Gratitude Lists, Lightening Bugs, Bullfrogs and Simple Abundance...

There is an author that I learned about and grew to love as a result of my mom sharing a book with me. Her name is Sarah ban Breathach (last name pronounced ban brannock). She originally started writing about "all things Victorian," which frankly would bore me to tears, but as she progressed as a writer, her interests shifted to ways to live an ABUNDANT LIFE in simple ways. The first book my mom gave me was titled "Simple Abundance." I read it heartily daily and of course had to have all the follow-ups to it.
One year at Christmas, Marah gave me the "Simple Abundance Journal" and there for a while I was immersed in the how's and why's of simple abundance and how life can be so enjoyable in simple ways.
I still subscribe to those theories and rely on my well-loved, page worn original book often.
Tonight, Wayne and I were talking about things we are grateful for. Of course, we covered the obvious things...family, friends, health, etc. That reminded me of Sarah ban Breathnach's suggestions of making "gratitude lists" and how they should be implemented into creating, yes, I said "CREATING" your own way, your own path and allowing life to be simple.
There are a myriad of reasons and excuses we can all make for not taking the time and consideration for giving ourselves the grace and courage to lead simple lives. Everyone has a hectic life. None of us are exempt from that. However, it is our own fault when we work too hard, make excuses for NOT taking time for ourselves, ignoring the signs our bodies give us when it's time to stop and rest...the list goes on and on.
Once upon a time, it was a GOOD thing to allow your body rest. In today's society, it's grab, grab, grab, go, go, go. Those who are not willing to grab every penny, those who would fight you over a dime, are in this writer's humble opinion, probably sad and lonely people. I refuse to be one of those. I'd rather be dead broke and happy than scrapping for greed and the sadness that goes along with it.
I saw a firefly tonight....that's LIGHTENING BUG for those of us who live in the south! I sat and watched its light go on and off, on and off and I enjoyed it. I realized that summer is so very close. Just taking the time to watch a bug that I STILL don't understand "how it works" was peaceful to me. It was totally up to me however to seize that moment. To heck with Carpe Diem! We must seize and savor every moment! Life is found in those small, unexpected places when we allow ourselves the time to just "be still."
There is a bullfrog out on the pond. I think he lives under the dock. Each night, he starts a conversation with another bullfrog that lives somewhere up closer to our house. They seem to chat for hours...call and response. I wonder if there is a conversation going on there or if it's just one bullfrog to another reminding themselves that they are not alone. Either way, I'm guessing they take comfort in both conversation and/or knowing they are not alone in this big world.
I was thinking about it and entertained myself by seeing God as this amazing artist who does EVERYTHING in every dimension! You get the full effect of all the senses in nature...the smells, the sights, the sounds, the MUSIC...it's all there on one great big canvas called "life." Like all art, some folks see it as ugly, some don't appreciate what is being "said" and some simply don't even bother to pay attention to the detail. I think God shows us His creation and communicates with us at every sensory level
and He waits for us to just "notice."
God doesn't have to make big, bold, statements and lash out to the universe, "HEY! I'M HERE!
He's "God."
God is found in the most subtle ways, in the still times, in the afternoon storms, in the raindrops and in the most unassuming times of our lives. I think in those still, quiet moments, God speaks to us and we can hear Him and feel Him...IF we make ourselves available to it.
There was a time that I didn't think God ever spoke to me. Not in "words" anyway. I wondered if He was "out there" aloud", I asked to hear Him and I guess I drew a line in the sand saying, "OKAY, if You're out there...prove it." How obnoxious is that? GOD has nothing to prove to Anne Haley. I'm sure He shook His head and said, "Well, I've got a ways to go with that one."
Nowadays, I know how to be still. I know how to see God's hand in everything. I know how to look at something as small as a lightening bug, or the conversation between bullfrogs and feel the comfort and peace that God is indeed EVERYWHERE. His greatness is all around me, showing me comfort in times and in ways that I don't even realize it.
So, tonight, I typed up a gratitude list. Some things were so simple, some were complex. It was my list for today of things I am grateful for, things I look forward to in the future and things that have come to pass.
I am alive. And when you are still and quiet, God will remind you just how alive you are as well as how alive HE is. The power of that feeling is amazing and humbling all at the same time.
If you haven't read "Simple Abundance," I would encourage you to do so. There is even a "Simple Abundance" for men. (That version must be in a different language or something..."man talk" or a language akin to that. Wayne has a copy. I bought it for him, but I have never read it! I probably wouldn't understand it anyway, so I have yet to crack the cover on HIS version of the "Simple Abundance series!)
Time is a precious gift. Use it wisely and use it in a way that leaves a "footprint" of love in all that you do. Not to do so is wasting the opportunity to live a simple life and indeed an abundant one. Growing in simplicity is not an easy task, but it's easier than you think IF you are willing to submit to slowing down, breathing deeply in and out and releasing yourself to the peace that is perfectly within your reaches and right there for the taking. The catch? NO ONE can do this for you, except "YOU."
Till next time,
Annie

We're Never Too Old to Learn, Change or Seek Wisdom...

"Wisdom." According to Merriam-Webster, this word is a noun. So, we know that wisdom is a "thing." The definition of wisdom is as follows: 1 a: accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : knowledge b: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight c: good sense : judgment d: generally accepted belief 2: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action 3: the teachings of the ancient wise men.
Wayne and I met once again with a gentleman that I refer to of late, as a mentor. He is a business advisor, but to me, the meetings are so much more than that. He goes into the depths of "the business of life" and how to live a good one. I have considered since our meeting on Friday that life is a business. You can fail miserably at life or you can lead a very successful one.
And like business, you get one shot at it. If you begin a business and it is not nurtured and does not operate from a solid foundation, of course, the business will fail. The same goes for life.
We all walk around with a certain degree of knowledge of what our lives are about. I won't call it a fundamental knowledge of what our lives are about, because I believe it is too easy to fool even ourselves when things aren't on an even keel. We can convince ourselves of most anything...we've all done it. That's the easy part. Looking at facts and reality is the hard part.
In this meeting, I was taking notes. I'm a note taker from way back. I've been known to take notes about the notes I take!
I had referred to our mentor's discussion on simplicity in a previous post. He said, "Simplicity is the key to everything."
So, with this post, I want to share with you more quotes that impacted me greatly. I feel they are universal and will impact you as well. It is never too late to continue the discovery of your best life (or even begin discovering it!). In fact, there is never a time we should stop learning and discovering. When we stop learning, we become complacent. That's deadly in the business of "business" as well as the "business of life and living."
Speaking of complacency, this wonderfully astute, bespectacled, bow-tied gentleman offered these words as we sat down to begin our meeting. "Life is about change." Consider those three words. I mean REALLY consider them. How adaptable are we? As a rule, not very. We like our routines, we get bent out of shape when things don't go the way we expect them to and we just aren't so willing to conform to anything out of our own comfort zone. But, "life is about change." If you're not willing to accept that, I suppose the race is over right out of the gate.
We discussed a Swiss psychiatrist, whose works our friend has read extensively. Psychiatrist Paul Tournier said, "Fear creates its own fear." He also said, "Whatever we pay attention to grows." Again, I ask you to think about those two statements, both separately and how they directly relate to one another. When we are gripped with fear, then our focus is "fear." If what you pay attention to grows, then the focus on our fears grow and grow, flourishing negatives and paralyzing us in ways that "change" never has a chance be considered, much less attempted. Shouldn't we be paying attention to what we really want in life? Shouldn't we be taking honest looks at what we love, what we enjoy, what makes us feel great as human beings and pay full attention to those things so that we can grow? We think when we stay focused on our problems that it shows we are focusing on solutions. After our meeting on Friday, I had to consider that focusing on problems is PREVENTING me from looking beyond my problems to find solutions. Not good. Not good at all.
Our discussions led to what we "settle for." Our advisor responded simply, "Settling is not in the interest of justice and truth."
Therefore, if we do not seek our own truths and we do not seek justice from within, we cannot truly know who we are as individuals. It would appear to be an impossibility. There is no way to live your best life and compromise justice and truth at the same time. To live a compromised life is to lie to ones' self.
I will close in saying that there is a vast difference in being self-absorbed with a poor attitude and living a life that lends itself to being the best person you can be. For all I know, I'm self-absorbed and I'm too self-absorbed to see it! (attempt at humor!).
We have to be willing to take the hard looks inward. I heard it said once that it's easier to point outward than inward. Try it. It's true...literally and figuratively. On that note, I will leave you with a final thought to consider, again, a fabulous quote from
a very wise man. "People wrapped up in themselves make a very small package."
I want to be a BIG package! I want to share, I want to live and I want to succeed. I am so thankful that Wayne and I have been given the gift of wisdom from one very wise man. He has been "the gem we both needed to find and never expected to find," all at once. What a blessing!
As we left our meeting our friend made a request. He asked that Wayne and I turn our thoughts to what we can do for other people. So, I am in hopes that in sharing these wonderful quotes is a start at doing just that. There's no way that I can keep all this amazing, peaceful wisdom to myself. That would be such a selfish thing!
I wish you all peace, love, bounty and that you open yourself to seek change, for therein lies "wisdom."
Thanks for stopping by! Till next time...
Annie

Simplicity Isn't Necessarily So Simple.

Lately, there's a constant buzz about simplifying life, sustainable living, energy efficiency, and lots of other catch phrases.
Depending on who you talk to, there are varying arguments (sometimes fierce!) on whether there really is a thing called "global warming." Other topics question if there is really an economical means to incorporate biodiesel to run our cars, if America is the root of all evil and the impending doom of the world is upon our shoulders...you know...great big issues.
While I am very interested in those things, I feel overwhelmed at times. It's like biting off more than I can chew to tell myself I have to become "green" in one day. Plus, there are some arguments that I simply do not agree with.
So, where does simplicity come in? My difficulty lies within "stuff." I like stuff. I have a lot of it. The "stuff" varies in size, value, importance, Actually, it can really get comical, if not embarrassing. I know I'm not the only person on the planet with "too much stuff." I often wonder what it's like to be one of those "minimalist" type personalities. I kind of wish I were...at times.
I can justify my stuff! Just ask me to get rid of something...and I can name 100 instant reasons as to why I just cannot part with an item. In my collection of stuff, I have things that I have been intending to repair, jeans that are constant reminders that I need to lose weight so that i can wear them again, shoes that I'm sure I'll need for any number of events that I probably won't attend.
I have picture frames that are broken, but I know I'll fix sometime. I have 5 alarm clocks...just in my bedroom. This doesn't count the one in the living room that simply flashes some unrelated time. (Clearly, it hasn't been re-set in a while!) I have boxes of things that were Marah's when she was little. Now seriously? HOW do you part with the picture she drew when we was first able to hold a crayon? Knowing me, I found a way to save her first poop.
I kind of think it's a genetic thing. I can name lots of my family members who hang on to their stuff too. And the real kicker is lately Wayne is on about "the big O"...ORGANIZATION. Harumph, I say. (Psst! Newsflash! He's just as bad about STUFF as I am, if not worse! Wayne has every tool known to mankind, and an extra one just in case the original breaks! Now, THAT'S planning!) I am grateful however, that he is able to take his own experience of having too much stuff to enlighten me that I too have too much stuff!
When we moved into the treehouse, I wanted one section of the shop. Just one. A place to put MY STUFF. But, alas. My place kept getting moved around, until there wasn't a place for me. So, all my stuff stays upstairs for the most part.
Wayne and Buddy built more storage space so Wayne would have more room to organize his stuff. (I'm laughing as I type that!)
So, there is a little more room in the shop. Wayne's office has had a couple of good purges, however. I have to be fair about that. He has thrown away a ton of things that he acquires in his work. Tons of catalogs, price lists, business cards, sample items, etc. got thrown out and then after that, he purged again and emptied out even more.
So, the first step to simplicity is clearing and purging. Moving is a good way to do that. But since I'm not moving any time soon, I guess, I'll have to take baby steps. I'll just grab some lawn and leaf bags and dive in. I'm going to ask for a lot of prayer however. It's not going to be easy, but I can do this. I can't swear I'll EVER be a "minimalist," but I can get rid of things that are serving no purpose whatsoever. And that's a start toward my goal.
I figure you can follow me along on this path to simplicity if you'd like. The comic relief I'll offer will be good, free entertainment! As an aside, I spoke to a friend of mine last week who did the same thing and she said it took a year to do it, but she got it done. Now, she's very happy not to be burdened by stuff.
I just know that unloading materially allows you to unload emotionally as well. And we could all use a little emotional unloading, couldn't we? Oh well...I've made the commitment, so, I'll be sure to keep you posted! This just might be fun!

Holistic, Homeopathic, Healing...Catch Phrases or A Way of Life?

This is the first post of a new blog I've been pondering for some time.
These days, if you watch any television at all, you are bombarded by one medicine after another, urging you to "ask your doctor." Well, I don't know about you, but I could spend a fortune in co-pays going to ask my doctor about all that "stuff."
Seems to me that within weeks after the big new miracle drug campaign, then the attorney commercials start. The ambulance chasers, in my mind, get giddy with each release of a new chemical compound to push onto us unwitting Americans.
I will use this blog space to explore all sorts of healing modalities. I encourage questions, comments, ideas and a good overall sharing of resources that aid in healing without chemicals. Spiritual and emotional well-being will also be a major focus as well as means for eliminating chemical dependency and addiction which prevent us from leading the best life possible. I'll also be adding healthy doses of humor! We all know that laughter truly is the best medicine!
Life seems to be too busy these days. I don't see all the busyness doing one bit of good. My hope with this blog is to give myself a time to focus on things that are good for me and my family and offer good information for readers as well.
I will also address topics such as gardening, growing herbs and the many uses of them. Leading a simple life, looking back at "old ways" of doing things and draw comparisons to modern ways versus the ways of our grandparents will also be discussed.
Again, I welcome topic requests, comments and any other input! Recipes would be great too!
I want this blog to be a learning experience for myself as well as my readers.
My personal blog (Annie's Antics) will be going strong, but I think this will be a great learning experience for all who decide to participate! Thanks for reading and WELCOME! I am looking forward to hearing lots of great input!
-Annie