Tag: second half of life

Table for Two

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My daughter has gone to meet a friend for coffee. They don’t get to see each other very often, because the friend moved, but she sent a text as soon as she hit town.

I encouraged her to go and enjoy their time. Gave her a hug and said, “Go get filled up.” That’s what friends do.

About a week ago, I received a text from my friend that I meet for coffee at least once a month. If we can manage, we meet twice a month. Once we set the day and time, I don’t let anything stand in the way of meeting her. We meet at the same coffee bar every time and it’s our spot.

About a week ago, she sent me this picture.

A Chocolate Chai Tea Latte.

I recognized the drink, the table and even the reflection of light on the table before reading the text. We’ve had many a conversation there and I always feel refreshed and renewed when it’s time to go our separate ways.

Not to mention highly caffeinated.

I wonder if it felt strange that day for my friend to sit at the table by herself. She told me that drink was her reward for driving through Austin traffic. You need a medal for that, but I was happy she thought of that drink as a reward.

It’s a rewarding moment every time we meet and we need those in our life. We need friends who fill us back up and we do the same for them. I encourage you to put that mask on that has become second nature and go sit with a friend.

My friend sat at our table by herself that day, but she wasn’t alone. We both know that table is a table for two.

Worth the View

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A Blogger friend commented on the photo in A New View.

When my daughter and I walked out of the newly built house mentioned in that post, she glanced my way, as if trying to read my thoughts. The house was nice enough, but the view was no better than where I am now. My next house is all about the view.

I don’t want more, but I do want better.

In response to my friend’s comment, I let her know these photos are a part of my vision board. My vision board began a year ago, and these photos are popping up in my FB memories. They are reminding me why I’m in a season of work.

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Time Out Chair

Hold the vision. Trust the process.

I’ve been working from home for years, but last year was my season for learning to work with discipline and consistency. It’s paying off, but my work is seven days a week. It becomes difficult to discern a weekday from the weekend. Relatable?

Another Blogger friend had left a comment on the post, Enjoy the Good. He admires my coffee gadgets, and reminded me of one I haven’t used in a while. The French press. I took it down from the shelf, and rinsed it off. It has been so long since I used it, I pulled up the Blue Bottle Coffee site to refresh my memory.

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Bodum Chambord 17oz French Press

While on the Blue Bottle site, I saw their debut coffee Spring Blend, and ordered a bag. You see, I had responded to my fellow Blogger with, “Why do you think I work so much? To be able to buy really good coffee.” That was the goal when I began this journey, and I’ve been buying really good coffee all year.

Don’t lose sight of why you work.

I’m grateful at this stage of life to have fulfilling work, and to be continually learning, but it’s not easy. My experience has been, no path worth taking is ever easy, so it’s vital to hold the vision.

Some paths are easier than others. Some journey’s take longer than others, but I’m convinced, it will be worth the view.

God’s Not Done

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I often ponder God’s plan for my life. It would be comforting to know I’m on the right path and if I’m really doing what God wants me to do.

Well, there’s one thing I do know. Either way, He’s going to use it for our good and His glory. What we do is all part of a greater plan.

Recently, I was thinking of my Chemo treatments for Breast Cancer. It was scary enough having Breast Cancer, but Chemo was the worst physical experience I’ve ever been through. Toward the end of my treatment I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, but God pulled me through.

It felt like Chemo was killing me, but God was using Chemo to kill the Cancer, not me.

Looking back I can say, “Breast Cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me.” It brought me heart to heart with the King himself.

I woke up this morning at 5:30 am.

It’s a new day, so God’s not done.

godsplan

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Meet Big Red

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I enjoy living in this peaceful little lake town, but I’ve not taken advantage of the lake part. Lake Travis is less than a mile away from my home so…

I bought a paddle board. Meet Big Red.

He sat in my dining room until I took him out for the first time this week. It was love at first flight.

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The lake is full of people and activity on the weekends, so I take him out during the week.

Big Red and I have big plans, but the first time was just to get over that little bit of fear I had to just do it. You know the scenarios that run through your mind before attempting anything new. It sounded more difficult in my mind than it actually was.

The hardest part was getting him in and out of my truck bed gracefully. He’s ten feet long and weighs 40 lbs. Accomplishing that alone was a workout.

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It’s work, but there’s an immediate reward.

As soon as it hits the water and I climb on top I find my Zen. I’m going to teach myself to do Yoga on him eventually, but right now we’re just learning.

Thanks YouTube!

I’ve been looking at boards for months, but couldn’t find a color that resonated. When I began seeing red, Google took all my searches for boards and a red board randomly popped up on my phone.

Was it random? Nothing is random.

There will be more to come, but I just wanted to introduce my WordPress family to the newest member of my family. My darlings, meet Big Red.

It’s Only Temporary

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Little Fears came out with a new t-shirt.

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littlefears.threadless.com

I saw this shirt on Wednesday, in the midst of a wildly rainy day. Knowing my flower garden would love the rain, I wondered what storm other’s may be going through. You know…the storms of life.

My divorce was a three year storm.

Breast Cancer was a two year storm.

But there’s something I learned about storms. They don’t last forever. We face them and get through them. It only gets better on the other side.

Plus, ‘it’s only temporary’. These three words bring comfort during storms.

I first heard them as I was walking through Breast Cancer. When my hair fell out, and I lost weight during Chemo my appearance changed but I was told, ‘it’s only temporary.’

It’s a small phrase holding a big truth.

You see lovely, it wasn’t the end of the road. It was all a part of the journey.

I walked outside this morning to see if any damage was done by the storm, and all I saw was growth.

This plant doubled in size overnight. The sun is shining and with time it will be in full bloom.

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Little Fears is right. No rain no flowers.

If you’re in the midst of a storm, just remember. It’s only temporary.

Change From Within

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This week has been a week of growth. What is that other word for growth? Oh yea…Change. Gearing up to host a Letting Go Workshop makes me reminiscent of the first time I went through one. Going through my lessons from a year ago, it’s encouraging and comforting to see continual growth.

My life has evolved into a life of beauty and wonder. The lessons in the Letting Go Project equipped me with tools to continue to use when needed. One of the many gifts it gave me was feeling the change start to happen from within. It’s an unsettling feeling at first, but if you sit with it long enough, revelation will appear. I’m grateful that I can feel change stirring within, and let it flow out as a beacon of light upon the path.

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It’s natural when change happens from within to move outward into your life, versus life hitting you from outside and being forced to make changes within. That’s not a good feeling and causes stress and uncertainty. I began feeling at peace with myself, and liked the person I was becoming. That’s when life changes accordingly. I didn’t need outside influences to feel good about myself, or depend on anyone to validate my life. Change from within.