June is my Birthday Month!  Yay for Special Days and Celebrating.

Celebrating birthdays can sometimes be tedious.  Depending on the frame of mind one has.  The age old adage, "you're only as old as you feel"...and other great sayings can leave one feeling older than they really are.

This year, I am turning 59!  Yup!  It's a big one.  Not ready for retirement, but viewing it off in the distance.  When I think of retirement, I really don't know what to think specifically.  Does one really retire?  Retire from what?  Living?  The "promise" of something better in retirement shadows the present. The scene similar to hanging a carrot in front of a rabbit.  Teasing.  Taunting.  Causing dissatisfaction with current situation.  I don't want this to be my focus.

I've decided that today, right now...I'm going to live in the present.  Not exerting energy into speculating, what the future may have.  I feel mentally stronger, and accepting of my place and position in life.  I want to move forward confident in this acceptance of self.  Focusing on contentment, not discontentment.  Finding things to be grateful for, and appreciative of.

Recently, I've been able to work on new art pieces.  You can see some of the pieces here:

The words and verses on these art pieces are all meaningful to me.  This has been my process.  When you view these pieces, you can see what I've been thinking on, and where the direction of my life is heading.  Check the shop to see when these pieces are listed: here

As I look forward to my 59th year of life, I am excited.  I am anticipating great adventures and life lessons learned.  I am learning to see Immanuel's (God with us) presence in everyday moments.  I'm full of joy and expectancy as I look forward to what lies ahead on my life journey.

Sharing smiles with you straight from my flower garden.  Do you see them?  The little smiley faces in the middle of the daisies?  I just love how happy these make me.  Hope you enjoy them as well.

Thank you for joining with me and being a traveling companion on this adventure.

Living in the Moment

My day was planned.  I was carefully orchestrating the details for a productive work day. And then, I heard a knock on my back door.  My grandson Caleb, almost 4 years old, came over to ask me to go for a walk.  I had already declined to his mom.  Somehow, my declining and his mom explaining my unavailability to walk at that time, was not going to deter him.  He decided I needed another personal invitation; thus, the knock on my door.

Caleb insisted that our walk would be fun, and that I would enjoy it.  He willingly offered to wait for me, while I got ready to go.  Several adoringly sweet smiles, and 100% charm, and this Gramma was jumping up ready to go wherever her adventurous little grandson wanted.

This year, I am trying to learn to live more in each moment.  Not just looking toward the future, but what is happening in the here and now.  Practicing being present.  Living in JOY.  I am learning that JOY is relational.  Joy starts with a smile.  Joy means someone is glad to be with me.

The fact that Caleb was expressing his joy and delight in wanting to be with me was extremely contagious!  All of a sudden, there was nothing more that I wanted to do than to be with him.

What a beautiful lesson I received this morning in JOYfull living.  The weather was perfect!  The fresh sea-salt air was invigorating.   Inhaling the "signs of Spring" that surrounded us on our walk was mind renewing.  Below are a few photos snapped on our unexpected, and enchanting walk.

Freshly plowed brussel sprouts field on the left overlooking the Pacific Ocean!

 Sharing the hiking path with "Indy" and his rider!  Walking up to Indy and letting him check me out and then, getting to pet him was a glee filled moment!

 These apple trees are on the historic Wilder Ranch just north of Santa Cruz.  Meandering through the ranch setting and letting my imagination play was a great exercise.  Thinking of the people and their stories, folks that lived in this idyllic place gave me greater appreciation for the ingenuity and resourcefulness of earlier generations.  To be three generations observing the scene together was heartwarming.  (Gramma, daughter, grandson)

Isn't this the most perfect playground for children?  Caleb wanted to show me how he could climb this tree, and explore the "mature Aloe Vera plant hedge forts" that were surrounding it.

Surrounded by natural beauty.  Inhaling the freshness.  I am so thankful that I allowed my schedule to be interrupted and gave myself permission to be.  "Be" in the moment with my loved ones.  Be present with Creator God who made all the beauty I was observing. Just being present in the moment.

For a recovering workaholic today was just "what the doctor ordered".  I needed it more than I realized.  I am so thankful for the ways that God uses people in my life to show me things that I might have missed otherwise.  I am thankful for little Caleb. and his insistence that I accompany him and his mom on the walk.  I am thankful for all the little and BIG ways that my Creator God continually reveals his love for me, and his JOY in me and being in my presence.