order to help strengthen our character, which leads eventually to even more joy! I don't believe that God would push it on us, as 'punishment' ~ because of Jesus redeeming us, I believe we don't have to have the heavy-handed Old Testament treatment. God is free to give good gifts to His children!

*

When I'm in deep, silent prayer, and really basically wallowing in the presence of God, I experience something holy and pure... I sense this God/Love as being all good things, with a hesitation to give pain, to punish, or to be stern.

I suppose I only see a tiny piece of God.... I guess I connect more with the Love of God, now, than any militant side He may have.

You certainly get the sense as well that this God is big and powerful enough to do all those scary things, if He wanted to! It's there, and I respect God's power because I feel just how overpoweringly powerful It is!

*

But the prevailing sense I get from my time with God is one of deep, deep peace and kindness~ kind thoughts, directed lovingingly at me, and everything else in creation. The kind of Love that wants to just sit and be with me, and whisper from behind my heart how Much Love there is for me!

(Enough to overflow and give to everything, if I would just get with it!)

*

Look closely and you will find~

I guess I would encourage you to continually consider your view of God~ what you think, why you think it, and is it helping you to love God more? Trust God more? Establish a wonderful relationship with God? Are you grateful for what you have?

*

I feel that God's used my careful considerations of my own views about this tremendous Divine Love to really open the doors to myself and what needs fixing in my outlook, what could be lifted higher to the light, as well as to my relationship with God.

*

Have peace and joy, friend~

Isn't it romantic
(this will appear on both blogs)
Today, I'm in a mood to savor romantic things, so I'm really enjoying the Autumn photos that are out and about on the blogsphere, these days~ plus, I've come across an article about the sites of Paris, which sounds sooo pretty! I've never been there, so it's nice to be able to 'visit' this way.

(Image courtesy of Morgen at "Blog Eat Blog")

So, today, I'm grateful for the luster a romantic mood can give a day.....

Victoria bliss
Last month, I hauled out some old issues of Victoria magazine (I was tiding myself over till I could get a copy of the new issue) ~ tried to explain to my kids how wonderful that magazine makes you feel~ it's full of beauty and serenity, and it always ends up making me feel serene and wonderful about life! The new issue was just like that~ wonderful!

Maybe I'll delve into one of the issues, tonight~ that would be very relaxing! :)

Dealing with the 'Famine' mindset
So far, 'the Secret'/law of attraction theory has helped me in my spirituality. My faith and trust in God have grown, because I considered the idea of God being very kind~ and I don't mean "very kind because He lets me exist and doesn't blast me to smithereens like He could" ~ I mean I found the courage to think of God as being kind and giving, and wanting me to be happy.
I tried that thought on, and found it fit like the Truth; I feel this really is the Truth. God wants us to be happy.

God's love is not just a tough love, quick to deprive us in order to strengthen us. There is a generous, indulging love there, the way a parent will indulge a child's simple wishes out of love, while steering away from spoiling the child.
They want to make their beloved child happy; and that's what I feel God is like, with us.

The trials will show up, sometimes, of course! But in between the trials, God wants me to be happy, wants to give me good things, things I enjoy, and not just spiritual things, but physical things in my life.

That might not be a groundbreaking, new thought for most Christians, but it is for me! I haven't believed in a very kind God who would give me a happy life since I was a kid~ back when I was considered "lucky" and had a lot of things to make me happy! :)
My heart's desires were good, and were answered, and I had no doubt that I would receive them, because God's universe was as good as Him!
I didn't even question that, not till I was way into my years.

I've decided to develop that attitude again, because after experiencing both attitudes about God, I believe my first one was the right one~ God is very kind, and has made His universe a mind-bogglingly kind place to live! The potential is there, if we but believe....!

Where it's at
By this time in my life, I have the basis for more~ my character has had a chance to grow, when trials come I know by now to be patient, and stick close to God in love, and look for His love behind the hard circumstances.
And know that the sunlight will come out, again, eventually. It always returns.

My first thirst is to know God~ that always ends up the bottom line, in the end. That longing is just an integral part of me, one that I strongly suspect (and hope!) will stay in me.

So, I think I'm in a good place for adding to my faith and trust in this Love/God I'm always seeking. I hope to do so with wisdom, and guidance from God!
I believe God will watch over me and not allow me to get too greedy or too shallow, yet always trust in Him for everything I need (and much of what I simply want) in my life.

I give thanks
I'm incredibly grateful for a God that would be so kind and loving as to give me things I want, as well as things I need! That just touches my heart to think of....!

That Peace Globe Blog Blast thing

I inadvertently blogged my "Thankful" entry on my other blog, so I'll just cut and paste it here:

...It occurred to me how fortunate I am to live in a place where I can live my day out without violence, with peace.
If I were in a car wreck, I don't have to simply hope that I can get away before the police show up, as one missionary friend experiences in his country. If I say I pray, I'm not pushed to explain just WHO I pray to~ I'm not persecuted for my spiritual beliefs, as others are.
Even here in Cincinnati, famous for times of riots erupting in certain broken areas of the city, I know enough about what's going on in the world to know that I'm lucky it isn't worse~ much worse. I'm lucky I've never been physically impacted by the times of fighting.

Hear me roar
Here in America, I can be female, and not have to bow and scrape before others. I can be independent! I can have a job outside the home, and not be shunned in public for it. I can make my own decisions. I can more or less form my own life the way I want it!

My country's media often tries to lift me up, not just tell me to diet and be skinny. There are many ads that show Woman as Goddess, which is a lot of fun, and helps other women realize their own potential and strength and power, when they might be prone to feel helpless and scared.

(I realize the backlash happens, of women thinking they're entitled to selfish behavior, and getting big heads, who have taken the 'princessy' thing too far, but for the most part, no~ the average woman doesn't do that~ she just wants to be allowed to maintain a feeling that it's good to be a woman, and she's just a wonderful as a man, only in a different way, which is the beautiful part of it.)

Here in my environment, I'm not made to feel I'm unworthy, just because I'm a woman~ I'm actually often told that I'm highly worthy, because I'm a woman!

Noone shoots at my head, noone abuses me, there is no loudness or racketing or rioting around me, and when I look around, I don't see it happening to others.

Not just the exterior circumstances are allowing me peace~ the meditations/contemplative prayer I do have given me the well-being and peace of mind we all hope for; and I'm grateful for that! Interior peace is even more beneficial than peace in our surroundings (though interior peace needs a certain amount of exterior peace and quiet and solitude, in order to flourish), and I'm glad I've been allowed to experience it.

My own
We may not have a prevalent peace~ my country may be at war~ but how can I fuss about my own life, when the people overseas have it so much worse, in this war?
While I pray for a more-widespread peace, I take a moment to consider what I myself have been given.

I have high hopes that the war will end, come election time, if not sooner, and bring our soldiers home! I look forward to that.~

For right now, I'm thankful for what peace and tranquility I've got.

Giving Thanks: Light
This morning for some reason, the thankful moment that came shining out at me and stayed with me was being able to see the river.
At one point in my drive to work, I can see the river, but when it's too dark, of course I can't really see anything~ at most, a glimpse of the lights on barges and boats going down the river at that hour.

With Daylight Savings Time going on, this morning was really light, compared to recent days of darkness. The sunrise was beautiful, as delicate as a seashell, like a dream, and there was the river, grey and rippling in the light. ~
That was cool~ I miss being able to see it, when the morning drive is dark.

The light morning hours will slip away soon enough, but it's nice to have this little reminder that it won't be too long before the shortest day of the year has come and gone, and the light will come back more and more, after that!
I am totally addicted to the light!

Tsunami shift
Speaking of light, I'm also grateful that the light around this area has changed in quality; I heard it was because of the tsunami shifting the axis. I guess it was about that time, that the quality of our Winter light seemed different, and has remained that way. The Winter days are brighter, now, and there is often a pearly sheen to the light that is delightful!
It reconciles me a great deal to the shorter days of bitter-cold Winter.....

Yes, I forgot.
Go to the other blog, if you want to know all about it.

But!, I'm totally into this whole gratitude as a way of life thing, so of course I was thinking of many things I'm grateful for, along the way through my day!
So, I'm quite capable of listing two things I'm grateful for, instead of one~~~~~~

I was grateful that my little decorating project was working out (so far). And I was further grateful during my little home decor spree that my late husband had such a lot of weird and wonderful antiques for me to go through~ I can easily hit a box of stuff I know nothing about, just a general idea of what's in it, like "kitchen antiques" or "antique toy musical instruments". That makes it really fun to decorate my house and rotate my accessories!

Yesterday, my search unearthed an antique Calumet Baking Powder tin container (red, with an American Indian on it), and an old, old cookie tin, a paperback of Narnia's 'Dawn Treader', two cool baskets, a neat toy xylaphone (ok, I totally misspelled that, but gimme a break, it's Sunday morning, I should be off this fossil, enjoying my GodTime in sweet peace!), and a sheet and a half of green scrub pads, unused and ready to go.

Also a mystery object, a little black box with a locked lid, and at least two peep-holes, that is supposed to open, I supposed, with the windup key on the side.
But I couldn't get that box open for anything...
Will have to call in some better brains, on this one.....

And today I'm reallyreally grateful that it's still morning, there is plenty of time to savor my solitude with God......

Later, dudes~

Thanks



I will be participating in the "I'm Giving Thanks" thingie for the month of November (started by Leah of South Breeze Farm, see helpful url below). ~



This means that every day for the month of November, I'll be posting something I'm grateful for here on this blog. ~ Oh, the suspense!

The photo is a Portrait of a Happy Tree (like Parrish's "Portrait of a Tree" at the Cincy Art Museum) that lives right outside my window ~ I love that tree and admire it everyday.
If any tree could be said to look happy and thankful, it would be that tree!

So, that's the first "thank"~~ I'm thankful for that happy tree to see! :) It always perks me right up!

100 Day Challenge~ the game is afoot
I went in with a sort of "wait and see" attitude, which still holds true, simply because I couldn't really imagine what it would be like to be even closer to God (wow!), and didn't know how well I would do on the whole 'stronger, more prevalent Faith' thing. I didn't know where my boundaries would be. I'm shy about sharing details, because my faith in many areas is delicate, vulnerable, not strong enough, yet. I'm still growing!
And getting closer to God~ it's always so different, when I get a step closer~ each step is different, and leads me to a place with God that would've been unimaginable, before it happened.
So, I've been keeping quiet on much of what's going on, in my life. It's still early days, yet, you know?

Checklist!
I'm still working on it all~ the faith that moves mountains, the gratitude that flows in abundance, the daily times of fortifying meditation/contemplative prayer, focusing on God, the courage to daydream the things God puts in my heart, and the aim to align my daydreams with God's desires for me~ and more!
*whew!* Got my work cut out for me!

Softly gently, hope
I have a wish, a hope, that one day I'll experience the Transforming Union with God, and be totally united with Him ~ or should I say, become aware, completely aware, of just how NOT-separated I really am from God, in His eyes! The bible says nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, and I want to live my life out with that belief coloring it. Wouldn't that be cool?

ID
I find myself letting go of my own self-identity, in the sense that it just doesn't seem that dang important, what I am and am not, when it comes to the labels and definitions I put on myself. The important parts of me are the things that stay quiet until needed~ the principles under pressure, the true priorities, the character that shines (or doesn't) at trying moments, the wellspring of kindness that appears to warm others; and when it happens; and when it doesn't; and when I share it; and when I don't.
And mostly, my heart for God~ is it really deep? Am I striving to make it deeper, to make my love more real, warmer, fuller, more selfless?

The mind strives to give definition to itself, to say, 'this is what I am, this is what I like, this is my style' ~ and really, it just isn't that important if I like this or dislike that, etc.
In the end, it doesn't matter what shape my lipstick is, or if I eat green beans or not! Those are just fun little ditties to play with, they don't define the real me!
A person's true self, the important part, is more of a wisp in the wind than that, impossible to pin down ~ I would still be me, even if I took to eating cauliflower, right? :)

I'd like to come to the point where my boundaries and self-image come straight from God's own thoughts about me. I'd like to be truer to the blueprint God started with, when designing me, because I'm sure and certain that I've messed with the design!

Free as a bird
There is a freedom in just being myself, the essence of me, with no name, no walls, no labels, nothing but that spirit, purely refined and defined by only the very foundations, those unnameable things that make me, me. I hadn't really thought of it, before, but these days, it's going on in me pretty often. What I have defined myself as is not as important as what God is, around me.

?
I wonder if I would've had this happen if I hadn't started the 100 Day Challenge? Really, I'm kind of surprised by the spherical changes that have been occurring in me~ the process of trying to gain a better attitude towards God's kindness, the way I look at God, in general, the way I look at love and life and money and people and death and, well, everything!

Holding still on top of this thought
I would love to spend more time doing things that are a balance of my spirit and my physical/life. We often kind of categorize and separate the two, but the fullest life is a combination of both aspects~ experiencing something both spiritually and physically.

I feel there is a way to do this, I've seen people who live that way~ it does affect (and change) how we view the world and what we do, but it sure does look fulfilling and rewarding, on its own!
I want to see clearly the holy and sacred behind the everyday, constantly, as a way of life, an everyday thing.

Any given moment
God sort of grabs me behind all kinds of different things in my life, so I suspect that an effort to not block Love out when It tries to come through to me is the way to bring about that dual enjoyment of life.

That holy beauty is a possibility behind any given moment God presents to us.....