Freedom Isn't Free

Freedom is not free.  Be willing to stand up and fight for it.  Many have sacrificed so much for our freedoms.  If you appreciate freedom, stand up for what you believe in, and be thankful.  Thank a Veteran, and their families.  They deserve our gratitude.  

Rejoining The Conversation

It's been awhile since I have taken time to write.  I miss it.  Tonight, I was browsing through some of my early blogging days and reminiscing,  shedding tears, and laughing.  Wow, it's been 8 plus years since I started this blog.  So much has changed in me, life in general, our world.  Nieces and nephew have grown up, family members have passed away, my carrot eating dog left us this year, there are new family members, we have a new pup as of two weeks ago, and life moves along at a rapid pace.  

There is a lot I could write about, and some topics I will, some I won't, in days to come, but I think I want to start blogging again on a regular basis.  I looked back and see I blogged almost daily at times.  I don't expect that will happen, but maybe a couple times a week.  I guess if I am the only one who reads my thoughts, that is fine.  I just know I need to write.  Creative expression is so important and my creative expression comes through photography and writing.  

"I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say." — Flannery O’Connor 

"Writing, like life itself, is a voyage of discovery." — Henry Miller


I hope you will take time to join in the conversation when you have time, but only if you want to be nice. Social media is filled with so much hate and bullying right now, and it makes my heart sad.  We are all human beings, trudging through this journey together.  Let's help one another, lift one another up, love each other, not trample all over one another.  Let's stop fighting each other and start fighting together to make this world a better place, a safer place, a place where people matter. 

"Treat others with respect and you will always be wealthy because your community is your real currency." — Bryant McGill 

It Is Well (Lyric Video) // Kristene DiMarco // You Make Me Brave

Powerful song

Sunsets

There have been some beautiful sunsets the past few nights.  

Saturday Afternoon Drive

My Saturday drive

Help for Nepal

Any amount helps.  Please consider donating $10 or more to Convoy of Hope.  They are a very reputable organization who puts your donations right back into helping others.  

You can donate to help the victims of the Nepal Earthquake. Check out give.convoyofhope.org/Nepal

Tribute To Our Pup

It's been a week since you left us.  We miss you. There are times when we still catch ourselves calling for you, looking for you, and then we remember.

You got sick so fast, and left so soon.  You made a recovery the last two days you were here, and we hoped for more time with you.  13 1/2 years sure went by fast.  But, on Sunday morning, you didn't look like you felt well again.  Only a week before did you go down.  Our vet thought it was kidney failure, but said it wasn't too bad, and that you should recover and live longer.  So, when you rallied for two days, we were hopeful. You came in took a nap at my feet as you always did.  Then, over the course of an hour, you had a seizure, and then somehow made your way outside afterward that horrible seizure. We watched you in the yard. You then laid down in the backyard and took your last breath.  Our hearts ached.

Our hearts are sad, and miss you.  You were an amazing girl, always happy, loving, and our constant companion.  I had someone say to me this past week that you were just a dog.  Their heart apparently has never known the love of a true furry companion.  I said you were more than a dog, you were a part of our family.  

Thank you, sweet girl, for the amazing, unconditional love you gave to us, for the laughter you brought to our lives, for the hours of listening you did when we needed to vent to someone.  You always listened and never judged.  You would just move closer, and put your head on our laps.  Thanks for the many adventures you journeyed with us. I am sure there were times you wondered what your humans were doing, but you always tagged along, with a smile on your face.

We are thankful for the amazing companion you were to us, to our family, and to almost everyone who met you.  You made people smile, everywhere we went. Our hearts miss you.  We are so thankful we had such an amazing Golden who had a heart of gold. 

The Maker

Spring Has Sprung

These beauties are taking up a small, pretty space right outside my front door.  

Pause and Ponder

Busyness Is Not A Destination

I began a new women's study group last night.  Our leader brought up how we get so busy.  We all agreed.  Then she brought up how the majority of the miracles Jesus performed would not have taken place if he would have lived at our pace.  He would have been too busy.  He wouldn't have felt the woman touch his robe, as she longed to be healed.  He would have just kept rushing through the crowd, going about his own business.  Instead, he stopped, looked at her, cared for her, and healed her.  

How often do we rush by someone who is bleeding, whether figuratively or physically, because we are too busy?  We have schedules to keep, things to do, Facebook to check.  

How often are we the ones who need healing, who need to just stop and rest, rest at our Savior's feet, but we don't create a pause, white space, time in our schedule to be still, rest, and get restored?  We keep running and running, until we fall down exhausted.  Sometimes we are truly very busy.  Sometimes, we stay busy to avoid the hurt, the problems, the grief in our lives because if we stay busy, we don't have to think about it, or deal with it, we just keep running.  Exhausted.  Empty.  Yet, we run.  

I am just as guilty of this at times in my life as anyone.  I have been running at a pretty high pace lately with work, family events, basketball games, life in general.  I realized last week how fast I have been going, and have taken a couple days to intentionally slow down, rest, disconnect from social media.  

If we did an honest evaluation of our time, many of us would see we spend much too much time on social media, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or playing games, we spend too much time there, often longing to connect with someone.  What if we took that time and called someone on the phone and made plans to meet at a coffee shop or go to lunch or for a walk, and found out how that person is doing face to face?  We long for community, but true community cannot be found online.  True community means being intentional, intentionally being with people face to face in a real relationship.  Real relationships are messy, but they are also beautiful.  When is the last time you took a couple hours and sat with someone and spoke to them in person?  

We all need to pause, we all need community.  We need to not be so busy that we miss those who are reaching out to us, who need an encouraging word, who need someone just to notice them.  

Each of us needs to intentionally create downtime in our schedules.  Time to be quiet, to read, to rest, to pray, to listen.  

What will you eliminate that is not so important, to slow down?  What will you do to connect face to face with someone and truly care about them?  Can you walk away from social media for the weekend and connect with real people, connect with yourself, connect with your Creator?