Still Traveling -January Tuesday

How do writers stay at it - to write and then rewrite which John Irving said is part of writing. It all must have to do with patience. My posts here are so few and some are sooo mundane. I need to step up to another level. I looked at some other blogs that have a lot more going on. I looked at one called The Ironic Catholic - of course that writer lives in Minnesota and is posting clever photos and comments in January. I think she may be staying in more than I.

Tomorrow it is back to the Apple store for another class.  I think I shall work with photos and get a back up drive - of course I believe this Mac will never crash. It is such a good computer. I looked at a reader like Kindle at Barnes and Noble but I will wait till Apple brings out its tablet Jan 26th - I think it will have a lot more to offer - including color - but ohh ahh - how pricey will it be?

Another photo from Baja - so many vivid colors in a desert by the Sea of Cortez.

Peaceful searching!

"Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall the soul — sin only excepted. . . . When our heart is troubled and disturbed within itself, it loses the strength necessary to maintain the virtues that it had acquired. At the same time, it loses the means to resist the temptations of the enemy, who then uses his utmost efforts to fish, as they say, in troubled waters." — St. Francis de Sales

Searching in peaceful waters today. Calm acceptance and hopefully joy!

January No Snow!!!

My stay in Mexico must have relaxed me. I took the photo of the lovely orange flower. It was hanging over a wall a few doors down from the casita where I stayed. It is cold in Alabama and grey - missing the blue sky and vivid flowers in Baja.

I have contentedly stayed in all day. As usual the great weatherman prediction of snow here was a bust. In anticipation of an inch, schools were closed today. I saw a few flakes but nothing settled. It is my laugh for the day. Of course I am glad it was just those few flakes. How nice to be warm and snug at home. Throughout the midwest there are massive snowfalls, howling winds, white outs. Brrrr! At times like these I appreciate Alabama. Going to heat up my eggplant lasagna from Nabeel's for dinner and perhaps watch THE BIG GAME! Every household must be tuned in to the Alabama/Texas national championship.

A nice reading today from Set your Heart Free, Francis de Sales.

The way to honor God,

whose handiwork we are,

is to be who we are,

as perfectly as we can.

Today the perfect me stayed in bed, read, meditated, and did needlepoint.

Be who you are

Sometimes that is a quiet restful soul. Thank you God for this day!

December Blue Moon

Anticipating the New Year with renewed hope and happiness. Today I will work on my needlepoint and go to the beach to see Cissy take her lesson on kite surfing. I spent my meditation hour reading some St. Francis de Sales and other morning offerings. It was good to be reminded that we are not destined to live without pain or anxiety but we can always find peace with God.

Treat anxiety like the temptation it is.

Fight it.

Send it on its way.

You cannot keep your peace by losing it.

I must be sure to look at the moon and stars tonight. They are so bright here in Baja.

Set Your Heart Free

FELIZ NAVIDAD!
What a wonderful place I am at for Christmas. Here in Los Barriles with my daughter and staying at the casita on the grounds of the family compound of her boyfriend's family. Not only is it a lovely place to stay physically - it is also a time and place to reflect, exercise, and meditate.

Today is Christmas morning and we went to mass last night at the little local church. There was much upbeat music and of course the mass was in Spanish. I tried to focus on God but my mind was often distracted in the new surroundings.

This morning I spent time reading from my two daily meditation books. Set Your Heart Free focuses on the words of St. Frances de Sales and Let Nothing Disturb You uses the writings of St. Teresa of Avila.

I am glad that one of the books advises in the forward not to be discouraged. If your attempts at prayerful meditation do not always resonate with a closeness to God, be patient, St Francis advises. Here is a passage from todays reading.

Thank you for all the gifts of this day,

for taking me by the hand

whenever my faith deserted me

and I lost my footing

whenever I forgot

that you alone can hold me up

I Like it

Keep learning. The best part of today was a session at the Apple store. I am working on a scrapbook of photos of Rory. The doldrums or should they be called the DOLTRUMS went away with prayer and learning new stuff. These One on One sessions I signed up for at Apple are sooo good.

One step at a time

Was I upbeat yesterday because I thought an offer would come for the house since a couple came to see it for the third time. Yes, because I wanted that to happen. Today, with no offer, I find myself down in the dumps. This is so wrong because I keep seeing and hearing in my readings and meditations that all will be well in God's time. I'm still stuck on my time and missing the joys of turning problems over to God and enjoying each new day. I am disappointed in myself. I am going today for a lesson at the Mac store. I want to see how you make a scrapbook - am trying to do that with photos of Rory.

I've got plans and a ticket

I'm going to Baja, Mexico for Christmas!!!!

I'm Learning

Loved the class and want to do more with my blog. Found out how to keep track of passwords on Keychain. Next class we are going to work on my Itunes. This evening - will continue working on my Needlepoint. Besides prayer, and my meds, it is a Zen like path to patience and accomplishment. I have come to realize that until I retired I was always in a hurry, and worse almost always impatient and stressed. Still love the moment in Mass when the priest asks God to "free us from all anxiety." Anxiety has been at times a constant companion and I am trying very hard to lose him. A very disagreeable companion - more like a monkey on your back - not cute like this one.

TECHI ME

At the Apple Store at the Summit. Going to learn SECURITY measures for my Mac. Since I may be in B'ham for a long while - until my house sells - I am going to take advantage of my One on One classes to see about creating a web page.