The monsters had their last day of school today and now are officially on spring break. Even with a couple of long weekends it really feels like it’s been a long, cold end to winter. But the last few days the sun has been shining and now everyone gets a bit of a chance to recharge. They work really hard at school and it’s a very well deserved break for both of them.
Tag Archives: peace
Little Jasmine
Jasmine, our found in the compost bin kitten is now very clearly in her adolescence. She lips off, runs away, and doesn’t want any cuddles anymore.
Today however, as I was sitting having a cup of tea, this happened.
And she cuddled right up, and purred, and was almost a normal cat. There’s something so awesome about when a cat chooses to sit with you.
DQ for spring
To celebrate the first day of spring we stopped at DQ on the way home to have some ice cream.
It is absolutely gorgeous outside.
For you
I was really missing dad this afternoon. The weather is warming up, we are (hopefully) nearing spring. Soon the swans will fill the slough and the calves will be born. Spring was dad’s season.
When I was here, he’d drag me around the fields looking for crocuses, watching the calves, giving gratitude for life. When I was away he’d send me photos of all of those things so that I remembered. So that I remembered gratitude for all that God has gifted us.
I put John Denver on my Spotify because when I hear him, or hear ABBA, I feel dad. And I listened.
A song came up that I don’t recall hearing before – which is amazing because dad played that music continuously when I was a kid.
The song is called For You, and I think it is a beautiful expression of love. This is how we should love and be loved.
I had a moment of gratitude towards both Johns (my dad and Denver) for the reminder of how love is what it’s all about. I hope they’re jamming together in heaven.
For You
Just a look in your eyes again
Just to lay in your arms
Just to be the first one always there for you
Just to live in your laughter
Just to sing in your heart
Just to be everyone of your dreams come true
Just to sit by your window
Just to touch in the night
Just to offer a prayer each day for you
Just to long for your kisses
Just to dream of your sighs
Just to know that I’d give my life for you
For you for the rest of my life
For you all the best of my life
For you alone, only for you
Just to wake up each morning
Just to you by my side
Just to know that you’re never really far away
Just a reason for living
Just to say I adore
Just to know that you’re here in my heart to stay
For you for the rest of my life
For you all the best of my life
For you alone, only for you
Just the words of a love song
Just the beat of my heart
Just the pledge of my life, my love, for you
Family birthday st paddy’s style
We had a family supper celebrating my uncle’s birthday tonight. Lots of good laughter and conversation, ending in a big political conversation with my son and cousin. As someone who avoids political conversations at all costs it amazes me that he’s so interested in it. But he’s figuring out who he is and what his beliefs are and that’s a good thing.
Mostly it was just really nice to spend time with my tribe.
4h and coffee shops
The kids had multi judging with 4H today and when we got there they kicked the parents out. We did the only reasonable thing and spent the next few hours visiting in the local coffee shop.
I forgot how much I like the town of Olds.
I needed the soul nourishment of the visit.
I remembered how grateful I am for our club and my tribe.
Facts of life
The girl and I have started watching The Facts Of Life , which was one of my all time favourite shows. For that reason, it took a lot of convincing to get her to watch it with me, but she’s just as addicted as i am now.
I love that we can watch these types of shows together, they’re innocent and fun.
Landslide
I cannot get this song out of my head today. It started on auto repeat in my brain as soon as I woke up and it just keeps getting stronger
I took my love, I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
‘Til the landslide brought me down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
‘Til the landslide brought me down
Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin’ ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Mmm
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin’ ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Mmm
Well, I’ve been ‘fraid of changin’
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m gettin’ older, too
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m gettin’ older, too
Well, I’ve been ‘fraid of changin’
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m gettin’ older, too
I’m gettin’ older, too
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m gettin’ older, too
I’m gettin’ older, too
Ah, take my love, take it down
Oh, climb a mountain and turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well, the landslide will bring it down
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well, the landslide will bring it down
Oh, the landslide will bring it down
Oh, climb a mountain and turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well, the landslide will bring it down
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well, the landslide will bring it down
Oh, the landslide will bring it down
I have read so many different interpretations of the song and I keep thinking – yes that’s how I feel, no that’s how I feel – it seems no matter how people interpret it (including Stevie Nicks) that it resonates in my soul.
So, I sit here in Grandma’s kitchen, looking west at the snow covered hills, and I see my reflection everywhere around here – reflections of grandma and grandpa, reflections of my parents, reflections of my aunts and uncles, reflections of my cousins, reflections of me and my sister, reflections of my children. I look up to the mirror in the sky (for me that’s God) and that’s where so many of them are now, and I ask “what is love” and I know what it is, because they showed me, it’s part of what is reflected here.
This is one of Dad’s photos, it seems fitting… it’s my view
Take a pause
I’ve been listening to Iyanla Vanzant on an Oprah podcast and she said:
Everything that requires healing is going to rush to the surface
And if you don’t take a minute to breathe, to gather yourself, to pray – you will do what you’ve always done
So you’ve got to be clear enough, grounded enough, centred enough, to say
How am I going to handle it this time
So the lesson is… pause
Then she talks about how we go from one job, age, relationship, to the next without a pause
We leave a relationship and jump into the next one thinking the grass is greener
But because you haven’t paused, you bring all your old stuff into it.
I have been craving this pause. This place to stop and unpack what is no longer serving me and leave it being.
I’ve been slowly in the process over the last few years, but the call is getting stronger. It is becoming a matter of survival.
Stop
Pause
Let go
Change
Embrace new beliefs
Connect with God
Pray
Sit in stillness
Be at peace.
Our Deepest Fear
Our Deepest Fear
By Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.
We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us;
It’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we’re liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
This is taken from her book A Return to Love which is one of my all time favourite reads.
I have been working a lot with forgiveness lately. Clearly given my reaction to an incident a few days ago I still have a ways to go with forgiveness. Time helps, but I don’t believe it actually heals all wounds. I need to actively work at it, and ask God for help with it, but I’m determined to do it. That will being peace which is what true happiness is after all
As an added bonus happiness moment, we saw the new Marvel movie. Those films have become a tradition in our home that we quite look forward to.
