WASTE LAND

 

 “Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend... when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present / love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure / the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.”

 

Sarah Ban Breathnach

 

Are you ADORABLE?

Yes, this is a picture of ME ~ emily!

I was so adorable! I am still adorable.....

but I have my moments.

a·dor·a·ble

–adjective

1. very attractive or delightful; charming.

2. worthy of being adored.

I am NOT adorable when:

*   People are mean & hateful to me.

*   People don't "follow the rules" or "do the right thing".

*   I am sick or sad.

I AM adorable when:

*   I am snuggling/laughing/spending time with my Darling Husband.

*   I am excited/passionate/really engaged in an ART project.

*   I perform a "random act of kindness" & try not to get caught doing it.  

My challenge this week.....try to be ADORABLE!

and also:

beneficent, cherubic, divine, good, godly, heavenly, humble, innocent, lovely, pure, radiant, righteous, self-sacrificing, sweet & virtuous.

A Spiritual Conspiracy

Photo courtesy of: geishaboy500

A SPIRITUAL CONSPIRACY
... 
On the surface of the world right now there is
 war and violence and things seem dark.
..But calmly and quietly, at the same time, 
something else is happening underground. 
An inner revolution is taking place
 and certain individuals are being called to a higher light. 
It is a silent revolution.
 From the inside out. From the ground up.
 This is a Global operation. 
A Spiritual Conspiracy.
 There are sleeper cells in every nation on the planet.
 You won't see us on the TV.
 You won't read about us in the newspaper. 
You won't hear about us on the radio.
 We don't seek any glory.
 We don't wear any uniform. 
We come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles.



  Most of us work anonymously
. We are quietly working behind the scenes 
in every country and culture of the world. 
Cities big and small, mountains and valleys,
 in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands.
 You could pass by one of us on the street
 and not even notice. 
We go undercover. 
We remain behind the scenes. 
It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit. 
But simply that the work gets done. 
Occasionally, we spot each other in the street.
 We give a quiet nod and continue on our way.
 During the day, many of us pretend we have normal jobs
.

But behind the false storefront at night 
is where the real work takes a place.
 Some call us the Conscious Army
. We are slowly creating a new world
 with the power of our minds and hearts.
 We follow, with passion and joy.
 Our orders come from the Central Spiritual Intelligence. 
We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no one is looking
 ~ Poems ~ Hugs ~ Music ~ Photography ~ Movies ~ Kind words ~
 Smiles ~ Meditation and prayer ~ Dance ~ Social activism ~ Websites ~ 
Blogs ~ Random acts of kindness.
 We each express ourselves in our own unique ways
 with our own unique gifts and talents
. Be the change you want to see in the world.
 That is the motto that fills our hearts.
 We know it is the only way real transformation takes place.
 We know that quietly and humbly we have the
 power of all the oceans combined.
 Our work is slow and meticulous. 
Like the formation of mountains, 
it is not even visible at first glance.
 And yet, with it, entire tectonic plates 
shall be moved in the centuries to come
. Love is the new religion of the 21st century.
 You don't have to be a highly educated person 
or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it. 
It comes from the intelligence of the heart
 embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse of all human beings.


  Be the change you want to see in the world
. Nobody else can do it for you. 
We are now recruiting. 
Perhaps you will join us
...Or already have. 
All are welcome. 
The door is open.

~ author unknown ~

Be Sweet

Digital collage by emily ~ heart texture courtesy of  ~♥ Pretty Petal ♥~

Happy New Year

Photo courtesy of:  ~BostonBill~

My Wishes for You...
I look to the new year and my wish for you;

Peace within your heart
Love from family and friends
Faith to guide your way
Hope to to make it through each day
Sunshine to light the day
Heavenly Stars to wish upon
Rainbows to to let you know there is a tomorrow
A tear to show compassion
A heart to hold the love
But most of all I wish for you
to feel my hand in yours,
To know I am here if you stumble or fall.
To bring you cheer, to bring you love,
to return the love you always share with me.
Author Unknown

All is Calm

Sad to say.....Christmas usually freaks me out. All the hustle & bustle, all the DRAMA ~ people fighting over cheap merchandise in the stores, families fighting over who-will-spend-Christmas-where. Frantic people stressing out about how they are going to buy gifts for loved ones when they have so  little money and have no idea what the gift receivers need or want. I especially hate the fight about whether you should say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays".....can't we all just share a little love & respect for each other & be inclusive of ALL the holidays/beliefs celebrated at this time of year?!? WWJD? Wouldn't he reach out with open arms to embrace & minister to all? 

My poor Darling Husband. For years I have moped around the house at Christmas time sputtering "I HATE Christmas" under my breath. Little or no decorations, no holiday baking, no parties, last minute present shopping, no Christmas Eve service. I'm not sure when it was I started hating Christmas. I think I have just been rebelling about the total commercialization of it all...and all the WORK/STRESS.

So.....this year I am trying to embrace Christmas.  I am decorating my home in lovely shades of cream, white, sepia, silver & gold ~ using handmade & "thrifted" items. Actually, I find I am enjoying the process and yes, all is calm. The more I decorate, the calmer I become. I am finding the BEAUTY of the season.  I hear stories about those helping people in need like the "Secret Santa" in Kansas City or "Operation Christmas" right here in my area...and my heart is blessed...and I am inspired to seek out my own way to help others (anonymously) before the end of the year. We have invited friends over for a Christmas Eve supper & trip to church.

One thing though.....It's more fun/meaningful if there are children around ~ their sparkling eyes and wonderment of the season is contagious. I have not had Christmas with my children or grandchildren or Dad or brother in many, many years since we all live so far away from each other. I have decided that I am going to leave my Christmas decorations up until we can all get together AT MY HOUSE for Christmas. So yes, if you come to see me in August, you will think I am crazy!

I want to thank Nellie Wortman for the GORGEOUS fabric collage that has inspired me this Christmas. "All is calm"...

 

Purchased from Nellie Wortman's Etsy shop

Silent night! holy night!
All is calm all is bright.
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild .
Sleep in heavenly peace! 

Snow-flakes

View out of my art room window this morning

Snow-flakes

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Out of the bosom of the Air,

Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,

Over the woodlands brown and bare,

Over the harvest-fields forsaken,

Silent, and soft, and slow

Descends the snow.

Even as our cloudy fancies take

Suddenly shape in some divine expression,

Even as the troubled heart doth make

  In the white countenance confession,

The troubled sky reveals

The grief it feels.

This is the poem of the air,

Slowly in silent syllables recorded;

This is the secret of despair,

Long in its cloudy bosom hoarded,

Now whispered and revealed

To wood and field. 

Photo courtesy of: CaptPiper