The Pale Blue Dot, Sunday, July 26, 2015

It has been tough to be happy and positive these past few months...My goodness, people are going MAD!!

BUT, I STILL Believe there is FAR MORE GOOD than Bad in this old world.  We just don't hear as much of that and in truth, MOST people don't want to KNOW what good is going on.  They seek out the good, juicy stories.

I'm not one of those people who is constantly looking for signs of the end of the world, BUT IF I WERE, boy howdy, I think it would be easy to see~~floods, drought, tornadoes, earthquakes, murders, orgies...

 Let's face it though, NONE of this is new.  It has been around since the beginning of time.  We just have this little thing called, SOCIAL MEDIA! 
(See me waving at you from my blog???!!!!)

Our lives are bombarded from every corner about every negative thing that happens...sigh 

Tonight, I was watching 60 Minutes as was reminded of a quote, so I thought I would share it.

It puts our PLANET into great perspective.  I think it is beautifully written and thought-provoking.  Man has been trying to DESTROY, in one way or another, since the beginning of time...It is just ANOTHER reminder that we MUST be KIND... 

Don't expect anything in return for your good deeds, because if you do, then you are doing them for the WRONG REASON...YES, it hurts to not be recognized for the GOOD you do, but there again, is recognition the reason you are doing it?  When you share love, mercy, grace, hope, joy...then YOU have no worry...

The world is filled with takers, but again, 

I BELIEVE there are MORE givers...

I just want to thank those who GIVE their lives to making our world better.  Thank YOU for all the kind acts that you do...we MUST PAY IT FORWARD.

 I hope you will enjoy reading this (or re-reading)...

May your heart be filled with blessings...~charlotte

This is a picture of Earth taking from under the rings of Saturn...we are the Pale Blue Dot in the bottom right...

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

 The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.”

― Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

REFLECT the Reason for the Season

Happy Merry Christmas in July!

 WHERE in the world has time gone? Here we sit, only 5 months away from Christmas Day.

I guess my first question is are we to send all those posts about not forgetting the reason for the season, but all the while continuing to paint and share SNOWMEN instead of REASON symbols? I don't  understand that at all...BUT don't get me wrong. As an Artist, I know we need to paint what sells, but we need to be VERY careful that we are following our own advice!

AND are we to remind everyone to be SURE NOT to say HAPPY HOLIDAYS, all the while sharing snippy posts about our political views that share ANYTHING but LOVE and what we PROFESS is what MERRY CHRISTMAS is all about...

And by all means, don't forget to complain about the Christmas items being out in the stores right now...HOW DARE anyone buy something Christmas BEFORE Thanksgiving!!  THE NERVE of those who dare to purchase items when they have the money throughout the year! We are SUPPOSED to STUFF our faces on Thanksgiving day, ACT as if it is a PAIN to gather with our friends and family, be SURE to share all that you have HAD to do for the gathering, watch our watches until the stores open and THEN, and ONLY THEN, we are to RUN and KNOCK people over for all those GREAT BARGAINS...Be SURE not to do this UNTIL after you have had your Thanksgiving meal and then it is A-OK...WHEW!!! 

 It makes me sad to see us being LESS than we tell people what we are...seems our words speak louder than our actions.

A friend wrote me and shared how confused she is by all those professing their faith yet acting otherwise. IT made me pause to reflect on my actions. I wonder often if I do any good in furthering the principles that Christ taught or am I simply a sounding GONG that is described in the LOVE CHAPTER.

 I  wanted to send a friend a message the other day to tell her how disappointed I was to see her consistently sending scriptures only to be followed by a hateful post bashing our President...THAT IS NOT HOW A CHRISTIAN SHOULD ACT...but I decided I need to make sure my own glass house was in order before throwing stones....I bowed my head in shame.

 

 I just had to delete a post that I shared in fun BECAUSE of those who had to TELL me HOW smart they are...I can ONLY hope ONE DAY to be HALF as smart as some people THINK they are...People sure do LOVE to ruin others JOY...Why is THAT?

We HAVE TO DO  BETTER...all of us...look at our country...We can send all the posts we want about getting prayer back in school, but THAT is not the problem  We have to get prayer back in our lives, in our homes and in our actions!!!  We have to STOP using the excuse that we are  ONLY human and start TRYING AND DOING BETTER!!  WE need to stop pointing at THEM and saying THEY need to stop taking away our rights and we need to open our Bibles and READ and understand and PRACTICE what we are taught...

YES...this is the SEASON and we have a REASON to spread love....compassion...mercy...forgiveness...Hope...we MUST become a reflection of the change we wish to see in the world...

You know, the birth of Christ PROBABLY happened at this time of year instead of Christmas...Did you see the planets align recently to create a BRIGHT STAR...many historians believe that this is what occurred on the night of the birth of Christ. The date of Christmas that we use to CELEBRATE was a Pagan holiday...hmmmmm....guess it won't be long until  Fanatics start to boycott Christmas because, like Halloween, it was a Pagan Holiday...I just don't know what to do but to shake my head...

We MUST stop calling people out in Public that we THINK have done us wrong...We are taught to go to a person in private...And by all means, do NOT pretend it is alright when you don't NAME the person...PEOPLE KNOW...ENOUGH of the DRAMA!!

We need to stop  using public forums to ATTACK those we THINK are wrong or who have stolen from us...We are taught to keep our enemies CLOSE and God will take care of the rest.

We MUST stop saying whatever we WANT to say because we are OLD and tried of holding our tongues...GOOD GRIEF, I PRAY I will never be that old person who just opens my mouth because we are TAUGHT to do EVERYTHING in LOVE...I STILL shudder when I think of 3 old people at our church who CRUSHED my spirit by telling me how FAT I was...I DO have a mirror and I KNOW I did it to myself...To this day, because of them, I make SURE to let someone whom I haven't seen in a while KNOW that I KNOW that I am FAT so they don't have to point it out to me...I just wish they could see how much my HEART has grown instead of just my body...sigh

I PRAY this will be the SEASON where we start to evaluate our lives and our actions.  I PRAY that JUST BECAUSE we WANT something and because the CONSTITUTION says it our RIGHT, that we will look at the PROOF that our young people are killing each other at an alarming rate and THAT is a PROBLEM...That people are killing people instead of talking and solving problems...That we have LAWS in place that MUST be enforced...That WORDS DO HURT and destroy.

I PRAY that we will CELEBRATE LIFE every single day, not just on appointed days...That we will give GIFTS to those in need...That we will spread Holiday CHEER instead of negativity...That we will ENCOURAGE instead of letting our petty jealousies attack those who are just doing the best they can, JUST LIKE YOU AND ME...

 I PRAY that we will learn Self-discipline and learn that JUST because we WANT it and have the RIGHT to have it, does in no way mean that it is is GOOD for us...EVERY single action has a consequence...Choose WISELY so that the consequences are POSITIVE!

 I PRAY, starting with ME, that we will each LIVE the CHANGE we want to see...that we will stop PREACHING (ooops...I already blew that with this post...heavy sigh) and allow our ACTIONS to reflect WHAT is truly important in life.

I want my HEART to be saddened by the things that sadden God and rejoice at WHAT HE says is good...Mother, I SO UNDERSTAND now what you kept telling me about NOT being OF this world...I GET IT!!!  I wish every little child could have a parent that TAUGHT them by example like you and Daddy did...not just words, but ACTIONS...I HOPE you are happy at who I am trying to become...

 YES...THERE is a REASON for this SEASON...LIVE your life as a REFLECTION of HIS LOVE...it is really so simple...why complicate things?  KNOW that WHEN you LOOK in the mirror, that YOU will see a REFLECTION of one that was CREATED in God's image and that He LOVES so much that He gave His ONLY SON so that we could CHOOSE to live FOREVER with HIM in eternity...You are NOT your past...You are FORGIVEN and LOVED if you but simply ask and receive...Blessings to YOU~charlotte

STOP and OBSERVE Your Surroundings, Wednesday, July 1, 2015

WHERE is time going?  We are now officially half way through this year…WHERE did it go?  What have I done?  What am I going to do????? YIKES!!!

I think if we each would stop for just a moment and reflect, we might not seem as disappointed in ourselves and we might realize that we are pretty awesome creatures who have accomplished much…For some reason, we can fill the list of DIDN’T DO so much faster that DID DO…we MUST stop doing that!!

A Facebook friend posted yesterday about SLOWING DOWN and observing her surrounds.  When I was in management, I would tell our employees to ALWAYS observe their surroundings because someone is going to stop and ASK where something is and you SHOULD be able to tell them…I guess that comes from me being self-sufficient at a young age…Mother and Daddy were so busy with 3 children and 3 people past 80.  I am CERTAIN that every break they could catch was welcomed.  I was about 5 years old and Mother was trying to gather me so she could wash my hair…I told her that I did NOT need her to wash my hair and that I could do it…She said “have at it, child” and I did and that was the end of Martha’s Beauty Shop in my life.  I have always been quite stubborn and the kid who took NO as a challenge…poor Martha and Robert, which was a loving phrase uttered OFTEN by one of my co-workers.

 

Back to the story of my FB friend…This friend went on to tell about having to go to the hospital each month for blood work and what an inconvenience it was and how she always ran in and out without stopping to look, BUT for some reason, this day, she observed her surroundings to notice people standing and crying…she was certain that family has received bad news…she saw an elderly man who was so weak, he could barely hold up his head…she saw a lady that she knew who told her of her husband’s death and they talked and hugged…another lady shared her testimony and made sure SHE knew of Christ…when it was time for the friend to leave, she got up and then stopped to ask if she could give the elderly lady a hug and so she did…She recounted that she HOPED that from now on, she would slow down and count her blessings more often and notice others around her who had times far tougher than hers….WOW…just WOW…

I don’t think I need to give a synopsis of that story because the lesson is clear…SLOW DOWN and OBSERVE your surroundings…YOU are WHERE you are for a REASON…GOD can and WILL use you when you heart is open and ready…YOU CAN BE the CHANGE in the world…YOU CAN make a difference in this world~~make it a POSITIVE CHANGE!  I posted on my fb wall this week that IF you think you are TOO small to make a difference, you have NEVER spent a night with a mosquito in your room!!  YOU ARE GREAT ENOUGH!!  Besides, if you have been TAKING Blessings lately, it is time to pass them on.

Another friend from College has been doing some amazing work helping people in her area…who KNOWS what doors have been opened because of her willingness.  She has helped two people get air conditioners, helped people with water and electric bills.  These are NOT people without jobs.  These are people who cannot make the paycheck stretch far enough.  STOP and OBSERVE YOUR SURROUNDINGS….

I DAILY read Prayer requests on FB…People are hurting and searching…STOP and OBSERVE your surroundings…it take little effort to utter a prayer on their behalf…PRAY is the GREATEST gift we have…what an honor to be asked to pray together with other believers…

There is too much evil at work in our societies…we MUST learn to LOVE and to SUPPORT each other…build each other UP with every chance instead of TEARING people down…GOD will take care of our enemies, and BELIEVE me, GOD is FAR MORE POWERFUL than KARMA…Karma doesn’t hold a stick to what my GOD can and WILL do when I follow Him.  OBSERVE your surrounds…offer smiles…hold doors…help those SHORT people get items from the top shelves…STOP and say HEY to those who look lost or sad…LOOK at PEOPLE…SLOW DOWN, you are just going to be standing in the checkout line anyway…AND find a reason to strike up a conversation with those in line with you…ASK the cashier HOW they are doing instead of WAITING to be asked…it takes NO EFFORT to be kind…

Make the SECOND ACT of this year memorable!  Keep your eyes, ears and heart OPENED to needs around you…YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE in my life…Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world…Blessings to YOU…~charlotte

OH…TODAY the NEW ISSUE of PAINTING EZINE comes out…IF you are not getting it, PLEASE DO…There is a link on each side of my blog that will take you RIGHT there…just click on it…IF you are on your phone, scroll down and choose to view as web and you will see the links…easy peasy…A one year PRESCRIPTION is $16~~what a value!!  If  you use only 3 patterns the entire year, and you will want to use MORE, then you have paid for the PRESCRIPTION…

 

Why am I typing PRESCRIPTION?  Because PAINTING is my daily medication to keeping my sanity…it is my passion…it is my joy…it is my challenge…THANK YOU GOD, for this gift…may I always use it to YOUR GLORY and honor…peace out, dudes…