So Simple ~ Monica

 "The sky was clear and blue, and the sun sparkled on all three inches of pool water. Off in the distance I could hear the hum of an air conditioner, and much closer, the song of birds. The air smelled fresh and clean. My brain was parked in neutral. I was having that elusive experience that is a complete moment of peace.

I had the presence of mind to ask myself, how did I obtain this moment? How can I have more?

One thing I noticed was that in my peaceful moment, I was engaging almost all of my senses. Everything I saw, heard, touched, and smelled was calm and pleasing. The other thing I noticed was that I was completely engaged in the moment. There were no thoughts of what needed to be done or what happened yesterday. It was full immersion in the present. What a blessing it is to focus on being and not doing, to celebrate and give praise to what life is at that very moment. Oh, it's so simple and yet so rare!

So here is another lesson I learned on obtaining a more peaceful life. Take time to live in the moment. Engage all of your senses in that moment. Most importantly, plan for peaceful moments, and if you can't plan, then be on the look out for random moments of being still that you can cultivate into quiet moments of joy."

~ Monica

More of this outstanding blogg at 
 http://www.blueskiesandshooflypies.com/

Artwork Rom Welsh-Canadian artist Valeriane Leblond
http://www.valeriane-leblond.eu/home.html

Fresh Sunrise ~ Monica

"Renewal is among the greatest gifts bestowed on us, whether we're worthy of it or not. I can't think of anything better than second chances, new beginnings, and a fresh sunrise each day. "

~ Monica

More at the outstanding blog http://www.blueskiesandshooflypies.com/

Artwork from Dora Carrington https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dora_Carrington

Tough Times ~ Monica

"Have you noticed that empathy-producing experiences are great vehicles to channel our love? You can form an immediate kinship with someone who has walked in your shoes, and intuitively know the best way to support them. Believe me, if I ever encounter a mother of small children who is laid up with a broken ankle, I would be able to name ten needs off the top of my head and how to fill them. Also, if your dog ever got sprayed in the head by a skunk at six in the morning while you were trying to pull him out from under a pallet where the skunk was hiding, come talk to me. Tough times not only soften our hearts, but show us how to serve. A true gift will express appreciation, lighten a load, or add value to another person. What a relief that I don't have to shop for it. What a joy to know that we are here to be needed and purposeful, a shining light on the journey."

~ Monica

More at the outstanding blog http://www.blueskiesandshooflypies.com/

Not sure about the artwork, but it may be Alkliso Farrell
http://www.drawdrawdraw.com/

Day- Brightener ~ Monica

 " Wouldn't it be refreshing to discover that you had been a blessing to someone, regardless of their preconceived notions? If meeting you bypassed their own ideas of what they imagined you might believe or what things about them you might hold in disapproval? My prayer is that those who meet me will ignore the externals and material distractions of this world so they can see a pure heart who wants to know and love them. I want to be an unexpected delight and day-brightener to others! "

~ Monica

More at the wonderful blog http://www.blueskiesandshooflypies.com/

Artwork from Aijung Kim  http://aijungkim.com/home.html

The Job you Really Want ~ Monica

"I often think of being a parent as getting this job you really want. You've watched others do the job, you know what you would do, or what you would do differently. You aren't sure what your strengths would be on the job, or what will be your weaknesses. You only know that you've seen some people who are great at it, some who are not, and you can do better than the worst and aspire to be the best.
When you are hired, everyone asks how you like your new job. You answer, "I love it!" because you do, and you've only been there a week. A couple years go by, things start getting intense. You have a bad week, and no one asks how you like your new job anymore. They just tell you how lucky you are to have it. Little by little you figure out your strengths, and the things you just never seem to get right. Yet, you can't delegate your weaknesses, and you can never resign. There is no Human Resources office. Trust me, I would have called for back up by now."

~ Monica

More at (you will want more than one visit!) http://www.blueskiesandshooflypies.com/

Artwork from Cathie Bleck http://www.cathiebleck.com/

Our to-do Lists ~ Monica

"There is a selfishness inherent in busyness. When the preoccupation with our to-do lists and the constant focus on our own interests take over, can we spare time to look outside of our families, our house, our own little worlds and extend love to others? I struggle with finding a balance when duelling priorities come knocking at the door.......Part of finding balance, I think, is noticing what you can do and finding some satisfaction in knowing that there is something you often do well. It makes up for the chronically un-swept porch or leftovers that went to waste. There's no perfection this side of eternity, but there are certain things that you do well. It's the heavy weight on your scale..'LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.' Psalms 39:4"

~ Monica

More at http://www.blueskiesandshooflypies.com/

Artwork from Sarah Kirby http://www.leicesterprintworkshop.com/studio/artists/sarah_kirby_1/

More Peace~ Monica

"I make peaceful living a priority. That means I limit artificial noise whenever possible, noise made by non-organic things. We'd rather hear the duckling laugh, the rain on the roof, and the dog bark rather than electronic beeps. I'm always on the look out to clear clutter, which is nothing more than visual chaos. We like fresh air and a relaxed lifestyle. All too often, these things elude me and circumstances takes over. Even the quaintest landscape looks most peaceful before the tornado funnel arrives.

One way I've put more peace into my life lately is by throwing away my to-do list. This doesn't mean I chuck all my responsibilities out the door (who could get away with that?) but if I'm going to make peaceful living a priority, then I need to save my sanity and revamp my goals. Instead of a to-do wish list, I've started doing what I call "one big thing." Every day when I get up I ask myself what is the most important "big thing" that has to be done today. It could be laundry. It could be seeing a friend. It could be a much needed trip to the store, or a home project that needs attention. Barring sickness, emergencies, or locust plagues, I can usually get the one big thing done. Anything else I can do on top of that is icing on the cake, and it feels so good. Most of the time it's surprising how many other things I am able to get done besides the big thing, but there is no pressure to do them. I feel more productive and less stressed than when I held myself to a list of demands which often made me feel like a failure when I couldn't complete all of them in a single day. "
- Monica

More at
http://themennobrarian.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/peaceful-living-one-big-thing.html

Artwork by Hakob Hakobian
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakob_Hakobian_(painter)