I believe that creativity is one of the most important traits a person can have. I think thin crust is so much better than thick. Guacamole goes with  - almost - everything. I think horses are magical animals. I believe that there are even more than two sides to every story. I know that happy endings do happen. Macaroni and cheese should not come from a box. Betraying a friend is a serious offense. I think turtles are so freakin' cool. I love thunderstorms...they are symbolic of how things blow over then are beautiful and back to normal. I love when my children don't want to move from my lap - even to play with their friends. Snuggles and hugs are always available. I think sundresses are genius. I think if someone is sad, you should comfort them. Why chew gum that doesn't lend itself to bubble blowing? I think community is important. Healing Acres Farm and Gathering Place. I think if everyone practiced yoga, the world would be a much more peaceful place. I love my ass. Jean jackets go with everything. I'd rather pay for a quality produced item than have one that was cheaper, but shoddily made. Sunflowers are jubilant! I prefer strong, dark, fair-trade, organic coffee. We are supposed to take care of each other. I Spy is the best game to play while on a road trip. Costa Rica, Italy, Ireland, Belize, Portugal...not necessarily in that order. I think you should always give someone the benefit of the doubt. Happy hour on the deck, sunsets, the smell of water, reggae music...priceless. Violins are beautiful, both in sound and appearance. I believe that our children learn how to treat others by the way we treat others. If no gifts were exchanged on Christmas, I'd be ok with that...I think if you see something that would be the perfect gift for someone, you buy it and give it to them...you shouldn't have to wait for a certain day...life is too short...better yet, I wish that people would realize that getting something that comes from the heart, as opposed to the mall, has more meaning and is appreciated longer. No one should outgrow naps. Spiritual, sexual, emotional, physical...the elements of a relationship...all of them have to be present, funtioning ,and healthy in order to have an intimate and loving relationship. Running clears my mind. Bunnies have the cutest tails. Always make the bed. I think that if you see kids selling cookies and lemonade at a stand, you are obligated to stop and buy something. No worries...everything is going to be amazing. Whew...on a roll!

Journaling...

I love my children...and have accepted the fact that they will, one-day, move on to start lives of their own. I believe you should smile at everyone you see. I think you should look someone in the eyes when they are talking to you. I believe that if you are going to pray, you need to be ready to do the work that comes with what God has to say. I like freckles. I believe that touch is vital to survival and healing. I love old movies. Cooking should be a family affair. I would do anything for my friends. The goofier, dorkier a person is, the better. Meditate. I believe in PDA. I think seashells should be displayed. Clothing is optional, but if I had to pick one thing to wear every day it would be a pair of jeans, white t-shirt, and flip-flops – and some sort of hat. I think anyone who spends needless time, money, and energy on a wedding day, isn’t really ready for a marriage. I spit watermelon seeds. I believe it takes work if it means anything. I think of laughter as a thread that keeps relationships sewn together. I believe in loyalty. I don't fake anything. I think that playing with and reading to children are two of the most important gifts we can give them. I believe the elderly are national treasures. Diamonds and gold are overrated. I love sand. I miss my Nana. I’ll always be an Oriole’s fan, even when they suck, every year. I think that being alone and feeling lonely are two completely different things…the former I don’t mind, the latter makes me sad. Music should be on more than the television. Family is important. I am a farmer at heart. Dreaming is wonderful, but doing is better. I don't believe in coincidences. Fish-net thigh highs rock. I believe if someone is within three feet of you, you should speak to them. I love holding hands. October is my favorite month. I believe in second chances – and three’s a charm. I love to celebrate other people's birthdays. My favorite flower is a peony. I think it’s unfair and unhealthy to expect one person to fulfill all of your needs. I like breakfast for dinner, but burritos for breakfast. I’m terrible at doing the dishes. Heart beats out head, hands-down, every time. I think chocolate should be its own food group. I admit when I'm wrong and I admire others who can do the same. I (quietly) cuss like a sailor when I get upset. Everyone is beautiful. I love getting my hands dirty. I'm sensitive to the feelings of others. Green! I love to have my face touched, especially while being kissed. I think people should be required to buy at least one box of Girl Scout cookies every year. I love boobs. I like images of the Madonna and Child. I consider lying on a blanket, watching the stars come out a fantastic date. I think you should eat by candlelight as often as possible. Rain calms me. I know that I love you. I believe that God is all-loving and all-forgiving. I love to dance. I love the smell of the ocean. I think that you have to be able to laugh at yourself. I make the best coconut cream pie on the planet. Kissing is underrated. 4 is a lucky number. Quotes by famous dead (and some who are still alive) people make me think. I love the smell of babies. Pumpkins make me smile. I believe that Halloween is as much for grown-ups as for adults. The simpler the better. I believe that even the most wonderful, loving, long-lasting relationships have challenges. I think that, should the situation ever present itself, God would choose a beer over any other beverage. Birthday cakes should be homemade. I believe in, on occasion, saying Yes! to a child before the question is even asked. Camping puts things in perspective. I believe that you can’t truly love a person who you don’t really like. I feel that everyone needs to laugh through life, hand in hand, with another person.


I could keep going…

I think that journaling is eye-opening…

See, I can’t stop…

Party Hats

Elsa is a hoot. She decided that she wanted to have an "I Love You" party.  She drew a picture of a cake with me standing underneath of it. She and Lucas pretended to serve food and drinks. We turned on music and danced to Toots and the Maytals. Then she hustled upstairs and hailed Lucas. A few minutes later they ran down the steps wearing their party hats...

Life is good. And hilarious.

Are You Sure I Don't Need To Worry?

Lucas likes to pick out his own clothes. Often times, they don't match. Other times he has on shorts and a t-shirt and it's 9-below. For the most part, he manages to pull it off, which gives him a sense of accomplishment.

However, the other day wasn't one of his best fashion choices.  He was getting dressed to play with one of the children in the neighborhood.  I was in the kitchen and heard him walk out the door without checking with me. I knew something was going on. Thankfully, I caught him before he headed down the street.

Then, after nap, he decided to change (Which he always does. He goes through several outfits a day). Instead of better, the choice was worse - but only in regard to aesthetics! The funny-factor was off the charts! Please note that the boots have a frog (or dinosaur...we've never figured it out) face on them.

I love that he is such an independent, confident spirit!

Won't Stop Loving...

I'm going to preface this post with the acknowledgment that I have so many things to improve upon! While one of my favorite sayings is that I'm "perfectly imperfect," that doesn't mean that I'm content being the way that I am.

"Be not afraid of growing slowly.

Be afraid of standing still."

~Chinese proverb

A friend, who I've known for many years, and I got into a discussion a few months ago about good and evil. She is a religious person (her claim, not mine). She believes that people are inherently bad, that trust needs to be earned, that people only care about themselves, and that forgiveness shouldn't be easily bestowed on those who hurt us.

These aren't the teachings I think Christ had in mind.
I believe that God's breath, God's light, is in everyone. So, I can not in good conscious, with a clear mind, think that people are inherently bad. And though hurt, I'll keep forgiving. Once you truly forgive, you have no other option but to trust again. And again.

Another friend from high school has "Christian" listed as her religious view on her facebook information page. (In fact, I see this "view" posted often on lots of people's pages.) Yet, she - and others with this label (maybe that's not fair...maybe it seems that people who loudly proclaim to follow Christ - or any other religious figure)  - seem to be the first one's to spew hatred, to seethe intolerance, to hurl harmful remarks about/toward other people, especially those who disagree on religious, philosophical, and politcal fronts. Or, better yet, those of a different race or nationality.

The Christ I know doesn't speak like this.
The space under where I sign my checks reads, "Love One Another." That's what Christ taught...to love.  I can't recall that He said only love people who are good, who aren't troubled, who haven't sinned, who only have the same skin color as you, who only live where you live and believe what you believe, who haven't hurt you. And if there are exclusions to the "love one another" policy, I'm opting out of them.

Some people believe that going to (Christian) church for an hour per week and sending their kids to Sunday school makes them a good person. And this is how they will achieve salvation. Sadly, they've never read the entire Bible (actually, no one really has since books have been removed, which theoretically makes it incomplete:( page by page in order to understand the context in which it was written. However, they'll pull versus out that they think will support whatever claim they are trying to make that day. (Seriously, I was talking about the Trinity...The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit... to a catholic who goes to church every week and had no idea what I was referring to).

The God I love wants me to carry Him throughout my days with my every breath.
Every day should be Sunday.

Then there are those who want to look good in the eyes of everyone (except their spouses and children...even parents)  - usually strangers and those they attend church with...so they'll use the catch phrase..."I'll pray for you!"  in order to fall into the good graces of others. Yet, they never take the time to do that - pray - especially not for anyone, except perhaps themselves. Probably, they had no plan on praying...it was simply lip service.

I believe in intention...in being motivated by goodness. I believe in prayer. I think that if I tell someone I'm going to pray for them that I should stop what I'm doing to ask that the Light of Christ touch that person's life. It's not somethng that can wait!

Takers. All of us at one time or another have taken something from another, whether it was given freely or not. But some always take.  Giving - emotions, time, things,  - is done with the expectation of getting something in return. They withhold affection to punish people who they supposedly care about. Mistakes are always remembered. They neither forgive nor forget. They refuse others a second chance, redemption...but they are the exception...they expect their faults to be overlooked and accepted. They have a difficult time lifting anyone up. They are cruel in action, thought, and speech...and feel no shame or guilt about it.

 I feel that we are to be of service to others -in even the simplest of ways. Being in service requires constant giving. We are supposed to act, to behave, in a Christ-like way with everyone in our life, with all whose paths cross ours. Lifting spirits, speaking kind words, understanding even those who hurt us should be priorities throughout our day.

Our arms should be open to not only accepting love and forgiveness, but more important, to giving love and forgiveness. Forgiveness...my goodness...If God allowed us only one mistake...we'd all be screwed!
 
Love one another!

Sensitive Souls

This past week was exhausting. I was physically drained from the red-eye flight Thursday morning and never quite recovered. Sleep had no intention of paying me a visit over the weekend. I got home Sunday morning, just in time to start preparing for the neighborhood to come over for an Easter gathering that afternoon. After everyone went home for the evening, even though I was tired from hopping around all day, I needed to get out and clear my mind.

I decided that a quick walk on the path near my house would be a wonderful idea. About half-way through my loop, I saw a person coming toward me...a girl, probably in her late teens. It was so apparent that she was an emotional mess...I could hear her sobbing and as she walked she would place her face in the nook of her elbow to either hide or wipe away the tears.

I stopped in my tracks. I was tearing up a bit just from hearing and seeing her. All of these thoughts raced through my head as to why she could be in so much pain. The only thing that I could get out of my mouth was, "Sweetheart, what can I do for you?" and then " Everything will be ok." She cried harder and said thank-you. But, the oddest thing happenend as she came closer and then passed me. I could feel her. Literally, I could feel her energy. The hairs on my arms stood up and this wave of sadness made its way through me. I've always been one to empathize with others, but this was so different. Which leads me to Elsa.

She is such a loving, in-tune spirit. Even when her energy is off, she admits it. On Easter, she was in and out of the house with her friends, but she would stop and lean into me, look at me, but not say anything, all with this knowing glow in her eyes.

Later, we were lying down...the kids were crawling (slowly...they were getting tired) over and around me while I was still. Lucas scurried off. Elsa leaned over top of me and put her nose to mine...Eskimo kisses...then she puts her little hand on my head and says, "You can cry whenever you want, Mommy. Stop holding things in. It's ok." She runs off. I was dumfounded. I had been smiling, chatting, hugging on people all day. Yet, somehow she knew that my heart was sad.

Compassion...what a gift...for her, as well as for those who are blessed enough to have contact with her.

When Enough Is Enough...And When Barely Anything Shouldn't Matter