Tag: simple goodness

Feel the Music

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I went to a friends shop looking for a pair of jeans and found a pair that fit perfectly, but didn’t buy them. I said, “I’m church hopping and need a pair for church.” She was surprised by the words, ‘church hopping’ and neither of us were sure what church jeans were supposed to look like.

TobyMac dropped a new song and I’ve been thinking a lot about the goodness in my life. It was 7 years ago I was standing in a post office in small town Texas, when a man walked in whose presence engulfed the lobby. I asked, “How are you?”, and still remember what he looked like and the conviction in his voice as he spoke these words, “I’m blessed and highly favored.”

Not only did he say it, but he owned it, and I knew right then, I wanted to be able to respond like that.

Earlier this year at another friend’s shop, I saw this pillow and picked it up and held it every time I walked in. It’s a frivolous purchase, like I need one more pillow, but still remember it and how it made me smile. The original pillow sold, but a couple of weeks ago I was talking with my friend and mentioned that pillow. She offered to special order me a new one.

Kendall Designs

My daughter says it looks like I killed a Yak, but I see God’s favor.

When this post airs, I’ll be sitting in the same church for the second time and I’m treating it like a date, so let’s see if we make it to number three. Sometimes God’s goodness is tangible like this pillow, but it isn’t always so obvious. The true goodness in life is God Himself consistently showing up. Maybe I’ll practice saying, “Blessed and highly favored”, at church. That’ll reveal pretty quick if I’m at the right building.

TobyMac-The Goodness

Feed Your Soul

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It’s hard for me to disappoint people and be okay with it. I felt the need to step away from one of my jobs for the weekend, but that means the weekly newsletter won’t go out. Of course I could sit here and push through to get it composed and scheduled, but my thought all week has been, “What condition is your soul in, Barb?”

Over the years I’ve often remembered a song by TobyMac where he sings, “I don’t wanna gain the whole world and lose my soul.” I’ve always wanted to impact people’s lives in a positive way, but what they don’t tell you as you’re pouring into other people’s lives, there’s a balance. To all my world changers out there, take time to pour into your own world.

A photo shared with my daughter last night.

Reading Simple Abundance this week has fed my soul. What she’s writing about is precisely where I am. Examining every piece that makes up my world and asking it, “Are you pretty and useful, or just pretty useful?” As there’s almost another decade in the rearview, there’s still purpose burning deep inside.

I’m going through items in my home room by room with that question in mind. I moved a large piece of art I’ve had for years from my bedroom to the kitchen and it’s like it has new life. I’ve learned that plants love light, but aren’t happy sitting on the window sill in the heat, so, why do I still have one sitting by me on the sill looking miserable?

Because I like it there. The container it’s in is a gorgeous deep jade, but there’s not enough energy for it here where I sit and type, so we’ll move it to another room until we find the balance of light and energy it needs. I moved it to the kitchen near the window, but now I have an empty space beside my desk. I’m learning to be good with spaces.

I followed the words of Simple Abundance and am listening to the soundtrack of Out of Africa, and it feeds my soul. I refuse to look at any work related apps until Monday, and am pondering how I want my coffee this a.m. Will it be a pour over, or Chemex?

When my daughter asks, “What are your plans for the weekend?”, I’ll swiftly respond…”Whatever feeds my soul.”

The Writing Robe

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I changed my WordPress theme again. My daughter was surprised to see a dark background, but it’s intriguing. What really snagged my interest is what it does to the photos. At first glance they look aged, similar to the old black and white, but hover your mouse, or finger over one and it refills with color.

It was cool in the house this morning, and I was thrilled to slide on my writing robe. Oh, I have lots of robes, but this one has been worn for years and well loved. It’s heavier than the other ones, but doesn’t weigh you down. The cooler temperatures in Texas are disappearing, so this was a treat.

I get most of my writing done in the morning while wearing this robe. Neighbors see me step outside to feed the birds, or walk to the mailbox to retrieve yesterday’s mail in pajama pants, house shoes, a t-shirt and the robe. A stranger may think I’m a meth head, but in my minds eye, I look like a Writer. Before they painted the house next-door, the builder came over and asked that I move my truck. It was a considerate ask, but I remember being disappointed that I had to put on real clothes and give up the robe.

You see, once it’s removed, I don’t put it back on that day.

It’s the same look every morning in the cooler months, but I recently realized I don’t have a writing robe for summer. I have a spa-like robe to use when stepping out of the shower, but it’s not a writing robe.

I began thinking of what feels good to wear in the warmer months, and I have this one jacket I could wear all day. It was designed by Honest Cotton for a friend of mine named Jordan, so it’s rightfully called, The Jordan Jacket. I bought mine last year while visiting with her, and it’s navy in color.

The Honest Cotton website shows they make a robe. I see two designed similarly, but different weights, so one’s for Fall, and the other for Spring. I wonder what it feels like to slip it on and if Jordan has one in her shop?

Let’s find out, shall we?

The Cotton Robe

To be continued…

PS. I’m not alone in my love for Robes. My friend LA, over at ‘Waking Up on the Wrong Side of 50‘, shares her love for robes that you can read by clicking here.

The Coffee Bar

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I’ve written quite a bit about coffee, so it seems fitting to highlight the coffee bar, it’s magic, and staying in that magic.

In the post Wide Open Spaces, the coffee bar was dismantled to allow room for a work related project. That was in September and the project was complete mid October, and then it became simply space. I’d walk by and try new things with it, but it always looked cluttered, and nothing seemed to fit. We didn’t know what to call it, and I’d refer to it as ‘what used to be the coffee bar’. That was a weird mouthful of words.

Then, one day my daughter referred to it as, ‘the coffee bar’, and I knew immediately what she was talking about. It was destined to be.

The Coffee Bar

Reassembling it this week, I saw where I crossed the line before. What began as a coffee bar, fell over into a beverage bar and housed coffee and tea. Our hot tea collection has grown this year, so I left it in the kitchen on the tea cart. Everything on the coffee bar relates only to coffee, well, except for the flowers. 😊 The top level remains empty for creative space.

Life is tricky, and we need to stay in our magic. Tell me a magical part of your life. I missed the coffee bar whenever I walked by and saw it empty. Now, I get to stand there once again and feel the magic of the coffee bar.

Greenlight

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When driving down a straightaway it’s exhilarating when every stoplight is green. I can usually breeze right through half a dozen on green before one turns to red and calls for a stop. Once you stop, there’s a wait involved before it returns to green.

I get excited for greenlights because they mean go, and I’ve always been the type person who is sitting on go. Fall is here, we’ve turned our clocks back for daylight savings time, the holidays are upon us, and year end is right around the corner, but I’m still keeping an eye out for the greenlight.

Over the weekend I drove into town to pick up some household items, and leaving the store I decided to exit the way of a large intersection full of stoplights. As I pulled up to the intersection every light was red, so I stopped and wondered out of all the red lights, who would get to go first?

I was turning right, so it was no big deal because we can turn right on red in Texas, but this intersection was full of vehicles just waiting and hoping for their greenlight. Looking up at the stoplight in that moment I saw a green arrow dropped down in place of the red. My lane was first to go.

That’s the thing about greenlights. You don’t know it’s yours until you pull up to the red. It’ll turn green when we least expect it. Keep your eyes open for the greenlight.

In My Corner

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We’ve been talking about creating spaces. Whether it’s wide open for an upcoming project, which may mean dismantling something you love, or an outdoor space to soak up nature and be available to whomever passes by. This corner was one of the first spaces created and the inspiration came from a Team member within my work.

In this spot you feel at ease, and there’s very little thinking required as the space stirs up creativity itching to be released. Some mornings I walk by it several times telling myself I don’t have time to enjoy it, but I’ve learned if I don’t sit there, my day suffers from not taking the time.

Nothing fancy. It’s literally a corner of the room.

But, it’s mine.

The chair is one of my favorite pieces, and it’s comfy to sit in, but not relaxing. That’s important because I don’t want to dwell there for long. I pour a cup of coffee or tea, place it on the window ledge and then sit in the chair to reflect on possibilities of the day ahead.

It takes about 30 minutes, and it varies each day. Sometimes I need to read, or simply jot down a few ideas, and at other times it’s a full on page of journaling to empty the mind. The ottoman is used to spread out inspiration bubbling up from within, or to prop my feet up if I woke up tired.

Do you have a corner? If not, let me encourage you to create one. The quality of the day begins in my corner.

The Screen Door

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There’s something about a screen door.

The hinges always squeak when you pull it open, and I have no fancy to oil them. It’s part of it’s charm. Then, that slam once released.

It’s like announcing, “I’m home!”

screendoor1

This house didn’t have one when we moved in. Our previous houses did, and it was my most favorite thing this time of year.

Especially first thing in the morning, when the night air is mixed in with the new day.

My neighbor installed it for me last fall. Afterwards, he asked what kind of handle I wanted to use. I stepped inside and found a pull in the shape of a heart. It didn’t surprise him that a heart would be used for the handle, and he seemed pleased by it.

screendoor2

It’s entertainment for the doggos.

They watch wildlife visit the front yard, and get over excited when someone walks by. Especially if they’re walking a dog.

I hope you have a screen door.

If not, you need to visit someone who does. Give it a pull, and listen for the squeak. When you step inside, let it slam. May you feel at home after stepping through the screen door.

screendoor