Beauty...

The Winter Wonder Land of the West is not found in crystal snow but in  warm, sunny days with a few clouds crossing a blue, blue sky!
  The trees now just skeletons against that blue sky.
Skeletons dancing in the wind free now of all that has held onto them.
  Free of all encumbrances.
Able now to send the energy down.
Down into Mother Earth so that they can grow taller and stronger in the Spring.
We also need this time to shed all that has encumbered us in the last season and strip down to what is essential to our own growth.
To send our spiritual roots deep down into Mother Earth to comfort us and strengthen us for the newness that will come with the New Year.
I would like to share a Navajo Prayer with you to remind you to see the beauty of life and particularly your own beauty that you share with the world.
Thank you family & friends for sharing your beauty with me!

Walking in Beauty
In beauty I walk
With beauty before me I walk
With beauty behind me I walk
With beauty above me I walk
With beauty around me I walk
It has become beauty again
Today I will walk out, today everything negative will leave me
I will be as I was before, I will have a cool breeze over my body.
I will have a light body, I will be happy forever, nothing will hinder me.
I walk with beauty before me. I walk with beauty behind me.
I walk with beauty below me. I walk with beauty above me.
I walk with beauty around me. My words will be beautiful.
In beauty all day long may I walk.
Through the returning seasons, may I walk.
On the trail marked with pollen may I walk.
With dew about my feet, may I walk.
With beauty before me may I walk.
With beauty behind me may I walk.
With beauty below me may I walk.
With beauty above me may I walk.
With beauty all around me may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty, lively, may I walk.
In old age wandering on a trail of beauty, living again, may I walk.
My words will be beautiful.

Season of Light

Christmas time is here once again!  This is my little tree that I put up a few weeks ago.  It has been such a
 long time since I have had a tree in the house.
I had forgotten the warmth and beauty that the Christmas tree
provides.  A reminder of the tree of life that supports us and moves us forward in life.

At this time we are reminded of the best in people.
A Spirit of Good Will. Unfortunately, the light shining in the darkness also reminds me of how Dark it really can be.
  What would the evening sky be like without all those tiny little sparkles reminding us that even in Darkness
 there is Light?   Our souls can sometimes be filled with such darkness but it is amazing when there sparkles a little star within us. Maybe it is a smile from a stranger or a hug from a long lost friend or simply opening a book and reading something truly inspiring.

   The other evening I was sitting by my little pot belly stove gazing at my Christmas tree and picked up an old book of poetry that I haven't touched in aeon's!
What a blessing to read old familiar words and maybe that is what is so comforting about having a Christmas Tree. It is old and familiar.
When there is so much change happening so quickly it is nice to be surrounded by the old and familiar.

I have sent off a few Christmas Cards and today it is cold and cloudy.  Feeling more and more like Christmas all the time.  As usual there is the hustle of shopping but this year I am not so much concerned with finding that perfect gift but finding my own perfect attitude to what and why I am giving this year. 
Birthing within myself that simplicity of a child-like attitude of Acceptance of what will be.
Not understanding or knowing what the future may bring but a Divine Grace that whatever it may be that
Love will be my Star that leads me to true Peace.

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.........Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Glory to You..

This morning as I was contemplating Thanksgiving in the quiet morning hours I was drawn to read some Poetry and thought it would be nice to find something inspiring to share with you about Thanksgiving.  This Prayer inspired me and I hope that it will bless you too!

Glory to You!

O Lord, how lovely it is to be your guest.
 Breeze full of scents, mountains reaching to the skies,
 Waters like a boundless mirror,
Reflecting the sun's golden rays and the scudding clouds
All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing depths of tenderness.
Birds and beasts of the forest bear the imprint of your love.
Blessed are you, mother earth, in your floating loveliness,
 Which wakens our yearning for happiness
that will last forever in the land where,
amid beauty that grows not old, Rings out the cry:
Alleluia!

What sort of praises can I give you?
I have never heard the song of the cherubim,
A joy reserved for the spirits above
but I know the praises that nature sings to you.
In winter, I have beheld how silently in the moonlight the whole earth offers you prayer, clad in its white mantle of snow, sparkling like diamonds.
I have seen how the rising sun rejoices in you,
how the song of the birds is a chorus of praise to you.
I have heard the mysterious mutterings of the forests about you,
and the winds winging your praise as they stir the waters.
I have understood how the choirs of stars proclaim your glory as they move forever in the depths of infinite space.
You have brought me into life as if into an enchanted paradise.
We have seen the sky like a chalice of deepest blue,
Where in the heights the birds are singing.
We have listened to the soothing murmur of the forest
And the melodious music of the streams.
We have tasted fruit of fine flavor and sweet-scented honey.
We can live very well on your earth.
It is a pleasure to be your guest.

Glory to you for the feast-day of life.

Glory to you for the perfume of lilies and roses.

Glory to you for each different taste of berry and fruit.

Glory to you for the sparkling silver of early morning dew.

Glory to you for the joy of dawn's awakening.

Glory to you for the new life each day brings.

Glory to you O God, from age to age.

Gregory Petrov

Turning over a new leaf....

With this Fall weather has come a desire within me to "turn over a new leaf". 
Yesterday, I took another large load to the Good Will.  Cleaning out closets, going through old papers and continuing to release the past.  It is strange how there is this tear within me.  Wanting to hold on yet knowing just like the trees surrounding me..it is a time to let go.  Let go of those leaves.  Sweeping out the past in preparation to hibernate for the winter.  Winter being a time of going within.  Time to dream.  Reflecting and lying dormant.  Quiet.  Listening.. Making time to listen within to that still small voice that is calling to us for more in life.  More love, more laughter.  More recognition of the preciousness of each day. 
As the trees, let go of their leaves, the view changes for me.  There is more sky to see.  Clarity seems to flow more easily through the breeze.  I have to admit though that I am not much of a fan of the holidays but that too I am turning over a new leave.  This year, after many , many years I am going to put up a Christmas tree.  All new lights and ornaments.  A new beginning and opening myself up to more beauty. 
Now, that I have cleared more things out of my little home, I have more space for new love, new friends, new opportunities.  "They" say that change one thing in your life and everything in your life will change.  I hope so!
I know that circumstances are fickle..but family, friends, Love and God are not!!
Yep, I am turning over a new leaf.  

Fear & Anxiety

Halloween is almost here.  Everywhere you turn on TV there is a spooky movie on..even at the movie theatres!
There seems to be a need to face our deepest fears and the darkness in our lives.  If we see it on the screen maybe we don't have to live it in our lives!
I have been at the point in my life that I only want Drama on the Big Screen ..I don't want to live with it day in and day out but we do live in a world with high anxiety.  Even right here in Roswell.

 There is an anxiousness sometimes that seems to invade the whole world.
It is  difficult to shut out  and take a deep breath and know that this too will pass.

As day follows night so too our world shifts and changes.
There is always something in life to be anxious about.
I wonder if worrying and anxiety become a habit of responding to the world?
We hear so much information  and it is almost as if the world feeds off of our fear.
Fear controls.
So, how do we stand up ..turn around and fight this terrible thing?
Faith maybe?
Faith that there is a bigger plan to it all?
Faith that God will give us the strength to handle what ever setback may come.
Faith is believing without seeing.
Faith is waiting...
Faith is a gift!
Hold on to your Faith..whatever it may be..
Be strong and know that better times are ahead!!

Looking out the window..

Looking out the window this morning on this Monday morning I am reminded of all the beauty in the world.

 We now begin to transition into what I think of as Snuggle Season.  Colder nights call us to snuggle in warmth in our homes.  Safe from the troubles of the world.  Sipping on something warm and glancing back at the year and how it unfolded before us.
  It is a time to be Thankful for the fruition of the things that we planted in our life and to notice the abundance and beauty that is before us today!
Taking a moment of Gratitude helps us realign ourselves in the Scheme of life.

In Roswell, after the Parade & SENM Fair it seems as life in town settles down a bit.  It is quieter.  Kids are settled into school and there is a rhythm that is soothing to my soul.  We all need this time..this quiet time to re-evaluate ourselves and life.
  Pumpkins have been hauled in by the truckload.  Time to search in the big skies for the Big Pumpkin!  Oops..or is that a UFO???  All things to ponder..Today, though, wherever you are..I hope you find a little beauty within yourself and your world...

Turn, Turn, Turn

There is a season...as the song goes, so goes life!
I can't believe where this month has gone.  I have completed a few home projects and this weekend I finished a 1000 piece puzzle that was given to me for my birthday this year.  Not that it took me 5 months to finish it but it seems like it.  It is a nature scene of two hummingbirds swarming a trumpet vine.  Very pretty and now completed.
I have had a few friends comment that I should glue it & frame it. When I say "No, I don't want to do that"..then the next is "Well, what are you going to do with it"  I tell them.."Tear it apart and put it back in the box and pass it on"  They have looked at me in horror with all the time I have spent working on it.  I laugh.

Many years ago, I went to a Mandala workshop where I was honored to meet my teacher Judith Cornell.     It was a week long class and on one particular day we went to class at 8am.  We were instructed to take a vow of silence for the day.  Set an intention of something that we were ready to release and then ask the Divine for a symbol to draw as a Mandala and work on it all day till about 4 in the afternoon.  We were to pour our heart and soul into the drawing and then we would do a releasing ceremony at the end of the day.

Now, I can't remember what my intention was but I do remember pouring all of my energy into the drawing and also how hard it was for me to keep my big mouth shut..hahaa.
Well, the ceremony was held outside where we were instructed to say a prayer of release and burn the drawing we had worked so hard on all day.  Wow.  What a lesson on attachment.
I had only worked one day on that drawing and the first thought of panic was incredible.  Makes me think how much longer I spend on whatever difficulty I want to release!
I have to confess that I wasn't one of the first that volunteered to burn my drawing.  Some even refused!  They did not want to let go.  But isn't that how it is in life.  With whatever we have invested so much time and effort to ...it is hard to accept that it is time to Let It Go...
So, I will wait a few days, maybe even a week and then I will pull the puzzle apart and Let It Go...

Non-attachment does not mean a lack of love ..it just makes one aware of the impermanence of everything in life.  The more you hold on, the harder it is to move forward and accept the next puzzle of life!

***Blessed be My Teacher and Friend, Judith Cornell who passed to the next life this past May.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and and profound vision with us all.  I am forever grateful for your presence in my life!***

New Point of View

I went out to Wally World (Walmart) to pick up some more primer for my painting project and I was surprised to see that there was a new paint job on our Walmart! 

The Alien murals have been wiped clean. 

I found myself  rather nostalgic.  It feels as if an Era has ended.  Now, we are like the rest of America.  Boring Walmart.  No snazzy Aliens grace our walls anymore.  Not to fear..I can just head on down to Main street and I am sure I can find a few! 

Funny, how subtle changes can create new energy to see things differently in our lives.  Sometimes, without our even realizing it, we have changed our point of view.  Maybe, we have slept on a new perception..and suddenly in conversation we realize we have a different take on something that we thought we had a handle on before.

How does that happen?

  How does change happen?

  I know that most of the time it takes a concerted effort to make changes in life. Yet ,there are those changes that maybe we aren't  aware of till much later down the road. 

In circumspect, we look back and the path we are on took a little turn that we didn't notice..maybe because we were so busy navigating.  Then suddenly,  we find ourselves on a new horizon.

  A different view in front of us. 

Storms...

Often times, storms can pop up unexpectedly in life. 
 The other night a jolt of lightening & thunder unexpectedly threw me out of bed!
 The dog & cat close to follow as I went to see the storm!
 What a storm it was!

  It brought much needed rain to our little "Alien" town.  When the sun rose the grass seemed so much more green and the sky so much more blue!  Cleansing away all the muck and mire.  Maybe that is what storms are supposed to do in our interior world...When a storm comes into our lives though it is very frightening and it may destroy some things precious in our lives.  It does wash away the dirt or it makes us get out the mop that we have not used in a while and clean it up!  Storms force us to deal with situations.  The light has flashed and afterwards we must take action.  We must clean up!  So..in the next few days, I am cleaning up around my property.  Raking, picking up debris and things will be better!

Staying Busy...

Sometimes, when life throws you a curve ball the best you can do is stay busy and not get muddled in all the mess.  I have been busy with projects around the house this summer which has helped keep me from being too muddled.  Projects whether it is cleaning, focusing on a new health regime or just spending time getting refocused on what truly is important in life seems to be the right thing  for me to do now.

Life is changing and adjustments need to be made.  I have been constantly reminded to appreciate the day!  Maybe that is just a product of becoming more "Mature"!  (Don't want to say  the "O" word..nooooo..not Oprah or Obama....) 

So, I wake up in the morning to prayers for my family and friends.   Many are having so much happen in their lives.   I have to believe that there is a Bigger Hand at play and appreciate the moments of Peace and Safety.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit in the park with some long time High School friends.  We did not have very much time but sitting down together to share a laugh and a glance made me feel safe in a way that I can't really explain. It was comforting being there together.
Here we all are...life has swirled around us but the core of who we are is the same!

It reminds me of how I feel when I take a drive out West of town and see the Capitan mountain.
It is there strong and steady.  Always there though some days the atmosphere is so odd that it seems so  distant.  Other days it is as if I could reach out and touch it...Much like God
Selah

Raise Your Hands...

Ok, Everyone!
Raise your hands...Astrologically we are reaching the Apex of Energy this weekend with the Solar Eclipse.
  Everyone, in the astrological community has been waiting for this moment for many years.  On Sunday, July 11th there will occur a Solar Eclipse and Grand Cross.
If you are interested in the specifics please google it and you will see more info than you can imagine.  I will condense it down, to the basics! 

No, the sky isn't falling but riding on this Roller Coaster it sure may feel like it on an emotional level.  But, when your world is turned upside down either by internal or external circumstances remember to look for the blessing!
  My cousin this past weekend reminded me of this.  She has gone through a heck of alot in the last three months!  When we were visiting, she reminded me of always looking for the blessing in dire circumstances..the blessing is there...we just may have to look for it!!!

Whatever circumstance you find yourself in, know that in many ways it is fated..meaning that there is no way to avoid the lesson.
 You can run but you can't hide.

So, time to pull yourself together, tighten up your seatbelt..accept the path that you have chosen and been  given in life!
Pray for Grace to carry you through and accept the responsiblity that the Divine has assigned you this go around.

Be grounded in Truth!
Be true to God.
Be true to yourself.
Be true to other people!
Raise your hands now!!!!
Wheeeeeee!!!!

Alien Madness!

 

Alien Madness has begun!

Last night in our fair city was the Opening Ceremony of the Alien Festival here in Roswell!  We have been having the remnants of Hurricane Alex which may put a damper on the fun.  My childhood memories of the 4th of July were of rain though.  In fact, in 1947, it was a lightening storm that brought down this UFO right outside of Roswell or at least that is how the story goes.

If you have never been to Roswell for the festival you must put it on your list of things to do...It is silly and fun!

I am glad that this year there will be a reprieve from the heat and hope that everyone has a safe and Happy 4th of July from what ever planet you are from!

The First Day of Summer!

Happy Solstice!  Today is the longest day of the Year!  There is plenty of Sunshine in Roswell today.  Maybe, a cloud or two floating around just to tease us!  Sunshine smiles are around town.  Roswell is gearing  up for the Alien Festival around the 4th though this year there have been some miscommunication about how supportive the City is with the Alien Festival.  All in All I am sure there will be crazy fun to be had with strange aliens coming from all around to celebrate the possibility that there is life beyond little ole earth!  Summertime and the living is easy!  Let new beginnings ripen in your life like the Peaches on my Dad's tree.  The time is ripe!   The past you have sown seed and now it is  come to fruition!  That which you have put in motion is going full steam ahead!  With graduations, new jobs, new homes, comes new experiences!

 Cut  the dead wood  out of your life...get rid of those weeds and enjoy the fruits of your labor! 

Wow!  What a ride of Emotion this week!  I don't know about you but this energy has been intense.
  I have heard Happy & Sad Surprising news.  I am hoping that things will calm down this next week.  Adjustments will be made from all of the Truths that have been revealed!
Truth will set you Free.
Yet, truth can be like a big glass of water thrown in your face to wake you up! 
Change..maybe change that you have been wishing for is here now.  Time to adapt and see the road not taken and burn the bridges behind you! 
With this energy ..the universe is pushing the envelope for change..whether it is in your relationships, health...living or working environment.
Something is giving! 
Love is giving you a new opportunity to step out into the unknown.
Excitement, Challenge, but just remember we are tethered together as we ascend this next summit.
Be strong..Hold on!  Scream if you must and let's enjoy the ride~~~~~

Transforming the Future

One of my hobbies is Astrology.  There are some interesting aspects happening in the sky this week that I thought I would blog about.  I will try and keep away from astrological terms but rather focus on the flavor of what is occurring.  No doubt, though, that everyone is feeling a bit of this trans formative energy floating around in their lives with more intensity. 

 We have an opportunity to respond to sudden changes that might be out of our control or we might feel compelled to make sudden changes in our lives. 

The most important thing to remember during these very interesting times is to see the consequences down the line for the decisions you make this week.  It is best to stay with the Truth of a situation! 

 Sometimes, we hide the truth even from ourselves.  If we are preoccupied it is very easy to over look what is happening right in front of our eyes.

  So, take a moment to step back from your life.  Re-evaluate where you are at and what direction you want to go.  Find the truth!  There will be a Divine Plan revealed to you! 

 Your life is more than your own to direct.  You fit into a bigger picture.  A picture of your family, your community, your spark of light that affects everyone your life touches!  You Matter in the scheme of things...never think you don't.  Ha, a self-deception.  On the opposite side of the coin, you are not the center of the Universe either.  This goes back to the saying, "You're very special, just like everyone else!" 

The astrological energy exaggerates our feelings and it might surprise you to see that  this energy opens doors that you might have thought were closed or on the other hand closes opportunities and suddenly sends you in a surprisingly different direction.  It is the "Surprise" element that is the most prominent.  I pray for Happy Surprise moments for each of you this week. 

 If that door shuts though, just know it is for the best! 

 It is a time of Faith & Hope!

12 And Counting

Today marks the Twelfth Anniversary of my office  The Lighthouse being in Roswell!

Amazing to see the transformations that have taken place in my life and in the lives of others.

I am trying to narrow down the many lessons that I have learned by opening my office.  The word that comes to me is Compassion. 

I have learned to not have the "answer" but help others find their own answers just with a little more direction and  a little "light" on their situation.

As a Hypnotherapist, I delve into what is below the surface into deeper aspects of the source of a challenge or difficulty in life.  Looking for that Pearl which makes all of the hardship that one has experienced worthwhile!

There are plenty of lessons and I guess as long as we are breathing we have a lesson to learn.  There are pauses in Life and Lessons though.  As if the Universe understands... we all need a break now and again to incorporate all that we have learned. 

I have learned not to judge the lessons of others but to realize that what another experiences does not have to be my experience.  I can be a witness but I don't have to get out in the storm with them.  Grounding myself in the Rock, I am able to maintain my balance and allow for light to flow.  If I were to describe my work this would be it:  To allow for light to shine in the dark places.  To Illuminate and bring light, wisdom and inner strength to deal with what ever may be occurring in your life at the moment.

Assisting in bringing healing to that which has been wounded.  Peace to those who have trials.  Freedom to those who have been bound.

The Light that has been given to me, I shine.

This means that I continually must look within my own self.  Delve into my own unconscious and continue to grow and to learn....

Compassion

Equanimity

Evenness of Mind.  Neither elated nor depressed.  Balance.  In a world that seems chaotic at times equanimity is needed.  Whether you're living in an Alien City or just feeling alienated.

Finding that  Peace sometimes is the challenge.  I believe that it is there within us.  A God given gift that we must nurture.
Setting limits to how much chaotic thought rummages around in our brains is one way!  Paying attention to all the chatter around us and realizing it doesn't have to be a part of us.
There is that part within each of us that can settle into that Peace.
I went to the mountains for the weekend.  The sound of the wind blowing through the trees reminded me of the sound of the ocean. The ocean and the wind are powerful forces. The wind cannot be seen but it can be heard and felt.  Even though it was a blustery wind..... I felt a Peace flood over me that I have not felt for a very long time.
Sometimes we have to struggle... and try ....and push.... to "make" things happen or prevent something from happening.  That is the nature of life.... birth.....death...and it seems that as I was pondering our dilemma here on this planet, a psalm came to me...really it was the song..

Because the Lord is my Shepard, I have everything that I need. He lets me rest in meadows green and leads beside the quiet streams.  He keeps on giving life to me and helps me to do what honors Him the most.Even when walking through the dark valley of death.  I will never be afraid for He is close beside me.  Guarding, Guiding all the way .  He spreads a feast before me.  In the presence of my enemies He welcomes me as his special guest.  With blessings over flowing ..His goodness and unfailing Kindness shall be with me all of my life and afterwards I will live with Him forever ..forever in his home.

Powerful things are happening around town...some for good, some so very tragic. Globally, also!  We each need to find that Anchor or know that a Shepard is watching out for us...closely watching.
  We must listen for that voice..find that Equanimity and truly feel at peace, no matter what circumstances may arise.

It reminds me of a friend of mine who inspired me to blog.  She and her hubby are experiencing a new life on the water.  She is so watchful of every new sound of her boat ..aware of the wind... of the water.  Awareness is the beginning of Equanimity.  Aware and steady as you go,my friends!

Silence is Golden..

Duct tape is Silver........I have been quiet this past month.  Events in life happen and there are few words that seem appropriate to speak.  Sometimes silence holds the key!  I do, at times, must confess that a little duct tape for myself would be handy.  Seems that when I get nervous or upset I seem to babble on about silly things that probably nobody is interested in.  The rattling of my own voice somehow takes me away from what ever is happening that I find difficult. 

 So, I just wanted to throw out random tidbits of happenings here in Roswell.  Spring is at hand and the trees are blooming.  Iris have begun their blooming.  I believe next week will be the annual Iris show.  Always a beautiful thing to attend.  It is usually held out at the Roswell Mall but I haven't heard yet where it will be this year.  I love the beauty of everything coming alive.  My roses all have buds on them and might bloom a little early this year as we have had so much more rain this year. 

 It takes those silent times to nurture that which is being planted deep within our souls.  Those little ideas and dreams need to be tended to carefully and treated gently.  Sometimes, silence is a sign of faith.  When we feel that the Divine is silent then we know that things are being planted in our life. We have not been forgotten or ignored.  Enjoy the silence and as Sherlock Holmes would say.."Something is a'foot!"

Yep, the Ides of March

It is a rainy day in Roswell today.  The daffodils across the street seem to be happy.  It just seems like an every day Monday. 

Nothing special to be inspired by. 

 An ordinary day, with ordinary thoughts. 

 What's for lunch?    Time to get more kitty litter. 

 Yet, there is always something stirring in the mind...stirring in the wind...or maybe it is just March Madness!

  I had the pleasure of seeing Alice in Wonderland.  I was never much of a fan of Alice like my sister was.  Probably because I was too young to understand the story! 

 Oh, but how familiar it all seemed while I was watching the Wonderland unfold. 

I guess we all feel at one time or another, that we have fallen down the proverbial "Rabbit" hole. 

Nothing makes sense and it seems the rules have all changed ~and we think of what to do now? 

 Life seems to unfold very much like a dream..and we must continue to become more and more ourselves.  That person is  a surprise even to ourselves!   Like Alice, who knew herself, yet said that she could never slay the "dragon" !  But Alice did do exactly that! 

 So, however much you know about yourself ...realize that there is even more! 

 There is always more to you than you could even imagine! 

 Life will go about revealing that to you! 

 Just as sure as I am sitting here in Roswell on this rainy day. 

 Don't be surprised if you wake up one morning and realize that you are more than you could have ever dreamed of being....

Oh No!! BLUEBELL!

 

Oh, No...What a week it has been in Roswell.  Not only do we have a new Mayor almost all of the City Counsel incumbents were defeated! 

Well, to help us through all of these changes, Blue Bell Ice Cream!

Yep, right hear in Roswell!!  

I was strolling through Farmer's Market on North Main and Lo & Behold.

A big hand painted sign...NEW ITEM!!  

Much to my Joy and Horror Blue Bell was in front of me in Big Gallon containers. 

O what I wouldn't give for a little bit of summer. 

But a GALLON??

I would need to immediately start training for the half  marathon again!  It still wouldn't work off  how much a Gallon would put on my hips!! 

So, with a deep sigh..I walked on by..."make believe that you don't see the tears just let me be..just walk on by....

...goodbye"...Dionne Warwick sang it much better than I. 

Well, Good bye Sam Lagrone and all the others...if you're needing some comfort..run by Farmer's before their all sold out!  If your celebrating all the new changes in City Government well then..can't think of a better way than a Big Gallon of Blue Bell!!  Me?  I'll just keep walking!

After thought:

Those of you who are not familiar with Blue Bell..well ..it is the closest thing to eating homemade Ice Cream I have ever had...yep, the home cranked stuff!!!

Counting Blessings!

1. Roof over head.                 Check
2. Food in fridge & pantry.     Check
3. Electricity & running water. Check
4. Health.                               Check
5. Loved ones, safe ok.          Check

That's just a few blessings that I have taken for granted until this year.
Witnessing the tremendous tragedy in Haiti & now Chili.
Eerily, I watched the coast of Hawaii this weekend on CNN waiting for the tsunami.  Fortunately, it never appeared.  This technology is amazing.

"It's a small world after all"

Our hearts and our wallets go out to those suffering .  Yet, it is the neighbors that really make a difference in Crisis like these.  It's those that are in the midst of all the destruction that can offer the helping hand and be an angel of blessing and salvation.  I pray for those angels to be with those who are suffering ..who have no shelter..

Snow...Beautiful Snow!!

Last night somewhat of a blizzard blew through Roswell. 

This photo is from RDR, our local newspaper.  The photo is at the park at Enchanted Hills looking towards West Second street.  As you can see, the snow encapsulated each tree limb!  We woke up to a WinterWonderland!

  I went to sleep early and was awoken right before midnight with loud Caroling. 

 It sounded like the whole Tabernacle Choir were walking up my ally and Kentucky street singing ..

"God rest ye merry gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay..... Oh, tidings of Comfort and Joy..la..la..la...

Comfort and Joy.

It was really beautiful!   I woke up and realized I was only dreaming.  Must have been the snow that reminded me so much of Christmas!

So, I bring you today tidings of Comfort and Joy! 

In memory of Zach..

In memory of Zach.
A funny guy who made me laugh!
Who touched many lives with a smile.  It is a heartbreaking tragedy  here in Roswell.
A young man murdered.
 Sixteen years old...I don't understand.
 The senseless fighting...I just don't understand..It will continue..
Violence is not the solution.
I pray that there will not be more.. I pray for the family, for our community.
  Hug your kids..love your family..teach them that violence is never the answer.

  Rest in Peace, dear child.

Ruts in the Road

In 2010, I have been trying to break out of some ruts I have been traveling in.  It is so easy to follow the same path day in and day out. 

One of the ruts that I was forced out of here in Roswell was listening to 94.9 FM.  One day I woke up to my Radio playing Country.  Now, don't get me wrong .. I like country..but I always wake up to a little ole Rock-n-Roll.  It is no more.  I never realized how much I listened to that station till it was gone.
 So, for a complete change, I have moved my dial to 103.5 ( I think) to Santa Fe's classical music.  This is a BIG change for me!
I do find myself wishing for that old rut.  Sometimes, I find myself searching for the familiar but it is gone.  C'est La Vie!
Seems a silly thing, how  music really changes how we be-bop through the world.  Roswell seems a bit more Majestic (Alien pun intended) while listening to Vivaldi....

Voting...

Today in Roswell the American priviledge of election has begun.  My dad was the 36th today to vote for Mayor & City Council.  I like to vote on the day of election.  My dad asked me "What if you're sick"  ...such an optimist, he is.  I said," I won't be"  He said, "We will get an ambulance to take you!"  How dramatic is that!   Elections in small towns can be that way sometimes.

Don't you wish we could vote on the state of the world?  Or maybe just end the game, like Monopoly and just start over with everything distributed evenly.  Of course, those who are the winners wouldn't like that much.

  That ,maybe, is how we find ourselves.  We are continuing to roll the dice and play the game.  Each of us praying that God will favor us ..just this one roll..and when we get into a 'winning' streak unlike a 'loosing' the last words  on our lips are 

 "Why me?"  

 I wonder why that is?  If something bad were to happen..immediately the thought is "why me" or "it's always me..."  I think there are book titles about "Why bad things happen to good people"  the bigger amazement is "Why good things happen to bad people"

The answer..drum roll please........GRACE!

Silly us..even Jesus, when he was told that He was Good said only the Father in heaven is Good...

Some things are just real simple. 

So, this coming voting season..let's keep rolling the dice...maybe, just maybe, good things will happen!!

Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink

Crystal Blue Persuasion...

 This is a Crystal Blue Lily...I don't know that they grow here in Roswell.  I just woke up with that song rolling around in my head.
"A new day is coming..."
 It has been beautiful here the last two days with the snow just glistening.  I am fortunate that I did not have to get out in it.  I could watch from my couch as the snow fell all day long.  This evening I watched the moon rise over the Country Club golf course.  The largest Moon of the year (so they say) shown so brightly on the snow that I swear I saw sparkles!  Magic is a foot~~

Nature is a wonder, the beauty that surrounds us...even here in ole Roswell.

Happy Birthday to all my Aquarian Friends

I have so many dear friends born around this time ..near and far and I would like to post this poem from  Rilke to them and to all of my wonderful friends out there!!

The Grownup

All this stood upon her and was the world

and stood upon her with all its fear and grace
as trees stand, growing straight up, imageless
yet wholly image, like the Ark of God,
and solemn, as if imposed upon a race.

And she endured it all: bore up under
the swift-as-flight, the fleeting, the far-gone,
the inconceivably vast, the still-to-learn,
serenely as a woman carrying water
moves with a full jug.  Till in the midst of play,
transfiguring and preparing for the future,
the first white veil descended, gliding softly

over her opened face, almost opaque there,
never to be lifted off again, and somehow
giving to all her questions just one answer:
In you, who were a child once---in you.

Trend: The general direction in which something tends to moves.

I have been thinking lately about trends. We hear it all the time.
What is the trend in the Market?
The current trends in fashion.
Am I being too trendy???
We all want to be on the cutting edge. To know what is "in" and what is "out". The lines are always shifting and pulling us into the future.
Even if the trend is "Retro" it still forces us to look at the past and realize the distance we have traveled. Even if you feel that you have not changed much in the last decade or so you have.
Gravity takes it's toll.

"The world is too much with us; late and soon, getting and spending, we lay waste our powers. Little we see in nature that is ours."

These words were written long ago and mean more to me each passing day.


I was chatting with my cousin and he is in his eighties. He was talking about shrinking in height, around 2 inches, just by getting older. Maybe the weight of the world does take it's toll on us. We wake up and we have shrunk. Nothing to do but watch.
In mid life we have this fantasy that we have things under control. Life is strolling along and it is just everyday things. Then all of a sudden...Bam...something happens to jolt us into the realization that all is not as it seems.
Some event either external or internal changes our perception. Sometimes, knocking us to the ground. We have been struck with how different life is than what we thought it would be.
Time and again I hear people who are older talk in amazement that they feel like the same person they were when they were young and shocked to look in the mirror and have changed so much.
There is something internally that never changes ..some constant that is always there...and yet..and yet.. I have seen disease snatch a soul. The person who was there is gone.
Trauma, disease, yes, it can change a person into something that they never dreamed of being. Even then, I feel compassion. I realize that whatever it was, damaged the personality but never the soul. The soul is there, hidden like a seed in the ground. It is best not to disturb it.

So, as we start this new decade ..what trend are you following? Where are you looking for guidance in this crazy world?
A trend to me is like a well worn path..Will you go out and make a path of your own..create a new "trend" in your own life?
I hope wherever you tend to go...It leads you to greater love & understanding of your unique role of the trends that are forming before us.

Out with the old..in with the New..Sonic!!!

The newest thing happening in good ole Roswell is the New Sonic. It is almost ready to open it's doors. The old Sonic on Main Street is now closed. With it goes many fun memories of hanging out on summer nights in my younger days! Loved going for a Cherry Lime and Chili Cheese dog..Yum! Seeing friends..seeing who is with who..yes,a long long time ago~What fun, though. Now the Roswell teens will have a new drag~~New Happy Memories.
I am a collector of memories. When I was a kid walking to Furr's Grocery store which was practically in my backyard growing up on Pennsylvania, I would make a point to look up in the sky and say to myself, "I am going to remember this moment!"
I had usually gone to pick up some little something mom didn't have in the fridge or cabinet. That was the bad thing about growing up behind a grocery store..seemed like every evening I had to go to the store for something..or maybe it was the good thing! Sweet memories of more simple times for me..

So, as we say good-bye to the "old" Sonic let's look around at all the newness of life and say to ourselves.."I am going to remember this moment!"
Those precious moments are there.
You just have to fish for them sometimes!

New Horizons

Vast New Horizons are before us all.
New Opportunities.
Land to cross.
New adventures and new friends.
We stand together looking out at this great expanse.
It will never be as it has been before.
The air is crisp and full of potential.
We must march on in our journey. Tether ourselves to our fellow travelers.
Have plenty of supplies on hand.
When it gets dark out we will all gather together by the fire and sing songs to make the darkness seem not so fearful.
At daybreak, we again move forward knowing that we have a band of friends, a compass and terrain to cross.
Adventure that is what I see on the Horizon.
Pray for strength and fortitude to take the next step.