Thursday, February 27, 2014

A little mad, no, a lot mad!!!

     Imagine this...I'm a crazed college basketball fan, but my first (sports) love is baseball. I need no further proof of heaven on earth than March Madness, and before the Final Four even happens, opening day of baseball season is March 31 this year. I've cleaned the "woman cave" because that's where I'll be the next five weeks, watching basketball and baseball.
     There is absolutely nothing necessary about basketball or baseball, yet they are big dollar operations, and they've captured the hearts (and vocal cords) of millions. Let's hear it for fun! We take life WAY too seriously. Sports may not ring your chimes, but get out there and throw yourself into something that brings you joy! Life is good, celebrate it!
     Mad and loving it,
              Leta

Friday, February 21, 2014

Posting What I Need to Remember

From the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous:
     "And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.
     For me, serenity began when I learned to distinguish between those things that I could change and those I could not. When I admitted that there were people, places, things, and situations over which I was totally powerless, those things began to lose their power over me. I learned that everyone has the right to make their own mistakes, and learn from them, without my interference, judgment, or assistance!"

Blessed weekend to all!
Leta

Monday, February 10, 2014

Anger

     I don't get angry very often, rarely, actually. Or so I thought. Tama Kieves, in her book, Inspired & Unstoppable, wrote: "Impatience is a form of anger." That statement certainly stopped me in my tracks.
     As I think on that sentence, yes, I have to agree, impatience is a form of anger. I'm hacked off that whatever I want is not with me right this instant. That the universal creative forces are not fast enough for me. That it seems no one is listening to my (mental) foot-stomping and demands.
     And to offer a different perspective, I offer this quote from May Sarton: “It does not astonish or make us angry that it takes a whole year to bring into the house three great white peonies and two pale blue iris.” Of course not-I'm a gardener, so I truly appreciate the magnificent divine timing of nature. Hmmm, maybe that divine timing applies to my life, too?
     Developing patience,
            Leta

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Beauty and Gratitude

     My "woman cave" office looks out on our backyard garden, which is now buried in about 7" of pristine snow. The sun is making it sparkle. It is awesomely beautiful.
     I consider things I am grateful for... the eyes to see this beauty and sparkle, the much-needed moisture in our area, the fact that I can stay home and work and be warm, the quiet a blanket of snow provides, the knowing of the vibrant life that is dormant below the whiteness. Is there something in this moment that you are especially grateful for?
     Sparkle on!
            Leta

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Yet another huge blessing--airbnb

     I just said good-bye to my ninth set of airbnb guests. What's airbnb?
     It's an international hospitality company with a website (airbnb.com) that enables hosts to list space online for travelers to rent for one or more nights. There are over 350,000 hosts worldwide. It started, literally, with a San Francisco man who rented an air mattress in his home during a convention that had all the city's hotels completely sold out. He did it to pay the rent, and it's blossomed into an awesome organization joyfully connecting people from all over the world.
     When I learned about airbnb last summer, by staying with an airbnb host, I was immediately hooked. We are empty-nesters with two open bedrooms--we'd been sitting on a "gold mine" and didn't know it! I have had guests from as far away as Thailand. I've met and enjoyed many wonderful people. It's a very self-regulating system because after the stay, the host reviews the guest, and vice versa. It's fully based on the belief that people are good.
     What an awesome blessing this has been in my life! For me, it's getting PAID to keep the house clean, with the added bonus of meeting great folks I would not otherwise meet. It's a huge blessing to the world, as all these personal connections are bit-by-bit creating more love, joy, and peace in our world.
     Check into it--it may not be for you, but it may open up a whole new world.
Blessings,
Leta