Do you stop to breathe, just breathe?

In everything that’s going on in your daily life, do you ever stop just to breathe? Do you feel your breaths? Do you feel connected to yourself? Connected to God? Connected to all that’s in your Universe?

This is a small post, one that simply asks you to look within yourself AT yourself. Have you done that? Do you do that? Do you feel time standing still? Do you slow down that far?

It’s a fantastic spot to be in. It’s one I realized today. To just BE in the moment I’m in…breathing…feeling my space on this whole planet called Earth. A world of lots and lots of people…my space in that…and how important and filled with impact that space is. 🙂

Think on this in your life, if you don’t already do this, add it to your routine. You may be amazed at how you feel because of this simple, big moment.

What about your children?

I thought about this today and wonder if you’ve thought about it a time or two or maybe not at all. The thought is, do you look at life from your child’s perspective? Do you see how simple things are, how their needs are really basic, or how they think you’re awesome no matter what? Hmmm….

Today was a little bit stressful on the adult side of things. However, when I think of my child, who’s seven at this writing, and her world, it seems a lot less complicated. She’s happy, having great conversations with people while we’re out and about, and thrilled with her findings at the grocery store.

She’s in a great mood, comes up to me to tell me I’m a fantastic Mama, and then skedaddles on out the door to play in the yard. What’s to say to that?

She doesn’t think farther than the next snack…maybe the next meal…or the next social venture. That’s all of her needs. lol She says she loves her whole family. She likes giving little treats to people who come by so I try to have things handy (crochet flowers I made, wooden hearts I’ve found for her) to give. She can also sing nice.

This child is my 14 year age gap child. The other two were just about grown when she came along. I was a bit dazed the first few years. She really was a little bit unexpected.

The biggest thing she’s taught me so far is to be in the moment we’re in. I think we did a great job raising the first two. They’re adults, contributors to society, have healthy doses of common sense, and very lovable. This one, she’s in a league of her own. I believe she’ll also have all of those great qualities as that’s just the kind of parents we are. We raise our children to take care of themselves when they get old enough to do so. We don’t make excuses, nor do we excessively coddle.

All of that said, I’ve learned to slow down some with this one. I appreciate life a little more. I think on that simple level she’s living from time to time…appreciating just swinging under the oak tree and feeling the perfect weather of that day.

Possibilities in a day, in a life

We sometimes get caught up in what we’re doing, what we see, and not finding the leap point to where we’d like to be. How do you feel about that? How do I feel about that?

I don’t know. Maybe you don’t either. That’s okay. I am always hopeful for my best in every day. I hope to be of assistance to another in some small way. I am hopeful to make money using one or more of my talents. I am hopeful to feel the blessings I have and live inside them as they happen.

So, as I start my day today, what do I see? Do I see possibilities for awesomeness? Do I see possibilities for greatness? Do I see a blank canvas for God to create beauty and divine magic? What do I see? What do you see?

The day may even look like an ordinary day filled with routine. It may end like just an ordinary day where routine did happen. Even in that, have you lived in the day? Have you felt the possibilities of your life? Do you feel you were open and living on purpose for your life?

Sometimes it’s just about perfect in God’s connection

I’m sitting here, wondering what to do in a new post. I am reminded of meeting my husband over 20 years ago. It is one of the most pivotal moments of my life. All that I am not, the softer side, the more giving side…he is. All that he is not, in charge, keeping track of everything, keeping track of the “ducks”…I am. We make a really fantastic pair.

He also opened my eyes to other things in this world I didn’t grow up knowing. I think on what my life would have been like without him…of the men I’d dated before him. I really, really wanted this one guy. I don’t know why though as he drank a lot and I wasn’t into that. Thank God that didn’t happen.

My husband isn’t a local. Coming from small town, that’s a big thing. People like to connect the dots of your heritage. To know what kind of stock you come from. It’s true, even today.

So, I met my husband. He was all blonde hair and blue eyes. For some reason, as a teenager, I thought blonde haired people were somehow beyond my reach. My brown hair, brown eyes could only think to compare with others of my same “level” of society. I don’t know why, but I really thought this. When I met my husband and saw him looking at me, well, that was a surprise. lol Even so, he came up to me the next day at the trade school we were in and said, “Hello.” We’ve been together ever since.

We’ve had differences. We look at life really well in the things that matter, our family unit, our belief system, our loving each other. We look at other things completely different. He was “all in” from the start. Me, I needed a little time to adjust.

What I found is a man who loves me for me. He didn’t look at me like the “disabled” child of the family. He didn’t think me incapable of greatness. He was willing to back just about all of my crazy ideas.

I am thankful to God for putting our paths to crossing and him finding me. There is not another in this world who would fit me like he does.

You are Unique and that’s important

I am always advocating for individuals and their uniqueness!! You may be thinking you’re one of many different people who can do whatever it is you do, but the truth is, you’re unique in the way you do what you do. You have a way like no one else does in all that you do, especially the things you’re good at.

Think about this. Your fingerprint is not like anyone else’s. Your handwriting is unique to you. There are people who study and get paid to define handwriting for a living. They can distinctly see what’s different about your personality from the person right next to you, even if you’ve both written the same thing! Fascinating!! It’s the same with clothing. you will always choose something that inspires you maybe yellow, and always avoid some other color, maybe red…so, even in the colors you choose, you’re unique!! I love it!!

I want you to think about your friends or people you know. What do your friends come to you for, all the time? Who do you seek out when you’re looking to accomplish a certain thing, wanting great company, or just have to have that great piece of hummingbird cake so and so makes?

Your uniqueness may be known by lots of people. Your uniqueness may be known by very few. Either way, it’s important to know that it’s an essential part of what makes you shine bright. Whatever it is you do well, there are people out there who seek you. You seek others for their talents. It is the way of connecting with each other.

Think on this. If you already know of your unique talents, great!!! If you don’t think you have any, think on it some. Something is unique to you. 🙂

Reassuring Signs, do you see those?

I sit here this morning, thinking about the signs I’ve gotten randomly, comforting me along my path in some of the choices I’ve made. I’ve got a picture of a rainbow in a spot no rainbow should have ever been. There was no water source, it was in the shadow of the house I was taking a picture of, it hadn’t rained in days. No water, no sun, but there it was…a rainbow in the picture.

I believed it was a sign to remodel that house, one my great-grandparents had built. Over the years of us trying to do so, we kind of finally gave up. We’d put well into over $20K at least, and it just wasn’t happening. I bought my dream tub. It’s waiting.

We finally consulted several actual construction people, even as recently as last year, and every turn we took, we’d only get so far, then something would halt the progress.

This morning, I wonder about that and what it means. I wonder if sometimes signs and clues of comfort are just bits to keep us okay and thinking we’re on the right track, but they’re really just magician tricks to keep us somewhat focused while it isn’t what’s happening at all.

How do I feel about that? I feel like we lost a house we loved to move back home on family land to get nowhere in the 8 or so years since we moved back.

I can tell you I clearly knew it was God directing us to move back. Without a doubt, I knew this and there were signs all over of God telling us we really were right where we were supposed to be. I knew this at the time and stuck to my faith even as we were feeling adrift at the change.

Everyone I know talks about the fact that there’s land I own now and even though we’re not in a nice house at the moment, we are on the land. While I absolutely love the land I am on, I want to know what God’s plan is about all of this. Why, since we’ve been back, are we living as though we just can’t seem to get ahead and into a proper house of some sort? What are the clues that are missing? Is divine timing really that long on this particular project? Is my dream tub just waiting…waiting…and more waiting…for….?

Beliefs, can you hold to yours with peace?

Yesterday I came across a little post in a group that seemed innocent enough. I mentioned my view about the article. What I got in return was one woman telling me to “shut up, just shut up” and another going on a rant about showing her proof of my belief. I showed her some proof I’d found, stated that not everyone thought it was valid, and thought that would be the end of it.

What transpired was her attacking me by saying I just didn’t have proof, I was a danger to others by spreading this information, and “how the heck did I even know how to put my clothes on in the morning”. I was polite the whole time because I didn’t feel the need to attack her. I was just stating what I know to be true in my view.

This back and forth went on for like 28 bits of conversation. Several people agreed with me, but I was the one attacked…maybe because I said it first…. I really don’t know. Whomever is in charge of that group took the post down sometime overnight.

I have said over the years that a person should have their faith so strong that an attack like this shouldn’t bother them. Like, I don’t have to explain my faith to anyone else. I don’t have to say I belong to some religion for someone to think that’s an “okay” path with God. I also believe, while one person may have faith that strong for themselves in whatever way they choose, it’s not cool to tell me why that path would work for me unless I ask. It’s called respect and observance.

I realized sometime yesterday that holds true for other beliefs too. This lady wanted me to show her proof of why I felt that way. My belief is in the minority and therefore, there weren’t enough “respectable” studies of proof and since a major government agency didn’t agree with me, I must be wrong. That was how she saw things.

What she didn’t see and I couldn’t completely explain because I wouldn’t know where to get such information now, was me seeing these stories on the news, seeing firsthand of these particular things happening to other people and believing their stories. Hearing that some things got changed in a government agency because people found out about what wasn’t working proper.

I saw all of these things happening as a child, thirty years ago. Way before the internet even existed. I don’t know how to bring forth that information. I can’t compete with whatever is out there today. I can only know and remember the feelings of those people back then. I still stand with them.

Maybe you’re going through something like this? Maybe someone told you not to believe in something or that your belief was wrong because it wasn’t in line with theirs? Maybe they really want you to see that they’re absolutely right because they have “proof”? What about that? Maybe…just maybe…two people can choose to agree to disagree? Beliefs are personal and stem from all sorts of things. This is definitely something worth thinking about in your own life.

Going to confessional as a kid

I was raised Catholic. I remember going to confession one time as a kid of about eight or so. This particular priest preferred us to sit across from him at a table in the little room to the back of the church with the big glass window where one could still see the congregation and altar.

I know as being Catholic, we were supposed to confess our sins regularly to the priest. He’d hear our sins, bless us, then tell us how many prayers to go pray based on what we’d told him that day.

I was doing the proper thing by going to this priest, right? I was a kid who was fairly good though. As, I’m sitting there in confessional, I mention I talked back to my parents. He listens, gives me the reminder that we must listen to our parents as they know best, and tells me what prayers to say.

During Mass, there’s a point where the priest says anything that comes to mind to his congregation. On that particular day, he chose to speak about children needing to listen to one’s parents. He went on and on, but I don’t remember all he said.

What I remember is feeling completely let down by this priest. I was in confessional, an hour earlier, and this is the material he uses? He chooses to speak to his congregation about “my sin”? I don’t know. After that, I just didn’t feel right about confessing my sins to a priest.

In my childhood thinking, he was supposed to be helping me “stay right”, not putting me on “front page news”. He didn’t use my name at all, no. However, it made a huge difference to me and became a turning point I think.

My grandparents were Pentecostals. I loved going to Sunday church with them. The priest greeted the parishioners. He knew them by name. He asked how their family was. Their praying time was a little odd for me as a child, but the feel of care was always there. I liked that feeling.

While I wasn’t fulfilled completely in the Catholic religion, I wasn’t ready to ditch my jeans or not be allowed to cut my hair. So, I remained a Catholic, taught the religious classes for a couple of years, got married in the church.

I eventually left the church altogether. I’ve always felt God was there for me and simply started going to him directly. I figured if Jesus could do so, so could I. That’s where I am now.

Small connecting moments

I was just reminded of a small connecting moment I made with a kid some time ago. I figured since the memory came up, it could be a post here.

I’m hearing impaired and wear a hearing aid. Because of this, sometimes other people with hearing aids will ask if I know sign language. I really don’t know much more than the alphabet. I wasn’t diagnosed for hearing aids until I was about seven years old and the school did their annual audiology testing. Before that, my mother knew something wasn’t right. She took the time to teach me to speak well. I learned to read lips. I speak and write in fluent English.

So, I am at this movie theater and am waiting on a bench in the lobby. There was a little boy, about 8 or 9, sitting with his Mama and siblings. He saw my hearing aid and was thrilled to find a member of his tribe. He pointed me out to his Mama. She then got my attention.

I told them I didn’t know sign language and wasn’t able to bridge that gap. I was happy to meet them though. 🙂 While with them though, I remembered that movie theaters were just starting to offer closed-captioning devices for people like us. I mentioned this to his mother. I told her only certain showings made it possible. ((Now I think it’s much more accessible.)) She was thrilled to hear of it.

Her husband walked up to them shortly thereafter. When an employee walked up to them just after that, she inquired of him and he said, “Yes, we have that.” They didn’t have it for the viewing of whatever show they were going to that day, but from then on, they could make movie choices to allow them all to experience the show fully.

Now, I went to that movie for my own personal reasons. They went to that movie for their own personal reasons too. However, this child noticing someone who just happened to sit across from him in the lobby, opened up his world. On some level, that was a divine, coordinated moment. This is how we build our lives. Sometimes the steps are for others to give us because they know something we need to know. Sometimes, like with me that day, my knowledge was shared with them because a child needed that.

Life happens in many ways…the small connecting moments matter just as much as the bigger ones.

Beyond your Comfort Zone and Farther

I am always advocating for stepping outside of your comfort zone. It is one step into possibilities of a fuller life. As a note, many people are happy in their comfort zone and that’s an okay space to be. Those people are still being useful, still important, still making an impact. However, there are those people who know their own life needs to grow and this is where the comfort zone stretching happens.

It takes one step to get outside of your comfort zone. To do one thing differently. Such as… *taking a different route to work, *buying that dress/skirt/outfit you really want but isn’t your normal wear, *volunteering for a few hours, *inquiring about a job that isn’t in your field, *taking classes for something different than expected, *etc..

I’ve done that several times…stepped outside of my comfort zone. Each time, I gained something to benefit my life or someone else’s. Knowledge is never wasted and each new thing you do brings you some bit of knowledge. Either to enlighten your life in some way or to enlighten another’s. This is one of the key factors of the bigger picture of human interactions.

I used to think, once a person stepped outside of their comfort zone, their whole world shifted to another level of life. A level that was bigger than the level they were just on. I think that’s true for lots of people; however, I also think, sometimes, the stepping out is for one purpose each time. For instance, my learning life insurance didn’t turn into a career, but it did give me valuable information that I later passed on to someone who needed it.

Looking at this, thinking on my memories, makes me realize I am right where I need to be and fretting about where I think I need to be isn’t going to get me anywhere I’m not supposed to be. lol Make sense?

For example, I have led some people to deepen their faith and know God put those people before me each time. I felt the power of the presence of God in those moments. Really, nothing compares. This has caused me to think, many times, of teaching others in that way. However, God has never laid that before me. God has laid before me key moments with those he felt needed my words at those times. That’s enough.

There are other things I’ve tried to make into a career that I do well, but God hasn’t put before me for them to blossom. What God has done, is let me know when I need to use those talents and whom to use them for, like the handwritten comfort letters I write. Once in awhile, God says, “Write a letter to this person.” I do. It always makes a difference. I may not know the circumstances and don’t need to. I just need to encourage and that’s what I’ll do.

My unique gift with colors, this one I’d like to make a career of. Like Dr. Ruth was all about teaching sex and was THE person to go to, I’d love to be THE person who teaches people about the many ways color impacts our lives. 🙂

I know this is a longer post and hope you’re still with me. If you are, thank you. I appreciate it. As some final words, I want you to continue to step outside of your comfort zone. I don’t know if you’re like I used to think, thinking that one step would make everything “level up” and get discouraged when it doesn’t. I want you to know that every step outside of your comfort zone is important, valuable, and helpful to you or someone you know (or will know).

If you’re meant to “level up” in some way from one of those steps, it’ll feel so right and so easy and flow so divinely well. Cheers.