Simple Woman's Daybook - May 22, 2012

FOR TODAY 
 May 22, 2012

A peek into my day...
Photoshop play for Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday - this deer and her fawn live in some woods at the back of our property.  I suspect she is the culprit when my garden gets eaten!  Mouseover the image to see the "before" photoshop play. I used Kim's texture "Waterstained Framed" at difference mode, then copied the picture again and set the picture copy to difference, too.  I do like the graphic artsy look this created.  The original was taken at sunset by dear husband, and he gave it to me to see if I could get the deer to show up better...I wish I had kept an image of the ORIGINAL original! 

Outside my window... Sunshiny, cool morning, with the promise of mid-ninety degree heat by this afternoon.  The air is calm - the entire vista hinting at the lazy days of summer to come...

I am thinking...about how many spaces I have to organize and purge in the house (3!! The office/art studio, my garage stained glass area, and my fabric corner in the master bedroom)

I am thankful...3 things from small ones: 1) curiosity over the ordinary; 2) quick to forgive and find goodness in another; 3) the feel of a small hand gripping mine for strength, courage, love, closeness...

In the kitchen...I made crockpot baked potatoes on Sunday - so delicious and beats the microwave by a mile as far as taste goes!

I am wearing...blue jean capris, white T, and it is time for bare feet!

I am creating... a photoshop word art piece, jewelry from silverware, more work on "Finding Sanctuary" (making a journal to accompany the course) - which is the funnest of the projects so far!

I am going...to the vet this afternoon with the little white dog - she probably needs a steroid shot for allergies to get through the summer.

I am reading..."Hunger Games" outloud for sweet tweener.  We are already on book 3!

I am hoping...to get those 3 areas organized by the first of June!

I am looking forward to...summer!

I am learning...how to use my fancy new dremel tool that dh surprised me with {he's so sweet}

Around the house...a quiet, peaceful, contemplative feel

I am pondering...how counting through the Feasts of the Lord helps to make the days stay longer; that the marking of time can mark our lives so deeply.

A favorite quote for today...

God say to give thanks, to do this in remembrance of Him — because in the remembering to give thanks, it’s our broken places that are re-membered — and we are the ones made whole.   Ann Voskamp in yesterday's posting

One of my favorite things...strong coffee in the morning...

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Smocking guild on Thursday; end of year water party at Love Street Park on Friday!


A Scripture to meditate on from this morning: 

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 NASB

Lectio Divina:
We read the passage slowly: lectio
We meditate on the Word or phrase: meditatio 
 If "as a man thinketh, so he is" (Proverbs 23:7), then it is doubly important to think on things that pave the way to hope and a good future...this ancient wisdom - whether from Philippians or Proverbs - is popular across the world in business coaching, in all spiritual disciplines, in counseling.  It is popular because it works!  But not as a perscription for soul health in and of itself, but because this discipline, ultimately, leads us into encountering God, engaging Him when His ways seem not to follow the path of goodness and loveliness, and finally being endeared to Him when we wrestle through to find the ultimate good He has ordained.

We talk with God: Oratio
We are silent: Contemplatio

Joining with the Simple Woman's Daybook community here
and
Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday here