as i promised... =) the post is up for my first visit to see the cartier exhibit at the legion of honor...
click on over to my other blog-a-roo...yes...the fashion one...even if you are not truly interested in cartier and baubles...what?? there are such people?? (just kidding) the pictures posted of the grounds of the legion of honor are pretty spectacular...and that has nothing to do with cartier...
my "first" viewing of cartier and america...hmmm...sounds like there may be more than one viewing...
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
self discipline...
doing what i need to do when i don't feel like doing it...can you relate??
when it comes to self discipline...i know i understand it...i know i've been told that i have great discipline...but no one sees that battle that goes on...when i need to do something...and i don't feel like doing it...the to-do list...the one that gets items added on...and none taken off...
I would say that the thing at the top of my list that’s always been the hardest for me...and maybe a lot of people can identify with this...is just self discipline and all its forms..
i think that for me...one way that I could most easily track that is through my diet...it is not that i'm overwieght...but do i always eat the way i should? the thing is...i am one of those people who can easily find a reason to eat...i eat when i’m sad...i would eat if I was happy...to celebrate...i would eat for fellowship with other people...whatever the situation was...it was a great occasion...it was a great reason to eat...the thing is...when you are eating just to eat...there is a discipline problem...
and then there is that self-discipline with your time...i often check in with myself (insert laugh...i'm really not crazy...)where am i spending my time? there is nothing wrong with spending time with friends & family...spending time on your business...but what is important is in looking at what your priority is...what gets put on the back burner...
these last few months i've really been focusing on my priorities...and what i spend my time doing...the most important thing really was just learning a whole new attitude and a whole different approach...towards eating & towards my time...
that discipline that had to be applied…and has to be applied on a daily basis…still so strongly and so firmly...self discipline really is the wrong word because i’m not able to do it on my own...it has to come from accepting the grace of God in my life...and so that then spreads out and permeates to all of the other areas of my life where I needed and need more of Gods discipline in my life as well...
the wonderful thing we find as we grow along in the Lord is that He is so active in our lives...and all of the really lasting things that happen...i found...are initiated by Him and i just simply respond to them...
just in these last few months its been really wonderful to me to realize that i have a greater hunger than i have ever experienced before in my life...to just know God and to spend time with Him...i just feel Him drawing me in...and i have a greater anticipation and excitement just to hear what He is going to share with me...or the instructions for the day...and you know...coming from that...a clearer picture of just the fact that life is short...and that everything i do has to be an investment in heaven...
when it comes to self discipline...i know i understand it...i know i've been told that i have great discipline...but no one sees that battle that goes on...when i need to do something...and i don't feel like doing it...the to-do list...the one that gets items added on...and none taken off...
I would say that the thing at the top of my list that’s always been the hardest for me...and maybe a lot of people can identify with this...is just self discipline and all its forms..
i think that for me...one way that I could most easily track that is through my diet...it is not that i'm overwieght...but do i always eat the way i should? the thing is...i am one of those people who can easily find a reason to eat...i eat when i’m sad...i would eat if I was happy...to celebrate...i would eat for fellowship with other people...whatever the situation was...it was a great occasion...it was a great reason to eat...the thing is...when you are eating just to eat...there is a discipline problem...
and then there is that self-discipline with your time...i often check in with myself (insert laugh...i'm really not crazy...)where am i spending my time? there is nothing wrong with spending time with friends & family...spending time on your business...but what is important is in looking at what your priority is...what gets put on the back burner...
these last few months i've really been focusing on my priorities...and what i spend my time doing...the most important thing really was just learning a whole new attitude and a whole different approach...towards eating & towards my time...
that discipline that had to be applied…and has to be applied on a daily basis…still so strongly and so firmly...self discipline really is the wrong word because i’m not able to do it on my own...it has to come from accepting the grace of God in my life...and so that then spreads out and permeates to all of the other areas of my life where I needed and need more of Gods discipline in my life as well...
the wonderful thing we find as we grow along in the Lord is that He is so active in our lives...and all of the really lasting things that happen...i found...are initiated by Him and i just simply respond to them...
just in these last few months its been really wonderful to me to realize that i have a greater hunger than i have ever experienced before in my life...to just know God and to spend time with Him...i just feel Him drawing me in...and i have a greater anticipation and excitement just to hear what He is going to share with me...or the instructions for the day...and you know...coming from that...a clearer picture of just the fact that life is short...and that everything i do has to be an investment in heaven...
Friday, February 5, 2010
waiting...
waiting for God's direction is the part of the equation with which most of us have trouble...let's face it...patience is not a part of our culture or upbringing...we're accustomed to instant everything...and we often expect God to work in the same way...
remember when you got your first microwave or your first computer? weren't they amazing? now i get impatient waiting for the microwave to boil water...computer's which are "top of the line" when you buy them...seem to fade to the back of the line in a matter of years...even sooner! and the computer that once seemed so fast...is now being rejected for one newer and faster...
but like it or not, God often wants us to wait...one of the many lessons we learn from the old testament is that waiting is how God operates sometimes...moses was selected from childhood to save the israelites...but he was thrown out of egypt and spent forty years in a pasture with sheep before God called him into action...the nation of israel waited for forty years to see the promised land...God could have done it differently...they could have taken a direct path...cleared by God...but God made the nation of israel wait...likewise...we usually have to wait when we are seeking God's purpose or His direction for our lives...
many old testament verses tell us to wait on the Lord...
psalm 25:5 says, "on You i wait all the day."
psalm 27:14 says, "don't be impatient. wait for the Lord...yes, wait and He will help you."
and i love psalm 62:5..."my soul, wait silently for God alone." i can just picture the psalmist reminding his soul to wait...
looking back at different times in my life...the waiting i endured at times while watching (what i thought) were my dreams dying away...God had specifically closed doors in my life...but i didn't want that door closed...i didn't want specific doors closed because it was all i knew...to prevent it from closing...i kept a couple of fingers between the doorjamb and the door...
as long as i held on to my past...i was unable to move down the hallway to the door God had waiting for me...by keeping my fingers in the doorway, i was held in that dark place...crying to God rather than reaching our for the new plan He had for my life...
i believe that while we wait for God's answer...perhaps even impatiently...He wants us to keep doing the best we can...we shouldn't give up on life and lie down...waiting for a lightning bolt to guide us...
so we wait...waiting for God's direction and purpose in our lives...His answer to our requests for guidance...when we know God...have an attitude that involves Him in every aspect of our lives...ask for specific direction...and wait for the answer...we can trust that eventually His answer will come...
remember when you got your first microwave or your first computer? weren't they amazing? now i get impatient waiting for the microwave to boil water...computer's which are "top of the line" when you buy them...seem to fade to the back of the line in a matter of years...even sooner! and the computer that once seemed so fast...is now being rejected for one newer and faster...
but like it or not, God often wants us to wait...one of the many lessons we learn from the old testament is that waiting is how God operates sometimes...moses was selected from childhood to save the israelites...but he was thrown out of egypt and spent forty years in a pasture with sheep before God called him into action...the nation of israel waited for forty years to see the promised land...God could have done it differently...they could have taken a direct path...cleared by God...but God made the nation of israel wait...likewise...we usually have to wait when we are seeking God's purpose or His direction for our lives...
many old testament verses tell us to wait on the Lord...
psalm 25:5 says, "on You i wait all the day."
psalm 27:14 says, "don't be impatient. wait for the Lord...yes, wait and He will help you."
and i love psalm 62:5..."my soul, wait silently for God alone." i can just picture the psalmist reminding his soul to wait...
looking back at different times in my life...the waiting i endured at times while watching (what i thought) were my dreams dying away...God had specifically closed doors in my life...but i didn't want that door closed...i didn't want specific doors closed because it was all i knew...to prevent it from closing...i kept a couple of fingers between the doorjamb and the door...
as long as i held on to my past...i was unable to move down the hallway to the door God had waiting for me...by keeping my fingers in the doorway, i was held in that dark place...crying to God rather than reaching our for the new plan He had for my life...
i believe that while we wait for God's answer...perhaps even impatiently...He wants us to keep doing the best we can...we shouldn't give up on life and lie down...waiting for a lightning bolt to guide us...
so we wait...waiting for God's direction and purpose in our lives...His answer to our requests for guidance...when we know God...have an attitude that involves Him in every aspect of our lives...ask for specific direction...and wait for the answer...we can trust that eventually His answer will come...
Thursday, February 4, 2010
surrounded by baubles...
yesterday i went to see the cartier exhibit at the legion of honor...
i will probably be writing more about it on my other blog in the next few days...wow...was that what you call a shameless plug? haha
so...what can i say about my day yesterday...first...in the midst of just a chaotic busy schedule...it was nice to take an afternoon off...and just not think...in fact it was pretty much needed...and...it was a glorious beautiful sunny day in san francisco...the legion of honor is beautiful to begin with...with its view of the golden gate bridge...and the beautiful city...i stood and just took in the beauty for a few minutes...snapped some pictures...and pretty much acted like a tourist...on my home turf...but...hey...we live in an incredible beautiful area...
so...the baubles...i found myself gasping quite a few times...i mean the jewels were outrageous...i have been really focusing on not saying "oh my God" in my daily vocabulary...but that rule went out the window yesterday...in fact...i think that is all i kept saying...i mean...i was surrounded by diamonds, sapphires, emeralds...and brilliance...and we are not talking tiny cuts...we are talking about some that were...oh you know...something small like 49 carats...cah-ray-zee...
cartier also did some beautiful clocks...they were called mystery clocks because none of the mechanisms of the clock show...it truly is amazing...the art in these pieces...
but...no surprise...my favorites were the baubles...will i go back to see the exhibit again? i would pretty much say that that will be a definate & resounding yes!... =)
i will probably be writing more about it on my other blog in the next few days...wow...was that what you call a shameless plug? haha
so...what can i say about my day yesterday...first...in the midst of just a chaotic busy schedule...it was nice to take an afternoon off...and just not think...in fact it was pretty much needed...and...it was a glorious beautiful sunny day in san francisco...the legion of honor is beautiful to begin with...with its view of the golden gate bridge...and the beautiful city...i stood and just took in the beauty for a few minutes...snapped some pictures...and pretty much acted like a tourist...on my home turf...but...hey...we live in an incredible beautiful area...
so...the baubles...i found myself gasping quite a few times...i mean the jewels were outrageous...i have been really focusing on not saying "oh my God" in my daily vocabulary...but that rule went out the window yesterday...in fact...i think that is all i kept saying...i mean...i was surrounded by diamonds, sapphires, emeralds...and brilliance...and we are not talking tiny cuts...we are talking about some that were...oh you know...something small like 49 carats...cah-ray-zee...
cartier also did some beautiful clocks...they were called mystery clocks because none of the mechanisms of the clock show...it truly is amazing...the art in these pieces...
but...no surprise...my favorites were the baubles...will i go back to see the exhibit again? i would pretty much say that that will be a definate & resounding yes!... =)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
it's all in our perspective...
for the taxes i pay...because it means i'm employed...
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
pride or love...
"be the bigger person"...words i've heard so often...words i've spoken...words that when YOU are the one required to be a bigger person...can be tough...sometimes down right hard... =)
what is it about our nature that pride can seep in...when you know in your heart of hearts that YOU have done nothing wrong...or someone has been treating you or the ones you love horribly...and you just want to cut them completely out...because YOU have done nothing wrong...
often times i've heard my mind (yes...my mind) screaming "it isn't fair" as if by not saying it out loud...somehow keeps it hidden...but these thoughts...even the thoughts...can so corrode your heart and mind...if you hold on to them...
let's face it...life is hard sometimes...we have this picture perfect example of love & patience & truth in Jesus Christ...that none of us can or ever will be able to live up to...but that isn't the point...is it? it is how we handle each situation one at a time...fair or not...
i think i have mentioned this before...maybe...maybe not...but i will say it now...as a little girl there was a record album (yes...i wrote that correctly) that my mom would always listen to...i don't remember the album, the singer...only these words...that obviously had such a huge impact on me...because i think of it often...the words in the song were "your life's the only bible that some people read"
i experienced a little of that recently...in a person that has caused such havoc...and my prideful response was to just avoid them...ignore them...pretend they don't exist...
but...those words kept ringing in my ear...so i had a choice...be the person i so strive to be...Christ-like...or play this prideful game..of "i'll show them"
and really...i am not even going to dwell on the fact that i had this battle going on...because we are all human...and ultimately...it is what we choose to do in the end that matters...although...yeah...it would be a nice little post to say i didn't have these awful thoughts...but...i did...
so i chose to show love...and it was hard...but i knew that what mattered...was not my feelings...but my actions...because in this moment...they would scream the love of Christ in me...or they would scream something else...that i wasn't prepared to be attached to...
that evening...right before my eyes...i saw how this tiny act melted a hard heart...and i smiled...not because of what i had done...but that this person felt a little of God's love in their life...
there was no big transformation...no big love fest...no big orchestra playing in the background...but my heart was swelling...and in choosing love over pride...my heart felt whole...
what is it about our nature that pride can seep in...when you know in your heart of hearts that YOU have done nothing wrong...or someone has been treating you or the ones you love horribly...and you just want to cut them completely out...because YOU have done nothing wrong...
often times i've heard my mind (yes...my mind) screaming "it isn't fair" as if by not saying it out loud...somehow keeps it hidden...but these thoughts...even the thoughts...can so corrode your heart and mind...if you hold on to them...
let's face it...life is hard sometimes...we have this picture perfect example of love & patience & truth in Jesus Christ...that none of us can or ever will be able to live up to...but that isn't the point...is it? it is how we handle each situation one at a time...fair or not...
i think i have mentioned this before...maybe...maybe not...but i will say it now...as a little girl there was a record album (yes...i wrote that correctly) that my mom would always listen to...i don't remember the album, the singer...only these words...that obviously had such a huge impact on me...because i think of it often...the words in the song were "your life's the only bible that some people read"
i experienced a little of that recently...in a person that has caused such havoc...and my prideful response was to just avoid them...ignore them...pretend they don't exist...
but...those words kept ringing in my ear...so i had a choice...be the person i so strive to be...Christ-like...or play this prideful game..of "i'll show them"
and really...i am not even going to dwell on the fact that i had this battle going on...because we are all human...and ultimately...it is what we choose to do in the end that matters...although...yeah...it would be a nice little post to say i didn't have these awful thoughts...but...i did...
so i chose to show love...and it was hard...but i knew that what mattered...was not my feelings...but my actions...because in this moment...they would scream the love of Christ in me...or they would scream something else...that i wasn't prepared to be attached to...
that evening...right before my eyes...i saw how this tiny act melted a hard heart...and i smiled...not because of what i had done...but that this person felt a little of God's love in their life...
there was no big transformation...no big love fest...no big orchestra playing in the background...but my heart was swelling...and in choosing love over pride...my heart felt whole...
Monday, February 1, 2010
bye bye january...
um...where did january go? seems i blinked...and it was over...
times seems to be passing a lot quicker these days...not sure how i feel about that...in some respect...it's a good thing...especially when you are going through a period that you would like to be out of...but then...on the other hand...well...time is passing much to quick...
not really sure i can slow things down...i mean...yes i'm busy...and yes...there are times my life is not completely balanced...sometimes work is priority...sometimes fun is over extended into work time...it all needs to be balanced...
balance = harmony =)
me likey harmony...
as i look back on the first month of january...i sigh a deep sigh...there are lots of things a brewing...which is exciting and new...and a bit exhausting...but i invite it all in...it is what makes my life...mine...
i have started this year with a new business & personal plan...and although when i look at it as a whole...it seems a bit daunting...but doable...it will require a lot of hard work and perseverance on my part...but i'm ready for that...
and let's not forget...i've got a great big God that is there with me...every step of the way...for that...i'm grateful...
times seems to be passing a lot quicker these days...not sure how i feel about that...in some respect...it's a good thing...especially when you are going through a period that you would like to be out of...but then...on the other hand...well...time is passing much to quick...
not really sure i can slow things down...i mean...yes i'm busy...and yes...there are times my life is not completely balanced...sometimes work is priority...sometimes fun is over extended into work time...it all needs to be balanced...
balance = harmony =)
me likey harmony...
as i look back on the first month of january...i sigh a deep sigh...there are lots of things a brewing...which is exciting and new...and a bit exhausting...but i invite it all in...it is what makes my life...mine...
i have started this year with a new business & personal plan...and although when i look at it as a whole...it seems a bit daunting...but doable...it will require a lot of hard work and perseverance on my part...but i'm ready for that...
and let's not forget...i've got a great big God that is there with me...every step of the way...for that...i'm grateful...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
