I decided I’d like this month of travel in California to be safe, fun, full of family and friends, and memorable. I prayed to God for an answer to this prayer.
BELIEVE
I believe God hears prayer, and answers it.
Of course, I know it is not always YES.
Sometimes He says, “NO!” because He has something better in mind for us.
Sometimes He says, “NOT NOW… be patient. WAIT!”
But, He answers… I believe He gives us what we ask for if we ask in faith with His Will in our hearts.
When I want what He wants for me, it’s easy to BELIEVE in the power of prayer!
TRUST
Trust in the JOY of His Love.
Trust in the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Listen carefully!
Live in the COMFORT of His promises.
Live in the SERENITY of His peace.
Live in the TRUST that dreams do come true. We are living ours.
I was sitting quietly reading friendly posts When my dog, TazE, jumped like she heard a ghost. The FedEx truck had just left our house – The driver crept in our entry as quiet as a mouse. Before I could get to the door, he was gone. He left a box with a basket – no name upon.
Inside a note said “Thank you, Bob & Jan” But no greeting or signature of woman or man. The return address was Jorge Garcia of Amigo Foods. A clue might be Florida – It’s where I know a couple of dudes. So, Sofia, might this have been from you? The place where Vanessa & Federico live is a little clue.
Sofia in Palisades
If it is you, then here’s a return of Thanks… But, I hope you let us know so we can fill in the blanks! The card should have acknowledged who The box was from – so I could appropriate thank you!
Since I posted this blog originally, I received acknowledgement from Sofia’s parents, Adrian & Laura. They are the ones who sent it. Today, several months later, on a WONDER-ful Wednesday, I thought it would be fun to re-post this… because it IS another beautiful Wednesday … and the message below is as pertinent today as it was back in August of last year.
Loving elephants
It’s a beautiful Wednesday here, Blogging friends. I hope your day is going well, too, and transcends All your expectations. Pen on… read on… live and play! Wrap your arms around someone and hang tight today.
Listen for the FedEx truck or mailman He/She may deliver a basket to you from a fan!
I love playing around with various poetry forms. I love learning about new forms. Yesterday I encountered a “Dalit” for the first time. Do you know it? It is 4 lines of 8 syllables each. I thought that would be fun to try. Here we go…
The choice is yours – choose joy today. We are blessed to be in sunshine. I select happiness today, And it splashes over to you!
Yes, even if you are in rain or snow, you can have sunshine in your heart. My heart prays for peace in war-torn places. My heart prays for safety for those in Harm’s Way. My heart prays for rain in Australia and stability in all places of turmoil. My heart prays for joy in your heart. Choose joy!
Try a Dalit poem. Share it! And Have a Marvelous Monday! See ya later.
The last time we walked in this desert, we had our Boston, TazE, with us.
The desert was greener and healthier looking. Our walking path this year had dog tracks, reminding us of our furry friend. She’s back in Montana being well cared for. Our rental this year doesn’t allow pets.
There’s been a fire since our last visit here. The desert brush all is scorched.
But it still is a peaceful place to walk. I knew we were 3/4 of the way around our course when this familiar landmark showed up.
It is a beautiful, clear blue sky 70 degree day. Wish you were here!
Do you have a peaceful place to walk undisturbed where you are?
It was invigorating!
Meantime, back in Montana, the antelope are enjoying a peaceful day, too. But their weather is considerably different from what we’re experiencing here in southern CA. Look at the picture my friend, Elaine, sent me today:
We are happy to be taking a sunshiny break for awhile. Our friends from Ennis just came to join us for a couple days. Yay! Wish you were here, too.
This week Bob & I visited El Paseo Drive in Palm Springs, CA. It was a beautiful day to window shop those exquisite boutiques. But, ooh-la-lah, heaven forbid we go inside!! The prices are out of sight! However, if is is not a lovely shirt or a cute, little apron with a cute saying on it, then it is a convincing salesman with a free gift he is handing out in sweet little bags.
I made the mistake of accepting the bag and then being drawn into his shop where he had a “Miracle Cream.” He invited me to sit down so he could put it around one of my eyes. “Look at how it removes the puffiness and lightens the dark bags,” he said.
Bob followed me in and the slick salesman invited him to come and see how much better that eye looked. “We men don’t care about the aging process,” he told Bob. “But women – they care – and your wife would love this cream. If it can do this much in one very short treatment, imagine what it can do with weekly treatments over a few months!”
The salesman offered to throw in an additional jar of “finishing cream” for FREE …. if we would buy one jar of the miracle cream.
“How much?” Bob asked.
“Only two hundred…” he paused before quietly adding “ninety-nine” at the same time Bob was gasping at 200 and missed the 99. Wow, only $300. for that miracle cream. A bargain! Just think it’ll last a month or more!!
Aging Like Sea Glass
Yes, I have a well-earned patina! Yes, I add a few wrinkles with each passing year. Yes, my skin lacks the freshness of my youth. Yes, I care about AGING. In fact, I embrace it! It’s not true that men don’t care about it. They want to age like sea glass, too.
I want the wrinkles that come with age to be a beauty that expresses my inner peace and radiates my inner joy. This dear photo by Nandhu Kumar depicts a lovely lady whose face sparkles with an inner beauty and a well-earned patina that is envious! Don’t you agree?
This sweet man’s face and his gesture of affection radiates a love so real, so dear, so beautiful that only the waves of time can achieve it. His face reflects his journey – and the changes he has gone through to achieve that beauty. Hers, on the other hand appears to have endured many fewer tumbles through the tide. Maybe she’s his daughter … or maybe she used that “magic cream.” Her face doesn’t reflect the inner glow, however wrinkle-free it may be, does it? She looks a little apprehensive to me.
Outer Beauty
Don’t get me wrong; I am not opposed to outer beauty!! I don’t knock those who get monthly facials or buy expensive creams or have face lifts. (I actually put a pretty costly cream on my face every morning. It’s a Lacome – designed as a sunscreen and wrinkle reducer – hah!)
Look at this lovely “elderly” model. She has a job that requires special care of hair and skin. Gotta look good on camera! A few lines add character, don’t you agree? The only way to avoid those lines is to stop smiling, stop frowning, stop expressing emotion. Even Botox doesn’t take them all away!!
Yes, I’d like to reduce my frown marks (those railroad tracks on my forehead). I was warned when I was in my twenties that this would happen if I didn’t stop frowning. But how do you keep a straight face when you’re teaching a room full of twelve year olds or scolding a 4th grader who just punched a classmate? Why should you keep from smiling when you’re confronted with a class of giggling kindergarteners? How do you avoid the wrinkles on your nose when that’s what your face does a million times a day? My dog, TazE, doesn’t seem to mind!
Ride the Waves and Go With the Flow
I want to age like sea glass. I want my hard edges to soften. I want to be picked up gently and admired by those who appreciate what these 80 years of life have meant to them and to me… what I’ve learned, and what I can pass along. I want to enjoy the journey, and always remember to be grateful for each day the Good Lord gives to me. I want to ride the waves and go with the flow.
