Happy New Year!

I hope 2010 will be the year dreams to come true for everyone! Love to you all!

A Post for My Friends Struggling With Depression

Try to count your blessings

the things you feel are good

try to live each day

as you wish you could

try to take a step

toward fulfilling

your dreams

this will help

take away how

depression makes

things seem

It is okay to take babysteps toward a positive life! Depression makes us think we can't but we can!! I understand well.....

2010 I wonder.....

I want to believe

I know my road

my place I am supposed

to be

to have the faith

to use the gifts

God gave to me

I am thankful for Leslie and Kim.....who have helped me and have FAITH in ME!! I know no one likes this pic but I think it is cute!

Serenity

Christmas Eve Memories

In the middle of a busy Christmas Eve, I tried to stop and take a mental picture of everything. A mental memory. A mental memory of the emotions and joy of the day.

I caught a sweet moment on camera today, my dad, sitting quietly, with a big smile on his face. His smile was from watching the grandkids open their presents. They were jumping up and down and I was blessed enough to catch his reaction on camera.

Merry Christmas my friends. I'm blessed by the caring people I call friends and family. It is a joy sharing my life with you all.

Happy Christmas Eve!!!

2 Sleeps Until Christmas!

Searching For Realness

how many people

would feel better

if they could find

someone to take

off the mask and

be real with them

a friend of the heart

they are out there

keep searching

for realness

keep being true

to yourself and

to God

Just My Way of Being

Sometimes when it gets busy

it is hard for me to make sense

of everything that goes through

my head

since I see in pictures

feel in colors

it is hard to keep from

ignoring some thoughts

some feelings

but I am finding

that it is most important

for me to write it down

because when I do not

I miss the message

writing will also help me

not to overthink...

Christmas should be joyful, not stressful, it is important to still do what you have to do to stay at peace.....

Elfie, our own Personal Elf

We love her!!!

Finding Peace

PEACE, I have missed it this weekend, but I feel it is coming back. I should never let myself get so busy with activities that I can't find peace or even look for it. PEACE.........what a great word. What an awesome gift from God!

I Need to Paint

What about paint

it frees the mind

what about color

soothes and remembers

what about pictures

speaks more than

words

Fences

What kind of fences are up in your mind

to block what you can do

always remember not to limit yourself

what you do is up to you

My Mamaw Would Have Been 107 Today

If my Mamaw were still around, she would be 107 today! I miss her. She was a great Mamaw to me!! I hope she looks down on my girls and smiles. :)

God's Clues

The answer is there if you are still and listen. Learn from the journey...the journey gives you what you need when looking for the answer. God's little clues.

Glimmers of Light

Instead of looking back with shame, guilt or embarrassment

look back and see

all the glimmers of light

you gave to others

all the expressions of hope

someone learned from you

all the truth your journey can bring

to those going through the same

things now

Learning from other's journeys is a gift! Let's share and learn!

A Picture of Amy's Barn

Something peaceful about this pic. :)

The Velveteen Rabbit

I love the Velveteen Rabbit story. In a quote from this story the Velveteen Rabbit is asking the skin horse about being real “Does it hurt?” “Sometimes” “when you are real you don’t mind being hurt”.
How true these words seem When we are real with each other we take off the mask. Once the mask is off we can allow ourselves to be loved as we really are. It is not always easy. Sometimes the mask has been on for years. Once it is off we reap the benefits of true friendship. Here is another quote from skin horse “once you are real you can’t be ugly except to people who don’t understand…but once you are real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always”.
My sister said on her blog “love sort of rubs some of the shiny off”. Once we are real with each other we don’t have to worry about being perfect. Our shiny can be rubbed off and it is okay. Our friends love us anyway. When we are real we are free to do God’s will. We are free to follow his lead and help other people be real.
I guess this is why “the Velveteen Rabbit” has always been my favorite children’s book.

This Quote is So True

Have compassion for everyone you meet, even if they don't want it. What appears bad manners, an ill temper or cynicism is always a sign of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen. You do not know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets the bone. --Miller Williams

Gourd Art

Gourd art!! My stepbrother's wife, Paula, makes these cute animals out of gourds!!

a Mind Picture

I see in pictures. I get pictures for others and myself.

Today, I got a picture for Leslie and me. We have been working on a project we can't really talk about yet. This picture may or may not have anything to do with it. I don't know what it means.

We were in a field. We were in one of those horse carriages from the old days. It had no horse, it was being pulled by a light. It looked like a bright yellow spotlight from heaven. We were peaceful and we were backward. We were facing the back so the carriage was going forward with the light but Leslie and I were sitting facing the wrong way.

Any interpretations are welcome!

There is something about a farm......

Love the peaceful feeling!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I am so thankful for all of my blessings! Oh, and this sky pic looks like a turkey!

Emma's Ornament

I am amazed by Emma. Her art is beautiful. I love her little ornament. We made them at school today!

Life Happens

things move along in an unpredictable manner

things happen that you never dreamed

things end up in a different color than they started

things teach us

life happens

what can we learn from each day

each minute

what about today can be an inspiration

for tomorrow

Congratulations To Ellie and Emma

I want to congratulate my kids Ellie and Emma for making the Centre for the Arts production of Jungle Book!!! Woo hoooooo!!!!

Cara was too young to audition...

Time to Let Go of Self Doubt

Sometimes you have to make a decision
and have faith in yourself to
follow through with the dream...
no time for self doubt just
pray and go for it....
what do you have to lose?

Mama and Cara by Cara

Veterans Day

Thank you to all of our veterans who have fought for our freedom. We appreciate and are blessed by you!

Update On My Journey With Depression

Hello!! I wanted to give an update on my fight with depression. I had a rough year with it. I tried several different things. All seemed to work at first and then I would end up depressed again. Then, back in September, I went to the gynecologist. I told her how I was feeling and she did tests on me. She found out my hormones were wayyyyy off. She put me on meds for that. Now, two months later, I am doing so much better!!! I am more even and I just feel positive and back to my self. I am so thankful to my doctor who listened and tried to find out what was going on with me. I am happy and my kids can tell a big difference in my energy. I just want to encourage everyone to keep seeking opinions until you find out what is wrong. Depression does exist and it is a medical condition but also sometimes, other medical factors (esp. in women who have had kids) can be there too. I am amazed at the difference in my health. Everyone be your own advocate and pls never be embarrassed to share details about how you are feeling with your doctor.

Little Poem

Live every minute of every day

try not to let stress get in the way

of living life and sharing peace

lots of hugs to say the least

laugh alot and enjoy the sun

play with your kids

and have some fun!!!

Enjoy Every Minute of Today

Taking in the good is not about putting a happy shiny face on everything, nor is it about turning away from the hard things in life. It's about nourishing inner well-being, contentment, and peace -- refuges to which you can always return. --Rick Hanson

just some moments

Some of my favorite moments....

I told my kids they were getting so big. Cara said "mama, I am still little (6)" and I said "yes, you are the youngest" and she said "mama, no matter how big I get, I will always be your baby". Then, she gave me a huge hug. Warms my heart.

I am blessed to have a friend, Leslie, who is so much like me. It is nice to have someone who always understands. I appreciated our talk tonight Leslie!

I am trying to live in the moment, seek to understand, be present and feel each feeling. No more numbing for me. I am ready to fly.

the Little Seed

Once there was a dream

planted in the heart of a child.

Through the years it would

start to grow and someone

would step on it with negative

words over and over, until it

quit looking for new springs.

Then ONE person took the time

to look inside the heart and with kind words

and encouragement the dream

began to grow....

until it became REALITY!!!

Loving Fall

Random Post

I have learned a few random things today.
1) Fried BUTTER is the most popular treat at the Texas State Fair.
2) There are people who actually believe in gnomes and trolls...and I mean "adult" people.
3) People can fry coke.
4) People in France are gaining weight since adding several McDonalds.
5) give Cara fake teeth and a princess crown and she is happy.

Okay, this is my random post of the week.

Where Does Your Path Lead

Keep following or make a new one?

Whatever is best without forcing it.

Forcing the path will ruin the destiny.

What happens happens for a reason

always a lesson

I don't have the answer to the question...

Just contemplating and wondering

The Creative Energy

I was talking to a friend the other day. She is a song writer. She gave up writing songs because of fear she wasn't "good enough". She expressed to me that she felt "dried up" because she wasn't using her creativity.

How many of us have felt like this? We feel all "dried up" because of lack of creativity. Let's try to change this. I have felt this way many times. I want to challenge everyone to do something creative everyday. It can be small like jotting down a sentence or listening to music and singing. I am going to do this myself. I know it will help everyone get the creative energy flowing.

My friend has been doing a creative exercise a day. She already has more of a "pep" to her voice. I know she will be writing amazing inspiring songs soon. :)

I love notes from my kids

LOVE it!!! Makes my day

Makes my night

the light that

shines from

the heart of

a child

Back in 2007

I wrote this post on Babysoup about 2 years ago......here it is...be a flower, celebrate your uniqueness...

Well, I have been praying about what to write. Last night God kept showing me a picture of people. People as flowers. He was weeding the people. He would reach down and pull a weed out of my arm. The great thing was this.... God was concentrating on the flowers!!! He wasn't dwelling on the weeds. He was admiring the beautiful flowers.
So many times we dwell on the mistakes we have made. God at our growth and our beauty!!!

Take Your Dreams With You

Follow your dreams

from your heart

out the window of

your mind

do what you

feel is your

purpose

don't leave the

dreams behind

ps- it is never too late!

Too Sad to Comprehend

Somethings things happen

that we don't understand

we just have to keep

going not knowing

the answers

and trust

God to give us

what we need

but it is not easy

because some things

are too sad to

comprehend

The Mirror

to look is to

feel for me

to feel is to see

to see is to notice

to notice is to care

Reliance

When it becomes time to
rely on faith
am I able or
will I fail miserably

the Rain

What is it about the rain

sometimes the rain is

refreshing

like a big cleaning

but sometimes the

rain is just a drizzle

like a constant drip...

I am trying to keep from

getting weather

dreariness

I am looking at is

as a chance to rest but

I am looking at the rain

and hoping for a rainbow

I want to see a rainbow soon. :)