When my heart is fully open, I can fully love all of you because all of you can love all of me. ~karen
The words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart…… Oh my, I am having to dig deep these days and practice what I have been preaching. I really thought I was exempt from hitting a place in my life where I would be the one that needed help, needed a lifeline or phone a friend. I saw myself as the one doing the helping. The one who was having her ear bent…. Certainly not the other way around.
I have prided (for what that is worth) myself or rather believed that I was not capable of relying on running things past someone or letting my voice be heard or rather crying out with real thoughts and feelings even if they were not lovely. I am so good at being the leader, the one that comes up with a solution for you and for yours but heaven forbid I be the one that finally cries UNCLE!!!!
While joyful, thankful, happy, peaceful and all those things are my status quo…. I find that due to just real life events, death, rehab, death again, business challenges,raising littles, human challenges, I guess basically life, it is okay to ask for help. What you say??? I am saying it is okay to ask for help. Don’t make me repeat it again or I may just exit this and pretend I did not say it.
When Lacey and I started teaching the Happiness Project, never did I imagine that it would show me that I can have a whole bigger piece of life by being more vulnerable and more transparent and admitting, Hey I really don’t have it all together. But hey, I really am grateful for this learning and growing due to this lack of having it togetherness. I learned that I too can say, hey let’s pray about his thing that I am scared about. Take my hand and together we are stronger.
Because I have spent so many years achieving, striving, growing, loving, lifting others I assumed that only went one way. I am finding that it really helps others if you too admit, hey I need you too. I too need someone to listen to me and find out that I really could use some help. I really do need to concentrate on my own health and mending before I worry about climbing another mountain just for the sake of climbing. Being vulnerable with your heart wide open, all of it, allows others to feel safe to open their hearts as well.
Since Hugh’s death and so much study of what in the world am I here for I am learning to add to life what is needed and to subtract that which is not. One thing that is needed is more time with the humans and family that I love, more time on my knees in gratitude. More time in just saying YES when a friend calls and says let’s do dinner. Let’s go get coffee. Let’s just walk on the beach and worship God’s sunset. Lets just sit!!! What????? Lets just sit and be still and know that we really are precious and holy in his sight without all this doing and being. We ARE just because.
I am in a season of contrast. A season of extreme delight and at the same time, a time of extreme questioning and trimming away of those things that are not life giving or affirming. A trimming away of those things that do not bring value so that I have more time to love my friends, adore my kids and grands, enjoy my life and do more of what God has put me here to do…. Fully and completely open and ready to be more and at the same time do less.
Oh my what an order!!! Do I think I can? Yes I know I can because I am surrounded and lifted with the most amazing love and the most amazing God that is nothing but love and goodness.
With a wide open heart filled with love ready to give it but ready to receive it as well. And so it is.
Love and more love,
Karen
It’s such a joy to read your writings of your happyness…
Bob, thanks for taking the time to bless me by affirming my writing. It is scary at times to put it out there but I am trying to be true to my hearts calling.
You were such a joy to meet at the show. Already my life feels so blessed just to have met you. I hope some of your joy and light rubs off on me. I hope one day the things I write along with my art could be filled with hope and brightness like what you write. Xoxo
Oh how very very sweet of you!!!!! I am so thankful that you are so kind and affirming to me. Affirming others is a sweet way to live!!!!
karen
That was wonderful!
Thank you Karen,
Rob xxx
Oh Rob, thanks for reading my things and sending me such love!!!
You are a ray of sunshine with a heart of gold! Hugs…
Ellie so nice to see you stop by here!!! Your comment just fired me up and made my day a little brighter!!! I hope you are doing wonderfully. I know when I speak to folks at KW they all say how very very much they miss you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great words Karen. Since my daddy died in May I found myself so very sad and struggling to just get up everyday. But I have figured out that my sole purpose at this time in my life is taking care of my sweet mama. I need to be working but need to love and take care of her.
God gives me what I need for the day. Then I go to him the next day for what I need. Loving on people, especially the elderly, gives me such joy in my heart. I love reading your words. Thank you. (Sorry for such a long comment) 😊❤️
No and so sorry I did not see this!!!!!! I have not lived there. Have lived here since I was around 23!!! So in other words been living in the most perfect place for me and so thankful!!!
Hi Karen, Did you happen to work with David Romanoff at Meyer Lighting in Birmingham?
Karen you are truly a GIFT for so many of us! Yes, even you and I need others in order for God to truly be seen, felt, heard, and touched! It is so AWESOME to see you growing through your pain! You are an AMAZING woman and I am so Grateful that God has BLESSED you to write about His Glory! Much Love sent your way………………
Oh Kitty, thanks for your encouragement. Sometimes I want to hold this stuff back but then I realize if it may put salve on someones wound then must not keep it to myself. Thanks for reading my blog!!!!!