Today LOVely Ladies, I want to drop a line or two about the chirping of the birds in the Springtime. I always marvel at how "excited" these feathered creatures seem to be as dawn breaks.....I wonder if when night descends and darkness surrounds them, if they believe life is over, then as the light returns, they rejoice in a new day....a day to live in the light.
Just think how much more intently we would live our life and how focused we would be if our memory did not allow us to anticipate that we had another day. It's an interesting thought.....think about how thrilled you would be to wake up in the morning if you had retired the night before thinking you would never step out of the darkness around you.
I believe one of the most important concepts we can share with each other is that struggles have been endured in our lives. Not just vaguely to say.....yes, I know life can sometimes be hard, but to gently share the trauma we have endured....not to draw attention to ourselves, but to give hope and light to others.
Perhaps the one thing you could do for another woman this month or next month would be to share some challenge you have faced and endured....not just survived through, but thrived through.....just a thought.
May your today find you LOVing life and sharing the beauty of this moment with those around you!
LOV,
Mary
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
20 March 2012
Today Spring officially begins, yet the robins have been back for several weeks around here and spring flowers are blooming. This newness awakening allows me to ponder a question my son posed to me at dinner. John asked, "What do you think the focus of your life is...past, present, or future?"
Wow....That's an amazing thought to consider. As a Christian woman, the main focus of my life is a future with God in Heaven. However, do I live each day focused in such a way? I don't think so.
A friend of mine who is over ninety, lives in the present. She doesn't remember much about the past, and has no real longing for the future. She lives in the "right now" and it is so very refreshing to be with her.
I am trying to focus more on living in the present. To be more LOVing to those around me and kind in all my actions and thoughts. I do not want my vision filled with what might be or with what could have been. Living today's adventure is what I really want to do. Focusing on my simple tasks of life and allowing others into my today is really enough for me.
Ask yourself the question of "Where is the focus of my life, past, present, or future?" How does that fit with LOV and caring for your needs as a woman? Let me know what you discover.
LOV,
Mary
Wow....That's an amazing thought to consider. As a Christian woman, the main focus of my life is a future with God in Heaven. However, do I live each day focused in such a way? I don't think so.
A friend of mine who is over ninety, lives in the present. She doesn't remember much about the past, and has no real longing for the future. She lives in the "right now" and it is so very refreshing to be with her.
I am trying to focus more on living in the present. To be more LOVing to those around me and kind in all my actions and thoughts. I do not want my vision filled with what might be or with what could have been. Living today's adventure is what I really want to do. Focusing on my simple tasks of life and allowing others into my today is really enough for me.
Ask yourself the question of "Where is the focus of my life, past, present, or future?" How does that fit with LOV and caring for your needs as a woman? Let me know what you discover.
LOV,
Mary
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
13 March 2012
Dear Ladies of Velvet,
Walking in the light of the full moon allows us to reflect on how our lives shine in this world. It always amazes me to think about the fact that the moon does not emit its own light but is sending us rays of the sun to light our nights.
The idea of reflecting light causes me to ponder what I am reflecting as I life each day. I believe it is important for us to consider the people, places, and things which we allow to become a part of our lives. Asking ourselves the questions, "What do we have in our lives that we want to reflect?" and "In our lives, are we reflecting what is important to us?" can be life-changing.
Yet, what radiates from us is different than what we reflect. Unlike the moon which reflects the sunshine, we have an energy inside of us, a power that is our own. Allowing women to understand the uniqueness of their power is one of the purposes of LOV. Our strength is not in reflecting what comes to us, but in understanding who we are and LOVing ourselves enough to allow our light to shine.
Walk in the light of the moon if you are able....or just sit in its rays, and think about the difference of reflecting light, as the moon does, and radiating light, as the sun does. Perhaps there is a time in our lives for both reflecting and radiating as we come grow in LOV.
Spring seems to be on its way, enjoy some little part of each day!
LOV,
Mary
Walking in the light of the full moon allows us to reflect on how our lives shine in this world. It always amazes me to think about the fact that the moon does not emit its own light but is sending us rays of the sun to light our nights.
The idea of reflecting light causes me to ponder what I am reflecting as I life each day. I believe it is important for us to consider the people, places, and things which we allow to become a part of our lives. Asking ourselves the questions, "What do we have in our lives that we want to reflect?" and "In our lives, are we reflecting what is important to us?" can be life-changing.
Yet, what radiates from us is different than what we reflect. Unlike the moon which reflects the sunshine, we have an energy inside of us, a power that is our own. Allowing women to understand the uniqueness of their power is one of the purposes of LOV. Our strength is not in reflecting what comes to us, but in understanding who we are and LOVing ourselves enough to allow our light to shine.
Walk in the light of the moon if you are able....or just sit in its rays, and think about the difference of reflecting light, as the moon does, and radiating light, as the sun does. Perhaps there is a time in our lives for both reflecting and radiating as we come grow in LOV.
Spring seems to be on its way, enjoy some little part of each day!
LOV,
Mary
Monday, March 5, 2012
6 March 2012
Greetings LOVing women!
Those contacting me with their "Acts of LOVing" have given me great encouragement and are confirming my suspicion that women of all ages have a need to focus energy on growing in LOV of Self! Although it is not necessary to send me just what you are doing for yourself or for another woman, I do relish reading about the unique ways LOV is touching your life and the lives of those around you. Thank you so much for sharing your "Acts of LOVing" - I appreciate hearing from you!
This month, I am attempting to make time to read a book. It may not seem to you to be a real gift to myself, yet it is. The responsibilities of my life draw me in so many directions that making time to just sit quietly and read can be a major accomplishment for me. I'll let you know in April if this goal was completed!
The moon's reflection of the sun's rays grows brighter each evening and is such an inspiration to me of the way our lives are constantly changing. The waning and waxing process is an important part of our journey to the heart of who we are as women. It is an exciting journey!
As we reach the middle of the month of March, take a little time to commit to your plans to make you acts of LOV to become realities!
LOV,
Mary
Sunday, February 26, 2012
First Month .....How Are We Doing?
28 February 2012
The first month in our commitment to LOV should be tucked into our records in some way! Mine are jotted on my calendar and entered in a special digital journal I created to keep myself accountable.
You see, like you, I am constantly "doing" acts of kindness for those around me. Without even thinking, I am reaching out to others in need. LOV has nudged me to be more focused about what I am doing and just why I am doing it.
This task is really more difficult than I first realized. Why is that, I ask myself? Why do I have a harder time focusing on my needs as a woman? Why do I hesitate to make time "just for me" in my monthly schedule?
I have no answer today. Only the desire to ask the question and seek an answer. I trust as time moves me forward, the answer will become clearer to me.
Make time for you!
LOV,
Mary
Monday, February 20, 2012
21 February 2012
Today, a gentle snowfall has brightened the world around me! It is so very beautiful. This world is so filled with beauty- scenes and people and items - delighting the senses, especially our sight. I just love the freshness a new layer of snow brings, transforming my world into a winter wonderland.
The encouragement I have received from women near and far understanding LOV which will help women of all ages to love themselves has been amazing! A concern has been voiced not about the "doing for self" or "reaching out to another woman" but related the documentation of these two monthly events.
Recording our "waning and waxing" need not be complicated. Simply jotting the letters LOV on a calendar with a name and event will suffix. The important realization I have discovered is the commitment to acting in loving ways and jotting down monthly what you did.
I find that I do many things that after the fact could be considered LOV activity. What I have a harder time accomplishing is the actual planning out and completing something special both for me and for my female friends. The focus of deciding to act in LOVing ways is what is important.
This month I have not yet treated myself to something special yet. However, I did make time to shop for "honeymoon" attire with a girlfriend who entered into a marriage on Valentine's Day. What fun we had!
Although it may have been fun to take photographs of this outing, I simply wrote on my calendar a note about going. I have begun an online journal where I will record my outings in more detail and reflect on just how I felt about the experience. A photo would have been a fine way of recording this LOV experience. I know I will remember it for many years.
Remember, Ladies of Velvet is not for other people. LOV is for you. Each of us gets to decide the ways to express love to self and to others. The task to accomplish is not a huge one. Simply attempting to really learn lessons of LOV is what I am hoping to have each of us do.
Be thoughtful. Whatever you decide to do for yourself or for another woman, do it with intention and kindness. Each month, plan something special. Enjoy the planning! Then make some sort of record that your plan was completed.
LOV,
Mary
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
One Hundred for One Year
Greetings Ladies of Velvet!
Today we begin a journey together with the hope that in one year the LOV we have for ourselves will have increased and we will have stepped closer to our personal goals.
Our lives are touched by many duties and distractions pulling us away from taking time.....making time for ourselves. By making a commitment to LOV and following the steps below, we are moving toward a healthier understanding of our ourselves as women.
Step One - Make time each month "to do" something which is edifying to yourself as a woman.
Step Two - Make the time each month "to do" something for another woman.
Step Three - Make the time to keep a record of these experiences (by writing or photographing) for accountability to yourself each month and so that these experiences can be reflected upon at a later date.
Please share LOV with others you encounter and drop me a line to let me know how your journey is progressing.
Each week I will post to this site. I love to write, it's the remembering how to get into edit the blog that has been my challenge.
Challenges are important to our growth and I am grateful for this chance to move forward with positiveness anticipating each morning opening a new day filled with opportunities for us to LOV.
Thanks for joining me on this journey!
LOV,
Mary
Today we begin a journey together with the hope that in one year the LOV we have for ourselves will have increased and we will have stepped closer to our personal goals.
Our lives are touched by many duties and distractions pulling us away from taking time.....making time for ourselves. By making a commitment to LOV and following the steps below, we are moving toward a healthier understanding of our ourselves as women.
Step One - Make time each month "to do" something which is edifying to yourself as a woman.
Step Two - Make the time each month "to do" something for another woman.
Step Three - Make the time to keep a record of these experiences (by writing or photographing) for accountability to yourself each month and so that these experiences can be reflected upon at a later date.
Please share LOV with others you encounter and drop me a line to let me know how your journey is progressing.
Each week I will post to this site. I love to write, it's the remembering how to get into edit the blog that has been my challenge.
Challenges are important to our growth and I am grateful for this chance to move forward with positiveness anticipating each morning opening a new day filled with opportunities for us to LOV.
Thanks for joining me on this journey!
LOV,
Mary
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