Regaining Focus

Thankful for regaining my focus

Have lost focus on my art, which is my soul connection to my God, my Holy Spirit.
I came across a favorite book of mine, it never fails to inspire me and makes me long to be in my creative mode.

To me, Art...it is like breathing...I must or i can't go on

"What is the basic nutrition for the soul? Well, it differs from creature to creature, but here are some combinations. ... For some women air, night, sunlight, and trees are necessities. For others, words, paper, and books are the only things that satiate. For others, color, form, shadow, and clay at the absolutes. Some women must leap, bow, and run, for their souls crave dance. Yet others crave only a tree-leaning peace." (Women Who Run W/Wolves)

Today

Today I am grateful for cardinals.
I listen to them sing to each other almost every day at work.
They have a special song. They make me happy
I am grateful for yellow paint.
While making posters for work, i'm using yellow, and it reminds me of spring.
I am grateful for my friends who call just to check on me.
Thats love.

I'm Learning

In an email to me, my son said this:

"May we not limit God to our idea of Him.
May we trust in his limitless power, rest in His love for His children, and share this love with others bring Glory to His name!"

how cool is that

so true, i forget all the time and limit my God to my idea of Him, which in my mind isn't very big.
I'm learning...

Acceptance

And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.

When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.

Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake.

unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy.
I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.

(BB, pg.449)

Thank you God for blowing on that oscillation over Greenland that has been repeatedly sending snow and cold and suffering to our area.  I thank you for the cold temperatures so that there are fewer flies this coming year but we are all worn down, disheartened, and sickly from the pounding.  Since Washington DC got 3 ft of snow, does this mean that Hell finally froze?  that Congress will work for their constituants as they are intended?  I pray it is so.

Thank you God for putting Mary in my life.  I had never gotten to meet a truly gentle spirit in all the days i have walked the earth in this lifetime until she came into my life.  Her posts have been so kind, patient, and genuine!  I am inspired by her honesty.  Thankfully pruning dead limbs do not hurt and I pray you prune us when the sap isn't running to those live ones that need to be removed to achieve true spiritual growth.

Thank you for protecting me and showing us all the things we need to know---whether we want to see them or not.  With truth, we can not be deceived later on.

Yours truly,
Lori

Walk in the woods

I am grateful Kelly is safe
she gave me a scare for a few days, but its turning out ok
i think she wants to move back to missouri soon
back where people love her

grateful Jimmy, Holly and I went to movies and hung out and had some laughter
no matter what, laughter breaks everything

Rule # 13
you cant be depressed and laughing at the same time

grateful that i have a variety of friends, that if i was ever in a jam or needed anything at all, i have people I can call
am thankful for friends in my life, whether they know it or not

Like a tree, I must be pruned of a lot of dead branches before I will be ready to bear good fruit. Think of changed people as trees that have been stripped of their old branches, pruned, cut, and bare. But through the dark, seemingly dead branches flows silently, secretly, the new sap, until with the sun of spring comes new life. There are new leaves, buds, blossoms, and fruit, many times better because of the pruning. I am in the hands of a Master Gardener, who makes no mistakes in His pruning

Thank you for
the exquisite beauty
fragrance of flowers
and knowing spring is right around the corner

(original photos by mary)

The lifeline, the line of rescue, is the line from the soul to God. On one end of the lifeline is our faith and on the other end is God's power. It can be a strong line and no soul can be overwhelmed who is linked to God by it. I will trust in this lifeline and never be afraid. God will save me from doing wrong and from the cares and troubles of life. I will look to God for help and trust Him for aid when I am emotionally upset.

Thankful for
Lori's Chicks

Thankful for
Song "Grateful" -Hezekiah Walker

Thankful for
"I need you to survive" Hezekiah Walker~ I need you, you need me.
We're all a part of God's body.
Stand with me, agree with me.
We're all a part of God's body.
It is his will that every need be supplied.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.

I need you, you need me.
We're all a part of God's body.
Stand with me, agree with me.
We're all a part of God's body.
It is his will that every need be supplied.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.

I pray for you , you pray for me.
I love you, I need you to survive.
I won't harm you with words from my mouth.
I love you, I need you to survive.
(Repeat 6x)

May the words of my mouth
and the meditations of my heart
Be pleasing to You
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer

~from psalm 19~

Lori,

we aren't damaged
i believe we were wounded
by the soul sickness of this sinful world

we walk out of the darkness
into the glorious light
we are chosen
we have been called

His unending love, mercy and grace shower us
we are His masterpiece
we now come confidently and boldly into His presence

listen to this, the most beautiful words I've ever heard
i can hear it with my inner hearing
in my heart of hearts
my soul had been searching for this truth
it was spoken to me almost everyday for months
and then I finally heard

so now i must tell you

"When I think of all this, i fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth. I pray that from His glorious unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.
Christ will make His home in your heart as you trust in Him.
Your roots will grow down into Gods love and keep you strong.

And may you have the power to understand how wide, how long, how high, how deep His love is.

Ephesians 3:14

(that is some beautiful poetry)

Ditto Mary's post God.
Is it ok to be me, or not?

Didn't you make us?
Trust is difficult for those of us who are damaged.

Love you,
Lori

Dear God,

it's ok if i don't know the answers
it's ok if i dont understand
it's ok to just be me

cause you got it covered
right?

Dear God,

Please whisper

"Blue Springs"
Blue Springs
Blue Springs

to Glory

Dear God,
Thank you for the incredible relationship and long conversations I have with my son, Jim Jr.
He is so amazing to watch and his love for You is contagious.
Thank you for Kelly, letting me into her world on a daily basis. I know you already do, but please walk close with her. Hold her hand, or send her a league of guardian angels. You put people in our lives for a reason, please put someone in Kellys path who has a soft, loving heart. Keep her safe in your arms. Draw her close to your heart. I miss her very much

Dear God,
Thank you for guiding the baler into the shed without damaging it or the shed!  Thank you too for keeping them reminding me to do it.  This out of sight, out of mind mode my brain has gotten into is very frustrating.

Thank you for getting that bonfire roaring even though things out there just weren't that dry.

Thank you for releasing the lawnmower so i could park it in a better place!

I'm so glad you helped me get ready for the next bout of weather.
Please help me get the chicken houses fixed and get those girls in a healthy place.
Thank you,
Lori

Dear God,
Thank you for taking single digits out of the forecast!!!! My horses and i greatly thank you!!!

Thank you for giving me email and the internet to connect with the outside world.

Thank you for telling Nick he needed to talk to me so i do not go crazy.  His knowledge and humor are always tremendously appreciated.
Yours,
Lori