Thursday 29 November 2012

  So it's snowing where I am.  The street lights are blurred by the dancing crystals, and the streets have gathered a fluffy covering that's traced with wheel tracks.
  It's beautiful.
  It's magical.
  It's peaceful.
  
  If you go outside while it's snowing you can hear the world slow down.  It has secrets to share, and it whispers softly straight to your heart....look at me, I'm beautiful, there is nothing like me, and try as you may, you'll never find two flakes that are the same.  I am special, stop, take a listen, and you'll see.  That's what it would say, I'm almost certain.

  There's a lot going on in our lives.  Birth.  Death.  Hurt.  Loss.  Disappointment.  Joy.  Laughter.  Love.  Rain that washes the dry dust away, sunshine that bursts through the clouds and sparkles like diamonds off of every surface.  A breeze to bring a fresh breath to that which is withering.
  But to me there is nothing like snow.  It's cold, yes, that's true.  It can cause damage, yes, yes, I know these things.
  What my heart hears is this.

I am beautiful.
I am welcoming.
I am here to remind you that there is hope.
Watch me fall, flutter, and land in a swirl.  I will make everything appear wonderful, and when all you see is bathed in white, the possibilities are endless.
If you stop and listen to my peaceful descent, your heart will know, you will hear my secrets.

  I just caught it, or maybe it's better to say I got caught up in it!
  What you might ask?  The Christmas spirit, of course!  The spirit of thankfulness, true Joy, Peace, and Love.
  
 Enjoy your weekend, everyone!
 Listen to the signs of the season, you might be surprised what you hear!
  
  

Monday 26 November 2012

Love Actually - All I want for Xmas

Good Morning!

  No I haven't done a complete turn around on the Scrooge thing, and our home
has not yet found its way to listening to Christmas music, but this does make
me take one giant step in that direction.
  In my mind there are Christmas carols, and there are Christmas songs.
They are definitely two different things.
  This has to be my favorite song, though as the season goes on, I may say
that about a few!  
  True confession....I love hearing this one any time of the year...even the 
Bieber version...and though I receive many an eye roll when I bring it out,
and rock my sad dance moves, I would never deny loving this song!!

 So enjoy a little Christmas beat on your Monday!  Let it chase the Scrooge
inside of you away!  


Friday 23 November 2012

Hey, all!

  It has been one super crazy week.  That I believe is all I'm going to say about that at the moment.  I know, same old same old.....
  So I wouldn't call myself Scrooge, not exactly anyway, but I will admit to feeling more than lack luster about the pending holiday season.  It may be the day to day scheduling, or the frenzy which people enforce within themselves, or the materialism that surrounds the season, I guess it could be a number of things.  
  I like the twinkling lights of the tree as much as the next person, and once the sparkly, shiny, wistful, eye-popping, mouthwatering, tactile flourishes have been lavishly spread everywhere imaginable, I feel the pull in my own heart to jump on the wagon.
  I may need another week or two to fully arrive, but I will get there.  I will put up our tree, we will play carols through our speakers, and there will likely be some sort of festive activities in our home.  So that must mean I'm not Scrooge after all, right?  What I do know for certain is at this time of year, I seriously wish for the simple.
  However, what I long for is anything but simple.  It's the wish of a child.  The dream of the idealist.  The notions of the dreamer who understands the wish is impossible.
  I want true peace on earth, and good will to all people.  

Here's What I Know

1~ I want this season to be different for my family  
2~ I want to share love and joy like it was intended; without expectation and with
      abundance 
3~ I want to be thankful for what I have, because I truly have so very much 
4~ I want the people in my life to know how thankful I am for them
5~ I want to be warm and safe and tucked up tight with my babies as we read the Christmas
      story and hear about the miracle birth of a tiny baby, and how He changed the world
6~ In a world filled with so much chaos and hurt, there is also peace to be found


  So I'm not sure how another week has passed so quickly, but it has!  Another busy weekend  is on its way, and there is always lots and lots going on, and even more to consider for another day.  
  I'm going to try to slow it down.  Slow it enough to embrace the quiet moments, enjoy the simple, and give thanks for the abundance in my life.  If I slow it down enough, maybe the scrooge inside of me will vanish and be replaced with a twinkle in the eye and an abundant joy that suits the season perfectly!

Happy Friday   


Tuesday 20 November 2012

Hanson - MMMBop (Acoustic)

Hey there!

  A new day, and I feel like feeling free!  Long ago I was a smitten girl over this one, I grew into an admiring young woman, and still today I have a special place in my heart for this fantastic song!  

 Here's the way it's going to work....
 Judge me if you will, but I'm going to hit play, kick off my shoes, turn the speakers loud, and let go!  Join me!  This song ALWAYS puts a smile on my face!
  

Friday 16 November 2012

Happy Birthday!!!

   Birthdays are special, they are important, and they are wise to be remembered.
Though the day is coming to a close, I suddenly feel called to honor this very special day.
  Today is my Mom's birthday.  
  She is one of those ladies who would give the shirt off her back if she thought it was needed.  She is quick to come to the rescue, a crazy hard worker, patient when she knows she needs to allow space, a constant ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, and an endless supply of unconditional and encouraging love.
  She is all those things you desire in a mom, but most of all, she is home.

Thank you.  Without you, I likely wouldn't be who I am today.  You are strength when I don't want to pick myself up, beauty when the day seems dark, a model of perseverance, courage in the face of adversity, and tenderness when the moment requires quiet tears.
  For all this and more, you deserve a special day.  I only wish I could do more for you, and to make you feel like the queen of the world.

Love you all around the world and back.

Mom, you are THE most special and imaginable creation to me today.

LOVE YOU.

Wednesday 14 November 2012

Ludovico Einaudi - I Giorni

Hope.  Calm.  A change of pace.

  If you take a minute to listen, I promise you'll feel it.  What, you may ask?  
Hope.
There are no words to distract, they are not necessary.  If it's more helpful, don't even watch the video, but take a minute, or more specifically 6 and a few. Have a listen.



   Can you feel the hope?  Can you hear the story in the notes?  The journey?  The highs, the lows, or if you'd prefer a visual, the mountains and the valleys?
   I am captivated by this piece, the whole disc in fact.  It's Brilliant, with a capital B.
   

  It's a little different than the energy boosting, soul prodding, angst filled, lyrically based music I usually throw up here. 
  But, man..... 
  I love it! 
  Enjoy!

Monday 12 November 2012

Here's what I know

  I fancy myself a writer, but there are times, when my emotions get in the way, when I can't express myself truly because my words may hurt someone, or the passion I feel for the topic tumbles my words out all wrong, or times that I can't find the right words at all.
  It is in those moments that music fills my spirit.  In those moments when I allow another artist to paint my spirit, allow another's words to cast a filmy clarity over my jumbled thoughts, or more specifically, allow another's words to reveal to me how so deeply inside I was unable to understand it on my own; it is then that I feel the words I need to say.

  Do you feel that way about whatever it is that touches your depths? 

   It doesn't have to be music.  It can be art, admiration of abilities, nature, a form of compassion, empathy, truth, a deep commitment, a focus that is derived from perseverance.  Really, whatever grabs your heart, whatever it is that stirs deep inside you and allows you to understand what is going on around you and inside of you on another level.
  Perhaps what I'm trying to say is that beauty enlists and inspires beauty in all its forms.  I stumbled across a beautiful, beautiful blog over the weekend.  I scrolled through it until my eyes were burning and each image seemed to jump out at me.
  I was inspired by the talent I saw to take some time to sharpen my own, and recommit to some goals I had set aside for a while.

What I know

1~ no one will do the things you want to accomplish for you
2~ allowing your love for something to be undermined steals pieces of you
3~ can anyone believe in you if you don't believe in you?
4~ "compare, where you are to where you want to be, and you'll get nowhere" -
        thank you Sara Bareilles, for your inspiring words
5~ I know I am worth it

  Do you know you're worth it too?  
  Where do you want to be?   
  What do you feel is worth fighting for?

  I challenge you on this cold, snow covered Monday (where I am anyway) to take a minute to find what you love and paint a picture in your head.  
  What do you see?  Does it inspire you?  If so, go ahead, get started.  Find the time to go and sharpen your own talent! 








Monday 5 November 2012

Serena Ryder "What I Wouldn't Do"


Rise and shine, and welcome another Monday!
How are you feeling this morning?  Are you ready to shine your light on everyone
you see?  Are you ready to blaze a new trail and be the most fabulous YOU you can be?

  I am!  I feel that thing glowing inside of me.  You want to know what that thing is?...it's called belief!  
  I believe in me!  It's a big deal, and with that, I am able to wipe away all the doubts, the worry, the stress, and oh boy-the fear, that I'm never going to get where I'm going.  I believe in me today! 

  I love poetry, I love the vision it creates, I love its words, and I love how specifically placed words can evoke such specific feelings. This has long been one of my favorites, and a small poetic piece of what I'm feeling!

  ~Long have you timidly waded holding a plank by the shore,
Now I will you to be a bold swimmer,
To jump off in the midst of the sea, rise again, nod to me,
   shout, and laughingly dash with your hair.
-Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

  Now lookie here, how this fits so nice!!  Here's a more modern use of poetry, because that's what music is, isn't it? It makes me feel many of the same feelings, but it takes me there in a very different way!

  Get up, scratch the surface-dig a little, find out what makes you feel like you're glowing from the inside out.
  Once you've found it, tap your toes, swim in it for a while....then get out there and share it.  It's contagious, delicious, run-with-your-arms-wide-open-fabulous!
   Believe it! 

Friday 2 November 2012

  What's the weekend have for you?  Have you been waiting on massive plans to top off this first weekend of November? 
  Are you boarding an airplane and jetting off to the beach, heading to the gym, driving across town to visit some friends or hunkering down to hide for the next few days?  We all have plans, that's a fact.  
  Those plans don't have to be huge, spectacular or out of the ordinary to be special!  Last night my Crazytown Crew and I gathered around the table to play a few spontaneous rounds of Uno Roboto....not so special unto itself, but you know what?  We all laughed, we made the effort to be together and it was a highlight of our busy, busy week!

 Your plans don't have to be spectacular and brag worthy to be special!  How you choose to spend your free moments, and who you make the effort be near is special!!

  Got that?  Awesome!  Now head out, get out there and enjoy your massive or not so massive plans!

 Happy Friday!