What blessings have been within your reach, sight, or breath but you’ve never noticed them because you are not situating yourself in a spot to see them? 

This is SUCH a good, soul searching question for us to ponder….

Confession—-I have been staying up WAY TOO LATE watching Hallmark or Netflix or Disney plus when I should be going to bed.  I want to wake up early to watch the sunrise, read, write, or call a kindred spirit who lives in another state & time zone.  These blessings have been waiting for me, but I’ve put something else foolish in front of them.  Consequently, I have missed out on hundreds of warm coffees with orange sherbet sunrises, blissful bible reading on my peaceful patio, and hearing God’s gentle whisper to me at the beginning of each morning.  WHY?  WHY? WHY? 

Old habits are hard to break.  They have strong muscle memory and can coerce you into doing things that you don’t even realize you are doing (like roboticly watching TV late at night).
It makes me think of this beautiful purple morning glory flower that persistently grows among the trees lining my patio gate.  The morning glory vines were pulled out years ago and replaced with tree shrubs that have grown to offer coverage & privacy.  However, the morning glory vine is still spotted in sections of the tree.  A wild purple flower will bloom randomly & its vines will twist and turn on the tree leaves making it difficult to pull out.  It’s a relentless thing of beauty. It’s strong and it grows where it wants–relying on muscle memory (do vines have muscles or memory??). 

It’s habitual.  I can draw bunches of symbolic lessons from these whimsical wildflowers.  But, for now I’m focusing on their ability to keep growing and keep doing the same thing.  The twisting pattern of perpetual  purple flowers.

So, what habits need to be uprooted in our lives so that new growth can occur? 

Let’s not be afraid to pluck those wildflowers out of the way, so that we can train our minds & souls to grow in new ways.  God wants to do a new thing in our lives and has good plans for us.

“See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”—-Isaiah 43:19

***As a side note, I actually LOVE wildflowers.  I am just using this as an illustration.  Please enjoy the wildflowers in your life as well, my friends.  Part of life is about learning which wildflowers are meant for you to enjoy and which ones need to be plucked from your path so you can journey forward. 

There is a time for everything; and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

–Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“Consider how your days might change if you viewed time as a gift”.  I think too often I view time as the bad guy.  I am a dreamer and a free-spirit who does not like to be ruled by plans and schedules all the time.  I’m not great at getting everything checked off my “to do” list, so sometimes I feel like time is not on my side.  So, these words I read in my feast-for the- eyes Magnolia magazine struck a chord with me.  Time is a precious commodity that must be treated with care rather than ignored or wasted away. 

This has been a one of a kind season—a global pandemic- where time has stood still at moments—-where it seemed locked up and unable to breathe.  Time was holding our lives captive; and yet, time was also simultaneously bringing us freedom.  Freedom to try new things, freedom to put family first, freedom to turn to our creator more, and freedom to live in a different rhythm.

But, death steals time from our grasp and puts things in a deeper perspective.  I recently lost my dear Auntie Wynema and Uncle Robert within two months of each other.  They were like second parents to me and my sisters. These over 50 years long lovebirds left an amazing legacy of unconditional love, generosity, tradition, savoring and creating FUN memories, and working hard.  They did not waste time.  They relished and soaked up every second of the time they were given.  I want to live like this. 

I have so many fond memories of times at their house; trips to Havasu; endless car rides; shopping dates; dinner dates; lunch dates; impromptu frozen yogurt dates; perusing People magazine sitting at their dark oak, square kitchen table always covered in mail; maroon textured placemats; and a yellow lined notepad or tv remote.
Gosh, I loved sitting at this table while Auntie was preparing things in the kitchen or just sitting next to me talking.  I loved eating meals at this table across from Uncle.  Oh, how my dear uncle loved food and always had a special way he liked to eat his meals.  He loved having sides of things.  His favorite was a side of lemon wedges.  Always the lemons.  At home from his lemon tree or whenever he went out to eat.  God bless the lemons.  I seriously think of him when I see lemons. 

I honestly feel like those lemons were symbolic of how they lived their lives.  They enjoyed the sides and the extras.  Auntie and Uncle could make the sourest of lemons into the sweetest tasting lemonade.  Time was definitely not wasted with these two.

How can we behold the beauty of the here and now? Maybe a way to help us do that is by realizing that we will always live in the tension of the “now and the not yet”.  Maybe if we keep our feet on the earth and our eyes focused on heaven, we can see the beauty better.  I received my copy of the pictured Magnolia journal in the mail the same day as the sympathy card for the loss of my beloved auntie and uncle.  This is the world we live in—–the beauty and the pain coinciding.  The joy and the sorrow walking alongside one another on broken, well-worn, dusty paths.  Embracing one another and remembering that nothing under the sun is wasted. 

Enjoy the gift of time today, my friends! 

I woke up yesterday with a pinched nerve in my neck. I have never had that happen before.  (I feel empathy for those of you who experience this type of discomfort on a regular basis.)  It was painful and a bit awkward to move throughout my day.  My body was out of alignment and my attitude sure needed some adjusting as well.  My right shoulder was hanging lower than my left and my feelings about life were drooping down too.  As I reflected on this a bit, God seemed to whisper to me that this is symbolic of how the vast majority of people around me—-actually, probably people all over the world—  feel right now.  It is a season where everyone is experiencing some literal or figurative “out of alignment” issues with their body; their family; their church family; their jobs; their creative passions; their budgets; their convictions; their priorities; their eating habits; their social media time; and so much more.

It seems like each month something new,  bizarre, life-altering, and/ or uncomfortable is brought to the surface in our world.  The tension level is thick, the media presence is swarming our social media feeds with tough images to face, and the BIG feelings are coming out everywhere.

Dramatic changes, detours, and distancing require strength to look inside ourselves; come to our Savior; heal our wounds;  and seek lasting transformation.

It’s a process of unmaking. It’s a process of tearing things down before they can be built up again.  It’s not easy, but the results are oh, so good.  We can’t enter this process of unmaking alone.  The journey requires a strong back; a tender but resilient heart, and a motivational partner–God.  He will do the heavy lifting if we invite Him into this process.  He wants to carry us through it.  He is standing at the door of our hearts waiting for us to open it.  Amen, for this.

My quarantine playlist has been composed of many inspirational songs, including the following: “Shelter in Place” by our pastor Alan Frow & his daughter Sophie; “New Normal” & “His Hands” by JJ Heller; “Red Sea Road” by Ellie Holcomb; Hamilton soundtrack; The Greatest Showman soundtrack;” Everywhere I Go” by Tim Timmons (my go to feel good, dance party in the living room & kitchen song); “High Hopes” by Panic!At the Disco; “Try Everything” & “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”  by Shakira —-the last handful are on my running playlist when I’m not listening to podcasts; and perhaps my most listened to song “The Unmaking” by Nicole Nordeman.  There is something about this song that has really spoken to my heart and resonated with me over the past 6 months.  Here are some of the lyrics:

“This is where the walls gave way. This is demolition day.

All the debris and all this dust– what is left of what was once ;

 Sorting through what goes and what should stay…”

Chorus:

“This is the unmaking—beauty & the breaking.

Had to lose myself to find out who you are .

Before each beginning there must be an ending.

Sitting in the rubble, I can see the stars

This is the unmaking.”

I feel like I have been sitting on a pile of rubble for many months. And, if I’m honest, I have probably been sitting on this pile for a long time prior to our COVID-19 season—like for years.  This season of social isolation has just made my  debris more apparent to me.  And, during this season, it’s hard to get motivated to do anything about that heap of heavy scars; heartache; harmful habits; and half-healed wounds.

But, this song is hopeful for me. This song reminds me that there is beauty in the ashes.  That there is a God who helps us during the process of unmaking & unlearning of the things in our lives that need to be torn down and rebuilt.  He’s waiting to start this process with us.  He delights in these transformations and not yet finished projects.  He is all in and wants to be a part of it.  He is sitting on that pile of rubble with us and longing for us to breath out “Speak to me Lord, I am listening”.

There on the hill of heartache and heaviness, he is taking our hand and stretching our arm and fingers toward a sky full of his glorious, sparkling creation saying “Look, I have created this for you. Let me help you to see this beauty more clearly.  Let’s start this process of unmaking & recreating”

He is there to rescue us in our time of need; to be our hero & our helper; to make us see the stars & the sea in spectacular wonder; and to create something new in our lives that have been beautifully unmade.

Hello friends!  I miss seeing you in person!

This is indeed a crazy time we are living in.  Yesterday I had a record breaking seven zoom meetings between my girls dance classes, school class meetings, art lesson, tele-health appointment, and a Daisy scout mother/daughter tea time.  Strange times.  I love the fact that people are uniting & reaching out for community via computer screens, but it is totally strange too.

It is weird to see people driving cars wearing masks (which I don’t really understand), lines of people outside stores sporting masks, and in drive-thrus donning masks.  This period of history being written is layered with strokes of weirdness, uncertainty, fear, hope, unity, and division all at once.  It is comforting to know that the one holding the plume-feathered pen is more powerful than all of the media and mass hysteria polluting our minds.  Praise God!

I was inspired to write the following poem because of the tension we are living in.  Don’t isolate, my friends.  Stay connected.  Stay informed.  Stay as sane as possible.  Stay grounded in the word of God.  Keep making art and music.  And, remember YOU are valuable.

Masks

Social distancing

Sheltering in place

Wash your hands

Don’t touch your face

Stay six feet away

Wherever you are

But make sure you stay home

Don’t go very far

Reach out to community

Face time family & a dear friend

Spend time solo

Create, dream, and pretend

Don’t hide who you truly are behind your mask

God designed you so wonderfully for this task

You were created for such a time as this

Speak out and stand up for things that break you or give you bliss

When life begins to change & we slowly emerge from this time apart

Don’t be defined by the masks that you wear

You are made to be seen and for others to know your heart

You are an irreplaceable treasure

The height and depth of this —

No human can measure.

Hello friends! It’s been WAY TOO LONG since I’ve posted something on my blog. So many times I have thought about wanting to write, but not doing it. Enough of that nonsense. I miss writing and I miss encouraging you by sharing what is on my heart and how I see God at work in the everyday.

2020 means good eyesight, so it’s fitting that this year I want to focus on having clear vision. Focusing on the beauty, helping to make a difference in difficult situations, being aware of my body and mind, being present, and setting priorities and goals to help me and my family live a more God centered, God driven life. And, of course, ALL of this involves being brave on the narrows and stepping out in faith to the areas God is leading me.

Defying means to resist something openly or boldly. Gravity means the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth.

My daughter Stella sang “Defying Gravity”, that rousing song from Wicked, for her school talent show at the beginning of February. (If you didn’t get a chance to see it, please check out the video clip on my  Facebook page.) I was appropriately bursting with pride as she passionately and dramatically belted out the lyrics to this inspiring song. Oh, how we can learn so much from our children. Stella had no fear and shined on stage using her God given talent to perform.

I want to be like Stella was that night. I don’t want to be afraid to step into the spotlight and use the gifts God has given me to make the world a more lovely place; and to create a legacy for my sweet girls to carry on. I want them to “defy gravity” and go against the things that pull most people in the popular albeit wrong direction. I want them to do the next right thing that God and their passions are magnetically drawing them toward. I want their hearts to sing with abandon to the song that is stirring in their soul. I want them to be changed for the good and let nothing stop them from shining the love of God right where He has planted them.

Where in your life do you need to be bold and “defy gravity”? When and where can you go against the flow; get out of your comfort zone; stop focusing on someone else’s supposedly greener grass & water your own grass instead? Let’s defy gravity together, my friends, and make a difference in this world.

This may look like putting a spouse’s needs ahead of your own, inviting a new friend to coffee, going on an adventure; starting a new venture; offering to drive someone somewhere, visiting someone who needs encouragement, dropping off a meal, composing a song or poem, choreographing a dance or play,or turning off the TV some nights and going to bed early in order to wake up earlier the next morning to spend time in God’s word &/or worship.

Go ahead, take a leap, dive in, dance to the beat of a different drum, & live a life defying gravity AND focusing on goodness in the process.

“Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.”—-Mark Twain

DEFYING GRAVITY

(solo lyrics)

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I’m through with playing by the rules
Of someone else’s game

Too late for second guessing
Too late to go back to sleep…

Too late for second guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It’s time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap

It’s time to try
Defying gravity
I think I’ll try
Defying gravity
And you can’t pull me down

Can’t I make you understand?
You’re having delusions of grandeur

I’m through accepting limits
‘Cause someone says they’re so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I’ll never know

Too long I’ve been afraid of
Losing love I guess I’ve lost
Well, if that’s love
It comes at much too high a cost

I’d sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I’m defying gravity
And you can’t pull me down

Unlimited, my future is unlimited,

And, I just had a vision like a prophecy,

Truly it sounds crazy

And, true the vision’s hazy

But I swear someday I’ll be

Flying so high
Defying gravity
And you won’t pull me down

So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky
As someone told me lately
“Everyone deserves the chance to fly”

And if I’m flying solo
At least I’m flying free
To those who’d ground me
Take a message back from me

Tell them how I am
Defying gravity
I’m flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I’ll match them in renown

And nobody in all of Oz
No Wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down

Happy Fall y’all!  Oh, it’s such a wonderful time of year.  The leaves are on the ground wearing new colors, there is a spirit of change in the air, gathering of families & friends, harvest hues & autumn décor, AND PUMPKINS.  Oh, for the love of pumpkins.  How we adore you and how we thank God for being so brilliant to create you.  You are lovely to look at & taste.  You are the perfect pairing for all the goodness of fall.

In honor of fall and being festive, I wanted to share some pumpkin inspiration in the collage of photos below.  Thank you, Trader Joes for your Fearless Flyer publication that had my daughters circling every item they want to try on our drive home a week ago.  Thank you Traders for embracing pumpkins so well.  We love your pumpkin bars, your candy corn pumpkin, your pumpkin pancake mix, and your pumpkin ginger ice cream “Hold the Cone” treats—just to name a few.  If you haven’t visited Traders to pick up some pumpkin goodies yet, you must make a trip there this fall season.  Your taste buds will thank you.

And, if you want to decorate with pumpkins, they have a wonderful selection of different sizes and shades of orange & white.  I shared some photos of how I used them to add a fall feel to our home.

Also, if you like pumpkin candles, I found a great one from Threshold in a cute little rust colored glass jar at Target.  It is also pictured below.

Enjoy this first day of October, my friends.  Do yourself a favor and go pick up something pumpkin-y today.

And, maybe pick up something pumpkin-y for a friend to get them in the fall spirit too.  Be brave on the narrows, my friends.

P.S.  The beautiful hand lettering on the “It is Well” framed art is done by the talented Amanda Estrada (her website is http://www.heyamandaestrada.wordpress.com)

My car ran out of gas last Monday while I was in a left hand turn lane to cross an intersection near my girls’ dance studio—like it totally died and wouldn’t go any further type of empty.  Praise the Lord my husband was doing some administrative work in his home office, so he could come to our rescue.  He heroically pushed our car through the busy intersection with the aid of a  good samaritan who was walking by.  The girls and I were relieved and grateful to have him there while we waited for AAA to come bring us some gas.  (Side note:  AAA is a MUST have and I’m so thankful for it.)

We survived this inconvenient bump in the road and my daughter was able to get to her dance class. After this happened, I thought about the symbolism of this situation.  When we are running on empty in life, we need a village to come to our rescue.  We need to turn to God and surrender to His unfailing control.  If we try to keep going on our own strength, we will lose momentum and pass out on the side of the road.

So, do you feel like you are running on empty? Is there an area of your life where someone can come save you from some unwanted stress or alleviate some hard to handle by oneself tasks?  We are not meant to do this journey alone.  First and foremost, bring your depleted car-load of stuff  to God and ask Him to help you press on and carry it.  Ask Him to fill up your tank, so you have enough energy and fuel for the road ahead—wherever it may lead you.

What are some personal things you can do to fill your tank back up? Give yourself permission  to take a nap, graciously say “no” to a request or commitment, exercise, drink more water, and treat yourself to a movie, massage, or  mani/pedi.  Might I suggest you spend some time in nature too.  Go on a bike ride or jog by the beach; journal or read at a park; or call a kindred spirit to meet you for a walk on a local trail.  Being outside does wonders for our hearts, minds, and souls.

Also, when you feel empty, give yourself grace upon grace for each moment of the day. You are going to make mistakes and feel like you’re not running correctly or out of balance  You are going to feel like you said or did the wrong thing at a social event; you are going to forget a pick up time for school, football practice, or dance;  you are going to have take out/drive thru meals 2 or 3 consecutive times in a row; or you may even forget to put gas in your car when the “E” is lit up. Ask God confidently for a huge heaping dose of grace.  He generously gives it to us each and every day regardless of the silly, negligent, embarrassing, hurtful, or not-so smart things we say or do.

Be brave on the narrows, my friends; and, remember to fill up your tank before you hit the highway.  And, if you notice someone is literally or figuratively out of gas on their journey today, be full of grace and offer to help them in their time of need.

Happy Friday friends! So, I’m doing my first giveaway. Woohoo!! It’s for a FREE pair of Wilderness Earrings from Noonday Collection—-the awesome jewelry fair trade company making a HUGE impact on artisans’ lives globally. Please click on the link below  to check out the gorgeous earrings and enter the giveaway. Cheers to you and the weekend! 😊☀️😊

Be brave on the narrows, my friends.

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