Lately it seems that my signs are coming by way of songs. Often I get so busy with the tasks of each day and the responsibilities of my many jobs, that I feel pressed to find my inspiration. So often lately, the minute this comes to my mind, a sign appears.
Today again, it’s come in a song.
Of course I had to share it with you!
With love,
Bobbe
Continue reading “It’s Gonna Get Better.”
So much stuff is circulating the Internet these days. Here is something that I love along with a little message from the angels and of course, today’s prayer.
I am sorry I have been absent for a few days. My husband and I were working on catering a lot of Easter meals for LOTS of people! After a day or two of rest, I will get back to regular posts.
Love to all. Happy Easter.
Bobbe
Me: Okay, God, here’s the thing. I’m scared. I’m trying not to be, but I am.
God: I know. Want to talk about it?
Me: Do we need to? I mean, you already know.
God: Let’s talk about it anyway… We’ve done this before.
Me: I know, I just feel like I should be bigger or stronger of something by now.
God: *waiting patiently, unhurried, undistracted, never annoyed.
Me: Okay. So, I’m afraid I’ll do everything I can to protect my family and it won’t be enough. I’m afraid of someone I love dying. I’m afraid the world won’t go back to what it was before. I’m afraid my life is always going to feel a little bit unsettled.
God: Anything else?
Me: EVERYTHING ELSE.
God: Remember how your son woke up the other night and came running down the hall to your bedroom?
Me: Yes.
God: You were still awake, so when you heard him running, you started calling out to him before he even got to you… remember? Do you remember what you called out to him?
Me: I said, “You’re okay! You’re okay! You’re okay! I’m here.”
God: Why did you call to him? Why didn’t you just wait for him to get to your room?
Me: Because I wanted him to know that I was awake, and I heard him, and he didn’t have to be afraid until he reached the end of the dark hallway.
God: Exactly. I hear you, my child. I hear your thoughts racing like feet down the dark hallway. There’s an other side to all of this. I’m there already. I’ve seen the end of it. And I want you to know right here as you walk through it all, you’re okay. I haven’t gone to sleep, and I won’t.
Me: *crying. Can we sit together awhile? Can we just sit here a minute before I go back to facing it all?
God: There’s nothing I’d love more.
(Copied from a post on Facebook)
Spend some time in quiet reflection today. This is not a time to be seeking messages for yourself, but rather the time is now to reflect on the events that lead to your world’s celebration of Easter.
Think beyond rabbits and eggs and baskets. Think beyond the movies and media coverage of Easter. Think beyond your church’s celebration of Easter, your family parties, and your children’s bonnets. Instead, sit alone and reflect on who the man Jesus was and what his life on earth was. How did he live? What are the lessons he taught and why was he condemned to death? What must he have endured?
Now realize the truth. He knows you personally. He is not some far off, story book entity who once lived on earth. He lives, He loves you and He wants to hear from you.
Today all of heaven is in song. Your devotions and love and celebrations join with our vibrations to honor our Lord. The song of your heart rings loudly regardless of where you are…Let us praise Him for He is risen. Alleluia.
Dearest Lord,
Though we may not be able to be together to celebrate in the way we are used to, we love you and we praise you and we thank you for sending us your only Son. This is the perfect time for us to bring Him closer and to form a closer relationship with Him.
As always, we thank you for our Blessings , especially those that are not readily apparent to us.
We praise you. We thank you. We love you.
Amen.
Click here to be taken to the last message
Some days just suck. Let’s be honest.
Some days, believe it or not, I do not feel my best and I feel uninspired. Here is my promise to you right now. I will not miss a single day with the angel messages or the prayers, but sometimes, I might not have a huge inspirational story to accompany them. These days are sometimes hard, even for me.
Today is Palm Sunday, which reminds me that it is always darkest before the dawn. I find it fitting that the coming week is Holy Week and I am feeling rather low. On Palm Sunday when Jesus road through the streets of Jerusalem, people waved palms in the air shouting, “Hosanna!”. “Hosanna”comes from the Hebrew word, “howosiah-ha”, which translated means, “Save us!” Hosanna! Indeed.
I cannot think of a single time in my life that I have ever felt compelled to put palm branches on my front door, but I did today. It’s not that I feel we are doomed or that I am so low I can’t feel that tomorrow isn’t going to be brighter. No. It’s because my faith is strong and I feel inspired to start showing it in more tangible ways. (Remember days ago when I mentioned listening to your heart and acting on its contents? This is me doing that.)
Popping around Facebook and Instagram today, I see that I am not alone in my case of the blahs. Yep. I am human just the same as you and it feels like we are picking up on one another. The one cool thing that I have is that I can hear and see and feel things that I can share and I promise I will continue…even when I feel BLAH like tonight.
Today’s fact is that I stood in my kitchen more than one time and just bawled my eyes out. I went to my parents this afternoon (because that’s what I do on Sunday’s) and I cried all the way home. Sometimes the world is TOO much with me and this is simply the by-product. I cry and there is nothing in the world wrong with it. In fact, if you are finding yourself in tears lately more so than normal, YOU ARE NORMAL. Tears are very healthy.
Let’s just promise to be together and to pray for one another and when we have something worthy to share, we will. (Yes, I recognize I am saying “we”. Ha ha)
Love to all.
Bobbe
PS: You are not alone. We are in this together!
As always if these messages speak to you, know that they are meant for you!
Meditation is very important for you right now. Enjoy practicing it often.
A quiet mind hears the voice of the angels more easily. Your angels are asking you to quiet your mind so that your angelic communications are loud and clear. First thing in the morning, spend at least five minutes with your eyes closed, and breathe deeply three or four times.
Ask your angels a question, and then listen as intently as you would to a dear friend. Don’t strain to listen; if you chase the answer, it will evade you. Instead, continue to breathe in and out deeply, and allow yourself to relax. Tell yourself that receiving angelic communication is natural for you, and that it is actually an everyday experience. The more you relax your mind, the easier it is for you to hear the answer.
Pay attention to doors that are opening and shutting for you right now. Walk through the doors that open, and learn from the doors that shut.
Your prayers are being answered; there is no doubt about that. However, everything operates according to the Universal Law of Divine Timing. This means that certain pieces of the puzzle must first fatal into place so that other parts can come to fruition. If you try to skip or rush certain pieces or parts, the whole plan will lack a solid foundation.
Don’t try to force open any doors that appear closed to you. Instead, ask your angels for guidance to see if the door closed because of negative expectations, or if it’s simply a sign of Divine Timing. Look for other doors that do open, and walk through them with faith and gratitude.
Place your focus on all of the positive outcomes that are possibly coming towards you. Use your imagination. Entertain your thoughts in this manner and you will undoubtedly infuse your spirit with positivity. Light generates light and the angels remind you that if you expect it and look for it, it will come.
It may seem difficult to believe but miracles are occurring all around you right now. Begin to notice them and you will experience even more miracles.
The angels with to tell you to expect a miracle. Perhaps you feel that you need one right now because you can’t see any other way to a solution. Be open to allowing God to help you resolve your challenges in ways that will surprise you. you open the door for miracles when you become willing to surrender your fears to God. Visualize the angels carrying away the issue, and feel yourself supported by God’s wisdom and creativity.
As you relax into the Source, you are assured that blessings are surrounding you right now. Be open to a miracle coming your way.
God please Bless us ALL. We need the strength that only You can provide.
Thank you for the tiniest Blessing such as getting to watch a candle flame dance, listening to music, watching fellow humans make light of this situation, finding toilet paper and especially, smiles exchanged by strangers who aren’t really strangers. WE ARE ALL ONE.
Dearest Jesus, our spirits are waking up…please give us the courage to ACT.
In Your name, I pray.
Amen.
Click here to be taken to yesterday’s blog.
How many weeks has this been going on? I can’t even remember. Here is a little angel stuff to get you through your day.
Today I want to remind you that whatever your feelings are right at this moment, they are valid and you are entitled to feel the way you do. Boy, let me tell ya, my emotions are all over the map, but I am doing okay because I know that no one on earth has ever experienced what’s going on right now. Whatever I feel is what I feel and it will pass. The same is true for you. Give yourself (and your family members) grace at this time.
If you are anything like me right now, things that are ordinarily easy to look past, are glowing red and causing you to want to explode. Yesterday I was so busy at work I barely had time to look up, but when I did, I noticed that I was not myself. The frustration bubbling up inside me was almost immeasurable. In fact, a few times I had the instinct to just get in my car and go home. LOL!
Lucky for me I work in a church (although if I were writing this yesterday I’d have said, OH MY GAWD, I HATE working with CHURCH people! ha ha) Late in the afternoon I was able to sneak across the parking lot to the church next door where I encountered some sweet ladies, one of whom is a Minster. We all sat down in the lobby, ten feet apart and just chatted for a couple of minutes about life and the fact that Easter is just around the corner. Anyone in the world who is presently part of a church staff understands that this uncharted territory we’re in right now. There is ten times more work happening right now than normally would be happening.
I laughed so hard when Mother Sweets (not her real name) told me that she was in her kitchen a few nights ago practically throwing pots and pans everywhere; anger had just bubbled up, she told us, and it was okay. Likewise she was saying that she would like to strangle people when they say to her, “You must be enjoying just staying home for a change.” That fantasy of relaxing at home isn’t happening in the lives of Ministers all over the world. No. They are learning new technology for online services, making endless lists of people who are in need, trying to figure out how to celebrate special Holidays like Easter without being together as a congregation, learning how to fill out paperwork for financial aid, worrying what will happen if people stop giving. The list is endless, just as it is endless for any other person in the world at this time.
We are all walking through uncharted territory. The good news is that we are never alone.
The good news is that there IS good news out there. Just this morning I watched a news piece about a family that had recently experienced a death. Because funerals cannot happen at this time, their family and friends made a car procession through the deceased man’s neighborhood. His parents stood outside their home and as each car passed by, they threw flowers, let go of balloons, held up signs and blew kisses. It was beautiful to see. Sympathy was expressed through this loving act of kindness. I cried when I watched it not because I was sad that they couldn’t have a funeral. No. I cried because the human spirit is a beautiful thing.
Where there is a will, there is a way and that’s what I want us all to focus on today. We cannot live our daily lives the same as we are used to, but we CAN always find inventive ways to carry forward….especially since we are ALL Blessed and loved by God.
With love to you!
Bobbe
You will search for me,
and when you search for
me with all your heart,
you will find me.JEREMIAH 29:13
Always keep in mind that if a message resonates with you strongly, it’s absolutely meant for you.
A clean slate is presented to you now as you encounter fresh opportunities and novel experiences.
Embrace the new in your life, including new opportunities, people, and projects. The angels know that change can be frightening, and they surround you now with loving energy. Call upon them whenever you feel afraid of facing novel situations. They will boost your confidence and energy so that you can enjoy your new beginnings.
Sometimes we cling to old routines because they are familiar. The angels ask you to be open to new approaches to life. Perhaps they will teach you a new way of looking at situations. Or maybe they will call on you to learn a new skill. Whatever the new beginning is for you, allow yourself to be stretched by the fresh circumstances. We learn about ourselves through new experiences.
God, the angels, and the ascended masters who love, protect, and guide you are watching over you right now. You are not alone, and you are safe.
Be reassured that you are part of an awesome and powerful team of benevolent beings. They surround, guide, and love you constantly. If you are in danger, they will intervene with warnings or lifesaving measures. If you are afraid, they will comfort you with the energy of Divine love. If you are confused, they will whisper guidance in your ear.
You are being asked to talk to your angels and guides more frequently. Have mental conversations with them about everything, and you will soon see evidence of their existence. Soon, the angels will enlist you to help other people. If you ever feel doubtful about your ability to help others, ask the angels to help you release these fears.
Oh Dear Lord,
Sometimes this life is sooooooo hard. I know I’ve said this a million times before, but maybe it was never so true as it is today.
Wait. I can hear you laughing (and it’s making me smile).
Let me start again.
Thank you Lord for the ability to change how I perceive things. I know that life is only as hard as I make it and that every hard time feels like it’s the worst it’s ever been. Challenges will always be present. Hard times will come upon us off and on throughout our lives, but we are to remember that you live in our hearts and it’s Your blood in our veins and that means we are part of the Divine and for Divinity, nothing is impossible, not even this.
I know that you have given us the tools we need in order to navigate through life and I thank you.
Please continue to Bless and keep those who land on this page as well as their friends and their families and my family too. May we all remain safe and of good and steady spirit as we make our way through this pandemic.
Bolster our faith, dear Lord. Help us to lean into you more. May we even take this time to strengthen our relationship with you, who offers us unending unconditional love.
In your Son Jesus name, I pray.
Amen
Click here to be taken to yesterday’s messages and prayers
We’re all reacting to this time in different but similar ways. Some of us aren’t sleeping well. Some are sleeping too much…anxiety prevails. What do the angels say?
The other day my mother told me that from birth forward I have never been a good sleeper. With this pandemic, it’s even worse than normal. (I don’t even want to bother thinking about how few hours I am getting.) I am sure it’s the same for others. Many are finding themselves either sleeping too much or not enough…and let’s not even discuss the snacking. (Last night I ate an ice cream bar. I am not even a sweets person. What’s that about?)
Though my job is not considered to be essential, I am still able to go to work mainly because I work alone. My schedule is the same as it has always been, I am still being paid, we have enough food and supplies, yet I am still awake at night trying to keep the anxiety at bay. Some nights are better than others and that’s okay. None of us have ever experienced anything like this. At a time when nearly all of us are uneasy, it wouldn’t make sense for me not to be picking up on all the feelings emoting through the atmosphere. I am certain others are too and if you are, know that you are not alone.
It’s nearing 4:30 AM. As I lie here in the dark pecking at this virtual keyboard, the thought of my Granddad Rodgers pops into my heart and I feel calm for a minute. I am reminded that in times of need, God allows our loved ones from the other side to offer us comfort and reassurance. My Granddad touches my heart to say, “I’m right here.” and I feel reassured that I’ll get through this. (If it’s God’s will, we all will.)
If you are like me, having trouble pushing the anxiety out, I invite you to think of someone you love who has passed on. Pull up a good memory of the two of you sharing a confidence. Close your eyes and remember each detail, but most importantly, how you felt in your heart. What would this person say to you right now? Know you are loved and never alone…and better…as much as this person loves you, God loves you infinitely more.
We WILL get through this and we’ll do it, together. ❤️🦋
For those who don’t know me, I feel it’s important to explain that angels have been part of my life forever. (Yours too, actually.) They are messengers of God and humankind’s helpers and for the purpose of this blog, they serve sort of as a compassionate compass to help me in shedding light and comfort. Interesting that yesterday’s word was “Focus”. Reflecting back, I realize this is precisely what they enable me to do. Angels are my friends. I worship only God.
All that being said, today they lead me to…
You are not alone. This is a love letter from your guardian angels, who want you to know, “We’re right here. We have never left you and can never leave you.”
Your guardian angels say that you deserve their help and attention. There is nothing that you could have ever thought, said, or done that could ostracize you from your Divine helpers. They never judge or abandon you for the mistakes you make. They are simply here to support you so that you can grow spiritually in order to help others.
Your angels wish for you to recognize the fact that they are with you. While you may not feel them or see them or even hear them, they are present with you with every breath you take. God has tasked them with your care. Ask them to help you recognize their presence with you and then be open when they do.
Be open as well to allowing God to help you resolve your challenges in ways that will surprise you. You open the door for miracles when you become willing to surrender your fears to God. Visualize the angels carrying away the issue, and feel yourself supported by God’s wisdom and creativity.
As you relax into the Source, you are assured that blessings are surrounding you right now. They are. Think about this and take the time to count them and be grateful.
The Divine healer and teacher, Jesus, frequently taught and demonstrated that with faith, all things are possible. You may ask God and the Archangel Raphael to boost your faith and trust if you have been struggling because of recent events. You can borrow their perfect faith to help you remember that everything really is in perfect order, even if appearances seem to contradict this spiritual truth.
Be open. Continue to focus. Pray more. Know that you are covered in God’s love and grace.
Dearest Lord.
Try as I may, I am having issues with focus and letting go of fear. Though I feel my faith is steadfast and strong, sometimes during the day and especially at night, I feel afraid and uncertain. I worry about things like health, money, and security. Some of my fears are rational and some of them are wildly irrational. I need the help and healing that only comes from your Divine love. Please.
I miss my daily routine and I miss my regular social interactions with friends and family. It’s so hard to feel so isolated. It’s hard to worry about my kids and to know what’s right for them. Please give me the patience needed to be there for all of their needs. It’s also hard to keep being fed this steady diet of gloom and doom from the daily news. Please heal our world, Lord. We need you so desperately.
Please help strengthen my faith and my resolve, so that I can use my energy to keep healthy, to keep going and to help others.
Thank you for your Blessings, because even though I may not feel them, my heart knows they are there. Please help me to open myself more so that I might recognize the signs of your presence, as well as the presence of your Divine helpers and my loved ones who now live with you. Help me Lord, not to feel alone and to know that there is never a time or place that you are not near.
Please use me as your instrument and allow me to embrace my faith and your love as fully as is possible. I love you and I thank you.
In your son Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
If you are up during the night feeling anxious and you need someone to chat with, just leave a comment below. I will be notified and if I am awake and I usually am, I will come visit with you.
Likewise, if you have a specific prayer request, leave it below. I have plenty of time to pray with you and lastly if you have a question for the angels, I will help you with that too. We’re all in this together.
Love to all!
Times are scary and when they are, I am inclined to return to my roots. Today I am asking God and the angels for guidance and here is what they say…
With all that is happening in the world today, I feel it’s incredibly important to lift one another up in spirit and in prayer. These are scary times and I am finding myself anxious and fearful off and on throughout each day. This morning I’ve decided to stop ignoring what my heart keeps telling me.
When I feel nervous and uncertain the thing that gets me up and out of my own head is to busy myself with a project (like cooking meals for shut ins or cleaning out closets and cabinets). Recently I have felt pulled to get back into my prayers and inspired posts. (I always feel my best when I am in service of others and when I am fully tuned in to the love of God and His beautiful angels.)
So here I am at the beginning again. If what you see here speaks to you, know beyond a doubt that it is meant for you.
(Note: My favorite angel cards to use are by Doreen Virtue. These are the “Healing with the Angels” cards. I use them as prompts to aid me in listening and writing what comes into my heart for anyone who may land on this page and need what is here.)
I start by asking God to allow the angels to direct me to a message for today and the message I receive is: “Focus”.
The message of this card says, “Think about what you want, not what you don’t want. Guard your thoughts carefully because they create your experiences.”
Sometimes it seems that our thoughts choose us (especially in the middle of the night), but this is never the case. We always choose our thoughts-every moment. Our thoughts always have an effect, and there are no neutral thoughts. One half-second before you hold a thought, you decide to hold it. So, with practice, you can learn to monitor and alter your thoughts. This is the equivalent of putting your hands on the steering wheel of your life.
You may believe that your concentration abilities are impaired, yet the infallible mind of God is within your own mind. You can experience remarkable feats of concentration by affirming: “I am now able to focus my mind at Will. I hold only loving thoughts, and my angels act as my gatekeepers in establishing a steady stream of thoughts of love.”
Peace of mind means feeling secure, and knowing you’re always provided for. Even if your logical mind cannot fathom how a challenge can be resolved, peace of mind means that you trust that God will create a miraculous solution. Your faith is a key component in experiencing such miracles.
Peace of mind is within you. You CAN feel serene, even in the midst of great turmoil. It’s a mistake to think that you have to wait until your life is problem free before you can feel happy and peaceful. The opposite is actually true. First, you work toward serenity, and then your life challenges lessen and disappear. Serenity is your natural state of mind, and God allows His angels to work with you to actualize this.
All of this is to say that though these times seem to be uncertain, we do not have to allow our minds and hearts to become muddled with nonsense the fearful mind creates. God has never failed us. He will not fail us now.
Dearest Lord: Today we ask for Your help in releasing our hearts from the grips of fear.
You have said for us to not be afraid but because we are human, we sometimes fail. Help us to tune more fully into the song of our own heart, which is always the voice of your love. Help us to remember that through You, nothing is impossible and that even in the midst of great turmoil, there is joy and love to be given and found.
Please Protect our loved ones from contracting this virus and heal those who already have. For those who are in precarious or near dire financial situations, please send support.
Help us to recognize your will for us and to act when called to do so.
Most of all, Lord, Thank you for your Blessings, especially the ones we know nothing about.
Amen.
This is the post that I left on Facebook on New Year’s Eve just before the clock struck midnight.
I seriously cannot think of a single thing to say about 2019 except, “Thank you. Praise Jesus.” It was at times really hard, but because I focus on Blessings so much I can honestly say I cannot give you a list of the negative stuff because I really do not remember. 🙏
Today on the way home I changed lanes and apparently -unbeknownst to me- took some late 60ish-mid 70ish man’s spot. He chased me down in his car, laid on his horn, screamed out his window -all the while giving me the finger out his drivers side door. A normal person might have honked and given me the finger. This man relentlessly laid on his horn and didn’t stop until he finally saw me mouth the words, “I made a mistake, I said I was sorry. What else do you want?” (Even at this point I knew, if he could get away with it, he’d have gotten out of his car in order to scream at me some more.)
I don’t mind telling you all that I cried all the way home and I am crying as I write this. What that man did not know is that I was on my way home from helping my elderly parents all day today. I was already driving home shaken, knowing my Mom and Dad are not long for this earth. I was driving home trying to fathom what it will be like when they are gone.
When I saw that man with his middle finger in my face, I wanted the world to stop and reverse. When I was growing up adults, especially men, conducted themselves with respect. If they were upset by a mistake in traffic, they didn’t lose their dignity and behave as vile as this man did. In fact, they were much more kind and gracious.
Key word: Dignity. (Most people maintained it.)
Worse. I looked in the passenger seat of his car. There sat a woman looking out the window as if this is a daily occurrence.
So. If I have a wish for 2020 it’s this: Let’s all find our compassion for one another. We all make silly mistakes (especially in traffic). You have no clue what someone else has been through in a day. Stop for just a moment and remember how YOU would like to be treated and do THAT ALWAYS. Period.
I would be lying if I said I wished that vile man well. I don’t. He makes me mad. But the truth is that HE is probably just like me, dealing with things he is unprepared for. Tonight when he tries to go to sleep, I highly doubt he still has the same contempt for me as he did today in traffic. So yup, he will be in my prayers.
After all of this. Tonight is STILL my favorite Holiday. When the clock strikes midnight, it’s all new again.
We can ALL find a way to do better in the coming year and THAT makes me happy. I love you ALL. Happy New Year!
It’s a dull ache inside that pulls my heart up into my throat. My eyes want to brim with tears, but I fight it. This isn’t new, yet each time it happens, it feels like it. Over the years I’ve learned to dwell in this place of despair less and less, but once in a while, it’s unavoidable.
Like…when out of the blue while trying to do the right thing, I’m sucker punched in the heart and I realize I am no further along in my clan than I ever was and that despite my endless trying, it will always be this way.
I really hate saying that. If I were sitting here listening to someone else make this declaration, the faithful person inside me wouldn’t allow it. I wouldn’t allow someone else to be so hopeless as to say nothing will ever change. Life is constantly moving. Nothing is beyond God’s reach.
Sigh. But in this case, fifty five years have passed. Things are different, yet absolutely the same and it’s not going to change. Roles were assigned and set in stone long ago. Although I won’t and don’t have to wear that cloak any more, once in a while, I catch site of it’s threads and it rips the stitches off my heart.
I tell myself all the time that “God sees”, which is the only way I can get through most things. Friends and colleagues and countless counselors throughout the years have told me I don’t have to remain constantly tied to the whipping post. I don’t have to be present to subject myself to being blamed for things that have nothing to do with me. I don’t have to sit quietly while being shunned and ignored or held up to ridicule, yet I stay “because it’s the right thing” or is it?
“I became a warrior when I turned towards myself and started listening. In the depths of my wounds, in what I had named “darkness”, I found a blazing Light that continues to guide me.”
Indeed. God sees and so I persist.
HOW I BECAME A WARRIOR~~
Once, I ran from fear
so fear controlled me.
Until I learned to hold fear like a newborn.
Listen to it, but not give in.
Honor it, but not worship it.
Fear could not stop me anymore.
I walked with courage into the storm.
I still have fear,
but it does not have me.
Once, I was ashamed of who I was.
I invited shame into my heart.
I let it burn.
It told me, “I am only trying
to protect your vulnerability”.
I thanked shame dearly,
and stepped into life anyway,
unashamed, with shame as a lover.
Once, I had great sadness
buried deep inside.
I invited it to come out and play.
I wept oceans. My tear ducts ran dry.
And I found joy right there.
Right at the core of my sorrow.
It was the heartbreak that taught me how to love.
Once, I had anxiety.
A mind that wouldn’t stop.
Thoughts that wouldn’t be silent.
So I stopped trying to silence them.
And I dropped out of the mind,
and into the Earth.
Into the mud.
Where I was held strong
like a tree, unshakeable, safe.
Once, anger burned in the depths.
I called anger into the light of myself.
I felt its shocking power.
I let my heart pound and my blood boil.
Listened to it, finally.
And it screamed, “Respect yourself fiercely now!”.
“Speak your truth with passion!”.
“Say no when you mean no!”.
“Walk your path with courage!”.
“Let no one speak for you!”
Anger became an honest friend.
A truthful guide.
A beautiful wild child.
Once, loneliness cut deep.
I tried to distract and numb myself.
Ran to people and places and things.
Even pretended I was “happy”.
But soon I could not run anymore.
And I tumbled into the heart of loneliness.
And I died and was reborn
into an exquisite solitude and stillness.
That connected me to all things.
So I was not lonely, but alone with All Life.
My heart One with all other hearts.
Once, I ran from difficult feelings.
Now, they are my advisors, confidants, friends,
and they all have a home in me,
and they all belong and have dignity.
I am sensitive, soft, fragile,
my arms wrapped around all my inner children.
And in my sensitivity, power.
In my fragility, an unshakeable Presence.
In the depths of my wounds,
in what I had named “darkness”,
I found a blazing Light
that guides me now in battle.
I became a warrior
when I turned towards myself.
And started listening.~
~Jeff Foster
Don’t you wish all the decisions that would yield great Blessings were easy to make? They are.
A little over a year ago, Charlie and I welcomed this little dog-being into our home. We call him, “Sammy-the most interesting dog in the world.” (aka: #Sammythepeoplesdog)
One day I was popping around Facebook and I ran into a photo posted on a lifelong friend’s page. She was saying that she had just gone to the pet store and played with this precious, little guy and that, “Someone seriously needs to go get this little guy; he’s adorable.” She went on to say that she would have taken him in herself but he is so small, he’d be “hawk-bait” where she lives in the country.
I took one look at him and immediately clicked through the link she’d provided. We were not in the market for a new dog. Not one word had been spoken between hubs and I regarding wanting to add anything or anyone new to our recently rennovated home. I wasn’t sitting there gushing over how adorable this dog was; I just knew he was already mine. Before five minutes had passed, I’d filled out the application, texted with the Director of the Rescue place and committed to picking up the dog-site unseen. Then this conversation happened:
Me: “Cha Cha?
Charlie: “Yes, baby.”
Me: “We’re adopting another dog.”
Charlie: “No, we are not. We don’t want or need another dog. Maybe later, when Chinah has passed, but not right now. Nooooooo.”
Me: “Look at this photo.”
He looks.
Charlie: “When do we pick him up?”
Two days later, 5.6 lb. Sammy was inspecting our home. Thankfully, we passed and we’ve been living, loving and laughing together ever since. He’s the brightest, funniest, most playful dog we’ve ever had. His presence in our life is an enormous daily Blessing.
Don’t you wish all the decisions that would yield great Blessings were as easy to make? They are. It’s a matter of tuning into your heart and fearlessly following it’s direction.
Every mistake I have ever made occurred when I decided to steer away from what my heart told me to do. (Take a minute and think this through regarding your own life. I’ll wait… It’s truth, isn’t it?)
We’ve all got people in our lives who believe they know what’s best for us and those who are gifted in making sure to tell us where they think we are steering in the wrong direction. Let’s face it, there are people out there who appear to make it a mission to criticize and point out flaws. And what do we do in response to these people? Sometimes we go against our better judgment just to please them OR just so we don’t have to hear about it from them. (Can I get an “Amen” here?) I can’t count the number of people out there who are living a life that someone else has dictated for them. When asked why they don’t or won’t pursue what they really want, the response is always the same. “I can’t because so-and-so won’t let me.” (Feel free to insert “…will be mad if I do”, “…says I’m not cut out for that”, “…wants me to stay this way”; the excuse list is endless, and I say this with love because I’ve been there, too. ♥)
So how does one begin the practice of tuning out the white noise of well-meaning friends and relatives in order to start listening to the contents of the heart? If you know anything about me you can predict what I’m about to say is the first step. (I can hear you, ya know. “God, this woman is a broken record. Doesn’t she ever say anything else!”)
The first step is in fact, prayer. I can already hear some of you saying, “But I pray and pray and pray and nothing different ever happens”. I challenge you on this one. There is never a time when earnest prayer doesn’t yield results. Part of the first step is committing to the realization that your prayers are in fact, being heard. You must stop expecting the answers to appear at the front door. It doesn’t work that way. (More on this later.)
The second step is action. You must give up the notion that you don’t have to be an active part in your life. In order to manifest anything new in one’s life, you must be willing to take a new and different step. It doesn’t have to be huge; just any little positive step that’s different and that moves you towards the direction of your heart.
Here’s mine. From the time I was a little girl, I have always expressed myself in writing. In later years, the one and only dream I have ever had for myself is to become a best selling author, but not just any best selling author. I want what I write to impact people on a soul level. I want to be a vessel of God’s love and I want my reach to be far and wide. I want to tell my own story, because it’s a doozy.
This morning I looked outside my front door and darned if there STILL wasn’t a throng of contract-yielding publishers all fighting to get to me first. (Whaaaat? Maybe tomorrow.)
You are reading one of many of the baby steps I am putting into action in order to get closer to manifesting my dream. I can’t expect to write a book if I am currently not writing a thing now can I? The other REALLY IMPORTANT step I started taking in earnest five months ago is my health. I haven’t been happy about my body in years, so I have stopped being mad at my image in the mirror and am now actively working on my diet and exercise. When I see progress, I feel happier. When I feel happier, I work harder. When I work harder, God always meets me half way.
The third step is to keep it quiet for now. You can’t tune into you heart if you are seeking accolades, approval or “go ahead’s” from others. (I know I’m not keeping quiet about what I’m doing, but I’m not the one seeking to learn to listen to my heart, now am I? ♥)
Let’s recap:
Rest assured, I will be expanding on all of this soon. For right now, I’ve given you a very achievable mission. Should you decide to accept, your rewards are quite possibly infinite.
Love,
Bobbe
My Dearest Lord,
Today I want to take the time to thank you for all of the furball babies that have crossed my path. There is so much to be learned by these creatures who offer us unconditional love and companionship. Thank you especially for our dog, Sammy, who makes us giggle on a daily basis.
Jesus, for all of your children who feel trapped by life’s circumstances or who feel scared to break free of living under someone else’s expectations, I offer my prayers for your Blessings and courage. I know that we all have the capacity to become what our hearts desire and the first place for any of us is to start with You.
Please join my prayers with the prayers of my friends, family, coworkers and readers. Thank you in advance for all of our Blessings, especially the ones we don’t readily see. Help us to trust with our whole hearts that when we place You in the lead of our lives, our rewards are often beyond our wildest dreams.
Let us all be proud to stand and call you, Father.
I love you.
Amen
1 John 5:14: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
A long time ago I used to counsel people on how to find purpose in life. Now it’s my turn.
Does anyone else out there struggle with decision making? I am the absolute WORST lately. One minute I’m convinced I am turning this blog into a “food only” blog and then the angel on my shoulder whispers, “You are good at that, but it’s not your calling”. (Insert expletive here.) Then I sit for hours contemplating how to merge my inspirational/spiritual musings with my recipes. What would that even look like? Arch Angel Food cake, Angel-haired pasta, Heavenly potato chip casserole, Celestial peanut butter cookies, Saintly Sour cream cake, etc?
Um. No.
I seriously do not want to write two separate blogs, so what’s a girl to do? Insert this book right here:
I ran into this great book, “Crushing It!”, by Gary Vaynerchuck, via someone’s Instagram story and was inspired to see what it was about. (I’m happy I did. I have had such good luck finding great books via recommendations on IG.) The book relates all sorts of stories about people who finally learn to turn their passion into a life. He says to stop worrying about numbers, followers, algorithms and to just be who you authentically are. The rest will follow. (Oh and the other part that I just adore is that he says Altruism is of the utmost importance. I could not agree more.)
This is the stuff I’ve actually been preaching about for years:
Authenticity: Leading and living from the heart.
Altruism: Doing Unto Others. Random acts of Kindness. Giving of oneself.
The thing is, I look around the Internet, especially on Instagram and YouTube, and see that it appears practically every person and her brother are aspiring Internet Gurus. I absolutely cannot stand Instagram stories where it’s nothing but 15 second segment after 15 second segment of someone opening a gazillion boxes of free stuff in exchange for free advertising. I admit, it overwhelms me and sometimes if I take a very large step back, it can make me a little bit sad. Is this what we’ve become?
I don’t want to be one of those people. (She says to herself while at the same time contemplating updating her YouTube Channel.) What happened to giving and sharing from the heart simply for the sake of putting goodness out into the world?
When I’m on Instagram looking at stories, or on here reading blogs, the people I consistently enjoy and who I always read, are those who are actually sharing real snippets of daily life or love or both! Two of my favorite Instagram-ers (is that a word?) are twenty-something Yogi’s who are best friends in real life. I haven’t the least bit of interest in Yoga, other than to marvel at the discipline/talent these girls and their other followers display, yet I watch every story they post from beginning to end. They are each unique, yet the same. One likes to film her fur babies and the other likes to film herself drinking tea and playing with her boyfriend. Both share their yoga practices, but also family life and a bit of their social life too. I watch it all and feel nostalgic for my twenties. Why? They are being authentic on their feeds.
One of my favorite bloggers here is a 30 year old woman who’s blog is entitled, “Damn Girl, Get Your Shit Together”. It’s the same with her; she’s successful because she’s being who she actually is. (Seriously, go read her latest blog, “A Very Stabby Birthday”. It’s great stuff.)
A gazillion years ago when I used to blog daily on MySpace (yes, I’m that old), I think people related to me because I was always writing from my heart about my real life. I wasn’t trying to fit into a box or aspiring to gain a certain number of followers. I was just writing about what was going on at the time. Some days I was feeling hopeful; some days I was feeling silly; other days I might have been feeling low or worried about life. What mattered was that I was putting myself out there because in real life, it’s who I am. I always felt that whatever I might have been going through at the time; someone else out there was also going through. Who doesn’t feel better knowing she isn’t going it totally alone out here?
Somewhere along the line I found myself in a strange state of writing paralysis because I couldn’t decide what box to cram myself into. If I write only about spirituality, I might lose my foodies; if I write only about food, I might lose my other followers; if I write about family, they might get mad; if I write about work, I might upset non-churchy people. I have even gone so far as to believe that my time has passed. I’m fifty four now, maybe the window on my meaningful blogging has closed. You see the dilemma.
I have always felt that when I really need it and I pray hard enough, God will send me pretty unmistakable signs in order to help me find my way. Lately there have been lots of them, including, but not limited to, the “Crush It” book up there.
“Hello reality, thank you for the slap in the face.”
Here is the fact: I don’t fit into a box, nor do you.
Or you.
Or you.
So, I’ve decided to stop being so hard on myself and just be me, which of course means this blog will be reflective of that. I really am not an aspiring cookbook writer. I just love creating pretty food. Hubs and I cater on the side, so sharing recipes is something I genuinely like to do to be helpful. I will continue to do it here, but I’ll be mixing in more of myself as well.
This of course means the occasional angel story, dream interpretation, prayer, complaint, inspirational story or even a silly home video and I can’t guarantee it won’t all happen on the same page sometimes!
PS- Speaking of Altruism: I am holding a #Giveaway on my Instagram page and there is still time to sign up. See that pretty red, enameled, cast-iron skillet (by Lodge). Someone is going to win a brand new one (comes with lid). I will announce the winner on Wednesday, May 16th, via Instagram. I am NOT being paid for this. This is coming from my own pocket because this skillet seriously IS one of my favorite things in the world and I want someone else to have one too. I got this for my Birthday back in March and I use it every day. They are NOT cheap and I know not everyone can afford a cool kitchen thingie like this! So this is me, trying to do something nice for someone else.
If you are interested, just click through the link to my Instagram and find this picture. Click on it and you will find the instructions on how to enter. It’s that simple.
PSS: (Insert Angel Stuff here. hee hee)
I used to love to sit with my deck of angel cards and pull one as inspiration for each day. So here is today’s card which is perfect for where I am in life right now. I share this here because somewhere out there, someone else needs this message as well. ((hugs))
Power: The power of your Creator is within you. It doesn’t matter if you’re facing a situation that seems larger than life or something that is a small hurdle, the angels and God want to help you overcome it all!
The key to finding resolve in so many of life’s circumstances is to stay in the right frame of mind. You have the power of your Creator within you, all of the His greatness brings into focus who He is; faithful, righteous, good, honest and it diminishes the negative problems you are facing.
You have all the power of Divine love it is unlimited allow yourself shine. He is the one who with just his voice spoke the world and universe and cosmos into being, yet he is interested in the smallest and most intimate details of your life.
Love to all!
