6 June 2022 Thinking

June 6, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Bipolar life, books, Health, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Nature, photography, Science (Keshe Foundation and other innovations), Social media, Spirituality and Religion, technology, Television, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you today. How are you? I hope this finds you well. As I look out the windows this morning you would never know we had thunder and lightening yesterday! Beautiful blue skies out there!

Whenever I experience thunder and lightening – especially the lightening part- a word comes to mind: thinking. Seeing all those bands of light flashing about makes me imagine what’s going on inside my own brain….my body. The phrase “as above so below” comes to mind too. Where did the concept of making beings like us come from? What was God’s inspiration to fashion us brains running with electricity? All those flashes of light from one neural path to another right in our own heads! It makes sense to me that before there was science that our ancestors saw thunder and lightening as God speaking to them. Last night I just sat and listened….watched. I could almost hear God saying, “I am God! You are guests here! Everything belongs to me!”

To me the earth is a sentient creation of God…..not just some mere blue marble. Look around you and listen beyond our human activities….despite it all the earth can make a beautiful flower grow in a tiny crack in a driveway. So much meaningful intelligence going on just to keep us all alive even as we continue to harm ourselves, each other and the rest of creation we share life with. What a merciful God! Sometimes the weather patterns seem like expression of emotion. One storm will be gentle and yet another like rage.

A couple messages from A Woman’s Spirit today – sometimes all you can do is laugh at how ridiculous life can be:

“I will not take myself so seriously. I will let laughter heal.” Jan Pishok

“Laughter promotes personal growth and health. I will practice this prescription today. “

One of my favorite comedians is Gabriel Iglesias:

https://youtu.be/uPc5X4BSltw – Gabriel Iglesias Aloha Fluffy 2013 Hawaii full show

Some pictures from yesterdays walks:

Your brain is made up of networks of small cells called neurons that communicate electrochemically to enable you to think, feel, and interact with the world around you. Because electrical charges are responsible for brain activity, electrical stimulation can in turn be used to change the brain’s functioning.May 15, 2019

https://kids.frontiersin.org › articles

Wake Up, Brain!: Using Electricity to Think and Feel Differently

2 June 2022 At Last and Dog Stuff

June 2, 2022June 2, 2022 by saymber, posted in Animal Rights, animals, Bipolar life, Health, history, Home, human rights, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Music, Nature, photography, Politics and Government, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

https://youtu.be/S-cbOl96RFM– Etta James – At Last

Sometimes you need a power ballad to encourage yourself to put your feet on the ground and engage with gravity! When I hear this song it just takes me to such wonderful places. Thank you Etta!

Yesterday Link and I had an experience I hoped not to face again with another dog. We were walking in the neighborhood and a dog we pass, that is normally on a leash, wasn’t and he went after Link and I. Link and I were both screaming and trying to get away when finally the dogs owner came out. He had to get another neighbors help as his dog just took off. This experience triggered feelings from when something like this happened in Alvarado when Spot and I were attacked by two pit bulls that had gotten loose. The town ended up passing a viscous dog law because of what happened! I’m not mad at the dog in all this. Dogs that don’t get regular exercise and stimulation get pent up and bored – they “do shit!” All those times Link and I had walked past while he was secured and would lunge at us I guess was foreshadowing for what happened yesterday.

It’s important to remember that the animals we choose to share our lives with have feelings, emotions and needs. These things unmet, neglected or ignored can have scary consequences. They don’t handle what’s going on inside like we do and as was the case yesterday, can’t really be reasoned with! Thankfully all that happened was rattled nerves and in Links case, a normally curly tail gone flat and between his legs. It was hard to get over hearing him scream like he did.

https://youtube.com/c/CesarMillanOfficial – Cesar Millan (Dog Whisperer Channel on YouTube)

Thinking of St Francis, a saint that loved animals:

Franciscan and Other Common Prayers

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Glad to see change is being considered in light of recent events in our country. I hope it will go beyond just consideration and become action.

1 June 2022 Letting God

June 1, 2022June 2, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Bipolar life, books, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Music, Nature, photography, Politics and Government, Social media, Spirituality and Religion, technology, Television, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

https://youtu.be/_RzsPdmfcaw – The Voice Dog remix by Timbu Fun feat Walter Geoffrey the Frenchie

https://youtu.be/92i5m3tV5XY – F*ck that an honest meditation

Link cooling his belly on a break during our walk yesterday. He loves the grass!

How are you today? Link and I are doing pretty good. Last night was a bit rough for both of us but eventually Jesus and his team got us some rest. There is so much light and energy going on at night and I’m sensitive to it. Something I’m doing now is trying to get off the phone before bed and do some singing. The Tanpura is great to sing with along with Mei-lan. Just tones varying in range and duration….no words. It’s like prayer.

Today’s message from A Woman’s Spirit is a good reminder about the futility of trying to control others….letting God:

Basically, I have two choices: either accept people and their behavior at face value, or remove myself from the situation. I cannot change other people, but I can control my behavior.

Trying to control other people has been a long- term character defect for most of us. Becoming abstinent didn’t take away the seduction of control. Perhaps for some of us becoming abstinent even heightened the seduction. Minds no longer clouded by alcohol or other drugs see with greater clarity many more invitations to control.

At first glance, it seems unfortunate that becoming free of the obsession to use chemicals didn’t also free us of trying to control the people and events in our lives. But had that been the case, we would have relied less on our Higher Power for help to grow and change. And the greatest gift of this recovery program is learning that we have “One who is all powerful” to help us make decisions, to guide us every step of the way.

I will protect my serenity today by letting people in my life take charge of themselves. If I begin to falter, my Higher Power will help me.

__________

https://youtu.be/EoZPTaoo134 – The Embrace feat Ruby Amanfu (The Chosen)

Proud of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the people of Canada for deciding to take steps towards peace.

28 May 2022 Insanity

May 28, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Bipolar life, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Money, Nature, photography, Politics and Government, Science (Keshe Foundation and other innovations), Social media, Spirituality and Religion, technology, Television, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How are you today? It’s Saturday here as I write to you and I’m still struggling to climb out of the valley I’m in. Last night everything was going good for sleeping and then I woke up to a violent crash. Link either fell or jumped off the opposite side of the bed. It was hard for both of us to get back to sleep. The way he was acting was like the whole thing scared him. Certainly freaked me out. He’s never done that before.

I have been sitting here trying to find positive and uplifting words to share with you. It’s hard. So I will simply say something I wish the whole world could feel and hear as we struggle together: I love you

The title of my post today is from looking for a message and just not feeling any of them are right for today. It is indeed insanity to keep doing the same things and expect anything to change. That is my message to Ted Cruz, Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton and leaders like them in the United States of America. It is my sincere hope that God has a better plan than any I’ve seen or heard from you.

26 May 2022 Walter and Being Grumpy

May 26, 2022 by saymber, posted in Animal Rights, animals, Food, Health, Home, human rights, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Movies, Nature, photography, Social media, Spirituality and Religion, Television, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

https://youtu.be/R7t0Ol6RtRY – Grumpy and Snow White

https://youtu.be/xmQfoAvlIQc – Frenchie arguing with his owner – Walter Geoffrey the French Bulldog

Hello. For the past couple days I have been feeling really grumpy. Sleep has been weird and my body has been hurting. I don’t like being grumpy or being pessimistic about my life so I’ve been trying to find ways to restore “happy Jackie.” One way I found was watching and listening to Walter Geoffrey who is a very vocal French Bulldog. Hearing and watching Walter’s meltdowns has been great therapy! Ohhhh how this boy tells how it is! Sometimes his rants sound like singing to me he just needs some brothers and a drum. What I hear from him is what I’m feeling lately. There aren’t words for it and that’s why Walters behavior resonates with me. There is an energy I’ve been sensing, especially when I go outside, that is just really tense and uncomfortable. I know part of it is myself and the frustration I’m feeling with my body but part of it is just the world I think! All of creation is going through some stuff!

I’ve been trying to do movement to music each day and singing which helps alleviate discomfort. I’m just really out of shape and have gained weight which puts more pressure on the spine and joints. I also listen to the chakra opening meditations and sing tones along with healing focused music like I shared by Mei-lan. I talk to God most of the day and sometimes I bet I sound a bit like Walter to him lol! I’m trying to eat better and drink more water. I’m trying not to be a grump! Sometimes mending pains in the body includes mending the mind and soul too. Intangible pain, the pain we feel emotionally and spiritually, can manifest tangibly in the body. Grief is a big one for that! If you are grieving it’s important to allow yourself to feel it….work through it. I try to remember that everything is a form of energy to include pain.

How are you doing? I hope something I’ve shared resonates with you… I hope it helps. I think a lot of us are experiencing some kind of pain these days. You are not alone! Like my neighbor and I talked about the other day, the only way we are going to get through these times is together. One of the mottos for Grace Bible Church is “Better Together.” When we are in pain and grumpy the tendency many of us have is to isolate ourselves.

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C.S Lewis

20-21 May 2022 What Matters

May 21, 2022May 21, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Movies, Music, Nature, photography, Social media, Spirituality and Religion, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How has your today been? I’m writing another post today because tomorrow I have plans. The weather has been really beautiful today so Link and I got out in it. A lot has happened today both happy and sad. I found out a composer I have enjoyed for so long named Vangelis died today. He is responsible for the amazing music in my favorite science fiction movie Blade Runner:

One of my favorite scenes from Blade Runner is at the end. Now deceased actor Rutger Hauer was amazing. I cried watching and listening to this:

https://youtu.be/skiNUaOS3mg – Blade Runner – Tears in the rain – Vangelis

A mantra I came up with for myself a couple years ago has been on my mind again. It has to do with overly worrying about what is going on around me and the world – specifically what other people are or are not doing….thinking…. feeling. Lately I have had to remind myself that it doesn’t matter what others are doing, thinking or feeling. What matters is what I am feeling, thinking and doing. It’s not that I don’t care….that I shouldn’t care about others. It’s just important to realize when that caring about others compromises by own peace of mind and well being! When I realize I have been compromised I have to “let God” on the person or the situation. It’s a good time for prayer and letting go which can be almost impossible depending on what is going on.

When I look at people in the world I live in, I often remind myself that every single life on earth is in the process of writing their story. Sometimes the stories of others don’t make a darn bit of sense to us as mere observers but it is understood by God.

Part of mindfulness is paying attention to what is going on with yourself before you peer into the lives of others.

An acronym I learned in AA and shared here many blogs ago is HALT. This acronym is to help you do self examination before blaming or judging others for how you are feeling. H=hungry A=angry L=lonely and T=tired. There is a good chance if you are experiencing any or more than one of these things at a time you are not going to be in a positive state of mind. Sometimes your restlessness and dissatisfaction with life can be easily solved by dealing with these basic things. Look inside first and then look outside yourself when you are overcome by your world. With practice it will become second nature. Part of the inward looking, at least for me, includes talking to God about what’s going on!

Anyhew…..hopefully something in my words is for you. If not, may be in the images and explorings today:

Around lunch time – the post office and this little corner are very busy this time of day!

Orange in nature – Yes! I needed to see this vibrant color today!

I had to get a picture of the unicorn in the window of this fire truck! Just as I did the fire fighters walked up and I finally got to say thank you! They have been very busy around here! Earth angels to me!

My other stream stopping point – the cell phone doesn’t do it justice.

See! A whole bunch more orange flowers now! I just feel so happy when I see them there.

I was so happy to see this little one! I have found two dead squirrels just this week!

Another thing so many different species have in common. I was also thinking of the angels in Revelation: Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
http://web.mit.edu › NIV › REV+4
Bible Gateway Revelation 4 :: NIV

Today I was thinking about my ex and a cd of music he had put together. There was a song off of it that was stuck in my head! Ever have that happen?! Well I searched and searched and finally just texted and asked him if he knew and of course he did! Music is one of his…our things:

https://youtu.be/lgAbRgCSaXE – Kenna Hellbent

This is one of those songs that haunts you

I was wondering if the earth “body” had chakra points and turns out it does! I was surprised a place like Sedona Arizona wasn’t one of them. https://www.thetravel.com/earth-chakras-around-the-world/

Don’t ask me why but Gary Oldman popped in my thoughts today! Hope he is well.

Finishing the walk – wish sometimes I had my own stream lol

18 May 2022 “Up!”

May 18, 2022May 18, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, books, dreams, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Music, Nature, photography, Science (Keshe Foundation and other innovations), Spirituality and Religion, technology, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How are you today? I hope you are well and if your not, for whatever reason and there are so many these days, I want you to know you are in my prayers. All things both good and bad pass on.

Last night I had a bit of a struggle again with sleep. I got some new pillows called My Pillow and it just takes some time to break them in.

Hoping these will help with my quest for restful sleep!

The title of the post today is because of what I want to call a persistent and very short dream I had last night. The dream was of seeing red clouds and Prince just saying over and over again “Up! Up!” When Prince Rogers Nelson was alive, one of the things he had talked about in interviews was the spraying in the sky. (https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3znbey – he talks about his experience here.) Yesterday on my walks I noticed there have been a lot of trails going on here and I noticed myself feeling more irritable than normal. You can just feel the stuff all around. It’s rare to see a picture with sky that doesn’t have these trails in it – no matter what part of the world. So anyways……I woke up to go to the bathroom and I’m sitting there and asked in the darkness, “Ok Prince, what was that dream about?” As soon as I said that I saw a round ball of light run across the wall past the bathroom! Like someone running. It wasn’t a car or anything because I checked. More weird stuff! I just had my eyes checked so it wasn’t that. Prince was one of those artists whose music helped me so much growing up! Messages come to the waking and dreaming worlds.

Source: Internet
I think Prince was lonely too sometimes

Some messages from A Woman’s Spirit for today:

It’s all in the attitude! – Eileen Fehlen

We are learning from this program that we are in charge of our attitude. No other person or no situation can force us into a negative frame of mind. And if we have intentionally, though perhaps mindlessly, chosen to feel negative, we can instantly feel positive instead. A gentle reminder is all that’s necessary.

Most of us got so used to negativity that we failed to see that we could feel otherwise. We resented women who always seemed happy and up. Now we understand, but understanding how our attitude is developed and taking charge of it are separate acts.

Being consciously and actively in charge of a positive attitude takes lots of practice, but every time we succeed in changing a bad attitude to a favorable one makes change easier the next time. We will soon discover that we are just as happy as we want to be. The power rests solely with each one of us.

I will be a happy woman today if that is my choice. No one can make me feel otherwise.

———————-

Now for a walk and messages from yesterday:

I love the iridescent look of this trees leaves

Yesterday was hot and there was a lot of natural and unnatural “stuff” in the air. Finding a dead mother squirrel in the road didn’t help with the grumpiness I was already feeling!

I love some of the names of streets – I hadn’t been down this one yet!

Isn’t this cool? What’s even more special was for the first time in years I was greeted by a cat! We had a short and sweet little visit. Their home is for sale.

Isn’t this beautiful?! A little worse for wear but still lovely. Every time I see a blue butterfly I think of my Grandma B.

Waters and habitat like this support so many lives

My Aunt sent this to me yesterday – so perfect for how I was feeling yesterday!

Things were feeling a bit chaotic yesterday afternoon

“Hi there! It’s going to be ok! Love you!”

16 May 2022 Steps

May 16, 2022May 16, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Art and Poetry, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Music, Nature, photography, Social media, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How are you today? I hope you are well. This morning I’m thinking about steps…..steps of faith. This is from church yesterday when Pastor Jason illustrated it so well. Standing in a space and seeing the next step God has called us to take and actually taking it not knowing really what it will all mean to take it….. that’s faith. I’m also thinking about the smiling faces that greeted me when I got to church….hugs and smiles. There were a couple faces missing I had hoped to see and I pray they are alright. The longer you go to church the more connected you become! Like a family….dear friends.

I was looking at more videos from Master Shi and came across one of him doing a 20 minute Quigong practice. The song in the background was so beautiful that I had to find it to share with you. I hope you’ll give it a listen:

https://youtu.be/Zrxdgat3y9c – Lotus By Secret Garden

Step……breathe…..step

I’m trying to commit myself to breath in movement each day even if it’s just for the length of one song.

Make sure you are kind to who is looking back at you today!

Didn’t take many pictures yesterday but that’s ok. Sometimes sitting by the water under clouded skies means you will meet someone walking home after a hard day as an in- home healthcare worker. So tired but still having a kind word and a smile on her face.

My growing eclectic mixture of inside flowers

Glimpse of the sun – we got more wonderful rain

Another tree by our post office – it’s like they are dancing

Falling rain – there was lightening and a bit of thunder in these clouds – loved it!

When I was looking for lightening in the Bible I found this passage

I found this painting and it was so perfect in light of so much “weather” stuff going on in the world

Some cute for you – I love how his ear is sticking straight up!!

13 May 2022 Armor

May 13, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Art and Poetry, books, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Nature, photography, Social media, Spirituality and Religion, technology, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you on this Friday the 13th! How are you? I’m happy to say last night was drama free other than the usual struggle to fall asleep. Yesterday I had a visit with my Aunt, Uncle and their little dog Smokey. She’s healing well from the knee surgery but there is pain and swelling. when I arrived her physical therapist was there helping her do exercises to help with the healing process. She and I talked about a lot to include her telling me that the previous night she had a horrible nightmare. It felt to her that whatever was after me went after her instead. So last night I told her that we should both read and pray about putting on the armor of God before bed. The other thing I did was focus on Jesus in various ways – even looking at silly gifs people have made with him in it. From the information on the shroud of Turin faces of Christ have emerged and I found the one I felt the most peace seeing. I have it on my phone so if I wake up in the night like I do, I can have a face to see – to rest in.

This is when I think the resurrection happened and the image was made on the shroud. It’s interesting to think of the power of light. They say an energy more powerful than that of all the earth was responsible for the illumination that occurred to make the image on the shroud.

Can you imagine looking into these eyes? There are many images of what people think he looked like. This one resonates with me. I often think of his saying he would return -he didn’t say specifically how he would do that!

Messages from A Woman’s Spirit for today:

The truest measurement of my growth and accomplishments is in remembering where I came from, where I’ve been, and where I’m going. – Joan Rohde

Our daily routines can be so absorbing that we lose perspective on how we used to live. That’s okay. We need to be present to the moment. However, it benefits us to remember occasionally what our lives used to be like. Never getting too far from the insanity of our past helps us be grateful for the gifts that have become commonplace now.

We’ve grown as the result of recovery. For many of us, very little in our lives looks or feels the same.We have new friends, sober relationships, more self-esteem, and a positive direction.

A true gift of this new life is that we have hope.We know we can do great things. We know we lived through our traumas because we had not yet fulfilled our purpose, our part of God’s destiny. And we know we’ll get the guidance we need to fulfill that destiny if we remain committed to the program’s principles.

I am in a”growing”state of mind. My life is a rich and purposeful play directed by my Higher Power.

(What comes to mind reading this is almost everyone has a “something” that has taken their focus not just stuff like alcohol, food or work. A something has been overly influential in their life. There is a long list of what those something’s are and just what has happened to a life when those something’s rule. Is the something influencing you these days feeding your worldly aspect or your soul? How do you feel in the “something” process? Does it lift you up or break you down?)

I always hope something in these blogs helps….speaks to someone else besides me!

A little walk yesterday:

I’ve never seen this type of flower before!

I love stopping to see what the various trees on my walks are doing – their processes for living a life as a tree.

The first cat we’ve encountered on a walk around here that wasn’t bothered by Link.

I could take pictures of the sun and clouds all day lol! I’m always amazed to see what’s going on up there.

“Hello! I’m a good boy! You try to be good too ok?!”

9 May 2022 Hesed and God Moving In Mysterious Ways

May 9, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Art and Poetry, dreams, history, Home, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Movies, Music, Nature, photography, Spirituality and Religion, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. How is your day going as you visit here? I hope well. Last night I had another one of those dreams like I recently shared with you. I felt like this energy entered my room and went over me. I could hear and feel it. It was different this time as I spoke to the darkness and was able to say “Jesus!” more than once. Well apparently this crossed over into the waking world and scared Link off of the bed! Not quite sure what’s going on. There are things always going on in the unseen spirit world and sometimes it seems we cross paths with it and we experience things. For me it’s mostly in dreams and I’m grateful for that.

After church these sweet girls passed out flowers to us

Yesterday was a really good day. I got myself to church and got to meet two new people! What is so beautiful was these were people I had noticed the Sunday before – one of them in a wheelchair. They were a daughter and her mom who had been going to the other campus for the church in Nampa but decided to start going to Middleton. Our church is smaller ( right now) and the traffic isn’t so bad (yet). It’s funny how God works and to actually experience his love, or hesed, first hand. So many things flit across my mind and heart that lead to moments like I’m describing to you. We are God’s feet. We are instruments God uses to demonstrate hesed. This word was spoken for the second time since I’ve been going back to church. I had never heard the word hesed before: