Tuesday, September 27, 2011

::Tuesday's Tea with Me::



Oh what a beautiful morning! The fresh air is spilling in, and I've got a nice cup of tea warming my hands. I've been trying to take time through the week to take in all the beauty of the central coast. I know I've said this before, but we truly live in one of the most beautiful regions of the world.

Alright I know I know, I look like I have a confession. I do. Ready? I did it. I let go of the rope. So far I haven't hit a bottom so I'm not dead yet. But it's only been a couple days. Maybe it's just a long fall. 

I told a friend the other day that my life has become an oxymoron. "Striving to Relax." Lol. When it's painful to relax you know you have a problem. I'm going to do this without the help of distractions or drinks, or what have you. I'm going to do it in my spirit. I'm going to have faith. Hopefully the faith comes soon because it hasn't yet arrived yet. Good thing I kept the receipt.

Anyway, that's where I find myself this morning, and I think it's very humorous. I just keep picturing the child in the pool for his swimming lessons, who is afraid to float on the water and keeps jerking up. I totally can't float yet, but I'll get the hang of it. :)

Monday, September 26, 2011

Time in the Garden



What better to do with time on your hands then spend it in your garden?

My brother and I used to spend hours playing army guys without a care in the world. Thought I'd pull out my army men today. :)My team won. FYI.




Friday, September 23, 2011

Flowers



After a LONNNNG day of tying up loose ends at work, clearing out my office, and lugging in boxes. I arrived home to these. Did someone seriously just send me flowers?
I was so excited! Thank you someone. They brightened my whole day.


Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Real Me

I've been thinking a lot about our view on life. How we view things, where we find beauty, and how closely that is tied to what we value. So strange how what you value becomes what your life centers on. I really enjoy authentic people. I want to be the type of person that focuses on the higher things. The things that have greater value. The classic example is inner versus outer beauty. 

Okay well all that to say I challenged myself to put up these two photos today. I had an interesting interaction with a friend and it made me think... as much as I like editing photos and having a blast making others and myself look pretty, you can't lose sight of authenticity.

When it's hard for me to put a picture up that is real, I think I've gotten a little off balance.
 Here we go.
 Take 1
Take 2

However at the same time. When I see the first photo (pretend it's not me) what I see with my heart is the second photo. Doesn't that make you feel good? lol. Kind of strange how that works, when it's other people. When it's me the whole deal works backwards. How we see our Self is incredibly powerful.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

His Love



"Your love Oh Lord reaches to the Heavens.
And your faithfulness stretches to the skies.
Your righteousness is like a mighty mountain.
And your justice flows like the ocean's tide."



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

::Tuesday's Tea with Me::

Good Morning!
I wanted to share this picture with you guys. I don't have a lot of words today, but as they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." I just love this picture. I've always wanted a tire swing. :)

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

I Love to Laugh

I love to laugh and this just really did it for me.

A Bridge Over Troubled Water

Jazz for Cows

I absolutely love this. And I love the style of jazz. Maybe someday I'll live in the country and play jazz for my cows.

(scroll to the bottom and hit pause on the playlist first though.)


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

::Tuesday's Tea with Me::


Sorry I missed you guys last week. It's been quite an eventful month so far. So watcha been up to? Oh really that sounds neat. Oh me? Ohhh... I've just been trying to jump off a cliff. Lol. No really. Yes I am totally serious. Have you ever felt like you were supposed to do something, but you couldn't see the next step so you didn't want to make the decision to leave the comfortable place you were at, if you didn't know there would be another comfortable place to go? 
Maybe I'm making this sound more complicated, but I realized this morning. The bible challenges people to walk my faith. And then it has this little part afterwards that says, "AND NOT BY SIGHT." Oh. Right. Uhhh... I have an idea, how about you show me the next step, AND I get credit for my paper on faith? Oh. This is real life and not college. Hmmmm... Sooo... I have to DO it then to get credit. This totally sucks. Lol. 



Monday, September 12, 2011

Suffering

"Most of your suffering comes from the lack of understanding of yourself and others...." 

My friend Danielle wrote that on her FB status and I thought... You know what? That is SO true.  

Lately I've been trying to gain a better understanding of the situations I find myself in and the world around me, by taking a long hard look at me and my understanding of things.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Honest

I took a walk yesterday. And I thought to myself, "We sure put a lot of money into building sidewalks that very few people use." Well... I resolved the matter by getting out into the neighborhood today to use the sidewalk. I know it sounds really snoopy but I really love looking at people's houses. If I didn't think I'd totally weird people out, I could probably sit out on a bench across from someone's house and just watch for a long time.

 Did you know that houses talk? I like to imagine the stories they have to tell. The children it has raised and families it has loved. I like to watch the people and see how they express themselves through their homes. What they value. What they like. What they don't like. Who they are. Who they be. Not what they try to look like, or what they tell you with their mouth. A house can tell you all kinds of things. Oh. I just had a light bulb moment. I know what it is. I know why I like houses so much. They can't help but be honest.

I am Me.


I came across something rather deep this weekend. I really care about people. I love you people so much. 


I have discovered a caveat however. You can't be so concerned for others that you neglect your own life. There is a balance. Caring is one thing, but you also have to let others have their own process. Even if their process is painful for the time being. So I have decided to care less about other lives and enjoy my own. A long overdue change for me.

At this place in life I have been through several deep lessons. When I see people going through a test that I've traveled myself I want to give them the answers. But I've changed my mind about that. I've decided to get off their field and stand on the sidelines and cheer them on as they deserve to take the same course and gain the same riches that God allows in me. Besides, what if the answers on my test weren't the same as theirs. How arrogant is that? Well it looks arrogant but it's actually that I'm afraid others won't be okay. Which means I don't really trust the God that I say I believe in.

Ultimately I have to trust God to do the same thing for others that He has done for me. He has allowed severe pain in my life. To my great benefit. I must not be afraid to see others in pain. I must trust that they too, are as beloved and precious to the Father. That they too are strong enough to find the deeper answers in life's circumstances.

In case you are thinking this applies to you. This applies to many relationships in my life because its a slight glitch in the way I have related to people. Some whom I love very much. I am learning that it is MORE loving to cheer you on, than try to rescue and fix things. If I was concerned before that you wouldn't be okay, that's sweet and all, but now I believe differently. I can look past the possibility that you won't be okay, to a God who is more than able to have His way in your life. Let me just get out of the way, while He handles things. Bless you my friends. And may you find the answers you seek in this life. 

Anyway, in case you're interested in my life, today my life included Banana Pancakes. :)




Saturday, September 10, 2011

Dessert


Tried a new recipe today. How come most of my recipes are for dessert? Hmmm...




Friday, September 9, 2011

Trusting

So without telling every detail of the story I am at one of those places in life that is completely and utterly unsettling. In fact I am at that place in several huge areas of my life all at the same time. This area of my life has to do with self-reliance though. I am hanging on to a rope and I can clearly tell that I am supposed to let go. But I'm afraid to let it go. My arm is burning like you would not believe and my body can barely hang on anymore but I get a sense of security from it that I am terrified to let go of.  

That Indiana Jones movie keeps coming to mind. You know where he keeps saying over and over, "The penitent man shall pass. Penitent. Penitent. The penitent man shall pass." I keep having this scene play across the movie screen of my mind... He is trying to get across that huge canyon, and he doesn't see a bridge. And he finally just steps off what he thinks is a cliff. But there is actually solid rock beneath him. I do not trust God that I will be okay if I let go of the rope. I don't. But I must.


Oh golly. 


So I googled Indiana Jones and when I clicked on the picture it linked me to this blogHa ha ha. Go figure.
I like the very last part about walking in love.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

The Alley


I saw this little alley while I was driving by today. The sunshine was warm, and there were butterflies, and flowers and I just had to pull over. I got out to play for a little bit and I was tickled pink when the alley cat eventually decided I was not dangerous. Ha ha. He kept meowing at me and we had a great conversation. Then I realized there was a man watching me through his backyard fence. I was so embarrassed. I was going to explain (I'm not sure how exactly) but the man didn't show his face and I wasn't going to peak my head over his fence so I figured it was time to get back to work. 

 

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Responsibility

Whatever happened to good old fashioned honesty and responsibility.
God still cares about that right?




What in the world is WITH people these days?

Why do young people feel perfectly okay with taking handouts? This drives me nuts. And this is OUR fault. We haven't taught our children that you have to work to care for yourself. We teach them that someone ELSE is going to hand them things. We teach them to take from other people instead of working to provide for themselves and others.
(Thanks for sharing Cam.)

Small Town


My camera and I go on lots of little adventures together. This week there were only a few hours of daylight left when this little town made herself available. Perfect.

As I drove through town looking for something interesting I noticed the General Store had an "Open" sign in the window but there were just rows of empty white shelving inside. Two dubious looking young men waved at me from the the front step with toothless grins and I waved back thinking, "Something isn't right about this picture."

Then as I was photographing a horse, I heard a rumble in the distance behind me. I looked down the street and here came.... what is that? I can't make it out but it looks like there are dogs involved. As they got closer I sort of panicked because it really looked like a little posse on motorcycles. I thought, "Uh oh. Maybe they're going to try to confront me or something."

But then they rode right by my car. Apparently this is how they walk their dogs. I have no idea what was going on at the General Store, but I didn't stop in to find out.





In A Field


Spent the afternoon in a field. I love doing that.



Interesting.