tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52104786935562021922024-03-20T02:11:57.212-07:00Live, Love, Laugh, Hopelive love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.comBlogger1041125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-7454827388300234812019-12-31T14:16:00.000-08:002019-12-31T14:24:15.685-08:00Brave I read this this morning. Great reminder as we head into a new year.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">You have been equipped by God to endure this life. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">He has built you </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">to be strong and courageous. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>He designed you with a spine to stand up for what is right, </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>hands to work hard and provide, </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>a mouth to speak His truth, a mind to make wise choices, </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>a heart to love others unconditionally, </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>and muscles to exercise your strength for the purpose of His will. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>You are a warrior with the power dwelling inside </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>you to live a bold and righteous life.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>You will face trials. Being brave is about being </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>ready to face and endure any circumstance.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Being brave is about being prepared both physically </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>and spiritually to defend your faith and to protect </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>those you love. </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">T</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">here will be people and situations that </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">threaten those things. </span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">You must not be distracted by selfishness, and you must not be wrapped up in sin. Otherwise, you will be blindsided by your weaknesses. </span></i></span></div>
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-51921646269133777142019-12-02T21:29:00.000-08:002019-12-02T21:29:05.797-08:00Kindness Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I began a 25 days of kindness for the month of December. I have a few friends on Instagram who are joining in with their own list. You can find many lists online for daily acts of kindness. The point is, do something. </span><div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Give.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Be kind.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Make a difference.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Smile.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Serve.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do something every day that is not about you. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You never know whose life will be changed because of your kindness. </span></div>
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-26710444370618464742019-11-24T22:11:00.000-08:002019-11-24T22:11:29.358-08:00Remember What is Important <span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">This week has held days of preparing for the holidays-shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, cleaning the house, listening to Christmas music, putting up lights on the outside of our home. I've been a mixture of emotions. I am excited to spend time with family. I love getting the lights up on our home. But then there is this.....this is the first holiday season without my mother-in-law. It's difficult. We miss her. She passed at the end of April of this year. My heart also thinks of other loved ones we have lost this year, and along with over the years. I also think of some of the difficult situations that have come about this year in our lives and the lives of friends and family. Tears stream down my face at the most inopportune times, it seems. Memories are triggered by food, ornaments, decorations, songs, something someone says and the tears come. Memories are good, though. The remind us of intentional times spent together.</span><div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">I have so much to be grateful for and I don't want to forget that. I have challenged myself to a gratitude challenge every day. It helps to keep things in the right perspective and to focus on what is good, what I have, and to be grateful for those who are in my life. Life is precious. Live every moment. Love deeply. Put your phones down and spend time with those you love. Laugh. Cry. Make memories. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">At the end of your life, you will not wish you spent more time on your phone, staring at a screen. You will remember, cherish, and long for moments with loved ones, so cherish them now. Remember what is truly important. People. Face to face. Real conversations. Time together. People. </span></div>
live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-79708624905773135412019-11-03T18:31:00.001-08:002019-11-03T18:31:39.382-08:00Pause To Be Grateful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(180, 95, 6); color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">November is a great month to intentionally focus on gratitude. Unfortunately, the world we live in seems to easily focus on the bad, the negative, what's wrong with everything and everyone. It would change our world if we all remembered to pause <b><i>every</i> </b>day to be grateful for the blessings we all have, for the people in our lives, and for the beauty that surrounds us. There is always something to be thankful for. Will you join me in taking time </span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">every day to write down what you are thankful for, for the daily gifts in your life? When you change your focus and begin to look for daily gifts, write them down, and see the beauty in every day, it changes how you see the world. If you don't like to write in a notebook, there are apps that allow you to keep a daily gratitude journal. Yes, life is busy, but it only takes a few moments to pause and be grateful. </span></span><br />
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-33992628252746760162019-10-17T10:27:00.000-07:002019-10-17T10:27:42.818-07:00Autumn Beaty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-88637686318463704952019-09-18T23:40:00.000-07:002019-09-18T23:41:28.001-07:00Autumn <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(180, 95, 6);">And just </i><i>like</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(180, 95, 6);"> that, Fall has arrived. </i></span></div>
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-60911110338423825032019-09-06T18:31:00.000-07:002019-09-06T18:31:06.778-07:00Changes <span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today feels like Fall has arrived. The air is crisp with rain falling on and off and the fog is drooped off the tree tops. Some of the leaves are beginning to change, as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some changes in life are </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(180, 95, 6); color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">beyond our control, while other changes, we choose. Change is </span></span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">inevitable. Many of the most difficult changes are when they come out of nowhere and slam into us, unexpectedly. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How do you handle change? Do you run from it, embrace it, or push through and figure it out as you go? Personally, I do all three. This week we were faced with that unexpected, knock the breath out of us change. It's been difficult. It isn't anything personal, but happened to someone we know and who is a mentor to us. My reaction was shock, anger, sadness, and wanting to help wherever I could. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Change is inevitable, but how we choose to handle it is a choice. Even if we feel anger, how we respond in that anger is the key. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ecclesiastes 3 says this about change: </span><br />
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<span class="text Eccl-3-1" id="en-VOICE-16761" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>For everything <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">that happens in life</span>—there is a season, a right time for everything under heaven:</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Eccl-3-2" id="en-VOICE-16762" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span>A time to be born, a time to die;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-2-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-3-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">a time to plant, a time to collect the harvest;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Eccl-3-3" id="en-VOICE-16763" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span>A time to kill, a time to heal;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-2-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-3-3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">a time to tear down, a time to build up;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Eccl-3-4" id="en-VOICE-16764" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span>A time to cry, a time to laugh;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-2-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-3-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">a time to mourn, a time to dance;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Eccl-3-5" id="en-VOICE-16765" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span>A time to scatter stones, a time to pile them up;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-2-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-3-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">a time for a <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">warm</span> embrace, a time for keeping your distance;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Eccl-3-6" id="en-VOICE-16766" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span>A time to search, a time to give up as lost;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-2-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-3-6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">a time to keep, a time to throw out;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Eccl-3-7" id="en-VOICE-16767" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </span><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span>A time to tear apart, a time to bind together;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-2-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-3-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">a time to be quiet, a time to speak up;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Eccl-3-8" id="en-VOICE-16768" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span>A time to love, a time to hate;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-2-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-3-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">a time to go to war, a time to make peace.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><br /></span>live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-13693982612635028572019-09-02T23:10:00.000-07:002019-09-02T23:47:13.858-07:00Reconnecting <span style="color: #660000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's been awhile since I have written, blogged, or even really gone out and spent a day with my camera. Writing and photography are things I enjoy and ways I express myself, work through things, release stress, process life, so when I haven't done much of either, frustration sets in. We were created to be creative. When I'm not, I seem to forget to connect to the things I enjoy most, I don't take time to see the beauty in life, and I get much more stressed. I need to take time to back to what I enjoy, things that I'm passionate about. I have missed writing. A lot. It has been awhile since I have put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(7, 55, 99);">What do you find therapeutic? How do you creatively express yourself? Have you done it lately? If not, I challenge you to go to your creative outlet and take time to reconnect to it, and connect with yourself. </span></span><br />
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-16959345448411206392017-07-25T13:36:00.001-07:002017-07-25T13:36:54.019-07:00Learning To RestWhy is it in our society we see rest and quietness as something wrong, or temporary? We treat rest more like a privilege than a necessity.<br />
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Do you get so busy that you forget to enjoy life? I recently went on a weeks vacation, and although I was busy sightseeing and going, it was a different type of busy. I was with my husband, my loved ones, seeing the beauty. For those who know me or who have followed my blog, you know that photography is my way to disconnect, to connect with our Creator and see the beauty He has created. It's been months since I intentionally picked up my camera, actually close to a year. I have not had my 'photo days' where I grab the dog and the camera and just go take photos. I will admit that because of busyness and lack of rest, my creativity has taken a vacation, and I was just breezing through the day, not seeing the sunsets, the flowers, the beauty. I do not want to live that type of life. It's not truly living if you are not experiencing life.<br />
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Rest is more than a nap. Rest is more than an hour massage or a day off. Sometimes we feel guilty that we haven't rested so we 'schedule' a couple hours of rest, and it becomes just like all of our other commitments we have on our to do list. Our rest becomes a task to accomplish and we become more and more exhausted.<br />
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I know many who have told me they had to become sick, to become well. They had to be knocked down with chronic illness, probably caused by too much busyness and not enough rest, to find out how important true, real rest is for all of us. Through these journeys, they have also found out that wealth and success as the world sees it are not what matters in life. The love and laughter of family and friends is what matters. Relationships matter. Rest matters. Real rest.<br />
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Chronic busyness causes chronic stress which causes chronic illness. I know. I have recently been diagnosed with one. Yet, I am struggling to prioritize my life to get well. My doctor has given me a warning to slow down, yet I keep going, I keep doing, I keep striving for worldly applause and success. The more I strive for these things, the worse my health is, and the worse I feel. A couple days ago, God made a loud point and made me so dizzy and fatigued, I could not do anything else but rest. I slept. I sat out under our big twisted willow tree and listened to the birds, the sound of the wind, neighbor kids laughing, hummingbirds buzzing over my head, and silence.<br />
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We get busy and we forget to pay attention to our life, to our loved ones, to our faith, and to our health. We don't see the beauty, we just get in a mode of doing, not living. We stare at computer and phone screens, thinking we are connected but instead we are deeply disconnected from life and relationships.<br />
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I have been rudely awakened to the importance of rest and real relationships through my body having a revolt against my busyness. While I am not thrilled to be dealing with a chronic illness right now, I am thankful that I have been awakened to the life I was living and what it has been doing to my body.<br />
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I am in a new season. A season of restoring my health, reconnecting with God, learning to be still, knowing that rest is healthy not bad, and getting intentionally connected with friends and family face to face...these are what matter in life. These are the things that leave a legacy, not busyness.<br />
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What needs to change for you today to restore healthy rest, to connect with people face to face, to be still, to see the beauty that surrounds you every day? Make the changes and truly live the life you have been given. It is a gift.<br />
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-88265760565244525272017-05-09T23:01:00.000-07:002017-05-09T23:01:12.519-07:00Tulip Fields<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last week, I was able to go to the tulip fields in Washington State. I have wanted to visit them for a long time, and finally had a chance. Many of the tulips were done blooming, but I was still able to take in much of the beauty. </span></div>
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-33174565060913063402017-04-23T17:38:00.001-07:002017-04-23T17:38:35.103-07:00What Are You Chasing?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">We all chase something. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My dog chases her tail. She also chases cats that wander in her yard, and she loves to chase balls and sticks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some people chase the impossible dream, other people chase careers, love, money, beauty, approval, popularity, perfection. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lately with all the rain and cold weather we have had, I've felt like chasing the sun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What you chase, defines you, shows your priorities in life. What you chase shows a lot about who you are and what you value. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If we forfeit what we are passionate about to chase money, we succeed at something that doesn't really matter. If we chase perfection, we miss the opportunity to learn from our mistakes, reset, and enjoy life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If we are always running, chasing a life that we weren't designed for, then we miss the life we were designed to live, the purpose and plan that God set in our hearts and we are never truly content or happy, so we continue to chase things that do not matter. We always want more, instead of experiencing joy and peace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are you chasing today? Do you need to stop chasing, and allow a time of quiet to overwhelm you, reset your life, readjust your focus? Do you need to pursue the things you know you care about and are passionate about, even if pursuing them will not bring you the earthly wealth you may seek? Do you need to set aside your OCD and perfection driven life to just live, love, and find joy in your family, your friends, and just be? Do you need to stop chasing the life of someone else, whether it's their looks or their lifestyle and just be thankful for who you are and what you have? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We can all improve our life, no doubt about it, and we should, but when we spend all of our time chasing things that take all of our time, or are not our life calling, or make us pull away from what truly matters, then our lives need to take a course adjustment. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-5626939599660306862017-04-10T00:09:00.000-07:002017-04-10T00:13:35.235-07:00Checking In <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It has been a long time since I have intentionally sat down to write. I most definitely miss it. I hope to write more often, so please check back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life has changed a lot since I last posted. My pup is now almost two. She is a non-ending ball of energy. But, we love her and try to keep up with her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A few updates: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I switched jobs a couple months ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My hubby is back in school, and working full time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I still love photography, just don't get as much time to get out and take photos. When I do get out with my camera, I seem to make up for lost time!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is busy. But, we try to take time to intentionally slow down and enjoy. Today, we hiked and enjoyed a beautiful waterfall, wildflowers, each other, and creation for two hours. It was a much needed hike next to the roaring water to help us unwind, breathe, disconnect, and remember that God is in control in this crazy world we live in. Our bodies and souls need time to breathe, to relax, to be present, to enjoy the outdoors, to intentionally connect face to face with those in our lives, </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to get some exercise, and to laugh. </span></div>
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-37722213118380045732016-07-15T15:29:00.000-07:002016-07-15T15:34:07.992-07:00Screen Disease <div class="_5x46" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: 'San Francisco', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; margin-bottom: 11px;">
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The other day, my husband and I were grabbing a coffee, sitting in the sun, and having a conversation. At the table next to us were two parents, with three children under the age of 9. Mom and dad were both staring at their phones, never speaking a word. No words, just staring at screens. The two older kids tried to talk to mom and dad about going for a bike ride or playing at the park, but they would not return their conversation. The youngest girl, probably 2, was deeply sucked in <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">to a tablet, neck bent way over, not even knowing their was a real life around her. Not only is that sad that this little one is already addicted to the tablet, but it's a horrible thing for her body, her neck. My chiropractor told me he is seeing extremely high amounts of bulging discs in kids, all because of too much screen time. Those discs will affect them for the rest of their life. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I see this scenario played out all the time. It's sad. It's an addiction, just like drugs, porn, alcohol. People are addicted to their phones and are making their kids the same way. Yes, I have a phone and tablet, and yes, I spend time on them, but I also intentionally put them away, and spend time with REAL people, face to face. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Are you willing to reclaim your life, to really live life? <b><i>THIS LIFE ISN'T A DRESS REHEARSAL! </i></b>This is it. Once a day, a moment is gone, it's gone. Those moments you missed with your loved ones because you were staring at a screen can never be recaptured. At the end of your life, do you think you will look back and be happy how much time you spent staring at Facebook, Pinterest, Pokemon, Instagram, gaming, instead of sharing life and conversations with people, your loved ones, your friends, your family? </span></div>
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Take time this weekend to disconnect. Fly a kite, go for a bike ride, build a fort, go fishing, watch a sunset, take a nap, have a water fight, laugh, go on a picnic, actually have a real face to face conversation with someone, go camping, shut the devices off and recapture your life! Your life will be much less stressed because you intentionally disconnect. I guarantee, nothing earth shattering will happen on FB that you will miss! However, if you don't look up, shut down, you are missing the beauty in creation around you, you are missing talking and laughing with your friends and family. This life is all there is on this side of eternity, don't waste it! </div>
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-80572786658700510992016-03-08T10:04:00.000-08:002016-03-08T10:14:08.223-08:00Sunsets <br />
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<span style="color: #f4cccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was recently designing some backgrounds to use in multimedia presentations. A friend of ours was close by and watching. He said "Once you have seen one or two sunsets, you have seen them all. There isn't any point in capturing a photo of a sunset more than twice." I looked at him, eyebrows raised, and said "You obviously don't watch sunsets! Each sunset is different, a new Masterpiece from our Creator." He laughed and said he obviously didn't look at the world like I did. I joked back and said obviously not, maybe you should begin! We laughed over it, but there is a lot of truth in examining how we see the world. </span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #f4cccc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A few weeks ago, I was so busy, I didn't stop to see the cloud formations, the birds, the sunsets, or anything but work. I was grumpy. I realized I needed to grab my camera and go capture some creation. I took an hour. That hour deeply refreshed my soul. I slowed down, took in the beauty of a lake, the mountains, geese, old barns, and I took time to breathe. I needed that time. </span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Back to my sunset discussion. </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Each sunset is unique. Beautiful. Breathtaking.</span></span><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do you stop long enough to notice? Do you put down your phone long enough to see it?</span></span><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Take time to see the beauty. Take time to breathe it in. Each moment of beauty, each sunset, is a gift.</span></span><span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></i></span><br />
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-10228776564145880182016-01-18T00:51:00.001-08:002016-01-19T17:14:14.589-08:00Rooted<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was approaching the beginning 2016, and my husband and I decided to do the one word challenge this year. <i> <a href="http://myoneword.org/">MY ONE WORD website</a></i> One word. Just one word for the year to strive for, live by. One word to transform your life. I prayed about that one word for 10 days. Nothing. I had ideas. As a matter of fact, I have a full page of words I wrote down, but when I went to implement them as my one word for 2016, it felt like God was saying "Nope, that is not the word." Word after word, each a no. I am not a person who likes to wait, so waiting for 10 days felt like a very long time, and I was at a point of thinking maybe I wasn't supposed to have ONE WORD this year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our church is starting a new campus and on day 10 of praying and searching for that word, we were setting up for our second preview service. The day had been so busy with tech set up, I honestly hadn't thought of my word all day. At the end of a very long, but wonderful day, I pulled up the YouVersion Bible app to read a verse our pastor was referencing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> As I went to read the screen of my phone, my eyes went up two verses. I hadn't really read any words, but my eyes went to one word. It was as if God made it bolder and expanded it, and said there it is! </span><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Rooted.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: large;"> Rooted? But that isn't the word I had thought. I mean I thought my word would be <i>hope</i>, or <i>be present</i>, or <i>patience</i>....Rooted? I stood and stared at it for a few seconds and said to God, so this is my word? There wasn't any doubt at all. I knew I had my word for the year. Why rooted? I don't know, but there is a reason. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is the verse:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being <b>rooted </b>and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Ephesians 3:16-19 </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was in a study three years back on Colossians, and Colossians 2:6-7 is a key verse, as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>"And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A couple years ago was the first time I did the One Word challenge. My word was overcome. Overcome I did. I overcame lifetime fears, hang ups, habits, and attitudes that weighed me down. I walked across a swinging bridge which is a couple hundred feet above a roaring river. I do not like heights, particularly above water and roaring water doesn't help! To increase that fear, add in a bridge made of planks, that swings, that is only wide enough for one person. It took awhile, but I made it. Twice. I overcame a huge fear. The fear of that task was just one of many things God had me overcome that year. It was a year of deep transformation and victory over things that had me stuck. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">How about you? Do you have a one word? It's not too late to pray about it, and see where that journey takes you over the rest of the year. It's a great way to begin fresh and renew a portion of who you are, how you view life. We all need new beginnings, and they are available to us <i>every day.</i> We just have to take the first step to transform our lives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please read my friends pages:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://capturedbitsofbeauty.blogspot.com/2016/01/one-word.html"><i>Captured Bits of Beauty </i></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://www.whatmartysees.com/2016/01/things-to-remember-in-new-year.html">What Marty Sees </a></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://pollywogcreek.blogspot.com/2016/01/beginningsnot-summer-on-pollywog-creek.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Pollywog Creek </i></span></a></div>
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-41366601391001014262015-12-20T23:33:00.001-08:002015-12-20T23:33:38.457-08:00A Night of Reflecting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tonight my mind is flooded with memories of loved ones who are not with us any longer. Apparently, exhaustion makes ones mind wander. I have been putting in very long hours at work, preparing for Christmas services, and have more to go. I know it will be worth it, but tonight I am a very weary soul. I am also a weepy soul. I saw a photo of almond bark, of all things, and thought of my Gram. She made 3-4 treats a year out of that stuff so the photo made me think of her. Since then, my mind has gone to all my grandparents, my father-in-law, dear friends and family members, and our dog Maddie who left us in April, and I am remembering and reflecting, and shedding tears. I think of friends who have lost both parents since Summer and how their Christmas will be this year. I think of those who have lost their children this year, and how they must be overwhelmed with grief. "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" came on the radio tonight and I thought how while it is because of Jesus and the gift of His life and love to us, it is also a lonely time of year for many. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, be there for others. Look at them, notice them, offer a smile, a helping hand, a listening ear. You don't know what is going on inside that person's soul or what they are facing. Kindness goes a long way, however. Be kind. Be loving. Give the gift of a smile. You never know how your kindness will touch or affect someone. If you know a single parent, give them a hand by either watching their kids, giving them a gift card, or lifting their load in some way. If you know older people who are alone, go spend some time with them, touch their hands, look them in the eye, and listen. If you know someone who has lost a loved one this year, just let them know you are thinking of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Spread love. Give. Be present. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And if you need a reminder of what Christmas is all about, here is a reminder:</span></div>
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-76637055680927965042015-12-07T13:21:00.002-08:002015-12-13T16:24:37.072-08:00Oh Christmas Tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37iuw-onOGaEJq9Yes-GJYypBLOP3NLBJg2IIZ6hyphenhyphenowXaOZOClqodmbECghmFads2XbFQIdKi-l6I6TlnY4wCE9X3xs1SsIHxFcKeM9hyw_DFew0AsoRFwSa5iGo3-PAI3h4uI350WXcj/s1600/IMG_5550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37iuw-onOGaEJq9Yes-GJYypBLOP3NLBJg2IIZ6hyphenhyphenowXaOZOClqodmbECghmFads2XbFQIdKi-l6I6TlnY4wCE9X3xs1SsIHxFcKeM9hyw_DFew0AsoRFwSa5iGo3-PAI3h4uI350WXcj/s400/IMG_5550.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I decorate our Christmas tree tonight, I am overwhelmed. Our tree isn't an elegant tree. It isn't a tree that any designer would recommend. Our Christmas tree would not be featured in any home decorating magazine. But honestly, I don't care. Our tree is a memory tree. It's filled things that fill our hearts and minds. It's filled with years upon years of memories. Nearly every ornament we hang on our tree represents someone and something special.</span></span></span></h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7warogkpgvSLUachMojioqHyzfg3-GqgZBWwmq432y2Hf9yHlfNaCQtyFYaP-dbFQ9bTpESaFmDx55hNHM73n7AIAQns4ceFrtLWNa3EjueQ0SM5bdTIRTvXQq6jRzjmCcvkGoRVcJNR/s1600/blogger-image-1754570050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7warogkpgvSLUachMojioqHyzfg3-GqgZBWwmq432y2Hf9yHlfNaCQtyFYaP-dbFQ9bTpESaFmDx55hNHM73n7AIAQns4ceFrtLWNa3EjueQ0SM5bdTIRTvXQq6jRzjmCcvkGoRVcJNR/s640/blogger-image-1754570050.jpg" width="478" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We have handmade ornaments from the years we did youth ministry with 5th and 6th graders. Perfect, no. Beautiful and from the heart, yes. As I hung those ornaments on the tree tonight, I remembered the love in the eyes of the kids who gave their special creations to me. Those 'kids' are now in their late 20's. Our tree has precious ornaments from our grandparents. There are handmade ornaments from our parents, and our nieces when they were wee little ones. Our tree has handpainted ornaments from my husband's dad, who has been gone for nearly fifteen years now. The ornaments that adorn our tree all have a memory attached to them. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One Christmas in our early married years, things were pretty tight. We had a lot of medical bills that year, and wages were very lean. We had many speed bumps in life that year, particularly the latter part of the year. Three weeks prior to Christmas, the UPS driver showed up at our door with a box. I hadn't ordered anything, as there wasn't money to order anything, so I did not know what we were receiving. I opened the box and it was a beautiful octagon box that had old time Santa Claus pictures all over it. I opened the box, and it was filled with twelve beautiful ornaments. I grabbed the box to see who the sender was, as I knew these ornaments had to be fairly pricey. There was a company's name. I searched the box for a card, but there was not one. When my husband arrived home from work that evening, I showed him the ornaments and asked if he had ordered them. He said no. We called both sets of parents, grandparents, but no one knew anything about them. The following day I called the company listed on the shipping address. The kind customer service lady looked it up and said they had the order, but that the order came from us. I said we didn't order them. She looked a bit more, and said "well, they must be from Santa so just enjoy them, and please keep them." I offered to send them back, but she insisted we keep the ornaments as apparently their company sent them by 'mistake' but it was their mistake, so therefore, it was a gift for us to enjoy. We did, and twenty years later, we still do. I think of that hard year every time I pull the box out, and how God knew we needed that little reminder that even in the hard times, the lean times, there are gifts around us, we just need to enjoy and appreciate them. We also need to take the time to see them.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We have one wooden dog bone on the tree that has the name CODY engraved in it. Cody was our first dog after we got married. He died a couple weeks before Christmas in 2001, so that ornament brings tears to my eyes as I place it upon our tree. When I pulled out the bone that says MADDIE, I shed quite a few tears. 14 years ago, Maddie came to warm our hearts and home two days after Christmas. She left a big hole in our hearts when she left this year, right after Easter. Both Cody & Maddie LOVED Christmas. They would get so excited when the Christmas boxes came out. Maddie would spend every evening sleeping under the tree during the month of December. She was like a little kid. Our new pup, well, let's just say she needs some work on this whole Christmas thing and not eating her stocking, the tree, or the ornaments on the tree. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.whatmartysees.com/2015/12/dpp-day-7.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What Marty Sees</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://pollywogcreek.blogspot.com/2015/12/circle-of-faitha-florida-christmas.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pollywog Creek</span></a><br />
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-43984341405491918342015-11-16T16:45:00.001-08:002015-11-16T17:04:09.868-08:00Giving Thanks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfIz_0V67fgbVFI-M-rL_grkqxpc-58ZlhIEIe09Evil9GPU9OVuZ-bWq-k7LfeIf3y4Hamgz2T6Ia26AxIJbWU9_AdqF6SQPg_q9Xb7K80b0Rz1DfHsedlWWy8zItdhyphenhyphenp8VU3x7lONZJ/s1600/gratitude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfIz_0V67fgbVFI-M-rL_grkqxpc-58ZlhIEIe09Evil9GPU9OVuZ-bWq-k7LfeIf3y4Hamgz2T6Ia26AxIJbWU9_AdqF6SQPg_q9Xb7K80b0Rz1DfHsedlWWy8zItdhyphenhyphenp8VU3x7lONZJ/s400/gratitude.jpg" width="265" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is one of the first years in many that I have not done 30 days of thanks. Honestly, I have missed it. Whether I did a photo prompt or wrote it out, it would make me stop and pause and be thankful. This season has brought many things that have kept me so busy I have not had much time to just pause. This morning is the first pause I have had in three weeks. I'm not proud of that fact nor is it how I want to live, sometimes life gets very busy. I always try to take at least a partial day to pause, rejuvenate, and have some margin in my life. However these last three weeks have had little time for that. I am thankful that this morning I did not have a schedule, and was able to go at a slower pace, and get some photo time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Giving thanks. We live in a culture that is not always terribly appreciative and words of thanks often go unspoken. While thank you is a great thing to hear, having an attitude of thankfulness is what's the most important. Thankfulness and gratitude begin in our heart. While it can be taught, and should be, we are responsible for our own actions, words, decisions and we decide what comes out of our mouth and where we allow our hearts and minds to live. Teaching kids how to live this way is a priceless gift, and it come best by modeling a life like this. Giving thanks should be a daily routine that comes naturally out of a heart of gratefulness. Deep gratitude is not about how much stuff we have that clutters our lives, the house we live in, or the cars we drive. Deep gratitude comes from living a life of joy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /> I have had many friends who have been to other countries where people have absolutely nothing and are living out of cardboard boxes or 20 people are living inside what we would consider a small bedroom. My friends tell me that these people have such a deep seeded joy and they live a life grateful to be alive, for the people that surround them, and they laugh and sing often. They have little as far as material possessions go, but their hearts are filled with gratefulness and thanksgiving and their lives reflect that by the way they live. <br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thankfulness doesn't depend on what we have or don't have. Thankfulness and gratitude begin in our heart. It's up to us to tend to her heart, so that we reap a harvest of deep gratefulness. When we tend to our hearts that way, our lives automatically overflow with thanksgiving and we bless those who encounter us on a daily basis. We smile. We say thank you. We are kind. We help someone in need. We do the mundane, and we don't complain. We love those in our lives deeply and cherish and treasure every moment we have to spend together. When we take care of harvesting gratefulness in our heart, living a life of giving thanks becomes a natural part of our being.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />So, while I have missed the daily pause to record my 30 days of thanks of social media, I do pause and say thank you to God for my husband, my family, my home, friends, our church family, ministry, daily provisions, my pup, the beauty that surrounds me, the gift of amazing grace that was freely given to me because of Christ, being able to serve others, and the blessings go on and on. I try to tend my heart and keep it focused on the blessings God gives me daily. Yes, I fail and I can complain, but I don't live in that spot. Oh, I could but I refuse to let bitterness take a deep root in my life, as life is a precious gift, and we are made to live it out in a deep state of gratitude. <br /><br /><br /> This Thanksgiving season, give yourself the gift to allow gratitude to fill your heart, and flow out into your life and touch others. You will be blessed. <br /><br /> <br /> Please check out my blog circle's posts on Giving Thanks. <br /><br /><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.whatmartysees.com/2015/11/in-every-thing-give-thanks.html">What Marty Sees</a><br /><br /><br /> <a href="http://capturedbitsofbeauty.blogspot.com/2015/11/thank-full-family-tribute.html">Captured Bits of Beauty</a> <br /><br /></span>
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-16977905943024102132015-11-08T10:57:00.001-08:002015-11-08T10:57:18.041-08:00Blessings<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><br></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>This is a great reminder of how to be present and live out each day. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><br></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><br></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdemRamZybMEL7lCp4vobEm-mkifqbwHyGA3iL3YDK1Up4KSpoTKF6RzTUR8425DmbWY3Kf32XwO0u_0ekaVDxk6ouONnAU1Y8iKCCSp83zjK45KKoWsqkM8ORSMSjdbJazgiTJt4ok89-/s640/blogger-image-283553807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdemRamZybMEL7lCp4vobEm-mkifqbwHyGA3iL3YDK1Up4KSpoTKF6RzTUR8425DmbWY3Kf32XwO0u_0ekaVDxk6ouONnAU1Y8iKCCSp83zjK45KKoWsqkM8ORSMSjdbJazgiTJt4ok89-/s640/blogger-image-283553807.jpg"></b></a></div><br>live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-70236661555821264942015-10-13T22:32:00.001-07:002015-10-13T22:32:14.014-07:00Autumn Splendor <i><br /></i>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>~John Burroughs </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #990000; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>I love autumn, the one season of the year that God seems to have put there just for the beauty of it. ~Lee Maynard</i></span></span></div>
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Please check out my blogging friends:<br />
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<a href="http://capturedbitsofbeauty.blogspot.com/2015/10/seasonal-goodness-counting-gifts.html">Captured Bits of Beauty</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.whatmartysees.com/2015/10/tis-season.html">What Marty Sees</a><br />
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<a href="http://sandraheskaking.com/2015/10/there-is-no-hurry/">Sandra Heska King </a><br />
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-5747308178367949162015-09-26T10:58:00.004-07:002015-09-26T10:58:55.182-07:00Welcome Fall <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">W</span><span style="color: #e69138;">e</span><span style="color: #990000;">l</span><span style="color: #bf9000;">c</span><span style="color: #e69138;">o</span><span style="color: #741b47;">m</span><span style="color: #7f6000;">e</span><span style="color: #e69138;"> </span><span style="color: #660000;">F</span><span style="color: #f6b26b;">a</span><span style="color: #cc0000;">l</span><span style="color: #e06666;">l</span><span style="color: #783f04;">!</span></span></i><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b></span></div>
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-24859532458017944532015-09-14T10:53:00.002-07:002015-09-21T07:52:27.016-07:00Back To School <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The theme this month for my blog circle is 'Back To School.' I have been out of school for more years than I want to admit, although I did take some life coaching classes four years back and loved it! I don't have kids to send off to school, either, so I wondered what I could write about. Well, last Wednesday, it came to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We have a four month old puppy. She has a lot of spunk and energy, and a very, very strong will. Two weeks ago, we started school with her. She is officially enrolled in obedience classes for five weeks. She is in a rather large class. There were close to 20 dogs, and probably 35 owners at our first night of class. We had everything from tiny little terriers to very large and clumsy lab puppies, and one German Shepherd pup. Everyone but one little Blue Heeler seemed happy to be there. All the other pups and dogs had tails wagging and were friendly and playful with one another. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our first lesson was "Let's Go" and "Sit." My pup paid attention most of the time. She had a lab pup next to her, and it took all her will to not pounce and play through the entire class.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> They were about the same size, but two months age difference, my Golden being the younger of the two. Everyone was doing pretty well, until all the sudden, someone started to bark, then another, and another, and two more. My girl was the beginning barker. The neighbor horses decided to come to the fence, which was only a couple feet behind where we were sitting. My girl decided these large, scary creatures did not look like everyone else around the circle and so she told them so. Now, she has seen horses before, but these were encroaching upon her doggy class, and she wasn't so sure what to do about it. Needless to say, we got a visit from the teacher who thought taking her over to the fence would help, but it only made her more upset. I feared we would be sent to the principals office the first night of class. In a sense, we were, as they made us go to the indoor arena and get a new collar on our girl "to better control her."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are now in the second week, and she has learned sit, lay down, let's go, and we are working on heal and stay. She also loves to retrieve her ball and bring it back, and most of the time she drops it when told. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Schooling for her can be a bit challenging as she appears to have a case of what we call the butterfly syndrome. She will be very well behaved and paying attention, when suddenly, BUTTERFLY! Or CAT! Or BUG! Or PERSON! OR...........anything that moves! The teacher assured us she will grow out of this syndrome. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, as my husband and I attend school with our pup, we are all learning. Although we have had dogs before, this one is definitely her own personality, so back to school is a good place for all of us to be so we can have a well trained, well behaved adult dog. Well, we can at least hope. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please visit the others in my blog circle:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://spyjournal.biz/back-school">Spy Journal</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://capturedbitsofbeauty.blogspot.com/2015/09/september.html">Captured Bits of Beauty</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://pollywogcreek.blogspot.com/2015/09/circle-of-faithback-to-school.html">Pollywog Creek</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://www.whatmartysees.com/2015/09/back-to-school.html">What Marty Sees</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://breathedeeply.org/2015/09/18/back-to-school/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Breathe Deeply </span></a>live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-35882580015606159402015-08-26T23:26:00.002-07:002015-08-26T23:28:13.089-07:00Smoke-Filled Skies in Idaho<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I live in Idaho. Idaho and Washington are severely on fire. While it makes for some amazing sun photos, we desperately need rain. Most days, all we see is gray to the ground, with ash falling down like snow. However, at the moment, we are the fortunate ones as there is not a fire right here. We have numerous fires surrounding us, but so far, we are safe. For that, I am grateful!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please pray for rain for our region! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This was one of the better days. There is an airport, homes, and mountains, you just can't see them. </span></div>
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-40111210148753242432015-08-18T16:53:00.004-07:002015-08-18T16:59:19.897-07:00The Pup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our new pup, well, we have had her two months now, makes me smile, even when she is causing trouble or biting me. She is now 3 1/2 months old and getting quite a personality. She loves kids, running non-stop, watermelon, and feet. Last week, we were finally able to take her for a walk because her vaccinations were finished. She is now discovering a whole new world and loving to go for walks. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She is also losing teeth the past week so she is chewing more than usual, and her puppy fluff is beginning to fall out, being replaced by her adult coat. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Her sweet face brings a smile to my face. I hope it does yours, as well. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Only a Golden puppy can find mud in the middle of a very hot Summer drought! </span></div>
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live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210478693556202192.post-8855888643456418862015-08-09T23:53:00.001-07:002015-08-10T15:38:17.461-07:00Where I Live <span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I live in the Pacific Northwest. It used to be a quiet place, where farming and logging were the key industries. Those industries have been replaced with tourism, real estate, and construction. We are one of the fastest growing places in the United States. I can't say that statistic thrills me. I liked the quieter, slower life, with expansive farmlands, beautiful lakes and trees, and dirt roads. I am a country girl at heart. Those ole dirt roads and fields are being replaced by cookie cutter housing developments where the homes are on top of each other and every road is paved. The beautiful pine trees are being knocked over like dominoes to build more homes and roads. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All that aside, I still seek out the beauty in creation that God provides for me every day. It may take a little longer to find a quiet place but I so appreciate every beautiful moment when I find a place of solitude, to take in and capture the beauty that surrounds me. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At my home, I enjoy my front porch, where I can sit in the cool of a Summer morning, drink my coffee, look at my flowers, and listen to the birds sing. There is often a purple finch serenading me as I sip my coffee. For such a small bird, he has a beautiful song and he reminds me to find joy in the moment. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the evenings, I enjoy beautiful sunsets off my front porch. Tonight was no exception. It was a beautiful skyline. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am blessed to live where I live. I am thankful that God provides amazing beauty for me to enjoy and capture with my camera, and my heart. I hope you take time each day to appreciate where you live and that you slow down long enough to see the beauty that surrounds you.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This blog is part of a blog circle. Our theme for this month is <b><i>Where I Live</i></b>. Please come back this week and read the posts of the others in my circle: </span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://spyjournal.biz/where-i-live">Spy Journal </a></span></div>
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<a href="http://capturedbitsofbeauty.blogspot.com/2015/08/where-i-live.html"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Captured Bits of Beauty </span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://breathedeeply.org/2015/08/10/where-i-live/">Breathe Deeply</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://pollywogcreek.blogspot.com/2015/08/circle-of-faithwhere-i-live.html">Pollywog Creek</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.whatmartysees.com/2015/08/where-i-am-living-these-days.html">What Marty Sees</a></span></div>
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<br />live love laugh hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12041337142989937174noreply@blogger.com5