God loves us the way we are...

 God is good. He loves us so much. And when we choose to walk with Him, He takes the time to change us from the inside out. He purges old thoughts, habits and behaviors that will no longer serve us. 

If we let Him.

The purging process isn't easy. It means letting go of things that we once clung to that may have helped us in the past. Things like anger or control or manipulation...things that may have been a way to protect ourselves. Or things like habits, addictions...smoking, alcohol, drugs...or whatever you may use to escape from reality. Maybe learned behaviors passed down through generations.

As many of us know, the purging process isn't easy. And can sometimes be downright painful. Change is rarely easy. But it's necessary to make room for the new things God has for us. 

When God enters our hearts, He wants to fill us with new, GOOD things. But if we are full of old habits and behaviors, there isn't any room for Him. That's where the purging comes in. He wants to get rid of those things that, while helpful at one time in our lives (or so we thought), are unhealthy and sometimes quite damaging. 

The good news is that when God begins the process of cleaning us up, and purging things that no longer benefit us, He doesn't just leave those places void. He doesn't just remove those things from our lives without replacing them with something GOOD. He will fill the emptiness with love, grace, joy, hope and peace. He will fill those voids with HIMSELF. 

If we let Him.

 

Psalm 143:8-10 

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, 

for I have put my trust in you. 

Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

Rescue me from my enemies, LORD, for I hide myself in you.

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; 

may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

"The Difference"

 I attended my first women's retreat in 2002. While I was there I was given a bookmark and it has been tucked in my bible ever since. It is titled, "The Difference" and this is what it says...

I got up early one morning, and rushed right into the day: I had so much to accomplish that I didn't have time to pray. 

Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. "Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered. He answered, "You didn't ask."

I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on gray and bleak. I wondered why God didn't show me. He said, "But you didn't seek."

I tried to come into God's presence; I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, "My child, you didn't knock."

I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day; I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.

Dusting off the blog...

Hi.

Has it really been nine years since I last posted? NINE YEARS? 

Time sure flies...

A lot has happened since I last posted in 2015...

I started working full-time for the school district. I finally earned my bachelor's degree. I accepted a job teaching special education. I fumbled my way through the 'vid. I resigned from my teaching job. We sold our home of 23 years. And we moved to East Tennessee.

So yeah...you could say things have changed a bit. 

I am glad to be back in this space. I've missed it. I am looking forward to dusting off this little old blog and writing again. I am looking forward to dusting off my Canon and doing photography again. (I put it away when I got a "smart phone".) 

I don't know if blogs are still a thing. At least blogs that are actually written by a real person and not generated by the big, crazy internet. But I'm hopeful. And I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes... 

Sunday morning.

one word for 2015

in·ten·tion

inˈten(t)SH(ə)n/

noun

1. 1.

   a thing intended; an aim or plan.

   "she was full of good intentions"
2. 2.

   MEDICINE

   the healing process of a wound.
3. 
   

For the past several years I've chosen a word to live by, or rather, the word seems to choose me. I don't think about it every single day...and I need to write it on a sticky note so I even remember it...but still I choose one, and still it seems to play out in my life.

This year the word that popped into my head (without hesitation) as I considered what the word for 2015 would be is...intention.

This year I will focus on living with intention...spending time intentionally...aiming for things, setting goals, and planning my time better.

Originally I thought the word was intent...but when I looked up the definition for intention it included that part about "the healing process of a wound". It kind of caught me off guard...I'd never heard of the word intention used in that way before. But it caught my attention immediately, and I knew that intention was the word, and that part of the plan for 2015 is to heal some old wounds. Apparently it's time.

How about you? Have you chosen a word for 2015? Care to share what it is? Leave a comment and let me know what word you chose...or what word chose you. If you blogged about it...please leave a link to your blog, I'd love to visit!

on this last day of 2014...

I don't make resolutions. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I feel like they are a set up for failure. I'm not going to join a gym tomorrow, I'm not going to start a diet tomorrow, I'm not going to give anything up tomorrow.

I am, however, going to choose a word for the year. (I'm still thinking on it...) I've done this for the past few years and it's been good...a good reminder to do something intentionally and a good reminder to continually try to improve myself...whether it's January 1st or any other day of the year.  Rather than resolve to quit something I'd rather work toward something...

For the past several years I couldn't wait to ring in the New Year, I was ready for the new start that January 1st always promises because I was SO done with the prior year. But this year I'm not feeling that way...I mean, I'm fine that the New Year is here, but I'm not looking forward to it in as desperate of a way...if that makes sense. I guess I don't feel like things need to change so drastically as I've wanted them to in past years...my feeling is that if we keep on this upward trend we'll be doing good. Our jobs are good, our health is good, our roof doesn't leak, our heater works, our cars run, we've got food (and plenty of it!) in the freezer...life is good. I can't complain, ya know?

So here's to a safe and healthy and prosperous New Year...see you next year!

xo

Good Sunday morning...

Good morning. It's Sunday and still quiet around here. I'm the only one up...Food Network on in the background (do you ever watch Heartland Table? It's my new fave.), essential oil books open beside me, coffee within reach...it's a good start to a lazy Sunday.

Things have settled down now that Christmas has passed...it was a good time. Lots of presents, family, food...oh my, the food!...and now...quiet. Time to settle in for January and I can't wait.

I know some people don't do Winter, but it is my favorite season, and January might possibly be my favorite month. It's cold and gray and wet and perfect. It calls for warm meals and layers of cozy clothing and time spent indoors. I love it. And it's time for homegrown citrus...aren't they gorgeous? They're from my friend's tree and she is more than generous. They are so good and juicy...you can almost feel the Vitamin C seeping into your body.

January is also the time to plan the summer garden, but I can't ever seem to get it together enough to plan that far in advance. Each year I have the fantasy of planning an amazing garden, then starting my own seeds in plenty of time and planting our own seedlings come March or April. But the reality of this whole thing is...I don't have anywhere to start said seeds, nor do I have (or make) the time to actually do it and tend to them. The reality is I don't have a lot of space, let alone extra space for seed trays and grow lights and now that I am working full-time I don't have a lot of extra time, either.

So...the reality is...we will probably be buying 4 inch potted veggies come Spring time, and if it's like past years, we will buy them a tad too late. Luckily for us we live in California and have a long growing season.

And just because it's on my mind, I bought a couple tomatoes a week or so ago and they were AWFUL. So dry and mealy...terrible. Horrible. So bad I almost didn't even give them to the chickens. What a disappointment. I will try again because a BLT is just not the same with the T, but my goodness, I hope they're better than the last batch. Ick.

I've been off for a week and have another week to go...it sure is nice. Have I mentioned how much I love working for the school district? It's the best. This next week will involve tidying up the Christmas mess, finding space for new things and taking the tree down and putting away decorations. I am really enjoying the decorations this year...I will miss them, if I'm honest. The lights are my favorite. This year I decided to have a better attitude about Christmas...no more dread, no more Grinch...and it really helped. A lot. Christmas was good...

And now it's time to think about ringing in the New Year...2015. Wow. Crazy. A whole year has passed again...and fast. I've been thinking of my New Year word the past couple of days...it hasn't come to me yet, but it will. Matter of fact, one just popped into my head as I'm typing...I'll sit on it a bit and see what happens. I choose a word for the year, and then I don't really think about it much. But every now and then, as the year goes by, I am reminded of my chosen word, usually during a moment that I am actually doing it. And it reminds me that I am doing what I said I was going to do, but maybe not as often as I should be. But...that's OK. I don't want to live with "should's"...they're condemning. And I don't like that. I want to try and keep it positive.

Speaking of positive, today involves a pedicure...and I'm so happy about this. My feet are...well, um...let's just say they are terribly neglected as of late. So this will be really, really nice.

How about you? How was Christmas? Do you still have your tree up? (I do. It'll come down this week, though...I'll miss the lights.)

xo