How Do You Want Your DayTo Be

When you start your day take a moment to think about how you want that day to be. See yourself going through the day , just as you would want it to flow. Then try to stay on that path, in that place, and not be moved. Fill your heart with joy, thankfulness, and all good things and do not let the thief of adversity come and steal from you what is rightfully yours.

Lavender dresses

I saw something particularly endearing yesterday at Wal-Mart. I fell into line at the cash register and before me was a little old lady. A real little old lady. I was glad she was slow about removing her things from her cart ,it gave me time to watch her and take in every detail of her appearance. She looked like a grandmother from a story book.
She had on a lavender floral dress, white ankle socks and black comfy shoes. Her white hair was pulled up in a bun with two filigree hair combs securing the sides, a hair style that her fingers had performed for many years without thought, just twist turn and tuck, if you looked close you could see a hair net over it all, keeping every hair nice and neat. She wore old wire framed glasses and no jewelry. She was a sight to behold.
My heart was truly smiling as I watched this sweet lady. I say sweet because I watched her face and she had a kind face, relaxed and peaceful. Then..... I received my gift............ she lifted her eyes from her things, turned and looked in my eyes and I smiled...and she gave me a beautiful smile back.
What a moment of pleasure this dear woman was to me, her sweetness, the freedom she had being just who she was, no airs about society fancy clothes fine jewelry. She was all about the spirit and little to do with the things of this world. I wanted to talk with her, ask her how she felt about things, I wanted to know the hardships she had endured in her life and how she over came them. As she walked away I was so pleased to have witnessed her kind spirit and thankful for the fleeting moment of endearment that my heart felt.
Life brings such wonderful heart treasures all we have to do is slow down and look, they are before us waiting to be taken in.... wonderful moments that give our hearts a pause in such a hurried "me first" world.
My spirit desires the peace that comes with lavender dresses, white neat hair buns, and comfy shoes.... a place of peace that comes from knowing that the things of this world are of little importance and that the things of the spirit are the most import of all.

Look For the Humor Watch For the Miracles

"Look for the humor, watch for the miracles"
This is a quote from a book on simple living that is
compiled of thoughts and sayings from people of the Quaker faith.
A simple phrase that holds so much truth... and a formula for a joyful day, or a joyful life.
You can't have a heart that is grumpy, sad, angry, disappointed , restless or anything similar to these if you are looking for the humor, taking things lightly, carrying a smile in your heart.
When you are looking for the miracles, the world around you becomes so awesome that it will flood your being with the spirit of amazement, anticipation for what is to come, hope, and faith.
So, look for the humor , watch for the miracles and make a joyful noise. It will happily lift you up like a dandelion seed on the wind.

Living by Default

When we learn to live by faith and not by fear, when we keep out eyes towards the light and not in the shadows and when we learn to do this the majority of our day then we can change our lives drastically.
The faith will make over our lives and our affairs.
Websters dictionary says that the word default means, failure to act or appear. When you are living outside of faith you are living by default.
Your life will be all hope one day and all fear the next.

Listening, Seeing, Living

If the sun came out after a summer rain would you notice how the rain drops on the leaves look
like tiny prisms?

If the wind blew apple blossoms from the trees along the walk way where you were stepping would you be grateful for the gesture that flowers were being laid beneath your feet.

If a child smiled up into your face from a mothers shopping cart would you realize the gift that the child ,not even knowing you ,chose your face to look into and offer up an unconditional greeting.

As you were hurrying into work in the morning did you look to your right and see the morning sunshine sparkling on the dew in the open field.

When you eat do you savor the flavor, the texture ,the aroma? Do you ever think about everything that had to take place in order for that food to be in front of you?

Do you ever sit in the quiet? Do you ever get perfectly still. listening to your breathing, feeling the chair beneath your body and not thinking of anything but the moment?

Do you ever hold a flower in your hand and breath in the fragrance, feel the softness of the petals, look into the center and notice its incredible design.

When you step outside in the morning do you breath in the morning air, taking in the freshness down to your toes, bathing yourself in glory?

Do you listen to the rain fall? Do you watch it dance in the puddles? Do you smile at the cleansing. Do you enjoy the melody?

When a bird sings do you stop for a brief moment and in your heart do you say thank you for the song?

Do you look up at the moon? Do you think about how many people it is shining on? How the glow is comforting and the stars are twinkles of joy?


Do you take in the laughter of a child, the smell of a cookie, the gift of a hello, your soft pillow, the sweet bliss of desert on your tongue, the kiss on a cheek or touch on your shoulder, the breath of a puppy, cool grass beneath your feet, sand on your toes, the smell of a baby, the sound of "I love you"
Do you ever walk through the day being profoundly grateful?

Do you live? Really really live?

If They Fall One Will Lift Up the Other

There is a Nilotic proverb ( from African Traditional Religion) that says:

"A friend is like a source of water during a long journey."

There is so much truth in that one sentence.

Proverbs 18:24 says
Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than ones nearest kin.

American Indians have a belief that:
We are bound to our relatives through blood.
We are bound to our spouses through intimacy.
But our friends are held in a far different place than these because we choose them ourselves.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says
Two are better than one...
For if they fall, one will lift up the other.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

Honor your friends and the gift that they are to you.
Treat them with kindness and offer to them a listening and compassionate heart.

Peace and Grace
COHolley
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times.

I Have Pockets !

Yesterday I was walking  outside in a common area there was a beautiful little girl walking around in the leaves and looking very content.
I have seen her before, she appears to be about 3 or 4 years old and has a sister that looks a year younger. She seems to be part white and part African American. She has a gorgeous little face, beautiful golden complexion and hair that looks angelic.
When she saw me she considered me perfect conversation material as she asked..."hey.....what are you doin?'"....... I playfully said "Nooooooo...what are you doin" ?" she happily said back to me "nooo....what are you doin' "this back and forth banter continued asI walked to my mail box. Our voices got fainter and then louder again as I started back to my apartment. When I became closer she stopped repeating our delightful chant. She had her hands shoved down in the pockets of her little denham jacket, she shoved them down even deeper and with much exaggeration ,using her hands in her pockets to fan out the bottom of the coat she said " I HAVE POCKETS!!!"
I thought to myself...that is a perfect example of what God means when he says we should be "child like" not a care in the world and so very happy just to have pockets.
That little angelic child was the deliverer of a much important message....
It settled into my spirit like honey on warm toast.

" Look I have pockets !"

It Must Be Love

Today there was a full window of sunshine laying on the floor.
I've only lived here a few weeks so I'm not sure if it's an October thing that this beautiful sun would take up residence on my living room floor.

Belle is my chocolate colored poodle. Only the two of us live here and we both welcome it in.

Belle layed down in the center of it, her eyes were heavy with lazy.
How sweet it was to see her loving the sun and feeling its warmth on her old bones.

But she left her lazy warmth to come and sit next to me.

How could I possibly be more of a comfort than this October retreat?
It must be love.

Heart Gifts

Approximately 22 years ago, I was living in Sioux Falls South Dakota. My husband and I had a band and had been in the area for while, enough to be recognized by fans in the area when we were around town. With lifes ups and downs we found ourselves traveling at a plummeting speed on a down hill run. My husband and I along with our 2 year old son were in a situation where we didn't know where I next meal would come from or if we would have a roof over our heads the next day. I was raised in a family of six and my father was a truck driver. I thought of us as middle class. We always had food to eat and lived in the same home until we were all grown. I wasn't use to this kind of hard times. My son developed a respitory illness and was placed in the hosp. They wanted to give him breathing treatments and keep an eye on him for several days. I was sad that he wasn't feeling well but I also found some comfort in the fact that he was getting three meals a day. When it came time for him to be released I was concerned about him returning to a home with empty cuburds. I found myself at a food bank. I was one of those people that others pass by and say "Look, a Cadillac parked at a food bank!" The woman inside asked me a few questions about the size of our family and the age of our child and began filling a cardboard box ,using a list that told what we would be alloted. As I watched her place a box of cereal, some canned vegetables, canned milk, macaroni, and rice in the box my grateful heart became humble as my eyes brimmed with tears. I gathered up the box in my arms and started toward the door when a woman walked in with a small child in tow. They looked as if they lived out on the street. They had dirty hair, clothes and faces. The woman was thin and her clothes hung on her small body, the child seemed to be following along with her aimlessly. She looked me in the face as I passed her, when she saw my tears an expression of true compassion covered her entire being and she said in a gentle voice. "Don't worry, everything will get better" Here was a woman who was going through a very difficult time, who may have thought there was little she could do for anyone. But in that brief moment, in just a few seconds in time she gave to me compassion, sincere concern, and love that we are all called to display. I will carry that moment with me always. Never disregard the power of a small kindness you show to anyone. You could be giving a lifetime heart gift to someone, and that, my beloveds, is what we are all here for.

Something Wonderful

Something wonderful is about to happen!!
I'm not sure what it is but I just know that its going to be GREAT!!!
Im so excited!

Isnt that a wonderful thought to have?
When you think and feel that way you don’t have time to dwell on the negative. Youre too busy looking around the corners for "something wonderful"

Something wonderful is about to happen!!
Im so excited!!!