Would you trade your life

Did you ever want to sell you your life perhaps on eBay or something and bid on a new one? I’ve entertained this notion once or twice.

Of course it’s preposterous because the grass is never greener on the other side. Not without work. And I’m not sure I could handle the work that goes into making somebody else’s grass greener. I can, for the most part, handle the challenges in my life but I’m not sure I could live another person’s life adequately. I might end up killing their garden completely.
But the idea of a different life still comes to me sometimes. Not necessarily my entire life, but bits and pieces of it.

Stuff I don’t find works for me, but would do quite nicely for someone else. For example, I’m very thin and though I have no problems with my weight I do have issues with my health. Now someone might be happy to trade their perfect health for a tiny body.

Or perhaps someone would be more than glad to trade their house at the beach side for a position at some fashion magazine, who knows what people secretly desire.

But imagine if you could give something away, something you don’t truly value, or find bothersome in exchange for something you desperately long for.

When I get this silly notion of wanting a different life in my head I remind myself only some of my life is given to me by God (my body, my mind, family etc) the rest are things I put there or allowed myself to be exposed to. Before I start criticizing any part of my life, I need to remember that a lot of it is what I made; all the things in it I wanted at some point in time. And should it no longer be of use to, I have the option of letting it go or altering it so it does.

Thus at any given time, my life has the potential to be as good as I want it to be, with the help of God.

~Adelaide Love

bebe Box Pleated Print Skirt

Box Pleated Print Skirt - NAVAJO

I normally do not like animal printed clothing items, but this one caught my eye and I thought why not animal print a chance. It's far cheaper on amazon (89.00) than on bebe website which sells it at over 100.00. I love the ruffle at the bottom, which I believe, subdues the printed pattern, making the skirt easier to take in.

Warm my head and warm my heart

The sun shone as brightly as my yellow toque the day I took this picture. Spring had settled and there wasn’t an icicle in sight. But still I felt cold. A chill crossed upon me: uninvited, and unfitting of the cheery yellow that shone through the window.

There are days when the sun itself cannot fill me. Its heat does not penetrate. On those days when I need more, I turn to the one who controls the rays. I put on my cap of sunny yellow and pray a prayer for your warmth oh Lord. Only you can warm my heart and set a fire in my soul large enough to keep the winters of life at bay.

I tried many things that day to sustain the warmth, attempting one substitute after the other: hats, sweaters, blankets and warm delicious stew made by my hands thinking it would lock in the heat. But there was nothing that could truly suffice. Nothing could take your place and embody your love.

A hat on my head for days of chill, a belly of stew for evenings of cold hunger, and the Lord in my heart for an eternity of warmth.





Toque: Thrift Store

Check Shirt: Thrift Store

Dark Denim Skinny Jeans: Urban Behavior

Suspenders: H&M

Trusting the Law of the Lord

Show me how much you love me Lord, and save me according to your promise. Then I can answer those who insult me because I trust in your word. Enable me to speak the truth at all times because my hope is in your judgements. I will always obey your law forever and ever. I will live in perfect freedom because I try to obey your teachings. I will announce your commands to kings and I will not be ashamed. I find pleasure in obeying your commands because I love them. I respect and love your commandments; I will meditate on your instructions.

The importance of being present

One of the hardest things to do just happens to be one of the most essential—being present.
You would think it would be so simple, all you have to be is well, be. But many of us do not
recognize how easily our minds get distracted. When a friend seeks your help how present are you?
When you are doing important tasks how present are you?

You may think-be! I know how to be, I’m always present. But most of the time we aren’t aware of
being. We don’t feel our bodies, our space, we lose touch with our senses, and we may even forget
that we are breathing.

Have you ever been watching TV and suddenly forgot what you were watching, or just realized your foot
is asleep?

To get a sense of how present you are try these exercises,
taken from Karen Kissel Wegela’s book How to Be a Help instead of a Nuisance: Practical Approaches to Giving Support, Service, and Encouragement to Others

1.Turn your attention to what you are experiencing in this moment. Don’t pretend to throw yourself
in the experience; just sit and notice that you are breathing. When you lose track of the breath gently
come back to it. How long did it take to wander off?

2.Having no particular destination, take a walk for about 15-30 minuets and allow yourself to notice
your senses: hearing, tasting, seeing, touching, and smelling. Just let yourself wonder and let yourself
notice things as though you are experiencing them for the first time (which you are).

If you get lost in thought and lose your sense perceptions gently return to them. Afterward reflect on your experience.
Which perception did you tune into mostly? Did you spend more time in your thoughts or your sense perceptions?

3.In order to do this exercise you need to go to a location where there are lots of people. I suggest a mall. Find a spot to sit or stand where you can simply observe the changing flow of activity.

Get comfortable and take a posture you can hold for a while. Let your eyes rest in the center of their sockets and allow your breathing to be natural and uncontrived. Spend a few minuets resting in this
position.

Gently bring your attention back to your gaze, posture, and breathing when your attention
wonders. Do this for a few a minuets. Now sift your attention slightly so that what you are paying
attention to is the movement of people as it passes in front of your eyes. Let whatever is happening in your visual field happen.

Do not move your eyes to follow people as they pass. Let them come into your field of vision and let them exit again. Do this for about 10 minuets. Did you notice any tendencies to follow a particular color or shape? Were attractive people hard to “let go”? Did you find yourself spacing out?

Each time you allow yourself to let your eyes chase something else you are not present of what is
happening in front of you. You may wonder why any of this is even important.

If you wander off when nothing much is happening-like sitting- it is much easier and almost certain
that you will “space out” or get lost in your thoughts when you feel uncertain or uncomfortable.

For example, my friends are lovely people (and I hope they don’t take offense to this because this is
not a lashing out on their character) but I rarely ask them for advice or help. It’s not that they don’t
want to help, it’s that they are not particularly helpful. When I’m in pain or feeling down the best thing
I can get from them is to be present.

I don’t want them to compare what I’m going through with what they or someone they know has gone through. I don’t want them to try to take away the pain or give me permission
to feel it, and I do not want inappropriate advice. I simply want them to be with me in the moment and allow
 me to feel whatever I want without forcing any distractions on me.

In order to be truly helpful, we have to get over the discomfort we feel ourselves.

We do not want to be in uncomfortable situations. When our friends are in pain or sad we feel it and we will do anything to get away from the feelings.

Becoming more at home with others comes easier when we are more at home with ourselves.

The more familiar we become with our different ways of being, the more present we are in our
lives, and in turn the more present we can be for others.

Red Bordeaux Crystal Heart Necklace Antiqued Silver

This victorian inspired necklace is a beaut. There are two main things I love about this necklace. One is that is it is hypoallergenic. The antiqued silver is nickle free, which is great for those that suffer the allergy. The other is the antique look of it. The light red wine colored gem with the doves send me back to days of kings, queens and royal courts. Perhaps a prince will give me this a present. For those who don't plan to wait around for prince charming to buy it for them, or for the prince charming who is going to buy it, it can be found AzureTreasures etsy shop, along with some other timeless beauties.

French Connection Women's Patsy's Party Ruffle Dress, Pale Pink,

French Connection Women's Patsy's Party Ruffle Dress, Pale Pink,

For summer, I would love this dress. I love ruffle dresses and the added gold sparkle belt makes it that much more appealing. What's keeping me from nabbing it? The price. At $258, this is not a dress I'm likely to own any time soon. To be honest, I doubt it is worth that price. Still, it is pretty and if I could afford this pale pink ruffle darling I would buy it up and dance down the summer streets in it.

Commit to the Lord

Commit to the Lord in whatever that you do and your plan will Succeed Proverbs 16:3