Elegant Life

Pizza Dreams: Dreams you remember upon waking after one has had pizza for dinner the night before. This may be peculiar to my husband only. He has the most fanciful apparitions visit when he eats pizza the night before. He only remembered a bit today, "the doctor said maybe a hypnotist can make him smile again".

I am taken with the phrase "Elegant Life". I don't need pizza dreams, some things just resonate with me.

Resonate:World English Dictionary

resonate (ˈrɛzəˌneɪt)
— vb (often foll by with ) (foll by with )
1. to resound or cause to resound; reverberate
2. (of a mechanical system, electrical circuit, chemical compound, etc) to exhibit or cause to exhibit resonance
3. to be understood or receive a sympathetic response: themes which will resonate with voters
4. to be filled with: simple words that seem to resonate with mystery and beauty
[C19: from Latin resonāre ]

That seems like a great theme for the new year, elegant life.

Something to strive for. Not in furnishings and possessions, but in the quality of the whole scheme of things.

elegant: tasteful, graceful, superior, concise simple succinct, carefully chosen.

Here is something worth pondering from: Computing Dictionary

elegant definition  (From Mathematics) Combining simplicity, power, and a certain ineffable grace of design. Higher praise than "clever", "winning" or even cuspy.

The French aviator, adventurer, and author Antoine de Saint-Exup'ery, probably best known for his classic children's book "The Little Prince", was also an aircraft designer. He gave us perhaps the best definition of engineering elegance when he said "A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

That makes perfect sense. Time to start afresh.

I hate to clean, there is so much else to do.

http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Shelter/Organizing-Cleaning/The-I-Hate-to-Clean-Solution.html

Suggests using a timer for 15 minutes in each room;
http://hubpages.com/hub/Love-a-Clean-House-but-HATE-to-Clean-FlyLady-Can-Help

I love this guy; "[Stuff] robs people of so much," he says. "If your house is full of stuff, all the blessings that could fill your house can't get in. The stuff takes over. It robs you psychologically. You can't be at peace." Peter Walsh: http://www.oprah.com/home/Conquering-Clutter

Peter tells people if they haven't used it in 12 months, it needs to go. That includes the dingy sweatpants Janet's been hanging onto since high school. "If it doesn't fit the vision you have for your space, it's got to go," Peter says.

If it doesn't fit the vision, it's got to go.

I can envision a much better work space and living space, but can I get tough enough on myself to let go of stuff?







Interesting rabbit trail: http://hubpages.com/hub/Wormwood_What_the_Bible_says_about_it_is_amazing

Besties sent to you elegantly of course, xoxo

The Day After..

I love the day after Christmas. Not as much as the day of, it's true, but the day after is very special too. It is the day of new beginnings in my mind. I have learned over the years to find meaning in the holiday by keeping the birth of the Savior as the main focus of the day in my mind and heart. It is a meaningless disappointing holiday other wise. I love giving gifts, it's true, but I could transfer that need to the birthday arena, easily. I know the kids love the legend of Santa Clause and all the fun stories that go along, and I can play along to a certain degree. But the magic of a fat jolly man dropping down my chimney pales to the magic of the nativity story.

Angels, bright shiny stars, prophecy, babies, stables, straw, shepherds in fields, realms of angels, glorious singing, wise men, camels, gifts to the Christ child of wonderfully smelly  valuable items, that is where I find the meaning especially the birth of the Baby.

The birth is the beginning of a new era for mankind. Jesus introduced new thought new methods for living life differently that all people have embraced. A break from the ritual of the day, to embrace a relationship with God the Father. Treating people women and children included with equality and respect. A shift from the body to the mind and the spirit.

I can only imagine the day after for Mary the mother. Holding her son, finally all the anticipation and anxiety of the journey to travel to Bethlehem for the census is over, and she is gazing with wonder into her newborn babies eyes.

New life, I remember so well, that moment, with my own children and the birth of my grand babies. Looking back now, I would have done anything to savor those moments again. Time is a cheat...how fast we travel through but we think it will last forever. And so I begin again, the new life, the day after. The celebration is over and it is time to pack it all away and start the new year asking God to guide and direct us as He guided and directed the 3 wise men with the star above the manger.

May my road lead to the baby in the manger, show me the right road Lord, let me see the light of the star.

Wishing you God's richest blessings...