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 likeMany in one A Family tree in cloth – a gift to my Aunt My beautiful Auntie and Smokey having a moment Worlds within worlds….
Sunrise and realizing I have dirty windows! Lol! Thinking of my friend who gave me this today – she’s such a good listener and friendI was lead to revisit this book today. It was a gift from my Aunt many years agoOne of the biggest core issues in dysfunction is control I know it’s probably hard to read this – really good stuff. Another word for control is attachment. In Buddhism it’s taught that attachment leads to suffering. Trying to control everything often leads to addiction and abuse. I learned about surrender through the Holy Spirit and AA
Hello to you. How are you today? I hope this finds you well. The direction I was lead today was to a book my Aunt gave me many years ago, Healing the Child Within by Charles L. Whitfield MD. In particular to look at core issues of dysfunctional people and one of those core issues is control also known as attachment. The book is still available if you are interested in further reading and learning: Healing The Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families https://www.amazon.com/dp/0932194400/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DM6N7NE2ZFQ55EGW7PHB
A couple messages from A Woman’s Spirit:
Inside me is a stirring truth that is guided by my Higher Power. I am empowered by truth and joy. – Laurel Lewis
I will listen to the still, small voice within and feel secure and joyful, knowing that my actions are God’s will.
On my Twitch Stream today one of my viewers from England who is a young girl, told us about what happened to her, her brother and her brothers friend. They were attacked by bullies again. She was pushed in front of a bus by these kids! I was so hurt for her and the others attacked. The core issue I was lead to in Dr. Whitfields book, control, really applies to these bullies. Many bullies are themselves victims of violence or have been taught this behavior. Are from lives where they haven’t been in control. In order for them not to feel powerless themselves they externalize in their behaviors…. do what has been done to them. Some of these types are fortunate and some kind of intervention happens but I suspect far too many an oftentimes divine intervention doesn’t happen. They end up in jail or prison…death row. In this lifetime they just don’t learn. I’m so grateful for all the things I’ve gone through that I’ve had God who has put the right people, places and things in my life. Some of us internalize and abuse ourselves to deal with powerlessness and in the case of bullies and others they externalize their powerlessness. “Frequently the person who feels out of control is obsessed with the need to be in control.” (Page 69).
One of the most resilient beings on earth “Hey! You matter! Try to be good today ok?!”
Thinking about A Book of Clouds by John A. Day. Lots of geese have been passing through lately. My friend Beth got this book for me during one of my hospital stays and it brought me so much comfort as I love clouds and couldn’t see them in the hospitalTen reasons to Look Up (hope you can read the print)My little somebody Link Buds showing up on my neighbors treeSome of my favorite flowers – dandelions SunsetPine trees are waking up tooSome Idahoans doing some spring house shopping. With the drought I’ve been concerned about the animals and plants having enough water.
There was a good message today from A Woman’s Spirit. It speaks to the importance of remembering we are not all experiencing this life in the same way. It’s biologically impossible! Our bodies alone prove this point. All the walks of life with their different bodies. Different levels of vision for example. Some people can see really well and others are blind! Think of a concert and all the different eyes witnessing it. Not everyone will come away from that concert perceiving it… experiencing it the same way. It helps me to remember this when interacting with different people. It helps me be more empathetic….more understanding during times of agreement or disagreement.
The message is so good I want to share the whole thing:
There are many realities. We should member this when we get too caught up in being concerned about the way the rest of the world lives or how we think they live. -Natalie Goldberg
One of the most elusive truths we’ll ever struggle to grasp is that everyone has a unique perspective about every circumstance, a perspective that reflects a personal understanding of the universe. We never doubt that truth for ourselves, of course. We simply fail to acknowledge that it’s true for everyone else too.
There are times we can’t shake the need to be right; our egos depend on it. Unfortunately, we can’t maintain any real peacefulness if we are always in conflict with others who have their own viewpoints. Winning the “battle” then becomes a painful victory. Believing in valid, separate realities is only difficult at first. But like any other opinion or attitude, it can become habit with enough practice. We have nothing to lose by giving it a try.
I don’t need everyone to agree with me today. I only think I do.
Hello to you today. I hope this finds you well. Todays post is going to be mostly pictures. The messages in A Woman’s Spirit will hopefully resonate:
To each particular person the world speaks a different, particular word and calls for a different, particular response. – Mary McDermott Shideler
I am invited to experience particular situations today. My presence is needed if I am called.
Daffodils in a neighbors yard Wonders of renewed life of trees – budsGetting green again Some of the trees start spring with flowersTrees with unique purposesReaccuring and reassuring message Thomas Preface for Thomas’s poem A FlowerThomas’s poem A Flower – spring is a great time to appreciate some of Gods finest work
Yesterday evening Link and I took a walk and I remembered to take my phone. As I am getting more at home here I am spending more time getting to know the neighborhood trees.
Backyard tree Evening sun through branches Same tree with sunlight Walking with my dear friend Link Many in one treeAnother one of the Willow trees in our neighborhood Some pine
Some uplifting words. I want to fill myself with positive spirit food today. I knew I could count on Jesus for that! A light in so much darkness that surrounds us these days. I encourage you to temper all the bad news with uplifting things! Be conscious of who and what you are allowing to feed your soul.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(B) 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.(C) 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.(D) 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.(E) 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.(F) 8 Blessed are the pure in heart,(G) for they will see God.(H) 9 Blessed are the peacemakers,(I) for they will be called children of God.(J) 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,(K) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(L)
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you,(M)persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.(N)12 Rejoice and be glad,(O) because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.(P)
Hello there! How are you doing as you visit me here? Today is the first day of fall if you can believe it! Did it sneak up on you too?
Red, orange and gold watching you dance in the wind never gets old . All part of a cosmic dance full of promise and romance. Loud whispers from tree to bee “it’s fall heed the sleepers call!”
Fall is part of a divine plan
Fall is part of a divine plan. If you look at the trees life cycle it’s a time to restore themselves . All the falling leaves get broken down by insects and the elements to become food for the tree . The tree is very self sufficient. They make an entire world wherever they take root. Truly amazing beings!
Hello to you, how are you doing today? I hope this finds you doing well in your here and now as you visit me here.
I was trying to think of what to write today and a conversation I just had on healthfulchats.com helped me. A long while ago I had written a paper about my theory that the first great beings were trees and everything came after that. I had it posted here but have long since deleted it, In Beginning was Symbiosis. Some of the oldest life forms on the planet are trees and a few of them are still around https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_trees. Well thinking about that subject made me think about God and who God is.
People often ask me if I believe in God and I say yes. The natural tendency after that is to want to talk about the bible. Then if I have chosen Jesus as my personal savior and to that that I always say Jesus is the best part of the book. Who’s flesh and blood was sacrificed in those early years so that early Bible’s might exist? Trees, animals and plants.
What I believe is the Earth is God and everything and everyone alive on top is an extension of God. For every right there is a left aka cause and affect. There is only good and evil depending on who is perceiving things. People make things good and evil. An example I used today about this was the dandelion. To at least 5 or 6 species of insect the dandelion is a food source. I witnessed this myself in my backyard. So to much of creation the dandelion is food but to some people and a bunch of weed fertilizer companies, the dandelion is just a weed. Who taught them it was just a weed?
2 Sept 2019 Jackie Wygant cell phone picture horse apple tree next to abandoned house near The Family Dollar Alvarado TX
The other day I was walking to the Family Dollar down the street and happened to notice this beautiful tree living near an abandoned house across the street from our local Elementary School. I got to thinking about how nice it would be if that property could be annexed to the school for learning about plants and nature; like a nature learning center or something. There is a large field next to it I imagined being turned into a community garden and it could also be part of the learning center. I imagined children learning how to grow their own food and appreciating nature like I do.
Facts and Myths of Hedge Apples by Dr. Barbara Ogg, Extension Educator
This article appeared in the October 2001 NEBLINE Newsletter
This time of year, hedge apples – the fruit from the Osage-orange tree – are being sold at farmer’s markets, garden centers, and other locations. Many people have heard that these fruits can be used as an insect repellent, but the truth is that many people don’t know much else about this unusual tree and its fruit.
The Tree and Its Fruit:
The Osage-orange is a small to medium-sized tree, having a short trunk and a rounded or irregular crown. The twigs are buff to orange-brown and are armed with one-half inch long spines. The stems exude a milky sap when cut. The Osage-orange is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are produced on separate trees. The small, green flowers appear in May or June. Female trees produce 3-to 5-inch diameter fruit which ripen in September or October and fall to the ground.
Native Habitat and Current Distribution:
The Osage-orange is native to a small area in eastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, and southwestern Arkansas. This region is the home of the Osage Indians which gives the tree its common name. Settlers found that the Osage-orange transplanted easily, tolerated poor soils, extreme heat, and strong winds and had no serious insect or disease problems. It was widely planted in the Midwest as a living fence because, when pruned into a hedge, it provided an impenetrable barrier to livestock. The development of barbed wire curtailed its widespread planting, but many Osage-orange trees can still be found in fence rows.
Uses of the Osage-Orange:
The wood is extremely hard, heavy, durable and shrinks or swells little compared to the wood of other trees. The wood is used for fence posts, treenails, furniture, and archery bows. In fact, many archers consider the wood of the Osage-orange to be the world’s finest wood for bows. Another common name for this tree, bodark, is from the French bios d’arc meaning “bow wood.” This tree also produces a bright yellow dye which can be extracted from the wood.
The fruit of the Osage-orange is a nuisance in the home landscape and has little value. Hedge apples are not an important source of food for wildlife as most birds and animals find the fruit unpalatable. The thorny trees do provide nesting and cover for wildlife.
The belief about the use of hedge apples for insect control is widespread and persistent. it is claimed that placing hedge apples around the foundation or inside the basement will repel or control insects. A few years ago, Iowa State University toxicologists extracted compounds from hedge apples. When concentrated, these compounds were found to repel insects.
Scientists also found that natural concentrations of these compounds in the fruit were too low to be an effective repellent. So, don’t be fooled into spending much to use hedge apples as an insect repellent.
If you decide to pick hedge apples to check out the repellency yourself or to use the fruit as a fall decoration, it would be wise to wear gloves. The milky juice present in the stems and fruit of the Osage-orange can irritate the skin.
Looking for information about a specific insect pest or your local wildlife? Visit here.
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IMG_5751 11 July 2019 proof of wasps taking care of the pecan tree out back Alvarado TX
11 July 2019 – cropped version of picture showing what’s going on. I felt bad for the caterpillar but to save it I would have had to kill the wasp. Our pecan tree has almost been completely taken over by caterpillars this summer. From what I have personally seen with my own eyes, Wasps help take care of the trees and I’ve been seeing less of them over the past few years.
IMG_5752 11 July 2019 proof of wasps taking care of the pecan tree out back Alvarado TX
*Seeing this today was like they were showing me, “Hey, look what my job is! I have value, I have worth!” We used to be mean to the wasps until I took the time to learn their job in nature actually is. From what I have personally witnessed, their purpose for existence includes trying to keep our trees healthy. Since trees are basically the lungs of the planet, I think that’s a pretty important job! I have read conflicting information about wasps online. My personal experience is they are helpers and teachers. What came through in the numbers is a pecan tree and a teacher have a pattern in common. What I believe is we all, whatever form, are teachers, students, messages and receivers of those messages. I believe everyone has value in one way or another. It’s not always easy to understand what we are trying to convey to each other. I don’t think we should give up trying!
133 – “don’t give up”
Wasp – 59/84/109/140/158/125/134/150/140/158/125/134/150/140…….
*remember, these are only just a few of the meanings of these numbers that I have found for myself and am sharing with you.
152’s – amber tree resin, positive drama, positive being,
pecan tree – 87/114/128/141/128/141……….
87- person, truth, roots, justice
pecan – 39/98/91/76/117/133/146
98 – killer bees (I found this value trying to figure out why people may have a fear of bees/wasps. Remember those old Killer bee television shows and movies? When I was a very small girl I can remember drinking a can of soda without realizing a bee was in the can and I got stung. I was pretty freaked out! It wasn’t the bee’s fault but a “seed of fear” was planted that I had to actively overcome through time. I did this through trying to understand them instead of thinking they were all bad. The same principle I have used towards other insects and life forms to include people. It’s not easy to do but for me personally, it has been worth trying to do.)
76 – humans
117’s – nurture, “I’m sorry,” dissection, projecting, “broken earth,” humility, upbringing, occupation, statement, cultivated, heartbroken, water falls (If you look at a pecan it looks like a human brain in the shell and they are considered a healthy food for the brain). http://www.alzheimersweekly.com/2016/11/pecans-provide-brain-boost.html
tree – 48/109/140/158/125/134/150/140/158/125/134/150/140/158/125/134/150……….