jeanne's blog...a nola girl at heart

Baby Birds…

nolagirlatheart — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 01:04:57 +0000

The wren babies are getting their feathers….Their birds nest is in a bucket of fake flowers that was a door decoration. Look closely, how many babies do you see?

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” Lou Holtz

Home-Grown Tomatoes…

nolagirlatheart — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 02:05:32 +0000

There is nothing like home-grown tomatoes…The tomatoes are delicious this year…just the right amount of rain and sunshine. My absolute favorite way to enjoy a tomato is on a sandwich…fresh bread, real mayo, thick slices of tomato, salt and fresh ground pepper, I am a purist. How about you…do you eat tomato sandwiches?

Nesting…

nolagirlatheart — Mon, 27 May 2013 23:36:38 +0000

We have been watching the wrens build their nests…

God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest.
J. G. Holland

Beached…

nolagirlatheart — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:54:24 +0000

I thought the beach would be a good place to clear my mind. I thought a change of scenery was what I needed to clear my head. I thought if I could listen to waves, the wind and the seagulls I would be able to tune out the noise in my head…As it turns out, I think way too much. When at the beach…be in the moment…and the moment will take care of the rest!

“Everyone has faith in God though everyone does not know it. For everyone has faith in himself and that multiplied to the nth degree is God. The sum total of all that lives is God. We may not be God, but we are of God, even as a little drop of water is of the ocean.”–Mohandas Gandhi

New Habits…

nolagirlatheart — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:33:36 +0000

New habits emerge like a budding flower…creeping up from a hidden place, reaching for new heights, slowly opening up, day by day, changing from a tiny bud into a full-blooming beautiful flower for everyone to enjoy.

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change. Buddha

Hello Mornings!

nolagirlatheart — Mon, 06 May 2013 00:24:10 +0000

I am neither a self-professed early riser or a night owl. I enjoy the peacefulness that either time of the day offers. How can I choose between the beauty of a golden sunrise or a majestic purple sunset? One offers me an opportunity to rejoice with the coming of the new day. While the other gives me time to reflect and be thankful for all that the day was.

There is something to be said about starting the day off in the presence of the Lord…Jesus started his day off by meeting with the Lord and therefore set an example for how our day should begin.

I am embarking on a journey this summer. A journey that will begin at dawn each day. Each morning will begin with prayer, include a devotional reading and finish up with a time of quiet and stillness.

I am feeling most challenged by the commitment to the time of quiet and stillness…typically when my feet hit the floor my mind is racing…making my own plan for the day, week, month…rarely checking in with the Lord to see what His plan is for my day.

I have found that it’s easier for me to stay focused when I have a plan in place. Otherwise, I find myself distracted and rambling. I have been known to chase a squirrel or two… I have found the simple ACTS prayer model works for me…This also follows the pattern of the Lords prayer…

Adoration: proclaiming who God is and the attributes of HIS character
Confession: personal cleansing, repentance, putting on Christs nature
Thanksgiving: praise offering, meditation
Supplication: asking, intercession and petitioning according to God’s will

I have created a place that I hope will become my thin place, where heaven meets earth (check out the explanation at 6:00 minutes) …my meeting place with the Lord…If you would like to join the summer session of Hello Mornings click here to find a group.

I am looking forward to developing a great new habit of rising early and meeting with the Lord. This could be the best summer of my life! Let the journey begin…

At a loss…

nolagirlatheart — Fri, 03 May 2013 17:41:09 +0000

I am at a loss…my thoughts have been stifled, my creative juices dried up, my fingers are frozen hovering over the keyboard…My spirit is willing but my mind is not a willing participant… total disconnect. There is always hope that tomorrow will be filled with inspiration…

Underwater…

nolagirlatheart — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:10:16 +0000

Underwater + Hidden Treasure = Sunken Ship…

This is one of the many boats used by Mel Fisher and his team of treasure hunters..how apropos that one of his boats would find its end at the bottom of the ocean.

Wikipedia….Mel Fisher (August 21, 1922 – December 19, 1998) was an American treasure hunter best known for finding the 1622 wreck of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha^[1] named after a shrine in Madrid for protection.^[2] He discovered the wreck July 20, 1985. The estimated $450 million cache recovered, known as “The Atocha Motherlode,” included 40 tons of gold and silver; there were some 114,000 of theSpanish silver coins known as “pieces of eight“, gold coins, Colombian emeralds, gold and silver artifacts, and 1000 silver ingots.^[1]^[3] Large as it was, this was only roughly half of the treasure that went down with the Atocha. The wealthiest part of the ship, the stern castle, is yet to be found.

Tasty Treats

nolagirlatheart — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:42:31 +0000

Butterflies love sweet tasty treats…So do I!

Succulents

nolagirlatheart — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:25:33 +0000

My husband has always wanted a cactus garden. I on the other hand am less than interested. My lack of enthusiasm comes from an incident as a child when I ended up in the cactus garden…not one of my happier memories.

My husband finally has his cactus garden…It is a beautiful mix…and it’s not very likely that I will take tumble into it, but only time will tell.