Here's To Your Health Baby!

I'm blown away with things I'm seeing in the world today. Never before have I seen such a universal approach to well-being practised with conscious intention. It truly is a new day. There are so many new possibilities. We simply can not estimate the limit of the imagination as a source of healing and hopefulness.

Today the site, Craft For Health, is sharing a story I wrote for them when I was sick with pneumonia. Kathy, nor I knew I had pneumonia when she asked me to write. After seeing my Art Saves story on CRESCENDOh Kathy felt compelled to request a story. I guess the relevant content associated with Art Saves does lend itself nicely to Crafting for Health. I would like to share with you this link. See how I, as a creative, coped with this unexpected debilitating illness. click on the sidebar or above, the this post title itself (in pink)(Here's to your Health Baby) for story.

I will write more on this subject later. There were tremendous imagination insights that came with it.

Walk a mile in her shoes

Men dressed in red high heels walking for a mile? Quite a sight, I assure you. A few days ago in honor of battered persons everywhere, there was a rally and (well, lets loosely call it) a "march" depicting the plight of women enduring abuse. Seeing the first few men arrive, then others approach in high heels was so comical. They'd teeter and sink into the grass as they hobbled along. All the while smiling and being great sports and feeling embarrassed but resolved. All of us bystanders enjoyed seeing these men trying to stablize themselves as they made the incremental stilted movements toward the courthouse steps to kick off the rally. Every woman knows the pain of walking in high high heels and it did us good to see men trying to navigate their paths. These shoes were already on too long, though incredibly, not near long enough. There was a mile to go yet.



One by one they gathered. One by one they made their way to the steps. Rows of men, in high heels is quite a sight. quite a sight indeed. These were brothers, fathers, friends, and, yes, spouses. I delicately add "spouses" knowing you can imagine the lovely spouse of one who has been abused in her past and has had to suffer right along with her through the grief and healing process. In my vewing, I began to see the real picture. I began to see the hidden pain. I began to see the message in it's fullest realization. Men imploring, imploring. "Please, please, not my daughter, not my sister, not my mother, not my friend. I will do anything to prevent this. I will make myself look silly, I will allow myself this humiliation, my effort to support, comfort, uplift, console, to endorse, and generate awareness for her plight."

What beauty. I have never seen more beautiful legs in my entire life.

Walk a mile in her shoes, they did. And they've got the bandages to prove it.

Destination Spring

Spring! The colors, the vibrant and energetic possibilities renew the mind and enlarge my imagination yet again. Gray matter infused with color, doesn't that seem perfect?


Do you ever wonder just how little we use our imaginations compared to the innate, resident possibilities?

Here's what I'm saying. Let love be the driver.

Broken Wag

The other night I awakened to the sound of our dog Pearl whimpering. Soon it became apparent her tail was droopy and she was in some pain. Driving that late hour on the Internet highway revealed she has what's called "Broken Wag" I found there are several contributing factors creating this condition, one of which is overwagging! It seems to happen to labs mostly, and other sporting dogs. A buffeted aspirin was the easy remedy and it seems to behelping quite a bit. She's getting better.

Double entendre isn't lost on me however. My pneumonia is going away but some days it really doesn't seem to have changed since before beginning my round of antibiotics. Other days, I feel entirely normal making it perplexing when I relapse. I AM grateful for the knowledge I've gained thru it. My biggest lesson is: sometimes doing for others holds them back, while also causing injury to ourselves. God bless the broken wag.




-- Post From My iPhone

Lamp Shade

Often as we go along a darkness will settle that we just didn't see coming. Ageing brings with it it's own set of issues but coupling that with the dynamic of caring for aged parents life can get really difficult and stay that way for longer than we can guess. During these times finding time for self care is the last thing we feel we can actualize. Some years ago my mother was diagnosed with a very serious terminal disease. It wasn't easy meeting my own needs during the time when my mother needed me so very much. I stole time away for myself when I simply couldn't go another step. In retrospect both of our lives would have been more peaceful had we asked for more attendant help sooner.

When we did get care, we both began to feel better, calmly, and immeasurably better. The ship of ourselves, after being whipped around and floundering on the sea of change and concern, found itself calming and righting itself. It's ok to ask for help when you're feeling overwhelmed. In light of love, I highly encourage it.

Font of Blessing

Strong Champion! For this comfort, see,
The whole world brings her thanks to Thee;
And once we, too, shall raise above
More sweet and loud the song of love.
-exerpted Ere Yet The Dawn Has Filled The Skies Hymn

Wrapped up in a Promise

"Live in the present and forgive your past" So full of promise, isn't it?


On the backside of these little candy wrappers are sweet promises, many of them quite extraordinary. I saw these (ate these) and saved many as a great alternative to actual copper or gold leaf for projects.





Continuing on with the collaborative collage canvas (posted below on Mar. 25) the first promise pulled from the pile was the one I used. Without hesitation. Juxtaposing the past and the present is at the heart of my existence right now.

Easter promises new life, a future filled with hope and assurance. All of a sudden, the past is easy to let go of when I see solid ground ahead. I am not left alone, I am tenderly cared for and loved fiercely through outrageous acts. I'm held so close to something larger than myself. May you be richly blessed in all the ways that love manifests itself to you.