peacegirl place

Without discipline, you haven't a leg to stand on

2012-01-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

I really thought I'd just jump right in and start listening more. Naive girl, I am. So this week I thought to be as good a time as any to start my new discipline of listening. Whoops? Did I say discipline? Something perhaps I never considered I'd need to shift from ~~talker~~ conversationalist to intentional listener.

Today disproved any preconceived notion I might have had that I could listen. That poor lady ! Seriously, I wanted to pop her and make her quit interrupting what I was trying to say. And just like that, I realized, my first attempt at listening - sincerely shutting my mouth, not thinking of the next words I wanted to say, and allowing another to complete their thought without any input from myself - had failed.

To listen well, is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversation

I'll be listening in 2012

2012-01-05T06:44:00.000-08:00

Listen ..... yes, I've settled. That's it. My power word for 2012. After reading several articles on the power of focusing my New year's resolution toward one main word, I decided this idea was perfect for me - the one who tends to forget easily. My initial thoughts on this led me to Love but then I began to think a little deeper on this. I feared that to learn and live more love came more from a place of interest all my own and well, sometimes left on my own, I don't always see, hear, or even want to follow my privilege of divine direction. So, in an effort to get this year 'right', I thought I would spend some time reflecting, praying, and asking for my word instead. Continually I am led back to the word Listen.

Now, at first, I assumed I was simply to listen to my God, to be still, and really listen this year. It didn't really tickle my fancy as an exciting word for the year as daily I try to practice this listening. But then, in a intriguing way, I heard more. I heard that listening to myself too involved building confidence in the divine directions I felt I'm being given. And then, I became even more excited when I realized just how powerful this word would be for me this year. This listening would certainly incorporate listening with intention to others also.

This whole thought process began on Christmas Eve. Up until this point , my days spent photographing the homeless and low income seemed to be the direction God had been leading me. It seemed that He, indeed, could take my eye for photography and use it for His honor and glory. Throughout the year of 2011, I felt this movement. Always a little unsure of how the pictures would play into the grand scheme of things, I followed along anyway. But then...

On the eve of Christmas as my homeless friends came through the line for their Christmas portrait, I began to feel something different. It was more than the actual portrait, itself. It was the moment in time where I was able to ask each and every one of the 75 visitors their name. It was the moment when I touched their hand and said sit here , you're beautiful. It was the moment when we laughed and smiled together during our little mini sessions. And it was then, the idea of listening was born in me.

That moment was huge. But not near as huge as the moment I realized this week how God had encompassed it all together. Listen to Him , Listen to Others, and Listen to Myself. I could cry right here. The word which seemingly meant little seems to cover everything I struggled with in 2011. Well, maybe struggle is not the right word. Maybe, this word is simply building onto the foundation He has been laying for me. I don't see the picture clearly but somehow I have a sense of peace with this word. Listen feels like a guide for the upcoming year. So - that's it - in 2012, I'll be listening. Let it be.

I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.

Ernest Hemingway

post script: ironically after finding the above photo via internet, I realized that may initial leaning toward the word Love was not so incorrect after all. I can already see I will grow much toward love this year.

A Warm Fuzzy Tale

2011-11-10T19:16:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived two happy people called Tim and Maggie with their two children, John and Lucy. To understand how happy they were you have to understand how things were in those days.

You see in those happy days everyone was given a small, soft Fuzzy Bag when born. Any time a person reached into this bag they were able to pull out a Warm Fuzzy. Warm Fuzzies were very much in demand because whenever someone was given a Warm Fuzzy it made them feel warm and fuzzy all over.

In those days it was very easy to get Warm Fuzzies. Anytime that somebody felt like it, he might walk up to you and say, "I'd like to have a Warm Fuzzy." You would then reach into your bag and pull out a Fuzzy the size of a child’s hand. As soon as the Fuzzy saw the light of day it would smile and blossom into a large, shaggy, Warm Fuzzy. When you laid the Warm Fuzzy on the person's head, shoulder or lap it would snuggle up and melt right against their skin and make them feel good all over.

People were always asking each other for Warm Fuzzies, and since they were always given freely, getting enough of them was never a problem. There were always plenty to go around, and so everyone was happy and felt warm and fuzzy most of the time.

One day a bad witch who made salves and potions for sick people became angry because everyone was so happy and feeling good and no one was buying potions and salves. The witch was very clever and devised a very wicked plan. One beautiful morning while Maggie was playing with her daughter the witch crept up to Tim and whispered in his ear,

"See here, Tim, look at all the Fuzzies that Maggie is giving to Lucy. You know, if she keeps it up she is going to run out and then there won't be any left for you!"

Tim was astonished. He turned to the witch and asked, "Do you mean to tell me that there isn't a Warm Fuzzy in our bag every time we reach into it?".

And the witch answered, "No, absolutely not, and once you run out, that's it. You don't have any more." With this the witch flew away on a broom, laughing and cackling all the way.

Tim took this to heart and began to notice every time Maggie gave away a Warm Fuzzy. He got very worried because he liked Maggie's Warm Fuzzies very much and did not want to give them up. He certainly did not think it was right for Maggie to be spending all her Warm Fuzzies on the children and other people.

Tim began to complain or sulk when he saw Maggie giving Warm Fuzzies to somebody else, and because Maggie loved him very much, she stopped giving Warm Fuzzies to other people as often, and reserved most of them for him.

The children watched this and soon began to get the idea that it was wrong to give Warm Fuzzies any time you were asked or felt like it. They too became very careful. They would watch their parents closely and whenever they felt that one of their parents was giving too many Fuzzies to others, they felt jealous and complained and sometimes even had a tantrum. And even though they found a Warm Fuzzy every time they reached into their bag they began to feel guilty whenever they gave them away so they reached in less and less and became more and more stingy with them.

Before the witch, people used to gather in groups of three, four or five, never caring too much who was giving Warm Fuzzies to whom. After the coming of the witch, people began to pair off and to reserve all their Warm Fuzzies for each other, exclusively. When people forgot to be careful and gave a Warm Fuzzy to just anybody they worried because they knew that somebody would probably resent sharing their Warm Fuzzies.

People began to give less and less Warm Fuzzies, and felt less warm and less fuzzy. They began to shrivel up and, occasionally, people would even die from lack of Warm Fuzzies. People felt worse and worse and, more and more, people went to the witch to buy potions and salves even though they didn't really seem to work.

Well, the situation was getting very serious indeed. The bad witch who had been watching all of this didn't really want the people to die (since dead people couldn't buy his salves and potions), so a new plan was devised.

Everyone was given, free of charge, a bag that was very similar to the Fuzzy Bag except that this one was cold while the Fuzzy Bag was warm. Inside of the witch's bag were Cold Pricklies. These Cold Pricklies did not make people feel warm and fuzzy; in fact they made them feel cold and prickly instead. But the Cold Pricklies were better than nothing and they did prevent peoples' backs from shriveling up.

So, from then on, when somebody asked for a Warm Fuzzy, people who were worried about depleting their supply would say, "I can't give you a Warm Fuzzy, but would you like a Cold Prickly instead?"

Sometimes, two people would walk up to each other, thinking they maybe they could get a Warm Fuzzy this time, but one of them would change his mind and they would wind up giving each other Cold Pricklies instead. So, the end result was that people were not dying anymore but a lot of people were very unhappy and feeling very cold and prickly indeed.

The situation got very complicated since the coming of the witch because there were fewer and fewer Warm Fuzzies around and Warm Fuzzies which used to be free as air, became extremely valuable.

This caused people to do all sorts of things in order to get Warm Fuzzies. People who could not find a generous partner had to buy their Warm Fuzzies and had to work long hours to earn the money.

Some people became "popular" and got a lot of Warm Fuzzies without having to give any back. These people would then sell their Warm Fuzzies to people who were "unpopular" and needed them to feel that life was worth living.

Another thing which happened was that some people would take Cold Pricklies--which were everywhere and freely available-and coated them white and fluffy so that they almost looked like Warm Fuzzies. These fake Warm Fuzzies were really Plastic Fuzzies, and they caused additional problems.

For instance, two or more people would get together and freely give each other Plastic Fuzzies. They expected to feel good, but they came away feeling bad instead. People got very confused never realizing that their cold, prickly feelings were because they had been given a lot of Plastic Fuzzies.

So the situation was very, very dismal and it all started because of the coming of the witch who made people believe that some day, when least expected, they might reach into their Warm Fuzzy Bag and find no more.

Not long ago, a young woman with big hips came to this unhappy land. She seemed not to have heard about the bad witch and was not worried about running out of Warm Fuzzies. She gave them out freely, even when not asked. They called her the Hip Woman and disapproved of her because she was giving the children the idea that they should not worry about running out of Warm Fuzzies. The children liked her very much because they felt good around her and they began to follow her example giving out Warm Fuzzies whenever they felt like it.

This made the grownups very worried. To protect the children from depleting their supplies of Warm Fuzzies they passed a law. The law made it a criminal offense to give out Warm Fuzzies in a reckless manner or without a license. Many children, however, seemed not to care; and in spite of the law they continued to give each other Warm Fuzzies whenever they felt like it and always when asked. Because they were many, many children, almost as many as grown ups, it began to look as if maybe they would have their way.

As of now its hard to say what will happen. Will the grownups laws stop the recklessness of the children?

Are the grownups going to join with the Hip Woman and the children in taking a chance that there will always be as many Warm Fuzzies as needed?

Will they remember the days their children are trying to bring back when Warm Fuzzies were abundant because people gave them away freely ?

The struggle spread all over the land and is probably going on right were you live. If you want to, and I hope you do, you can join by freely giving and asking for Warm Fuzzies and being as loving and healthy as you can.

“The love we give away is the only love we keep.”

Author, Claude Steiner

The Message

2011-07-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

Why do I do the things I do not want to do?

Why, when I am aware, do I do it anyway?

Romans 7:15-25

The Message

^14-16I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
^17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
^21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
²⁴I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
²⁵The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

Have you found life to be full of contradictions?

A Horse With No Name

2011-05-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

I am open to the guidance of synchronicity,

and do not let expectations hinder my path.

Though I expected the sun to set as I headed west in anticipation of capturing it, I wasn't sure I would find just the right spot to sit and watch it descend. I drove hurriedly, searching the horizon as the sun changed from one side of the highway to the other. I felt anxious that if I did not soon find a spot , I would miss it altogether. Off to the right my eye took in a reminder that I was not in charge, that if it were meant for me...it would offer itself up. I need only wait....and watch .

A peace fell over me, my energy relaxed itself and in that moment, I let go of any expectation that today would be the picture perfect sunset chasing Sunday afternoon and with intention I decided to just enjoy the moment .

Driving on westward, I slid in my favorite cd , grooved into my seat, and patted my Zoey dog on the head...content to just enjoy as the sky before me glared in a myriad of amber rays.

What I could have never expected was what met me as I rounded the very next curve. Delighted as though I had come to the end of the rainbow and therein, found a pot of gold.

Expect Nothing,

and you'll never be disappointed.

Location: Rural South Georgia
Photography : Peacefotos
Music: America ~ A Horse With No Name (1972)

Shake the Dust

2011-05-22T05:42:00.000-07:00

This is for the fat girls.

This is for the little brothers.

This is for the school-yard wimps, this is for the childhood bullies who tormented them.

This is for the former prom queen, this is for the milk-crate ball players.

This is for the nighttime cereal eaters and for the retired, elderly Wal-Mart store front door greeters. Shake the dust.

This is for the benches and the people sitting upon them,

for the bus drivers driving a million broken hymns,

for the men who have to hold down three jobs simply to hold up their children,

for the nighttime schoolers and the midnight bike riders who are trying to fly. Shake the dust.

This is for the two-year-olds who cannot be understood because they speak half-English and half-god. Shake the dust.

For the girls with the brothers who are going crazy,

for those gym class wall flowers and the twelve-year-olds afraid of taking public showers,

for the kid who's always late to class because he forgets the combination to his lockers,

for the girl who loves somebody else. Shake the dust.

This is for the hard men, the hard men who want to love but know that it won't come.

For the ones who are forgotten, the ones the amendments do not stand up for.

For the ones who are told to speak only when you are spoken to and then are never spoken to. Speak every time you stand so you do not forget yourself.

Do not let a moment go by that doesn't remind you that your heart beats 900 times a day and that there are enough gallons of blood to make you an ocean.

Do not settle for letting these waves settle and the dust to collect in your veins.

This is for the celibate pedophile who keeps on struggling,

for the poetry teachers and for the people who go on vacations alone.

For the sweat that drips off of Mick Jaggers' singing lips and for the shaking skirt on Tina Turner's shaking hips, for the heavens and for the hells through which Tina has lived.

This is for the tired and for the dreamers and for those families who'll never be like the Cleavers with perfectly made dinners and sons like Wally and the Beaver.

This is for the biggots,

this is for the sexists,

this is for the killers.

This is for the big house, pen-sentenced cats becoming redeemers and for the springtime that always shows up after the winters.

This? This is for you.

Make sure that by the time fisherman returns you are gone.

Because just like the days, I burn both ends and every time I write, every time I open my eyes I am cutting out a part of myself to give to you.

So shake the dust and take me with you when you do for none of this has never been for me.

All that pushes and pulls, pushes and pulls for you.

So grab this world by its clothespins and shake it out again and again and jump on top and take it for a spin and when you hop off shake it again for this is yours.

Make my words worth it, make this not just another poem that I write, not just another poem like just another night that sits heavy above us all.

Walk into it, breathe it in, let is crash through the halls of your arms at the millions of years of millions of poets coursing like blood pumping and pushing making you live, shaking the dust.

So when the world knocks at your front door, clutch the knob and open on up, running forward into its widespread greeting arms with your hands before you, fingertips trembling though they may be.
Written and performed by Anis Mojgani

Looking for a Hippie

2011-05-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wish I could return to the same mindset of that at eighteen years of age. A time when nothing mattered but the present moment, a time when my ideals were less defined, and a time when I found it exciting to just make a connection with a guy whether he fit the bill or not. Now, why would I wish such things? Everything we learn in our maturity leads us to make better choices in all areas of our lives. This should be good, right? Though it seems, and I speak from my experience, that finding a mate in life as we enter middle age, is not near as easy as when we expected so much less.

So, I ponder, do we expect too much? Are our ideals too lofty for others to meet? Is there even any possible way to find the one whose criteria matches our list? Somewhere along the line of opposites attract and looking for one with similar interests and ideals, I have become confused. I tremble at the thought of living life with an opposite. Yet, with my hippie mentality, I can't help but wonder if two of us similar in nature would have enough get up and go to get much done. Someone has to be responsible, yes? lol...I laugh but in reality I am tired of being the driving force in managing life. In my fantasy, I desire a responsible hippie. Yes, I'm confident...this would complete me. * thinking as I recede into my little world of day dreaming*

Sometimes in my quest to align myself with reality, I admit I google random thoughts just to see if anyone out in the atmosphere ever has thought the same. Such was the case just recently. I decided to google Looking for a Hippie *giggles*. Okay, you may laugh with me but don't think me insane because suprisingly enough I found that there are, indeed, others who wish upon the same star. I ran across a Hippie Forum where hippies looking for other hippies can make exchanges. Lo and behold, I found that many free spirits are wanting to share their lives with like-minded ones. I felt a bit of comfort in the fact that all of my ponderings on this are not futile. I have now determined that the philosophy we hear of opposites attract has little validity and perhaps I have come to a better mindset by evolving into a likeness attract way of thinking.

I feel more confident now that I have settled this matter within myself. I would be well to note here that I did not join the forum....I still believe in the natural occurence of events and will hold out, continuing to keep my heart and mind open for the one. I've noticed that I have a tendency to rationalize potential mates into being the one I would want. I've also noticed that I stay in a quandry mentally when I do this...is this love that I'm feeling? I think I may be growing up, I no longer find myself interested when confusuion sets in. I feel like I have shifted positions...finally...from caring who likes me but rather who is it that I like. It's taken quite the years to love myself enough to want the very best for me.

Dreams come true and without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them

J. Ruskin.

We don't just dream because we are unhappy with our lives, we dream because the nature of life around us 'incites' us to look at what else we can have in our lives.

Music: Lenny Kravitz ~ Let Love Rule

Why Walk When You Can Fly

2011-04-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

More than anything else the sensation is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost, if you can conceive of such a combination.

~Wilbur Wright~

In this world there's a whole lot of trouble, baby
In this world there's a whole lot of pain
In this world there's a whole lot of trouble
But a whole lot of ground to gain
Why take when you could be giving, why watch as the world goes by
It's a hard enough life to be living, why walk when you can fly

In this world there's a whole lot of sorrow
In this world there's a whole lot of shame
In this world there's a whole lot of sorrow
And a whole lotta ground to gain
When you spend your whole life wishing, wanting and wondering why
It's a long enough life to be living, why walk when you can fly

In this world there's a whole lot of cold
In this world there's a whole lot of blame
In this world you've a soul for a compass
And a heart for a pair of wings
There's a star on the far horizon, rising bright in an azure sky
For the rest of the time that you're given, why walk when you can fly

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Come Away With Me

2011-03-15T08:49:00.000-07:00


It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.

That pleasure which is at once the most pure, the most elevating and the most intense, is derived, I maintain, from the contemplation of the beautiful.

Edgar Allan Poe

I experience a period of frightening clarity in those moments when nature is so beautiful. I am no longer sure of myself, and the paintings appear as in a dream.

Vincent Van Gogh

A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it.

Michelangelo

What is really beautiful must always be true.

Stendhal

She said she usually cried at least once each day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short.

To pay homage to beauty is to admire Nature; to admire Nature is to worship God

Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I didn't ask for it to be over, but then again, I never asked for it to begin. For that's the way it is with life, as some of the most beautiful days come completely by chance. But even the most beautiful days eventually have their sunsets.

The Law of Attraction

2011-03-10T06:47:00.000-08:00

A traveler nearing a great city asked an old man seated by the road,

“What are the people like in this city?”

“What were they like where you come from?” asked the old man.

“Horrible,” the traveler responded in disgust. “Mean, untrustworthy, detestable in all respects.”

“Ah…” said the old man thoughtfully, “you will probably find them the same in this city as well.”

A few hours later another traveler passed by and asked the old man the same question.

“What were they like where you come from?” he similarly asked.

“They were fine people. Honest, industrious, generous, caring; I was sorry to leave,” the traveler responded.

“You’ll find them the same here,” the old man replied.

Parables teach us great truths.

Get yourself right and your world will be right. If you want authentic meaningful relationships with others, look no further than yourself. Become authentic. Become yourself.

2011-03-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

We Wear the Mask

WE wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask.

~Jim Morrison

Masks obscure honestly. Masks keep others at bay or else, masks attract others to a false pretense of who I am. Masks are not sad personas, often they are much the opposite. I'm quite the guilty one of a smiling and laughing mask when if it were pealed off, there would be a reflection of loneliness and discontent. But not always, sometimes my smile is genuine ,my laughter from a deep a happy state. So how are you to know in my inconsistency? How are you to know which day I am revealing my truthful self? .....How am I to know your truth?

Few of us, I've come to realize, rarely are as authentic as we were created to be. Why is this? Why do I (or you) mask our truth? I began by thinking of others and why people mask themselves. Quickly it was reflected back to myself . In my there humbled state, I came to an awareness that I, too, am fearful of exposing, at times, my genuine self. It was quite the surprise, to yet again, have this revealed, having spent a great many years pealing back the masks to discover who I am today.

This tells me to be gentle with myself, whereas my first inclination was to be angry with me. For you see, I've come a long way and undoubtedly thought I was there. There? Where is there? I suppose I thought it was a plateau, one where I stood tried, true, and truthful to my genuine self. I laugh out loud now. Never will I be complacent in my growth. To not be growing and gaining awareness of who I whole- heartedly was created to be...well, suffice it to say, that day will find me at the end of my journey.

So for today, as I look into my morning mirror, I remind myself that I am loved just as I am and thankfully so. I am loved completely without mask; I am loved when I forget that and done my mask anyway. But somehow, this morning, I am finding it intriguing to realize that the times I wear those masks, I do so to please others. My epiphany is this: there is but One I must please. He already knows me and to wear any other mask but my natural affront is a self imposed prison, the mask, a wall that keeps others out.

Today I will practice entertaining guests. Some may enjoy themselves, others may not. But I will be content in knowing I am Free to Be Me.

Summertime in Fotos - Repost

2011-03-03T06:09:00.000-08:00

zoom out and celebrate what is good in life.......

Last summer, I spent most of my time kayaking the river in our area and brought back some really cool memories. However, things inevitably change. Drowning my camera has hampered my kayaking and photographing, my kayak chica ran off to Cali. and my kayak hippie dude of a friend can't seem to pencil me in his schedule. Are ya feeling my sadness?

But

This summer, I have been lucky to have access a few blocks from home to "the creek" and what we call the blue hole.The last couple of weekends, my bff and her hubbie have boated up the creek and picked me up on their way . My latest mode of floating cost me 3 bucks, won't turn over, and is lime green just like my kayak.....don't be hating ;)

So what we have here is just a little (of 400 some odd fotos) of what summertime means to me. Who are these people? I have no idea, but after a while they became pretty friendly to my camera.

Hope you've had a great summer. School starts tomorrow!

The Blue Hole
(continuing to be enjoyed generation after generation)

Peace, Love & Summertime

peacegirlplace
2010

Wall Flies

2011-03-03T06:02:00.000-08:00

Please note this a repost from another blogging site. I am in the process of transferring my blog archive.

Please note, it is not my intention to offend. If you are here....or there...on my wall looking in, maybe, just maybe, this will be the day you fly in and join the idea of social networking. First, what is social networking? An association of people drawn
together by family, work or hobby. The term was first coined by
professor J. A. Barnes in the 1950s, who defined the size of a social network as a group of about 100 to 150 people.Depending on the social networking website in question, many of these
online community members share a common bond, whether that bond be
hobbies, religion, or politics. Once you are granted access to a social
networking website you can begin to socialize. This socialization may
include reading the profiles or profile pages of other members or even
contacting them.

Simply defined as it is, you get my drift. In fact, you got the drift of it when you logged in. (I think) Now, it is highly unlikely that I would attend any gathering of people whether known to me or not and spend my evening not speaking. I just couldn't do it, nor would I. Stopping right here...I understand that people come in varieties, some are social and some not so social. But do you go to a gathering to "look on"? I don't.

Periodically, I shuffle through my friends list and those of which we have not interacted in any form or fashion, I delete. No problem, I'm sure it's no loss since there was nothing there to lose. I much prefer an intimate group of say, 50 friends who interact on a somewhat regular basis. This is my social network.

Now, what perplexes me is this, on my Facebook profile I have a friend's list of 315 people whom I have personally had some type of formidable relationship with either past or present. On a regular basis, I would say I interact with perhaps twenty of these. And of that twenty, five are friends I have made on other sites on the interweb whom I have never had face to face contact with. My question, why are these people sitting on my wall? Are they friends? Granted some, I understand, do not frequent the site. Yet, some do and never breathe a sigh. What is up with that?

Pardon my sarcasm, but being of a social mind, I am finding it difficult to understand what possesses people to look and look and never interact. Now, I love to look, don't get me wrong. I will look at photos all day long but you can betcha you will know I am there. Can I get an "amen" on that? That is because I love commenting and I want you to know I looked.

Obviously, there is something I do not understand about (un)social networking. I am open-minded and willing to listen. Please tell me. I am not so foolish that I do not understand there are times when we know not what to say. Okay! I had someone the other day simply say " I love looking at your pictures". Is that difficult? I also understand "shyness". Let me know you are here and I will do the talking :) A simple "Hey" can open up a whole new friendship. And no, I do not expect interaction all the time but if we are friends and are in the same social network, then we kind of have an obligation to nurture friendship or perhaps, just let it go!

It has dawned on me that for anyone who fears interaction and prefers "flydom" , Twitter is the place for you! There you merely watch, you never have to respond :)

So..any insight you can spare me would certainly keep me at peace and prevent me from having to hang one of those fly trap thingys. And for any Wall Flys hanging about....speak to me. Do something. I love to socialize ♥
In fact, that's the reason I joined a social networking site!

peacegirlplace
2010

Mr. & Mrs.

2011-03-03T05:49:00.000-08:00

I could write you a story right here of a magical wedding weekend full of smiles, laughter, family, fun, sweating, thundershowers, wilted flowers, and tears of overwhelming joy but I won't...I think I'll just let a few of my six hundred photos speak for themselves.

Rehearsal Dinner

Don't just follow your heart because your heart can be deceived...
but LEAD your heart.

Fireproof, the movie

peacegirlplace

2010

A Rolling Stone

2011-03-01T18:35:00.000-08:00

A rolling stone gathers no moss

is an old proverb, credited to Publis Syrus, who in his Sententaie states, People who are always moving, with no roots in one place, avoid responsibilities and cares. As such, the proverb is often interpreted as referring to figurative nomads
who avoid taking on responsibilities or cultivating or advancing their
own knowledge, experience, or culture. Another interpretation equates
"moss" to "stagnation"; as such the proverb can also refer to those who keep moving as never lacking for fresh ideas or creativity.

And now I feel all better about things. I had become quite confused sitting here all covered with moss. It's no wonder I felt uncomfortable. Look, I want to warn you, if you ain't feeling real positive , do not expect to sit and reason things out with yourself and come to a new conclusion about things. I needed something outside myself to encourage me. Something that said "it's okay".."I'm okay".

I usually prefer to jump from one mountaintop experience to another and have experienced life like that. But woe is me, if I slip and slide into a valley. A simple few words this week made me think: it is better to be on top of your mind than a mountain. Suddenly, I realized that no matter what swirled about me, my mind could stay on the mountain. It was when I focused so much on the negativity that I felt for being in the valley that this stone stopped rolling.

The fact is, I ain't crazy and I didn't suddenly grow old as I might have led some to believe. What I am is...creative. And unless, in some shape or form, I am feeding who I am, I am miserable.

The confusion came in when I couldn't understand my inability to just relax and do nothing.

Now, I can go a little easier on myself. Maybe learn to grow a little moss and roll too ;)

To roll or not to roll ?

That is the question

peacegirlplace
2010

Censored/ Fotos

2011-03-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

I've embarked on a new leg of my journey, one where I will no longer allow the Censor to fill my well. The Censor being that nagging voice within us that is the origin of all things negative, censoring all of the positive thoughts and energies we dare to dream.

My personal well seems to be chock full of negatives by the time I arise each morning. I believe my censor takes full advantage of my unawareness during the night. I now will empty my well immediately upon awakening and then I will fill it with positive affirmations.

My "morning papers" are a meditation of sorts. A time I will sit and write three pages of every thought that crosses my mind. Three pages? "I can't do that" says the censor within me. *sigh* but I will try it. Day one ...within twenty minutes, three pages were not enough but I stopped. Rambling thoughts...something like this:

"ugh...I hate Mondays. I don't wanna work. I can't think the birds are singing too loudly. I'm going inside. Okay...ohmygosh, and I have school today...I'm not taking that test tomorrow, I can't do it...I should be grateful. I'm such a waste....I need to get in the shower.. did I turn on the computer....i have got to get to the grocery store..I'm not putting that stuff in the art show, it's no good...."

Adamantly, I am not to read over what I write and not to show my writings to anyone. The above was merely an example. With my well now emptied, I continue to write affirmations supporting all the things my creative mind truly wants to live and believe.

"I've been given a gift of creativity and I can use it."

"It is possible for me to complete the things I need to take care of today"

"I am allowed to nurture and grow the artist within me"

Each day I will empty and refill my well.

Each week, I will spend a couple hours dating the artist, myself. No one will be allowed on the date, it is for me. And that is okay.

I will keep an entry of my artist date, where I go and how it made me feel. These I will look back over in the weeks to come. My purpose is progress never perfection, to develop an appreciation for my talent, courage and boldness to move forward in confidence, and a bit of audacity to put myself out there ;)

I will not compare myself with others.

I will be keenly aware of doors ajar and the leading of the Master Creator .

I will rest my mind, be willing to try, and to dream.

I will choose friends who encourage me and not allow me to just talk about it.

I will remember that all I am responsible for is creating my work, not judging it.

And most of all, I'm trusting the Great Creator to take care of the quality while I take care of the quantity.

peacegirlplace
2010

Eat, Pray, Love & Drive

2011-02-21T19:59:00.000-08:00

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.

~ Lao Tzu ~

Which was absolutely what I had in mind as I set out on my day journey. I always find some nourishment in seeing new landscapes and have found it only requires taking a new path. Great distances aren't necessarily required. Here's a touch of scenes that fell across my path.

After coming to a grinding halt and looking all about, I felt sure this meant welcome....come on in. I've never been much for rules and the such. I feel sure you'll agree, there's just no way I could have passed this up.

So there began my scheming. I thought quietly to myself, if I just whip around to the rear of this barn, no one will see me. So whip around I did, only to find the rear even more fascinating.

I only wish you could have seen the utter delight in my soul as my eyes fell upon the treasure which was housed within this picturesque scene.

Come inside with me. It's okay...no one's looking.

For a moment in time...this place was all mine.

I do not seek. I find.

Pablo Picasso

My Homeless Valentine

2011-02-17T21:24:00.000-08:00

The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.

This is my little hippie-child Valentine and her Valentine. HE is the one one we were shopping for when I learned just how washed up I am. Ha! Laugh or cry...either way, it seems my time has passed...I've had my day.

Or so, that's what she says. Now, it's all about her...and HIM. Oh boy! Man, teenagers have a whole different perspective than the rest of us. I wasn't like that. *snickers*.

Anyway, back to my original intent here. So, upon coming home at the end of the day on Valentine's, I asked hippie-child, "How was your Valentine's Day?" She responded "Good! How was yours?" Well, at first thought, it was a day like any other day withstanding a little side trip downtown to the local rescue mission to deliver some needed items to a guy who assured me I would find him standing on the corner, as did I.

In an effort to make my day sound a little love-ly, I jokingly replied, I've been out spreading the love! With her witty nature, she was quick to cantor from the other room " but,Did you get any?" For a moment, I tilted my head in recollection then an amazing realization sprung from within, warming my heart in a way I had not thought of during my day.

"Well, YES! Yes, I did, come to think of it" I happily replied after relishing in a moment of mental gratitude. All the while I was much intent on spreading love to my homeless friend, I had missed the meaning of what I had received in return.

A hug and an I love you from my homeless Valentine.

Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.

Mother Teresa

The Fake in Me

2011-01-04T19:52:00.000-08:00

there are very few things that I "hate" in this life... fake is one of them. fake anything. the fake things I hate the most are those that I see, discover, or unintentionally realize are in me...

I don't want to talk about it and I suspect you don't either. But a relevant status message just can't be ignored like that. Out of all the stupendous and totally boring things I read daily, this one I owe a thought or two. Having spent the better part of the last several years in self discovery allowing the onion to peel, so to speak,there remains, still, a falseness I wish to banish forever.

I don't find it necessary to detail the discoveries as the details are not important. The bare naked truth is where the freedom resides. We need not hate the discovery and realization that within us lies character traits of an untruthful nature. It is these very discoveries that brings us closer to realness. The problem more specifically is that we choose to ignore what we know about ourselves. And we do know ourselves!

...the courage to change the things we can suddenly comes to mind. How much do we hate the fake within thus becomes the question. Enough to change? I go back to a time in my youth as a mouthy, sarcastic teenager. I hated me for it, yet, I could never seem to rid myself of this character defect. I would think on these things. I was aware of my behavior and I was ashamed. And try as I may to alter myself, I found myself returning over and over to the same actions. The truth is, this followed me way beyond adolescence to a time, as an adult, it was very much unacceptable.

It would be years before I discovered change of this nature was way beyond any power I thought I had. But change, itself, was possible. I would need the help of a Power much greater than I to accomplish this, however. As I grew in my knowledge of being made anew, I could no longer avoid changing the things I could. I asked for the courage and have continually been granted that over the years. Courage to look at myself , to consider what was good within and what was not. Sometimes I danced around the truth, and sometimes I still do. But in the end, when I am alone with me, I still am very aware of the fake things in me. We may dance longer than necessary but grace and mercy endures. Thankfully.

I can't think of anything more purposeful in this life than to advance fully into who I was meant to be, to discover the individual God intended.The funny thing is, while there isfake within me....I don't pretend there's not.

God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.
- Shakespeare -

"Undo" Mistakes

2011-01-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

The Importance of Saying "I'm Sorry"

There is an expression that we use when we make a mistake: “I'm only human.” We're saying that everybody makes mistakes, so what we did is okay. And it is okay, as long as we take personal responsibility for our wrongdoing. Saying “sorry” but not meaning it or not intending to improve our actions will cause a lack of trust to develop. Saying “I'm sorry” and admitting that we did something wrong is the first step to self-improvement.

But I'm Always Right!

Nobody is always right. Nevertheless, it's hard for most of us to admit when we're wrong. Sometimes we know that we did something we shouldn't have, and we feel badly about it. So the mind plays a trick on us. It pretends that we didn't do anything wrong. Then we don't have to feel badly about it, and we don't have to say, “I'm sorry,” because saying “I'm sorry” would mean admitting that we behaved badly.

This logic will make you feel distant. There is nothing wrong with making a mistake. But there is something wrong about not admitting it.

When I was younger and also well into my adult life, I found it difficult to say I'm sorry. It wasn't that I didn't want to say it. I just could not bring myself to say it. In fact, most often, I truly truly wanted to relieve myself of the guilt that can overwhelm us when we know an apology is in order. Yet, I found the humbling experience required a bit of courage and it was that I lacked. Little did I understand that not taking that step to cleanse myself of any wrongdoing caused much more internal anguish than a simple apology could ever cause.

Today, I have grown and understand the importance of keeping ourselves pure in thought and deed. My peace remains on hold until I muster that courage to admit the exact nature of my wrongs. I also understand that in saying I am sorry I am not always apologizing for my point of view but more often than not, it is about how I might have projected that point of view, in words or actions. I can apologize for my manner of speech without forfeiting my stance. That is so freeing.

I am deeply saddened for those who , so to speak, "know not what they do".
Yes, sometimes I am injured by actions or words but more than that I feel their pain that I know comes from the inability to say I'm sorry. It's a beast of a burden, and one that is carried unnecessarily. Humans have a conscience and one may never admit it, but somewhere inside a person is bothered when they act or speak wrongly. Saying I'm sorry has a way of dissipating walls that otherwise will remain forever and deliver an internal twinge when faced with the person we have wronged, even many years down the road.

I think it very common that many experience this inability to say I'm sorry. I am not speaking of the type of "I'm sorry" required when you bump into the lady in the grocery line. I'm speaking of situations in which your speech or actions has injured another. What do you think happens when we keep these things within us time and time again versus relieving our conscience? Years worth of shame and guilt heavily effect who we feel we are....our true core being is unable to shine forth. It's not an easy task in the beginning because it has not been our natural way of doing things. Making that first effort will enlighten ourselves to a new way of behaving.
One I like very much now.

Believe it or not, I am still wrong occasionally. I still speak or act inappropriately at times. But today, I can make amends for my actions, let it go, and maintain my own personal integrity.

Do you apologize?

It takes courage to grow up
and become who you really are.
e.e. cummings

A proper apology should always include the following:

a detailed account of the situation
acknowledgment of the hurt or damage done
taking responsibility for the situation
recognition of your role in the event
a statement of regret
asking for forgiveness
a promise that it won't happen again
a form of restitution whenever possible

peacegirlplace
2010

2010-12-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

Celtic Christians called them thin places, places where heaven and earth touch, where God seems more readily present, more easily accessed. This space is meant to identify thin places-- ideas, relationships, points of connection, moments with beauty and truth that draw us towards one another, and towards the Holy One.

I first read of thin places on a blog of a friend's friend. It was no happenstance that I read this. It gave meaning to my feelings and am grateful to have read his words. I wanted to share with you, my group of friends, that you might also become conscious when in a thin place. Sadly, not everyone will recognize a thin place. This is not an attempt to duplicate in any way but the initial knowledge of thin places intrigued me so that I began to research further as it seemed to coincide with where I have found myself lately. I have no doubt that some of you reading will instantly recognize a time or place in your own life where you associate having been in a thin place as described.

In reading further of the Celtic Christians descriptions of these thin places, I found a slight variation of views. Some described this experience as a feeling that occurred by physically standing on Holy Ground or being present in an area where those who came before us had experienced the Holy One. Others, as in the description in the beginning, believe that a thin place may well be a time, a season, an event, or a moment where God seems more present.

Christmas, indeed, is a time when Christians and even those who profess no belief in God as some know Him, feel this special presence during the holiday season.There's a merriment and warmness that comes with fellowshipping with one another. During the season we are likely run into at least one somebody we haven't seen in forever. What about gathering with all the family and the little kids that are now grown with little ones of their own? That's warming and hopeful. We feel attached , we see family creation before our eyes, and we see love with greater clarity. Some may not recognize what this Spirit of Christmas is exactly, others see and feel God's active presence all around.

Most recently, having been sick, I found myself in a thin place. Even though some very dear human relations reached out to me, even then, I felt a much more supreme, divine touch. I became very aware of my ultimate relationship. The space between God and I became very thin. I fell down on my knees before Him. I saw how quickly my world could crumble about me and mine. The friends and family were but hands of my one true relationship and ultimately there is where my hope lay. Drawing very near to that, I heard with a peace I do not understand, "I will not leave you nor forsake you". Though in moments, my despair ran rampant. I have returned continuously to His promise. Today, I am grateful to be back on my feet, feeling a little better, and once again producing an income. But this will not be a time I soon forget. Keep me humble, Lord, I pray.

Merry Christmas, my friends. May it be a time of peace and hope for you and your family. And may you experience this thin place during the holiday season.

Cultivating Love

2010-11-16T19:57:00.000-08:00

I received a message from God today, it read. ... that all virtues, when practiced regularly, grow in size. Cultivate the virtues of love, kindness, joy, - and you will be rewarded with a life filled with love, kindness and joy.

And as I began to think on this, I realized, just as I suspected all along, that love, indeed must be grown.

cul·ti·vate

tr.v.

a. To improve and prepare (land), as by plowing or fertilizing, for raising crops; till.

b. To loosen or dig soil around (growing plants).

2. To grow or tend (a plant or crop).

3. To promote the growth of (a biological culture).

4. To nurture; foster. See Synonyms at nurture.

5. To form and refine, as by education.

6. To seek the acquaintance or goodwill of; make friends with.

So, I googled ehow and found a gem of instructions for cultivating love. Funny times we are living in, eh? Without digressing, I 'll suffice it by saying what seems natural is not necessarily so when one has not loved nor been loved properly. In fact, it can be quite a scary emotion to open your heart to another.

How to Cultivate Love

Whether it's romantic love, familial love, friendship love or simply love for the great, grand universe, practicing these steps daily will infuse your life with more love than you ever thought possible.

Instructions ~ How to Cultivate Love

1.Fall in love with life. The other day I asked a friend of mine if he is the type of person who falls in love easily. He replied, "Are you kidding? I fall in love with all of humanity every day." It's no wonder this guy has an abundance of loving relationships. His heart is wide open, ready to give and receive love.

2.Accept that love has nothing to do with another person. Love is the condition of your own heart. Love is the way you live, the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you interact with every aspect of your world.

3.Start immediately. If you wait to give love until your soulmate crosses your path or wait for that "perfect" moment, then you will never give love. If nobody has broken the news about the Tooth Fairy to you yet, let me: She does not exist. Neither do perfect circumstances.

4.Give freely and eagerly. Love is not like money. Love does grow on trees. Love is plentiful. It is infinite actually. You don't need to store your love in a locked vault and save it for one perfect purchase. Let love burn a hole in your pocket.

5.Honor all types of love. It isn't only idealized, romantic love that leads to a marriage that lasts until death do you part that matters. Friendship love, family love, neighborly love, divine love and self love are all essential and equally important types of love.

6.Bestow genuine compliments. Every day give three thoughtful compliments, each to a different person. If you can't find three people to sincerely compliment, open your eyes-and your heart-a little wider. Beauty, both internal and external, is abundant and worth acknowledging.

7.Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Even the smallest lie erodes the foundation of love. No lasting relationship can survive lies.

8.Hug like you mean it. There is nothing worse than a side hug, a pat-pat or a hug that allows enough space for the gale force winds to blow through and knock you over. Embrace warmly and with intention.

9.Accept loved ones as they are. Nothing feels less like love than somebody who corrects, judges, critiques and tries to "improve" you. We all long to be treasured despite our flaws. Or even better, we long for our flaws themselves to be treasured. Start the cycle of acceptance by treasuring every part of every person you love.

10.Listen. Do not project your hopes onto others. Do not impose your beliefs onto their words. Listen quietly without interrupting and offering advice.

11.Remember important events. Celebrate birthdays, wish good luck before an interview, inquire about stressful meetings, offer assistance before surgery, follow-up about the loss of a pet. Showing genuine interest in the major events in the lives of those around you will endear you to them for life.

12.Call just to say I love you. Small gestures of affection toward lovers, friends, family, neighbors and coworkers can turn an average, or even awful, day into an extraordinary one.

Abstract and Remote Love

2010-11-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

We've moved into a new era. I think we need to talk about new emotions that follow any sort of change. There was a time we loved only those near and dear to us and our worlds were basically small and consisted of our families, circle of friends, and perhaps a fellowship of church members. But now, now our worlds have greatly enlarged with the ability to connect and form friendships, even romantic relations, all over the world. I've come to love this about the world wide web.

Many have fears and trepidations about this new technological means of forging friendships. I would never imply that evil intent is not present as it is also in our tangible world. We must evaluate our friendships online as well as off. And we must listen to ourselves when we do this, heeding those feelings that make us wary.

But laying aside the evil, the internet, as I see it, has contributed so much toward connecting us as people - to making us come together as a whole. There is some kind of magnificent power in learning to see inside someone's soul through their words before you ever, if ever, touch their hand or look into their eyes. These things do not happen quickly. No more than a friend in person is made over night neither does it occur in the online world. It's through conversation and time that it is revealed what level of friendship may come from the connection.

Which brings me to my point: abstract and remote love. I'm not speaking of romantic love, as such, but love for others, love for friends. In the last few years, I've made a number of friendships here online that I believe to be very real and true, yet, I may or may not ever come to know these in the physical. Does that make them any less real? Some of these friendships, I have been fortunate to grab hold of and hug personally, some of the friendships exist here in my same city, none of which I knew prior to our meeting online.

I've been teased, at times, about my friends online and felt their sarcastic implication that these were not "real" friends. That makes me both mad and sad. Sad that some stay sheltered in their own little circle afraid to reach beyond what they can see or touch. And mad that, perhaps, these friendships are much deeper than that of the one expressing their sarcasm.

I am quite understanding in the fact that not everyone has embraced the internet in this manner nor do they feel they want or need to. That is okay with me. But I, on the other hand, have found my world enlightened and broadened by the friendships made here. I do admit that I often wonder if some of these friendships feel as real to the other as it does to me. Recently, with the downfall of my blogging circle, I think we all began to feel the 'realness' of our friendships. A wave of 'how will we keep in touch' thoughts ran rampant. We began to seek other routes to stay connected. We made efforts to keep our community intact. Something was really heart warming to me about that. Yes, some of my former friends fell away. I'm still grieving those losses and remaining grateful for the season we had together, a season where it's my wish that we both took something away from the friendship.

Now, with the online circle a bit smaller, what I am feeling is an even closer personal friendship with those who have knitted together. Is this not real? I need to know because sometimes in my adventurous mind, I dream of visiting each and everyone of these online friends. Time will tell those that are true, I believe, and who knows just what I might do :)

If you are here and reading, I can assume that you, too, have a penchant for the internet, that you find some joy in connecting with others. So, share with me, please, how real are your friendships that you maintain online?

Letting my soul catch up

2010-10-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

An American traveling in Africa hired a guide to lead him through the jungle to a remote village. In the mid afternoon the guide stopped and began to set up camp for the night. The American impatiently asked why they weren't taking advantage of the remaining daylight to make it a bit further towards their destination. "We have traveled very fast and must allow time for our souls to catch up with our bodies" replied the guide.

I tell you that to tell you this. It is time for my soul to catch up with my body....and my mind. Since being asked to participate In the Dig The Art benefit for Graceway Recovery, my mind, emotions, and body have been non stop and I feel the need to realign all of my varied parts. It helps me to type it out...it's like a clearing out....admitting to God, myself, and another human being out there. It's like, okay, let's see where we are here. Am I lined up with My Creator's will? Am I moving in my own direction or am I following?

I feel myself doing that sometimes....running ahead. Like when I went out to take some fotos today, I felt myself moving excessively fast in my thoughts...I was excited, wanting some creativity, and breathing way too hard. I found myself leaning forward in the seat as I drove to meet a sweet young fellow at the Pumpkin Patch for fotos.

So...I slowed down...breathing in and out...slowly. And as I began to calm, I asked God to help me see through the lens the beauty and uniqueness that He sees in each child....each flower.....I will hold the camera, You show me.

And He did as he often does.

But now, my soul must catch up.

I have stilled and quieted my soul. Psalm 131:2

Stand for Nothing, Fall for Anything

2010-09-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

"Those Who Stand For Nothing, Fall For Anything"
- Alexander Hamilton-

I've been stewing this week on just what is tolerable and acceptable behavior and how the line somehow has faded even within my own mind. High school coach uses profanity in reprimanding group of 14 yr. old females for their poor game performance....is it acceptable?

Well, it most definitely struck a chord within me. Therefore, I have not completely become immune to what I feel is ethical and moral behavior.
Then I found myself reasoning that it was okay for coaches to come down hard on players. That's just what they do or so I'm told.

No.
That is not what they do.

Is it not morally and ethically possible to get a point across without profanity?
Somewhere along the line of the last fourteen years, my daughter has learned that speaking to her in that manner is unacceptable. Praise God! However, she has also learned respect and to listen and not necessarily like something.

I have been so angered by this. Even of myself, because I have doubted what is right and what is wrong. And I have not took a stand.

BUT
(I stop and smile)

somewhere along the line, my hatchling also learned Stand for Nothing, Fall for Anything.
Again, part of me says "High Five" and the other "Oh, no!" when she tells me she spoke with the assistant coach today. She aired her grievances respectfully in that she nor her teammates appreciated being spoken about so negatively. She was then asked what would she like for him to do about it? She went on to say that either it not be spoken at all or said where they as a team could not hear it. How will he handle this with his boss? I do not know!

Both hatchling and I assume that she will suffer in some respect for her actions.
And I warned her...yes, you may. But sometimes we do suffer for speaking up. People hold grudges especially the guilty. I also believe, in a myriad of other ways, she will be rewarded.

The Meadow

2010-09-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He restoreth my soul...

I felt you in the meadow today.
I went there seeking You.
As I hopped about, You sat watching.

The times I felt You were fleeting.
I became frustrated.

So there in the meadow, I sat down.
Sitting still, I could feel You.
You gathered near and showed me things.
Things of deep simplicity.

You overwhelmed me with Your creativity.

As promised, You restored my soul.
Through You, I, again, found peace in the meadow.

Defining Friends

2010-08-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

True friends stab you in the front.
~Oscar Wilde~

I've often haggled with the use of the term "Friends" in relation to social networking sites. Until today, I've pondered on it and let it go, pondered it and let go. Today, I found myself de-friended by someone who fell under my "Friend" list. *Gasp* So, today, I broach the subject....just what constitutes a friend?

But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.
~Dinah Craik, A Life for a Life, 1859~

I don't think that I could express "friend" any better than the above quote. Simply stated ...to feel safe. Safe through times of laughter, distance, adversity, and quietness. Safe when it's necessary to speak truths and safe when it's necessary to hear them. Friends build one another to their greatest good but not through false words or praise. The truth resides between friends even when sharing different views. Friends love and respect despite human frailties.

Therefore,
It is a false pretense to label "people we kinda know" as "friends". With social networking more and more a part of daily life, friendship has arrived at a blurry destination. I have made very real friendships online but few on my list are friends. Admittedly, sometimes I forget this and treat others as if they are my friend. I suppose I really owe the one who de- friended me a thank you for removing themselves from my "friend" list, therefore, bringing me one step closer to a list more suited for the title.

Do not keep on with a mockery of friendship after the substance is gone - but part, while you can part friends. Bury the carcass of friendship: it is not worth embalming.
~William Hazlitt~

Quote from my dear friend and artist, Vanessa

Ms. Grace

2010-08-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

I experienced an exceedingly beautiful moment this week. The kind of moment when you go away smiling from the inside out. The kind that I can't help but be grateful to have shared. The kind that causes me to remember that it is the simple things which make life worth living.

Had Mr. Bill not died in May, he and Ms. Grace would have celebrated 63 years as man and wife. Try as I may to imagine not laying beside the other part of my whole after 63 years, it is something I cannot begin to know. And while at the vines on this day, I realized that Ms. Grace had something that I will never, ever experience unless I start now and live to be 110. Again...I shall never grow a love story to the proportions of Mr. Bill and Ms. Grace.

I will revel in the wisdom that emanates from Ms. Grace, as I did when given the chance to visit Mr. Bill's muscadine vines. Ms. Grace has the home everyone wants to come and visit; Fresh foods, sweetly made comfy beds, miles of woods and country. I was tickled pink when she asked if I'd like to go and see about the vines which were ripe, ready, and loaded.

I immediately said a prayer of gratitude for having my camera with me and gave a huge smile to the heavens for synchronicity. This was a beautiful moment meant just for me and I knew it. Two things occurred, I was instantly taken back to a time of my own. A time when my dad taught me to love muscadines. I felt near him being there. Those vines were a place I could almost envision my daddy...I could sense him riding in his pickup with muscadines at his side sucking the sweetness from each one , much like myself on my ride home.

And Ms. Grace, I know, was having thoughts of her own as we shared special stories of two wonderful fathers. Properly I should call these scuppernongs, which is a mixed variety of muscadines. Ms. Grace said if Mr. Bill was there he could tell me the names of each variety. She wished she had labeled them. But she hadn't, for 63 years Mr. Bill had known these things for her. I know, without her saying so, visiting the vines this day made Mr. Bill feel near.

Make your life a house your heart can live in, with a door that is open to receive friends and a garden full of memories of many good things

Hello Blogspot

2010-08-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

Wow...it's been well over a year since I've been here. Things over on myspace have become mundane and slow this summer so I thought I'd come back to this page o'mine and revamp. I fiddled a bit here with the background but I see it will take some gettting used to new things to redo so I'll keep working at it and see what I come up with. My creativity seems to be eluding me these days which has me frustrated to no living end. I have this overwhelming desire to do something but no idea what it is.I read not long ago that it is really not a creative lull but quite the opposite in that so many ideas swirl, it is difficult for me to make sense of any of them. I agree! I also read that it is better to attempt than to just sit among the confusion. Lately, I am making attempts. Still nothing complete, but attempts none the less.

I've spent much of the summer sneaking here and there snapping fotos of people, places, and things. Photography brings me peace and keeps me focusing on the simple things in life like playing in the fountains, frogs, flowers, and swimming in the creek. It keeps me out of the "woe is me" and into all the creator has placed before me. It came to me today in a moment, something I had let slip from mind, and that is "When I got busy, I got better". Now that doesn't mean busy as in being overly involved in activities but busy as in actively keeping my mind focused on the thing before me, the things I love to do.Today, it was something so simple as watering the plants on the porch versus sitting on the swing worrying about things out of my authority. I love simple philosphies...that work :)

The truth of the matter is the economy has me in a stew of worry.Single parenthood can be frightening when it somes to security or at least I am finding it so. Reality is telling me to prepare in what way I can as I have not felt the complete brunt of what is to come. So I feel like I am living quite on the edge. I think it's time to conquer some of my creative fears and open myself up to new directions, new ideas.

Worry is a horrible thing. I am battling it as I can't ever remember having done. I'm clinging to the promise of daily manna and willing myself to trust more. It is, indeed, a battle. But this soldier will not give up ... I will seek peace and pursue it one day at a time, one moment at a time. Less is More .... I just have to adjust.

Jigs, Juleps, and Soul Birds

2009-05-19T06:55:00.000-07:00

Oh, the treasures I find........found this cutie book at the Goodwill and just loved the cover but was even more tickled when I began reading it. It contains short stories written by a 10 year old in the 20's. The stories were found in an attic and later published. They are stories to her teacher from her perspective. Here's a taste of what she has to say about Etiquette in Church:

The Baptist Church is next door to our church. They sing as loud as they can all the time we are trying to pray. I bet the Lord can't hear one word we say. The Baptists sing about plunging sinners in a bloody fountain drawn from Emmanuel's veins. We sing about Crown Him Lord of All. I think it is much more ladylike to crown the King than to be plunging around in a bloody fountain. I took the cotton off my finger once and stuffed it in my ear on the Baptist side. But just once. My mother attended to that."

Without a doubt, my new favorite book!

"Deep within each of us lies the soul, and in the soul lives a special bird. The soul bird opens and closes drawers of the soul, where all of our feelings reside There is a drawer for jealousy, one for happiness, one for love, one for every human emotion. Only the soul bird holds the keys to these drawers and opens them as we ask it to."
I just love special finds♥

I'm a Junk Junkie

2009-05-18T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hi...I'm Paige...and I'm a junk addict!

My junk of choice is generally vintage 60 and 70 era stuff. And up until recently, this was the junk people did not want. I would find all sorts of treasures at yardsales, thrift stores, etc. because no one wanted this stuff. But now, all of a sudden, it's trendy.

My sweetie and I spent the day on Saturday junking his town and found us a few treasures. But mostly, just had us a sweet time time together. He prefers genuine antiques, I prefer stuff I can slap a coat of paint on. So I tease him when he says "look at this old piece".......I say "yeah, it would look good painted RED"~

What I love about days like this is gathering ideas! But this usually leads to collecting and searching for a whole new set of things. This trip's winning idea:

Now, we have all seen these big, massive, usually odd colored vintage ashtrays. Who wants them? Now....ME,ME. ME! How cool they look when all hung and arranged together.

My sweetie hates that I want to put these old hats on my head! But aren't they irresistible?

So this time I just had to settle for pictures on mannequin heads...........

but all in all, we had a fabulous day junkin!

peace♥

Ants Marching

2009-05-11T20:37:00.001-07:00

And all the little ants are marching

Red and black antennas waving

They all do it the same

Lyrics from Dave Matthews Band " Ants Marching"

We are given this one journey on earth, just one personal journey of our very own. Now, tell me what is possibly interesting about doing it all the same way? In a sense we are all doing it the same way. We are all breathing, eating, working, etc. etc. But suddenly I am intrigued by the idea that there is no wrong way of doing it. Well, let me retract. There can certainly be poor choices made along the way. But what I mean is, the way we use our given-gifts, whether in our work, community, or home.

Sometimes in the morning when I pull on to the highway near my home, I feel like I just creeped into the line of ants marching (*or speeding*) to where~ ever it is everyone is going, and a shadow comes over me .. Now, I understand we all work, we all need to provide, and God meant for us to labor 6 days a week. BUT...I think I would just assume to pull out of that line of ants and put me up a vegetable stand and I could tell people who stopped about the love of Jesus all day long and sell my vegetables. Maybe even have me a garden where I could pick fresh veggies every morning!

I'm kidding about the vegetable stand but my point is doing what we love! And how work can't possibly be work when you are loving what you do! Now, I don't really know how God works his ways...it's really a mystery to me, but I know He wants to give us the desires of our hearts. So I've been talking to Him quite a bit about this and even though He hasn't given me a short, concise answer....I just feel it in my bones, God is a god of His word! So, I'm just going to continue in a most humbled, kiddish expectancy of His answer! He is leading somewhere good, I just know it!

Now just what makes that little ole' ant think she can move a rubber tree plant cause everyone knows an ant can't move a rubber tree plant.....but she's got high hopes...she's got high hopes...she's got high apple-pie in the sky hopes!

Pimping Some Photos

2009-05-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, my "subject" and I made our way around town to some places I had been dreaming of shooting for a while. This beautiful soul is just so up and willing for anything. She's a pleasure to photograph♥

Mommie Dearest

2009-05-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

This is my mother♥ We are given just one in this life and I praise God for teaching me to love. Today, I value, love, and respect her! She is an amazing competent woman that finds nothing impossible to do! One thing I truly find cool is she finally lost the wall of perfection we were brought up under. Today, if you judge her from the outward, you will be making a crucial mistake. We have all learned to be who we are and love that! Time was wasted living otherwise! To my mom on this mother's day I give my unconditional love!

And Who Said He Wouldn't Stay

2009-05-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

King of the Backyard

A Mid-Morning Snooze

Pumpkin has adjusted well♥

Just As I Am

2009-04-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

April. 2001. If God is the Ultimate Healer, The Mighty Counselor & The Divine Physician then I will take my husband to God's house that he may be healed of his problems. God's ways are not our ways. It was there in God's house Sunday after Sunday that I battled the Lord as the congregation sang Just As I Am at the end of each service. Always bracing my soul for the tears that would inevitably come as the invitation was given. I listened. "Just As I am"! The words were contrary to any former belief or knowledge I had of the Lord. He would not find me acceptable. I would most certainly have to clean up my act before I could think of approaching God. And afterall, I had not come to this place for ME but for my husband. Perhaps God was confused, had gotten our names crossed on the appointment calendar.

The tears welled from the pit of my soul. It was not me. I was powerless to hold them back. I tried fearlessly to send them back where they were springing from. I tried not to make wimpering sobs. I wanted, needed to do something to gain control but would not, could not beckon to the call. My soul was stirred but yet, another week, I would walk away. Determined not to allow this to happen again the following week, I would steady myself as Just As I Am began to play and yet, once again, the squeezing sensation at the bottom of my heart caused tears to leak from my eyes.

What was going on in me? Not me, God, HIM! Right here, next to me. I'm good, God, he needs you! But you see, it was I, who had called out in the wee hours of one morning, "God Help Me!" and He heard me. Here I was, I had asked for Him, and now I would not approach Him.

And then, the beautiful spirited lady sitting in the pew in front of me, who had listened to my sobs week after week, turned one Sunday and it was as though Jesus extended His hand and said "Come unto me"! And as a child, I took her hand and surrendered my life to God. A God I knew little of and the little I knew was out of perspective. God took me Just As I Am and I learned He loves me so much He will not leave me as I am but would take me into His hands and start anew and mold me into the likeness of His own son. The very son, who had assumed all the shame, guilt, and sin that was keeping me from surrendering.

Today, I rest in the knowledge that God finds me beautiful, wonderful, and uniquely made . I live with gracious uncertainty of God's plan for me, but this I know, it is a perfect plan and I live excitedly for what is in store.

When a man takes one step toward God, God takes more steps toward that man than there are sands in the worlds of time.

Happy is........

2009-04-28T15:28:00.001-07:00

The move is complete! The blessing of this new home is overwhelming. And to think, a month ago, I could not for the life of me make the decision to do it. So you see, Happy really is what we make it!

Once the action started rolling up and over the hill and things began to come together, there is no doubt God has brought this family to a better place. But I wrestled with Him a long time before I surrendered to His plan. And it was , looking back, a ridiculous time.

As always, I could not get Chapter 12 (The Christians Secret to a Happy Life) out of my mind. Is God in Everything? Yes, God is in the smallest of details. The reality is to get me to turn to Him over and again. I did this everyday during the course of this life changing event because you see, yesterday's grace is not sufficient for today. Everyday and in every minor happening I need grace again and again. He offers it continually, it is I, who fails to ask.

God has shown me a little about unconditional love through this moving experience also. A few folks who have gone over anything I could ask to help me have exhibited this love to me. I kept thinking of ways I could repay each of them. Finally, I decided there is nothing I can do to express my sincere gratitude other than giving them the same unconditional love back. Because it truly is the greatest gift of all.

Warhol Philosophy

2009-03-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

Lately my attention has been brought to Andy Warhol and his style of Art. When I began web design and then computer art, I have had the same professor. I somewhat got the feeliing that he did not expecially like my work. But I didn't let it sink in to my feelings because I did like it. I realized my style was a bit pop artish versus the dark works of some of the other folks in the class. I just don't attract to dark works. So I continue to maintain my own flair.

Then I begin to notice Andy Warhol's work. The King of Pop Art and screen printing. Look at the fame he obtained from his works. Good thing he didn't have my professor, huh? So, you see, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Never allow others words to penetrate you so deeply, always listen for critique, but maintain your own style!

I love me some Warhol!

Serenity Weekend

2009-03-19T05:06:00.000-07:00

Sound good? Yes, just the thought of it soothes my soul! I am headed to Serenity Weekend tomorrow and have been preparing all week like a mad woman. By the time I arrive, I will take it down a notch and let the rest of the world roll by. It is held in a absolutely gorgeous place where everything is blooming, rocking chairs line the front porch, a balcony for late night chats, and lots of wisdom and love amongst the fellowship.

My only requirements for the weekend is to ensure the photography and entertainment. When the opening on the committee presented itself for these two things, my hand raised itself. How great to combine two loves with a beautiful weekend!

We've had to make some changes in our weekend from its usual routine and hold our gatherings in a different location. But we will now be located, get this, in Peace Chapel. It is a tiny little church building with the most awesome cross steeple atop it, stain glassed windows, and a glass ceiling where you can see the blue of the sky. Am I disappointed in these changes? Well, we had to shuck the comfort of the previous couches but I think God has placed us higher.

I am trying to allow God to take over as I been asked to share my story on Saturday night. I always tend to get a bit in knots before hand, until I let God have me to do as He wills. In the last year, I have found that to let God speak for me relieves all the tension I feel in trying to do it on my own. He is miraculous that way, ya know!

Well, I just felt like blogging this today because the excitement is welling inside of me and it helps to spill it out. I will be sure to come back and share with you my meeting with God. Peace to you♥

2009-03-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

I am much better employed from every point of view, when I live solely for my own satisfaction, than when I begin to worry about the world. The world frightens me, and a frightened man is no good for anything. ~George Gissing

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth. ~Benjamin Disraeli

If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise. ~Johann von Goethe

Every time you don't follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness. ~Shakti Gawain

At bottom every man knows well enough that he is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

The most exhausting thing in life is being insincere. ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

It is the chiefest point of happiness that a man is willing to be what he is. ~Desiderius Erasmus

Is life not a hundred times too short for us to stifle ourselves. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

Rabbi Zusya said that on the Day of Judgment, God would ask him, not why he had not been Moses, but why he had not been Zusya. ~Walter Kaufmann

Courage to Change

2009-03-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

“It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things.”

.....and I am so grateful♥

Random Joy!

2009-03-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

Recently, someone asked me how I was and I responded....."ya know, I have nothing to my name, business is slow, and no real reason for it, but I am just feeling so blessed....it's kinda strange!" They said, "That's JOY, Paige"~ Wow, I'm not sure I've ever experienced random joy! And it is different than happiness! Happiness is fleeting. Joy is deep down gratitude that no matter what swirls around us, we are blessed!

Today was gift. I spent the entire day doing all the things I love! I began my morning down at the Hilton Garden Inn where the Flint River Roundup was being held. I listened to an AA and an Al-Anon member share their stories of strength and hope. One was funny, the other brought us to tears.

I left there and attended the Lee County Chamber Art Festival. I caught a glimpse of my friend's winning entry. And I won a door prize from "31" gifts, a faith based bag and monogram company representing the Psalms 31 woman. How cool is that?

In the late afternoon, I met face to face my friend, Danette whom I met on myspace. Totally cool chick! Spent some time practicing photography on her and the kids and came home and began tweaking photos in photoshop.

Tomorrow after church I will fix dinner for my sister who has requested spaghetti and apple pie! Yum! Although Mike is sick and has to stay away from me so I won't get sick before I speak next weekend at Serenity Week, everything is blessed. Life is happening right now and to wait for it to come is crap. It is now! Live it and live it with intention......let the random joy come alive in you!

God Spoke to Me Softly

2009-02-26T08:38:00.000-08:00

God spoke to me softly this morning. My heart lept with an overwhelming joy! I have truly been praying for wisdom and understanding, asking for the veil to be removed when I read a passage. I ask God to enlighten my soul. He is so faithful!

I have the greatest of intentions of becoming the woman God wants of me. And in my own power and might, I feel I always fall so short! No matter how hard I try to restrain my tongue or be kind and think of others.....I fall short and feel so incapable of these characteristics.

This morning God revealed why that is! I place the emphasis on the wrong thing! I am destined to come away feeling as though I cannot attain these goals. My prayer has been: "Lord, make me the woman you would have me to be!" My purpose is not to be this woman.

Today I pray, "Lord, make me the woman You would have me to be!" My purpose is to rely solely on having a relationship with Him. Not to be the perfect woman!

Thank you Lord for whispering to me!

2009-02-19T20:10:00.000-08:00

I have rambled around in my own mind long enough, I'm concluding this dilemma and coming to my own viewpoint. Perfect love....does not exist! Love at first sight, nope, not buying it! However, I will go so far as to say, yes, within a relatively short time you may say "now there's someone I think I could spend the rest of my life with". One time I visited with a counselor who after listening to my story said, "well, you are very tenacious, I give you that!" Tenacious? What the hell is that? Of course I didn't let on, I just nodded and said thank ya. And ran home and consorted Webster on the meaning of tenacious. This is it:

Tenacious - adjective. Holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold (often fol. By of): a tenacious grip on my arm; tenacious of old habits OR highly retentive: a tenacious memory OR pertinacious, persistent, stubborn, or obstinate OR
or sticky; viscous or glutinous OR holding together; cohesive; not
easily pulled asunder; tough. Basically, it means stubborn or obstinate.

So you see, there is one thing I do know about and that is holding on for the long haul. I held on for twenty years to an unhealthy relationship, I think I would be a tenacious champ in a good one!
I believe love grows. I've believed it all along but have allowed myself to be blown with the winds of others ideas on love. Not any more! I am standing firm on this. I believe the best love grown is from two souls who are whole within themselves. One does not complete the other. Two beings who are focused on being the best they can be individually are not apt to spend their time finding fault with one another.

Spending forever looking for that perfect person out there is absurd. Conclusion drawn! I prefer that one who is as interested in living their life to the fullest as I am! Perfect is what you make it and how much you are willing to work for it! Away with delusional fantasies!

We are each powerless to evoke change in another human being. One must be willing to listen and evoke the change in them self. The lack of owning one's responsibility to continually grow themselves is the downfall of a relationship. That's it....that's what makes love grow!

Love and Logic

2009-02-17T20:26:00.000-08:00

My daughter has always been a beautiful young girl. You could never have convinced me that my child would ever enter into the teenage years any differently. And in a twinkling of the eye, she began to change. Not horribly, I do not mean to imply. Just a tweenager kind of thing!

So I go to the Goodwill this past week, as I often do. I love that place! And so out of all the books there, God places my hand on this one. I pick it up, thumb through it, hang on to it for a walk around the store, and end up putting it back because I didn't think I really needed it.

So then a few days later, back to the Goodwill, and back to search for the book. I couldn't get it out of my mind the few days I was away. I truly believe it was God nudging me to go back. am glad I listened. What a total change in perception this book has given me.

I began immediately to apply the ideas of love and logic to my daughter and have been astounded thus far at how this works. Of course, incredibly, it is something I have been learning to practice for years with other relationships but just never applied it to my child.

There are so many things we as parents need to understand physically and mentally about adolescence years. It helps so much to realize what is going on in their minds and bodies. and it is much easier to communicate with a young person when bearing these things in mind. And one key emotion we must have as parents is true empathy with their feelings. It helps to take a trip down memory road as to my own youth. That helps me give empathy and not anger. I think our natural impulse is to shield our kids from every mistake we ever made. Not happening! Wasted energy!

I highly recommend this read if you are looking at rearing kids from 11 to 18!

Living and Learning

2009-02-17T20:11:00.000-08:00

January, a year ago, I returned to college to pursue a lost passion in the Arts. I am so enjoying learning a variety of things, mostly in the area of technology and the Arts and a mixture of the two. This semester I am loving my Computer Art class and thought I would post my first project. It actually looks a bit different than this since my version of Photoshop won't support layer effects, therefore, some of the colors are different and I had to remove a few elements to show you!

The project called for us to scan 3 dimensional items, including one body part( which I deleted). Don't worry, it was my hand in the form of a peace sign! Fitting, don't you think! My teacher isn't quite seeing things from my perspective, but, hey, we gotta follow our own ideas, right? Anyway, the items were to represent "ourselves" in some way!

So this is me and my representation!

Chapter 12 Changed My Life

2009-02-12T07:02:00.000-08:00

If there was one item, I could have thousands of, it would be this book, The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life. I used to buy many of them every time I happened upon it to give to my friends! I haven't ran across it in a while. It is a very, very old book, written in 1890 by Hannah Whitall Smith. It still applies today as if not one minute has passed since it was written.

About eight years ago, I was given this book by my pastor. I was sent out the door with specific instructions to read chapter 12. "Is God in Everything?" I bet I have read this particular chapter thousands of time and the book itself, more than I can count. I always refer to Chapter Twelve as a gift from God that changed my life.

Perspective is everything. If our human perspective was on the mark, we would see everything clearly, have the solutions, and never question anything. Then we would be sorta like God, would we not? But the fact is, my perspective is distorted. I came to recognize this and that my goal is to see things from God's perspective. That neither comes naturally. It is only by studying Him that we learn His perspective.

The fact is, nothing comes to us unless it passes through God first. It is not happenstance that sends circumstances our way. It is God allowing it. Therefore, He is in everything! Awwww...the peace that comes from knowing that! Yes, I forget sometimes when me, on my little own, take a look at things. But I am always brought back to Chapter Twelve.

Click the image to view

Lamplight

2009-02-12T05:05:00.000-08:00

What is it about lamps? I mean really, how many lamps can one person have? But yet, I just can't stay away from them. I go around the house every night turning off at least ten lamps. Surely my time could be narrowed down to one flick of a switch.

But yet, overhead lights annoy me. I love the soft radiance of lamplight. Maybe because it hides dust better and does not give a glaring affect to the flaws of a room. But somehow, it just makes things homey and comfortable to me.

OR maybe, just maybe, it represents the soft way God has of shining a light and revealing little of Himself to me. I've been reading a new book by Patsy Clairmont (love that little lady) entitled Catching Fireflies. I love the analogy of little revelations God gives me being compared to flashes from a firefly. So I have come to see my many lamps as a reflection of God's light. I think of this when I turn one on and when I turn them all off. I let go and give the night to God while I sleep.

It's just a little something silly meant just for me, I guess. And a way to pardon all of my lamp purchases. It may be noteworthy to say, I prefer an oddity of a lamp from the Goodwill, yardsale, or fleamarket to any big ticket item. Ya know, perspective can change anything!

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” ~ Oq Mandino

Breathe.......

2009-02-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

This would have been better entitled The Vagina Blog as in The Vagina Monologue, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I rarely have anything funny to say. This struck me as just that this fine Monday morning. So first thing today, my lady friend and customer tells me about watching the show The Doctors this past week in which they were recommending that women take advantage of the night time to sleep without panties.

So it seems it is good to let "it" breathe. And she asked me did I do this. Well, no, I had never given it any thought. But now I am most concerned that if I don't begin to let "it" breathe that I will soon suffocate "it" after having not had the opportunity much to breathe in the past 45 years. I certainly would not want to kill this part of me!

So tonight, after all these years, I will begin to allow it some breathing time. I am so glad to learn this before it was too late! It will take some getting used to, I am sure but it seems such a small step to healthy living. I will give it a try!

“What can we do
but keep on breathing in and out,
modest and willing, and in our places?”

Mary Oliver

Beta Noire

2009-02-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

I was thumbing through an "O" magazine this morning and happened upon an article entitled The Beast Within. I learned that bete noire is a french term for the "black beast" which has come to mean something to be avoided because it frightens us or can harm us.

I believe many of us have bete noires whether it exhibits itself as a dark mood, an addiction, lack of self-love or jealous tendencies. So I thought on this.....and I believe my bete noire is "fear" itself. Fear limits my ability, it keeps me from experiencing things to the fullest.

it's a comfort to know that like other wild animals, my bete noire can be studied, understood, and even tamed. I want to be the handler of my beast. So I call it by its real name. I can make excuses all day long for why I don't do certain things or go after certain goals, but when I call it by name, it is called fear.I have learned that in order to et go of something, I have to first admit I am holding it. I admit that!

So back to the article, according to the author, she suggests creating a Lifeline and discovering the times when the beast caused the most troublesome times. What was going on in life, what was I doing? Find the times that the beast within laid lowest and what were going on in those times? I think I have accomplished this also in what I called an inventory of my life.

But the solution is what makes me smile..........create the life conditions that correlate with a calm beta noire and see what happens! I can allow my "fear" to send messages from my soul to my brain. "Your destiny is not here" my fear tells me. "look over there"! I will try this........listening to the fear messages and not stuffing them or running from them but to change course when I feel the first twinge!

"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." ~ Dorothy Thompson

(Beta Noire painting by Scott Musgrove)

Going Steady (giggle)

2009-02-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

It sounds silly! But isn't it what we used to do? Today, my kids are always talking about who they are going out with......I say, "Going out where?" What's up with that? I'm growing up but it's not like it was forever ago that we used the term going steady! Which to me, this term makes perfect sense. It implies maintaining a steady relationship, right?

Well, as of today, I'm going steady! Yes, I'm a bit too old for this and been around the block a time or two but somehow it seems a sweet token of affection and a continued commitment to see the relationship blossom. So silly is as silly does!

“I like when a guy makes me feel like a woman and a little girl at the same time.” Tara Reid

peacegirl place

Without discipline, you haven't a leg to stand on

To listen well, is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversation

I'll be listening in 2012

A Warm Fuzzy Tale

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived two happy people called Tim and Maggie with their two children, John and Lucy. To understand how happy they were you have to understand how things were in those days.

You see in those happy days everyone was given a small, soft Fuzzy Bag when born. Any time a person reached into this bag they were able to pull out a Warm Fuzzy. Warm Fuzzies were very much in demand because whenever someone was given a Warm Fuzzy it made them feel warm and fuzzy all over.

The Message

Romans 7:15-25

A Horse With No Name

I am open to the guidance of synchronicity,

and do not let expectations hinder my path.

Shake the Dust

Looking for a Hippie

Why Walk When You Can Fly

Come Away With Me

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.

To pay homage to beauty is to admire Nature; to admire Nature is to worship God

Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere

The Law of Attraction

Summertime in Fotos - Repost

Wall Flies

Mr. & Mrs.

A Rolling Stone

Censored/ Fotos

Eat, Pray, Love & Drive

My Homeless Valentine

The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.

The Fake in Me

"Undo" Mistakes

Cultivating Love

Abstract and Remote Love

Letting my soul catch up

Stand for Nothing, Fall for Anything

The Meadow

Defining Friends

Ms. Grace

Hello Blogspot

Jigs, Juleps, and Soul Birds

I'm a Junk Junkie

Ants Marching

Pimping Some Photos

Mommie Dearest

And Who Said He Wouldn't Stay

Just As I Am

Happy is........

Warhol Philosophy

Serenity Weekend

Courage to Change

“It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things.”

Random Joy!

God Spoke to Me Softly

Love and Logic

Living and Learning

Chapter 12 Changed My Life

Lamplight

Breathe.......

“What can we dobut keep on breathing in and out,modest and willing, and in our places?”

Beta Noire

Going Steady (giggle)

“What can we do
but keep on breathing in and out,
modest and willing, and in our places?”