A New Day

Good Morning!

It is a beautiful day on the Outer Banks!

I have decided to try something a little different.

It is my intention to focus on the POSITIVE creative things I am doing in my life by keeping this online journal (Blog)... yes folks, blogging is a NEW CONCEPT for me.

I tend to focus on the "reasons" I am unable to accomplish all the things that I would like to do or "should" be doing... that I loose site of all the wonderful things that I am doing!

Life has thrown me a few curve balls over the years but it has become clear to me that in Life there will ALWAYS be something that will challenge me. My struggle is determined solely on how I choose to respond to the situation not the situation itself.

This is why I can spin out of control over a hang nail but can remain somewhat together for the life changing events.

It is absolutely imperative that I remain "plugged in" to my spirituality and faith. This is key!

Without this source of balance and energy I begin an ugly downward spiral.

I find a tremendous supply of peace, strength, hope and understanding from my church, faith and community. For this I am abundantly blessed and truly humbled.

Prayer and meditation are essential elements to the success of my serenity and my ability to respond to all life has to offer. However, they are usually the first things to go when "life" becomes to "busy" or maybe it becomes "busy" because I have neglected my prayer and meditation... either way... it isn't pretty.

What I am FINALLY coming to understand is...
even when I find myself actively engaging in personal or formal prayer I am still left feeling somewhat disconnected.

I am a faith formation teacher in my church and one of the things we discuss is Prayer and what prayer is. My priest says "we are forgetful people" and I must admit, I agree with him. Even though I discuss this with children I forget it in my own life.

Prayer takes many forms. And one of the most profound forms of prayer for me, is in the "Doing"!

God has blessed me with many talents and I tend to take them for granted or I choose to not give them the importance that God intended.

I forget that not everyone is inspired to create or have a DIY attitude. The fact that I can create something from a simple "idea" is God given. This is overlooked and underrated often by not acting on the "idea".

Imagination and inspiration are God's mustard seeds in my life. Only God can create the seed, no matter how hard I try I can not manufacture the seed. I can only prepare the soil, plant the seed that has been given to me and then tend the garden.

There will be times of drought, nor'easters, moles, voles and birds there will be WEEDS then... there will be abundance and bounty also.

So, to come full circle... I need to "REMEMBER" that during times of both abundance and drought I must give my full attention to God through prayer and meditation.

First in thanks and gratitude for all my blessings and then in action... in ALL it's forms.