Link cooling his belly on a break during our walk yesterday. He loves the grass! Every time we walk past this rose it’s more lovely!
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.
Drawing I did of my Dad and his Mom Irene many years ago More roses waking up! Just a few pictures – remembering and loving my Dad Probably my favorite picture of Dad in his younger days – so handsome! Still is!
Hello to you. How are you today? I hope you are doing ok. It’s been rough here but I’m doing better. Last night I tried to sleep without extra meds and was doing pretty good until I woke up after a weird dream. It started with seeing my phone and an image on it like from the group Anonymous. Then I was sitting with someone watching tv. The tv flickered and that same image appeared on the tv screen! What woke me up was hearing a scary voice saying, “no need to alert the authorities.” My brain doing weird stuff again lol!
Anyhew…. today is my Dad’s 79th birthday! Wow! It’s hard to believe but he and I used to joke that he was going to live as long as Moses! That’s like 120! If he and I were together today we would be dueling with our forks over Mom’s chocolate pudding dessert. The past couple of years have been hard on him but he is a survivor – something he and Mom always taught me to be! I’m missing him today. I miss his hugs! There is something about a hug from your Dad. I just felt so loved and safe when we hugged….the worlds noise and cares couldn’t reach me for a little bit. I love you Dad! ❤️
Many years ago, when I was still in Junior High, I was in an advanced writing program . They liked analogies I wrote. This one I wrote thinking of my Dad:
“An open window in spring is like the loving arms of a father.”
John 15:9New International Version
9 “As the Father has loved me,(A) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
This morning I am reflecting on Memorial Day or Veterans day as it is referred to. I’m remembering visiting Arlington National Cemetery several years ago. My husbands father and his family participated in a ceremony of playing taps. Each person positioned at different points in the cemetery and playing at the designated hour:
The time 3 p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying time off from work for the national holiday. Taps is instantly recognizable as the somber 24-note bugle call played at American military funerals and ceremonies.Apr 29, 2022
This experience was extremely hard for me emotionally and spiritually. As we arrived at one of the places they would be playing we passed fresh graves…..new ones in the process of being dug. Ages on the tombstones were the ages of my husband, his brothers and me. There were people sitting with these stones with children. I looked at the vast field of white stones and was overwhelmed and overcome with sorrow. Today as I think of that experience, what all those people died for…hoping, thinking their sacrifice could make this country….this world a better place. I have to wonder were they mislead or have we betrayed them with the world we’ve created where hating and killing each other is still a common occurrence?
Can’t believe it’s been 2 years since this picture!
As a Veteran speaking only for myself, the best way to thank me for my service is to do whatever is possible to manifest a world where soldiers are no longer needed.
Questions…..”what are we doing?” and “what is all this for?” I hear the phrase “Happy Memorial Day” and my first thought is “what is so happy about it?!” Same thing for Labor Day. I think many people don’t realize how much blood was shed and lives….families destroyed just so we can have a day off of work. Nothing is free especially not our freedom. People long for things to go back to normal and sadly I think, unless drastic steps are taken, this IS normal.
Each time trauma happens to a person, to a world, it’s an infinite drop making ripples that never cease. Once the drop falls the waters never remain still….at peace. Generation after generation endure the stories and the wounds. Each new trauma ripping off the bandage from the last wound….perpetual bleeding of flesh and souls for wounds that don’t get a chance to heal. I read yesterday there was another mass shooting in Chicago: https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2022/5/29/23146412/weekend-roundup-shootings-homicide-chicago-memorial-day?_amp=true – it’s not if another one will happen….it’s when.
You can turn off all the devices that broadcast these shared traumas….put your head in denial but I think we still remain affected. The collective consciousness of God and this earth just know when things are wrong. You can feel it in the air….in your soul. Kind of like what the movie Donnie Darko illustrated. Something or someone is missing but your not sure just what it is until you finally learn another trauma has been inflicted.
I know this song is sad but sometimes sad songs help us clear out the traumas and make a bigger space for God…for inevitable change:
All around me are familiar faces Worn out places, worn out faces Bright and early for the daily races Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses No expression, no expression Hide my head, I wanna drown my sorrow No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny I find it kind of sad The dreams in which I’m dying Are the best I’ve ever had I find it hard to tell you I find it hard to take When people run in circles it’s a very, very Mad world, mad world
Children waiting for the day they feel good Happy birthday, happy birthday And I feel the way that every child should Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous No one knew me, no one knew me Hello, teacher! Tell me, what’s my lesson? Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kind of funny I find it kind of sad The dreams in which I’m dying Are the best I’ve ever had I find it hard to tell you I find it hard to take When people run in circles it’s a very, very Mad world, mad world
Hello to you. Some plans have materialized for tomorrow morning so I figured I would write to you tonight so I can take my time!
This mornings sermon given by Pastor Jason really resonated with me. The subject that he talked about was difficult love. He wanted us to draw a line and divide it in two. Then he asked us to write down the name of a person we love the most on one side and the name of the person we feel the least for on the other side. He said chances are the person we love the most is the most like ourselves in most every way and the person we love the least is very different from ourselves. All through our lives we have gravitated towards those who were most like ourselves. As adults many of us still do this. It’s easy to love those that love us back. Thankfully God doesn’t conditionally love us!
Big point: “God loves people that don’t love him back—-and so should we”Orange message to leave with I saw this driving home and just had to get a picture! Singer Chris Cornell has been on my mind a lot lately
I have always been an odd ball or outsider. I always gravitated to others living on the margins of society….an observer…..loner. When I was on active duty in the Air Force I was exposed to people of many cultures and regardless of our many differences we had a mission in common. We learned to work together and agree to disagree about things. I have worked with homeless people and talked to veterans out in the street…. approached the types of people most everyone else passes by or “ doesn’t see.” I care about these people often regarded as difficult to love. I try to see people with my heart and find the good in such people. It can be really difficult especially if you are polar opposites on most everything! I have people close to me that don’t share my views on things but don’t hold it against me or I them. It’s good and healthy to have different perspectives and share them – it helps us widen our mindscapes and we grow as people….that’s what I think anyways!
What comes to my mind is that love is the bridge between different worlds.
This morning I got to talk and pray with a couple of my neighbors. One of them is working with others to include clergy to try and help a woman who is living in very unhealthy conditions. This woman is finally accepting help but resisted for a long time. An example of someone difficult to love! The other neighbor asked me to take a couple pictures for her for some friends and showed me the beautiful orange irises that had just opened up. She’s kind of digging the color orange too lol. She knew that orange is the color associated with the lower back (sacral chakra).
My neighbors friends helped her with this and wanted to see it! More beauty dedicated to those who are victims of human trafficking Orange! Feast for my eyes todayI’ve never seen an Iris this color beforeAnother beautiful variety of Iris
Doing all this I got to know her better. Turns out she has dedicated her yard and all the work she puts into it to victims of human trafficking! Isn’t that beautiful? An active, perpetual prayer in flowers for victims. We talked about how crazy the world is and I mentioned my mantra about not overly focusing on the doings of others. She said she used to be very co-dependent which I can relate to. She said my mantra sounded a lot like one of The Four Agreements. I had to look this up when I got home! So glad I did! I really love message exchanges:
The one my personal mantra aligns with is not taking anything personally – this aligns with loving difficult people. Sometimes difficult people say and do things we don’t understand. Sometimes people are difficult because of spiritual, mental or emotional wounds.
Only a couple happy snaps from the afternoon walk. I saw the healthcare worker as Link and I were leaving the spot by the canal we love. I encouraged her to just take a moment by the water to catch her breath on her walk home. Today I was imagining sitting in the stream out back of where my Aunt and Uncle used to live in Idaho City – waterways are so therapeutic for the spirit:
I can’t help it – this tree is amazing to me Another one of my neighbors had this beauty finally appear! Unusual Iris color
https://youtu.be/OU4AeKju81I – Super Recovery and Healing Frequency Whole Body Regeneration (I like music like this when I am hurting or trying to still my mind)
Hello to you. I hope this finds you well in your today. If your not well…..I understand and hope you have love and support for whatever you are going through. You might feel alone in these moments but I assure you your not. A stranger, somewhere in this world is praying for you even as I write this.
Quote I found from Sir Francis Bacon that articulates this so well! Another quote from Sir Bacon is “knowledge is power”
The title of my blog is in honor of a recent death in our family. Much like another friend I loved and loss when I was in Texas, her body became a prison. Things would be going well and then something else would not be working right….systematic system failure. So many people in the world in all levels of our worlds strata are in prison in their bodies. People get sick…..people get old….people get broken and so many artificial and often expensive treatments and methods are employed to extend their lives. Those who love them hold on so tight and make things very complicated. What is the quality of those final years before death finally wins out? We pray for those we love to be cured…to get well and the conversation that person may be having with God both in mind and spirit is to be set free. The “body stuff” can become a burden too much to carry. I am happy she is free of the burden of her body.
I watched this video yesterday from an interview with Master Shi and it makes me think of all this. Our creator God has a plan for each of us and when we deviate from this plan, no matter what we do, we will not succeed:
Talk about a body that became a prison! Jesus endured so much and then was free!
Yesterday I was thinking about a few musicians that in their lifetimes made such a mark on my life in so many ways. Each of them, in their own public and private ways suffered. Behind the glamor, glory and fame they had struggles they, with their courage, hardly let us see:
When he smiled he lit up the place he was in – smiling through the hurts of a very public life and career There are a bazillion pictures. I got to see David in California in 1991 – my first and only rock concert to date. From what I have read, this wasn’t a great time for him personally in his career. I looked all over to find this picture – so beautiful. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen Purple Rain! I sense this creative genius got lonely and was hard on himself. He gave his all. As I was thinking of musicians Luciano popped in. His voice evokes so many emotions! When I think of him I think of a white canary I had named Gabriel….that little birds could trill! Trilling or vocal trilling is defined technically as a rapid alternation between two notes, most often in a high register sung by a soprano or tenor and should not be confused with lip trills.Sep 20, 2019 https://www.30daysinger.com › blog Trilling Ins and Outs – 30 Day Singer Blog
I was with my Aunt and Uncle yesterday so not much for walk pictures! Here are a few images from yesterday:
This message from A Woman’s Spirit made me think of people I know and love that use humor to help them navigate through the pain, struggles and sorrows they are facing. Sometimes things are so ridiculous all you can do is laugh! My cousin Laura and I laugh together and one of our favorite phrases…”shit happens!” I saw this at my Aunt and Uncles when I got out of my car. Just a little earth in a crack in a driveway and then this grows! So pretty! This earth and beings like this are so intelligent. They find a way to be under even the most undesirable conditions!
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:
Sad news!
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:
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:
Inside an IrisAround 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. Shiny new leavesSee! 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:
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. Afternoon walk – such a clear sky! Finishing the walk – wish sometimes I had my own stream lol
Hello to you. How are you today? I hope this finds you well today. Yesterday afternoon on my walk alone I went down another street I’ve never walked down. The world is so different when you walk in it and actually look at things. I saw places people are living that are in really rough shape. It reminded me of the town I left, Alvarado Texas. In the midst of prosperity were a lot of people living in structures barely in habitable condition. I look at these places knowing people live there and just hope they are ok….pray for them. There for the grace of God am I! After this Jesus and I found our way to the water and just sat quietly in gratitude.
We found a way to sit down and get some peace restored inside
A song I recently heard that is really beautiful. May be you will like it too:
I don’t know if you remember but I had asked God about orange flowers and they showed up in a spot I like to visit. The color Orange has been on my mind. Energy flow in the body and how it can get blocked by emotional pain has been on my mind. I have had this stubborn pain in my lower back and that is on the “orange” area of our energy centers in the body. This area is very stubborn to unblock the bodies energy flow in…at least for me. It’s interesting to be thinking of a particular color and find out it might be related to a particular energy center in the body.
Message from A Woman’s Spirit today: I will look for opportunities to encourage another person today. My own strength and courage will be enhanced in the process.
Here are some other pictures and messages from yesterday:
Trees doing “tree stuff” Not sure if this is a dandelion or not Interesting quote from a scientist acknowledging the existence of God in his own wayValuable reminder for me. As I’ve been listening to Master Shi of the Shaolin Temple in Germany lately this is something that comes up a lot. Our mind will run riot if we let it and take us to all sorts of messes. The Bible echoes the message of mastery of our minds Sometimes the sun looks like the moon in pictures I found these over by The Way church in my neighborhood. I was in awe of how vibrant they are! Lately I’ve been doing a lot of groaning with body pains!
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 leavesSuch cheerful little flowers!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! A pine seeming to be struggling 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 livesSoftSome yellow 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!”
Hello to you. How are you? It’s actually still the 16th for me lol but I have so much on my mind right now I can’t sleep yet anyway – may as well write to you and clear my mind.
I just finished watching a documentary about the late comedian Robin Williams and the disease that took his life, Lewy Body Disease which is a form of dementia. https://n.neurology.org/content/87/13/1308 – paper his wife Susan did about what happened to Robin. I’ll never forget how devastated I was when we lost Robin. He had been such a part of my life through his comedy and movies – he was a light in the world! I hope some day there will be cures for conditions of the brain.
An active listener is to be prized above rubies. -Ruth Humlecker
Giving our undivided attention to a friend can be difficult. Even though we care deeply for her and value her friendship, we often find it hard to keep our own thoughts from intruding. As she talks, we take note of other people in the vicinity. We think about the tasks we have yet to complete. And we may pass judgement on what she shares.
Letting go of having these kinds of thoughts while in conversation with a friend is hard, but it’s worth the work. No encounter is an accident, and every exchange with a friend or even a stranger has its reward for us. We are God’s students every moment.
When we listen, we learn how to handle situations we might face in the future. We learn to show respect through our caring attention. We grow in our understanding of the value of friendship. Perhaps most important, we learn the value of cultivating a quiet mind. Only a quiet mind can hear the words of our Higher Power coming through the gentle voice of a friend.
I will be an active listener today. I am ready to learn whatever God has in store for me.
———————-
How about a walk?
Plane headed to the sun My neighbor and I share the same feelings about wasps – they are important! What a cool name for a street! Pay it forward – the folks at the Sunrise and many of their regulars do just that! So grateful for this place and the people! I wasn’t sure if this feisty little one would let me take their picture 😂 I was walking along and saw this beautiful leaf. It looks like it’s painted. The single leaf lead me to this tree which lead to my meeting a beautiful soul living in the house nearby who….get this….loves to paint! I love how God connects us! Just have to be willing to go where you are lead. This passage makes me think of places like the Sunrise and so many organizations and people who care for the least of these – two legged or four! So many really good people in this world! Thinking of the folks in Brooklyn. Laguna, Ukraine and so many other places where hate has shown up. We have so much more in common with each other than we don’t. So many strengths! Another version that elicits peace when I see it Resting spot. The sun looks so big lol! I saw this on the ground and couldn’t pass by without a picture. Someone might need this message! Again, thinking about the world. You just have to be willing….just ask God to speak directly to you.
https://youtu.be/Xa-KuH3gLuM – Jesus Loves Me/He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands (beautiful messages in voice and song from Whitney Houston)
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.
Just one step and gradually many more!
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:
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 Tree by our post office 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!!
To be 