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Practice Joy
What is it that has your attention – or for that matter, mine? Are your eyes on the difficulties of the day? Worries? Unanswered questions? Hope deferred? Let’s try a new look – let’s deliberately focus on joy. (So much different than simple happiness!) A friend of mine encouraged me today, and it reminded me of this. I remember when I was about 7 years old a toy of mine somehow slipped under the couch in the living room. I reached for it, and as I touched it, it inched even further away, thus, out of my reach. The tips of my fingers could still feel it, but that was…
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Before Dawn
It is quiet this morning, and the birds are singing springtime songs outside my window. They begin before the sun comes up, and it is a welcome sound. The harbinger of a new day. As this Sunday awakens, the jumbled thoughts of the night seem to realign themselves in a more orderly fashion. The uncertainty and worries have been washed away by the light of day. Isn’t it funny how things seem much more manageable after the rising of the sun? It feels as though this week will be significant. Maybe that’s why the hours between midnight and three were so unsettled earlier? Who knows? As I face the coming…
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Springtime Flowers
Looking at my back patio was dismal. Last year’s plants had faded into wisps of yellowed memories. It was a site that caused my palms to itch, longing for my gardening gloves. So, off I went to the local nursery. Now, I know some people are addicted to different things – I have to be very careful when I decide to go to this place. I always have a dollar amount in mind, because if I’m not careful, the next stop is a Rehab Center in a group called “Gardener’s Anonymous”. Yep, it’s that bad. 🙂 Today, I was moderate. I only slightly exceeded my budget – but it was…
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After the Storm
This week was a definite roller-coaster. Early on, there were Texas-sized storms that rolled through, damaging the town where I used to live. Thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt. Although, there was a lot of damage. My dog – my girl Samantha hates storms. Thundershirt, tranqs, whatever it takes, we manage to get through. This one saw us holed up in the bathroom while my phone blinked “Tornado Warning”. As she sat on my lap, shaking and panting, I tried to soothe her. She’s normally not a lap dog. She likes to pretend she is independent. (They say dogs take after their owners, right?) As the two of us huddled, I…
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Lift Your Voice
One day during the extreme lock-down – it was as if fear was a tangible thing…a slimy, force that was breathing sulfur all around. My neighborhood was quiet – too quiet. There were no jets flying into DFW. It was as though the world ground to a halt. It was as if paralysis had set in. It was hideous. I had bought a guitar recently…a pretty Martin acoustic that replicated a dearly loved one that I had gotten on my 11th birthday from my parents. It became a sword, a shield and a flame thrower. When I think of it now – it was almost like taking 5 smooth stones…
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Ful and New
For the past few years, I’ve selected “My One Word” to carry with me for an entire year. It is chosen after consideration, thoughts and prayers. I was in a quandary in 2021, because I could not settle on a single word. The one word ended up not being an actual word, rather the suffix “ful”, which is used with words like: Grateful Wonderful Joyful Prayerful Beautiful Thankful Cheerful Truthful Skillful Hopeful Of course, there are other words on the “dark side”, which I stayed away from whenever possible. Still, I found myself being more aware of the positive side of being full.…
