""doorway into Spirit"

I am finding that I am not as diligent I would like to be when it comes to blogging. It is really more difficult that I had thought.......just deciding really what this blog is about and what I want to say. I am not a great writer and I so admire people that have just the right words to express how they are feeling. I love running across quotes that say exactly what I am thinking and say it so much more eloquently that I could. From this month's Oprah magazine, Eckhart Tolle writes, "....In all things that we tend to overlook: feeling the gentle breeze on your skin, the sunlight filtering through the clouds, the sound of the rain, the wagging tail of a dog, the shiny apple you are about to bite into. You notice the in-and-out flow of your breath, the feeling of aliveness inside your body. And then there is the beautiful stillness behind it all, which is deep within you. It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up. So let's celebrate our anniversaries as they arise. What we are really celebrating though, is the present moment, the doorway into Spirit, and all there ever is." That's what I wanted to say!

Journaling

One of my favorite birthday presents from yesterday was a journal. On the cover are the words "Live, Love, and Laugh"....beautiful words for the beginning of a new year. Since, of course, I am getting older, the quote on the first page of the journal was also definitely apropos..."Live your life and forget your age." Norman Vincent Peale

Celebrating Women in the Arts

The Artists Gallery in Virginia Beach is hosting an exhibit of local women artists who have dedicated their life's work to the arts. This exhibit is in association with the Virginia initiative for celebrating women in the arts entitled, "Minds Wide Open". Art has truly been the passion that has sustained and nurtured the eleven women who are participating in this exhibit.

My Artist Inspirers

This is a new project from my Artful Women latest challenge. We were all given a cone to turn into a work of art. Mine became an Artful Women vase with each woman represented by a flower because each woman "blooms" for the group in their own special way. They constantly inspire and amaze me.

The Clock is Ticking

Make every minute count....the clock is ticking. This is my collage project from my Artful Women group on Friday. We chose a photograph of a bird and used other collage materials and paint to create a bird medallion. Each month this group of women inspire and challenge me with their knowledge of materials and techniques and their ability to stimulate creative thought.

My Forecast Chest

This photo was suppose to go with the last post, but somehow did not make it. This little box, made from a paper mache soap container and coverd with tissue paper and adorned with yarn and a wooden star holds the keys to my future each month.

A New Month

It's a new month and the word for April is clarity....ask for some and it will arrive....the beginning of the natural year. Wow, a new year....that's a nice thought and I like the idea of the "natural" year. Now, if I can just figure out what that means for me. According to the lifecycle forecast, I need to create a fresh vision of what is possible. I know it's spring and I can feel the new life that comes with the warm breezes and the budding plants and I know it is time for new beginnings.
But....in real life, I get catch up in self doubt....what am I doing , why any doing it, what have I accomplished, what comes next, etc., etc.
I'm glad that April is here.