SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
MY NUMBER IS ONE by (me!) Sandra, tvgp
I'm not sure what to make of it exactly, but mostly I feel exhausted for today's youth.. At the chronic mercy of popularity contests..And numbers, numbers, numbers. How many 'hits' did their picture get on Instagram.. . How many 'likes' on Facebook.. At it seems hard for adults sometimes to separate their self worth from net worth, ratings, etc.. So doubly, or triply hard for younger people.. low numbers being falsey equated with low value as a person, high numbers being deceivingly perceived as increasing personal value.. But boy is this generation imbedded. Attention/popularity as a currency.. -has always been, and will always be a dangerous thing. Seeking and needing the constant approval of others.. I was thinking all that when I picked up my daughter recently.. And first thing I asked, after giving her a hug and a kiss was.. 'do you like this outfit?'.AVOIDING THE WRITERS LIFE, by (me!) Sandra, tvgp
Of course it's an intentional play off of Natalie goldberg's book, wild mind: living the writers life, which I read many, many years ago.. But, everyday that I work in Danville, I cross paths with the location where you can take a shuttle to Eugene o'neills Tao house... I read the sign.. I'm like, Eugene o'neill? Eugene o'neill? ..a name so familiar, but until I researched it, I couldn't tell you why.. It was not tucked in my accessible memory bank that he is "Americas only Nobel prize winning playwright." and until I researched a little, couldn't have told you a name of one of his plays or books..but I'm pretty confident I have read, and have somewhere in my boxes of books (still waiting to be liberated again one day..); Long day's journey into night.. But I couldn't tell you what it was about... I perhaps will one day re-read it.. The point I want to make today however is this: as I read about his personal life.. Several times I was saying to myself.. 'how awful... That must have been terrible..' and it brought to my mind a whole cluster of memories of biographies, autobiographies, interviews, documentaries, I've watched and read over the years where you have that combination of a very successful writer who is living, behind the scenes and pages, a very sad, dysfunctional life. Alcohol or drug problems, horrific relationship problems, superiority complexes, inferiority complexes, highly destructive, sometimes fatal head on collisions with fame/sudden popularity, or as suddenly.. Abandonment by fans, or publishers.. Such a high rate of suicides..On and on, etc, etc. and I can't say exactly when or exactly where.. But I decided at some point.. It was much more important to me to be a successful person, than a successful writer. They are not one in the same. And for me.. The definition of success has changed several times over the past several decades, and morphed and evolved into this current definition: bearing the fruits of the spirit: love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. And as I have mentioned on more than one occasion, I do not believe human evolution is going from a monkey to an NBA champion, as Darwin or American capitalism would have you believe..but rather, from a self-centered/flesh centric human being into a humanitarian/spirit lifting human being. -that is the track I am on... The only ladder I wish to climb. The path I pray for my children, and in fact, pray for everyone. In Jesus name, amen.Tuesday, October 29, 2013
INDEPENDENT BIBLE STUDY by (me!) Sandra, tvgp
I have certainly come to believe 1 John, 3:20 "-..if our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." And let me bounce around a little... Thinking on these things: the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you... Up/over: everything in the world, the cravings of sinful people, the lust of their eyes and their boasting about what they have and do, comes not from the Father, but from the world." ..be in this world, but not of this world...be in this world, but not of this world... AND I have before me a journal. On the cover it says, "follow your heart, it knows the way". -that sentiment is frequently seen/found on cards, stationery, cute little home decor plaques... But I think it is wise not to dismiss it as an encouraging, sweet little saying, but to regard it seriously, and take it literally. We do have spiritual hearts in addition to our physical ones.. And our hearts do -know- I'm continually fascinated by that... When I have that internal experience, 'I -know- I belong here..' or the reverse..'I -know- I don't belong here'. 'I -know- I like this, and don't like that..'. Or, 'I -know- I'm headed in the write direction vs. I -know- when I'm heading off course..' and, of course, 'I -know- when I know, and -know- when I don't know... I've mentioned this several times within my blog here haven't I... My favorite question:" how do we know, we know?" And it sure seems to me.. The heart knows. Then of course.. HOW does the heart know what it knows.. How? How? How?.. Let us circle back to the beginning of this post: God is greater than our hearts, and he -knows- everything. AND.. It is in several different places in the bible: How God's laws are written in our hearts and minds.. -and it sure does seem to me.. We all have this -knowing- in us.. Very separate from the knowledge we are taught/learn/study from family, culture, school, life experiences... But wow! Access to this heart knowledge is no picnic is it.. Lots of interference from fear, desire, uncertainties, peer/family/cultural pressures, flesh vs. Spirit, etc. In Jesus name, amen.Monday, October 28, 2013
Wild & free! (Me!) Sandra, tvgp
As my dad likes to say... "Looks like you combed your hair with an egg beater". Indeed! I have been liberated from the blow dryer & flat iron... I used to only achieve this look accidentally, after a little romance with my handsome prince..I'm like, "look honey
Now my before matches our after"
Friday, October 25, 2013
"My Happy Giraffe pajamas!"
Look what else I found... Rewards for decluttering.. Fit like magic, feel like long lost friends...