Reflections & Intentions

"Many Happy New Years--unbroken friendships, great accumulations of cheerful recollections and affections on earth, and heaven for us all." -- Charles Dickens

As I reflect back over this past year, I realize that I have gone through many changes and unexpected situations, but I can take the lessons learned and move on to the next step in a new year with the intention of making the most of each adventure that comes my way.

Go With the Flow

"Stay in the rhythm of your life. Be open to others, but do not go out of your way to find them. Those who know how to dance will meet you half way. It will not be a struggle."
by Paul Ferrini

I LOVE ROOMBA!

I can't begin to tell you how much I love my Roomba vacuum. It is amazing! It does it's vacuuming then finds its way back to the docking station to recharge! (I'm sure there is a lesson in that for us....know when you are running low and give yourself time to recharge.) I love how I can just turn it on and go on with other things that I need to do and it's not so loud like the big Dyson so I can even turn it on when someone is sleeping in another room.

Gratitude for Life

"In the past few years, I have come to believe that you truly manifest your own reality. Positive energy breeds positive energy and if we continue to recruit positive we can outnumber and overtake the negative. Everyday I continue to strive to grow and learn as a person and struggle to keep my ego in check. Along the way it's important to remember to deeply love and forgive yourself, stay humble and take responsibility for your own life and live it, love it... passionately and furiously."
- Aimee Moss
Yesterday I saw it so clearly exhibited that if I can muster up even the smallest bit of gratitude in a situation that my perspective on things will begin to change. As I heard Eddie Hilburn say last weekend, "Sometimes you have to retag your memories to get unstuck."

The Weekends

Visitor

by Diane Sher Lutovich

The daughter drops in from her college world,

not to reclaim her place

in the orbit of home

but to etch her presence,

spread energy and socks

like uncorked champagne.

It will be this way....

She roams, makes sure we know...

a shoe in one room,

purse in another,

sweaters spill into the hall--

uncontrollable.

Always.

One day she collects her art book, makeup, disappears.

But after she's leapt back to her life,

her voice bounces off walls,

shoes seem to creep out

from under the beds,

breath lingers in dust

wrapped around sun.

I love it when you are home on the weekends, Victoria Leigh!

Perspective

My Morning Prayer
By Mastin Kipp

Today I awake to start my journey all over again. I understand that I will most likely face both inner and outer adversaries and tests which will challenge me on the path to my Happiness. I accept that these challenges are necessary for the development of my Highest Potential and that they are actually a gift from the Universe, even if I can't see it right now.
I am grateful for the friends and assistance I have along the way, and acknowledge that they too are gifts from the Universe. I cannot do this alone so I consider all of those who I come into contact with, even perceived enemies, as allies. For we are all one in Spirit and here to help each other develop dormant parts of ourselves; and sometimes the only way to grow is through overcoming adversity.
The choices I make today will be for my best interest, and I will put my faith and self-esteem to the test by choosing to do the things which will require action and courage.
I will conquer one more fear today so that when this day is over, I will be one day wiser and my heart will be one day closer to being open to Love.
There is no one else like me in the whole world, so I step forward into this day fully accepting and loving whatever may come and am grateful for the opportunity to be exactly who I am.

Going With the Flow

Open Your Heart
By Mastin Kipp

Open your heart
To LoveTo life
To living in the moment
By allowing what is to be
And what you know to be true
To come forth
Hold the space of Trust
In the best and
The worst circumstances
The circumstances and happenings of your life
Are a great Divine recipe for your Soul's perfection
Do not judge any of it
Accept it, go with it
And change what you want
By changing your thoughts about
How you interpret the comings and goings
See it all as being for you
Even what you think is the worst
A time will come, when you will finally see
The contents of this moment as the biggest Gift
The greatest act of Grace
Open your heart
Trust each moment, see it's perfection
And dive into the intoxicating bliss
Of trusting Love through ALL OF IT

Check Up

I had my annual checkup at the cardiologist today. Even though I am feeling great, why do I still feel so very fragile when I go there? It's like all those emotions of my near death experience come rushing back. I'm hoping I can use this as a reminder of how thankful I am that I'm still here, healthy & happy and, come to think of it, actually my life is better than before.

Transparency

Don't you wish people were this transparent....not literally, but I wish we could all be this real about what we feel on the inside. So often the misunderstandings come from not realizing how someone feels. When you do come across someone who is truly transparent, it is so refreshing!

Yes I Changed My Templete...

I just felt the need for something different. I am one of those people who really likes change. It helps me have a fresh perspective on things. I decided on this templete because of all the green. After visiting west Texas this weekend, it reminded me of how much I love living in the midst of this wonderful greenery! I overheard a conversation on the plane of a lady saying she had grown up in a very dry, dusty location but always felt her soul was crying out for something different. When she was grown she moved to Florida and then she knew that what she needed all the time was to be surrounded by green! I can relate to that!

It's the Little Things That Make Me Happy!

Have you ever noticed how it only takes one little thing to change your perspective on the day for good or bad? I have found that if I surround myself with things that make me happy and appeal to my senses it will brighten my day. It can be something as simple as the scent of my hand soap, which, by the way, is the wonderful Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day in lavendar. To cover all my bases, I think through my normal daily routine and place things within my day that will affect me through sight, sound, touch, taste or smell. It's a little effort to make a big difference in my day!

Removing the Debris

How often do we let the baggage & clutter in our lives weigh us down? We need to release all those thoughts & ideas that hold us back and keep us from being who we really want to be.
"When we let go a little, we will be happy a little.
When we let go a lot, we will be happy a lot.
When we let go completely, we will be free."

Wild West Pictures

We had a great day taking pictures with my sister on Labor Day. She is working on a coffee table book for my parents that is all sepia toned pictures but she didn't have anything of Victoria that looked "western" (she is so NOT the cowgirl). They did pictures in the pasture and at the barn in Minden. Victoria even had a funny experience while sitting on the fence feeding one of the horses grass. The other two horses wanted to see what was up and ended up getting into a biting/kicking match over it. Needless to say, she came flying off the fence!

Courage to Be

She hovers at the brink of change,
Heart pounding wildly
Like a caged bird
Longing to sing.

Oh for the notes to flow
Smoothly, easily.
Oh for a song already composed!

Quivering, wanting
To beat her wings hard,
To fly free,
She sits on her silent perch

While courage mounts
For that first flight
Into the unknown
--Susan Landon

It's been a week since Victoria moved into the dorm. I think we are all adjusting little by little to this major change in our lives. She seems to be adapting much more quickly than we are. She reminded me yesterday that when one door closes another one opens that is even more fun. I look forward to spending time with her when she comes home to visit as we open this new door on our relationship.

Dorm Shopping

I finally caught Victoria at a weak moment of jet lag and convinced her today was the day to shop for her dorm room. After looking at every form of bedding in Tyler and not finding anything she liked we ended up coming home and ordering online. We will keep our fingers crossed that it gets here in time...otherwise she will be using her comforter for the twin bed she had as a child.

I do like the comforter she chose. It has zinnias all over it in different colors. We ordered solid sheets in a color called chrysanthamum. We decided we would wait until the sheets get here to pick out solid color towels so we can coordinate with the bedding since her vanity will be in her room at the dorm.

This is all seeming very real now. 18 days until she moves...

By Your Side

Victoria painted me a canvas for my office with words from a favorite song. The words are such a reminder to me that I don't have to do life on my own even though I have such a tendency to try to do everything myself. I love the colors and the design on this so much. The colors remind me of the warmth of the relationship I have with her and I feel sure the design will be an inspiration as I soon begin my new responsibilities of website updates at work.

Graduation Party

We had a graduation party for Victoria. I wanted it to be very meaningful to the seniors so we did sky lanterns to symbolize letting them go. These are made of waxed rice paper. After lighting the fuel patch in the bottom of them, they fill with warm air and will rise into the air for a couple of minutes. It was so pretty!

Simplicity

"Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free,
Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be--
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
Twill be in the valley of love and delight."....Shaker hymn

I have always loved this song whether it's done vocally or instrumentally. I need to be reminded so often to keep things simple and calm. So in the midst of all this craziness of graduation for Victoria I am trying to keep a balance of calmness. I have found it helps to take some time everyday to sit outside in the sun, even for 15 minutes, to read an inspirational book or even to just "rest my eyes". It seems by doing this I keep a better perspective on the things that come across my path each day.

Enjoying Life

Today I am enjoying the beauty of silence, the glory of sunlight, the sweetness of spring air and the love that lies at the root of all things. I have so much to be thankful for!

Precious Time

"Take good care of time, how you spend it, for nothing is more precious than time."....the Cloud of Unknowing.
How real the value of each second has become to me since Tom has started working overseas and as the days click by of Victoria's senior year! Each moment is so special. There are no little things. "Little things" are the hinges of the universe.

Warm Towels

You know how good fluffy towels feel fresh from the dryer? They caress you with fragrant, sumptuous warmth. Here's some "fluffy towels" for your day:

*Alarm Clock Alleluia: When the alarm goes off, open you eyes & say, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad." Commit to living in gratitude for this day.

*Shower Power: As you rinse, pray to be cleansed of any feelings of anger or bitterness.

*Elevator Blessings: Say a silent prayer for the person on the elevator with you.

*Cook up a Memory: Use a recipe someone gave you and be thankful for the spiritual nourishment that person has brought into your life.

Greatness

"God is as great in minuteness as He is in magnitude." I see Him in everything around me. This morning I noticed Him in the warmth of the air and in the puffy grey clouds. I felt Him in the breeze. I heard Him in the chirping of the birds and the chattering of the squirrels. Nothing is too large or small for Him to be part of....have you noticed Him around you today?

Do you notice Him in the minuteness and magnitude of the pictures on this link? www.colormekatie.blogspot.com/2009/02/tuesday.html

Love

Love...It begins with a moment that grows richer and brighter...and becomes a lifetime of joy. As we approach Valentines Day I reflect on the love I have in my life. I am so grateful that my life overflows with love from family, friends, even the patrons I have contact with in the library and my yoga students. I have found that the more I give love out the more it comes into my life.

The Best Things

"The best things are nearest: the breath within you, the light in your eyes, the flowers at your feet, the duties at your hand, and the path of God just before you." -- Robert Louis Stevenson
How often we take these "near" things for granted. Enjoy the day!

Contentment

"I do not think the road to contentment lies in despising what we have not got. Let us acknowledge all good, all delight that the world holds, and be content." -- George MacDonald
Instead of focusing on what you are lacking, think about how grateful you are for what you have.

Trees

If you feel slow and dull in the cold of January, take a moment to notice the trees in their stark beauty. They will remind you that winter will not last but there is value and worthiness in this resting season.

Comfort

Have you ever noticed that if you are feeling that things are a bit "off" it only takes one small thing to change your perspective? By being aware of the things that give you comfort you can easily help yourself get back into balance. It may be a certain kind of music, a favorite food or drink, some comfortable clothes. Do what you need to make yourself feel comfortable and relaxed and before you know it you will be back in balance!