This week I was reminded once again about life; daily life. We don’t often think we are going to wake up one morning and get news that turns our life upside down. But it happens. We don’t think we have to worry about our health because we feel pretty good, and then something shows up and changes everything. We think we will always have our family around us, and then there is a transfer and a move. Life is one change after anything, and it requires us to be life changers.
We never expect the difficult things that come along, but we seem to remember those far more than we remember what is GOOD in our lives, or what great things have come our way. It may feel like it’s the end of the world when our season of challenges come, but it will eventually come to be something we can handle. We wake up every day, and each day that goes by becomes a little bit easier.
I am going into a new season myself. I don’t know exactly what it has to hold for me but I am moving forward with confidence that God will reveal what is ahead of me as I step forward… trusting. Give me light for the step I’m on! I am hoping it won’t be like the last couple of months, but if it is, then I am prepared to walk it out. Not complaining, but with expectation of what I will learn through it. This is a transforming time for me, I believe. I like those times and welcome the changes that it may bring for me. My personality is such that when things get hard, I look all the more for something to counteract that challenge in my life. It’s why I make goals every year in January. It keeps my focus on good things, and always gives me a grateful heart for what I DO have in my life..
One of my goals has been to improve my photography, not necessarily just taking better 
photos, although that is part of it, but more to see with different eyes. Catch that unusual idea, that special lighting, or a unique perspective. It challenges me, but in a good way. I am not out to compete with other photographers, or those who enjoy taking pictures. My goal is doing something I love, and conveying a message to a person who is looking at my photo. I love creating something that conveys a message to the person looking at it. I have felt that God usually has a message for me in each photo I take, which always keeps my life perspective on the right focus. I love that! That is how the Holy Spirit works in us. Helping us learn, convicting us, and helping us see that God is there in every step.
So with that being said, I invite you to watch for my group “My Story 365” on Facebook, and I will share maybe once a week if I can here on the blog, to highlight some of the photos I take. If you would like to learn more about how to take better pictures yourself, I’m happy to help in that area as best I can. I don’t pretend to the a great photographer, but I can sure tell you how to improve your basics! I love seeing others take up their cameras to capture those wonderful life moments!
This blog is evolving and I’m excited to see where it might go. Join me in the group if you like, watch for the posts here, and also share a photo you may have taken and be a part of My Story.
Until next time…
~JoAnn
It’s so easy NOT to take a risk. It can be scary stepping out. I think too often we get so tied up in the culture of our lifestyle, that we forget to come away for a while. Sit around a campfire. Roast marshmallows. Make s’mores. Read a good book in front of a wood burning fire, (We have one outside and inside there! Happy me!), play a guitar, Uke, harmonica or whatever you may play, or just enjoy music from our play list without doing anything else while we listen. Enjoy the sky, eagles we see, the mountain ranges, take walks on the trails just to see where they go, and enjoy the deep green of luscious trees that are so much a part of our area.
It’s been a learning curve for me to come to this point. That is for sure! You see, sometimes we might see something exceptional that someone else has done, and how easily we forget that they have made a tremendous sacrifice of some kind to get where they are or have what they have. Sometimes we let a little envy come forth. However, even though it has taken a lot of time and living differently in order for this purchase to come to fruition, we couldn’t be happier to have made this decision.
I realize you might be saying, “Well, that is good for you. You don’t have the obligations I do. My kids are small, we don’t have a lot of money, or we aren’t in a position to do that.” I would say to that, change some things so you can eventually BE in that position to take advantage of the opportunity! Start now. You are the only one that can change it. It may not look like our project, but make it your goal to plan for your own place to go! It has taken us a long time to be in this position, and we have had to make many, many sacrifices to do so. But it’s possible!! So if you don’t see me writing a lot, this little piece of heaven might be why. I will have fun dialing down, being off the grid, and having the ability to do some of the things that I haven’t had time for. I am also kind of excited to have a quiet place to study uninterrupted. And… even more fun, I have another place to decorate… a very creative project for me! All those extra items I wasn’t sure how to use here in our little Bungalow, will now have a new place to live and be comfortable.
I believe we will make great memories at Big River Cabins, and it is my hope that we leave a legacy of, living a good life, behind for the kids. It is our desire to live as a positive example to those around us. At least that is our goal. Let’s remember that people around us watch our example. What do they see and learn from you about Jesus and His provision for your life? What do they learn about daily living by watching you? Yes. That question has kicked me in the backside when I think about it too. Isn’t God great?? He cares about every little thing that concerns us.
I promised local readers that I would post this recipe for them, originally from the website: Table to Soul. You will love them!
That title sounds like a great way to start the New Year, doesn’t it? I am living out some of that by setting the goals I have written down for this year. It helps me sort through priorities for my life and that of my family. But how willing are we to do what it takes to put first things first? Are you willing to give something in order for something better to be given to us?
a hard time sharing what we believe with someone for a couple of different reasons.
the grid. Spend time with the family and encourage them to unplug while they are visiting. DO something instead. Enjoy nature more. Camp, trips, BBQs. If I desire change, I need to be part of the change.
is calling Christians to be equipped. That means to know the Word for themselves; not only to help themselves, but to be aware of how they can help others by knowing the Word of God. I can’t help others if I’m not living it for myself. God has made it clear to me that I have to dig in more this year and with His help, get to know Him more personally than my previous years. I find myself really excited about that, and what He has to teach me.
I have found that I have had less and less time for it in recent years. So this year I am making more time for the things I love. Music, instruments, and singing. It has always been the thing that speaks so deeply to me.
even teaching a basic photography class. I love helping others see the world a bit differently and photography does that. But even to capture moments with family and friends and see results that they are happy with gives me pleasure.
won’t reach each one, I rarely do, but I love having them to remind myself of where God is taking me, and to look back in a year and see what God has done in me. I am not sure of my path here on the blog either. All the time it takes in writing is something I am talking to the Lord about. Is it about me, or Him? I am praying about how God wants me to move forward in terms of my blog, and other areas of my life; or if He DOES want me present here and to be used most for Him. What I DO know is, He will guide me if I listen.
Have you ever had one of these times where you know God is showing you a video on a day in the life of yourself? Here is a humbling one for me that I will share with you. Sometimes sharing my mistakes may help you not make the same ones. 🙂
He allowed me to come back to the front of the line with the second paper work. I then paid for the postage and completed the transaction. Happy to have that done, I went out to the car to go home. When I got in the car, I didn’t see my cell phone with me! I looked in my purse, and didn’t see it. You know how it is ladies. What do you do next? You dump it all out on the seat just to make SURE you didn’t miss it. Well…I didn’t miss it. It just wasn’t there. I was sure I had my phone with me…I always do when I go out. However, it just wasn’t in my purse or the car. So I went back in and looked around. Now, I was SURE I remembered setting it on top of my box to fill out the second paper. So since it hadn’t been turned in, I thought someone must have taken it. I tried calling it from my watch, the PO worker even called it for me so I could go out in the car and see if it dropped there. Nothing.
I had left it at home on the kitchen counter! Amazing how I “saw” it on my box. I even had someone lined up to blame. I am in to judgement now. Now I had a BIG forgiveness times two. to ask God to for. I could have just asked him in the first place to help me and He may have gently reminded me, or I could have asked to have peace about it and ask Him to allowed it to BE at home. Nope. I went off in fear and worry and accusations.
That title has some special meaning to me of late. Why? Because we are moving, and we hope that we are moving forward into a better situation for our fun years! It is sometimes hard to navigate those seasons of change.
So when I think I can’t pack another box, I stop for a while and give my back a rest. We get away from it for a mocha or ice tea. We ask God to give us the strength to keep going, and smooth the way for us. I take out my notebook and plan decor for our new home. That always lifts my spirit. What will be the name of our new place? How do I want it to look? We have always moved what we had and made it work for our home. This time, we want to invest in items that fit this home in particular. That will be very enjoyable for me!
So… October for us is a change of season not just in weather, but in our lives. This was a “suddenly” in our lives. We had to adapt. We have this idea that we have to know all the answers ahead of time. God’s timing isn’t like that at all. So will I believe Him? Will I trust Him? Yes I must. I have experienced too much of His grace and provision to ever think He won’t take care of this also. October 15th, I will look forward to your success in this venture. I pray over our Bel Aire home for the next owner, and that this home gives them as much joy as it has given us. I am thankful for all the wonderful handiwork that my son did in this home to make it special for his folks. Bless him Lord for that. It gave us an edge in this market. See, God is in ALL the details!
When you live long enough, you are bound to experience many things that add to your life story. Today, half of a loving couple who played an intricate part in my story, passed away. I have had a few people who have had tremendous influence in my life, and this man was one of them. He was my boss, along with his wife, for about nine years and it was the best time of my life in terms of getting to do what I loved best; helping others to live their dream and be successful in their pursuit of the dream.
The other side of it is, they are like family to me. In many ways…I felt I was. I spent many days sharing lunch with them, and brainstorming how we could be more effective in helping the sales team meet their goals. God spoke to me early on in my employment with them, that I was to leave encouraging notes for them on their desks. Be their armor bearers. When they encouraged others all the time as they did, sometimes someone needs to encourage them. That is what God asked me to do. So I did. My boss went out of his way to help me in different times of crisis in my life, and I will never forget that kindness. He had a hard time when I would try to thank him then, and even in the years to come, but I wanted him to know how much it meant to me. I would also pick up some sugar-free black licorice candy for him sometimes too because he loved it. Yep. Good times.
So today as I read the news of his passing, the tears flowed for all the above. And…for my very good friend who now must live on without her husband by her side. I knew it was coming, since my last visit made that clear, but we are never ready really. Life is hard and God tells us we will all have trouble in this life. But we can’t keep them here when their quality of life makes it so difficult. Then, even though it seems trite, we need to remember that they are now whole and not suffering in this life any longer. However, that is always harder than we think it will be. That is why I think God gives us memories. I believe, that He gives us the memories so that in hard times, we can be comforted by them. When we are sad, let it out, when we need to cry, cry. When we are angry, let that out too. It helps us heal. When a memory gives us joy, let the joy heal us as well.
Have you ever had someone say to you, “I was one decision away from a different life path in life.”? I can relate to that. I have had many points in my life been at a crossroads and my decision totally changed the trajectory of my life. I have not always chosen what was right for me, but often chosen out of compassion or not wanting to hurt feelings, rather than listening to the Holy Spirit that is sending me a different message and a different path to take. Those decisions are so hard, aren’t they? Sometimes there is so much to give up…but what if we listened to the hard message in the first place and didn’t take OUR decision, but listened to the leading of the Holy Spirit? And…what if the Holy Spirit even sent friends along the way to ask you the hard questions about a decision you were making? Ahhh…now THOSE are hard questions! Here is another one for you…what if changes in your life circumstances mean that you NEED to consider yet another change in order for it to be the best yes in your life, and it will require a LOT out of you? That’s not even to mention all those who think you are nuts to have done it in the first place, or they are thinking you can’t seem to make up your mind.
Just this week, after some hard weeks have passed, I got some good news and some not so good news. I had some swelling in my left hand from a fall where my left side and my nose took the hit. The swelling caused me to need my wedding ring cut off. I have worked in jewelry and it is hard to see a beautiful ring have to go through a cutting process. You see, if you don’t have the right people doing that work, you can cause damage to the ring and to the diamonds it holds. What will happen? It will loosen the settings as the ring is stretched in order to go over the finger after being cut off. So it worried me a little to have it done. But I found a great jeweler locally, and he did a great job!
good news. The bad news, other than not being able to wear my ring, was that it was a pulled ligament between my ring finger and my middle finger. That type of injury is a very long healing process; six months to be exact. That’s a long time. It is best to elevate the hand when possible, and I can ice it if I want to, should it be painful. Wow! Six months! He told me I have to be patient. If I try to hurry the process, then I will just cause more problems and my healing will take even longer.
Journeys of My Heart 