The Season of Whimsy and Nostalgia

I don't suppose there is any other season I love more than the one that ushers in the magic of whimsy and nostalgia. I love creating spaces that are festive, comforting, inviting, and give all around good vibes. I can get a bit carried away with that, I suppose...if I'm not reined in...and good luck with that! 🤣 

Christmas seems to have a rhythm all its own at our house. Some things are always a must have where worlds collide, and other spaces are simple little moments that tell a festive story that means the most to me. Spaces that are small, yet make a statement. The spaces that give comfort and solitude.

I would love to add an area with a card table that also works as a grazing table. A place away from the noise (if need be) where one, or two could work on a puzzle while snacking and reflecting. Or simply sit with a hot beverage and peer out the window watching the snow fall. I could probably make that happen if I put my mind to it. As Dennis says, "You'll figure it out." My only problem would be getting the weather to cooperate with me. Proof I'm not as powerful as I'd like to think.

Dennis says strong women are scary. Of course he is only joking. I think. But...he's not wrong. We are a race of determined, accomplishment driven women, that causes the masses to take a slow, cautionary step back. And we love it. *wink *wink. It's also the reason we need to stop and breathe deep and exhale slowly from time to time. There's a couple of results that come from that. One is to release all we've been carrying. The other will help us muster the strength...the focus, to move forward with what's next. It's when we forget to exhale properly that the strange, the unexpected happens. Can you relate?

Christmas does have a way of finding more gumption coming from me than any other time of the year. My body tires, but my spirit soars. And I enjoy every moment, because mid-January comes too quickly. Maybe the brutal removal of a clock with numbers having their own space on a wall slowed my roll a bit this year, but it's all good. Repairs are only a few days away.

I can tell you, though, there is one little disappointment that I have tried to accommodate for since moving from the midwest where snow was a given for Christmas. I do miss our Oklahoma fireplace with its warmth that wrapped us up like a cozy blanket as soon as we stepped inside. There is no warmth quite as comforting as a wood burning fireplace as one enters it's atmosphere when coming in from the freezing temps of a full on white-out blizzard that numbs the toes and fingers. 

My prayer for you this Christmas season is that you will be swept up in the magic that Christmas offers. Snow, or no snow. I pray that your hearts and minds will be at peace because of the gift we all received some 2000 years ago in the form of a baby boy sent for the purpose of connecting us back with the Father of life. Connecting us back to home. 

Set the stage. Enjoy the process of creating an atmosphere that gives lasting joy, here, in the natural realm of things. It's a start...

May this season of lights bring great comfort and joy as your spirit soars with the knowledge that all things are possible when the only true God of life and creation is your guide. 

Love on those who will allow it, smile at those who won't. Make lots of cookies and serve them fresh from the oven. The moments of life pass more quickly than we realize. 

Enjoy the sights and sounds...feel the warmth they bring.  

And remember, as always, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

Truth or Dare?

Jesus came to preach, to let all of humanity know about a love that had never been experienced, but was about to invade the world. He wanted them to know there was a way back to the father of life. He wanted them to know of the great deception that took place when Satan entered the world, but also that he had come to expose Satans kingdom of lies so that they could have discernment and peace like they had never known before.

Jesus didn't come to do miracles, although he did have the authority to do them...and did. He came to let us know there would now be a choice as to who we would serve. Wellll...actually, there was always that choice; he just wanted to remind us of it. He was going to make sure we could find our way back home and that death would not have a hold on us because of our sin nature, our self-serving desires. He was prepared to pay the price of our really bad choices and the consequences of them.

We were created to live forever and Jesus came to remind us of that. He taught that we need not die in our sinful nature. We could live with love as our guide...not hate (results of self-centeredness). He came to teach forgiveness and how to live in a world full of injustice. He came to wrap us up in the knowledge of just how very much he loves us. Enough to ignore the threats on his own life. Enough to command evil to depart from us. Enough to pay the price, the consequences of sin, even though he was sinless. For us. So that we might truly live. Not for the indulgences we so often seek, but for the peace of mind that comes with doing what's right. For seeing beyond the obvious. Beyond what our natural eyes see. To see the hidden cries of someones heart. Of our own heart. The deep need to be truly loved. Not with superficial love (if you give me what I want, then I will love you), but with love that is unconditional (I will always be for you...not against you).

He came to show us how to be compassionate to those less fortunate. To show love to those whose load is so heavy that it's breaking them. And He has asked us to share the good news with them. Not to just pray with them, but to take a step beyond prayer and be the answer to that prayer. To not only "bind up", to heal their heart, but to give out of our abundance. What if we were meant to serve others beyond praying over them with beautiful words?

Which one do you think is more important? Sharing the news of God's love for us and leading others to repentance, or preforming miracles (such as sustenance for the body)? Maybe you would say, "Why can't there be both?" But if you had to choose healing for your body, or healing for your soul, which would you choose? 

Something to consider: When Jesus healed the people that were brought to him, many times he would say, "Your sins have been forgiven. Go your way and sin no more." So...was there an automatic worship, an automatic repentance and belief of the one who healed them, thus giving them entrance into the kingdom of God? Did Jesus not only heal the body, but also the human soul at the same time? Otherwise, why would he tell them to go and sin no more (John 5:14)? There is so much more to understand here, than meets the eye. Don't just read the Word...dive deep into it.

Just how much should we trust the unknown? Are we actually playing a game of Truth or Dare? We must all decide...

As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World

Change...the Inevitable Condition

The slower days used to feel really good when the bulk of my days were filled with hurry up and wait. The slow days of fall & winter, then, was like a warm blanket wrapped snuggly around the body, so as to keep any cold from reaching too deeply. Now, those snuggly days have a tendency to get a bit long. Oh, I still welcome this season. Very much so! However, not quite as much as when I truly needed them, being the high-strung individual that I was. There was always something to do. Something that needed done. Something I loved doing, for the most part.

During those career days, there was nothing quite as calming as a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's eve. Especially when I couldn't seem to sleep, eyes refusing to close as the mind reviewed the days/ weeks happenings, and slumber attached itself to others. Just not you. It's the one constant that helped this gals eyes to become heavy as sleep beckon this tired old body.

Now, my days seem to run into each other, causing me to question if it's Tuesday, or Wednesday. "Wait! Wasn't yesterday Wednesday?" I can't remember a time when this was a problem during the busiest era of life. In those days, knowledge of the upcoming day was pretty important. When life is filled with a to-do list, the brain trains itself to remember which day it is because the previous day had so many moving parts. When those parts cease to exist, the brain can get a bit lazy, a bit foggy, if allowed.

This certainly doesn't mean there aren't things to do in the winter of ones life. It simply means one begins to not care if those things get done at any specific time. The need to get things accomplished goes out the window, because no one is really counting on you to get them done. Except for the mundane necessities of life, of course. No money exchange is involved, so why press yourself? Or stress yourself? Press/stress...kinda the same thing.

Here's the rub: If we allow ourselves to get in this mind-frame...and stay there, it won't be long before the whole body begins to follow suit and shut down. The signals coming from the brain are followed by feelings of unimportance (nothing needed from the body). Of being invisible (nothing needed from the brain). Feelings of no longer being needed (nothing needed from anyone). Of simply being a tag on someones back that needs removed. And...If entertained for too long, I do think it possible for one to simply give up on living. To me, that's a deal breaker. Hopefully, it is to you, as well!

This is not meant to be a depressing entry. It is meant to be a wake-up call. A precautionary tale of sorts. If for no-one other than myself (thank you, former self).

Upon closing my business, I penciled in my day planner an entry 6 months out, that reads "Today is 6 months after closing Elements Salon. What am I doing with my life?" That was the journal entry of November 24th...just this past Monday. I'm so glad I felt the need to do that back then. Planning futuristically can be a good thing, especially when you know yourself and the tendencies that tap on your shoulder from time-to-time. Like falling into self-pity. Or finding your way through an unfamiliar forest. In the dark.

Why is being still so hard? Admittedly, it feels great not having so many demands to meet, yet the psychological impact is not to be taken lightly. It's not for the faint of heart, to be sure! Bringing ones mind into subjection is like playing a game of chess. I have no idea how to play chess. It just sounds very difficult.

However, today is a new day. The battles of the mind may pop up from time to time, but will be conquered as they appear. I will insist on this. I simply have too much to live for. To be grateful for. To reach for. Maybe that will look different than it has these past decades, but none-the-less important.

Still grateful for life's opportunities (and hot cocoa), here you will find me...in Mary's World.

My Thanksgiving Wish

My faith in humanity was given a much-needed "shot in the arm" yesterday. Let me tell you about it...

But first, a little back-story. When I entered the age of retirement, it became easier for me to put things off as long as possible. Yesterday was no different. The "have-to's" are fewer and fewer, if you get my drift. It's been nice, actually. Mostly.

The morning had started slow (since I had been up most of the night), and my want to had gotten up and gone. Again. Because there is rarely a demand on my hours these days, bringing my body into subjection is not always an easy task. But, I had finally mustered up the strength (mental & physical) to make a trip to the grocery store, aka/Wal-Mart, after having put it off for several days. Full disclosure: It took me until early afternoon to walk out the door. 🤦‍♀️

The day was uncommonly warm, when compared to the previous weeks of much cooler temps. Indian Summer, I suppose. Still, I took a light sweater, just in case the weather took a turn. That part is common here in NC. It can be 70º one minute and 45º the next. Anndddd...that may be a bit of an exaggeration, still...

It was good to be out and about. That part, I do miss occasionally. Being outside your own home causes adrenaline to pump and the senses to come alive. There really is a world outside your tiny abode. And it's mostly good. That's what this post is about.

My faith in humanity has been waning because of, what seemed to me, a growing lack of care coming from the masses. Especially when visiting large market places. And, occasionally, just walking down a street. Rarely is eye contact made, let alone a smile. Even when one is given, hoping to receive the same. Maybe it's because of the multi-lingual, the melting pot of nationalities, in which my husband and I find ourselves to be, and the fact that few (in any given space) can really communicate with understanding. Unless, of course, you are a small business owner with specific clients who search you out. But that is not in my reach any longer. Soooo...I now depend on the smiles, the eye contacts, the kindnesses shown, even though we may not completely understand what is being said. Body language speaks, it communicates matters of the heart.

It all started with a "feeling-in-the-air" type of day. It was good to be out and about. A reprieve from the reprieve. 😁 Not to misunderstand, however. I always smile at those who make eye contact with me, and depending on where I am, I may even give a wave and speak encouragement to those I meet. Today was no different in that aspect, except for the possibility of that crazy feeling of excitement in the air, maybe I was a bit much for many I met. For example...

I found myself speaking to almost EVERYONE! What the heck? I didn't question whether they wanted to hear my voice or not. It was out for whomever wanted, or needed to hear it. Pretty sure I would have embarrassed any family member of mine, should they have been within ear-shot of me. Yep. I can be over-the-top, occasionally. There was blood flowing through my veins and enough oxygen coursing its way to my brain that life just could not, would not, be denied. It was a really good day. At least for me. I have no idea what those who came into my realm experienced. They probably needed to decompress when getting back to their collective homes.

There were many smiles that responded to mine. Many voices interacted with my own. But the lady I bumped with my buggy has been recorded and saved inside the walls of my brain. It was in the check-out line. A busy, busy day, at Wally World. I always use the self-checkout because I like the way I sack my own groceries. Patiently waiting my turn, I see a spot open up. These areas are much like finding a parking spot in the parking lot. Once you spot it, you'd better make your way there, quickly. I promise I did not see the lady being as close as she was. She must have taken a step backward before the crash. *wink *wink

Once my buggy made contact with her derrière, her face was immediately looking at mine, and once she saw who it was, said, "Oh! It's YOU!" 🤣🤣🤣  I had no idea who she was, but "I'm so sorry" poured out of me before the sound of her voice stopped. I asked if she was okay, thinking my check-out spot was probably being taken while apologies dripped from my lips. Happy meter slowed...

You can release your breath now. She was totally fine. I barely bumped her. She was startled. So was I. And she said so, assuring me she was just fine. However, as she and her husband left the self-checkout area, they swung past me (still checking my groceries), she leaned towards me and said, "Have a great Thanksgiving. Try not to run over anyone." 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Okay. That brought my happy meter back up.

Everyone I met, or ran into, seemed to be cheerful. I loved that!!! It's so rare to see. Usually everyone is minding their own business, without a thought to who else may be in their scope of living life. Or doing life. Eyes and head, usually down, either looking at their iPhone, or doing whatever.

Leaving the store, I noticed a bottle-neck of people at the exit door. Thinking someone must have been stopped, for whatever reason, I made my way there only to find a rather large obstruction at the door. Yes, that is a judgement. I do have eyes. A rather large lady was forcing her way, with a shopping cart as her weapon of choice, demanding she have entrance to the one door (out of 3...2 of which were double doors), that was filled with those leaving the store. Still being on my game, as I reached her, I smiled with kind intention (yes, I did), and pointed out to her she was trying to go in an exit door. She looked confused. I was just being a good neighbor. 😉😁 Even the doorman that checks to make sure you've paid for your goods, looked at me and shook his head. I think he sees this more than he wants to admit. The only question I have is, "Did you not notice that HUGE Exit sign, maybe can't read, or just don't care?" 🤷‍♀️

Making my way out onto the parking lot area, I'm still feeling the lightness in my step. The interaction with those in the store made me smile. So much cheerfulness coming from inside a crowded business. That's the way it should be. Atmosphere charged with well-wishes, smiles, happy thanksgivings spoken. And we actually understood what the other was saying. If only it could be that way, always...

I was almost to my car when a gentleman crossed paths with me. He said, "It's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better." What? Then I understood. Sooooo many shoppers in one space. And yet, he said it with a big smile and ended with, "Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!" "I wish the same for you," I returned. My buggy wasn't hard to push, at all, up the steep grade to where my car waited. I loved this outing! 

My Thanksgiving wish? 

It's for a world of people who love deeply. Hearts full of gratefulness. Faces beaming with light that comes from a simple smile. Hope for the hurting, and a heart that follows hard after God. The One who made all things possible. The life giver...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL WHO LOVE KINDNESS. And to those who don't...

As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

I'm Not Done...

No one is coming to live my life for me. 

Not my children. Not the government. Not the promises I made to myself decades ago.

But here's the thing: I am still capable of shaping the days I have into something beautiful.

Aging doesn't take my power...it reveals it.

The choice is mine.

I can shrink into the shadows (sooo easy for me to do), or step into this new chapter with strength, clarity, and grace.

I may be older...but I'm not done.

Not even close.

I'm resolved to understand this new chapter may look a bit different than what has been these last 78 years. Much different, actually. But that's okay. It feels good not having an agenda, unless I want one of course, but that concerns me a bit. Should it????

I'm not in any hurry to create something that demands a lot of my time. I do enjoy the peace I feel NOT being in demand. I just keep thinking there is more for me to do...

Releasing yesterday, as always, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

#myjourneyamongtheunseen #lifeissues #theforgottenway #newchapters #newboundaries 

Once A Truth Seeker, Always A Truth Seeker

I've searched for truth my whole life. Never being able to "just let it go" my curiosity has always demanded more from life. Some...many, declared me to be the nosey one amongst the group. It used to bother me. 

We all have a journey that we have been sat upon. Much like a chess board. We all have a starting place, we all have a choice in each move made, and we all have an opportunity to turn mere dust into something beautiful. Or into burnt ashes. Life is not without its challenges. For us all. I know no one who has lived a life without facing obstacles. Different for us all, yet the same.

As I grew older, and wiser (hopefully) I came to realize the only way to "win" is to checkmate the dark King. To capture the one who demands your loyalty in believing you are the total sum of what he says you are. Nothing more, nothing less. That dark king is a mere substitute for the real king, and wants nothing more than to control the light that is inside us. He wants that light snuffed out, and gets the job done with one bad choice at a time, keeping us in a dungeon of sorts with no seeming way out. We might reach for something better, but because we have believed a lie, can never seem to grasp it.

Choices. Life is about choices. What we choose to believe will be our guiding light. We may have fallen into a pit, but there is always a way out even though we may not see it for a time. It may take a bit of scraping off the cobwebs that encapsulate all the lies we believed, a whole lot of courage, and a determined cry for help when we are the weakest. That's another thing. Our real enemy wants to keep us trapped by isolating us from those who honestly love us. Our family. Our friends. And never does he want us considering the only person who can literally save us. Because if we entertain the thought of there being something better for us, something that will give us real life, that truth will destroy him and control will be lost.

I believe we were  born with a North Star inside us. A place reserved for our creator alone. Until we realize the light he provides; until we realize we were created for greatness and not insignificance, that part of us will remain void. A lonely place. The light we were born with diminishes to a mere flicker once we buy into the lie that we don't have value. Our eyes become dim as we look at a beautiful world and see only destruction. Until we search for truth, not "our truth", but THE truth...until we come to the end of struggling to be who we were never intended to be, our life will be nothing short of miserable. After all, what does it profit us to gain the whole world, but lose our soul in the process? 

One last thing. We can search for truth in all the wrong places without even realizing that is what we are doing. Blinded, you might say, to the reality of any given situation. But there is always a way out. Always. Searching in the right place would mean to bow our knee to releasing self-centeredness, and allow that North Star to guide us. A good place to start would be to verbally ask God to show himself to us. It will always be a personal destination. Others may point you in the right direction, but a relationship with God is always personal. We are unique to Him. Each having a "special assignment" as it were. Sure. There is a broad, sweeping likeness in us all. Yet God's stamp upon each of us is unique. Not one thumbprint is the same. Isn't that interesting? Each journey leads back to Him. Our choices determine how long that takes.

My adult "plumb line" is to measure the truth of any situation with just how much peace it brings, or how much unrest it brings. Do I need to wrestle with demons from the my past (that's a for sure red flag!)? Or can I move forward, knowing that it is the one who created me, who placed his "North Star" inside me and loves me unconditionally, that directs my steps? No matter the journey...

He is our light in the darkness. Our flickering flame that can't be extinguish. Our flame to light the way.

As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World

P.S.

Having been fed so many lies most of my existence, I have an indwelling resistance to deception on any level. I seriously cannot stand to hear the words, "I was only kidding! Can't you take a joke?" No...I cannot, I will not receive deception of any kind. By the way, not telling the whole story is a form of lying. With-holding anything is hiding the truth. Partial truth is a non-truth, when it's intentional. I would much rather receive the wounds of the truth than to be fed a lie...a deception that damages so much more than the simple truth would. And, how does one trust another when they speak lies? I don't think that is what God meant when he said to forgive. Yes. People change. I changed. But until that day, know that I'm not interested in non-truths. 

#myjourneyamongtheunseen #theforgottenway #lifeissues #truthseeker #flameseeker

 

When Life Demands A Walk

When lonely feelings begin their descent...take a walk, breathe deeply

When your voice feels unheard...take a walk, breathe deeply

When others seem consistently prioritized over you...take a walk, breathe deeply

When isolation becomes the answer to seeming invisible...take a walk, breathe deeply

When peace gives way to fear...take a walk, breathe deeply

Humanity is made up of mind, body, and spirit. All three need daily attention. To deny this as a truth, we have lost the most generic understanding of life and have allowed ourselves to believe there is no way to live it well. We believe the lie that "this is just my path".

The world has a way of closing in on us when attention to the simplest demands of living a life full of promise caves in, ultimately handing it over for a much lesser existence. To be sure, change is the only constant in anyones life and it demands we pay attention to detail. It demands we bend, lest we break. And bending doesn't mean exchanging your belief system for someone else's. For something less than what you know to be true.

What it means is to trust the process. To feed our mind, our body, our spirit. What it means is to trust the only true God, while simultaneously putting our hands, our mind, our body, to the task of creativity within the realm of minutes, hours, days, we have been given. 

This is our time. Blink, and it's gone. Do we really have time to entertain loneliness? We have been given everything we need to overcome deception. That's what loneliness is, ya know. Deception telling us we really aren't that important. Deception that encourages us to just give up. That no-one cares. That this is a road we must travel...alone.

Take a walk, breathe deeply.

As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World

#myjourneyamongtheunseen #lifeissues #theforgottenway #deception #lonelyfeelings #Godismystrength