{Cloud Meditation} Peaceful Projects

The sky is (a lot of times) representative of many peaceful things:


heaven
freedom
warmth
and in MY mind, closeness to GOD


so I thought it would be fitting to share this email, titled Cloud Meditation, that's copied below.
Just looking at the title, I had to open the thread and see what it was about (obviously, it couldn't be asking me to meditate on a cloud!?)


But that's exactly what it ended up being... and it really helped me clear my head. Check it out...






Cloud Meditation
Head in the Clouds

Following a cloud with our eye and drifting through the sky with it can be an easy and relaxingmeditation.

When people use the phrase “head in the clouds,” they usually refer to a mental state that appears to be drifting rather than concentrating. For this reason, putting our heads in the clouds can be a wonderful meditation tool. Whether puffy and white or tinted with the colors of dawn and dusk or shades of gray, those vaporous sky dwellers can remind us of so many things about life and about ourselves.

For this meditation, we can find a physical place to relax and look upward, or we can look to the skies from within our imaginations. Directing our thoughts to the endless of expanse of sky that clouds inhabit, we feel our souls expand to reach beyond any seeming limitations. Following the clouds, we are free to unleash our imaginations. We may choose to merely drift along with them for a time, enjoying their distanced perspective on the world. Or we can look for messages in their fantastical shapes, or feel the joy of bounding between their immense billowy puffiness. However we interact with them, we do so from a peaceful place. Clouds drift above the hustle of the world below, knowing they belong to another realm that cannot be affected by its frenzy, reminding us that peace is always available to us. By directing our vision beyond the ordinary, clouds also remind us of the illusion of appearances. While appearing to be solid, their vapor and mist appear like cotton balls ! from below, giving little indication of the heights they reach. Sometimes they may cast shadows, leaving us in shade, but like life’s difficulties clouds change shape and move onward, revealing the shining sun, twinkling stars, and blue sky that are behind them.

When a ray of light breaks through the clouds, their dramatic filtering only makes the light more beautiful by contrast, just as we can shine more brightly in the midst of life’s challenges. When we allow clouds to offer us a welcome respite, they help us visit the realm of illusion to see the truth beyond. 







I hope this helps you have a more peaceful day!


- Lady R.

Domestic Diva: Packing Up

My family and I are preparing for a weekend trip to Suffolk, VA.  I have been looking forward to this trip for some time.  It is an opportunity to see family and friends (Lady R. and Lady A. will be there), and to get some much needed spiritual rejuvenation.  Our flight leaves tomorrow night, which means that tonight I am taking on the all important task of packing us all up.

Now let me say this.  I hate carrying more than one bag.  (Cue Erykah Badu singing "Bag lady, you gon miss your bus.  You can't hurry up.  You got too much stuff.")  However, when travelling with a 5 month old and a 3 year old, the reality is that everything is not going to fit into one bag, and even if it did fit... its probably not the best packing strategy.  Instead, I've decided I'm going to pack smart: a place for everything and everything in its place.

Step One:  The clothes

I usually use one suitcase for myself, my daughter, and my son.  I pack our clothes in layers.  Mine on the bottom, my daughters in the middle, and my son's on the top.  Because of this packing strategy I typically unpack all the clothes as soon as we get to the hotel, so that I don't spend the entire time digging through the suitcase looking for things.  I love this packing tutorial from I am Style-ish.  The idea of using packing cubes is fantastic and I certainly will be investing in them for our next trip.

For myself, I concentrate on clothes that are versatile.  I like things that can be worn in church or on a casual walk through a mall.  That way I don't have to pack a whole bunch of outfits.  Skirts, casual dresses, and cardigans are my must-have items.  And I have recently fallen in love with flats because I can play with my kids and still look cute!

Since my daughter is potty-trained and relatively neat, I pack an outfit  for her for each day, as well as one back-up outfit in case something should go awry.  I love having sweaters for her (especially now that its fall) and I make sure that I always have some jeans, a pair a sneakers, and a hooded sweat shirt because she's a little kid and little kids must have play clothes.

And for my little man, my default rule is 3 outfits per day.  That might seem like overkill to some, but when it comes to him, I'd rather have too much than not enough.  Plus he's a baby and between spit up and blow outs and drool... he'll probably need all 3 outfits.

Step Two:  The plane

Everyone needs stuff for the plane and while my instinct is to cram it all into the baby bag, I'm gonna fight that urge and have 3 separate bags.

I scored this Baby Bjorn diaper bag from a Consignment Event last weekend for $4!  As you can see, there is space for everything!  And when the bag is all closed up it is really quite small!  So I'll will put all the necessities for the little boy in the diaper bag, including a nursing cover, bottles, a blanket, a back-up outfit, pamper, wipes, changing pad, teething toys, etc.

For myself, I will carry my purse.  This is new for me, because usually I just dump my wallet into the baby bag that I'm carrying.  But this time, I plan to carry my purse with just stuff for me, including my nook color on the off chance that everyone is asleep on the plane and I have an opportunity to read!

As for my daughter, she will carry her own book bag.  This is always a tough one.  I have to pack enough stuff to keep her entertained for the flight, but not too much stuff because then it will be too heavy for her to carry.  What I like to do is actually ask her what she'd like to bring.  I limit her to one doll or stuffed animal, 3 paperback books, and one activity book.  And when she's not looking, I usually sneak in one or two other things so that she will be pleasantly surprised when she opens her bag.

So there it is!  My domestic diva packing strategy.  I'll let you know how it all works out!  --Lady S.

Daily Bread: Hearing the Truth

Psalm 119: 159-160 "Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever."


There is no peace outside of the commandments of God.  There.  I've said it. We can  twist it, turn it, and try to manipulate it to say what we want it to say, but God's word is true. God's commandments are truth.  And the more time we spend reading and meditating on God's word, the more likely it is that we will get some Divine Truth out of it.  This Divine Truth resonates within us.  Our hearts know Truth as soon as we hear it.  We can feel it down deep in our bones.  


We need God's righteous judgments to live.  And not just to live a meager existence, but to ascend to a higher level of living and to aspire to be more tomorrow than what we are today.  As we remain open to the will of God in our lives, and we actively search for His Truth on a daily basis, it is inevitable that we will encounter some untruth.  Something that sounds good, and may make good sense, but doesn't have the same salvific power of God's word.   We must have a discerning ear, and a true love for God's commandments.  This will keep us focus on attaining that everlasting peace that can only come from God.  --Lady S.

Daily Word: You Are Not Alone, for I AM is with you!

Isaiah 41:10, Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;  I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Have you ever been going through something and felt so alone?  You might have a great support system, but yet it is not enough to comfort your wounded heart.  When I first moved to Philadelphia, I had only had a sister and church family; however my immediate family lived far away.  My loved ones would call often and check up on me, but it was never enough.  I would tell people how difficult my transition was and they would say they understood, but I still felt isolated until I met another woman in a very similar situation. As she shared some of her story, I began to feel some sense of comfort because I knew that God had sent her as an angel.

In Exodus 3:14, God reveals himself to Moses saying I AM THAT I AM.  This bold statement tells us that God is from everlasting to everlasting.  The name I AM means that God is independent and his existence does not rely on anyone or anything.  The name I AM also suggests that God is whatever you are lacking personally, spiritually and physically in your time of need.  God is the light within you when darkness surrounds you because I AM THAT I AM.

In Isaiah 41:10, God makes a similar declaration when he tells the prophet Isaiah, “Fear not, for I am with you.”  If I AM THAT I AM is with you then you are never truly alone. When someone or something appeared in your life that allowed you to see that God knew your pain, IAM THAT I AM has sent you an angel.  Be not dismayed, for I AM YOUR GOD.  God tells you not to be discouraged or be fearful of the mountain that lies ahead of you, because I AM your God.  God is with you from the beginning to the end.   God is your personal guide and protector, and with him all things are possible.  It doesn’t matter if there are people who don’t believe in you because God is letting you know that in spite of all the naysayers, I am your GOD.  God is so good, and affirms it by saying “I will help you.”  It doesn’t matter if no one volunteers to come to your aid – God is there to help you and make your burdens light.  You may ask, “If this is so, why am I going through this trial?”  Well, the Lord did not say that there wouldn’t be any trials in your life or that things would always be on the upside; however, God promised to uphold you with his righteous right hand.  Sometimes God has to break us before we can be healed.  Your current circumstances are never the conclusion.  You are never alone because God is always with you. ~ Lady A

Daily Word: You are not alone

1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

I am really bad at admitting my mistakes.  My father used to call me "wrong and strong" because even if it was clear that I was wrong, I'd be stubborn in my wrongness and stick with it until the very end. I hate being wrong.  I hate making mistakes.  Mostly because it carries with it this feeling that everyone else is doing the right thing; that nobody would be foolish enough to make the same mistake that I did.

This, of course, is not true.  Everyone makes mistakes.  Everyone is wrong at one time or another.  Everyone has sinned. And if the tell you they haven't, the scripture says the truth is not in them.  To acknowledge that we are all human and that we make mistakes works to a certain extent. It gives me the strength to acknowledge mistakes when I make them, because I know that I am not alone.  I am not the only one who falls short sometimes.

But I must take responsibility for some of the mistakes that I tend to make over and over again.  I must acknowledge the mistakes I've made AND do something to change that behavior. Change is hard work.  It requires accountability and constantly reminding myself that I want to walk in a new way.  I have to be truthful with myself.  I'm not going to get it right all the time.  But with a strong desire and with God's help, I can do anything. --Lady S.

Daily Word - RE-Turn everything to God!

Luke 6:38

King James Version (KJV)

 ³⁸Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

With there being a tendency in the world of greedy and ungenerous mindsets, it is sometimes a task to hone in on the innate urge to give. But I ask: what does it cost to give? What does it take from you to give? Financially, one can argue that it is not free to give, however it can be said that the best things in life are free. 

A hug can make a lonely person feel warm and a smile can turn a person's frown in a different direction...


Consider this scripture that says when you give, you will be given what you gave away back fully in return. It will be given to you shaken up, packed in tightly (to get as much in as possible) and spilling over into your lap.


If you give love, love will return to you!
If you give sincere advice, that will available to you when you need it!
If you give with a pure heart, you will receive a gift that so filled you will barely have room to receive it!


Who doesn't want a gift like that? 


Realizing that every good and perfect gift comes from God, it is encouraging to know that the things that I have control over (which are on loan to me for a time), will come back to me if I have a mind to give. 


Today, my heart is made up to give love, support, and time to those people and things that I believe will please God.


Join me in returning our gifts to God!


- Lady R.

Domestic Diva Corner: Southwestern Pot Roast

Today I thought I would share a recipe from one of my favorite cooking blogs:

 http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/

I love making pot roast in the fall. Roasting meat in the oven at a low temperature for a long time makes the house smell fantastic! I decided to make a Southwestern flavored pot roast and we all loved it. The flavor was fantastic and the meat was extremely tender and delicious. I served this pot roast with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and simply sautéed green beans. My whole family loved this meal and my husband enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the following day.

Southwestern Pot Roast:

http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/southwestern-pot-roast.html  (Link to actual recipe with pictures)

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

    * 2-3 lb lean chuck roast

    * 1 tsp olive oil

    * Chili powder, to taste

    * Paprika, to taste

    * Cumin, to taste

    * Oregano, to taste

    * Coriander, to taste

    * Garlic powder, to taste

    * Onion powder, to taste

    * Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

    * 2 4 oz cans of diced green chiles

    * 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes

    * 1 1/2 cup beef broth

    * 4-5 cloves of garlic

    * 1 handful of cilantro

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sprinkle all of the seasonings over both sides of the meat, to taste. Place in hot skillet and sear all sides of the beef. Add the green chiles, diced tomatoes, beef broth, garlic cloves, and cilantro to the Dutch oven. Cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook in the oven for 3-4 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
Note: Make sure to check the meat periodically to make sure there is enough liquid in the Dutch oven. Add more beef broth if needed.
Remove the meat from the Dutch oven and place on a cutting board to rest. Strain the liquid into a bowl then place back in the pan to cook over medium heat for a few minutes to reduce. Pour the liquid onto the sliced beef and serve immediately. Enjoy. 

~ Lady A