How's Your Heart Today?

How's your heart today? Positive or negative?  Open or closed? Grateful or envious?  Do you encourage or discourage?  Gracious or resentful?  Perhaps somewhere in between.  How do you sort that out. Or do you even know?

We cross paths day in and day out with people who either bolster our spirits or sap our energy.  We encounter folks who's faith is a light for us and those who's angst causes untold distress. Of course, we all have lessons to learn and those we share life with are our tutors. We all struggle. I have to think the key is to be gentle with ourselves.  No easy task sometimes though, but a goal well worth praying for and embracing.

Some seasons in nature, and in life, make that easier. Spring does that for me.  The lilacs, daffodils, tulips, the tree's blossoming.  New life, new beauty, new growth. I know it sounds sappy, but isn't that what we wish for those in our life? Wishing the same for you....

A Time To Plant

I will always be happiest creating, growing, digging, laughing, sharing. With Spring it's time to plant, literally and figuratively. And in planting comes creation.

My city garden was small compared to the possibilities of my country garden. Of course, both of them held more work than I could do evenings and weekends.  The good thing about it is I rarely remember I always bite off more than I can chew.  Or plant, as the case may be.

Planting comes in many ways, with a foundation of faith, hope, labors of love and big dreams.  We "planted" our second nesting box for the wood ducks this weekend. We also modified the opening on the first one in hopes the resident ducks will find the housing both affordable, attractive and accessible.

We planted strawberries and onion sets, and looked longingly (at least one of us did) at the asparagus poking through the ground.  It's only it's second season.  There won't be a big harvest, but it does my heart good to see it growing.  Sometimes dreams we plant take time to come to fruition.

The 50 daffodil bulbs I planted last Fall resulted in 5 plants poking through the ground. Not a huge return for the time invested.  I'll continue to whisper "grow" "grow". and time will tell. Isn't that the truth, time will tell. In time we'll know if the wood ducks nest for us. In time we'll see the garden produce. In time will see our hearts desires. Trust me on this one. Good things come to those who plant.

Old Buildings, New Opportunities

My new home away from home is a building that dates from 1904.  I love the thought of that.  I love the reality of that. So much history, charm and just plain longevity.  I hope someone says the same about me some day. So, okay, maybe I don't really want to be as old as all that.  The building comes complete with a "service" elevator that operates by rope and pulley.  The basement has a dirt floor. Makes me think of the following "remember Man that you are dust and to dust you shall return". Guess you could just say dust happens.  I have to wonder how many footsteps have fallen on those floors over the years.

So many people track their footsteps today and while I sometimes wonder how many I take in a day the very thought makes me weary.  I can only hope my footsteps are happy ones, full of faith and that love and laughter accompanies each one.

Some opportunities are encased in new and shiny wrappings, some come in quaint old packaging, I hope I bloom in this building, in fact, I plan too.  I hope you have a place dear to your heart that you bloom as well.  Whether it is new or old, whether you are new or old, may it bless you and nurture you.

Barns and Cupolas

I have a new love, one I never expected. I supposed that type of love is the best. We rarely get what we expect, and what we get is often better than we could ever hope for. So I have to confess I have a thing for barns, especially barns with cupolas. It doesn't matter if they are new or old, though old ones have a special charm.  I like to think as I get older I have a certain special charm too. Or maybe I just resemble an old barn. A little older, a little faded, but full of hope. Some days it's all debatable.  

Cupolas are the icing on the cake. All through life, on the roads I travel, I find landmarks that speak to my soul. Lovely gardens, interesting architecture, a horse I long for, stately trees, lakes or ponds, charming cottages, palatial mansions. Now as rural life embraces my heart, I am drawn to the barns.  

I realize it sounds odd, but I want one of my own.  Heck, I'd love to live in one. Complete with cupolas of course.  They say dream big, so I do.  It's okay to dream. Your dream may be a place on a lake, in the mountains, or the big city. Whatever speaks to your heart, listen for that and embrace it.  And whatever shape your "barn" is I pray it is graced with a cupola.  

In the meantime, on the country roads that have become home, I search out barns and they speak to me.    

Pushing Through...

For the most part we are all just pushing through life.  Sure, it seems like some people's life is all easy sailing.  No worries, no struggles, no loss.  I beg to differ.

Reality is we are much like the bulbs of spring.  Planted with hope, weathered over time to bloom in a new season.  In the mean time we push through some hard stuff.

We push through heartache, through job losses, through financial difficulties. We push through illness and grief.  We push against the curve balls of life and we embrace the joys that come along the way.  Often one would never know the challenges we endure.  We assume, all is well, and never scratch the surface to see. Some never share the challenges they are pushing through.  Some open their hearts and share the burden.  Grace blooms twice when they do.  

We look for signs of growth, we worry they will never come, and when they do we worry they may be nipped in the bud.  Growth comes...I promise you that. Sometimes in stealth mode, sometimes with bells and whistles.  It comes to all of us.  So we wait.  Until the day comes we push through the hard times and bloom again.  

Down Time and Snow Days

I am not one of those people who gear down very easy.  I'd rather be busy. I'd rather go go go.  Part of leaving the city and taking up small town life is finding peace and comfort in the quiet.  Finding time to witness nature, experiencing solitude.  So even though I work full time, have 3 dogs, garden, play on Facebook (a lot!), cook and try to craft a bit I am trying to find more time to be, rather than just do.

Nothing like a good snow storm to slow me way down.  I remember when my kids were little and we had snow days.  Whoohoo - they loved that.  It meant movies, shoveling, sledding, baking, shoveling, sledding and snow pants in the dryer.  They were full days even if they never left the yard.

Now snow days are different and I'm working to embrace them on my own terms.  Mostly I'm striving to embrace time to gaze out the window, to be less productive and enjoy that more.  Nothing wrong, and perhaps everything right, with accomplishing nothing for the day.

Don't get me wrong I took time to crochet, to blog, to walk the dogs.  And of course we didn't go hungry.  I did have to make a conscious effort to relax into the change of pace.  It's okay to sit and dream.  To gaze into the fireplace.  To marvel at Mother Nature (pretty sure she wants us to).  It's the stuff of peace and a happy heart.  It's okay to be and not do.  So I did.

Encouragement

Food, water, shelter, and encouragement.  Throw in a couple dogs, some wine, laughter, faith, family, friends and you've got it all.  Well that is my recipe for life.  Yours may differ.  Mine also requires flowers, cooking, gardening, hugs and walks along the river.

But I digress, encouragement is the topic of the day. Somewhere along the way we need a source of encouragement. Acknowledgement, without criteria for improvement, of what we are doing right.  It's like food for the soul, energy for the journey and shelter for the heart.

You did good.  I love you.  You've learned so much.  I like the way you did that. Good thinking.  Brilliant.  I know you can do it. Your talent shines.  You give the best hugs.  You make my life easier. I am so grateful to work with you.  Your friendship graces my life.  You're my rock.  I can trust you. You are making progress. I value you. I couldn't do it without you.  You are important to me.

You catch my drift.  To encourage is to plant seeds in another. It's like sunshine for personal growth.  Would that we could give it, as easily as we find reasons to find fault.  

May your journey be full of encouragement.  May you give it daily, may you receive it generously.  Whether they are city roads, or country roads, may they begin and end with encouragement.  Life will be sweeter if they do.  Give some today and watch it return in ways you could never imagine.