Places and Things

I grew up in the country with not another house in sight, when the trees were all dressed in green. That is, until I was age 10.

Then a dweller of a little village I began to be. The trees were all scattered here and there. But, houses and humans were the décor of my little town.

Seven years of village life was astounding to me.  When outside not a peek could I make because the neighbors’ ears were anything but deaf.

Running down the pristine streets was not at all allowed. “Walk not run” echoed in my ears until I felt like I had been starched and pressed from the inside out.

With all my lady like hope while country still tickled in my toes I landed like an alien in the big city without a clue how to live the DC life.

The city of DC, our Nation’s capital taught me so many interesting things. It all seemed so glamorous and perfect. I loved everybody and everything.

The beauty of city life changed into riots and fires and in my mind destroyed the magic of Washington, D.C.

Over the bridge and out of the city life began to breathe an air of relief. Still not sure just why so many of us felt we had to leave.

Suburban life has become my norm.  Not at all city, village or country. A suburb just has a unique flavor all it’s own.

All earth is good because God created it to be. Living life in love, joy and hope can be found in any space called home.

Sit awhile and share a cup of tea while you tell me about the places you have been and things you have seen.

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Empowering One Another

“…I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”
(Deuteronomy 30:19, NKJV)

Did you know that your words have creative power? We are able to use our words to create peace, joy, love, hope and blessings galore? Or, we can use our words to create a chaotic storm in life situations. When we agree with God’s Word we are in agreement with our Father. WOW? No family fight there but a good movie night! Peace!

The Psalmist declares with his voice, “I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!” (Psalm 91:2, amp) What are you saying of the Lord today? Listen in on the dialogue that continues. “And He will cover me, deliver me and protect me.” Look at this word creative power! “I will say” and “He will do.” On the flip side of the coin, “I will not say of the Lord, and He will not do.” Could this be true?

As we grow together in 2014 let’s try creating some new patterns in our lives where the lines have blurred and blessings are in reverse. As we bring our mind focus into hues of royal blue and our lips a tincture of faith for ourselves and all God’s descendants a greater blessing will prevail. Let us say we will keep our hearts and minds focused on God, proclaim and empower one another!

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Happy New Year, 2014

Happy New Year, 2014

My sister reminded me to pray this prayer daily. I have made it a goal for the new year! Will you join us?
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

Dawn Collins on closing of 2013

Dawn Collins on closing of 2013

Good morning beautiful people! Here we are on the threshold of a brand new year. It’s a little sad for me when one year ends and another begins. It’s like getting holes in the best pair of shoes you’ve had since you can remember. The shoes you wore when you met Mr. Right, the shoes you were wearing when you got that good news you were hoping for, the shoes that fit perfectly and you’re use to and now you’ve got to break in a new pair and that could mean months of breaking them in. I don’t know, for me it just a bit sad. I’ve decided to pamper myself today in honor of my tender emotions. I’m dressed super comfy in soft yoga pants and a long down to my knees purple sweater and my converse high tops. If my kids need to go anywhere today I’m going dressed just like this! I’m going to drink coffee all day long and have a glass of wine or two tonight and reflect on the year I just lived here in hippie country land with my family. This year I ate ice cream cake and drank wine for dinner on a few occasions, I practiced yoga, we recycled a pool and deck and loved using it! I got two pieces of art in Lesley Riley’s book Quotes Illustrated which went to Amazon’s #1 best selling list!! Yay!! And has now been picked up by Northlight Publishing so it’s going even bigger! Way to go Lesley!! I blogged for Lucy Pearce’s new book the Rainbow Way which was a huge honor. I illustrated the Doll Within Me book by Sara Craddock, I began drawing coloring books and I really feel like I found my niche there. I wrote a bunch of zines I sell in my etsy shop with art and the coloring books. I played board games with my kids, baked cookies, made bread, rearranged furniture, laughed, cried, and experienced the emotions in between. I made new memories and enjoyed old ones. I drank a million pots of coffee, I made a lot of art, I blogged a lot, I wrote some silly poems, I played with our pets, we planted and harvested a great garden, I watched the sun rise and set daily. I made new friends and found some old ones. I discovered a yeti living in our woods (I think, not totally sure). We hiked and fed wild deer from our hands! We saved turtles from impending doom by helping them cross the street. We began recycling the building that is in the process of becoming a room addition to be my art studio!! I’ve cooked three meals a day just about every day! I have discovered a huge love of cooking, it’s like meditation now, done to music and finding peace in the process. I was asked to make a mandala for a nonprofit sending care packages to kids in need and I’m so excited to help, I’m donating the art!! I love kids!! We went to Booger Holler and Gravity Hill and got our car pushed by a ghost. I took Sky to the midnight release of Call of Duty Ghost. I planted sunflowers and watched the birds eat the seeds I was going to harvest lol. I filled my home with music, John Lennon, George Harrison, Dylan, The Stones, The Zombies. We remodeled our kitchen the two of us in five days! I knitted and crocheted hats and scarves that people are wearing this winter, I daydreamed and made plans and broke them. There’s probably more but I can’t think of them right now. My son records the most important thing from his day on the calendar hanging on his wall before he goes to bed every night. I think that’s so cool. I wish I could be as on top of things as that. Tonight he’ll take down his old calendar and hang his new one. He’ll bring his old calendar in and read to us his year in review. I look forward to it. Then he’ll pick out what he feels was the very best thing of the whole year. For me, I think one of the most beneficial things I did this year was find Peace and now it goes with me into the next year which will be much muchier than even this year was! It’ll be filled with Peace, Love, Art, Happiness, Family and Abundance! So, I’ll welcome 2014 with open arms giving it a warm embrace and face it head on with enthusiasm! Happy New Year Y’all!! ~Peace…see you tomorrow

2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

A Big Congratulation to all our contributors, readers and helpers! This is a great year in review.  Let’s start 2014 out with a renewed Hope! Happy New Year!

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 8,500 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

APPLE POUND CAKE/great

APPLE POUND CAKE  by___Frances Pardue

1 & ½ c. Corn Oil                                  1 tsp. salt
2c. sugar                                                ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
3 eggs                                                     ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. vanilla extract                             2 c. finely chopped apple
3 c. all-purpose flour                            1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. soda                                              1/3 c. golden raisins

Beat oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture, beting well.  Stir in apples, nuts & raisins.  Spoon into greased and floured 10 in. tube pan.  Bake @ 315 degrees for 1 hour, 15 min.

Let cake cook in pan 10 minutes before removing from pan.

ADVENT-Week 4-LOVE

ADVENT-Week 4-LOVE

Love has been borne in us. It is our beginning and our never
ending…Look for the Star! Find the Star! Worship The Star! Sing of His Names, tell of His Glory, Give of His Love and show to all The Light that lights The World.

Let us Worship in Song;
“Lord, You are more precious than silver;
Lord, You are more costly than gold;
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds;
And nothing I desire compares with You.
Lord, Your life is divine, eternal.
Lord, Your life regenerated me….”

Merry Christmas!

Week 3 of Advent-JOY!

Week 3 of Advent-JOY!

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10 NIV

Let’s glance into the word “Advent” which literally means “coming toward” and embraces both the Child-King, born in a manger and the Sovereign Lord who will usher in history’s end and the new creation’s beginning. ”

Yes, let us break forth into JOY for we are almost there!