Creating with Joy
On days like today, when our usually blue skies are cloudy and gray, I seldom go outdoors. When threatened with darkening clouds, you can almost always find me working alone inside my studio. I love the quiet hours and always seem to find comfort in the sounds of the soft and gentle rain. Oklahoma is such a wonderful place to live and over the years I've grown to admire both her beauty and her people.
Many of you know that I'm a West Coast native and I suppose California will always be my first love. Much of my extended family lives near the place of my birth and the grandparents I still adore have each been laid to rest on the side of one her rolling hills. Whenever I visit my homeland I can't wait to breathe in her warm sunshine or walk upon her sandy shores.
My heart lives there.
I suppose it always will.
From as far back as I can remember I've loved to create. As a child I'd scan the California shoreline for seashells, art-glass and tiny bits and baubles of "whatever" for use in my latest project. I'd wile away the hours doing anything and everything that would help make the vision in my head and the passion in my heart bear fruit.
Today, one day after celebrating the 4th of July with family, fun, food and excitement, I can't help but continue to feel an enormous sense of gratitude and thankfulness for being born in a Country where I am allowed to do what I love.
I can't imagine living anyplace else.
I can't imagine doing anything else.
And so...
I ask you~
I ask you~
What do you love to do?
And are you doing it?
Love to you~
27 comments:
I may joke about him but I'd rather be with Love Bunny than doing anything else on this earth, sweetpea. He's the reason I live from day to day. I can't think of anything better.
Yesterday as I was getting in the car for church and it was Fast Sunday for us I absolutely could not think of anything I needed to fast for because I am so blessed. It brought huge tears to my eyes. I am just such a blessed chick it's hard to contain it all.
What more could I want. I have: a glue gun, home, food, food processor, crock pot, washing machine and dryer, pink walls that surround me and of course, Love Bunny and my kids and grandkids. What else is there, chick?!
xoxo and truly blessed to live in the most wonderful country on earth,
Connie
I love being a mom...and that's why although I'm in my 40's and have a 20 year old and an 18 year old, my husband and I are pursuing adoption. (We had an adoption fall through in April, and although our hearts our broken, we trust that in God's time, he will open another door.)
Blessings to you!!
Love,
Patti
Everyday I do what I love most and that is taking care of my family. My husband, best friend and life long mate will be together on this earth for 38 years next month. We have two grown children, a son and a daughter who have blessed us with our grand children. Twin 3 year old boys and two beautiful girls, one four and one 18 months. We could not be happier, more content than we are now. Our mothers are living and we both have siblings. Life is short and we try to live each day as best we can.
I am a third generation Sacto girl and know what you mean by leaving your heart in a place where your body does not reside. I am sure you have heard the phase, home is where the heart is, so I guess my heart is here. It just always feels like coming home when I visit my CA family. I could never leave my children behind for another piece of this earth. Life is rich and good and we are very blessed indeed. God is great and you only need to look inside to find happiness, Char
Hello Rebecca... I love LIFE and enjoying the everyday, simple pleasures it offers... and I am doing that! xoxo Julie Marie
Very nice post, Rebecca.
Off to a good start this week with the 4th of July behind me. It was wet, but so very nice having cooler weather.
We have much to be thankful for and it means more to me as time passes.
So many of my plans and the things I love doing have been placed on hold until I have less committments to honor...it's a growing time at this time in Life. I'm still having too juggle the fun things.
Appreciate your prayers...having a biopsy on Thursday to see what I'm dealing with having cold nodules in my thyroid. May be cancer.
Blessings to you,
d
Dearest Rebecca
I love being a Mother..Grandmother..and
Best friend & Lover to the man of my dreams! I feel "Life is a Gift and have enjoyed untieing the Ribbons.."
Take care!
Hugs,
Wanda
I love to create! Anything...whether it be painting, watercolors, drawing, designing stamps, fabric oollage...you name it, I love it. I get it from my Mom, who at 85 still makes handmade braided wool rugs. They are beautiful and so good for her to work on.
I too, am a transplanted CA girl. I still have the memories of where I grew up, the beaches, the mountains, the redwoods and think of it as home. I haven't lived there for a long long time, but still love it. Family is still there, although they have moved up north to Eureka area. It is a beautiful part of the state, and so much fun to visit.
I hope to be able to get out there for a visit again soon.
hugs, Sue K
A very good question. I live in Washington, and can't imagine living anywhere else. I hope to get past life's rough spots and experience that joy!
I relate to you growing up in one area, and loving that state and also the new state you live in. My move was in the opposite direction, from Wisconsin to the west coast of California. All of our states have much to recommend them and I feel blessed to live here in the USA.
I can not really answer these questions.....I feel since I have gotten past this breast cancer & treatment that I look at life differently. Yeah, I know, many do this with a life threatening situation. ....BUT...... I want to do somthing worthwhile & I haven't found it. I want to live somewhere I will fall in love with & I haven't found it......
Maybe I will someday be like Dorothy & just click my heels & say with conviction...."There's no place like home"!!
Love,
Marilyn
G'day, Rebecca ~ I do not yearn for the past nor my 'homeland', being happily displaced I love Maryland.
I am doing what I love best from childhood to present, still & will continue to do so ... I love giving, bringing joy to others, sharing what I have, doing charity fund raising & giving ... it brings me great joy. This makes life so full, rewarding & worthwhile ...
So glad you had a nice Independence Day.
TTFN ~ Hugs, Marydon
Rebecca ~
What a beautiful post ~
I too will always have a heart for California ~ that is where I am from too and where my mom, dad, sister and her family still are ~
I love my life right where it is ~ I love my girls being happily married and for the time I get to spend with my sweet husband ~
xoxo
Lori
I, too, know I am blessed to have been born in this amazing country and blessed with the family I have.
After a first marriage that was physically explosive, at times, I found my knight! He has always had my best interest at heart, gone out of his way to always make me happy..always kind and loving even when I am in a wicked mood..raised my four as his along with his four and our one....he is always there through thick and thin and there have sure been some thin times!
I like you, love the rainy days to sit and create...or not....I just love rainy days.
Jil
xo
I just love living, and especially after having tongue cancer, I try to savor every moment. My outcome could have been sooooo much worse.
I love doing things with my DH of 39 years, and playing with my beautiful grandchildren.
My other love is sewing, and also my therapy. When I had to put that on hold following 2 surgeries, I was so lost.
I am so blessed to have a wonderful, supportive family. No complaints here!
I also love your blog.
www.prayersformymom.blogspot.com
Hi Rebecca,
What a lovely post, so sweet.
I love my family and being with them is what means the most to me.
I love making my home a warm and welcoming place for all who enter.
I am a mountain girl from the Appalachian Hills of West Virginia and now living on the coast of NC for about seven years. My heart will always be in West Virginia.
But as long as I have our son here with us, then I am happy. He's been sick for many years, but God has let me keep him and I'm thankful for that everyday. He's my life and I cannot imagine life without him or my wonderful husband.
hugs
Sissie
What a sweet post, Rebecca! I AM doing what I want to do and feel so very fortunate! I retired after 30 years, 8 years ago! I am enjoying my time with family and shopping or gardening or crafting:) I got to spend lots of time with my Dad in his last years and wouldn't take a million dollars for that!
Happy to be me and smiling!
BIG HUGS!
oh, I am like you, I love the peace and quite while crafting, but I love to sit outside and watch my kids play together, there silliness and laughter, I know its not going to last long, they grow up sooo fast!
My first love is taking pictures. Not a professional by any means. I just love taking pictures and I'm hardly ever without my camera much to my families chagrin sometimes. LOL But I just tell them I'm writing our family history down but with photos rather than words.
Although I do add words sometimes when I do my second love - scrapbooking.
Blessings to you today. I hope you have a wonderful week.
I am like Marilyn right now and would love to do something useful with my life and give back more.
Love your post as I always do. Glad you are doing what your love and one day maybe I can say that too.
Love
Maggie
your post is heartwarming. i love my family and like to reach out and help people.
Being happy doing the everyday things is the best happiness of all. Not everyone can write beautiful blogs or be a great artist or even do what we imagine are meaningful things. Sometimes in the middle of washing dishes or cleaning the stove, I will sing "and you have blessed me". Peace that passes all understanding, you know the feeling. Be watchful in the quiet moments and find it in your soul.
Debbie
This post was such a touching post. There are so many things I love to do & I am blessed that I do get to do them most of the time. The best thing in the world to me is to be with my husband & best friend (for the last 39 years. Side by side through the joys of the life we have created together. We love our 2 boys & 5 GRANDsons. To travel & visit different places (& the coastal part of California speaks to my heart & soul)is fabulous. But, I find that where he is that is HOME! We have just found he has some heart issues & now with new fears I pray that I will continue to do what I LOVE most of all. Having him by my side traveling through life. Thank you for having this thought provoking post. Charlene
Hi my sweet friend,
I LoVe and AdORE all my beautiful creations you make for mee !! And, I think I NEED something pretty and new, right about now !! hope you have been busy creating pretties, and can't wait to see what's new from you !!
Wishing you a happy week sweet friend of mine ~
HuGs ~TeA~ xo
I love life and am thankful God is by my side always. Mu hubby passed away nearly 5 years ago and I miss him so very much still. I miss his touch and dancing brown eyes. I love being a mother to 5, a grandmother to 14 and a greatgrandmother to 5. I love to create one of a kind things and am blessed with a very vivid imagination and good health for someone that will be 80 on her birthday. God and life have been wondereful to me as well as my loving family. I am one of the most blessed ladies I know and I am fortunate to have lived in California my whole life and have "deep roots" and many, many friends - and a very sweet and loyal dog. I have wonderful friends I have met over the internet - I pray everyday for our country and troops and know God is an awesome God.
Hugs........Pauline
Great question. I'm not and I need to do something about it. Thanks for giving me a 'shove'.
Rebecca, Your blogs always bless and inspire me. They make me think.
I have been blessed all of my life. I dearly love my husband of 39 years. He is my best friend and we have 3 beautiful children who have given us 9 gorgeous grandchildren. My love for these 13 people has no limit. I had awesome parents who are both gone now.
I was born in Oklahoma and have the same feelings you do about Ca. I love the land. It gave me my love of trees. And I love the people of Oklahoma because they are themselves, natural and caring.
My husband and I have experienced intense pain in the last 4 years. God took care of us all the way, and now a door is opening for our ministry. I am thankful for those 4 years and have so much to offer to others who are hurting.
AND I, too, am thankful I live in America!
I love beauty and art and I am finally taking the steps necessary in my life to be in the place I have always wanted to be!
I am more at peace now than ever before and therefore happier!
Tina xo
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