Finding Your Blessings

FINDING YOUR BLESSINGS

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT ACTIVELY SEEKING YOUR BLESSINGS?

AS A CHILD IN SUNDAY SCHOOL, YOU MIGHT HAVE SUNG THIS SONG:

"COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, NAME THEM ONE BY ONE..."

I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT BLESSINGS LATELY.

THANKSGIVING IS USUALLY WHEN WE DO THIS 

BUT I AM TALKING ABOUT DAILY REMEMBERING 

WHAT YOU ARE BLESSED WITH.....

BEING GRATEFUL FOR EVERY MOMENT.

THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVEN'T EXACTLY BEEN THE EASIEST.

SITUATIONS THAT I NEVER EXPECTED CAME AT ME HARD.

LOSING PEOPLE THAT I NEVER KNEW WERE GOING TO BE GONE 

BEFORE I WAS READY TO SAY GOODBYE. FRIENDSHIPS THAT CHANGED AND DISSOLVED. LOVED ONES THAT WERE IMPORTANT. 

LOSING THESE ARE ALWAYS HARD ON THE HEART, AND TAKE TIME TO HEAL FROM. TIME TO REGROUP. TIME TO MOVE FORWARD AGAIN.

LIFE CHANGING WHEN I REALLY JUST WANTED TIME TO STAND STILL.

ALSO KNOWING THAT GOING BACKWARDS WAS NOT AN OPTION!

SADLY, OUR HOME OF 15 YEARS HAS HAD IT'S OWN SHARE OF TRIALS AS WELL.

HAVING DISCUSSIONS AND HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS TO REPAIR OR MOVE ON.

I REALIZED THAT IT WAS WHEN I HAD STARTED TO FEEL THE DISCONTENT CREEP IN.

ALLOWING THAT DISCONTENTMENT TO GROW WAS NOT A GOOD THING!

DISCONTENTMENT WILL DEFINITELY MOVE OUT ALL THOUGHTS OF THE BLESSINGS!

WHEN WE MOVED BACK TO COLORADO IN 2002,

WE SEARCHED AND SEARCHED FOR THE 'PERFECT' HOUSE.

EVENTUALLY THOUGH, YOU HAVE TO BE CONTENT WITH 'ALMOST PERFECT'

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION.

EVERYTHING ON YOUR 'WANT' LIST WILL NOT ALWAYS BE MET.

IN THE THE LAST 15 YEARS THOUGH, OUR HOME HAS CHANGED - 

EITHER FROM OUR WORK APPLIED OR FROM JUST AGE IN GENERAL.

THE MANY TREES WE LOVED CAME TO THE END OF THEIR CYCLES AND HAD TO BE REMOVED.  IT CHANGED THE DYNAMICS OF WHY OUR YARD WAS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL PARK.  WE HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF TIMES WHEN OTHERS ENJOYED OUR HOME AS WELL.

I THINK THAT IS WHEN IT ALL STARTED TO CHANGE FOR ME.

FINDING YOUR BLESSINGS ISN'T ALWAYS EASY AND SOMETIMES THAT DISCONTENT SNEAKS UP ON YOU.

SOMETIMES YOU NO LONGER SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE CLOUDS

SOMETIMES THE TRIALS SEEM TO OUTWEIGH THE JEWELS.

THE OTHER NIGHT I REALIZED THAT NOW I CAN SEE THE STARS - THERE ARE SO MANY! ITS QUIET, CALM AND SO VERY BEAUTIFUL

BUT I HAD TO LOOK UP TO FIND THEM!

I HAD TO STOP LOOKING AT WHAT ALL WAS WRONG AND START SEEKING MY BLESSINGS! 

THINKING ABOUT BLESSINGS - SOMETIMES THOSE COME AFTER HARD WORK

WHAT ABOUT THE DIAMOND? WITHOUT HEAT AND PRESSURE -A DIAMOND 

WOULDN'T FORM. 

IN LIFE - WITHOUT HEAT AND A WHOLE LOT OF PRESSURE - 

WOULD WE REALLY GROW? WOULD WE REALLY REMEMBER ALL OUR BLESSINGS?

TODAY I WAS REMINDED THAT THE BLESSINGS MIGHT BE DIFFERENT BUT BLESSINGS THEY ARE ALL THE SAME!

SO, AS BID YOU ADIEU 

I HOPE YOU WILL ACTIVELY SEEK YOUR OWN BLESSINGS

THEY REALLY WILL CHANGE YOUR HEART! THEY MIGHT EVEN CHANGE A DARK CLOUD INTO A BRILLIANTLY FILLED STARLIT NIGHT!!

A Comfortable Life

A Comfortable Life

I am learning that I like to be comfortable.

Relationships - my spaces - my life in general -

most especially where I live.

Have you ever entered into another's 'space' and realized

that either

their level of 'comfort' is

above or

below your own?

What is  a definition of your 'perfect' life?

What factors are considered?

What will make you feel 'comfortable'?

This is a picture of the back yard of the home we purchased in 2002.

We closed on our new home on Halloween day of all days!

It looks 'spooky' in this picture, does it not?

When we first purchased our home -

it had been severely neglected in regards to the yard.

I actually went searching for these pictures to remind myself

that our home was not perfect

when we first bought it -

at least in regards to the back spaces and yard.

The front however is really not that bad at all!

This is what we did to the yard in 15 years:

Recently, my husband and I have been looking for our 'mountain home'

it's time to find a different level of 'comfort'.

In that process,

I realize that what I consider 'comfortable' -

isn't what another person would think.

Homes that others are selling - are comfortable to them

and yet I am not ready to go 'down' in comfort.

This is 'comfort' to me

At least where I spend most of my time!

Creature comforts to me are

running water

flushing toilets

 a shower (not in my living space)

space for some of my stuff

and in general 'comfort'!

I have camped -

I have spent time in a tent -

I've cooked over a camp stove

however, that was all temporary!

Our latest venture - every one of these items were missing.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great for some people

but I was thankful my hubby said

'This just won't work for us'!

Whew!!

*And yes, I am not joking -

they had a shower stall

in the 'living area'!!

Laughter aside - we're still looking!

We're still trying to meet all of our

'creature comfort' needs -

and afford to be in the mountains!

We would love to have this view:

Doesn't hurt to dream, right?

Along the line of 'comforts'

our new home will have to have land.

Not a gully washout road,

hair raising drive to the house

Not in the middle of another property!

Dreaming?

Probably - but hey -

if you don't keep after your dreams

you've already lost the battle!

There are also times that being 'too comfortable' won't

challenge you to make changes.

Thus the mountain picture.

It is something we're striving for-

dreaming for

our own personal take on

A Comfortable Life!

Letter to a Friend

Letter to a Friend

Hello friend – 

I thought I would write and see how you have been,

                We no longer see one another, 
nor do we talk and 
I doubt we will again.

I’ve thought long and hard about why we parted ways so long ago,

                I truly understand that it was both our time to shift – time to part, 
time to go.

I have faults too, and I know that you saw deep within –

misunderstood things between you and me

                Words that were said, 
even the ones that were not spoken, 
to bring us where 
we seem to be.

The parts I am responsible for – 

I ask forgiveness in our demise  I am sorry for all of them,

                We may never resolve the issues, 
the pain, and destruction of the friendship – 
the end.

There were good days – 

oh how they were good – 
but the bad times somehow 
became more present,

                I think on the good times and also the bad – at times I’m sure we both feel it 
and we resent.

Fly high my old friend – 

reach your dreams – 
fuel your hopes and most of all 
release the past,

                May you find kindness, joy and forgiveness – 
may your new friendships 
be ones to last.

I hope your life is full of joy, love, peace 

and most of all harmony and forgiveness 
in the heart,

                I know that our season has passed – 
our time together now must be 
one of reflection in part.

I say a final goodbye to what might have been – 
we really had a great season after all,

                Hold your head high – 
I have released you and 
hold nothing of the past 
to cause your fall.

This letter is to you 
my old friend –

                May you have a very blessed life – 
to the very end.

Saying Goodbye

Goodbyes are never easy - they just aren't.

Whether it is a goodbye to a traveling friend, a relationship and especially to a loved one.

Memories flood your mind - and also a little regret.

Regret that you didn't spend the time you should have with this person.

Regret that you didn't tell them often enough how dear they were to you.

Regret that you didn't have more time together.

Memories also bring joy.

Joy for the times that you DID spend together.

Joy for the love that you knew you both shared.

Joy for knowing this person will still live on in your heart.

Memories bring comfort.

Comfort for the chance to have know this special person.

Comfort that if they are no longer in pain, that you are grateful.

Comfort that you have special memories to keep in your heart.

Memories bring resolution.

Resolution to make each day special - no matter what may come.

Resolution to always be the best you can be - no matter who may shoot you down.

Resolution to hold on to the good times - no matter what bad times may arrive.

I've had many goodbyes in my half of a century life.

I've also had quite a few times that the goodbye wasn't an option.

It takes time to be okay with the goodbye never said.

It takes time to mourn a loss of a life here with us on earth.

Although some goodbyes are never granted,

When you have a special moment to speak your love, your memories,

your joy in the knowing

Those are the goodbyes that really touch the heart.

You leave with a peace that is not easily explained

You are able to smile when you might just cry

You know that you'll carry the memory with you -

a certain kind of joy.

I had such a goodbye recently.

It was oh so very special -

saying goodbye.

This Poem was written for a man who

didn't have to be my dad -

because he was a very special 'extra' dad to me.

He didn't have to love me -

but he did and I am forever grateful that he did!

The Dad He Didn’t Need to Be

Pop, Dad, Friend – it’s really not in the name you see…

It’s in the loving kindness that he always gave to me.

As a teen, He took me into his heart

Adopted me as another daughter – I always had a special part.

He always understood how to truly see me

He was always the dad he didn’t need to be.

The calls out of the blue – to check on his other daughter

To let me know that his love, even all these years had yet to falter.

The conversations about what I had been up to, and the same for him

The prayers I knew he always spoke for me, and I for him.

I cherish the love he poured out to me,

I cherish the man, the dad he didn’t need to be.

Pop, you’re a precious jewel of my heart

My love for you, as your adopted daughter shall never depart!

Connections

Connections

Have you noticed that life changes some friendships? 

How about the ones that you started when you were younger - are you still connected?

I have had friendships that have started when I was a girl

and they lasted up to the present day.

 I have had friendships that were seasonal.

We were in the right place and we had much in common.

What brings people together?

Kids

Marriage

Life situations

Common ground

and more!

I love when a connection that was great a long time ago

takes a life break

and then

when you connect again

it's like you just talked

the day before!

Sometimes the loss of being in touch

is from

circumstances

distance

 or something else.

Social media is a great 'connector'

of all things past

like relationships
and friendships.

What I love about Facebook specifically
is that

no matter where you live

you can still have a

connection.

I have many friendships
via social media.

We have never met

We only 'connect' via the internet.

I remember the days when you wrote a letter.

I still get a monthly letter
from my dear Aunt.

I'll have to call for awhile
as she can't write at the moment -

but it's still nice
to get a letter in the mail.

I have a friend that I first connected with via a

'Friendship Booklet'

We would put our mailing labels on a blank page

share our birthday

share our anniversary

our hobbies.

Then, mail them out with letters

and they'd go all around the country.

I have had pen pals from all over

Including Japan, New Zealand,

Germany and Ireland

 Back in the 1990's though.

We've lost touch awhile ago.

Today

we are face-to-face

'dis-connected'

and

'connected'

with

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

Instagram

Tumbler

Pinterest

and the list goes on!

Connections

However they are accomplished

Allows us to know others

Allows us to share ideas

Allows us to 'connect'

Have a great connected day!!

The Back Pack

The Back Pack

I love going hiking!  When I pack for a trip - 
I know that I carry more items than I will need or use - 
but I want to be prepared for anything!

You know, I was thinking about that the other day.

Have you ever thought how you carry your own

personal Back Pack?

I mean the back pack you strap on and 
never really take off for long periods of time.

The pack that is full of your past hurts, 
past insecurities, 
your past desires that were never fulfilled.

The pack that is full of the stuff 
you should be letting go of - 
but you keep carrying it anyway.

What about someone else's back pack?

Is theirs lighter than yours?

Are their hurts less hurtful?

Are their insecurities less than yours?

Do they also carry their past wherever they go?

I had a real view of this when I watched a skit 
performed at a Ladies retreat.

It started with a lady coming down the isle with her children and the narrator was speaking her thoughts.

She was focused on the children, 
and looking around and thinking thoughts 
that had nothing to do with worship 
or why she was there.

Then, she was thinking 
that she'd like to be other 
people in her congregation.

In doing so, God showed her 
their specific burdens.

She realized that even though 
we all put on a great outside front, 
everyone is dealing with something!

It might not be the same as our own 

However, 
it's still a heavy load for them.

A back pack is a symbol of all those emotions.  

It gets heavier the longer we carry it.

It gets harder to go forward 
because we're so heavily weighed down.

I laughed when Julia Roberts fell backwards 
in 'Runaway Bride'.
The scene when her boyfriend 
put her hiking back pack on. 

It was packed way too heavy 
for her to handle 

and it took her down fast!

I know in life, we try to be kind.

Some days though - 
our own burdens challenge us.

They start to change us - 

to weigh us down - 

they have a tendency some days 

to totally knock us off our feet!

Sometimes talking to a close friend 
in a similar place 
releases some of the burden.

Sometimes writing it down in a journal 
will purge 

it for a moment 
out of your mind.

When you are in the dark period - 

you want a lighter load.

You want to lay your burden down -

and leave it there forever.

But when you get socked again by emotions, 
or situations 
you end up stuffing it 
further down 
and then

you pick that pack back up 
and strap it on.

You become the hurt person 

You become the angry person

 You become who you don't like very much!

It filters into your friendships,

your relationships, 
your work place.

So what is the solution?

Everyone has a different approach.

Some go off alone and sort it all out.

Some talk to someone who truly listens to them.

Others can't figure it out -

So they keep their backpack on.

I guess in it all - 

we all are battling 
something.
Many times though
we don't feel safe
to share our deepest
fears, hurts, secrets.

I am working on 
leaving my backpack off my back.

It makes me tired.

It makes me have to be stronger 
than I feel that I am.

So, if you meet someone who's still 
weighed down by their personal back pack...

just be kind!
Help them carry their burden
if you can!