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Fireworks - Happy 4th of July - 2008 |
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Chambers
of the Heart |
Hail
and Hello, Fellow Travelers
I know, I know.
You've been missing me, and wondering
where I've been, right?
Right?
;-)
Yes, I missed last month's issue. You're
right. It was inexcusable.
But I have a good excuse. Really.
It's called "life shift". (Yes,with
an "f".)
All good. But big. And this shift touches
on every aspect of my life, just about.
It's called "new job".
Yes - you're right again, fellow traveler,
I did have two part-time jobs. And now, I
have a new part time job that's full-time
for a few weeks, and then will cut back to
truly part-time, once more.
Confused? Stay with me here...
I've begun using my legal secretary
background again, and am filling in for
vacationing legal assistants at a law firm
with offices in two cities about 45
minutes from my home.
Yes, I miss my 2-minute commute, and I
miss working at the library, and the
Artisan Center.
But my hubby is happy with the new
paycheck, and I am happy feeling as though
I'm making more of a contribution.
I'm meeting new folks, and learning new
things, and generally trying to continue
to see myself as an artist while I dive
back into the world of legal wisdom.
So... big changes in my schedule, and my
'free time', and my 'sleep time' and every
time in-between.
But it's all good.
One of the first folks I met on this new
job introduced herself to me, her eyes
dancing, and said, "I know you! I
read your newsletters!" Turns out,
she's a relative of a friend of mine in
Waynesboro (Hi, Martha and Tina!). Can I
just tell you what a thrill it was to have
someone in my new venue who knows the
"real me" - the "artist
me", as opposed to the "legal
assistant" me?
I'm having a good time, and reminding
myself of my commitment to going with the
flow, and to seeing the blessings in any
given situation.
I'm a lucky, lucky gal.
Special note: if you double click on the
links below each article, you'll be
magically whisked away to a wonderful
image or bookmark I've selected to
accompany each article. Sometimes it'll be
a flower, sometimes, a card or bookmark -
but always something seen 'in a different
light'. Feel free to click these links -
you can always come right back to the
newsletter, but I really try to make them
complement each other. Your very own
multi-media display - right at your
fingertips!
Peony
Abstract - One of my bookmarks |
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Notes
and Quotes
I've always been a fan of quotes. Short,
pithy statements that underscore a point.
I began keeping a "Quotes" file
several months ago, and will add to it
anytime I come across a particularly
appealing bit of verbiage.
My wonderful Aunt, Kitty, introduced me to
Gratefulness.org, where you can sign up
for a daily quote to be delivered via
email. It's free, and most of the time, I
read my quote the very first thing, and
find myself nodding, and adding it to my
collection. Many of the quotes you'll find
in this edition of the newsletter have
come from my subscription (free!) to
Gratefulness Word for the Day.
If you're interested in signing up, I've
posted the link at the end of this
article. You can unsubscribe at any time,
and I've never gotten anything from this
group other than their wonderful daily
doses of positivity and grace.
To
sign up for Word for the Day from
Gratefulness.org |
Blue
Trio |
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Can
you hear them singing? |
The
Singing of Angels
A sample "Word for the Day",
from earlier this week: There must be
always remaining in every life, some place
for the singing of angels, some place for
that which in itself is breathless and
beautiful. (Howard Thurman)
Another bit of brilliance ~
Faith is putting all your eggs in God's
basket, then counting your blessings
before they hatch. ~Ramona C. Carroll
I
can't count that high... |
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Holiness
Comes Wrapped in the Ordinary
Holiness comes wrapped in the ordinary.
There are burning bushes all around you.
Every tree is full of angels. Hidden
beauty is waiting in every crumb. (Macrina
Wiederkehr, O.S.B, from "A Tree Full
of Angels")
Take time to recognize the billions of
bits of brilliance that surround us, each
and every day.
The glimmer of a dragonfly's wing.
The sheen of the morning sun on the dew of
the green field.
The smell of a fresh-brewed cup of coffee.
The nuzzle of a small, trusting, furry
being's head, as they seek a scratch
behind the ears.
Turning on the radio JUST when they begin
playing your favorite song.
Taking a bite of a perfectly ripe peach,
and feeling the sweet juice go running
down your arm.
Bits of brilliance.
Life
is a gift... Enjoy the "present"
:-) |
Ordinary
Miracle |
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Pink
Explosion |
Gratitude
- A Way of Life
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is
like wrapping a present and not giving it.
(William Arthur Ward)
I have oft been accused of being
Pollyanna-ish. I am one of those
irritating souls who will chirp positive
things at you while you're kvetching about
your latest speeding ticket.
"Well, perhaps being pulled over by
that trooper saved you from being in a
terrible accident down the road a
bit." Folks have a tendency to look
at me like I've just flown in from Mars,
sometimes.
That's okay. I'm used to it.
I believe that too often, we feel positive
things, and fail to express them. Someone
will go out of their way to help us, and
we neglect to thank them for their time
and trouble. A store clerk will offer to
arrange your flowers, or a waiter will
deftly supply fresh bread, or a driver
will let you merge, unbidden... So many
opportunities to give thanks... to express
gratitude. And we blow 'em. We get so
focused on "the NEXT thing" that
we fail to appreciate "THIS
thing".
Miracles
Happen to Those Who Believe |
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Kingdom
of the Night
"No one is as capable of gratitude as
one who has emerged from the kingdom of
night. "(Elie Wiesel)
Balance - of light and dark, good and
evil, fun and work, income and outgo....
only through experiencing darkness in its
many guises do we fully come to appreciate
the light when it bursts over the horizon.
When you see something beautiful, offer
thanks. Tell the person whose skirt is an
amazing color of aqua that you love it.
Compliment the person in front of you in
line on their jewelry. Tell someone you
like their bumper sticker. Tell a parent
at a store that their child is adorable.
SHARE GOOD THINGS - it brings good things
to you, as well as sending out that little
wave of positive energy that will flurry
along, and join up with all the other
Pollyannas' little wavelets until it
becomes a shining beacon of bright water,
washing away the cares of the world, and
winning a new dawn.
Bonesigh
Arts... beauty, wisdom and vulnerability |
Dark
Kingdom |
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Gourdgeous... |
A
Shout Out to Noah
Talk about an unexpected blessing...
I had five minutes or so before I was back
'on the clock' after lunch last week, and
I checked my email.
There was a note from the son of a woman
who has become a wonderful cyber-friend
and supporter. (You've heard me mention
Terri, and Bonesigh Arts many times in
this newsletter. I met Terri by writing
her a fan email, telling her I'd stumbled
across her work, and loved it. She wrote
me back, and checked out MY work, and
liked it... and, well.. the rest is
history.)
My Uncle/Webmaster had just created a new
page featuring some of my latest efforts,
and I had shared it with Terri, almost on
a whim. I asked her to check it out, if
she had the chance, and to let me know
what she thought.
The next day, I got an email from Terri's
son, Noah. He wrote in an easy, breezy
fashion.
He said he'd checked out the slideshow,
and enjoyed it. That he was a fan of my
work, and did I have any advice for a new
photographer?
He thanked me for being an inspiration.
Basically, he made my week, all in the
space of a 16 line email.
He saw something he considered beautiful.
He took the time to offer thanks, and to
make contact, and share that appreciation.
He touched my life in a lovely way that
honors his momma's good teaching.
He reminded me, when I needed it most,
that what I "do" isn't who I
"am". And that I can do a job,
and still be an artist. It doesn't have to
be one or the other.
A wonderful connection was made.
I waited until the weekend to respond to
his letter - I wanted to give it the honor
and consideration it deserved. My reply
turned into a monologue of epic
proportions, and I was convinced that this
poor, unsuspecting young man would recoil
in horror at the sheer length of my
response.
Instead, we've happily tapped response
after response, and a new friendship has
bloomed.
It occured to me, as I was writing to my
new, enthusiastic friend, that I had met
his mother through a fan letter that *I*
had written - and here I was, responding
to a fan letter her SON had written, 2
years later.
The circular nature of the exchange has
appealed to me.
To
See My Latest Slideshow, click HERE |
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The
Road Before Us
A heart-felt 'thank you' to Ann, who had
me come and visit the residents of the
nursing home in which she toils diligently
in HER new job as activities coordinator.
What joy, to see her in her element,
finally. One where attentions paid to
those in her care are celebrated, and not
shortened. It was a delight to meet the
residents that day - one I shall remember
always. I talked with the folks, who
ranged in cognitive abilities from
"The lights are on, but we're away
for awhile" to "I'm here, young
lady, what can I do for you?" I
talked with these folks about my work, and
my passion for photography, and flowers,
and creativity, and, and, and...
Well... YOU get the idea.
It was a blessing, to be able to go there
that day. Thank you, dear Ann, for that
opportunity.
May you continue to flourish in your new
calling.
Inner
Sanctum |
The Green Road...
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Until
Next Month, My Friends
May you reach for the highest goals, and
not beat yourself up if you fall short.
It's the reaching that's important.
All ideas expressed here, whether you find
them wacky or wise, are my own. Take 'em
for what they're worth. If they have a
resonance for you, fine - write me, and
tell me where we're alike, and what we
share.
If they offend you, I apologize, and
remind you that you are free to
unsubscribe by clicking on the
"unsubscribe" link below. Or,
you could write me, and tell me where we
differ, and why you found my thoughts
offensive.
May life bring you blessings aplenty - and
the grace and wisom to recognize them, and
appreciate them. Don't always look for
your blessings to come cloaked in grandeur
and glory. Sometimes, the blessing is in
the
just-turned-green-while-you-were-approaching
stoplight. Say "thanks, light!",
and smile at your blessing.
I take this time to wish my Mom a happy
birthday, last month. Mom, you've always
been a guiding light for me. Thank you for
your wisdom and your warmth. May this year
be filled with delights for you.
Sometimes
Angels are Garbed in Flowing Robes... |
Dream... |
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