12 April 2022 Choosing the Light

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1453816904

The first part of this, 9:2 really resonated with me today.

Hello to you how are you today? It got windy and cold here again! It will be warm again soon enough. I am feeling kind of tired today. Getting restful sleep has been hit and miss. Sleep seems to be one of those things many of us struggle with. Oh to be able to sleep like we did as kids!

The message from A Woman’s Spirit today talks about taking responsibility for our part in what happens in our lives:

Taking responsibility for the part I play in the cause of my problems frees me to do something about them. -Kathy McGraw

We used to love to blame other people for the burdens in our lives. That someone else was to blame for our personal upset was as obvious to us as rain splashing against the windshield. Yet the longer we looked at others rather than at ourselves, the more stuck we became in old behavior.

We’ve since come to understand that we simply cannot grow, we cannot harvest the fruits of this recovery program, unless we develop a willingness to take responsibility for who we are at every instant of our lives. As we begin taking responsibility for our actions, we feel empowered. We realize that we are who we have chosen to be. And we will be who we decide we want to be. As that reality permeates our consciousness, we will begin to know that our hopes can become real, because the promises in the Big Book are real.

I will feel strengthened by claiming responsibility for all that I am today. Before taking action, I can pause and consider whether I will feel good about my choice.

————————-

What kind of choices are you making today? From what part of you are you deciding to take action?

Dancing feels so great
Thinking about my Dad. He brought me this shell after a business trip to New York many years ago. You can still hear the ocean.
I love taking pictures of the sun in the clouds. It’s like a brilliant eye peering down at me wherever I go
A purple flower that I hadn’t seen yet this spring
I’m excited to see this – soon my favorite type of flowers will arrive (roses)

11 April 2022 Getting Well

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1452938371

Do you want to get well?

Hello to you today. How are you? I hope this finds you well. Ever since I saw this exchange portrayed on The Chosen I’ve been thinking about it:

John 5:6

6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

Yes I do…..

In the Chosen they added dialogue to the exchange. When the paralytic started to complain, Jesus was like look I asked you a question. I didn’t ask who was or wasn’t helping you. Do you want to be healed? In my Twitch stream today I talk about this. In our world the answer to healing isn’t instantaneous or lasting like it was between Jesus and those he healed. No matter what modality of trying to heal you turn to in our world today healing requires you to do something….to buy something. In our hearts we desire the healing power of someone like Jesus. There have been miracles in our times but for most there is always something they must actively do to get well, to be healed. When I was doing Quantum Touch healing a lot of times it worked but what was interesting is the healing usually wasn’t of what the person wanted healed – at least not right away. The healing usually began inside – it was an emotional healing first. A lot of what ails us does have origins in intangible things that manifest into reality. That’s been my personal experience both as a person trying to help others heal and trying to heal myself.

Some pictures from the walks yesterday:

I found this bee on the pavement and moved it to the grass. I think the cold snap we’ve been having is a shock to everyone’s system!
These little flowers are out now – so delicate
Sign of the coming weather. When Aunt Ruth and I left church yesterday little pellets of snow were falling!
Every time I see this on walks I think of a burning bush like with God and Moses. So pretty.
I love seeing the creativity people have with their yards

There are many ways to interpret my experiences today. I will be flexible and occasionally look from another’s vantage point. – A Woman’s Spirit

http://www.thechosen.tv/app

8 April 2022 Longing and Silence

Hello to you today. How are you? I am doing ok. The past few days I have been feeling this feeling of longing. Watching The Chosen has sparked these feelings I think. I watch it and find myself wanting a tangible Jesus in my own life. To be able to stand in his smile and warmth. Hear his voice. Ugh lol! Feeling feelings like this can be rough. I decided not to do my normal Twitch Stream this morning. Sometimes there needs to be silence.

The tough part for me about Jesus is he was once flesh and blood. He was here. He made a promise to come back and thousands of years have passed and all we have are his words. I think about him coming back now…in this kind of world and I think it would destroy him. Think of what the spotlight via the technology we have now does to people!

The message today in A Woman’s Spirit talks about the importance of silence:

Silence should be used sparingly. But used, nonetheless. -Stephanie Ericsson

When we want to control another’s actions, being quiet is difficult. Our ego screams to take charge! When we bite out tongue instead, remembering the Serenity Prayer, we are spared an unnecessary confrontation. Occasionally quieting our mouth, if not our mind, promises big payoffs in our relationship with others.

Silence wears many guises, however. We have all experienced the punishing silent treatment from lovers or friends. And our attempts to engage others in conversation are occasionally met with a silence that confuses us. Another’s quietness may not be easily understood, but we must accept it.

Silence, particularly our own, is requisite to receiving guidance from our Higher Power. Being silent is often the most valuable action we can take.

I will consider being silent each time an opportunity to respond offers itself today. Doing the right thing may well mean doing and saying nothing.

——————-

Bees are really digging the dandelions right now. The flowers are an important food source.
On our walk last night these purple beauties caught my eye!

A character in The Chosen story, Nicodemus, portrayed by Erick Avari has really touched my heart. I could just feel his sadness as Jesus and his apostles gathered to head out on their journey. He just couldn’t leave his life behind so he left gold coins to help them on their way. I wonder if any of us these days could easily leave our lives behind to follow Jesus if he asked us. Nicodemus and his wife were talking about Hagar, Abrahams wife and mentioned a verse carved around a door. I thought it was beautiful. Hagar referred to God as El Roi, “The God Who See’s me.” It spoke to my longing to experience a tangible God. I must remember that God can be seen…in all creation.

Genesis 16:13New International Version

13 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,(A)” for she said, “I have now seen[a] the One who sees me.”(B)

7 April 2022 Messages

Check out 7 April 2022 Thursday chat https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1448998419

Hello to you. How are you today? I am sitting here with Link and some coffee on our little couch. Yesterday I watched more of The Chosen and there was this exchange between Jesus and his mother Mary. The simple phrase: “If not now, when?” I wondered where that was in the Bible but it wasn’t. There are a couple places it comes from. One place is Hillel the Elder (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillel_the_Elder) who actually said this:

He is popularly known as the author of two sayings: (1) “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”[4] and (2) the expression of the ethic of reciprocity, or “Golden Rule“: “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn.”[5]

And the other is from John Lewis: (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis)

“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” John Lewis. “We may not have chosen the time, but the time has chosen us.” John Lewis.Dec 30, 2019

https://twitter.com › common › status

COMMON on Twitter: “@repjohnlewis

What are you being called to do? If you can’t do it now, when?

It’s funny how we get messages we want or need to hear. Sometimes we are ready to act at that moment and sometimes it’s just to get us ready…..to get us thinking.

Some messages that spoke to me today:

Mark 8:36New International Version

36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

John 14:27New International Version

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.(A) I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled(B) and do not be afraid.

Quote from John Lewis: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis

5. “You are a light. You are the light. Never let anyone — any person or any force — dampen, dim or diminish your light … Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won.”

― Lewis on being human in Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America

Acting responsibly is no harder than I choose to make it today. – A Woman’s Spirit

Doors that open to worlds within worlds
A little tree with a new dress of flowers

6 April 2022 A Tangible World

Check out 6 April 2022 Wednesday chat https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1448162389

Hello to you. How are you? I hope you are well. Today I got out of my comfort zone and went to a Middleton Woman’s Group. They had their first meeting at our local bakery called The Rustic Oven. All of the ladies were recent transplants from various parts of California like the Bay Area. It was interesting to hear the different reasons they left California. For some it was the politics and others stuff like the fires. It was a nice first meeting. I went from interacting purely in the digital world to interacting in the tangible world. I got out of my comfort zone!

I had an orange roll here was really yummy. Got a chance to meet some nice ladies!

Today there was a good message in A Woman’s Spirit:

We can say yes to life even at its darkest moments if we can see it as part of the greater reality. – Mary Norton Gordon

We glimpse only the opportunities that bear our name during any experience. We have heard many times in this program that we are never given more than we can handle. We can trust that this is true. We have also heard that God tells us only what we need to know right now; the rest will come to us when we are ready, when the time is right. That too we can count on as truth.

It goes without saying, then, that every moments experience is part of the bigger design for our lives, a design that always has a positive outcome. If we feel scared or confused by the changes in our lives, it’s only because we have forgotten that God is in charge of the plan for our lives. We can say yes and be at peace.

I know that what comes to me today is a tiny part of God’s big plan for my life. I am not alone.

———————-

Some pictures from my walks yesterday and this morning:

Matthew 19:14New International Version

14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs(A) to such as these.”(B)

5 April 2022 Feeling Peace

Check out 5 April 2022 Tuesday chat https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1447098869

Hello to you today. I hope this finds you well. To be honest I’m struggling a bit today. The more it seems that I seek what’s good in the world the more the opposite extreme seems to try to get in my view.

I decided to watch The Chosen yesterday and I am enjoying it so far. The scene when Jesus heals “Lilith” real name Mary really touched me. When he puts his hands on her head and brought her peace she could feel I thought of that scene from the Davinci Code when Sophie touches Robert Langdons head. I thought of all the times Kyle used to do that to me when I was thinking too much. A simple and beautiful gesture…..feeling peace….relief from too many mind. If your curious You can get the Chosen app from the Apple Store. Here is a link: http://www.thechosen.tv/app or search “The Chosen”

Yesterday we got a little bit of rain but it was weird. Our cars all looked like they had been washed in mud! https://idahonews.com/amp/weather/adventure-starts-with-weather/milky-rain-nope-but-cars-in-the-treasure-valley-will-be-especially-dirty-monday

“Are your cars dirty after the rain? The culprit is strong winds blowing lakebed dust near Summer Lake OR toward the Boise, Nampa, Meridian area,” the NWS wrote on social media.

My cars windshield!

Message from A Woman’s Spirit today:

My life is filled with the evidence that I am lovable. God has not forgotten me. Everywhere I look today, I’ll see a gift.

I know times are ruff right now but it’s going to be ok! Do what I do and be happy right now. Stop worrying about all that stuff you can’t or won’t do anything about. Be good ok?

John 14:15-31New International Version

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.(A)16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate(B) to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.(C) The world cannot accept him,(D) because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans;(E) I will come to you.(F)19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.(G) Because I live, you also will live.(H) 20 On that day(I) you will realize that I am in my Father,(J) and you are in me, and I am in you.(K) 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.(L) The one who loves me will be loved by my Father,(M) and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

I Look To You – just the voice in song I needed to hear today. Beautiful Whitney.

3 April 2022 Sunday

Check out 3 April 2022 Sunday chat https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1445242021

Hello to you. I hope this finds you well today. It’s looking like another beautiful day is happening. I’m headed to church in a few minutes so I will leave you with this little message from A Woman’s Spirit today:

I can trust that God is part of every detail of my life today. I can either be peaceful about what happens or be resistant and miss my opportunity to contribute.

And a couple pictures:

Floofy clouds
What peace looks like
Many in one
A Family tree in cloth – a gift to my Aunt
My beautiful Auntie and Smokey having a moment
Worlds within worlds….

1 April 2022 Kindness Matters

Check out 1 April 2022 Friday chat https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1443192148

Hello there! How are you on this first day of April?! For some today is a day for shenanigans lol. I’ve never been real good at it. Today my post is mostly pictures. I decided to pay for a little extra picture storage space on my phone and have been taking more pictures .

My title today is inspired by the phrase in my drawing – saw it on Facebook yesterday on the Positively Abundant co page in my feed. It also reminds me of Burleson Texas where you see the Kindness Matters slogan all over. When I lived in Alvarado going to Burleson was one of my favorite places. I found this video today that talks about a mural that was done in town with the slogan: https://youtu.be/r5m-LLMBiiQ – Kindness Matters Mural Project Burleson TX, the artist is Bernardo Vallarino. Kindness does matter. Remember it doesn’t have to be some big and grand gesture to bring more kindness in this world. Sometimes just saying hello and smiling can turn somebody’s day completely around.

And not just two legged people appreciate kindness!
Clear quartz – doesn’t it look like a glacier?
My neighbor does such a great job with her yard
Layers of life in this one
Just love the purple in these! God is such a master florist
I love hearing the chimes in the breeze as Link and I walk by
Green flower buds – most of our trees are putting on their new dresses for the season

With God’s help today I will know a new level of confidence and peace with each risk I take – A Woman’s Spirit

31 March 2022 Placebo Effect

Check out 31 March 2022 Thursday chat (placebo effect) https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1442170547

Me pondering the question of the placebo effect….the power of belief.

Hello to you. How are you? After my post yesterday when I shared my experiences with rose quartz it made me think about the placebo effect. To me that term is like belief. There are many things in our world that we believe to be true, believe to exist but there is little to no “peer reviewed scientific evidence.” Intangible things like God and our souls and yet we continue to believe and have positive experiences. Whether or not there hasn’t been a scientific study or there has been one doesn’t matter to me…..doesn’t change what I believe or negate the value of personal experiences I have had. Whether or not science thinks so, crystals help, God and the soul exist. There is great power in belief.

What is the placebo effect? The placebo effect is when a person’s physical or mental health appears to improve after taking a placebo or ‘dummy’ treatment. Placebo is Latin for ‘I will please’ and refers to a treatment that appears real, but is designed to have no therapeutic benefit.

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au ›

Placebo effect – Better Health Channel

Amethyst beads on a bracelet. Holding them sometimes helps me when I feel anxious.

https://www.livescience.com/40347-crystal-healing.html – Crystal healing: Stone-cold facts about gemstone treatments

There is no peer-reviewed scientific evidence that crystal healing has any effect; it is considered a pseudoscience. Alleged successes of crystal healing can be attributed to the placebo effect.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org › wiki

Crystal healing – Wikipedia

The messages from A Woman’s Spirit were good today:

Even on a rainy day, I can feel the sunshine. Even when the clouds are gray, I can feel a glow. There’s a little light inside me, just keeps burning. I take it with me, everywhere I go. – Jill Clark

We carry within ourselves the single necessary ingredient for our happiness: a positive attitude. Nothing can ruin our day , unless we let it. No remark can devastate us, unless we let it. No person can have a harmful, lasting impact on us, unless we let him or her. No unhealthy, negative attitude controls our thoughts without our assent.

Feeling good about the experiences we’re having, regardless of their nature, is a decision. Trusting that some good will come out of every one of them is a habit we can form. We can acquire an attitude of hope for growth and positive change.

I will see the sunshine even through the clouds if that’s my choice. Today I have twenty-four hours to practice this.

Seeing the sun in the clouds
Some clouds yesterday that looked promising for rain

I wanted to mention my young friend on Twitch told us about another incident she and a friend experienced with bullying. This time they were coming from church and the boy was after the girls friend who has autism. He tried to punch the person and the girl tried to stop him and got punched in her chest. Whenever she gets on and tells us this stuff I feel powerless. I just want to climb through the wires and walk with her….protect her. I’m not completely powerless though. I can pray for her, lend my support and share her story.

30 March 2022 Fair

Check out 30 March 2022 Wednesday chat https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1441259554

Hello to you. How are you today? I hope well. Last night was another struggle with getting sleep but God and I got through it. My head has been really full the past few days and I’ve been thinking and praying about a lot. There has been so much going on near and far that has captured my attention and care. It’s hard to wind down when I’m like that. Before bed I saw a video that added more thoughts to my head and prayers to my lips. It was about our President and his mental condition. The source was from Fox News which I expected to be cruel about this subject but Tucker Carlson wasn’t. He brought up some very valid concerns. I will let you judge for yourself if you are interested: https://youtu.be/gsOnnLts-4U – Tucker: Biden can’t regulate his emotions. Being a leader at any strata of this existence isn’t an enviable position. So much responsibility and pressure! God is working in these people. I hope to continue to see God at work. I’m already seeing glimpses of it with the war in the Ukraine. What we focus the power of our thoughts on the most is what helps God manifest those thoughts into reality. That’s how it seems to me anyways! Prayers for leaders at all levels!

Message from A Woman’s Spirit for today:

By embracing the unfair, I no longer feel fear or reflection or lack of self-esteem. – Eileen Fehlen

It’s so human to quickly label an unwanted situation as unfair and to assume we know what’s best for us. We reason that if God would answer our prayers, our lives would unfold appropriately. It’s also terribly human to have to relearn repeatedly that God’s will and God’s timetable don’t always match our own; however , without fail they serve us well.

Learning to appreciate the good in everything that comes our way makes us courageous. In time few things will fill us with fear, and that is measurable progress. We were tormented by fear for so many years that we never expected this rebirth of spirit. Life is beginning to feel inviting, exciting and safe. Let’s step forth together.

I can be certain that God will give me only what is right for me today.

—————

Today I picked up a round piece of rose quartz I have and it was so comforting. There have been several times when I’ve been sick that I have held rose quartz and felt like it helped me heal. When my friend and I went to a rock and gem show I could tell by the crowds that I’m not the only one who feels like these stones help. I know for some it seems like woo woo and that’s ok! It could be a placebo effect somewhat but like with the rose quartz orb I’m holding as I write to you – it feels good in my hand. I think of those worry stones – remember those?

Rose quartz is known as a healing crystal and the stone of unconditional love.

It’s believed by some to emit strong vibrations of love, which are thought to:

  • support emotional and relationship healing.
  • inspire compassion.
  • boost feelings of peace and calm.

https://www.healthline.com › health

Rose Quartz Crystal: Meaning, Healing, and How to Use – Healthline