Monday, August 27, 2012

Who Cares About Wrinkles!




"Do not regret growing older --
it's a privilege denied to many."
~ Unknown


Who cares such a small thing as wrinkles when you put it that way!  So... I want to treasure my day today.  To be aware of the throb of life all around me.  To treasure the very air I breathe. To be extravagant with my love, pour it out on everything and everyone.  And, to chuckle with glee the next time I find myself peering too closely in said mirror.

There... that's a good way to start a Monday morning. And yippee-cadoodles!  Hubby and I did our stint of cleaning at the performing arts center last evening because there were no events scheduled, so WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GET UP AT 3:00 AM! Will you do a twirl in your computer chair with me?

The weather is going to be a sizzler today (nothing like a 100 degrees or anything that wild) but hot enough to make us long to sip something sloshing in ice and find the breeze behind a whirling fan!  We're glad summer isn't over just yet.  It's been such a lovely one this year.  Warm evenings and lots of hot days, with rain to cool us and water our parched plants.

Here's wishing you glimpses of heaven in unexpected places.

Hugs,

Photo source:  Lavender and Lilac


Sunday, August 26, 2012

Simply Sunday -- In Everything



To My Beautiful Friends,
"The Lord is near; have no anxiety, but in everything make your requests known to God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving.  Then the peace of God, which is beyond our utmost understanding, will keep guard over your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus.


And now, my friends, all that is true, all that is noble, all that is just and pure, all that is lovable and gracious, whatever is excellent and admirable -- fill all your thoughts with these things." ~ Paul the Apostle, Philippians 4 NEB


Ahhhhh... a perfect reminder of how to live a beautiful life.

With loving thoughts and wishes for a rest-filled day,

 
Photo source:  Vintage Feed Sacks


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Blogging Tip: Leave A Comment


I'll not soon forget the day when a blogging acquaintance e-mailed to tell me that I had been the answer to a prayer she'd prayed that very morning!

You see, I'd been to her blog earlier and read some of her recent posts (I hadn't been in a while).  I left a comment or two on ones that had been meaningful to me. By doing so, I had no idea that I'd stumbled into the stream of her earnest request.

A short time later, I found an e-mail from my friend saying that I could not have any idea what my comments meant to her that day. For that very morning, as she got up, she asked God to please have someone leave a comment so that she could know for sure somebody was reading her posts.

When Sulo found a notice in her inbox indicating someone had been to visit and left comments, she was so happy.  As she put it... "What did I see... your e-mail with the comments -- an answer to my prayer as a confirmation. What more proof do we need to believe God hears our prayers? Aren't we so blessed to have such an awesome God who cares about even minute things like page-viewing!"

Wow.. humbling to say the least to realize I'd been the answer to Sulo's heart cry. And, to realize how easily I could have ignored the little urge to go visit that morning when she came to mind. In my view it surely was a glimpse of heaven in a most unexpected place -- for both of us!

Surely this is a timely reminder of just how valuable our comments are to each other. This is not to trip guilt when we can't or don't wish to leave a note. But when we do feel a rising up in our heart in response to something written in a post, a few words in reply makes the heart connection we are all looking for complete.

For me, that is what blogging's all about......

Hugs,
Brenda
xox
 


Thursday, August 09, 2012

Letter in the Post

 
Dear Beautiful Friend,

What a lovely morning. Lots of storms and rain these days, but also lots of beautiful sunshine and hot weather. 

There's a cool breeze blowing in my window as I type and it feels sooo refreshing.

Earlier I thought I heard the finches in the backyard. We had families of them nesting in our neighbourhood this spring and a few still hang out around our feeders. Oh, and there I hear the chickadees... they are cheeky, aren't they?

In my own inner world, I have been in a place and space of 'emptying'. It was only a few weeks ago that I realized that turns out to be my focus 'word' for 2012.  Emptying.

I've been getting rid of junk and also good stuff that has become 'excess clutter'. I'm finding we no longer need or want it. And I've not only been letting go of physical material things, but old mindsets and habits and other useless heart musings. The emptying, clearing out process has helped me to see that I've also 'dropped stitches' of some good and wonderful habits, ideas, and projects that I once had in my life... and I see how vital these are -- for my happiness and those around me -- to pick them up and re-integrate them into my present life. Things like playing the piano, doing some new needlework (I've been looking at crazy quilting), hosting special tea parties for friends...as well as choosing to give thanks and be happy in all things, bar none.

And to my surprise, I am also in a space to relinquish ownership of many books that I've enjoyed and been nourished by in the past. It seems that it's time to move forward. Make room for the new. Not be afraid that I'll 'lose' something in the letting go. After all, those sentences I underlined and pages I've starred are already in my heart and a part of my DNA, so I don't always need to 'keep' a whole book for what already is 'me', yes?

Oh my... how easy it is to chat on e-mail. I find e-mail a most freeing expression for me. Remember when the two of us could 'cut a rug' of conversation in a short swath of time using this modern technology. That back and forthing of words in a flash across cyberspace that nourished and encouraged and made us laugh or think more closely.

Yes, that's another area I want to pick up and cherish again... to write letters, both the pen and paper kind as well as the e-ones. E-mailing with that come-as-you-are kind of writing... which, in fact, Huffington Post bloggers recommend that's how bloggers should post. Mmmm.... guess I'll take that back to heart too.

It's been a delight to think about you, dear friend, and to wonder how you are doing. Now I best be off.

I'm steam cleaning my living room/dining area carpet (one day that carpet is coming out and being replaced with something easier to care for). With all the furniture out of the room, I am feeling quite free and light. It's as if I'm seeing that I don't 'need' so much furniture.

For a few days, or maybe even longer, I feel like I'd like to live as if I were at that beach house Ann Morrow Lindbergh wrote about in her timeless book, Gift From The Sea. You may recall where she describes how little there is in that little shelter and yet it nurtures and protects and gives room to breathe. Of course that's a summer time feeling, isn't it? In winter we like to cozy up and snuggle. But in summer, we long to let the breeze in and be nurtured by the expanse of it all.

Oh... I did start off to say good bye. On that note, I am off now! Best get to that carpet.

Here's wishing you a WONDERFUL day, dear friend!

Hugs,
Brenda
xox


Photo source:  Graphic Fairy

Please Note: This post was first written as a email to a dear friend.
It turned nicely into a blog post.