20 May 2022 The Difficulty of Releasing Earthly Attachments

Hello to you. For me it’s Friday again and I say that because it feels like time is moving so fast! Yesterday I came across a video taken from one of my favorite animated shows called Avatar: The Last Airbender. It was when Aang, the Avatar learns about the energy vortexes in our bodies called chakras and how to clear them when they are blocked. The one part that brought me to tears was thinking about letting go of all I love that attaches me to this life. When we are overly attached to things of this earth we suffer when the inevitable happens – change….loss. We can’t hold on too tight and this is a lesson I’ve struggled with almost my whole life.

https://youtu.be/StrbppmsZJw – How to open your 7 chakras as explained in a children’s show (Nickelodeon Avatar the Last Airbender)

Buddha taught that “the root of suffering is attachment” because the only constant in the universe is change. And change often involves loss. When you allow yourself to become attached to someone or something, you’re more likely to dwell on the pain of losing them.

9 Ways Attachments Play Out In Your Life To Make You Suffer – Mindful Zen

In the Bible you can find a variation of this message. We are encouraged to store up our devotion to God not to people, places and things if this earth. Our souls, the energy within us, will care nothing about the world once set free of the flesh:

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

https://chop.bible.com › bible › mat….

Matthew 6:19-34 NIV – Bible.com

Think of great storms that have happened and how grateful people are to come away from them with their life and those they love – their neighbors. Their home a pile of wreckage or ash but they praise God that they still live. In those moments reminded about what truly matters.

We are taught from a very young age living in the world structure in which we live to work hard and acquire things. Things representing the fruit of our labors. We associate memories and feelings to the things we acquire…..this leads to attachment. Then comes the time when for whatever reason we have to let go of what we have acquired and then comes the feelings…the loss….the suffering. How to live in a material world without getting overly attached but not live like everything is just disposable….expendable. What a paradox we are asked to live in our material world!

I didn’t get many pictures yesterday. The energy outside has felt “weird” to me lately and I have felt disconnected:

Trying to eat better
A quote from Robin that resonated
The sun looking like a bright moon again
Another “victrola” flower opened – In 1901, Eldridge Johnson of the Talking Machine Company created the Victrola. The Victrola is a type of early phonograph that used an internal horn. It was patented by the Victor Talking Machine Company, and only refers to internal horned phonographs.Nov 24, 2010
http://cultureandcommunication.org › …
The Victrola – Dead Media Archive
We all have different gifts God has given us for a purpose
If you look really close on the upper right it seems I captured a bird flying by lol
Lovely Willow with winds blowing her long green locks of hair
This picture really caught my attention – the artist did a great job of illumination – the eyes are filled with light seeing this

19 May 2022 Orange

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:

https://youtu.be/6XzhlOiKaT0 – Prayer of Healing Josie Wildgoose

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.

There are more orange flowers since I took this!
Source: https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/intro-sacral-chakra-svadhisthana/
We get messages to help us all the time!

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 way
Valuable 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!

18 May 2022 “Up!”

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
Such 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 lives
Soft
Some 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!”

16 May 2022 Steps

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:

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
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!!

14 May 2022 Make Better Choices

Hello to you. How are you? It’s overcast. Gray and wet here but I’m not complaining! I am so grateful we are experiencing this type of weather and not the kind so many are experiencing lately! Yesterday I found out the Midwest, where I am originally from, has been experiencing wild dust storms: https://www.argusleader.com/story/weather/2022/05/13/south-dakota-storm-met-definition-derecho-what-haboob-severe-weather/9759725002/ – this is from my hometown newspaper. They do a good job of explaining two weather terms I hadn’t heard of before. A derecho and a haboob:

It’s really strange to have noticed this type of stuff going on in the Middle East a few posts ago and then to see this show up at my parents doorsteps!

The title of this blog today is a message for me and I think for others. On the small scale for myself is health related. I had a couple blemishes show up on my face and I messed with them and I know better! I was laying in bed and noticed how much belly fat was there and at the same time was feeling pain in my lower back which is one of the main parts of my body that carries that belly! I went to the mirror and the message that came to me about all of my meager issues was, “This is your fault! Make better choices!” Thinking of all that is going on in our world in all the principalities I don’t think that message is just for me. Bad choices can come from initial well meaning intentions and then they just compound on themselves making new problems on top of old ones. A good example is Roundup or weed killers. We use poison that ends up in our bodies through various means and we wonder why cancer shows up.

https://youtu.be/ZQYPlEoU9ko – Life is a Walking from Good Buffalo Eagle

ho’oponopono mantra

The next images are kind of random but may be something is for you:

With the pain I’ve been experiencing, I’m very grateful to George!
My Aunt and Uncle gave me this electric blanket and it really has been helping me manage pain
One of my neighbors lovely Iris’s
Sometimes it’s good to just stop and appreciate the world around you. Link likes to walk really slow so he really helps me slow down.
These make me smile to see each walk
This little trees leaves look like they were painted on
I was happy to see this little one again. The last time I saw them they were running off with a hurt foot! Reminds me of a cat I had, loved and miss named Amber.
One of my favorite spots – isn’t the sun amazing?!
The blooming trees on the walk transitioning to leaves and berries
My favorite pic of the day – as I stood here I was thinking of my Grandma Carol and how much she loved streams like this too. The sound and just watching it glisten in the sun is balm for my soul.
A little deja vu seeing this happening in our times. I can remember my Grandma Schmidt talking about actually living through this. What kind of choices have been made to have this sort of thing happening again?

13 May 2022 Armor

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.

Ephesians 6
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.
Yellow tulip
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?!”

6 April 2022 Shadows in Dreams and Divinely Loved

Hello to you. How are you doing in your world? I’m sitting here in mine with some coffee, Link and a beautiful day. We had another rough night with pain but did manage to get some sleep. A dream that woke me up was of looking at something dark and not being able to say anything but with my thoughts. Whatever I was looking at said without words but with thoughts, “how is it your here?” Then my mouth was free and I said “Jesus!” Then I woke up. The dark being was gone. Stuff of a spiritual nature happens to me mostly when I dream.

Yesterday I had something beautiful happen. A prayer of mine has been gradually getting answered – getting to know my neighbors. What happened is I was sitting on the porch enjoying various types of music. I was listening to the song We Are Stars by the Pierces and the chorus has the phrase, “I just want to be loved by you…” As I heard this my neighbor came up and offered me a pot of wild flowers that had found their way into her yard! In that moment and those of her showing me her gorgeous little Eden of a yard I felt divinely loved. God does stuff like this! If we are willing we become his body here on earth to do loving things both great and small. So now I have some beautiful flowers amidst all the gravel! It may not seem like it some days. When times are tough it can beg the question, “if you love me God why is this happening?!” The closer you stay with your heart to God the more you will see you are loved no matter what is happening.

Stay willing….surrender. A friend I made on Twitch called me out of the blue this week and she was calling to tell me I was loved! She has been going through an amazing awakening with God. What she has realized is that the harder you fight against God the harder it is for you. That has been my experience too. Lately as I’ve been hobbling around taking pictures, I feel like a spirit with feet. God giving me the strength to be his boots on the ground here.

Remember, no matter what you are facing in your world it’s not about all the things you can’t do….focus on what you can do. Sometimes that might be just one small thing for the entire day! That’s ok! You did something you thought you couldn’t. Be proud of that! Sending you love and hugs through the wires and the winds that connect all of us!

Let’s go for a walk…..

This tree has the energy of a smiling and happy person!
I noticed this neighbor got more flowers! Aren’t they pretty?!
I love seeing the progress my neighbor is making on their massive garden!
Hello beauty! Long locks blowing in the wind
The neighbor who gave me the pot of flowers is an amazing gardener. This Iris of hers just bloomed yesterday!
I think this is a marigold – Orange!!
This is the pot of flowers she gave me! Soooo pretty and they weren’t planted in this pot on purpose she said!
Pansies? Found more Orange!!
Her water feature where she sits and listens to the water and her chimes. Beautiful!
Something going on with the ants here

Last thoughts yesterday:

The closer you get to God the more you see this in the world.
Most of the day was cloudy but the sun did peek out in the evening

https://youtu.be/IWD8b9eIROI – We Are Stars The Pierces

1 May 2022 Something We Have In Common – Dancing to Music

https://youtu.be/wh3i3vWgPyk ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) All Over The World

Hello to you from here. How are you? I’m still really sore but I am in good spirits. Yesterday I wondered about finding dancing in the Bible. I have always loved to dance and to watch it done in all the various ways we do it. Early people expressed their love for God through dance and simple instruments from what I was able to find out. When I really find a song I like and dance to it, it feels like being connected to a divine energy- being close to God. Everything is warm, there is no time and the only limits are how deep the movements go. I’m not as limber as I once was lol! Especially lately. Do you like to dance or do you tell yourself you can’t? Sometimes I just dance with my hands! Just tapping your hand on your body or an object….sometimes I dance with my little Djembe drum lol.

https://classroom.synonym.com/praise-dance-history-12080860.html – article you might find interesting on the subject:

The history of praise dance dates back to biblical times. The first mention of dance in the Bible is in the book of Exodus when Miriam, sister of Moses, took a tambourine and led the women of Israel into a dance after witnessing the parting of the Red Sea. They expressed joy and celebration in their dance after witnessing God’s great miracle on their behalf.

It was a bit rainy (yay!) yesterday so not so many pictures and that’s ok. On the second walk it was gently raining. Link got so wet and was not thrilled to get such a bath but I loved it. It had been awhile since I walked slowly while it was raining. The messages for me lately has been to slow down – as I keep saying, pain is a teacher. You learn yhd lessons or you continue to suffer!

It’s so much better to dance than to weep
Daffodils
A baby tree being so grown up!
Thinking of all the people in my life and the world that are trying to heal and get well…survive day to day. God shows us in such beings like flowers the cycles of existence…there will be blooming times and times there are just bulbs to be planted – potential stored for better times and conditions.
I had to acknowledge this beauty – I’m seeing a lot more of them.
I wanted to get closer but I try to respect peoples property.
There you are!

Probably my favorite scene from The Chosen:

https://youtu.be/IiStHMNE16Q – The Chosen Jesus Saves Mary Magdalene

22 April 2022 Earth Day

Hello! How are you today? It’s Friday here and Earth Day. I kind of think about holidays of this sort like this: “Why just a day?” For me every day belongs to the earth….without the earth there are no days. This morning I am thinking about the first garden and the first trees:

In Genesis 2:9 we learn about the tree of life and it’s purpose

Genesis 2:9New International Version

9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees(A) that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life(B) and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.(C)

When I’m out walking around, as I’ve mentioned, I feel like I’m in a garden. Each tree is doing unique things to make it’s leaves. There is a tree that captured my attention and I shared with you that is now making tiny little red buds all over it even after making leaves. Some trees are still in the process of waking up of have no leaf buds at all yet. The purple flowers I’ve shared with you have spread to several yards….the two little wild pansies have become a whole cluster of them! In ever nook of earth “things are doing things!”

Last night before bed I was talking with God and as I spoke I realized I sound a lot like my Grandma Schmidt! I began to remember and think of her with so much love. She and my Grandpa taught me early on about nature and the connection of nature to knowing and loving God. She loved her garden and grew such amazing flowers! Big white Kennedy roses. I loved going camping with them. My Grandma Becker and I shared a love of trees. When we walked together she would show me her favorite trees who she thought of as friends. Each one expressing itself in a unique special way. I’m so grateful that the early people in my life taught me what a precious gift this earth is.

Everywhere I look I see intelligence….the wisdom of the master gardener of all creation. For me, each day I get to draw breath is earths day:

Tulips
Isn’t this one a pretty color?
Every time I see these I think of the blue bonnets in Texas….I think of Sam. He was my little bumblebee. One time after he walked through a yard of blue bonnets, I later found one in our backyard!
I counted the rings, this one was about 8 years old before it was cut down….a baby in tree years
I mentioned to God that we hadn’t seen any blue flowers yet and the next day….blue!
This is howGod works with me lol – I thought there were just two wild pansies and God will say how about a whole bunch of them?!
Lots of tulips right now in various yards growing in many different spots
We got a little bit of rain again – I love seeing the sun peeking through the clouds
Smokey getting some time out on a walk – he goes a lot faster than Link does so not much time for pictures lol!
A Eden in our times – all the elements to life here
This part of our walk makes me think of where I used to go play as a child
Link is so patient with me and I with him. He likes to stroll which is great for when I want to get pictures
Link is so excited Smokey is visiting

A couple messages from todays A Woman’s Spirit book:

In celebrating the good in me that was always there, I will continue to flourish. – Jill Clark

Improving a small part of me at a time isn’t too much work. Cultivating my assets in this way promises that today will be good.

Did you know:

The oldest LIVING tree is called “Methuselah” and is 4,765 years old. This tree is nearly 1,000 years older than any other bristlecone alive today. It lives in a secret location in the White Mountain range of eastern California. The oldest known tree named “Prometheus” was cut down in 1964 by a doctoral student.Feb 24, 2015

https://www.nps.gov › learn › nature

Great Basin Bristlecone Pine – Bryce Canyon – National Park Service

17 April 2022 Light of The World

Hello to you. I hope this finds you well. It’s a sunny morning here – beautiful day for Easter. In a little while I plan to go to and share with others the good news of this day. Can you imagine what it must have been like to see Jesus after all he went through? I bet the sun was shining that day too! These words resonated this morning:

John 8:12 NIV

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

NIV: New International Version

Yesterday we were blessed to get some much needed rain! So grateful! There is water rushing through the canals again. Here are the pictures from yesterday:

Cheerful yellow blooms
Enough rain to see pools of reflection
Moss and lichen- thinking of the day my Mom taught me what lichen was during a visit to Pipestone South Dakota when I was a young girl
I love seeing water droplets sparkle in the sun
After the rain and storms it all gives way to glorious light
This one made me smile. It’s like the sun has hair of clouds!
Purple fit for a King
God put on quite a show last night with views like this and so many birds were out! A huge crane, a hawk, ducks, geese and so much more. The miracles of water.
Link checking out one of the canals on our amazing walk yesterday. We walked farther than normal and got to see and chat with other neighbors. One mentioned her taking care of a brother in Rapid City South Dakota! Since I’m originally from Sioux Falls that was pretty cool!
This one….this one made me think “Hallelujah!” I can just see angels and glory.

This song came to my mind this morning. It’s about a love that stretches through the expanse of all existence. I think of God’s love for us:

We are Stars by the Pierces

We are stars
Fashioned in the flesh and bone
We are islands
Excuses to remain alone
We are moons
Throw ourselves around each other
We are oceans
Being controlled by the pull of another

And I just wanna be loved by you
Yeah, I just wanna be loved by you
I see nothing worse
Than to sail this universe without you

When we met
I was pulling an angel out of a liar
We forget
Satisfaction kills our desire
We are dreamers
Wishing upon what we were born from
We made plans
Kill them ourselves
And then we mourn them

And I just wanna be loved by you
Yeah, I just wanna be loved by you
I see nothing worse
Than to sail this universe without you

I just wanna be loved by you
Yeah, I just wanna be loved by you
I see nothing worse
Than to sail this universe without you (I just wanna be loved by you)
I see nothing worse
Than to sail this universe without you (Yeah, I just wanna be loved by you)
I see nothing worse
Than to sail this universe without you
Without you

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Catherine Eleanor Pierce / Allison Margaret Pierce / Allison Pierce / Catherine Pierce

We Are Stars lyrics © Multisongs, Bunny Cat Music, Wordspring Music, Llc

https://youtu.be/IWD8b9eIROI – We are Stars