SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Public "Thank You!" to my sister
who surprised me recently with the gift of the t-shirt I am wearing in the picture above.
you know, if you know me at all, that that would be the name of my church, and my denomination, if I were to create yet another new one:
FOTS
I've already written about it, so will just link here
[new format; unable to link -type FOTS and Fruits of the Spirit in search bar of this blog]
but, worth repeating also, that like love..
the fruits of the spirit are not limited resources.
if one person exercises great patience over there...
that does not mean that another person has to live with less, or none.
they are not found in only certain parts of the earth
no one 'owns' the writes to..
they are not registered trade marked
there is no 'patent'
they are universally available; infinitely.
fruits of the spirit are the exact opposite of limited resources
they never need to be rationed
they cannot be 'marked up' in value
or reduced and on clearance.
we will never 'run out'
rather,
just as the Bible teaches -each person has a seed of.. and has the opportunity to develop
experience
practice
grow
and ultimately master:
love, peace, patience
joy!
kindness, gentleness, goodness
faithfulness and self control.
***
let me briefly discuss 'self control'
people often light heartedly joke, self control is listed last because it is the hardest; the last one Jesus even expects us to master
but WOW! to gaining mastery in this area
sometimes it helps to see life, without self control, in order to appreciate how vital:
for a drug addict example -the 'self' is not in control; the drug does all the dictating.
for an insecure person; the 'self' is not in control; the insecurity is dictating.
for easily offended people, one comment someone says or makes in social media can control the mood, attitude, actions of a person, so that the mean spirited person is in control; not the 'self'
fear based news reports can make it so 'fear' controls..
manipulative people can control...
circumstances can control,
money can control
on and on, etc., etc.
but as you recognize, practice and master 'self' being in control vs. outsiders (people)
or circumstances
this yields a liberating internal peace more valuable than anything I can think of..
***
what I've personally noticed, and recognize as truth in my own via, actual experiences
is what spiritual masters teach over and over using different words and different examples
and it is this:
not necessary does life change; do circumstances change
but HOW YOU RESPOND changes.
***
my two best examples are traffic/driving
and the work place
***
traffic/driving: the rude, selfish, reckless drivers have not left the roads and freeways
they were there before
they are there now
they will be there tomorrow
I've learned to respond differently
spiritual growth allows me to keep driving, do the best I can, and stay in peace (save a few exceptions) and keep getting to and from the places I need to get to and from
I do not magnify the idiots; the accidents; the near misses
I do not tell all the awful stories over and over to co-workers, friends or family
I, very on purpose, exercise 'self' control, vs. letting idiots control...
it is a challenge, but has gotten easier with practice.
***
Robert said to me recently 'ive never heard you say anything negative about your work.. your job'
and it is true.
I do work in a beautiful environment. and I work with quality people. and some of the best customers
but over what is 4 years now, of course I have had opportunities to be
offended, upset, hurt, annoyed, etc.
but spiritual growth allows me 'self' control, vs. circumstance controlling me
I do not magnify anything ugly; I shrink it
I magnify everything beautiful and going write
I pray through certain situations..
" forgive me my trespasses and help me immediately forgive anyone who trespasses against me'
I let all ugly things go as quickly as possible
and marinate in any and everything beautiful and good.
the results are so overwhelmingly wonderful; I know this is my walk; this is the path; for now and the rest of my life.
'self' control.
i control what i do and do not say
i control what thoughts to entertain, what thoughts to delete
i do not control other people
'self' control not manipulate and control others...
***
and I sure do Thank God, and Jesus.. for FOTS. they are worthy of deep study
by everyone.
and how fun to have a colorful t-shirt
that reminds me, allows me to advertise what I believe in
and,
if we were to say, combine with NIKE, then
this t-shirt would communicate
FOTS
JUST DO IT.
if we combined with a mixed drink or beer on the t-shirt
it would communicate: "cheers!" to FOTS
such opportunities here, especially because no religion or faith system OWNS..
for secular and spiritual to celebrate together.
***
hallelujah & amen!
Thursday, May 21, 2020
The Heart Seen.. some fantastic contributions!
those are my recent heart(s) seen, and I have a fantastic contribution from squidmann and spike too:
per email: Growing right there on the path above Poplar Beach
***
and a wonderful contribution from their neighbor Deb:
per email: This one found by my friend and neighbor Deb. She says she didn't even realize it was heart-shaped until she brought it home!
****
may your blessings continue! "thank you!" for these fantastic contributions!
Miracle in Progress for (me!) sandra, tvgp
I keep repeating... "it is not an inappropriate use of the word MIRACLE!" -to be the recipient of the gift of time, energy, purpose, help from Robert.. and day by day.. stack here, pile there.. sort, shred or file:
I can hardly believe my eyes.. to see the top of this chest again!
***
and want to speak briefly here about human memory storage again. as mentioned earlier, Robert helped me organize 15 years worth of writings by month and year. also: miracle!
but what I will end up doing, ultimately, is re-organizing by subject/event/person/topic
because if I want to find, the calaveras, story for example
I have not, do not lock in, the day/time/year; I lock in, 'calaveras'
if I want to find my daughter's report card, or son's art work
I am never
have never, most likely will never think first of the date/year..
I will just have a file by name/subject, and be able to go write to it.
I have been encouraged by recent requests to find a few things for others..
and, having done the organizing we have so far, was able to lickity-split go write to it!
it is just as wonderful and gratifying as I imagined it would be.
Praise God! Thank Jesus!
simultaneous to being organized and decluttered; I have chipped away also at an annoying debt..
simultaneous to chipping away at an annoying debt,
I have increased my physical exercise, with Robert and I taking regular walks
***
as I prayed would be true from the onset of the shelter in place
we will come out on the other side stronger, better! and i'm not sure what God has in store next...
but we will be ready.
***
hallelujah & amen
Hellyes Bike Ride with friends (sebastian! & valerie!)
it was orginally an authentic typo; the s where an r should be... but, then when I read it out loudHell Yes vs. Hell Yer.. I decided to keep it. We are so grateful local parks have opened so we can go on bike rides. No picnics, or playgrounds or social gatherings yet, but.. we can social distance ride our bikes and saw many people social distance walking. Believe we spent some 6 hours.. I came home quite beat up.. allergies got the best of my eyes, nose.. tired and sore, but.. I still can't wait to get out soon and ride again. hallelujah & amen
"Happy Birthday!" (CC!) & (Catherine) from Robert & Sandra
lots to look back on with gratitude; lots to look forward to with excitement
our birthday prayer for each of you! in Jesus name, amen
Public "Thank You!" to our neighbor (jean!)
email shared with her permission:Hi, Sandra, I'm Jean McKay and I live on Whitman Way behind you, actually one house up! I walk my dog each night and over the months have enjoyed your art! I've wanted to tell you but time just slips by! When I saw your California Flag, I couldn't believe the artistry. I thought Sal Pizarro of the Mercury News needs to hear about this and perhaps run an article. Then I thought perhaps I should get the artist's OK first as she might not want lots of people driving by and ogling her yard! haha Well, privacy is sometimes important. So, at least I've introduced myself now, so perhaps you'll be kind enough to give me the go-ahead to email Mr. Pizarro about my talented neighbor. I've really enjoyed your artistry and your writings and your arbor day project. Thank you. Sincerely, Jean McKay
***
i am so grateful to live in a neighborhood with people like Jean. we have since met her in person and enjoyed a long conversation... what a blessing! xoxo Thank You Jesus, amen.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Our Turn. by (me!) sandra, tvgp
on multiple occasions i have the same remembrance:my children are age 2 and 4 years old; around that busy time
and i am at a mom-friends house who also has young busy ones. she is on the phone with her retired father in law, listening to him; rolling her eyes.. making sure i can see how restless she is.. anxious to conclude the conversation. when she finally hangs up, immediately she says to me
"he is oooing and awwing over a stupid squirrel on his tree! who has time to watch a squirrel?!?"
and she is having her pant leg tugged on by one of her toddlers "im hungie mommy"
and im not sure why the experience locked into my memory the way it did; but it did.
fast forward 20 years, give or take a few..
and robert and i can spend minutes upon minutes staring out our kitchen window when we pour our morning coffees..
"baby... look at those yellow bellies on those cute birds.. "
"honey.. go get your camera.. look how sweet.. we have ducks visiting"
"oh my goodnes.. look at the love doves.."
"baby.. baby... hummingbird! they're back! "
"too cute.. look at those birds, the way they landed on our flag pole... "
and we oooh and awww over every new bud that bloomed, new leaves on the ginkgo, how the plants are thriving... stare and try to identify, by size/shape, much more than by name, how many different birds take turns eating from the seed bells we hang within view.
we are very happy. full of joy and genuinely delight in just getting to observe nature.
but i also remember when i was too busy for such things.
seasons of life i suppose...
but i really like this one! our due season... Galatians 6:9
it is continuing write through the current pandemic.
praise and thank God! we wake up praising and thanking God.. amen!
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Because of Winn-Dixie... by (me!) sandra, tvgp
part II***
when I searched my own memory -no online research, I would describe my memories of because of winn dixie as follows..
a young gregarious girl.. who united a group of misfits in a neighborhood somewhere.
and that would have been about all I could remember.
when I asked my daughter, her memory/no research: I remember the girl naming the dog after a grocery store and some blind lady with a bunch of bottles hanging from a tree.
allegra/no research: -don't know if im thinking of the write book, but some part about the girl being abandoned
***
and we are all accurate to a degree; each person with vague details.. images
***
when I re-watched recently, I realized how much my age, life experiences, passing of time contributed to my seeing the entire movie through a drastically different lens of perspective and understanding
and as I watched, I just became more and more upset.
instead of seeing it as I did many years ago.. when my focus was on the friendly young girl helping strangers in a community befriend each other
I now saw it as YET ANOTHER AWFUL AND LONG ANTI-COP COMMERCIAL
/forcing myself here to not start writing about all the prisoners/criminals being released because of covid 19.. or about the noble law enforcement officers being forced to work overtime, without any mention in media of their health risks. I will not go on and on here about how this whole 'jail time shouldn't equal a death sentence' for criminals -will in fact equal a death sentence for innocent people as drug addicts/thieves/violent criminals go free -while there is no mention of any threat for the police officers/deputies mandated to supervise the criminals. /and re-arrest, re-arrest
and I wont go on and on here about how.. really?!?! we have jail releases going on at alarming rates for actual convicted criminals but you want our already limited number of over-stretched officers enforcing social distancing ordinances among otherwise law abiding and very unthreatening citizens
***
I have never lived through a more pro-criminal/anti-cop culture in my entire life... and I desperately pray we return as immediately as possible to a pro-cop, anti crime culture; -remember? how many times I've told you
culture is malleable! and we need to mass media, social media our way back to, or permanently towards:
crimes with consequences & punishment for criminals
respect with support & rewards for those who serve & protect
duly noting/regarding a corrupt cop is in fact, a criminal -we do not justify; we weed out!
and equally aware; innocent until proven guilty..
-see what just happened...
k, so, back to Winn-Dixie, -a film which blatantly, and yet, so subtly contributes to planting anti-cop sentiments in audiences hearts & minds
when I watched it, age 54.. it's almost all I could see: this horrific message that children and adults should mock, disrespect, ignore and avoid anyone who is uniformed to serve & protect.
in because of Winn-Dixie.. the deputy, policeman character is presented as stupid, pathetic, weak and very mock-able
***
and, there is this noble message going on, about not judging people based on... but, the way it is written, that 'let us not judge but get to know' noble sentiment applies to every person in the movie EXCEPT the police officer.
/there was a missed opportunity here to INCLUDE the police officer, but
instead, we see opal befriend, an old grouchy, controlling & mean landlord; who gets an invitation to the neighborhood party..
we see opal befriend, a lonely librarian, who gets an invitation to the neighborhood party at the end of the movie
we see opal befriend, two brothers who bullied and taunted her earlier in the movie, but who get an invitation to the party
we see opal befriend a snobby school girl, and a shy school girl,
and we see opal befriend a blind, recovering alcoholic.. invited/co-hosting the party
and, my favorite, based on my own life experiences -we see 10 year old opal, befriend Otis, an adult male in his 30's?, recently released from jail -and there is zero adult supervision- of any kind
opal's father, a preacher, never even goes to meet/see/introduce himself, to this 30 year old male, who is alone in a store, with his 10 year old daughter -her dad knows nothing about him, and yet..
when the police officer goes to assess things; he's made out to be the idiot.
the way it is written -the audience is influenced to have complete compassion for Otis, and zero respect for the police officer
but let me tell you... any parent in this day and age, who is comfortable letting their 10 year old hang out alone with a 30 year old they've never met..
so, it was hard for me to stomach the movie this time around.
we each bring our real life experiences to the fiction and non-fiction movies, books, programs we watch. we each have a real life lens, based on our age, gender, family, neighborhood..
and it is 'just a movie'
but, my real life experiences include being kidnapped/raped by predator(s) released from jail. ex-convicts; released to repeat their crimes..
my real life experiences include polly klaas, amber alerts, megan's law ` remember
https://www.petaluma360.com/news/2219178-181/family-friends-remember-life-legacy
my real life experiences include good guys being police officers, D.A.'s, judges..
and three strikes you should be out! that might be too many...
my real life experiences include watching noble, hard working, honest, men and women who are earning a living and raising good children by serving and protecting, while they are utterly disrespected, unsupported, and over-worked -and simultaneously held personally responsible for the ugly actions/decisions/behaviors of criminals serving time in jail -FOR CRIMES.
my real life experiences include watching movie after movie, show after show, news report after news report place an ongoing magnifying glass on corrupt cops, while good cops are non-existent.
and a constant stream of 'compassion for criminal' stories, while there never seems to be any mention of the houses not robbed, the people not stabbed, the businesses not broken into, the property not damaged, the drugs not sold, the money not laundered, the people not raped, the children not molested, the violence not existing, the gang activity not growing -
BECAUSE WE HAVE JAILS
WITH CONVICTED CRIMINALS IN THEM
FOR VERY GOOD REASON(S)!!
so, this time, when I watched because of winn - dixie, -and every single person in the movie was invited to the party at the end, except the pathetic/mock-able cop
when I saw 'let us not judge' -it's okay to be a recovering alcoholic, okay to be out of jail after assaulting an officer with a guitar, okay to be lonely, okay to be mean/controlling, okay to be snobby due to a death in the family.. okay to be bullied/taunted.. on and on, etc., etc.
but not okay to be a cop? -cops are not worthy of an invitation to the 'we're all just human/we're all sinners looking for forgiveness and friendship party'
well, I thought, how can I forgive the terrible underlying message in this movie?
and, it came to (me!) in know time at all /that was on purpose.
in the sequel.. we have Winn-Dixie as a K9! dog... partnered with noble, heroic police officer(s).
in Jesus' name I pray for.... hallelujah! & amen!
****
part I: You WINn- Dixie
Friday, May 08, 2020
The Celebrity State, a poem by (me!) sandra, tvgp
The
Celebrity State
Mixed Spring
Glorious Green Salad Hills Seasoned with Salt & Pepper Cows
Business suits, Swimsuits, Birthday Suits; All with an ocean view
Stock
Markets, Farmers Markets, Year Round, Rain or Shine
Almonds, walnuts,
Strawberries,
grapes, Lettuce & tomatoes; beef cattle, hay
Silicon Valley, Tri Valley, Calaveras
Valley, Napa Valley
technology, scenic drives, wine tasting, micro
beer or bottled water “cheers”
Warriors,
Kings, Lakers, Clippers,
Originally
Oakland Raiders -49ers, Rams, Chargers,
A’s, Giants,
Angels, Dodgers, Padres
Sharks,
Kings & Ducks
Sports bars,
spirit wear and a contagious world champion spirit
Snow to ski, waters to jet, lines to
zip, sky to soar, mountains to climb; or move…
Power walks, beer crawls, wine
strolls -bay area ridge trails path
Tennis
shoes, high heels, hiking, cow and rain boots, flip flops, bare feet, uggs
Poppies to
delight, quails to charm, redwoods to awe
Luxury
suites; homeless camps
Christians,
Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, secular, agnostic, atheist and indifferents;
unlabeled, unconcerned and in peace – picnic
together at concerts in the parks
Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Alcatraz, Angel
Island, Monterey, Alameda, San Diego
Disneyland, Universal Studios, Magic
Mountain and Great America
Heavenly beauty and manmade forms
of whole family fun
Gold Rush, Golden
State, Gold in the San Francisco Gate Bridge
More than
800 miles of put the top down on your convertible and coast…
Natives, immigrants,
locals and tourists blend into tertiary communities of hope
new shades of
political purples born from deep reds & denim blues
California’s Indian
Name would be Mighty Chief Wins Hearts Breaks Wallets
But California was born speaking Spanish; Si
you can establecer su propio ritmo -crawl; surf; walk; climb a corporate ladder;
go! go! go! fly! stay grounded; grab a
hammock; nap and dream… work part time, work over time, work no time just
volunteer; work until you
‘tag you’re it’ the next generation
rent to own, own to rent, stay put,
ever wander.. be yourself, be quiet, be loud, be heard, be
seen in HOLLYWOOD
Born a
highly photogenic child star in 1850, our 31st state always lights
up for the camera, providing Oscar winning memories for each and every fan; and is
destined to receive a lifetime achievement award.
California has an amazing diversity
of people, impressive spectrum of terrains, dual paned bay windows of golden opportunities,
a variety of ‘keep the’ or create a faith systems, minimum wage earners to
billionaires, a plethora of creative instincts and uncanny knowledge, wealth of
theatre, art and museums, cornucopia of cultures, campus upon campus of
education, PhD’s in entertainment; still so much untapdanced potential plus
ever intriguing archives. Famous architecture. Rave worthy international
cuisine. Take a selfie with our celebrity state, California; say “Eureka!” and
smile.
Sandra
Harrison Kay
WriteousMom.com
Thursday, May 07, 2020
California Bliss 2020 yard art by (sexy! & tops!) #bliss @writeousmom
and "thank you!" here to our young friend raayan for all his help/contributions. -we light heartedly say our home is a destination for 4th graders; California History. we've got the flag, quail, poppies, gold, a mission, seashells.. and working on a mixed media redwood. still upcoming, a poem about California. -we are both pleased with our results on this installation... and keep repeating,' the bear was a real bear to create!' the face metamorphized from looking like a hedgehog, to a long neck mongoose, a unique species of dinosaur lizard.. but eventually we landed on a head that passes as a bear head/face. -our new yard art hobby is one of our great joys! keeping us outdoors, in the sunshine, visiting with neighbors/passersby, creating.. playing.. 'enjoying everyday life' /"thank you!" here to Joyce Meyer.
Monday, May 04, 2020
that IS A SIGN!! knows (me!) sandra, tvgp
signs & wonders
God is the ultimate coder, if you will..
creating signs/wonders unique to, and only recognized by, people with the ability to read them
that's my interpretation.
and months ago, although I did not take a photo,
I saw a similar explanation point -with color/light from a RAINBOW!
and I knew... perhaps, only I knew, what God was putting the ! in my life on that day
and, I do have a picture of this one..
and I know; perhaps only I know, what God is putting the ! on in my life write now.
***
hallelujah! & amen!
The Heart Seen -newest charming contributions...
per emails:
Even if you're stuck at home there are still hearts to be found! This one was on our kitchen counter and is made of strawberry juice!
Nice one in the field today! /actually, nice two..
***
high charm squidmann & spike! the color/shape of strawberry heart.. and the way those two little white hearts are hanging out and stand out next to each other in the field of green w/tiny yellow flowers.. love 'em! "thank you!" xoxo
***
and this beautiful heart seen.. in our friends yard during our first be-social-at-a-distance BYOP
/bring your own picnic.. visit.
"thank you!" -great to get together again! xoxo