Double Rainbows and Purple Carrots

It's been a while since I've written and after glancing at the last few posts - I felt like writing something a bit deeper tonight.  The amount of variety in my life has tripled, similar to my discovery of the existance of purple, yellow and white-ish carrots.

If you are new to my blog, this is how I do it. 

Sometimes I have a lot to say, and other times I haiku.  

Either way, I only write when I am inspired,

so if you are looking for a daily read, I may not be able to deliver. 

However, if inspiration and stimulation is what you seek,

look no further and subscribe right now. ;)

Life is fantastic. 

I look back one year and smile thinking of how grateful I am for the place I am in right now - mentally, physically, spiritually.  Last year was bumpy.  Change was not easy.  Choices were tough and tests were being dealt out like pop quizzes daily.  But I survived.  I may not have aced it all, but I am happy to report that today was a good day.

 

In fact, the last three weeks have been nothing short of incredible. 

Since I found my home at the Rock Church six months ago, my life has taken a turn for the better and I can not be thankful enough.  I say it everyday in my mind and under my breath, while covering my heart with my hand and breathing in slow, deep breaths.  I thank Him for being with me. 

"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 

I've been reading the Bible, start to finish, and in the very first book - Genesis - I read about the meaning of a rainbow.

Seeing this picture, taken in downtown San Francisco today, I couldn't help but think of this: 

"When the (rain)bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

Genesis 9:16

He's got our backs. Whether you believe in Him as a man in the clouds, the divine trinity, maybe a breeze blowing by, or a song that plays on repeat in your head, He is with us.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Matthew 7:7

I pray daily for my DJ ministry, and He continues to provide for me, kicking it off with a set of turntables, followed by a club quality mixer, a shnazzy program called Serato, which will surely work a little magic in my learning process BUT most of all - I have been blessed with a teacher who is His most faithful servant and continually leads me to be a better Christian by always accrediting everything to God's glory. 

I am so moved by the intensity of the progress happening in my life, that I can only offer myself to Him and give back everything equally to Him.  He is my rock.  Yet He is also my flower.  I must keep my flesh out of the way and let His spirit continue to lead me.  I am very passionate about what's happening in my life, but I am also keen on the pauses. 

He will lead me there - never early, never late - only right on time.

Just like the music of Miles Davis, pauses are just as important to the completeness of the song as are the individual notes.

Thank God for being within us, for always loving us by grace, and for giving us the language of music to communicate our gratefulness with Him.

Amen.

Fountain of Inspiration

What inspires you?

Art?

Crafts?

Make things happen. Frame your goals. Use a pretty typeface to type up your dreams and goals, and put them in an inexpensive picture frame. Place it where you'll see it all the time: on your coffee table, nightstand or computer desk. You might have the best plans, goals and strategies in town, but if you don't see and review them on a daily basis, you'll lose track of them. 

Music?

Writing?

Write down your thoughts. By putting your thoughts on paper you can express emotions, organize thoughts and make dreams more concrete. You don’t have to use perfect grammar or fancy words. Write a letter to your mother or your unborn child. Tell your senator what you think. Keep a journal. Write a letter to your husband when you’re angry with him, then tear it up. Words are freedom. Words are power.

Pictures?

YouTube Videos?

QUOTES?

"Allow yourself to grow by exposing your vulnerability and insecurity.  Don't live strictly inside your comfort zone - don't always play it safe."

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” 

- Steve Jobs

Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.

-Henry David Thoreau

BLOGS?

1) Are You Living The Dream, Or Dreaming Of Living?

• It is hard to be honest with yourself about what your dreams really are. It takes a lot of self-reflection.

2)  Think Simple Now

• "Vividly picture the day of your funeral. What do you want your eulogy to consist of? What would your lifetime achievements be? What would matter the most at the end of your life? Is it what you are doing right NOW?"

3)  Dumb Little Man

• Try exercise. 
  Often getting ourselves active can be a great way to get us doing things in other parts of our lives. It makes us feel good, alive, active, productive. It releases stress and gives us time to think. We start to become more fit and confident and happier. To start exercise, again, start small. Try to do a little every day, even if it's just for 10 minutes. If you can do it every day, you will have a habit, and it will lead to better and greater things.

4)  Zen Habits

Be open at all times – the best inspiration finds you.

Inner film. I close my eyes and start a movie projector in my head, and wait for the projected film to start. It always works. 

Large doses of silence.  “I quiet my mind and The Universe usually starts to show me exactly what I need to see throughout the day.”

I look within. 

The ocean. 

Nature. 

The present. Enjoying the now. 

Steve Jobs’ Stanford speech. 

I run, alone. 

I find people who do things that seem impossible and try to figure out how they did them. Their quotes are backed by their story.

Final Thought: 
Whatever you do to get inspired, do it now! Start changing your life today, even if it's just something small. If you don't start now, you'll keep putting it off.

BE INSPIRED!!! XOXO, Panda