Feels like Heaven...

I meditate everyday. I am not sure I do it correctly or in a fancy way but... I do what I do everyday! I was reminded that it is an important part of my life recently because I missed a couple of days...and I mean I MISSED IT! Life was harder for me.

Here is how I meditate...
I find a scripture that I will ponder. ( I use that one until it feels "pondered through" for me.) 
I close my eyes.
I think of a place that feels like heaven to me.
I put my right hand over my chest and my left hand on my tummy...while trying not to critique it.
I breathe deeply and exhale slowly.
First, I pray to God...I thank him for my life. I ask for forgiveness for the times I have messed up. I ask for help and Grace in my life. I pray for my husband. I ask for God's spirit to surround me and those I love as we go through our day.
I say my scripture in my mind slowly over and over until I feel like I have explored every word and every feeling I have about the words and what meaning they have for MY life. I am focusing on myself, my breathing, my behaviors, and my need to be close to God. When I am finished which is usually about 10 minutes later...I feel better and ready to respond to my life and all that it will entail.

Depending on where I am...I may play music or light a candle. I am living on a mountain right now...so I just go outside on the porch.

Last Sunday, our minister asked that we close our eyes and visualize a place that feels like heaven on earth to us. I went to my "happy place". Afterwards, I asked my husband "Where was your Heaven on Earth?"
I knew before he answered what it would be...and he knew mine. I hope it won't matter that we are physically in two different places! Our hearts are in the same place.

My husband loves the mountain. He loves to walk in the cool of the evening. Trees and birds...and even Bears...Oh My!! ... all remind him of the creation story and God's love for us. I, however visualize myself in a kayak on the bay with Florida Mangroves near by...perhaps manatees or dolphins swim by. I hear sea gulls and I feel the warm sunshine on my face and arms. The buoyancy of the kayak in the water reminds me that I am safe in God's hands.

Where is your heaven on earth? It doesn't have to be fancy...

Pondering Scripture: Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

Changes...

We are moving. Again. These past three years have been such a time of up-in-the-air "ness"! We closed our business, I accepted a job with an RV company while the Hubby looked for a job...an almost two year process which eventually turned him in the direction of Virginia. This created a six month separation for us. He, living and working in Virginia and me, living and working in Florida. Both of us living in temporary housing thanks to family and friends! After the nearly six months we realized that while we love Florida...its economy would not recover soon and we who are already in our 50's weren't ready or prepared to retire. Hubby loves the company that he works for and while I loved the company in Florida I worked for...I missed  Hubby! So...up to Virginia I moved! I miss working and being a part of a dynamic company but I also love to travel to Florida OFTEN to visit grandchildren. How to connect the two? I sell products for Thirty-one...which has encouraged me to meet new people!

We are in the process of moving into a charming rental for about three years while the Hubby builds on beautiful property that has been in his family for generations! He wants and needs to build it himself...so, we feel a three year period is appropriate. Long...but appropriate.

I have been blogging for a little over four years...tapering off as life got busy and challenging.Life changes and moves on... I have changed and moved on. Ronda's Rants will too!  I think as we build and  I adapt to our new lives here this will be my place to document those changes for friends and family who care. I hope to discuss the differences between Floridians and Virginians...in a loving and respectful way.

I have recently become disenchanted with facebook as it has become a place where some feel that rather than connecting with old friends...it is a place to bombard others with your political or social opinions. To be honest...I have felt that way at times, too but lately there has been such a mean-spirited tone. I am already sad and homesick.and  I look to my Christian friends to give me "The Good News" and to my non- Christian friends for just simple courtesy. Perhaps after the election things will improve. This blog will be my outlet and a place for me to connect as it was so long ago...A place for me to share...no political agenda... occasionally a Rant about life, weather and decorating dilemma or two and sometimes a Rave about the Cutest-Kids-in-the-Universe!

As I take my break from facebook...I am pondering this scripture...

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

Is Normal Only a Dryer Setting?

Well, looky here...I am posting twice in two days. I have made a commitment to write everyday for an hour...when I made the commitment it was in the hopes that I would be a saner, normal and happier Ronda...AND that I would get better at writing. I have been writing for an hour for about a month now..mostly in a journal...so far not normal, any saner, not much happier and as you can see not any better at writing!

I am moving from the land on which we will be building to a 1940's farmhouse, which we will rent while the Hubby and I build our ever evolving dream house. The farm house will give us a few things I haven't had: Room for company to visit, a closer proximity to PEOPLE and Civilization and a passion to decorate and nest that I haven't been able to express. My stuff, all my worldly possessions...you know, my junk has been in storage for a year and frankly, I am ashamed to say...I have missed it! A couple of years ago, The Hubby and I watched The Story of Stuff and I had a light bulb moment of neon proportions! So, began the process of me shedding myself of the superfluous. It felt good for awhile...noble and pure.

 But, since moving from Florida and all my family...I am longing for the familiar. I want to hold and touch something that has been held and used by my children. Dishes, glasses, or a dish towel..even! Silly, maybe... but I am striving for sanity here. I am not sure...about building our dream house...The Hubby is still very excited...I am not as passionate about the location. It is a beautiful place to visit but living here has been a lonely struggle for me. I am still missing the familiar.

So begins the three year plan...renting, building and adjusting still to our new normal!

That is MY Friend You are Talking About!

I have a lot of friends. I might sound like I am boasting...I am not. Well, my intention is not to boast but rather state a fact. I love my friends and by every indication they seem to love me...I mean I feel loved and cared for by those friends. I have friends who are VERY conservative in their thinking and actions and some who are VERY liberal, some shades of in-between  and ...others still who couldn't be labeled as anything other than "Could-not-possibly-care-less! I have friends who are Christian and others who have other beliefs...and still others who haven't any faith in anything larger than themselves. I love them all. I can love them and disagree with them...usually without any blood shed. That is a joke...no blood shed EVER!

But...Facebook and Pinterest have opened up a  can of worms, a cauldron of witches brew, a big kettle of fish...Well, you get the idea...I think. People who I thought of as tolerate and loving  have posted things about Conservatives, others posting things about Liberals...that I KNOW for a fact they would never say in person. There is something about the supposed anonymity of a computer that allows the very worst of our humanity to emerge! Sometimes I read articles online and I will scroll on down to the comments and..."Sweet Jesus!"  What anger! What rage! What poor grammar... and you know it is bad if I can tell!

You remember the Beatles song Eleanor Rigby - "Ah, look at all the lonely people Ah, look at all the lonely people!" I think of that song while reading Facebook posts only...I sing (badly) "Ah, look at all the angry people.Ah, look at all the angry people!" The amazing thing is...I know these people who label themselves Conservative would never get along with my other friends who are conservative and those Liberal friends could not tolerate some of my self labeled liberal friends. These are labels that society has forced upon us and we have willingly accepted them. Some because of politics, some because of social issues, and others because of religious views. 

I love you all..I do. But...I love you because we share things we  feel passionate about...my friends are varied. I love that you have different political beliefs, I don't always agree with you but I have learned so much from you! I love that we don't have the same beliefs in everything...you have made my heart grow with compassion as I learn of your faith! I love that we aren't the same color and we haven't had the same life experience because I needed to be reminded that this isn't just my walk of faith that is important. I love that you don't agree with me politically...because you challenge me to research and to think before I speak or make up my mind!



So, my friends...Facebook or otherwise. You are so very important to me. BUT, I won't be a party to your rage against one another. The characteristic I value more than anything else...is your loving kindness. It is what has always attracted me to you...I don't want to lose that attraction!  So...my friends...when you post something negative about conservatives...you are talking about my friends! When you post something mean-spirited about liberals...again, my friends are liberals. When you label Muslims or Christians...you are talking about my friends!

So...my friends who have loving kindness and who inspire me graciously...I will surround myself with you and the others...I will unfriend you on facebook!