Being Present During COVID-19

“I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV)

 

As I was walking, I paused and remained still and looked in awe at this tree.   It is majestic and made me think about this verse (John 15:5).   The tree is strong, grounded, and feeds and nourishes the branches. This is so symbolic during this unprecedented time in our history. COVID-19 has taken the world by storm, and has spread at a rate that we have never seen.   In these times, so much is beyond our control.   The grounding comes from the Spiritual Guide in this amazing universe.   Good will shine through, and we will be nourished.

At this time we must not lean on our own understanding and give into fear, we must rest our minds and live in the present moment.  Ask yourself what you can see, smell, touch, hear – this may help to ground you in the present moment. Lets slow down our thoughts, and ground ourselves to “what is” not “what if”.

You may be asking yourself how do I do this with what is happening? I want to stay informed how do I achieve balance?

Balance can be achieved by focusing on what you can control vs what you cannot control.

• Do your part
• Protect yourself by taking appropriate measures as suggested by the media
• Limit how much you engage in media posts on COVID-19 (this can be overwhelming if it becomes the majority of your day)
• Develop a schedule for your day to day so you can focus on what you can control
• Make sure you include mental, physical, and spiritual wellness this may look different for each person
  • Examples include yoga, meditation, online cooking classes, team work using MSTEAMS, walks outside where you can engage appropriate social distancing
• Ask yourself each day what brought you joy out of the day (even if it is one small example)
• Start a gratitude journal at the beginning and end of the day (this will help to set your mind for the day and then close the day off with positivity)
• Remember habits take time so reinforce the small steps

In this time while it may seem bleak as we witness the spread, I choose to focus on what I can control and these are the things I know:

• I am loved and strong.
• I am safe, fortunate and grounded in the now
• This event is bringing us all together in the world
• Love for one another is radiating stronger during this time
• I can still give to others from a distance and help those in need
• I can pray and send good energy to those that are struggling and be emotional support where I can.
• I have moments of joy every day, they are right in front of me – family/friends/love

Sending good vibes and energy to all those who have read this today. How do you stay grounded in these times? Remember by sharing it may help others.

My Grown Up Christmas List

What is your Grown Up Christmas List?

My grown up Christmas List has shifted as I age.    Being in my 40s offers a different perspective, I have seen many firsts and lasts… Moments that had good and bad that taken my breath away.    What I have learned is that life is its not good or bad – it is being comfortable in both opposites at the same time.   

Often the moments that take your away your breath also offer the breath of life.   

September this year was one of those months that while my heart was broken, it was restored at the same time.    We lost someone very close to us.  That someone knew how to make me laugh, how to get me going and losing him broke me into pieces at the same time made me stronger.    That someone was my father in law.  Nothing prepares you when you lose someone so very close to you.    The moments before he left his physical form offered so much love.   I remember sitting beside him and massaging his feet, and telling him how much I love him and will miss him.   He asked me to come close to him so he could tell me something in my ear, and in that moment my heart was breaking because I knew the moments to follow would be me letting go of him.  He whispered to me the words of love and thankfulness.  Those words brought tears to my eyes, and at the same time I just wanted to hold on and not let go.   We never really know when the end may come.  That is why when we are here, we have to embrace all that is in the NOW. 

My grown up Christmas is really a wish for all of you reading this today to really embrace the NOW.   

• Live in the moment and get comfortable with pain and joy.  Joy lifts us up in  the moments where we feel pain.  In the moment where I said good bye, I had the memories of joy that came from time with the ones I love.
• Offer a hand to help or a smile when you feel like you can’t.   Remember that all that you give out comes right back to you.  How ever hard it may be to muster up the strength to do this , it will help to lift you up as well.
• Recognize all we have is right now, try to immerse yourself in what is happening right now and remember that the past is over, and the future we have no control over.
• Take time in your day to do something small or large for someone you don’t know.   In life these little things can mean big things to others, and the more we can show love to one another, contributes to growing love around us in this world where we are exposed to pain every day.  It brings HOPE.
• We are human, it is often very hard to remove judgement, but remember, we never know what others are experiencing in their lives…. And for that reason try to give grace whenever you can.

Love is really what makes this world go around, don’t take for granted a single moment in showing love to one another.   We never know when the last time may come.

My grown up Christmas list is very simple, take every moment to love.  May you have many blessings over your Christmas.

Luv Ness

 

 

 

Gratitude

What if you could choose to be thankful every single day of your life? Sounds like a feat doesn’t it?  But YOU can make it your reality.    

This may be hard to believe amidst the chaos in our lives today.    We race, we run, we are burning the candle at both ends.   What I have realized is it all comes down to balance, and a choosing to focus on what’s working. 

Age is a wonderful thing isn’t it?     The wrinkles are not fun, but our perspective changes and shifts.   If only I could go back in time and tell my younger self to care less about what everyone else thinks.     If you could go back in time what would you tell your younger self?

I would tell my younger self:

1)      You matter – and in order to make yourself a priority you need to love yourself fully from the inside out.

2)      You can – you can do anything you set your mind to – yes it all takes work but if you can see it – you can make it happen.

3)      Love makes the world go round – focus on the ones that need love, and the ones that love you back.    As you show love in your actions, it will come back two fold.

4)      Lead by example – don’t engage in negative talk, remove yourself from all drama.  This will remove most of the stress from your life.

5)      Concentrate on the ones that matter – those people that reciprocate in relationships and where it feels easy.  Don’t force relationships.

6)      Always forgive and let go – this will help you to move forward instead of backward.

7)      Don’t be hard on yourself – there are going to be a million people hard on you in your life so don’t you be one of them.  You need to feed yourself LOVE.

8)      Be thankful every day – start and end your day with gratitude.  Find a couple of things in the day that really made you feel good (small and big).

9)      It is impossible to be 100% to everyone – that bar of being 100% is inside your head.   Let go of being your worst critic.

10)   Live – really live!  Concentrate on the good, and what is working in this life.

Today, when I glance around my life, I am filled with gratitude.   I have so much love, and this life is grand.   Yes there are going to be times where we feel depleted, but YOU have the power to choose a positive perspective.     Life is messy – and that is ok.   It is HOW we choose to spend our time, energy and love that makes all the difference.

As you look at your life and your day today, take some time to take stock of the good.

May you be blessed my friend,

Stepping Out In Faith & Embracing The Moment

Every moment holds something in its hand.    Whether it be a learning, an experience, or just a moment to be still and breathe.

It is easy to get caught up in the moment, to let fear, anger, and resentment take over.   But we all have the ability to control how we choose to respond.   We can choose to let go, to not give in to the hurt, pain and unhappiness.

Perspective is everything.    When you look in the mirror of your life what do you see?  When I start my day I pause, and ask for strength and perspective.

Dear Lord God,

Be my eyes to see what you want me to see,

Be my ears to hear your whisper of guidance and direction,

Be my mouth to speak words of forgiveness and love,

Use me, guide me, help me.

It’s you who I choose to see in the moment.

It’s your grace that guides me.

It’s your love that helps me see.

I lift it up to You.

I choose to let go.

You are my direction,

You are in control.

It’s through you that I become whole again.

 

When I look in the mirror, I see a woman who has come through this life stronger than before.   I see the times where I was carried, I see the times where the brokenness was set free.   By His grace, I picked myself back up.  He held out His hand, and asked me “Step out in Faith my child, and trust ME”.    Thankful for Him waiting patiently, guiding, and giving me more than I could ever expect in this life.   

In the mirror I see a life that is full, a life that has abundance,  and a ton of love.

Strength….Courage…And a big bit of Faith

As you read this click on the following song as it goes along with the post http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N_8iRmM4JM

Sometimes I want to pinch myself.  

There are moments when I think to myself, is my life for real? How did I get so lucky? 

I don’t know if you have these moments but for me, not too long ago, my breath was taken away by a major event.    I ask myself, what got me through the moments of pain, frustration, and the surreal nature of where my life was.  

We enter these places for a reason and for a season.

As the door opens into the new experience sometimes we just want to run far away from stepping through.   The fear enters, the “what if” scenarios creep in, and behind the door we do not know what is waiting……

Breathless….

One step forward….

Each step gets easier, that is what I have found.   

In these seasons where there is so much unknown, you begin to realize the moments that are tucked deep down that you may have taken for granted in the past…Those moments for me were hugs from my children, husband, and family skin to skin.  A barrier in between, the halo (heavy much like the burdens I had carried for most of my life).

I held those moments in my mind, and I wanted to find my way back.

I am amazed by His Grace that has been given to me.   He held me when I couldn’t hold on, and it felt like I was coming undone.  He lifted me up, and helped me navigate through the pain, He gave me hope when news came that the physical healing had not happened.   He promised me a life without pain as He would shelter me.  All He asked was that I give it all to Him.

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

The tree symbolizes my journey, finding my way to grow and learning how to be nourished.   I still have much work to do.   My mind falters, and sometimes gives in to the voices that tell me differently.   

We enter these places for a reason and a season.

These places provide perspective, and always in the end, the light shines through.   Leading us to a place that shows His grace, a place where we are meant to be.  Along the way, the path may have some bumps and roadblocks, but the path if you are willing, can lead to feeling light.   The path can lead to Him.

I am thankful for the experiences, for the miracles, and for this life (although messy at times).

 

 

I am I am

I am young, looking at the rainbow in the sky, and wonder if there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  “What if it rains? What happens then?”  There is always light after the rain…..

I am entering a new grade, bubbles creep up inside, “ Can I do this?  What if they don’t like me?”  Trust…You will meet someone that will see that special something inside of you….

I am about to perform in front of a large group of people, excited about the music that will fill the air, “What if I slip up on a note?”  Themusic that fills the air makes you feel so good, press on.

I leave home for new beginnings,  I don’t know myself yet, don’t know where I am going, “What if I can’t make it?” When each door closes another one opens….

I meet a man that sees the light in me, just me, “Is this real?  Do I have to pinch myself?” You are loved unconditionally…

I am holding a baby in my arms, and feel the wonderful feeling of love and admiration.   Inside, I feel fear, “What if I am not good enough?  What if I fail?” This is a gift, and he will look to you for guidance and love you for the wonderful woman you are….

Someone close to me is ill. “What if they don’t get better? What if I can’t help?”  You are not in control child,  lift it up to me….

Taking that first step forward can be hard, but He reassures and defeats the evil voices if you just Trust.  We must move forward, even when the conditions from our perspective may not be favorable.    As you reflect on your life,  take a deep breath, do you see the good that has always come out of the moments where you were challenged?

Sometimes the things we remember are the challenges, where we feel our spirit may be lost… But life is not meant to be wasted.  Rise and remember the good that came out of the times where we were challenged, because He was always there.  Life is good.  He carried us, He shows us how to be light, we just need to take the leap forward and trust. 

John 14:27

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Take a moment to listen to this artist and her wonderful song about being beautifully made

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6VPg_ZbBbE

 

May you be blessed and thank-you for popping by!

~Ness

 

Chasing Rainbows

I remember as a little girl, I would look up at the sky after the rain, and search for the rainbow…..   I would inhale the freshness in the air, and look up for the vibrancy, glow, and sunshine after the rain.

Years later, I look for the same rainbow after the rain and have hope.   Sometimes it feels like the storms of this life take our breath away, but I  choose to chase the sun.

There is always sunshine after the rain………

Life is still full of surprise, wonder, and warmth.  I am thankful for the places I have been, and looking forward to the places I will go.

Today, where you are, remind yourself of those moments that bring you the rainbow after the rain.

My stunning reminders are:

1) The deep red warmth of love for my 3 boys in my house, family and friends.

2) The orange glow that comes from a flicker in a candle, revealing to me there is always hope.

3) The bright yellow sunlight that shows me there is always light in this life, even when you are feeling heavy.

4) The color of green, reveals to me that there is always opportunity to grow in this life.  Growth can come from all of our experiences – the good, the bad and the ugly.

5) Blue, the color of the sky, the ocean, endless – full of beauty.  There are endless opportunities in this life if you are open to them.

6) The color of deep purple,  the deepness of learning that come from this life, the deepness of our relationships with others, and our Maker.

These are all stunning reminders of what this life means to me.   This life is not meant to be wasted, and I chose to chase the rainbows in this life.

Take a moment, breathe in deeply the fresh scent of air, look to the sky for the endless possibilities.    What does your rainbow after the rain look like?

May you be blessed my friend,

Ness

What do you treasure?

Matthew 6:21, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (NLT)

She sat there thinking, I can’t believe how things can change so quickly.  She treasured the moments with her grandma and grandpa so much.   Suddenly in less than 6 months both were gone before her eyes.   Then she thought about the moments that became her treasures.

The playful moments, the smiles and the adoration for her grandpa.   The moment when she ran him off the road while they were biking, a moment that would be treasured forever.  The times where her grandma would french braid her hair, she wore her locks with pride.

There were moments when she felt so busy, but always tried to make sure that they felt special.   They were her treasures.

Life can take us by surprise, in a moment things can change or shift.  Change is good, and at times can be challenging.   Time flies by in a blink of an eye.  I remember my mom saying to me, “life speeds up the older you get”.  As a young teenager, I laughed at the comment as it seemed to me that time was not moving fast enough.

We should consider how we spend our time.   Do we spend our time flying by the seat of our pants, or do we pause to take in the fresh scent of this wonderful life of ours?

My treasure is family and love for all.

The treasure comes in all different kinds of gems and gold.   Each item is unique on its own, offering something new.  Each time I take the time to slowly polish each gem it begins to sparkles in the light.

I choose to open that treasure chest every day, curious and with wonder.

I choose to be open to what God wants for me.  Relationships are the most important investments in this life.

Sometimes the lines get blurred between what is important and what is less than important.

In the moments where I can’t see my direction completely I pause and let go so God can lead me.

I choose to invest in the treasure that is right at my fingertips and not get caught up in the “stuff” of this life.

I ask you friend, what do you treasure?

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. (NIV, 1 Timothy 6:9-11)

 

Dear Lord God, I thank-you for the ones I love.  I pray that you will continue to lead me in the priorities in this life.  Your priorities are mine.  I pray that I can show my children how to prioritize through you.   I pray for this in Jesus Name Amen